Uh-huh.
Well, I know that, Neal, but it's important
now that you-you move on.
Get off the phone.
I understand that too
but y-you shouldn't just sit around being depressed.
Tell him life's a drag, then you die.
Now, get off the phone.
Will you let go of my pants?
Oh, I was talking to...Kate.
Ah, she said hi.
Of course. Any time you wanna talk, I'm here.
Ah, that's what brothers are for.
Uncle Neal again?
Who else? The guy's a royal pain in the--
ALF.
I'm sick of this guy calling all the time.
He's like hemorrhoids with a dialing finger.
Have a little compassion, ALF.
Uncle Neal is going through a really rough time right now.
I know, I know. His wife left him.
What I can't figure out is why it took her so long.
Neal, gotta stop doing this to yourself.
It's time you took charge of things.
Don't you see?
You have to grab life by the lapels
and shake your spirit free.
How Zen.
A lot of people have their dogs neutered, Neal.
It doesn't mean that Margaret necessarily
meant anything by it.
Compared to Fido, Neal's getting off easy.
[laughs]
[theme music]
[music continues]
[instrumental music]
Come on, Eric. Give us a smile.
Give us a big smile.
You could do it. Come on.
'Smile.'
'Now, Kate! Now!'
Good boy. Good boy. That was the last bite.
They're so easy to manipulate at this age.
I'll get it.
Oh, if it's Uncle Neal
tell him I'm not here.
Dad. You want me to lie?
It's not a lie, it's a...relative.
That's how Lizzie Borden got started.
First she lied to her parents, then she hacked them to pieces.
Probably looked a lot like this. Only not so veiny.
Check, please.
Just a second. You're safe, dad. It's for me.
I'm-I'm gonna take it in the other room.
You know, now that I think about it
we haven't heard from your brother in days.
I think he probably took the advice I gave him
and started taking charge of his own life.
That poor guy.
To have invested ten years with the same person
and have it end so badly.
Well, at least he's got his storm-door business
to keep him occupied.
Talk about that Tanner zest for life.
[instrumental music]
- Morning, ALF. - Morning.
Did dad give the Ochmoneks permission
to park one of their campers in our driveway?
You know, this sort of thing wouldn't happen
if we didn't live in what Geraldo calls
a marginal neighborhood.
[doorbell rings]
Ugh. Who could that be at this hour?
Probably someone marginal.
Who could possibly be ringing our doorbell
at 7:00 in the morning?
It's Neal.
- Neal. - Surprise!
Oh, yeah, it sure is that.
Well, come on. Come on in.
I hope I'm not ringing too early.
Oh, nonsense.
No, it's-it's wonderful to see you.
- Hi, Neal. - Oh, Lynnie.
Why didn't you tell us you were coming?
Well, because the new Neal Tanner
is spontaneous, impetuous.
Oh, you're looking at my new camper, aren't you?
- That's yours? - Yeah, isn't she a beauty?
Then those are your boxer shorts on the antenna.
I didn't realize you were such a big Batman fan.
I lost the clothesline just outside of Albuquerque.
I didn't know you liked camping, Neal.
Well, I don't, actually. Uh..
This was all your idea, Willie. Don't you remember?
I-I told you to take up camping?
No, you told me to grab life by the lapels
and shake my spirit free, right?
A words to that effect.
Well, I finally did.
I mean, you made me realize
I was living in this teeny-weeny little rut.
And after Margaret bolted
it just kept getting teenier and ruttier and..
So I finally did what you told me to do.
I quit my job, I gave up my apartment
I traded in the Valiant and-and I bought that camper
and, well, here I am.
I'm a new man.
I never told you to do any of those things, Neal.
Well, no, not in so many words. I sort of read in.
[metal clanging]
Excuse me.
This is a special moment.
Why don't I go make us an international coffee?
Irish mocha mint?
- ALF. - What?
I was looking for a shrimp fork. These are too big.
Just be quiet. Uncle Neal is here.
I know.
See? It was someone marginal.
By the way, your father's quite the advice giver.
You know what you get when you shake life's lapels?
Life's dandruff. That's what you get.
Shh.
[instrumental music]
Ah, got your, uh, utilities hooked up.
Oh, thank you.
But really, Neal, you know
you're more than welcome to sleep in the house.
No, no, no.
The new, independent Neal Tanner takes care of himself.
Thanks though.
It's really good to see you, Neal.
It's been a long time.
You know what they say.
Families only seem to get together
at weddings and funerals.
Now we can add divorces to that.
Kind of funny, isn't it?
- You're gonna be okay, Neal. - I know.
You're gonna be okay.
You still make the best hospital corners in our family.
Yeah. You want me to come in and do yours?
No, no. No, thanks. Kate's asleep.
Well, that's no problem. I can work around her.
I worked around Margaret all the time.
You mean you doted on Margaret so much
that she didn't have to get out of the bed for you to make it?
No sense both of us being up.
But hey, that's all behind me now.
Now that I've grabbed life by the lapels
and shaken my spirit free.
Thanks to you.
Yeah.
Yeah, about that, Neal.
Ah, what I really meant was, I think..
...was sit down, relax
don't make any rash decisions.
Above all, don't uproot your whole life
and drive into somebody's driveway in a Winnebago.
You're afraid I'm gonna be a burden.
No, Neal. No..
I'm just wondering if you really thought this thing through.
What about your job?
You-you loved selling storm doors.
I did, but I don't necessarily think that man was meant to
just do one thing with his life, Willie.
And n-now is a good time for me to take some risks.
So, I was thinking about getting into sunroofs.
What do you think? Do you know anybody in sunroofs?
- No, afraid not. - I know.
It's a tough game to crack unless you know somebody.
But hey, I made it in storm doors, didn't I?
- Sure did. - Mm.
You wanna know something? I'm gonna do it all on my own.
You're looking at the new, revamped Neal Tanner.
I am strong, I am invincible.
Do you know any women that fool around?
Just a little.
[instrumental music]
You gonna finish that?
No, I was gonna store it in my cheeks until winter.
There's more food, Brian. What would you like thirds of?
Everything.
Where did you learn to cook so well, Uncle Neal?
Well, breakfast was Margaret's favorite meal of the afternoon.
Except on weekends, when she'd sleep late.
You know, sometimes I wonder
where she got the energy to leave me.
- Good morning, guys. - Morning, Willie.
What would you like for breakfast?
Eggs, sausage, cinnamon rolls, waffles..
Oh, uh...a couple of eggs and toast will be fine.
Okay. How would you like those cooked?
Scrambled, over easy, boiled, fried?
Coddled.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes?
- Surprise me. - Roger Wilco.
You know who is not very happy about you know what.
Well, we'll just have to tell you know who
that he can go you know where.
He told me to tell you he's made a voodoo doll in your image.
[chuckles]
[instrumental music]
Nice touch.
Subtle, but it makes a point.
I can understand your feelings, ALF.
I can also understand your dilemma.
What I can't understand is this note.
It's in English. What don't you understand?
"Dear Neal, take some advice from a guy
"who loves you like a brother.
"There's a camper leaving town at noon
"either be in it or under it.
Love, Anonymous."
I love when you read to me.
You left this on the kitchen table
hoping that Neal would see it
and think it was from me, didn't you?
Let him draw his own conclusions.
I didn't say it was from his brother.
- Clever, yes? - Clever? No.
Insensitive? Yes.
Contemptuous? Absolutely.
Fortunately, Neal didn't see it.
If my brother wants to visit here for a while
he's welcome, ALF.
Fine.
But if you were more forceful
and less sympathetic to freeloaders
perhaps he'd get the hint.
I'm ending this conversation now.
But before I go, I'd like you to imagine what my being
less sympathetic to freeloaders might mean
to the fate of another member of this household.
He's right.
Kate would have been history a long time ago.
[instrumental music]
- How'd your talk with ALF go? - Oh.
How do my talks with ALF usually go?
- I'll get your antacid pills. - Thanks.
He's just, he's got to accept the fact
that Neal is gonna be here for a while.
Just for clarity, exactly how would you define "a while?"
Oh, Kate, don't you start too.
This-this is my kid brother
and he happens to need me right now.
Willie, I like Neal very much
but he has always used you to shield himself
from the real world.
That's not true.
You proposed to his ex-wife for him.
Neal is shy and is subject to shingles.
I had no choice.
You are obviously too close to be objective about this.
- I'm objective. - No, you're not, honey.
Well, why should I be, anyway? He's my brother.
Look, all I am saying is
if Neal is serious about putting his life in order
and putting Margaret behind him, we're not helping.
No matter how well we're eating.
What are you saying, then?
Look, he needs to learn to fend for himself.
Maybe he needs a little push.
Besides, this whole situation is not exactly fair to ALF.
[knocking on door]
Speaking of which..
What is it, ALF?
- Willie? - Neal?
Sorry to bother you so late.
- Hi, Kate. - Hi, Neal.
Who's ALF?
ALF?
Willie was talking to me. He calls me ALF.
Sort of a pet name.
I'm his little ALF.
Oh, that's darling.
You know, I used to call Margaret my little chicken taco.
That was her favorite snack.
That, and any kind of beef.
Neal, is there something you wanted?
Oh. T.P.
"T.P.?"
Toilet paper.
I'm plumb out, and I used up all my napkins too.
I'll get you some.
Thank you, ALF.
[instrumental music]
[burps] Yeah.
You know, if you eat fast, you could eat more.
Yeah. It also adds to the ambience.
I know.
[burps]
Good morning, dad.
Good morning, Lynn, Brian, ALF.
ALF, what are you doing down here?
- Finishing oatmeal with clams. - Well, go back upstairs.
Neal could come in here any minute.
I don't think so. He's gone.
Gone? What do you mean gone?
Relax, I don't mean dead.
I saw his boxer shorts drive by my window.
ALF.
Kate, Neal drove off in his camper
early this morning.
That's odd.
Well, I'll just mosey on off
to the television area if no one minds.
Hold it. Somebody minds.
What do you know about this?
About what?
I want you to look me in the eye
and tell me you didn't write him another note.
I didn't write him another note.
Uh...pay no attention to my ears.
Nice try.
I told you this was none of your concern, didn't I?
Didn't I make it perfectly clear you were to stay out of this?
Obviously not clear enough.
What exactly did this note say, ALF?
Well, I seem to recall, and I'm paraphrasing now
"Amscray, wearing out your welcome."
Oh, and "deadbeat."
"Sincerely yours, William Tanner."
You signed my name?
Well, you got mad when I signed the first one Anonymous.
Is there no pleasing you?
[instrumental music]
Alright.
What do you call a mushroom that buys all the drinks?
A fungi to be with.
[laughing]
Ah, I kill me.
Would you like any help?
What did I do that was so terrible?
You hurt Uncle Neal's feelings and made him leave.
Before he could fix dinner.
You made my own brother feel unwelcome in my home.
Well, you made me feel unwelcome in my home.
Neal was my brother long before you were ever my, my..
What is he, anyway?
Don't get me started.
[doorbell rings]
ALF, hide in the kitchen.
ALF, hide in the kitchen, what?
ALF, hide in the kitchen now.
There, was that so hard?
Neal. Oh, come on in.
I'm so glad you came back.
Oh, we are so sorry you left, honey.
- Give me your coat. - Are you hungry? Mom made--
- What was that, anyway? - Food.
At any rate, there's plenty left.
Will you cook dinner tomorrow?
[laughs]
What a reception.
If I didn't know better, I'd swear you all thought
I was gone for good.
Well, I guess we did.
Listen, about that note..
Oh, come on, Willie.
I saw right through that old trick of yours.
Trick?
Didn't your dad ever tell you about the Marshall Ludwig story?
- Doesn't ring a bell. - 'Oh.'
Well, when your dad and I were kids
Marshall Ludwig was the meanest bully in school.
He was the only fourth grader with "Love Hate"
tattooed across his knuckles. I'm not kidding.
And for some reason, I seemed to be his favorite target.
Oh, quelle surprise.
Marshall had followed me home from school that day
and told me that the next day at recess
he was gonna beat me up so hard
I'd be carrying my head around in my lunchbox.
And this guy right here
said something that really made sense.
He said, "Neal, you know why Marshall picks on you?
It's because you're a sissy."
Ugh. Even as youngsters, those two were boring.
The next time I saw that bully, I stood up to him and I said
"You wanna stick my head in my lunchbox
"that's fine with me
because in no way am I gonna be a sissy."
Didn't I see this on "The Wonder Years?"
I knew that Willie wrote that note this morning
so I'd get mad and I'd stop feeling sorry for myself
and, well, I'd get out there and grab life by the lapels
and shake my spirit free.
- Neal? - Yeah?
Don't use that phrase. Ever again.
It's incredibly stupid
and I rue the day I said it in the first place.
Roger Wilco.
Neal, don't use that phrase either.
Now, where have you been all day? We were worried.
Well, I traded in the camper
and I put a deposit on an apartment
not half a mile from here.
I applied for a job
and then I called up Margaret
and when she answered the phone
I hung up on her.
That means you're gonna stay here?
Roger Wil..
It looks like it.
I hereby re-christen you Uncle Neal.
[instrumental music]
[laughing]
"Dear sissy, I know where you live
"and I've got a lunchbox with your name on it.
"I'm out on a technicality
"and I'm heading your wa..
"Way.
Get out of town. Best wishes, Marshall Ludwig."
[laughing]
Hiss. Hiss.
- ALF. - Willie!
Hand that over.
- Oh, my list of errands? - How many times are we--
(Kate) 'Neal, let me get that door for you.'
- ALF, go to your attic, quick. - Yeah, yeah.
"Go to your attic. Go to your attic." Boy!
- Hi, honey. - Hi.
Neal, you are so good with that baby.
Oh. Hi, Willie.
I don't know when I've ever seen him sleep so much.
Yeah, thanks, operator.
Hello, Marshall Ludwig?
Oh, hi, Marshall.
Uh, you don't know me
but, uh, I'm about to make you a very happy man.
[instrumental music]
[laughs]