What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
What we do is legal, therefore, it is not unethical.
If this was unethical, it would be illegal.
That company mantra was the only thing
fending off this latest bout of moral crisis.
You see, I just sold this guy
and his two financial gurus
on investing $200 million in our mortgage fund.
He will lose almost everything.
My firm will make $26 million.
And it's totally legal.
Therefore, it is not unethical.
At a young age, it occurred to me that I was different.
You see, it's always been easier for me to relate intellectually as opposed to emotionally.
While most children were playing pretend,
I focused my efforts on counting to 100.
For Halloween, I departed from the traditional superhero or ghoul,
and instead dressed as seven-time mathlete champion, Franklin Stubbs.
In high school, I divided my time between "The Wall Street Journal"
and classic literature.
By 16, I had a life plan mapped out to my 65th birthday.
After a freak Segway-ing accident...
landed me in the college infirmary,
I had my heart stolen by a sympathetic coed working on her nursing degree.
Somehow, she found my idiosyncrasies endearing.
Eight years and two business degrees later,
I landed in finance.
We hate Wall Street! We hate Wall Street!
To survive the crash, I worked overtime.
Some nights, I slept there.
I had goals to reach.
I got the car, bought the house,
then worked my way up to vice president.
After this deal, they'd make me a partner.
Overnight, our firm was gonna be worth three-fold.
To celebrate, the top brass threw a party in my honor.
It didn't occur to them that I neither drink nor enjoy bars,
but being the man of the hour, I was forced to make an appearance
and enjoy my 18-dollar virgin tonic.
Jim! Jim, my man!
How you doing? You having a good time, huh?
I just wanna say excellent work. Top notch.
- What we asked of you was not easy. - Thank you.
You enjoy yourself because you deserve it.
I... I am.
Unfortunately, it is about time for me to head out.
- No! - Becky leaves for work in 45 minutes,
and she'll be disappointed if I don't see her off.
Listen, good for you.
Before you go, let's get a picture with Phil and Hal.
Don't you move. Don't move.
Today's mark was an eccentric billionaire.
But I had spent the last six years
talking people out of their money,
banks, college endowments, teachers' pension funds.
If there was a nickel to be had, it was my job to get it.
When the guilt piled up,
I buried it with my ambition.
If I climbed high enough, maybe I could outrun it.
- Jim, how are you? - Good.
- Jim. - Come on in.
Take a seat.
How is Becky?
Uh, she's... She's great.
We're trying to start a family.
Good. Good. That's really great, Jim.
We're gonna let you go, Jim.
- Come on, Hal. - Show a little tact, Hal.
Cut the crap, and tell him why he's here.
But we just went public with the mortgage fund.
Hey, your work on that was top notch, Jim.
The bonds are under water.
It's just a matter of time before they all blow up.
There was no other way to achieve those target numbers.
You were perfectly aware of this.
We gave you a number to hit.
You're the one that decided how to hit it.
This is all gonna come back on us, Jim,
and believe me, it's gonna be better for all of us...
if you're not here.
I was loyal,
and you used me.
Now, there's no reason this can't be amicable.
And no one twisted your arm.
With Alpha pinning me as the fall guy,
my career in finance was over.
No other firm would touch me.
Hey, you're home early.
So, I had the most disgusting day today.
Cresting Elementary's corn chips and chili fry day went completely awry.
A hundred and twenty fifth graders show up spewing from both ends.
We had to make an emergency run to Home Depot for extra buckets.
I bet you forgot we have dinner with your parents tonight.
Do you know if your grandfather is coming?
Because I love him, but I just...
I need to mentally prepare myself for him.
All that ladder climbing
just made my fall that much more traumatic.
What's wrong?
I was disgusted with myself and repulsed by the business.
I got fired.
I hadn't outrun anything.
So, you're... You're happy you got fired?
No. I don't know.
I think I'd just like to try something else.
Well, I didn't know you had anything other passions besides finance.
Sure, I do. Plenty of things.
I just need to... find out what they are.
It'll be fine, hon.
I know.
You'll figure it out.
At least one thing is gonna get a lot easier with you home during the day.
I... I can't even think about having babies right now.
We've already had that conversation.
Yes, and now, I don't have a job.
Well, you'll find one.
It could take a while.
We've waited four years to be ready.
I want a baby.
I want us to have a baby.
I know.
But I'm really not in the right head space right now.
Not even just a little?
Well, that's nice.
And if I do this?
Okay, maybe when you do that.
What is that?
What?
On your shirt.
Face scrub.
No, that's...
That's definitely vomit.
All right, well, this shirt is coming off anyway.
Oh!
The career turmoil had caused me to reflect.
Not just on my own choices,
but on my family's long line of working-class forefathers.
Men like my great-grandfather, William Edward Preston.
He worked his way up from small-town butcher to East Coast farming legend.
Not only did he harvest his own crops,
but he managed their distribution across New York City
and still found the time to run a soup kitchen every Sunday.
My father and grandfather built their legacy through honest, hard work.
For over 50 years,
they delivered chocolate to supermarkets across the country.
From a young age, I was groomed and expected to tread the family path.
My decision to pursue finance had been met with a... lukewarm reception.
I told you not to go to work for those crooks.
They're financial managers, Dad.
Anybody that makes all their money
off other people's money is a crook.
It doesn't matter what you call them.
- Yeah, yeah. - Case closed.
Case is closed.
- Case is closed. - Case is closed.
Yeah. Yeah, I'll have another martini here, please.
- Oh, that sounds great. - Yeah.
Now... here's what we're gonna do, Jim.
We're gonna put you to work in the warehouse.
Help you to start making some honest money.
You know Jim doesn't have any interest in the warehouse, Dad.
Let me see your hand, Jim.
Right. Look at his hand. Look at your son's hand.
- I don't wanna look at this hand. - Go ahead.
I know what his hand looks like.
He doesn't wanna look at it.
It's like a woman's.
Is that a manicure?
- James. - That's enough, Dad.
- I was only asking. - No, it's enough.
- I don't know what's normal these days. - That's enough.
No, I, uh... I don't have a manicure.
I like his hands.
And what's wrong with our business?
It's raised this family for two generations.
- That's true. - And I appreciate that.
I just... I wanna find my own way.
Yeah.
Sorry, Dad.
No need to be sorry.
How are you fixed for cash?
We're not taking your money.
They gave me a small severance.
Yes, and we have some savings.
So, he has some time to figure it out.
- I say we toast. - Yes. Absolutely.
To new a beginning.
Excuse me, miss.
Are you distilling my spirits,
or am I to expect my drink sometime this evening?
For the first time in my adult life,
I was without direction.
But it was time to take inventory,
discover new interests and pursue them.
♪ What if I had just a little bit more time? ♪
♪ To chase down moments like this and make them mine ♪
♪ What if this night had never come to pass? ♪
♪ How many nights like this have I got left? ♪
♪ I leave in the morning for the country where I'm from ♪
My grandfather was right.
I hadn't done any truly honest work
since sweeping the warehouse floor at 15.
Alpha had plucked me out of college.
I never had to look for a job,
never had to fill out an application.
Something millions of people do every day,
and I didn't have a clue.
So, what mortgage derivatives does your former employer invest in?
Now calling A57.
Hi. I'm here to see about finding new employment.
Right across the street there is a community college.
They offer what we call job preparatory classes.
You get yourself into one of those,
and I'll get you your benefits.
"Making Art from Trash"?
Trade skill, hon.
What about "Interpretive Dance"?
Personal growth.
I just want a job.
And we will be happy to help you find one.
Great.
Just as soon as I get you the benefits.
After a six-year hiatus,
I found the idea of returning to school charming.
No doubt it would provide the spark of inspiration I needed.
Vending machines and bathrooms are down the hall.
Good luck with your career paths.
In this three-part series,
we'll teach you how to find a job using the Internet.
Raise your hand if you've ever used a computer before.
Good for you.
Now, let's go over the basics of filling out an application online.
First, you will want to create a username and password.
After suffering through the No Child Left Behind program,
it was time to hit the streets.
I needed something blue collar,
something my great-grandfather Preston would be proud of.
Society needed people contributing on the ground floor,
not middle men living off interest rates and derivatives.
My name is Jim Adams. I'm looking for new employment.
Do you have any, uh... Do you have any job openings?
Oh, Audi? Yes.
Yes, I actually... I have an Audi.
I'd love to learn more about it and work... Here's my resume.
I'm a bit overqualified, I know,
but I'm really willing to learn a new trade.
This is... This is great.
Yeah. "Try it out."
I would love to try it out.
That's exactly what I'm looking to do.
That's... Wow, okay. Well...
So I'll just call you?
I'll call...
- Okay? - Okay. Wow.
All right.
That feels good just to have that on my hands.
- Doesn't even bother me. Doesn't even... - Okay.
I'm excited.
Okay.
So, what are you, a stockbroker?
I worked in the bond market.
That's not a stockbroker?
No. No, sir. I've never been licensed to sell securities.
You ever do work like this before?
I have not, but I am a quick learner.
I'm sure you are.
But we don't have the time or the personnel to train you.
Thank you.
I could start by sweeping up.
My kid does that already.
Here is my resume.
Well, if it doesn't say you've ever cut, sold, or laid carpet...
you might as well put it back in your purse.
This is an attache case.
Thank you.
It had been three weeks.
And after hand delivering 57 applications,
I had managed to secure nothing more than an appointment for an oil change.
Maybe I was doomed to be a white-collar desk jockey.
Waffle fact.
With more than 1,700 locations, all open 24 hours,
Papa's Chicken and Waffle is the seventh largest food chain in the United States.
During my college heyday, Papa's was a late-night staple
and a place I could always clear my head.
Just seeing the establishment provided more comfort than I had felt in months.
Yeah.
- Just have a seat. She'll be right with you. - Okay.
You are right, man. That has definitely got something.
It's called groove, baby,
and not a lot of those new cats have it.
I'm with you, bro.
How much is the Wanda?
Same price as it was yesterday, Kathy, $9.72 with taxes.
Hey, Mary!
Where you at, girl?
I mean, people are dying of starvation out here.
Coming!
Come on now! I can't be grilling and greeting at the same time.
I will have the Wanda.
Coming up.
- Wanda! - Wanda's working.
What can I get you?
Orange juice, Wyatt with cheese, and an application.
What do you mean? You wanna work here?
Are you still hiring?
We're always hiring.
It's my third time working here.
Lord help us.
Fill this out. I'll get a manager.
- There's only four questions. - Yeah.
I guess I just expected it to be longer.
Not at Papa's.
Hey, hey, what's the man's order?
And call it out on the bird.
Wyatt with cheese.
Copy that. Wyatt with cheese.
Coming on the fly.
You like working here?
It's not "Top Chef,"
but it keeps me on the grill, baby.
You looking for a job, honey?
You're the manager.
- Assistant. Jacqui. - I'm Jim Adams.
Well, Mr. Jim Adams, you certainly do dress to impress.
You ever work in a restaurant before?
- I haven't. - I didn't think so.
What was your last job?
Well, I've always worked in finance,
but I'm seeking a career change.
Preferably honest work.
Something that gives back, something that, when I go home at the end of the day,
I can still have a sense of dignity.
Well, all I need is a server.
Two of them just quit.
Well, one of the got hauled off,
but nobody got time for all that.
You think you can handle it?
I'd welcome the opportunity.
Is that a yes?
A resounding yes.
Mary, grab Jim one of those new-hire packets.
Got it.
Can you start tomorrow 8:00 a.m.?
I can.
Good answer.
Now, manager Matt will be on duty.
So you make sure you make me look good,
and you go home and you familiarize yourself with the Rise and Shine manual.
Of course.
Oh, and, Jim, baby,
wear jeans.
People who dress like that end up getting mugged around here.
It doesn't really hurt much.
Oh, okay.
I was wondering about that.
Yeah.
- Hey. - Hey.
Best of luck.
I'm sure they, uh...
they deal with this sort of thing all the time.
Yeah, thanks.
Okay.
Everything all right?
Yeah, yeah, fine.
I thought the ER creeps you out.
Still does.
I had some news I wanted to share with you.
An opportunity has presented itself,
and I just... I couldn't pass it up.
Okay, now, I'm getting excited. What is it?
Papa's Chicken and Waffle.
What about it?
It's where I'm working.
You're managing a Papa's Chicken and Waffle?
No, I'm a server.
I start training tomorrow.
Are you joking?
No, I'm actually kind of excited about it.
Why?
Because it's a fresh start.
It's a chance to clear my head and work with my hands.
I really wish you would have figured that out
before we forked out 50 grand on an MBA
and spent seven years traveling around for your career in that world.
So do I.
Papa's Waffle? Really?
Chicken and Waffle, yeah.
What are you reading?
I'm studying.
For what?
My new job.
That's for waiting tables?
What's in there?
Sure, take a look.
"During off-peak hours,
"servers must restock condiments,
"mop floors...
"sanitize the bathrooms."
It's refreshingly regimented.
You do realize those are public bathrooms, right?
Sure.
Have you seen what the public does to a bathroom?
Yeah.
This ought to be good.
Here you go.
Have fun.
Thank you.
Morning.
How long have you been up?
Since yesterday about this time.
All night?
Well, it's just the manager is counting on me to have this down.
You're ironing your jeans?
People iron their jeans.
No, they don't.
You're nervous.
I wouldn't say I'm nervous.
Actually...
it's kind of cute.
This is interesting.
"In order to qualify, a franchisee must first work a minimum of 1,000 hours
"at a Papa's Chicken and Waffle."
That is an inspired business model.
Let's just start by getting through your first day.
♪ Oh, my darling I have... ♪
What you gonna do?
Excuse me?
What job?
I'll be serving.
What about you?
Kitchen.
Waffle fact.
It's not something they advertise,
but Papa's Chicken and Waffle
is America's third largest employer of ex-convicts and felons,
a true testament to Papa's founder, Jason Hank Kramerson's
unwavering belief in the redemptive qualities of the human spirit.
Manuel, hey, great to have you back.
What's it been, six months?
Twelve. Got out early.
Good behavior?
Overcrowding.
Well, well done.
Luckily, not much has changed around here,
so we can get you right back in the kitchen.
- Cool. - Very cool.
Jim, welcome to Papa's.
I'm excited to be here.
I like that. You should be.
Come with me.
I'm not the kind of guy who likes to sit around flapping his jaws.
I like to throw you in the fire, sink or swim.
The only real way to learn is to do.
You get a chance to look at that packet yet?
Fastidiously. I even found a few grammatical errors.
I'll take that.
You can make a lot of money here, Jim.
And I'm not just saying that.
It was hard for me when my construction business went under.
I didn't know what to expect when I first came on board.
But I'll tell you something. You work hard, and you produce...
there is opportunity.
I started out just like you.
And now, I'm the store manager. Thank you.
That's very encouraging.
You're damn right, it is.
I like your energy, Jim.
I'm gonna start you off on the ordering process.
After that, on the register with Jacqui.
Then you're gonna follow Mary for the day.
- Edward, this is Jim, our new server. - Hey.
Show him how we get it done around here.
Hey. Hey.
I'm gonna throw a lot at you, Jimmy.
So you better be ready to catch it.
It's Jim. Only my parents call me Jimmy.
Well, consider me your waffle daddy.
Now, here comes the first pitch.
When you call in the order,
make sure you have two feet on the tile.
That's two feet square.
And be certain we hear you.
So, call it like you have meaning.
I need a Winnie, two Wendys, and a Brenda Joe.
Eight options on the menu.
Papa had eight kids.
That ain't a coincidence.
Now, the boys liked their waffles savory.
And call it at the grill,
and we add the chicken, bacon, and the eggs.
The girls liked them sweet.
Service dress them here.
Somebody want the Mama,
that's one of our specialty orders.
They get the works.
Ice cream in the deep freeze.
Who's Brenda Joe?
Oh, that's Papa's baby.
Yeah, the only one who got away with ordering pancakes.
Doesn't start with a W.
Um, maybe they ran out of names with W.
Whitney is one.
Willy, or Wilfred, or Wilhelmina.
Hey, we ain't got time for your semantics.
Hey, Jacqui.
Show Jimmy boy here the register.
Okay, and then you add... Yeah, just like that.
Oh. Oh, okay, I usually do it another way,
but that seems to work better.
$36.38.
Thank you.
Now, you can use the built-in...
That's $37, $38, $39,
and 62 cents makes $40 is your change.
Calculator.
Papa's thanks you for your patronage.
Hope you can come back and see us again soon.
Thank you.
I have never seen anybody take to the register like that.
Thank you.
Look, Jim, no offense,
but you don't seem like the Papa's Waffle type.
You look more like a school teacher or...
carpet salesman.
Jacqui, don't you think it's a little soon to malign my character?
What kind of shoes are those anyway?
Cordovan leather straight tips.
They don't look restaurant-friendly.
Scuff-resistant, water-repellent,
guaranteed to be as versatile as they are timeless.
Price I paid for them, they better be as friendly as a shoe can get.
All right now.
I'm supposed to shadow you for the day.
Okay.
In his seminal work, "How to Win Friends and Influence People,"
Dale Carnegie posits that the fastest way to make others warm to you
is to encourage them to talk about themselves.
Aren't you pregnant?
Yeah.
I'm just finishing off my last carton.
Read any good books lately?
I hate to read.
The only book I've ever read is "The Caramel Seduction."
What's that about?
It's erotica.
Oh, I... thought it might have been about Milton Hershey
or some other confectionery mogul.
There's no one named Milton in this book.
Of course not.
Milton is a name best suited for economists,
not Casanovas.
Mary! Hey, we're going down. I need you and Jim back on the floor ASAP.
What about Cody?
He had a summons. Come on, girl. Let's go.
Thank you for your business and come again soon.
Why is it like this?
Afternoon rush. Happens every day.
I need you to bus table seven and drop silver and menus at four.
I'm sorry. What?
Take this rag. Clean that table.
Put these on it.
Out of eggs. Out of cheese. Almost out of bacon.
Hey, hey, Jimmy, we're sinking fast back here.
We need a reload double time.
Get to the walk-in. I need cheese, bacon, eggs, and butter.
Okay.
Hey, hey, hey, we need syrup, strawberries, walnuts, and jam too.
- Okay? - Okay.
Wait. Who covers the register?
Hey, man, look, forget about the register.
What's that?
It's cheese.
I said, "Eggs, bacon, butter, and cheese."
It's the first thing I saw.
Hey, seriously, man, ain't you a college boy?
I mean, how did you survive your last gig?
I worked with numbers in the ether,
not toppings in a freezer, okay. I dealt in abstractions.
Well, how about you abstract more than one item?
You're not handling nitroglycerin.
What's the holdup? Where's the strawberries?
Apparently, Jimmy the genius
can't figure his way past one bag of cheese.
Just...
Let's see...
Hey, hey, Jimmy, come on! I need you to work with me, baby!
- Sorry! - Work with me!
Jimmy!
Uh...
Oh!
Jimmy, please tell me what wasn't my last bucket of bacon bits.
Jacqui said she mentioned the shoes.
She did. Yeah.
It's all right. I've seen worse.
Okay.
You're right. I haven't.
But the important thing is you got back up,
and you finished the job.
Now, as stated in the Rise and Shine,
all employees must complete a week-long trial period.
But after what I've seen today...
the ability to abandon all pride in the line of duty...
well, I know Papa's material when I see it.
You're part of the family now, Jim.
I'm honored.
I know you are.
Hey, I hate to do this to you,
but I need you to come in a couple hours early on Wednesday.
Okay.
We just got word the owner is gonna pay us a little visit,
and I need this place to sparkle.
Right.
That hurts so good.
I think my left leg just went numb.
- You want me to stop? - Don't you dare.
This is the only chance I have of walking tomorrow.
All right, well, besides getting maimed,
how was your first day at making waffles?
That would require a promotion.
I am a server trainee.
Okay, how much did my server trainee make?
Adding up my hourly wage and taking into account the ruined shirt and slacks...
I think I'm only down about $170.
You actually lost money by going into work today?
Startup costs, honey.
Every business venture is steeped in them.
You might find this interesting.
After seeing Mary's sales today,
and assuming Jacqui did roughly the same,
I was impressed with the revenue potential of the restaurant.
I mean, considering Papa's is open 24 hours with three shifts a day,
even if you factor in 70% costs,
it's still a healthy profit for the owners.
More than both of our salaries combined.
Well, my old salary anyway.
Yeah, it's interesting.
What?
You don't like it.
You do like it?
I missed something.
Can I buy a vowel?
Rhymes with...
maybe.
Baby.
You're pregnant.
You did it.
No, well, you had something to do with it.
I can't believe this. This is...
This is so exciting.
- Is that all you have? - No, this is really exciting.
Come here.
I love you.
You know I'm terrified, right?
I do.
I know.
In nine months, we're gonna be up to our ears in burp cloths and dirty diapers.
We're gonna have to buy a minivan.
We're having a child, not a soccer team.
Is it normal that I'm already thinking
about everything that could go wrong
and everything we don't have?
Yeah, I think it's called having a child.
You sure we're ready for this?
You mean because at some point, I won't be able to work,
and you're only making $2.13 an hour
plus tips?
Yes, that crossed my mind.
Yeah, mine too.
I knew my enthusiasm for the job
wouldn't make up for the lack of take-home.
With a baby inbound, I need to make some real money.
$60 a shift wasn't gonna buy me much time.
- Manuel. - Hey, what's up, man?
Oh.
It's cool, man.
It's cool.
Hey!
You the guy who slipped on his ass yesterday?
Jim Adams, yes.
Yeah. Larry, assistant manager.
Those the same shoes?
Yes, but I...
You know I can write you up for that.
I did order a pair of Crewsave shoes from the catalog,
but they take a while to ship.
Consider this your verbal warning. You only get one.
I thought Jacqui was the assistant manager.
There's the manager,
two assistant managers,
and the shift manager.
Well, I guess that ups the odds for promotion, doesn't it?
Yeah.
For some people.
Any idea what I'm supposed to be doing?
Ask Matthew. He's in the back.
- Matthew? - He's out back.
I want us to talk about this.
I'm not gonna sit here and talk to you about this...
I can't stop!
You can figure this out!
- Nancy... - Whatever!
Can we please...
Matthew?
You all right?
You need anything?
How about I just grab a bucket and start on the windows?
Yeah.
Jimmy Flops, back again.
I can always count on you to be early.
Anyone serious about his job would be.
Jim, we're out of visors. I need everybody looking as hygienic as possible.
Everybody listen up!
Boss man is 10 minutes out.
Last looks. Let's stash the cleaning supplies,
and let's pretend we haven't been busing our humps all morning.
Hey, what are you doing wearing that stupid-looking hat?
Management told me to keep it sexy.
Just trying to fulfill the mandate the best way I know how.
Then I say...
you nailed it.
Thank you, Kathy.
There he is.
Every six weeks, like clockwork.
That's Papa?
Drake, Papa's protege.
Hey, don't let the lack of polish fool you either.
He's one of the richest guys in town.
You give that old man a 10 cent,
and he'll squeeze out a dollar.
Miles Drake III was one of the original five franchisees.
How's my favorite...
In addition to his 10 Papa's locations,
he also owned a tire shop and a beauty salon.
Two artificial knees didn't stop him from inspecting every inch of the building.
No crevice was overlooked, no detail too minute.
And just when I thought my admiration had reached its summit,
he took to the grill.
Cooked his own Webster with a side of hash browns.
Then sat down in booth seven to enjoy his lunch with a cup of coffee, black.
Afterward, we were called into the back
for what I anticipated to be a hard-nosed yet inspired critique.
Well, I wanna thank you all for being here with me today.
As many of you know, I'm not a man to waste words.
It's been suggested that I slow down...
and I'm gonna take that advice.
Now, this doesn't mean anything drastic.
It just means that sometime in the future, I will cease to be your boss.
No sooner had he said it than the idea struck me,
so acute and clearly-defined I might only describe it as destiny.
I just want you to know it's been an absolute pleasure to be your employer.
So, get out there and sling some waffles.
Let's do it, guys. Waffle time.
- You've done a great job for me, Matthew. - Thank you, sir.
Excuse me, Mr. Drake.
- My name is Jim Adams. - Hi, Jim.
Um, I just was wondering if I could have a moment to... speak to you.
I want you to look at something and tell me what you think.
Please tell me you're not trying to buy a Ferrari.
It's a franchising fee and down payment for a Papa's Chicken and Waffle.
More precisely, the location at which I am currently employed.
Okay. Now, I wish this was about a car.
I know it's intimidating.
$335,000?
With the state of our mortgage, I can't imagine how we would do that.
Don't you think this is a bit impulsive?
I understand it could come across as ill-considered.
- Good. - But I met the store owner today,
and it could not have been more clear.
Don't you have to work there a year or something?
1,000 hours.
But all corporate cares about is a gross total,
which means I can tally as many hours as I can take.
It's a huge risk.
I wanna be a man that cooks his own breakfast.
Honey, I could teach you that in an hour.
We don't need to buy a restaurant.
It's good, clean, hard work,
and it's respectable.
It's endless hours and a mountain of stress.
My father ran his own business.
I'm not naive to what it takes.
No, I... I know that.
This has a lot of potential.
Yes, maybe it does, but...
we can't afford it.
We can take out a loan.
Is this really what you want?
A Papa's Waffle?
Just come in and see it, okay?
If you're not convinced, then I won't mention it again.
You ready?
Dazzle me.
Wow. Is it always like this?
Jim! Jim!
Oh, thank the almighty you're here.
- What is this? - A wedding.
Someone is getting married here?
Happens all the time.
I need your help.
People are passionate about their Papa's.
Look, we've got a critical toilet situation I need you to take care of.
What do you mean "critical"?
Child, the commode is clogged like a watermelon in a garden hose.
I told them that double ply paper was a bad idea.
The plunger didn't work?
Stolen. That's the situation.
Who steals a plunger?
These people are savages.
Do you want me to go buy a new one?
Two more flushes, and it's Niagara Falls in there.
Welcome to the restaurant business.
Not a problem. I'll handle it.
Jimmy Jam.
I wouldn't go in there raw.
Oh! Wow!
No. No. No, no, no, no, no.
It's man up time. It's man up time. It's man up time.
It's time to man up, Jim. It's time to man up.
Okay.
All right, yeah, that's significant.
That is significant.
Ugh!
Yeah, you can't beat me.
You can't beat me.
You... can't... beat... me.
Come on, you bastard!
Sounds like he's got it under control.
Sir, I believe you were next.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
That was unbelievably foul.
And somehow, almost sexy.
Ooh, look like somebody's gonna be playing janitor tonight.
Well, if that's what this place brings out of you,
I think we should buy three of them.
I just want the one.
Yeah, that was hyperbole, honey.
Okay.
Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go, uh...
bathe myself in bleach.
Good idea.
All right, you got your pen. You got your pad.
- And you know your menu. - Yes.
- You ready to go? - Bring it.
All right, I don't think I've ever seen such potential.
Hey, you give them hell, Jimmy Boy.
This one is for you.
- -Look, you just give them a big smile
and let them love you. Come on.
We're rocking now.
I asked for a refill.
Shoot! I'm so sorry. I'm on it. I'm on it.
Yeah, that's what you said last time.
I still need syrup.
Okay, it's coming right up.
Where's my straw?
Straw, yes. You got it.
- And my hot sauce. - Hot sauce.
Table 15 wants their check, man.
Just give me a second, all right?
Yo, I said Webster. This is a Wally.
- Okay, let me see what I can do. - Yeah, get me my Webster.
Hey, scrambled up. Table seven.
Sunny side up. Table five.
Jim, can I help you with anything?
I need a refill on 12. 13 wants a straw. Syrup for 14. Check on 15.
Oh, and a... And a Webster not a Wally on 12.
Jim, you just got sat on the patio.
We have a patio?
Okay, there was a... There was a box of them right here.
- Now, they're not here. - Jim, baby.
- I need straws. - Jim! Jim, look at me.
It's okay. You're in what we call "the weeds."
- I can't find the straws. - I know. It's okay.
Look, we're gonna get your section under control,
and then you're gonna take over the regulars at the high bar, okay?
Give you a chance to take it easy for a bit.
- Sound like a plan? - Yeah.
Okay. All right, follow me. Look at me.
Come on. It's okay.
Excuse me.
I need a refill please.
I got you.
Man, Kathy, you're getting your $1.25's worth today.
Like you're any better.
Sitting around here waiting till you get a phone call
to go repo someone's car.
And ruin their life.
Yeah, been there, done that today.
Made her cry and throw up.
That must have been really neat to see firsthand.
No, you misunderstand.
It didn't happen both at the same time.
First, she cried, and then she...
She puked all over her car.
You're right. That does make all the difference.
Of course it does. Yeah.
Well, man, I'm in it for the money, but hey,
it's the little perks that make it so rewarding.
Where's my food?
Well, there's your Sprite. Your bacon is on its way.
In the meantime, please enjoy your grits.
This is unacceptable.
I ain't putting my bacon in cold grits.
I am really sorry. I will bring you out a fresh bowl with your bacon.
I hope you know I ain't paying for this Sprite either.
You gotta be faster if you wanna get paid.
Ma'am, I desperately want you to enjoy your meal,
but I need to know. Do you want your food brought out promptly or slowly?
What kind of stupid question is that?
Well, I was too fast with your grits,
and then the Sprite took too long,
and you started bitching at me.
- What did you call me? - Uh-huh, waffle man.
In 2008, financial institutions cost Americans trillions of dollars
with little more than a slap on the wrist.
Here, a tardy plate of bacon had turned me into a Jackson Pollock.
Whoa! Take it easy. He's still new.
Better watch his mouth, 'cause next time, it's gonna be more than grits.
Hey, Jimmy.
Get over here.
You do realize this is a business...
and that we are completely dependent upon repeat clientele?
Yes, I mishandled the situation.
Sure, you did.
But strangely, that gives me some hope for you.
But there ain't no point in you telling someone to go to hell
when they're already on their way there.
Now...
this might take some starch out of your collar,
but you gotta make it right.
Go on.
Here you go.
On me.
It sure is.
I apologize for my poor choice of words.
It was wrong and not befitting of Papa's.
You ain't getting no tip.
Of course not.
Enjoy your meal.
Here you go, Jim.
Keep the change.
The repo man always left me more than I deserved.
He spent his days cleaning up the messes made by financiers
who made loans to people who had no business receiving them.
By cleaning up after the repo man,
I had completed the circle of economic justice.
Are you smoking pot, Jim?
No.
Maybe you should start.
I want you to take that home. Give it a once-through.
"From Ex-Con to Babylon."
It's our etiquette guide to help felons who are having a...
tough time re-acclimating into normal society.
Is this really necessary?
There's some good stuff in there.
Read it a couple of times myself.
Okay.
A clean one on the house.
Thanks.
Jimmy D, hey, there's still a few customers in there.
You sure you don't wanna try and add an omelet to those grits?
I'm not really in the mood, Edward.
Aw, come on now, man.
Hold up.
Hey, what do you do for exercise?
Exercise?
Well, now, surely, you don't consider driving this car of yours a workout.
I, uh... I hit the gym.
Well, that's all I wanted to hear. You're coming with me.
Hey, you mind driving?
I'm still working on getting me a car.
Hey, hey, don't panic, Jimbo.
I promise to get you home in one piece.
Yeah.
Hey, come on. Hit it.
- Hit... - Yeah. Yeah.
Aw. Come on, man!
It's the grits girl. Give it to her.
- Grits girl? Okay. - Yeah, go ahead.
Whoa. Whoa.
Whoa. Take it easy. Take it easy. You all right?
Yeah.
- You sure? - Yeah.
Yeah, baby.
Hey, how's that eye, huh?
Oh, it's fine.
Oh, good. It takes time.
You know, my dad started me boxing when I was 10.
He taught me to cook, too.
About the only two things he showed me worth repeating.
I heard you're thinking about buying the Papa's.
You heard right.
Don't take this the wrong way, Jimmy,
but beyond working the register,
I wouldn't say you had much aptitude toward the business.
I'm only 121 hours in here, Edward.
I guess I'm trying to figure out why you're putting yourself through it.
Because it's tough, and it's honest,
and it's the furthest thing from what I was doing.
Let me tell you something. I've been working there almost 10 years.
Okay?
I've heard a lot of people talk big about getting their own Papa's.
But never once has any one of them done it.
Let me have another crack at that bag.
Go ahead.
- It's a little bit heavier, huh? - Yeah, yeah, it's heavier.
Keep your head right here.
Hey!
My main man!
- Dad! - Hey!
- That's your son? - Yeah.
He's so little.
You know they come that way, right?
I guess I'll find out soon enough.
I didn't know you were expecting.
Well, we haven't exactly gone wide with it yet.
I tell you, it's not so easy,
but it's worth it.
Most of the time.
All the time.
Yeah, all the time.
"Great achievement is born of great sacrifice."
- Hmm. - Napoleon Hill said that.
Hmm. Sounds like a smart dude.
- All right, man, thanks for the ride. - All right.
Hey, I will see you on the front line.
Come on, baby. Come on.
Up until this point, my whole life had been one of accumulation.
I had always thought of this car as a symbol for who I was and who I wanted to be,
and now, that's exactly why I was going to sell it.
If I truly wanted this restaurant, I had to put skin in the game,
a lot of skin.
Maybe even a leg.
- Hey. - Hey.
Whose car is that?
Mine.
- Where's your car? - I sold it.
Is that a black eye?
Edward took me boxing.
Did he hit you?
No, not exactly.
It's hard to explain. It's called a double-end bag.
Yeah, I know what that is.
It was this freak accident equipment failure thing.
The bag came back and, uh... struck me.
So you hit yourself?
The point being I realized that if we really want to purchase this restaurant,
we're gonna have to make some sacrifices.
I mean, a full lifestyle change.
Well, as long as it doesn't include you becoming a professional boxer,
I think we'll be fine.
Becky, I'm talking about the house.
- The house? - Yeah.
No.
No, no, no, no. We're not selling the house. Are you crazy?
- You've been there what? Three weeks? - Just... hear me out.
I talked to Mr. Drake, and he helped me realize
it was the only way we're ever gonna accrue enough equity.
Well, that's good that Mr. Drake is on board with selling the house.
Did you ask him if we should sell my car too?
Jim!
I love this house.
You love this house.
I know. I do.
But there is no guarantee the restaurant will be profitable right away.
This mortgage is already outpacing us.
We can't have it hanging over our heads.
I thought we were gonna raise our family in this house.
I know it's a lot to ask,
and if I could make the numbers come out any other way, I would.
Believe me. I...
I just...
I just need to get out. I need to go for a drive or something.
Becky. Becky.
I need some time.
It took four nights on the couch and a trip to the chiropractor
before she acknowledged my existence.
All things considered, I got off easy.
Can I start you off with some coffee, orange juice, or hot tea?
You can start by slowing it down. We just got the menus.
We've got a buyer. We've got a sale!
Winnie and a Wheeler coming up.
Okay.
- You doing all right? - Got it under control.
Need another Wheeler on the fly.
Put your hands on the Bible now.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Billy and Mary Crohns!
Kiss the bride!
I quit!
Jim, how much is the Wanda?
$9.72 with tax.
Could I borrow $5?
How much you got?
Um...
$4.85.
Well, $5 would get you there.
Yeah.
All right, when do you wanna pay me back?
How about next week?
Deal.
Thank you, Jim.
You have my word.
I know where you eat.
Wanda.
Hey, Jimmy, man.
Did you just lend Kathy money?
$5, yeah.
You can kiss that goodbye.
Said she'd pay me back.
She owes a couple bucks to everybody in this place.
You know she's a little whacked out, right?
She's eccentric, sure.
She gets electroshock every week.
She's been riding that lightning for the past 18 years.
That explains the earmuffs in July.
Yeah.
Well, if that's the way you've been investing people's money all these years,
maybe you are better off at Papa's.
Who's Boss Hogg?
A franchisee out of Austin.
Checking out the restaurant.
This restaurant?
You're kidding.
No, I believe he's real serious.
Well, it was a pleasure, Big Jake.
It's good talking to you too, Matthew.
- All right. - Thank you.
Uh, excuse me.
I couldn't help but overhear.
You're thinking about buying the place.
This'll be my third. I already got two back in Texas.
Wouldn't mind going national.
I love that bravery.
I hope you have a good tax man.
Compared to Texas,
this state is about as hospitable as communist Russia.
Why, sure,
I got a tax guy.
In a former life, I was VP at Alpha Managers.
No doubt you're familiar with our Texas branch.
I think we were number three in the area.
I'm Jim Adams.
Jacob Masterson. Call me Big Jake.
All right, well, tax codes can be a bit tricky around here, Big Jake.
See, once a business hits a 250K threshold,
municipality and state taxes can run up to 15%.
- I didn't know that. - Yeah, not a lot of people do.
The trick is to aggressively depreciate fixed assets on your tax return.
But if you don't know what you're doing,
you can get mired in a nasty audit very quickly.
- Oh, audits! I had the feds. - Tell me about it.
But hey, you got a guy inside the State Attorney General's Office,
I'm sure you'll probably be fine.
Good, old Uncle Sam, huh?
Once he starts nibbling, he just can't help himself.
He wants the whole damn thing, every time.
You know what I'm talking about.
All right, well, I gotta get back on the floor.
Best of luck with all this. Sincerely.
Hey, appreciate the insight, Jim.
- Thank you. - You got it.
He flew out of there as if just being in the state was gonna trigger an audit.
It worked perfectly.
It's gonna take you another two months to reach your hours.
Did you call Drake?
Directly afterward.
He said Big Jake happened to be in the area,
and heard about the restaurants being up for sale, and decided to have a look.
Well, did he sound sincere?
He assured me that we're at the top of his list,
and everyone else at this point is just a looky-loo.
He said "looky-loo"?
It's not a term I'd use.
Okay, well, we need to speed this up.
I mean, we sold our house for this.
Couldn't agree more.
Tomorrow, I'm dropping the hammer.
Have you seen Matthew?
- Freezer. - Thanks.
Is that a 401K?
Mm-hmm. My husband is thinking about cashing it in.
It's a little early for that, isn't it?
You'd take a big tax hit.
Yeah, we don't have a choice.
Trying to get our daughter to college.
You mind if I...
Oh, yeah, please do.
Tell your husband to max out his contribution.
They'll match him dollar for dollar.
Wait. They'll do that? Nobody ever mentioned that.
They never do. You have to know to ask.
And I would take out education loans
that don't accrue interest until your daughter is finished with her schooling,
which should give you four years, six if she goes for her master's,
to build up a nice, little nest egg.
- Thanks, Jim. - Yeah, no problem.
Hey, Matthew, you got a minute?
Yeah, just doing a little inventory.
- I can come back. - No, come on.
Well, I was thinking about that 1,000 hours,
and how it's taking me a significant amount of time to complete.
Yeah, how can I help.
I need more hours.
Eye of the tiger. I like it.
How many we talking?
Doubles.
Oh, you think you can handle 16 hours a day in this place?
I used to do it all the time at my old job.
All I got is third shift.
Great. I'll take it.
- Third shift? - Yeah.
Hell itself?
Well, if it gets me to 1,000 hours quicker, I, uh...
I don't care what it is. I'll do it.
You got balls the size of cantaloupe, Jim.
I'll give you that.
Waffle fact.
Third shift takes place from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.,
and as I quickly learned,
has nothing to do with serving patrons and earning tips.
It's a battleground,
a nightly reenactment of 250 Texans defending an old Spanish mission
against the Mexican army 10 times their strength.
The bars let out at 2:00 a.m.,
and by 2:30, we are completely besieged
by the drunk, the loud, and the clinically insane.
Uh, just...
Be honest with me, baby.
Do I have great tits...
Sure, she had a tight body,
but the girl is missing too many teeth.
Oh, no.
I like chicken curry.
You can't handle this. You can't handle this.
- What up, kid? - Hang on one second, okay.
- Hey. - Yeah.
- He just got here. - Okay, great.
He wants to know if he can order.
I don't know. Can he?
People here are talking about you, man.
Say you used to work at a bank or something.
People have their facts wrong.
What did you do?
I used to blow up banks.
No kidding?
I had a cousin who used to rob banks.
I didn't say I robbed them. I blew them up.
My buddies and I convinced the bank officers to give us the money
which we used to buy bad mortgage bonds.
And that's what it means to blow up a bank.
That's tough, man.
Stick it.
Thank you.
Didn't know you were in the club.
What club?
You, me, and Edward, man,
we all did time.
Edward?
Yeah, man, 27 years.
For what?
I don't know.
He won't say.
Manuel.
I never did any time.
One bad ass mofo.
Blowing up banks.
Hey, Larry, drop me two scatter, please.
I can't hear you. Are you standing on the bird? 'Cause I can't hear you.
Hey, Jimmy Jambalaya.
How's that double treating you?
Nine hours down, eight to go.
Yeah, I'm surprised you made it through third shift without me.
It wasn't easy, but I managed.
Well, I doubt if it lasts. I don't see you going too far without my hand-holding.
What do you think about me taking a little spin on that grill?
My grill?
With your supervision, of course.
Hmm.
What do you have in mind?
I always wanted to make an omelet.
An omelet.
Huh.
Why don't we start you out with hash browns?
There's only so much damage you can do with a grated potato.
Come on.
All right, there. Now...
add your cheese and whatever else you want.
But your focus is on the hash brown.
Keep it crispy. Keep it golden.
Total is $489.60.
I'm sorry. That didn't take.
Hmm.
Oh!
You okay?
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I'm all right.
I just, uh... Let's just try this one.
Oh!
Do you need me to call an ambulance or something?
No. No, no, no. I'm okay. Thank you.
I think I'm ready for an omelet.
No, not today. Maybe tomorrow.
- Yeah, that looks... - He says I'm not ready for an omelet.
Baby, what are you doing here?
- I already had a lawyer draft them up. - Babe.
Are you out of your mind? I'm at work.
Oh, yeah? You wanna be here?
Then you can be here without me.
I'm not living like this anymore.
- I'm trying to put a roof over our head. - I can't stand being near you.
I can't stand looking at you.
It's embarrassing.
- Nancy, listen... - You're pathetic.
- Hey. - Don't follow me!
- Hey, Nancy. - Stay away from me!
Don't follow me!
What did I do wrong?
Come on. You can't leave in the middle of a shift like that.
It's not professional.
He'll be back.
That was the last time any of us ever saw Matthew Linslow.
I can't imagine anything more depressing
than being dumped by your wife of six years
in the parking lot of a Papa's Chicken and Waffle.
Oh, crap!
Well, first off, I wanna say that the baby is fine.
But what we can see is that the placenta is partially detached,
which is why you're experiencing the discomfort and heavy spotting.
So the most important thing now is to get lots of rest,
which means no work, no exercise,
and avoid any stressful situations.
Well, there goes my job.
Hey. I'm working on it.
Jim, I need you to be there for me.
I need you to answer when I call.
You're working more than you ever did at Alpha.
I'm sorry, Beck.
Forget the store.
What about us?
Is this how it's gonna be when you own the place?
No.
No, it's not. I promise.
Jim.
What are you doing eating at the high bar?
You're never supposed to eat on the restaurant floor in uniform.
It looks unprofessional to the customers.
You're absolutely right, Larry,
and the minute I see a customer, I'll be sure to abide by that policy.
Don't disrespect me.
I'm the manager now.
I will write you up.
Much to our dismay,
Larry Coble had both server and grill experience,
which made him the only candidate eligible for the job.
Edward joined Jacqui as an assistant manager,
and in a surprise twist,
four-time rehire, Mrs. Mary Crohns, was promoted to shift manager
based entirely on her accumulated hours.
First off, let's welcome Mary back to the team.
Thanks, y'all.
Now, let's get down to business.
As we all know, Matthew was more interested in making friends
than he was in running a restaurant.
Well... I don't need any new friends.
What I need is written on these sheets.
Let's go through them together, okay?
Jim, why don't you read the first one for us?
"Servers will not eat anywhere other than the break room."
Let's hope that one sinks in.
Hmm?
It pains me to admit it,
but I couldn't wait to buy the place
just so I could see the look on Larry's face when I fired him.
Just let me know if you need anything else, okay?
You guys just have a seat wherever.
I'll be right with you.
All right.
- A coffee here. - Thank you.
A coffee here.
Working on your MBAs?
Uh, yeah, we have a big exam tomorrow.
Look at that, profitability ratios. That's my specialty.
Need any help?
Thanks, but it's pretty complicated.
Aw, I wouldn't say that.
I used to be in the business myself.
Good for you.
I worked at Alpha Managers.
- What? - You worked at Alpha?
Well, not really important.
Let's get you two a healthy meal, huh? Big test coming up and all.
Can I interest you in some chocolate chip waffles?
-No, the coffee is fine.
No problem.
Wait.
What happened?
What happened with what?
Come on, man.
With Alpha.
Yeah, why are you working here?
I know, right?
It... makes you wonder. I, uh...
I grew up in the suburbs.
I went to a prep school.
I became a debt trafficking financier.
I would just hate to see what would happen
if I grew up on the wrong side of town, you know?
See this?
Best thing that ever happened to me.
Good luck on those exams.
Posse?
Worse. It's me at 22.
♪ The same blood flows through every vein ♪
♪ You're better off than me But you never have fun ♪
♪ Live 100 lives 'cause you can't live one ♪
Hey, babe.
Yeah. Yeah, my break is over. Just got a little power nap.
Uh-huh.
Yeah, thanks for waking me up. I'll see you tonight.
♪ I can't cross that bridge alone ♪
♪ Under cloudy skies ♪
Jimmy Jammy.
Looks like you've been rode hard and put away wet.
Well, after 350 hours this month,
that's actually better than I feel.
You're on a red-hot burn to the finish line.
Hey, boss man at six o'clock.
- What do you mean you're tired? - Go to work!
- Give me my jacket. - Get out of here!
- What are you... - Get out of here!
That is one extremely hard woman, I'll tell you.
She do that often?
Yeah. I seen his kids slap on him too.
Is there some reason you're not wearing your apron?
Oh. Uh, no.
I should always be in uniform when I'm on the floor. Sorry about that.
This is your seventh location.
The parking lot has 55 spaces.
Welcome to Papa's. How many?
Oh, we're not eating. Thank you.
Gross income was $967,000 last year.
Hi. Welcome. Welcome.
Hope you're enjoying America.
Excuse me. Who are you?
I'm Larry Coble, the manager.
Okay, great.
Just not so close to the clients. Thank you.
Right, okay. Sorry.
So, should I show everyone around or...
I know the floor plan. Thank you.
This way, please.
The beverage center...
Who is that?
The new owners.
What?
Move out of the way. Get back to your tables.
The building has a maximum capacity of...
Does Drake know about this?
Who do you think sold it to them, jackass?
It has received an A health rating...
Sorry, Mr. Drake.
It's all right, Ellie.
Hello, Jim.
I can't say I'm surprised to see you.
You can't tell me those new owners have logged 1,000 hours.
Okay, they can't even speak English.
And that 1,000 hours is a prerequisite.
I read it in the Rise and Shine manual.
I know what it says in the manual. I helped write the damn thing.
And why do you think it says that?
Quality control.
Surely, you can't be that naive.
Those criteria are about eliminating the competition,
not about bolstering the ranks.
If it was that easy, there'd be a Papa's every three feet.
Do you think I actually put in 1,000 hours?
I believed everything you said.
You let me sell my house.
And you never intended for me to acquire the restaurant in the first place.
That is not true.
In you, I saw an ambitious young man
who wanted to buy one of my stores,
and if it would have worked out, I would have sold it to you.
You mean if I was the only buyer.
You know, modest as it may seem,
I consider these restaurants my legacy.
These people own several successful chains worldwide.
They're buying all 10. It's an 8-figure deal for me.
I misjudged you.
How's that?
I was under the impression you were a man of integrity.
My mother and father were both passionate business people.
They had me late in life.
Pop had his tire store.
Mom had her beauty parlor.
They worked their entire lives in those stores, long, arduous hours.
And what did it get them? Nothing.
They both died broken down and mediocre.
I'm not doing that,
and this deal guarantees it.
You'd still be rich without it.
I'd rather be richer.
Yeah, of course you would.
Don't be a child. You're a businessman.
It's simple numbers.
It doesn't have anything to do with numbers.
Waffle fact.
Miles Drake III was completely full of shit.
Hey, babe.
Rough day?
It's all right.
Whatever it is, we'll figure it out.
Hey, where's Edward?
Transferred.
Where?
Airport location. Got promoted.
He's a manager now.
- When did this happen? - Yesterday.
Jim, I sat you on nine.
Great. Just what I needed.
- Jimmy. - Dad. Grandpop.
- Have a seat, Jim. - I'm on the clock.
Sit down.
I'm not gonna say a thing. I'm just here for the bad coffee.
We talked to Becky.
She said you lost the restaurant.
We did.
Well, now what's the plan?
I'm gonna finish my 1,000 hours.
They can't take that away from me.
You've worked really hard here, son. I'm really proud of you.
We're not gonna let some two-faced penny pincher steal this from you.
We're gonna loan you the money for the restaurant.
You can open it wherever you want, across the street if you want.
Drive this dive into the ground.
There's one condition, and it is non-negotiable.
You have to take some time.
For you and for your family.
I can't take your money.
You're not taking our money. It's a loan.
You bet your ass.
And we're first dollar out with interest.
Look, it's not that I don't want it, or I'm not appreciative,
because I do, and I am.
I didn't just get laid off from Alpha Managers. I got fired.
I got fired because I purposely loaded a mortgage fund with junk bonds
to boost its interest rate.
It's not illegal, but it's not right,
and I knew that.
Well, what makes you think we're so perfect?
You feel bad about it?
Terrible.
You gonna do it again?
Never.
- Well, then, get your head out... - Dad.
I think we'd better get busy. You've got a whole new life to create.
Time to get started.
- Just one today, sir? - I'm looking for Edward.
Over here, Jimmy!
Thank you.
What are you doing on the grill?
I was looking forward to seeing you in a polo, throwing your weight around.
Hey, that lasted about a week.
I couldn't stand it.
I figured I'd let somebody who likes all that stiff shirts and paperwork have the job.
You know, the grill man has gotta grill.
Yeah.
I'm about ready to take lunch. You want anything?
I'm not really hungry.
Yeah, me neither.
How about getting a Blendie?
Yeah.
Let's get out of here.
- That is good. - Better than I thought.
I'm opening my own Papa's.
I'll be damned.
I want you to work for me.
I would love for you to be in management,
but if you're... hell-bent on grilling, then I'll take what I can get.
Huh.
I...
You know, you... you gotta know a man...
that's gonna work for you, Jimmy.
- I know you. - Oh, no.
That's not like I'm talking about.
You know me now.
- You don't have to go into... - No, no.
I know what I need to say, so keep quiet and let me tell it.
When I was 17...
me and a couple other boys got a bad idea...
and we took that bad idea to a liquor store.
Now, I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt...
but I was certainly out to acquire something that wasn't mine.
Just by being there...
I got tried and convicted as an adult.
And I spent 27 years in a federal penitentiary.
Now, that's the man you're sitting next to.
Now, I...
I've had plenty of time to think about it, and...
If you really want something...
you gotta work for it.
You know, greed doesn't... take you anywhere good.
I still want you to work with me.
Let me ask you something, Jimmy.
Do you love the restaurant business?
I see a life in it.
No, that's not what I asked you.
Do you love it?
I mean, be honest with yourself.
No.
No, I really don't.
- You know, I love grilling. - Sure.
I'd grill for free. That's how much I love it.
What do you love so much that you would do it for free?
Because I know it's not slinging hash browns
or unplugging toilets.
I'm gonna tell you. You still need a grill man...
just let me know.
- Hmm? - I will.
Yeah.
Look, it's time for me to roll up out of here.
I think we should toast.
Although, I'm not sure to what.
I can feel that.
How about to...
you getting fired?
All right, I'm curious to see where this goes.
What are the chances
that you would have spent any time at Papa's if it wasn't for that?
- Slim. - How about none?
I'll see you, Edward.
See you around, Jimmy Mack.
Hey, you didn't call me Jimmy Dean or Jimmy Jam.
No, you've been the mack for some time now.
Take care of yourself
and beware.
What can I get you, Kathy?
I need to apologize up front.
My head has been... a little out of sorts lately.
I've had days like that myself.
It's been worse the past couple of days.
I've been doing a lot of sleepwalking.
Millions of people have that problem.
I found a pair of jeans in my commode this morning.
Slightly concerning.
I know it's your last day.
Thank you, Kathy. This is...
You didn't think you were gonna get your money back, did you?
You know, the thought never crossed my mind.
This lesson that started with a $200-million hustle
had ended with a genuine $5 return.
And although I decided against buying my own restaurant,
I found myself overcome with a profound sense of gratitude.
Thanks to the 1,000 hours at Papa's,
I learned more about the true nature of productivity,
economic organization, and hard work
than from all my time in business classes and the bond market combined.
And more importantly,
Papa's gave me a second chance to get my priorities straight.
It's just here on the right.
So, I know it's not what we had,
but we can fix it up.
I think it has a lot of potential.
Three bedrooms, two and a half baths, so there's room to grow.
It's perfect.
- Yeah? - Mm-hmm.
It's always troubled me
that those who cannot afford financial services
are usually the ones who need it most.
So, at Adams Financial Management,
we decided to make it a priority.
Beyond rekindling my fire for finance,
it's allowed me to keep in touch with people I care about.
Jacqui and her husband, Derek, saved enough to get their daughter to college.
Mary and Billy got divorced, then remarried,
then got another divorce,
but are planning to get remarried again in the spring.
Manuel and his family decided to start their own restaurant.
I was hired as an advisor, but what they really needed was a referee.
Edward still works the grill over at the airport location.
And two days a week, we work the bags over at Anthony's.
Get it out, Jimmy.
- Getting better. - Yeah.
- I'm coming for you. - You got it.
Let's see it, okay.
Yeah, give it to me.
Get it all out.
You got it, baby. You got it. You're smoking, Jimmy. Smoking.
♪ Your lap ♪
♪ You were so good But you've taken a turn ♪
♪ You wanted the knowledge that you couldn't earn ♪
♪ So carry the weight of the guilt you own ♪
♪ The secrets, they follow us from home to home ♪
♪ All these walls But you found the crack ♪
♪ Like waterfall, You ain't coming back ♪
♪ Like ice in rocks You look right on through ♪
♪ Exposed a love that I never knew ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Mama's in the grave ♪
♪ Well, her soul has gone to heaven ♪
♪ And my daddy's on his way ♪
♪ And that's a hard road to hoe ♪
♪ You gave me this guitar ♪
♪ And now, I'm learning how to play ♪
♪ Yeah, I have to start to sing ♪
♪ I got a long way to go ♪
♪ It's a long, long road I know ♪
♪ A hard road to hoe ♪
♪ Papa taught me by the belt ♪
♪ And though I earned every whopping ♪
♪ Yeah, I've had my share of welts ♪
♪ Still I turned out better than most ♪
♪ Well, the lord won't solve your problems ♪
♪ But he might show you the answer ♪
♪ You're too stubborn to understand ♪
♪ You just keep on begging please ♪
♪ Yeah, you keep on begging me ♪
♪ You keep on begging me please ♪
♪ Mama's in the grave ♪
♪ Well, her soul has gone to heaven ♪
♪ And my daddy's on his way ♪
♪ And that's a hard road to hoe ♪