Episode #417 "Tombstone Blues"

A photographer is coming tomorrow to shoot a family photo, and Claudia would like Sean to shave off his beard. Sean isn’t sure he wants to. Eddie observes that the last family picture six years ago had their mom in it. Walt says he’s going to the cemetery that afternoon to visit her. Eddie gets a call from his friend Hope. She wants to have a baby, and he’s volunteered to be the father, no strings attached. He calls it “natural insemination.” Sean calls it classic Eddie. Claudia suggests that it would be nice if Sean and Eddie went to the cemetery with Walt; clearly he still really misses his late wife. Sean and Eddie agree. Lily’s upset with Claudia when she learns that Brad can be in the family, but Claudia stands firm. It’s the rule, family only. Later, Claudia’s working on dinner when Eddie comes in and confides that the trip to the cemetery wasn’t great. At her grave, Sean’s talking to his mom about everything that’s going on in his life with Claudia and the kids, but when it’s Eddie’s turn, he has nothing to tell. Lily’s storming around and accusing her mom of not including Brad in any family activities including the dinner she’s preparing right now. Brad wishes Lily wouldn’t make such a big fuss. Sean and Walt come in. Walt’s a real piece of work, says Sean. Sean asks Claudia if she remembers when Walt bought everyone headstones in the family plot. She does. It was revealed on their trip to the cemetery, that Walt buried his cat, Mr. Tinkles, in Claudia’s grave. Claudia says that obviously after sixteen years and three kids, she’s still not part of the Finnerty family at all. The next day, Claudia tells Sean that she doesn’t want to be buried anywhere near his family. She called her mom who can get a plot for Claudia and the kids in North Carolina. Sean won’t hear of it. They have to be together. Eddie tells Sean and Claudia that he had a talk with Sister Helen and told her about his deal with Hope. She told him he’s doing one of the most meaningful things a human being can do in a way that’s unbelievably meaningless. He needs to stop doing it or he’ll burn in hell. He hasn’t told Hope yet. The photographer arrives. Claudia tells Sean his dad may not be making it. She told him the photo shoot was tomorrow. Sean says he won’t be in the picture without Walt. And Lily refuses to be in it without Brad. Jimmy refuses to be in a photo with just his mom and his uncle. He’ll look like a spree killer. So it’s just Claudia and Eddie in the shot. Hope comes over, and Eddie gives her the news. Maybe they should just date for a while and see what happens. That’s okay with Hope. Walt and Brad come in covered with mud. They went to the cemetery and dug up Mr. Tinkles. Claudia’s pacified, and everyone poses for a real family picture.