This Is Us (TV Series)

What Now? (2017)

Sterling K. Brown: Randall Pearson

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Quotes 

• Randall Pearson : Had a dream last night that dad and William met. I walked into the living room, and, uh, just talking and laughing like old friends. And William was telling dad how I taught him how to drive a car.

  William Hill : [under]  ... teach me how to drive.

  Jack Pearson : Whoa, wait, wait.

  Randall Pearson : [voicover]  And dad was like...

  Jack Pearson : Really? Randall?

  Randall Pearson : "Really? Randall?"

  Jack Pearson : Did he tell you about the time that I taught him how to drive?

  William Hill : No, no, you've got to tell me this, Jack.

  Jack Pearson : I got all three kids in the driveway there. Randall hops in the car, excited...

  Randall Pearson : [simulatenously, over Jack]  "Oh, the kid just threw it in reverse and zoomed straight back like a bat out of hell."

  Kate Pearson : [simultaneously]  Bat out of hell.

  [crying] 

  Kate Pearson : Dad loved that story.

  Randall Pearson : He did. I'm not the guy to tell you how to handle your feelings. But I've learned that you got to let 'em out. You got to share 'em with the people that love you.

  Kate Pearson : I know.

  Randall Pearson : Do you? 'Cause there's a really sweet, really big guy in my living room right now who might think otherwise.

• Jessie : I told our NA group about his passing, and, uh, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. A young man named Sebastian insisted that I pass along his condolences. He was a young athlete who was addicted to Vicodin when he first came to our meetings and, uh, wanted nothing to do with us. But William feigned an interest in football so the boy would have someone to relate to.

  Randall Pearson : I'd have loved to have seen William pretend to know anything about football.

  Jessie : [getting emotional]  It was... it was quite a laugh.

• Rebecca Pearson : So, William seems to have really connected with the girls in a short time.

  Randall Pearson : Yeah. That's what he did. With everyone he met, it seems.

  Rebecca Pearson : You know your father. Jack, I mean. He, um... he taught you a lot about honesty and courage. But the truth is, you came into this world pretty perfect. You always had this, uh... gentleness, this inner kindness to you, from the start, and I think... you got that from William. I really thought I was doing the right thing for you and for our family...

  Randall Pearson : Mom, you don't have to do this.

  Rebecca Pearson : I do. I have to. I haven't said this to you before. I need to, okay?

  [she takes a deep breath] 

  Rebecca Pearson : When I first met him, he was so far gone, Randall. And then when I saw him again years later, he was so much better. And you got curious. And I got scared. I always planned on telling you, I did. I would set an age in my mind. I'd say "When he's fifteen. I'm gonna tell him when he's fifteen." And fifteen would come and go, and I'd lose my nerve, and then I would decide on sixteen. Because the truth is, I was so terrified. Because I knew it would devastate you. It was such a big lie. And such a long lie. I knew... I knew that I could lose you over it, and I couldn't lose you, Randall. I couldn't. But that is no excuse. It was... selfish, and it was wrong. And I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that I am so sorry you didn't have more time together. That it is my fault you didn't have more time with him.

  Randall Pearson : I... I got enough. I got enough. It was enough time to know that I loved him. I loved him. And I know that he loved me.

  Rebecca Pearson : I'm so glad.

  Randall Pearson : I love you, mom.

  Rebecca Pearson : I love you more.

  Randall Pearson : I love you m... no, no, I mean, I meant what I said, but I'm a grown-ass man, and this is gonna cross a very weird line.

• Randall Pearson : Ten years, Tyler. I've worked here for ten years. I brought in 80% of our clients. I grew this company from a six-man operation into a sixty-person machine. I've given you twenty-hour days, man. Like, nights away from my wife and children. My father died, man. And on the day of his memorial, you sent me pears, which... I'm allergic to. And you know this. Because at the lunch where you hired me, we ate roquefort salad and I went into anaphylactic shock.

  Tyler : Randall...

  Randall Pearson : And along with the pears that could have killed me, you sent a card with a one-line Hallmark message and a typed-out signature: "From the team." And for all this, Tyler, I thank you. You see, for days, I've been plagued by this question: how do I honor my father's legacy? Then I realized I honor it by taking what I've learned from how he lived his life and having it shape the way I go on living mine. And so here it is, Tyler. Um... I quit.

  Tyler : Hold on. Hold on.

  Randall Pearson : No hard feelings, man. I walk out of here in triumph. I came, I saw, I conquered. Sanjay, it's all you now, brother. Peace.

  Tyler : [he turns to leave]  What are you gonna do?

  Randall Pearson : I don't know. Maybe instead of running in the morning, I'll go for a walk. Slow it down a little. Talk to my mailman. That seems like a good way to start the day.