Marietta is in her office with Marissa and Moira.
Marietta: I’m so glad you both came down here today. We got the Clean & Green Act passed, and that’s just the start. I have you two as allies on the council, I can finally govern. It’s beautiful.
Moira: I heard from DeeDee that she’s planning to work with us more often now. She said Reggie and Pat disgusted her with how they acted when Clean & Green was up for debate.
Marissa: If we get her to vote with us regularly, and keep Helene on our side, we can consistently pass progressive legislation. No more governing like we’re moderate Republicans.
Moira: What’s on the docket next?
Marietta: I want to get to work on a new homeless shelter on the outskirts of town. We have to do something about helping these poor people who don’t have a place to go. It’ll be expensive, but I want it to be a large place where we can actually continue to house these people. I know the right will say it’s “welfare” and that I’m giving them a free ride, but giving these folks housing until they can get back on their feet.
Marissa: Reggie’s gonna hate that idea! That’s why I love it.
Marietta: Do you think we can get DeeDee to agree to it?
Moira: That’s why we’re here. We’re gonna get to work on her.
Marietta: Thank god I have you two. Milton didn’t have a team of allies on the council. That’s what makes me a better mayor. Right?
Moira: I’m not going to comment on that.
Marietta: You know you agree.
Amy knocks on the door.
Amy: Marietta!
Marietta: What now?
Amy: You have a visitor!
Marietta: Who?
Patty Lynn: It’s me, Marietta! Your mother!
Marietta: I know who you are.
Patty Lynn: Can I come in?
Marietta: I’m in a meeting. Can you come back later?
Patty Lynn: This is important, but I’ll come back later. See you at two.
Marietta: Two? That’s in an hour.
Patty Lynn: Yeah, I’m going to go to lunch and then I‘ll be back.
Marietta: You know what? Fine. See you at two.
Thirty minutes later…
Marissa: I think we’ve got a great start on this bill. We’ll be out of here in no time if we keep up this pace.
Tammy: I can’t type as fast as you guys keep spitting out words. You’re all clearly very passionate about this.
Moira: Yes. Naming next Tuesday as Egg McMuffin Day in New Orleans is an issue near and dear to our hearts.
Tammy: What’s this about Egg McMuffins? I thought this was about shelters for the homeless.
Moira: You misspelled “Ed MacMillan” as “Egg McMuffin” in the text right there.
Tammy: Damn autocorrect…
Amy knocks on the door again.
Amy: You know the drill.
Patty Lynn: I’m back!
Marietta: You told me I’d have another half-hour before you were coming back.
Patty Lynn: They were very quick at the restaurant. I didn’t have any other place to be.
Marietta: We’re really busy right now. Come back at three, okay?
Patty Lynn: Three? That’s even later than we originally agreed on!
Marietta: We’re trying to finish an important measure that I want to have finished by the next city council meeting. I’ll see you at three.
One hour later…
Marissa: How should we word this part? The way it’s written, it’s unclear where the funds for this are coming from.
Moira: You know the conservadems on the council are going to rip this apart, so we need to keep everything clear and concise.
Amy: Marietta, I am so sorry.
Marietta: Not again.
Patty Lynn: I was at Walmart, and I got all my shopping done and I don’t want my ice cream to melt so I came here so I can get home.
Marietta: Ladies, can I step out for one minute?
Marissa: Of course, Marietta. You’re the mayor. You can do whatever you want.
Marietta: I’m not sure if that’s true.
Marietta walks outside her personal office and into the office’s lobby space, where Patty Lynn is waiting.
Marietta: Amy, go somewhere else.
Amy: Where?
Marietta: To the water fountain, in with the other girls, go talk to Reggie Barrack. I don’t car.e Just not here.
Amy: Okay, okay.
Marietta: Mother…
Patty Lynn: Yes, dear?
Marietta: What is so important that it couldn’t wait?
Patty Lynn: I just wanted to tell you that Sarah’s report card is going to be sent home with her today.
Marietta: That’s it?
Patty Lynn: Kyle and Maria are also coming over tonight with Katharine for dinner.
Marietta: Anything else crucial?
Patty Lynn: We’re having roast beef.
Marietta: This could’ve been a voicemail.
Patty Lynn: I had to tell you in person.
Marietta: You did not. And, when it comes to seeing me in-person at work, you’re not going to anymore. You’re banned from City Hall.
Patty Lynn: You can’t ban me!
Marietta: I will tell every security guard not to let you in this building. They’ll listen. I’m the mayor. I can do whatever I want.
Patty Lynn: Why are you doing this to your dear old mom?
Marietta: I’m working on something to improve the lives of the needy and you are acting needy! It’s distracting.
Patty Lynn: So, improve my life! Let me come to City Hall!
Marietta: No! Go home!
Patty Lynn: Fine. I’ll see you tonight to pick up Sarah.
Marietta: See you tonight. Bye.
Patty Lynn leaves.
Tammy: Don’t you think that was a little mean
Marissa: She just loves you. I wish my mom loved me that much.
Marietta: No, you don’t. Let’s get back to work!
Meanwhile, Patty Lynn returns home.
Kathleen: Where the heck have you been? I was about to file a missing person’s report.
Patty Lynn: Really?
Kathleen: Good lord, no. I’ve so enjoyed my time alone.
Patty Lynn: Alone? Where’s Martin?
Kathleen: He went to pick Sarah up from school and then they’re stopping at some store to get supplies for a project. Though, his presence here wasn’t exactly known anyway since he’s so silent. Like a ninja.
Patty Lynn: Oh, so he’ll be a while.
Kathleen: What’s wrong? You look like you’ve been crying.
Patty Lynn: Marietta is mad at me.
Kathleen: What did you do now? She never gets mad at you for no reason. She isn’t you.
Patty Lynn: I was only being a loving mother.
Kathleen: What you define that as is different than what everyone else defines that as.
Patty Lynn: I went to her office a few times to tell her about our little dinner party tonight and she got upset and banned me from City Hall. I’m sad!
Kathleen: It’s going to be okay. How often do you even visit City Hall?
Patty Lynn: Every once in a while to see Marietta.
Kathleen: How many of those visits could instead be calls?
Patty Lynn: All of them. She can’t ignore an in-person visit, though!
Kathleen: You are far too overbearing. Let your children live.
Patty Lynn: You’re not being very helpful. I’m gonna call who will actually try to help me.
Kathleen: Good. Leave me out of this. Marietta still likes me, I don’t need to screw that up.
Patty Lynn walks into the kitchen and calls Milton.
Milton: Mom, what’s up? Everything okay with Sarah?
Patty Lynn: She isn’t home yet. Your father took her to the store to get something for school.
Milton: Oh, all right. I trust dad.
Patty Lynn: Don’t you trust me?
Milton: So, what are you calling about.
Patty Lynn: Your sister -
Milton: This should be good.
Patty Lynn: Your sister banned me from City Hall?
Milton: You can do that?
Patty Lynn: Don’t be rude, Milton. It’s unbecoming.
Milton: Not trying to be. Continue.
Patty Lynn: Your sister BANNED ME from CITY HALL.
Milton: I understood the first time.
Patty Lynn: Offer some solutions!
Milton: Bake her a pie. I’ve been watching that old show Pushing Daisies lately, pie seems to solve things on that show.
Patty Lynn: I don’t know what that is, but if you have time to watch a show, you have time to call your mother more.
Milton: Here we go…
Patty Lynn: Help me!
Milton: I offered my solution.
Patty Lynn: I need real help.
Milton: You sure do.
Patty Lynn: I’m going to call someone else, someone serious about helping. Goodbye, Milton.
Milton: I’m sorry I don’t want to put myself in the middle of this. I know how it ends. Talk to you later, bye.
Milton hangs up.
Kathleen: Hey, uh, do we have all of the food for tonight or are you going to the store?
Patty Lynn: Darn it! It’s in the car!
Kathleen: I think it shouldn’t be.
Patty Lynn: I know!
Fifteen minutes later…
Patty Lynn: Thank the lord, I put the beef on ice in a cooler. It’s going to be all right. Now if you excuse me, I’m going to call someone who might help.
Kathleen: You said that last time.
Patty Lynn: I was mistaken.
Patty Lynn goes back to the kitchen and makes a call.
Kate: Marietta, is that you? Why are you calling from your parents’ place?
Patty Lynn: It’s me, Katie.
Kate: Patty Lynn, always a pleasure! I’m so surprised to hear from ya, you never call.
Patty Lynn: I’m in crisis.
Ellie: What’s wrong? In legal trouble? Kate can help. She runs this place!
Patty Lynn: No legal trouble.
Kate: Obviously.
Patty Lynn: This is even worse.
Ellie: Medical trouble? Are you okay?
Patty Lynn: Emotionally? No. Physically, I’m fine.
Ellie: What did Marietta do now?
Patty Lynn: How’d you know?
Ellie: Lucky guess.
Kate: How can we help?
Patty Lynn: Okay, I went to see her a few times today at work. She was in some meeting, I don’t know what for. I interrupted her and she kept telling me to come back later. The third time, she banned me from City Hall!
Ellie: Oh, that is annoying.
Patty Lynn: I know, she can be.
Ellie: Not her, you popping in all day. If I’m working hard like she was, I don’t want to be interrupted.
Kate: Don’t be so rude, Ellie. I’m sure it was just a simple misunderstanding. She had something urgent to tell her.
Patty Lynn: Yes, exactly. I was telling her we were having roast beef for dinner.
Kate: Well, then…
Patty Lynn: What?
Kate: Urgent?
Ellie: You should see her face right now, Patty Lynn.
Kate: It looks fine!
Ellie: You look perplexed.
Kate: I am that.
Patty Lynn: You think I’m stupid, don’t you?
Kate: No, not at all. I just -
Ellie: She doesn’t understand why dinner plans were worth interrupting Marietta.
Patty Lynn: Are you not going to help?
Ellie: Afraid not.
Kate: It was lovely catching up, though. Just talk to Marietta, you’ll sort it out. You always do.
Patty Lynn: Bye, girls.
Patty Lynn hangs up.
Kathleen: Another strikeout?
Patty Lynn: Yes! Why?
Kathleen: Because you’re -
Martin: Honey, we’re home!
Kathleen: Here we go…
Patty Lynn: You’ll never believe what Marietta did today!
Sarah: Let me guess. She got mad at you?
Patty Lynn: Yes! Can you believe that?
Sarah: Of course I can. You two are always bickering.
Patty Lynn: We do not bicker. We just challenge each other.
Martin: What did she say, honey?
Patty Lynn: She banned me from City Hall.
Sarah: That’s a fun one.
Patty Lynn: You need to talk to her for me. I was just being nice and she freaked out on me!
Martin: I refuse to get involved in this.
Patty Lynn: Why does everyone keep saying that?
Kathleen: We’re sane.
Martin: I’m not going to tell our daughter what to do and I know that’s what you’re asking of me.
Patty Lynn: I’m asking you to speak with her and open her mind. She doesn’t need to ban me from City Hall!
Martin: That sounds like you want me to change her mind. I won’t do it. She’s a grown woman. She’s the mayor, for goodness sake.
Patty Lynn: You were Secretary of Labor! You’re a big shot.
Martin: I was Secretary of Education and Transportation.
Patty Lynn: Yeah, yeah. Same thing.
Martin: Marietta will be over later tonight. Just talk to her.
Patty Lynn: Hey, Sarah…
Sarah: I didn’t do it. Oh, sorry. I’m just so used to saying that at school.
Patty Lynn: Your aunt loves you. She trusts you. Can you talk to her for your dear old gram?
Sarah: I don’t think she’d like that.
Martin: She wouldn’t! At all. It’s manipulation. I won’t do it. Sarah shouldn’t. And we won’t.
Sarah: I might if gram pays me.
Martin: Sarah!
Sarah: I’m joking. You scare me too much!
Martin: Don’t be scared of me.
Sarah: You control whether I get to use my Nintendo Switch or not. I have to live in fear.
Patty Lynn: This conversation is turning away from what it started as!
Sarah: I think that’s my fault.
Martin: Patty Lynn, can I say one thing?
Patty Lynn: I know I’m not going to like it, but fire away.
Martin: Speak to her yourself. Apologize, and do it sincerely. That’s the only way you’ll get anywhere.
Patty Lynn: I don’t like that answer!
Kathleen: Would you look at that? Kyle and Maria are here!
Patty Lynn: They are?!?
Kathleen: No, but they will be soon enough. We need to get to work on dinner.
Thirty minutes later…
Sarah: Grandma, Kyle and Mrs. Kyle are here with the little child creature!
Patty Lynn: Kathleen, can you handle dinner from here?
Kathleen: You mean can I put some lettuce in a bowl and chop some bread? Yes, I can.
Patty Lynn answers the door.
Maria: Oh my goodness, it’s so great to see you guys again. What’s in been, a month?
Patty Lynn: Too long! I know you’re busy, though.
Maria: I’m so glad you invited us for dinner.
Kyle: Yeah, Maria and I have just been eating frozen stuff because we couldn’t find the time to get to the store.
Maria: We ate toaster strudels last night.
Martin: Please, come in, you two. You three.
Maria: Katharine is very excited to be here! She just doesn’t know it.
Patty Lynn: Kyle, can we talk quickly? In private?
Kyle: Of course, grandma. I love talking with you.
Kathleen: You’re not going to love this.
Maria: You get back quickly, Kyle. I have to use the bathroom and can’t leave Katharine alone.
Sarah: I’ll watch her.
Maria: You hear me, Kyle?
Kyle: I won’t be long.
Patty Lynn and Kyle walk out to the living room.
Kyle: What’s up?
Patty Lynn: Your mother is in trouble.
Kyle: What’s wrong?
Patty Lynn: Okay, I’m the one in trouble. I’m in trouble with your mother.
Kyle: You are? How?
Patty Lynn: Okay, I’ve been told that I misbehaved today by everyone that I’ve spoken to. I don’t think I did. I went to see her at work a few times. She was in a meeting all day and I kept interrupting it. Your mom proceeded to ban me from City Hall. I need you to tell her you think that was a mistake.
Kyle: Okay.. I get what you’re saving.
Patty Lynn: Thank you.
Kyle: However…
Patty Lynn: No! Don’t you dare!
Kyle: I don’t think this is my place.
Patty Lynn: Of course it’s not your place, it’s my place.
Kyle: I’m glad we’re on the same page!
Patty Lynn: Your grandfather an I bought this place many, many years ago. Your place is across town.
Kyle: Okay, we’re not on the same page. I’m saying that it’s not my place to get involved in your spat with mom. First of all, it’s between the two of you. Secondly, mom scares me.
Patty Lynn: Why does she scare you? She’s your mother.
Kyle: She yells.
Patty Lynn: She does do that.
Sarah: Grandma, Aunt Marietta is here!
Kyle: I probably shouldn’t be seen with you if she’s so mad at you.
Patty Lynn: What?
Kyle: I have to go watch Katharine.
Kyle walks back out to the dining room. Patty Lynn follows.
Marietta: Mom, I want to apologize for what I said to you today.
Patty Lynn: You mean it?
Marietta: Yes. Marissa and Moira and Tammy got all treacly about their moms and said I should be happy to see you. After much thought, I agree. Amy didn’t act the same way, for some reason. She did say I should revoke the ban, though, and I will. That doesn’t mean I want to interrupting my work all the time, though. Only pop in for urgent situations.
Patty Lynn: See, everyone. I told you I was right!
What did you think of the new episode of Marietta? Comment your thoughts, listen to the official season three playlist, vote in the poll below, and make sure to return for a new episode next week!