Tony is on a college campus waiting for Meadow. They walk on the lawn and discuss her prospects of going there, and that Bates is the most expensive version of contraception. Tony doesn't find the joke funny. Tony and Meadow are on a road trip, heading from college to college. She abruptly asks Tony "Are you in the Mafia? Whatever you call it organized crime." Tony defends himself "That's total crap, who told you that?" Meadow answers "Dad, I've lived in the house all my life. I've seen police come with warrants, I've seen you go out at 3 in the morning." Tony says "So you never seen Doc Cusamano go out at 3 in the morning on a call?" Meadow says "Did the Cusamano kids ever find $50,000 in Krugerrand's and a .45 automatic when they were hunting for easter eggs?" Tony explains "I'm in the waste management business, everybody immediately assumes you're mobbed up. It's a stereotype and it's offensive. And you're the last person I would want to perpetuate it." "Fine" Meadow says. Tony finishes "There is no mafia." After a brief pause Tony finally admits "Alright look. Mead you're a grown woman...almost. Some of my money...comes from illegal gambling and whatnot. How does that make you feel?" Meadow without batting an eye answers "At least you don't keep denying it like Mom. Kids in school think it's actually kinda neat." Tony tries to relate "They seen The Godfather, right?" Meadow correcting "Casino we like, Sharon Stone, 70's, pills." This is a clue for Tony who doesn't spend as much time with his kids as he'd like. But he continues on with his inquiry. "I'm not asking about those bums. I'm asking about you." Meadow answers "Sometimes I wish you were like other dads. But then like Mr. Scangarelo for example. An advertising executive for big tobacco. Or lawyers. Ugh, so many dads are full of shit." Tony says to her "And I'm not." Meadow responds "You finally told the truth about this." Tony seems to regret this realization and tries to sum up "Look, Mead. Part of my income comes from legitimate businesses. The stock market.." Meadow interrupts him saying "Look, Dad. Please ok? Don't start mealy mouthing." Meadow turns on the radio.
Tony is stopped at a gas station on a payphone with Irina who's upset that her sister is getting married with only being in the country for two weeks. Pointing out that she only has one leg and her significant other carries her like a knight in "white satin armor." She hangs up. Tony calls Carmela and they discuss trying to dissuade Meadow from going to Berkeley when Tony seems to spot a familiar face getting into a black SUV. Tony hurries to his car and calls for Meadow, quickly driving up to where she is talking to two men. They seem to take off quickly trying to catch the black SUV. Tony is speeding down the road, he is scaring Meadow but he responds that he's "Just fooling around." The college turn is to the left but Tony takes right despite Meadow's protest. Turning right Tony says Meadow distracted him. Down the road their motel is coming up on the right, but Tony seems to want to keep following the black SUV, almost begrudgingly pulls into the motel parking lot at the behest of Meadow. Tony on the phone with Christopher back in New Jersey tells him to take down a license plate number. We learn that Tony and Meadow are in Maine. AJ has brought his mother a "poached" egg and orange juice. Carmela sees that it's not done correctly and lets AJ down kindly saying she isn't hungry that "Her eyes were bigger than her stomach." She sends AJ over to his friend Jason's. Christopher parks in the pouring rain and runs to the pay phone on the side of the sidewalk. Tony states that he thinks he's seen Fabian Petrulio a made guy who flipped years ago and that friends of their's had someone who died in prison because of his testimony. "That fuck took out a lot of people. A lot of people from our outfit. My old was sick, he never recovered when he heard the news. He went into the witness protection program and then they kicked him out. Now he goes to colleges and gets paid all kinds of money to talk about what a big bad mafioso he is." Chris says "Piece of shit." Tony gives Chris the plate number, will give him a call back at Ten. Meadow asks what's wrong with the phone in the room, Tony says nothing that he just wanted to give Christopher a call. Father Phil is at the door. Carmela hurries to get ready for him before opening the door to a soaked figure. Carmela takes his coat, it's pouring rain and thundering. He admits that he has a "jones" for Carmela's Baked Ziti commenting about how good it is reheated with the Mozzarella. Tony and Meadow are at Dinner in a nicer bar/grill establishment music is playing in the background. Meadow sees kids her age, maybe a little older over by the bar having drinks and a good time, looking a little envious. Tony talks about his options and why he is involved with the "family" that Italians didn't always have a lot of options. That his father and Uncle were both in it. It was just the natural flow of progression for him to do that. Meadow tells Tony about the Crystal Meth/Speed she took during the SAT's. Tony remarks "Right under my nose. You'd think you'd know." Meadow responds "No Dad, you wouldn't." Tony tells her he's glad she told him. She says she feels the same and she's glad "we have that kind of relationship."
Carmela and Father Phil are sitting on the couch. Discussing Tony and spirituality. Father Phil is a bit of a dork. "Word up." praising the Chianti Carmela is serving. Tony and Meadow say hello to a few of the girls at the bar earlier, he suggests they hang out so she can better acclimate to life at the college. Tony tells her to behave and not drink, he'll be back in an hour and a half. Tony on another payphone call to Christopher. Christopher confirms it belongs to Frederick Peters in Waterville, Maine. Tony feels this is strong enough to be possibly Fabian Petrulio. But he has to be sure. At the Soprano house Dr. Melfi has called to reschedule due to being down with the flu. Carmela responds while Melfi is trying to give a number. says "I lost my pencil. Up his ass. I'll tell him you called" Then hangs up. "Why does he have to lie?Why couldn't he tell me his therapist is a woman? What is he hiding?" Father Phil says "Maybe he did tell you and you didn't hear him clearly." Carmela says "Why wouldn't he tell me his therapist is a woman unless he's screwing her?" Taking a drink of wine. "I thought therapy would help clean up the fucking freak show in his head." Father Phil comforts Carmela after a discussion of Tony needing to seek out the church for his spirituality. In Maine Tony is stalking the address that Christopher gave. A dog barking chases him away before he can confirm it's who he's looking for. The man notices the barking dog and comes out to the front of the house in a towel from the hot tub, right after Tony clears the line of vision. Father Phil and Carmela are weathering the storm with more food and wine, discussing The Last Temptation of Christ and how different it would have been with Bobby De Niro. Then getting to the crux of Christianity. "See that's my question. I understand what he did, but a lot of what he said I don't get. Like the sun rises on the just and the unjust alike. Why? That whores will go to heaven before a lot of the righteous? That's not right! Let's face it father we've got some major contradictions here." Father Phil answers "It's about love. Think about it like that." Carmela asks "What does that mean?" Father Phil says "It means, hopefully someday we will learn to tolerate, accept, and forgive those that are different. Change through love. " Carmela keeps Father Phil offering to watch a movie. He accepts. Waxing poetic about god's beautiful handiwork including that of looking upon a beautiful woman. Pretending he's talking about Emma Thompson but really it's Carmela. This next scene of Tony outside Peter's hardware with the loud, clanging, bell above the town somewhere maybe a church. There's Tony sucking on a fat cigar, billows of smoke coming out. An errant police car drives down the dark road. Man does this scene remind me somewhat of the Twilight Zone. Beautiful scene by David Chase.
Petrulio stops by the local lube shop to ask if any big New York sounding guy had come around asking for him, the mechanic said no one had asked. As he goes back to his car we see a pistol with a silencer on the passenger seat. Tony looking gin the phone book finds Petrulio's business, a travel agency. Tony shows up at the travel agency, but no one is inside. They are closed. Tony spots a bust of Ronald Reagan. By the lips carved on the bust from an earlier painting of Frank Sinatra where Petrulio made the lips too fat. This is a dead visual giveaway. "Hello, Rat." Petrulio at the motel where Tony and Meadow are staying looks at the cleaning attendant's board to see two people with Italian last names are staying at this motel. While watching the movie, Carmela starts to breakdown emotionally with guilt. She decides she wants to complete confession with Father Phil. "I have forsaken what is right for what is easy. Allowing what I know is evil in my house...allowing my children, oh my god, my sweet children to be apart of it, because I wanted things for them. A better life, good schools. I wanted this house. I wanted money in my hands. Money to buy anything I ever wanted. I'm so ashamed. My husband...I think he has committed horrible acts. I've said nothing. I've done nothing about it. I've got a bad feeling. That it's just a matter of time before god compensates me with outrage for my sins." In Maine at the Motel Petrulio is waiting for Tony. Tony is helping Meadow out of the car and is the only reason he doesn't kill Tony at that moment, an older couple he sees about three seconds later making his delay even more crucial. He decides to not shoot and lowers his weapon. Father Phil is letting Carmela know that her attempt to bring Tony towards the light will forgive her in God's eyes. He offers her communion. He has a kit. They finish communion. There is more than a whiff of intimacy placed all over this scene, from the way he lays the body of christ on her tongue to drinking all of the win, seeming to savor each moment. Tony on the phone with Christopher and lets him know he's going to take care of Petrulio, not knowing how close he came to endangering not only himself but his own daughter. Meadow comes stumbling out of the room drunk wondering where Tony is, he makes up a quick excuse as to why he's outside. AJ calls home and says he's staying over at Jason's, Carmela relays the message to Father Phil. They are getting close and closer to kissing until Father Phil has to get up to go to the bathroom to throw up. Too much wine. Tony and Meadow are leaving the next day, Petrulio scoping them out with binoculars. He sees Tony leave in his Lincoln. Tony drops off Meadow at the college. Tony tells Meadow he left his watch at the motel, she gives him a look that tells us she doesn't believe him. Carmela is up the next morning reading the paper and Father Phil is still there. He realizes his car has been out front all night. "If we didn't do anything wrong, we didn't do anything wrong. Is there a sacrament against eating Ziti? Besides we're friends. Father Phil asks "What's that look about? Carmela answers "What, I look some way? I was just thinking about when we watched Casablanca last week." Father Phil remarks "That new print is great, huh?" Carmela continues "You know when Bogie says, Of all the lousy gin joints in the world why'd you have to pick mine. Of all the finook Priests in the world, why'd I have to get the one that's straight." Father Phil says "Carmela..." Carmela says while laughing "Come on it's a joke." But they share a look and Father Phil touches her face affectionately and walks out.
Petrulio scared has asked two local junkies to drive up beside Tony once they get out of town and perform a hit, to follow them from the college. They don't take Petrulio up on his offer and walk out. Petrulio threatens to inform the cops who burned down the historical house, they leave. Petrulio looks scared. On the phone he hears a something snap outside. He grabs his gun. This is the first time we have the perspective of the man being hunted. Petrulio skulks outside, moving without much noise. Looking around, hears another snap. He sees a deer. And then quickly Tony comes up behind him with banded wires and quickly wraps them around his neck forming a garot. Tony is choking Petrulio. "Good morning rat." Petrulio tries to play it off. "Who are you? What is this?" Tony responds "Don't make me laugh. You pimp. You fuck." He tries to reason with him "Teddy, there must be something we can do...." Tony says "Tony, It's Tony, you fuck. You know how much trouble you're in now? You took an oath and you broke it." Petrulio tries saving himself "I coulda killed you last night outside the motel. Your daughter was drunk, remember? I was there in the parking lot, I had a gun but I didn't do it. Because of her, I told myself...It's just a coincidence he's just taking his little girl to college." Tony says "One thing about us wiseguys, the hustle never ends. You shot me at that motel your life would've been flushed down the pischadood." Petrulio begs "Please Tony, I'm begging you." Tony says "Jimmy says hello from hell, you fuck." Falling on him with all of his weight forward and pulling up on the banded wires, now frayed and Tony's hand bleeding, squeezing the life out of Petrulio. He's dead. Tony breathing hard. Multi colored flags hang overhead. Tony unwraps the wire from his bleeding hand. He sees a family of ducks flying away. Tony comes up to pick up Meadow. He continues to lie about his watch. Meadow notices tony's bleeding hand and muddied shoes. Asking his "What's up with that." Tony continues to lie. She accuses him of seeing that man, the man he was chasing the other day. She points out being on the pay phone at 1 in the morning. Then Tony brings up her drinking. Meadow looks hurt, asking Tony to be honest with her harkening back to what was said last night "We have that kind of relationship." But she drops it even though she knows he's lying. She says "I love you." He responds "I love you too."
While Tony is sitting and waiting for Meadow a famous Alumnus quote is pointed out. It's Nathaniel Hawthorne "No man can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true." Tony sits with this and seems to resonate in a deep and disturbing relevance. Taking all of this in, his duty to his "family" nearly put his daughter directly in harms way, despite it being the reason she's able to go to college. It continues this looming dread following Tony all throughout this season as well as the series. You can never relax, always knowing what's coming around that corner for you. Meadow and Tony return home. Tony wonders where all the Ziti is, Carmela lets him know it was all eaten. "The whole tray from last Sunday? Monsignor Jughead was here." Carmela confirms this and tells him that he spent the night. Tony keeps asking "Nothing happened, why are you telling me?" Carmela informs him of this info as to not raise questions from neighbors. Tony comes to the conclusion that he's a fag. Carmela smiles and let's him know Dr. Melfi called. Tony's face immediately turns sour. The episode ends with Tony trying to explain to Carmela almost as if it's some great Italian Opera.
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