Love the Coopers Page #3

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We didn't go.

Well, you were dying to go.

And you and Charlotte,

saved your money for years.

We had a rough year,

so we postponed it.

Oh, Sammy.

And then you never went.

Weren't you supposed to go,

again this year?

Yes, we were.

NARRATOR:
Who can say

what ends a marriage?

Perhaps it's unreasonable

to ask human beings to grow at exactly

the same rate for 40 years,

six months and three days.

But the canceled trip

was the last straw.

And Sam was moving out.

You seem out of sorts.

Give me the keys, I'll drive.

NARRATOR:
As Hank Cooper waited

for his 17th job interview

in the past month,

he wondered how long

he could keep up

the lie that he was

still taking family portraits at Sears.

HANK:
Big smiles, guys.

You're going to have

this picture for the rest of your lives.

It's going on a wall.

All right, right here. Ready?

[TOY SQUEAKING]

[CAMERA CLICKING]

Oh! Yes.

NARRATOR:
He missed his job helping

unhappy families appear happy.

Love the sweaters,

right? Chipper.

[CAMERA CLICKING]

Yes. And that's beautiful.

NARRATOR:

It was his superpower.

Unexpectedly,

he thought of a woman

he saw just once and never again.

Then he thought of the automated

voice that had replaced him.

Merry Christmas.

Toes on the line. Cheese.

NARRATOR:

Did that voice have children?

Did they now have unaffordable

gifts on their Christmas lists, too?

Dear Santa, please

bring me a blue bicycle.

I'll be waking up at my father's,

but opening presents at my mom's.

NARRATOR:
Hank thought of the unbridled

joy he had Christmas mornings.

WOMAN:
Mister Cooper?

NARRATOR:
Determined, Hank entered

the office with his left foot.

He'd read this was lucky.

I want to thank you for taking

the time to speak with me today.

I really appreciate it.

I know that you're not actually

hiring anyone till the new year,

but just know that...

I'm ready to work now.

You know, I could start today

if you needed it. [SNORTS]

I take pride in my work.

I take a lot of pride

in my work. I...

At my last job, if a family took a bad picture,

I insisted on taking another,

because I care.

I care. I just...

I hated the idea

of anyone sending out

a bad holiday card.

You know, you don't get another

shot at that for a whole year.

You know how many relatives

are going to see that?

Who's going to care

about that now, Bob?

Who's going to care about that?

Dude, you are way too

intense for Staples.

[SNORTS]

[MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY PLAYING]

So what your deal?

What do you do?

I am a writer.

Oh! Wow. All right.

What do you write?

Are you familiar with the Pottery Barn Catalog,

Outdoor Furniture Edition?

All-weather wicker.

[GASPS]

You know my work?

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