- Major Larry Duren, a longtime friend of William's father whose job is to notify the families of military casualties, recently delivered word to an alcoholic father of his son's passing. Now he wants William to help the father overcome his addiction. However, William's father wants William to help Duren himself, also a heavy drinker. Both William and Duren know that the Major is too far gone and is going to die from his disease. While William struggles to repair the lives of the dead soldier's father and his remaining son, he finds himself unable to stand by and watch Duren die. And when Ben comes to spend the week with his father, William struggles with exposing his son to his work.
- "We're all sensitive people," William tells us as the episode opens. Turns out Marvin Gaye was right. Of course, the problem with being sensitive is that you have feelings, William continues -- and that leads to the desire to shut out those feelings. And that's where the drugs come in. Cut to a military man, who is obviously drunk. Let's call him Duren (because that's what the cast list says). Ol' Bill Banks is there, too. He hands William a wad of cash and looks at the major. "I'm just a client," father tells son. Turns out Duren is Bill's best friend and buddy boy could use some cleanin'. Ben and Melissa enter. William is supposed to spend a few days with his son. Do you think this new case might get in the way, or perhaps bring the two closer?
Sometime later, the boys are playing poker when Duren asks William to help the father of a recently deceased soldier stop drinking. So Bill wants William to clean Duren and Duren wants William to clean the father of a dead soldier. In other words, it's complicated. Duren then grimaces in pain and falls over. He has a huge contusion on his side. "What's that!?" Ben asks. Growls the Cleaner: "His liver." Or what's left of it, anyway.
A few minutes later, Duren is more or less recovered -- but not before Ben sneaks a sip of the major's drink. "Not on my watch," William says to his son. Ben comments that the booze tastes like crap. He wonders if William liked booze right away, or had to acquire the taste. "I liked it right away," William says. Later, William and Duren head to the home of the grieving, drunken father. Mr. Simon is less than pleased to see the superior officer and doesn't seem too concerned about his son's burial. "Just put him in the ground before he brings any more embarrassment to his family," he croaks. Ouch. Dad then orders William and Duren out of his house -- ASAP.
A day or so later, William, Duren and Ben attend the funeral. Things are going swimmingly until a good-looking young man named Oscar enters. Mr. Simon begins to yell. His younger son, Kenji, pleads with him not to make a scene. "I'm not the one making a scene here," Mr. Simon screams, pointing at Oscar. "The homo is!" Mr. Simon storms out of the church. Later, William meets with Kenji. "How much does he drink?" the Cleaner asks. Says Kenji: "24 hours." Yikes. William encourages the young boy to stay strong. Mr. Simon arrives home -- more angry than usual. "What are you all doing here?!" he demands. "Where is all my stuff!?" By "stuff," he means booze -- but William has already emptied all the bottles down the drain. Kenji tries to intervene and dad throws him into the corner. Ben is horrified.
The team follows Mr. Simon to a nearby bar, where he is drowning his sorrows. "Get out of here!" he screams. "Go!" Kenji leaves and meets Ben outside. "My dad and your dad -- they're not that different," Ben says in the way of comforting words. Meanwhile, William is telling Mr. Simon that he can't escape the world with the bottle. "You could lose Kenji," William tells the drunken dad. Mr. Simon breaks down, explaining that his wife always knew their older son was "different." After mom died, the son stopped trying to hide his sexuality. "He even went so far as to bring his 'friend' home -- to my house!" Mr. Simon yells. And then he passes out on the bar.
Back at the garage, Mr. Simon screams his way through withdrawals. Duren, meanwhile, continues to drink. Can William possibly clean them both? Only time -- about 20 more minutes, actually -- will tell. The next morning, William awakes to find Duren gone. Turns out the major is back at his own house. He dresses in his uniform, writes a note reading "I'm sorry" and then begins chugging. Back the garage, William leaves Kenji and Ben with a passed-out Mr. Simon (bad idea) and heads out with Bill to find Duren. Meanwhile, Duren approaches a suburban home, drops a box of his personal items (including money and the note) on the porch of his daughter's house and then leaves. Back at the garage, Mr. Simon is awake. "I know what I've done," he says. "I see it all over your face." Mr. Simon then asks his son to let loose his restraints. "I'm fine!" he says with a faux smile. Kenji hesitates. Dad obviously just wants to find some booze. "I can't!" Kenji cries. Ben enters and offers words of support. Mr. Simon grows angry. "Don't be like your brother!" he screams. "Listen to your old man!" Kenji doesn't listen. In fact, he tightens the straps. Mr. Simon ROARS (a screamer, this guy).
William and Bill, in the meantime, have followed Duren's trail back to the garage. The major explains that he just didn't have the guts to go inside and see his daughter. "I couldn't," Duren cries. "I just couldn't ... Truth is, I'm not so comfortable, kid. I could use some help." Duren would love to see his daughter just once -- "when I don't stink," he says. The major breaks down and cries. "We'll get you set up, Duren," William says. "We'll get you in better shape." Its a start.
William arrives back the garage to find Mr. Simon sitting up and looking terrible. "I feel like shit," he mutters. William and Ben exit, leaving dad and Kenji alone. Dad smiles at his son. Again, it's a start. Cut to the burial of Mr. Simon's son. Marines fire shots into the air in honor of the fallen soldier. Duren salutes. Another Marine plays Taps. Even Oscar is at the funeral. This time, though, Mr. Simon manages to keep his trap shut. "I'll pick you up first thing tomorrow morning," William tells Mr. Simon. He then offers some Cleaner-like advice: "Minute by minute." Mr. Simon nods and takes his son aside. "I'm going to do better -- try to do better," dad says. Do or do not, Mr. Simon -- there is no try.
William, Bill, Ben and Duren drive to the house of Duren's daughter, who plays in the front yard with her kids. The major is about to get out of the car and talk to his offspring for the first time in many years when his face suddenly goes slack. "Duren!" William yells. But it's too late. Duren is dead. The Cleaner, it seems, can't save them all -- even when they ask for help. Ben fights back tears. Welcome to daddy's world, son.
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