Episode 61: “Horsy Horsy”Running time: 50 minutes
As the credits end we see Christopher lying in bed, looking far from awake, as the camera makes a right angled turn so Christopher is the “right way up” on screen. James Brown’s Funky Drummer plays as Chris clambers out of bed and enters the bathroom. The music stops suddenly as he wanders into a daydream. Adriana is on the glass staircase again, whispering into Pussy Bonpensiero’s ear. Pussy then turns to Skip Lapari and then Adriana turns to the camera and reveals that she “told them everything.” Chris snaps out of his dream and continues to gaze at the mirror. He hallucinates an image of Adriana behind him in the mirror. Turning around, he sees that she is not there.
Cut to the Bing poolroom. Tony sits playing cards with Silvio and Mickey Gallardo. Paulie is playing pool with Pat Parisi. They all make comments on Adriana’s betrayal. It is clear they are not aware that Tony ordered Gallardo to kill Adriana. Tony keeps quiet, but snaps and flips the whole game up when Paulie suggests it was a bad idea to let her live. Tony rants at him for questioning his decisions. As Tony storms out, claiming he can’t go on “with this shit,” Paulie looks at Silvio, who is shaking his head, bottom lip out.
Charmaine bitches to Artie about missing Adriana. Artie insists that he does not suspect foul play on Soprano’s behalf. Charmaine says that Carmela is the same as Artie; she’ll never learn, and once she’s in the life she can’t get out of it. She metaphors the Mafia with a spider’s web. Artie explains that even if Tony was involved, the guy is his friend, and he tells his wife to shove her spider’s web up her ass.
Tony tells Melfi that he is worried about his nephew. He explains that Adriana has gone missing and nobody knows where she is. “Her clothes are gone, everything.” Melfi tries to explain that everything happens for a reason. Tony gets frustrated at this, and reveals the true explanation: “What if I was to tell you that this fuckin’ bitch was ratting everybody out to the Feds?” Melfi is silent. Tony notices this and starts rambling on about how Melfi jumps to conclusions without getting to see the bigger picture. “How was I supposed to foresee that this girl had been working for the FBI?” she asks, to which Tony tells her to go fuck herself and leaves. On his way out of the office he has a panic attack.
Cut to the hospital, where Carmela and AJ visit Tony (we learn that Melfi drove him there herself when he had the attack). Tony waits around for more test results, all of which come back negative, and the nurse simply puts the attacks down to stress. That night, Carmela goes into Tony’s room (they are not sleeping together, despite Tony’s moving back in) and confronts him about the whereabouts of Adriana. When he tells her he doesn’t know and starts to get anxious, she tells him that he’ll never change.
Hesh Rabkin’s stables are in jeopardy. There is a very rich businessman in town who wants to buy the stables from Hesh, expecting little retaliation against the light persuasion. Hesh gets all up tight, but the guy leaves before Rabkin can get a real word in. Hesh looks at the card the guy gave him: Emmett Peters.
Frankie Moresco visits Hal Suppuzzi at his apartment, the guy whose back he broke with a hammer months before. Hal insists that he hasn’t been running untaxed card games behind Larry Boy’s back. Frankie doesn’t buy any of it, but Hal soon buys the end of a golf club to his nose.
Hesh’s gumar wakes him up. She tells him some guys are taking pictures of the house and stables. Enraged, Hesh confronts Emmett Peters, who is showing several associates around the place. “Hope you don’t mind,” Peters says. Hesh tells them that they must leave, and they do, but not before taking a real close up with one of Hesh’s most valuable horses.
Tony gets a call from Ally Boy Barese. “You’re fuckin’ kidding me!” Tony bellows. We then cut to Tony’s jeep screeching to a stop outside one of Larry Boy’s joint. Tony storms in past the protesting associates (one of which gets a fist in the face because of their antagonising with Tony) and snatches a pool cue out of Frankie Moresco’s (who was innocently playing pool) hand. Frankie doesn’t look the least bit intimidated, save for the fact that he is two inches shorter than Soprano. “You fucking break the guy’s back, then snap his fuckin’ legs with a golf club while he’s still in the fuckin’ wheelchair?” Tony asks. “Maybe I should do the same to you, huh? Oh why not? Frankie backs up against a dead end, Tony following. “Don’t touch me Tony,” Frankie warns, “I’m a made guy. Touch me and there’s consequences.” Tony starts to breathe heavy, composing himself from his rage. “You’re a made guy?” he repeats. “Well guess what. I don’t know if you realise this but I’m the motherfucking’ Boss round here, and if you don’t respect that we’re gonna have a major problem.” When Tony is walking away, Frankie mumbles an insult in Italian. Tony doesn’t hesitate, turning round and smashing his fist into Moresco’s face, sending him across the pool table. Tony doesn’t waste any more of his time and leaves. Frankie lies on the floor, dazed, with blood pouring from his red-stained teeth.
Carmela and Rosalie Aprile dine at the Vesuvio, unaware of Charmaine Bucco’s hateful eyes upon them. When Carmela tries to make small talk with Charmaine, Mrs. Bucco quickly fires back with a brash question about the whereabouts of Adriana. Carmela shuts up. Rosalie and her share a look after Charmaine leaves.
Tony visits his uncle in hospital. He tells him about the confrontation with Frankie. Junior says it isn’t giving the image Tony should be. A Boss punching another made guy “doesn’t exactly do wonders” with the others. Tony regrets telling him, but Junior assures him that he will always be in Tony’s corner.
Meanwhile, back at the Vesuvio, Carmela confronts Charmaine alone, and asks what Charmaine meant with the bluntness of the question concerning Adriana before. Charmaine brushes it off by insisting it was an innocent question. Carmela tells her that whatever she was getting at, it is none of her fucking business. She also makes it clear that Chris and Adriana had problems with their relationship. Later, Carmela confesses to her church therapist that she is guilty of trying to defend her husband’s business. He assures Carmela this is a sign of love for him.
Hesh visits Tony at Satriale’s Pork Store. They walk a few blocks and Hesh tells him of Emmett Peters and his plan to buy Hesh’s stables out. Tony tells him he’ll take care of it.
At Peters Inc., Paulie, under the disguise of a “Mister Gondola,” gets into Emmett’s office. When Peters asks him what he can do for Mr. Gondola, Paulie tells him to leave “Hesh Rabkin the fuck alone,” emphasised with an ear-to-ear grin. Peters is left shocked, and immediately calls a business associate.
Larry Boy Barese meets with Johnny Sac. He tells Johnny of Tony’s hitting Moresco on his own turf. “Things like this shouldn’t happen, Johnny.” Sac informs him that things are still being arranged concerning the “stoning of Goliath.” Larry Boy stresses frustration at the lack of quickness of the planning. Sac reminds him that New York does not want the plan to backfire with them.
Christopher answers the door to find that Adriana is there, wearing an FBI jacket. She says she has brought something for him, but the words come out as Tony’s voice. Christopher blinks to find Tony is standing in the doorway. Tony comes in and gives him an envelope: “a bonus from the week’s earnings.” Christopher opens it, notices the bonus is far more than just generous, and sits back down watching TV. Tony, repeating Melfi’s exact words, tells Chris that things happen for a reason. “Some things are fucked up,” Christopher replies. Tony leaves without saying another word. On his way out he sees a photo of Adriana and Christopher on the wall.
Mr. Peters and his associates are back, but this time with an estimator who is giving Hesh prices for buying the land. “Oh,” Emmett says. “Before I forget, tell your Mr. Gondola friend that his efforts didn’t have the intended effect on me.”
Hesh visits the Bing and repeats the exact words of Peters to the gang. Paulie Walnuts is furious. “Didn’t get the intended effect. I think he will on my next visit.”
Tony returns home to find AJ playing on his X-Box games. Mr. Lau finally exchanged them. Tony reminds him that he should be studying. Carmela, refreshed from her therapist visit, puts the evening meal in the microwave for Tony to eat at the table. While he chews away, she tells him that she is glad that he moved back in. Tony replies with a smile. We all know Tony, and it is clear he wants to say more, but doesn’t.
To the sound of James Brown’s Funky Drummer again, a police car screeches to a halt outside a neighbourhood home. As the two cops walk past the on-looking spectators and past the tape to meet paramedics on the scene, they see that in the doorway of the house lies a guy who they confirm as Mr. Emmett Peters. The cause of death is asphyxiation. Funky Drummer gets louder as the end credits start to roll.
Mick
