What About Your Dad

Bear buys a medallion for his dad

**What About Your Dad** is the fourth episode of the first season and fourth episode overall of *Reservation Dogs*.

## Synopsis

The town gets ready for Bear's rapper father to come into town and perform at the local IHS conference.

## Plot

Punkin Lusty performs Greasy Greasy Frybread.

As the video finishes, Rita smacks Leon for singing along, but he says the song is catchy. Clinton stops the video and tells them they booked Punkin Lusty for this year's anti-diabetes wellness fair. They're going to be serving fry bread for dinner. When Clinton plays the video again, Rita gets up and leaves.

In the bathroom, Rita talks to two versions of herself, one who wants to get Punkin fired and one who wants her to be professional. Rita decides to present them with alternatives.

**Los Angeles, California**

Punkin gets a call from Rita, who is in his phone as baby mama #2. She asks him why he didn't tell her himself that he was coming to town. He says he felt it was time to use his success to give back to his people. Rita suggests using his success to send some money to his son. He says success comes in many ways and he'll be sending something to Bear soon. She tells him to call his son, but he was thinking of surprising Bear instead. She says he can't surprised a kid he hasn't seen in two years and he better show up this time. Punkin asks if he can stay on Rita's couch. They're paying for him to stay at a hotel, but if he doesn't stay there, he can just keep the money. Rita hangs up on him.

As the Rez Dogs walk around the grocery story, Cheese asks what rappers eat. Bear says his dad likes pizza lunchables. Bear sends Cheese to get cheese and deli meats and Willie Jack to get chips and dip. Bear will get the cookies. He asks Elora to get utensils and paper plates because his mom doesn't like his dad eating off their plates. Bear watches and sings along to his father's video.

Elora approaches an employee to ask where something is and is surprised to see it's Jackie. Jackie directs Elora to the paper plates, then asks Elora if she used to be friends with Bone Thug Dog. She says she was, then she didn't see him for a summer and they grew apart. They were ten and he was Jimmy then. Bone Thug Dog told Jackie Elora used to be pretty cool. Jackie knows Elora is saving up money to go to California, but Willie Jack, Cheese, and Bear aren't as serious is she is, so Jackie offers Elora a place in their group when she gets tired of them. Elora is shocked that Jackie thinks she would jump ship after they beat up Bear. Jackie says to think about it.

At the checkout, Bear shows Elora a DVD he picked out to watch with his dad. Elora hands him money, saying it's only because it's his dad. Bear was thinking about getting his dad a gift, like a beaded medallion. Willie Jack says he could get one of those from Auntie B. She's the only person Willie Jack knows how knows how to bead. Willie Jack doesn't know how. Elora takes the money from Bear and gives it to Willie Jack.

Bear, Willie Jack, Cheese, and Elora stand outside Auntie B's place. Bear tries, but can't knock on the door. He's too scared. Willie Jack psychs herself up and then goes to knock, only to have Auntie B open the door with an exact-o knife in her hand. Willie Jack says they just want to buy some beadwork. Auntie B retracts the blade.

Auntie B shows Bear a piece and says he's in luck. These usually go for $350, but because he's friends with Willie Jack, she'll let him have it for $40. Bear pulls out a beaded pickle. He's not sure his dad is that into pickles, which Auntie B finds ridiculous. He asks if she has something else, like a microphone. He needs it by tomorrow. She says that's not a problem, but it'll be an extra $50 for the rush job. Take it or leave it. Elora wants to leave it, but Bear agrees to pay the $90.

Elora is upset to be spending their California money on the medallion. Bear says they'll make the money back. He'll sell wild onions. His mom has pounds frozen. They run into Mekko and Mose, who say the NDN Mafia have been saying Bear's dad is trash. They don't agree and think Punkin's the Native Jay-Z. That means Rita's Beyoncé. They give Bear their CD to pass on to his dad. They leave as the NDN Mafia drive by.

Bear lifts weights in his room. Rita comes in to talk to him about his dad. Bear already knows because he called earlier. Rita tries to prepare Bear in case he doesn't show up, but Bear says it's different. He wouldn't miss a gig. Rita leaves to go out.

Rita sits at the bar and looks around. She makes eye contact with a man across the bar briefly. When she looks away, he comes to stand next to her. He introduces himself as David and asks what she's having. She says a bad day, but maybe he could make it better. He'd like to try.

Rita wakes up in a strange bed and looks around. She's delighted at the luxurious surroundings, indicating that David is rich.

Rita walks around David's home. In the bathroom, she again talks to two versions of herself, one who is delighted that she's found a rich man and one who says she doesn't need a man at all.

Rita checks herself out in the mirror before walking into the dining room to find David. He didn't wake her because she looked so peaceful. She likes his place. It was his great-grandfather's. He lost everything and his father was poor. After medical school, he made a goal to buy it back. He's a doctor, practicing sports medicine. He has a private practice and works with the football players in town. Rita tells him about her son. He has three kids of his own, all grown. Rita says hers is sixteen. Rita spots a deer head on the wall and asks David if he hunts. He says yes. He harvested that head when he was young. He doesn't hunt much anymore, but archery is his preferred method. She's shot a bow before, so he offers to have her come with him next time. He rolls up his sleeves, showing off a Confederate Flag tattoo on his arm with feathers around it. She asks him about it and he says he was a big Skynrd fan and he loves Indians. His property is actually on Indian land. His grandfather bought it from a Creek man who fell on hard times. His grandfather let that man stay on the property in separate living quarters. His best friend is Lakota. He's always been most attracted to Native women. Rita imagines David as a plantation owner, being served lemonade by a Native woman named Ms. Francis. He asks if the herb she's put it in it is some sort of Indian herb. She says it's mint. Rita decides to leave. David asks her retreating figure if it was the tattoo.

Auntie B says she stayed up all night. She shows Bear the medallion she made. He looks at it and his horrified that it looks like a penis and testicles. The testicles are the microphone cord wrapped up. Cheese gestures to her other pieces on the wall, most of which are also phallic. Auntie B says people pay a lot of money for her work and all her customers are happy. Bear says it's cool and the others agree. Elora's still upset that it cost $90. Bear hands over the money.

Cheese shows Elora and Willie Jack a video on his phone. Bear comes in, all dressed up for his dad. Willie Jack and Cheese think he looks nice, but Elora says he looks way to comfortable spending her money. She wonders how much it all cost. Bear says it's their money, not just hers, but it's their money for California. He at least used to ask before spending their money. Rita comes in then and Bear asks if she was gone all night. She asks him about the medallion and he tells her it's for his dad. Rita's phone rings. It's Punkin, who is in her phone as Fuckface.

Rita steps outside to talk to Punkin, asking if he's left yet. He says his flight leaves in the morning and he wouldn't miss it for anything. He's looking forward to seeing Bear and it'll be nice to see Rita, too. He got Bear something, too. He asks Rita how old Bear is now. Rita's not surprised he doesn't know. She tells him he better not let Bear down again. After she hangs up on him, Punkin buys some condoms, which he says are for his son. He wishes he had some when he was Bear's age, even though he doesn't know how old Bear is.

Elora asks Rita if she thinks Punkin will really show. Rita says no. She just wants Bear to have his dad. Elora says you can't make people come through if they don't want to. Rita says as Indian women, they have to deal with reality when the men go off to play. At the end of the day, they have to make it work.

Punkin calls Bear as he and Rita arrive at the anti-diabetes wellness fair. Punkin lies that something came up and his flight was cancelled. He's trying to get a flight, but it's too late now. He tells Bear he's sorry. Punkin says he'll go ahead and book a flight and still come out. He pretends to be talking to someone about booking a private jet and then lies to Bear that it's all booked. Bear starts to cry as he hangs up. Rita tells him his dad can be charming and funny, but he's not a father and never will be. If Bear wants him in his life, it won't be on his terms, but that's not Bear's fault. If he can handle that, that's cool, but if he can't, Rita will cut him off. He won't be welcome there anymore. But it's up to Bear. Bear tells his mom he loves her. There won't be a show, so Rita turns her car back on to take them home.

Rita, Bear, Cheese, Willie Jack, and Elora watch Godzilla together. Elora's gaze focuses on all the things Bear bought for his dad's visit. She gets up and leaves. As she walks out, she gets a text from Jackie asking what's up.

## Cast

### Starring

* Devery Jacobs as Elora Danan Postoak
* D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Bear Smallhill
* Lane Factor as Cheese Williams
* Paulina Alexis as Willie Jack Sampson

### Guest Starring

* Sarah Podemski as Rita Smallhill
* Garrett Hedlund as David
* Kimberly Guerrero as Auntie B
* Sten Joddi as Punkin Lusty
* Jon Proudstar as Leon Sampson

### Co-Starring

* Lil Mike as Mose
* Funnybone as Mekko
* Jude Barnett as Bone Thug Dog
* Xavier Bigpond as Weeze
* Elva Guerra as Jackie
* Warren Queton as Clinton
* Jennifer Rader as Ms. Francis

## See Also

 **#02** | "NDN Clinic"
 **#03** | "Uncle Brownie"