Emotional Timothy

"**Emotional Timothy**" is the third episode of the first season of the Hulu comedy series *This Fool*. It, like the other episodes, was released on August 12, 2022.

## Synopsis

Julio takes a bold step forward in getting over his relationship with Maggie, while Luis seeks to gain closure from an ex with the help of Minister Payne.

## Plot

### Dating advice

Outside, at a barbecue, Luis is sharing a story of his past exploits with Julio, while Julio scrolls through pictures of women on his phone. Luis realizes he is not paying attention and calls him out for it and Julio tells him that he told him that he and Maggie are done for real this time. He says he wants to put himself out there.

Luis tells him that he doesn't need the Internet to find a lady, calling a woman, but she just ignores him. Julio tells him that women don't like catcalling anymore. Luis tells him it's a numbers game, saying that eventually they'll bite. He tries a number of others and a number of lines, only to keep striking out, though he tells Julio he got four numbers out of 30 women. He asks how many Julio got and Julio tells him he has a date. "One date," comments Luis, beginning a new story.

### Closure

Julio comes to Maggie's place with a box of her stuff and she calls him a drama queen. He tells her to just take it and she asks if he needs him to save her from the big scary box. She points out a book, *Codependent No More*, saying that it's his, and he tells her she should read it. She says it's an excuse to see her. He tells her he has to get going, but then sees the mess in her place, asking why she has so many dishes. She tells him she'll do them later, but he ends up at her sink, doing them. She asks how broken up he is and he tells her he's on Tinder. She asks to see his profile, but he tells her no. She snatches his phone, mocking his profile. He tells her he already has a date lined up.

At Hugs Not Thugs, Minister Payne tells a group that readjustment can be difficult, saying they need to push past the fear and form meaningful connections. He asks if anyone wants to share any they've made and Luis raises his hand, talking about how he "smashed." Payne tells him it must be nice to have some emotional intimacy and he agrees that "emotional Timothy" is good. He says he was engaged for two years before he went to prison and the others ask if she visited while he was in prison. He tells them she didn't and they call it cold, but he claims he doesn't even think about her.

Fabian asks how he could not think about somebody so important and Payne says that while there can be a desire to forget, closure is important, or else you can have resentment. Luis replies that he definitely has resentment, that she still has the ring he got her and he spent a lot on it. Kim tells him that he needs closure, that it's not about a ring. Payne says that the ring could be a symbol of closure and that he needs to go talk to his ex about his issues and get his ring back.

### The date and the rabbit

Following the meeting, Payne asks Luis if he's thinking of going to talk to his ex alone. He tells him that emotions can run high and get in the way of constructive dialogue. He offers to come with him, that he once managed a strip club. Luis agrees it would be tight for him to run with him.

Julio meets with his date, Monica, at a restaurant. She asks if it's okay she picked vegan and he claims to eat it all the time. She says none of her exes liked vegan and he asks if she's close to any of them. She says she isn't and he tells her his philosophy is that "when it's over, it's over."

He gets a text from Maggie, saying her rabbit is missing. Monica offers to introduce him to the owner of the restaurant, an entrepreneur. He asks what business he wants to start and he claims to have a passion for coffee. She suggests he could hire some of the ex-cons he works with. She asks about his business plan and he gets a call from Maggie. He claims to Monica that it's a gang-member he's reforming.

He leaves and takes the call from Maggie. She tells him she got a rabbit and now it's missing. He asks if she's trying to mess up his date, but then tells her he'll come to help her find the rabbit. He goes and excuses himself to Monica, saying that it's an emergency. He tells her not to worry about it and pays for dinner. She asks if he wants the leftover food, but he tells her that as he always says, "give the leftovers to the staff."

### Talking it out

Luis and Minister Payne approach Luis's ex's house, Payne telling Luis that there's nothing to worry about, that they'll have a mature conversation. Luis rings the doorbell, then starts to run. Payne tells him to get back there, but he tells him he didn't even know about closure until he said it, hiding behind a bush. A woman opens the door, cursing at him and asking what he wants. She tells him she knows who he is and she doesn't believe in magic underwear. He tells her he's not a Mormon, asking if she knows Luis. She tells him that whatever Luis says, he did it and she'd be happy to testify in court.

Luis emerges from the bush, swearing at her. She says she should have known, that he's still a coward. He tells her he wasn't hiding, that he was taking a leak. Payne tells her that he's with Hugs Not Thugs and that Luis has been doing a lot of work on himself. He tells her that they could find closure by talking things out. She says that she'll talk things out, calling Luis a loser and insulting his penis. He shouts that he wants his ring back. Payne tells him he's not helping and he shouts that if she doesn't give the ring back, he'll sue her and Judge Judy will rule in his favor.

### Freedom

Meanwhile, Julio is back at Maggie's place, stunned over her having gotten a rabbit. She says that she told him not to come and she already checked everywhere, but he says he didn't leave his perfect date not to find it. She tells him she got Wendy's and he says he ate a vegan meal and he's stuffed. She mocks this. Back at Luis's ex's, she tells him that he cheated and then got himself locked up and she's still angry. He tells her not to act like she cared, that she never even came to visit.

Payne tells him that it's enough. She says that it's what she gets, that she's partially to blame for messing with someone shorter than her. Payne tells Luis to go back to his bush, addressing the woman as Vanessa and asking her what's really going on. She says it's a reminder of the stupid mistake she made of being with an idiot. He asks her why she would want a reminder of being with an idiot, saying that he doesn't think Luis is going to make it through the program. She says it's not just about his closure but hers, asking if she doesn't want to free herself from this short loser forever.

"Okay," agrees Vanessa, but says that Luis has to let her kick him in the balls. She says that she's been waiting eight years for it. "Let me see what I can do," Payne tells her. He goes back to Luis, telling him to think of it as an opportunity for growth. He tells him it will be a physical reminder of closure. Luis tells him he doesn't want his kids coming out all weird and Payne asks him if he wants the ring or not. So he takes the kick, but then Vanessa tells Payne that it's his turn. "What?" he asks and she says that he backed him up, so he also has to get kicked. He tells her it wasn't part of the deal. She asks if he wants the ring back. And so he takes a kick too.

### Wrong rabbit

Vanessa tells the two she didn't realize how much she needed it. She tells Luis that she messed up too, that she maybe should have written him back. She tosses him the ring, telling him and Payne to get off her lawn.

Back at Maggie's, Julio runs a vacuum, saying that the rabbit isn't under her bed. He tells her that he can't believe a paralegal could be this messy. She calls herself a rabbit murderer, asking how she can have kids if she can't even keep a rabbit alive. He tells her to invest in leashes, saying that they will find the rabbit. They hear a squeaking and Maggie starts ravaging the couch, saying the rabbit is inside it. Suddenly, the sound stops, and she says the rabbit is suffocating.

Maggie grabs a knife. Julio shouts for her to stop, but she takes it to the couch. He asks if she's trying to kill it and she shouts for him to help. They utterly destroy the couch, spreading feathers everywhere. Inside, all the find is a sex toy. "Wrong rabbit," says Maggie.

### Cubic zirconia

Luis and Payne are now at a jewelry store. Luis tells the clerk it's a big diamond and they went through a lot for it. The clerk tells him he'll be back with the number. Payne asks Luis if after what they went through, he could get some compensation. Luis asks if he just wanted to get paid and he tells him he likely forfeited his ability to be a father for him. Luis tells him that it's cool and that he'll give him half. Payne hugs him.

The clerk returns. He tosses back the ring, saying that it's cubic zirconia. "How's that now?" asks Payne. "Ain't worth shit," the clerk tells him. Payne asks if they really went through all that for that and Luis says that his homey must have cheated him. "Let's get your boy," Payne tells him and Luis tells him that "his boy" is locked up for fraud.

"Guess I should have seen that coming," he comments. Payne swears wildly and Luis asks him what's going on. He tells him that he's in a messed-up situation with his landlord who doesn't understand that he runs a nonprofit and the rent is sometimes late. "Never divorce your landlord," he tells him. He tells Luis that he needs to think of him more as a cautionary tale than a role model. He picks up a hammer, saying he can help him. They head over to Luis's place and they bust some windows. He tells him if your window or door is smashed, you don't have to pay rent until your landlord fixes it, that he almost never paid rent.

Back at Maggie's, Julio and Maggie discuss Julio's date. He mentions his coffee shop idea and she laughs at it as something he made up. He accuses her of making up the rabbit to draw him back. He asks if he's the rabbit. He tells her she has to let him hop away. She shouts at him to get out, saying she doesn't want to get back together and that there is a rabbit. She tells him not everything is about him. Outside, Julio reads a text from Monica saying she wants to hear more about his coffee shop idea. He blocks her number. He turns around and see a rabbit in the hallway. He stares, then knocks on the door, holding the rabbit. Maggie, however, is holding one too. She says she told him.

## Cast

### Starring

* Chris Estrada as Julio Lopez
* Frankie Quiñones as Luis Hernandez
* Laura Patalano as Esperanza
* Michelle Ortiz as Maggie
* Julia Vera as Maria

### Guest starring

* Noemi Gonzalez as Monica
* Fabian Alomar as Fabian
* Esperanza América as Vanessa
* Mia Hunt as Kim

and

* Michael Imperioli as Minister Payne