7.12 “To Whom It May Concern”

In which Luke goes to court, Jackson knows something Sookie doesn’t and Chris finds the letter.

Here’s What Happened:

Quail Mazatlan

The whole family is together for a Friday night dinner. Richard’s tells goofy jokes. Christopher laughs at said goofy jokes. Compliments all around for the incredible quail dish Emily discovered in Mexico, until…

RORY: I think the sauce burned through my napkin.

Muffin Tops

Early one morning, Sookie shows up at Lorelai’s with coffee and fresh-baked muffin tops. Can’t a girl bring her best friend coffee and muffin tops before seven in the morning? Must there really be an ulterior motive? OK, fine. She and Jackson want to go skiing (Jackson skiing, Sookie cozying up to a fire with a Sue Grafton book) but their babysitter got mono. How’s that muffin top taste now, Lorelai?

Lorelai is fine watching the kids. Christopher isn’t needed, so he reaps the benefits of the bribe and gets Lorelai out of the house so he can mount the coveted flat screen. On her way out, Sookie tearfully hugs and thanks Lorelai and Christopher. Overly emotional Sookie? Alert! Alert!

Rory returns to Yale with a last ditch note hopefully to  patch things up with Lucy. She leaves it pinned to her bulletin board, hoping for the best.

Luke nervously waits outside the courtroom for his custody case to begin. His attorney advised him that the less he says in there, the better. Anna arrives and they make awkward small talk until Anna decides to pronounce the whole affair a big waste of time.

ANNA: I mean, come on. You really think you have a chance?
LUKE: Yeah, well, that’s for a judge to decide.
ANNA: Well, step back. Take a look at it. I mean, look at yourself. You’re…you — a hermit living above a diner in some old, converted hardware store. It doesn’t exactly paint a picture of “capable father.”
LUKE: It doesn’t matter where I live, and I have been nothing but a good father to April.
ANNA: And you know what you’re not gonna get any points for your history with women, either.
LUKE: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
ANNA: Bailed on Lorelai, got divorced in a heartbeat.
LUKE: I did not bail on Lorelai.
ANNA: You have had no long-term relationships, Luke. Why would a judge trust you to have one with April?

 

Operation Finish Line

Back at Rory’s apartment, Paris has it all figured out.

She and Rory only have five months left of their undergraduate time at Yale. It’s time to grab as many opportunities as possible to face the cold shoulder of the world outside…even if Rory has no interest in an oceanography fellowship.

Lorelai arrives at Sookie and Jackson’s, but Sookie isn’t quite ready. None of the sweaters she tries on is right and she can’t bring herself to leave the kids until Jackson practically drags out out of the house. Warning! Warning!

Just Do It!

On Paris’s nudging, Rory visits Richard during his office hours  to get him to set up an informal get-together with Dean Kerrigan. She’s hoping to snag a recommendation out of the affair. But she’s got more on her mind including the letter she wrote Lucy and Lucy’s non-response. He gives her some encouraging words and a copy of his next class’s syllabus.

Sookie and Jackson return home way early. Lorelai hasn’t even had a chance to clean the place up. Apparently, Jackson spilled Sookie’s hot toddy and wouldn’t let her order another one. Let her?? He wouldn’t even let her ski after her book was a bust. What gives, Jackson?

Naturally, Sookie must be told immediately. Her response? “No!” She goes for a walk, taking Lorelai with her, telling Jackson to take care of that vasectomy thing immediately. On their walk, Sookie is focused on the promised end to diapers that’s been so cruelly yanked away. Lorelai reminds her of all the fun things about babies. Who can fight against that fresh baby smell and baby snuggles? Sookie’s sold.

Custody proceedings have begun and already Luke is being characterized by opposing counsel as an absentee father at best. Luke, naturally takes issue with that, and the judge advises both him and Anna to shut their traps and let the attorneys do the talking.

Speaking of talking, Paris continues to needle Rory about sticking to Operation Finish Line and fill those schedule gaps with resume-building activities, like planting trees and writing haikus. Rory sees Lucy across the cafeteria, distracted from Paris’s schemes. Paris, nipping this little drama in the bud, approaches Lucy.

PARIS: In case you didn’t know it, Rory is a great person, and she does not deserve to be treated this way…Anyone should feel lucky to call her a friend. I know I do, and you’re throwing away one of the best.

Aww! Lucy admits it was a beautiful letter. She and Marty broke up, but she’s forgiven Rory. Yay?

The Letter

Christopher busies himself installing the TV, but it doesn’t look quite straight. He goes to find the level, finding the letter Lorelai wrote for Luke instead.

Interspersed with Christopher reading that letter is the judge reading it aloud to put it into the hearing’s records. I present to you, the letter:

To whom it may concern,

In the nearly ten years that I have known Luke Danes I have come to know him as an honest and decent man. He’s also one of the most kind and caring persons I have ever met.

I’m a single mother and I raised my daughter by myself. But once Luke Danes became my friend in this town, I never really felt alone. Luke and I have had our ups and downs over the years, but through it all his relationship with my daughter Rory has never changed. He’s always been there for her no matter what. He was there to celebrate her birthdays, he was there cheering her on at her high school graduation. Luke has been a sort of father figure in my daughter’s life.

With his own daughter Luke wasn’t given the opportunity to be there for her first twelve years, but he should be given that opportunity now. Once Luke Danes is in your life, he is in your life forever.

I know from personal experience what an amazing gift that is and not to allow him access to his daughter would be to seriously deprive her of all this man has to offer, and he offers so much. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Lorelai Gilmore

Lorelai returns home to find Chris and her letter waiting for her at the kitchen table. Her character reference reads to him (and us too) like a love letter. She tells Chris what he wants to hear, but her blink speaks louder.

Chris can’t handle being Lorelai’s rebound, and he bolts.

Tray Sliding

Rory’s reigning in Paris’s crazy just a bit, agreeing to some of the white board’s assignments and nixing others, meaning no LSAT or MCAT for that gal. Lucy calls to invite Rory tray sledding down Science Hill. It’s not slated to happen yet, but Paris agrees to go.

Lorelai wakes to an empty half of a bed and no Chris car in the driveway. Luke calls to let Lorelai know that he won the case and gets shared custody!

It’s Richard’s first day with his new class, but he looks a bit out of sorts. Rory notices right away, and looks on concerned. No. This can’t be happening!

That Gilmore Girls show sure is a pop culture playground:

PARIS: Oh, so now she’s decided to just ignore you? How very Heathers of her.

Why I want Sookie for my personal chef:
Duh. A basket full of muffin tops AND muffin-bottom pie (patent pending).

The witticisms of Lorelai Gilmore, ladies and gentlemen:

LORELAI: Hiya! I want to see the TV. Holy cripes, that’s big! Oh, my gosh. Does that come with a slushee machine and a gangly teenage Usher?

Other Random Thoughts:
♦ Here goes Rory with the letter writing gambit to solve relationship problems. It really only worked with Dean once.
♦ Lorelai gives reasons why she kept the letter, and they’re legitimate. But there’s a subconscious reason going on here too. Sooner or later, he would find it, and they’d have it out. Rory isn’t the only one making things happen with the written word in this family.