Empathy No. 072
JASON: Hey, Roderick-
RODERICK: What? Oh, sorry...caught me off guard.
JASON: Sorry about that, I didn't, uh...it's just that I kinda heard you talking to my Dad. Ah...I think he's still just trying to make you feel welcome or whatever.
RODERICK: Yeah, I know.
JASON: So you told him you were working on something? Is that what you're doing when you're up late?
RODERICK: I just like to stay up late. It suits me. I know no one believes that-
JASON: Okay, it's just that a couple times the last couple weeks I was up, and I think you were on the computer.
RODERICK: Yeah, I guess I was.
JASON: That's cool, but it's just if you're doing this so late...I don't know, it feels like you're hiding something.
RODERICK: It's personal.
JASON: That's fine. You know, if you don't want to tell me-
RODERICK: I don't care if you know, but there are other people who shouldn't know.
JASON: All right.
RODERICK: I haven't even told Carlie about this.
JASON: Okay, then I won't ask. It's cool. I mean, I'm curious, but I don't need to know or anything. But if you need help with whatever it is, then I can totally do that.
RODERICK: I want to tell you, but it can't get back to Lloyd. It can't get back to my Mom.
JASON: Shit, is it something bad?
RODERICK: No, it...I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone.
JASON: Not a word.
RODERICK: Okay...I'm trying to find my father.
JASON: Oh wow.
RODERICK: I've wanted to find him for a while, but I really got to thinking about it the last month or so, and that's what I've been doing. I've been trying to find information.
JASON: Well, do you have anything?
RODERICK: No. I have the name off my birth certificate - Charles Miller. That's all, and I'm trying to find more from that, but the name's too common. And he was a lot older than my mother, but I don't have a birth date, either.
JASON: So what are you gonna do?
RODERICK: I mean...Mom has some old papers, she might have letters or something in there that would have a clue, but I don't know where she's keeping them, and I don't think I could lie to her if she caught me.
JASON: Would it really be that bad?
RODERICK: It's uncomfortable. She doesn't want me looking for him, she never has. I don't know why.
JASON: Well, what if I found that stuff? I can poke through some desks and closets and I won't get into any trouble or anything.
RODERICK: Okay, but please don't tell anyone. Not your sisters, either, I can't-
JASON: I got it. You know, I don't know for sure if I'm gonna find anything, but I'll try, okay?
RODERICK: Thank you, Jason.
JASON: No problem.