New Beginnings

Act 4 ch 11

The Gilmore girls and Sookie are sitting in church for a funeral as Rory cries her eyes out.

"Kleenex" Victoria offers when Rory sniffles. "I'm gonna miss Stan" Rory says as she takes the kleenex.

"I know. I'm gonna miss him too" Lorelai agrees. "He was so cute with his fedora and his hush puppies. Every day, the fedora and the hush puppies" Victoria says. "Yeah. If he just would have added some pants" Lorelai replies.

"Mom" Rory says.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to lighten the mood" Lorelai responds. "Cause you wouldn't want a downer funeral" Victoria says sarcastically.

"Okay, we'll be serious now" Lorelai says. "You remember every Tuesday Stan came to the Independence Inn for lunch?" Sookie reminds her. "I remember" Lorelai nods.

"It was a total waste because he couldn't eat dairy or salt or meat, so he basically just came in every week for a salad with no oil, no mushrooms. He hated mushrooms" Sookie tells them.

"I hate mushrooms too" Rory starts crying even more. "Oh, here you go" Victoria gives her more tissues.

"You know, he called last week and made the first lunch reservation at the dragonfly" Lorelai says. "He did? Don't cancel it" Victoria tells her. "No, of course not. We'll save a seat for Stan" Lorelai agrees.

"Save him a seat" Rory sobs.

"Hey did you ever notice that in Stars Hollow death comes in fives?" Victoria asks them. "I thought we agreed not to lighten the mood" Rory says.

"I'm not. It's true" Victoria insists. "It is?" Sookie asks. "Yeah, last year-Chester Thompson, Sara Meerman, Fran, and the Dublin twins" Victoria lists.

"Oh, you're right. Cause even the year before that was Chuck O'Mishner, Santa Perez Jr, Santa Perez Sr" Lorelai starts listing now too.

"Perry Lewis and Charlie Slater" Victoria finishes. "So now Pinochle Downs, Mr Angelotoplis" Lorelai lists.

"Mrs Krenz" Sookie adds. "And Stan" Victoria says. "Wait a minute. That's only four" Rory points out.

"It is only four" Lorelai says.

"That means the fifth hasn't happened yet. Number five could be in this room right now" Victoria tells them. "Oh, no" Lorelai says looking at someone.

"What?" Victoria asks her. Hank Krutzman" Lorelai answers. "Hank Krutzman?" Rory questions.

"Why would it be Hank Krutzman?" Sookie asks.

"It makes sense, he's 110" Victoria points out. "Hank's 110?" Rory asks shocked.

"No" Victoria shakes her head. "Why would you say that?" Rory asks. "Because that's the age you say when someone's really old" Victoria explains.

"I don't" Rory disagrees.

"What age do you say?" Victoria asks. "I say the age they are. Otherwise I would seem cruel and insensitive" Rory answers.

"Fine. The point it, he is very very old" Victoria changes her wording. "That doesn't make him number five" Rory insists. "I don't know" Lorelai keeps looking at him.

"Hank Krutzman. He was such a happy guy" Victoria looks at him too.

"He had such a good life" Lorelai adds. "He owned those horses" Sookie chimes in.

"He loved his golf" Victoria keeps it going. "Stop" Rory stops them. "What?" Lorelai asks.

"You guys just eulogized Hank. He's not even dead yet" Rory points out.