Among Ravens Page #2

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What's Chad doing out there?

He can't even swim.

Hey, pal, bring it on in, will ya?

It's time to go.

Okay, see you on Independence Day.

May the 4th be with you.

There is a kind of hawk that spends

most of its time in the air.

People think that they're hunters,

just riding the wind, looking for prey...

but they're really quiet and gentle...

even secretive.

They just like to travel alone.

I can't work like this. The food sucks.

The facility's insufficient.

You promised me a cabin

and you stick me in this shithole.

Last time this piano was tuned

like he didn't have a hole in his head.

Hey, you've been paid handsomely for a job

many others would fall

on their goddamn knees for.

What the hell is the holdup?

- I'm stuck, Saul.

- You're stuck.

- Let me help you out.

- No, I'm blocked.

- What do you mean you're blocked?

- It's something that writers get.

I got nothing.

I'm blank. Done with

and washed up, the muse is gone.

What the hell happened?

It just doesn't go away.

- It does if you've banished it.

- Well, invite it back.

I can't.

I quit drinking.

What the hell kind of self-destructive

behavior is that?

I mean, who the hell quits drinking

in the last chapter?

Maybe I do, Saul.

Or maybe I'm just better than you

at making sh*t up, hmm?

Write your own f***ing books.

What are you doing?

You said I could interview you.

- About your books.

- No, I didn't.

I said "maybe." But I meant "no."

Saul?

You have to ask someone if you're

gonna make a documentary about them.

- Yes.

- Hey, Saul.

- Saul? Saul?

- One. Two.

One, two, three, four.

Yeah.

All right. Here we go.

We go, one, two, three and four.

That's perfect.

Step high. Chins up.

Here we go. Again, we go high,

high, low and low.

And one last time. Make it count.

Leave 'em wanting more.

Yes! You guys were awesome.

- Hey, Chad, this is Olivia.

- Hi, Olivia.

Hi, Chad.

Joey, I'm gonna go get my bathing suit.

Bye-bye.

- Will you take us swimming?

- I can't swim.

You really don't swim?

No.

Just seems wrong.

Come on, Chad, live a little.

It's just water. Please?

Okay, but not too far, okay?

Whoa. Is that a real gun?

Yeah, it's real.

- Why do you have it?

- I always carry a gun.

Can I hold it?

- Chad's going swimming with us.

- Awesome.

Come on, come on.

Can we stop, please? I want to stop.

I want to stop, please. Can we stop?

No.

Stop. Stop, please, stop! Stop! Stop!

Joey, Joey, what's going on? Huh?

We were just swimming and he

started freaking out. He hurt me.

- He hurt you? How did he hurt you?

- He didn't mean to. We scared him.

I was scared.

All right, you know what?

That's enough swimming for today. Joey.

- But, Mom....

- No, you're done, you're done. Honey...

He lurks. He's always lurking.

Who knows what's going on

in that mind of his?

- He started filming me today.

- Yes, well, he's filming everybody, Saul.

Yes, but he's making a documentary

about me, his favorite writer.

I think he's some sort of a lunatic fan.

Where did Jay meet this guy?

I don't know, but I just...

I don't fully trust him with the kids.

Okay. Well, then, he's got to go.

Okay.

Okay.

Look at us, co-parenting.

- So who's gonna tell him?

- I'll tell him.

I'll tell him.

Hey, Chad.

- I've upset you.

- No.

It's just that it's not gonna work out.

The truth is we weren't expecting

another person this weekend.

I understand.

Do you?

- Yes.

- I appreciate that.

You've all been really nice to me.

I wish I could pay it back.

Bye, Chad.

- Where's Chad going?

- He had to leave, honey.

But why?

Well...

people are like gardens.

Gardens and flowers want to blossom

but weeds overpower everything

and flowers learn to tolerate weeds

but if they can't...

the weeds need to be pulled

to save the garden.

Who decides what's a weed?

Joey, just don't make

any sudden movements.

Not coming with?

No, thank you. Just gonna take a walk.

I'll walk with you.

Yeah, sure, if it's all right with Hal.

I didn't have a family so it's really lovely

to see one with so much love.

Why didn't you have a family?

Oh, my dad died when I was young

and my mom took off on her Saturn return

and I've been on my own since I was 14.

14, that's young.

No, no, no, no. It was perfect.

To be free at that age, not having

to repress all that sexual energy,

I can't imagine having lived

any differently.

I definitely learned a thing or two.

I can imagine you did.

You need to f*** my yoni puja.

Wow.

Wow, that's flattering.

I appreciate it. But I love my wife.

That's okay. I do too.

I would love to please both of you.

Okay, Saturn, I need you to stop.

This entire conversation

is making me very uncomfortable.

I haven't felt like this

since my father died.

Chad?

There's a tribe of tit warblers

nesting in that juniper tree.

- Where? I don't see them.

- They're more easily heard than seen.

I have gifts.

Look who I found, everybody.

It's Chad. He brought gifts.

Awesome.

Gifts? Why?

For being so kind to me. To pay it back.

- Chad, you didn't have to do that.

- Yes, Wendy, I did.

Ellis, this is for you

because Wendy love flowers.

Oh, beautiful.

I thank you, Chad,

for your floral support.

- And Saul?

- Yeah?

- Saul?

- Yeah?

- Saul?

- Yeah?

Saul, this is for you.

Very interesting choice, Chad. I like it.

Oh! Uh, I have something for you.

- So you brought him back?

- He's harmless.

- For our lemonade stand.

- Perfect.

Why are you standing so awkwardly?

- I'll go stand over there.

- No, I didn't mean that.

- I meant, are you feeling uncomfortable?

- Yeah.

Most of the time. All the time, actually.

Why?

It's how I feel.

Take a seat, Chad.

If we're going to be best friends,

we have to tell each other a secret,

a secret we've never told anyone else.

I have to tell you a secret?

I left school when I was your age.

I preferred watching birds.

- But I have an even bigger secret.

- Really?

I chose you as my friend

because you're perfect.

- Or just I'm amazing.

- You are amazing.

What amazing things

do you think I'm going to do?

No, if I tell you you'll think I'm silly.

Please tell me.

I think you're gonna make people smile.

That's important, you know?

And I'm pretty sure you're gonna

cure cancer and end hate too, so...

you've got a big life in front of you.

Cool, you're right.

Your turn.

Everyone lies to me.

Why?

'Cause they think the truth

will hurt me more.

You have to promise

not to lie to me, okay?

Promise.

So I'm raising equity for a new startup.

We're in our very first round of financing.

I thought it might be something

you'd be interested in.

Okay, what's the company?

It's not so much of a company per se

as it is seed money.

Investing in the daily cog of my life.

What you'd be investing in is my expertise.

Your expertise?

You're a trust fund kid, Ellis.

I wouldn't know your expertise,

if you put a handgun to my head. Anyway,

a high percentage of these startups fail,

and there's always the risk of losing

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