An Unfinished Life Page #2

your life can change.

You believe me?

Sorry for the mess.

- Hi.

- Hi.

My name's Griff.

My name is Mitch.

That for me?

Thank you.

Yeah, I know.

I almost threw up

first time I looked at it.

You feeling a little queasy?

I'm fine.

OK.

I got queasy first time

I saw a man eat a snail.

- You ever eat a snail?

- No.

Me neither.

This looks good.

- What happened to you?

- I was mauled by a bear.

I saw a bear in a cage yesterday.

Yeah. That was my bear.

About a year ago, he was eating

one of your grandfather's calves

and... well, we sort of

interrupted his dinner, you know.

He thought we were

gonna take it away from him.

You know bears -

they don't like to share.

Did the bear bite Einar?

No, I was closer.

- I didn't know anyone ate snails.

- Oh, yeah, sure.

In those fancy restaurants

up in Cheyenne,

they eat 'em all the time

like there's nothing to it.

Once I saw this kid eat a moth.

- You could hear the crunch.

- Oh, no, no!

Oh, my gosh! Look at that!

Einar.

Hey, Angie.

I didn't expect to see you in this crowd.

I guess at my age it's good

to be seen just about anywhere.

Well, Fish and Game

said he'd settle down in a few days.

Of course, they also said

he'd eat anything, which he doesn't.

I don't get it. Nobody would pay five dollars

for the mountain lion I used to keep in here.

How's Mitch?

He's dreaming about the sea.

I always wanted a boat.

My dad used to take us out.

It was so great.

What happened to the lion?

He died.

Lucky lion.

Hello, Griffin.

Well, it says here you might have

already won $15 million.

Probably ought to

send it in for you, though.

Probably the same damn odds

as losing a kid early.

You got that done.

You should know

your wife came back.

You could have steered her

someplace else.

Just 'cause you're dead

doesn't mean you can't be useful.

See you tomorrow, boy.

Kid sure looks a whole lot

like you, though.

Top to bottom.

Mom!

- Hey!

- I missed you.

- Guess what. I got a job.

- Really?

I start tomorrow.

So how was your day?

Not so great, huh?

Man, I'm tired.

I think half the people we served

this morning came in just to look at you.

Here you go.

- What's this?

- Your half of the tips.

I thought you said

you were used to being on your feet.

I'm not used to telling everyone I meet

where I've been the last ten years.

Well...

Tell 'em you went crazy.

Tell 'em you've been locked up.

That's what I've been telling 'em.

Looks like we did real good today.

Guess I got you to thank for that.

Maybe I'll have some music

on Saturday night.

Of course, then again,

you'd have to dance with Billy and Wayne.

Oh, that'd be a sight.

Can I help you?

I'm Einar Gilkyson's daughter-in-law.

Yes, I know.

Did you want to come in?

Thank you.

- Any calls?

- Nothing.

Homemade lunch, you know.

You got something there

you want me to see?

It's a police report.

But I didn't press charges.

A shelter worker in Iowa thought I ought to

check in with authorities when I got settled.

He was my boyfriend.

But, um...

The report's not for this time.

It was for another time.

I'll make a copy.

That's it.

What are their names?

- Who?

- Your cats.

They don't have any names.

How do you tell 'em apart?

I don't tell 'em apart.

Goddamn cheap-ass, Mickey Mouse,

foreign goddamn part...

Oscar and Charlie.

Hi, Charlie.

Is that there a water-pump belt?

Why don't you use the one

out on the tractor?

Why don't I use the one

out on the tractor?

Hey, are you mumbling

over there or something?

The tractor belt's twice this size.

- Really?

- Yeah.

Oh.

Don't we have some

spare belts in the barn?

I got a great idea.

Why don't you go back in the house?

Well, uh, damn. I was...

just trying to be helpful.

If you don't want my help,

I'll just sit over here and shut up.

Pulling that out, it don't look like

you know what you're doing.

Just shut up! OK?

Shut up. You don't know what I'm doing.

- You don't know about the truck.

- Who you talking to?

- Stop being a philosopher...

- Doggone second-generation immigrant,

I bet I come over there

and hang my bad foot in your ass.

- Thanks.

- Anytime.

- See you tomorrow?

- Yep. See ya.

- Hey, kiddo.

- Hey.

- How was it?

- All right.

- See ya, Einar.

- Got some groceries for dinner.

OK.

- Do you wanna take these inside, sweetie?

- Sure.

- Got it?

- Yep.

- Hey, Mitch.

- Hey, there.

What happened here?

Why did you stop running cows?

When Griffin died, I ran out of help.

Then I got older, Mitch got mauled,

and I sold the stock to stay on the place.

Dinner will be ready in an hour.

Come here, Sarah.

Nope, stay here.

- You finished?

- Yeah.

Tell your kid to come down

out of that tree.

Come on, Charlie.

Come on.

Don't be a fraidy-cat.

Oh, Jesus.

I'm sorry.

You're sorry, huh?

Well, that's just fine, then.

- I'll buy you a new one.

- Oh. Just that easy?

Maybe I liked that plate. In fact, maybe

that was my favorite goddamn plate!

- It's just a plate.

- That's it, huh?

Did it ever occur to you

that not everything can be replaced?

Come down out of that tree!

- You want this on the table?

- No, over here. Thank you.

I'm so glad you're back, Jean.

What happened to Nellie?

Nellie left.

About a year after we buried Griffin.

Einar just never got a handle on it.

And then, when he hardly

even noticed Nellie anymore, why...

She found another man.

Who wouldn't?

Think they live in Colorado.

Do you think he blames me

for losing his wife too?

I imagine he does.

I don't want to stay here.

What's wrong with him?

Well, it's not you.

He just never got over it.

He really loved your dad.

You should know that.

- Did you?

- Of course.

You do have a plan, though, right?

I mean, we don't have to stay here forever?

Sure, I do.

Soon as I earn enough money,

I'm gonna get us right out of here.

You know what?

What do you think about...

Butt, Montana?

Come on, let's play.

You don't know how to read anymore?

Where'd the bottle come from?

The granary.

It's been there for a while.

Sometimes I just like to look at it.

You gonna open it?

I'm not sure yet. 25.

- Did you check on the bear?

- Eight.

Yeah, you asked me to, didn't you?

Here's a pair for two.

I want you to feed him.

- What?

- I want you to feed the bear.

I don't trust Angie to feed

anything much past herself.

"Feed the bear." "Please feed the bear."

"Bear, do you like bear shoes?"

"What kind of food do you like, Bear?

Steak, chicken?"

- Einar.

- What?

Is her being here gonna ruin you?

- The woman killed my son.

- Oh, come on.

It was a car accident. They call them

accidents because it's nobody's fault.

No, they call them accidents

to make the guilty feel better.

- Is that so?

- I don't give a damn what they call them.

My son's dead.

Your granddaughter's not.

And neither were you.

Have you thought about

how she's gonna remember you?

You know, come to think of it,

I don't feel like playing cards tonight.

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