I Can Only Imagine Page #5

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The worship music?

Oh, it was beautiful,

magical, truly.

I've got a brother-in-law

in Denver.

He's looking

for a worship pastor.

I could put you two together.

Is she serious?

It's the truth you're mad at,

not me.

My high school football team,

there were a couple of guys

that were good enough to make

a big noise in a small town.

But that was it.

You know what?

They're still there.

They're stuck.

And that's what'll happen

to you.

You gotta be good

at something we can sell.

Just stop!

Do you guys not get it?

Okay? We've given everything

for this moment.

There is no plan B for us. Okay?

We will do whatever it takes.

We will work harder

than anybody else.

Tell me what you need me to do.

Look, I work with a lot of bands,

and I can recognize who's

gonna make it and who isn't.

And I gotta tell you the truth, Bart.

You won't.

How dare you say that?

You don't even know me.

Go home.

That's what you should do.

Dad, I can do this.

No, you can't.

I can do this!

No, you can't!

And you're gonna blink

your eyes,

and you're gonna realize

that you're nothing,

and that life

has got you nowhere

because you chased

some stupid dream!

Wake up!

Let me finish up here.

No!

No, I'm not leaving!

I'm not leaving!

Yes, you are.

Let me finish up.

What happened?

What'd they say?

Bart? You okay?

You're not good enough, Bart.

You're not.

Well, that didn't take

very long.

So what now?

What do we do now?

I don't know.

Give me a second.

There's gotta be something

we can do. I mean...

Just let me think for a second.

You're just gonna take that

from them out there? Huh?

You're the manager.

Do you not have an idea?

Hold on.

What is the next step?

Sometimes there is no

next step, Bart! Okay?

You just ticked off

half of Nashville in there.

What's he talking about?

You know what?

If this is all there is...

then I'm done.

What?

Then I quit.

What?

Wow, really?

Classy.

What about us?

What about the band?

What band, Mike?

What about it?

They hated it.

They hated all of it.

They hated us.

I'm done.

Sorry to disappoint.

Can I come in, or you wanna sulk

a little longer?

So...

You just gonna quit?

Is that it?

You got a better idea?

I'm tired, man. I'm...

I got nothing left.

I'm gonna be honest with you,

like I told you I would be.

Sometimes when you're up there,

it's like you're singing

somebody else's music.

It's like a fake imitation.

I don't believe it.

I don't believe you.

Well, this has gone

from bad to worse, thank you.

But then there're times...

when I see something real.

I see something authentic.

But as soon as it shows up,

it's like you're afraid, and...

and then it vanishes

just as quick as it came.

And that's what makes you

a puzzle to me.

Let me ask you something, Bart.

What're you running from?

My dad.

He, uh...

he...

He beat you, didn't he?

You ain't got

no poker face, kid.

And I carry that.

I have to live with that.

You know?

I always will.

Then write about it.

Stop running from it.

Let that pain

become your inspiration.

And then you'll have something

that people can believe in.

But to do that, you got to face

your fears, son.

You know, Bart...

I may not always believe

in your music,

but I do believe in you.

You sold me, kid.

Don't quit.

Hey, guys, uh...

I'm sorry.

Um... there's some things

I need to take care of.

Some stuff I need to sort out.

I gotta go home.

But I'd really, really like it

if you guys would wait for me.

So we're still a band?

No, uh, we're a family.

Okay.

The band continued east,

and I headed back west

hoping they would wait on me.

I knew I needed to deal

with things at home.

I needed to face the pain,

but the closer I got,

the only thing I felt

was... dread.

I can't do this.

Hey, Bart.

Are you hungry?

I, uh... I heard you

come in last night,

so, I made some bacon

and, uh, cinnamon rolls

and... a-a frittata, which I

just learned how to make.

When did you learn how to cook?

Oh, I been learning

a lot lately.

Why don't you go on in there?

I-I set the table.

Go on.

Here.

The key to the frittata

is how hot you make the pan.

That's the secret.

Go on and sit down.

Take that one.

Yeah, go ahead.

Want some bacon?

Well, uh... wanna say grace?

What?

I'll do it.

God, it's me here, Arthur.

I wanna thank you

for, uh, answering my prayer.

And, uh...

rub-a-dub-dub,

and thanks for the grub.

Amen.

So you f...

found God or something?

Well, I-I been listening

to some preachers on the radio

and, uh, re... uh,

reading the Bible and whatnot.

What part?

All of it.

And, uh, couple of times,

actually.

And, uh, it's pretty confusing.

It's... like Leviticus.

What is that?

I-I-I don't get it.

What prayer?

You said God answered a prayer.

What prayer?

Just seeing you again.

Well, Dad, I been busy.

Yeah.

I guess you noticed

I've got a few projects

going on around here.

And I got one out in the garage

I was hoping

that you'd help me with.

Uh... I been, uh,

rebuilding that Jeep of mine.

And, man, when I was your age,

I made some memories

in that Jeep.

And I was hoping

that maybe we could, uh,

get it running again and...

I don't know...

Go somewhere, do some...

What're you doing?

What is this?

Well, I-I-I wrote you

some letters.

Did you get 'em?

Yeah. Threw 'em away.

Did you read 'em?

Nope.

Oh.

I thought that's why

you came back last night.

I'm... well...

I was just trying to make

a memory, that's all.

That's kind of hard

for me to do, Dad.

'Cause all the memories

that we have together are bad.

Uh, do you want some...

I'll get some ketchup.

Son, I-I know that

I-I did some things that...

You did some things?

I got a memory for you, Dad.

That night you beat me so badly

that I had to sleep on my

stomach 'cause I was so bruised?

I couldn't move.

What was I, ten? 11?

Yeah, I remember that.

That, uh...

that tore me up.

I-I cried that... all night

about what I did to you then.

I cried too, Dad.

In pain all night.

Why were you?

And now you just wanna

come back in here?

Make breakfast?

Pretend like nothing

ever happened?

It doesn't work that way, Dad!

What am I gonna do, Bart?

I-I just...

I wanna make things right

with you and me.

And, um...

I don't know what to say.

I don't know how to do it.

I'm trying.

I'm reading a lot of books

I don't understand, and I'm...

I just got a lot of questions

about myself.

I don't have nobody to...

to answer 'em for me.

If God can forgive

everybody else...

why can't He forgive me?

God can forgive you.

I can't.

I can't believe

I came back here.

Can't you give me a chance?

No!

You've just gotta give up

on that dream, Dad.

'Cause it keeps you from this.

From knowing what's real.

Do it.

Go ahead.

Just do it.

Dad, are you dying?

Yeah.

I can show you, Dad.

With your questions,

I can show you how.

So if you didn't

bring your journals,

come up here.

You're gonna need them

for your session tonight.

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