Ithaca Page #4

- It's nothin'. I guess I...

...twisted a ligament

or something.

I was running

the 220 low hurdles.

- Hmm.

- And, uh...

...it's all confused.

Everything's...

Changed out there.

I guess I'll rub some liniment

on it tonight or something.

- Yeah, that might be good.

You've changed, you know.

In the week or so you came

to work, you've changed.

- Yeah.

I didn't know anything

before I got this job.

I don't like the way things are.

I just want things to be better.

How can any man

ever get it all straight

so that it comes out even

and makes sense?

Everything's so...

Sad or mixed up...

And wrong.

And...

I don't even care if Helen Eliot

doesn't like me anymore.

Sure, I wish she... would,

but if she doesn't, that's okay.

Yeah, something's the matter

with it.

It's five after 12.

I guess I'll go home now.

Tomorrow's Saturday.

Saturdays used

to be my best day.

You sure you wouldn't like

a sandwich now?

- Yeah, I'll have a sandwich.

Changed my mind.

Please...

Thank your mother for me.

- Nah, it's nothing.

- No!

It's somethin'.

Thank her.

Please thank her for me.

- Yes, sir.

- You do love me, don't you?

I know that you do.

You do love me, don't you?

I know that you do.

What do you think about...

What do you think about a woman

who says to you:

"You do love me, don't you?

I know that you do."

- That you'd be a fool

to let her get away.

- What do you think

of that new messenger?

- He's the best I ever seen.

- Stop! Wait! Don't go!

Don't go there!

Leave them alone!

Dad!

Don't go!

We will sing one song.

- No!!

- Homer. Alright, lie down.

- Oh...

- Oh...

It's alright.

He's alright, Ulysses.

Go back to sleep.

- It's Marcus.

- Ma?

Ma?

- Yes, homer.

- I never cried

when I was little.

Even Ulysses never cries.

Because, well, what's the use?

I thought a fellow would never

cry when he got to be grown up.

'Cause that's when you start

finding out about things.

- There will always be pain

in this world, homer.

And a good man will seek

to take the pain out of things.

- Mrs. Macauley,

Ulysses and me have already been

to Mr. Henderson's tree

with Auggie, Enoch, Shag,

Nickie and Alf,

but the apples aren't ripe.

- Well of course they're not,

Lionel. They need more time.

- Well,

they're gonna play football now,

and Ulysses's too small,

and Ulysses and me,

we're partners

and I wanna ask permission

to take Ulysses

to the public library.

- You have my permission.

- Was Marcus like Ulysses

when he was little?

- In what way?

- Fearless.

- Well,

Ulysses is like his father.

Except...

No one is fearless.

- I wish I could be

like Ulysses.

You know, ma, you're just about

the most wonderful person

anyone could ever know.

There goes Auggie.

Another touchdown.

I'm gonna go

to the telegraph office.

I told them I'd come,

just in case they needed me.

Oh, and Mr. Grogan,

he ate one of the sandwiches.

He told me

to tell you thank you.

So thanks, ma, from Mr. Grogan.

- Katie.

Katie?

- Yes, Matthew?

- Katie.

- Yes.

- Marcus?

Marcus?

You okay?

- Yeah.

- So, uh...

So, Ulysses...

What's he like?

- Let me tell you about him.

- Hi, homer!

Homer's going to work.

Homer's going to work!

: Okay, in a minute!

Saved by the bell.

- So, uh... thank you, Lily,

and... I'll be seeing you.

- Mm-hmm.

- Telegram for Dolly Hawthorne?

- Oh, she's out. I can take it.

Hold on a minute, will you?

Boy, would you come here

a minute, please?

Oh. Would you mail this letter

for me?

It's very important.

It's my sister.

Send it air mail,

special delivery, registered.

There's money in it.

Um... I haven't got any stamps.

Would you do this for me?

- Yes, ma'am.

- Here is a dollar.

Put the letter in your hat,

don't let anybody see it,

and don't tell anybody.

- I won't tell anybody.

I'll do it right now.

I'll bring you your change.

- No!

Don't come back here.

- No, it can't be.

It's a machine!

- I don't think so, Auggie.

- I don't know.

- No, Auggie's right.

It's a machine. I'm telling you.

- Ah, lookit!

- It's a man.

- Oh, what do you know, Lionel?

: Marcus?

- You okay?

Come on, Ulysses,

let's go home.

We've seen him

go through all the cards.

I'm going, Ulysses.

- Papa, mama!

Ma!

- He got lost, ma.

Auggie found him and brought him

to the telegraph office.

- Thanks, homer.

- Careful, there's a busted egg

in his pocket.

Homer.

I've never believed in wars.

I know them to be foolish,

even when they're necessary.

I'm glad that I'm the Macauley

who is in this war,

for it'd be a pity

and a mistake if it were you.

I can write to you what I would

never say in person.

You are the best

of the Macauleys.

You must go on being the best.

You must live in the years

of your life forever.

You are

what we are fighting for.

Yes, you, my brother.

- "Now I'll write your name here

to remind you, homer Macauley,

"that's who you are.

"I miss you very much.

"I can't wait

until I see you again.

"God bless you.

"So long, your brother,

Marcus."

If my brother...

Is killed in this stupid war,

I'll spit at the world.

I'll hate it forever.

I won't be good.

I'll be the worst of them all,

the worst that's ever lived.

- Uh, you be grateful

for yourself.

You... be thankful.

That's what your brother's

trying to tell you.

- Mr. Grogan, are you drunk?

- Yeah... I'm a little drunk.

I feel better when I'm drunk.

I probably wouldn't be telling

you the things I'm telling you

if I wasn't drunk!

You're a man, homer!

Fourteen years old

and you're a man!

Now who knows who made you

such a thing.

I don't know, you don't know.

But it's true!

Know that it's true!

You understand me?

- Hello, Lionel.

Going to see the movie?

- Haven't got any money.

- Why are you standing in line?

- Me, Auggie, Enoch, Shag,

Nickie and Alf

went out to the jailhouse

to talk to the criminals,

but then Shag chased me away.

I don't know where to go.

- Well, do you wanna see

the movie?

- No.

- Come on with us.

We're only taking a walk around.

The sun's going down.

- Come on with us, Lionel.

- Okay.

Thanks. I sure was getting

tired standing there.

Stop it, Ulysses!

- Hey, come on now.

- Stop it!

- I'm gonna say hello

to Mr. Grogan.

I'll catch up.

- Homer?

- It's me, Mr. Grogan.

I'll hurry and get the coffee.

Coffee!

- Oh, I'm cooking a new pot

right now, homer.

It'll be just a minute.

- You don't have any?

- There'll be coffee

in a minute.

Mr. Corbett's making a...

Mr. Grogan?

What's the matter?

- What's the matter, homer?

What's wrong with the old man?

- He's dead.

- Oh, you're crazy.

- No.

He's dead.

- Auggie?

- Uh, it's Mr. Grogan.

Homer says he's dead.

- I'll stop that.

Auggie?

Um, I want you to go over

to Corbett's.

Alright?

Um, you have them telephone...

...dr. Nelson.

His number's 1133.

He'll take care of everything.

Okay, have him come

right on over here,

and then also have him telephone

Harry Burke.

He's the other

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