Late Phases Page #5

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For it is in giving that we receive.

And it is in dying

that we are born to eternal life.

Mr. Griffin! Hello?

- It's meals on wheels!

- Knock it off, Lang.

- You think he's gone?

- I don't know.

What a pleasant surprise, Mr. Griffin!

What brings you to my door?

Please, Emma, call me James.

I...

I need your help.

May I have your hand, please?

Alright.

Emma, you know I've always been

quite fond of you.

And,

please understand, I would never

do this if I didn't need the help.

What are you...

- I thought I smelled smoke.

- Yeah, I'm still working on that.

- Is this a good time, Ambrose?

- Yeah.

You got an extra cigarette?

What's with the hole in the lawn?

My dog.

That's a big cross for a dog.

It was a big dog.

I came out here today

to visit one of your neighbors

but I wanted to stop by because

I didn't like the way our last talk ended.

Well...

Wasn't exactly a happy topic.

Yeah, well. I got to thinking you don't

have a lot of happy topics in your life.

Yeah, at this point what can I expect?

You've got stories.

You have wisdom. You...

You're a deep guy, Ambrose. I mean, you still

see a bigger picture than most people.

All I got left, Father,

are consequences.

Okay, you're a loner,

either by choice or by nature.

But no one can be truly alone.

So stop trying.

It's a little late in my game

for advice, but thanks.

You wanted to save lives

a long time ago, right?

Yeah.

A long time ago.

Yeah, well,

it's never too late to save your own.

You hear me?

I'm pointing at you.

I hear ya.

"Visiting a neighbor..." Sh*t!

Oh, James. No!

You made it!

We talked about this and you promised.

Whatever you think this medieval business

accomplishes, it simply doesn't.

It's corporal mortification, Father.

Acts of contrition.

I chastise my body

and bring it into subjection.

Did you... I gave you prayers.

Did you use them? And the rosaries?

I tried those. Didn't work.

What do you mean

that you cannot find him?

You are the police!

I mean, he's an old man!

Let me tell you something, he attacked

both me and my neighbors in our own home.

I am lucky to be alive!

God, this neighborhood has gone to pot.

It's tonight already, Father.

Will you sit down here?

I'll take care of your cuts.

I've done everything.

Everything this week.

Everything you said.

I turned to you and you gave me sh*t!

I took your confession and I gave you

what you need to come back to light.

This necklace? Prayers?

It's Sunday school garbage.

You gave me nothing

because you never believed me!

I believe that you think

that you are possessed by an evil.

But have you killed any more dogs?

They wouldn't stop barking at me!

I swear to God they're barking in my head!

Father, I need absolution.

I need it before it's too late.

James...

When I moved here, no one believed me.

I hunted the beast.

I went in the woods and I killed it.

But it got to me first. I have tried

everything and nothing works.

All I want to do is live and worship

and kill in solitude and die in peace!

- No more killing, James. No more killing.

- You have to!

You have to kill what you attack.

If you draw blood and you

leave it alive it carries over,

- it transforms with you.

- You're making all this up.

No, I'm telling you this

because I want you to know

that when I kill you it's out of love.

It's an act of mercy.

Son of a b*tch.

Mrs. Baker?

It's Ambrose McKinley.

Is everything alright?

I know that perfume, you b*tch.

Will, pick up the f***ing phone.

Will,

it's your old man.

I don't want to leave it

like this between us.

I got something I need to tell you.

Oh, sh*t.

Sh*t!

Here comes the welcoming party.

Oh, f***.

F***!

Oh, f***.

Griffin...

Oh, come on.

Are you f***ing kidding me?

Oh, sh*t.

Come on.

Come on, Dad! Pick up your phone!

Come on, Dad, pick up your phone!

F***.

One, two, three, four.

I'm done.

Oh, my God. Hey.

Dad.

Dad!

Will.

It's your old man.

I don't want to leave

it like this between us.

I got something I need to tell you.

I know I wasn't the father

you needed me to be.

I wasn't a good husband to your mother.

You both deserve better.

When you were born it was

the happiest day of my life.

You don't remember but those

were good years for all of us.

When they told me I was going blind,

there was a black thing inside me

that shut out the light.

Including you and your mother.

I left because I didn't want it

touching you or her, but I was wrong.

I know that now.

I wasn't just blind in my eyes,

I was blind in my heart.

The only thing I was good at

was being a soldier.

That's what I am

and that's how I'm going out.

Remember me, son,

for that and nothing else.

I'm proud to be your father and I'm sorry

I won't get to see my grandkids.

You have a good woman

and a future in front of you.

Don't look back. That was my mistake.

You can't live in the past.

You've got to put it away

and move forward.

Life's a gift.

Don't waste it like I did.

Give my love to Anne

and be the man I couldn't be.

I love you, boy. I always have.

Okay. Goodbye, son.

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