Moonlight Mile Page #5

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-- Out?

-- Yeah.

Spazzy knees here.

he had a big day today.

I almost slipped,

and he broke my fall.

Yeah, I guess I'll.

head up.

-- Good night.

-- Good night.

You used to have a lot

more enthusiasm about blank

than you do now.

Yeah?

Joe?

Yeah?

Joe?

Di?

Joe, are you there?

Joe?

This okay?

The only place I could

think of this time of night.

You might want

to watch your --

Yeah.

So, what happened?

You sounded like --

I-I-I just --

I woke up, and I just --

I swear,

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't stay in the room

another minute.

Did you pee?

-- What?

-- Pee.

I always pee in my pants when

that kind of thing happens.

Was it that kind of scared?

Mm, it was the worst.

I-I couldn't have peed

if I tried.

Sorry.

The Bettys.

Okay, so, now,

you called me.

Yeah, you know what?

I don't even know why.

Do you remember anything?

God, what do all these people

have to say to each other?

You want to read a few?

You don't open them,

you just --

Oh, don't think we don't do

that sh*t. You know we do.

I never get any of my own,

anyway.

People can share.

So, your dream.

We weren't together

when she died.

Ohh.

That's so classic,

isn't it?

Were you, like,

floating apart, too?

No, we weren't together.

ln the dream.

No.

We.broke it off.

three days before.

Oh, God.

They don't know, do they?

Joe, you have to tell them.

I-I just got to --

Yeah, I just got to find

the right time.

Wow, it couldn't get a whole

lot later, could it?

I know.

I know.

Then why aren't you

telling them?

'Cause they'll hate me.

And they'll say to me,

"when did you know?"

And if I tell them the truth,

I'll say, "six months ago."

And they'll say --

Do you know how many times

I've seen them looking at me? --

"lf you knew six months ago,

why didn't you tell her?

Then she would be alive

today."

lf I walked out

six months ago,

she's not in that restaurant

waiting to tell them

while I'm packing to --

She's here with them now,

period.

So you broke it off.

Why?

You want to know the truth?

We were really great friends,

and moving here

didn't change that.

lt was supposed to?

I hoped so.

Then why are you going

into business?

'Cause I don't know

what I want.

And as long as I don't know

what I want,

why not just give them this?

Bertie.

I lost my friend.

Don't you miss yours?

Who?

Cal.

Cal.

He owns the bar.

How long's he gone?

Three years.

He's missing.

Yeah.

So you're married?

Do I look married to you?

Engaged?

See any hardware?

Were you gonna be?

No one bothered telling me.

But you still work his store.

Why just friends?

I lend a hand.

But, well, how long

were you together?

Weren't we talking

about you here?

You mind?

I don't know -- a while.

A while.

That song at the bar,

that was yours?

He never actually heard it,

but.

But he knew you pretty well.

About 60%.

Well, how'd you meet?

He cracked my lip.

The usual pickup game over

at Rogers Field.

They picked, I sat out.

Didn't know

what to make of me

'cause not exactly a guy,

not exactly a girl.

So one day I get fed up and go

plant myself behind the plate.

First batter gets up,

he's so distracted,

he swings wide,

I stop the bat

with my face.

I actually tattooed my chin

for a week.

Anyway, he busted my lip up

pretty good.

End of story.

And that was Cal.

That was.

lt's.romantic.

You should've seen

the stitches.

You can still see the scar.

lt's never gone away.

Look.

Feel.

lsn't that weird?

That's how I knew.

You had four years?

Five.

He's been missing three?

That's so long.

How -- How can you --

Because he loved me.

Oh, sh*t, I gotta pee!

You made this?

Aw, sticks and glue.

lt's a young man's game now.

Arts and crafts

don't get you far,

but with the right friends --

Thank you, Don.

You see what dinner at

the Floss home will buy you?

Don Tippet down at the

Federal Commercial Loans --

his wife hasn't stopped

calling the house for JoJo.

Well, tonight, they dine

with Floss & Son.

You got both parcels?

Don holds the paper,

and that leaves the bar.

So, how you making out

over there?

I mean, that's all

he's gonna care about.

You know, Ben, this one's

gonna take some time.

What? What do you mean time?

We got momentum now.

What time?

What's the problem?

lt's complicated.

Complicated.

Well, maybe you're right.

Be a hell of a P.R. storm

if Don forecloses on the guy

while he's still overseas,

missing or not.

And, let's face it, he's

a little more than missing.

You know the bar, then?

Uh, JoJo knew it.

That stays between us.

We got a couple hours.

Why don't we take a run

over there

and, uh -- and rub noses?

You know, Ben, I got a good

thing working, you know?

A trust thing,

the one-on-one.

I won't get in the way.

Just treat me like an assistant.

Hey, I'm great in a crisis.

You know, you always need

one of me around.

Let me make the stop.

You sure you don't want --

-- Huh?

-- lt's good.

Hey.you're really loving

this, aren't you?

I can tell.

Will you be home in time

for the Tippets?

I need my partner.

This is a big one, Joe.

Sure, Ben.

Dinner's at 7:
00.

All right.

# Has anybody here

seen Razor Face? #

# Heard he's back looking

for a place to lay down #

# Must be getting on #

# Needs a man who's young

to walk him around #

# Needs a man who's young

to walk him around #

# Oh, it must be hard for

the likes of you #

# To get by in a world that you

just can't see through #

# And it looks so cold #

# How does it feel to know

you can't go home? #

Well, really,

it was lovely.

Thank you very much.

Oh. Oh, here he is.

Uh, Don, Tammy,

this is Joe, our, uh --

our, uh --

Diana's fianc.

Joe, uh,

Don and Tammy Tippet.

Well, heard a lot

about you, Joe.

Hi.

Sorry we didn't have

more time.

Now, you call us any time

you need to.

Goddamn it,

you poor things.

We're here, okay?

All right, uh.

You guys, uh, take care

of yourselves.

Hang in.

Bye.

Bye. Good night.

Sorry.

Where the hell was he?

I don't know, Ben.

Why don't you ask him?

Where the hell were you?

JoJo, I'm sorry. I-I --

Sorry? Did you see that?

Try 98 minutes of it.

Not that I'm counting,

you lucky bastard.

Don't you ever leave me

stranded like that again.

This is no joke.

He should've been here.

Oh, Ben, stop acting like

he's under house arrest.

I thought he was

part of the family.

Obviously I'm mistaken.

You're certainly treating him

like he is.

What -- What -- What --

What is that supposed to mean?

He's right here, Ben.

Talk to him.

He knows how important

this was.

All right, tell him.

You tell him!

Goddamn it, Ben!

You are doing it again!

That thing! You always

talked around the girl.

-- You never talked to her.

-- I what?

You never said a straight thing

to her, Ben,

from the time

she was 9 years old.

You made me do it.

That is so unfair.

God forbid

she should grow up

and then you

might have to, too.

I mean, the perfect father,

as long as she was a kid.

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