Our Souls at Night Page #2

how you met Carl, who your friends are.

Well, what? I could go on.

I could... You know?

What you believe in,

what party you vote for.

- Hello?

- Oh, thank God.

Holly?

- I was ready to call the police.

- What's wrong?

Nothing's wrong, Dad.

I was worried about you.

I called three times last night.

You didn't answer.

Oh, um...

Where were you?

I guess I just didn't hear

the phone, Holly.

Well, maybe it's time you invest

in those hearing aids we talked about.

What?

Dad?

Yes?

I was kidding, Holly. That's a joke.

Oh.

So what else is going on?

What are you up to?

Uh, not much.

- Well, hello, there.

- Oh.

Tell me about the other woman.

Her name was Tamara,

still is if she's alive.

- She was a teacher, too, right?

- Uh-huh.

Yeah. You know, I saw her

once or twice in the parking lot

when I went to pick Gene up from school.

She was tall, exotic.

- Native American, right?

- Yeah.

She was married to a salesman,

um, and they had a daughter,

about the same age as Holly.

Well, at that time, Diane and I,

we really weren't doing so well.

Why not?

Well, because of me.

And a little bit her, too.

You know, Holly was little,

and neither one of us really, really knew

what we were doing,

and we would have these arguments

that would turn into fights, and then...

and then she'd start crying

and leave the room

before we could finish

what we were fighting about.

And so, at school, one of you made

some move, some gesture or...

Yeah, one day I was in the lounge,

and she walked in, and...

she walked up to me

and just put her hand on my arm,

just the tiniest, tiniest gesture.

And I remember it was tax time.

It was the middle of April.

And I was doing our taxes,

and I went to mail them that night,

and as I went by her house,

for no good reason,

she looked up and saw me

through the window.

And that's how it started?

On Tax Day. Strange, isn't it?

Well, these things happen

in all kinds of ways.

And then, I left Diane and Holly

and I moved in

with Tamara and her daughter,

and her husband moved out.

And then?

Well, we got along for a couple of weeks.

I mean...

And...

God, she was beautiful.

And she had... the most beautiful

brown eyes and skin like satin.

- And she was...

- How did it end?

- Huh?

- How did it end?

I was having supper,

me, Tamara and her daughter,

and I suddenly got sick of myself.

I thought, "What am I doing?

I'm trying to play a father

to Tamara's daughter,

and my daughter is growing up without me."

So...

How'd she take it?

She cried.

And...

she said, "Is this our last night?"

I remember that night, how... how it was.

You never talked to her again?

No.

I think you're still in love with her.

- No, I'm not.

- Yeah, well, it sounds like it.

Maybe a little bit with the memory of her,

but that's... that's different.

Come on, get in bed.

Yeah.

You know, I think I regret hurting Tamara

more than I regret hurting my own wife.

It's like I failed my spirit or something.

Or I missed a special kind of call

to be something more.

Oh, don't be so hard on yourself, Louis.

You did the right thing.

You're a good man.

I... I don't know about that.

You were a good teacher to Gene.

I remember.

A good one, maybe, but not a great one.

I know that.

Like he's your buddy, and he knows

you know something he don't know.

He knows every goddamn thing

you know, trust me, bud, we all do.

Good morning, boys.

- How you doing, Louis?

- Oh, good enough.

- All right.

- Good morning, sir.

- You look great, Louis.

- Oh, thanks.

- You get a good night's sleep?

- Yeah, how about you?

- Ah, tossing and turning, you know.

- Oh, sorry to hear that.

Yeah, we've heard

you've been pretty busy, for sure.

- Oh, yeah?

- Yeah. Well, that's the word anyway.

How's the bad back?

Uh, it's still a bit sore,

but it's okay, I guess.

Uh-huh.

I bet it is.

How's that?

Well, we gotta compliment you...

on your energy.

Yes, sir.

We all wish we had your energy.

Well, it's been... it's been fun.

- Oh, come on.

- Where you going?

Sit down, Louis.

We're just getting started.

Finish your coffee.

Oh, I think I understand.

- Come on!

- Where you going?

- No need to rush off.

- Come on, it's just us!

You got a whole day to mope.

Are you all right?

Yeah.

You sure?

Yeah.

- Oh, let me get it.

- No, thanks.

You gonna need

to get some groceries after?

It's not like I have anyone else

to cook for.

I was gonna tell you, you know.

I see him leave sometimes in the morning.

Guess others do, too.

It's not what you think.

- It's not?

- No.

Well, in that case, I'm insulted.

Not even dead yet,

and you're already replacing me.

You are irreplaceable.

You know that.

Uh-huh.

What do you think of him?

He seems all right.

Mows my lawn from time to time.

Shovels the walk when it snows.

Well, that's nice. Huh?

But he's no saint.

I could tell you about that.

His wife could've told you.

Oh, that won't be necessary.

We all have history.

That we do, that we do.

Oh.

- So I guess we're not a secret anymore.

- How's that?

You know Dorlan Becker?

Bald guy, used to own the men's store.

- Why?

- Yeah.

Yeah, he's... he's, um...

He's one of the guys I meet with,

uh, down at the coffee shop.

- He's a real piece of work.

- Uh-huh.

Well, anyway, he wanted to know

how come I had so much energy.

What?

I said he wanted to know

how come I had so much energy.

What's so funny?

What'd you tell him?

Well, I... I got mad.

I don't think I handled it very well.

In fact, I think I'm still mad.

Yeah, I can see.

So, Louis, what's the problem?

Well, I don't want anybody

to think anything bad.

- Anything bad?

- Yeah.

- Like what?

- About you or about us.

Oh.

Let it go, Louis.

We always knew people would find out.

Who cares?

Are you over it yet?

I'm getting there.

So I've been thinking.

I've got this idea.

I'm listening.

Why don't we go into town, have lunch...

just take our time and enjoy ourselves?

- In public?

- Yeah.

When do you want to do it?

Sunday. About noon?

Sounds fine to me.

Maybe I'll wear something bright

and flashy.

Hi.

- Hi, Charlie.

- Louis, how are you?

- Okay.

- Sir.

Your server will be right with you.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

Doesn't seem too revolutionary so far.

It was a very hot summer evening.

And Connie had the hose on

with one of those...

Remember those old-fashioned

sprinkler heads?

- Yeah, right.

- That the kids could jump

through the spray, you know, and...

Gene was five at the time.

Connie was 11.

And he was chasing her

around the yard with the hose,

and they were laughing

and screaming and...

And I went inside to check on dinner.

I was making tomato soup.

And I heard the screech of car tires

and, uh, a thud and a scream,

and I ran outside and...

Uh, the driver was standing

next to his car,

and he kept saying, "Oh, God. Oh, God."

It was...

I don't know who called the ambulance,

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