Pure Country: Pure Heart Page #2

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It's like a nursing home,

but for soldiers.

I thought Mr. Monroe

was Daddy's age.

ADA:
He doesn't live here.

He works here.

JUSTINE:

You all go on ahead.

Gonna wander around

and take pictures.

All right.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

- You got Daddy's medal?

- Mm-hm.

We don't know if he wants

to see it.

It might be showing off.

But he's excited to meet us,

right?

Ada?

I didn't talk to him.

I just asked on the phone

if Mr. Monroe was here

- on Saturday.

- So we're a surprise?

Our daddy saved his life.

At least according

to the Internet.

We're backed up. You girls

go ahead and have a seat.

I'll call you

when we're ready for you.

Why don't we just go

sit here?

[SNIFFS]

[HUMMING]

Smells homemade.

It is.

Who's the pie for?

One of the fellas

that works here.

Lucky him.

I'm a Korean War vet.

We don't get many visitors

with snacks.

You two June bugs got names?

I'm Ada Spencer

and she's Piper.

I'm C.J. Simms.

Pleased to meet you, sir.

Macular degeneration

landed me in this place.

I got all my marbles upstairs,

but I can't see worth a shoot.

[CHUCKLES]

What's something to know

about you two

besides you got access

to a working oven?

Uh...

We sing.

But do you write songs?

We're trying to.

Me too.

MONROE:

We're ready for you girls.

It was real nice

to meet you, sir.

Good morning, sir.

We're Piper and Ada Spencer.

We're military dependents.

You here

to see your grandparents?

No, sir. We're here to see

Mr. Henry LaRue Monroe.

Why you wanna see him?

Mr. Monroe fought

with our daddy,

Staff Sergeant

Brian Spencer.

He was there

when his life ended.

Yeah, well,

Mr. Monroe is busy.

So he's not seeing anyone.

We could come back.

Well,

that's not a good idea.

PIPER:
We don't know

much about our daddy

because we were little

when he...

[]

Anyway, we just wanted

to bring this pie.

Ah, it can go in the dining hall

for the residents.

PIPER:

Mr. Monroe,

we came all this way.

Nobody asked you to do that.

[SIGHS]

Wait. Come along now, girls.

Okay, that was rough.

Uh, now, wait, wait.

I guess you caught the man

off-guard.

He didn't know what to do.

Our daddy won a silver medal

saving his life.

He didn't have one whisker

of thanks for that.

Let's go. Here. You take it.

It's chocolate chip pecan.

It's best with ice cream.

I can't carry it.

I'm a fall risk.

Bring it to my room?

Just put the pie anywhere.

Home sweet home.

I got everything in here.

Saxophone, guitar, piano.

Ada, do you play piano

or have you been

concentrating on the guitar?

- Uh, no.

- [PLAYING PIANO]

She plays piano.

We've gotta go. Sorry.

It was nice to meet you.

Piper, let's go.

One... One... Now, hold on.

I'll work on Monroe.

Come back in a few days

and I'll have info.

And the pie's

much appreciated,

but, uh, for next time,

my favorite pie

is strawberry-rhubarb.

- Okay.

- Bye, sir.

C.J.:

Bye, girls.

WOMAN [OVER PA]:

Dr. Murray, telephone call.

[]

Piper, how'd you do

with that paint horse?

- He bit.

- [CHUCKLES]

Well,

I hope you pinched him back.

I was too surprised

when it happened.

Oh, honey, they bite

you gotta pinch them right back.

Otherwise

a horse never learns.

- You know, Meemaw's right.

- Mm-hm.

You should try that

next time.

Not sure

there'll be a next time.

Oh, I'm sure Justine'll

let her ride that horse again.

What's the horse's name?

BOTH:

Monroe.

Mama, tell us something

about Daddy.

He was a wonderful man.

Mama.

MEEMAW:
And he loved

you girls so much.

Mama, tell us something new.

He liked model trains.

And saltwater taffy.

Everybody likes

saltwater taffy.

I'm not a fan.

Pulls the fillings

right out of my teeth.

Well, it's awful hard

to miss somebody

you didn't really get

to ever know.

I can't keep shooting the same

weathered barn over and over

and expect to build

any type of portfolio.

All those old faces

at that place tell a story.

You got plenty of things

to point your camera at.

I'm not going back.

I'm trying to get

a scholarship, Ada.

Wherever college

you end up at

will be lucky to get you.

Thanks.

You know, maybe Piper will

go back with me on Saturday.

You are not taking

my little sister

to a veteran home

without me.

[CAITLYN SMITH'S "STARFIRE"

PLAYING]

It's like I'm walking

On a highway

Staring straight

Into the sun

With the universe around me

Waiting for me to fall down

If that ornery man is here

I'm not so much as saying hello.

You need to turn those mad pants

into glad pants.

Stop bickering.

We didn't need to bring

a pie.

Did too.

Mama thinks I'm riding a horse.

PIPER:
We're just dropping

this pie to Mr. C.J. Simms

and getting Justine

some photo opportunities.

Sign in.

Thanks.

We know where his room's at.

He ain't there.

Did something happen to him?

Today's band day.

Down the hall,

in the community room.

Ladies.

[PLAYING "SILVER CITY]

On my way

To Silver City

MAN 1:

Yeah!

Was a man I meant to see

Drivin' through

The Black Range Mountains

When it all

Came back to me

MAN 2:

Yeah!

You said meet me

By the river

MAN 3:

Oh, yeah!

We would start

Our brand-new life

MAN 4:

Whoo!

Your daddy swore

You were his treasure

You would never

Be my wife

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]

A thousand tears

Fall in the darkness

A thousand times

I've wondered why

How it hurts now

To remember

I'd forgotten

How to cry

I'd forgotten

How to cry

[CROWD WHOOPING

AND CHEERING]

C.J.:

We could play all day for you,

but the management

is closing us down.

Something about bathroom breaks

and people having too much fun.

[LAUGHS]

MAN:

Sounding good, C.J.!

Hey, Mr. Simms.

You're back.

The pie's strawberry-rhubarb.

Just like you said.

There is nothing better

than a woman who can hear.

- Heard that.

- Our Meemaw made it.

Bless her precious heart.

She bakes

to control her OCD.

Fingers crossed

she's never cured.

I got some news, June bugs.

I have cracked the nut

that is Mr. Henry LaRue Monroe.

Yeah? What did he say?

Well, he offered up

that Brian Spencer

was a good Marine.

And that your father

could sing.

Yeah, we've been told.

C.J.:
So you know that

before he met your mom

he was chasing

the songwriter dream?

How was that?

In Nashville. He worked the

clubs.

Put together a little career

from what I hear.

You're sure he was talking

about the right Brian Spencer?

The Marine

who saved Monroe's life.

- Swear you're not making this up?

- Ha, ha.

There's a fella

at the Mockingbird Lounge.

Shirtsleeves McCoy.

He's an old friend of mine.

If your daddy worked much

in Nashville,

Shirtsleeves

will remember him.

You should ask him.

You girls should go.

To Nashville?

Without telling Mama

or Meemaw?

We're already halfway there.

We don't have permission.

Piper, if you're ever

gonna get anywhere in life,

you gotta go places

where you haven't been before.

[THE STICKERS' "ROAD TRIPPIN'"

PLAYING]

It's something sexy

That I can't explain

Gets my motor running

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