Short Cuts Page #17

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There's another one in my hand.

Christ, now we're up in the kitchen.

And I'm havin' trouble makin' the joints connect -

I - 'Cause I'm on

my fourth or fifth beer.

And I said, "Olla-"

In fact, this is exactly what I said.

Oh, I'll never forget this.

I said, "Olla, if I have one more beer,

I'm gonna have to take a nap."

And she says,

"I wondered what it would take...

to get you into bed."

Hey.

Now, I laughed. You know, l-

She says, "Don't tell me it didn't

cross your mind, because I'll call you a liar. "

Well, I'll tell you the truth.

It didn't... ever!

Yeah, I found her company attractive.

But, Jesus, there was no real-

[Mumbles]

And I didn't -

I don't know. I didn't want

to hurt her feelings, you know?

I mean, after all,

it was your mother's sister.

Anyway, I, uh-

I don't know how much time passed.

All I know is that I am working like hell on

that ice maker trying to get the damn thing going.

And she is saying things like, uh...

"If the positions were reversed,

my sister would be doing the same thing. "

Do you believe- You know, like this is

some little thing between the two of-

l-I started sweating. I tell you, my knees

are shaking. I don't know what the hell to do.

- I don't know which way to turn.

- There's no smokin'in here, Pop.

- Huh?

- No smoking.

Oh, that's good.

Down to four a day.

And then...

[Whistles]

She opens the robe.

And I get a load - Oh, Jesus.

God, that woman was put together...

a hell of lot better than you'd think

when she was just in a dress.

I'm tellin'ya.

Jesus, that's hard for any man to resist.

I mean- I don't know about you-

it sure as hell was for me.

Yeah, well, that, uh -

that's a long time ago, Pop.

So -

[Whistles]

Neither of us heard

your mother come in.

Oh, God Almighty.

She was in such a state.

You know, she -

Sh-She - She didn't really look at Olla.

She just -

She looked at me, and she said,

"Howard's in the hospital."

And then on- on the way

to the hospital, she said-

Well, she cried a little bit.

But- But she-she only said...

"Why didn't you tell me

that you weren't going to work?

They told me you were sick."

Oh, Christ, I was so ashamed.

I just -

It was-

It was an unlucky day, you know?

Bad... timing.

But I tell you, that first day

in the hospital...

your mother and I stood side by side

while those doctors reported to us.

And most of the news was bad.

But still, we stood there together.

We took it together.!

And then Olla lied.

God! Olla told your mother that - that...

we'd been having affairs in the past.

It was only that one time.

I tr- Oh, I tried to explain to your mother...

exactly how it happened.

You know what your mother said...

to me?

"I don't want you around anymore.

"I'll get through this thing alone... better.

No matter what

happens to Howard. "

I had to respect her wishes, Howard.

I mean, whether I wanted to or not.

I had to.

Christ, I kept thinking, you know,

someday-some-some-some-

The truth will come out, you know,

and she'll understand.

We both know

that never happened, so -

[Door Opens]

Mr. Finnigan? Excuse me, Mr. Finnigan.

Uh, you have a telephone call.

It's Mrs. Finnigan.

Oh, you can use that phone right there.

Yeah, hi. Everything's okay here.

You all right?

Um, I'm coming back to the hospital.

Do you want me to bring you anything?

Why? You should get

a good night's sleep.

- Casey's gonna be all right.

- I'm not staying here.

That crazy person keeps calling.

I'm scared to death.

Well, don't, uh -

don't answer the phone, honey.

Maybe it's the -

the driver from the car.

Maybe she's, uh, feeling guilty

or something.

It's a man.

[Sighs]

Well, don't worry.

I mean, I'm here with Casey.

The doctors and the nurses

are there with him all the time.

- He's gonna be all right.

- No, I'm comin'.

- No - I wish you wouldn't. Honey?

- [Line Clicks, Dial Tone]

Uh, you finish your coffee.

I gotta get back.

[Phone Rings]

[Rings]

[Rings]

[Casey's Voice]

Hi. This is the Finnigan home.

We can't get to the phone right now,

so leave a message after the beep.

- That is a good painting.

- [Honey] Yeah.

Really good.

- Colors are good.

- Yeah.

- Goes with the walls.

- But look at these fish, though.

- Aren't those cool?

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