Still Mine Page #5

I'm sorry.

Didn't I tell you I was

going out for a walk?

We should come down to the beach

more often.

C'est beau.

Yeah, maybe we should.

Craig, look.

Someone's building a new house.

Oh, they picked a nice spot for it.

Oh, they'll have a beautiful view

of the bay.

Something I wish we'd have had.

Irene.

- Irene.

- Mm?

I'm sorry, honey,

I can't let you stay out here.

- It's... it's too cold.

- My legs hurt.

Come on, come on.

- Oh!

- I gotcha.

No. No. I'm staying.

I'm staying out here.

Irene, come on.

Those same legs got you into town

just fine today.

No! No! No! No!

No! No! No!

I'm sleeping... right here.

Oh, Jesus, really?! Now?!

You can't do that and you know it.

Now come on. Come on, let's go.

Get your damn hands off me!

Irene, please.

Ow! Goddammit!

That hurt!

Come on! Now, come on!

- Hey! Let me go!

- No. Come on.

- Come on. No.

- Let me go!

No! No!

Oh!

Every night I would make sure

there was nothing on the floor.

I forget once.

She trips over her damn shoe.

Hey, Dad, could have been anything.

I was mad at her.

We had a fight.

She wanted to sleep out on the front lawn,

I wouldn't let her.

I dragged her into the house.

- I mean, you had to get her inside.

- No, I didn't.

Not like that.

You don't... drag someone.

Roses?

They're from an admirer.

You never bought me roses,

never before.

You never broke your hip before.

I broke my hip?

How?

Because your husband is a fool.

The surgery went very well.

So when can she come home?

We'll keep her here for a few more days,

then she'll be moved to the rehab wing

for four to six weeks of therapy.

Four to six weeks?

Your son and daughter have told me

a bit about your situation.

Mr. Morrison, your wife

will require some follow-up therapy.

And some home care.

Now, given her physical

and mental health, I...

I don't foresee a time

when it would stop altogether.

. Okay-

You comfortable with that, Dad?

Your mother and I

have been together 61 years.

Never spent more

than a handful of nights apart.

But...

if that's the way it's got to be...

then that's the way it is.

I realize you and I son' of

got off on the wrong foot...

but, uh...

this doesn't have to get personal.

I apologize.

I... I didn't mean any disrespect.

You have certain... violations

against your house.

Could you please tell me what to do

and I'll do it.

Mr. Morrison, this office

does not have the resources to spend

to teach people the fundamentals

of how to build.

They either know how to do it

or they hire someone who does.

You've seen my report.

You know what needs to be done.

Yes, I do.

Are you sleeping, okay?

No. You?

No. Not really.

Remember when we met?

Yes, of course.

You were drunk.

No, not drunk, tipsy.

You threw up on my sister, Pierrette.

I ate something that

didn't agree with me.

Flask of whiskey is what you ate.

Oh...

Yeah.

She and I never did get back

on solid ground after that.

My sister, Pierrette, was an elephant

when it came to remembering slights

against her.

I don't blame her.

It's a beautiful dress you ruined.

She missed the rest of the dance...

...and her best friend ended up

marrying the boy

she was hoping to enchant that night.

- Is that why she was a spinster?

- Mm-hmm. 'Cause you threw up on her.

Gee... I'd hate me too.

What do you think would have happened to us

if we'd never met?

Or if I'd thrown up on you instead?

Oh, we probably would have found

someone else.

You think?

No!

But the law's the law, am I right?

I mean, that's...

Oh, here he is now.

You're treading in dangerous waters,

my friend.

'Morning, Owen, Marty.

What are you on about, Chester?

I couldn't help noticing

you started building again.

Seems pretty clear

you're asking for a whole heap of trouble.

Well, thanks for the

legal advice, Chester.

You charge by the hour?

The Building Department

bulldozed a house in Upperton

last month for pretty much

the same damn thing!

Owning 2,000 acres

doesn't put you above the law, Craig.

Goddammit, Chester,

that's got nothing to do with it.

For once in your life,

why don't you mind

your own goddamn business?

Anybody in there?

Hold on, I'll be with you in a second.

Are you Mr. G. Craig Morrison?

- I am.

- You've been served.

Do you remember

when I built our dining room table?

We'd been using a sawhorse

and planks for so many years, I...

I had all but given up

on ever getting a proper one.

My father helped me

mill the boards.

I put 12 coats of finish on that table.

Which still didn't help

when Ruth spilt ink on it.

Oh, I wasn't that upset.

Ha! You were very table-proud back then.

No.

It's a very nice piece of carpentry.

Do you know how much a harvest table

would have cost you in a store?

The first few years...

every nick that table absorbed...

I took it personally.

It's all I could see.

The dent from a fork,

scratch from a skate blade...

the ghost of someone's handwriting

pressed through a single piece of paper.

I forgot about that.

I mean, how hard can it be

for a kid to remember

to put a few extra sheets

under their homework?

Well, there were a lot of times I regretted

not making that table out of oak.

But... as the years went by

and... the scars added up...

the imperfections turned that table

into something else.

That's the thing about pine...

holds a lot of memories.

- 'Morning, Craig.

- Gary...

- Seems like you've been busy.

- That I have.

Tried to call,

but there was... no answer.

- Did they serve you yesterday?

- Oh yeah.

Seems like there's a first time

for everything.

You understand you're going to have

to appear in court on Tuesday?

I certainly do.

Craig, they're remarkably mad at you.

If we're going to have a chance of winning,

you've got to stop building.

Irene broke her hip, Gary.

- What?

- She'll have to get around with a walker.

Our old house doesn't work anymore.

I'm sorry.

Why didn't you tell me you started again?

Well, I...

I just didn't want to risk you

talking me out of it,

convincing me there was a better way.

No, I couldn't convince you.

Oh, at that point, yeah,

maybe you could have.

At least now, whatever happens,

it'll be finished by the time

Irene's ready to come home.

Not hungry?

No.

Don't seem to have much of an appetite

these days.

I should get going.

I've got to get to the hospital

before visiting hours are over.

You look beat, Dad.

Why don't you take the night off?

No, she's expecting me.

I'll get it.

Hello.

Uh, just a second.

Hello?

Speaking.

My name is Marty Klinkenberg,

with the Telegraph Journal.

I already have a subscription

to your newspaper.

Uh, no, it's not about that.

I'm a reporter and I heard

you might be having a few problems

with the Building Department.

Well, that would be a gross understatement.

Say, how did you ever hear

about a case like mine, anyway?

Must seem like small potatoes

to most people.

It's funny.

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