The Best of Me Page #2

I can't go tomorrow night.

I got something to do.

You didn't listen to a goddamn

thing I said, did you?

- I'm not...

- l'm not what?

Hey, hey, come on, Pop.

Let's play some cards.

I swear to God, Dawson,

you are a slow f***ing learner!

That's a bad thing to be.

You still got someplace

to be Saturday night?

Yes, sir.

- Hit him again, Papa.

- Ted, shut the hell up!

You wanna hit me'?

You hit me,

you see where that'll get you.

Hormones.

That's what his problem is.

You are either the worst car thief

in the history of the world...

...or you have a story to tell.

- What's your name?

- Dawson Cole.

- Tommy Cole's boy'?

- Yes, sir.

Well, that is unfortunate.

- What happened to your eye'?

- I just ran into a tree.

A tree with a mean right cross.

You got any place to stay?

Friends? Anything like that?

No, sir.

Sh*t.

Where you going?

That cot over yonder ought to be

more comfortable than this car.

Water out of the hose is good

to drink.

If there's any trouble, anything

goes missing, anything like that,

the next one to wake you up will be

a sheriffs deputy. You understand that?

- Yes, sir.

- Do you understand that?

Yes, sir.

All right, then.

Sh*t!

"Little Miss Can't Be Wrong")

Good night, Amanda.

J' Little Miss, Little Miss,

Little Miss can't be wrong J'

Where is he?

- I decided not to come.

- Mm, yeah, I got that.

I didn't know how to get a hold

of you.

Oh, I was at Squeals. You could

have gotten a hold of me there.

Do you live out here?

Is this some kind of game

you're playing?

Huh'? With your friends? A little science

experiment you got going on? What is it?

- That's crazy.

- Thafs crazy, is it?

Or maybe you just like strays.

Or maybe I like sman guys who

haven't had it handed to them.

Right.

God, you just don't get it,

do you?

I guess I don't.

You know, I just wanted a date.

I wanted to go somewhere and maybe

have some coffee or some ice cream.

Come on, you know, you ask me

questions, I ask you questions.

And if we just so happen

to like the answer, Dawson,

then maybe we'll go on

another one.

And if we don't, then we won't.

But God, I mean, ifthafsjust

too much to ask, then fine.

Forget it. I'm exhausted.

I'm done.

This is why I didn't want to

go out in public.

Well, then take me

somewhere private.

So whafre you

gonna do after high school?

Uh...

OK, I'll go first.

l'm going to Tulane in the fall.

Double majoring in child

psychology and public policy.

L'm hoping to intern

at a law firm while l'm there.

And then after law school,

l'd like to work for a non-profit.

Maybe in another country,

that deals with children's issues.

- You wanna work with children?

- Mm-hm.

You wanna have a family

of your own?

Yeah, I would.

l'd like to have a little girl.

Maybe name her Bea.

That's a real nice name.

Ifs really beautiful out here.

L've never seen so many stars.

I've always loved the stars.

I feel closer to them up here.

When I was a kid,

I built my own telescope.

- Wow.

- No, it's pretty easy.

Yeah, for you, maybe.

Humans have always

looked to the stars.

Instruct their way of life,

consult them.

You were gone

for a while.

Yeah, my dad made me

quit school when I was 16.

He said he needed me

around the home.

How do you feel

about that'?

I don't know. I guess

I didn't like it much.

It was a hell ofa fight to

come back.

Is it weird to be there now'?

Kind of.

I mean, ljust

wanna finish, get out.

Where do you want to

go to college?

Do you think everyone goes

to college?

People who build

their own telescopes usually do.

I don't know, it's just...

ifs not something I can do

right now.

Is it something you want to do'?

- Why do you care'?

- Why won't you answer?

You are gonna be

a really good lawyer someday.

Do you want to go,

yes or no?

N0.

You're a bad liar.

I like that.

I'd like to do this

again sometime.

I'd even shower and show up.

How about that?

- You promise?

- Yeah, I promise.

I guess I wanted to do that.

I wanted to do that, too.

Good to know.

I wouldn't mind doing

that again.

Then do it.

Now first thing that Tuck

stipulated was for me to apologize

on his behalf for

any inconvenience.

He asked that I pass on

his gratitude

for your being here

and your friendship always.

His words.

He would like you

to spread his ashes together,

outside the cottage

of Vandemere.

There is to be no funeral,

no reception,

nor store-bought bouquets.

Not a dime is to be

spent on frivolities.

- Again...

- His words.

Thafs right.

He asks that you pack up his things

and he would like you to go through it,

and take whatever you want.

He left instructions that his assets

be liquidated and that the proceeds be

donated to the American

Pediatric Cancer Society.

The only asset not to be sold

is the cottage at Vandemere,

which he left to you both.

Now, typically, in situations

like this,

one party will buy the

other out,

unless you're interested

in joint ownership.

- We're not.

- No. No.

When he was in the hospital,

he wrote these. Mm-hm.

Excuse me. He would

like you to read them on your own.

Well, you still living

around here?

- Baton Rouge.

- Yeah?

- I see you gut married.

- 18 years.

Nice. You guys got kids?

- Two.

- Boys? Girls?

You know, we don't have to do this.

Ask the questions, tell our stories,

pretend to want to know

about each othefs lives.

Well, I do want to know.

We're not here for a reunion.

We're here for Tuck, so...

How about this? You go to the house

today and I'll come out tomorrow.

And we'll meet out at

Vandemere tomorrow afternoon.

We'll say our goodbyes.

- Does that work for you'?

- Yeah.

Bye.

L'm sorry.

You remember that thistle problem

I had in the garden last year.

Thistle is one tough weed.

You can't pull it or mow it.

You have to dig it out by the root.

While I was digging,

I got to thinking about you and Dawson.

You have wounds that

have never healed.

You've lived with them so long,

you don't even know they're there anymore.

Pain has deep roots.

The only way to dig it out is to

forgive him and forgive yourself.

- Don't you get bored out here?

- Completely.

When are you gonna let me

get my hands dirty?

You want

to get your hands dirty?

Absolutely.

What? This dirty'?

No. Dawson,

you're not gonna do...

'Cause I'm the grease monster

from the bayou!

Stop it!

Dawson! Don't!

You're gonna get rne all dirty,

you little punk!

You gotta leave!

You gotta get out of here.

- What?

- No, please, just get out of here now.

- Who's that'?

- Get out of here, please! Leave!

- Dawson! You're hurting me!

- Leave!

- Don't ask any questions. Get out! Now!

- Why do I have to go?

- Go, go, go! Go, please!

- OK, Dawson.

- OK.

- Go!

OK!

Time to come home, Dawson.

You didn't introduce us

to your girlfriend.

That's that Collier girl, Pop.

You know her.

- Collier girl.

- Yes, sir.

All right, get your stuff,

put it in the truck.

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