The First Day of the Rest of Your Life

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THE FIRST DAY:

OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

- I'll go before Fleur wakes.

- This is pathetic.

He's my dog; I decide.

You live life until it's over.

We've been talking about this

for two hours!

He's nearly blind, he's deaf,

he doesn't drink, he doesn't eat.

He's dying.

You want to see him suffer?

He's my age.

You got him when I was born.

- You were jealous.

- As if I could be jealous of you!

True, 18 isn't old.

But one dog year

is like seven for us.

Mom, cut it out.

We're not kids anymore.

Seven times 18...

OK, I'm going.

Ulysse!

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1988

IT'S A DOG'S LIFE

Mr. Duval?

There.

Goodbye, boy.

Ulysse...

you've left us too soon.

Our family will never

be the same again.

Here, Mom.

I found this thing in the van.

I don't want him to move out.

I'll never see you.

Of course we'll see each other.

He's not off to China.

Al?

You're not, right?

They're waiting for me.

We're off now.

See you.

This place is huge,

and you're moving

into some tiny room!

Coming to dinner?

Mom, please...

Don't move.

That won't make me stay.

In a photo it will. Forever.

Smile!

It's crazy.

In the ER the other day,

this guy turned up and said that,

without doing it on purpose,

he'd stuck something

in his anus.

He couldn't get it out again.

So my colleague gets a lamp

and examines him.

I ask what he can see,

and he says:

"Believe it or not,

"I can see Mont St. Michel

in the snow."

What?

The guy had a snow dome

up his ass!

- No!

- I swear.

I'm gonna get the guy's x-ray framed.

Like a holiday souvenir!

We'll be there at Xmas

at this rate!

Here. For you.

- What's this?

- It's new. A nicotine patch.

Stick it on your arm

to get your dose.

- Does it work?

- It worked on mice.

If mice can kick the smokes...

Patients are testing it now.

You need a guinea pig?

Try it.

It won't hurt you.

I'll put it on you.

Don't smoke while wearing it,

or you'll OD on nicotine.

I can't smoke?

Pretty restrictive.

Give me that.

- That's it.

- I gotta go.

- Thanks, man.

- Sure.

Mr. Duval...

Bye, Eric. Thanks.

Let's go down and see Grandpa

to thank him for the room.

What a drag.

We have to go now?

I want to get to bed.

You're right.

What a drag.

I'm going.

Do what you want.

The hourglass again...

A minute isn't so long.

Yeah, it's 60 seconds.

You need to look time in the face.

You'll see when you're my age.

So, Albert, are you pleased?

You like the room?

Yes. You really don't

want me to pay rent?

You must be joking.

Keep your money.

I bought your dad a house.

I can lend you a room.

You didn't buy it, Dad!

You loaned me money

that I pay back each month.

I should never have asked you,

and gone to the bank instead.

On a cab driver's pay,

you wouldn't have got much.

I don't care about the money.

I won't mention it again.

Thanks.

How about you two?

How are the studies going?

Good.

I'm in my third year,

working in the ER.

That's good.

A doctor's handy in a family.

And you, Raph?

I'm enrolled at college.

What in?

I forget now.

Very motivated.

Like father, like son.

I remember a note

a teacher put in your report card.

- "At rock bottom..."

- "And digging."

Still smoking?

I'm quitting.

You're quitting. Sure.

All hot air,

like when you promised

to help drain my cellar.

Dad, you mustn't smoke

with the patch.

This thing pisses me off!

It makes me dizzy.

I know what you need

to stop you smoking for good.

Cancer.

Mom, I said I won't be there.

Don't worry about me.

An omelet. Happy now?

No, and stop calling me, OK?

Fleur, we're eating.

Hands clean?

- Who set Albert's place?

- He's coming?

I have something to say.

Today, I lost a child.

You're all going to leave one day,

and I'll end up

alone in this house,

bored out of my mind.

So I've decided to study again

and enroll in college.

What in?

In college!

You've lost a child,

but your son's not dead.

Yeah, plus we're still here.

Yes, but you're different, you see?

Uh... No.

Can I have his room?

No way! I'm having it!

Stop right there.

I'm having it. For my office.

A taxi driver needs an office?

For my albums.

A wall of vinyl.

You're all monstrous!

Our family's breaking up.

Don't you care?

It's a breath of air.

Your son will be back!

He'll bring his laundry every Sunday.

And he'll soon miss your cooking.

His chair won't be empty for long.

I bet my dessert

he'll be back tonight.

Not so loud, please!

Can you turn the music down?

I've done it!

What is this?

I need some peace!

There.

Why did a man like you

take this job?

I don't understand.

Why?

I don't know myself.

I knew a fella in El Paso.

Stripped and jumped on a cactus.

"I asked him that, too. Why?"

"And?"

"He said it seemed to be

a good idea at the time."

"Oh, hell...

"if that's what's holding things up,

I'll drive it."

He gets onto a hearse,

and Steve McQueen comes to help.

"Never rode shotgun

on a hearse before."

What's going on?

Go to bed.

I stay or I scream.

OK, come here.

- Go on.

- Where was I?

They're about to bury the Indian.

OK, right.

"Nearly there."

"Fine, but let's not stay there."

- "Chris?"

- "Yes, Harry."

There was something else, right?

"You had it pegged."

"I knew it.

What was it?"

"Gold.

"Sacks of it."

"Sounds beautiful."

Good evening.

I wanted to apologize.

I was a bit upset.

It's silly wasting energy like that

when we plunder nature to make it.

Energy.

So you're Mr. Duval's grandson?

You know my granddad?

The old gentleman

on the fourth floor?

He's a dear.

I helped to clear his cellar

of the bad vibes attacking his wine.

But the cellar's flooded now,

so I can't help.

Weird tea.

The leaves are pre-masticated lightly

by Tibetan monks.

- Pre-masticated?

- Lightly.

The enzymes present in saliva

cause premature fermentation,

creating that slightly bitter taste.

I have to get back to it.

If I fail my exams, the year's wasted.

I guess I'll see you often then?

Yes.

There's a thread hanging

from your shirt.

Can I remove it?

I'm itching to do it.

Yes...

It's like a limpet.

- A what?

- A limpet.

A mollusk. You need dynamite

if you want to get one off a rock.

Forget the dynamite for now.

There.

Want it as a souvenir?

ANTl-SMOKING TES

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1993

BLOOD TIES:

Hi.

What's that getup?

Like that, you look as if

a tiger mauled you.

Mom, it's grunge.

OK, so tell us.

What's grunge?

You can't understand.

Dressing like a bum?

What is "grunge"?

I looked in a dictionary.

You read now?

Hold on.

It's a word for the fungus

between your toes.

- No way.

- Charming, huh?

Your father's staying

for dinner tonight.

Can you get some wine?

He's using our cellar

to store his bottles.

Couldn't he try opening one

for once?

He'll appreciate it.

He only bothers about me

when his cellar floods.

Even if I get a really pricey wine,

he'll find it...

"Average."

Dad, wait!

Drop me off. I'm late.

Have a good day, too.

Fleur, you forgot your scarf!

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