The Open Road Page #3

Thank you.

Okay.

Mmn.

I called the school.

They kind of want me

back by tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Yeah.

Yeah, of course.

Hey.

- Look...

- You're welcome.

- I mean it.

- I know.

You didn't have

to do any of this,

but you did

and I'm grateful.

I appreciate it.

Hey, there's something

else I have to tell...

I mean, this whole thing

is so strange, right?

I mean, I look at the guy

and I know he's my father,

but I'm not sure

he even exists anymore.

He's probably been playing

the part for so long,

- the real Kyle's just gone.

- Did you hear what I said?

What?

Yeah, I'm sorry.

No, that should be fine.

I mean, I think we'll make

Memphis tonight.

We'll get you a flight

out in the morning.

I'm serious, Lucy.

I couldn't have

done this without you.

See you later, buddy.

God, what the hell's

he doing now?

- Hey, you okay?

- Yeah.

All right, well,

should probably

get back in the...

right?

Gotta try and make Memphis.

Yeah. Right.

Darlin',

would you mind doing me a favor

and grabbing my bag there?

- I got some pills in there.

- Yeah, sure.

- Would you bring it to me?

- Sure.

Thank you.

- What kind of pills?

- I don't know. Blue ones.

- What are they for?

- Well, let's say they're for my hip,

they're for my leg bone,

my back, some are

for my ankle.

What aren't they for?

You should never

dive head-first, son.

Always slide into the base,

but don't dive.

- Are you gonna be all right?

- Probably.

I can't say the idea

of crawling back

into that oversized Tonka Toy

and speeding through the night

particularly lights

my candle, though.

Well, if we stop now, we're not

gonna make it by Friday, Dad.

We're barely gonna make it

by Thursday as it is now.

We can't stop.

I'm sorry, but we just can't.

Yeah, I'll miss tomorrow night's

practice, but that's it.

Yeah, I'll see you on Friday.

Thanks.

You get through to your mom?

Yup.

And the team.

This whole thing is just...

I don't know about all this.

About what?

The wallet, the hipbone,

the neck... whatever.

This is his thing.

This is what he does.

I told you.

He commits to something

and then the idea

of commitment itself

starts to totally freak him out.

I know him.

He's looking for a way out.

He's just...

well, let's just say

the guy has some issues.

What, commitment issues?

Yeah, exactly.

Oh, Carlton.

- You want a drink?

- No.

Lucy's waitin'

I don't want the food to get cold.

She seems like a great girl.

You know, I've been around.

I had a chance

to meet a few people.

There's not as many great ones

out there as you would think.

So how come

you stopped calling?

One day we're talking

and the next thing I know...

You disconnected

your phone, Dad.

Well, so did you.

That was my dorm phone.

I graduated.

I ever tell you about the first time

I met your mother?

No.

I was at this party.

And she just walked

into the room.

I wish you could've seen her.

She was 19 years old.

She had this smile that just...

whoo!

Anyway, I get her number,

and then I start to...

talk to this other girl, see?

Was gonna make her jealous.

And that...

is when this shoe

hits me right in the head.

She hucked a shoe

straight across the room...

hit me right here,

drew a little blood.

But she had a hell

of an arm.

- Mmm!

- I guess so.

Oh, bam!

I think it was that smile, though.

That's what got me.

Oh, that was something else.

What about you?

You gonna marry her?

- What? Lucy?

- Mm-hmm.

Ah, we're just friends.

Friends?

That girl, she's finer

than the hair on a frog.

What the... what are you thinkin'?

Uh, well,

we used to go out,

but, uh, I don't know.

I guess I was too focused

on the game.

How's that slump going?

I'm working

my way out of it.

Look, I'm gonna go.

We should probably leave

first thing in the morning

- so try to get some rest.

- Hey, uh,

thanks for finding me.

Son, thanks for gettin' me.

See you in the morning.

Hey.

- Hey.

- I'm sorry.

From flying and everything.

I miss you.

I just can't believe it.

I can't believe any of this sh*t.

Reeves is gonna take me out of

the lineup if I don't play well on Saturday,

my mom is in a hospital bed

convinced she's about to die

and this guys is, I don't know,

just out with a barfly.

That's...

I mean, who does that?

How could anybody do that?

Hey, um,

there's something

that I've been trying

to tell you,

but it felt really weird.

What?

Jason proposed to me.

I know it's a bad time,

but I felt really weird

keeping it a secret

from you.

And it's one of the reasons why

I have to get back on Wednesday.

What did you say?

I told him I'd think about it.

What does that mean?

Are you...

are you leaning

in a particular direction?

I don't know.

Jesus.

Uh...

well, that is news.

Sh*t.

That's, uh...

that's great.

I mean, Jason is, uh...

he's, uh...

he's a great guy.

And, uh...

I thought you'd...

you know.

No. No.

I know it may not

seem like it sometimes,

but I want you to be happy.

You know?

I love you.

- Can I get you some more coffee?

- Yeah.

- You, dear?

- No, thank you.

We're just waiting

on someone.

I'll see you later now.

Bye bye.

Okay.

I want you to wear that mask next time.

All set?

I guess that's a yes.

If you get tired and you want me

to drive, just let me know.

No thanks. I'm good.

So I hear you're

working on a novel.

- Nope.

- That's not what I heard.

Well, you heard wrong.

Whatcha workin' on then?

One day I'd like to write a book.

Right now I just do

journal entries.

- Journal entries.

- Yup.

What's that, like a diary?

No, it's like

a writer's notebook.

Short stories, essays...

stuff like that.

Why don't you just

write the novel?

I will. Eventually.

Thank you.

Well, you know what

Papa Garrett always used to say:

"There ain't no tomorrow

quite as nice as today."

Of course, that's just one man's opinion.

It sure is nice country.

Beautiful, hmm?

Yup.

Rolaid?

No. Thanks.

Go on, have one.

Why would I want a Rolaid?

Well, I don't know.

Might be for relief.

You know, I don't know

where along the way

you became so joyless, son,

but that's probably why

you can't hit the ball anymore.

You're not having fun out there,

you don't stand a chance.

Hey, the guy in there said

there's a lot of

construction on the 65.

He said we should take

this one... the 79, I think.

Well, that sounds like a good idea.

Well...

That big ol' red Hummer looks like

I'm about to do battle with something.

But what the heck?

That did not say 79.

- This is like an access road.

- The map says it'll curve around.

Keep curving.

It's like a slider...

keeps heading south.

And he hit that ball

so damn hard

that I'm coming

around like this, you know?

'Cause you know what Dr. Pepper is,

don't you?

You know what it is?

Okay, look,

this is the exact same

intersection we were at.

Take a right.

- Operator.

- Yeah, hi.

Operator, I'm in a phone booth

somewhere, obviously,

and I was... well, I was hoping

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