The Stray Page #3

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You got any ideas?

Huh?

Wow.

[sighs]

- Hey, neighbor.

- Hey, Dave.

- Hi, Mitch.

- Misty.

Oh, Pluto!

No, no, no, that's okay.

That's okay.

I hadn't cleaned

that one yet.

- [chuckles]

- Ah.

So, what can I do for you

this fine Saturday afternoon?

Well, uh, this may sound

kind of strange,

but I was wondering if you and your son would

like to go backpacking with me and my boy.

[laughs]

Seriously?

Dave doesn't sleep

outside on purpose.

- She's right. I don't.

- Ah. I see.

Well, we're just trying to help Christian

make some friends before he starts school.

Yeah, no, I got it.

Sorry. I just...

I basically live in airports

M through F. You know?

But I'm sure Smitty

would love to come along,

if you don't mind

taking him without me.

No.

No, I don't mind at all.

- Has he done much camping?

- Oh, he doesn't sleep outside either.

But he's young.

So, you know, teachable.

Teachable.

[drill whirring]

Ow oid ih yo oy?

- Come again?

- Yo oy.

- Your boy.

- How old is my boy?

I ake um ack-acking.

Hey, Son.

Hey.

[whines]

What are you reading?

Falling Up

by Shel Silverstein.

Oh, that is a great book.

Have I ever told you that he

wrote one of my favorite poems?

It's called "What If."

Have you read that one?

- It might be in that book. Here, let me check.

- It's not in this book.

You sure?

Are you excited

about tomorrow?

Okay, come on.

It's gonna be great.

I'm gonna teach you to fish.

You're gonna make new friends.

You can poop outside.

I don't need you

to help me make friends.

Okay.

Can you turn off

the lights?

This trip probably isn't going

to make him like me, is it?

Probably not.

Well, then why don't you take him?

It was your big idea.

Some things

take time to fix.

I don't even know

why we moved here.

We moved here to remember why we

got married in the first place.

Yeah?

So we could have a bunch

of kids who hate us?

Some things

take time to fix.

Hmm.

You know, I've actually

been thinking.

Yeah?

About what?

I don't know if I want

you to take Pluto.

- Why not?

- I just have a bad feeling.

He's a city dog.

It's the wilderness.

Well, I'll do

whatever you want.

But you know if he goes,

he's gonna have a great time.

You're right. I'm just...

I'm overthinking it.

You remember when you wouldn't

even let me get a dog?

Another mouth to feed. Who's gonna

take care of it? Blah, blah, blah.

Take it easy.

And then this stray

comes along,

and he takes better

care of us than we do.

Well, he was the answer to

problems we didn't know we had.

Yeah. Yeah, he was.

- [sighs]

- How's the writing going?

Oh, not so much.

- Sorry.

- Yeah.

- It'll come.

- You promise?

Promise.

How about a poem?

Okay.

Let's see.

How about a little Stephen

Crane to end our day?

Sounds good.

A man said to the universe,

"Sir, I exist."

"However,"

replied the universe,

"the fact does not create in me

a sense of obligation."

[snickering]

- Thanks a lot.

- What?

- That's so depressing.

- [laughs]

- It's good to be humbled every once in a while.

- Okay, okay.

I think between you and the three

kids, I've got that covered.

Yeah,

you probably do.

[both laugh]

[whispering]

Dad. Dad.

Dad!

Hmm? What?

I don't want you

to go camping tomorrow.

What?

I don't want you

to take Pluto.

Why not?

Pluto's our wonder dog.

He protects us.

I'll talk about it with

your mom in the morning.

- Thanks, Dad.

- Mm-hmm.

- Dad.

- What?

Can I sleep with you

and Mom tonight?

Looks like

you already are.

- Night, Daddy.

- [chuckles]

Good night, Racheypoo.

- Hey, neighbor.

- Hey, Dave.

Smitty! Clark! Will you help

Christian load the car?

- Sure!

- Ah.

- Sweet ride.

- Well, thanks.

When in Rome...

[chuckles] Yeah.

You're not in Rome.

You're, uh, in Colorado.

[sniffs]

Speaking of which, does this

thing have four-wheel drive?

Oh! Ouch.

[both chuckle]

Well...

gorgeous day.

I'm a jealous man.

[chuckles]

- Well, you can still join us, if you like.

- Just kidding.

Hey, make sure Smitty brings back a bunch

of trout for Misty to cook up, will ya?

- I will, for sure.

- Kidding again.

Oh.

Uh, almost forgot.

Misty would have killed me.

Smitty has asthma.

It's not a big deal. He knows when to

use it. Just keep your eye on him.

- Uh, yeah, okay, abso...

- [urinating]

Oh, Pluto!

This dog is not

a fan of Bimmers.

Well, he's a Toyota man now.

Well...

[sniffs]

Okay, boys.

How's it coming?

- Good!

- Nice!

So, what'd you decide?

Is he staying or going?

Well, you know, he looks

pretty happy right now.

Yes, he does.

[Rachel] You promised you

wouldn't leave us unprotected!

I know. I did.

So, how about this?

You pray for us

and we'll pray for you.

And that way we'll all

be protected. Deal?

- Deal.

- Okay.

- See ya in a few days. Bye.

- Bye.

Have fun.

Bye, Daddy!

Stay away from him, bud.

[barks]

All right,

how about some tunes?

Do you have

any Sir Mix-A-Lot?

- Can't say I do.

- George Michael?

Ooh.

How about Cat Stevens?

Cat who?

- Oh, no.

- Cat Stevens.

The greatest folk, pop,

and rock star of the '70s.

Nope.

Never heard of him.

Who raised you, Smitty?

- Okay, I'm about to give you a music history lesson, boys.

- Here we go again.

In 1976, Cat Stevens was

on top of the world. Okay?

The greatest singer-songwriter

in the stratosphere,

with no sign

of stopping.

One night, he's at a beach party

in Malibu, and he gets drunk,

he decides he's gonna go swimming in

the ocean, alone, around midnight.

Now, riptide gets a hold of him and starts to

pull him out into the middle of the ocean.

And he's so drunk

he can't swim.

He realizes he's about to

drown and he screams out,

"God, if you save me,

I will work for you

all the rest of my days."

And all of a sudden,

out of nowhere,

a wave comes and pushes him

back onto the shore.

And after that,

he gave up his music...

Uh, Mr. Davis, this is

a really interesting story.

But can we just hear

some of this Cat guy's music?

Yeah, sure.

This is it, boys, the soundtrack

of my youth. You better love it.

[guitars playing]

[guitars continue playing]

[Cat Stevens]

Well, I left my happy home

To see what

I could find out

I left my folk

And friends

With the aim

To clear my mind out

Well, I hit the rowdy road

And many kinds I met there

Many stories told me

- Of the way to get there

- [howling]

Ooh-ooh-ooh

So on and on I go

The seconds

Tick the time out

There's so much

Left to know

And I'm on the road

To find out

Ooh-ooh-ooh

- [barking]

- [Stevens vocalizing]

Well, in the end I'll know

But on the way I wonder

[Stevens vocalizing]

[barking]

Through descending snow

- [camera shutter clicks]

- Hey!

- And through the frost And thunder

- [laughing]

[Stevens vocalizing]

Hey!

Yes, the answer

Lies within

Hey!

So why not

Take a look now?

Kick out the devil's sin

Pick up

Pick up a good book now

Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh

Yes, the answer

Lies within

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