Tracktown Page #3

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I stayed.

And I'm happy.

I've only ever lived in Eugene.

That's cool.

See, I think Eugene

is like this sink drain,

but not in a bad way.

It doesn't suck people down.

It just makes them stay

and float with

all the other particles.

- Sawyer!

- Oh, god damn it!

God.

These a**holes.

- Come here.

- You know them?

Yeah, they're my roommate's.

God... agh!

I always tell them

they're going to get run over,

but he says, "no, no, no,

let them learn the hard way."

But they're chickens.

They can't learn.

Sawyer! Sawyer!

Come here!

Hey, hey!

- Guys, not the bush!

Oh, over there!

Ah, Cornelius!

- Get it!

- Oh, gotcha.

This is Cornelius.

He always tries to run away.

He's stupid, isn't he?

Yeah, are you stupid?

I think he's brave.

You okay?

Sorry.

What happened?

It's just I really should be

elevating my leg today.

Um...

So... what does

that mean, exactly?

It means that you lift your leg

above your heart

so that the swelling drains out

and you recover faster.

Do you need to lie down?

Um, I probably should ice, too.

Oh, I know where

we can get some ice.

I... I think maybe

I should go home.

No, no, no, no.

This place has the most awesome,

best ice on the planet.

It's so cold and it's just,

like, really good,

and I'll take you there,

and then I'll take you home

after that and drop you off.

We can put that leg up

on the way.

Okay. Great.

Okay, no peeking.

No peeking.

Okay, gosh, where are we going?

Where is...

Where am I taking you?

What a weird place, huh?

Oh, jeez. Okay.

All right.

Ta-da.

Here it is.

So, what do you think?

Um...

Didn't you used to come here

when you were a kid, or...?

No?

Is this the ice place?

Yeah, they have ice here.

Hello?

Jenny.

Hey, Sawyer.

Hey, I didn't know

you worked here.

Yeah, I've worked here

for, like, two months, stupid.

Can we have two cones

and a bag of ice?

Do you want yours dipped?

Yeah, yeah,

we'll take them dipped.

Wait.

Cheers.

And now like this.

Very good.

Here.

Thank you.

Do I know you?

I know you.

You're the runner.

She's famous.

Bringing famous people

to my place of work.

You know, this one I used

to date, but not anymore.

He smells bad.

So, is running, like...

Your job job?

Like, you get paid?

Not in college,

but once you sign

with a pro team, yeah.

But you went to college

for free, right?

Jenny.

You must like pain.

I mean, running hurts.

At least it hurts

every time I try, so...

Sorry, I...

Sorry.

Hello?

I'm fine.

Dad, I'm fine.

I'm sitting on the couch.

One sec.

I don't know, dad.

Normal.

I'm good.

I'll see you tonight, okay?

Love you.

Uh...

I'm really, really,

really, really sorry

about what happened.

I need to go home.

Okay.

It's just I need to nap

in my altitude tent.

You sleep in a tent?

Can I see it?

My house is really messy.

I really like you.

Me, too.

I really do need to nap, though.

Okay.

Bye.

Bye.

Have a good nap.

- Dad?

- Hey, p.

Nice steaks.

Red meat.

Did they approve

your marathon course design?

Nope.

Not this year.

That's okay.

Just gives me time to come up

with a better design

for next year.

Why are there three steaks?

Mom's coming over for dinner.

Mmm.

It's delicious.

You know what?

I only have steak

when I come here.

It's an art, you know...

The perfect steak.

Yeah?

Doesn't just leap off the pan

and tell you it's done.

It's about knowing what's going

on underneath the surface,

even though you can't see it.

Yeah, well, how do you know

what's going on underneath, huh?

Well, sometimes you just have

to cut it open with a knife.

But the real pros,

they just know.

Well, to the perfect steak.

Hmm.

To the perfect steak.

Dad, can you pass the salt?

Yeah.

There you go.

Plum, your dad used to get

the same nervous look

on his face before a race.

Yeah, that one you're making

right now, right now.

- Oh, and he loved his salt, too, right?

- Mm-hmm.

You guys,

you guys are like twins.

When you think of racing,

you only think

of the physical part.

I didn't think of how much

mental tricks

can get played on you

by yourself, I guess.

You know what?

I remember,

it was the NCAs, the finals.

I was doing the 1,500,

and Gail made a sign

that surprised

the heck out of me.

I made the finals,

which was the biggest deal ever,

as you know,

and I'm rounding the final turn,

and I'm in seventh place.

- I got no shot.

- -Oh.

But as I turn, there you are,

and out of the cardboard boxes

that we had had

my breakfast cereal in

for that entire week,

you had made

a "go, Bert, go" sign

and painted it red,

white, and blue

as if I was ever going

to make any Olympics.

I just love watching you race.

Plum has surpassed me.

So, plum's graduating now.

What are you going to do, Burt?

She's going to move out?

We're not sure yet.

You know, plum,

your dad and I lived

in your room in this house

when we were in college.

That was the first room

we lived in together.

So, your major

was something... sports?

"Surround yourself

only with people

who are going

to lift you higher."

Oprah Winfrey.

Whitney?

Hey!

- Hi.

- Hey.

Hey, who are all these people?

Just my housemates

and their stupid friends.

Can we hang out?

Um, I can't really leave

this situation,

but you can hang out.

Wait, aren't you supposed

to be in bed now?

Yeah, but I have

to tell you about my day.

I kissed a boy.

Who?

I'll give you a hint.

He makes cookies for a living.

Shut up!

Shut up!

Bakery boy?

I just think it's risky,

your mixing business with love.

What do you mean?

I mean you pretty much

go to this bakery every day,

and now you're making out

with the bakery boy?

His name's Sawyer.

Look. You can put this

on your refrigerator.

Sawyer?

Hi, it's plum.

Hi.

What are you doing right now?

- Hey.

- Hey.

- Come on.

- Okay.

I like your sweatshirt.

Thank you.

It's the only thing

my mom ever gave me

that I actually like.

So, is this what you do

with all your Saturday nights?

This is my laboratory!

You're the one who called me.

Hi.

Hi.

Hey.

You're not like

any other girl I've ever met.

I feel like you're

from another world.

You think I'm crazy.

No.

I think your extreme.

I like it.

I feel really lucky.

"Luck is what happens

when preparation

meets opportunity."

We just have to wait

for 10 minutes

and let all the lactic acid

drain out.

There's a hole in your sock.

I know.

They're my lucky socks.

I never wash them.

So...

If you make the Olympic team,

does that mean

you'll leave Eugene?

Runners travel a lot.

That'll be cool.

We could travel.

We could go somewhere.

I thought you were going

to stay in Eugene

and float

with all the particles.

No.

I'd leave if I had a reason to.

I'm strong.

I know it's kind of gross.

Sorry.

It's not gross.

I look like a boy.

Plum...

Stop.

You look amazing.

Whoa, whoa.

Is this okay?

It's just moving really quickly.

You've never done this before?

Mm.

No.

Okay.

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