Youth in Oregon Page #5

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There's something

to be positive about.

I'll be long gone before

I can't push out a piss.

We don't have to talk

about that.

No, I'm serious.

I made myself a promise

a long time ago.

After what happened

to my friend Abe.

Just give me a minute.

I-I don't know who Abe is.

Oh, he's a golfing buddy.

You met him once at

our anniversary party at boca.

We were a mean trio.

It was Abe Norfolk,

Mitch ebbs, and me.

Have you told them

what you're up to?

No. Those guys

are long gone.

Abe started to lose his marbles

pretty early.

He'd run around the golf course

picking up everybody else's

stray balls.

And then one day he just

walked off the course,

and never came back.

We thought maybe he went home,

but we found him later.

He was sleeping under a bench

in the ladies locker room.

He'd pissed himself.

I didn't see Abe

for a long time after that.

I thought maybe

he was embarrassed, you know?

And then I heard

he had a stroke.

His wife found him

in the bathtub.

I went to see him.

You know,

it was like somebody...

Sorry.

Somebody had grabbed him...

By the collar and they sh...

Shook him up.

And his face

just froze like that.

After that,

Mitch and I had a joke,

which one of us was gonna be

the last man standing,

and Mitch got lucky,

died in his sleep.

So I promised myself

I was never gonna go like Abe.

And I'm not.

I'm not feeling

very comfortable.

I think you better pull over.

Here, here.

Right over here.

What are we doing?

We're just gonna change out

some muddy clothes and stuff.

Why didn't we

do that back there?

Because we had to flee

the scene.

I'll get your luggage.

You look like sh*t.

Thank you, ray.

- Where do you want it?

- -Right there.

- Okay.

- Now go away. Go away.

Okay.

God...

I can't do this anymore.

I, um, uh...

Ray, this is as far as I can go.

What do you mean?

I'm just... uh, you know,

I think I need Kate on this.

And it's... um... um...

You know,

I thought I could do it.

We'd get out on the road,

we have a nice long drive

and everything and it helps

to clear the mind,

but then, um, you know,

my head is really

hurting right now,

and I have responsibilities

at home, and I have work.

And that...

That was my favorite shirt.

And I really think my heart

might stop beating

at any moment.

And I don't think

that I'm safe to drive.

And, um...

Do you really want to get

all the way to Oregon

only to have them refuse you?

If you would just take me

as far as salt lake city,

I would be very grateful.

- Oh.

- -F***.

We're close

to salt lake city, aren't we?

- We're seeing Danny?

- We told him we might stop by.

- How did that go?

- It went.

We called him, but we didn't

know if we would have time.

Does he understand why

you're driving across country?

- Yes.

- And he's okay with that?

- How the f*** should I know?

- It was a short conversation.

How far is it to salt lake city?

Oh, great!

I should call him.

Can I use your phone, please?

Oh, Danny, you look great.

Thank you, mom.

I like where you put

the blanket.

It's gotten a lot of use.

Yeah, it's a good blanket.

Oh, there's the one I made Paul.

Are we gonna see him later?

- I don't think so.

- Oh.

Should I be worried about him?

Oh, no.

No, I think he's fine.

Are you gonna get that?

Well, your father would like to

have some time alone with you.

So I am going to take a shower,

if that's okay with you,

and just lie down

for a little bit.

Do you have anything to drink?

Like drink, drink?

Your mother's found a new hobby.

I'm sure there's

something in the fridge.

Okay. I'll just peruse

the kitchen, thank you.

I know these are not the most

ideal circumstances.

But, um...

You know...

I don't have long.

Well, that's not true, is it?

What?

That's not true.

Kate told me that you're fine.

No. It's my decision.

No, actually,

it's the physician's decision.

And you're not terminal.

I know the protocol.

I made my oral request.

And somewhere in here,

I got my written request, too.

I want you to take a look at it.

Yeah, here it is.

I followed all the rules.

Well, good luck

getting a signature on this

by anyone who wants

to keep their license.

Well, you know,

you're not a doctor.

Wow. That took all of what,

five minutes?

That's gotta be a record.

- Danny, please...

- You never...

- What, of course...

- Danny, please, let me talk.

Because I didn't

finish med school,

my opinion doesn't

mean anything?

You're not letting me talk.

I don't want to go

through all that again.

It's not why I came.

Why did you come?

Because I wanted to see you

again, son, before...

Before I'm gone.

I wanted to mend certain tears

in our relationship.

You know? I wanted to say

that I forgive you.

- You forgive me?

Yes, I forgive you.

Is that Paul calling?

You know what I'm talking about.

- No, I don't.

- Oh, you don't, huh?

How about all the unreturned

phone calls?

How about all the letters

I wrote to you

that you never even

acknowledged?

You closed that door long before

I stopped speaking to you.

You scrutinized

every decision I made.

You tore them down.

No. That is not true!

As your father,

I wanted to give you options.

I wanted to give you

opportunities!

For what?!

A life like yours?

You know,

enjoy your visit to Oregon.

And do me a favor.

Don't stop by on your way back.

Danny, wait.

What?

Shh, shh.

- What?

- Shh!

Come here. Come here.

What is it?

- This is your angiogram?

- Yeah.

Well, I'm not a cardiologist.

It's too blocked

to operate again.

- You denied surgery?

- Yeah.

Either way, my time's up.

It's all in the file.

Look, don't tell your mother,

and don't tell Katherine

because they're gonna

make me have surgery.

And, Danny...

I don't want to do it.

Hey! What is he doing here?

What is this? What is this?

- Get up, get up, get up!

- Mom, get out!

- God, I'm sorry.

- Put your dress on right now.

He is not allowed in this house.

You are grounded!

- What are you doing?

- We weren't even doing anything.

Oh, really? It looked

like a lot of things.

Why are you even home right now?

What do you mean, why am I home?

I live here, Annie.

- This is so unfair.

- What's unfair?

You put your guilt on me

all the time!

What am I guilty for?

I don't know.

Making dad take grandpa.

I didn't make

your dad do anything!

You're the reason that I'm not

with my father right now!

Just go be with grandpa, mom.

It's obviously

what you want to do!

Oh, god.

The white-winged cress.

I can take over

whenever you want.

You've been driving

for what, three days?

You could use a break.

The purple Martin.

I know this must be confusing.

Well, yes, I can't understand

why you're on board with this.

I think it's important

that I be here.

How's Paul?

American coute.

- He and I split.

- Oh, man.

I got tired of his

Mormon by day,

"more men" by night routine.

Well, that'll do it.

I rehearsed that.

Mm-hmm.

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