"How`s his family doing?" "His mother comes every day." "She`s tried to get him to start therapy..." "But it`ll take time." "And what about his father?" "Oh he rarely comes and when he doeshe stays five minutes he hasn`t been around here in weeks now." "I want my legs back." "Can you help me with that?" "No, I can`t." "Just get out of here, get the hell out of here." "Hey friend..." "Yeah" "You parked in a handicap zone." "So what?" " So it `s there for a reason." "Try to convince me." "No." "Anybody in here own that blue Chevrolet parked out front?" "Yes, I do." "Why?" "You better see for yourself pal." "What`s going on?" "I just parked it it was fine." "you might be the best looking boy in school and all that." "But I am a nice person." "I am a good person." "You have no right to be rude to me" "Why do you keep coming around here anyway?" "Are you doing a report on cripples or something like that?" "Are nuts. l`d swear l`d lose my head if it wasn`t screwed on I got to go pick your schedule." "l`ll be right back." "Take your time." "I am not going anywhere." "Mark, could you get my book for me I blew it." "Hey, kid." "get Scotty his book will you?" "Man you`ve got legs, get it yourself." "Hey man." "Ain`t you got arms?" "You said I blamed my son for what happened?" "That`s right." "I bought him that motercycle." "lt`s all arms all upper body strength." "Legs just swinging free." "See that?" "Yes, and at that point fall on my face?" "lt`s about time you started using those artificial limbs." "It is not easy, but everyone falls on there face once in awhile." "You`re crazy." "Why?" "lt`s a crazy idea." "I could never do that." "You will not know if you don`t try." "Forget it." "Do you, Deke." "You would never have made it in the big leagues" "You`ve got no guts." "I got work to do I see you later." "Hey!" "When do we start?" "Where did this come from?" "Afriend of mine" "Some friend." "He hasn`t let me down so far." "l`ve got somebody I want you to meet." "Hey, Richie." "Deke, I want you to meet Richie." "Richie, this is your man." "Hi" " Hi" "He`s going to work with you every morning." "He`ll give us a routine, we`ll practice during the day..." "And we`ll get together in the evening." "You`re putting in a lot of time." "How come?" "Because he`s a friend too, is that good enough?" "Yeah, sure why not." "What do we do, and how do I work this thing?" "We call this thing The Monster." "`Cause the whole time you`re working it`s just your arms are holding you up." "It is not like some of the bar routines where you can hang down for a while." " This is all upper body strength, it`s all arms So far so good" "Tell him what you are telling me about the kind of focus you have to have." "Right, well you know how in baseball you have to be all focused in on one thing.." "Especially if you`re a pitcher" "Yeah you kinda have tunnel vision... I mean when you`re aware of the runners in the corner of your eye..." "But everything is focused in on the strike zone." "Yeah, but you can`t quite do that on the pommel horse... lf you do you end up squaring your butt, you have to be sort of in the daze..." "Not really focused in on any one thing" "One more thing." "That commercial with the bull in it?" "Yeah" "That`s how strong your going to have to be." "Hi l`ve bought us cheeseburgers I thought you might be hungry." "Actually my mother is on a veggie kick and l`ve been dying for a burger..." "Deke?" "Deke, what`s wrong?" "They split up." "My mum and dad, that`s why he hasn`t been coming to see me." "Deke, l`m so sorry." "lt`s like..." "l`m no good to him anymore you know." "So he just dumps all of us." "lt`s all because of me." "lt`s not true." "Yeah it is." "Your parents split up just because of you?" "Oh I guess it`s just a coincidence that they split up right after I have the accident." "I did it." "I screwed all our lives up." "Mine, my dads and my mom`s" "Even my little brothers." "You know it sounds to me like your father`s got his own problems." "Maybe he`s using you for an excuse not to face them." "Don`t let him be your excuse for undoing all the wonderful work you`ve done." "lt`s real easy for you to talk from where you are isn`t it?" "You`ve got two parents and you got two legs." "So why don`t you use them." "Deke, l`m not going to let you push me away, l`m your friend." "Yeah, maybe you`re the only one who got anything out of me being racked up" "You`ve finally found a boyfriend you couldn`t run away from you" "You know, you`re not the only one in the world that can hurt." "Hey Deke where you been, you`re late?" "Yeah I know l`m sorry I was busy in my room counting my blessings." "Alright what`s the matter what`s going on" "Nothings wrong." "l`m just tired messing around with this horse that`s all." "What are you talking about?" "l`m talking about l`m tired of trying to win one for the Gifford." "l`m tired of trying to please my old man, he doesn`t give a dam one way or the other." "Why don`t you try doing this to yourself?" "." "Let you father win his own victories, do this for you." "I don`t need some flunky orderly telling me how to run my life you know." "Hey Deke, you`re doing too good to quit now." "Come on man, what do you care?" "Find some other cripple you can help" "Deke you`ve come too far, you`re good." "Get out of my life man, who do you think you are?" "l`m the guy who hit you that`s who." "It wasn`t my fault that it happened, but it did" "You knew he was the guy that hit me." "That`s right Deke, I knew." "Now it all makes sense to me." "This is the lets feel sorry for Deke club isn`t it?" "Well l`m sorry to wreck it for you" "And Richie I want to thank you for all your help." "Now if you all do me just one favour..." "Go to hell!" "I don`t feel like talking right now Scotty." "That`s good" "Because you`ve been talking enough, so right now you listen I told you I try to live in the minute." "To think of what I have." "Not what I don`t have." "People who aren`t on wheels are dumb enough." "But when I see somebody who ought to know better, throw it away" "What l`ll never have it drives me crazy." "You know what I wish?" "I wish I could get one arm to move, you know why?" "l`m asking you a question, you know why?" "I don`t care why, okay Good enough for you?" "Not good enough." "Nowhere near good enough." "See, if I could get just one arm to move... I wouldn`t have to have some nurse come in and wipe me when I go to the bathroom." "Pretty basic isn`t it?" "And then I see you." "And you got a chance to go out there and make people see you." "Not your wheelchair, not your prosthetics or your crutches." "You`ve got a chance to make them see you." "And you got a chance to fly around that horse like..." "Superman or something." "Something most people with legs could never do" "You`ve got a chance to stretch up and fly." "And you`re throwing it away, because you`re afraid to live without the crutch" "What crutch?" "Being handicapped." "That`s the best crutch in the world..." "Don`t expect anything from me l`m just a poor cripple"" "And every time somebody like you does it makes it that much harder for me l`m going to be a lawyer." "And you`re throwing a roadblock up in my way, because you make those turkeys think ... I can`t do something because l`m handicapped too." "Let me tell you something pal l`m more than just the parts of my body that don`t work." "And so are you" "But if you can`t live without the excuse of being handicapped then..." "Go hide in a closet somewhere until you can." "It would make things a hell of a lot easier for the rest of us." "Hi, what can I get you?" "I want to see Jonathan." "Oh, he`s gone home now." "Could you give him a message for me?" "Surely" "Tell him we got a date to work-out tomorrow." "Alright, l`ll tell him" "Oh yeah and one more thing." "Yep" "Tell him be there." "Hello" "Robert?" "Jonathan Smith." "Look this isn`t a good time to call, I know you tried today" "Can Richie work out with Deke tomorrow morning?" "What are you talking about?" "Ritchie came home and said -tell him to forget what happened" "Tell him he`d better be on his toes because Deke Larson thinks he can beat him" "You mean it?" "l mean it." "Thank God." "You got that right l`ll see you later." "Rich, hey Rich." "Nice night, huh?" "Yes." "lt`s two o`clock in the morning." "I thought you had a bar exam tomorrow?" "I do." "Don`t you think you ought to get some sleep?" "Yes, I suppose." "What`s the matter are you scared?" "Me?" "Yeah, you." "Tough Scotty, scared to death." "lt`s always easier telling the other person to get along without the crutch." "Oh come on, don`t you think you have a right to be scared." "You think guys who aren`t wheels aren`t sweating out tomorrow." "Sure they are, but their different." "Why?" "Because I feel an obligation..." "To a lot of other guys like me." "Yeah well don`t." "What you doing is tough enough, without carrying anybody else on your shoulders." "What if I fail?" "What if I don`t make it I don`t pass -l don`t know what does everybody else do?" "Come on l`m not like everybody else" "Oh really?" "That`s funny, I thought that`s what I thought you were trying to prove..." "That you were just like everybody else." "Oh Jonathan." "You sure have a way of kicking out a guys crutch." "Alright now l`ve got it kicked out, why don`t you go get some sleep." "You`ve got a big exam tomorrow -yeah" "He`s quite a guy you`ve got there." "I passed the bar, if you need a lawyer you`ve got one." "Speech." "I want to say thanks to a lot of you here..." "For your encouragement, for being friends..." "Passing the bar was my first big step." "Now I know it`s not going to be easy, getting people to accept me at first... l`ll make it" "l`ve had a lot of tougher challenges in my life... I made a promise to myself years ago..." "And l`ve kept it." "It doesn`t do any good to promise other people.." "lt`s too easy to jive them if you want to..." "You can`t jive yourself." "I wanted to be a lawyer, and I promised myself I would." "Make a promise..." "And keep it" "Hey you`re all done Mac." "You alright?" "Yeah, yeah l am That`s the problem." "What are you talking about?" "l`m talking about me being here." "I don`t have to be here." "You know what Scotty was talking about today?" "Making yourself a promise and keeping it?" "Yeah I made that promise, months ago..." "But I never kept it." "What was it?" "To stop pretending that I had to be here.." "And to call my son..." "And tell him I was ready to go home l`ve been ready a long time" "How come you`ve never done that?" "lt`s hard to explain." "I mean it will sound dumb." "Try me" "Well you know when you raise a boy." "They always try to have that father figure." "Big, strong and your boy looks up to you." "Well, l`m not that anymore." "l`m feeble." "He wants me to live with him" "Hell, I can`t even pull my own weight anymore." "Father doesn`t want his boy seeing him like that." "Mac, you got it all wrong." "You took care of that boy while he was growing up didn`t you?" "Yeah, the best I could." "How did that make you feel, caring for him and seeing that he turned out right?" "Good, made me feel good and proud." "Your damn right it did." "Well he`s got a chance now to do the same thing and you`re stealing that from him... because of your pride" "You think at your age he needs to have the toughest father on the block?" "You think he`s going around saying my dad can whip your dad?" "No, that would be stupid." "No more stupid than what you`re doing" "You know what I think you ought to do Mac I think you ought to make that phone call." "Yeah me too... me too." "Okay, bye son." "What did he say?" "He said get my butt home." "He needs his dad." "l`ll get it, Mom." "Hi" " Hi" "Can I talk to you?" "Yeah sure, come in." "l`ll just be a minute." "l`ve got to get back to work." "Deke wants to see you." "No l`m sorry, I can`t do that." "Why not?" "Because I don`t feel like being hurt anymore." "You care a lot about him don`t you?" "Too much." " Give him another chance." "He`s changed an awful lot these past few weeks he`s not sitting around feeling sorry for himself anymore." "And he really wants to see you." "Can I ride over with you?" "You bet you can." "l`ll just be a minute." "Hi" "Oh hi i got a message you wanted to see me?" "Yeah I should have done it sooner..." "But l`ve been working out." "I want to apologise for what I said earlier lt wasn`t true." "Yeah it was, you are the first boy who couldn`t run away from me." "Well if that was the case then it`s lucky for me." "What`s all this stuff, are you going home?" "Yeah." "Well you must be happy about that?" "Yeah, sure I guess." "lt`s going to be a little weird seeing my dad when he comes by to pick up my little brother for baseball practice" "Don`t worry l`m not getting into one of my little self-pity numbers l`m going to show him." " Show him what?" "That l`m still a winner." "l`m going to compete a week from Friday" " So soon?" "l`m ready." "I don`t know if he`ll be there" "Have you talked to him yet?" "Just on the phone..."how you doing, great, gotta run"" "Have you tried to talk to him?" "Well if he doesn`t want to see me fine, I don`t need to see him." "Somebody`s got to take the first step." "Yeah well he`s the one with legs." "Let him do it." "Sounds like you two are a lot alike" "Maybe..." "l`ve got a favour to ask of you?" "Sure, what is it?" "I need you to help me to learn how to dance?" "l`m not much of a dancer." "Well I got an extra crutch you can borrow." "Eleanor, may I have this dance?" "Why the sudden need to learn to dance?" "Well there`s not much to do at the prom, I mean we can talk..." "But, l`d rather dance with you." "Did you just asked me to the prom?" "Uh hu l`ll think about it." "Yeah" "Can I talk to you for a minute?" "Yeah I guess so" "Whatever it is make it quick." "l`m in the middle of packing." "Got a flight out tomorrow." "Your son`s meets tomorrow." "Yes, I know" "And you`re not going to be there?" "Well this trip came up and I got to go." "What the hell do I want to be there for?" "He`s just going to go out there and be a freak show for those people you know..." "A crippled gymnast" "Just a freak show" "He`s going out there because he thinks you don`t want anything to do with him... unless he`s a winner" "Well he`s not going to be a winner anymore" "You think I don`t want that for him?" "l`d give anything to give him back his legs" "Your son doesn`t want your pity, he wants you." "He needs to think he can still amount to something, and he needs you to be in his corner..." "To tell him he`s right" "Yeah well if that`s what he needs l`m the last person in the world to hold up as a shining example..." "Because I never amounted to a hill of beans, l`m just working stiff who never made it" "You`re his old man idiot, there is nothing in the world bigger and better than that to a kid." "I mean, my old man was a stonecutter." "When I was a little kid that`s all I could think about, growing up and becoming a stonecutter" "Like my old man" "Yeah, well l was a baseball player and he is never going to be a baseball player..." "So what good am I to him?" "I told you your his old man and he needs you" "Well I can`t do it." "Can`t" "That is hard to believe." "To think your boy wanted to grow up like you." "How`s Jamie doing?" "Oh he finally went to sleep." "That`s good.." "You know Mom, it`s so strange." "I was blaming myself for dads leaving." "Jamie thought it was his fault." "Funny how kids think." "Not just kids believe me." "I keep thinking..." "Had only I tried differently, or tried a lot harder" "How does it happen?" "Not really talking I think." "You know we had almost too perfect a family life." "We never faced with real problems." "When a problem cropped up, we could not handle it." "I have learned a lot from all this" "Not saying I wouldn`t like things to be the way they were but you will find out what things really matter." "There would still come a time that I had to accept... l`m no longer going to play baseball anymore." "l`d been too old or something like that." "You know what I mean?" "I love you, Mom." "Were going to be alright." "There you go." "Where to?" " Airport please." "Hey, Deke." "Good luck." "Do your best." "I can use some competition." "You got it." "Richie, listen..." "Thanks man.." "l`m going to get Max." "You sit tight and relax." "I am paralyzed from my neck down How much more relaxed can I get?" "Sorry, I have to change the tyre." "Will I still make my flight?" "Yes, just." "What the hell is going on here?" "This is all new rubber." "Call me another cab." "Yeah, sure." "l`m sorry about this." "Dispatch, L35." "Dispatch, L35." "Why me, God?" "Now my radio gone." "l`ll do the best I can." "Ok, but hurry." "Do you have a problem?" "I was going to the airport and the whole damn cab fell apart l`m going there jump in." "Great thanks." "Boy you couldn`t have come at a better time" "Yeah must be your lucky day" "Why are we stopping here?" "For your son`s gym meet" "What`s going on?" "l`ve been working with the boy." "You`re from the hospital?" "That`s right." "You`re going to miss your plane anyway." "Why not come inside?" "l`m going to get another cab." "You were a minor league ball player but you`ve got a chance to be a major league father" "lt`s up to you." "l`ll be inside with your boy." "How`d you make out?" "l don`t know yet." "Are you ready?" "Ready as l`ll ever be" "Where have you been?" "Just out messing around" "The next gymnast will be from Meadow view High School:" "Deke Larson junior." "Hey, you got company" "l`ll be darned he showed up" "Let`s do it" "Go get them." "That will cost me points." "I could win." "Sorry." "Hey, who gives a damn!" "l`ve been waiting to hear you say that." "I love you, son." "Walk like a champion." "You got it."