" Hi, guys." " Hi, honey." "Well, congratulate me. I got my grades." "4.0 average!" " [Tim] That's great, honey!" " [boys] Great." "Alright." "Do you have any idea how satisfying it is to get straight A's?" "Sorry." " Congratulations." " Thank you." "This last month has been so horrible." "But now, next week, all I have to do is relax." "That's it." "You just sit back and relax, honey." " [telephone rings]" " Would you get that for me?" "Well, heck!" "Why don't I get it?" "Hello?" "[deep voice] Yes, colonel, it's me." "Yeah." "I'm right here." "You don't have to yell at me." "It's your dad." "Uh-huh." "This weekend?" "Uh-huh." "They have frequent flier mileage that's gonna expire." "They want to come this weekend." "You..." "I..." "What...?" "Why don't I let Jill tell you the good news?" "You talk..." "He's your dad!" "Hi, Daddy." "There's nothing that I would like more than to have you visit, but I'm sick." "Yeah. [coughing]" "Yeah." "A head cold." "You know, cough." "Flu." "I think I have an ear infection." "[sniffs]" "Oh, yeah. I'm so sorry. [sniffs]" "Oh, well, thank you." "I'm sure I'll feel better soon." "OK." "Bye." "[exhales heavily]" " What?" " You lied to Grandpa." " l didn't exactly lie." " Well, then what exactly did you do?" "There's a very good explanation for this." "What is it?" "I'm really burned out from school." "I need time for myself." "But if I told that to your grandpa, it would have hurt his feelings." "So when we get older and we don't want you to visit, can we lie?" "Randy, when your father and I get older, you won't have to lie because you'll want to be around us." "We're gonna be just as cool as we are right now." "Right, Tim?" "I'm dyin' here, aren't I?" "All you're missing is the headstone." " Well, hi-ho, good neighbor." " Hi there, Wilson." "Did Al and Heidi find something at your garage sale?" "Oh, yes, indeed. I thought you might be interested in this." "This is a handmade wooden throne." "It's nice, but if I'm sitting on a throne, it's gonna be porcelain, my friend." "Hey, Wilson. I would love to have this antique cheese whipper." "No fair. I saw it first." "I'll give you twice the asking price." " l'll double that." " Well, that brings us up to 80 cents." "I'm out." "Grandma's on the phone." "She wants to talk to you." "Thanks." "Hi, Lillian." "No, Jill's not here." "She's out, you know, buying stuff to nurse her cold." "What?" "Oh, my God!" "That's horrible, Lillian." "How did it happen?" "Oh, you..." "How are you doing?" "Oh, boy!" "This is horrible news, Lillian." "What can I do?" "Just tell..." "Yeah." "Go ahead and call all of them." "I'll have Jill call when she gets back." "OK." "Bye." " [Wilson] Tim, what happened?" " Jill's dad died." "Oh, Tim. I'm so sorry." "Oh, so am I." "What... what happened?" "Was the colonel sick?" " No. lt was a heart attack." "Sudden." " That's awful." "Poor Jill." "I'll have to take the family to Texas." "You'll have to take care of Tool Time." " Of course." " See you, guys." "Boy, this really puts things in perspective!" "Yeah." "Al, you take the cheese whipper." " Oh, no, no. I couldn't possibly." " No, really. I insist." "Wilson, we can't accept this cheese whipper." "OK." "Um... put her on that 6:30 a.m. flight to San Antonio, alright?" "Put it on my credit card and she'll pick it up at the airport." "Good." "That'll be fine." "Thank you." " Hi, sweetie." " Hi." "What an incredible day I had!" "I went to the modern art museum." "Then I met Patty for lunch." "We went shopping." "We got herbal wraps." "You cannot imagine how good I feel." " Your mom called a little while ago." " Oh, no." "Let me guess." "She's mad because I wouldn't let her come this weekend." "Honey..." "What?" "is something wrong?" "...it's about your dad." "My dad what?" "He... he had a heart attack this morning." "He didn't make it, honey." "Oh, my God!" "Oh, my God!" "He fell asleep in that old recliner in the den and he never woke up." "He didn't suffer at all." "Heart attack!" "I can't believe this, I just talked to him, he sounded fine." " l know." " What about Mom?" "I should..." "She's holding up real well." "She's holding up real well." " [sobbing] - l booked you on a morning flight, OK?" "I'll tie-up the loose ends and bring the boys." " We'll head out tomorrow afternoon." " [crying] OK." "OK." " Oh, no!" "Oh, no!" " lt's OK. I'll pack." "Don't worry." " l'll do..." " No." "You don't understand." "Dad called and asked if he could visit." "I made up that story about being sick." " How could I do that?" " You didn't know this would happen." " You needed time for yourself." " Don't you understand?" "I could've seen him one more time." "I could've told him that I loved him." "The last thing that I said to my father was a lie!" " Hey, hey, hey, hey..." " [whimpers]" "Guys, you gotta get packed." "How's the ironing going?" "[sighs]" "Hey, you can wear a wide tie." "I can't believe we're never gonna see Grandpa again." "Well, actually, we will get a chance to see Grandpa one more time." "An open casket?" "Geez, that's gross!" "Oh, just think of it like an open house." "Some people think viewing the body gives them a chance to say goodbye to the deceased once more." " What if I don't want to look?" " No one's gonna make you look." "Nobody's gonna make me look." "Whoa!" "You know, I just thought of something." "What if Mom had let Grandpa come here for the weekend and it happened here?" "Yeah." "He used to sleep in my room." "He could've died in my bed!" "Then you'd still have to sleep in it." "Of course, you know, I'm sure Mom would flip the mattress." "Just knock it off!" "You think this suit is too small?" "No." "Besides, it's real fashionable to show five inches of bare leg." "I want to look good for the funeral." "Well, I got news for you..." "Grandpa's gonna look more lifelike." "Grandpa just died." "Will you stop making jokes?" "Gentlemen, come on, come on!" "Take him upstairs." "See if that old brown suit of yours fits him." " Need help with that collar?" " No, Dad." "I know how to iron for a funeral." "You just set the dial to "stiff."" " Randy?" " Yeah, Dad." "I don't know why I'm making these stupid jokes." "It's OK." "Sometimes making jokes is a way to deal with the loss of somebody." "That's how you grieve." "I did it at my dad's funeral." "Oh, yeah." "I mean, now that you talk about it, I remember Aunt Rita's funeral." "You had some good jokes." "And you killed." "The truth is, in these situations, be careful who you make the jokes around." "I know. I would never say this kind of stuff around Grandma." "And make no jokes around your mom, or Mark, or anybody sensitive." "Just do 'em around me." "Sorry we're late." "Jill's plane couldn't get clearance to land." "They kept circling the airport." " Are you OK?" " Yeah, yeah. I'm OK." "But you with your flu and your ear infection." "No, really. I feel much better." "Where's Mom?" "Oh, she's back at the house helping Robin and Carrie with the food." "This is Mr. Stillman, the funeral director." " Hello." " My sisters Jill and Tracy." "Welcome to our newly remodeled chapel featured in the June issue of Mortuaries Illustrated." "Was that the swimsuit issue?" "It's gonna be a lovely service." "I know the colonel would have approved." " Oh, did you know our father?" " We feel we know our guests in spirit." "Your guests?" "What is this?" "The Bates Motel?" "Come in my office when you're ready." "We'll talk about what Dad will be wearing." "Oh, Jill, before I forget, I want to give you this herbal medicine." "Now, you take two Echinacea, one Goldenseal, and a garlic pill twice a day." "Hi, girls. I... oh, Jill." "Mom." "How are you doing?" "Oh, I'm better now that all my girls are here." "You were staying home because you didn't trust Robin and Carrie with the food." "Well, I finished all that and I came down here." "You don't trust us with the funeral arrangements?" "It's not that I don't trust you." "It's just that I trust myself more." "How are you feeling, honey?" "You look terrible." " Actually, I'm much better." " Jill, you always were a terrible liar." "If you're sick, you're sick." "Would you girls mind if I spend a moment with Jill?" "Oh, sure." "Sure, Mom." "You spend your moment with Jill." "We'll just go talk wardrobe with Mr. Sunshine." " Mom, how are you holding up?" " Oh, I'm hanging in there." "What about you?" "I hope all that traveling wasn't too hard on you, what with that flu and your ear infection." "No, really, Mom." "I'm feeling much better now." "You know, you always had a special place in your dad's heart." "I know. I know." "He was really looking forward to that trip to see you." " He was?" " Oh, yes." "But you were sick." "And, of course, he understood." "Now the irony is that you made the trip to see him." "OK." "Everything's ready for dinner." "I need someone to help with the fruit salad." " l'll help." " No, you might still be contagious." "We don't want Mom to catch anything, her resistance is low." "Guys, there's something I have to tell you." "[sighs] I'm not really sick." "Yeah, right." "You look like that and you're gonna tell us you're not sick." "Always the martyr." "Here." "Go sit down and rest." " l can't believe this." " Neither can I." "I keep thinking I'm gonna come down these stairs and see your father in front of the TV yelling at those "liberal Yankee newscasters!"" "Mom, is there anything that I can do for you?" "Don't worry about me." "You're the one that we have to take care of." "You lie down right there and rest." "Why don't I make you some soup?" "You're supposed to drink lots of liquids." "Really, I'm feeling so much better." "Now, Jill, I can take care of my daughter." "Now, you just stay right there." "And don't you lift a finger." "[door opens]" "Oh, I'm so glad to see you." "Did you iron your shirts?" "I want you to look good for the funeral tomorrow." "Come on, Mom, you've been through enough." "Let's not talk about the shirts." "Go into the kitchen and say hi to your aunts and your grandma." "Are they still gonna pinch us even though we're here for a funeral?" "The sadder the occasion, the harder the pinching." "See this scar?" "My dad's funeral." "Aunt Winnie." "She took a piece of my flesh right off there." "[Tracy] Oh, look how you've grown!" "[Brad] Ow!" " How are you doing?" " You won't believe what's going on." "Well, let me guess." "Your mom thinks you're sick, so she's waiting on you." " Tim, I have to tell her the truth." " Now is not a good time." "Why?" "If she finds out you lied, it'll cast a pall over the whole funeral." "I'm so glad you're here." "Did you fight in Korea with my grandpa?" " l would've been two years old." " You would have been in the infantry?" ""lnfant-try."" "You know, I'll always cherish Daddy's nickname for me." "Nutcase?" "He said it with such love." "Come on, everyone." "Who has a story about Colonel Patterson they'd like to share?" " Tim." " Oh remember the first time that Jill brought me to meet him?" "Oh, yeah. I remember that." "When Jill finally left us alone, the colonel turned to me and said, [deep voice] "How much will it take for you to turn around and never come back?"" "Years later he gave me the best compliment ever, [deep voice] "Son, ten grand!" "That's my final offer!" "You can't handle the truth!"" "Dad was gruff, but he always told it like it was." "Yes." "Honesty was very important to him, he instilled that in all his children." "Jill, would you like to say a few words?" "Oh, sure." "Yes, well, Dad was really..." "There was this one time that we, uh... I really don't want to do this right now." "Mom can I talk to you, privately, for a moment?" "Poor thing." "She's a little under the weather." "Well..." "Then there was the time the colonel introduced my butt to the business end of a bayonet." "Let me show you the puncture wound." " Mom..." " Honey, you look so pale." " This flu that's going around..." " Mom, it's not the flu." "Now, look, there's something that I have to tell you." "I lied to Dad." "Oh, Jill, relax." "He found out a long time ago that you vote democrat." "No, Mom." "When Dad called to ask if you all could come up and visit, I said that I was sick." "I made that up." "You didn't want us to visit you?" "No, Mom. lt just..." "It wasn't a good time." "I thought you'd understand, but I didn't have the guts to say no to Dad!" "Well, your father was not an easy man to say no to." "Well, maybe not." "But now the last memory I have of my father is lying to him." "What do you suppose would've happened if you'd told him the truth?" "I don't know!" "He probably would've understood." "[chuckles] I don't think we're talking about the same colonel." "Well, how do you think he would've reacted?" "He would've said," ""What do you mean you want time for yourself?" "We'll be there at 0800" " and we're bivouacking in Brad's room."" " That does sound like Dad." "He always had to have everything his own way." "It could be 20 below zero and he'd still want the window open at night." "You remember when he went in for his knee surgery?" "Oh, yeah." "He yelled at that surgeon because the scalpel wasn't shiny enough." "Then he told the doctor to drop and give him 20 on the operating room floor." "I guess Dad could be kinda pushy sometimes." "He was pushy, he was stubborn, he was hotheaded, and he drove me crazy." "And I miss him so much..." "Oh, Mom." "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." "Now, Jill, you have always been a wonderful daughter." "And the last thing your father would want would be for you to torture yourself over a silly little fib." " l love you, Mom." " l love you too, honey." "I don't remember that picture of us." " Which base was that taken at?" " Oh, that was Fort Hood." "That was the base where Elvis was stationed." " Dad knew Elvis?" " He was his commanding officer." "Who do you think Hound Dog was written about?" "Wait. ls this Army mule the same one I'm holding in the picture?" "Yes." "That was your favorite, remember?" "But it's all ratty." "Why would Dad hold onto it all of these years?" "To remind him of you." "He always hated it that you had to live so far away." "Oh, Mom..." "Five years ago, your father took that mascot and put it on top of the TV set." "And, ever since that time, Army has beaten Navy every football game." "So I guess I was kind of a good luck charm." "I guess you were." "Can I keep him?" "I think your father would like that provided you keep it on top of the television set." "Deal." " Mom?" " [Lillian] Huh?" "You know, if you moved to Michigan, you wouldn't have to be so far away from us." "But I'd be far away from Tracy, and Linda, and Carrie and Robin." "Exactly my point." "Oh, Jill, I'd love to be near you, but I think it's too soon for me to start making any changes." "OK." "Let's go in there and listen to more happy memories of Dad." "OK." "So there I was getting strip-searched by a colonel of the United States Army!" "At that point I knew I was a family member, I'll tell you that." "Boy, that guy had big hands!" "Woo!" "The boys are in bed." "What are you doing?" "I just finished my eulogy for tomorrow." "My sisters and I are each gonna give a little speech." "Well, I'm sure yours'll be the best." "It's not a contest, honey." "We're just gonna share our feelings about Dad." "The colonel was a real great man, you know?" "Yeah, he was." "You know, I thought I would feel so much better when I told Mom the truth, but now I just feel sadder." "It's understandable." "You're allowing yourself to grieve." "Yeah, I guess." " You've been so great." " [questioning grunt]" "Oh, yeah." "You took care of all the travel arrangements." "You took care of the boys." "You took care of me." "I did what I had to." "I didn't think twice about it, honey." "That's what makes it so wonderful." "That I can count on you when I need you the most." "I'm just sorry you had to be reminded of that fact on such a sad occasion." "Listen to you." "You're saying all the right things." "Enjoy it while you can." "I don't know where it's coming from." "But I'm sure it's not gonna last."