"Oh!" "Uh!" "Uhh!" "Aah!" "Joseph!" "Joey!" "Joey!" "Joey." "Joey." "Joey." "Get up, Joey." "It's going 5:00 already." "OK, Mama." "Yes, sir." "Bet you wonder if I ever get tired of milking you, huh?" "Ha ha ha!" "Huh?" "Here you go." "Here." "Try some of this." "You're gonna like this a lot better." "Yes, sir." "Uh-huh." "You know what I just might do?" "I just might get me one of them machines... that can suck a cow to death... especially a willful old cow like yourself.." "Ahh." "Oh." "Yeah." "What do you think about that?" "Morning, Robert." "OK, OK." "Get into class." "Hi, Mrs. Henson." "Morning." "Morning." "Hi, Mrs. Henson." "Morning." "Morning." "Morning." "Megan, where do you think you're going?" "Megan." "Thank you." "Hey, you want to trade?" "Huh?" "Not in this lifetime." "Ha ha ha." " Hey, hey!" " Hey." "Tonight, your place or mine?" "Mine." " Have a good one." " You, too." "OK, everybody." "Quiet down." "Sit in the right chair." "Sit down, now." "I pledge allegiance to the flag... of the United States of America... and to the republic for which it stands... one nation..." "Now, I know that you've all heard... about the possibility of the school closing... at the end of this semester." "For those of you who aren't graduating... and that's most of you..." "that would mean..." ""There was once a beautiful girl whose father was a miller."" "I tried to tell them..." "I wasn't teaching a bunch of Rhodes scholars." "But apparently, the school board has more faith in you." "Now, all of this is not official... until the school board meets next week... at which time I will be able... to present formally my arguments against it." "As you all know, it's always best to be thinking ahead." "Well, now." "Who might you be?" "Catherine..." "ahem..." "Wheeler." "Well, Catherine Wheeler, come on in and close the door." "I don't see your name on the enrollment sheet here." " What grade are you, Catherine?" " I'm a senior." "Senior." "Oh, yeah." "Well, welcome to Howardsville." "You'll find this a very friendly place... and if you or your family need any help... please feel free to ask." "Thank you." "Just, uh, pick a vacant seat out there." "OK." "Heh." "I'd like to start with local history today." "Get your history book and turn to page, uh..." "You two shouldn't be working so late." "We just have to finish scheduling assignments." "We won't be much longer." "Good night, Mama." "Sleep tight, hon." " Good night, Robert." " Good night, sir." "Well, I'm off to beddy-bye." "Good night, Lily." "Good night, Lily." "Well, another year... the last one, as it turns out." "Had to happen eventually." "It's called progress." "What's progressive about making thirty kids... ride sixty miles every day?" "Speaking of which, are you taking the job?" "I don't think so." "I thought maybe I could just be a fill-in or something." "What do you think?" "I think you should do whatever you want." "Can we talk about farming this place?" "What about it?" "Joseph." "That's old news, Rosealee." "What do you want me to do... work both places like Lily and my mom want?" "We'd have corn on one and soybeans on the other." "They always use you to get at me." "I guess they just think... you'll fall to pieces without your job." "You know..." "drink, not marry me." "Maybe I should find somebody else... but I got six years into you." "Likewise." "We should just make up our minds." "I already have, six years ago." "You're a bit slow." "What's going to change if we marry?" "I don't want to live here with Orin's mother." "You don't want to move out of this fine house into ours." "Of course I would." "I'd move in tomorrow." "Robert's going off to college." "I'd better be getting home." "I'll finish these later." "You're not spending the night?" "Uh-uh." "I have to look in on Mama." "She hasn't been feeling too good." "What happened to your father?" "Korea." "He died in the war." "So Mr. Svenden's your stepdad?" "No." "He's just screwing my mother is all." "Let's go, Robert." "See you later." "Mr. Svenden." "Major Nathan Wheeler, U.S. Army, retired." "I guess you've heard I'm your new neighbor." "Yeah." "Well, in these parts... that's anybody living in a 20-mile radius of each other." "Ha ha." "I believe you've met my daughter Catherine." "Yes, sir, I have." " How are you today, Catherine?" " Good, thank you." "Which reminds me, her records arrive today." "So she'll have them for you Monday, if that's all right." "That sounds just fine." "Also, I was wondering if I could talk you... maybe into boarding Catherine's horse." "The Adelman place doesn't have a barn." "I was talking to Dr. Evans earlier... and he suggested you might be agreeable... to an arrangement for a fee." "I could pay you, say, $175 a month." "Does that sound fair?" "It sounds, uh..." "just fine, Major." "Thank you." "I'm gonna take him out now." "S-V-E-N-D-E-N." "Is that Norwegian or Swedish?" "Oh, it's Swedish." " Here you go." " Thank you." " I'm very grateful to you, sir." " Oh, thank you." "Honey, I don't think we have time for that right now." "I can drop her by your place later, Major." "I have to pass by there in a while anyway." "Oh, come on." "Please, Daddy?" " If it's no trouble." " No, no trouble at all." "Catherine, when Mr. Sven den is ready to go, you come home." " You hear me?" " Yes, I do." "OK." "Thank you, sir." "Is right here OK?" "Sure." "That's good." "My father would have paid $200 a month." "I know." "Would it be too much if I came over to ride him every day?" "No." "Come whenever you like." "You don't need a key." "I love that poem that you read yesterday by Keats." "Do you like him better than Emily Dickinson?" "What are you thinking about?" "This is my last year of teaching." "I've heard a lot of really good things about Chicago... but New York is the place to go, I guess." "For drama school." "Is that what you want to do... study acting?" "I think I'd be good at it." "What are you gonna do next year?" "I don't know." "What are you good at?" "What?" "What am I good at?" "Yeah." "Deep down inside... we all know that there's something that we're good at." "It's just a matter of making others recognize... our true talents." "You know that you're good at, like, teaching... and farming, right?" "No." "I'm a mediocre teacher." "I'm even a worse farmer." "Ah, there goes your theory." "I don't think so." "But even if that's true... there's gotta be something that you're good at... and you're just not telling me." "But I'll find out." "" That you will always want me. "" "" I will always be here waiting. "" "" Ringing in your... "" "" Do you want to cry? "" "" If your man don't love you. "" "" You feel he's doing you wrong. "" "Now, you take it when you eat, you know, three times." "Everything all right?" "Oh, I'm fine, Joey." "Dr. Evans was kind enough to drop off my refills." "Thought I'd save you a trip into town." "I had to come out to the old Adelman place anyway." "I appreciate it." "Only the Adelmans don't own it anymore." "A family by the name of Wheeler bought it last month..." " A retired major down from..." " Yeah." "I met them already." "Oh?" "The daughter?" "Huh?" "Heh heh." "Not exactly your basic little farm girl, is she?" "Dad's a hunting man to boot." "The mother's an alcoholic." "He's trying to dry her out." "Ask him if he needs to buy some farm implements." "We sure could use the money." "If Joey cashed in all those coins... it would probably carry us all year." "That milk can's in a bad spot." "It's too awkward for you to be... you know, squatting there, wrapping them... and it's too heavy for me to move... so for the time being, I think I'll just leave it alone." "What are you gonna do when it's full?" "I don't know." "How's she doing?" "Well... she's in more pain than she admits to." "You know how she is." "She doesn't like to complain, so..." "It'll get worse." "How long?" "Well, maybe half a year, maybe less." "It's hard to be any more precise than that." "Of course, I..." "I could put her on chemo... give her a few more months of exquisite agony." "No." "I don't think she's gonna want to go the distance, Doc." "You talked to her about it." "No." "I..." "I think she's decided to go." "All right." "You know what you ought to do..." "put your mind to?" "Getting this truck washed." "Think about it." "OK, kids." "Let's turn to page 125." "OK, recess is over." "Let's go in." "Catherine." "Catherine?" "Why didn't you answer me?" "What for?" "You knew I was here." "You're right." "What do you keep up here?" "Well... some hay, as you can see." "And it's probably gone moldy." "I got a couple bags of... high hay pellets... but I'll have to get quite a few more." "Ahh." "Not too many people come up here, do they?" "No, they, uh... they certainly don't." "Jesus Christ." "What?" "Yes?" "I..." "I think we should make love." "What are you thinking about?" "That I never made love with a student before." " Does it bother you?" " I don't know." "I think it would bother me more if it had been your first time." "I don't think it was, was it?" "No." "I've been with other guys." "I see." "Did you enjoy yourself?" "With them or with you?" "I deserved that." "Well... let's just say that you're the best so far." "Ha ha!" "Son of a bitch." "I guess the drinks are on you." "Sure." "What?" "You know, Rosealee, I guess I've been in love with you... about all of my whole stupid life." "Well, that's all right." "It's good for you." " You up for another?" " Why not?" "OK." "Going for my threes." " Mrs. Henson." " Hey, Reverend." " Rosealee." " Doctor." "Cheer up." "The war's over." "Can I have a shot?" "Surely, Mr. Svenden, you can't expect us to allow you... to continue teaching without the proper credentials." "I don't believe you ever even went to college." "Look, I think Mr. Svenden understands... the position the board is taking... but, you know, he's been teaching here... for more than twenty years." "And not one of his students has ever been... denied admission to college because of academic reasons." "Granted, not many have wanted to go... but Mrs. Johnson's son here got into the university... on an academic scholarship, and he's doing well." "It does happen." "We have two perfectly good schools in town... taught by professional educators." "What do you offer that they don't?" "A chance to gain the basics... without being bused sixty miles a day... after getting up at dawn to do chores." "These kids have a hard enough time... competing with the kids in town." "Why didn't you simply take some college courses... and earn a degree, like Mrs. Henson?" "I wasn't teaching college courses." "In all fairness, ma'am, I had more time and resources... available to me than did Mr. Svenden." "Don't make any excuses for me." "I could have done that, yes... but I didn't think the school board... was going to expand its district this far out of town." "I was trying to combine a service with making a living." "I guess I was wrong." "Mr. Svenden, you certainly can't blame us for your oversight." "You have had every opportunity to earn your credentials." "You've already made up your mind about this." "There's nothing I can say here today... that's going to make any difference, is there?" "No." "I'm afraid that's true." "We don't see any reason... why we should reconsider the matter." "Then why in the hell did you let me... waste my time talking to you?" "We don't need that kind of language, Mr. Svenden." "That's because you're a bunch of pompous assholes." "I believe you owe this board an apology." "For what?" "No rule says I can't call an asshole an asshole." "Rosealee." "It's time for you to marry me." "I know." "Well, say it." "Say, "Will you marry me?"" "I want to make you happy." " Truth?" " Yes." "You do make me happy." "As happy as Orin made you?" "I'm going home." "Hey... you're a beauty, all right." "You're a beauty, all right." "Here you go." "Well, sir, she's holding her own." "That's good." "Yeah." "Been hunting lately?" "I've been getting out a little bit." "I went after some duck with the major last week." "Got three beauties..." "not mine." "His." "Bastard's a crack shot, I'll give that to him." "Almost as good as you." " Really?" " It'd be close." "Told me he saw a coyote down around Ferry's Road." "He's all set to go after it." "There aren't any coyotes in this part of the country." "Maybe it was a wolf.." "There aren't any wolves, either." "Come on with me." "I got something I want to give you." "I wanted you to have this." "I found out the hard way last week... my back ain't what it used to be." "Hunting and I are done." "Jesus, Doc." "I don't know what to say." "You sure you want to do this?" "Well, I know you've always admired it." "I'm tired of oiling the thing." "Anyway, I'd rather you have it... than have it sit around and die of rust." "All right, call me if there's any change... and let her do what she wants." "Uhh!" "Jesus, Catherine." "I'm Lady Godiva." "You like it?" "Get off that horse, you lunatic." "What if somebody walked in?" "What if they did?" "You just surprised me, is all." "I'm an old man." "Ha ha!" "You've got to watch my heart." "Ha ha ha!" "What if the major found out about us?" "What if he did?" "Oh." "Smells good in here." "I roasted a mallard." "Joey, oh, you're a mess." "Are you drunk?" "Clean up now." "Supper's almost ready." "I'm fine, Mama." "I'm just fine." "Look what the doctor gave me." "Oh, that was good of him." "Heh!" "He said he was too old to hunt." "Can you imagine that?" "Too old to hunt." "How are you feeling, Mama?" "Oh..." "Feels like there are nails driven in my stomach." "You want me to call Dr. Evans?" "No, no, no." "You have to marry Rosealee." "I know, Mama." "She told me she didn't think you wanted to marry her." "I said, "Nonsense."" "You were just waiting for me to die... so you wouldn't have so much on your mind." "I know you wanted to marry Rosealee when Orin did." "Now you can, so do it." "With the school closing, I won't have a job." "I can't get married without a job." "Nonsense." "Sell what's left." "Marry Rosealee." "Farm her place." "Heh heh." "You're stupid for a schoolteacher." "Heh." "Take Rosealee on a decent honeymoon." "Cash in those coins." ""The tossing waves..."" ""the foam, the ships in the distance..."" ""the wild unrest, the snowy curling caps..."" ""that inbound urge and urge of waves..."" ""seeking the shores forever."" "Wait a minute." "This isn't going anywhere, is it?" "Or I'm not going anywhere, am I?" "Have any of you been to the ocean?" "I have." "Oh, good." "Come up here." "Here." "Hold this." "Now, what I'm going to say is this... people think poetry's too complicated." " They think it's boring." " It is boring." "That's right." "That's right." "Mostly it is, and that's because mostly... poetry is written by bad poets." "Let's say that good poetry is really what's simple." "Let's say it's what you feel... when the morning wind moves across your face... when you smell the ocean for the first time." "When you..." "saw the ocean first... what did you feel?" "Oh..." "I..." "I think I felt scared." "A valid emotion." "You could write about that." "OK, now we're gonna have a little test." "I want you to write a poem... about some place you've been before, maybe a lake... some place that you felt something about." "I don't think you have to have been someplace... to write about it." "I'm sorry." "No, it's OK." "It's OK." "Explain yourself.." " What happened?" " Oh, it's an accident." "Catherine dropped my picture, that's all." "Go on." "Um, well, take Emily Dickinson." "She wrote love letters to a man... and yet it's been said that she died a virgin." "I mean, even if she never knew a man physically... she still wrote some of the greatest love poems... in all literature." "OK, that's right." "And your point?" "Well, you don't have to experience something... to write passionately about it." "All you need is your imagination." ""And what the imagination seizes as beauty..."" ""must be truth..."" ""whether it ever existed before or not."" "John Keats wrote that... in a letter to his parents in 1818." "Is that what you mean, Catherine?" "You should be teaching this class." "Don't ask to see me like this again." "Let's just keep it to our horse-riding arrangement." "And I don't want you flirting with me in class." "It's just not a good idea, Catherine." "You flirted with me first." "You can be a real dork, you know that?" "I did not flirt with you." "I don't need to flirt with you." "Oh, God." "You're pregnant, aren't you?" "No." "Is that what's been worrying you?" "It's crossed my mind." "Well, I happen to wear a diaphragm." "How about the first time?" "Were you wearing it then?" "Why should I tell you?" "Now, don't be cute with me." "Doo doo doo" "I'm not in the mood." "Don't." "Doo doo" "I'm not going to do anything until you tell me." "OK." "Yes." "I was wearing it then." "You knew that we were gonna make love?" "Yeah." "I had a premonition." "What did you want to say to me?" "Well..." "I am pregnant." "Well, what are we gonna do about it?" "Joseph!" "Just kidding!" "Just kidding?" "Ha ha ha ha!" "Ah ha ha!" "Come here." "Uh-uh." "I'm not touching you." "Harder." "Harder." "You smell like the ocean." "I am your ocean." "Looks like a storm coming in." "There's a girl in your class that's got a crush on you." "Heh." "There always is." "You remember Christina, the one with the big brown eyes?" "Yes, I do." ""Mr. Svenden, I wonder if you'd like..."" ""to take a ride in Daddy's new Cadillac."" "Ha ha ha!" " She was good-looking." " You're terrible." "Did she have a horse in your barn, too?" " Major?" " Good morning, Joseph." "I lost my hunting partner." "I thought you might like... to go out and shoot some birds with me." "I hear you're quite good." "I hear the same about you." "Well?" "Kind of jumpy there." " Heh." " Just relax." "They're gonna be coming in any minute." "I never bag more than I need." "What about you?" "No." "Absolutely not." "That's good." "I'm just too old... to just kill for the sake of killing." "I don't find any pleasure in it anymore." "Somebody told me that you saw a coyote... down around Ferry's Road." "No." "I thought it was, but I changed my mind." "It was too big." "It's a wolf, and I'm gonna nail the bastard." "I thought you didn't kill critters just for the fun of it." "Well, let's take coyotes, for instance." "Now, there is an interesting creature, very devious." "Did you know they can snatch a hen, a piglet... a hamster, a little pet... fshht!" "Out from under your nose just like that?" "Before you know it, they're gone." "They deserve to be killed." "Well, they're also free-spirited and determined." "You catch a coyote's leg in a trap... and he'll chew it off to get away." "Free-spirited, my ass." "They're greedy." "What they can't eat or fuck... they piss on, just like any other dog." "Here they come." "The first one is yours." "Bull's-eye." "I'm a little off this morning." "Uh..." "I increased her medication." "So... for a little while, she'll be woozier." "Uh, I think you should probably tell your sisters." "Why?" "So they can start fighting... over their share of things around here?" "Mom and I had a talk." "She decided she didn't want either one of them knowing." "Well, she's probably right." "Look at what I brought you." "It's sour mash bourbon." "It's twenty years old." "Ah, I know what it is." "Taste it." "Not now." "Too hung over." "You want to see Bolo?" "Not now." "I'm too sexed up." "How's your mother?" "Why are you interested in my mother?" "She's a drunk, period." "That's why I'm never gonna drink." "Do you like the color blue?" "I think you do." "Ha ha!" "I thought you would." "Let's go in the house." "No." "I told you, never in the house." "You don't love me anymore." "I do love you, Catherine." "No, you don't." "You're gonna marry Rosealee." "I'm gonna marry Rosealee?" "Who told you that?" "Robert." "He's not very happy about it." "Well, you two have gotten awfully close, haven't you?" "Robert needs a friend." "He feels comfortable with me, and he's sweet." "I like him." "I don't want to talk about Robert." "What have you told him?" "About what?" "About us?" "Getting married?" "Ha ha ha!" "Nothing." "I told him nothing." "You still want me, don't you, Joseph?" "I promise you..." "I would never tell anyone about us." "Hello, Joe." "What you doing?" "Uh, I'm napping." "What the hell?" "Doc!" "He's gonna go tell my father." "No, he won't." "He's not gonna tell anyone." " He may come back here." " He's not gonna tell anybody." "Bert, can I get a glass?" "Sure, Joe." "She certainly has... a sweet-looking little body on her... but you ought to stick to fucking grownups, dumb-ass." "Here you go." "Thank you, Bert." "Thank you." "When they're that young and as mixed-up as she is... they'll make trouble for you." "I treat her mother." "Of course, maybe you want some trouble." "You're sure as hell gonna get it." "How long has this been going on?" "I don't know." "Three months, maybe four." "It was her idea." "She's 17, you're 47." "It was her idea?" "You're cracking up, boy." "OK." "It was my idea." "It's the first initiative I've taken in years." "What, are you..." "taking vitamins or something?" "Rosealee looks happy enough." "Listen, this is... this is gonna get out, you know." "Well... if it's gonna get out, uh..." "I may as well keep it, because it's fun." "I've sat on my ass too long." "You may not believe this, Doc, but, uh..." "I just haven't made love that much in my lifetime." "You don't regret the ones you do... when you're old and looking back." "You only regret the ones you don't... but..." "Joseph... she's awfully young." "How's Mother?" "She won't last the month." "Neither will you, if the major finds out." "Well, maybe he'll just shoot you in the good leg." "Oh, give it some more." "My egg broke open." "Well, get yourself another one." "Whoo!" "Two down!" "What do you want to drink?" "A beer and tomato juice." " Cathy." "Robert." " Hi, Mr. Svenden." "Cathy." "Robert." " There you go." " Thank you." "They're spending a lot of time together." " Who?" " Those two." "All right if I sit down?" "Sure." "Robert's really sweet, you know that?" "You've done a great job raising him." "He's lucky to have a mom like you." "Well, thank you." "You know what, though?" "I think it would be good for him... if he felt comfortable to talk to you." "Talk to me?" "About what?" "Haven't you noticed how depressed he is?" "I mean, he's really upset about you and Joseph." "Catherine, I don't think that's any of your business." "Yes, it is." "Robert's my friend." "I..." "I'm sorry." "I'm not trying to cause any trouble." "Excuse me." "I like Catherine, you know that?" "She's got a lot of spunk." "Robert does have fun with her." "You want to come in the house?" "No." "Come inside." "No." "Let's do it here." "Ha ha ha!" "Joseph!" "No." "Please, come inside." "No." "You know, I think I'm gonna go home." "What got into you, Joey?" "Fooling around with such a young girl." "You know?" "Of course I know." "I don't know who you think you've been fooling." "I spotted her the first day that Jeep drove into the yard." "I know." "What can I say?" "I'm a bad man." "But sometimes, it's, uh... great fun to be bad." "Ha ha ha." "You are not a bad man." "If that made men bad, we'd all be lost." "Oh, I'm tired, Joey." "Let me carry you to bed, Mama." "No, I mean I'm tired of this body." "Oh, it's... it's worse than having a baby every day." "Oh!" "Oh, pick me up now, Joey." "Oh!" "I'm gonna call Dr. Evans and see what he thinks." "No, no, it's not necessary." "I'll wake you up in the morning." " Good night, Mama." " Good night." "Rosealee!" "Rosealee!" "Where the hell are you?" "What's the matter with you?" "People are sleeping here." "What is it?" "Maybe I got the flu." "You've had the flu for months." "You're acting very strange... and I don't think it's because of your mother." "Then maybe it's a change of life." "Men my age go through a change of life." "They know they're gonna die... without doing the things that they wanted." "Bullshit." "What do you want to do... other than screw some movie star like everybody else?" "What do I want to do?" "I'd like to spend some time on the ocean... where there are no students, no people... in a boat... just reading, drinking, fishing, swimming." "You know what else I'd like to do?" "I'd like to fuck you with all the lights on." "I'd like to do everything I ever thought of.." "I am tired of fucking you in the dark... on Friday and Sunday nights and sometimes on Wednesday." "Look at me." "I'm 47 years old... and I've never fucked you in the daylight... let alone seen the ocean." "We went to Washington once." "We have never been to New York." "I want us to change before we get too old and die... and it's too late." "Don't you want to act differently?" "I'm tired of you acting like a goddamn widow." "I have loved you since I was eighteen years old." "I'm so sorry." "I'm so sorry I disappoint you." "Look at me..." "other than my foot... which you've seen a hundred times." "Do I look so goddamn strange... that I have to be shut away in the dark... like some goddamn freak?" "You're not looking at me, and you're not answering me." "I want you to fuck me... the way you did Orin when you were 16... or 20 or 25... the way you said you did." "I don't want to just fuck a sad, widowed schoolteacher... and then die and wither." "Oh, shut up." "Please, shut up." "I need to think a minute." "I need a drink." "Well, bring me one, too." "If I'm gonna have to stand here all night... the least I can do is have a drink." "All the way." "Everything?" "Absolutely." "Well, here goes." "Good." "Now we can get started." "Ha ha ha ha!" "Joseph..." "This is fun." "Oh, Rosealee." "We do now commit the body of thy faithful servant... to thy loving care, O merciful God." "Hold her and protect her... until the time she is joined by her loved ones... as shall we all one day be so joined." "Shower your comfort on the friends and loved ones... gathered here today." "Enter their hearts." "Bring them peace... secure in the knowledge that a better world... awaits us all at the end of life's passage." "I would like now... for the children to step forward, please." "Charlotte, Marie, and Joseph... you may now entrust your mother... to the earth from which all life springs forth... and to which we all return." "No, thank you." "Would you like some more?" "Here." "What's this?" "How could you?" "What?" "I thought we'd gotten so much better... after that night." "Here I was, acknowledging your sympathy cards... thinking I could spare you additional pain." "Do you believe it?" "We are better." "She's just a silly kid." "Then why are you fucking a kid?" "Aren't I enough?" "I've given my life to you." "Well, I figured I needed some... catching up, you know." "Oh, God." "You sat around here thinking... and messed up your life, and I have to pay for it?" "I'm not going to get another chance." "Oh, goddamn you!" "I hope you die!" "Oh!" "Rosealee!" "Rosealee!" "Rosealee!" "Rosealee!" "Rosealee!" "What's the matter?" "They were fighting." "What's going on?" "Why is he upset with her?" "Joseph?" "What?" "Yeah." "What are you doing?" "Huh?" "What?" "You're drunk." "Oh." "Uhh." "Rosealee." "Rosealee knows." "I'm sorry... but she had to know sooner or later." "Why?" "Because I want to marry you." "I'm not marrying anyone!" "Do you hear me?" "I won't mention it again." "Catherine?" "Catherine... no." "Don't be mad." "I'm not mad." "I love you... but I..." "I love Rosealee, too." "Do you remember I said I'd find out... the one thing you're good at?" "You're not listening." "You'll be sorry." "Rosealee?" "Rosealee, we have to talk right now." "I can't marry you... and be the ghost of Orin for the rest of my life." "Fuck the ghost of Orin." "Orin is dead, and I'm alive... living three miles up the road... wondering why I ever gave my life over... to a goddamn lunatic." "It's 2:00 in the morning." "Will you please leave before you wake up Lily?" "You're not gonna let him stay here, are you?" "Will you get a blanket, please?" "Robert, will you please get a blanket?" "I want you to get him out of here." "He's a bullshitter." "I feel like such a fool... like I've been the brunt of some huge joke or something." "Believe me, no one was laughing." "That's all he is..." "a bullshitter." "Catherine's just bored and horny... and the man lost his head." "He'll get over it, and so will you." "It's not true." "Catherine's a wonderful person." "He seduced her." "Robert, you're an ignorant little piss ant." "You don't know the first thing about women." "I know more than you think." "She's my friend." "I'm just sticking up for her." "Oh, big goddamn deal." "Jeez." "So Catherine's young and pretty... and she comes from an unhappy family... and they make love." "Why can't people make love... without all this goddamn viciousness?" "Now, that is a lot of bullshit." "What the hell do you know about what I'm feeling?" "Well, this has been a rough son of a bitch... on both of us, hasn't it?" "What can I tell you, son?" "What do you know about my dad?" "Your dad?" "He was better at everything than me, except fishing." "He liked to fist-fight, and he was good at it, too." "You liked him?" "I thought he was the greatest." "He was my best friend." "Why did he go to the war?" "He wasn't drafted." "You mean, why did he leave you and your mother?" "You want the truth?" "He was bored with things around here." "OK." "I want to warn you about something." "You want to warn me about what?" "The major knows." "I think he's coming out to see you." "Hold it." "Joseph, what are you doing?" "Are you armed?" "No." "Jesus." "Why would I be armed?" "Who's that in the Jeep?" "My wife." "Can we go in?" "Of course." "Good." "You want to sit down and have a drink?" "Yes, thank you." "I've been looking for that." "Thank you." "I was going to start by talking about fishing." "I see your hand is shaking." "Catherine said you were going to marry her." "Is this true?" "No." "No, it isn't." "That would be dumb." "I, uh..." "I'm not her sort." "What is her sort?" "Someone who's rich and educated." "Someone who is sophisticated... and lives in the city, closer to her age." "I wanted you to know that I wasn't fooled... and I don't like to be fooled." "I moved her up here... partly to get away from those kind of people." "But Catherine has had a good semester... maybe her best yet." "I don't know what kind of life you lead... but I would guess that you aren't experienced... in these things." "No, I guess I'm not." "It was my first time to do such a thing." "But I, uh... heh heh." "I couldn't seem to help myself, even when I knew it was wrong." "I think you were wrong, too." "But I can't blame you entirely... because, knowing Catherine..." "I know it was probably less than half of your idea." "I can't tell you what goes on in her mind." "You're decent, I know that." "I just know you shouldn't try and marry her." "You are more misused yourself than someone who took advantage." "Mr. Svenden, are you aware that I know... you've been screwing my daughter?" "Beverly..." "Honey, have you been listening?" " Shut up." " Ma'am..." "Beverly, come on, honey." "Let's go home." "It's been a long day." "I'm tired, and you're tired." "We'll talk again." "Let's just go to the car." "I'm waiting, Mr. Svenden." "Oh!" "Beverly, it's time we go." "Bastard!" "Come on." "It's OK." "Come on." "How did you get out here?" "Robert brought me." " Where is he?" " He left." "Daddy said he was gonna have this little talk with you." "Well, he certainly did, and your mother, too." "Daddy said that you were never gonna marry me... and that I was just playing the fool." "That's not true, is it?" "Because that can't be true." "I mean, can't you see I've given you... the best single year of my life?" "Ha ha!" "That's bullshit." "What were you gonna do this year, fuck Robert?" "And look what I've done to my life." "And we haven't even known each other a year." "You're play-acting again." "Catherine." "We care a lot for each other." "We've had some fine times together." "But I'm a goddamn old man... and you're lovely... and you're bright... and you're seventeen years old." "I thought you loved me." "I do love you... enough to know what's good for you." "No." "You're what's good for me." "Come on, let's just..." "Can't we just be lovers like we were at first?" "I bet that you wouldn't marry me if I asked." "You've been using me... till you got out of town." "It's OK." "Heh." "I've done something bad." "What?" "Look." "Jesus!" "What the hell have you done?" "Bolo!" "Bolo!" "You... you all right?" "Oh, dear." "Uhh." "What were you doing?" "I was mad at you." "So you were gonna burn your horse?" "I thought you'd save him... but you didn't." "Come on." "Come on." "I'm gonna take you home." "Heh." "I heard about what happened last night." "Anything left of the barn?" "No." "It's completely gone." "It's odd, but..." "I think I've failed you... taking you for granted all these years, but..." "You know why you like Catherine... other than, obviously, her body?" "It's because she's not even a person yet." "You don't have to give anything of yourself to her." "Hell, she wouldn't even know it... if you were giving anything to her." "Maybe so." "I don't know." "I don't have any excuse." "Heh." "I guess I wanted to be carried away..." "And I certainly didn't think that... when Catherine and I started." "But it was what kept me going." "Then we had that night where you and I got carried away... for the first time since we were young." "We were doing something that, uh... we didn't actually know... what we were gonna do before we did it." "Well, I want to be carried away, too." "I love you, Rosealee." "I always have." "Ah!" "Joseph!" "Joseph, come on!" "Come on!"