"All your equipment's missing too." "They took everything." "You think it's the kids from Lakeland High?" "I don't know, Mike." "Someplace with a good art department, apparently." "You don't think your kid--?" "What?" "Damon?" "No, Mike." "I was just thinking, you know the pissing and the" " Never mind." "You okay?" "No, Mike." "No, I am not okay." "There's nothing left, Mike." "Don't you get it?" "The whole state has nothing left." " That's it." " We have the alumni game." "What?" "The alumni game." "We can raise a little money there." "Mike, we don't have the equipment to play in the alumni game." "We'll borrow from East Lansing." "Look, I know we don't usually make a lot, but if you actually played this year it could make a big difference." "It'll boost morale too." "I don't know." "I feel weird going out there like I'm still 18." "I'm the manager now." "People don't want to see you manage, Ray." "People want to see you hit the ball." "The alumni game." "I hadn't played it for nine years." "When people think you're hot shit all you can do is disappoint them." "I guess I didn't want to come up short." "Oh, look at those two." "Oh, they're in love." "Seals are very romantic." " They are?" " Absolutely." "Seals form long-lasting romantic relationships." "I take a field trip here every year." "Seals are my favourite." "Sensitive and strong." "So you really teach?" "Of course." "It's all I've ever done, really." "And coach." "You coach?" "You really do that?" "Thirty-two years." "I love it." "We're having our alumni baseball game Saturday." "You should come if you want." "I'm not much at the plate these days but I can still field with the best of them." "I'm thinking" " I was hoping actually...." "Uh...." "You could buy a block of tickets." "We usually have sponsors but, you know, sponsors these days have mostly evaporated." "Mike, I'm sorry, I don't know what you're asking me." "To maybe consider supporting the team." "To buy a block of tickets for the game." "It doesn't have to be a lot." "You could write a cheque for whatever." "You want me to write you a cheque?" "Whatever feels right." " They're good kids, you know." " Oh." "No obligation, but it's" " It's hard for schools these days." " Mm." "You think I'd spray-paint two wolves fucking each other in your locker room?" "Just forget I said anything." "So are you coming to this game Saturday?" "I peed on home plate, Dad." "I'm not a vandal." "I'm going to the salad bar." "Mind if I try some?" "May I have a bite of your enchiladas verdes?" " You said you weren't hungry." " I'm not." "Mmm." "Mm." "That is delicious." "Delicious." "Especially when it's free, right?" "Everything tastes better when it's free." "I don't know what you're talking about." "All right, Frances, Mike was at your house on a Wednesday." "That's a weekday." "You booked him for the weekend." "You only paid me for the weekend." "He brought me breakfast unannounced." "Was I supposed to say no?" "I thought maybe it was included." "Why would you say no?" "No, you want Mike." "Unlimited access, unlimited hours." "That's fine." "No, we just" " We have to renegotiate." "I'm thinking something along these lines." "I can't possibly pay that." "You can say yes." "You can say no." "Okay." "But if you say no, then I have no choice to call Mike and terminate your relationship." "Okay." "Will you just give me my payment for this week?" "What are you people doing to me?" "Mike asked me for money and I paid him." "And now you're" "Wait, wait, wait." "You gave money to Mike?" "He asked for it, okay?" "Or, I don't know, I think he asked for it." "All right, Frances, I think Mike was confused." "So why don't--?" "You know what?" "Just write me a cheque." "I'm a person, not an ATM machine." "Ours is a mutually beneficial arrangement." "It's" " We're like" " It's like those birds that live on a hippo and eat bugs." "I don't think I can handle this." "I'm not going to see Mike again." "You're despicable." "Yeah, hi, Charlie." "I need to talk to you." "It's important." "I'm trying to make my own rules but then I just don't" "I don't" " I'm just" "I'm not feeling in a very pimp state of mind right now." "Most players don't get the perfect ending." "They spend their last couple of years hurt, injured." "They fade into oblivion." "But they never give up looking for it." "So how's it going?" "This is how it's going." "I live in this tub." "Because it's the only place that makes me feel comfortable." "I sit here with my boobs growing like watermelons." "And my back is fucking killing me." "And I only leave to go eat chili cheese fries at chain restaurants." "I don't bring my phone in here I'm afraid of dropping it in the water and electrocuting my baby." "My best friend's afraid to come over because last time I screamed at her for no fucking reason whatsoever." "I guess I'm lonely." "Still no Peter?" "Still no Peter." "I'm glad he's gone." "I don't even know why I called you." "I'm too fat to fuck." "I think you look great." "A little pregnant." "But beautiful." "What?" "I'm a professional." "I missed you, Richard." "I missed you too." "Oh, God." "No one has done this to me in a long time." "Just this." "Third base." "Kiss me." "Oh, God, this is" "This is really hot." "Keep going." "Keep going." "Keep going." "Keep going." "Oh, God." "Are you okay?" " It's my shoulder." " What happened?" "I have a rotator cuff thing." "Did you come?" "Yeah." " Jess?" " Ron." "Wasn't it locked?" "I thought it was locked." "What is that?" "Oh, it's old." " Old what?" " Just nothing." " Well, let me see it." " It's no big deal." "It's absolutely unimportant." "Okay, fine." "Jeez, Ron." "I have a rash, okay?" "It's just a little rash." "I didn't want to bother you with it, so I dug up some old cream." "I think everything's gonna be fine." "Jess, what's going on?" "I'm one of the top skin men in Detroit." "If you had a rash, why didn't you just come to me?" "I just didn't want you to get upset." "Honey, rashes do not make me upset." "Cars do not make mechanics upset." "Hair does not make beauticians upset." "I know my way around a rash." "Okay, Ron." "Here's my rash." "Oh." "3 YEARS AGO" "Ow." "Oh!" " Ray." " What?" "Ray, look at this." "Ray, it's getting worse." "Could you just get the ointment, please?" "You should go back to that dermatologist." "I did." "He said the cream isn't gonna cure it." "All the allergy tests came back negative." " He thinks it's psychosomatic." " What?" "He says it's my body's way of saying, "Help."" "The dermatologist said this?" "Dr. Haxon is very well-respected." "He knows what he's talking about." "Don't you want to know why I'm unhappy?" "You're unhappy?" "That rash." "Yeah." "How does it feel?" "It's not good." "It's not good." "Is it a tear or an inflammation?" "I don't know." "I think it's a tear." "What happened?" "You were casting and--?" " Yeah." " There's no downward thrust in fishing." "Yeah, it's a mystery." "It's not even the same muscles." "Let it go, Mike." "I can't play." "Oh, just one inning in the field." "Everyone's coming back, Ray." "Everyone is gonna be there." "I can't do it." "I can't throw." " You could play first base." " I gotta pee." "Maybe I'll pee on home plate like my kid." "The grass feels good." "What?" "I'm an idiot." "I fucked up." " What are you talking about, Mike?" " I should kick myself." "I asked Frances to sponsor the team, like an idiot." " And I guess she thought...." " What?" "I don't know." "Something." "She got upset about money." "Now she won't call me back." "I fucked it up like I always do, Ray." "Why do I always fuck it up?" " It's late." " Hi." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry I banged Lenore." " So, what happened?" " It's my shoulder." "You know, when you hurt yourself, you're supposed to RICE." "Rice?" "Yeah, rest, ice, compression, elevation." "You wanna RICE me?" "Thanks, Ray, for saying "I'm sorry" about Lenore." "Did you give the money back to Frances?" "What?" "Did you give the money back to Frances?" "Yeah, Ray." "You told me to give it back to her so I went over to give it back." "I wouldn't lie to you, Ray." "I wouldn't do that to you." "Okay." "Okay." "Yeah, good stuff." " I was rather hoping to see you play today." " Yeah, me too." "But I injured myself." "The fact is, Frances...." "I love you." "And that's how I feel." "I hope you call me back." "I gotta go play a baseball game now, okay?" "All right, guys, let's circle up." " Come on, Drecker." " You all right?" " Put your hands in." " All right, fellas." "On three, fellas." "Ready?" "One, two, three!" "Wolf pack, wolf pack!" "Whoo!" "Yeah!" "Thank you." "And welcome, Wolves alumni." "Okay, I'll pick you guys up at 9." "Why do we have to go?" "You're not going." "Because it's your dad, and baseball is his life." " Was his life." " You're going and that's it, okay?" "Think about somebody other than yourself for once." "Here, buy some hot dogs." " Go, wolf pack!" " Go, wolf pack!" "Whoo!" "Whoo!" "And that's two runs scored by the students." "We wanted to win." "Nobody said it." ""It's all for the team." "It's all in good fun," blah, blah, blah." "Bullshit." "We wanted to win." "We wanted our lives to be ahead of us." "Damon." " Hi." " Hi." "You're here for the game?" "Game?" "What game?" "Oh, the baseball game." "No, I don't watch baseball." "So, what are you doing here?" "It's complicated." "I'm here to confess a crime." "Is everything okay?" "No." "Everything is not okay." "Ray, can I talk to you for a sec?" "I'm kind of busy here, Ronnie." "Shouldn't be out here." "What do you need?" "Jessica has a rash." " Hey, good swing." " That's strike one." "You want me to go to the store and buy her some cream?" "I want you to stay away from her." "Excuse me?" "She picked me." "She left you for me." "She picked me too, Ron." "But now she's allergic to you, Ray." "She was allergic before, but now that you keep coming around she's breaking out in hives." "Did you ever think, Ron maybe she's allergic to you?" " Strike two." " Fuck you." "You never noticed guys like me." "But now guys like me, we rule the fucking world." "Strike three." "Let's go, alumni!" "Come on!" "Hey, coach, you suited up?" " Yeah, I'm gonna give it a shot." " But you're hurt." "Well, buddy, listen." "Even if I wasn't hurt I don't think I could take you, so don't worry." "Well, a high fastball might be coming your way." " What?" " Third pitch, coach." "Nobody will know." "Lambert, no." "One, two, three, four." "Go alumni!" "Let's do it!" "Ronnie, what are you doing here?" " I'm" " I'm going." " Now batting..." "Are you coming with me or are you staying here?" " ...coach Ray Drecker." " Mom, Dad, he's playing." "Ron, honey, it's just a game." "Now batting, Ray Drecker." " Go, Dad!" " Let's go, Ray." "When I was 18, did I ever think I'd be here, playing where I grew up?" "With all these faces I'd known all my life?" "They'll never know." "There's a lot of things they'll never know about me." " O and two." " Strike two." "You've got one more." " You can do it." " This is it." "Come on, Ray!" "Come on, Ray, baby, let's go." "Come on, you've got one more." "Come on, Ray, let's go." "Get it right." "Let's get it right, bud." "And then there it was, a little high and a little away just the way he said it was gonna be." "And I couldn't resist." "That beautiful feeling when the ball connects in just the right spot just the right place." "And you don't even have to look." "It's gone." "We were never gonna win, but it didn't matter." "I watched the ball fly, and I watched it fade." "And everything stopped." "As home grew closer and my team waited there for me to cross the plate, I realised that my shoulder was fucking killing me." "Whoo!" "Whoa, whoa." "Wait, wait." "Hi." "I'm so glad you came." "Mike, I think it's time that we just spoke like adults." "Tanya and I agreed that we wouldn't speak about money, but" "Who's Tanya?" "Tanya, the woman I pay to see you." "You pay someone to see me?" "Oh, you mean the dating service?" "Mike, stop pretending." "I'm not pretending anything." "Look." " That was some kind of hit, Ray." " Aw." "You should have cheered." "It would have been fun." "There's no cheering in baseball." "Let's see this." " Hey, nice hit, Dad." " Thanks." " Yeah, it was sort of epic, I guess." " Epic, huh?" "Can we get pizza on the way home?" " Yeah, sure." " But first your mom's gonna do us a cheer." " What?" " No, I'm not." "I just told you that" " Are you joking?" " You just told me how excited you were." " Let's see what you got." " Actually, yeah, here you go." " Do it." " Prove you still got it, lady." "Prove it!" " Not here." "What are you doing?" " It's your turn." "Ready." "Okay."