"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned." "It has been one week since my last confession." "I took the Lord's name in vain 211 times." "Goddamn it." "I had 22 impure thoughts." " I contemplated murder." " Murder?" "Only in thought, Father." "Only in thought." "Get back here, you bastards." "Surely there must be some self-abuse, my son." "I have committed 22 sins of the flesh." "You're a pervert." "You're not even making an appearance in purgatory with that record." "Really?" "I had no idea." "I'm not even sure I have the power to forgive you." "Please, Father." "I'll try harder." "Harder?" "That's the problem." "You should talk to a priest, not me, kid." "I can't believe I actually told them... that I'd abused myself 22 times in the last week." "Twenty-two times?" "And I thought I was going to hell." "Is it Grace or Gracie for your grandmother?" "Grace." "Come on!" "Put out that cigarette." "You're breaking school rules." "Hey, Chester, I need to smoke." "It calms my nerves." "We're having confession later today." "Thought you might like to join us, Walker." "Gorilla." "Think there's a world record for hanging?" "Probably not." "Even if there isn't, I could announce that I'm gonna set one." "Look, I can hang here all day." "Did you see that attempted catch?" "Who would've guessed she'd have such reach?" "Thanks." "Get me Mr. Walker." "Again." "You know, the green of your sweater brings out the color of your eyes." "Makes them sparkle." "Really?" "That's the sweetest thing anybody ever said to me." "Ever?" "Yes." "Father Fitzpatrick will see you now." "Thank you." "Good afternoon, Father." "How are you today?" "Sit." "You were smoking on school property." "Technically, yes... but I was practically off the grounds." "Technicalities are the cornerstone, Mr. Walker." "Now there's too much documentation on you already." "Are you purposefully trying to get yourself kicked out of St. Magnus... or is there another reason I'm completely overlooking... for your utter inability to fit in?" "I'm destined for greatness." "You're 14 years old." "Greatness is not an option." "Now don't you think your grandparents have enough to worry about?" "A week of weeding Father Zinger's gardens." "That's all." "But, Father, I was only smoking." "Two weeks." "That will be all." "And one thing more." "Nothing gets by me, Mr. Walker." "Absolutely nothing." " Mr. Walker." " Here's my late slip." " You think so?" " Nietzsche does." "Independent seatwork for the remainder of the period." "Have you read Nietzsche?" "Is he that Chinese guy?" "No, he's that philosopher guy." "Was he Catholic?" "Seems odd not to be studying Catholics in religion class." "Besides, I thought we were having a test." "We're not." "It's far too sunny out for testing." "Wouldn't you agree?" "I'm hoping Nietzsche will be better for your brain." "Well, I suppose so." "Sorry about your face." "What's wrong with my face?" "Nothing." "I meant the cut from baseball." "In fact, it's a wonderful face." "Thanks." "It's about time we went on a date, Collins." "Really, Walker?" "Dinner, maybe." "Something formal, but within bike-riding distance." "I want our first date to be memorable." "And I want it to be Good Friday every day." "Good!" "Next Friday night." "I'll come by around 7:00." "No, make that 7:30... just to give you some extra time to get ready." "Paging Dr. Edwards." "Please come to Admitting." "How's it going, my Mr. Walker?" "Mom, absolutely couldn't be any better." "You?" "Growing wings as we speak." "I figured as much." "Everything still working out staying at Chester's house?" "I like it there." "Honest." "Do you go by the house?" "Just to cut the grass." "Here you go, Emma." "Hello, Ralph." "Hey, Alice, is that a new hair clip?" "Don't mess with me, kid." "No, seriously." "It looks stunning." "Did you conquer the world today, my Mr. Walker?" "I've got a date with Claire next Friday." "I like that girl." "Here." "I bought this for you." "I know, and I feel the same." "Not quite the haircut I had in mind." "I think it's too short." "You could pull it off." "Not many could." "You make a fantastic scarf selector." " Thank you, Ralph." " You're welcome." "Your father would be proud." "Walker residence." "How may I direct your call?" "Cut the crap, Ralph." "It's Chester." "Do you really think anyone's gonna believe that's your grandmother?" "Do you want to go swimming today?" "I thought you hated swimming, Chester." "My brother says you can see... right inside the women's change room from a certain angle." "I need to see naked girls." "I wish Fred had told me exactly where you're supposed to look." " Do you think he was lying?" " Couldn't have been." "This is useless." "I'm leaving." "You coming?" "Christ, Chester." "No." "We haven't even dived yet." "I'm staying to work on my flips." "I've been reading about Olympic divers." "Doesn't seem like there's much competition in that field." "See ya." "Holy Christ." "Fred was right." "What's the matter with that boy?" "Is he having a seizure?" "Looks more like a fit if you ask me." "With a seizure, you're into the whole body... including the brain." "However, with a fit... " "Fouling!" "You're pulling the noose tighter, Mr. Walker." "Old Testament depravity has no place in this school." "I expected so much more... especially from you." "Your father died a war hero." "But, Father, I can explain." "Honestly." "Obviously you've a deviant mind." "Now, mortal sins have been committed." "You will attend 6:00 a.m. mass daily... to restore your spiritual purity... and you will join the cross-country team to deal with your... energy surplus." "Now, Mr. Walker, this will be your last warning." "Your next stop will be public school... where there is no spiritual safety net." "Public school?" "You're not joining the cross-country team, are you?" "Of course I'm not joining." "I was conscripted." "Why do you guys run?" "I mean, what's the point?" "It's in our blood." "We have to." "All right, gentlemen." "See you at Chorley Park." "All right." "Let's go." "We run in cross-country, so... run." "How in the name of Christ did I ever end up here?" "I ask myself that every day." "Did Father Fitzpatrick say the incident would go on your permanent record?" "He didn't mention it." "It probably won't then." "Do you think anyone knows what happened at the pool?" "Wanker!" "Wanker!" "Wanker!" "Wanker!" "I'd say so." "All right, gentlemen." "Silence!" "Gentlemen..." "I am deeply disappointed." "Shame on all of you!" "This boy's father is dead, and his mother is in the hospital." "Come on." "Leave him alone, Father." "Mr. Walker can stand up for himself." "We all need a little help standing up, Father." "Leave him alone." "She had a rough time last night." "But don't worry." "We're watching her pretty closely." "Hi, Mom." "How are you feeling?" "For a sick person, I couldn't be any healthier." "Don't worry." "Give me a kiss, babe." "What's wrong?" "Doom and gloom?" "What was the most embarrassing thing you ever did?" "What happened?" "I got caught committing a venial sin in the pool." "It was an accident, obviously... - a technical oversight by the pool's manufacturers... if you want to blame anyone." "Mom... " "Mom?" "Mom?" "Mom?" "Alice, I need help!" "Mom?" " Alice!" " What's wrong?" "Out of the way." "Move, move, move, move." "She's breathing, but something's happened." " I'll check her pulse." " We need oxygen stat!" "Stand back." " Hiya, Ralph." " Hi, Mr. Karl." "How's your mom?" "They say she'll be coming home any day now." "Karl..." "I know I was here last week... but are you looking to buy anything these days?" "I'd feel better if your grandparents came in themselves." "Here's a note from my grandmother." "But call if you want to." "They just don't get out as much as they used to." " Yes?" " Good evening, Mr. Collins." "I've come to pick up Claire." "You have?" "For what?" "Our date." "What time would you like her home by?" "Why don't you just wait here for a minute?" "Claire?" "Any of you kids have names?" "I'm Ralph." " Is it true about the pool?" " Yeah." "Because of you, our swimming lessons were canceled." "Well, they didn't really have to drain the pool." "After all, the chlorine would've killed the... " "We need to talk." "Alone." "I didn't really think you'd show." " I mean, after the... " " The what?" " The pool." " Oh, yeah." "Well... " "I'm sorry, 'cause I really can't go on a date with you." " Really?" " I'm becoming a nun." "Just because of the pool?" "I mean, it was an accident." " No, no, of course not." " Good." "Listen, even if you are becoming a nun..." "I really don't think God would hold one date against you." "He might." "I'm sorry." "Here, take these." "I got them because the whites reminded me of the whites of your eyes." "Thanks." "Claire has clearly decided to put the Great Wall of China defense on me." "I'm positive this whole nun thing... is basically a way of denying her true feelings." " Understandably." " What are you doing?" "I'm trying to wake up my mom." "Sit down." "The doctors are saying... it'll take a miracle to wake her up." "A miracle?" "I had no idea." "Well, she was already pretty weak, Ralph." "Christ, Alice." "I'm sorry." "So, St. Francis, who had grown up very rich... left Assisi one last time... - this time, decided to give away everything he had, even the clothes off of his back." "Soon thereafter, he performed the miracle of the stigmata." "Just like Christ, he bled." "Do you need to be a saint?" "What?" "For what?" "To produce a miracle." "No." "It's not a bad question though." "There are three considerations necessary for that, Mr. Walker... - faith, purity and prayer." "For faith... you need to truly believe in something... that doesn't make any logical sense." "For prayer, as you know, you need to be in direct communication with God." "And for purity, you need to be completely free from sin." "So anyone could perform a miracle?" "Technically, yes." "A word with you, Father Hibbert, if I may." "Certainly, Father." "Excuse me for a minute, gentlemen." "Father?" "Were you aware that Nietzsche was a communist?" "I can assure you, Father, your sources are wrong." "Who are you reading?" "Stick to the catechism, Father." "Nietzsche has no place in a ninth-grade religion class... nor any religion class in my school." "These students won't survive unless they follow the rules." "Nietzsche wrote that." "I think there's some truth to it, Father." "Don't push it, Father Hibbert." "Yes, Father." "Father Hibbert?" "What is it, Mr. Walker?" "Producing a miracle is possible?" "Flying to the moon is possible, but it's never gonna happen." "I can see what you mean." "Hills on the way over were pretty brutal." "The workout hasn't started yet." "That's the hill." "All right, gentlemen, let's get started." "Only 180 training days left until the Boston Marathon." "Father... about the Boston Marathon... does everyone from the team get to go?" "Do we really have a chance of winning?" "What?" "You mentioned that there was 180 days left until the Boston Marathon... and I was wondering if we were all going because I'd really like to see Boston." " Will we be fund-raising to pay for it?" " I was kidding." "Boston is one of the world's most prestigious footraces." "Anyone on this team winning the Boston Marathon... would be a miracle to rival the loaves and fishes." "A miracle?" "All right, gentlemen, on your marks." "Okay then." "Let's run some hills!" " What's wrong with that kid?" " Who knows." "But I hear they're gonna put him into an orphanage when his mother dies." "Hey, you gettin' a boner from these ropes, Chester?" " No." " Me neither." "I was thinking about running the Boston Marathon." "But you told me you hated cross-country." "Besides, what makes you think you can actually run a marathon?" "Leave some room for the Holy Spirit, Mr. Walker." "Ralph." "Ralph." "Run Boston, Ralph." "Run Boston, and it'll be a miracle." "Are you okay?" "I was having a moment with God." "He was giving me some instructions." "Mr. Jones, take Mr. Walker to the nurse's office, please." "Mr. Walker, an unsolicited visit for once." "I heard about your head injury from Father Gregg." "We must be vigilant about temptation." "Father..." "I just wanted to ask you a question... since you're the closest one to God I know around here." "You have my undivided attention." "Father Hibbert told us that it would take a miracle... for anyone from the cross-country team to win the Boston Marathon." "Father Hibbert would probably know." "Well, my mom needs a miracle to get out of her coma." "And?" "Me winning the Boston Marathon could be that miracle." "God told me." "God told you?" "Today at gym, when I fell off the ropes." "Did he tell you how to do it?" "No." "That's why I need your help... especially with the purity part... and prayer probably." "I believe that what you're talking about could be bordering on blasphemy... even if it is unintentional... so let's be careful." "God did not ask you... to win Boston to get your mother out of a coma." "It doesn't work like that." " How does it work?" " Why would he ask you?" "Well, I don't know." "He just did." "Precisely." "You don't know." "It wasn't God." "It was the bump on your head... - a hallucination at best." "Father, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but... " "Mr. Walker, trust me." "You are not going to perform any miracles." "You're not running Boston." "Is that clear?" "Yes, Father." "Father, forgive me, for I have lied... to a priest." "How far have we run, Father?" " One mile." " That's it?" " Turn back if you want to." " I can't." "All right, stop." "I heard you talked to Father Fitzpatrick." "Yes, Father." "Let's get something straight right here and now, all right?" "So there's absolutely no confusion." "Forget about miracles, please." "I would've thought you of all people... - a priest... - would believe in miracles." "I'm trying to help you, Ralph." "Father Fitzpatrick is upper clergy, monsignor material." "Not a man you want to go up against." "Your friend Nietzsche wrote, and I quote..." "I'm trying to be both." "That's not what Nietzsche meant." "I don't care." "Okay, so the cosmic events stacked up... and I was still unsure about it until my conversation with God." "Unfortunately, you'll still be in a coma for a few months... because Boston's not until April... but that's better than the rest of your life." "Excuse me for a second, Mom." "Claire." "What's wrong with your grandmother?" "She's not my grandmother." "This is Mrs. Scarlet." "She's a patient here." "I volunteer at the hospital." "Mrs. Scarlet, Ralph Walker." "Hello." "Can I talk to you for a second?" "I need some advice on religion... specifically stuff of a miraculous nature." "Miracles?" "Why?" "So tell me again." "What did God look like?" " Santa Claus." " Really?" "I've been praying since I was five for a divine tap on the shoulder." "I envy you." "So what's your question?" "I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything." "I do those three things... and all I have to do is show up for Boston and I'll win?" "Wrong." "That's where the faith part comes in." "You have to believe that you're gonna win Boston." "I do." "God told me." "Do you believe it right down to your bones?" "Just as I suspected." "You see, God won't be in your corner unless you believe you're gonna win." "There's no way I'll be able to improve that much." "Well, if you feel that way, Ralph, of course you won't win." "It's obvious you don't have faith, and you're done before you started." "Don't you see?" "Good point, Collins." "You got me there." " You'll be in my prayers every night." " I will?" "If I can in any way help with a miracle..." "I might be able to skip purgatory altogether." "Chester, pedal harder." "Isn't the idea you run faster?" "Listen, I'm doing the best I can... but I've gotta train my legs to accept speed... so give it all you've got." "You're slowing down." "Come on, Ralph!" "Chester, stop!" "Goddamn it!" "Oh, shit." "Sorry." "Are you all right?" "Yeah." "I don't mean to sound like a know-it-all, but what are you doing?" "There's no way you're gonna finish Boston." "Never mind winning it." "On top of that, there's the Fitz factor." "Fitz doesn't scare me... not if I can train harder than anyone's ever trained before... even if it means being dragged behind a bike." "After that, the miracle is in God's hands." "Don't you see?" "Get on the bike." "This is from your garden." "Sorry about this." "I picked it up from Baxter this morning." "Mrs. Kopolous doesn't want me to have her dog's business." "When you get out of your coma, I'm sure you'll hear all about it." "What are you doing?" "Nothing." "I read that smell is the strongest memory." "So you're making your mom smell that?" "Yeah." "Well, I started with my dad's old sweater." "But that didn't work, so I moved on." " What's this?" " I thought it might help with the miracle... - you know, reading about Catholics who got it right." "Thanks." "It was an Easter present from Sister Bernadette last year." "It's been blessed." "I could use that." "I'm trying to be pure." "I'm trying to apply some of the martyrs' pain techniques to running." "Martyrs were marathoners?" "No." "Endurance athletes of a sort." "Plus there's stuff on purity and prayer as well... which will come in handy for the miracle." "How could you fail a Latin test?" "I don't have the gift of tongues." "Please sign it." "You'd never tell them it was me, would you?" "Oh, my." "Are you all right, Mr. Walker?" "Fine, Father." "Thanks." "What's this for?" "I got that from the library." "Well... you look like a runner." " I do?" " You do." "Thanks." "the marathon is the ultimate test of fortitude." "Therefore, once the decision to run has been made..." "Father Hibbert?" "I think, as a rule, the more tension, your steps get shorter." "But let's talk about that later." "All right." "I'm asking." "What's with the outfit?" "Well, just like the martyrs, I'm embracing pain." "The more pain I can take, the better runner I'll be." "If I can get used to running with all this stuff on... imagine how much better I'll run when I finally take it off." "Father, how'd you do in the 1936 Olympics?" "What did you say?" "You ran the 1936 Olympic Marathon for Canada." "No, I didn't." " I saw it in a book." " The book was wrong." "Follow me, gentlemen." "Come along, Mr. Walker." "Ralph, what's wrong?" "I'm fine." "Just a little light-headed... that's all." "You fainted." "Yeah, I'm fine." "I might have run too far today." "You run?" "Cross-country?" "No." "The marathon." "The marathon?" "I used to train with the Finnish marathoners." "You were a runner?" "No, I was a Canadian nurse on overseas assignment... and amateur bobsledder." "If you're serious about training, you should come over sometime... and we can lift weights." "Paavo Nurmi did, and he won nine Olympic gold medals." "Wow." "You okay?" "My glucose levels are down." "Claire, listen." "The book on martyrs has helped, but I still can't pray." "Well, divine revelations aside, you've obviously got a serious blockage." "Are you sure you were baptized?" "No." "And it's kind of hard to ask anyone right now." "Yeah, sorry." "Why don't you try rubbing your knees with sandpaper until they bleed... and then kneeling down in a pan of alcohol to pray?" "What grit paper?" "I thought I had a big appetite." "What's with the gluttony?" "I'm trying to win the Boston Marathon." "It's actually true." "You think you can perform a miracle?" "Yeah." "Weirdo." "Let's get out of here." "What do you think that kid is doin'?" "I have absolutely no idea." "Isn't that the kid with the mother in the coma?" "He was caught strangling his chicken in a pool." "That's the one." "Ralph, it's not like you're permanently gonna deep-freeze your dick." "Chester, think about it." "The martyrs swam in the St. Lawrence during winter to purify themselves." "Why can't I?" "Goddamn it." "Well, that's the sin of blasphemy." " Sorry." " Come on." "Lift the weight!" " Sorry." " Be a man!" "Be a man!" "Be a man." "You know, you can come to our house for Christmas." "I'll be fine." "My cousins from Chatham will be here." " Are you sure?" " Absolutely." "Besides, I have my race." "Okay, careful." "Visiting hours are over." "My mother's room is in 309." "I know where it is." "As I've already said, visiting hours are over." "But Nurse Alice always lets me go in anyway." "I'm not Nurse Alice." "Visiting hours are over." "Please." "It's Christmas Eve." "You can see your mother first thing tomorrow." "Don't tell me you're planning on running the whole race." "I was gonna ask you the same thing, granddad." "Runners, on your mark." "Three, two, one... " "Slow down, kid." "You'll never last 10 miles at that pace." "There's only one way to find out." " Who's that kid?" " I've never seen him before." "I knew you wouldn't last." "How was the race?" " I lost." " And?" "I thought I was gonna win." "I've only got 14 good weeks of training until Boston." "Fourteen weeks is a lifetime." "Stop." " How many miles a week are you running?" " Sixty." " That's not nearly enough." " It isn't?" " Longboat said it should be plenty." " Longboat?" "Longboat went insane." "What are you doing for workouts?" "Well, every run, I go as hard as I can... and I eat five raw eggs for breakfast... and I always sleep with my head facing north." "It's complete idiocy." "I can tell you right now, you're never gonna win Boston." "But if you still insist on running it, I'll coach you." " I knew you'd come around." " You did?" "How?" "I could see it in your eyes." "Well, then you're as nuts as Longboat." "I'll coach you only on one condition... - you promise never to mention anything about miracles." "Just mine or all miracles?" "Yours." "I have nothing against miracles in general." "I think Tennyson got it right with that one." "Don't you, Mom?" "Usually I hate poetry... but we've been learning this new poem in English... and I've decided to memorize the whole thing... you know, just for when I get bored." "Ralph, come quick." "I think I found something that'll help you pray." "Go on, Ralph." "Touch it." "Look, I heard the nurses talking." "He just died." "Even the family doesn't know." "I mean, his soul could be going to heaven right now... and if you connect with that... that could break your whole prayer blockage." "So come on." "Close your eyes and say a Hail Mary." "He's cold." " I think we missed it." " Close your eyes." "Hail Mary, full of grace." "Dear God, please tell me there's a rational explanation for all this." " You still watching my back?" " Yes." "Keep your arms relaxed." "Shake them out." " How's your breathing?" " Fine." "Yes." "You shouldn't have tried to stay with me when I surged." "Now you're broken." "Once you break, it's over." "In running, you can never recover." "You can redline all you want... but you never go past the breaking point until the final sprint." "All right?" " You okay?" " Fine." "Okay." "Jog easy for five minutes, and then we'll try again." "By the way, you have an incredible capacity for work." " I do?" " Yes, you do." "Read it." "wife of the late Grant Walker... passed away on January 7, 1949." "She died of a heart attack." " Grace Wa"..." " That's enough." "Obviously, it has come to my attention... that your grandparents are dead." "No, they're not, Father." "Are you suggesting the obituary's fiction?" "No, not at all, Father." "Then what am I missing?" "I've seen their graves." "Section 16, row 12, plot 6..." "Holy Sepulchre Cemetery." "Oh, you mean my dad's parents." "I thought you were talking about my mom's." "And where do they live?" "Ireland." "Well, maybe it's time you visited them." "Maybe it's also time you explained who wrote all of these notes." "I know you don't have the writing skills to pull something like this off." "So, what are you giving up for Lent?" "Self-abuse." "Impossible." "If you could do that, you'd have your miracle." "Chester?" "Fitz knows the notes are fake." "Oh, shit." "You didn't tell him it was me?" "Don't be an idiot." "Fitz has no idea who wrote them." "I'm done." "My penmanship will sink me." "I'm in a life that might sink me." "Kid's lookin' better." "At least he's not running backwards." "Good." "Stay on pace." "Don't get caught up in the surges." "And don't go into oxygen debt." "Breathe." "Use your arms." "Stride 20 feet." "Good." "5:28." "Good man." "That's enough for today." "You look great." "How do you feel?" "Like I could eat mountains." "I know that feeling." "So why'd you quit running?" "Two weeks before Berlin, I got injured." "My knee went out." "There was no way I was gonna come back in time." "I was 20 years old and the fastest marathoner in Canada." "I was disappointed, to say the least, but I knew there'd be other Olympics." "The war came, and I joined the priesthood." "You joined the priesthood because of the war?" "I hope not." "The day I entered the seminary was the last I ever ran." "Why?" "They told me Basilians don't run." "Should've joined theJesuits." "Not one day of missed running in the last 42." "I now can bench-press almost a hundred pounds... and stay in the water for almost five minutes." "Mom, I think we're closing in on miracle country." "Sorry it's gonna take so long." "My mom says she saw you running in Dundas." "Did you jog all the way?" "Maybe." "That's a long way... even to drive." "Thanks." "Your documentation is very thorough, Father." "Yes, Ralph Walker has fallen through the net." "But the Children's Aid Society has no authority to just come in and take him." "Takes time." "A few weeks, at least." "In the meantime, he stays by himself?" "Legally, it's a loophole, but we follow the law." "What about the boy's welfare?" "Is that really what's at stake here, Father?" "What do you mean?" "You once had my welfare in mind." "Grade-nine Latin." "49.5 final mark, if I recall." "Surely there was room in my participation mark." "You sat in the back row." "My welfare never had the chance to thank you... for the two months I spent with you that summer... rereading the stories of Caecilius, Lucretia... and their stupid, stupid dog Grumio." "Good day, Father." "I still don't think you're ready for this workout, especially in the dark." "I love running in the rain." "Of course I'm ready." "Besides, I'll be getting the full moon effect as well." "Forget about the full moon." "You can hardly see the moon." "Dennis Longboat was institutionalized." "But Canadians ran great under him, and they've done nothing since." "All right, let's get this over with." " Ready?" " Yeah." "Set." "Run." "Reach!" "Reach, reach!" "Reach!" "Reach!" "Good. 4:46." "Not bad." "Run." "4:51." "Very good." "Go." "4:33." "Number 10." "You're halfway there, Ralph." "Pick it up." "You're falling off pace." "Pick it up." "Pick it up." "4:56." "Use your arms." "Use your arms, Mr. Walker." "Use your arms." "Stride." "Stride." "Old Longboat would be proud." "Use your arms." "Use your arms." "Pick it up." "Pick it up." "4:53." "Take it." "I thought I had one more to do." "You do." "Where are you going?" "I think you should do this one without me." "Why?" "You'll get more out of the moon alone." "Stay on pace." "Be a martyr." "Be a martyr." "Relax your arms, Ralph." "You heard me." "Relax your arms." "See?" "I told you it'd work." "4:25.2." "That's your fastest mile of the 20." "Congratulations." "You were flying, young man!" "I know." "It felt great." "All right, stand up, before you cramp." "All right, jog home." "Slowly." "Loosen up your legs and go straight to bed." " Yeah." " I'll have that watch." "Good job." " Thanks for timing me." " You're welcome." "You know, I never thought you'd be able to make that workout." "Thought it would break you." "I don't want to be an orphan." "You'll win Around the Bay on Sunday." " I will?" " You will." "What about Boston?" "They're entirely different beasts." "Good night, Mr. Walker." "Good night, Father Hibbert." "Back for more, kid?" " I suppose I am." " Ready!" "Set!" "You'll never finish." "You wanted to see me, Father?" "Do you know anything about this?" "Yes." "He's come a long way." "He says that he's going to win the Boston Marathon." "He also says that it will be a miracle when he does." "It will be." " He won't win." " That's not what I mean." "How long have you been coaching him?" "Well, I wouldn't exactly call it coaching." "More like... steering him in the right direction, if you... " "Semantics." "I thought I'd made myself very clear." " You did, Father." " Then?" "He needed help." "Ralph Walker does not need... that kind of help." "He needs to learn his place in the world." "All of our students need this from us." "It's what we do as teachers, Father Hibbert." "It's our gift!" "Tell him it's over." "That he can't run Boston?" "But, of course, he can." "It's outside of school jurisdiction." "You can't control that." "Watch me." "If Ralph Walker runs Boston... and is absent from this school... his career as a student is over here at St. Magnus." "That's my jurisdiction." "And if you have any part of it... you are done with this order." "There have already been discussions." "His mother is dying." "And that's... the reason he is still a student here." "I'm trying to help the boy." "He'll be put in a home as soon as the paperwork is done." "Thank you." "That's all, Father Hibbert." "Yes, Father." "it is paramount that all distractions disappear." "It's equally important that all doubts... be cast aside." "Remember, the marathon is not without adversity..." "You're certainly no martyr." "I'm not even going in deep... yet." "Somehow, when you said massage, I was thinking of something totally different." "It's only a bruise." "In a couple of days you'll be just fine." "Mr. Walker." "What happened?" " I fell." " You fell?" "Ralph, you're not gonna be able to run Boston." "The race is 10 days away." "Of course I'm gonna run." "You broke your promise to me." "You said you'd never mention miracles." "is the miracle my mother will need to get out of her coma."" " We had a deal, Ralph." " I didn't break my promise." "I thought you meant not to mention miracles to you." "Well, you thought wrong." " That's not fair!" " Listen to me, Ralph." "Father Fitzpatrick says he'll expel you... if you run." "I'd never let a priest tell me whether I can or cannot run." " I learned that from you." " You don't know what you're talking about." "Thanks." "I'll sell the rest of the stuff in the house... and I'll use the money to pay for a train ticket to Boston." "But you can't run." "Fitz is gonna kick you out of school." "Hibbert's right." "Call it off." "I'm running." "Besides, I'm getting kicked out already." "It's only a matter of time, so I have nothing to lose." "You have everything to lose." "You've set yourself up to be the laughingstock of Hamilton." "Trust me." "People are talking." "Chester, I honestly don't care what anybody's saying." "See, that's the difference between me and you." "Your knee's wrecked, you can't pray... you're certainly not pure... and your mother has been in a coma for seven months." "She's not coming out." "She is so." "No, she is not." "Goddamn you." "Hey, hey." "Hey!" "Stop!" "Break it up!" "I forged letters for you!" "I put myself on the line!" "No, you didn't, Chester!" "You've never put yourself on the line!" " Hello?" " Ralph, it's Claire." "I was wondering if you wanted to go to Holy Thursday mass with me." "You know, work on your praying?" "Holy Thursday." "Let me see." "Yes, I believe I'm free." "Thanks." "Don't you just love Holy Week?" "Nice try, Ralph." "Seducing me on Holy Thursday?" "Did you think I was gonna fall for that?" " Honest, I thought you wanted to." " Me?" "Ralph, I'm supposed to be a nun." "And all I was trying to do was help you with a miracle." "And now look what you've done." "Wake up." "Wake up." "Wake up." "Wake up." "Wake up!" "Wake up!" "Wake up!" "Wake up!" "Wake up!" "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Ralph!" "What are you doing?" "I thought the music might wake her up." " Well, it won't." " I know." "I know." "Oh, honey." "Where's the boy?" " Thank you." " You're welcome." "I'm sorry about your house." "Yeah, me too." "Could have been worse." "I don't even have a picture of them." "At least you're not dead." "And don't worry." "Arrangements have been made... for you to stay temporarily at Chester's house." "Thanks, Father." "Am I correct in assuming... that your Boston Marathon quest is over?" "Well, you are in all our prayers." "Thanks, Father." "Don't listen to him." "Fitz was right." "You were right." "She's not coming out of the coma." "I'm not running." "Goddamn it... you just burned your house down." "The least you could do is run Boston." "What's the point?" "Nothing would piss Fitz off more." "And... I... " "I believe you can win the race." "Father Hibbert?" "Father Fitzpatrick." "I just wanted to let you know I won't be at school on Monday." "And why is that?" "I'm going to Boston." "It's the least I can do for Ralph." "It's why I joined the priesthood... - to help people." "Best way for you to help Ralph Walker is to convince him... that running Boston is the biggest mistake of his life." "Is it, Father?" "We are God's servants." "Chasing after miracles is blasphemy." "You know what?" "Before I met that young man..." "I didn't much believe in anything." "But now I'm starting to think that one day, when my time is up..." "Did you ever not know and still jump?" "Did you ever just close your eyes and... let go?"" "Right now, Father, my answer..." "So I am closing my eyes." "You're blind." "You're as deluded as Ralph." "And there will be serious ramifications... not only in this school, but within the Basilian order." "I know." "Thank you." "As far as anarchists go..." "Nietzsche really had nothing on Christ." "You know?" "All right." "Now boarding on track 14... train 72 to Buffalo with connections to Raleigh... " " Ticket to Boston, please." " Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland... " "Did you see this?" "who recently lost his house to fire... hopes that his winning ways continue in Boston." "The race will be broadcast live on CHCH Radio starting at noon." "Oddsmakers give him an outside chance at best."" "Screw it." "He's got more than an outside chance." "When we reached Mr. Walker, he told us that... who has been coaching Ralph Walker for the past few months... says that it is entirely possible... that the ninth grader... could win Boston." "Miracles happen every day."" "Damn him." "Thanks." "You're wasting energy." "Sit down." " Father Hibbert, when did you get here?" " Just now." "You think I'd miss the greatest upset in Boston Marathon history?" "Sit." "What about Father Fitzpatrick?" "Yes, well, we'll worry about him later." "Are you ready?" "Mostly." "Do you have faith you can win?" "I do." "But I'm still not pure, and I can't pray." "Well, if you promise not to take the lead until at least halfway..." "I can solve your purity problem." " How?" " Do you promise?" "Yes." "And I mean it this time." "All right." "All I have to do is hear your confession." "Then I can absolve you of your sins... and guess who's pure." "Father Hibbert... why didn't I think of that earlier?" "I could have been sinning all along." "That's not exactly in the spirit of reconciliation." "Shall we do it now?" "No." "Let's wait until the last moment possible." "Who knows what sins of thought might go through my head?" "But there's still praying." "I can't do it." "Well, for myself, in times of greatest stress..." "I've always been able to pray." "So I wouldn't worry about it." "Most marathoners will tell you... around mile 20... they start praying for any kind of help they can get." "The weather is unsettled, with showers threatening... though for the moment the skies are holding." "And so... welcome to the 53rd running of the Boston Marathon... one of the world's most prestigious footraces." "Our field is strong this year... and, given the current cool conditions, ripe for a fast time." "They're bunched at the line." "The race is under way." "I repeat, the race is under way." "At five miles, there's a large group of 20 or so runners." "In there are all the favorites... including the greatJohn Bannon, the defending champ... the Finn, John Halvorson..." "Red Sparks from Maryland..." "Edward Croggin from California..." "Alan Majors from Ireland... " "Excuse me for the interruption... but this is a special broadcast of the Boston Marathon... in which one of our students, Ralph Walker, hopes to win." "I, for one, think he'll do it." "He won Around the Bay, and there's no reason why he can't do the same in Boston." "Not a three-mile race, though the Boston Irish community..." " is showing all sorts of encouragement." " What's going on, Miss Roddy?" "Bannon is running strong." "Who's in there?" "Open this door!" "Open up!" "Who's in there?" "Open up!" "Open up!" "Down Beacon Street toward the Charles River." "It's a drop of 150 feet that is brutal on tired legs." "Who will survive this punishment?" "I knew he was the forger." "Mr. Jones!" "Open up this door immediately!" "It's early in the game still." "There are 10 runners tightly bunched." "The winner will surely come from this group." "There are all the usual suspects... and one surprising addition... - runner 157." "Let me see." "Ralph Walker from Canada... age 14... " "But give the lad credit for gumption in hanging in this long.!" "The runners arejust approaching the first water station on West Central." "We're eight miles into this thing, folks, and Bannon is leading... - not surprising... - closely followed by Fox and Monahan and this kid Walker." " The sun has come out again." " Mr. Jones!" "Relatively flat for the next few miles." "It's no use." "The PA room used to be the school safe." "You'd have to dynamite it open." "Don't tempt me." "Get it open." "The runners are approaching 11 miles... and are about to round the Natick town commons with Bannon in the lead." "Halvorson and Monahan are still very much in the race, as is Ralph Walker." "You look fantastic." "Be patient." "Be patient!" "Stay exactly where you are!" "You heard right, folks." "I can't believe it either." "Ralph Walker is running with the leaders." "The youngest previous winner of this race was Edmond Davy... who was 20 years old." "The weather has cleared, but rain still threatens." "The pack continues to remain tightly bunched... and there's plenty ofjostling for position." "I'vejust got word that Fox has bumped Walker in an attempt to get to the lead." "The kid was hit hard but has surged back... and is trying to put some distance between himself and the rest of the field." "Bannon needs to go with him." "We're too far into this race for anyone to be pretending." "Ralph Walker is definitely a threat." "He wasn't on anyone's radar before the race... and he's leading the Boston Marathon." "A 14-year-old is leading the Boston Marathon.!" "Bannon is closing the gap and is now back with Walker." "Fox has dropped off and appears done, as has Monahan." "Folks, it's down to two as we approach Heartbreak Hill at 19 miles." "This is the spot that Bannon made his move last year." "It looks like Bannon is moving." "His head is down, and he's starting to press." "Bannon is looking very strong, and Walker is now struggling." "This could be the race." "Walker is definitely in trouble." "Bannon is pressing." "Hail Mary, full of grace, don't redline." "You can do it, Ralph." "You can do it, Ralph!" "You can do it!" "It'll be a miracle!" "Come on!" "Run, Walker!" "Run!" "Run!" " Walker's marathon looks to be over." " Run!" "He can't have anything left at this point." "Wait.!" "It appears that Walker is not quite finished." "Incredibly, he's coming back.!" "Folks, I can't believe it." "Walker's with Bannon again, and now they're through the hills." "We only have two miles left, and Walker and Bannon are matched step for step." "Reports are that both runners look exhausted but are not slowing down." "They're coming up Coolidge Corner." "The crowds have increased as we approach the finish." "Walker has pulled even again." "He's not backing down one bit from the greatJohn Bannon." "And they are rounding the final corner.!" "Here we go, folks.!" "365 yards to go.!" "They're dead even on the 26th mile.!" "Who would believe it?" "Run, you bastard." "Run." "The kid has got legs." "But can he hold on?" "This just might be the closest Boston finish in history.!" "Walker and Bannon, step for step.!" "Bannon's straining.!" "I've never seen him look this tired.!" "The crowds are going crazy.!" "The noise is deafening.!" "They've been waiting hours for this.!" "Walker surges.!" "Walker surges.!" "He has a half step on Bannon.!" "No.!" "Bannon answers.!" "They're dead even again.!" "And neither one is breaking.!" "Bannon is giving everything he's got, and Walker is still not letting up.!" "100 yards to go, and Walker has now taken the lead.!" " They're closing in on the finish line.!" " Win it." "They're coming down the stretch, ladies and gentlemen.!" "Who would believe it?" "Bannon's never been tested like this before." "Fifty yards to go.!" "Bannon now slightly ahead." "Does Walker have one last surge?" "Walker giving it everything he has!" "The runners appear utterly drained... but they are sprinting... willing themselves to the finish line.!" "This is now a battle of wills, sheer determination.!" "Bannon's starting to move.!" "Bannon is starting to move.!" "Walker's got to go now ifhe has any hope of winning.!" "Bannon still has the lead and is driving furiously for the line.!" "And John Bannon wins Boston.!" "John Bannon wins the Boston Marathon.!" "The 1953 champion repeats in spectacular fashion.!" "The laurel wreath is his.!" "It took 26 miles to decide it... but we finally have a winner.!" "Oh, my goodness.!" "I can't remember a marathon ever coming down to the wire like this.!" "You havejust been a part of sporting history.!" "You did us all proud." "I lost." "You made us feel like we were all part of something big." "That doesn't happen every day." "I believed I was gonna win." "Ralph Walker defied me, and you defied me." "Well, he followed his heart." "Walker!" "Walker!" "I spoke to the press this morning about your instrumental role... in Mr. Walker's marathoning success." "Probably wouldn't look too good if I had to turn around and tell them... you kicked St. Magnus's most famous student out." "No, probably not." "I think he may still need my prayers." "We all do, Father." "We all do." "I still can't believe you actually did it." "Me either." "I never thought I'd have suspension on my permanent record." "Are you all right?" "Somehow I think it all mostly worked out... even though my mom didn't come out of her coma." "My mom says we could adopt you." "I'm too old to be adopted, Chester." "Yeah, I suppose we all eventually pass that point." "Thanks, Chester." "You're welcome." "I'm going straight to hell because of you." "Sorry." " We could... " " I'm kidding." "Necking is a venial sin, not a mortal one." " God works in mysterious ways." " He does." " Father Hibbert!" " Mr. Walker." "I was wondering what your running plans are for the future." "Well, what are your coaching plans?" "That depends." "Well, the Olympics are next year, and I suppose I intend to win them." "Well, if we're not chasing after miracles, what's the point, eh?" "I couldn't agree with you more." "Ralph?"