Your mother is quite capable of taking care of herself and you know it! And your father isn`t.
So let Ann do it.
Well, no more.
He comes back into this house, and l leave.
Who do you think you`re talking to, young man?
Get off your butt, Harry.
You`ve got people who care about you.
How many laps you figure to do?
Oh, forty Matt, breakfast is ready!
- l`ll be there in a minute.
Hurry up or you`ll be late for school! Hey Grandpa, you want lt happened again, huh?
Yes.
l didn`t have a thing to drink after supper, just a sip with my medicine.
- l know.
What am l going to do?
Your mum said if it happened again She didn`t mean that.
- She did, oh she did.
God Grandpa don`t.
l`ll take care of it, okay?
- How?
l`ll wash them at school, it will be all right.
Nice and hot.
- Thank you.
Good morning.
- Hey, good morning.
Your eggs are cold.
That`s all right, they`ve got cholesterol in them.
ls that so, Doctor?
Perhaps you`d like to prescribe something else for breakfast?
Carbos carbos, like the distance runners.
Doughnuts, the man wants doughnuts.
Hey, you got practice after school, today?
Coach is gonna decide today who runs the mile or the eight
-eighty.
Good so what do ya think?
l don`t know.
l`d rather run the mile.
lt`s the primo event, you know.
Whatever you run, you`ll do it with clean socks.
The ones you wore yesterday made the dog faint.
What on earth?
What is this doing in your bag?
l asked you a question.
What`s this doing in your bag?
He couldn`t help it, he got scared.
l told him l`d wash `em up at school.
Look l don`t mind.
Time to go.
You`ll be late.
Mum, come on.
l said go to school.
lt`s time to face reality.
- Ann l know he`s your father, l understand how you feel, but you have to understand how l feel.
He isn`t going to get better.
He`s going to get worse.
lf we have problems now what`s he going to be like in a year from now?
He should be some place where people can take care of him.
So he had an accident, so he wet his sheets.
Please Jim, don`t start again.
lt`s not just the sheet and you know it.
We have our own life, our own family.
l`m afraid to go on vacation for fear of what will happen when we`re gone.
You asked him to stop smoking so he stopped smoking the pipe.
Because we`re here.
lt`s like taking care of a baby and l`m not going to do it anymore.
We`ve seen the place.
lt`s clean, the staff is nice.
l`m going to call them today.
Do you have something with romance in it?
l like romance you see.
Well we should have something here.
A lot of old ladies here don`t like romance, but l do.
l just love it!
- Take a look at this.
Has it got a lot of real hot stuff in it?
Take a look at the cover they`re not exactly holding hands here.
Oh, l like you.
You`re all right! Now get out.
C`mon, now get right out.
l want to read this.
Get right out, l want to read this l`ll see you later, Ethel.
Good morning Harry.
My name`s Jonathan l`m with the Rolling Library.
Thought you might like something to read.
No, thank you.
Don`t make a decision yet, let me read a few titles to you.
l said, no thank you young man.
All right.
l would like to leave something with you.
l don`t want my boss thinking l`m not doing my job.
Hey, here`s one.
Easy reading ``Welcome To Hollywood.
`` ``Welcome To Hollywood.
`` Yeah, quite a place you ever been there?
No, never have.
Meant to go lots of times, me and my wife, we never did.
Why not?
l don`t know, something always came up.
l bet with the kids?
- Yeah, with the kids.
First, they`re too small to travel, next thing you know they`re in day camp.
Then you`re saving the vacation money for college and then And then?
Then one day you wake up and your wife is gone and you`re too old to go anywhere.
Ah c`mon.
What are you talking about?
You, ``too old``?
Yes me.
Why do you think l`m in here?
Because l`m old and too much trouble to take care of.
Do you exercise or anything?
Are you kidding?
No.
You`re never too old to exercise.
What about walking.
You do much walking?
Walking?
l can hardly get out of bed in the morning Wait 'til you get to be my age, you`ll see.
Of course, there was a time when l kept up with the best of `em.
l had a plaque on the wall of the Y.
M.
C.
A in Baldwin, North Dakota.
l was fast and strong too, but like l said, you wake up one day and you`re too old.
What day was that Harry?
Hmm?
You said one day you woke up and you were too old.
l just wondered if that was the day your wife died.
l gotta run.
Why don`t you take a look at that magazine?
You never know.
l`ll see you, Harry.
How did it go?
- Not bad.
You like running?
You mean like get in shape running?
No.
The only time l run is when something very large is chasing me.
ln that case, you can just watch.
Let`s go.
All right, listen up, clowns.
The milers are gonna be Jordan, Hargas and Haynes.
Half milers Cordone, Marus and Yacobian.
The rest of you guys over here with me.
You really had a lot left in those last 100 yards.
Yeah, l paced myself pretty good.
My name is Jonathan, this is Mark.
- Hi.
l wondered if l could talk to you for a minute, it`s about your granddad.
He`s okay, isn`t he?
Oh yeah, no he`s fine l just wanted to talk to you about him.
Sure.
Sit down.
Thank you.
l met your granddad today for the first time and l gotta be honest with you, l don`t think he`s going to be with us very long if he keeps going the way he is.
lt`s because of that place, isn`t it?
No.
No, l don`t think it`s the place.
l think it`s because of your grandfather and the way he was treated at your house.
Hey, wait a minute Look, l don`t agree with putting him in a home but my mum waited on him hand and foot and it was hard on her.
l know that.
l wasn`t saying anything bad about your mum.
What l am saying is l don`t think waiting on him hand and foot is what he needs right now.
What do you think he needs?
l think he needs a good swift kick in the butt.
Somebody who`s willing to take the time and effort into getting him back to living instead of keeping him comfortable while he waits to die, which is what he`s doing right now.
Hey, Haynes! You`re a miler now not a spectator.
Right coach.
l have some more running to do.
Can we talk later?
Well if you don`t mind, l`ll join you.
l can talk while we`re running.
lf you think you`re up to it.
- You`d be surprised.
Okay.
What to join us?
- Yeah, l`ll get the car.
That`s real cute.
Running the thing that you run is something that`s got a bet on it Nice day for running, isn`t it?
Not too hot, not too cold.
lt`s perfect.
- Running, l love it! You run a lot?
- Every day, l wouldn`t miss it.
Me too.
You don`t mind me running with you?
Not at all.
- Good.
l`ll keep the pace down.
That`s all right, l like being pushed.
How many laps you figure you`ll do?
Oh, forty Come in.
- Hey granddad! Matt, what are you doing here?
l told you l was coming.
l brought you a present.
- What`s this?
Go on, open it.
Looks pretty good, but you didn`t touch it.
l`m not hungry.
Well, maybe what`s in the bag will perk up your appetite.
What?
What am l supposed to do with this?
Walk.
l figured you and l could take some good walks together.
l haven`t got the strength to walk.
- You and grandma used to walk all the time.
That was years ago.
- That was a year and a half ago.
Seems like a lifetime.
That`s because you just stopped everything after grandma died.
You stopped living.
That`s not true.
- lt is and you know it.
ls that any way to talk to your grandfather?
l`m talking to you this way because l love you.
lf people loved me, they wouldn`t have sent me here to die.
That`s what this is, a place to sit and wait to die.
No, it isn`t! lt is.
And you tell your father l won`t keep him waiting.
l`m going to die as soon as l can.
Grandpa, please! Go on back to your family.
l don`t belong there any more.
Go on! Go on, go on You feeling better?
- l`m in agony now.
Nobody to blame but yourself, it`s your fault.
What do you mean?
You`re the one that said running is good for you.
l said running was good for you but you don`t start out with a marathon.
What do you want me to do, look like a wimp in front of that woman?
How was l to know she ran like Mary Decker?
l gotta go out for a while.
You going to be all right?
l`m going to die.
l`m going to die.
When l`m out, l`ll say a prayer for you.
Cute Jonathan, cute.
l don`t want to throw up.
Maybe if l have a Wheat Thin.
Can`t sleep Harry?
What are you doing here this time of night?
l was on my way home.
l thought l`d stop by and see if you liked the book.
lt`s all right.
Kind of hard on your grandson today.
What?
l was passing by the room and couldn`t help but overhear.
He`s only trying to help because he loves you.
l know, but he doesn`t understand.
He doesn`t know what it`s like to get old.
lt`s like anything else.
lt`s got its plusses and minuses.
Got to work on the plusses.
Where did you here that?
- l don`t know.
My wife always used to say it.
l got tired of hearing you got to work on the plusses.
And did you?
l sure did, anything to keep her from saying it.
She sounds like quite a woman.
- She was, she really was.
l used to get so mad at her.
l mean, really mad Maybe that`s why you got mad at Matt today, maybe he reminds you a bit of Clara.
How did you know my wife`s name?
You must have mentioned it.
ls he like her?
Yes he is.
Clara always said so.
That used to make me mad too.
Grandfathers always want to see themselves in their grandsons l guess.
l suppose.
You can`t blame her for not wanting to be like you.
What?
Come on Harry, you`ve given up on living.
You blame everybody else for everything.
Who do you think you`re talking to young man?
l`m talking to Harry Haynes.
A man who still has a plaque on the wall of the Y.
M.
C.
A.
in Baldwin, North Dakota, because he could keep up with the best of them.
Get off your butt Harry, you`ve got people who care about you.
l`ll get it.
Hello?
Hi Granddad.
That`s okay.
Sure l can, No l want to.
Okay l`ll see you then.
Me too.
Bye.
That was Granddad.
He wants me to come over this afternoon, he wants to start walking.
That`s great.
How did he sound?
- A lot better.
See l told you he would like that place, you were all worried.
l`ll be home for supper.
- How long are you going to be with granddad?
l don`t know.
Well make sure you save enough time for your homework.
l will.
See you tonight.
Do you want some more coffee?
Yeah, thanks.
l`m going to give dad a call.
Give him a call and l`ll stop by on my way to work.
Dad, hi.
How are you doing?
l thought l would stop by on my way to work.
No, it`s not an imposition at all.
Why not?
Dad, you are a part of the family.
lf that`s the way you feel.
Dad! What`s wrong?
He doesn`t want to see me.
Jim he`s just doing that to hurt you right now.
You heard what Matt said he sounded better.
lt`s going to take time.
We did the right thing.
- We! What do you mean we?
Jim, that`s not fair.
lt wasn`t my idea to send him there, it was yours! l`m the one who had to look after him all day long, or did you forget that?
What else did you have to do?
Not a thing, not a damn thing! Annie Annie Ann! You`re really limping, are you all right?
Fine.
Hey Jonathan, look at that old guy trying to keep the old legs going Good for him.
That`s who l should have run with yesterday instead of the Bionic Woman.
Why don`t you run with him now, l`ve got to look for Matt and Harry.
You don`t want to come with us?
l don`t need the exercise, remember?
Right.
Hey, don`t overdo it.
- Oh, will you stop it! How you doing?
Couldn`t be better.
You mind if l run with you?
No, l`d love it.
l promise not to talk your ear off.
The name`s Clark.
l`m Mark.
Mark and Clark sound like a team.
You ready?
- Yup, you set the pace.
That`s a pretty good pace!
- l like it brisk.
Mind telling me, how old are you?
Seventy four.
Seventy four! How long you gonna run today?
Just an hour today.
l`ve got an aerobics class at six.
Oh, boy How do those shoes feel?
- Good, real good.
Dad was sure happy to hear you were gonna start working out.
Did he come by today?
No.
- l thought he might stop by.
No, he didn`t.
- Hey Matt! Hi Harry, how are you doing?
Great! Granddad`s doing great! l`m walking anyway.
- Good for you.
You surprised me yesterday.
You weren`t even puffing after that workout.
Now l see why, you been running long?
Quite a while, but not as long as the guy that`s running with my friend over there.
You know, he`s seventy four years old.
l got a feeling he`s gonna run Mark right into the ground.
Seventy four?
Uh huh.
Course he`s working on his plusses.
Like the old saying goes, l gotta run.
l`ll see ya, later.
Jonathan`s a nice guy.
Granddad?
l said Jonathan`s a nice guy.
Oh yeah.
Did you know that old fool`s older than me?
Yeah.
Want to keep going?
Damn right, l do.
l`m telling you you wouldn`t have believed him today.
l haven`t seen him walk like that in years.
When we got back to the hotel room he couldn`t wait to eat, he was starving.
Annie, did you hear that?
Maybe this was a phase he was going through?
A part of mourning.
He didn`t look sick today, l`ll tell you that.
You know, if he keeps going like this, l`ll bet he could move back in and take care of himself.
l don`t want him here! Sorry mum, l just thought he That`s all right Matt, there`s nothing wrong with what you said.
l am telling you l don`t want him here.
He`ll move back and things will be exactly the way they were before.
How do you know that?
Let`s just see how he comes along, we owe him that much.
Maybe we should ask my mother to move in too! Your mother is quite capable of taking care of herself and you know it.
And your father isn`t.
So let Ann do it! Well, no more.
He comes back into this house and l leave.
Mum don`t say that.
l`m sorry Matt, but l mean it.
Don`t thr*aten me Ann.
- lt`s not a threat, it`s the truth.
He`s my father and what`s so wrong with him being here?
Because l have a life too, we have a life.
We don`t have one evening together because you don`t want your dad to be lonely.
lt`s hard on him.
Damn it, it`s hard on me! Come in.
- Hey Harry.
Jonathan.
What`s the matter, no workout today?
l guess not.
Matt was coming at five o`clock but he didn`t.
l called the house but nobody home.
Maybe he`s got a longer training session than usual.
- Maybe.
l`m sure he`ll call you if he can`t make it.
- l gave you a double portion Harry.
After yesterday l figure you need it.
No please take it out, l`m not hungry.
lt`s chicken with noodles, it`s really good.
l`m not hungry.
Okay.
lf you change your mind, just give me a holler.
l got to run, can l leave you something to read?
- No thanks.
l`ll leave you a few magazines just in case.
See you later.
You`re really pushing it today.
Yeah, l guess l did.
l was just talking to your granddad.
- Oh yeah?
He was kinda expecting you to come over today.
Yeah well l was going to but you know my workout lasted longer than l figured.
Maybe you ought to give him a call to let him know.
Yeah l will.
There`s a payphone over there, l`ve got some change if you want to borrow.
l said l`d call, all right! l know how you feel.
lt`s not easy calling a loved one when you know you`re gonna lie to him.
What are you talking about?
l`m talking about yelling at someone when all they did was offer you change for the phone.
Damn! l don`t know what to do.
l love my Granddad.
lt`s all getting to be such a mess.
Why`s that?
Because l thought if my Granddad got better, he could come home.
My mum doesn`t want him home, and my dad they had a fight.
l don`t know what`s happening.
The whole family is coming apart and l feel like it`s my fault.
Come on why don`t you sit down and relax for a minute?
C`mon.
First of all, your family`s not falling apart just because they had an argument.
All families have arguments.
l know.
She said she would leave if he came back.
l`ve never heard that before.
People tend to get a lot angrier if they are feeling guilty.
Your mum`s feeling guilty because she doesn`t want your grandfather living in the house any more.
Your dad`s feeling guilty because he let your grandfather be put in there in the first place.
But who`s right?
There`s no right, that`s something your folks are going to have to work out.
But it hasn`t got a thing to do with your relationship with your grandfather.
You love him, don`t you?
Sure l do.
And you want to keep helping him?
Yeah, but
- There`s no buts about it.
Look Matt, you have to do what you think is right regardless of what`s going on with your parents.
Believe me, nothing bad can come from helping a loved one.
Besides if you don`t, there`s going to be three of you feeling guilty.
Can l borrow that change?
Yeah, there you go.
Hello?
Oh Matt That`s okay tomorrow?
Sure.
l asked the doctor about jogging.
He said don`t overdo, stay off the cement and it`s okay.
Yeah right.
All right, see you tomorrow! What do you think?
lt`s up to you.
lt would surprise your mum and dad if we won.
Don`t worry about winning, it`s fun to enter.
Oh yeah, yeah.
Boy that would be something if we won it.
Well, what do you say?
l say, let`s do it! There you go Harry, try these on.
- These are terrific.
l don`t know how to thank you.
l couldn`t have you run in the big race in those worn out shoes of yours.
l feel fast in these already.
Yeah they`re good ones.
- Hi dad, how are you doing?
l`ve never been better.
- Can we come in?
Sure.
- l`ll see you later Harry.
No Jonathan, don`t go.
This is my son Jim.
This is my friend, Jonathan.
Hi.
- How are you doing?
Dad, l know you haven`t wanted to see me but Matt was telling us about the race tomorrow and l want to wish you good luck.
- Thanks.
l`m real proud of you.
l`ll bet l couldn`t run a 5k myself.
Probably not.
How`s it going here?
They treating you good?
Sure.
Not like home, but sometimes strangers treat you better than family.
We only put you here because we thought you needed the care.
Do l look like l need it now?
Do l?
No.
l tell you what.
l`ll make you a bet.
lf Matt and l win this tomorrow, l get to come home.
You just said you put me in here because l needed care.
lf l win, that ought to show you and Ann that l don`t.
Come on, son give me a chance.
Why do you think l`ve been doing all this?
To show you, that`s why.
What do you say?
ls it a bet?
Yeah, dad it`s a bet.
Dad shouldn`t have done that.
- What did your mum say?
He didn`t tell her.
He said wait until tomorrow.
No reason to say anything until we see what happens.
lf we win she`ll leave, l know she will.
Maybe you won`t win, it`s a combined time you know.
Yeah l know.
That`s what l`ve been sitting here thinking about.
lf l run my best race, we`ll probably win.
That`s a pretty big ``if`, for you, isn`t it?
Yeah Yeah, it is.
l`m stuck right in the middle.
lf we lose, it will break granddad`s heart.
lf we win What do l do?
You do what you think is right.
Hey, that`s all any of us can do in this world.
lt`s not easy to do the right thing sometimes, is it?
lt sure isn`t my friend.
lt sure isn`t.
Matt.
Good luck tomorrow.
- Thanks.
You ready partner?
- You bet.
Ann.
Good luck dad.
You mean that?
Of course l do, l hope you go out there and win.
You sort of surprised me.
l didn`t think you wanted me back home again?
[All participants to the starting line.
]
Here we go.
What was he talking about?
Coming home?
What was he talking about?
Going home.
Hey Harry.
Jonathan.
What did you think of the race?
lt was great.
Matt sure set a pace, didn`t he?
You didn`t do bad yourself.
Personal best by over a minute.
Did you see Jim after the race?
No.
Don`t know where he went.
l`ll call him as soon as l get packed.
Sure be good to be back in my old bed tonight.
Ann didn`t know about the bet until you told her.
Sure she did, she wished me luck today.
No she didn`t Harry, believe me.
She already told Jim she`d leave if you came back home.
Are you sure?
Matt told me.
The boy knew?
Yeah he knew.
That poor kid, he ran his heart out today.
Because he loves you Harry.
Yeah, he really does.
Poor kid.
What a kid.
Jonathan, do me a favour and drive me over to the house would you?
Dad!
- Where`s Ann?
She`s upstairs.
Dad, l have something to tell you.
No, l have something to tell you and Ann.
Oh Ann Matt.
.
.
couldn`t we all sit down.
l have something to tell you.
Come on, just sit over there.
You know, l made a bet with my son and won it too, because l had a little help from my grandson.
By golly l ran a pretty good race.
And whilst l was running l got thinking lf l can do this, there must be a lot of other things l can do and see.
So, to make a short story long l`ve decided to see a lot of the places l never got to see.
Beginning with Hollywood.
l always promised your mother we`d go, so l`m gonna, l`m gonna go, that`s all.
And well, that`s it.
l`ll miss you but l`ll write.
How long will you be gone?
- Let`s see l don`t know.
But when l get back l`ll still want my own place close to the park so l can keep running.
lt kind of gets in your blood you know.
Look at the time.
Jonathan`s going to get me to the airport.
lf l see a movie star, l`ll get you an autograph.
Believe it or not, down deep l understand.
My son it wouldn`t hurt to get out and do a little running yourself.
l will.
When you get back we`re going to go running together.
l love you granddad.
l know.
l know.
Let`s go Jonathan.