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Friend, The (2024)

Thanksgiving & Drama Movie Collection.
(Philosophical/Docudrama/Melodrama/Psychological/Anthropological/Teen/etc.)
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Thanksgiving, Dramas Movie Collection.

Friend, The (2024)

Post by bunniefuu »

I've imagined it

so many times.

How among

all the other questions

certain to have come

to you was,

"What will happen to the dog?"

He's there,

at the top of the hill

between the two bridges,

silhouetted

against the limpid sky.

You're making this up.

I'm certainly not making it up.

Limpid is one of your words.

Well, limpid's made up, sure.

But I didn't make it up.

Some other guy did.

"Limpid."

This really happened. Hang on.

Voil!

It was like

he was magicked there.

Like one

of Andersen's giant dogs.

- And no collar.

- No.

- No tag.

- Nothing.

Wait. Hans Christian--

You know the story.

A soldier steals a tinderbox.

He opens it up.

Three giant dogs appear

to grant any wish

that he desires.

Walter,

that story is a r*pe fantasy.

-No, no, no. Come on.

-The pervy soldier is obsessed

with the king's daughter,

so he had the dogs kidnap her.

As revenge.

It's Danish social commentary.

So he can have sex with her

while she's sleeping.

Well, that's Danish.

Okay. You could have a point.

- Thank you.

- -The fact is the dog magically appeared.

So, how's Barbara

feeling about this magical dog

suddenly appearing

out of nowhere?

Barbara was a much better sport

about my grown daughter

magically appearing

out of nowhere.

How is your daughter?

She's spectacular.

She's working with Iris now

- on The Letters.

- How's it going?

Oh, it's good

to have a partner. Yeah.

Another writer in the family?

Thank you.

Do you recognize this voice?

I don't.

Uh... It's Walter.

Where are you?

I found that old computer,

but I can't boot it

or kick it

or whatever you do to it.

And that little prick in Iis completely useless.

Please call me.

Do you recognize this voice?

I don't.

Uh... It's Walter.

Where are you?

I found that--

You loved to

tell your students,

"Beware the inevitable detail.

Guard against anticipation.

Embrace disorder."

Yet, many of the stories

I read in writing workshops

begin, inevitably, with someone

getting up in the morning.

Much less often

does a story begin

with someone going to bed.

Of course,

real people seldom behave

as predictably

as characters in stories.

That's one of the first things

you taught me as a writer.

And strangely,

one of the last things

we talked about

while you were still alive.

And o'er this sickle bending;

I listened,

motionless and still;

As I mounted up the hill,

The music in my heart I bore,

Long after

it was heard no more.

Ah.

I'm a mess, sorry.

I thought I would read

a few of Walter's words.

He wrote this in 2010.

It's also the passage I chose

to begin my upcoming book

about our time together.

Hello? Hello?

Um...

Good afternoon.

My husband's

students and colleagues

meant as much to him...

...as his writing.

Well, almost as much.

You were

the community of friends,

writers, and readers,

and sometimes even critics,

who prodded and pushed him.

And loved him

in so many different ways.

Excuse me.

-I had no idea you were coming.

-I wasn't going to.

But then I thought,

you know, closure.

God, Iris,

almost 20 years.

How did that happen?

I always imagined coming back.

It's really good

to see you.

Wife number two

is a piece of work, huh?

Oh, you don't know

the half of it.

She's really milking

the bereaved widow thing.

I mean, for a number two.

Google says we're

"surviving divorced wives."

-Oh.

-There can only be one widow.

-Feeling cheated?

-Relieved.

Excuse me.

-Oh, thank you.

-Thank you.

To...

him.

Him.

God, what an as*h*le.

But what about you?

How's your writing going?

-Oh.

-I read The Counting. Stunning.

-Really?

-Really.

-What are you working on now?

-I'm not.

Well, I was.

I started a novel a couple

of years ago, but... Yeah.

The worst writer's block

of my life.

Maybe because I called it

Eastern Bloc.

- Ouch.

- Hey.

Hey. I was looking for you

-when I came in.

-Oh, God. Yeah.

I was late. Ah.

I feel like a party crasher.

Or like something bad

is about to happen.

Hasn't something bad

already happened?

Uh...

Sorry. I'm... I'm Elaine.

-Wife number one.

-Oh, Elaine. Right. Yes.

Iris has told me

so much about you. Hi.

- Hi.

- Yeah.

-Val. Val, Elaine.

-Hey.

-This is Walter's daughter.

-Hi.

Walter's...

daughter.

Wow.

"Daughter" daughter?

Step-daughter? Widow's daughter?

-Uh, what?

-Hello, Val.

- Barbara.

- You must be Elaine.

-The memorial was beautiful.

-Thank you.

I really appreciate you

including me.

Iris, I need to talk

with you about something.

I was hoping

you'd come by the house.

Maybe early in the week?

- Yeah.

- Excuse me, ladies.

Hello, Iris. Yeah.

- You missed half my poem.

- Oh.

Yeah. "Oh." It's okay.

Sanderson, um,

wants to talk to you.

Thank you, Jerry. Oh.

And I go back to work

-on Wednesday, so...

-Okay.

-I'll call you. Yeah.

-Thank you.

Call me.

I should have

introduced myself sooner.

No, it wouldn't

have helped. Believe me.

What do you think Barbara

wants to talk to you about?

I have no idea.

Walking

with Samuel Beckett

one fine spring morning,

a friend asked,

"Doesn't a day like this

make you glad to be alive?"

Beckett responded...

I wouldn't go

as far as that.

And another

from your hero, Beckett.

The day that I die

will be like any other day,

only shorter.

You cracked us up

with the line...

"The more

suicidal people there are,

the less suicidal people

there are."

Hola, Ms. Iris.

-That time already, is it?

-Oh, yeah.

Santa Claus is coming to town.

h*, h*, h*.

I've read

that almost all people

who attempt suicide and survive

regret having tried.

Like jumpers who say that

as soon as they hit the air

they knew

they didn't really wanna die.

I wonder about you.

About how you might have felt.

The thought

keeps me up at night.

"Mancini drove a Buick

that appeared out of nowhere.

Nobody asked questions.

They all just chipped in

for gas.

And three hours later,

they were at the Blue Horizon

to watch George Benton,

master of the Philly Shell

slip and block

and elude punches

in a display of the sublime.

'Make them miss

and make them pay.'

Maybe Sid was perverse,

but he loved making them miss

more than making them pay.

That was his ideal,

inside the ring and out.

It was easier in the ring.

Outside, even the guys

who were untouchable,

who were blessed

with clairvoyance

or some uncanny genius,

got destroyed.

Outside, life was

chaotic and artless.

And you took three punches

to land one."

"The sharpness of the betrayal

cut like a knife.

There was no doubt anymore.

It was her ex."

It's good. Better than it was.

I like the ending.

But Jane's still not very much

like a character in a story.

She's more like a real person.

Not like the kind of

guys that you write about.

-Like that kind of story.

-No. I'm just saying--

Like no winged phantoms

-or ritual beheadings.

-I just don't see

the point writing

about somebody totally regular.

I mean, with everything

going on in the world.

-The world? Are you kidding?

-I'm just offering

-an honest critique.

-Carter, what do you mean

by "regular"?

I mean, the look and everything.

I know a lot of Janes.

Well, all I heard was

she's got red hair, green eyes.

There's more detail

on my driver's license.

Maybe you meant a regular woman.

Is the other girl tall?

I don't know why we let them

critique each other's work.

Blind leading the blind.

Down a dead-end alley.

I'm so sorry about Walter.

Wow, pure sympathy.

Drive-by condolence.

-Hey.

-Hey.

- How's it going?

- Yeah, good. You?

Yeah. Okay.

Get ready.

-Jeez, this is a dinosaur.

-Yeah.

But all his emails should be

on there until 2007.

-And your guy...

-Rico.

...should be able

to crack the code.

Yeah, he will.

Said he'd do it tonight.

Okay. Tomorrow then?

-Yeah. I'll come over.

-Great. Be careful.

-There's no backup.

-Got it.

It's precious.

And we'll make a backup, so...

Hey. How are you doing?

Hmm. I don't know. You?

You know.

I still haven't cried.

Well, people feel

the way they feel.

But it just feels wrong.

It's like I'm missing something.

I cried

when my phone screen cracked.

What did Barbara want?

I don't know.

I'm headed there now.

You think it's about me?

Why would it be about you?

Is that a rhetorical question?

Bye.

I wanna tell you that

no matter how much I sleep,

I'm exhausted.

That I feel

as though I'm losing control.

Like my life story is being

written by someone else.

Thanks so much for coming.

Earl Grey?

-I hope that's all right.

-Yeah.

So, tell me. How are you doing?

How's it going with the book?

Are you and Val

still getting along?

Oh, yeah. She's...

She's great. She, uh...

Well, we're moving

a little slow,

but you know,

we're figuring it out.

And she found some...

She found some guy that

uh, is helping

get these emails

off his thousand-year-old

computer.

Oh, God, right.

That ancient laptop.

Have you spoken with Jerry

about perhaps

bringing on another editor?

Why do you ask?

Did he say something?

No. Well, yes. Only, as you say,

that things are going slowly.

Huh. So, that's what

you wanted to talk to me about?

Oh, no. Of course not.

I don't know publishing.

That's between you and Jerry,

how best to finish the book.

I think you know

how much Walter appreciated

you taking time out

from your own writing

to edit his correspondence.

Hm.

I think it was a mistake

for Walter to stop teaching.

Um...

He loved it.

But all that

"misconduct" nonsense,

it was demoralizing.

Of course, once he stopped,

he missed it.

Oh. Just let me...

Things being what they are now,

I suppose most

writers in the world

wonder what their place is, huh?

Well... So, you are

probably wondering

why I asked you here.

It's about the dog.

I wanted to ask

if you could take him.

-Apollo? That dog?

-Yes.

No.

No.

No. I... I... I can't.

They don't allow dogs

in my building.

-Are you sure?

-Yes, I'm sure.

Yeah.

-Uh, could he not stay here?

-Oh, no, no, no.

That's what I'm trying to say.

He needs to be re-homed.

-Re-homed?

-He's been miserable here.

The poor thing wasn't eating.

And he would wait by that door

day and night.

Every time I managed

to pull myself together,

I'd look at him there,

and then...

fall apart.

What about Val?

Iris.

Some other family member?

I'm at my wit's end.

All the sanctuaries have

such long waiting lists.

He can't spend the rest

of his life in the kennel.

-You... You put him in a kennel?

-What else could I do?

He didn't understand that Papa

is never coming home again.

How...

How can you explain death

to a dog?

What if you took him

for a little while?

Even that

would be a very big help.

You will see,

he is very obedient.

He knows all the commands.

He doesn't bark.

He doesn't destroy things.

Doesn't have accidents.

And he knows

to stay off the bed.

Yeah, well I'm sure

all of that is true.

I know this is a lot to ask.

But I have to tell you,

the truth is

this is what Walter wanted.

You were his contingency plan.

His what?

I don't like dogs.

And he knew that.

I begged him not to keep it,

but he was determined.

And in the middle

of the worst fight

that we have ever had,

he assured me that

should things go wrong,

that the dog would go

and live with you.

-Why would he say that?

-You live on your own,

you don't have kids

or a partner.

And you love animals.

-Uh. I love animals, Barbara.

-Hm.

I love animals, yes.

I love cats.

I don't love... I... I...

Apollo? He's...

Contingency plan? Why would...

Why would he say that

without mentioning it to me?

I wouldn't make this up.

You were his best friend.

Oh, God.

Hey.

Come on.

Apollo.

Come now.

I'm sorry.

This way. Come on. It's here.

Come on.

Jesus.

Okay. Let's try again.

I'll go first. You follow me.

Hey.

Come on. Let's go.

Let's go in. Come on.

Come on. Let's go.

Apollo.

Okay. sh*t.

Uh... Excuse me.

Are you going up?

-After you.

-Okay. Thanks.

That's it.

One more.

Okay. Hold on, bud.

Yeah. This is... This is it.

This is where I live.

Apollo.

No. No. Get off the bed. Off.

Get off.

What a liar.

You home?

Zoinks.

There's a pony on your bed.

A very sad pony.

He was Walter's.

Yeah, I remember.

I thought you were a cat person.

It's just temporary.

Uh, Apollo, Marjorie.

Apollo.

Teensy bit allergic.

Good luck, hon.

I'm home if you need anything.

Yeah, thanks. Call me.

Come on, doggy.

Come on.

You gotta be hungry, right?

Here you go.

Okay.

Well, it's right there.

You've reached

the Tri-state Great Dane Rescue

hotline. Please...

What do you want?

Some music?

Okay. Let's see.

Oh.

My dad's favorite.

You're gonna like this.

Maybe?

Maybe not.

Come on. This is my bed.

Seriously?

Okay.

Okay. You stay there.

Yeah, I know.

A hundred percent,

you have to Uber at night.

It's dangerous in New York now.

-Hey. Can you...?

-Yeah. Sorry. Sorry.

Come on, Rocco.

Yeah.

Come on.

Let's go in the park.

Ugh.

Oh. Uh...

Hello, Ms. Iris. Hi.

-Hey, Hektor. How's it going?

-Good. Good.

-I heard there was a dog.

-Yeah.

Uh... This dog has...

The... The...

The owner,

he died quite suddenly.

-Wow, that's sad.

-Yeah.

But there are no dogs allowed.

-It's just until I can find a--

-No. Not even temporary.

But there's no one else.

I'm sorry, Ms. Iris. No dogs.

Okay. Here. How's this?

Bye.

Everyone's got their own way

of processing criticism.

Yeah, well, hers must be,

"Back off, as*h*le."

Did you find anything helpful

in what Jenna was saying?

You mean about female

characters?

I mean, I love that you're

writing speculative fiction.

I write tons of

female characters.

Like, all the time.

I have to delete all that

before I read in class.

Your workshop is mostly girls,

in case you hadn't noticed.

And there's, like, you know,

sex and stuff.

-They'd crucify me.

-Mm-hmm.

But I'll let you read it.

Yeah, well, we are coming

to the end of term, so--

It will be my best stuff.

Pretty intense

but super romantic.

Less porny than, like,

Game of Thrones,

or whatever.

-Oh, Come in.

-Oh, sorry.

No, no.

We were just finishing up.

Uh. How about a bite

before the movie?

- Is that a Great Dane?

- What? Carter--

Are you adopting

a Great Dane?

-No.

-They're the king of dogs.

There's this crazy Dane meetup

in Central Park every Sunday.

I go just to watch sometimes.

-Are you getting a dog?

-No, I'm not.

Well, you'd love a Dane.

Thanks for the tip.

-What was that all about?

-Please, let's just forget it.

Bite to eat?

Oh.

Blossom, I'm sorry.

I have to get home.

I think he missed you.

What...

Bad dog!

Bad, bad dog!

You bad dog!

Damn it.

Thanks.

That's exactly what Walter

thought of Eastern Bloc too.

That's just great.

Come on, you gotta eat sometime.

Maybe you spoiled your appetite

on my pillows.

And my writer's block.

- Hello?

- Yo! It's me.

sh*t.

Come on up.

This is all your fault.

-Hey.

-Hey.

-You forgot.

-No.

Jesus. This guy?

Ah, yeah.

Hey, big bro.

So, this is what Barbara

wanted to talk to you about?

Yeah.

Are you even allowed here?

It's only until

I can find someone else.

Then what, you'll re-home him?

-He just got here.

-Uh...

Poor guy.

He's taken over my bed.

And he won't even

look at me. See?

And whoever said that music

soothes the savage beast--

-It's savage breast.

-What?

It's "music soothes

the savage breast."

Oh. Well, there you go.

No wonder.

Does your breast need soothing?

Hm?

I bet it does.

Is now a bad time?

-You really forgot?

-No.

Okay, yes.

I thought we were gonna do it

after the boat thing.

No, I said Rico

would do it right away,

and then you said tonight.

Besides,

I'm not going on the boat.

Well, I guess

I didn't believe you.

Well, you should have.

It might be helpful.

For what? My feelings?

Well, sometimes those

kind of rituals can be--

No, it's not about

my feelings. It's just, like,

really not my thing.

It's their thing.

Walter's people.

And besides,

they don't want me there.

No, I think everyone

is really hoping to see you.

Trust me. They're not.

I just remind them

things about him

that they wish

they could forget.

No. You are not something

to forget.

Do you wanna look at the drive?

We don't have to.

Yeah. Let's do it. Why not?

What happened in here?-

I... He doesn't like

being left alone.

Um, well,

Rico recovered everything.

Thirty thousand emails, I think.

Thirty thousand?

Three of which

were to my mother.

Which tells you everything

you need to know

-about that relationship.

-Oh, I'm sorry.

No. Don't be sorry.

It wasn't like that

between them. I...

I didn't expect

there to be more.

But anyway,

there's, like, 300 letters.

And I found this one.

"What a stroke of luck,

the two of us being in Berlin

at the same time.

I can't stop thinking about

the green-blue floes

drifting along the Spree."

Oh, jeez.

Oh, sorry.

Do you not want me to...

No, no, go on. It's okay.

"Jaggedly foreboding,

more translucent somehow,

for the steely sky.

Breathtaking. What..."

What's he doing?

Uh. I don't know.

Hm.

Okay. Um...

"What a happy day together.

I'd been missing you

terribly, Iris,

these past months,

and now, once again,

I find myself sadly bereft.

But these new pages of yours.

I'm enthralled.

Fabulous work,

riveting and wondrous."

Do you think Walter read to him?

Yeah, I'm sure. He...

He'd read to anyone

who'd listen.

Hm.

What?

Just imagining

what that might have been like.

Being read to by Walter.

Numbing. That's how.

Let me read to you, and him.

"The goal of the expedition

was to map a tributary,

of a tributary of the Amazon.

The poetically named

River of Doubt.

And..."

Amazing. Is that what you like?

The written word?

Does that soothe

your savage breast?

Okay, okay, okay.

Wouldn't want to overdo it.

I want to read a poem

called "My Spirit Will Not Haunt

The Mound" by Thomas Hardy.

My spirit will not haunt

the mound

Above my breast,

But travel, memory-possessed,

To where my tremulous being...

It's just he is so big,

and your apartment

is like a shoebox.

You've never been

to my apartment.

Well, I've heard. From Walter.

You two would discuss

the size of my apartment?

We talked about a lot of things.

It just seems cruel, Iris.

Barbara, um, you were right.

There's no space

in any of the local rescues.

You can't just re-home

Walter's dog.

I really wish

you'd reconsider.

I know it's

what Walter wanted.

Come on, did he

actually say that?

That's what he wanted?

Iris.

Thank you.

Walk me to the train?

Yeah. Come on, big guy.

That dog, he's so Walter.

You mean, the swinging ba*ls?

Walter

would've hated today.

The ashes.

Flowers. Mournful poem.

He'd have loved

seeing his three wives

stuck on a tiny boat together.

We should've invited

the girlfriends.

"You're gonna need

a bigger boat."

God.

I never told you that I...

I knew about the two of you.

That you'd been together.

Did Walter tell you?

I guessed. Then I asked him,

and he, you know, owned it.

He was so proud of himself

that you'd remained friends.

But he never really

shared details.

It was...

that summer,

that last class

we took from him.

We just kept hanging out.

Going for walks. Coffees.

One night, out of the blue...

We'd been drinking.

...he just suddenly said to me,

"We should f*ck."

And I didn't expect it with us.

After so much time together.

I'd seen it

with other students, but...

-Yeah.

-So, I just stared at him

and said, "Why?"

- "Why?"

- Yeah. He laughed too.

And then he said, "We should

find that out about each other."

-He didn't.

-He did. And then we did.

Men like Walter

and their beloved language.

Isn't it disappointing that

when it comes time to seduce,

they all sound the same?

Hm.

I mean,

at that point in my life,

I was so intense

about everything.

I wanted every experience.

And he...

He was just

so f*cking sophisticated.

And?

And then that was it.

The next day, he pronounced it

a mistake for us

to try and be more than friends.

-What a cad.

-Yeah.

I was mortified. And angry.

And I didn't think for a second

we could ever be friends again.

-And then my dad got sick.

-I remember.

Right, and he shows up

at the funeral,

and it was really nice.

And weirdly okay.

And then you two started up,

and it was all normal again.

Why didn't you

ever say anything?

I don't know.

It didn't seem to matter.

We were all friends.

Yeah. I guess it didn't.

But then

Walter and I split.

And I was jealous.

-Of me?

-Of your relationship with him.

Yeah, your...

Your friendship.

Your best friendship.

That he found a way

to do that with you.

That he wanted it.

Without the sex.

For God's sake,

he left you his trusted steed.

Oh, God.

Hey.

Tell me. Um...

That class we took with Walter.

It's Shauna, right?

Val's mom is Shauna?

-God, you're good at this.

-Yeah.

The second I left the reception,

it hit me.

She and Val,

they could be twins.

No, but it was

right after you split.

I know. I know. I know.

I know. I did the math.

And you know what?

It's... It's okay.

No, it's not.

f*ck.

Can we stay in touch this time?

Oh, Ms. Iris,

I thought I told you, the dog.

-When will you get rid of him?

-Yeah.

Not yet.

-I'm working on it.

-No.

You can't just work on it.

You gotta make him go.

Hektor, he has a name.

-Apollo.

-Yes, I know.

Apollo, right.

Apollo. Hektor. Okay?

Apollo. Hek...

Oh. Yeah. Okay, yes.

Look, he can't stay, Ms. Iris.

Management company,

they are very strict.

It's not a problem.

I'm working on it.

-Just a few days.

-Um...

-And I am working on it.

-Okay.

-I promise.

-You said that already.

But this... He's... Okay.

You okay?

Oh, bud.

It's okay. I know.

I know.

A hundred and fifty-one.

About where he should be.

Little arthritis in the hips,

but, uh, otherwise,

he's in good shape. For his age.

Which is what, do you think?

Uh, five. Maybe six.

-Getting on for a Dane.

-Six is old?

Big dogs are like butterflies.

But he's okay.

And what about the fit

he had last night?

Well, he lost his master.

He's in mourning.

Before that, he was abandoned.

How would you feel?

Sit.

-Good dog.

-Wow.

I've never seen him

do that before.

Well, he's smart.

Give you a piece of advice.

The trick

with large breeds like this

is never let them

know the truth.

And the truth is,

you can't really make them do

anything they don't wanna do.

Stand your ground.

And for God's sake,

get yourself back up on the bed

and him on the floor.

Well, during that last fit,

when I was getting on the bed,

-he let me sit.

-Let you?

No, no, no, no, no.

Get him off the bed.

Give you this for the joints.

He's a good dog.

Don't turn him into a bad one.

Hey. Hey, Apollo.

Hey. Sit.

What...

You like them big, don't you?

Okay.

Here you go, bud.

A nice bed for you.

Really?

Okay.

Fine.

Knock yourself out.

Aw, dude, come on.

Hi, love. Brainstorm.

I'll adopt Apollo.

Cleared with co-op board

and Barbara,

so we're 100% good to go.

Call me. Xo.

Her even offering

seems suspicious, no?

Maybe Tuesday's

actually trying to help.

Help? She hates me.

You sound paranoid.

Tell me you've

never heard of people

taking revenge on

someone's child or pet.

Okay. First of all, uh,

he is Walter's child

or pet, not yours.

All... All I'm saying is,

you have no other options,

and you don't wanna lose

a rent-controlled apartment.

So, maybe you ought

to hear Tuesday out.

How is the book going, anyway?

We started in on his email,

but it's kind of a slog

without him here, you know?

Yeah, I can imagine

how that would change things.

But how much

was he even working

with you before?

You know...

-Hold on a second.

- Yeah, okay.

Yeah, yeah. I'm coming.

-Hey.

-Hey. Sorry.

-I just...

-Are you okay?

Yes. Can you tell those people,

your neighbors...

just open the door.

Because I was standing out there

for, like,

-f*cking ever.

-Oh.

Hi.

Aw, that's so cute.

-Like father, like daughter.

-Oh.

-Hm?

-Ah...

- Hi, Val.

-Oh, hi.

- Bye, Val.

-Yeah. Uh...

Bye.

-Hi.

-Sorry. I'm interrupting.

No, it's fine.

It's just that the L train

was gonna take 20, which gave me

just enough time

to break up with that d*uche.

You know that guy

I've been seeing.

sh*t.

-The train didn't come.

-Oh.

You wanna crash here?

Okay, come on.

You're a pal.

So, one too many?

Maybe just one. Um...

You're so wrong.

Tuesday hates me way worse.

Careful. Yeah, well,

it's not a competition.

With her, there's plenty

of hate to go around.

I'm just saying

that lady is crazy.

So, yeah,

you have to question her sh*t.

I mean, why would you even think

about letting her have Apollo?

-It's not that simple.

-It is that simple.

I just can't keep

having him here.

And he's getting in the way

of my work. Our work.

I just don't think

it's that different.

Oh, my God. What is that?

Oh.

That, my friend,

is yesterday's kombucha.

Um...

You should put that away.

I guess I don't think

it's that different.

We've been working on the book

for over a year now.

What does that mean?

It means, way before

my dad k*lled himself,

or before Apollo

even came along, I just...

I don't think

it's about the dog.

Hey, I... I put just as much

time into the book as I do--

No, I'm not complaining.

Walter warned me.

Warned you?

About your pace.

My pa...

You two talked about my pace?

-Are you kidding me?

-Maybe it wasn't your pace.

Well, what then?

What did you talk about?

Yeah, it was...

It was your pace.

He worried about

you going too slow,

about pushing you to finish.

I care about the book, you know.

I wanna finish it too.

And you think I don't?

Sorry, I shouldn't have said

anything. My...

My head hurts.

You gotta do something

about this dog, though.

I can't keep watching him

every time you go out.

Right, doggo? Huh?

Hi, big bro.

What do you wanna do?

What'd our dad want

if he were here?

You wanna go live

with a crazy lady?

What are you looking at?

Well, it's not that

I don't like her.

-She's lovely, she's bright.

-What, then?

-I like to work by myself.

-She's very bright.

-I just said that, didn't I?

-You might appreciate

another perspective,

you know.

Someone to bounce things off of.

-That's not the point.

-She's young,

energetic, and my daughter.

Right, but she hardly knows you.

She doesn't know your work

or relationships.

And that's exactly what

I'm trying to fix.

So, I'm the fixer?

Everyone knows

that you fix things.

-Ah.

-She's already here.

Since when have I ever-- What?

Why didn't you tell me

she was coming?

What the f*ck?

- Hi.

- Ah.

Hey.

You think

this is a bad idea, don't you?

No. It's great.

It is a bad idea because

we haven't had coffee yet.

Soon, all will be perfect.

It's just a trial.

Okay? One day. That's all.

To see if it's a good match.

And who knows, maybe she's not

as irritating to a dog. Go on.

Hi. Tuesday Chang, please.

Good job. Good boy.

Yes, that's it.

See? That wasn't so bad.

Why can't you be like that

with our elevator?

My elevator.

Maybe that will be

your elevator one day.

Okay.

Was there a problem?

Uh... How do you mean?

It just normally

doesn't take people

so long to get up the elevator.

Oh, no. No problem.

I heard talking.

Nope.

Okay.

-Well, come on in.

-Yeah.

-Oh, my God. He's ginormous.

-Yeah. I know.

Maybe it's just being inside.

Or this hallway.

No.

Look, I brought some food

-and treats and toys and stuff.

-Yes.

But he doesn't really

like to play with them.

Sometimes, this Kong thing.

-But mainly, he's just sad.

-Aw.

He likes to sleep.

And he loves being read to.

Well, my godson's head is gonna

explode when he sees him.

I'll be back around five,

so probably you just

need to go out once,

-around two.

-Two.

Normally, he likes to go out

three times a day.

Oh, wow, I didn't realize.

That he'd need to go out?

Well, three times a day, I mean.

- Oh, yeah.

- My friend uses

-something called pee pads.

-Oh, trust me.

You don't want to try that.

Oh. No, no, no,

no, no, no. Down.

Apollo, off. Do...

Can you...?

It's a vintage Tacchini.

I can't imagine Walter

let him just go willy-nilly

-wherever he wanted.

-Ah.

I'm quite sure he did.

That's ridiculous.

Barbara told me

that the dog

was perfectly behaved.

Yeah, well,

she told me the same thing,

but there you have it,

willy-nilly

all over your vintage zucchini.

Are you mocking me?

What? No. No, of course not.

I... I'm sorry.

Okay.

I'm running late. But, uh...

I'll be back around five.

But thank you.

Why would Walter

leave the dog to you?

What?

I mean, if he's like this.

Unmanageable.

I mean, your apartment,

for God's sake.

Even for one person...

What is it about my apartment?

I just think that maybe

Barbara misunderstood.

You know it's not as if Walter

put it in writing.

You mean, in the run-up

to k*lling himself?

I'm sure

it was on his to-do list.

Oh, okay. God.

You know what? Just...

Just tell me what else

I need to know.

About Apollo, or in general?

Okay, I was wrong.

She's just as irritating

to a dog.

Let's go this way.

No. Not that way.

Here. Let's go...

-Back up. Sorry, ma'am.

-No, no, no!

-No dogs inside, ma'am.

-What?

-I...

-No dogs inside.

I have an appointment.

I'm running late.

So, can you just help me?

-No dogs inside.

-I have an appointment.

Can you let me in?

-I can't. I'm sorry.

-Sir!

-Can you call your boss, please?

-Can you please remove the dog?

No, I will not.

Just let me inside, please.

I can't do it.

It's my job on the line.

Okay, right. I'll sit here too.

5-3 to base. I need

some assistance up here.

And they have

a big dog here too.

I'm really sorry about all that.

Reception can be such a-holes.

I mean, so random

to involve the police.

- This way.

- Oh.

Come on.

I have Iris

- and Apollo.

- I'm sorry.

- Come in, come in.

- Hi.

-Wow!

-Um, yeah.

I think your security team

overreacted.

I heard. Not to worry.

Not to worry.

-Sorry. I didn't plan on this.

-Please, sit.

-Okay, thanks.

-Yeah.

Okay, bud. Sit.

-Bravo.

-Good job.

Did you teach him that

or Walter?

Uh, I think he came with it.

-Impressive.

-Mm.

Does he need anything?

Oh, I think

Sophie was getting him some...

-Oh. Fiji water.

-Here we go.

-Wow, fancy. Fancy.

-Here you go.

- He's so thirsty.

- Yeah.

-I'll be at my desk.

-Okay.

I'm sorry about the mess.

So, he seems better

-than he was on the boat.

-Mmm.

-How's the book going?

-Uh...

I know that's what

you wanted to talk about.

And I have been working,

Val too, but...

Should I be looking

for another editor?

I know with the grieving

and the feelings--

No, definitely not. No.

Okay, then I'll be blunt.

I need this book.

Dead Walter is suddenly

hotter than live Walter.

There's considerable interest

in his correspondence,

and we've got

to capitalize on it. Now.

-I understand.

-If you need help,

-or you don't want to...

-No.

I said...

I understand.

Fine.

What are you gonna do

about the dog?

Okay. Let's go, bud.

Uh, I'm late for school.

And Val's AWOL,

so you're just gonna have to be

by yourself again, okay?

You just stay there.

And you're gonna promise

not to destroy my apartment.

Okay?

Good. Good boy.

You're gonna be a good boy.

How about some music, huh?

Okay, good.

All right.

Okay, be a good boy. Please.

Please, pretty please.

Don't wreck the apartment.

Okay.

Goodbye.

"The South to her,

a sexy accent inviting

her up worn wooden stairs.

The South was defanged

and charming,

a relic of history.

Like this boy who took notes

with a No. 2 pencil

and a Moleskine notebook.

In the Google Doc,

where she and her best friend

kept their senior year

bucket lists,

she wrote under 14: Get

published in The New Yorker."

Good boy.

Good boy, Apollo.

Very good boy.

I've been playing

my father's records for him.

- Really?

- Yeah.

Bass arias, mostly.

I think he's kind of into it.

He isn't.

Audiobooks, not so much.

Talk radio,

movie soundtracks, no.

To be honest, I don't think

he likes anything

as much as he likes

being read to.

That he really loves. A lot.

You're not thinking

of keeping him now?

No. Of course not.

Okay. Come on.

One more. Getting our steps in.

-Oh. And it's a tie.

-A tie.

Ta-da! Almost.

Okay. Thanks for that.

You're gonna come in

for some tea?

No. I'll start sneezing

-like a lunatic in there.

-Yeah.

I wish you'd think again

about coming to Woodstock

-for Christmas.

-Oh, sh*t.

What?

"You are in violation

of allowing

a dog to occupy the premises

and despite repeated warnings

from building superintendent

Hektor Cepeda.

If you continue to keep said dog

-in the apartment--"

-"Said dog"?

It should say sad dog.

-They're going to evict me.

-No.

No, no.

You've been here so long now.

And before that, your dad.

This is your home.

Iris, you cannot lose

this apartment.

You will never find another

place you can afford.

Not in the city.

Not anywhere with this roommate.

What about the shelter

in Michigan?

Oh, I'm still on the wait-list.

I need to speak

directly to the landlord.

Who's to say

the man's a heartless prick?

I am.

He tried to evict me

when I renovated my kitchen.

-You need a plan B.

-But...

I just need a little more time.

The only alternative is

to put him back in the kennel.

I can't let that happen.

Hello. Hey, Ms. Iris.

Did you know about this?

They're going to evict me.

Oh, Ms. Iris, what do you think

I was talking about when I said

-"the dog"?

-You know I'm trying.

-You know that.

-You're not trying.

And you know how I know

that you're not trying?

Because the dog is still here.

No?

It's not about the dog for them.

They want me out

so they can triple the rent.

That's not my problem.

They told me to tell you,

Ms. Iris.

So, I'm telling you, okay?

No dog.

Yes, I'd like to speak

to Howard, please.

No, I don't wanna speak

to a supervisor.

Yeah. Okay, fine. Just...

Have him call me back.

Please. It's urgent.

Merry Christmas.

What do dogs think

seeing humans cry?

What do they make

of human sadness?

I keep thinking of you.

How among

all the other questions

certain to have come

to you was...

What's gonna happen

to the dog?

Did you bring the wreath?

What wreath?

The Merry Christmas wreath

-for the window.

-No.

Where's your coat

and hat?

Left them

at the office.

What's the matter?

Nothing's the matter.

- Come in. Come in.

- Ta-da!

Oh, I'm so glad you came.

I know you didn't want to.

Get yourself a drink.

-You take that.

-And a hat.

-A hat. Okay.

-Yes.

Hi.

Iris.

-Oh, Blossom.

-Oh.

-Happy New Year.

-Happy New Year.

-You came alone.

-Very funny.

- How's your roommate?

- He's fine.

Marjorie told me

about the letter.

Yeah, well,

I'm not gonna be evicted, okay?

Easy. Just asking.

I was just talking to Shervin.

Have you met Shervin?

- Ah. No. Hi.

- Hey.

-How's it going?

-Nice to meet you.

Shervin's a friend

of Marjorie's.

He's a broker.

And Shervin was just telling me

how impossible it is to find

a pet-friendly apartment

in New York these days.

- Are you looking?

- Uh, no. I'm really not.

What kind of pet

do you have?

Oh, the Great Dane?

-Uh, he's not--

-Iris. Iris.

Such a long time.

-Harry. Oh, my goodness.

-Hey.

-So many years.

-I hardly get in town anymore.

-Oh, my God.

-This is my husband, Larry.

-Hi.

-Larry.

Your husband, Larry.

Harry, Larry. That's adorable.

Iris lives right next door.

Her father Gary sang with me

-in the g*y Men's Chorus.

-Oh.

You're the one with the dog.

Oh, yeah.

I've heard crazy stories.

Are you gonna lose

your apartment?

-No.

-I love big dogs,

but I could never do

what you're doing.

I gave Marjorie

the name of a rescue

in Delaware. They're amazing.

Five is kind of old

for a Dane, isn't it?

What are you gonna do

when he becomes,

you know, incontinent?

-Bye.

-Thank you so much.

Happy New Year to you.

Happy New Year, darling.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye-bye.

Take care.

Oh, honey, it's late.

Go home.

No, no. It's okay.

-You're mad.

-No.

Maybe just a little?

I did think this was

a New Year's party,

not an intervention.

People are concerned.

I'm concerned.

You're my friend.

You're more than my friend.

When your father got sick,

I don't know what

would have happened without you,

if you hadn't moved in

with him to help.

I miss him. A lot.

I don't wanna miss you too.

I actually did hear back

from the Michigan rescue, so...

They can take him now?

Well, that's good news.

Hey.

How you doing?

Hey, bud.

Hey.

Come on, boy.

Get in.

Stay.

-Ms. Iris, I...

-Can you just...

watch him, please?

Sure. Sure.

Sorry.

I wanted to come sooner.

But L train-hell train.

Marjorie clued me in.

Gimme.

Thanks.

You all right?

You know. I hear

wife number three is in China.

Or is it Macao?

Is Macao in China?

-Wow, look at that.

-Oh.

Hey, big boy.

It's a nice dog.

Gimme.

I almost forgot.

Here.

I looked for an Iris, but...

Thanks.

Bye, big bro. I'll miss you.

You're doing the right thing.

You think?

I don't know.

Maybe.

Yeah.

Call me when you get back.

Please.

Okay. You okay?

Bye.

See ya.

I've imagined it

so many times,

how among

all the other questions

certain to have

come to you was...

"What will happen to the dog?"

We expect the worst.

It's something we learn early,

from children's books.

In those stories,

animals often die.

Often tragically.

Old Yeller. The Red Pony.

And even when they survive,

even when they're happy

at the end,

they've often suffered badly.

Often put through hell.

Black Beauty.

Flicka. White Fang. Buck.

Okay. Okay.

Okay.

Dogs don't commit suicide.

They don't weep.

But they can fall to pieces.

They can have

their hearts broken.

They can lose their minds.

Oh.

Good boy.

Murtle, hush.

Hey. So, you know

how some people say

their dog is an emotional

support animal

so they can get them

on the plane?

Yeah, I know,

but I was wondering...

I know it's uncool,

but I was wondering

if the same law might prevent

the landlord from...

Right. Just do a quick search

and call me back, okay?

Perfect.

Jerky?

Val? Val?

Hey, Val? Can you hear me?

Directions

to Hershey, Pennsylvania.

sh*t. Hold on.

- Val? Hey.

- Oh, hey. There you are.

I started looking,

and I think maybe you're right

about being able to keep

a service dog in an apartment.

Any apartment.

Though he's gotta

be registered,

you know, for real.

Not by one

of those fakey places.

Like, by a shrink.

Is that what you're gonna do?

Oh, excuse me.

Hi. I spoke to someone

on the phone

about seeing Dr. Warren.

-I'm sorry, your name?

-Iris.

Oh, right.

You couldn't make it earlier.

I was... You know,

I was thinking

maybe I could sit and wait.

Oh, no.

It doesn't work like that.

You know what,

I'm gonna go ahead and just sit.

Uh...

- That's fine.

- Uh...

Ma'am.

Okay.

Ma'am.

Ma'am, you can't.

Hi, Dr. Warren.

Do you remember me?

-Um...

-It's been a couple of years.

But Iris. Iris Dixon.

Oh, yes, yes, Iris. Of course.

Oh. Are you, um...

Do we have an appointment?

I called, uh, before.

-Lydia?

-Uh...

Apollo was sad.

Like, truly sad.

I could feel him missing Walter

in the same way I did.

-You know what I mean?

-Mm-hm.

Anyway, the certificate is...

Could you...

Well, you'll have to apply

for it, but yes,

I could write an evaluation

saying that you're suffering

from depression and anxiety

aggravated by bereavement,

that the dog provides

essential emotional support,

the loss of which may likely

cause harm to your mental health

or might even be

life-threatening.

Does that sound okay?

That sounds like a lot.

It's what you're asking for,

isn't it?

Yeah, well, I guess I just...

I saw it the other way around.

Like, I'm the emotional

support human,

and it's the dog

that can't cope.

You... You think I'm a mess.

No, no. Not at all.

Why a mess?

Well, I know people who

genuinely need support animals

would hate people like me.

I would too. But I'm not

one of those crazies.

I would never take him anywhere

he's not supposed to go.

In fact, I left him

in the car right now.

Here's the thing.

I cannot get thrown

out of my apartment.

In the car, here?

He thinks you should come in.

Come on, bud.

He's very friendly.

They do seem

to know things, don't they?

Oh, bud.

Do you ever talk to Apollo?

Oh, yeah,

but the vet told me I should.

The most natural thing

in the world.

-What do you two talk about?

-I don't know.

Anything. Like...

What's up, pup?

You hungry?

Does your arthritis hurt?

Does this top go

with these pants?

Can you tell I've been drinking?

Some... Sometimes, I feel rage.

You know.

About Walter.

Especially in crowded places.

Like, I keep thinking,

who are all these

f*cking people,

and how come

they get to be alive.

And he's just...

Walter made a choice,

though, didn't he?

-Yeah, but...

-And yet,

your rage isn't directed at him?

Tell me, then,

why do you think

Walter k*lled himself?

I don't know.

I don't f*cking know.

Because he was weak and in pain?

And like he was...

trapped upside down

in a f*cking tankful of water.

Were you in love with him?

No. I know

I was not in love with Walter.

Sometimes,

putting a name on our feelings

can help

with the grieving process.

Look, I know about grief.

I know what love feels like,

and that wasn't it.

I wasn't hoping

for something more.

I'm only suggesting...

We were friends, not lovers.

And yes, sometimes, okay,

sometimes,

I got jealous or possessive.

We... We... We could just

talk for hours.

About anything.

Art. But...

Music. Books. So many books.

It was just effortless.

Like...

breathing together.

And now he's gone.

Yeah. He's gone.

He's f*cking gone.

He's f*cking...

k*lled himself,

and it's just the way it is.

If Walter were here right now,

what would you like

to say to him?

If you could say anything.

Anything.

Look, you're a writer.

Maybe it would help

if you write about it.

About Walter?

About what happened.

What?

Is this the madness

at the heart of it,

the fairy tale

I whisper to myself?

That if I love

beautiful, aging Apollo,

that if I act selflessly,

I'll wake up one morning

to find him gone

and you in his place,

back from the land of the dead?

How does the story begin?

We start with a woman.

She rides on the subway.

Is she alone?

No.

She has brought a dog with her.

A miniature Dachshund.

And some daffodils.

Where is she going?

She's going

to visit an old friend.

The friend lives

in a brownstone

in Brooklyn.

See her now walking up

the steps of the brownstone.

See her ring the doorbell.

She waits,

uncertain.

Hello.

Hi.

Come on in.

Does the friend

live alone?

No. He lives with his wife,

but she isn't home today.

She's at work.

Exactly

what did Barbara tell you

about what happened?

That she was away

on a business trip.

But the flight was canceled

because of a storm in Denver.

And when she got back here,

she found the dog

outside the study,

with a note on the door

for your cleaning lady

warning her to call 911.

The cleaning lady

was scheduled to come in

the next morning.

But you're right.

If one of my students

had put that in a story,

I'd have said, "Gee, isn't that

just a little bit too easy?"

Hm.

So, how do you feel now?

Humiliated, disgraced.

Ordinary human reactions.

Hm. I know that.

I've been reading up on suicide.

You'd better stop that.

Suicide is contagious.

What choice did I have?

It's been...

confusing.

Okay. I get that.

What are you gonna do

about the book?

The book.

I've decided to step away

from the book.

Your book.

What do you mean, my book?

I gave you complete control.

I'm feeling conflicted

about my own writing.

Well, you weren't doing

any writing before the book.

I thought

this would be good for you.

No. When you asked me

to work on your correspondence,

you weren't thinking about me.

You were thinking

about you and your legacy.

Your existential crisis

is my fault?

I'm not blaming you.

But you made a choice,

and you put me

in an impossible position.

-I have?

-And Val too.

But she's fine.

She can finish the book

without me.

I'm thinking about

writing something else.

Well, that is wonderful.

-What about?

-You.

About what happened.

It came to me suddenly one night

I was watching

It's a Wonderful Life.

I'm sure you've seen it.

-Many times.

-Yeah.

And I'm sitting there

with Jip in my lap.

And I was thinking

what a crummy thing suicide is.

The pain for everyone left

behind. And the dumb luck in it.

Having an angel

come down and save you.

Or not.

Which means you're dead.

This might be the place

to bring in some comedy.

Comedy?

You k*lled yourself.

You think that's funny?

Oh, I should have said,

-my book is fiction.

-I know what that means.

You're gonna change

my name to Wally,

or...

-Wilber?

-Nah.

I'm not gonna use names at all.

Except for the dog.

Well, Jip's in it.

That makes me happy.

Oh.

And your character is English.

Yeah, I thought

that might sting a bit.

I could be Italian.

Everyone wants to be Italian.

You're exploiting my life.

It's the least you could do.

Not your life, your death.

You see? He hates that word.

You know,

I'm looking at your face.

Do you feel sleazy?

You should.

What kind of friend does this

to a friend?

Tell me.

You made a choice to end things.

And that's what this is about.

That is not what this is about.

Go ask your shrink.

What makes you think

I'm seeing a shrink?

Well, isn't that obvious?

Why else would we

be having this conversation?

Okay. I did not fulfill

your needs as a teacher,

as a lover, as a friend.

Or are we still dealing

with your f*cking

daddy issues? Okay.

I'm sorry that

yours left the family.

I'm sorry that he got sick.

I'm sorry that he died.

And the way that he died.

My father fought for his life.

He clung to it. He loved it.

He loved everyone around him.

And he...

Oh, forget it.

I shouldn't be doing this.

I don't know

what I was thinking.

Why don't you put

that to Dr. Obvious?

What were you thinking?

I'll tell you

what I wasn't thinking.

I wasn't thinking

you're a monster

of selfishness and self-pity.

I wasn't resenting you

for throwing away

such a precious life.

And I didn't think

you chose suicide just to punish

those around you that loved you.

It's clear,

you weren't considering us

at all.

Well, in my defense,

I was suicidal.

Literally.

That lack of consideration.

For me, for Val, Apollo.

Who in the hell is Apollo?

Jip is Apollo.

He's a dog.

And he was not present

at the moment of my death.

Apollo was devoted to you.

Your best friend.

The center of his world.

And you left

him alone in the house

with your body.

He scratched at the door.

He was listening the whole time

as your life was draining away.

Did you hear him, Apollo,

in those moments?

Did you?

The least you could have done...

is find him a decent home first.

He had you.

He always had you.

Is that really what you thought?

Who cares what I thought.

I'm dead.

And now you got me here

with a wiener dog.

What else do you want?

Nothing anymore.

I can't think of anything else.

What's gonna happen

to the dog?

Yes, I know.

And I spoke

with the city before,

and they told me

as long as I have

proper documentation

from my doctor...

Why would you continue with

the eviction process when...

I've tried calling him twice,

maybe three times now,

and no one is calling me back.

Well, this is not

your judgment call.

Come on.

Oh, Ms. Iris.

I was looking for you.

-Why?

-They just called.

-We have a problem.

-Who? Who called?

The building management.

They called from Florida.

-They're not very happy.

-Wh... I...

I just talked to them.

And they--

They told me

that you talked to them,

and then

they called the lawyer, see.

-The law...

-Yeah.

What? What did they say?

The lawyer, well, I don't know.

He... He said...

I can't...

They said

that they have no choice.

- No choice?

- No choice.

-About?

-They have no choice

about Apollo.

They cannot evict you.

What?

So...

-Are you...

-No.

-So, that's it?

-That's it.

-It's done.

-Done.

That's it.

-Oh, my God.

-Yeah.

You hear that, Apollo?

You don't have to go anywhere.

You stay here.

Forever. Okay, boy?

You're such a good boy.

Just like that.

This is a good thing.

Yes. Yes, it's very good.

Very good. Thank you.

Okay. That's okay.

-Okay.

-Oh, my God.

Yeah. Listen, I just...

I apologize to...

Because, you know.

I was...

That's my job, you know.

-Yeah, no. That--

-He's a very nice dog.

Yeah.

-That makes sense.

-Okay.

-Okay.

-Okay, see you later.

Oh. Hektor, I have

a very nice bottle

of champagne in the fridge.

-Wow, no. No.

-Just a little celebration.

-I cannot really. I can't.

-Would you come on in?

-Just five minutes of your time.

-But... Okay. Five.

Five minutes, okay.

Excuse me. Is that Apollo?

-You know Apollo?

-Well,

I mean,

I haven't seen him for a while,

but he was a regular here

for about a year.

Apollo?

Yeah, his owner's... tall.

He's a...

He's a writer, I think.

Walter.

He died last year.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Ah. Thank you.

He sure was proud of that dog.

I mean, I must've heard him

tell the story

of finding Apollo,

I don't know, uh, a lot.

He's a beautiful animal.

Sure is.

Hey...

big guy.

How are you?

What are you looking at?

Huh? Who's in charge of you?

How did you end up here?

Hey, wanna go

get some breakfast?

What are you looking at?

It's not uncommon

to wonder what someone you love

was like before you met them.

Let me see. Oh, look at you.

You got two different colors,

a blue eye and a brown eye.

It almost hurts

not knowing

what that person

was like as a child.

That's pretty cool.

I've felt this way

about the men I've loved,

and about many close friends.

And now

it's how I feel about you.

Not to have known you

as a frisky young dog,

to have missed

your entire puppyhood,

I don't feel just sad.

I feel cheated.

I think of you when

you'd wake me years ago,

in the middle of the night,

inhaling every inch of me

as I lay on the floor.

Who was I to you then,

and what have I become

to you now

after so much time?

After what they paid us

for this place,

-they'll knock it down for sure.

-Oh, my God.

So, Apollo can do whatever.

The beach, it comes

and goes with the tide.

But you'll get used to it.

I think.

You'll be able to write,

won't you?

-Yeah.

-And Apollo can wander.

As much as he's able to now.

This is... perfect. Thank you.

Yeah.

My mom practically grew up here.

I guess I did too.

She needs the money now, so...

Oh. Hello.

Yeah. It came in

a couple of days ago.

I wanted to leave one

for you to find.

Come on, Val.

This is...

This is fantastic.

Congratulations.

You too.

Like I said, they don't take

possession until end of May.

So, go nuts.

-Stay the night.

-No. I can't.

-Come on.

-I have to get back.

And you guys should settle.

Thank you.

One more summer.

At least you get that.

And I get to say goodbye.

Am I talking to you

or to myself?

I confess,

the line has gotten blurred.

What were you like

in your prime?

Where did you run and play?

Who did you play with?

Are you seeing the ocean

for the first time?

One miracle is not enough now.

That disaster was averted,

that we were spared separation

or eviction.

It's not enough.

Now I'm like

the fisherman's wife.

I want more.

And not just another summer

or two.

I want you to live

as long as I do.

Anything less is unfair.

Apollo?

Apollo?

Apollo?

Hello, my friend.

Oh.

Come here.