Heritage Falls (2016) Movie Script
1
Charlie, Charlie,
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie...
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie,
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie,
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!
We're all ready for you, Coach.
Charlie, Charlie,
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!
All right, all right...
all right, all right!
Well, love that energy.
Love that energy.
You know, when you think of
Stevens County High School basketball,
when you mention it,
when you say those words,
there's only one name
that comes to mind.
Charlie Fitzpatrick.
An amazing man,
but now this mountain of a man
is retiring
from being our basketball coach.
I know.
I know, I know.
I love coach Fitz, too.
But this is a day of celebration
of this man's amazing career.
So without further ado,
ladies and gentlemen,
I present to you right now
the most winningest coach...
Say "winningest"!
Winningest!
Yeah! The most winningest coach
in all of Georgia.
My coach, my friend...
Coach Charlie Fitzpatrick!
Let's give it up!
Wow, guys, this is fantastic.
You know, I was one
of the original players back in the day
with Coach Charlie.
Coach Charlie
was always there for me.
Whenever
I needed someone to talk to
or just to pick me up, he was there.
Man, Coach Charlie
always had time for us.
Coach Charlie treated us as equals.
He always listened.
I mean,
anytime I needed someone to talk to
or just somebody to pick me up,
he was there.
He held us Mustangs,
to a high standard
and himself to an even higher one.
He was like...
He was, uh...
He was like a father.
He was like the father that I never had.
Thank you all so much.
Thank you, Joe.
Most of y'all know Joe
as Principal Allen.
But when I first met Joe,
he was a scrawny little kid
we called "Jumbo."
He ran more suicide sprints
and did more burpees
than any player I've ever coached.
I just never thought
he'd end up harassing me
about filling out my timecard.
Proud of you, Joe.
Proud of all you boys, you men.
I tell you who really should be up here
is the love of my life.
Thanks to her patience
and persistence
and her uncanny ability
to defuse what some call
my dynamite temper,
which I don't know much about.
I think it's overrated.
Technical foul, right there, right there.
Stand up, Laura.
Stand up, sweetheart.
Take a bow.
Give it up for my wife.
One of the greatest privileges
I have ever had as a coach
and as a father is watching my daughter,
Harvey play basketball
for the Lady Mustangs.
Give it up for Harvey.
Stand up, sweet girl.
Harvey, Harvey, Harvey!
Lastly, I don't want to leave out my son.
Proud of him, where are ya?
You here?
Where are you, Junior?
Oh. I, uh...
I'm proud of him, too.
Y'all, I couldn't have done
any of this without my family.
Give it up for my family!
What I'll miss most about this job...
is the people.
The students, the teachers, parents.
We are a team.
We are one.
We are a family!
Hey, Mr. Munpower,
this is Evan Fitzpatrick
over at Southern Scribes.
Yes, sir. I just wanted to let you know
that we got your copy of The Last Ride,
that Tom Edison novel
that you ordered.
Well, do me a favor,
you take a read, and if it's any good,
I'll put it on my reading list.
Mm-hmm. Mmm.
Well, fantastic. Just let me know.
Well, it's here waiting for you,
so whenever you want to come in,
just pick it up.
All right, bye.
Hey, Cedric.
It's Evan over at Southern Scribes.
Yeah, your new Medford book
just got here.
Yeah, fantastic.
Wonderful, yeah.
You have a great day, too.
Thank you so much. Bye.
We should've been there.
Yeah, well we weren't invited.
- Yes, we were.
- No, not by him.
Look at that smile on his face.
I bet he didn't even realize
that we weren't there.
What? Look, I hate going
back to high school.
It's terrible. It's so fake.
The fake smiling
and the fake handshakes.
And then being introduced.
Being introduced,
"Hey, this is Charlie's boy."
"Hey look, it's Charlie's son."
And my personal favorite,
"Hey, look, it's Junior."
Last night wasn't about you.
Yeah, well.
Those are his people.
They love him.
I was never part of that world.
He didn't need me there.
Then stop trying to convince yourself.
Convince myself? I'm not.
Good morning!
Welcome to Southern Scribes.
I am not.
No, I'm not.
What was I supposed to do?
Not announce him?
Oh, call him. Talk to him.
He should call me.
Call him!
The only one that doesn't respect me
is my own son.
He loves you.
He's just different from you.
You think?
Hey, remember the time
he tried organizing your tools?
Yeah, told him not to.
I got a system.
There's a method to my madness.
Mmm.
I've always hoped so.
Don't you think
it's a good idea?
What, to call Dad?
- Yes!
- Oh, darlin'...
every conversation
I've ever had with that guy,
just teakettles into a complete
and total argument.
I mean, it's a brilliant idea though.
I mean, with any other guy,
that would make complete
and total sense.
- What, you mean like with you?
- Oh!
Hey, what does that mean?
It's always his way or the highway.
Well, that doesn't sound
like anybody I know.
I'm his dad.
My way is the highway.
Hey, guys!
Brought your sander back.
Hey, Harv. That was you?
Mm-hmm.
Thought I lost that thing
three years ago.
- Sorry.
- It's all right. I bought a new one.
And it wouldn't kill you to ask.
I'm borrowing this.
Sorry. May I borrow this?
Yes, you may.
So...
you, uh, having Evan's party here?
Well, I'm still his mother, aren't I?
Maybe he'll show up for that.
Come on, Coach.
What'd you expect?
That my own son would support me.
Well, now that you're retired, and,
you know, getting...
You better not say old.
Getting older,
maybe it's time for you guys to...
you know!
No, I don't know.
Bond!
It's too late. It's too late.
- It's too late.
- No, Evan. It's never too late.
Sometimes,
look, just one little phone call
can make a big difference.
I gotta get going.
Markie is coming home at six from college.
Wait, the kid's coming home?
I thought he had exams.
You guys are gonna talk.
- We are?
- Love you, feed the cats.
But... Sure. I love you!
"Winningest" isn't even a word.
It's ridiculous.
You gonna hog 'em,
or hand one to me?
You want plain or jelly?
Jelly.
Laura knows you still eat these?
What's wrong, Coach?
In all the players,
over all the years,
all of 'em looked up to me.
Eventually.
Except my own son.
Just never connected with him
like I did Harvey.
Didn't he try out
for the basketball team?
I had to cut him.
Could've just made him
the team manager or something.
He didn't want to have
anything to do with it.
I had to make him try out.
Okay, so you made him try out,
then you cut him.
Ouch, Coach.
Back when tryouts was over
when we played,
how'd you get us to come together?
How'd you get us
to start being a team?
Took you up to Heritage Falls.
Heritage Falls.
Man, you'd run us up there
for four weekends.
Long ones!
Campfires, comradery.
Had the obstacle course, the wall!
Whoo!
Man.
But you knew what you was doing.
Team building.
You know how to build teams.
See, this thing you got going with Evan,
you two been trying to prove
something to each other for far too long.
He'd never go for it.
Just get the women involved.
They'll make it work.
Talk to him.
So you, uh,
you reading anything good?
Yeah.
Oh, yeah? Whatcha reading?
You wouldn't get it.
Wouldn't get it?
Come on. Give me a shot.
Gargantuan the Destroyer.
Mm.
Gargantuan the Destroyer.
- Yeah, it's awesome.
- Yeah?
You know,
you should broaden your horizons
and sell some comics at the store.
It'd be dope.
Yeah, well, you know, all dopeness aside,
we're called Southern Scribes,
not Southern Pop Culture,
so it's a bit of a, you know...
- Their loss.
- It's just a...
A different demographic, you know.
So, uh, how's school going?
It's fine.
Yeah? It's just... It's just fine?
It's fine.
Did you take your exams?
How'd they go?
I'm done.
You're done with what?
You're done with your exams?
- It's nothing.
- What do you mean, it's nothing?
- It's nothing.
- It doesn't sound like nothing.
Come on, talk to me.
Dad, I quit.
You quit?
You quit what?
- Yeah, I quit school.
- You quit school? Ugh.
You quit?
Hey, Heather!
Dad, look, college is not for me, man.
I'm gonna join a folk band.
We're called Three Pronged Toe.
Three Prong Toe? No, no.
Yes, I am.
- No, you're not. You're finishing school.
- Dad, I...
- You're gonna finish school first.
- No, I'm not.
- Yes, you are!
- I'm 19, man. I'm on my own.
You're on your own?
Okay, you know what?
You're a real man, right?
Real men finish things, OK?
Real men don't quit.
Real men finish things like...
school, for example. All right?
So here's what's going to happen.
You're gonna go to school on Monday,
and you're going to take your exams,
and you're gonna finish them.
And if you fail anything,
you're gonna take summer school.
- No one goes to summer school anymore.
- I don't care!
Dad, I know
what I want to do with my life.
I want music, not books.
I'm not like you, man.
Stop with the "man" thing, all right?
Stop it, knock it off! All right?
I'm your father.
Yeah, I'm your father.
- Dad.
- What?
- The noodles!
- What?
Oh!
Aww!
Hey, look... Hey!
- This is...
- We're talking about Markie.
- I know.
- He will come around.
It has nothing to do
with coming around, OK?
He's... He's...
Did you hear what was doing?
He's talking
about quitting school, Heather.
He doesn't want to go to school.
He wants to leave
with Three Pronged Hang Nail, whatever...
- It's Three Pronged Toe.
- Whatever it is.
Three Pronged Toe.
And if you would just
calm down and talk to him...
Hey, look,
I am totally calm, all right?
I was calm talking to him, I'm fine.
I'm fine.
No, no, no, no. You didn't...
You talked at him.
You did not talk to him.
- There is a difference.
- I didn't... Look...
Who is that?
It's your mother.
Oh, no. Oh, no, no. Don't...
I don't want to talk to her.
She's gonna talk about the party,
it's all gonna be about the party.
I don't want to talk about...
I don't even want a party.
Is this how you
want Markie to treat us?
Markie's not gonna treat us that way.
No! Don't...
Don't pick... Don't... Don't...
Hello? Yeah, I'm home for now.
Why do we still have a landline?
This is ridiculous.
It was in the bundle.
Yeah, of course,
I'm coming to his party.
Hey, hey! I'm not here.
Yeah. No, yeah, he's here.
Yeah, he's been here the whole time.
Yeah. All right.
Yeah, love you, bye.
It's for you.
Hey, we're not done talking
about that thing that we were
talking about, OK? All right?
Whoa, whoa, whoa...
No, no, no.
Don't give me that look.
You know what?
You should appreciate that I want to be
a part of your life.
OK? You know what? I'm a rarity.
Yeah, you're a real gem.
I am a real gem.
Hey, Mom!
It's me.
Oh...
Hey, Dad.
Trouble with your boy?
Kids.
Mmm.
Um... Oh, hey!
Congrats on the thing last night,
by the way.
Yeah, sure. Thanks.
- Guess you were tied up, huh?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I'm sorry we couldn't make it.
We had a, you know,
inventory at the shop last night.
And we had to stay
on top of that, so, you know.
Yeah.
Look, um...
like to have
your birthday at our place.
Yeah, I kind of figured.
Mean a lot to your mother.
Unless, you know,
you got inventory.
Okay, look,
no candles and no singing.
And nobody but family, that's it.
- Just family.
- Yeah.
Just the family.
Got it. See ya then.
Yeah, I'll see you then.
Bye.
Three Pronged Toe...
They're here.
You got this, Coach.
Hey, big bro!
Hey, Harv!
Happy birthday!
Thank you!
Yeah.
You know you should've gone.
I had inventory
at the store, it was...
Mm-hmm. I'm sure.
Oh, it was terrible.
- Mm-hmm.
- Busy.
Cheer up! Tonight's about you.
- Great.
- Hey!
Hey, little buddy.
So, everything good on your end?
I've got it covered.
And what about Markie?
He's unfortunately
and unexpectedly free at the moment.
Wow, you're going for it, huh?
Yeah, we're going for it.
Wait till you hear the name.
Oh, yeah,
just wait till you hear that name.
There they are!
Hey, Grandpa.
Hey, Markie.
Still wearing those elf pants, huh?
They're skinny jeans.
On some people.
It's good to see you, boy.
Good to see you, too.
Junior, where's your man scarf?
Ha. It's...
How old are you today?
Old enough to stop being called Junior.
Hey, come on, everybody inside.
Food's gonna get cold.
Food!
Ow, what?
- Be nice.
- I'm being nice.
You gotta be nice.
Happy birthday, son.
Hmm. Thanks, Mom.
I'm proud of the man
you've become.
Hey, is Dad losing weight?
Eh, just stopped
eating donuts with Joe.
Why did he retire?
Ask him.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Now, will you
try to have a good time?
I'm having a great time.
Have a good time.
See that smile, my boy.
How's that?
- OK, get in there. Go!
- OK.
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
Which nobody can deny
No candles and no singing,
that was the...
Which nobody can deny,
Nobody can deny
Which nobody can deny...
Okay, okay, okay...
What'd you wish for, old boy?
I wished that my son
would graduate college.
Well, never let my schooling
interfere with my education.
Mark Twain said that.
Ah, good try, kid.
I'm with you, Markie.
I wish I'd taken some time off.
Taken a gap year.
You wanted to backpack Europe,
remember?
Yeah, I do. I do remember that.
But I never did do that.
Well, I'm just saying, you know.
Markie probably
feels like you did back then.
Well, yeah, yeah.
I'm just saying that Markie wants
to quit school, so...
Hey, what is that the old man
used to say about quitters?
I didn't raise no quitter.
That's right, boy.
- Evan.
- What?
How about we open some presents?
- How about that?
- Good idea.
Oh, open Dad's first.
- Okay.
- I was kind of hoping that...
What is this?
I'd go last, but that's all right.
Go ahead.
This is a book.
Dad, I'm impressed.
It only took you, what,
44 years to get in the ballpark.
Evan...
Honey, just open it, please.
Uh, Mom,
do you want to save this paper or...?
What?
Thanks, Harv.
Survival in the Wilderness.
Curtis Schakleston.
"Junior, in honor of your 44th birthday
and our Heritage Falls adventure.
Love, Dad."
Heritage Falls?
I don't...
Dad's taking you
and Markie camping!
Me? What did I do?
Wow, Pop. You know, that's, uh...
That's great!
I... I'd love to, but I can't go.
I mean, we just had inventory.
The shop is gonna be crazy.
I really appreciate it.
Your schedule's already been cleared.
And I'm helping out
at the store while you're gone.
That's my present, by the way.
Uh...
Look, Dad, camping's not...
It's not my thing.
- You know?
- Yeah.
Yeah, what...
Just what is your thing, Junior?
Dad.
- Huh?
- Dad.
I mean, just do what you want to do.
You always do anyway.
I still don't know why I have to go.
Ouch.
Camping.
How bad could it be?
Oh, if he's taking me
where I think he's taking me,
it's... it's gonna be pretty bad.
There's bugs and there's ticks.
And there's wasps.
And there's this obstacle course,
there's the wall.
- The wall? What's the wall?
- Yeah.
I don't know, I never made the team.
He's right, though.
What is he right about?
Trying to get you guys
to spend time together.
It's something you desperately need.
I know, I know.
I know what he's trying to do.
- Well, at least he's trying.
- Yeah, but why now?
I mean,
what is this, what's going on?
I mean, first he retires,
and now it's this camping thing.
I mean, I'm 44. I'm not 14.
Better late than never.
How do you do that?
How do you always make
everything so easy and practical?
Because it usually is.
Camping.
It's gonna be like putting
two betta fish in a bowl
and telling them to get along.
Three betta fish.
Oh, I forgot.
Three of us in that cabin.
Happy birthday to me.
Hey, you're getting
pretty good with that thing.
Yeah, it's pocket-size,
so it keeps me sharp.
Guitar's still my weapon
of choice, though.
Oh, of course.
I haven't heard you play in a while.
Maybe you can
bring it with you on the trip?
Yeah, maybe. We'll see.
You're excited.
I reckon so.
Don't overdo it out there.
I know my limits.
You worry too much.
No, I don't.
Hey, I put together
a little care package for you boys.
You know,
just ice breakers and such.
Figured I'd give it to you now,
since you're raring to go.
You're my girl.
How can there be
A cherry that has no stone
How can there be
A chicken that has no bone
How can there be a baby
With no crying
How can you tell a story...
Hi, Grandpa.
4:00. We're burning daylight.
Hey, it's my party.
I'll be late if I want to.
Ah, that's funny.
Yeah, music joke.
Thank you,
I'll be here all night.
All three nights, in fact.
Yay, camping, whoo!
You're bringing that?
Yeah, I told him.
What, why?
How far we going?
I mean, you know, ta-dah.
It's got a handle.
Oh, Junior. My son, my son.
Okay, listen.
You call me Junior one more time,
there's not gonna be a camping trip.
- Dad, here.
- Whoa!
All right, give 'em up, cell phones.
What, are you serious?
Yeah, it's my trip. My rules.
You can cry if you want to.
Okay, no. Just take it. It's fine.
Hey, what are you doing...
Hold on.
But I need my laptop.
No, you don't.
Follow me, boys.
Let's go, slow poke!
Three days.
All right!
Camping!
Here we go!
Camp a little while
In the wilderness
In the wilderness,
In the wilderness
Camp a little while
In the wilderness
For I'm a-goin' home
You guys in a rush?
Have a date?
Careful, don't...
I'm just getting ready
- For I'm going home
- Aah!
- Come on!
- Slow down, come on, Dad!
You guys...
Guys, wait!
Pick it up!
For I'm going home
Go, go.
For I'm going home
For I'm going home
Is that Heritage Falls?
Not even close.
For I'm going home
Shout a little while
In the wilderness
Heritage Falls, yep. Great.
It'll be so much fun, yeah.
For I'm going home
How do you get up there so easily?
For I'm going home
For I'm going home
Oh I'm just getting ready
For I'm going home
I sought my Lord
In the wilderness
In the wilderness
In the wilderness
I sought my Lord
In the wilderness
For I'm going home
For I'm going home
For I'm going home
I'm just getting ready
For I'm going home
Dad, look, my axe.
Great, day one, tetanus.
There's no tetanus.
Would all the players sleep in there?
No, they'd pitch their tents down
on the sandbar.
You guys get
the coach's VIP treatment.
Oh, yeah? What's that?
You get to sleep indoors.
- Ah.
- Cool.
Excuse me!
- It's nice in here.
- What?
These are just basketball tapes?
Kind of boring.
Hey, fellas, I got some coffee.
Who wants some?
No pot.
No coffee pot?
You'll survive.
I thought you said there were
three rooms in this cabin.
Living room, bathroom, bedroom,
three rooms.
- Seniority!
- Shotgun!
Seniority, seniority!
Seniority!
Seniority?
Really, you want to play that card?
- Oh, ah, shotgun!
- Oh, no.
I don't play that game.
Whoa, whoa.
That's not a game. That's a rule.
Not in my house.
Hey, you guys
should arm wrestle for it.
Or we rock, paper, scissors, huh?
Arm wrestle.
Arm wrestle.
I mean, look,
I don't want to hurt you, old man.
Okay.
You know, that old bear rug's
pretty comfortable.
Not too many fleas.
Hey, all right. Arm wrestle it is.
Come on, old man.
So do you think
we'll hear anything?
Nah, Charlie has a phone rule.
So only if there's an emergency.
So no new news is good then?
Exactly.
What are you doing?
Dishes.
You know, I thought it was
a good idea when Charlie pitched it.
But now that they're gone.
Aw, honey, don't worry about it.
Charlie knows what he's doing.
He does?
Sure, he does.
Look, those boys needed to be
thrown into a box and shaken up.
Besides, Markie's there
to balance them out.
Let's do this!
- Three!
- You're going down, old man.
- Two!
- Bring it, boy.
- One!
- Son defeats the father!
- Go!
- Dun, dun, dun...
Ah ha ha!
Night, Grandpa, night, Dad.
Oh, yeah.
Two more nights.
Oh, no...
Aah!
Markie!
Come on, boy!
Don't make me come up there.
- Bonding time, boy.
- Okay.
Here's coffee.
I'm gonna die.
Mmm!
Ready? You're doing good.
You're doing good.
Let's go, let's go.
While we're young.
I thought we were
supposed to be bonding.
What do you call this?
Torture.
Well, there it is, boys.
I'm not doing that.
No way.
Cannot get over this
without teamwork.
- Then we can't do it.
- All right, face each other.
Link your hands,
lace your fingers together.
All right, ready?
One, two, three.
This is not good.
Push! Down, down.
Come on.
Okay, hold on.
Ah, Dad!
Come on!
Grandpa, come on.
Little more.
Ah, no, no! No, no!
- Come on, push!
- Go, push!
Come on, come on.
Push. Down, down.
Well, let's try it again with you, Junior.
You can pull us up.
- Done, done, no.
- Where you going?
Not part of your team, Dad.
Never wanted to be.
Hey, Dad, you want to play this?
Play what?
Oh, no, not right now, kiddo.
Whatever.
Okay!
Well, just remember kid...
I don't lose at cards.
Let's see what you got, Grandpa.
I actually don't think this is
a win or lose kind of game.
- Yeah, just swirl them around.
- Just like this?
What?
What did your grandmother put
in here?
Oh.
What? What's it say?
"If you were a tree,
what kind of tree would you be and why?"
No. Are you serious?
I told you it wasn't
a win or lose type of game.
Aw, this is just a lose game.
No, Grandpa, you have to do it.
You can't quit.
Hey, you know what?
The kid's right.
You can't quit, Grandpa.
So come on, dig deep.
Dig deep.
What kind of tree would you be?
I reckon I'd be an oak.
An oak, really? Pray tell.
Why... Why an oak, Grandpa?
Well, I'm old, but I'm still standing.
And I'm strong.
Ha. Yeah, you're a cheater
is what you are.
- You bent your wrist.
- No, he did not.
Yes, he totally did.
What about you?
- Me?
- What would you be?
Um...
Uh, I would be a leaf,
so I could leave.
That is a terrible joke.
Awesome joke.
- That's so bad.
- What're you talking about?
This game is ridiculous.
God, it's so stupid.
Why would Mom
even pack this game?
Your mother'd do
anything to bring us together.
Least you could do is respect that.
The only reason why Mom picked
this game, Dad,
was because there's no competition.
All right?
She thought it would be safe.
That's it.
I got it.
I would be a sycamore,
because I am sick of this.
Get it? Sick of...
At least he picked a tree.
Oh, come on. Where you going?
Chop wood.
Oh, well, of course
you're choppin' wood.
That's the coach, manly thing to do.
Chop wood.
No, I'm just tired of cold beans.
You always take it too far, Dad.
You know what?
It's just it feels so good
in the moment.
Would you rather be
happy and humble,
or right and a jerk?
Does that really say that?
No, it says what kind of season
you'd be and why.
Well... according
to your grandfather,
I would be a cold, long, bitter winter.
I'm gonna get some air.
You enjoy that?
Yeah. Good for you.
Want to try it?
Aw, no, no thanks.
- You sure?
- Yeah, yeah. I'm good.
This uh... This book
you got me is pretty interesting.
Oh.
Yeah, the guy survived
seven days in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Made it out alive.
How'd he make it?
I'll let you know.
Love
Confusion relation
A quick hesitation joy
Doubting rebounding
A faithless resounding peace
Tantrum temptation
A faith altercation
Hopefulness
Hopefulness
With the sacrifice of fools
I will let my words be few
We're all working for a dream
They are never what they seem
Well I guess I'll play the part
Though I don't know where to start
There's a failure inside of me
Running races eternally
Sky
A lover of beauty
And old-timey movie stars
A sparkle of fire
This man on a wire waves
Thundering oceans
Of ceaseless devotion
Hopefulness
Hopefulness
With the sacrifice of fools
I will let my words be few
We're all working for a dream
They are never what they seem
Well I guess I'll play the part
Though I don't know where to start
There's a failure inside of me
Running races eternally
Come on.
Wet kindling.
Dang it.
You need a hand?
Really?
You called me to change your tire.
Step aside.
I was... I was eating those.
Lighter.
Where in the world did you
learn how to do that?
A book.
What are you doing?
Surviving.
How many dogs you guys want?
Now I don't
want to get your hopes up.
Please, don't.
But I think I figured out
a way to make coffee without a pot.
Yeah, right.
No, seriously. You'll see.
Listen, you can really do that?
Yep.
- Really?
- Yep.
You can make coffee here
without a coffee pot.
Just you wait and see.
I don't believe you.
Must be some book.
That book's interesting.
Hmm.
- Hey, Dad?
- Hmm?
Why'd you retire?
This may not be the time.
Well, this is the perfect time.
Why the secrecy?
Well...
um...
Well...
I've been in remission, but...
Wait, what?
Remission?
- Dad...
- Wait, remission from what?
Cancer.
He had cancer.
Wait, is it gone?
It was, but now it's back.
What?
So it's not gone? You're not good?
I beat it once, I'll beat it again.
You hid this from me.
- Didn't want to worry you.
- You didn't want to worry me?
Got your own life to live.
What kind of excuse is that?
Mine. It's my excuse to give.
Doctors are very confident.
Wait, I'm your son.
Yeah?
Where were you at my last game?
Besides, only your mother knew.
- What are your chances?
- Solid.
You're running around.
You're chopping wood.
Exercise is encouraged.
Listen, I look at this
as a wake-up call, all right?
I've missed enough time
with you guys already.
Hush-a-bye
Don't you cry
Go to sleepy little baby
When you wake
You'll have cake
And all the pretty little horses
So you're
really into your music, huh?
Yeah, I guess.
Ha, you guess?
If you're fixin' to quit school
and run off with a band,
you better know.
Oh, I know, but Dad doesn't.
He just thinks it's a joke.
I'm pretty sure
he doesn't think it's a joke.
Look, I know all the arguments.
There's no money in music.
One in a million make it.
It's hard on families.
School first, music second.
I get it, but...
You think you do.
But I understand you.
See? Thank you.
I understand you because
he was you and I was him.
Only books, instead of music.
Yeah, I guess.
Don't discount his advice.
Advice?
You mean, commands.
He's a smart man.
Listen to what he has to say.
Think it over.
Then you make your own decision.
You gonna be okay, Grandpa?
Shoot. You saw me arm wrestle.
Snake, snake! Aah, snake!
Snake in there, snake in there!
Big snake, snake!
That's your mama's robe?
Where is it?
No snake here.
It was right there.
It was right there.
- I swear to you it was right there.
- Well, it's not there, so...
Not there now.
Well, where is it?
Gotta be somewhere.
Nothing.
Ya, ya, ya, ya!
Dad, there's no snake.
Keep looking.
Big baby.
Mouse traps.
A lot of good those are doing.
What's the matter with you?
Oh, that was a good one.
That was a good one.
There ain't no way
I'm sleeping tonight
with that thing
still slithering around here.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Ha.
Ain't gonna work, Markie.
Just stick in a tape.
No. No, no, no.
No basketball, no way.
By the way,
I'm taking the bed tonight.
I get it, seniority.
Snake's gone, get over it.
Easy for you to say.
- Night.
- Good night.
Hey, Dad, do you want the couch?
No, snakes like crevices.
Okay, your loss.
Ah.
What are you doing?
Better than nothing.
You know that snake was
probably in here since we got here.
Don't want to talk about it.
Why not?
Because that snake
was in the shower.
All right? In the shower.
He was all up
in my shampoos and stuff.
I mean, you don't just recover
from something like that.
The shower is
a sacred place, all right?
You're wet, you're naked,
you're vulnerable.
Snake can't respect that,
none of us are safe.
Gotcha.
You know, I heard your, uh...
I heard you play
some of your song earlier.
It was, uh...
It was interesting.
Yeah, it took me
almost a year to get it right.
You wrote that?
Yeah, I write all my stuff.
You write?
Yeah.
Wow.
Can I give you some advice?
No.
Just hear me out, okay?
Writing is writing
whether it's a novel, all right?
Whether it's poetry or if it's music.
It doesn't matter.
If you can't take advice
from your old man about something...
Take advice from a failed novelist
who knows nothing about music
and owns a boring old book store?
Dad, how can you make me better?
You don't even think
I can be successful.
Whoa, no.
No, no. That's not it at all.
I think you're great.
And you're right.
I am a failed novelist.
So I should know.
If I hadn't have gone to college,
and if I hadn't gotten
a business degree,
and if I didn't have that boring
old book store that takes care of us...
Look...
All I'm saying is that,
if-if-if you don't make it
as a musician.
- If-
- Not now, Dad, okay?
I know this sermon.
Hey, babe. Everything okay?
Yeah, yeah. I'm fine.
You're breaking your phone rule.
I told him.
How'd he take it?
Fine, I guess.
Not so sure what
a great idea this was.
We haven't really come any farther
than we were when we started.
Did you look
in my little goodie bag?
No.
Well, yeah. Markie did.
Thanks for the ice-breaker game
by the way.
Hey, what did you say
for what color
best describes
your temperament and why?
Got as far as, "I am an oak,"
and then things kind of fell apart.
Mmm.
Well...
Go back and look in the bag.
I put a little reminder in there for ya.
"The Strength of My Father,"
by Charles Evan Fitzpatrick Jr.
"To be a man, to be a king.
That is my dream.
To soar like
the birds and roar like a lion.
To be strong and bold,
big and strong.
To be the man
that my father would have me be.
To see him smile
and know that he is proud of me.
That is my dream.
This is my dream."
Teenagers.
Markie... Markie.
Shh, don't make a sound.
You gotta see this.
Look at your dad.
Oh, my gosh.
What kind is it?
Black razor, I think.
Is that bad?
Well, they ate a man under
his pillow, but it's not poisonous.
What do we do?
Just watch and enjoy.
What?
Good morning, Evan.
Evan wake up, son.
You, uh...
You got a snake on your belly.
Is that your new man scarf?
It's crucial that you don't move
or make a sound.
Get it off. Get it off.
Don't let him wrap around your neck.
Can you help me? Help me.
Dad, don't... Don't move!
- Okay...
- It's a constrictor.
It's a constrictor moccasin.
It's got... It's got big fangs.
Shh!
Let's go...
Let's go back outside.
I think it's a black mamba.
Ah, ah, he's around my neck.
He's around my neck.
I told you there was a snake.
I told you there was a snake.
You have to be very, very quiet
and very, very still.
If he closes that coil...
We'll just... Ah, ah...
Oh, we'll just...
Okay. Oh! Oh.
Will you help me, please?
It's a lost cause now.
Come on, come on,
come on, come on!
I got it! Grandpa, help me.
I thought you had it trapped.
I did.
- Don't tell him.
- Don't tell him.
Oh...
Oh, I hate snakes!
I hate camping! I hate camping!
I hate it! Smoke!
I hate beans, I hate hot dogs!
Ah, smoke!
I smell like smoke!
I haven't slept!
Okay.
So, it's just one more day.
Okay.
I want to conquer that wall.
I want my name on it.
- Huh?
- Really?
Let's go right now.
Come on, just a little more.
Just a little more.
Come on.
- Come on, man, you got it.
- Almost there.
You almost had it.
Come on, a little higher.
- A little higher, a little more.
- Come on, Dad.
Ah!
- Here.
- All right, let's go.
- Come on.
- Get yourself up.
Okay! Pull me up!
Your hands are slipping.
No, don't let me go!
Don't let me go!
Hold on, hold on.
You all right, Dad?
Yeah.
Yeah, come on, let's go again.
Let's go!
Let's call it a day, Evan.
There's someplace
I want to show you.
Nah, come on. Let's go again.
- Son?
- What?
I want to show you something.
Hey, wait, Markie?
Follow me.
There it is, boys.
Heritage Falls.
Wow.
This is not what I expected.
You know, when I'd, uh...
camp with the team,
I'd come here in the mornings first thing,
for a little peace, a little prayer
before I'd start my day.
This is my spot.
Yeah. It's an epic spot, Grandpa.
It's beautiful.
It is, Grandpa.
- If something happens to me...
- Dad...
If something happens,
this is where
I'd like to be remembered.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Evan.
You guys want a coffee?
Really?
So now, uh,
what is this concoction?
That is a coffee filter
and some dental floss.
Huh.
Tell you what,
give that boy a book.
Hey, Pop, I got a question for ya.
Ha, well, I don't want to be a tree
or a flower
or a dadgum weather pattern.
No, if, uh... If you could have
had Grandpa teach you
anything that he didn't
teach you when you were a kid,
what would it have been?
Well, it's gonna sound
kinda silly, but...
I always wanted Dad
to teach me how to tie a tie.
He was an insurance salesman and
wore a tie every day.
I'd ask him, "Can you teach me
how to tie that thing?"
He said
"Sure, I will. Tomorrow,"
and tomorrow he'd be gone again.
Ah... so that's why you wear clip-ons.
You never learned how?
Never did.
Hmm.
What about you, Dad?
What do you wish Grandad
would have done for you?
Why don't we keep it light, huh?
Nah, come on... I wanna know.
- Nah, Dad...
- Tell me.
Really.
Well, I, uh... I really wish that
you had read my book.
I've read your book.
- No, you didn't.
- Yeah, I... started it.
You didn't, but, you know, that's fine.
No...
No, it's not fine.
Not fine at all.
What about you, kiddo?
Saw that comin'.
No... Come on, tell me.
I wanna know.
- No, you wouldn't.
- I do. I do wanna know.
Come on, you can tell me.
I'm not gonna be mad.
I guess I wish
you'd let me be my own man.
Markie...
Aw, man, I love you.
I know.
- I-I just want the best for you.
- Dad, I know.
You gotta understand where I'm comin'
from when I say these things to you.
Okay, Dad. This is why I didn't
want to do this, okay?
Can we just leave the dirty laundry
for home and talk about this later?
Okay, look, just hear me out.
Okay, I've been through
what you're going through.
- It's different.
- No, no. Everybody says that,
but it's not.
I wanna help you
make the right decisions.
I get it.
Look, you don't.
You don't get it. Look...
I don't want you five,
ten years down the line
regretting that you didn't
get a college education.
- I know your perspective.
- Well, if you know my perspective,
then why aren't you listening?
Because I wanna make
my own decisions, okay?
Look, I want to be my own man!
- But, you're making a mistake.
- Well, then I'll learn from it!
You don't have to learn from it,
that's the point.
I'm here to spare you from this.
Kid, look... your music...
- your music is always gonna be there.
- Well, so will school.
No! It's not.
With school, it's not that simple.
Guys!
I've made up my mind.
Well, I, uh... I can't.
I can't let you do this.
Well, I'm nineteen.
You can't do anything about it.
Oh, really?
Who pays your bills?
- You'd cut me off?
- Try me.
All right, let's just take this down.
- You stay outta this.
- Grandpa gets me.
Oh, really? Grandpa gets you?
What are you,
encouraging this behind my back?
- No.
- You're a hypocrite, that's what you are.
- You watch yourself!
- Hey, don't undermine me!
Look at you two!
Look at us!
What a joke.
Let's just quit and go home.
Who do you think you are?
- Son...
- No, really. Who are you?
Because this guy...
This guy right now,
this isn't the father that I grew up with.
The father that I grew up with
could have cared less
what it was that I wanted.
And now my son wants to go off,
and he wants to go join a band,
and you're encouraging this?
I told him to listen to you.
You told him to listen to me?
Those were your words?
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
Well, that's funny 'cause you've
never listened to anything that I've said!
- I listened.
- You have never listened to me!
You never listened to me.
You never encouraged me.
- I wanted to be a writer!
- You tried.
Yeah, I did.
I tried that.
I wanted to be a writer,
and you wanted me to be you.
Or at least one
of your beloved Mustangs.
That's true.
I did.
It's time to go.
Markie's right.
Hey, kid... Ya here?
Markie!
He's not here!
Huh?
I said he's not here.
Relax.
Probably just somewhere
blowing off steam.
Give him some time.
- Dad?
- Yeah?
- Let's go find him.
- Let's go!
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
Where could he have gone?
Markie!
Dad!
Take a look at this.
He went the wrong way at the fork.
Jewelry's better than bread crumbs.
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
- Hey!
- What?
Listen...
You hear that?
That's his harmonica!
Markie! Markie!
Dad, I'm over here!
Markie... Whoa! Whoa!
That's what happened to me.
You okay?
Yeah, I got too close to the edge
and it gave way,
twisted my ankle.
You hurt bad?
It's no mint under the pillow,
but I'm okay.
You got any rope
or a ladder back at the cabin?
Not a thing.
What are we gonna do?
All right, I'm going down there.
You gotta lower me down, okay?
You're gonna both end up
stuck down there.
I don't care. That's my boy.
He's coming outta that hole.
So lower me down.
Okay, Dad, just be careful.
Easy does it.
Wait, wait! Wait, wait, wait!
All right, I gotta let you go.
- Slow! Slow! Slow! Slow!
- Dad!
- You okay, Dad?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
Dad, give me the water bottle
and the head lamp.
- What for?
- You'll see, hurry up!
- How you doin' kid?
- Good.
- Heads up!
- Yeah!
OK.
- Whoa.
- Ta-da!
Huh?
- That from the book?
- Yes, sir!
Nice, Dad.
Here...
Look, kid, let's get you out of here.
All right... Your foot, your foot.
Go, go, go!
Go! Go!
Push.
- Got him?
- Got him!
Hang on, Markie.
That's it, boy!
All right, fellas...
my turn.
All right, Dad.
- You ready?
- You'll have to jump!
- You got this, Dad.
- Come on, son.
All right.
You got this, Dad.
- Right here!
- Almost! Almost!
Come on, Dad.
One more. Here we go!
Evan.
What?
We're a team.
- We are one.
- We are one.
We're a family.
Atta boy!
Got it! Come on!
Pull, pull, pull, pull, pull. Pull!
- Oh!
- Oh! Oh!
You okay, kid?
I owe you a new headlamp.
Well, I can't walk,
so who's carrying me?
Grandpa.
Uh-huh. In your dreams.
I'm goin' home
On the morning train
You know I'm goin' home
On the morning train
The road is long
The river's high
That's why I'm goin' home
On the morning train
Take my hurt and relieve my pain
Please Lord take my hurt
And relieve my pain
Mountain peaks and valleys wide
That's why I'm goin' home
On the morning train
I'm goin' home on the morning train
You know I'm goin' home
On the morning train
The road is long
The river's high
That's why I'm goin' home
On the morning train
Hold me close
Time is running low
I said hold me close
Time is running low
The days are hot
The evenings cold
That's why I'm goin' home
On the morning train
I'm goin' home on the morning train
You know I'm goin' home
On the morning train
The road is long
I tell you what,
there's not a bit of quit in our boy.
Got a better hang time
than Michael Jordan.
It's true.
Michael Jordan's
a basketball player.
I know he's a basketball player.
- Okay, just making sure.
- Kid what...
And Grandpa totally beat
Dad in the arm wrestling!
He... Whoa, whoa!
- Dad!
- I won the other thing...
what was the game called?
You can't
win the icebreakers game.
- Icebreaker game. I totally won that!
- You can't win that game.
A leaf. You were a leaf!
Part of a tree.
You wouldn't believe
the stuff he came up with.
He started a fire with corn chips.
- You did that?
- I did. I did do that.
But my true masterpiece
was my coffee.
All that's in the book?
Next time,
we're definitely bringing pots.
I'm getting better at camping.
I'm liking...
I'm enjoying camping more.
Who is he?
Hey, Pop!
Got a sec?
- Yeah.
- Well, I, uh...
- I got you somethin'.
- What's that?
Why don't you open it up
and find out?
A little late, but happy retirement.
Oh, boy...
look at that.
I thought you'd like that.
Uh-oh.
It's not a clip-on.
No, it's not, but why don't we, uh...
Let's put it on you.
You wanna give it a shot?
Turn around.
Okay.
You know what?
Why don't you do it,
and I'll walk you through it?
- I don't know how.
- Well, I'll show ya how.
Take this guy.
Take the big guy,
and wrap him over this guy,
little guy, two times.
- Around it?
- Yep. Around it.
You got it.
Now throw it over again.
OK, and up and under.
Right through here.
- Up and under.
- Like that?
Perfect.
Perfect.
Now just pull it down
through this little loop...
make a loop...
pull it right down through there.
And now
hold onto the small side,
pull on the big guy.
Hey.
There you go.
Pop this guy down.
There, turn around,
let me have a look at ya.
All right.
Lookin' good!
Hey, guys, what are ya doin'?
The girls want to play hearts.
Tell 'em we're on our way.
Coming!
Hey, guys, where'd you go?
Come on, I want to hear
more about this snake.
It was really scary.
It was a huge snake, come on!
We're burnin' daylight.
And... there we go.
Music's made you soft, Junior.
No, college has.
You're welcome.
Last one to the falls
sleeps on the bear rug.
To be a man
To be a king
That is my dream
To be a man
To be a king
That is my dream
To soar
Like a bird
And to roar
Like a lion
To be strong and bold
Big and strong
To be the man
That my father would have me to be
That my father would have me to be
To see him smile
And to know he is proud of me
Oh
To see him smile
And to know he is proud of me
Oh
Yes that is my dream
Yes that is my dream
Yes this is my dream
I am a poor wayfaring stranger
While journeying
Through this world of woe
If there's no sickness
No toil and danger
In that bright world
To which I go
I'm going there
To see my father
I'm going there
No more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm going there
To see my father
I'm going there
No more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm only going over home
Ooh! That was good, Clay!
Wow!
Charlie, Charlie,
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie...
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie,
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie,
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!
We're all ready for you, Coach.
Charlie, Charlie,
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!
All right, all right...
all right, all right!
Well, love that energy.
Love that energy.
You know, when you think of
Stevens County High School basketball,
when you mention it,
when you say those words,
there's only one name
that comes to mind.
Charlie Fitzpatrick.
An amazing man,
but now this mountain of a man
is retiring
from being our basketball coach.
I know.
I know, I know.
I love coach Fitz, too.
But this is a day of celebration
of this man's amazing career.
So without further ado,
ladies and gentlemen,
I present to you right now
the most winningest coach...
Say "winningest"!
Winningest!
Yeah! The most winningest coach
in all of Georgia.
My coach, my friend...
Coach Charlie Fitzpatrick!
Let's give it up!
Wow, guys, this is fantastic.
You know, I was one
of the original players back in the day
with Coach Charlie.
Coach Charlie
was always there for me.
Whenever
I needed someone to talk to
or just to pick me up, he was there.
Man, Coach Charlie
always had time for us.
Coach Charlie treated us as equals.
He always listened.
I mean,
anytime I needed someone to talk to
or just somebody to pick me up,
he was there.
He held us Mustangs,
to a high standard
and himself to an even higher one.
He was like...
He was, uh...
He was like a father.
He was like the father that I never had.
Thank you all so much.
Thank you, Joe.
Most of y'all know Joe
as Principal Allen.
But when I first met Joe,
he was a scrawny little kid
we called "Jumbo."
He ran more suicide sprints
and did more burpees
than any player I've ever coached.
I just never thought
he'd end up harassing me
about filling out my timecard.
Proud of you, Joe.
Proud of all you boys, you men.
I tell you who really should be up here
is the love of my life.
Thanks to her patience
and persistence
and her uncanny ability
to defuse what some call
my dynamite temper,
which I don't know much about.
I think it's overrated.
Technical foul, right there, right there.
Stand up, Laura.
Stand up, sweetheart.
Take a bow.
Give it up for my wife.
One of the greatest privileges
I have ever had as a coach
and as a father is watching my daughter,
Harvey play basketball
for the Lady Mustangs.
Give it up for Harvey.
Stand up, sweet girl.
Harvey, Harvey, Harvey!
Lastly, I don't want to leave out my son.
Proud of him, where are ya?
You here?
Where are you, Junior?
Oh. I, uh...
I'm proud of him, too.
Y'all, I couldn't have done
any of this without my family.
Give it up for my family!
What I'll miss most about this job...
is the people.
The students, the teachers, parents.
We are a team.
We are one.
We are a family!
Hey, Mr. Munpower,
this is Evan Fitzpatrick
over at Southern Scribes.
Yes, sir. I just wanted to let you know
that we got your copy of The Last Ride,
that Tom Edison novel
that you ordered.
Well, do me a favor,
you take a read, and if it's any good,
I'll put it on my reading list.
Mm-hmm. Mmm.
Well, fantastic. Just let me know.
Well, it's here waiting for you,
so whenever you want to come in,
just pick it up.
All right, bye.
Hey, Cedric.
It's Evan over at Southern Scribes.
Yeah, your new Medford book
just got here.
Yeah, fantastic.
Wonderful, yeah.
You have a great day, too.
Thank you so much. Bye.
We should've been there.
Yeah, well we weren't invited.
- Yes, we were.
- No, not by him.
Look at that smile on his face.
I bet he didn't even realize
that we weren't there.
What? Look, I hate going
back to high school.
It's terrible. It's so fake.
The fake smiling
and the fake handshakes.
And then being introduced.
Being introduced,
"Hey, this is Charlie's boy."
"Hey look, it's Charlie's son."
And my personal favorite,
"Hey, look, it's Junior."
Last night wasn't about you.
Yeah, well.
Those are his people.
They love him.
I was never part of that world.
He didn't need me there.
Then stop trying to convince yourself.
Convince myself? I'm not.
Good morning!
Welcome to Southern Scribes.
I am not.
No, I'm not.
What was I supposed to do?
Not announce him?
Oh, call him. Talk to him.
He should call me.
Call him!
The only one that doesn't respect me
is my own son.
He loves you.
He's just different from you.
You think?
Hey, remember the time
he tried organizing your tools?
Yeah, told him not to.
I got a system.
There's a method to my madness.
Mmm.
I've always hoped so.
Don't you think
it's a good idea?
What, to call Dad?
- Yes!
- Oh, darlin'...
every conversation
I've ever had with that guy,
just teakettles into a complete
and total argument.
I mean, it's a brilliant idea though.
I mean, with any other guy,
that would make complete
and total sense.
- What, you mean like with you?
- Oh!
Hey, what does that mean?
It's always his way or the highway.
Well, that doesn't sound
like anybody I know.
I'm his dad.
My way is the highway.
Hey, guys!
Brought your sander back.
Hey, Harv. That was you?
Mm-hmm.
Thought I lost that thing
three years ago.
- Sorry.
- It's all right. I bought a new one.
And it wouldn't kill you to ask.
I'm borrowing this.
Sorry. May I borrow this?
Yes, you may.
So...
you, uh, having Evan's party here?
Well, I'm still his mother, aren't I?
Maybe he'll show up for that.
Come on, Coach.
What'd you expect?
That my own son would support me.
Well, now that you're retired, and,
you know, getting...
You better not say old.
Getting older,
maybe it's time for you guys to...
you know!
No, I don't know.
Bond!
It's too late. It's too late.
- It's too late.
- No, Evan. It's never too late.
Sometimes,
look, just one little phone call
can make a big difference.
I gotta get going.
Markie is coming home at six from college.
Wait, the kid's coming home?
I thought he had exams.
You guys are gonna talk.
- We are?
- Love you, feed the cats.
But... Sure. I love you!
"Winningest" isn't even a word.
It's ridiculous.
You gonna hog 'em,
or hand one to me?
You want plain or jelly?
Jelly.
Laura knows you still eat these?
What's wrong, Coach?
In all the players,
over all the years,
all of 'em looked up to me.
Eventually.
Except my own son.
Just never connected with him
like I did Harvey.
Didn't he try out
for the basketball team?
I had to cut him.
Could've just made him
the team manager or something.
He didn't want to have
anything to do with it.
I had to make him try out.
Okay, so you made him try out,
then you cut him.
Ouch, Coach.
Back when tryouts was over
when we played,
how'd you get us to come together?
How'd you get us
to start being a team?
Took you up to Heritage Falls.
Heritage Falls.
Man, you'd run us up there
for four weekends.
Long ones!
Campfires, comradery.
Had the obstacle course, the wall!
Whoo!
Man.
But you knew what you was doing.
Team building.
You know how to build teams.
See, this thing you got going with Evan,
you two been trying to prove
something to each other for far too long.
He'd never go for it.
Just get the women involved.
They'll make it work.
Talk to him.
So you, uh,
you reading anything good?
Yeah.
Oh, yeah? Whatcha reading?
You wouldn't get it.
Wouldn't get it?
Come on. Give me a shot.
Gargantuan the Destroyer.
Mm.
Gargantuan the Destroyer.
- Yeah, it's awesome.
- Yeah?
You know,
you should broaden your horizons
and sell some comics at the store.
It'd be dope.
Yeah, well, you know, all dopeness aside,
we're called Southern Scribes,
not Southern Pop Culture,
so it's a bit of a, you know...
- Their loss.
- It's just a...
A different demographic, you know.
So, uh, how's school going?
It's fine.
Yeah? It's just... It's just fine?
It's fine.
Did you take your exams?
How'd they go?
I'm done.
You're done with what?
You're done with your exams?
- It's nothing.
- What do you mean, it's nothing?
- It's nothing.
- It doesn't sound like nothing.
Come on, talk to me.
Dad, I quit.
You quit?
You quit what?
- Yeah, I quit school.
- You quit school? Ugh.
You quit?
Hey, Heather!
Dad, look, college is not for me, man.
I'm gonna join a folk band.
We're called Three Pronged Toe.
Three Prong Toe? No, no.
Yes, I am.
- No, you're not. You're finishing school.
- Dad, I...
- You're gonna finish school first.
- No, I'm not.
- Yes, you are!
- I'm 19, man. I'm on my own.
You're on your own?
Okay, you know what?
You're a real man, right?
Real men finish things, OK?
Real men don't quit.
Real men finish things like...
school, for example. All right?
So here's what's going to happen.
You're gonna go to school on Monday,
and you're going to take your exams,
and you're gonna finish them.
And if you fail anything,
you're gonna take summer school.
- No one goes to summer school anymore.
- I don't care!
Dad, I know
what I want to do with my life.
I want music, not books.
I'm not like you, man.
Stop with the "man" thing, all right?
Stop it, knock it off! All right?
I'm your father.
Yeah, I'm your father.
- Dad.
- What?
- The noodles!
- What?
Oh!
Aww!
Hey, look... Hey!
- This is...
- We're talking about Markie.
- I know.
- He will come around.
It has nothing to do
with coming around, OK?
He's... He's...
Did you hear what was doing?
He's talking
about quitting school, Heather.
He doesn't want to go to school.
He wants to leave
with Three Pronged Hang Nail, whatever...
- It's Three Pronged Toe.
- Whatever it is.
Three Pronged Toe.
And if you would just
calm down and talk to him...
Hey, look,
I am totally calm, all right?
I was calm talking to him, I'm fine.
I'm fine.
No, no, no, no. You didn't...
You talked at him.
You did not talk to him.
- There is a difference.
- I didn't... Look...
Who is that?
It's your mother.
Oh, no. Oh, no, no. Don't...
I don't want to talk to her.
She's gonna talk about the party,
it's all gonna be about the party.
I don't want to talk about...
I don't even want a party.
Is this how you
want Markie to treat us?
Markie's not gonna treat us that way.
No! Don't...
Don't pick... Don't... Don't...
Hello? Yeah, I'm home for now.
Why do we still have a landline?
This is ridiculous.
It was in the bundle.
Yeah, of course,
I'm coming to his party.
Hey, hey! I'm not here.
Yeah. No, yeah, he's here.
Yeah, he's been here the whole time.
Yeah. All right.
Yeah, love you, bye.
It's for you.
Hey, we're not done talking
about that thing that we were
talking about, OK? All right?
Whoa, whoa, whoa...
No, no, no.
Don't give me that look.
You know what?
You should appreciate that I want to be
a part of your life.
OK? You know what? I'm a rarity.
Yeah, you're a real gem.
I am a real gem.
Hey, Mom!
It's me.
Oh...
Hey, Dad.
Trouble with your boy?
Kids.
Mmm.
Um... Oh, hey!
Congrats on the thing last night,
by the way.
Yeah, sure. Thanks.
- Guess you were tied up, huh?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I'm sorry we couldn't make it.
We had a, you know,
inventory at the shop last night.
And we had to stay
on top of that, so, you know.
Yeah.
Look, um...
like to have
your birthday at our place.
Yeah, I kind of figured.
Mean a lot to your mother.
Unless, you know,
you got inventory.
Okay, look,
no candles and no singing.
And nobody but family, that's it.
- Just family.
- Yeah.
Just the family.
Got it. See ya then.
Yeah, I'll see you then.
Bye.
Three Pronged Toe...
They're here.
You got this, Coach.
Hey, big bro!
Hey, Harv!
Happy birthday!
Thank you!
Yeah.
You know you should've gone.
I had inventory
at the store, it was...
Mm-hmm. I'm sure.
Oh, it was terrible.
- Mm-hmm.
- Busy.
Cheer up! Tonight's about you.
- Great.
- Hey!
Hey, little buddy.
So, everything good on your end?
I've got it covered.
And what about Markie?
He's unfortunately
and unexpectedly free at the moment.
Wow, you're going for it, huh?
Yeah, we're going for it.
Wait till you hear the name.
Oh, yeah,
just wait till you hear that name.
There they are!
Hey, Grandpa.
Hey, Markie.
Still wearing those elf pants, huh?
They're skinny jeans.
On some people.
It's good to see you, boy.
Good to see you, too.
Junior, where's your man scarf?
Ha. It's...
How old are you today?
Old enough to stop being called Junior.
Hey, come on, everybody inside.
Food's gonna get cold.
Food!
Ow, what?
- Be nice.
- I'm being nice.
You gotta be nice.
Happy birthday, son.
Hmm. Thanks, Mom.
I'm proud of the man
you've become.
Hey, is Dad losing weight?
Eh, just stopped
eating donuts with Joe.
Why did he retire?
Ask him.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Now, will you
try to have a good time?
I'm having a great time.
Have a good time.
See that smile, my boy.
How's that?
- OK, get in there. Go!
- OK.
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
Which nobody can deny
No candles and no singing,
that was the...
Which nobody can deny,
Nobody can deny
Which nobody can deny...
Okay, okay, okay...
What'd you wish for, old boy?
I wished that my son
would graduate college.
Well, never let my schooling
interfere with my education.
Mark Twain said that.
Ah, good try, kid.
I'm with you, Markie.
I wish I'd taken some time off.
Taken a gap year.
You wanted to backpack Europe,
remember?
Yeah, I do. I do remember that.
But I never did do that.
Well, I'm just saying, you know.
Markie probably
feels like you did back then.
Well, yeah, yeah.
I'm just saying that Markie wants
to quit school, so...
Hey, what is that the old man
used to say about quitters?
I didn't raise no quitter.
That's right, boy.
- Evan.
- What?
How about we open some presents?
- How about that?
- Good idea.
Oh, open Dad's first.
- Okay.
- I was kind of hoping that...
What is this?
I'd go last, but that's all right.
Go ahead.
This is a book.
Dad, I'm impressed.
It only took you, what,
44 years to get in the ballpark.
Evan...
Honey, just open it, please.
Uh, Mom,
do you want to save this paper or...?
What?
Thanks, Harv.
Survival in the Wilderness.
Curtis Schakleston.
"Junior, in honor of your 44th birthday
and our Heritage Falls adventure.
Love, Dad."
Heritage Falls?
I don't...
Dad's taking you
and Markie camping!
Me? What did I do?
Wow, Pop. You know, that's, uh...
That's great!
I... I'd love to, but I can't go.
I mean, we just had inventory.
The shop is gonna be crazy.
I really appreciate it.
Your schedule's already been cleared.
And I'm helping out
at the store while you're gone.
That's my present, by the way.
Uh...
Look, Dad, camping's not...
It's not my thing.
- You know?
- Yeah.
Yeah, what...
Just what is your thing, Junior?
Dad.
- Huh?
- Dad.
I mean, just do what you want to do.
You always do anyway.
I still don't know why I have to go.
Ouch.
Camping.
How bad could it be?
Oh, if he's taking me
where I think he's taking me,
it's... it's gonna be pretty bad.
There's bugs and there's ticks.
And there's wasps.
And there's this obstacle course,
there's the wall.
- The wall? What's the wall?
- Yeah.
I don't know, I never made the team.
He's right, though.
What is he right about?
Trying to get you guys
to spend time together.
It's something you desperately need.
I know, I know.
I know what he's trying to do.
- Well, at least he's trying.
- Yeah, but why now?
I mean,
what is this, what's going on?
I mean, first he retires,
and now it's this camping thing.
I mean, I'm 44. I'm not 14.
Better late than never.
How do you do that?
How do you always make
everything so easy and practical?
Because it usually is.
Camping.
It's gonna be like putting
two betta fish in a bowl
and telling them to get along.
Three betta fish.
Oh, I forgot.
Three of us in that cabin.
Happy birthday to me.
Hey, you're getting
pretty good with that thing.
Yeah, it's pocket-size,
so it keeps me sharp.
Guitar's still my weapon
of choice, though.
Oh, of course.
I haven't heard you play in a while.
Maybe you can
bring it with you on the trip?
Yeah, maybe. We'll see.
You're excited.
I reckon so.
Don't overdo it out there.
I know my limits.
You worry too much.
No, I don't.
Hey, I put together
a little care package for you boys.
You know,
just ice breakers and such.
Figured I'd give it to you now,
since you're raring to go.
You're my girl.
How can there be
A cherry that has no stone
How can there be
A chicken that has no bone
How can there be a baby
With no crying
How can you tell a story...
Hi, Grandpa.
4:00. We're burning daylight.
Hey, it's my party.
I'll be late if I want to.
Ah, that's funny.
Yeah, music joke.
Thank you,
I'll be here all night.
All three nights, in fact.
Yay, camping, whoo!
You're bringing that?
Yeah, I told him.
What, why?
How far we going?
I mean, you know, ta-dah.
It's got a handle.
Oh, Junior. My son, my son.
Okay, listen.
You call me Junior one more time,
there's not gonna be a camping trip.
- Dad, here.
- Whoa!
All right, give 'em up, cell phones.
What, are you serious?
Yeah, it's my trip. My rules.
You can cry if you want to.
Okay, no. Just take it. It's fine.
Hey, what are you doing...
Hold on.
But I need my laptop.
No, you don't.
Follow me, boys.
Let's go, slow poke!
Three days.
All right!
Camping!
Here we go!
Camp a little while
In the wilderness
In the wilderness,
In the wilderness
Camp a little while
In the wilderness
For I'm a-goin' home
You guys in a rush?
Have a date?
Careful, don't...
I'm just getting ready
- For I'm going home
- Aah!
- Come on!
- Slow down, come on, Dad!
You guys...
Guys, wait!
Pick it up!
For I'm going home
Go, go.
For I'm going home
For I'm going home
Is that Heritage Falls?
Not even close.
For I'm going home
Shout a little while
In the wilderness
Heritage Falls, yep. Great.
It'll be so much fun, yeah.
For I'm going home
How do you get up there so easily?
For I'm going home
For I'm going home
Oh I'm just getting ready
For I'm going home
I sought my Lord
In the wilderness
In the wilderness
In the wilderness
I sought my Lord
In the wilderness
For I'm going home
For I'm going home
For I'm going home
I'm just getting ready
For I'm going home
Dad, look, my axe.
Great, day one, tetanus.
There's no tetanus.
Would all the players sleep in there?
No, they'd pitch their tents down
on the sandbar.
You guys get
the coach's VIP treatment.
Oh, yeah? What's that?
You get to sleep indoors.
- Ah.
- Cool.
Excuse me!
- It's nice in here.
- What?
These are just basketball tapes?
Kind of boring.
Hey, fellas, I got some coffee.
Who wants some?
No pot.
No coffee pot?
You'll survive.
I thought you said there were
three rooms in this cabin.
Living room, bathroom, bedroom,
three rooms.
- Seniority!
- Shotgun!
Seniority, seniority!
Seniority!
Seniority?
Really, you want to play that card?
- Oh, ah, shotgun!
- Oh, no.
I don't play that game.
Whoa, whoa.
That's not a game. That's a rule.
Not in my house.
Hey, you guys
should arm wrestle for it.
Or we rock, paper, scissors, huh?
Arm wrestle.
Arm wrestle.
I mean, look,
I don't want to hurt you, old man.
Okay.
You know, that old bear rug's
pretty comfortable.
Not too many fleas.
Hey, all right. Arm wrestle it is.
Come on, old man.
So do you think
we'll hear anything?
Nah, Charlie has a phone rule.
So only if there's an emergency.
So no new news is good then?
Exactly.
What are you doing?
Dishes.
You know, I thought it was
a good idea when Charlie pitched it.
But now that they're gone.
Aw, honey, don't worry about it.
Charlie knows what he's doing.
He does?
Sure, he does.
Look, those boys needed to be
thrown into a box and shaken up.
Besides, Markie's there
to balance them out.
Let's do this!
- Three!
- You're going down, old man.
- Two!
- Bring it, boy.
- One!
- Son defeats the father!
- Go!
- Dun, dun, dun...
Ah ha ha!
Night, Grandpa, night, Dad.
Oh, yeah.
Two more nights.
Oh, no...
Aah!
Markie!
Come on, boy!
Don't make me come up there.
- Bonding time, boy.
- Okay.
Here's coffee.
I'm gonna die.
Mmm!
Ready? You're doing good.
You're doing good.
Let's go, let's go.
While we're young.
I thought we were
supposed to be bonding.
What do you call this?
Torture.
Well, there it is, boys.
I'm not doing that.
No way.
Cannot get over this
without teamwork.
- Then we can't do it.
- All right, face each other.
Link your hands,
lace your fingers together.
All right, ready?
One, two, three.
This is not good.
Push! Down, down.
Come on.
Okay, hold on.
Ah, Dad!
Come on!
Grandpa, come on.
Little more.
Ah, no, no! No, no!
- Come on, push!
- Go, push!
Come on, come on.
Push. Down, down.
Well, let's try it again with you, Junior.
You can pull us up.
- Done, done, no.
- Where you going?
Not part of your team, Dad.
Never wanted to be.
Hey, Dad, you want to play this?
Play what?
Oh, no, not right now, kiddo.
Whatever.
Okay!
Well, just remember kid...
I don't lose at cards.
Let's see what you got, Grandpa.
I actually don't think this is
a win or lose kind of game.
- Yeah, just swirl them around.
- Just like this?
What?
What did your grandmother put
in here?
Oh.
What? What's it say?
"If you were a tree,
what kind of tree would you be and why?"
No. Are you serious?
I told you it wasn't
a win or lose type of game.
Aw, this is just a lose game.
No, Grandpa, you have to do it.
You can't quit.
Hey, you know what?
The kid's right.
You can't quit, Grandpa.
So come on, dig deep.
Dig deep.
What kind of tree would you be?
I reckon I'd be an oak.
An oak, really? Pray tell.
Why... Why an oak, Grandpa?
Well, I'm old, but I'm still standing.
And I'm strong.
Ha. Yeah, you're a cheater
is what you are.
- You bent your wrist.
- No, he did not.
Yes, he totally did.
What about you?
- Me?
- What would you be?
Um...
Uh, I would be a leaf,
so I could leave.
That is a terrible joke.
Awesome joke.
- That's so bad.
- What're you talking about?
This game is ridiculous.
God, it's so stupid.
Why would Mom
even pack this game?
Your mother'd do
anything to bring us together.
Least you could do is respect that.
The only reason why Mom picked
this game, Dad,
was because there's no competition.
All right?
She thought it would be safe.
That's it.
I got it.
I would be a sycamore,
because I am sick of this.
Get it? Sick of...
At least he picked a tree.
Oh, come on. Where you going?
Chop wood.
Oh, well, of course
you're choppin' wood.
That's the coach, manly thing to do.
Chop wood.
No, I'm just tired of cold beans.
You always take it too far, Dad.
You know what?
It's just it feels so good
in the moment.
Would you rather be
happy and humble,
or right and a jerk?
Does that really say that?
No, it says what kind of season
you'd be and why.
Well... according
to your grandfather,
I would be a cold, long, bitter winter.
I'm gonna get some air.
You enjoy that?
Yeah. Good for you.
Want to try it?
Aw, no, no thanks.
- You sure?
- Yeah, yeah. I'm good.
This uh... This book
you got me is pretty interesting.
Oh.
Yeah, the guy survived
seven days in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Made it out alive.
How'd he make it?
I'll let you know.
Love
Confusion relation
A quick hesitation joy
Doubting rebounding
A faithless resounding peace
Tantrum temptation
A faith altercation
Hopefulness
Hopefulness
With the sacrifice of fools
I will let my words be few
We're all working for a dream
They are never what they seem
Well I guess I'll play the part
Though I don't know where to start
There's a failure inside of me
Running races eternally
Sky
A lover of beauty
And old-timey movie stars
A sparkle of fire
This man on a wire waves
Thundering oceans
Of ceaseless devotion
Hopefulness
Hopefulness
With the sacrifice of fools
I will let my words be few
We're all working for a dream
They are never what they seem
Well I guess I'll play the part
Though I don't know where to start
There's a failure inside of me
Running races eternally
Come on.
Wet kindling.
Dang it.
You need a hand?
Really?
You called me to change your tire.
Step aside.
I was... I was eating those.
Lighter.
Where in the world did you
learn how to do that?
A book.
What are you doing?
Surviving.
How many dogs you guys want?
Now I don't
want to get your hopes up.
Please, don't.
But I think I figured out
a way to make coffee without a pot.
Yeah, right.
No, seriously. You'll see.
Listen, you can really do that?
Yep.
- Really?
- Yep.
You can make coffee here
without a coffee pot.
Just you wait and see.
I don't believe you.
Must be some book.
That book's interesting.
Hmm.
- Hey, Dad?
- Hmm?
Why'd you retire?
This may not be the time.
Well, this is the perfect time.
Why the secrecy?
Well...
um...
Well...
I've been in remission, but...
Wait, what?
Remission?
- Dad...
- Wait, remission from what?
Cancer.
He had cancer.
Wait, is it gone?
It was, but now it's back.
What?
So it's not gone? You're not good?
I beat it once, I'll beat it again.
You hid this from me.
- Didn't want to worry you.
- You didn't want to worry me?
Got your own life to live.
What kind of excuse is that?
Mine. It's my excuse to give.
Doctors are very confident.
Wait, I'm your son.
Yeah?
Where were you at my last game?
Besides, only your mother knew.
- What are your chances?
- Solid.
You're running around.
You're chopping wood.
Exercise is encouraged.
Listen, I look at this
as a wake-up call, all right?
I've missed enough time
with you guys already.
Hush-a-bye
Don't you cry
Go to sleepy little baby
When you wake
You'll have cake
And all the pretty little horses
So you're
really into your music, huh?
Yeah, I guess.
Ha, you guess?
If you're fixin' to quit school
and run off with a band,
you better know.
Oh, I know, but Dad doesn't.
He just thinks it's a joke.
I'm pretty sure
he doesn't think it's a joke.
Look, I know all the arguments.
There's no money in music.
One in a million make it.
It's hard on families.
School first, music second.
I get it, but...
You think you do.
But I understand you.
See? Thank you.
I understand you because
he was you and I was him.
Only books, instead of music.
Yeah, I guess.
Don't discount his advice.
Advice?
You mean, commands.
He's a smart man.
Listen to what he has to say.
Think it over.
Then you make your own decision.
You gonna be okay, Grandpa?
Shoot. You saw me arm wrestle.
Snake, snake! Aah, snake!
Snake in there, snake in there!
Big snake, snake!
That's your mama's robe?
Where is it?
No snake here.
It was right there.
It was right there.
- I swear to you it was right there.
- Well, it's not there, so...
Not there now.
Well, where is it?
Gotta be somewhere.
Nothing.
Ya, ya, ya, ya!
Dad, there's no snake.
Keep looking.
Big baby.
Mouse traps.
A lot of good those are doing.
What's the matter with you?
Oh, that was a good one.
That was a good one.
There ain't no way
I'm sleeping tonight
with that thing
still slithering around here.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Ha.
Ain't gonna work, Markie.
Just stick in a tape.
No. No, no, no.
No basketball, no way.
By the way,
I'm taking the bed tonight.
I get it, seniority.
Snake's gone, get over it.
Easy for you to say.
- Night.
- Good night.
Hey, Dad, do you want the couch?
No, snakes like crevices.
Okay, your loss.
Ah.
What are you doing?
Better than nothing.
You know that snake was
probably in here since we got here.
Don't want to talk about it.
Why not?
Because that snake
was in the shower.
All right? In the shower.
He was all up
in my shampoos and stuff.
I mean, you don't just recover
from something like that.
The shower is
a sacred place, all right?
You're wet, you're naked,
you're vulnerable.
Snake can't respect that,
none of us are safe.
Gotcha.
You know, I heard your, uh...
I heard you play
some of your song earlier.
It was, uh...
It was interesting.
Yeah, it took me
almost a year to get it right.
You wrote that?
Yeah, I write all my stuff.
You write?
Yeah.
Wow.
Can I give you some advice?
No.
Just hear me out, okay?
Writing is writing
whether it's a novel, all right?
Whether it's poetry or if it's music.
It doesn't matter.
If you can't take advice
from your old man about something...
Take advice from a failed novelist
who knows nothing about music
and owns a boring old book store?
Dad, how can you make me better?
You don't even think
I can be successful.
Whoa, no.
No, no. That's not it at all.
I think you're great.
And you're right.
I am a failed novelist.
So I should know.
If I hadn't have gone to college,
and if I hadn't gotten
a business degree,
and if I didn't have that boring
old book store that takes care of us...
Look...
All I'm saying is that,
if-if-if you don't make it
as a musician.
- If-
- Not now, Dad, okay?
I know this sermon.
Hey, babe. Everything okay?
Yeah, yeah. I'm fine.
You're breaking your phone rule.
I told him.
How'd he take it?
Fine, I guess.
Not so sure what
a great idea this was.
We haven't really come any farther
than we were when we started.
Did you look
in my little goodie bag?
No.
Well, yeah. Markie did.
Thanks for the ice-breaker game
by the way.
Hey, what did you say
for what color
best describes
your temperament and why?
Got as far as, "I am an oak,"
and then things kind of fell apart.
Mmm.
Well...
Go back and look in the bag.
I put a little reminder in there for ya.
"The Strength of My Father,"
by Charles Evan Fitzpatrick Jr.
"To be a man, to be a king.
That is my dream.
To soar like
the birds and roar like a lion.
To be strong and bold,
big and strong.
To be the man
that my father would have me be.
To see him smile
and know that he is proud of me.
That is my dream.
This is my dream."
Teenagers.
Markie... Markie.
Shh, don't make a sound.
You gotta see this.
Look at your dad.
Oh, my gosh.
What kind is it?
Black razor, I think.
Is that bad?
Well, they ate a man under
his pillow, but it's not poisonous.
What do we do?
Just watch and enjoy.
What?
Good morning, Evan.
Evan wake up, son.
You, uh...
You got a snake on your belly.
Is that your new man scarf?
It's crucial that you don't move
or make a sound.
Get it off. Get it off.
Don't let him wrap around your neck.
Can you help me? Help me.
Dad, don't... Don't move!
- Okay...
- It's a constrictor.
It's a constrictor moccasin.
It's got... It's got big fangs.
Shh!
Let's go...
Let's go back outside.
I think it's a black mamba.
Ah, ah, he's around my neck.
He's around my neck.
I told you there was a snake.
I told you there was a snake.
You have to be very, very quiet
and very, very still.
If he closes that coil...
We'll just... Ah, ah...
Oh, we'll just...
Okay. Oh! Oh.
Will you help me, please?
It's a lost cause now.
Come on, come on,
come on, come on!
I got it! Grandpa, help me.
I thought you had it trapped.
I did.
- Don't tell him.
- Don't tell him.
Oh...
Oh, I hate snakes!
I hate camping! I hate camping!
I hate it! Smoke!
I hate beans, I hate hot dogs!
Ah, smoke!
I smell like smoke!
I haven't slept!
Okay.
So, it's just one more day.
Okay.
I want to conquer that wall.
I want my name on it.
- Huh?
- Really?
Let's go right now.
Come on, just a little more.
Just a little more.
Come on.
- Come on, man, you got it.
- Almost there.
You almost had it.
Come on, a little higher.
- A little higher, a little more.
- Come on, Dad.
Ah!
- Here.
- All right, let's go.
- Come on.
- Get yourself up.
Okay! Pull me up!
Your hands are slipping.
No, don't let me go!
Don't let me go!
Hold on, hold on.
You all right, Dad?
Yeah.
Yeah, come on, let's go again.
Let's go!
Let's call it a day, Evan.
There's someplace
I want to show you.
Nah, come on. Let's go again.
- Son?
- What?
I want to show you something.
Hey, wait, Markie?
Follow me.
There it is, boys.
Heritage Falls.
Wow.
This is not what I expected.
You know, when I'd, uh...
camp with the team,
I'd come here in the mornings first thing,
for a little peace, a little prayer
before I'd start my day.
This is my spot.
Yeah. It's an epic spot, Grandpa.
It's beautiful.
It is, Grandpa.
- If something happens to me...
- Dad...
If something happens,
this is where
I'd like to be remembered.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Evan.
You guys want a coffee?
Really?
So now, uh,
what is this concoction?
That is a coffee filter
and some dental floss.
Huh.
Tell you what,
give that boy a book.
Hey, Pop, I got a question for ya.
Ha, well, I don't want to be a tree
or a flower
or a dadgum weather pattern.
No, if, uh... If you could have
had Grandpa teach you
anything that he didn't
teach you when you were a kid,
what would it have been?
Well, it's gonna sound
kinda silly, but...
I always wanted Dad
to teach me how to tie a tie.
He was an insurance salesman and
wore a tie every day.
I'd ask him, "Can you teach me
how to tie that thing?"
He said
"Sure, I will. Tomorrow,"
and tomorrow he'd be gone again.
Ah... so that's why you wear clip-ons.
You never learned how?
Never did.
Hmm.
What about you, Dad?
What do you wish Grandad
would have done for you?
Why don't we keep it light, huh?
Nah, come on... I wanna know.
- Nah, Dad...
- Tell me.
Really.
Well, I, uh... I really wish that
you had read my book.
I've read your book.
- No, you didn't.
- Yeah, I... started it.
You didn't, but, you know, that's fine.
No...
No, it's not fine.
Not fine at all.
What about you, kiddo?
Saw that comin'.
No... Come on, tell me.
I wanna know.
- No, you wouldn't.
- I do. I do wanna know.
Come on, you can tell me.
I'm not gonna be mad.
I guess I wish
you'd let me be my own man.
Markie...
Aw, man, I love you.
I know.
- I-I just want the best for you.
- Dad, I know.
You gotta understand where I'm comin'
from when I say these things to you.
Okay, Dad. This is why I didn't
want to do this, okay?
Can we just leave the dirty laundry
for home and talk about this later?
Okay, look, just hear me out.
Okay, I've been through
what you're going through.
- It's different.
- No, no. Everybody says that,
but it's not.
I wanna help you
make the right decisions.
I get it.
Look, you don't.
You don't get it. Look...
I don't want you five,
ten years down the line
regretting that you didn't
get a college education.
- I know your perspective.
- Well, if you know my perspective,
then why aren't you listening?
Because I wanna make
my own decisions, okay?
Look, I want to be my own man!
- But, you're making a mistake.
- Well, then I'll learn from it!
You don't have to learn from it,
that's the point.
I'm here to spare you from this.
Kid, look... your music...
- your music is always gonna be there.
- Well, so will school.
No! It's not.
With school, it's not that simple.
Guys!
I've made up my mind.
Well, I, uh... I can't.
I can't let you do this.
Well, I'm nineteen.
You can't do anything about it.
Oh, really?
Who pays your bills?
- You'd cut me off?
- Try me.
All right, let's just take this down.
- You stay outta this.
- Grandpa gets me.
Oh, really? Grandpa gets you?
What are you,
encouraging this behind my back?
- No.
- You're a hypocrite, that's what you are.
- You watch yourself!
- Hey, don't undermine me!
Look at you two!
Look at us!
What a joke.
Let's just quit and go home.
Who do you think you are?
- Son...
- No, really. Who are you?
Because this guy...
This guy right now,
this isn't the father that I grew up with.
The father that I grew up with
could have cared less
what it was that I wanted.
And now my son wants to go off,
and he wants to go join a band,
and you're encouraging this?
I told him to listen to you.
You told him to listen to me?
Those were your words?
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
Well, that's funny 'cause you've
never listened to anything that I've said!
- I listened.
- You have never listened to me!
You never listened to me.
You never encouraged me.
- I wanted to be a writer!
- You tried.
Yeah, I did.
I tried that.
I wanted to be a writer,
and you wanted me to be you.
Or at least one
of your beloved Mustangs.
That's true.
I did.
It's time to go.
Markie's right.
Hey, kid... Ya here?
Markie!
He's not here!
Huh?
I said he's not here.
Relax.
Probably just somewhere
blowing off steam.
Give him some time.
- Dad?
- Yeah?
- Let's go find him.
- Let's go!
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
Where could he have gone?
Markie!
Dad!
Take a look at this.
He went the wrong way at the fork.
Jewelry's better than bread crumbs.
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
Markie!
- Hey!
- What?
Listen...
You hear that?
That's his harmonica!
Markie! Markie!
Dad, I'm over here!
Markie... Whoa! Whoa!
That's what happened to me.
You okay?
Yeah, I got too close to the edge
and it gave way,
twisted my ankle.
You hurt bad?
It's no mint under the pillow,
but I'm okay.
You got any rope
or a ladder back at the cabin?
Not a thing.
What are we gonna do?
All right, I'm going down there.
You gotta lower me down, okay?
You're gonna both end up
stuck down there.
I don't care. That's my boy.
He's coming outta that hole.
So lower me down.
Okay, Dad, just be careful.
Easy does it.
Wait, wait! Wait, wait, wait!
All right, I gotta let you go.
- Slow! Slow! Slow! Slow!
- Dad!
- You okay, Dad?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
Dad, give me the water bottle
and the head lamp.
- What for?
- You'll see, hurry up!
- How you doin' kid?
- Good.
- Heads up!
- Yeah!
OK.
- Whoa.
- Ta-da!
Huh?
- That from the book?
- Yes, sir!
Nice, Dad.
Here...
Look, kid, let's get you out of here.
All right... Your foot, your foot.
Go, go, go!
Go! Go!
Push.
- Got him?
- Got him!
Hang on, Markie.
That's it, boy!
All right, fellas...
my turn.
All right, Dad.
- You ready?
- You'll have to jump!
- You got this, Dad.
- Come on, son.
All right.
You got this, Dad.
- Right here!
- Almost! Almost!
Come on, Dad.
One more. Here we go!
Evan.
What?
We're a team.
- We are one.
- We are one.
We're a family.
Atta boy!
Got it! Come on!
Pull, pull, pull, pull, pull. Pull!
- Oh!
- Oh! Oh!
You okay, kid?
I owe you a new headlamp.
Well, I can't walk,
so who's carrying me?
Grandpa.
Uh-huh. In your dreams.
I'm goin' home
On the morning train
You know I'm goin' home
On the morning train
The road is long
The river's high
That's why I'm goin' home
On the morning train
Take my hurt and relieve my pain
Please Lord take my hurt
And relieve my pain
Mountain peaks and valleys wide
That's why I'm goin' home
On the morning train
I'm goin' home on the morning train
You know I'm goin' home
On the morning train
The road is long
The river's high
That's why I'm goin' home
On the morning train
Hold me close
Time is running low
I said hold me close
Time is running low
The days are hot
The evenings cold
That's why I'm goin' home
On the morning train
I'm goin' home on the morning train
You know I'm goin' home
On the morning train
The road is long
I tell you what,
there's not a bit of quit in our boy.
Got a better hang time
than Michael Jordan.
It's true.
Michael Jordan's
a basketball player.
I know he's a basketball player.
- Okay, just making sure.
- Kid what...
And Grandpa totally beat
Dad in the arm wrestling!
He... Whoa, whoa!
- Dad!
- I won the other thing...
what was the game called?
You can't
win the icebreakers game.
- Icebreaker game. I totally won that!
- You can't win that game.
A leaf. You were a leaf!
Part of a tree.
You wouldn't believe
the stuff he came up with.
He started a fire with corn chips.
- You did that?
- I did. I did do that.
But my true masterpiece
was my coffee.
All that's in the book?
Next time,
we're definitely bringing pots.
I'm getting better at camping.
I'm liking...
I'm enjoying camping more.
Who is he?
Hey, Pop!
Got a sec?
- Yeah.
- Well, I, uh...
- I got you somethin'.
- What's that?
Why don't you open it up
and find out?
A little late, but happy retirement.
Oh, boy...
look at that.
I thought you'd like that.
Uh-oh.
It's not a clip-on.
No, it's not, but why don't we, uh...
Let's put it on you.
You wanna give it a shot?
Turn around.
Okay.
You know what?
Why don't you do it,
and I'll walk you through it?
- I don't know how.
- Well, I'll show ya how.
Take this guy.
Take the big guy,
and wrap him over this guy,
little guy, two times.
- Around it?
- Yep. Around it.
You got it.
Now throw it over again.
OK, and up and under.
Right through here.
- Up and under.
- Like that?
Perfect.
Perfect.
Now just pull it down
through this little loop...
make a loop...
pull it right down through there.
And now
hold onto the small side,
pull on the big guy.
Hey.
There you go.
Pop this guy down.
There, turn around,
let me have a look at ya.
All right.
Lookin' good!
Hey, guys, what are ya doin'?
The girls want to play hearts.
Tell 'em we're on our way.
Coming!
Hey, guys, where'd you go?
Come on, I want to hear
more about this snake.
It was really scary.
It was a huge snake, come on!
We're burnin' daylight.
And... there we go.
Music's made you soft, Junior.
No, college has.
You're welcome.
Last one to the falls
sleeps on the bear rug.
To be a man
To be a king
That is my dream
To be a man
To be a king
That is my dream
To soar
Like a bird
And to roar
Like a lion
To be strong and bold
Big and strong
To be the man
That my father would have me to be
That my father would have me to be
To see him smile
And to know he is proud of me
Oh
To see him smile
And to know he is proud of me
Oh
Yes that is my dream
Yes that is my dream
Yes this is my dream
I am a poor wayfaring stranger
While journeying
Through this world of woe
If there's no sickness
No toil and danger
In that bright world
To which I go
I'm going there
To see my father
I'm going there
No more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm going there
To see my father
I'm going there
No more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm only going over home
Ooh! That was good, Clay!
Wow!