An Unfinished Life

This programme contains some strong language.

BIRDSONG

SOFT FOOTSTEPS ON GROUND

BIRDS FLY OFF

BEAR GROWLS

RACCOON CHITTERS

GROWL

CHUCKLES

I heard you long-fingered little bastards venture round my yard.

But I'll thank you for keeping the owls off my cassias.

CATS MIAOW

SIGHS

WATER RUNS

MAN GRUNTS

Did you sleep OK?

SIGHS WITH RELIEF

Sorta.

SIGHS

GRUNTS SOFTLY

-MAN:

-I, er...

God, Jean, I don't know what happened.

It's like a...a...red mist or...

-BUTTERS TOAST:

-..Something comes over me, and I...

PUTS DOWN KNIFE

But I feel... I feel like you back me up in a corner, and I...I...

SIGHS, OPENS REFRIGERATOR You do that, and, er...

I hate it when I'm like that.

-WHISPERS:

-I'm sorry.

Can you forgive me?

KICKS TABLE

-SHOUTS

-What?! What...

-TABLEWARE CLATTERS LOUDLY

KICKS DOOR OPEN, WALKS OUT

FUCK!

CAR ENGINE STARTS

TYRES SQUEAL

GIRL: You promised.

If it happened again...

You promised!

WOMAN: OK. This is last week and up to yesterday.

-All right?

-OK.

I stuck an extra 50 bucks in. Just wish I could do better.

-Kitty, I can't take that.

-Yeah, you can. Listen.

-Here. Just take...

-No.

I don't want to see you come around here anymore looking like this.

-You take care.

-Thank you.

Take care of that girl. Now, get going.

-WOMAN:

-We have a reciprocity agreement with Kansas.

If you can stay here in the shelter for a week,

I could find you a place in Wichita.

No. Every man in town who beats a woman knows where this shelter is.

Do you have someone you can stay with?

-MAN:

-I don't think you really understand just how worried I am.

Look, I don't know. Maybe they went shopping or something.

I just wish someone in this goddamn place would just...

..just give me the truth.

Then we could find Jean pretty damn quick.

-GIRL:

-Tribune, Kansas. Do you want to go there?

JEAN: Sure. Maybe. I mean, we can go anywhere we want.

How about... Loving, New Mexico?

-I like that. GIGGLES:

-Me too.

LAUGHS

Topeka.

Santa Cruz.

Oh, my gosh. There's a Butt, Montana.

CAR CLUNKS, CREAKS

It's pronounced 'Butte'.

CAR RATTLES OMINOUSLY

-Mom?

-Oh, no. No!

CRICKETS CHIRP

Hey! MOTORCYCLE STOPS

-SIGHS:

-She's not going anywhere.

There's a rod sticking through the block.

I'm heading to Sioux Falls.

Yeah.

REVS ENGINE

-Now, just take what you need.

-OK.

So, one inch is 83 miles.

-QUIETLY:

-Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

Aloha, Oregon.

It's only 10 inches away.

So that's...830 miles,

and we've already gone 300 miles, so...

We're going to Wyoming.

BEAR GROWLS

-GIRL:

-What's in Wyoming?

It's where your grandfather lives.

I have a grandfather?!

Not much of one.

When were you going to tell me?

SIGHS

No. I'm fine.

GRUNTS WITH EXERTION

-SIGHS:

-Smells like rain.

Not going to rain today.

LAUGHS

You haven't been right about the weather since 1972.

I know what rain looks like.

SIGHS

You got something on your mind this morning?

Your goddamn bear's back.

Well, what do you think YOU'RE going to do about it?

What I should have done a year ago.

DOGS BARK IN DISTANCE

GROWLS

CHILDREN SHOUT PLAYFULLY

-BOY:

-He was big!

-BOY:

-He was huge!

Did anyone notice if he had cubs? Did you see cubs with him? No?

SIREN TOOTS

GROWLS

TOOTS SIREN INTERMITTENTLY

GROWLS

CONTINUES TOOTING SIREN

HORSE SNORTS Whoa.

QUIETLY: OK.

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

GROWLS QUIETLY

COCKS SHOTGUN All right.

MUTTERS QUIETLY

It's under control, Einar.

You get out of the way and it will be.

Come on. Let's let the Fish and Game take care of this.

This isn't some pet dog they're after.

I think they can tell the difference, all right?

MEN SPEAK QUIETLY

MUTTERS: This is what a college education gives you.

TRANQUILLISER DART FIRES BEAR GROWLS

HORN PARPS

Mom.

Welcome to Wyoming.

Come on. This is us.

So, is my grandpa nice?

Why didn't you tell me about him?

CATS MIAOW

-JEAN CALLS:

-Einar.

I don't want you here.

At least we agree on something.

I don't want to be here either.

We need a place to stay for about a month or so.

Looks like you need EVERY part of your head examined.

Is this yours?

She's yours too.

You're telling me I have a grandchild I don't know about?

I'm telling you I was pregnant at Griffin's funeral.

Where have you been till now?

-SIGHS:

-We've been on the road for two days.

We lived in Iowa.

Now this suddenly seems like home?

What's her name?

My name's Griff.

Griff Gilkyson.

That's an unusual name for a girl.

Einar, please.

Just till I can earn enough to get us out of here.

BOTTLES CLINK

There's a room in the basement.

I'm sorry.

Hey. I'm going to go into town and look for a job.

You think you'll be all right here?

All right. Well, just...be good.

Love you.

I used the bathroom.

And I heard you.

Are you hungry?

Not yet.

Is there a McDonald's in town?

You got 5?

No, I don't.

Well, then, I don't think going into town for a meal would be a good idea.

How was your night?

All right, I guess.

Left or right?

SIGHS

Let's do the right.

Left could use a rest.

SIGHS

GRUNTS

Pain bad all the time now?

Gets my full attention.

Yep.

TURNS ON TAP

GRUNTS

What happened with my bear?

He's his own damn bear.

You telling me he's still alive?

Oh, he's fine. He's in that...zoo Angie built.

CHUCKLES

SIGHS

GRUNTS

Dreaming about the sea last night.

Did you get wet?

LAUGHS

Mmm. I walked right in.

Felt like falling in love.

Mmm.

Smelled like a woman.

Tasted like one too.

CHUCKLES: Jeez! Your memory's not that good.

CHUCKLES

GRUNTS Hey.

Lift up. GRUNTS

I see Jean kept her looks.

I see she brought a daughter with her.

She says it's Griffin's.

Granddaughter.

That's a nice thing for a man to have.

I might go into town for breakfast.

All right.

GRUNTS

Taking the girl with you?

Anything else you need?

Yeah, look in on the bear.

-What?

-Check on the bear.

Check on the bear? Why the hell would I do that?

Cos I asked you to.

DOOR OPENS

Are those my dad's things?

Yeah. They are.

Where does he live now?

He's dead.

Didn't your mother tell you that?

Yeah. But she said you were dead too.

CHUCKLES

Are you confused

about why they call a room with a table in it a 'dining room'?

No, sir.

Since it looks like you didn't have any trouble making THAT sandwich,

I'd like you to make anoher one at 11:30.

-Can you do that?

-Yes, sir.

And then take it out to that man that lives in the little house.

And a glass of milk.

Yes, sir.

MUTTERS: Check on the bear. Goddammit.

MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY: "No, I'll go check on the bear."

TRIES TO START ENGINE

ENGINE CRANKS CONTINUOUSLY

STOPS CRANKING ENGINE

SIGHS

TRIES AGAIN

Oh, goddammit.

BICYCLE SQUEAKS

-MAN:

-Nice wheels, Einar.

Where'd you get the rig?

Nancy Sidwell had this shipped up

from that retirement village where Ernie died.

Maybe it was the bike that killed Ernie.

What killed Ernie was a lifetime of Nancy's cooking.

-LAUGHS

-Your pick-up broke down again?

Oh, hell, no. Pick-up's fine.

I'm just out here training for a goddamn marathon.

I like the flag.

Without an orange flag like that, you might look ridiculous.

-MAN:

-Morning, Einar.

SHOP BELL RINGS

Hello, Kent, Catherine.

-Einar.

-Einar.

MUTTERS: What have we got here? Oh, bills.

MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY

-Morning, Einar.

-Good morning yourself, Nina.

Jesus. Can you believe they're still sending junk mail to my boy?

Well, maybe the dead are flattered to get a letter.

-You ever think about that?

-I'll let you know when I'm gone.

Maybe I'll send you a postcard from the other side.

CHUCKLES

Hey, how's Mitch doing?

Mitch? He's dreaming about the sea.

Oh, yeah? I used to live by the ocean.

-Up in Oregon. For about a year.

-SHOP BELL RINGS

Yeah. Too much rain, if you ask me, but I sure like the sound it makes.

-MEN LAUGH DRUNKENLY

-Grandma? What's up?

You ever get depressed, just sit at the kitchen sink and turn on the tap.

Well, if I ever get depressed,

remind me not to come to you for advice.

MEN CONTINUE LAUGHING

I wonder if it's hard being that drunk this early in the morning.

Oh, it's easy, if you don't stop drinking all night.

Huh. You'd know.

-How do you want your eggs?

-Scrambled.

-We want breakfast!

-Hey, baby.

Hey there, boys. What can I get you this morning?

LAUGHS

You can get down on this table

and I can see if I can stay on you until the buzzer sounds.

-Arggh!

-MEN LAUGH

I hope you're having fun, Chris,

cos as soon as I get one arm free, I'm gonna kick your ass.

-Oh, yeah? Oh, yeah?

-Yeah.

-Now look what you went and did!

-Chris, that's some rough stock!

Good morning, fellas. I'm going to be your new waiter.

Want some coffee?

Why don't you screw right off, you old bastard?

What?

Son...now, I don't want to work myself short of breath.

You want to continue this? It can be over all at once.

Because that's how goddamn fast your life can change.

You believe me?

Sorry for the mess.

SHOP BELL RINGS

Hi.

Hi.

M-my name's Griff.

My name is Mitch.

That for me?

Thank you.

Yeah, I know.

I almost threw up first time I looked at it.

You feeling a little queasy?

I'm fine.

OK.

I got queasy first time I saw a man eat a snail.

You ever eat a snail?

-No.

-Me neither.

This looks good.

What happened to you?

I was mauled by a bear.

I saw a bear in a cage yesterday.

Yeah. That was my bear.

About a year ago, he was eating one of your grandfather's calves,

and...well, we sort of interrupted his dinner, you know,

and...he thought we were going to take it away from him.

And you know bears. They don't like to share.

Did the bear bite Einar?

No, I was closer.

I didn't know anyone ate snails.

Oh, yeah, sure.

In those fancy restaurants up in Cheyenne,

eat them all the time.

Like there's nothing to it.

CHUCKLES

Once I saw this kid eat a moth.

-Eugh!

-You could hear the crunch.

-Oh, no, no!

-LAUGHS

BEAR GROWLS, CAGE RATTLES

ONLOOKERS EXCLAIM IN AMAZEMENT

-WOMAN:

-Einar.

Hey, Angie.

I didn't expect to see you in this crowd.

I guess at my age, it's good to be seen just about anywhere.

LAUGHS

Well, the Fish and Game said he'd settle down in a few days.

Plus, they also said he'd eat anything.

Which he doesn't.

I don't get it.

Nobody wanted to pay five

for the mountain lion I used to keep in here.

How's Mitch?

He's dreaming about the sea.

Oh. I always wanted a boat.

My dad used to take us out. It was so great.

What happened to the lion?

He died.

Yeah. Lucky lion.

BEAR GROWLS

SIGHS

Hello, Griffin.

MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY

SIGHS: It says here you might have already won 15 million.

Probably ought to send it in for you, though.

Probably the same damn odds as losing a kid early.

We got that done.

You should know, your wife came back.

You know, you could have steered her some place else.

Just cos you're dead doesn't mean you can't be useful.

See you tomorrow, boy.

Kid sure looks... looks a whole lot like you, though.

Top to bottom.

-GRIFF:

-Mom!

-Hey.

-I missed you.

-Guess what - I got a job.

-Really?

Starting tomorrow.

So, how was your day?

Not so great, huh?

BANGING OUTSIDE

STEELS KNIFE

SIGHS

Hell, I'm tired.

I think half the people we served this morning

came in just to take a good look at you.

CHUCKLES: Yeah.

Here you go.

-What's this?

-Your half of the tips.

I thought you said you were used to being on your feet.

SIGHS

But I'm not used to telling everyone I meet

where I've been the last 10 years.

-Well, tell them you went crazy.

-COUPLE ARGUE

Tell them you've been locked up.

That's what I've been telling them.

Looks like we did real good today.

I guess I've got you to thank for that.

Maybe I'll have some music on Saturday night.

Course, then again, you'd have to dance with Billy and Wayne.

TRAIN PASSES NEARBY

Oh, that'd be a sight.

SIGHS

Can I help you?

SIGHS

I'm Einar Gilkyson's daughter-in-law.

Yes, I-I know.

Did you want to come in?

Thank you.

-Any calls?

-Nothing.

POLICE RADIO CHATTERS QUIETLY

Homemade lunch, you know?

CHUCKLES

You got something there you want me to see?

It's a police report.

QUIETLY: But I didn't press charges.

My shelter worker and I,

we thought I ought to check in with authorities when I got settled.

He was my boyfriend.

But, um...

..the report's not for this time.

It's for another time.

I'll make a copy.

FLUID SQUIRTS

EINAR MUTTERS QUIETLY

CAT MIAOWS

That's it.

-GRIFF:

-What are their names?

-Who?

-Your cats.

They don't have any names.

How do you tell them apart?

I don't tell them apart.

TOOL FALLS

EINAR: Oh, goddamn cheap-ass Mickey mouse foreign goddamn parts.

Oscar and Charlie.

Hi, Charlie.

-MITCH:

-Is that there a water pump belt?

Why don't you use the one out of the tractor?

MUTTERS: Why don't I use the one out of the tractor?

Are...are you mumbling over there or something?

The tractor belt's twice this size.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Oh.

How are you? Hi.

-MITCH:

-Don't we have some spare belts in the barn?

I've got a great idea. Why don't you go back in the house?

Oh... Damn. I was...just trying to be helpful.

You don't want my help, I'll just sit over here and shut up.

You're pulling a lot of stuff out of the truck.

Don't look like you know what you're doing.

-Oh, just shut up! OK?

-What?

Shut up. You don't know what I'm doing. You don't know the truck.

Who are you talking to?

It's something a philosopher doesn't know what he's talking about.

-You don't know your ass from a motor.

-Doggone second-generation...

I'd better come over there and hang my bad foot in your ass!

CAR APPROACHES, HORN BEEPS

-Thanks.

-NINA:

-Any time.

-See you tomorrow?

-Yep. See you.

-Hey, kiddo.

-Hey.

-How was it?

-All right.

See you, Einar.

Got some groceries for dinner.

OK.

You want to take these inside, sweetie?

Sure.

-You got it?

-Yep.

-JEAN:

-Hey, Mitch.

-MITCH:

-Hey there.

What happened here? Why'd you stop running cows?

When Griffin died, I ran out of help.

Then I got older. Mitch got mauled.

I sold the stock to stay on the place.

Dinner will be ready in an hour.

Come here, Sarah.

Yeah. Nope. Stay here. Good girl, Sarah.

-You finished?

-Yeah.

Tell your kid to come down out of that tree.

-GRIFF:

-Come on, Charlie.

Come on. Don't be a fraidy-cat.

-PLATE SMASHES

-Oh! Dammit.

SIGHS

Oh, Jesus.

I'm sorry.

You're sorry?

Well, that's just fine, then.

I'll buy you a new one.

Oh. Just that easy?

Maybe I liked that plate.

In fact, maybe that was my favourite goddamn plate!

-It's just a plate.

-That's it, huh?

Did it ever occur to you that not everything can be replaced?

SIGHS

Come down out of that tree!

JEAN: You want this on the table?

No, over here. Thank you.

I'm so glad you're back, Jean.

CHUCKLES

What happened to Nelly?

Nelly left.

About a year after we buried Griffin.

Einar just never got a handle on it.

And then when he hardly even noticed Nelly anymore,

why...she found another man who would.

I think they live in Colorado.

Do you think he blames me for losing his wife too?

I imagine he does.

SPUR JINGLES SOFTLY

I don't want to stay here.

SIGHS

What's wrong with him?

SIGHS: Well, it's not you.

He just never got over it.

He really loved your dad.

You should know that.

Did you?

Course.

You do have a plan, though, right?

I mean, we don't have to stay here forever?

GRUNTS: Sure I do.

As soon as I earn enough money, I'm going to get us right out of here.

You know what? What do you think about...Butt, Montana?

BOTH GIGGLE

Come on, let's play. You don't know how to read anyway.

Where'd the bottle come from?

The granary.

It's been there for a while. Sometimes I just like to look at it.

15. Two.

You going to open it?

I'm not sure yet. 25.

That's 31 for two.

Go.

Did you check on the bear?

Eight. Yeah. You asked me to, didn't you?

That's a pair for two.

I want you to feed him.

-What?

-I want you to feed the bear.

I don't trust Angie to feed anything much past herself.

Feed the bear?

Let's feed the bear.

Bear, would you like shoes? What kind of food do you like, bear?

Little steak, chicken? What?

-Einar.

-What?

Is her being here going to ruin you?

-The woman killed my son.

-No. Come on.

It was a car accident.

They call them 'accidents' because it's nobody's fault.

No, they call them 'accidents' to make the guilty feel better.

Is that so?

Mitch, I don't give a goddamn what they're called.

My son's dead.

Your granddaughter's not.

And neither are you.

Have you thought about how she's going to remember you?

You know, come to think of it,

I don't feel like playing cards tonight.

And put that bottle some place where I don't have to look at it.

CLOSES DOOR

Uh... INHALES DEEPLY

Hmm.

You know anything about pick-up trucks?

Oh, shit. Hand me that half-inch socket wrench, would you?

No, no, no. The shiny one on the top.

Yep. SIGHS

You want to see what I'm doing?

That's it.

-OK. You see these screws here?

-Uh-huh.

This one I'm tightening -

this holds this thing up, which holds the pan up.

If this thing comes loose while you're driving,

you'd be sitting on the road.

And that's not what you want to be doing.

-NINA:

-How come you and Einar don't get along?

You're practically his daughter.

What I am is his dead son's wife.

He's always been really good to me.

He was the first friend I met here...

-SIGHS:

-Oh!

I am not in the mood for their crap.

I'll take them.

The special today is the enchilada plate.

Thank you.

They're good enchiladas.

Served by good people.

I'm a good person.

I'm also a woman who's taken more than her fair share of shit off men.

Don't push me.

I mean, I couldn't even take a pinch of crap

from two old cheesedicks like you.

EINAR: OK, crank it.

ENGINE CRANKS

Again. TURNS KEY

Again. TURNS KEY

ENGINE TURNS OVER

REVS HARD

OK, take your foot off the gas. Hey...

Take your foot off the gas!

Is that for lunch?

It's for a bear.

MUTTERS: Who the hell knows What a bear eats, anyway?

Did I ask you to do that?

Don't bears like honey?

Winnie-the-Pooh does.

Oh, hey.

I thought you were sick. Haven't seen you for a few days.

Oh, it's only a two-restaurant town,

so I try to spread the county's money around.

CLICKS TONGUE THOUGHTFULLY

I'll have the meat loaf.

Can you ask her if I can have onion rings instead of mashed potatoes?

Onion... Sure, I'll ask.

Could you give me a ride home after work?

Sure.

ROARS

-GRIFF:

-He looks like he's dancing.

EINAR: Well, maybe he just happened to see a girl with a sack of meat.

Here. We'll give him some here. Why don't you toss this?

BEAR GRUNTS

He likes the honey.

I think he does.

Is that really the bear that hurt Mr Bradley?

He's the one.

BOTH CONVERSE INAUDIBLY

JEAN: I don't want to go right home.

Not just yet.

-You don't?

-Can't we just...drive a little?

Here's the thing - I'm going to be here about three more weeks,

and... I'm afraid I'm not going to get through it.

Three weeks, huh?

And I don't want to be in love, Crane.

TYRES SQUEAL

BOTH PANT AND MOAN PASSIONATELY

Don't start without me.

What's that?

A flower.

That's not a flower. It's a weed.

It's pretty, though.

Don't you think it's pretty?

Yeah. I think it's lovely.

You want to wait a little longer for your mother?

Just a little bit.

OK.

I had a music teacher who was a lesbian.

You guys are gay, right?

COUGHS

LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY

LAUGHS

LAUGHS: Oh, my!

Well, God, I think after almost 40 years of working together,

one of us would notice, don't you, Mitch?

Well, Einar...

..I always thought you had really lovely hands.

-You did?

-Yeah.

You never told me that. MITCH LAUGHS

I mean, it's cool. Everybody needs love.

You got that part right, little girl.

CHUCKLES

Jesus, God, what's next?

Hey!

Hey, yourself. How are you doing?

-Good. How are you?

-Good.

Somebody I want you to meet.

Griff, this is, er, Sheriff Curtis.

-CRANE:

-Nice to meet you, Griff.

-Are you hungry?

-There isn't enough.

Uh, look, I've got to swing back through town anyway.

-So, um...I'll see you?

-OK. Thanks for the ride home.

Take care of yourself, Crane.

-I don't like him.

-I don't remember asking you.

I don't remember you EVER asking me.

Hey. I don't need your permission.

Are you confused about how to treat a guest in my house?

He's just some guy my mom brought home.

I expect you to be pleasant to whoever comes to my door.

Yes, sir.

Unless it's some guy looking to sell his angle on God.

There is no excuse for that bullshit.

CHUCKLES

Well, all right, then.

Let's...let's get a try at these good-looking sandwiches.

There you go. Hold it right about here, just below the knot.

OK.

Don't worry about his foot. It's not going to go anywhere.

Oh, yes, it is. Look at that calf run.

Oh, he's off and gone.

Oops! That one was just a little bit low.

-Yeah! LAUGHS:

-Hey!

-I got it!

-LAUGHS:

-Look at that.

-Oh, yeah.

Go on, try it again.

There you go.

You got any more improvements you want to make around here?

-SIGHS:

-I just thought I'd straighten some of this mess.

I thought maybe Mitch might want to work on something.

Did you ask him about it?

-MITCH:

-Well, of course she did.

Now that we've got interesting company round here,

I... I feel inspired.

Excuse me. I've got to go to work.

You want to know what I dreamed last night?

What?

I dreamed you weren't such a miserable sonofabitch.

That's not dreaming. That's wishful thinking.

CHUCKLES

Did you hear anything unusual last night?

Yeah. Somebody poking around down by the river.

I found some footprints...

..and this.

I sure do miss smoking.

So do I.

SHOP BELL RINGS

Hey.

Hey!

What are you doing here?

We're going to Angie's zoo.

-Really?

-Yeah.

EINAR: What kind of pies have you got today, Nina?

Hey! I've got three kinds of berry and chocolate pecan.

They're guaranteed to make your teeth ache.

Chocolate pecan, please. With ice-cream.

TWO chocolate pecan.

One with ice-cream. The kid's got young teeth.

Coming right up.

I'll be right back.

Crane.

Einar.

She capture your interest?

Have you thought about the girl? They're a set.

Can I get you anything else, Crane?

Uh, nothing. Just the check.

OK.

How's the law stand on shooting somebody on your property?

Well, if you didn't want to go to prison,

they'd pretty much have to be in your house.

That's what I thought.

You...think you've got a problem?

I'll let you know.

HORSE SNORTS

Hey. You want to hand me that rasp?

No, no. No, those are pliers. The rasp. Next to it.

-This?

-That's it. Yep.

Are there really cowgirls?

Well, haven't you ever ridden a horse before?

No.

There weren't any horses around Gary's apartment.

He was my mom's boyfriend.

We lived with him for two years.

My mom had another boyfriend before Gary.

His name was Hank.

He didn't have any horses either.

Hank didn't hit my mom like Gary did.

He was just mean with his words. Like you.

Yeah, well, I can see where not learning to ride a horse

would be a disadvantage for a cowgirl.

-You want to try?

-Yeah.

Here. Grab that blanket.

-GRIFF:

-What's that?

Want to have a look?

Hup!

Afternoon, boy.

-Your father was sure first-rate. QUIETLY:

-Here.

I miss him.

I wish I missed him.

You would if you had known him.

-WHISPERS:

-Stay.

Your mama's boyfriend in Iowa - he smoke?

Yeah, a lot.

Did he hit you?

Mostly my mom.

Jimmy. Jimmy, no. No.

JEAN: My parents scraped and saved To get us out of El Paso,

to get a quiet place, far away from everything.

TRUCK ROARS

-CRANE:

-And then they put an interstate right through it.

Oh! This would have killed them.

-I remember your parents.

-You do?

Yeah. They were good people.

What a mess.

Did you know Griffin?

Yeah.

He was, er...two years behind me in high school.

Do you know how he died?

Yeah. It was, er...up in Calgary, at the Stampede. A car accident.

Guess everybody in town knows that.

Well...it was a long time ago.

I was driving, you know.

Guess everybody in town knows that too.

COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYS

-WOMAN:

-Well, hello.

Hello.

You know, I'm not so sure I'm happy to see you in here, Einar.

How about a club soda, Eileen?

I can do that for you.

There you go.

So, I hear you have a granddaughter.

Yeah. By God, I do.

How old is she?

She's still shiny.

She still expects everything's going to turn out all right.

MAN PLAYS A POOL SHOT: Shit!

That's a good age.

-MAN:

-Mister, here. Buy yourself a fucking drink.

You're one lucky sonofabitch.

You know those guys?

The one in the hat's Jess Spiers's boy, Josh.

And the other guy?

Some dude from the Midwest.

Einar.

Her ex-boyfriend's in town.

Yeah, I know he is.

He's staying down at the Sage Creek Motel.

Why in the hell didn't you arrest him?

Well, cos I can't do anything, Einar, except keep an eye on him,

unless he bothers her.

Does she know he's here?

-I haven't told her yet.

-SIGHS

Look, if he'd been out at your place, I could make that enough.

You'd let me know if he'd been out there bothering you, right?

Oh, he doesn't bother me one little bit.

PRINTER WHIRRS

-MUTTERS:

-Jesus.

Here.

THUNDER RUMBLES IN DISTANCE

-MITCH:

-Bad news.

Bad news.

That's 15. Two.

15. Four.

That's two runs of three... and a pair,

which puts me...out.

Haven't had a decent hand all night.

Well, wait a minute. Don't growl. You dealt half of them.

I'm not growling. Now, come here.

GRUNTS

You want some help getting to bed?

-GRUNTS:

-No. I'll manage that.

GROANS IN PAIN

MITCH SIGHS

MITCH GRUNTS

I always thought this was one of your best.

Well, thank you.

You ever wish you had lived a different life,

rather than living up here and working the place with me?

No.

I was always happy that I found work that suited me.

-Since I was a kid...

-GRUNTS

..all I ever wanted to be was a cowboy.

-CHUCKLES:

-Shit.

How about now?

Now too.

You mind if I leave Griff here with you for a while,

till her mother comes home?

There's an errand in town I'd like to run.

It'd be all right with me if she stayed up here all the time.

Hey.

Be careful with that errand.

TV PLAYS QUIETLY

KNOCK AT DOOR

SIGHS

Yeah?

COCKS GUN

Take it easy, buddy.

Wh...what do you want?

I'm helping you pack.

You don't know how much I love her.

Your love was written all over her face when she got here.

You know, there's nothing more useless than some simple sonofabitch

that runs after a woman that doesn't want him.

She wanted me to find her.

If she didn't, she wouldn't have come back here.

Pull over.

Here.

Keep going.

I see you back here again, I'll kill you.

You've seen too many westerns, old man.

That doesn't exactly work in your favour.

-CRANE:

-You need a ride?

A ride would be fine.

That man threaten you?

Yeah, he sure as hell did.

Jean Gilkyson's a friend of mine. She doesn't want you here.

You don't know her like I do.

No, you're right. I don't.

I'll make this simple for you.

I don't want you here.

Now, get going.

SIGHS

Is this something we're going to have to talk a lot about?

No, Einar.

We never have to talk about this again.

STARTS ENGINE

EINAR: Jean?

Jean?

What?

Get dressed. I want to talk to you.

What is it?

I just had a chat with your ex-boyfriend.

Thought you ought to know he was in town.

You mean Gary's here?

He was.

-NERVOUSLY:

-Gary's in town?

-He left.

Well, we should call Crane.

Crane knows all about it.

-I'm sorry...

-Tell me something.

I'm a little confused right now by Bachelor No. 1 and Bachelor No. 2.

Are you screwing Crane Curtis... for protection or sport?

Would you like to ask your daughter how she feels about it?

Don't you bring Griff into this. You don't know anything about her.

And whose fault is that?

Oh, it's my fault, Einar, right?

Isn't it my fault? Isn't everything my fault?

No.

SIGHS EMOTIONALLY

Griffin flipped a coin.

What are you talking about?

Griffin flipped a coin and I lost.

So I was the one driving.

It was three o'clock in the morning and we were both tired.

We wanted to make it down to the rodeo in Great Falls.

It was a flipped coin?

Is that... What was it? A quarter? Was it a nickel?

I don't remember what it was.

I want to know what killed my boy!

I killed him, Einar!

Is that what you want to hear?!

It wasn't the change in our pockets.

Or the weak-ass coffee or the rain.

It was me.

I fell asleep and I flipped the car six times.

I killed Griffin.

You got no argument from me.

You think it's something I forget?

-TEARFULLY:

-You think that I'm not sick with it every day of my life?

But I tried to keep living, and you haven't.

Is that why you hate me so much?

You know, you act like I killed you the day Griffin died.

-SLAMS HAND ON TABLE

-Well, great.

Lie all the way down and we'll bury you.

What's the matter? You afraid no-one will come to the funeral?

We'll talk about your leaving in the morning.

We're done talking.

EINAR RUMMAGES THROUGH JUNK

EINAR LEAVES

Just so you know...

..I have been trying.

But forgiving...

..just isn't...isn't easy for me.

SCOFFS: Mitch. What the hell does he...

What's he think, he's a preacher or some goddamn thing?

Know-it-all.

SIGHS

JEAN: I'm sorry we woke you up so early.

That's OK. I'm not a great sleeper anyway.

Hey, I've got a regular mattress out in the storage shed.

Maybe you and I can wrestle it in here after work.

Did you drink the whole bottle?

She left. She walked out of here and took the kid.

That her idea or yours?

I didn't drink the whole thing.

Which side of your ass do you want the needle in this morning?

Left.

INHALES SHARPLY

Well, what did you dream about last night?

I didn't dream at all.

I lay awake all night

wondering if you would ever stop blaming the world for whatever.

SIGHS

Wondering if you'd be able to hold on to the family you've got.

Well... I managed to hang on to you, didn't I?

You ever...wondered why I'm the only one left?

Well, I have my boy. I have his memories.

Yeah.

Well, maybe you'll remember

how desperately he wanted to get the hell out of here,

how bad he wanted a life of his own.

If you weren't a cripple, I'd jerk you out of there and kick your ass!

Oh, talk sense.

You never saw the day you THOUGHT you could kick my ass, Einar.

Oh...

Einar!

What?

I want to go see the bear.

You've seen the bear.

-I want you to take me to Angie's.

-You're not up to it.

I'm not asking permission, goddammit! I want a ride!

Well, then call a taxi!

I'm going back.

What?

I'm going back. I'm staying with my grandpa and Mr Bradley.

-The hell you are, Griff.

-Yes, I am.

No, you're not!

You're not going anywhere. You're staying right here.

I'm going back, OK?

You make decisions like they don't matter for anybody else but you!

That is not true.

I ALWAYS think about you first.

Then it should start to show.

Griff!

Get back here. I'm not going to say it again.

-NINA:

-Let her go.

Let her go be with her grandfather for a while.

Do you think I'm a shitty mother?

I think you're doing the best you can.

That's her second-grade picture.

Oh, your daughter?

Yeah.

We were having a picnic at the river and, er...she went for a swim.

She wanted to practise.

She was a great swimmer.

SIGHS DEEPLY

And I, er...

..I looked away for a minute...

..and she was...gone.

She was...

I would do anything to have that minute back.

But I'm never gonna.

Nina, I'm...

We're not supposed to outlive our children.

You have to understand that about Einar.

PAN SIZZLES

Where's your mother?

She's staying with Nina.

You walked all the way out here by yourself?

I got hungry.

Well, one egg or two? We've got a lot to do today.

How about...two?

GRUNTS

What are we going to do with that?

We just spread it around. So we don't have to walk in it.

Here, slide on over here and take the wheel.

-Come on.

-I can't drive.

You're not going to be driving.

You're going to be steering. Come on. You can do it.

Turn before you get to that fence. Don't touch anything else.

GRUNTS

EINAR GRUNTS: Yeah.

OK.

Set.

Yeah. Six o'clock in the morning.

I wake up to gunfire and I look out the window

and everything's shot to hell in the yard.

-Jonesy, it's pottery. It's...

-Still, man.

I mean, shouldn't you be catching people

who are shooting the neighbourhood up?

Why the hell didn't you tell me Gary was in town?

-Excuse me.

-Ron, you...?

I-I didn't think you'd want to see him.

Well, I had a right to know.

I just...I would have thought you'd had enough of him.

Oh, come on, Crane. Why don't you ask me what you really want to know?

Why didn't I just walk away the first time he hit me?

Why didn't I just call the police, right? I mean, it's so simple...

Crane, are you going to deal with this, or what?

Just give me a second here, Jonesy. I mean...

Jean...

-JONESY:

-I couldn't care less about his personal problems.

BEAR GROWLS SOFTLY

GROWLS

-GRIFF:

-There's a buffalo over there.

His name is Ronnie.

And then there's two wolves.

Tom and Jerry.

Come on. Look. Food.

Come on.

Aren't you hungry?

You had enough?

Yeah.

-SIGHS:

-Yeah, I've had all I need.

WIND CHIME RINGS SOFTLY

No, no, no, no. That's OK.

I've got to run to the feed store for a minute.

Think you could fix Mitch some lunch?

Sure.

OK, then.

-MITCH CALLS:

-Einar?

Einar!

-Mitch?

-Griff.

-PANTS:

-Get Einar for me.

He went to town.

-SIGHS:

-Oh, no.

-PANTS:

-Do you know where he... keeps my medicine?

In the refrigerator.

Go get it for me.

-Right now? WEAKLY:

-Quick as you can.

OK.

OK.

OK. Good girl.

You g...you gotta... You know how to load it?

NERVOUSLY: Mmm.

Yeah, just... That's it.

OK.

GRUNTS WEAKLY

GRUNTS

Just...pull the pants down and...stick it in me

and...push the plunger down.

GROANS SHARPLY

SIGHS

GRUNTS SOFTLY

Was that OK?

-SIGHS:

-Jesus.

You were so smooth, I... I thought my mama had done it.

BREATHLESSLY: Th...thank you.

-CRANE:

-Hey.

Jean...

As it turns out, you were right. I'm a complete asshole.

I never judged you for being with him, though.

You were wrong about that.

You made it stop. You left him.

You want to know the ugly little truth?

You stay because you don't think you deserve any better.

Cos you think it's the best you can do.

It's Mr Bradley.

SIGHS

How are you doing?

We can't just leave him there, Einar.

We walked into HIS business.

Hell, he was just doing what bears do.

We can't punish him for that.

Got to let him go, Einar.

Get him out of that cage.

Don't you lie here and think I can do that.

GRUNTS

GRUNTS

You know, I can get myself shaved in the morning.

All the way dressed too.

Yeah, OK.

I could probably manage to stick myself in the butt

with one of those syringes, if it came to it.

But what I can't do...

..is continue to lie here every day

and watch you mourn for a life you think you should have had.

There are people everywhere

who think they got dealt a bad hand, Einar.

SIGHS

Hey.

Did I give him too much?

No.

You did great today.

GROWLS SOFTLY

GROWLS LOUDLY

MUTTERS: Free the goddamn bear.

I don't know what I'm doing.

Whether I'm doing anything right.

I don't know.

Well, what do you think?

Hup. Attagirl.

EINAR: All right. Now, let's try third. Let the clutch out.

-Third?

-GEARS GRIND

All right. Now, let's turn her left.

Not too hard.

Hey, hey.

Yeah, that's good.

You're getting the hang of it.

There you go. I think we're gonna get this thing done.

Hey, Griff. How's life on the ranch?

It's good.

Jean? You've got two customers out here.

Hey.

We're just visiting, OK?

OK.

I miss you.

What have you been doing?

Einar's been teaching me how to drive his tr...

Now, why...don't...you go look

to see what Nina's got in the kitchen for...special?

-OK?

-OK.

CLEARS THROAT

Would you care if I took her camping?

Thanks for bringing her in, Einar.

Did she say 'driving'?

It's a ranch.

She's 11.

I know, I know. She...

But...she's a good girl.

Good kids don't get that way by...by accident.

Is that a compliment?

Just the way it is.

What else have you been teaching her?

I don't know enough...

..to know what to...

..teach a girl.

What I'm saying...

..is if you want to come back to the ranch, that's...

..that's going to be OK.

Maybe tomorrow, then, when you get back.

Tomorrow would be fine.

I think camping would be great.

She'll love that.

Do you want all of these?

Yep. All of them. Hold on to those.

What's the medicine for?

When we get that bear in the cage, I'm going to give him a shot.

Then he can sleep all the way up to the mountain.

Oh.

GASPS

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.

Jesus Christ, Gary.

How are you?

God, you look great.

I thought you'd left town.

Well, I wanted to see you.

You know, I miss you.

I don't want you here, Gary. Can't you understand that?

It must be nice for Griff, living up here with her grandfather.

You know, country living and all.

-Course, it's not for you.

-CHUCKLES

Just give it up, Gary.

I'm not coming back to you.

Can we just at least sit down, have a drink or some kind of...

..or offer me a coffee?!

Just...

It's pretty country up here.

Might stick around awhile.

-We're gonna get caught.

-GRUNTS

Well, these are government guys we're stealing this from.

They went home to dinner a long time ago.

I thought you said we were just borrowing it.

As long as I pay my taxes, it's the same thing. Let's go.

OK. Now, scoot on over and get ready to back up.

Come on ahead. Easy. GEARS GRIND

OK. Come on.

Whoa!

OK.

GROWLS

Here.

Hold that still.

When I tell you, you start cranking.

OK.

GROWLS

I'm a little bit scared.

Well, that makes two of us.

Start cranking.

GATE SQUEAKS

OK. Now, get in the truck.

BEAR GROWLS

QUIETLY: OK. Here's something for you.

SNORTS

Come on.

BEAR GROWLS QUIETLY

Come on.

GROWLS

GASPS

EINAR GRUNTS

Wh...!

Einar!

-Get...get...

-Einar, I'm sorry.

Get behind me. Get in the truck.

Walk slowly and don't look right at him. Get in the truck!

Go on. GROWLS

Look here.

GROWLS

ROARS

EINAR GRUNTS

ROARS

HONKS HORN

GRIFF CONTINUES HONKING HORN

Einar!

Wait a minute. Oh, shit.

Are you OK?

Yeah. Yeah, I...just think... he knocked the wind out of me.

I...I think you'd better... get me to a hospital.

THUMP! GROANS

Sorry.

TELEPHONE RINGS

TELEVISION PLAYS QUIETLY

NINA: Hello?

What?

No, I was just trying to pull... GROANS

..to...pull the...er... the loft door down.