bus sounds
foot steps
train
birds chirping
knocking
foot steps
door opening
Hi.
Can I help you?
If you're Franklin Page.
Sherman.
Yes sir.
I, I didn't know
if you want to
see someone like me again.
Come on in,
come on in at least.
I just thought
I'd look you up.



Honey this is
Sherman Oliver,
an old friend.
Sherman this is my wife Irene.
Hi, pleased to meet
you Mr. Oliver.
Ma'am.
And this Jacob.
Jacob can you say
'hi' to Sherman?
laugh He's shy;
don't worry,
he'll be vying for your
attention soon enough.
Are you hungry Sherman;
I was just gonna finish
feeding the kids and then
make something
for Franklin and me?
I could eat.
So how did you
get here Sherman?
Walked.
Walked?
I lost my license
a while back.
I mean I bused in from
the city but I walked
from your depot.
You must be tired.
Not especially.
That's quite a trek.
I don't mind walking.
It's how you get
to know a place.
I think so too.
So are you from the
city originally?
No ma'am.
So where is it
you're from then?
Oh...
I guess I'm from all over.
laugh
sound of crickets outside
door creaking open
You've let your
hair grow;
beard.
I guess I never wanted to see
a razor again after I got out.
How'd you end up
out here anyway?
I had a hard go of it
that first year out.
Fleeing one town
to the next.
Eventually I wound up
with a mill job
around here.
Walked into the office that
first day and man oh man,
there she was -
Irene.
First time
I saw her I knew,
I knew she was
the one I wanted
to spend everything on.
All the money I'd saved,
all the...
experience I'd gained,
all the love I could
never give away --
so I did.
Wife and kids.
Just like we used
to talk about;
dream about.
I don't remember too many
dreams of domesticity
back then Sherman.
I kind of remember
us playing poker
with some girls
sitting on our laps.
laugh
You're right Frank,
that's right.
You ever see any of
those boys anymore?
No,
actually I...
I lost touch.
You?
Not much.
Has it been seven years?
Mhm.
Man.
You know I heard once that
everything takes seven years;
serious illness,
broken heart,
you name it.
Anything bad takes seven years
to come to terms with
and...
I don't know,
maybe now,
right now
is your time.
Mm...
maybe it is,
Frank.
undressing sounds
Are you drunk?
A little bit,
yeah.
Nicely done.
Thank you.
Your friend
doesn't talk much.
He calls me ma'am.
He loosens up a bit when
you get a drink in him.
Well I'll leave
that to you.
sighs
Did he tell you
why he's here?
No, I just think he's
feeling a bit lost,
that's all.
Were you guys
close or something?
Not particularly.
We were in the
same company.
It's just that
one day he, ah...
he got pretty banged up,
shot in the head actually
and all the other guys
said, just leave him.
But I ran out there
and picked him up
and I carried him back.
Rescued him I guess.
I don't know.
You never told me that.
You don't need to
hear about that stuff.
There's nothing I don't
want to hear about.
You know that.
Right?
Yes ma'am.
Sherman Oliver.
Sherman Oliver.
church bells
You got my number at the
mill if you need anything.
Yes sir.
If you get hungry there's
a caf just up ahead.
Okay.
Sherman,
I'll be back just after
five to pick you up.
dog barking
chair dragging on floor
Aaaaah...
Eat your Peas,
please, Jacob.
Num,
nums?
Atta boy.
How's the library.
All right.
Yeah; what
were you reading?
Books about war.
I like to hear
what people have
to say on the subject.
Any you enjoy
in particular?
All of 'em.
So you lived here
all your life?
Oh, yeah.
laugh
Thirty-seven years now.
I went away to university
for a while
but,
otherwise.
And you work the
same place as Frank?
Well he worked at
the same place as me
and then he knocked me up
to force me out.
He impregnated you
to get you to quit?
No.
laughs
No, no,
I was just joking.
Oh.
mutters under his breath
Stupid.
Um...
water running
Frank, he said when
he first saw you there
he knew you were
the girl he wanted
to spend everything on.
All the money he'd saved,
all the experience
he'd gained
and the love he'd never
been able to give away.
He said that?
laugh
That's embarrassing,
Jesus.
Ten cents,
ten cents.
Yes, thank you,
honey.
I meant to say gosh.
blues
blues
You know almost
that whole year
I was in the hospital
I thought my name was
actually Oliver Sherman.
Some nurse wrote all my
information down backwards.
That's army
bureaucracy for you, huh?
For a year;
I wasn't even me
and I didn't know
the difference.
How'd you finally
find out?
I got a letter with
my real name on it.
I always thought that kinda
said something
about my life,
you know.
Oliver Sherman,
almost right,
but not quite.

So how'd you get that?
Lose it,
I mean.
Oh...
it was that day actually.
When I went to grab
you I didn't see
your leg was caught up
in razor wire
and I started running
and with each step
the wire cuts deeper
and by the time
we get to safety
it's just dangling like a
teabag from a string.
I'm sorry.
Oh...
It's just a finger;
really half a one.
I'm probably not
even worth that.
Sherman don't say that.
It's not true.
Mm...
Hell half a finger for
all the drinks you
bought me here tonight,
I figure I'm coming
out ahead.
You still got the
citation for bravery?
It's buried somewhere.
You shouldn't bury it.
Maybe not.
You think I could see
it when we go back?
I'd like to see it.
I guess so.

Franklin what
are you doing?
I'm just looking
for something.
I'm not dealing with those
kids if they wake up.
I will.
Go back to bed,
I'll be in in a minute.
foot steps
You found it?
Yeah.
There she is.
Oh,
can I hold it?
Sure.
You were so brave.
No, I just did what any
man would do,
or should.
None of the others did.
Well I was probably
more twitchy than them.
No.

You know what's funny?
What's that?
You still got your
medal in there;
I still got some
metal in here.


birds cawing
There's a little black
bug floating on the water;

Is there a card
with that?
Oh,
look at that!
I told you it's a hat.
So what brings you to
Klinebrook Sherman?
I heard Frank was here.
Oh.
How long you staying?
Well...
I haven't decided yet.
And you're in all the way
from the big city huh?
I guess.
What is it you do there?
Nothing much,
just a vet.
Oh yeah?
Oh our cat has
an eye infection,
maybe we should
have brought her.
I don't know anything
about no cats.

How you holding
up in there?
laugh
Fine,
just fine.
That smells good.
You need anything?
Actually you could take
these two plates of dogs
in there if
you don't mind.
Thanks,
Sherman.
I'll be in,
in a second.
children chattering
crash
God damn it!
Mother fucking,
cock sucker!
baby cries
Happy birthday to you,
happy birthday to you,
happy birthday dear Jacob,
happy birthday to you.
cheer
foot steps
door creaking open
You okay?
I put ten bucks
in that jar there;
I figure those
words were...
worth at least that.
No,
that's too much.
It doesn't matter.
Thank you.
I'll show Jacob
in the morning.
It's strange...
seeing how you got
this whole life now;
It's like
nothing ever happened.
You're all civilized,
settled down now.
I've tried to anyway.
Is that what you want;
to settle down?
I don't know.
Maybe...
if I found a girl
that would have me
and civilian life,
everybody's so
smug and laced up,
visiting each other,
talking to each other,
little get-togethers.
You have to keep
telling yourself,
behave right,
if you don't some tired
ass son-of-a-bitch
is going to...
son-of-a-gun -
sorry.
It's nice actually,
it's calm,
you'll see.
Sometimes it's like I'm...
leftovers...
put back together
with scotch tape
sent out in
the world again.
They say the universe
is infinite, right.
Well if it's infinite
why is there no
room in it for me?
There's room enough Sherman;
believe me there is.
Everything made more
sense back then.
I felt like I had someplace
I was supposed to be.
The rest of my life
if I could just feel
the way I felt
when I was squeezing
that trigger...
foot steps
door creaking
open and shut
The body of Christ.
Amen.
organ
The body of Christ.
Amen.
The body of Christ.
Amen.

The body of Christ.

The body of Christ.

The body of Christ.

The body of Christ.

Did you see the way they
were all looking at him?
Send your kids
over the Pages
and they'll send them
home saying cocksucker.
He apologized.
He's creepy.
Okay,
so he's a bit rough;
he doesn't know how to
behave in polite company,
but he's okay.
He's raw,
he drinks too much.
He just hasn't gotten
over things yet.
Why not?
You did.
He's just hanging around
feeling sorry for himself.
It was a head wound,
Irene.
That poor man has
no one on his side.
He's got know
one to love him.
Just chewed up
and spit out.
Have a nice life,
try to behave.
You know when he came to
our door my heart just sank.
It hurts to look
at the guy.
I think,
did I really help him
or curse him?
That's the kind
of man you are;
too modest to admit when
you've done a great thing.
What you did,
you know,
and injured or not,
it's up to him what
he does with that now.
He won't stay here long,
I promise.
Okay.
Daddy come push me.
We're working on the
car right now Jacob.
In a little bit,
okay?
Mind if I run into
the bathroom quick?
Sure,
go ahead.
toilet flush
Jacob,
what did Mommy say?
Wash your hands
when you pee.
water running
soft music
soft music
soft music
soft music
soft music
What are you doing?
soft music
soft music
soft music
Why don't I push
you on that swing?
swing creaking
swing creaking

I was wondering...
what I can do to repay
your hospitality?
Relax Sherman,
you're a guest.
We don't want anything.
I can't keep sponging
off your goodwill.

Stop it.
You hear any complaints?
No.

Did I ever show you this?

Same one I was issued
when we fought together.
You can't have
that out in here;
you'll get arrested.
Did you keep yours?
God,
no.
You're not even allowed.
Not all of us can have
medals for keepsakes.
Give me a break.

And did they ever teach you
how to use your bayonet
to catch a fox?
When you're stranded
in winter
and you need
to save bullets?
I don't think so.
So what you do is
you take a piece of jerky,
you put it on
the tip of the blade
then you bury it in the snow,
knife point up.
Fox, he smells that
from a long way away,
he comes running,
he starts to lick the meat,
and he licks it again
and it cuts his tongue.
But its winter and
he's half starved
so he keeps going
despite the pain.
He keeps tasting all this
wonderful flesh blood
not knowing it's his own.
That's how you
catch a fox;
he bleeds to death.
It's simple no bullets
and you can use
the knife again.

That's...
pretty horrible.
Oh no, no,
that's what we're like.
That's the ingenuity of man.
Well I don't remember
them teaching us
anything like that.
Well maybe I heard
it somewhere else;
I don't remember.
You want another drink.
No, I think I
gotta take a break.
And you...
can't afford to keep buying.
Disability comp.
Come on, you have
to have another.
I can't keep pace
with you Sherman.
Well that's one thing
I got on you then, isn't it?

Couple of more beers please.

I gotta sober up in here.
If I go in like this
Irene will shoot me.
$5,000 I'd shoot
my own mother.
laughs
What? No.
As god as my judge.
Oh man, that's
your problem see,
'cause god said
'thou shalt not kill'.
Not my god.
Shh...
You'd do that to
your own mother?
She's been dead for ages;
what's one more bullet?
laugh
Let's go get
some sleep.
Hey..
hey Irene?
There's no way.
dog panting
dog barking
dog barking
Did you read anything
good today, Sherman?
Same old.
Maybe you should
try something new;
branch out a little.
Why?
I don't know;
variety,
expanded world view.
Well I like what
I like, ma'am.
Never been to a big
university like you.
Nothing wrong
with that.
You talk to your
sister about watching
the kids tomorrow night?
Yeah,
I did.
What'd she say?
She said,
'fine'.
She saw Raymond Saddler
in town yesterday.
Did he see her?
I don't know.
Hm, that could have
gotten ugly real quick.
Who's Raymond Saddler?
He's always been something
of a town bully
around here,
Saddler.
He married Irene
& Joan's mom
a few years after
their dad passed away,
treated
her terribly.
Kept her from her
kids and grand kids
and then all of a sudden
she was sicker than
any of us had been told and
after she died
we learned that
she left everything
to Saddler -
all the money,
property.
He swindled her when
she was at her weakest.
Swindled all of us.
And you guys just let
him get away with it?
No, we fought it in
the courts for a while.
You know, it just
gets to the point
where you're spending so
much energy on the past
you don't have much
left for the present.
And you and Frank here
know all about that, right?
How easy it is to waste one's
time harping on things
that have already happened.
radio in background
radio in background


Thank you
very much. Thanks.
Cheers.
Cheers.
piano





Hi. Hey.

I have to go.
Why?
I told Sherman I'd pick
him up and have a nightcap.
You knew that.
This is the first
time we've been alone
in more than a week.
Listen to how
quiet it is.
He's waiting for
me down there.
Well I hope he's
a good kisser,
'cause if you get
in that car
those lips are
not touching mine.
Is that right?
- That's right.
You're a piece of work,
you know that?
I do.


Hey,
are you Sherman?
Yeah.
There's a call
for you.

Hello?
Sherman?
Yeah.
Hey,
it's me Franklin.
Hey,
you coming now?
Listen man,
I'm really sorry,
the baby has a fever and
we have to stay with her.
Can you find
our own way back?
I'm sure the bar can call
you a cab or something.
But we were supposed
to have a drink.
I know, I know,
I'm sorry.
But we can do it
tomorrow instead.
Sherman?
Yeah?
I'll leave the front door
unlocked for you okay.


Hey,
Canadian club,
make it a double.

Sir?
Sir?
Your cab's waiting
outside.
You don't have
no fucking fever.
Sherman?
You promised me a drink,
Frank.
Sherman, it's like
two in the morning.
I sat there like an idiot;
an idiot with no friends
drinking by himself.
We'll go back
there tomorrow.
What's going on?
You promised,
Frank.
Sherman,
go to bed.
You promised me,
Frank.
I said go to bed Sherman!
baby cries
It's okay,
it's okay,
I'll get her.
Is that what you want
around your children?
Don't put me
in that position.
What position?
The one where your
family comes first?
That's not fair.
Why do you keep
sticking up for him?
Because I could
easily be where he is.
No, you have
done hard work;
he's just looking
for excuses not to.
You don't know
what it was like.
No,
I don't,
but you don't know what it
was like carrying your
two children and giving
birth to them, so...
Please,
for the love of...
No, I am stuck here doing
the servant jobs while-
while you're
out at the bar.
It's not like that.
I looked in his wallet.
Irene!
He listed our house as
his permanent address
on his library card.
What address is he
supposed to use?
He's a drifter; he just
wanted to read, that's all.
No, he's settling in when
he should be looking
for a way out.
Truth be told I'd be
happy if he was moving on,
I just feel sorry for him.
He's down on his
luck right now.
He's deeply unhappy
and he's looking for
someone to pin it on.






Two more.
Great,
okay.

Feel like some
steak tonight?
Sure.

Sherman,
there he is;
Raymond Saddler.
I've seen that guy
at the library.
I'm surprised
he can read.


TV show
Jacob laughing
TV show
Oh shit!
Twenty-five cents.
Yes,
it is.
What?
TV
Well I'm not gonna
bring it to you.
How about this;
you can keep the coin
or I can show you
something even better?
TV
TV
I keep trying to
stick up for you
and you just leave me
twisting in the wind.
I told you, he asked
me to see it
so I showed it to him.
He's four years old.
My father taught me to
hunt when I was four.
Hell,
earlier.
Jacob's not like you and me.
What's so wrong
with you and me?
Nothing; he's just
different that's all.
You've forgotten
who you are,
that's what's wrong.
Tucked it away real nice.
But I'll tell you what;
that son of yours
he's no different either.
Men, women, children,
they're all violent.
That's so god damn extreme.
I saw the way you
smacked that kid.
I spanked him.
Yeah,
and killing in war
is different than
killing here, I know.
Okay,
but Sherman,
what I never
hear you talk about
is the other side,
the good.
Why do you always have to see
the worst from the outset?
I know,
you're better than me.
God damn it Sherman, that's
not what I'm talking about!
You're a really
lucky man, Frank.
I feel like I'm on the outside
of everything looking in -
at you,
your wife and
those kids.
Normal house with
normal things in it.
Maybe if I went out and got
all those things
maybe I'd see
things different -
how you see 'em.
I'm real happy for you though.
knocking
Sherman if you wanna
smoke do it outside.
He has no respect
for our home;
he has no respect
for anything.
Look I'm trying to
talk to him about it.
He just flashes those sad
eyes at you and you fold.
I said I'm trying.
Well you need
to try harder;
I want to know
when he's leaving.
I already have two
children to take care of!
door slams
Everything okay?
She wants to know where
you're going next from here;
what your long-term plans are.
Mm, well,
you know;
I'll try and think
of something today.
car starts



knock
Sherman,
you're back early.
I needed to
leave the library.
They're fumigating.
Oh,
come on in.
I'm just in
the kitchen.
All right if I sit?
Go ahead.
Where's the kids?
They're both napping.
I'm just getting lunch
ready for when they wake up.
Do you need anything?
No thank you,
ma'am.
Say, you ever
play poker?
Too busy.
We played a lot of
cards in the service,
mostly poker.
Poker at night,
drunk with the girls.
Did a lot of card
playing in whore houses.
Now that's something
you don't forget.
The smell of
that perfume,
long dark hair.
You think he's forgot?
I know I should feel
sorry for your troubles...
Oh you don't have
to feel sorry for me;
I'm doing okay.
You gotta pity a man who
isn't right in the head.
I guess I could get away
with a lot if I wanted
to make that excuse
like you do.
I'm a mother,
I've given birth;
I can say and do
whatever I please.
Oh you may be crazy but
you're not dumb are you?
I'll tell you something else;
Frank didn't come
for the cards.
He never could play a lick.
Games are for children;
Franklin is a grown man.
You know,
it's taken
years for him to
get over the war
but he did it
and he's fine now
and you could be too.
But trying to drag a cured man
down in your sickness
isn't gonna make you well.
Oh is that what I'm doing?
Oh you hate me don't you?
I don't hate you.
He's killed you know.
Hasn't changed him.
How do you know;
you didn't know him before?
He's a good man.
Yes he is, but he knows
how easy it would be
to do it again.
Before you do it you
think it's impossible.
You probably think
that don't you?
Think what?
You couldn't kill.
I couldn't.
Really? A baby by
the wrong man,
you wouldn't get rid of it?
What if one of those
kids was in danger?
Fine I'd kill
anybody for that.
Even your husband?
What?
If you had to
make a choice?
Why are you trying
to intimidate me?
We're talking.
Why don't you want
to talk about things?
This isn't talking,
this is a game of
chicken with a drunk.
I am not drunk,
ma'am.
Fumes from the
fumigation is all.
Speaking of which,
it's probably safe for me to
go back to the library now.
Hey.
I've been calling
you all afternoon.
I was at a
meeting offsite.
We have to talk.
Can I talk to you upstairs?
Sure.
I'll be right back.
Where are the kids?
- At my sisters.
Why?
He came back here
during lunch.
Sherman? I just picked
him up from the library.
Well I don't know,
you know,
I guess he went back
to put on a good
face for you.
What happened?
He came here and
he was saying things.
What things?
He was trying to
bully me and...
Tell me what he said?
He was talking about
prostitutes and killing.
He threatened me
with our children
not twenty feet away.
This is where it ends.
I don't want him in our house;
I don't want him in our town.
He leaves now or
I'm going to my sister's.
stomping down stairs
Outside.
Sit down.
What's wrong,
Frank?
Did you come here
today at lunch?
I was at the library all day.
You picked me up out there.
Did you threaten my wife?
I just...
we were just talking.
That is my wife!
I'm trying to raise
a family here!
Monday morning,
that's when the
next bus leaves town,
and you're on it.
Go pack your shit,
I'm taking you to a motel.
Uh...
Frank.
Go.
Go get your stuff.
It's over.
I'm sorry,
Frank.
I'll be back Monday 9:00 am
to take you to the depot.



TV in background


radio broadcast
in background
music in store
music in store
That's $6.25,
please.

Wait,
do you have any of those
rubber dishwashing gloves?
door opening
water running
telephone rings
Hello?
Frank?
Yeah.
It's Sherman.
Sherman,
you really shouldn't
be calling here.
I just wanted to make sure
you were still coming
to get me tomorrow.
Yeah, like I said
I'll be there at 9:00.
Good.
Um...
so I heard on the
radio yesterday
something happened
to Raymond Saddler?
Yeah,
killed himself.
Fed his dog some pills and
shot himself in the head.
I guess maybe he had a
conscience after all.
Listen Sherman,
Irene's family's here
trying to work
all this stuff out
so I really
should be getting back.
I wanted to know if maybe
you wanted to have
some breakfast
tomorrow before I go;
I have some things
I'd like to say
if I could.
Sure.
I'll come for 8:00 then.
That's great,
I'll see you in the
morning then Frank.
All right,
bye.
cars driving by
cars driving by
TV background
TV background
car pulling in
car horn

I'm fine,
thank you.
You're happy
about it right,
what happened to him?
I don't know if
happy's the word.
I'm relieved that Irene and
her sister have some peace.
And the land and the
money you're all owed.
We hope so.
Well,
I'm real glad.
Listen we should probably
get the check and uh..
I wanted to
ask you something.
Okay.
I've been thinking
about things;
things you said,
you know,
With a house like that,
Raymond Saddler's -
a man could
get a wife real easy,
a man like me even.
My wife,
she'd clean it up,
make it real pretty
and who knows,
maybe we could
have some kids,
even make 'em bring
us our slippers
in front of the fireplace.
laughs
Maybe I could move in there,
since it's empty
and start making
a life like you got.
Like you said Frank,
maybe it takes
seven years for everything.
Maybe this is finally my time.
Sherman...
if...
the estate is settled
Irene and her sister
are selling it
and splitting the money.
It's-
it's already
been decided.
Oh.


Just a little something
to help you get started,
wherever that might be.
I gotta piss.