I don't wanna go camping, Mom.
Oh, come on. We go camping every year on Memorial Day.
It's Memorial Day, the start of another summer.
Like most people, I look forward to it.
Except this year.
This year it's hard to look forward to anything.
- Hello. Hi, Frank. - I got the notes from the I.R.S.
Tax inquiry. You gotta be kidding me, Frank.
- I can't even get a break... - What happened is simple, I guess.
I lost my business, and now I've gotta sell the house.
My wife says I'm not looking at it right.
She says one day I'll look back and see it all happened for a reason.
Tom.
Are you coming or not?
Maybe I just can't see it. Maybe I never will.
Stop!
- Who said you could wear my earrings? - You said they look stupid on you.
Well, I didn't mean it. Take them off right now!
- Girls, come on. Stop it. - Don't touch me!
That's it! That's enough!
Don't touch me!
Don't touch my hair.
- Girls, are you all right? - Yeah.
We're okay.
- Can you hear me? - I'd hear you better for a quarter.
Don't start that now. Quickly, in the car.
We're very late. Hurry. We'll stop at home, and we're off.
Mommy, my stomach hurts.
Are you sure, sweetheart? The doctor said there's nothing wrong.
- Faker, faker. - I'm not, I'm not!
- Stop it! - Look out!
Oh, my God.
What was that?
- Somebody call the police! - Police?
Stay in the car.
Oh, my God.
Can you get up? Can you move that leg?
I'm terribly sorry. It's all my fault. I didn't even see you.
- There was a dog in the intersection. - Betty Jane!
- She ran off that way. She looked okay. - Thanks.
What's going on here?
I'm the driver. It's my fault. I was coming to the intersection...
- Excuse me. - I swerved.
Hitchhiking is against the law in this township.
- So is running into a car. - That's not what happened.
Lady, why don't you and your son just walk back to the car?
I haven't given you my name.
You're all done here. Thank you.
All right, people, let's get movin'. What are we staring at?
This is not a circus. Let's move on. Move it out.
The man's hurt.
Come on. Show is over. Let's go, people. Move it out.
Move it out. Let's go.
What are you staring at? Let's move it along.
- Do we have to do this now? - It's what Memorial Day means.
Mommy, which one's our daddy?
- You know. She told you last year. - I forget.
It's all right.
Daddy doesn't actually have a place here, honey...
because he died very far away...
in Korea.
At least they could've tried to find his plane.
Tom, they did try.
Hocus-pocus diddly-ocus.
Slow down, boys. I'm not gonna tell you again.
- What are you drinkin'? - What's everybody else having?
- G&T's. - G&T's it is then.
What's a G&T?
- Gin and tonic. - Of course. Perfect.
Where is your sister? Aren't you worried about her?
I am worried. She's never this late. I'm gonna go find her.
- Joyce, your sister's always late. - Can you watch Cindy for me?
Tom, take that, please. Very funny.
- Did you put celery in it again? - Please, sweetheart.
Up you go.
Walk, Thomas! Walk, please.
- Why isn't this on? - You didn't check inside.
Gunny, snakes can't fit into a space this small.
A little baby one could.
Look inside.
- It blasted off on my nose. - It did?
- How's your tummy? - Good.
Jeanne, where have you been?
You're never gonna... I can't. I'm still shaking.
Don't touch that. It's poison.
- Hey, Gunny. See that lake? - Yeah.
- Know what's in it? - Fishies.
Monsters. You know what else?
That's where Mom's gonna make you take swimming lessons.
I won't. I'm not. I won't.
Wait here.
- Let this be a warning. - I don't know how badly he was hurt.
Security is what you should be thinking about, not starting some silly business.
- You have one, two clients? - Three.
- Three. I was being all worried. - I should call the hospital.
With three clients and pension money, you'll be able to... I don't know...
What expression would you use? Scrape by?
It takes time to start a business.
Listen to me. Hank hasn't replaced you yet.
There's nothing wrong with being his bookkeeper.
Jeanne, those shorts! I wouldn't have the nerve.
That's the difference between you and me, Shirley.
I would if I had your legs, Jeanne.
You picked the perfect day to wear them.
You never know who's around the corner.
Phil?
Look at you.
Hello. Oh, my goodness.
I can't believe it.
- Mommy. - What?
This is my youngest. This is Gunther.
- We call him Gunny. - How are you?
You're tall.
You can be tall too.
- Okay. All right. - He's deathly afraid of heights.
He's afraid of everything.
Monsters and snakes and swimming pools.
Cindy, that's enough. Let's all go play.
I don't even remember. When did we last see each other?
- What are you doing here? - Must be fate.
To think I nearly gave this territory to one of my salesmen.
I tell you what. You tell me when you're free for dinner.
Listen on up. Everybody feeling good and limber?
How 'bout a ball game?
Okay, fathers and sons, like we did last year.
Jim, raise the bat. We're gonna see who's gonna be the home team.
Fathers win!
You guys can bat first, okay?
Don't look at us. We wanna win.
I'm never gonna be "it" again! You be "it"!
Give him a cookie. One more cookie, then I want you to brush your teeth.
- I hate you! - Hey, last warning!
Tom Holman, you stop this right now!
Come on, fellas, please. It's been a very long day.
Tom, give him the doll. Give him Davy.
Am I talking to myself? No, no!
- This is not a toy. - But Dad gave it to me.
Give him Davy. Give it to him.
Then give me Davy and go take out the garbage.
He gets whatever he wants, and I get stuck with the garbage.
I know you. You're Betty Jane.
You're lost?
Come here.
You have to pull both sides of the string...
when you tighten this or we're gonna lose it again.
Good morning.
Oh, my God! Tom! What is that?
I don't know why we can't keep her. You're the one who almost ran her over.
What's a pound?
A place where they tie dogs together by their tails.
Her tail's not long enough.
It's not fair.
I never get what other kids have.
He wants a dad.
I know.
Mom, I think she has to go.
Betty Jane!
Where have you been, you silly girl?
I don't understand you.
I found her near my house. She was lost.
I'm grateful to you.
Your name is Tom? Is that right?
I'm so...
Your leg.
I didn't know. I'm so sorry about yesterday.
Really. I'm...
I'm Jeanne Holman.
And...
if...
if there is anything I can do to compensate...
for my carelessness, please just say.
We could use a ride.
Bye.
- Good luck. - Thanks.
It's dangerous to stand by the road, isn't it, Mommy?
Yes, it is, honey.
What if he doesn't get a ride?
Damnation!
You boys wait here.
Excuse me!
- Sorry. I don't know your name. - Jack.
Jack, this is very dangerous.
I'll be careful.
Would you come back to the car?
Why?
You've gotta have a place to stay until that leg heals.
Dogs should stay outside.
Honey, he's a lovely dog.
I want to make a few things clear and...
I would never do this under any circumstances...
except these circumstances.
And because of that cast.
So, there is no point standing here.
You've got baseball. Take Gunny down the street to his friend's.
- I'd appreciate that. - Come on, Gunny.
I'll take you to your room.
You can stay in Tom's room, and he'll bunk in with Gunny.
One, two, three, four...
five, six, seven, eight...
nine, ten.
Ready or not, here I come.
I got ya.
Now America's favorite family comedy, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
- It's starting. - Come on. Just one more.
Eat your corn, eat your corn
Tickle, tickle, tickle Eat your corn, eat your corn
I'm a corn dog
- Are you a chicken? - You bet I am.
I'm gonna go for a walk.
Sure.
Michael, listen to me when I say come in.
Dinner is ready.
- Okay, let's go. - You got the keys?
- Good night. - Hey!
- You lookin' for somethin'? - The highway.
It's a couple miles that way. We can take you if you want.
No, thanks.
Always tell Mommy where you're going.
Yes, sir.
Honey?
Hi, I'll just be one...
He's outside. He's making sun tea.
Sun tea?
Then it's moon toast and star jam?
And the next thing you know, it's a heavenly breakfast?
Hank, go outside.
- Would you like some coffee? - Coffee?
Is it sun coffee? How can you ask me that?
Who is he?
Where did he come from?
Does he have any identification? Don't you realize he could be dangerous?
- You don't know a thing about him. - I do know.
He is not of this world.
Are you saying he's from someplace else, like outer space?
- I'm pretty sure. I can't... - How do you know?
Scout's honor, Joyce. He can fly.
And he has a third eye right in the middle of his forehead.
- Green, just like the other two. - You're makin' that up.
- You act like this thing is a joke. - Joyce.
Well?
It's good tea.
Hi, Brian.
- Good work. - Thanks.
I'll clean up.
Here we go.
See you Saturday.
- Get some rest. - Bye, Coach.
As I was saying, brakes were screeching, then it crashed.
People came running, but I got there first.
You should've seen. Bones were sticking out.
There was blood everywhere.
He wouldn't even get on the stretcher. He walked to the ambulance.
This guy, if he's for real...
- Could we meet him sometime? - Maybe.
- Bye. - Bye, Tom.
I saw your club last night. What was in the box?
How'd you see? What are you, a Russki spy?
No, he's a Peeping Tom. You get it? Tom.
- Can I join? - Very doubtful, Holman.
Tell us why we'd want a bellyache in our club.
- Come on, guys. Let's go. - You wanna meet Jack, don't you?
Holman, this better be good.
- What is this, Holman? - Yeah, what are you trying to do?
- What the hell is going on here? - Boys, inside.
What the hell do you think you are doing here?
Sunbathing.
You know, I know how guys like you operate.
Jeanne never actually invited you here, did she?
No, you're right.
She didn't invite me. She insisted.
Yeah, sure.
Honey!
Enjoy.
But what does it get you?
You. That is what I care about.
I'm only gonna say this one more time.
Bringing a perfect stranger into your home isn't like you.
Let me show you something.
It's the last thing I expected.
Where did this come from?
All these years I've been away, building up the business...
I carried it around with me.
Why?
Maybe you were the one I was doing it all for.
Dirty freight cars.
Gettin' caught in the rain, nobody to talk to.
The whole world does come to you.
Every place that you ever wanted to see...
and a few that you cannot even imagine.
Like the salt flats in Utah.
What are the salt flats?
The flattest place on Earth, a place that's cracked like the moon...
where nothing grows except...
quiet.
And it's a quiet that, like, moves through you...
like a wind.
It scares you at first.
It's a place so bright...
where the dark becomes light...
and clouds, like shadows, dancing in your eyes.
Is that where you go home?
Yeah.
But most people, they live in houses like this one...
and I guess they like it.
I have a different kind of house...
where there are no walls.
- Just mountains and trees and oceans. - Wow.
Don't you ever get cold or hungry?
Sometimes, but I just eat snakes or lizards.
I'm just kidding.
But there's always a way to make do.
If you don't have much, you don't need much.
And we were just going to bed.
Yeah.
Yeah, I bet you were.
- Good night. - Night.
Step in and swing straight.
Eye on the ball. Come on.
It's nothin' to smile at, Sackin. Holman!
Don't disappoint me now.
Come on, Holman.
What are you lookin' at? Don't tell me the ball.
I was.
Never complain, never explain.
Come on. Everybody in. I wanna talk to you.
Come on, come on!
What do I have to say to you guys? Huh? Look at you!
Bottom of the league three years running.
I mean, come on! What am I saying? I'm not talking here to myself.
The only thing that's gonna save you is determination. You with me?
Determination!
You wanna win, I wanna see it on your faces.
I wanna see you bustin' up for it, bustin' up!
Get out in the field. I'm gonna hit some to you.
And will somebody catch some of these?
Way to go, Holman. Now Coach is really mad.
- So I'm having a bad day. - When are you gonna have a good one?
Yeah, why don't you just take your clothes off and play naked?
- That was no big deal. - Maybe you don't think so, pervert.
- Your mother should know. - Shut up!
You pansy!
Mine!
Come on, Betty Jane. Off you go.
- Hi, Mom! We're home. - Hi!
- How was the birthday party? - I have a stomachache.
Stomachache? Not again.
How long does Jack have to be here?
- Until his leg heals. - How long is that?
About a month, I suppose. Why?
I was just wondering.
- Does he have to stay with us? - I thought you liked him.
- Well, I do, but... - We invited him, Tom.
I don't know. Can we pay him to go somewhere else?
Excuse me.
Talk to her, Phil.
Tell her to come back to work for me.
Besides, we need her for the Wednesday night league.
No can do. I am behind my gal 100%.
Your gal?
Business is a good idea, assuming you're adequately capitalized.
- She has a bank appointment next week. - With no credit history?
Banks are not the end of the line.
There's always investors.
- You should try to sleep in tomorrow. - Maybe.
That was fun, really.
If you call losing fun.
I think I'm the guilty one there.
- Wait a minute. Don't you ever lose? - Only at bowling.
Thank you. Or bowling with me, at any rate.
- I tried. - No, you were great.
You're very generous.
I appreciate what you said to Hank.
He worries about me.
What I said about investors... they have benefits...
especially if that investor is me.
- Are you serious? - I am betting.
I'm betting that you're gonna succeed.
There's nothin' wrong with bettin' on you.
Is there?
Well.
I had a great time. Thank you.
- I'll say good night now. - Okay.
Good night.
- I'm sorry. I'm just going in. - No, no.
Thanks for watching the boys.
Sure.
About what Tom said today.
It's just what his friends have been saying.
I don't mind.
Well, I do.
I bet things are nice out there.
A hundred million miles between neighbors.
If I could just reach out...
and get some answers.
- Answers to what? - Everything.
Silly things, mostly.
Can the car possibly last another year?
Should Gunny take swimming lessons?
Am I making a mistake...
starting a business?
Why would that be a mistake?
I suppose other people might say that a woman...
in my position...
shouldn't take such a chance.
Did you ever think that maybe it's other people...
that are the problem?
Yeah.
What is really worrying you?
The boys.
I just think that maybe I oughta...
start thinking about getting remarried or something...
for their sake.
I don't know how I'm gonna take care of them if I don't.
You are taking care of them.
I don't know.
I don't know, Jack. I just feel so lost sometimes.
So you know...
when Columbus first set out...
needless to say, he didn't have very much to go by.
He didn't know what he was doing and he wasn't looking for a new world.
Just a faster way to India.
But that's the way it is with explorers.
Sometimes they feel lost.
Are you saying that's what I am then?
I'm an explorer.
That's nice.
You should see me navigate a parking space.
Do you ever feel lost?
Well, I'll go check on the boys.
Good night.
Gunny, stand over there and field.
Run!
Looks to me like you could use a pitcher.
- Yeah. - Want me to toss a few?
Give me the bucket.
Okay.
Here comes my crutch ball.
Nice side arm. Are you a pitcher?
I've thrown a few.
Okay.
Take anything that looks good.
Come on, Holman, concentrate.
Can I say something?
You know, baseball is a thing that if you push too hard...
you get exactly the opposite of what you're trying for.
This time, swing to miss.
- Are you kidding? - Clean strike.
Okay. That's easy.
Wow! I didn't even mean to.
Can you do that again?
Brian, Bobby M., on the bench.
Come on. Hustle.
All right, everybody, listen up.
One thing I wanna say to you.
Don't let up.
Understand?
Huh?
All right, go sit in the bleachers.
All right, guys, listen up. Here's the lineup.
Leading off in pitching is Bobby M.
Batting second and catching...
I'm sure that must be him, the one with the beard.
Kate Palmer thinks he's a spy.
Imagine the covert activities.
Hi, Jeanne.
- Play ball! - Men, let's take the field.
Come on. Show 'em what you got.
Let's see some energy here.
Let's try and win one.
Coach moved me over to right field, and that guy's a lefty.
It's all in the way you see it.
Just slow the ball down in your mind and let it float.
Take your position.
All right. Get out there!
Good eye.
Hang on to it!
What, are you sleeping, Brian?
Right here. You're good.
- Brian, stay awake, son! - Hey, Coach!
What do you guys do at practice?
Come on. Be ready to move.
Eyes, eyes!
Go home! Hustle!
Throw it to home!
Lee!
Move and concentrate.
Remember what we talked about.
Just get an out.
Base hit now. Base hit.
Mine!
You idiots!
Oh, my goodness! Tom, you caught it!
I got it. I caught it! It worked!
All right, Holman!
- Gunny, did you see that? - Mommy, my stomach hurts.
My stomach hurts.
Oh, Gunny. Okay.
All right, sweetheart. Let's go.
Come on. Let me carry you. Put your head down.
Maybe it's just the sun.
Yeah? Maybe too much sun.
- Could you make sure Tom gets home? - Sure.
Thank you.
He's had a shot. Let him sleep as long as he can.
Is it the flu or...
We'll know when we run some tests.
I saw you.
At least we were closer this time.
Nah, close is for horseshoes and grenades.
But it worked, everything you said. I never hit a homer before.
Hey, nice game.
Thanks. You think we can get a ride?
I'll ask.
- Dad. - Leland's dad is really cool.
He even started a club.
Hurry up.
We're not going that way. Sorry.
Yeah, okay.
Need a lift?
Yeah.
I don't wanna have an X ray, Mommy.
It won't hurt a bit, sweetheart. And then we'll go right home, okay?
Just one more. You can put your arm down now.
- I'm scared. - You're doin' great, buddy.
Turn over.
This will be the last one, I promise.
Welcome back.
Do you believe in magic?
Of course I believe in magic.
I even know a couple of stories. You wanna hear one?
- Sure. - Okay.
Well...
it begins with a little boy...
and his brother and their mother.
They had some real problems.
So one day they met a man who was hurt...
and they stopped to help him.
- Did the man have a dog? - As a matter of fact, he did.
But it wasn't really a dog, was it?
- I'm sorry. I heard a noise and came... - That's all right.
I...
iron when I can't sleep.
And tonight I'm having a drink.
Sometimes it's the right thing.
Especially if you have company.
You know, to most people I know...
a mother of two having a drink at 3:00 in the morning in the garage...
is a scandal.
Not to you.
No, not to me.
Touche.
Sit down if you like.
Yes.
That's Blue Bear.
Jeffrey bought it for Gunny on his last day of leave.
Gunny has cancer.
Life needs a new rule.
Only one tragic death per family...
and kids are off-limits.
At least Jeffrey died for a reason.
Maybe that's important for you to believe.
What do you mean, it's important for me?
How dare you.
How dare you!
He died for peace.
I think you should go.
Because nobody's gonna tell me my husband died for nothing!
I didn't say "for nothing."
I did.
Oh, God!
Oh, he should be here.
I promised him I'd look after them.
I promised him. Oh, my sweet boy.
Oh, my God!
You're not alone.
Okay, hot potato.
Now breathe this time.
Relax.
Breathe. Don't forget to breathe.
Hey, guys. Come here.
Jack, these are the guys.
Brian, Scott, Little Leland Sackin the Third...
Bobby M., Bobby R., Bobby C...
Richie, T-Bone and Del, Junior.
They wanna know if you can help them the way you helped me.
So you guys are here because you wanna win, right?
Yeah.
Okay.
So the first thing you're gonna do... the most important thing...
is forget all that.
What?
So I want you to take your gloves off and throw 'em right here.
- You wanna play better, don't you? - Yeah.
Take off your mitt.
What is this?
If you resist a force, that's what you're gonna get, is resistance.
Yet if you go with it, what you get is power.
That's hard to understand. I'd like you all to sit up.
Cross your legs. Sit up straight.
Breathe. Just think about your breathing.
Baseball is not just hitting and fielding.
More than anything, it's thinking.
What you think and how you think it. Starting with this.
- You're up. - Good morning.
Morning.
Believe it or not, I decided to make a real breakfast.
- Can I help? - No.
Everything's fine. There's coffee.
You don't drink coffee.
Guess what, Gunny? I made your favorite. Pancakes.
I don't want to eat, Mommy.
Please, sweetheart. Just try a little bit.
I don't feel like trying.
Did you like it?
Well, I'm surprised. It's a really expensive gift.
Yeah, well, I've got money saved.
I know you're not my dad or anything...
but I just wanted to give it to you.
I don't shave.
In case you ever want to sometime.
Why would I want to?
Everybody else does.
So if I shave I can be more like them...
and I can really start to fit in, huh?
I'm not like them, Tom. You know that.
They're not even like each other.
They just think they are.
You're saying I should be myself, aren't you?
Well, since it's the only thing you can be, it might be a good idea.
And it'll be enough, if you let it.
- What are we here for? - Victory!
- How are we gonna win? - Big!
- Win! - Big!
- Who's gonna win? - We are!
Tool and Die!
If you push too hard, you'll get the opposite of what you're trying for.
Everything contains its opposite. And om.
Hey, Herb, Jim. What are they doing?
I don't know. Look at them.
- They're in a circle. - Singing something. I don't know.
I'm gonna find out.
What the hell's going on there?
I don't know, and I don't ask.
- Are you going to let that guy... - He's a beatnik! He's running the team?
That beatnik is Jack McCloud, star rookie of the White Sox, 1941.
Says who?
Official records.
Something about him was bothering me, so I looked it up. He was a pitcher.
Won 25 games.
He was gonna be one of the great ones.
Then he just dropped out at the end of his first season.
Never heard of again.
You're saying we've got a major leaguer right here, coaching our kids?
That's what I'm saying.
Oh, yeah? I'll believe it when I see it.
Phil? Hi. I'm back. I thought I heard Gunny.
Yeah, it's not too bad for long distance.
Right.
Uh-huh. Yeah. Minnesota? I thought you were in Chicago.
Oh, sure. Mayo Clinic. Of course I've heard of it.
You did what? You got Gunny into the Mayo Clinic? Really?
Oh, a week from Wednesday.
Yeah.
I'm really happy.
What I'll do, I'll check with his doctors...
What do you mean you already did that?
Well, l... I think you should have asked me first.
All right. No. I understand.
Batter up!
- Let's go! - Swing away. Come on! Let's go.
Be a hero. Line drive! Score us a run.
You gotta go, okay? Top of the sixth.
Defense!
All right, Bobby, right in there.
Keep your eyes open!
Let's see some fire. Come on.
Go!
Home!
- Home! - Slide!
You're out!
Yes!
My boys are playing baseball!
I thought that!
He hit him! Take the walk!
Take your base.
Control!
Use control!
Come on! Be a hero!
- Keep your eyes open with these guys. - Okay, Stretch.
Put it over. You can do it.
Right down the middle. Just put it right past him.
- That was on purpose! - Come on!
Run down to first.
Make him throw strikes here.
You gotta be a hero now, guy. This is it.
Come on!
All right, Little Lee!
Strike one.
Two more.
Gotta get this one.
Strike two.
You can do it. One more.
I know you can do it.
Strike out.
Yeah. Easy out.
- Pop it up. - Yeah. Strike out.
Let it go by.
- Just miss it. Pop it up. - What the hell?
Everything contains its opposite.
You were playing baseball today!
- Boy, yes! - I'm very proud of you.
Sundaes at Howard Johnson's, the whole team. My treat!
Everybody line up here.
- Smile. - Where's Tom?
- Come on. - Team picture.
Come on. Jack.
Can't do this without you.
Oh, please.
He did a pretty good job, didn't he?
Okay, I can admit it when I'm wrong.
- Just think, we didn't even know him. - Hell, let's get to know him.
- Cheese. - Good. Great picture.
Say, Jack.
- I'm Leland's dad, Leland. - Hello.
- Pleasure to meet you. - Great job.
So a few of us planned a camping trip. Gonna have some fishing.
- Why don't you and Tom join us? - We'd be proud to have you.
Give us a chance to say thanks.
I really appreciate it, but I don't fish.
Come on.
Come along anyway. Tom would enjoy it.
You don't want to let these kids down, do you?
After they worked so hard.
Please?
No, I don't.
Good. We'll call you later.
- Come on, son. - We'll call you. Come on, Lee.
Thanks, Jack.
Tom? Your ride's here, hon.
What are you gonna wear? Something lavender?
I don't know.
Wait, come here.
Promise me. Life preservers in the boats.
- Mom. - Tom, please.
- Bye, Tommy. - Bye, Aunt Joyce.
Thank you.
I really appreciate it.
- Just call me Davy Crockett. - I will. Bye.
It's just great.
Come on, Jack. Tommy, hop in our car.
My God.
You're falling in love.
With the wrong man.
What are you talking about?
Look, I admit I can understand the attraction.
What are you talking about?
All right.
But it's Tom who's going to be hurt...
when he finds out you can't turn a drifter into a father.
Please. The real you.
- Okay, everybody out. - Everybody grab some gear.
Jack, you wanna help us get this fishing gear off here?
Jim and I'll get the canoe.
- I'm getting a thousand pounds. - Oh, come on.
Hey, look!
I got a date with that one in November.
Pow!
Little Lee? You boys start doing the tents.
- Shot down on third base. - My wife's hitting me like this.
This is our kid doing this! He steps on the bag.
Throws it to first base.
We got three outs in one inning.
The side's retired. I'm proud of you.
Hey, Jack. I got a question for you.
Are all ballplayers as quiet as you?
Well, not these sluggers.
We been waiting around all night. Tell us about the majors.
A good time on the road? I mean for a man who's not married.
- Did you make a lot of money? - Hey.
- How come you quit? - Got a baseball card?
- You were in the big leagues? - What hole you keeping your head in?
- How come you never told me? - It's called humility.
It's a damn rare quality these days.
But you can't put it by us. We know your stats. White Sox.
- '41, twenty-five wins. - Wow.
- Twenty-five wins? - Neato.
That is some record.
But it's not mine.
You've got the wrong Jack McCloud.
You mean you never played pro ball?
- No, sir. - The minors?
Looks like we jumped to some conclusions here.
What this means is...
- This whole thing's a mistake. - No, it's not.
It's bullshit.
Hey, we had a great game, and that's all that matters.
- Like hell it does. - Lee, we're here to fish. Remember?
L... Guys...
What are you sitting around here for?
There's a lake full of fish out there, and we promised you some night fishing.
Let's go. Get your gear. Let's go night fishing.
Come on now and get your stuff.
- Come on. - Tommy, you come with us.
Hurry up.
Let's go.
I'm sticking with Jack.
Let's go. He's gonna stay. Come on, guys.
You know you are free to change your mind.
Yeah.
But I don't want to.
- Well, I think... - Thanks for bringing that.
- Would you like some now? - No, thank you.
Why don't you sit down?
- Sure. - No. Over here.
Will you marry me?
Oh, Phil.
It's exquisite.
So will you marry me?
I don't know.
I just don't know that it's the right time.
No, for good times and bad times.
That's the whole idea. Isn't it?
Yes, it is.
And when we get back from Minnesota...
there's a house I want to show you on two acres of land.
Stop. Please, stop.
I've decided against the trip.
- What? - Yes. You see...
I've decided. Memorial Hospital has an experimental program...
that's very promising.
It's much closer than the Mayo Clinic...
and I know Gunny.
I know Gunny.
And he will be much better if he can stay closer to home.
This is nonsense. You're letting sentiment get in the way.
Sentiment! Get in the way of what?
Of what I am trying to do!
Now, let me handle it.
This is a question of what's best...
not what's easy.
You're right.
And this would be easy...
but it will never be best.
I'm sorry.
I'm terribly sorry.
Hey, Jack. We don't even know what time it is.
That's right.
We can just go down this road and see what's there.
I wish we were going all the way to the salt flats, don't you?
Yeah.
Maybe for my birthday. It's in October.
Is that a good time to go to the flats?
- October? No better time. - I've never been on a trip before.
Ever.
But my mom would let me, as long as it's with you.
I thought you ironed when you couldn't sleep.
That's Tuesdays.
I save Thursdays for closets and drawers.
I'll remember that.
Hey, Mom. I'll take out the garbage.
- What are you so happy about? - Nothing.
After lunch, you wanna throw the ball around a little?
- Sure. - Okay.
Hey, we really missed you camping!
But don't worry, we brought you something. All the fish guts.
- To go with your fish face. - Fish slime!
Hello? He's outside.
May I take a message?
Oh. Uh-huh.
To have his cast removed.
All right. I'll tell him.
Okay. Bye-bye.
Jack isn't gonna leave, is he?
Just because his cast is coming off?
Are you gonna ask him, Mom?
Dr. Pavlick's office just phoned.
A reminder about your appointment.
Just one last bit.
There we are.
Hey, not bad.
Hold on.
Well, you're a free man.
Don't be silly. It's very pretty.
- You all right? - Yeah.
Looks good.
- Got enough there, Tom? - I'm saving room for seconds.
- Hi, Coach. - Hi.
Would you like to join us? We just sat down.
No, thank you. Keep eating. I don't mean to interrupt.
What I have to say to Jack I can say pretty quickly.
First, I wanna apologize for the mix-up.
I can get pretty carried away...
about sports.
But I don't care who you are or who you're not.
You did one hell of a job with that baseball team...
and I want you to coach with me.
You'll do it, won't you?
I really appreciate the offer.
Season's over for me.
I sincerely wish you luck.
They're great kids.
Well, I had to ask.
We'll just go on what you gave us.
See you at practice, Tom.
You don't have to leave just because your cast is off. Tell him, Mom.
He'll say yes, if you ask him.
I can't do that, Tom.
Jack has his life...
and we have ours.
Yes, you could.
Please, honey. Don't be difficult. You're old enough to understand this.
You always say that...
when you don't have a reason.
Remember the story you told me about the man and the dog and the family?
I know what the dog really was. A genie.
She's got a lot of names...
and she took on a lot of different forms.
She travels all over the world granting wishes to people who do good deeds.
And because that family was so kind...
the genie granted them three wishes.
One for the mother, one for the big brother and one for the little boy.
But what did the little boy wish for?
I'm not sure. What do you think?
I know what he wished for. He wished to be a firecracker. Fourth of July.
Well, if he was a firecracker, he wouldn't be a little boy anymore.
So don't you think he'd wanna stay a little boy?
I know. He wanted to fly up in the air...
and see the fireworks and be real close.
Now, that is a fine wish.
Did the man get a wish too?
He got his wish a long time ago.
But there was nothing he wanted.
Now you go to sleep.
Nothing?
Well...
once he was in a war...
and that changed all the things that he thought were important.
He didn't know what he wanted anymore.
Did the genie help him pick?
Well, I guess you could say she did.
You see, the man gave his wish back to the genie...
and she made a wish for him instead.
What was it?
The genie wished...
that the man would travel around with her...
so she wouldn't have to be lonely.
But she was really thinking of him...
because there was...
still something he needed to learn.
You don't wanna forget that.
I won't forget anything.
You know...
if you really wanted a life like this one...
you'd have it.
You would.
Yup.
You gonna be okay?
Yes, I am.
I'll be fine.
On my own.
Thinking about Gunny.
All I want is for him to be all right.
He will be.
You sound so sure.
I don't know why, but I believe you.
Can I drive you to the highway?
I gotta go alone.
I came to say good-bye.
We all lose things, Tom, every day.
Some things are so small we hardly notice.
Then others hurt a lot.
But you know what?
If we don't give up, we'll get to see...
that we're always getting something else instead.
Like what?
Depends.
Today you choose. Whatever you want.
Mean it?
As long as you don't wish for me to stay.
So what do I care, anyway?
If you don't make a wish, I'll have to make one for you.
Big deal.
You don't fool me. You're just a bum.
That's all you are. Just a bum.
Good-bye, Tom.
Jack! Jack, wait up!
Take me with you.
Mommy, I'm really hungry.
That's great. And you tell me if you feel cold, all right?
Okay.
Have you seen Tom anywhere?
I want you to wait right here. Stay here. I'll be right back.
I'm gonna go look for Tom.
Have you boys seen Tom?
No, ma'am.
You didn't see Tom coming up the road?
We got a crasher, guys.
Don't look down.
Give me your hand.
You're a gutsy guy, aren't you?
Whoa!
Where have you been? Why do you do those things?
You scared me, sweetheart.
Mrs. Holman?
I heard it on the radio. What a day.
Think of how the family must feel.
What's going on?
Dad?
Gunny, get up here.
In the summer of '55...
the Republic of China released 15 American fliers...
taken prisoner during the Korean War.
My father was one of them.
I don't remember much about the weeks that followed...
except that I was happy all the time.
And there was something else.
Gunny began to get well.
It was hard to imagine so much good fortune all at once.
I believed it had something to do with Jack...
the man who was neither sailor nor spy...
not a beatnik or a baseball star.
He was just Jack.
And he had made a wish for me.
Tom, where are you going?
Son of a bitch!
- Betty Jane? - Hello, Tom.
What are you doing here?
You never did get it, did you?
Get what?
You never understood my wish.
My father coming home.
- I got that. - That wasn't it.
You always wanted what you didn't have.
My wish for you...
was that you'd find happiness in whatever you got.
What have I got?
Look around you, Tom.
Get out of the car and stretch our legs.
Why don't we play a game?
You're it!
All right!
Thank you.
Katherine.
Come here.