The Boat Builder

How's the boat coming?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey. Good morning, Abner.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Man: Abner! Hey, how's it going?

Hey, Abner!

Yeah.

Careful, now! This is a two-hand zone.

Hey, guys. Check this out!

I learned how to do this a couple days ago.

- Nice one! - Isn't that sweet?

- Whew! - Hey, Pug, do you do anything?

- It's easy. - Wait, wait. Here we go.

Ready?

Hey, here comes Captain Crazy.

You need training wheels on that thing?

Hey, don't run anybody over, old man!

Or get hit by a truck!

- ( All laughing ) - Nice one, Pug.

Ah, God damn it to hell!

God, dad!

Enjoy the show?

Let me help you.

- I can manage. - Well, I know you can.

But I'm not so sure about the bike.

What about it?

You could have hurt yourself!

What did you come down here for?

I wanted to see you.

Dad, I think it's time to think about giving up the bike.

Abner: I already gave up the truck.

How am I supposed to get around?

I can just plan on coming by and picking you up

and driving you wherever you need to be.

What is it? 20 miles from the valley?

Yeah, but it's not a problem.

What does your husband think you ought to do?

My husband has a name.

That's right. He does.

He thinks we should leave you alone.

Like the Eskimos do.

Did you ever hear the story?

Yes, several times, dad.

When you're too old to take care of yourself,

they put you on an ice floe.

And then you just drift out to sea.

Doesn't take long.

You finally fall asleep from the cold.

Nature takes care of the rest.

At least you serve some purpose in the food chain.

Polar bears would love it!

Dad, I'm not going to let you be eaten by a polar bear.

Makes more sense than putting people in a hole in the ground

with a lot of crying about how much they're going to be missed

when they never were before.

All right. All right, dad.

I admit I don't have the vaguest idea

of what would make you happy.

Do you think someone like me expects to be happy?

Everybody deserves to be happy.

Happiness is something you outgrow.

Daddy, I don't want you to be alone.

What's wrong with that?

The bitterness. That's what's wrong with that.

Don't you have any faith?

You mean religion?

It's not for me.

You took me to church on Sundays.

I took you to see Santa Claus, too.

Doesn't mean I believed in him.

Abner: Don't step on that.

Know what? I think it's time to do some shit.

Yeah, it's been too peaceful around here.

Yeah. I saw that old geezer up by the pile of junk he's building.

- Yeah? - There was some witch with him.

- What would he do with one? - Pug: I think he's her old man.

Oh, you know what?

Man, they stink.

Man, he ought to be in one of those old geezer places.

- ( Police siren chirps ) - I know.

Grigsby on loudspeaker: Shouldn't you kids be in school?

It's a holiday!

Grigsby: Really? Which one?

- Support your local cops day. - Didn't you hear?

Pug: Ooh, he's coming.

You know anything about vandalism at the middle school last night?

Was there vandalism at the middle school?

That sounds bad. What happened?

Some punk kids got in and did some serious damage.

Well, how do you know it was kids?

It could have been anybody... Adults, old people.

It's not fair that kids always get the blame.

- All: Yeah. - Grigsby: A big joke, huh?

You won't be laughing if we find out you had something to do with it.

Maybe we can help you find the ones that did it.

We'll talk to that old nut with the boat.

Maybe he saw something.

But he's probably as blind as a bat.

That's what you do on support your law enforcement day.

Stay away from him, understand?

All: Oh.

Did you hear me? I said stay away!

Yes, sir, officer. Enjoy your holiday.

You should go get some free donuts down at the shack.

You watch yourself!

And the rest of you, too. Wise up!

Get out of here!

Let's go! Let's go!

Hey, old man.

You call that a boat?

- Must be crap! - Pug: Bite me!

A shame if something happened to it.

- Let's bring it down! - Yeah, let's spray paint it!

Katherine: Who are they?

Abner: Kids from the neighborhood.

What do they want?

Just to make life miserable.

- Whew! - Yeah!

Because it won't float!

Stay away from that!

What are you going to do about it?

Schmidt: Yeah, old man.

You watch me.

- Come on. - Bite me!

Katherine: Dad. Dad, don't.

Just... let me call the police.

Let them take care of this.

No, no, don't call.

Katherine: Why not? They're menacing you.

I don't want the police here.

You haven't done anything wrong.

No, but some people think I have.

What did you do?

They say it's an eye sore, the boat.

Katherine: Yeah, but it's on your property.

Just let it be.

Hey, you, lady.

They got a junk yard for car wrecks.

Why don't you put this thing in a boat wreck yard?

Boy: Yeah, with him in it.

- ( Laughing ) - Let's roll, guys.

Dad, this is just another reason

that I worry about you.

I can take care of myself.

I got a boat to build.

How long has it been since you made any progress on this boat?

What do you know about what I've been doing?

All you know is I'm not dead yet.

I know that you're angry at the world,

and you've been taking it out on all of us.

That's enough!

Do you hear me? Enough!

Not another word.

What are you going to do? Send me to bed without my supper?

Did I ever do that?

A few times.

Without your supper?

Dad, are you remembering to take your medication?

I don't know.

Daddy, you have to remember to take your pills.

It's not important enough to remember taking pills.

Okay. Bye, dad.

Be careful.

- Are you all right? - Yeah.

- Is someone chasing you? - Yeah, on bikes.

Do you want some help?

Rick: No.

Call me, dad. Okay?

I'll leave a message.

What are you standing here for?

I was trying to get away from those kids.

What do they do to you?

They're trying to pants me.

They were trying to put pants on you?

No, no, no. Take them off then throw them up a tree.

Why would they do that?

I don't know. They think it's funny, I guess.

I don't.

Did your parents send you to spy on me?

I don't have parents.

Not real ones.

You're an orphan?

A bastard.

Where'd you learn to talk like that?

Hey!

It's not a bad word.

- Says who? - My uncle.

I heard him say it since he never had a father.

Everybody has a father some time.

Jesus didn't.

Ha!

Jesus.

Do you have a father?

No!

Rick: Are you a bastard?

Well...

That depends on who you ask.

Maybe your father's with my mom.

How do you figure that?

Well, did he die?