Almost Maine- Riverton High School

Pete, I— What?

I just am having a nice time.

I'm glad.

Louder. I always do.

I'm glad.

And the stars are just— I didn't know you knew all that after all this time. I didn't know you knew all of that.

Well, I love you too. Oh, are you cold?

Oh, no, no, I just I want to sit like this, close. I feel so close to you tonight. It's nice to be close to you, Pete. It's safe. I like being close, like this. I mean, I can think of other ways of being close to you, but that's not— I like this right now. This kind of close to you. Right next to you. You know, right now I think I'm about as close to you as I can possibly be.

Well, not really.

What?

Well, not really. I mean, if you think about it in a different way, you're not really close to me at all. If you think about it in a different way, if you are assuming that the world is round like a ball, like a snowball, then the furthest away you can be from someone is right next to them. Say, if I'm right here, Then you are right here. Then— shh— that's far.

Yeah.

But now you're closer.

Yeah.

And closer. And closer. And closer. And closer. And closer. And closer. And closer.

Hello? Hello?

I thought I saw someone. I saw you from my window. I was about to go to bed. Is there— can I do something for you?

Oh no, I'm just here to see the Northern Lights.

Okay. Okay, it's just, it's awful late and you're in my yard.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know I was in anybody's yard. I thought I was just in some random field.

Well, it used to be a potato farm, but now it's my yard. Oh.

Well, you have a really big yard.

I guess.

I hope you don't mind that I'm here. I'll only be here tonight. I'll see them tonight, the Northern Lights, and then I'll be gone. I hope you don't mind.

Is that your tent?

Yes.

You've pitched a tent in my yard?

I just want to have a place to sleep after I see them. I didn't know I was in anybody's yard. I hope you don't mind.

Well, it's not that I mind. Do you mind? Well, I don't know if I—

Oh no, I think you mind. No, it's not— No, no, no, you do! Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think you would. I didn't think— You see, it says in your brochure that people from Maine wouldn't mind. That people from Maine are different. That they live life the way life should be. And that in the tradition of their brethren from rural northern climes like Scandinavia, they let people who are complete strangers like cross-country skiers and bikers and hikers just camp out in their yards for free if they need to. Or for nothing, they'll just let you. I'm a hiker. Is it true?

Well—

That they'll just let you camp out in their yards if you need to. 'Cause I need to. Camp out. I'm where I need to be. This is the farthest I've ever traveled. I'm from a part of the country that's a little bit closer to things. Never been this far north before. Or east. Did you know that Maine is the only state in the country that's attached to only one other state? It is! Feels like the end of the world. And here I am at the end of the world. I have nowhere to go and I was counting on staying here unless it It's not true. I mean, is it true?

Well—

Would you let a hiker who was where she needed to be just camp out in your yard for free?

Well, if she—

I mean, if a person really needed to.

Well—

Really, really needed to.

Well, if a person really needed to, then sure.

Oh, I'm so glad, then. Thank you. Um, uh, I'm sorry about that. Sorry.

It's okay.

I just really needed to be here and do this, so thanks.

Sure. So you're just, uh, are you okay?

Um, oh God, um, I need that.

Oh, um, okay, please.

Here. Thank you.

Sure. So you're just here to see the Northern Lights?

Yeah, just tonight.

Okay, well, you might not see them tonight.

Oh no, I'll see them because this is the right time. Solar activity is at an 11-year peak. And I'm in a good place. Your latitude is good? Well, as good as it could be under the circumstances. I was going to go to a higher latitude, like up to Canada somewhere, but I forgot to renew my passport, so I couldn't. And Alaska is just too far away, so this is the closest I could get to in the lower 48 states that sees the Northern Lights regularly. So I flew, took a bus, and I hiked to get here. So anyway, everything's in order. And boy, do you have a good sky for seeing them. It's so big here. And dark. And it's fine, there are no trees in the way.

Used to be a potato farm.

Oh.

Yeah.

Makes for a big sky.

Yeah.

So you're a farmer?

No.

I—

used to be a farmer. I'm a repairman.

Oh. I fix things. Oh. What? You're not a lobsterman?

No.

I guess I thought that everyone from Maine was a lobsterman, that they talked in that funny way like they do in Maine, and you don't talk like that.

No, you're not down east, you're up north. This is how we talk up north, pretty much. Oh. No real accent up here, and plus the ocean's a couple hundred miles away. It'd be an awful long drive would work if I was a lobster man.

Yeah, um, but anyway, um, thanks for letting me stay. Um, it's really important that I'm here to do what I need to do, and I've just had a real rough go of things lately, so I really appreciate your kindness and your understanding.

And, um, oh gosh, I'm sorry. Um, I'm real sorry I did that. It's just you seem sad, and also I think I love you.

What?

Yeah, I saw you from my window and I love you.

Um, okay, well, that's, that's real nice of you to say, but I'm, I'm sorry, but I'm not here for that.

No, I didn't think you were.

I'm here to pay my respects to my husband.

Uh-oh.

Yeah, my husband Wes. I'm here to say goodbye to him because he died recently.

Oh geez.

Yeah, on Tuesday, actually. And see, the Northern Lights— did you know this? The Northern Lights are really the torches that the recently departed carry with them to find their way home to heaven. See, it takes a soul 3 days to find his way home, and today is Friday. This is the third day, so you see, I will see them because they're him. He'll be carrying one of the torches. And I didn't really leave things well with him. So I was hoping to come here and say goodbye to him, but what you just did there a second ago, that's going to get in the way of me saying goodbye to him. I think. Maybe I'm just—

I'm gonna go find him. No, no, don't go. Yeah, I'm—

Don't go.

Just, uh, do what you need to do and I'll stay out of your way. Just, uh, consider what I did a warm Maine welcome or something. You know what, just do what you need to do and I'll be here. If you need anything, just give a holler.

Alright, thanks. Hey! Um, my name's Glory, just so you know.

Okay, hi Glory, I'm East.

What?

Yeah, Easton, the name of a town a little ways that way where I was born. Mess upon the birth certificate. A son, Easton, born on the 6th day of January in the town of Matthew, Maine. Instead of the other way around. Oh. Yeah.

Well, happy birthday a few weeks late. Thanks. So, Easton?

Yeah?

Yeah, no, um, I traveled through there on my way here. And by the way, um, where is he? Where am I? I couldn't quite I did on my map.

Um, almost.

What?

You're in Township 13, Range 7. It's not going to be on your map because it's not an actual town, technically.

What do you mean?

See, to be a town, you got to get organized. We never got around to getting organized, so we're just almost.

Oh.

Yeah. Well, like I said, holler if you need anything. What is it? What's happening? What's going on?

It's my heart.

It's your what? It's my heart.

It's in that bag. Please, I need it back. Here, here, here.

Thank you. Sure. I'm sorry, did you just say that your heart was in that bag?

Yes. It's heavy. I guess.

Why is it in that bag?

It's how I carry it around.

Why?

Um, it's, uh, it's broken.

What happened?

Wes broke it.

Your husband?

Yeah, um, he went away with someone else.

I'm so sorry.

Yeah, when he did that, I thought my heart would break, and that is exactly what Guess what happened? It broke. Hardened up and cracked right in two. Hurt so bad I had to go to the hospital. And when I got there, they said that they would have to take it out. And when they took it out, they probably dropped it on the floor and it cracked into 19 pieces.

Slate.

It turned to slate.

It's great for roofing. So, uh, how do you breathe?

Huh?

Yeah, your heart's in the back. How are you alive?

Artificial.

Really?

Yeah, because my real one's broken and there's always a shortage of real hearts for transplants, so I got an artificial one.

So why do you still have this one?

It's my heart.

Yeah, but why do you carry it around with you like that?

Oh, well, I don't usually, but since it's the one that loved Wes, I figured I'd want it with me when I say goodbye to him or something.

But it's broken.

Yeah, I don't really have any plans for it.

Because of him, because he left you.

Yeah, I don't really have any plans for it.

Why are you paying yourself? Respect to someone who left you?

Because that's what you do when someone dies, you pay their respects.

But he left you, and in my view, someone who leaves somebody deserves no respect.

I decided to leave things well with him, and I need to come here and apologize.

Why should you apologize?

Because—

because why?

Because I killed him. Oh yeah, and I'd like to apologize. You see, I was over a year into my recovery from when they put my artificial heart in it. And I was doing all better, doing almost all the things I used to be able to do. And then Wes just shows up at my place one day and says he wants me back. And I said, Wes, I have a new heart now. I'm sorry, but it doesn't want you back. And that just killed him.

But it didn't kill him. I mean, you didn't kill him.

Well, yeah, no, I did, kind of. Because he got so sad that my new heart didn't want him back that he just tore out of there into the street, and a bus was coming and it didn't see him and he didn't see it, and it just took him right out.

Laurie.

And if I'd have been able to just take him back, then he wouldn't have tore out of there like that and been taken out.

So— Hey.

I just— I want to say goodbye now. Not as his sad ex-wife at some big public service, but just Privately, you know? And— and— and— Oh my God, I am so sorry I just did that.

Don't be. I love you. What?

No!

Why?

Don't! Because I have a heart that is broken. I can't love you.

Let me have this.

What? No!

I can fix it.

But please give it back.

Lori!

It is mine!

But it's broken!

It's not broken!

No one can do it like this! Yes, it is. And I have it. And I can fix it. I'm a repairman. It's what I do.

Oh, oh wow, they're so beautiful. Goodbye, Wes. I, I'm so sorry. Goodbye. Hello, East. Mando! Mando! Mando!

Mando!

Hey, I need to talk to you.

What's up? You doing okay? I thought you were going to go to Spike's house.

Splendid.

Hey, you okay?

Splendid. I want it back. I want it back.

What?

All the love I gave to you. I want it back. What? Now.

But I don't understand. What do you—

I got yours in the car.

What?

All the love you gave to me, I got it in the car.

I don't want it anymore. What are you talking about?

I've made a decision. We're done.

What?

I've decided we're done, and so I'm giving all the love you gave to me, and I'm giving it back to you. What?

I, I don't—

I—

It didn't work.

You said— I can get it for you, or you can go get it.

Well, I don't know that I want it back.

Well, I don't want it anymore! What am I supposed to do with it now that I don't want it anymore?

Well, I don't know!

Well, I think under the circumstances, I can't keep it with me, so—

Circumstances? What circumstances, Gail? What are you— I don't understand. What are you talking about? Where are you going?

I told you, all the love you gave to me, I'm giving it back to you. And this is—

a whole lot of you guys. Yeah.

A whole lot. Well, what the heck am I supposed to do with all this?

I mean, I don't have the eye of the room.

Well, I guess you're gonna have to find a place for it. And I think it's only fair that I've given you yours for you to give me mine back, because Yes. I want it back. All the love I gave to you?

Yeah.

I want it back.

Alright.

So go get it. Go get it. Please. Now! Okay. Is this all that I gave you?

Yeah. Well, I mean, why don't you just open it and— I told you we're done!

Why do you keep saying that? Because! Because? When I asked you if we were ever going to get married, Do you remember that night in December? It was snowing.

Yeah.

Yeah, well, when I asked you that, you got so quiet. Everybody told me that right there should have told me everything.

Everybody who? Everybody.

Who? Marvlyn.

Marvlyn.

Yes!

Marvlyn said like, "She's the asshole." Yes!

Marvlyn said how quiet you got was all I needed to know. No, and she's right.

You don't love me. What? No, you're not—

And I've been trying to fix that. I've tried to make you love me by giving you every bit of love I had, and then I had no love left for me, and that's not good for a person. So, all the love I gave to you, I want it back because I want to bring it with me.

Where are you going?

I need to get away from things.

Things? What things? There are no things in this town to get away from.

Yes, there are.

You! Me?

Yes, you are the things in this town I need to get away from. I need to think and start over. And so all the love you gave to me, I want it back because in case I need it soon. Because I can't very well go around giving your love because that's all I have right now, the love you gave me. And I can't very well go around giving other guys love.

Whoa, other guys? There are other guys?

Not yet, but I'm assuming there will be.

Gail.

And so Since you're not ready to do what's next for people who have been together for quite a long time, I think we're gonna be done.

Gail, why?

And so, I think we should just— the best thing we can do is just give each other— give our love back to each other and call it even. Is this really all the love I gave you, Lendl? Like, there's no— I can't see. I can't see. Lendl, did you lose it?

What? No, yeah, I—

Did you lose it, Lendl? Because it feels like you're pulling something on me, and now is not a good time to—

I'm not pulling something on you! I wouldn't do that. I just— I just think that maybe you should just take what you came for, and I guess I'll see you later.

Wendell, what is this?

It's a ring, Gail.

What?

It's a ring.

What? I—

oh.

This is a ring. I don't know, is this a ring? Something— a ring that you give to someone that you've been with for quite a long time when you want to let them know that you're ready for what comes next. For people who have been together for quite a long time?

Yep.

But all the love I gave to you, where is it?

It's right there.

This is not—

It's right there. This is not—

It is!

It's right there, Vale. There's so much that you gave me over the years. Over the 11 years. There was so much of it I didn't know what to do with it all. I had to put some in the garage and some in the shed. I even asked my dad if he had any suggestions on what to do with it all. He said, "Did you get a room in jail?" I told him no. He said, "I know." He said, "There's so much of that stuff hanging in the closet, the only place you can put it." It don't fit in, right? That thing is a lot bigger than it looks. So there it is. All the love you give, you just— I don't say— of course, let me give you. Yeah, so, so with that, yes, sir. Well then, have it.

Can I keep all that?

It's yours.

Michael, you didn't have to get me a ring.

It's not necessary. Yes, I did. It's way past time and it's honorable.

Sorry, it's just— I was at Sandrine's bachelor party. She and Martin are already getting married, and I made the king of us, and I—

I believe you.

I'm just saying, I hear you, but you're not listening.

I'm trying to tell you I was having a pretty bad time myself.

Really?

Yeah.

No, there's no way.

It was pretty bad, Randy.

Really?

Yeah. Okay, go. She, she told me she didn't like the way I smelled. What? Sally told me she didn't like the way I smelled.

Sally Dunwoody said she didn't like the way you—

When? When I picked her up. She gets in the truck and we're backing out of her driveway, and then all of a sudden she stops and starts breathing all hard. Tells me to stop the truck. She gets out and stands there and says she was sorry but she couldn't go out with me because she didn't like the way I smelled. Never had.

What?

She saw— she thought she was gonna be able to look through to be able to after all, so she slammed the door and left me sitting there with the driver.

Because she didn't like the way you smelled?

Yeah.

Well, that's— what kind of— I don't know the way you smell. Thanks.

Jeez. Yeah, told you it was bad.

That's more than bad, Jack. That's sad.

So I guess I'm the big winner tonight, huh? So I get to pick What do you want to do tomorrow? I'll pick bowling. We'll go bowling, have dinner at the Snowmobile Club, couple of beers at the Moose Paddy, just hang out.

I didn't say you're the big winner.

What?

Did I say you're the big winner?

No, but—

Oh, that's pretty bad and pretty sad, Chad, but you didn't win.

What do you mean?

You didn't win!

You can beat being told you smell bad?

Yeah!

Well then.

Mine's Facebook. What? Her, her face.

Her?

Yeah. Don't get one chance with a girl like Yvonne LaFrance and her face break.

How did her face break?

When we were dancing.

Oh, dancing. Yup. Why were you dancing?

Because that's what she wanted to do on our date. So I took her, took her down to the rec center and paid for your lesson and you danced the night away. We learned together dancing. Dancing together? They taught the thing where you take the girl, you throw her up and over. And your mom, she's pretty small and I'm pretty strong, so I took her and I threw her up and over. And while I threw her over—

over—

and she landed on her face and it broke. I had to take her to the emergency room. That's a drive. 38 miles. Yeah. And she cried the whole way, then asked me to call Boyfriend? No, he did. Came, asked me to please, please. He's the smallest shoes. What?

That's pretty bad. Yeah, yeah. So I guess that means you're the big winner. Yep. I want to make you the biggest winner of all time. Baddest date guy of all time. Yep. Hey, congratulations.

Thank you.

So what do you pick tomorrow?

I pick bowling. I brought the snowmobile club, couple beers to the moose patty, just to hang out.

What? Nothing. I just don't know why we go out anymore, Randy. I mean, I don't like it. I hate it. I mean, why do I want to spend some Friday night with some girl I might maybe like when I could be spending it with someone I know I like? Like you, you know? Yeah. I mean, tonight was rough. In the middle of Sally telling me she didn't like the way I smelled, I mean, I got real sad. Oh, buddy. And all I could think about was how not much in this world makes much sense anymore, makes you feel good. Then I started to get scared. There's got to be something that makes you feel good or makes sense in this world, or what's the point, right?

Yeah.

Then that kind of came out of me and said, and I realized that there is one thing in this world that There's something that does make me feel good and does make sense, and it's you.

Well, I'm gonna head. I gotta work in the morning.

I just thought I'd come and say hi. I'll be ready around 3.

Bye. Hey, hey, hey! I'll see you tomorrow.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, Randy! Oh, hey, you okay? Uh, yeah, what happened? Thanks.

What just happened to you?

Um, I just fell?

Got that action.

No, um, I think I just, um, fell in love with you there, maybe?

Whoa!

Yep, that's what that was, me falling in love with you. Oh no, Brandi!

Would you cut that out?

I can't help it, it kind of came over me. I've fallen in love with you here.

Chad, I'm your best buddy in the whole world. I don't quite know what you're doing or what you're going on about, but what the heck is your problem? What are you thinking? Jeezum crow, you're my best friend. Yeah, yeah, that's something you don't mess with, and you messed with it, and you don't do that because you know something? You're about the only thing in this whole world that makes sense and makes me feel good too. And then you go and foul it up by doing this and saying that, and it doesn't feel good and it doesn't make any sense. No, you've done a real number on a good thing here, buddy.

'Cause we're friends. There's a line with your friends that you don't cross.

You crossed it. Okay, this is it. You're in. You're inside.

This is the porch.

It's winterized. So what? What do you got to do in here that you couldn't do outside?

Well, I, um, got something here for you. Here?

What's this?

It's, um, it's— hey boy, that was fun tonight, Rhonda. I mean, 20 miles out there. Yeah, Pete's and Frank's at the snowmobile club. 20 miles back, couple beers up at Moose Paddy. Awesome. Boy, you flew on your new sled, man.

It's a Polaris, man.

I know, and you whooped my butt.

That's what you get for riding after Kathy, didn't you? Whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa, come on! Whoa, come on! Whoa, come on! Whoa, come on!

Just drive! You can't do it! I'm saying you didn't win.

You're not Abby, the Snowmobile Association snowmobiler beer, you know.

I know.

Hmm, that was fun.

So this is, um, well, we've been together now. Together? Well—

Together? What are you talking about together?

Well, we've been friends for quite a few years now.

Yeah, so?

And it's— well—

Well, what?

And it's— and it's, uh, here.

What are you doing here, bud? Open it.

Together?

Huh. I don't know about this.

Just open it.

What is it?

What do you mean, what is it? Is this a picture? Yeah.

A painting?

Yeah.

Where'd you get this? It looks so made.

What do you mean it looks so made?

It looks like someone really painted it.

That's because someone really did paint it.

Did you paint this?

Yeah.

For me?

Yeah.

Oh, why?

Um, I mean, well, yeah, there you go. That's what people say here. Welcome!

So, Dave, I didn't know you painted.

Yeah, um, this is, um, yeah, I'm taking Adult Ed Art at the high school at night. Merle Haslam was teaching it real good, and this is my version of one of those, um, look at it until you see the thing, things. You ever seen some of the old painters did it with, um, with dots? They called it Something, but I'm doing it with a bunch of little blocks of colors, and if you look at it like it's just a bunch of little blocks of colors, it's just a bunch of little blocks of colors. But if you look at it like it's not just a bunch of little blocks of colors, it's a picture of something.

A picture of what?

I'm not going to tell you. You have to figure it out.

Come on, Dave.

No, it can take some time. It can be a little frustrating.

Well, why would you give me something that's going to frustrate me?

No, no, I just— I mean, you've got to try. Try not to look for anything, that's what will frustrate you. You have to look at it so it doesn't know what you're looking at.

What are you talking about? You gotta trick it.

Huh? See what it is. It's a common thing. It's something everyone does.

This is stupid. I don't see anything. Oh, you were doing good, Dave.

All right, fine. How about we try this? Why don't you do what you usually do at night and, uh, around the house, and you can check it out real casual.

Okay. I usually have a lot I'm out of blood, but I've only got an hour to live. Okay, I'll cut you down.

No, no, no! Talk to me. What?

I've gotta trick this thing, right?

See?

I'm tricking it. Tricking it.

Huh?

I'm tricking it.

It's what people who've known each other for a long time do. They go inside, they have beers and hang out.

Wait, hey!

How many years do I know you, Rhonda? I come here every Friday night, I've never been inside your house for beers. It's not natural, it's unnatural!

I don't care what you say, I'm not going inside! Let's go inside and talk about it!

You're not doing it right.

You have to— you have to trick it. Wait, okay, I think I got something.

Okay, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. Roadkill.

Roadkill?

Yeah, roadkill. Dead raccoon in the middle of the road.

That's not what it is.

Okay, deer. Dead bloody deer.

But, Romana, it's not a dead bloody deer in the middle of the road.

What about moose? Dead bloody moose?

What?

Romana, why would I want to paint a dead bloody moose in the middle of the road? I just imagined it was a crow.

You really don't see what it is?

No!

Can I give you a hint?

Yeah. What are you doing? What was that? Why would you do that?

I was giving you a hint.

Well, you can't just do that! And don't ever do that again!

Okay!

To me! Okay? Okay!

And get out of here! I'm sorry! Jesus, Crow. Hey, Rhonda!

What?

I like you. A lot. And I think that we ought to be together or, um, or go out or something. And a lot of people think so too, you know. What? I said a lot of people think that we ought to be together or go out or something. Who thinks that? A lot of people.

How do you know they think that?

Because they said so.

Who said so?

Everybody.

Everybody who?

Just, um, Suzette.

Suzette?

Yeah, and Dan.

Suzette and Dan Harding think that we ought to be together and go out or something?

Yeah.

Well, who else would expect?

Marcy.

Marcy?

Yeah. And Phil.

Phil?

Yeah. And Randy and Chad.

Randy and Chad?

And Wendell and Dale and Jimmy and Sandrine East.

East.

Just to name a few.

But why would they? I love those guys. I'm good to those guys.

Why would they?

Let's talk about me behind my back. That's mean.

No, Rhonda, I don't think they're being mean. They're just— They're telling me to go for it because they like you and me and us. They're rooting for us, Rhonda.

Who's rooting for us?

Everybody, Rhonda. Wendell and Gail and Jimmy and Sandrine and Randy and Chad.

Well, they didn't tell me they're rooting for us.

That's because I told them not to. I wanted you to find out that I liked you from me and not them. I'm sorry if I made you mad when I left.

I can't just do that to someone, you know.

I know. I just thought that you liked me the same way I like you. I do. You do?

Yeah.

Well, alright then, so do you want to, um, hook me and you together?

Yeah, I guess so.

Okay, um— I would like to kiss you if that's okay.

It's not.

Oh. Because I don't know how.

Huh?

I don't know how.

I've never done it before.

What do you mean?

I won arm wrestling at every winter carnival from the 5th grade on, and I worked in plywood at Fishy's Lumbermill. That's not what most men want to watch.

Now, where do you get that from?

From everybody.

I gotta tell you, you gotta bond, Rosalind, because there's a lot of guys that think you're Really pretty. Yeah, I mean, I do. So then you've never—

No.

Why don't we try this? Why don't you try giving me a kiss and I won't make fun of you or anything.

I'll just do this. Raspberries?

Nope.

Cherries?

Nope.

Big open-faced strawberry rhubarb pie?

Nope.

Oh, Dave! I see it, it's, uh, it's nice, it's really nice. It's good, you're good at this.

Yeah?

Yeah.

You're good at this.

I'm glad you are. But it's not. At all. And I feel like I want to keep doing it, but I also feel like I want to do something else next. But I don't know what that is. I do!

Stop. You wanna know what comes next next? Yeah. Why don't we go inside and I'll show you.

Well, wait, how long is this?

It could take all night, maybe longer.

Well, wait, we're working first shift tomorrow.

Says who?

You mean calling? Like we're switching? We're calling Jack because me and you weren't out on the first shift or any shift tomorrow. Get inside with Mr. Arctic Daddy.

Get ready to show me what comes next.

All right, get running.