The McPherson Tape

So, Jason just yanked on the line...

Michael, will you just sit down,

and eat some supper?

And away the boat goes.

Fine, okay.

It's working now.

Look at this toy.

Now, the year's over.

Pretty cool, huh?

When did you get that?

I got it last week.

Just last week?

Uh-huh.

Yes, just be careful.

Don't start to pick your nose, 'cause he goes for you.

It's blackmail.

I'll be on my best behavior then.

It's blackmail, and it costs $10.

Yeah, right.

When you use the bathroom,

make sure you close the door real well.

And if you use the bathroom,

make sure you turn the light on and check the seat,

'cause with all these men, I could never get...

I just heard letters, you know?

I don't know.

When I'm in, get it out of my face.

I think you've got Eric broken now, haven't you?

How do we know this thing is working here, Mikey?

There should be a red light somewhere.

There's not.

Right...

- There's no light. - There's no light.

Let me see.

Foolin' you!

He looks like, you know, he's gonna get a suntan,

and that one eye is just gonna be white.

A little raccoon action.

Yeah, a little raccoon action.

I think it's great, 'cause it's like a Manhattan shirt guy

with a Manhattan shirt on.

It shows you how well,

like, there's some kind of genetic memory,

the fact that Jason can remember what he looked like,

from the fact that he hasn't seen him for a couple months,

he's been away at school, but what he's got?

He's got this growth off the side of his shoulder...

Got a couple growths, matter of fact.

Look at the stuff on his face!

- Look it, look it, look it. - Look at that.

Put a little milk on it, and let the cat lick it off.

It's a beard!

A beard?

Yeah.

Yeah, right.

Peach fuzz on his face.

Peach fuzz.

He finally hit puberty.

Yeah, his voice has been cracking, and everything.

Action!

So, how's school going?

It's going good.

It's .

We're so glad you could come this week.

I'm so glad he made me up.

He's been promising to take me for awhile,

and then one thing or another, and he hasn't, but he will...

He's told us all about you,

so we've been looking forward to meeting you.

He sure does like that camera.

Oh, yeah.

Does that mean he's creative?

Does that mean he's creative?

Oh, come on, Michael!

Stop it!

Stop playing with your food, Michael.

He's mostly playing with it.

It's like, if you play with it,

it gets off the plate, and it's going...

I got a close up lens on this.

Hold on, hold on.

Hey, hey, hey...

He would have a real good time in the 60s.

Jamie.

Hold on, hold on, wait.

What does it look like

if we put vinegar on your lens?

I should have brushed my teeth beforehand.

I've heard a few stories.

Salad?

No, you're fine.

Look, when you're there,

you should be working out now,

you should be going to the batting cages.

Are you going to the batting cages?

I really missed this guy, you know?

He's not that talkative, but when he wasn't here, it was so quiet.

'Cause it's gonna show.

First day of practice...

No, all these other guys are out partying.

She don't let me go out and party,

so my mom's gonna give her the third degree.

It must be hard since you lost your husband.

Well, yeah.

I mean, most of the time, I get along just fine,

but you know, long about separate time...

She's so cute.

I catch myself...

You even have a happy plate on your birthday, sorta.

Footsteps at the back door,

and then I think oh, he's not coming in.

We were pretty worried, you know,

being this close to Halloween,

what she would like when she came out.

It'll nearly get dark,

and I'll think where is this man?

'Cause he never came in past dark.

She's taking after Mom, so that's okay.

Jason doesn't talk about him.

It almost kind of worries me.

I feel like he should.

They didn't talk about it.

This isn't a porno.

They think I talk about it too much.

It's not a movie.

It's her birthday.

I mean, I've been told the first year is the hardest.

I surely know.

I remember when my dad died.

She's got her mommy's teeth.

And she has her uncle's personality!

Winning his personality.

She's swimmin' now.

This last summer, she ended up in the A team.

All right.

You wanna go out to the lake?

Mmhmm.

All right, not scared?

He used to be afraid to go out in the lake.

I wasn't afraid, I was cautious.

- No, he was afraid. - I was always cautious.

He was afraid.

He had the little water wings in the front.

When he was 18, he was out there with water wings.

Livin' out here, you know, by myself.

Oh, I think it's beautiful.

We have pictures.

Jason's descriptions

of what it was like growing up.

Turn on the camera.

That's special.

Wait, make a wish.

Don't blow yet.

Don't tell us what it is.

No, don't tell us.

I'll get 'em, I'll get em.

High five, Michelle, high five!

All right.

Oh my god, he has another personality.

Jamie, is there another switch?

This one doesn't work.

No, it's right there.

Tell her, Jamie.

No, it doesn't work.

We must have blown another fuse.

Why don't you fix this damn thing?

Mikey, how much power does that camera draw?

I got a battery in it.

It doesn't suck up any energy.

What happened?

I don't know.

Did I blow out the lights?

If you have a light on that camera,

why don't you turn it on, so we can see?

It's not working.

There's a flashlight down there.

Hold on, hold on.

Uh-oh.

I got it on now.

Whoa, shit.

There should be matches by the fireplace.

This light just came on.

It doesn't work when you need it to.

Can you see that there, Mike?

Can you see this, Mike?

Can you see this?

Here, there's a light right here.

I blew too hard.

Can you see that?

That's it, she blew the lights out.

You blew so hard, you blew the lights out.

Yep.

Happy birthday.

This is really dark!

Where are you going?

I'm going to light some candles over here.

Let me get my jacket.

There's a lantern out there.

Do you need me to help?

Let's get some light on the subject first.