Things We Lost in the Fire

Dad? - Yeah?

The water's green.

No, it's fluorescent.

What's... - Fluorescent.

Fluorescent means 'lit from within.'

So am I fluorescent?

Yeah, Dory, you are.

It's okay, honey.

Why has Grandma been sleeping all day?

Well, she's sedated, sweetie.

I don't know what that word means, Mom.

It means that she's been taking pills so she can sleep.

She lost her son, Harper.

There's nothing more painful in the whole wide world.

More than losing your dad?

Different.

Different.

Cousin Laura's coming. - Really? Why?

I haven't spoken to her in over 10 years.

That's Brian's computer.

I can't go in there, so can you...

Okay. Okay. It's okay. I got it.

Who is 'Snakes290'?

Oh, God.

He's an old college friend of Brian's that now lives in Michigan.

What does it say?

He said, 'What do you think of the Sonics' new power forward?'

Well, what did he think of him?

He thought he was a good rebounder,

but his outside jumper needed some work.

Then write that.

All right. I can do that.

Shit!

What? What? What? - Shit!

What's wrong, Audrey?

I forgot to tell somebody. - Who?

Neal, can you take me down to Renton?

Renton? You can't call? - No, he doesn't have a phone.

Who doesn't have a phone, sweetie?

Can you take me? - No, honey! Come on, now!

Okay, it's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's all right. It's all right.

I can go.

Look, right around here from...

There's his address book, and look up a Jerry Sunborne.

Who's Jerry Sunborne, darling?

Who the hell is Jerry Sunborne?

You want something to eat?

No, I'm fine. I'm fine.

I just couldn't...

Do you have another one of those? - Yeah.

Thank you.

I'm Howard Glassman.

I'm Jerry.

How did you know Brian?

We grew up together.

I just live down the street and financed some of his deals...

Oh, no. - I'm sorry.

Well, I'm...

My wife.

It's nice to meet you, Jerry.

So you started smoking again?

Come on! Get out of the way!

All right! I bet you I could jump over it!

I'm gonna jump over it!

You don't know?

I guess your brain's growing up too small.

Hey. - Hello. Hi.

Hi. I'm David.

My name is Jerry. You're Harper.

Yeah. - Hi.

Hi. - Dory.

Your dad was my best friend.

When?

When I was your age, and last week.

Strawberry Fields Forever is your favorite song.

And Dory's got that scar on his nose

'cause he was running and he thought the screen door was open.

But it was closed.

Everybody knows that, Dory.

You don't like mimes. They scare you.

They don't talk.

Yeah, that's what they do.

Your suit is a little big.

Thank you.

That was imprudent of you.

I bet you can't do this.

Fast.

Hi. - Hey, Jerry.

I'm so sorry.

Thanks for coming.

I'm really glad you came.

I wasn't so sure you would actually come,

so, thank you. - No problem.

I hated you.

I hated you for so many years, Jerry.

It's all right.

And now, it just all seems so silly.

He was so loyal to a fault, you know.

Most people would've given up on you. Hell, I would've.

But he didn't.

I know.

I'm gonna go.

No, I... Wait.

I need you to stay.

Please, can you just stay for a little bit?

Sure. - Just a little bit?

Sure. Sure.

Good.

So Brian is maybe six years old,

and we're the Andersons' guests at Flathead Country Club,

and we're swimming in the pool,

and all of the sudden, Brian gets out of the water

and he pulls his bathing suit down and he takes a piss right in the pool.

And people are just freaking out.

June Anderson is freaking out.

People are going, 'What are you doing?'

I mean, he's peeing right in the pool like it's a urinal, so...

Wow.

And when it was over I say, 'Brian, why did you do that?'

You know, I mean, he wasn't a bad kid.

He never acted out. He's quiet, you know.

And I said... Okay, I'm totally messing this story up!

I said, 'Why'd you...' Shut up!

I said, 'Why did you do that?'

And he came back with something that made no sense.

Shit. I forget what he said. It was so funny. Shoot.

He said he didn't want to get his bathing suit wet.

Yes! That was it!

'I didn't want... I didn't want to get my bathing suit wet!'

That's okay!

He was a little retarded as a kid, you know.

No, I'm sorry, but he was. He was... He was slow, you know.

And, you know, he came around eventually.

We home?

Don't let them grow up.

How about I make us some pasta? Open some wine.

That way our vacation won't have to end till tomorrow.

When I get back.

No. No, Brian... - I have to.

Why? - It's his birthday.

So?

Audrey, you didn't know him when he was a kid. He was special.

Every time you leave here, Brian,

I'm scared to death you're not gonna come back.

Oh, Jesus, just stop being so damn dramatic.

You stop being so damn naive.

Audrey, it's his birthday.

Who the hell knows how many more he's gonna have?

Mom?

Hey, Jay. - Hey.

Happy Birthday!

August 3rd. - August 3rd.

Yeah.

You're an old man. - Yeah.

Come on in. Come on in.

She okay? - Yeah, she's fine. Have a seat.

I'm hungry. You want to get something to eat?

Yeah. Cool. - Yeah? Let's go out.

They got coffee, strawberry... - No coffee. Strawberry.

Strawberry? - Yeah.

Will you try and find some soup? - Okay.

So they're not happy with the work, you know?

I think I'm gonna fire the workers.

And Audrey's fucking someone else.

Are you checking to see if I'm listening?

No, man. You don't understand.

This woman looks so good there is no way that she is only fucking me.

Our neighbor's this guy named Landon Hicks.

He's this rugged, mountain-man type guy.

Big beard. Big hair. Doesn't even talk.

She's in love with Landon Hicks!

Well, you gotta take the good with the bad.

What's the good?

Are you still...

Yes, I am.

I mean, you're still in the rotation, you know what I'm saying?

You know, you gotta accept the good, man,

'cause they're gonna make you accept the bad.

You have everything any man would want.

Accept the good, Bri. You have what I'll never have.

Oh, come on, don't talk like that about yourself, all right?

Brian, you're my only real friend left in the world, you know that?

Audrey angry you came to see me tonight?

No.

Yes.

I don't know why you're so dead set against seeing her again.

Well, I don't want to see anybody until I'm clean. That's why.

So, the Fed raised rates. Is that gonna affect you?

No, people will still buy. This refi boom's got good legs.

Good.

Yeah?

Jerry?

Maybe. Who is it?

I'm Audrey Burke's brother, Neal.

Can you open the door, please?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah?

Brian is dead.

He was killed.