Lisey's Story

Last night, in the hotel,

I was... I heard Good Ma talking to Dandy Dave,

and she said, "You're gonna be supporting that useless son of a bitch

- for the rest of your life!" - What did Dad say?

Said that the two of you were in love

- and that was good enough for him. - Okay.

Good Ma thinks he's weird, as well as useless.

Scott and I talked. A lot.

And you could say that we speak the same language.

Did you know he was a cutter too?

Yeah.

This is why loving him isn't enough, Lisey.

You're gonna have...

Just, not... Not for him. He's so fragile.

You are gonna have to protect him

and you are gonna have to keep him connected to the world.

You know, you just... Do not...

Do not let him leave it.

Guys, it must be an adventure.

Not everything is an adventure, Amanda!

You know, guys, I really have no idea where we're going.

I know, ask Amanda.

Look at the island!

Okay, that's the sand dunes.

- It's a little scary. - We should go there!

Darla, Lisey, get over here.

Boyfriends and gold!

Boyfriends and gold! Boyfriends and gold!

Boyfriends and gold! Boyfriends and gold! Boyfriends and gold!

Boyfriend.

Gold.

Hey.

Amanda.

Honey?

Amanda, are you in there?

It's me. It's Darla.

Quiet, quiet. Be quiet. Come on, I wanna watch the Hollyhocks.

Where are you, honey? Is that where you...

The long boy could hear us.

Who's that?

It's hun... hungry. It's very hungry.

- It's very hungry. - Okay.

It takes the bodies, it keeps the souls. It's...

Okay, honey.

The... The long...

I'm a double. That's why you can see me. That's why I'm still here.

That's why. Yeah.

- Hello? - Hello.

Is that you, Dashmiel?

It is indeed. What a pleasant surprise, Mrs. Landon.

No, no, it's not gonna be pleasant. It's not gonna be pleasant at all.

I was gonna chalk it up to the usual academic craziness and let it go.

But that was before your friend called me.

Oh, Mrs. Landon, I don't know what you're talking about.

Oh, you don't know?

You don't know that your friend called and threatened to hurt me

unless I turned Scott's papers over to him so he could give them to you?

Miss Landon, I...

You don't know that he threatened to hurt me?

Well, I didn't authorize... Is his name Dooley?

Well, he called himself Jim Dandy. But I'm gonna assume that's an alias.

I assure you, I told him I...

He said... I met him at a bar near the campus.

He said he was a big fan of your husband's

and said he could persuade you to give them up.

The papers and unpublished fiction. But I specifically said no violence.

Did it occur to you that just having to say that might've told you something?

You know, I've dealt with a lot of crazies since Scott died,

and the academics put the collectors to shame,

but you really take the cake.

Miss Landon, if you'd just let me explain...

Spare me. Just please spare me the explanations. Just call your guy off.

Now, I'm gonna go to the local police again...

Oh, no, no, no, please, Miss Landon, don't do that.

Now look, just take a breath and let's just discuss this rational-like.

I am gonna suggest to them that they not contact the Tennessee State Police yet

to have you arrested for harassment.

But if I don't hear from you that your guy is standing down...

- Look, I... - then that's exactly what I'll do.

He was just supposed to persuade you. I specifically said no violence.

Yeah, I don't think he heard you.

So call him off. Or a police visit will be the last of your problems.

Fuck.

We're sorry.

You have reached a number that has been disconnected...

Are you kidding me? Sh...

Professor Dashmiel.

Mr. Dooley.

You look just like your picture.

- Do I? - Same smart face.

- Really? - Really. Same smart face.

Would you like some fried chicken?

White meat.

I beg your pardon.

White meat is the best. It's noncontentious.

Really?

Pork is the other white meat, but I don't eat pork.

Too much like human flesh.

I read that some place.

Would you mind if I record our conversation?

"Everything is recorded."

Battle Flags. Lieutenant Clark says "Everything is recorded," remember?

Right, yes, yes, right.

To Scott Landon.

May he never be forgotten.

Amen.

Your comments on Landon's fan site, your insights, extraordinary.

Especially for someone who's not an academic.

And yet you see Landon for what he was.

What he still is, the greatest fiction writer of all time.

Taken from us too soon.

Amen.

I thought if I interviewed you, it would add some texture to my forthcoming book.

A certain feel for what Scott Landon meant to...

And I hope you don't find this offensive... The common man.

There's rumors he left behind a bunch of material, stories and books and such.

Any truth to that?

Yes, I fear there is.

His wife, she won't let them go.

- Is that so? - She has stonewalled my best efforts.

We could do something about that.

If you have any ideas, Mr. Dooley, I'd be glad to hear 'em.

You got a wife?

I do.

Be careful.

- So she spoke to you? - Didn't really make sense.

She said she was a double and that's why I could see her.

And that she wanted to watch the Hollyhocks?

That I understood. It's a game we played when we were kids.

We used to pretend to be pirates. Our ship was the Hollyhocks.

We'd set sail from this big elm in our backyard,

searching for pirates and gold.

I know how silly it sounds.

Not at all. That's how imagination develops.

Do you think Amanda's reverted back to childhood because Charlie dumped her?

That she spoke at all is a good sign.

What about the other thing she talked about? This long boy.

No clue. She looked scared.

Lost and afraid.

Scott used to look like that sometimes.

She used to say, "He's my brother from another mother."

Well, did Scott ever talk to Amanda about his childhood?

Well, if the Hollyhocks came from hers, maybe this long boy came from his.

The only person Scott talked to about his childhood was Lisey.

And what does she say about it?

She doesn't. I don't wanna talk about Scott.

Okay.

But Scott and Amanda were close.

Yes, they were close. Not close like Scott and Lisey, but close.

She may come back.

Or she may sail away, on the Hollyhocks.

Hi, campers.

Lisey, I sold The Coaster's Daughter.

I mean, the advance isn't much, it's just $2,500, but it's gonna be published.

We're going out to dinner. No pizza. Real food, real wine.

I sold it! I love you, honey.

But once they're on the attack, the spotted hyenas are rem...

Hey, Scott.

No, just your boring old sister.

Oh, hey, Darl, what's up? I'm just getting ready to go out.

Oh, yeah? Young Hemingway picking you up in his limo?

No limo, but he sold his book.

Oh, my God. Sold a book. That's amazing. Amazing! How much did he get?

$2,500. I mean, he says it's not much,

but, my God, that's... That's more than I make in three months.

They must not think it's gonna sell very well.

Did you want something?

Oh, yeah. Just to tell you that you forgot Amanda's birthday.

Yeah, yeah. I know, and... and... and I told her,

I... I didn't trust my car as far as Waterville, let alone Harlow.

You think maybe one of those "Sorry I'm late" cards...

Do you think you can manage that?

Well, she's not ten.

Oh, my God. It's always about you.

You know, you have a family,

aside from this writer boyfriend you are so besotted with.

Would it kill you to spend a buck on a damn Hallmark card for your sister?

No, no, no, please, please. Don't... Don't start with me about this family stuff.

- I gave up a scholarship to UMass... - A partial scholarship.

- A partial scholarship! - To take care of Good Ma...

- because she had a stroke. - And I did my part with Mom!

Stop with that. Oh, oh, wait. I think that's Scott. I gotta go.

- Hey. No, no. Don't hang up on me. Lisey! - Bye, bye, bye. Goodbye.

Hey, Lisey. Sorry I'm late.

I...

I stopped by the English department and I ran into Mort Tolliver.

I, I told him the news, and he strong-armed me for a couple of beers.

Just a couple?

Well, four or five.

We got to talking. I kinda lost track of time.

I... I'm really sorry.

But we'll do dinner tomorrow night.

Did you eat?

No, 'cause I was waiting for you.

And in the meantime, I got treated to a guilt trip from my sister, Darla.

And I watched a hyena eat a gopher on TV.

That looked pretty tough.

Oh, God, you smell.

Oh, come on. I-I'll take you out for a burger.

No, do... do you not get it?