Original subtitles

♪ What would you do if I sang out of tune? ♪

♪ Would you stand up and walk out on me? ♪

♪ Lend me your ears, and I'll sing you a song ♪

♪ I will try not to sing out of key, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, baby, I get by ♪ ♪ By with a little help from my friends ♪

♪ All I need is my buddies ♪

♪ High with a little help from my friends ♪

♪ I'm sayin' I'm gonna get higher ♪ -♪ Try with a little help from my friends ♪

♪ Whoa-oa-oa-oa ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Somebody who knows quite sure ♪

♪ Baby ♪

♪ By with a little help from my friends ♪

♪ Said I'm gonna make it with my friends ♪

♪ Try with a little help from my friends ♪

♪ Oh, I'm gonna keep on trying ♪

♪ High with a little help from my friends ♪

♪ I'm gonna keep on trying now, baby ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

I grew up in a neighborhood

that was like a lot of other neighborhoods...

where the boxes we lived in were distinguished

only by the names on the mailboxes

and the cars in the driveways.

It was a place

where hard-working Americans circled their wagons

to protect themselves from the outside world.

Wayne, don't forget the trash. Tomorrow's Tuesday.

Hey, it's Kevin's turn.

No, it's not.

Just do it.

Our lives were made up of little moments...

Want more scalloped potatoes, honey?

All delicately intertwined.

Oh, thanks Mom.

Karen called today.

How much?

Just $35 till the end of the month.

The Nixon administration said today...

Send her a check.

Hey, that's mine!

Not anymore, angel-face.

[ Sighs ]

Wayne...

Give your brother the roll.

Maybe we weren't aware of it then,

amid the school paper drives and the scalloped potatoes

and the sounds of the neighbors' children playing...

but life was rich there in our small sanctuary,

and precious.

- Very good. - It is?

[ Telephone rings ]

And the only thing that could ever change that...

Hello?

Was death.

Jack? It's your father.

[ Silverware clatters ]

Hey, hey, hey!

It's grandpa. Hi, grandpa.

[ Laughs ] How are my boys?

Not that grandpa was dead, exactly.

In fact, he was alive and kicking.

Ah!

Got your nose!

Like a fine, old wine or an old smoked ham,

the guy just seemed to get more robust with age.

[ Laughter ]

Hi, Albert.

Let me take your coat.

I appreciate you putting me up, Norma.

I really do.

Oh, now, don't be silly. You're always welcome here.

So, uh, how long you staying for, Gramps?

Well, we'll see. We'll see.

Somehow, he just filled the house with life.

[ Sighs ] He's going to a funeral.

Who died?

Oh.

You didn't tell them, John?

Uh... No, Dad.

I thought you'd probably want to.

Jack?

Well... I guess you ought to know.

Aunt rose passed away yesterday morning.

Oh, dear. Aw, poor aunt rose.

Well, not to worry, Norma.

She had a full and productive life.

Didn't she, boys?

Sure, Gramps.

Right.

It was true.

Aunt rose had had a full and productive life,

which left just one little question.

Who's aunt rose?

Actually, she wasn't your aunt.

She was, uh...

Well, she was my first cousin.

By 10:00 that night, I was sorry I asked.

Look at that.

You know where that was taken?

No. Why don't you tell us, grandpa?

That was up at the lake house.

Nice bathing suit.

Yeah, well...

That's what they looked like in those days, Wayne.

Yeah.

You know, she was...

82 years old when she died.

Can you boys even imagine that?

'Course, when you're 14,

82 isn't much different from 42, or even 102.

Still, if Gramps needed a friendly ear,

he could count on us.

[ Chuckles ]

Come on, Dad.

The boys should get some sleep.

Yeah. You're right, John.

I guess I've been bending you boys' ears too much, huh?

- Nah... - Nah...

- [ Chuckles ] - It was fun, grandpa.

A lie... But a good lie.

After all, the guy was going to a funeral.

The least we could do was give him a pleasant send-off.

Oh! And set your alarm clocks.

We got to leave by 8:00.

Hold on, here.

Did he say...

Did he say "we"?

[ Whistling ]

It was obvious somebody had to clear this up.

We chose the big guy.

Uh, Dad, about those alarm clocks...

I meant to tell you... I forgot mine.

You'll have to get us up. And we can go in my car.

Uh, well...

You know, Dad,

we weren't really planning on going to the funeral.

Not going? Of course we're going.

II have to fly to Seattle Thursday morning, and...

The funeral's tomorrow, John. You got plenty of time.

Norma, where are the glasses?

Oh, here. Let me.

Now, of course, what was needed here

was a simple clearing of the air,

a collective statement of intention.

This just isn't a good time for me, Dad.

Funerals are never a good time, John.

Besides, I think the boys should go.

Great. Now he was dragging us into this.

Uh, well, the, uh, boys have school.

Then write a note.

I think "death in the family" is an acceptable excuse.

Dad, it...

What is the matter with you, son?

Rose was family. Our family.

Doesn't that mean anything to you?

But the truth is... It really didn't.

Not to me, anyway.

I'll bet that Kevin, there, would...

Like to pay his last respects to one of our own.

Wouldn't you, son?

Then suddenly,

I was all that was standing between us and aunt rose.

Sure, grandpa.

I guess so.

[ Horn honks ]

[ Mockingly ] "Sure, grandpa. I guess so."

Butthead.

It wasn't fair.

I'd been cast

as the Benedict Arnold of the Arnold clan

just for being a dutiful grandson.

Are Phil and opal coming to the funeral, Albert?

Oh, yeah.

They drove down last night to help iris with the arrangements.

And Ray's flying in from Portland.

Iris? Ray? Who were these people?

And, uh, Lloyd will be there, too.

Lloyd?

- Yeah, you remember Lloyd. He... - Yeah, Dad.

I remember.

The thing is, I couldn't understand

why all this was so important to the old guy.

It'll be good to see the family again.

Right, Kev?

And why was he picking on me?

Right, grandpa.

I'm glad you decided to come.

Do-do-do-do!

[ Chuckles ]

Here we are. Rose McKinsey.

[ Organ music playing ]

My deepest condolences.

Somehow, I understood exactly what he meant.

This isn't little Weegie, is it?

You know why we call him "Weegie," don't you?

Because he couldn't say "Wayne" until he was about 4 years old!

[ Laughs ]

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

There was a second gunman on that grassy knoll.

I know what I'm talking about.

And this must be Kevin! Just look at you!

You look just like your mother!

Times have been tough, Norma.

I know it wouldn't take much

to get the business back on its feet again,

but it's just one thing after another.

[ Sighs ] You know what I mean?

You two... you could be twins!

All in all, a sobering experience.

After about 45 minutes of this,

our little twig on the family tree

was just about ready to branch off.

[ Sighs ]

Oh, God.

- What? - There. Right over there.

Oh, God.

I'll be right over. Excuse me.

This was Dad's cousin Lloyd.

He'd made a mint selling aluminum siding.

How you doing?

Probably the only person in the world

with enough nerve to call my father...

Cuz!

How the hell you doing?!

Just great, Lloyd. You?

- Never been better. - Oh.

Except...

except for this, of course.

[ Sighs ]

Hey...

You're looking different, Jack.

Put on a few? [ Chuckles ]

I don't think so.

Maybe you're just getting old!

[ Chuckles ]

It was the kind of give-and-take

that always affected Dad the same way.

[ Inhales deeply ]

I have to go to the John.

Good idea.

Hey!

I'll bet I missed a few birthdays in there somewhere.

I don't have any change.

You can split this up, can't you?

Hello, cuz!

Sure.

You bet.

Thanks.

No problem.

Now, get yourself something real nice.

Okay?

And suddenly we were starting to feel

pretty kindly towards aunt rose.

All right, boys.

Time to say goodbye.

[ Organ music plays ]

Doesn't she look natural?

They do such good work here.

Hm.

As we stood there, face-to-face with mortality,

it's hard to describe

the emotions that swelled within us.

Give me the money.

What?

Half of it's mine. I'll get the change.

Wrong. I'll get the change.

Okay. Fine. I trust you.

[ Chuckles ]

[ Bach's "toccata and fugue in d minor" plays ]

In the presence of death,

mere words often seem... Inadequate.

Go on. Get it.

No way.

I said get it.

Why don't you get it?

I don't think so.

Sure, it was only about 18 inches or so,

but in the greater scheme of things,

that $20 bill was from here to eternity.

I know you boys are gonna miss her...

But remember...

She's at peace now.

Maybe she was...

But we weren't.

All right.

We walk up to the casket,

you keep a lookout,

and I'll take care of the rest.

You got it?

Are you sure we should do this?

What's the matter? You chicken?

No, I'm not chicken.

Well, then you got to help me.

No, I don't! -Yes, you do! You dropped it!

- I didn't drop it! - Yes, you did drop it!

No, I didn't drop it!

No, you didn't! I... you dropped it!

It's 20 bucks!

I reached for your hand, and you...

hey! Hey! Hey!

What's going on here?

Nothing, grandpa.

Well, cut it out!

This is a funeral, not a fistfight.

Now, where's your Dad?

I don't know.

It's time to drive to the cemetery.

Besides, he's already missed the coffin-closing.

[ Door slams ]

Yeah.

It looked like this case was closed, all right.

What the hell were you doing back there, John?

I was getting some air.

"Getting some air"?

I guess you could say

it was a kind of a solemn ride to the grave-site.

The flowers were lovely, Albert.

Yeah. They were, weren't they?

I haven't seen so many flowers since... Helen died.

You remember that, don't you, John?

Yeah. Yeah, I remember, Dad.

Phew.

Boy, it was hot that day, remember?

Dad, I remember, okay?

Just making conversation.

But while Gramps and Dad

chewed the fat in the front seat,

where I sat, I had problems of my own.

Hey, cut it out!

Oh, sure, after I hit you once for every dollar you lost.

Hey, I didn't lose it!

Oops. Lost count. Better start over again.

Wayne.

Kevin. Stop it.

All right, I told you boys.

Now, let's just... just all

try to put a good face on this, all right?

But the fact is, I didn't feel like putting on a face.

- Man... - John...

There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about.

I was a 14-year-old kid with a sore shoulder,

down 10 bucks, on my way, in a cramped car,

to bury somebody

who had absolutely nothing to do with me.

Have you, uh...

Have you thought any more

about buying that plot next to your mother and me?

And then, suddenly, aunt rose's funeral hit home.

Dad, do we have to talk about this?

Something you should be thinking about.

Dad...

You don't want these boys making the decisions

for you, do you?

They'll have enough to think about when the time comes.

Dad, I've taken care of it, okay?

It was the first time I'd heard that my Dad

had a little patch of earth with his name on it.

[ Grunting ]-And, of course, there was only one thing to do about it.

Boys, you just stop it! -What do you think you're doing?

Stop, both of you. Kevin. [ Tires screech ]

All right. All right!

That's it! Get out, the both of you!

What?

If you can't go to a funeral and be respectful,

then don't go!

Grandpa...

if you change your mind,

the cemetery is 2 Miles down the road!

Dad!

Hmm. No help there.

Or there.

So I just had to hope Gramps was bluffing.

I'm serious about this, damn it!

Now get out!

- But, I... - Now!

[ Sighs ]

[ Vehicle departs ]

I had never seen my grandfather so furious.

And there you had it.

Stranded in the middle of nowhere,

with nothing to show for it but a clean suit.

Ow!

First you lose my money!

And now this, butthead!

You idiot!

Whoa! Jerk!

Moron!

Dorkface!

Where you going?

I'm walking!

Grief wears a lot of faces.

Some people cry, some people hand out money...

Others throw dirt clods.

And for the first time that day...

Hey, wait up!

I was starting to feel a little grief of my own.

Jerk!

Idiot!

Scrooge!

We ask that you comfort them in their loss

as you receive rose into your kingdom.

Amen.

Amen.

Some journeys take longer than others.

By the time we got to the cemetery that afternoon,

I knew I'd traveled more than just 2 Miles.

Something was happening in my life...

something so big I couldn't take it all in.

And though we may feel poorer for her passing...

We should seek comfort in the knowledge

that we are, in fact, so much richer.

Richer for having known her,

for having been touched by her kindness.

Would anyone like to say a few words about rose McKinsey?

I, uh, I believe I would.

[ Clears throat ]

[ Sighs ]

I guess, uh...

I guess my cousin rose...

Liked family gatherings more than anybody I've ever known.

Even after she had...

Trouble getting around, she...

Always loved to have a chance to see...

The folks.

As she liked to call us.

Of course, lately, it seems like

the only time we ever get together is, uh...

When there's a wedding or...

Or when somebody leaves us.

As I stood there, listening to grandpa's words...

A lot of things began to become real for me.

Aunt rose,

the loss Gramps was feeling,

and why coming here was so important...

for all of us.

But I can tell you one thing.

Rose is not gone from us.

She never will be.

She will always

be a part of us...

As long as we remain a family.

Part of...

The folks.

Part of who we are.

Even for those who...

Really didn't know her very well.

I guess that's when I understood

what my grandfather had been trying to explain to me...

that my life was bigger

than the little neighborhood I lived in,

and that these strangers who surrounded me

weren't just relatives.

They were my family.

And the death of one affected each of us in some way.

[ Voice breaking ] Hey. It was 20 bucks.

We'll be seeing you, rose.

The thread of my aunt rose's life

had been permanently woven into mine,

leaving me with questions.

And driving home that night,

my fragile, little family hurtling through the darkness,

I knew I'd have to face those questions one day.

Dad?

Hmm?

Don't ever die, okay?

Nah...

I'm not gonna die.

But for now...

That was good enough for me.

[ Insects chirping ]

[ Owl hooting ]