The Straight Story

---

The Straight Story

-Hey, Rose.|-Hey, Dorothy.

I'm gonna go over there.

We're waitin'.

Alvin! Alvin Straight!

Rose left a couple of hours ago.

Did you hear me hollerin' for|Rose? I wasn't lookin' for Rose.

-- I haven't seen Alvin today.|- Did I ask?

Straight, you're late!

Alvin!

Alvin!

Alvin!

-Come in, Bud.|- What the hell, Alvin?!

Where the hell are you?|I can't see a thing.

Over here, Bud. Watch your step.

What the hell's going on here?

What are you doin'|layin' on the floor? You nuts?

Supposed to be down|at Davmar's one hour ago.

What's going on?

-Oh, my God!|-Hey, Dorothy.

-What's the number for 911?|-Let the phone down, Dorothy.

What you doin'? I'll call the bar|and tell 'em we're not comin'.

Are you crazy?|We have a stricken man here.

-Are you stricken, Alvin?|-Dorothy! Put the phone down!

Dad, what's all the yellin'?

Wh-what...uh,|have you done to my dad?

Oh, for cry eye!

-Are you OK, Dad?|-I just need a little help gettin' up, honey.

I'm goin' to Davmar's.|I'll be right back.

OK, Bud.

-I'm not goin'.|-Dad...

-I'm not goin'.|-You promised me, Dad.

OK, Mr Straight, you need to take off all your closes|except your underwear and put this robe on.

Just bring me the doctor.

You like birds.

I build...uh, birdhouses...|uh, for bluebirds.

Oh, that's nice.

Yeah,...

Yeah, it's Pete...uh, Pete sells my...|uh, birdhouses...at the Ace Hardware.

-I'll look for them next time.|-Yeah?

No operation.

This morning you fall and can't|get up, that's your hips, Alvin.

-And you'll need a walker now.|-No walker.

Fine, a second cane, then.

You say you're having trouble seeing.|That could be a diabetes-related problem.

-I'd like to run some tests.|-No tests and no X-rays.

Well, I see and hear that you smoke.|My guess is you're in the early stages of emphysema.

And Alvin, you have circulation problems|and I'm worried about your diet.

If you don't make some changes quickly,|there will be some serious consequences.

-It has a... a red roof.|-Another pretty one, Rose.

-I want to...uh, paint the...uh, next one blue.|-That's a good idea.

What ...uh, did the doctor say?

He said|I was gonna live to be 100.

I think I'll go|and mow the lawn.

-Uh, I can ...uh, cut it for you, Dad.|-I got it, sweetheart.

God darn!

No, we'll...|we won't be mowin' today.

Storm's comin' in.

I love a lightnin' storm.

Uh, me too, Dad.

Hello?

This is... is Rose.

Yeah... Yeah... Uh-huh.

Lyle? Oh, no...

When?

OK... right... right...

I'll tell him.

Yeah... OK...

Bye.

Uh, that was...Bobby.

Uncle Lyle...had a...

..a stroke.

Dad?

No, Bobby,|he... he didn't say much.

Uh, they've both... uh, been so... uh, stubborn.

No, no,|it was longer, I remember.

It was...uh, July, uh, 7th,|19...88, uh, Bobby.

Bobby, I always...remember the dates.

Yeah.

I don't know...uh,|what he'll do.

Rose, darlin'?

Rose, I'm gonna go back on the road.

I've gotta go see Lyle.

But, Dad...

How are you...?

Well, I...haven't quite|got that figured yet.

One, your eyes are bad.|That's why you don't... uh, drive your car.

Uh, two, Uncle Lyle...|uh, lives in...uh, Wisconsin,

which is...uh, 317 miles away.

You would have to...uh,|stay all night...in Des Moines.

Then there's no...|uh, bus...to Zion.

Three, you can hardly...uh, stand...|for two minutes...

And when you...uh, do stand up...|this...is the sound you make...

when you...stand.

Uh, four, uh,|you are...uh, 73 years old...

You were...uh, born|when, uh, Calvin...uh, Coolidge

was president...of America.

Uh, you are...|uh, 73 years old, Dad.

And...I cannot drive you there.

Rose, darlin', I'm not dead yet.

Uh, what are we...|uh, building, Dad?

-Havin' a party?|-Oh, jeez,... I love...uh, parties.

Oh, me too.

And so...where's it at?

-Where's what at?|-Your...uh, party.

I'm not havin' a party.|I thought YOU were havin' a party.

-I am? -Well, yeah.|Look at all that Braunschweiger.

Oh, yeah,|it's a lot of Braunschweiger.

It's...uh, for my dad,uh, for his...his trip.|Uh, my dad... he's going to...uh, Wisconsin.

I...asked him how|he's...uh, going to get there...

Uh...but he...|uh, won't say nothing.

-Wisconsin? That is a real party state.|-Yeah.

I...uh, hate... uh, Braun...uh...schweiger.|Yeah.

Alvin, you've got three|five-gallon cans there.

What do you need|so much gas for, Alvin?

Sig, you're one nosey|son of a gun.

You got that right.

I wanna buy that.

-What?|-The grabber.

Oh, jeez, Alvin.|That's MY grabber, Alvin.

Well?

Oh, jeez, Alvin. I don't...|I...I do have two of them...

I think five dollars is right.

That's a darn good grabber,|Alvin.

-I...I...|- Well?

They're hard to come by, Alvin. It's gonna take me |two months to get another one on order.

-Jeez, Alvin, ten dollars.|-Ring her up.

-What do you need that grabber for, Alvin?|-Grabbin'.

Oh, jeez, Dad. Oh, jeez, Dad.

Listen to that|old grain elevator.

It's...uh, harvest time.

Uh, that...uh, trailer is too|h-heavy for...for that. It's a lawn mower.

You're going to... drive a...|a lawn mower to another state?

Rosie, I've...|I've gotta go see Lyle.

And I...I've gotta make|this trip on my own.

I know you understand.

I guess so.

Look up at the sky, Rosie.

The sky is sure full|of stars tonight.

Crimenetto, it's Alvin|and he's driving his lawn mower.

Alvin! What are you settin' out|to do here? For cry eye, Alvin!

Alvin, you're gonna get blown|right off the road, that's what I'm afraid!

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes