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MRS.
WILLIS: |
Well, grandpa, how are you? |
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JACK: |
I'm
all right. How did you think I'd be? Do you know this man? |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
Yes. This is Martin Learner. |
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JACK: |
I
know who he is. He's the one that's writing the story. |
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MARTIN: |
That's right. |
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JACK: |
I
was in World War One. Did you know that? |
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MARTIN: |
No,
I didn't. How many children did you have, Mr. Bishop? |
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JACK: |
Just one. |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
That was my father. |
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JACK: |
He
was killed in World War Two. |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
I
was just a baby. I don't even remember him. |
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JACK: |
I
felt terrible. He was so young. She grew up with an old man like me.
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
I
liked it. You were a nice old man. |
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JACK: |
But
you didn't know John. He was a wonderful son. He was handsome, and
smart, and a great athlete. |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
Just like you. |
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MARTIN: |
Were you athletic, Mr. Bishop? |
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JACK: |
I
guess I was. I played baseball. I liked all kinds of ball games.
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MARTIN: |
Were you a good runner? |
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JACK: |
I
was fast. And I was a good hitter. |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
He
still played softball when I was a little girl. |
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JACK: |
I
was a pitcher. I was the oldest pitcher playing. |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
Not
really. You weren't that old. |
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JACK: |
I
was. But all the men were old. The young men were all in the war.
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MARTIN: |
What did you look like? |
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JACK: |
Just like I do now. |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
He
was tall of course. He had dark brown hair then. He was really quite
handsome. |
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JACK: |
I
was a lot like Troy. Do you know Troy? |
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MARTIN: |
We've met. |
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JACK: |
I
imagine we looked alike, but I was old when Troy was born. My son
looked like that too. |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
Is
this confusing, Mr. Learner? |
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MARTIN: |
What do you mean? |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
It's such a mixture of grandfathers, grandsons, great grandsons.
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MARTIN: |
Let
me see. Mr. Bishop had one son. He died in the second World War.
That son had children. |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
Only one. Me. |
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MARTIN: |
OK.
That son had one daughter. |
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JACK: |
She's my granddaughter. |
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MARTIN: |
That granddaughter had children. |
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JACK: |
Only one. Troy. |
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MARTIN: |
So
Troy is your great-grandson. |
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JACK: |
And
maybe next year I'll have a great-great-grandson. |
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MRS.
WILLIS: |
Oh,
grandpa. |
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JACK: |
I
can't wait forever. Where is he? I want to talk to him. |
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MELISSA: |
Hi,
Martin. I haven't talked to you yet. |
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MARTIN: |
Hello, Melissa. It was a beautiful wedding. You look wonderful.
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MELISSA: |
I'm
glad you could come. Have you talked with grandpa Jack? He insists I
call him grandpa Jack. Isn't he terrific? |
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MARTIN: |
He
certainly is. And you are too. I wish you all the happiness in the
world. |
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MELISSA: |
Thanks. Let's find Troy. He's the one that I want to
talk to. |
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