Story of My Life, The movie

Story of My Life, The movie - Write What You Know lyrics

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THOMAS<br>

We are gathered to honor the life of Alvin Kelby. He was my best friend.<br>

<br>

<br>

(He finds a pen and makes a correction.)<br>

<br>

<br>

My good friend.<br>

<br>

<br>

My oldest friend.<br>

<br>

<br>

My insert-adjective-later friend.<br>

<br>

<br>

(He tears the page from the book and tries again.)<br>

<br>

<br>

Hello. My name is Thomas Weaver.<br>

I’m a multi-award-winning, best-selling author and I have absolutely no idea what to write.<br>

<br>

<br>

Write what you know, Tom.<br>

<br>

<br>

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW.<br>

<br>

<br>

(Thomas writes.)<br>

<br>

WE MET IN FIRST GRADE.<br>

WE WERE FRIENDS FOR YEARS.<br>

GOOD FRIENDS.<br>

INSEPARABLE.<br>

<br>

<br>

(He stops writing.)<br>

<br>

<br>

THAT MUCH I KNOW.<br>

THAT MUCH I KNOW.<br>

<br>

<br>

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW, TOM.<br>

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW.<br>

<br>

<br>

(He resumes writing.)<br>

<br>

<br>

HE WAS A SMART KID.<br>

HE WAS SORT OF ODD.<br>

<br>

<br>

No. Interesting.<br>

<br>

<br>

No. Odd.<br>

<br>

<br>

HE WORKED IN HIS FATHER’S BOOKSTORE.<br>

HIS FATHER GOT SICK.<br>

<br>

<br>

(He stops.)<br>

THAT MUCH I KNOW.<br>

THAT MUCH I KNOW.<br>

<br>

<br>

BUT THAT’S NOT THE STORY.<br>

THIS IS JUST FACT.<br>

WHAT WAS THE CRISIS THAT WENT UNDETECTED?<br>

WHEN WAS THE INSTANT IT SPLINTERED AND CRACKED?<br>

<br>

<br>

WHAT WAS THE MOMENT?<br>

I MISSED IT SOMEHOW<br>

AND IF I COULD NARROW IT DOWN TO A MOMENT,<br>

WHAT GOOD IS KNOWING THAT NOW?<br>

<br>

<br>

WHAT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY?<br>

WHAT DID I OWE?<br>

AM I TO BLAME<br>

FOR ALL OF THE DETAILS I’LL NEVER KNOW?<br>

<br>

<br>

BUT HOW COULD I KNOW?<br>

<br>

<br>

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW, TOM.<br>

<br>

<br>

(He makes another attempt to write.)<br>

<br>

<br>

I WENT TO COLLEGE<br>

ALVIN STAYED BEHIND.<br>

HIS FATHER PASSED AWAY.<br>

I LEFT HIM HERE ALONE.<br>

<br>

<br>

(He stops.)<br>

<br>

<br>

THAT MUCH I KNOW.<br>

THAT MUCH I KNOW.<br>

<br>

<br>

SOME LIVES HURTLE FORWARD<br>

AND SOME NEVER BUDGE<br>

AND SOMETIMES A LIFE TAKES A DIFFERENT DIRECTION<br>

WITH AN INNOCUOUS INNOCENT NUDGE.<br>

<br>

<br>

DID I DO THE NUDGING<br>

WHEN HIS LIFE CAREENED?<br>

NOW HOW DO I BOUNCE THROUGH A LIFETIME<br>

TO PINPOINT WHEN I SHOULD HAVE INTERVENED?<br>

<br>

<br>

WHERE IS THAT STORY?<br>

WHAT SHOULD I SAY?<br>

I'VE GOTTA DO THIS RIGHT, ALVIN.<br>

I’VE GOTTA FIND THE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE<br>

THAT BROUGHT ME HERE TODAY.<br>

<br>

<br>

(As Thomas violently tears the page from his notebook,<br>

the funeral chapel fades and Thomas finds himself deep inside<br>

his own mind surrounded by endless shelves cluttered<br>

with papers and books - a lifetime’s accumulation of memories and stories.<br>

Seated among them is Alvin Kelby.)<br>

<br>

<br>

WHAT IS THE MOMENT?<br>

WHAT IS THE STORY?<br>

USE YOUR OWN WORDS TOM.<br>

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW.<br>

<br>

<br>

ALVIN<br>

There's gotta be thousands of stories in this head of yours, Tom.<br>

<br>

<br>

THOMAS<br>

Don't bother me, Alvin. I'm writing.<br>

<br>

<br>

(Alvin looks at Thomas’s empty notebook.)<br>

<br>

<br>

ALVIN<br>

No you're not. There's nothing there.<br>

<br>

<br>

THOMAS<br>

Writing's a process. Words are just the final step. Now be quiet. I can do this on my own.<br>

<br>

<br>

ALVIN<br>

Really? And when was the last time you actually wrote something, Tom?<br>

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<br>

(This touches a nerve. Alvin starts to collect up loose pages.)<br>

<br>

<br>

So, here's what we're going to do. We're going to pick a story and you're going to write it down.<br>

Then we'll pick another... and another... and another. You get the idea?<br>

That's all a eulogy is, Tom. You tell a bunch of stories, save the tear-jerker for the end and...<br>

<br>

<br>

(Alvin places a large stack of pages in front of Thomas.)<br>

<br>

<br>

... there you have it. My eulogy. The story of my life.<br>

Written by best-selling author Thomas Weaver.<br>

<br>

<br>

THOMAS<br>

You make it sound so easy.<br>

<br>

<br>

ALVIN<br>

Isn't it? Here's a thought. Why don't you begin with this one?<br>

<br>

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