Away from Her Quotes
A man coping with the institutionalization of his wife because of Alzheimer's disease faces an epiphany when she transfers her affections to another man, Aubrey, a wheelchair-bound mute who also is a patient at the nursing home.
Kristy: And, how old were you when you met?
Grant Anderson: She was 18.
Kristy: Holy! That's pretty young to get married, eh?
Grant Anderson: Wasn't my idea.
Kristy: You mean she proposed to you? Well, that's lovely, that's what I think. How'd she do it?
Grant Anderson: She hadn't planned it necessarily. We were in Tobermory, waiting for the ferry to Manitoulin, and it was miserable and rainy, and she was in a good mood. And, she didn't want any part of my sour mood.
Kristy: What'd she do, what'd she say?
Grant Anderson: Well, she said: "Do you think it'd be fun... Do you think it'd be fun if we got married?"
Kristy: And what did you say?
Grant Anderson: I took her up on it. I shouted yes.
[pause]
Grant Anderson: I never wanted to be away from her. She had the spark of life.
Grant Anderson: She was 18.
Kristy: Holy! That's pretty young to get married, eh?
Grant Anderson: Wasn't my idea.
Kristy: You mean she proposed to you? Well, that's lovely, that's what I think. How'd she do it?
Grant Anderson: She hadn't planned it necessarily. We were in Tobermory, waiting for the ferry to Manitoulin, and it was miserable and rainy, and she was in a good mood. And, she didn't want any part of my sour mood.
Kristy: What'd she do, what'd she say?
Grant Anderson: Well, she said: "Do you think it'd be fun... Do you think it'd be fun if we got married?"
Kristy: And what did you say?
Grant Anderson: I took her up on it. I shouted yes.
[pause]
Grant Anderson: I never wanted to be away from her. She had the spark of life.
Marian: I'm thinking that sometimes you just have to make the decision to be happy. Just decide. Things aren't ever what you hoped they'd be. Not ever, for anybody. The only thing that separates one kind of person from another is there are some who stay angry about it and there are some who... accept what comes their way.
Grant Anderson: Which kind of person are you?
Marian: I was pretty mad about it. But now... looking at what came my way
[sigh]
Marian: I think I could be the other kind of person. Quite the philosopher, huh?
Grant Anderson: Which kind of person are you?
Marian: I was pretty mad about it. But now... looking at what came my way
[sigh]
Marian: I think I could be the other kind of person. Quite the philosopher, huh?
[Grant is talking with Fiona about her desire to move into the Meadowlake nursing home]
Grant Anderson: You're sure?
Fiona: I'm sure.
Grant Anderson: You don't want to just get a sense of the place? I don't want to make this decision alone.
Fiona: [turns and stares blankly at Grant] What place?
[Grant stares back at Fiona, aghast]
Fiona: Just kidding.
[giggles]
Grant Anderson: [grinning] Fuck off.
Fiona: [smiling, then pensive] You're not making this decision alone, Grant. I've already made up my mind.
Grant Anderson: Okay.
Grant Anderson: You're sure?
Fiona: I'm sure.
Grant Anderson: You don't want to just get a sense of the place? I don't want to make this decision alone.
Fiona: [turns and stares blankly at Grant] What place?
[Grant stares back at Fiona, aghast]
Fiona: Just kidding.
[giggles]
Grant Anderson: [grinning] Fuck off.
Fiona: [smiling, then pensive] You're not making this decision alone, Grant. I've already made up my mind.
Grant Anderson: Okay.
Grant Anderson: [reading to Fiona from, "Letters From Iceland" by; W.H. Auden] Isn't it true however far we've wandered into our provinces of persecution, where our regrets accuse, we keep returning back to the common faith from which we've all dissented, back to the hands, the feet, the faces? Children are always there and take the hands, even when they are most terrified. Those in love cannot make up their minds to go or stay. Artist and doctor return most often. Only the mad will never, never come back. For doctors keep on worrying while away, in case their skill is suffering or deserted. Lovers have lived so long with giants and elves, they want belief again in their own size. And the artist prays ever so gently, let me find pure all that can happen. Only uniqueness is success. For instance let me perceive the images of history. All that I push away with doubt and travel, today's and yesterdays alike, like bodies.
Grant Anderson: I'm quite aware of your policies. I'm more than aware of your fucking policies.
[Kristy leads Frank down the hallway, past a devastated Grant]
Frank: [as a play-by-play announcer] Well, once again, Nurse Kristy is taking me back to the second floor. The area to my right are the elevators, and as we go on down the hall, there's a man with a broken heart, broken in a thousand pieces. Well, we'll go to Madeleine's office, past the lunch room. Hopefully, they're serving right now. The cannelloni was cold yesterday, but let's see what it's doing today. Let's have - I gotta have some Cokes again. That's what I'm gonna do.
[Kristy leads Frank down the hallway, past a devastated Grant]
Frank: [as a play-by-play announcer] Well, once again, Nurse Kristy is taking me back to the second floor. The area to my right are the elevators, and as we go on down the hall, there's a man with a broken heart, broken in a thousand pieces. Well, we'll go to Madeleine's office, past the lunch room. Hopefully, they're serving right now. The cannelloni was cold yesterday, but let's see what it's doing today. Let's have - I gotta have some Cokes again. That's what I'm gonna do.
