Graduation dinner

Location: Restaurant, celebration atmosphere
Marcus: 21, confident, ready to take on the world
David: Proud but with undertone of letting go

UNCLE PETE: So Marcus, what's the plan? Corner office by thirty?

MARCUS: (laughing) Something like that. I've got interviews lined up in the city. Three different companies want to meet with me.

SARAH: (to David) Our boy, the hotshot.

DAVID: (watching Marcus's animated face) Just seems like yesterday he was asking me to help him tie his shoes.

MARCUS: Dad, you're getting all nostalgic on me.

DAVID: Am I?

MARCUS: Yeah, you get this look. Like you're watching a movie instead of living real life.

DAVID: Maybe I am. Maybe that's what happens when you get old. Everything starts feeling like a movie you've seen before.

MARCUS: You're not old, Dad.

DAVID: (slight pause) No, I guess not. But you're not young anymore either.

Awkward beat, family not sure how to respond

SARAH: (breaking tension) More wine, anyone?

Later, private moment in parking lot

MARCUS: Dad, are you okay? You seemed... I don't know, sad tonight.

DAVID: Not sad, son. Just... aware.

MARCUS: Aware of what?

DAVID: How fast it goes. How one day you're teaching someone to tie their shoes, and the next day they're graduating college and moving to the big city.

MARCUS: I'm not moving to Mars, Dad. The city's two hours away.

DAVID: I know. I know that. It's just...

MARCUS: What?

DAVID: (struggling for words) I used to be able to fix everything for you. Skinned knee, bad dream, mean kid at school. Now you're going out into a world where I can't protect you from everything.

MARCUS: Dad, you taught me how to protect myself.

DAVID: (emotion in voice) Did I? Did I really?

MARCUS: Yeah, Dad. You did. Every single day for twenty-one years.

They embrace, David holding on just a moment too long

DAVID: I'm proud of you, Marcus. More proud than you'll ever understand.

MARCUS: I love you too, Dad.