Mistakes We Never Stop Paying For

DAVIS

That's part of your problem: you haven't seen enough movies. All of life's riddles are answered in the movies.

-- Grand Canyon (1991; dir. Lawrence Kasdan)

***

ROY

Some mistakes I guess we never stop paying for. (beat)  I didn't even know her.

IRIS

The girl on the train?  You liked her, didn't you?

ROY

Yes.  But I didn’t see it coming.

IRIS

  How could you know she'd hurt you? How could anyone?

ROY

I didn't see it coming.

IRIS

You should've?

ROY

Yes. But I didn't. Why didn't I?

IRIS

You were so young.

ROY

Things sure turned out different.

IRIS

In what way?

ROY

Different.  For years, I've lived with the idea that I could be the best in the game.

IRIS

You're so good now!

ROY

I could've been better.  I could've broke every record in the book.

IRIS

And then?

ROY

"And then"?  When I walked down the street, people would've said:   "There goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was in this game."

IRIS

You know, I believe we have two lives.

ROY

How? What do you mean?

IRIS

The life we learn with and the life we live with after that.  With or without the records, they'll remember you.

-- The Natural (1984; dir. Barry Levinson)

***

And in the quick of the night
They reach for their moment
And try to make an honest stand
But they wind up wounded, not even dead
Tonight in jungle land

-- Bruce Springsteen "Jungleland"  Born to Run, 1975 (written by Robert Scottwino Weinrich)