Tuesdays With Morrie

Summary

Tuesdays with Morrie is a touching exploration of human connection, education, and the impermanence of life. Mitch, a busy sportswriter, reconnects with his former college professor, Morrie, who is dealing with ALS. Through their weekly meetings, Morrie imparts wisdom on living life fully, embracing love, and understanding that while life ends, relationships endure. These conversations bring perspective to Mitch's bustling life, probing deep into themes of love, regret, and fulfillment.

Highlights

• Mitch reconnects with his old professor Morrie, who is imparting life lessons as he battles ALS. 📘
• Morrie emphasizes learning about life through the lens of his impending death. 🎤
• The importance of love and relationships takes center stage in Morrie’s teachings. 💞
• Mitch struggles with applying these lessons to his hectic life but finds clarity. 🔄
• The story underscores that while life ends, relationships and their lessons do not. 🌅

Key Takeaways

• Life's greatest lessons often come from unexpected places, like a favorite teacher. 🎓
• Embracing mortality can teach us how to truly live. 🕊️
• Love is the ultimate lesson - it transcends time and space. ❤️
• Every relationship leaves a lasting impact, making moments shared vital. ⌛
• Despite life's noise, quiet revelations guide personal change. 🔕

Overview

Morrie Schwartz, once a sociology professor, is in the final chapters of his life when he reconnects with his former student, Mitch Albom, a sports columnist. What begins as a simple reconnection between a teacher and student evolves into profound weekly meetings each Tuesday, where Morrie uses his impending death to teach Mitch timeless lessons about life, love, and priorities.

Through Morrie's insights, Mitch reexamines his own life, which revolves around deadlines and professional achievements. Morrie shares his views on love, marriage, family, and the importance of community, guiding Mitch to question his own relationships and choices.

Though Morrie's journey is towards an inevitable end, the lessons he imparts have eternal value. His teachings focus on living a meaningful life by embracing presence, connection, and the idea that love and relationships have a lasting legacy beyond physical existence.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:30: Introduction The 'Introduction' chapter highlights the book's wide appeal and connection with its audience, being a best-seller for over two years. It introduces the character Mitch and his journey of rediscovery and learning with his old teacher, Laurie, amidst Laurie's terminal illness. The chapter emphasizes the book's theme of life's intertwined aspects of teaching and learning, conveying a message to teach when you learn.
• 01:30 - 05:30: Mitch's Life This chapter titled 'Mitch's Life' explores the theme of the constant noise in life and how it's crucial for individuals to take a moment to observe their surroundings. The narrative suggests that amidst the chaos, there are moments of clarity and understanding. It emphasizes taking a pause to appreciate the subtleties of life, symbolized through an interaction with children that prompts a reflection on shining or standing out despite the overwhelming distractions.
• 05:30 - 12:00: Mitch Learns about Morrie's Illness This chapter reveals that Mitch, the protagonist, learns about his old professor Morrie's illness. Morrie has a quirky personality and a love for peculiar things such as tongue and coleslaw. Dancing is also one of the things Morrie loves, reflecting his vibrant and spirited character even in light of his illness.
• 12:00 - 26:00: Mitch Visits Morrie In this chapter, Mitch visits Morrie, who showcases his unique way of dancing. Despite his condition, Morrie performs the Lindy to Jimi Hendrix and jitterbugs to the band Nine Inch Nails, illustrating his spirited nature and love for music.
• 26:00 - 34:30: Morrie's Teachings on Life and Death The chapter highlights Morrie's reflections on life and death, often using metaphors and examples like the Argentine tango to convey his teachings and unique perspectives. Morrie's interpretation of the tango symbolizes his approach to life, blending traditional wisdom with a personal twist that resonates with those around him.
• 34:30 - 45:30: Morrie's Decline The chapter titled 'Morrie's Decline' begins with a reflective tone, focusing on cherished moments that the protagonist, Morrie, wishes could last forever. Despite these happy moments, there is an underlying narrative of Morrie's health deterioration in the summer of 1994. He starts to experience symptoms like shortness of breath and trouble with his legs, signaling a concerning decline in his physical well-being at the age of 77. The chapter likely explores the emotional and physical impact of Morrie's illness, possibly setting the stage for further exploration of themes such as aging, mortality, and the value of life experiences.
• 45:30 - 58:30: Mitch and Janine's Relationship In the chapter titled 'Mitch and Janine's Relationship,' the main focus is on the dynamics between Mitch and Janine. While the detailed conversation or events are not provided in the transcript, it can be inferred that the chapter explores the nuances of their relationship. It likely examines their interactions, emotional connection, conflicts, or revelations that shape their relationship's progression. Publishers often use chapter titles to highlight pivotal themes or turning points in the story, which in this case revolves around Mitch and Janine's relationship.
• 58:30 - 71:00: Final Lessons from Morrie The chapter titled 'Final Lessons from Morrie' begins with a poignant moment in the summer of 1994 when the joyful dancing that characterized Morrie's spirit came to an end. This summer marked the time when Morrie received a dire prognosis, signaling the beginning of his final journey.
• 71:00 - 88:00: Morrie's Passing and Legacy The chapter titled 'Morrie's Passing and Legacy' explores the author's personal reflections and regrets about losing touch with his old professor, Morrie, after graduation. Despite promises to stay in touch, the author admits to getting caught up in the busyness of life and work deadlines. This chapter captures a sense of nostalgia and missed opportunities for connection as the author grapples with the professor's passing and the importance of cherishing relationships.

Tuesdays With Morrie Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Oh to be a best-seller for over two years a story has to really connect with people and Tuesdays with Maurey resonates with everybody I think we all relate to Mitch his life is just going by too quickly and then he was blessed stop and find his old teacher Laurie and even though Moyer was dying he taught us about living all of life is about teaching and learning when we learn teach when you
• 00:30 - 01:00 get give life is filled with noise we all just need to look around excuse me kids yeah shine Hey
• 01:00 - 01:30 among other things many other things my old professor loved what do you say especially like tongue I'd say Maury that's disgusting he'd say I'm sorry you think so I also like coleslaw and coleslaw Mitch usually near the top of the list of things he loved was dancing
• 01:30 - 02:00 he had his own way of dancing he do the Lindy to Jimi Hendrix jitterbug to name a band Nine Inch Nails just put it on
• 02:00 - 02:30 wait one of his favorites was the tango his own version of course wherever it came from it was an Argentine
• 02:30 - 03:00 moments like that he could live in forever in the summer of 1994 he began to notice a few thefts shortness of breath legs giving him a little trouble what he expected 77
• 03:00 - 03:30 you
• 03:30 - 04:00 the dancing stopped forever in the summer of 1994 that was when more he got his death sentence really fall apart young Native exactly
• 04:00 - 04:30 Walter expects I gotta change the collar I've got to change I knew nothing about what happened to my old professor haven't seen him since graduation day 16 years ago I promised I'd keep in touch but I got busy dancing my own dance well there's a zoo here just hug his face to me okay give me a break and I ever miss a deadline Janene hideaway kyani everything I did I did on deadline I'm such crazy
• 04:30 - 05:00 everything I love you and I'm sorry to talk to him before the game we definitely have to talk I gotta go I love it coach what'd you say to the team you're a discipline come up loved one maturity
• 05:00 - 05:30 ports are always in season in this country and I covered them all living in planes and hotels with a laptop and a cell phone I might never have known what had happened to Morrie if I wasn't always doing six things at once because I've been in love with you for seven years doesn't it in my book that is a commitment yeah do we have to talk about this now this is the only thing we ever fight about because look at what marriage does to people but I'm not watching it it's just on look at what marriage does to people
• 05:30 - 06:00 could our married friends look at our divorce friends well look I'll be back in Detroit tomorrow we'll talk about the gun okay yeah well I'll make time more in sports and why by the end of the night so many of you were going to care about him she hang on one second this is ABC News Nightline once that reporting from Washington Ted Koppel tonight Maury listens on living Laurie
• 06:00 - 06:30 is going to die he suffers from a disease called ALS better known as Lou Gehrig's disease Maura Schwartz is a retired sociology professor from Brandeis University who is dying of ALS Maury does not have long to live I'm on the last great journey here when we all got to take maybe I could teach people what to pack for the trip Denis hello
• 06:30 - 07:00 maybe my dying can be a value something we can all learn from like a human textbook there have been a teacher all my life you think I'm gonna quit now I'm losing yet I'm just getting to work let me call you back okay very good argument Mitch tomorrow space all right congratulation what the column is I rushed oh it's official huh baseball
• 07:00 - 07:30 strike is over yeah which means I need you in Florida for spring trend lately I thought it was rash to read terrific no I mean congratulations on your sweet little TV deal Walter local TV one go to the radio show whatever else you got doing take twenty words i column come for you got your day what difference does it make all I'm saying then reading yourself a little bit interested you think you can find a little time to write a piece for the baseball strike ending well personal call solo de genève for me hello hello it's me will you pick
• 07:30 - 08:00 up please Janine mean you have to talk to me sometime you pick up the phone please all right um I'll uh I'll come by work I guess I love you
• 08:00 - 08:30 who we're calm today man so we finally got baseball back what I think the fan should go on strike something's not right here take a break for a second ladies make yourself useful man give me enough shot Hey
• 08:30 - 09:00 trying to call are you uh ever gonna talk to me again I was talking to you last night you and the TV and then I sort of got the idea that he didn't want to talk I got some bad news last night a guy used to know a teacher mine back in college is sick he's gonna die I'm sorry were you very close to him I used to be Oh yo let's try this we both got to work on
• 09:00 - 09:30 their phone manners I love you to trick the seven ladies not just more haven't kept in touch with anybody for college reunions the male who's got time for that stuff well I wish I had a teacher like that though he was more than just a teacher he was like
• 09:30 - 10:00 this basketball game was we're all chanting we're number one we're number one right so I see Maury a couple rows down his IMS giving us all this look all of a sudden he stands up and says what's wrong with being number two he actually wanted to discuss that right in the middle of the game thank you thank you made a really big difference in my life and never even thanked him you talk about him as if you
• 10:00 - 10:30 were already dead you could still go see him it's in Boston when am I gonna find time to go to Boston well make time if he meant that much to you you know you're on the road half your life like you can make time for one trip to Boston why are you getting obsessed why are you making excuses why do you have such a problem making time and drink you're that guy Mitch Albom right yeah hey hey man I read your column every day I got an idea for a column guys I'm in the middle here gotcha hey we'll talk later I get ideas
• 10:30 - 11:00 all the time great sorry anyway the truth is it's just it's too late all these years I haven't sent the guy a postcard I'm just gonna how am I gonna face him now Hey think of him think about how much it would mean to him at least Colin in hockey last night playoff berth it's taking visions of that golden I lived on
• 11:00 - 11:30 the phone made dozens of calls a day why couldn't I make one to a dying man the simple answer was guilt but it was more than that I was afraid of seeing him now I had a thing about death here's my buddy hey hey you're one of the special ones Mitch you're gonna keep in touch you gotta promise me I promise I failed that promise I also had a thing about failure hey it's me well you were
• 11:30 - 12:00 right I can't work I can't even think here I got to do something about Morrie I mean yeah it's one trip to Boston quick little visit say I'm sorry and say goodbye Roback to take let me hear the playback again okay no no I just spilled some coffee um go duck go ahead let me let me get it
• 12:00 - 12:30 that sounds fun just go with that yes is there a lot more sorry got my keys Mitch Mitch Albom I called I spoke to your wife I don't
• 12:30 - 13:00 get a hug after 16 years my old buddy came to see me at last let's eat well I see you still like to eat as much as ever oh boy dig in I'll help yourself come on make yourself come
• 13:00 - 13:30 will you look great really really same excuse me can you talk no get a name if you could Connie I guess I'm with my buddy now huh I spent half the day on the telephone now that I'm dying people are taking more of an interest in me big celebrity now how's
• 13:30 - 14:00 that feel being a big TV star I mean you know you're always interesting I thought so this one class remember this Maury you didn't say anything you remember that you just stared at us we all chipped in with our notebooks ready waiting for you to start casting pearls and nothing five minutes go by ten
• 14:00 - 14:30 minutes we started panicking why why is the guy saying anything finally after like I think it was twenty minutes of that we really can't take it anymore you say very quietly what's happening here exactly right what's happening here that's exactly what you said you're making a point about silence what is it about silence that makes people uneasy huh yeah right why do people only feel comfortable when they're filling the air with words
• 14:30 - 15:00 should I tell you what it's like dying that's another subject that makes people uncomfortable we'll get to it later you know right now I got to go to the commode are you up to giving me a hand um sure well now wait a minute I better get Connie it takes an expert you know
• 15:00 - 15:30 dying is just one thing to be sad about living unhappily that's another matter see you in a minute okay are you happy in Detroit yeah best town the bean for a sports writer football basketball baseball hockey you name it are you
• 15:30 - 16:00 giving to you community they're nuts for sports you know that's what I give them every day in my column are you at peace with yourself are you I can't complain uh-huh what happened to the music wasn't that your passion to be a great pianist yeah yeah I gave it a shot then I grew up you grew up married with kids
• 16:00 - 16:30 I know haven't found anybody to share your heart with huh no yes I have definitely oh not enough to get married I know well yeah yes I mean you know someday but just when were both ready and you're both ready here she got a name Janine Janine it's a very beautiful name so Janine shares this when we're both ready thing with you know hahaha
• 16:30 - 17:00 I can see mates that we're gonna have a great deal to talk about what are you writing one more question yeah you know anything about this disease that I've got here this Lou Gehrig's disease it melts you like a candle you know in my case from the bottom up if my legs went first hands will be next eventually it will get the
• 17:00 - 17:30 whole body but you know what I dread someday soon somebody's gonna have to wipe my ass for me but I'm a lucky man you're lucky yeah I still got time to learn time to say goodbye to the people I love and time to teach my final course about dying not about dying about living
• 17:30 - 18:00 when you know how to die you know how to live no no no when you can't through that can you let me hear it again Dave you know what I can't do this right now I'm really sorry yeah I'm leaving for the airport in five minutes gonna call you from the car yeah just give me five minutes okay thanks a lot man those want my dancing days never see me
• 18:00 - 18:30 dance No so you do a lot of things but never dance that's too bad because they tell me it was something to see I'll bet why'd you keep it oh no are you sure yeah you remember that nickname you're used to give me okay here we go ah coach I called you coach yeah uh somehow I could never call you professor Schwartz yeah well I like being called coach maybe I should have gotten a whistle yeah it's Maddie here you go
• 18:30 - 19:00 yeah why you be back well I don't know coach Detroit is 700 miles you know it's a bit of a time problem well let me show you something about time one two three four five six seven eight what 2:16 last week kid like you I bet
• 19:00 - 19:30 you go 200 you know it's a good thing to count your breaths down and keeps you from putting things off come here I'm still your coach you promised me that you'll come back to see your old coach huh I promised I tried not to think about the last time I promised
• 19:30 - 20:00 hello yeah no I have time now let's hear it what are the truly important questions in life and where do we go to find the answers there are many paths on which to seek the truth me I go to press conferences today in this humble high school stadium I will learn the answer to the question of questions what college will two-time All State quarterback Sean Daly choose pursue his higher education and maybe play a little football are you guys been covering my
• 20:00 - 20:30 career know that I have a dream which is to play in the NFL I've been real careful looking over all my scholarship offers to choose the best one to make my dream come true Shawn what are you planning on getting your degree in well I'm only gonna be there two years then I'll go pro I mean I mean of course I'm gonna I'm gonna study hard and prove my education see what happens and the truth shall set you
• 20:30 - 21:00 free or make your first round draft choice the college I've chose to go to is I want to choose this here folks on everything fits one prayer please God let it be asked sounds like another good one hmm I'm hungry too two minutes of deadline we'll go to dinner two minutes I believe
• 21:00 - 21:30 a major press conference for a high school jock what more you would think of that I know what do you think what kind of message that send the kid to actually crack a book study their butts off and get scholarships and you get all the press conference for them go to my place tonight wherever you want to eat oh well we'll lo are you going it's okay keep working I'm just tired I'm gonna go what are you talking about we're going to dinner like we always do what's the matter nothing I have a session tomorrow I just want to go home if we live together you'd be home be two
• 21:30 - 22:00 minutes of deadline okay you have a career you understand deadlines I'm the backup Sarah that's not a career it's a job you can have a great career if you really wanted it I don't know what I want anymore you too good to keep singing backup that's all I know that's not what I'm talking about I can't just keep going on like this you know waiting for you to fit me in I gotta just think about what I want so do you sorry I did not mean to get into this now hi Janine please don't go Janine wait obviously we need to talk
• 22:00 - 22:30 obviously we will talk just in one minute okay please I love them it's coming in one minute one minute god please just give me a second please just not a good time Mitch any other time I'd say okay take a few days off relax nothing you playoffs we got tennis spring training I know you want to take
• 22:30 - 23:00 some time on it to cut back from all your other jobs office do people work here I want you on the road Mitch Walker I I need to be here it's personal Oh Janine marriage thing again I could recommend a hell of a counseling we got divorced anyway yeah I just need you in Detroit need you I'm sorry about your problems but you know what the world doesn't stop okay no no no no ground I left you needing with promises we've
• 23:00 - 23:30 talked would get help as soon as I got that meanwhile Walter was right the world didn't stop guys you got time for a couple of questions guidance Sam what happened the fourth quarter Danny would you need bothering I remembered my promise to Maury but when would I find time to keep it strike wasn't about money it was never about money he had how do we miss that was about all worthless human beings my self-worth isn't being validated you're not a player you wouldn't understand
• 23:30 - 24:00 America had become a bazaar of self-help books TV shows hundred dollar an hour experts all of them with answers to the big important questions what did Maury think of that he wasn't in the self-help business he was standing on the tracks with deaths locomotive whistling toward him his mind had become a lightning rod for ideas he saw things with incredible clarity I wanted that clarity I thought
• 24:00 - 24:30 I had it once who I was what I wanted what is
• 24:30 - 25:00 you almost missed the funeral it was Mary's idea a living pure he said he didn't want to wait till he went yet for people to say nice things about him go on copy aunty I love the job a job and it loves me coffee and tea and the driver
• 25:00 - 25:30 and me a copper copper copper Cup also such beautiful things believe it or not now I want to talk all I have is a voice we know dad we know that's not me that's that's from WH Auden my favorite poll we know that too dad
• 25:30 - 26:00 all I have is a voice to undo the folded lie the lie of authority whose buildings groped the sky no one exists alone hunger allows no choice to the citizen or police we must love one another or die
• 26:00 - 26:30 we must love one another or die thank you see you soon well I know I should have called I'm
• 26:30 - 27:00 stealing time for my boss here you miss my funeral never mind you catch the next one you know saying much today wrong with silence you know what I miss spring time on campus huh that was always the best time
• 27:00 - 27:30 your professors maybe what slowly student spring meant one thing cramming for finals oh yeah a beautiful day like this we made you spend it buried in the book yeah roll down your books you have nothing to lose but your graves coach ever wish you were young again yeah I've been young I know how miserable it can be be don't push me down there aging isn't just decay you
• 27:30 - 28:00 know it's growth how come nobody ever says gee I wish I were old because this culture worships youth me I do not buy it I've had my time to be 22 this is my time to be 78 so you were never afraid of getting old oh the fear of aging you know what that reflects Mitch lives that haven't found meaning he'll a change oh hey stop here
• 28:00 - 28:30 hmm who's where I used to dance dance free no wonder they went out of business but not that kind of free oh he used to think if I couldn't dance I couldn't live sometimes I see myself dancing and I think wow oh boy I don't have ALS after all it's a big mistake
• 28:30 - 29:00 it's all part of a lovely fantasy but just for a minute fantasy is useful you can learn from it but this this is what's real I accept it but is it really that easy I mean don't you ever feel sorry for yourself oh good call you bet usually in the morning you know before
• 29:00 - 29:30 everybody gets up you're so angry so did her just what the hell did I ever do to deserve this where's the fairness what I cry and I rage I mourn and then I detach
• 29:30 - 30:00 towba that's it all over I just looked back on how I've been feeling and I say well that's self-pity and that's enough of that for today just like that you stop yeah that's all the time I give it start thinking about the day ahead you know the people that are going to come to see me the stories that I'm going to hear and all the stuff I'm going to learn like from you Mitch for me there's
• 30:00 - 30:30 a place that I've got to go now Mitch I hope you can handle it I think it offers the best of all but they don't carry it are you doing Mari you ready for a good beating pace are you ready for a beating yeah you ever get a zipper I know oh hey mrs. Schwartz
• 30:30 - 31:00 oh please call me Charlotte did he ever stop talking no it's afraid I was gonna tire him out he never gets tired if he's got friends to talk to I'm so glad you came back you were one of
• 31:00 - 31:30 his favorites you going back to work just for a couple of hours I hope you'll come again it wasn't that a great funeral today huh what I try to what is he doing how does he stay so cheerful all the time well sometimes the night's a difficult form they really are
• 31:30 - 32:00 every time Aldo works me over I feel like he's giving me an extra couple of days you like massage not really no no oh boy I revel in it it was funny some people just don't like to be touched I
• 32:00 - 32:30 always found that rather odd when were babies we live to be touched to be held cuddled by your mother comforted we never seem to get enough of that we need it so badly huh you okay yeah I cry a lot that maybe you noticed do you cry
• 32:30 - 33:00 Mitch oh this makes you uncomfortable doesn't it the crying and touching I see you look away I guess I'm just not really a touchy-feely guy and it scares you doesn't scare me yes it scares you all this does everything we're talking about death dying there is a reason why people don't talk about these things you spare people's feelings to spare people see I never have understood that how can
• 33:00 - 33:30 you spare someone's feelings by denying them oh well you got a plane no you're not the only one who has to use the commode sometimes you know is like this used to hold classes outside today is Tuesday Tuesdays I used
• 33:30 - 34:00 to hold office hours right tutorials when you'd rip apart my papers and we talked and we talked you were the first grown-up who ever talked to me who wasn't a relative and we're still talking only maybe you think what I'm talking about doesn't apply to you now you know who I forgot to ask you about your girlfriend with the beautiful name Janine yeah now am I ever gonna meet her oh I don't know coach maybe maybe you
• 34:00 - 34:30 still don't know how to say goodbye do you still come here I show you oh I'm gonna get to you one of these days boy yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah bye-bye
• 34:30 - 35:00 would you forget something when can I come back office hours are Tuesdays we're to see people mentioned
• 35:00 - 35:30 what is love anyway can anybody tell me what that word really means the temperamental US Open champ waxed philosophical as he denied he was having an affair we're not in love with just friends love is what I feel for my god and my wife took apart me there he goes again this guy's not having a good week
• 35:30 - 36:00 oh how do you guys sleep at night Hey some of them sleep with their wives
• 36:00 - 36:30 Haymitch and what did you clock out already come over and join us mutt be there in a minute premature hello hey I didn't wake you did I just wanted to hear your voice I was gonna call you I've been doing a lot of thinking yeah
• 36:30 - 37:00 so have I I don't think we should see each other anymore whoa wait a minute no no just let me say this I can't keep pretending that we're ever going to be a real couple because I know in my heart that we are never going things don't say that Jemaine Mitch this is so hard but I can't wait anymore we just don't want the same thing that's not true I love you I do and I love you but I need
• 37:00 - 37:30 more than that okay all right you please just not do this on the phone I I will get a plane I will come home now I don't yeah it's too late Janine I can't be with you anymore I'm sorry hello I mean oh hey mystery woman is sneaking around
• 37:30 - 38:00 let's go what the hell
• 38:00 - 38:30 but uh food man hey Connie hey is that Mitch must be Tuesday it's Mitch are you doing coach
• 38:30 - 39:00 you haven't eaten already cuz they got some very good stuff - yeah what do you got I got some hummus ah I got pita bread nice and warm I got apple cobbler and I got I got that tongue oh here it if you remember you don't forget
• 39:00 - 39:30 somebody eating tongue no no it's like a repressed memory it actually attacks me in the middle of the night what is that well if you're gonna keep giving me this meaning of life stuff I want to remember it I'd like your voice when I'm dead no don't say that Mitch I'm dying it's been established yeah yeah that's a pretty big machine huh must've cost you a fortune you know what this is a stupid intrusion I'm sorry I'm gonna put it away hey
• 39:30 - 40:00 you'd still don't understand I want you to remember and I want people to know my story that's a very nice machine put it back okay how do you want to hear a real tragedy I can't eat tongue anymore but I'm gonna save it maybe I should have it mounted and hang it in my study huh okay so I made a list
• 40:00 - 40:30 of subjects for you to talk about all the heavy stuff death love marriage family all of the stuff that you're scared of huh things I want to hear you talk about and you're scared of why be ashamed everybody's afraid of those things add fear to the list you don't seem to be scared I told you I have my early morning moments did you ever know anybody who was I yeah I had an uncle
• 40:30 - 41:00 Mike he was young he was more of a brother really testing testing Mike taught me football taught me music taught me how to drive used to drive around this empty lot for hours yeah he was 42 when he died cancer you never talked about it we did what people do you know we pretended nothing was wrong hmm that's actually when I gave up music when Mike died oh yeah when you grew up
• 41:00 - 41:30 and I woke up coach so I better get moving if I'm gonna make anything out of my life you've made a big success I always knew you would but you ran Jay was stopped to think about what you're running from okay what do you want to tackle first here death love what about marriage that's a good one stickball stickball yeah JV play stickball uh no kids don't play stickball anymore really I played Little
• 41:30 - 42:00 League they don't play anymore oh that's too bad stickball was won all of the slum kids played you know where I grew up Manhattan the Lower East Side a broom handle and a rubber ball was all you needed and could play anywhere this place to play was right outside the candy store my mother ran from the landlord only 25 she was sick as long as I could remember I felt if I ignored it
• 42:00 - 42:30 maybe the sickness would go away what happened to her she went to the hospital and she died there they sent us a telegram my father couldn't read English so I had to read a mystic abidor losing me idea and Fumiya
• 42:30 - 43:00 response stolen that's how I learned that my mother had died I still got the telegram it's all that's left of my mother except memories so you grew up with your
• 43:00 - 43:30 father my father he was an immigrant from Russia a very silent man he never showed what he really felt after my mother died he he'd come home from work and that when he could get work you'd never come in the house he'd stay outside read the newspaper until he knew I was asleep what was he feeling see I never know
• 43:30 - 44:00 what I seen in pain was he suffering night all I knew was that that I needed his love I needed him to hold me so I wouldn't be so afraid never got it though did you no not from him he remarried about a year later of course I resented her at first I
• 44:00 - 44:30 pushed her away she was a wonderful woman from her after I stopped being such a little smartass I finally began to get the love that I'd been missing we're about your father things get better he did something god I found very very hard to forgive he said I had a new
• 44:30 - 45:00 mother and that I should forget he wouldn't even let me talk about my mother it's like she never existed they'd help I think we should stop no I want you to hear this my father was afraid of love he couldn't give it he couldn't receive it either
• 45:00 - 45:30 maybe that's worse or a mite up we should stop letting ourselves be loved because we're too afraid of giving ourselves to someone we might lose hi Oh
• 45:30 - 46:00 where the hell are you you're supposed to be in New York for the playoffs I'll
• 46:00 - 46:30 be there tonight Walter oh hey hey what is this number have you got another TV thing goin how many jobs have you got it's got nothing to do with work I just thought that the column came first this is personal okay I just need a little bit of time you have time for everybody but me I got plenty of guys here dying to write a column what the hell is that supposed to mean think Detroit can't live without you I don't know why don't you find out you know that calm time you've got built up I strongly suggest that you take it you do whatever the hell you want to well fine I will
• 46:30 - 47:00 here we go back Connie Connie show me how to do that okay come on over here okay I've been down slide your arms
• 47:00 - 47:30 under he is like you're lifting a log okay okay well they can't help you at all yeah it has to be all you all right yeah lift okay sorry I'll get it okay all right I got you I got you okay okay oh sorry
• 47:30 - 48:00 you're right oh yeah sorry I'll get better at it thanks God don't look so sad because I'm gonna die everybody's gonna die even you but most people don't believe it they should have a bird on their shoulder that's what the Buddhists do just imagine a little bird on your shoulder and every day you say is this today I'm gonna die little bird
• 48:00 - 48:30 huh am I ready am i leading the life I want to lead it might the person that I want to be if we accept the fact that we can die at any time we lead our lives differently so every day you say is this the day one sec one sec okay go ahead you did have a bird on your shoulder you wouldn't put
• 48:30 - 49:00 off the things closest to your heart I didn't need the recorder to hear his voice anymore it was always in my mind now I thought of his helpless weight in my arms as I lifted him that frail failing body and the voice the spirit inside at its ruthless mercy
• 49:00 - 49:30 anteye whooshing past like the jet stream outside my window and not just from Laurie I'd taken Morrie's advice I put a bird on my shoulder oh yeah come on in baby let's hear back
• 49:30 - 50:00 oh hey Mitch man I see so what do you think I couldn't hear it I was outside nothing I mean her bottle going solo no more backup she can tell you we don't lay down some tracks get out of here oh yeah man she's got the voice I mean all she needs is the want to very nice baby let's say playback
• 50:00 - 50:30 where is that worn-out wish I threw this sounds great my lover can we go someplace after this I really
• 50:30 - 51:00 need to talk to you is broke up don't do this please my gosh I think it's great you're going out on your own really I'm singing that's enough for me uh so I've been seeing a lot of Maury how's he doing he's amazing when I'm with him I don't want to be anywhere else I don't even take my cell phone with me anymore that is amazing uh he's made me think about a lot of things and well he always asked about you he really wants to meet you wiII you come with me to see him next
• 51:00 - 51:30 Tuesday I want you to get to go do this how can you just blow in and expect me to come back into your life as though nothing's happened something has happened look Janine I had something to say to you and I really can't do it here we will you come home with me please I can't I'm sorry Janine come on please Maury sounds wonderful he's done something for you I can see that I wish I could have met him cuz it's
• 51:30 - 52:00 just too late Janine Janine please can we just talk for once a few months ago Sean Daly 18 a hot college prospect had a brilliant future cut too last night sports card drinking
• 52:00 - 52:30 drugs tree well you know the story if they cancel my scholarship it's like my life is over I'm dead oh yeah right Sean you're 18 you're in perfect health maybe blow a scholarship you think you're dead that your whole life left a screw up in your stupid idiot on his way home yet another night of toast again says Sean crashed his brand-new GTO jock mobile into an innocent tree Sean who managed to squeak past his SATs had no such luck
• 52:30 - 53:00 with his drug and alcohol with no daily deadlines no Janine I had lots of time on my hands I thought of more recounting his breaths what I meant to him work money ambition we bury ourselves in these things but we never stand back and say is this what I want unless somebody teaches us do we all need teachers Mitch why'd you become a teacher I needed a
• 53:00 - 53:30 job lots of jobs pay better than teacher you could have been a doctor or a lawyer I hate the sight of blood and I hate lawyers so what made you become a teacher well you think there's only one reason why we do things Hawaii because of my father your father yeah that's him yeah well he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would encourage you he didn't he tried to get me started in his trade we
• 53:30 - 54:00 do sewed fur coats together when he could find work there was this Factory the sweatshop third Street and Avenue B I still remember the address I will never forget that place it was the only work he knew when he hated but he wanted you to work in it what could he do hunger allows no choice I'd hear him
• 54:00 - 54:30 complain to my stepmother how he was cursed at belittled always pushed to do more and denied the money he had coming that was my father's world was going to be my world to accept I found out something that you do anything but that something else that's what I learned I had asthma of course they thought I was just a crybaby that I was scared well they were
• 54:30 - 55:00 right about my being scared but there was something else I made a vow that I would never do work that used people to hurt them and degraded them I was never going to make money off the sweat and pain of others sewing away Oh your father man my stepmother Ava she was just the opposite everything I loved about education I learned from her
• 55:00 - 55:30 what I call the tension of offices the tension of opposites life pulling you back and forth like a rubber band pull you one way you think that's what you want to do pull you another way I think that's what you have to do it sounds like a wrestling match well you could describe life that way so wins love love always wins you don't believe
• 55:30 - 56:00 that I don't know maybe I don't and if you looked at the news lately love's not exactly racking up the gold medals out there maybe the game is know yet what do we wait - coach can I talk to you for a second just as a friend if that's the way we always talk now why'd you stop the tape well because this is um I need little help here um I bought a
• 56:00 - 56:30 ring for Janine an engagement ring congratulations does this mean I finally get to meet her well um look I'm ready to make the plunge I really am I'm talking marriage family the whole nine everything I've been putting off up to this point basically but um okay I take her way too much for granted you know I always have I know that and I believe me I know what a selfish jerk I can be especially with my time but um you know it's what you said it's about this fear that I had of not just giving love but
• 56:30 - 57:00 receiving it and being part of something that isn't just all about me and you know living for somebody else and learning to give and she didn't like the ring well I never even got to give it to her but you loved each other yes we do a lot so if love always wins what the heck is the matter with us I could use a little
• 57:00 - 57:30 little wisdom here maybe my wisdom isn't what you need start that thing again this is our last thesis together we got to get it right we don't have a lot of time we think we don't deserve love that if we let it come in we'll become soft he had answers for all the big important
• 57:30 - 58:00 things went on me said it right said it right love is the only rational
• 58:00 - 58:30 I'll be right down thanks Lloyd I'll just be a couple of minutes I hate sports metaphors I never use them but this was a real Hail Mary the last-second desperation play I wrote a letter to Janine everything I'd never said to her including the part
• 58:30 - 59:00 where I begged her to marry me my Hail Mary hadn't worked as Tuesday neared and plenty of time to think what a stupid idea it was Mitch
• 59:00 - 59:30 Walter call me please I've got a temper so to you it goes with the job just I'm trying to tell you that yes for an eye you're going to find me a Nile is that too much that'll happen to the air conditioner Walter just wait your turn back off a big big problem
• 59:30 - 60:00 this is a No why don't you just call me because I don't know what the answer is whatever more you do that made you write that letter I want to see for myself food man's back hey how's he doing today not so good you can put the food in the kitchen and I'll go go Oh Connie hi I'd like you to meet Unni
• 60:00 - 60:30 oh hi sorry honey so many people come through that door sometimes I forget my manners very nice I need you all right let's see you take some of this stuff off this table for me please you just put it right up there you're right yeah it's gonna be fine the two people I love most are finally gonna meet each other
• 60:30 - 61:00 Oh but there's my buddy hey coach how you doing today why'd you bring today I have some grape leaves I got some pasta salad nice warm pita bread
• 61:00 - 61:30 you always bring the right things oh I brought something else with me today coach Morrie this is Janine yeah can they can I tell you something here as lovely as your name
• 61:30 - 62:00 Marie tell Janine the story you told me about the ocean the ocean well the little wave yeah we had a sweet little story see this is a little wave and he's out there bobbing up and down on having a grand old time oh just enjoying the sunshine and Alesi until it sees the other waves yeah it sees all the waves
• 62:00 - 62:30 crashing into the shore so he gets scared and another way of see him and he's like oh my god look at what's gonna happen to me does he do this to you of trying to tell a story here that's right another wave says to him why do you look so sad and the little way says because we're going to crash all US waves are gonna be nothing don't you understand and the other way of says you don't understand you're not a wave you're part
• 62:30 - 63:00 of the ocean part of the ocean that's a beautiful story okay okay thank you
• 63:00 - 63:30 my helper that one this tells me you're a wonderful singer professional well I mostly sitting back up back up yeah background you know the humming and the Ewing that makes the singer sound good but she's not really gonna do that anymore oh you don't like the humming a new Leela no just that she's gonna be the one out front now I like singing any kind yeah but let somebody else back her up I don't feel like I have to be number
• 63:30 - 64:00 one what's wrong with being number two Oh would you sing for me you know what coach everybody asked her that I'll tell you what she's recording now I'll bring a tape next time wouldn't that be nice would you excuse us for a few minutes excuse me yeah just go make some phone calls or something like that legit sure
• 64:00 - 64:30 Hey yeah please don't get up you look exhausted so is it it's really bad yeah it's getting to his lungs a couple
• 64:30 - 65:00 times there I thought we were really I lose him too damn shame he said a sweet man and I forget to do the little ordinary things that everyone ought to
• 65:00 - 65:30 do I see your face in every flower your eyes install it's just I thought of you the very thought of you
• 65:30 - 66:00 I told you there be tears Mitch doesn't believe in tears I'll get to him someday you ever gonna tell me what he talked about he told me how much he loved
• 66:00 - 66:30 dancing that's all hmm hmm mostly let me talk so many times I've heard you same never like that
• 66:30 - 67:00 um the letter I wrote I guess it wasn't the best way ring that you gave me was beautiful she gave it back to me well when you give it to me again it's like for you to do it in person
• 67:00 - 67:30 I talked to Charlotte almost daily now
• 67:30 - 68:00 she told me about the bad times that I rarely saw in our Tuesday's together now I was afraid that each Tuesday would be our last you you
• 68:00 - 68:30 he hasn't been able to eat solid food for some time now Mitch I'm sorry Charlotte I just want to bring him something yeah boy maybe I shouldn't
• 68:30 - 69:00 stay today huh oh don't be silly he's been asking for you all morning where's Mitch it's Tuesday you bring up a great deal Mitch bring him so much
• 69:00 - 69:30 vehicle hiya buddy do you ever see such rain huh I was thinking about the kids
• 69:30 - 70:00 trying to move their stuff into the dorms out of the cars it must be gettin all wet these days some of them hire people to do that for them huh they go off another latte somewhere so how you feelin coach oh I passed the landmark remember what I said about some day somebody happened to wipe my ass I'm there you're not gonna expect me to do that or
• 70:00 - 70:30 you why not you might be good at it you know the culture teaches us to be ashamed Hey it was like a boy ready huh you always start before I'm ready wait okay okay coach maybe we shouldn't work today huh you look like you should be in bed to me if you're in bed you're dead that's my latest aphorism a we're gonna
• 70:30 - 71:00 work the subject is dependency go I'm dependent on others just about everything now eating urinating blowing my nose the culture says I should be ashamed of that since when have you ever done what the culture says since never there is nothing innately shameful about being dependent what's the matter my feet this himself over there
• 71:00 - 71:30 very very useless but they heard when we're infants we need others to survive when we're dying we need others to survive but here's the secret in between we need others even more we must love
• 71:30 - 72:00 one another or die quoting Auden I'm holding you I do that a lot these days once you learn how to die you learn how to live it do you believe that does it apply to you I don't know you listen to that little bird on your shoulder you'll believe it's not that easy coach out in the world is kind of
• 72:00 - 72:30 hard to get in touch with your inner bird okay here we try being spiritual and a locker room full of naked jocks you hate that word don't you spiritual you think it's just touchy-feely stuff well I guess I just don't understand it we must love one another or die it's a very simple lesson good student like you shouldn't have any trouble
• 72:30 - 73:00 what are you thinking about thinking about regrets where you have to regret oh so much pride vanity hardness of
• 73:00 - 73:30 heart when were you ever hard-hearted I had a strange dream how I saw my father under a tree he was reading his paper as usual you know how my father died I think he was scared to death oh well it
• 73:30 - 74:00 was after I was grown up one night he was walking and reading his paper like he always did some muggers pulled a gun on him he threw his wallet down and ran now he had seen terrible things in his life why was he so scared that night he ran until his heart gave out
• 74:00 - 74:30 got a call from the police come down to the morgue and identify I looked at my father I didn't even cry I've got tears for everything nowadays but I couldn't cry for him I couldn't forgive him not then but you did too late first I had to
• 74:30 - 75:00 understand and forgive myself all those years that I shut my heart to him why couldn't I stop and see what was in his how the poor man was scared most of his life I was selfish I thought of nothing but how I needed you Oh God the waste of it all I forgive everybody everything now don't wait I won't die
• 75:00 - 75:30 like he did I'll be surrounded by love my family my friends at peace yes the tension of opposites we learn from what
• 75:30 - 76:00 hurts us as much as what loves us
• 76:00 - 76:30 right okay I've never seen your bedroom before I hope you never see it again when you're in bed you're dead yeah well
• 76:30 - 77:00 sometimes the beds just for sleeping okay how's the congestion today huh let's see what we can knock loose huh mm what are you doing what are you doing oh well he's got all this poison in his lungs and this keeps it from solidifying feel it in there Maury huh you feel it loosening is something loosening Oh my ribs Saved by the Bell
• 77:00 - 77:30 hello hey buddy its water finally got you on the phone yeah sorry I should have called look um Ginny told me about you know your friend back there should have said something anyway I'll make this short I was wrong and I'm sorry
• 77:30 - 78:00 just tell me how far I have to cry I don't know we were both wrong I'm sorry too so well will I see you in the office I can't just stop this here Richard you know yeah I'll see you in the office Walter
• 78:00 - 78:30 you show me how to do this okay with you Mari yeah it has to be hot it's the only way to break up all that with the congestion so his body can eliminate it okay nothing hotter than that harder than yeah there under the shoulder okay
• 78:30 - 79:00 good boy suppose knock it loose I always knew he wanted to hit is where that be you gave me sophomore year boy what did I ever give you baby 6:7 hey the large lessons of life
• 79:00 - 79:30 sometimes given the opportunity to learn but how do we know we're gonna be able to keep I know I will mr. album I had real excellent counseling in I've learned from my mistakes it's like I had my whole life given back to me when they dropped the drug charges yes sir let me keep my scholarship how can we ever be sure that we've learned anything though well like I said I learned my
• 79:30 - 80:00 lesson now I'm never gonna forget okay sir thanks for your time hey Shawn hope you're right man I was glad to be writing again even if it meant Walter screaming about deadlines he's being louder when I asked for two
• 80:00 - 80:30 weeks off to go to the islands I got one we made the best of it we called Maury he cried of course which I took as a sign that things were still normal when we got home I got another
• 80:30 - 81:00 day off from Walter Tuesday I told him I was gonna need all my Tuesdays for a while so I'm typing up the thesis what there is of it anyway so you might want to read it over course we're not finished yet No so I had a thought it was kind of weird way with I don't think the tape is
• 81:00 - 81:30 wrong okay so weird thought if somebody could wave a magic wand and give you one day 24 hours of perfect health how would you spend it so weird thought I said good sort
• 81:30 - 82:00 care to share it with the world hmm I'd have a lovely breakfast sweet rolls and tea a good swim I'd ask my friends for lunch great lunch but a salad or something simple and then we take a walk in a park with trees who even watch the birds and we talk about how much we
• 82:00 - 82:30 meant to each other and for dinner I'd take him to a place at a great pasta oh boy and little duck yeah I love doctor you like duck yeah and then I would dance oh I dance was my my lovely partners till I was exhausted and go I have a great sleep that's it
• 82:30 - 83:00 that's your perfect day huh that sounds pretty simple ah what about Charlotte and your sons you didn't mention them well I don't have to mention them I mean if they weren't there how could it be a perfect day oh I picked a spot to be buried on a hill under a tree it's got a
• 83:00 - 83:30 pond great place to think you planning on doing a lot of thinking there I plan on being dead there will you come and visit tell me your problems won't be quite the same not hearing you talk well I'll tell you what when I'm dead you talk I'll listen what if you know after
• 83:30 - 84:00 your huh what if all this was just what what if all this was just wasted on me well you think that could happen well now in the world you know outside this room things aren't so clear your wisdom and your half are isms once you learned how to die you learned how to live what if you can't learn that what if you just want to run like hell when
• 84:00 - 84:30 you see death coming what if we're like your father you know what if we we can't learn it because we're not really like you yeah but you are like me everybody is nobody's like you if it took your death to teach me these things then I'd rather not learn all the things you said I'd give him back in one minute if this wasn't happening to you it's happening it's it's going to happen yeah well I don't want it to happen I don't
• 84:30 - 85:00 want you to die that poem you're always quoting them we have to love one another or die we die anyway don't we we learn to love somebody and they die or we die or it dies what's the point whoa what do we learn really from all that suffering I'm sorry I just can't accept that I
• 85:00 - 85:30 don't want you to die I guess I flunked the course and death ends a life not a relationship poor still don't know how to say goodbye to you look at me don't you understand you touched me what if he has come back
• 85:30 - 86:00 to see me this is the way we say goodbye love you I love you too coach I don't know something else I'm gonna come back
• 86:00 - 86:30 next Tuesday okay brings me with me okay next course next Tuesday we Tuesday
• 86:30 - 87:00 people Maury died on a Saturday morning we got the call that afternoon he had died peacefully and simply with all his family around him just the way he wanted
• 87:00 - 87:30 Charlotte kept it small just family and friends all the ones who would have taken dancing on his perfect day mrs. Hauberg Allah was mine Khalif p.m. who oh man of course there was poetry take him and cut him out in little stars and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and worship not the garish Sun when I'm dead
• 87:30 - 88:00 you talk I'll listen it wasn't that hard to hear his voice it was Tuesday have you ever had a special teacher one who taught you things you may not understand but who never gives up who knows the really tough lessons take a lifetime to learn the last class of my old professors life took place once a week on Tuesdays the subject was the meaning of life
• 88:00 - 88:30 the teaching goes on you
• 88:30 - 89:00 you