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The Beginning
Ben Wolf is told he has one year to live. Dr. Wagner tries to convince Ben to get treatment, but Ben decides to live year fully, and as healthy as he can and chooses to refuse treatment. -
Period: to
Dan's Senior Year
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Football Team
Even though he is an avid runner, he decides this year, with nothing to lose, he will try ot ofr the football team. Coach Banks is surprised to see the star player's brother tyr out to the team but his attempts to change Ben's mind are to no avail. -
The Compromise
As a compromise with his Doctor, Ben agrees to meet with Marla Dawson. Ben meets with her and explains that he's joined the football team and is making these choices because "I need something that grips my attentio tighter than reality." -
His First Project
Ben gives Rudy McCoy (the town drunk) a bag of supplements to take to help him feel better and kick hs habit. At this time, Ruby and Ben begin a slowly devleoping, but honest friendship. -
The BIG Date
Dallas, Ben's high school crush, SURPRISES Ben by asing him out on a date! She explains the purpose of the date is to because she is writing a profile on "the 123 pound human to turn out in a football helmet." She ends the date by asing him to go to Homecoming with her. -
Top Five Stranget Things
"And then one of the top five strangest things happened this year, which is saying something when you consider a doctor told me I was dying. Dallas Suzuki asked me to Homecoming and took me to heaven then sent me on my way." -
I was a....
Ruby admits, accidentally, that he was a priest, but refuses to continue the story at this tme. -
The BIG Day.... Well Almost
It's the homecoming game, and Ben is enjoying the experience from the sideline, until his talent is needed on the field. He completes the winning pass and his team wins the game. However Ben finds himself more excited about the homecoming DANCE with Dallas than the homecoming GAME with his teammates. -
Malcolm X
Ben designs his project for Mr. Lambert's class: He is going to follow the prescribed political process to persuade the City Council to name one of his city's streets after Malcom X. From the beginning, Mr. Lambert was against this project proposal. Ben belives that "even though we live in Podunk, Idaho... doesn't mean we're not going to get confronted with (racisim) wehn we get out in teh world." "_________" -
No More.
Marla can no longer work with Ben. "It hurts too much to talk to Ben... it's not his fault" -
BSU
Ben and his team go to Boise State University for the second to last football game of the season. His team lost, but, regardless, Ben "Had his season." -
The Truth
Dallas confides in Ben the truth about John Henry. After the conversation, Dallas asked him if he was going to run. His response: "I'll be around, unless I get hit by a truck or something." At this point, Ben realizes his feelings are extremely deep for Dallas. -
Temptations
Rudy starts drinking again, and tells Ben his heartbreaking life story filled with mistakes while he was a priest. -
This must Stop
Mr. Lamber puts a stop to Ben's project. Ben claimed he "justed wanted the best out of his education" but unfortunately he will be challenged to complete his project with Mr. Lamber's restrictions. -
The truth.
Ben begins to tell those close to him the truth. First he told Rudy, then Coach, and finlally Dallas. In telling the truth, Ben realizes that "this is about me and everyone I touch." He realizes that his illness doesn't just effect him; it effects everyone around him too. -
Dallas
Dallas, however, is very upset and hurt that Ben was not truthful to her from the beginning of their friendship. After being hurt by her uncle, and being distanced from her mother, Dallas was upset that Ben had not trusted her with the truth. She tells Ben to leave, and doesn't want to talk to him anymore. -
His Brother
Ben finally talks to his brother Cody about his illness, and Cody is understandably upset that he didn't talk to him from the beginning. Their bond as brothers is strong, and you can tell how hurt he was for not knowing sooner. -
The Unfortunate Discovery
Ben goes to talk to Rudy early one morning, only to discover that Rudy has committed suicide. Ben is left a letter from Rudy where he explained that "I'm sorry, but I can't do it. I know you could have kept me safe aoround you... but I couldn't go on living wih this thing inside me." -
Lots of Time
Through all the events that have happened to him so far this year, Ben realized that "just because I don't have lots of time, it doesn't mean there isn't lots of time." -
Blurts
After being frustrated in Mr. Lamber's class because he is presented with roadblaock after roadblock in regards to his project plan, Ben blurts out he is dying in from of his whole class. -
Continued silence
Dallas continues to ignore Ben. -
Unexpected Accident
Sooner, one of Ben's teammates, is killed in a car accident. Ben realizes after this event that "none of us will ever be too old to die young." -
Rough Patches
Ben has his good days, and bad, but the illness is beginning to wear him down. He continues to have more tough days, and he struggles to do things he once did easily: running, staying awake, focusing... hsi strength is beginning to decline. -
Visitors
Once confined to staying at home, Ben receives visits from several people he wasn't sure if he would see again: Marla and Dallas.
Dallas tries to apologize to him, but he stops her. " Stop. I'll do the apologizing here... If I'd told you the truth, everything would have been fine. That's what I want to take out of here." -
Graduation
Reading from his Brother's speech, Cody reads Ben's graduation speech. "I performed a kind of forced experiment this year; one I wouldn't have chosen. Last year, Doc told me I had a potentially terminal disease and tht I should starrt treatment right away... Because I wanted that year to be 'normal,' I chose to tell no one. That was a big mistake. If you don't learn anything else from my death, learn to tell the truth."
