TRIP OUT
Chesty Whitman doesn't have long to live. His dying wish? To take shrooms with his Dad.
His days are numbered. His wife and family try their best to comfort him as he approaches the end, but Chesty's only real wish is to do something he's always dreamed of: taking a psychedelic trip with his dad, a Marine Corps veteran who doesn't believe in that kind of crap.
His main desire is to bridge the communication gap between him and his old man, and to finally bond as they never could before. But Chesty also relishes the idea of a psychedelic 'D-Day' for his closed-minded dad. Mr. Whitman eventually agrees to do it, partly out of curiosity, partly because the request amounts to a challenge for the old soldier.
Chesty's plan is for them to eat the mushrooms on Saturday after midnight, and simply hang out at Mom and Dad's place, just the two of them. When it happens, their familiar roles as war veteran-disciplinarian and troubled son are dissolved. The two men take equal turns as innocent observer and sage advisor in the new reality. They trip hard, and laugh hard. They cry over the flavor of tomatoes. As the night progresses, they experience real empathy for each other and maudlin epiphanies of joy and understanding...They sit outside in the summer breeze under the stars late at night. Then Chesty suggests a bicycle ride, so they hop on some old bikes and take a spin through the residential streets at 3 a.m.
Accidents happen, but not to the bicyclists. Their memorable nighttime bike ride is cut short by news of Chesty's son's ambulance trip. Things change tone as the bad news sets in, and after going to the hospital to be at his son's side, Chesty's own illness comes to a head.
In the end, the trip becomes for Mr. Whitman Sr. a terribly important one as he deals with his own mortality and shifting world view, and comes to peace with the passing of his son.
His main desire is to bridge the communication gap between him and his old man, and to finally bond as they never could before. But Chesty also relishes the idea of a psychedelic 'D-Day' for his closed-minded dad. Mr. Whitman eventually agrees to do it, partly out of curiosity, partly because the request amounts to a challenge for the old soldier.
Chesty's plan is for them to eat the mushrooms on Saturday after midnight, and simply hang out at Mom and Dad's place, just the two of them. When it happens, their familiar roles as war veteran-disciplinarian and troubled son are dissolved. The two men take equal turns as innocent observer and sage advisor in the new reality. They trip hard, and laugh hard. They cry over the flavor of tomatoes. As the night progresses, they experience real empathy for each other and maudlin epiphanies of joy and understanding...They sit outside in the summer breeze under the stars late at night. Then Chesty suggests a bicycle ride, so they hop on some old bikes and take a spin through the residential streets at 3 a.m.
Accidents happen, but not to the bicyclists. Their memorable nighttime bike ride is cut short by news of Chesty's son's ambulance trip. Things change tone as the bad news sets in, and after going to the hospital to be at his son's side, Chesty's own illness comes to a head.
In the end, the trip becomes for Mr. Whitman Sr. a terribly important one as he deals with his own mortality and shifting world view, and comes to peace with the passing of his son.
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