The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride

Anna calls Murray in the morning and invites him over for breakfast, but he declines because he is modeling for a life-drawing class. Anna asks him about it. When Murray arrives at the class, he finds Jason, Tiegan, and their mothers already there waiting to draw him. Murray meets the hand model again, who introduces himself as Collins Jackson. Collins and Anna immediately like each other. The class goes better than last time; Anna draws Collins’s hands. Murray and Jason email more about Jason’s remaining wishes.

Not wanting to be alone, Murray goes to Anna’s house to play video games with Jason. Jason asks if Murray is afraid to die, but Murray is looking forward to being reunited with Jenny and his sons in heaven. Jason worries that death will be painful, and Murray struggles to reassure him. Later, Murray emails Jason and Tiegan to explain his plan: He will pick them up late at night and drive them to Chicago without telling their parents.

That Friday night, Murray goes to church. He tells Father James about his plan, and the priest advises against kidnapping children. He does not want Murray to get arrested and considers his plan to be too risky. Murray insists that he has to help Jason fulfill his wishes.

Firmly believing he is doing the right thing, Murray drives to Anna’s house. Jason sneaks out to the car, and Murray leaves Anna a note explaining everything. Murray and Jason get on each other’s nerves, but Murray starts to recognize that Jason is not as unreasonable or rude as he once thought. While they are bickering, Tiegan sneaks into the backseat of the car.

Tiegan suggests that they get moving, as they are “not exactly inconspicuous” (217) in the middle of the road. Murray is surprised that Tiegan has used a word that he does not know. He respects and admires her. After some trouble starting the car, Murray drives the two children toward Chicago.

Murray drives slowly and stops many times along the way. Tiegan asks him about his baseball career; she has looked him up on the internet and has memorized many of his statistics. Jason falls asleep as they approach Chicago, and Tiegan and Murray talk about him. They both want to help him, even though he can be irritating. Tiegan also mentions how much she loves Della. Other kids tease her about her mother’s affectionate nature, but she does not let them bother her. Murray admires Tiegan’s wisdom.

The next morning, Murray wakes up in an apartment in Chicago that the Cubs have organized for him and the kids. Tiegan is already making breakfast, but Jason is still asleep. Tiegan and Murray debate whether they should call Della to tell her where they are but choose not to. Jason wakes up, eats a big breakfast, and plays video games. He asks Tiegan to give him a moment alone to talk with Murray.

Jason asks Murray if he has ever seen anyone die. Murray has seen plenty of death, but the deaths of his wife and two sons stand out the most. He tells Jason that it is “like you lose a little part of yourself the moment they stop breathing” (235). Jason wants to plan his own funeral. He finds it difficult to function normally when he knows he might die soon. Jason and Murray reflect on how unfair it is that people sometimes die suddenly through no fault of their own.

Jason is supposed to hit his home run at 4:00 pm that day, but a sudden storm means that the field is too wet, so they must wait until tomorrow. To pass the time, the three of them ride the L train, and Murray recalls the years that he spent living in Chicago during his baseball career. Murray tries to take the children to a restaurant for dinner, but he sees their faces on the news: They have been reported missing. On their way back to the apartment, some boys tease Tiegan in the street. Jason jumps to her defense, punching one of the boys in the groin and causing him to collapse. Now that he has saved a “damsel in distress” (246), Jason feels that he has been a superhero. He has fulfilled another wish.