"President Truman'll be here tomorrow, so you folks in Dallas turn out." "This is Cowboy Rhythms on KTRN, Wichita Falls." "Here's Hank Williams' hit tune, "Cold, Cold Heart."" "You ain't ever going to amount to nothing." "Already spent a dime this morning, ain't even had breakfast." "Give me the chalk." "Why don't you comb your hair?" "It sticks up." "I'm surprised you had the nerve to show up after that stomping you took last night." "What'd you say?" "Could've been worse." "You can say that about nearly everything." "A few football teams have had some luck with tackling." "Keeps the other team from scoring so often." "Sounds too rough for me." "You don't even care if it was your last game." "You'll never get stomped for your high-school ball team again." " Where's your school spirit?" " Don't know." "You working today?" "The truck's being greased." "See, this is what I get for betting on my own hometown ball team." "I ought to have better sense." "Wouldn't hurt if you had a better hometown." "You mind pointing that at the floor till I get by?" "I don't want my eye poked out." "Don't let Billy get too far away." "You're damn more dangerous in a pool hall than you are on a football field." "You ever heard of tackling?" "Hey, Duane!" "Boy, I froze my ass last night!" "Why can't you kids learn to tackle?" "How about taking Genevieve some change, as you're going that way?" "Toss me one!" "Look, Larry, they can catch." "Feisty sons of bitches." "Wish they could tackle." "Or do something useful." "Team wasn't worth a kiss-my-ass this year." "Fade out, Crawford." "One more time." "All right, you boys." "Cut it out." "I got enough problems without you playing that game over again." "We could've run off to Mexico with this." " Play the new one we heard." " Which one?" "Down payment on breakfast." "Let somebody prosperous play the jukebox." "Nobody prosperous would eat here." " I ain't very hungry." " Well, I am." "You want the pickup first tonight?" "I oughtn't get it first every Saturday." " It's half yours." " Go ahead." " You sure?" " I'm sure." "Anyways, I got lots of deliveries to make." "And I have to go clear to Ranger." "I'll be lucky to get back for the second show." "My goodness, Sonny." "Frank oughtn't work you so late on weekends." "That's what I tell him." "You ain't got in in time to see the comedy in three weeks." "Hope you don't want popcorn, because there ain't none." "And you missed the newsreel too." "The main show's done started, so I'll just charge you 30 cents." "Thanks, Miss Mosey." "I was wondering if my daughter had deserted us, when I heard her voice." "Kay was our only daughter." "A father's not supposed to have favorites, but when it's Kay..." " You smell good." " You like it?" " What's that?" " An atomizer." "What'd you get?" "A present?" "Who from?" "Somebody." "I decided you had a wreck." "What's happened to you?" "You look different." "I do?" "You look all lit up inside." "You're not wearing your usual deadpan look." "That "How'd I get into this family?" look." "Father." "You've been taking those vitamins that Dr. Gray sent you." "That's right." "I guess I'll get me some of those vitamins." "I'll get it, Delilah." "What's the matter?" "She looks kind of queer." "Guess what?" "It's our anniversary." "We've been going steady a year tonight." "Seems like a lot longer." "You should've got me some anniversary present." "You can have another stick of gum." "That's all I got." "You can give me a dollar too." "That's how much it cost me and Marlene for the show." "What are y'all doing back here in the dark?" "He's coming for me soon." "I'll get your coffee." " Where'd the boys go?" " Ben had some date." "And Tommy went for basketball practice." "I don't see why they should get the pickup first all the time." "All they ever want to do is neck anyway." " Need some help, Jessie?" " Yeah, sure do." " So long, Sam." " Bye." " Sure did like the picture." " Well, good." "Crack your window." "Leave the motor running." "It's too cold in here." "Your hands are like ice!" "Put on my gloves." "Send me your spoon and your napkin" "Send me your coffee cup too" "What's the matter with you?" "You act plain bored." "Quit!" "You said this was our anniversary." "Let's do something different." "Well, I like that!" "You cheapskate." "Didn't get me a present, and now you want to get me pregnant." "My God, Charlene!" "It was just my hand." "One thing leads to another." "My mama told me how that old stuff goes." "We'll have plenty of time for that when we get married." "You wasn't no livelier than me." "Because you ain't good-looking enough." "You ain't even got a ducktail." "Well, anyway, I'm done late." "Let's go on home." "Some anniversary." "If that's the way you feel about it, I'd just as soon break up." "I don't want to spoil no more anniversaries for you." "That's the way nice girls get treated!" "I might have known you wasn't dependable." "You wasn't even in the backfield." "This jacket's got a hole in it, but don't ask me to sew it for you." "Give me back my pictures too." "I don't want you showing them and telling how hot I am." "You wasn't very hot." "I hope you ain't down in the mouth about Charlene." " I ain't blue about her." " She don't have a good disposition." "What are you blue about then?" "Ain't nobody to go with in this town." "Jacy's the only pretty girl in school and Duane's got her." "I'd call that his tough luck." "You don't have to eat so fast." "You ain't in a race." "Jacy'd bring you more misery than she'll ever be worth." "Did your dad give you this?" "He needs all he's got." "Wouldn't hurt you to take something from him once in a while." "I don't know." "You and Duane both in a boarding house." "Him with the mother and you with the father." "Don't seem right." "And your dad's taking too many pills, you know." "But then, I'm no one to talk." "I never did get on with Mama." "I still don't." "I hear Dan's going back to work soon." "I guess you'll be quitting before long." "We got $4000 worth of doctor bills to pay." "I will probably be making cheeseburgers for your grandkids." "I wonder what my chances are of interesting you kids in John Keats." "None at all." "Joe Bob?" "I read that poem of his about the nightingale." "And I didn't think it was so good." "Sounded like he wanted to be a nightingale." "I don't think he wanted to be a nightingale." "Maybe he just wanted to be immortal." "All you have to do to be immortal is lead a good Christian life." "Anyone can do it if they love the Lord." "Well, maybe so, Joe Bob." "Let me read you this:" ""When old age shall this generation waste" "Thou shalt remain in midst of other woe than ours" "A friend to man to whom thou sayest:" ""Beauty is truth, truth, beauty"" "That is all ye know on earth" "And all ye need to know."" "Run, you little pissants, run!" "Tough it out." "You gotta be men like the rest of us." "Ain't none of you pretty enough to be women." "Here, Joe Bob." "Quit flapping your arms." "You look like a goddamn goose." "Even for a preacher's boy, you ought to be in better shape." "What kind of female will you ever get?" "Tough it out!" "Run, you little pissants." "All right, off the court." "If you all didn't jack off so much, maybe you could stay in shape." "Come here a minute, Sonny." "You do me a favor and I'll do you one." "Sure, coach." "My old lady's got to go to the doctor tomorrow." "You know women." "Always something wrong." "I guess." "Take it from me." "Anyway, I don't have time to drive her." "Now if you'll do this for me, I'll get you out of civics class." "I'll be glad to." "That's the best offer I've had all day." "Tell her you got to get back for practice so she won't stay too long." "I've got enough bills to pay already." ""Know what the trouble is with you?" "You ain't got no school spirit."" "You need a haircut." "Come on, Jimmie Sue." "We're hungry over here too." "I'm coming, I'm coming." "Hold your horses!" "Better watch it." "Here comes your mama." "Jacy, we're having supper at home tonight." "I expect you there in 15 minutes, you hear?" "Okay, Mama." "I was just giving the boys a ride." "Here's a tune that's been on the hit list for some weeks." "Tell us the name." "Are a coming, their sails are in sight" "What is it?" " "Shrimp Boats."" " You got it!" "Very good, Thomas." "You were in on that too." "There's $120." "We're going along fine..." "Keeps us so far apart" "Why can't I free your doubtful mind?" "And melt your cold, cold heart" "Guess you hate me tonight?" "I love you, but I love Duane too." "Even if you don't like it." "I don't care." "I'd just hate to see you marry him." "You wouldn't be rich anymore." " In two months he'd..." " I don't care." "You're pretty stupid then." "You married Daddy when he was poor, and he got rich, didn't he?" "Scared your daddy into getting rich, beautiful." "If Daddy could do it, Duane could too." "Not married to you." "You're not scary enough." "You're rich and miserable." "I don't want to be like you." "Not much danger of that." "You slept with him?" "Go to the doctor sometime and arrange something so you don't have to worry about babies." "You do have to be careful." "But it's a sin, isn't it?" "You know I wouldn't do that." "Don't be so mealy-mouthed!" "I thought if you slept with him you might find out there isn't anything magic about him." "Then we can send you away to a good school..." "But I don't want to leave." "Why can't I stay and go to college in Wichita Falls?" "Because." "Everything is flat and empty here." "And nothing to do!" "Can I have some of that?" "Help yourself." "Don't you have any?" "Yeah, but I feel like smelling good right now." "Don't you ever feel like doing anything right now?" "You ought to leave your face just like that." "All you need is a little eyebrow pencil." "Okay." "Good night." "Just remember, beautiful, everything gets old if you do it often enough." "So if you want to find out about monotony real quick, marry Duane." "Hello." " Abilene, you asleep?" " No." "Feel like company?" "I thought I'd drive out, see how my well is coming." "Drill hard." "You're better at oil wells anyway." "Hello, Sonny." "What you want?" "Coach said you need a driver." "Didn't he tell you?" "No, he didn't mention it." "I thought he'd drive me himself." "I guess he just couldn't get off." "Let me just get the radio." "Is it something bad?" "No." "It's something very..." "Thank you." "Here's the keys." "I guess I'd better be getting back to school." "It was nice of you to drive me." "It beats sitting through civics, ma'am." "Wouldn't you like to come in and have a soda?" "If you can stand me for a few more minutes." "I hate these northers." "Would you prefer milk?" "Sit at the table." "Or you can go right now if you want." "I was just scared to be alone." "I'm sorry I made you come in." "I'll take a Dr. Pepper." "You'll never forgive me, I know." "Go on." "You don't have to stay any longer." "Thank you for the Dr. Pepper." "I guess you'll be glad when basketball season's over." "Why?" "Coach probably don't get to stay home much during football and basketball season." "My God, you don't know a thing about it, do you?" "You better go on to basketball practice." "Thanks for the Dr. Pepper." "Hi, Jacy." "Duane coming?" " You know Bobby Sheen, Wichita Falls?" " I met him at the country club." "He's having this midnight swimming party tonight." "You want to run over there with me later?" "I guess you heard about the last one." "His folks were gone to Miami, and everybody swam naked." "His folks are gone again, so it'll be pretty wild." "Sure wish you could come." "Bobby has great parties." "A lot of kids from the club gonna be there." "Lester, I'd like to go." "I'll have a big problem with Duane though." "Don't go off without me." "Maybe I can." "Hi, Duane." "What did Lester want?" "Oh, Lester." "He's such a bore!" " Hey, Abilene!" " What do you say, buddy?" "Hey there." "Merry Christmas!" "This is Jackie Lee French." "This is Lois Farrow, my boss's wife." "What do you mean, kissing her like that?" "I ought to slap your face!" "Well, why don't you just kiss my ass?" "I never come here to referee no fight." "Good, then come dance with me." "Get yourself a drink, honey." "I'll be back." "Hi, Ruth." "Wait for me outside." " 1000 barrels of oil a day..." "It's too hot in here." "Let's go outside." "I don't want drunks tromping on my feet." "I got something to give you." "Hi, Sonny." "Hi, Dad." "How you doing?" "Okay." "That's good." "See you." "Sure." "My Christmas present!" "I haven't had time to get you anything yet." "I haven't had a minute to shop." "Hope you like it." "I saved for six months to get it." "It's just beautiful." "It's just what I've been wanting." "You're so sweet, spending all that money on me." "You're so sexy, Duane." "I wish I didn't have to leave you tonight." "Well, you don't." "I do too." "I could just kill my mother!" "She made me promise to go to a swim party with Lester Marlow." "Because his folks are so rich." " Don't be mad." " I ain't, but goddamn it!" "It's Lester's fault." "He keeps asking Mama." "All I want to do is stay with the man I love." "No, Duane!" "I got to go." "What do you mean, asking my girl for a date?" " You turn me loose!" " I will when you're ready to fight." "Let's have it out." "Here, knock off that shit, boys." "This is the Christmas season." "Run along here, Wichita." "I can't stand here all night protecting your shoeshine." "I don't know what to do about him." "He's so crazy about me." "Nothing against Duane, but that's a roughneck for you." "They aren't sophisticated about these things." "Merry Christmas!" "Come in and let's have some punch, boys." "Hi, Sonny." "Want to help me?" "You're not dancing." "Don't you have a girlfriend?" "I did." "We broke up a couple of months ago." "Why?" "Mind my asking?" "I was going with Charlene Duggs." "She thought I got fresh with her." "I never did, really." "We broke up because we didn't like each other much to begin with." "I hope you're not sad about it." "I don't think Charlene's near nice enough for you." "I didn't see you dancing." "No, I don't dance much." "Will you drive me to the clinic again next week?" "You bet." "We better not dawdle here." "Oh, get out of here with that" "And don't come back no more" "Bobby." "Hey, look!" "New victims!" "Glad you could make it." "We're dressed informally." "You know Annie-Annie." "You want to join the club?" "Sure." "You got to get undressed out there on the diving board." "So everybody gets to watch." "We all did the first time." " That's the rule." " I did it last Easter." "Everybody out for the strip show!" "Don't pay any attention to Sandy." "He's my brother." "If he gooses you, I'll make him go to bed." "Goodness!" "I hope I don't fall off this thing." "Sandy can fish you out if you do." "Duane, been looking for you." "Where's Jacy?" "Don't remind him." "We just got him quiet." "Want a drink?" " Where'd you get it?" " Found it in a guy's car." "When he weren't looking." " Let's go do something." " Good idea!" "Why don't we hunt up some pussy?" "You wouldn't know what to do with it if we found some." "What happened?" "Lester took his girl to a swimming party." "Let's all go out and get a fuck." "I know where's a heifer." "It belongs to my Uncle Hank." "Why the hell not?" " A heifer beats nothing." " Pussy's pussy!" "I don't want no heifer." "We ought to buy Billy a piece of ass." "We oughtn't let him die a virgin." "Mama says idiot kids don't live long." "He ain't no idiot kid." "He just don't talk." "Bet he's still a virgin." "We ought to fix him up with Jimmie Sue." " It'd make no difference to Billy." " We shouldn't try anything like that." "It wouldn't cost us more than $1.50." "If that's all, we ought to get her ourselves." "Shit!" "A heifer's better than Jimmie Sue." "Get the stupid little thing in here." "I ain't got all night." "Let's get those pants off, boys." " You won't be a virgin much longer." " We're going to get you laid." "Grab on now." "Come on, do your job." "Get her, Billy-boy!" "This is the dumbest thing!" "He don't even know what to do!" "It worked for me." "Put it to her!" " Get her, Billy." " Screw it to her, boy." "Stop that yelling out there." "It ain't even in!" "Goddamn!" "Goddamn, you stupid little thing!" "Couldn't even wait." "Look at this mess!" "You okay, Billy?" "You all right?" "Well, now I know." "Idiots as bad as Mexicans." "Don't bother me no more for that crazy thing." "Wouldn't mess with him again for less than three and a half." "Which one of you bloodied his nose?" "I've told you not to fight with Billy." "He don't understand about fighting." "What happened?" " It weren't none of us, Sam." " No, it was Jimmie Sue." "Jimmie Sue?" "How'd he get messed up with her?" "We bought him a piece of ass." "Thought he was tired of being a virgin." "She got mad about something and bloodied his nose." "You boys can get on out of here." "I don't want to have no more to do with you." "Scaring a poor, unfortunate creature like Billy so you could have a few laughs." "I've been around that trashy behavior all my life." "I'm getting tired of putting up with it." "You can stay out of this pool hall, my cafe and my picture show too." "I don't want no more of your business." "We didn't mean for anything bad to happen, Sam." "You didn't even have the decency to wash his face." "We're his best customers." "He can't run us off." "Can he?" "Lucky I fell asleep." "I'd hate not being able to shoot no pool." "You sure he won't come?" "You know he won't." "He's starting basketball practice." "It's all right." "I'm sorry I cried." "Just scared, I guess." "He ain't going to come." "They're probably running plays right now." "No, not scared of that." "Scared I could never do this, I guess." "Can't seem to do anything without crying about it." "How could you like me?" "I like you." "I'm glad." "Come in." "I ain't gonna throw bottles at you." "What've you been doing?" "You lost weight." "Ain't had any of your cheeseburgers in weeks." "Come on." "I'll fix you one." "Even though that wasn't a nice thing y'all done to Billy." "Can't blame Sam." "Was that your idea?" "Duane's?" "He was there, wasn't he?" "He didn't have the decency to own up to it." "Don't worry, I won't tell on him." "I should, though." "Sure smells good." "One thing I know for sure." "You can't sneeze here without somebody offering a handkerchief." " What you mean?" " Nothing." "It's an awful small town for any kind of carrying on." "Don't forget to put onions on." "And some people got a lot of guns." "All right, you don't need my advice anyway." "Why don't you go play a record?" "These'll be done in a minute." "Just come in to say hello to Genevieve." "Food's getting cold." "What are you grinning about?" "Chicken-fry me a steak." "Try to use meat this time." "I heard about the ball game last night." "121 to 14." "Must be pretty near a record." "Sam." "I'm sorry." "I reckon y'all need glasses." "Now hold still." "Want some more cookies?" " More milk?" " I'm full." "How come you've stayed with the coach?" "You don't like him much." "I wasn't brought up to leave a husband." "I guess that's why." "Maybe I was just scared to." "I never noticed how ugly this room is." "What's your favorite color?" "I don't know." "Blue." " Maybe I'll re-paper it." " Why'd you marry him?" "I don't know." "My mother didn't like him." "Maybe that was it." "I was 20 years old." "I thought hairy-chested football coaches were about it." "I'm going to buy us a new quilt." "A blue one." "What you think he'd do if he found us?" "Shoot us, probably." "He's always glad to have an excuse to use his deer rifle." "I thought you boys wanted to fish." "Keep an eye on them corks." "I don't think there's anything in this tank except turtles." "That's what I like about it, tell you the truth." " Want to try one?" " Sure." "I never liked to clean fish or eat them either." "You spend half your time picking out bone." "I just come out here to get a little scenery." "Too pretty a day to spend in town." "You wouldn't believe how this country's changed." "First time I seen it, there wasn't a mesquite tree on it." "Or a prickly pear neither." "I used to own this land, you know." "First time I watered a horse at this tank was more than 40 years ago." "I reckon the reason I drag you out here is I'm as sentimental as the next fellow when it comes to old times." "Old times." "I brought a young lady swimming out here once more than 20 years ago." "It was after my wife had lost her mind." "And my boys was dead." "Me and this young lady was pretty wild, I guess." "In pretty deep." "We used to come here on horseback and swim with no bathing suits." "One day she wanted to swim the horses across this tank." "Kind of a crazy thing to do, but we done it anyway." "She bet me a silver dollar she could beat me across." "She did." "This old horse I was riding didn't want to take the water." "She was always looking for something to do like that." "Something wild." "I bet she's still got that silver dollar." "Whatever happened to her?" "She growed up." "She was just a girl then, really." "Let me help you with that." "Why didn't you ever marry her after your wife died?" "She was already married." "Her and her husband was young and miserable with one another like so many young married folks are." "I thought they'd change with some age but it didn't turn out that way." " Is being married always so miserable?" " Not really." "About 80 percent of the time, I guess." "We ought to go to a real fishing tank next year." "It don't do to think about things like that too much." "If she was here, I'd probably be just as crazy now as I was then in about five minutes." "Ain't that ridiculous?" "No, it ain't really." "Being crazy about a woman like her is always the right thing to do." "Being a decrepit old bag of bones, that's what's ridiculous." "Getting old." "Talk to her please, Mr. Sun" "Speak to her, Mr. Rainbow" "And take her under your branches" "Mr. Tree" "Whisper to her, Mr. Wind" "I'm glad I wasn't on fire." "I'd have burned to death before you got one button undone." "I'm going to get a drink of water." "I wondered where you went." "Annie-Annie asleep?" "Nice." "You a virgin?" "Guess I am." "Too bad." " I don't want to be, though." " I don't blame you!" "Come see me when you're not." "Why don't we just go someplace?" "I'm sick and tired of this town." " You're the only friend I got." " You mean, go and stay gone?" "No, I don't know." "Hey, we go to Mexico." "Be back sometime Monday." " Would the pickup make it?" " Yeah." "How much money you got?" "Thirty bucks." "Well, I got 40." "We can make it." "Come on!" "You guys want..." " Where are you going?" " Mexico." "Where?" "Better come with us, Sam." "We're headed for the valley." " Where did you say?" " Mexico." " It's about the wildest." " All the way down." "You going all the way to Mexico tonight in this old heap of junk?" "My God!" "Reckon the town will get along without us till Monday?" "I reckon." "If I was young enough, I'd go with you." " Need any money?" " No, we got plenty." "Well, you'd better take some for some insurance." "Take money below that border, it sort of melts." "Thanks, Sam." "Try not to drink too much of that buggy water." "We'll just drink beer and tequila." "You catch the clap, you'll wish you hadn't drunk nothing." "Oh, well." "We'll see you." "So long!" "Hey, wake up!" "We're back." "My stomach don't feel good." "Got any more Tums?" "You ate them all before we got to San Antonio." "Genevieve will have something." "My stomach don't feel so good." "Closed." "Closed?" "I ain't never seen her closed before." "No, not even for Christmas." "Maybe Sam will have something." "I'm sick." "Well, it ain't that early." "Must be some kind of holiday." "Sam don't close on holidays." "Maybe he had to go someplace." "Let's go ask Andy." " Somebody will steal the town." " Where is everybody?" "Asleep." "Everybody that's got sense." "Why'd Sam close the cafe?" "Y'all been gone, ain't you?" "Gone to Mexico." " You don't know about it." " What?" "Sam died yesterday morning." "Died?" "Quite a blow." "Keeled over one of the snooker tables, had a stroke." "Sam the Lion?" "Sam's dead." "He was quite a fellow." "He had his own way of doing things, that's for sure." "They found his will." "Craziest thing you ever heard." "He left you the pool hall, Sonny." "What do you think about that?" "He left Genevieve the cafe." "That's the only thing he done that made any sense." "Left the picture show to old Miss Mosey." "Hell, she's too far-gone to even run a popcorn machine." "And the craziest thing of all he left $1000 to Joe Bob Blanton, the preacher's boy." "Beats all I ever heard of." "He could just as easily left that to me." "I deserve it at least as much as that ignorant little bastard." "Anyhow, it's done." "They're burying him tomorrow." "Come in." "I love you too." "Oh, Duane, hurry." "What's wrong, honey?" "I don't know." "That tickles." "I can't stand to be tickled." "Aren't you going to do it?" "I don't know what's wrong." "How could anything be wrong?" "Just go on and do it." "What's the matter with you?" "I don't know." "Something's happened." "Get off a minute!" "You might fall and mash me." "I don't know what happened." "It was Mexico." "No telling what you got down there." "I hate you!" "I don't know why I ever went with you." "I don't know what happened." "Put your clothes on." "You think I want to sit around and look at you naked?" "I knew you couldn't do it." "Now I'll never not be a virgin!" "What will we say?" "The whole class knows." "I want to cry." "You're the meanest boy I ever saw." "My mother was right about you." "I don't know what happened." "Don't go out there!" "We haven't had time to do it." "I don't want one soul to know." "You better not tell!" "You just pretend it was wonderful." "I'm sorry." "I don't know what happened." "If you say that again, I'll bite you!" "Tell us about it, Jacy." "What was it like?" "I just can't describe it." "I just can't describe it in words." "Texas, our Texas" "All hail the mighty state" "Texas, our Texas" "So wonderful, so great" "Largest and grandest" "Withstanding every test" "O empire wide and glorious" "You stand supremely blessed" "Jacy?" "Jacy?" "I can do it now." "I know I can." "That you may grow In power and worth" "Throughout the ages on" "Quit prissing!" "I don't think you did it right anyway." "Come on." "It's your graduation present." "Hope you like it." "I never seen one as nice." "What's on your feeble mind?" "Same as it's been." "I want a date." "Why don't you just go back to Mexico?" "I guess girls are easier to please down there." "Just go with me one more time." "You can at least see me." "Find somebody else to pester." "Got a new boyfriend." " I can't talk to you." " Who?" "Bobby Sheen, of course." " You crazy?" " I certainly am not." "I guess I wanted to go with him all along and never realized it." "Maybe we'll see you in Wichita sometime." "Goddamn it to hell!" "I hate to see you go." "Not a goddamn thing to stay for." "Roughnecks say you can get a job in Odessa anytime." "Come on back if you don't." "You hear they busted up, let me know." "Didn't hear you." "Gene home?" "No, he and Mama went to the club." "Why are you home on a Saturday night?" "Bobbie Sheen ran off and got married." "Annie-Annie Martin." "Want me to turn the TV off?" "No, I'm going to play pool." "Tell your dad that well came in okay." "I wish I could go to the pool hall." "I've always wanted to." "It's terrible, the things girls aren't allowed to do." "Well, hell, come on." "I'll show you the pool hall." "Aren't there people there?" "If there are, they'll be in back asleep now." "Won't bother us." "Got my own key." "Okay, I will then." "Goodness, it sure is dark in here." "What a night!" "I never thought this would happen." "How about hopping out?" "He's just awful!" "Why do you fool with him?" " Daddy's nicer than him, isn't he?" " He sure is, beautiful." "Your daddy's a very nice man." "I ought to give Abilene hell instead of him." "Bobby was the last one." "I'm just going to be an old maid." "That's just the way it goes." "You win a few, you lose a few." "What do you do?" "Nothing's ever the way it's supposed to be." "You're right." "Come on." "I want to tell you what I've done has not worked out too well." "I think maybe we better think of something else for you." "I guess Ruth Popper's got about as good a setup as anyone." "Why, sure." "Sonny's reasonably good-looking and he's young." "Don't you know?" "It's been going on about six months." " I thought you kids knew everything." " That's silly!" "She's 40 years old." "So am I, honey." "It's kind of an itchy age." "Want an orange?" "I don't believe it." "Sonny's always wanted to go with me." "Pretty easy shot, sheriff." "Sheriff, we got trouble." "Goddamn you, Monroe!" "You made me scratch." "Sorry, Sheriff, but Johnny Clarg's little girl's been kidnapped." "They say the preacher's boy put her in his car two hours ago." "What the hell?" "Maybe Joe Bob just give her a ride home." "Be doing her a favor in this hot weather." "Who'd want to kidnap Molly Clarg?" "I just know she's not home." "They was seen headed toward Olney." "Mrs. Clarg's afraid that Joe Bob might be going to molest her or something." "You and some of these boys come with us." "If that's the way it is, no telling what we'll find." "Molly!" "Get him!" "Ain't you going to?" "Here's my little girl." "He's the one that done it." "Why don't you get him?" "If my husband was here, he'd kill him dead." "What'd you do to that child?" "We know you done something." "Come on." "Filthy!" "Here now, grab her." "None of this goddamn frenzy." "It's the Lord's justice, son." "You'll suffer with the murderer and the thief." "Sonny, drive that Plymouth to town." "We got to get this man to jail." " Doctor said he didn't do nothing." " Never had the guts." "Sheriff figured he done something." "Isn't it terrible, Sonny?" "Did you see anything?" "Weren't nothing to see except Mrs. Clarg." "If she had a gun, she might have killed us all." "Joe Bob didn't do nothing." "He must've done something." "It scares me to death." "Never can tell when something terrible is going to happen." "It's okay." "They got him now." "I called you before." "You did?" "I felt lonesome." "Thought you might want to drive around." "Well, I'm supposed to be someplace." "I'm still a little scared." "Please take me riding." "Where will we drive?" "Ever hear from Duane?" "Got a postcard." "I really feel sad about that." "He's making 320 a month." "Said he bought a car." "I'll always be a little in love with Duane." "We had too much against us." "It wasn't easy being the one to break up." "What?" "Not here." "I'm too old for screwing in cars." "I don't like to hurry." "Why don't we go to Wichita and get a motel room?" "I'm afraid to." "My folks are watching me." "They know I don't want to go to college." "They might think we'll run off and get married." "We'll do it when it's safe." "We got all summer." "Hey, buddy!" "You turned roughneck." "Got to make a living so I can keep the pool hall open." "When did you get in?" "About 2." "I thought I'd surprise you." "Is this yours?" "How about that?" "38,000 miles and she runs like new." " Do you want a beer?" " Not me." "That's all I eat for breakfast anymore." "Sure is a nice car." "I like to drive it so much, I thought I'd just drop home for the weekend." "You can't take too good care of a car like this." "I wash her every week." "It looks great." "Hear about Joe Bob?" "I always knew he was crazy." "He didn't do nothing but get her to take her underpants off." "He's out of jail now." "Are you still screwing that old lady?" "No." "Yeah." "I've been kind of busy." "I seen old Leroy last week." "Said you and Jacy been going together." "We have, a little." "She's been bored, so sometimes we go eat Mexican food." "I hear that ain't all you been eating." "Whoever told you that don't know what he's talking about." "I been going with her." "Why not?" "I never said I blamed you for it." "I never thought you'd do that." "I thought we was friends." "We are." "What you so mad for?" "I never done nothing." "Screwing my girl ain't nothing?" "I ain't." " Hell, you ain't!" " Well, I ain't." " She's not your girl." " She is!" "You don't even live here anymore." "That don't make no difference!" "I'm getting her back." "She'll marry me someday." " She won't." " We're meant to get married." "She's off to college soon." "I doubt I'll get to go with her myself, once she gets off." "I never saw what it could hurt to go with her this summer." " She'll never marry you." " Don't tell me she won't!" "She'd never let you screw her." "I was just seeing how honest you was." "Jacy'd never let you screw her." "You ain't that good a cocksman." "You never even screwed Charlene all that time." "Course I didn't!" "You know why?" "Because you had the pickup all the time Saturday night." "Nobody could've screwed in the time I had." "I could've screwed her in five minutes." "I wouldn't need no pickup." "She only went with you because you was in the backfield and I was in the line." "What you talking about?" "We was in love." "You was." "She likes me as much as she ever liked you." "That's a lie." "I'll stay with her all night too." " She promised." " You won't." "Why shouldn't I?" "She told me you couldn't do it that time in Wichita Falls." "What happened?" "There's a lady in the waiting room." "She sent you this." "Could you tell her I'm asleep?" "Please?" "All right." "That too cold?" "No, it's great." "I hear Duane joined the Army." "Good place for him too." "He didn't mean to hit me with the bottle." "That boy's always had meanness in him." "Jacy's the kind of girl that brings out the meanness in a man." "She's just like her grandmother." "I hadn't ought to talk about them." "We was all good friends once." "Dan roughnecked with Gene Farrow." "He and Lois used to live in this one-room place over the newspaper office." "Lois couldn't afford a flour sack, much less a mink." "I've always had a soft spot for her, though." "I wondered a lot of times what would've happened if my Dan had made the strikes that Gene made." "They offered that rig to him first." "Dan Morgan never took a chance in his life." "Do you wish y'all had made it?" "Sure, I wish we'd made it." "I guess the Army won't take me now, I just got one good eye." "You want to go to Korea and get killed?" "You ain't got your senses back yet." "What few you ever had." "The cafe won't run itself." "You rest up now." "Here's for the cheeseburger." "I'll bring your change when I bring your supper." "Come on in." "I was so worried." "I just had to see you." "I've been missing you." "And I'm a lot better than I was." "Here, sit down." "You can't believe how famous we are." "We're all anybody talks about." "Yeah, I guess so." "I want us to get married." "I really do." "Get married?" "As soon as you want to." "Don't you want to?" "The town will be knocked for a loop." "They'll never forget it." "Ain't you going to college?" "I don't care." "I love you, and that's more important." "You were so dear to fight for me." "My folks won't like it but we'll run off." " They'll kill us." " No, they won't." " They'll kill me." " They'll get over it." "You're working for Daddy now anyway." "Pretty soon, they'll love you just as much as I do." "Can we?" "Sure, I just hope I can see to drive." "Don't you worry." "I can drive." "Don't do that, Sonny." "Why not?" "We're man and wife now." "We can do anything." "Not while I'm driving." "I might have a wreck." "Wouldn't it be awful if Mama and Daddy got the police after us?" " They don't even know where we are." " I had to leave them a note." "So they wouldn't be worried out of their mind." "You shouldn't have done that." "I figured they'd have to know sometime." "Well, what could they get us for?" "We got a right to get married." "Ain't we?" "I guess so." "I wish you didn't have that stupid eye patch." "It's really creepy." "I can take it off pretty soon." "About two hours will be Lake Texoma." "Have a room to ourself." "My goodness!" "You're sitting so close, I can barely drive." "Oh, goodness." " What part of Texas y'all from?" " Anarene." "Newlyweds, ain't you?" "Y'all better follow me in." "Somebody's looking for you." "We got a right to get married." "How can you arrest us?" "I ain't arresting you." "I just want you to come with me." "I don't know what your rights are." "I guess we better follow him." "I'll be heartbroken if my folks have done this." "You think I worked hard so my daughter'd end up in a pool hall?" " We was going to get an apartment." " I'll bet!" "Where are your car keys?" "It's a hell of a note!" " Shut up and take her home." " You bet I will!" "You take her car." "As far as I'm concerned, he can walk!" "Not much of a wedding night, huh?" "Not much of one." "Have a little drink of bourbon." "It'll pick you up." "Take all of it." "I'm going to drive." "You won't believe this but you're lucky we got you clear of her quick as we did." "You'd have been better off staying with Ruth Popper." "Does everybody know about that?" "Course!" "Sounded like a good deal to me." "Shouldn't let Jacy turn your head." "Well, she's prettier." "I guess I shouldn't have, though." "I guess I treated her terrible." "Guess you did." "Sure weren't out of Texas very long." "Oklahoma's not much of an improvement." "It's not the same now." "Nothing's really been right since Sam the Lion died." "No, it hasn't." "Oh, God." "I get sad if I think of Sam for long." "Did you know he had beautiful hands?" "I guess you liked him, didn't you?" "I guess everybody did." "Well, I'll tell you, it was different with me." "I loved him." "He loved me too." "Are you the one he'd take swimming out at the tank?" "He told you about that?" "Yeah, I was the one." "I guess if it wasn't for Sam I'd just about have missed it." "Whatever it is." "I'd have been one of them amity types that thinks that playing bridge is the best that life has to offer." "Old Sam the Lion." "Nobody knows where he got that name." "I gave it to him." "One night it just came to me." "He was so pleased." "I was 22 years old then." "Can you imagine?" "It's terrible to only meet one man in life that knows what you're worth." "Just terrible." "I've looked too." "You wouldn't believe how I've looked." "Well, now I know why Sam liked you." "Loved me." "Loved you, I mean." "Do you?" "I can kind of see what he saw in you too." "Nope." "I'll just go on home." "Go on." "Get out." "Think I could learn to drink?" "You might." "Better keep on practicing." "That Logan boy's a quarterback, ain't he?" "Boy, we've finally got us a team!" "Didn't back in your day, did they?" "No, we wasn't much good." "You just never learned the fundamentals." "You know, blocking and tackling." "Not like this team." " When was it you graduated?" " Last year." "You don't mean it." "Seems longer than that since you and Duane played ball." "I seen Duane a while ago." "He's home on leave, wearing his uniform." "I ain't seen him yet." " How are you, Chester?" " Fine, coach." "See if we can't stretch that goddamn thing a little." "You know a man never ought to cheat, unless it's for a good cause." "He's a good old boy, ain't he?" "Anarene High School We love you" "Love you Oh so grand" "We will always be so loyal" "Loyal to the end" "Whether in defeat or victory" "We will e'er be true" "Hi, Mrs. Jackson." "Duane here?" "That's his car out there, ain't it?" "He's here if he ain't walked off." "Hi, how you been?" "Pretty good." "I been thinking all week that I'd run into you." "I heard you was going off to Korea." "Thought I'd get over here and see you before you got off." "Glad you did." "I'm taking the bus in the morning." "Want to go to the picture show?" "Miss Mosey has to close it." "Tonight's the last night." "Yeah, might as well go." "Hate to miss the last night." "Take the Mercury." "Be the last chance I'll have to drive it for a while." "Ready, Matthew?" "All ready." "Take them to Missouri, Matt." "That was a good movie." "Seen it here before once." "Why don't we run over to Wichita and drink a little beer?" "Okay." "I got lots of time till morning." "Sure." "So long, Miss Mosey." "Sorry you're closing the show." "Nobody wants to come to shows no more." "Kid baseball in the summer, television all the time." "Sam had lived, we could have kept it going." "But I just didn't have the know-how." "Won't be much to do with the picture show closed." "Well, so long." "You watch out now, overseas." "Sure weren't no women around." "I guess the next piece of ass I get will be yellow." "I wish I was going with you." "Why don't you take care of the car for me?" "Your ma don't need it?" "I wouldn't want her driving it." "You might help her take the groceries home sometimes." "You ever..." "You ever hear from Jacy?" "No, not a thing." "She don't get home much." "Ain't been back to town since August." "I guess she stays in Dallas all the time." "Yeah, probably does." "I guess there's lots to do in Dallas." "I ain't over her yet, you know." "I ain't over her yet." "It's the damnedest thing." "That's the only reason you and I got into it that time, you know." "Reckon she likes Dallas?" "Hard to say." "Maybe she does." "Reckon you and her would've got it straighted out if I hadn't butted in?" "No, they'd have annulled me too, even if we had." "Y'all never even got into the motel?" "Better get on before we both freeze." "Here are the keys." "So long, buddy." "Be careful." "I'll take care of the Mercury." "See you in a year or two if I don't get shot." "The sand was blowing." "I never noticed him." "Figured nobody'd be in the street." "What was he doing out there?" "He weren't doing nothing." "Just a simple-minded kid." " Never had no sense." " Wasn't your fault." "Hell, no!" "I can see that." "Just a dumb kid." "Didn't know enough to keep out of the cold." "Let's go to the cafe." "Ain't had breakfast." "I'd like to know what he was doing with that broom." "He was sweeping, you sons of bitches!" "He was sweeping!" "Y'all got some crazy kids in this town." "Could I have a cup of coffee with you?" "I guess." "I'm sorry." "I'm still in my bathrobe." "What am I doing apologizing to you?" "Why am I always apologizing to you, you little bastard?" "!" "Three months I've apologized to you without you even here!" "I haven't done anything wrong!" "Why can't I quit apologizing?" "!" "You ought to be sorry!" "I wouldn't be in my bathrobe if not for you." "I'd have my clothes on." "You're the one made me quit caring if I got dressed or not!" "Just because your friend got killed you want me to forget what you did and make it all right." "I'm not sorry for you." "You'd have left Billy, just like you left me." "I bet you left him plenty of nights, whenever Jacy whistled." "I wouldn't treat a dog that way." "You thought I was so old and ugly, you didn't owe me any explanation." "You didn't need to be careful of me." "There was nothing I could do, so why be careful of me?" "You didn't love me." "Look at me." "Can't you even look at me?" "See?" "Shouldn't have come here." "I'm around that corner now." "You've ruined it." "It's lost completely." "Just your needing me won't make it come back." "Never you mind, honey." "Never you mind." "{{{the end}}}"