"Pop?" "Pop?" "Oh." "Friends, the hardest thing we face today is simply to be somebody." "Pop!" "To stand up and be counted as something." "To be known, by friend and foe alike," "As a man, woman or child, with the courage to hold our head high in the name of what we believe in." "Brothers and sisters in Christ," "Every day I see the power of Almighty God... manifest in the strength of my strong army of soldiers for Jesus." "Pop!" "These men and women join me and my great crusade... across this great state... doing battle with Satan, who each and every day claims more souls." "Come join our army of courageous soldiers." "Give the strength of your good hearts... to the cause of glory here and ever after." "In the name of him, who no army can defeat, no power can topple," "Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior." "oh, Pop." "We'll be visiting your town and you can help us get there." "Ahh." "I thought I told you to water them chickens." "I did." "Well, then how come their trough is as dry as a desert?" "Your own Christian love..." "Lose them chickens, I don't see how you expect to put food on the table." "Send your contributions to campaign for Christ, post office box 796..." "Do I gotta listen to that thing while I'm trying to eat?" "In whom the go..." "Well, as of this minute, you people are eighth graders." "What are you waiting for?" "class dismissed." " Bye." " Bye, Miss Lawson." "Bye." "Bye." "Gemma?" "I made you a little something." "It's nothing really..." "Just for doing so good in your studies." "For always raising your hand when I needed help with something." " Needle point?" " Crocheting." " A bookmark." " Thank you." "Bye, Gemma." "I'll see you next year." "Bye, Gemma." "Bye, Gemma." "Hey, come on, girl!" "I've been waiting here half the afternoon." "Bye, Miss Cole." "Thank you. mm-hmm." "Yoo-hoo." "Howdy, Homer." "I hope you wasn't trying anything dumb." "Like what?" "Like I don't know." "But I saw you putting your big ol' foot in that door." "If she didn't need 'em, she wouldn't have ordered 'em." "Yes, she would." "It's called railroading'." "Miss Cole's gonna be taking two dozen next week." "Coles ain't had more than a dozen in all the years I've been bringing them eggs." "I think Miss Cole's been wantin'a little old man to carry her to the ball this year." "Listen." "I've known Miss Cole too long, too many years... to start thinking of her thataway, I can tell ya." "Why, she's the fattest ol' girl in town." "Yeah, well, she'd call you up If you had a phone." "# When nothing else could help #" "I was thinking you was my neighbor woman." "You don't know who I am." "'Course you don't." "I know you." "You don't look like any of them pictures we got." "But I know you." "Where is he?" "Out back." "My god." "I hope I don't look like them pictures anymore." "I hope I've been doing somethin' right." "Pop told me you had brown hair like mine." "Shoot." "Shoot, maybe it was." "I can't remember." "He be, uh, coming to the house soon?" "Maybe." "Gemma..." "Gemma." "I'm your mama." "Baby, I can't stay long." "I've got to be getting back to Fort Worth." "That's where I'm living now, baby." "In Fort Worth." "Pop says they got different water fountains there for the colored people." "Did he now?" "Well, it figures that's what he'd be saying." "He don't know nothing." "He must have heard something about that 30 years ago." "That's all he remembers." "Do they?" "He don't know what they got." "Anyway," "I reckon I best be gettin' over there, tell him I'm here." "Sooner we get that over with and put your things together, sooner we'll get going, huh?" "Hey!" "Hey, where do you think you're going?" "See there." "That isn't any way for a young lady to be standing." " You look like a farmhand." " Well, that's what I am." "Oh, no, you're not." "You're Juanelle King's daughter." "And you ain't gonna start off your life as some hick." "I done started my life, and I ain't goin' nowhere." "Gemma..." "Gemma, I haven't been able to come for you yet because I..." "I had to have..." "I needed more than just some room somewhere." "I had to have..." "have me a home." "Well, I got me a home." "I had me one for 13 years." "Right here." "I know you got a home." "I was the one that brought you to it." "You still have all them chickens?" "He wants somebody to do his dirty work." "Believe you me, I know." "Did the same thing with my mama, till she had sense enough to leave." "And she just got out." "Baby, when I was 15," "I hurt so bad." "I thought I was sure to die in my sleep." " I don't want that happening to you." " Well, it ain't." "You don't know yet." "You just don't know." "Hell with it. now I just want you to go inside and get your things together..." "Hey, Gemma." "I ain't leaving'." "I got all I need here." "You're just as hardheaded as he is." "I don't want him finding you here." "No skin off my nose." "Whoo!" "Just like him." "You know it?" "You're just like him." "Here." "Send me a Christmas card." "Pop, how come I go by Dillard if my daddy's name was Monroe?" "do I have the Monroe forehead?" "Pop, we have to get going." " hey, hush." "you're scaring my fish." "Bob and Doreen are probably wondering what happened to me." "hey, Gemma." "I got 'Im, Gemma." "do it yourself." "yeah. ho-ho." "yeah." "Lookee here." "Lookee here." "oh." "hey!" "come on." "h-help me get another grasshopper on this hook." "come on." "and just how you expect to get home?" "you see that lightning?" "all right." "all right, all right." "you gotta get those headlights fixed." "you're gonna have to ride up front on the hood." "all right." "Let me have the flashlight." "see, we'd have been stuck by lightning if we'd stayed." "you just watch yourself." "I'm late for church, pop." "I'm driving there first." "oh, no, you're not." "you're gonna take me straight home." "you can sit through the service." "It wouldn't hurt." "I'm tellin' you, girl." "you get in there and drive me to the farm." "but, pop." "just take it slow so you don't bounce me off." "come on." "drive." "hey, take it easy!" "you'll tuck me over." "you fathers must not goad your children to resent me." "but must give 'em instruction and the correction which belongs to a Christian upbringing." "hey!" "hey!" "take it easy!" "I'm going to church." "# stop this car!" "# hey!" "watch it!" "ahh-haw!" "whoa!" "oh!" "oh!" "you're gonna get it, girl." "you're gonna get it!" "Gemma!" "Gemma, come here." "I told you to take me home!" "stop!" "damn it!" "come on!" "come on." "I'll tan your hide." "that was real pretty, Beecham." "how do, Homer?" "# don't put that thing in your mouth!" "#" "seen you a couple nights ago over there at the church." "but I reckon you didn't see me." "have a good day, Beecham." "nice setting' with you, Gemma." "all right." "see you sunday, and bring your harmonica." "sure enough." "Homer, 'member them songs you and me used to play together?" "we sure was good." "now, let's go." "I got ice cream melting." "I didn't know you had a harmonica." " still got it?" " I don't want you messing with him." "what would people think If they saw you sitting In a parked car like that?" "he plays dominoes with me." "what?" "down at the church, sunday nights." "he's one of god's children Like you." "besides, you and him was friends when you was little." "hmm." "youwas." "h-he told me y'all used to go fishing... and hoed cotton." "how come you didn't stay friends?" "times change." "'cause he was-- now listen." "you could pick the ones you're gonna go through this life with." "It's plain common sense to see that some are better than others." "I didn't pick you." "well, girlie, I didn't pick you neither." "well, go on." "aw, you ain't never gonna learn to play that thing..." "If you're scared of it." "here, give it to me." "sit down." "now that there was "billy boy."" "you know, sometimes they'd ask me to play at their square dances." "Is that where you and Beecham used to play?" "they, uh, had dances every month back then." "yeah, all leading' up to the twilight harvest ball." "oh, your grandma sure did love to go to that one." "made, uh, her and me king and queen of the whole shebang one year." "you?" "Beecham don't know nothing about square dancing." "them people was never allowed." "I" "I got an idea." "I'm gonna show you how we did it." "Let's go out here where we got some room." "what?" "now you stand right over here." "see, uh, here we are." "now this place-- you start right there." "where you're startin' from, they call that "home."" "all right." "yeah, now, first thing you do, "honor your partner."" "ah, I bow to you, you curtsy to me." "you know how to curtsy?" "put your left foot back and bend your knee." "that's it." "and I bow to you." "now, when they call "do-si-do,"" "you put your right shoulder to right shoulder, all right, back to back." "circle around." "that's it." "and come back home." "now when they say "promenade," give me your right hand," "Left hand under, that's right, and we do a little walk right around here." "promenade, promenade, promenade till we get... home." "when they say, "swing your partner,"" "put your left hand on my shoulder, that's it." "all right-- one, two, three, four." "one, two, three, four-- home." "now, that's good." "gonna put some music on here." "ah, square your sets with a smile on your face." "everybody dance right in your place." "honor your partner." "and the lady to your left." "all join hands and you circle left." "circle left, all the way around, tom and billy." "then you come home." "and you swing yours and leave mine alone." "everybody swing." "tom and billy-- one, two, three, four." "and then we promenade." "promenade." "promenade." "you come home." "swing that lady." "# # and cannot leave her mother yeah. well, ain't that somethin', huh?" "well, comin' back." "ain't nothin' hard about it." "boy, it's been a long time, but it's comin' back." "now that, that what we just did, that was called square dancing." "whew." "and don't forget, It was me who taught you." "# charming billy # # for she's a young thing and cannot leave her mother #" "I called everybody down there at the church." "I think I hear him down here!" "bubba, get off there before you break your neck." "there must be ten feet of garbage. how do you expect to hear through that?" "what happened?" "ol' Beecham never could do nothing right." "what happened?" "Beecham, where is he?" " maybe I ought to go fetch my tractor." " no, we got to do this by hand." "a tractor'd crush the daylights out of him, if they ain't crushed out already." "Gemma, now let's-- let's wait!" "Let's get organized." "watch where you step." "y'all found him yet?" "Is he dead?" "I didn't see him standing there. he might have." "he's always out here." "but I didn't see him till it was too late." "we pushed the switch before we saw him!" "he was standing down here with all that junk around him, reading the back of a dumb ol' cereal box." "Beecham can't read." "next thing I know, right out of nowhere, a ton of trash comes right down on him." "what do you mean, "out of nowhere?" It came right out the back end of your truck." "Doreen, it's Beecham!" "I know, honey. we was just settin' out the cover-dish supper when Bob called." "Jordan, come help." "they covered Beecham!" "oh, bad luck, go away." "I didn't know anybody was in here." "we sure do enjoy having Gemma at the church." "yeah?" "well, why don't you keep her?" "Gemma Dillard, your granddaddy's gonna have a fit when he sees how black your hands are." "It's Beecham down here." "when I come here, I'd never been to a church that had a colored person singing." "I got to get my boys home." "besides, everybody's finished with my food." "mercy, I don't believe he's down there at all." "ah, maybe he ain't." "we dug 12 foot If we dug one." "he ain't nowhere in sight." "you calling me a liar, Hadley?" "I ain't calling anybody a liar." "but where is he?" "where is he?" "I'm headin' home." "Beecham or no Beecham, I got cows to milk." "I think we all best be gettin' back." "what do you say?" "well, that ain't no Christian way to be acting." "It was a mistake, that's all." "we'd have found Beecham if he was down there." "none of us looked hard enough." "half the town was down here." "he just ain't down there." "Gemma, it's gettin' late." "they ate up the pie." "you're gonna have to help me." "aw, you smell." "you smell like I don't know what." "now look, I" "I'm startin' this car, and I'm goin' home and eatin' my suppers." "If you want to come with me, fine." "If not, to hell with you." "Pop." "nobody else but you believes that Beecham got himself buried." "did you think of that?" "ah, you're acting Like a fool!" "reverend Dixon!" "I found him." "I found his hat!" "I found Beecham's hat!" "Miss Jackson, y'all get everybody rounded up and in the cars." "we be going now." "y'all can't just leave him down here." "well, where you be putting him?" "maybe he sang In y'all's church, but he won't be buried over there In the white folks' cemetery." "no, ma'am." "Beecham be home." "oh, Beecham." "Beecham." "hah, all right." "had a few left over." "them don't look like no account." "we better catch us another batch before we head down yonder tomorrow, huh?" "what the heck's that?" "you know, the wages of sin is death." "I'm gonna blister you good." "durned old stupid-- he's one of god's children." "well, he ain't nothin' now, so shut up!" "my mama was here-- just the other day." "she come for me all the way from Fort Worth." "you're lyin'. you're standin' there lying' to me." "no, I ain't." "I ain't livin' with you anymore." "well, where do you think you're gonna go?" "I took you in, gave you that room and kept you here all these years." "I'll give you the money to pay you back." "I ain't lookin' for no reward." "besides, you can't pay me back... all that time." "you don't know anything about time yet." " you ain't old enough." " I decided." " I'm goin' to my mama's." " no." "I decided." "and that's right." "you are." "and get that thing off my table!" "# oh, they tell me of a home # # far beyond the skies # # oh, they tell me of a home # # far away # # oh, they tell me of a place # # where no storm clouds rise #" "# oh, they tell me # # of an uncloudy day # # oh, they tell me of a place # # where my friends have gone # # oh, they tell me of that land # # far away #" "# where the tree of life #" "# In eternal bloom # # sheds its fragrance # # on an uncloudy day #" "# oh, the land # # of a cloudless day # # oh, the land # # of an uncloudy sky # # oh, they tell me of a place # # where no storm clouds rise #" "# oh, they tell me # # of an uncloudy day #" "# oh, they tell me that he smiles # # on his children there # and his smile drives their sorrows away #" "# and they tell me that no tears # # ever come again #" "# In that lovely land # # of uncloudy day #" "# oh, the land # # of cloudless day # # oh, the land # of an uncloudy sky #" "# oh, they tell me of a place # # where no storm clouds rise # excuse me, sir?" "um, I was give this address for Miss Frank king." "Is Miss Frank king here?" "yeah, she's here." "she lives In a gas station?" "Juanelle lives upstairs." "we got us a place upstairs." "I'm Frank king." "oh, I'm Gemma Dillard." "my mama told me her name was mrs." "Frank king." "Juanelle expecting you?" "oh, I reckon she ain't." "how'd you get here?" "I took the bus and hitched me a ride." "don't you know you ought not be catching rides with strangers?" "I won't do it no more." "go on up them steps there and surprise your mama." "okay, where'd you hide 'em?" "Frankie, where'd you put my cigarettes?" "thought you was Frank." "well, what brings you to cowtown?" "ah, where are my cigarettes?" "Frankie's always doin' this to me." "aha!" "bingo." "hey, I got to be shakin' a leg." "boy, this place Is like an oven, I swear." "I got that thing flipped up to frigid and I'm still about to fry." "so, you had enough of him?" "oh, I don't know." "I just decided that I wanted to come live with you now." "I know, kiddo." "I bailed out of there In the middle of the night too." "I got to go to the shop." "there's a stack of wigs piled yea high that don't have any idea... that it's my day off." "there's some enchiladas in the fridge if you're hungry." "no, I ain't." "okay." "you wouldn't mind washing' up them dishes, would you?" "no, I-I'll do it." "and eat those enchiladas if you want." "okay." "hey, you thought you could hide them from me, huh, Frankie?" "I knew I couldn't fool ya." "hey, how about that?" "were you surprised?" "surprised, my god. yeah." "surprised the tar out of me." "she's cute." "yep." "It's 12:20 on k.b.l.b., the heart of the great southwest." "would y'all look here at this girl?" "boy, I mean-- that looks real good on you, Gemma." "suits your face." "oh, I sure do wish I had me a picture." "a before picture." "there she is, one more desirous creature about to hit the jacksboro highway." "shoot." "come soak ms. week's fingers for me." "finished." "my hair just grows so fast." "I read in a magazine last week that the more you cut your hair the more it grows." "I think it's got something to do with the time of year too." "could be." "Juanelle, hair grow faster in the summer?" "shoot, I don't know." "mine hasn't grown a quarter inch all year." "that's 'cause of that color you use." "now, cut that out." "you're gonna have these women afraid to tint their hair." "I reckon I don't mind if it doesn't grow-- better than gray hair showing through before it should." "amen." "what is it, kiddo?" "now you want a new pair of glasses like Aggie's?" "oh, a spider." " oh." " why'd you do that?" "I don't want no spiders running loose in here." " heavens no." " ooh-wee." "Long-legged spiders mean bad luck." "I ain't livin' nowhere where there's any spiders." "once Frank's deal starts paying' off," "I don't care where I got to go-- I'll leave texas." "mercy." " you ain't leaving', Juanelle." "oh, yeah?" "why would I stay in this hole If I didn't have to?" "well-- ooh!" "no offense, Aggie." "you got to be plumb nuts to think I'd stay livin' over a gas station." "one thing to pump it, hon." "It's another to take it out of the ground." "well, I know how to pump it." "but I sure don't know nothin' about no oil." "If you left, Juanelle, I'd never find another hairdresser like you." "you'll find one." "okay." "go get a towel, baby." "well, you are mighty lucky." "you were always lucky though." "you ought to see them over at the stagecoach, falling over themselves... to sit next to Juanelle." "start with the cuticle." "dry her hand first." "there. you look much better without 'em." "oh, what a pretty face." " everything's blurry." " that's just 'cause your eyes ain't focused yet." "Look like a million dollars, baby." "have you workin' here In no time." "soon as we can persuade some man to take Gwen off our hands." "I'll say." "hi, Rory." "what on earth's he doing?" "don't you be pestering my customers, honey." "you sure fiddle some pretty tunes on that thing." "don't you be bothering that boy." "I about got your mama's hair done." "come on. we're gonna Look at some pretty pictures." "right here." "there you go." "poor thing." "probably can't even read." "what's it say, Rory?" "It say how to make a chicken casserole." "oh, yeah?" "how does it say you make a chicken casserole?" "It say you... take a can of mushroom soup... and you take your chicken and you wash 'im." "ain't he something'?" " oh, he's somethin', all right." " now y'all don't be egging' him on." " me?" "Rory, am I egging' you on?" "I think you do." "I think you do In the casserole." "I ain't read down that far yet." "I'll make it for my mama's supper tonight." "well, that's a good boy." "your Dolores will love that." "Rory, this here's my daughter, Gemma." " I'm makin' a casserole." " here's your mama's hair." "now take it straight home and don't stop anywhere along the way." "good-lookin' boy." "such a shame." "Looks mighty fit to me." "fit as a fiddle." "Is my last name Monroe?" "why are you askin' that?" "well, that's what pop told me." "he said my daddy's name was Monroe." "he don't know nothin'." "I don't know why he'd go and tell you a thing like that." "well, that's what he said." "but I go by Dillard." "he's an old fool." "he still eat with his face down to the plate?" "he used to burn me up doing that." "well, I expect he does." "you do yourself sometimes." "you got any pictures of my daddy?" "no, no I don't." "well, I know he was in the war." "I used to cut out pictures-- when I was little I used to cut out pictures In the magazines... of all the soldiers, 'cause I thought they might be him." "I-I dreamt about him for a real long time-- even after pop told me he'd been killed over there." "that old buzzard tell you that?" "he said he died fighting for our country." "he said if my daddy hadn't have been over there, we'd be speakin' russian right now." "Alice Farley says they got a different alphabet than us." "her daddy was in Vietnam too, but... he come back." "how long was it after grandma left pop that she died?" "that old man still track chicken shit through the house?" "oh, that used to Irk me to no end." "well, uh, she was down there... stayin' at aunt lottie's, uh, just a couple of months." "she just, uh, took sick and died." "got a lot of egg customers now-- every tuesday and friday." "big businessman, huh?" "were you and my daddy together a long spell... before he got called away to the war?" "I don't remember." "It's, uh, been a long time." "well, pop says that I got the Monroe forehead." "do I?" "I reckon you do." "sure." "whew!" "sure don't intend to sit home tonight and fry." "hold it, janet." "you forgot your change." "I sure do like Frank." "yeah, he's a sweetheart, all right." "mmm. mmm." "did you ever?" "about 450,000 times." "what is she fixing' to do?" "I don't know, but it looks like he's fixing to let her." "Look!" "mama, look!" "I cut these out." "take a look." "Look. this one here for ten cent off." "and this one is 50-- get on home now!" "But it for Campbell soup." "What?" "Get on home." "they give you a mug-- If you send it in, they give you a mug." "you better be asleep by the time i get there." "you hear?" "oh, I feel like dancin'." "you gonna ask him?" "no, ma'am." "he's gonna ask me." "# I'm so alone # # you and I-- hey, cowboy, you got somethin' to wet my whistle?" "#" "# It feels like a lifetime to me #" "# ...my heart again # # oh, I've been standing underneath # # this dark old cloud # # just waiting for the sun to shine # # waiting for the sun to shine # # my heart again #" "# oh, I've been throwing a lot of good love away # # just waiting for the sun to shine # # waiting for the sun to shine # # my heart again # # oh, I've been throwing a lot #" "# of good love away # # just waiting for the sun to shine # # waiting for the sun to shine # # my heart again # # oh, I'm just waiting for the sun to shine # # waiting for the sun to shine" "# I'm just waiting for the sun to shine #" "# I know it will be some time" "# I'm just waiting for the sun to shine #" "# I've been standing underneath # # this dark old cloud # just waiting for the sun to shine # # waiting for the sun to shine #" "I got me a sticker patch... on the other side of mine and Dolores's trailer house." "and the other day, I forgot." "about 18 go in my feet." "I have to... sit down and pull 'em out, 'cause my Dolores, she be at work." "they still be itchin' me." "you should rub a little cornmeal and lemon juice on it." "It'll take out the itch." "read me a story." "the one about them bears eating' their cereal." "I don't know that one." "It ain't in my bible or I'd know it." "yeah, it is." "Aggie read me that one every time." "what are you chewing' on?" "that's a good way for you to choke." "I know." "did you know that Jesus Christ was your Lord and savior?" "didn't your mother ever take you to church?" "Is th-- is that where they say them stories?" "yeah, sometimes." "yeah, Aggie took me there one time." "but I don't like it." "they make me draw pictures, sit by myself." "you hear my fiddle?" "yeah." "you play real good, Rory." "do you remember my name?" "Gemma." "can I have my button back?" "all right." "don't go puttin' that thing In your mouth. you might swallow it or somethin'." "who taught you to play that fiddle?" "nobody teach me." "my Dolores, she say I got me a ear." "'cause I play songs right off the radio." "you mean you can just listen to a song and then just play it?" "yep." "boy, I mean" "Rory, I thought I told you not to put that nasty thing in your mouth." "give it to me." "give it to me." "I'm gettin' rid of this thing once and for all." " you're a bad boy." " I know." "give it back to me!" "come back!" "now this here's the note." "I hired these boys from odessa to run a survey." "now this is my note for my second mortgage." "yep, it will be. the cash will pay for the survey, and keep 'em from foreclosing' on me." "now, right here is the deed of trust." "well, here it is." "here it is." "that about taps me out, Aggie." "well, hon, you're gonna be tappin' a whole lot more before this is done." "come over here, button." "see these two lines right here?" "you take the third parallel of lot r-2... over to the fourth boundary of lot r-7 here." "draw a straight line right between 'em." "whoo!" "you ever been out to west texas?" "mm-mmm." "there ain't nothin' as far as you can see, but oil wells just pumping'." "and we got us 18 at least." "at least." "sign that note and you're on board, buddy." "shake my hand, Gemma." "shake the hand of a rich man." "well, let's get this show on the road." "I intend to have myself out on a yacht at this time next year." "hey, get on in there and get your bath." "Frank and Aggie are discussing business." "I figure we can get something goin' on it about the first of september." "maybe by then this mess will be straightened out with them camel jockeys." "who?" "arabs, sugar." "oh, shoot." "I'm about to bust." "show me them maps again, Aggie." "Juanelle, you just want to buy midland?" "whoo!" "one more. beer-- a tall one." "you and me'll sit in bubble baths all morning if we want to." " we will?" " yep." "and then we'll go shoppin'." "hey, you want to go to Robert Powers?" "Robert Powers modeling school." "I wish I had that chance." "I'd be in neiman's catalog right now I'll bet." "don't tell me you take a bath with that thing too." "you tickle me to death the way you read that thing." "I wanna go hear brother Mosley." "I hear he's preachin' somewheres around here." "you take that stuff pretty serious, don't you?" "that's all right." "show me them maps here." "Aggie" "I never studied the bible or nothin', but I did go to sunday school when I was little-- with mama." "and I started goin' again after she died." "I went for almost a year." "and I was saved and everything-- the whole shootin' match." "then this guy, he started comin' to church." "I liked him a lot." "and, pretty soon, we was sittin' together, him and me, and sometimes, during the wednesday prayer meetings, he'd bend toward me and he'd give me a kiss." "nobody never noticed." "we was always in the back over to one side." "my girlfriends, they'd all sit in front, so nobody'd see what was goin' on." "he put one arm around me..." "In the dark, and he'd slide his other hand up my leg during the prayer." "and that just about made me fall to pieces." "huh-uh. huh-uh." "shoot, I wasn't much older than you." "I didn't know what was going on." "was he my father?" "hey, what are y'all talkin' about in there?" "nothin'." "girl talk." "here you go." "I know you told me It ain't happened yet, but you're gonna be a woman soon." "you already got the knockers." "you know, sometimes when a man and a woman get together, they make a baby In the woman." "I know about that stuff." "how do you know that stuff?" " Doreen Hadley told me." "that old busybody." "who does she think she is?" "she just explained it to me in case I was wondering about any of it." "and were you..." "wondering'?" "yes." "well, that's all right." "though Doreen probably mixed in... some church stuff about marrying'" "It doesn't always work out like that." "It's one thing to know how to have babies." "and it's another to know hownot to have 'em." "do you wish you hadn't a done that with my father?" "not had me?" "I ain't sorry for nothin'." "I was just wonderin' If you was glad I came... here." "get back In this truck right now!" "you just get on." "I'm not goin' anywhere with you!" "bitch. you're a whoring' bitch!" "that sounds like Gwen." "don't you be gettin' tangled up with that trash." "how'd you like me to clang your bells with my boot heel, boy?" "you are one hard case, Juanelle." "that's your Last observation." "honey, come on." "I told you not to be teasing them boys." "what?" "what?" "what?" "are you gonna tell me?" "what?" "you'd have died!" "you'd have died!" "I knew I should have been there." "I knew I should have gone over there tonight." "just get on home." "talkin' to me, sayin', you're fixin' to meet the eighth wonder of the world." "good Lord." "good Lord." "Juanelle, you know I don't like you spending your evenings down there." "well, It's more than you offer here." "we gotta unwind." "I done told you how I feel about that." "Gwen and me do what we want." "right, Gwen?" " right." "so anyway, he gets me out there In his truck, and he says, "hey, let's drive around."" "then he starts telling' me what he wants me to do." "I mean, that's dangerous." "Juanelle, we're gonna make a killing on this thing." "we're gonna be rich." "and I said, "well, honey, if that's the eighth wonder, then I'm dolly parton."" "almost, honey, except your hair ain't yellow." "and you must think constantly on these commandments..." "I am giving you today." "you must teach them to your children." "talk about them when you're at home or out for a walk." "and at bedtime." "and first thing in the morning." "tie them on your finger." "wear them on your forehead." "paint them on the doorposts of your house." "and then there were brought unto him little children... that he may lay his hands on them and pray." "shh." "and the disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said," ""suffer little children." ""forbid them not to come unto me." "for such is the kingdom of heaven."" "I must tell you," "I did not sleep last night for thinking... of suffering little children." "how can they ever forgive us?" "we, who stand by while their innocence is plundered!" "the holiness of children-- their hearts have not been touched by evil." "and in their innocence, they can turn the other cheek." "they will forgive you." "# Jesus, keep me near the cross # # there a precious fountain # free to all, a healing stream # # flows from calvary's mountain #" "# In the cross In the cross # # be my glory ever # till my raptured soul shall find # # rest beyond the river #" "I'm gettin' me a swimming' pool, and i'm fillin' it with ice cubes." "I'm goin' to dallas, and I'm gettin' me... a charge-a-plate at neiman's." "and then, I'm goin' somewhere." "then we're goin' somewhere, sugar." "all right, where we goin'?" " wherever you want to go." " Hollywood?" "H-hollywood?" "You're cute." "They'd end up putting' you in the movies." "hey, probably." "burt reynolds or one of them damn guys would put me in the movies." "oh, heck." "why the heck not?" "I make this cake real good." "I know." "I sure liked the one you made the other day." "well, that one was chocolate." "this one's applesauce." "I know." " where are the kids?" " shh." "taking their nap." "I was up half the night with them." "oh." "where'd you say we was today?" "Mexico." "oops, I just seen me mexican." "I saw Gwennie." "Rory, where does your mama keep the flour?" " oops, seen me 'nother." " another what?" "another mexican." "he's just walking around out there..." "Like he don't know where he's headed." "well, I told you." "we're in Mexico today." "gonna be seein' a lot of mexicans over here." "now, shh. the kids." "I forgot." "I told my Dolores that you and me... be gettin' married sometime." "I told her... you know how to do everything." "no, I don't." "yes, you do, Gemma." "well, what your mama say to that?" "she say it's fine by her." "she say I need me... someone good like that." "I sure do like you, Gemma." "cut that out, Rory." "that ain't no way for you to be talkin'." "have to be goin' to work now." "okay. have a good day." "and I'll have the applesauce cake ready for you when you get back." "get off early?" "new hours." "what's for supper?" "uh, pork chops, baked beans, mashed potatoes... and applesauce cake for dessert." "all my favorites." "ain't the kids eating'?" "well, they're takin' a siesta." "that's what they call a nap in Mexico." "oh, I don't like naps." "well, everyone does it In Mexico." "oh." "you sure are smart, Gemma." "oh, It ain't nothin'." "just what I learnt in school." "I wish they told me that... when I was at that school place." "why do you think they didn't tell me about that?" "siesta." "I bet I know that word... next time you and me read." "I sure do like you, Gemma." "I think we ought to get married." "Rory-- oh, I know what you're gonna say, but I mean it." "I" " I want us... to get married." "all right, Rory." "I'll take care of you." "I will." "you and me'll get married, and I'll take care of you." "you let me get this cake in the oven or we'll never get done with this night." "I know." "well, it isn't the worst thing that could happen." "couple of years down the line, she'd get herself tangled up... with one of them good-for-nothin's you hang out with." "I'd just as soon have one of them than be stuck with a dummy." "funny, to look at him, you'd never guess there was nothing goin' on upstairs." "well, they're just kids for chrissake." "Let 'em alone." "It'll pass." "'sides, if they want to play house, let 'em." "ain't nothin' wrong with that." "nothin' wrong with it?" "there's nothin' wrong with it except that he is a grown man, and she is 13 years old." "don't you go gettin' moral on me, honey." "you been at it ever since the snakes crawled out from under the tires." "ow. ow." "we about give you up." "we was about to start." " you like chicken-fried steak?" "'course she does." "gimme a quarter." "I don't got one." "how is it, Gemma?" "you know better'n to yell across the restaurant like that." "Dolores, you can bring Gemma's plate now." "she wants to hear a song." "what do you want to hear?" "I don't care." "see, kiddo?" "you cuddle up to 'em-- you bat your eyes, you put on a little dab of perfume and they'll give you anything." "now, Juanelle-- well, you gimme a quarter, didn't you?" "yeah, but-- see?" "sorry, dear." "how you doin', sugar?" " how is it, Gemma?" "get back in the kitchen, Rory!" "scoot!" "right now!" "sure is one eager boy you got yourself there." "pretty soon, he's gonna wanna do more than just play house." "now, stop, Juanelle." "stop what?" "stop talkin' that way." "that ain't no way be be talkin'." "she knows." "she knows all about it." "# he must do something # that I didn't do-- oh, I feel like dancin'." "thank god, it's friday." "'course, I can't get Frankie to go with me anymore." "you know I got to go back to work, and I got to get up at 5:30 in the mornin'." "never stopped you when we met." "things is gonna start movin' now... as soon as Aggie gets back from midland." "yeah, we just got to be patient." "oh, I'd love to be there in the flesh and see it." "i'd just take off my clothes and wallow in it." "when it comes gushing' out of the ground, get black as a field hand." "aw, shh-- huh, sugar, huh?" "wouldn't you take off your clothes with me... and get naked and wallow in it?" "gimme another quarter." "I don't got another one." "I got to get out of here then," " go find Gwennie." " um, are you gonna be home?" "well, long enough to sponge off and change my duds. why?" "nothing." "see y'all." "you got somethin' on your mind?" "no." "I guess things'll be hoppin' by Christmas." "I'll buy you anything you want." "you were in the army, weren't you?" "yeah." "well, my daddy was too." "were you in Vietnam?" "yeah." "when I first come here," "I figured you was my daddy." "you think that?" "I wish I was, but I ain't." "yeah." "did you know him?" "no." "that boy's got to change shirts twice a night, the way he slings water." "oh, get that off." "oh, look at you." "oh!" "# and he knows # # he always will # # he came down from the city # # try and find some peace of mind # # what he found was consternation # # nestled In between the pines #" "# take me to my piece of heaven # # away from all those city streets # # where I can live my life without you # # livin' right here near the creek #" "# In the night time he lights a fire # # mixes himself up his wild turkey #" "Rory, I don't think I feel Like doing anything tonight." "come on." "come on, Gemma." "we'll go down to stagecoach." "watch 'em dancin'." "oh, all right." "Whee-hee!" "Hyaahh!" "whoo!" "meet ya there over at the stagecoach inn." "whoa!" "we can pay or go around back and watch." "okay." "Aggie's back!" "she ain't here." "she's probably over with Frank." "ring. ring." "hello?" "Aggie's beauty shop." "can I help you?" "shampoo and set?" "wednesday at 5:00 will be fine." "Juanelle'll take care of you." "thank you. bye-bye." "Here." "Let me show you how to do that." "well, I did have a good time." "It looked like it." "why don't you let me give you a haircut?" "they usually give me some dubble bubble... or a tootsie roll pop when I'm done." "well, I will too then." "can I get my gum now?" "you're my first haircut." "I didn't think I could do it, but I did." "I'd rather have a tootsie roll pop..." "If y'all got those, but I don't care." "now, it ain't perfect, but I think it'll be okay." "I know." "hear the music?" "hey, I got an idea." "I'm gonna teach you how to square dance." "I know how." "I did it last year." "yeah?" "where is it you start from?" "what do they call it?" "home." "It's called "home." home?" "yeah. and you do this thing called "honor your partner." honor your partner." "you go like this." "go like this." "okay." "now, what position are we in?" " Aggie's beauty shop." " home. we're in home." "home." "okay. now, the main step Is somethin' called a do-si-do." "and you go around back to back..." "like this." "good!" "okay. now-- Rory." "Rory." "okay. the other thing I want to teach you Is somethin' called a" "It's somethin' like a marmalade." "and you go-- got a lot to remember." "oh, It's easy. you'll see." "I'll do the calling'." "you just follow what I do, okay?" "go like this." "you go around." "okay. now." "okay. everybody stand and dance right where you are." "and honor your partner and the lady to your left." "okay." "everybody hold hands... and keep goin' till you get home." "okay." "now everybody do-si-do." "Rory?" "Rory?" "you play that thing prettier than anything I ever heard." "you and me could be king and queen of the harvest ball." "what?" "what?" "oh, honey." "oh, Juanelle." "yeah, you just shut up." "just shut up your mouth." "I'm sick and tired of listening' to you!" "you let her bamboozle you into paying' all that money." "you don't understand." "It's business." "oh, yeah?" "what do you know about business?" "I'd quit her damn place, but I can't now." "I can't." "I mean, where am I gonna go?" "I-I'm gonna be there ti-- shit, I ain't never gettin' out." "come on, baby." "It's just somethin' you don't understand." "oh, where could it have gone-- all that oil?" "oh, god." "you stupid son of a bitch." "you said we was gettin' out of here." "Juanelle, honey, come on lay down." "you said we was gettin' that big place and that pool and convertible." "now we ain't gettin' nothin'." "I don't know why I stayed in this hole so long." "you ain't worth it-- any man I'd find in the street would be better than you!" " That right?" "Well, find him then!" " Don't think I haven't." "you think I haven't, Frankie?" ""If anyone defiles and spoils god's home, god will destroy them." "for god's home is holy and clean, and you are that home."" "now ain't this just what we need?" ""a man who loves pleasure becomes poor;" "wine and luxury are not the ways to riches."" "brother, I reckon that says it all." "no wonder I'm poor, and I'm gonna be poor till they bury me." "shoot, the way you tell it, I can't never expect nothin' out of life." "I love pleasure!" "I love wine!" "and I love dragging' me some big ol' oily-smellin' guy..." "Into the can down at the stagecoach!" "damn you!" "stop it!" "hold it!" "stop!" "I ain't never gonna be rich." ""woe to you who get up early in the morning... to go on long drinking bouts that last till late at night."" "I don't believe this." "I ain't never gonna look any better than this." "five years from now..." ""why then should we," ""mere humans as we are, murmur and complain when punished for our sins?" ""let us examine ourselves instead..." ""and repent and turn again to the Lord." "For--" stop!" "I ain't taking' this!" "you understand?" "It's the Lord's word!" "oh!" "It's nothin'." "It's nothin'!" "when are you gonna stop this crap?" "stop this tryin' to lead people around!" "oh, I ain't leading'!" "the hell you ain't!" "you're just like him!" " you're just like the old man!" " I ain't leading'." "you ain't nothin' special." "Juanelle, come on to bed, baby." "you ain't one to be tellin' me-- me how to live!" "after death, the judgment." "I'm sendin' you back." "Juanelle, come on, baby." "come on, now." "I should've sent you back the mornin' you come here." " you ain't been nothin' but a pain." " I ain't goin' back there!" "you ain't staying' here with me." "I can't afford you now." "I can't afford nothin'." "I want you outta here." "If my daddy was here, you wouldn't be talkin' like that." "Listen. you ain't ever had a daddy." "alive or dead-- you understand what I'm sayin'?" "your daddy could've been any one of a half a dozen." "I don't remember much." "just that you come along... right in the great big middle of it, and I was havin' a good time, and I had to quit." "you are goin' back." "I ain't goin' back there." "I don't belong there." "you don't belong anywhere, kiddo." "you're just like me." "you don't belong anywhere." "Gemma!" "Gemma!" "hey!" "watch where you're goin'!" "mm." "I ain't playin' with you, kiddo." "what time is it?" "doesn't matter what time it is." "you're in big trouble." "It was them that was doin' somethin', not me." "yeah, well, I expect they wasn't reading' bible verses to each other." "I killed her." "It was me that done it." "you didn't kill nobody." "Gwen might have a headache for the next five years, but she ain't dead." "but she starts talkin', the cops'll be in here." "I don't care." "of course, you care." "of course, you care!" "I got to get you out of here, and I got to take you somewheres." "I don't care." "I'll tell 'em what happened." "oh, you will, will ya?" "you'll tell 'em you tried to cut off his thing?" "Aggie take me in there, and I just about got sick." "her hangin' there like shoddy plumbing', and him layin' there bleeding'." "bleeding?" "and my haircuttin' scissors on the floor next to your bible." "baby, you're in big trouble." "Gemma!" "Gemma." "I got to hide you somewhere." "he tried to hurt himself because he loves me." "Gemma." "Gemma!" "don't tell 'em nothin'!" "was that him?" "when you come home, I'm gonna take care of you." "he's stabilized." "we're ready to roll." "people sometimes, they-- they think I don't know somethin'... and I really do." "what are you talking about?" "Like now." "I know." "I know, Gemma." "what do you know, Rory?" "people, sometimes, they don't listen to me." "I know things." "I know things." "excuse me, miss." "we have to get goin'." "you get it done?" "yeah." "you won't ever even be able to tell there was a hole there... the way they got it patched." "and Aggie said she's gonna hang... a picture of some mountains or somethin' over it, so" "then I can stand at my chair all day... and look over and see some pretty scenery-- snow-capped mountains, places" "Aggie's gonna carry me over to see Rory..." "Later on this weekend." "she's gonna tell 'em I'm already 16." "they ain't never lettin' him out of there." "well, Aggie says they have to keep him in there for a little while..." "In case of infection or somethin'." "It's time you faced up to somethin', kiddo." "he ain't gettin' out." "and not 'cause he nicked himself with some dull ol' scissors either." "truth is, he ought to have been put somewhere a long time ago." "what do you mean, like a hospital?" "no, I mean, someplace special." "If he stays like he is now, he won't be no account to anybody." "he would be to me." "yeah. sure." "till you passed him up in age, and that wouldn't take too long." "I know, kiddo." "I'm sendin' you back first thing in the mornin'." "I told you." "I can't live there anymore." "well, you can't live here either." "well, then I'll just leave." "I'll just get on a bus and go somewhere." "you don't have to worry about me." "you're gettin' on a bus, kiddo, and you're goin' back to twilight." "he'll take you." "I know he will." "no, he won't!" "sure, he will." "I know the two of you got on." "you had to." "I see his" "I see his expressions..." "on your face." "his voice comes out of your mouth." "shoot, he ain't so bad." "yeah?" "then why'd you leave?" "oh, that was different." "that was different." " he'll love you." " and you won't?" "that's not true." "I-- you're my baby." "I can't keep ya here." "don't you understand that?" "I tried, and I couldn't pull it off." "now, I'm gettin' you a bus ticket in the mornin'." "I don't want any bus ticket from you." "I got my own money." "I can get my own bus ticket." "Gemma. baby." "don't be sayin' that to me!" "you know, I don't need you!" "I never needed you!" "makes me feel bad." "It makes me feel real bad now." "why don't you go in and lie down now?" "I just want to sit here." "I may just sit here forever." "say, you're up mighty early this morning." "I, uh" "I was gonna drop you a line." "I'm headin' out to west Texas, I guess." "midland?" "yeah." "yeah." "I'm gonna see what I can do about sellin' that property." "and then you're coming back?" "yeah." "I'm gonna go out visit my pop for a couple of weeks." "and then, I guess I'll be comin' back too." "well." "Gemma!" "wait!" "wait, please!" "Pop?" "what you, uh, gettin' for them eggs nowadays?" "same as store bought." "only yours are farm fresh." "well." "I guess I better be gettin' back." "you ain't fixin' to drive that thing after dark, are ya?" "It's all right." "I do it all the time." "worst time of the day to be on them roads-- twilight." "make sure you turn on your lights." "I will." "you take good care of yourself, kiddo." "you take care of yourself, mama." "what in tarnation happened to your hair?" "I curled it." "had it done every week." "oh!" "well, I don't like it." "well, I do." "It suits the shape of my face." "I ought to tan your hide." "that's what I ought to do-- takin' all my money like that." "I didn't take nothin'!" "Liar. mm." "well, It was mine too!" "besides, I still got most of it." "goin' off, having a high old time, and come back here expecting' me to take you in." "you ain't changed a bit!" "oh." "Pop?" "how you doin', Gemma?" "I brought Homer some tomatoes." "he likes them tomatoes preacher Dixon made in her garden this year." "ain't you gonna say, "how do?"" "Beecham!" "I thought you were dead." "Yes, ma'am." "I reckon I was." "You were dead." "I mean to tell you." "I was savin' my breath talking to the good Lord." "all that garbage-- but nobody told me." "Look." "It says here," ""twilight man in satisfactory condition... after being buried for 15 hours."" "that's me." "and somewhere in there, it says something about the search being called off." "or would've been if it hadn't been for the persistence of Homer." "got his name in there somewhere." "you mean?" "yes, ma'am." "I thought I was in heaven." "I looked up thinkin' it was a angel." "It was Homer... standin' right there-- right there in the big middle of everything." "next thing I know," "I'm in an ambulance goin' to the hospital." "I've been bringin' him stuff out of preacher Dixon's garden every couple of days." "I was gonna set a spell with Homer." "Miss Dixon'll be stoppin' round for me in a bit." "she's back over yonder doin' some visiting'." "I found your hat." "thank you, Gemma." "Pop, Beecham brought you over some tomatoes." "ugh." "well, I don't reckon Homer's feelin' so good today." "I'll just wait down by the road." "no!" "you come on in." "I'm gonna fix you some coffee." "oh, well-- come on." "Pop, why don't you let me fix you some coffee too?" "that was real good." "you a fine cook." "thank you, Beecham." "you're welcome, Gemma." "think I'll go set a spell." "okay." "mama told me it was bad luck if you cut corn bread with a knife." "yes, ma'am. you got to break it." "I was thinking of taking guitar lessons in the fall." "Miss Lawson is teaching at her house after school." "well, what do you want to do that for?" "well, I'd just like to learn it." "besides, we have recitals every spring, and you could come see me." "did I tell you I didn't wear these glasses when I was in Fort Worth?" "well, how'd you see anything?" "sometimes I didn't." "one time when me and mama and Frank... went to the drive-in," "I sat through the whole picture, and I didn't even know Jamie Lee Curtis was in it." "who's that?" "movie star." "oh." "did I tell you about the traffic they got down there?" "every time I look out the window there's cars passing' by, even after midnight." "no!" "It's true!" "all times of the night." "hmph." "this was grandma Cora's dress, wasn't it?" "she, uh, wore it to the harvest ball, didn't she?" "how'd you know that?" "mama had a picture of y'all." "Pop, do I look like grandma?" "yes, ma'am. you do." "ain't nothin' missin' but a one-way ticket to Dallas." "I can read to you awhile if you want." "no, you can go ahead and read your bible." "I reckon I don't care." "now you square yourself with a smile on your face." "Everybody dance, right in your place." "honor your partner and the lady to your left." "All join hands." "Circle left." "circle left around the room." "and you swing yours and leave mine alone." "everybody swing." "swing, two, three, four." "do-si-do and do-si-do." "# there's a place where my dreams # # want to take me # # don't mind my going alone # # just as long as you'll be there # # to wake me # # wake me and tell me I'm home #" "# It's a place where the heart #" "# Is forgiving # # no one there casts the first stone #" "# It's the place I imagine us # # living # # soon as I find my way home # # though the words that you use # # aren't the ones I would choose #" "# I can still understand # # what you're trying to say # # just to hear I been locked #" "# In your own way # # sounds like I'm # # finally home # # for a time we can stay here # # together #" "# Least till I'm out on my own # # yes, I know that it won't last # # forever # # still it'll always be home # # though the words that you use # # aren't the ones I would choose #" "# I can still understand # # what you're trying to say # # just to hear I've been locked in # # your own way # # sounds like I'm finally home # # for a time we can stay here #" "# together #" "# Least till I'm out on my own # # yes, I know that it won't last # # forever # # still it will always # # be home #" "Done by (c) dcd / June 2013"