"I know what I did probably looks like bad news... but I bet you would do the same if you were twelve... and your life was as screwed up as mine." "My dad was a bomber pilot in the war." "On one of his missions, he hit a hospital filled with kids." "It was an accident, but it really freaked him out." "That was three years ago, when I was in third grade." "Mom used to be for the war like Dad... but that all changed after she saw what it did to him." "Dad came back from the war and quit the military." "One night, he took me down to the gulf." "We collected driftwood and burned his uniform." "Dad said it was nothing but a killer's costume." "After that, he moved us from Texas to Key West." "In those days, he was drinking a lot." "But by spring... he started fasting and took a vow of silence." "Then one day, he just disappeared." "He wrote Mom and said he wasn't coming back." "I wrote him once to ask, "What about me?"" "He didn't answer." "They're goin' to the friggin' moon." "Half my money goes to taxes... so they can blow away peasants in pajamas... and fly to the friggin' moon." "So, what do you say?" "You want to replace Monica on stage or not?" "I don't know." "I guess so." "Guess all you want." "Just let me know by tonight." "Well, so long, babe." "We're gonna miss your 38s, you know?" " Thanks for everything." " Sure." "Maybe with your tits, I'll bill you as a 12-year-old." "You got a way with words, Connie." "Let's go." "When Dad was with us, we lived in a house... and I had my own room." "These were the good old days... which Mom doesn't like me talking about." "If I do, she says "G.T.F."... which stands for "Going too far."" "This is Mom's ladylike way of telling me to shut the fuck up." "Hi, Mom!" "All you have to do is adjust the straps." "The thought of them touching me gives me the creeps." "You start making five times what you make bartending... and you won't mind them touching you so much." "I love you, Tracy, but it's time you faced facts." "As hard as you work, you still don't have enough... for a little house." "If you want a future for yourself and the kid... you're gonna have to bump and grind for it." "You're a tough lady, Monica." "I'm not tough." "I'm practical." "Good morning, Termina." "You look pretty." "Thanks." "Good morning." "Yes." "Don't be late for the card flip, boss!" "OK!" "Termina, eat your sunflower seeds, please." " Yeah, Termina." " Shut up." "Hey, Snyder!" "Come on!" "It's OK!" "Don't you say bye?" "Not to you." "Mom and me stayed in Key West." "She took a night job being a bartender... to help pay the rent... but pretty soon, we had to move to the Eden House." "Mom was waitressing there... so the room only cost us twenty bucks a week." "One 25-pound bag of yellow onions..." "I really dig Emmett, but the way he chain-smokes... he could drop dead like a fly at any second." "And if there's one thing I've learned... it's a total nightmare to love someone... and have them cut out on you." "It at least will come back with something... for the geologists to study." "I'll call you right back." "Armstrong and Aldrin will collect more than 100 pounds... of lunar material." " Seen Mom?" " Not yet." "When you had a mom, did she used to work all night?" "She only had time to sleep." "My father worked nights, though." "He was a bootlegger." "Would you mind putting the fish on ice?" "French toast, pick up." "Swiss cheese omelet, pick up." "Wrong knife." "So, where's the little guy's mom?" "Still at her night job." "She can't get her tables set on time... she gonna have to find another job." "Be nice to her for once." "She's finally getting her head together." "Oakley, pick up the fucking omelet, please!" "Oakley!" "Pick up this breakfast before it's lunch!" "I'm just going to go set my tables and get my work done." "Hi, sweetheart." "Did you sleep good?" "Better than you, I bet." "I'm sorry, honey." "I had to miss our breakfast." "I had some things to pick up after work." "I set your tables, so you better be getting to work." "You better get ready for school." "I am ready." " You are not." " Yes, I am." "No." "Come on, put your jeans on." "My jeans are wrecked." "Well, then put on your green pants." "I outgrew those last year." "Now, I can't have you going to school looking like a bum." "I ain't no bum." "All right." "Come on back after school... and I'll sew your pants up for you." "I have food stand after school." "Not till 6:00, you don't." "If I'd been Dad, I'd have never left Mom." "My girlfriend Termina says Mom must be totally blown away... from Dad abandoning us." "Termina's one grade ahead of me." "When we get older, we plan on living together... so we can have orgasms." "Termina says orgasms are something adults get... after they fall in love... but Emmett says orgasms are what make people fall in love." "All Jetty says is I'll find out soon enough." "When I asked Mom what exactly an orgasm was... she said "G.T.F."" "You ready to order?" "Yeah, I'll take number two..." "eggs over easy." " Anything to drink?" " No, thank you." "Somebody please pick up on table nine!" "More coffee?" "What do you think..." "cheese omelet or sliced fruit?" "Well, how hungry are you?" "Hungry." "I been driving all night from Jacksonville." "Is that where you're from?" "No, I'm from Washington, D.C." "You?" "I'm from here." "Well, actually, I was born in El Paso... but I live here now." "No kidding." "I know a guy who played minor league ball in El Paso... the Sun Kings." "My daddy used to take me to those games." "God gave us baseball to make up for the industrial revolution." "I'll have the omelet and the sliced fruit." "You might have to wait for that omelet." "All right." "Make way." "Coming through." "Hot stuff here." "Make way." "Had to start without you, boss." "Did you flip any of our singles yet?" "Had to." "Leaner won't come down." "I hit it twice." "Shoot." "Make way." "My turn." " You cheated." " Hey, take it easy." "It's only a game." "Put the knife away." "What's going on here?" "Cruz just found this knife." "I'll bring it to the lost and found." "Cruz, the knife." "Bertrand, inside." "Come on, Chris." "What do you think your father would say... if he was told about this?" "Not much really." "He took a vow to silence." "He's a monk now." "Your father's a monk?" "Yeah." "He lives in a monastery north of Miami." "When was the last time you saw him?" "About three years ago." "I was nine then." "What did he say?" "You remember?" "Yeah." "He said that the purpose of life... is to love everything... even flies." "Chris, did your father ever consult with a psychiatrist?" "What for?" "He talks to God." "Tell me something about your mom." "Guys her age are always trying to nail her." "Nail her?" "You don't know what that means?" "Nail her?" "Yeah, I know what it means, Chris." "Does she work?" "Very hard." "We're trying to save up for a house... for when my dad gets back." "What kind of work?" "She's a waitress and a bartender." "I got three jobs." "Hey, Chris... you like her very much, don't you?" "Sometimes." "Anything else?" "Yeah." "Tell me when you don't like her." "When she forgets she's a mom." "Look, Chris, I've enjoyed speaking to you." "Chris?" "And I think that it would probably be... a good idea if we did this again sometime." "What do you think?" "Anything beats sitting around in class... with Smethurst the worst." "Hey, Chris, no more blades, OK?" "OK." " And send your buddy in here." " OK." "You owe me one, Fidel." "Run, run!" "Move, move, move!" "Run, Tracy, run!" "Run!" "Go back, go back!" "What?" "Come on, Tracy!" "Out!" "You dumb son of a bitch!" "Will you throw home?" "Come on, Tracy!" "Hi, smoothie." "I thought you said I was a hot dog." "My mom's team is playing like a bunch of bozos." "How about a smoothie?" " Sure." " On the house." " Here you go." " Thanks." "My boss is making me cut back on the fruit." " How do you like it?" " Delicious." "Oh, please." "This is your first time in public?" "Thought if you could wear this, we could go steady." "I just don't want all the other guys... thinking that you're not my girl." "Hey, ump!" "Jetty, what the hell are you doing?" "Come on, Oakley, move your omelets." " Hi, honey." " Hi, Mom." " How's business?" " It's fine, I guess." "I'd like you to meet my friend Joe." "Joe, this is my son Christopher." "Hello, Christopher." "Your mom's said nice things about you." "Yeah." "That's pretty much her job." "She's my mom." "Will you please step back?" "I have to put the hatch down." "Well, hurry up so we can scoot, Chris." "OK." "I'll catch you later." " Bye-bye." " Bye." "Give me a break tonight, Chris." "You mean to start seeing that guy?" "Maybe." "What happens when Dad comes back and catches you?" "Catches me doing what, talking to another man?" "Yeah." "Well, I don't think it'd be any worse... than having you catch me, do you?" "Seriously, Mom." "I want to talk about this." "Honey, the reason your daddy and I got divorced... was he couldn't talk to me anymore." "I figured once I let him have the divorce... that I'd be allowed to talk to other men." "Well, Buggs and Termina's parents... didn't talk to each other for a year... and they got back together." "That's because they were only separated, Chris." "I mean, when you're divorced... it means you're just not interested in trying anymore." "Honey, we talked about this already." "Well, what's the point of getting married... when you can crap out any time you want?" "Well, I guess there really isn't much point." "Come on, Rebel." "Come on, boy." " Bye." " Come on." "Come on." "Oh, my God." "You better get two." "OK." "Hey, Emmett, if Louis shows up... tell him me and Oakley went to catch Tracy's new act." " What act?" " All right." "Oh, hi." "I didn't see you." "Get it in the hole." "I'm getting it in the hole." "OK." "Get it tight." "OK." "You up for a little nose action?" " Yeah." " OK." " Oh, boy." " Steady." "Yep." "Oh, man." "Oh, monster." "And at one buck a "G," for free." " Ready?" " Blast off, baby!" "Great!" "Isn't she great?" "Tracy!" "Tracy!" "Turn 'em on, Trace!" "Come on!" "Oh, great." "I was real mad at Mom, but real sad, too." "What made Mom so crazy... that she'd put a song on the jukebox... and moon a bunch of drunks?" "I hitched a ride with some lady on a Harley." "She told me to hang on tight." "Then she put my hands on her tits." "I kept them there, but didn't squeeze." "Thanks a lot." "It was all screwed up." "Deep down, I wanted just to bury my head on Mom's shoulder... forget about how we lived and why Dad was gone." "Hey, mister, could you give me a ride?" " Where do you want to go?" " North Miami." "OK, kid." "Thanks a lot." "Man is about to launch himself... on a trip to the moon... with the expectation of landing there... man going to the moon aboard that Saturn rocket." "The rocket will go..." "will put the men into orbit... 115 miles above the earth... for one and a half orbits... and then the third stage will put them... on their way toward the moon." " Excuse me." " Yes." "I'm looking for a Lieutenant John Cross." "He's my dad." "I think you want to talk to the groundskeeper." "Groundskeeper?" "He's usually in the vegetable garden... at this time of the day, so just go through the arch... and turn to the left." "You'll find him." "OK." "Thanks." "Dad?" "Dad?" "Remember me?" "Dad..." "I need your help." "But you and I know her stripping's not right." "I only know one thing." "The kingdom of God lies within each of us." "When you experience that kingdom... then you'll know what to do and how to do it." "What does God have to do with this?" " Does your mom know you're here?" " No, sir." "The first thing to do is to contact her." "She's going to be worried." "She'll just be mostly mad." "Will you call her for me?" "Son, I haven't spoken to your mother in three years." "I'm sure you'd get a lot further with her than I would." "Mom's coming to get me." "I'm going out with this girl that's a year older than me... and her brother's my best friend." "How old were you when you and Mom got married?" "Well, that was my last year at Annapolis." "I must've been 22." "And you met at a party." "You were wearing your uniform." "She had her white dress on." "Right?" "That's right." "And you were happy until you came back from 'Nam... and started drinking and having bad dreams." "I'll take this to the kitchen." "You sure are a great gardener, Dad." "Your mom's here." "I thought we could all go for a walk and talk." "I'm going to say good-bye to you here, son." "Don't you even want to say hello to her?" "I'm afraid there's no point." "So, what you're saying, it's all right for her to dance... and me not to care for her." "I don't know how to instruct you." "I'm sorry." "Perhaps one day you'll understand." "Try to be of good cheer." "It's OK." "At least we had a chance to work in the garden together." "Where's Christopher?" "He's looking for you at the chapel." "You quit drinking." " 2 years, 31 days." " A long time." "Has anything else changed?" "Just about everything has changed." "Is this what you wanted?" "Are you happy here?" "It makes sense to me." "Yes." "I don't want Chris to hate me." "He hangs on to you coming back." "He worships you." "Not anymore, he doesn't." "Well, thank God for that." "I'm sorry." "Shit." "Bet it's the carburetor." "It's always getting clogged." "What'd you and your dad talk about?" "You must've talked about something." "Isn't that why you came all the way up here?" "I wanted to see my dad, OK?" "Why?" "What'd you think would happen?" "Try starting it." "If you thought getting us all together again... would make things the way they used to be, Christopher..." "I want you to get that out of your head right now." "Why?" "Why can't things be like before?" "I want you and Dad to be back together." "No, you don't." "You forget." "It wasn't any good when he came home... and it wouldn't be any good now." "It's better than this." "Better than you yelling at me." "Honey... sweetie, you got to stop fighting me on this." "I'm doing the best I can." "Stick with me, Chris." "I need you." "I'm starving." "I packed you a sandwich." "Oh, sweetheart." "When school ended for summer..." "Buggs and me cooled out at the beach." "Mostly it was great just doing things together." "And after a year in the same class... as Smethurst the worst... what we needed to do was air out our heads." "The day before the countdown..." "Buggs said we should try something... to help the astronauts have a safe mission." "We decided everything would be OK." "We closed our eyes and pictured a perfect flight... from blastoff to splashdown." "The scariest part for me... was thinking about being stuck on the moon." "Buggs said he'd miss his dad more than anyone." "I said Rebel." "But I really meant my mom." "Who put a shark in the tank in the first place?" "Louis." "He's eating all of Emmett's favorite fish." "So, what do we do if we catch him?" "Put him back in the ocean." "Hey, you guys." "You're going to miss it." "Hey, I think "Dark Shadows" is on now." "Get away from there, Louis." "Louis." "T-minus 15 seconds." "Guidance is internal." "twelve, eleven, ten, nine... ignition sequence start." "six, five, four... three, two, one... zero." " All right!" " Oh, God!" "Liftoff." "We have a liftoff, 32 minutes past the hour." "Yeah!" "Boy, it looks good, Wally." " Yeah!" " All right!" "All right!" "Roger." "You're loud and clear, Houston." "Houston, thrust is go." "All engines are looking good." "Grab the bow line!" "Hey, Snyder!" "What?" "Gimme some fish!" "He's drunk." "Always." "You gonna deliver these, or are you gonna screw around?" "You know how my brother hates when you're late, now." "Snyder's a drunk, and Jetty's paying him." "You're gross!" "Echo!" "Echo!" "Rebel!" "There's some tarpon up here." "It's big!" "Yeah." "Eight-foot." "200 pounds." "Drop it, Rebel!" " This one's had it." " Wait, look!" "It looks like someone stitched it up." "That's weird." "Watch all the guts come out." "Oh, my God." "Turn around!" "What?" "What is it?" "Let's get out of here." "Come on, get out!" "Let's go!" "Termina told me what was in the fish is cocaine... the drug people snort up their noses... like they were pigs... and that turned them into sex maniacs." "She said Jetty and Snyder were just using me... so they could make money... and I could only get into trouble." "It really bummed me out that Jetty had lied to me." "When Termina asked me... what I was planning to do with the cocaine..." "I said, "Throw it away."" ""And the night before that, I dreamt I was a wigwam."" "I heard this joke, Louis." "It's funny!" "I'm not laughing yet." "How come you know every joke in the world?" "'Cause you told me every joke." "I did not!" "Did I tell you that joke?" "Because he dreams about teepees." "I want to give you some change." "Don't sweat the small stuff, little guy." "Rebel ate one of the fish." "Doc says, "Relax." "You're too tense."" "What did you say?" "What did you say?" "Rebel ate one of the fish." ""Relax." "You're 2 tents."" "It is funny!" "Think about it." "Hey, Louis!" "Louis, will you stow it?" "Tell Tracy it's set-up time." "What do you mean?" "What do you mean, what does she mean?" "Get up there, and you tell your mother... to get her buns down here." "It's dinnertime." " You got me?" " OK!" "Yeah!" "God!" "Mom." "You gotta wake up." "You need to go set up." "You feeling OK?" "Yeah." "Must've had a bad dream, honey." "That's all." "Would you give me my cigarettes?" "You shouldn't smoke." "Oh, hush." "Mom, we need to talk." "Mom?" "All right." "Go on." "I'm going to splash some water on my face." "Give me a towel, honey." "You do look serious." "I saved all my money." "You can have it." "Chris, put that money in your account... and quit worrying about me." "If I make as much money as you, will you quit your job?" "Don't you think I'm awfully young to retire?" "I know what you do." "You know what I do?" "I know you take your clothes off in front of other guys." "How'd you find out?" "What difference does it make?" "Honey..." "I was planning on telling you." "I just didn't know how to do it." "'Cause you know it's not right." "I know it's not right." "I wish there was another way, Chris." "I just can't find any." "Look harder." "God damn it, Chris... sometimes there's things you just don't understand." "I understand." "Now, turn around here." "Look at me for a minute." "I'm making five times the amount of money..." "I would doing that than anything else." "And I'm not equipped to do anything else!" "Now, I'm all you've got!" "And I'm looking out for your future, Chris." "Who cares about the future?" "I care about now!" "You think I like taking my clothes off... in front of all those people?" "It makes me sick to my stomach." "Then stop!" "Honey... sometimes in life you gotta do things... that aren't so good to get what is good." "It's gonna be all right, sweetie." "I love you more than anything." "I guess it was like Mom said." "Sometimes you had to do something that wasn't so good... to get what is good." "I knew in my head what I was planning wasn't exactly good... but I figured if Dad wasn't coming home... and wasn't gonna help... it was up to me to save my mom." "Hell of a time to deliver the bad news headlines, isn't it?" "Ladybug." "Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home." "Emmett?" "How come Mom dances without any clothes on?" "People are very tough to figure, Chris." "Especially mothers." "Will her dancing get her into trouble?" "Hey." "She puts her goddamn arms around you, don't she?" "So?" "She puts her arms around a lot of people." "Listen, Chris, you're gonna be all right." "When you get older, you're gonna find someone... they're gonna put their arms around you." "As long as you got someone to put their arms around you... you're gonna be OK." "How come you don't got somebody?" "Aren't you lonely?" "Yeah, sure." "The only thing worse... than being lonely with yourself... is being lonely with someone." "Do people use this stuff... because it helps them become sex maniacs?" "Where the hell did you get that?" "Rebel brought it home in his mouth." "Nasty stuff, Chris." "It's cocaine." "People get addicted to that." "Dump it right now." " Is it expensive?" " Dump it, Chris!" "Crap sells for ninety a gram." "You got about ten grams there." " Ninety cents?" " Bucks!" "Jesus, my mind's jumping." "Go on, go deliver your newspapers." "Morning." "Morning." "How you doing?" "Enjoying my day off." "Soap..." "Better separate that stuff." "It's gonna get wrecked." "It's already wrecked." "I thought you left." "I did." "Came back." "Where'd you go?" "Fishing." "Did you have any luck?" "Not yet." "I was beginning to think you were turned off... by my work at the bar." "Everybody's got a job to do." "What's your job?" "I'm unemployed." "No, I just finished a job up north." "I'm a sports writer." "I'm writing a novel." "I'm on page three." "I used to read at night." "Now I just pass out." "Thank God for sleep, you know?" "See ya." "Hey, what are you doing later?" "A bunch of us are going down to the beach... and dance and watch the moon landing." "Have fun." "Hey." "Save me a dance." "There you go." "To tranquility on the moon... and right here on Earth." "All right." "Chris has been following the moon flight... for months, haven't you, honey?" "Yeah." "My dad wanted to be an astronaut." "His dad was a navy pilot." "How about you, Chris?" "You want to be a pilot?" " Boat captain." " He'd like to be a boat captain." "To take people fishing?" " No..." " He likes whale-watching... porpoise-watching." "I just like to see 'em." "I think he'd make a terrific marine biologist." "So, you like school?" " I don't want to study..." " He likes school." "He does." "Mom, shut up." "You can't talk to me that way, Chris." "We're havin' a conversation here." "We are?" "I'm gonna go hang out with Buggs." "He gets a little jealous sometimes." "I'm gonna go hang out with Buggs, too." "Oh, yeah." "Wow, sweet." "Don't, 'cause he'll wake up." "Watch, watch." "After I show you something, I'll do it." "Wow." "He likes it." "Oh, no!" "That hurt?" "Oh, man." "Here, watch, watch." "God damn it." "I bet you he don't like that." "I bet he don't like seeing your boogers, either." "You guys want to buy some beads?" "Beat it, kid." "How are you guys doing today?" "Listen, don't hassle us for spare change, man." "Get out of here." "You want to buy some beads?" "This ain't no good." "Get out of here." "How about a little... one-on-one action?" "You gonna sell us your girlfriend or what?" "What, kid?" "Well, stuff that helps sex maniacs." "What do you think?" "You talking about coke?" "Yeah." "How much you asking?" "One buck a "G."" "A buck a "G." Get the fuck outta here." " A hundred?" " A buck a "G."" "Must be fine stuff." "It's monster." "Monster." "You know, we're gonna have to score a line." "Check it out, you know?" "No problem." "Just hang loose." "I'll be back in about 15 minutes." "Hey, come here for a second." "You're not bullshitting us, are you?" " You being straight with us?" " Yeah." " No scam, right?" " Right." "Listen, meet us across the street." " We got a black van." "Got it?" " Yeah." "All right." "Where you been?" "I'm trying to sell this necklace... to those two dudes over there in the black van." "OK?" "So if anything goes wrong... grab a lifeguard, bring him over, OK?" "OK, boss." "Those are nice." "Come on." "You ever done this before?" "Yeah." "You got some fine powder here, kid." "I'll go 150 for 2 grams." "I can't." "Best I can do is 350 for 4." "Let's see the four grams." "Give me the bucks first." "Pleasure doing business with you, kid." "Yep." "We'll see you again real soon." "Depends on what my boss says." "He killed a person once." "Cute." "How'd it go?" "No problem." "Well, did you sell it?" "Mission accomplished." "All right." "It really makes you think... we should all be happier, doesn't it?" "What would make you happier?" "A couple of things." "Tell me." "Talking only jinxes it." "Don't you have superstitions?" "No." "Although the surface appears... to be very fine grain as you get close to it." "It's almost like a powder." "Armstrong is on the moon." "Neil Armstrong, a 38-year-old American... standing on the surface of the moon." "That's one small step for man... one giant leap for mankind." "I think that was Neil's quote." "I didn't understand it." ""One small step for man..."" "But I didn't get the second phrase." "I want to hear that." "We'd like to know what it was." "The surface is fine and powdery." "I can kick it up loosely with my toe..." "His quote was, "That's one small step for man..." ""one giant leap for mankind."" "One giant leap for mankind." "First we go live to Paris." " I take..." " My hat off..." " I take my hat..." " Off... off..." "Good night, Emmett." "Good night, Chris." "I would say it's certainly the most fantastic event..." "Beep... beep, beep." "Oh, God." "Jesus." "Oh, Joe." "You OK?" "Yeah." "I haven't felt this good in a long time." "Let me get us something to drink, OK?" "OK." "This yours?" "What is it?" "It's not mine." "Throw it on the chair." "You look tired." "Did you get in late?" "Not too late." "I must've been asleep." "G.T.F., Christopher." "I'm gonna spend the day with Buggs again." "All right." "Be home by 6:00." "What for?" "'cause I said so." "Whatever." "Don't forget." " Hi." " Hello." " Where is everybody?" " Mom went shopping... and Dad and Buggs went to get a new muffler." " Wanna go up to my room?" " Sure." "My mask." "I thought I lost that." "This is for you." ""Dear, Chris, I'm so happy I'm your girlfriend..." ""and you asked me to go steady." ""I love you, and I hope you love me." ""Lots of love." "Termina."" "Could it be that I love you... and you love me?" "Chris." "It's OK." "It's just us." " You won't tell anybody?" " No." "OK." "You look nice." "So do you." "It's so much quieter with a new muffler." " Shit, it's your brother." " What if he comes upstairs?" "Then you're dead." "Oh, yeah." "He says, "Why do elephants..."" "What was it?" "Why do elephants have flat feet?" "Why do pigs have flat feet?" "Why?" "From trying to be elephants." "Hold on, honey." "I think I got one." "God, they're hard to get." " They run?" " They don't run." "Oh, come on." "Be still." "It's almost done." " This stuff stinks." " I know it stinks." "I gotta touch it." "Door's open!" "A gentleman drops by to offer a lady a ride to work." "Well, a lady gratefully accepts." "Splendid." "How you doing there, Chris?" "Mom and me are trying to have a heart-to-heart." "I'll see you downstairs." "OK, honey." "Listen, wash that stuff off in ten minutes, all right?" "OK." "Look how much I've saved, Mom." "Now you can quit that awful job." "Chris..." "Honey, we've talked about this before." "I'm real proud of you, but that money is yours, OK?" "So you keep it." "Just don't forget, Joe's only on vacation." "You get a good night's sleep tonight." "Hey, what a day, huh?" "Just another day in paradise." "Yeah, that's sort of what we want to talk to you about." " You got a minute, don't you?" " Yeah." " You still in business?" " Maybe." "We want to make another deal." "Look, man, we're hitting the road, OK?" "We want to make a big score this time." "Listen, can you handle two grand?" "The boss trust you with 2,000 bucks, kid?" "Let me think about it." "Think about it fast, because we ain't got much time." "Yeah, because we're out of here day after tomorrow." "OK." "Here's our number." "Give us a call if you can swing it." "OK." "Hey, who do I ask for?" "Ask for Bobby." "Nice shot." "How do you like the shrimp?" "It's great, boss." "Thanks." "So, you guys got the plans straight?" "No problem, amigo." "OK." "Let me go make a phone call." "Take over for me." "Fifteen ball, corner pocket." "Good shot." "Hi, Bobby." "This is Rebel." "Meet me at Garrison Bight at 9:30." "OK?" "Yeah, I'll bring the goodies." "Have you seen Mom?" "Taking a nap." "I guess you guys are going hot and heavy." "Yeah." "I'll try and be a bit friendlier... if you and Mom are doing more... than just putting the moves on each other." "OK." "I got to work now." "But if you want to talk later, I'll take you out on my boat." "I got a fish run tonight." "OK?" "OK." "What time?" "I'll knock on your door about 7:30." "Pretty neat, huh?" "You like boats?" "Hate 'em." "I was in the navy." "Did you ever go to Vietnam?" "I was there." "You were?" "Did you ever meet Lieutenant John Cross?" "No." "He's my dad." "Hey, Snyder!" "Who's Snyder?" "Snyder's a shrimper." "I'll be right back." "Hey." "Hey, delivery boy." "Where's Snyder?" "He got too wasted and racked out." "I'm here for a pickup." "Oh, well..." "Shut up." "You shouldn't smoke that stuff." "It turns your brain into oatmeal." "That's the point, honey." "Take care." "Smells like a party going on." "You smell shrimp." "Right." "They friends of yours?" "No." "I just work for them." "You going to be leaving soon?" "A couple of days." "Give me that fish, or I'll stick you, amigo!" " Make a move, and I cut him!" " Take it easy!" " Come on!" " Don't hurt me!" "Wait up!" "You OK?" "I can't believe this." "Well, it's pretty unbelievable." "Yeah." " Come on." " Thanks." "You expect me to believe you didn't even see them?" "Do I look that high to you?" "Well, they both had a mask on 'em." "Right?" "Pillowcases." "Cuban kids with a switchblade and a golf club." "Well, it was totally dark, and they jumped us by surprise." "And you didn't even try to fight them off?" "Just for some fish?" ""Just for some fish?"" "Come here." "Don't fuck with my head, kid." "Don't want to have to hurt you." "Don't fuck with my head." "But I didn't do anything." "Hey, peace on Earth and all that good shit." "Get off my case, ace." "Hey, I ain't gonna let you hurt a kid." "What the hell's the matter with you?" "Mellow out, guys!" "Hey, stick a steak knife in this asshole's ear!" "Yeah, right." "What, am I psycho dishwashing?" "Come on, man, you're fucking up your karma." "My karma's cooking!" "Now look!" "I'm on vacation." "I'm starting to get pissed off." "Yeah, well, I'm getting ripped off!" "It's fish!" "There's a lot of people in this town... who would kill for a piece of good fish, pal." "You hear what I'm saying?" "Hey!" "Look, I know where the kid's going." "I'll take you there." "But calm down." "We'll get this all straightened out." "Just calm down." "Jetty, man, here." "We'll just do it, all right?" "If this guy's pulling your chain... then you get violent, all right?" "You want some?" "Is it local?" " Yeah." " No." "OK, let's let's go find Benedict Asshole." "All right, now, I'm not taking you anywhere... if you don't behave." "Hey, glad you could make it, Chris." "How'd you guys know my name?" "You told us on the phone, remember?" "No, I didn't." "I said my name was Rebel." "You know what?" "I think the kid is going paranoid on us... before the big sale." "Hey, so..." "So, are we going to make a deal or what?" "You guys got the bread?" "Yep." "You got the goodies?" "Yeah." "Let me see it." "I'll go get the cash." "What the hell?" "Fuck off!" "Cough it up." "Where's the rest of it, you little scumbag?" "I'll give you to three." "Where's the rest of it?" "Cough it the fuck up!" "Where's the fucking rest of it?" "I ain't got no more!" "That's it." "Let's go." "Come on!" "All right, police!" "You're under arrest!" "Get down!" "Get down on... freeze!" "I can't swim!" "Help!" "Hey, kid, what are you doing?" "What are you doing here?" "Where's Mom?" "Thought I'd let her off early." "When?" "I don't know." "An hour or so ago." "Mom, we got to talk." "What's the matter, honey?" "We got to talk, Mom!" "Joe?" "You sold cocaine to Joe?" "He didn't look like a policeman." "None of them did." "But all of a sudden, they had guns and badges." " Who the hell are you?" " You want to let me explain?" "Explain what?" "How you used me and my son... to bust a bunch of idiots?" "You think I'm stupid?" "I'm not stupid, mister." "You're not paying a hell of a lot of attention." "You knew he was in trouble, and you didn't say anything." "How could you sleep with me and not say anything?" "I couldn't." "What?" "You couldn't what?" "Tell the truth?" "You had to endanger my son's life to do your job?" "Well, screw your job and screw you!" "I got to take him to the sheriff's office." "Don't you get near my son." "He's got to go in now." "Yeah, well, I'll take him in." "Can you pay attention long enough..." "I ain't going to jail!" "Christopher, we're in big trouble!" "God, please open the door!" " Chris..." " I'm not opening it!" "Chris, we got to talk." "I don't want to." "Honey, I want you to listen to me." "This wasn't your fault." "It was my fault, honey." "I thought I knew what I was doing, honey... but I was wrong, and..." "I'll quit my job... and we'll start over." "You just got to come out of there, honey." "Please." "Are you listening?" "Chris?" "What am I supposed to tell them?" "You know the answer to that, Chris." "You listening, Chris?" "The truth?" "Let's get this over with." "Apollo 11 has made it." "Splashdown should be just now." "X-Y-L-7-2-0-4." "Just write it down." "...landing in the Pacific Ocean... southwest of Hawaii." "Apollo 11 is back from the moon." "It's hard to be tough in jail." "I tried not to show it, but I was scared." "What I did was bad news." "They locked me up for the night to think about it." "Mom said that drugs ruin people's lives... just like the war had ruined Dad's." "I got put on probation for a year." "I was lucky." "Jetty, Snyder, and Louis were sent to prison." "Careful." "You got two big ones there." "Yeah." "The day after Mom quit her dancing job... we moved out of the hotel." "Joe's here." "There we go." "OK." "Tracy, you got company over here." "Come here, Chris." "I did what I think is right." "Is your name really Joe?" "Yeah, yeah." "So long, Joe." "Emmett had a long talk with me." "He said he loved me, but that I was a wise guy." "He told me wise guys die young, and I should quit being one... if I wanted to become a normal adult." "I said I'd rather die young than become a normal adult." "But I learned my lesson, even if I didn't act like it." "Where we moved wasn't exactly what we'd hoped for... but it was what Mom could afford." "It was a rush seeing Mom happy again." "The astronauts sure seemed happy to come back to Earth." "I think because they've been to another place... they know better than anybody... the Earth's our only real home... no matter how screwed up."