5 Dollars a day Page #6

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the last thing I want is

to tell him I'm not his father.

He may be a disaster,

but he's all I've got.

It pains me to say this,

but there's something

wrong with him, Bert.

I believe it.

It's my fault.

You don't look sick, Nat.

You haven't

changed at all.

Sam impeccable

sense of timing.

You know today's the day I announce

my candidacy for mayor.

Of course,

you knew that already.

Got us a suite.

You going to tell me

what happened, or what?

I've thought about this day so long,

worked it out in my head,

and it was nothing.

No big deaI.

I talked.

He listened.

He game me the money.

That's it.

Well, that's good, right?

You should be happy.

You got your $2,000 back.

My money plus 30 years

compounded interest

adjusted for inflation.

$150,000.

What is this?

You got $150,000

in a plastic-

did you steaI this?

He gave it to me,

and I promise you,

he's not coming after it.

Why would he

give you $150,000?

He thinks

he's your father.

Why does he

think he's my father?

He took a test.

I sent him

his own DNA,

said it was yours.

Well, how'd you

get his DNA?

Short, curly pubic hair.

I don't know.

Ask Dolores.

Oh, that's-

that's disgusting.

She's a friend.

Top of the menu, right?

What do you say

we throw the map away

and detour down to Vegas?

What stays there

stays there.

Yeah, all right.

What's wrong,

mopey face,

hangdog mopey face?

Why would

he just roll over?

Well, what else

was he going to do?

I had him boxed in.

He's running for mayor.

You think his wife

and spin doctors

want you

on the campaign poster?

Thanks.

No, it's just,

he was with Mom.

Is that right?

So when exactly

did that start?

I don't know.

Was it before I was born?

I try not to worry about things

I can't do anything about.

Excuse me?

The thing is,

we hit the jackpot, you and me.

You play your cards right,

you never have to punch a clock.

You can start up

something permanent with this.

It's a nest egg.

Are you shitting me?

Are you kidding?

I know how you feeI,

but these last days have been

the best time for me in a long time.

Oh. Oh, jeez.

I wanted us to get

to know each other again, and we did.

No, you're right.

You're right, you're right.

I admit it.

For some reason,

I was starting to enjoy

sitting in that stupid car

with you all day.

But that's worth nothing now,

because you're a liar.

How could you think

that it wouldn't matter to me

to know who my father is?

Hello?

Hey.

Give me a straight answer.

You're not even dying,

are you?

The X-ray is from

a friend of mine at the zoo.

It's the skull bone

of a gorilla.

All right, well,

maybe you're not my father,

but ever morning, I wake up,

I look in the mirror,

and I feeI sick to my stomach

because I thlnk I'm turnlng out

to be just llke you.

Stick a knife in my heart.

What's wrong?

Where you going

with the money?

What are you doing?

So glve me a number.

How much more

is this going to cost me?

I don't want your money.

Why have you come?

I wanted

to get a look at you.

I wanted

to get a look at you too.

You're not

what I expected.

But then again, I bet Nat painted me

as the bad guy too, didn't he?

Something like that.

Look,

I already have a son.

But I might be willing to make

an arrangement with you.

Not out in the open, of course.

But I could get you a job in sales.

We're opening

a new dealership in Reno.

So you're my father.

I suppose we ought to get

a legitimate blood test.

I got to assume

Nat's hustling me.

Why'd you pay him?

Guilt.

Pity.

I wanted hlm to feel

llke he'd pulled off

something big

for once in his life.

You know,

a big score.

Look...

after the election,

you get in touch with me.

I really have

to be getting back.

Okay, can I ask you a question?

Did you love her?

You know

what women are like.

You say something

in the heat of the moment.

Do you mean it?

They think it's forever.

Honey?

You're keeping some

very important people waiting.

Can you see your way out?

Saw my way in.

Serlously, I wlll turn

the mlc over to Tom.

Tom, what do you have to say

about Bert Kruger?

He's a man of honor and Integrlty,

despite being

a used car salesman.

It would be

my honor to support him

as the next mayor

of this city,

especially if I get the discount

on that new Caddy.

You got it, Tom.

Just kidding, Bert.

Hi, everybody.

I'll be reaI quick.

I just wanted

to say a few words

about the man I've just

discovered is my father,

Mr. Kruger.

Dad...

I just wanted to say how great

it is to finally meet you

and to see what I've been

missing all this time.

I was in jaiI.

And about that $150,000

that you paid to get rid of me,

I don't want it.

I hate bribes.

Hold it!

Mr. Kruger, slr,

you've just been accused

of paying hush money

to an ex-con

who claims to be your son.

Do you have any comments, sir?

Yes, this is dirty tricks

by Terrance Bissen, my opponent.

Is that a deniaI, sir?

It's a categoricaI deniaI.

Excuse me.

Thank you very much.

Did you give him the money?

How could you do that?

What have you done?

You gave back $150,000.

Am I rlght?

Did you give him the money?

Yes or no?

Come on.

You ralsed me

better than that.

Vegas,

here we come.

Hey, Nat?

How about we head down

to L.A. after?

I want you

to meet Maggie.

Nat?

Nat?

Hi.

I'm in a hospitaI

in Albuquerque.

It's Nat.

And it turns out,

this is the first time in his life

he's telling the truth.

And...

he's dying.

He really is dying.

So...

That's...

what I wanted to tell you.

Bye.

Hello?

Hi.

Could I get another tapioca, please?

You've got a sweet tooth.

I do.

Closer.

Let me feeI your face.

I'm sorry.

We did good, though.

We got copasetic.

We're not done yet.

Come here.

Get me out of here.

Hi.

Thanks for coming.

Well, nobody ever

flew me first class before.

I do what I can.

Your mustache.

You want me

to grow it back or what?

I won this place in a card game

a long time ago.

I figured,

one day, you'd come here

and bring the girI of your dreams,

like I did.

Oh,

somebody's been here.

I don't remember the place

being such a dump.

We were a family once.

You wanted a boat?

Thank you.

Just so you know,

if I could do it again,

I'd have been more like a dad,

tossed a ball, pitched a tent,

taught you to drive.

You did teach me to drive.

Come on.

Uncle Al-

No, you did. You did.

In the parking lot behind

St. PauI's Church when I was 11.

You're right.

How could I do

a thing like that?

Come on.

There's something

we got to do.

Well, I spent my whole life

wanting a different kind of a father,

one who would look after me

instead of me looking after him.

And instead,

I got this infantile,

irresponsible,

uncivilized, cheap,

jive-talking bullshit artist.

And now that

I'm rid of you,

here...

Here I am

wanting you back.

It's typicaI.

Oh, and you'd be

happy to know that urn was free

with $5 of gas.

I'm gonna miss you, Dad.

We're sinking.

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