A Country Called Home Page #2

I can't believe this.

Oh, yeah, well.

That was your daddy's. (SIGHS)

No, but he had this piece of junk when we were kids.

We used to take the worst road trips in this beast.

And he never got it to work right.

Well, Jack got it running for me to drive

but I'm too scared it'll break down.

Who did he make the guitars for?

Oh, different folks, here and there.

He'd sell a few every year, if he'd finish 'em, anyway.

Did he ever make anything else, like any violins or...

Violins? No, I don't think so.

Ellie, listen, I... I was wondering if you could help me

with the announcement of your daddy's death.

Uh, I wasn't really planning on staying.

I might just even get on the first plane in the morning.

But you've only been here two minutes.

And I could really use your help, please.

At least stay until after the funeral.

I know, I, I'm sorry...

Isn't this the least you could do?

Okay.

Sure, I'll stay until he's in the ground.

All right.

You know, I'd really like to just, um, maybe like go for a drive.

See some of the town.

Well, I don't know if there's that much to see, but okay.

But the thing is, Jack needs his truck tonight.

You can try your luck with that thing.

Is there any other way of getting into town?

(SCOFFS)

(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)

Don't do that again, Billy.

But I'm hungry.

You said you wasn't hungry.

Just...

Don't you start.

Don't. Billy, don't do that.

Stop it.

Billy, put... You...

Better put that back on.

You got kids of your own?

No.

Then why don't you mind your own business,

we ain't some TV show for you to gawk at.

G.D., woman!

(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING IN BAR)

(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS)

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)

RENO:
Well, I'm a wild one to ramble

The whole world out in front of me

I got places to go

I got people to see...

Is this fellow lip-syncing to some woman?

Or is he about two balls short of a sack?

I'm headed for the big town...

(GLASS SHATTERS)

(MAN SNICKERING)

(LAUGHING)

(PATRONS MURMURING)

(ROCK MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS)

MAN:
Hey, can I get another one?

I really liked your song.

At least what I heard of it.

You know, it really pisses me off.

He's just wasting all that beer.

Does this happen a lot?

Uh, you mean, bottles getting thrown at my head?

(CHUCKLING) No, that guy doesn't come here that often.

-Cheers. -(BOTTLES CLINK)

What you got there?

ELLIE:
Mmm, it's a key.

Hold on...

Is this the key to my heart?

-(CHUCKLES) -Hey, I have been looking everywhere for this.

Yeah, I don't know what it's for.

Um, my father left it for me.

He... He's just, uh... He died.

Huh.

This is familiar.

-Is it? -Yeah.

You know, I can't remember where, but I saw this kind of key before.

So, you wanna hear my new song or what?

You're not gonna get back up there again, are you?

No. Uh, no. I think once is enough for tonight.

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Come on, let's go.

(PLAYING GENTLE SONG)

(SONG ENDS)

That was great.

Thanks.

Um, who is this?

That is Brenda Thacker.

Also known as my mother.

Yeah, she's been in a diabetic coma here for three days now.

I'm so sorry, is she gonna be okay?

Uh, yeah, I mean, they think so.

But you know.

They're not really sure.

On the plus side,

we never got along so well as we have these past three days,

have we, Brenda?

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Do you come here every day?

Mmm-hmm.

(PLAYING GENTLE SONG)

Hi.

(GRUNTS)

Hi, um...

I, uh, I don't know where Amanda is,

but I think she might be in the back.

Oh, we're here to see you.

Why?

Well, because you're our granddaughter.

Why wouldn't we wanna see you?

Yeah, we didn't mean to step on your beauty sleep.

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

I carry this picture around with me everywhere I go.

Um...

Yeah, I, I remember this day.

Do you have any?

Any what?

Uh, she wants to know if you have any pictures of our beautiful faces.

(CHUCKLES)

(CLICKS TONGUE) Uh...

Well, I know you wouldn't carry them around with you,

but at home, I was wondering if you had any.

ELLIE:
The thing is um,

when Amanda mentioned you,

yesterday, that was the first time I knew

that you were even alive.

I, um...

TOMMY:
Daddy!

Uh, I'll... I'll be right back.

TOMMY:
Daddy!

Hey, little man.

-How are you? -Good.

-Where are you going, Daddy? -I gotta go to work.

-TOMMY:
May I please go? -AMANDA: No, no, Daddy's gotta work.

We just picked up some food before Jack takes the truck.

JACK:
Yeah, somebody's gotta work around here.

-What is that supposed to mean? -He's cranky in the morning.

Well, he wasn't much nicer last night.

Well, we keep, uh, sneaking up on you, don't we?

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Oh.

Oh, it is so good to finally meet you.

ELLIE:
You too.

I've thought about hugging you and your brother for so many years.

Hopefully, this is "hello" instead of "goodbye."

And don't worry, we don't have that many years left to bother you.

Oh, Bruce, will you be quiet?

(CHUCKLES)

-Bye. -AMANDA:
Come on, hon.

I let you sleep in, but now, we gotta shake a leg.

See you got your parking skills from your daddy.

AMANDA:
Can you talk to the undertaker when we get there?

ELLIE:
Why?

Oh, I just don't like those kind of folks.

And I don't know what kind of coffin to get and...

Yeah, I can talk to 'em.

(SIGHS) Oh, I just don't know what to do.

I said I'd talk to him, it's really not a problem.

It's just that I think your daddy really did want to be cremated.

But everyone says a body's got to be buried to be at peace.

And I don't know if that's true,

but it sure did make me feel bad.

Well, you shouldn't.

Mmm.

I tell ya, it's like my head is splittin' in two.

I just don't know how I can face today.

(SIGHS) I used to rely on Mark to make these kind of decisions.

And when he couldn't, 'cause he was too drunk, Jack would.

He's been in such a mood lately.

Ever since Mark and I moved in with him

he's been... Mmm!

(SIGHS) It's all just too much.

Why don't we just finish up eating

and you can go home, get a little more sleep

and I can take care of all of this?

You will? You'd do that?

Oh, I tell ya, that's a huge load off my mind.

And anyway, he is your daddy.

-That's right. -Mmm.

I'm gonna go ahead, have him cremated and then I'm gonna go back home.

Good, 'cause I think that's what he really wanted.

I mean that, or for us to bury him in the backyard.

And I think that's illegal.

We just rent that house.

Did he have a... A favorite place?

You know, I always saw him crossing the train tracks in his car.

He'd just stop. Right on the tracks.

Like he was trying to speed up the process.

(CHUCKLES) Almost like that was his favorite place.

Mmm. I guess his body took care of that in the end.

Hmm.

Mmm. Okay.

Why don't you go ahead and pay for all this

and I'll just run to the little girl's room.

-(DOOR BELL JINGLES) -And it's always one of them.

-Yeah. -It is, it is.

Excuse me, hi. I was wondering if you could help me?

Sure can. What can I do for you?

I'm looking for the funeral home.

Whoa, what's wrong? Are you suicidal?

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