A Family Thing Page #2

Go ahead and cry

your damn eyes out

'cause I wanna know

who my real mama is.

Is she colored, or is she white?

It's a mess, daddy.

Now, you lied to me

for many years.

You're a sorry son of a b*tch.

I love you, but you're sorry.

And this is a mess.

I...

I mean to tell you this is a mess.

So I hardly walk in the door,

and I find out David has

called a big meeting.

And you know how in love David

is with meetings. So, the deal is,

they put in a new computer

system without telling anybody,

and then they expect us

to learn it in five minutes.

I swear, I'm just about

fed up with that place.

Better not quit that job.

Jobs don't grow on trees around here.

Who said anything about

quitting, daddy? I was just...

complaining.

That's about all you do.

Where's papaw at?

He went to bed already.

Said he was feeling

all wore out, poor thing.

I wasn't complaining, daddy.

I was just talking about my day.

What's the matter with

you, anyways? Nothing.

Just trying to eat

my supper in peace.

That's all.

Ha.

You blue-eyed n*gger.

Where...

Where are my blue britches?

In front of your nose.

Earl, what on earth

are you doing?

I told you, I'm taking

a couple days off.

I ain't had a vacation

or been anywhere

since that cousin of yours

married that chiropractor

over there in Shreveport.

Here.

Gimme these.

You're gonna wrinkle 'em.

Where are you going?

Well, I don't know exactly.

I'm gonna take my

fishing pole with me,

and maybe I'll do some

fishing somewhere.

What about the shop?

Sonny will take care.

Earl...

This is about your mama, isn't it?

Yeah, Ruby, I guess it is.

It's about mama, yeah.

Sorry.

Chicago, yeah.

Do you have a listing for

a Raymond Murdock?

It might be listed under

Raymond Lee.

No, ma'am, I don't have a street.

Well, how many Raymonds

are there?

Hell, sh*t, give me all of them.

Well, I'm sorry to bother you.

Thank you, sir.

Uh, yes, sir, is this Raymond Murdock?

Well, now, are you

the Raymond Murdock

on the police force?

You're not.

How you doin' today?

Doin' all right.

Can I help you?

Where's the main police

station at around here?

There's a bunch of main police

stations. Which one you looking for?

I'm not real sure.

You the guy looking

for Raymond Murdock?

Yes, sir. I understand he's

a policeman or used to be.

He works downtown

at the mayor's office.

Pardon me. You know where I

can find the mayor's office?

Do you have an appointment?

I don't wanna see the mayor.

I'm looking for a policeman named

Raymond Lee Murdock. Ray Murdock?

He's right over there

in that snack bar.

He just went in there

with three other old men

to tell lies and drink coffee.

He's already been out here

lying to me this morning.

Thank you.

Mm-hmm.

Can we do something

for you, sir?

Are you Raymond Murdock?

Does he owe you money

or know your wife?

No, sir, he don't.

Well, then I'm

R- R- Ray Murdock.

Could I talk to you

for a minute?

Go ahead. I mean somewhere

else besides here?

I'm on my break now.

What's it got to do with?

Well, it's a personal thing.

It's a family thing.

Be right back.

Ok, now.

I don't really know where

to start telling you this.

Just start moving your mouth and

see what comes out. Yeah, well...

You're the Ray Murdock

from Arkansas, ain't ya?

That's right.

My name's Earl Pilcher.

I know who you are.

What do you want from me?

How'd you know who I was?

I just know.

what do you want from me?

My mother wanted me

to look you up.

Are you trying to be funny?

No, no, not at all. No, sir.

See, my mother just passed on

four or five days ago,

and she left me a letter...

Crazy story about you and me

and your mama and my daddy

and some stuff.

Now, I don't know

why she wanted me

to look you up, but she did.

So I did.

I know the story.

I know all about it.

I know all about

your sorry-ass daddy.

Why'd you think

I'd want to see you?

Like I said,

I did it for my mama.

And if I was you, I wouldn't talk

about my daddy that way.

If you were me,

I think you would.

I see, I see.

I'd like some questions answered.

Look, I'm working now.

I get off for lunch at 1:00.

If you wanna talk for a minute,

Then meet me at the luncheonette.

It's r-r-right around the corner

to the right as you go out the door.

1:
00.

Then you can go back

to Arkansas.

That's what I plan on doing.

So, what do you need to know?

Looks like your mama

did a pretty good job of telling it.

Guess I just had

to see for myself,

or needed to see for myself.

See what, your n*gger brother?

Seems like your mama was a...

pretty good woman.

She was.

Sweetheart?

You know...

I learned to live my life

and pretty much put this

in the back of my mind,

and I lived pretty happy,

I gotta say.

Now you come along

and bring it back to

the front of my mind.

You feel better, Mr. Pilcher?

It's all true, every word of it.

Now you can go back

to Arkansas knowing.

Hope I've helped you out.

that gonna be it, Ray?

Yeah, Jackie, thank you.

One thing I learned

out of all this

is that blood don't mean sh*t.

I'm not your brother, Mr. Pilcher.

What happened to our

family was wrong.

You were born out of wrong.

You have to live with that.

At least my conscience is clear.

I used to hope your daddy

would burn in hell.

Now I don't waste

my time and energy

giving him a thought.

Coffee's on me.

When I look at you, I see him,

and I can't look at you anymore.

What's so damn funny?

How's it feel, Mr. Pilcher?

How does what feel?

Being colored.

Hey, man, you look like

your truck, boy?

Yeah.

Where'd you get that redneck truck from?

Arkansas, down in God's country.

God's country, huh?

You in God's country right now, boy.

# Yodel-lay-hee-o

Yodel-lodel- layee-doo

What?

# Yodel-layee-o, yodel-layee-o

# I laid your ol' lady, too

I laid your ol' lady, too #

Hey, homes, you know where

you're at, man? Had your mama.

That supposed to be funny?

Had your mama, you hear?

Hey, bag it!

What you wanna do, huh?

Huh? Pull over!

Whoa!

What's going on, fellas,

can't drive?

Need a seeing-eye dog?

Whazzup?

You got your keys

in this truck?

None of your damn business where

I got the keys. You got insurance?

Who's gonna pay for this?

Kiss my ass. I need your wallet.

Give me the goddamn wallet.

You heard what he said.

Shoot him. I'll fix your ass.

I'm gonna shoot your ass.

Shoot him!

Come on!

Gimme your wallet!

Come on!

Get up now!

Come on! Let's go!

Let's go, man!

He was pretty out of it

when they brought him in.

He didn't have any I.D. on him,

but we found this in his pocket.

That's you... Raymond Murdock?

Well, yes, ma'am, yes, it is.

Are you his responsible party?

For his bills, I mean.

Mo, ma'am. Listen...

what kind of credit card

do you have, sir?

So he's not too bad off, then?

He's ok to leave?

There's no reason to admit him,

but he's in no shape to

travel for a day or two,

certainly not to Arkansas.

Couldn't you keep him here

until he's r- r-ready to travel?

Rate this script:4.3 / 3 votes