A Family Thing Page #3

U mean, for observation or whatever.

Isn't that what you do?

Or until his family

comes to get him?

We can't keep him here.

This place is full.

Like i said, he'll be fine. He shouldn't

go to sleep for10 or 12 hours

because of the concussion.

By the way, he refused to let his family

know where he is. Is that right?

Listen, doctor, I got to go back to work.

They'll release him in few minutes.

Just keep an eye on him for tonight,

and don't let him go to sleep.

This is where you live?

Yeah.

Around here.

Y'all got the same

thing in your town.

You know... niggertown.

Hey, you can lend me $20

if it ain't too much trouble.

What for?

For a motel room. There's

no sense in putting you out.

Sh*t. You can't get

a motel room in chicago for $20

unless you talking about

one of them hooker places.

That'll do.

No, someone's gotta make

sure you don't fall asleep.

I can take care of myself.

Yeah, you look like it.

You don't have to hold onto me.

I'm not crippled.

Ok, you fall down

and bust your head again.

Ray, who there with you?

Aunt T., I brought somebody

from work home.

He fell down and hurt his head.

He'll be staying here

for a little while.

What's your name, son?

It's Earl.

I won't be staying with you

just for a little bit.

Then I'm leaving,

so I won't put you out.

You ain't puttin' me out none.

Ray! Put him in there in my bed.

I'm sitting in here anyhow.

No, ma'am. He has got to stay awake.

We'll just stay out here

in the front room.

You go on about your business.

You sit on the couch over there.

Raymond, you not getting any

of them loud pictures again

to worry me, are you? Well,

I figure if I play something on the TV,

he'll stay up better.

Hey, everybody stay up better

with them shootin'- and-cussin'

pictures you look at.

If you going to play that mess,

I'm going in my room

and put my earphones on.

I'd rather listen to that old

crazy talk-show republican

than that old nasty-talking,

blowing-up kind of show.

Cook me something or other to eat.

She's a wildcat, Aunt T..

She'll be back here in a minute,

wanting to know if you

want something to eat.

Well, take my advice,

tell her you ain't hungry.

Ever since she went blind,

ain't no telling what she's liable

to put in something to eat.

She'll pepper some greens

lightly with salt

till your eyeballs pop out.

One time,

she brushed her teeth

with preparation h.

Of course, I guess being 88,

she's lucky to have

any of her own teeth to brush.

You boys want me to fix

y'all something to eat?

Uh, no, ma'am. Thank you.

I ate not too long ago.

I appreciate it, though.

Don't worry about us, Aunt T.

Just go on and listen

to your r-r-radio.

Rocky!

Wolverines!

I'm feelin' a lot better,

so I'll call my wife

and get her to wire

me some money

so I can buy a plane ticket.

The doctor said you wasn't fit for

traveling for another day or two.

I'll go first thing in the mornin'.

Suit yourself.

I'll leave in the morning, I said.

You don't have to worry about it.

I ain't worried about it.

Daddy.

Daddy!

What?

What are you doing?

Who is that white

man on the couch?

Virgil... What are you

doing waking me up?

I said, who in the hell is that

white man on the couch?

Oh. He's supposed to be there.

He came home with me.

Now, I'll tell you

about it tomorrow.

He'll be gone tomorrow.

Now let me sleep.

Well, where am I supposed

to sleep? That's my couch.

Oh.

Get in here with me.

Uh-uh. No. no, no.

Then let me sleep, Virgil.

Just, he'll be gone tomorrow.

All right. Now, who's

that guy out there?

He's an old friend of mine.

Sh*t. You ain't got any

old friends like that.

What do you know?

You don't know everything about me.

So, where do you know him from?

Korea. We were in the marines

together. Oh, come on.

Don't tell me he saved your life.

No. As a matter of fact,

I saved his.

So, what's he doing here?

Well, he's from down south,

and he's up here visiting,

and he got carjacked and hit in the head.

He was carjacked?

Yeah. Some guys stole his truck.

You know how those good ol' boys

are about their trucks.

He's real tore up about it.

Oh, yeah? Well, my neck is real tore up

from sleeping in that damn bathtub.

He got to be out of here today.

Virgil, this is my house,

and I'll have people stay here

if i want to.

You stay here.

Yeah, but I'm family.

Aunt T., you not eating enough.

Want some bacon?

Well, Ray, you know I don't

eat your old burnt-up bacon.

Just crispy.

Daddy, your bacon is always

a step past crispy.

Want to sit over there?

Yeah.

How you feelin' this morning?

Feel pretty good.

You up to traveling?

I'm up to it, yeah.

But I'm going to call my wife

and have her wire me up some money

so I can buy me a plane ticket.

Now, you won't get me in no airplane.

No, lordy.

Mornin'.

You a security guard

or something?

I'm a bus driver.

School bus?

For the city.

What are you doing dressed

up to go to work?

I thought you were

working nights.

They got me flip,

flopping all around

so I don't know night from day.

This city has no respect for

its employees. No respect.

Virgil is big on that,

r- r-respect.

You better be glad

somebody in this family is.

Well, maybe you can give me

some r-r-respect lessons

after breakfast.

Now, don't y'all start fussin' again.

Let me eat my watery eggs

and burnt-up toast in peace.

So, daddy says you all were

in the marines together

and he saved your life in Korea.

Well, I was in Korea,

but I wasn't in the marines.

I was in the navy.

Well, so how'd you save his life?

Well, it's what you call a...

A long story.

Well, I'd like to kind of

hear it again myself.

Well...

Virgil, would you get that?

Hello.

Hi, Ann. how ya doin'?

Uh-huh.

Well, I thought I'd take them

to grant park,

have a picnic or something.

Well, yeah. We can meet there.

Ok. Bye.

Is Ann bringing the girls

over tomorrow? Yeah.

Virgil has got the most

beautiful children.

Daughters, huh?

I got a daughter.

Oh, boy.

It's a real responsibility,

isn't it, having kids?

Yeah, it is.

All right, now, don't start

that sh*t again. I mean it.

What sh*t? What are

you talking about?

I'm going to work.

What are you going to do?

It's like talking to a wall.

Well, I know what I'm going to do.

I'm going to get in that kitchen

and cook me up some oatmeal.

Feed this stuff to the cat...

If I had me a cat.

You think the police

will find my truck?

They may find it.

May not be much left of it.

Shoot. Damn.

Well...

Have a good trip.

Yeah. Thanks.

And, uh...

Thanks for saving

my life in Korea.

Well...

Virgil just wouldn't

understand about you.

I can understand that.

Were you really in Korea?

Oh, hell, yeah. I was

on the Philippine Sea.

That's an aircraft carrier.

When were you there?

Oh, '51, '52.

That's when I was there.

Ain't that some sh*t?

Yeah.

Good luck.

Tip your hat to Dixie for me.

Yeah. I'll do that.

Hello. It's Earl here.

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