A Perfect World

[BlRD SQUAWKING]

[HELICOPTER WHlRRING]

[CHILDREN LAUGHING]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

Come on!

Betty Ann, you stay!

Hurry, hurry!

NAOMI:
If I was going, I'd go as a, um....

RUTH:
A princess!

NAOMI:

Uh, yeah.

- Judy Baumer's going as a twirler.

- But she's so fat.

I'd rather go as Cinderella

or Peter Pan.

Peter Pan's a boy.

Tinkerbell's a girl.

- Phillip could go as Peter Pan.

- Phillip could go as a bump on a log.

[GIRLS GIGGLlNG]

- Why can't we just go once?

NAOMI:
Because we just can't, okay?

Our personal beliefs lift us

to a higher place.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

[DOORBELL RlNGING]

PHILLIP:
I'll get it.

NAOMI:
You got it last time!

KIDS:

Trick or treat!

I'm sorry, we don't take

no part in Halloween.

Excuse me?

We're Jehovah's Witness.

- Hey, Phillip Perry.

- Hey, Billy Reeves.

How'd you know it was me?

Come on, go eat your supper.

Come on, kids,

let's go to the next house.

Sorry for the bother.

MAN:
Evening, Larry. Forget something?

- Going to Austin, gotta take some work.

- When are we gonna grab a cold one?

- Sooner the better!

[lNDISTINCT CHATTER ON RADIO]

TERRY:
Hey, daddy!

INMATE:
Yeah?

- You sure this goes on up to the vents?

- It used to, in the old days.

TERRY:
Because if it don't,

I'm gonna rip your tongue out. Ha, ha.

You punk thief.

TERRY:

Move.

Damn if that old man ain't right.

[TERRY GRUNTING]

[CHILDREN GlGGLING]

BOY:

Here's your trick! Ha-ha-ha!

Bombs away!

Oh, good one!

[ALL LAUGHING]

BOY:

We really got him.

TERRY:
You and me must be living right,

Butchie-boy.

Let's get something straight.

I don't like you.

As soon as we're on our way...

...that's it.

Who said I liked you?

[ALL GRUNTlNG]

Keep your mouth shut.

God, I'd love to blow your brains out.

Good night, Larry.

TERRY:

Hmm. Good night, Larry.

Come on, wake up.

[COUGHS]

TERRY:

I like that one.

You sure are picky.

Wrong neighborhood for a Lincoln.

Hey, there's a Buick.

BUTCH:

I don't want a Buick. I want a Ford.

TERRY:
Fords leak oil.

Besides, daddy, a car's a car.

Take the Buick.

As soon as we cross

the state line, I'll do just that.

I'm tired of waiting around.

I'm gonna go check down the block...

...for a Ford.

Go wake up your sisters.

TERRY:

I take mine fried.

A little on the bland side.

Give me some of that ketchup,

would you? Now. Please?

Aah.

[GRUNTS]

You haven't got a man around here,

now, do you? Hmm?

No! Agh!

Well! We got a fighter here now!

GLADYS:

No!

Oh, lookie here. Look, you got

a little man in the house.

GLADYS:

No!

- No!

- Unh!

I'm bleeding! You happy?

What's your name, boy?

Phillip.

Okay, Phillip, reach down

and pick up that pistola for me.

- Give it to me.

- Shut your mouth!

Pick it up and bring it over to me.

Point it at me.

Point it.

Now say "Stick 'em up."

Stick 'em up.

[LAUGHING]

Perfect.

[GLADYS YELLS]

Put the gun down, old timer.

Put it down. You couldn't hit me

anyway. Probably shoot the boy.

[PHONE RINGlNG]

Leave her be.

- Mama?

- It's all right.

It's all right.

- Are you deaf?

- Set it on the ground.

Put it down.

Set it down! Down.

Shut up!

- I vote we take her.

- No.

Then how are we gonna get out of here?

The whole neighborhood's awake!

- We'll take the boy.

- No. No!

No! Aah! Unh!

Ain't you folks ever heard

of sleeping in?

Yee-ha!

[GUNSHOTS]

RED:

I got it, sir.

Press has been waiting

almost an hour, Red.

I hear you.

Yeah, l hear you. I understand.

I understand.

Yeah. No, l'm here.

I'm just listening. Yeah, okay.

[SPEAKS IN SPANISH]

What'd he say?

- Who?

- The governor, Red.

Well, he reminded me

that it's an election year.

[CHUCKLES]

- Hi.

- Hi.

I, uh, hope you don't drink before noon.

Oh, no, l don't.

The last one we had here,

seemed like she was on a liquid diet.

[LAUGHING]

- Last what?

- Secretary.

Penny Monroe.

Well, um, I believe you have me confused.

See, I'm from Huntsville.

I was assigned by the governor.

Adler, what is this?

It rings a bell. I think they sent

something over about her this morning.

- Who did?

- The governor, Red.

I'm Sally Gerber, criminologist

with the state prison system.

- Tom Adler, Texas Rangers.

- Hi.

Well, uh, it's a relatively new procedure.

I was assigned by the governor to work...

"Work with state law officials

in all affairs of penal matters...

...coinciding with the state police."

This doesn't say anything...

It includes parole, work-release programs,

as well as penal escape situations.

[lNTERCOM BUZZES]

We'll be right there, Marge.

They're getting antsy, Red.

You scheduled it.

Uh, the idea is that an understanding

of the behavioral case history...

...should, in parole situations,

help the subject to avoid habitual traps.

And in penal escape situations...

...could conversely identify those selfsame

traps as an aid to apprehension.

- Let me tell you something, Miss Gerber....

- Sally is fine.

Let me tell you something, Sally...

...this is not a penal escape.

This happens to be a manhunt.

And no talking around in circles

is gonna fix all that.

- And what will?

- Us having a nose like a blue tick...

...that's a medulla with an antenna,

and a lot of coffee.

[ROCK N' ROLL MUSIC PLAYING

INDISTlNCTLY ON RADIO]

[GUNSHOT]

[LAUGHING]

We got a handful of caps,

and you're shooting water tanks.

He's a smart guy, huh, Phillip?

[PHILLlP SHOUTS]

Goddamn!

PHILLIP:

Ow!

Okay, boys, that's enough!

The chief's got work to do!

REPORTER:

Did the kid say anything?

- Good morning, Red.

- Good morning.

- So, what do you think?

- Looks good. Looks good.

We're very proud of this baby.

Governor ordered it so dignitaries

could ride in the parade in Dallas.

- You know President Kennedy's coming?

- Yeah, so l heard.

Latest technology.

Got an oversized engine...

...full kitchen, sleeping quarters.

Got room for gun racks.

Stove, fridge, even got a hotline phone

straight to the governor's office.

- Fine piece of machinery.

- What's more...

...soon as it comes back from Dallas,

it'll be at your disposal.

It's perfect for lots of situations.

It's a headquarters on wheels.

We'll take it.

Uh, chief? Stop taking pictures!

Red, it's just not possible.

- Governor's gotta ride in it tomorrow.

- He gave this manhunt top priority.

But, Red... Listen,

you gotta believe me. Ha, ha. Red?

- What's your name?

- Dick Suttle, the driver.

- Not anymore. Bradley?

- This man stays with his vehicle.

- You know how to work all the gadgets?

- Oh, yes, sir.

Okay, take a seat.

ADLER:

Excuse me, Red.

This here's Bobby Lee.

He's a specialist with the feds.

They want him to tag along.

[ENGlNE STARTS]

SAUNDERS:
Red, what am l supposed

to tell the governor?

Well, you tell him that, uh,

Miss Sally Gerber over there...

...from his office,

checked me out on this.

Oh, hell.

Hey!

Hello?

You coming or aren't you?

Not a scratch! You hear me, Suttle?

Not a scratch!

On the truck! On the trailer!

And you call me! You call me!

[HORN HONKING]

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