A Perfect World Page #6

Okay.

So tell me the truth.

Haynes' old man,

he was a career criminal...

...with a soft spot for whores.

One thing's for sure...

...he beat the hell out of anything he

ever came across, screwed or fathered.

If I...

If the judge had let

the boy go with him...

...he'd have a rap sheet as long

as your arm within a year.

Gatesville isn't so bad.

I've known kids there

who straightened up.

One even became a priest.

I don't get it.

Well, you don't get it.

In Texas, the bottom line is who

you know and what they owe you.

That's how I do my job.

It's how you got your job.

You are tough, aren't you?

I bought that judge a T-bone,

and I told him to send the boy up.

I told him it was

the right thing to do.

The judge went with me,

right down the line.

[RUMBLlNG]

Butch. Come on, Butch.

Butch, wake up!

Butch.

I didn't mean to scare you.

I work at night. Cooler.

Your car break down?

No, me and my boy was just catching

some shut-eye in your field.

Oh, l don't own it.

I just work it for Mr. Andrews.

Where you all from?

Drove from Texarkana yesterday.

- Long haul.

BUTCH:
You said a mouthful there.

No sense sleeping in the car

when I got a foldout couch in there.

Don't wanna put you out.

Gotta get on the road.

No trouble. I'll wake you at first light.

Fill your belly with some food. Ha, ha.

Send you on your way.

All right.

- Aah!

- Aah!

He wake you all up?

Now, I told you not to do that.

No. It's no harm, ma'am.

I'm Lottie, Mack's wife.

This here's my grandbaby, Cleveland.

Name's Cleve. I'm 6.

I'm 8. Mine's Phil...

Buzz.

We got us a creek down

the way. Wanna go?

PHILLIP:

Sure thing.

- Morning to you.

- Morning.

- Rest done you all good, huh?

LOTTlE:
Want a plate?

No. Hey, boy, run out there and

get my thermos out of the truck.

Hey, you can't hear

me or something?

[CLEVELAND CRlES]

Boy ain't got sense

God give a chicken.

You want me to stay

on Highway 70?

No, head on up towards Amarillo.

We'll either cross him down there,

or wave goodbye at the border.

Again. Do it again.

Where's the boy's mother?

We left her at home this time.

Boys' night out kind of thing.

Say, lookie here.

Lookie here!

Mr. Andrews gave it to us when

he got himself a newfangled one.

Jesus.

[CLEVELAND LAUGHING]

Now, this is music.

[MAN SPEAKlNG INDISTINCTLY

ON RADIO]

You know how long it's been

since I heard this?

Oh, that's an oldie, all right.

Mrs. Andrews' maiden name was

Bourgeois. Half Creole herself, she is.

Mr. Andrews,

he don't like nobody to know.

I suppose that's why he give them

to us. Ha-ha-ha.

MAN [ON RADIO]:

- -all-you-can-eat fish fry...

...Thursday at 7:00 in the school

cafeteria. Tickets are $3.50 each.

You can stuff your young'uns for half that.

[CAJUN MUSlC PLAYlNG]

Dance, Lottie?

- Me? Goodness, no.

- Here.

Just follow me.

[KlDS GIGGLlNG]

- Mr. Poe, you sure can move.

- Well, I ought to be able to.

I was raised

in a dime-a-dance whorehouse.

- You're fooling me.

- No, ma'am.

My mama would dance out of the

frying pan and into the back room fire.

Get on your feet, Buzz.

- You and Cleve shake a leg.

- Okay.

Well, go on. Go on!

Dance, boys.

Spin me!

[MUSIC STOPS]

MAN [ON RADIO]:
Night before last,

Haynes escaped with another convict...

...Terry James Pugh, who was

found dead near Ben Hur, Texas.

Shot through the head at close range.

Haynes took a hostage, a young boy...

We'll be leaving soon enough.

I'll kill all of you,

you try anything stupid.

What's wrong, Mack?

You look like you seen a ghost.

Come on, Buzz.

- Time to hit the road.

CLEVELAND:
Do me again.

Get back over here, now.

- Come on.

MACK:
Come on, now!

CLEVELAND:
Come on, mister. Again.

- Come on!

[CLEVELAND CRlES]

What'd you wanna go

and hit Cleve for, huh?

He didn't move fast enough

for you? ls that it?

- Huh?

- Shh, shh.

Maybe he gets excited sometimes.

He don't hear everything you say!

You make me sick to my stomach.

[CRYING]

Point it at him.

- I don't wanna.

- Point it!

Now, you wanna flip, son?

Sure you do.

Just put your hands between

your legs. I'm not gonna hurt you.

He don't trust you no more.

You gotta earn that, you know.

Go ahead, put your hands

between your legs.

Buzz, go out to the car,

get that rope.

Phillip!

Now, you hold that boy,

and you tell him you love him.

Cleve, I love you.

No, old man! Say it like you mean it.

- This boy knows I love him.

- Say it!

Please, mister.

I got a sense about you.

I know you a good man.

No, I ain't a good man.

I ain't the worst neither.

Just a breed apart.

Now, say it, Mack.

Say it!

It don't cost nothing.

Cleve...

...I love you.

God...

...that's beautiful.

Get on your knees.

Put your hands behind your back.

[CAJUN MUSlC PLAYlNG]

You can go wait in the car

or you can watch.

You're old enough to think for yourself.

Close your eyes, Cleve.

Lottie, you hold the boy tight.

You shut your eyes too.

Please...

...ain't no use in it.

Mister, I'll give you everything we got.

- Our Father, which art in heaven....

- Shh.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be

done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Mack, Cleve, say it with me.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Forgive us our trespasses as we

forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom

and the power and...

Forever and ever. Amen.

[MUSIC STOPS]

[GROANlNG]

Phillip?

Thanks for your hospitality.

Phillip?

What the hell?

That was a hell of a thing

to do, Phillip!

You're a hero! Probably

be in all the papers tomorrow...

...how you saved those folks. Truth is...

...I don't think I'd have

killed them though.

Only killed two people

in my whole life.

One hurt my mama...

...one hurt you.

What say we talk this over?

Settle things man-to-man.

Then we can be on our way.

I'll even...

I'll even let you drive.

Knock that right off your list.

How would that be?

That's his car. He's afoot.

And he's got a pistol.

Mack says it looks like a .38.

[GRUNTS]

BUTCH:

Alaska, Phillip. Wild and woolly.

Man against nature.

Me personally, I like them odds.

I tell you my daddy lives there?

He's a....

He's the one sent

the picture postcard.

Listen here what he says about it.

"Dear Robert:
"

Just wanted to tell you that me

leaving has nothing to do with you.

Alaska is a very beautiful place,

colder than hell most all the time.

Someday you can come and visit...

"...and we'll maybe get

to know each other better."

[CHUCKLES]

Short and sweet.

That's the old man's style.

We'll, uh... We'll just rest a while.

Then you make up your mind.

How's that, Phillip?

ADLER:
Town called Happy

over in Swisher County.

Radio ahead so whoever gets

there takes it nice and easy.

Governor's having the mother flown in.

You want her on standby?

- Good idea.

- Yeah, have her helicoptered in.

Well, one thing's for sure now.

I definitely believe in ghosts.

Never been shot before.

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