A Thousand Acres Page #3

---

He did. He came to my office.

I wasn't there, I was in New York.

- They said he was acting weird.

- Weird, how?

Gawking at everyone, and throwing

his head around in a weird kind of way.

I don't know, weird.

He'd probably been to a bar,

you know and then-

- He was drinking and driving?

- Sounds like it.

- You can't let him do that.

- I can't stop him.

Take away his keys.

It's not funny.

It's a pretty funny idea,

taking away his keys.

Besides, he doesn't have anything to do.

- He likes to drive around.

- You said he was drinking.

It sounds like it. I don't know for sure.

- Why isn't he working?

- He doesn't want to work.

He's tired of farming. He's taking the

only kind of vacation he knows how to take.

You know, he did what he wanted.

- So, you and Rose signed the papers?

- What papers?

The corporation papers, the transfer papers.

Of course we did.

We didn't have any choice.

All I know is, Daddy's lost everything.

He's made an error of judgement,

and he's suffering.

And maybe he's got some regrets,

and it's making him act strange.

But you don't care enough

to do anything about it.

It's clear who's benefiting here.

What happened to you?

Caroline?

Girls, lunch.

Coming.

- Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

- Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

Somebody pass the corn.

You want me to carve it, Daddy?

Just go down between the bones.

- I know that.

- I know you do.

- Don't tell me what to do.

- I wasn't.

Give it here.

The potatoes look great.

Daddy, did you drive all the way

to Des Moines?

Caroline was wondering about it, that's all.

You girls talk a lot on that long distance.

Ginny, peas?

She was worried about it, that's all.

Did I say I went to Des Moines?

No.

- I'll get it.

- I got it.

Sometimes I hate him.

I want him to go to hell and

stay there forever, just roasting.

- Rose.

- Why do you say, "Rose"...

in that shocked way?

Because you're not supposed

to wish evil on someone...

or because you don't really hate him?

I don't. I really don't.

I mean, he's a bear-

- He's not a bear. He's not innocent like that.

- Rose.

- And sometimes I hate you, too.

- Me?

I hate you because you're the link

between me and him.

Who?

Daddy, of course. Don't be so stupid.

You're such a good daughter,

so slow to judge.

It's like stupidity. It drives me crazy.

I was thinking the same thing

about Ty last night.

He never questions Daddy. He's so loyal.

It seems sort of dumb.

Every time I make up my mind

to do something, get off this place...

leave Pete, get a job, earn some money,

you stop me.

Anyway, the point is...

I've let him get away with a lot of stuff.

We all have, but...

we can set rules, and I think

the rules can be pretty simple.

Ginny?

Tell me what you really think about Daddy.

I don't know.

I love Daddy, but he's

so in the habit of giving orders, no...

back talk, you know.

I mean, he drinks and everything.

Probably for as long as we've known him.

You're making me nervous.

I don't know what you want me to say.

Mummy never told us what

to think of Daddy and...

sometimes, I wonder whether

they got along together and...

whether she liked him.

I think different things. Things like that.

Sh*t, Ginny.

I don't hate you. You know I don't.

I think things are going to get better now.

Maybe rules will do the trick. We can try.

United front, right?

Right.

So, want to go for a walk?

- How long have you been here?

- About a minute.

You do appear suddenly.

I've noticed that about you.

You're just oblivious.

I've noticed that about you.

You see that? Wild burdock.

You know what these are?

Prairie indigo. Very poisonous.

What about these?

I know these. Locoweed.

Very good.

Jess laughed and I laughed.

And for a moment, everything seemed

remote and not very important.

I wondered if maybe that wasn't

the right way to look at things after all.

Even after you've been gone all this time?

I had the strong sense that we had

stumbled into some kind of daring privacy.

And that the secluded place

we were walking somehow allowed it.

- That's new.

- It's you guys.

- What do you mean?

- I know you didn't initiate the transfer...

but people are getting suspicious.

Wondering how you and Rose

got Larry to give you the place...

when the whole thing's obviously

driving him crazy.

Sh*t, Harold was there.

It was at your party.

He knows exactly how it happened.

Well, the talk will die down. It always does.

- It's not Harold's main problem.

- What is?

The thing is, my dad loves me.

He wants to win me, thinks he

can keep me here with the farm...

even though he knows that

I wouldn't farm the way he does.

Harold wants to fix me,

right here in Zebulon County.

Would that be so bad?

When I think of myself 10 years down the

road, I wonder if it'll be Loren and me...

the Clark brothers, Frick and Frack.

Well, we're here.

I saw Caroline got married.

Caroline, yes, they had a ceremony.

A small one.

Those are nice, too. These are sweet.

Mum.

That's pretty.

She didn't mention a word of this

when she talked to you, did she?

Maybe we should call her.

For what? This is for us.

This is how she's letting us know.

The thing is just to take it in stride.

I'm going to send her a present,

a very expensive present...

with just a little card saying,

"From Rose Lewis and family. "

I just can't understand

why she would do something-

If we all concentrate on playing the game,

we'll have a better time.

- Aren't you having a good time, Ty?

- I think if we're going to play-

- My God, Ty.

- Ginny, settle down.

I'm tired of this game.

Rose!

Don't.

- As if I would.

- As if you haven't.

Hello? Oh, my God. Where is he?

Daddy?

Dad? Larry? You okay?

Daddy, do you have the pills

the nurse gave you?

- Daddy!

- Ginny.

I know you're hurt, and I'm sorry

you got in an accident...

but now's the time to talk about it.

I mean, you've got to take this

to heart. You simply...

can't drive all over creation.

Especially not when you're drinking.

They'll probably revoke your licence.

But even if they don't, I will.

If you ever do this again,

I'll take away the keys to your truck.

And if that doesn't do it, then I'll sell it.

You told me when I was little...

that one warning ought to be enough.

Well, Daddy, this is your warning.

I mean it about the driving, Daddy.

And Rose will back me up.

I got nothing.

What time is it?

3:
15. I left the house at 1:00.

- Seems a lifetime ago.

- Is that true?

- You've done this before.

- I've slept with women before.

I haven't done this before.

I haven't slept with other men.

I've only slept with Ty.

Yeah, I know, Ginny.

I know what that means.

Maybe you do. Maybe not.

Ginny, can I ask you a question?

How come you and Ty don't have kids?

- I've had five miscarriages.

- Jesus.

- Ginny-

- Ty only knows about three of them.

He couldn't stand

the disappointment after that...

so I've kind of kept the fact

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes