Ballast

---

This is John Dixon. Are you in there?

Darrius?

Oh, that's... Lawrence, I'm sorry to bother you,

but people's been worried about you...

the store being

closed and all.

Are you okay?

Darrius?

Darrius.

You didn't call anybody?

Before too long, the dog...

I was sittin' on top,

and the deer came runnin'.

Yes.

This is John Dixon.

I wanna report a death.

Yes.

Darrius Batiste.

Darrius.

Lawrence, what's the address here?

Hold on.

It's 69... It's 69 Clayton Road.

No, I'm just a neighbour.

His brother's here,

but there's something wrong with him.

I can't get anything out of him.

He just walked out.

Yes, I'll stay here until someone arrives.

Yes, that's correct.

Okay.

About how long will that be?

Okay.

Oh, Jesus. Oh, man. Oh, God.

They're coming. They're coming.

Just hold on.

- Hey, what's his name?

- I only heard one. Lawrence.

Know any kind of medical history on him?

- Is he allergic to anything? Diabetic?

- No. No. I really don't know.

Yeah, we're definitely gonna have

to load and go with this guy.

Wow. What's this guy going?

About 270?

Lawrence. Hey, buddy.

Lawrence, stick with me, man.

- Go ahead and get that IV on that side.

- Okay.

- How far are we from the hospital, man?

- Ten minutes.

Emergistat 101.

Emergistat 101, Baptist ER.

This is Baptist. Go ahead.

En route with about a 35-year-old male,

gunshot wound times one to the right chest.

Initial GCS was about a six.

- Dropped down in the ambulance.

- Okay.

Got him decompressed times one.

- He's been tachycardic the entire time.

- Okay.

- About 110.

- Okay.

On three. One, two, three.

Last set of vitals... 90 over 40.

- How much fluid did he get?

- He's got about 250 in him.

Dopamine's at five.

Tube's at 25 at the T,

- No other injuries, Doctor.

- Okay. Somebody help me turn him over.

Turn him over. Let me have a look.

Give me a pad.

Come here, boy. Come on.

Here. Come on. Come on, puppy. Here.

Here you go.

Hello, Lawrence.

You're in the hospital.

You've been here for about 10 days.

You had surgery,

and you're doing fine.

Your right lung

was pretty severely damaged.

You also had some pneumonia

after surgery.

That's why we had to keep you sedated

till it all cleared up.

I know the tube is bothering you,

but we'll remove that soon.

Okay?

Mr. Batiste?

Hey, Lawrence. How you doing?

I just wanna tell you

that I'm really sorry about your brother.

Are you doing okay?

I've been keeping your dog.

I thought you might want him back.

I guess you got a lot to deal with right now,

so I'll keep him a bit longer.

Are you sure you're all right?

You let me know if there's anything I can do

to help you, okay?

Come with me today, James.

Nuh uh.

Come on now. I'll be by myself.

So you can help me.

You can't sit here the whole break

by yourself doing nothing.

Just keep me company.

James?

Sh*t.

What the f*** you doing up in here,

little ass nigga?

Man, leave that nigga alone.

- What's up, man?

- Nothing much.

- You all right?

- Yeah.

Yo, I got another drop for you Tuesday, man.

Still got that bike?

All right, come by Tuesday

around 2:
00, man.

I get that green stuff

you gave me last time?

I don't know, man,

'cause last time you still owed me.'

- So no, I don't think...

- I thought you said we were even.

No, man. Hey, look though, man.

Got to go, man.

You said I was gonna

get caught up last time.

Nah, dude.

Look though, man. You got to go, man.

Remember you said you were gonna...

how I was gonna get caught up...

Get the f*** out of here.

Yo, come by here Tuesday, man.

From now on, man,

you got to pay for what you want free.

No more freebies.

- Nigga's trying to get some free sh*t.

- Yeah, man.

- Bring your bike, dude.

- Leave that nigga alone, man.

- He's just a little kid and sh*t.

- Kid, my ass.

You have anything planned for tonight?

I was thinking about cooking up

a porterhouse.

Do you like steak?

Well, you wanna come over

about 6:
00 then?

Okay.

You shot yourself?

Why?

With this?

Why'd you steal my gun?

Go inside.

- Did you call the police?

- No.

That's from the gun?

- You got a dog?

- Yes.

Where is he?

He's at a neighbour's.

Is it a wolf?

He's a halfwolf.

Is he mean?

No.

Let me see where you shot yourself.

I said let me see

where you shot yourself.

Why is it like that?

Like what?

There's two of'em.

That's from the gunshot.

That's where they took part of my lung.

Hey, sweetie,

what you doing still up?

You get that message I left you?

I had to work a few extra hours.

You know how that is.

If I didn't, he would have fired me.

- You get that sandwich I left you?

- Uh-huh.

Is that my present?

It's a Xbox?

I thought we couldn't afford one.

How was your day?

Okay.

Ready to go to bed?

Mama.

I seen this small sign on a telephone pole

say youth basketball sign-ups.

Think I could play this year?

I don't see why not.

Sound like a good idea to me.

It costs $20.

Well, maybe we can figure

something out.

- When is it?

- Friday.

From 5:
00 to 9:00.

In Tchula?

Uh-huh, the community centre.

All right. Well, when I come back

from that lawyer, then we'll go, okay?

All right.

Come give me a hug.

I love you so much.

You love me?

Uh-huh.

Tell me.

I love you.

Good night.

- You need something, James?

- You got money?

In my wallet, on top of the microwave.

You only got nine bucks?

- Where's his wallet?

- It's next door.

Go get it.

I just need to get those key s there.

- Where is it?

- In the bedroom.

Go get it.

So how did he die?

He took pills and fell asleep.

- On purpose?

- Yes.

So how does that make you feel?

Just give me the wallet.

I don't feel nothing.

He was an a**hole and a f***ing coward.

Did your mama tell you that?

You both are.

I know you think a lot of ugly things

about Darrius, but he really loved you.

No, he didn't.

He never even came to see me once.

He couldn't, James.

Your mama asked the court

to make it illegal for him to see you.

You didn't know that?

It made his heart sick.

Well, he shouldn't have left

if it made him so sick.

Now, give me the wallet.

What up, man?

Hey, you got to leave, man.

I got money.

- How much?

- Enough.

- What up, man?

- What up, man?

- Get your little ass away from the door.

- How much?

- Two rocks.

- Two rocks?

Two rocks?

- That's 40. You got that much?

- Yeah.

- Where did you get it?

- I took it.

From who, your fine mom?

- His fine what?

- His mom.

- You'd f*** her too if you had the chance.

- I ain't f***ing no old-ass p*ssy.

No sh*t.

Two rocks.

Straight.

Yo, dude, we're just messing

with you though, man.

You be all right.

And Baby's about his height.

Baby 's about...

I'd give him about this here tall.

He's very short,

but he's a stocky type dude.

I thought that motherf***er

was like about 6'3", 6'4".

Hell, no.

Hell, no. Sh*t.

- Oh, for real?

- Them two used to click.

- Yep.

- Yeah.

That'd be cool right there.

- What's up, man?

- Nothing much.

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