Benny & Joon Page #2

Sometimes it's the only option.

Benny, don't get me wrong.

I'm impressed how

you've managed this long.

But a group home would let her

develop other relationships.

We don't know this,

but what if she were capable of a job?

They'd encourage her in that direction.

These are very nice places -

nurturing, supportive.

I'm not farming her out.

I have every right to be outside, Officer.

- I have every right.

- Yes, ma'am.

May I see some ID, please?

- Waldo, did you start that brake job yet?

- Joon called. You've run out of tapioca.

- She what?

- Oh, and the police will corroborate.

Holy sh*t.

Listen, Jack, you wanna go

to the baseball game tonight?

- Hey, thanks, Benny.

- Box seats.

Hello? Joon?

Time for your medicine, Joon.

Good night, Steve.

- Oh, hello. How's it goin'?

- I appreciate the deal on the engine.

- No problem. Is it runnin' all right?

- Yeah, it's running great.

- Good.

- So... can I...

Can I make it up to you with some dinner?

Some dinner?

- Are you serious?

- Yeah. Dinner with you.

You know what? I can't.

- I mean, I'd like to...

- It's OK.

OK.

Stupid. Stupid.

- 18-15.

- 17-16.

- 18-15!

- It caught the corner.

- It was a foot off the table.

- It was not.

- Juniper...

- Benjamin...

Don't underestimate the mentally ill.

We know how to count.

- OK, fine. 17-16.

- You can't give me what was mine.

- You're trying to cheat.

- I'm not.

- You're cheating.

- Joon, you're the one who's cheating.

You're all trying to cheat me.

You're trying to cheat.

Yeah. I spoke to some of the guys

on the staff, Benny.

Nobody wants to be a housekeeper.

I will. I'll keep tryin'. But I gotta

tell you honestly, I don't think so.

Yeah. OK. Thanks.

Bye.

OK, Stevie.

I mean, I can't even keep a goldfish alive.

What chance do I have with Joon?

If somethin' bad happened to her, I'd...

I'd never ever be able to forgive myself.

A group home

is the right thing for her, Benny.

Yeah. This is definitely for her own good.

Hey, it's for both your own good.

How much longer

can you do this to yourself?

Your life is literally passing you by.

You're right.

You're right.

What am I doing with myself?

I spend my life workin' on cars

and takin' care of my sister.

I can't have a relationship without havin'

to worry about how Joon is gonna fit in.

Once she gets settled in,

you could actually take a vacation.

Travel a little. I can hold down the fort.

Travel?

- Travel?

- Benny, there's a whole world out there.

I mean, picture yourself on the open road.

Wind in the hair in the El Camino.

Highway stretchin' out...

What's that, up ahead?

A lovely motorist, stranded.

Carburetor trouble. Better investigate.

Yeah, right.

I'm gonna be stoppin' every 15 minutes

to call Joon to see how she's doin'.

OK, let's see. Black Sabbath, over there.

- Is that a flashlight?

- It's a brush kind of a thing.

Here's a hat.

- Where's the batteries?

- You didn't win batteries.

- Those are mine.

- OK. Hey, guys, hurry it up!

Or we'll start without you.

I've been known to play a little cards.

Box of 30-aught-6 cartridges.

Medium-sized, green-haired troll.

Soap-on-a-rope, slightly used.

- Cards?

- Three.

- Cards?

- Two.

And the dealer takes...

three.

Pass.

Re-grout my shower. Blue grout.

I fold.

Shampoo my dog.

Lava lamp.

Paint the exterior of my house.

Hey, come on, slow down.

This is supposed to be reasonable stakes.

That's a see and a raise. You follow me?

- You take my cousin off my hands.

- Wait, wait, wait. Just stop.

- Benny's gonna strangle you guys.

- Chill out, Thomas.

- Joon, we gotta go.

- Flush!

Full house.

Yes. Yes!

- Benny, tonight's your lucky night.

- Mike warned her it was for keeps.

What? What was for keeps?

I lost.

- What's in the pot?

- A cousin.

Rules are rules. Without 'em

there's no order in the universe.

Don't you give me that crap.

You took advantage.

Of your sick sister. A heart flush

is a perfectly respectable hand.

- Not respectable enough.

- Hey, shut up, Mike.

I am not takin' this guy home.

You have to! Remember

the bet I lost last year?

When I had to re-plate your socket set,

I didn't back out.

You can't bet a human being!

Oh, well,

if you're gonna be a baby about it...

All right, Mike.

You wanna play like that? I'll take him.

I may not be responsible for what

I'm gonna do to him, but I'll take him.

Oh, man.

- What are you doin', you jerk?

- Somethin' wrong with your car.

- What did you do with my hubcaps?

- I don't know.

- I'm Sam.

- So I hear.

I'm Benny.

With an n?

Yeah. Two of 'em.

- This is Joon.

- With an n?

One.

You're out of your tree.

It's not my tree.

I think I need a beer.

Hey, Benny, wait a minute! Where are you

going? Come here! Gimme a jump! Hey!

You're goin' with them.

Oh! God bless you.

Hey, pal, we're tryin' to work here,

if you don't mind.

Oh, my God!

"I've been looking for my boyfriend.

Have you seen him?"

Ruthie, a ghost come back to haunt you?

"Oh, Brad! Oh, Brad!

Brad, please don't be dead!"

"I never got a chance to tell you what

you meant to me. Oh, Brad, please!"

It's you, Ruthie Mallenek, co-star of The

Prom Queen Mutilator with Dick Beebee.

- You saw that?

- "He was mine!"

"He was mine!"

"No. Cindy, you're sick. You need help!"

"No, Cindy! No! No!"

"No!"

Don't... Don't touch it.

It's paint.

Yes.

Kirk Douglas. Van Gogh. Ear.

These are yours.

You can sleep here. All right?

It's late. Let's brush your teeth and hair.

- I can brush my own teeth, Benjamin.

- Fine.

- Hair, too.

- Perfect.

Come on.

Oh. Oh, Benny.

Hey, Benny.

Thanks for the couch.

Mike made me sleep under the sink.

Oh. You're welcome.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Mentally ill.

- Really?

- Yeah.

But, I mean, don't worry about it.

But just let her go about her routine.

Her routine is everything to her.

Oh, and don't hang around her room

while she's painting.

- She hates that.

- No.

If she runs hot and cold on you,

just ignore it.

That's just the way it works.

Listen, if she starts talkin' to herself,

don't worry about it, but don't answer.

OK.

She sometimes hears voices in her head.

That comes with the territory, too.

And... just make sure that nothin'

- and, you know, I mean nothin' -

happens to her.

OK.

OK. All right.

Having a Boo Radley moment, are we?

- Morning.

- Hey. This today?

Yeah.

So... what'd you do with the cousin?

The bus station? The river?

What? You throw him in the river?

- No, I took him home.

- You took him home?

- Yeah.

- To your house?

- Yeah, to my house.

- What, are you crazy?

Hey, believe me, it's only temporary.

Great. Hey, maybe he can tell Joon

about the group home, huh?

If I'm gonna do this group-home thing,

I gotta figure out the best way to tell her.

Where's Waldo? Is he not here yet?

- No.

- That's it. I'm gonna have a talk with him.

- No, you're not.

- Yes, I am. What's his phone number?

# Too late to cry, she turned away

# I started pushin'

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