I Saw the Light Page #2

---

Well, they both

need a little ketchup, honey.

Screw you, Hank.

- Oh, come on, Auds.

- You come on.

You always do this.

Do what?

Well, you know...

Like you said that I could sing with you

on the program.

And there's been none of that at all.

Okay, fine.

What's that mean?

Geez, just what I said it means, okay?

Hi.

What are you writing, Hank?

Uh, maybe a little poem to the Lord.

Might turn into a song.

Can always use a new one.

Really?

Are you the religious sort?

Well, when I was a boy,

I spent a lot of time in church

listening to gospel.

You still are a boy.

You think so, Ellie?

Why don't you write me a poem?

Well, uh...

I might have to get to

know you a little better.

Get lost, Ellie.

Did you see Howard Pill called?

Hank's got to come back. He has a contract.

That's true, we do.

And it's a good job right now.

He also said he'd like me

to do some singing on the show.

That is not true.

Geez,

I was doing pretty good here.

Few more shows, I want to be done with him.

It's not so easy to get out of.

Well, he can do what he wants, Lillie.

What is this, a schoolyard?

Where are you going?

Right now, I'm gonna take a piss.

Then the day after tomorrow,

I'm going up to Nashville.

Charlie Holt gave me the name of a guy

who can help me get on the Opry.

Well, I pressed Charlie Holt.

You know that. I told you.

You did. I know, yeah.

That's just swell, Audrey.

Sounds good, huh?

So, when are we going, baby?

Friday.

Friday?

But Mama's bringing Lycrecia back then.

So, there you go.

- Hello, sir.

- Hey there.

- I'm Hank Williams.

- I heard that.

Well, I'll get down to it, then.

Charlie Holt gave me your name.

He said you'd tell me what I have to do

to get on the Opry.

There's only one way to do that,

and that's to audition for Jack Stapp.

Well, I... You know, I sure hate

those auditions, Mr. Collins.

Maybe I could just meet him.

Son, there are no shortcuts to the Opry.

Well, could you tell

Mr. Stapp that I'm here?

Hank, how old are you?

Twenty... Twenty-three

when I last checked, sir.

Well, that's old enough

that you ought to know

that's not how it works.

Now, you're gonna make an appointment,

and then you'll play for him,

and if he likes it, you'll play for Judge Hay.

And then what?

And then Judge Hay's likely to tell you

to come back

when you're hot enough to draw flies.

Well, I just might know how to do that.

Hank, you know Fred Rose?

I know of him.

Roy Acuff's partner.

Among other things.

You might want to know of him

a little bit better.

When he first came to see me,

he played some songs he'd written

and some other folks' material.

Well, actually, I believe Audrey, his wife,

had been calling here quite a bit,

pushing me to see him.

And I offered him a contract

right then and there as a songwriter.

Damn publishing deal.

Ten dollars per song, plus royalties.

Officially a paid songwriter.

So I suggest you address me

as Mr. Hiram Williams from now on.

Where the hell'd Hiram come from anyway?

From my old man.

Got it from King Hiram

of the Book of Kings.

Hiram the First of Tyre.

Can we get some strawberries later?

Lillie never mentions your daddy at all,

you know, like he never existed.

Yeah, she put him in

the Veterans Hospital when I was six.

The one down in Pensacola.

I don't know, it was a...

A war injury from France or something.

But a cousin told me

it was from a truck accident

in a lumberyard he was working in.

Anyway, he was all messed up, and...

That was about it for us.

Night-night, little bastard.

Better watch where you put that thing.

Hmm.

Howdy.

Hi.

I think we might have

a little bronco riding tonight.

Says who?

Says ol' Hank.

Well, I look forward to that event.

You should.

Especially since you're not drinking.

Oh...

Now, darling, that's uncalled for.

You're right.

Well, then come on and climb up, cowboy.

Ooh.

Oh, my back.

- It's gone again, baby.

- All right, then.

You love me?

You love me?

Do you really love me, honey?

Most of the time I do.

Came in

last night at a half past 10: 00

That baby of mine wouldn't let me in

So move it on over

Move it on over

- Move it on over

- Move it on over

Move over, little dog

'Cause the big dog's moving in

She changed the lock on our front door

And my door key don't fit no more

So get it on over

- Move it on over

- Scoot it on over

Move it on over

Move over, skinny dog

'Cause the fat dog's moving in...

Now, why don't you come down here,

and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Come down.

Now, you see that the left

is much higher than the right.

- Can you see it now?

- Sure, yeah. Yeah.

Now, good.

Now, why don't you go back up and fix it?

Yes, ma'am.

And watch your head.

I don't need no blood.

Hey, honey, get in here.

What?

I want to show you something.

What is it?

Well, get in here, and I'll show you.

Well, okay, then.

What do you have to show me?

- You see this?

- Mmm-hmm.

Now...

"Where the inspiration for Move It On Over

came from, Hank couldn't say.

"It surely wasn't his own married life.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hank Williams

lead a model domestic life."

Wait, you think that's funny?

I kind of do. Don't you?

- Ooh.

- Hmm.

Also says we've sold over 90,000.

My God.

If that's even half true,

I wonder what kind of money

that really adds up to.

Adds up to Hiram Williams

is a big damn deal.

Well, big deal, did you see

that note on the counter?

Howard Pill called, making sure

we're at the station tomorrow.

Oh, hell with that show.

I should have never gone back.

All right, folks.

I know it's 6:
30 in the morning,

but say you're milking a cow

or just going to the store

for some extra feed or supplies,

we sure appreciate you listening to us.

We really do.

Now, I got a young lady

gonna sing a song for you.

- You here?

- I'm here.

I'm up in here.

She's slowly approaching the microscope.

You good?

I'm fine.

Hey, you don't sound like you mean it.

- Well, I do.

- Well, good.

Now, she's gonna sing a little ol' song

called Pan American,

which some of you will know.

It's the locomotive that highballs it

from Cincinnati all the way to New Orleans

just about every day.

At least turn her mic down, for God's sake.

Set your clock by it.

All right, Byrd.

I have heard your stories

About your fast trains

And now I'll tell you about one

All the Southern folks have seen

She's the beauty of the Southland

Listen to that whistle scream

It's that Pan American

On her way to New Orleans...

Well, we got through that.

Barely.

Someone's got to do something about her.

Well, well, well.

You boys discussing the weather or Audrey?

Well, Hank, actually

we were discussing her singing.

Oh, you were?

Yeah.

Um, well, Hank,

she's awful.

Hey, you son of a b*tch, that's my wife.

Well, now, look, Hank,

you know as well as I do.

- Now, come on.

- Well, maybe I do,

but that don't matter right now.

That's my wife you're talking about.

Well, screw you, my husband.

Rate this script:4.0 / 1 vote