Lean on Pete Page #4

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Oh, I wonder why.

(BOTH LAUGH)

(DEL COUGHS)

Don't worry, he's fine.

DEL:
So what do you think about all this,

Charley?

What do you mean?

You know, working the backside...

surrounded by horse sh*t.

Being here in the a**hole of nowhere.

I like working the horses.

And we need the money, so...

Hey, you should do something else...

before there's nothing else you can do.

Sh*t, I used to like horses too, you know.

Now sometimes I feel like

I wanna punch myself in the face

if I ever see a horse again.

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

Got the good stuff.

I'm OK. I think I'm gonna make

a phone call, if that's all right.

Yeah, why don't you go get

something to eat too?

- I know you must be hungry.

- I just don't have any money.

Well, sh*t, I could pay you right now.

Are you sure?

Hey, any day I make more than I spend

on these goddamn horses

is a good day, in my book.

Bon apptit.

Thanks.

All right.

See you guys later.

- Can you wake him?

- NURSE:
No, he needs sleep.

- All right, but he got my note?

- Yes, I told him.

- OK. Yeah, as long as he got that.

- OK, Charley.

Thank you.

Operator.

Hi, I'm looking for a number.

- For Margy Thompson.

- Which county?

Yeah, no, she lives in Rock Springs,

Wyoming.

I'm sorry, there's no listing for her.

- There's no one at all?

- No.

- Maybe if you check under Margaret.

- OK.

Can you check that?

Yeah, I'm sorry, nothing's coming up.

OK. Never mind.

- Here you are, sweetheart.

- Oh, I didn't order that.

- It's on the house.

- Thank you very much.

(FORTUNE COOKIE SNAPS)

(FORTUNE COOKIE SNAPS)

DEL:

He don't look that bad yet.

BONNIE:

Looks like he's walking on nails to me.

You don't think he's navicular, do you?

DEL:

I don't know. I don't think so.

We'll see how he goes

down at Grants Pass.

BONNIE:

You think he'll be rested enough by then?

He's gonna have to be.

I'm not wasting my good horses down there.

Tell you one thing, if I had a gun,

I'd probably shoot him right now.

CHARLEY:

But he just won.

And you raced him too hard.

Listen, kid, things are changing.

The race meet starts soon

and we're gonna have a lot to do,

so we can't f*** around, you got that?

Let's load up and get back.

Like I said, Charley, he's not a pet.

He's just a horse.

(HORSE NICKERS)

(DISTANT SIREN WAILS)

(PHONE RINGS IN HALLWAY)

(WOMAN SOBS)

Charley!

- Hey, where's my dad?

- Hey. We tried calling you at the house.

- Where have you been?

- Has he gone home?

Listen, come with me.

Where the hell is he?

Um... why don't you grab a seat

in his room over here?

OK.

- Is he with you?

- I'm gonna be right back.

Just give me a minute.

Charley...

I'm really sorry, but he didn't make it.

What do you mean, he didn't make it?

OK, so, that cut that was in his bowel,

there was one that didn't show up on

the X-ray, and so that became septic.

And then his organs...

- I don't understand.

- I'm really sorry.

Listen, he wasn't in any pain.

He was asleep when it happened.

You said he was OK two days ago.

OK, I need you to give me a number.

- I wouldn't have gone if he wasn't OK.

- Charley, listen.

- Do you have someone I can call?

- You said he was asleep.

Did he get my note, or was he asleep?

I'm sorry, Charley,

but I need to call someone for you.

- Just give me a number.

- There is nobody.

OK.

OK. Well, we can figure this out.

I'm gonna go talk to Family Services.

You stay here. I'm gonna get a phone.

(HYPERVENTILATES)

Charley!

Charley!

Leave me alone!

(SIREN WAILS)

(TRAIN'S HORN BLARES IN DISTANCE)

(PETE WHINNIES)

(CHARLEY PANTING)

(PETE STOMPS AND WHINNIES)

TANNOY:
The race is on.

A good start for Easy Gamer

down towards the inside...

(COMMENTARY CONTINUES)

TANNOY:
It's a photo finish.

Might have been Easy Gamer.

Well, folks, that does close out the show

for the exhibition-day races.

But don't forget, opening day

is coming up tomorrow

and it's gonna be one heck of a day.

First post time is at 11:00am,

and races going throughout the day.

We can't wait to see you

for opening day at Portland Downs.

Tomorrow's a big day.

I know your foot's been hurting

and I know you lost at Grants Pass,

but it's gonna be OK.

I'm gonna talk to Bonnie.

I'll get her to ride you.

- I know she'll help us.

- (PETE NICKERS)

Here we are.

Here. You want one?

There you go.

You gotta try and win tomorrow.

OK? You hear me?

(PETE NICKERS)

You gotta try and win.

Hey, Bonnie.

Hey, Charley. Long time no see.

Del put Pete in the claiming race.

- I saw.

- You need to ride him.

I can't, Charlie.

It's already decided, it's printed.

I'm riding Mr. High Pockets

in the same race.

Yeah, but maybe they could swap them.

- Or you can persuade Del.

- No.

Mr. High Pockets is Del's best horse,

I have to ride him.

Plus I need a win.

Yeah, but Pete's never gonna win

if you don't ride him.

I hate to say it, but I don't think

there's much chance

of him winning even if I was riding.

If he doesn't win,

then he's not gonna get claimed.

And if he doesn't get claimed,

then he's gonna go down to Mexico.

- Isn't he?

- Charley...

They don't slaughter horses here,

but I know they do down there.

I'm right, aren't I?

If his feet are f***ed,

then they're f***ed.

So they're just gonna kill him...

just 'cause his feet are f***ed?

Like I said before,

if a racehorse isn't fast,

then he's no good as a racehorse.

This is the end of the line. There's no

lower tracks. It's just the way it is.

Come inside, I'll get you a soda.

I mean, back in the '80s it was, right?

But now people don't give a sh*t.

They just want to sit in front

of their goddamn computer.

Right. Or else they go to the f***ing mall

like that's a big day out.

Jeez. Buy designer jeans or something.

Longacres. That was a real track, right?

- Remember that place, Bonnie?

- Sure.

Longacres. That's where your mom,

rest in peace, she won her first race.

By the way, your mother was

a decent jock for a woman.

(MEN CHUCKLE)

You think you can persuade him

not to race Pete today?

DEL:
But even in the '90s,

it was still kind of all right.

And you could trust the jocks.

Not like now.

The jocks are all backstabbers.

No offence.

I know your daughter's a jock too.

- Want a Coke?

- Yeah, sure.

DEL:
Didn't you used to go out

with Dale Evans?

That was a time.

Gotta just do your best today, OK?

TANNOY:
Here's No.6, Lean On Pete,

for trainer Del Montgomery.

Pete's a five-year-old and he's had

a decent year so far

running on the fair circuit.

He won over at Burns

but came fourth down at Grants Pass.

Tonight he's being ridden

by jockey Jos Alfaro.

In the No.5 slot is Mr. High Pockets.

He'll be ridden by jockey Bonnie Durand.

Del Montgomery also trains this runner.

An interesting long shot

could be More Money Honey.

She's 14 to 1 right now.

DEL:
All right,

just win the f***ing race, Bonnie.

TANNOY:
...getting set to come onto

the track for the next race.

So, folks, just a couple of minutes

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