Long, Hot Summer, The Page #10

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I don't know.

seen him again.

How terrible|that must have been.

No, it wasn't.|The terrible part come later.

Knockin' around|this whole countryside...

floatin' around|from town to town...

Iookin' in on other people's kitchen|windows from the outside.

Boy, that man sure left|his mark on me.

I got his name,|and I can't run away from that.

Yes, you can.

People are kinder than you think|if you just tell 'em.

Well, I wouldn't|give 'em that satisfaction.

I wouldn't tell 'em|anything anytime.

All right. Then change your name.|Get rid of it.

I'm a proud man,|Miss Clara.

My name is Quick,|no matter how much people hate it.

I was one of'em.|I hated it too.

No, you didn't.

You hated me.

I guess I did.

You're a hardheaded,|softhearted woman, Miss Clara...

and I like you a lot.

- You do, do you?|- Yes, I do. All of a sudden, I do.

And if you can save my life, I guess I|can return the favor. I can let you go.

Ain't nothin' to it.

All I gotta do is pack that old|straw suitcase of mine and...

say good-bye|to millions.

I won't even feel sorry|for myself...

till I get about one mile and a half|outta Frenchman's Bend.

Well...

you couldn't "tame" me,|but you "taught" me.

Now, hold it.

Now, hold on,|ya hear?

Will, we can't let that firebug|get away with this!

- We gotta catch him!|- The fire is out.

- Thanks to you-all.|- Yeah, well, what about Ben Quick?

- The fire's out.|- Yeah, but who started it?

Old jackass|name of Will Varner.

That's who started it.|I dropped my cigar in the hay.

- Ain't that right, Jody?|- That's right, Papa.

- What do you know?|- Well, I guess our work's done, men.

You-all come out here Sunday, and we'll|open some kegs of beer and have a party.

- You're gonna have company Sunday, Will!|- Thanks, Will!

Thank you. Man's got friends like you,|he ain't got no trouble!

Are you all right?|I heard you was in that barn!

Yeah, in and out.|Now, simmer down, Minnie.

You ain't|a rich widow yet.

If you got a minute, Will,|I'll be sayin' good-bye.

- You'll be doin' what?|- Yeah, I'm leavin', soon as I|get my things together.

Don't the room and|board here suit ya?

- No, I got no complaints about that.|- What is it then?

Will, you and me, we been in business|only a little while...

just one hot summer.

We started off on that horseflesh game,|remember?

- Get to the point.|- We sort of left off horses.

We got started on people.|Now, that's somethin' different.

- Which people you talkin' about?|- I'm talkin' about Clara...

that daughter|to Will Varner.

You wanna stay|and hear this?

Papa, wild horses wouldn't|drag me off this front porch.

Will, ya know, in all this schemin'|we been doin'...

we forgot somethin',|you and me.

- I get preached to on Sunday!|- Yeah, I know...

and you don't listen...|and neither did I.

I didn't take too easy|to the idea.

In fact, I've been a little long|comin' around to it, but...

Well, life's|a pretty valuable thing...

and it ought to be treated|with a certain amount of respect.

You're old enough to know that,|and I'm young enough to learn it.

Well, isn't that the truth.

So I'll be|seein' you around, Will.

First off, nobody give you permission to|call me by my front name!

Will, that shoutin'|ain't becomin' to you.

And second,|don't tell me what life is like!

Life around here|is what I say it is!

You can't always have it|your way, Will.

I got influence. I'll dog you|wherever you go. I'll break you.

No, you won't.|You'll miss me.

What are you grinnin' about?

Huh? Now there's|your gratitude.

There's your thanks! I put|that boy where there was fast,|easy money just layin' there.

I put him in the Garden of Eden,|let him dip his bread in honey...

and he's got the all-out gall|to tell me no!

I gotcha!

Mmm.|

So you run, and you|keep on runnin'...

and you buy yourself a bus ticket|and you disappear.

And you change your name|and you dye your hair...

and maybe...|just maybe...

you might be|safe from me.

Do I know|human nature, huh?

Didn't I say that fella Quick|was made for my Clara?

Am I gonna be a grandfather?|I am!

Oh, Minnie, it sure is good|to be alive this summer evenin'.

Yeah, alive with friends|and family...

and a big healthy woman|to love ya.

Oh, I "like" life,|Minnie.

Yeah. I like it|so much...

I might just|live forever.

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