McFarland, USA Page #4

a hundred times, a thousand times,

because guess what?

It's never gonna change, all right?

You know what these are, White?

You know what's under here?

Almond hulls. You eat almonds?

You like them?

They come out

the packet real nice, right?

Well, somebody picked those, White.

But you can use them

for hill training, right?

Valles.

Suspend me if you want, man.

I'm done.

Okay, practice is over.

Are you going to leave again?

This is your fault.

Everything is always my fault.

Be quiet.

You've abandoned us.

Be quiet!

Where's the cake?

Happy birthday, sweetheart.

I'm sorry I was late.

You forgot it, didn't you?

That's okay.

I didn't really want it anyway.

This was really important to her, Jim.

I'm sorry, all right?

I'm sorry, but my...

My best runner just quit.

No, check that. I mean, I... I mean...

He didn't just quit.

He had some kind of breakdown.

I don't care. Julie is 15 years old,

and you couldn't even remember her cake.

Well, if a missed cake's the worst thing

that ever happens to her,

she's got it over most of these kids.

You know what? She's your daughter, Jim.

And if you think any one

of those fathers out there

would miss their daughter's birthday,

then you oughta go out and see

what kind of cakes they get them.

Julie?

Julie, please let me in.

Go away, Dad.

Thomas?

What are you doing

on the bridge, Thomas?

I don't know.

Who hit you?

No one.

All right, my dad.

But it wasn't his fault.

I don't know about that.

Yeah, well, you don't know

about a lot of things. Okay, White?

You haven't got a clue.

All right, then...

Then explain it to me.

Help me figure it out.

Look, he's a picker.

He's not a foreman like Seor Diaz.

He doesn't run a crew.

He just tries to get

whatever work he can find,

Arizona, Texas, wherever.

And he got back yesterday

and his baby girl is pregnant.

And so he just started

hitting the wall, all right?

And I was trying to get him to stop,

and I just got in the way.

Look, if he hurts his hands,

he can't work.

Do you get that?

Okay.

Okay, Thomas, I get it.

Do you want to know why I'm out here,

middle of night,

driving around by myself?

No.

Too bad. I'm gonna tell you anyway.

I forgot to buy

my daughter's birthday cake.

That's bad, White.

Look, you...

You scared me today. You did.

And you're...

You're scaring me now,

so you wanna come off of there?

No.

Okay, then let me tell you the truth

about what happens,

how this ends, if you...

If you fall from here.

If you go off this bridge tonight,

and there's every chance you might,

you'll probably live, all right?

It's not that high,

but I promise you, Thomas,

there's no chance you'll ever run again.

None.

And right now I'm guessing

running's the best thing you've got.

Feels as if it might be

the only thing you've got.

Come on down.

Okay?

So you wanna...

You wanna keep going

with this cross country thing?

Me, too.

Me, too.

You shorten your stride,

lean into the hill, and lower your head.

This is the only place

you'll ever do this in cross country.

Julie?

Nobody can hold a grudge

like a teenage girl.

How about her mom?

I'm working on it.

Don't even think about it.

All right, I'm not the ice cream man.

Six miles.

Same pace, all right?

Gotta lay down our base.

Johnny.

Johnny, why are your arms

flying around everywhere?

I don't know.

Why you riding a Barbie bike?

Because it's pretty?

I bet you got

the matching doll house, too, huh?

Which one are you, White? Blanco Barbie?

All right, joke less, run more.

Everybody tuck your arms in.

You're all starting to look

like the mangy chicken

I got hanging around my house.

You're not smiling, are you, Valles?

No.

No, I didn't think so.

Be warm and loose

for the start of the race.

That's right, fellas.

Stay nice and relaxed.

Nice work.

Okay. Come on.

Come on.

Everybody all right?

This is a dual meet,

just us and them, all right?

Clovis versus McFarland. They're good,

they're ranked,

and they think we're pushovers.

You ready?

Let's do it, Blanco.

All right.

Where are we from?

- Uno, dos, tres...

- McFarland!

All D block...

All D block inmates, 15 minutes.

Can they even understand you?

You probably just point, huh?

"Go that way, amigo."

Yeah, something like that.

15:
40, Derek!

Just cruise to win.

15:
45, Thomas!

Now, go get him.

Go get him.

Atta boy.

Atta boy.

Come on, Thomas.

16:
30, Thomas. Good job.

Atta boy, Johnny.

Jose, good.

Come on, Danny.

- Come on, Sean.

- Come on, Danny!

That's what I have.

Well, it was close, boys.

Like I said...

They're a great team.

But you're better.

Clovis scored 28.

McFarland, 27.

Hang on. You mean...

That's right. Lowest score wins.

You just won your first race.

Good race, amigo.

I told you we were gonna win.

Car trouble, honey?

Come on in, baby,

we'll get you fixed up.

Come on in.

Where are the Diazes?

Out.

"Out"? What do you mean "out"?

Out like off the team.

What?

- Says who?

- Says their father

who's also their foreman.

My boyfriend's got a garage in the back.

He'll take a look

at that little car of yours.

Thank you.

There you go.

Oh, my goodness, honey.

What have you been

doing with these hands?

Moving houses, I guess,

trying to make a garden.

Just sit back, enjoy the view,

and we will get you out of here

in no time.

That's my boyfriend.

He's handsome, isn't he?

I know.

Hey, Damacio.

Look, you wouldn't understand.

Damacio...

This was our teacher

for running, Mr. White.

He just stopped by real quick to say hi.

You wanna eat?

Hope you like enchiladas, White.

Ready to try it?

A little bit.

How many is that? Seven? Eight?

Saying no is rude.

Yeah, so is puking on the table.

Take home to the family.

No, no, seora, please.

- Gracias, but I couldn't.

- No.

Don't say to me no, okay?

My husband always working,

but every day he's sitting

at the table with his family.

He's talking and he's listening.

How you gonna be family

if you no eating together, huh?

I want that back.

Can I give you a hand with those tubs?

Just saying...

Can I help you out?

No, gracias.

David...

I'd like you to ask your father

something for me.

Yeah.

You know what? Just tell him...

Just tell him it was an honor

to be invited into his home.

Dad, he said it was an honor

to be invited into your home.

Tell him I say thanks.

I'm sorry, I thought you...

I get by.

Thank you for your hospitality.

We don't ask for help around here.

You want to help me wash my buckets?

You want to be

a helpful person, that's okay.

But I know why you're here.

You want my sons to run a race.

Mr. White,

your sport is like a TV.

It's not essential.

Each hour that my boys train with you

is one hour they do not work with me.

That's food off our table.

I don't expect a man like you

to understand.

Blanco?

What are you doing here?

You know you're white, right?

You sure about this?

Yeah, don't white people

mow their lawns on Saturday?

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