Mud

(STATIC ON WALKIE-TALKIE)

(WHISPERS)

I'm comin' out now.

MARY LEE:
I'm tired,

I want something different.

I just want to have a conversation.

I just want to talk about it.

(FAINT CLATTERING)

(SOFTLY) Sh*t.

(MOTOR RUNNING)

What the sh*t, man?

Suck it! Drive.

How old is she?

A junior.

She's got nice titties. You talk to her?

No.

You're gonna have to talk to her.

I know.

Remind me when we get back to my house.

I think Galen's got a book on that.

(MOTOR STARTING)

Sh*t.

Your dad would kill us

if he knew we went out there.

I'm not worried about my dad killin' us.

We need to move

if we're gonna make it back.

Set your watch,

we need a good 15 minutes.

(WATCH BEEPING)

There it is!

NECKBONE:
Galen says

it's been here awhile.

He thinks the last flood did it.

Oh, hold it.

Look.

Little shits.

There it is.

Yeah. There it is.

Came down from up there.

(CREAKING)

Motor's gone.

Who else knows about this?

Just me and Galen.

What's he think?

He don't care about it.

Good.

Because this boat's ours.

This is perfect.

Holy sh*t.

Dude.

Oh!

Son of a b*tch!

Whoa.

Those are awesome.

Man.

Neck.

Dude, look at that beave, you gotta see this.

- ELLIS:
Neck.

- What?

Someone's here.

What?

Someone's living here.

(WATCH BEEPING)

Sh*t.

We gotta go. Can't be late.

(BAG THUDS)

- What are you doing?

- I saw that same

boot print up in the tree.

It's got a cross in the heel.

Somebody's been in our boat.

NECKBONE:
Sh*t. Let's go!

We gotta go if you wanna make it back.

Takes twice as long goin' upriver.

Hold on.

Up there, they stop.

Where the hell'd he go?

I don't know.

Sh*t, you know that guy?

I've never seen him before.

Sh*t.

What'd you say, boy?

It's a hell of a thing, ain't it?

What's that?

Boat in a tree.

Hell of a thing.

You talkin' about our boat?

Talkin' about my boat.

We found it.

Yeah, you found it with me livin' in it.

Possession is nine-tenths of the law.

You got crosses in your heels.

Nails.

Shaped like crosses.

ELLIS:
What for?

Ward off evil spirits.

Bought 'em from a man I called an Indian,

but he was a Mexican,

said they were seven-league boots

worn by the seventh son

of the seventh son.

Told me they'd turn me into

a werewolf, that's a lie.

I don't know nothin' about that.

They just good luck boots.

(SPITS)

As you can see,

they ain't working too well so far.

What's your name?

I'm Neckbone, he's Ellis.

And, mister, I know you're not

the owner of that boat,

not for nine-tenths of nothin'.

Neckbone...

That's a heck of a good handle, son.

Where y'all from?

What do you care where we're from?

DeWitt.

Arkansas boys.

Y'all had me worried for a second.

We supposed to know you?

I doubt it.

I grew up around here,

but I've been gone awhile.

Where at around here?

Different places.

Spent a lot of time back up near the White.

You know Shelly's Oxbow?

Ellis.

Yeah, I know it.

An old man named Tom Blankenship

used to live up in there.

He still does.

His boat's across from mine.

Well, ain't that somethin'?

Hmm...

Now, I like you two boys. You remind me of

me.

Seein' as how you two is from Arkansas,

and we know some of the same people

and we grew up in some of the same places,

I reckon we can make a deal for somethin'.

A deal for what?

Food.

Food for a boat.

He's a bum, Ellis. Come on.

Why don't you go get your own food?

Well, I would if I could.

See, I told somebody I'd meet 'em here. So...

I'm stuck for now

and what I've got is runnin' low.

He's a bum, Ellis, come on.

I ain't no bum. I got money, boy.

You can call me a hobo,

'cause a hobo will work for his living,

and you can call me homeless 'cause...

Well, that's true for now,

but you call me a bum again,

I'm gonna teach you somethin' about

respect your daddy never did.

When they show up, you'll leave?

Yup.

And when you leave, that boat's ours?

That's right.

I'm just in a tight spot.

Could use a little help.

We gotta go.

You get his name?

No.

(PANTING) Sorry.

Where ya been?

Me and Neck got caught up helpin' Galen.

You're supposed to be helpin' me.

I had to load this myself.

I know. I'm sorry.

Get on in the back,

can't be later than we are.

(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING)

Supposed to be 10.

It's 10, you do your share.

I loaded this morning, makes it five.

Can you drop me at Neck's?

Hadn't you seen enough of him today?

Said he had somethin' for me.

You see any more of them

Ding Dongs over there?

What did Mama want to talk to you about?

What?

This morning?

What did she want to talk to you about?

You spy on me in my own house?

I wasn't spyin', I just heard y'all.

That's your mother's business.

(UPBEAT MUSIC

PLAYING ON STEREO)

- (TRUCK DOOR CLOSES)

- (DOG BARKING)

I came for that book.

Oh, yeah. Gotta give it a minute.

Hear that music?

Yeah?

That means he's doin' it.

That's his doin' it song.

You know who it is?

Whoever's drivin' that Pontiac.

You tell Galen about this morning?

Nah. You tell anybody?

That guy's crazy.

I don't know.

I think he just needed a little help.

He can swim his ass off

that island and get some.

I think I'm gonna go back out there,

- give him some food.

- (MUSIC STOPS)

- (DOOR SLAMS OPEN)

- Why?

You're Neckbone, right?

Yeah.

Word of advice.

Don't grow up to be like

your sh*t heel uncle.

Hey.

You hear me?

You treat a woman like a princess, got it?

(SCOFFS) Yeah.

GALEN:
Come on, baby!

I'm a goddamn princess!

That's uncalled for.

Hey, a lot of people are comfortable

with that kind of thing in the bedroom.

Some people aren't.

We know that about you now, okay?

WOMAN:
What do you

think I am?

Pearls.

Galen finds 'em in the mussel shells.

Come on, let's get that book.

- GALEN:
You weren't havin' any fun?

- WOMAN:
No!

- No fun at all?

- No!

Please don't go.

I don't want you goin' back

out there by yourself.

That river's scary enough with two people.

I don't trust that guy.

Here it is.

Galen said that really turned

things around for him.

Thanks.

Watch out for that dog.

(TIRES SCREECHING)

You really goin' back out there?

Yeah. I think it's the right thing to do.

NECKBONE:
All right.

I'll be over in the mornin' then.

GALEN:
Hey, that's a good book.

Be sure you do the worksheets in back.

Let's get some dinner, Neck.

Hey, I'll call before I come.

ELLIS:
All right.

(INDISTINCT YELLING)

(DOOR CLOSES)

(WATER RUNNING)

You okay, Mama?

Yes.

Are you hungry?

You want me to fix you something?

I'm all right.

Well, then, I'm going to turn in.

(CREAKING)

ELLIS:
Hey, Dad.

What do you know about Tom Blankenship?

What?

Mr. Blankenship,

what do you know about him?

Why?

I don't know. He just looks lonely

over there all by himself.

Some people move to

this river to work on it,

and some people move here to be left alone.

I want us to try and sit down

for dinner tonight, okay?

Ellis?

Be home by 7:
00.

Yes, ma'am.

Where do you think he's at?

Let's try the boat.

ELLIS:
Looks like

he made camp.

You think he's up there?

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