Short Cuts Page #21

---

Some day, huh, buddy?

Earl, what are you doing here?

I'm here to see you.

What else?

Baby, I've looked everywhere for you.

I was at the trailer last night.

You weren't there.

Your car was there,

but you weren't there.

Honey, where you been sleeping?

Look at your hair.

L- I slept outside.

[Sniffles]

I didn't wanna sleep in our bed.

People are looking.

You wanna order something?

Yeah. How about you on a bed of rice?

Cut it out.

- You want a cup of coffee?

- Oh, yeah. Give me some coffee.

- How about an egg sandwich?

- With a broke yolk?

Yeah, with a broke yolk.

Thanks, baby.

How did you get here?

Peg brought me. I didn't wanna

use the car after what happened.

Yeah, right.

What time you gettin' off?

- About an hour.

- What do you say I chauffeur you around...

to the manner in which you are soon

to become accustomed?

- I'm sure.

- I'm getting us out of here, baby.

I'm getting us out of Downey.

Till the wheels come off, baby.

Till the wheels come off.

Is that a fine-lookin' woman or what?

I beg your pardon?

How'd you like to be married

to something like that?

I am.

- [Moans]

- Shh, shh, shh.

Mommy, Daddy.

Sh*t!

Ah, silly Daddy,

sleeping on Mommy.

- [Sighs]

- Daddy, Austin's crying and he woke me up.

- What is it?

- He misses Suzy.

Well, you go tell Austin

to come in here, and Will too.

- I got some good news, a surprise.

- About Suzy?

Maybe. You go and get them

and bring 'em back here.

Will, Austin.

Wake up, wake up.

Okay.

[Crying]

Come here. It's okay.

It's gonna be all right. Listen.

- Kids, can you keep a secret?

- Yeah.

Okay, Daddy did something last night

he shouldn't have done.

That's why you have to keep it a secret.

Daddy went down to the police station...

- and put an A.P.B. Out on Suzy.

- An A.P.B.?

You're not supposed to put A.P.B.'s

out on dogs, but I did it.

And I got a call this morning.

I think they think they know

where Suzy is.

- Really?

- Yes. And as soon as I have my coffee...

I'm gonna go down

and see if I can find her, okay?

- Now you guys go and get dressed.

- I wanna go with you.

No. You go get dressed, and we'll see

if we can't find our little doggy.

Put your clothes on, Will.

Do what your dad says.

Gene, not now.

The kids will -

Oh.

There's a line of prose

from the writings of St. Teresa...

which seemed more and more

appropriate as I thought toward this.

So I want to offer a meditation

on the sentence.

St. Teresa, that extraordinary woman

who lived years ago...

said, "Words lead to deeds.

"They prepare the soul,

make it ready...

and move it to tenderness. "

There's a clarity and beauty in that

thought expressed in just this way.

There's also something

a little foreign in the sentiment...

coming to our attention

in these times-

How are you today, sir?

My name is Aubrey Bell.

- You must be Mr. Weathers.

- Yeah.

I have something here for Mrs. Weathers.

She won something.

- Is Mrs. Weathers home?

- Oh, she's not at home.

- What did she win?

- I'll have to show you. May I come in?

I'm kind of busy right now.

Tell me what it is.

She won a free vacuuming and

carpet shampoo, no strings attached.

I'll even do your mattress.

You'd be surprised what could build up under

a mattress over the months, over the years.

- Same with the pillows.

- Really?

Yes, sir. This is your lucky day.

Well, I can see you've had

some kind of problem here.

That doesn't affect my work any.

I've seen about everything

there is to see.

- So, what do you want to do today?

- Maybe go to the beach.

[Scoffs]

No way. Who's gonna drive us?

- I don't know. Let's go look at the cop.

- Yeah, come on.

- Cops freak me out.

- He's looking at us.

- Oh, what is that cop doing?

- Hello, boys.

- Hi. What's the problem?

- No problem.

- I'm gonna have to take that dog, though.

- What -Take? Take? Dad! Dad!

- Yeah? What's the matter?

- He's taking my dog.

Hey, hey. Excuse me.

Officer, what's going on here anyway?

- How long have you had this dog, sir?

- What the hell difference does it make?

It's my kid's dog.

I'm afraid I'm gonna have to take this dog,

sir. It's been missing for a couple of days.

- It's highly dangerous. It bit an infant.

- A police officer's taking the dog.

We have to check it for rabies.

It doesn't look sick to me.

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes