Small Crimes Page #2

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You look like you lost a little weight.

Usually all that starchy food they...

Whats up, Dan?

Hows that for manners

after all Ive done for you?

- [chuckles]

- Hey.

Six years in county

beats 12 years in the state house.

Those boys down there wouldve

spread you out like my crazy aunts quilt.

Yeah, that was Mannys grease, not yours.

- Speaking of the king...

- [can hits bench]

- I didnt ask for this.

- So give it back.

Uh-huh.

You heard about Manny?

What?

Cancer.

In the butt. Matter of time now.

Well, he had a good run.

Junior can steer things now.

Nothin to do with me.

- Clean slate, huh?

- Oh, yeah.

Well, I hate to break it to you,

but youre on the hook here, Joey.

Mannys gotta go.

You...

You said cancer.

Before then. Now. Yesterday.

F*** are you talking about?

That old-time religion.

Old mans found God.

Cravin salvation by way of confession.

Bullshit. Hed never flip.

Old Manny wouldnt,

but dyings made him smaller.

So lets consider now

specifically the kinds of things

that he might confess to.

Say, vis--vis, you.

Yeah.

Now youre seein it.

You think Phils comment

about Bill Caldwell was coincidental?

- Mannys talking to Phil?

- Crazy, right?

First he wants Phil hit,

then his a**holes melting

and he wants to give him absolution.

Christ forgives. The sinner is saved.

All of that.

Phils nudging him towards a deposition,

and if he lives long enough, a grand jury.

But even if not, youd be inside so fast,

your bunk would still be warm.

And no favors this time.

What do we do?

We? You got a turd in your pocket?

You know, Phils been trying

to butt-f*** you since forever,

and if Manny sings, he can do it.

And if you do get keistered,

Id worry Im next in line,

and let me tell you

what aint gonna happen.

If I was gonna roll over,

wouldnt I do that

before serving my f***ing time?

- I did the job they wanted...

- No, half the job. Semantics.

- F*** you. I took the fall.

- [engine starts]

[chuckles]

You be sure and send her

some flowers now, son.

The point is, you left Phil breathing

all those years ago,

or it wouldnt be a problem now.

The way I see it, its your mess.

But hey,

Im more into carrots than sticks, so...

lets talk about your girls instead.

Junior high by now, hmm?

Family court judge by the name of Winthrop

found himself over-served one evening

a while back.

And he dented up the front of his Prius

with the skull of an address-free citizen.

You might say I helped him sweep that up.

And I know that he would fall all

over himself doing me a favor in return.

Like revising your custody deal,

for instance,

so you can see your daughters again.

What am I thinking? I gotta drive.

Manny goes. You get your girls back.

Thats the carrot.

The stick? Who wants to think about that?

Do it fast.

Answer me on that if I call.

- Dont make me come after you.

- [engine starts]

[insect buzzing]

[man on TV:
faint]

He lives.

Hi, Mom.

Oh, I guess you needed the rest.

Thats okay.

- Is that a bruise?

- Oh, no.

That was there already. From a door.

- You need a hand?

- Nah. Makin soup.

[Joe groans] Hard time sleeping.

- Well, this is a big adjustment.

- Mmm.

Give it time.

Im sorry I wasnt here

when you arrived. I...

- I, uh... I already told him.

- Its okay. Its okay. [groans]

- Got our wires crossed, I guess.

- Hmm.

- What are your...

- Dad says...

- Sorry. Go ahead.

- No, no, you first.

I was just wondering

what are your plans for work.

[Joe] I havent been home a day yet.

Its a reasonable question.

Your first night home

and youre out till dawn

with your fathers truck.

I just dont want things

going back to how they were.

Not here.

Dad says you dont speak

to your grandchildren.

[Joes mom] Thats Elaines decision.

We just want whats best for them.

What about me?

Its impossible to you

that I might have changed?

You know...

every Sunday in church...

I have to see Phil Coakley.

And everybody there sees me seeing him.

Have you ever thought

what that might feel like... to me?

Have you changed?

[Joe sighs]

You know what this is?

You expect me to be impressed

cause you didnt drink in jail?

Dad! Come on!

Look, see, this is complicated.

No, its not.

You say youve changed.

Good. I hope its true.

Ive prayed for it long enough.

Im happy youre home, and I love you,

but you dont get extra points

for doing whats simply required,

what everybody else does.

- I cant believe this sh*t.

- You have work to do, Joe!

[door opens, closes]

[door opens]

[keys jangle]

[door closes]

[engine stops]

I am profoundly sorry, Phil.

Bill Caldwell. Billy was my friend.

And I just wish hed... hed...

worked the steps.

[ringing]

Hi, Phil.

I was out of line,

the way I spoke to you last night.

I thought about this a lot,

what I wanted to say to you

when I finally saw you,

and that wasnt it.

What I did wanna say

was that I am profoundly sorry.

I was truly in fear for my life.

I felt I was defending myself,

but that doesnt excuse the...

I dont even remember it. Insane.

- Which is it?

- Which?

You were in fear for your life

or you dont remember.

Which is it?

The point is, I do take responsibility,

and Im ready to move ahead

with a... with a clean life, a good life.

Take responsibility and just...

You know. Amends.

You mentioned Bill Caldwell.

He was my friend.

I loved him.

I just wish hed gotten

into the program like I have,

worked the steps.

Theres a whole other world

you can live in.

He just didnt know.

You are within 100 yards of my home here.

But Im not interested in some

chickenshit restraining order violation.

For you, I want the needle.

- And Im gonna get it.

- Okay.

Okay.

Anger eats the vessel.

[engine starts]

[man] I guess you heard, huh?

Hows he doing?

Can I, um...?

He took care of me in there.

- [monitor beeping]

- [mutters]

Hey, Manny.

[Manny] Ha.

Youre on the same drugs as me.

- How you feeling?

- Eh.

Im working on my anger.

[snickers]

- What?

- Oh, nothing.

Thats not something

I thought Id ever hear you say.

[chuckles] Whatd it ever get me?

All this. Lots of things.

Yeah, well, I dont want em anymore.

Dan gave me a bag.

- You did your bid.

- Yeah.

But I blew the job.

And I warned you

about the drinking and the drugs.

You did.

I shouldve listened,

but since I didnt...

I guess I was expecting someone

to clip me in there,

- not pay me when I came out.

- [laughs]

If you knew how much it cost

to sell that imperfect self-defense line.

[laughs]

Manny, come on.

Yeah, I admit.

I was angry about Phil.

You blew our clean shot at him.

Hmm.

But since youd

already taken care of Billy...

even though he went over to them...

he was your boy.

So that meant something.

I bet Junior disagreed, huh?

Yeah, well, Junior has a lot of...

A lot of different ideas

about a lot of things.

Funny you mention talking to Phil.

- Give me that f***in thing. I hurt.

- In a sec.

Because what I hear,

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