Sometimes a Great Notion Page #4

and I lit up and boom.

You wouldn't

believe what happened.

I mean, the windows blew out,

the door caved in.

I found myself on the street.

Finally, the cops hauled me

off to the hospital.

Next thing I knew I was

getting sued by the landlord.

I couldn't

pay the hospital bill.

I mean, I had to split.

Why did you want to turn

on the gas?

Well, I was just

on a bummer for about a year.

There was nobody there.

Henry!

Reba!

Come on, girl.

Henry.

Henry, you can't go

chasing off like that.

When I need a wet nurse,

missy,

I'll go up to the county hospital.

What about you?

You never say anything.

Yeah, I know.

Like the strike.

Doesn't it bother you?

Oh.

I don't think about it.

Why not?

Nobody asks me.

Well, I mean if anybody

should ask,

they don't listen anyway.

That's the way it is.

Did you know that

before you came here?

Ha. No.

I came here...

I came here on the back

of a green motorcycle.

All the way from

Rocky Ford, Colorado.

Rocky Ford.

Yep.

Nobody knows it,

but that's the watermelon

capital of the world.

I bet it is.

Well...

Hank came riding

through there one summer.

Just after cutting season.

Then...

my uncle threw him in jail

for disorderly conduct.

My uncle was the sheriff.

And he...

got out two nights later and...

There was you and Hank

and the watermelon

patch, right?

Yeah.

Yeah, sort of.

And so you took off.

No. I left.

I left

my aunt and uncle,

and the watermelon

patch, and the jail,

and...

God,

riding out of there...

on the back

of that thing,

hanging onto Hank.

So anyway, here I am.

I got a garden here.

I got flowers and...

got a German yellow

canary upstairs.

And they're all mine.

And if that river

ever comes up

and carts us all off,

they're still mine.

That's all there is.

Has it always

been everything?

No.

God no.

Not that first summer.

Had a baby in me then.

I had Hank's baby,

a Stamper...

Everybody was fussing over me

and doing for me.

Even the rain held off

till December.

We went off to Reed's Port

the first night it rained.

And he was born.

He was beautiful.

He had blue eyes

and lots of brown hair.

And he was dead.

And there wouldn't be

anymore.

Doesn't matter now

anyway.

I seem to give Hank what

he wants, what he needs.

He seems satisfied.

Are you?

Hey, hey. Go get him champ.

You bet.

Well, Henry, they sure

won't be expecting us.

I mean,

I really don't know why

we have to go through this.

Sure you do.

Yeah, I guess I do.

Let's get out there

and have some fun.

Hey!

Got these rules?

Yeah, Hank, keep it up!

Come on, Hank!

Keep it up!

Hey. Hey.

You ever seen anything

like that, huh?

Got a beer?

Don't you want some water?

You hungry?

Yeah.

How'd it go?

Oh, I don't know.

You win a few,

you lose a few.

Hey, Hank,

how about a hamburger?

Hamburger or hotdog?

Hamburger, I think.

All right. There you are.

Hank!

How about a little

touch football?

Oh, I don't know.

Stamper, you want

a little football?

Yeah, why not.

Ronny, Gene.

A little touch football.

Heya, fellas.

How you doing, guys?

A little touch football...

Hey, nice, nice.

My God, the kid's fast, Hank.

Going fast to sleep.

He's just like his big brother.

Remember that real

wet summer we had, kid?

Lot of beds got warmed up

that summer.

Hank and I, we know

which bed I'm talking about,

don't we?

It's pretty funny lately.

'Cause everybody knew

that Hank was balling

your mother.

Oh, boy.

Get him, Joe B.

Get in there, Hankus!

That wasn't a very good

landing there, Hank.

Do a job, man.

Oh, ha ha.

Come on, you guys.

You've had it.

Don't bother to park.

Ah, honey.

Sorry. But I was forced

to kick the crap

out of some friends

and neighbors.

Come on. Come on up.

I forgot something.

No, no. Hank.

Let got of me, Leland.

Hank, come on.

I'm--

Are you all right?

Whoo!

Whee! Whee!

Eight feet, Joe B.,

right on the mark!

We're in God's

fat little pocket.

Fun, huh?

Fun.

Let me know.

What?

If you want to leave.

Come on!

Come on, let's get 'em moving!

You know,

I'm sorry about that.

Sorry about what, Hank?

Well, the way you found out

about me and your mother.

Hey, let me tell you

something, Hank.

I didn't find out about

anything yesterday

that I didn't know

already.

Hey, how does that happen?

Who tells 1 0-year-old kids

about their mothers?

Their mothers?

Nobody had to tell me

anything, Hank.

I saw you.

OK, Stampers,

up and at 'em.

I don't know.

Hell, everything's coming

apart at the seams.

I tell you, Hank,

it's Orland's boys.

He says they all

got the flu or something.

Or something...

Yeah, he doesn't know

when he'll be back.

You know, he don't know

the difference

between a goose

and a Coos bay whore.

But he knows

when they're coming back.

He knows, all right.

It ain't easy, Hank.

The Davies boys are

Orland's boys.

Any of us.

My little girl comes

home crying every day

'cause there won't

nobody play with her.

We're all of us dirt.

Just a couple weeks

longer,

they could have waited

a little longer.

Maybe they just want

to get out while they still can.

Well,

we ain't making nothing

but shadows around here.

Let's get going.

Hi, Floyd. Hi, Marie.

My God, what the hell

do you want?

Well, I'll tell you.

It's kind of like this.

Hey, you stop!

Now, that ain't

no new truck.

But I sure do

feel better.

You bastard,

that was my daddy's desk!

Hey, Hank. Hank.

Listen, I got

to talk to you, Hank.

Now, it's in confidence, Hank.

I'm talking to you

in confidence.

Now, I've never told anybody

this before.

You know, Willard,

I don't think

I really want the honor.

Hank, now wait. Hank!

Hank, you listen

to me now, huh?

Remember last year

the girl that I hired on

to help Mildred in the laundry?

Well, that girl and me--

we sort of hit it off.

You know, the two of us.

Well, right now

she's up in Seattle.

She's living there.

She's got this kid, Hank.

My kid.

Understand me?

I didn't know you had it

in you, Willard.

Well, I'm supporting

the both of them, damn it.

She and the kid.

But I can't go on any longer.

Hey, Viv.

I just can't afford to.

Hank, you're going to kill

a lot of people in this town.

Get to the point,

will you, Willard?

Look, that kid

is my own flesh and blood.

And I don't intend

to give him up.

Well...

good for you, Willard.

Hang in there.

Now, listen to me,

Hank Stamper.

So help me God,

if you don't let up,

I'm going to do

something drastic.

I'm going

to kill myself.

That's no crap.

I'll kill myself.

I'll make it look like--

I'll make it look like

an accident

for the insurance money.

I'll do it, so help me God,

as sure as I'm standing

right here right now.

I'll do it.

Well...

good luck.

Good luck?

You don't believe me.

Yeah, I do.

Willard, I probably do.

It's just that I'm not

thinking too sharp now.

And "good luck's"

about the best

that I can come up with.

You got to admit,

it's better than

"have fun"

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