Sonny Page #2

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who's an absolute dear. He really is.

The only trouble is he watches

how much money I'm spending too closely.

I'm sure you'll manage.

I see you still have your taste in clothes.

Are you still...

working?

No.

I'm just here spending

some of my discharge money.

That's a real shame.

What happened? Did the Army break you?

Yeah, I guess.

That'll be $432.82.

Can I help you?

Sonny is the young man

I was telling you about...

who used to spend so much time with me

at the lake.

This is an occasion.

Would you have a drink with us?

-Just a drink.

-A drink, right now?

-Just a drink, you dirty youngster, you.

-Come on.

-Catherine's all right, we can talk.

-No doubt about that.

It's tempting.

Your change.

And I'll let you know if anything changes...

but I don't foresee any openings

in the near future.

Okay, thanks a lot.

Please, just one drink?

-A small drink.

-Come on, be a sport.

I don't know if I can pass this up.

Come on, honey. It's so nice to see you.

Baby, I'm so glad you're home.

Henry is in jail.

He called me about an hour ago.

-What's he in jail for?

-Shoplifting.

Why are you getting upset? He's been

in jail for that more times than I can count.

I know.

I just get so worried sometimes.

Henry's getting too old

to be going to jail every week.

He's all I got. Anything happens to him,

I don't know what I'd do.

All right. Did you call the bondsman?

He's gonna meet us down at the jail...

as soon as Carol gets back.

Why when Carol gets back?

Sonny, you've been gone over three years.

Things change.

The bondsman knows I got a girl with me.

Henry won't get out till Monday morning...

unless Carol comes with us

and spends a few minutes with him.

I'm sorry I didn't ask you first

about Carol coming with us.

I just kept thinking of poor old Henry

laying up in that jail for three days.

That's all right, Mama.

If that's how you've been dealing with it...

nothing we can do about it now.

-I love you, Sonny-boy.

-I love you, Mom.

What's the matter?

Shut up, God damn it.

I don't want Sonny to hear.

Hear what?

Henry's in jail.

-So? What else is new?

-I want him out tonight.

Call the bondsman, like you always do,

and tell him to send a runner for the money.

I'm going to shower. It's been a long day.

Now you listen to me, b*tch.

You better listen good.

You don't know Sonny like I do.

You spend one night with him,

you think he'll do anything for you.

He's that way

because I trained him to be that way.

So don't you go getting no fancy ideas...

about running off

and living happily ever after in Texas City.

Because he don't care a damn thing

about you.

You still belong to me, girl.

And you still do as I say.

If you don't...

I'll have you cut and thrown out

into the street for the winos.

Sonny won't even notice you're gone.

Do I make myself clear?

What's the matter with you?

I never seen you like this before.

You better hope

you never have to see me like this again.

The bondsman says he wants

to spend a little time with you tonight...

or he won't pull Henry till Monday.

So after we get him out of jail,

I want you to take the money to his office...

and give him what he wants, you hear?

He's never wanted a date before.

Why does he want one all of a sudden?

Because I told him he could have one,

that's why.

You'll wait for me back at the house?

Go on and get Henry.

I'll see you in a couple of hours.

I wanna have me a baby.

Doing this whole thing,

you ever see Mama accept you?

I can't afford to be that realistic.

If I look too close in the mirror,

I might see me.

I don't think I'm quite ready for that.

Hand me that smoke?

Can I have a light?

Where's everybody at?

Your mama took Carol

up to Ponchatoula to work.

She's booked for a week

at the Liberty Hotel.

So that just leaves...

me and you.

Hell of a lifestyle we've got going here, man.

It's always better at night

than it is in the morning.

You know what you got to do, Sonny?

You got to face the fact

that this is all there is.

Everybody else seems to be getting

what they want without much trouble.

That's because you're looking at it

from your side of the fence.

All of them squares out there....

They got just as many problems

as you've got.

So you think I should stay, too?

No, I ain't saying that. I'm just....

I just want you to understand that

if you're going over to the other side...

that you're gonna inherit

a whole new set of problems.

Staying or going is up to you.

I care for you, boy.

I just don't want you getting into anything...

that you can't handle.

I'm not stupid.

I know that.

Jewel taught you a lot.

As long as you're dealing with things

you're familiar with.

But getting up in the morning,

going to work, raising kids...

and joining the PTA...

and all them other things

you're craving for....

It's a lot different in flesh

than it is in your head.

I just don't want to get old

and not have anything to show for it.

You and Mama, you're gonna...

start thinking you're something ugly to me,

and that's not true.

You don't have to start feeling sorry for me.

Ain't never been a moment in my life

when I was wishing I was somebody else.

It's me that's feeling the pity, boy.

You think you're gonna

get that job down there?

Yeah. I don't know.

I got this friend Jesse I was stationed with.

His father owns a bookstore and he said...

when I get out, come on down,

and he'd get me a job.

Are you sure this kid

ain't blowing smoke up your ass?

No, Jesse is a good guy.

He really wants me to come down.

Does he know anything

about your background?

Very little.

Good.

Good luck to you. I hope you make it.

You don't have any idea

how much I hope you make it.

Why?

Maybe I just wanna see if one of us can.

What're you doing? Cleaning your carpet?

I didn't think you'd make it.

I need that job.

You went by the shop first?

Yeah, they said there's a new owner.

You wouldn't happen to be in the market

for a $50 a week meat bill, would you?

You look pretty happy here.

Come on in the house, I'll buy you a beer.

Come on, Tuck.

So what happened?

It was the f***ing bank.

Old man got behind on some debts.

Too proud to tell me, I guess.

By the time I got back,

there was nothing I could do.

Not like there was anything

I could do, anyhow.

Is there any chance

of getting anything back?

Old man's dying of cancer.

Something else he forgets to mention.

By the time I get back to bury him, too late.

It's over.

No. It's already gone.

I mean, the house is gone, too.

I had to get a court order to keep living in it,

until I find something else.

This is for you.

The Stranger. Read it, it's good.

-"Camus."

-Camus.

Thanks.

What are you....

What's Plan B?

Plan B. I don't know.

Start thinking about re-enlisting, you know?

Ain't no jobs around here.

Sh*t. Jesse, I was hoping you could....

-F*** it.

-Look, man, come on.

It ain't all rain clouds and gloom, you know.

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