The Fugitive Kind

Tell the clerk your name.

- Xavier.

- With an "x" or an "s"?

I told you before,

but you just don't remember me.

I remember you though,

you're also known as Snakeskin.

Now, Xavier, will you give...

an account to this court of the precise

offense that led up to your arrest?

Well...

my guitar was in hock...

down at

the South Rampart Street pawnshop.

It was on display...

in the loan shark's window.

It's my life's companion.

- And...

- Are you drunk?

No, just...

I'm tired.

You want to rest for six weeks

in the house of detention?

No, sir, I don't want to do that.

My guitar was in hock...

and it was the first time in my life.

And, you know,

it gave me a real bad feeling.

I can't explain it to you.

But everybody has...

something that's very important to them.

With me...

it's my guitar.

And you know it was...

a gift from a very great man, Leadbelly.

I ain't asking no questions

about your guitar.

What happened the night

before the party was raided?

Well, I had to find some way, you know,

to get my guitar out of hock.

- So I ran into Charlie Five.

- Charlie who?

Well, his name is...

Cinque, Charlie Cinque,

but they call him Charlie Five because...

"cinq" means five in French...

and you can hit on him for $5

if you really need it.

And so he came up to me

and approached me in the Starlight Lounge.

It was about 6:
00 that day...

in the p. m.

And he came up and approached me

and offered me the job.

What job?

I thought you already knew about the job.

You know, the court could hear you better

if you'd hold your head up when you talk.

I am.

What did he ask you to do?

He asked me to...

Well, he wanted me

to entertain at this party...

and I told him my guitar is in hock.

He says, "It doesn't matter,

you don't need your guitar. "

And he says, "All you got to do is just,

you know, be part of this...

"you know, party. "

He offered to pay you for taking part

in this party which was raided the night...

on the premises of Bourbon Street,

over at the Club Rendezvous?

- Is that it?

- Yeah.

And you started this disturbance

at this party?

Yes, sir, I did. I just...

I was fed up. I got disgusted.

I was sick and...

I felt like my whole life

was something sick on my stomach...

and I just had to throw it up.

So, I threw it up...

and I started to bust up the joint.

- You smashed up the place?

- Yeah.

Well, Snakeskin, if I let you go...

how soon can I expect you back here again?

I'm never coming here again.

I'll never be down here again, Your Honor.

It's about time for the...

pawnshop to open there

on South Rampart Street...

and I'm going down there

and get my guitar out of hock...

and I'm going to split out of this city...

and go for good.

All that, you know, bunch, all the people

that know me or thought they'd known me...

they're never going to see me again.

Well... And I'm all through

with those parties, too.

And that's the truth.

That's the truth.

Eddie!

Ed!

I thought you were that boy

that broke out of the lockup.

No, ma'am.

My car quit on me down the road

and this is the only lighted window I seen.

Well, my husband's Sheriff Talbot.

He's out with the posse

tracking down that poor boy.

Yes, ma'am.

- Your car quit on you?

- That's right, ma'am.

Come in.

Well, I don't know who to call at this hour.

I'm just looking for a little dry place

to sleep, ma'am.

I don't need a bed or nothing...

just a little dry place.

If it wouldn't make you too nervous,

you could sleep in the lockup.

I don't want to put you

to any trouble, ma'am.

No. No, it's no trouble.

Did somebody break out of here tonight?

Yes. Eddie.

I'm rarely disappointed

when I put trust in people...

but I was this time.

Tonight, when I brought him his supper...

instead of putting it

through the slot in the door...

I unlocked the door of the lockup...

and he just shoved past me and he ran out.

And he said, "Excuse me. "

I think they got him.

Stop now.

It's all over, ma'am.

I think I'd like a cup of coffee.

- Would you care for a cup?

- Yes, ma'am.

I've been painting all night.

There's nothing more exhausting...

than that kind of work

on the face of the earth.

It just leaves you burned out inside.

Still, but when you're finished

with a picture...

you feel elevated.

- Is this the picture?

- Yes.

Yes, that's the Church of the Resurrection.

The church supposed to be blue?

No, that's how I felt it.

You see, I paint a thing how I feel it.

Thank you, ma'am.

- You know what I mean, Mr...

- Yes, ma'am. Xavier is my name.

Valentine Xavier.

Are you a musician, Mr. Xavier?

Well, I used to be a sort of

entertainer in nightspots in New Orleans.

Well, if you're looking

for that kind of work...

you won't find

that kind of work around here.

No, ma'am, I quit it. I'm...

Today's my 30th birthday, and I...

- Thank you.

- Here.

That's nice.

- I'm not young anymore.

- You're young at 30.

You're not young at 30

if you've been on a party since you were 15.

You mean...

that you want to turn over

a new leaf in your life?

That'd suit me perfectly.

If you're sincere, and you're really through

with night places...

I think I could help you to find a job.

- Well, what kind of work would that be?

- It'd be clerking.

That's at the Torrance Mercantile Store.

Jabe Torrance is coming home

from the hospital in Memphis tomorrow.

But they say he won't be well enough

to handle the work by himself.

- Would that kind of work suit you?

- I'd be happy to try it, ma'am.

Well, I'll speak to Lady...

that's Mrs. Torrance,

when she brings Jabe home tomorrow.

Well, if you're sleepy, maybe you could

go on down and bed down there.

Well, I sure appreciate it.

Well, that's all right.

Man, all I want is something hot to drink...

a cup of coffee or a shot of whiskey.

Huh, Jordan?

I'm soaked clear through.

Look at that gun. It's going to take me

two weeks to get that clean.

Why'd you leave the cell door open, Vee?

- Howdy, Mrs. Talbot.

- Howdy.

- I put my trust in Eddie.

- Yeah, you put your trust in him, all right.

Who's the boy you got sleeping

down there now?

Mr. Xavier.

His car broke down. He's a musician.

Yeah, I'm sick of you making

a fool of yourself over every stray tramp...

that wanders into this county.

A musician.

What you gonna put

on the coroner's report, Sheriff?

Killed, attempting escape.

That boy said, "Excuse me,"

when he broke out.

That makes it fine, don't it?

They'll give him a crown in heaven.

- What time is it?

- About 1:
45 a. m.

What's that boy's name again?

Xavier. Valentine Xavier.

Not that boy, you fool.

The boy who broke out.

Pull it tight, now. Real tight.

I want it tight, now.

- Cannonball's coming into the depot.

- Pee Wee!

Pee Wee, get on down to that depot.

Cannonball's coming in!

- Hurry up, you two.

- Pee Wee, get a move on.

You can move faster than that,

I've seen you.

Come on, Dolly. We got to fix the buffet.

- Hi, Mrs. Talbot. Where's the Sheriff?

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