The Gift Page #5

- I need to talk to you.

- Buddy.

I've been thinking about my daddy

and I've been touching myself.

- Touching yourself? How?

- Why do I do that?

It's not a good time.

- Something's bad wrong with me.

- Look, Buddy...

And I... I keep thinking

about that blue diamond.

You look into the blue diamond,

you won't think a negative thought.

I promise. Now, hon, I'm going

through a hard time myself. I'm...

I just... I can't talk

to you now, okay?

You're gonna burn

in hell, Annie Wilson!

Now, Mike, I know you skipped

school and went to that trial.

- How'd you know?

- A little bird told me.

It's time you started making things

easier on me instead of harder.

I'm very disappointed in you.

- The phone's ringing, Mama.

- Second of all,

I'm gonna have to testify

at that trial tomorrow.

- The phone's ringing, Mama.

- I'm not deaf, Miller.

Let the machine get it.

Donnie Barksdale's side, they're

gonna try and give me a hard time.

They're gonna call me names

and I...

I just want y'all

to be prepared...

if you hear any bad stuff

about me, all right?

Now, we're all gonna have to

be sticking together on this one.

Annie Wilson, it's Buddy's mother.

Buddy's done gone crazy.

He's threatening to kill his daddy!

He's got Odell tied up

in the backyard,

accusing him

of horrible things.

- Have you called the police?

- He said if I did he'd kill Odell.

He wants you.

Hey, Buddy.

Buddy, put that strap down and

tell me what he's done to you.

I'm here, Buddy. Like you said,

you can talk to me, honey.

It's too late for that!

It's too goddamn late!

This here is a criminal.

And he's gonna be punished.

Bud-Buddy.

Buddy, it's Annie.

- You shut up! You shut up!

- It's all right.

- Get away! Where were you?

- I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

You knew everything

and you did nothing.

You ruined me.

You ruined me!

I was just a little boy, Daddy.

It got so I was embarrassed

to go to school, Daddy.

How could you do that

to your little boy?

No, Buddy. You put that down.

No, Buddy.

You put that down, Buddy.

You put that down. You listen to me.

You get away!

You get away! Get away!

All right, Buddy. All right.

It's all right. Come on.

Why... Why didn't

you help me, Annie?

What?

Why didn't you

help me?

- I had you for a friend and then...

- I am your friend, Buddy.

Now I have nobody.

I have nobody!

But I'm gonna...

I'm gonna kill this thing.

- No!

- No, Buddy!

No!

Help me!

- Help me!

- Look at that goddamn thing.

And you tell me what kind

of thoughts you have?

You look!

You look

into that thing!

Mrs. Wilson? Mrs. Wilson.

Mrs. Wilson, your husband,

Ben Wilson Senior,

was one of the men killed last year

in the explosion...

out at the Reinhold

Cable Plant.

Yes, that's right.

And you were left with three small

children to raise on your own.

Yes, sir.

How do you provide

for you and your sons?

I get a little bit

of money from Social Security...

as a result

of my husband's death.

And,

I also give readings.

- Psychic readings.

- Yes, sir.

What does being psychic

enable you to do?

I see things...

and I, you know...

I sense... things...

that... well, they

hadn't happened yet...

or they were happening

someplace else.

My granny told me that I...

I had a gift that runs in my family.

And she told me that

I shouldn't be afraid of it.

I should just always use my instinct

and I'd... I'd be all right.

So, you're swearing

before this court...

that you didn't get your information

about this tragedy...

from any other means

than your special ability?

- Your gift.

- Yes, sir.

I'm swearing that. Yes.

- Thank you, Mrs. Wilson.

- Yes, sir.

- I have no further questions.

- Mr. Weems.

Mrs. Wilson.

How many fingers am I holding up

behind my back?

- Objection, Your Honor.

- Your Honor,

my client is sitting in this

courtroom on trial for his life...

partly because of powers

that this woman claims to have.

Now, in all fairness, I believe

I should be given the opportunity...

to test

the alleged powers...

instead of having to stand here

and take her word for it.

You have a good point.

Objection overruled.

Can everyone in the jury box

see how many fingers I'm showing?

How many fingers,

Mrs. Wilson?

I don't know.

You don't know?

Seven.

Seven fingers.

That... That doesn't

prove anything.

Your Honor, I can't do this,

you know, at the drop of a hat.

Well, then, ma'am, how about doing

it at the drop of a dollar bill?

What are you trying to say?

I'm trying to say maybe this special

gift of yours doesn't work...

unless you're

being paid for it.

Like they say in the army,

''No money, no honey.''

No, that's not true.

Are you aware that in Hatcher County

it's against the law...

for a psychic to set up shop

and charge people money?

Well, I don't charge money.

You just testified

that you do charge money.

No. I accept donations.

People give me gifts.

Oh. A distinction

worthy of a lawyer.

Mrs. Wilson,

you a rich woman?

- No.

- Why not?

If I had psychic powers and could

read the future, I'd be filthy rich.

I'd be playing

the Stock Market.

I'd be over in Mobile

betting on the dogs.

I'd certainly warn my husband

not to go to work...

on the day I know the Reinhold

Plant's gonna blow up...

leaving three little ol' children

to be raised in a carnival sideshow.

Well, it doesn't work

that way, sir.

I can't use my gift

for personal gain.

Except for those,

what you call 'em, donations?

You've had some personal trouble

with Donnie Barksdale, haven't you?

Yes, I have.

Just a few weeks ago, you told him...

I believe the exact words was...

you was gonna have

his ass thrown in jail.

- But he was threatening my kids.

- Ain't it also true...

that a few weeks ago in one of

those famous readings of yours,

when you were doing

your so-called E.S.P.,

you told Valerie Barksdale,

Donnie's wife,

that Donnie was just

an insecure redneck...

and that he wasn't really

crazy enough to kill anybody?

Yes, I did say that.

Then why today are you

saying he did kill somebody?

Wait a second.

I've never said that.

You might as well have, ma'am.

You wanted his ass in jail.

- He's on trial for his life.

- I just told the sheriff what I saw.

And how could any of us

ever forget that?

Jessica King just

floatin' up in that tree,

naked,

with a chain...

wrapped around her.

It must be

so much fun for you.

You must be having

the time of your life...

entertaining yourself

with your dreams and your visions.

You think it's fun seeing decomposed

bodies in my tree, do you, sir?

You think that's fun?

Do you think it's fun I have people

trying to strangle me in my sleep?

Now I'm sitting here

and I'm blaming myself...

'cause some poor crazy man tried

to burn his daddy half to death.

And you think I'm sitting here

having fun?

I'm sorry, sir.

You're crazy if you think that.

No more questions,

Your Honor.

You're dismissed.

Like they say in Hollywood,

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