The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Page #2

If I can't have a piano,

could I give a party?

A party?

Honestly, Mick,

I don't know where you get your ideas.

It doesn't seem like so much to ask,

Margaret.

Please, Mama.

Well, I just can't see

throwing money away.

And it's not like you get invited

to so many parties yourself...

...that you have to give one.

Well, maybe if I gave one myself

I would get asked.

Ha, she's got a point there.

Oh, you, you'd side with her

no matter what she wanted.

Don't you worry, baby.

She'll come round.

You just leave it to me.

Oh, Papa, that's what you always say.

You getting fresh with me?

That's what you said about

my room, wasn't it?

You said you wouldn't let her rent it.

But she did. And to that cripple.

- Now you get out of here!

- Papa, I didn't-

Get out of here!

[DOOR SLAMS]

[MICK SOBBING]

MICK:

Go away, leave me alone.

Well, go away. I hate you!

You know what's wrong

with the world?

[COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING]

No causes left.

There's nothing to believe in.

There ain't anything left to live for.

Hell, there isn't even anything left

to die for.

Huh?

Hey, more, more beer.

Give me another beer.

Hey.

Hey, you know...

...the only- Huh?

Hey, tell me. Uh.

Yep, more chip.

Chip?

I was just...

You know, you got something to do,

everything else just falls right into place.

Yeah.

You know.

You got a reason to get out of bed

in the morning.

[SINGING]

Ha.

After that,

the rest of the day is all downhill.

If I could only find me something

to believe in again, something to...

...hold on to.

I might have a chance to make

something better of myself.

Or at least something different.

At least different. I mean-

[CROWD LAUGHING]

You think that's funny?

You think it's easy for a guy like me?

You don't think I want to be somebody?

Be somebody better, huh?

Hey, now he don't think it's funny.

Got more sense than the whole lot

put together.

Hey, now, buddy, you got a heart.

You know that? Yeah, you do.

You got the biggest damn heart

in the whole world.

- Okay, mister, that's enough.

- Hey, it's a free country.

The country may be free

but the beer ain't.

You got the money for all them drinks

you've been belting down?

- Now, wait a minute.

- I know a deadbeat when I see one.

Now, I don't mind getting took

for a drink or two.

I don't even mind that bull

you've been slinging.

I'm a sort of a freak fancier.

But I do mind it when you start

pestering my customers.

- Meaning who?

- Him.

Well, he ain't complaining.

BRANNON:

Well, he's hardly in a position to.

You come along nice and quiet

before I have to get rough.

Well, okay, boy, you-

Where's my bag?

It's over by the door,

now get it and get out.

[SPEAKING INAUDIBLY]

[WOMEN GASPS]

Lunch, uh, soup and a meat sandwich.

Dinner?

Well, I'll take care of that personally.

Oh, since you're gonna be

a regular customer...

...maybe you ought to get a discount.

How about, uh, $25 a week?

BLOUNT:

Damn.

[GROANING]

- Man, he's crazy.

- Yeah, look at that.

MAN 1:
You just take a look at that.

MAN 2:
Yeah.

MAN 1:

He's gonna bust his skull.

He's in trouble.

What do you want?

That is a white man,

I only treat my own.

What is the matter with you?

Are you deaf? I said I-

Very well.

I will give him emergency treatment.

[HARMONICA PLAYING]

Evening, William.

COPELAND:
Well, good evening, Portia.

PORTIA:
Father.

COPELAND:

Isn't William coming in?

PORTIA:

Not unless you apologize.

COPELAND:

Apologize? Apologize for what?

Last time we were here

you called him Uncle Tom.

Oh.

Uh, who told him what it meant?

Don't, Father.

COPELAND:

Don't what?

Don't make me choose between you...

...because if you do,

I'm gonna choose Willie.

Seems to me you already did that

three years ago.

No, Father, I didn't choose between you.

I only chose to marry him

over your objection.

Uh, when I think of all the plans...

Those were your plans, not mine.

Well, you could have done something,

something worthwhile with your life.

PORTIA:

I did.

I married a man I love

and a man who loves me.

I raised you to be something better.

Well, I wasn't better.

I was different.

All those years after Mama died,

all that time I was growing up...

...what was I?

I don't know.

I only know I wasn't white.

And you wouldn't let me be black.

COPELAND:

William, please come in.

So I upped and enlisted

when I was 16.

Figure that, will you, 16?

My folks, they didn't care too much.

Hell, they was glad to see me go.

Meant one less mouth to feed.

You know,

most guys don't like the Army.

But I did.

I did.

For a while there

I thought of making it my life's work.

Sooner or later

I always get to feeling restless.

Gotta be moving on.

So I...

[DOG BARKING]

[FOOTSTEPS STOMPING]

Mick, won't you ever learn

how to come down a flight of stairs?

- I do it just like Bubber.

- Where is he?

Bubber!

[FOOTSTEPS STOMPING]

[BLOUNT GROANS]

Hey, what time is it?

Yeah.

What time is it?

Uh-huh.

What?

"John Singer. I am-"

Um.

A mute?

Christ, and all this time

I thought you was a good listener.

Why, I must have really been drunk.

I mean, really.

Hey, hey, did I do anything bad? Bad?

Hm?

Oh, wow.

Into a wall?

Ha. Well, I've done worse, believe me.

A mute.

Why, I never, I-

I don't think I've ever been that drunk

before.

I mean, when I get to mixing up

with a dummy, I-

Excuse me, no offense, man.

It's just my way of talking. Ha.

And anyway, when I get that far gone,

I know it is time to stop.

Yeah, well, I gotta be going.

I gotta...

...get me a place to stay, find a job.

[BLOUNT GRUNTS]

Hey, you know,

I really like your chess set.

Yeah, that's real nice.

Hey, if you're not too good,

I'd like to play with you some time.

That is, if you want to.

Boy, I must have really been drunk.

WOMAN:

Thank you, doctor.

Serena.

- Go on in, I'll be with you in a minute.

- Thank you.

Please.

As I told you last night, Mr. Singer,

I don't treat whites.

No charge. I said, no charge.

Bad enough having to treat him

without taking money for it.

The attitude shock you, huh?

Why should it?

You'd take it for granted if I were white

and he were colored. Yes, you would.

But in this case if anyone knew about it,

I'd be called uppity.

Lucky thing for me you can't talk.

[DOG BARKING]

Please wait. Wait a minute. Wait.

[COPELAND PANTING]

I'm sorry.

It just came out.

It wasn't kindly of me.

Please accept my apology.

Believe me, it doesn't come easily.

However...

...if you are still willing to pay me...

...no, not with money.

Not with money.

I have a patient.

A deaf-mute.

It is very difficult for me to treat him...

...without the specific answer

to my question.

I have a patient, a deaf-mute.

It is very difficult for me

to communicate with him...

...without specific answers

to my questions.

Now, if you could find the time...

...at your convenience,

maybe you'd come with me...

...and translate.

Thank you.

Now, if you forgive me,

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