The Hitcher

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It's 4:
15 on a Saturday morning

in El Paso town.

This is Uncle Bruce here going on

with the farm and market report...

on the station

all El Paso listens to.

My mother told me

never to do this.

Bless you.

My name's Jim Halsey.

John Ryder.

So you want me

to drop you off somewhere?

I'm getting your car wet.

Oh, this isn't my car.

It's a drive-away.

The owner's in San Diego.

So where you headed?

- You got a smoke?

- Yeah, sure.

You gonna tell me

where you're going?

Yeah, sure.

What are you looking

at me like that for?

Just looking.

What are you doing?

What'd you do that for?

I asked you a question.

Scare you?

Look, I think you better

get out now.

The ride's over.

Good-bye.

I'm gonna sit here...

and you're gonna drive.

Excuse me.

- What's wrong with that car back there?

- Why?

Thought I saw something,

that's all.

- I ran out of gas.

- So you need a gas station?

Would help.

Okay.

Gas stations have cigarettes.

What about gas?

I don't need gas.

What do you want?

What's so funny?

That's what the other guy said.

Who's the other guy?

The guy who was driving that car back

there. Picked me up before you did.

- Was that him in the car?

- I'm sure it was.

He couldn't have walked very far.

Why is that?

Because I cut off his legs...

and his arms...

and his head.

And I'm gonna do

the same to you.

Don't.

What part of Illinois you from?

- What?

- Your license plate.

Tell the man.

Chicago.

My wife's from Rockford.

You got a cigarette?

All right, the road's clear now.

Come on. Get going, sweethearts.

Drive.

You want to know what happens

to an eyeball when it gets punctured?

You got any idea how much blood jets out

of a guy's neck...

when his throat's been slit?

What do you want?

I want you to stop me.

You got the knife.

You'll stick me with it

before I can do anything.

That's right. So what have you

got to lose? Stop me.

Crying isn't gonna help.

Keep driving!

Please. I'll do anything.

Say four words:

Say...

"I want to die."

Say what?

"I want to die."

Say it.

- I don't know if I can say that.

- Sure you can.

Repeat after me.

"I...

want...

to...

die."

I don't want to die!

F*** you, buddy!

Jesus Christ!

Hey! Pull over!

Pull over! The guy

in your car's a nut!

Shoot him.

That guy's a f***ing nut

in your car! Pull over!

- Kill him.

- That guy will kill you!

That guy, get him

out of your car!

Where do you think you're going?

Come back!

Oh, f***.

Come on, you son of a b*tch.

Hey, stop! Stop!

Wait!

- Okay, see you at 4:00.

- Bye-bye.

Sh*t.

We're closed. We don't open

for another 45 minutes.

Please, I need to use a phone!

Sorry. I can't let you in.

We're closed.

No! Listen.

- Please, I have to call the cops.

- What happened?

I can't explain right now.

I just need to use the phone.

If Jack saw me doing this,

he'd kick my butt.

Phone's around the corner. Go on.

You stink of gasoline.

Were you in an accident?

Hello, police? My name's Jim Halsey.

I know who killed those people in...

I picked this guy up hitchhiking...

Same guy blew up the gas station.

Jim Halsey. H-A-L-S-E-Y.

I'm at the Longhorn Restaurant.

You do?

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir. I won't go anywhere.

Jesus.

If you think the cops are gonna arrive

soon, you got another thing coming.

A guy got shot in the corner

a couple months ago.

It took them 45 minutes to get here

with the ambulance.

By that time

the poor guy was dead.

Specialty of the house.

Actually the cook's not here yet.

It's the only thing I know how to make.

Thanks.

That's real nice of you.

Everything gonna be okay?

I hope so.

You sure look

a whole lot better.

Guess it's safe for me

to smoke now, huh?

Sorry I gave you

such a hard time, but...

you'd be surprised the kind of trash

that passes through here.

- How is it?

- Real good. Thanks.

My name's Nash.

I really appreciate this.

- Where you from?

- Chicago.

- Where you headed?

- California.

How'd you know that?

That's where everyone's going.

Hollywood?

No. San Diego.

I thought about moving

to California.

Jeremy, who owns this place...

he's my cousin.

And Uncle Jack does the cooking.

Like that, see?

We're all kind of interrelated.

It's kind of hard

to just pick up and leave.

But you never know.

My brother Bill is from Mars.

Actually we're all from Mars here.

We keep our spaceship out back.

So, what planet are you from?

What?

You haven't heard a word

I said, have you?

Yes, I have.

That's okay. Go on.

Eat your cheeseburger.

I gotta get some stuff

out of the freezer anyway.

Stay where you are! Put your hands

in the air. Get down on the ground!

Wait a minute!

He's in there!

Get your ass on the cement,

or we open fire!

I'm not gonna tell you again!

Put your hands

behind your back slow.

- My wallet's in my pocket.

- Shut up!

We know how to do it.

Jesus!

Oh, my God! He put that there!

Now shut up.

Don't move.

What's going on?

What'd you do to him?

- You keep to yourself.

- Why you arresting him?

Pick up that stuff.

Do you know this guy?

Not really.

Then what the hell

is he doing inside?

Half the cops in the state

are looking for this creep.

Let's get this sack of sh*t

out of here.

Where's your driver's license,

your I.D.?

Where are your credit cards?

The guy I've been telling you about

took my wallet and planted the knife.

My license was in my wallet.

I don't have any credit cards.

I suppose he took

your vehicle registration too?

What's a young kid like you driving

such a fancy car? You steal it?

The car doesn't belong to me.

It's a drive-away.

I'm supposed to be delivering it

to California.

The guy's in San Diego.

What's his name?

I don't remember.

But I know the number of the drive-away

company. Why don't you call them?

Hell, son. You better start calling

somebody 'cause you're in deep sh*t.

It's 312-399-2090.

I know the number so well

because I called them so many times.

I was on their waiting list

for a month.

I wanted a car going

to California.

That's why it took so long.

Thank you for calling

Midwest Drive-away.

Our Chicago office hours are

Closed Saturday and...

Well, now what are we gonna do?

You got one more call.

Call my brother, for God's sakes!

He'll be home.

It's 312-905-9044.

Maybe you didn't let it

ring long enough.

Do I look like a killer to you?

Folks coming in from Austin tomorrow

gonna be interested in talking to you.

I'm gonna give you a chance

to get some rest.

Get him locked up.

Get him out of my sight.

Let's go.

Jack?

That kid isn't a killer.

Any fool could see that.

Okay, face front.

Hold real still.

Now turn to your right.

Steady.

Make it your left.

Oh, those are real good.

Your mama's gonna like those.

Let's go.

You behave yourself now.

Hello?

Go! I'm right behind you.

Come on!

Let's go.

Come on, come on.

Stop!

- Take her easy!

- Tell me about it.

Get over by the car.

Those cuffs on your belt...

take them off and lock

your partner's hands behind his back.

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