The Hot Spot Page #2

hangin' around a place like this.

Yeah, but l got ambition.

l figure if l stick around selling jalopies

for another 30, 40 years,

somebody'll give me a testimonial

and a $40 watch.

You wanna watch that stuff with Harshaw.

He's a good man, but got a temper.

ls that a fact?

Course, maybe he's got a reason.

(horn)

Hi. Can l help you?

l was just lookin' for George.

- George?

- Mr Harshaw.

l'm his wife.

You must be the new salesman.

Madox. Harry Madox.

Sorry, Mrs Harshaw,

but your husband's gone to lunch.

Oh, damn.

ls there something l can help you with?

Well, l hate to ask you.

l mean, you're workin' and all.

l'm not hurtin' myself.

Well, if you really wouldn't mind,

l've got some papers and clothes

that need unloadin'.

Sure. l'd be glad to.

Well, get in.

l have a pair of shoes like those.

l ought to wear 'em more often.

They seem to be more effective

than l remembered.

lt's awfully nice of you, especially since

George shouldn't carry heavy things.

- Why not?

- He didn't tell you? About his heart?

He's had two attacks already.

The doctor says he's got

to cut back on everything.

- That's why he hired you.

- No, he didn't tell me.

Well, George never did like

to go admittin' certain kinds of reality.

- Ain't you gonna put 'em down?

- What?

Mustn't know your own strength. Here.

- So what you gonna do in our town?

- Whatever there is to do.

Well, there are only two things

to do around here.

- Have you got a TV?

- Nope.

Well, now you're down to one.

Lots of luck.

- Good morning to ya, Lon.

- Howdy, bud.

What are you

in such a good mood about?

Lon, it takes a lot of money to be free.

And l'm gonna sell one of these to

the first sucker that walks in here today.

- You are, are you?

- Yes, sir.

Well, now. How do you

reckon to accomplish that?

Sheer willpower.

ln this life, you gotta take what you want.

You damn sure can't stand around

and wait for somebody to give it to you.

"Gotta take what you want."

That's good. l like that.

- You know what l always say?

- What's that?

Look before you leap.

Mr Harshaw's gone for the weekend.

Huntin'. Said he needed the rest.

Yeah, and l got a notion from what.

l met her yesterday.

Mr Harshaw met her in a real small town.

Huntin' trip, l think it was.

He always said

that she just sort of happened.

Mm-hm.

The smart thing would've been to get out

and let her happen to somebody else.

(phone rings)

- Harshaw Motors.

- Mr Madox?

This is Mrs Harshaw.

l hate to be a pest, but l was wonderin' if

l could ask you a teensy-weensy favour?

Well, sure, Mrs Harshaw.

What do you need?

- Mr Harshaw's cap.

- What?

(doorbell chimes)

Hi.

Well, come on in.

The least l can do is buy you a drink.

Sorry the place is such a mess.

l gave the girl the weekend off.

Oh.

That one thought he was stalkin' George.

Did he ever get a surprise!

Bang, bang.

l hope you like mai tais.

So...

How are you standing the excitement?

(sighs)

Maybe it picks up on Saturday night.

Yeah, it does. They show two vampire

operas at the movies instead of one.

l could buy a TV.

Or you could join the Ladies Club

and collect trash.

Now there's a hot pastime.

l doubt if l could pass

the credentials committee.

Not if you approached 'em one at a time.

You'd be lucky if you ever

got your credentials back.

Which one lives over there?

Mrs Gross.

She's the one with the binoculars.

What do you think of the view?

Better all the time.

That's where the pool was gonna go.

George said l could have one

if l was good.

But... he said his family hadn't had one

and what was good enough for them

was good enough for us.

l meant to ask you... about findin' me.

Did l give you the right directions?

l could find it in the dark.

You sure?

l think you'd better leave.

Like hell.

l thought you said

you lived in a small town.

Then you'd know that b*tch over there

watched you arrive.

And she's watchin' right now

for you to leave.

Who cares?

l do.

Bad boy.

Bad, bad boy.

l'm going to bed. You can let yourself out.

- How much?

- A dollar.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

(waitress) l need a double order

of grits and some more toast.

What you reading?

Oh! Oh, nothing. lt's...

it's just... silly.

Would you...

Would you like a soda? Yeah, a soda.

- You don't want a soda.

- Yes, l do.

Yes, l do. What could be nicer on a hot

afternoon than a tall, clean, cool soda?

All right.

"He was a stranger in town.

A rough man, mocking, sometimes cruel."

"But Miriam saw past the tough facade

to the bitter wounds that made him

- hide his true self from the world."

- l told you it was silly.

Oh, Junior, better not read that stuff.

lt's bad for you.

(Harry laughs)

l'm sorry about the other day.

l must've had the book open

to the wrong place.

Oh, please.

l realised later what it must've looked like.

My life's just been a succession of jams

over floozies of one kind or another.

l forget how to treat a real lady.

What do you say

we forget about the whole thing?

Start over. Make friends.

How about tonight? Wanna go for a ride?

Hey, look... l have to get back.

l'll drive you.

- lt's just walking distance.

- l'll walk you.

She's a wonderful woman,

the woman who raised me.

She's always takin' people in.

Always feedin' the whole neighbourhood.

She had a daughter,

a little bit older than me.

She was my best friend

in the whole world.

"Was"?

Yeah, she died.

lt was a bad time.

Spunky. Hey!

Look who's waitin' here!

- You're very pretty.

- Oh, l'm just ordinary.

Ordinary?

Well...

Well, what?

Well, don't you ever knock?

Only when l'm not expected.

You were expected all right.

(# blues guitar)

That was pretty ballsy of you, Harry.

Just comin' in my house like that.

What would you have done

if l'd have screamed?

But you didn't scream, did you?

Why don't you pour me another drink?

There isn't any.

The hell there ain't.

What happened to it, l wonder.

Maybe it leaks.

You know, Harry.

We're a lot alike, you and me.

Cos we got these hard, hard outsides.

- But inside...

- We're hard, hard, hard.

Harry?

Do you think l'm fat?

Of course not.

Well, you sure as hell oughta know.

l don't know what the hell l'm doin' here.

You seemed to like it at the time.

What's my batting average

always been for stayin' out of trouble

when it's baited with this much tramp?

Even zero.

- You're insultin'.

- You'll live.

l don't mind a little insult now and then.

Long as l'm sure it's just a little love play.

lt isn't.

- Where you going, Harry?

- Nuts.

(ticking)

(# "Love MD" by Hank Williams Jr)

# Knocked out of my brain

# Since l fell for you

# Now l've come down

# With the heartbreak blues

# lt's gonna take a doctor

# With a special degree

# Cos l need a love doctor

# l'm your Love MD

Recognise these?

The shoes, l mean.

l always wanted to be

put up on a pedestal.

You are crazy.

(Mrs Harper laughs)

What about your husband?

Oh...

l take my opportunities where l find 'em.

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