The Last Ride Page #5

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And make me feel like there's

somebody real up there

and not just the back

of some hired man's head.

Can I ask you a question first?

You were gonna leave me back

there in Tennessee, weren't you?

Well, ol' Luke has a history

in this part of the world.

Figured I might have to get

while the gettin' was good

and find somebody else

to bail your ass out.

What are you writin'?

Oh. None of your damn

business, that's what.

We was talkin' about you.

You go to high school?

I quit in the 10th grade.

How come?

Just didn't take.

Didn't take.

So you fix cars.

Yeah.

But you ain't

any damn good at it.

Well, I just don't

care for it, is all.

But what do you care for?

Not music. We know that.

Not really.

Sports? Baseball,

football? Cock fighting?

How 'bout girls? We already

talked about women, right?

Yeah, we did.

You ever have one?

No.

You're probably

better off for it.

All they do is

tear your heart out

and then leave you standing

there like a damn fool.

What's your daddy do?

Time.

Oh.

That's why that old boy back there

scared the sh*t out of you.

You scared of that, ain't you?

Followin' in Daddy's footsteps.

How 'bout your mama, then?

What's she do?

I don't wanna talk about this.

My mama ran a whorehouse.

Beat that.

Don't wanna talk

about my family, Mr. Wells.

Luke. Whatever your name is.

My daddy took me down to Gulf

Shores when I was a boy.

Told me about footprints

in the sands of time.

I didn't understand it then.

I think I might now.

It don't matter, Sorbonne. Not a

damn bit of it matters for nothin'.

There's gotta be some freedom

from these worries on my mind

There's gotta

be some rest for me

somewhere down the line

Gonna end this lonesome journey

I started long ago

Find a place to stop on...

Your friend

don't look too good.

Yeah, I know.

What do you call these parts?

Freedom County,

near Mount Hope.

Your differential's leaking. It's

probably just a seal. Caddies do that.

This is brand new, though.

How fiat are you gem"?

Ohio.

Hmm. Just a gasket.

Nothing critical,

but you're gonna wanna get it

looked at when you get there.

You the mechanic?

It's my station.

Everything here.

And it's just you?

Just me.

Well, it was my daddy's. Died

last year of the black lung.

So, New Year's Eve.

Yup.

You from around here?

Born and raised.

We're from Alabama.

Saw that.

You know,

he's in the music business.

I'm not, though.

$6.

A 50? Got anything

smaller than this?

Sorry.

You sure that's all you got? I only

have three 5's and a stack of 1's.

Do you want me to

buy something else?

Don't really matter. We'll

be closed tomorrow anyway.

Are you celebrating tonight?

Nothin' to celebrate.

Not this year.

How about it just

being over, then?

I might drink to that.

Stop talking.

You made me lose count.

Sorry about that.

Damn.

What is it?

I only got $42.

We're even?

Deal.

My name's Silas.

Wanda.

It's very nice to

meet you, Silas.

Happy New Year. Good night.

If you was to drink to

this year being over,

where exactly

might you do that?

Dirty Johns.

Honky-tonk up the 56

outside of Mount Hope.

About all there is

between here and Ohio.

Well, I'd like to have

that drink with you, Wanda.

You and your friend

from the music business?

Thanks, but I gotta

do the books.

You know, I ain't never

asked a girl out before.

I reckon I was about scared half

to death what you just said.

But now that you did, I don't

know what I was so scared of.

It's New Year's Eve.

Why don't you let ol' Luke

buy you a drink somewhere?

No, Luke.

Tonight, I'm buying.

Oh, I can't help it

if I'm still in love with you

I'm going from Reno

down to Chino with a beautiful Latino

that I stole from Kino Gino

when he lost his poker face

How he'll get up to Fargo

I'll sure be damned if I know

Evening, boys.

Fellas.

Oh, let's go!

My woman left me back in Tahoe

for a man they call Diablo

I'd like to say I miss her so

but it's a sin to lie

'Cause that

darling little Sheila's

You look like you never

been honky-tonking before.

Well, I haven't.

Well, it's tricky. But

I'll talk you through it.

When we got to San Diego

said her llamo was Consuelo

She no speak Americana

and I don't hablo Mexican

Well, it's a good thing

that she was pretty

'cause when we

pulled into that city

I found out she was all woman

And boy, she knew I was all man

Happy New Year, Sorbonne.

Happy New Year.

Let's take it home.

You ever played

in a place like this?

About 1,000, I reckon.

Gonna get your guitar?

No, I think I better

save that for tomorrow.

Mr. O'Keefe will

meet us there.

How'd he take it

when you told him

I wasn't gonna make Charleston?

He wasn't too happy.

No. I guess he wouldn't be.

He had to cash in a few favors

to get me a book there.

This may come as a surprise

to you, Sorbonne,

but I have a reputation of being

a bit of a problem child.

I ain't never had

a friend, Sorbonne.

Ever

I don't know the first thing about

loyalty 'cause I ain't never seen it.

I'm sorry about Tennessee.

I was thinking about

what you said earlier.

Maybe driving's

a good business to be in.

Well, you passed your audition.

You made it two days with me,

and you're still here.

That's better

than anybody, so far.

I saw you talkin' to that little

thing at the fillin' station.

I asked her out.

You did what?

She said no.

Well, that don't mean nothin'.

That's part of a woman's

schoolin', you know?

They always say no

on the first go-round.

She didn't mean it.

I think she meant it.

Mmm-mmm.

No, I saw her watchin' you,

and now I know why.

This is a threshold moment

for you, Sorbonne.

I want you to take my Cadillac,

and go back to

that fillin' station

and get you a date

for New Year's.

Mr. Wells, look at me.

All the money I got is

yours in an envelope.

She can smell what side

of town I come from.

And besides, she said no.

She has to do her books.

On New Year's Eve?

All right.

You go and get that woman.

And you get to keep this

on top of everything else.

Now, if you don't get her, you

don't get paid for nothin'.

That's not the deal we made.

You just ask Mr. O'Keefe what

a son of a b*tch I can be,

in case you suddenly

have cause to doubt.

I can't leave you here alone.

I'll be all right.

OI' Luke, he can fend

for himself pretty good.

Thought you said all they did

was tear our hearts out?

Well, hell, you gotta

die of somethin'.

I'll be back.

My delta queen, Ilene

How are you?

I'm fine.

How are you this evening?

We're just passin' through.

From here, there.

From everywhere.

We are drivin' through on our way

up from Alabama to Charleston.

Oh, I love Alabama. It's so pretty.

I love that state.

It's a great state.

Sorry. Don't mind him.

He's just my ex-husband.

I hope I'm not

causing any trouble.

No.

He's just more of

a nuisance than anything.

Is that right?

Stop it! Stop!

Hey! Hey! Hey! What the hell do you

think you're doing? He's sick.

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