The Living Page #4

---

I just wanted to talk about...

What?

The whole thing.

The... I don't know.

I don't know.

You want me to tell

you about my killing.

Don't you?

You been wanting me to tell

you about that since we met,

You don't... you don't

have to talk about it,

if you don't want.

No, that's all right.

It's OK.

I... it's fine.

OK, look.

Uh... when I was a kid, I

had this golden retriever

named Misty.

I mean, that dog was dumb.

He would bark at the

wind if it heard it.

But she was nice enough.

You know?

It was the winter.

I think I was 12.

Someone left some food

outside, and a mountain lion

came sniffing around.

And bam, out goes Misty.

And that mountain lion

pounced on that dog

and snapped her neck.

I mean, just like that.

Out comes my old

man, .38 in hand.

Fires the gun.

Bullet hits the lion in the ass.

It... it jumps up, honest to

god, about 8 feet in the air,

does a double back flip,

lands on all fours,

and it is gone into the

woods, just like that.

I mean, pow!

I mean... it... next morning,

I come out with my .22,

and I'm gonna finish

it off, you know?

I look around, not too

far... about a couple

hundred yards beyond

the room for our house.

Lion's there.

Dead.

And it's, uh, its cub is trying

to suckle at it, you know?

Get the last bit of milk.

I come up too close to it, and

it stops, and kind of looks

up at me with these

desperate eyes.

And I should've killed it

then, but because of my dog,

I thought, well, hell,

I'll just let it suffer.

It'd starve.

But then I'm walking home,

and I'm thinking, well,

Misty didn't suffer.

She's here, and then she's

gone, and the mountain lion

didn't suffer.

A couple hours of

pain, and died.

But me and the cub,

we suffered the most,

because we had to

carry that with us.

What I do isn't about

the people that die.

It's about the people

that are left alive.

They get the short end of the

stick, as far as I'm concerned.

Some of them are

blindsided, and some of them

think the ends

justify the means.

But there ain't no ends,

as long as there's people.

They go on.

It just doesn't matter.

Yeah, well I think that...

I don't give a

sh*t what you think.

And don't get on your

high horse with me.

Because I didn't

show up at your house

in the middle of

the night asking

you to kill a man for money.

So I'm sorry.

I just... I'm...

What?

It's not like you still

mourn that dog, right?

What are you talking about?

Just that there ain't

much hope for the dead.

Where's your hope?

I have hope.

I have hope for my sister.

You know, and that... and

that she can be happy.

She deserves to be happy.

Well, what's his name ain't

gonna get that chance, is he?

Teddy?

Yeah.

No, he ain't.

What you watching?

Sitcom.

Knew he was going to say that.

Why'd you laugh, then?

Because it's funny.

So I guess you think

you're pretty funny, then.

Funnier than you.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

Don't get my hair wet.

Sorry.

Thought you were watching that?

No, it's stupid.

They're supposed to be.

Oh, hey... go back.

I want to watch that.

Hey, hey, hey.

No.

You can't.

All right.

OK.

Good night.

You aren't coming in?

If that's all right?

Yeah, it's fine.

Just don't push it, OK?

We're going to sleep.

All right.

Don't forget, we got

dinner tomorrow night

with Gordon and my mom.

Yeah.

We're here.

Yep.

I need a shower and a bed.

Well, you'll get it.

After you go and get that cash.

I'm gonna do it tonight.

What, that soon?

Why not?

I don't know.

Don't... don't you have to,

like, scope out the area,

or something?

What for, Injuns?

What for, Injuns?

You go get that money, now.

Yeah.

Um, do you think you want

to park here, though?

Because my... my neighbors,

they might see something, or...

Well, you'd better hurry

up and go get it, then.

Go on.

Well, look who's back

from his big im... Hey.

Well, look who's back

from his big im... Hey.

Who's your friend?

Mind your own business.

OK.

You can get your car

at the train station.

How am I supposed to get it?

I don't care.

Did you forget something?

I gave it to you.

I gave you the money.

Address?

Right.

OK, and how do I,

uh, contact you?

You don't.

Did you get done

what you needed to do?

Yep.

Well, why don't you

help me clean up?

I'm so comfortable.

All right, all right, all right.

Just don't... don't move, because

I think we've figured it out.

My feet are poking out!

Sorry.

Sorry.

Sorry.

Mm.

Wait.

I don't... no.

It's all right.

You can't make a fool out of me.

OK?

Promise me.

I won't.

I won't.

I promise.

You ready?

Guess so.

Smells good, Mom.

Hope it doesn't get him wasted.

Mom, do you think you

ever lie to yourself?

About, like, things

that you care about?

What are you saying?

Nothing, just, you know, maybe

you tell yourself something

because... I don't know...

Keep sharp objects away from

me when that man is close.

And let me tell you something.

I'm expecting you to

defend your sister.

That is your job.

I got it.

We're gonna talk about this

new attitude of yours later.

Molly.

It's good to see you.

You're looking a bit better.

Come in.

You watch yourself.

All right?

Yes, ma'am.

What's this I hear about

business in Mississippi?

You're in demand.

Not really.

Well, I'm impressed.

Who wants to say grace?

I'd be happy to.

Well, why don't

you go ahead, then?

Um, dear God, we

thank you for the food

that Angela and Gordon

worked so hard to prepare.

And may we learn to

appreciate the gifts

the Lord has bestowed upon us.

And may we earn the

forgiveness of those around us.

When we... when we

make mistakes, may

we learn to fulfill

our duties as men.

You've got to be

f***ing kidding me.

Mom!

I wasn't planning

on bringing this up.

But you want a

conversation of it, I will.

I wasn't kidding when I

told you I had a shotgun,

and I'm not going to

use it to kill you...

But if you touch that

girl one more time,

I'm going to use it to

cut you off at the ankles.

You got me?

Leave you with two stumps.

And when they get f***ing

word of what you did,

I'm not going to be

inside very long.

You'll probably get a big

government check every month.

But you better make

sure you can make it

to the mailbox in a wheelchair.

I understand.

Oh.

Well, thank you.

How very humble of you.

Why the hell are you even here?

I'm sorry.

I just wanted...

You wanted.

Oh.

There's something

that you wanted?

Isn't that f***ing fascinating?

You get this man out of my face.

I'm not here to redeem you, OK?

Get him out of my face.

Get him out of my face!

Hon, can you give us a minute?

Maybe if I just...

Just go to the porch.

I need to talk to my mother.

If that's what you want.

Yeah, that's what we want.

You feel bad?

However bad you feel,

you should feel worse!

You go have a smoke

outside with him.

Yeah.

So tell me about Mississippi.

It's the same as here.

Gordon, do you think it's

better to do a bad thing

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes