The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio Page #7

Never being able to catch up...

I just wanted, for once,

to have a few extra

dollars in my pocket.

Well, that's water

under the bridge now, isn't it?

Where you going?

I have to make dinner.

Do you hate me?

I'm still in shock.

I'll have to let you know.

We need to talk about what will happen

if we have to leave this house.

We may not be able to stay together.

What do you mean?

Aunt Lucy said she

could take Betsy and Dave.

You kids like the farm, don't ya?

No, I don't.

What about that old horse of theirs?

You love that horse.

I really don't.

- Where am I gonna go?

- Mrs. Bidlack has an extra room.

There is no way in heck

I am staying with her.

You'll be right next door.

It'll be like living here.

No it won't.

There'll be another family here.

There will be someone

sleeping in my room!

- How's that steak, kids?

- Don't be rude, answer your father.

It's good, Daddy.

Well, it's the last one, eat up.

What are you kids doing?

We're praying that you

win something very big.

All right.

Don't let me disturb you.

Times are hard again?

Yes, they are.

I'll tell you what.

I'll leave you the milk, you don't

have to pay me until next week.

Thank you, Ray.

Thank you so much.

I got a bag of laundry in the truck,

just a couple of shirts.

You know, if you do a good job,

I could even recommend you

to my customers.

I don't take in laundry.

Could somebody please get that?

Hey, I'm just trying

to do you a favor, OK?

- Don't get uppity.

- I have enough for two bottles of milk,

and that will have to suffice.

Mommy, it's the detective from Toledo.

A detective?

There's nothing more I can do for you.

Count out the money

for the milkman, please.

More.

- Hello?

- Mrs. Evelyn Ryan?

Yes, this is she.

I'm interviewing finalists for the

Dr. Pepper "Time of Your Life" contest.

- Of course.

- Will you be in this afternoon?

Yes, certainly.

- 3:
00?

- That'll be fine.

- Do you have our address?

- Yes, I do. That's my job.

Right. We'll see you then.

- I look forward to it.

- Thank you.

What? What is it?

- What's going on?

- Get out here!

It's way too soon to be excited,

- but I am a possible winner...

- What is it?

Kelly, a detective is on his way

to Defiance right now.

I'm in the running

for the "Time of Your Life" contest.

- Is this a big one?

- It's very big.

We need to clean up. Pick up your toys.

Get all that stuff off the table.

Give Mike some money, send him

to the store for some Dr. Pepper.

What for?

To show that we're using the product.

This is my last dollar.

What if we don't win?

- That's a problem for another day.

- Go, Mike.

- Get it from the refrigerator case.

- OK, Mom.

Take all this stuff

and put it on the back porch.

Stop crying, honey,

and get me a broom for goodness sake.

Are you employed outside the home?

Goodness, no. I have enough to do here.

And your husband, what does he do?

He's a machinist.

Do you own or... rent your home?

We own it.

One car or a two car family?

One car. A Chevy.

- The one parked out front?

- Yes.

You need to put

some more air into those tires.

OK, final question.

If you were stuck on a desert island

and you only

had one beverage to drink...

...what would the beverage be?

Orange juice.

Orange juice?

To prevent scurvy.

But my beverage of choice

is Dr. Pepper, of course.

- Thanks for the honesty.

- A pleasure, Detective Feeney.

When the final decision's made,

you'll be notified immediately.

- And when might that be?

- Two weeks to a month.

Oh, I see.

- Thank you for coming by.

- The pleasure's all mine.

Orange juice.

What kind of crazy answer was that?

I think your mother did a heck of a job,

what do you think, kids?

- What if we win and it's too late?

- What's with the gloom?

We're halfway there.

Mom, will me and Davey

still have to go to the farm?

We don't know yet, honey.

It's something we have to prepare for.

Don't listen to Mom.

She's being modest.

None of those entries

are as good as hers. She's a shoo-in.

I'm not a shoo-in. There could

be 20 other people up for this.

Don't worry, kids.

Everything is gonna be OK.

No, it isn't.

Even if we do win, so what?

We'll be as poor as we were before

because of all

the money you stole from us.

I didn't steal anything!

I made an error in judgment.

Heck of an error.

You all think this

isn't tearing me apart?

I did it to pay the bills.

I wanted you kids to eat steak.

I wanted your mother to have

one decent piece of furniture

that didn't look like a thrift store.

I don't care!

- I want our house back!

- It isn't gone yet!

So, have a little faith,

for Christ's sake.

Now you've upset your mother.

You OK?

If you don't win this one,

there'll be another...

No, there won't.

In another year, there won't

be any of these contests left.

If we lose this house, that's it.

I can't buy another house with

a three-dollar poetry prize, now can I?

- You'll think of something.

- You think of something!

It's your turn to make things right

because I'm out of ideas.

- Please don't fall apart.

- For God's sakes, I'm not a saint.

If you can't stand

to see me upset, then go away.

Let me do it in peace.

All right.

Thanks.

Mom, there are bugs in the soup.

- I have them too.

- Me too.

- Those aren't bugs. They're spices.

- They have legs.

Don't be silly.

Spices don't have legs.

There are no bugs in the soup.

Listen to your mother, kids.

- Hello?

- Hello. Mrs. Kelly Ryan?

- Yes, yes, this is she.

- Congratulations.

You have won a free offer

from Bright Way Rug Cleaners.

We will give you

our special living room discount.

Plus, we will clean

one area rug, absolutely free.

Hello, ma'am?

We're not interested, thank you.

It's all right.

Mommy, what do we do with this?

Just put it all on the front porch.

Thank you, girls.

Davey, go outside with that.

- Hello?

- Hello.

- Is this Mrs. Evelyn L. Ryan?

- This is she.

Mrs. Ryan, it's my pleasure

to inform you

that you are our first-prize winner

in the Dr. Pepper

"Time of Your Life" contest.

Oh, my word.

You've won a trip

for two to Switzerland,

a Ford Mustang,

his and hers Longines watches

and cash in the amount of $3,440.64.

Goodness, well...

...these prizes couldn't come

at a better time for my large family.

- Kids, get in here!

- I'm glad to hear that.

- Come here.

- You have every reason to be proud.

Your entry beat out 250,000 others.

Thank you for telling me that.

You've brightened my day considerably.

Thank you, Mrs. Ryan. Good day.

We won!

Mom, can we go tell the neighbors?

You can tell whoever you want!

Tuffy, it's OK.

Everything's going to be OK.

We're all going to be OK.

No, we aren't.

- For cripe's sake.

- You go outside, I'll take care of her.

Come on, let's go tell everybody.

Come on.

We won! We won the big contest!

He's never gonna change.

You're absolutely right.

He's not.

Do you know what that man said to me

on the phone just now?

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