The United States of Leland Page #7

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Empty it out.

Empty out the cash register.

- Empty it the f*** out, come on!

- Right, OK. Don't, OK?

It takes a minute, OK?

It's computer stuff, not me.

- Hold on.

- Hey, hey!

Don't move, OK?

- Cool, man, cool. I ain't moving.

- OK, just don't move.

- I don't have a bag.

- Hand it to me.

Give it to me, come on!

Thank you.

What the f*** was that?

This is bullshit, Elden.

This is red-tape bullshit and you know it.

No, Madison, this is about you

running your own programme.

You asked me about this kid,

I told you no. Then you, in effect, say,

"F*** you, I do whatever I want.

Elden Gilmore be damned. "

- Look, this is about a kid who's so

screwed up... - No, this is about a book.

And you wanna talk

about red-tape bullshit?

Let's talk about how fast

I could have you fired

for turning your classroom over

to non-certified personnel

while you went off

to play your 20/20 bit with this kid.

- Man, I am pulling you from SH.

- Wait a minute...

After lunch, report to A Wing.

You're taking over Bellsey's class.

Hey, Pearl, I was wondering

if you could do us a favour.

I'm not really in a position where I

can be doing any favours right now.

Cos I was just wondering if we

could get some time on the field,

- to play basketball or something.

- They're pulling me from here.

They're sending me

to another room.

- But you'll be back tomorrow.

- No.

Oh.

I'm gonna miss our talks.

You know, I'm gonna try

and get back in here if I can.

I don't know if it'll

happen or not.

- It's not my decision. It's not like...

- Let's go. Clean it up. Break's over.

I'm not bailing on

you or anything.

I didn't get to tell you everything

I wanted to tell you.

I talk about New York at the end.

You've finished writing?

I don't know.

I want you to read it.

Maybe there's a why

in there somewhere.

Maybe it'll make sense to you.

Whether or not it makes sense to me,

it doesn't matter.

Whatever happened, whatever you were

thinking, that's not the important thing.

The most important thing right now

is what happens to you, Leland.

Because you do control that,

to some extent.

Listen to Charlie.

Listen to your lawyer. Do whatever he tells

you to do. He does know what's best for you.

What you did was wrong.

And I know you know that.

I mean, you might not show it in the

right way, but I know you recognise it.

You can't make it unhappen, but...

...nobody ever can.

Just because what you did was wrong doesn'

mean that giving up on your life is right.

Turn around!

- Turn around!

- Stop right there!

Go down to the Ground!

Slowly!

- What's going on?

- What is this? What is happening?

- We're placing your son under arrest.

- He's not my son.

Allen!

Allen...

- Allen...

- Allen, what is this?

I'm sorry, Mrs Pollard.

I just wanted to get out of town.

I made a mistake.

Don't say anything.

Don't say another word.

We'll get you a lawyer,

sweetheart.

You ratted me out.

You told my boss I was

writing a book about Leland.

I said you were attempting

to write a book about Leland.

Did you think I was gonna

allow you to exploit my son?

No, I guess not.

That's your job, isn't it?

Excuse me?

The only reason you're here

is because you smell a book.

Look, I don't need to prey on

a family tragedy for my material,

you vulturous little hack.

I could write 12 novels on the

light and shadow in this bar.

That's what you're compiling your notes

about? The light and shadows in the bar?

I was trying to help him.

I'm the one here who actually

gives a f*** about your son.

You've got no right to accuse me

of not caring for my son.

If you cared about your son,

you'd have actually

attempted to see him

over the past ten years,

instead of paying to fly him

everywhere that you aren't.

My relationship with Leland

is none of your concern.

Apparently, it's none

of your concern, either.

Look, I'm aware that I have made

mistakes in my life, Mr Madison.

I am fully aware of that fact.

But I sure the f*** know

how to write my books.

You're pathetic.

- That's why you'll never be a writer.

- No, that's why I'm not a bastard.

Hey, can I come in?

I just wanted to

see if you were OK.

But I guess you're mad at me.

But I didn't do anything wrong.

I didn't...

I didn't do anything wrong,

except make a lot of mistakes.

And...

I know that.

And I'm sorry.

But I'm done.

I'm done with all the mistakes.

I'm going back to rehab.

And...

I'm gonna get clean this time,

because I wanna be clean.

And I swear...

I swear I didn't know

that Leland was gonna...

...do anything.

Just please tell me you don't...

think that I knew because...

...if you felt that, I would...

I'd wanna die.

I'd wanna die if you

could even think that.

You know how much I loved Ryan.

You know how much I loved Ryan.

Got it.

Thanks.

- Hey.

- Hi.

One main canal known

as the Grand Canal...

For centuries, there was no bridge

over the Grand Canal...

How are you doing?

- How are you doing?

- All right.

So, did you escape the wrath?

Gilmore owes me a couple still.

You er... got any desire

to burn those up?

Goddamn you, man!

- Hey, shoot, man!

- Shoot it, shoot it!

When a guy hits three in a row,

you might wanna start guarding him.

Miranda...

I'm sorry. I'm not gonna

try and explain what I did.

I know what I did was wrong and I'm

not gonna make excuses about it. I just...

I just want you to know

that I'm really, really sorry.

And...

I wanna make this up to you.

I do, I wanna make this up to

you so badly, I swear.

I'm gonna get on the

plane and come out there.

Because I wanna make

this right, you know.

I wanna make this right

between us. Cos I...

I love you.

I love you very much.

It's all for you.

Sh*t!

Hey, Allen.

I think there are two ways

you can see the world.

You either see the sadness

that's behind everything

or you choose

to keep it all out.

I wasn't lying when I said,

"I don't blame her. "

It was a couple of days

after all that stuff with Becky

that I got the plane ticket

to New York from my dad.

I was excited to

be back in the city,

around Mrs Calderon, too.

But as soon as I saw her.

I could tell something was different.

She was divorced.

It turns out Mr Calderon cheated on her

for almost the whole time they were married.

That night, I told her

about what happened with Becky.

It happens at different

times for different people,

but it happens to everybody.

The worst part about growing up...

heartbreak.

But...

it's a part of life.

It seems like a pretty big part.

That's why you have to believe that life

is more than the sum of its parts, kiddo.

I kind of felt my heart breaking for her,

but I knew that was no good.

I wanted to do something for her,

but there wasn't anything.

There wasn't one thing

I could really do.

# Open the box

# What is in there?

# There are no tears

to be wasted

# How can I climb

# On a shoulder to cry?

# If only this night

# Could just take us away...

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