The Whole Wide World Page #3

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Don't pay any attention to me.

I don't know a thing

about illegitimate daughters

or...movie fame.

Well, it seemed like a good idea

at the time.

Well, I haven't seen

any giant snakes

or big-busted naked women

frolicking through

the West Texas hills lately.

Oh, but I have.

You look more closely next time.

I try to write

about people

with ordinary problems,

real people.

That's where

we're different.

I write about another age,

another way of life.

Man struggling to survive.

That's my formula.

Well, you know

those tiny farmhouses

we passed on the way out?

Those are the people

I want to write about.

Not me.

I can't write about men

who toil along on a farm,

get drunk, beat up a wife

who can't fight back.

I can't write

about hate like that.

Well, just because you're poor

and you work hard

doesn't mean you're hateful.

You've lived a sheltered life.

You don't know

these people out here. I do.

Well, your stories sell,

so people must want to read

about muscle men

who wrestle monsters

and girls in skimpy dresses

who don't do a darned thing

but sit around and watch.

You stick with me, girl.

I'll teach you about writing...

and men.

Although I was

completely disappointed

by his appearance,

there was something

appealing about him.

Maybe it was the way

he laughed at my story.

He's asked me

to go to the picture show

this Sunday.

I think I might go.

[SWORDS CLASHING, SCREAMING]

[NOISE STOPS]

[KNOCKING]

How's my best gal?

You ready to go?

You look great.

Well, this fool hat

kind of bothers me.

Ain't the kind of hat

I ought to be wearing.

Why not?

Well, take those hats

the Mexicans wear, sombreros.

There's a hat.

Keeps the sun off real good.

Yeah.

Well, are you ready?

You look

mighty pretty today.

I like that perfume

you're wearing.

Thank you, sir.

Oh, and I hope

you'll have your

picture made for me

in that suit.

Well, you mean

with this hat on?

Yes, with that

hat on.

You look

very handsome.

I got a weak chin.

See how it recedes into my neck?

Oh, you do not.

Yes, I do.

My friend, Truett,

he's got a really weak chin.

One little tap,

he'd be out cold.

Mine's weak,

but it would take

a hell of a blow

to knock me out.

Well, do you know many

people in Brownwood?

Well, I know a few.

I know some girls.

You do?

Name one.

I might know her.

I know this girl,

foreign gal,

Jasmina Divine.

Never heard of her.

Name someone else.

I don't know.

Hm.

Let me see.

Oh, I know.

Most beautiful girl

I've ever seen.

Who?

Miss Dolores of

The House of Dalton.

Yeah,

she rings a bell.

Listen.

Old Clyde and I

were in Woolworth's

shopping.

We saw

this stunning girl.

Blonde hair,

sparkling eyes,

flawless skin.

It was--

Dolores Dalton.

That's right.

I just dropped dead

right there in the aisle.

Thump. She walked

like a queen.

Shoulders straight,

golden hair bouncing

down her back.

Yeah. I've heard

she was pretty.

Most beautiful girl

I've ever seen.

Beautiful.

Big bosoms...

This girl was--

She was the most

beautiful...

Hey, girl.

Hey, hell, you be careful

with that.

That thing is loaded.

Give me that.

No. No.

Why do you have a gun, Bob?

Let go.

You never know

who you'll run into.

Now give it here!

I've been around

guns before.

I have!

You carry it all the time?

Hell, yes.

You think it's just for Sundays?

Look here.

See how dressed up I am?

I look like I got

a lot of money, right?

Well, you look

like a million,

but I don't think...

Suppose we got a flat

and I get out and fix it.

Some half-baked gunman drops by.

I'd better be ready

to shoot first.

Oh, I got you.

This is a dangerous

part of Texas.

Outlaws and vagrants,

they're all here.

Yeah, I've got a gun.

You do?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

You got it with you?

No, I don't have it with me.

Well, good.

I'd hate to try and kiss you

and get shot.

Novalyne, look.

Only in Texas

do you ever see

a sunset like that.

Girl, I hope

you appreciate

everything I've done

for you today.

Now, that's

a beautiful sunset,

if I do say so myself.

That crazy guy?

He is not crazy.

He's a writer.

Enid, you're an English teacher.

You should respect that.

Not what he writes.

I wouldn't touch

one of those trash magazines.

He uses words beautifully.

He read me one of his poems

the other day.

It was so amazing.

I can't believe how he can--

Hey.

Look at that guy

across the street.

What on earth

is he doing?

Novalyne, come here.

Get a look at this. Come on.

Now, isn't that

the strangest thing

you ever did see?

What do you suppose

he's doing?

I guess he thinks

he's Max Schnelling

or something.

[BELL RINGING

AND SOUND OF PUNCHING]

Hey!

Hey, Jesus, girl.

I almost walloped you.

Yeah, you sure did.

Why ain't you

teaching school?

I am.

I'm on my lunch break.

I just thought I'd say hi.

You almost got a broken nose

for your trouble.

Yes, I did.

What were you doing just now

with that punching thing?

I got this boxing yarn

I been thinking about

going in my head.

Come with me.

I want to show you something.

Come on.

So this is your

stomping ground, huh?

For now.

Whoa.

How's that after-school

play coming along?

Good. We're going to

perform it real soon.

Do you want

to come see it?

Maybe,

if I'm not too busy.

"Still more fool

I shall appear

"by the time

I linger here.

"With one fool's head

I came to woo,

"but I go away with two.

"Sweet adieu.

I'll keep my oath,

patiently to bear my wroth."

Very nice.

Thank you.

You ever directed

any Shakespeare?

We do a couple scenes in class,

but he's a little bit heavy

for this neck of the woods.

You know, when I read his plays,

I can't see that men have

changed much since the 1500s.

Men still

hate other men.

Well, civilization

we live in,

men become more depraved

and demonic

all the time.

Oh, it's not that bad.

Girl, when they discovered oil

in Cross Plains,

you wouldn't believe the scum

that moved in here.

Novalyne, I...

Thieves, drunkards,

wife-beaters, sex deviants...

not a decent man among them.

What about your father?

He's a good man,

isn't he?

You're damn right

he is.

He's the only one

I know.

What about your friend,

Clyde,

and your other

friend, Truett?

Well, you don't stick

to the subject.

You bring up a bunch

of irrelevant nonsense

to keep yourself from

seeing the truth.

Maggots of corruption

are all around you.

Hospitals and schools.

What?

Hospitals and schools.

They heal. They teach.

You use them,

but you don't give

society credit for them?

Aw...

We men made

a hell of a mistake

when we sent women

to college

and gave you the vote.

You just watch it.

See you Friday.

We're here.

Hey, Mom.

Oh, baby.

This is Bob Howard.

Bob's the writer

I've been telling you about.

Mama, Mammy.

Howdy, Mammy.

Nice to meet you.

You too.

Nice to meet you, too,

Mrs. Price.

Welcome, Bob.

Take a seat.

Thank you.

I understand

you've been lending a hand

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