They Live by Night Page #3

and really take care of him.

- Don't you worry about the money.

- I've got to worry about it.

You, Keechie.

Girl...

that's more money than I seen

since I collected on the fire we had.

Bowie.

Here. Use this on your face.

What's that?

It's just a truck pulling away.

Where's Chickamaw?

He left.

I've been in a little trouble.

You look it.

What happened to you?

Sprung my back a little.

Chickamaw told me that.

Were you shot too?

No.

Pull your shirt up.

Who's your fella, Keechie?

Why do you ask that?

None of my business.

Other girls have fellas.

I was just asking.

I don't know what other girls have.

Is that the patrol?

It's the wind and the telephone wires

over in the highway.

I believe you like the menfolk.

Do you, Keechie?

They're as good as the women I've seen.

Did you ever wanna leave

this town, Keechie?

I've got a lot of money now.

Most girls like to go places.

I don't know what most girls like.

I didn't mean anything by that, Keechie.

I'd do this for a dog.

Keechie.

My coat.

Side pocket.

This?

I bought something for you

there in Zelton.

It's a little old watch.

Do you want it?

Do you wanna give it to me?

Yes.

Then yes, I want it.

Is it true you never had a fella?

Even just to go to church with

or something?

Do you think I should have?

I was just asking.

That's your own business.

I never saw any use of it.

You trying to say I should have a fella

and that fella ought to be you?

- Is that it?

- I guess maybe it is.

I though maybe that's what

you were trying to say.

Chickamaw left this for you.

Keechie, I've got a lot of money in this.

I don't know why I said that.

Well, I'm glad you got it...

if that's what you want.

That wasn't what I wanted to say.

What I wanted to say was

now I can get that Tulsa lawyer.

He can square me away like I told you.

Then nobody in this whole world

can touch me. Nobody.

What's the matter?

They found your gun

in your smashed-up car.

And your fingerprints on the gun.

Policeman was shot up bad.

I can skip that trip to the lawyer now.

You can't stay here.

Papa's gone up to town.

He'll get himself sauced

and shoot his mouth off.

Yeah, I'll get you both in a mess.

You'll be all right for tonight.

You can go tomorrow.

You sure it's okay for me to stay?

You stay till tomorrow, then you go.

I'll go with you, if you want.

Why?

What do you wanna do that for?

Keechie, what--? What time is it?

I don't know.

There's no clock here to set it by.

It's a nice watch.

Well, what time do the hands say?

Five minutes to 2.

That's close enough.

Ma'am, your baby's crying.

Well, I've been on this bus three days.

When we get to the next stop,

I'll fix her bottle.

Till then, I just don't care.

Hey, come on.

Shh.

This is Fairfield, folks,

you'll have a 10-minute rest stop.

You'll find the restrooms inside

and to the rear.

You also change cars here for Zelton,

Cedars and points west.

- Sandwiches, ham salad, egg salad.

- Coffee, please.

- I'll have a ham sandwich.

- Coffee?

Ham salad, eggs, that's all we have.

Express just come through cleaned us out.

Sandwiches. Ham salad, egg salad,

all we got.

- Just some coffee, please.

- Two.

Ham salad, egg salad,

that's all we have.

- Express just come through

cleaned us out. - Do you serve beer?

That's the only picture of me

anybody took.

- Yeah?

- I was 14.

Chickamaw took it.

Nobody will know me,

not from that picture.

Yeah, well, you filled out some since.

Two coffees.

There's Hawkins' Class B wedding.

Organ music and everything.

Twenty bucks.

Twenty bucks. There ought to be a law.

The way people pop in and out,

one, two, three, quick.

You'd think they were

getting dog licenses.

I don't wanna get you

in trouble, Keechie.

I tell you, I'm just a black sheep.

There's no getting away from it.

The only thing black about you

is your eyelashes.

Coffee was awful.

When a man has them laws after him,

they shoot first and ask questions later.

They're just as likely to shoot

a woman down with him as not.

Don't you see

what you got yourself mixed up?

All aboard. Southbound bus.

- Didn't that woman with the baby get off?

- Yeah.

We can sit together.

Let's go.

You wanna sit by the window?

I don't care. All right.

Here.

- Bowie.

- Yeah?

Don't shut yourself up cold like this.

I don't know what to do.

No?

No, I don't.

You do just what you're doing now. Just

tell me when I'm doing the wrong thing.

I'll snap out of it.

All right, Bowie.

Look. Twenty-dollar weddings.

What a way to get married.

Yeah.

Keechie.

Would you marry me?

If you want me to.

I want you to.

- Then, yes, I would.

- Hey, driver hold it.

- What's the matter?

- We're getting off.

Come on, come on.

- Wait a minute.

- Come on, pal, I got a schedule.

Keechie.

What time is it?

Ten minutes to 12.

Hello, hello.

- Do you do the marrying?

- That's my business.

I have a 30-dollar wedding which gives

a recording of the ceremony on records.

- I have a 20-dollar--

- Will you just marry us?

That'll be 20 dollars.

- Tillie, Herman.

- Who are they?

My sister and her husband. Witnesses.

Do we have to have them?

Oh, yeah.

First, you gotta sign your names

over here.

If you'll, uh, just sign the register.

There.

I'll rent you a ring for a dollar,

or sell you one for 5.

I'll buy one.

Um... this one will do it.

By virtue of the power vested in me,

I hereby perform this wedding ceremony.

Do you, Catherine, take Arthur

as your lawful wedded husband

- to love, honor, and cherish henceforth?

- I do.

Do you, Arthur, take Catherine

as your lawful wedded wife

- to love, honor, and cherish henceforth?

- I do.

Put the ring on her finger.

Now, by virtue of the power

vested in me,

I now pronounce you

husband and wife.

Tip them each a dollar.

Wish you all the health, happiness

and wealth in the world.

Herman, you got a cold.

I'm sorry. I have.

That'll be $20, plus 5 for the ring.

You don't think much of my way

of marrying people, do you?

I sure don't.

Well, me neither,

but I'm giving folks what they want.

My way of thinking,

folks ought to have what they want,

long as they can pay for it.

- You folks driving?

- No.

- Come in on the bus?

- No.

You ain't aiming to get a hitch?

That's no way to start a honeymoon.

You got any ideas?

Well, thought maybe

I could fix you up with a car.

Maybe.

Party I know took in

a new convertible today.

How long will it take?

If it means money, this party

will be over in his nightshirt. Shall I?

All right.

Forty-five miles

and no messing with a speedometer.

Hello, James? That new convertible.

Yeah, yeah.

Couple of eager honeymooners.

How much?

Uh...

Twenty-seven hundred, cash.

- All right.

- Plus 500, cash.

- For you?

- For me.

All right.

Bring it over, pronto, Jamesy.

Uh, you folks have any idea

where you're going?

- On your honeymoon, I mean?

- Why?

Well, I've some

mighty attractive folders there.

Ever think about Mexico?

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