Walker Payne

---

Son of a b*tch.

It's not payday.

Don't need any trouble, Walker.

I know. I know, JL.

What's going on?

Come on.

Take it easy.

You said no more layoffs.

We took the cut.

You promised us two more years.

It's the government.

That government gonna feed my kids?

The sulfur content's too high.

Now, move along.

What about the contract?

Come on. Let's get this

over with.

WRQZ.

Southern Illinois' number

one radio station.

We got news they shut down

the number 17 mine today.

Hey, Walker.

A lot of good men lost

their jobs.

Well, here's a song

that might cheer them up.

Can I help you?

How's Bob?

Poor man's out of town all week.

Well, I got the girls this weekend.

Well, you know where to find me tonight.

- Damn it, Brute, get down!

- Don't cuss in the bank, Thompson.

Slobbered up Mrs. Murphy's loan app.

Maybe Mrs. Murphy needs

a little slobbering.

- What do you want?

- A big, fat personal loan would be nice.

Well, then maybe cash this for me then.

For the last time,

I'm not your personal teller.

Go see Audrey.

Audrey?

New. From Chicago.

Don't.

I'm sorry.

Who are you?

He never ever does that. Just...

He won't bite.

Bad dog. Very bad dog.

Get up. Come here.

How may I help you today?

Well,

I recently acquired this broach.

So, I thought maybe I'd get

a safety deposit box for that,

or hold on to it, 'cause it is

awfully pretty, very pretty.

How may I help you?

Well, Audrey,

you can cash my paycheck

and close out my account. Please.

Chicago, huh?

Mr. Payne, you only need $20

to keep the current account you have,

that way you wouldn't have

to come back and reopen.

And you'd earn

interest on your money.

Do you have that memorized,

or they got that written down

there somewhere?

You don't have boys like me

up in Chicago, huh?

We do. We just don't brag about it.

Now, would you like to

close the account or not?

He says whichever takes longer.

Oh, sh*t!

Son of a b*tch! It's hot!

Girls, get in your room.

- What's wrong?

- Come on. Just get in your room.

- Mom! What did we do?

- Move.

Now keep your mouth shut

and stay in this room.

- Where's the girls?

- They ain't here.

You don't have to come speeding up

to the house, kicking up dust...

Lou, just the girls.

Like a damn teenager.

They're spending the

night at Marlene's.

- What does that mean?

- You heard me.

It's my weekend.

Until you start paying child support...

Support? You got everything I have here.

- You are not gonna see those girls!

- I get one weekend, Lou!

Not this weekend.

You go over there, I'm calling

the sheriff. Have you locked up again.

That's Daddy.

I wanna see Daddy.

Can't keep this up, Lou.

I sure as hell can.

- No, you can't.

- Yes, I can.

Until you start paying

some child support,

maybe you should take some...

It's all I got.

That's everything.

I got sh*t-canned, by the way.

They say when they'd

start digging again?

They won't.

- Ever?

- Over.

So, now what's the plan?

It's Dad.

Stay.

You're gonna shoot me

with my own gun now?

You are not getting near them, Walker.

Christ.

I'll be back. Go.

I'll be fixing that when you're gone.

Think he'll trust you?

Well, if they've been on their own

for a while,

they forget how to ask for help.

It's faith and patience.

See you're busy as ever, huh?

More strays to come,

what with the layoffs and all,

dog's another mouth.

Might get kind of tough,

you handling this all by yourself.

Just like your dad,

afraid to ask a direct question.

Well, I'd be happy to come back,

help you if you need it, Chester.

Well, last time I gave you

Brute's momma in trade.

Don't suppose you'd take

the same wage this time, would you?

Well, I can't. It's Lou.

She's on me about child support.

I don't have it again.

You helped in making them.

She's keeping my girls from me,

and I...

Just kind of hoping maybe

you could loan me a little money.

Any money I loan you

is coming right out of their mouths.

That ain't fair.

You can get your girls back.

All you have to do is crawl out

from under every skirt in town,

make things right with Lou Ann.

She wouldn't have me back.

Everybody in town knows Lou Ann

would take you back in a heartbeat.

Besides, she can't take your girls away

from you if you're under the same roof.

Come on, guys. Come on.

Pink slip, you get in free.

Batter, batter, batter, come on.

Let's go!

You wanna put something

down on the game?

Well, how much can I win with this?

Well, I've been laid off myself.

It's a Colby dog, ain't it?

That's right.

He has strong bloodlines.

Fantastic animal.

Georgia?

Panhandle.

Come all the way up from Florida

just to compliment my dog?

Well, I see a man with a pink slip and a

Colby dog, I see me an opportunity.

What do you say we skip the Shinola?

Suit yourself.

Strike three!

I knew a fellow once

who had a Colby dog.

Son of a b*tch would take it into a

bar and bet that he could skin it

without it making a sound.

You believe that?

He'd hook the whole crowd.

Jack the price up,

$200-$300, easy money.

And then he'd pull his knife out

and he'd run it down that dog's spine

from the hip right up

to the base of the head,

and he'd peel the hide

back 'round its belly.

God's truth.

Dog never whimpered.

Well, I ain't suggesting

that you skin him.

I'm just saying pit bull

don't feel no pain.

They're fighting dogs,

and there's money in it.

Goddamn sea of green.

Your dog's born to fight, Coal.

It's in his blood.

Yeah. Are you sure of that?

Yes, sir. As sure as I am old

Springfield here gonna win this thing.

Oh, yeah.

Hmm?

This town's got

nothing for a hustler.

Hey, what's your problem?

Back off!

What's happening, guys?

Take it easy.

Goddamn filthy mutt.

Don't push my dog, Stew.

What are you gonna do about it?

I'm gonna buy you a drink.

You guys need anything over here?

Buy him his drink.

Necks.

A surprise, huh?

You know,

you can't be cutting school.

Your momma's gonna be mad.

- She's always mad.

- Hey.

You and Sarah know better than

to talk bad about your mom.

By the way, she can hear you,

no matter how far away she is.

Trust me.

Oh, I got a surprise. Sit down.

A little surprise.

Close your eyes.

Guess what I made you?

Is it a house?

Is somebody peeking?

Ta-da.

Hey, and you can paint each wall

a different color if you want.

What do you say?

- Thank you, Daddy.

- Thank you.

- Thanks, Marlene.

- You're welcome.

Girls, take Brute out back and play.

Brute.

Damn school called the diner,

like I can't raise my kids.

Now I'm out a half a day's tips.

You're affecting my job now, Walker,

and if you are not gonna start paying...

I didn't tell them to cut school.

No, but you gave them a damn toy,

just like saying it's okay.

Why not bring groceries, huh?

'Cause little girls don't say

"I love you" for a can of peas!

I'm not the bad guy here.

No, Walker, I am.

Because you force me to be.

Because you force them to cut

school to see their daddy.

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