Walker Payne Page #3

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half out of his clothes.

He'd hop in the truck

and we'd drive home.

And I mean we.

He needed that third hand on the wheel.

What about your mom?

Oh, he'd run her off by then.

She's probably still running.

We can't pick our parents.

Poor bastard got caught trying to beat

a freight train at a crossing.

Found pieces of his truck and beer cans

about half a mile down that track.

Turned 13 about a week later,

and moved in with Chester.

You wanna know the best thing

about coming here?

You can change the movie

anytime you want.

What do you want to watch?

You know, some dapper man in a tuxedo

sweeping away an innocent

girl to New York or Paris

to live happily ever after.

Really?

Is that where people go

to live happily ever after?

You wanna get a drink?

Coffee?

- I haven't unpacked my percolator.

- Oh.

I see you heard about me and the ladies.

No, no. It's true.

All right, well, you let me know before

you leave town so I can see you again.

Does that line ever work?

Twice.

Choirboy. I told you.

If you don't pay support

judge will put you back in prison.

I'm not going back inside, ever.

I got nothing else to give you.

Not asking.

I don't see you making

No. Not legally.

You like jail that much?

There's some talk of coal work

in Missouri, I guess. Just talk.

You leave the state on parole,

they will put you back in jail.

See what you're saying, right?

I can't stay. I can't leave.

I got to do something.

'Cause I feel the whole world is just...

Well, it's keeping me from my girls

and everything else.

World didn't make your choices, son.

Okay.

And?

Gotta start thinking maybe

you're not gonna get the girls.

Sometimes I'm tossed and I'm driven

And know not where to roam

I've heard of a city called Heaven

I've started to make it my home

Lord's word is that I see coming

My blood's running cold and slow

But Jesus came quiet to Jordan

And piloted me through as I go

Good acoustics.

All right, it's a 16 by 16 foot square,

wood walls, 2, 2.5 foot tall.

Now, opposite one another in the corners,

about three foot from the corners,

is what you call the scratch line,

right in here.

Now in this little triangle is where

you're gonna be handling your dog.

Send him over here.

Here, boy. Okay, kneel.

If a dog turns his head and shoulder

away from his opponent,

you call that a "turn" to the ref.

If he acknowledges it,

you scratch your dog.

And a scratch determines

how game your dog is. All right?

All right.

Now, when the opponent

lets go of his dog,

you hold Brute behind

the scratch line.

Then you'll see if the dog's gonna

cur out or if he's game.

Now, a scratch dog has to go

after his opponent.

If he don't, he loses.

What made you come around, Coal?

Does it matter?

Not to me, it don't.

Now, look,

his chain-weight's about 53 pounds.

For the pit, you're gonna have

to bring him down to 46.

I know an old man outside of town's

got a kennel.

No.

You and me are the only ones

who know about this.

Suit yourself.

You don't have to worry, Coal.

I take care of my partners.

We're gonna have to work

on his bite and his stamina.

I'll walk you through that.

He's an athlete now.

What do I call you?

Syrus.

Just plain Syrus.

Come on. Come on.

You spoil him, Coal.

I throw this out there,

you go get it, you bring it back

to the dry land, to me.

That's the idea. All right?

Make me proud. Right here.

Well-trained animal right there.

You know about this place, right?

This whole thing used

to be a stripper pit.

It was a torn up,

ugly gash in the earth.

Rains came, filled it up,

turned it into this.

It is amazing though.

You know, I mean,

you give anything enough time

and it can become beautiful.

Come on, boy! Come on!

Come on! That's it!

That's it.

Now we're talking.

Watch your dog.

Sorry.

I want bacon and eggs,

crisp and over-easy.

You can actually cook?

- You take the plate, I'll take the pan.

- We'll share.

- Oh.

- No!

He can't eat today.

He's going to the vet.

Maybe after that

we could do something,

shopping for plates?

I'm probably going

to be gone until late.

At the vet?

Yeah.

All day at the vet?

That's right.

Lies won't work with me, Walker.

If this is about Lou Ann,

then tell me.

Tell me now.

It's about my girls,

and that's my business.

Mine alone.

Yours alone.

You didn't say it was in Kentucky.

Yeah, well, it's a felony to fight dogs

in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan.

Law don't understand the sport.

Kentucky's got a little

more progressive mentality.

Only the gambling part's illegal.

You best loosen up, Coal.

These people don't like jittery folk.

Syrus, I never expected to

see your ass around here again.

Got Walker Payne with a Colby dog.

Syrus is here with the kid.

You got the big money down?

Straight ahead, over there.

Folks down here

don't seem to like you much.

Well, nobody likes a winner, Coal.

Why don't you take him over there

and empty him out?

Get everything out of his system.

Forty-five and a quarter pounds.

Good going. You made the weight.

- Take care of Brute?

- He's in the car.

Why am I washing this dog?

Just in case he worked

poison into the coat.

Every once in a while

you come across a barbarian.

Now look it, your take is gonna

be 250, after I get my cut.

Take it easy.

This dog's bound to lose.

Now if your mother leaves you here

Grief and sorrow you must bear

And you feel the only

friend you had is gone

But whenever you feel alone

Jesus will take you in his arms

Take your burden to the Lord

and leave it there

Leave it there

Oh, leave it there

Take your burden to the Lord

and leave it there

- Hey, Doc.

- Hey, there, Doc.

Grandpa, my good luck charm.

Well, Bradley,

I'm glad you brought a lot of money.

A Colby dog, I heard.

Here we go!

Thirty seconds in the corners.

And 10 seconds to scratch.

All right, look, encourage him,

but don't distract the other dog.

Make sure they're separated clean

before you pick him up for a scratch.

I'm gonna help you call the turns.

Okay?

Here we go.

Release!

Pit!

Fight's on! I want him dead, boy!

All right, 25-to-20, in this corner here.

Come on, help yourself.

Come on! Come on!

Come on! Come on!

Easy money, boy.

Take him, Brute!

I'll give 25-to-20 on the little dog.

Come on, yellow, stay up!

Turn! Turn! Call it turn.

Turn! I call a turn!

Acknowledged.

Help yourself. 25-to-20.

Come on.

Take 20.

I'm covering all bets here.

Twenty more, twenty more on him.

Twenty-five.

Clean the dog.

Okay, mouth, back, balls!

Thirty seconds!

Check his throat! Get the hair out.

All right. We're on. We're on.

Time!

Pit!

He's coming. Turn him loose.

Turn him loose.

He curred out! We won.

Damn him!

Here, wrap him up.

All right, boys, time to pay the rent.

Let's see that mean green.

Here we go. Thank you. Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Fifteen minutes.

Fifteen minutes till the next fight.

Sweet Lord, that was nice!

Never seen a dog break a wall board.

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