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Thank you.
Say yes.
Lee.
Marry me, Muriel.
You promised me an answer by Christmas.
And it's Christmas Eve.
And I'll give you one.
Right now I need a shower.
You must be her.
Must be.
Toss one of those down to me.
It's got to be freezing.
I'm Julius.
I know.
-Hi. -Hello.
I heard your mom left you the place.
That's right.
Lucky you.
I like the country.
Solitaire.
Passes the time.
Can play a real game, you want.
Real game like what?
Poker.
You'll have to teach me.
Liar.
Only played a few times.
You know, you don't need to keep secrets.
My brother's seen cards before.
It's no secret.
Lee never seemed interested in card games is all.
Yeah, that's 'cause he's not.
Not that it matters.
See, the thing about poker is, cards aren't just cards.
This right here is pieces of time.
Okay?
There's what's on the table
and then what's coming down the line. Follow me?
So, there's only a certain amount of cards in each deck,
so you got some idea what's already been dealt,
you got some idea what's gonna happen next.
But you can't know what's already been dealt.
Well, it most certainly is frowned upon,
but that doesn't mean you can't know.
And if, memory fails.
Clever.
Truth is, a real gambler's only got one solemn obligation.
What's that?
Staying well-informed.
Watch out now, Muriel. He's coming for you.
Hey.
Come here, you little shit.
See you met this one already, huh?
Yeah, she's been spilling her secrets all afternoon.
Don't worry, Muriel.
That's just the way my little brother is.
I don't mind.
Let me show you around.
We called it Hell Fire Valley
'cause that's exactly what it was.
And we're running out of ammo,
but we all know there's more on the truck, right?
Lee, this story's been told and told again.
We all know there's more ammo
-on the truck. -Come on, now.
Chinese bullets are flying everywhere,
but no one's crazy enough to risk it.
So we figure, "That's it."
When all of a sudden I see this guy.
He's up there on this burning truck,
throwing ammo down to us
and pushing wounded soldiers off.
It's this crazy-ass redneck right here.
I guaran-goddamn-tee you,
if it wasn't for him,
you and I would've never even met.
Wow. A hero, this brother of yours.
You bet.
Nothing but a shoulder wound.
That's how they tell it.
I guess that's why they, they let me out.
Let you what?
I was discharged... last week.
Well, I got six months left.
That means you got six months left.
Well, not anymore.
You can still fire a gun, can't you?
You can still walk. We're still at war, aren't we?
-Lee. -Your separation payout?
Pension?
Nope.
We had a plan, didn't we, Julius?
Pool our discharge pay
and get us a place out in California.
-That was the plan, wasn't it? -I-I got an idea.
-This is what he does, Muriel. -No-no, my-my idea...
-He is always... -No, she's got an idea.
...holding something back. Always.
My idea is that I-I want to dance.
I need a smoke.
Well?
I-I was just trying to smooth things over.
So let's smooth them over.
He... he thinks so highly of you is all.
Yeah, that's 'cause I'm all he's got.
Besides you.
You ever been in love before?
No.
Not before now, I mean.
Have you?
You know what I think?
I think you see right through all of it.
All of what?
All the supposed tos.
All the stuff they tell you matters.
All the stuff the guys next to me in Korea
cared so much about right up until
their brains got blown out the back of their heads.
You got room for a dumbass hick in the middle?
Let me on in here now.
You know what?
I got the two people that I love most in the world
right here in front of me.
Here it comes.
Muriel Jane Edwards...
I've asked before.
Lord knows I've asked.
And I'm asking you again.
I'm back to Korea in 72 hours.
It's Christmas Eve.
Go on, now, Lee, get up.
I know you're worried about me,
but nothing's gonna happen.
And besides, if it does,
Julius here will take care of you.
Don't say that to him.
Won't you, Julius?
Of course I will.
I can make you happy, Muriel.
Well?
-You mean it? -Yes.
-Pardon me, now? -Yes!
We can still do it, you know?
What's that?
San Diego, California.
I-I got money saved.
You serious?
I mean, that was the plan, wasn't it?
Sure.
But don't do it for us if it's not what you want.
Well, hell, I like sunshine as much as the next guy.
All three of us out in California.
What do you think, Muriel?
Well, a plan's a plan.
Yeah, but you got to promise, Julius.
Promise.
I... I promise.
Here we go.
Come on, now.
Dear Julius...
Maybe it won't last forever, but even Lee says
there's something in the air here... A feeling.
It's really true what they say about California.
Yeah, we both got jobs just like that.
You believe it?
It's like that here.
You never know what's just around the bend.
Like anything is possible.
As if the odds are stacked in your favor.
I heard about a card game for you down by the docks.
So get out here and make us all rich.
We sure could use it.
I hope that new job in Stockton's working out.
With love and high hopes to see you soon.
Muriel and Lee.
Hey, so, Rosie, what's your feminine intuition
tell you about, Lone Sailor?
Track's running cuppy, and he's all rode out.
Smart money's on Pastoral in the sixth.
No shit? Ten to one?
Money like that'd solve anybody's problems.
Ain't that right, Rosie?
Anybody who's got the stomach. What do you got in-in the third?
-Got Magic Hour. -Magic Hour?
-Here you go. -Thank you, baby.
Those new houses going up in the Valley.
Just... something to think about.
We talked this through, Lee.
We can't afford this right now.
Sell your ma's place back in Kansas.
My mother worked her whole life for that house.
Right, but that was her dream, Muriel.
This is ours.
So I don't have a choice?
That's the house I grew up in.
I shouldn't have said anything.
$20 on Pastoral in the sixth to win.
And here they come.
Othello's fading back now as Pastoral heads up the outside
coming into the final stretch.
It's Pastoral and Lone Sailor, Mother's Helper in third.
Now it's Pastoral and Mother's Helper one and two.
Pastoral and Mother's Helper.
It's Pastoral and Mother's Helper.
And here we go, into the finish.
Mother's Helper, Pastoral.
It's Pastoral and Mother's Helper.
It's Pastoral!
Pastoral takes the win!
I'd like an envelope, please.
You ought to take a game like yours out to the desert.
Yeah? Why's that?
Open all night, no cops, $20 buy-ins.
Just like Korea.
The good parts, anyway.
This round's on me.
-You fucking kidding me? -Sit back down.
-Classic hit-and-run. -Come on.
You play a real tight game, don't you?
Feel like a nightcap?
Probably not tonight, friend.
Probably not?
Hey, somebody's a little ginned up, huh?
You looking for company?
20 bucks, I could be, yeah.
Okay.
-What the hell is this, man? -Hey.
Easy. Relax.
Get your fucking hands off me.
Now I'm impressed.
Jackpot.
Hello?
That you, Kansas?
Julius?
Were you waiting on somebody else?
Where are you?
Now, how is that card game shaping up?
I-I've been playing the horses.
-You have not. -Yeah.
I'm waiting tables at this little place,
and it's all horsemen, so I've been taking notes.
No shit? You remembered.
Yeah, a real gambler's only solemn obligation
is staying well-informed.
That's a nice racket for a gal.
I bet nobody sees you coming.
-Just for fun, really. -Well, be careful now.
Might be one of those things you can't ever get enough of.
We sure hoped you'd be here by now.
Lee sure does miss you.
Lee just wants that happy little home that we never had.
Well, what's wrong with that?
Say, how about you?
Is that what you want?
I...
I thought we had a plan.
I... I lost my share.
I-I got a way to make it back, I just got to...
I got to go on my own steam.
I think you understand that.
I don't think I do, but...
give me your address and I'll send you some money
for a bus ticket.
You can send it, care of me,
Western Union, Stockton.
And, don't tell Lee...
I want to surprise him.
Okay. Okay, thank you.
Bye, now, Nathaniel.
Just the neighbor boy checking on Ma's house for us.
To Mrs. Lee Walker,
Western Union, San Diego.
Muriel, sorry.
Change of plans.
Unexpected opportunities have come up.
Back as soon as I can.
Wish me luck in Sin City. Julius.
Lucky number seven...
Winner, 11. Front line winner.
Go. No more bet. No more bets.
Yes!
Hey, darling.
Just think... Twenty-five bucks a month,
by the time we're 50, this could all be ours.
Come on.
We'll be the first ones in here.
Developer says he can sell us
this model here for 10% off.
And this tract's the best of them.
It's $2,000 for the land,
build-out's another four, maybe six.
That's hardly anything, considering.
Considering what?
How fast this will go.
We'll get at least a few grand for your mother's place, right?
But you promised your brother we'd all do this together.
What is it with you and waiting on him?
See my brother around here anywhere?
You know what Julius said?
He said it was good that I was marrying you.
He said, "That sad girl, she needs someone
to tell her what to do."
Muriel.
Stop. Stop there.
Stop there? Why?
I want to buy some olives.
You want to buy some olives?
Yes.
Sure.
Come in!
Out back.
Lost?
No, your sign? Olives?
That was the Garcias',
next door, before they tore the place down.
You really want some, I got some.
Looking at land, huh?
We are.
Now's the time, I hear.
That was real nice,
what you were playing on the guitar.
It's not a guitar.
-Give it here. -Sorry.
Never had an olive.
There's a pit.
What do I do with it?
You on your own here, then?
Could use some eggs, if you're gonna shop.
Got some laid fresh this morning.
How much do we owe you for it?
Doesn't feel right selling you the olives.
It wasn't me you really wanted.
Then we'll have to overpay you for the eggs.
I've got money, Lee.
Thanks.
You've got it.
Mind if I drive?
No.
You're right.
Let's do it.
Let's get the house.
What?
Really? You mean that?
Say, I got a question.
The... The work you fellas do here,
you got any openings?
Entry level, of course.
What skills do you have to offer?
Well, I know how people steal and I know why they do.
You yourself do not steal.
And partly, I know how people steal
'cause I've stolen in the past, I'll be honest with you.
Well, this doesn't really seem like the kind of place
to steal from,
and I'd like to stay on the right side of that.
We've seen you around, you play aboveboard.
We like that.
Blackjack's the only casino game
where the gambler can get an edge over the house.
For that reason it attracts cheaters of all kinds.
-Do you agree? -I sure do.
Pit surveillance?
Simple, you see something, you say something.
We take it from there.
Two-way mirrors looking down on the floor.
You can see them, but they can't see you.
Call box up top.
Spot a sharper, you phone it in.
That's my girl.
Clever.
You're new.
-Yeah? -Yeah.
Henry.
Julius.
First time?
It is, yeah.
What do you think so far?
It's instructive.
Only maybe there's such a thing
as knowing too much.
Yeah, maybe there is.
Okey dokey.
I'll see you around.
I'll wait for positions tomorrow.
Then I'll take that Roustabout cash,
put it all on Flood in the seventh.
What? Flood's too young.
Jumpy as a virgin.
You boys do what you want, but at six to one,
that horse is a monster in sheep's clothing.
Sounds like some people we know.
You're looking at my scar.
Sorry.
Why?
You didn't do it.
115 degrees today.
Tomorrow, too.
Well, the heat's just fine with me.
You okay?
Hey, come on, come on.
Hey, hey, come on.
Come on, now.
Okay.
Hey.
Ain't going home, are you?
Was planning on it.
I owe you a drink for before.
What is this? What is this, some kind of hustle?
Ain't no hustle. I got something
-to show you, that's all. -Yeah? What's that?
America.
Thanks, man.
Hey.
Call this an atomic cocktail.
I don't think this is such a good idea.
Why's that?
When boss men see us palling around,
they're liable to think we got an angle.
This is Vegas.
So?
So they know we got an angle.
-Five! -There's no other reason
-to be here. -Four, three,
two, one!
They test the fuckers once a month out at the base.
We got a front-row seat.
See? I told you.
America.
Hey.
What's all this?
I'm just calling it.
-You are, huh? -Yep.
Give me a smoke.
Give me a light.
Know any good jokes?
I bet you do.
Get out of here.
Sir, yes, sir.
The fuck is this?
-What are you doing? -Hey. Hey.
No, I don't...
-$200 on Roustabout to win. -Yes, ma'am.
And it's Sayonara breaking on the outside,
Roustabout on the inside.
Roustabout and Sayonara. Roustabout and Sayonara.
It's Roustabout! Roustabout takes it.
Ma'am?
Put it all on Flood in the seventh.
All of it, ma'am?
Yes.
Excuse me, is this table open?
It is.
Crowds always make me sweat.
Who's yours?
Flood.
No. Me, too.
Aren't we both brave?
-Six to one. -I like
the look of him, though, don't you?
I do.
Very much.
And they're off.
It's Flood and Lost at Sea.
Lost at Sea holding his lead.
Flood coming up fast, Lost at Sea and Flood.
Here they come.
Flood and Lost at Sea.
It's Flood making one last break down the rail.
It's Flood!
Flood takes it!
There you are.
How did we come out?
Darling.
-We won. -Excellent.
Goodbye.
Bye.
$12,000.
Do be careful, ma'am.
Yeah.
Don't flatter yourself.
You know I would never bet on a loser.
Someday I'm gonna kill him in his sleep.
So...
Where are you supposed to be?
San Diego.
With my brother.
We... We planned that when we were overseas.
I think mostly he just wants to keep an eye on me, though.
And how come you're not there?
We never had much in the way of a family growing up.
My mom died when I was small,
and my dad pretty much lost his marbles.
Then we just moved around, place to place.
You know, aunts and uncles and...
My brother, he needs all that, I guess.
You know, walls, windows, happy little home,
woman waiting at the door for him.
And what about you?
Hey.
I thought this was not a good idea.
Everybody makes mistakes.
Where the hell have you been?
-Lee. Something happened, Lee. -What? What is it?
I called the HeyDay.
-They said you left hours ago. -Lee.
This isn't farm country, Muriel.
You can't just go out wandering.
Anything could happen to you, okay?
Do you understand that? What is this?
-We did it, Lee. -You sold your mother's house?
$3,000?
Oh, my gosh!
I've never even seen money like this.
Muriel...
I know.
I know. That house is the last piece of your ma you had left.
I understand.
General delivery, Las Vegas, Nevada.
To Julius Walker.
Dear Julius,
Been a while since I've heard back from you.
Suppose you must have hit it big and forgot all about us.
As you can see, we went and bought ourselves a house.
Included in this letter is our new address.
Come on.
Come see us when your luck runs out.
Muriel.
Hello?
Goddamn it, Julius.
Muriel. It's my brother.
Thought she might like to know you're not dead.
So tell me all the news, then.
Well, we finally sold the house in Kansas.
Got us a little place here in the Valley.
That ain't no news.
Muriel already wrote me about it.
She did?
You know, I can't believe
she let her ma's place go like that.
You know, truth be told, I didn't know a thing about it.
She got it all done on her own as a surprise to me.
Hold on. I'll put Muriel on for a minute.
Hold on.
Muriel, is that you?
It's that sad girl that needs someone
to tell her what to do.
Come on now. You know I didn't mean nothing by that.
So why'd you say it?
You know why.
Don't tell me what I know.
Say, piece of advice.
Don't spend all that horse money in one place.
Like on a bus ticket?
Well, I'd... I'd say I miss you,
but you probably don't believe a word I say, do you?
Said you wrote him.
Think he'll come?
I don't think he ever planned to.
My brother is...
My brother's not what you think.
What does that mean?
The world Julius lives in,
it's a different world, that's all.
It's not like ours.
I-I love my brother, you know, I always will, but...
He has passions of his own.
Do you know what I mean?
He's just not like us.
Partners.
-That's a new one. -I guess it is.
Instructive.
-What's going on? -At table ten.
Risk reward, eh?
For your diligence.
Did you ever think of tipping them off,
those blackjack players?
I always do.
Think of it.
We could make even more money if we work with them.
Yeah, don't shit where you eat's what I think.
But maybe a place where you can take another man's money
and get rich doing it,
catch cheats, and watch a bomb go off all in the same day
is exactly the kind of place where the lines get blurred.
If you're saying there ain't no difference between cheating
and not, I'd say you're crazy.
You have people, though.
-Just my brother and his wife. -That's enough.
They probably love you and wonder where you are.
I don't see your point, friend.
All I'm saying is, they know you.
They don't know a thing about me.
They know more about you than anyone knows about me.
I've been dead a hundred years, my friend.
You can ask my father.
Well, ain't that just too bad for you?
-It is. It is too bad for me. -Henry.
You saw what they did to those boys back there.
I mean, we got a good thing going here. Why fuck it up?
You ain't never seen good.
You think this is it?
So you're just leaving now?
We had a great time, right?
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. We always do.
All you can ask for, I guess.
Right?
See you at work.
Some asshole will always say, "Well, at least
he took pills so he didn't suffer."
And I'd say, "Then you didn't know Gerald."
Because if ever there was a sufferer, it was him.
Cops putting his picture in the paper like that.
Jesus, no wonder he offed himself.
"Lewd behavior"?
Why did the cops actually pick him up?
Caught him in the bathroom at the Chester
-with another guy. -The Chester?
Yeah, the queer bar down by the docks.
I wonder what'll happen to that place,
you think?
Ain't the first time it's been raided.
Won't be the last.
Think all those pretty boys ran out into the sea?
You see that?
-Where's the other guy? -You got me, bud.
Dear Muriel,
I saw a girl on the floor the other day
who looked just like you.
But then she smiled back at me and I knew it couldn't be you.
Most days I think I made the right choice coming here,
and some days I just don't know anything at all.
It's like they say, everybody's got an angle in this town.
Here you go.
I guess you just got to play the cards as they come.
But you and Lee really have it all.
Just like you planned.
Sure hope some of your luck rubs off on me.
Forgive me someday if you can.
Julius.
...what you want to hear, but I don't think other folks
are going to feel any different.
-Hi. -Hi.
I was just telling your husband I'm collecting signatures.
-Signatures? -Yeah.
County's enforcing eminent domain,
and they want to build a highway extension
right through my family's land.
Highway coming this way
seems like a good thing for everyone, don't it?
That house has been in my family for 60 years.
Right, but they'll give you a fair price for it.
It's her family's home, Lee.
Well, you sold off your mom's old homestead, didn't you?
Well, yeah, but that's different.
Because you were looking toward the future.
It's the same thing here.
I'll leave you to your breakfast.
Hey.
Hey, Sandra.
I'll sign. I mean, I-I want to.
Are you the property owner?
Well, yes, partly.
So the house is under your name?
My husband's name, but...
You're not the primary property owner.
That's all they'll accept.
Hey.
What was it? What you were playing the other day
if it's not a guitar?
A bandurria.
Bandurria? Is that Spanish?
Well, I like it.
I got eggs back if you need 'em.
Where you been?
Call in sick.
Got myself on a lucky streak.
Worried about me, huh?
No, it's just a lot of cash to carry.
I can take care of myself.
Did you get that in a cereal box?
Hey, I won it in a game of pitch in Tijuana.
Never go anywhere without it.
Why are you pulling this shit, man?
Now, you ain't got to play partners with nobody.
You got me right here. You know that.
I got you here in this room but nowhere else.
So, what, I go out and cheat with you,
or that's it, we just... we're done?
You don't get it.
Me and you, this is the one thing we can do
out there in the world together.
Right in front of them.
No, we can do something else. We can change.
No, you can change.
You think we're the same?
Look at you.
Look at me.
People like me, we want something, we got to take it.
There's no other way.
If we do this, we do it smart.
Okay, we play outside town.
Play it quiet, small rooms,
nobody knows us, private games. That's it.
You don't have to do nothing...
But win.
Stop.
Go.
Nada.
Bang-bang-bang.
This all feels like a dream.
It could be it is.
Dear Julius,
the houses around us are going up fast.
Soon we'll be completely surrounded.
I'm gonna take 50 cents out of the can for lunch.
Big day off, huh?
What you gonna do?
To be honest, I can't see you here.
You wouldn't be able to breathe.
Lee says you have wanderlust and you'll come back.
See you.
But I'm letting go of the plans we made.
Bye.
I hope you're happy, wherever you are.
Muriel.
A stinger, please.
Such a funny story.
I'll be back.
I bet you don't remember me.
How much?
So how's your luck these days?
Gave all that up.
Just like that?
Made a promise to myself.
What sort of promise?
If you think too much about luck,
it starts to own you, doesn't it?
We're all owned by something.
Or someone.
I'm Gail.
I'm Linda.
Nice to meet you, Linda.
You hear the news?
That poor Russian dog died.
The one they shot into space.
Sad.
You know they ran odds on it?
Twenty to one he'd make it into orbit.
Hundred to one he'd come back down.
What about dying?
Nobody wanted to pay out that bet.
These days, people will bet on just about anything.
Endless possibilities.
Endless.
Funny.
I never meet anyone.
Everybody quiet.
The cops are outside.
Open up, open up!
Come in.
What can I do for you, Officer?
-What's going on upstairs? -Nothing, nothing.
I do have this envelope here for...
Thank you, Officer.
Coast is clear.
I can't stay out any later tonight.
Me neither.
You're new at this, aren't you?
It's all luck, really.
You'll see.
We're all just a hair's breadth from losing everything.
All the time.
Yes.
I...
I'm looking for Sandra.
Are you here for a book club?
Password is your favorite author.
I'm sensing Willa Cather maybe.
We're really big readers here.
Jesus.
-Move. -What?
Come on.
You're not wearing any shoes.
Over here, Mrs. Walker.
I wanted it to be quiet.
What?
I want it to be quiet.
Like that?
This is what it's like?
What?
Your life.
You're a little drunk, I think.
Stop making fun of me.
Tell me why you want it quiet.
I don't think so.
I wasn't sure about you.
Are you sure about me now?
I'm not.
You're really not afraid of being alone, are you?
Neither are you.
What makes you say that?
Because you're here.
Come. Come with me.
I hope you come back.
Okay, well...
G-Good night.
The Rifleman.
If we ever hit it big, where would you go?
Man, I've never really thought about it.
Always got to have yourself an exit plan.
Probably San Diego for you.
Got your brother there and all, right?
Easier time down in Mexico.
Big money with the sailors and the husbands
down from California.
They're always married.
Anyway,
why buy yourself a plain old house in San Diego
when you can build a palace in Tijuana?
Yeah, well, if you ever hit it big...
If we ever hit it big.
-"We." -So?
I mean, I'm wide open to ideas, partner.
Yeah, like what?
Taking five bucks a day from housewives from El Paso?
Yeah, what's your idea, then?
Easy.
I mean, there's no rules against us gambling there.
And our casino has the best odds in town.
We can make a grand in ten quick deals.
Are you insane?
You know they pay us to catch guys like us.
I mean, the minute you sit down at that table,
you're pinned.
No.
Not with you upstairs.
Not if you don't pin me.
When are you gonna see it?
You know, we got it good here.
I mean, real good.
I've been in Kansas and L.A., and I've been in Korea.
And in all those places, I've been a thief,
a faggot and alone.
And, you know, for the first time in my life,
I can finally see around the next goddamn corner.
You know why?
Why?
Because I'm with you.
I mean, things are different now, aren't they?
Well, aren't they?
You really are something.
-Aren't they? -You know that, right?
Aren't they?
-Aren't they? -You know they are.
No?
I'm just gonna wear you down.
But you know that, right?
One day you'll say yes.
Yeah.
Yeah, maybe I will.
You're crazy.
You okay?
Like this?
Open your eyes.
Let me see your eyes.
This is becoming a habit.
Yes, it is.
What is this music?
My mother liked this kind of music.
Yeah?
Well, not this, but like this.
-Anything you could dance to. -A real honky-tonker, huh?
Yeah. She drove all those proper ladies in town crazy.
Do tell.
My... My mother was the,
first woman to own a car in Marshall County.
She was the first woman to get a college degree
and the first woman to get a divorce.
All unrelated, I'm sure.
I wish I could have met this mother of yours.
You ever been in love before?
Yes, once, up in L.A.,
before I moved back here to take care of my dad.
I think she figured I'd give up on this place once he passed,
but... I'm still here and she's not, so...
What about you? Lee?
Yes. I-I love Lee.
But you're talking about someone else?
I don't know. It's...
It's like I...
saw something no one ever told me was there before.
Never made any sense.
Still doesn't.
Measure it all out, we spent maybe 24 hours
in front of each other and that's it.
Could be that's all it takes.
It's strange.
Like the minute he walked in the door,
I could breathe again.
He?
You're kind of a lot, Mrs. Walker.
Fuck.
Henry.
No.
No, no, no.
Thirteen... black, odd.
Oh, no, Henry.
This feels like a seven.
Henry. Henry.
No, no, no, no, no.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Fuck!
You didn't finger this greaser. Why?
You were working tables all around town together is why.
You were part of it. Ain't that right, greaser?
No.
I don't work with no dickless pansy boys.
Look at him, fucking shaking.
Go. Go, cabrón.
Is that right, Mary?
-Get the fuck out of here. -What are you gonna do to him?
-Get out of here. -Henry!
Well, I'll be damned.
Hey!
Well, I'll be damned, Julius.
Would you look at that?
You really did it, didn't you?
That garden's coming in nice.
Jesus Christ.
Not even a postcard? Tell us you're coming?
Yeah, well, you can always count on me for a surprise.
That a horse trailer?
You, win a bet or lose a bet?
Since when are you the kind of people
who couldn't make use of a horse?
Hello.
I thought y'all said you had a ranch.
It's a goddamn ranch house, Julius.
Well, I guess we're real Westerners now.
Come on, get in here.
Where the hell did you get that animal from?
Lee, a fella wants to bet his horse,
I'll take his horse.
Hey.
Got two bedrooms.
That one's all yours.
Figure this is a nursery.
We're still getting settled.
Muriel's been working doubles at the café.
I've been picking up extra shifts whenever I can get 'em.
And, this is ours.
It's cozy.
Everything's looking real prosperous around here.
Come on, I'll show you out back.
Builders here took just eight weeks.
You believe that?
Remember how long we took trying to fix up
Uncle Jack's old place?
Burning the furniture for heat?
Imagine growing up in a house like this.
Stand out back here some nights,
look at this house, and I think...
"There's a place that makes sense to a kid."
Yeah, well, we ain't kids no more.
I just wanted you to be here.
See it was possible.
Even for nobodies like us.
Only I ain't like you.
No, we ain't the same, Lee.
You think I don't know that?
You think I don't know exactly who you are?
I ain't asking you to change, Julius.
I just want you to be safe.
I want to see you.
I want to hear your goddamn voice around this place is all.
Well, I'm here now.
Muriel.
-Muriel. -We're going out, Muriel.
Grab a jacket.
Come on. Come on.
Horse?
Horse!
Suppose you'll have to catch him first.
See, Lee, even your wife thinks that horse
has got too much blood.
Yeah, yeah.
He's making a run for it.
Come on now. Get out the posse!
So this is,
this is paradise, huh?
Something like that.
It must have been hard letting your mom's place go.
It was.
You swore you were coming.
Forgive me?
-I wish... -Yeah?
I wish you came before.
Earlier.
Yeah, I wish all kinds of different things all day long.
Like what?
Can I show you something?
That real?
This gun belongs to a man named Henry.
And...
Henry would say it doesn't matter
whether the thing's real or not.
What matters is that people think it's real.
It-it belongs to a man named Henry?
You remember once I asked you about love?
I didn't know anything about anything.
I'm not sure I know too much more now, but...
I am sure that this is Henry's gun.
And...
I'm gonna get it back to him.
I'm gonna find him.
I don't understand.
I think you probably do.
Probably.
I don't.
Sometimes...
Someone comes into your life, and...
Nothing's ever the same again.
I need to borrow some money.
What?
I need money to find him.
That's why you're here.
That's why you came.
To borrow money.
Stop. Stop touching me.
You were never gonna stay.
Lee was right about you.
What's that supposed to mean?
You're a coward.
And you're a liar.
Take your damn pit pony and go.
Hey, Kansas.
You got your secrets and I got mine!
Julius.
It's just a dream.
Go back to sleep.
He couldn't go far.
Truck of his is about ready for the...
We aren't gonna find Julius, Muriel.
Not until the money's all gone.
We'll find a way, Lee.
Stop. Stop.
Henry!
Henry.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
You're a real suave dancer, Mrs. Walker.
Hey, when's your husband due home?
He's working late.
We've got hours and hours and hours.
Yeah?
Besides, he knows I would never do something like this.
Like this?
You know what I mean.
Like me?
Come on. I love that song.
What are you doing?
What?
I'm real.
This is real.
God, Lee is real.
You get that, right?
I know that.
-Do you? -Stop.
Sandra, come on. We're ju... We're just having fun.
I get it. You're just having fun.
-You're on vacation. -What are you talking about?
You go home every night where it's warm and safe,
and you go fuck your husband to feel normal.
And then you come over here and you fuck me
to feel alive, and then you do it all over again.
You knew exactly who I was when you let me in here, okay?
You knew my situation.
You're too good at this.
-What did you expect? -If that's all this is,
there's a bar in town
-with a dozen other women... -Stop.
...that would cause me a lot less pain.
-Sandra. -Please, just go.
Come on, please.
-Just stop. -Please don't.
I want you to leave.
I didn't, I didn't mean it like that.
Hey.
I thought they had you on a double today.
I'm too slow.
Couldn't use me.
She was out of eggs, then, your friend?
Yeah, yeah, she was out.
I'm not sure I realized before,
not for certain, I mean, but...
You remind me of him.
Julius.
I envy him sometimes, you know?
You do?
Yeah.
He gets to live like there's no tomorrow.
You think I'm like that?
Lee?
Hey.
Don't... No, don't say anything.
I remember this girl from town.
She had two men.
One of them was a kid Julius used to run with.
Pool hall kid.
The other guy was a college type none of us really knew.
Ran the sand mill across the river with his pop.
The girl... Sally, I want to say her name was...
Spent her afternoons with Julius and Pool Hall Kid.
Went to dinner in a better dress,
half-tilted on Hamm's with Mr. Sand Mill.
Pool Hall knew all about it.
Never bothered him, 'cause she always used to
come home to him at the end of the night.
Baffled me when Julius told me about it.
Six months later...
Sally sits down Pool Hall,
tells him it's over.
And a month after that...
There was her name in the engagement section.
And Julius was just outraged.
I think Julius hated the fact that...
She picked what wasn't real... honestly.
Bothered him to no end that...
She hadn't chosen what he'd thought of as love.
I didn't really know her, so...
Who am I to say?
But I bet Julius thinks I'm on the other side
of that story now.
I'm looking for my buddy.
Tall, skinny.
Scarred to hell on one arm.
Yeah, I think I seen him around.
Not that I knew his name.
Do you know where I can find him?
I got a pretty good idea.
You think you can take me to him?
Did you ever want this?
Any of it, I mean?
I'm sorry, Lee.
It doesn't matter.
You being sorry doesn't matter.
Not even a little bit.
Say, where is this place, friend?
TJ's a pretty small town.
Think I've seen him right around here.
Muriel?
Lee,
you once told me that until we met,
you weren't sure there was anything good
left in the world.
You're a good man.
Your dream is a good dream.
I know I've let you down,
and nothing can ever change that.
But I hope this helps you find what you want.
Please don't give up.
Muriel.
Okay, gringo.
These boys will take your money now.
Waiting for someone?
I am.
Someone who owes me money.
-You faggot! -Come on!
I'm waiting for someone, too.
Been a while?
It has.
Same here.
Well?
What do you say?
First time getting stood up?
-Big part of this game. -Is it?
Guess it's never been easy for people like us
to find each other.
No, I guess not.
You think it's all your fault?
Maybe it is.
I guess when you are standing here
all on your own...
doesn't really matter who did what
or who hurt who.
Does it?
It's just the world getting in the way.
Just the world.
Well...
whoever they are, they sure are missing out.
Tell him that for me if you see him.
That's a promise.
Goodbye.
Dear Muriel,
I don't know where you are
and I don't know if I'll ever send this letter,
but there are so many things I want to say to you.
Last time we saw each other,
I was trying to say something about the two of us
I thought we already knew,
even if we never said it out loud.
Well, hell, it's Christmas Eve, ain't it?
I'm sorry I got it so wrong.
And I'm sorry for stealing from you and all the rest of it.
Everything turned out all right for me in the end,
so I don't want you worrying about me.
It's Christmas, and somehow I just bet you're okay.
Everybody deserves a chance to be happy.
I can just picture you saying that.
Everybody deserves a shot.
Even card sharps and liars and petty thieves.
Merry Christmas, Muriel.
Julius.
Okay. Okay.
Come on, let's go.