1
(ELLIE SNORING SOFTLY)
(CELL PHONE VIBRATING)
(WHISPERS) Please don't leave a message.
(VIBRATES)
(SIGHS)
Hey, where are you going? I was just coming to see you.
Oh, I'm sorry, I gotta go see Cole.
Wait, why, what's up with your brother?
Nothing, I just gotta go see him.
You gonna ask me?
Ask you what?
How I did in the poker game.
Well, you're not wearing your shirt, so, I'm guessing you didn't do too well.
Yeah, only 'cause the guy who won it from me left early,
so, I didn't get a chance to win it back.
But about an hour ago, I turned it around. I won...
...over $200.
So, you've got my money.
I kind of had to pay some back rent.
I gotta go.
ELLIE: Hi.
Hey, Ellie.
ELLIE: What are you doing?
Sarah wants to start parking her car in here, so...
All this stuff's gotta go to Goodwill.
You send your resume in to that design firm you were talking about?
They're never gonna hire somebody without a degree, so...
COLE: How do you know without even trying?
I, um, got a call
from somebody in Texas.
Was it Dad?
I don't know, I haven't listened to the message,
I'm too scared to listen to it.
You want me to listen to it?
Wha... What do you think that he wants?
Booze. Or money to buy booze.
Or money to get out of jail so he can go buy booze.
-Yeah, but do you think that maybe he... -Erase it, Ellie.
As far as I'm concerned, we have a mom and dad
and they're both very much dead.
Except no one's gotten around to burying Dad yet.
I think that we should hear what he has to say.
Let me show you something.
I found this, uh, this morning.
That trip was about the last time I can remember being a whole family.
Who's to blame for that except Dad?
(CLATTERING)
WOMAN ON RECORDING: This is a message for Ellie.
This is, uh, your stepmother, Amanda.
I think you may wanna head on down here to Texas.
Your daddy had a stroke, and I don't know if he's gonna be around much longer.
Anyway, I just thought I should let you know.
He wants money, right?
Is there anything?
I'm sorry, but this flight is overbooked.
Yeah, well, I know. What does that mean?
It means that not everyone on this flight...
No, I know what the words mean, but I...
I really have to get on this flight.
My father is not well.
Uh, it's... There just...
We do have another flight that leaves at 3:30...
No. Please, um, I...
-I've got to get on this one. -I don't...
Could you just check for, like, a last minute cancellation or...
Please?
(KEYBOARD CLACKING)
I'm sorry, but the 3:30 is the best that we can do.
-But there's... There's got to be... -(CELL PHONE VIBRATING)
I...
-Hello? -AMANDA: Ellie? We lost him.
Who, what? Lost who?
I'm afraid we lost your daddy. He died not two minutes ago.
Hey, there you are!
Oh, hi!
-Wait, you are Ellie, aren't ya? -Yeah.
It's a good thing or I might've been arrested for being a lesbian.
-Can you get arrested? -I'm just kidding. Is that all you have?
-Uh-huh. -Okay, come on now, we gotta scoot.
I had no idea you'd be so late.
-I know. There was a problem... -Do you drive a truck?
I guess.
I might've had a few too many cocktails waiting for you,
I'm gonna need you to drive.
-(KEYS JANGLING) -AMANDA: There you go.
(SIGHS) Oh, hang on, just a sec.
Before you get in, I wanna show you something.
How's the light out here? Can you see okay?
ELLIE: See what?
Well, what do you think?
About...
Well, they're your daddy's suits.
I mean, I like the brown, but everyone else seems to like the blue.
Mmm. Maybe we can buy him something new.
Like some black.
God, are you... What a waste that'd be.
Actually, can I be 100% honest with you?
-Okay. -I really don't know that your daddy wanted to be buried.
Well, what did he want?
I mean, he always said we could just shove him under the couch.
But sometimes he'd say he wanted to be cremated.
-Oh. -Yeah.
I know you know your daddy joked around a lot.
I mean, did he ever tell you or your brother what he wanted?
Mmm-mmm, I don't think we ever talked about his death.
Are you kidding? He talked about that all the time.
Come on, hop in.
(SIGHS) What time's your brother flying in?
-Cole's not coming. -He's not?
Mmm-mmm.
Well, I didn't know it was quite like that.
It is, and then some.
So, which way am I going?
-BOY: Grandma! -(GASPS)
(SIGHS) Tommy, go back to sleep. We'll be home soon.
That's my grandson, Tommy.
What, he's just been out in the car the whole time?
I couldn't exactly bring him into the airport bar now, could I?
TOMMY: I'm hungry, Grandma.
Okay, I'll fetch you something. Just, when you pull out of here,
make your first right and head down the road a while.
(LINE RINGING)
-COLE: (OVER PHONE) Hello? -Hi, it's me.
How was the trip?
Uh, it was a little...
Are you okay?
Did Dad say something awful to you?
No, Dad's dead.
Really?
He died while I was still at the airport
and this Amanda woman called to tell me.
I don't understand, so you... So you're still at the airport?
No, I decided to come to Texas anyway.
-What? -(TOMMY SQUEALING)
Um, I gotta go, I'll, I'll call you later.
(CONTINUES SQUEALING)
Come on, get in.
Why can't this just wait until tomorrow?
It just can't.
Anyway, I thought you might want to see your daddy
before they take him over to the funeral home.
I don't wanna be rude, but I think that I can wait to see him.
Okay, look, can I be 100% honest with you, Ellie?
Okay.
Technically, me and your daddy ain't exactly married on account of
I'm still married to some no-good son of a bitch
-who lives up near Houston. -I don't understand.
I need someone to officially sign some forms
so they can release his body to the undertakers.
-Someone who's family. -I see.
I knew you were coming,
I didn't wanna make your grandparents have to do it.
Who?
SUSAN: Ellie?
Yeah.
I thought that might be you, you look just like your father.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Thank you.
What's this?
SUSAN: Your father asked me to give it to you if you showed up here.
Amanda, where did you get that wheelchair?
Oh, uh...
These things are not toys.
No, I know, Susan, it's just he's so heavy.
-You just about done here? -Uh-huh.
This is where you live?
Oh, this is it. "Be it ever so humble..."
We had an apartment down the road,
but your daddy loved to monkey around with those guitars.
This place suited him 'cause of the garage.
It's my son's place.
Really, it was too big for just him and Tommy by themselves.
He was still making guitars?
Oh, making 'em, repairing old ones, sure.
Yeah, he worked on 'em most days.
Don't think he ever finished too many,
but he loved working on 'em.
All right, come on, love bug. You gotta get up, we're goin' in.
(SIGHS) Let's see.
Uh, yeah. And that's my baby boy.
Jack, this is Ellie.
Mark's daughter.
Oh, he's a charmer.
No, don't worry, don't worry about a thing,
I'll put your son to bed.
He works hard, so we cut him a little slack when he acts like a poo-poo head.
I'll be right back.
There you are.
I can't believe this.
Oh, yeah, well.
That was your daddy's. (SIGHS)
No, but he had this piece of junk when we were kids.
We used to take the worst road trips in this beast.
And he never got it to work right.
Well, Jack got it running for me to drive
but I'm too scared it'll break down.
Who did he make the guitars for?
Oh, different folks, here and there.
He'd sell a few every year, if he'd finish 'em, anyway.
Did he ever make anything else, like any violins or...
Violins? No, I don't think so.
Ellie, listen, I... I was wondering if you could help me
with the announcement of your daddy's death.
Uh, I wasn't really planning on staying.
I might just even get on the first plane in the morning.
But you've only been here two minutes.
And I could really use your help, please.
At least stay until after the funeral.
I know, I, I'm sorry...
Isn't this the least you could do?
Okay.
Sure, I'll stay until he's in the ground.
All right.
You know, I'd really like to just, um, maybe like go for a drive.
See some of the town.
Well, I don't know if there's that much to see, but okay.
But the thing is, Jack needs his truck tonight.
You can try your luck with that thing.
Is there any other way of getting into town?
(SCOFFS)
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)
Don't do that again, Billy.
But I'm hungry.
You said you wasn't hungry.
Just...
Don't you start.
Don't. Billy, don't do that.
Stop it.
Billy, put... You...
Better put that back on.
You got kids of your own?
No.
Then why don't you mind your own business,
we ain't some TV show for you to gawk at.
G.D., woman!
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING IN BAR)
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS)
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
RENO: Well, I'm a wild one to ramble
The whole world out in front of me
I got places to go
I got people to see...
Is this fellow lip-syncing to some woman?
Or is he about two balls short of a sack?
I'm headed for the big town...
(GLASS SHATTERS)
(MAN SNICKERING)
(LAUGHING)
(PATRONS MURMURING)
(ROCK MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS)
MAN: Hey, can I get another one?
I really liked your song.
At least what I heard of it.
You know, it really pisses me off.
He's just wasting all that beer.
Does this happen a lot?
Uh, you mean, bottles getting thrown at my head?
(CHUCKLING) No, that guy doesn't come here that often.
-Cheers. -(BOTTLES CLINK)
What you got there?
ELLIE: Mmm, it's a key.
Hold on...
Is this the key to my heart?
-(CHUCKLES) -Hey, I have been looking everywhere for this.
Yeah, I don't know what it's for.
Um, my father left it for me.
He... He's just, uh... He died.
Huh.
This is familiar.
-Is it? -Yeah.
You know, I can't remember where, but I saw this kind of key before.
So, you wanna hear my new song or what?
You're not gonna get back up there again, are you?
No. Uh, no. I think once is enough for tonight.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
Come on, let's go.
(PLAYING GENTLE SONG)
(SONG ENDS)
That was great.
Thanks.
Um, who is this?
That is Brenda Thacker.
Also known as my mother.
Yeah, she's been in a diabetic coma here for three days now.
I'm so sorry, is she gonna be okay?
Uh, yeah, I mean, they think so.
But you know.
They're not really sure.
On the plus side,
we never got along so well as we have these past three days,
have we, Brenda?
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Do you come here every day?
Mmm-hmm.
(PLAYING GENTLE SONG)
Hi.
(GRUNTS)
Hi, um...
I, uh, I don't know where Amanda is,
but I think she might be in the back.
Oh, we're here to see you.
Why?
Well, because you're our granddaughter.
Why wouldn't we wanna see you?
Yeah, we didn't mean to step on your beauty sleep.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
I carry this picture around with me everywhere I go.
Um...
Yeah, I, I remember this day.
Do you have any?
Any what?
Uh, she wants to know if you have any pictures of our beautiful faces.
(CHUCKLES)
(CLICKS TONGUE) Uh...
Well, I know you wouldn't carry them around with you,
but at home, I was wondering if you had any.
ELLIE: The thing is um,
when Amanda mentioned you,
yesterday, that was the first time I knew
that you were even alive.
I, um...
TOMMY: Daddy!
Uh, I'll... I'll be right back.
TOMMY: Daddy!
Hey, little man.
-How are you? -Good.
-Where are you going, Daddy? -I gotta go to work.
-TOMMY: May I please go? -AMANDA: No, no, Daddy's gotta work.
We just picked up some food before Jack takes the truck.
JACK: Yeah, somebody's gotta work around here.
-What is that supposed to mean? -He's cranky in the morning.
Well, he wasn't much nicer last night.
Well, we keep, uh, sneaking up on you, don't we?
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
Oh.
Oh, it is so good to finally meet you.
ELLIE: You too.
I've thought about hugging you and your brother for so many years.
Hopefully, this is "hello" instead of "goodbye."
And don't worry, we don't have that many years left to bother you.
Oh, Bruce, will you be quiet?
(CHUCKLES)
-Bye. -AMANDA: Come on, hon.
I let you sleep in, but now, we gotta shake a leg.
See you got your parking skills from your daddy.
AMANDA: Can you talk to the undertaker when we get there?
ELLIE: Why?
Oh, I just don't like those kind of folks.
And I don't know what kind of coffin to get and...
Yeah, I can talk to 'em.
(SIGHS) Oh, I just don't know what to do.
I said I'd talk to him, it's really not a problem.
It's just that I think your daddy really did want to be cremated.
But everyone says a body's got to be buried to be at peace.
And I don't know if that's true,
but it sure did make me feel bad.
Well, you shouldn't.
Mmm.
I tell ya, it's like my head is splittin' in two.
I just don't know how I can face today.
(SIGHS) I used to rely on Mark to make these kind of decisions.
And when he couldn't, 'cause he was too drunk, Jack would.
He's been in such a mood lately.
Ever since Mark and I moved in with him
he's been... Mmm!
(SIGHS) It's all just too much.
Why don't we just finish up eating
and you can go home, get a little more sleep
and I can take care of all of this?
You will? You'd do that?
Oh, I tell ya, that's a huge load off my mind.
And anyway, he is your daddy.
-That's right. -Mmm.
I'm gonna go ahead, have him cremated and then I'm gonna go back home.
Good, 'cause I think that's what he really wanted.
I mean that, or for us to bury him in the backyard.
And I think that's illegal.
We just rent that house.
Did he have a... A favorite place?
You know, I always saw him crossing the train tracks in his car.
He'd just stop. Right on the tracks.
Like he was trying to speed up the process.
(CHUCKLES) Almost like that was his favorite place.
Mmm. I guess his body took care of that in the end.
Hmm.
Mmm. Okay.
Why don't you go ahead and pay for all this
and I'll just run to the little girl's room.
-(DOOR BELL JINGLES) -And it's always one of them.
-Yeah. -It is, it is.
Excuse me, hi. I was wondering if you could help me?
Sure can. What can I do for you?
I'm looking for the funeral home.
Whoa, what's wrong? Are you suicidal?
Glen, get in there and stop that woman from hurting herself.
GLEN: I'm sorry, miss.
What are you sorry about?
She's looking for the funeral parlor.
-Maybe somebody she knows has died. -Hmm.
You ought to show a little more respect.
Somebody die on you, honey?
-Yeah, my father. -BOTH: Oh.
Mark Edwards.
(GLEN EXHALES DEEPLY)
-(DOOR BELL JINGLES) -What's his problem?
Um, I guess not everyone around here liked your daddy so much.
Thanks.
RENO: Hey!
-Hi! -Hi.
-My number-one fan. -(BOTH CHUCKLE)
-You get home okay last night? -Yeah, yeah, I did.
-How's your mom? -Uh, she is, I guess, the same,
or someone would have called me. Yeah.
Hey, do you know where the funeral home is?
I think I'm lost.
Oh, you've come to the right person, honey.
I was lost for years. Come on.
I mean, I like how thin I look in black,
-but I don't really think that's a concern here. -Mmm-hmm.
ELLIE: Do you have it in a different color?
Hmm, no, ma'am, it just comes in black.
Okay, well... (CLICKS TONGUE)
Let's just go with the black.
(CLAPS) Well, I like the black. Makes me think of Johnny Cash.
You know, we can do a nice inscription on the urn.
Perhaps, your father's name?
What would she need the name for?
You think she has like 20 different urns around the house...
-(CHUCKLES) -...she might get all mixed up?
Or perhaps, his favorite poem?
I don't think he had one.
Well, it would look real nice with a Texas flag,
-or, maybe, a fishing theme? -(CHUCKLES) What?
Or golf?
Just a simple urn, Mr. Harris.
MR. HARRIS: (CLICKS TONGUE) As you wish.
Now, normally, the casket is displayed at the front of the chapel.
But for a cremation, what we do
is place a nice framed photo of your father on the table,
or you can use several photos.
Now, we've recently redone the sound system there,
we have a real good selection
of soothing tape music that you can choose from...
You okay?
I think so.
What next?
I need boxes.
You're not planning on taking all those boxes?
I was gonna pay for 'em.
Those are all my big boxes, though.
Well, are these boxes for sale or not?
-Yeah, but... -Well, there's no "Yeah, but..."
They're either for sale, or they're not.
(WHISPERS) Look, I don't want this kind of person in my store.
His name is Reno, he can be here if he wants.
Ellie, let's just go.
Oh, God. See, what is that?
ELLIE: What? What are you talking about?
MAN: She's tracking mud all inside the store.
What are you talking about? I can't see anything.
MAN: Yeah, there's filth, and dirt, and...
-Okay, crazy. -Can't we just go?
No, my father is dead, I gotta pack up his shit.
MAN: Yeah, we all know who your father was, don't we?
Always scheming to get money out of people.
No wonder he couldn't stand up straight.
He's lucky he didn't run over any innocent kids driving drunk like he did.
You know what?
I don't want any of your...
-Fucking boxes! -Okay. Ellie, let's just go.
-You guys need to get out of here. -ELLIE: Fine by us.
You can stay here. You can be King of the Box World.
And you can stay here until the day that you die.
-And, oh, shit! Look... -(DOOR BELL JINGLES)
My shoes are fucking dirty too!
Idiot! I wanna burn his store down.
RENO: That seems a little extreme.
Well, he's just a jerk. He doesn't like you, he doesn't like my father.
RENO: Yeah, well, he probably doesn't like you too much right now, either.
Come on, I know where we can get some, uh, used boxes.
(TOMMY GIGGLING)
(SIGHS)
Tommy, stop that jumping.
-(GIGGLES) -(SIGHS)
What are we gonna do with all this stuff?
Well, whatever Reno doesn't want
I'm gonna take along to Goodwill.
-Where is your friend? -Trying something on.
Oh. I just don't think I could wear a dead man's clothes.
Why not?
Well, they're dead.
-Doesn't seem right. -(CLOSET DOOR OPENS)
-Check it out! -(BOTH CHUCKLE)
These are some fly threads, man.
-Are you sure I can keep these? -Yeah.
Don't really seem to fit you too good.
Oh, I can take care of that.
Well.
RENO: And then, you can clamp it down
and it makes different sounds on the strings.
Are you going to play?
(CHUCKLES)
Hey, you ever play an instrument?
No. Not really.
But when I was eight,
my dad made me a violin.
And...
I mean, I was too young to actually play it, but I loved it.
I carried it with me everywhere.
Uh...
He sold it when we were broke.
I can't believe that he kept all this.
Like, all of our report cards, and...
RENO: And, what?
These letters I wrote him when I left.
I was so harsh.
(DOOR OPENS)
Tommy, go on in, get ready for soccer.
Your daddy can't get out of work in time,
so I'm gonna have to run you over there.
Come on, git! Let's go.
ELLIE: Amanda.
What is it, hon?
Why don't I take Tommy to soccer?
You'd wanna do that?
Yeah, yeah, I, I think it'll be fun.
Great. Yeah, give me a chance to make some calls.
I think we're gonna have a full house at this memorial.
-MAN: Run, run. -(ALL CLAPPING)
(KIDS SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)
-MAN: Other way, other way. -(ALL CLAPPING)
(KIDS TALKING INDISTINCTLY)
Let's go, Tommy!
-(KIDS TALKING INDISTINCTLY) -(PEOPLE CHEERING)
Hey, how's it going out there?
He's doing great, you know, he's kicking that ball.
Has anybody scored yet?
Hard to say.
KID 1: You touched it.
-(CHUCKLES) You don't know anything about soccer, do you? -Nope.
KID 2: Out of the game!
Where's my mom?
Oh, she'd had a few too many drinks.
You brought him?
Yeah.
Thanks. I really appreciate it.
She's a handful. She's always just relying on other people.
(KIDS CHATTERING)
-JACK: Some tea? -Yeah, thanks.
Are you gonna come to the memorial?
Tommy wants to go.
You didn't like my father much, did you?
Well, he kept my mom busy. That was something.
That's funny, I don't...
You say that he kept her busy, rather than...
"He made her happy."
Look, it's tough living with drunks.
I put up with her 'cause she's my mom, but...
You know, your dad... (SCOFFS)
He's happy one day, and mean as hell the next.
He'd throw me some money if he sold one of those guitars, but...
It was just hard to get him to focus long enough to finish anything.
Yeah. I mean, I know that he was tough to live with.
I grew up with him.
Yeah.
But you ain't really been around much lately.
Hmm, I thought...
I don't know what I thought.
I never thought he'd die.
Just thought we'd have some more time.
Was he that bad when you were younger?
(CHUCKLES)
When I was 11,
my parents took us to this party.
It was, like, a barbecue
at a friend's place outside of town.
And, um,
he got really...
You know, drunk, and...
When it was time to leave, he wouldn't give my mom the car keys.
He drove, and, uh...
You know, we were swerving
and he went to
change the music on the stereo and we wrecked.
And it seemed like...
...forever till the ambulance got there.
He was friends with the sheriff 'cause...
...he walked.
And we were all fine except for my mom.
She died the next day.
So...
Yeah.
He was pretty bad back then.
Not much changes with time, I guess.
I'm really sorry.
Did you, uh, did you live with him after that?
For a while,
yeah, um...
He got a lot worse, and then when my brother
went off to college, that's when I moved in with my aunt.
What about Tommy's mom? She just out the picture?
She's alive, if you wanna call it that.
She's a junkie.
I never even suspected it.
I knew about alcohol, obviously, but...
I didn't know anything about the drugs.
I just...
Seems like I blinked, and I was married.
I blinked again, and I was divorced, with a little boy.
I blinked again, that little boy is almost five years old.
I just wonder how you get things to slow down a little bit.
I don't wanna blink and be in the grave.
Yeah.
It seems like that happens to a lot of people.
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING)
If you lose
Your horses
'Cause they ran off
When lightning struck
I will come home
From wherever
I am
Till the last one
Is rounded up
If you've got the blues
I'll stand by you
If you've got the blues
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
-(TOMMY GIGGLING) -(CHUCKLES)
What are you laughing at, huh?
You want something to laugh about? You do?
-(CONTINUES GIGGLING) -You do?
-Uh-huh. -(CHUCKLES)
ELLIE: Are you ticklish?
You better watch it, he's gonna wet himself.
Oh, I am willing to take that chance.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
BRUCE: So, what does this do?
It's for seniors who have trouble rising from their chairs.
What you do is you hit a button,
and then, the armrests would rise
and it would be like people on either side of you
helping you up out of the chair.
-Dang, I'd buy one of those. -Yeah?
Yeah. Heck, I'd buy two of 'em.
-(CHUCKLES) -Where do I order?
Oh, it's just an idea that I'm working on.
I have no way of getting these things made.
Well, you sure won't unless you show 'em to someone.
-JUDY: Here it is! -BRUCE: Uh-oh.
I knew I brought it. I left it in the car.
And here's something I found.
Your father always loved to ride.
-Did he? -JUDY: Yeah.
He wasn't any kind of a cowboy.
He couldn't rope a steer to save his life,
but he loved to ride.
Oh, and this was some dance or other.
Your father loved to cut a rug.
BRUCE: Yeah, he was a pretty good dancer.
-There's this, uh, old gal that he took to the prom... -Mmm-hmm.
And she still talks about how your daddy
was the best dance partner she ever had.
Oh, uh, that was the last picture
-where he was still our boy. -(SIGHS)
-It was, uh... -(JUDY SOBBING)
It was while he was in the Navy,
that all the drinking started up.
(JUDY CONTINUES SOBBING)
Normally, you can't squeeze a tear out of me.
Tell her, Bruce.
Why, she's a tough old bird,
but we're having a tough week.
And I expect it's, uh, not been too much fun for you, either.
WAITRESS: All right, here we go. Chocolate shake...
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON CAR STEREO)
ELLIE: Hey, Reno.
Hey.
What's up?
Uh...
I got a call from the hospital.
Is your mom okay?
Well, I guess yes and no.
Well, it's not like she's a little bitty thing
that you can really misplace too easily.
Hey, there, Reno, thanks for coming in.
Oh, hey! Should I have brought a picture of my mom,
so we can start up a search party?
We didn't misplace her.
She must have woke up, got dressed,
and decided to check herself out.
(EXHALES DEEPLY)
ELLIE: Should we go in?
RENO: In a minute.
You think I look like her?
ELLIE: Not so much.
You know, she's eating herself to death.
Are you okay?
Ever had a nightmare...
That was so bad, you had to get up out of the bed
just to try and walk away from it?
Yeah.
I have this nightmare
where I'm sitting at a table with my mom,
just feeding her, and feeding her...
And I wanna get up, I wanna leave, but...
I can't.
Well, I think there's no use in just crying our eyes out.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
-RENO: Hey, Mom. -Hi, there.
I think they're, um,
looking for you back at the hospital.
Yeah, I woke up there this morning. What was all that about?
Uh...
I found you passed out in the kitchen the other night,
and then they said that you were in a diabetic coma.
Oh, I'm sorry. This is my friend, Ellie.
Hi. It's nice to meet you.
Are you feeling better?
I never felt bad.
I can tell you I sure was hungry, though,
when I woke up this morning. (CHUCKLES)
Hey, you know, we should just swing you by the hospital.
Oh, no, I'm not going back there.
Uh, well, they might have a list of foods
for you to avoid, and medication for you to take.
You pop on by there tomorrow and pick that stuff up for me, would you, Margaret?
Mom.
I mean, Reno.
-So, who's your friend? -Uh...
She's in town 'cause her, her father died.
Uh, Mark Edwards? Did you know him?
I knew him just to wave at.
-I know his momma pretty well, though. -Mmm-hmm.
-You feel like doing some sewing? -Oh, sure.
Let me just grab a Blizzard to go.
RENO: Okay, but make the pants nice and tight, Mom.
You know how I like 'em.
I reckon I ought to by now.
Hey, so, Ellie thinks I should record some of my songs.
And move out of town and become a fancy musician?
(CHUCKLES)
Well, I think those songs are too good to keep to yourself.
(CHUCKLES)
No, I'm not gonna leave this place.
Yeah, well, I gotta go.
Do you need a ride to the funeral home tomorrow?
I can just meet you there.
Bye.
Close your eyes, and just go to sleep.
Does Ellie live here now?
No, she's just here 'cause her daddy passed away.
Would you let her live here if she wanted to?
I think she's got a life back where she lives.
Go on, close your eyes, go to bed.
(HUFFS PLAYFULLY)
Go to sleep, okay?
JACK: This used to be my field.
You owned a baseball field?
(CHUCKLES) No, I used to go to school here.
I was one of the best players we had.
I had scholarships to play baseball at three different colleges.
What position did you play?
I was a pitcher, but...
I played third base too.
What college did you go to?
I didn't. I never left.
Why not?
I hurt my arm pretty bad and I couldn't pitch anymore and then...
-I got Tommy's mom pregnant a couple of years later. -Yeah.
I thought I got her pregnant.
-What do you mean? -You've seen him.
He doesn't look anything like me.
I told you his mom was an addict.
She used to do all kind of shit behind my back to get drugs.
Thought about getting one of those paternity tests.
Does it really matter?
What do you mean by that?
Well, Tommy is such a great kid.
I see your eyes just light up whenever he walks into the room.
So, does it really matter if he's not your biological son?
I don't know.
You are 100% the father that he needs.
And you're much more of a father than mine ever was.
-AMANDA: Good morning. -Hi.
You know, I think I might wanna wear my hair up.
Mmm-hmm.
I haven't worn my hair up in 10 years.
But this is a memorial
and I think it might be the right thing to do.
Yeah, sure.
You think you could help me?
Well, I met your daddy right down the road at Charlie's Bar.
But I guess that's not such a big shock, is it?
No, not really.
Yeah, he bought me a drink and he told me that he had just moved back here
to his hometown to die.
And that's exactly what he did.
Of course, it took him a little over five years to do it,
but he was true to his word.
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
I don't know. I mean, you seem like a nice enough girl.
Nice enough for what?
Well... (SIGHS)
I just don't know that I'll ever understand
what you and your brother have done.
-What we've done? -To your daddy.
I mean, it seems like you all just left his well-being
in the hands of complete strangers.
I mean, it so happens that I care for him
and I found him this place to live,
but it does seem like y'all didn't care if he was living on the street,
dumpster-diving for his meals.
You, you have no idea what you're talking about.
Look, I know Mark had his problems...
His problems? Do you know how many different schools I had to go to
because my father got fired and we had to move to a different town
where nobody knew about him or his problems?
And I'm sure that was hard.
And walking home from school
with the few friends that I was able to make
and I see all of our belongings,
all of my toys
and clothes being sold in a yard sale
so that he would have enough gas money to leave town.
Look, Ellie, I didn't mean...
Or seeing my mother being carried away in an ambulance
'cause he wouldn't give her the car keys.
-What? -He killed her,
and I still loved him.
(VOICE BREAKING) So how does that make any fucking sense?
No. No, that can't be right, that can't be true.
"Can't be"... Just forget about it.
Hey. Hey! What about my hair?
Wear a hat!
You're just so selfish. You and your father, both.
Don't think I haven't noticed.
What about you? You rely on your son to put a roof over your head,
and you can't even look after his kid.
Why don't you have another drink?
Why don't you forget about it just like my father?
What do you know about anything, huh?
I had a baby boy and I was married a week out of high school,
and I have been trying to catch up ever since, just trying to...
So what do you know?
You come on back here when you're my age
and you tell me if you did everything right.
You come on back and tell me how it went.
(DOOR OPENS)
Shit...
(EXHALES)
(ENGINE STARTS)
JAMES: (ON PHONE) Hey, Ellie, what's up?
Hi, James.
Hey, I came by your place last night.
Did you hear me knocking?
I'm still in Texas.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right.
I came here 'cause of my father.
Yeah.
So, this is typically the moment
when a boyfriend would ask a girlfriend
if her father's doing okay or not.
(SIGHS) You know I don't like to deal with sick people.
You know that.
James, I think we should break up.
What? But I love you. What are you...
No, you're not the kind of guy who should really date anyone,
you know, you're more like a fun one-night stand
and somehow I've let this continue for a year.
You think I'm fun?
Uh... James, I don't think we should date anymore.
Starting when?
When I hang up the phone.
Well, in that case I won't let you hang up the phone...
(JUDY GRUNTS)
Are we early?
I don't think so.
(GUITAR PLAYING GENTLE SONG)
(SONG ENDS)
(EXHALES)
Hello, everyone, and thanks for coming.
I'd like to say a few words about Mark Edwards,
who may not have been my legal husband here in Texas,
but who will be, I know, waiting for me at the altar of heaven.
ROGER: Where's the body?
Excuse me?
ROGER: I said, "Where's the body?"
I heard what you said, Roger,
and I'm saying I was still talking.
(SLURRING) Well, I'm talking now, ain't I?
And this is a memorial service, isn't it?
So I hope you're not planning on rolling out the casket
like a birthday cake.
Roger, if I could just finish, please?
Would you like to take a step outside? Get some fresh air?
Oh, something stinks in here, all right,
but I ain't fixing to move.
Well, maybe you'd just like to...
Who the hell are you?
I'm Ellie. I'm Mark's daughter.
So now, the ungrateful kids show up.
You looking for a little money, are you?
Roger, you need to button it, and button it fast.
Drunk as a skunk and the sun isn't even down yet.
Drunk as skunk!
AMANDA: Okay. You know, I spent a lot of time thinking about
what I was gonna say up here
and y'all need to sit on down and get ready to cry!
ROGER: I'm fixing to cry, all right.
This whole freak show is gonna make me cry!
And I'm gonna ask you one more time,
where is my friend's body?
It was my father's wish to be cremated
-and that is what we... -Cremated?
ELLIE: Mmm-hmm. Yeah.
Your daddy didn't want to be burned to a crisp.
Well, apparently he did.
Good God almighty! Did you hear that?
Did you hear her?
-Oh... Oh, I see. -No.
So, now you're gonna sic your goon squad on me, is that it?
It's okay, Jack.
No, nobody is gonna hurt you.
ROGER: Can you imagine? Getting beat up at the wake of your best friend?
Oh, Christ, he was hardly your best friend.
I knew him for about 50 years,
that's more than the rest of you can say.
(STAMMERING) And you've done this all wrong.
I can see that you're upset.
You burnt up his body, you got that picture of him from the Navy,
he hated the damn Navy,
you got this freaking... (MUMBLING INDISTINCTLY)
Okay, that's it. You have to get out!
-Get off of me. -Out!
-Get off of me. -Out, now!
-No, get out! -Ahhh!
Oh, God.
ELLIE: Hey, just... Just...
(PEOPLE TALKING INDISTINCTLY)
(GRUNTS)
(GASPS) Oh!
(PANTING)
That's right.
(SIGHS)
All right.
Let's pick up where we left off, shall we?
Ellie?
You spend more time in this hospital than I do.
This is the last time, I promise.
How can you be so sure it's your last time here?
'Cause, basically, I'm gonna throw my clothes into a bag
and catch the first plane out of here tomorrow.
(DOOR OPENS)
-Hey. -Reno, hey, are you okay?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Y'all can leave.
I got to wait for some stitches.
-No, we can wait. -No, no, no.
I need to go home and check on my mom after anyway.
-You sure? -Yeah.
How's the cut? Is it gonna leave a scar?
I hope so.
Not very interesting until you have a bunch of scars
you can tell a bunch of lies about.
Go, get out of here. I'm fine.
-Okay. -Bye.
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON CAR STEREO)
Can we leave it on, for a minute?
Yeah, sure.
My father used to love this song.
My brother thinks we lost my father years ago,
you know, after the accident.
Is that how you feel?
I think he was still in there somewhere.
Tell me something about him.
Like what?
First good thing that pops in your head.
You know, he was in all kinds of bands.
And then he met my mom and she was singing in a band in Nashville.
-For real? -Yeah. (CHUCKLES)
So you're like a show business kid?
No. (GIGGLES)
I mean, they quit all that by the time my brother and I came along.
But...
And she used to...
Sing around the house, and, you know...
I bet she was a great lady.
(SONG CONTINUES PLAYING)
AMANDA: Hey, what are you doing?
Hey.
(SIGHS) Nothing.
Just thought I, uh, lost something.
What'd you lose?
I don't know.
You don't know what you might've lost?
Guess that's gonna take you a while to find that.
Is there anything that you wanted?
I see you got your bag packed and waiting by the front door.
-Yeah. I'm, I'm leaving. -You are.
I mean, I came to say goodbye to my dad
and that's more or less what I did.
Well...
They called and said that, um,
they'd have your daddy's ashes ready if you want to take them.
No.
Thank you, though.
What do you want me to do with them?
You could keep 'em.
Or you could scatter 'em someplace.
You know what, I don't think I could do that.
Well, I'm sure you'll think of something.
Okay.
(WOMAN ANNOUNCING INDISTINCTLY OVER PA)
Should you be doing that?
Hmm? This bandage is just not really my style, you know?
How does it look?
Not great.
Do you think anyone will believe me
if I said I got it in a shark attack?
(LAUGHS)
Hey, what time does your flight leave?
Leaves at 9:00.
-You don't have to stay if you don't want. -No, no, no.
You know, if we got all this time
there's something you could help me with.
Where exactly are we going?
Hold on, I think I saw one right up here.
One what?
Here, here, here. Pull up here.
(GRUNTS)
ELLIE: (WHISPERING) Wh... Why do you want this thing?
RENO: I have an idea.
Can't we just buy one of these?
Oh, I already got a bunch.
Is this like your thing?
-My thing? -Yeah.
(LAUGHING) Yeah. Like, you like to collect stolen bird-feeders?
(BOTH SNICKERING)
How could that be anyone's thing?
-(ELLIE MUTTERING) -Quick now, you ain't getting any lighter.
-Can you get it or not? -Yeah, got it.
-(DOG BARKING) -BOTH: Oh!
RENO: Run!
-What is that? -Hold this, tools.
Tools for what?
Tools to help us get into the store.
ELLIE: That is breaking and entering where I come from.
Yeah? That's what we call it here too.
(SCREAMING)
(LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY)
Now what?
My plane leaves in 10 minutes.
I don't think I'm gonna make it.
You're not ready to leave yet.
Hmm, I'm not?
No, you just got here.
I remember when I saw Amanda at the airport.
I thought,
"God, would it be really rude
"if I was to get on an airplane
-"turn right around and go home?" -(CHUCKLES)
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Yeah. (SIGHS) This place sucks.
I think you should come out to Los Angeles.
You could record some songs.
I think you need to get out of this place.
I can't.
My mom, you know. (CHUCKLES)
Anyway, I'd sooner be dead than set foot on an airplane.
(CHUCKLES) What?
You can get up and you can sing
in front of a whole bar of people who are throwing shit at you
and you're too scared to get on an airplane?
I'm not scared. I'll get on one as long as it don't take off the ground.
(LAUGHING)
-(BANGS) -Hey!
Well, what are you two doing here?
Oh, I'm calling the cops. That's for damn sure.
I can't even look at all that. It's everywhere.
(BANGS)
(PIGEONS COOING)
(GIGGLES)
Oh, wow!
(LAUGHS) Yeah, "Oh, wow!"
(POLICE SIRENS WAILING)
(TIRES SQUEALING)
(ELLIE SCREAMING AND LAUGHING)
Well, I guess this is it.
I guess.
(RENO SIGHS)
RENO: Uh...
I uh, meant to tell you.
I saw where, um, your key came from.
My mom has one like it.
It's uh, for a safety deposit box at the bank.
(CLICKS TONGUE) Okay.
(TAPS CAR)
Reno!
Thank you.
-ELLIE: Hi. -Morning.
Uh, is this key for your bank?
I believe it is. Let me see.
I'll give you some privacy.
(DINGS)
-Hi. -Hi, uh, I'm here to pick up my father's ashes.
Well, yes, but we've run into a slight problem with the urn.
With the urn?
The one you selected is not available right now
and we have completely run out.
Well, is there a different urn that I can put the ashes in?
The one you purchased is the most competitively priced urn
that we have and...
Well, if you'd want to upgrade, we could...
No, um, I don't want to do an upgrade.
Uh...
Is there anything else that you could use?
(TRAIN HORN BLOWING)
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
MAN: They're not home.
Oh.
Are you the granddaughter?
Yeah, I'm Ellie.
But how do you know about me?
You're all they could talk about these past few days. (CHUCKLES)
They're at the department store. Didn't Judy tell you?
Tell me what?
She's modeling today.
(WOMAN ANNOUNCING INDISTINCTLY OVER PA)
No, uh-uh.
I do not do yellow. And it's in my contract.
What contract? No one's getting paid.
I do not do yellow
and I don't do purple.
They're just not my colors. They never have been, I...
Just look at my hair. Are you crazy?
STORE EMPLOYEE: But, but this is all that we have left.
ELDERLY WOMAN: Well, then you've got a problem.
Judy.
Ellie!
Bruce said that you'd gone and without saying goodbye.
I told him he was wrong.
He said that you got that in your blood from your father,
and I said, "Well, she also got some of my blood
"and my blood is just not that rude."
How are you, dear?
What is all this?
Oh, it's not the best timing.
But, but it was planned months ago.
And well, I was just hoping that it would take my mind off my troubles.
(CHUCKLES) How often do you get asked to be a model at my age?
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
Now, you go find Bruce and you get a good seat,
and we'll go to the diner after.
-ELLIE: Okay! -(BOTH LAUGH)
STORE EMPLOYEE: Here we see the California casual.
Delightful and comfortable.
-With this, you can run your errands... -(CAMERA CLICKING)
...and still look like a lady on the go.
Here we see the elegant gray,
which is not just for winter anymore.
-Beautifully cut... -(CAMERA CLICKING)
...totally comfortable,
she looks so lovely.
Our next model comes to the stage
bringing a little flash and glitter.
And here we see midnight blue,
-suitable for any formal occasion... -(CAMERA CLICKING)
...while allowing for comfort at the same time.
A beautiful two-piece ensemble,
in beautiful midnight blue,
-with sparkle and bling to match her beauty. -(CAMERAS CLICKING)
(ALL GASP)
(WOMAN ANNOUNCING INDISTINCTLY OVER PA)
She's gonna be okay.
Boy, I wish I knew a prayer right about now.
Do you know any?
No, I'm afraid I don't.
But don't Judy and you go to church?
I just go for the singing
and she goes to see all of her friends.
I sleep through a lot of the praying part.
-You can go in now. -Oh, thank you.
You go ahead.
-Hey. -ELLIE: Hey.
My mom told me that Judy got into an accident.
Yeah, she had a pretty bad fall at the department store,
but I think that she's gonna be okay.
I'm glad you're still here.
Can't seem to stay away from this place.
(BOTH CHUCKLE SOFTLY)
Uh...
You're leaving?
Yeah. It, um, it's not that...
I understand.
It's not that I don't want to.
-Thanks. -(LAUGHS)
And Tommy's gonna miss you.
He's wonderful.
(CLICKS TONGUE) Yeah, I don't know what I would do without him.
What about you?
What's waiting for you back in LA?
I broke up with my boyfriend.
I'm gonna throw out the annoying roommate that I have
and probably apply for that job that I've been dreaming about.
Sounds like you'll be busy.
-(KNOCKING ON DOOR) -(DOOR OPENS)
Well, come on in, sweetheart.
From the height you fell from, I'm gonna count ourselves lucky.
I thought you said we wouldn't be seeing you again.
(ELLIE CHUCKLES)
You should leave, dear.
Do you want to sleep?
No, you should go back to your home.
-Well... -No, don't overstay your visit.
If you do that, then you won't want to come back.
And I want you to come back with your brother and with my great grandkids.
Why, I've never even seen them.
But you have a broken knee.
Well, there are doctors here.
Besides, it'll give Bruce something to do. (CHUCKLES)
You need to get home
and find someone who'll make that furniture that you design.
Now, give me a hug and you get out of here.
-ELLIE: HEY. -Hey.
Where would I stay?
What do you mean?
In Los Angeles, if I came with you, where would I stay?
You'd live with me.
You'd have to help me throw out my roommate but she scares pretty easy.
Okay.
But then, just one thing is, I'm not gonna get on a plane.
What? You want us to walk?
(BANGS CAR HOOD)
What's wrong with this thing?
(ELLIE CHUCKLES)
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING)
(SONG ENDS)
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING)
(SONG ENDS)