Freedom (1981) - full transcript
Teenager Libby Bellow begins soul-searching after becoming legally emancipated by her family and begins working on the road with a travelling carnival, in which Libby begins to think that happiness is at home, despite her personal conflict with her divorced mother.
(Multicom Jingle)
- [Man] You're on.
(metronome ticking)
"On the Way to Me," take one.
(mellow music)
♪ I'm on my way ♪
♪ Though I guess one
day I'll wake and find ♪
♪ It's just another false alarm ♪
♪ Somebody told me once ♪
♪ You can be whatever you want to be ♪
♪ But it don't come free ♪
♪ I'm on my way ♪
♪ Though I don't know where I'm going ♪
♪ I wish I'd gone there yesterday ♪
♪ Cold winds blowing at
my back but I can't stay ♪
♪ Oh, don't you see ♪
♪ It's where I need to be ♪
♪ I'm on my way to me ♪
♪ But I can't see ♪
♪ My future for the past ♪
♪ If I'd done what you had asked ♪
♪ I would have been there in a flash ♪
♪ I'm on my way back home ♪
♪ But I don't know tomorrow from today ♪
♪ I'm gonna find my way ♪
♪ Find my way ♪
♪ I don't know who ♪
- He didn't buy it, Lib.
♪ But there's a stranger with my face ♪
♪ Who knows the proper things to do ♪
♪ She smiles in all the right places ♪
♪ She runs in all the best races ♪
♪ I do too ♪
♪ But not for you ♪
♪ I'm on my way ♪
♪ And though the stranger bears my name ♪
♪ She just can't sing the song I play ♪
♪ Oh, but there's no shame in learning ♪
♪ Halfway there you wanna be turning ♪
♪ Back awhile, gonna turn back that dial ♪
♪ I'm on my way to me ♪
♪ But I can see ♪
♪ My future for the past ♪
♪ If I'd done what you had asked ♪
♪ I would have been there in a flash ♪
♪ I'm on my way back home ♪
♪ But I don't know tomorrow from today ♪
♪ I'm gonna find my way ♪
♪ Find my way ♪
(mellow piano music)
- [Rachel] Hi.
- Hi.
Sorry.
- [Rachel] For what?
- Messing up your life.
- Oh.
- [Libby] I am, aren't I?
- I think you like to think you are.
- I thought you'd be angry
'cause I got expelled.
- What was it this time?
- There's a rule about
walking barefoot through town.
You asked me, and I told you.
- Well,
what is it now, three schools, four?
- Get off my case, will you.
- [Rachel] Get off mine.
What do you want me to say, Libby,
give me a clue.
- How's Jessie?
Perfect as usual?
- Yes.
- And your friend?
- Richard?
Richard's all right, he's
out of town for a few days.
- Must be rough.
I'm not going home.
- Oh?
Then what, I'd like to know your plans.
- I wanna be free.
- What does that mean?
Right, you have to live somewhere,
you have to go to school,
you're not 16 yet.
Free to what, Libby?
I don't understand.
- Live my life.
- What does that mean?
That's not good enough.
- Oh yeah, right, of course.
- Freedom's responsibility,
that's what it is.
- Means free of you, okay.
Free of why don't you, why
can't you, why aren't you.
Well, why don't you?
Why can't you, and why aren't you?
I'm not gonna be Jessie
for you, understand?
- I don't want you to be.
- Oh no?
- No.
- Well,
I'm not going home.
- Heard you the first time, dammit.
- I'm not going home.
- I don't see that you have
much of a choice, Libby.
- I'll just split again
if you send me home.
What's the point?
I love you, Mom, I can't do it your way.
I mess up, and we hassle, and
I screw up your life, right?
- Don't play into my guilt, Lib.
It won't work anymore.
- Libby, we could make
you a ward of the court.
Now, that means that you'd
have to stay in Juvenile Hall
until you were placed.
I'd hate to see you do that.
I mean, we had a youngster
up there last week
who had all of her teeth knocked out.
I'm not trying to scare
you, it's just a fact.
Now, the other alternative
is a halfway house.
- [Libby] What's that?
- [Officer] Well, you'd live with a family
for a cooling off period,
your mom would come up to
see you from time to time.
It's just a neutral ground
where the two of you could
work your problems out.
- Maybe it's worth a try right now.
- Can I make a call please?
I wanna call my father.
- He's not gonna take you.
- Can I call my father, please?
- There's the phone.
Would you like to be alone?
- Yes, please.
Thank you.
- Here you go.
- [Libby] He wants to talk to you.
- Excuse me.
- You were wrong.
He never puts me down.
That's the difference
between the two of you.
- Whatever you say, Libby.
- Know what he said?
- I don't really care, Libby.
- He said no daughter of mine
is gonna be put in a halfway house.
- Terrific.
- He says he'll take full responsibility.
He wants Libby with him.
- Okay.
Come on, Lib, I'll drive you back.
- No, I'll...
Thanks, I'm gonna go with Mr. Owens.
- Oh, okay.
- I love you, Mom, you know that.
- I love you, do you know that?
- It's better this way.
You know how bad I wanna be with dad.
I'll call you, okay?
- Yeah, keep in touch.
- I'm terribly sorry
about all this.
- Yeah, me too.
- See, look.
I'm glad everything is resolved.
- Right.
- You take care, honey.
- [Libby] Okay, thanks for everything.
- It's pretty rough on you, huh?
- Mmm, I don't know about that, I guess.
I did my share.
- Can I get you anything else?
- [Libby] No.
That was fine, thank you.
- Well, your dad meant to
be here before you arrived.
- This is okay.
- Finally.
Your dad is home.
(both chatting faintly)
How was your day?
- It was good.
Hey.
- Hey.
- Listen, I spent half my of life
being thrown out of one school or another.
Don't sweat it.
- No, I won't.
(chuckling)
- You're not gonna make
the cover of Vogue, kid.
- Well, I'm leaving that for Jessie.
- Come here.
- What?
- Well, you gonna kiss me, or what?
- Or what, of course.
(chuckles)
- Will you be all right in here?
- Fine, yeah.
- It's an awfully tiny room.
It's really claustrophobic.
Used to be a sewing
room, or something, and
we haven't had a chance to fix it up yet.
- [Libby] It's fine, thank you.
- I'm gonna get a radio.
Is that all right?
- That'd be nice.
Thanks.
- [Jessie] Mom!
- Yep!
- They were kind to--
- Mama!
- I'm working.
- You want something, Rae?
- Mom!
- Did you call me?
- [Rachel] No!
Nevermind, Richard!
- [Jessie] Libby's home!
- What?
- Michael's getting her
stuff out of the trunk.
Libby!
Hi dad.
- Hi.
- Yo.
How you doing, Rae?
- Hello, Michael.
- Hi mom.
- [Rachel] Hi.
You back?
- No, not really, don't worry.
- Don't do that, Lib.
- [Michael] Where do you want this?
- Right here for now, thanks.
- Libby!
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Still mince meat, huh?
Skinny as ever.
- Yeah.
- Hi, baby.
- Hi.
- I'd like to know what's going on.
- I'm gonna tell ya.
How's it going?
- Fine.
- I'm gonna be out of town
a few months, Copenhagen.
So, you're gonna have to take over.
- [Rachel] Why don't
you take Libby with you?
- You know that's impossible.
- No, I don't know that at all.
You told the officer that you--
- I would have told the cop anything
to keep her out of that place.
- Did he explain--
- I'm not interested.
You would have let her go.
- Christ sakes, it was someone's home.
- [Michael] I don't know
what's in your head sometimes.
- Come on, Jessie.
(sighs deeply)
- What, do you really need
to punish her, or what?
- Will you ever listen to anything?
- Listen?
(dog barking)
I don't know what you've
been doing the last 10 years,
however many years you've had
to mess her up the way she is.
But you've done one hell of a job.
- Right, right, single-handedly.
- But you're not gonna
put any of this on me.
All I know...
All I know is that I get a
call whenever there's a crisis.
That's the only time I ever hear from you.
- I thought you might wanna know
that your daughter had disappeared.
- No, I don't wanna know that.
I don't wanna be handed the mess.
- I didn't hand you the mess.
- And I always help, don't I?
- It's impossible.
- [Michael] Hey you, don't give me that.
I always help, don't I?
- You're a brick.
You're not even calling me about--
- What's the problem here?
- Oh, what's up, Richard?
- Michael.
Well, the Rams are getting
killed by 20 points.
- [Rachel] Libby's back.
- Oh?
Well, good.
- [Michael] So, do you wanna talk or what?
- Uh, look,
why don't you guys just--
- This is no secret.
You might as well be part of it, Richard.
Libby?
Now, Libby knows she has to finish school.
And that's a given,
we've been over all that.
But she wants her own apartment.
She wants to try living on her own.
I think it's worth a try.
She won't live here.
- How do you plan to do that, Lib?
- Well, the deal is
she passes with no worst than Cs,
I give the child support directly to her.
- Can you live on 150 a month, Libby?
- Yeah, sure.
- "Yeah, sure?"
Where do you plan to go to school?
- [Libby] In Ojai.
- Ojai?
- The public school.
I got a lot of friends there.
It's safe, it's a small town.
You can walk down the street at night,
and nobody's gonna bug you, you know.
It's okay.
- Well, am I supposed to talk now?
Am I supposed to say what I think?
Because I think the whole idea is crazy.
I mean, I don't even know if it's legal.
You're still a child.
- Maybe legally.
- You're still a child.
- I was on my own when I was 14.
- We're not talking about you.
- What do you wanna do?
Lock her up?
'Cause that's what
you're gonna have to do,
and I won't let you do it.
- Okay, you take responsibility then.
- Hell no!
You have custody, this is a mess you made.
This is your responsibility.
- I don't want you guys to fight.
- You're my best, babe.
You two are gonna have to work this out.
You let my attorney know whatever.
I love you.
Everything's gonna be okay.
- Thanks.
Have a good trip.
- [Michael] Listen, if you need anything,
I can be reached, right?
- Right.
I'll walk you to your car.
- [Michael] Richard.
- See you.
- [Michael] Good luck, huh?
- [Richard] Rae, listen to--
♪ Every dark corner is
another man's dream ♪
♪ Do you know ♪
♪ Do you know ♪
♪ Dream ♪
♪ You know what I mean ♪
♪ Dream to me ♪
- Is that one of yours?
It's nice, I wanna hear some more.
- It's all I have.
I haven't finished it yet.
- I think they're really good.
Your songs, I mean.
As good as I've heard.
Really special.
- Yeah, well, you know,
they're all about me.
- Not all.
- Yeah, they are.
They're either about me
or for me, one of the two.
You don't give a damn about Dad, do you?
You know how bad that hurts him?
- Don't start on me, Libby.
- What?
- I mean, I hardly know him.
- Well, you never call him.
- He never calls me.
He's my father.
He should call me, don't you think?
- No, I don't.
You're mama's girl, all
right, you're like a parrot.
You haven't a thought that isn't hers.
- It's not true.
- Ha!
Not true, huh?
It's okay, you're my baby
sister, I love you anyway.
- I thought you were asleep.
You wanna talk?
Hmm?
- I'm the enemy.
Can you believe it?
Or still I feel like the enemy.
- Let her go, Rachel.
- I can't.
- Let her go.
- She's a baby.
- She's not, Rae,
and she's tearing you up and herself up.
You can't hold her.
She'll end up tearing us up.
She's not gonna let it go.
- (crying) Don't throw us in the middle,
but please give me a break.
I can't just throw her out into the world.
- She's already gone.
Give her a chance to find her way back.
- You can come up with
such garbage sometimes.
It's like she's racing
head on into a brick wall,
and I keep on throwing myself in her way,
and she just rolls right on over
and there's nothing I could
do to stop her. (crying)
(mellow guitar music)
(Rachel crying)
(laughing)
- Yeah, yeah.
- Oh god, girl, let's try one.
- Let's do one.
- [Man] I got an open door
out here, boys and girls.
- [Man] Hang on a second,
we gotta change reels.
- [Man] Get in the club, Joe.
- Are we making any noise?
- In the state of California,
you can be legally
emancipated at the age of 14
with proof of support
and parental consent.
Now, what I've drawn up
here is an informal document
that'll save you the trauma
of court appearances.
It's not legally binding, you understand,
but it'll allow you to
register at school, get an apartment,
sign hospital consents.
You'll have all the
responsibilities of an adult,
you understand?
Now, I've kept it very simple.
I, Rachel Bellow, mother
of Libby Ann Bellow,
do hereby emancipate and set free
said daughter; and that's it.
All it needs is your signature.
♪ No more rules and regulations ♪
♪ Time for fools, I've got no patience ♪
♪ Won't it be ♪
♪ Great to see ♪
♪ Me finally free ♪
♪ It's gonna be great ♪
♪ I'm gonna eat what I feel like facing ♪
♪ I can beat that whole rat racing ♪
♪ They tell me that time's a-wasting ♪
♪ Well, I'll waste that time away ♪
♪ You can barely hide ♪
♪ But you can turn your cheek ♪
♪ You can run that racket
on your planted feet ♪
♪ But as for me, I'm finally free to be ♪
♪ Me finally free ♪
♪ No more dinner invitations ♪
♪ No more idle conversations ♪
♪ Every word's a gem that's
heard at first from me ♪
♪ I'm gonna make what I feel like making ♪
♪ I can't take who feels like taking ♪
♪ They can say that time's a-wasting ♪
♪ Well, I'll waste their time away ♪
♪ 'Cause you can barely hide ♪
♪ 'Cause you can turn your cheek ♪
♪ You can run that racket
on your planted feet ♪
♪ But as for me ♪
♪ I'm finally free to be ♪
♪ Me, finally free ♪
♪ I said as for me ♪
♪ I'm finally free to be ♪
♪ Me, finally free ♪
- Is this it?
- Well, I love it.
That's the bathroom in through there.
- [Jessie] It's terrific.
Really.
I did good, huh?
- Yeah.
- I hate this.
She knows I hate this, I
don't know why she does this.
I'm never gonna--
- Get something,
will you, Libby?
Make her happy.
- Well, take these out, they don't fit.
- [Rachel] Oh.
Oh.
(Libby clears throat)
- Thank you.
(laughing)
- [Jessie] Happy birthday.
- Happy birthday.
I love you.
- It was good, huh?
- Yeah, it was nice.
It was good being together.
I like to pretend that
that she's all right.
- Well, maybe she is.
- Maybe.
It was
nice.
It was pretty warm, great family.
You should come up with us.
- No, I shouldn't.
Let me make an honest woman of you.
- No thanks.
Didn't much like it the first time.
- Rachel,
marry me.
- You know, you should see
someone about your timing,
you know that?
- My timing's always
gonna be wrong, isn't it?
- I don't wanna fight, you wanna fight?
- What I want is some footing around here.
We have to be some sort of family.
- Aren't we?
- You know damn well we're not.
You keep this relationship
very, very separate.
- It's not fair.
- You bet it's not.
- I've got my own life in shape
before I can take on someone else.
- (chuckles) You'll never
get your life in order.
You thrive on chaos.
- I don't, I hate it.
- You thrive on it all the same.
And Libby is her mother's daughter.
- Oh yes, and Jessie?
- Don't kid yourself.
Jessie stays out of the line of fire.
She protects herself at all times.
- You stink.
I don't think I like you.
- I can leave whenever you want.
- You'll find your way
out on your own stink.
- I'm not going until you tell me to.
- All right, go.
Go.
Go.
Go.
Go!
- Tomorrow okay?
- Tomorrow's fine.
Never.
(muffled rock music)
- Throw a pie at me?
- Wanna give it a try?
♪ Always be the grown one ♪
- Come on, one stop, plus five.
(music drowns out voice)
All you got to do is get to five.
- All right now, we got a two
and a two, there's a four,
and a one, there's a five, an eight.
You're a winner, what'd I tell ya, huh?
Nothing to it, right?
What's your pleasure?
- Anything.
- Let's go, here.
How's this one cute furry anything, huh?
- Well, thank you.
- You're welcome.
Come on, now, put your
money away, all right.
Put your money away, okay.
- Okay.
Bye.
- Hey.
- Me?
- What's your name?
- Me?
- Yeah, you.
- Libby.
- [Ron] I'm Ron.
Don't get lost.
- What?
- Come on back later.
- [Man] Got yourself a spinner, Ron?
- Okay.
Maybe.
What's a spinner?
(laughing)
- Uh, you are, I guess.
It's just a girl.
♪ I'm scared you won't
now, I'm scared you will ♪
♪ Leave me on my own ♪
(people screaming)
(upbeat music)
- [Man] Easiest game on the midway.
- [Woman] There's a winner.
(upbeat music)
(people shouting)
- Closing.
(carnies cheering)
You're down.
Close it.
(carnies cheering)
(dog barking)
You're down, you're down.
Close it.
- Somebody waiting for you.
- Yeah, who?
- Over by the wheel.
Hey, do me a favor, huh, cool it?
- Yeah, you bet.
(people laughing)
- You know.
- I have one thing to say.
I think that I froze in the
back of the truck last night,
and I think that we
should get a motel room
and take showers.
- Oh, come on, how?
- [Woman] I think he's right.
- Nothing's gonna be
bright after this spot.
I'm in the books 35 bucks already.
- You're always in the--
- And I don't like being in that much.
- I mean, this place is really a drag.
I mean, all we need is rain.
- Bite your tongue.
We're going to Lodi.
- [Woman] Lodi?
- Lodi.
- Lodi.
- [Woman] (giggling) I
think you're losing it, Ray.
- [Man] Lodi's gonna carry us
three or four bad spots, you guys.
- [Man] Lodi wouldn't
carry us across the street.
- (laughing) Sure.
- Money, guys.
Money, money, money.
- You guys (clears
throat) can take showers
at my place if you like.
Anyone who wants to
crash, it's okay, really.
- Hey, that's, um, thanks, but um,
we gotta go.
We gotta make it.
- That's it.
- You got enough?
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ Round and round I go ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ So, bye-bye Lucy Low ♪
♪ Now we're down at Old Joe's house ♪
♪ See what singing he had ♪
♪ Press my finger down his throat ♪
♪ And pull that string ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ Round and round I go ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ So, bye-bye Lucy Low ♪
(carnies singing)
- So, uh, your folks outta town, or,
or what, huh?
- I'm an emancipated minor.
- What's that?
- It means I'm responsible for myself.
I can live by myself like as if I'm 18.
- You're kidding?
How do you do that?
- Oh, we got this lawyer who drew up a
piece of paper, so like a
contract between me and my mom.
You know, I probably would've
ended up in Juvenile Hall
if they hadn't let me, though.
My mom loves me too much to do that.
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ Round and round I go ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ So, bye-bye Lucy Low ♪
♪ I went down to Old Joe's house ♪
♪ I've been there before ♪
- Can I stay here tonight?
♪ He slept on the floor ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ Round and round I go ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ So, bye-bye Lucy Low ♪
(carnies cheering)
(dog barking)
- Hi.
- What are you doing?
- I'm watching you sleep.
- Oh yeah?
- You're beautiful.
I feel safe with you, is that weird?
- Libby, why don't you go home,
and get some decent sleep, okay.
I'll see you later.
That's a promise.
Okay?
(mellow music)
(knocking on door)
- [Man] Bring your cat some water,
or this stuffed panda bear.
Is she home?
- [Man] Answer the door.
- Please save us.
We're here.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- It's all right, isn't it?
- Yeah, it's fine.
Come on in.
- Man, come on.
- It's cold.
- Man, come on.
- [Woman] I don't believe this.
Look at me, man,
I've been working up to
my knees in water all day.
- You hold 100 gallons of
water at the top of the joint,
and hope it collapsed on you.
- I don't believe it.
- If this rain keeps up,
we're gonna slide a day earlier, right?
- All right.
- It's fine, man.
- [Man] I'm soaked.
Last one is soaked.
(people chatting)
- Bill, Bill.
Did that cop talk to
you today on the midway?
- Oh yeah, Amanda, we got to
keep you off the midway tomorrow, okay?
They tracked you again.
- Oh, damn.
- [Bill] Your mom's looking for you.
She wants you back.
- You can stay here, if you want.
- Yeah, okay, maybe.
- Is there any food around?
- Food!
- Food!
- Yeah!
- Right through there.
- French fries.
Caesar salad.
♪ It's easy to see ♪
♪ We've wasted our time ♪
♪ And now you believe ♪
♪ It's the end of the line ♪
♪ I've known all along ♪
♪ That the truth must be told ♪
♪ But I never expected ♪
♪ To hear it so bold ♪
♪ No time like today ♪
♪ For yesterday's dream ♪
♪ When all your rays
come apart at the seams ♪
♪ Every dark corner's ♪
♪ Another man's dream ♪
♪ You know what I mean ♪
♪ Do you know what you mean to me ♪
♪ Don't leave tonight ♪
♪ 'Cause I need tomorrow ♪
♪ Da da da da da ♪
♪ Da da da da da ♪
♪ Don't leave tonight ♪
- All right.
- See, all right.
- [All] All right.
- [Brett] That's very good.
It was wonderful.
- Carnies.
They're my family.
My mom's not much of a family to me.
I mean, I love her and all that, but, uh,
it gets in your blood and
you just can't stay away.
They've come for me a couple of times.
I just come on back.
I've spent some
really rotten nights
in some of those tanks
waiting for my mom to come and get me.
Never again.
- Bill doesn't like me very much, does he?
- Hey, that's Bill.
I mean, he takes everybody's life serious.
I mean, like me.
He and Ron are like brothers,
and Ron falls in love every two minutes.
And, I mean, it's real
when it happens, but
well, he's just head over
heels every two seconds.
And we got a spinner trailing
with a sign at the next spot,
and he doesn't know what to do, so
Bill ends up putting her on
a bus and getting her home.
- Why don't you just tell
the girl to come on out,
and save us all a lot of trouble.
- There's no one here but me.
- Look, her mom wants her home,
and I've got to take her in.
- Do you have a warrant?
- Why do you want to
get your nose into this?
- There's no one here but me.
And you're not invited in,
so you don't have a warrant.
- Don't need a warrant.
- Hey, this is my house, man.
You can not come in here.
It's against the law to do this.
- You want law, okay.
I've reasonable proof and
knowledgeable evidence
that you are harboring a runaway.
You're gonna be in a lot
of trouble, you know that.
- No, you're gonna be in
a lot of trouble, man.
- [Officer] Amanda, right?
Come on.
Let's go for a ride.
- [Amanda] No, let me go!
- Let go of her.
- [Amanda] Let me go!
- Ow!
- Get off of her!
Get off of her, man, you
can't touch her like...
Get out of my house!
(Amanda screaming)
(dog barking)
- [Amanda] No!
Get off!
- Ow!
- Get out of my house!
(screaming)
- Don't do that!
- Stay out of this!
(girls crying)
(dog barking)
- [Libby] Hi.
- I don't know what to tell you.
- Me neither.
- [Rachel] This isn't a joke.
- I didn't say it was.
- [Rachel] You look awful.
- (chuckles) Thanks, a lot.
What'd you expect?
- Nothing, nothing anymore.
- I didn't do nothing.
- Well, you know how
to speak English, Lib.
What are you doing, trying
to impress me, or what?
- I didn't do anything, all right.
Why don't you talk to the counselor.
I mean, did you talk to him?
- Harboring a runaway,
obstructing an officer,
resisting arrest.
- What about what he did, man?
He broke the law like six times over.
He's breaking and entering,
he didn't have a warrant.
He jumped on Amanda--
- We're talking about you now.
- You never let me finish.
You never listen.
- It's always someone else's fault, right?
Well, you listen to me.
You wanna be free?
You have to take
responsibility for what you do.
- Don't give me that junk.
Don't preach at me.
- Don't you talk to me like that.
- Why don't you just go
back to your perfect house
and your perfect
daughter, wonderful lover,
and all your important work.
Just forget about me, okay.
Right now, if you already have, anyway.
- You really know what
buttons to push, don't you?
Just once, it'd be nice to hear an apology
come out of that mouth.
- I didn't do anything wrong.
- All right, let's add truancy to that,
and $200 worth of bad checks.
You didn't think I knew
about that, did you?
- I'll take care of it.
Don't worry, you won't have to pay it.
- Don't worry, I won't anymore.
- Big deal. (scoffs)
- Listen, everything I do is wrong.
I accept that, okay.
But what you don't wanna see
is that your life is going
straight into the toilet.
- Of course you'd say that.
Why don't you just go back 200 years
and drag up some more stuff,
to the day I was born.
Put me out somewhere and
tell me I'm exactly like dad.
Go to hell.
Perfect.
Perfect.
I was maced!
I got maced, don't you care?
I'm your daughter.
Dad would have a fit on me
and he'd tear this place apart.
- And where is he, Libby?
Why isn't he here, Libby?
- Because this is your mess.
You got custody.
- Not anymore, remember?
You wanted to be on your
own, well you got it.
- Don't say anything bad about my father.
- (scoffs) I wouldn't dare.
- [Libby] What happened to Amanda?
- The girl?
She's back home, I guess.
- They're not gonna make
me stay here, are they?
- No, they're not pressing charges.
- Well, they're not gonna
make me go with you, are they?
I wanna get back to Ojai
as soon as possible.
- No, I don't think they
can make you do anything.
You can leave whenever you want.
- Okay then, see ya.
- Oh boy.
You too, huh?
(upbeat music)
- Who's that?
- Where?
- The guitar?
- [Ron] Oh man.
- I hope she stays.
It's somebody for you to jam with.
- Ron.
Hi.
- Yeah, hi.
How ya doing?
- Libby from Ojai, remember?
- Yeah, yeah, sure, sure.
- I'm Sherri, hi.
- Hi.
- So, how you been?
- Okay.
All right.
- Amanda back?
- Uh, no, no.
What the hell you doing here?
- I thought you wanted me here.
- Did I say that?
Did, um, you ever hear me say that?
- No, it's--
- Libby, I'm sorry.
I don't have old ladies tonight.
I don't want old ladies.
- [Sherri] I'm his old lady.
- [Ron] Libby, why don't you, uh,
get on a bus, and--
- Hey, hey Ron?
- Go back home.
- Ron.
Cool it, huh?
- [Libby] I messed up.
My fault.
I messed up.
- No, he messed up.
It's his fault.
He's just...
He's just mad at himself, that's all.
Doesn't wanna grow up.
Listen, if,
if you don't have enough
money for the bus fare,
I can probably scrounge it up for you.
- I can't go back.
I need a job.
- You don't wanna work here, though.
(sighs) All right.
Take you to the boss is all I can do.
- You got a work permit?
- I got this.
- You know, I really don't
need anybody for just the, uh,
just the one spot.
No, I'd love to sing.
- Yeah?
- [Libby] Yeah.
- Okay.
Better get your spot to
spot on your own steam.
Okay, you can cart a ride
with one of the trucks,
or one of these bum cars, but...
Cathy, go help Linda, she's an airhead.
Right now!
If you want comfort, you can thumb,
all right, with a buddy.
Anyway, it's your headache.
If you're late, you're fined.
If you're drunk or stoned
on the job, you're fined.
First time, all right.
Happens again, you're canned,
thrown off the midway.
Okay?
You're one hour on, one hour off.
At the end of the night, you
can't leave the midway at all.
You wear jeans and a shirt.
If you're caught wearing
tank tops, or something like
that, you're fined, okay.
You get, uh...
You're getting any of this?
(laughing)
- Yeah.
(people shouting)
- [Carnie] We got a winner!
(people shouting)
(upbeat music)
- Lib!
Take a break.
(people shouting)
(upbeat music)
- [Woman] Come on, let's go.
And three.
Three for a dollar, three for
a dollar, that's the mark.
How many do you want, sonny?
- One.
- Only one?
- That's, uh, that's Mama J.
She's older than God.
She goes into her ticket booth
every morning with a coffee container,
and never comes out till closing.
Friends?
- If you want.
- Good.
Good.
I gotta get back to the joint.
You okay?
- Yeah.
(upbeat music)
Hey.
Thanks.
- What for?
We're all family here.
(upbeat music)
(people shouting)
- [Man] Party time!
- [Woman] Party time!
Party time!
- Hey!
(kids screaming)
- I woke you, didn't I?
- No.
Libby?
- I'm okay.
Just calling to tell you that I'm okay
'cause you'd be worried.
I'm not dead or anything.
I'm working with the
carnival, and I love it.
I'm really happy here for
the first time in my life.
Be happy for me, okay.
I love you.
Mom?
- Yes.
Just give it a second to sink in.
(chuckles)
- I love you, mom.
Is Jessie there?
I'd like to talk to her.
- [Rachel] Jessie, your
sister's on the phone.
- Libby, hi!
How are you, where are you?
- I'm with the carnival.
- [Jessie] Really?
How exciting, it must be fun.
- It's fantastic.
Carnies are fantastic.
I'd like you to come up
and visit me sometime.
- Really?
I'd love that.
- I gotta go.
Tell mom I love her and tell
her I'll call her later.
- I'm still on the line.
How can I get in touch with you?
It's hard 'cause we're
moving all the time,
but I'll call you.
And I'm really happy, mom, really.
- [Rachel] Well, that's something.
- Okay then.
- [Jessie] Bye, Lib.
- Bye.
- Love you.
(dial tone buzzes)
She's joined the circus.
(laughing)
Not funny.
- I think it's wonderful. (laughing)
- [Sherri] Hey, you ready now?
One in wins.
On your break?
- Yep.
It's slow, huh?
- [Sherri] The worst.
Made a buck and a half
in the last two hours.
It'll pick up.
- [Libby] Can I get you anything?
- [Sherri] No, uh-uh.
- [Libby] Well, how are you feeling?
- Fine.
Heavy. (chuckles)
Kid moves like crazy.
Kicks me all night long.
Kicked Ron last night.
- So what, you gonna marry him?
- No, I don't think so.
Ron doesn't want any
kids, and I do, of course.
I can't wait.
- But you love him.
- Everybody loves Ron.
I could never be possessive, you know.
I don't believe in it.
And Ron wouldn't put up with it.
We're friends now, and that's good.
I wouldn't wanna fool around with that.
You can't understand that, can you?
- No.
I mean, it's his baby.
- It's my baby.
Ron's gonna pick up on
another chick, soon.
I can feel it.
No use getting torn up about it.
We all gotta live together, right?
You know why you never hear a carnie
put down someone else's old lady?
Because sooner or later,
she's gonna be his old lady.
You can't understand that
'cause you want someone
crazy in love with you.
You want ownership, you want forever.
Hey.
Hey!
Ron likes you a lot!
- Ah!
- He thinks you're talented.
And you are.
♪ Yes, I cry myself to sleep ♪
(upbeat music)
- Hey, what's the matter?
Come on, don't you like me?
- What are you doing, man?
Get lost.
Where's your dime?
- Hey, be nice.
Come sweetheart, come here.
Come here.
- Get off this counter.
- Relax, huh?
- Get off the counter.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey.
The lady's trying to work, okay.
We're not supposed to sit
on the counter anyway.
Let's go.
- Hey, why don't you take a hike.
- Get off the counter!
Come on.
I got him, I got him,
get off, get over here.
I got him, I got him, I got
him, I got him, I got him.
You okay?
- Are you?
- [Bill] Terrific.
- [Carnie] We got a winner!
- So, by all powers vested in me
by the state of California,
I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
(everyone cheering)
- Hold on, hold on.
Back down.
You okay?
They gotta go around three
times before it's legal.
It's just tradition.
(everyone cheering and whistling)
(upbeat music)
♪ Old Joe Clark, the preacher's son ♪
♪ Preached all over the plain ♪
♪ The only text he ever knew ♪
♪ Was High, low, Jack and the game ♪
♪ Used to live on the mountain top ♪
♪ Now he lives in town ♪
♪ He's boarding at the big hotel ♪
♪ Courting Betsy Brown ♪
♪ Round and round, Old Joe Clark ♪
♪ Round and round you say ♪
♪ I don't need 2,000 miles ♪
♪ To get my fiddle played ♪
(upbeat fiddle music)
♪ When I was a little girl ♪
♪ Used to play with toys ♪
♪ Now I am a bigger girl ♪
♪ I'd rather play with boys ♪
♪ When I was a little boy ♪
♪ Used to want a knife ♪
♪ Now I am a bigger boy ♪
♪ I only want a wife ♪
♪ Round and round Old Joe Clark ♪
♪ Round and Round you say ♪
♪ I don't need 2,000 miles ♪
♪ To get my fiddle played ♪
(upbeat fiddle music)
(everyone cheering)
- [Man] All right!
♪ Would you dream ♪
♪ Here in this place ♪
- Peace, okay?
♪ Beautiful boy ♪
♪ That you love ♪
♪ Beautiful night ♪
- We're all right then, huh?
- What?
- Forgiven?
- Oh.
Like always.
You're the easiest game on the midway.
- [Ron] (laughing) What?
♪ Monsters and dragons seem far away ♪
♪ Here in this dream with you ♪
♪ Holding you gently, holding you close ♪
♪ Making your dreams come true ♪
♪ Beautiful eyes ♪
♪ Beautiful face ♪
♪ Beautiful boy ♪
♪ In your arms ♪
♪ Beautiful night ♪
♪ Out here in space ♪
♪ Beautiful boy ♪
♪ You love ♪
♪ Do you go down ♪
♪ On the side of Sugar Mountain ♪
♪ When leaves are brown ♪
♪ And the sunlight splits the sky ♪
♪ I have found ♪
♪ That the sea breeze tears at the ocean ♪
♪ And I hope somebody will
love me before I die ♪
♪ Oh willow, weep no more my lady ♪
♪ Though the days are long and lazy ♪
♪ And the sun sets heavy on the sky ♪
♪ Weep no more, I'm homeward bound ♪
♪ I'm gonna tear this mountain down ♪
♪ You're gonna be somebody by and by ♪
♪ Sugar Mountain lovers taste like honey ♪
♪ And their lips like elderberry wine ♪
♪ Every other stranger pales and withers ♪
♪ And I know somebody's
gonna love me before I die ♪
♪ Oh willow, weep no more my lady ♪
♪ Though the days are long and lazy ♪
♪ And the sun sets heavy on the sky ♪
♪ Weep no more, I'm homeward bound ♪
♪ I'm gonna tear this mountain down ♪
♪ You're gonna be somebody by and by ♪
♪ Weep no more, I'm homeward bound ♪
♪ I'm gonna tear this mountain down ♪
♪ You're gonna be somebody ♪
♪ By and by ♪
- [Papa J] Oh, hi there.
- Hi.
- What name do you go by
that doesn't have to be your real one?
- Libby.
- Well, Libby, come over here.
Come here.
Come closer, I won't bite you.
Do they say I bite?
- No.
- All right, then.
Now come over here and sit down.
I said sit down.
Now.
Do you know who I am?
- Papa J?
- Old Man Johnson, Papa J.
Do you know how old I am?
- 92?
- 92.
And all this is mine.
Every bit of it.
Yes sir.
Now, you know what a mark is?
- Anyone who ain't a carnie?
- Well, partial.
You know the story about the train mule?
- No.
- See, this man advertises
he's got a train mule for sale.
You ever come across a train mule?
- No.
- Well, this clown who comes
along, and he buys the mule.
Now, he's back in a week
because he can't get that
jackass to do a damn thing.
Well the man says, "Well,
that's impossible."
The farmer says, "Oh yeah?"
So he tells the mule,
"Sit down!
"Stand up!
"Walk!"
Nothing happens, right?
Well, the man says, "No wonder."
So, he reaches back till
he gets a two-by-four,
and he wallops that mule
right across the eyes with it.
Then he says, "First, you
gotta get his attention."
(laughing)
Now, that's what a mark is.
'Cause all those people
out there live their lives
getting smacked across the
face with a two-by-four.
You have got to learn how to duck
them two-by-fours, little lady.
Understand?
Check.
- Yeah, check.
(upbeat fiddle music)
- So.
You girls are going to Red Bluff, huh?
- No.
I don't think so.
Twins, can you imagine?
- You okay?
- Terrific.
Sit down.
Did you see them?
- Nope, not yet.
- They're gorgeous.
Gorgeous.
- Who can I call, can I call anyone?
- You can call my mother.
- Oh, I'll get that, wait.
Who else?
- Tell her to come get me, okay?
- She won't be angry, or anything?
- No.
I don't think.
I mean, after all, it's
your mother, for God's sake.
Would yours?
- Be angry?
I'm not sure what my mother would think.
- Anyway, mine was always
looking forward to grandchildren
to keep her occupied.
Well, she's got them.
(laughing)
It's a miracle, huh?
(muffled voices echoing)
- Hi there.
I'm Wizard.
Uh, sorry about looking so grubby, but,
we came to L.A. to pick
up some stock, and,
been loading the truck all day.
Libby!
- Mom.
- [Rachel] How'd you get in?
- Don't I get a kiss first?
We haven't seen each
other around 100 years.
- [Rachel] You know I
don't like surprises.
- Yeah, you do.
This is Wizard.
- We met.
- [Libby] And this is Bill.
This is my mom.
- Hi.
- I think I might have
given your mom a start.
I think I scared her a little.
- We came into L.A. to pick up some stuff.
Thought it'd be a good chance to see you.
- How'd you get in?
- Mom, there's about a zillion ways
to get in to this house if you want to.
You ought to do something
about it, you know.
I mean, anybody could break in.
It's kind of dangerous.
So, where is everybody?
Where's Jessie?
- She's out shopping with friends.
- (chuckles) Figures.
What about you, what are you doing?
You're working hard?
- Yeah.
They want it yesterday, of course.
You left the kitchen a mess.
We don't have anybody to clean up.
- Oh, what happened to the last one?
- What difference does it make?
- None, I guess.
These are my friends.
- Yeah, I understood that.
- [Bill] We were
loading a truck all day,
that's why we're so...
Libby jumped right in and helped us.
We're not always quite this messy.
- We can even look human when we want to.
- Yeah, she just thought
that maybe we could,
you know, come here...
You don't want us to.
- No, it's just a little bit of a shock
to see strange people in your home.
- People?
This is me, these are my friends.
- Come on, Lib, I can--
- No, it's rotten.
I told them they could come here.
I told them they could
clean up and take showers.
I said you wouldn't mind.
- How could you think that?
No, I mean...
Go ahead if that's what you told them.
- Maybe we should--
- It's so unfair.
- No, of course.
If that's what you want, take showers.
I mean, why don't you show
them the rest of the house,
if you haven't already.
- You're really glad to
see me, aren't you, Mom?
- Yes, as a matter of fact I am.
That's the silly part.
- I called Dad, he was out of town again.
- [Rachel] Oh.
- Come on, the showers are upstairs.
Come on.
- [Richard] You know,
if I wanted to be alone,
I could have gone into another room.
- Yeah, I suppose.
- Well,
either the pope just died,
or you've heard from Libby.
(laughing)
- Yeah, she dropped by.
- Oh.
Well, that's nice.
- [Rachel] Quit it.
- Well, how's she doing?
- I don't know.
- Well how did she seem?
- Cut it out.
Lousy, awful, we were both awful.
Pushed her farther away.
- [Richard] I doubt that.
- I fell back on all my old stuff.
I'm terrific.
- You know, you two are
so hooked into each other,
it's pathetic.
- Nobody asked you.
- Tough.
You two are a team.
You oughta go on the road
with that act of yours.
You let go with one hand, you
strangle hold with the other.
Where you going?
I wanna talk to you.
- I don't wanna talk about this.
I think we're gonna have
to keep this separate.
- Well, I don't think I can.
- She's my daughter, you understand?
She's my fault.
- Yeah, well, that's
the problem, isn't it?
That's all you see is your daughter,
and she sees her mother.
And neither of you see
each other, or want to.
Look, you're people, got it?
You got flaws just like the rest of us,
and neither of you is gonna live up
to the other one's fantasy.
Now, you're not gonna get
another crack at those 16 years.
So, live with it.
Leave the kid alone.
She's doing the best she can.
- Is she?
- Yeah.
Not the best you can,
because she's not you.
She's Libby.
And she's 16.
(sighs) Give the kid a break,
and yourself,
and Jessie,
and, uh, me too.
Okay?
- You finished?
Can I go now?
- Rae, I'm not gonna be sacrificed
to this crazy ritual dance
the two of you are doing.
- Right.
(door slams)
(sighs deeply)
- She's young, your mom.
- Not so young.
She's pretty, huh?
- Yeah, okay.
- I think she's pretty.
- It's quite a house.
- Yeah.
- Don't know why you'd wanna leave.
- Oh, no?
You try living there awhile.
- Come on, Lib, you gotta
admit we look pretty raunchy.
I know how much I wanna
walk through my front door
and see us all sitting
there drinking my booze.
- No, that's her.
We're allergic to each other.
(laughing)
- That's funny.
- When I was a kid, she was
gone all the time, you know.
She's a big time journalist,
so they were always sending
her all over the place.
I got expensive gifts, clothes.
I didn't want them.
I never wanted them.
They got divorced, that got even worse.
I always hated being rich.
- It's not a crime.
- I ain't so sure.
It does lousy things to people.
I don't want to talk about it anymore.
- [Bill] Okay.
- I just thought...
I don't know.
I don't know what I thought.
- Want some company?
You wanna be alone?
- I don't know.
No.
- This is where I live.
- I gotta feed Joe.
- I'm sure Whiskey fed Joe.
I think he's asleep or something.
- Yeah, (clears throat) yes.
- Keep you company, if you like.
- Yeah, okay.
- Not much of a
housekeeper, but it's home.
You wanna sit down?
Wanna talk?
- We just sit here.
Sit here quiet with you.
- Okay.
- I need someone of my own so bad.
- [Woman] One in wins!
(people shouting)
(upbeat music)
- Papa?
Papa?
Bill!
Papa?
Get Bill!
Papa J?
- Bill?
Bill!
- [Brett] Bill.
- [Bill] Papa J's okay, right?
He looks dead.
- But I think he's still breathing.
- Go get Sam or Kenny, come on.
- Let's just get in the van.
- Quick, move, come on!
- What happened?
What happened?
- [Brett] He just toppled over, Link.
- Help me get him up.
- I think we should leave him
here, Link.
- Help me get him up.
Help me get him up.
(baby crying)
- [Man] Come on, Link, you
can come too if you want.
- It's not a holiday.
11:30.
Come on, everybody.
Let's, let's got to work.
Let's open up.
- It's not the end of the
world, folks, let's go.
(sirens blaring)
- I, I, I, I've got to open up.
- Relax, we'll take care of you.
- But I've got to open up.
I've got to.
- To Papa J.
- [All] Papa J.
- To Sherri.
- [All] Sherri.
- To the twins.
Damn.
- Don't do that.
The man was 92 years old.
He died exactly where he
wanted to be watching his show.
Everything he was looking at
when he died belonged to him.
- My dad's dead.
- I could go for some of that myself.
- Let's take it easy, okay?
- [Man] That is real pretty hair.
I'll bet it's soft as rain water.
♪ Do you wanna be a movie star ♪
♪ See the world through
the window of a big cigar ♪
♪ Get your glimpse of a
prince in a high tone bar ♪
♪ Does he drink like you and I do ♪
♪ Would you rather be
the world's best mom ♪
♪ 25 kids skipping on the best kept lawn ♪
♪ Cook a gourmet dinner
with a left over psalm ♪
♪ In your spare time, you
can make a pigeon balm ♪
♪ Oh, up the mark's the nine to fivers ♪
♪ I don't give a damn
for the half-alivers ♪
♪ If I only had a nickel
for the subdividers ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Hey, and up she rises ♪
♪ Don't know which course is wisest ♪
♪ So I'll take the one
with the least surprises ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Now John Burke says
there's a reason why ♪
♪ I smell treason in an empty sky ♪
♪ And I can spot a heathen
in a blackbird pie ♪
♪ I am a true believer ♪
♪ Schoolmarm says better mend your way ♪
♪ You could be a president one day ♪
♪ When they wanna know
the capital of Paraguay ♪
♪ What seven words do you have to say ♪
♪ Oh, up the mark's the nine to fivers ♪
♪ I don't give a damn
for the half-alivers ♪
♪ If I only had a nickel
for the subdividers ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Hey, and up she rises ♪
♪ Don't know which course is wisest ♪
♪ So I'll take the one
with the least surprises ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Some folk whine and some folk pray ♪
♪ Some folk dine on a silver plate ♪
♪ And some folks just investigate ♪
♪ Everyone around them ♪
♪ Folks say that crime don't pay ♪
♪ But the hours are good
and the clothes okay ♪
♪ You can earn top dollar
on the very first day ♪
♪ And they don't send you home
when your hair turns gray ♪
♪ Oh, up the mark's the nine to fivers ♪
♪ I don't give a damn
for the half-alivers ♪
♪ If I only had a nickel
for the subdividers ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Hey, and up she rises ♪
♪ Don't know which course is wisest ♪
♪ So I'll take the one
with the least surprises ♪
♪ Nine to five each day ♪
(people shouting)
- Ron, you seen Bill?
- What, you lose him?
- Stuff it, okay.
- Hey.
Guess what, Amanda's back.
- Terrific.
- Hey Bill.
How come you didn't answer me.
- Uh--
- Oh Libby, I'm back.
- Great.
Libby!
Libby!
♪ Yeah, pretty baby ♪
♪ Hey pretty baby ♪
♪ Hey pretty baby ♪
♪ Hey pretty baby ♪
- I looked all over for you.
- Yeah?
- Sorry.
- Yeah, me too.
- Listen, Amanda was worried
about you, so she sent me out.
- I don't understand, man.
I don't understand any of you guys.
People die.
Sherri runs off, she has babies.
One old lady's as good as the next.
Nothing matters.
Nothing seems to matter to
any of you guys around here.
- Your way?
- Oh, your way?
What is your way?
What is that supposed to mean, huh?
- Libby, what do you want from me?
- Nothing.
- No, what do you want?
- Nothing.
Don't touch me.
(crying)
I love you.
- I know.
I know.
What do you want from me?
You got it.
Are you gonna make this your life, hmm?
'Cause this is where I wanna be.
This is my life.
This is where Amanda
wants to be, and Deacon,
Wizard.
- Yes.
- Truth, Libby.
Come on.
Come on, truth.
For now, maybe, right?
I've seen where you come from.
- No, not fair.
- It's not fair.
Not at all.
'Cause this is all Amanda's got.
We're one percenters.
We don't wanna make it out there.
There's us,
there's the marks, and
there's nothing in between.
- Me too.
Uh-huh.
- You're hiding out.
Mark and time you, your mixing it up.
You're trying to put it all back together
so it makes sense to you.
I understand that.
- Why aren't things the
way they're supposed to be.
- They are.
For us they are.
You belong out there.
You've got your stuff to do.
I was gonna have to let
you go sooner or later.
There's no sense getting torn up about it.
Just give it up.
- What am I gonna say?
- Like I said.
- (crying) It hurts.
- Every time.
Every time it hurts.
(mellow music)
♪ Dear Billy, how are you ♪
♪ I hope you are well ♪
♪ The flowers are blooming ♪
♪ The plants, I can't really tell ♪
♪ I see by your letter ♪
♪ You have no intent to come home ♪
♪ So I'll take the house and the kid ♪
♪ And make out on my own ♪
♪ Dear Billy, I'm trying
to say what I feel ♪
♪ But the feelings are locked up in pain ♪
♪ I hope you're enjoying whatever it is ♪
♪ You are doing with whoever's name ♪
♪ Well, the night it runs cold ♪
♪ And it chills to the soul ♪
♪ But you wouldn't know what's the use ♪
♪ It's all one to me ♪
♪ Go ahead and be free ♪
♪ After all, you got nothing to lose ♪
♪ And I still go to school ♪
♪ The kid, she goes too ♪
♪ We're learning to silence the fear ♪
♪ That no one is here ♪
♪ And she calls me Dear ♪
♪ And I wait for you ♪
♪ Oh, what else can I do ♪
♪ No, nothing has changed ♪
♪ It all stays the same ♪
♪ We all remain ever-faithful ♪
♪ And somewhat confused ♪
♪ Except maybe you ♪
♪ Who threw the harpoon ♪
♪ Are you coming back soon ♪
♪ Dear Billy, please send ♪
♪ My regards to your lady ♪
♪ I wish her well ♪
- Can I help you?
- I live here.
♪ And I hope that one day ♪
♪ We can meet on the far side of hell ♪
♪ Well, the sun's got the moon ♪
♪ And the writer his tune ♪
♪ But I never had no one except you ♪
♪ On the day that you die ♪
♪ I will sing lullabies ♪
♪ In the hope that you got yours, too ♪
- [Richard] Libby.
Fantastic.
- Hi, Richard.
- Aww.
We tried to reach you.
- Big party.
- Yeah.
Plus, your mother's wedding day.
Hey look.
Look.
Whatever you feel, don't spoil it for her.
I've never asked you for anything before.
This time, I'm telling you.
- Libby!
Oh, it's perfect now.
Perfect.
- [Rachel] Libby?
- You look beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Can I talk to you?
- Yes.
We tried to find you.
- Well, I called and you were gone.
- We both had some time,
so we took Jessie out of the city for
a couple of weeks vacation.
- Are you really gonna
do this, aren't you?
- [Rachel] Yes.
- Why didn't you just
leave well enough alone?
- We've punished each other long enough.
Let's quit, huh Libby?
- [Libby] Do you think
this is what Jessie wants?
Jessie didn't want this.
- Jessie likes Richard; she loves him.
- Well, she'd say anything she
thought would make you happy.
Ask her anything.
All we both ever wanted was you.
It doesn't matter how far I run, you know.
You're over my shoulder
judging me, and I never pass.
I can't get rid of you.
- Never imagined you could be this cruel.
- I know you do the best
you can, Mom, but me too.
Me too.
- I know.
I know, Libby.
- It's lousy
because I think we really
love each other so much.
- I'm here for you.
But I'm only me, take what you need.
Your life's waiting for you.
- Do you wanna know what my dream was?
Do wanna know what my dream always was?
That there'd be just you and me.
Where no one could come near
us, no one could touch us.
It's not gonna happen, Mom.
- No.
It's not gonna happen.
It's not supposed to
happen, Libby, let it go.
Forgive me that you needed it to happen.
Oh, I love you.
(mellow music)
♪ I'm on my way ♪
♪ Though the stranger bears my name ♪
♪ She just can't sing the song I play ♪
♪ But there's no shame in learning ♪
♪ Halfway there you want to be turning ♪
♪ Back a while ♪
♪ I'm gonna turn back that dial ♪
♪ I'm on my way to me ♪
♪ But I can't see my future for the past ♪
♪ If I'd done what you had asked ♪
♪ I would have been there in a flash ♪
♪ I'm on my way back home ♪
♪ But I don't know tomorrow from today ♪
♪ I'm gonna find my way ♪
♪ Find my way ♪
(laughing)
(members talking)
Yes I was perfect on that one.
- Come on, guys.
- [Man] Let's call it for tonight, guys,
we're not getting anything done.
How about 10 tomorrow?
- All right, good plan.
- [Man] Eddie, you wanna grab a beer?
- [Libby] No, not tonight, guys.
- How about a rain check?
- That will do fine, thanks.
- See you guys later.
- All right, see ya.
All right, guys.
- See you tomorrow.
- Yeah, bye.
You been here long?
- Most of the day.
- Ooh.
- Good night.
- Good night.
What do you think?
- I'm your mother.
- Yeah, I know, what do you think?
- I think you're terrific.
I never had the privilege of
getting that close to myself.
- Buy you dinner, if you like.
♪ I'm gonna find my way ♪
♪ Back home ♪
(people shouting)
(twinkling music)
(Multicom Jingle)
- [Man] You're on.
(metronome ticking)
"On the Way to Me," take one.
(mellow music)
♪ I'm on my way ♪
♪ Though I guess one
day I'll wake and find ♪
♪ It's just another false alarm ♪
♪ Somebody told me once ♪
♪ You can be whatever you want to be ♪
♪ But it don't come free ♪
♪ I'm on my way ♪
♪ Though I don't know where I'm going ♪
♪ I wish I'd gone there yesterday ♪
♪ Cold winds blowing at
my back but I can't stay ♪
♪ Oh, don't you see ♪
♪ It's where I need to be ♪
♪ I'm on my way to me ♪
♪ But I can't see ♪
♪ My future for the past ♪
♪ If I'd done what you had asked ♪
♪ I would have been there in a flash ♪
♪ I'm on my way back home ♪
♪ But I don't know tomorrow from today ♪
♪ I'm gonna find my way ♪
♪ Find my way ♪
♪ I don't know who ♪
- He didn't buy it, Lib.
♪ But there's a stranger with my face ♪
♪ Who knows the proper things to do ♪
♪ She smiles in all the right places ♪
♪ She runs in all the best races ♪
♪ I do too ♪
♪ But not for you ♪
♪ I'm on my way ♪
♪ And though the stranger bears my name ♪
♪ She just can't sing the song I play ♪
♪ Oh, but there's no shame in learning ♪
♪ Halfway there you wanna be turning ♪
♪ Back awhile, gonna turn back that dial ♪
♪ I'm on my way to me ♪
♪ But I can see ♪
♪ My future for the past ♪
♪ If I'd done what you had asked ♪
♪ I would have been there in a flash ♪
♪ I'm on my way back home ♪
♪ But I don't know tomorrow from today ♪
♪ I'm gonna find my way ♪
♪ Find my way ♪
(mellow piano music)
- [Rachel] Hi.
- Hi.
Sorry.
- [Rachel] For what?
- Messing up your life.
- Oh.
- [Libby] I am, aren't I?
- I think you like to think you are.
- I thought you'd be angry
'cause I got expelled.
- What was it this time?
- There's a rule about
walking barefoot through town.
You asked me, and I told you.
- Well,
what is it now, three schools, four?
- Get off my case, will you.
- [Rachel] Get off mine.
What do you want me to say, Libby,
give me a clue.
- How's Jessie?
Perfect as usual?
- Yes.
- And your friend?
- Richard?
Richard's all right, he's
out of town for a few days.
- Must be rough.
I'm not going home.
- Oh?
Then what, I'd like to know your plans.
- I wanna be free.
- What does that mean?
Right, you have to live somewhere,
you have to go to school,
you're not 16 yet.
Free to what, Libby?
I don't understand.
- Live my life.
- What does that mean?
That's not good enough.
- Oh yeah, right, of course.
- Freedom's responsibility,
that's what it is.
- Means free of you, okay.
Free of why don't you, why
can't you, why aren't you.
Well, why don't you?
Why can't you, and why aren't you?
I'm not gonna be Jessie
for you, understand?
- I don't want you to be.
- Oh no?
- No.
- Well,
I'm not going home.
- Heard you the first time, dammit.
- I'm not going home.
- I don't see that you have
much of a choice, Libby.
- I'll just split again
if you send me home.
What's the point?
I love you, Mom, I can't do it your way.
I mess up, and we hassle, and
I screw up your life, right?
- Don't play into my guilt, Lib.
It won't work anymore.
- Libby, we could make
you a ward of the court.
Now, that means that you'd
have to stay in Juvenile Hall
until you were placed.
I'd hate to see you do that.
I mean, we had a youngster
up there last week
who had all of her teeth knocked out.
I'm not trying to scare
you, it's just a fact.
Now, the other alternative
is a halfway house.
- [Libby] What's that?
- [Officer] Well, you'd live with a family
for a cooling off period,
your mom would come up to
see you from time to time.
It's just a neutral ground
where the two of you could
work your problems out.
- Maybe it's worth a try right now.
- Can I make a call please?
I wanna call my father.
- He's not gonna take you.
- Can I call my father, please?
- There's the phone.
Would you like to be alone?
- Yes, please.
Thank you.
- Here you go.
- [Libby] He wants to talk to you.
- Excuse me.
- You were wrong.
He never puts me down.
That's the difference
between the two of you.
- Whatever you say, Libby.
- Know what he said?
- I don't really care, Libby.
- He said no daughter of mine
is gonna be put in a halfway house.
- Terrific.
- He says he'll take full responsibility.
He wants Libby with him.
- Okay.
Come on, Lib, I'll drive you back.
- No, I'll...
Thanks, I'm gonna go with Mr. Owens.
- Oh, okay.
- I love you, Mom, you know that.
- I love you, do you know that?
- It's better this way.
You know how bad I wanna be with dad.
I'll call you, okay?
- Yeah, keep in touch.
- I'm terribly sorry
about all this.
- Yeah, me too.
- See, look.
I'm glad everything is resolved.
- Right.
- You take care, honey.
- [Libby] Okay, thanks for everything.
- It's pretty rough on you, huh?
- Mmm, I don't know about that, I guess.
I did my share.
- Can I get you anything else?
- [Libby] No.
That was fine, thank you.
- Well, your dad meant to
be here before you arrived.
- This is okay.
- Finally.
Your dad is home.
(both chatting faintly)
How was your day?
- It was good.
Hey.
- Hey.
- Listen, I spent half my of life
being thrown out of one school or another.
Don't sweat it.
- No, I won't.
(chuckling)
- You're not gonna make
the cover of Vogue, kid.
- Well, I'm leaving that for Jessie.
- Come here.
- What?
- Well, you gonna kiss me, or what?
- Or what, of course.
(chuckles)
- Will you be all right in here?
- Fine, yeah.
- It's an awfully tiny room.
It's really claustrophobic.
Used to be a sewing
room, or something, and
we haven't had a chance to fix it up yet.
- [Libby] It's fine, thank you.
- I'm gonna get a radio.
Is that all right?
- That'd be nice.
Thanks.
- [Jessie] Mom!
- Yep!
- They were kind to--
- Mama!
- I'm working.
- You want something, Rae?
- Mom!
- Did you call me?
- [Rachel] No!
Nevermind, Richard!
- [Jessie] Libby's home!
- What?
- Michael's getting her
stuff out of the trunk.
Libby!
Hi dad.
- Hi.
- Yo.
How you doing, Rae?
- Hello, Michael.
- Hi mom.
- [Rachel] Hi.
You back?
- No, not really, don't worry.
- Don't do that, Lib.
- [Michael] Where do you want this?
- Right here for now, thanks.
- Libby!
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Still mince meat, huh?
Skinny as ever.
- Yeah.
- Hi, baby.
- Hi.
- I'd like to know what's going on.
- I'm gonna tell ya.
How's it going?
- Fine.
- I'm gonna be out of town
a few months, Copenhagen.
So, you're gonna have to take over.
- [Rachel] Why don't
you take Libby with you?
- You know that's impossible.
- No, I don't know that at all.
You told the officer that you--
- I would have told the cop anything
to keep her out of that place.
- Did he explain--
- I'm not interested.
You would have let her go.
- Christ sakes, it was someone's home.
- [Michael] I don't know
what's in your head sometimes.
- Come on, Jessie.
(sighs deeply)
- What, do you really need
to punish her, or what?
- Will you ever listen to anything?
- Listen?
(dog barking)
I don't know what you've
been doing the last 10 years,
however many years you've had
to mess her up the way she is.
But you've done one hell of a job.
- Right, right, single-handedly.
- But you're not gonna
put any of this on me.
All I know...
All I know is that I get a
call whenever there's a crisis.
That's the only time I ever hear from you.
- I thought you might wanna know
that your daughter had disappeared.
- No, I don't wanna know that.
I don't wanna be handed the mess.
- I didn't hand you the mess.
- And I always help, don't I?
- It's impossible.
- [Michael] Hey you, don't give me that.
I always help, don't I?
- You're a brick.
You're not even calling me about--
- What's the problem here?
- Oh, what's up, Richard?
- Michael.
Well, the Rams are getting
killed by 20 points.
- [Rachel] Libby's back.
- Oh?
Well, good.
- [Michael] So, do you wanna talk or what?
- Uh, look,
why don't you guys just--
- This is no secret.
You might as well be part of it, Richard.
Libby?
Now, Libby knows she has to finish school.
And that's a given,
we've been over all that.
But she wants her own apartment.
She wants to try living on her own.
I think it's worth a try.
She won't live here.
- How do you plan to do that, Lib?
- Well, the deal is
she passes with no worst than Cs,
I give the child support directly to her.
- Can you live on 150 a month, Libby?
- Yeah, sure.
- "Yeah, sure?"
Where do you plan to go to school?
- [Libby] In Ojai.
- Ojai?
- The public school.
I got a lot of friends there.
It's safe, it's a small town.
You can walk down the street at night,
and nobody's gonna bug you, you know.
It's okay.
- Well, am I supposed to talk now?
Am I supposed to say what I think?
Because I think the whole idea is crazy.
I mean, I don't even know if it's legal.
You're still a child.
- Maybe legally.
- You're still a child.
- I was on my own when I was 14.
- We're not talking about you.
- What do you wanna do?
Lock her up?
'Cause that's what
you're gonna have to do,
and I won't let you do it.
- Okay, you take responsibility then.
- Hell no!
You have custody, this is a mess you made.
This is your responsibility.
- I don't want you guys to fight.
- You're my best, babe.
You two are gonna have to work this out.
You let my attorney know whatever.
I love you.
Everything's gonna be okay.
- Thanks.
Have a good trip.
- [Michael] Listen, if you need anything,
I can be reached, right?
- Right.
I'll walk you to your car.
- [Michael] Richard.
- See you.
- [Michael] Good luck, huh?
- [Richard] Rae, listen to--
♪ Every dark corner is
another man's dream ♪
♪ Do you know ♪
♪ Do you know ♪
♪ Dream ♪
♪ You know what I mean ♪
♪ Dream to me ♪
- Is that one of yours?
It's nice, I wanna hear some more.
- It's all I have.
I haven't finished it yet.
- I think they're really good.
Your songs, I mean.
As good as I've heard.
Really special.
- Yeah, well, you know,
they're all about me.
- Not all.
- Yeah, they are.
They're either about me
or for me, one of the two.
You don't give a damn about Dad, do you?
You know how bad that hurts him?
- Don't start on me, Libby.
- What?
- I mean, I hardly know him.
- Well, you never call him.
- He never calls me.
He's my father.
He should call me, don't you think?
- No, I don't.
You're mama's girl, all
right, you're like a parrot.
You haven't a thought that isn't hers.
- It's not true.
- Ha!
Not true, huh?
It's okay, you're my baby
sister, I love you anyway.
- I thought you were asleep.
You wanna talk?
Hmm?
- I'm the enemy.
Can you believe it?
Or still I feel like the enemy.
- Let her go, Rachel.
- I can't.
- Let her go.
- She's a baby.
- She's not, Rae,
and she's tearing you up and herself up.
You can't hold her.
She'll end up tearing us up.
She's not gonna let it go.
- (crying) Don't throw us in the middle,
but please give me a break.
I can't just throw her out into the world.
- She's already gone.
Give her a chance to find her way back.
- You can come up with
such garbage sometimes.
It's like she's racing
head on into a brick wall,
and I keep on throwing myself in her way,
and she just rolls right on over
and there's nothing I could
do to stop her. (crying)
(mellow guitar music)
(Rachel crying)
(laughing)
- Yeah, yeah.
- Oh god, girl, let's try one.
- Let's do one.
- [Man] I got an open door
out here, boys and girls.
- [Man] Hang on a second,
we gotta change reels.
- [Man] Get in the club, Joe.
- Are we making any noise?
- In the state of California,
you can be legally
emancipated at the age of 14
with proof of support
and parental consent.
Now, what I've drawn up
here is an informal document
that'll save you the trauma
of court appearances.
It's not legally binding, you understand,
but it'll allow you to
register at school, get an apartment,
sign hospital consents.
You'll have all the
responsibilities of an adult,
you understand?
Now, I've kept it very simple.
I, Rachel Bellow, mother
of Libby Ann Bellow,
do hereby emancipate and set free
said daughter; and that's it.
All it needs is your signature.
♪ No more rules and regulations ♪
♪ Time for fools, I've got no patience ♪
♪ Won't it be ♪
♪ Great to see ♪
♪ Me finally free ♪
♪ It's gonna be great ♪
♪ I'm gonna eat what I feel like facing ♪
♪ I can beat that whole rat racing ♪
♪ They tell me that time's a-wasting ♪
♪ Well, I'll waste that time away ♪
♪ You can barely hide ♪
♪ But you can turn your cheek ♪
♪ You can run that racket
on your planted feet ♪
♪ But as for me, I'm finally free to be ♪
♪ Me finally free ♪
♪ No more dinner invitations ♪
♪ No more idle conversations ♪
♪ Every word's a gem that's
heard at first from me ♪
♪ I'm gonna make what I feel like making ♪
♪ I can't take who feels like taking ♪
♪ They can say that time's a-wasting ♪
♪ Well, I'll waste their time away ♪
♪ 'Cause you can barely hide ♪
♪ 'Cause you can turn your cheek ♪
♪ You can run that racket
on your planted feet ♪
♪ But as for me ♪
♪ I'm finally free to be ♪
♪ Me, finally free ♪
♪ I said as for me ♪
♪ I'm finally free to be ♪
♪ Me, finally free ♪
- Is this it?
- Well, I love it.
That's the bathroom in through there.
- [Jessie] It's terrific.
Really.
I did good, huh?
- Yeah.
- I hate this.
She knows I hate this, I
don't know why she does this.
I'm never gonna--
- Get something,
will you, Libby?
Make her happy.
- Well, take these out, they don't fit.
- [Rachel] Oh.
Oh.
(Libby clears throat)
- Thank you.
(laughing)
- [Jessie] Happy birthday.
- Happy birthday.
I love you.
- It was good, huh?
- Yeah, it was nice.
It was good being together.
I like to pretend that
that she's all right.
- Well, maybe she is.
- Maybe.
It was
nice.
It was pretty warm, great family.
You should come up with us.
- No, I shouldn't.
Let me make an honest woman of you.
- No thanks.
Didn't much like it the first time.
- Rachel,
marry me.
- You know, you should see
someone about your timing,
you know that?
- My timing's always
gonna be wrong, isn't it?
- I don't wanna fight, you wanna fight?
- What I want is some footing around here.
We have to be some sort of family.
- Aren't we?
- You know damn well we're not.
You keep this relationship
very, very separate.
- It's not fair.
- You bet it's not.
- I've got my own life in shape
before I can take on someone else.
- (chuckles) You'll never
get your life in order.
You thrive on chaos.
- I don't, I hate it.
- You thrive on it all the same.
And Libby is her mother's daughter.
- Oh yes, and Jessie?
- Don't kid yourself.
Jessie stays out of the line of fire.
She protects herself at all times.
- You stink.
I don't think I like you.
- I can leave whenever you want.
- You'll find your way
out on your own stink.
- I'm not going until you tell me to.
- All right, go.
Go.
Go.
Go.
Go!
- Tomorrow okay?
- Tomorrow's fine.
Never.
(muffled rock music)
- Throw a pie at me?
- Wanna give it a try?
♪ Always be the grown one ♪
- Come on, one stop, plus five.
(music drowns out voice)
All you got to do is get to five.
- All right now, we got a two
and a two, there's a four,
and a one, there's a five, an eight.
You're a winner, what'd I tell ya, huh?
Nothing to it, right?
What's your pleasure?
- Anything.
- Let's go, here.
How's this one cute furry anything, huh?
- Well, thank you.
- You're welcome.
Come on, now, put your
money away, all right.
Put your money away, okay.
- Okay.
Bye.
- Hey.
- Me?
- What's your name?
- Me?
- Yeah, you.
- Libby.
- [Ron] I'm Ron.
Don't get lost.
- What?
- Come on back later.
- [Man] Got yourself a spinner, Ron?
- Okay.
Maybe.
What's a spinner?
(laughing)
- Uh, you are, I guess.
It's just a girl.
♪ I'm scared you won't
now, I'm scared you will ♪
♪ Leave me on my own ♪
(people screaming)
(upbeat music)
- [Man] Easiest game on the midway.
- [Woman] There's a winner.
(upbeat music)
(people shouting)
- Closing.
(carnies cheering)
You're down.
Close it.
(carnies cheering)
(dog barking)
You're down, you're down.
Close it.
- Somebody waiting for you.
- Yeah, who?
- Over by the wheel.
Hey, do me a favor, huh, cool it?
- Yeah, you bet.
(people laughing)
- You know.
- I have one thing to say.
I think that I froze in the
back of the truck last night,
and I think that we
should get a motel room
and take showers.
- Oh, come on, how?
- [Woman] I think he's right.
- Nothing's gonna be
bright after this spot.
I'm in the books 35 bucks already.
- You're always in the--
- And I don't like being in that much.
- I mean, this place is really a drag.
I mean, all we need is rain.
- Bite your tongue.
We're going to Lodi.
- [Woman] Lodi?
- Lodi.
- Lodi.
- [Woman] (giggling) I
think you're losing it, Ray.
- [Man] Lodi's gonna carry us
three or four bad spots, you guys.
- [Man] Lodi wouldn't
carry us across the street.
- (laughing) Sure.
- Money, guys.
Money, money, money.
- You guys (clears
throat) can take showers
at my place if you like.
Anyone who wants to
crash, it's okay, really.
- Hey, that's, um, thanks, but um,
we gotta go.
We gotta make it.
- That's it.
- You got enough?
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ Round and round I go ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ So, bye-bye Lucy Low ♪
♪ Now we're down at Old Joe's house ♪
♪ See what singing he had ♪
♪ Press my finger down his throat ♪
♪ And pull that string ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ Round and round I go ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ So, bye-bye Lucy Low ♪
(carnies singing)
- So, uh, your folks outta town, or,
or what, huh?
- I'm an emancipated minor.
- What's that?
- It means I'm responsible for myself.
I can live by myself like as if I'm 18.
- You're kidding?
How do you do that?
- Oh, we got this lawyer who drew up a
piece of paper, so like a
contract between me and my mom.
You know, I probably would've
ended up in Juvenile Hall
if they hadn't let me, though.
My mom loves me too much to do that.
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ Round and round I go ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ So, bye-bye Lucy Low ♪
♪ I went down to Old Joe's house ♪
♪ I've been there before ♪
- Can I stay here tonight?
♪ He slept on the floor ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ Round and round I go ♪
♪ Round and round, it all goes south ♪
♪ So, bye-bye Lucy Low ♪
(carnies cheering)
(dog barking)
- Hi.
- What are you doing?
- I'm watching you sleep.
- Oh yeah?
- You're beautiful.
I feel safe with you, is that weird?
- Libby, why don't you go home,
and get some decent sleep, okay.
I'll see you later.
That's a promise.
Okay?
(mellow music)
(knocking on door)
- [Man] Bring your cat some water,
or this stuffed panda bear.
Is she home?
- [Man] Answer the door.
- Please save us.
We're here.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- It's all right, isn't it?
- Yeah, it's fine.
Come on in.
- Man, come on.
- It's cold.
- Man, come on.
- [Woman] I don't believe this.
Look at me, man,
I've been working up to
my knees in water all day.
- You hold 100 gallons of
water at the top of the joint,
and hope it collapsed on you.
- I don't believe it.
- If this rain keeps up,
we're gonna slide a day earlier, right?
- All right.
- It's fine, man.
- [Man] I'm soaked.
Last one is soaked.
(people chatting)
- Bill, Bill.
Did that cop talk to
you today on the midway?
- Oh yeah, Amanda, we got to
keep you off the midway tomorrow, okay?
They tracked you again.
- Oh, damn.
- [Bill] Your mom's looking for you.
She wants you back.
- You can stay here, if you want.
- Yeah, okay, maybe.
- Is there any food around?
- Food!
- Food!
- Yeah!
- Right through there.
- French fries.
Caesar salad.
♪ It's easy to see ♪
♪ We've wasted our time ♪
♪ And now you believe ♪
♪ It's the end of the line ♪
♪ I've known all along ♪
♪ That the truth must be told ♪
♪ But I never expected ♪
♪ To hear it so bold ♪
♪ No time like today ♪
♪ For yesterday's dream ♪
♪ When all your rays
come apart at the seams ♪
♪ Every dark corner's ♪
♪ Another man's dream ♪
♪ You know what I mean ♪
♪ Do you know what you mean to me ♪
♪ Don't leave tonight ♪
♪ 'Cause I need tomorrow ♪
♪ Da da da da da ♪
♪ Da da da da da ♪
♪ Don't leave tonight ♪
- All right.
- See, all right.
- [All] All right.
- [Brett] That's very good.
It was wonderful.
- Carnies.
They're my family.
My mom's not much of a family to me.
I mean, I love her and all that, but, uh,
it gets in your blood and
you just can't stay away.
They've come for me a couple of times.
I just come on back.
I've spent some
really rotten nights
in some of those tanks
waiting for my mom to come and get me.
Never again.
- Bill doesn't like me very much, does he?
- Hey, that's Bill.
I mean, he takes everybody's life serious.
I mean, like me.
He and Ron are like brothers,
and Ron falls in love every two minutes.
And, I mean, it's real
when it happens, but
well, he's just head over
heels every two seconds.
And we got a spinner trailing
with a sign at the next spot,
and he doesn't know what to do, so
Bill ends up putting her on
a bus and getting her home.
- Why don't you just tell
the girl to come on out,
and save us all a lot of trouble.
- There's no one here but me.
- Look, her mom wants her home,
and I've got to take her in.
- Do you have a warrant?
- Why do you want to
get your nose into this?
- There's no one here but me.
And you're not invited in,
so you don't have a warrant.
- Don't need a warrant.
- Hey, this is my house, man.
You can not come in here.
It's against the law to do this.
- You want law, okay.
I've reasonable proof and
knowledgeable evidence
that you are harboring a runaway.
You're gonna be in a lot
of trouble, you know that.
- No, you're gonna be in
a lot of trouble, man.
- [Officer] Amanda, right?
Come on.
Let's go for a ride.
- [Amanda] No, let me go!
- Let go of her.
- [Amanda] Let me go!
- Ow!
- Get off of her!
Get off of her, man, you
can't touch her like...
Get out of my house!
(Amanda screaming)
(dog barking)
- [Amanda] No!
Get off!
- Ow!
- Get out of my house!
(screaming)
- Don't do that!
- Stay out of this!
(girls crying)
(dog barking)
- [Libby] Hi.
- I don't know what to tell you.
- Me neither.
- [Rachel] This isn't a joke.
- I didn't say it was.
- [Rachel] You look awful.
- (chuckles) Thanks, a lot.
What'd you expect?
- Nothing, nothing anymore.
- I didn't do nothing.
- Well, you know how
to speak English, Lib.
What are you doing, trying
to impress me, or what?
- I didn't do anything, all right.
Why don't you talk to the counselor.
I mean, did you talk to him?
- Harboring a runaway,
obstructing an officer,
resisting arrest.
- What about what he did, man?
He broke the law like six times over.
He's breaking and entering,
he didn't have a warrant.
He jumped on Amanda--
- We're talking about you now.
- You never let me finish.
You never listen.
- It's always someone else's fault, right?
Well, you listen to me.
You wanna be free?
You have to take
responsibility for what you do.
- Don't give me that junk.
Don't preach at me.
- Don't you talk to me like that.
- Why don't you just go
back to your perfect house
and your perfect
daughter, wonderful lover,
and all your important work.
Just forget about me, okay.
Right now, if you already have, anyway.
- You really know what
buttons to push, don't you?
Just once, it'd be nice to hear an apology
come out of that mouth.
- I didn't do anything wrong.
- All right, let's add truancy to that,
and $200 worth of bad checks.
You didn't think I knew
about that, did you?
- I'll take care of it.
Don't worry, you won't have to pay it.
- Don't worry, I won't anymore.
- Big deal. (scoffs)
- Listen, everything I do is wrong.
I accept that, okay.
But what you don't wanna see
is that your life is going
straight into the toilet.
- Of course you'd say that.
Why don't you just go back 200 years
and drag up some more stuff,
to the day I was born.
Put me out somewhere and
tell me I'm exactly like dad.
Go to hell.
Perfect.
Perfect.
I was maced!
I got maced, don't you care?
I'm your daughter.
Dad would have a fit on me
and he'd tear this place apart.
- And where is he, Libby?
Why isn't he here, Libby?
- Because this is your mess.
You got custody.
- Not anymore, remember?
You wanted to be on your
own, well you got it.
- Don't say anything bad about my father.
- (scoffs) I wouldn't dare.
- [Libby] What happened to Amanda?
- The girl?
She's back home, I guess.
- They're not gonna make
me stay here, are they?
- No, they're not pressing charges.
- Well, they're not gonna
make me go with you, are they?
I wanna get back to Ojai
as soon as possible.
- No, I don't think they
can make you do anything.
You can leave whenever you want.
- Okay then, see ya.
- Oh boy.
You too, huh?
(upbeat music)
- Who's that?
- Where?
- The guitar?
- [Ron] Oh man.
- I hope she stays.
It's somebody for you to jam with.
- Ron.
Hi.
- Yeah, hi.
How ya doing?
- Libby from Ojai, remember?
- Yeah, yeah, sure, sure.
- I'm Sherri, hi.
- Hi.
- So, how you been?
- Okay.
All right.
- Amanda back?
- Uh, no, no.
What the hell you doing here?
- I thought you wanted me here.
- Did I say that?
Did, um, you ever hear me say that?
- No, it's--
- Libby, I'm sorry.
I don't have old ladies tonight.
I don't want old ladies.
- [Sherri] I'm his old lady.
- [Ron] Libby, why don't you, uh,
get on a bus, and--
- Hey, hey Ron?
- Go back home.
- Ron.
Cool it, huh?
- [Libby] I messed up.
My fault.
I messed up.
- No, he messed up.
It's his fault.
He's just...
He's just mad at himself, that's all.
Doesn't wanna grow up.
Listen, if,
if you don't have enough
money for the bus fare,
I can probably scrounge it up for you.
- I can't go back.
I need a job.
- You don't wanna work here, though.
(sighs) All right.
Take you to the boss is all I can do.
- You got a work permit?
- I got this.
- You know, I really don't
need anybody for just the, uh,
just the one spot.
No, I'd love to sing.
- Yeah?
- [Libby] Yeah.
- Okay.
Better get your spot to
spot on your own steam.
Okay, you can cart a ride
with one of the trucks,
or one of these bum cars, but...
Cathy, go help Linda, she's an airhead.
Right now!
If you want comfort, you can thumb,
all right, with a buddy.
Anyway, it's your headache.
If you're late, you're fined.
If you're drunk or stoned
on the job, you're fined.
First time, all right.
Happens again, you're canned,
thrown off the midway.
Okay?
You're one hour on, one hour off.
At the end of the night, you
can't leave the midway at all.
You wear jeans and a shirt.
If you're caught wearing
tank tops, or something like
that, you're fined, okay.
You get, uh...
You're getting any of this?
(laughing)
- Yeah.
(people shouting)
- [Carnie] We got a winner!
(people shouting)
(upbeat music)
- Lib!
Take a break.
(people shouting)
(upbeat music)
- [Woman] Come on, let's go.
And three.
Three for a dollar, three for
a dollar, that's the mark.
How many do you want, sonny?
- One.
- Only one?
- That's, uh, that's Mama J.
She's older than God.
She goes into her ticket booth
every morning with a coffee container,
and never comes out till closing.
Friends?
- If you want.
- Good.
Good.
I gotta get back to the joint.
You okay?
- Yeah.
(upbeat music)
Hey.
Thanks.
- What for?
We're all family here.
(upbeat music)
(people shouting)
- [Man] Party time!
- [Woman] Party time!
Party time!
- Hey!
(kids screaming)
- I woke you, didn't I?
- No.
Libby?
- I'm okay.
Just calling to tell you that I'm okay
'cause you'd be worried.
I'm not dead or anything.
I'm working with the
carnival, and I love it.
I'm really happy here for
the first time in my life.
Be happy for me, okay.
I love you.
Mom?
- Yes.
Just give it a second to sink in.
(chuckles)
- I love you, mom.
Is Jessie there?
I'd like to talk to her.
- [Rachel] Jessie, your
sister's on the phone.
- Libby, hi!
How are you, where are you?
- I'm with the carnival.
- [Jessie] Really?
How exciting, it must be fun.
- It's fantastic.
Carnies are fantastic.
I'd like you to come up
and visit me sometime.
- Really?
I'd love that.
- I gotta go.
Tell mom I love her and tell
her I'll call her later.
- I'm still on the line.
How can I get in touch with you?
It's hard 'cause we're
moving all the time,
but I'll call you.
And I'm really happy, mom, really.
- [Rachel] Well, that's something.
- Okay then.
- [Jessie] Bye, Lib.
- Bye.
- Love you.
(dial tone buzzes)
She's joined the circus.
(laughing)
Not funny.
- I think it's wonderful. (laughing)
- [Sherri] Hey, you ready now?
One in wins.
On your break?
- Yep.
It's slow, huh?
- [Sherri] The worst.
Made a buck and a half
in the last two hours.
It'll pick up.
- [Libby] Can I get you anything?
- [Sherri] No, uh-uh.
- [Libby] Well, how are you feeling?
- Fine.
Heavy. (chuckles)
Kid moves like crazy.
Kicks me all night long.
Kicked Ron last night.
- So what, you gonna marry him?
- No, I don't think so.
Ron doesn't want any
kids, and I do, of course.
I can't wait.
- But you love him.
- Everybody loves Ron.
I could never be possessive, you know.
I don't believe in it.
And Ron wouldn't put up with it.
We're friends now, and that's good.
I wouldn't wanna fool around with that.
You can't understand that, can you?
- No.
I mean, it's his baby.
- It's my baby.
Ron's gonna pick up on
another chick, soon.
I can feel it.
No use getting torn up about it.
We all gotta live together, right?
You know why you never hear a carnie
put down someone else's old lady?
Because sooner or later,
she's gonna be his old lady.
You can't understand that
'cause you want someone
crazy in love with you.
You want ownership, you want forever.
Hey.
Hey!
Ron likes you a lot!
- Ah!
- He thinks you're talented.
And you are.
♪ Yes, I cry myself to sleep ♪
(upbeat music)
- Hey, what's the matter?
Come on, don't you like me?
- What are you doing, man?
Get lost.
Where's your dime?
- Hey, be nice.
Come sweetheart, come here.
Come here.
- Get off this counter.
- Relax, huh?
- Get off the counter.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey.
The lady's trying to work, okay.
We're not supposed to sit
on the counter anyway.
Let's go.
- Hey, why don't you take a hike.
- Get off the counter!
Come on.
I got him, I got him,
get off, get over here.
I got him, I got him, I got
him, I got him, I got him.
You okay?
- Are you?
- [Bill] Terrific.
- [Carnie] We got a winner!
- So, by all powers vested in me
by the state of California,
I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
(everyone cheering)
- Hold on, hold on.
Back down.
You okay?
They gotta go around three
times before it's legal.
It's just tradition.
(everyone cheering and whistling)
(upbeat music)
♪ Old Joe Clark, the preacher's son ♪
♪ Preached all over the plain ♪
♪ The only text he ever knew ♪
♪ Was High, low, Jack and the game ♪
♪ Used to live on the mountain top ♪
♪ Now he lives in town ♪
♪ He's boarding at the big hotel ♪
♪ Courting Betsy Brown ♪
♪ Round and round, Old Joe Clark ♪
♪ Round and round you say ♪
♪ I don't need 2,000 miles ♪
♪ To get my fiddle played ♪
(upbeat fiddle music)
♪ When I was a little girl ♪
♪ Used to play with toys ♪
♪ Now I am a bigger girl ♪
♪ I'd rather play with boys ♪
♪ When I was a little boy ♪
♪ Used to want a knife ♪
♪ Now I am a bigger boy ♪
♪ I only want a wife ♪
♪ Round and round Old Joe Clark ♪
♪ Round and Round you say ♪
♪ I don't need 2,000 miles ♪
♪ To get my fiddle played ♪
(upbeat fiddle music)
(everyone cheering)
- [Man] All right!
♪ Would you dream ♪
♪ Here in this place ♪
- Peace, okay?
♪ Beautiful boy ♪
♪ That you love ♪
♪ Beautiful night ♪
- We're all right then, huh?
- What?
- Forgiven?
- Oh.
Like always.
You're the easiest game on the midway.
- [Ron] (laughing) What?
♪ Monsters and dragons seem far away ♪
♪ Here in this dream with you ♪
♪ Holding you gently, holding you close ♪
♪ Making your dreams come true ♪
♪ Beautiful eyes ♪
♪ Beautiful face ♪
♪ Beautiful boy ♪
♪ In your arms ♪
♪ Beautiful night ♪
♪ Out here in space ♪
♪ Beautiful boy ♪
♪ You love ♪
♪ Do you go down ♪
♪ On the side of Sugar Mountain ♪
♪ When leaves are brown ♪
♪ And the sunlight splits the sky ♪
♪ I have found ♪
♪ That the sea breeze tears at the ocean ♪
♪ And I hope somebody will
love me before I die ♪
♪ Oh willow, weep no more my lady ♪
♪ Though the days are long and lazy ♪
♪ And the sun sets heavy on the sky ♪
♪ Weep no more, I'm homeward bound ♪
♪ I'm gonna tear this mountain down ♪
♪ You're gonna be somebody by and by ♪
♪ Sugar Mountain lovers taste like honey ♪
♪ And their lips like elderberry wine ♪
♪ Every other stranger pales and withers ♪
♪ And I know somebody's
gonna love me before I die ♪
♪ Oh willow, weep no more my lady ♪
♪ Though the days are long and lazy ♪
♪ And the sun sets heavy on the sky ♪
♪ Weep no more, I'm homeward bound ♪
♪ I'm gonna tear this mountain down ♪
♪ You're gonna be somebody by and by ♪
♪ Weep no more, I'm homeward bound ♪
♪ I'm gonna tear this mountain down ♪
♪ You're gonna be somebody ♪
♪ By and by ♪
- [Papa J] Oh, hi there.
- Hi.
- What name do you go by
that doesn't have to be your real one?
- Libby.
- Well, Libby, come over here.
Come here.
Come closer, I won't bite you.
Do they say I bite?
- No.
- All right, then.
Now come over here and sit down.
I said sit down.
Now.
Do you know who I am?
- Papa J?
- Old Man Johnson, Papa J.
Do you know how old I am?
- 92?
- 92.
And all this is mine.
Every bit of it.
Yes sir.
Now, you know what a mark is?
- Anyone who ain't a carnie?
- Well, partial.
You know the story about the train mule?
- No.
- See, this man advertises
he's got a train mule for sale.
You ever come across a train mule?
- No.
- Well, this clown who comes
along, and he buys the mule.
Now, he's back in a week
because he can't get that
jackass to do a damn thing.
Well the man says, "Well,
that's impossible."
The farmer says, "Oh yeah?"
So he tells the mule,
"Sit down!
"Stand up!
"Walk!"
Nothing happens, right?
Well, the man says, "No wonder."
So, he reaches back till
he gets a two-by-four,
and he wallops that mule
right across the eyes with it.
Then he says, "First, you
gotta get his attention."
(laughing)
Now, that's what a mark is.
'Cause all those people
out there live their lives
getting smacked across the
face with a two-by-four.
You have got to learn how to duck
them two-by-fours, little lady.
Understand?
Check.
- Yeah, check.
(upbeat fiddle music)
- So.
You girls are going to Red Bluff, huh?
- No.
I don't think so.
Twins, can you imagine?
- You okay?
- Terrific.
Sit down.
Did you see them?
- Nope, not yet.
- They're gorgeous.
Gorgeous.
- Who can I call, can I call anyone?
- You can call my mother.
- Oh, I'll get that, wait.
Who else?
- Tell her to come get me, okay?
- She won't be angry, or anything?
- No.
I don't think.
I mean, after all, it's
your mother, for God's sake.
Would yours?
- Be angry?
I'm not sure what my mother would think.
- Anyway, mine was always
looking forward to grandchildren
to keep her occupied.
Well, she's got them.
(laughing)
It's a miracle, huh?
(muffled voices echoing)
- Hi there.
I'm Wizard.
Uh, sorry about looking so grubby, but,
we came to L.A. to pick
up some stock, and,
been loading the truck all day.
Libby!
- Mom.
- [Rachel] How'd you get in?
- Don't I get a kiss first?
We haven't seen each
other around 100 years.
- [Rachel] You know I
don't like surprises.
- Yeah, you do.
This is Wizard.
- We met.
- [Libby] And this is Bill.
This is my mom.
- Hi.
- I think I might have
given your mom a start.
I think I scared her a little.
- We came into L.A. to pick up some stuff.
Thought it'd be a good chance to see you.
- How'd you get in?
- Mom, there's about a zillion ways
to get in to this house if you want to.
You ought to do something
about it, you know.
I mean, anybody could break in.
It's kind of dangerous.
So, where is everybody?
Where's Jessie?
- She's out shopping with friends.
- (chuckles) Figures.
What about you, what are you doing?
You're working hard?
- Yeah.
They want it yesterday, of course.
You left the kitchen a mess.
We don't have anybody to clean up.
- Oh, what happened to the last one?
- What difference does it make?
- None, I guess.
These are my friends.
- Yeah, I understood that.
- [Bill] We were
loading a truck all day,
that's why we're so...
Libby jumped right in and helped us.
We're not always quite this messy.
- We can even look human when we want to.
- Yeah, she just thought
that maybe we could,
you know, come here...
You don't want us to.
- No, it's just a little bit of a shock
to see strange people in your home.
- People?
This is me, these are my friends.
- Come on, Lib, I can--
- No, it's rotten.
I told them they could come here.
I told them they could
clean up and take showers.
I said you wouldn't mind.
- How could you think that?
No, I mean...
Go ahead if that's what you told them.
- Maybe we should--
- It's so unfair.
- No, of course.
If that's what you want, take showers.
I mean, why don't you show
them the rest of the house,
if you haven't already.
- You're really glad to
see me, aren't you, Mom?
- Yes, as a matter of fact I am.
That's the silly part.
- I called Dad, he was out of town again.
- [Rachel] Oh.
- Come on, the showers are upstairs.
Come on.
- [Richard] You know,
if I wanted to be alone,
I could have gone into another room.
- Yeah, I suppose.
- Well,
either the pope just died,
or you've heard from Libby.
(laughing)
- Yeah, she dropped by.
- Oh.
Well, that's nice.
- [Rachel] Quit it.
- Well, how's she doing?
- I don't know.
- Well how did she seem?
- Cut it out.
Lousy, awful, we were both awful.
Pushed her farther away.
- [Richard] I doubt that.
- I fell back on all my old stuff.
I'm terrific.
- You know, you two are
so hooked into each other,
it's pathetic.
- Nobody asked you.
- Tough.
You two are a team.
You oughta go on the road
with that act of yours.
You let go with one hand, you
strangle hold with the other.
Where you going?
I wanna talk to you.
- I don't wanna talk about this.
I think we're gonna have
to keep this separate.
- Well, I don't think I can.
- She's my daughter, you understand?
She's my fault.
- Yeah, well, that's
the problem, isn't it?
That's all you see is your daughter,
and she sees her mother.
And neither of you see
each other, or want to.
Look, you're people, got it?
You got flaws just like the rest of us,
and neither of you is gonna live up
to the other one's fantasy.
Now, you're not gonna get
another crack at those 16 years.
So, live with it.
Leave the kid alone.
She's doing the best she can.
- Is she?
- Yeah.
Not the best you can,
because she's not you.
She's Libby.
And she's 16.
(sighs) Give the kid a break,
and yourself,
and Jessie,
and, uh, me too.
Okay?
- You finished?
Can I go now?
- Rae, I'm not gonna be sacrificed
to this crazy ritual dance
the two of you are doing.
- Right.
(door slams)
(sighs deeply)
- She's young, your mom.
- Not so young.
She's pretty, huh?
- Yeah, okay.
- I think she's pretty.
- It's quite a house.
- Yeah.
- Don't know why you'd wanna leave.
- Oh, no?
You try living there awhile.
- Come on, Lib, you gotta
admit we look pretty raunchy.
I know how much I wanna
walk through my front door
and see us all sitting
there drinking my booze.
- No, that's her.
We're allergic to each other.
(laughing)
- That's funny.
- When I was a kid, she was
gone all the time, you know.
She's a big time journalist,
so they were always sending
her all over the place.
I got expensive gifts, clothes.
I didn't want them.
I never wanted them.
They got divorced, that got even worse.
I always hated being rich.
- It's not a crime.
- I ain't so sure.
It does lousy things to people.
I don't want to talk about it anymore.
- [Bill] Okay.
- I just thought...
I don't know.
I don't know what I thought.
- Want some company?
You wanna be alone?
- I don't know.
No.
- This is where I live.
- I gotta feed Joe.
- I'm sure Whiskey fed Joe.
I think he's asleep or something.
- Yeah, (clears throat) yes.
- Keep you company, if you like.
- Yeah, okay.
- Not much of a
housekeeper, but it's home.
You wanna sit down?
Wanna talk?
- We just sit here.
Sit here quiet with you.
- Okay.
- I need someone of my own so bad.
- [Woman] One in wins!
(people shouting)
(upbeat music)
- Papa?
Papa?
Bill!
Papa?
Get Bill!
Papa J?
- Bill?
Bill!
- [Brett] Bill.
- [Bill] Papa J's okay, right?
He looks dead.
- But I think he's still breathing.
- Go get Sam or Kenny, come on.
- Let's just get in the van.
- Quick, move, come on!
- What happened?
What happened?
- [Brett] He just toppled over, Link.
- Help me get him up.
- I think we should leave him
here, Link.
- Help me get him up.
Help me get him up.
(baby crying)
- [Man] Come on, Link, you
can come too if you want.
- It's not a holiday.
11:30.
Come on, everybody.
Let's, let's got to work.
Let's open up.
- It's not the end of the
world, folks, let's go.
(sirens blaring)
- I, I, I, I've got to open up.
- Relax, we'll take care of you.
- But I've got to open up.
I've got to.
- To Papa J.
- [All] Papa J.
- To Sherri.
- [All] Sherri.
- To the twins.
Damn.
- Don't do that.
The man was 92 years old.
He died exactly where he
wanted to be watching his show.
Everything he was looking at
when he died belonged to him.
- My dad's dead.
- I could go for some of that myself.
- Let's take it easy, okay?
- [Man] That is real pretty hair.
I'll bet it's soft as rain water.
♪ Do you wanna be a movie star ♪
♪ See the world through
the window of a big cigar ♪
♪ Get your glimpse of a
prince in a high tone bar ♪
♪ Does he drink like you and I do ♪
♪ Would you rather be
the world's best mom ♪
♪ 25 kids skipping on the best kept lawn ♪
♪ Cook a gourmet dinner
with a left over psalm ♪
♪ In your spare time, you
can make a pigeon balm ♪
♪ Oh, up the mark's the nine to fivers ♪
♪ I don't give a damn
for the half-alivers ♪
♪ If I only had a nickel
for the subdividers ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Hey, and up she rises ♪
♪ Don't know which course is wisest ♪
♪ So I'll take the one
with the least surprises ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Now John Burke says
there's a reason why ♪
♪ I smell treason in an empty sky ♪
♪ And I can spot a heathen
in a blackbird pie ♪
♪ I am a true believer ♪
♪ Schoolmarm says better mend your way ♪
♪ You could be a president one day ♪
♪ When they wanna know
the capital of Paraguay ♪
♪ What seven words do you have to say ♪
♪ Oh, up the mark's the nine to fivers ♪
♪ I don't give a damn
for the half-alivers ♪
♪ If I only had a nickel
for the subdividers ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Hey, and up she rises ♪
♪ Don't know which course is wisest ♪
♪ So I'll take the one
with the least surprises ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Some folk whine and some folk pray ♪
♪ Some folk dine on a silver plate ♪
♪ And some folks just investigate ♪
♪ Everyone around them ♪
♪ Folks say that crime don't pay ♪
♪ But the hours are good
and the clothes okay ♪
♪ You can earn top dollar
on the very first day ♪
♪ And they don't send you home
when your hair turns gray ♪
♪ Oh, up the mark's the nine to fivers ♪
♪ I don't give a damn
for the half-alivers ♪
♪ If I only had a nickel
for the subdividers ♪
♪ Selling the American way ♪
♪ Hey, and up she rises ♪
♪ Don't know which course is wisest ♪
♪ So I'll take the one
with the least surprises ♪
♪ Nine to five each day ♪
(people shouting)
- Ron, you seen Bill?
- What, you lose him?
- Stuff it, okay.
- Hey.
Guess what, Amanda's back.
- Terrific.
- Hey Bill.
How come you didn't answer me.
- Uh--
- Oh Libby, I'm back.
- Great.
Libby!
Libby!
♪ Yeah, pretty baby ♪
♪ Hey pretty baby ♪
♪ Hey pretty baby ♪
♪ Hey pretty baby ♪
- I looked all over for you.
- Yeah?
- Sorry.
- Yeah, me too.
- Listen, Amanda was worried
about you, so she sent me out.
- I don't understand, man.
I don't understand any of you guys.
People die.
Sherri runs off, she has babies.
One old lady's as good as the next.
Nothing matters.
Nothing seems to matter to
any of you guys around here.
- Your way?
- Oh, your way?
What is your way?
What is that supposed to mean, huh?
- Libby, what do you want from me?
- Nothing.
- No, what do you want?
- Nothing.
Don't touch me.
(crying)
I love you.
- I know.
I know.
What do you want from me?
You got it.
Are you gonna make this your life, hmm?
'Cause this is where I wanna be.
This is my life.
This is where Amanda
wants to be, and Deacon,
Wizard.
- Yes.
- Truth, Libby.
Come on.
Come on, truth.
For now, maybe, right?
I've seen where you come from.
- No, not fair.
- It's not fair.
Not at all.
'Cause this is all Amanda's got.
We're one percenters.
We don't wanna make it out there.
There's us,
there's the marks, and
there's nothing in between.
- Me too.
Uh-huh.
- You're hiding out.
Mark and time you, your mixing it up.
You're trying to put it all back together
so it makes sense to you.
I understand that.
- Why aren't things the
way they're supposed to be.
- They are.
For us they are.
You belong out there.
You've got your stuff to do.
I was gonna have to let
you go sooner or later.
There's no sense getting torn up about it.
Just give it up.
- What am I gonna say?
- Like I said.
- (crying) It hurts.
- Every time.
Every time it hurts.
(mellow music)
♪ Dear Billy, how are you ♪
♪ I hope you are well ♪
♪ The flowers are blooming ♪
♪ The plants, I can't really tell ♪
♪ I see by your letter ♪
♪ You have no intent to come home ♪
♪ So I'll take the house and the kid ♪
♪ And make out on my own ♪
♪ Dear Billy, I'm trying
to say what I feel ♪
♪ But the feelings are locked up in pain ♪
♪ I hope you're enjoying whatever it is ♪
♪ You are doing with whoever's name ♪
♪ Well, the night it runs cold ♪
♪ And it chills to the soul ♪
♪ But you wouldn't know what's the use ♪
♪ It's all one to me ♪
♪ Go ahead and be free ♪
♪ After all, you got nothing to lose ♪
♪ And I still go to school ♪
♪ The kid, she goes too ♪
♪ We're learning to silence the fear ♪
♪ That no one is here ♪
♪ And she calls me Dear ♪
♪ And I wait for you ♪
♪ Oh, what else can I do ♪
♪ No, nothing has changed ♪
♪ It all stays the same ♪
♪ We all remain ever-faithful ♪
♪ And somewhat confused ♪
♪ Except maybe you ♪
♪ Who threw the harpoon ♪
♪ Are you coming back soon ♪
♪ Dear Billy, please send ♪
♪ My regards to your lady ♪
♪ I wish her well ♪
- Can I help you?
- I live here.
♪ And I hope that one day ♪
♪ We can meet on the far side of hell ♪
♪ Well, the sun's got the moon ♪
♪ And the writer his tune ♪
♪ But I never had no one except you ♪
♪ On the day that you die ♪
♪ I will sing lullabies ♪
♪ In the hope that you got yours, too ♪
- [Richard] Libby.
Fantastic.
- Hi, Richard.
- Aww.
We tried to reach you.
- Big party.
- Yeah.
Plus, your mother's wedding day.
Hey look.
Look.
Whatever you feel, don't spoil it for her.
I've never asked you for anything before.
This time, I'm telling you.
- Libby!
Oh, it's perfect now.
Perfect.
- [Rachel] Libby?
- You look beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Can I talk to you?
- Yes.
We tried to find you.
- Well, I called and you were gone.
- We both had some time,
so we took Jessie out of the city for
a couple of weeks vacation.
- Are you really gonna
do this, aren't you?
- [Rachel] Yes.
- Why didn't you just
leave well enough alone?
- We've punished each other long enough.
Let's quit, huh Libby?
- [Libby] Do you think
this is what Jessie wants?
Jessie didn't want this.
- Jessie likes Richard; she loves him.
- Well, she'd say anything she
thought would make you happy.
Ask her anything.
All we both ever wanted was you.
It doesn't matter how far I run, you know.
You're over my shoulder
judging me, and I never pass.
I can't get rid of you.
- Never imagined you could be this cruel.
- I know you do the best
you can, Mom, but me too.
Me too.
- I know.
I know, Libby.
- It's lousy
because I think we really
love each other so much.
- I'm here for you.
But I'm only me, take what you need.
Your life's waiting for you.
- Do you wanna know what my dream was?
Do wanna know what my dream always was?
That there'd be just you and me.
Where no one could come near
us, no one could touch us.
It's not gonna happen, Mom.
- No.
It's not gonna happen.
It's not supposed to
happen, Libby, let it go.
Forgive me that you needed it to happen.
Oh, I love you.
(mellow music)
♪ I'm on my way ♪
♪ Though the stranger bears my name ♪
♪ She just can't sing the song I play ♪
♪ But there's no shame in learning ♪
♪ Halfway there you want to be turning ♪
♪ Back a while ♪
♪ I'm gonna turn back that dial ♪
♪ I'm on my way to me ♪
♪ But I can't see my future for the past ♪
♪ If I'd done what you had asked ♪
♪ I would have been there in a flash ♪
♪ I'm on my way back home ♪
♪ But I don't know tomorrow from today ♪
♪ I'm gonna find my way ♪
♪ Find my way ♪
(laughing)
(members talking)
Yes I was perfect on that one.
- Come on, guys.
- [Man] Let's call it for tonight, guys,
we're not getting anything done.
How about 10 tomorrow?
- All right, good plan.
- [Man] Eddie, you wanna grab a beer?
- [Libby] No, not tonight, guys.
- How about a rain check?
- That will do fine, thanks.
- See you guys later.
- All right, see ya.
All right, guys.
- See you tomorrow.
- Yeah, bye.
You been here long?
- Most of the day.
- Ooh.
- Good night.
- Good night.
What do you think?
- I'm your mother.
- Yeah, I know, what do you think?
- I think you're terrific.
I never had the privilege of
getting that close to myself.
- Buy you dinner, if you like.
♪ I'm gonna find my way ♪
♪ Back home ♪
(people shouting)
(twinkling music)
(Multicom Jingle)