Gas Food Lodging (1992) - full transcript

(Shade) 'If it weren't for Elvia Rivero,

'this story wouldn't even be worth telling.

'Whenever Elvia came
to this dead old town,

'well, it's like she woke the place up.

'My hometown,
Laramie, New Mexico, it came alive.

'Elvia Rivero was the one
who made me laugh when I needed to laugh.

'She made me cry when no one was looking.

'But most of all, Elvia could put into
words everything I was thinking.'

(Elvia speaks in Spanish)

(Shade sniffs)

(Shade) 'It was Elvia who first
gave me the idea.



'It was decided then and there.

'I knew what was missing from my life.

'A man.'

- Gracias, señora.
- Buenas tardes, Shade.

Buenas tardes.

Oh, shit!

(Shade) 'Oh, no! Don't get me wrong.

'Not a man for me, for my mom.

'Then we could do all the dumb
normal stuff regular families do.'

(Truck brakes squeal)

Shade!

(Chuckles) Hi, Darius.

Oh! Oh!

(Laughing)



Come in.

Oh, I can't. I have to go
meet my stupid sister.

Bye.

Maybe I want to sit at the counter.

Don't worry about it.
As soon as I'm out of here,

you can do what the fuck you want.

Ooh! Promises, promises.

Hello, girls.

Oh, hi.

- Trudi.
- Thanks.

I'll send your favorite waitress over

as soon as she finishes
the big party in back.

You want something to drink?

Uh, yeah, a slice, in a big huge glass
with some ice, please.

- Duh, she's waiting.
- What?

Diet Pepsi.

Diet Pepsi. OK.

So, where is our favorite waitress,
anyway?

I got the most amazing idea today,
Trudi.

(Clattering)

Oh, man!

Lo siento, señorita.

Hey, it's no problem.

It was an accident.
Accidente.

Oh God, don't just stand there, wetback,
get a towel! Clean it up!

Trudi!

Glad he didn't spill it on me.
I have a date later.

Oh, really? With who?

Nobody you'd know.

By the way, the name's Javier,
not wetback.

My family's been in this town
for five generations.

Where is the bitch?
I don't have all night.

(Nora) The old bitch is coming.

(Laughing) She heard you.

If I was you I'd just keep my mouth
shut on your date tonight.

- You may risk blowing it.
- He's an idiot.

He isn't interested
in my fucking vocabulary.

I didn't say "old."

Oh, goody.

Come on, girls, make it quick,
I'm snowed.

Why are you working two stations?

(Sighs)

Unlike some people, I notice.

(Nora) Yeah, some people notice.

What are you gonna have?

Um, a dinner salad
with blue cheese dressing.

No. No dressing, just a lemon wedge.

That's it? No way.
You're having some protein, Trudi.

Come on, I had protein
once already today.

Like what?

You're having the fish.

Fish? Make me sick.

Fine. Bring it. I won't eat anything then.

What are you gonna have?

BLT with onion rings.

Oh, yeah. And could I get another slice
in a big glass with ice?

(Nora) Where is Javier?

He walked.

- He walked?
- Mmm-hmm.

He just walked out?

(Nora) Oh, that's just great.

I am not going out with a beautiful boy

smelling like grease and fish.
Fuck that.

- (Shade) Where are you going?
- I'm not eating. Forget it.

That's just great, Trudi.

Eighty six the red snapper.

(Speaking Spanish)

(Birds chirping)

(Speaking Spanish)

(Shade) 'The question was,

'what sort of man would my mom go for?

'My dad walked off
before I could remember things.

'And I haven't seen her
with any other guy in almost two years,

'since the one who held the gun on us.

'Before him there was this really,
really rich guy,

'who took me
and my sister to Kmart one day,

'and let us buy
anything we wanted. Anything.

'And we said,
"Marry him, Mom. Marry him."

'But she said no because if she did,
it would be for the wrong reasons.

'So that was the end of that.

'Well, and then there was this young guy.

'He was more of a pal.

'He used to turn out
all the lights in the trailer

'and go, "Bring me the knife!
Bring me the knife!"

'And me and Trudi
would hide in the dark and scream.

'And my mom would get
all mad at him and say,

"'Stop it! You're getting them
all wound up before bedtime."

'(Chuckles) And we'd all laugh
so she had to laugh, too.

'I wonder whatever happened to him.

'There are so many kinds of guys.

'There's so many kinds.

'But there was only one guy missing.'

El Paso.

Uh, last name, Evans.

First name, John.

- (Female Operator) 'I have a J. Evans.'
- OK. Thank you. I'll take it.

- 'Hold for the number.'
- Thank you.

(Shade) 'The only man missing
was John Isaiah Perion Evans.

My Dad.

(Man) 'Hello'

"And be sure to turn out the lights."

"We will."

"I did. She was the last one in there."

Where is your sister?

Shade, wake up
and tell me where Trudi is!

God, Mom, I don't know.

I was having a good dream.

Go back to sleep.

(Clock ticking)

(Sighs)

Oh, Trudi.

This was amazing, Trudi.

You're really amazing.

- I'll call you tomorrow, all right?
- OK, yeah.

Now, get some sleep.

OK. Bye.

Bye.

What? I had a date, so?

It's 2:30, Trudi.

You haven't been to school
in two weeks.

- I have, too.
- Not according to this. This is bullshit.

You're going to school
or you're gettin' your ass a job.

Fine, I'll get a job.

Doing what?

I don't know. God, something.

- Now would you lay off? I'm tired.
- No, I'm not finished with you!

You don't come in at no 2:30am
as long as you're living in my house.

- Got it?
- I got it!

And I don't know how the hell
you piss the hours away,

but I got a pretty good idea.

- It's none of your business.
- Oh, no?

Whose business is it
if you get knocked up?

Or if you bring home a nice dose
of the clap or AIDS, huh?

Answer me that.
Whose business is it then?

Not yours!
I wouldn't tell you shit if I were dying!

Listen to me, young lady,
you got three choices.

You go to school,
you get a job, or you get out!

Fine, then, I'm out of here.

(Trudi) I can't stand it here with you!

And you don't close the door in my face!

Come on,
I have to go to school tomorrow!

- (Nora) You're gonna shape up around here!
- (Trudi) Get out of my fucking life!

Sweetheart, I can make you
very sorry you said that.

Go to bed, Mom! Just go to bed!

(Sighing)

(Nora) I will go to bed
when I want to, you understand me?

(Door closing)

(Man) Hey, will the new girl
come get her order?

(Man) Trudi, Trudi, pick up.

OK.

Here you go.

- Will that be all?
- This'll do. Thanks.

Uh, one moment.

I ordered the Western burger.

Oh, oh, just a sec.

Shit!
Um, that's his burger.

You... you ordered the French burger,
that's the Western... Oh!

(Sighs)

Too late? It's OK.

I'm sorry. It's my first day.

It's all right. I'm from England.
We're used to bad service.

Is that supposed
to make me feel good or something?

(Speaking Spanish)

(Sobbing)

(Man speaking Spanish)

(Sobbing)

(Chair creaking)

Hello?

Anyone aqui?

No! Stop!

Are you crazy, man?
You could lose a finger like that.

Sorry.

Oh, it's you.

Done any Mex-bashing lately?

- What?
- Oh, I'm sorry.

You probably don't remember me.

I know all us "wetbacks" look alike.

Guera.

Hey, I didn't say anything.

Wait a minute.

I do.

I do remember you.

You're the busboy who walked out.

You left my mom stranded
at dinner rush.

God, who could forget.

You don't seem to be much better
at this job.

In case you don't know,
most projectors have a knob for focus!

(Chuckles)

Bye, chula.

(Chuckles)

I think we've been over this
about 100 times too many.

Look, Nora.
Hey, Nora, Nora, wait! Wait, wait!

Come on, open up. Let me...
Let me talk to you.

What, Raymond?

- What's to say?
- (Sighs)

Well, I...

Maybe we could have a drink
or a cup of coffee?

Spend a little time together?

Julie, in all those years,
never knew a thing.

We never hurt nobody.

I can't get it through your head

that you're not the only one
with a family to protect.

My girls are grown up now.
I... I can't be messin' with a married man.

I got to set some kind of example.

Well, it seems to me that
if I make you feel good,

that's the type of example
that would mean something to your girls.

Better than the role model
of being a lonely woman.

Well, yeah, I get lonely.
I do. So, big deal.

Women are lonely in the 90s.
It's our new phase.

We'll live.

I've been lonelier.

Well, you take care.

Take care of those girls of yours.

I still want to meet 'em one day.

It's nice to see you.

Yeah.

(Sighs, moans)

(Lips smacking)

(Moans)

Nora, Nora, Nora.

You are so beautiful.

Oh, I gotta go.

(Sighs)

(Car engine starts)

(Hits the car top)

Shit!

(Darius) She's so beautiful.

I mean, the words.

"Have to believe we are magic."

It's tripped out.

She's proposing some very weird,
cool, and scary shit.

Like what?

Like that feminine shit.

Going further than love.

Further than sex.

Like death.

Like, don't fear the reaper.

The way I see it, chicks are the ones
who want to go to outer space.

That's why they push it so hard.

Well, it's like Adam and Eve.

Like, he was fine grooving
in paradise, but...

...Eve wanted something scary.

She wanted the fuckin' edge.

She wanted to jump off cliffs just so
she could see what it was like to fall.

Risk.

That's what this song's all about, Shade.

That's what Eve wanted.

That's what Olivia wants.

And that's what I want.

- Has anybody seen Brett tonight?
- Who? Brett?

- Uh, yeah, I think I have seen Brett.
- Really? Is he here?

Yeah, I think his fiancée
is giving him head.

(All laughing)

Oh. I'm...
I'm sorry, that's your job, isn't it?

He says you swallow, Trudi.
Is that true?

- Fuck you!
- Hey!

Stick around. You want Brett,
there he is, right there.

"I'll call you tomorrow, Trudi."

"Oh, Trudi, yeah, baby, yeah.

"No one's ever made me cum
that way before."

That was really cute.

- What are you trying to do to me?
- What are you trying to do to me?

Nothin'.

I'd kick you in the balls,
if you had any.

(Laughing)

What's her problem?

She's pissed
because I won't go out with her.

(Beeping)

(Beeping)

Could you fill this for me, please?
Cream and lots of sugar.

Sure.

(Trudi sobbing)

(Sobbing)

(Waitress) Okey-doke. Here you go.

(Sighs)

(Coins clattering)

Ta. Thanks.

(Grunting)

(Engine starting)

Your thermos!

Hey, your thermos!

Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!

I know the coffee sucks here,
but that's a nice thermos.

My mind just walks away sometimes.

Yeah. That's what men do,
they walk away.

Hey, wait.

Can I give you a lift?

What for?

For you to explain that remark.

(♪ NICK CAVE: "Lament")
♪ I've seen your fairground hair

♪ Your seaside eyes... ♪

Their emotions walk away.
Their minds walk away.

Everything they say to you walks away.

Make a left up here.

Their promises walk away.

♪ I know your trembling hand

♪ Your guilty prize... ♪

- I saw you had this earlier. What is it?
- It's a mineral light.

It's, uh, it's like a lantern,
only it has an ultraviolet light in it.

- See?
- (Beeping)

♪ So dry your eyes... ♪

Look at your shirt.

Look at your dress.

♪ Now there's nothing more... ♪

So, what? Is this your method?

You get girls in your car and show them
you can make them glow in the dark?

(Beeping)

It's a necessary instrument
for my work.

Make a right up here.

What's that?

- Rocks.
- Oh, I knew it. Another musician, great.

Not rock.

- Rocks.
- (Chuckles) Oh! Rocks!

♪ Your scarlet moon

♪ And your jailhouse smile

♪ So dry your eyes ♪

(Crickets chirping)

(Bird hooting)

(He moans)

(Trudi sighs)

Look, that's the best I can do.
I'm tired.

Yeah, sure.

Well, have fun with your rocks.

(Engine starts)

(Hammering)

(Sighs)

(Man singing)

(Hammering continues)

(Man) ♪...with each other

♪ About your smiling voice

♪ And the words you said were true... ♪

Excuse me.

- Excuse me.
- Mornin'.

- (Chuckles) Morning!
- Mornin'?

No, it's not even mornin', yet,
get my meaning?

No, you don't.

I'll be direct. This is my day off,

and like most people,
I like to sleep in on my day off.

You followin' me?

What the hell are you doing,
making all this racket at 5:00am?

Installing a brand-new
Humphrey satellite dish, ma'am.

- I can see that.
- (Chuckles)

But I'd advise you that if you don't do
this at a reasonable hour,

I'm gonna have to call
Mr. Humphrey-satellite-dish and complain.

But, ma'am, I am Mr. Humphrey.

(Laughs) But I tell you what, I'll go.

I'll stop working for a spell
and go eat some breakfast.

And, uh...

Oh, you'd be welcome to join me.

It's a place right off the highway.
It's a pull-off plaza.

(Sighs) No, thanks.

But I'll give the cook a call
and tell him you're coming.

If he's in a good mood,
maybe he'll spit in your eggs for me.

(Laughing)

That's a good 'un.

Say, what's your name, anyhow?

(Sighs) Nora. Why?

Bet you can't guess what my name is.

You go ahead, try.

I don't know. Tom? Dick?

- Moose?
- (Laughs)

You'll never guess in a million years.
You want me to tell you?

Hamlet.

Hamlet?

Hamlet Humphrey.

- That's pitiful.
- (Chuckles)

Mom, do you have
a pair of hose I can borrow?

They're in my drawer.

Mom, do you want blankets and sheets, too?

Of course.

(Trudi) Would you move?
I'm gonna be late.

And who used all the tampons
and didn't buy a new box?

Not me.

I'm the dominant female in this house.
You're both following my cycle.

Oh, wow. You get your period first,
so you're all bad.

(Shade) I bought some.
They're under the sink.

(Rattling)

- What's this?
- Give it! That's mine!

- Birth control pills?
- You bitch! I'm gonna tell Mom.

- I'm gonna tell Mommy!
- Just give it back!

Ow!

Oh...

You jerk! Stop laughing!

- I'm not. I'm not.
- Trudi.

- Why did you hit her?
- I didn't. She fell.

Not till she pushed me.

She kicked me.

I can always depend on you
to cause trouble.

(Sighs) Big baby.

Is this the only size you have?

That's it, hon.

Well, how much is it?

(Woman) 2.25 and tax.

Bummer. I have 2.

How much you need?

Oh, just 30 cents.

(Coins rattling)

Take it. Oops.

I can pay you back.
My mom's just in there.

No sweat.

John's a big spender.
Ladies' man. Too young for you, John.

(Laughing)

Thanks. Um, I'll be right back
with your change.

You don't worry about it.

Thanks.

So, where's this go, Sadie?

(Shade) 'Mom used to say that
the easiest place to meet a guy was a bar.

'To me, this sounded crazy.

'Then one night, I saw him.

'The one I'd been looking for.

'It was like he walked straight
out of an Elvia Rivero movie.

'I could tell he was no loser.

'He had on the clothes
of a teamster and boots from Spain.

'Or, at least El Paso.

'He was the one, beyond a doubt.'

(Sighs)

(Shade) 'I just have to get him
and my mom together.'

(Gasping)

Hey, Brett.

I was hoping it was you.

Let's go.

(Girl chuckles) Yeah!

(Boy) Cowboy.

Fuck them!

(Crickets chirping)

(Dank) Am I taking you home?

(Trudi) Can I go with you?

(Dank) Well, I'll be working.
And it's dangerous.

You're not really dressed for it.

(Trudi) I could wait
in the Jeep for you. I'll be OK.

(Dank) Uh, OK. I won't be long.

(Water dripping)

(Crickets chirping)

I don't like this shit.

(Light clicking)

Wow.

- (Trudi) Dank?
- Careful.

Walk to me, slowly.

You dropped these.

(Sighs)

Thank you.

I always thought
there was nothing here.

Nothing here?

Ah... ah...

There's so much!

(Sighs) Look, look at this.

(Sighing) Look at this.

And... And these.

(Birds chirping)

(Cicada buzzing)

(Water dripping)

There's something I've got to tell you.

Do you want to hear it?

- Um, is it gonna upset me?
- No.

Is it gonna make me sick?

- Is it gonna make me kill someone?
- (Chuckles) No.

(Sighs) All right, then.

I mess around with guys a lot.

I guess I'm one of those girls with a rep.

I never wanted to do it, but I do.

I even make all the first moves.

But I've been thinking about it
a lot lately

and thinking about...

...why I can't say no,
and why I always have to do it?

And I think it's because of my first time.

These guys just did what they wanted.

What are you saying?

They pulled a train on me.
They gang-banged me.

I didn't report it. Are you crazy?
Let the whole town know about it?

I never told anyone. Not even my mom.

I knew their names.
Two of them were brothers...

Sonny and Dan Richardson,
and Ralph Ellison.

A guy they called Tex.

I never saw 'em again.

Don't.

After that, I never said no again.

Why bother? They just do it anyway.

This was the first time...

...I really wanted to do it.

It was the first time I...

...I've felt anything.

(Sighs)

(Jeep approaching)

I have to go away for a few days.

There's a mineshaft near Carlsbad
that has some rare species of rocks and...

...I want to check it out.

- Oh.
- What?

It's not that far.
I'll be back by Wednesday.

(Sighs) Yeah, sure. Whatever.

Hey!

Don't be like that.

Come here.

Kiss me.

(Sighs) I'll dream about you.

Dream for me, Trudi.

You have one month
to find another place to live.

One month.

Fine.

Fine? It's fine, is it?

Yes, it's fine. It's dandy.
Now leave me alone.

Leave you alone?
You bet I'll leave you alone.

Pay your rent alone.
See how "dandy" that is.

I won't be alone! Not like you!

I found someone
and he wants to be with me!

Yeah, sure he does.

One month, Trudi.
I will not put up with this anymore!

(Door shuts) Bitch!

(Sobbing) Ungrateful.

Hamlet Humphrey, you still here?

Oh, yes, ma'am.
I'm in it for the long haul.

Well, aren't we lucky?

(Sniffling, moaning)

Thanks. I'll wash it for you.

Now, it can't be that bad.

Now, how do you know?

What if I told you I was dying

of an incurable blood disease,
would that be bad enough for you?

I was just trying to cheer you up.
Didn't mean to minimize it.

Hey!

(Radio) '...some booty with those cowboys.
Gonna be wild. I wouldn't miss it.

'Closer to home, sunny skies
prevailing this morning. A hot day...'

- (Bird cawing)
- (Gasps)

(Sighs)

I don't want you to move out.

Sorry we woke you up.

What is that?

Looks like an ordinary rock, huh?

- Yeah, plain old rock.
- It's not.

It glows bright orange
under a special light.

(Scoffing)

- Bullshit, it does.
- It's true.

Oh, Shady, I met the best guy.

Trudi.

Laramie's not so bad.

We went to the desert, Dank and me,
and he showed me it's alive out there.

It's not just nothing.

Colors and sounds and flowers and...

Trudi.

I need your advice.

(Sighs)

See...

There's a boy.

(Sighs) And...

...he does all this stuff.

Like he touches my face
and he holds my hand,

and he acts like we're buddies.

You have to make the first move.

What's his dream girl like?

Oh, this is gonna be fun.

(Trudi) 'You decide, that's all,
that you're going to have him

'and nothing can stop you.

'Throw him down. Make him want you.'

(Knocking on door)

Shade.

You look amazing.

(Clicking)

What I've been thinkin'?

(♪ OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN: "Magic")

No, what?

I've been thinkin' how bored I am.

How I want to go to some...

...scary, dark place.

- Yeah?
- Risk, Darius.

I want to jump off cliffs.

I want to go to another planet.

That's some scary shit, all right.

♪ Start now

♪ There's no other road to take

♪ You won't make a mistake... ♪

- Oh, am I hurting your leg?
- No. I don't I don't feel a thing.

Oh, good, I guess.

- OK, where was I?
- I can't remember.

- Oh, yes.
- Oh, no.

Magic, Darius.

That's what Olivia wants.

That's what Eve wanted.

That's what I want.

I wanna lose myself...

♪ And if all your hopes survive... ♪

In you.

♪ Your destiny will arrive... ♪

Oh, God! I feel so stupid!

No. Come on. Why?

Am I ugly? I mean, am I gross?

Get real, Shade.

You're a beautiful person, but...

- But I'm hideous.
- Stop.

(Sighs) I feel like a jerk.

♪ From where I stand... ♪

It's not you.

It's me.

Doesn't help.

(Wind blowing)

All right.

All right.

- You have a good one, baby.
- See you, man.

It's the movie lady.

No movies today?

No matinees?

No.

Just real life, huh?

Yeah.

Real life.

What'd you do to your hair?

I don't like it.

And those are some lame-ass shoes, esa.

No wonder your feet hurt
trying to walk on those buildin' blocks.

Hey, who asked you, huh?

I mean, if you ask me,
you dress pretty silly.

Stupid baggy 50s pants
with the little cut in the side.

What's that for?

(Crickets chirping)

Oh, come on, now.

I'm just joking with you.

It's 'cause I like the way
you normally dress, that's why.

I liked your hair before.

It was just fine.

Órale, that's the stuff!

Yeah.

- Slow down.
- All right.

It's that one. Right there.

Whoa.

(Javier) See you at the movies,
I guess, huh?

Wait.

Do you want this?

It wouldn't mean nothing.

No, that's OK.

- See you.
- Bye.

Oh, shit! Dinner!

(Crickets chirping)

(♪ MARK FOSSON: "Crazy Heart")

♪ I feel no better now... ♪

Mom!

(Cutlery rattling)

Well, Shady, honey,
are we gonna eat or what?

- (Shade) Um...
- (Knocking on door)

Oh, Mom, I have a little surprise for you.

- Come in.
- (Raymond) You look great.

Nora, this is Raymond.
Raymond, this is Nora.

Hi.

Hi.

There you go.

- Sit down.
- Thanks.

So...

What line of work are you in,
Ms. Evans?

Oh, please call me Nora.

Nora.

Nora, Nora.

I'm a brain surgeon, Raymond.
How about you?

I'm a grave digger myself.

Erm...

I'm digging my own as we speak...
Rapidly.

Oh, that makes two things you do quick.

(Laughs)

Thanks for coming over.

- You really blew it.
- (Chuckles)

Maybe... maybe if you play
your cards right,

I can get you a second chance.

Well, darlin', I think
I about run out of chances with her.

- OK, good night.
- Good night.

That's a sweet little girl you got there.

I'm lucky.

I'm lucky, too.

To have known you both.

(Chuckles, sighs)

Well...

I'll be cutting out for Las Cruces now.

Stay well, Raymond.

Yeah.

(Sighs)

(Cicada chirping)

(Shade) 'Things don't always
work out like you want them to,

'and in my experience,
it almost never does.

'A lot of people say you're stupid
to have expectations on anything.

'But they're just afraid of disappointment.

'Me...

'I guess I'm more afraid
of not having any daydreams left.

'I mean, disappointment is easy.
You can get over it.

'But what do you do with yourself
if you can't imagine the future,

'the way you want it to be?'

(Shade) 'When someone rejects you,

'they say that it's not personal.

'Who are they kidding?
It's as personal as it can get.

'You can't help but take it personal.

'You start thinkin' that you're the worst
problem in their whole life.

'You think you're the reason
for all their weird moods.

'Or why they quit coming to school.'

(Shade) 'Wednesday came and Trudi
was too nervous to even talk

'cause that Dank guy was coming back.

'Then Thursday came...

'And then by Friday, she'd gotten all quiet.

'Come the next week,
she couldn't even get out of bed.

"'He's never comin' back," she said.

"'He's never comin' back."'

Who's the father?

I don't know.

- Nice.
- A guy, OK?

A jerk.

Well, we need to sit down
with this jerk and talk over the details.

If you can find him.

I have nothing to say to him.

Be practical, Trudi.

He's got to pay for it.
It's only fair. I mean...

You're the one who has to go through
the abortion. It's the least he can do.

Abortion?

I haven't even decided yet
what I'm gonna do.

There's nothing to decide.
You have no choice.

Bullshit! You can't tell me.

- You gonna finish that?
- This is my body.

You can't tell me what to do.

I'm not gonna discuss this
with you, Trudi.

I guess you don't want me to make
the same mistake you made, right?

You wish you'd had an abortion
instead of having me, right?

Life would have been easier for you.
Just fucking say it, Mom!

That's enough, Trudi! Now get in the car!

I bet you even tried to abort me,
didn't you?

(Sighs)

(Shade) 'Everything in Trudi's life
came down to three choices,

'and this was no different.

'Moving to a home in Dallas,
carrying the baby all those months,

'then having to give it away
seemed like the hardest part of all.

- 'Still, it was her choice.'
- (Sighs)

(Shade) You won't be gone for that long.

(Trudi) Nah. I'll be back
before you can blink.

So don't get too cozy
in that room by yourself, OK?

(Shade) Take care of yourself, Trudi.

I'm gonna miss you.

(Trudi) Bye. Be good.

Here. Take it.

Here...

You just make me so mad.

(Sobbing)

(Announcer) 'Bus 1737
leaving for Dallas, now boarding.'

Shade.

That guy, Darius,

he just got scared. It wasn't you.

OK?

(Car engine starts)

(Sighs)

Mom, what are we gonna do
without Trudi here?

The house is so quiet.

I mean, uh, you know, uh,
you and I never talk.

(Chuckles)

(Sighing) You done?

Maybe we should get some more TV.

Hey, man, see you inside,
right, homes?

Hiya.

- How are you?
- All right.

Hey, I thought it was you.
I came in the door and I looked at you...

...and I said, "Yeah, that's her.
No one in my town dresses like that."

(Laughing)

- (Boy) Yo, see you later, man.
- Vamos.

See you later, man, all right?
Take it easy.

You will not believe it.

You see that guy over there?
His brother is a DJ from LA.

Like a big millionaire and famous.

And he's passing through town,

and he promised me
he would ask him to DJ at the party.

(Shade chuckles) Really? That's great.

This party is turning out so perfect.

OK, now, who else can I invite?

I'm sorry, I can't invite the whole town.

Hey, no need to explain.

A rato.

Shade, you shouldn't
even be talking to that boy.

He is a cholo. Pure gangster.

You know, he's probably supporting
a baby or two

by robbing pizza delivery men
and stealing car radios.

You don't even know him, Tanya.

(Sighs)

He's not all that bad.

Cholos are all the same, Shade.
They deal dope.

They kill each other for fun.

They gang-rape girls and that's how
the girls are initiated into the gang.

(Sighs)

Now, let's find me
the perfect dress, OK?

So, you get your network programmin',

get your cable programmin',
but that's only the beginnin'.

This is not just entertainment.

Oh, now you're gonna get
philosophical on me?

Spare me the lecture and talk to me
in a language I can understand.

How much is it gonna cost?

Just $1,200 to be linked up
with your fellas all over the world.

(Laughing)

I can't afford that.

- A woman that works as hard as you?
- (Sighs)

You've had a...
Had a tough go of it.

You know, a fella
has got to admire that.

Hey, you've got some
pretty brown eyes on you, you know that?

(Chuckles) Thanks.
But I still can't afford it.

Well, maybe TV
just ain't what you need, lady.

(♪ THE VELVET MONKEYS: "We call it rock")

So, you're a DJ.
Must be very interesting.

What about that liquor delivery?

Uh, well, why don't we call again?

(Both sighing)

(Clock ticking)

I'm sorry if I didn't...

...do it for you.

You do it for me, Ham.
It was great, really.

It was really great. I mean it.

I can enjoy myself without...

I mean, not every time, but...

Well, I still got some ambition left.
I can make it better.

It was fine.

It really was.

I think it has to do
with getting used to a man.

Getting used to his body,

position,

the size.

- (Snickering)
- Oh, the size is great.

The body's great.

- Yeah.
- That just leaves position.

OK.

Still checking.

OK, thank you. Bye.

(Hangs up)

- They're on the way.
- Come on, baby, I won't bite.

(Grunts)

Oh, um... (Chuckles)

(Door shuts)

Look, it was really nice
meeting you guys,

but my parents could be home any minute,
so you should probably leave.

You guys have to go!

Get out of my house, now!

Go! Just... Just go!

OK, OK, enough of this bullshit.
Let's go back inside...

(Tanya) You guys have to go.
Out of my house!

She doesn't have to do anything
with you, man.

Just leave her alone.

Hmm, look at the mouth on her.
Let's see...

That's enough, pal!

So, where are we taking you?
The picture show?

No, I live out on Route 40.

The Lucky Clover trailer park.

How did you know that?

(Sighs)

I've been trying
to get the nerve up to come and see you,

since I came back home to Laramie.

How you doing, Shady Lynne?

How's your sister, Trudi?

Is she OK?

And Nora?

Dear, sweet, pretty Nora.

How is your mama?

John...

John, do we have the same last name?

I'm him.

I ain't shit,

but I'm your old man, darlin'.

(Humming)

How was the party, honey?

I met my dad.

He's moved back?

That's the first I heard about it. When?

(Sighs) Look, I don't know.

I was shocked, all right?
I didn't ask him that.

(Gasps) Well, there are a few things
I'd like to ask him.

It's impossible.

I would have heard about it.
I mean, this is a small town.

He doesn't live in town.

He lives out near Rockhound Park.

Oh, great.

And he doesn't even bother to call us?

He just stalks us
like the coward he always was.

I knew I shouldn't have told you anything.

(Gasps)

I mean, this whole time
I have been trying to help you find him!

Ow!

Here, let me put some aloe vera on it.

(Sobs) No! Just leave me alone!

Don't you see? It's all your fault!

- Oh, that you burned yourself?
- No! Don't you understand?

That we don't have a family!

You just hate men!

That's what I think. You just hate them!

(Sobbing)

(Sighs)

That's just great.
I can see him being sincere.

"Oh, my darlin', my darlin',
where have you been?"

Well, we've been here.

(Speaking Spanish)

(Crickets chirping)

(Kim) Yeah?

I'm looking for a Mr. John Evans.

What for? What's he done this time?

Nothing. I... I just...

You one of his kids?

- Yeah.
- Huh!

Oh, well, for heaven's sake,
come on in.

(Chuckles) John?

- John!
- (John) What?

Trudi's here.

Oh, I'm Shade.

Not Trudi, Shade.

(Woman on TV) 'Can you believe it?
Look at that fire.

'Look at that diamond!'

Well, Shady Lynne, how are you?

Sit down.

Uh, Kim, uh, get her some pop, honey.

- Do you want something to eat?
- No, thanks. I'm fine.

I'll fix you a BLT.

(John) That'll be good.

- Did you meet Kim?
- Hi, I'm Kim.

Nice to meet you.

What a surprise. Never know, do you?

John, I... I need to ask a favor of you.

My sister Trudi, she's away.

And, uh, it's nothing for you
to worry about or anything, but, uh,

there's this really special nightgown
I want to buy her, and I can pay you back.

I'll work. I'll pay you a little bit back,
each week.

I can't let you pay back.

How much you need?

A lot. About 50 bucks.

No problem.

You wait right here.

(Kim) I think we better talk.

- (John) How much you got in your purse?
- (Kim) You know how much I got.

(John) I got 22 bucks.
What about the mattress?

(Kim) Uh-uh, you are not getting it out.
How are we gonna live, John?

We got our own problems.

(John) That little girl out
is my daughter.

(Kim) What about my kids?

(John) I'll be damned
if I'm not gonna give it.

- (Kim) Do you give a damn about my kids?
- (John) That's not my problem.

(Kim) Is that how it's gonna be?
Not your problem?

(John) Don't talk to me like that.

(Kim) If you get a goddamn job
and keep it, we wouldn't live like dogs.

You are not getting in there.
John, that is my money, too!

Goddamn it, John! Stop it!

John, goddamn it!

Go on, take it. You take it.

Are you sure it's all right?

I got the money, didn't I?

Thank you.

Oh, your ma's done a great job.

I meant to come and see you all,

you girls, but, uh...

The more I waited,
the harder it got to face.

Sure thought about you, though.

Not a day's gone by.

Well, anyway...

Sure glad I could help.

(Hens clucking)

(Cat meowing)

Is Javier here?

(Cat meows)

Is Javier here?

Javier?

Ah.

(Bells jingling)

(Clock ticking)

Oh, hey. What's up?

Oh, I'm sorry. I woke you up, huh?

It's all right.

Mom, this is, uh...

...Shade.

This is my mom, Rocio.

So...

What's up?

How was the party?

Terrible.

My friend, Tanya,
she's a really good person,

but she judges people she doesn't know.

She thinks you're dangerous.

- Yeah?
- (Chuckles)

Yeah, like what does she say?

(Kettle whistling)

She says you're a cholo.

A cholo?

A cholo?

- Ooh.
- (Laughing)

She says you rob and even kill people.
(Giggling)

So, why are you laughing?

(Guffawing)

- You stupid!
- Shit, I had you going!

Oh, thank you.

Oh, oh.

Watch your ears.

(Cassette player clicks)

(♪ THE MITCH GREEN EXPERIENCE:
"Maria")

She can't hear the music
but she can feel the vibrations

that loud music makes on the floor.

No.

No, I can't dance. Really, I can't.

(♪ Man singing in Spanish)

♪ Domingo en el parque,
I get my fill

♪ Cruel with Maruca
On strawberry hill...

(♪ Man singing in Spanish)

(Bells jingling)

(Javier speaking Spanish)

(Shade) 'It was the same for both of us.

'It was like we'd finally met our twin.

'Can you grasp that?

'(Chuckles) Here we were,
from two different worlds,

'and yet, when we were alone,

'together we made up the same person.

'In his arms, I knew who I was.'

'Shade. Just Shade.

'(Chuckles) And that was more
than enough.

(Wind blowing)

(Dog barks)

Uh, where did you get this guy?

He owns his own satellite dish company.

(Laughing) That guy?

(Cheering)

You are good.

(Whooping)

- Oh, brother.
- (Laughing)

- Hi.
- Hi.

You come bowlin' much, Shade?

- No, uh-uh.
- No?

I'll bet you're one
of those matinee junkies.

I've seen you leaving
that Spanish theater.

Yeah.

How do you understand
those movies, anyway?

You know...

(Mimics gun)

(Mouthing out of sync)

"I told you once, put down the girl.
Hand me the gold."

Or Elvia Rivero.

"Te quiero."

"Te quiero."

- (Chuckles)
- You know of Elvia Rivero?

Oh, si, si. Es muy bonita.
Es verdad?

- Si.
- (Both chuckle)

Your mama looks just like her.

(Projector whirring)

(Inaudible)

(Nora) 'OK, honey, that's it, that's it.'

(Panting)

- (Dank) 'I'll dream about you.'
- (Nora) Breathe.

- (Dank) 'Dream for me, Trudi.'
- (Shade) Push, come on, Trudi, push!

(Grunting)

(Groaning)

(Panting)

- Push! Push!
- (Groaning)

- (Shade) Push, Trudi!
- (Groaning)

- (Panting)
- (Shade) Trudi! It's coming! Push!

- (Shade) Breathe.
- (Panting)

- (Groaning)
- Push! It's coming!

- Push!
- (Groans)

- (Baby crying)
- (Nora) Oh, honey, that's it.

- (Chuckles)
- I'm so proud of you.

(Laughing)

(Shade) 'The baby had lips just like Trudi.

'Maybe she would have her same smile.

'Or maybe she would have Dank's eyes.

'Or maybe she would
raise her eyebrows just like my mom.

'Maybe when she's started to talk,

'her voice would sound like mine.

'She'll grow up
with her new mom in Dallas.

'And she will never see
where any of her features came from.

'She will never know Laramie,

'or the desert where she was conceived.

'She will never know us.'

- (Trudi) Hey.
- Hey.

This is my sister, Shade.
This is Ivy.

We're gonna be roommates
as soon as I get out.

Nice to meet you.

Yeah.

Wow, you guys don't look a thing alike.

Well, I got to dash. Hang in there.

I'm sure you're gonna feel much better
when those stitches heal.

You'll be able to wear
cool clothes again, and lingerie.

(Sighs)

Are you really gonna stay here
in Dallas, Trudi?

You bet I am.

Ivy's a model.
She's great lookin', huh?

Her agent's all excited about me.
She thinks I've got it.

What about me and Mom?

We really miss you, you know.

Laramie's a shit hole.
There's nothing there.

- There is something there.
- (Sighs)

Yeah. A lot of bad memories.

The desert, Trudi.

It's just like you said.

It's alive. It's magic.
That's not nothing.

It was all bullshit.

This is a rock.
A fucking ugly, pointless rock!

Get it through your head.
I'm not going back, Shade.

(Sobbing)

Just tell me you're coming home.

No, I'm not!

Just...

Just go!

(Birds chirping)

(Hamlet singing)
♪ I'm sittin' at my window

♪ Wonderin' if those sparklin' stars

♪ Shine upon that same sweet you

♪ Or is your sky a rainbow

♪ Filled with colored neon lights?

"Natural Day-Glo Rocks."

I'll walk home.

Where is he?

You monster!

You're the one who ditched my sister
and gave her a rock just like these!

I think you got me confused
with someone else.

Your name's Dank, right?

No.

Cecil.

But where did you get these rocks?

Well, they were sort of
given to us by this British rock hunter.

We just spent two days at Carlsbad,

waitin' for the bats
to return to the caves from Mexico.

The bats migrate back in February.

(Cecil) 'Drivin' back,
we spotted this Jeep

'parked at this abandoned mine.

'My lady, Persi, said,

"'Hey, Cecil, it's the Jeep of that fella
who came in lookin' for Day-Glo rocks."

'We went lookin' for him,
but it was empty out there.

'He'd been there for a week,

'when they dragged him out
of the mineshaft.

'They sent his body
and everything but these back to England.

(Bats screeching)

Well, his girlfriend
just had a little baby girl.

Aww.

Here, take this.

This one's got four colors.

(Shade) 'He didn't leave her.

'And now, after all that has happened,

'it was the single gesture,

'the one true heart
which has already changed the paths

'of daughters not yet heard from,
those not yet born.

'He was hers till the end.

'And I'll tell her in time.'

(♪ VICTORIA WILLIAMS: "Love")

♪ You wanna know all about

♪ Where you can get some

♪ You need to know fast

♪ There is no doubt

♪ You wanna know where

♪ You'll find some love

♪ Everybody wants it

♪ Everybody needs it

♪ Nobody gets the meaning of it

♪ Not without love

♪ Love is a giving thing

♪ Love is a forgiving thing like spring

♪ Love

♪ And you know you can trust in love

♪ A man once said to me

♪ A long time ago he'd lost

♪ His true love

♪ How can that be?

♪ Maybe later we'll see that

♪ All that lives on

♪ Is love

♪ Everybody wants it

♪ Everybody needs it

♪ Nobody seems to get it

♪ All confused about it

♪ But to get it

♪ You have to just give it

♪ You, you have to just live it

♪ Once in a while

♪ You open up just like a child

♪ See things fresh and new

♪ I wish this for you

♪ Love

♪ Everybody wants it

♪ Everybody needs it

♪ Everyone deserves it

♪ Even if you're bad, even if you're sad

♪ Even if you're mad

♪ Or blue it's true

♪ You do

♪ Everybody deserves a little bit of love

♪ Even if you're behind bars

♪ All scarred up

♪ Love ♪