Payday (1973) - full transcript

She's my kind of girl.

- Thank you. Thank you very much.
- Really enjoyed it.

- Enjoyed your performance. It was so good.
- Thank you.

- How you doing?
- Fine, you?

- Is this your wife?
- Sure is.

- May I dance with her?
- Help yourself.

How long have you known Maury Dann?

I've been with the Dann
just about eight months.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

- How you doing?
- Fine. Fine.



- Good to see you. Hello.
- So proud to be here.

Thank you.

My name's Sandra Butterfield,
but everybody calls me Sandy.

Anyway, Mr. Bridgeway,
that's my boss, he said:

"In that case, Sandy, why don't we both
not work and go to the show?"

- Wasn't that nice of him?
- Like my car?

My God, is that yours?

Oh, well, of course it is.
I'm sorry. I'm just being silly.

You know, I forgot to buy
one of your records out front.

I didn't actually think I'd get to
meet you to autograph the record.

I think I can fix that.

I got a couple of albums
right here in the car.

Hey, bud.

I'm looking for a girl about yea tall,
blond...



...pink and blue dress.

- About 24 years of age.
- Hell, man, so am I.

Very funny, Jack.

I ain't seen your girl, mister.

I don't think we took in
over 600 at the door.

How'd the record sales go?

I counted over 400 people.
That means without the comps...

...we packed your place for you
and then some.

Well, I guess it was
a pretty good show.

Fucking-A, it was a pretty good show.

Where the hell have you been?

Honest to God, Mr. Bridgeway,
I've been in the girls' room.

I knocked on that goddamn door
two or three times. Didn't you hear me?

No, I didn't. I didn't hear a sound.
I didn't hear anything.

Back in November, though,
if you care to have us.

- At the same price?
- Sure, why not?

I don't know. I figured we should get
a piece of the door money anyway.

I'll talk to Maury about that.

- How'd we do?
- Twelve-fifty.

Let's have it.

He wants a piece of the gate
next time out.

People in hell want ice water too.

Okay.

Will you climb in, hon?

I asked him for a Dr Pepper,
and he just stood there.

You get in the car.

Henry, hand me that amp there.
We'll get that amp.

- He's got a pair of kings.
- Pair of cowboys.

I got more than that too.

- Trey, pair of kings high.
- Put her in there. Put it in there.

- Pair of cowboys.
- Come on in, buddy.

- And a queen.
- Who's high?

- Ace high bet.
- What do you bet, buddy?

Bet a dollar.

- I'm gonna have to call you on that.
- Call one time.

- Call on a dollar.
- Did you want a chicken?

Yeah, good.

- He's got a pair of kings over here.
- All right.

- All right, who's high?
- I'll go.

All right. That's something to wash
it down with. Now you're late.

We got you mustard
on that hamburger there.

Like to see our tear gun.

- I say, pure shit. A cheap bet, ace.
- Two dollars.

Two dollars. Two dollars.
Two bucks. Two dollars.

Bob, ride? Bob rides, here we go.
Coming out.

Don't take too much money out of there.
All right, okay.

A nine. All right.

You got no help?

There's a pair. There you go.

No mayonnaise on this.

Freeze.

I'll raise it 10, boys.

- Ten. Ten dollars to ride.
- I'm gonna call you on that.

All right, don't shoot.

- Cards coming around.
- Cigarettes?

Leave them out there.

- You want to drag the money.
- You had a hell of a hand last time.

Here they come.

Down and dirty.

- You did?
- Yeah, I hit three.

- Did you really?
- I hit three.

A full house.

You the luckiest son of a bitch
I've ever seen in my life.

I'm gonna call you. That's it.

- I'll call you.
- I'm gonna have to fold.

Payday, gentlemen.
Excuse me, darling.

Mr. Pitt.

Bob Tally.

- Clarence.
- Thanks.

Mr. Yonce.

Maury, can I see you a minute?

Anything you say, hoss.

- A quarter.
- How much, a quarter to me?

Quarter to you.

Shelley come up with that
letter of agreement.

I thought you might wanna look at it
before we send it out to the lawyer.

Let's look at the letter.

And remember that guy in Detroit?

One that says you hit him
in the lobby of the hotel.

Tommy says he's filed suit,
so when we get to Nashville...

...I want you to look out
for process servers.

They'll probably hang around
the King of the Road...

...or Music Row, or you can just take
the summons and the hell with it.

Let's worry about that later.
The letter's okay. What else you got?

All right.

Now...

...you wanna hang around Nashville
a couple of weeks...

...we can do the Opry the 15th...

...tape the Buck Owens' Show the 17th...

...and maybe the Johnny Cash special
on the 26th.

What do you mean, "Maybe"?

The Country Cousins are booked. But I
heard Molly Jackson's leaving the group.

Without her, there's no group.
So there's an opening, maybe.

Joyce said Johnny likes your payday.

This could be a big opportunity. It's
worth hanging around a couple of weeks for.

We've been on the road three months now.
You need a rest.

I don't hang around Nashville
waiting for Johnny Cash.

- I can remember...
- I didn't say anything about...

...waiting around for anybody.

We take a couple of weeks break. We do
the Opry, we tape the Buck Owens' Show...

Goddamn it, man, there's money
to be made on the road.

And Johnny Cash.

If you sock that in solid, we'll do it.

Otherwise, book us through the Northeast
like we planned. It's over, hoss.

Goldarn, a whole barn full
of country boys.

Hi, Jesse!

Oh, my God! You fuckers eating me alive.

Glad to make you a little loan, Bob.

McGinty, you Irish donkey bastard...

...that boy's got other things
on his mind.

Don't he?

Oh, that's plenty clapping there.

Guess I'll say goodnight, boys.

Come on in.

What's this?

Well, this here is my bedroom.
I sleep here.

Well, I guess I'd better be getting
on home now.

Well, you are home for the time being
at least.

Hey. Don't do that. Be nice.

Well, I'll try to be nice,
if you'll come on over here.

Hey, stop it.

What's your name, honey?

Don't ask me that.
I already told you my name.

Now be nice.

Now look, I'm gonna quit being nice
if you don't stop telling me to be nice.

I asked you to be nice.

My name...

...is Rosamond.

I ain't gonna tell you my last name.

I think I wanna go home now.

Oh, you don't have to take me.
I'll go myself.

Bullshit.

What did you say to me?

I said, bullshit.

Hey, you can't talk to me that way.

Honest to God. Hey.

All I meant was
you ain't going no place tonight.

You come here with me on purpose.

And this here is the purpose.
It's all over now.

Look. Come here, goddamn it.

Kick, hit.

- I'll see you.
- All right.

Operator, I wanna make
a credit-card call.

I'd like to make a credit-card call.

178-4047...

...349W.

Nashville.

Yes, ma'am, I know
the area code and number.

The phone number is 751-3907.

Fuck.

Hey, hey.

Wake up and piss. The wood's on fire.

What time is it?

I don't know.

It's early in the morning.

Time to court, lady.

I love you, sweet man.

Thank you, dear.

Come back to bed, Maury.
I want some more.

You always want more, don't you?

Well, sure I do. Don't you?

You might fool a clerk with that line,
but you don't fool me. I'm fucked out.

That'll be the day
when you're fucked out.

You're just tired of me.

Sure as hell tired of your bitching,
that's for damn sure.

Come here.

I got a little present for you.

By God, you never quit, do you?

What's that?

God, I forgot.

I forgot.

What do you wanna do?

You wanna fiddle-fuck around,
or are we gonna shoot some birds?

Mama?

Where are you, Mama?

You sick?

Well, I don't feel any too good.

That's a fact.

Where have you been?

Doesn't that woman come in here
to clean up anymore?

I mean, this place is a mess.

I just don't have the strength
no more, honey.

No get-up-and-get.

Well, get the woman in here.
She'll do it for you.

I told you that last time.

I hate to have somebody in here fussing.

Yeah, you hate to spend
the money too, don't you?

You getting your money all right?

I'm just so down all the time, honey.

I don't have an ounce of strength
most of the time.

Not an ounce.

Oh, hell.

This should hold you for a while.

You don't ever come to see
your mama anymore:

Snapper, how's the puppy?

I don't think he's been fed or watered
for some days, Maury.

Maybe we ought to feed him before
we take him out there.

You want something to eat, Snapper?

He's a good boy. Here you go.

Goddamn it, Mama, you got nothing
to do but to take care of Snapper...

...and the poor thing's out there
surrounded by dog turds.

No food or water.
Where the hell's the dog food?

You got no call talking to me like that.

If you can't keep care of yourself
or the dog...

...bring somebody around that can.

Send the bill to me, goddamn it.

Goddamn.

- Here we go. That's a boy.
- Come on in here.

Come here, dog. Come on. Come on here.

Come here, dog. Come on. Come on here.

- Come on.
- Come in here.

Let's go, Snap.

Let's go, dog, come on.

Let's go hunt on in here.

Come on along, dog. Come on.

Come along, Snapper. Come along.

- Careful now.
- Come on, now. Come on.

Here. Come on in.

Yeah.

- Come on.
- Come on over here.

Come on, then.

- Here we go. Here we go.
- Careful, now.

Cat foot.

- Come on, work here.
- Cat foot.

Tip, come here.

- Come on in.
- Careful, now.

Work here. Come on, Tip.
Over here.

Looks like they got birds up here.

Close here. Tip.

Careful. Careful here, now.

Careful, now. There's birds in there.

Cat foot.

Careful, now.

Close there. Close. Close.

Courage, now.

Careful.

Careful. Close, now.

Here we go.

- Come on.
- Here we go, now.

In the United States Navy,
cash is a term bonus you can get...

...when you join the Navy.

You can enlist now
and not report for 180 days.

- You're a pretty good shot.
- Thank you.

- I'll see you again next year, you hear?
- Okay.

Let's go, Snapper.

Come on, Snapper.

Get in the car. Come on.
Gotta go in now. Come on.

There you go.

Lloyd, old buddy, I really appreciate it.
Thank you.

- I enjoyed it.
- It was a good shoot.

You shoot quail as good
as you pick that guitar.

Get out, get out.

Maury, I could take that dog
to my brother's place...

...in Hopkins and meet y'all
in Birmingham.

Hell, he'd be with two other dogs
and run every day.

By the time you want him,
he'd be right there.

Yeah, but he ain't your dog
to worry about.

Yeah, but I tell you, the dog is just not
getting the care he needs, Maury.

You know that.

Heck, your old ma, now,
she means real well...

...but she's just not as young
as she used to be.

Mama's 51 years old.

She was 16 when I was born.

So she can take care of this place
all right.

Let loose of the dog.

Now, I'll tell you what, Maury.
Why don't you sell me the dog.

Goddamn, I never saw such a man
for interfering in other folks' business.

Take your hands off my dog.

Nobody's gonna talk to me that way.

I guess I'll talk to you
any way I feel like, buddy.

Now, wait just a minute.

I will buy that dog from you.

Now, you couldn't have paid
more than 50 or $ 100, right?

Well, I'll give you $ 100 spot cash,
right now.

And you know what, Maury? You always like
to make a little extra on all your deals.

So here's $5 for yourself.

Oh, shit.

Get up, hoss!

That's all!

You're fired.

I done quit.

Take care, buddy.

Take care.

Goodbye, sweetheart.

Take care.

The dog's yours if it means
so goddamn much to you.

That's okay, Tommy,
I like them just the way they are.

Just the way they are.

Yeah, that's not good.

Yeah, hold on. Where's Bob Tally?

He went to take a shit,
and the birds got him.

Hey, I'll call you back.

- Is that quit or fired?
- Little bit of both.

You're a big help. I'll put down fired.

Little flower.

Wake up.

It's you.

I mean...

Better get up.

We're gonna be pulling out of here soon.

Well, where's Bob?

Well, he's not
with the band anymore, honey.

What's your name, honey?

Rosamond McClintock.

Where's Bob got to? His stuff's still here.

He knows where to find it.
By the time he gets here...

...we're gonna be long gone...

...and I thought
that since you are interested...

...that you might wanna
ride with us for a while...

...and see the show backstage
in Birmingham.

Now, you could help out
with a few things, do some chores.

Not afraid of a little work, are you?

We only pass this way once.
Might as well pass by in a Cadillac.

No, man, that's about a 4-pounder.

Mobile service operator.

I want YL7092 in the Nashville registry...

...operating in the Lyman area,
the JP channel.

Yeah, this is car number two
calling car number one. Yeah.

You gonna make that game?

No, no, all right, all right. Thank you.

See if we can pull up next to them.

Yeah, we're just having a little fun.

Throw me that pistol, hoss.

Yeah. Hold on, Leroy.

Do you think going 95 miles an hour
is funny, sir?

Excuse me, sir. It is really all my fault...

...because I'm an entertainer,
and I'm a bit late...

...for an engagement.
I told my people to step on it.

Why, you're Maury Dann.

- I'm very flattered you recognized me, sir.
- Recognize you?

- Why, you're one of my favorites.
- Thank you. Thank you.

I'm putting that down
for 50 miles an hour in a 45-mile zone.

Thank you. I appreciate it.
Good to see you.

Glad to have met you, Maury.

Can I see you a minute?

Billy Lee Blackstone, I talked to him.

He's willing to work as a front man
at 85 a night.

He'll meet us in Birmingham.
It's a good deal.

What happened to the band?

Well, the band fell to pieces.

The story I heard from Billy Lee
was that they got a lead singer, Suzy...

...and she got the clap
and gave it to the band.

And Billy took it home to his wife,
and shit hit the fan.

I bet he'd like to get away
from his home for a few days.

- Yeah.
- Tell you what.

Make the deal, and if he works out, we'll
use him in Nashville on the recording date.

Well, that's something else because...

Hey, did he get rid of it?

- What?
- Never mind.

Honest to God.

I'm sorry, hon.

She got it all wet.

- Hey, man, you want a beer?
- Yeah, boy.

- Yeah, I'll take one, man.
- Thank you.

Hey, man. Here.

- That's a winner there.
- That'll calm your nerves.

Yeah.

Where you from, honey?

Well, I come from around Lyman there.

All my life.

All your life? You couldn't be a day
over 17, now, could you?

I've got good skin.

Everybody says.

I'm a lot older than 17, though.

How old are you?

Rosamond. That's a pretty little name.

Who named you that,
your mama or your daddy?

My daddy's not living with us.

My mama divorced him
when I was just a little girl.

He lives in Bakersfield, California.

Yes. I've played Bakersfield, Modesto...

...Fresno, Stockton, Sacramento.
All those places.

Wouldn't your daddy be surprised
if you was to show up in Bakersfield...

...with me and the band?

You got a job over there in Lyman?

What will they think
when you don't show up for work?

I've been worried about that.

Mr. Parkinson at the dime store
can be awful mean.

I work at the dime store.

Back of the hardware, culinary,
pets counter.

Such a sweet little thing.

I just can't keep my eyes off you.

Or your hands either.

Honest, Mr. Maury.

Don't be afraid of me.

I'm not afraid of you.

That's good. I was hoping
you wouldn't be afraid of me.

Such a sweet little thing.

11:35 country music time,
and this is Bob Dickey...

...coming to you from WHHY
in the heart of Dixie.

Maury.

Yeah, this is Bob Dickey's town.

Think we'd better stop
and have a little chat with him?

Shit. Do I have to stop for every
one-horse DJ in the entire South?

Okay. Okay.

Say, folks, if you don't happen
to be doing anything else...

Hoss, do you know where WHHY is?

Right, boss.

We gotta stop there.

Right, boss.

I was gonna stop for gas anyhow.

Bob's been married twice,
he's got a boy named Bob Jr...

...little girl, Sissy.
He's got a wife named Felicia.

Alicia. Alicia.

Alicia.

Listen, you bitch.

You'd better hop a bus back to Lyman...

...before the state police find out
what's going on.

I'm of age.

Contrary to popular opinion.

Well, you may be 19 or 20,
but you'll never see 21...

...if you don't stop bird-dogging
other people's men.

You get the message?

I believe I do.

Do you?

Sure, he balled you.

He balls a lot of women.

He's a star, honey.

He gets the best things in life.

I don't blame him. If I were a man,
I'd ball you too.

God knows you're easy enough.

But don't mistake a little loving
for something else.

Right now he's my man,
and I mean to keep him as long as I want.

That might be sooner or later,
but whatever it is...

...it won't have nothing to do with you.

Do you understand me?

I think we should let Maury decide.

Well, bless me, folks,
guess who just walked into our studio.

It's our good friend Maury Dann.
Come on in, Maury.

Come on in here and sit down.

Don't tell me. Let me guess
what brings you to our fair city.

You're on your way to Birmingham
for the big Shower of Stars show...

...at the Civic Auditorium, am I right?

That's right, Bob. And I'm mighty glad
to be able to see you.

I'm awful proud
that you found the time...

...from your busy schedule
to drop by and say hello.

Bob, any time I'm within 100 miles,
I'll drop in.

And how is Alicia
and little Bob Jr. And Sissy?

Hey, they're just great.
You know, I got a whole house...

...full of Maury Dann fans...

...and I'm sure they'd want me
to send their best regards.

- Thank you.
- Say, what's that you've got...

...tucked under your arm, Maury?

Looks like game birds of some sort.

It's some quail I shot
over in Lyman this morning.

I just brought them over to you.

Listen, I can't tell you
how much I appreciate that.

That fresh quail tastes mighty good.

I see you've brought along another copy
of your latest album too.

Of course, we have a copy
here at the radio station in play...

...but it's pretty near worn out.
And we're glad for a second copy.

- You gonna autograph those for us?
- Sure thing, Bob.

Hey, listen, right now
we're gonna hear a selection...

...from Maury Dann's latest album.

It's one of my favorites
and a favorite...

...of most of the folks
throughout the Southland.

Maury, how the hell are you?

- Pretty good. How are you doing?
- Pretty good.

Say, listen, are you gonna be
in this area next Monday night...

...or are you going on back to Nashville?

We're just getting off the road.
We got a few things to do. Why?

Well, I've got this thing I do
once a month...

...local talent, you know, the bit
at the local high school gymnasium...

...and, you know, just local pickers,
that sort of thing...

...and every once in a while,
some of the big stars drop by.

That's 400 miles.

Well, if you're too busy...

I can't promise, Bob.

Well, I knew I couldn't expect
to get a promise out of Maury Dann...

...if he would be able to drop by
and visit with us...

...on our Country Music Jamboree
this coming Monday night...

...at the Davis High School auditorium.

I hate to boast, but I think
the people of our community...

...are some of the finest folks in America.

That may sound kind of corny
these days, but I truly believe it.

It doesn't sound corny to me, Bob.

I didn't think it would, Maury.

Listen, Bob, I gotta run.

I just dropped by to give you
these birds and the records.

Tell you what,
I'm gonna autograph all of them...

...and you can hand them out
at the jamboree. How's that?

Or you can give them away yourself
if you can possibly make it, huh?

You're gonna get a hell of a lot of
airplay here between now and then.

And none afterwards, huh?

You said it, I didn't.

Listen, man...

...I don't believe I can make it.
I know I've got those recording dates.

Yeah, I know. Well, I'll try
to let the folks down easy.

You know, I like the way
your career's been going, Maury.

You're gonna be a big star
one of these days.

One of these days?

No, honestly, I appreciate that.

I know what an important part
you played in my career.

Where the hell would the singers be
without the DJ?

Where, indeed?

- Well, move over, goddamn it.
- Sit next to her? You get in the middle.

Jesus Christ. Women.

Turn the shit off. Haul ass.

Goddamn, pig fucker, son of a bitch.

Jesus. You're in a sweet temper.

- What happened in there?
- None of your business.

You're just like a little child,
you know that?

Like a rich, little child
with a lot of toys.

What's this?

Keep your hands off that!

Never mind her.

That's only a scrapbook of my publicity.

Stories about me in magazines and...

"Never mind her"?
I did all the work on that scrapbook!

- It's mine as much as it is yours!
- Stop this car now!

Get out!

You bet I'll get out!

You didn't earn it.

Where to, little lady?

I don't give a fuck!

Hey, hoss, you want a Coke?

We getting close to Galen's, ain't we?

Oh, hell.

Yeah, mobile operator.
I want YL7092.

No, it's my son's birthday.

No, no, no, goddamn it all.
Now listen to me.

I won't be but a few minutes.
You send the boys on to Birmingham.

That's right. And then... Well, you stick
around. I wanna talk to you for a while.

That's right.

Hello, cowboy.

Hold the door open a little wider,
will you?

Do you like to cook?

- What?
- Do you like to cook?

Well, a little bit.

I don't know too much about it.

Men make the best cooks.

So I've heard anyway.

All your chefs are men.

All your big chefs.

Well, I just never learned
very much about it.

We just mostly eat in restaurants.

You know, Colonel Sanders
and McDonald's.

I swear, I've ate 3000
McDonald hamburgers.

Doesn't your mother cook for you?

My mama cook?

Lord, she'd rather die.

Say...

...where are we?

Do you like omelets?

- Omelets?
- Sure.

Well, I never ate one.

I don't think.

Well, I make good omelets.

It's all in the timing.

That and your frying pan.

You look at that old devil, huh?

Well, it's black as
your Uncle Dick's hatband.

You see the trick is
you never wash the pan out.

I just take and wipe out all the trash
with a wadded-up paper towel.

Though some say
you'd be better off with cloth.

But I've never had no complaints.

Why, it's real nice.

Hey, have you ever used one of those...

...nonsticky things?

Nonsticky?

You mean coated pans?

You can't cook eggs on coated pans.
They get all brown and crusty.

Look, the trick to omelets is to cook them
just till they're done, not one second more.

You can't get that kind of timing
with a coated pan.

Might as well cook on an electric stove.

Well, we sure sell a lot of them...

...nonsticky things in the dime store.

- Hundreds and hundreds.
- Yeah, that's what I mean.

Most people don't know how to cook.

Say, what are you,
some kind of chef or something?

I thought you were a driver.

Chief cook and bottle washer.

Don't you even know
where the kids are after school?

Hell, Billy's only 6 or 7.

Billy is 11...

...Kitty's 13, and Elmore's 14.

I don't know who's birthday
you thought you'd celebrate.

It's Elmore's birthday, that's who.

Well, you're either four months early
or eight months late for that one.

Look at the things you bought.

What do you want me to do with them?

Do what the hell you want to do with them.
I don't give a damn.

Do you want a cup of coffee?

The kids will be home for supper by 6:00.

I can't hang around.

I think you have to now.

I can't tell them you were here,
didn't even wait to see them.

I can't hang around.
Why don't you get them over here.

Call on the phone. You haven't got
a thing to do but take care of them kids.

Don't you come in here off the road
telling me how to raise children.

Don't you do it.

I'll lie to them.
I won't even tell them you were here.

That's just like you. That's a hell
of a way to raise kids, lying to them.

What if the neighbors see the car
out there?

Then you stay and wait for them.

I wish you'd never come by.

I got a right to see my kids
any time I want to.

No, you don't.
You're not even their father any...

Maury...

...I know you're sorry.

I know it was an accident.

You came in all tense off of the road,
look.

Bullshit, lady.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

- Good evening.
- Hi, table for four, please.

Maury Dann.

I don't care. I done quit.

- Evening, Miss Belder.
- Well, hello, Ted.

Goddamn!

I hear you quit us a bit ago.

I'm sorry, but I had to
talk to Maury Dann.

- Who?
- Maury Dann. See him right over there?

Maury Dann.

Cowboy music.
He one of your heroes, boy?

Yes, sir.

Did I hear somebody say Maury Dann?

I said, did I hear somebody say
Maury Dann?

Yes, sir.

Sir.

Well, where is he?

Howdy, partner.

Maury Dann, huh?

That's right.

How you doing, hoss?
Pleased to meet you.

- I don't shake hands with you, mister.
- Hold it. Hold it.

You don't remember me, do you?

You're the fellow who was standing
there a couple of minutes ago, right?

- How are you?
- That's it, make jokes.

You remember last night?

You remember a little girl named Sandy?

I'm sorry, I do not.

Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.

I just want everybody to know
that their big hero, Maury Dann...

...is nothing but a raper and a coward,
that's all.

Yes, sir.

Ruined my girlfriend...

...and then hasn't got the guts to fight.

You damned sissy!

- Let me handle it, boss.
- Here I go.

Here I go.

- Boss.
- Okay, all right.

All right, great.

Let's go outside and talk
away from these good people.

- Okay, shorty.
- All right.

- I'm the manager. What's the trouble?
- No trouble.

- We can handle it.
- I didn't come out here to argue.

I don't know you.
I don't know your girl...

...so why don't you hop on
your horse and ride away. You get it?

You can't talk to me that way,
you damn pimp.

You saw that.
The man pulled a knife on him.

Stay here. No, stay there.

We can't afford this.

I know it.

Well, you'll have to fix it.

Not this kind of a situation. The man's
dead. His goddamn eyes are still open.

You'll have to fix things. I don't care
how. Just get me out of this town tonight.

It's not this kind of a situation, Maury.

- We got cops, district attorneys, reporters.
- Buy them off.

We got shit you never heard of before,
man:

Fix it.

Chicago.

Hey, hoss.
Come over here a minute, please.

Do you think you could stand still
for this one? I sure would appreciate it.

Sure, Maury.

It should have been me anyway.

Thanks.

Well, he's dead, so there's no hurry.

We gotta call the police.

I'd appreciate it if you'd do that.

First, I wonder if you'd mind listening.
You saw the whole incident, didn't you?

Yeah, I guess so.

So you know that Maury Dann
didn't have anything to do with it.

The whole blame for the incident
lies with the dead man.

Sure, of course.
I can testify to that if you want me to.

What he's trying to say to you is that
we can't stand still for this one.

I have... There's too many dates,
too many people's jobs depend on me.

So I'm asking my associate...

Chicago, step over here, please.

- To stand in for me.
Do you understand that?

Exactly the way it happened,
only Chicago here instead of Maury Dann.

Maury Dann wasn't a witness.
None of us were witnesses.

Just yourself and Chicago.

- Do you understand that?
- I don't know.

The publicity and...

Can I talk to you a minute?
Just for a minute.

Mr. Dann...

...I saw the whole thing too, and I'll
be glad to tell it just like you said.

Who are you?

Well, my name's Ted Blankenship,
and I work here.

Or I used to.

I guess I don't anymore.
But I don't care.

I'm really a songwriter and a singer.

And, well, I was wondering if...

If maybe you would listen
to a couple of my songs.

We'll see.

There won't be any trouble, Mr. Dann.

Your man has explained to me
the difficulty of your situation...

...and I fully agree
that no positive result...

...could come from detaining
you unnecessarily.

If you'll excuse me,
I'd better telephone the police.

How much?

Enough.

The kid's okay.

Don't worry about me.

Are there any other witnesses?

Yeah, there was some kid out here,
and he saw what happened.

He can tell you it wasn't my fault.

The guy drew a knife on me,
and I just hit him, that's all.

- And somehow he got stabbed.
- I see.

- Take an even strain, hoss.
- Okay, Maury.

I'll see you in Birmingham, huh?

Okay.

I got more. I got more.
I got one that's mostly for a girl singer.

- But I could...
- You want a job?

What's the goddamn hell
the matter with you?

That poor man is dead.

I just can't believe it.

Well, you'd better believe it.

Poor man, my ass.
He come at me with a knife.

Say, when we get to the hotel...
Can you turn that down a minute?

When we get to the motel,
I want you to get a little rest...

...because we don't know
what's gonna happen tomorrow.

I sure hope this weather lets up on us.

I'm serious. You've been on the go
a long time now.

You need some rest.

I hope you don't think
we bought anything back there.

Okay, mother hen. You did real good
back there. Appreciate it.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Hey, come on. Something's the matter.

You're just a little tired, that's all.

Lord, after what you've been
through today, it's no wonder.

Shut up and go take a shower.

I knew it.

- Do I smell bad or something?
- You smell fine.

It's that man who got himself killed.

Well, it's been on my mind too.

I hardly know what to think.

The only other time...

...that I ever saw a dead man...

...was on the street out in front
of the dime store.

But he got all knocked to pieces by a car.

You could hardly see him,
there was such a crowd.

Just emptied out of that dime store
like a plague.

You never saw anything like it
in your life.

Well, if you won't, I will.

Hey, boy.

Come on, wake up.

Hey, come on, let's get up now.
Come on.

Let's go. Time to go to work.

Why is it so blessed hot in here?

What time is it anyway?

Time to go to work.

Oh, God.

Here you go. Take this.

Let's go, boy. We got a long way to drive.

I thought you said we'd be a while.

Well...

Haul ass, boy!

Mr. Dann.

Mr. Dann.

Mr. Dann.

Mr. Dann.

What is it, hoss?

Well, I saw the police car and all.

I just wondered if there was gonna be
any trouble.

If there's any trouble,
I'll sure let you know.

Well, I sure do hope
there won't be any trouble.

Howdy, folks!

- Everything go okay?
- No trouble at all.

Guess you'd better introduce me
to all these people.

You don't have to introduce me.
Officer Ratcliff.

- Ratliff.
- Ratliff.

- How are you, hoss?
- Just fine.

What brings you all the way here?

You a little bit off your beat, aren't you?

Well, when I got back to the barracks,
I naturally told everybody who I run into.

And, well, Ed Sanders here asked me
if I'd introduce him to you.

- How are you?
- He's my brother-in-law.

I'm pleased to meet you.

You got a banjo in that case,
wanna sing a couple of songs for me?

I hate to interrupt you,
but we gotta get on with things.

Billy Lee Blackstone is ready to rehearse.

I see him. You mean I haven't got five
minutes to listen to this man's songs?

Your time's kind of not your own.
We got a show tonight, everything.

This is Abe from the booking agency.

- How are you doing?
- We got a great show tonight.

Good deal.

How in goddamn hell are you?
How's the clap?

Shit. Busy morning, cowboy?

Yeah, busy enough.

- Who is this gentleman?
- This is...

Dabney, assistant district attorney
for Grissom County.

I believe it was understood that
you would remain in the county...

...to make a deposition in regard
to the Bridgeway killing.

- McGinty?
- News to me.

What's going on around here anyway?

I don't understand anything.

And I think I wanna go home now.

But I don't have any money...

...and I'm afraid to ask Maury for any.

Well, you want me to ask him...?

Well, any way I can get it.

Well, why go home?

Well, how long have you been
Maury's girlfriend anyway?

It's just too complicated to explain.

I just think I wanna go home now.

This whole thing can be settled
in a couple of hours.

My boss was a little hot...

...when he found out y'all
had left the jurisdiction.

- And then when he talked to your man...
- Chicago!

Yeah, Chicago.

Well, he got rather confused,
and then he got belligerent.

And then he stopped talking entirely.

And we just ain't too happy
with the story we're getting.

Hey.

I'm sure all of this can be worked out
to everybody's satisfaction.

This man's talking about taking you back
to Grissom County.

- You'll miss the show, and we're sold out.
- Wait.

I didn't say he'd necessarily
miss the show.

Necessarily? What is this necessarily bit?

I said, with a... That a case
with this attendant publicity...

- Gentlemen! Gentlemen!
- Gentlemen, my ass.

All right, Maury, calm down.

Calm down, Maury.

Fuck it!

Get these people out of here,
or I'm gonna start kicking ass.

You hear me?
I've got all I can take of this shit!

- I'm not public property!
- Maury, calm down.

Get these goddamn people
out of here now.

I can't do it, Maury.

Not this time.

Okay. All right.

I'll go, then. Fuck y'all!

- You with me?
- Yes.

Let's go.

You ride in the back for a change.

Yeah, I see that.

Howdy. Nice day, ain't it?

Shit!

Would you by any chance
be Maury Dann?

What can I do for you, hoss?

Are you for sure Maury Dann?

So they tell me.

Well, I've got a summons here
to serve on you.

And no offense, Maury.
It's just part of my job, you know.

Better luck next time, hoss.

Reminds me of the country
I was raised in.

Flatter than hell, red dirt,
little-bitty trees.

Where you from?

Gulfport, Mississippi.

Cotton country?
I was through there a couple of times.

Cotton's not far away.

Gulfport was hit by that big hurricane,
you know?

Yeah, all them houses blown down.

Ever chop cotton?

No, sir.

I always tell folks I chopped cotton
like I done it for 20 years.

Actually, I run off the farm
when I was 12.

I went to St. Louis.

I hate farming.

How long you work in that restaurant?

Five months.

But I been doing that kind of work
for a couple of years now.

But we had our own band
back in Biloxi for a while.

You're on your way to Nashville.

- Huh?
- Yeah.

You'll get there pretty soon.

Mr. Maury...

...well, you never did tell me
how you like my songs.

You'll do okay. Don't press it.

You can work for me
till my man gets out of jail.

Then we'll do what we can for you.

- You play harmonica?
- Yes, sir!

Rummage around back there,
see what you come up with.

Yes, sir.

Here we go. I got one.

Good. Play "Country Girl" for me.