Carnivàle (2003–2005): Season 1, Episode 9 - Insomnia - full transcript
Ben tries to stave off the torments of his dreams by staying awake, but the lack of sleep is taking its toll. Meanwhile, Samson looks to drum up new business by resurrecting several tried-and-true scams, including "turtle boy" and "man eating chicken". Lodz warns a distrustful Ben about the dangers of not practicing his "gift." Sofie worries that her mother is losing touch with reality after she has a vision about her father raping Apollonia. Ben marvels at Ruthie's new snake-charming routine, and Lodz's psychic act gets a jolt from a mysterious source. In Mintern, Iris reaches out to Brother Justin over the radio airwaves who's still in the asylum, and Tommy gets a surprise reaction when he makes a pass onto Iris.
No! Don't !
No! Don't !
Bitch!
Mama!
Stop.
Stop it! Stop.
Mama.
Who was that man?
Yes, l saw it. What's going on?
Please, no, don't scream.
Please, answer me. Don't scream!
Stop!
Get up.
Well, is he still awake?
Still sitting right where he was last night.
Beat to the sock, but wide awake.
Boy doesn't sleep, he doesn't dream.
He doesn't dream, he can't be reached.
He's got to roost sometime, sugar.
What's the matter?
What can Lila do to make you feel better?
Nothing.
- Good morning, boss.
- What's good about it?
Enter.
- Hey, Samson.
- Lila.
He wants to see me.
Yeah.
l'll be out in a moment.
Watch your step.
Gonna need us a skull. Small one.
- Dog, cat. Don't matter.
- Christ.
Burley, l hope you like the taste of pride
cos that's all there is gonna be
to eat around here soon.
- Osgood, run and get me a turtle shell.
- OK.
Where the hell am l supposed to get that?
You start with the turtles. That dries up,
you move on to the tortoises.
Possum, rustle me up some fryers.
Dozen or so.
- Hell.
- What?
- Fixing to play a fireball show.
- Damn straight.
We got nothing in the kitty.
Or haven't you noticed?
- What's a fireball show?
- How do l pay for the fryers?
You want l should just
sculpt them out of corn meal?
Six bits on the fryers.
Osgood, for the turtle.
- What's a fireball show?
- Shut up, Osgood.
Get the word out. We're going wide open
tonight. Wide as we can go.
Trim the chumps for all they're worth.
Now, git.
Jonesy, what the hell is a fireball show?
Rita Sue.
- Clayton.
- Yes, ma'am.
l got some lights that are giving me trouble.
Think you could come by and take a look?
No problem at all.
Woman's built like a brick bean oven.
Shut up, Osgood.
You look like
a chewed-up piece of twine, Hawkins.
Does that mean anything to you?
You kicked up a big cloud of dust
stealing something just like it from Boffo.
Spike the back.
Go on.
You know what them initials stand for?
Henry Scudder.
That's right.
lt's yours. Take it.
l don't want it.
The way l see it, rightfully belongs to you.
- How's that?
- Cos it belonged to your daddy.
Come on by the ten-in-one after lunch.
lf you want to, we'll have a chat.
A million hobos riding the rails.
Hobos, that's what he called them.
Forget the state police. After today,
we'll have an army looking for him.
Then l guess our baby will be blessed.
Join us tomorrow for another chapter
of The Romance Of Erica S,
brought to you by Cream of Wheat.
Come on, we're on.
No matter what your age,
a bowl of Cream of Wheat
is the perfect way to start any morning.
lt has all the vitamins necessary
to give you the get-up-and-go you need
to get through your busy, active day.
So remember,
next time you're at the grocery store,
make sure you ask for it by name.
Nutritious and delicious Cream of Wheat.
Now, ladies and gentlemen,
we present a special broadcast
of True Tales From On The Road,
a programme devoted to true tales
and music of these hard times
reported by our own Tommy Dolan.
Good morning, friends.
Today, in the continuing saga
of Brother Justin, we have a wonderful treat.
With us is a remarkable woman,
Brother Justin's sister, Miss lris Crowe.
Hello.
Folks, believe it or not, this is
the lovely Miss Crowe's first time on radio.
She is here
to send a message to her brother,
a man we have spoken of
many times in this programme.
A man who is still missing,
still out there somewhere.
Justin?
lt's me.
lf you can hear the sound of my voice,
l want you to know that l'm praying for you.
Everyone in Mintern is praying for you.
Norman, the migrants,
even some we used to count as enemies.
l love you.
God will grant you peace
if only you will return home.
Come on.
Hey, Jonesy.
- l'd help but l have a crick in the neck.
- lt's OK, l got it.
Turtle Boy?
Samson is blowing a hole
in the bottom of the barrel.
Man-eating chicken?
That is just...
So how was it?
With Rita Sue. Did you have a good time?
Sure. lt was fine.
Pardon.
She do that extra special thing she does,
the one with the feather?
What do you want, a blow by blow?
She was swell, OK?
Just swell?
With Rita Sue, that's practically a complaint.
She was great, fantastic.
l got a hell of a lot of things here, you know.
l'll see you later, Stump.
See you later.
l've been looking all over for you.
- Samson's been driving us like a demon.
- Jonesy.
What?
Want to take a walk or something later?
Sure. That'd be fine.
Good.
Your sleeping habits are of grave concern
to the man in the trailer.
That's real sweet.
Tell him l appreciate it.
There's no need to be afraid.
- Afraid of what?
- Hawkins, please.
There is much l haven't told you
but l've never lied to you, not once.
l'm only interested in truth.
And the truth is you're an extremely
important man. Not just to me.
- What?
- The gift.
lt must be practised if you wish
to attain the skill necessary to control it.
lf you don't , you risk
placing everyone you know,
everyone you love,
in mortal danger.
And that is what happened to Scudder.
You must sleep, Ben.
You must listen
to what your dreams tell you.
- But...
- No matter how terrible.
They will guide you.
They will teach you
to face your own power and control it.
- l can't .
- You must.
The cost of cowardice is far too high.
You know that.
Your mother?
She was only the first victim.
- What do you know about it?
- l know you could have saved her.
And yet you let her die.
How many more men, Hawkins?
How many more must die?
Go to hell.
Yes, l suppose l will.
Did you ever know anybody that went crazy?
Crazy? Like, just wild?
Or full-on basket-weavin', eyes-rollin' nuts?
Nuts.
Oh, yeah. l do.
Homer Griffin.
Shortstop.
Real bright penny.
Was it slow, or did he just go batty?
Gradual-like, little things here and there.
Like what?
Sometimes we'd catch him
staring off into space.
Real googly eyes, like Bela Lugosi.
What else?
He started taking real long showers.
Scrubbed himself bloody one day,
singing Take Me Out To The Ball Game.
They took him out, all right.
What?
l think Mama's going crazy.
lt's been gradual.
Like you said.
Last night...
Go on.
Last night l saw some things.
Things, l guess,
she used to be able to keep from me.
And now she can't .
Sorry.
Where are you going?
The carnival is short-handed...
- What do you want me to do? l'll do it.
- Nothing.
- l'm not talking about the red pig.
- Me, neither.
Sit down. Just for a little while.
- l really don't wanna talk about it.
- Please!
Where did you get that fob?
Funny. You didn't seem
that interested in it this morning.
Where did it come from?
What's it mean to you?
Something happened
with you and Boffo's ring, didn't it?
Maybe.
There's a lot of people sniffing around you.
Lodz, Apollonia,
the man in the trailer.
Care to tell me why?
- Not a clue?
- No.
l'll tell you something.
We didn't pick you up that day by chance.
ls that a fact?
That is a fact.
From the deepest, darkest bayou
of Louisiana...
Turtle Boy.
l lied to you.
l said l didn't know her.
That's your mama.
And furthermore,
l reckon Hack Scudder is your daddy.
He left us flat.
l wouldn't give two cents for that no-account.
When he left your mama, it broke him. Bad.
He didn't say nothing. He didn't have to.
ls this yours?
Management's .
How come he never comes out
of that trailer?
l ain't at liberty to say.
You don't have to worry about it, though.
He's a good man.
More than l can say
for your friend the professor.
You mean Lodz?
l wouldn't call him a friend.
That's good.
l wouldn't trust that eel
with his own mother.
But even eels
have certain talents.
lt was good just talking.
Yeah.
We should do it again, maybe.
lt's gonna be OK.
Rita Sue.
Listen, we gotta talk.
l can't . Felix is in the tent.
Come by tonight before the cootch.
lt's been quite a while
since l had a good woman to wait on me.
Rita Sue.
l'm sorry about that whole deal with Jonesy.
l just don't know what l was thinking.
lt's OK.
He was just another trick.
What should l do if he wants to come back?
You know what to do.
- You had fun.
- l was terrified.
But you were good. You were.
lt was an experience.
Thank you, for all you've done for Justin.
We're in this together.
That's what Justin always used to say to me.
He's a hero to me too, lris.
Thanks to you.
- What are you doing?
- What?
- You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
- Hold on, lris.
lris, hey, l didn't ...
Look at all those lights.
Come one, come all.
Real, alive, and on stage.
Ten acts for the price of one.
There's Lodz, the mentalist.
He can read your mind.
Probe your deepest, darkest thought.
Because you're
such fine, hard-working folks,
tell you what l'm gonna do.
Tonight all the tickets are free.
Why don't we go on the Ferris wheel?
Step right on up now. Get your number.
l'll be right beside you. Don't be scared.
OK?
Easy, partner, let him get settled in.
Let him go.
You ain't gonna be scared up there, are you?
All right. Climb on, then.
Here you go.
Then just as she was about to give birth,
the poor woman was scared spitless
by a giant turtle.
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen,
and behold...
the man-eating chicken.
Them teeth could be alive, alive, alive!
When this vicious predator
has finished with his victim,
nothing remains but bones.
Step right up, folks.
Stay as long as you care.
Or dare!
Ladies and gentlemen,
the man-eating chicken.
We want our money back!
You paid to see a man eating chicken,
you got a man eating chicken.
- What kind of show...?
- Hold on there, friends.
What'd happen...
if you all went out and told your friends
to come see
the man eating chicken?
lt'll cost them a nickel too.
l'm receiving a strong mental vibration
from the owner of this item.
lt's a woman.
Heck, everyone knows a woman's watch
is smaller than a fella's .
You're right.
Excuse me. Allow me to try harder.
This was purchased
from a travelling salesman.
- Outside Waco.
- He's right.
- As a wedding present.
- That's true.
Oh, my Lord. That's true.
Difficult.
l need your help.
Will all of you please concentrate
on this watch?
" To spend all time with you."
Does this phrase have any meaning to you?
lt's what Orville said when he gave me
the watch. His exact words.
How did he do that?
lt's what he does.
Another item, please.
By this sign, we conquer.
By this sign, we conquer.
How did you know what he was saying?
Where the hell did you learn Latin?
Latin?
Hurry up and get born.
You'll have to trust somebody sometime.
The way things are shapin' up,
it's either gonna be me or that one in there.
Your call, boy.
Go on. Go help Ruthie.
Now, that should do it.
- You've made real progress here.
- Yes, considerable.
- Good luck.
- Thank you, Doctor.
Be still.
Rita Sue?
Come on in.
- l was just thinking...
- l don't know if this...
You go ahead.
l was just going to say,
l don't want you to take this personal
or nothing
but last time
gotta be the last time.
You know what l'm saying?
l know.
So you ain't steamed or hurt or nothing?
Good. That's real good.
You are a damn fine man, Jonesy.
You ain't too bad yourself.
Good. l'm glad that's settled.
- That girl's just plumb amazing!
- Stand back.
Now, that's what l call snake charming.
Dig deep. Show your appreciation.
Come on, now, gentlemen.
That's the idea.
l've never seen nothing like that before.
lt was raining silver.
You are sounding more like a carny every day.
Yeah.
You're flaxed out, boy.
When's the last time you got shuteye?
l'm OK.
- lt's OK.
- No.
- Ben.
- l'm sorry.
Sofie.
lsn't it a little late
to be sitting out here smoking?
l can't go in there.
Why not?
Sofie?
My mother always told me
that my father left her.
He didn't .
He raped her.
She told you that?
No, l saw it.
l saw it in my head like l hear her voice.
Since when?
Last night.
She sees things that no one else does.
l mean, in the present, in the past.
lt's all the same to her.
And l'm starting to see it too.
At least now we know why we've had
so much trouble with young Hawkins.
l see. We should've known that
from Babylon.
l take it we're moving on.
Fireball shows,
they leave us with no other choice.
That's good. l'll get some sleep.
Rest easy.
l almost forgot.
Well played, little man.
l wouldn't keep him waiting.
l wonder if that poor baby is ever going
to get to the Land of Nod.
He will. He will.
English
No! Don't !
Bitch!
Mama!
Stop.
Stop it! Stop.
Mama.
Who was that man?
Yes, l saw it. What's going on?
Please, no, don't scream.
Please, answer me. Don't scream!
Stop!
Get up.
Well, is he still awake?
Still sitting right where he was last night.
Beat to the sock, but wide awake.
Boy doesn't sleep, he doesn't dream.
He doesn't dream, he can't be reached.
He's got to roost sometime, sugar.
What's the matter?
What can Lila do to make you feel better?
Nothing.
- Good morning, boss.
- What's good about it?
Enter.
- Hey, Samson.
- Lila.
He wants to see me.
Yeah.
l'll be out in a moment.
Watch your step.
Gonna need us a skull. Small one.
- Dog, cat. Don't matter.
- Christ.
Burley, l hope you like the taste of pride
cos that's all there is gonna be
to eat around here soon.
- Osgood, run and get me a turtle shell.
- OK.
Where the hell am l supposed to get that?
You start with the turtles. That dries up,
you move on to the tortoises.
Possum, rustle me up some fryers.
Dozen or so.
- Hell.
- What?
- Fixing to play a fireball show.
- Damn straight.
We got nothing in the kitty.
Or haven't you noticed?
- What's a fireball show?
- How do l pay for the fryers?
You want l should just
sculpt them out of corn meal?
Six bits on the fryers.
Osgood, for the turtle.
- What's a fireball show?
- Shut up, Osgood.
Get the word out. We're going wide open
tonight. Wide as we can go.
Trim the chumps for all they're worth.
Now, git.
Jonesy, what the hell is a fireball show?
Rita Sue.
- Clayton.
- Yes, ma'am.
l got some lights that are giving me trouble.
Think you could come by and take a look?
No problem at all.
Woman's built like a brick bean oven.
Shut up, Osgood.
You look like
a chewed-up piece of twine, Hawkins.
Does that mean anything to you?
You kicked up a big cloud of dust
stealing something just like it from Boffo.
Spike the back.
Go on.
You know what them initials stand for?
Henry Scudder.
That's right.
lt's yours. Take it.
l don't want it.
The way l see it, rightfully belongs to you.
- How's that?
- Cos it belonged to your daddy.
Come on by the ten-in-one after lunch.
lf you want to, we'll have a chat.
A million hobos riding the rails.
Hobos, that's what he called them.
Forget the state police. After today,
we'll have an army looking for him.
Then l guess our baby will be blessed.
Join us tomorrow for another chapter
of The Romance Of Erica S,
brought to you by Cream of Wheat.
Come on, we're on.
No matter what your age,
a bowl of Cream of Wheat
is the perfect way to start any morning.
lt has all the vitamins necessary
to give you the get-up-and-go you need
to get through your busy, active day.
So remember,
next time you're at the grocery store,
make sure you ask for it by name.
Nutritious and delicious Cream of Wheat.
Now, ladies and gentlemen,
we present a special broadcast
of True Tales From On The Road,
a programme devoted to true tales
and music of these hard times
reported by our own Tommy Dolan.
Good morning, friends.
Today, in the continuing saga
of Brother Justin, we have a wonderful treat.
With us is a remarkable woman,
Brother Justin's sister, Miss lris Crowe.
Hello.
Folks, believe it or not, this is
the lovely Miss Crowe's first time on radio.
She is here
to send a message to her brother,
a man we have spoken of
many times in this programme.
A man who is still missing,
still out there somewhere.
Justin?
lt's me.
lf you can hear the sound of my voice,
l want you to know that l'm praying for you.
Everyone in Mintern is praying for you.
Norman, the migrants,
even some we used to count as enemies.
l love you.
God will grant you peace
if only you will return home.
Come on.
Hey, Jonesy.
- l'd help but l have a crick in the neck.
- lt's OK, l got it.
Turtle Boy?
Samson is blowing a hole
in the bottom of the barrel.
Man-eating chicken?
That is just...
So how was it?
With Rita Sue. Did you have a good time?
Sure. lt was fine.
Pardon.
She do that extra special thing she does,
the one with the feather?
What do you want, a blow by blow?
She was swell, OK?
Just swell?
With Rita Sue, that's practically a complaint.
She was great, fantastic.
l got a hell of a lot of things here, you know.
l'll see you later, Stump.
See you later.
l've been looking all over for you.
- Samson's been driving us like a demon.
- Jonesy.
What?
Want to take a walk or something later?
Sure. That'd be fine.
Good.
Your sleeping habits are of grave concern
to the man in the trailer.
That's real sweet.
Tell him l appreciate it.
There's no need to be afraid.
- Afraid of what?
- Hawkins, please.
There is much l haven't told you
but l've never lied to you, not once.
l'm only interested in truth.
And the truth is you're an extremely
important man. Not just to me.
- What?
- The gift.
lt must be practised if you wish
to attain the skill necessary to control it.
lf you don't , you risk
placing everyone you know,
everyone you love,
in mortal danger.
And that is what happened to Scudder.
You must sleep, Ben.
You must listen
to what your dreams tell you.
- But...
- No matter how terrible.
They will guide you.
They will teach you
to face your own power and control it.
- l can't .
- You must.
The cost of cowardice is far too high.
You know that.
Your mother?
She was only the first victim.
- What do you know about it?
- l know you could have saved her.
And yet you let her die.
How many more men, Hawkins?
How many more must die?
Go to hell.
Yes, l suppose l will.
Did you ever know anybody that went crazy?
Crazy? Like, just wild?
Or full-on basket-weavin', eyes-rollin' nuts?
Nuts.
Oh, yeah. l do.
Homer Griffin.
Shortstop.
Real bright penny.
Was it slow, or did he just go batty?
Gradual-like, little things here and there.
Like what?
Sometimes we'd catch him
staring off into space.
Real googly eyes, like Bela Lugosi.
What else?
He started taking real long showers.
Scrubbed himself bloody one day,
singing Take Me Out To The Ball Game.
They took him out, all right.
What?
l think Mama's going crazy.
lt's been gradual.
Like you said.
Last night...
Go on.
Last night l saw some things.
Things, l guess,
she used to be able to keep from me.
And now she can't .
Sorry.
Where are you going?
The carnival is short-handed...
- What do you want me to do? l'll do it.
- Nothing.
- l'm not talking about the red pig.
- Me, neither.
Sit down. Just for a little while.
- l really don't wanna talk about it.
- Please!
Where did you get that fob?
Funny. You didn't seem
that interested in it this morning.
Where did it come from?
What's it mean to you?
Something happened
with you and Boffo's ring, didn't it?
Maybe.
There's a lot of people sniffing around you.
Lodz, Apollonia,
the man in the trailer.
Care to tell me why?
- Not a clue?
- No.
l'll tell you something.
We didn't pick you up that day by chance.
ls that a fact?
That is a fact.
From the deepest, darkest bayou
of Louisiana...
Turtle Boy.
l lied to you.
l said l didn't know her.
That's your mama.
And furthermore,
l reckon Hack Scudder is your daddy.
He left us flat.
l wouldn't give two cents for that no-account.
When he left your mama, it broke him. Bad.
He didn't say nothing. He didn't have to.
ls this yours?
Management's .
How come he never comes out
of that trailer?
l ain't at liberty to say.
You don't have to worry about it, though.
He's a good man.
More than l can say
for your friend the professor.
You mean Lodz?
l wouldn't call him a friend.
That's good.
l wouldn't trust that eel
with his own mother.
But even eels
have certain talents.
lt was good just talking.
Yeah.
We should do it again, maybe.
lt's gonna be OK.
Rita Sue.
Listen, we gotta talk.
l can't . Felix is in the tent.
Come by tonight before the cootch.
lt's been quite a while
since l had a good woman to wait on me.
Rita Sue.
l'm sorry about that whole deal with Jonesy.
l just don't know what l was thinking.
lt's OK.
He was just another trick.
What should l do if he wants to come back?
You know what to do.
- You had fun.
- l was terrified.
But you were good. You were.
lt was an experience.
Thank you, for all you've done for Justin.
We're in this together.
That's what Justin always used to say to me.
He's a hero to me too, lris.
Thanks to you.
- What are you doing?
- What?
- You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
- Hold on, lris.
lris, hey, l didn't ...
Look at all those lights.
Come one, come all.
Real, alive, and on stage.
Ten acts for the price of one.
There's Lodz, the mentalist.
He can read your mind.
Probe your deepest, darkest thought.
Because you're
such fine, hard-working folks,
tell you what l'm gonna do.
Tonight all the tickets are free.
Why don't we go on the Ferris wheel?
Step right on up now. Get your number.
l'll be right beside you. Don't be scared.
OK?
Easy, partner, let him get settled in.
Let him go.
You ain't gonna be scared up there, are you?
All right. Climb on, then.
Here you go.
Then just as she was about to give birth,
the poor woman was scared spitless
by a giant turtle.
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen,
and behold...
the man-eating chicken.
Them teeth could be alive, alive, alive!
When this vicious predator
has finished with his victim,
nothing remains but bones.
Step right up, folks.
Stay as long as you care.
Or dare!
Ladies and gentlemen,
the man-eating chicken.
We want our money back!
You paid to see a man eating chicken,
you got a man eating chicken.
- What kind of show...?
- Hold on there, friends.
What'd happen...
if you all went out and told your friends
to come see
the man eating chicken?
lt'll cost them a nickel too.
l'm receiving a strong mental vibration
from the owner of this item.
lt's a woman.
Heck, everyone knows a woman's watch
is smaller than a fella's .
You're right.
Excuse me. Allow me to try harder.
This was purchased
from a travelling salesman.
- Outside Waco.
- He's right.
- As a wedding present.
- That's true.
Oh, my Lord. That's true.
Difficult.
l need your help.
Will all of you please concentrate
on this watch?
" To spend all time with you."
Does this phrase have any meaning to you?
lt's what Orville said when he gave me
the watch. His exact words.
How did he do that?
lt's what he does.
Another item, please.
By this sign, we conquer.
By this sign, we conquer.
How did you know what he was saying?
Where the hell did you learn Latin?
Latin?
Hurry up and get born.
You'll have to trust somebody sometime.
The way things are shapin' up,
it's either gonna be me or that one in there.
Your call, boy.
Go on. Go help Ruthie.
Now, that should do it.
- You've made real progress here.
- Yes, considerable.
- Good luck.
- Thank you, Doctor.
Be still.
Rita Sue?
Come on in.
- l was just thinking...
- l don't know if this...
You go ahead.
l was just going to say,
l don't want you to take this personal
or nothing
but last time
gotta be the last time.
You know what l'm saying?
l know.
So you ain't steamed or hurt or nothing?
Good. That's real good.
You are a damn fine man, Jonesy.
You ain't too bad yourself.
Good. l'm glad that's settled.
- That girl's just plumb amazing!
- Stand back.
Now, that's what l call snake charming.
Dig deep. Show your appreciation.
Come on, now, gentlemen.
That's the idea.
l've never seen nothing like that before.
lt was raining silver.
You are sounding more like a carny every day.
Yeah.
You're flaxed out, boy.
When's the last time you got shuteye?
l'm OK.
- lt's OK.
- No.
- Ben.
- l'm sorry.
Sofie.
lsn't it a little late
to be sitting out here smoking?
l can't go in there.
Why not?
Sofie?
My mother always told me
that my father left her.
He didn't .
He raped her.
She told you that?
No, l saw it.
l saw it in my head like l hear her voice.
Since when?
Last night.
She sees things that no one else does.
l mean, in the present, in the past.
lt's all the same to her.
And l'm starting to see it too.
At least now we know why we've had
so much trouble with young Hawkins.
l see. We should've known that
from Babylon.
l take it we're moving on.
Fireball shows,
they leave us with no other choice.
That's good. l'll get some sleep.
Rest easy.
l almost forgot.
Well played, little man.
l wouldn't keep him waiting.
l wonder if that poor baby is ever going
to get to the Land of Nod.
He will. He will.
English