Hap and Leonard (2016) s03e03 Episode Script
T-Bone Mambo
1 Previously on Hap and Leonard: She was here.
Almost did a deal with her and her client Bobby Joe Soothe.
They found Bobby Joe hanging off the Grovetown bridge.
I'm the law and you best remember that.
- How long was she here? - One night.
I ain't sayin' Enjoy Sirs.
I made it special for you boys.
SONNY KNOX: All right.
It's Christmas night.
Spike that egg nog and grab your wife, 'cause there's trouble brewin'.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS.]
'Twas the night before Christmas When all through the house Not a creature was stirring Not even a mouse My baby came home I asked her where she was She grinned and said that she was out With ho-ho Santa Claus Ho, ho, ho, there's trouble brewin' now Ho, ho, ho, ho, yeah, well, there's trouble brewin' now Ho, ho, ho, ho, yeah The snow is white So crisp and white There's trouble brewin' Trouble brewin' tonight Half-past 12:00 I'm feelin' low I'm waiting for this cat That set my baby's heart a-glow From what I hear He's dressed in red He's a-crawling down my chimney That's what my baby said Ho, ho, ho, ho, there's trouble brewin' now Ho, ho, ho, ho, yeah, well, there's trouble brewin' now Ho, ho, ho, ho, yeah He don't know [CAR CRASHES.]
[HORN BLARING.]
[FROGS CROAKING.]
[MUSIC FADING.]
[HORN CONTINUES TO BLARE.]
CREDITS S03E03 The T-Bone Mambo [THUNDER ROLLS.]
[IN A WHISPER.]
Hi.
Hey.
[SIGHS.]
[WHISPERING.]
Oh, I thought I lost you.
You snore.
I'm sorry.
Bad.
Yeah.
Could be worse.
No, it couldn't.
It really couldn't.
[THUNDER RUMBLES.]
I came to find you.
I know.
I knew you would.
Yeah? I want you back, Florida.
And I don't just mean to LaBorde.
Hap.
Don't Shh.
Don't.
Don't say it.
Why are you still holding on? [THUNDER CRASHES.]
[GASPS.]
FLORIDA: Hap.
You have to help me.
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS.]
Oh, God! Oh, God, don't be dead, Florida.
Oh, God.
[PANTING.]
[CLATTERING, CLANKING, POUNDING.]
[CLATTERING, CLANKING, POUNDING CEASE.]
You seen Leonard? Saw him this morning.
Said to tell you he's going to the Southside.
Said not to even try to follow him.
Said the generator's on the fritz all night.
Figured, on account of all the rain we've been havin'.
So you brought a hammer? To fix generator? And gas.
Sometimes water gets in the fuel tank.
Water and gas don't mix.
You ever been fishing or to a marina? You know how the gas greases up all along the top of the water like some kind of swirlin'-ass rainbow daydream - where you got your eyes wide open - Tim.
- and you're staring at the - Tim! - sky.
- Sorry.
Lack of company gets me downright gabby.
You fix my car yet? Almost.
[VEHICLE APPROACHES.]
I'm gonna need a loaner then.
Okay.
Sure.
I can fix you up.
Thanks.
Where's your boyfriend? Good to know you hold me in such high esteem.
To think that Leonard might be my type.
Yes! Finally! Hey! Talkin' to you.
You know that old black man that work at the diner? - Y'all seen him? - Yes, sir.
You know where I can find him? I know where he at right now! Can you take me to him? Okay.
Follow me 'cause I know where he at.
- I do, too.
- No, you don't! Yes, I do! [UPBEAT PIANO MUSIC PLAYS.]
Get out the dragnet for Jesus Get out the dragnet for God - I used to be His child - Come on! But I slipped along the way Get out the dragnet for God Get out the dragnet for Jesus KID #1: Hurry up! My soul needs Him on the road I trod - I want to be right - Run! And pleasing in His sight Get out the dragnet for God Get out the dragnet for Jesus - Hey! Wait up for us! - Where are you guys going? - We're going to find Bacon! - Who this guy? You know that Satan has got me And holdin' me fair Get out the dragnet for God I call them both together And I made them bow down in prayer I said all you've got to do is all Him from your heart He'll hear you anytime and anywhere Get out the dragnet for Jesus Get out the dragnet for God [ALL WHISPERING.]
Satan has got me, holdin' me fair KID #1: Bacon in there.
- Get out the dragnet for God - Should be.
HAP: I don't suppose you got any news about Florida Grange.
No.
But then [INHALES SHARPLY.]
I am busy.
Giving out parking tickets.
You on some kind of quota? You got some attitude on you this morning.
I didn't sleep too good last night.
How long you planning on staying here? Wait.
R-Remind me, are you Collins or Pine? Collins, and that depends.
On what? A lot of things, Officer, uh Reynolds.
You like what you see? [EXHALES.]
You got a nice cover.
I don't know if I want to read the book.
How about just reading the synopsis? I would if I could, but I can't.
So I won't.
I don't have my glasses.
You know, in Alaska, it is legal for law enforcement officers to have sexual contact with individuals under investigation.
Oh? Am I? Under investigation? You could be.
Hm.
Somethin' goin' on down there.
No.
Don't pay no attention to him.
Son of a bitch got a mind of his own.
[HANDCUFF CLICKS.]
[HANDCUFF CLICKS.]
Let's go.
Why do I have the feeling we're not in Kansas anymore? 'Cause we're in East Texas.
And Mr.
Brown wants to meet you.
[WOOD CHIPPER WHIRS LOUDLY.]
[HORSE NEIGHS.]
Have fun.
I think I liked you more before I got to know you.
You don't know me.
[ "DOUBLE DUTCH BUS" PLAYS.]
Gimme a "ho" if you got your funky bus fare Ho, ho, ho There's a double Dutch bus coming down the street Moving pretty fast so kinda shuffle your feet Get on the bus, pay your fare Then tell the driver That you're going to a double Dutch affair Fe, fi, fo, fum Well, I'll be darned, here it comes The double Dutch bus is on the street You better get off the curb, move your feet - Bus fare - Boss.
Well, we was just, uh, just a little "Double Dutch Bus.
" Yeah.
When I go to work, I got to go downtown Now I've missed my train, that's a darn shame When I'm running late, no sleep's to blame If you've got a wife, you know I'm right You got a special man? Well, I can understand Uptown, downtown Everybody's getting down [SOLID VOICE.]
The day they gave me that I carried Doshan two and a half miles on my back.
Talked Brady down when he stepped on that snake in the rice paddy.
Kept their eyes up.
Their minds right.
Got all eight of those men back to the LZ.
Hell, the only difference between livin' and dyin' that day was me.
I remember.
But ain't me no more, brother.
The man you was then ain't this man.
Will you you move on down to the Jordan Stream And will you shout Hallelujah I done done Will you shout Hallelujah I done done Will you shout Hallelujah Done done my duty Got on my travelin' shoes Yeah, yeah, yeah Oh, yeah [LAUGHS.]
Hello.
Can we help you? [EXHALES SHARPLY.]
You illiterate, or you just can't read? What's the difference? Context, boy.
I got your context right here.
Then why's your black ass still here? I'm here on account of I ain't found my friend yet.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, getting yourself killed ain't gonna change what already happened to her.
Ol' Uncle Tom's scared to pull a scab, huh? - Oh, shh.
- What the hell? Get off of me.
Get off of me! Uncle Tom, bullshit.
I didn't go up and down Italy shooting Nazis, come back as an old man, and have somebody callin' me names like Uncle Tom.
Well, I didn't serve in Nam killing all them gooks so that you can come back and cook breakfast for the Klan, neither.
Why does it always have to be a fight in order to solve a problem? Son, I learned a long time ago you can solve more problems without pulling the trigger.
Then if what you said is true, if something happened to Florida, she dead, somebody gonna pay.
All right.
You wanna die, you die for something.
One of them Klan boys put a bullet in your head, now you've died for nothing.
TRUMAN BROWN: You gave ol' Boone and Grady there a pretty good drubbing yesterday.
Hard to look good in them Christmas pictures with all them bruises you put on them.
They had it coming.
Well, I know these two pretty well, and you might be right.
Still an apology'd go a long way.
As a first step.
What's the second step? Paying for their kindergarten? We got a real nice town here with real nice people.
Last thing we need is you comin' down here, creatin' all sorts of problems.
I'm just down here lookin' for my friend.
I don't suppose any of you inbreds know where I might find her? [GROANS.]
Watch your back.
That girl you're looking for ruffled a lot of feathers.
That girl is a lawyer.
And that's what they do.
Even lady lawyers.
Even black lady lawyers.
You know, I'll be the first to admit some of this we brought on ourselves.
To begin with, we might should've decided to pick our own cotton.
[LAUGHS.]
If I want to live around Negroes, I'd move to Africa.
This here is America.
It's just a hunch, but I'm guessing you never asked an American Indian how they might feel about that.
Oh, God put the white man in charge for a reason.
But I guess you wouldn't know anything about that.
You probably haven't read your Bible in a while.
You pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, but watch the news.
Niggers are everywhere.
In sports, music, space hell, even in Congress.
Anywhere there's a white man's job to be had, you do-gooders want to give it to them.
You are an ugly man with ugly ideas and no amount of hiding behind that Bible of yours is gonna change that.
These people actually think they deserve to eat, sleep, shit, and shop where we do.
Now, you believe that? I can't believe you don't.
Tell you what.
It's Christmas and, uh, I'm feeling generous.
So I'll pay for Boone's truck there.
But you just get that nigger out of here before something happens I can't take back.
You know, hey, while I'm here and and you're there [BOWELS THROWN IN THE BUCKET.]
maybe you can enlighten something for me.
What is it you people want, hmm? What does your world look like? It's white.
But what is it you want? I know you can tear shit down.
What is it you intend to build? I'd just be wasting my breath.
You have no idea, do you? You're still here tomorrow, don't say I didn't warn you.
Right.
[LIVELY, INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
MAN: Can I help you, sir? Excuse me.
You can't go back there.
What do you think you're doing? [KNOCKS ON DOOR.]
Well, you must be hard of hearing.
I thought I told you to pack up lover boy and scram.
I think Truman Brown, or his people I think they killed Bobby Joe Soothe.
And I think when Florida came down here and started diggin' that up, I think they killed her, too.
What makes you think I give a good goddamn what you think? I drove that girl to the city limits myself Christmas Eve day.
They got a chipper out there.
They're a tree farm.
Oh, they can disappear people, and don't tell me they can't.
There's the door.
Close it behind you when you get out of here.
[GROANS.]
I got this figured one of two ways.
You're part of it.
You and your people.
Officer Reynolds there.
Part of the murder and part of the cover-up.
Or you're stupid and lazy and just racist enough to turn the other way.
Oh, I see.
Okay.
You think you're better than me, huh? I get it, you probably think you're smarter than me, too.
Small-town cop with a ruptured turnip.
Well, let me tell you somethin', boy.
I do my job, and I am the opposite of lazy! Then why the hell have you done nothing nothing! to help me find Florida Grange? I already told you she ain't here no more, and there's no more to it! She ain't anywhere no more! This is what I'm sayin'! I tell you what, why don't you head on over to Southside? You'll find your lawyer friend over there holed up with some young buck, cornholin' like they do.
You wouldn't say that if you knew her.
So, Sneed was right about you and the lawyer.
And some detective named Hanson.
Foxes tend to go to the ground when the hounds are after them, Mr.
Collins.
Your girlfriend will show up when she wants to be found, but not before.
Grandson? Son.
How old? How old is dead? I'm sorry.
Get out.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[BIRDS SINGING.]
[MUSIC PLAYS ON RADIO.]
SONNY KNOX: Are you feeling out of shape? Has the flame gone out of your love life? Do you feel like you're carrying two tubs of rinse in the back [RADIO SHUTS OFF.]
Need a lift, stranger? Thanks.
That girl sure does get around.
Her name's Belinda.
Oh.
She disappeared about five years ago.
She was about 11 then.
She was gone for months, and everybody thought she was dead.
Then one day, she just walked out of the Thicket, skinny but alive.
What happened to her? Nobody knows.
I'm convinced there ain't nothin' that goes on in Grovetown that girl don't know about.
In that case, would you mind if I asked her a few questions about the friend I'm lookin' for? You can ask, but whatever she knows is gonna die with her.
She [SCOFFS.]
Girl ain't uttered a word since she came out of them woods.
Not a "Hey," or a "How you doin'?" Nothin'.
Oh.
Hey.
I'm glad to see you're not dead.
[SNIFFS.]
You smell dead.
Yeah.
I had a close encounter with the head of the Klan down here.
He told me to get you out of here or there'd be hell to pay.
And what did you say? I told him to go fuck himself.
Good.
- You seen Cantuck? - Yeah.
He said he took Florida to the edge of town, watched her drive away himself.
In other words, she ain't his problem.
No.
What about you? You found the cook? Found him at church.
- His name is Bacon.
- You know, that is one thing [CAN OPENS.]
I will never understand, is why black folks still believe, given what's happening.
Given what's always been happening.
See, the church is the only thing the white man won't take from the black man.
You understand that? I try.
Bacon's seen her at Blind Tillie's.
[INDISTINCT SINGING.]
Who around here do you think might want to hurt him? LEONARD: Says she was asking questions about Bobby Joe Soothe.
When was that? Christmas Eve night.
- Christmas Eve night? - That's what he said.
Cantuck said she left Christmas Eve day.
Someone's lying.
Hap, it's Grovetown.
Someone always lyin'.
[HORN HONKING.]
Blind Tillie's? Let's go.
I got to find a phone.
I'll call Bacon, tell him to meet us there.
Got her done.
Filled the tank.
She's good to go.
You boys need anything else before you take off? - Who said we was takin' off? - Snacks? Jujubes? - I just figured - Well, you figured wrong.
Uh, okay.
You sure y'all don't want to just go on and go? Boy, look at me.
Is the Pope black? Uh, well What he means is, does the Pope shit in the woods? Well, I can't rightly say I ever thought about that.
There you go.
Now we sure.
[GASPS.]
God! Shit! You're lucky my dogs aren't out, Chief.
Goddamn it, Truman.
You like to give me a heart attack.
What can I do for you? Looking into the disappearance of that lawyer, the one you run in with at Maude's.
You lookin' for a suspect killer, or somebody to blame? I'm the Chief of the goddamn Police Department.
This is my town.
I'm the one who stays awake at night shit happens around here, so you do not mess with me.
[EXHALES.]
Niggers missing and shit.
That's what we're talking about? That gal from LaBorde, she's an officer of the court.
She don't exist in a vacuum, you dimwit.
Folks are gonna come looking for her.
Folks already come lookin' for her.
What's that got to do with me? You ain't above the law, is what I'm saying.
Turn the lights out when you're done, Chief.
LEONARD: When I was in Saigon, I used to hang out at a club that remind me of this place.
You ever think about dyin', Hap? I try not to.
Why? Bobby Joe dead.
Mm-hmm.
Florida dead, too.
Maybe.
What's your point? Maybe Sonny Knox was right.
Maybe the curse is real, and we next.
Leonard, Leonard, Leonard.
The curse ain't real.
That's the same thing you said about mojo.
Well [SNIFFLES.]
I ain't leaving till we find her.
Boy, you sure is holdin' on tight to somethin'.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH.]
You brought him? His car.
You see that sign over there? "No Honkies Allowed.
" You bring me out a couple of hard-boiled eggs and a bag of chips, and I'll watch over your car, too.
[CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
Backwater blues The main thing Causing trouble in the lowlands Oh, it brings pain to a man [LIVELY CONVERSATION IN DISTANCE.]
[MUSIC PLAYING IN DISTANCE.]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING.]
Damn! Where'd you get this? It belongs to a friend of mine.
You seen her? You know where she is? Hey! Hey! Hey! [WOMAN LAUGHS.]
Florida? [STILL SINGING.]
[LAUGHS.]
Florida? - What the hell, man? - I'm sorry.
I thought it someone else.
Just be cool.
Sorry.
What the hell is wrong with you? I thought it was Florida.
Florida? Look, I'ma tell you this as your friend.
You better get your head right.
Yeah Oh, yeah Oh, yeah [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE.]
I remember that girl.
Florida her name.
Mm.
She was interested in Bobby Joe Soothe.
Asked all kinds of questions about him.
Let's see, this was When was this, Cleavon? Christmas Eve.
Mm.
My night off.
Which is why I was none too happy to be answering her questions.
Miss Tillie.
Florida kin to me.
You ain't got not idea where she might could be? What do I look like to you, 911? Cleavon, do I look like 911? No, ma'am.
See, uh, we just thought You thought what, white boy? We just thought that maybe, uh, you hear things.
- I'ma tell you - Mm-hmm.
just like I told her.
I do hear things.
But there's a difference between what I hear and what I know.
And what I know is you ask too many questions about the dead, you like to join 'em.
[CHUCKLES.]
Well.
Well, what about you, Cleavon? Did you hear anything that we might want to know something about? - That girl - Mm-hmm.
Was lookin' for them Bobby Joe tapes.
You find who got them tapes, you just might find that girl.
Well, did Florida at least tell you who she thought might have hung Bobby Joe over the bridge? You think it could have been someone from the Southside? Whatever misfortune visits itself upon your friend, it ain't come from this side of the tracks.
You go on back over there to Grovetown.
Pull that curtain back just a smidgeon, and you'll see evil.
Look behind there.
That's where your girl be.
[CHUCKLES.]
All right.
Uh, hey.
I got given this.
Belonged to Florida.
From who? This weird young girl, Belinda.
Did she say where Florida was? No.
She don't talk.
No, she she never spoke a word for years.
How you know all of that? Because people talk to me, Leonard.
Look what happened back at Blind Tillie's.
She took one look at me, couldn't stop talking.
Friendly face, I guess.
[CHUCKLES.]
We have to find this girl, Hap.
[TRAIN BELL RINGS.]
No, I told you, she don't talk.
No, I know she don't talk, but maybe she write.
- You ever think of that? - Yeah.
See, that that is why you and me make such a great team.
I'm the pretty one, and you're the smart one.
Oh, no, no.
I'm the pretty and the smart one.
You just [TIRES SQUEAL.]
[GROANS.]
What the - What the hell was that? - I don't know! Oh, shit! Shit! I told you we was cursed.
There ain't no goddamn curse! - Start the car! - I'm trying! - Come on! - I'm trying! [CAR ENGINE SPUTTERS.]
Move! Get out! Get out! [SCREAMING.]
Jesus Christ! - Run! - We got to get out! Get out! [GUNSHOT FIRES.]
I told you we was cursed! Run! [GUNSHOTS FIRE.]
DARK MUSIC Think we missed 'em, boss.
Well, life's not fair, boys.
But God is always faithful.
They're in the Thicket now.
Almost did a deal with her and her client Bobby Joe Soothe.
They found Bobby Joe hanging off the Grovetown bridge.
I'm the law and you best remember that.
- How long was she here? - One night.
I ain't sayin' Enjoy Sirs.
I made it special for you boys.
SONNY KNOX: All right.
It's Christmas night.
Spike that egg nog and grab your wife, 'cause there's trouble brewin'.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS.]
'Twas the night before Christmas When all through the house Not a creature was stirring Not even a mouse My baby came home I asked her where she was She grinned and said that she was out With ho-ho Santa Claus Ho, ho, ho, there's trouble brewin' now Ho, ho, ho, ho, yeah, well, there's trouble brewin' now Ho, ho, ho, ho, yeah The snow is white So crisp and white There's trouble brewin' Trouble brewin' tonight Half-past 12:00 I'm feelin' low I'm waiting for this cat That set my baby's heart a-glow From what I hear He's dressed in red He's a-crawling down my chimney That's what my baby said Ho, ho, ho, ho, there's trouble brewin' now Ho, ho, ho, ho, yeah, well, there's trouble brewin' now Ho, ho, ho, ho, yeah He don't know [CAR CRASHES.]
[HORN BLARING.]
[FROGS CROAKING.]
[MUSIC FADING.]
[HORN CONTINUES TO BLARE.]
CREDITS S03E03 The T-Bone Mambo [THUNDER ROLLS.]
[IN A WHISPER.]
Hi.
Hey.
[SIGHS.]
[WHISPERING.]
Oh, I thought I lost you.
You snore.
I'm sorry.
Bad.
Yeah.
Could be worse.
No, it couldn't.
It really couldn't.
[THUNDER RUMBLES.]
I came to find you.
I know.
I knew you would.
Yeah? I want you back, Florida.
And I don't just mean to LaBorde.
Hap.
Don't Shh.
Don't.
Don't say it.
Why are you still holding on? [THUNDER CRASHES.]
[GASPS.]
FLORIDA: Hap.
You have to help me.
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS.]
Oh, God! Oh, God, don't be dead, Florida.
Oh, God.
[PANTING.]
[CLATTERING, CLANKING, POUNDING.]
[CLATTERING, CLANKING, POUNDING CEASE.]
You seen Leonard? Saw him this morning.
Said to tell you he's going to the Southside.
Said not to even try to follow him.
Said the generator's on the fritz all night.
Figured, on account of all the rain we've been havin'.
So you brought a hammer? To fix generator? And gas.
Sometimes water gets in the fuel tank.
Water and gas don't mix.
You ever been fishing or to a marina? You know how the gas greases up all along the top of the water like some kind of swirlin'-ass rainbow daydream - where you got your eyes wide open - Tim.
- and you're staring at the - Tim! - sky.
- Sorry.
Lack of company gets me downright gabby.
You fix my car yet? Almost.
[VEHICLE APPROACHES.]
I'm gonna need a loaner then.
Okay.
Sure.
I can fix you up.
Thanks.
Where's your boyfriend? Good to know you hold me in such high esteem.
To think that Leonard might be my type.
Yes! Finally! Hey! Talkin' to you.
You know that old black man that work at the diner? - Y'all seen him? - Yes, sir.
You know where I can find him? I know where he at right now! Can you take me to him? Okay.
Follow me 'cause I know where he at.
- I do, too.
- No, you don't! Yes, I do! [UPBEAT PIANO MUSIC PLAYS.]
Get out the dragnet for Jesus Get out the dragnet for God - I used to be His child - Come on! But I slipped along the way Get out the dragnet for God Get out the dragnet for Jesus KID #1: Hurry up! My soul needs Him on the road I trod - I want to be right - Run! And pleasing in His sight Get out the dragnet for God Get out the dragnet for Jesus - Hey! Wait up for us! - Where are you guys going? - We're going to find Bacon! - Who this guy? You know that Satan has got me And holdin' me fair Get out the dragnet for God I call them both together And I made them bow down in prayer I said all you've got to do is all Him from your heart He'll hear you anytime and anywhere Get out the dragnet for Jesus Get out the dragnet for God [ALL WHISPERING.]
Satan has got me, holdin' me fair KID #1: Bacon in there.
- Get out the dragnet for God - Should be.
HAP: I don't suppose you got any news about Florida Grange.
No.
But then [INHALES SHARPLY.]
I am busy.
Giving out parking tickets.
You on some kind of quota? You got some attitude on you this morning.
I didn't sleep too good last night.
How long you planning on staying here? Wait.
R-Remind me, are you Collins or Pine? Collins, and that depends.
On what? A lot of things, Officer, uh Reynolds.
You like what you see? [EXHALES.]
You got a nice cover.
I don't know if I want to read the book.
How about just reading the synopsis? I would if I could, but I can't.
So I won't.
I don't have my glasses.
You know, in Alaska, it is legal for law enforcement officers to have sexual contact with individuals under investigation.
Oh? Am I? Under investigation? You could be.
Hm.
Somethin' goin' on down there.
No.
Don't pay no attention to him.
Son of a bitch got a mind of his own.
[HANDCUFF CLICKS.]
[HANDCUFF CLICKS.]
Let's go.
Why do I have the feeling we're not in Kansas anymore? 'Cause we're in East Texas.
And Mr.
Brown wants to meet you.
[WOOD CHIPPER WHIRS LOUDLY.]
[HORSE NEIGHS.]
Have fun.
I think I liked you more before I got to know you.
You don't know me.
[ "DOUBLE DUTCH BUS" PLAYS.]
Gimme a "ho" if you got your funky bus fare Ho, ho, ho There's a double Dutch bus coming down the street Moving pretty fast so kinda shuffle your feet Get on the bus, pay your fare Then tell the driver That you're going to a double Dutch affair Fe, fi, fo, fum Well, I'll be darned, here it comes The double Dutch bus is on the street You better get off the curb, move your feet - Bus fare - Boss.
Well, we was just, uh, just a little "Double Dutch Bus.
" Yeah.
When I go to work, I got to go downtown Now I've missed my train, that's a darn shame When I'm running late, no sleep's to blame If you've got a wife, you know I'm right You got a special man? Well, I can understand Uptown, downtown Everybody's getting down [SOLID VOICE.]
The day they gave me that I carried Doshan two and a half miles on my back.
Talked Brady down when he stepped on that snake in the rice paddy.
Kept their eyes up.
Their minds right.
Got all eight of those men back to the LZ.
Hell, the only difference between livin' and dyin' that day was me.
I remember.
But ain't me no more, brother.
The man you was then ain't this man.
Will you you move on down to the Jordan Stream And will you shout Hallelujah I done done Will you shout Hallelujah I done done Will you shout Hallelujah Done done my duty Got on my travelin' shoes Yeah, yeah, yeah Oh, yeah [LAUGHS.]
Hello.
Can we help you? [EXHALES SHARPLY.]
You illiterate, or you just can't read? What's the difference? Context, boy.
I got your context right here.
Then why's your black ass still here? I'm here on account of I ain't found my friend yet.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, getting yourself killed ain't gonna change what already happened to her.
Ol' Uncle Tom's scared to pull a scab, huh? - Oh, shh.
- What the hell? Get off of me.
Get off of me! Uncle Tom, bullshit.
I didn't go up and down Italy shooting Nazis, come back as an old man, and have somebody callin' me names like Uncle Tom.
Well, I didn't serve in Nam killing all them gooks so that you can come back and cook breakfast for the Klan, neither.
Why does it always have to be a fight in order to solve a problem? Son, I learned a long time ago you can solve more problems without pulling the trigger.
Then if what you said is true, if something happened to Florida, she dead, somebody gonna pay.
All right.
You wanna die, you die for something.
One of them Klan boys put a bullet in your head, now you've died for nothing.
TRUMAN BROWN: You gave ol' Boone and Grady there a pretty good drubbing yesterday.
Hard to look good in them Christmas pictures with all them bruises you put on them.
They had it coming.
Well, I know these two pretty well, and you might be right.
Still an apology'd go a long way.
As a first step.
What's the second step? Paying for their kindergarten? We got a real nice town here with real nice people.
Last thing we need is you comin' down here, creatin' all sorts of problems.
I'm just down here lookin' for my friend.
I don't suppose any of you inbreds know where I might find her? [GROANS.]
Watch your back.
That girl you're looking for ruffled a lot of feathers.
That girl is a lawyer.
And that's what they do.
Even lady lawyers.
Even black lady lawyers.
You know, I'll be the first to admit some of this we brought on ourselves.
To begin with, we might should've decided to pick our own cotton.
[LAUGHS.]
If I want to live around Negroes, I'd move to Africa.
This here is America.
It's just a hunch, but I'm guessing you never asked an American Indian how they might feel about that.
Oh, God put the white man in charge for a reason.
But I guess you wouldn't know anything about that.
You probably haven't read your Bible in a while.
You pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, but watch the news.
Niggers are everywhere.
In sports, music, space hell, even in Congress.
Anywhere there's a white man's job to be had, you do-gooders want to give it to them.
You are an ugly man with ugly ideas and no amount of hiding behind that Bible of yours is gonna change that.
These people actually think they deserve to eat, sleep, shit, and shop where we do.
Now, you believe that? I can't believe you don't.
Tell you what.
It's Christmas and, uh, I'm feeling generous.
So I'll pay for Boone's truck there.
But you just get that nigger out of here before something happens I can't take back.
You know, hey, while I'm here and and you're there [BOWELS THROWN IN THE BUCKET.]
maybe you can enlighten something for me.
What is it you people want, hmm? What does your world look like? It's white.
But what is it you want? I know you can tear shit down.
What is it you intend to build? I'd just be wasting my breath.
You have no idea, do you? You're still here tomorrow, don't say I didn't warn you.
Right.
[LIVELY, INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
MAN: Can I help you, sir? Excuse me.
You can't go back there.
What do you think you're doing? [KNOCKS ON DOOR.]
Well, you must be hard of hearing.
I thought I told you to pack up lover boy and scram.
I think Truman Brown, or his people I think they killed Bobby Joe Soothe.
And I think when Florida came down here and started diggin' that up, I think they killed her, too.
What makes you think I give a good goddamn what you think? I drove that girl to the city limits myself Christmas Eve day.
They got a chipper out there.
They're a tree farm.
Oh, they can disappear people, and don't tell me they can't.
There's the door.
Close it behind you when you get out of here.
[GROANS.]
I got this figured one of two ways.
You're part of it.
You and your people.
Officer Reynolds there.
Part of the murder and part of the cover-up.
Or you're stupid and lazy and just racist enough to turn the other way.
Oh, I see.
Okay.
You think you're better than me, huh? I get it, you probably think you're smarter than me, too.
Small-town cop with a ruptured turnip.
Well, let me tell you somethin', boy.
I do my job, and I am the opposite of lazy! Then why the hell have you done nothing nothing! to help me find Florida Grange? I already told you she ain't here no more, and there's no more to it! She ain't anywhere no more! This is what I'm sayin'! I tell you what, why don't you head on over to Southside? You'll find your lawyer friend over there holed up with some young buck, cornholin' like they do.
You wouldn't say that if you knew her.
So, Sneed was right about you and the lawyer.
And some detective named Hanson.
Foxes tend to go to the ground when the hounds are after them, Mr.
Collins.
Your girlfriend will show up when she wants to be found, but not before.
Grandson? Son.
How old? How old is dead? I'm sorry.
Get out.
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
[BIRDS SINGING.]
[MUSIC PLAYS ON RADIO.]
SONNY KNOX: Are you feeling out of shape? Has the flame gone out of your love life? Do you feel like you're carrying two tubs of rinse in the back [RADIO SHUTS OFF.]
Need a lift, stranger? Thanks.
That girl sure does get around.
Her name's Belinda.
Oh.
She disappeared about five years ago.
She was about 11 then.
She was gone for months, and everybody thought she was dead.
Then one day, she just walked out of the Thicket, skinny but alive.
What happened to her? Nobody knows.
I'm convinced there ain't nothin' that goes on in Grovetown that girl don't know about.
In that case, would you mind if I asked her a few questions about the friend I'm lookin' for? You can ask, but whatever she knows is gonna die with her.
She [SCOFFS.]
Girl ain't uttered a word since she came out of them woods.
Not a "Hey," or a "How you doin'?" Nothin'.
Oh.
Hey.
I'm glad to see you're not dead.
[SNIFFS.]
You smell dead.
Yeah.
I had a close encounter with the head of the Klan down here.
He told me to get you out of here or there'd be hell to pay.
And what did you say? I told him to go fuck himself.
Good.
- You seen Cantuck? - Yeah.
He said he took Florida to the edge of town, watched her drive away himself.
In other words, she ain't his problem.
No.
What about you? You found the cook? Found him at church.
- His name is Bacon.
- You know, that is one thing [CAN OPENS.]
I will never understand, is why black folks still believe, given what's happening.
Given what's always been happening.
See, the church is the only thing the white man won't take from the black man.
You understand that? I try.
Bacon's seen her at Blind Tillie's.
[INDISTINCT SINGING.]
Who around here do you think might want to hurt him? LEONARD: Says she was asking questions about Bobby Joe Soothe.
When was that? Christmas Eve night.
- Christmas Eve night? - That's what he said.
Cantuck said she left Christmas Eve day.
Someone's lying.
Hap, it's Grovetown.
Someone always lyin'.
[HORN HONKING.]
Blind Tillie's? Let's go.
I got to find a phone.
I'll call Bacon, tell him to meet us there.
Got her done.
Filled the tank.
She's good to go.
You boys need anything else before you take off? - Who said we was takin' off? - Snacks? Jujubes? - I just figured - Well, you figured wrong.
Uh, okay.
You sure y'all don't want to just go on and go? Boy, look at me.
Is the Pope black? Uh, well What he means is, does the Pope shit in the woods? Well, I can't rightly say I ever thought about that.
There you go.
Now we sure.
[GASPS.]
God! Shit! You're lucky my dogs aren't out, Chief.
Goddamn it, Truman.
You like to give me a heart attack.
What can I do for you? Looking into the disappearance of that lawyer, the one you run in with at Maude's.
You lookin' for a suspect killer, or somebody to blame? I'm the Chief of the goddamn Police Department.
This is my town.
I'm the one who stays awake at night shit happens around here, so you do not mess with me.
[EXHALES.]
Niggers missing and shit.
That's what we're talking about? That gal from LaBorde, she's an officer of the court.
She don't exist in a vacuum, you dimwit.
Folks are gonna come looking for her.
Folks already come lookin' for her.
What's that got to do with me? You ain't above the law, is what I'm saying.
Turn the lights out when you're done, Chief.
LEONARD: When I was in Saigon, I used to hang out at a club that remind me of this place.
You ever think about dyin', Hap? I try not to.
Why? Bobby Joe dead.
Mm-hmm.
Florida dead, too.
Maybe.
What's your point? Maybe Sonny Knox was right.
Maybe the curse is real, and we next.
Leonard, Leonard, Leonard.
The curse ain't real.
That's the same thing you said about mojo.
Well [SNIFFLES.]
I ain't leaving till we find her.
Boy, you sure is holdin' on tight to somethin'.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH.]
You brought him? His car.
You see that sign over there? "No Honkies Allowed.
" You bring me out a couple of hard-boiled eggs and a bag of chips, and I'll watch over your car, too.
[CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
Backwater blues The main thing Causing trouble in the lowlands Oh, it brings pain to a man [LIVELY CONVERSATION IN DISTANCE.]
[MUSIC PLAYING IN DISTANCE.]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING.]
Damn! Where'd you get this? It belongs to a friend of mine.
You seen her? You know where she is? Hey! Hey! Hey! [WOMAN LAUGHS.]
Florida? [STILL SINGING.]
[LAUGHS.]
Florida? - What the hell, man? - I'm sorry.
I thought it someone else.
Just be cool.
Sorry.
What the hell is wrong with you? I thought it was Florida.
Florida? Look, I'ma tell you this as your friend.
You better get your head right.
Yeah Oh, yeah Oh, yeah [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE.]
I remember that girl.
Florida her name.
Mm.
She was interested in Bobby Joe Soothe.
Asked all kinds of questions about him.
Let's see, this was When was this, Cleavon? Christmas Eve.
Mm.
My night off.
Which is why I was none too happy to be answering her questions.
Miss Tillie.
Florida kin to me.
You ain't got not idea where she might could be? What do I look like to you, 911? Cleavon, do I look like 911? No, ma'am.
See, uh, we just thought You thought what, white boy? We just thought that maybe, uh, you hear things.
- I'ma tell you - Mm-hmm.
just like I told her.
I do hear things.
But there's a difference between what I hear and what I know.
And what I know is you ask too many questions about the dead, you like to join 'em.
[CHUCKLES.]
Well.
Well, what about you, Cleavon? Did you hear anything that we might want to know something about? - That girl - Mm-hmm.
Was lookin' for them Bobby Joe tapes.
You find who got them tapes, you just might find that girl.
Well, did Florida at least tell you who she thought might have hung Bobby Joe over the bridge? You think it could have been someone from the Southside? Whatever misfortune visits itself upon your friend, it ain't come from this side of the tracks.
You go on back over there to Grovetown.
Pull that curtain back just a smidgeon, and you'll see evil.
Look behind there.
That's where your girl be.
[CHUCKLES.]
All right.
Uh, hey.
I got given this.
Belonged to Florida.
From who? This weird young girl, Belinda.
Did she say where Florida was? No.
She don't talk.
No, she she never spoke a word for years.
How you know all of that? Because people talk to me, Leonard.
Look what happened back at Blind Tillie's.
She took one look at me, couldn't stop talking.
Friendly face, I guess.
[CHUCKLES.]
We have to find this girl, Hap.
[TRAIN BELL RINGS.]
No, I told you, she don't talk.
No, I know she don't talk, but maybe she write.
- You ever think of that? - Yeah.
See, that that is why you and me make such a great team.
I'm the pretty one, and you're the smart one.
Oh, no, no.
I'm the pretty and the smart one.
You just [TIRES SQUEAL.]
[GROANS.]
What the - What the hell was that? - I don't know! Oh, shit! Shit! I told you we was cursed.
There ain't no goddamn curse! - Start the car! - I'm trying! - Come on! - I'm trying! [CAR ENGINE SPUTTERS.]
Move! Get out! Get out! [SCREAMING.]
Jesus Christ! - Run! - We got to get out! Get out! [GUNSHOT FIRES.]
I told you we was cursed! Run! [GUNSHOTS FIRE.]
DARK MUSIC Think we missed 'em, boss.
Well, life's not fair, boys.
But God is always faithful.
They're in the Thicket now.