BRAINBUGS (2025) Movie Script
[DARK ELECTRONIC MUSIC RUMBLES]
[FAN BLOWS]
[ALARM BLARES]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[SODA CAN POPS]
[MOM OFFSCREEN]
Yeah, exactly.
[MOM OFFSCREEN]
That's what I said to him.
I said, Hey man,
I know you're trying to get this wrapped
by the end of the quarter,
but it's just not going to happen.
[MOM LAUGHS]
Exactly... Oh.
Hey, Ted. Your dad and I
are going out tomorrow night.
Can you make dinner for your brother?
Can you make dinner for your brother?
Uh, I-I was...
I sorta-
Do you have plans?
Okay well, I need you to be here.
Please.
Honey...
No fucking way!
What did you say?
Please.
Thank you.
Uhhuh.
Love you. Mom.
Oh, my God,
I would have been so fucking pissed.
[DOOR SWINGS OPEN]
[DOOR SLAMS SHUT]
[KEYS JINGLE, ENGINE STARTS]
[RADIO]
Good evening, everybody.
[RADIO]
You're listening to Golden Oldies.
[RADIO]
This is Rick Rodchester,
[RADIO] your host for this evening
and the next several, several hours.
[RADIO] Here's a classic, Love
and Madness by The Dayliners. 1962.
[SONG BEGINS TO SWELL]
[SONG CONTINUES TO PLAY]
To time,
he told me
you must.
Screw this.
[PHONE CHIMES]
[PHONE BUZZES]
Goddammit...
Hey, Dad.
[OVER PHONE]
Hey, bud! How goes the driving?
You know, it's-it's fine.
It's-It's going.
It's going.
[OVER PHONE]
Yeah, yeah yeah. I hear ya.
[OVER PHONE]
Is everything good? You...
[OVER PHONE]
You sound a little...
[OVER PHONE]
Are you doing okay?
You know, honestly lately I've been...
I been feeling
[OVER PHONE]
Oh God damn it!
Is... Is everything good?
[OVER PHONE]
Yeah, yeah...
[OVER PHONE] Son sorry, the fucking
dog just pissed all over the carpet.
[OVER PHONE]
Fuck! Ted, I'm sorry...
[OVER PHONE]
I'm gonna have to call you back this is...
[OVER PHONE]
It's driving me crazy.
It's-It's-It's good, Dad. I got you.
[OVER PHONE]
I'll give you a call back in a minute.
[OVER PHONE]
I just-I just have to handle this shit.
[OVER PHONE]
I'll-I'll talk to you later.
Yeah, uh...
I love
[PHONE HANGS UP]
You.
[TEDDY SCOFFS]
[PHONE CHIMES]
[CAR PULLS AWAY]
[CAR PARKS LOUDLY]
[FOOD BAG CRUNCHES]
[PHONE CLICKS]
[DOOR SWINGS OPEN]
Come inside right now.
Do not scream.
No, no... No, no.
Look, I know the managers of this place,
alright?
They trust me.
Come inside.
[GUN CLICKS]
[DOOR SLAMS]
Give me your phone...
And your wallet.
[TEDDY GIVES WALLET AND PHONE]
Magnolia Street...
It's a nice neighborhood.
You know, I've been.
Alright.
Here's how...
All this is going to go.
You're going to drive me around
until I see...
The right person.
I'm going to get out.
I'm going to rob him.
You're then going to
drive me far, far away.
And then we're going to separate.
Do you understand me?
No, no, no, I'm not fucking doing that.
No!
Shut the fuck up!
Shut the fuck up!
Look, this can go easy
or it can go hard. But it's going one way.
You're going to drive me...
And I'm going to do this.
And then...
You're done.
[DOORS SLAM]
Drive.
[CAR STARTS]
[CAR PUSHES AWAY]
[TENSE MUSIC RISES]
You're going to take the next two rights.
Then a left.
[TURN SIGNAL CLICKS ON]
[TURN SIGNAL CLICKS OFF]
Park at the end of the street.
Up here.
Keep it running.
[DOOR SLAMS]
[KNOCKS ON WINDOW]
[DOOR OPENS]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[GUN CLICKS]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
Come on, come on
[OPERATOR]
911, what's your emerg
Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit...
Come on, come on. Come on!
[GUN COCKS]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[GUNSHOT]
[HIGH PITCHED RINGING]
You need to fucking drive.
Drive! What are you doing? Fucking drive!
Ah, fuck! Goddammit, this isn't how this...
Fuck!
Fucking drive!
[CAR SCREECHES AWAY]
[POLICE SIRENS APPROACH]
[DARK ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYS]
[CAR RACES BY]
Fuck! Fuck, fuck...
Fuck!
Fuckin' God!
[GROWLS WITH ANGER]
S-So we, uh... Ha
Have like three quarters of a tank.
Yeah, I filled up earlier tonight,
so like, there's some distance
we can cover.
I just-I need to know...
What you... Like, need from me here.
Drive us North.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I got a friend living...
Out there in the middle of Yreka.
Way off the map.
You're going to take me to him.
Okay.
You're going to stay off the highway, and
you're going to drive like you're
taking a test with the fucking DMV.
Do you understand me?
[CAR RACES BY]
[PHONE BUZZES]
Mom is calling.
Oh, God. Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck.
She's gonna know something's up.
She's like, fucking psychic or something.
I swear to God, this is fucking bad.
This is fucking bad.
Shut the fuck up! Shut the fuck up.
[PHONE CONTINUES TO BUZZ]
Shut the fuck up.
You're going to tell her that everything's
fucking fine.
You're with a friend, you got a flat.
I don't care, but the message is:
You are 1000% okay.
Do you understand me?
[PHONE CONTINUES TO BUZZ]
[ANSWERS CALL]
H-Hey. Hey, mom.
[OVER PHONE]
Teddy where the fuck are you?
I'm out with a friend.
[OVER PHONE]
A friend?
Yeah.
[OVER PHONE]
What do you mean, what friend?
You remember fucking Matty O'Donnell
from fucking junior year?
Calculus or whatever?
[OVER PHONE]
Kind of.
Well, I fucking...
Ran into him at a restaurant and he asked
if I wanted to hang out.
[OVER PHONE]
Okay.
Yeah?
[OVER PHONE]
Yeah, alright.
So we're cool?
[OVER PHONE]
Whatever, it's not...
[OVER PHONE]
Yeah.
[OVER PHONE]
Just don't stay out all night.
Yeah I won't,
I'll be home soon.
[OVER PHONE]
Okay?
[OVER PHONE]
Don't forget!
[OVER PHONE]
I need you to watch Will tomorrow night.
Got you, Mom.
[OVER PHONE]
Alright.
[OVER PHONE]
Have a good night, Son.
You too.
[OVER PHONE]
Yep.
[PHONE HANGS UP]
My mom was just like that.
Isn't it the fuckin'... Worst?
Yeah.
And like, it's just...
It's so fucking cringe, because y'know
I get it! I get it, you know?
Like, Will my little brother. He's got...
He's got these fucking shit hot grades,
and he's a fucking talented athlete.
And all these fucking kids worship him
like he's a god.
And I get it.
I'm not a fucking party.
I'm not easy to be around sometimes.
But that doesn't mean there should be like
fucking preferential treatment
or whatever... Like that fucking sucks.
And it makes me feel like shit and like,
what even the fuck
am I supposed to do about that?
Like, change everything
about myself?! Like...
That's a
non-fucking-starter, you know what I mean?
[CAR RACES BY]
Hey, I got to take a piss.
Absolutely not.
Please.
I-I've had to go since
We are not...
Stopping, Teddy.
Look, I swear to God,
I won't try anything.
You can keep the gun drawn while I do it.
You can fucking hold my dick. I fucking...
Please, just please.
Pull up over there.
Thank God, thank God...
- You have two fuckin' minutes.
You have two minutes.
[CAR SLOWS TO A STOP]
Wait.
Wait.
[DOOR POPS OPEN]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[GUN CLICKS]
[DOOR WRENCHES OPEN]
Get out.
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
March!
Stop!
[FLY UNZIPS, URINATION STARTS]
[LIGHTER CLICKS]
[FLAME STRIKES]
[LIGHTER CLOSES]
[INHALES, EXHALES]
[URINATION STOPS, FLY ZIPS UP]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
Hey, I know I'm pushing my luck,
but is there any way I could bum one?
[DEEP INHALE]
Yeah.
I've been trying to quit for a minute.
It's just... It's
Been a long night.
Please.
[WIND BLOWS HARDER]
[LIGHTER AND CIGARETTE HIT GROUND]
Throw the lighter back.
You know, I'm pretty fucking
pissed off at myself right now.
I remember the last cigaret I had,
I was on a beach.
Yeah.
We had gone to Santa Cruz
for New Year's and,
I've been working on this pack for like,
a couple days beforehand.
Right?
And it just so happened that I was on
my last cigaret on New Year's Eve,
the last day of the year.
So I remember thinking you know, great.
I'll you know, smoke
this one and I'll be done.
I'll done forever.
But, circumstances... Huh?
I-I didn't...
Plan for this.
I didn't expect this.
When did you first start smoking?
Thirteen.
Huh, what?
I was thirteen.
Oh dude, that's that's
when I first started.
I remember, it was like...
Right after my birthday,
I was with my cousin. And I remember
telling him like that I wanted like,
a rite of passage or something.
I didn't call it that
because I was like, fucking thirteen.
But he gave me my first one.
It was a Spirit.
I know, but...
I just I remember feeling so fucking cool,
like I was the fucking man.
So fucking stupid.
I wish I'd never fucking
touch these things.
I'm hooked fucking bad.
Basically the same story.
It's just one of those things.
Y'know?
[FLICKS CIGARATTE TO GROUND]
let's get back on the road.
[FLICKS CIGARATTE TO GROUND]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[DOORS SWING OPEN]
[DOORS SLAM]
[GUN CLICKS]
[CAR ENGINE STARTS]
[CAR PULLS AWAY]
[ELECTRICAL LINES HUM]
[CAR RACES BY]
You know...
Personally, I
I've never minded these long road trips.
I know some people
like my fucking brother.
Will, it takes all of ten minutes and
he's like [MOCK WHINES]
I don't know, I just, I fucking-
I've never been too hard to please,
you know, I'm like a, low maintenance
like a goldfish, you know?
That's why
I've been so fuckin'
confused for, like, years.
Because it's like,
everyone doesn't have trouble with the shit
I have fucking trouble with, you know?
It's like, first day of school.
Everyone comes in
and they already fuckin'...
They already know how to dress.
They know who their fucking friends are.
They know what to feel and fucking think.
And I just...
I never know how I'm fucking feeling.
I'm just fucking confused.
What am I supposed to fucking do with that?
Yeah.
Dude and I fucking...
I love my parents, I do, I love them,
but I cannot pretend that they didn't
make all of this shit fucking worse.
Not on purpose, obviously, but it was like
I was always fucking wrong.
The ways I was trying
were always fucking wrong.
It was my fault
I didn't have fucking friends
coming to the house all the time.
It was my fucking fault
I had fucking shitty grades.
It was my fault
that I fucking dropped out of college.
And like,
I can count on
I can count on one fucking hand
how many times they like, asked me how
I was, or how I was feeling or fucking...
It's like you're completely invisible.
Exactly. Fucking exactly.
Like they view me
as as their creation, their son.
But they're completely incapable
of viewing me as like a human being.
I feel the same way.
Really?
Yeah.
My folks only had me, but...
It seems like even that was a little
much for them.
You know, they could never quite
find the time.
Oh, that's my dad to fucking tee.
I can see it in his eyes
when we're fucking talking.
He's like-he's on Mars or something.
And I know like, this is just the most
classic fucking thing to say but like,
why even have kids when you already know
who you want them to be?
Like, isn't that part
of the fucking journey
or whatever it is-to fucking discover
who they are?
Like with them?
Preaching to the choir.
[TEDDY]
You want kids?
No.
Why not?
Just never appealed to me.
Why not?
I am the type of person who values...
Agency.
Fair enough.
Not a lot of time to go around with kids.
Well, I want kids.
I want to be a dad.
That's just something I've always known.
It feels like my parents never,
like, wanted to be parents.
Like it was fucking something
they were stuck with or handed.
I asked my father one
time, why he and my mom
had me.
What'd he say?
He said it was...
The thing to do.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Yeah, I know.
Well, when I'm a dad, I'm
not going to fucking say shit
like that to my kids.
I'm going to fucking talk to them.
I'm going to fucking be there for
them. I'm going to fucking...
Y'know God, I've convinced
myself for years that it'd
be easy to do better than my parents did.
But I feel like what I'm fucking trying to
describe is so fucking vague.
Like I couldn't be a parent
better than they could.
But I hope after like, like, like 20
fucking years at it, I'd be good at it.
At least.
I can say with absolute confidence
I would have...
Planned better.
Than your parents did?
Oh, yeah.
How so?
My folks are just
very impulsive people.
Very caution to the wind.
What are they like now?
They like, mellowed out at all?
You know, I don't see much
of them these days.
There's-there's some distance there?
Yeah.
Honestly, I feel like there's not enough
distance for me.
Like, I feel-I feel like I'm
fucking suffocating.
Like, like, I'm in a circle, dude.
Like, if they had given me the space
to figure all this shit out
when I was younger,
maybe... Maybe I would have, you know?
Do they have their shit figured out?
No!
No, of course not.
They seem just as fucking scared and
confused as I am sometimes but like,
I know they were trying their fucking best.
Yeah well, best is a relative term.
I know, and it just
makes me feel like shit.
Like if these people who guided-
you know, who guided me,
who literally fucking created me, like,
still don't know? Like that's just...
That's a scary fucking thought.
Can't dwell on it, though.
It'll make you fucking...
Crazy.
I- I know, but...
What else am I supposed to do?
[TEDDY]
Did you have trouble making friends,
[TEDDY]
when you were younger?
[ASSAILANT]
Specific line of questioning.
[TEDDY] Yeah. Yeah sorry,
I'm not trying to be a dick.
[TEDDY]
I'm just, I'm wondering something.
I was not what you would call...
Well liked.
What was going on?
Can just remember always feeling different.
Like-like apart?
No.
More like...
Above.
Above?
Yeah.
Wha...?
The other kids fucking bored me.
When we went out to recess,
it was as if they had set loose
a bunch of fucking farm animals.
You know, I spent my time alone.
Was that like, like, hard on you?
No.
For the most part.
The most part?
Yeah.
Well, what was like, the lesser part?
If I were to examine myself,
I think I would say
it left me feeling...
Less than impactful.
Hmm?
I went through a period of time where
it felt like nothing I really did mattered.
You're talking like powerlessness?
No.
Not explicitly.
I just mean...
It was as if I was a character
in everybody else's story.
Like I existed to create
context, to fill in gaps.
But I wasn't in control.
I wasn't...
Writing my own story.
I wasn't in control.
Dude, I've never felt
in control, honestly.
Well, it doesn't seem as though it's
particularly important to you.
Well Jesus man,
that sounds rough.
It was what it was.
I was like, the exact fucking opposite.
I fucking-I craved attention, approval.
Good or bad,
I just-it's my fucking curse, dude.
My fucking state of being directly relies
on how others are fucking perceiving me.
It's my fucking poison.
But like...
When I, when I get, you know,
when I make someone laugh or like,
I smile at a girl in a thrift
store and she like, smiles back.
Like that makes it go away temporarily.
You know, the poison... Poison's gone.
Your neediness...
Is your weakness,
Teddy.
I don't know about that one.
Okay.
You sound like my fucking parents.
Yeah well, I know you've
had your troubles with them Teddy,
but a broken clock is right
twice a day.
So.
How did you get along...
With your parents, when you were younger?
Fine.
You know, status quo. I did my homework.
I wasn't really in any trouble
with the other kids, so
it was fine.
Yeah but you know, what about like,
inter personally?
What do you mean, Teddy?
You know, like how
did you get along with them?
There wasn't much getting along.
You guys were fighting
all the time?
No.
I mean they did sometimes,
but even that was...
Better.
What was it like on the regular?
Quiet.
Did you feel like you
couldn't talk to them?
We were surprisingly open.
When there was talking to be had.
Like, what did you guys talk about?
Well I was younger, so I remember
I mostly did a lot of listening.
But I remember...
It was a lot easier to talk about
how I felt.
Were you honest with them?
Yeah.
I'm not a liar.
What did they say when you told them
you thought of everyone as farm animals?
You know, I don't think I
ever got to tell them actually.
Are your parents
[CAR MAKES CHUGGING NOISE]
Shit.
[CHUGGING CONTINUES]
Get out.
See what's happening.
[TRUNK AND DOOR POP OPEN]
[FOOTSTEPS]
We got a flat.
We got a spare?
Yeah.
In the... Trunk.
Okay well, flip it on.
Let's get-like,
What's the hold up? Let's go.
Come on.
[FOOTSTEPS]
[TRUNK SWINGS UP]
[TEDDY GRABS CAR JACK]
[CAR JACK CLINKS AGAINST GROUND]
[CAR JACK SPINS]
[FLAME STRIKES, LIGHTER CLICKS]
[TIRE JACK BANGS ON TIRE]
Hey, can you shine a light over here
so I can uh, see what I'm doing?
Okay.
[DOOR SWINGS OPEN, FOOTSTEPS]
[DOOR SLAMS]
Hey.
[OBJECTS TOSSED IN TRUNK]
[TRUNK SLAMS]
[TEDDY STRETCHES AND GROANS]
[FLAME STRIKES, LIGHTER CLICKS]
You know, I was just thinking about it.
I still don't know your name.
Yeah, I'd prefer to
keep it that way, Teddy.
Aw, come on man.
[FLICKS CIGARETTE TO GROUND]
Let's move.
[DOOR SWINGS OPEN]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[CAR DOOR SLAMS]
[CAR DOOR SLAMS]
[CAR WINDOW ROLLS UP]
[GUN CLICKS]
[CAR ENGINE STARTS]
[CAR SLOWLY ROLLS AWAY]
[ELECTRICAL LINES HUM]
[ASSAILANT EXHALES BREATHILY]
[BREATHES AGAIN]
[BREATHES AGAIN]
Hey.
Hm, what's up?
Got any gum?
Uh...
Yeah, I think in the glove box.
Let me...
Oh, no fucking way!
What?
I totally forgot this was in here!
We should totally smoke this.
Ahhh...
You don't-you don't seem too excited.
Yeah.
It's just, just-Just been a while.
[GLOVE BOX SLAMS SHUT]
Have you never smoked before?
No, it's just been a while.
Dude, dude!
It's just been a fucking while.
Dude! It's-it's fine.
You don't have to be embarrassed.
But like,
we should totally smoke this! Like...
I don't know, I don't know.
Come on. I'm fine.
I've driven high like,
a million fuckin' times.
Ahh...
Dude, come on.
Like... I haven't seen a cop
all fucking night.
We're good. It'll help me fucking stay up.
You know?
Fine... Fine!
Fuck it-fine. Fine!
My man! Alright. Give me
your lighter.
[HANDS THE LIGHTER UP]
[LIGHTER CLICKS, FLAME STRIKES]
[TEDDY INHALES DEEPLY]
[TEDDY COUGHS HARD]
Fuck, this is actually
some pretty good fucking shit.
Go easy on ya.
That's some good shit.
Go easy.
[INHALES HESITANTLY, COUGHS VERY HARD]
Oh, fuck.
Dude hit the window.
[HARD COUGHS CONTINUE, HARD WIND BLOWS]
[COUGHS FINALLY STOP]
Fuck.
What is the appeal with this?
Give it like, five minutes.
Fuck...
I'll take that, Captain Bogart.
[TEDDY INHALES STRONGLY]
You mind if I turn on the radio?
Yeah, go ahead.
[RADIO]
Golden Oldies.
[RADIO]
This is Rick Rodchester.
[RADIO] How are we doing
tonight, ladies and gentlemen?
[RADIO]
Hopefully staying out of trouble.
[RADIO] No matter the case,
we're here with you along for the ride.
[RADIO]
With more soothing sounds of the 60s.
[MUSIC PLAYS QUIETLY OVER RADIO]
You know I...
Smoked grass
for the first time with my cousin.
Same cousin as the cigarette?
Yeah. Yeah, he was a horrible influence.
You're paying attention.
I listen.
Got me there.
I remember I was like, fifteen
and we were over for Thanksgiving.
And, fucking classic story, fucking...
He asked to go on a walk, you know and,
of course I said yes.
And we're going and we're just like,
walking around the neighborhood and
it gets like, you know, it's five minutes.
Then it's ten minutes, then it's 15, 20.
In between like 25 and 30 minutes,
I'm like, What? What the hell
are we even, like doing out here?
And he puts on this fucking like,
this huge Grinch smile.
And he fucking, he pulls out
the biggest blunt I've ever seen.
What's a blunt?
Oh, it's-it's
like a cigar paper with like, weed...
Y'know, weed rolled into it.
Ah.
Yeah.
Maybe we can smoke one of those sometime.
Yeah, maybe.
Yeah.
So we went to this park by my house,
and there's this huge fucking baseball
diamond set up.
And we go into the dugout,
and this must have been fucking...
This tree must have been
grown on Mars or something,
'Cause it was the smelliest fucking shit
I've ever seen.
And he lights it and he takes a big Ole
hit and you know, it goes like this.
It goes back and forth.
He hits it, he passes it to me.
And when he passes it to me, I'm like
[HARD COUGHS FROM BACKSEAT]
Well, it goes exactly like that, actually.
[ASSAILANT COUGHS AGAIN AND GROANS]
And, you know, when he's passing it
to me, my hands are like shaking and shit.
Take this.
Yeah. And, um...
So what happened next?
Uh, well after a while of smoking,
we realized we're running, like,
five minutes late to Thanksgiving dinner.
And in my family, that's that's
the biggest fucking deal in the world.
They make it like-it's a big thing.
So he's all like, Get up on your feet,
soldier! type of thing.
And I'm fucking baked. I'm...
I'm out of my fucking mind.
And that gets me worrying because,
you know my fuckin' mom.
And I'm thinking like,
we're at the fucking end here.
Like I'm dead.
I'm fucking dead.
Excuse me...
Captain Bogart.
[TEDDY GIGGLES LOUDLY]
Sorry, my bad!
[INHALES DEEPLY]
[GROANS GENTLY]
This is good shit.
Yeah. Told ya.
I can't believe you're fucking
driving right now.
Well, you do what you have to.
[INHALES DEEPLY]
How does it end?
Hmm?
Your story.
Oh, right. Right, right.
[WHISTLES SHARPLY]
We come crashing through the door,
and everyone's looking at us, obviously
like they all noticed and,
you know, we just fucking...
We just kind of gingerly go get our food
and go to our seats.
And I'm just-I'm...
This is the first time I'm high,
so I'm fucking so paranoid.
So I'm just-I'm trying
to focus on the food and, like,
just eat food and shovel it into my mouth.
And I notice that my mom is staring at me.
Oh, God.
Yeah I know, she starts asking me like,
like all these questions, like, like,
how is the food?
Like, isn't it great that everyone is here?
And I'm, I'm fucking.
I'm confused because like,
you can't get anything past this woman.
Nothing.
So I'm wondering if she just hasn't
quite noticed or whatever.
And y'know, Why-why
isn't she bringing this up?
Is y'know, what I'm thinking to myself.
And finally, fuckin'
eventually... She's like, Teddy.
And I fucking,
I- I like look at Grant
and he's got the big fucking Grinch
smile on his face and she's like...
And she does it again,
but like more assertive,
She's like, Ted.
And I'm like, Ooooh.
And I just, I fucking
I bring my eyes up to her,
I fucking, I face the music.
She's like laughing.
She's like, beside
herself like she can't stop.
And I'm like, Mom, what's wrong? Mom?
Mo-ooom? And she,
she can't fucking stop laughing.
She's beside herself.
She-she literally can't stop.
And after a while she like,
she collects herself,
She's like... First time?
And then everyone starts dying.
[ASSAILANT]
What?
[TEDDY]
Dude, I don't know!
And like, I think my uncle laughed.
And even my grandma did.
I don't know if they like, they planned
all that with Grant or like,
they just all got caught up in the moment.
But like, for that one moment,
everything felt normal.
There wasn't me or her.
These years of screaming and history was-
it was just...
Us, as a family.
Simple, happy.
I, I, I wish I knew how much
I was going to miss that feeling.
I wish I knew how scarce a resource
that would become
[SNIFFS]
That's a nice story.
Yeah.
All this driving's got me
thinking about my folks.
Yeah?
Yeah.
How so? You guys do a lot of it?
Oh, yeah.
Every single weekend,
you know, hours and hours.
I always fucking hated it, you know?
But...
Somehow...
This trip feels different.
Good different?
Yeah.
Y'know? Nostalgic, or...
Or wistful, even.
What happened with your parents?
[QUICK INHALE]
[LONG EXHALE]
Met when they were young.
How young we talking?
[MUTTERING]
High school age, y'know. I don't know.
I remember my mom told me one time
that the first time
she ever laid eyes on my father,
she thought he was the most
beautiful creature she'd ever seen.
He played lacrosse, or something like that.
And, she used to go
every single one of his games.
And they lost that season,
in the last leg of the playoffs.
And my father was walking towards his car.
Fuckin' cursing himself,
when Mom went up to him.
And he recognized her immediately. That was
something she always used to bring up.
So they started seeing each other
through that summer
and the next year and the next, and...
They were ravenously in love.
Or so mom used to say, you know,
and I'm sure she exaggerated,
but I've seen the fucking pictures like
that spark was real at one point.
It was there.
[TEDDY COUGHS]
Did something change?
[LONG INHALE]
No, not for a few years.
They went off to college together.
The two of 'em, and it
was right around then
that my father really started
making it hard on her.
Y'know, he developed a penchant for
drinking, and he was always just a drink
too many away from like, feeling
up the fucking waitress, you know.
He was a fucking pig.
A fucking pig.
His whole life, all...
All he did was consume.
Uh...
Could-Could-Could I get the...?
Yeah, yeah.
Sorry.
Don't apologize.
It's good to get this shit out.
[CLEARS THROAT]
So, they break up in college?
No.
They almost did, though.
One night, my mom had enough.
She walked in on my father
hooking up with some fucking cunt
from one of his classes, and she told him
right there, that they were fucking finished.
She walked out.
Sounds like it was
probably the best decision.
Yeah.
It would've been.
What happened?
What happened Teddy,
is that human beings are...
Emotional, stupid fucking
monkeys.
What happened is that my father chased her
into the street, professing his love
and his deep admiration,
and he fell to his fucking knees.
And he asked her to marry him.
And...
She said yes.
They moved.
Moved after that from the city, to
the suburbs. The two of 'em.
And for a few more years
there all was well, y'know that
once all too dead spark
had become this raging fucking bonfire,
and the pig kept his hands to himself.
That wouldn't last, though.
No.
Mom vomited one morning, in the shower.
She was pregnant.
Was it their plan?
No.
I mean, they had talked about it in the way
that every married couple talks about it.
You know.
But no, it was not their plan.
But...
It was the thing to do.
Yes.
Things quickly began to spiral after that.
You know, kids have this way,
of just...
Ruining fucking everything,
They froze up.
They stopped talking to each other.
It got to the point where
my father was coming and going at like,
complete fucking random.
And we never knew where he was.
Things got bad.
Things got really bad.
And then one day,
my mom had had enough.
She calls him up on the phone.
She says that she can't do this anymore.
You know, she doesn't
recognize herself anymore.
What did he say?
He said,
Okay.
And he hung up the phone.
He moved.
About three hours away, after that.
Got some cushy new fucking desk job.
Started fucking this skank
ten years his junior, and...
That was the worst period, y'know?
I could've
lived every single day of my life
never seeing my fucking father again,
but my mom...
She was always asking where I was
or who I was with.
And you know, the fucking funny thing
is, I was never doing anything,
but she just...
She just couldn't believe me.
You know, I think the pig...
I think the pig took that
part of her with him.
Then, one day...
Mom faints in the kitchen.
But it's fine, right?
Happens to a million people
every single fucking day.
But just to be safe, they take her in.
And they start running some tests.
What'd they find?
They found that she was
sick, that she was really fucking sick.
But it's fine, right?
They caught it early, and there are
all these fucking things they can do.
So they start plugging her full of...
Tubes.
And needles.
And her fucking hair falls out.
But I'm with her every single day.
You know, that's the one good thing
to come from this fucking abomination
of a situation, we get close.
We get...
Real close. The way a mother and a son
should be close.
And one day...
That good thing just becomes...
The fucking worst thing.
Because they sit her down.
They say, Hey, you gave your best.
Fought real hard. But it just...
It wasn't enough.
So here are some things
we can advise for you.
And here's some
hospice centers
we think you should contact.
And you know, the biggest fucking joke
of the whole situation?
My father...
That pig fuck.
He ran. As soon as we found out,
you know, it was just
[CLAPS LOUDLY]
Just like that, he was fucking gone.
We never heard from him again.
And it's not like...
I expected anything else, right?
But...
God, if there was ever a moment
to be proven
fucking wrong.
What happened to your Mom?
Oh, well...
She fucking died.
I, I know.
No, I'm sorry, I just, I meant I,
I fucking
It's fine. Just shut the fuck up.
What-what happened after...
What happened?
I inherited a little bit of money
after the funeral.
Wasn't much, but it was a little,
you know, and I started...
Working odd jobs and construction.
Y'know, I got by. I made enough.
But it just kept getting tighter
and fucking tighter around my chest.
And one day I woke up
and I looked at myself, and I just
I couldn't fucking do it anymore.
And so I went and I told them,
I quit, fuck it, I'm going home.
I'm leaving. And I did.
I came back and I just...
Sat around my place, you know,
whittling down my savings on food.
I just...
Couldn't do it anymore.
I, I know what you mean, man.
For what it's worth like, I'm sorry, man.
[RADIO] 97.5! I don't know
about all of you listening out there,
[RADIO] but it's been a long night for
ol' Rick here in the studio. Getting weary.
[RADIO] I won't lie
to you. But I'll tell ya!
Shit happens.
[RADIO] There's nothing more
awakening than the power of music.
[RADIO]
More golden oldies coming your way.
[MORNING BIRDS SING, MORNING WIND BLOWS]
[STOMACH GRUMBLES LOUDLY]
Hey man, I heard that.
I got a couple sandwiches in the trunk
if you want to like, stop and eat, y'know?
No...
Let's just keep going.
Man, I could-
I just, I could really use a break.
Look, dude. I'll fuckin'...
I'll play by the rules.
Everything'll go good.
Like, come on.
Alright man, it's your call.
But... A good breakfast sounds
fucking amazing right now.
[INHALES NOISILY]
[CAR LOUDLY PASSES BY]
[EXHALES GENTLY]
Uh...
You know, I was
I was talking about it earlier...
What's on your mind, Teddy?
Y'know, y'know...
Shit has been fucking hard...
For me.
You know, I, I really, truly, like,
relate to you in that sense, you know?
Yeah well, shit is hard for
a lot of people, Teddy.
You know, most people.
I know, I know, I just I...
I'm not
trying to throw a fucking pity party.
I, I just...
You ever feel fucking crazy?
One time in, high school,
there was this girl.
There was this girl.
Her name was Sienna, and I was...
I was really fucking into her, you know?
She was genuinely fucking
smart and funny,
and she was so fucking beautiful.
Not like fucking everybody else,
you know? And...
I was scared fucking shit less
because she was in this
fucking separate echelon than me.
So I get this fucking,
I get this little fucking idea in my head
and you know, it's fucking-it's cute.
It's a little much maybe, but it's...
What did you do, Teddy?
Okay, so she...
She lived in the same neighborhood as me.
And I saw her walking home from school
every day while I was walking
home from school.
So I write this little fucking cringe
little poem, and I get,
I get her fucking flowers and candy
and fucking...
And all this shit, and I fucking,
I leave it at her door
and I fucking, I walk away
and you know, I'm thinking to myself like,
you know, you fucking...
You made your fucking move, man.
Worst thing she
can say is fucking no, right?
Wrong.
I, fuckin'
I get to school the next day
and fucking people are pointing at me
and they're fucking laughing
and they're making all these fucking faces
and I fucking obviously put it together
that she fucking made
this fucking big thing out of it.
But it's like 1,000% worse
because she goes to the fucking principal
and she says these things
like fucking, totally inappropriate
and invasion of privacy and creepy.
And they fucking- they call me
in there and they fucking ask me
all these questions,
and there's this fucking guy
fucking writing down everything I say
and fucking that was that.
I just, I was fucking suspended
for five days and my mom was mortified.
She just wanted to fucking talk about it
with everybody...
She, you know, every chance she got.
And my dad was just fucking-he can
barely process what's fucking happening.
And then I go back to school
and I'm like, the fucking town creep.
I'm the joke of the
fucking block and it fucking...
It was already hard enough
fucking finding people
that wanted to hang out with me,
you know that-
it was already a fucking rarity.
But you know, now fucking
[TEDDY SCOFFS]
And I just fucking sat in my room
and I fucking rotted and I festered.
And... when I was a kid,
I'd always fucking feared that nobody
was bothered by my absence, that
nobody fucking noticed when I was gone.
And it fucking sucked to find out
that was true.
And it made me feel fucking crazy
because I could see why
it-it-a little bit overbearing
maybe, assumptive
even, but creepy. I just...
I could have never fucking seen that
from like a million miles away.
And that fucking crazy began to rot.
Fucking fester.
It's so wrong.
It feels like there are fucking centipedes
and roaches
and spiders in my fucking brain,
and they're chewing through it.
I feel fucking insane.
[GENTLE INHALE]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]
Fuck, man.
You never get used to it.
Yup.
You boys having a good night?
Good morning,
I should say.
[EXHALES GENTLY]
How about you?
Sorry.
Yeah.
You know, I find often that this...
It always looks better after a storm.
You know what I mean?
I guess so.
What kind of weather makes you
the happiest?
I don't-I don't fucking...
Is that really true?
Would you fucking mind?
We're in the middle of something here.
Got it.
I can take a hint.
I'll leave you boys to it.
[FOOTSTEPS TRAIL AWAY]
Let me tell you a story, Teddy.
When I was 15,
this girl came up to me and she tapped me
on my shoulder.
And she was telling me that her friend
was really fucking into me.
And her friend so happened to be one of
the most popular girls in the whole school.
So I remember...
I remember distinctly
telling her to fuck off a couple times
because I was certain
that she was lying to me.
That this was fucking bullshit.
But she keeps swearing to me up and down
that this is the truth,
that she's telling me
the truth.
So I go up to her friend later that day,
and I ask her if she wants to go see
a movie with me later that weekend,
and she says...
[DRUMROLLS ON PANTS]
Yes.
I go home that night
and this is fucking stupid.
This is truly fucking stupid, Teddy.
But I really start to care.
You know,
I try on 50 different fucking outfits.
And I styled my hair like, I-I...
I really cared about this.
What happened?
Well,
we go. And it's a nice time.
You know, I'm not thinking about
every little fucking movement I make.
And I'm cracking jokes even,
and I'm-I'm loosening up.
I'm just, I'm...
Just enjoying myself, you know?
I'm just...
I'm just having a good time.
I'm walking her up to her door
at the end of the night,
and I ask,
if I can kiss her.
She said no?
No.
She said yes.
Really?
Yes. Really.
So we do.
And it's nice.
I say, I'd love to see you again.
And she says, That sounds great.
And I walk away
and I hear the door close behind me and.
I'm feeling things
that I've never felt before.
I mean, this is triumph.
This is victory.
This is...
Happiness.
Sounds-
That sounds fucking great, dude.
It was.
Then I get to school that next Monday,
and I'm walking to my first class
when I get shoved from behind.
I hit the fucking ground,
and there's 2 or 3 guys and they're
kicking the shit out of me.
And finally, after a minute,
they stop and I get a look at 'em.
And it's the
ex-boyfriend of the girl that I had
just taken out that fucking weekend.
Right? But he's singing a different tune.
He's saying that I'm not going
to get the fuck away with this.
I need to stay away from his fucking girl.
And...
The fuck was he talking about?
I had no idea.
But third period, I had a class
with the friend that had tapped me,
that had started this whole fucking thing.
So I went up to her.
I asked her what the fuck was going on
and she turns white as a ghost.
She tells me to get the fuck away from her
and she calls me a...
And she calls me a sexual assaulter.
Did you?
No.
Look, you can fucking believe me or not,
Teddy. It doesn't make
a shred of difference. Okay?
What
What happened...
What happened after, then?
Well, I went to her house.
And she was the only one there, luckily.
So I pounded and I fucking pounded
on the door until she opened.
And I demanded that she tell me
what the fuck was going on.
And she clues me in.
What did she say?
She was honest with me.
You know, she told me
the whole thing was a fucking lie.
It was all just a ruse
to make him jealous.
She was never interested in me
in the fucking first place.
And she said that she was sorry.
And that she would
tell everyone the truth.
And she did.
And she did-true to her fucking word.
She did.
But when you say something like that,
it's impossible
to just slap the cork back on.
You know, even when people found out
it didn't make a fucking difference
because apparently I had a vibe.
So I was just...
The rapist kid.
And you want to know the biggest
fucking joke of the whole thing?
The biggest fucking laugh
of this whole situation,
Teddy.
I'm a virgin.
I'm a fucking virgin. And...
[ASSAILANT SCOFFS]
I, I-I don't understand, like why are
you telling me all this?
The point Teddy,
is that people are going to let you down
constantly, okay?
They lie, they cheat, they mislead.
Why are you placing yourself
in this position of disappointment?
You know, hoping beyond hopes that this
time around, things will be different?
They won't be.
Well, what's the alternative then?
Like fucking shutting everyone out?
Fucking everyone?
I don't know, you know. Maybe.
That's fucking ridiculous, dude.
Like you have to talk to people.
You have to talk to people.
People don't talk to me.
But... But that can change.
No.
Insanity...
Is a vague term, Teddy.
It's gray and opaque and confusing.
Y'know, by nature.
If you're going to waste your time...
Do it on something you can control.
You should eat
before it gets stale.
Y-
You know, like, I could be your friend.
Y'know?
Really?
Yeah.
I mean, I mean, like we're talking right
now, aren't we?
Yeah.
I guess we are.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]
[TEDDY]
Hey!
I- I'm sorry.
Think nothing of it.
[FOOTSTEPS FADE AWAY]
Bill.
What?
My name...
It's Bill.
[ELECTRICAL LINES HUM GENTLY]
[BITES SANDWICH AGGRESSIVELY]
[QUIETLY]
Bill...
[CAR APPROACHES]
Hey, Bill.
Yeah, what's up Teddy?
Uhh, can I ask you something?
Sure, go ahead.
Uhh...
Do you believe in God?
Do you?
Yeah... No.
Sometimes I, I
I don't know.
I guess that's why I do
like, the asking about it.
What do you think?
I think we are an incredibly small...
Microcosm of whatever it is
that's actually going on.
You're thinking like... Like beyond.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think if there was to be, a God
or some greater power,
that thing would be so completely
incomprehensible to us.
There wouldn't be any understanding
in either direction.
Or at least it's really difficult
to imagine there would be.
I mean, think about an ant.
How many ants do you walk by
on a daily basis?
You know, 100? 1,000? You look at them...
Every single one of them is marching.
They are dedicated.
They have a sole purpose.
They are, on some
level, intelligent. But...
Have you ever thought for a
fucking moment in your life
about trying to talk to an ant?
No, that's fucking stupid.
Yeah, exactly.
That's exactly what I'm saying.
I can't imagine that's too dissimilar
an experience than would be had by a God
or whatever the fuck you want to call it.
Trying to talk to one of us.
Yeah, but like,
you don't think there be any,
like, crossover because like, I,
you know, I've never talked to ants,
but like,
they're pretty fucking interesting
to watch.
Well, yeah. Yeah.
I mean, how many faiths say
that exact same thing?
That the Lord, in his infinite wisdom, must
be watching us? Y'know, there are fucking,
verses about it.
Really?
Yeah, yeah.
You know, The Lord watches over you.
The Lord is the shade at your right hand.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect your life, O Lord
will watch your coming,
and going, now and for evermore.
Oh wow. I didn't realize
you were like, religious.
I'm not. Not particularly, anyway.
Well, you know,
that seemed like pretty memorized.
Yeah.
It was mom's favorite.
[TEDDY]
What was-What was she like?
[BILL]
My mom...
[BILL] She went through
a lot of shit in her life.
[BILL]
You know, she endured a lot.
[BILL]
And I think there were times when.
[BILL]
that shit she had to go through
would affect her more.
She was...
She was somehow,
the nicest person
I've ever met and the fucking meanest.
Y'know, it just depended.
Like, in my mother's stories,
everyone was always
the funniest version of themselves.
But it was a double edged sword,
you know, she was...
She was always at the ends of extremes
her entire life.
Positive, negative. Loving, mistrusting.
She was confused,
to the very end. Sad,
you know?
But she had this indescribable,
ineffable quality to her.
And she lived.
She fucking lived to her very last day.
Wow, she sounds fuckin'... Incredible.
She was.
What about your dad?
I'd rather not.
It's difficult to even think about without
getting fucking furious.
I know what you mean.
You get angry?
Dude, like a fucking ridiculous amount.
I know-I know,
it sounds like corny but like, sometimes
legitimately, all I can see is fuckin' red.
Hate, hatred.
And I just fucking like, I can't
I don't even know what I'm saying.
You ever disassociate?
What does that mean?
It's hard to describe it.
It's like...
It's like trying to describe
the fucking feeling of being hungry.
It's like your consciousness
is taking the passenger seat, like...
Like you're watching your fucking life
go by on a fucking TV screen.
You know what I mean? That make sense?
No, Teddy. To be honest
with you, I usually feel pretty fucking
clear headed.
[TEDDY MUMBLES INCOHERENTLY]
Hey hey hey hey hey hey, fucking
Come on. Cool it, cool it.
I'm good.
I- I'm good.
Good.
Did your mom have any other verses
she liked? Like...
Like comforting ones.
Yeah. Yeah, there are a couple
more I can remember.
The Lord him- the Lord himself,
Goes before you. And will be with you.
He will never leave you
nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid.
Do not be discouraged.
Is there-You got like, another one?
Though I walk through...
The darkest
valley...
I will fear
no evil.
For you are with me.
Gets a little...
Hazy after that.
Yeah. It-it helped.
Thank you.
We're getting pretty close now, huh?
Yeah.
Hey man, we've been pretty
fucking gloomy for a minute.
You got any stories that
are like-like, light?
Uhh...
I don't know.
Come on man,
there's got to be fucking something.
Eh...
Eh, there's something?
Yeah.
Well, fucking spin me a yarn, sir.
Okay, okay.
So I was, I was about ten.
I was at recess, and there was this
little shit fucking kid.
Aiden!
Oh, my fucking God.
I can't believe
I remembered that. His name was Aiden.
Fuck, okay.
So... Aiden is on the swings,
and I want to be on the swings.
Oh-I, I see exactly where
this fucking story is going.
So I go up to him
and I say something like, Get the fuck off
the swings.
[BILL STARTS TO LAUGH]
And he says somethin'
[BILL LAUGHS HARD]
He says something fucking stupid.
He says, he says, Bill, don't please.
[BILL LAUGHS EVEN HARDER]
Oh my God.
And I'm like, fuck you.
And I push him off the swings and...
[BILL LAUGHS MANIACALLY]
He goes runnin' to
the fucking teacher, and he had to
Dude, he had to get all these
fuckin' stitches in his head.
He looked like such a fucking freak.
Looked like a monster, dude!
Oh, fuck.
Oh, it's so good.
Yeah Bill, good stuff.
Yeah.
What?
No-Yeah, it was good, man.
Come on.
I liked it.
I thought it was pretty good.
I did too, I liked it, I liked it.
Take a left up here.
Come on man, like talk to me.
Come on.
Just drive, Teddy.
You can fucking talk to me, man.
Just drive.
[BILL]
Park, up here.
[HIGH PITCHED RINGING RISES]
Walk the trail with
me. A little bit this way,
it's just up this way.
[DOOR OPENS]
[DRIVER'S DOOR OPENS]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[WIND AND RAIN START TO PICK UP]
[TEDDY BREATHES HEAVILY]
Alright, alright.
This is good.
Okay Bill, what the
fuck are we doing here?
I-
[THUNDER CLAPS]
Okay listen, Bill.
Bill, listen, I'll fucking
forget, I'll fucking
I'll keep my mouth shut.
Teddy.
You know my name. You've
You've seen my face.
You could ID me from 50
fucking miles away.
Yeah, but I fucking won't! I'll fucking-
I'll fucking forget all of this.
I'll fucking, I'll keep my mouth shut.
Bill, please.
Do you even have a fucking
friend out here?
Oh my god oh my god,
oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my God!
Why is this happening?!
Why is this happening?!
It just does.
Why didn't you just do this
while I was taking a piss?!
I was smoking.
Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!
Hey, don't fucking
put all this shit on me Teddy, all right?
You could have fucking driven away.
You were just sitting there.
The car was running,
and you could have fucking driven away.
But you didn't.
Why? Ask yourself that.
Some part of you knew this was inevitable.
That's fucking bullshit, Bill!
You said it didn't have to be!
Yeah, you made it inevitable.
That's such fucking bullshit!
I don't want to die, Bill!
I don't want to fucking die.
What?
What?
You're so fucking confusing, Teddy.
What the fuck are you even talking about?
I'm talking about the fact that you
have spent every single fucking second
we are together bemoaning your own life,
bitching about how fucking hard
you have it.
Yeah, but it's mine, Bill.
It's fucking mine.
I just can't believe you didn't realize
where this was going.
I mean, I knew this is what was going
to happen the second we left.
What, like when we
left the fucking neighborhood?
No.
When we left the motel.
Thought we were fucking friends.
I thought we were fucking talk
Something!
I thought we were fucking something!
I don't know what you want from me, Teddy.
I don't have any friends.
And you know that.
Can I have one more smoke?
Sure.
[LIGHTER HITS THE GROUND]
[FLAME STRIKES, LIGHTER CLICKS]
How's it feel like to
fucking kill someone, Bill?
Does it make you feel fucking powerful?
Big fucking man, huh?
Something tells me
that's not the fucking case, Bill.
Something tells me you're fucking scared.
Because you fucking know that there's
no place for you in this fucking world.
Really?
Yeah!
Big fucking talk, Teddy.
Maybe.
[THUNDER CLAPS]
Teddy...
Give me the lighter back.
You wanna know why your fucking dad
walked out on you, Bill?
Shut up, Teddy.
You really wanna fuckin' know?
Shut the fuck up Teddy, I'm serious.
Figured it out as soon as you told me
your little fucking story.
Teddy I swear to God if you don't
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
I cannot believe you didn't figure it out.
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Pull the fucking trigger then!
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Pull the trigger!
SHUT UP!
You coward piece of shit!
[LAUGHING]
You really wanna fuckin' know, huh?
Tell me.
He walked...
Bill, because you are a fucking monstrous,
vile piece of fucking dog shit.
You think you're this fucking genius?
You got all the fucking answers.
You got it all figured out?
You're a goddamn fucking idiot.
Park at the end of the street?
We were surrounded by fucking houses.
What the fuck were you thinking?
What the fuck is wrong with you?
He walked...
Because he couldn't fucking live
knowing that he was your fucking creator.
That your fucking life was impossible
without him.
Your mom fucking knew it too.
She felt the same fucking way.
You're a fucking villain.
You're an insect.
You're fucking nothing.
Bill, you're nothing.
You're a speck!
Very good.
No, really. Good stuff, Teddy.
I mean that mom stuff,
towards the end?
You almost had me fucking
choked up over here.
You just don't get it, kid.
The world doesn't work in concepts
like that.
There is no good guy.
There is no bad guy.
There's no fucking objective experience.
You lived your life, Teddy...
Focusing on being polite,
getting there on time.
It's a fucking waste of time.
I prioritized different things.
I lived a different fucking life.
I built myself up from the fucking ground.
I planned and I planned well.
You really want to know?
You really want to know
what it feels like, Teddy?
I don't think you could begin to imagine,
because that would require you
to understand
what it feels like to
take a fucking risk.
And you're completely incapable.
Do you know there was not a single moment
tonight that I was worried
you might say something to somebody
or go running off.
Do you want to know why?
Do you want to fucking know why?
Because you do what you're told, Teddy.
Like a lap dog. Which is why I am...
Confident.
I'm fucking confident, Teddy,
when I tell you to give me back
the fucking lighter.
Okay.
[LIGHTER STRIKES BILL]
What the fuck?!
[TEDDY SCREAMS]
[GUNSHOT, SCREAMS STOP]
[BODY HITS GROUND]
[GUN COCKS]
[GUNSHOT]
[GUN COCKS]
[GUNSHOT]
[PHONE BUZZES]
[KEYS JINGLE]
[PHONE CONTINUES TO BUZZ]
[THUDS IN DISTANCE]
[CAR DOOR OPENS]
[CAR DOOR SLAMS]
[KEYS JINGLE, ENGINE STARTS]
[RADIO] That's just about going
to have to do it for the night, folks.
[RADIO]
Good morning, you all.
[RADIO] It's a new day full
of new, bright opportunities.
[RADIO] All you gotta do is reach
out and grab them. For Golden Oldies,
[RADIO]
I've been Rick Rodchester.
[RADIO]
Have a beautiful day.
[MUSIC BEGINS TO SWELL UP]
[WINDOW ROLLS DOWN]
[GUN CLICKS]
[GUN COCKS]
[GUN CLICKS]
[RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL]
[TREES CONTINUE TO GROW]
[WIND CONTINUES TO BLOW]
[IT'S ALMOST AS IF INEVER HAPPENED AT ALL]
Hi.
I'm Jon Westling,
and I'd just like to take a moment
before the curtain officially falls
to say thank you for watching our movie.
You know, there are a million people
I want to thank.
They say it takes a village.
And that's true
even with a movie like this.
But I could talk for hours about that.
Right now...
I really want to thank you,
for watching our little picture.
I can only hope we've entertained you.
And if not, we'll get 'em next time.
We'll be back sooner than later.
Drive safely.
Have a beautiful evening.
Good night.
[FAN BLOWS]
[ALARM BLARES]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[SODA CAN POPS]
[MOM OFFSCREEN]
Yeah, exactly.
[MOM OFFSCREEN]
That's what I said to him.
I said, Hey man,
I know you're trying to get this wrapped
by the end of the quarter,
but it's just not going to happen.
[MOM LAUGHS]
Exactly... Oh.
Hey, Ted. Your dad and I
are going out tomorrow night.
Can you make dinner for your brother?
Can you make dinner for your brother?
Uh, I-I was...
I sorta-
Do you have plans?
Okay well, I need you to be here.
Please.
Honey...
No fucking way!
What did you say?
Please.
Thank you.
Uhhuh.
Love you. Mom.
Oh, my God,
I would have been so fucking pissed.
[DOOR SWINGS OPEN]
[DOOR SLAMS SHUT]
[KEYS JINGLE, ENGINE STARTS]
[RADIO]
Good evening, everybody.
[RADIO]
You're listening to Golden Oldies.
[RADIO]
This is Rick Rodchester,
[RADIO] your host for this evening
and the next several, several hours.
[RADIO] Here's a classic, Love
and Madness by The Dayliners. 1962.
[SONG BEGINS TO SWELL]
[SONG CONTINUES TO PLAY]
To time,
he told me
you must.
Screw this.
[PHONE CHIMES]
[PHONE BUZZES]
Goddammit...
Hey, Dad.
[OVER PHONE]
Hey, bud! How goes the driving?
You know, it's-it's fine.
It's-It's going.
It's going.
[OVER PHONE]
Yeah, yeah yeah. I hear ya.
[OVER PHONE]
Is everything good? You...
[OVER PHONE]
You sound a little...
[OVER PHONE]
Are you doing okay?
You know, honestly lately I've been...
I been feeling
[OVER PHONE]
Oh God damn it!
Is... Is everything good?
[OVER PHONE]
Yeah, yeah...
[OVER PHONE] Son sorry, the fucking
dog just pissed all over the carpet.
[OVER PHONE]
Fuck! Ted, I'm sorry...
[OVER PHONE]
I'm gonna have to call you back this is...
[OVER PHONE]
It's driving me crazy.
It's-It's-It's good, Dad. I got you.
[OVER PHONE]
I'll give you a call back in a minute.
[OVER PHONE]
I just-I just have to handle this shit.
[OVER PHONE]
I'll-I'll talk to you later.
Yeah, uh...
I love
[PHONE HANGS UP]
You.
[TEDDY SCOFFS]
[PHONE CHIMES]
[CAR PULLS AWAY]
[CAR PARKS LOUDLY]
[FOOD BAG CRUNCHES]
[PHONE CLICKS]
[DOOR SWINGS OPEN]
Come inside right now.
Do not scream.
No, no... No, no.
Look, I know the managers of this place,
alright?
They trust me.
Come inside.
[GUN CLICKS]
[DOOR SLAMS]
Give me your phone...
And your wallet.
[TEDDY GIVES WALLET AND PHONE]
Magnolia Street...
It's a nice neighborhood.
You know, I've been.
Alright.
Here's how...
All this is going to go.
You're going to drive me around
until I see...
The right person.
I'm going to get out.
I'm going to rob him.
You're then going to
drive me far, far away.
And then we're going to separate.
Do you understand me?
No, no, no, I'm not fucking doing that.
No!
Shut the fuck up!
Shut the fuck up!
Look, this can go easy
or it can go hard. But it's going one way.
You're going to drive me...
And I'm going to do this.
And then...
You're done.
[DOORS SLAM]
Drive.
[CAR STARTS]
[CAR PUSHES AWAY]
[TENSE MUSIC RISES]
You're going to take the next two rights.
Then a left.
[TURN SIGNAL CLICKS ON]
[TURN SIGNAL CLICKS OFF]
Park at the end of the street.
Up here.
Keep it running.
[DOOR SLAMS]
[KNOCKS ON WINDOW]
[DOOR OPENS]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[GUN CLICKS]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
Come on, come on
[OPERATOR]
911, what's your emerg
Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit...
Come on, come on. Come on!
[GUN COCKS]
[MUFFLED VOICE]
[GUNSHOT]
[HIGH PITCHED RINGING]
You need to fucking drive.
Drive! What are you doing? Fucking drive!
Ah, fuck! Goddammit, this isn't how this...
Fuck!
Fucking drive!
[CAR SCREECHES AWAY]
[POLICE SIRENS APPROACH]
[DARK ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYS]
[CAR RACES BY]
Fuck! Fuck, fuck...
Fuck!
Fuckin' God!
[GROWLS WITH ANGER]
S-So we, uh... Ha
Have like three quarters of a tank.
Yeah, I filled up earlier tonight,
so like, there's some distance
we can cover.
I just-I need to know...
What you... Like, need from me here.
Drive us North.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I got a friend living...
Out there in the middle of Yreka.
Way off the map.
You're going to take me to him.
Okay.
You're going to stay off the highway, and
you're going to drive like you're
taking a test with the fucking DMV.
Do you understand me?
[CAR RACES BY]
[PHONE BUZZES]
Mom is calling.
Oh, God. Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck.
She's gonna know something's up.
She's like, fucking psychic or something.
I swear to God, this is fucking bad.
This is fucking bad.
Shut the fuck up! Shut the fuck up.
[PHONE CONTINUES TO BUZZ]
Shut the fuck up.
You're going to tell her that everything's
fucking fine.
You're with a friend, you got a flat.
I don't care, but the message is:
You are 1000% okay.
Do you understand me?
[PHONE CONTINUES TO BUZZ]
[ANSWERS CALL]
H-Hey. Hey, mom.
[OVER PHONE]
Teddy where the fuck are you?
I'm out with a friend.
[OVER PHONE]
A friend?
Yeah.
[OVER PHONE]
What do you mean, what friend?
You remember fucking Matty O'Donnell
from fucking junior year?
Calculus or whatever?
[OVER PHONE]
Kind of.
Well, I fucking...
Ran into him at a restaurant and he asked
if I wanted to hang out.
[OVER PHONE]
Okay.
Yeah?
[OVER PHONE]
Yeah, alright.
So we're cool?
[OVER PHONE]
Whatever, it's not...
[OVER PHONE]
Yeah.
[OVER PHONE]
Just don't stay out all night.
Yeah I won't,
I'll be home soon.
[OVER PHONE]
Okay?
[OVER PHONE]
Don't forget!
[OVER PHONE]
I need you to watch Will tomorrow night.
Got you, Mom.
[OVER PHONE]
Alright.
[OVER PHONE]
Have a good night, Son.
You too.
[OVER PHONE]
Yep.
[PHONE HANGS UP]
My mom was just like that.
Isn't it the fuckin'... Worst?
Yeah.
And like, it's just...
It's so fucking cringe, because y'know
I get it! I get it, you know?
Like, Will my little brother. He's got...
He's got these fucking shit hot grades,
and he's a fucking talented athlete.
And all these fucking kids worship him
like he's a god.
And I get it.
I'm not a fucking party.
I'm not easy to be around sometimes.
But that doesn't mean there should be like
fucking preferential treatment
or whatever... Like that fucking sucks.
And it makes me feel like shit and like,
what even the fuck
am I supposed to do about that?
Like, change everything
about myself?! Like...
That's a
non-fucking-starter, you know what I mean?
[CAR RACES BY]
Hey, I got to take a piss.
Absolutely not.
Please.
I-I've had to go since
We are not...
Stopping, Teddy.
Look, I swear to God,
I won't try anything.
You can keep the gun drawn while I do it.
You can fucking hold my dick. I fucking...
Please, just please.
Pull up over there.
Thank God, thank God...
- You have two fuckin' minutes.
You have two minutes.
[CAR SLOWS TO A STOP]
Wait.
Wait.
[DOOR POPS OPEN]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[GUN CLICKS]
[DOOR WRENCHES OPEN]
Get out.
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
March!
Stop!
[FLY UNZIPS, URINATION STARTS]
[LIGHTER CLICKS]
[FLAME STRIKES]
[LIGHTER CLOSES]
[INHALES, EXHALES]
[URINATION STOPS, FLY ZIPS UP]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
Hey, I know I'm pushing my luck,
but is there any way I could bum one?
[DEEP INHALE]
Yeah.
I've been trying to quit for a minute.
It's just... It's
Been a long night.
Please.
[WIND BLOWS HARDER]
[LIGHTER AND CIGARETTE HIT GROUND]
Throw the lighter back.
You know, I'm pretty fucking
pissed off at myself right now.
I remember the last cigaret I had,
I was on a beach.
Yeah.
We had gone to Santa Cruz
for New Year's and,
I've been working on this pack for like,
a couple days beforehand.
Right?
And it just so happened that I was on
my last cigaret on New Year's Eve,
the last day of the year.
So I remember thinking you know, great.
I'll you know, smoke
this one and I'll be done.
I'll done forever.
But, circumstances... Huh?
I-I didn't...
Plan for this.
I didn't expect this.
When did you first start smoking?
Thirteen.
Huh, what?
I was thirteen.
Oh dude, that's that's
when I first started.
I remember, it was like...
Right after my birthday,
I was with my cousin. And I remember
telling him like that I wanted like,
a rite of passage or something.
I didn't call it that
because I was like, fucking thirteen.
But he gave me my first one.
It was a Spirit.
I know, but...
I just I remember feeling so fucking cool,
like I was the fucking man.
So fucking stupid.
I wish I'd never fucking
touch these things.
I'm hooked fucking bad.
Basically the same story.
It's just one of those things.
Y'know?
[FLICKS CIGARATTE TO GROUND]
let's get back on the road.
[FLICKS CIGARATTE TO GROUND]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[DOORS SWING OPEN]
[DOORS SLAM]
[GUN CLICKS]
[CAR ENGINE STARTS]
[CAR PULLS AWAY]
[ELECTRICAL LINES HUM]
[CAR RACES BY]
You know...
Personally, I
I've never minded these long road trips.
I know some people
like my fucking brother.
Will, it takes all of ten minutes and
he's like [MOCK WHINES]
I don't know, I just, I fucking-
I've never been too hard to please,
you know, I'm like a, low maintenance
like a goldfish, you know?
That's why
I've been so fuckin'
confused for, like, years.
Because it's like,
everyone doesn't have trouble with the shit
I have fucking trouble with, you know?
It's like, first day of school.
Everyone comes in
and they already fuckin'...
They already know how to dress.
They know who their fucking friends are.
They know what to feel and fucking think.
And I just...
I never know how I'm fucking feeling.
I'm just fucking confused.
What am I supposed to fucking do with that?
Yeah.
Dude and I fucking...
I love my parents, I do, I love them,
but I cannot pretend that they didn't
make all of this shit fucking worse.
Not on purpose, obviously, but it was like
I was always fucking wrong.
The ways I was trying
were always fucking wrong.
It was my fault
I didn't have fucking friends
coming to the house all the time.
It was my fucking fault
I had fucking shitty grades.
It was my fault
that I fucking dropped out of college.
And like,
I can count on
I can count on one fucking hand
how many times they like, asked me how
I was, or how I was feeling or fucking...
It's like you're completely invisible.
Exactly. Fucking exactly.
Like they view me
as as their creation, their son.
But they're completely incapable
of viewing me as like a human being.
I feel the same way.
Really?
Yeah.
My folks only had me, but...
It seems like even that was a little
much for them.
You know, they could never quite
find the time.
Oh, that's my dad to fucking tee.
I can see it in his eyes
when we're fucking talking.
He's like-he's on Mars or something.
And I know like, this is just the most
classic fucking thing to say but like,
why even have kids when you already know
who you want them to be?
Like, isn't that part
of the fucking journey
or whatever it is-to fucking discover
who they are?
Like with them?
Preaching to the choir.
[TEDDY]
You want kids?
No.
Why not?
Just never appealed to me.
Why not?
I am the type of person who values...
Agency.
Fair enough.
Not a lot of time to go around with kids.
Well, I want kids.
I want to be a dad.
That's just something I've always known.
It feels like my parents never,
like, wanted to be parents.
Like it was fucking something
they were stuck with or handed.
I asked my father one
time, why he and my mom
had me.
What'd he say?
He said it was...
The thing to do.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Yeah, I know.
Well, when I'm a dad, I'm
not going to fucking say shit
like that to my kids.
I'm going to fucking talk to them.
I'm going to fucking be there for
them. I'm going to fucking...
Y'know God, I've convinced
myself for years that it'd
be easy to do better than my parents did.
But I feel like what I'm fucking trying to
describe is so fucking vague.
Like I couldn't be a parent
better than they could.
But I hope after like, like, like 20
fucking years at it, I'd be good at it.
At least.
I can say with absolute confidence
I would have...
Planned better.
Than your parents did?
Oh, yeah.
How so?
My folks are just
very impulsive people.
Very caution to the wind.
What are they like now?
They like, mellowed out at all?
You know, I don't see much
of them these days.
There's-there's some distance there?
Yeah.
Honestly, I feel like there's not enough
distance for me.
Like, I feel-I feel like I'm
fucking suffocating.
Like, like, I'm in a circle, dude.
Like, if they had given me the space
to figure all this shit out
when I was younger,
maybe... Maybe I would have, you know?
Do they have their shit figured out?
No!
No, of course not.
They seem just as fucking scared and
confused as I am sometimes but like,
I know they were trying their fucking best.
Yeah well, best is a relative term.
I know, and it just
makes me feel like shit.
Like if these people who guided-
you know, who guided me,
who literally fucking created me, like,
still don't know? Like that's just...
That's a scary fucking thought.
Can't dwell on it, though.
It'll make you fucking...
Crazy.
I- I know, but...
What else am I supposed to do?
[TEDDY]
Did you have trouble making friends,
[TEDDY]
when you were younger?
[ASSAILANT]
Specific line of questioning.
[TEDDY] Yeah. Yeah sorry,
I'm not trying to be a dick.
[TEDDY]
I'm just, I'm wondering something.
I was not what you would call...
Well liked.
What was going on?
Can just remember always feeling different.
Like-like apart?
No.
More like...
Above.
Above?
Yeah.
Wha...?
The other kids fucking bored me.
When we went out to recess,
it was as if they had set loose
a bunch of fucking farm animals.
You know, I spent my time alone.
Was that like, like, hard on you?
No.
For the most part.
The most part?
Yeah.
Well, what was like, the lesser part?
If I were to examine myself,
I think I would say
it left me feeling...
Less than impactful.
Hmm?
I went through a period of time where
it felt like nothing I really did mattered.
You're talking like powerlessness?
No.
Not explicitly.
I just mean...
It was as if I was a character
in everybody else's story.
Like I existed to create
context, to fill in gaps.
But I wasn't in control.
I wasn't...
Writing my own story.
I wasn't in control.
Dude, I've never felt
in control, honestly.
Well, it doesn't seem as though it's
particularly important to you.
Well Jesus man,
that sounds rough.
It was what it was.
I was like, the exact fucking opposite.
I fucking-I craved attention, approval.
Good or bad,
I just-it's my fucking curse, dude.
My fucking state of being directly relies
on how others are fucking perceiving me.
It's my fucking poison.
But like...
When I, when I get, you know,
when I make someone laugh or like,
I smile at a girl in a thrift
store and she like, smiles back.
Like that makes it go away temporarily.
You know, the poison... Poison's gone.
Your neediness...
Is your weakness,
Teddy.
I don't know about that one.
Okay.
You sound like my fucking parents.
Yeah well, I know you've
had your troubles with them Teddy,
but a broken clock is right
twice a day.
So.
How did you get along...
With your parents, when you were younger?
Fine.
You know, status quo. I did my homework.
I wasn't really in any trouble
with the other kids, so
it was fine.
Yeah but you know, what about like,
inter personally?
What do you mean, Teddy?
You know, like how
did you get along with them?
There wasn't much getting along.
You guys were fighting
all the time?
No.
I mean they did sometimes,
but even that was...
Better.
What was it like on the regular?
Quiet.
Did you feel like you
couldn't talk to them?
We were surprisingly open.
When there was talking to be had.
Like, what did you guys talk about?
Well I was younger, so I remember
I mostly did a lot of listening.
But I remember...
It was a lot easier to talk about
how I felt.
Were you honest with them?
Yeah.
I'm not a liar.
What did they say when you told them
you thought of everyone as farm animals?
You know, I don't think I
ever got to tell them actually.
Are your parents
[CAR MAKES CHUGGING NOISE]
Shit.
[CHUGGING CONTINUES]
Get out.
See what's happening.
[TRUNK AND DOOR POP OPEN]
[FOOTSTEPS]
We got a flat.
We got a spare?
Yeah.
In the... Trunk.
Okay well, flip it on.
Let's get-like,
What's the hold up? Let's go.
Come on.
[FOOTSTEPS]
[TRUNK SWINGS UP]
[TEDDY GRABS CAR JACK]
[CAR JACK CLINKS AGAINST GROUND]
[CAR JACK SPINS]
[FLAME STRIKES, LIGHTER CLICKS]
[TIRE JACK BANGS ON TIRE]
Hey, can you shine a light over here
so I can uh, see what I'm doing?
Okay.
[DOOR SWINGS OPEN, FOOTSTEPS]
[DOOR SLAMS]
Hey.
[OBJECTS TOSSED IN TRUNK]
[TRUNK SLAMS]
[TEDDY STRETCHES AND GROANS]
[FLAME STRIKES, LIGHTER CLICKS]
You know, I was just thinking about it.
I still don't know your name.
Yeah, I'd prefer to
keep it that way, Teddy.
Aw, come on man.
[FLICKS CIGARETTE TO GROUND]
Let's move.
[DOOR SWINGS OPEN]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[CAR DOOR SLAMS]
[CAR DOOR SLAMS]
[CAR WINDOW ROLLS UP]
[GUN CLICKS]
[CAR ENGINE STARTS]
[CAR SLOWLY ROLLS AWAY]
[ELECTRICAL LINES HUM]
[ASSAILANT EXHALES BREATHILY]
[BREATHES AGAIN]
[BREATHES AGAIN]
Hey.
Hm, what's up?
Got any gum?
Uh...
Yeah, I think in the glove box.
Let me...
Oh, no fucking way!
What?
I totally forgot this was in here!
We should totally smoke this.
Ahhh...
You don't-you don't seem too excited.
Yeah.
It's just, just-Just been a while.
[GLOVE BOX SLAMS SHUT]
Have you never smoked before?
No, it's just been a while.
Dude, dude!
It's just been a fucking while.
Dude! It's-it's fine.
You don't have to be embarrassed.
But like,
we should totally smoke this! Like...
I don't know, I don't know.
Come on. I'm fine.
I've driven high like,
a million fuckin' times.
Ahh...
Dude, come on.
Like... I haven't seen a cop
all fucking night.
We're good. It'll help me fucking stay up.
You know?
Fine... Fine!
Fuck it-fine. Fine!
My man! Alright. Give me
your lighter.
[HANDS THE LIGHTER UP]
[LIGHTER CLICKS, FLAME STRIKES]
[TEDDY INHALES DEEPLY]
[TEDDY COUGHS HARD]
Fuck, this is actually
some pretty good fucking shit.
Go easy on ya.
That's some good shit.
Go easy.
[INHALES HESITANTLY, COUGHS VERY HARD]
Oh, fuck.
Dude hit the window.
[HARD COUGHS CONTINUE, HARD WIND BLOWS]
[COUGHS FINALLY STOP]
Fuck.
What is the appeal with this?
Give it like, five minutes.
Fuck...
I'll take that, Captain Bogart.
[TEDDY INHALES STRONGLY]
You mind if I turn on the radio?
Yeah, go ahead.
[RADIO]
Golden Oldies.
[RADIO]
This is Rick Rodchester.
[RADIO] How are we doing
tonight, ladies and gentlemen?
[RADIO]
Hopefully staying out of trouble.
[RADIO] No matter the case,
we're here with you along for the ride.
[RADIO]
With more soothing sounds of the 60s.
[MUSIC PLAYS QUIETLY OVER RADIO]
You know I...
Smoked grass
for the first time with my cousin.
Same cousin as the cigarette?
Yeah. Yeah, he was a horrible influence.
You're paying attention.
I listen.
Got me there.
I remember I was like, fifteen
and we were over for Thanksgiving.
And, fucking classic story, fucking...
He asked to go on a walk, you know and,
of course I said yes.
And we're going and we're just like,
walking around the neighborhood and
it gets like, you know, it's five minutes.
Then it's ten minutes, then it's 15, 20.
In between like 25 and 30 minutes,
I'm like, What? What the hell
are we even, like doing out here?
And he puts on this fucking like,
this huge Grinch smile.
And he fucking, he pulls out
the biggest blunt I've ever seen.
What's a blunt?
Oh, it's-it's
like a cigar paper with like, weed...
Y'know, weed rolled into it.
Ah.
Yeah.
Maybe we can smoke one of those sometime.
Yeah, maybe.
Yeah.
So we went to this park by my house,
and there's this huge fucking baseball
diamond set up.
And we go into the dugout,
and this must have been fucking...
This tree must have been
grown on Mars or something,
'Cause it was the smelliest fucking shit
I've ever seen.
And he lights it and he takes a big Ole
hit and you know, it goes like this.
It goes back and forth.
He hits it, he passes it to me.
And when he passes it to me, I'm like
[HARD COUGHS FROM BACKSEAT]
Well, it goes exactly like that, actually.
[ASSAILANT COUGHS AGAIN AND GROANS]
And, you know, when he's passing it
to me, my hands are like shaking and shit.
Take this.
Yeah. And, um...
So what happened next?
Uh, well after a while of smoking,
we realized we're running, like,
five minutes late to Thanksgiving dinner.
And in my family, that's that's
the biggest fucking deal in the world.
They make it like-it's a big thing.
So he's all like, Get up on your feet,
soldier! type of thing.
And I'm fucking baked. I'm...
I'm out of my fucking mind.
And that gets me worrying because,
you know my fuckin' mom.
And I'm thinking like,
we're at the fucking end here.
Like I'm dead.
I'm fucking dead.
Excuse me...
Captain Bogart.
[TEDDY GIGGLES LOUDLY]
Sorry, my bad!
[INHALES DEEPLY]
[GROANS GENTLY]
This is good shit.
Yeah. Told ya.
I can't believe you're fucking
driving right now.
Well, you do what you have to.
[INHALES DEEPLY]
How does it end?
Hmm?
Your story.
Oh, right. Right, right.
[WHISTLES SHARPLY]
We come crashing through the door,
and everyone's looking at us, obviously
like they all noticed and,
you know, we just fucking...
We just kind of gingerly go get our food
and go to our seats.
And I'm just-I'm...
This is the first time I'm high,
so I'm fucking so paranoid.
So I'm just-I'm trying
to focus on the food and, like,
just eat food and shovel it into my mouth.
And I notice that my mom is staring at me.
Oh, God.
Yeah I know, she starts asking me like,
like all these questions, like, like,
how is the food?
Like, isn't it great that everyone is here?
And I'm, I'm fucking.
I'm confused because like,
you can't get anything past this woman.
Nothing.
So I'm wondering if she just hasn't
quite noticed or whatever.
And y'know, Why-why
isn't she bringing this up?
Is y'know, what I'm thinking to myself.
And finally, fuckin'
eventually... She's like, Teddy.
And I fucking,
I- I like look at Grant
and he's got the big fucking Grinch
smile on his face and she's like...
And she does it again,
but like more assertive,
She's like, Ted.
And I'm like, Ooooh.
And I just, I fucking
I bring my eyes up to her,
I fucking, I face the music.
She's like laughing.
She's like, beside
herself like she can't stop.
And I'm like, Mom, what's wrong? Mom?
Mo-ooom? And she,
she can't fucking stop laughing.
She's beside herself.
She-she literally can't stop.
And after a while she like,
she collects herself,
She's like... First time?
And then everyone starts dying.
[ASSAILANT]
What?
[TEDDY]
Dude, I don't know!
And like, I think my uncle laughed.
And even my grandma did.
I don't know if they like, they planned
all that with Grant or like,
they just all got caught up in the moment.
But like, for that one moment,
everything felt normal.
There wasn't me or her.
These years of screaming and history was-
it was just...
Us, as a family.
Simple, happy.
I, I, I wish I knew how much
I was going to miss that feeling.
I wish I knew how scarce a resource
that would become
[SNIFFS]
That's a nice story.
Yeah.
All this driving's got me
thinking about my folks.
Yeah?
Yeah.
How so? You guys do a lot of it?
Oh, yeah.
Every single weekend,
you know, hours and hours.
I always fucking hated it, you know?
But...
Somehow...
This trip feels different.
Good different?
Yeah.
Y'know? Nostalgic, or...
Or wistful, even.
What happened with your parents?
[QUICK INHALE]
[LONG EXHALE]
Met when they were young.
How young we talking?
[MUTTERING]
High school age, y'know. I don't know.
I remember my mom told me one time
that the first time
she ever laid eyes on my father,
she thought he was the most
beautiful creature she'd ever seen.
He played lacrosse, or something like that.
And, she used to go
every single one of his games.
And they lost that season,
in the last leg of the playoffs.
And my father was walking towards his car.
Fuckin' cursing himself,
when Mom went up to him.
And he recognized her immediately. That was
something she always used to bring up.
So they started seeing each other
through that summer
and the next year and the next, and...
They were ravenously in love.
Or so mom used to say, you know,
and I'm sure she exaggerated,
but I've seen the fucking pictures like
that spark was real at one point.
It was there.
[TEDDY COUGHS]
Did something change?
[LONG INHALE]
No, not for a few years.
They went off to college together.
The two of 'em, and it
was right around then
that my father really started
making it hard on her.
Y'know, he developed a penchant for
drinking, and he was always just a drink
too many away from like, feeling
up the fucking waitress, you know.
He was a fucking pig.
A fucking pig.
His whole life, all...
All he did was consume.
Uh...
Could-Could-Could I get the...?
Yeah, yeah.
Sorry.
Don't apologize.
It's good to get this shit out.
[CLEARS THROAT]
So, they break up in college?
No.
They almost did, though.
One night, my mom had enough.
She walked in on my father
hooking up with some fucking cunt
from one of his classes, and she told him
right there, that they were fucking finished.
She walked out.
Sounds like it was
probably the best decision.
Yeah.
It would've been.
What happened?
What happened Teddy,
is that human beings are...
Emotional, stupid fucking
monkeys.
What happened is that my father chased her
into the street, professing his love
and his deep admiration,
and he fell to his fucking knees.
And he asked her to marry him.
And...
She said yes.
They moved.
Moved after that from the city, to
the suburbs. The two of 'em.
And for a few more years
there all was well, y'know that
once all too dead spark
had become this raging fucking bonfire,
and the pig kept his hands to himself.
That wouldn't last, though.
No.
Mom vomited one morning, in the shower.
She was pregnant.
Was it their plan?
No.
I mean, they had talked about it in the way
that every married couple talks about it.
You know.
But no, it was not their plan.
But...
It was the thing to do.
Yes.
Things quickly began to spiral after that.
You know, kids have this way,
of just...
Ruining fucking everything,
They froze up.
They stopped talking to each other.
It got to the point where
my father was coming and going at like,
complete fucking random.
And we never knew where he was.
Things got bad.
Things got really bad.
And then one day,
my mom had had enough.
She calls him up on the phone.
She says that she can't do this anymore.
You know, she doesn't
recognize herself anymore.
What did he say?
He said,
Okay.
And he hung up the phone.
He moved.
About three hours away, after that.
Got some cushy new fucking desk job.
Started fucking this skank
ten years his junior, and...
That was the worst period, y'know?
I could've
lived every single day of my life
never seeing my fucking father again,
but my mom...
She was always asking where I was
or who I was with.
And you know, the fucking funny thing
is, I was never doing anything,
but she just...
She just couldn't believe me.
You know, I think the pig...
I think the pig took that
part of her with him.
Then, one day...
Mom faints in the kitchen.
But it's fine, right?
Happens to a million people
every single fucking day.
But just to be safe, they take her in.
And they start running some tests.
What'd they find?
They found that she was
sick, that she was really fucking sick.
But it's fine, right?
They caught it early, and there are
all these fucking things they can do.
So they start plugging her full of...
Tubes.
And needles.
And her fucking hair falls out.
But I'm with her every single day.
You know, that's the one good thing
to come from this fucking abomination
of a situation, we get close.
We get...
Real close. The way a mother and a son
should be close.
And one day...
That good thing just becomes...
The fucking worst thing.
Because they sit her down.
They say, Hey, you gave your best.
Fought real hard. But it just...
It wasn't enough.
So here are some things
we can advise for you.
And here's some
hospice centers
we think you should contact.
And you know, the biggest fucking joke
of the whole situation?
My father...
That pig fuck.
He ran. As soon as we found out,
you know, it was just
[CLAPS LOUDLY]
Just like that, he was fucking gone.
We never heard from him again.
And it's not like...
I expected anything else, right?
But...
God, if there was ever a moment
to be proven
fucking wrong.
What happened to your Mom?
Oh, well...
She fucking died.
I, I know.
No, I'm sorry, I just, I meant I,
I fucking
It's fine. Just shut the fuck up.
What-what happened after...
What happened?
I inherited a little bit of money
after the funeral.
Wasn't much, but it was a little,
you know, and I started...
Working odd jobs and construction.
Y'know, I got by. I made enough.
But it just kept getting tighter
and fucking tighter around my chest.
And one day I woke up
and I looked at myself, and I just
I couldn't fucking do it anymore.
And so I went and I told them,
I quit, fuck it, I'm going home.
I'm leaving. And I did.
I came back and I just...
Sat around my place, you know,
whittling down my savings on food.
I just...
Couldn't do it anymore.
I, I know what you mean, man.
For what it's worth like, I'm sorry, man.
[RADIO] 97.5! I don't know
about all of you listening out there,
[RADIO] but it's been a long night for
ol' Rick here in the studio. Getting weary.
[RADIO] I won't lie
to you. But I'll tell ya!
Shit happens.
[RADIO] There's nothing more
awakening than the power of music.
[RADIO]
More golden oldies coming your way.
[MORNING BIRDS SING, MORNING WIND BLOWS]
[STOMACH GRUMBLES LOUDLY]
Hey man, I heard that.
I got a couple sandwiches in the trunk
if you want to like, stop and eat, y'know?
No...
Let's just keep going.
Man, I could-
I just, I could really use a break.
Look, dude. I'll fuckin'...
I'll play by the rules.
Everything'll go good.
Like, come on.
Alright man, it's your call.
But... A good breakfast sounds
fucking amazing right now.
[INHALES NOISILY]
[CAR LOUDLY PASSES BY]
[EXHALES GENTLY]
Uh...
You know, I was
I was talking about it earlier...
What's on your mind, Teddy?
Y'know, y'know...
Shit has been fucking hard...
For me.
You know, I, I really, truly, like,
relate to you in that sense, you know?
Yeah well, shit is hard for
a lot of people, Teddy.
You know, most people.
I know, I know, I just I...
I'm not
trying to throw a fucking pity party.
I, I just...
You ever feel fucking crazy?
One time in, high school,
there was this girl.
There was this girl.
Her name was Sienna, and I was...
I was really fucking into her, you know?
She was genuinely fucking
smart and funny,
and she was so fucking beautiful.
Not like fucking everybody else,
you know? And...
I was scared fucking shit less
because she was in this
fucking separate echelon than me.
So I get this fucking,
I get this little fucking idea in my head
and you know, it's fucking-it's cute.
It's a little much maybe, but it's...
What did you do, Teddy?
Okay, so she...
She lived in the same neighborhood as me.
And I saw her walking home from school
every day while I was walking
home from school.
So I write this little fucking cringe
little poem, and I get,
I get her fucking flowers and candy
and fucking...
And all this shit, and I fucking,
I leave it at her door
and I fucking, I walk away
and you know, I'm thinking to myself like,
you know, you fucking...
You made your fucking move, man.
Worst thing she
can say is fucking no, right?
Wrong.
I, fuckin'
I get to school the next day
and fucking people are pointing at me
and they're fucking laughing
and they're making all these fucking faces
and I fucking obviously put it together
that she fucking made
this fucking big thing out of it.
But it's like 1,000% worse
because she goes to the fucking principal
and she says these things
like fucking, totally inappropriate
and invasion of privacy and creepy.
And they fucking- they call me
in there and they fucking ask me
all these questions,
and there's this fucking guy
fucking writing down everything I say
and fucking that was that.
I just, I was fucking suspended
for five days and my mom was mortified.
She just wanted to fucking talk about it
with everybody...
She, you know, every chance she got.
And my dad was just fucking-he can
barely process what's fucking happening.
And then I go back to school
and I'm like, the fucking town creep.
I'm the joke of the
fucking block and it fucking...
It was already hard enough
fucking finding people
that wanted to hang out with me,
you know that-
it was already a fucking rarity.
But you know, now fucking
[TEDDY SCOFFS]
And I just fucking sat in my room
and I fucking rotted and I festered.
And... when I was a kid,
I'd always fucking feared that nobody
was bothered by my absence, that
nobody fucking noticed when I was gone.
And it fucking sucked to find out
that was true.
And it made me feel fucking crazy
because I could see why
it-it-a little bit overbearing
maybe, assumptive
even, but creepy. I just...
I could have never fucking seen that
from like a million miles away.
And that fucking crazy began to rot.
Fucking fester.
It's so wrong.
It feels like there are fucking centipedes
and roaches
and spiders in my fucking brain,
and they're chewing through it.
I feel fucking insane.
[GENTLE INHALE]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]
Fuck, man.
You never get used to it.
Yup.
You boys having a good night?
Good morning,
I should say.
[EXHALES GENTLY]
How about you?
Sorry.
Yeah.
You know, I find often that this...
It always looks better after a storm.
You know what I mean?
I guess so.
What kind of weather makes you
the happiest?
I don't-I don't fucking...
Is that really true?
Would you fucking mind?
We're in the middle of something here.
Got it.
I can take a hint.
I'll leave you boys to it.
[FOOTSTEPS TRAIL AWAY]
Let me tell you a story, Teddy.
When I was 15,
this girl came up to me and she tapped me
on my shoulder.
And she was telling me that her friend
was really fucking into me.
And her friend so happened to be one of
the most popular girls in the whole school.
So I remember...
I remember distinctly
telling her to fuck off a couple times
because I was certain
that she was lying to me.
That this was fucking bullshit.
But she keeps swearing to me up and down
that this is the truth,
that she's telling me
the truth.
So I go up to her friend later that day,
and I ask her if she wants to go see
a movie with me later that weekend,
and she says...
[DRUMROLLS ON PANTS]
Yes.
I go home that night
and this is fucking stupid.
This is truly fucking stupid, Teddy.
But I really start to care.
You know,
I try on 50 different fucking outfits.
And I styled my hair like, I-I...
I really cared about this.
What happened?
Well,
we go. And it's a nice time.
You know, I'm not thinking about
every little fucking movement I make.
And I'm cracking jokes even,
and I'm-I'm loosening up.
I'm just, I'm...
Just enjoying myself, you know?
I'm just...
I'm just having a good time.
I'm walking her up to her door
at the end of the night,
and I ask,
if I can kiss her.
She said no?
No.
She said yes.
Really?
Yes. Really.
So we do.
And it's nice.
I say, I'd love to see you again.
And she says, That sounds great.
And I walk away
and I hear the door close behind me and.
I'm feeling things
that I've never felt before.
I mean, this is triumph.
This is victory.
This is...
Happiness.
Sounds-
That sounds fucking great, dude.
It was.
Then I get to school that next Monday,
and I'm walking to my first class
when I get shoved from behind.
I hit the fucking ground,
and there's 2 or 3 guys and they're
kicking the shit out of me.
And finally, after a minute,
they stop and I get a look at 'em.
And it's the
ex-boyfriend of the girl that I had
just taken out that fucking weekend.
Right? But he's singing a different tune.
He's saying that I'm not going
to get the fuck away with this.
I need to stay away from his fucking girl.
And...
The fuck was he talking about?
I had no idea.
But third period, I had a class
with the friend that had tapped me,
that had started this whole fucking thing.
So I went up to her.
I asked her what the fuck was going on
and she turns white as a ghost.
She tells me to get the fuck away from her
and she calls me a...
And she calls me a sexual assaulter.
Did you?
No.
Look, you can fucking believe me or not,
Teddy. It doesn't make
a shred of difference. Okay?
What
What happened...
What happened after, then?
Well, I went to her house.
And she was the only one there, luckily.
So I pounded and I fucking pounded
on the door until she opened.
And I demanded that she tell me
what the fuck was going on.
And she clues me in.
What did she say?
She was honest with me.
You know, she told me
the whole thing was a fucking lie.
It was all just a ruse
to make him jealous.
She was never interested in me
in the fucking first place.
And she said that she was sorry.
And that she would
tell everyone the truth.
And she did.
And she did-true to her fucking word.
She did.
But when you say something like that,
it's impossible
to just slap the cork back on.
You know, even when people found out
it didn't make a fucking difference
because apparently I had a vibe.
So I was just...
The rapist kid.
And you want to know the biggest
fucking joke of the whole thing?
The biggest fucking laugh
of this whole situation,
Teddy.
I'm a virgin.
I'm a fucking virgin. And...
[ASSAILANT SCOFFS]
I, I-I don't understand, like why are
you telling me all this?
The point Teddy,
is that people are going to let you down
constantly, okay?
They lie, they cheat, they mislead.
Why are you placing yourself
in this position of disappointment?
You know, hoping beyond hopes that this
time around, things will be different?
They won't be.
Well, what's the alternative then?
Like fucking shutting everyone out?
Fucking everyone?
I don't know, you know. Maybe.
That's fucking ridiculous, dude.
Like you have to talk to people.
You have to talk to people.
People don't talk to me.
But... But that can change.
No.
Insanity...
Is a vague term, Teddy.
It's gray and opaque and confusing.
Y'know, by nature.
If you're going to waste your time...
Do it on something you can control.
You should eat
before it gets stale.
Y-
You know, like, I could be your friend.
Y'know?
Really?
Yeah.
I mean, I mean, like we're talking right
now, aren't we?
Yeah.
I guess we are.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]
[TEDDY]
Hey!
I- I'm sorry.
Think nothing of it.
[FOOTSTEPS FADE AWAY]
Bill.
What?
My name...
It's Bill.
[ELECTRICAL LINES HUM GENTLY]
[BITES SANDWICH AGGRESSIVELY]
[QUIETLY]
Bill...
[CAR APPROACHES]
Hey, Bill.
Yeah, what's up Teddy?
Uhh, can I ask you something?
Sure, go ahead.
Uhh...
Do you believe in God?
Do you?
Yeah... No.
Sometimes I, I
I don't know.
I guess that's why I do
like, the asking about it.
What do you think?
I think we are an incredibly small...
Microcosm of whatever it is
that's actually going on.
You're thinking like... Like beyond.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think if there was to be, a God
or some greater power,
that thing would be so completely
incomprehensible to us.
There wouldn't be any understanding
in either direction.
Or at least it's really difficult
to imagine there would be.
I mean, think about an ant.
How many ants do you walk by
on a daily basis?
You know, 100? 1,000? You look at them...
Every single one of them is marching.
They are dedicated.
They have a sole purpose.
They are, on some
level, intelligent. But...
Have you ever thought for a
fucking moment in your life
about trying to talk to an ant?
No, that's fucking stupid.
Yeah, exactly.
That's exactly what I'm saying.
I can't imagine that's too dissimilar
an experience than would be had by a God
or whatever the fuck you want to call it.
Trying to talk to one of us.
Yeah, but like,
you don't think there be any,
like, crossover because like, I,
you know, I've never talked to ants,
but like,
they're pretty fucking interesting
to watch.
Well, yeah. Yeah.
I mean, how many faiths say
that exact same thing?
That the Lord, in his infinite wisdom, must
be watching us? Y'know, there are fucking,
verses about it.
Really?
Yeah, yeah.
You know, The Lord watches over you.
The Lord is the shade at your right hand.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect your life, O Lord
will watch your coming,
and going, now and for evermore.
Oh wow. I didn't realize
you were like, religious.
I'm not. Not particularly, anyway.
Well, you know,
that seemed like pretty memorized.
Yeah.
It was mom's favorite.
[TEDDY]
What was-What was she like?
[BILL]
My mom...
[BILL] She went through
a lot of shit in her life.
[BILL]
You know, she endured a lot.
[BILL]
And I think there were times when.
[BILL]
that shit she had to go through
would affect her more.
She was...
She was somehow,
the nicest person
I've ever met and the fucking meanest.
Y'know, it just depended.
Like, in my mother's stories,
everyone was always
the funniest version of themselves.
But it was a double edged sword,
you know, she was...
She was always at the ends of extremes
her entire life.
Positive, negative. Loving, mistrusting.
She was confused,
to the very end. Sad,
you know?
But she had this indescribable,
ineffable quality to her.
And she lived.
She fucking lived to her very last day.
Wow, she sounds fuckin'... Incredible.
She was.
What about your dad?
I'd rather not.
It's difficult to even think about without
getting fucking furious.
I know what you mean.
You get angry?
Dude, like a fucking ridiculous amount.
I know-I know,
it sounds like corny but like, sometimes
legitimately, all I can see is fuckin' red.
Hate, hatred.
And I just fucking like, I can't
I don't even know what I'm saying.
You ever disassociate?
What does that mean?
It's hard to describe it.
It's like...
It's like trying to describe
the fucking feeling of being hungry.
It's like your consciousness
is taking the passenger seat, like...
Like you're watching your fucking life
go by on a fucking TV screen.
You know what I mean? That make sense?
No, Teddy. To be honest
with you, I usually feel pretty fucking
clear headed.
[TEDDY MUMBLES INCOHERENTLY]
Hey hey hey hey hey hey, fucking
Come on. Cool it, cool it.
I'm good.
I- I'm good.
Good.
Did your mom have any other verses
she liked? Like...
Like comforting ones.
Yeah. Yeah, there are a couple
more I can remember.
The Lord him- the Lord himself,
Goes before you. And will be with you.
He will never leave you
nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid.
Do not be discouraged.
Is there-You got like, another one?
Though I walk through...
The darkest
valley...
I will fear
no evil.
For you are with me.
Gets a little...
Hazy after that.
Yeah. It-it helped.
Thank you.
We're getting pretty close now, huh?
Yeah.
Hey man, we've been pretty
fucking gloomy for a minute.
You got any stories that
are like-like, light?
Uhh...
I don't know.
Come on man,
there's got to be fucking something.
Eh...
Eh, there's something?
Yeah.
Well, fucking spin me a yarn, sir.
Okay, okay.
So I was, I was about ten.
I was at recess, and there was this
little shit fucking kid.
Aiden!
Oh, my fucking God.
I can't believe
I remembered that. His name was Aiden.
Fuck, okay.
So... Aiden is on the swings,
and I want to be on the swings.
Oh-I, I see exactly where
this fucking story is going.
So I go up to him
and I say something like, Get the fuck off
the swings.
[BILL STARTS TO LAUGH]
And he says somethin'
[BILL LAUGHS HARD]
He says something fucking stupid.
He says, he says, Bill, don't please.
[BILL LAUGHS EVEN HARDER]
Oh my God.
And I'm like, fuck you.
And I push him off the swings and...
[BILL LAUGHS MANIACALLY]
He goes runnin' to
the fucking teacher, and he had to
Dude, he had to get all these
fuckin' stitches in his head.
He looked like such a fucking freak.
Looked like a monster, dude!
Oh, fuck.
Oh, it's so good.
Yeah Bill, good stuff.
Yeah.
What?
No-Yeah, it was good, man.
Come on.
I liked it.
I thought it was pretty good.
I did too, I liked it, I liked it.
Take a left up here.
Come on man, like talk to me.
Come on.
Just drive, Teddy.
You can fucking talk to me, man.
Just drive.
[BILL]
Park, up here.
[HIGH PITCHED RINGING RISES]
Walk the trail with
me. A little bit this way,
it's just up this way.
[DOOR OPENS]
[DRIVER'S DOOR OPENS]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH]
[WIND AND RAIN START TO PICK UP]
[TEDDY BREATHES HEAVILY]
Alright, alright.
This is good.
Okay Bill, what the
fuck are we doing here?
I-
[THUNDER CLAPS]
Okay listen, Bill.
Bill, listen, I'll fucking
forget, I'll fucking
I'll keep my mouth shut.
Teddy.
You know my name. You've
You've seen my face.
You could ID me from 50
fucking miles away.
Yeah, but I fucking won't! I'll fucking-
I'll fucking forget all of this.
I'll fucking, I'll keep my mouth shut.
Bill, please.
Do you even have a fucking
friend out here?
Oh my god oh my god,
oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my God!
Why is this happening?!
Why is this happening?!
It just does.
Why didn't you just do this
while I was taking a piss?!
I was smoking.
Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!
Hey, don't fucking
put all this shit on me Teddy, all right?
You could have fucking driven away.
You were just sitting there.
The car was running,
and you could have fucking driven away.
But you didn't.
Why? Ask yourself that.
Some part of you knew this was inevitable.
That's fucking bullshit, Bill!
You said it didn't have to be!
Yeah, you made it inevitable.
That's such fucking bullshit!
I don't want to die, Bill!
I don't want to fucking die.
What?
What?
You're so fucking confusing, Teddy.
What the fuck are you even talking about?
I'm talking about the fact that you
have spent every single fucking second
we are together bemoaning your own life,
bitching about how fucking hard
you have it.
Yeah, but it's mine, Bill.
It's fucking mine.
I just can't believe you didn't realize
where this was going.
I mean, I knew this is what was going
to happen the second we left.
What, like when we
left the fucking neighborhood?
No.
When we left the motel.
Thought we were fucking friends.
I thought we were fucking talk
Something!
I thought we were fucking something!
I don't know what you want from me, Teddy.
I don't have any friends.
And you know that.
Can I have one more smoke?
Sure.
[LIGHTER HITS THE GROUND]
[FLAME STRIKES, LIGHTER CLICKS]
How's it feel like to
fucking kill someone, Bill?
Does it make you feel fucking powerful?
Big fucking man, huh?
Something tells me
that's not the fucking case, Bill.
Something tells me you're fucking scared.
Because you fucking know that there's
no place for you in this fucking world.
Really?
Yeah!
Big fucking talk, Teddy.
Maybe.
[THUNDER CLAPS]
Teddy...
Give me the lighter back.
You wanna know why your fucking dad
walked out on you, Bill?
Shut up, Teddy.
You really wanna fuckin' know?
Shut the fuck up Teddy, I'm serious.
Figured it out as soon as you told me
your little fucking story.
Teddy I swear to God if you don't
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
I cannot believe you didn't figure it out.
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Pull the fucking trigger then!
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Pull the trigger!
SHUT UP!
You coward piece of shit!
[LAUGHING]
You really wanna fuckin' know, huh?
Tell me.
He walked...
Bill, because you are a fucking monstrous,
vile piece of fucking dog shit.
You think you're this fucking genius?
You got all the fucking answers.
You got it all figured out?
You're a goddamn fucking idiot.
Park at the end of the street?
We were surrounded by fucking houses.
What the fuck were you thinking?
What the fuck is wrong with you?
He walked...
Because he couldn't fucking live
knowing that he was your fucking creator.
That your fucking life was impossible
without him.
Your mom fucking knew it too.
She felt the same fucking way.
You're a fucking villain.
You're an insect.
You're fucking nothing.
Bill, you're nothing.
You're a speck!
Very good.
No, really. Good stuff, Teddy.
I mean that mom stuff,
towards the end?
You almost had me fucking
choked up over here.
You just don't get it, kid.
The world doesn't work in concepts
like that.
There is no good guy.
There is no bad guy.
There's no fucking objective experience.
You lived your life, Teddy...
Focusing on being polite,
getting there on time.
It's a fucking waste of time.
I prioritized different things.
I lived a different fucking life.
I built myself up from the fucking ground.
I planned and I planned well.
You really want to know?
You really want to know
what it feels like, Teddy?
I don't think you could begin to imagine,
because that would require you
to understand
what it feels like to
take a fucking risk.
And you're completely incapable.
Do you know there was not a single moment
tonight that I was worried
you might say something to somebody
or go running off.
Do you want to know why?
Do you want to fucking know why?
Because you do what you're told, Teddy.
Like a lap dog. Which is why I am...
Confident.
I'm fucking confident, Teddy,
when I tell you to give me back
the fucking lighter.
Okay.
[LIGHTER STRIKES BILL]
What the fuck?!
[TEDDY SCREAMS]
[GUNSHOT, SCREAMS STOP]
[BODY HITS GROUND]
[GUN COCKS]
[GUNSHOT]
[GUN COCKS]
[GUNSHOT]
[PHONE BUZZES]
[KEYS JINGLE]
[PHONE CONTINUES TO BUZZ]
[THUDS IN DISTANCE]
[CAR DOOR OPENS]
[CAR DOOR SLAMS]
[KEYS JINGLE, ENGINE STARTS]
[RADIO] That's just about going
to have to do it for the night, folks.
[RADIO]
Good morning, you all.
[RADIO] It's a new day full
of new, bright opportunities.
[RADIO] All you gotta do is reach
out and grab them. For Golden Oldies,
[RADIO]
I've been Rick Rodchester.
[RADIO]
Have a beautiful day.
[MUSIC BEGINS TO SWELL UP]
[WINDOW ROLLS DOWN]
[GUN CLICKS]
[GUN COCKS]
[GUN CLICKS]
[RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL]
[TREES CONTINUE TO GROW]
[WIND CONTINUES TO BLOW]
[IT'S ALMOST AS IF INEVER HAPPENED AT ALL]
Hi.
I'm Jon Westling,
and I'd just like to take a moment
before the curtain officially falls
to say thank you for watching our movie.
You know, there are a million people
I want to thank.
They say it takes a village.
And that's true
even with a movie like this.
But I could talk for hours about that.
Right now...
I really want to thank you,
for watching our little picture.
I can only hope we've entertained you.
And if not, we'll get 'em next time.
We'll be back sooner than later.
Drive safely.
Have a beautiful evening.
Good night.