The Lowdown (2025) s02e02 Episode Script

1
[metal clinking]
[exhales]
[clinking continues]
[slurping, chewing]
You for real?
[scoffs]
Are you for real?
Are you for real?
Who are you?
Bullshit.
Bullshit.
You forgot your hat.
What? What?
[Dan] Who is that?
That's the man who claims to be my father.
So that's your father?
I didn't pick him. I guess so.
So what are my options here?
My legal options?
Legal options for what?
To get him out of here.
He cannot stay here.
I mean, can I trespass him?
[Dan] Oh, it's complicated when it's
family. There might be some ramifications
- off-loading a senior citizen in Oklahoma.
- Off-loading?
Come on, I haven't seen
the son of a bitch in 17 years.
Is there anybody you can call?
No.
Fuck. Ugh!
[Deidra] I can see the resemblance.
Yeah, man,
Lee shot out that man's nutsack.
- He's handsome.
- Hey, who fed him?
Okay, rule number one, do not feed him.
No food.
It's all right, relax. What, is he
a fucking gremlin or some shit?
Geez. [Chuckles]
He looked hungry.
We had to help him. He's an elder.
Just 'cause he's old
doesn't make him an elder.
- Yeah, it does.
- Yeah, that's an elder, dude.
[door opens]
- [footsteps]
- [door closes]
Why are you here?
Huh?
Right.
That's enough, all right? Cut the shit.
[breathing deeply]
All right, so this is it, huh?
You show up here,
half out of your fucking mind
and I'm supposed to take care of you.
I'm not gonna do it.
I'm not. 'Cause you're a cocksucker.
You're a grifter and you always have been.
I worked hard to get you out of my life
and I will be damned if I let you back in.
I will put you in a fucking home.
- Fuck you.
- Ah! There he is.
See, I knew you were faking.
I knew it. Gotcha.
So what is it? Huh?
What the hell do you want?
Yeah, this is my place of business, huh?
I'm a journalist.
This is my life. I like my life.
You're not invited.
This is my store.
These are my books.
Those are my employees.
That one Indian boy out there said
he lives here.
Yeah, you know,
I wanna know what you are doing here?
- We're part Indian.
- No, no. No, we're not actually.
- Suit yourself.
- All right, cut-cut the shit.
What are you doing here?
[sighing]
I read about you in the paper. [Chuckles]
Something about an award or something.
[chuckles]
Mm-hmm.
Said you owned a bookshop.
Yeah.
I used to own a bookshop, remember?
It was a porn shop.
I mean, they-they had books.
Big Beaver's Bend was my favorite.
I read that twice. I was seven.
[chuckles] That was just
one section of the store.
I can't help it
if that's what drew you in.
[chuckles] In case you didn't know,
or maybe you forgot,
uh, images of… [squeaking] …penetration
were illegal in the state of Oklahoma,
mm-hmm, when I was growing up.
I don't know what rock
you've been living under.
You think that life is all roses
and sweet treats, but it-it ain't.
Roses and sweet treats?
I just wanted the basics.
You know, food, water,
a roof over my head,
but I guess… I guess that's
just too much to ask.
[sighs] You're still the same.
- Still the same.
- Yeah, I am. I'm me.
I am not you.
That's all I ever wanted to be, not you.
You remember all the shit
I used to help you with, huh?
The scams?
The baseball card shop?
You used to have me put the fake cards
- in the little plastic sleeves, huh?
- [chuckles]
And you were a preacher, huh?
You're spreading the gospel,
until they caught you
banging the deacon's wife, huh?
And then you ran off with her
to start the pyramid scheme.
Uh, we sold plates and silverware.
- It wasn't
- No, no, no, I'm not doing this.
There's always another hand with you.
I know that.
So, what's the… what's the card
hidden up your sleeve, huh? What is it?
- I told you I read about your award
- Yeah, I won a prize.
I did. Yeah, it's not a big deal.
No, you know what? It actually was.
- Mm-hmm.
- It was a big deal.
I mean, it didn't have any prize money
if that's what you're after.
Sorry. [Sniffs]
[stammers] It said you owned a bookshop.
- It mentioned you had a daughter.
- Yeah?
Oh, no.
No.
You don't get to have that.
Mm-mmm. Besides,
she doesn't even live here.
She lives with her mother.
You didn't think I'd want
to meet my granddaughter?
My first and only?
I think that you should have thought
of that before.
Oh, our issues are our issues
and there's none of that should interfere
or stand in the way of…
[breathes heavily]
[stammers]
[scoffs] What's her name?
I want you out of here…
By the end of the day.
So,
make whatever arrangements you need to.
[door opens]
[door closes]
Deidra, you are on dad duty.
Uh, no, I'm on bookstore duty.
[sighs] Waylon, Henry, do not let him out
of your sight. Do you hear me?
- Yeah, got it. Okay, no food, no water.
- All right. Yeah.
All right, don't listen to a word he says.
If he is breathing, he is lying,
and keep him away from the cash register.
Hey, if that old head tries to do
anything, man,
I'll knock his ass out. [Chuckles]
Let me ask you a question. You're Deadly
Natives, right? And you're Indian Mafia?
You guys know a dude named Mekko?
- Mekko? Shit.
- Yeah.
- Dawg, I know, like 30 Mekkos, dude.
- Okay. Mekko Dean, you know him?
- [softly] Mekko Dean? Nah.
- Nah, dawg.
- I don't know no Mekko Dean. Why?
- Yeah.
He's a convict at Boontill
and he's gone missing, all right?
I was thinking you could use your connects
to find out some info.
Dawg, if he went missing in there,
he got chopped into a million pieces
- and flushed down the toilet, dawg.
- You don't know that-that's true.
[Waylon] Why do you care?
'Cause, listen, a friend of his,
- she's super concerned about him.
- She? [Smacks lips] Yeah, ah, man.
You ain't never gonna find his ass.
- [Lee] Why not?
- He might be fucking snagging now.
Oh, my God.
Dawg, look, faking your death
in Oklahoma is a misdemeanor, dude.
I did this shit five times last year so
I wouldn't have to hang out with a chick.
What's the good
of having gang member security
if you guys don't have
any gang connections?
[Waylon] Ah, don't even start, dude.
There's a hierarchy here, dude.
You got your shot callers.
You got your chiefs.
You got your warriors, you got us.
All right, just shut the door, will you?
- And watch the old man.
- Chill out. Okay.
- Hey, give me some nuts. What?
- No, no peanuts for you. Come on.
- Lame.
- [Lee] Watch the old man!
[Waylon] I will. I'ma get him drunk.
[jaunty knocking on door]
[Marty] Come in.
Hey, Lee, how can I help you?
Whoo-hoo. Look at you.
Got your own office.
Wow, I barely got a-a seat
on the couch out there. [Chuckles]
- I'm good.
- Yeah. No, you are.
No, seriously, I've been thinking a lot
about you recently.
I mean, you just… You're doing great work.
I mean, the pieces you've been writing,
you know,
you're running circles
around these clowns. You really are.
What do you need, Lee?
[stammers] Nothing.
I just… I was thinking…
I don't know, maybe,
you'll probably kill my piece.
- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah, no, I mean, it's…
Everybody's super excited about it.
It's a prestige project.
It is probably gonna go on the cover,
all right?
And I just figured, like, you know,
- as my elder, I should offer it to you.
- Elder?
- I'm about to smack the shit out of you.
- I meant that as a sign of respect, okay?
Hey, let me tell you the title, okay?
"Sherds of History:
A Window into a Forgotten World."
[both laughing]
It's enticing, isn't it?
You haven't written a fucking thing,
have you?
[sighs] Listen,
I've got to follow my heart, all right,
and my heart is like
[mimics screeching tires]
going in a different direction.
Well, why don't you get… [screeching]
…into the direction you've been paid for?
Okay, I've been paid for half,
but I am gonna give you my next advance.
- It's not an advance if you ain't writing.
- Yeah, but I am writing, okay?
I just can't write about archaeology.
I live in the present moment.
That's the past, okay?
And what has fallen in my lap is huge
- and people are in danger…
- Oh, one of these.
…and it demands my attention right now.
You gotta get Elijah off my back.
- Listen. I… I got my own shit to write.
- I need this, all right?
- I-I-I gotta make things right this time.
- Lee.
[stammers] I gotta tell you,
I appreciate this so much.
What the fuck is this?
Okay. No. This is all the research.
Thank you so much.
What is this? Hey, take this fucking box.
- No, Marty…
- What is this? Toys R Us?
[shouting]
What are you… Are you kidding me?
[sighs]
[Tense music plays]
[keys clinking]
- Hey.
- Oh, Jesus Christ! What are you doing?
- You good?
- Why wouldn't I be?
- 'Cause you shot someone last night.
- Oh, my God, no. I stood my ground.
That's what I did.
Well, I'm not good. All right?
I couldn't sleep at all last night.
- Why?
- I couldn't stop thinking about you.
- Lee.
- You know, and no… And the prison guard.
I wonder if the guy you shot is a prison
guard too, and why are they following you?
It's either because they think Mekko's
still alive or that you know something.
Either way, these guards are like
gangsters with laminated name cards,
- you know what I'm saying?
- Yep. Badges. Yep.
And they're probably in cahoots
with the gangs on the inside.
I did a couple of profiles
- on the Aryan Brotherhood.
- Oh, interesting.
In my experience, the corruption starts
from many different angles
- Lee, Lee, Lee, stop. Okay, I…
- No. We're in too deep to stop.
I think I have to do this on my own.
Okay, I'll figure it out.
- I don't know how, but I'm going to.
- I can't leave you alone with all this.
- Well, I think you've helped enough, but…
- No. Okay, you're punishing me
because of the rupidoop thing.
'Cause I know I fucked that up.
- You gotta forgive me.
- I promise it's not about the rupidoop.
It wouldn't be a rupidoop
if it didn't work sometimes.
- I appreciate you saying that.
- So just sit tight and you do your thing,
and you know what? I'll call you later.
- You're not gonna call me.
- I will.
- I can tell you're not gonna call me.
- I am.
- I'm just gonna help you on my own then.
- Okay.
- I'll just do it, I'll just help you.
- Great.
You haven't seen the best of me yet,
let me tell you that.
What does that mean?
That's an insane thing to say.
- I'm just saying I got a plan.
- What is that plan?
Well, I am a professional.
- I have a very unique methodology.
- Right. Okay, just real quick, to review,
I've been followed,
then what happened last night?
- I had to what?
- Shoot someone.
So let's not make things worse
- than they already are.
- No, I'm gonna make things right.
That's what I'm gonna do,
and I will not let you down.
All right.
- You okay?
- What is this? I have to go to court.
Look, I'm just saying, call me. I mean,
- if you want to do lunch or something.
- Shut the fuck up.
All right. I'll just be cool.
[Abel] And most people know Neil Young
spent some time in Tulsa.
"Last Trip to Tulsa,"
obviously about Tulsa, but, um…
A lot of people don't know "Vampire Blues"
off On the Beach, great album,
it's from… It's about Tulsa too.
"I'm a vampire sucking blood from the
earth." About oil. It's talking about oil.
- There's gum on my shoe.
- [Abel] Neil Young.
Who's spitting gum?
That'll wreck your life. That dope weed.
[scoffs] You know it's legal now, dawg.
Stop calling me dog. I'm not a dog.
[chuckles] What? You don't like nicknames?
Man, like son, like father,
this guy. [Chuckles]
I didn't say it was illegal.
I said it would wreck you.
It'll ruin your life. I got
a lot of friends, their lives ruined.
Especially in Nam.
Guys come back dope weed heads.
Just Thai sticks. [Chuckles]
I had a dope weed problem about five
minutes, but I got rid of it. [Stammers]
It rots your brain.
You-You were in Nam?
Yeah.
- Vietnam?
- That's where I got my name. Nickname.
Shit. All right, what's your nickname?
Frog.
[chuckling] Frog? Why?
I used to jump out of helicopters
into the ocean.
They called me Frog.
We're supposed to call you…
Should we call you Frog?
Yeah, Frog's good.
- [Waylon coughing]
- [mouthing] Frog.
So is that diner down there any good?
Oh, Sweet Emily, yeah,
that's the shit right there.
They got Mickey Mouse pancakes.
Oh. Come on, buy me a cup of coffee.
Oh, yeah, I got you, old time.
Put it on the bookstore's tab.
- Hey, you mind if I join?
- I do.
I gotta go there anyway.
- Uh, Jack, let me know if I get a client.
- [Waylon coughs]
So, uh…
[Upbeat music playing]
[chattering]
So… And rumor has it,
Waylon Jennings had a house here.
[Sally] I never thought of Lee
as being born or conceived.
It's just like he was always here,
yet there he is, Lee Senior.
You know, he ordered a bacon sandwich.
Yeah, BLT.
No, just bacon.
Rumor has it Waylon Jennings had a house
or maybe you can clear some of this up.
I'm still trying to figure it all out.
But he must have had
a girlfriend here or something.
He's got that song "Don't Let
the Sun Set on You in Tulsa," right?
And he's also got this JJ Cale homage.
It's all right.
People don't talk about that song.
It's really good.
- [Waylon] Mm-hmm.
- Who is he?
Who are you?
I'm Abel.
I got the record store next door.
- You like vinyl?
- Uh, who's asking?
- I am.
- Don't.
- And what do you two do exactly?
- They're loiterers.
- Security.
- [scoffs] Yeah, bitch.
Anyway, yeah.
We secure in the bookstore and out front.
What's he need security for?
Oh, you didn't know?
Oh, so he had some skinheads, they used
to come by all the time and beat his ass.
Skinheads. What did he do to attract
that kind of company?
Uh, used his… used his brain. [Chuckles]
Yeah, he wrote an article about them.
You know,
I saw them loitering outside beforehand.
I warned him, he didn't do anything
about it. He still got beat up.
You, uh, don't want lettuce or tomatoes?
If I'd wanted a BLT, I'd have ordered it.
Got it.
Why can't he handle it himself?
I mean, is he a big pussy?
- Why does he need security?
- Francis.
He gotta keep it safe for Francis.
[Waylon] You know, between us…
[chuckling] …your boy's a pussy.
- [chuckles]
- He ain't got no hands.
- Francis, he has-he has her stay here?
- [Abel] Mm-hmm.
[chuckles] My granddaughter lives
in a bookstore.
No, no, no, not the bookstore.
Upstairs though,
he got a little apartment up there.
[Abel] It's like a dirty attic.
[sighs]
He named her Francis.
[chuckles]
["Stop the World
and Let Me Off" playing]
Stop the world and let me off ♪
I'm tired of goin' round and round ♪
I played the game of love but lost ♪
[song continues over speakers]
Stop the world and let me off ♪
My world is shattered don't you see? ♪
Let me know
if I can help you find anything.
Thank you.
You no longer care for me ♪
Boontill Beef?
- Beef cakes.
- [chuckling] Yeah.
That's the charity thing that the guards
at the prison do every year.
- Yeah.
- Gals love it.
Yeah, I bet some guys do too, huh?
I bet they do.
- Yeah? Nothing wrong with a healthy man.
- Mm-mmm.
[laughing] Ooh-hoo!
Wow. Whoa.
- Look at Mr. November. You know him?
- [sucks teeth] Oh, I wish I did.
Yeah, he's got a bigger gun than most,
doesn't he? [Chuckling]
[chuckling] It is a big gun.
- It's a fatty.
- You know,
they come in here all the time
on their way to the titty bar.
- No kidding, titties, huh?
- Mm-hmm. Titties.
It's called Secrets out by the highway.
Mmm, not much of a secret.
- It's not a secret. [Chuckles]
- No.
- They show everything.
- Wow.
- I almost worked there. Mm-hmm.
- Really?
Everybody loves a titty bar.
[chuckles] They do.
All the guards hang out there after shift.
[breathes deeply]
How much for the calendar
and the Slim Jim?
Mmm. Well, for you,
the calendar is 2.99 and the Slim Jim…
Is on the house.
- Thank you, Beverly. Ooh.
- [chuckles]
Oh, wow.
- Okay, you can have it. Okay.
- All right. Thank you.
- Just come back, you know?
- All right.
See you soon.
[exhales]
[Pensive music plays]
[faint, distorted chattering]
[chattering continues]
[sighs]
Hello, can you even, like…
- Fuck, I still have to go talk to him.
- I thought you did that yesterday.
Sorry, I got busy.
I mean, what's going on? What?
You're on your phone, like, all day.
- What is up?
- [phone buzzes]
All right. Well, don't forget.
You have to be in Harrison's courtroom
at 1:00 for Robert Reid's DUI.
[chuckles] Have you ever,
um, dated a writer?
Oh, my God.
- What? No.
- [phone buzzes]
- You're not dating a writer, are you?
- No, no, that's crazy.
- I don't… [inhales] …I don't date.
- That's true.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, did I tell you
that I finally passed off Pookie?
I don't mind freaks,
but not that kind of freak.
Every time he was around,
he was always looking at my feet.
Don't get me wrong, my feet are hot,
but I don't want him looking at 'em.
Please don't judge me.
I just had to get rid of him.
Plus, he's for sure going to Boontill this
time. We'll put him away for a few years.
He's on strike three or four.
- Pookie.
- Poor guy's gonna get beaten…
["Cat Scratch Fever" playing]
[Song continues over sound system]
Well, I don't know where they come from
But they sure do come ♪
Corner pocket.
I hope they're comin' for me ♪
Ooh. [Chuckles] Hey, scratched. [Laughs]
Get it? "Cat Scratch"?
You lost?
I hope they're doin' it for free ♪
They give me cat scratch fever ♪
Jesus.
Cat scratch fever ♪
- Ah, didn't wanna play with you?
- No, I guess not.
Yeah, well,
they're surrounded by prisoners all day,
so don't take it personal.
[chuckles] A buddy of mine, McMann,
works at the prison.
You know him?
White dude, mustache, kind of beefy.
I mean, come on, man,
you just described every person
who's ever worked as a guard before, so…
[chuckles] Yeah, I guess you're right.
What about this dude here
with the frosted tips?
What's his story?
[bartender] Oh, yeah. That's Chili.
He's a regular.
- [Lee] Chili?
- [bartender] Yeah, a little depressed.
- Got fired a couple of weeks ago, so…
- [Lee] No kidding?
Yeah, but we act like we don't know.
Let him keep his DOC discount.
Can I get you a drink, bro?
Yeah, I'll have a Dr Pepper
and a shot of Amaretto.
You know, actually, you know what?
Hook me up with The Warden.
That sounds refreshing.
It's kind of a girlie drink,
you cool with that?
Oh. Well, it's okay. I like girls.
Yeah, let me get one Warden, extra fruit.
- Twelve bucks.
- [Lee] Twelve bucks?
You mind if I saddle up?
Well, I make the pussy purr
With the stroke of my hand ♪
- Free country.
- [chuckles] Yeah, damn straight.
Wow. [Chuckles]
Um, uh, this is Sheila.
She's originally from Ardmore.
- Ardmore?
- Yeah.
[chuckles] They should put her picture
on a postage stamp, huh?
[chuckles] Yeah.
Cat scratch fever ♪
- [sighs]
- You a prison guard?
Cat scratch fever ♪
Wow, man, that is awesome.
That is… It's, like… It's good work, huh?
- Yeah, it's good. It's real good.
- Yeah, seems cool.
Cool. Super cool.
Is it-Is it cool?
- Yes, pretty cool.
- Yeah?
Um…
What's your name?
Dallas. I, uh, live, um, next town over.
I'm thinking about applying.
You know,
I think I got what it takes to be a guard.
I'm, uh… I'm Chili.
- Hey, Ch
- Chili. Chili Franks.
Chili Franks. No shit?
[chuckles] Wow, that's…
that is a great name.
- That is tough.
- [chuckles]
Wow… [chuckling] …Chili Franks. Wow.
Yeah.
I've been, um, I've been working there
about four years.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, it's hard work, not for everybody.
They chew people up and spit them out.
It's not hard to get hired,
but sticking it out,
it's tougher than the…
The FBI or the Navy SEALs,
- or… probably.
- Yeah, but those SEALs are so overrated.
I mean, who's their publicist,
you know what I mean?
I mean, I know some of those guys
are Boy Scouts compared to you…
- Yeah. [Chuckles] They are.
- …compared to you guys.
I mean, come on,
you got stories to tell, right?
- Yeah, they're pussies. [Chuckles]
- Yeah. [Chuckles]
No, come on, you got stories, right?
I mean, I have seen
a lot of fucked up shit…
- Yeah.
- …you know?
Bet you have.
Mmm. I got a lot of stories, you know,
and to be honest…
It's way crazier
than what the regular public ever hears.
Weird shit.
Wow. Wow.
Well, shit, man,
let me get you a drink, huh?
- Um…
- You're getting Coors or…
Um, Seagram's and 7.
Okay.
- Be right back, Chili Frank.
- [both laugh]
Okay.
[Melancholy music plays]
[slurps]
Mmm.
Man, this one time I gotta tell you.
- [Lee] Yeah?
- So a dude smuggled in pain pills
- and a pair of pliers, right?
- Mm-hmm.
People started going to him
to get their teeth pulled.
- [chuckles] Oh, geez.
- Called him the Dentist.
Oh, fuck, I hate dentists.
And that went on for a while
till somebody stole those pliers
for a fight and used them to pluck
a dude's eyeballs out of his head.
Oh, fuck. Damn, man.
How did they get the pills
and the pliers in there?
They all got some kinda
hustle on the inside.
- All those inmates, they're like…
- Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, man. Really?
What about the guards, huh? They're like…
[clicking his tongue]
You're not an FBI agent, are you?
No, man, I'm just saying, right?
A man's gotta do what he's gotta do.
I mean, I'm looking at you right now.
I can tell you're a man that's
gonna do what has to be done.
- Yeah.
- Am I right?
- Maybe. Yeah.
- [laughing] Oh, my.
Oh, this, um, this here is Dijon.
She's originally from Holdenville.
Uh-huh. Yeah. Hey, hey, Dijon.
[Chili] Yeah, she's very talented.
[guards laughing]
[laughs echoing]
Boom, baby.
[Ominous music plays]
Hey, you know what…
[stammers] …let's get out of here.
You wanna go to my house
where we can talk?
You hungry? 'Cause I make
the best cheeseburgers in town.
- Uh, what?
- [stammers] Ask Dijon.
I brought a few in here one time.
- Um…
- Let's get out of here.
- Come on. Come on, man.
- All right, yeah, heck yeah, yeah.
- Let's do it.
- Place is dead, anyway.
[Lee] Dijon, au revoir.
[Chili chuckles] Yeah, exactly.
What does that mean again?
[phone buzzes]
[Pookie]
Ah, Rip, still looking like shit I see.
Do you mind if I go get a beer?
Come on. Come on, I know you do.
[laughing]
- Oh, relax.
- [lawyer] There he is.
Pookie.
Yeah, couldn't stay away.
I'm afraid it's gonna
be a while this time.
Thanks, guys.
Hey, Ginger, what's up?
Um, so could I just have,
like, five minutes?
With Pook?
[Ginger] Yeah, just give me, like…
I think, like, six minutes.
[lawyer] Sure, sure, I'll be right here.
[Ginger] I appreciate it, thank you.
Hey, Pook.
- Yo, what's up with it, Ginge?
- Hey.
- You're my new lawyer now?
- I am not, no. Um…
So, I can't help you,
but I do, uh I do need a favor.
Oh. You need a little favor
from the Pooks. Interesting.
Yeah, but just up front, we both know
that you're not gonna get off, right?
[sucks teeth] We don't know that.
- You got too many priors.
- Mmm.
You were there at the robbery.
No matter if you did it or not,
you're-you're gonna do some time.
[sucks teeth]
I-I really need your help.
You need help from me?
[Ginger] You know this guy?
Nah, I don't know him.
- You sure?
- Yeah, he doesn't look familiar to me.
You know that guy. You're
probably Facebook friends with that guy.
No, man, I'm telling you
I don't recognize that guy.
Hey, Pookie, don't fuck with me.
Gingy, I'm trying, I really am.
I'm racking my brain.
If I knew something, I would tell you.
I promise.
Okay.
Oh, that?
[stammers] My feet are tired.
Why they so tired?
I think she just needs to breathe.
[Pookie] Oh, God,
- she needs a little oxygen.
- Yeah.
Maybe you should just take
that shoe off or something.
- I could.
- Yeah?
I think if I had a name,
I could really let it breathe.
Okay, listen,
I swear I don't know who this person is,
but I will do literally
anything else you want me to do.
Please, please, just take 'em off.
Just take the fucking thing off.
I… Who's this? Who the fuck is…
Fuck.
- Hey, listen to me, okay?
- I don't know this fucking person either.
Focus up. This is the most important
thing you will ever do for me, okay?
- I need you to remember this face.
- [panting]
- [Ginger] His name is Mekko Dean.
- Yeah. Mekko.
- Mekko what?
- Mekko Dean.
Hey, come on, bring them back.
I need you to do something for me
as soon as you get to Boontill…
Wait, I'm going to Boontill?
Yes, Pook, you are going to prison!
You know that you are.
All right, yeah, fine, whatever.
I will do whatever you want with this guy.
That's fine. Tell me what you want.
- Oh, my foot's kinda dirty.
- Oh, my God.
I need you to find out any info
on him as soon as you get in, okay?
I need you to see if he's even in there
and find out what people know, okay?
And then I need you to call me.
- Hey, hey, hey, call me.
- Mekko, Mekko.
Oh. [Imitating phone beeping]
- You're gonna call me on a cell phone.
- Who's there?
- You wanna talk to Pook?
- And then I will get to you, how?
I will get to you
from someone on the inside, okay?
They will have my number, okay?
He has friends in there,
friends that can be your friend
if they know you helped their friend,
or they can be your what?
Enemy, okay?
Yes, I don't think
I want to get involved in this.
I am making you involved.
- Will you help me find Mekko?
- Yeah, yeah.
Yeah. I can do it.
You better call me in one week.
Your life inside could be easy.
Or it could be hard.
Yeah, I'll fucking call you in two days.
I promise I'll call you.
- [grunts]
- All right, hurry up.
- [moans, sniffs]
- Oh, God.
[whispers] Hi, baby girl.
[moans]
[gags, coughs]
Okay, that's-that's enough.
Fuck.
Hey, thanks, Ed.
[Upbeat music playing]
- [Chili] Look at that.
- [Lee] Oh, yeah.
- You said this is all you?
- [Chili chuckles] Yeah.
- [Lee] Yeah? Nice.
- Yeah.
[Lee] Nice, really nice.
I make the best burgers in town,
I surely do.
- All right, man. Lucky me, huh? [Chuckles]
- Yeah.
See, I grease and toast
the bun with butter.
[chuckles] Nice.
I don't get a burger anywhere else
'cause why buy one when I make the best?
- You know that shit, homey!
- [Lee laughing]
[laughing] You know that shit, homey.
I do.
[Lee] Whoo! They look amazing. Wow, man.
Yeah, man, I didn't know how hungry I was.
Yeah, till now.
- Till now, yeah.
- Till now!
- Hey. Yeah. Yeah. [Chuckles]
- [chuckles] You just wait.
You're gonna be full, full, full.
In prison, they make
burgers out of deli meat.
See, they ball it up and fry it
together with a stick of butter.
Don't taste nothing like a burger, but
those boys inventive, I'll give them that.
And they just cook it
right there in their cell?
Yeah, well, there's usually
one guy on the block
who cooks in his cell. They call him Chef.
And they… And they like… That's allowed?
Well…
- I mean, jail's all about respect.
- Right.
So as a guard,
I let them do what they need to,
to get a little taste
of the outside world,
and that's how you get respect. [Chuckles]
That's smart.
But I'll tell you this right now,
if one comes at me,
boy, you best believe I'll pound his ass.
Mm-hmm.
I know you've been looking
at them tae Kwon do trophies.
Yeah, man. Wow.
Well, I've been known to
whoop a little ass in a pinch.
Sure, sure.
And I'll tell you something else,
you ain't never in your life
seen somebody who can
take a punch like I can.
- I take a lot of damn punches.
- Yeah.
- A whole lot!
- Yeah, well, hell yeah.
- My whole life.
- Wow. [Clicks tongue]
Whoo-hoo. Check this out. Nice.
Hey, let's have some fun.
Oh, my God. What…
Here, punch me in the stomach.
- What?
- Go on. Punch me in the gut.
This one's free. Next one is fifty cents.
[chuckles]
- Nah, I'm not
- I'm serious.
- I'm not punching you in the stomach.
- Please hit me in the stomach, huh?
I'm dead serious, huh?
I want you to punch me in the stomach.
Hey, listen, if you're gonna be a guard,
you got to get physical.
And I know how to absorb
a punch and release it.
It's all about energy.
I'm telling you, punch me in the stomach.
- I'm not punching you in the stomach.
- Punch me in the damn stomach.
- Come on, pussy. Punch me in the stomach.
- All right.
I said, hit me, motherfucker!
You [groans]
Okay.
[whimpering]
- [Lee] You okay?
- I wasn't ready.
- Chili.
- I hadn't tightened my abs yet.
- I'm sorry. I'm I hit you
- No, no, no, no, no, it's okay.
That-That was too hard.
I shouldn't have done it so hard.
I got… I got kind of Are you…
[groaning] Went down to my… my perineum.
[grunts] Jesus Christ.
You should have
told me you're a trained fighter.
- No, I get in a lot of fights.
- I can hardly breathe.
So I guess,
I got kind of wound up and I just…
I did it too… I did it too hard.
I did it too hard.
- What?
- Well, it didn't hurt that bad.
- It didn't?
- It's okay.
- Yeah, okay.
- It's okay.
I'm just gonna go to the bathroom.
I'm just going to the bath… [grunts]
Hey, you just go check
on those burgers, okay?
I gotta go to the bathroom
real quick, okay?
Now that is 100% pure beef right there.
- I appreciate this. This looks delicious!
- Well, yeah.
- I'm happy to make it for you.
- Wow, should I just do it?
- Yeah, do it.
- Should I?
Well, I don't want to
put you under any pressure.
Here it comes. [Laughs] Mmm.
- Mmm!
- Tasty?
Oh. [Laughs]
- Wow!
- That's better than Wagyu beef, ain't it?
- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah.
Do you have, like, a little mayo?
Oh, no, these burgers don't need no mayo.
The oil in the beef
kind of moisturizes itself.
Mmm. You're right. You're right.
It's actually super flavorful.
- Yeah, man.
- [choking]
See, it's the quality
of the meat, that's the thing.
And meat tastes better when it's free.
- What do you mean?
- I'll tell you.
One of my work buddies got
the hookup at a slaughterhouse.
He was even running
this stuff through prison.
You got this meat in prison?
I didn't sneak this through prison, dummy.
I got it straight from the source.
The chop house.
Oh. Cool.
- Who do you think I am?
- Wow.
[both laughing]
Yeah, wow.
You know, one thing I was…
I wanted to ask you,
I heard about a guard and, well…
- Who is it? What guard?
- I don't know, I don't remember.
- Who is it?
- I don't know! It was, like…
Tell me who it is.
- [chuckling] I forget his name.
- [chuckles]
I know all the guards. Which one?
Well, somebody said he was
the one you're supposed to talk to.
It's like Mc something, like…
- McMann?
- That's it.
Yeah, I know McMann.
He's the boss, you know,
head motherfucker in charge.
Of the guards at least.
Yeah, we came up together.
He's like my best friend.
He's like your best friend
or he's your best friend? [Chuckles]
I don't want to talk about it.
Okay.
Let me get you some fucking mayo, huh?
I'll get you some mayo.
- Hey, man, I didn't mean to…
- No, it's fine. Hey, you want a pickle?
I'm just kidding with you, buddy.
You want a pickle?
Uh, yeah.
[school bell rings]
[students clamoring]
- [Francis] Okay. Well, bye, guys.
- Bye.
[Lee Senior] Francis Raybon.
Hi?
So…
Can I help you?
It's me.
I'm your granddad.
My granddad's dead.
[Chili] Yeah, you wouldn't know it
by looking at me,
but I got an uncle
who's full-blown Japanese.
- No shit. Wow.
- [Chili] Oh, yeah.
I grant ya.
He lives in Bakersfield, California.
I'ma go visit him sometime.
Yeah, I'm an orphan. Both parents gone.
How about you?
Are your parents still around?
[Lee] Mmm.
- My mom died. Cancer.
- Oh.
Yeah, mine too. Daddy's the same.
Did your dad pass on too?
No, unfortunately.
- Damn! He said unfortunately.
- What?
- Hey, you can't say that, man.
- Yeah, I said it.
Oh, no. No, no matter what,
you can't say You got to cherish them.
Nah, you don't know my dad.
[Chili inhales sharply]
You know, family is a mirror
that shows you who you are
and who you can become.
What does that…
What does that mean, family…
What that means
I'm destined to become my-my old man?
Could be.
You know, I know it probably seems
like you've been running
from him your whole life,
but maybe you really running from you.
["Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound"
playing on radio]
Mmm.
Oh, shit. Bocephus. I gotta turn this up.
- [chuckling] Yeah. Yeah.
- [chuckles]
- [volume increases]
- I got a good… ♪
- …woman at home ♪
- Oh, my God. [Chuckles]
Who thinks I do no wrong ♪
But sometimes, Lord ♪
She just ain't always around ♪
[grunts]
And you know that's when I fall ♪
I can't help myself at all ♪
[grunting]
- Whiskey drunk and hell bound, bound! ♪
- [whooping]
Play me songs about a ramblin' man ♪
- Put a cold one in my hand ♪
- Oh, shit.
[laughing]
- Hey, Chili. Chili, Chili… Yeah.
- I love to hear those guitar sounds ♪
- Let's put the Let's put the…
- [laughs]
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" ♪
Well, I'll get all balled up inside ♪
You know it.
I'll get whiskey bent ♪
And hell bound ♪
[whooping]
[panting]
I get low-down sometimes.
That's why I keep this gun out
in the open.
Chili, what… Come on, man.
Tell me, um Tell me
about one of these trophies,
what's the deal with that big one?
[Chili chuckles]
[Song continues on radio]
Chili?
I don't want to talk about tae Kwon do.
Okay.
Just as sure
As the mornin' sun comes… ♪
Stupid fuck.
Stupid.
And I need to get
Whiskey bent and hell bound ♪
[crying]
Chili.
Chili.
[Chili] Come on.
Come on, girl.
Come on.
Oh, come on.
[laughs]
No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Here, you take it,
take it, take it, take it.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. [Laughs]
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
- It's just… It's…
I could have shot your ass, boy.
I mean, if I had a laser gun. The shotgun
would just bust the mirror. [Laughs]
[chuckles]
Hey, I'll tell you what, I-I think music
saved my life, you know, more than once.
To be honest, you know, this last
month has, um, been pretty rough.
Yeah.
Yeah, you know what,
the bartender back at the…
You know, at the club,
he said you ain't a guard no more.
I mean, I didn't know
what to make out of that.
What's it his business?
Well, it's not. It's not his business.
- Or yours for that matter.
- [stammering] Well, I don't…
I'm not mad about it, man.
I don't give a shit.
This uniform ain't a lie.
- No.
- I'm still a guard in my heart.
I know. I know you are.
[sighs]
And to be honest,
you know, McMann's the one that fired me.
I told you we was friends.
Well, that hurt.
And now he won't call me back.
I just need him to call me back, man.
Just call me back.
Chili.
Sometimes the world kind of
shows us where we don't belong,
'cause it's getting us ready, you know,
for something bigger.
Hell, he's crooked as a porn cock himself.
Yeah?
But, I mean, you can't,
you know, you just can't…
You can't what? What? Tell me. Tell me.
You can't ever hold
the ones up top accountable.
You know, because then
they just go and fire you.
And it's like a big cycle…
- Hey, Chili. Chili, Chili. Chili.
- …that you just can't figure it out.
Chili.
I know exactly what you're talking about.
- You do?
- Yeah.
I mean, I've… I've taken
down powerful people before.
You know, um, Donald Washberg?
- The governor?
- Come on.
Yeah, the governor.
I didn't mention this before,
but in my other life,
I'm a journalist, you know.
And I had him
eating out of the palm of my hand.
- He had to broker a deal.
- [chuckles]
No, I'm being dead serious.
He had to broker a deal.
So I wrote about his-his brother instead.
- That gaybo cowboy?
- Yeah. [Chuckles] Yeah, him.
- [laughing]
- Yeah, I'm serious.
So…
So, you don't want to be a guard?
Oh, no, I mean,
I'm interested in it, you know.
It's just journalism doesn't pay
so hot, you know, but-but it can help.
You know, you belong in this uniform, man.
We could just straighten that
porn cock right out, you know.
You know, maybe you're right.
You know, maybe we could do something.
Well, I don't know, you know,
I'm just-I'm just trying to help.
[sighs]
Um, man, we need more beers.
What time is it?
Um, I don't… Man, my-my phone is dead.
Do you have, um…
You got a charger or something,
because I could just Uber back
to my van if you give me
Hey, store's closed, but I do know
a place where we can get some beer.
- Nah, we don't need any more beer.
- Hey, you know what? Here's the thing.
- Come on.
- What?
Let's have a couple more beers
and then I'll get you back to your van.
- Come on, just one more cold one.
- I can't…
I'll tell you some stories about McMann.
- Come on, man. Let's go.
- All right, Chili, you…
Hey, Chili,
you drive a hard bargain, my man.
Let's get out of here. [Laughs]
["Honky Tonk Heroes" playing]
Low down leaving sun ♪
Done, did everything that needs done ♪
[drilling]
Woe is me, why can't I see? ♪
No, Harold?
Big dog, they got your ass again?
Them neon light nights
Couldn't stay out of fights ♪
Keep a-haunting me in memories ♪
Well, there's one in every crowd ♪
- [continues over stereo]
- For crying out loud… ♪
What are we doing, man?
I thought
you said we're getting some beer.
[Chili] No, no. We are, we are, we are.
I know this old boy always keeps a 30
pack of Busch on the back of his truck.
Oh, no, I'm not Come on, Chili.
No, let's call it a night.
- We had enough.
- I'll be quick. I'll be quick.
Here, listen to this.
Here, listen to the song.
- No, I don't
- I'll be right back.
Hey, a couple more,
and then we're good, all right?
This…
Yo, Chili.
Piano roll blues
Danced holes in my shoes ♪
There weren't another other way to be ♪
What are you doing?
For lovable losers, no account boozers ♪
And honky tonk heroes like me… ♪
What are you doing?
[Chili chattering]
Hey, hey ♪
[McMann] Lee Raybon!
- Oh, shit.
- [McMann] Lee Raybon!
- [Chili] Yo, Mac, chill! Hey!
- I know who the fuck you are!
- [Chili] Goddamn!
- [McMann] You want to come fuck with me?
- Fuck! Oh, fuck.
- [Chili] No! No! No! No!
[Lee] Shit.
No! Listen, listen. Chill, dude.
He was actually all right.
You and that blonde bitch fucked
with the wrong motherfucker!
- [Chili clamoring]
- Oh, fuck!
- [gunshot]
- Goddamn it!
Hey, wait a second.
Where is he?
Hey, no, no, no! Don't be
I just wanted to let you know…
- Fuck!
- [McMann] Where is he?
Goddamn it!
- Fuck! Fuck!
- [Chili] He's all right, man. Chill!
[Lee screaming]
Oh, God! [Screaming]
- Listen, hey, dude. Chill.
- Get the fuck off me.
[grunts] Mac. Mac. Mac!
- I'm telling you, just chill, dude. Chill.
- [McMann shouting] Where is he?
Where is Mekko?
[Chili] Mac, the only reason I came over
'cause I wanted to show you
my leadership capabilities
and let you know I'm a good worker, man.
I'm no lost cause.
I'm no lost cause.
Oh, sh [pants]
I'm gonna find you!
Goddamn it.
I got blood on my fucking slippers.
Shit.
["Honky Tonk Heroes"
continues on stereo, faint]
I was down at Green Gables
And hawking them tables ♪
And generally blowing
All of my hard-earned pay ♪
Piano roll blues
I danced holes in my shoes ♪
There weren't another
Other way to be ♪
For them lovable losers
And no account boozers ♪
And honky tonk heroes like me ♪
Yeah, whoo ♪
[song ends]
- [insects trilling]
- [wind blowing]