The Hitcher

It's 4:15 on a Saturday morning in El Paso town.

This is Uncle Bruce here going on

with the farm and market report,

on the station all El Paso listens to.

The slaughter steers-

Choice, 1,050 to 30 cents a pound,

slaughter steer is 50 cents.

Slaughter cows mostly steady, except-

Was introduced recently in the Soviet Union

and is now-

Three years to process all those terrible-

My mother told me never to do this.

Bless you.

My name's Jim Halsey.

John Ryder.

- So you want me to drop you off somewhere?

I'm getting your car wet.

Oh, this isn't my car.

It's a drive-away.

The guy that owns it is in San Diego.

So where you headed?

You got a smoke?

Yeah, sure.

You gonna tell me where you're going?

Yeah, sure.

- What are you looking at me like that for?

Just looking.

What are you doing?

What'd you do that for?

I asked you a question.

Scare you?

Look, I think you better get out now.

The ride's over.

Good-bye.

I'm gonna sit here,

and you're gonna drive.

Excuse me.

- What was the matter with that car back there?

Why?

Thought I saw something, that's all.

I ran out of gas.

So you need a gas station?

Would help.

Okay.

Gas stations have cigarettes.

What about gas?

I don't need gas.

What do you want?

What's so funny?

That's what the other guy said.

Who's the other guy?

- The guy who was driving that car back there.

The guy who picked me up before you did.

Was that him in the car?

I'm sure it was.

He couldn't have walked very far.

Why is that?

Because I cut off his legs,

and his arms,

and his head.

And I'm gonna do the same to you.

Don't.

What part of Illinois you from?

What?

Your licence plate.

Tell the man.

Chicago.

My wife's from Rockford.

You got a cigarette?

No.

All right, the road's clear now.

Come on.

Get going, sweethearts.

Drive.

You want to know what happens to an eyeball

when it gets punctured?

You got any idea how much blood jets out of a guy's neck

when his throat's been slit?

What do you want?

I want you to stop me.

You got the knife.

You'll stick me with it before I can do anything,

That's right.

So what have you got to lose?

Stop me.

Crying isn't gonna help.

Keep driving!

Please.

I'll do anything.

Say four words:

Okay.

Say "I want to die."

Say what?

"I want to die."

Say it.

I don't know if I can say that.

Sure you can.

Repeat after me.

I.

"I."

Want.

Want.

- "Want." - To,

" To. "

Die.

Die.

I don't want to die!

Yeah.

Yeah!

Yeah!

Fuck you, buddy!

Jesus Christ!

Hey!

Pull over!

Pull over!

The guy in your car's a nut!

Shoot him.

That guy's a fucking nut in your car!

Pull over!

Kill him.

Pull over.

That guy will kill you!

That guy, get him out of your car!

Pull over.

Pull over!

Hey, where do you think you're going?

Oh, fuck.

Come on, you son of a bitch.

Hey, stop!

Stop!

Wait!

- Okay, see you at four. - Bye-bye.

We're closed.

We don't open for another 45 minutes.

Please, I need to use a phone!

Sorry.

I can't let you in.

We're closed.

No!

Listen.

Please, I have to call the cops.

What happened?

I can't explain right now.

I just need to use the phone.

- If Jack saw me doing this, he'd kick my butt.

Phone's around the corner.

Go on.

You stink of gasoline.

Were you in an accident?

Yeah.

Hello, police?

My name's Jim Halsey.

I know who killed those people in...

Well, I picked this guy up hitchhiking.

And that same guy blew up the gas station.

Jim Halsey.

H-A-L-S-E-Y.

I'm at the Longhorn Restaurant.

It's right off of-

You do?

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

I won't go anywhere.

Jesus.

- If you think the cops are gonna get here this quick,

you got another thing coming.

A guy got shot over there in the corner a couple months ago.

It took them 45 minutes to get here with the ambulance.

By that time the poor guy was dead.

Specialty of the house.

Actually the cook's not here yet.

It's the only thing I know how to make.

Thanks.

That's real nice of you.

Everything gonna be okay?

I hope so.

Well, you sure look a whole lot better.

Guess it's safe for me to smoke now, huh?

Mmm.

Sorry I gave you such a hard time, but,

you'd be surprised the kind of trash

that passes through here.

How is it?

Real good.

Thanks.

My name's Nash.

Jim Halsey.

I really appreciate this.

Where you from?

Chicago.

Where you headed?

California.

How'd you know that?

That's where everyone's going.

Hollywood?

No.

San Diego.

I thought about moving to California.

Jeremy, who owns this place, he's my cousin.

And Uncle Jack does the cooking.