Honkytonk Man

Take it on down to the house! Come on!

Hey, somebody's coming.

Company?

At a time like this?

It's Uncle Red!

Bubba!

Is he dead?

- Dead drunk. - Bubba! What in the world!

Let's get him on up into the house.

Whit, you bring in his grip.

- Where's his grip? - He don't have one. Just this guitar.

These are all the clothes he's got?

Where's he headed for without any clothes?

Without even a toothbrush!

Nashville.

A letter fell out of his coat while I was getting his clothes off.

I couldn't help but read the first couple of lines.

It was from somebody asking him to come and try out for the Grand Ole Opry.

The Grand Ole Opry?

But why didn't you say so sooner?

The letter, I really shouldn't have read it.

You shouldn't have, but as long as you did, you might have let us read it, too.

My God almighty! The Grand Ole Opry!

If Mama was only alive today to see what's become of her son now.

On second thought, maybe it's just as well.

Ruined.

All ruined.

Well, you've been wanting to go out to California.

But we should have gone before now, like I wanted to.

Now we don't have anything.

Every penny we had was tied up in this crop.

Whit!

Howard!

Marjorie, come on!

We got lots of work to do.

Can I clean the car?

All right.

Hey! How the hell are you, Hoss?

Boy, put 'er there. You're shooting up like a weed!

Thanks a lot for fixing that car. Any serious damage?

The oil pan's leaking a little.

Is it serious? Can I make it to Nashville?

So long you don't let it run out of oil.

It's true, then? You're gonna sing at the Grand Ole Opry?

I'm afraid it's just an audition. If that car gets me there in one piece.

It seems to have a mind of its own some of the time.

I wish your daddy would buy some ready-made cigarettes.

Get me my guitar.

Dust-cutter.

Real panther piss.

- Here, you want some? - No.

- The alcohol will kill the germs. - It ain't that.

It's Mama. If she knew I took a drink of whiskey, she'd have a hissy.

Well, what she don't know won't hurt her.

If you feel like getting up, come have some eggs and biscuits...

and we'll get this bed made up.

You, come on, now. Let him get dressed.

Hoss?

Thanks again and mum's the word on this.

Of course.

Here's to us ducks, because we don't give a quack.

If it don't rain, we'll walk.

Bubba! Don't drive so blamed fast. We got plenty of time.

Bubba, be careful!

What're you trying to do, kill us all? Can't you drive no better than that?

I ain't exactly at my best when I got a fire under my ass.

You've been drinking, that's what it is. Why don't you let somebody else drive?

I suppose you could drive better?

I'm sure any of us could. Even Whit could drive better than that.

- That true, Hoss? - Probably.

You wanna try?

Sure. Papa sometimes lets me drive the truck.

All right, slide on over.

Bubba, why don't you let Virgil drive?

Hoss claims he can drive as good as me...

by God, I believe he can.

Come on, just slide on in there.

Now, we just ease right on out.

That's the way. Let the clutch out easy.

- Easy on the clutch. - I know.

What do you say, folks?

Ain't Hoss doing a hell of a job driving?

I put every penny we had into that crop.

Borrowed all I could.

Can't think of anyplace to steal it...

and I'm not gonna beg. Ain't in me to beg.

There's a fellow over in Meeker...

who says he bought machinery and stock.

He'll give you a few cents on the dollar for everything you got.

Maybe get $100.

That ain't gonna get us out to California...

keep us in grub till we find a job.

Well, I could match you for the rest.

You? You ain't...

I thought you said you didn't have any money.

You kidding?

I got money 10 miles up a bull's ass.

Of course, I gotta find that bull to get it.

I was thinking I'd send it to you when I got to Nashville.

- How you gonna get to Nashville? - Tennessee.

I was born in Tennessee.

Cainsville, just north of Murfreesboro.

Came to Oklahoma when I was 18, riding an old mule...

- and made the Run into Cherokee Strip. - How about some more coffee?

That was in September 1893.

September 16th, to be exact.

- There was maybe... - Whit, get on into bed.

I wanna hear Grandpa tell about the Run.

People in hell be wanting ice-water. Now get into bed like the others.

Please, can't I stay and hear Grandpa tell about the Run?

Did you hear what I said, boy? Get into bed!

Uncle Red? Tomorrow, could I play your guitar?

Now!

Looks like you're raising a musician there, sis.

Maybe I should take him to Nashville with me.

That's if I can get enough money to get there.

I could give you maybe $30.

That's very nice, Mr. Wagoner, but you'll need it to get to California.

Ain't going to California.

Too old for that. I've been thinking.

- I wanna go home. - Home?

Why, your home is with us, Grandpa.

I mean Tennessee.

Ain't been back there for 45 years.

Was born there, and that's where I wanna die.

I can give you maybe $30.

Can you drive a car?

Never learned how...

and I'm too old to start now.

Was always good with mules, though.

Rode one from Tennessee, in fact, back in 1893.

- That was... - How about some more coffee?

Pa?

No, thanks.

I'd better go to bed.

God damn it, either tune that thing, or stop playing it!

I don't know how.

Bring it on in here!

Give me that.

I'll show you how to tune this thing only one time...

so you will pay attention, you hear?

You hold this "E" string down here at the fifth fret.

What're you staring at?

Is there something peculiar about the way I look?

Get out of here! Standing around here, staring at me like I'm a freak!

Get out of here! Beat it!

Get away from me.

Listen, honey, it's not your fault.

It's the sickness that makes him talk like that.

You can't blame him. It's not his fault, either.

You can't blame him no more than you could blame a cripple man for hobbling.

- You understand? - I guess so.

He's only human.

Come on, now.

I'm gonna fix him something to eat, and I want you to take it in to him.

Me? What if he don't want it?

You tell him he'd better eat it...

or I'll go in there and shove it down his throat.

She said that, did she?

Well, I guess, in that case I'd better try.

Look, Hoss.

Don't you go paying attention to me when I get like this.

It's the damn fever.

When it comes on, it makes me snappish as a pair of sheep shears.

That's okay.

Get that guitar.

You play it, I'll show you how to tune it.

Hold the "E" string down on the fifth fret right there at the top.

That's the way.

Play the "E" string and the "A" string open.

Now, listen. The only reason we're letting you go is...

I want you to keep him out of trouble, if you can.

Don't let him drink while he's driving... Listen now.

You have to promise me you won't go in that honkytonk, you hear?

- But I wanted to hear Uncle Red sing! - You'll just have to listen from outside.

You have to promise me that, or I won't let you go.

All right. You'd think I was a little kid, or something.

Uncle Red was playing in honkytonks by the time he was my age.

I'll have some chickens for you in the morning.

Well, look here! What's this, Red? Got yourself a helper?

This is my nephew, Whit. This is Lulu, she owns the joint.

Nephew! Ain't he something, now? Sure is cute, ain't he?

And he gets it all from me.

Well, you should have kept some for yourself.

I like them young, and that's a fact, but not that young.

How about if I give you a nickel, and you call me up in a couple of years?

- What do you think about that, Hoss? - Here you are, hon.

You can spend it now if you want...

but you gotta remember to call me in a couple of years.

Go ahead, take it.

- Thank you, ma'am. - You're welcome.

Sing good, Red.

I'll try.

A Nehi orange, please?

Thank you.

I'm Red Stovall and I'm here to do a few songs for you...

and pass the hat. So you got any requests...

just sound them out.

Let's go, Hoss.

Sure you gotta go, Red? I've got a room out back.