Undertow

I never dreamed that the life of my grandsons...

which began with such love and comfort...

would turn to see so much violence and bloodshed.

This is their story, as it was told to me.

We should disappear.

Go someplace where we can see everything.

Let me see your knife.

Can I carve my name in your face?

You goddamn son of a bitch!

Chris!

God!

Brandy, get over here. Come here!

He's getting away.

That son of a bitch broke my goddamn window!

Calm down.

You angry about something?

No.

He said that he...

has just about had it with you.

You want the truth?

I think you pushed your old man just about as far as you can push him.

I drive down here once a week to bail your ass out of some mess.

I don't want to hear your excuse. Go on outside and get in the car.

Just wait.

What? What am I waiting for, buddy?

You gonna collect yourself, show me some respect?

What's it gonna take, Chris?

- I'm not going! - I said, get in the goddamn car.

Today was supposed to be about your brother.

It's his birthday. It's not about you.

Bad enough we're waiting with our party hats on...

to get a call like that, how do you think that makes Tim feel?

It's all right, Dad.

No, it's not all right.

Don't you care about anybody but yourself?

...searching for an escaped inmate after yesterday's prison break...

at the County Penitentiary.

Two guards were stripped and killed in the incident following the riot.

In college basketball...

You can forget about that girlfriend of yours.

Duck out on your responsibility again, I'll bury you alive.

- You never let me leave this place. - You wanna leave?

- You wanna leave this place? - We can't even have friends!

What kind of birthday is it with just the three of us?

It's like we're being locked up, and for what?

What are you afraid we're gonna do?

I'm sorry I ruined your birthday.

I thought my birthday party would be a lot of fun.

You and Dad and me, we'd all have a good time.

But it didn't happen like that.

Before you know it...

things you say...

nobody's gonna listen.

I know what you feel.

You're just a kid.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

Now I'd like to introduce a special trio.

The Rebecca Trio have come, and have a song...

about what wonderful grace the Lord Jesus Christ gives us to live with.

I feel the touch

Of hands so kind and tender

They're leading me

In paths that I must trod

I'll have no fear

When Jesus walks beside me

For I'm sheltered in

The arms of God

So let the storms rage high

The dark clouds rise

They don't worry me

For I'm sheltered safe

Within the arms of God

He walks with me

And none other shall harm me

For I'm sheltered in

The arms of God

Chris.

I'm going into town. I won't be back till late.

- Where's Tim at? - I don't know.

- You put salt water in the feed? - Yeah, but I can't do all this by myself.

Why don't you send Tim out here to help for once?

He's no good at work.

Not much for strength.

I'm gonna have some of his birthday cake.

Not until you're done working here. There's a lot to be done.

It won't work. It won't blow.

- Got a hole in your foot. - I know.

It smells.

Can I stick my finger in it? In the hole?

No.

I would just wiggle it around, it would be cool.

You're up awful late.

Dad?

Yeah.

You're home.

I'm pretty beat.

I know I've been hard on you, Chris, but you know I love you.

You must have looked pretty classic with that board sticking out of your foot.

Wished I'd seen that.

It hurt.

It hurt like crap.

Sometimes it's the strange moments that stick with you.

I'm gonna go to bed.

Good night, Dad.

Tim, wake up.

It's a gift.

I like it.

You're trying to... Don't spit on me!

I'm tired of looking at your head. Come up here and bring me some nails.

I don't like being up there.

Who's that?

I think I'm lost.

Does John Munn live here?

- He's somewhere. - Who are you, little man?

He's here. Dad!

Can I help you?

John?

Put that booger down, brother, and come give me a kiss.

Well, I'll be. Deel.

It's a shocker, ain't It?

I found you.

These yours?

Yeah.

Come on in.

- That Dad's brother? - Never seen him before.

- You like his car? - Shut up.

What are you doing?

Organizing my books by the way they smell.

This one's about a guy...

Thought a lot about you, I got to say, Deel.

Yeah, well, I never did get no valentines, John.

I didn't know if you'd want to hear from me...

the way you blamed me for things. Don't say you didn't.

I won't.

Then when Audrey died...

I just couldn't bear it.

Took the kids out of school, didn't tell nobody.

Moved out here to live in the sticks like hermits.

Because people...

Sort of no reminders when you tear away from people.

I couldn't handle it...

the thought of you stuck in that place.

I was gonna go see you.

I even made plans, but I didn't. I just...

You don't gotta say nothing, John.

I feel like if I forgive...

then I'll be forgiven.

Lice gets everywhere.

Stay still.

Was she pretty?

- Who? - Mom.

She was kind of good-looking, I guess, for a mom.

She had a little moustache, though.

I always thought that was weird for a lady.

I remember her kind of perfume.

- You wanna smell my armpit? - No.

I wanna get me a haircut.

What are you gonna do now? Got any plans?

- I always got plans. - Here, wear that.

Long as I stay in the state, I'm good.

Check in with the parole officer every once in a while.

I got some masonry work lined up...

Watch your step there. Tim's got a rough stomach.

Got to admit, John...

you look like you're doing all right for yourself.

We're doing well enough.

We really are.

I sold all six hogs to this Korean farmer last week, just to clear the place out.

I've been looking for a good man to keep up around here.

I got some work at this little taxidermy shop. It's way out in Bilton.

Tell you what, why don't you stick around till your work starts?

You could...

be a help to me.

How's that?

Well, those kids are a handful.

Tim's got health problems. They're getting serious.

And when I'm gone, I worry Chris is gonna get into trouble...

and not take care of his responsibility.

Seems like every time I turn around...

the cops got him picked him up for something or other.

Breaking windows... He popped this kid in the face with a rake.

Then he breaks into a church.

The preacher finds him asleep on the altar, drunk on wine.

I could use another pair of eyes around here.

I couldn't pay you, but you get a roof over your head, and I'll feed you.

That way me and you could spend some time together, like you said.

I'd like that.

It's all the same to me.

A chicken ain't nothing but a bird.

Remember them old Mexican gold coins...

Dad stole from that museum when we was kids?

He always said when he died, you and me should split up the worth...

and treat ourselves like kings.

When he died, they raided this place. They took everything.

They even took those old Indian ashtrays.

Old man was a hell of a pirate.

But the worst taste in art.

I like them boots.

They're pretty cool.

You're cool.