Broken Horses

Buddy.

Hey.

What's with the grin, pal?

Mr. Castillo said I did a good job. He even gave me an extra dollar.

Yeah?

So, that's your first paycheck, pal. You never forget that.

I told him to make it in three parts. For you, me, and Jakey.

Smart.

Jakey gets the extra dollar, 'cause he's the youngest.

Well, that he is.

Or I could get him a new violin.

For six bucks? I doubt it.

But I'll tell you what.

You give Jakey that six bucks and I'll throw in the fiddle for free.

Jakey'll go bananas. Bananas!

Yeah, he will.

Here, you want to take her for a spin?

Okay.

Those kids that call you slow...

Yeah.

They should see you shoot, boy.

Get that target there.

Do you think if I keep shooting good, that I could get a star, too?

Sure, son.

Then we could be partners?

We are partners.

But then I'd have to shoot people, right?

You might.

I'm not sure I'd like that.

Well, I don't like it, either, Buddy, but there's a lot of bad people out there.

Somebody's gotta stop 'em. You know, if everybody said,

"I'm not gonna do that job," then...

Well, who would stop 'em?

Man, that is some talent you got there, kid.

Jakey's also talented.

You've got two talented sons.

Well, Mr. Ashman says he saw that talented brother of yours

out on his property again yesterday.

With a slingshot.

Jakey never left the house.

He was at home playing checkers with me the whole afternoon.

Buddy, why do you always gotta protect your brother?

'Cause he always lets me win at checkers.

Pop, we're gonna miss Jakey's recital.

No, we got plenty of time.

Jakey.

They say the kitchen's closed.

I can get you a coffee.

I lost my daddy, too, when I was a boy.

I showed up at work. Just like you.

To support the family.

But I couldn't get my daddy out of my head.

How did he die?

Somebody shoot him?

Yes.

A bad man.

I met that man once, too. In the drug store.

He stopped and smiled at me.

I did nothing.

Nothing.

And that kills me to this day.

You know?

Sit down, boy.

Listen.

That man who killed your father, he won't get away. No, son, he won't.

I want you to read that out.

"Miguel Santion."

Yes.

You know him?

Take a good look.

He's the one.

He killed your daddy.

Now, you cannot let him get away.

Kill him.

- I can't. - You can't?

I don't know where he lives.

You don't know where he...

Why, I can find him for you. That's not a...

Look, I want you to take this. Go ahead, son.

Pick it up.

That's my father's.

Did you earn it like your daddy?

No, I don't think you did.

I think you got it because he died.

I think your daddy would want you to earn it?

Earn this.

You earn it and I'll pin it on you myself.

You understand me?

Yeah.

I understand.

I'm sorry for bothering you so late, ma'am.

But I need to speak to Mr. Santion...

Who the fuck are you?

I'm Buddy. I work at the diner.

Don't move! Don't you fucking move, retard!

What are you doing with my picture, you stupid fuck?

I was just making sure it was you.

- Welcome to the family. - Thank you, Mr. Hench.

Call me Julius, son.

- Jakey's had his supper. - Thanks, Ignacio.

Jakey, I ain't coming to school no more.

I got a new job.

So, I can take care of us.

Tell me about the ranch.

Well, it'll be just you and me,

and our house on the lake.

Are there horses?

Are you kidding me? What's a ranch without horses, dummy?

I'll get you a white stallion, with a red tanned saddle.

All your own.

- Swear? - Swear.

You just play your violin, okay?

Ignacio said, if I play real good,

Pop can hear it.

They said they'd let me know.

"Don't call us, we'll call you."

I should've played Bach.

But you love Paganini.

I fell in love with you when you played Paganini.

Yeah, well, they didn't.

Why don't you just bring it to the wedding? I'll get you a ticket.

Buddy, I can't. I'm sorry. I told you, I just can't, okay?

I will tell her, Buds. Bye.

Tell her what?

Buddy wants me to come home.

He got us a present. He says he can't bring it to the wedding.

That's so cute.

He never asks for anything.

- He's your brother. - Yeah, I know that.

It's like a different planet back there, you know?

And how do you know? You haven't been back for ages.

Go.

Yeah, it's been eight years.

You wanna come with me?

Can you please just go meet your brother so I can finish fixing this place up?

No. Not a chance.

Hey.

You look good.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

- Yeah... - No. Really, you look good.

I got a haircut.

Yeah? Yeah, I can see that.

That's Eric. That's Eric.

He's my bestest friend.

Yeah.

Hey, Jakey.

Like Pop had Joe, I have Eric.

Welcome home, kid.

Well, let's go.

- Hey, Jake, will you tell me... - What?

Where'd it go?

Yeah, will you tell me how this sounds real fast?

- Yeah, yeah. Sure. - Listen.

Ladies and gentlemen, I won't take long. It's the best day of my life.

What is it?

It's a speech, dummy.

- For your wedding. It's a wedding speech. - Of course.

Of course, it's a wedding speech, yeah.

- Well, is it good? - Yeah, well, let me hear the rest of it.

That's all I got so far.

It's only seven seconds.

What am I gonna do, Jakey?

Why don't you tell 'em a story? Like, about when we were kids?

A lot of good stories from when we were kids.

Yeah, you know, I know!

You know, I'll tell them about the time that I jumped in the pool

and I broke your Lincoln Log house

- and you were crying like a little girl. - Yeah!

- You remember that? - Yeah, right. Yeah, I remember that, yeah.

You took those logs, I didn't see them for weeks.

- Yeah. - You said you were gonna fix that house.

Yeah, I did fix it, though, didn't I?

- You did, yeah. - Didn't I?

Yeah, Buds. You did.

Yeah, that's a great story, Jakey.

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Yeah, they'll go bananas for that one.

Hey, Jakey, how many kids you planning on having?

I don't know, Buds. That's a ways off.

You know, I'm gonna quit my job and look after them kids.

Yeah, sure thing, Buds.

- Where are we going? - It's a surprise.

You got to do me a favor one second.

- Yeah, I'll do anything. - You got to close your eyes.

- Really? - Yeah. Close your eyes.

You want a surprise, or not? Close 'em.

- All right, all right, all right. - Come on!

Okay, open 'em!

Buds,

what is this?

A promise is a promise, Jakey.

Well, how do you like your wedding gift?

Come on.

Hey, this is my room. Right in here.

And your room's over here. Let me show it to you. Come here.

Buds, where did you get all the money for this?

I've been working real hard, Jakey.

Real hard.

You know, my boss, he saves my money up good.

When I told him I was quitting my job to look after your kids,