Breaking In

Hey.

Hey.

I come to fix the tv.

Oh yeah, right, the tv.

Yeah, I forgot all about that.

I was just coming in to watch.

Uh, listen, uh,

we don't know if it's the antenna

or the set itself.

I got held up at the last place.

I'm not too late, am I?

Late? No...

Nah, you're not late.

What, it's only 8:00 or so.

It's kind of tough

working in the dark, isn't it?

I couldn't find the light switch.

Your father let me in on the way out.

Oh. Oh, right, dad. Yeah.

Well, listen, uh, you just, uh,

you go ahead with this thing here,

and, uh, I'll be in the kitchen.

If you need anything, just holler, ok?

Ooh... damn it.

Man, he's got an axe in there.

That guy's a little... He's some kind of psycho.

You and I are in the same business, kid.

Monkey business.

They don't have an antenna.

They're on cable.

You said antenna.

You should notice things like that.

So what are you after, kid?

You crashed this spot.

You must be after something. What is it?

Nothing. Just look around.

You know, check the refrigerator,

maybe watch some tv, read the mail.

What?

I don't steal anything.

I... I... I just, not like money or anything.

I just...

Spare me what you like to do.

Probably cream in your jeans

when you climb through a window.

A fuckin' whacko.

Hey, I don't do anything weird.

Yeah, I get excited. You know.

It's a real rush when you first come through.

A doormat thief would be one thing,

but a porch creeper.

How'd you know that was there?

I know a few things.

Gimme that beer.

No shit?

No shit!

Man! I never met anybody who did crime for a living.

I mean, I had a cousin once

held up a gas station on his bicycle, but he was nuts.

Runs in the family,

Hey, you with some kind of organization?

Yeah, the northwest homeowners association.

No...

I mean, like, uh, the mafia, or, uh...

What is this, meet the press?

So what are you doing with that thing over there?

Keeps the plaster dust down.

Bad sinuses.

Well, so how do you get one of them things open?

Very delicate operation.

Oh, Jesus!

Ha ha ha! Jesus!

Oh, man.

Nice strong front.

It makes the sucker who bought it happy.

But the back is like a tin can.

Punch your way right through it.

So what do you do for a living, kid?

Besides raid iceboxes.

I work in this garage, bob's tire and body.

11th and division, southeast.

Yeah, you been there?

I know the city.

My name's mike.

Mike lefebb. What's yours?

Know anybody else here in town?

Uh, well, the guys at work, I guess, uh...

Uh, my landlady.

But, uh, I haven't really had a chance to make any friends.

Well, if you meet any new friends,

don't tell them you know me, huh?

Of course not. What do you think I am?

I think you're a fuckin' whacko

that goes creeping around people's houses

for the thrill of it.

Uh, you need any help?

Just take that stuff back in the kitchen.

Wipe down everything you touched.

Don't worry about my prints. Cops don't got 'em.

The way you operate, the cops don't need 'em.

Go on, get out of here

before you get me in trouble.

Hey, what was your name again?

Ernie.

Uh. Ernie what?

Ernie's enough.

Hey.

What did you do upstairs?

Nothing.

Come on.

Well, I short-sheeted the beds.

Whacko.

Hi. I'm mike lefebb.

This your car?

Did you buy it?

This is my car.

I bought it.

It has a flat tire.

Lefebb.

He's got a flat tire over there.

No kiddin'.

Lefebb!

Yeah?

Phone call.

Don't take all day.

Hi.

Hi, ernie. Wh-what... How you doing?

Yeah. Yeah, sure. 4th and what?

Yeah. 7:30 out in front.

Listen, do you want me to bring my axe

or any of the other tools?

Hey, don't get sore. I don't know.

I mean, you know. Ok, ok.

All right, I'll see you. Bye.

Oh. That was my uncle ernie.

He's going in for his prostate.

He's kind of worried.

Just...

Nah, I've been in town

a couple months, now, you know.

Been up from castorville, california.

Artichoke capital of the world.

Yeah, you've been there?

I know the state.

What's this?

Your split from the other night.

Jesus. That's a lot of money in there.

It's $1,000. I didn't do anything.

You were there. Grand theft.

I'd rather have a partner than a witness.

Does this make me an accomplice?

You want to give it back?

No, no.

No, I'll keep it.

You got larceny in your blood, kid.

I knew that the first time I saw you.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Yeah, well I really enjoyed helping you the other night.

Thank you.

If you ever need an assistant.

Tonight.

Lookout.

Well, sure, but I don't know...

Learn by doing.

Hey, kid.

Jesus! You shouldn't creep up on me like that.

Did you do it?

I did what I set out to do.

What did we get?

I set out to see if you could follow orders,

if you had the right kind of patience.

What are you talking about?

I've been watching you all night.

You don't think I'd go on a real job

unless I checked you out, do you?

Where you been watching from?

Ringside seat right over in the hotel.

I feel ridiculous.

You are ridiculous.

But you got potential.

You could work for me... Maybe.

You come over to the house about 4:00

on saturday afternoon,

unless you hear from me first.

All right.

Better go home and get about an hour's sleep.

You got all those tires to wrassle with.

"Ernest mullins, sculptor"?

We're right in the flight path.

Has its advantages.

You do these?

Internal revenue has me pegged as a sculptor.

And the neighbors don't ask about all my tools.

Henry's or blitz?

I'll have a blitz.

Hey, these are pretty good, you know?

I mean, you know, for junk and all.

Right. I sold a couple at the swap meet.

So?