The Last Ride

Bring you the one and only lovesick blues boy, Hank Williams.

The Mother's Best Music Makers,

and yours truly, Mother's Best li'l ol' boy.

Hey, fellas, I'm glad to hear you holler this morning.

The sun is up, and everybody's awake

and a-rarin' to go, ain't they?

Yes, siree, they got an oven full of hot biscuits

they'll rare even fuller.

The aroma of Mother's Best biscuits is strong in the kitchen,

and we are ready to go.

We got a young lady visiting again this morning.

You ready? I'm ready, Hank.

What you gonna do?

Well, Hank, I'm gonna do something of yours.

All the boys are gonna join up with her,

and she's gonna sing you one now called Hey, Good Lookin'.

(SINGING) Say hey, good lookin'

What ya got cookin'?

How's about cookin' something up with me?

Sayin' hey, sweet baby

Don't you think maybe

we could find us a brand new recipe?

I'm gonna throw my datebook over the fence

Buy me one for five or ten cents

Keep it till it's covered with age

Ow!

Damn it.

(HANK AND YOUNG LADY CHATTERING ON RADIO)

(ANNOUNCER CHATTERING ON RADIO)

Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go! It's almost noon.

Hey-

You work on your car on your own time.

I just wanna get the tire changed before it starts raining.

Don't give a damn.

We got five cars to finish before closing time,

and I'm going to Mobile for Christmas.

Yes, sir.

Damn it.

What?

Damn it to hell. Hold on.

You ordered the fuel filter for that Dodge?

Yeah.

Well, it's the wrong damn one.

And now they're pitching a bitch over there.

I ordered what you told me to.

I don't order the wrong parts, son.

And if Western Auto don't trade that filter out,

it's coming out of your damn check.

Yeah, Charlie?

Yeah, it's just what I thought.

That numb nuts I got working for me, he screwed everything up.

Yeah.

Son, where's your manager?

Hey. Hey, there.

Whoa. That's a mighty fine car there, mister. Brand new?

No, ain't got but about 2,000 miles on it.

But we need to get her greased up for a trip up north.

Well, we can do her. We just can't do her till next week.

We got four cars ahead of you, and I'm closed tomorrow.

Well, well, that's...

That's just bad luck on both our parts.

Ain't it?

Say, chief, you don't know where I might

could hire me a driver for a week or two, do you?

No. No.

Might do it myself just to drive this girl,

but I gotta keep my hand on the plow here.

Pay's good.

No,no,no.

Don't you tempt me.

Sir.

That driving job, how much does it pay?

Well, I see you can grease them.

How do I know you can drive them?

I can drive them.

$10 a day plus meals and room.

When does it start?

Looks like you already got a job, son.

When does it start?

Can you handle a car in the snow?

Hell, I bet you ain't even never seen snow.

All right, look,

be at this address Monday at 8:00.

And clean your ass up.

Boss, we're using the name Wells on this trip.

This is Mr. Wells.

Nice to meet you, sir.

Okay, then.

Need to make it to Knoxville tonight, about seven, eight hours.

Might be some bad weather coming in.

Now, your passenger is not to have any whiskey, do you understand?

Yes, sir. Now, he's gonna ask.

But if he shows up drunk or too hungover to work,

you don't get paid.

Are we understood?

Yes, sir.

Have a nice trip.

Don't he have any luggage?

Everything's in the trunk.

Better get going. Wanna get ahead of that weather.

Yes, sir.

Oh, oh!

(BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN PLAYING)

(SINGING) I'm back in the saddle again

Out where a friend...

I got some business over on Jackson Avenue.

Take me there first.

(BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN CONTINUES PLAYING)

Local kid. Good driver. Just dumb enough to do it.

What do you mean "dumb enough to do it"?

What am I gonna do about these shows?

Hank booked these shows and I'm telling ya...

Sorry, pard', Mr. Wells ain't my problem no more.

He gonna be your problem

as soon as you call O'Keefe and tell him what's going on.

I'm telling you right now, he's gonna...

No, you tell O'Keefe. You tell O'Keefe.

So what the hell am I supposed to tell O'Keefe?

Driver just up and quit and all the money he's paying you?

Look, life's too short.

And that ship is heading for the rocks real fast.

So goodbye and good luck, and make sure you get my check in the mail.

Let's go, darling.

Wait here.

Help ya?

I need to see the doctor.

He's with a patient.

You want me to phone you in a prescription?

It's a personal matter.

I said Dr. Stoneacre is with a patient.

It's all right, Mary.

Come on back.

I swear.

Son, you look like hell.

Why don't we put you back in the hospital again?

Oh!

I gotta go to work. I'm fine.

You don't look fine. Where's your wife?

Which one?

You're not gonna mess this one up too, are ya?

She's at her mother's till I get back.

I'm here about Betsy.

I reckon she'll be having that baby any day now.

I reckon she will.

Well, I just want to...

Wanna make things right.

That won't be easy.

I wanna take care of the...

You know, the birth and all that. Will you be the one to do it?

Most likely.

Well, this should cover it.

If you need anything else, you just ask me. You know I'm good for it.

You shouldn't be going anywhere, son.

One of these days, you're gonna have to learn

spina bifida's not like the common cold.

I gotta go back to work. All this sitting around is killing me.

I don't need your damn help, boy.

Get me the hell out of this damn town.

I don't believe it.

Hold it, hold it. Stop the car.

Back it up.

George, you ol' S.O.B.

The hell you doing, boy?

Well, as I live and breathe!

Let me look at ya.

What're you doing out here, playing guitar in this cold?

Trying to make a dollar. You know it's true.

'Cause it is hard out here. I know, I know.

I got something here that might warm ya up a little bit.

Help yourself.

How ya doing? I'm doing all right.

They hired some hillbilly kid over here

to take me up to Charleston, West Virginia.

I'm playing up there.

You done hit the big time.

Yeah. Yes, sir.

So proud of ya.

Seven thousand people up there, they tell me.

You shut your mouth.

Yes, sir. Yeah, 7,000 people.

And you got that fine Cadillac.

Mmm-hmm.

Well, I hope I get to ride

'fore it gets too late

See, I got me some dreams

that just can't wait

(HONKY-TONK MAN PLAYING ON RADIO)

I need some cherry Luden's. Package store up ahead. Pull over.

Get me some Falstaff.

Sir?

Beer, boy.

You expect me to ride 800 miles without a damn beer?

Well, no, sir. It's just that...

That's okay. I don't wanna get sleepy.

Well, suit yourself.

Let's get going. We're behind schedule already.