The Underneath

Are you getting off at Austin?

Huh? Yeah.

Going home?

Sort of.

Visiting?

- Yeah. - Relatives?

Yeah.

What kind?

Mother and brother.

Mother's getting married.

Hmm.

- Is he nice? - My brother?

No, the man your mother's gonna marry.

Oh. Never met him.

- I'm Susan. - Michael.

So you live here?

Yeah.

Where do you work?

I'm training to be a teller at the Grand Texas Bank.

Ah. So when do you take your test?

Oh, I don't know.

It's a self-study, so you can take it whenever you're ready.

I just don't think I'm ready yet.

Well, there's one way to find out.

Mom?

Michael?

Michael.

- Give me a hug! - Oh, I stink. I've been on a bus.

I don't care.

Nice butt.

You bastard.

- How's it going? - Good, good, good, man.

Shouldn't you be out clubbing motorists or something?

No, I'm on the night shift.

- Plus, I'm beating the homeless now. - I see.

Yeah, they're not as mobile.

So? How's it going?

- It's going. - You working?

- You hiring? - Yeah.

That's just what the force needs - another confused white boy.

I hear she's dating a small-time hood that bought the Ember, if you're interested.

I'm here for the wedding, Dave. So tell me about Ed.

Did you run a check on him?

- No, I did not. - Bullshit. I know you did.

All right. A small one. But he's clean.

No moving violations? No nothing?

Not in Texas.

Hooray for Mom.

I don't know. I, uh -

I can't decide right now. You go first.

I don't play the lottery. It's a waste of money.

Well, if I won, it's always been a dream of mine to breed dogs.

- No. - No?

- No. - Okay. How about a stamp collection, then?

Okay. Okay. That I'll go for.

All right.

- How about you, Michael? - I wouldn't believe it.

And if it were true, I'd... smile.

I'd just sit there quietly for five minutes, smile, and be rich.

I don't know. Come on, Mom. What?

You know I can't make decisions, but, um -

I know one thing I want:

I want the biggest TV they make -

two of 'em - with everything on it.

- Extra cheese? - Yeah.

So how long are you gonna stay, Michael?

I don't know. Maybe a little while. See some friends.

We got an opening, if you're looking for something.

Thanks. That's a kind offer.

I thought you needed law enforcement or military service...

to qualify for a job like that.

Helpful, but not mandatory.

If I put in a good word, they'd probably take him, no problem.

Beat going back to Sports Town.

I doubt that would be an option.

This is the official Lotto Texas drawing for August 13, 1994.

In the next 60 seconds, you could become Texas' newest millionaire!

So are you registered somewhere?

Michael...

when you're getting married at 56, you don't register.

- Oh. - ...by matching three, four...

five or six numbers in any order -

Can you get me some quick picks while you're out?

- Sure. How many? - Oh, five or so.

Don't wait up.

Good luck.

Mind if I sit?

How is it you can show your face without getting hurt?

I squared with everyone.

Everyone?

Okay.

So how are you?

Tommy, this is Michael Chambers.

Michael, Tommy Dundee.

Heard you moved.

Mother's getting married.

- To who? - Good guy.

Never heard of him.

Well -

Let Tommy buy you a drink. You'll buy him a drink, won't you?

- I'll buy him a drink. - Some other time.

Good to see you.

- Nice to meet you. - Yeah.

- What the hell was that? - What?

- What's he doing here? - I don't know. He just showed up.

Yeah, nobody's ex just "shows up." He wants something.

- Don't have an aneurysm, okay? - Let's go in the back.

I'm tired of watching guys sit up and b-b-beg for a dance.

It's like goddamn Sea World in here.

Hey, did you get my Twinkie?

- Huh? - My Twinkie. Did you get it?

I'm sorry. You wanted a Twinkie?

- I'm kidding, Michael. - Oh. Okay.

- Close it up. - All right. Watch your hands.

I hope I didn't wake you when I came in.

Did you get my quick picks?

Oh, jeez, I totally forgot. I'm sorry.

I-I'll get some - I'll get some today.

Rachel called.

She leave a number?

By the phone.

So we're on the back nine. It's a short par four.

I hit a big banana of a tee shot. Lands right in the wrong fairway.

This guy hits a beautiful drive. Cuts the corner of the dogleg.

Drops about 20 yards from the pin.

Do you wanna hear this?

- Please. - Okay.

S-S-Uh - Where was I?

- The pin. - Right, right, right. Okay. So I'm down 200 for the game.

This jerk is ridin' me, talking about...

my hair gettin' in my eyes, crap like that.

So I bet him two grand I can win the hole.

He says, "Okay, why not three?" I say, "Okay, why not five?"

Then he hesitates. And then he says, "Okay, five."

Then I knew he was a - a eunuch.

So I'm 230 yards out. I hit the best 3...

wood of my life.

I'm on the green. I'll be putting for a bird.

He skulls his approach shot. The ball sails clear over the green...

- and he's double bogey for the hole. - Gosh, that's exciting.

- If you keep this up - - Keep what up?

- Huh? - Chambers?

Yeah?

How'd you know Dallas was gonna beat the spread?

You know, I can't begin to describe to you how.

I-I just knew.

Some people are interested in trying to garnish your wages.

I suggest you take care of 'em.

- Okay, thanks. - Take my advice, Michael.

Don't spend that money. Get yourself squared.

Thanks.

Mm!

Feels almost as good as you.

God, I love betting.

I was surprised to get your call.

I was surprised to see you at the club.

Just getting my weekly dose of secondhand smoke.

Right.

- So how's the acting gig? - I gave it up.

- Really? - Isn't that what you wanted?

I never interfered.

Oh.

So beneath the apathetic exterior, there was actually a raging indifference.

I get it.

- So tell me about Tommy Dundee. - Tommy?

We go out.

- How long? - A few months.

He treat you okay?

Not as well as guys without money.

He's gonna teach me how to manage the club.

He looks like he might be into things besides managing a club.

Yeah.

- For instance? - I don't know.

You don't know 'cause you don't know, or 'cause you don't want to know?

I don't know 'cause I don't ask.

I wrote you a long letter after you left about everything.

- Took me a week. - I never got it.

I burned it.

Ooh, I walked right into that one.

Must be a new sensation for you, walking into something.

- Is this yours? - Yep.

- It's nice. - Men buy me Mustangs. I don't know why.

- Can I see you again? - I don't think that's a good idea.

- Rach - - You humiliated me.

I didn't get a warning, I didn't get an explanation...

and I had to deal with all the ugly shit you left behind.

- It wasn't right. - I know that.

Don't call me. Don't try and find me.

It makes it hard with Tommy.

- She goes where? - To the library.

- The library? - She's been taking this correspondence course.

- She's studying. - Until 11:00 every night?

It closes at 11:00. I checked.

Gee, you're a one-man Warren Commission.

Take my advice: Follow her.

- I couldn't do that. - You'll thank me.

- Hey, Ed. - How's it going, boys?

You know - same shit, different day.