A Home of Our Own

- This is the only photograph I own

from my childhood.

It was taken in 1955 when I was 8 years old

by my father, with a borrowed camera,

and it's the only thing I have left from those days,

except for my memories.

This is a true story.

This really happened to me.

By 1962, I was 15 years old.

I had two brothers and three sisters,

no father, no money.

I was the man of the house,

and my mother, well...

She was one of a kind.

Christ! You out of your mind?

What's the matter with you, asshole?

All right, all right.

What's the matter with you?

What's the matter with you?

Mr. Owens, to the office immediately.

Mist, ahhh!

- Fucking asshole, you clean it up yourself.

He's the one that started it.

So did you.

Come on. - Back off, back off.

He grabbed my ass.

Okay. Come on!

(Owens' talk drowned out by machine's noise)

- Oh, come on, Mr. Nardin, this wasn't my fault.

Owens scared me.

Look, I really need this job, Mr. Nardin.

You can't do this. I got kids, come on!

You're fired.

- I'm begging you, pl-- - You're fired!

- Lay off me on this, or you will get nothing.

Can you get off my back?

I will give the money to you. (thud)

You'll get the money, man!

Hi, kids.

Hi, mama.

Hi, mom.

- Faye, how about letting your old ma sit in the chair?

I don't feel so good, mama.

Hmm? How was the movie?

Well, it was scary.

Flying saucers and monsters.

Annie cried.

- Did not! - Did too!

Did not!

Did too!

Did not!

Did too!

- Did not! - Did too!

Did not!

You two, pipe down.

Did not, did not!

Did too.

Look, mama.

Oh, isn't that pretty?

Isn't that mine?

I don't know.

Where'd you guys get all this candy?

I just gave you enough money to go to the movies.

You took your own popcorn.

Lynn?

I don't know.

Faye?

It wasn't me.

Murray.

Pipe down, you two.

You're giving me an ulcer.

- Mrs. Lacey? - Yup.

- Is your husband home? - No, he's not.

What's the beef this time?

- Mama, I was just-- - You shut up.

- We got a complaint from the phone company.

Your kid had a string of their coin returns plugged.

That's what you collared him for?

Penny ante crap like that?

There's real crime in the streets

and you guys are busting kids for boosting nickels

from the goddamn phone company?

- Tell 'em, ma. - You, pipe down.

I've had a rotten day, a really rotten day,

and I wouldn't be in the mood for this

if it came with flowers.

So you're gonna keep him or throw him back?

He ain't worth the paperwork, ma'am.

Just take this as a little warning

and try to keep your Dillinger off the street.

You watch the name-calling and get out.

I take care of my own.

You do that, lady, 'cause next time

we might not be in such a good mood.

- So the shoeshine business has been real good lately, huh?

Been doing real good on tips, you told me.

- Well, I did get-- - Who did you lie to?

Your mother.

Go get your father's belt.

- That night, my mother made a decision.

She didn't bother asking us what we wanted to do.

She never did.

And once mama made up her mind,

there was no stopping her.

Thirsty.

Tomorrow morning we're moving out

of this toilet of a city.

Huh?

Don't "huh" me.

We're gonna find us a decent town to live in,

and a proper home, a house of our own.

That's that.

- I ain't leaving, I ain't leaving the neighborhood.

- One more "ain't" and I soap out that mouth.

You're going. We're all going.

I ain't. I'm not going.

We're leaving this city.

I don't have the chance of an ice cube in a frying pan

of making things better as long as we stay.

I'm sick of moving around.

That's too bad.

You're the man of the house.

Have you forgotten the promise you made me?

You swore you'd help me with your brothers and sisters,

that I could always count on you.

You gave me your word.

Yeah.

And that won't be easy,

but I can't do it without you, Shayne.

You get some sleep.

I'll make you a promise.

You do this for me, and we'll never move again.

Promise.

So we left L.A.

We sold everything we could.

What we couldn't sell or fit into our '48 Plymouth,

we gave away.

When most families take a trip,

they know where they're going.

Not us.

Mama just pointed the car,

sort of north, sort of east,

and away we went.

- Ma, would you tell Murray and Annie to quit it?

Would you two stop?

Mama.

Nobody gets the bunny.

I did not, Craig!

Yes, you did!

- Did not. - Did too.

Mama, I have to pee-pee.

- You just did. - Did not.

If you kids don't stop this,

I'm gonna leave you by the side of the road.

Annie, you just went. Pipe down.

- Did not! - Did too.

Did not.

Pipe down, you two.

- Did not. - Did too.

Did not.

I'm gonna come back there.

You don't want me to come back there.

Jimmy Johnson, K.i.F.l.

- Shayne, leave it for just a second, will you?

I'd like to hear just one song all the way through.

Sorry.

It's my turn up front.

- It is not! - Is too!

Now, now, don't you two start.

- It is too. - Murray, sit down.

You stink bug.

Is too.

Is not.

Pipe down!

Shayne, how'd you like to take the wheel?

Sure.

Scoot over here.

Thanks.

Hey! How about that place?

It looks like a nice place.

Nope.

Why not?

It ain't the right place.

- Well then, what is the right place?

I'll know it when I see it.

See...

We'll be driving down this road,

and there's gonna be trees on either side.

And we'll go around the curve,

and there it'll be,

a perfect little town.

Then a little further on will be our house.

Everything will be buttoned up and beautiful.

Lynn? Oh, honey.

Are you all right?

Give her some kool-aid.

Murray did it, Murray did it.

Don't spit in it.

Shut up, you little fink.

Cut it out. You cut it out!