Thicker Than Water

WHOA.

HOLD NOW, HOLD.

YOU SORRY PIECE OF HORSE FLESH.

NOW, YOU SEE WHAT YOU DONE?

THEY GOT AWAY AGAIN.

- THAT WAS YOUR DADDY'S FAVORITE PAINTING.

- I USED TO CATCH HIM STARING AT IT.

HMM.

- SO, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, ABYGAIL?

I DON'T KNOW.

I NEVER EXPECTED JUDGE TRAVERS

TO LEAVE ME A THING, LET ALONE BE SO GENEROUS.

WELL, YOU'RE FAMILY.

YOU'VE BEEN WITH US SINCE...

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN YOU WEREN'T HERE.

JUST A MINUTE.

YOU CAN NEVER QUITE TELL WHAT'S INSIDE

A PERSON'S PRIVATE HEART AND SOUL.

YOUR FATHER DIDN'T TALK MUCH ABOUT HIMSELF,

BUT YOU CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT A PERSON

BY WHAT THEY HOLD ONTO OVER THE YEARS.

WELL, WHAT IS IT?

- IT'S SOMETHING YOUR DADDY SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU ABOUT.

BUT YOU KNOW MEN. THEY PUT THINGS OFF.

NO, NOT DADDY.

HE WAS MR. DISCIPLINE, MR. SCHEDULE, MR. PERFECT.

THAT WAS HIS JUDGE'S PERSONA.

THAT WAS HOW MOST PEOPLE SAW HIM,

BUT HE WAS STILL A MAN.

- YOU KNOW WHAT'S IN HERE, DON'T YOU?

YES. HE SHOWED IT TO ME ONCE

DEBATING HOW TO TELL YOU.

BUT HE JUST NEVER GOT AROUND TO IT.

I'LL BE HERE IF YOU WANT TO TALK.

HONEY, YOUR FRIEND LARRY IS HERE.

THANKS, ABYGAIL.

HEY, NAT.

YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO CALL ME.

I SHOULD HAVE COME ON MY OWN.

WHAT'S UP?

- I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU.

HERE.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

- I'M SORRY. I DON'T GET IT.

MY FATHER, THE EVER HONESTJUDGE CHARLES EVERETT TRAVERS,

HE WAS MARRIED BEFORE.

- BEFORE? - BEFORE MY MOTHER.

YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE SECRET

THAT HE CARRIED TO HIS GRAVE WITH HIM.

WHY DIDN'T HE EVER TELL ME?

- I'M SURE HE HAD HIS REASONS FOR NOT TELLING YOU.

- OH, DON'T DEFEND HIM. - THERE'S NOTHING TO DEFEND.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT HE PROBABLYHAD HIS REASONS

FOR NOT TELLING YOU THIS.

I NEVER KNOW WHAT TO DO IN THESE SITUATIONS.

WHAT SITUATIONS?

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME A FRIEND OF YOURS CAME TO YOU

AND SAID THAT HER FATHER WAS MARRIED BEFORE HER MOTHER

AND TO A TRICK RIDER NO LESS.

A TRICK RIDER?

YES, A COWGIRL.

SHE RODE HORSES IN A RODEO LIKE A SIDESHOW CLOWN.

- WELL, SHE RODE HORSES. YOU RIDE HORSES.

- I AM NOT A COWGIRL. - WELL, THEY WERE VERY YOUNG.

I WONDER IF MY MOTHER KNEW.

WELL, I'M SURE SHE KNEW THATHE HAD A LIFE BEFORE THEY MET.

I MEAN, PEOPLE DO REMARRY.

AND I'M SURE THAT IF SHE LIVED LONGER

SHE WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU.

- BUT HOW COME HE DIDN'T TELL ME?

WELL...

CHECK HER OUT. SHE'S PRETTY COOL.

I MEAN, LOOK AT THOSE CLOTHES.

I DIG THAT HAT.

I BET SHE STOOD ON THE BACK ON GALLOPING HORSES.

DON'T YOU KIND OF WONDER WHAT THEY HAD TOGETHER?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WONDER.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I FEEL.

HEY, COME HERE, PAL.

IT'S GOING TO BE OK.

IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT.

HEY, LULU. HEY.

- I'M SUPPOSED TO DO ALL THAT, SAM.

- YEAH, I KNOW, BUT I KNOW YOU CAN'T REACH.

AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT TWO FOOT DIRTY STREAK

DOWN THE MIDDLE OF MY WINDOW

LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THIS TOWN.

GO GET ME TEN DOLLARS WORTH OF GAS.

MORNING TO YOU TOO, SAM.

I'M SORRY. GOOD MORNING, LULU.

YOU LOOK TIRED THIS MORNING.

- PSYCHOLOGY TEST ON DEDUCTIVE REASONING. I STUDIED 'TIL TWO.

- YOU'RE ON TIME FOR WORK. I'M IMPRESSED.

- WELL, HAVE TO BE HERE AT THE CRACK OF DAWN

AS IF ANYONE BUT A MORON NEEDS GAS AT THIS HOUR.

- JESS, IF SHE'S STILL HOLDING ON UP THERE,

SHOULD BE SERVICE FOR SOMETHING IN THIS WORLD

EVEN IF IT'S FOR US MORONS.

WHAT'S THIS? SOME NEW POLICY?

I GIVE YOU A TEN. YOU GIVE ME A FIFTY?

- IT'S THE FIFTY YOU GAVE ME FOR JESS.

- I TOLD YOU TO PUT THIS IN HER FRUIT JAR.

- I DID, BUT SHE TOOK ONE LOOK AT IT

AND KNEW EXACTLY WHERE IT CAME FROM.

SAYS YOU KNOW SHE'S NOT A CHARITY CASE.

- THAT IS THE HARDEST HEADED WOMAN WE'LL EVER KNOW.

- SHE AIN'T EVER-- - ISN'T.

- ISN'T EVER GOING TO LET US REPAY HERE

FOR ANYTHING SHE OR HER MAMA DID FOR US.

THAT'S JUST THE WAY SHE IS.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO

KEEP ON TRYING, AREN'T WE?

SEE YOU, LULU.

BYE, SAM.

- BENNETT, MARTIN AND JORDAN. MAY I HELP YOU?

OH, HELLO, MAX.

UH, LET ME CHECK HER EXTENSION. CAN YOU HOLD?

YEAH, NANCY?

- NATALIE, MAX IS HOLDING FOR YOU ON LINE ONE.

THANKS.

HEY, MAX, WHAT DO YOU HAVE?

REALLY?

RIGHT HERE IN CALIFORNIA?

- JUST SEAT YOURSELF, HONEY! SPECIALS ARE UP ON THE BOARD.

I'LL BE RIGHT THERE.

HERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU.

SO, TELL ME, YOUR SALADS, ARE THEY--

- YOUR BEST BET'S ONE OF THE SPECIALS.

JUST PASSING THROUGH, ARE YOU?

- WELL, NO, I'M-- I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE.

ACTUALLY, I'M WRITING AN ARTICLEON OLD RODEO PERFORMERS,

AND I UNDERSTAND ONE OF THEM USED TO LIVE AROUND HERE.

- LOTS OF 'EM. IT'S KIND OF A MECCA.

OR IT WAS. WELL, THOSE DAYS ARE GONE FOR GOOD.

UM, CHILI'S GOOD TODAY.

YEAH, FINE. WHATEVER.

ONE CHILI, BILLY!

- UH, ONIONS? - OH, NO. THANK YOU.

HOLD THE ONIONS.

- HERE'S SOME MORE WATER JUST IN CASE THE CHILI'S TOO HOT.

SOMETIMES BILLY GETS A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY BACK THERE.

- THANK YOU. UH...

CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE I MIGHT FIND

A MAGGIE MAE JARRETT.

SHE WAS PRETTY WELL KNOWN FOR-- - TRICK RIDING, HONEY!

EVERYBODY THAT KNOWS ANYTHING KNOWS ABOUT MAGGIE MAE JARRETT.

GOOD, GOOD.SO MAYBE YOU KNOW WHERE SHE IS

OR WHERE I MIGHT FIND SOMEONE WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT HER.

- OH, RODEO FOLKS PRETTY MUCH ENDED UP ALL TOGETHER

WEST OF TOWN AT SHADY GROVE.

YOU TAKE THE FIRST DIRT ROAD TOYOUR RIGHT, LOOK FOR THE NAMES.

THIRD ROW ON YOUR LEFT. HER PLACE IS THE NEWEST.

- THANK YOU. - ENJOY.

MM.

JUST FREEZE.

HE'LL SLITHER OFF AS SOON AS HE FIGURES OUT

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HURT HIM.

MUST BE A NEST AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE.

I SEE ONE ALMOST EVERY TIME I COME OUT.

UH, A NEST?

YEAH, EVER SEEN ONE?

DOZENS AND DOZENS OF LITTLE ONES

JUST WIGGLING AND WRITHING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

- CAN YOU JUST DO SOMETHING, PLEASE?

YES. HEY, GO ON. GET!

GO ON. GET. GO ON.

GO ON.

YOU OK?

NO, NOT REALLY.

- YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU'RE FROM AROUND HERE.

YOU GOT FAMILY BURIED HERE OR SOMETHING?

UH, NO, I'M...RESEARCHING.

- RESEARCHING? - YEAH.

YEAH, I'M WRITING ABOUT RODEO PERFORMERS.

- OH MY GOODNESS. YOU'RE HERE FOR MAGGIE MAE AND HER PALS.