when we leaving town, kid? this week?
i thought --
you must feel different about it than you did saturday.
you want me to turn out the light?
undertired, i guess. if a person rests all day, she doesn't have much to rest up from at night. why don't you have a nice hot bath? i could give you a rubdown and then you could have a nice hot bath, and then maybe you could sleep.
last night i went to a movie with the shooter's woman. french movie.
they had the words in english at the bottom of the picture. but the shooter's woman knew what they were saying without it. pig's woman or somebody told me she went to college.
i think maybe she really did go. but i never quite dared to up and ask her.
we got to be kind of friendly when you both were in that three-day game down to cairo. 'course she's older'n me.
weird. it wasn't a straight story where you knew whose side you were on, the way you do in regular pictures.
yeah. there were lots of things i didn't understand.
well, there's this town in europe a long time ago where they get a message from a spanish general he's coming to spend the night with his troops. so all the men are scared silly about what the soldiers will do to them.
but all the wives and daughters tell the men to go hide somewhere and let them bargain with the enemy.
wait. the way they handle it is they go to bed with the spaniards. and the next morning the soldiers go off peacefully and everybody's happy.
that's part of what i wasn't sure of. i guess they know what went on but they care more about their safety and their money than they do about their honor.
i'll just turn off the bath water.
i don't know, melba.
at the what?
i never been. i'm not even sure what you do.
the third time i stayed. never went back to the boarding house except to pick up my things.
well, just one.
the nights he isn't there.
you find a guy, you love him, and that's it. it's supposed to just go on like that for life. right?
but it isn't my life, it's his life, with me tacked on. you have any idea what it's like to be a hash slinger in a cheap restaurant?
it's hell, if you'll excuse the word. but i didn't want to quit. the kid made me. i felt i ought to hang on to something that was me away from him. you know what i mean?
i'm serious. having children might take care of it, i don't know. or -- this is really a terrible thing to admit.
if he was rich, or famous --
why not? well, if he was rich and famous, maybe i wouldn't mind so much just being -- just a woman to him. do you think that might make it seem more worthwhile somehow?
i'm not sure. in a way it seems soft of --
well, yes.
how'd you sleep kid?
i hope you don't mind my not being there when you woke up.
she told me. it's a very big game, i hear.
will it be long?
i thought --
i'd go home and see mama.
oh, i wouldn't want much. bus is really the best way to go.
that would be fine, kid. just fine.
there's no reason for not going right now unless --
unless you wanted to go to bed first.
un-huh. i'd like it.
no. you?
i don't need it.
said what?
maybe i ought to stay with mama and papa a while, and see.
i never did like city streets.
uh-huh. the promise didn't fulfill itself for me.
come to the city and all. electric lights and flush toilets. all the pretty dreams -- it was all promise.
i don't know if you do or not kid -- you're city -- and i'm country -- you grew up with it.
what will you do?
i heard he's the man for you.
you'll win. you been coming on strong a long way. this is your time. come home with me to mama's kid.
i know you are honey -- i know it.
you don't have to.
kid --
this is going to sound kind of funny to you, but i want to ask it.
do you think there's any chance, if you do win this big game, that you might do something else besides cards? i don't mean never play poker. i just mean not have it be the only thing you do.
i realize --
yes, i can see that. of course i didn't say quit.
that's all right.
i been thinking about it a long time. i been planning to go home and see how i felt about things.
that's all.
no, this is your time -- now you go on honey and you play the man -- i'll be at mama's.
that's all right.
i don't guess i'll ever forget these rooms, kid.
you going to move?
goodbye, kid. good luck.
hello, kid.
taking if off is harder than taking it on in.
how's the shooter?
you haven't played yet?
this is eric, mama. he's come to see me.
we lost suction on the pump right in the middle of canning.
spring beans, you have to cook them fast. but you find yourself some breakfast.
you can stay with us tonight and still make it back to st. lou on the sunday schedule by about midnight. i told mama and papa about the man. and all.
sure. and i'll see you a little later on. papa don't know everything. about you and me.
it stays warm all winter.
papa's mama used to bring her wash up here.
don't worry. it's on our land -- nobody uses it.
you must have said something to papa gave him the picture on us in st. lou. else he never would have spoke to you about this place.
even if he did know, i'm glad you told him.
so are you, foolish.
i can't stay long. papa'll be getting up to milk.
why did you come, kid?
rough how?
because of the poker game coming up?
what else is there could give you such a bad time?
oh, --
i sure don't. i told papa, wherever money comes from, it feels the same when you spend it.
i done some.
all right eric -- good luck monday.
hello, kid. hello, melba. you said wait home 'til you let me know.
it don't take much.
i'll be around if the kid wants me.
no, i've got my bag downstairs. maybe i'll take it over later on tonight.
fine. how's the game going?
i was wondering.
i know. and i don't want to rattle you. we got plenty to talk about, but it can all wait. except i want to say this. i came back because i figured if it was going to work with us, it's silly me sitting home with mama while you're playing your big game. i mean if i'm any use to you at all, this is when it's most important.
should you?
eric --
eric --
what's wrong?
no.
eric --
i've got to talk to you.
it's -- about us. what's going to happen?
if i go, i'm not going back to the apartment. if i go -- i'm just going.
eric --
are you all right?
i said good-bye.
no -- it doesn't really matter. i love you, kid -- and it's not enough.