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Ed and Hank
We're only dancin' on this earth for a short while...
Note:Time-wise this happened BEFORE the last post. (Hank just didn't have time to get to it in a timely manner.) But readin'-wise it doesn't matter.
Disclaimer: Hank told their story to Annie Proulx. Jack and Ennis are all hers. Ed and Hank belong only to each other. Rating: G $$: Nope.
Links to all previous posts are here:
http://myeyesaintblue.livejournal.com/10082.html
We're only dancin' on this earth for a short while...
"C'mon, Hank... grab yer jacket..."
"Wha'...? Why...? Where are we goin'...?"
"You'll know soon enough."
"Ya know it's a work night, dontcha, Ed...? 'Cause with you..."
"Yeah... I know... I know... 'Cause with me ev'ry night's a work night... C'mon, dumbass..."
"I'm comin'... I'm comin'... Ya know if'n we're goin' bowlin' I'm just gonna kick yer ass again..."
"We ain't goin' bowlin'."
Later...
"A movie...? But you don't like goin' ta the movies, Ed... Hell... I can't even remember the last time we went to a movie in a movie theater..."
"Well... We're goin' tonight."
"Move yer head so's I can see tha' sign better... So's... Lessee... Ya prob'bly wanna go ta 'Bride Wars', huh...? Too bad ya didn't check the time better... They only had early shows today..."
"I don't wanna go ta 'Bride Wars', dumbass."
"Well them first three are out too... On accounta their start times... So's it must be 'Underworld' then... Ya wanna go see them vampires 'n werewolves...?"
"I don't wanna go ta 'Underworld' neither, dumbass..."
"Well... I seriously doubt ya'd wanna go ta 'Doubt'... Wha' with yer crazy religious upbringin' 'n all..."
"Well you'd be right... 'cause I don't wanna go ta 'Doubt'..."
"So's... Ya really wanna go ta 'Milk', huh...? 'N you ain't kiddin'...?"
"I ain't kiddin'."
"Ya do realize it ain't about dairy farmin', dontcha...?"
"I know the movie's about Harvey Milk, dumbass... 'N I know he was the first openly gay politician ta get elected in California back in the seventies..."
"I thought maybe we'd rent it when it came out on dvd... But I never thought ya'd wanna actually go ta the movie theater 'n see it... Hell... I can't even believe it's playin' here in town..."
"Well it is... So's... d'ya wanna go... or not...?"
"Of course I wanna go... But... Are ya sure you do, Ed...?"
"Yeah... I wanna go... 'cause... ya know... a while back... I said I was kinda jealous of them gay fellas... the ones who had the nerve ta take ta the streets 'n all back then 'n start fightin' fer their rights..."
"Yeah... I remember... It was last spring... when we were on our way home from tha' trip we took ta the ocean 'n Sequoia National Park... 'n it was a while after we drove through Las Vegas... when we stopped ta switch drivers 'n them two fellas were sayin' good-bye ta each other..."
"Is there anythin' I ever say tha' ya don't remember 'xactly what I said 'n where 'n when I said it...?"
"Prob'bly... but if'n I don't remember how the hell would I know if I forgot...?"
"Wha'...?"
"I said if'n I..."
"Nevermind... But... when I'd see some a wha' was goin' on on the news sometimes... some a the kinda stuff that happens in the movie... what I didn' say before... was tha' just part a me was jealous of 'em... the other part... well... tha' part... it didn't wanna think I had anythin' ta do with fellas like them... 'n more than anythin'... I just wanted 'em ta shut the hell up about it... 'N I think maybe goin' ta this movie... in a theater 'n on a Saturday night 'n all... maybe tha' could be my way a sayin' I know now they were fightin' fer all of us... 'specially those of us tha' couldn't..."
"I gotta admit... I sure as hell didn't want them folks ta shut up... I was cheerin' 'em on... maybe real quiet-like at the time... but I still was... Even though it all seemed like it was a million miles away from here..."
"'N still does most a the time..."
"It sure does... 'N the news always gave more a the coverage ta that Anita Bryant 'n folks like tha'... D'ya remember her...? She was the spokeswoman fer Florida orange juice 'n she started that anti-gay group called 'Save the Children'.... 'n then gay folks 'n folks in favor of gay rights started boycottin' orange juice..."
"'S kinda hard ta ferget all tha'..."
"Well... I remember it was one a them weeks in between yer visits... 'n me 'n my ma 'n pa were watchin' the news one night... 'n a story about Anita Bryant 'n tha' boycott came on... 'n I jus' couldn't stand listenin' ta tha' self-righteous bitch no more so's I just got up 'n left the room... 'n the next mornin'... well... there weren't a drop of orange juice ta be found in the house... 'N as time went on... ev'ry now 'n again my pa would bring some orange juice home from the store... but by the next mornin' it'd always be gone..."
"Yer ma sure had a way of makin' her feelin's known withou' sayin' much of anythin'..."
"She sure did. 'N my pa... Hell... half the time he was asleep in his chair... So ta this day I ain't sure if he was payin' enough attention ta know what it was all about... or if'n the poor guy just liked orange juice 'n couldn't figure out why it kept disappearin'..."
"Yer pa... He was a real hard fella ta read... But... he didn't treat ya bad... Or me fer tha' matter..."
"No... But he needed me here... 'n he needed you helpin' out... otherwise him 'n my ma woulda lost the ranch..."
"True 'nough... But... how 'bout we just assume it was the latter...? That he didn't know wha' was goin' on 'n jus' couldn' figure out why all the orange juice kept disappearin'..."
"I guess it's possible... The way no one in my family ever really talked ta no one else... not about nothin' like that anyways... 'N it does make fer a better story... So... Okay... I hereby o-fficially declare tha' ta be the o-fficial-like version... Now... I hope I got the camera in this here truck 'cause I wanna take a picture of tha' sign... Shit... I don't see it..."
"Too bad."
"You don't sound real sincere. Hold on... Here it is..."
"Great. Just great."
"You still don't sound real sincere."
"Okay... Here's the deal... You can take a picture of that outside sign... but I ain't goin' in with ya if'n yer gonna start takin' pictures of ev'rythin' inside... like ya did at tha' bowlin' alley..."
"Okay... I'll just take a picture of the outside sign... So's... D'ya wanna wait here in the truck while I go in 'n buy the tickets...? 'S okay if'n ya do..."
"Nope. I ain't afraid a no 17 year-old high school student sellin' tickets..."
"Ya ain't, huh...?"
"Well... maybe justa l'il... But... I'm the one takin' you on this here date... so's I'll buy the tickets... 'N you can feel free ta stand right up next ta me when I do..."
"I can stand right up next ta ya, huh...?"
"Yep."
"But... Ya do realize we missed them early shows... so's it's gonna be full price, dontcha...?"
"No it ain't... We get tha' discount... ya know... fer bein' older 'n all..."
"You ain't gonna ask fer that... Are ya...? Jeez..."
"I sure as hell am."
"Dammit, Ed... It ain't worth it... What if someone sees us...? Shit..."
"If'n I can do it... You can do it too, dumbass..."
"Shit. Ya know... I'd betcha anythin'... if'n any businesses in town had ever started offerin' a discount ta folks fer bein' queer way back when you woulda been outta tha' closet a yers in no time flat..."
"I prob'bly woulda... But ya know damn well they start givin' tha' discount ta folks when they turn fifty-five... So's how 'bout you just pretend it's yer first time ev'rytime..."
"Fifty-five, huh...?"
"Yep."
"I guess I could live with tha'."
"C'mon, Hank... Let's go see us a movie..."
Later...
(MAJOR SPOILERS for the movie 'Milk' follow. If you haven't seen it or don't know already know the story and you want to skip Ed and Hank talkin' about the movie you can just go down to the link and count up 13 lines from there and start reading from "Damn, it's good ta get home.")
"Damn, Hank... tha' was real sad... But... still kinda upliftin' at the same time..."
"Yeah... It was... How one forty-somethin' year old man... armed only with a big ol' personality 'n the strength of his convictions... 'n knowin' right was on his side... can decide ta try 'n change some things... 'n end up makin' a real big diff'rence..."
"He was determined as hell... tha's fer sure..."
"He sure was... Wait a minute... No way are you drivin' back, Ed... You drove here... so's I'm drivin' back..."
"No way... I took you on this here date... so's I drive both ways."
"Well... when I took you bowlin' I drove there 'n you drove back."
"But I didn't wanna go bowlin'."
"Tha' don't matter."
"Yeah it does."
"Fine. You drive. But I'm drivin' both ways next time I take you somewheres."
"Not if'n it's somewheres I don't wanna go."
"Dumbass."
"Dumbass."
"Ya know, Ed... tha' makes eleven more folks who ya've came out ta... Kinda anyways..."
"Figures you'd count..."
"Although I guess them ones sittin' in front of us couldn't see us... so's it'd be more like seven... 'n even they couldn' see tha' yer hand was on my knee ev'ry now 'n again... But still... Tha' was somethin'..."
"No it weren't... Alls I was doin' was sittin' there with ya... 'N besides... ya gotta figure anyone in there was purty much on our side anyways... So's it was prob'bly a helluva lot harder fer you ta come out as old enough fer tha' discount than it was fer me ta sit in tha' theater... "
"Well tha' sure as hell weren't easy... But wha' you did was still somethin', dumbass... 'N I thought there'd be a few more folks than tha' there... It bein' Saturday night 'n all... But I guess considerin' where we live tha' still weren't too bad..."
"I'm kinda surpised ya didn't go runnin' up ta each 'n ev'ry one of 'em 'n introduce yerself..."
"Don't think I didn't wanna... But... I know this kinda stuff still ain't easy fer ya... Besides... what kinda date would I have been if'n I'd a gone off gallivantin' with other folks...?"
"A real bad one... 'N thanks, Hank... Fer not doin' it..."
"Yer welcome."
"'N I gotta admit... Some parts a tha' movie made me kinda uncomfortable..."
"You don't mean the kissin' 'n whatnot do ya...? Jeez, Ed... it weren't hardly nothin'..."
"I know it weren't... It was just watchin' it with them other folks around..."
"Well like ya said... ya gotta figure them folks were on our side... 'N besides... I think it's about damn time folks get used ta seein' men kissin' men 'n women kissin' women... on the big screen 'n on the small screen 'n in real life too... Hell... them TV shows don't think nothin' of tryin' ta outdo each other in splayin' out dead bodies in the grossest ways possible... but a simple kiss between two fellas would still get a whole buncha dumbass folks all riled up..."
"'N not in a good way."
"You said it."
"'N lemme guess... Now yer gonna start carryin' on about how it shoulda been gay guys playin' them gay guys..."
"Tha' don't matter none ta me... straight folks should be able ta play gay folks 'n gay folks should be able ta play straight folks... Hell... they're used ta tha'... But... it's too damn bad tha' there ain't all tha' many openly gay actors in Hollywood... 'n the ones there are don't get the starrin' roles... so's it makes folks afraid ta come out fer fear of it reinin' in their careers..."
"Ya'd think Hollywood would be one place where it wouldn't be like tha'..."
"Ya'd think."
"But... that Harvey Milk... He was a real brave man..."
"Yeah... He sure was... He knew he was a target 'n he didn't let it stop him... But... I don't think he suspected the bullet would come from a fellow city supervisor..."
"Hell... I still can't believe tha' fella only ended up servin' five years fer killin' him 'n tha' Mayor Moscone like tha'..."
"Yeah... 'N there's a whole 'nother movie in the whys 'n wherefores a tha'... but I read that tha' jury was stacked real good... or more like bad... in Dan White's favor... not a minority or gay person on it... 'n they were lookin' fer any reason they could ta go easy on him... But... I'm glad this movie was mostly about Harvey Milk... 'n his life... 'n not so much about his killer..."
"Yeah... 'N I think someone like Harvey Milk... he woulda wanted it tha' way..."
"He sure woulda."
"It was a damn shame though... him bein' killed like tha'... 'n the mayor too..."
"It sure was... 'N he weren't a city supervisor fer very long... but he still managed ta make a real big diff'rence... 'N what he was sayin' 'n workin' fer so hard back then is still true today... Tha' the more folks tha' come out the better... 'N I ain't fer forcin' folks ta come out who don't wanna... like some folks are... But..."
"Good. 'Cause I'm about as far out as I'm ever gonna get."
"'N yer a helluva lot further out than I ever thought was possible, Ed... But... I can sure understand why Harvey Milk wanted tha' so bad... 'cause like he said... if'n ev'ryone came out... then ev'ryone else would know tha' they know... 'n most likely love... someone who just happens ta be gay... 'N once ya know that one a yer family members... or friends... or co-workers... or neighbors... or yer insurance guy... or whoever else... is gay... it's a whole lot harder ta keep hatin' us or believin' we should be second class citizens..."
"I don't think tha'd be real hard fer most a the folks around these parts ta keep believin'..."
"Maybe not... But maybe fer some it would... 'N some is better than none 'n some more is even better than tha'..."
"But... ain't tha' what a lotta folks complain about...? Tha' gay folks are goin' around shovin' their gayness in ev'rybody else's faces..."
"I know I'd sure as hell like ta shove my gayness in yer face..."
"I shoulda seen that one comin'..."
"You sure shoulda, Ed... 'N ya will as soon as we get home..."
"'N I'm lookin' forward to it."
"Glad ta hear it... But... Hell... let 'em complain... in this here country folks are s'posed ta be free ta be whoever they are... 'n if'n our very existence offends folks... well then they should just look the hell away... or turn the damn channel... or don't go ta the damn movie... 'N if'n they want a whole lot fewer gay folks in the news... 'n marchin' down the streets... it's real simple... alls they gotta do is give us the same rights as they got... But here it is... thirty years after what happened in tha' movie happened 'n we still don't got nearly the same rights as other folks do... especially in states like this one... So's it's still real important that as many gay folks come out as possible... 'cause folks need ta know tha' we're here 'n we ain't goin' nowheres..."
"But... ya know damn well there's a whole lotta families tha'd still disown their own blood fer bein' gay... 'N ya can't blame some gay folks fer not bein' able ta handle tha'... Hell... Ya know you never came out ta yer folks... Not in words anyways..."
"Yeah... I know I didn't... But ya know my ma knew just the same... 'n my pa... well... he sure as hell knew I was spendin' my nights with you in tha' there trailer in back a the house... But... I can't imagine which would be worse... bein' spurned by the folks ya love 'n who ya thought loved you 'cause ya decided ta be true ta yerself... or livin' a lie 'cause yer afraid a that happenin'... I guess with my folks 'n us it was somewheres in between... Us pretendin' it wasn't so 'n them pretendin' they didn't know..."
"Well... ya know how crazy my folks were... so's even if'n I'd a had a name ta put to it back then... there's no way I ever woulda told them... 'N even after you 'n me started up... I still couldn' even admit it ta myself fer years 'n years... much less ta anybody else..."
"Yer kiddin'...?"
"Cut it out, dumbass... 'N when it came ta Nora 'n Iris 'n Ruth... there weren't ever a whole lotta words spoke about it between me 'n any of 'em... it was more like Nora tellin' Iris 'n Ruth 'n them sortin' it all out amongst theirselves... 'n then Iris... smartass college kid tha' she was... blurtin' it out at the dinner table with us that one time..."
"Tha's still my all-time fav'rite spit-take of yers... Damn... I wish I had that on tape... Or whatever the hell folks used back then..."
"But... it was still a whole lot better once I knew they all knew... 'n tha' they didn't hate me fer it... than it was livin' a lie all them years... But... if'n Iris had hated me fer it... Damn... I don't know what I woulda done..."
"But she didn't... 'N if'n she woulda... Well... I can't even finish tha' sentence... 'cause she wouldna... 'cause she just ain't tha' way..."
"Yeah... but fer some folks it don't turn out tha' well... 'n tha' can't be easy... 'N don't ferget them gay folks who are still afraid a losin' their jobs... 'N even if'n the the law is s'posed ta protect 'em... tha' don't mean the folks they work for won't drum up some other reason ta fire 'em... or tha' the folks they work with won't find a way ta make their life a livin' hell 'til they quit... Hell... Just the rumor of me bein' queer was enough fer them fellas I worked with ta make my life mis'rable... 'n I put up with it fer as long as I had ta 'cause I couldn't afford ta lose tha' job..."
"Yeah... Fightin' fer what's right ain't gen'rally easy... 'N fer some folks it migh' jus' be nigh' on impossible... 'N tha's the other reason Harvey Milk wanted ev'ryone who poss'bly could ta come out... ta give ev'ryone else hope... especially the younger folks... like he always said... 'Ya gotta give 'em hope'..."
"Yeah... tha's somethin' I didn't have none of sometimes..."
"I know, Ed... 'N it's a lot diff'rent now then it was back then... in some places anyways... but... if'n folks are livin' in small towns like this... it still ain't easy..."
"It sure as hell ain't."
"'N... remember tha' college homecomin' parade we stumbled acrost in town last fall...? 'N at first it was mostly just the same ol' same ol'... Hell... I even started wonderin' why the hell I bothered ta run back ta the truck 'n get the camera..."
"Yeah..."
"'N then we saw them gay 'n lesbian students walkin' along...
'N... even with them big ol' boxes on their heads... I never thought I'd see the day...
Not in this here town... Hell... I didn't even believe my own eyes at first...
'N I been meaning ta write about it...but I ain't ever
gotten around to it yet..."
"Hell... I couldn' hardly believe it neither...
'N I thought I'd lost ya fer the day when ya left me standin' there
'n went 'n joined 'em..."
"I just couldn't help myself...
Especially when I saw it said 'Go Queers!' on the back window a tha' car...
But ya know damn well I just stayed with 'em
fer about twenty yards... "
"More like thirty."
"'N I know they were wearin' them boxes on their heads... with tape over their mouths... partly ta make their point about bein' gay in a place like this... 'n withou' the same rights as ev'rybody else... but... I bet part of it was tha' they really were afraid ta be seen proclaimin' tha' they're queer in public like that..."
"I can't hardly blame 'em."
"Me neither... 'Cause even with them boxes on their heads... it still took a whole lotta nerve fer them ta do that here..."
"You can say that again."
"'N I admire 'em fer it... 'N Harvey Milk... he inspired folks ta do stuff like tha'... 'n more... 'N this world needs all the Harvey Milks it can get... Maybe I should put that another way... 'cause he was truly one of a kind... But this here world sure as hell needs a whole lot more folks in politics... 'n folks in sports... in folks in show biz... 'n folks anywheres else in the public eye who are gay ta come out... 'cause the more famous folks tha' do come out the easier it'll make it fer a whole lot of regular folks ta do the same... 'N I got a whole lotta admiration fer them tha' got the balls ta do it..."
"Uh... I did mention that I'm about as far out as I'm gonna get... Didn't I...?"
"Don't worry, Ed... I won't ever out ya no more than ya wanna be outed... Not much more anyways... 'N them folks tha' do put themselves out there... they still need a whole lotta regular folks like us doin' the ev'ryday stuff tha' makes a diff'rence... 'n writin' letters... 'n goin' ta them protests... So's... yer still goin' ta the next big rally fer gay rights with me in Salt Lake... whenever they're havin' it... Aren't ya...?"
"Yeah. I'll go again... So's long as Bill can watch the place tha' day... 'N I'll even carry a sign... Like I said I would... Not too big a sign though... Jus' somethin' reas'nable-like..."
"Well... Ya know wha' they say about the size of yer protest sign..."
"Nice try, dumbass... But I still ain't carryin' a real big sign."
"Mine's gonna be huge."
"Well don't go makin' it so's huge that I gotta help ya lug it around."
"I'll try ta keep it manageable."
"I'll believe that when I see it..."
"'N... maybe... maybe things really will change in our lifetime in this state... wha' with the governor comin' out in favor of civil unions..."
"Don't get yer hopes up, Hank... Ya know tha's prob'bly justa big ol' dog 'n pony show... Hell... after tha' Civil Rights Act passed in 1964 it still took tha' Mormon god fourteen more years ta decide Black folks were as equal as ev'rybody else... 'N ya know damn well even their god sayin' it's so still don't make it so in a whole lotta folks' eyes... 'specially 'round these parts..."
"Yeah... I know... 'N I guess the timin' of the governor sayin' that is purty suspect... wha' with how it just so happened ta coincide with the Mormon church admittin' they spent a whole helluva lot more money on gettin' Prop 8 passed than they admitted to at first..."
"'N ya also know damn well with the state legislature bein' mostly Mormon there's no way they'll ever pass anythin' that'll make Huntsman put his money where is mouth is... So's he says he's all fer civil unions 'n he gets a whole buncha national news cov'rage fer doin' so... 'n then some a the damage ta the Mormon church is fixed without anythin' ever havin' ta change... 'n Huntsman... he said he ain't runnin' fer governor again... but he knows if'n he runs fer higher office all them Mormon's he's pissed off will still vote fer him just 'cause he is Mormon..."
"Now yer soundin' like me..."
"Tha' can't be good."
"But... even if'n he ain't sincere... 'n it is all politics... tha's still a good sign... tha' the Mormons felt like they had ta have some prominent Mormon come out 'n say he's all fer civil unions... 'N if'n yer a gay Mormon kid hearin' Huntsman sayin' tha'... well... tha's gotta give ya some a tha' there hope..."
"I guess it would... even if'n it's mostly drowned out by the hate so many of them other Mormon's are spewin'..."
"'N that's why it's real important ta have as many well-known straight folks come out 'n say they're all fer gay rights too... Hell... well-known or not... gay or straight... the more folks tha' come out fer gay rights... ta their family 'n ta their friends 'n ta anyone they can... the more hope it'll give gay folks... 'n the more hate it'll counter-act... 'n the more of a diff'rence it'll make... 'n the more chance things'll really start ta change fer gay folks in ev'ry state acrost this country... includin' this one..."
"But... I know, Hank... if'n it weren't fer me... you'd be one a them folks out there in the public eye... haranguin' folks non-stop 'til they relented 'n gave us the same rights as they got just ta shut ya the hell up..."
"Yeah... No doubt I'd be the King of the World if not fer you holdin' me back..."
"King of the whole damn world, huh...?"
"Yep."
"Well.. in tha' case I'd say the world owes me fer doin' 'em a real big favor 'n holdin' ya back..."
"I'd say they do too... But... don't ever start thinkin' ya've held me back, Ed... 'Cause ya haven't... Hell... I may like ta talk ta folks a whole lot... 'n I think it's real important ta do watcha can ta try 'n change the things tha' need changin'... 'n yeah... I'm gettin' more involved 'cause gay folks are startin' ta get more active in this here state... but ya know damn well I ain't suited fer a life in politics..."
"Yeah... You'd prob'bly hafta work too hard."
"Yer damn right I would."
"But... ya know... in tha' movie... Harvey Milk's partner... or ex-partner... Scott...?"
"Yeah... I bet you could relate ta him gettin' wore out from all the politickin', huh...?"
"Yep... 'N him bein' so much younger 'n better lookin'... I could relate ta tha' too..."
"Yer less than a year younger than me, dumbass... 'N I happen ta think Sean Penn is good lookin' too... 'N he did a damn fine job a bein' Harvey Milk..."
"He sure did... But... Harvey 'n Scott... tha' phone call... the one they had righ' before... uh... tha' last day... 'n the way they were talkin'... it made ya think maybe they'd be gettin' back together again..."
"Yeah... I guess it did..."
"D'ya think tha' conversation happened... ya know... fer real-like...?"
"I dunno, Ed... From what I read... tha' movie took some liberties with the beginnin' of their story... So's I ain't sure about tha'... 'N ya know in a lotta movies or stories based on somethin' true they don't always follow exactly how things happened... "
"Yeah... I know tha' well 'nough..."
"But... It sure as hell coulda happened tha' way..."
"Well tha's the version I'm goin' with."
"Yeah. Me too."
"Jeez... Tomorrow I am definitely gonna fix these potholes in the driveway..."
"How 'bout I help ya...?"
"How 'bout ya do."
"Watch out fer that one..."
"Yeah... It's prit' near big enough ta swallow the truck whole..."
"Which reminds me of somethin' else altogether..."
"Ya know you got yerself a real one-track mind..."
"You complainin'...?"
"Nope."
"I didn't think so."
"Damn... S' good ta get home..."
"We were only gone fer a few hours, dumbass..."
"Well tha' don't mean it ain't still good ta get home..."
"Well I guess I can't argue with tha'..."
"Well it sure as hell seems like ya are..."
"Well I ain't... Hey, Ed... Ya do realize yer parkin' the truck next ta the house instead in the shed, dontcha...?"
"I realize it, dumbass..."
"Sos'... Wha's the occasion...?"
"It ain't s'posed ta snow tonight... 'n there ain't no meteor showers predicted neither... So's why the hell not...?"
"No reason I can think of... Wait a sec... turn the radio back on... not the engine... just the radio... I thought I heard 'em announcin' a song that I ain't heard in a long time..."
"It'll run down the battery... Can't ya just look it up on tha' tube-thing once we get inside...?"
"One lousy song won't run down the battery..."
"Fine... Here..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB8_ZQkM69U
"Don't know much about his-to-ry... Don't know much bi-o-lo-gy... C'mon, Ed... let's dance..."
"Dance...? I don't wanna dance..."
"Yeah ya do"
"No. I don't."
"C'mon... I'll be the tough city cop with the heart a gold 'n you can be the Amish woman fightin' ta suppress her forbidden desire fer me... but whenever she takes off tha' magic hat of hers she ends up succumbin' ta my irrestible charm... So's ya migh' wanna take off yer cowboy hat..."
"Wha' the hell are you talkin' about, dumbass...?"
"Tha' movie... 'Witness'... You remember... with Harrison Ford... 'n I can't remember the woman's name..."
"There's a surprise..."
"Kathy McGillis... Or Kelly... I think it was Kelly McGillis... C'mon, Ed... I ain't takin' 'no' fer an answer..."
"Okay, okay... Ya don't gotta pull my arm clear outta it's socket... But I'm leadin'..."
"Fine... You lead... But I'm still Harrison Ford..."
"Here come them dogs... Ya know they're gonna laugh at us, dontcha...?"
"So wha'...? They're always laughin' at us."
"True 'nough... But..."
"But wha'...?"
But... I dunno, Hank... maybe we shouldn't be dancin'... right after seein' tha' movie 'n all... 'cause it ain't always a real wonderful world..."
"It sure as hell ain't... Which is exactly why it's real important ta keep on fightin' fer wha's right... 'n ta dance whenever the hell the mood strikes... Now shut the hell up 'n let's dance, Ed... it's a short song..."
"...But I do know one and one is two... And if this one could be with you
what a wonderful world this would be
Now I don't claim to be an A student but I'm tryin' ta be
for maybe by bein' an A student, baby
I can win your love for me
Don't know much about history... Don't know much biology
Don't much about a science book... Don't know much about the French I took
But I do know that I love you... And I know that if you love me too
what a wonderful world this would be..."
la ta ta ta ta ta taaa...
History...
Mmmmmmmm....
Biology....
la la ta ta cha cha chaaa...
Science book...
Mmmmmmmm....
French I took...
Yeah...
But I do know that I love you and I know that since you love me too
what a wonderful world this can be..."
"Ya know, Hank..."
"Yeah...?"
"I don't know much bi-o-lo-gy neither... But I know some..."
"Ya do, huh...?"
"Yep. So's... d'ya want me ta show ya...?"
"I sure do... But I gotta warn ya... I'm a hard grader..."
"Ya are, huh...?"
"Yep. Real hard... D'ya think yer up fer it...?"
"Yeah... I'm definitely up fer it..."
"So's how 'bout you turn off tha' radio 'n I'll meet ya upstairs..."
"Wait a sec, Hank... Lookit tha' moon... 'n all them stars... How 'bout we just stay out here...?"
"Out here...? No way... 'S too damn cold..."
"No it ain't... 'S practic'lly balmy... 'N... hold on..."
"Where ya goin'...?"
"The campin' stuff's in the back a the truck... How 'bout we just throw tha' pad 'n sleepin' bag 'n a couple a pillows down in the yard... behind the house maybe...?"
"Okay... But... Do you got a pencil 'n some paper...?"
"Why the hell d'ya wanna pencil 'n some paper...?"
"I gotta add this... 'n goin' ta tha' movie... ta the list of stuff ya've done that ain't predictable..."
"C'mere 'n help me with this, dumbass..."
Later...
"Damn... All them stars sure are purty, Ed..."
"They sure are..."
"Yeah... 'N if'n I could... I'd pull one of 'em down 'n paste it on yer ass..."
"I guess tha' means I got a passin' grade..."
"Yep... An A+... Yer at the top a the class..."
"I sure as hell better be the only one in tha' class..."
"Ya know damn well ya are, dumbass... aside from me anyways..."
"Well you weren't too bad yerself, Hank... I'd give ya a solid B."
"Even after all tha' stuff I did fer extra credit...? Thanks a lot."
"I jus' wanna give ya somethin' ta aspire to fer next time..."
"Ya don't want me restin' on my laurels, huh...?"
"What the hell are 'laurels' anyways...?"
"Damned if I know..."
"Maybe it's some fancy English word fer 'ass cheeks'..."
"Well you got yerself some mighty fine laurels, Ed..."
"So do you, Hank..."
"Thanks."
"'Course they'd prob'bly be even better if'n ya didn't rest on 'em quite so much..."
"I really shoulda seen that one comin'..."
"Yeah... Ya really shoulda."
"Look... there's a shootin' star, Ed... 'N another one... Didya see 'em...?"
"I saw the one... 'N I even made a wish..."
"Wha'd ya wish for...?"
"Tha' tha shootin' star don't plummet ta earth 'n crush the truck."
"Dumbass."
"Ya know damn well them shootin' stars are meteors... 'n ya also know damn well we cain't afford a new truck."
"Hey... I almost forgot... Happy Valentine's Day, Ed."
"Yer kiddin'...? It's February 14th already...?"
"Yep."
"Shit... It seems like it was New Year's justa couple a days ago... 'n now all a the sudden it's Valentine's Day... 'n next thing ya know it's gonna be July 4th 'n then Thanksgivin' 'n then... wham... another year's gone by... Shit..."
"It's still just February, Ed..."
"Ta hell with the damn truck... I shoulda wished fer time ta slow the hell down..."
"Well... I may not know much about as-tro-no-my... but I do know tha' there's plenty more shootin' stars where that one came from..."
"Then how 'bout we just stay out here 'til we see another one...?"
"How 'bout we do."
"Happy Valentine's day, Hank."
"I love yer dumb ass, Ed."
"'N I love yers too, Hank."
---
We're only dancin' on this earth for a short while...
Note:Time-wise this happened BEFORE the last post. (Hank just didn't have time to get to it in a timely manner.) But readin'-wise it doesn't matter.
Disclaimer: Hank told their story to Annie Proulx. Jack and Ennis are all hers. Ed and Hank belong only to each other. Rating: G $$: Nope.
Links to all previous posts are here:
http://myeyesaintblue.livejournal.com/10082.html
We're only dancin' on this earth for a short while...
"C'mon, Hank... grab yer jacket..."
"Wha'...? Why...? Where are we goin'...?"
"You'll know soon enough."
"Ya know it's a work night, dontcha, Ed...? 'Cause with you..."
"Yeah... I know... I know... 'Cause with me ev'ry night's a work night... C'mon, dumbass..."
"I'm comin'... I'm comin'... Ya know if'n we're goin' bowlin' I'm just gonna kick yer ass again..."
"We ain't goin' bowlin'."
Later...
"A movie...? But you don't like goin' ta the movies, Ed... Hell... I can't even remember the last time we went to a movie in a movie theater..."
"Well... We're goin' tonight."
"Move yer head so's I can see tha' sign better... So's... Lessee... Ya prob'bly wanna go ta 'Bride Wars', huh...? Too bad ya didn't check the time better... They only had early shows today..."
"I don't wanna go ta 'Bride Wars', dumbass."
"Well them first three are out too... On accounta their start times... So's it must be 'Underworld' then... Ya wanna go see them vampires 'n werewolves...?"
"I don't wanna go ta 'Underworld' neither, dumbass..."
"Well... I seriously doubt ya'd wanna go ta 'Doubt'... Wha' with yer crazy religious upbringin' 'n all..."
"Well you'd be right... 'cause I don't wanna go ta 'Doubt'..."
"So's... Ya really wanna go ta 'Milk', huh...? 'N you ain't kiddin'...?"
"I ain't kiddin'."
"Ya do realize it ain't about dairy farmin', dontcha...?"
"I know the movie's about Harvey Milk, dumbass... 'N I know he was the first openly gay politician ta get elected in California back in the seventies..."
"I thought maybe we'd rent it when it came out on dvd... But I never thought ya'd wanna actually go ta the movie theater 'n see it... Hell... I can't even believe it's playin' here in town..."
"Well it is... So's... d'ya wanna go... or not...?"
"Of course I wanna go... But... Are ya sure you do, Ed...?"
"Yeah... I wanna go... 'cause... ya know... a while back... I said I was kinda jealous of them gay fellas... the ones who had the nerve ta take ta the streets 'n all back then 'n start fightin' fer their rights..."
"Yeah... I remember... It was last spring... when we were on our way home from tha' trip we took ta the ocean 'n Sequoia National Park... 'n it was a while after we drove through Las Vegas... when we stopped ta switch drivers 'n them two fellas were sayin' good-bye ta each other..."
"Is there anythin' I ever say tha' ya don't remember 'xactly what I said 'n where 'n when I said it...?"
"Prob'bly... but if'n I don't remember how the hell would I know if I forgot...?"
"Wha'...?"
"I said if'n I..."
"Nevermind... But... when I'd see some a wha' was goin' on on the news sometimes... some a the kinda stuff that happens in the movie... what I didn' say before... was tha' just part a me was jealous of 'em... the other part... well... tha' part... it didn't wanna think I had anythin' ta do with fellas like them... 'n more than anythin'... I just wanted 'em ta shut the hell up about it... 'N I think maybe goin' ta this movie... in a theater 'n on a Saturday night 'n all... maybe tha' could be my way a sayin' I know now they were fightin' fer all of us... 'specially those of us tha' couldn't..."
"I gotta admit... I sure as hell didn't want them folks ta shut up... I was cheerin' 'em on... maybe real quiet-like at the time... but I still was... Even though it all seemed like it was a million miles away from here..."
"'N still does most a the time..."
"It sure does... 'N the news always gave more a the coverage ta that Anita Bryant 'n folks like tha'... D'ya remember her...? She was the spokeswoman fer Florida orange juice 'n she started that anti-gay group called 'Save the Children'.... 'n then gay folks 'n folks in favor of gay rights started boycottin' orange juice..."
"'S kinda hard ta ferget all tha'..."
"Well... I remember it was one a them weeks in between yer visits... 'n me 'n my ma 'n pa were watchin' the news one night... 'n a story about Anita Bryant 'n tha' boycott came on... 'n I jus' couldn't stand listenin' ta tha' self-righteous bitch no more so's I just got up 'n left the room... 'n the next mornin'... well... there weren't a drop of orange juice ta be found in the house... 'N as time went on... ev'ry now 'n again my pa would bring some orange juice home from the store... but by the next mornin' it'd always be gone..."
"Yer ma sure had a way of makin' her feelin's known withou' sayin' much of anythin'..."
"She sure did. 'N my pa... Hell... half the time he was asleep in his chair... So ta this day I ain't sure if he was payin' enough attention ta know what it was all about... or if'n the poor guy just liked orange juice 'n couldn't figure out why it kept disappearin'..."
"Yer pa... He was a real hard fella ta read... But... he didn't treat ya bad... Or me fer tha' matter..."
"No... But he needed me here... 'n he needed you helpin' out... otherwise him 'n my ma woulda lost the ranch..."
"True 'nough... But... how 'bout we just assume it was the latter...? That he didn't know wha' was goin' on 'n jus' couldn' figure out why all the orange juice kept disappearin'..."
"I guess it's possible... The way no one in my family ever really talked ta no one else... not about nothin' like that anyways... 'N it does make fer a better story... So... Okay... I hereby o-fficially declare tha' ta be the o-fficial-like version... Now... I hope I got the camera in this here truck 'cause I wanna take a picture of tha' sign... Shit... I don't see it..."
"Too bad."
"You don't sound real sincere. Hold on... Here it is..."
"Great. Just great."
"You still don't sound real sincere."
"Okay... Here's the deal... You can take a picture of that outside sign... but I ain't goin' in with ya if'n yer gonna start takin' pictures of ev'rythin' inside... like ya did at tha' bowlin' alley..."
"Okay... I'll just take a picture of the outside sign... So's... D'ya wanna wait here in the truck while I go in 'n buy the tickets...? 'S okay if'n ya do..."
"Nope. I ain't afraid a no 17 year-old high school student sellin' tickets..."
"Ya ain't, huh...?"
"Well... maybe justa l'il... But... I'm the one takin' you on this here date... so's I'll buy the tickets... 'N you can feel free ta stand right up next ta me when I do..."
"I can stand right up next ta ya, huh...?"
"Yep."
"But... Ya do realize we missed them early shows... so's it's gonna be full price, dontcha...?"
"No it ain't... We get tha' discount... ya know... fer bein' older 'n all..."
"You ain't gonna ask fer that... Are ya...? Jeez..."
"I sure as hell am."
"Dammit, Ed... It ain't worth it... What if someone sees us...? Shit..."
"If'n I can do it... You can do it too, dumbass..."
"Shit. Ya know... I'd betcha anythin'... if'n any businesses in town had ever started offerin' a discount ta folks fer bein' queer way back when you woulda been outta tha' closet a yers in no time flat..."
"I prob'bly woulda... But ya know damn well they start givin' tha' discount ta folks when they turn fifty-five... So's how 'bout you just pretend it's yer first time ev'rytime..."
"Fifty-five, huh...?"
"Yep."
"I guess I could live with tha'."
"C'mon, Hank... Let's go see us a movie..."
Later...
(MAJOR SPOILERS for the movie 'Milk' follow. If you haven't seen it or don't know already know the story and you want to skip Ed and Hank talkin' about the movie you can just go down to the link and count up 13 lines from there and start reading from "Damn, it's good ta get home.")
"Damn, Hank... tha' was real sad... But... still kinda upliftin' at the same time..."
"Yeah... It was... How one forty-somethin' year old man... armed only with a big ol' personality 'n the strength of his convictions... 'n knowin' right was on his side... can decide ta try 'n change some things... 'n end up makin' a real big diff'rence..."
"He was determined as hell... tha's fer sure..."
"He sure was... Wait a minute... No way are you drivin' back, Ed... You drove here... so's I'm drivin' back..."
"No way... I took you on this here date... so's I drive both ways."
"Well... when I took you bowlin' I drove there 'n you drove back."
"But I didn't wanna go bowlin'."
"Tha' don't matter."
"Yeah it does."
"Fine. You drive. But I'm drivin' both ways next time I take you somewheres."
"Not if'n it's somewheres I don't wanna go."
"Dumbass."
"Dumbass."
"Ya know, Ed... tha' makes eleven more folks who ya've came out ta... Kinda anyways..."
"Figures you'd count..."
"Although I guess them ones sittin' in front of us couldn't see us... so's it'd be more like seven... 'n even they couldn' see tha' yer hand was on my knee ev'ry now 'n again... But still... Tha' was somethin'..."
"No it weren't... Alls I was doin' was sittin' there with ya... 'N besides... ya gotta figure anyone in there was purty much on our side anyways... So's it was prob'bly a helluva lot harder fer you ta come out as old enough fer tha' discount than it was fer me ta sit in tha' theater... "
"Well tha' sure as hell weren't easy... But wha' you did was still somethin', dumbass... 'N I thought there'd be a few more folks than tha' there... It bein' Saturday night 'n all... But I guess considerin' where we live tha' still weren't too bad..."
"I'm kinda surpised ya didn't go runnin' up ta each 'n ev'ry one of 'em 'n introduce yerself..."
"Don't think I didn't wanna... But... I know this kinda stuff still ain't easy fer ya... Besides... what kinda date would I have been if'n I'd a gone off gallivantin' with other folks...?"
"A real bad one... 'N thanks, Hank... Fer not doin' it..."
"Yer welcome."
"'N I gotta admit... Some parts a tha' movie made me kinda uncomfortable..."
"You don't mean the kissin' 'n whatnot do ya...? Jeez, Ed... it weren't hardly nothin'..."
"I know it weren't... It was just watchin' it with them other folks around..."
"Well like ya said... ya gotta figure them folks were on our side... 'N besides... I think it's about damn time folks get used ta seein' men kissin' men 'n women kissin' women... on the big screen 'n on the small screen 'n in real life too... Hell... them TV shows don't think nothin' of tryin' ta outdo each other in splayin' out dead bodies in the grossest ways possible... but a simple kiss between two fellas would still get a whole buncha dumbass folks all riled up..."
"'N not in a good way."
"You said it."
"'N lemme guess... Now yer gonna start carryin' on about how it shoulda been gay guys playin' them gay guys..."
"Tha' don't matter none ta me... straight folks should be able ta play gay folks 'n gay folks should be able ta play straight folks... Hell... they're used ta tha'... But... it's too damn bad tha' there ain't all tha' many openly gay actors in Hollywood... 'n the ones there are don't get the starrin' roles... so's it makes folks afraid ta come out fer fear of it reinin' in their careers..."
"Ya'd think Hollywood would be one place where it wouldn't be like tha'..."
"Ya'd think."
"But... that Harvey Milk... He was a real brave man..."
"Yeah... He sure was... He knew he was a target 'n he didn't let it stop him... But... I don't think he suspected the bullet would come from a fellow city supervisor..."
"Hell... I still can't believe tha' fella only ended up servin' five years fer killin' him 'n tha' Mayor Moscone like tha'..."
"Yeah... 'N there's a whole 'nother movie in the whys 'n wherefores a tha'... but I read that tha' jury was stacked real good... or more like bad... in Dan White's favor... not a minority or gay person on it... 'n they were lookin' fer any reason they could ta go easy on him... But... I'm glad this movie was mostly about Harvey Milk... 'n his life... 'n not so much about his killer..."
"Yeah... 'N I think someone like Harvey Milk... he woulda wanted it tha' way..."
"He sure woulda."
"It was a damn shame though... him bein' killed like tha'... 'n the mayor too..."
"It sure was... 'N he weren't a city supervisor fer very long... but he still managed ta make a real big diff'rence... 'N what he was sayin' 'n workin' fer so hard back then is still true today... Tha' the more folks tha' come out the better... 'N I ain't fer forcin' folks ta come out who don't wanna... like some folks are... But..."
"Good. 'Cause I'm about as far out as I'm ever gonna get."
"'N yer a helluva lot further out than I ever thought was possible, Ed... But... I can sure understand why Harvey Milk wanted tha' so bad... 'cause like he said... if'n ev'ryone came out... then ev'ryone else would know tha' they know... 'n most likely love... someone who just happens ta be gay... 'N once ya know that one a yer family members... or friends... or co-workers... or neighbors... or yer insurance guy... or whoever else... is gay... it's a whole lot harder ta keep hatin' us or believin' we should be second class citizens..."
"I don't think tha'd be real hard fer most a the folks around these parts ta keep believin'..."
"Maybe not... But maybe fer some it would... 'N some is better than none 'n some more is even better than tha'..."
"But... ain't tha' what a lotta folks complain about...? Tha' gay folks are goin' around shovin' their gayness in ev'rybody else's faces..."
"I know I'd sure as hell like ta shove my gayness in yer face..."
"I shoulda seen that one comin'..."
"You sure shoulda, Ed... 'N ya will as soon as we get home..."
"'N I'm lookin' forward to it."
"Glad ta hear it... But... Hell... let 'em complain... in this here country folks are s'posed ta be free ta be whoever they are... 'n if'n our very existence offends folks... well then they should just look the hell away... or turn the damn channel... or don't go ta the damn movie... 'N if'n they want a whole lot fewer gay folks in the news... 'n marchin' down the streets... it's real simple... alls they gotta do is give us the same rights as they got... But here it is... thirty years after what happened in tha' movie happened 'n we still don't got nearly the same rights as other folks do... especially in states like this one... So's it's still real important that as many gay folks come out as possible... 'cause folks need ta know tha' we're here 'n we ain't goin' nowheres..."
"But... ya know damn well there's a whole lotta families tha'd still disown their own blood fer bein' gay... 'N ya can't blame some gay folks fer not bein' able ta handle tha'... Hell... Ya know you never came out ta yer folks... Not in words anyways..."
"Yeah... I know I didn't... But ya know my ma knew just the same... 'n my pa... well... he sure as hell knew I was spendin' my nights with you in tha' there trailer in back a the house... But... I can't imagine which would be worse... bein' spurned by the folks ya love 'n who ya thought loved you 'cause ya decided ta be true ta yerself... or livin' a lie 'cause yer afraid a that happenin'... I guess with my folks 'n us it was somewheres in between... Us pretendin' it wasn't so 'n them pretendin' they didn't know..."
"Well... ya know how crazy my folks were... so's even if'n I'd a had a name ta put to it back then... there's no way I ever woulda told them... 'N even after you 'n me started up... I still couldn' even admit it ta myself fer years 'n years... much less ta anybody else..."
"Yer kiddin'...?"
"Cut it out, dumbass... 'N when it came ta Nora 'n Iris 'n Ruth... there weren't ever a whole lotta words spoke about it between me 'n any of 'em... it was more like Nora tellin' Iris 'n Ruth 'n them sortin' it all out amongst theirselves... 'n then Iris... smartass college kid tha' she was... blurtin' it out at the dinner table with us that one time..."
"Tha's still my all-time fav'rite spit-take of yers... Damn... I wish I had that on tape... Or whatever the hell folks used back then..."
"But... it was still a whole lot better once I knew they all knew... 'n tha' they didn't hate me fer it... than it was livin' a lie all them years... But... if'n Iris had hated me fer it... Damn... I don't know what I woulda done..."
"But she didn't... 'N if'n she woulda... Well... I can't even finish tha' sentence... 'cause she wouldna... 'cause she just ain't tha' way..."
"Yeah... but fer some folks it don't turn out tha' well... 'n tha' can't be easy... 'N don't ferget them gay folks who are still afraid a losin' their jobs... 'N even if'n the the law is s'posed ta protect 'em... tha' don't mean the folks they work for won't drum up some other reason ta fire 'em... or tha' the folks they work with won't find a way ta make their life a livin' hell 'til they quit... Hell... Just the rumor of me bein' queer was enough fer them fellas I worked with ta make my life mis'rable... 'n I put up with it fer as long as I had ta 'cause I couldn't afford ta lose tha' job..."
"Yeah... Fightin' fer what's right ain't gen'rally easy... 'N fer some folks it migh' jus' be nigh' on impossible... 'N tha's the other reason Harvey Milk wanted ev'ryone who poss'bly could ta come out... ta give ev'ryone else hope... especially the younger folks... like he always said... 'Ya gotta give 'em hope'..."
"Yeah... tha's somethin' I didn't have none of sometimes..."
"I know, Ed... 'N it's a lot diff'rent now then it was back then... in some places anyways... but... if'n folks are livin' in small towns like this... it still ain't easy..."
"It sure as hell ain't."
"'N... remember tha' college homecomin' parade we stumbled acrost in town last fall...? 'N at first it was mostly just the same ol' same ol'... Hell... I even started wonderin' why the hell I bothered ta run back ta the truck 'n get the camera..."
"Yeah..."
"'N then we saw them gay 'n lesbian students walkin' along...
'N... even with them big ol' boxes on their heads... I never thought I'd see the day...
Not in this here town... Hell... I didn't even believe my own eyes at first...
'N I been meaning ta write about it...but I ain't ever
gotten around to it yet..."
"Hell... I couldn' hardly believe it neither...
'N I thought I'd lost ya fer the day when ya left me standin' there
'n went 'n joined 'em..."
"I just couldn't help myself...
Especially when I saw it said 'Go Queers!' on the back window a tha' car...
But ya know damn well I just stayed with 'em
fer about twenty yards... "
"More like thirty."
"'N I know they were wearin' them boxes on their heads... with tape over their mouths... partly ta make their point about bein' gay in a place like this... 'n withou' the same rights as ev'rybody else... but... I bet part of it was tha' they really were afraid ta be seen proclaimin' tha' they're queer in public like that..."
"I can't hardly blame 'em."
"Me neither... 'Cause even with them boxes on their heads... it still took a whole lotta nerve fer them ta do that here..."
"You can say that again."
"'N I admire 'em fer it... 'N Harvey Milk... he inspired folks ta do stuff like tha'... 'n more... 'N this world needs all the Harvey Milks it can get... Maybe I should put that another way... 'cause he was truly one of a kind... But this here world sure as hell needs a whole lot more folks in politics... 'n folks in sports... in folks in show biz... 'n folks anywheres else in the public eye who are gay ta come out... 'cause the more famous folks tha' do come out the easier it'll make it fer a whole lot of regular folks ta do the same... 'N I got a whole lotta admiration fer them tha' got the balls ta do it..."
"Uh... I did mention that I'm about as far out as I'm gonna get... Didn't I...?"
"Don't worry, Ed... I won't ever out ya no more than ya wanna be outed... Not much more anyways... 'N them folks tha' do put themselves out there... they still need a whole lotta regular folks like us doin' the ev'ryday stuff tha' makes a diff'rence... 'n writin' letters... 'n goin' ta them protests... So's... yer still goin' ta the next big rally fer gay rights with me in Salt Lake... whenever they're havin' it... Aren't ya...?"
"Yeah. I'll go again... So's long as Bill can watch the place tha' day... 'N I'll even carry a sign... Like I said I would... Not too big a sign though... Jus' somethin' reas'nable-like..."
"Well... Ya know wha' they say about the size of yer protest sign..."
"Nice try, dumbass... But I still ain't carryin' a real big sign."
"Mine's gonna be huge."
"Well don't go makin' it so's huge that I gotta help ya lug it around."
"I'll try ta keep it manageable."
"I'll believe that when I see it..."
"'N... maybe... maybe things really will change in our lifetime in this state... wha' with the governor comin' out in favor of civil unions..."
"Don't get yer hopes up, Hank... Ya know tha's prob'bly justa big ol' dog 'n pony show... Hell... after tha' Civil Rights Act passed in 1964 it still took tha' Mormon god fourteen more years ta decide Black folks were as equal as ev'rybody else... 'N ya know damn well even their god sayin' it's so still don't make it so in a whole lotta folks' eyes... 'specially 'round these parts..."
"Yeah... I know... 'N I guess the timin' of the governor sayin' that is purty suspect... wha' with how it just so happened ta coincide with the Mormon church admittin' they spent a whole helluva lot more money on gettin' Prop 8 passed than they admitted to at first..."
"'N ya also know damn well with the state legislature bein' mostly Mormon there's no way they'll ever pass anythin' that'll make Huntsman put his money where is mouth is... So's he says he's all fer civil unions 'n he gets a whole buncha national news cov'rage fer doin' so... 'n then some a the damage ta the Mormon church is fixed without anythin' ever havin' ta change... 'n Huntsman... he said he ain't runnin' fer governor again... but he knows if'n he runs fer higher office all them Mormon's he's pissed off will still vote fer him just 'cause he is Mormon..."
"Now yer soundin' like me..."
"Tha' can't be good."
"But... even if'n he ain't sincere... 'n it is all politics... tha's still a good sign... tha' the Mormons felt like they had ta have some prominent Mormon come out 'n say he's all fer civil unions... 'N if'n yer a gay Mormon kid hearin' Huntsman sayin' tha'... well... tha's gotta give ya some a tha' there hope..."
"I guess it would... even if'n it's mostly drowned out by the hate so many of them other Mormon's are spewin'..."
"'N that's why it's real important ta have as many well-known straight folks come out 'n say they're all fer gay rights too... Hell... well-known or not... gay or straight... the more folks tha' come out fer gay rights... ta their family 'n ta their friends 'n ta anyone they can... the more hope it'll give gay folks... 'n the more hate it'll counter-act... 'n the more of a diff'rence it'll make... 'n the more chance things'll really start ta change fer gay folks in ev'ry state acrost this country... includin' this one..."
"But... I know, Hank... if'n it weren't fer me... you'd be one a them folks out there in the public eye... haranguin' folks non-stop 'til they relented 'n gave us the same rights as they got just ta shut ya the hell up..."
"Yeah... No doubt I'd be the King of the World if not fer you holdin' me back..."
"King of the whole damn world, huh...?"
"Yep."
"Well.. in tha' case I'd say the world owes me fer doin' 'em a real big favor 'n holdin' ya back..."
"I'd say they do too... But... don't ever start thinkin' ya've held me back, Ed... 'Cause ya haven't... Hell... I may like ta talk ta folks a whole lot... 'n I think it's real important ta do watcha can ta try 'n change the things tha' need changin'... 'n yeah... I'm gettin' more involved 'cause gay folks are startin' ta get more active in this here state... but ya know damn well I ain't suited fer a life in politics..."
"Yeah... You'd prob'bly hafta work too hard."
"Yer damn right I would."
"But... ya know... in tha' movie... Harvey Milk's partner... or ex-partner... Scott...?"
"Yeah... I bet you could relate ta him gettin' wore out from all the politickin', huh...?"
"Yep... 'N him bein' so much younger 'n better lookin'... I could relate ta tha' too..."
"Yer less than a year younger than me, dumbass... 'N I happen ta think Sean Penn is good lookin' too... 'N he did a damn fine job a bein' Harvey Milk..."
"He sure did... But... Harvey 'n Scott... tha' phone call... the one they had righ' before... uh... tha' last day... 'n the way they were talkin'... it made ya think maybe they'd be gettin' back together again..."
"Yeah... I guess it did..."
"D'ya think tha' conversation happened... ya know... fer real-like...?"
"I dunno, Ed... From what I read... tha' movie took some liberties with the beginnin' of their story... So's I ain't sure about tha'... 'N ya know in a lotta movies or stories based on somethin' true they don't always follow exactly how things happened... "
"Yeah... I know tha' well 'nough..."
"But... It sure as hell coulda happened tha' way..."
"Well tha's the version I'm goin' with."
"Yeah. Me too."
"Jeez... Tomorrow I am definitely gonna fix these potholes in the driveway..."
"How 'bout I help ya...?"
"How 'bout ya do."
"Watch out fer that one..."
"Yeah... It's prit' near big enough ta swallow the truck whole..."
"Which reminds me of somethin' else altogether..."
"Ya know you got yerself a real one-track mind..."
"You complainin'...?"
"Nope."
"I didn't think so."
"Damn... S' good ta get home..."
"We were only gone fer a few hours, dumbass..."
"Well tha' don't mean it ain't still good ta get home..."
"Well I guess I can't argue with tha'..."
"Well it sure as hell seems like ya are..."
"Well I ain't... Hey, Ed... Ya do realize yer parkin' the truck next ta the house instead in the shed, dontcha...?"
"I realize it, dumbass..."
"Sos'... Wha's the occasion...?"
"It ain't s'posed ta snow tonight... 'n there ain't no meteor showers predicted neither... So's why the hell not...?"
"No reason I can think of... Wait a sec... turn the radio back on... not the engine... just the radio... I thought I heard 'em announcin' a song that I ain't heard in a long time..."
"It'll run down the battery... Can't ya just look it up on tha' tube-thing once we get inside...?"
"One lousy song won't run down the battery..."
"Fine... Here..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB8_ZQkM69U
"Don't know much about his-to-ry... Don't know much bi-o-lo-gy... C'mon, Ed... let's dance..."
"Dance...? I don't wanna dance..."
"Yeah ya do"
"No. I don't."
"C'mon... I'll be the tough city cop with the heart a gold 'n you can be the Amish woman fightin' ta suppress her forbidden desire fer me... but whenever she takes off tha' magic hat of hers she ends up succumbin' ta my irrestible charm... So's ya migh' wanna take off yer cowboy hat..."
"Wha' the hell are you talkin' about, dumbass...?"
"Tha' movie... 'Witness'... You remember... with Harrison Ford... 'n I can't remember the woman's name..."
"There's a surprise..."
"Kathy McGillis... Or Kelly... I think it was Kelly McGillis... C'mon, Ed... I ain't takin' 'no' fer an answer..."
"Okay, okay... Ya don't gotta pull my arm clear outta it's socket... But I'm leadin'..."
"Fine... You lead... But I'm still Harrison Ford..."
"Here come them dogs... Ya know they're gonna laugh at us, dontcha...?"
"So wha'...? They're always laughin' at us."
"True 'nough... But..."
"But wha'...?"
But... I dunno, Hank... maybe we shouldn't be dancin'... right after seein' tha' movie 'n all... 'cause it ain't always a real wonderful world..."
"It sure as hell ain't... Which is exactly why it's real important ta keep on fightin' fer wha's right... 'n ta dance whenever the hell the mood strikes... Now shut the hell up 'n let's dance, Ed... it's a short song..."
"...But I do know one and one is two... And if this one could be with you
what a wonderful world this would be
Now I don't claim to be an A student but I'm tryin' ta be
for maybe by bein' an A student, baby
I can win your love for me
Don't know much about history... Don't know much biology
Don't much about a science book... Don't know much about the French I took
But I do know that I love you... And I know that if you love me too
what a wonderful world this would be..."
la ta ta ta ta ta taaa...
History...
Mmmmmmmm....
Biology....
la la ta ta cha cha chaaa...
Science book...
Mmmmmmmm....
French I took...
Yeah...
But I do know that I love you and I know that since you love me too
what a wonderful world this can be..."
"Ya know, Hank..."
"Yeah...?"
"I don't know much bi-o-lo-gy neither... But I know some..."
"Ya do, huh...?"
"Yep. So's... d'ya want me ta show ya...?"
"I sure do... But I gotta warn ya... I'm a hard grader..."
"Ya are, huh...?"
"Yep. Real hard... D'ya think yer up fer it...?"
"Yeah... I'm definitely up fer it..."
"So's how 'bout you turn off tha' radio 'n I'll meet ya upstairs..."
"Wait a sec, Hank... Lookit tha' moon... 'n all them stars... How 'bout we just stay out here...?"
"Out here...? No way... 'S too damn cold..."
"No it ain't... 'S practic'lly balmy... 'N... hold on..."
"Where ya goin'...?"
"The campin' stuff's in the back a the truck... How 'bout we just throw tha' pad 'n sleepin' bag 'n a couple a pillows down in the yard... behind the house maybe...?"
"Okay... But... Do you got a pencil 'n some paper...?"
"Why the hell d'ya wanna pencil 'n some paper...?"
"I gotta add this... 'n goin' ta tha' movie... ta the list of stuff ya've done that ain't predictable..."
"C'mere 'n help me with this, dumbass..."
Later...
"Damn... All them stars sure are purty, Ed..."
"They sure are..."
"Yeah... 'N if'n I could... I'd pull one of 'em down 'n paste it on yer ass..."
"I guess tha' means I got a passin' grade..."
"Yep... An A+... Yer at the top a the class..."
"I sure as hell better be the only one in tha' class..."
"Ya know damn well ya are, dumbass... aside from me anyways..."
"Well you weren't too bad yerself, Hank... I'd give ya a solid B."
"Even after all tha' stuff I did fer extra credit...? Thanks a lot."
"I jus' wanna give ya somethin' ta aspire to fer next time..."
"Ya don't want me restin' on my laurels, huh...?"
"What the hell are 'laurels' anyways...?"
"Damned if I know..."
"Maybe it's some fancy English word fer 'ass cheeks'..."
"Well you got yerself some mighty fine laurels, Ed..."
"So do you, Hank..."
"Thanks."
"'Course they'd prob'bly be even better if'n ya didn't rest on 'em quite so much..."
"I really shoulda seen that one comin'..."
"Yeah... Ya really shoulda."
"Look... there's a shootin' star, Ed... 'N another one... Didya see 'em...?"
"I saw the one... 'N I even made a wish..."
"Wha'd ya wish for...?"
"Tha' tha shootin' star don't plummet ta earth 'n crush the truck."
"Dumbass."
"Ya know damn well them shootin' stars are meteors... 'n ya also know damn well we cain't afford a new truck."
"Hey... I almost forgot... Happy Valentine's Day, Ed."
"Yer kiddin'...? It's February 14th already...?"
"Yep."
"Shit... It seems like it was New Year's justa couple a days ago... 'n now all a the sudden it's Valentine's Day... 'n next thing ya know it's gonna be July 4th 'n then Thanksgivin' 'n then... wham... another year's gone by... Shit..."
"It's still just February, Ed..."
"Ta hell with the damn truck... I shoulda wished fer time ta slow the hell down..."
"Well... I may not know much about as-tro-no-my... but I do know tha' there's plenty more shootin' stars where that one came from..."
"Then how 'bout we just stay out here 'til we see another one...?"
"How 'bout we do."
"Happy Valentine's day, Hank."
"I love yer dumb ass, Ed."
"'N I love yers too, Hank."
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