you should go into sales.
- I've actually tried that.
Some fresh ground pepper?
Please.
Some people don't like
a lot of pepper. Say when.
That's fine.
I happen to really
like it a lot.
It enhances the natural
flavor of the chicken.
I hope you don't take
this the wrong way.
I've had dreams about you.
You've had dreams about me?
Not recently.
I've had dreams
about you in the past.
I've had dreams about
entire cheerleading squads,
so don't get me wrong.
- It's kid stuff. How 'bout you?
- Do I dream?
That's about all I do.
Raisin' a kid's hard work.
You got any kids?
No, sir. And from
listening to you,
and from observin' this,
I'm kinda grateful
Emily turned up infertile.
Shouldn't you be
cleaning up the store?
I got plenty of time.
- Big store.
- Huge.
Always smoke cigars?
I enjoy a good one
after a fine meal.
It settles the stomach.
You're the town liar,
right?
- What?
- I'm sorry.
That really came out wrong.
- How could it come out right?
- That's what people call you.
- I didn't mean to imply it's true.
- People call me that?
- I thought you knew.
- That I was the town liar?
- You didn't?
- No. I'm not.
- You have the wrong information.
- I didn't mean to offend you.
- Did you think that was a compliment?
- No. And I apologize.
- I can't repeat things like that.
- Don't think about it.
As I said, you've got
the wrong information.
If people are calling me that,
it's because they're
small, petty and jealous.
Small towns are
notorious for that.
- I'm sure there's a word for me.
- Sure.
- What do they call me?
- A tease.
Tease?
Yeah, I can see that.
Actually, I never teased.
This is becoming amusing,
- but who exactly calls me a liar?
- Everybody.
- Everybody.
- No, not everybody.
- There's some old people in town.
- Right.
- What do you think?
- What do I think?
Do you think I'm a liar?
I don't know you well enough.
You've known me for 17 years. We went to
the same schools from kindergarten on.
I knew of you, but I didn't
know you personally.
That's always bothered me.
I mean that old...
in-out, us-them thing.
- That's the way it's been.
- It's always bothered me.
- It's water over the dam now.
- But it's your dam and my water.
I got crapped on
a lot of years.
I meant that it's in the past.
The present
is a result of the past.
I look at my
high school yearbook...
and I don't see
four fabulous years.
I'm reminded of
what it feels like...
to have my underwear
yanked up my ass...
by some big football player.
And where are those guys now?
They're not working nights at Target.
I'll tell you that.
Yeah, You know...
I look at my yearbook...
and I see
four fabulous years...
that are gonna be the
highlight of my life.
Here's what it's like.
First you feel a hand
going down your pants...
and tighten around
the elastic waistband.
Highlight.
- Sometimes I'd actually see stars.
- It's not going to get better.
- Sometimes I'd actually see stars.
- It's not going to get better.
If I was particularly unlucky,
my shorts would rip completely free
and I'd get this really drastic...
Do you hear me?
Yeah.
I don't really care about a graphic
description of a childhood prank.
That prank was a motif in my life.
You know, I'm locked
in this store here...
because I didn't have
the guts to steal a skirt...
so I could get arrested
and embarrass my father...
in this stupid,
desperate, childish,
pathetic attempt to leave home.
You have your underwear
yanked up your ass.
I have my entire life
yanked up my ass!
You were speaking figuratively.
I was speaking literally.
And you're happy.
You're happy.
I'm not happy.
I'm working nights.
Everybody thinks I'm a liar.
My whole family's
laughing at me.
Reverend Harwell gave me
the finger last week.
At least you have
some control over your life.
- So do you.
- My father controls my life.
You're over 18.
You can tell him to drop dead.
- So can you.
- I don'