What are you looking at?
Patsy Maynard, she used to be my favourite country weastern star.
You tell her you`re her mother she`ll just go away with you.
l lost my daughter once.
l`m not going to lose her again.
l told you to go to work.
Sorry.
Hotter than hell out here.
Come on, l didn`t mean anything by that. lt`s just an expression.
lt`s too late.
l can`t believe he`d do something like that, l mean where is all the forgiveness?
He is forgiving. There`s a gas station around the next curve.
How do you...
Never mind, l don`t want to know.
You`d think he`d be used to the way l am by now .
Howdy. - How are you doing?
What can l do for you? - The radiator overheated.
l can see that... lt been doing it regular?
No, everything was fine until l opened my big mouth.
You better check the hoses and the fan belt and everything.
lf you want a soda pop, the machines inside. This cooler`s broken.
No, no l`m fine. l was just listening to your song.
You heard it or listening to it? There`s a difference you know.
And people hear all kind of things You only listen when it`s good.
Well let`s say at first l heard it and then l started listening.
Really? - Really.
l keep hoping you know, maybe sometime, some record producer...
Maybe one of those guys from the Grand Ole Opry
be driving along and run out of gas or something.
Just when l`m singing.
Kind of dumb, huh?
No, no l don`t think it`s dumb to have a dream.
My mother was a singer. Evelyn Higgins.
Ever heard of her? - Evelyn Higgins? No, l can`t say l have.
She died when l was a baby.
Keep hoping l`m going to run into somebody who`d heard of her...
Someone who can tell me something about her.
Why don`t you just ask your father?
He doesn`t like to talk about her much, especially about her singing.
Sara, l`d appreciate it if you`d help out inside.
Yes Sir.
Your car is fixed and you can be on your way Mr.
Thanks very much. Your daughter here has a lovely voice.
Like l said, your car is fixed and waiting for you. Sara.
Thanks for listening Mr. - lt was my pleasure.
Hey, look at that.
What are you looking at?
Patsy Maynard - she used the my favourite country and western star.
You couldn`t put in a word at the top and get our next job here could you?
A matter of fact, that`s where it is. - The hell, you say.
Well at least we`re here.
Trudy, this is Jonathan Smith and Mark Gordon, new guys...
l want you to get them something to eat.
Mark here will help you out with whatever you need.
- Will do Johnny, after you eat
l want you to take these posters around town and spread them all over the place.
l can`t believe it, the Patsy Maynard. You know l used to buy all her records.
`Used to` is the operative word all right. From what l hear, she`s turned into a real lush.
Putting her name on it will bring in a few locals.
Between her and talent night we should do okay.
l want them posters up by tonight.
Good enough.
Trudy.
l don`t want the customers waiting for dinner.
l do the best l can. l am all alone in this kitchen.
lf you can`t handle it, tell me now. l`ll get somebody else to do the job.
Okay you boys you get 15 minutes to eat. Then l want to see some work going on around here.
Here you go fellas. - Thank you very much.
Old Nick`s is a real charmer, isn`t he. - Yeah, he`s got about as much charm as a train wreck.
Hope you like the chilli. - Why do you work for him?
No place else to work in a town like this. And l`m too old to move.
Besides, l got sentimental reasons.
l used to own this place, well me and my husband.
- lt was a real nice place then too. Folks would come for good food,
a couple of beers...
listen to some nice music. And even dance if they felt like it. Now it`s just a front.
Front for what? - Gambling. We`ve got what you call
one of them back rooms now. Everybody knows it, including the sheriff.
Why doesn`t he do something about it? - Why should he? As long as he gets his cut, he`s happy.
What about the local townspeople?
Just about everybody`s gambled in here at one time or another.
Most of them are in hock to Nick anyway. And that`s just the way he likes it.
- Trudy, get out here. My master`s voice. More chilli if you want it.
l will bet you ten the back room`s rigged l think we`re going to find out tonight.
Bartender, how about another one? Sure thing.
There we go. - That`s coffee.
Yeah, fresh brew too.
l want a drink, got it?
lt seems to me you had a few drinks before you got here.
Why don`t you try the coffee?
l said, a drink. - All right.
Now that`s more like it.
l said l wanted a drink.
You saw me pour it, didn`t you?
Yeah.
Did you see me drink it?
lf he saw me pour it and the glass is empty, you must have drunk it.
Yeah, yeah right, maybe l should take a drop of this coffee here. Smells pretty good.
Enjoy.
Patsy sent me out to get a drink for her.
Do me a favour, cover for me, yeah?
- What are you going to do? Get her a drink.
Go away. - lt`s Jonathan ma`am, the bartender.
That`s different.
Come on in, Mr bartender.
l`ll sit it right here. What`s that supposed to be?
That`s tea with honey and lemon. Caruso said it`s the best thing for your voice.
Well let Caruso drink it.
l sent your wally friend out for some bourbon.
No ma`am, l think you sent him out for an excuse and
l`m not going to be the one to give it to you.
You know, l can have you fired for that?
Yes, ma`am.
Well then go and get me that drink - l`m sorry, l can`t do that.
See, l`d rather hear you sing the way you do at your best than keep this job.
Must not be much of a job.
No, but you are some kind of singer.
There`ll always be other jobs. There`s only one Patsy Maynard.
Caruso, huh?
Not bad.
lt`s what they say about chicken soup. lt can`t hurt.
Thanks.
How`s it going?
Not too bad. Surprised how much coffee l have sold tonight.
Yeah, l bet.
Speaking of betting, you ought to see that back room.
All the cards are marked. The dealers are pulling more
out of their sleeves than they are out of the deck.
The wheel`s fixed. He`s got quite an operation fleecing the locals for all they`re worth.
Good old Nick.
- Hope your boss doesn`t expect to change him.
He can always try.
lt`s my bet, when old Nick bites the dust, he`s going to get a ticket South.
South?
Yeah, South.
Ladies and gentlemen. Bronco Billy`s is proud to present...
One of country and western`s former greats...
Miss Patsy Maynard.
Come on Patsy..
Oh l did it, oh l really did it.
Tim?
- Oh Lord in Heaven.
lt`s been a long time since El Paso.
Yeah, it has Evelyn, it sure has.
l have read a lot about you over the years.
l bet l know what you paid attention to.
The parts l read sounded pretty sad.
- Been some pretty sad times. lt hasn`t been easy for me either...
- Having to be both mother and father to a girl, hasn`t been easy.
Oh yeah, l know,
remember when l used to listen
to the country songs all day, about heartache.
Never even knew what that was 'til us.
lt is a heartache, isn`t it?
You`re the one who left, Evelyn.
Was it worth it?
You`re the one who wouldn`t let me come back, Tim.
Was that worth it to you?
lt`s a long time ago long. Let`s talk about now.
l don`t want the same thing that happened to you to happened to Sara.
Don`t shut the door on her Tim. - l`m doing what`s best for her.
- You`re her mother, you should want the same things for her.
You`ve got a lot of nerve, talking to me like that?
You told her that her mother was dead.
You told her she didn`t even have a mother.
l figured it was better to have one who`d died than one who`d run off on her.
ls that why you came here tonight, Tim?
To hurt me?
Sara`s coming to town tomorrow, and she`s going to walk out on me, just like you did.
Do you want her to have the kind of life you had these last years?
She doesn`t have to make the same mistakes l did
- Oh Evelyn.
l`m asking you to turn her around.
You tell her you`re her mother, she`ll just go away with you.
l lost my daughter once. l`m not going to lose her again.
Hey come on, you don`t have to do that. l can take care of these.
No trouble. - Well if it`s no trouble, let me do it.
Funny, that`s just what my husband used to say.
lf it ain`t no bother, then l`ll take care of it.
- He sounds like a very nice man.
Sweetest soul God ever got put on earth. lt broke his heart to lose this place.
No matter what l said... it was never the same.
l believe folks can die of a broken heart, you know.
So do l.
He had such guilt and felt so ashamed about being weak.
What do you mean? - He started gambling.
Like a sickness and Nick fed it, and that`s how he lost this place to Nick.
ln a game.
He was winning too.
- l kept saying to him 'stop, you`re ahead`.
Argh, but you can`t quit when you`re on a roll huh.
That`s just what he said, he`s on a roll. He`s hot, you can`t quit when you`re hot.
Then he started losing.
But you can`t quit when you`re losing `cause your luck`s going to change.
Almost sounds like you knew him.
lt`s like you say, it`s a sickness, symptoms are pretty much alike.
Finally there was one last game - winner take all.
Billy put up the deed. To tell you the truth, for one second
l thought he might have a chance, because he had a good hand.
l guess Nick`s luck was just a little better.
Maybe good old Nick had a little help.
We sure could have used some.
Well at least l had some help with the garbage cans. Come on.
Hi.
- Hey, hi yourself, what you doing here?
- Can l still sign up for that talent show thing?
Why, sure you can.
- Go in and sign up. You can even practice on the microphone and everything.
Never sung with a microphone before.
- First time for everything. Yeah, l guess.
- How did your dad take it, - give you a bad time?
Oh we had it out.
l had to choose, so l did.
He`ll come around. - You don`t know my daddy.
Maybe your daddy doesn`t know himself right now.
Go on, go get them.
Thank you.
Good luck.
- Excuse me.
- Miss Maynard. l didn`t mean to interrupt you.
Oh, that`s okay.
You`re a little young to be looking for a cocktail waitress job, aren`t you?
Oh no, l came to sign up for the talent contest.
- What`s your name, honey? - Sara. Sara Higgins.
You`re a mighty pretty girl, Miss Sara Higgins.
You`re Patsy Maynard, everybody knows who you are.
Everybody? - Sure, you`re famous.
Well l guess that`s who l am then.
ls that what you want to be? Famous?
l just want to sing. My mother was a singer.
Was she?
Sing me a song, sister Sara.
- Sing me something old, from a long time ago.
- Something your ma`ma might`ve sung.
Some sad sweet song, something that shares a secret.
Are you all right?
l don`t know.
l think l`d better save it for the audience.
Miss Maynard, are you going to be there tonight when l sing?
l don`t know, maybe. - l wish you could.
You don`t need me. - Yeah, l do.
You understand me. lt`s like you know me or something.
Maybe it`s because you`re the daughter of a singer?
And you`re a singer, and so am l.
l`m going. - l wish you`d change your mind.
l can`t.
l am stubborn, like you. - How you going to live?
l`ve already got a job at Charlie`s diner, l`ll make it out.
Til you get the big break, huh? l have to try daddy.
l`ve heard that before.
Where did you get that dress?
Patsy Maynard.
She thinks l`m good. She understands how l feel about singing.
l`m sure she does.
l`m sorry, daddy. Me too.
Wish me luck?
Sara, you take care of yourself now.
We are really packing them in tonight. Back room`s already loaded.
Nick is going to rip them apart tonight.
l wish we could do something. - ls that a wish or a prayer?
Does it matter? - lt might to the Boss.
- Take over for me. Where you going?
A little business to take care of. Don`t forget the prayer.
Hey buddy, how about some service over here?
l`ll be right back.
We got a packed house out there.
What`s going on here? l`m getting out of here, that`s what going on.
Are you crazy? You can`t walk out on a gig.
You`ve been drinking, haven`t you? l haven`t touched a drop.
What`s this all about? None of your business.
Yeah...
You walk out on me and you`re through in this business, l guarantee it.
You know Nick, your mama must have a lot of guilt, giving birth to someone like you.
Be out of here in five minutes, or l`ll throw you out.
Trudy, l`ve had four people complain already tonight about cold food.
That`s not my fault. - Whose fault is it?
Yours, you`re too cheap to hire enough waitresses.
That tears it, you are fired.
l only put up with you this long 'cause l felt obligated.
Bull!
You kept me this long because you felt guilty.
Guilty, about what?
Guilty about stealing this place from a man who
gave you a job when you were on your butt.
My husband... God rest his soul.
You are fired. Now. Hear me?
Too late. l quit.
- Here.
Thank you.
l`m all right.
lt was bound to happen.
At least l got a little something off my chest.
You sure did. - Oh l`m not going to miss him.
l`ll miss this place because...
Being here, l feel close to my husband.
l know.
Speaking of that l was um...
l was cleaning out that storage room and l found this...
l didn`t know if it meant anything to you.
lt`s Billy`s lucky charm.
He lost it the night he played Nick.
He really believed
he`d still own this place if he hadn`t lost it before the game.
Maybe he would have.
l can`t believe you`ve found it. l searched that room over and over.
Could be a sign.
What kind of a sign?
l don`t know. Just a feeling.
l know it sounds crazy, but if l were you, l`d try my luck tonight.
Me? Oh l don`t hold to gambling.
Neither do l. l`m saying it`s a feeling
Doesn`t it seem strange to you, the night you get fired, l find his lucky charm?
lt`s almost like your husband saying...
Go get `em.
You been drinking?
l haven`t been drinking, l told you it`s just a feeling.
What harm is it going to do? You put a dollar down and see what happens.
You`ve got nothing to lose.
lt sure would be something, wouldn`t it?
There`s only one way to find out.
Your five minutes are up.
Excuse me, l`m looking for Miss Maynard. - She`s gone, adios.
She`s gone? She said she was going to be here tonight.
Look kid, l don`t care what she said, she`s gone.
l`m supposed to sing tonight and she said she was going to be here.
So sing. You don`t need some washed up broad to encourage you.
Go on and...
Use the room. Good luck
Dear Sara, from one singer to another.
God be with you. Patsy.
l wanted you to be here.
Get your bets down, everybody wins.
l told you, you`re fired. Don`t come whining around for your job.
And l told you l quit. l`m here to play.
A dollar on number 23 red.
All right, get your bets down, everybody wins.
No more bets.
23 - Red.
Let it ride.
Get your bets down, everybody wins.
lsn`t it time you got to work?
You know, you`re right.
What is going on around here?
l told you to go to work.
Sorry.
- Mr Higgins. We`re closed.
Oh it`s you, what do you want?
l overheard you talking with your wife last night.
With Patsy.
You have a long nose pal.
l just thought you`d like to know she left town.
Without telling Sara who she was.
Sara didn`t go with her then? - No.
Matter of fact, she didn`t say much of anything to anybody.
She must love you both an awful lot to do that.
What are you talking about?
l`m talking about she had her chance. She could have taken your daughter with her.
You already pushed her away.
And who`s fault was that?
Yours.
Look Mr Higgins, we all make mistakes in this world.
Some of us just never admit it.
Which way was she headed? Do you know?
Tim, this is dispatch. Over.
This is Tim.
We got a woman calling from call box 62 on lnterstate 80.
Said her car broke down. You want it?
l can`t take it right now. - l`d take it.
Never can tell.
Okay, l`ll take it. - Okay.
You want to take a little ride? l`m kind of scared.
Sure. Let`s go.
You mind if l um... Why don`t l hook up the car?
l think youv`e got something better to do.
l appreciate that.
l just wanted to thank you.
lt must have been an awful hard thing to do.
Well...
you did a heck of a job raising her. l just couldn`t hurt her anymore.
Evelyn...
l was wrong to shut the door on you.
l don`t want that mistake with Sara.
lf she wants to sing, she can sing.
Oh, Timmy. l`m so glad.
l`m so glad.
Nobody has called me Timmy
For a lot of years. lt sounds nice.
l want to make up for something tonight.
l`ve been lying to Sara for a lot of years telling her
that loving you was a mistake. Well it wasn`t.
Not the... brightest thing l ever did.
She deserves to know she has a mother like you.
Maybe we could both tell her, together.
Your car is all out of whack anyway and you can`t stay out here all night.
There`s a lot of water under the bridge.
Not so much.
lt was on a night pretty much like this that l kissed you for the first time.
You remember?
El Paso.
Jonathan, Jonathan, you won`t believe it. l won. l won it all.
What do you mean? l mean, l got Billy`s place back.
l broke Nick.
You`re kidding?
Not on your life, it was Billy`s lucky charm that did it.
l closed the book for good.
Where`s Nick? - Oh, l gave him a job behind the bar.
Oh l got to go, l`ve got to start the show. Oh its just like old times.
Good luck.
Ladies and gentlemen, for the inaugural act...
At the new Bronco Billy`s...
New management...
We are proud to present Miss Sara Higgins.
lt`s time to make an exit. - You got it Kimosabe.
l couldn`t resist.