Tracy Arnold: Becky
Photos
Quotes
-
Becky : Did you really kill your mama?
Henry : I guess I did.
Becky : How'd it happen?
Henry : I stabbed her.
Becky : Otis said you hit her with a baseball bat.
Henry : Otis said that?
Becky : Yeah.
Henry : Well, he's mistaken.
Becky : Well don't tell him I told you. He made me promise.
[pause]
Becky : She must have treated you real bad.
Henry : She was a whore. My mama was a whore. But I don't fault her for that. It ain't what she done, but how she done it. Long as I can remember, she'd bring men up to the house. My daddy was there too, but it didn't matter none to her. She'd make me watch.
Becky : That's creepy.
Henry : She'd beat me too. A lot. She'd beat me when I wouldn't watch it. And sometimes she'd beat me, and make me wear a dress, and watch her doin' it. Then they'd laugh at me.
Becky : She made you wear a dress?
Henry : You think I'm lyin?
Becky : I feel like I know you, like I've known you for a long time. I feel like I've known you forever and ever.
Henry : Yeah. I killed my mama. One night. It was my 14th birthday. She was drunk, and we had an argument. She hit me with a whiskey bottle. I shot her. I shot her dead.
Becky : I thought you said you stabbed her.
Henry : Oh yeah, that's right, I stabbed her.
-
Becky : I can't ever remember really liking my daddy. I wanted to, I really did. One time he bought me - when I was about five - he bought me an ice cream cone and I dropped it. And he slapped me and made me pick it up and eat it. I never liked my daddy. One time, when my mama was at work, and I was about 13, he'd come into my room and he, uh, told me to take my shirt off' 'cause he wanted to see how I was developed. And when I wouldn't, he got really mad and he-and he hit me. And he told me he had a right because he was my daddy and I was his daughter and, uh, he fed me and let me live in his house and he could do whatever he wanted... and he did. Then he started coming into my room a lot after that, and I didn't fight him because when I did, he just hit me. I was afraid I was gonna have a baby and that my baby would be deformed. But I never got pregnant. I tried to tell mama, but she didn't wanna hear about it. She pretended not to believe me but I knew she did. It sure is good to talk - to talk to you, Henry, because I know you're not judgemental or anything like that. I never would have married Leroy in the first place if I hadn't wanted to get away from daddy so bad.
Henry : Didn't get along with your daddy, huh?
-
Becky : I got a job today.
Otis : Oh, yeah? Doing what?
Becky : At a beauty parlour.
Otis : A beauty parlour?
Becky : I'm a shampoo girl.
Otis : What's that?
Becky : What's it sound like, you dummy?
Otis : How the hell should I know. You ever seen me in a beauty parlour?
Becky : I give shampoos... A woman gets her hair shampooed before she gets it cut, and I do it.
Otis : They pay you for that?
Becky : Of course they do. Besides, I used to do it some back home after I met Leroy.
Becky : Do you like it better than dancing naked?
Otis : Don't start with me, Otis.
Henry : You used to dance naked?
Otis : Sure, all the time around the house.
Becky : Otis!
Otis : Best little naked dancer you ever saw.
Becky : You never!
Otis : [chuckles]
Henry : Were you really a dancer?
Becky : I danced some, in a club. And, I wasn't naked! I wore a costume. But, I guess it wasn't very much.
Otis : When you gonna dance for us?
Becky : When the pope pees in his hat, Otis.
Otis : [giggles, to Henry] Ain't she got a mouth on her?
Becky : I better have something on me to defend me from a pig like you.
Otis : [snorts like a pig]
Becky : Otis...
Henry : Them's pretty earrings you got on, Becky.
Becky : Thank you, Henry. At least there's one gentleman at this table.
Otis : Oh, I'm sorry, honey. Now don't get mad. I was just having a little fun with you, that's all.
-
Becky : Oh, wait, I got something to show you. Wait.
[Becky gets up from the table, exits to other room and comes back holding a white t-shirt with 'I love Chicago' printed over it]
Becky : Ta-da!
Henry : Nice.
Otis : Real nice. Put it on.
Becky : Right now? Ok, but turn around first... turn around.
[Otis and Henry turn their heads. Becky undresses, struggling with buttons on shirt sleeves. Otis slowly turns his head. Becky stops him, waving her hand in front of his face. Otis turns back again. Becky unbuttons her shirt, takes it off and throws it over Henry's shoulder. She puts on a white t-shirt with 'I love Chicago' printed over it]
Becky : Ok. You can look.
[Otis and Henry turn to Becky, looking at t-shirt]
Henry : What does it say on there?
Becky : I love Chicago.
Henry : [nods] Looks good, don't it, Otis?
