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>> ERNEST'S HANDS SMELLED LIKE LEMONS AND GUNSHOT.
EVERY MONDAY, HE PARKED HIS LEMONADE STAND AT THE ENTRANCE
TO THE PARK WHERE IT STOOD, SOLID AS A BANK.
HE LIKED THE FEELING OF THE SUN ON HIS BACK,
HOT AND BURNING LIKE AN OPEN SORE.
HE LIKED THE CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER,
AND WHEN THE LITTLE FACE APPROACHED HIM,
CHEERY AS A FRUIT LOOP.
(Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful")
>> DON'T LOOK AT ME...
>> I THINK YOU'RE VERY PRETTY ANYWAYS-- I MEAN,
EVEN WITH YOUR HUMP AND ALL. >> IT'S NOT A HUMP.
>> WHAT IS IT? >> IT'S THE MUSCLES IN MY BACK--
THEY ARE WORKING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
IT'S CALLED DYSTONIA.
HAVING A HUMPBACK IS CALLED KYPHOSIS.
I DON'T HAVE KYPHOSIS-- I HAVE DYSTONIA.
MARIBEL AND ME ARE GOING TO THE SCHOOL DANCE ON FRIDAY, OKAY?
>> REALLY? >> YES.
>> I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU HATED SCHOOL DANCES,
THAT THEY WERE HUMILIATING DRILLS IN GENDER OPPRESSION.
>> THAT YOU SAID THAT... IN MADISON.
I SAID THAT THE GYM STINKS SO BAD
THAT I NEVER WANT TO DANCE IN IT.
>> RIGHT-- WHY THE CHANGE OF MIND?
>> MARIBEL WANTS TO GO... DON'T YOU MARIBEL?
>> UH-HUH-- I WANT TO DANCE WITH BOYS.
>> HOW OLD ARE YOU, MARIBEL? >> SIXTEEN.
>> AND YOU TWO HAVE CLASSES TOGETHER?
>> OH, NO, LANEY'S TOO ADVANCED TO HAVE CLASSES WITH ME.
>> ON WEEKENDS, ERNEST LEFT HIS HOUSE THROUGH THE KITCHEN DOOR,
AND WITH HIS RIFLE AND HIS .45,
WANDERED THE WOODS, SHOOTING AT ANY TARGET IN SIGHT--
A GLASS BOTTLE, A PINE CONE, A SQUIRREL.
HE WAS SHARP AS A CUISINART...
I LIKE THE SANCTUARY LIKE THIS-- EMPTY.
>> YOU SAID YOU LIKED THE SERVICE.
>> I DO... I JUST LIKE IT BETTER LIKE THIS.
>> YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO CONVERT.
IF YOU CONVERT, YOU HAVE TO GO TO SERVICE.
>> I KNOW.
>> YOU COULD'VE CONVERTED DURING THE SERVICE.
>> I DIDN'T WANT TO CONVERT DURING THE SERVICE.
I WANTED TO CONVERT HERE, WITH YOU, ALONE.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, IS THERE?
>> NO.
>> ERNEST LIVED FOR HIS LEMONADE AND HIS GUNS
FOR MANY HAPPY YEARS
UNTIL SUDDENLY EVERYTHING STARTED TO GET BLURRY.
AT MY OLD SCHOOL IN WISCONSIN, WHERE I USED TO GO
BEFORE MY DYSTONIA GOT BAD,
I HAD LOTS OF FRIENDS IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT GROUPS.
I MEAN, I WAS GOING TO BE ON THE HOMECOMING COURT.
THEY HADN'T HAD THE ELECTIONS OR ANYTHING,
BUT EVERYBODY TOLD ME I WAS GOING TO BE ON IT...
NOT THAT I REALLY WANTED TO BE ON IT.
I MEAN, BEING ON HOMECOMING COURT IS KIND OF LAME AND ALL,
BUT I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON IT.
HERE, NOBODY TALKS TO ME.
MARIBEL WAS HOMESCHOOLED, BUT HER MOM NEVER GOT CERTIFIED,
SO SHE'S BEHIND BUT SHE'S REALLY SMART ABOUT LITERATURE, THOUGH.
SHE'S A GREAT CRITIC-- THE BEST.
>> WHAT BOOKS DO YOU LIKE? >> I LIKE SHORT STORIES!
>> WHAT SHORT STORIES? >> LANEY'S.
>> I SEE.
>> (singing) ♪ OH NO ♪
♪ DON'T YOU BRING ME DOWN TODAY ♪