WEBVTT

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Chapter fourteen, Freedom Present. She
leaves the Shaman's trailer, squinting and raising

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a hand to her forehead to shield
her eyes from the bright sun. Freedom

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sneezes, as she always does when
she first encounters bright sunlight. Growing up

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in the desert has not ever helped
to remedy this problem. In her other

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hand, she holds the bear,
swinging it up and down. Out of

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boredom. She is waiting for Harry, who she had to call to come

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pick her up and take her to
work. She could have slept all day

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at the Shamans, but Freedom remembered
she had a shift at the truck stop.

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It is a short one, thankfully, just the dinner rush, and

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then she'll be free. Even though
she is tired, she feels like letting

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loose and going out. She figures
she owes that bitch niewa a drink anyway

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for saving her life. She stands
up by the road to wait for Harry.

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It is technically the Shaman's front yard, but because she lives in a

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trailer, the whole expanse in front
of her is just sand, brushy shrubs,

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and cacti. One of the Shaman's
cats, a gray tabby comes up

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and winds itself around Freedom's legs,
purring. Freedom puts her hand down to

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pettit, and the cat, thinking
it's playtime, bites Freedom's finger. Shit

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ow. Freedom lightly kicks the cat
and it goes running away and SLINKs under

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the trailer. Hidden in the shade, she hears the white truck before she

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sees it. It is so quiet
out, no one is outside. The

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heat is too intense today. Harry
drives up to where Freedom stands, the

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vehicle, kicking up dust into her
face. She coughs and hoists herself up

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into the passenger seat. Dusty Harry
speaks one word before turning the car around

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and heading back toward the inner State. What the hell happened to you?

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He asked Freedom, giving her a
sideways glance. What are you doing way

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out here? You just caught me. I would have left earlier, but

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one of the guys wanted to talk
to me about something right before you called

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Lucky. You nothing, Freedom says, rolling down the window and lighting a

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cigarette. Harry turns the air conditioning
up. It's too hot to have them

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windows rolled down. I got the
ac on tough. I'm smoking. Had

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a traumatic experience, must have Harry
gives up trying to fiddle with the controls

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on the temperature and turns on the
radio. Merle Haggard sings the bottle let

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Me Down. The only music anyone
gets on the stations out in Peach Springs

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is old school country or Christian Freedom
will take country any day. Harry doesn't

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press from information for which Freedom is
grateful. After throwing her cigarette out the

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window, she rolls it up,
closes her eyes, and leans her head

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back against the headrust. After a
few minutes, Harry speaks again, Hey,

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where'd you get that bear? Huh? Freedom opens her eyes. What

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bear? That stuffed animal? Harry
points to the bear on the ground situated

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between Freedom's feet. Freedom wiggles her
foot on top of the bear's face,

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watching the dust settle over its eyes. Oh yeah, I saw it at

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the church rummage sale. Creepy fucking
bear. The shaman told me to hang

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onto it, some mumbo jumbo about
how the bear came to find me and

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that now it's on a journey with
me or something pretty weird. I figured

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I just hang on to him.
Let me see it, Harry says,

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taking his hand off the wheel and
holding it out away from him. Freedom

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reaches down and retrieves the bear,
wiping the dust off its eyes before handing

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it to Harry. It's just some
kid's toy. I remember this. This

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talking bear was crazy popular back in
the day. It was really expensive too,

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I remember because I think the Nancies
had one for their little girl to

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play with. It was the only
one on the reservation. Who are the

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Mancies, Freedom asked, sitting up
straighter in her seat. Kaya, Mancie

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was a friend of your mother's.
Used to be pals. They moved a

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few years back. Wonder whatever became
of them. Harry checks the rear view

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mirror, straightens it. Well,
I don't need this thing. Thought i'd

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just bring it back home for Lydia
and a two to play with. Does

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it still talk? Harry asked,
pulling the white cord on its back.

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A garbled, low sound comes out, the words unintelligible. The bear is

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speaking gibberish. It's as if a
tape is being played in slow motion.

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Huh, he says, must be
pretty old. Freedom changes the subject.

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Can you drop me off at work? I gotta get in for the three

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o'clock shift. Sure, Harry responds, giving the accelerator a pump. I'll

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take the bear home to the kids. A two will probably love it.

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Probably, Freedom says, decentrously,
closing her eyes again. She wakes up

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when the car pulls to a stop
outside of the truck stop. She must

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have fallen asleep. The bear is
still on her lap. She tosses it

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on the passenger seat when she gets
out of the car. Thanks a lot,

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Harry, No problem, kid,
Freedom checks her watch. Two minutes

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to spare. She runs up to
the truck stop, brushing past Dakota and

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into the back room, where she
grabs an extra apron the hook on the

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wall. You're late. Dakota has
followed her into the back room. No,

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I'm not, get off my ass. Freedom walks past her into the

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dining room. Dakota ignores her and
chirps as she waddles after her. Your

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boyfriend is here. Who the guy
with the sunglasses. He's been here since

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breakfast asking for you? Oh cool. Freedom acts disinterested, but secretly she

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is glad. She likes when Glasses
is there. He has someone to talk

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to. He's funny, he gives
her attention to. She walks over to

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the expo line and pretending to grab
a plate looks over her shoulder into the

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dining room. There he is at
table fifty two, reading the paper.

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She sets down the plate and walks
over to greet him reading the paper.

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Huh. Freedom puts her right hand
on her hip and cocks her head.

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Glasses brings the paper down slowly.
Freedom can't see his eyes through his darkly

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tinted shades, but she notices a
tiny smile play at the corner of his

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mouth. Yes, I am what
for? Freedom sits down, scooting into

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the booth across from him. I
like to know what is going on in

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the world, Freedom laughs. How
about the Internet? Are you too old

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school for that? I get on
the internet sometimes dial up? Of course,

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Freedom looks puzzled. What's that now? It's glasses turned to laugh.

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It was a way to get on
the Internet when it first came out,

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way before your time, I guess, Freedom plays with a stray napkin that

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sits in front of her on the
table. You must be old. How

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old are you, Glasses, I'm
fifty two. Ever been married? Yes?

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Kids? Glasses smiles again. What
is this? Twenty questions? No,

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no kids? How about you?
You're married? Nah? Freedom answers,

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I'm too young to get married.
I'm only twenty eight. A lot

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of people would disagree with that statement, Glasses says, picking up his coffee

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cup and taking a sip. Yeah, I know, especially out here.

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Freedom agrees with him. All the
kids in my class are married now have

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kids. She shudders, imagining her
having to take care of lydia An a

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two round the clock. They're too
much as it is. You have plenty

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of time to do those things.
Glasses responds, You should be young now,

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enjoy life. Freedom gestures around her. Yeah, this is a real

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great life. Working at the truck
stop, slinging breakfast twenty four hours a

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day. I've got it made.
Besides, there are no good men in

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this town, and I ain't marrying
no Indian, no offense against him.

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You got a boyfriend, a non
Indian boyfriend, Glasses ass smiling again.

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No way, Like I said,
no good men in this town. I

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bet there are some where you're from, though, some big city with lots

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of guys in suits, expensive ones. You wear expensive suits, Glasses,

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he chuckles, Not usually, I
imagine the city to be full of guys

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and suits, like lawyers and stuff. Which city are we talking about,

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Glasses scratches the stubble on his cheek. DC, didn't you say you were

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from there? Freedom looks at him. I am, I had a boyfriend.

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Freedom is back to the previous conversation. He was a trucker, used

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to come in here a lot.
He was old too, like you,

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How old? Glasses smile has faded? Forty eight told me he was thirty

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nine, but I saw his driver's
license once. He had muscles and a

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lot of tattoos. He was hot
for an old guy. Said he was

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separated from his wife. I didn't
believe him. Guys they lie, you

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know. Glasses looks at her again, studying her. You are wise beyond

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your years anyway, Freedom continues,
scooting out of the booth and standing up.

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He moved or his trucking roote got
switched, either way stopped coming around.

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She shrugs, remembering the anti climactic
way things had ended, and realizes

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how little she cares. How come
you don't have no tattoos, Glasses,

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she asks, her hand resting on
his arm just a bit longer, She

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feels his bicep flecks under her arm
at her touch. How do you know?

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I don't don't seem like the type. Freedom is about to explain,

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but just then Dakota barks at her
from the kitchen and yells at her to

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get to work. Freedom notices Glasses
glance in Dakota's direction, and he bawls

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up his fist. Freedom pokes him
on the arm. What's wrong, Glasses?

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You jealous? Jealous? I got
to go to work and serve people

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other than you. Freedom slides out
of the booth and stands next to his

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bench, hand on her hip.
Again. Maybe I am. Freedom can't

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tell if he's being serious or not. An idea hits her. Hey,

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Glasses, we should go out.
His head swivels up. Go out,

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he asks. Freedom thinks she detects
a hint of excitement in his voice.

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Yeah, you know, drink alcohol, karaoke? You play pool, Glasses,

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I do. I'm decent, Well, so am I? Freedom insists.

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I'll bet you five bucks. You
can't beat me. Freedom hesitates,

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waiting for him to respond. Just
when she thinks he is about to turn

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her down, he shrugs. Let's
do it, he says, but not

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too late. I got to head
back to d C in the morning.

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All right, Glasses, Freedom is
excited. I'm off at six and then

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we can go. As Dakota yells
at her again, Freedom rolls her eyes

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and heads in the direction of the
kitchen. I'll be here, Glasses responds,

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picking up his paper again. Figured
as much, Freedom says, mostly

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to herself. Chapter fifteen, Ryan
present. It's only when he goes to

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stand up that he realizes he's drunk. He's such a lightweight these days.

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A couple of beers never would have
gotten him like this back in the day,

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Back in his drinking days, forget
it. He'd need a pint of

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whiskey and a few beers just to
get there. But tonight, here he

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is six beers deep and two shots
in, and he's feeling pretty good.

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Ryan glances down at the bar stool
next to him and smiles as he watches

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Freedom leaning over the railing talking with
the bartender, some guy she knows,

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Johnny or john or Jimmy. Ryan
hasn't been paying much attention to anything or

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anyone but her. She is talking
with Johnny or Jimmy, conspiratorially holding her

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hand up next to her mouth and
whispering in his ear. Her green crop

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top grazes the bar, and because
one knee rests on the bar, stool,

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her asses up in the air,
white jeans, skirt barely covering her

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ample butt cheeks. A white flip
flop with pineapples on it dangles precariously on

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her foot. Ryan wraps his knuckles
on the bar, feeling beer foam and

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sticky liquor residue cover them. He
pulls his hand away quickly. Freedom spins

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her head toward him, dropping her
hand and giving him the once over.

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Gotta hit the head again, Freedom
laughs, shaking her head, her large

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hoop earrings swinging back and forth around
her glasses. You pee more than any

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chick I've ever known. Ryan doesn't
have a response for that, so he

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simply heads off in the direction of
the men's room at the back of the

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bar. Once there, he checks
himself out in the mirror. Sunglasses on,

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dark Tommy Bahamas, shirt, untucked
green cargo shorts, and sandals.

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He looks like the picture of a
middle aged man on vacation. Ryan doesn't

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know if one could call what he
is doing a vacation, but he is

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certainly having fun. In fact,
he can't remember the last time he kicked

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back and let loose. Although he
looks younger than his fifty two years.

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He is a middle aged man,
one who for tonight at least, has

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a much younger woman at his side. He wonders what the other men are

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thinking, or if they are wondering, what his relationship to her is.

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Ryan sees the men look and wonder. He sees the jealousy and the bitterness

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on their faces. Not since Gina
has he felt the stairs of other men

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and reveled in their admiration. When
he woke up in the motel room this

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morning, he had no idea that
he would wind up at the Sundowner Saloon

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in Kingman twelve hours later. This
is the first bar Ryan has been to

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in all of the years he has
been coming to the area. Up until

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tonight. He had found it necessary
to keep his wits about him while he

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was here. But Freedom had never
asked him to see her outside of the

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truck stop before, so when she
did, Ryan was surprised at how quickly

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he had agreed. He had waited
in his booth while she finished her shift,

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clocked out, and went to change
in the back. As he sat,

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he tried to read the rest of
the paper, but realized he was

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reading the same sentence over and over. He was nervous, He began to

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have second thoughts about leaving the truck
stop with Freedom. What if someone saw

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them and generated unnecessary attention. What
if he made a complete fool of himself

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and she thought he was a loser. He waffled back and forth for a

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while and was just about to get
up and find Freedom to let her know

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that he had changed his mind and
that he was going to have to leave,

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when he saw her walking out from
the back. She wore the green

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top that exposed her middrift, a
pale expanse of skin, flat as a

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board, with a few tiny freckles
dotting it. The white jeans skirt was

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too big around her waist and rode
up against her thighs, making it seem

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even shorter than it was. Freedom
distractedly tugged at the skirt with one hand

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as she walked. The hoop earrings
touched the top of her clavicle bone,

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swinging wildly, skimming the straps of
the white bra she didn't need with every

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other step. In her right hand
she held a plate with the cheeseburger and

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fries, and on her left side
was a wad of cash wedged under her

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armpit between her rib cage and bicep. Her flip flops slapped against the truck

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stop floor as she maneuvered her way
around the counter and toward Ryan's booth.

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She smiled as she came nearer to
him. Ryan couldn't wait for her to

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reach the table and it down across
from him, yet at the same time

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wanted her to continue walking toward him
so that he could watch her forever.

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00:18:08.119 --> 00:18:14.160
In one fluid motion, Freedom slid
into the booth across from him, deposited

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the cheeseburger and fries on the table, released the want of cash from her

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00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:22.200
armpit, and placed it on the
table in front of him. She then

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00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:27.039
produced a small pouch that had Ryan
assumed been in her hand hidden under the

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00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:32.960
plate, and unzipped it with a
wink in his direction. She pulled out

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00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:37.400
a pack of cigarettes, a hot
pink mini lighter, and the smallest flask

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00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:41.720
Ryan had ever seen. She pulled
a cigarette out of the pack, lit

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00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:45.559
it with the lighter, took a
short drag, and, pulling the plate

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of food hungrily toward her, pointed
the cigarette at the money count it.

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00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:55.599
She ordered Ryan, taking the top
of the butt off of the cheeseburger and

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00:18:55.720 --> 00:19:00.519
placing it on the plate. She
put her cigarette in the ashtray side her,

220
00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:04.519
picked up a few greasy fries and
deposited them on top of the meat

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00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:08.720
patty. Freedom then reached for the
ketchup in the tray next to her right

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00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:14.559
hand, grabbed the bottle, popped
the white rubber top open with her teeth,

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00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:18.519
and squirted a large amount of the
condiment on top of the fries,

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00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:23.119
before closing the top of the ketchup
again with her mouth. She squirted a

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00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:29.119
tiny dollop of the red sauce under
her left forefinger and licked it off,

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00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:33.400
letting the tip of her finger remain
in her mouth for a second longer than

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00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:37.440
necessary. As she looked up to
meet his eyes, Ryan saw the tip

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00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:41.720
of her tongue work around the finger
and red sauce dirting in and out of

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00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:47.640
her mouth with a loud pop and
a sucking sound. She drew the digit

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00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:52.680
out of her mouth, still meeting
his gaze. Ryan found himself wondering if

231
00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:56.640
she had done that on purpose or
if it was just an innocent habit.

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00:19:56.440 --> 00:20:00.759
He would find himself wondering the same
thing throughout the night, as a scene

233
00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:07.480
before him played over and over in
his head, fitting the top bun over

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00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:11.640
the ketchup and fries. Freedom picked
up the burger and took a huge bite.

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She chewed loudly and quickly swallowed,
and reached for the cigarette again.

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00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:25.480
She cocked her head to the side
and spoke glasses hello. Ryan had forgotten

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00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:30.279
what she had ordered him to do. Count the money, please, Freedom

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00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:33.839
said again, taking another drag of
her cigarette and gesturing toward the wad of

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00:20:33.880 --> 00:20:38.079
cash. I gotta see how much
I made today so we can hit the

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00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:42.720
town. She made air quotes with
her hands when she said hit the town,

241
00:20:44.119 --> 00:20:49.519
and then laughed at herself. She
continued, but add on five dollars

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00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:52.920
to that number, because I'm going
to be rich when I beat you in

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00:20:53.000 --> 00:21:00.000
pool and you pay up. We'll
just see about that. Ryan could feel

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00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:04.559
his face reddening behind his sunglasses.
All of his misgivings about going with her

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00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:08.440
were fading away. There was no
harm in having a few drinks, he

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00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:14.440
reasoned with himself. Besides, she
had looked so excited when she had asked

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00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:18.400
him to go. Ryan couldn't bear
to let her down. He counted the

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00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:23.319
money, sixty three dollars, he
said to her, as if it were

249
00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:30.519
a question and not his conclusive findings. Freedom shrugged her shoulders and unscrewed the

250
00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:34.000
top of the flask on the table. It was a short shift. She

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00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:38.240
took a swig from the flask and
offered it to Ryan. He declined,

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00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:45.319
telling her that he needed to drive
such a goody two shoes glasses. Freedom

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00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:49.039
hastily ate the rest of her burger
and drained the rest of the liquid from

254
00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:53.359
the flask. Popping up, she
swept at the money on the table.

255
00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:59.200
Let's go, We're out of here. She headed toward the door without a

256
00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:03.799
backward glance. Ran hurried to catch
up, but Freedom banged through the door

257
00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:07.559
before he could hold it open for
her. Ryan had in the nate longing

258
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:12.079
to be as much of a gentleman
as he could. He always felt primal

259
00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:18.680
here with her. As they neared
Ryan's car, parked in its usual side

260
00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:22.440
spot, he talked himself out of
opening the car door for her. Freedom

261
00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:26.680
probably would have laughed at him had
he done so, and this wasn't a

262
00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:32.599
date. He watched as she slung
her little pouch onto the passenger seat,

263
00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:37.160
then sat down herself, almost crushing
it beneath her skinny thighs. She kicked

264
00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:41.440
off her pineapple flop flops, hauled
her bare feet up onto the dashboard,

265
00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:48.680
lit another cigarette, and directed him
towards Stockton Hill Road and Kingman. They

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00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:53.720
drove an awkward but anticipatory silence,
both looking out the window and stealing glances

267
00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:59.799
at each other when they thought the
other wasn't looking. They had been at

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00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:03.599
the Sundowner for the past four hours. Sitting at the bar, Freedom the

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00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:08.680
life of the party, saying hello
to everyone. She knew Ryan would stand

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00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:15.440
behind her, silent content to watch
her socialize in her element. Once or

271
00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:19.000
twice she had waved her hand in
his direction and proclaimed her mystery guest to

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00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:23.359
be Glasses. But other than that, Ryan stayed out of her way.

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00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:30.240
He is taking a piss in the
urinal when he hears the bathroom door creak

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00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:36.559
open. The music muffled before suddenly
gets louder by decibels, and Ryan can

275
00:23:36.599 --> 00:23:41.359
hear a woman's singing. The bar
has karaoke tonight, and for the past

276
00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:45.920
ninety minutes has been host to one
terrible singer after the other. This girl

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00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:52.400
is decent, though, Ryan thinks, and as he listens realizes it is

278
00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:59.079
unmistakably Freedom, finishing in the bathroom, He leaves and walks toward the bar,

279
00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:04.440
looking over his shoulder at the tiny
makeshift stage. Freedom stands there holding

280
00:24:04.440 --> 00:24:10.359
the microphone against her chest. There's
a stool to her left that goes unused.

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00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:15.759
Ryan realizes she is singing Wide Open
Spaces, the Dixie Chick song that

282
00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:21.559
was popular almost two decades ago.
The background bar noise quiets to a hum

283
00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:26.680
as everyone strains to watch and hear
the pretty girl with the pretty voice.

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00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:32.160
Ryan signals to Johnny or Jimmy and
asks for a bottle of bud and two

285
00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:36.880
shots of whiskey neat He plans to
enjoy the rest of the show with a

286
00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:41.000
real drink. The girl up on
the stage is radiant. She has everyone's

287
00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:47.640
attention with the way she sexily sways
and sings. Ryan, sipping his whiskey,

288
00:24:47.960 --> 00:24:52.720
realizes he faces the same conundrum as
he did less than three hours ago.

289
00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:56.640
He wants the girl back beside him, in close proximity, where he

290
00:24:56.680 --> 00:25:00.519
can touch her and smell her and
keep her safe, and at the same

291
00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:06.240
time never wants to stop watching her
in front of him, just out of

292
00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:11.319
reach. The song ends, and
the crowd that has gathered around the stage

293
00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:17.440
claps politely in admiration. Freedom takes
a small bow and hops off the stage,

294
00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:21.480
tossing the microphone onto the stool.
In a flash, she is at

295
00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:26.240
Ryan's side. She searches his face
for what Ryan realizes is approval, but

296
00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:32.759
because he has his sunglasses on,
she finds only stoicism. He tips his

297
00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:38.680
beard toward her and nods his head
approvingly. That was really good. Thanks.

298
00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:42.680
She looks up at him expectantly,
flushed from the quick walk back to

299
00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:48.039
the bar, Her eyes search his
face for approval, but Ryan, his

300
00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:52.720
sunglasses on, perpetually imagines Freedom must
not see what she is looking for from

301
00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:57.000
him, because the look on her
face changes quickly to one of disappointment.

302
00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:03.599
To appease her his shortcomings, Ryan
takes a step toward her so that his

303
00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:07.839
right forearm barely brushes hers. Her
eyes light up, and she moves only

304
00:26:07.880 --> 00:26:12.200
her arm closer to his. There
is no mistake they are touching, and

305
00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:17.839
Ryan feels the familiar jolt and tingle
that starts at the top of his head

306
00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:23.119
and warms his whole body until it
rushes down there. The warmth stays expanding.

307
00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:29.640
Next, Ryan feels Freedom's hand,
She slips her fingers in between his

308
00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:33.960
fingers and slowly slides them up and
down. Ryan closes his eyes and pulls

309
00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:38.119
his head back, trying to concentrate
on anything other than her touch and the

310
00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:44.519
way it is exciting him. Freedom
leans across him, her tiny torso stretching

311
00:26:44.519 --> 00:26:48.720
out toward the bar, and drops
Ryan's hand in order to class the second

312
00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:52.440
shot of whiskey on the bar that
is started to beat droplets of condensation.

313
00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:59.000
This for me, she asks,
no one in particular, averting her gaze

314
00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:03.319
from Ryan's. Yes it is,
Ryan says, but Freedom is no longer

315
00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:07.920
paying attention. She downs the shot
and, beckoning to Ryan for him to

316
00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:11.960
follow, walks toward one of the
pool tables in the far right corner,

317
00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:18.400
grabbing his beer off the bar.
Ryan follows her. By the time he

318
00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:22.640
reaches the pool table, she is
already talking to a group of Native American

319
00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:26.519
guys who look to be in their
mid twenties. She is swaying, leaning

320
00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:33.839
against the table, asking them something. She is drunk. Ryan hears her,

321
00:27:33.880 --> 00:27:37.160
asking the men if she and Ryan
can play at the pool table.

322
00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:41.960
The men are milling around it holding
pool cues, but don't seem to be

323
00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:45.160
involved in a game. The men
look her up and down. Then I

324
00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:51.559
Ryan, the fattest of the three, speaks first. Who is that?

325
00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:56.680
He asks, pointing his cue and
Ryan's direction, Your dad. The Indians

326
00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:02.960
laugh, hitting each other. Freedom
laughs too, trying to hitch her butt

327
00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:06.359
up to rest on the pool table. It is too high for her,

328
00:28:06.680 --> 00:28:11.559
so she stumbles, almost losing her
balance, but writes herself at the last

329
00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:18.160
minute. Who Glasses? She slurs, steadying herself with one hand against the

330
00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:23.759
table. Before Ryan can say anything, she continues, glasses is my boyfriend.

331
00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:30.480
The Huallumpies laugh again, this time
more hesitantly. Their laughter dies off

332
00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:34.440
and they all glare at Ryan.
The second man takes a sip of his

333
00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:41.680
beer and addresses Freedom while still looking
at Ryan. Why are you wasting your

334
00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:45.680
time with this old, fuck hot
piece of ass like you? The man

335
00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:51.480
glances up and down at Freedom again. Yeah. The first one chimes in,

336
00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:56.240
you get off on changing Grandpa's diaper
every night or something. From the

337
00:28:56.359 --> 00:29:00.519
vantage point behind her, Ryan can
see Free raise her hands in the air

338
00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:06.000
and put up both middle fingers,
but before he can step up in between

339
00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:10.559
her and the Huallapaie men, the
second one reaches out an arm and grabs

340
00:29:10.599 --> 00:29:15.279
Freedom by one of her outstretched middle
fingers. Freedom is yanked forward, her

341
00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:19.799
hair flying out behind her. She
gives a small yelp, and as Ryan

342
00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:25.359
watches, the man spins her around
by her finger until she is facing out

343
00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:30.119
into the bar. He rears his
arm back and it comes down hard on

344
00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:34.440
her ass. Ryan can hear the
slap of it reverberate even over the din

345
00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:40.640
of the noise in the bar.
Freedom's eyes open wide, her mouth making

346
00:29:40.680 --> 00:29:47.400
a visible O shape you ass whole. She starts to cry out, wrestling

347
00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:51.240
to get away from him, but
the man's grip on her arm tightens,

348
00:29:51.559 --> 00:29:55.799
and as Ryan watches, the Huallipie
man moves in so that his face is

349
00:29:55.880 --> 00:30:00.519
next to Freedom's. His hand curls
around Freedom's jawbone, jerks it toward him,

350
00:30:00.759 --> 00:30:04.640
and, stretching out a long,
slimy tongue, licks the side of

351
00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:11.240
Freedom's face. Before he knows what
is happening, Ryan is flying toward him,

352
00:30:11.240 --> 00:30:17.000
throwing his beer bottle against the far
wall. He crashes into the Indian,

353
00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:22.039
one hand circling around his throat while
the other pushes his shoulder up against

354
00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:26.359
the wall. Ryan slams him into
the wall again for emphasis, sticking his

355
00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:33.119
right hand into the lowest pocket in
his cargo shorts and producing his Federal Marshal

356
00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:38.559
badge. He smashes the badge against
the wallapi's cheek and pushes hard enough so

357
00:30:38.599 --> 00:30:45.200
that the man's head is turned at
a ninety degree angle. You see this,

358
00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:49.160
Ryan growls into the man's face.
Do you see this badge, you

359
00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:56.160
stupid fuck. I'm a Federal goddamn
marshal, you stupid motherfucker. Look.

360
00:30:56.480 --> 00:31:02.839
He brings the badge back and crushes
it against the man's cheek. After he

361
00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:07.720
does, Ryan pushes the man's face
back against the wall and points his badge

362
00:31:07.720 --> 00:31:11.240
at the other two men. They
stare blankly at him, mouths agape.

363
00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:18.960
If I ever see any of you
stupid redskin fucks ever come near her again,

364
00:31:18.119 --> 00:31:23.759
I'll put a tomahawk through your skulls. Got that. Ryan loosens his

365
00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:29.039
grip again on the man, who
splutters and slumps down against the wall.

366
00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:33.920
The man nods, his eyes closing
as he puts his hands around his own

367
00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:38.039
throat. Ryan drops his badge in
his pocket, turns quickly, and,

368
00:31:38.200 --> 00:31:44.319
seeing Freedom, grabs her by the
hand. The bar patrons begin to talk

369
00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:48.880
again. Excitedly. A smattering of
applause starts, and Ryan hears a murmur

370
00:31:48.880 --> 00:31:56.160
of appreciative chatter. One guy yells
out badass, but Ryan doesn't stop to

371
00:31:56.200 --> 00:32:00.440
acknowledge any praise. He pulls Freedom
out the door of the bar and deposits

372
00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:05.200
her in the passenger seat of his
car. He gets in the car,

373
00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:08.240
pulling away out of the parking lot, and squeals onto the inner state.

374
00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:14.839
He looks at Freedom. She looks
dazed. The sleeve of her top has

375
00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:17.880
come off of her shoulder, and
only one hoop earring now dangles from her

376
00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:23.279
right ear. Other than that,
she looks okay. She absent mindedly strokes

377
00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:29.680
her middle finger. I'm okay,
she responds, shaking her head. I

378
00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:35.119
think that fucker broke my finger.
Ryan glances over at her and sees that

379
00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:39.119
the finger is black and blue and
swollen to twice its size. He turns

380
00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:44.680
his head back toward the road.
He needs to pay attention. Adrenaline,

381
00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:49.599
testosterone, and alcohol are pumping through
his veins, and he is going ninety

382
00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:54.079
miles an hour. Looks broken.
He concedes, turning right onto the road

383
00:32:54.119 --> 00:33:00.400
where his motel is. Freedom,
seemingly unfazed by his admission, looks out

384
00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:06.279
the window. Where are we going? She asks him. Her eyes look

385
00:33:06.359 --> 00:33:09.759
glazed and she giggles to herself,
throwing her arm out and letting it rest

386
00:33:09.799 --> 00:33:15.319
on Ryan's. He realizes she is
still drunk. To my motel, he

387
00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:20.640
says, swinging the car into the
parking lot. You are staying here tonight,

388
00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:24.839
where you'll be safe. I'll sleep
on the floor. Freedom looks at

389
00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:30.759
him, finally comprehending. She nods
her head in agreement, and stepping out

390
00:33:30.759 --> 00:33:36.039
of the car, dutifully follows him
up to the motel door. Ryan unlocks

391
00:33:36.079 --> 00:33:38.559
it, and, stepping into the
room, flips on the light. He

392
00:33:38.680 --> 00:33:43.720
motions to the queen size bed in
the middle of the room and pushes the

393
00:33:43.799 --> 00:33:47.960
swing bar against the door, locking
it. You can sleep there, he

394
00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:52.000
says, awkwardly, and he moves
around Freedom to take his badge and his

395
00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:57.880
wallet out of his pockets and place
them on the bathroom counter. He reaches

396
00:33:57.920 --> 00:34:01.519
for his dop kit and the gauze
he has stashed inside. Now let's see

397
00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:07.279
about that finger, he starts to
say, grabbing the gauze. He turns

398
00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:10.840
around, surprised to see her not
on the bed, but standing still in

399
00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:15.920
the middle of the room. She
ignores him and looks him in the eyes.

400
00:34:15.559 --> 00:34:20.920
When she speaks, she has a
serious tone to her voice. No

401
00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:25.400
one has ever done that for me
before. Ryan looks at her, remembering

402
00:34:27.760 --> 00:34:31.760
done what he asks, knowing the
answer, but needing desperately to hear it

403
00:34:31.840 --> 00:34:37.880
from her. Saved me, she
says, tilting her head. Ryan is

404
00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:44.480
silent. You saved me, Freedom
says, repeating the phrase as if she

405
00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:49.440
is only just now realizing the truth
in those words, why did you do

406
00:34:49.480 --> 00:34:57.880
that? He clears his throat because
he starts, then stops, because why,

407
00:34:58.440 --> 00:35:02.239
Freedom insists. Ryan shifts his feet
and looks up from the floor at

408
00:35:02.239 --> 00:35:08.679
her standing across the room. Because
it's my job. He waits for her

409
00:35:08.719 --> 00:35:15.280
reaction. Freedom remains expressionless for what
seems like hours. Next, she is

410
00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:21.199
moving toward him, as if in
slow motion. Suddenly she is next to

411
00:35:21.280 --> 00:35:24.960
him. Her body inches away,
her arms encircle his waist, and she

412
00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:30.320
rests her head against his chest.
Then her arms travel up over his torso,

413
00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:36.599
her hands running against his chest until
they clasped together around his neck.

414
00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:43.239
Freedom sighs contentedly, a little girl's
sigh, eyes closed, and she pulls

415
00:35:43.320 --> 00:35:46.000
his face toward hers. Until her
lips find his,