Chapter One: The Hero. Once upon a time there was a girl named Dot. Dorothy. She was the sun's favorite. Y'know, the, uh, the sun? And everywhere she went there were rainbows.
Scotty LyonDorothy, like mom.
Mmhmm. And she could do anything, our Dorothy. Y'know, she could, uh, climb a tree. She could, uh, wrestle an alligator. And everyone she met, she put a smile on their face. But the darkness hates the light and the ugly things come out at night. And so she, our Dot, in order to save the rainbows, she had to go fight against the darkness. And leave the, uh, the flowers and the birds at home. Her family, I'm saying. Because until you go someplace, you can't come home.
We will finish our engagement now.
I thought we were done. You said.
The debt must be paid. A man's flesh was taken. Now a pound is required in return.
[handing Munch a soda] There you go.
[confused] A man is grateful.
So, are you from, uh, you from around here?
Across the sea, but here a long time. From the age of the carrier pigeon and the 600 tribes. The Arapaho, the Cree, and the Tonkawa. A man comes, never having seen a mountain. He cannot remember the year of his birth. He is paid to soldier. But one night, he wanders from his post, drawn by the songs of the river.
Well, Scotty's grandfather took us to the Vermillion last year. My dad Wink, well, he's a big fly fisherman. Remember that, hon?
Scotty Lyon
I caught a cold.
Yeah. Yeah, she did. It's kind of funny.
[to Munch] Why? Why must debt be paid? I understand keeping a promise, but people always say debt must be paid. Except what if you can't? If you're too poor or you lose your job. Maybe there's a death in the family. Isn't the better thing - the more humane thing - to say the debt should be forgiven? Isn't that who we should be?
Oh, game's on at seven. Probably time to make the biscuits.
You know what? You're right. It's not chili without biscuits.
How about you two go set the table, huh?
Oh, well, I was thinking chopsticks.
Scotty Lyon
For chili?
[to Munch] Whatever it is you think you came here for, we're halfway to supper and it's a school night. So either you wash your hands and you help, or we do this another time.
Y'know, I was thinking...
...I might have a beer. What do you think?
He has a code, and the code-
Scotty Lyon
[tapping Munch] You're in the way.
[sighs and steps aside] The code is ev-
[handing Munch and Dot beers] Here you go.
Ok, so I'm gonna tell you a little secret. It says to use water, but I use milk. Even better, buttermilk. So, go ahead and measure out a cup.
[Munch stares confusedly at the measuring cup]
Scotty Lyon
[pointing at the line on the measuring cup] This one's a cup.
Mmhmm. Pour it in there. [Munch pours in the buttermilk] OK, then, you add just a little honey. I'm assuming he paid you to come here - Roy - and do what you did. Maybe you're feeling sideways about it, 'cause of what it cost you. A partner. An ear. You go ahead, stir. [Munch stirs the batter] You took a job that had a risk to it. You got hurt. You can't be mad at the risk. That'd be like getting mad at the table you stubbed your toe on.
I might have gone over the deep end on the spices.
I know you had a mom back there, across the sea. And she loved you. If someone came for her, don't you think she would've done whatever it took to get back to you?
You say that as if life is a circle, but it's a line. Mother is the start. This is the other side.
Well, I don't know what that means. What I'm saying is it's a choice. You made a choice.
Well, personally, I never been across the sea.
By long boat, we came. Three dozen men pulling at the oars, the rain so heavy some drown in their seats.
First in forest, then on grassland. The man's hair grew long. He rode the horse without saddle or reins, and the people of the plains were his people. But then came the cannon and the musket and he was alone once more. For a century he spoke to no one.
Hmm. I don't know if I could go an hour without talking.
Scotty Lyon
Daddy does sales.
Scotty Lyon
A lot.
Yeah. You ever drive a Kia, Mr. Munch? It's like flying a cloud.
I think we should see how your biscuits turned out, huh?
Before the boat, the man lived on the moors and ate fleas from the rats. He was frightened all the time. Then one day, a man comes on a wealthy horse and offers him two coins and a meal. But the food was not food.
It was sin. The sins of the rich. Greed, envy, disgust. They were bitter, the sins. But he ate them all for he was starving. From then on, the man does not sleep or grow old. He cannot die. He has no dreams. All that is left...is sin.
It feels like that, I know. What they do to us, make us swallow. Like it's our fault. But you want to know the cure? You got to eat something made with love and joy. [Dot hands Munch a biscuit] And be forgiven.
[Munch bites the biscuit, chews, smiles, and begins to sob]
Fargo · 240 quotes
