1
00:00:11,729 --> 00:00:12,729
Thank you.

2
00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,060
This is from Andrew Zell and the Junkies
Christmas.

3
00:02:25,980 --> 00:02:31,860
It was Christmas Day and Daddy the car
wiper hit the street junk sick and broke

4
00:02:31,860 --> 00:02:36,300
after 72 hours in a precinct cell.

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00:02:36,980 --> 00:02:41,040
It was a clear, bright day, but there
was no warmth in the sun.

6
00:02:41,870 --> 00:02:47,490
Danny shivered with an inner cold. He
turned up the collar of his worn, greasy

7
00:02:47,490 --> 00:02:48,850
black overcoat.

8
00:02:49,290 --> 00:02:53,130
This beat Danny wouldn't pawn for a
deuce, he thought.

9
00:02:53,470 --> 00:02:55,410
It was in the West Nineties.

10
00:02:55,610 --> 00:02:59,650
A long block of brownstone rooming
houses.

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00:02:59,990 --> 00:03:04,250
Here and there a holly wreath in a clean
black window.

12
00:03:05,530 --> 00:03:08,610
Danny's senses registered everything
sharp.

13
00:03:08,890 --> 00:03:11,810
and clear with a painful intensity of
junk sickness.

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00:03:12,450 --> 00:03:15,330
The light hurt his dilated eyes.

15
00:03:15,870 --> 00:03:22,090
He walked past a car, darting his pale
blue eyes sideways in quick appraisal.

16
00:03:22,690 --> 00:03:27,030
There was a package on the seat and one
of the ventilator windows was unlocked.

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00:03:28,070 --> 00:03:31,710
Danny walked on ten feet, no one in
sight.

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00:03:32,770 --> 00:03:37,090
He snapped his fingers and went through
a pantomime of remembering something and

19
00:03:37,090 --> 00:03:38,090
wheeled around.

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00:03:38,250 --> 00:03:39,250
No one.

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00:03:39,630 --> 00:03:41,290
Bad setup, he decided.

22
00:03:42,170 --> 00:03:47,630
Feet get empty like this, I stand out
conspicuous. Gotta make it fast.

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00:03:53,630 --> 00:03:55,410
He reached for the ventilator window.

24
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A door opened behind him.

25
00:03:58,430 --> 00:04:01,950
Danny whipped out a rag and began
polishing the car windows.

26
00:04:02,310 --> 00:04:04,410
He could feel the man standing behind
him.

27
00:04:04,990 --> 00:04:06,010
What are you doing?

28
00:04:07,190 --> 00:04:08,810
Danny turned as if surprised.

29
00:04:09,170 --> 00:04:11,830
Oh, just thought your car windows needed
polishing, mister.

30
00:04:13,330 --> 00:04:16,410
The man had a frog face and a deep south
accent.

31
00:04:16,910 --> 00:04:19,410
He was wearing a camel's hair overcoat.

32
00:04:20,310 --> 00:04:23,890
My car don't need polishing. Nothing
stole out of it, nigga.

33
00:04:24,830 --> 00:04:27,590
Danny slipped sideways. The man grabbed
for it.

34
00:04:28,410 --> 00:04:30,390
I wasn't looking to steal nothing,
mister.

35
00:04:30,710 --> 00:04:32,650
I'm from the south, too. Florida.

36
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Goddamn sneaking thief.

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00:04:35,690 --> 00:04:40,050
Danny walked away fast and turned a
corner. Better get out of the

38
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That hick is likely to call the law.

39
00:04:42,670 --> 00:04:46,750
He walked 15 blocks, sweat running down
his body.

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00:04:47,230 --> 00:04:52,850
There was a raw ache in his lungs. His
lips drew back off his yellow teeth in a

41
00:04:52,850 --> 00:04:53,910
snarl of desperation.

42
00:04:54,890 --> 00:04:58,530
I got his score somehow, so I had some
decent clothes.

43
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Danny saw a suitcase standing in a
doorway.

44
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Good leather.

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00:05:04,010 --> 00:05:06,490
He stopped and pretended to look for a
cigarette.

46
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Funny, he thought.

47
00:05:08,830 --> 00:05:09,890
No one around.

48
00:05:11,110 --> 00:05:13,330
Inside, maybe, phoning for a cab.

49
00:05:14,290 --> 00:05:16,770
The corner was only a few houses away.

50
00:05:18,270 --> 00:05:21,090
Danny took a deep breath and picked up
the suitcase.

51
00:05:21,910 --> 00:05:26,370
He made the corner, another block,
another corner. The case was heavy.

52
00:05:26,950 --> 00:05:31,690
I got a score, all right, he thought.
Maybe enough for a sixteenth in a room.

53
00:05:32,490 --> 00:05:37,710
Danny shivered and twitched, feeling a
warm room and heroin emptying into his

54
00:05:37,710 --> 00:05:40,390
vein. Let's have a quick look.

55
00:05:40,890 --> 00:05:43,470
He stepped in the Morningside Park.

56
00:05:44,070 --> 00:05:45,330
No one around.

57
00:05:46,230 --> 00:05:48,770
Jesus, I never thought the town was this
empty.

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He opened the suitcase.

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00:05:51,250 --> 00:05:53,950
Two long packages in brown wrapping.

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00:05:54,350 --> 00:05:57,550
He took one out. It felt like meat.

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00:05:58,250 --> 00:06:02,610
He tore the package open at one end,
revealing a woman's naked foot.

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00:06:03,050 --> 00:06:06,830
The toenails were painted with purple
-red polish.

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00:06:07,230 --> 00:06:10,470
He dropped the leg with a sneer of
disgust.

64
00:06:10,730 --> 00:06:15,610
Holy Jesus, he exclaimed. The routines
people put down these days.

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00:06:15,990 --> 00:06:18,870
Legs! Well, I got a case anyway.

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00:06:19,450 --> 00:06:22,610
He dumped the other leg out. No
bloodstains.

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00:06:23,010 --> 00:06:25,630
He snapped the case shut and walked
away.

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00:06:26,330 --> 00:06:27,470
Legs, he muttered.

69
00:06:31,790 --> 00:06:35,170
We found the buyer sitting at a table in
Harrow's Cafeteria.

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00:06:36,070 --> 00:06:40,150
Thought you might be taking the day off,
Danny said, putting the case down.

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00:06:40,350 --> 00:06:42,250
The buyer shook his head sadly.

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00:06:42,730 --> 00:06:45,410
I got nobody, so what's Christmas to me?

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His eyes traveled over the case, poking,
testing, looking for flaws.

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00:06:52,350 --> 00:06:53,970
What was in it? Nothing.

75
00:06:55,490 --> 00:06:57,130
What's the matter? I don't pay enough.

76
00:06:57,530 --> 00:06:59,590
I tell you, there wasn't nothing in it.

77
00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:04,180
Okay, so somebody travels with an empty
suitcase.

78
00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,020
Okay, he held up three fingers.

79
00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,180
For Christ's sakes, Gimpy, give me a
nickel.

80
00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:15,640
You got somebody else, why don't he give
you a nickel?

81
00:07:16,100 --> 00:07:18,800
It's like I say the case was empty.

82
00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,820
Gimpy kicked at the case disparagingly.

83
00:07:24,659 --> 00:07:29,940
It's all nicked up and kind of dirty
looking. He sniffed suspiciously.

84
00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:32,560
How come it stink like that?

85
00:07:32,980 --> 00:07:33,980
Mexican leather?

86
00:07:35,700 --> 00:07:37,520
So, am I in the leather business?

87
00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:40,080
Can't be shrugged. Could be.

88
00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:45,800
He pulled out a roll of bills and peeled
off three ones, dropping them on the

89
00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,020
table behind the napkin dispenser.

90
00:07:48,260 --> 00:07:49,260
You want?

91
00:07:50,580 --> 00:07:53,180
Okay, Danny picked up the money.

92
00:07:54,090 --> 00:07:56,150
You see George the Greek, he asked.

93
00:07:56,770 --> 00:08:01,150
Where are you, Benny? Got busted two
days ago. Oh, that's bad.

94
00:08:01,870 --> 00:08:03,190
Danny walked out.

95
00:08:03,930 --> 00:08:06,290
Now where can I score, he thought.

96
00:08:07,330 --> 00:08:11,610
George the Greek had lasted so long,
Danny thought of him as permanent.

97
00:08:12,710 --> 00:08:15,490
He was good age, too, and no short
counts.

98
00:08:16,330 --> 00:08:19,030
Then he went up to 103rd and Broadway.

99
00:08:19,470 --> 00:08:22,670
Nobody in Harrow. Nobody in the Auto
Man.

100
00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:27,400
Yeah, he snarled all the pushes off on
the knob someplace.

101
00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:32,179
What they care about anybody else, so
long as they get it in the vein. What

102
00:08:32,179 --> 00:08:33,820
care about is thick junkie.

103
00:08:34,220 --> 00:08:37,820
He wiped his nose with one finger,
looking around furtively.

104
00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:43,140
There was no one he knew in the 23rd
Street Thompson's.

105
00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,180
He thought, where is everybody?

106
00:08:46,740 --> 00:08:51,900
He clutched his coat collar together
with one hand, looking up and down the

107
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street.

108
00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:56,400
There's Joey from Brooklyn. I'd know
that hat anywhere.

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00:08:56,900 --> 00:08:58,140
Joey! Hey, Joey!

110
00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,880
Joey was walking away with his back to
Danny. He turned around.

111
00:09:03,260 --> 00:09:10,140
His face was sunken, skull -like. The
gray eyes glittered under a greasy gray

112
00:09:10,140 --> 00:09:11,140
belt hat.

113
00:09:11,460 --> 00:09:15,460
Joey was sniffing at regular intervals.
His eyes were watering.

114
00:09:15,740 --> 00:09:18,440
No use asking him, Danny thought.

115
00:09:19,130 --> 00:09:22,090
They looked at each other with a hatred
of disappointment.

116
00:09:22,970 --> 00:09:25,970
Guess you heard about George the Greek,
Danny said.

117
00:09:26,270 --> 00:09:27,570
Yeah, I heard.

118
00:09:28,130 --> 00:09:30,150
You been up to 103rd?

119
00:09:30,410 --> 00:09:33,210
Yeah, just came from there. Nobody
around.

120
00:09:34,110 --> 00:09:36,610
Nobody around anyplace, Joey said.

121
00:09:36,830 --> 00:09:39,150
I can't even score for goofballs.

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00:09:39,770 --> 00:09:44,750
Well, Merry Christmas, Joey. See ya.
Yeah, see ya.

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00:09:46,310 --> 00:09:48,050
Danny was walking fast.

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He had remembered a croaker on 18th
Street.

125
00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,920
Of course, the croaker had told him not
to come back. Still, it was worth

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00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:57,920
trying.

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00:09:58,660 --> 00:10:01,800
Brownstone House with a card in the
window.

128
00:10:02,300 --> 00:10:05,220
P .H. Zuniga, M .D.

129
00:10:05,700 --> 00:10:09,220
Danny rang the bell. He heard slow
steps.

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The door opened and the doctor looked at
Danny with bloodshot brown eyes.

131
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He said nothing.

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00:10:16,580 --> 00:10:19,750
He just... leaned there looking at
Danny.

133
00:10:21,190 --> 00:10:23,270
Goddamn alcoholic, Danny thought.

134
00:10:23,550 --> 00:10:24,550
He smiled.

135
00:10:25,470 --> 00:10:26,990
Merry Christmas, Doctor.

136
00:10:27,390 --> 00:10:29,310
The doctor did not reply.

137
00:10:29,850 --> 00:10:31,430
You remember me, Doctor.

138
00:10:31,790 --> 00:10:35,150
Danny tried to edge past the doctor into
the house.

139
00:10:35,610 --> 00:10:39,610
I'm sorry to trouble you on Christmas
Day, but I've suffered another attack.

140
00:10:40,270 --> 00:10:41,270
Attack?

141
00:10:41,890 --> 00:10:44,230
Yes, facial neuralgia.

142
00:10:45,070 --> 00:10:49,010
Danny twisted one side of his face into
a horrible grenade.

143
00:10:49,610 --> 00:10:55,050
The doctor recoiled slightly and Danny
pushed into the dark hallway.

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00:10:55,970 --> 00:11:00,950
Better shut the door or you'll be
catching cold, he said jovially, shoving

145
00:11:00,950 --> 00:11:01,950
door shut.

146
00:11:02,230 --> 00:11:07,350
The doctor looked at him, his face
focusing visibly. I can't give you a

147
00:11:07,350 --> 00:11:12,810
prescription, he said. But doctor, this
is a legitimate condition, an emergency,

148
00:11:12,870 --> 00:11:13,870
you understand.

149
00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:16,620
No prescription impossible.

150
00:11:16,860 --> 00:11:18,000
It's against the law.

151
00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:20,820
You took an oath, doctor. I'm in agony.

152
00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:24,800
Daddy's voice shot up to a hysterical
grating whine.

153
00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,320
The doctor winced and passed a hand over
his forehead.

154
00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:34,240
Let me think. I can give you one quarter
grain tablet. That's all I have in the

155
00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,040
house. But doctor, a quarter G.

156
00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:38,940
The doctor stopped him.

157
00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:43,060
If your condition is legitimate, you
will not need more.

158
00:11:43,300 --> 00:11:47,690
If it isn't, I don't want anything to do
with you. Wait right here.

159
00:11:48,350 --> 00:11:52,530
The doctor weaved down the hall, leaving
a wake of alcoholic breath.

160
00:11:52,930 --> 00:11:56,410
He came back and dropped the tablet into
Danny's hand.

161
00:11:57,050 --> 00:12:00,810
Danny wrapped the tablet in a piece of
paper and tucked it away.

162
00:12:01,370 --> 00:12:02,730
There is no charge.

163
00:12:02,970 --> 00:12:05,350
The doctor put his hand on the doorknob.

164
00:12:05,750 --> 00:12:09,810
And now, my dear, but doctor, can't you
inject the medication?

165
00:12:10,900 --> 00:12:16,080
No, you will obtain longer relief than
using orally. Please not to return. The

166
00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:17,320
doctor opened the door.

167
00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:22,480
Well, this will take the edge off and I
still have money to put down on a room,

168
00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:23,640
Danny thought.

169
00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:30,240
Danny put down two dollars on a six
dollar a week room in the West Forties

170
00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:31,240
he knew the landlord.

171
00:12:31,850 --> 00:12:36,710
He bolted the door and put his spoon,
needle, and dropper on a table by the

172
00:12:36,950 --> 00:12:41,370
He dropped the tablet in the spoon and
covered it with a dropper full of water.

173
00:12:41,630 --> 00:12:44,830
He held a match under the spoon until
the tablet dissolved.

174
00:12:45,850 --> 00:12:50,750
He tore a strip of paper, wet it, and
wrapped it around the end of the

175
00:12:50,970 --> 00:12:54,930
fitting the needle over the wet paper to
make an airtight connection.

176
00:12:55,670 --> 00:12:59,510
He dropped a piece of lint from his
pocket into the spoon.

177
00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,880
and sucked the liquid into the dropper
through the needle, holding the needle

178
00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:07,080
the lint to take up the last drop.

179
00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:11,000
Danny's hands trembled with excitement
and his breath was quick.

180
00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:16,600
With a shot in front of him, his
defenses gave way and junk sickness

181
00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:19,840
body. His legs began to twitch and ache.

182
00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:25,180
Cramps stirred in his stomach. Tears ran
down his face from his smarting,

183
00:13:25,180 --> 00:13:26,180
burning eyes.

184
00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:31,220
He wrapped a handkerchief around his
right arm, holding the end in his teeth.

185
00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:36,100
He tucked the handkerchief in and began
rubbing his arm to bring out a vein.

186
00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:41,600
Guess I can hit that one, he thought,
running one finger along the vein. He

187
00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:43,540
picked up the dropper in his left hand.

188
00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:54,180
Danny heard a groan from the next groan.
He frowned with annoyance. Another

189
00:13:54,180 --> 00:13:55,180
groan.

190
00:13:55,370 --> 00:13:56,530
You're not helpless.

191
00:13:57,190 --> 00:14:02,410
He walked across the room, the dropper
in his hand inclined his ear at the

192
00:14:02,810 --> 00:14:08,530
The groans were coming at regular
intervals, a horrible inhuman sound

193
00:14:08,530 --> 00:14:09,530
from his stomach.

194
00:14:10,050 --> 00:14:12,330
And he listened for a full minute.

195
00:14:12,550 --> 00:14:15,350
He returned to the bed and sat down.

196
00:14:16,310 --> 00:14:21,110
Why don't someone call a doctor, he
thought indignantly. It's a bring -down.

197
00:14:21,870 --> 00:14:24,670
He straightened his arm and poised the
needle.

198
00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:29,180
He tilted his head, listening again. Oh,
for Christ's sake!

199
00:14:29,700 --> 00:14:33,960
He tore off the handkerchief and placed
the dropper in a water glass, which he

200
00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:35,620
hid behind the wastebasket.

201
00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:40,460
He stepped into the hall and knocked on
the door of the next room. There was no

202
00:14:40,460 --> 00:14:42,480
answer. The groans continued.

203
00:14:43,540 --> 00:14:45,720
Then he tried the door. It was open.

204
00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:48,840
The shade was up and the room was full
of light.

205
00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:54,280
He had expected an old person somehow,
but the man on the bed was very young,

206
00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:55,280
or 20.

207
00:14:55,610 --> 00:15:00,150
Fully clothed and doubled up with his
hands clasped across his stomach.

208
00:15:01,090 --> 00:15:02,950
What's wrong, kid? Danny asked.

209
00:15:03,550 --> 00:15:06,530
The boy looked at him, his eyes blanked
with pain.

210
00:15:07,530 --> 00:15:09,370
Finally, he got out one word.

211
00:15:09,670 --> 00:15:10,670
Kidney.

212
00:15:11,370 --> 00:15:12,329
Kidney stones.

213
00:15:12,330 --> 00:15:13,330
Danny smiled.

214
00:15:13,630 --> 00:15:18,150
I don't mean it's funny, kid. It's just
I've faked it so many times and never

215
00:15:18,150 --> 00:15:19,530
saw the real thing before.

216
00:15:19,830 --> 00:15:20,990
I'll call an ambulance.

217
00:15:21,650 --> 00:15:23,010
The boy bit his lip.

218
00:15:23,500 --> 00:15:24,500
Won't come.

219
00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:25,940
Doctors won't come.

220
00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:28,900
Boy hit his face in the pillow.

221
00:15:29,180 --> 00:15:30,400
Danny nodded.

222
00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:35,580
They figure it's just another junkie
throwing a windang for a shot.

223
00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:37,740
Your case is legit.

224
00:15:37,980 --> 00:15:43,840
Maybe if I went to the hospital and
explained things, I guess I wouldn't be

225
00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:44,840
good.

226
00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:46,600
Danny trailed off.

227
00:15:48,230 --> 00:15:52,870
Suddenly he put out his thin, dirty hand
and touched the boy's shoulder.

228
00:15:53,790 --> 00:15:58,430
I'm sorry, kid. You wait. I'll fix you
up. He went back to his room and got the

229
00:15:58,430 --> 00:16:00,370
dropper and returned to the boy's room.

230
00:16:00,610 --> 00:16:01,990
Roll up your sleeve, kid.

231
00:16:02,410 --> 00:16:07,430
The boy fumbled his coat sleeve with a
weak can. That's okay. I'll get it.

232
00:16:07,990 --> 00:16:12,890
Danny undid the shirt button at the
wrist and pushed the shirt and coat up,

233
00:16:13,030 --> 00:16:15,190
borrowing a thin brown forearm.

234
00:16:16,410 --> 00:16:18,930
Danny hesitated, looking at the dropper.

235
00:16:19,490 --> 00:16:23,870
Sweat ran down his nose. The boy was
looking up at him.

236
00:16:24,550 --> 00:16:30,290
Danny shoved the needle in the boy's
forearm and watched the liquid drain

237
00:16:30,290 --> 00:16:31,049
the flesh.

238
00:16:31,050 --> 00:16:35,110
He straightened up. The boy's face began
to relax.

239
00:16:35,390 --> 00:16:37,110
He sat up and smiled.

240
00:16:37,730 --> 00:16:41,630
Say, that stuff really works, he said.
You a doctor, mister?

241
00:16:41,890 --> 00:16:42,890
No, kid.

242
00:16:42,970 --> 00:16:45,130
The boy lay down, stretching.

243
00:16:45,410 --> 00:16:47,130
I feel real sleepy.

244
00:16:47,350 --> 00:16:50,870
Didn't sleep all last night. His eyes
were closing.

245
00:16:51,810 --> 00:16:55,050
Danny walked across the room and pulled
the shade down.

246
00:16:55,490 --> 00:16:59,550
He went back to his room and closed the
door without locking it.

247
00:16:59,950 --> 00:17:04,990
He sat on the bed, looking at the empty
dropper. It was getting dark outside.

248
00:17:06,270 --> 00:17:11,710
Danny's body ached for junk, but it was
a dull ache now, dull and hopeless.

249
00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:23,099
Suddenly a warm flood pulsed through his
veins and broke in his head like a

250
00:17:23,099 --> 00:17:25,420
thousand golden speedballs.

251
00:17:26,020 --> 00:17:32,600
For Christ's sake, Danny thought, I must
have scored for the immaculate fix.

252
00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:39,840
The vegetable serenity of junk settled
in his tissues.

253
00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:46,280
His face went black and peaceful in his
head.

254
00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:47,780
fell forward.

255
00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:52,780
Danny the car wiper was on the knot.

256
00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,080
Merry Christmas to all of you.

257
00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:18,360
One and all.

258
00:20:18,580 --> 00:20:21,200
I wish you a Merry Christmas.