The treatment (53)

“This meeting is adjourned.”
“Van, Jim is the chairman; he has the power here.”
“It’s ok, we can adjourn.”
“Jim, before you do, I had a question about these declining collections; did you know about them?”
“How’d you get that report, Kaylee? That’s confidential.”
“Confidential to this committee, that oversees the system? How, Van?”
“How’d you get that?”
“Melissa got it, and I got it from Melissa.”
“You will give it to me now or I shall have security accompany you down to one of our squad cars by the E.R.”
“Your squad cars? You own the police, too?”
“Where’d you get it, Melissa?”
“Melissa is my aid and she has been instructed to be silent.”
“Kaylee.”
“You lay a hand on her, Van, and it will be Kaylee-bar-the-door.”

The treatment (52)

“We let you on this committee as a courtesy, Kaylee.”
“I know, Van; but you know you had to, or I’d go to the paper.”
“That’s not for here, Kaylee.”
“Well, I’m just a little country girl and don’t know the rules, Van.”
“Let me inform you…”
“That all these people just rubberstamp what you want?”
“That’s not for here, Kaylee.”
“What do you do?”
“You don’t have to answer that, Jim.”
“You own the Blue Star cleaners don’t you, Jim?”
“You don’t have to answer that, Jim.”
“And you consult with the hospital on its laundry system for an extra $100,000 per year of my family’s money. For that, and, of course, to agree with Van’s decisions don’t you, Jim?”

The treatment (51)

“Barb you were like a big sister to me. I can’t believe you’re gone.”
“Sometimes I can’t either. My heart is just out there with you in those trees of yours. Take care of them and think of me when they rustle. And watch yourself. We’ll get back one of these days.”
“Love you so, Barb.”
“Me too. Bye now.”

The treatment (50)

“How are you Barb? This is Kaylee. Is your new man working out for you?”
“Oh, yes, we’re doing just fine. I’m on some medicines that seem to be working, and I’m helping to see patients in family practice. It’s sooo… good to hear your voice. How are you?”
“I’m ok. Leland has convinced me to get on a system-wide committee; Van won’t turn me down because of my name. But he does not know I’m working with Leland. Can you get me in touch with Caitlin? Is that her right name?”
“Yes.”

The treatment (49)

“Kaylee. I got a call from Dave; said he heard from someone called Caitlin.”
“Who?”
“She’s in accounting, friend of Barb’s.”
“What’d she say?
“Sound like he’s planning to squeeze everybody on their pay.”
“When?”
“Soon as he can cover himself with a memo or two on productivity. Can you get him to bring up the subject at your new committee?”
“I can try. What’s Barb’s new number? She forgot to give it to me. I’d like to call her.”

The treatment (48)

“That’s a bad sign.”
“Yes, the staff is beginning to worry.”
“Do you know anybody in accounting who will give you an idea?”
“Hmm.”
“And who will not tell Van Buren you asked?”
“One of the mid-level people in the business office stepped down. Just gave personal reasons. But I don’t know him well enough to ask.”
“Ok, Tim. See what you can find out. Thanks for the heads up. Keep me posted.”
“Will do, sir.”

The treatment (47)

“But the main thing is that he was slow to make the last payroll.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No, we had to wait over the weekend ‘til Monday.”
“Ok.”
“And now he’s pushing backing the next payroll date until three weeks from Monday.”
“Why?”
“Operations, he says.”
"Where's the damn oil money?"
"Obviously not available to the hospital."

The treatment (46)

“Tim, good to see you.”
“Nice to see you sir, this is not a professional call; no need to worry.”
“What’s on your mind? You should be playing golf or something.”
“Dave told me to keep you posted.”
“Yeah.”
“I think Van Buren may be running short.”
“Already? And with oil going to Pluto?”
“Yes, he’s taken back certain promises on continuing education funding; we now have to pay for our own, and he is making us responsible for vetting patients as to their financial status.”
“Why did you not just call?”
“They are monitoring calls on a system wide basis.”
“They are?”
“For quality.”
“Don’t have a cell?”
“They own that, too; left my other one at home. Need to start carrying two phones, I guess. Could have gone back to the house, but it might have worried my wife, and she can’t keep quiet about anything. She’s in the medical auxilliary, you know.”
“Yeah, makes sense.”

The treatment (45)

“How can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Leland Street.”
“Looks like he’s on the phone at the moment.”
“May I wait?”
“Yes, just have a seat; you’re welcome to some coffee. May I write him a note with your name on it? It may get him off faster.”
“Yes, Tim Archway, here’s my card.”

The treatment (44)

“If they were going to go public with that firm, it’s a little late now, with all this market turmoil.”
“Yeah, they may have to wait out this little pullback, even though their oil is still going through the roof.”
“Could be a quarter or two.”
“Well, I’m not there to see the deposits down at First National, but they should be way up.”
“Yeah, but are they?”
“Not if what Sonny says is going on.”

The treatment (43)

“Look at this here, Hick.”
“What?”
“Breaker Brothers was going to give Kaylee a million shares for her mineral interest.”
“Why did she turn them down, Sonny?”
“Doesn’t trust Van, and she wouldn’t give up her minerals, anyway, is what she told me.”
“Well, we know the trust has at least 15 million shares in that firm. Wonder what the others have?”

The treatment (42)

“Shit, these commodities are backing off hard.”
“Limit down in the corn. Gold’s off $25. The shipping rates are down 50% from their highs.”
“This slowdown in the Far East is catching some people flat-footed.”
“Maybe it will catch Van. He’s Mr. Bull Forever.”
“Wouldn’t that be something?”
“Time will tell.”

The treatment (41)

“That Leland’s got a eye on what we’re doing, Dad.”
“Yeah.”
“What are we going to do?”
“Probably nothing to do. He doesn’t live down the road, and I can’t get Lexie to drop him; he’s been gone years. Those days are past.”
“Never did know why you all didn’t drop those Macons way back. We could have had that whole ranch.”
“Not in the cards then. Too savvy; had real good foremen. And the old man---he knew what was behind him. And up ahead. Was always loaded up. And for about twenty years he was good friends with the sheriff.”
“Well…”
“I’ll think about it.”
“You did get the last man, though.”
“Yeah, but that was Africa. This is here, and Leland is slippery.”

The treatment (40)

“Well, I’ll tell you what, Melissa.”
“What?”
“Figure out what I’ve saved, and I’ll send the difference to the orphanage Noemi was telling me about.”
“You what?”
“You heard me, Mae.”
“Lord.”
“And we need to send Noemi something that will compliment those eyes.”
“I think he already seen ‘em , ma’am.”

The treatment (39)

“Girl, these are fine knits.”
“They are, they’re going to look so good.”
“Think so, Mae?”
“Yes Ma’am, I do.”
“What are we going to tell Considine?”
“I’ll call her and tell her to hold ‘til next year.”
“Why have we never gone to the mall?”
“Ma’am, your money and your mind split up. Long ago.”
“Mae. I can’t fire you. You’ve been here too long.”
“And what would Cedric say?”
“God bless that boy.”

The treatment (38)

“I am not married to your mother. You deal with her.”

“Jesus, Melissa. Cell phones for everybody.”
“Heh.”

“I am not going to deal with her every fuckin’ time she shows up.”

“Pretty clear he’s not getting any ‘til his mother’s gone.”
“Not so loud, Kaylee.”
“I think she can only hear herself talk, Mel.”

“Mommy…”
“You hush.”
“Ow.”

“Do I know you? You look like somebody I know.”
“Where’d you go to high school?”
“Lamesa.”
“You’re Angie Lopez.”
“You’re Jennie McCoy.”
“You’re so pretty, you look so different.”
“I just got married.”
“Why are you up here?”
“I’m visiting my aunt with my husband. She could not come to the wedding.”
“You’re so pretty, and you have those cool glasses and you’re just glowing.”
“You look good, too.”
“Maybe it’s my new husband. He’s number 2, but he’s a whole lot better than this one’s father.”
“And this one’s…?
“She’s Brittany.”

“Jesus, Mel. She loves the mama’s boy better than number 1. Wonder what their fights were like.”
“Hush, Kaylee.”
“And both of them to hear that voice every morning.”
“Hush, Kaylee.”
“She does have a nice figure.”
“Kaylee.”
“Takes a man’s mind off the voice.”
“You’d know about that.”

The treatment (37)

“The line is here.”
“The line?”
“To pay.”
“To pay?”
“Remember your image is changing?”
“Melissa.”
“Let’s get behind these girls.”

The treatment (36)

“I want to look at some knits at the mall.”
“The mall? We have Considine coming out with her line next week.”
“But I want to see what Dillard’s has.”
“Well…”
“Mae will watch the car; we can go in the front door, and wander back to Dillards; and you can wear sunglasses if you’re worried about your image.”
“No. I think my image is changing, Melissa.”
“Just park in front of Dillard’s and let us off.”
“Yes, ma’am. Sit, Rascal.”

The treatment (35)

“So he was set to hitch up to ‘em, but his heart just gave him away.”
“Hoo, that’s hard. Still carryin’ that torch, but not now, no more.”
“What do you mean?”
“He ballroomin’ with the Mexican lady.”
“You caught that?”
“Yes ma’am. She has green eyes, too.”

The treatment (34)

“Pull that thumb, Kaylee.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You grown; had more men than I had.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You can’t go in with a man like this and do that.”
“What did you think of Leland, Mae?”
“Think the man is straight up.”
“That’s the way Dixie was, the way I heard it.”
“So he picked up her ways?”
“Seems to have, Melissa; he must have been quite a sight thirty years ago.”
“He was; he had quite a reputation with some of my older friends.”
“Really.”
"Yes, but he was always a gentleman; never went with more than one at a time.”
“And never married?”
“No, when he had too many, he’d start talking about a girl named Linda.”
“Really.”
“With green eyes.”
“How’d you come by this?”
“Just doing a little background.”

The treatment (33)

“So let’s do some work on Van, huh, Kaylee?”
“Never had to do much before.”
“Maybe time to change. Time to sharpen up.”

The treatment (32)

“But that’s ok with you.”
“Yeah. I mean we’re all scrappin’ for the same living, and they’re willing to work for it, not just fake and talk for it.”
“So if you can’t beat them, join them?”
“Always been joined to a hard day’s work, no matter who did it.”