01x04 - The Odds

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

NARRATOR:
Man lives in the sunlit world

of what he believes
to be reality.

But... there is,

unseen by most, an underworld.

A place that is just as real

but not as brightly lit.

A darkside.

[electronic music playing]

Cut the concert, will you?

You're giving me a headache.

MAN:
Yeah, boss.

What, are you practicing
for Carnegie Hall?

I got this for you.

Well, that's very sweet of you,
Horace.

Only I don't trust them things.

I've been calculating
for 31 years with this and this.

It's the modern age, boss.

You got to keep up.

No one's phoned in a bet
in three days.

It's getting pretty quiet
in here lately.

I keep up.

I never been cheated,
I never been broken.

I'm still the best.

[sighs]

I need a soak.

You want one?

Yeah, I want a soak, yeah.

Now, take that with you.

All right,
I got it.

Mm-hmm.

[sighs]

[footsteps retreating]

Hey, a couple
of soaks, eh?

[wind whistling]

Hey, Phil?

Cut the fan
bit, huh?

You're freezing
me out.

PHIL:
I didn't even hear
the door open.

Somebody tickling your leg
or what?

$500 on Ryan's Daughter to win.

First race at Belmont.

Try again, kid.

She's 40 to one.

I don't want you
to get hurt.

$100, $200,

$300, $400,

$500.

Don't worry,
it's a nickel.

They're uncirculated.

[electronic tones play]

Stop playing with that thing
when I'm doing business.

I didn't.
It's the clock.

It does that every hour.

Too high for you, Tommy?

Tommy Vale.

Too high?

That phrase ain't in
my dictionary.

Try "too late."

Post time at Belmont's at 2:00.

Philly, turn on the race.

Let's hear what
Mr. Sunshine missed.

ANNOUNCER:
The horses are moving
into the starting gate

for the first race here.

We've had a slight delay
for the opener

on this sweltering Saturday
afternoon at Belmont Park.

The flag is up and they're off!

[hooves clattering]

Snowbird on the outside going
for the early lead.

Lucy Girl is second,
Tammy Shanter third,

followed by Native Princess
and First Lady,

Bold Dancer is seventh
and Ryan's Daughter is last.

As they move past
the half-mile pole,

Lucy Girl charging up on the
outside to take command,

with Native Princess,
Bold Dancer, First Lady

and Ryan's Daughter
is still the trailer.

As the field moves
to the far turn,

Native Princess makes her move
and quickly takes the lead.

Tammy Shanter takes up the chase
from the second spot,
[plays funeral dirge]

Lucy Girl fades to third.

After that, it's Snowbird,
First Lady, Bold Dancer

and Ryan's Daughter seventh,
but starting to move.

Here comes Ryan's Daughter
from the back of the pack.

As the field turns for home,

Native Princess leads
by one length.

Snowbird second, Ryan's Daughter
on the outside, now third.

And down the stretch they come!

Native Princess is trying
to hold on.

Ryan's Daughter flying
on the outside.

It's a two-horse race
to the wire!

Native Princess in front
by a head.

Ryan's Daughter challenging.

It is stride for stride, Native
Princess and Ryan's Daughter.

Here's the finish!

It's Ryan's Daughter,
the winner by a nose!

Native Princess second.
Far back, it's Snowbird third.

What a race! The long shot,
Ryan's Daughter,

last on the backstretch,
but up to win it...

I'll have
your 20 grand tomorrow.

What's the line on Detroit?

There's no big payoff.

It's one-to-three.

I like big payoffs
and little birdies.

So, I'm gonna put my money
on the Orioles-- $20,000.

That's suicide,
mister.

Boss, that's 60 thou.

You ain't got time
to lay that off.

I've never refused a bet.

[ringing]

Yeah? Yeah, but how much
you in for?

$75? Got ya.

[phone rings]

Yeah? Okay, T.J.

[tones play]

Horace!

Yeah, I got ya.

Horace, how in the heck
do you use this thing?

[tones playing]

Put T.J. down for $50
for the Orioles.

You know, boss,
someone's passing hunches.

Tell me something
I don't know.

Look, it's 8:00.

You want to watch
the game?

No. You gonna show me
how to do this thing,
will ya?

Well, look, you turn it
on over here.

Yeah?
Press the "clear.

Hurt pretty bad,
huh, Tommy?

Philly, let's just say
business has been better.

My business has
never been better.

You always share
your hunches

with the general public?

I like to spread the good word.

I like to make people happy.

I see happy people,

I'm happy. [laughing]

Son of a g*n.

Horace,

get over here.
Yo.

Well, if it ain't the walking
public service message.

Horace,

Mr. Sunshine here,
he remind you of someone?

I've been thinking
he looks real familiar,

but I can't place
the face.

Horace, try way, way back.

Maybe you remember Bill Lacey?

HORACE:
Oh, yeah!

Sure, I, I remem...

So, you're
Bill Lacey's kid, huh?

Nice box.

I like to box.

I like boxing.

I like Jorge Ramirez
tonight at the Garden.

HORACE:
Ramirez? He's an
eight-to-one shot.

Ramirez, the Bold Avenger.

Very apropos.

You trying to put me out
of business, kid. Huh?

I mean, the Bold Avenger's
a long shot all right,

but you're so hot,

that I'm gonna cut
your odds in half.

In addition,
you're on rolling odds.

If you announce your choices,

the odds go down
with the others.

You understand?

Now, maybe you wanna go
to someone else.

Sounds like you're
chickening out.

I've never
turned down a bet, kid.

But those are the odds.

You're on.

How much?

You're looking at it.

I've gotta make a call.

You're not broken yet,
are ya, Tommy?

You got a dime?

[man laughs]

Add it to the bet, Tommy.

60 grand and a dime.

Oh, I don't extend credit.

But that's your
policy, right?

[musical tones play]

HORACE:
It's a new technology.

Cratch!

No wonder Tommy had
to go to the phone.

Guess I'm lucky.

I guess so.

That's one thing

you didn't get from
your old man.

One thing Bill Lacey wasn't
was lucky.

He was a nice guy, though.

That's another thing
you didn't inherit
from him neither.

He was a fool.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

You should respect
the dead.

Yeah, he shouldn't
be dead.

Tommy Vale should
be dead.

Is that what you have
in mind, kid?

There's ways of
doing things,

and there's ways
of doing things.

Listen, kid,
I didn't k*ll Bill Lacey.

I didn't throw him
off the bridge.

He took an easy way out
of a bad situation.

You wouldn't see him a dime.

You had his back to the wall.

He put his back
to the wall!

No one told him
to bet over his head!

And I don't muscle no one.

You just have my money here
tomorrow.

If you win.

You can't go wrong it seems.

You want to go on taking bets?

I told you I never
turn away a bet.

That's my reputation.
I stick with it.

Of course, I get
to choose the odds,

and for you, the odds
are getting shorter.

How about even money?

One for one.

Double or nothing.

Now you're talking,
now you talk.

On your life.

[coughs]

I see.

The Bold Avenger.

What's the bet, kid?

I bet that you're dead
by 8:00 tomorrow morning.

Well, that's easy.

sh**t me dead, take the money.

No...

At your autopsy,

the coroner will find you've
died of natural causes.

That's fair.

I'm in good health.

You get your dough,
and I'll bring mine.

You come back tonight, and
we'll sit it out till morning.

Hey, boss, he ain't
never lost a bet yet.

I know.

[electronic musical tones
playing]

Horace, I'm touched
at how well you're
playing that thing.

Now, if I should lose the bet,

I want you to play
at my funeral.

Oh, boss!

[laughing]

[laughing continues]

[wind whistling]

That guy gives me the creeps.

♪ ♪

I gave up
cigars.

They can be hazardous
to your health.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

I'm relaxing.

Ain't that okay?

The bet is, I won't die.

I'm allowed to sleep.

Look, I don't know
about you guys,

but I'm gonna get
some shut-eye.

Horace,

wake me up
if I die.

He always sleeps
sitting up.

[rhythmic beeping]

[steady electronic tone]

[rhythmic beeping]

[steady electronic tone]

[rhythmic beeping]

[steady electronic tone]

[snoring]

Boss, don't die.

Don't die, boss!

[chuckles]

Horace, get me some coffee.

You're still smiling.

You must know
something I don't.

I know it's 7:55.

I still got five minutes.

That ain't much.

You should be sweating
by now.

Five minutes.

I don't sweat the small stuff.

Well, you used to.

You used to sweat
the small stuff.

And you choked on the big stuff.

And now you're
gonna choke again,

when I don't die
by 8:00.

You think I don't know
who you are?

How you got here?

And how come you're so hot?

I knew you as soon as you
walked in here, Bill Lacey.

Lacey's dead.

I went to his funeral.

That may be, but he's
sitting right there.

And he's still
a cheap little coward.

A cheat.

Still pulling cheap tricks,

trying to cheat me,
trying to break me...

trying to be the big shot.

Oh, sure, he found out
from the other side

when I was gonna croak.

And he took that inside dope
and tried to make it pay.

It ain't 8:00, Tommy Vale.

You know, Lacey, you should
never underestimate

the powers of the human will.

That's the one thing I learned

sitting in this seat
for the last 30 years.

It's the doggonedest thing,
the human will.

Either you've got it,
or you don't.

You were
a scared rabbit.

You're gonna be
a scared rabbit again.

Leaving a wife with T.B.

and two little girls 'cause you
were scared to face the music.

I lost everything.

You sure did,
you dumb jerk.

And you're gonna
lose it all again.

[rhythmic beeping]

[steady electronic tone]

[door opening]

[door closing]

Never underestimate
the power of the human will.

Horace, quick,
hand me the book.

The last will

and testament of Tommy Vale.

But, you beat the odds, boss.

You're alive.

That dumb jerk, Lacey.

He was always a loser, Horace.

You're a loser, Lacey!

My time has come, I know that.

My number's up.

But I made a monkey out
of that guy, didn't I, Horace?

When you're up, remember
to set the clock back.

He fell for the oldest
trick in the book.

Setting the clock ahead.

[laughing]

This is good.

I'm gonna die laughing.

Come on, come on,

don't worry, pal.

I'm leaving plenty for you.

That is, if you promise me
you'll play at my funeral.

And remember to set
that back, too.

I particularly like
the sound effects.

But the calculating...

Horace, I've still
never been cheated

and never been broken.

I'm still the best.

Horace, get me a soak, will ya?

It's hot in here.

[chuckles]

[sobbing]

TOMMY:
I'm gonna die laughing.

[rhythmic beeping]

[steady electronic tone]

Hey, boss.

Boss?

Boss?
[calculator playing
musical tones]

NARRATOR:
The darkside is always there.

Waiting for us to enter.

Waiting to enter us.

Until next time, try
to enjoy the daylight.