It's Like Something

S02E10

Ben arrives at the Carnivàle. Libby and Jonesy hop out of the truck, and then Jonesy tells Ben to wait a second. Ben protests, but Jonesy insists, "I got something for you," and leads Libby away quickly. As they walk, Jonesy reminds Libby not to tell anyone what happened, and prompts her on the cover story they've prepared for Rita Sue. Libby recites, "You got liquored up, in a fight. You been pinched, and we spent the night in the tank." Meanwhile, Jonesy has stopped by another truck and started pulling fresh clothes out of it. Well, relatively fresh. He puts on an undershirt while Libby complains that her mother already thinks that Jonesy's a bum. Jonsey says, "Good. Let's keep it that way." Libby asks how Jonesy plans to hide his healed knee. Jonesy explains that he's going to go back with Ben, and pulls another wadded-up bundle out of the truck. That must be the laundry truck. He insists, "It's something I have to do," and heads back for Ben's truck. Libby protests, and when that doesn't work, she offers to go along. Oh, Ben would love that. Libby whines, "Mama's gonna make it hard. She's gonna tell everyone you left me cold." Jonesy calmly says that if she does, then Rita Sue will look silly when he comes back. Libby tearfully asks if Jonesy really will come back. He says he will, and they kiss quickly.

Jonesy gets into Ben's truck. Ben says, "I thought you said you had something for me." Jonesy says he's the something. Ben doesn't need company, but Jonesy says that Ben's got it whether he wants it or not, and asks, "Gonna sit here all night?" Ben sighs and drives off, leaving Libby standing all alone on the highway.

Cheyenne Motor Court. That was fast. Jonesy has put on a button-down shirt, and it seems that he's also got a revolver in his bundle of stuff. Ben looks a little surprised, but he doesn't protest. I'm kind of wondering how Jonesy knew he'd want that. It seems a little odd: "I'm going with Miracle-Boy on an unspecified quest. Better take a gun." And given the rules of drama, and the fact that they really didn't need the gun in this episode, I think that someone's going to get shot in the week or two.

Jonesy rings the bell for the manager. While they wait, I have a question. Didn't Ben spend all that time last week astral-projecting himself through the motel? So, shouldn't he know which room Varlyn and Scudder are in? The manager finally wanders out in his robe, looking irritable. He asks if they want a room, showing off his German accent. Ben explains that they're looking for a pair of men who checked in in the past day: one with long white hair, and the other bald. The manager suspiciously asks if his visitors are cops or G-men. He's not a very observant guy if Ben and Jonesy look like cops. The manager says that he doesn't want trouble, and prepares to stomp off. Jonesy insists that they just want to talk to these guys. Ben slides a fifty-cent piece across the desk. The manager's eyes light up, and he takes the coin and says, "This is not the Ritz; it is fucking Cheyenne, Wyoming, do you understand me?" He says that three people checked in in the past day: "The first was a big, huge, fat woman, the size of a tank. Sweating all the time, disgusting. Full of donuts." There's a beat, and Jonesy says, "And...?" Heh. The manager seems a little sad that nobody's interested in the fat lady, and shrugs, "Two men, just like you say." Aw, just wanted to talk about the donut lady. He's lonely!