highway 29

 

A ladies shoe salesman is working in a shoe shop slash roadhouse. In the course of his work day he meets an attractive woman who wears a size 7, they rob a bank, stay in a motel, then die in a car crash. 

The Line

 

A widowed army Veteran called Carl takes a job working for border patrol. he is finding it hard to adjust to civvy street. he makes friends with another guard called Bobby who is of mexican descent. One night, drinking in a bar South of the border, Carl meets a woman with long dark hair who goes by the name Luisa and is instantly smitten by her. He takes pity on her after hearing about her seperation from her family in North America and decides to help her, her baby and her brother cross. He smuggles them accross in his truck during a raid, in the commotion her brothers shirt falls open and Carl sees a piece of tape accross his chest, suggesting that the boy may be smuggling contraband. He is then stopped by his partner Bobby, they have a tense stand off, no words are exchanged.  Lusia and her brother escape into the bush.  At work the following day Bobby makes no comment.  Carl is full of shame and a few weeks later he quits, spending his time and army pension searching bars and cafes of the Central Valley in the hope of seeing Luisa again 

Straight Time

Johnny gets out of prison and gets married to Mary.  He gets a job rendering, but is unsatisfied with the low pay. Every night before dinner he feels a temptation to stray back to crime. 

He has dinner with his uncle, a fence for stolen cars, who gives him 100 quid and says 'you better remember who your friends are' 

He is increasingly frustrated with his life, but becomes numb to it. One evening lying on the kitchen floor he's  playing with his kids, throwing them up in the air, he notices his wife is watching him with a strange expression, possibly suspiciousion. He reflects that even if you try your best to be good, you are always marked by your past. He is in the basement drinking a beer and sawing down a shotgun, the barrel wrapped in a rag and clamped in a vise, the barrel falls to the floor with a clink.  Later that evening he retuns home and washes his hands, but cant get the smell of gunpowder off them. He goes to bed and sleeps well.