Photos
Quotes
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[last lines]
John Rayburn : Our parents had one rule, it was the granddaddy rule of them all. And that was that you do not go into the guests' rooms - ever. Well, I was a 10-year-old kid. One afternoon, a couple guests came along and they were very mysterious. And I was intrigued. So, the next morning, I went to the front desk. I took their room key, and I went out and I watched until they left for the day. I let myself into their room and my heart was pounding. I closed that door, and I tell you, it was like, uh... It was like being in one of those detective novels, you know?
[crowd laughing]
John Rayburn : And I poked around and I prodded and I looked here and there. I laid down on the bed.
John Rayburn : And a couple hours later, the people came back and they found a 10-year-old detective asleep on their bed. Now, you all knew my father. Most of you knew my father. God bless him. You know when he was angry, he had a silence to him. And the more silent he was, the more angry he was. And I tell you, he was deadly silent when we came together, and he said to me after this, he said: "I'm happy for you." Well, he says, "I'm happy for you because every day after today, you will always know the meaning of right and wrong."
John Rayburn : And then there was my mother, who I can never, never forget the look on your face. Because it was a look... of disappointment and betrayal. And she only said one word to me: "Why?" And I'll tell you, I have been trying to figure out the answer to that question my whole life. I don't live here at this inn anymore. I live in the real world, where right and wrong have life and death consequences.
John Rayburn : That's why I'm officially announcing today that I am running for Sheriff of Monroe County. Because I realized that there is no answer to my mother's question: "Why?" There's only human nature. And human nature needs to be nurtured, and policed, so as to save us from ourselves.
