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“smALL lIFE”
A screenplay by
Stephen Felder
| |THIRD DRAFT |
|25 Iron Bark Way |AUGUST 20, 2003 |
|Irvine, CA, 92612 | |
|(949) 857-6732; swfelder@uci.edu | |
"sMall Life"
FADE IN:
MONTAGE:
ext. billy’s house – day
A small house—, built in the 1950’s. Clean. Painted. A flourishing, wild garden surrounds it. Green, but patchy grass covers the lawn. A small wading pool one-foot high is in the front yard. An R.V. is in the driveway. A large “Totem Pole” sits in front of the house. Three small children, a girl (age eleven) and two boys (ages seven and four) run to the R.V. and get in. The R.V. pulls out of the driveway.
ext. billy’s house – day
The R.V. is parked in the driveway. Garden looks even wilder. Grass is patchier. The wading pool is full of stagnant water. Totem pole is still there. Nobody is in the yard.
ext. billy’s house – day
An old canoe rests on top of the R.V. Grass is brown and patchy. Some of the plants are dead; others are overgrown. The paint on the house is starting to peel. The wading pool is leaning against the R.V. The totem pole is starting to lean over.
ext. billy’s house – day
Junk is piled up in the yard. The tires on R.V. are flat. All plants are completely wild or dead. The front porch is stacked high with recycling: bundles of newspapers, boxes and bags overflow with cans and bottles. The totem pole has fallen over.
ext. billy’s house – day
The porch is overflowing with old newspapers, grocery bags full of cans and bottles, and garbage bags full of who knows what. The front window of the R.V. is shattered. One front window on the house is boarded up. The screen door has fallen off the front door and is leaning up against the house. There are exactly five newspapers, unopened, strewn across the front walkway. The totem pole is grayed and cracked.
END
int. billy’s room – day
BILLY sits on the edge of his bed. The room is very messy. Blankets, sheets and pillows spill from the bed to the floor. A T.V. is on, blaring an “I Love Lucy” re-run. The radio is also on; we hear local D.J.’s engaged in mindless morning-show banter. Billy, a 17-year old boy, sits playing video games on a second television. He is wearing an ill-fitting suit and tie which is loosened around his neck.
warren (O.S.)
All right kids, I guess we better get going.
NO REACTION FROM BILLY. HE KEEPS PLAYING HIS GAME.
walden (O.S.)
I can’t find my fucking dress shoes. . . Do I even have any fucking dress shoes?
LUCY (O.S.)
What’s with all the cursing in the house? You know mom’s . . . mom’s rule about cursing in the house.
WALDEN (O.S.)
I know you’re not my fucking mother.
WARREN (O.S.)
Come on kids. We have to stick together, especially today.
NO REACTION FROM BILLY. HE KEEPS PLAYING HIS GAME.
int.church – day
WARREN is standing at the podium in front of the church. He is a slim man with long, slightly graying hair and a goatee.
LUCY, WALDEN, and Billy are seated together in the front pew.
LUCY, is a young woman in her twenties, nicely dressed, slim and attractive.
WALDEN is a young man in his late teens or early twenties with spiked-hair that is obviously dyed blond with black roots. He is wearing a suit and tie, but looks uncomfortable in it. He has three earrings in his left ear, the lowest one is a silver cross that dangles down.
The REVEREND, a dignified man wearing liturgical robes, is seated behind Warren.
warren
The thing about Marian is that she loved life, every minute of it. She was sick for a long time, and I know that made it hard for her to do the things she really loved, like going camping with the kids, or painting and drawing at the beach, or sunbathing topless on the roof.
THE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH LAUGH AT THIS.
warren
(continuing)
Sorry Reverend
(TURNING TO LOOK AT HIM)
LUCY LOOKS AT WARREN, SMILING SLIGHTLY. WALDEN LOOKS AT THE FLOOR WHILE FIDGETING. BILLY STARES STRAIGHT AHEAD WITH NO VISIBLE REACTION.
warren
And, of course, she was a wonderful mother. She never read any books on parenting. . . She just said love your kids and
(CONT’D)
THEY’LL BE FINE. AND SHE LOVED
HER KIDS. I REMEMBER ONCE WHEN CORDELIA, THAT’S LUCY’S REAL NAME, WAS ABOUT FIVE OR SIX, SHE ASKED MAR’ IF SHE COULD HAVE ICE-CREAM FOR BREAKFAST. MARIAN SAID, “OF COURSE, LIFE IS TOO SHORT NOT TO EAT ICE-CREAM WHENEVER YOU FEEL LIKE IT.”
BILLY STARTLES AND TURNS TO FOCUS ON WARREN. BILLY LEANS FORWARD PROPPING HIMSELF UP BY PUTTING HIS FOREARMS ON HIS THIGHS.
warren (O.S.)
She was right. Life is short, so I guess her message to all of us is, “to hell with all those damn diets, eat ice-cream for breakfast.”
PEOPLE IN CHURCH LAUGH AGAIN. BILLY CONTINUES TO STARE, BUT MANAGES A SMALL SMILE.
int. jake’s Living room – night
This home is very elegant. A few nice, large paintings adorn the walls. The carpet is white. Large plush couches and chairs furnish the living room.
The house is crowded with people in suits and nice dresses. They are carrying plates loaded down with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, meatballs with toothpicks in them, and cookies.
Billy sits on the edge of a couch. His collar is open, and his tie is loose. He is picking at his food.
Seated next to Billy is UNCLE JOHN, a slim, tanned, middle-aged man in a nice suit with slicked-back hair.
Uncle john
Well Billy boy, I guess school’s starting up here in a week or so. You all ready?
BILLY
For what?
JOHN
You know . . . school.
BILLY
Umm . . . yeah, I guess.
JOHN
I mean, your taking the S-A-T’s and all that this year, aren’t you? I know this has been a hard summer for you, but those college applications are due in a few months and you’ve got to take that test.
BILLY
Right. Yeah. The S-A-T’s . . . college . . . yeah.
john
Listen, my friend, do you see this nice house these people have? Have you been on my boat? Your father is a good guy, but he lucked out buying that house when he did, and if your mom’s parents hadn’t helped them they never would have been able to afford a place in this area.
BILLY
I know . . .
JOHN
Your father’s so-called landscaping business is no way to make a living . . . and that’s where you’re headed if you don’t get into a good college.
BILLY
I know . . .
JOHN
I’m not talking Harvard or anything, I mean, you know U.S.C. . . . you could make some great contacts there. Almost everybody in Newport went to U.S.C. or Stanford. . . Of course, your mom met your dad at one of those swap meets where she was always trying to sell those rocks she painted little beach scenes on . . .
BILLY IS NOW SLUMPED DOWN IN THE CHAIR AND HIS HANGING HIS HEAD ON HIS CHEST. HE IS SILENT.
john
Look buddy, I know this is a tough day, I just don’t want you to end up like . . . well . . . What I mean is, you’re a smart kid . . .
JUST THEN JAKE, A 17-YEAR OLD BOY, ATHLETIC, SLIM, GOOD-LOOKING, WALKS UP TO BILLY AND PLAYFULLY SLAPS HIM ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD.
jake
The party has moved, my friend, follow me.
JAKE WALKS AWAY TOWARDS A HALLWAY WITHOUT STOPPING TO SEE IF BILLY WILL FOLLOW.
Billy watches him from the couch, then, slowly rises to his feet, putting his plate on a table and nodding at Uncle John he follows Jake.
INT. JAKE’S ROOM – DAY
JAKE and Billy enter the room. It’s bigger and less cluttered than Billy’s. Full of nice electronic equipment—stereo, t.v., etc. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and framed Jimmi Hedrix posters are on the wall.
Jake closes the door, exaggerating the need for privacy. He then reaches under his bed and pulls out a shallow, plastic tub full of ice and long-necked beers. He grabs two beers and twists the lids off, handing one to Billy.
jake
No offense, Dude, but you’ve got some pretty fucked up relatives. . . What’s with the aunt with the fucking green eye-shadow? I tell you though, your cousin Joanne is a pretty nice piece of ass . . . I’m not shitting you. Do you think she’d do me?
BILLY LOOKS AT HIM WITH A BIT OF ANNOYANCE, TAKES A GULP OF BEER, AND THEN STARES AT THE FLOOR.
JAKE
Look man, I know this is shitty, I mean, with your mom, and all. But, hey, look at the bright side . . . I mean, well not that there’s a bright side, but, hey we’re going to be fucking seniors this year!
THE DOOR BURST OPEN WITH A THUD STARTLING JAKE AND BILLY. IT’S WALDEN, WITHOUT HIS COAT AND TIE, HIS SHIRT UN-TUCKED AND WITH THE TOP THREE BUTTONS UNBUTTONED.
He holds his hands as if he were pointing a gun into the room.
Walden
Freeze! Police!
(PAUSE)
I KNEW I’D FIND YOU LITTLE PERVERTS IN HERE.
JAKE
Shut the fuck up! You scared the shit out of me.
JAKE JUMPS UP AND CLOSES THE DOOR.
JAKE
My parents will kill me if they catch me drinking again. Last time they caught me they were talking about making me go to rehab or some such shit. Can you imagine me at AA? “Hi, my name is Jake, I’m 17 and a fucking loser like the rest of you assholes.”
BILLY
Rehab might be cool though. Knowing your parents, they would want you to have the very best. You might end up rooming with somebody cool like Robert Downey, Junior or Jack Osbourne.
JAKE
Jack Osbourne? Shit . . .
WALDEN
Or maybe you could land some celebrity tail like Wynona Ryder or Britney Spears when she finally cracks completely.
JAKE
Wynona Ryder? Isn’t she like old enough to be one of our high school guidance counselors?
WALDEN
Hey don’t knock older women. The value of their experience should not be underestimated.
BILLY
Spoken like somebody who knows
. . . AND FROM THE 19-YEAR OLD WHO’S STILL PREYING ON ALL MY HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS.
WALDEN
Wouldn’t want to deprive them of all my experience.
INT. JAKE’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
We see the ample bosom of Jake’s mom, JANICE, from Warren’s point of view.
We see Warren, standing close to Janice, drink in hand, leaning in, struggling to focus on Janice’s face instead of her chest.
warren
It was really so wonderful of you to, umm, you and Bob, to host this for us. What with Marian being so sick these last few months the house has gotten away from us a bit.
JANICE
I’m so glad we could. If there’s anything we can do for you and the kids, please let us know. Billy’s over here so much already, we just think of him as part of our family.
WARREN
Well, I know Jake has been really good for Billy through all of this.
LUCY WALKS UP AND GRABS HER FATHER’S ARM.
lucy
Ummm. . . Dad, maybe we should go. It’s getting a little late.
(PAUSE)
Mrs. Campos, I’ve gathered up as many of the plates and cups as I could find. I put them all in a big garbage bag in the kitchen, but I haven’t taken it out yet.
THOSE MEATBALLS ARE HISTORY, BUT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW VEGGIES LEFT OVER. I LEFT A FEW OF THEM OUT, BUT PUT THE REST IN ZIPLOCK BAGS AND STORED THEM IN THE BIG REFRIGERATOR IN THE GARAGE.
JANICE
Oh dear, you shouldn’t have done all that, especially, today.
LUCY
No, I’m glad I could do it. It was so kind of you to host this. You have so much more room than we do, and, well I hope it wasn’t too much of a bother.
JANICE
Oh, sweetheart, no bother at all. And thank you so much for helping clean up, though you really shouldn’t have.
LUCY
Dad, I’ll go get the boys.
INT. JAKE’S ROOM – NIGHT
Billy and Jake now have their jackets and ties off, piled on the bed, and their shirts are un-tucked. Six empty beer bottles are strewn on the floor by the bed, and each boy holds another beer.
billy
You know, it’s like Mom, I mean, Dad, said today, “Life is short,
EAT ICE-CREAM.” WHY ARE WE EVEN GOING TO SCHOOL? I’M DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO COLLEGE. I’M EATING LIFE’S FUCKING ICE-CREAM EVERY FUCKING DAY.
JAKE
Amen, brother. “Life’s fucking ice-cream”—you’re a fucking poet, you know that?
WALDEN
He’s a fucking idiot. What do you mean you’re not going to college? You have to go to college.
BILLY
I mean, I’m not going to college. Besides, who are you to talk? You’re not going to college.
WALDEN
I go to college.
BILLY
You go to OCC—junior college—it’s not the same thing. It’s high school with ashtrays. Besides, every semester it’s the same thing. You enroll in like 18 units, two of which are volleyball, or golf, or skating, or something, and by the end of the term you’ve dropped everything except your fucking croquet class.
WALDEN
Well, I’m different, ass-wipe. First of all, I wasn’t a fucking honor student when I was in high school. Second, I have looks,
CHARM, AND PERSONALITY. I’M GONNA BE RICH AND FAMOUS . . .
YOU, MY LITTLE FRIEND, ARE ONLY
SO-SO LOOKING, QUIET, AND MOODIER THAN A BITCH ON-THE-RAG.
A QUICK LIGHT KNOCK AT THE DOOR TO JAKE’S ROOM THEN IT OPENS. LUCY STICKS HER HEAD IN.
walden
Speaking of which . . .
LUCY
What is this, a meeting of the junior alcoholics?
LUCY STEPS IN, NOT BOTHERING TO CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND HER.
lucy
The party’s over, boys. It’s time to go.
LUCY WALKS OVER TO WALDEN AND AFFECTIONATELY RUBS HIS BACK. WALDEN REACHES UP AND GENTLY GRABS HER FREE HAND.
lucy
Don’t let dad get a whiff of your “au de wino” cologne.
BILLY
Why? What’s that lush gonna say about it?
WALDEN
Shut up. . . since when are you the president of the fucking moral majority? We eat fucking ice-cream for breakfast . . . remember?
LUCY
Well the ice-cream truck is pulling out so the Campos’s can get back to their lovely salad-eating lives. . . Jake, thanks for everything, especially for getting this child (nodding toward Billy) hammered . . . Let’s go. . . I’m driving.
EXT. BILLY’S HOUSE – DAY
The house is run down. The porch is still full of recycling, but the wading pool is gone, and the unopened newspapers are gone. Billy stumbles out of the house wearing baggy shorts, a t-shirt, and big klunky tennis shoes. He’s carrying a backpack over one shoulder. He’s wearing Neo-like (from The Matrix) sunglasses.
He walks toward the curb where his car is parked. It’s an older Volvo station wagon. Several parts of the car are covered only in primer.
Various images have been painted on it: peace sign, marijuana leaf, “Dead Kennedy’s” symbol, etc. In big letters across the hood it’s written: “Billy’s Buggy.”
There is a very good painting on the driver’s door of a kid skateboarding.
Billy gets in, starts up the car and it peels off.
ext. mariners’ high – day
Billy’s car pulls into the student parking lot. Most of the cars are much nicer: newer Jeeps and pick-up trucks, some BMW’s, etc. He parks between a classic (circa 1965) Mustang and VW Beetle (the new one).
Some students are milling around the parking lot. Among them is a group of girls, all wearing designer jeans and tight Roxy-girl-like t-shirts. One of them is HEATHER—a very cute, somewhat-wholesome-looking girl. She’s laughing and talking with some friends.
Billy starts to walk toward the girls, then when he gets about 10 yards away he veers off and starts toward the school.
Heather sees him.
heather
Billy! Billy! Hey!
HEATHER WALKS TOWARDS HIM, NODDING TO HER FRIENDS AS IF TO SAY “SEE YOU LATER,” AND BILLY STOPS TO WAIT FOR HER. WHEN SHE REACHES HIM SHE STOPS, PAUSES FOR A MINUTE, THEN HUGS HIM.
Billy seems a little startled by this display of affection and then lightly pats her on the back a couple of times. Heather pulls away from the embrace but leaves one hand on his arm, rubbing it up and down.
heather
I was sooooo sorry to hear about your Mom. How are you?
BILLY
Okay.
HEATHER
We were gone when, when, umm, we were in Hawaii. My parents’ time-share and all. I know it must be hard, but I’m sure she’s in a better place . . .
BILLY
(pause, grimacing)
It’s okay. How was Hawaii?
HEATHER
Good, but . . . ummm . . .this Friday we’re having a game-night at my church . . . it’s for the youth group . . . it’ll be cool . . we have lots of fun stuff. Do you want to come?
BILLY
Yeah. Okay. Maybe.
HEATHER REACHES INTO HER BACKPACK AND PULLS OUT A NEON-ORANGE SHEET OF PAPER. SHE HANDS IT TO BILLY.
heather
Here. Here’s a flyer. Why don’t you take it?
BILLY LOOKS AT IT AS IF IT WERE A VILE FULL OF THE TYPHOID VIRUS. HE THEN LOOKS AT HEATHER, SMILES WEAKLY, AND FOLDS IT UP AND PUTS IT INTO HIS BACK POCKET.
billy
Okay. Maybe. We better get going? What do you have first period?
HEATHER
AP History.
BILLY
I’ve got AP English. Can you imagine reading Tolstoy or something like that at this ungodly hour every day for a whole year?
HEATHER
Sounds like fun.
INT. BILLY’S ENGLISH CLASSROOM – DAY
There are about 30 students sitting in neat rows. The teacher, MR. RILEY, a man in his fifties. He wears a white buttone-down shirt and tweed jacket but no tie. He is at the front of the room writing on the chalkboard, sighing heavily as he writes.
On the chalk board in front we see, written in big letters and underlined: “Tragic Dilemmas”
riley
Some moron in Sacramento has decided that all AP English classes must now be structured by themes. The theme for senior AP English is “Transitions.” Everything we are going to read this year is going to be around this theme. . . While I’m still supposed some how get you read to pass the AP English exam, and I bet some of you want to do well on your S-A-T’s. So, let’s get on with it. What’s a transition? . . . Anybody?
EVERY STUDENT IS LOOKING DOWN AT HIS OR HER DESK. THEY REFUSE TO MAKE EYE CONTACT.
One girl is fidgeting with her hair. Another boy is using his eraser to “draw” obscene pictures on the cover of his spiral notebook.
A girl passes a note to a boy.
A boy with long hair has concealed the earplugs from his MP3 player and his thumping his leg in rhythm to the music.
Billy has his notebook open, but he is drawing little cartoon sketch of a muscle-bound man on the beach holding a binkini-clad girl up above his head with one hand as he “hangs ten” on the front of his surfboard. The drawing is quite good.
riley
Mr. Arrigo. What’s a transition?
MALE STUDENT (ARRIGO)
Ummm . . .it’s when you like transition from one thing to another.
THE STUDENTS CHUCKLE A BIT AT THIS.
riley
OK. That was brilliant. If you’re going to do well on that AP test, let’s try to be a bit more thoughtful. How about listing some examples of transitions?
SILENCE. STUDENTS STARE AT THEIR DESKS.
riley
Anyone? Just shout them out.
SILENCE. MORE STARING AT DESKS.
riley
OK. Let me get us started. How about the transition from high school to college? This time next year most of you will be in college.
RILEY GETS UP AND WRITES: “HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE” ON BOARD.
female student
Childhood to adulthood?
RILEY
Yes. That’s right, though I don’t think some of your parents have made that transition yet . . .
RILEY WRITES: “CHILD/ADULT” ON THE BOARD.
riley
Another one? Anybody?
SECOND FEMALE STUDENT
How about, I don’t know, from peace to war?
RILEY
Great. You’re starting to get the idea. Drama is driven by transitions. They are part of life. Change is inevitable. “The grass withers, the flower fladeth . . .” Nothing lasts forever.
RILEY WRITES: “PEACE/WAR” ON THE BOARD.
male student
Male to female?
STUDENTS LAUGH. RILEY NARROWS HIS GAZE AT THE STUDENT AND PUTS HIS HANDS ON HIS HIPS. HE WILL NOT WRITE THAT ON THE BOARD.
third female student
How about life to death?
BILLY STARTLES AND LOOKS UP. HE’S NOW STARING AT THE STUDENT.
riley (O.S.)
Good. The universal transition . . . the certainty of death and taxes.
RILEY WRITES: “LIFE/DEATH.” BILLY STARES AT THOSE WORDS.
riley
Yes. Death is just a part of life we all have to learn to live with.
RILEY CHUCKLES A BIT AT THIS.
DISSOLVE TO:
int. billy’s room – night
Billy has the T.V. on, with the volume down, and the stereo on, playing something from No Doubt. He’s on his bed, sheets and blankets everywhere, with a “Pre-Calculus” textbook in one hand and a pencil in the other. A spiral notebook is on his lap. Though he has the book open, he is clearly not working. He is lost in his own world.
MONTAGE – DaydreaM SEQUENCE
A) A four-year-old Billy in the wading pool in the front yard. A young, healthy Marian is standing in the pool. Marian has long flowing hair, she wears a loose-fitting cotton dress. The two are splashing each other and laughing.
B) A four-year-old Billy in a canoe with a young, healthy Marian. She playfully rocks the canoe and laughs while Billy is a bit panicked. She stops rocking it and Billy lunges toward her and buries his head in her bosom.
C) Billy, as a teenager, his head is pressed into a flannel shirt. The camera pulls back to reveal a gaunt, sickly Marian wearing a scarf on her head to conceal her hair loss.
Billy winces. Dumps his book on the floor and curls up in his bed. Billy closes his eyes.
int. billy’s pre-calculus classroom – day
The teacher, MR. LEROY, is a slight man with pale skin, and old wiry glasses. He is at the front of the room, his back to his students, writing complicated equations on the board.
leroy
So, you see, from here, it is really quite simple... you multiply both sides of the equation by two “x” and then do this thing here, and that thing there.
A GIRL IN THE FRONT ROW IS TWIRLING HER HAIR; HER MOUTH HANGS OPEN IN ASTONISHMENT.
A boy in the front row, who looks like a younger version of Leroy, is nodding his head in agreement and scribbling rapidly in his notebook.
Another boy is rubbing the sides of his head as if he is in great pain.
Billy sits at his desk. He is writing in his notebook. He is drawing a picture of a boy and a woman in a canoe.
leroy
So, you see, it’s really not so hard after all. So, everybody turn in your homework.
BILLY TURNS BACK A PAGE IN HIS NOTEBOOK AND PULLS OUT A SHEET OF PAPER. HIS NAME, “BILLY PETERS” AND THE DATE, “OCTOBER 10,” ARE WRITTEN IN THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER. THE NUMBER “1” IS WRITTEN IN THE LEFT MARGIN, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL LINES OF AN EQUATION THAT FILL UP ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE PAGE.
The student behind Billy hands him her homework. Billy flips through it quickly noticing that this students homework is thee full sheets, both sides, stapled together.
He compares this to his work briefly, then passes them both forward.
int. billy’s room – night
Billy is sitting on his bed. The T.V. is on in the background with some kind of infomercial. He has his history book open, and he’s trying to read it.
The door to his room is cracked open slightly.
We hear THE DOOR TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE OPEN.
Billy turns to look at the clock: it’s 2:30 a.m.
warren (o.S.)
Shhh.
WOMAN (O.S.)
(giggling)
You’re shushing me?
WARREN (O.S.)
My kids . . .
WOMAN (O.S.)
(giggling)
Busted . . . you’re so busted.
WARREN (O.S.)
Shut up.
WE HEAR THE SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS GOING DOWN THE HALL AND A DOOR CLOSING.
Billy looks at his book for another moment, then closes it and dumps it onto the floor.
MONTAGE
A) Billy is seated in his pre-calculus class. Leroy hands back a test: “63/100” is written on the top in red.
B) Billy is seated in his English class. Riley hands back an essay. Written, in red, across the top: “C-. Your reading of the book seems superficial. Too many proofreading errors.”
C) Billy is seated in his history class. Teacher hands back a test. Written, in red, across the top: “F”
int. ms. sattler’s office – day
MS. SATTLER, Billy’s guidance counselor, is a young woman who looks a lot like Wynona Ryder. Warren, wearing 501’s and a “Grateful Dead” T-shirt, is seated across from her. Billy is seated next to Warren, slumped down and scowling, his arms folded tightly across his chest.
Warren is leaning forward, towards Sattler. He’s giving her a real big smile.
warren
If they had guidance counselors like you when I was a student . . . well, let’s just say I would have gotten a lot more guidance.
SATTLER FORCES A SLIGHT SMILE, THEN CLEARS HER THROAT.
sattler
Well, Mr. Peters, I called you in because I was concerned about
WILLIAM’S . . .
(LEAFING THROUGH PAPERS ON HER DESK)
Is it William, or just Billy?
WARREN
Just Billy . . . like the Dennis Hopper character in “Easy Rider.” Have you seen it?
SATTLER
Uh . . . no, I don’t think so. So, anyway, Billy has not been doing so well this semester, and I’m a little worried. He’s failing history, and barely passing his other subjects.
WARREN LOOKS OVER AT BILLY AND WRINKLES HIS FACE, MORE IN AMAZEMENT THAN IN ANGER.
Billy looks up at Warren and raises his eyebrows as if to say “What are you looking at?”
warren
Well, this is really a surprise to me . . . umm . . he studies every night. He, he, . . . well what do you have to say for yourself, Billy? What seems to be the problem, buddy?
BILLY SHRUGS HIS SHOULDERS AND FOLDS HIS ARMS EVEN MORE TIGHTLY.
warren
Well you know, this has been a tough year for him . . . for all of us.
AT THIS BILLY ROLLS HIS EYES.
warren (Continuing)
What with his mother passing away and all. But I’m sure he’ll come around. He’s a really smart kid . . . aren’t you, buddy?
BILLY CONTINUES TO STARE AT THE GROUND.
warren
Well, look, you know what kids are like. He’ll pull it together. Don’t worry about it.
int. warren’s car – day
Warren is driving and Billy is seated in the front seat, staring out the passenger window.
warren
Look buddy. I know this is hard, but . . . you’ve got to . . . and believe me, I know school is bullshit . . . but you’ve got to buckle down and do it.
BILLY
Buckle down? Since when are we a “buckle down” family? I thought the whole thing was to “follow your heart, eat ice-cream, for tomorrow you die.”
WARREN
Look, eat all the damn ice-cream you want, but you’ve got to do well in school too.
BILLY
Why? Why do I have to do anything? Who says I have to do anything?
WARREN
Well, who’s going to give you a job if you can’t even finish high school? And if you don’t get a job, then what? Look, you can do whatever you want in and after college. Follow your heart, but . . .
BILLY JUST STARES OUT THE WINDOW. NO REACTION.
warren
(Softening)Look, I know I’ve been really busy lately . . .
BILLY
(Mumbling)Dating . . .
WARREN
What? . . . Yeah, so I’ve gone on a few dates . . .
BILLY SHIFTS UNCOMFORTABLY IN HIS SEAT AND SQUIRMS TOWARDS HIS DOOR.
warren (continuing)
Damn it, Billy! I’m a man, you know, I’m your father, but I’m a man. I loved, I love, your mother, but . . . We talked about it you know, me and her, towards the end. She wanted me to get on with my life, she wanted all of us to get on with our lives, which for you means finishing school, doing well on the S-A-T’s, and getting into college.
int. Billy’s kitchen – day
We see a trail of ants leading from the door, up a wall, and across the kitchen counter, which is piled high with dirty dishes, pots, and pans.
Billy is standing beside a small kitchen table that is also piled high with dishes, empty soda cans, empty cereal boxes, and various magazines.
Billy is pouring cereal from the box into his mouth then drinking milk straight from the gallon bottle. He repeats this process three or four times.
We hear THE SOUND OF A DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING
Lucy walks into the kitchen.
lucy
Oh . . . my . . . God. . . What happened here? Or maybe I should say what didn’t happen here? Did Dad forget to pay the water bill? Did you guys forget where the sink was?
BILLY
I have no idea what you’re talking about.
LUCY
(not amused)
IF YOU THINK I’M CLEANING THIS UP, YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN. LISTEN, “MR. BRADY,” ALICE DOESN’T LIVE, OR WORK HERE ANYMORE. YOU THREE MEN ARE VERY MUCH ON YOUR OWN.
BILLY
Clean what up?
LUCY
Where’s dad? I need to talk to him.
BILLY
In the shower. He just got home.
LUCY
Home? From where? Or should I say from whom?
BILLY
I don’t know, one of his sleazy bar skanks.
LUCY
What’s up with him?
BILLY
He’s getting on with his life.
LUCY, PAUSES, LOOKS AT HER BROTHER, STILL SWIGGING DOWN MILK AND CEREAL IN THE SAME FASHION, WIPING IS MOUTH ON THE SHOULDER OF HIS T-SHIRT. LUCY WALKS OVER TO HIM AND EMBRACES HIM. SHE SLOWLY LETS GO, AND THEN, FEELING A BIT AWKWARD, PULLS OUT A CHAIR AND SITS DOWN.
lucy
How’s school?
BILLY
Stupid as ever.
LUCY
But you’re doing good, right?
BILLY
At what?
LUCY
Don’t be dense. At school. . . you know . . . grades?
BILLY
Dad didn’t tell you?
LUCY
What?
BILLY
That I’m fucking up.
LUCY
You know the rule about . . . what do you mean, “fucking up?”
BILLY
I’m fucking up. I’m pretty much failing everything. It’s not hard when you pretty much sleep through every class and don’t do any of the homework.
LUCY
You better turn it around, mister. Do you want to end up a bum like Walden?
BILLY
What’s wrong with Walden?
LUCY
What’s wrong with Walden? Are you kidding?
BILLY
He’s happier than any of us.
LUCY
Is he? Besides, you are not Walden. Can you be happy boozing it up with a bunch of losers every night? He’s only 20 and he’s lost his driver’s license three times. Do you think that will make you happy?
BILLY
Never know ‘til I try. You, as a scientist must surely appreciate the value of experimentation. . .
LUCY
Billy . . .
BILLY
Aren’t you the famous ice-cream-for-breakfast girl of Peters’ family lore?
LUCY
I haven’t eaten ice-cream for breakfast in about ten years.
BILLY
Maybe you should . . . maybe we all should . . .
EXT. BILLY’S HOUSE – NIGHT
The yard is full of junk. An old Chevy Suburban is on blocks, and its interior is full of wet, rotting cardboard boxes which are, in turn, full of wet rotting junk, old toys, books, magazines, etc. The old wading pool, broken, falling apart, and full of stagnant water, is on the roof of the Suburban. The totem pole is propped up against the Suburban.
Music is blaring from a large, super-expensive looking boom box.
There are about 100 teenagers crammed into the back yard. Many of them are dancing to the music. Many of the teens hold plastic cups in one hand.
The back porch, a 100 square-foot cement slab, is covered by a rusting aluminum awning. On the porch is a couch. On the couch are two young couples making-out.
A young-looking teenage girl (PARTY GIRL) wearing a skimpy halter-top and lots of eye shadow is leaning against the side of the house sipping (beer) from a plastic cup. Walden is sipping beer, and sort of dancing to the music. He has one hand on her hip.
walden
So seriously bitch . . .
PARTY GIRL
(slapping Walden on the shoulder)
Hey!
WALDEN
(continuing)
let’s go to my room and pick out a DVD. I must have 500 in my collection. Of course, they’re all pirated because only succors would pay for a movie.
PARTY GIRL
My dad is a lawyer, and he works for Dreamworks, and he says people like you are nothing but fucking thieves.
WALDEN
What are you talking about? Who am I robbing from . . . Tom Cruise? Like he needs my $20.
PARTY GIRL
(obviously a bit tipsy)
No . . . no . . . no it’s for the special effects . . . all those explosions.
WALDEN
Speaking of “explosions” . . . let’s go to my room . . .
CUT TO: WALDEN AND JAKE ARE ON THE ROOF ABOVE THE PARTY. THEY ARE LYING DOWN ABOUT THREE FEET APART, EACH WITH A YOUNG GIRL NEXT TO HIM (ROOF GIRL ONE & ROOF GIRL TWO). THEY ARE PASSIONATELY KISSING.
Billy is holding a beer in his left hand, which is resting on the crest of the roof just above ROOF GIRL ONE’s head, with his right hand he is rubbing the girl’s outer thigh. Billy’s hand slowly works its way up to the girl’s stomach, then inside her shirt.
ROOF GIRL ONE MOANS.
Billy’s left hand moves slightly, tipping the cup over a bit, causing beer to pour out onto Roof Girl One’s hair.
Roof Girl One instinctively pushes Billy away from her, causing Billy to spill more beer on her as she sits up.
roof girl One
Shit. Oh Shit. You spilled beer all over me.
ROOF GIRL ONE IS GRABBING HER HAIR AND PULLING IT AROUND IN FRONT OF HER, TRYING TO LOOK AT THE SOGGY PARTS.
Jake and Roof Girl Two stop kissing and sit up abruptly.
roof girl one
(continuing)
You clumsy jerk. God, I can’t believe this.
ROOF GIRL ONE PUNCHES BILLY IN THE CHEST CAUSING HIM TO SPILL SOME BEER ON HIMSELF. HE LOOKS DOWN AT HIS WET SHIRT.
roof girl one
(continuing to Roof Girl Two)
Come on, help me wash my hair out.
ROOF GIRL TWO LOOKS WISTFULLY AT JAKE, KISSES HIM, AND THEN SHE AND ROOF GIRL ONE START CRAWLING ACROSS THE ROOF UNTIL THEY ARE OFF SCREEN.
roof girl one (O.S.)
How the fuck are we supposed to get off of here?
ROOF GIRL TWO (O.S.)
Over here. Like this just reach your leg out to the ladder on the camper.
JAKE
Some party, uh?
BILLY LOOKS INTO THE BOTTOM OF HIS BEER CUP, STARTS TO TAKE A SIP, THEN THINKS AGAIN AND THROWS IT OFF THE ROOF.
CUT TO: Group of kids dancing. The beer cup hits a kid in the head. Several other kids around them look up and hold out their hands like their checking to see if it’s raining.
CUT TO: Billy and Jake sitting on the roof.
jake
What a life you and your fucked-up brother have. So your Dad’s never home?
BILLY
He’s home sometimes. He just went to Vegas for the weekend with one of his ho’s.
ROOF GIRL TWO (O.S.)
Come on, you can make it.
ROOF GIRL ONE (O.S.)
It’s too far, damn it. My legs are shorter than yours, bitch.
SOUND OF GIRL SCREAMING THEN A SLIGHT THUD. NO REACTION FROM BILLY OR JAKE.
We see a flashing red glow light up the scene slightly, but Jake and Billy fail to notice it.
Jake
Didn’t I tell you our senior year would be great? And isn’t it?
BILLY
Yeah, yeah, it’s great.
TWO POLICE CARS, LIGHTS FLASHING PULL UP IN THE ALLEY BEHIND THE HOUSE. BILLY AND JAKE DO NOTICE THIS.
Jake
Oh shit.
BILLY AND JAKE TURN AND START SCRAMBLING OVER THE ROOF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE ONLY TO SEE THAT THERE ARE FOUR POLICE CARS, ALL WITH LIGHTS FLASHING, PARKED IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE AND SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS ARE WALKING TOWARDS THE HOUSE.
jake
Look. Let’s just lie flat and stay here, out of sight, maybe they won’t notice us.
BILLY
Okay. Okay.
BILLY AND JAKE CROUCH DOWN, BARELY BREATHING, TRYING TO REMAIN OUT OF SIGHT.
Four police officers burst through the back gate just as four others come through the gate towards the front yard. Some teenagers notice them and start to run, but realize there is no way out.
A police officer holding a megaphone walks over to the boom box and yanks the plug out.
police officer
(using megaphone)
Everyone, sit down. Sit down immediately.
THE TEENAGERS LOOK AT EACH OTHER FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN SLOWLY COMPLY, ALL OF THEM SITTING DOWN.
police officer
(using megaphone)
OK. Now, who’s in charge here?
EVERYONE POINTS AT WALDEN WHO IS SITTING DOWN ON THE PORCH IN FRONT OF A CARD TABLE ON WHICH A BEER KEG IS RESTING.
Walden jumps up, looks around in astonishment, and says . . .
walden
Oh my God. Officers, thank God you’re here.
(LOOKING AROUND AT ALL THE KIDS)
What have you little juvenile delinquents been up to?
(TURNING TO THE MEGAPHONE OFFICER)
Officer, I’ve been at the library, studying . . .I’m a college student you see . . .
AS HE’S BEEN TALKING WALDEN HAS BEEN WALKING TOWARDS THE MEGAPHONE OFFICER. WITH THIS LAST PHRASE HE PUTS HIS HAND ON THE OFFICER’S SHOULDER.
The officer reacts by violently flipping Walden’s hand off his shoulder and the shoving Walden hard in the chest. Walden stumbles backwards and falls to the ground.
Billy has been observing all this from the roof. When he sees Walden on the ground he pulls himself to his feet, YELLS LIKE TARZAN, and then jumps towards the megaphone officer.
The officer looks up just in time to see Billy falling from the sky and raises one hand in self-defense.
Billy hits the megaphone officer squarely and they both plunge to the ground.
ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER pulls out his baton and strikes Billy on the back, then several more times on the legs, then torso, etc.
Billy curls up in fetal position and tries to cover his head as the Police Officer strikes him again.
Seeing this, Walden jumps up and charges the officer who is hitting Billy, but is intercepted by a third officer who knocks him to the ground.
Walden is stunned, as is the officer beating Billy. Everyone stops and looks at Walden who lies back and hold up his hands in surrender.
walden
Hey man, I’m a lover not a fighter. Okay? Just lay off the kid. He’s a goddamn orphan. Okay?
EXT. BILLY’S FRONT YARD – NIGHT
The front yard is full of police officers with teenagers and parents gathered in small little groups. The police officers all have clipboards and are taking down information as well as handing out some sort of citation to the parents.
Billy and Walden are seated on the front porch, their hands handcuffed behind their backs.
Some parents are looking at Billy and Walden with anger, others with pity.
All of the teenagers look dejected.
Jakes father, BOB, is here too. They are walking towards Bob’s car, a new Mercedes, as Bob vents.
BOB
Your ass is grass, mister. You’re on restriction . . . forever . . . I told you no drinking, and here you are at some sort of teenage “Lord of the Flies.”
CUT TO: WALDEN AND BILLY ON THE PORCH.
Walden
I’m telling you, we’re suing all these fucking pigs. They have no idea. Police brutality. You saw the way they beat us up.
BILLY
Us?
WALDEN
Us. That pig was like a, like a Brahma Bull, man. I went down hard. Besides the brutality, they have no right to be here, on our private property.
(WHISPERING)
And remember what dad always taught us, “tell the fuzz nothing.”
BILLY
Will you shut up? Will you just shut up?
WALDEN
What’s the matter bitch? Worried about what’s going to happen to your sweet little ass in the big house?
BILLY LETS OUT A HEAVY SIGH AND SHAKES HIS HEAD.
walden (continuing)
Well don’t worry. This is all bullshit—a violation of our rights.
CUT TO: LUCY TALKING WITH A POLICE OFFICER. SHE’S NODDING A LOT AND LOOKING OVER AT BILLY AND WALDEN AND SHAKING HER HEAD. FINALLY, SHE SHAKES THE OFFICER’S HAND AND WALKS OVER TO WALDEN AND BILLY.
lucy
Okay. Here’s the deal. You’re both going down to the police station and you’re both going to be booked for assaulting a police officer . . .
WALDEN
Bullshit. They assaulted us.
LUCY
That’s not how they see it. That officer Billy attacked went to the hospital.
WALDEN
Bullshit. He’s faking to get a few days off courtesy of us, the tax-paying public.
LUCY
Since when do you pay any taxes?
DISSOLVE TO EXT. SIDE OF HIGHWAY – DAY
Billy and the other boys are walking around picking up trash with broom handles with sharp metal spikes at the end. The boys all wear bright orange vests and hard-hats. They all move slowly. Using his sharp stick, Billy picks up a fast-food drink cup . . . then a beer can . . . then an empty cigarette pack . . . then an orange piece of paper . . . He begins arranging the trash on the ground to form a very interesting “sculpture” of a man.
A jeep drives by on the highway and HONKS as two boys, one in each passenger window, SHOUT at the boys working on the road. WE CAN’T MAKE OUT WHAT THEY SAID, but they are each “flipping the bird” with both hands.
Billy looks at the boys as they go by and stares at the jeep as it vanishes.
A newer Volvo station wagon pulls onto the off-ramp near where Billy is working. A woman is driving and a small boy sits in the back seat staring at Billy. Billy looks at him and we can tell the boy and Billy both see each other. Billy continues to stare at the Volvo as it vanishes.
CUT TO Billy’s Volvo station wagon, new, painted nicely, driven by a young, healthy Marian. We see a young Billy in the back seat, staring out the window.
CUT TO present, Billy working by the side of the road. He watches the Volvo with mother and boy turn right at the end of the off-ramp and disappears.
Billy continues to stare.
female probation officer
Mr. Peters? Do you think we’re on a break? Debt to society? Remember?
BILLY
Sorry. It’s just that I thought I knew those people in that station wagon.
FEMALE PROBATION OFFICER
Come on. Back to work. Let’s get that “A” today, okay?
BILLY
Okay. Yeah . . . Okay.
ext. billy’s back yard – night
Billy and Walden are sitting on the back porch eating pizza from the box and passing a two-liter bottle of coke back and forth between them.
walden
So how many hours you got left?
BILLY
Sixty. You?
WALDEN
Two-hundred.
BILLY
Two-hundred? You only started with 160.
WALDEN
True. But every time you miss or get a failing grade, they add another ten hours to your sentence.
BILLY
You are a fuck-up.
WALDEN
Not really . . .I’m a free spirit. I had to skip a couple of weekends to go snowboarding . . . so that was an extra 40 hours I earned right there . . . and I got one failing grade.
BILLY
How could you fail? It seems like if you just show up and make life easy on the P-O they pretty much give you an “A.” One day our P-O let us all take a nap in the van for three hours and we still got our 10 hours.
WALDEN
Well, they sent us to do a little beach clean up, and the waves were so good I had to call Walters and tell him to bring my board and suit down. I snuck off and surfed for about three hours, thinking nobody would miss me . . . But, I guess I was wrong.
BILLY AND WALDEN CONTINUE EATING PIZZA IN SILENCE FOR A FEW MOMENTS.
Walden
What we need is a road trip.
BILLY
A road trip?
WALDEN
Yeah.
BILLY
I suppose I’m driving?
WALDEN
Of course, but you’re also our reason to go . . . our get-out-of-jail free card. We’re going to Santa Cruz for a college visit.
BILLY
Santa Cruz?
WALDEN
Santa Cruz. U-C Santa Cruz to be exact. I went for one of those campus visits when I was a senior. Santa Cruz is the prime spot for scoring a little prime dope and a lot of college muff, or hippie muff if we’ve scored enough prime dope.
BILLY
Dope and muff?
WALDEN
The best things in life are free . . . well the best thing is free, at least when you have some of the second-best thing, which will, in Santa Cruz, run us about $80 an ounce.
BILLY
Aren’t we in enough trouble already?
WALDEN
Not nearly. Besides, muff is legal everywhere and marijuana is practically legal in Santa Cruz. In fact, I think they make you smoke it. The cops all smoke it.
BILLY
You have money?
WALDEN
I always have money, but I don’t need it. Our father will pay for this trip. He wants you to get a good education and U.C., Santa Cruz is a fine school . . . they rejected me didn’t they?
BILLY
What about our community service?
WALDEN
You tell your P.O. that you have to go on a campus visit for college. I tell my P.O. that I have to go along with you to keep you out of trouble. Dad pays for it. We’re good.
INT. BILLY’S CAR – NIGHT
Billy is driving and Walden is in the front passenger seat. A surfboard protrudes from the back of the car between the front seats.
walden
Isn’t this great? I told you it would be.
BILLY
How about “Pacific Budget Hotel” up there?
WALDEN
What? Are you shitting me? We’ve got Dad’s plastic. Pull up to the “Red Lion.”
EXT. RED LION INN, SANTA CRUZ – NIGHT
Billy’s car pulls into the circular driveway in front of the Red Lion Inn. He parks behinds a BMW convertible that has the top down.
Billy and Walden get out and stretch, then walk into the lobby.
int. red lion inn lobby – night
Billy and Walden walk up to the counter, standing behind a couple who are being helped by the clerk. The man has graying hair, but the woman looks much younger. Billy and Walden walk in and look her up and down appreciatively, focusing on her ass. The man looks over his shoulder and notices the boys looking at his wife. He puts his arm around her and pulls her closer to him.
walden
(just loud enough for the couple to hear)
Look at how that guy is groping his daughter.
THE MAN TURNS SLIGHTLY, THEN DECIDES TO PRETEND NOT TO NOTICE, BUT THE WOMAN TURNS AND GIVES WALDEN A DIRTY LOOK.
billy
(barely audible)
Will you shut up? Do you have to be an asshole all the time?
WALDEN
I am a commentator on the state of our society. It’s everybody else that’s the assholes.
THE COUPLE FINISHES AND THEN TURNS TO WALK OUT OF THE LOBBY, GLARING AT BILLY AND WALDEN.
clerk
How may I help you . . . gentlemen?
BILLY
We need a room. . . with two beds.
CLERK
Will that be smoking or non-smoking?
WALDEN
Definitely smoking, if you know what I mean.
WALDEN WINKS IN AN EXAGGERATED WAY AT THE CLERK.
clerk
So the room is smoking?
BILLY
Okay. Yeah. Smoking. Whatever.
CLERK
That’ll be $95.50 with tax.
BILLY SEEMS STARTLED BY THE PRICE AND LOOKS AT WALDEN. WALDEN SHRUGS HIS SHOULDERS AND THEN NODS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CLERK.
billy
Okay. Two nights please.
CLERK
Certainly. How will you be paying?
BILLY REACHES INTO HIS FRONT POCKET AND PULLS OUT A CANVASS WALLET. HE REMOVES A CREDIT-CARD FROM THE WALLET AND LAYS IT ON THE COUNTER.
billy
With this.
BILLY PUSHES THE CREDIT CARD TOWARDS THE CLERK.
clerk
Will you be using this card to cover your incidentals?
WALDEN
Yes we will. You can start feeding porn to the T.V. now. Sir, could you tell us where we could find something to smoke, I mean, some smokes?
AGAIN, WALDEN GIVES HIM A BIG EXAGGERATED WINK.
clerk
Sir, you’ll find a cigarette machine in the lobby.
WALDEN
Whatever.
CLERK
(to Billy)
Here’s your key. If you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask.
WALDEN
Oh, we will.
INT. BILLY AND WALDEN’S HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT
Billy and Walden are each seated on separate double beds. They are propped up against the headboards watching T.V.
THE SOUND OF A WOMAN’S RHYTHMIC MOANING IS HEARD OFF-SCREEN. It is coming from the television.
walden
Look at those tits bounce. Will you look at that? That’s what I’m talkin’ about.
BILLY STARES AT THE T.V. BLANKLY. AS WE WATCH HE INCREASINGLY LOOKS LIKE HE’S GOING TO CRY.
SUDDEN LOUD KNOCK IS HEARD AT THE DOOR.
Billy is startled, but Walden jumps up and rushes to the door.
walden
Let’s get this party started.
WALDEN OPENS THE DOOR. A YOUNG MAN WEARING A SKI-CAP AND LONG, TATTERED, RAINCOAT OPENS THE DOOR. HE LOOKS INSIDE THE ROOM SUSPICIOUSLY AND THEN DOWN THE HALL ON EACH SIDE OF THE DOOR.
Satisfied, he fixes his gaze on Walden.
drug dealer
I hear you boys are in need of some medicine to help with your chemo.
WALDEN
That we are, my friendly pharmacist. What do you got?
DRUG DEALER
Some of the finest local product available.
WALDEN
And what will that set me back?
DRUG DEALER
$100 an ounce.
WALDEN
No shit?
DRUG DEALER
No shit.
WALDEN
I’ll give you $40 for half an ounce.
THE DRUG DEALER LOOKS AROUND SUSPICIOUSLY THEN RELENTS.
drug dealer
Okay.
THE DRUG DEALER REACHES INTO HIS COAT POCKET AND PULLS OUT A SMALL BAGGY. HE HOLDS IT UP FOR A SECOND AND LOOKS AT IT, SHAKING IT SLIGHTLY, THEN HANDS IT TOWARDS WALDEN.
Walden reaches to grab it, then the Drug Dealer pulls it back suddenly.
drug Dealer
(clears his throat)
walden
Yeah. Just a sec’.
WALDEN RUSHES TO THE CLOSET, RUMMAGES THROUGH A GYM BAG, AND RETURNS WITH TWO TWENTIES. HE HANDS THEM TO THE DRUG DEALER, WHO THEN HANDS THE BAG TO WALDEN.
walden
A pleasure
DRUG DEALER
All mine.
WALDEN CLOSES THE DOOR AND PRANCES GLEEFULLY BACK TO HIS GYM BAG. HE REMOVES A ROLLING PAPER AND RETURNS TO HIS BED WHERE HE ROLLS THE JOINT.
Once rolled, he pulls a lighter from his pocket and lights the joint. He then takes a hit from the joint and holds it in for a few seconds. He releases the smoke.
walden
Ahhh.
(PAUSE)
Now that’s some serious shit.
WALDEN PASSES IT TO BILLY WHO TAKES IT AND PAUSES, STUDYING IT A BIT.
walden
Go on, little man. Take a hit. It’s good.
BILLY TAKES A SHORT HIT THEN PASSES IT BACK TO WALDEN
walden
Good, uh?
BILLY
Yeah. Right. Look, I need to show up for all that shit tomorrow. My P.O. needs documentation for everything since I’m blowing off the whole weekend for this Friday’s visit. I’ve got a campus tour at 9:00 a.m., then I’ve got a “class visit” at 11:00. Can you get over that? I’ve got to go to class. Then I’ve got some dorm dinner and reception that starts at 6:00.
WALDEN, TAKES ANOTHER HIT AND SLOWLY LETS IT OUT.
walden
Do what you got to do. I’m scoring some waves and then, well then I’m scoring. Knock before you come in tomorrow night.
BILLY
Whatever.
WALDEN OFFERS THE JOINT TO BILLY, BUT HE PUTS HIS HAND UP AS IF TO SAY “NO.”
billy
No man. I’m tired. I’ve got to sleep. . . natural sleep.
BILLY SETS THE ALARM CLOCK BESIDE HIS BED. BILLY GETS UP AND TURNS THE LIGHT OFF, LEAVING THE FLICKERING TELEVISION AS THE ONLY SOURCE OF LIGHT IN THE ROOM. HE GOES BACK TO BED AND PULLS HIMSELF UNDER THE COVERS WITHOUT BOTHERING TO TAKE HIS CLOTHES OFF.
THE SOUND OF A WOMAN MOANING (ON THE TELEVISION) GETS LOUDER. We see smoke from Walden’s joint wafting across Billy’s face. He pulls a pillow over his head, and THE SOUND OF THE MOANING IS MUFFLED A BIT.
DISSOLVE TO black screen. WE STILL HEAR MUFFLED SOUND OF A WOMAN MOANING, BUT IT’S NOW LESS RHYTHMIC. IT MAY BE A DIFFERENT WOMAN.
DISSOLVE TO black
int. billy’s room – day
Billy’s point of view. He gets up and stumbles towards the door. WE STILL HEAR THE WOMAN’S MUFFLED MOANING. He pulls open the door to his room and stumbles down the hallway of his house. THE WOMAN’S MOANING IS STILL MUFFLED, BUT A BIT LOUDER. He comes to a closed door and pauses for a minute. He opens the door and sees Marian in bed, scarf on her head, in a flannel night-shirt. She is the one moaning, obviously in pain.
(Still from Billy’s point of view.)
Marian
Hey, Billy Boy. Did I wake you? I think I need some Vicadin. Can you . . .?
STILL FROM BILLY’S POINT OF VIEW, HE STUMBLES OVER TO HER NIGHTSTAND WHICH IS COVERED WITH VARIOUS PILL BOTTLES. HE SEARCHES THROUGH THEM AND FINDS THE VICADIN. HE OPENS IT AND POURS OUT TWO PILLS. HE PUT THEM IN MARIAN’S MOUTH, AND THEN PUTS A GLASS OF WATER TO HER MOUTH.
She drinks the water and then smiles weakly.
Marian
Thank you, baby. Come here.
WE SEE BILLY LIE DOWN BESIDE HER AND PUT HIS HEAD ON HER CHEST. WE HEAR THE FAINT, RHYTHMIC BEATING OF A HEARTBEAT.
DISSOLVE TO BLACK.
We hear THE HEARTBEAT BECOME THE RHYTHMIC BEEPING OF HIS ALARM CLOCK.
INT. BILLY AND WALDEN’S HOTEL ROOM – DAY
Billy wakes up with a start, breathing hard, looking around the room to get his bearings. He looks over at Walden, undisturbed by the alarm clock, and then Billy looks at the alarm clock. It reads 8:00 a.m. He reaches over and shuts it off.
He gets up and stumbles towards the bathroom. He walks in and stands over the toilet urinating. WE HEAR THE SOUND OF URINE HITTING THE WATER IN THE TOILET. He looks up, and sees his own reflection in the mirror. He stares at the reflection for some time, looking closer and closer at his own face, as if he’s looking at the face of a stranger. WE HEAR THE SOUND OF URINATION STOP, but Billy continues to stare at his own reflection.
He seems like he is about to cry. A single tear rolls down his cheek.
ext. U.C., Santa cruz – day
A TOUR GUIDE, a young female college student, wearing an official-looking t-shirt with “U.C. Santa Cruz” emblazoned on it, is standing in front of a group of high school students and their parents.
Billy is there, at the edge of the group, wearing sunglasses, looking bored.
tour guide
So, that is our wonderful hill-top campus. You’ve got several options for classroom visits today, and if you need help finding the right building, please ask me.
THE GROUP SPLITS UP AND A COUPLE OF GROUPS OF PARENTS AND THEIR KIDS WAIT TO SPEAK TO THE TOUR GUIDE. BILLY STANDS IN LINE BEHIND THEM, WAITING TO SPEAK TO HER.
When it’s his turn he pulls a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and walks up to her.
billy
Hi. Umm, I need you to sign this.
TOUR GUIDE
What is it?
BILLY
It’s the schedule for all the stuff I’m doing today. I need you to sign right here by where it says “Campus Tour.”
THE TOUR GUIDE LOOKS AT HIM CURIOUSLY, AS IF SHE’S WAITING FOR A FURTHER EXPLANATION.
billy
It’s for my probation officer.
TOUR GUIDE
Your--
BILLY
--If you don’t want to sign it, that’s--
TOUR GUIDE
(interrupting and taking the paper from him)
--No, it’s okay. Here, I’ll sign it.
SHE SIGNS IT AND HANDS IT BACK TO HIM, STILL CURIOUS ABOUT HIM, BUT BILLY FOLDS IT AND PUTS IT BACK IN HIS POCKET.
billy
Well, thanks. I’ll be seeing you.
TOUR GUIDE
Okay, right. Bye.
BILLY TURNS AND WALKS AWAY WITHOUT ANOTHER WORD OR GLANCE IN THE TOUR GUIDE’S DIRECTION.
int. college classroom – day
Billy walks into a college classroom. About twenty students are taking their seats, and Billy finds one towards the back.
The PROFESSOR, who is wearing Dockers and a button-down shirt and no tie, is at the front of the class writing on the board. He is writing: “Why are we so unhappy?”
Billy looks around. The students are copying what the professor has written on the board. Billy pulls out his pen and on the back of a large manila envelope copies “Why are me so unhappy?”
He notices his mistake and crosses out “me” and replaces it with “we.”
CUT TO: The chalkboard at the front of the classroom.
On the board, underneath “Why are we so unhappy?” We now see written, in a very unorganized way: “Freud,” “Civilization,” “ego,” “id,” “superego,” “pleasure principle,” “reality principle,” and “aggression.”
The Professor paces in front of the classroom as if he were a caged tiger.
professor
So, according to Freud, that’s why we’re all so unhappy. Civilization demands a kind of order, a kind of repression of our desires so that we can live together. Did you all read the footnote on pages 42-43?
STUDENTS START LEAFING THROUGH THEIR BOOKS. BILLY LOOKS AROUND, A BIT BEWILDERED, WONDERING WHAT HE SHOULD DO SINCE HE HAS NO BOOK.
professor
In that footnote Freud says where and how he thinks civilization began. Does anybody remember?
MALE STUDENT
I do. It’s when the first person decided not to put out a fire by pissing on it.
STUDENTS LAUGH. BILLY CHUCKLES AND THEN LEANS FORWARD IN HIS SEAT.
professor
That’s right. And what’s the big deal about that?
FEMALE STUDENT
Well, according to Freud, you guys . . . I mean men . . . really like going around putting out fires by pissing on them.
STUDENTS LAUGH AGAIN. AGAIN BILLY CHUCKLES AND FOCUSES ON THE GIRL.
female student
(continuing)
But, because women can’t piss standing up they can’t put out fires that way, but men can.
STUDENTS LAUGH AGAIN.
female student
(continuing)
Anyway, putting out the fires, with their peepees . . .
MORE STUDENT LAUGHTER.
female student
(continuing)
has something to do with sex. It’s like it represents suppressing their sexual desire in order for civilization to grow, because instead of putting out the fire they found from lightning strikes, they now have something to cook with, and keep warm with.
MALE STUDENT
Right. So civilization begins when man, and I think Freud does mean man, and not just humankind, decides to suppress the desire for pleasure, especially sexual pleasure, in order to build civilization. It’s like man can have all the benefits of civilization: shelter, art, safety, community, but to do so he’s got to suppress the pleasure principle.
FEMALE STUDENT
So does Freud think that civilization is some kind of psycho-sexual pathology?
BILLY IS STILL LEANING FORWARD IN HIS SEAT. HE IS FOLLOWING THIS ALL VERY CLOSELY.
professor
Maybe, so is Freud saying we’d all be happier if we were just led around by our wieners?
THE STUDENTS LAUGH AT THIS TOO.
professor
(continuing)
To be honest, while I don’t usually feel the desire to run around putting out fires with my own urine, I often feel like I’d rather be down at Pleasure Point surfing than stuck in this classroom with all of you.
STUDENTS LAUGH AT THIS.
professor
(continuing)
But then I’m called back in here by my old friend Socrates who reminds me that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” That’s really why you’re here, at least I hope so. Sure you want to get a big job and make the big bucks, but you want to examine your life too. Life’s too short not to go surfing, but it’s also too precious not to give it a real close look.
BILLY LEANS FORWARD IN HIS DESK. HE WATCHES THE PROFESSOR CLOSELY.
Everyone sits quietly for a few seconds.
Professor
Okay. That’s enough for today.
STUDENTS IMMEDIATELY START GATHERING UP THEIR BOOKS AND PUTTING THEM IN BACKPACKS.
The students are hustling out of the classroom and Billy struggles through the crowd to get to the Professor.
He makes it up to the desk where the Professor is shoving his books and notes into an old leather backpack. He notices Billy standing there in front of him.
professor
Hi. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.
BILLY
I’m just visiting . . . I’m thinking about coming here.
PROFESSOR
Oh Good. If I had known this was an audition I would have put on a better performance.
BILLY
No. It was really interesting.
(PAUSE)
So are you saying that civilization, following all the rules, is what makes us so unhappy?
PROFESSOR
Well, I’m saying that Freud might say something like that. I think we are each unhappy in our own way. . . But I do believe in the power of the mind, of books, of study, of intelligent conversation, to help lift us out of our unhappiness, at least a bit. If you decide to come here, maybe we can work on that together.
BILLY
Sure. Sure. That would be great.
BILLY SUDDENLY LOOKS DOWN AT THE PAPER IN HIS HAND. HE UNFOLDS IT AND PRESENTS IT TO THE PROFESSOR.
billy
Would you sign this?
PROFESSOR
It depends on what it is.
BILLY
It’s for my probation officer . . . it’s to prove I was really here this weekend.
THE PROFESSOR STARES AT BILLY MOMENTARILY AND THEN A SLIGHT SMILE COMES ACROSS HIS FACE.
professor
(smiling)
Speaking of Civilization and its Discontents . . .
THE PROFESSOR SIGNS HIS NAME NEXT TO “CLASS VISIT” ON THE SCHEDULE.
int. billy’s living room. day
This room is a real mess too. CD’s are strewn everywhere, Newspapers and junk mail cover every horizontal surface. Billy lies on his back on the couch reading CIVILIZATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS.
warren (o.s.)
So, Billy. How was Santa Cruz?
WARREN APPEARS IN THE ENTRY WAY OF THE LIVING ROOM AND LOOKS AT BILLY.
Billy sets the book on his chest and looks up.
billy
Great. I want to go there. I’ve got the application all filled out. I’m going to mail it tomorrow.
WE HEAR THE DOOR OPEN WITH A BANG.
WALDEN (O.S.)
Mail’s here.
WALDEN WALKS BY THE ENTRANCE WAY, BEHIND WARREN, AND TOSSES THE MAIL ON THE GROUND NEXT TO BILLY
warren
What is it with you? Can’t you put the mail where it belongs?
BILLY SITS UP AND STARTS SIFTING THROUGH THE MAIL. HE COMES TO A LETTER, AND PULLS IT FROM THE STACK. HE STARES AT IT OMINOUSLY.
warren
What’s that Billy Boy?
BILLY
It’s my S-A-T results, I think.
BILLY OPENS THE LETTER SLOWLY, TREMBLING A BIT.
He reads through it, his countenance falling.
warren
How’d you do?
BILLY
Not so good. The verbal’s okay, I guess, but the math is not so good.
WARREN
Well, what’d you get?
BILLY
Verbal, 500, Math, 420. It says I’m in the lower 50th percentile for both. How am I going to get into Santa Cruz with these scores?
WARREN
Hey. The scores don’t mean anything. There’s lots more to getting into college than just test scores. You’ve got your grades, and activities. You’ll get in. Don’t worry.
BILLY
(barely audible)
I won’t.
BILLY GETS UP AND WALKS TO HIS ROOM.
int. billy’s room – day
Billy walks into his room and looks around. He finds his backpack and pulls out his Pre-Calculus book. He grabs a spiral notebook and a pencil from his pack, and then crawls up onto his bed.
He sits there, propped up against the wall just looking at the front cover of the Pre-Calculus book he is holding. Slowly he opens it, finds the right page, and reads through a section. He picks up his pencil chews on it a bit, then begins to work out a problem in his notebook.
int. riley’s english classrom – day
Though many of the students still look bored, Billy is leaning forward in his chair, pen out, spiral notebook open. He’s taking notes.
On the board “ADOLESCENSE” and “A-Lex = Not-Law” are written in large letters.
Riley is pacing up and down the aisles.
riley
Of course, Alex is not a normal adolescent, at least not in degree . . . he’s a rapist and a murderer. But I’m curious, how do you all feel about the novel’s ending?
SILENCE, STUDENTS SHIFT IN THEIR CHAIRS AND LOOK TOWARDS THE FLOOR. BILLY, HOWEVER, IS TRANSFIXED, FOCUSING ON RILEY.
riley
Mr. Howser, what did you think of the ending?
HOWSER
Well, I thought it was kind of cool the way he got the politician to feed him like he was a baby. I guess it showed that Alex was a baby and the state was like his mother.
HOWSER SMILES SMUGLY.
riley
That’s a great observation . . . about the movie’s ending . . . but I wanted you to read the novel. Did anyone read the novel?
BILLY LOOKS AROUND FOR A MINUTE, THEN SLOWLY RAISES HIS HAND.
riley
Mr. Peters, you read this novel?
BILLY
Umm . . . yes . . . I did.
RILEY
Good, and what did you think of the ending.
BILLY
Well it was really shocking, in a way. After all that killing and beating and raping, he decides to settle down and have a family.
RILEY
And why was that so shocking?
BILLY
I guess because that doesn’t really seem like human nature.
RILEY
What doesn’t?
BILLY
Well, to go from being such a violent and wild person to being a, well, Dad.
RILEY
Why do you think that’s not like human nature?
BILLY
People don’t just change like that?
RILEY
They don’t?
BILLY
Well . . . I don’t think so.
RILEY
This feature, that Billy has pointed out to us, was key to understanding why the twenty-first chapter wasn’t included in early editions of the novel published in America, and why it wasn’t included in the Kubrick film.
RILEY WALKS UP TO THE BOARD AND WRITES: “CHANGE?”
riley
The twenty-first chapter of the novel offers a more hopeful vision of humanity. In this vision, people change.
BILLY HAS WRITTEN “CHANGE?” IN HIS NOTEBOOK AND IS STARING AT THE WORD.
riley
Perhaps the most shocking thing of all, at least for some people, is that adolescents, especially adolescent males, can change—they can become, well human.
STUDENTS LAUGH. BILLY CONTINUES TO STARE AT THE WORD “CHANGE?’ IN HIS NOTEBOOK.
Billy raises his hand.
riley
Yes, Billy?
BILLY
Well, I’ve been reading Freud’s Civilization and It’s Discontents . . .
RILEY
(interrupting)
You have? Hold on a second. Was this for a class?
BILLY
No, I just thought it was interesting. . .
RILEY
(interrupting)
Hold on. Let me catch my breath. A student was reading a book, not assigned for a class, but just because it was interesting?
BILLY
Yeah . . . and well, he seems to think that following all of society’s rules is what makes us unhappy. In a way, it seems like the wild Alex would be a lot happier than the family-man Alex, but that last chapter seems to say that Alex is unhappy being wild. So does that mean Freud was wrong? I mean should we follow the rules or just follow our desires?
RILEY FOLDS HIS ARMS ACROSS HIS CHEST AND LEANS BACK ON HIS DESK. HE LEANS FORWARD AND SCRATCHES HIS HEAD.
riley
Well, to be honest, I’m not sure I know all that much about being happy . . .
THE STUDENTS SUDDENLY ALL LOOK UP TO FOCUS ON RILEY.
riley
(continuing)
If you want to live in a human community, you’re going to have to deny your desires sometimes. . . but if you do that all the time . . . Well, what do the rest of you think?
THE STUDENTS STARE AT RILEY IN SILENCE FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS.
female student
Well, when I’m feeling unhappy, I find that shopping usually helps.
STUDENTS LAUGH AT THIS. RILEY SMILES A BIT.
int. saint anselm’s church’s youth room – night
The room is a bit crowded. It has low ceilings and dim light. It is filled with Goodwill-type furniture: old couches and tables obviously donated by church members who didn’t want them in their houses anymore. Three boys and two girls are crowded around a battered foosball table.
Billy enters the room. He looks around. These are obviously not the “cool” kids from school.
Two of the boys playing foosball are skinny, one wearing “high-water” pants and a much too-small buttoned-down short-sleeve shirt. The other is wearing some K-Mart board shorts, pulled up to his navel with dress shoes and matching black sox. The third foosball boy is at least one-hundred pounds overweight. The two girls with them are both attempting to look sexy, wearing short skirts, tight halter-tops, and lots of make-up, but neither one is what you would call pretty.
Two more girls, clearly overweight, sit on a couch eating chips and drinking soda.
Billy takes it all in, then turns around and moves back towards the exit. Just as he nears the door, Heather pops through, wearing a short skirt and a tight little t-shirt. She’s very cute.
Billy seems startled to see her.
billy
Oh . . . ummm . . . . there you are.
HEATHER
Yes, I’m so glad you came. Are you having fun?
BILLY
I just got here.
HEATHER
Oh, uh, me too. Let me introduce you.
HEATHER LEADS BILLY BY THE HAND TO THE CENTER OF THE ROOM.
heather
(shouting)
Hey everybody, this is my friend Billy.
THE FOOSBALL PLAYERS DON’T EVEN LOOK UP.
girls on couch
(in unison)
Hi, Billy.
HEATHER, STILL HOLDING BILLY’S HAND, TURNS TO LOOK AT HIM.
heather
So, how have you been? Have you heard from any colleges yet?
BILLY
No. I—
BILLY IS INTERRUPTED AS STEVE, THE YOUTH PASTOR, BARGES THROUGH THE DOOR CARRYING THREE PIZZA BOXES. HE IS A MAN IN HIS 30’S, TANNED, SLIGHT, WEARING BOARD SHORTS, SANDALS, AND A LOOSE T-SHIRT.
Steve
(shouting)
Pizza’s here.
STEVE PUTS THE PIZZA BOXES DOWN ON A TABLE AND POPS THEM OPEN. THE FOOSBALL PLAYERS AND COUCH GIRLS JUMP UP AND HEAD TOWARDS THE PIZZA, PUSHING AND SHOVING TO GET THERE FIRST.
Heather and Billy refrain from charging for the pizza.
Steve notices Billy and walks over to him, holding out his hand to shake Billy’s.
Steve
Hi, I’m Steve.
BILLY
Hi.
BILLY SHAKES STEVE’S HAND.
steve
And you are?
HEATHER
This is my friend, Billy . . . he’s the guy from school I was telling you about.
HEARING THIS BILLY WHIPS HIS HEAD AROUND SHARPLY AND NARROWS HIS GAZE AT HEATHER.
steve
Oh, yeah. Right. So you go to Mariners?
BILLY SLOWLY TURNS FROM LOOKING AT HEATHER TO LOOKING AT STEVE.
billy
Right. Yeah.
STEVE
So what year are you there?
BILLY
Senior.
STEVE
So you’re a senior? Almost out. No matter what anybody tells you, these are not the best years of your life.
THERE’S AN AWKWARD SILENCE. STEVE RUBS THE BACK OF HIS HEAD NERVOUSLY.
steve
(clears his throat)
What I mean is. . . the future is bright. Where are you going to college?
BILLY
Santa Cruz.
STEVE
Cool. Do you surf?
BILLY
Not really. I bodysurf a bit . . . but I skate.
STEVE
Cool.
THERE’S ANOTHER AWKWARD PAUSE. HEATHER IS LOOKING BACK AND FORTH AT BOTH OF THESE GUYS. SHE’S SMILING BIG—TOO BIG—FORCING HERSELF TO BE HOPEFUL ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPING BETWEEN BILLY AND STEVE.
Steve sees Heather’s forced smile and looks a little annoyed.
steve
Listen, Billy, Heather told me about your mom. I’m really sorry to hear about your loss.
BILLY
Thanks. It’s okay.
STEVE
If there is anything I can do. Please, let me know.
BILLY
I’m good. I’m really just focusing on my studies right now and I’ve been reading a lot, trying to sort things out.
STEVE
Good, good, that’s real good. But remember, all work and no play . . .
BILLY
No worries there. That’s my family motto.
STEVE
Why don’t you get some pizza? We’re going to start the lesson soon.
OVERWEIGHT GIRLS (O.S.)
Do we have to have a lesson? Why can’t we just eat?
CUT TO: SAINT ANSELM’S YOUTH ROOM – NIGHT
Everyone is seated in a circle on couches and chairs. Everyone is slumped down. Not really paying attention. The overweight boy is bouncing a tennis ball off the wall over his head.
steve
. . . so our faith can be a source of strength to help us get through hard times. Can anybody think of a time their faith helped them through a hard time?
“SEXY” GIRL ONE
Like, what do you mean, ‘give us strength?’ Like, make us strong or something?
SKINNY BOY ONE
Yeah, like the Hulk.
(LAUGHING)
You know, like super strength.
STEVE
I mean, like when your feeling low, or facing some difficulty, have you felt like God was helping you . . . you know, being especially near to you?
OVERWEIGHT GIRL ONE
Well, when something bad happens, I just think, “everything that happens, happens for a reason.” You know?
STEVE
Okay. Can you give us an example?
OVERWEIGHT GIRL ONE
Of what?
STEVE
Of a time when something bad happened to you, and then you found the strength to deal with it.
OVERWEIGHT GIRL ONE
Well, like this year, when we went back to school, I found out my locker was right next to Jason Mahoney’s locker. He’s the kid who really stinks.
OVERWEIGHT GIRL TWO
He really does. He’s disgusting. He’s all greasy and he’s got the worst B.O. ever.
OVERWEIGHT GIRL ONE
I’m telling this story.
OVERWEIGHT GIRL TWO
Then tell it.
OVERWEIGHT GIRL ONE
Well, it’s like I thought, “How disgusting I have to smell this disgusting guy all year. So I was telling my mom and she was pointing out to me that the Christian thing to do would be to be nice to him and accept it, so I told him, “to take shower or something.”
STEVE
And so because you think everything that happens was supposed to happen you found strength to tell him to take a shower?
OVERWEIGHT GILR ONE
Yeah I guess. This is a stupid question anyway.
HEATHER
I don’t think it’s stupid. I always say something like that . . . you know, like, it will work out for the best. Like, when the stable where I keep my horse, Mayflower, went out of business, I didn’t know where I was going to put him, and I was afraid my dad was going to sell him, but then we found a better stable in the foothills, and now we like the new stable better, because there’s not only places to train for competitions, there’s lots of trails to get out in the mountains and stuff, though I really don’t like to take Mayflower anywhere where he might get hurt.
STEVE
So, your faith helped you through this how?
HEATHER
Well, like I said, when something bad happens . . .
(LOOKING AT BILLY AND SMILING)
you have to believe that it happened for a reason and something good is going to come out of it.
STEVE
Okay. And that gives you strength?
HEATHER
Tons.
int. billy’s room – day
Billy’s room is now clear of debris and he is seated at it, taking notes from his history textbook. He looks tired, but he continues to plug away.
SOUND OF THE FRONT DOOR OPENING.
LIGHT KNOCK AT DOOR TO BILLY’S ROOM.
BILLY
Enter.
LUCY PEERS THROUGH THE DOOR, THEN ENTERS THE ROOM. SHE WALKS OVER TO BILLY AND STANDS BEHIND HIM, RUBBING HIS SHOULDERS. SHE KISSES HIM ON THE TOP OF THE HEAD.
At this Billy puts down his pen and turns around partway to look her in the face.
lucy
How’s it coming?
BILLY
Good. It’s good. Things are coming together. I got an “A” on my last history quiz and an “A” on my Clockwork Orange essay. I’m even doing better in Pre-Calculus.
LUCY
Wow. It sounds like your back on track.
BILLY
Yeah. And only one more weekend of community service.
LUCY
Cool. How’s Walden doing with that?
BILLY
Okay. I think he’s worked his way back down to his original 160-hour sentence.
THERE’S A SILENCE AS BILLY TURNS HIS CHAIR AROUND PART WAY AND THEN GRABS LUCY’S HAND. HE RUBS IT WITH HIS THUMB, STARING AT IT CLOSELY AS IF THIS WERE THE FIRST TIME HE’D EVER SEEN IT.
Still seated, Billy then looks up into Lucy’s face.
billy
You know. I’ve never thanked you.
LUCY
For what?
BILLY
For everything. When mom got sick you pretty much took over. You took care of her . . . of us . . . and managed to graduate high school with a four point two, and college something cum something, and you still took care of us. Thanks.
LUCY
No problem.
BILLY
How’d you do it?
LUCY
I just did it. It had to be done. The laundry, the dishes, the housework, the shopping. Somebody had to do it.
BILLY
Cordelia . . .
LUCY
Yes . . .?
BILLY
Don’t be mad, but can I make an observation?
LUCY
You can make an observation if I can reserve the right to be mad.
BILLY
Well, Dad’s told us a hundred times how you got your name, “Lucy.” You used to do all kinds of wild and zany things like Lucy on “I Love Lucy,” but I’ve got to tell you, you’re about the least zany person I’ve ever met.
LUCY
What’s your point?
BILLY
I don’t know. I don’t have a point. I just wonder if somehow the real you got lost these last ten years. What happened to mom’s thing about eating ice-cream for breakfast?
LUCY
That only works if you live in a world where nobody’s sick and dying.
(PAUSE)
Would you want Lucy Ricardo doing your laundry?
BILLY
Actually, I think I would.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYM – NIGHT
The gym is crowded with students and parents, sitting in the bleachers, watching a basketball game. Billy is sitting with Heather and two of her little girlfriends. They are squeezed into their seats, and Billy and Heather are touching: hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee.
billy
So, have you heard from U.S.C. yet?
HEATHER
Not yet, but hopefully soon. I’ve just GOT to go there.
BILLY
Why? Because your parents went there?
HEATHER
Well, yeah. But, I’ve wanted to go there pretty much my whole life. We go to all the football games, and tons of alumni dinners, and stuff. It’s a really good school.
BILLY
I’m still going to Santa Cruz.
HEATHER
Right. But why? I mean, why not go to UCLA, or UCI, or UCSD? Why all the way up there? Wouldn’t you miss everybody?
BILLY
It’s actually not that far... but, I guess I need a little space . . . and, well I . . . I could just see myself there.
HEATHER
Did you ever visit any other campuses?
BILLY
Uhh . . . no.
BILLY STOPS TALKING AND SQUIRMS UNCOMFORTABLY. HE LOOKS AT HER SIDEWAYS WITH A BIT OF ANNOYANCE.
billy
Well, I guess there’s at least one person I’d miss.
BILLY LOOKS AT HER AND SMILES, REACHING OVER TO TOUCH HER THIGH.
Heather looks at him and smiles pleasantly, then picks up his hand with both of hers, then suddenly jumps up, dropping Billy’s hand, and cheers wildly in response to something that happened on the court.
Heather sits back down. Smiles briefly at Billy, then returns to focusing on the game.
Billy sits there, noting there is now a little more space between the two of them as they are now seated about four inches apart.
int. jake’s room –day
Billy is stretched out on Jake’s bed. Jake is seated in a desk chair which he has swiveled around so that his feet are resting on the bed.
Jake
Santa Cruz. I just don’t get it. Why Santa Cruz?
BILLY
I can’t explain it. I just . . . you remember what my parents have always told me: follow your heart? Well I know I sound like an asshole, but my heart just tells me I need to go there.
JAKE
It’s all the pot, isn’t it? Santa Cruz has tons of pot.
BILLY
No, it’s not the pot. I can’t explain it. I just feel like I have to go there. I have to get away from here, or I’ll . . . I have to get away.
JAKE
Away from what?
BILLY
It’s not away from anything. I just need to be somewhere else, and I see myself there, in Santa Cruz.
JAKE
That’s weird, because I see myself as a Playboy photographer.
BILLY
Walden doesn’t get it either. But Walden is different.
JAKE
He’s different alright.
BILLY
I see him here, in Newport Beach—
JAKE
Costa Mesa—You’re from Costa Mesa, I’m from Newport Beach--
BILLY
Snob. Whatever. Here he’s a king. He snowboards in the morning, surfs at sunset, and—
JAKE
Scores on high school chicks at night.
BILLY
Me. Not so much. I’m not the king of anything here. I’m not what you’d call the royal type.
JAKE
So, what? You’re going to be the king of Santa Cruz?
BILLY
No. But. . . except for Mr. Riley’s class, school is pretty much a waste. I couldn’t imagine four more years of it. But. . . I think college will be different.
(PAUSE)
It’s like, you know, watching my mom . . . then . . . well . . . everybody else, Dad, Walden, Lucy, they’re just getting on with things, and feels like everybody else is too . . . my friends . . . it’s like this thing we never talk about . . . like I never had a mom . . . like everyone is afraid to mention it . . . I know that thing where I jumped off the roof at that cop . . . it was crazy . . . I want to know why it’s so hard to be happy . . . this professor at Santa Cruz seemed like he might know, or at least help me figure it out . . . I mean can see that religion doesn’t really help that much. . . it just gives people easy answers . . . and partying is just pissing on the fire . . .
JAKE
Pissing on the fire . . .?
BILLY
You know, this idea of Freud’s about . . . well that living rules sucks, and that explains a lot . . . So if I can just spend some time reading some good books, and figuring things out . . . that’s what I think I have to do to get myself back on track . . .
JAKE
Well. Then fucking go for it.
BILLY
Yeah. But I still haven’t heard back from them, and my S-A-T’s were not so good. . . and I didn’t start off this semester so well . . . so . . .
JAKE
Don’t sweat it. I’m sure you’ll get in.
int. Billy’s bedroom – day
Billy is at his desk working away on his Pre-Calculus.
The margins of his paper are filled with little sketches: a kid skateboarding, a large-bosomed woman dressed in a kind of warrior costume, an angry-looking old man with long hair and a beard.
He only has one equation written. He stares at the drawings, then rips the paper out of his notebook, wads it up, and throws it away.
He looks across his desk at a well-worn copy of Civilization and Its Discontents, which sits atop Interpretation of Dreams, and Plato’s Republic. He reaches for Civilization and Its Discontents, then stops and pushes it away.
He looks back at the Pre-Calculus textbook and then closes his eyes and puts his head in his hands.
He looks back at Civilization and Its Discontents, picks it up, flips through it, pauses at random on a page, looks more closely at it, then flings it violently behind him against a wall.
walden (o.s.)
Mail call!
BILLY LOOKS TOWARDS THE DOOR AND TAKES A DEEP BREATH.
The door opens with a thud. Walden steps in, going through the mail.
walden
Bill . . . that’s Dad’s. Junk . . . (drops in Billy’s trashcan beside his desk) Junk . . . (drops in Billy’s trashcan) . . .”County of Orange, Important Legal Documents Enclosed” . . .ummm that’s mine (he puts it in his back pocket) . . . oh yes . . . University of California, Santa Cruz. I believe this is for you.
BILLY
It’s a small envelope . . . that’s not good.
WALDEN HANDS THE ENVELOPE TO BILLY. BILLY LOOKS AT IT, TAKES A DEEP BREATH, THEN, HANDS TREMBLING A BIT, RIPS IT OPEN.
billy
(reading the letter aloud)
“Dear Mr. Peters. We thank you for your application to the University of California, Santa Cruz. We regret to inform you that you have not been admitted in the first tier of our admissions process. . . You have been placed on a waiting list. Should space become available, we will contact you.
BILLY PAUSES, STARING AT THE ENVELOPE.
billy
What the fuck is a “waiting list?”
WALDEN
It means you wait. It means you’ll hear from them later.
int. billy’s room – night
Billy is sitting at his desk, still working on his Pre-Calculus, but he’s not really working. He’s staring blankly at the book. He’s not writing.
He jumps up and grabs his cell phone off his desk. He walks over to his bed and flops on it, then dials a number.
billy
(on phone)
Luc’ . . . Billy. Got a sec’? I heard from Santa Cruz today . . . they said I didn’t get admitted . . . yeah . . . well . .. they said I was on a waiting list . . . what does that mean?
BILLY LISTENS.
billy
(on phone)
So I might still get in, but probably not? . . . Nowhere. I didn’t apply anywhere else. Well, I didn’t want to go anywhere else. . . Yeah, it’s too late to apply anywhere else. . . Yes, people told me to apply other places, backup schools, but . . . I guess I’m fucked. . . Okay . . . Love you. . . No, don’t worry about it. . . Bye.
BILLY LIES BACK ON HIS BED AND STARES AT THE CEILING, THEN HE PULLS A PILLOW OVER HIS HEAD.
int. party house living room– night
The room is full of thrift-store furnishings. At least ten surfboards are stacked against various walls. The walls are decorated with posters of “Reef Girls” (girls in thong bikinis, shot from the rear). A neon beer sign also adorns one wall.
The house is full of people dancing to loud, blaring music. Others sit on couches.
Walden (wearing an earring with a girl hula-dancing charm dangling) is standing next to Billy and a young man in his twenties, muscular, spiky hair, and goatee. All three are drinking beers.
spiky-hair guy
O.C.C. is a real college. I ought to know, I’ve been going there since I graduated high school.
BILLY
How long ago was that?
SPIKY-HAIR GUY
Let me see . . . uhh . . .six years.
BILLY
You’ve been at O.C.C. for six years and you’re almost done with your general ed?
SPIKY-HAIR GUY
What the fuck is general ed? . . . I’m almost done with my associate’s degree . . . I just need like 16 more units.
BILLY
Congratulations.
SPIKY-HAIR GUY
Thanks.
(PAUSE)
Wait a sec’ . . . what the fuck are trying to say? Was that sarcastic, asswipe?
BILLY
Not at all. I just think you should be proud of your achievement. You might have your associate’s degree next year, after seven years of college. Some people your age will have finished law school by then, but what the fuck, you’ll have a fucking associate’s degree from O.C.C.
SPIKEY-HAIR GUY
Hey Wald, you better tell your little prick brother to shut the fuck up or he’ll be getting a college-level education in getting his ass kicked.
WALDEN
Hey man, he’s cool. Give him a break . . . he’s an orphan you know.
BILLY
Yeah, I’m a fucking orphan, so I get a free pass, asswipe. I can pretty much coast through life, what’s your excuse for being a worthless piece-of-shit loser?
WITH THIS THE SPIKY-HAIR GUY SUDDENLY PUNCHES BILLY RIGHT IN THE FACE, KNOCKING HIM TO THE GROUND.
Walden suddenly jumps in front of the Spiky-hair Guy, holding him back.
walden
Cool it man. He’s been drinking too much. Give him a break.
SUDDENLY BILLY JUMPS TO HIS FEET AND, REACHING OVER WALDEN’S SHOULDER, PUNCHES SPIKY-HAIR GUY RIGHT IN THE FACE. SPIKY-HAIR GUY PUSHES WALDEN OUT OF THE WAY AND THEN PUNCHES BILLY. BILLY REELS BACK AGAINST THE WALL AND SPIKY-HAIR GUY RUSHES HIM. BILLY KICKS AT SPIKY-HAIR GUY WHO MERELY GRABS BILLY’S LEG AND USES IT TO WHEEL HIM AROUND AND FLING HIM TO THE GROUND. SPIKY-HAIR GUY THEN JUMPS ON TOP OF BILLY AND HITS HIM IN THE FACE TWICE MORE BEFORE WALDEN AND TWO OTHER GUYS PULL SPIKY-HAIR GUY OFF OF BILLY.
Spikey Hair guy
You better get that little prick out of here before I kill him.
BILLY
Go ahead, you fuck.
(WIPING BLOOD FROM HIS MOUTH)
Go ahead, kill me, you fuck, go ahead.
WALDEN WALKS OVER AND PICKS BILLY UP OFF THE GROUND. WALDEN PUTS HIS ARM AROUND BILLY AND THEN WALKS HIM TOWARD AN EXIT.
walden
Hey man, you better get the fuck out of here. Don’t worry about that guy. I’ll make it right.
BILLY
Make what right? . . . Nothing is right Walden . . . No thing is right and it hasn’t been for a long, long time.
EXT. PARTY HOUSE – NIGHT
Billy and Walden are outside the house now. Walden still has his arm around Billy, and he squeezes him.
walden
Things are what you make them, Billy Boy.
(PAUSE)
You’re right. . . Things haven’t been right for a long time.
MALE PARTYER (O.S.)
Hey Walden, two chicks are dancing together . . . with their tops off!
WALDEN TURNS AROUND AND LOOKS BACK TOWARD THE HOUSE.
walden
Look, buddy. I’ve got to get back inside. Go home. Get some sleep. O.C.C.’s not so bad. It’s pretty easy really. Just go home.
INT. BILLY’S CAR – NIGHT
Billy has parked his car facing the beach. He’s watching the phosphorescence from the waves on the shore.
On the passenger seat there is a six-pack of beer. Three cans have been removed and they lie, empty, on the floor in front of the passenger seat.
Billy reaches over and pulls another beer from the six pack. He opens it and starts to sip it. He continues to look out at the ocean.
Marian (V.O.)
Follow your heart Billy. It won’t lead you wrong. No matter what happens, all the happiness you’ll ever need is right inside of you. Just follow your heart.
BILLY TAKES ANOTHER SIP OF BEER, THEN PUTS THE CAN BETWEEN HIS LEGS. HE PUTS HIS HEAD DOWN ON THE STEERING WHEEL FOR A MOMENT. THEN HE SITS UP, REACHES DOWN AND STARTS THE CAR.
int. billy’s car – night
Billy is driving down the road. He’s blinking a lot and almost seems to be nodding off. He’s over-steering, turning the wheel sharply from side to side.
Marian (v.o.)
Just follow your heart Billy, it won’t lead you wrong . . .
BILLY CONTINUES DRIVING. HE STILL LOOKS GROGGY. HE’S STILL OVER-STEERING.
Marian (v.o.)
Just follow your heart, Billy, it will take you where you need to go.
BILLY
But my heart is broken, Mommy, it’s broken . . .
(TAKING ANOTHER SIP OF BEER)
I think it’s always been broken.
BILLY LEANS BACK IN THE CAR-SEAT, CLOSES HIS EYES, AND TAKES HIS HANDS OFF THE WHEEL.
DISSOLVE TO black. WE HEAR THE LOUD CRUNCHING SOUND OF METAL HITTING BRICK AND WOOD.
EXT. SAINT ANSELM’S PARKING LOT – NIGHT
Billy’s car has run smack into the church’s marquee. The marquee, a combination of stone and wood, has been smashed, and now cradles Billy’s car, the front wheels are off the ground, hanging over the smashed marquee.
int. billy’s car – night
Billy is slumped over the steering wheel. The windshield is shattered. Blood trickles from his head.
Billy slowly regains consciousness. He looks around, uncertain where he is. He sees the shattered windshield.
billy
Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit.
BILLY RUBS HIS HEAD PAINFULLY FROM THE SPOT WHERE THE BLOOD IS TRICKLING DOWN HIS HEAD.
billy
Fuck. Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.
BILLY REACHES OVER AND WITH GREAT EFFORT FORCES HIS DOOR OPEN.
ext. saint anselm’s parking lot – night
Billy steps out of his car, drunk and not realizing it is now suspended about two feet off the ground, he falls out and crashes to the ground on all fours.
He cries out in pain.
billy
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
BILLY PULLS HIMSELF UP OFF THE GROUND, WITH A GREAT DEAL OF PAINFUL EFFORT. HE LOOKS AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE HE IS, AND THEN HE SEES HIS CAR. A LOOK OF HORROR SWEEPS OVER HIS FACE.
billy
Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. What the fuck are you going to do now asshole?
HE REACHES INTO HIS POCKET AND PULLS OUT HIS CELL-PHONE. HE DIALS NINE, ONE, AND THEN STOPS, LOOKS AT THE PHONE AND SMASHES IT AGAINST THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD TWICE. HE THEN THROWS THE PHONE TO THE GROUND AND SMASHES IT AGAINST THE GROUND. HE THEN STOMPS ON THE PHONE UNTIL IT IS SMASHED INTO LITTLE PIECES.
He walks over and rests one hand on the car, leaning forward, trying to steady himself. Suddenly he looks up. He backs away from the car and looks around, searching to see if there is anyone watching him. He the climbs back into the car, again, with great effort.
He tries to start the car. It turns over, but will not start. Suddenly, the engine compartment bursts into flames.
billy
Oh shit. Shit.
BILLY JUMPS FROM THE CAR, BEING MORE CAREFUL THIS TIME, HE LANDS ON HIS FEET, BUT THEN STUMBLES FORWARD AND CRASHES DOWN AGAIN ON ALL FOURS. HE CRAWLS AWKWARDLY AWAY, MOVING AS FAST AS HE CAN IN HIS CONDITION. ONCE HE’S ABOUT THIRTY YARDS AWAY HE TURNS OVER AND SITS ON THE GROUND, LOOKING BACK AT HIS CAR, NOW ABLAZE.
He sits on the ground watching it for a few moments, then he stands up and strides towards the burning car. He gets to within a couple of feet, but the heat is too much, and he has to back up a couple of feet.
He then unzips his pants, aims at the burning car, and urinates on the fire. He releases quite a quantity of urine, then, with some difficulty, zips his pants back up.
billy
So much for civilization.
BILLY THEN STUMBLES OUT OF THE PARKING LOT TOWARDS THE CHURCH. HE APPROACHES THE FRONT DOORS, AND TRIES TO OPEN THEM. THEY ARE LOCKED. HE POUNDS ON THE DOORS.
Billy
Sanctuary! Sanctuary! Sanctuary!
HE THEN WALKS AROUND TOWARDS THE SIDE OF THE CHURCH. HE APPROACHES THE SIDE DOOR, WHICH IS ALSO LOCKED. HE TRIES IT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT, UNABLE TO OPEN IT HE TURNS AROUND AND LEANS UP AGAINST IT BACKWARDS. HE THEN SLIDES DOWN TO THE GROUND AND SLUMPS AGAINST THE DOOR.
He then slumps down further until he is curled up against the door in the fetal position. He closes his eyes.
billy
Look where my heart’s led me, Mommy. . . look where it’s led me.
EXT. SAINT ANSELMS’ PARKING LOT – EARLY MORNING
Two police cars and a tow truck are in the parking lot. The police officers are walking around with clipboards. One of them carries a special measuring tool with a wheel and a handle. He is measuring the skid marks.
One police officer is talking to Steve. Steve is wearing sweatpants, a t-shirt, baseball cap, and a light jacket.
Steve nods as he listens to the officer. He then turns and walks towards the side entrance of the church.
ext. Saint anselm’s, side entrance – early morning
This entrance is concealed from the parking lot.
Steve approaches the side entrance, shaking his head as he goes. As he approaches the place where Billy is still lying he suddenly stops. He looks back towards the parking lot and then rushed towards Billy.
He leans over Billy, and gently shakes him. He notices the dried blood on the side of Billy’s face, and sees that his face is covered with bruises.
He puts his hand in front of Billy’s nose for a moment, and then shakes his shoulder a little harder.
Billy moves a little, groans, and then opens one eye, squinting and trying to sit up a bit.
steve
Billy, Billy, are you okay?
BILLY TRIES TO SIT UP AND STEVE HELPS HIM.
steve
Take it easy. Are you okay?
BILLY MANAGES TO SIT UP ALL THE WAY.
billy
Yeah . . . yeah . . .I’m okay. Well, sort of okay.
STEVE
I’ve got to get you to the hospital.
BILLY
No, I’m okay. Really.
(PAUSE)
Look, I’ve got to tell you something. Last night . . .
STEVE
I know, I know. The cops are out there right now making up the accident report . . . they saw all those beer cans in the front of your car.
BILLY
Cops? Oh shit . . .
STEVE
They’re wondering where the driver is. I think the best thing we can do is go out there, tell them what happened, and get you some medical attention.
BILLY
(mumbling to himself)
Tell the fuzz nothing.
STEVE
What?
BILLY
Uh . . . nothing . . . just remembering one of my family’s favorite sayings . . . Look, can we go inside the church for a minute.
STEVE HESITATES, SCRATCHING HIS CHIN. HE REACHES DOWN AND PUTS ONE ARM BEHIND BILLY’S SHOULDER AND EXTENDS HIS OTHER HAND TO HIM.
steve
Can you get up?
BILLY
Yeah, yeah. No problem.
STEVE HELPS BILLY TO HIS FEET. BILLY WOBBLES A LITTLE BIT AND LEANS ON STEVE FOR BALANCE.
Billy
Can we just go inside for a bit?
STEVE
Okay. For a minute.
STEVE UNLOCKS THE DOOR AND THEY GO INTO THE CHURCH.
int. saint anselm’s – early morning
Steve and Billy enter the church. The side entrance leads them into the front of the sanctuary. Steve leads Billy towards the front pew, but Billy stops at the steps that lead up to the altar and sits down on those steps. Steve sits down beside him.
Looking out from the altar they see the parking lot through the large windows at the entrance to the church. They see the cops still working on the accident report and the tow-truck driver is trying to hook up the front of Billy’s car, still cradled by the church’s marquee.
billy
Sanctuary.
STEVE
Ummm?
BILLY
I said, “sanctuary.” It’s what the Hunchback of Notre Dame says in that Disney Movie. The church is his “sanctuary.”
STEVE
And his prison.
BILLY LOOKS AT STEVE THEN AT THE COPS IN THE PARKING LOT.
billy
I’m really in trouble, aren’t I?
STEVE
Well, I’m not a lawyer, but . . . yeah, you’re in trouble. . . But you’re a minor. . . It’s just a stupid sign. Although, our rector and the other people in the church might not see it that way.
BILLY
A sign? What kind of sign?
STEVE
I didn’t mean it was a sign from God. I meant . . . you know, the church’s sign, with our name on it. . .
BILLY
Oh . . . I just . . . I’m just, really, really tired.
(PAUSE)
I didn’t get into Santa Cruz.
STEVE
What about your back-up schools?
BILLY
I didn’t apply anywhere else.
STEVE
(pause)
It’s not the end of the world. You can go to O.C.C. for a year or two . . .
BILLY GROANS AND DROPS HIS HEAD IN HIS HANDS.
steve
O.C.C. doesn’t appeal to you?
BILLY
I guess . . . when I went to Santa Cruz for a visit I visited some philosophy class. For some reason they were reading Civilization and Its Discontents, and it seemed like those guys, that is, the professor and his students, were, well . . . figuring it out . . .
STEVE
Figuring it out?
BILLY
Yeah. Like . . . they seemed to be figuring out why we’re so unhappy . . . why life hurts so much . . .and I guess . . . I thought if I could go there . . . get away from . . . well, get away . . . then I might figure it out.
STEVE
So you want to go to college to figure why life hurts?
BILLY
Yeah. I guess so.
STEVE
It’s one place to do that, but there may be other things you can do.
BILLY
Like church?
STEVE
Maybe. I was thinking more like . . .therapy . . .
(PAUSE)
From what you’ve told me, life hasn’t been totally fair to you. Your mom got real sick when you were real little, and you’ve had to live with that your whole life.
BILLY
But that wasn’t her fault.
STEVE
It’s nobody’s fault, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.
STEVE TURNS AROUND AND LOOKS UP AT THE CRUCIFIX BEHIND THE ALTAR.
steve
You remember that one time you can to our youth group?
BILLY
Yeah.
STEVE
Other dragged you?
BILLY
Sort of.
STEVE
I remember feeling so stupid that night. I was trying to get those little shits to think about life, to some how tap into something deeper.
(PAUSE)
I don’t think I should have become a priest. I was young, in college. I had majored in philosophy and after four years had learned that we know nothing. Discouraged I turned to religion and went to seminar, where I was the star student, and so everybody told me I should become ordained. So I did. But I hate my job.
BILLY
Why?
STEVE
I don’t know. . . I suppose because I feel like people always want “answers” from me, and I’ve come to think that all my answers are just barriers between people and God.
(PAUSE)
You know George Herbert was a priest in England in the 17th century. I’m not sure he really wanted to be a priest either . . . but he was a pretty good poet. He wrote a poem called, “the answer.”
(PAUSE)
“My comforts drop and melt away like snow;/I shake my head, and all the thoughts and ends,/Which my fierce youth did bandy, fall and flow/Like leaves about me: or like summer friends/Flies of estates and sunshine. But to all/ Who think me eager, hot, and undertaking,/But in my prosecutions slack and small;/AS a young exhalation, newly waking, Scorns his first bed of dirt, and means the sky;/But cooling by the way, grows pursey and slow,/And settling to a cloud, doth live and die/In that dark state of tears: to all that so/In that dark state of tears: to all, that so/Show me, and set me, I have on reply,/Which they that know the rest, know more than I.”
BILLY AND STEVE SIT IN SILENCE FOR A FEW MOMENTS.
billy
What does that mean?
STEVE
I don’t know.
(PAUSE)
I think it means . . . well, you know believing, having faith, is something without words. Herbert said that his poems were a way to “picture all the conflicts which passed between his soul and God,” but I think words often leave us short.
(PAUSE)
When I say, “I believe,” I need to stop, because as soon as I say, “I believe all things work out for the best, or that bad things won’t happen to good people, or that Jesus loves me, or whatever. . . a doubt springs up because what I’ve said always misses the mark, so I end up saying, “well, at least I hope that’s true.”
(PAUSE)
But when you can let go of the answers, of needing to finish the I believe, and just say, “I believe,” to just be there, connected to all of it, to everything, to all the people we’ve known and loved, living and dead, and to face the mystery of it all and accept that we know it’s there, then we can say, “I believe . . . “ and let all “My comforts drop and melt away” and still, somehow say, “I believe . . .”
(PAUSE)
So . . . I guess, I don’t have, or want, to give you some kind of answer, I just want to let you know that I see, and, in a way, feel the pain that you are in.
BILLY
I don’t really feel like I’m in that much pain.
STEVE
Really? I think anyone who’s been through what you’ve been through would be in a lot of pain.
(PAUSE)
In fact, from what you’ve told me, things have been rough since your mom passed away. Your Dad and brother are pretty much adolescents, and your sister, understandably, has decided to get on with her own life. In a way, you’ve been orphaned again.
BILLY
They love me. We’re very close.
STEVE
I don’t doubt that, but I also don’t doubt that you’re in pain.
(PAUSE)
Do you see your car out there?
THE TOW-TRUCK DRIVER IS HOISTING THE BURNED-OUT, SMASHED-UP WRECKAGE OFF OF THE SIGN.
steve (continuing)
You’ve made that car’s outside look like what you feel like on the inside. You’re an artist.
BILLY LOOKS OUT AT HIS CAR BEING HOISTED. HE LINGERS OVER WHAT STEVE HAS JUST SAID.
steve (continuing)
Did you do the all the painting on the car?
BILLY
Yeah.
STEVE
You are an artist. You’re car, your paintings, you’ve “picture all the conflicts that are passing between your soul and God.” If you ask me, art beats philosophy and religion. It pictures. It is faith. It is saying “I believe” without having to finish the sentence. If I could do that, if I had any artistic talent, I wouldn’t have to be a priest.
BILLY
Well, do you know anyone who wants to buy my creation? I have a feeling I’m going to need a lot of money to get out of this jam.
STEVE
Let’s start by getting you looked at.
BILLY
No I . . .
STEVE
I insist . . .
BILLY
Would it be possible to avoid talking to those cops right now?
STEVE
Well . . .
(PAUSE)
Okay. Meet me around back. I’ll bring my car around and take you to the hospital.
int. emergency room waiting area – day
The room is full of the walking wounded. There’s a Latino family of six: mother, father, two boys, one girl, and a baby. THE BABY CRIES ON AND OFF. There is an older woman, dressed in a robe, holding an oxygen mask to her face. A younger women, seems to be fussing over her. Various other patients and family members sit glumly in the waiting area.
Billy sits next to Steve. Both look exhausted. Billy looks terrible. His face is badly bruised.
The waiting-room walls are lined with paintings. These are obviously student/amateur works, but many of them are interesting.
Painting One: In an interesting Picasso-like cubist treatment of a mother and child.
Painting Two: A boring painting of a sailboat in the marina, technically proficient though.
Painting Three: An even more boring painting of two dolphins jumping through the surf.
Painting Four: A portrait of an older Mexican woman, with deep wrinkles and soulful eyes staring back at the viewer.
Painting Five: Humorous painting of Ronald Reagan getting on a “chopper” next to “Captain America” (from “Easy Rider”).
Billy is very interested in these paintings. He keeps looking at them.
billy
You know, my parents were really good parents. I think we turned out just as good as anybody else.
STEVE
I’m sure.
BILLY
Well, accept for all of our legal troubles.
STEVE
Right.
BILLY
My mom always said that children didn’t need a lot of rules, just a lot of love.
STEVE
That sounds right to me.
BILLY
When she got sick though, she did make a couple of rules. First, no cursing in the house. When she wanted to curse, she’d stand outside on the back porch and yell. I’m sure the neighbors thought she was crazy.
STEVE
That sounds like a good rule.
BILLY
Her other rule was that we should all be at the table every night for dinner.
STEVE
That’s sounds good, too.
BILLY
We kept it too, that is, until about two years ago. Then we all got too busy. Now I wish we would have kept that rule.
THEY SIT IN SILENCE. BILLY GOES BACK TO LOOKING AT THE PAINTINGS.
Two police officers walk into the waiting room and approach the admitting desk.
Steve and Billy both notice them, and then look at each other for a moment before they both drop their heads into their hands. Billy looks towards the exit.
The admitting nurse points towards Billy and the two police officers start walking towards them.
Billy starts to get up, and thinks again and settles back into his chair as the officers approach him.
police officer
Do you own a 1983 Volvo Station Wagon?
ext. billy’s back porch – day
A large easel is set up on the back porch. Billy, dressed in an old t-shirt, splattered with various colors of paint, and an old pair of jeans, is standing in front of the easel with a painting in his hand.
Walden is seated across from him in a chair, sitting very still.
walden
Why are you painting me? You should be painting naked chicks. What’s the point of being a painter if you don’t get to see a lot of naked chicks.
BILLY
In time. I’m practicing on you. In my painting class we just do still-lifes . . . you know, fruit and stuff, but I wanted to see if I could do you . . . and I’m not sure I really can . . . yet.
WALDEN
So this night class is not going to be one of those classes where naked chicks come and pose for you?
BILLY
No. I think that’s “life-drawing.”
WALDEN
I’ll have to look that up when the Fall Schedule comes out.
BILLY
Try to hold still a bit, will you?
WE SEE BILLY CONTINUING TO PAINT. HE LOOKS CLOSER AND CLOSER AT WALDEN. HE SEEMS TO BE WORKING ON A GETTING SOME DETAIL RIGHT.
billy
You really are one ugly son-of-a-bitch, you know that?
int. college art studio classroom – night
About 15 students are seated on stools in front of easels around the room. Billy is among them. He is clearly the youngest person in this room, but he is working quite seriously. The other students all seem to be at least 40 years old.
A woman with long flowing hair, the ART TEACHER, paces around the room as she talks.
art teacher
I know this is a basic painting and drawing class, and we’re mostly working with still-life’s, but I though I’d let you try a little life-drawing tonight.
AN ELDERLY MAN SITS ON A STOOL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM. THE MAN IS COMPLETELY NUDE. HIS SKIN IS WRINKLED, PINK, AND FLABBY.
art teacher
Since Mick was available to model, I just couldn’t pass up this chance. . . Start by blocking out the figure’s proportions . ..
BILLY
(mumbling to himself)
Well, Walden, we have a nude model . . . even uglier than you.
int. saint anselm’s church nursery - day
Billy is in the nursery. Cribs and toys and rockers have been pushed to the center of the room and drop-cloths line the walls.
On one wall we see a half-completed mural of animals filing, two-by-two into a large wooden boat.
Steve and Billy stand staring at this.
steve
I like it. Well, I like it for our nursery. You really seemed to have captured the essence of those two horses.
BILLY
(laughing)
I think I did an especially good job with their asses, being an expert myself on being a horse’s ass.
STEVE
(laughing)
Good. Me too.
(PAUSE)
I’m really glad you could do this.
BILLY
Me too. I don’t know how I would come up with the money to pay for that sign.
STEVE
It’s cool. Any news from Santa Cruz?
BILLY
No, but maybe it’s not that important after all.
STEVE
Really?
BILLY
I’m just trying to get out of high school now . . . and, you know, work on my, now I sound like a real dick, you know, work on my painting . . . (with exaggerated conceit) you know, my art.
STEVE AND BILLY BOTH LAUGH AT THIS.
int. college art studio classroom – night
This is the same class with the same teacher and students. Billy is among them. In the center of their semi-circle some old, rusty gardening equipment is leaning up against a table that has been covered with an old tarp: a push lawn-mower, rake, and scythe.
The students are all working on painting this.
The teacher paces around the room looking at the work of various students, making comments or suggestions.
art teacher
(addressing entire class)
I think you’ll be surprised at the compositional variation in your work this evening. Not only does the perspective change, but each students framing of the image also varies. It’s up to you to decide what to include in your painting.
THE ART TEACHER WALKS AROUND MORE, CONTINUING TO STUDY AND INTERACT WITH STUDENTS.
art teacher
You decide what goes into your work. Its how you see it, how you feel it, that counts. The world doesn’t exist until you see it with all of its beautiful flaws and graceful, jagged edges.
HEARING THIS, BILLY STOPS, LEANS BACK, THEN LOOKS AGAIN AT THE GARDENING TOOLS IN FRONT OF HIM. HE FOCUSES IN ON THE RUSTY SCYTHE, ATTRACTED TO THE DULL AND RAGGED BLADE.
int. saint anselm’s church nursery – day
Billy is alone in the room. The murals are finished. On one wall is a large mural of Jesus with little children scurrying around him. On another wall is a shepherd surrounded by sheep.
Billy is standing in front of the “Noah” mural. It is complete, but he is standing in front of the horses, painting something on them. He is painting a child riding on one of the horses.
CUT TO: Billy is standing in front of the mural with Jesus and the children. In the lower right corner he is painting something on that mural. It is a mother with three small children, two boys and a girl, all of them dressed in typical “biblical” garb. Her pose mimics that of the larger Jesus in the mural.
int. starbucks – night
The coffeehouse is crowded. Billy and Mehul are seated at a table, their Pre-Calculus textbooks in front of them.
Mehul
No, you’ve mixed up your variables here. Remember if you take something from one side of the equation, you need to take it from the other side too.
BILLY
I thought I did.
MEHUL
You didn’t. Look—
BILLY LOOKS UP. HEATHER AND JAKE HAVE JUST WALKED IN. THEY HAVE THEIR ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER AND SHE’S LOOKING AT HIM WITH A REAL SENSE OF ADORATION.
Jake and Heather make their way towards the counter. They do not see Billy and Mehul.
Billy keeps watching them. Mehul notices that Billy has seen them.
Mehul
Does that bother you?
BILLY
What? Jake and Heather . . . no . . . I just didn’t know they were together.
MEHUL
Oh yeah. They’ve been together for like two weeks, which, for Jake, is just about all he can take. If he hasn’t cheated on her already, he will by the weekend.
BILLY
No. Why should it bother me?
MEHUL
Cause you’re into Heather?
BILLY
No. I was, but, I’m not anymore. It’s cool.
JAKE LEANS OVER LIKE HE’S GOING TO KISS HEATHER, AND THEN HE SEES BILLY AND MEHUL. HE STOPS, AND WAIVES WEAKLY AT BILLY, AND THEN SAYS SOMETHING TO HEATHER, WHO TURNS AROUND AND SEES BILLY. SHE ALSO WAVES WEAKLY AT THEM AND FORCES A SMILE.
It’s now Jake and Heather’s turn to order. They do so, and Billy, who has been staring at them the whole time, turns back toward Mehul.
Billy
Okay. Problem seven.
MEHUL
Right. Solve for “x” where “x” equals y minus two x divided by three x.
BILLY
Right
MEHUL
So what’s the first thing you’re going to do?
BILLY
What?
MEHUL
Problem seven?
BILLY
I’m getting kind of weird. I’m tired, and all the caffeine. . .
MEHUL
This is due tomorrow.
BILLY
Yeah. Right. But. Sorry.
BILLY SUDDENLY GATHERS UP HIS BOOKS, STANDS UP, AND SHOVES HIS BOOKS INTO HIS BACK-PACK.
billy
Bye. Thanks for you help.
MEHUL
Don’t you need a ride?
BILLY
I’ll walk. Bye.
BILLY WALKS RAPIDLY TOWARDS THE EXIT AND MAKES HIS WAY OUTSIDE.
ext. starbucks parking lot – night
Billy is walking away at a brisk pace when the door to the Starbucks opens and Jake pops out. Jake starts running towards Billy.
Jake
Billy. Wait up. Wait up.
BILLY TURNS TO LOOK, THEN KEEPS WALKING.
Jake keeps running and catches up. He starts walking alongside Billy, breathing a little hard.
Jake
Wait. Wait. Stop.
BILLY STOPS AND TURNS TO FACE JAKE.
jake
Look, I was going to say something . . . I didn’t mean for this to happen . . . it’s just that we, well, it just happened.
BILLY
Look. Good, I’m happy for you. I hope you both live happily ever after in your perfect Newport Beach yachting world. I hope you have ten kids together, all named “Biff” or “Buffy.” It’s got nothing to do with me.
JAKE
Don’t be that way. I know you liked her man.
BILLY
Then why did you go after her? Why? You’re always talking about all the chicks you get . . . about how you got your housekeeper when you were twelve . . . why go after the one girl I really like?
JAKE
I didn’t mean to . . . it’s like you always say, “you’ve got to follow your heart.”
BILLY
I always say that? When have I ever said that? That’s my family’s fucked-up philosophy. Personally, I think it sucks.
JAKE
I didn’t, we didn’t, mean to hurt you.
BILLY
I’m not hurt. I’m tired. I’m just leaving. Bye.
WITH THAT BILLY TURNS AND WALKS AWAY. HE REACHES THE STREET, NEWPORT BOULEVARD, AND STARTS WALKING UP IT, LEAVING JAKE STANDING IN THE PARKING LOT.
ext. Newport Boulevard – night
Billy walks up the busy street, his backpack slung over one shoulder, striding fairly rapidly. He seems to be on a mission.
Neon signs to cheap storefronts line his side of the street: a donut shop, muffler-repair shop, a taco shop, etc.
His pace slows until he is really just shuffling along the street, staring at his feet. He doesn’t seem to notice anything around him.
He comes to a bus-stop. A Latina woman, young, but obviously worn out from a hard day, sits at the stop. She holds a toddler who is asleep in her arms, his head resting on his mother’s shoulder.
Billy stops and stares at her. She looks up and notices Billy staring at her. Her look of curiosity turns to one of slight alarm.
Billy notices her alarm and decides to keep walking. He passes the bus-stop by about twenty yards.
WE HEAR THE SOUND OF A BUS PULLING UP AND PUTTING ON ITS BRAKES.
Billy turns around and looks back at the bus-stop. The woman is on her feet and is struggling to gather up several plastic grocery bags.
Billy rushes back towards her and gathers up the bags.
billy
(reassuringly)
I’ll help you.
WOMAN
It’s okay. All okay.
BILLY
I’ll help. Ayudo te.
THE WOMAN STILL HESITATES TO LET HIM HELP.
bus driver
Come on senorita. Let’s go.
HEARING THIS, THE WOMAN RELENTS. SHE LETS GO OF THE FEW BAGS SHE IS HOLDING AND HEADS FOR THE BUS.
Billy quickly grabs the woman’s seven plastic grocery bags and hussles them onto the bus.
int. bus - night
The woman flashes a bus pass at the driver and heads towards a seat near the front. Billy follows and sets the bags down on the floor beside her.
The bus starts to move. This jolts Billy, who reaches out and grabs one of the posts.
Billy
Whoah! Wait! Wait. Stop.
BILLY RUSHES TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE BUS JUST AS THE DRIVER SLAMS ON THE BRAKES. THE SUDDEN STOP SENDS BILLY LURCHING FORWARD BUT HE MANAGES TO GRAB THE PANEL BEHIND THE DRIVER JUST IN TIME TO PREVENT HIM FROM TUMBLING INTO THE DASHBOARD.
bus driver
Are you riding this bus or not?
BILLY
No. Let me off please. I’m not going anywhere.
EXT. NEWPORT BOULEVARD - NIGHT
The doors to the bus open, and Billy stumbles out. The doors close and the bus speeds off.
Billy starts to walk up the boulevard, then turns around, and looks back at the bus stop, which is now about fifty yards behind him. He starts walking back towards the bus stop.
When he gets to the bus stop, he slumps down onto the bench.
The traffic is speeding by in front of him. In between large SUV’s, trucks, and busses, he can see, across the street, the Costa Mesa shopping mall, “Triangle Sqare.”
The words “Triangle Square” are printed in a large, elegant lettering, cast in bronze. The large marquee of Nike Town, with a replica of the “winged-Venus” statue in front of it looms up to his right.
The Virgin Mega-store in front of him dominates his view.
Billy stares at this scene for awhile then he pulls out his spiral notebook. He flips past the page of Pre-Calculus homework problems to a blank page. He pulls out a pencil and begins to sketch.
He sketches the bench he is seated on from behind. In his sketch a woman with long brown hair tied up in a loose bun is seated on the bench, her back to the viewer. She holds a toddler, a boy, whose sleeping face, resting on his mother’s shoulder, is towards the viewer. The image also includes a few cars on the street and the mall, Triangle Square, across the street. The Virgin Megastore dominates the background, but the woman and child are occluding the view of the word “Megastore” so all we see are the words “The Virgin” to the left of the toddler’s head.
Int. saint anselm’s church ‘fellowship room’ – night
A painting identical to the sketch of the woman and child in front of Triangle Square (described above) is set up on a sort of flimsy tripod.
The room is full of paintings, similarly displayed on tripods, with a couple on card tables leaning up against the wall.
On a white poster-board the following is hand-written in magic marker: Billy Peters, “Triangle Square,” Images of sMall Life.
The room as a few other paintings and sketches, including:
Painting: A circa-1970 Volkswagon camper is pulling out of the parking garage. A young man is driving the van. His sunglasses are on top of his head, and he is leaning towards the passenger seat. The passenger is a young woman with long blonde hair. She is leaning towards the driver, and they are kissing.
Painting: A father sits at a table in the food court with his three small children: two girls and a boy. The father looks exasperated as he watches the younger daughter put an ice-cream cone into her brother’s hair. The older sister looks startled.
Painting: The food court with four empty restaurants, their windows covered in white butcher paper. A young man with black shirt, black pants, and a white apron around his waste is sitting in a chair. He has tipped the chair back and he is leaning against one of the closed shop windows.
Painting: Two eleven-year-old girls stand together in the Virgin Mega-store flipping through CD’s.
Painting: “Triangle-Square Madonna.” The image is of Billy’s house, as we saw it in the opening sequence of the film. The grass is green. The garden is flourishing. There is no rubbish in the yard. A man with a long beard leans up against an R.V. A boy and a girl are playing croquet in the yard. A young woman stands, up to her knees in a wading pool having a “splash fight” with a small boy who is seated in the pool. Water flies everywhere.
THE ROOM IS FULL OF PEOPLE. MANY ARE TEENAGERS, BUT THERE ARE SOME ADULTS AS WELL. THEY WALK AROUND, HOLDING PLASTIC CUPS AND PLATES WITH PRE-CUT VEGGIES AND RANCH DRESSING, BIT-SIZE HOT-DOGS-WRAPPED IN DOUGH, AND COOKIES.
Billy is wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a tweed jacket. He is standing, surveying the scene.
Steve walks up to him.
billy
Thanks so much for setting this up.
STEVE
Glad to. Of course, you know you’ll be giving me 25% of all your future earnings.
BILLY
Of course.
STEVE
I really like your work. I can’t believe how much progress you’ve made in just few months.
BILLY
Thanks. I know I still have a lot to learn. I figure I’ll put in a couple years at O.C.C., work on my art, then transfer to an art school.
STEVE
Given up on Santa Cruz?
BILLY
I guess. It was the only college I visited. I suppose other colleges have philosophy classes too.
STEVE
A few of them do.
A NICELY-DRESSED MAN, DARRYL KAUFFMAN, APPROACHES STEVE AND BILLY. A KNOCKOUT, BARBIE-DOLL, TYPE WOMAN TRAILS BEHIND HIM.
DArryl
Is this the artist?
STEVE
Indeed. Billy Peters, meet Darryl Kauffman. He’s a member of our church and quite an art lover.
DARRYL
I like your work Billy. You show a lot of promise. Have you had much formal training?
BILLY
Not much.
DARRYL
I thought not.
BILLY’S EAGER DEMEANOR VANISHES WHEN HE HEARS THIS, BUT HE TRIES NOT TO LOOK OFFENDED.
darryl
I’ve just been taking a class at O.C.C. for the last few months.
DARRYL
That’s a good start, but you really need to go somewhere where you can develop your gift.
BILLY
I plan to.
DARRYL
Your work has a lot of feeling for someone your age.
BILLY
Actually, lots of people my age have lots of feeling.
DARRYL
Yes, but they don’t trust those feelings the way you do. They, and for that matter, most adults, tend to let other people validate, or more often, invalidate their feelings.
(PAUSE)
I especially like “The Virgin.” . . . Is it for sale?
BILLY
I don’t know. . . I guess.
HE HANDS BILLY A CARD.
darryl
Here’s my card. Think it over. If you want to sell it, call me, and let me know your price. . .
BILLY
I wouldn’t know what to—
DARRYL
It’s good, but it is, I assume, a first sale, so . . . don’t gouge me.
BILLY
O.K. Thanks.
WALTER TURNS AND PUTS HIS ARM AROUND THE BARBIE-DOLL BLONDE.
darryl
Thank you for inviting us Stephen. You were right.
(TO BILLY)
Bye for now.
DARRYL AND THE BARBIE-DOLL BLONDE WALK AWAY. BILLY LOOKS AT DARRYL’S CARD.
billy
He owns a gallery in Laguna. . .
STEVE
Yeah. I know. It wasn’t easy getting him to come. He gets invited to lots of what he called “refrigerator-worthy art shows.” But I knew you were good.
BILLY STARES AT THE CARD AGAIN THEN LOOKS UP AT “THE VIRGIN.” HE STARES AT IT FOR AWHILE.
billy
Excuse me.
STEVE
Of course. See you later.
BILLY WALKS OVER AND STANDS IN FRONT OF “TRIANGLE SQUARE MADONNA.” HE STARES AT IT DRIFTING OFF INTO HIS OWN WORLD.
A teenage girl walks up behind him and stares at the same painting.
teenage girl
Why do you call it “Triangle Square Madonna.” . . . I mean, I get the Madonna part, the woman in the pool is a mother, and the children, especially the boy in the pool with her, are hers. . . It’s like a Madonna and Child thing . . . but all the other paintings are actually of the mall, but you don’t see the mall here.
BILLY DOESN’T RESPOND IMMEDIATELY. HE KEEPS LOOKING AT THE PAINTING AND NEVER LOOKS UP AT THE GIRL, EVEN WHEN HE FINALLY DOES RESPOND TO HER.
billy
Remember how the mall used to be when were in eighth grade? Do you remember the food court, how there used to be tons of kids just hanging out?. . .
TEENAGE GIRL
Yeah. But now nobody goes there. They closed all the food spots where kids could afford to buy something.
BILLY
I know.
TEENAGE GIRL
Yeah, and nobody goes there anymore, at least not any kids.
BILLY
Yeah, but I do. I still go there, and even though it’s empty now, and my friends and brother don’t hang out there, I still go, and I still like being there . . . I feel like I’m not alone when I’m there, even when the place is dead.
TEENAGE GIRL
Really? That’s cool. . . But I still don’t get it. What does that have to do with the title of this painting?
BILLY
I don’t know.
BILLY CONTINUES TO STARE AT THE PAINTING, EVEN AFTER THE TEENAGE GIRL WALKS AWAY.
DISSOLVE TO black. WE HEAR THE SOUND OF A PHONE RINGING.
INT. BILLY’S ROOM – DAY
Black screen. WE HEAR THE SOUND OF A PHONE RINGING.
Billy is in bed, sleeping. He is awakened by the sound of his phone ringing. He slowly gets up and gropes for the phone.
He picks up the phone.
billy
Yep.
(PAUSE)
Dad, where are you?
(PAUSE)
Jail? What for?
(PAUSE)
What do you mean, “it doesn’t matter?” Is it serious? Are you in big trouble?
(PAUSE)
I don’t know where he is.
(PAUSE)
Well, my driver’s license was suspended. Remember? And Walden’s is gone too. Why didn’t you call Lucy?
(PAUSE)
Didn’t want her to know what?
(PAUSE)
For solicitation? What like a hooker?
(PAUSE)
Jeez. Dad. I’ll find Walden. We’ll drive down there. What time?
(PAUSE)
OK. Eight. What about school? Never mind. We’ll be there.
BILLY HANGS UP THE PHONE AND FLOPS DOWN ON THE BED. HE PULLS A PILLOW OVER HIS FACE AND THEN KICKS DOWN ON THE BED VERY VIOLENTLY, HIS SCREAMING MUFFLED BY THE PILLOW.
He throws the pillow on the floor and gets out of bed. He stumbles out of his room and down the hall to a closed door. A large poster of snowboarder caught in mid-air is on the door. Drawn on the door in magic marker is a hand with the middle-finger extended and a caption reading, “Up Yours.”
Billy knocks on the door. No response. He knocks harder. Still no response. He opens the door.
int. walden’s room – day
It is dark in this room. The window had been blocked with aluminum foil, and the aluminum foil is covered with graffiti penned in various colors. Most of the images are obscene. We see the names of many girls written, in feminine handwriting, on the aluminum foil. A pretty good drawing of Bart Simpson skating is on the aluminum foil.
The other walls are covered with images of various women. Two large posters, one of Pamela Anderson and one of Britney Spears in her Catholic-schoool-girl outfit with a hand, middle finger extended upward, drawn between her legs. But there are also dozens of centerfolds plastering the wall.
Every horizontal space in the room is covered with something—clothes, sheets, pizza boxes, CD boxes, etc.—the floor can’t be seen at all because of the filth.
A large bong sits on his desk. A wet suit hangs from a hook in the ceiling. There are four surfboards scattered around the room.
As Billy enters, it takes his eyes a moment to adjust to the dimness. He pulls a face and waves his hand in front of his nose.
billy
Walden?
THERE IS NO RESPONSE SO BILLY PROCEEDS TOWARDS THE BED. THERE IS A LARGE LUMP UNDER THE COVERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BED, SO BILLY SLOWLY APPROACHES IT AND SHAKES IT.
Billy
Walden?
WALDEN (O.S.)
What do you want?
BILLY JUMPS. THE VOICE HAS COME FROM BEHIND HIM, SO HE TURNS AROUND. HE SEES WALDEN, SLUMPED UNDER HIS DESK IN A BEEN-BAG CHAIR, USING A SKI-JACKET AS A BLANKET.
billy
Jesus! You scared the shit out of me.
WALDEN
What do you want?
BILLY
We have to go get Dad.
WALDEN
Where is he?
BILLY
Santa Ana—
WALDEN
What the fuck?
BILLY
In jail.
WALDEN
What’s that thing they say about apples and trees?
INT. COFFEE SHOP – DAY
Billy, Walden, and Warren are all seated at a table. They are all working on their breakfasts—eggs, pancakes, coffee, juice, etc.
They are not talking to each other. They are just eating.
Walden
So Dad, what’s with the hookers?
WARREN STOPS EATING AND TAKES A DEEP BREATH, CLEARLY ANNOYED BY THIS QUESTION. HE LOOKS DOWN AT HIS FOOD AND STARTS PUSHING IT AROUND WITH HIS FORK.
warren
Look, I swear this was the first time I ever did something like this.
BILLY
That’s pretty unlucky then.
WARREN
(suddenly looking up at Billy)
It was unlucky.
WARREN GOES BACK TO STARING AT HIS PLATE AND PUSHING HIS FOOD AROUND.
warren
(continuing)
I’m not proud of this at all. I just . . .
WARREN STOPS PUSHING HIS FOOD AROUND AND LOOKS UP AT BOTH THE BOYS.
warren
I’m . . .I’m trying to get those ten years back.
(PAUSE)
I loved your mother so much. From the moment I met her she was so full of life . . and she was right up to the end. But once she got sick . . .
WARREN GOES BACK TO PUSHING HIS FOOD AROUND. BILLY AND WALDEN ARE IGNORING THEIR FOOD ENTIRELY AND ARE JUST STARING AT WARREN.
After a few moments, Warren looks up again.
warren
Do you boys remember those camping trips we used to go on in the R.V.?
BILLY
A little.
WALDEN
I do . . . they were great.
WARREN
Big Sur, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite. . .
WARREN GOES BACK TO STARING AT HIS PLATE AND PUSHING HIS FOOD AROUND.
warren
(continuing)
They were so fun, mostly because of your mother . . . because she was fun . . .
WALDEN
I remember.
BILLY LOOKS AT WALDEN. HE ACTS LIKE HE’S GOING TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT DOESN’T.
warren
The truth is, I’d rather live fifty years in that R.V. with your mother than hundred years in a mansion with anybody else.
WHEN WARREN FINISHES SAYING THIS, HE LOOKS UP AT BILLY WHO IS TRANSFIXED BY WHAT HIS FATHER IS SAYING. THEY ALL GO BACK TO EATING IN SILENCE.
INt. high school auditorium – night
This is Billy’s high school graduation. We see him, Mehul, Jake, Heather, all dressed in typical high school graduation gowns, though not seated together. All the graduates are on the stage.
Warren and Walden are seated in the audience, wearing suits and ties, and Lucy, in a dress, is seated with them.
The Principal, an energetic man, stands at the podium.
Principal
. . . and of course we want to especially honor those graduating with honors. Their names appear with asterisks in the program, and they can be identified tonight by their gold tassels.
MEHUL HAS A GOLD TASSEL; SO DOES HEATHER. BILLY’ AND JAKE HAVE WHITE TASSELS.
principal
And now I present to you the graduating class of 2003.
WILD CHEERS FROM THE AUDIENCE; EVEN WILDER CHEERS FROM THE GRADUATES.
We see one male student twirling a bra around in the air. A stern looking teacher walks over and holds out her hand. The student reluctantly places it in her hand.
Another student in one of the back rows pops a champagne cork and students around him quickly swill some down before a stern looking male teacher comes over and grabs it away from him. The teacher walks off with the champagne bottle. The teacher stands off stage and looks around to see if anyone is watching him. He wipes the mouth of the bottle with his jacket, then takes a big swill himself.
We see another female student, in the front row, hike up her gown to reveal that she is wearing nothing underneath except some thong underwear.
We see Billy take it all in with a sense of joy. Then we see him look at his family in the audience. He stares at each one and smiles. Then the smile disappears from his face and he looks very somber, then like he’s almost going to cry, then, a tear runs down his cheek. He looks and sees that Warren has teared-up as well.
int. high school gym – night
The gym has been “converted” into a casino. Parents have dressed themselves as dealers and show girls and are running Blackjack tables. To one side of the gym a band is playing and students are dancing.
Billy is seated at a blackjack table, wearing a dress-shirt and pants, but no tie. Janice, Jake’s mom, is pouring out of her tight black dress. Janice is the dealer at this table. Two other kids sit playing blackjack at the same table. Billy is alternating between staring at his cards, Janice’s face, and Janice’s boobs.
billy
Hit me.
JANICE
(dealing him a card)
You know, Billy . . .
BILLY
Shit. I don’t suppose twenty-three is good.
JANICE
No. You know Billy . . . we really miss you around our place. Jake misses you.
BILLY
Really?
JANICE CONTINUES TO DEAL CARDS TO BILLY AND A COUPLE OF OTHER STUDENTS AT THE TABLE.
janice
Really. I know his dating Heather was hard for you, but can you blame him?
BILLY
No. I guess not.
JANICE
Why don’t you make up? I know he’s told you he’s sorry.
BILLY
Okay. I’ll do it for you.
JANICE
I accept your terms. Cashing out?
BILLY GATHERS UP HIS CHIPS AND LEAVES THE TABLE.
int. high school gym – night
Billy is milling around the room looking for someone. He spots Jake. He walks over towards Jake who sees Billy from about 10 yards away.
Billy walks up to Jake and stops about two feet from him.
billy
(looking Jake over)
So you want to kiss and make up?
JAKE
I want to make up, and if it means kissing you, what the fuck?
BILLY
I’ll forgive you, you slimy bastard, but first you have to do something for me.
JAKE
Anything. It won’t require any kind of lubrication will it?
BILLY
That, my friend, is up to you.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYM – NIGHT
Jake is holding a microphone and singing. The grad night features a karaoke video booth where students can make their own rock videos.
Jake has unbuttoned his shirt and is singing “I’m too Sexy.” He sings awfully. The screen cuts between the real-time Jake singing in front of a Blue Screen and the finished video which shows a bunch of weird visual effects and background images.
This goes on for awhile, Jake, sounding awful, obviously uncomfortable, but obviously hamming it up as much as possible.
Billy and Mehul, along with several other kids and parents, are watching the production and laughing hysterically.
Jake stops singing along for a moment.
jake
Come on Billy, get up here with me, you sexy boy.
MEHUL AND THE OTHER TEENAGERS LAUGH AND CHEER AND PUSH BILLY UP TOWARD JAKE.
Billy grabs a second microphone and the boys both look at the Karaoke screen to figure out where they are at in the song. They both start singing a duet, really hamming it up, rubbing their hands on their own bodies in a sexy way.
int. billy’s kitchen – day
We see the telephone answering machine on the kitchen counter. THE TELPHONE RINGS. THE ANSWERING MACHINE PICKS UP.
walden (o.s.)
(His voice is on the answering machine)
That’s right my beautiful people . . . I am a free man . . . I have paid my debt to society . . . so tonight we party . . . drop by any time after 8:00 p.m. . . . and no drugs or alcohol . . . wink, wink . . . leave a message.
GRANDMOTHER (O.S.)
(she’s the one calling)
Walden? This is your grandmother. I was calling to see if you knew what Billy wanted for his birthday. . .
ext. Billy’s backyard – night
The place is crowded with kids dancing, talking, making-out, and having a good time.
The old wading pool has been taken down from the roof of the suburban and placed on the hood. It has been lined with garbage bags and filled with ice and cans of cheap beer.
Lucy and Billy sit on the steps of the back porch, each with a beer can in their hands.
They watch as Walden is “crowd-surfing.” The crowd is not quite thick enough for this, so they drop him. Three guys grab him off the ground and dump him in the wading pool with the beer and ice.
billy
How long before he’s back in trouble again?
LUCY
What time is it right now?
BILLY
Should we like strip him naked and chain him to his bed, and then just hose out his room once a week?
LUCY
Possibly.
(PAUSE)
He’ll be okay Billy . . . or he won’t. But he’s a big boy.
BILLY
Is he?
WALDEN IS NOW STANDING IN THE POOL, THOUGH IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN HIS BALANCE. HE TURNS AROUND AND MOONS THE CROWD.
lucy
Well, he’s got a big-boy ass.
(PAUSE)
I never did get the low-down on Dad’s legal troubles . . .
BILLY
I don’t think you’re going to. I think you scare him a little.
LUCY
I scare him?
BILLY
Well, what I mean is, I don’t think he cares what anybody in the world thinks about him besides you.
LUCY
Well that would be scary.
BILLY
Why are you so hard on him?
LUCY
Because, because, he has responsibilities that he seems to like to avoid.
BILLY
Look. He’s got a job. He pays the bills, he never beat us, and we’ve survived.
LUCY
Have we?
BILLY
We have. Yes, Lucy, we have.
WALDEN HAS PULLED HIS PANTS BACK UP AND HAS CLIMBED TO THE ROOF OF THE SUBURBAN. HE SHAKES UP A CAN OF BEER AND THEN SPRAYS IT INTO THE AIR, SCREAMING IN CELEBRATION.
ext. triangle square food court – day
Billy is walking around triangle square. He’s revisiting some of the images from his paintings.
He sees a skateboarder streaking past him at top speed. The skateboarder is being pursued by a security guard.
He sees three young teenage boys standing at a rail, considering whether or not they should drop their frozen yogurts on some innocent bystander below.
He sees a young woman walk by pushing a stroller with a baby inside. She is followed by two young children, a boy and a girl. They have an “earthy” quality to them. The woman wears Birkenstocks and a colorful African-print dress. The boy and girl both have long hair. The girl wears a simple sundress. The boy wears denim shorts and a t-shirt.
WE HEAR BILLY’S CELL-PHONE RING.
voice on phone
Billy Peters.
BILLY
Yes?
VOICE ON PHONE
My name is Lester Brooks. I’m the Dean of Admissions at Cal Arts in Los Angeles. Have you heard of our school?
BILLY
Yes. Of course. I hope to go there someday.
VOICE ON PHONE
What if that day were six weeks from now?
BILLY
Umm. . . I don’t know. I’ve, I mean I haven’t got a lot of . . .
VOICE ON PHONE
Why don’t you come up and talk to me about it? I was at Darryl Kauffman’s home last weekend and I saw your painting. I loved it. You need to be here, studying with us.
BILLY
Well, like I said . . .
LESTER BROOKS
I’ve found some scholarship funds for you, and that, combined with financial aid, will go along way towards getting you here. . .
ext. cal arts café – day
Steve and Billy are sitting at a table in the café’s outdoor section. They are both wearing sunglasses and drinking coffee.
billy
You know, I wouldn’t be here without you.
STEVE
Yeah. I know.
(BEAT)
I’m just kidding. You’re here because your talented . . .
BILLY
But you encouraged me, gave me a place to show my work . . . kept me away from the cops until the alcohol got out of my bloodstream. . .
STEVE
(laughing)
Okay. So I’m a felon who likes supporting artists and works as an assistant pastor on the side.
STEVE DRINKS HIS COFFEE AND STARES OUT AT THE CAMPUS. HE DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING FOR SEVERAL SIPS AND NEITHER DOES BILLY.
Finally, Steve puts down his coffee cup and pushes it away.
steve
Do you get home much?
BILLY
Some . . . but it’s good to be here. Lucy visits about twice a month, and Dad’s been up once. I kind of miss them, but it’s good here this is where I belong . . . for now.
int. billy’s dorm room – day
This is a typical dorm room. It is small. There is a built-in desk against the wall. On the shelf there are titles to various books on drawing and painting. There are a few art books. A copy of Letters to a Young Poet is on the desk.
Also, on his shelf, is a homemade video tape labeled: “Jake and Billy—Too Sexy.”
The room is also littered with art supplies, and the walls are covered with posters of Picasso, Monet, and Chagall.
Sitting on the bed, writing in a spiral notebook, a young woman, JOCELYN, sits. She is wearing denim bib overalls and a tube top. Her hair is medium-length, but is fixed in about five different pony tails. She is cute, but wouldn’t necessarily stop traffic.
jocelyn
How was it?
BILLY
Good. It was good. He’s good. I’m doing good.
JOCELYN
He seemed nice enough, a little dorky, but nice.
BILLY
He’s nice, and a bit dorky. But he knows talent when he sees it.
BILLY WALKS OVER TO THE BED AND SITS DOWN BESIDE JOCELYN. HE PUTS HIS ARM AROUND HER BACK AND PULLS HER CLOSE FOR A KISS. THE KISS IS LONG AND SWEET.
Billy pulls away from the kiss and stops and looks into Jocelyn’s eyes.
Jocelyn
What? What are you thinking?
BILLY
I was just thinking . . . thinking about you. You are so full of life . . . I think I’d rather spend fifty years with you in this tiny room than a hundred years in a mansion with anybody else.
THE CAMERA PULLS BACK AND WE SEE THAT ON THE WALL ABOVE HIS BED IS HIS PAINTING, “TRIANGLE SQUARE MADONNA.”
FADE OUT:
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