5 INT. HAL'S VW, COUNTRY HIGHWAY - DAY
While Hal drives, Will inspects a laboratory jar full of
alcohol and pickled insects.
WILL
Do you ever feel bad about killing
bugs?
HAL
Well, no. I'm learning about them. So
their death serves a purpose.
WILL
Do you tell them that as you put them
in the jar? "It's OK. Your death
serves a purpose."
HAL
A bug's brain is pretty rudimentary.
Hal obviously hasn't picked up Will's irony, and Will mimics
his Dad's seriousness.
WILL
I was just kidding, dad.
Hal slows down and looks
INTO
6 EXT. FRONT YARD, DUVALIERS' - DAY 6
Sumac trees are taking over the yard of the huge white
clapboard house. Both driveways are full of broken-down
Volvos and motorcycles.
JOE DUVALIER, a scruffy 47-year-old with thick glasses is
standing in the driveway talking to STEVE, a thin guy with
bad posture.
7 INT. HAL'S VW, FRONT YARD, DUVALIERS' - DAY 7
Hal sees Joe in the driveway.
HAL
Oh Christ.
Hal leans out the window and addresses Joe.
HAL
(continuing)
Is Kathy here?
Joe speaks with a deep Southern drawl.
JOE
Yeah, Ah' believe she's in the
kitchen.
Hal sits there for an awkward moment.
HAL
Should I run in and get her?
JOE
Oh, by all means. Please.
Joe turns back toward the house.
JOE
(continuing)
Hey Kathy!
Hal looks at Will.
HAL
You want to come in?
WILL
Sure.
Will sets the package down on the seat and follows Hal.
The two of them thread their way through the cluttered and
overgrown yard. Hal speaks in low tones to Will.
HAL
I hate coming into this place but I
didn't really feel like waiting with
him either.
8 INT. LOBBY, DUVALIERS' - DAY 8
Will and Hal come in through the large, once-elegant hotel
lobby. Now it's a repository of dirty clothes, ashtrays and
bike parts. A piano is crammed into the mud room so they have
to turn sideways to get by it. Hal mutters.
HAL
Jesus Christ. HELLO!
KATHY (O.S.)
I'm in the kitchen!
Will and Hal follow her voice
INTO
9 INT. KITCHEN/DINING ROOM, DUVALIERS' - DAY 9
There are SIX GRUBBY TEENAGERS sitting at a large table. When
Hal comes in a cloud of quiet hostility comes over them.
JUDE DUVALIER, a handsome 17-year-old with a rat's nest of
long hair on his head, breaks the silence. He speaks in warm
southern tones, like his Dad, with a wild-child Jimi Hendrix
edge to his delivery.
JUDE
Hi Hal. Hey Will.
KATHY BLUNK, a beautiful 17-year-old with dirty clothes and
messy hair, comes out of the kitchen with a large pot of
stew. Jude brushes his hand over her affectionately as she
goes by him. The pot of food is met with HUNGRY GRUNTS OF
APPROVAL. Kathy SHOUTS LOUD so that Joe, all the way out in
the driveway, can hear.
KATHY
Joe! lunch!
Beneath her dirty exterior, Kathy is a bright-eyed ball of
fire.
KATHY
(continuing)
I'll be ready in a minute.
Will, dressed and combed against his own better judgement,
feels stupid around his sister's unkempt friends. RICHIE, a
bony tribe member, comes in behind Will and Hal with a banjo
around his neck.
RICHIE
Hey, Mr Blunk, Hey Will.
HAL WILL
Hello. Hey.
Richie addresses the room at large.
RICHIE
Check this out.
Richie leans over his BANJO and starts FRAILING out an OLD
TIME SONG. Will watches and listens with interest. Hal,
though still impatient, is duly impressed. Richie finishes.
RICHIE
(continuing)
That's "Possum up a Gum Stump."
MORE APPROVAL. It would be very hard not to like Richie. WARD
AND SHANE, two of the eating tribe members, talk with
Southern accents.
HAL SHANE
That was great! Wow. Possum up a gum stump. Is
"Possum" a noun there, or
RICHIE a verb?
You got any requests? I'll
play for cheap. WARD
"man, you 'possumed up' my
damn gum stump man."
Hal LAUGHS.
HAL SHANE
No, actually, we're runnin' Don't go possuming up on me
kind of late. Kathy, are now.
you ready?
KATHY WARD
I just gotta grab my bag. I think I like it as a verb.
HAL
We'll head out to the car.
Will nods at various teenagers.
WILL
See ya later.
GOODBYES all around. SOME SNICKERING.
10 EXT. FRONT YARD, DUVALIERS' - DAY 10
Will and Hal pass Joe and Steve, on their way to lunch.
HAL
Have a nice lunch.
JOE
Awrighty Ah' will. Y'all have a nice
day too.
HAL
Thanks.
WILL
See ya.
JOE
Awright.
Will and Hal get to the car. Hal gestures toward the door
that Joe just disappeared into.
HAL
I can't get over Joe Duvalier. You
know not one of his kids has finished
high school!
WILL
Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous.
Hal reaches over the roof of the car toward Will.
HAL
Do me a favor, man. Marry into a good
family.
Hal climbs into the car. Will gets in back.
11 EXT. FRONT YARD, DUVALIERS' - DAY 11
Kathy kisses Jude in the doorway.
12 INT. HAL'S VW, FRONT YARD, DUVALIERS' - DAY 12
Hal speaks to Will without looking at him.
HAL
Do you think she really loves him?
WILL
Dad, I DON'T KNOW. Why don't you ask
her?
Kathy jumps off the porch and strides toward the car with her
leather bag. She gets in and lets out a sigh. Hal takes her
elbow in his hand in a cautious act of affection.
HAL
Hi honey.
Kathy pulls her arm away and scowls. Hal looks to Will.
HAL
(continuing)
Are you ready, Will?
WILL
Yes.
They pull out and drive silently for a while.
13 INT. HAL'S VW, COUNTRY ROAD - DAY 13
Will looks out at the field they're passing.
WILL
I climbed up the big pine tree
yesterday
KATHY
Hmmm.
She could care less. Hal sniffs the air inside the car and
grimaces. Looking at Kathy, it's not hard to figure out what
Hal is smelling. Her clothes look like they haven't been
washed for weeks. Kathy stares moodily out the window.
HAL
When did you last take a shower?
KATHY
This morning.
HAL
Do you put on the same clothes after
you shower?
Kathy just ignores him. She pushes a scraggly piece of hair
behind her ear.
HAL
(continuing)
There's this kind of burnt garlic and
creosote smell...
KATHY
Don't talk to me.
HAL
No, I'm just curious.
KATHY
DON'T talk to me.
They drive in silence.
WILL
Gee, you're in a good mood.
KATHY
I was in a good mood.
Hal studies his daughter's mood for a moment. She heaves
another sigh. They drive silently. Will moves forward and
leans over the front seat, eyeing his sister. Kathy just
looks at him, then looks out the window.
WILL
Where are we going to eat?
HAL
I don't know. Where do you want to
eat?
WILL
Can we go to Howard Johnson's?
HAL
How about you, Kath?
Kathy spits the words scornfully.
KATHY
Fine. Whatever.
HAL
We'll see where your mother wants to
eat.
They drive awhile.
HAL
(continuing)
Are you still thinking about buying
a car?
KATHY
Yesss.
HAL
What are you looking for?
KATHY
An old Volvo.
Hal thinks carefully and watches the road, weighing every
word carefully for its paternal brainwash content.
HAL
Don't get one too old. With those
foreign cars, you can end up spending
a fortune on parts. And I know that
you don't have a fortune.
KATHY
Dad...
HAL
All I'm saying is...
KATHY
Dad, JORDAN told me to get a Volvo,
because HE can fix them. Free.
HAL
Yes, honey, but even Jordan has to
buy parts.
KATHY
Ugh! What do YOU know about cars
anyway?
HAL
Well, if you expect me to pay for it,
maybe I ought to have something to
say about it.
WILL
Come on!
Kathy's voice is like breaking glass.
KATHY
Well, The welfare department seems to
think you should pay either way.
WILL
You guys!
HAL KATHY
Well that's their damn Well, they seem to think
problem if you were going it's your... THEY seem to
to high school and living think it's YOUR problem...
at home like every other...
WILL
Shut up!
14 EXT. COUNTRY HIGHWAY - DAY 14
Hal's rusty wagon SCREECHES to a stop.
15 INT. HAL'S VW, COUNTRY HIGHWAY - DAY 15
Hal is looking over the back seat and jabbing his finger at
Will for emphasis.
HAL
Now look, THAT's no way to talk to
either of us. I'm not gonna have you
yelling SHUT UP to me in my own car!
Hal starts driving again. Will is too mad to even cry. Kathy
looks back at him sympathetically. He glowers back.
HAL
(continuing)
Jesus! Look, I'm sorry.
WILL
That's alright dad, it's just the way
you are.
Hal SLAMS ON THE BRAKES again. The car stops.
HAL
God damn it! Look! We've got a long
trip ahead of us so let's try to
relax and have a good time. I'm sorry
I lost my temper. Kathy, I won't say
another word about your car. Will,
I'm sorry.
WILL
O.K.!
They drive silently. Breathing.
HAL
You guys KNOW that I love you, don't
you?
KATHY
Oh, god!
WILL
Uugh!
Will flops back on the seat, embarrassed.
HAL
I do.
WILL
Dad, really.
KATHY
Gimme a break!
HAL
Is it a crime to say "I love you"?
KATHY
You're acting like your mother.
Hal wilts.