To Sleep With Anger
by Charles Burnett
Second Draft, January, 1989
INT. ROOM - DAY (EFX)
GIDEON, a strongly built elderly black man, is sitting at a
table. On the table is a large bowl of fruit. A crocheted
tablecloth hangs over the side of the table. Gideon is
dressed in a white suit and wearing a pair of well-polished
wing-tip shoes. His hat almost covers his eyes, which are two
points of greenish coals. The fruit in the bowl is engulfed
in flames.
The flames look as if they are DRIPPING from the tablecloth
to the floor. Gideon's shoes start to SMOULDER. His shoes
BURST INTO FLAMES which spread up his pants leg. His head
falls forward as if he had suddenly fallen to sleep. He
twiddles his thumbs very slowly in a circle. He crosses his
legs as if to get comfortable.
The camera moves to a CLOSE UP of his burning shoes. The
image of his feet begins to appear through his shoes; the
flames fade; the background changes as we
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. GIDEON'S BACKYARD - DAY
Gideon's bare feet are resting on reddish dry earth. Gideon
is sitting in his backyard under a fruit tree with a Bible
resting in his hands.
His house is a small, neatly painted bungalow in South
Central Los Angeles. Corn, tomatoes, other vegetables grow in
the yard. Chickens scratch around.
He slowly awakens; his hands are trembling. He looks around
and sees the chickens. He looks up at the sky and sighs, with
some relief.
SUNNY, Gideon's grandson, five years old, has been watching
him from the back window of the house. He leaves the window.
INT. HALLWAY - DAY
DOLLY SHOT OF SUNNY
Sunny peeps in the workroom. Through the crack in the door, a
Woman waves to Sunny.
INT. WORKROOM - DAY
The room is nearly filled with pregnant women and their
husbands. SUZIE, Gideon's wife, late 60's or early 70's, a
picture of health, is giving a last bit of instruction before
the class ends. Some of the people are already preparing to
leave.
SUZIE
Remember, especially you men, that
working together now will already
have formed a bond before the child
arrives. The woman is very
sensitive.
Somewhere in the room a Male Voice booms out.
VOICE (O.S.)
Tell me about it.
There is a bit of LAUGHTER as all start putting away their
things.
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
Gideon looks over at the chickens, scratching around in the
garden. He calls to them, but they don't respond. He puts his
shoes on and walks towards the back door of the house.
Entering the house, he stops and waits inside the door
peeping out. In a sort of devilish manner he talks to
himself.
GIDEON
Spoiling the little foxes that
spoil my vines.
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
Shot of the backyard. Nothing. Suddenly, with the grace and
suspicion of alley cats, kids jump over Gideon's back fence,
look around timidly, and start climbing up his fruit tree.
Gideon walks down the steps slowly while humming in a deep
voice. He turns the water on and walks over to the tree,
trapping the kids. Dangling legs, hanging from the tree, try
to scurry up the tree to safety. Gideon sprays the tree with
water. Wet kids fall out of the tree and in one motion leap
the fence. Gideon cuts the water off and slaps the dirt off
his hands. He is quite pleased with himself.
EXT. ALLEYWAY - DAY
One of the wet kids is watching Gideon as he goes back inside
the house. The boy signals the others who slowly follow in
single file. They jump the fence and climb back up the tree.
They let their half-eaten fruit fall to the ground.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Suzie opens a letter and a picture of a baby falls out. Suzie
looks at the picture before reading the letter.
She tries to find a place for it among the other baby
pictures that cover the entire mirror on the dresser. Gideon
comes in and starts to undress.
GIDEON
My mind plays tricks on me. Is it
okay if I take a bath now?
SUZIE
Everyone is gone. Rhonda is in the
bathroom.
RHONDA, Gideon's granddaughter, 13 years old, comes out of
the bathroom.
GIDEON
I was looking through my trunk and
I can't find my toby.
RHONDA
What's that?
GIDEON
It is a charm that my great
grandmother made me.
Everyone notices the worried look on Gideon's face.
SUZIE
It will show up.
RHONDA
If my daddy calls, tell him I
walked home.
SUZIE
You be careful and thank you for
looking after Sunny.
Sunny is asleep on the sofa with a half-eaten apple ready to
fall out of his hand.
GIDEON
Babe Brother and his wife are
taking advantage of a situation. I
hate to be mean to people but
picking Sunny up when they feel
like it has to come to an end. Now
I'm going to ask him how come he
couldn't be at your birthday.
SUZIE
Don't bother the poor boy. It just
takes some people a little longer
to figure out who they are.
GIDEON
I don't know how two brothers can
be so different.
EXT. MRS. BAKER'S BACKYARD - DAY
SKIP BAKER, who is thirteen, crawls out of his pigeon cage,
holding two birds that he throws up in the air. He climbs
upon the garage roof and throws rocks at the birds to keep
them flying. He WHISTLES and YELLS at them.
CLOSE UP OF BIRDS FLYING
As the birds circle Skip's house, they do backward rolls and
death grips. Skip throws more rocks to keep them flying. The
rocks land on Gideon's roof.
The SOUND of a person trying to learn how to play a TRUMPET
breaks the pleasant SOUNDS of the pigeons popping their wings
and flying in circles over the house.
INT. MRS. BAKER'S HOUSE, RODNEY'S BEDROOM - DAY
RODNEY BAKER is about nine. He stands next to a shaded
window, trying to finger the right valves on his trumpet. He
tries to hit a high note, but only succeeds in making an
awful screeching sound.
EXT. MRS. BAKER'S HOUSE - DAY
A group of kids walking by Rodney's window shout insulting
things about his horn playing.
KIDS
Shut up! Go help your mama wash
dishes!
INT. GIDEON'S KITCHEN - DAY
Suzie is standing over an egg that just fell on the floor.
The SCREECHING SOUND of the trumpet from next door is
interrupted by the doorbell. Suzie cannot decide on what to
do, to clean the egg up or answer the door. The doorbell
keeps RINGING.
EXT. FRONT PORCH - DAY
Two uniformed Police Officers stand impatiently at the door.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
Suzie invites OFFICER SCOTT and OFFICER DAVIS in. Both men
are white and are in their mid-twenties. Officer Davis does
most of the questioning.
DAVIS
We have a complaint from one of
your neighbors about a rooster
crowing in the mornings.
INT. BATHROOM - DAY
Gideon is shaving with a straight razor and humming to
himself, obviously in a good mood. Suzie sticks her head in.
SUZIE
The police are here to talk to you
about the chickens.
The good mood that Gideon was in dissolves quickly. Gideon
wipes the soap off his face and throws the towel down. Suzie
leaves. Gideon brushes his hair and adjusts his bathrobe.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
Gideon comes in, still adjusting his bathrobe.
GIDEON
What can I do for you, Officer?
Suzie returns to the kitchen to clean the egg on the floor.
Officer Scott keeps her in view.
DAVIS
You know it is against the city
ordinance to keep chickens or live
stock.
GIDEON
I always had chickens, ducks and
whatnots.
DAVIS
Not anymore, not in the city.
GIDEON
We grow most of our own food. The
money I get from social security,
my pension and my wife's work,
keeps us living on the edge. What
choice do people like us have.
DAVIS
Well, you just have to move further
out.
GIDEON
Now how far would further out be?
DAVIS
I'm not here to argue, sir.
SCOTT
You guys don't make anything
illegal, do you?
GIDEON
Like what may I ask?
SCOTT
You might have a distillery pumping
out barrels of moonshine.
Suzie looks at Scott for a moment and goes into the kitchen.
Gideon is about to lose control. Davis heads off the
confrontation.
DAVIS
Look, just get rid of the chickens
and you all have a nice day.
Gideon stands in the doorway watching the Police go down the
steps.
GIDEON
I'll be damned if I get rid of my
chickens. I ought to get some hogs
and put them out there.
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT
There is soft knocking on the door. Suzie enter frame wearing
a robe.
SUZIE
Who is it?
BABE BROTHER (V.O.)
Babe Brother.
Suzie opens the door. BABE BROTHER, Gideon's youngest son,
about 31, handsome, wearing an expensive suit, comes in,
beating the cold off of him and blowing in his hands.
BABE BROTHER
I was hoping you came to the door
instead of him. It gets cold at
night.
SUZIE
This doesn't make any sense; you
are going to drag that poor boy out
in the cold air.
BABE BROTHER
He will be alright.
The camera follows Babe Brother. He passes Gideon's room
where Gideon is asleep, snoring loudly.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Suzie and Babe Brother enter the bedroom where Sunny is
sleeping. Suzie gives Babe Brother a blanket to wrap Sunny up
in.
BABE BROTHER
Thanks for taking care of him. I
will try not to be so long next
time.
Babe Brother gives his mother a good-night kiss. Gideon comes
to the door.
GIDEON
What time is it? Do you think you
can just treat us like your slave?
It's after one.
BABE BROTHER
I tried to call to let you know I
was going to be late.
GIDEON
That's a lie.
SUZIE
Let us settle this tomorrow.
GIDEON
Look! Don't try to get ahead by
riding our backs.
BABE BROTHER
(shouts)
I pay my own way.
GIDEON
Since when?
He reaches for Babe Brother but Suzie comes between them.
SUZIE
Take Sunny home, please.
She pushes Babe Brother away. Babe Brother walks away,
staring back at his father.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - SAME NIGHT
Gideon is lying in bed. Suzie gets in beside him.
GIDEON
Your feet are cold.
SUZIE
Go back to sleep.
GIDEON
I asked you to wake me when Babe
Brother comes.
SUZIE
You all act like two roosters.
GIDEON
I'm not going to let him get away
with murder.
SUZIE
You and Babe Brother are so much
alike...
GIDEON
He ain't nothing like me. How come
a man has to have sons that are day
and night apart? You ought to stop
protecting him.
SUZIE
Hush.
GIDEON
You're always taking his side.
SUZIE
Hush.
GIDEON
I'm trying to make him a man but
you keep babying him.
SUZIE
You're going to find yourself on
the floor.
INT. BABE BROTHER'S BEDROOM - MORNING
The bedroom is tastefully furnished with modern art and
paintings by Barns.
Babe Brother wakes up with Sunny standing in the doorway
looking at him. It takes Babe Brother some time to fully wake
up.
Finally he sits reluctantly on the side of the bed and Sunny
comes over and sits next to him, trying to get his weary
father interested in his remote-control racing car.
BABE BROTHER
I want you to be the richest man in
the world so I can be the richest
father in the world.
SUNNY
I don't want to be rich. I want to
work on the railroad like
grandfather.
BABE BROTHER
Son, if you are going to have a
family, you can't always choose a
job just because you like it.
(beat)
I don't want you to shine anybody's
shoes or be a porter. You let
somebody else carry your bags.
Sunny quietly gets up and follows his car out of the room.
INT. BABE BROTHER'S HOUSE - DAY
Babe Brother, having showered but still wearing his pajamas,
drags himself to the kitchen table where his wife LINDA has a
huge coffee mug with the inscription, "I'm the boss", waiting
for him.
Linda is about thirty years old and materially oriented like
her husband. She is wearing a conservatively cut business
dress.
Sunny stops playing with his car and gets himself an empty
cup. Babe Brother is about to pour him some of his coffee
when Linda objects.
LINDA
NO.
Sunny pleads with her in silence but Linda refuses to yield.
BABE BROTHER
He wouldn't want any if you didn't
try to keep it away from him.
Linda leaves the table but stops for a moment and looks down
at her husband.
LINDA
Because you were spoiled, don't try
to spoil Sunny.
BABE BROTHER
My daddy never gave me anything
without my having to sweat for it.
Every summer, the way they kept me
and Junior out of trouble was to
send us to Big Daddy's farm. We
would get up with the chickens.
Every summer the fence had to be
repaired. The barn needed a coat of
paint. We had to pip all of Big
Mama's hundred laying hens and go
to church all day on Sunday. For
Big Daddy, calluses and sweat were
the mark of a man. Sunny will never
have to bust his knuckles like we
did.
LINDA
I want Sunny to have an advantage
that you and I never had, but he
needs discipline, and you are not
helping when I tell him to do
something and you allow him to get
out of it.
BABE BROTHER
What is a sip of coffee going to
do?
LINDA
Coffee is bad for anybody,
especially for a child.
BABE BROTHER
I don't see you crying about my
drinking it.
LINDA
How old are you?
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
A SLOW CLOSE UP DOLLY SHOT OF SUZIE'S HANDS DROPPING SEEDS IN
THE GROUND.
Gideon is raking out the chicken coop. He puts the rake down
and walks over to the garden and watches Suzie plant seeds
for a while.
GIDEON
Instead of standing here doing
nothing, I better give those
chickens some scratch before they
start cackling.
EXT. ALLEYWAY - DAY
OLD JOHN is pushing his cart up the alley. Old John's face is
washed so clean that it shines. His pants are dirty and his
cart is full of odds and ends of no value. He looks to be
about seventy and fit. Old John throws a sack on Gideon's
fence.
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
Suzie,is bent over a plant that she is tying to a stick. She
looks up and sees the sack on the fence. A smile appears on
her face. She goes over to the fence.
EXT. ALLEYWAY - DAY
Old John is about to take up his journey when Suzie sticks
her head over the fence.
SUZIE
How are you?
OLD JOHN
Tolerably well. I brought you some
more rabbit manure for your roses.
SUZIE
It is so considerate of you.
Gideon sticks his head over the fence.
GIDEON
Well, well, look who is taking up
all the sunshine. Brother John, how
are you doing?
OLD JOHN
I'm still here.
Suzie leaves the two men talking.
GIDEON
Tell me something. How do you get
energy to stay on the move all day?
OLD JOHN
You couldn't sit on your rump under
my daddy's roof. No sir. If you
couldn't outwork his mule, you
wasn't worth the salt you put in
greens. You had to wake up looking
for something to do. I was raised
as a mule and now I'm a rolling
stone.
Suzie sticks her head over the fence and hands a bag of red
tomatoes to Old John.
OLD JOHN (CONT'D)
I didn't mean for you to pay me for
that.
SUZIE
I know you didn't but you have been
so thoughtful.
OLD JOHN
But when your sunflowers come up,
I'll pay you for them.
SUZIE
I planted a row just for you and
you don't owe me anything.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
HIGH ANGLE SHOTS
off in the distance, a man is cutting his lawn. Gideon and
Suzie are working in their garden. Other couples working
their gardens. Two young men are working on their car, which
is creating a lot of smoke. A group of girls are sitting on a
porch trying to sing while one of the smaller ones is trying
to learn a step.
Skip is on the roof with his radio listening to rap music
while his birds circle over head. From time to time he throws
a rock at them.
INT. DELIVERY ROOM - DAY
THE CAMERA IS OUTSIDE OF THE ROOM. THE SCENE IS SHOT THROUGH
THE PARTLY OPEN DOOR.
It is hard to see the woman giving birth. There are people
blocking the view of the camera. Suzie is facing the camera
and the woman has her back to the camera.
MOTHER
It hurts.
SUZIE
Don't push too fast! Breathe! The
hard part is over. You can see the
top of the head.
MOTHER
It hurts. The pain.
(scream)
It's tearing me.
SUZIE
Father, give her a hand.
FATHER
Hey, this is too much.
SUZIE
You do your part.
MOTHER
Can you tell what it is?
SUZIE
Almost there.
FATHER
It's a junior.
MOTHER
Ah, I wanted a girl.
Suddenly the baby begins to SCREAM.
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
A sack appears on Gideon's fence. The sound of Old John's
cart is heard rattling off.
INT. CHURCH - DAY
Suzie, Gideon, JUNIOR (Gideon's elder son, 35 years old and
dark skinned), PAT (Junior's wife, who is expecting, about
32) and Rhonda are all seated next to one another in the same
row. The PREACHER is knee-deep in water. He is baptizing a
group of young people. The members of the church are singing
"Take Me To The Water". An Elderly Man who can hardly walk
without help is being led down to the pool.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Suzie, Gideon, Junior, Pat and Rhonda are all seated at the
table eating. Babe Brother is standing up. He looks in the
pot but doesn't find it to his liking. Junior is irritated at
his brother.
JUNIOR
When are you going to find time to
help me fix the roof?
BABE BROTHER
You all don't believe me when I
tell you I'm afraid of heights.
JUNIOR
You used that excuse to get out of
the army.
BABE BROTHER
You always got something to say.
GIDEON
Your mother asked me not to mention
it but your mother's birthday was
last week.
BABE BROTHER
I hadn't forgotten. I ordered some
cloth but it didn't come in and I
felt so bad if I would have come to
her birthday without that, I just
stayed at home.
GIDEON
What did your wife get her?
BABE BROTHER
We got the same thing.
Junior laughs at Babe Brother's story.
GIDEON
Boy, go tell your wife to come in.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Babe Brother's car, a new Audi, is parked out front.
Linda is in the front seat reading a magazine while Sunny is
asleep in the back seat. Babe Brother sticks his head in the
window.
BABE BROTHER
Why don't you come in for a while?
LINDA
I would like to finish reading
this. What would I talk about? I
haven't read this month's almanac.
I don't care to hear about how the
corn was this fall or how to get
rid of gophers by putting garlic in
their holes. They pride themselves
in making life hard and that's not
my cup of tea.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Suzie, Gideon, Junior, Pat and Rhonda are still at the table
eating.
SUZIE
You know, Babe Brother's wife just
dumps greens in the pot without
washing them.
GIDEON
Babe Brother is a poor boy.
JUNIOR
You all should have been hard on
him like you were me and he
wouldn't be the way he is.
SUZIE
Everybody got the same. I breast
fed him like I breast fed you.
PAT
Junior, you are wrong.
INT. CAR - DAY
BABE BROTHER
Just for a minute.
A dirt rock HITS the front windshield. Linda lets out a
little scream. Babe Brother looks around. Skip is on top of
the roof next door.
SKIP
I didn't mean to hit your car. I
was throwing at my birds.
INT. FEED STORE - DAY
Gideon is looking at the price of laying mash. He digs his
hand into a barrel of scratch. Sunny also digs his hand in
the barrel.
Suzie is looking at new young plants. She gives the
vegetables a thorough going-over.
Gideon is standing in line waiting to place his order.
GIDEON
I need about five pounds of laying
mash and you better give me about
the same of scratch.
While at the counter, Gideon turns and looks around at the
prices of different items. Suzie brings her plants and puts
them on the counter.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
When are you going to have a sale
on weed killer?
CASHIER
You missed it. We had a two-day
sale last week.
GIDEON
What kind of a sale is a two-day
sale? I thought sales last a week
or two.
CASHIER
Every day we have something
different. Today's sale is hay. 25%
off. If you have a horse or cow,
you're in business.
INT. CAR - DAY
Sunny looks at the Little Girl in the next car; she has her
mouth pressed against the window. She is missing a tooth.
Gideon is behind the wheel while Suzie holds her new plants
up to the sun, carefully looking at them.
Sunny, seated in the back, pokes a hole in the sack of feed.
The mash trickles to the floor as if from an hour glass.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Suzie is sitting in front of a table full of jars. Each jar
has a shoot and is half-filled with water. Gideon is on his
knees trying to fix the hinge to a cabinet. Sunny is sitting
almost under him listening to him tell stories. Sunny has a
coffee can full of marbles.
GIDEON
All of the preachers were down in
the basement of the church
confessing their sins to one
another. They were way down in the
basement 'cause they figured no one
would hear them. One of the
preachers said, it makes me feel
too shame to tell how bad I have
been. You know them young gals that
sit up in the first row. I can look
at them and forget my text. I'm
just lost when it comes to women,
even them middle age sisters. Then
another preacher said, I don't
think I can tell you what my sin is
'cause it's bad. Another preacher
said, Brother, we all amongst
friends. Tell us what's troubling
your soul. Clear your conscience.
Gideon takes a sip of water.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
So the preacher said, we all got a
bond 'cause we confessed to one
another. So let me tell you, my sin
is corn liquor. I just acts a fool
behind that spirit water. I loves
it more than preaching. Now ain't
that a sin, lord. So all the
preachers went on confessing, each
one worst than the last. Finally
they came to the last preacher who
had been very quiet and listening
to every word that fell. One of the
preachers said to him, it's your
turn. Confessing will lift you
burden, Brother. Bare us your soul.
We did. The last preacher said, no,
my sin is the worst among all of
you. One of the preachers said, ah
go on man and stop all this
suspense. So the last preacher
said, like I told you my sin is the
lowest.
(beat)
My sin is gossiping and I can't
wait to get out and tell what I
heard.
Sunny does not get the humor of the story. He is more
interested in picking up his marbles that Gideon's foot
kicked over.
SUZIE
You oughtn't tell him stories like
that.
SUNNY
Tell me another story.
GIDEON
I'll you a story about the terrapin
and the rabbit. No, you tell me a
story. Come on.
SUNNY
Once upon a time, my mommy and
daddy lived in this big house that
I bought for them. I got them this
big car.
A strong wind causes the broom handle to knock against the
china teapot, KNOCKING IT TO THE FLOOR. Suzie stops Sunny
from trying to help pick up the pieces.
SUZIE
You stay back. You might cut your
fingers.
Suzie looks down sadly at her broken tea pot.
GIDEON
I looked everywhere for my toby.
EXT. APPLE ORCHARD - DAY
The trees are barren, which gives them an unfriendly look. As
we LOOK at the ground, a man's distorted shadow stops in the
frame.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. FRONT PORCH - DAY
A shadow of a man appears on Gideon's porch. The camera tilts
up to HARRY MENTION, a very dark-looking, ageless old man
carrying several boxes held together by a cord. He looks
exhausted from his journey. He looks in his address book and,
satisfied that he reached the right house, he rings the
doorbell.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
Suzie comes to the front door; she recognizes Harry right
away. She invites him in. Harry stumps his feet on the porch
several times and then enters.
SUZIE
Harry, I can't believe it is you.
Gideon, look who is here.
Gideon comes in, wiping his hands. Sunny, carrying the broom,
follows behind.
GIDEON
Harry, good God Almighty, man! It's
been, what, thirty years or more.
Suzie, we haven't seen Harry since
we left home.
Harry is more interested in the boy, but Sunny doesn't want
to come near Harry. It is Gideon's arm that is keeping him
within close range of Harry.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
This is my grandson, Sunny. He is
my youngest son's child.
HARRY
He kind of favors one of my boys
when he was about his age.
Sunny, playing with the broom, accidentally touches Harry's
shoe with it. Harry hides his anger about being touched with
the broom. Harry takes the broom from Sunny and spits on the
bottom of it.
HARRY (CONT'D)
Boy, that is bad luck to touch a
fellow with a broom.
GIDEON
He knows better. Sunny, apologize
to Harry.
SUNNY
I'm sorry.
GIDEON
What are you doing in these parts?
HARRY
I came all the way from Detroit by
bus going to Oakland. The bus
stopped in Los Angeles. I had to
get off and take a rest. I'll catch
the last bus leaving at midnight.
I'm just too tired to go on.
GIDEON
Why didn't you catch a plane?
HARRY
My feet have never been on anything
that wasn't directly attached to
the ground.
GIDEON
Stay until you feel better? I would
like to hear all the news.
HARRY
I'm worn out but won't you feel
like you are taking in a stranger?
SUZIE
Stranger my foot, it was my
grandmother who helped you into
this world.
HARRY
Well, I don't want to put you out.
GIDEON
Man, put your boxes down and stay
as long as you like. We have empty
rooms since the boys got their own
families and moved out.
HARRY
Well if you're sure, I won't be a
bother. Oh, I don't sleep on no
spring mattress. I always make
myself a pallet on the floor.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
The bedroom door to Harry's room is cracked open. Peering
through the cracked door, we SEE Harry asleep on his pallet.
His back is turned to the camera. It is dead silent. There
does not seem to be any sign of life. On the floor is a plate
that has water in it. It looks like it is for a dog.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Suzie is peeling potatoes and Gideon is ironing.
SUZIE
Poor old Harry, he really must have
been worn out. He has been asleep
all day.
Without anyone being aware, Harry has been standing in the
doorway for some time.
HARRY
Good evening. It must be all the
different time zones I crossed that
makes me feel this weary.
SUZIE
You should go back and rest.
HARRY
No, if I rest any longer, I won't
sleep tonight. May I use your
bathroom to wash up a bit?
GIDEON
Man, act like this is your home.
HARRY
That's awful generous of you. I
always ask to keep from wearing out
welcome.
SUZIE
One can tell you are from back
home. These people nowadays don't
know what manners are.
HARRY
Where we come from, you had to know
how to act right. You had to know
how to say yes sir and no sir. You
had to know your place.
GIDEON
You had to tread softly.
The doorbell rings and Gideon goes to answer it.
SUZIE
Those days you could always find
something redeeming about even the
worst person.
HARRY
You remember that boy who lost his
mind, Joe? You could hear him
pitching horseshoes at night in the
dark. He wouldn't miss a one. Make
him mad and call yourself running
in the house to be safe. He would
pick up a brick and say "go on in
there brick and hit somebody" and
it would find its mark.
SUZIE
I was afraid to go to Marcus Bottom
because of him.
HARRY
All those places that us coloreds
lived, that we used to call
Bottoms, have all been changed to
Drives and Heights. Everything is
in what you call it, not in what it
is.
Gideon comes back with Junior, Pal and Rhonda.
GIDEON
Harry, I would like for you to meet
my oldest son, his wife and
daughter.
JUNIOR
Pleased to meet you. So you're from
back home, too.
Harry and Junior shake hands, but Rhonda gives Harry only a
nod of her head and a smile.
Pat, who is pregnant, attempts to shake hands with Harry, but
is forced to withdraw her hand because of a sudden pain in
her stomach.
PAT
This boy must be turning over. Oh,
he just kicked me again.
Junior feels her stomach. Pat again tries to shake Harry's
hand and again gets a jolt from her stomach. She finds a
chair to sit down in.
The SOUND of rocks hitting the roof causes everyone to look
up.
GIDEON
It's the boy next door throwing at
his birds. I'm just waiting on him
to hit a pane in the window
HARRY
I'm going to wash up now. You all
please excuse me.
INT. GIDEON'S HOUSE - BATHROOM - DAY
Harry is wiping off his face with a washcloth. He stares at
himself in the mirror for a long time. The sudden sound of
the boy next door starting to play his trumpet startles him.
He smiles at the trumpeter's efforts.
He wrings the wash cloth out. A reddish oil-like liquid DRIPS
into the face bowl.
EXT. GIDEON'S HOUSE - EARLY MORNING
A few of the houses have lights on. Suddenly, Gideon's
rooster starts to CROW. A dog starts to bark and a garbage
can is knocked over. Bedroom lights in almost all the houses
in the neighborhood pop on. The voices of neighbors
complaining are heard.
INT. BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING
Harry is just waking up. He listens to the voices of Suzie
and Gideon as they get ready for church.
INT. FRONT ROOM - MORNING
Gideon is paging through the Bible as he stands by the door,
waiting for Suzie who is watering her plants. Harry comes in.
HARRY
Good morning.
GIDEON
You ought to come hear our
preacher. Remember old Cat Iron?
Well, our preacher is just as
strong.
HARRY
Next time when I feel a little
better perhaps.
GIDEON
I was going to get up and get a hen
out there for dinner, but time got
away.
HARRY
Oh, I would feel much at home if
you let me get one for you. I
haven't wrung a chicken's neck in a
month of Sundays. You know, folks
would call my daddy to kill their
hogs. That used to be my trade from
time to time.
GIDEON
Well, I would appreciate that.
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
Gideon and Suzie are stepping off the porch. Harry is
standing behind the screen door.
Gideon and Suzie get in Junior's car. Junior, Pat and Rhonda
wave to Harry as the car pulls away.
INT. LIVING HOUSE - DAY
IT IS A TRACKING SHOT, FOLLOWING HARRY THROUGH THE HOUSE.
Harry looks through Gideon's and Suzie's private things. He
looks at the baby pictures that fill the mirror. He reads
Suzie's letters that are dated years ago. In one of the
letters, he finds a picture of a man standing behind a
plough. "Uncle Joe after Ella's death" is written on the
back. A picture of a mule holds his interest. He looks at it
for a long time and carries it with him as he continues his
search.
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
Harry slowly walks along the rows in Suzie's garden. He
stands by the chicken cage. Suddenly, the chickens start to
run about and CACKLE as if a dog had gotten in.
Harry turns from the chicken coop. He stands still. Sunny is
hiding behind a bush.
Sunny steps around the bush. Harry looks at Sunny with such
concentration that Sunny takes a step backward as if getting
ready to defend himself.
MRS. BAKER, a black woman in her early thirties, comes out on
the back porch. She shakes out a rug. She stops shaking the
rug and stares at Harry.
Harry becomes aware of Mrs. Baker's stare. He comes to
himself and smiles at her.
INT. GIDEON'S KITCHEN - DAY
Harry and Babe Brother are playing cards while Linda watches
and Sunny plays by himself on the floor. In the sink is a
newspaper full of bloody feathers. A small flame is under a
pot on the stove. Harry looks at the chicken in the pot and
sits back down.
LINDA
You don't act like the rest of
Gideon's friends. They believe if
you are not hard at work, you are
hard at sin.
HARRY
Oh, I'm more modern in my ways. I
don't believe in sin, though there
is good and evil.
(beat)
And evil is a thing you work at.
Harry takes his knife, a crab apple switch, out. It has a
rabbit foot attached to it. Harry cleans his fingernail with
the knife. Sunny is interested in the rabbit foot. He reaches
for the knife.
HARRY (CONT'D)
Not you mustn't touch. Your mama
might not like you handling knives.
LINDA
I think he wants to see your rabbit
foot.
HARRY
I let this rabbit foot do in place
of my toby that I lost years ago.
LINDA
What's a toby?
HARRY
You don't want to be at crossroads
without one. It's a charm that old
people teach you how to make. I had
one for a long time that belonged
to my grandmother who had it ever
since she was a child.
(beat)
In my travels I misplaced it. I
have been looking over my shoulder
ever since.
LINDA
I thought you weren't old
fashioned.
HARRY
In some things. When we were
children, there used to be an old
man that came around and would
snatch your soul if you didn't have
something on you that didn't make a
X.
Harry is aware that Babe Brother is interested in the knife.
After cleaning his last fingernail, he hands the knife to
Babe Brother.
Harry looks at the cards in his hand. He smiles to himself.
HARRY
Did you have your child at home?
LINDA
No. No. No. No. I had my Child at
Cedars and Sinai. And that ain't no
county hospital. You have to have
cash or check before you come in
the door.
HARRY
Some folks take that natural stuff
too far.
LINDA
Junior's wife kept her afterbirth'
in the refrigerator. That's why I
do not eat over there now.
HARRY
Country people got so many strange
ways,
Harry looks again at the chicken that he is boiling.
BABE BROTHER
Did you ever have to use this
thing?
HARRY
That is called a crab apple switch.
It's for those bad acting monkeys
and just the thing for a mean dog.
Now I don't know if I actually did
what I did or got my life and story
mixed in with other folk's stories
but I seem to recall that I had to
use my crab apple on a boy from
back home. I was up in Memphis
working on the railroad, like your
daddy who had an easy job. He would
sing a song that had a cadence and
we would lay track. Anyway I was
coming down Beale Street and I
heard this music coming from a
saloon. Sure enough it was Emory.
My daddy taught both of us to play
but Emory was natural at it. Got in
a blues band and what not. He and
another boy had killed a boy named
Hocker sometime back and they
balled the Jack leaving town. Emory
had lost one eye and had a scar
running down his face. Bad luck I
would say. He got to drinking that
corn liquor. We went to his girl's
room and he wouldn't stop drinking.
He started talking about the old
days and he went mad. He pulled his
knife and I got to mine first. The
lights went out.
Linda picks up a card and looks at it. There is a naked woman
on the back.
BABE BROTHER
Don't pick up the cards if you are
not in the game. Did he die?
HARRY
I don't know what happened to him.
He just ran out into the streets.
(beat)
I got some old records I want you
to hear. I like the blues sung
simply, man and a guitar. Or sung
by a woman who had bad luck all her
life. Don't ever let anyone tell
you his life's story if it is of a
weary life full of sadness. When I
was a boy, a man told me a story of
how he lost all of his sons and
I'll be damned if the same thing
didn't happen to me.
Sunny is busy playing in the curtains.
The SOUND of Gideon and Suzie arriving makes them scurry to
get the cards put away. Harry puts his knife away just as
Suzie and Gideon enter. Linda feels a little embarrassed.
LINDA
How was church?
Gideon and Suzie are surprised to see Linda. They don't know
what to say.
EXT. MRS. BAKER'S BACKYARD - DAY
Rodney walks around in the yard BLOWING his trumpet as loud
as he can. The SOUND of the trumpet frightens Skip's birds.
INT. BATHROOM - DAY
Gideon is repairing the pipes under the face bowl. Harry is
leaning against the door.
HARRY
How often is your wife called to
help delivery?
GIDEON
It was slow. Now it seems like
everyone is having births at home.
Gideon takes the pipe off. It has rotted. Gideon cannot
believe it.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
What could have caused this? I just
changed this damn thing.
HARRY
Everything these days is made
overseas.
GIDEON
You and Babe Brother hit it off so
well.
HARRY
Course, it is your business, but I
feel obliged to tell you that maybe
you have not been fair with the
boy.
GIDEON
I tried to teach him right from
wrong just like I did his Junior.
HARRY
Everyone has to follow his own
plough. A man doesn't have to know
how to cut a wick and clean a
chimney nowadays. City people don't
give a hoot and a holler about the
shape of the moon nowadays. You
don't plant old ways...
(beat)
... but, at the end, you find
yourself doing what your father did
but you have to have the land in
you.
(beat)
It's when you want to give the
house or farm to the kids and they
don't want it. You sell it to a
stranger. You worked your whole
life, for what?
(beat)
I doubt if people nowadays have
knowledge of a victory garden or
seen an inch worm. All what we've
experienced has no meaning.
GIDEON
You're suppose to teach your
children what you know. Junior, I
don't have to worry about. Babe
Brother is a different story.
HARRY
You still call him boy. You call
Babe Brother boy in front of his
wife and son.
GIDEON
My daddy called me boy up to the
time he died. I was always boy to
him.
HARRY
'Course, you could be right. Your
sons are alive. All my sons are
dead.
Off-screen, Rodney starts to practice on his HORN.
INT. BABE BROTHER'S LIVING ROOM - EVENING
Babe Brother is sitting with Sunny by the screen door blowing
giant bubbles. The bubbles drift past Linda, who is sitting
at the table with real estate papers all over the table. She
is talking on the phone with a client and signals them to
stop disturbing her.
Babe Brother sends more bubbles floating by, causing her to
shake the water off her papers while she talks to a first
time buyer.
LINDA
It has three bedrooms, one and a
half baths. Well, yes, that means
two toilets and one bath. Well...
Yes, by appointment... Call me back
if you decide.
She hangs up the phone.
LINDA
You would think people never lived
in a house if they have to ask what
does 1 1/2 baths mean.
BABE BROTHER
Will you still get the money from
your father?
LINDA
I told him we might not need it, if
you can talk your parents into
giving you your share of the
property.
BABE BROTHER
Pops put Big Daddy's farm in
Rhonda's and Sunny's name and fixed
it so no one can borrow on it.
LINDA
We could borrow on that land and
put the money to work.
BABE BROTHER
I preached to Mom and Dad about it
but they are stuck in their ways,
it's like talking to a brick. But
if there is a way...
Babe Brother is lost in his thoughts. He stares down at his
hands resting on his knees. He picks up the telephone.
INT. JUNIOR'S HOUSE - DAY
Junior is on the phone with Babe Brother. Pat crosses in
front of the camera shaking her head in a negative manner.
Babe Brother's voice is just audible.
JUNIOR
You want me to mortgage my house to
invest in a scheme of yours? You
know the last time we went into
something together Daddy had to go
in his savings to keep us from
ending on the street.
BABE BROTHER (O.S.)
Why are you always afraid to get
somewhere?
JUNIOR
This is not a good time to take
chances. Your best friend, Robert,
an accountant, lost his home and is
out on the street. We see him from
time to time. He comes down to
church for a free meal.
BABE BROTHER (O.S.)
This is what it is all about,
trying to keep from being out on
the street.
JUNIOR
Robert asks about you. When are you
going to do something to help him?
BABE BROTHER (O.S.)
Maybe I can get down there next
week.
Junior turns to his wife, who is off-camera.
JUNIOR
Babe Brother always acts like a
gambler who is in the biggest game
of his life and don't know about
playing cards.
EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - HOT AFTERNOON
Harry and Gideon are walking along a railroad track. The sun
is blinding. The heat makes the asphalt Appear to turn into a
lake off in the distance. Gideon appears exhausted; beads of
sweat continually form on his forehead. He fans himself with
his hat. Harry is unaffected by the hot temperature.
HARRY
I can sit here and look at train
tracks all day. We laid enough of
them, didn't we? So many memories
are stretched along tracks like
these.
Gideon looks down the tracks. A bowl of dust stirs off in the
distance. The hot temperature makes the tracks appear liquid.
EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - HOT AFTERNOON (EFFECT)
The tracks begin to twist and bend. Off in the distance,
faint images of men laying track to a song.
EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - HOT AFTERNOON
Gideon is standing with his hat in his hand. His posture is
that of an extremely old man.
GIDEON
In weather like this, you cannot
walk around bare-headed.
He wipes the sweat from his hat band.
HARRY
We'll go a little farther. The walk
will do us some good.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Suzie is peeling apples while Sunny, standing next to her,
catches peelings in his mouth. Pat is sitting next to the
window. She is uncomfortable. She loosens her pants, giving
her stomach more room. Rhonda is leaning over the back of the
chair with her arms around Pat's neck. They are in
silhouette.
PAT
Did you do your homework?
RHONDA
Yes.
(beat)
Mama?
PAT
What?
RHONDA
Can I name the baby?
INT. HARRY'S BEDROOM - DAY
Suzie knocks on the door. Harry comes to the door still
buttoning his shirt.
SUZIE
I have someone I want you to meet.
HARRY
I'll be right there.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
Gideon in the background in the kitchen washing off the
vegetables. Suzie and HATTIE are sitting at the table. Harry
comes in and is surprised to see Hat tie. Hattie is in her
late sixties but looks well. She makes a conscious effort to
dress plainly.
HATTIE
I couldn't believe it when Suzie
called and said you were staying
here. How have you been?
HARRY
Girl, do you still sing and dance?
HATTIE
No, I'm a different person now,
Harry.
Hattie has a nervous condition that causes her to squint from
time to time. Gideon comes in from the kitchen.
GIDEON
Haven't the years been good to
Hattie?
HARRY
It hasn't been the years; it's been
the men in her life.
HATTIE
Harry, that's not nice. I'm in
church now.
HARRY
Why run out and close the barn door
when the horse is gone? I remember
when you weren't saved. That was
way back yonder when the Natchez
Trace was just a dirt road.
HATTIE
Some people grow up and change
their ways.
HARRY
I know your mother ain't still
operating that house of hers.
HATTIE
My mother passed on years ago.
EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF HOUSE - DAY
M.C. slams the door to his car and hurries up the steps,
leaving HERMAN, in spite of his bad condition, to get out of
the car the best he can. The car door almost knocks poor
Herman over. M.C. seems rather youthful because of his energy
and awkwardness. He is a large muscular man.
Herman is a dried-up man with nothing, not even a shadow. He
has a racking COUGH.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
M.C. gives Gideon a bear hug, lifting him off his feet. On
seeing Suzie, he drops Gideon and rushes over to lift her up
off her feet.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Herman is still trying to get out of the car.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
M.C. lifts Suzie off the ground twice. He runs over to Hattie
who does not want to be handled, tries to withdraw but M.C.
forces her to her feet and gives a big bear hug. Hattie has a
series of squinting attacks. M.C. squints in return.
HATTIE
M.C., you still ain't house broken.
GIDEON
Good God Almighty, if it ain't like
a parade of people from out of the
past. M.C., where did you come
from?
M.C.
I live here.
There is a TAPPING on the door.
M.C. (CONT'D)
That's old Herman.
HATTIE
Harry, what did you do, rob the
graveyard?
Herman hobbles in and, after a minute of COUGHING, a smile
forms on his face.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Suzie, Gideon and Hattie are seated at the table while M.C.
bounces from one end of the table to the other. One moment he
is on his knees and next moment he is leaning over someone to
flick his ashes in the ashtray on the table. Hattie hates it
when he comes near her.
Harry and Herman sit together in the corner chewing on
starch.
M.C.
Hattie, do you still dance?
HATTIE
I'm in church.
M.C.
What does that got to do with it?
HATTIE
Suzie, you still have Joe's number?
SUZIE
I will have to look for it.
M.C.
Who's Joe?
HATTIE
None of your business.
HARRY
That is a boy from home, Lulla's
brother.
Suzie is surprised.
SUZIE
Harry, you know everything.
HARRY
You got to know everything, do
everything, and be everything.
Gideon brings a fresh pot of coffee. Gideon tries to signal
M.C. to stop harassing Hattie. M.C. leans over Hattie again
to use the ashtray.
Harry is helping Herman to his feet. Herman starts to cough.
They come over and join the rest of the crowd at the table.
Harry seats Herman next to Gideon and pours Herman a cup of
coffee. He puts the sugar and cream in the coffee for Herman.
Suzie comes back with Joe's number and hands it to Hattie.
HERMAN
M.C., I'm worn out. You ready to
go?
M.C.
If you are tired, go sit in the
car.
HERMAN
Suzie, do you have any Swamp Root?
SUZIE
No, but I might have some Indian
Chief Tonic.
HATTIE
I haven't heard anyone mention
Swamp Root since button-up shoes
went out.
HARRY
You can certainly tell how old you
are, my dear.
Hattie is angered.
HATTIE
You know the saying, "your heart is
in your left hand."
HARRY
Now I was trying to be nice, to
make conversation, since we go back
some.
HATTIE
I was quoting from the Bible. If
the shoe fits, wear it.
HARRY
"Out of weariness, I spoke to my
own heart; to leave it all and to
die. And I gave my heart to know
madness and folly."
M.C.
You ain't going to win playing the
dozens with Harry.
HERMAN
You all ought to get along.
HATTIE
Harry, you know you remind me of so
much that went wrong in my life.
When I heard you were here, I made
a special effort to come and see
you. I see you are still a pile of
wet chicken feathers.
HERMAN
Oh Lord.
HARRY
My sister, women can get away with
so much. I don't have any enemies
'cause I don't live in the past. As
Pushkin, you don't know him, said,
"In the hope of glory and good, I
look without fear ahead."
M.C.
Harry has got your number.
HATTIE
An empty wagon makes a lot of noise
and you, tappy head, you ain't
worth the salt you put in greens.
HARRY
Speaking of tappy heads, we ought
to have an old fashion fish fry.
HERMAN
I don't have too many fish fries
left.
HARRY
We can have it here next week.
HATTIE
Is this your house?
HARRY
Oh. I'm sorry. Gideon, what do you
say?
GIDEON
Well, it's up to Suzie.
SUZIE
It would be nice.
HATTIE
In the meantime Harry can slaughter
us a hog.
HARRY
I already have, my dear.
HERMAN
Please, M.C., take me home.
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
The children of the women in Suzie's natural birth group are
huddled together SINGING "Ashiine Ca Chew". The voices of the
women in the next room are audible. The kids go outside to
sit on the porch.
INT. HOUSE, WORK ROOM - DAY
Most of the women have their newborns with them and are
engaging in talk about how their other children had to adjust
and etc.
A young white mother, REBECCA WILSON, with both her children,
a four year old and one just a few months old, talks with a
deep southern accent.
WILSON
No one in my family ever been to a
hospital to give birth. My sister
has four children and all were born
at home. My mother and her mother,
it just goes on and on.
EXT. FRONT YARD - DAY
A mother leaves with her baby wrapped in a blanket. The kids
surround her, wanting to see the baby.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - DAY
Pat is looking at a book of baby names. Harry passes the door
and stops.
HARRY
A woman in family way just reminds
of spring and my younger days.
PAT
That's nice.
HARRY
Well, you and your husband are
special. Ya, Gideon tells me you do
volunteer work to help feed the
poor.
Pat beams with joy because Harry recognizes the important
work she is doing.
HARRY
How many people do you all feed?
PAT
Last Saturday we handed out over
two hundred meals.
HARRY
Good God Almighty, bless your
bones.
(pause)
But the problem grows.
PAT
Week by week the crowds at the door
keeps getting larger. We can't feed
all the hungry.
HARRY
Of course not. Have you ever heard
of a man jumping in the river to
save five hundred drowning people?
No you ain't.
(pause)
You have to take just one and
fatten him up. When you spread help
too thin, you , you just nickel and
dime the situation. If you try to
save all, all die but if you save
one life, life goes on. You just
have to remember, medicine that
works leaves a bitter taste.
Harry looks at the baby picture pasted over the mirror. He
takes the picture of his children from his old black dusty
wallet and compares the faces of his kids with those on the
mirror. He talks to himself more than to Pat.
HARRY (CONT'D)
You just take one; you thaw out the
cold and hunger in his bones from
sleeping on the bare ground.
Pat watches him and loses herself in what he is doing. She
responds automatically
PAT
I don't know if we could take one
in with Rhonda and me at home alone
at times.
HARRY
Oh, I wasn't pointing my finger at
you. Hey, you have to think of
yourself. A lot of them have all
kinds of diseases and will cut your
throat while you sleep. There are
too many bad people out there.
EXT. GIDEON'S BACK PORCH - DAY
Junior is taking the back door off to paint. Harry helps him
carry the door and lay it on a saw horse.
JUNIOR
I appreciate you lending me a hand.
That lazy ass brother of mine was
suppose to help me.
HARRY
Well some folks are still waiting
for their comeuppance. Don't take
me wrong but you can't judge people
by how you act. You're a caring
person.
JUNIOR
He should be caring. That is not
too much to ask.
HARRY
Ya, but you can't do the shuffle
with one leg. You and your wife, in
your spare time, work with the less
fortunate. Now I'm not talking
about you and what you do but some
folks that always run to help the
victim, deep down are attracted to
pain and suffering and love to be
near the dying.
JUNIOR
All the people working with us are
really doing it 'cause they hate to
see suffering.
HARRY
You never know what's in the heart
and just because you can cry
doesn't make you human.
INT. JUNIOR'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Rhonda is in the background washing dishes. Pat and Junior
are sitting at the dining room table, arguing.
JUNIOR
We can't really bring another
family in here with us.
PAT
Why not? Harry says that's the only
way to do good.
JUNIOR
When did you talk to Harry?
PAT
Don't shout!
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
Gideon and Sunny are in the garden digging for worms. The
chickens
GIDEON
I think we have enough. So now tell
me a story.
EXT. BALDWIN HILLS LAKE - LATE AFTERNOON
Gideon is sitting on a rock by the lake. His image is
reflected in the lake. He is asleep. Sunny is putting new
bait on one of the reels and with a whip of the pole, he
casts to the center of the lake. He leans against a tree.
Sunny looks at his sleeping grandfather. Gideon has his pant
legs rolled up. His socks have lost their elastic. His head
is resting on his chest.
Sunny goes near the water.
GIDEON
Be careful of the water.
Sunny looks back at his grandfather, who appears to be
asleep.
DISSOLVE TO:
There is one fish in the bucket.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. LAKE - SUNSET
WIDE ANGLE SHOT FROM HIGH ANGLE
Gideon and Sunny are sitting next to each other. The lake
reflects the sky: a deep red. The eerie sound of a long train
whistle breaks the silence.
INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING
Harry, Babe Brother and Linda come in after staying out all
night. Linda looks as though she is about to fall asleep
standing up. She awakes and looks at Harry. There is dislike
in her stare. Suzie and Gideon notice Linda fading away.
SUZIE
Are you feeling well?
LINDA
I've never been so tired in my
life. Where is Sunny?
SUZIE
He is getting his things together.
Babe Brother, you ought to take
your wife home so she can get some
rest.
BABE BROTHER
In a minute.
Sunny comes in carrying his night-clothes folded neatly. He
stands next to Linda. Harry, in a mild but demanding way,
ushers Babe Brother out of the door.
HARRY
Take your wife and child home, boy.
Babe Brother seems all too happy to obey Harry. After Harry
closes the door behind Babe Brother, he turns with a wide
smile.
HARRY (CONT'D)
I got a surprise for you tonight.
Harry flops down on the couch and kicks his shoes off.
HARRY (CONT'D)
This old buffalo has been in the
sun too long.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Suzie and Gideon are getting the food ready while Harry,
wearing a shirt that looks like it is made of shiny
snakeskin, sits in a darkened corner of the room, cutting his
fingernails with his knife.
The door bell rings and Harry slowly walks over to answer the
door. Suzie puts the punch bowl down and hurries over to meet
the first guests, FRED JENKINS, an elderly black man whom she
hasn't seen in years, and Esme Jenkins, his wife.
SUZIE
Fred Jenkins.
JENKINS
Suzie, you haven't changed and you,
Gideon, if you don't look like John
Henry. Oh, this is my wife, Esme.
My first wife Lulie died.
More people arrive, bottle-necking the doorway. Gideon helps
the Jenkinses to a chair. Hattie comes with her brother
MARSH, who is not too pleased to see Harry. OKRA TATE, an
elderly black man with dark circles under his eyes, comes in
limping badly with an old Polaroid camera hanging from his
neck.
Babe Brother, Linda, Junior, Pat and Rhonda, who is holding
Sunny's hand, all come in together. M.C. drags Herman through
the door coughing. FLIM ANDERSON and his son DOUG are
followed by the twins, WILLIAM and LOVIRAY NORWOOD, who are
in their late 70's.
Babe Brother leaves Linda standing by herself to be next to
Harry.
Zenia Dent, an elderly white woman with a strong Southern
accent, arrives with her husband, Howard Dent, a black man,
who is in a wheelchair. The Twins and Howard are the center
of attention.
Okra comes over and whispers into Harry's ear. Okra leaves
through the front door. Okra comes back in with a bag. Harry,
Babe Brother, M.C. and Herman follow Okra to the kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Okra sets the bag on the table and steps back to allow Harry
to unveil the bottle of corn liquor.
BABE BROTHER
What is that?
HARRY
Boy, that is the real South. That
is real corn liquor.
A crowd starts to gather around.
FLIM
What is in the bottle?
M.C.
It ain't Geritol.
M.C. starts to hand out tea cups while Harry pours everyone a
drink.
HERMAN
There is a fight in every bottle.
GIDEON
You tappy heads better not tear
down my house.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
An attractive Woman, in her younger days a knockout, puts on
a record and starts to pop her fingers to the music as she
moves towards the center of the floor dancing by herself,
inviting anyone bold enough to join her.
A group of Men who haven't seen each other in years are
asking questions about news of old friends.
Okra is trying to get his camera working.
Herman is following M.C. through the crowd with his hand
resting on M.C.'s shoulder as if he were a blind person. His
racking COUGH is frightening.
An older couple dancing attract the attention of the crowd.
The man is wearing Stacy Adams shoes polished to see one's
face in them. He gives expression to his moves as if he and
the woman are talking with their bodies.
Junior and Pat try to bring in something more modern to outdo
the older couple.
Herman corners Hattie, trying to get her to sing.
HATTIE
Look, you better get out of my face
before I slap the living daylights
out of you.
Harry stops the music.
HARRY
You folks excuse me but you know we
have a celebrity from out of the
past, our own nightingale. If you
had any good times in your life,
you remember Hattie. She use to
keep those juke joints steaming. If
Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith were the
stars, she was the sun. Let's get
Hattie to sing something from the
old days.
Hattie has started her nervous twitch again. She is so mad
that she bites her lip to keep from exploding.
HATTIE
Harry always tries to be the king
fish. I told him I'm a new person.
I'm saved.
Harry signals an old man, PERCY, to start playing his guitar.
Percy starts to play but Hattie doesn't join him. He looks to
Harry for a sign of what to do. Hattie walks away.
Percy starts to SING by himself but someone puts a record on,
interrupting his singing. People are back to dancing.
A YOUNGER WOMAN is dancing with an OLDER MAN with such vigor,
forcing the old man to try to keep up, that people grow
concerned. People near him try to make him slow down but his
pride forces him to be ridiculous.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Linda sits with Sunny and Rhonda watching TV.
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT
The noise has gotten louder, everyone talking at the top of
his voice.
Gideon is busy going around to everyone seeing if everything
is okay. Gideon and Suzie have worked up a sweat trying to
attend to everyone's needs.
Linda rejoins the party. She moves through the crowd and sees
Babe Brother standing next to Harry. She is disappointed and
stays at a distance.
Harry is with a group of people. Marsh tries to get Harry's
attention.
MARSH
Harry, you will not remember me but
we go back quite a ways. I'm glad
Hattie told me that you will be
here 'cause there is a matter that
has been troubling me all these
years that maybe you can help me
clear it up.
Harry stares into Marsh's eyes, then looks him over from head
to toe.
HARRY
Man, I can't talk to you now. I'm
filling in the gaps with these
folks.
Harry turns his back on Marsh. Marsh stands there looking at
Harry's profile. He turns and walks away.
The record ends. The Younger Woman and the Older Man wait for
the next record.
YOUNGER WOMAN
How do you manage to keep in step
and move around so like one of them
young boys?
OLDER MAN
Get yourself a pace-maker like me.
Linda is standing by herself. She watches Babe Brother and
Harry walk towards the kitchen. Pat comes to talk to her.
PAT
These old folks can dance better
than I can. Get rid of that long
face. Get one of these old farts to
show you how to do the Black
Bottom.
Okra, holding his camera, all of the attachments in one hand
and a glass in his other hand, tries to offer Hattie a drink.
OKRA
Don't be so stand-offish.
Hattie pushes him away. The drink spills on him. She turns
and walks away. He follows her.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Marsh sits in a chair opposite Harry. Babe Brother stands
behind Harry. Harry, knowing that Marsh is going to bring up
unpleasant things of the past, feels the need to get rid of
Babe Brother.
HARRY
Son, you haven't danced with your
wife all night.
Babe Brother is reluctant to leave, but Harry gives him a
nudge. He goes looking for Linda.
MARSH
There is something that I always
wanted to know. Tell me, how did
those boys die?
HARRY
Now who are we talking about?
MARSH
Miss Clara's boy, Emory, to start
with. The Johnson's Hocker was
another one...
HARRY
Wasn't Hocker lynched?
MARSH
You know as well as I do that it
was made to look like he was
lynched. Now who would hang someone
from a persimmon tree?
HARRY
What difference does it make if
it's persimmon, oak tree or
huckleberry bush?
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT
Gideon, Babe Brother, and Linda go outside.
EXT. FRONT YARD - NIGHT
The sounds of the party drift out from the house as Gideon,
Linda and Babe Brother talk.
GIDEON
Tell me, how come me and Suzie have
to be mother and father to your
child? You never take the boy to
the park, circus or anything. If we
did not take him to church, he
wouldn't have any sense of
religion.
LINDA
I think forcing him to go to church
when he really doesn't understand
is not saving his soul. When he
gets old enough to make up his own
mind about religion, that will be
better. It will be his intellectual
decision.
GIDEON
Is that the way your parents raised
you?
BABE BROTHER
Why, you don't want us to bring him
over?
GIDEON
No, it's that when do you have time
to be parents to him? You guys
don't pick him up until nine, ten
at night. You are into yourselves,
as the saying goes. Spend some time
trying to be parents. Take him to
the mountains, fishing. You ought
to let him get to know nature.
BABE BROTHER
Well, you are his grandfather. He
is supposed to spend some time with
you. You're supposed to show him
those woodsy things and this and
that.
GIDEON
Junior spends time with his child.
BABE BROTHER
Oh here we go with that.
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT
Okra is trying to get enough light for his old Polaroid
camera. M.C. takes a shade off a lamp and holds it next to
the Twins, nearly blinding them.
WILLIAM
Hurry up and take this picture.
FRED
If it wasn't for the NRA, colored
people would have been the lost
tribe.
FLIM
Remember what they use to call the
NRA? Negro Raggedy-ass Army.
M.C. is still holding the naked lamp while Okra tries to take
pictures.
INT KITCHEN - NIGHT
MARSH
Hocker's death almost caused a race
riot. A lot of innocent people
could have been hurt behind that.
HARRY
Strange as it may seem, it might
have cleared the waters. Sometimes
the right action comes from the
wrong reason.
EXT. FRONT YARD - NIGHT
Gideon, Babe Brother and Linda are just standing, facing one
another. Suzie comes out on the porch.
SUZIE
Do you want your coat? It's cold
out here.
GIDEON
No, I'm too hot now.
SUZIE
You better be careful. You'll get a
stroke arguing.
GIDEON
I wouldn't care if I drop dead if
he learn something from it.
(beat)
Son, you make me wish I was dead.
SUZIE
Gideon, don't say things like that.
BABE BROTHER
Why does he always pick on me?
LINDA
He is just being like all parents,
concerned about the ones they love.
BABE BROTHER
I don't need that kind of love. And
I don't want to be reminded all the
time that Big Mama's grandmother
was born in slavery. If you really
care about me, just tell me how I
can make money.
SUZIE
Babe Brother, I'm going to take my
hand and hit you across your mouth.
LINDA
He doesn't mean what he says.
GIDEON
Let us go back in before the night
of celebration becomes a night of
me killing my son.
SUZIE
No. Before anyone moves, you two
shake hands and don't carry it any
further.
Linda gives Babe Brother a jab with her elbow. His hand
reaches out to Gideon.
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT
M.C. and Herman put the unshaded lamps next to Hattie so okra
can get a better picture. Percy starts to play his guitar.
Herman stands behind Percy.
HATTIE
Don't make me say something nasty
now.
Percy starts to play an old religious number and Hattie
STARTS TO SING. Everything stops for a moment as her VOICE
fills the room.
Then most of the guests pick up and join in. M.C. moves the
lamp next to Percy so Okra can take his picture.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Marsh and Harry are getting quite loud in their argument. It
has become a kind of controlled anger.
HARRY
I think if anybody had a hand in
killing Hocker, you ought to ask or
you should have asked Emory and
Chick.
MARSH
Chick was outright killed by a mob.
He killed a white man that owed him
some money and when they caught up
with him, they tied him behind a
car and dragged him from out of the
hills back to town.
HARRY
Those boys never did have good
luck.
MARSH
You damn right they didn't,
especially Emory, my cousin.
HARRY
Emory had made a lot of enemies. He
had a big mouth.
M.C. and Okra come in wanting to take pictures. Marsh is
pretty mad about them intruding. M.C. sets the naked lamp in
front of Marsh, on the floor, almost between his legs.
Before Okra can get his camera set to shoot, Marsh leaves.
Harry smiles as if he had won a major victory. Herman flops
down in the empty chair and starts to COUGH.
Suddenly Suzie and Gideon burst into the kitchen holding up
one of the twins, Loviray. They carry the twin towards
Herman's seat. Herman is slow to react. Herman gets up very
slow. Finally, they are able to seat the twin.
HARRY (CONT'D)
What's the problem here?
SUZIE
She has a fish bone caught in her
throat. Could all of you go in the
other room? Gideon, get some bread
and toast it quickly and find me
the cod liver oil.
The twin is holding her throat and PANTING like a fish out of
water. She is in a lot of pain. William, the twin brother, is
standing at the door with a tragic face.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - MORNING
Gideon is trying to get out of bed. He sits on the side of
the bed and starts to COUGH.
INT. HARRY'S BEDROOM - MORNING
Harry has his back to the camera, sitting in a chair facing a
wall. He is naked from the waist up. An empty plate is placed
not too far from where he is sitting. He is cutting an apple.
He licks the blade of his knife.
INT. BABE BROTHER'S BEDROOM - MORNING
Babe Brother is asleep. Linda is dressed to go to work. She
throws his suit on the foot of the bed.
LINDA
Are you going to work or sleep all
day?
He snores louder. She opens the window and pulls back the
cover. The cold air makes him draw up. On walking out, Linda
says in a rather hurt voice:
LINDA
Remember, you promised to take
Sunny to Magic Mountain today.
Babe Brother slowly gets up holding his chest as if his heart
is bothering him.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - MORNING
Gideon tries to put his pants on. He is too weak and sits
back on the bed with his pants only up as far as his knees.
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
Suzie gets up to turn off the coffee kettle. When the kettle
WHISTLE dies away, the sound of Gideon's VOICE is heard
calling Suzie for help. The sound of his voice frightens her.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Suzie bursts into the room and then moves very slowly to
Gideon, who is sitting on the bed out of breath.
GIDEON
I'm worn out.
SUZIE
Just stay in bed and rest.
GIDEON
I have to feed the chickens before
they wake everybody up.
SUZIE
You stay inside. I will see to
them.
GIDEON
I will appreciate that.
INT. DINING ROOM - EVENING
Suzie and Junior are sitting at the dining room table. Harry,
looking like he has just gotten out of bed, drags himself in.
HARRY
How is everybody?
SUZIE
Tolerable well.
JUNIOR
How did you sleep last night?
There is obvious hostility in Junior's tone. Harry senses
Junior's hostility and chooses to ignore it.
HARRY
Ah, you young folks don't know how
it is. How is Gideon today?
SUZIE
He wasn't able to get out of bed
today.
HARRY
I hope that it's nothing serious.
SUZIE
He has never gotten rid of the
malaria. He is usually up and at it
the next day. I'm going to make him
fresh chicken broth.
HARRY
Let me earn my keep. I'll go out
and get a hen and have it picked
and ready for the pot. Try to make
him some cow tea next time.
Junior stares at Harry. Harry returns Junior's stare and
Junior finds himself embarrassed. Junior looks down at his
pants leg and attempts to fix the crease in his pants by
making a wedge with his fingers and running his fingers along
the old crease.
As Harry walks towards the back door, he looks back at
Junior.
EXT. BACKYARD - EVENING
The pigeons take to the air like an explosion. The chickens
start to CACKLE and run about as Harry reaches for one with
his cane. The SOUND of the boy next door practicing with his
trumpet adds to the bedlam.
Suzie is standing on the steps, shouting to Harry. The noise
of the panicked chickens and the boy playing the trumpet next
door drown out Suzie's voice. Not getting Harry's attention,
she hurries down the steps.
Harry has caught a hen that is SCREAMING her head off. He
looks around and finds Suzie hurrying towards him.
SUZIE
Can you watch Gideon for a while?
One of the girls is going into
labor. Junior is going to drive me
over.
HARRY
You just run along. I'll fix him
his soup. He will be all right.
INT. ROOM - NIGHT
Suzie and another woman who will be helping her are asleep.
Suzie is in the chair and the woman is asleep on the floor.
The woman who is in labor is reading a magazine and seems
somewhat bored.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Harry opens the door and slowly walks in. Gideon is asleep.
Harry picks up Gideon's pants from the back of the chair.
Gideon's false teeth fall to the floor.
INT. ROOM - NIGHT
There is a flurry of activity; the woman is contracting.
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
The untouched chicken broth sits on the night stand. Gideon
is TALKING in his sleep. Morning light filters through the
window shade. The room takes on a brownish tint. Gideon has
dark rings under his eyes and looks like he has aged
considerably.
INT. HARRY'S BEDROOM - MORNING
Harry is reading the Bible. He runs his finger over the print
of the Bible. After reading the passage, he stares at the
empty plate on the floor for what seems like a long time. He
claps the Bible shut, causing a loud NOISE to ECHO through
the house.
EXT. FRONT OF HOUSE - MORNING
Suzie is walking slowly up the steps.
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
Suzie raises the window shade and is shocked to see the state
that Gideon is in.
SUZIE
Oh my Lord!
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
The room is crowded with people. Suzie is putting Gideon's
shirt on. Harry is leaning against the door. After having put
his shirt on, Suzie puts his house shoes on and directs Babe
Brother and Junior to hold him up while she tucks his shirt
in and puts on his suspenders.
It takes almost everyone to hoist Gideon. Linda and Pat push
the bed and night-stand out of the way as Babe Brother and
Junior struggle to lift Gideon. They almost stumble at the
door. Harry is left standing in the room alone.
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
Harry, Okra and Herman are trying to catch another chicken.
Herman is COUGHING badly and Okra is out of breath.
OKRA
You think old Gideon is going to
live to see this month out?
HARRY
When I came upon the valley of
bones, the serpent said, "Make this
your home. Dry as my soul be,
heaven is lost to thee." We all got
to make way.
Harry puts the rooster face to the ground and draws a
straight line. Harry lets the rooster go, but the rooster
stays motionless, unable to move.
HARRY (CONT'D)
A chicken hates to see the preacher
coming to dinner.
Herman hands Harry the ax. Harry is poised over the chicken
with the ax, appreciating the moment. Harry raises the ax.
The SOUND of Rodney starting to practice his trumpet brings
the rooster out of the trance.
Before Harry can react, the rooster jumps away.
OKRA
Herman, you will have to catch the
next one 'cause I'm out of breath.
HERMAN
If I have to chase after one, we
won't eat.
A sack drops over the fence. Okra limps over to see what is
in the bag. He uses a stick to open the bag. He doesn't like
what he sees and throws the bag back over the fence.
INT. VETERAN'S HOSPITAL, WARD - DAY
Suzie, Junior and Pat are standing around Gideon's bed. He is
in a room full of old veterans who are apparently nearing the
end.
Two old veterans, one white and the other black, sitting
opposite each other wearing medals, sit in silence staring
into each other's eyes.
A nurse empties an old man's urine bag. The old man doesn't
show any embarrassment about his predicament. Gideon looks at
how the patients are treated.
GIDEON
I don't want to stay here.
(beat)
Where is Babe Brother?
INT. HERMAN'S ONE ROOM HOUSE - DAY
M.C. is sitting on the bed, reading the job section of the
paper. Herman is putting Vicks Vapo-Rub in a bowl of boiling
water. He covers his head over the bowl with a towel. Okra is
sitting at the table examining his gun. He points it at the
floor, seeing if the sight is straight.
Harry is sitting at the table with Babe Brother. Harry is
showing him how to cheat at cards.
HARRY
Never play with someone's else's
cards. You always get a new deck.
Look at this card. See anything?
BABE BROTHER
It is just a regular card.
HARRY
Son, I can take everything you got
with that deck. It is marked. Now
I'm going to show you how to make
some money in case you get stuck
somewhere.
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT
A moth flies around the light casting a shadow that floats
over everything. Suzie turns out the kitchen light and then
turns out the dining-room light. She goes to her room and
closes the door, leaving the room dark. A car headlight
passing outside casts a moving pattern that moves along the
wall.
The light reveals Harry's presence standing in the hall
doorway.
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
Gideon is being helped up the steps by his sons.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
Suzie is holding the door open while Gideon is carried in by
Junior and Babe Brother. Gideon is led to a chair. He still
looks awful.
BABE BROTHER
Doesn't he look a whole of lot
better?
SUZIE
Well, you look better than you did
yesterday.
GIDEON
Next time, I don't care how sick
I'll be, don't take me back to the
Veteran's Hospital.
Harry comes out of the bathroom, having just taken a bath.
Harry seems delighted to see Gideon again.
HARRY
Boy, I thought you were about to
cross the river.
GIDEON
I tell you, I feel like a ghost.
Harry signals Babe Brother to come over to him.
HARRY
Son, would you do me a favor and
see if you could turn off that tap
in the bathroom. My hand is too
weak. And would you do me another
favor? I don't like asking this but
would you clean the tub for me? I
have trouble bending over.
BABE BROTHER
Anytime you need someone to do
something for you, just let me
know.
Harry flops down on the couch. Suzie sets a cup of coffee on
the table for Gideon. Harry looks up from sharpening his
knife on a hand sharpening stone. He spits on it.
HARRY
That smells like fresh coffee.
SUZIE
Let me get you a cup?
HARRY
Only if you can spare it.
Junior stands over Harry's shoulder looking at him sharpening
his knife. Harry feels uncomfortable with Junior standing
behind him. Harry looks up at him.
HARRY (CONT'D)
Son, would you get me an old piece
of newspaper?
Suzie sets a cup of coffee in front of Harry.
HARRY (CONT'D)
Lord if you ain't an angel.
Junior hands Harry the newspaper. Harry puts the paper under
his foot and trims his toenails with it. Harry is aware of
Junior standing over him.
HARRY (CONT'D)
I will leave you something in my
will.
INT. BATHROOM - DAY
Junior looks in but Babe Brother is too busy trying to clean
the bathtub to notice anyone. Babe Brother complains to
himself.
BABE BROTHER
What in the hell...
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
Gideon and Suzie are in silhouette against the window.
The SOUND of the boy trying to play his horn next door
startles Gideon. Gideon turns to look out of the window
towards Mrs. Baker's house.
GIDEON
It's good to be able to hear that.
SUZIE
You must have been really sick.
GIDEON
How is the garden doing?
SUZIE
I need to get out there and get
those weeds out.
GIDEON
How is that hen doing? I was
meaning to pip her before I fell
sick.
He takes a deep breath and blows it out.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
I'm going to lie down. Take my,
hand and help me up, lest I fall.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Suzie helps Gideon to undress. Gideon loses hit balance but
catches himself on the side of the bed.
GIDEON
Oh, I couldn't have last another
day in that hospital. You get weary
being in the old soldiers home, old
soldiers and war stories. They wait
to tell you their last story; the
next morning the nurse pulls a
sheet over their face.
INT. DINING ROOM, JUNIOR'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Junior is putting up a new light fixture. Pat hands him a
tool. Rhonda is washing dishes in the kitchen.
PAT
He just leeches off your parents.
He is a master at wearing out
welcome.
JUNIOR
Harry is the kind of guy you would
love to take out in the woods and
leave under a rock.
PAT
Where does her get the power to
summon all his old raffish friends?
They all smell of moth balls.
Junior slips on the ladder and the wires touch. There is a
big spark. All the lights in the house go out.
INT. BABE BROTHER'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Linda is standing over the stove, sweating as she stirs a hot
pot of boiling soup.
Babe Brother and Harry are seated at the table playing cards.
Sunny is on the floor near his mother. Every time she move,
he follows her. Harry notices Sunny has his shoes on the
wrong foot and adds in a sarcastic way:
HARRY
How old is that boy?
Babe Brother looks at Sunny's shoe.
BABE BROTHER
Linda, how come you don't see that
Sunny puts his shoes on right?
LINDA
Why in the h...
Close to tears, she turns and with exaggerated care, puts the
spoon down and gently puts Sunny in a chair. She starts to
untie his shoes. Sunny stares at her while she keeps wiping
her eyes.
HARRY
Let's give Dry Bones a call to see
if he is coming or not. Okra likes
to exaggerate, keep you waiting all
night.
Harry slowly gets to his feet and goes in the other room to
use the phone. Linda watches him go. She is deep in thought.
Babe Brother, attempting to cut the roast before it is ready,
is pushed aside by Linda, who is almost out of control with
rage.
LINDA
Why don't you wait?
Babe Brother, attempting to forcibly cut a piece of roast,
slings Linda's arm away. His hand accidentally hits her in
the eye.
Linda grabs the fork, poised to strike, but gains control of
herself She looks like a person who is on the verge of having
a breakdown. She goes back to putting the shoes on Sunny.
Babe Brother, feeling sorry, doesn't know what to do. He
automatically picks up the fork and washes it off. Linda
picks up Sunny.
INT. DINING ROOM - BABE BROTHER'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Linda is standing at the door, with a red eye, welcoming
Harry's friends, which seem to be a long line of sickly
people.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Linda is busy serving everyone, running in and out of the
kitchen bringing more things, and removing used plates, etc.
Linda's eye is swollen and discolored. The guests look at
Linda's eye and then cast a naughty-boy glance at Babe
Brother.
Linda stops serving to pay attention to an elderly man, who
deliberately bends one of her spoons. She catches another man
putting a fork in his pocket and an elderly lady putting a
cigarette out in one of her plates.
As she is about to confront the man about pocketing her
spoon, a peal of LAUGHTER forces her to turn around only to
witness a lady knocking over a glass filled with a green
drink with her elbow. The stain spreads across the table
cloth in an even manner like a single wave. She watches it
move from one end of the table to the other.
Harry is seated in the middle. The composition hints at The
Last Supper.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Linda is reading a book to Sunny, who has his coffee can of
marbles emptied on the bed. The NOISE from the party in the
next room is clearly heard. Every time she hears something
CRASHING to the floor, she wrenches. Babe Brother comes in
and stands in the doorway. Linda's eye is still swollen.
BABE BROTHER
You okay?
LINDA
I'm okay. Go back to your friends.
Babe Brother closes the door and leaves Linda reading stories
of Brer Rabbit to Sunny. She stops reading to look at him
playing marbles on the bed. She smiles.
EXT. GIDEON'S HOUSE - DAY
Five weighty Women, dressed in church robes, and the Preacher
walk up Gideon's steps.
Suzie invites the church members in.
PREACHER
Sister, we've come to see how you
were doing. We came to ask if we
could pray over Gideon.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - DAY
Gideon is asleep. The church members gather around his bed.
The Preacher puts his hand on the foot of the bed and
discovers that there is something strange under the covers.
Suzie looks at him and lifts the covers at the foot of the
bed. Gideon's feet are resting on dead leaves.
SUZIE
I put some Plummer Christian Leaves
under his feet to draw the fever
out.
PREACHER
What else have you been giving him?
SUZIE
I crossed his stomach with cold oil
and gave him some cow tea.
PREACHER
Suzie, I would think you would
depend on prayer rather than these
old fashion remedies. Let us read
from the Bible.
The Preacher opens his Bible and reads silently. The choir
HUMS and begin to sway. Gideon's SNORING is very competitive.
The choir becomes louder. Gideon starts to TALK in his sleep.
Suzie is alarmed.
CLOSE UP GIDEON'S EAR.
THE SOUND OF A TRAIN WHISTLE IS HEARD.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. PHOTO STUDIO, 1930 - DAY (DREAM EFX)
A lady steps upon the stage which has different backdrops.
She is the same lady in a photo that Gideon has hanging in
one of the kid's rooms. The photographer, who is off-screen,
asks about the background.
PHOTOGRAPHER (O.S.)
What scene would you like in the
background?
LADY
Something pleasant.
PHOTOGRAPHER (O.S.)
We have plantations.
The woman shakes her head.
PHOTOGRAPHER (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Natchez, cotton fields, Harlem,
sunflowers, the Mississippi River.
LADY
Put the river behind me.
A large picture of the Mississippi appears behind the lady.
It changes from a painted backdrop to a moving picture. There
is a storm developing off in the distance. The SOUND of
thunder is heard. The picture in the background then changes
to a boy on a mule.
EXT. WET DIRT ROAD - DAY (RAINING) (DREAM EFX)
The boy on the gray mule doesn't have a shirt on. A light
mist like rain covers him. Gideon walks along the picket
fence towards the boy on the mule.
Ahead of Gideon seems to be a puddle but as he approaches, he
discovers that it is an abyss. The boy and the mule on the
other side fade away. Everything FADES TO BLACK.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - DAY
The Preacher turns a page in the Bible. Gideon has his mouth
open like a fish trying to get air. The Choir continues to
SING. The Preacher gets down on his knees and holds Gideon's
hand; he bows his head. The Choir stops singing. The Bessie
Smith recording of "Muddy Water" is coming from somewhere in
the house. The Preacher looks around. Suzie is more puzzled.
She goes to find where the music is coming from.
INT. HARRY'S BEDROOM - DAY
Suzie knocks on the door. No one answers. She peeps in. No
one is in the room.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM
The Preacher and the choir all have their hands on Gideon.
Suzie enters the room.
SUZIE
I don't know where that music is
coming from.
INT. JUNIOR'S HOUSE - DAY
Junior and Pat are helping Linda carry her baggage inside as
Sunny reluctantly follows. It is obvious that Linda has left
Babe Brother.
SUNNY
I want my daddy.
JUNIOR
Boy, hush that noise and get in
this house. Make haste.
SUNNY
I want my daddy; I told you.
JUNIOR
Rhonda, drag him in here. If you be
nice, I will take you to
Disneyland.
Pat, Linda and Junior put the suitcases down.
PAT
Now you don't have to say anything
if you don't want to.
JUNIOR
I want to hear what happened. My
brother is a jackass and a damn
fool. The both of you have been as
scarce as hen's teeth.
Linda looks down, embarrassed.
PAT
Rhonda, take Sunny in the backyard.
Take a bowl so you can pick some
strawberries. Sunny will enjoy it.
Rhonda and Sunny leave. Pat turns on Junior about talking bad
about Babe Brother and Linda in front of Sunny.
PAT
You shouldn't talk about the boy's
father in front of him. This is
family business and we have to pull
together.
JUNIOR
Whether the boy hears it or not,
the man is still a jackass.
Everyone should have some mother
wit.
LINDA
Something just took control of him.
He stays out all night and comes
home with a pocket full of money.
PAT
It's probably Harry, but I hate to
mention his name, because every
time we say something about him
something bad happens.
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
Rhonda and Sunny are looking under a strawberry plant. Sunny
has strawberry stains around his mouth and on his shirt.
Rhonda is putting her strawberries in the bowl. After getting
a bowl full, they lay on the grass, eating strawberries while
looking up at the clouds slowly drifting by.
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
Babe Brother is driving along a country road while Harry,
sitting in the front seat next to him, yawns. Harry is tired.
HARRY
Let us walk awhile. I grow weary
when I sit still too long.
Babe Brother's car stops in an orchard-like area.
EXT. ORCHARD - DAY
Babe Brother and Harry get out of the car. They walk on a
path that takes them under low hanging tree limbs. It gets
darker as they go deeper into the orchard. Babe Brother finds
the going rough and loses his footing.
HARRY
Give me your arm lest you fall.
Harry has to help him stay on his feet. Babe Brother finds it
necessary to take Harry's arm. Babe Brother stops and Harry
walks a few more steps ahead and waits for Babe Brother. Just
ahead sitting on a branch is a huge white owl camouflaged by
tree branches.
BABE BROTHER
I could swear I heard my son call
me.
HARRY
You probably heard the wind
stirring up those dead leaves over
there.
BABE BROTHER
I heard his voice as clear as day.
I better get back. Maybe something
is wrong.
Babe Brother turns and starts hurrying back before Harry can
object. He walks slowly after Babe Brother who is doubling
the distance between himself and Harry as he runs through the
orchard to his car. Harry stops and looks around.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
Pat, Linda and Junior are seated at the table. The suitcases
are in the middle of the floor.
LINDA
I told Babe Brother that if Harry
sets foot in our house again, I'm
taking Sunny and leaving. Just as I
said that, here come Harry and his
old resurrected friends, hobbling
up the steps.
JUNIOR
Is that how you got that black eye?
PAT
Don't ask that.
LINDA
No, this was an accident.
JUNIOR
Sure.
LINDA
It was unintentional.
JUNIOR
Babe Brother reminds me of the
story of the man who wanted to be
sizable. He wanted to be tall but
what he was really short on was
brains. There was a time when
people had moon fever were treated
with leeches.
The phone rings and Junior goes to pick it up. Linda's and
Pat's attention is focused on the phone. Junior hands the
phone to Linda.
JUNIOR (CONT'D)
It's that nut of yours.
Linda hesitates but Pat takes the phone from Junior and puts
it in her hand.
LINDA
What do you want?
(beat)
No. Nothing happened to him.
Sunny and Rhonda enter. Linda turns to look. Sunny's hands
and face look bloody from eating strawberries. She puts the
phone down and examines his dirty face. Pat brings Linda a
wet towel.
INT. THE BAKERS' GARAGE - NIGHT
MR. BAKER, a well built black man in his late 40's, is making
a new fishing pole. He is very involved. Mrs. Baker is
standing beside him with her arms folded. She stares at him.
Mr. Baker glances at her.
MR. BAKER
What are you doing?
MRS. BAKER
Counting the gray hairs in your
head.
MR. BAKER
Counting the what? What does that
have to do with the price of
butter?
MRS. BAKER
I was just trying to make
conversation.
MR. BAKER
Where is Skip?
MRS. BAKER
He is in his pigeon cage.
MR. BAKER
I'm sorry he got those birds.
MRS. BAKER
You know the man next door is near
death.
Mr. Baker doesn't answer. He pauses for a moment of thought.
Mrs. Baker sees that she is not going to get a response from
her husband. She picks up an eyelet and Mr. Baker looks at
her as if to say, keep your hands off. She gets the message
and lays the eyelet back on the work bench.
MRS. BAKER (CONT'D)
He must have gotten rid of those
chickens. You don't hear them
crowing anymore... I kind of miss
it now.
Mr. Baker admires his pole. He looks very closely at the
details of his work.
Rodney comes in, polishing his horn. Mr. Baker's expression
changes as he watches Rodney out of the corner of his eye.
Mrs. Baker gives Rodney a motherly pat on the head. Rodney
puts the trumpet to his mouth.
MR. BAKER
Don't blow that thing in here. You
blow that thing when I'm at work.
EXT. STREET - DAY
There is a man lying on a bus bench with his belongings. A
spotted dog is standing guard next to the bench. The dog's
reflection is caught in a puddle of water. The dog has
circles and sixes painted over his body.
Old John taps on the bench with his pipe. The man lying on
the bench stirs and gives Old John a wave to indicate that he
is alright. Old John slowly gets his cart moving again.
EXT. JUNIOR'S HOUSE - DAY
Babe Brother drives around the block past Junior's house.
INT. JUNIOR'S HOUSE - DAY
Junior is at the window, looking out.
JUNIOR
Why doesn't he just park his car
and come in and apologize?
EXT. JUNIOR'S HOUSE - DAY
Babe Brother sits in his car with the windows up. Junior
tries to talk to him but Babe Brother will not roll down the
windows. He just stares at Junior, who is getting angry.
JUNIOR
Roll down the window and let me
talk to you.
Babe Brother only stares at him. Junior gets more violent and
starts to shake the car.
Pat calls from the doorway.
PAT
Stop it Junior!
INT. PREGNANT WOMAN'S ROOM - DAY
A woman is in a squatting position. Suzie and her aide are
holding the woman by the arms.
EXT. JUNIOR'S HOUSE - DAY
Rhonda is painting her fingernails. Sunny watches her. She
looks around to see if any adult is watching. She tries to
talk Sunny into letting her paint his nails. He refuses but
she tries to pull his hand towards her. He fights his way
free and stands up and kicks the bottle of nail polish over.
RHONDA
Mama, come see what Sunny did.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Suzie is sitting in a chair; her head is bent forward. Gideon
is TALKING in his sleep. She awakes and nods off again. Harry
sticks his head in.
HARRY
How is he doing?
SUZIE
As long as he keeps his throat
clear, he is able to get some rest.
HARRY
I made a fresh pot of coffee. Okra
and I thought you need a rest. I'll
stand guard. Okra wants to talk to
you anyway.
Harry helps Suzie to her feet.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Okra is painfully standing on his bad feet. He is in his
security-guard uniform, holding a bouquet of greens. As Suzie
comes in, Okra tries to stand upright at attention.
OKRA
I brought you these greens and some
salt meat.
SUZIE
That is very thoughtful of you. I
haven't had time to tend to my
garden like I should.
Suzie takes the greens and puts them on the counter. She
squeezes Okra's hand as a thank you. She pours him a cup of
coffee. Okra eases down into the chair. He crosses his legs
and starts massaging his feet.
Suzie get herself a cup of coffee and sits opposite him. She
stretches and tries to hold back a yawn. Okra looks at her in
a slightly desirous way.
OKRA
You know Gideon and I are lodge
brothers and it has always been a
policy to take care of the wives if
something happens to our brother.
SUZIE
You are very sweet, but Gideon has
already taken care of everything in
case something happens to him. He
has a policy.
OKRA
If you become a widow, you will
need someone around to fix the
whatnots. We like for the widow to
marry someone in the lodge. I know
Gideon ain't gone yet, but there
will be a lot of his old friends
coming around to get in line. I
just want you to consider this as a
kind of a conditional proposal, to
be first in line so to speak.
Suzie keeps herself under control; she tries to find words to
say. She stands up.
SUZIE
Excuse me. I have to go feed my
dog.
She turns the fire out from under the coffee pot and exits
the back door.
Okra unties his shoes and begins to massage his feet.
INT. BEDROOM / EXT. YARD - NIGHT
Harry is sitting by the bed, just visible through the window.
He seems restless.
EXT. GIDEON'S BACKYARD - DAY
There is only one hen left in the coop. The garden is full of
weeds. The sunflowers are bent by the force of the wind. A
bag is thrown over the fence.
The shadows of pigeons flying overhead race along the ground.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Two shadows on the wall are facing each other. The shadows
are the heads of two women, Suzie and Hattie.
HATTIE
You know Harry lied about how that
boy Hocker got kilt. And it was
Harry who saw Emory last before
they found him hanging over a levee
like someone would hang a hog.
SUZIE
I remember Harry always trying to
help someone. He got Lulla's
daughter out of trouble. He was
always running to the store for
someone who couldn't leave the
house.
HATTIE
Harry always shows his good side
and, like the moon, the other side
is black. Back home he always did
try to act like the colored
gentleman. I'm telling you Harry is
nothing but evil. I'm warning you --
you can't keep a wild animal as a
pet around children.
INT. HARRY'S ROOM - DAY
Harry has a plate of food in his hand. He stands facing
himself in the mirror, staring at himself while he eats. He
opens the door to leave but Sunny is in the hallway with his
back turned sweeping. Harry stares at him and decides to go
back in his room.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
SUZIE
You know Okra asked me to marry him
the other evening.
HATTIE
Rush your mouth, girl. No, he
didn't. He cannot be that big of a
damn fool.
SUZIE
I asked Harry about it. He didn't
own up to it. He said he didn't
know what got into Okra.
HATTIE
He's just raffish. Harry put him up
to it. Before evening sun sets, I
would have his belongings back on
Route 55, that old fox.
SUZIE
I can't accuse him just dry long
80.
HATTIE
Everybody who have been associated
with Harry end up with pennies over
their eyes.
SUZIE
What must I do?
HATTIE
If it was left up to me, I would
poison him.
INT. HALLWAY - DAY
Harry sees that it is safe to leave. He sees Sunny sweeping
in Gideon's room. Gideon is sound asleep. Sunny is sweeping
around the bed.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Harry comes in and Hattie and Suzie stop talking. Harry is
aware that he was the subject. The SOUND of the boy next door
playing his horn is heard.
HARRY
Good afternoon, ladies.
SUZIE
Good afternoon to you.
Harry waits for Hattie to respond but it is obvious that
Hattie isn't about to speak to him.
HATTIE
I'm going to check on Gideon.
Harry moves out of her way to let her go by. Hattie doesn't
even give him a glance. Harry continues to look at her as she
disappears into Gideon's room.
HARRY
As God is my witness, I have never
done anything to that woman.
SUZIE
You must have done something to
her.
HARRY
Since she has repented, all she
does is throw stones.
SUZIE
Hattie is a different person now.
HARRY
I don't make no bones about where
I'm going to spend eternity. I have
always been wild and you know that.
If you are made to feel half a man,
what do you think the other half
is?
SUZIE
I'm glad you brought that up as to
who you are. I have to know who is
in my house.
HARRY
You invited me.
SUZIE
Only if you are a good man, a
friend. Are you a friend?
Harry takes his time in looking for an answer.
HARRY
Like that boy next door playing
that his horn. If he was a friend,
he would stop irritating people,
but if he stops practicing, he
wouldn't be perfect in what he does
someday.
INT. HARRY'S BEDROOM - DAY
Hattie enters Harry's room. She goes through his things. She
reads one of his letters. As she walks over to the window
reading his letter, she steps on the plate, cracking it.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
SUZIE
I want you to leave.
Harry looks sad and suddenly a lot older as if what she said
has taken away some of his life.
HARRY
Okra, M.C. and Herman want to go
back home with me.
(beat)
Suzie, I'm not a bad fellow; I just
like to have a good time.
(beat)
M.C. is coming by to pick me up
tonight. I'll come back to get my
things. Well, I hope Gideon
recovers. You know I have an extra
picture of one of my sons that I
would like for you to put with
those baby pictures over your
dresser. It's better than being in
my dusty wallet with addresses and
names of people who are no longer
on this earth.
Suzie takes the picture. She seems as if she has doubts about
having asked Harry to leave.
HARRY (CONT'D)
I'll say my so-longs to Gideon
before I leave and I truly wish
that he will get well.
Suzie continues to look at the picture.
INT. HARRY'S BEDROOM - DAY
Hattie is reading Harry's letters when he appears behind her.
Hattie turns but is not surprised or concerned about Harry.
She hands him back his letters, looks at him for a moment and
goes. Harry looks down at the cracked dish.
INT. HERMAN'S HOUSE - EVENING (RAIN)
M.C. and Herman are packing. Okra is all dressed up with a
pair of Stacy Adams shoes that make his feet look
exaggeratedly long. Babe Brother and Harry are sitting at a
table playing blackjack. Okra picks up one thing at a time,
making the packing much harder. There is a stack of old dusty
78 record; Okra, trying to step over the records, kicks over
a box of mothballs that roll across the floor. Okra has to
step over boxes of toilet paper.
OKRA
Why did you buy so much toilet
paper?
M.C.
I got that on the job when I was a
janitor. They didn't pay me.
Harry picks up an old cigar box that falls opens. Dice,
shotgun shells, some spent .38 slugs and an old rusty knife,
a crab apple switch, land on the floor. Harry picks up the
knife.
HARRY
Whose old piece of knife is this?
HERMAN
That was my brother's knife.
Harry gives the knife to Babe Brother and signals him to put
it in his pocket.
The SOUND of the thunder has an unreal violence to it.
HARRY
I don't want to wear out welcome,
but you can stay in someone's heart
longer than you can stay in their
house. Come with us, boy. We are
going to have a good time.
BABE BROTHER
This would be a bad time for me to
leave.
HARRY
We are going where the action is.
Ain't that right, Okra?
(then back to Babe
Brother)
Let's play for a couple of bucks
unless you want to start off with
two bits and work our way up.
(beat)
What would you give to be rich?
Babe Brother humps his shoulder. Babe Brother looks at his
hand.
BABE BROTHER
Had Moms and Pops given me my share
of what was mine, I could have been
rich by now. Linda and I had it all
worked out.
Harry wins the first hand.
HARRY
I know your mind is on your wife
but you should never treat a woman
as an equal. You want to get your
wife back, get another woman, one
of those big hip women that will
ride you till you sweat.
Harry wins another hand. M.C. and Okra are still packing
while Herman is eating Argo Starch.
HARRY (CONT'D)
Double the stakes?
Babe Brother agrees but his thoughts are obviously somewhere
else. Harry studies his hand and looks at Babe Brother; he
puts down his hand. Babe Brother wins and is quite pleased.
The next series of hands are won by Babe Brother.
HARRY (CONT'D)
M.C., you ever heard of a real man
having one woman?
M.C.
No, lord!
HARRY
When one woman puts you out, you
have another to take you in. You
don't drive around without a spare
tire, do you? The more mules you
have hitched, the easier it is to
plough.
Harry loses another hand and Babe Brother suddenly has a pile
of money.
HARRY
Herman, let me borrow a few bucks.
Herman stand over him with a roll of bills and peels off
several.
HARRY (CONT'D)
Bless you. Bless you.
Herman is standing behind Babe Brother, SINGING to himself.
HERMAN
In the ground there is a hole and
green grass growing around the
hole. Now in the hole there is tree
and green grass growing all around
the tree. Now there is a hole in
the ground, a tree in the hole and
green grass growing around the
hole.
HARRY
Let me share something with you.
Harry stops and thinks for a while.
HARRY (CONT'D)
Hattie is a snake. That woman broke
up so many homes and caused a lot
of misery and because she calls
herself getting religion everything
is put right.
Okra is taking several shotguns out of the closet.
OKRA
These damn things are unloaded,
ain't they?
HARRY
It's important to know the
difference between the incoming
fire and the outgoing fire. As Amos
and Andy might say, "We is the
outgoing fire." Come with us, son.
We'll show you some steaming hot
juke joints, steaming hot women.
M.C.
A pot full of chitlins and a good
time.
BABE BROTHER
Let me go by the house first.
HARRY
We will wait for you as long as we
can. I got to get my things from
your mother's house.
Babe Brother hurries out. M.C., Herman and Okra flop down in
chairs and on the bed and look at their watches.
Harry sits at the table tapping out a rhythm on the table and
WHISTLING very softly to himself. Suddenly Harry sees that
Babe Brother left the pile of money on the table. A look of
concern comes over his face.
EXT. GIDEON'S HOUSE - NIGHT (RAIN)
It is raining hard. Babe Brother gets out of the car. Running
to get out of the rain, he slips and falls; he tries to get
up but slips and falls again. He gets up and walks slowly up
the steps as if he doesn't care whether he gets wet or not.
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
Suzie helps him to take his wet coat off. She goes into the
kitchen, puts his coat in front of the stove. The knife falls
out. She picks it up and looks at it like she would throw it
away but Babe Brother takes it.
BABE BROTHER
I need to get my suitcase out of
the garage.
SUZIE
What for?
BABE BROTHER
I'm going back home with Harry.
SUZIE
I've heard some foolish things in
my life.
BABE BROTHER
Harry is coming to pick me up.
SUZIE
Have you lost your mind? Have you
thought about your wife and child,
not to mention your sick father?
And I need your help to move his
bed from under the leak in the
ceiling.
BABE BROTHER
I'm busy.
SUZIE
Don't make me raise my hand to you.
You have to see for yourself that
you are going in the wrong
direction.
BABE BROTHER
Can't I be myself without you
jumping in with your right and
wrong? The world is not black and
white. Show me one perfect person.
If you can't, don't ask me to be.
SUZIE
I do have a right to ask you to be
a little bit better than me and
your father because we gave you a
better head start. You have no
right to complain to us about your
not having enough.
(forcefully)
You sit right there with your no
manners self.
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT (RAIN)
Junior is carrying a roll of roofing paper. Pat, Rhonda,
Linda and Sunny run to the porch to get out of the rain.
Junior stacks the roofing paper in the corner of the porch
and stamps the mud off his shoes.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
Junior, Pat, Linda and Rhonda come in to help Suzie move the
bed from under the rain dripping through the hole in the
ceiling.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (RAIN)
Sunny stands in the doorway watching his father sharpen his
knife that he got from Harry. Babe Brother is unaware that
his son is watching him.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
JUNIOR
Where is Babe Brother?
SUZIE
Brother is in the kitchen.
JUNIOR
How come you didn't ask Babe
Brother to help you?
SUZIE
He said he was busy. He is mad
'cause he wanted to get in the
garage to get his things so he
could go with Harry.
Linda has a surprised look on her face.
JUNIOR
So he is busy?
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (RAIN)
Babe Brother is preoccupied sharpening his knife with a
sharpening stone. He is almost in a trance. Junior comes in
rather angrily. Sunny goes and sits in the shadows in the
dining room.
JUNIOR
Why in the hell didn't you help
mama?
BABE BROTHER
I told her I would if she would
give me time.
JUNIOR
I bet you if your master would have
told you to fix the hole in the
roof, you would have rebuilt the
whole damn house.
BABE BROTHER
You always got the best of it
around here and when Dad always
talks about my son, it is always
you, so you fix the roof.
JUNIOR
That is a damn lie and you know it.
Every time father asks you to do
something, you either half-ass do
it or run off and hide. Mama asked
you to turn the dirt in her garden
and you told her, with your smart
ass self, that you weren't a
farmer; get Junior to do it. Every
time someone asks you to do
something, you always say, tell
Junior to do it. Boy, you ought to
grow up.
BABE BROTHER
I told you about calling me boy. I
ain't no boy. See, you and Dad got
a bad habit of calling me boy. You
call me boy in front of my wife.
You think I'm going to fix the
roof? I hope the wind blows the
whole damn thing off and it pours
down rain.
JUNIOR
I ought to break your damn neck.
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
Sunny is sitting in a chair listening to his father and uncle
argue in the kitchen. A car outside passes and the lights
from the car form a crochet-like moving pattern on the wall
behind him. Sunny is only lit for a moment.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (RAIN)
Babe Brother starts gathering up his things to leave.
BABE BROTHER
I'm leaving and don't even call me
when the shoe falls 'cause all he
did for me was to try and run my
life. I'm tired of people saying
Babe Brother this, Babe Brother
that. What's my name?
JUNIOR
You dumb ass, it's Babe Brother.
BABE BROTHER
My name is Sam. Samuel.
Babe Brother attempts to get up but Junior pushes him down.
JUNIOR
Sit down!
Babe Brother hits Junior on the jaw, driving him backwards,
causing the overhead lamp to sway violently.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
Suzie, Pat and Linda hear the noise coming from the kitchen
and rush to see what is going on.
INT. KITCHEN - RAINY NIGHT
Babe Brother and Junior are both reaching for the knife.
Junior is on top of Babe Brother, who is stretched out on the
table trying to reach the knife. Junior grabs the knife first
and Babe Brother flips over to defend himself. Babe Brother
grabs Junior's wrist as Junior tries to push the knife
against his throat.
Suzie comes in and grabs part of the knife with her hand and
Junior's wrist with her other hand. Pat and Linda try to pull
the two men apart while pleading with Junior.
Blood drips from Suzie's hand to the table, forming a pool
under Babe Brother's head.
PAT
Stop it! Stop it! Look what you are
doing!
Babe Brother's eyes are rolled to the back. Junior's eyes are
huge; he has an animal look on his face. The SOUND of
struggling people breathing heavily is amplified. The pool of
blood on the table grows larger.
Junior slowly becomes aware of the blood and his body
relaxes. He calmly releases the knife.
Junior takes his mother's hand.
JUNIOR
Someone get some lard out of the
ice box.
Pat attempts to get the lard but pain in her stomach forces
her to sit down. Linda gets the lard out and hands it to
Junior. Babe Brother raises himself. The blood from Suzie's
dripping from his head. Rhonda is trying to hold Sunny back.
Junior holds his mother's hand under the faucet. It is a deep
cut. The bleeding won't stop.
Pat is sitting at the blood-stained table unable to move. She
is PANTING, sweating, and holding her stomach. Linda is
caught between trying to help Suzie and attending to Pat.
Babe Brother helps to make a wad of cloth to press in her
hand to Stop the bleeding.
LINDA
You are going to need some
stitches. We better take her to the
emergency hospital.
Babe Brother is shamefully calm now and very humble.
BABE BROTHER
I'll drive her to the hospital.
JUNIOR
We will take her. You all stay here
and watch Dad.
LINDA
What about Pat?
PAT
I'm okay now.
Suzie attempts to go see Gideon but Babe Brother and Junior
turn her to the door. Going through the kitchen door, Junior
intentionally turns his back to Babe Brother. Babe Brother
stares at Junior's back as he walks ahead.
INT. HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY RECEPTION ROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
The automatic doors open and Junior, Babe Brother and Suzie
enter. There is a long line of people waiting at the
registration window as well as groups of people filling out
forms. Other patients are seated and waiting patiently to see
the doctor.
Suzie finally gets to the registration window. A NURSE,
white, 25, with extremely long fingernails that curve back
around, is surprisingly sympathetic.
NURSE
What sort of emergency are you here
for?
SUZIE
I cut my hand.
NURSE
Let me take a look at it.
Suzie puts her hand through the window. The Nurse stands up
to get a better look. The Nurse takes the wad out of her
hand. The bleeding has stopped.
The Nurse takes a deep breath. The Nurse glances up to notice
the blood stains on the back of Babe Brother head.
NURSE (CONT'D)
Are you all together?
JUNIOR
Yes.
NURSE
The bleeding has stopped but it
will need stitches. You will have
to fill out this form. How will
this be covered, insurance, cash or
check?
JUNIOR
Don't worry about it. It will be
paid. Just let her see a doctor.
SUZIE
I have Medicare.
The Nurse hands Suzie a form, but Babe Brother takes the
form. The Nurse looks again at Babe Brother's head.
NURSE
Do you need to see the doctor too?
BABE BROTHER
No, just my mother.
Babe Brother fills out the form with Suzie's help and hands
the form back to the Nurse.
They find a seat all together.
DISSOLVE:
INT. HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY RECEPTION ROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
The room slowly fills with people and Babe Brother and Junior
offer their seats to those there for medical care.
DISSOLVE:
INT. HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY RECEPTION ROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
Two Police Officers bring in a man handcuffed to a bed. The
woman officer carries a shotgun. The male police officer
carries a clip board. The Prisoner is obviously in no
condition to escape or cause trouble. They are allowed to go
directly to the emergency room without waiting.
DISSOLVE:
INT. HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY RECEPTION ROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
More injured people come but in spite of their condition they
are told that they have to wait. There is only standing room.
Junior and Babe Brother are standing next to the wall.
On the other side of the room, Suzie is looking quietly at
them as if she is in deep thought.
Junior walks over to the reception desk.
JUNIOR
Why is it so crowded?
NURSE
Well, it is Friday night and a full
moon.
Junior whispers to Babe Brother. They both start to laugh.
Suzie looks up and finds them in a fit of laughter. A faint
smile appears on her face.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
Gideon is slowly getting up. He looks around. He calls for
Suzie. He slowly gets to his feet.
GIDEON
Suzie, I'm hungry.
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT (RAIN)
He walks by Linda, Pat, Rhonda, and Sunny, who are sleeping
in chairs, on the floor and on the sofa.
GIDEON
Suzie.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (RAIN)
Gideon opens the refrigerator and starts taking out bowls of
food and placing them on the table. He puts on a pot of
coffee.
GIDEON
Suzie.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (RAIN) (LATER)
Gideon is busy eating almost everything in sight. A group of
mystified and sleepy faces appear at the door. Pat, Linda,
Rhonda and Sunny are all looking rather dumbfounded.
EXT. BACKYARD - MORNING
Everything is wet from the night's rain. The garden looks
more like a graveyard. Moisture drips from the sunflowers.
Gideon's nervous looking rooster jumps the fence and starts
to CROW.
Skip is out early throwing rocks at his birds. The rocks land
on Gideon's roof.
EXT. HOUSE - MORNING
Babe Brother and Junior help Suzie out of the car. She has
her left hand bandaged. They are extremely exhausted. They
walk up the porch to find Harry holding the door open.
HARRY
I can't believe what I heard took
place.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
On seeing Suzie, Sunny jumps up, knocking the can of marbles
over the kitchen floor. He runs to give Suzie a hug. Sunny
wants to touch her bandaged hand, but Linda stops him.
SUZIE
How is Gideon doing?
RHONDA
He is asleep now, but he was up all
night eating.
As Suzie goes to Gideon's room, she comes face to face with
Harry. She doesn't say anything.
HARRY
I came to pick up my things.
INT. GIDEON'S BEDROOM - DAY
Gideon is SNORING loudly. On the night-stand is a plate with
food left on it. Suzie feels his forehead.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
Harry sadly gets up. He looks at Babe Brother. Linda steps in
front of Babe Brother.
LINDA
You ought to go see how your father
is doing and then wash that blood
off you and change shirts.
Babe Brother is surrounded by Linda and Sunny who has his
eyes fixed on Harry. They move as one heading for the
bedroom.
Harry seems a lot older. He sadly walks towards the kitchen
with his coffee cup.
LOW ANGLE SHOT: Harry is slowly walking towards the MARBLES
that are scattered over the kitchen floor.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Pat, Linda, Junior, Rhonda, Babe Brother, Sunny and Suzie are
all standing around waiting for Gideon to wake up.
SUZIE
Gideon.
Gideon's only response is to SNORE louder.
PAT
How long is Harry going to hang
around?
Babe Brother is in a corner all by himself. He looks down
when Pat asks the question about Harry.
A loud CRASHING SOUND comes from the kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Harry is trying to raise himself from the floor. He pauses
for a moment and then collapses. Harry is in a lot of pain.
Harry's body contorts and then remains still.
Babe Brother, Junior, Pat, and Linda, Suzie run in. Suzie
tries to see if he is alive. Babe Brother tries to give him
mouth to mouth resuscitation but Linda pulls him away. Junior
tries to push down on Harry's chest.
Babe Brother stares down at Harry and then goes slowly back
into the living room. Pat is on the phone dialing the
paramedics. Everyone stands around Harry.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Two PARAMEDICS work on Harry. One of the paramedics is a
young Asian. The other is white with red hair. They listen
for a heart beat and shake their heads in a negative manner.
They pack up their medical case. The Asian's accent is very
difficult to understand.
WHITE PARAMEDIC
There is nothing we can do for him.
The Paramedics start to leave without the body.
JUNIOR
Well, aren't you going to take him
with you?
ASIAN PARAMEDIC
If he had died in our care, we
would be required to take him.
Since we found him dead, you will
have to wait for the county to pick
him up.
JUNIOR
How long will that take?
WHITE PARAMEDIC
That would depend on how busy it
is. I'm sorry.
DISSOLVE:
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Harry is stretched out on the floor. A blanket covers
everything except his shoes.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
Hattie, Marsh, Okra, Herman, and M.C. all come in. Marsh
looks cheerful.
MARSH
What happened?
JUNIOR
He slipped on some marbles that
were on the floor. Then his heart
gave out.
LINDA
(to Sunny)
I told you to always put those
marbles up and not to leave them
just anywhere.
PAT
The poor thing is not to blame.
Rhonda, take Sunny for a walk.
Marsh hands Rhonda several dollars.
MARSH
Here, go around to the store and
buy what you want.
HATTIE
Would anybody object if I take a
look at him?
HERMAN
I don't think Harry would like it.
Hattie goes over and pulls the blanket back. Okra, M.C. and
Herman hurry over to take a quick glance. They huddle behind
Hattie, peeping over her shoulder.
HATTIE
I never noticed how big his eyes
were.
DISSOLVE:
INT. BATHROOM - EVENING
Linda is helping Babe Brother wash Suzie's blood out of his
hair. She dries his hair with a towel. Sonny hands Babe
Brother a clean shirt, Gideon's shirt. He puts it on.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Gideon is sitting on the edge of his bed looking through the
scraps of leftovers on his plate. He puts his pants on. As he
moves about, his joints SNAP and POP. He picks up the empty
plate.
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT
Babe Brother is on the phone with the county morgue. He gets
into an argument with the people on the other end of the
phone.
BABE BROTHER
Mister... Mister... Excuse me for
cutting you off but we pay taxes
too. We should not have to pay you
to take a 24-hour lunch break.
Babe Brother hands the phone to Linda.
BABE BROTHER (CONT'D)
The coroner said that he was out
here, and knocked on the door and
no one was here.
Junior steps over the body, holding a pot of coffee in his
hand.
The Preacher is sitting with Suzie talking in a low voice.
Pat, Rhonda and Sunny come in with boxes of chicken snack.
Linda hangs up the phone.
LINDA
He doesn't know when he will be out
this way again. Somebody downtown
is going to hear about this.
M.C.
They just do that in the colored
neighborhood. If he had been white,
they would had him on his feet and
out of here.
PAT
I got white meat and I got dark
meat. I know it sounds cruel but we
have to eat.
Gideon comes in walking very slowly, holding his plate out.
Everyone is shocked. Gideon is completely unaware of the
period that he has been sick.
GIDEON
What, are you having another party?
SUZIE
You better come sit down. You are
still sick.
GIDEON
Gal, you're talking to John Henry.
When was I sick?
JUNIOR
You have been out for almost three
weeks.
The Preacher gives him a pat on the back and shakes Gideon's
hand.
PREACHER
We had long conversations with the
Lord about you. Didn't we, Sister
Suzie? I said we need him down
here, Lord.
Gideon smiles in appreciation. He pushes his plate out to
Pat, indicating that he wants it filled with chicken. Gideon
is about to bite into the chicken when he notices Harry's
feet sticking out. He points with the chicken in his hand. He
has a mystified look on his face.
OKRA
That's our friend Harry.
GIDEON
Not our Harry?
OKRA
I wish it wasn't.
Gideon seems to weaken for a moment.
GIDEON
What happened to him?
HATTIE
He dropped dead.
HERMAN
Hattie, you can be so mean.
GIDEON
How long has he been dead?
SUZIE
Since this morning.
GIDEON
What happened to your hand?
SUZIE
I cut it on an old rusty knife.
Gideon is deeply concerned.
GIDEON
What did you put on it?
SUZIE
It's healing now.
Gideon looks over at his two sons as if to ask them about it.
GIDEON
I hope you will take care of your
mother better than that when I'm
gone.
Junior and Babe Brother both have their heads down. Linda and
Sunny move closer to Babe Brother.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
Babe Brother, is that my shirt that
you're wearing?
BABE BROTHER
Yes.
GIDEON
How come you're not wearing my
shoes?
BABE BROTHER
They're too big.
Gideon stares at Babe Brother and then looks around towards
Harry.
GIDEON
When is the undertaker coming?
LINDA
They can't say. I'll try calling
them again.
Hattie moves closer to Herman and speaks so only he can hear.
HATTIE
Why don't M.C. and you drag him to
your house?
Herman moves away with a look of disdain.
MARSH
Harry didn't have any relatives
living, did he?
M.C.
Harry was in the world by himself.
MARSH
Somebody has to take responsibility
for him.
PAT
Why don't you look through his
things to see if you can find a
number?
Okra, Marsh, Hattie, Herman, and M.C. go to Harry's room,
leaving Suzie and Gideon sitting opposite each other with the
door to the kitchen separating them. Junior, the Preacher and
Pat are eating chicken. Linda is on the phone trying to get
through to the morgue.
LINDA
How do you like that? They hung up
in my face. I'll fix them. I'll
show them just how mean I can get.
She rapidly dials the number. There is a BUSY SIGNAL.
LINDA (CONT'D)
This has been a nightmare.
INT. BEDROOM - RIGHT
M.C. and Marsh are going through Harry's boxes. They take out
old blues records, books, a big Bible, and books on Dunbar.
MARSH
These are letters to his son.
Hattie reads the letters in a corner by herself. She stops
reading for a moment.
HATTIE
I still don't know if I was right
about Harry.
She seems frustrated with herself not being able to come to
terms about who was Harry.
EXT. FRONT YARD - NIGHT
A crowd of people are standing around looking at Gideon's
house.
INT. FRONT ROOM - NIGHT
The Preacher is sleep in his chair, SNORING loudly. Babe
Brother and Linda are sitting together, talking in almost a
whisper. Sunny is asleep in his lap. Babe Brother is finding
it difficult to apologize for his recent behavior.
BABE BROTHER
I have more sense than to give up
everything, my family, you and
Sunny. It wasn't me, I mean the
real me inside my body. I'm glad
it's over. It's like a veil has
been lifted.
LINDA
Like a veil has been lifted?
BABE BROTHER
It's like I've been swimming in
muddy waters.
LINDA
Like muddy waters?
BABE BROTHER
It was like all those things old
country people try to tell you what
hell is like.
LINDA
You were in hell?
BABE BROTHER
I couldn't believe the things I was
doing. It was like an internal
struggle going on inside my body.
LINDA
Do you think you won?
BABE BROTHER
It was nip and tuck.
LINDA
And what lesson have we learned
from all of this, Babe Br... Sam...
I mean Samuel?
BABE BROTHER
I guess it proves you really care
about me. You hung in there.
Linda looks at Babe Brother for a length of time.
GIDEON
When are you boys going to fix that
roof?
BABE BROTHER
Soon as I rest a bit.
(beat)
I meant as soon as we are back to
normal again, anytime.
GIDEON
Here I am thinking about myself
when poor Harry is resting on the
floor of the kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Harry's body lies there motionless.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
The Preacher is SNORING violently.
Babe Brother is asleep on the floor. Sunny is asleep sitting
on Linda's lap. Linda's feet rest on Babe Brother's chest.
Junior and Pat are looking at the baby pictures. Pat is
holding her hand across her stomach feeling the baby kick.
Rhonda is asleep in a chair.
Suzie and Gideon are sitting at the dining room table. Suzie
is cutting the dead leaves off of a small potted plant.
SUZIE
It feels like a storm has passed...
Hattie read some of Harry's letters
to a woman he had a child by. The
child had died and he was writing
to give her some comfort. Hattie
didn't know that deep down at the
bottom of Harry's hate, there was
some love.
The SOUND of Rodney's trumpet is heard but is no longer
irritating.
GIDEON
Did I ever tell you the story about
the man who wanted to make his own
mind up about heaven and hell? He
didn't want nobody's opinion but
his own.
Suzie doesn't pay any attention; she is involved with her
potted plant. Gideon looks over at the Preacher, who is still
asleep.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
He's going to check out heaven
first. He gets a round trip ticket
to heaven. He gets in heaven and
finds it just like back home.
People dripping with sweat, working
in the fields, hardly surviving. He
asked a man who was getting a drink
of water, "I thought the streets
were paved with gold." "They are
but you won't see them," he said.
"Boy, you got to work day and night
cause idleness is sinfulness." So
he takes the other half of his
ticket and takes the express to
hell. He sees people stretched out
on their backs kicking back,
picking their teeth. "Man, this is
a dream." He asked, "What's you'll
doing?" They all hollered back,
"Sinning." The devil was shaking
hands with everyone and came up to
him and said, "Please to meet you."
He asked, "I thought you'll was
supposed to be burning in fire."
Someone said, "Man, ain't no fire
down here except under that pot of
chitlins." The man was going go ask
the preacher back on earth...
SUZIE
I don't want to hear any joke about
colored people being in hell.
You're being irreverent.
GIDEON
I'm almost finished. I'm about to
come to the punch line.
SUZIE
I don't want to hear any tales
about colored people...
GIDEON
But these are white people,
anybody. The punch...
SUZIE
I don't care to hear any jokes
about people being in hell. This
cut on my hand reminds me that it
is nothing to laugh at.
GIDEON
It's only a tale.
The RATTLING of pots and dishes starts suddenly. Harry's body
starts to sway gently as if he were about to get up.
Everyone is frozen. Babe Brother and Linda remain asleep. The
rocking caused by the earthquake doesn't wake them.
M.C., Herman, Okra and Hattie and Marsh enters the dining
room. Harry's feet are seen in the kitchen still swaying.
M.C
Is that an earthquake?
HERMAN
It's something.
Babe Brother wakes in a sweat and sits next to Linda like a
child needing protection.
BABE BROTHER
I'm cold. I need to get out into
the sunlight.
JUNIOR
What is it, noontime?
PREACHER
I wonder how they going to bury
this man.
HATTIE
Plant him in Potter's Field. He
doesn't need a marked grave.
HERMAN
Hattie, your true colors are
unbearable. You got some mean ways.
Don't worry about the boy getting a
burial. He still has some friends
left on this earth.
HATTIE
His winter has come and gone and I
know right now he is answering for
a lot of things.
M.C., Okra and Herman move away from Hattie.
PREACHER
It is my job to pray for his soul
and I would like to do that.
EXT. GIDEON'S HOUSE - DAY
Rhonda is sitting next to Sunny on the front porch. She has
an angry expression. Sunny is trying to please her by
offering her his airplane.
He pushes the airplane near her and she pushes it back with a
violent shove. He persists in offering her his airplane.
A crowd of people is still standing around in front of
Gideon's house.
MAN
Hey boy, you still got that dead
man in your house.
Sunny and Rhonda don't respond. A middle-aged woman,
VIRGINIA, one of Gideon's neighbors, passes Sunny and Rhonda,
knocks on the screen door and goes in.
INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY
VIRGINIA
I know you all haven't had a chance
to cook or do anything with that
dead man in your kitchen. You must
be starved to death. Some of your
neighbors have got together and we
set up a picnic table in my
backyard with food and everything
to feed all you all.
SUZIE
Virginia, that is so wonderful of
you all!
MARSH
If the dead wagon comes, we ought
to leave a note telling them we'll
be down the street at a picnic.
Gideon comes back in with Suzie, who is helping tie his tie.
They all line up and file out the front door with Suzie and
Gideon leading the way. Pat is holding her stomach with a
thoughtful look on her face.
PAT
I think we better be ready.
Junior looks concerned as he follows Pat out the door. Sunny
follows Rhonda, who is still mad at him. Babe Brother and
Linda are the last ones out. Babe Brother takes a long look
in the direction of Harry as Linda pulls him out. She slams
the door.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Harry's body lies on the floor. On the kitchen sink are
Suzie's jars of cuttings, which have developed a maze of
roots.
THE END