Affliction Page #7

CUT TO:

EXT. MARGIE FOGG'S HOUSE - NIGHT

A wood frame house off the main drag. Snowing.

CUT TO:

INT. MARGIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Wade and Margie, post-coital:

MARGIE:

Jack's sort of sensitive, I guess.

More than most. But he'll be okay in

a few weeks.

WADE:

There's something funny about that

shooting. There's lots funny about

it, actually.

MARGIE:

I heard he was drunk at Toby's last

night and got in a fight with Hettie.

He drove off without her...

WADE:

I'm sure, I'm positive it didn't

happen the way Jack says it did.

MARGIE:

...Jack's turned into one of those

men who are permanently angry. He

used to be a sweet kid, but it's

like, when he found out he couldn't

play ball anymore, he changed. Now

he's like everyone else.

WADE:

I've been wondering if maybe Jack

shot Twombley, instead of Twombley

shooting himself. I've been wondering

maybe Jack shot him on purpose.

MARGIE:

Wade! How can you even think such a

thing? Why would Jack Hewitt do that,

shoot Twombley on purpose?

CUT TO:

EXT. ACCIDENT SCENE - DAY

Black-and-white. A further theory: Jack bends over the fallen

Twombley, holds a tarp to protect his chest from blood spray.

He shoots Twombley with his own gun.

CUT TO:

INT. MARGIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

WADE:

Money.

MARGIE:

Jack doesn't need money.

WADE:

Everybody needs money. Except guys

like Twombley and that sonofabitch

son-in-law of his. People like that.

MARGIE:

Jack wouldn't kill for it. Besides,

who would pay him?

WADE:

Lots of people. Guy like Evan

Twombley, Boston union official,

probably got lots of people want to

see him dead. The Government's been

investigating his links with the

Mafia.

MARGIE:

(laughs)

The Mafia hire Jack Hewitt?

WADE:

No, I just know Jack's lying about

what happened. He just seemed -- I

know that kid, what he's like inside.

He's a lot like I was at his age.

MARGIE:

You wouldn't have done anything like

that, shot someone for money.

WADE:

No. Not for money. But, if somebody'd

given me half a damned excuse -- I

was pretty f***ed up, you know.

MARGIE:

(smiles)

But not now.

Wade sits on the edge of the bed, sighs. Lapses into thought.

Margie caresses his back, kisses it. He winces.

MARGIE:

When you gonna get that tooth fixed?

Wade looks at her, brushes the hair off her face:

WADE:

I can see what you looked like as a

kid.

MARGIE:

You knew me as a kid.

WADE:

Yeah, but never what you looked like.

Not really. Never really studied

your face, like now. I was never

able to see you as a kid when you

were a kid until now, this way.

MARGIE:

What way?

WADE:

After making love. I like it. It's

nice to see that in a grown-up person.

MARGIE:

It's nice.

Wade walks naked to the kitchen, returns with two beers, one

for Marg. He gets in bed. She, thinking, sips:

MARGIE:

Don't you think, do you still think

it's a good idea to press this custody

thing -- just now?

WADE:

I'm her father -- supposed to be,

but I'm not able to. Yes. Yes, I am.

It may be the only thing in my life

I've been so clear about wanting.

Even if it takes a big fight.

MARGIE:

Then... I guess you have to.

WADE:

(silence)

There's another thing I've been

thinking about. I don't know how you

feel about the idea, Margie, because

we've never talked about it. But

I've been thinking lately, I've been

thinking we should get married

sometime. You and me.

MARGIE:

(uncertain)

Oh, Wade.

WADE:

I've been thinking about it, that's

all.

MARGIE:

You've been married twice --

WADE:

It was to the same woman. I was just

a kid...

(Marg looks)

It's not like a marriage proposal or

anything, just a thought. Something

for you and me to talk about and

think about. You know?

MARGIE:

Alright. I'll think about it.

WADE:

Good.

He kisses her. His jaw winces in pain.

CUT TO:

INT. WHITEHOUSE FARM - DAYBREAK (1964)

THE FLASHBACK CONTINUES:

Glen Whitehouse, plastered, yells at Wade, age 13:

POP:

I've got sons, Goddamnit, oh my God,

have I got sons! Wade? Rolfe?

Elbourne? You love me boys? Do you

love your Pop? Of course you do!

Wade, frightened, retreats as Sally enters in her housecoat.

SALLY:

Glen, stop --

POP:

Oh, Jesus, Sally, you are such a

Goddamned good person! Capital G.

You are so much better than I am, I

who am no good at all, you who are a

truly good person, like a f***ing

saint! Beyond f***ing com-pare.

Glen reaches for the Canadian Club; Sally tries to block his

hand. Glen pulls his arm from hers, clipping her cheek with

the bottle.

Sally gasps, grabs her cheek.

Wade pushes between them, protecting his mother.

POP:

My big boy bursting out of the seams

of his jeans!

Pop clenches his fist. Wade vainly looks Rolfe's direction

for help.

SALLY:

Don't!

POP:

You little prick!

Pop's fist comes crashing down. Wade raises his arms to

protect himself. Wade's arm bone CRACKS with the blow. Wade

grimaces in pain.

SALLY:

Glen, stop!

CUT TO:

EXT. MARGIE FOGG'S HOUSE - DAY

Margie gets into Wade's idling Ford.

CUT TO:

INT./EXT. WADE'S CAR - DAY

Wade, washed and changed, drives; Marg sits beside him. They

head north. Deer rifles echo from the woods.

MARGIE:

Did you tell them?

(no answer)

That we were coming?

WADE:

Don't you think it's proper for a

fella to introduce his girl to his

parents?

MARGIE:

I know your parents.

WADE:

I just want to pick up my divorce

papers. For the lawyer. It won't

take long.

CUT TO:

EXT. WHITEHOUSE FARM - DAY

Sun slants over Parker Mountain; they pull up. The house,

once white, is peeling. Polyurethane flaps over dark windows.

The 1960 red Ford pickup sits long frozen in the open barn.

MARGIE:

(getting out)

Are you sure they're home? Did you

call?

WADE:

The truck's here. Looks like they've

stayed inside since the snow started.

They stamp their feet on the porch; Wade turns the knob.

Locked. It seems abandoned.

WADE:

Strange.

MARGIE:

Think they're alright?

WADE:

Of course! I would've heard.

MARGIE:

How?

WADE:

I don't know for Christ's sake!

They round the house, try the back door. Wade knocks loudly.

GLEN WHITEHOUSE, 70, opens the door, stands inside. He wears

long underwear, stained woolen trousers, slippers.

CUT TO:

INT. WHITEHOUSE FARM - DAY

WADE:

Pop, Pop, you okay?

Glen shuffles toward the stove; they follow. He starts a

fire.

WADE:

Jesus, Pop, how can you stand the

cold, dressed like that? Where's Ma?

POP:

Sleeping.

WADE:

You remember Margie Fogg?

POP:

From Wickham's. Been a while. Like

some coffee?

WADE:

How you and Ma doing? Haven't seen

you in town for a while.

POP:

We're alright. Your Ma's sleeping.

You want me to get her?

WADE:

Yeah.

Pop goes to the bedroom.

WADE:

(to Marg)

Jesus. Nothing's changed around here.

Pop returns.

WADE:

Where's Ma?

POP:

She's coming.

MARGIE:

Have you been heating the house? Not

just with the stove.

POP:

There's a furnace.

MARGIE:

You're not using it today?

POP:

It's broke I guess. There's an

electric in the bedroom.

MARGIE:

Maybe Wade should take a look at it.

Your pipes'll freeze.

(Pop nods)

Wade, would you do that?

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