American History X Page #16

DEREK:

What for?

DENNIS:

A guy was shot yesterday in

Inglewood...changin' a valve on a

hydrant. LAPD is worried that more

firefighters will become targets.

That's what this bullshit is about.

(sipping his coffee)

A good father this guy was though and

now he's in intensive care because of

some goddamn--! They've pretty much

declared war on LAPD and us.

DORIS:

Why you guys though? I can see them

but the fire department?

DENNIS:

They think we would rather let a

building burn down over there than

fight it. So now we got two fights

goin' on at one goddamn time.

Dennis takes a bite of his eggs and explodes.

DENNIS:

(to the bedroom)

Dayins! Get in here!

DAVINA (O.S.)

I'm coming right now! Jesus!

DENNIS:

I'll tell you one more thing. This

"affirmative blaction" sh*t is driving

me up the f***ing wall. Firefighters

gettin' 99's on their tests while

rappers who score a goddamn 62 walk

away with the job.

DANNY:

Don't we have to have "affirmative

action?"

DENNIS:

Not when a job requires ability. No.

DORIS:

A lot of people say otherwise, Danny.

Including me.

DENNIS:

A lot of people don't know sh*t,

either.

Doris just stares at the back of her husband's head like

she wants to smack it. He turns back and disarms her

with a look.

DENNIS:

If I'm fightin' a brush fire...

surrounded by thousand degree

flames...who would I want watchin' my

back? A guy who scores a 99 or a guy

who scores a sixty?

(then)

You don't see half the NBA with

whites, gooks and spics.

DORIS:

Nooo...what you don't see are

minorities on the boards of Fortune

500 companies cause whites won't stand

for it.

DENNIS:

Doris! I'm tired of your damn

argument! You sound like an idiot!

DEREK:

Sweeney actually had a pretty good

take on affirmative action the other

day.

DENNIS:

(smiling)

Really? I didn't know you spoke

"African", Derek? Where'd you learn

that sh*t? Johannesberg?

Dennis laughs and Derek eventually smiles. Danny looks

at them, not really understanding. Doris stares down

Dennis.

DORIS:

Honey? Please don't speak that way.

They don't--

DENNIS:

How am I speaking, Doris!? Hunh?!

I'm speakin' fineP

(quickly to Derek)

Hey. Don't let that him confuse you

over there, Derek. Look at me. This

sh*t he's pulling is a load of crap.

Hey. Look at me, Derek. I mean it.

If we keep givin' n*ggers everything,

there'll be nothing left for us.

Derek and Danny stare at their father, not knowing how to

react.

DORIS:

You can be a stupid son of a b*tch

sometimes.

DENNIS:

And then we have naive fools like her.

DORIS:

I really hate you with a passion some

times.

An upset Doris exits the room past YOUNG DAVINA. Dennis

looks to Derek.

DENNIS:

You know what I mean though, right?

DEREK:

(nodding)

Yeah.

DAVINA:

(to the family)

Good morning.

She sits.

Her lips glare excessively this morning.

DENNIS:

Well...good morning, Miss Monroe!

(smiling)

Look at you. You look like a star.

DEREK:

I like that color, Davina.

DAVINA:

Thanks

DENNIS:

You did like it.

Dennis reaches over and wipes it off with his napkin.

DAVINA:

(whining)

Come on, Dad.

DENNIS:

Yeah. Well you're lucky I'm letting

you wear that crap on your eyes. I

love you but you're too young.

DAVINA:

That sucks, man.

DENNIS:

It totally sucks. And we all

sympathize with you, too.

Everyone laughs but Dan, still shaken over his mother.

DENNIS:

(Shifting to Danny)

You got practice today?

Danny shakes his head no.

DANNY:

Coach's sick.

DENNIS:

You wanna go to Der's game with me?

DANNY:

Sure.

DENNIS:

(quickly to Derek}

Santa Monica High tonight, right?

DEREK:

Yep.

DENNIS:

Perfect.

(to Danny)

Ben'll whip us up a couple of double

deckers and we'll head over.

DANNY:

(smiling)

Okay.

Dennis smiles, reaches over with a fatherly hand, and

messes up his hair.

BACK QUICKLY TO:

INT. BEDROOM - DANNY - PRESENT

He stops typing and almost cries. He leans back in his

chair and and stares himself in the side mirror. He

feels his bald head, almost exploring.

CUT TO:

EXT. BEN'S BURGER SHOP - LATE NIGHT

A white homeless man in an ARMY JACKET sits outside

begging for change. Seth and Cameron, both beat-up,

drunk and bloody, stare at the man.

HOMELESS MAN:

Spare change for a cheeseburger?

SETH:

Get a job and buy one why don't you.

HOMELESS MAN:

God bless you.

SETH:

F*** you.

Seth stumbles into the shop. Cam stares at the homeless

man, psychotically.

HOMELESS MAN:

Fifty cents is all I ask.

Vietnam, man.

I was in

CAMMERON:

Really? So you've had what? Thirty

years to get your sh*t together?

HOMELESS MAN:

All I want is something to eat.

CAMMERON:

There are plenty of f***in'

dishwashing jobs out there, Vietnam

boy. Go get yourself one.

In the background, BEN THE OWNER and Seth shake hands.

HOMELESS MAN:

Did I do something?

CAMMERON:

You're a disgrace to the white race.

If Adolf Hitler was alive...God bless

his soul...he would have you shot.

HOMELESS MAN:

F*** you then. Now and forever. F***

you.

Cameron knees the weaker man square in the face. The

man slopes down to his side, unconscious. As an

afterthought, Cameron kicks him several more times.

CAMMERON:

Noooo. F*** you.

QUICKLY TO ACROSS THE STREET. Little Henry and two of

his friends watch Cammeron's brutality from their bikes.

They turn in the opposite direction and hurry off.

INT. BURGER SHOP - CAMHERON AND SETH

CUT TO:

Seth eats a burger and chili fries at the same time.

Cameron smokes across from him and watches Seth eat like

a pig. He takes a look at the homeless man outside who

still lays motionless. Cam feels his BANDAGED FACE.

CAMMERON:

I think I need to go to the hospital.

SETH:

Seriously?

CAMMERON:

I don't know. I think so.

SETH:

Where's Stacey?

CAMMERON:

Who gives a f***?

Seth takes a bite and chews.

SETH:

Derek's a f***in' traitor p*ssy.

CAMMERON:

Well...we might be pussies too if we

got treated the way he did.

SETH:

What do you mean?

CAMMERON:

Stevie McCormick called...old school

Venice bro. He's at Chino...doin'

life. He hated Derek.

(exhaling)

Said he was a f***ing blow-up doll in

there.

SETH:

(overwhelmed)

F***ing A.

Seth continues to eat. Cammeron looks out the window and

hates what he sees.

CAMMERON:

Oh Christ. You gotta be kidding me?

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