American History X Page #17

SETH:

What?

CAMMERON'S POV. A large, mature and sharp-looking BLACK

MAN helps A BEAUTIFUL BLOND out of a RED BMW. THEY KISS.

Cammeron is at a loss for words. Cam puts out his

cigarette as the couple ENTERS.

CAMMERON:

(looking at the two)

Is there anything sacred in this

country anymore? Jesus Christ. Hey.

Stop feeding your face for a second

and look behind you.

Seth turns his head and stares at the interracial couple.

He turns back to Cam and sings a verse from the famous

atevie Wonder song, EBONY AND IVORY. Cameron laughs.

The black man turns and looks at the two.

CAMMERON:

Can we help you with something? Do

you have any questions about the menu?

BLACK MAN:

No questions.

CAMMERON:

I recommend either the "Big Ben

Burger" or the "Chicken Taco Special."

Ben'll replace the dark meat with the

white meat if you ask nicely.

BLACK MAN:

(fed up)

What's your problem, pal?

CAMMERON:

I ain't your f***ing pal first of all.

Secondly...I don't have problems.

People who luck with me have problems.

WHITE GIRL:

Come on. Let's get out of here.

CAMMERON:

Hey! What a great idea! You got a

clever little whatever it is there.

I'd listen to it if I were you.

BLACK MAN:

You're not me.

CAMHERON:

(smiling)

And I thank God Almighty every day for

that, believe me.

SETH:

Excuse me? Tyrone?

BLACK MAN:

My name's not Tyrone either.

SETH:

Whatever. Why can't you stick to your

own race?

WHITE GIRL:

(disgusted)

Jesus Christ! Where do you a**holes

come from?!

CAMMERON:

What the luck difference does it make

where we come from, b*tch? I'm from a

place called America. A place that

used to be a nice place to live before

it became f***in' Africa-America.

BLACK MAN:

You ignorant mother--

Seth quickly gets out of his chair and makes his gun

totally visible to the couple.

SETH:

You got a f***in' death wish, a**hole?

Do you? Make your move now if you do.

If you don't...get the luck out of my

sight. Cause I'm real close to

shoving my piece up your girlfriend's

stinky p*ssy.

The black man stares at the gun sticking out of Seth's

belly. He grabs his girlfriend and walks out of the

joint. Seth sits back down and the two laugh. Cameron

looks over at Ben and raises his hands in the air.

CAMMERON:

(smiling)

Everything's hunky dory, Ben! No

problemo. Only us white folk.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - A DIGITAL CLOCK

It reads 2:
36 a.m. Shiftless Derek lifts a sleeping

Danny off the computer keyboard. He helps him into the

bottom bunk, tucks him in, and watches him snooze.

DEREK:

(softly)

Did you "save" it?

An asleep Danny nods. Derek slowly walks back into the

bathroom to grab his towel off the floor. He looks at

his SWASTIKA TAT in the mirror and sighs to himself. He

turns off the light and exits.

CUT TO:

INT. BURGER JOINT - SETH AND CAMMERON

Seth finishes his display of gluttony.

CAMMERON:

It wouldn't irritate me so much if the

ratio was a little more even.

SETH:

What's that?

CAMMERON:

(going mad)

Ebony and Ivory back there! Almost

all of those orange kid relationships

are black man and white women and I'm

f***ing sick of seein' it! I wouldn't

mind so much if it were more even.

SETH:

Huge d*cks, Cam. That's all it is.

CAMMERON:

I used to think that too but...it's

gotta be more, man. It has to be more

than the fact they they carry a big

load. Chicks aren't that shallow, are

they? It's politically correct...

that's what it is. White

women...bein' seen with the

coloreds...it's great for their image.

B*tches today want to be known as

bein' f***in' color blind.

SETH:

They get off on it.

CAMMERON:

And you can't really blame Tyrone.

SETH:

Why the f*** not?

CAMMERON:

Well...how'd you like to drag around

some fat fly girl? I wouldn't.

SETH:

No sh*t.

(imitating)

Oh go girlfriend! Don't be puttin' up

wid dat, girl! Oh stop girl!

Seth and Cammeron laugh and head outside--leaving a mess

on the table.

EXT. ACROSS THE STREET - THE CHEROKEE FROM EARLIER

The white vehicle gets passed by cars left and right.

INT. CHEROKEE - HENRY'S POV

Henry sits up front with JEROME, nervous and scared. The

three thugs in back lock and load.

LITTLE HENRY:

You gonna waste 'em?

JEROME:

Only if we have to.

Jerome grabs a baseball bat and they quietly get out.

INT. VAN - TIGHT ON LITTLE HENRY

Me bites his nails and watches the foursome sneak up on

an oblivious Seth and Cammeron.

EXT. GRAVEL PARKING LOT - HENRY'S POV

The men close in. Seth and Cam are blind to it. Jerome

raises the bat as they close in and we--

FADE TO:

INT. BATHROOM - EARLY MORNING - BIRDS CHIRPING

Danny stares at himself in the mirror and tries to find

some stubble on his chin.

INT. BEDROOM - A SLICK DEREK

He stares into the mirror in a coat and pants. Danny

rushes to get his things together.

DANNY:

I'm printing it up and we're out of

here.

DEREK:

Hurry up.

Derek walks out into the living room.

INT. MESSY LIVING ROOM - DORIS

She's on the couch watching cartoons. She takes a jar of

Vick's Vapor Rub and puts some on her chest. Derek walks

in the room, bends over and kisses her on the forehead.

Davina sits on the couch and writes. Derek just smiles.

DORIS:

Wow. What happened?

DEREK:

I gotta see my parole officer.

DAVINA:

Hey Der? Do you have Excel on disk?

DEREK:

I've got everything on disk.

Davina smiles and walks into the back bedroom. Doris

looks at Derek.

DORIS:

You look good.

Derek smiles and caresses his mother's cheek.

DEREK:

We're getting out of here soon. Is

that okay with you?

DORIS:

I'd love it.

(after a beat)

Do you think I should color my hair?

DEREK:

Yes.

He sits beside his mother and enjoys the moment. He

thinks to himself.

DORIS:

I'm glad you made it back. I wasn't

too sure I was going to see you again.

You know how I get.

Filled with regret, he nods.

DEREK:

You think you'll be able to forgive

me? Someday maybe?

DORIS:

You're my son. Of course I will.

Derek smiles and can't believe his tearful reaction.

DEREK:

Look at me. I'm such a p*ssy.

DORIS:

No you're not.

CUT TO:

EXT. VENICE BLVD. - A NEWSPAPER MACHINE

Derek plunks a quarter down the slot and removes a copy

of the LA TIMES. Danny continues to skate ahead of him.

Sensing danger, Derek looks back behind him. With no one

in sight, he walks into a doughnut shop.

INT. DOUGHNUT SHOP - DEREK'S POV

He takes a guarded look outside. Everything seems

normal. A bus drives by. A group of Mexican laborers,

dressed for work and smiling, walk past in the other

direction.

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