American History X Page #9

MURRAY:

Don't speak to her that way, Derek.

DEREK:

Murray, stay out of it. You're not a

member of this family and you never

will be.

MURRAY:

What the hell does that have to do

with anything?

DORIS:

(to Derek)

You know...sometimes it's hard to

believe I gave birth to you.

DEREK:

Give thanks to the food on the table

and then believe it, Doris.

DORIS:

We both put food on this table, fella.

DEREK:

True enough. The point is...if Dan

was walking across the street that

night and Rodney King plowed into him--

DORIS:

Can we forget about Rodney King for

chrissake?!

DEREK:

(fiercely continuing)

--while hopped up on Chivas and

P.C.P...you'd consider the force those

cops used to be justified!

DORIS:

He didn't hit anybody!

DEREK:

If he did though! If that shithead

killed Dan...you would have believed

the beating to be justified and so

would everybody else. But since he

didn't hit anyone...it's "Hands Across

America" for the son of a b*tch.

Derek takes a bite of food.

DEREK:

We are still so hung up in this notion

that we have an obligation to help the

struggling black man and all you

contribute to it! Lincoln freed the

slaves a hundred and thirty years ago!

Get off your f***ing asses!

STACEY:

I'm with you, honey. All the way.

It's one...giant...ploy.

DAVINA:

Here we go.

STACEY:

I mean...nobody likes Chief whatever

his name is, right?

DAVINA:

Gates.

STACEY:

Yeah. So here comes this filthy piece

of garbage in his Hyundai. He pulls

over in front of a perfectly lighted

area where a video camera is sitting

there...f***ing waiting for him, man.

What happens next? Chief Gates is

dust. It's total--

Davina drops her silverware on the plate with a clatter

and looks at her mother. Everyone stares at Davina.

DAVINA:

(to Doris)

May I be excused please?

DEREK:

Don't interrupt, Davina.

DAVINA:

I didn't interrupt sh*t.

DEREK:

The hell you didn't. I was listening

to Stacey and then I heard you.

That's called interrupting. Wait 'til

she's finished and you can be excused.

DAVINA:

Who the hell do you think you are?

Derek jumps up from the table and grabs her by the back

of the hair. The table JOLTS and plates tumble to zhe

floor.

DEREK:

You don't know when to shut up.

DORIS:

Dammit Derek!

MURRAY:

What are you trying to prove, man?!

Derek turns and laughs at Murray.

DEREK:

I'm trying to teach my sister some

respect, Murray.

DAVI NA:

Let go of my f***ing hair!

DEREK:

(to Murray)

See! See the way she speaks! Tell me

you're gonna shut up and I'll let go.

DORIS:

Derek! Let go of her hair and sit

down!

DEREK:

I will when I hear an answer, Doris.

Are you going to shut up, Davina?

TIGHT ON DANNY. He gets up quickly and tries to pull

Derek off. Derek turns and cracks Danny in the face with

a BACKHAND, dropping him back into a cabinet. A crystal

vase with flowers crashes to the floor, just missing

Danny's head.

MURRAY:

Jesus!

DEREK:

(to Danny)

What are you thinkin'?

DORIS:

Danny?! Are you okay?!

Danny nods his head as everyone looks at Derek.

DEREK:

It's a real easy question, Davina. A

simple yes or no will suffice. Tell

me what I want to hear and I'll let

go.

DAVINA:

F***...you.

Derek takes a piece of roast beef off her plate and

shoves it in her mouth. Me holds the whole piece inside

so she can't spit it out. Davina cries as she chokes on

the meat.

MURRAY:

She can't breathe, Derek!

DEREK:

Stay back, both of you! It's her bed,

she's gotta lie in it.

(grabbing harder)

You can cry all you want, Davina. I'm

not gonna let go until you tell me

what I wanna hear! Are you going to

shut that fat f***ing mouth of your's

and let my girlfriend tell her

opinion? Are you?!

DORIS grabs him from behind and he aggressively turns on

her. Derek curls his tongue behind his teeth and raises

his arm like he's actually going to smack his mother.

She grabs his arm though, forcefully.

DORIS:

Let go of her hair and get out.

Derek releases his grip on his sister and she spits the

roast beef onto the floor. She runs into the back

bedroom crying, choking and coughing.

DAVINA (O.S)

I hate you, you f***ing a**hole!

The door slams shut in the background. Doris, Murray,

Danny, and Stacey all stare at Derek. Derek calmly faces

his brother.

DEREK:

You okay?

Danny nods.

MURRAY:

(softly)

Psycho.

IN SLO MO--Time FREEZES as Derek slowly turns his head

back to Murray. ON THE TRACK we hear a few keys being

typed and then silence. A cigarette sizzles.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - DANNY THINKING - PRESENT

He takes a long drag off his cigarette and exhales. He

slowly runs his hands over his stubbly head, marveling at

the past.

BACK QUICKLY TO:

INT. DINING ROOM - TIGHT ON DEREK - FLASHBACK CONT.

Derek smiles at Murray in wonder and disbelief.

DEREK:

Would you care to repeat that, Murray?

I'm not sure I got all of it.

STACEY:

(smiling)

He called you a "psycho", honey.

DEREK:

(smiling back)

Was that it? Thanks Murray.

MURRAY:

See. Here we go again with this,

Derek. Making me out to be the bad

guy again.

STACEY:

You callin' me a liar, RosenKike?

MURRAY:

(to Stacey)

Hey goddammit! You talk to me with

respect or--!

DEREK:

Or what, Murray!? What're you gonna

do? Give her f***ing detention?

DORIS:

Both of you get out right now.

Murray stares at Derek with pity. Doris becomes

emotional.

DORIS:

(to Derek)

Do you think you're the only one who's

affected around here?

Derek focuses on his mother for a moment. A captivated

Danny watches and waits as Derek turns to Murray.

DEREK:

Out of respect for my mother...I'm

gonna let that comment go, Murray. I

won't bash your face in. But let me

tell you somethin'...man to f***in'

mouse here. Normally in a situation

like this I'd take my steel-tips to

your f***ing Jewish temple. That goes

for anyone making comments about me,

my family, Stacey, whomever. You know

and I know that I could crush that

puny f***in' skull of yours in a

second. So it's beyond me why you

would say something like that without

being able to back it up? What's

worse, you sack of sh*t, is you

calling the woman I love a liar.

MURRAY:

I never said she was a liar.

DEREK:

Weasel like that again Murray...you

f***in' ponytail, p*ssy, bagel eating,

teacher, f*ggot...and I'll cut your

shylock nose off. Make no mistake.

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