An American Affair Page #3

Too scared to play.

Am not.

Shut up and sit down.

Ready?

Adam, see that you get ready.

Adam...

Here we go...

Damn it, Jimmy.

What?

Such a boy.

Faith, one minute.

Adam and Faith.

Adam and Faith.

And Adam Faith.

French, right?

Right.

You got your tooth fixed.

- Yeah.

- I can tell.

Adam.

Faith.

Adam Stafford's an a**hole.

Are you okay?

I'm planting.

I thought you said we had to wait till after the rain?

After, during, whatever.

You must be cold.

You have no idea...

Why is the music so loud?

I was painting.

I can hear it from across the street.

Want one?

Sure.

You should go home.

I wanna paint with you.

So let's paint.

What do you think?

Not bad.

Not bad...

Form is dead.

That's right.

I think I'm done.

Texas? For Thanksgiving?

I have to go.

If I don't go, then I'm not gonna get a raise.

You know they like it when you're out there...

...doing things, I know Mike.

It's just...

Adam is...

I can't do it alone.

And Texas... I mean Dallas is a shithole.

It'll just be for a few days.

And I will try to make it home for the Thanksgiving supper.

Well. I'm gonna go wake him up.

He sleeps like the dead these days.

It's hormones. Probably slumming through the roof

at their party last night.

Adam, time to get...

Mike.

Mike, get up here.

Look at this.

Hi, Dad.

What, am I supposed to do about this?

What?

It's not that big of a deal, Mom.

You have paint all over you!

In the shower, right now!

Do not come out until every speck of paint is gone.

And then we'll discuss cleaning your room.

Okay, mom.

Now!

It's that woman,

Catherine Caswell.

This has got to stop Mike.

This has got to stop.

Alright, I'll talk to her this afternoon.

You will talk to her now. Right now.

- Addie...

- Now.

Alright, just let me go finish the...

Now!

Hello.

- Hi.

I'm uh...

Mike Stafford,

with The Star, I know?

I quite enjoyed your last piece on Dr. King.

Though... you didn't exactly seem symphatetic, did you?

Carver, Lucian Carver.

The Lucian Carver?

Fame is fleeting,

But in Washington we take what we can get.

Won't you come in?

Please.

A little early for company, isn't it, Lucian?

Best behaviour, my dear.

This is your neighbor,

Mike Stafford.

Drink?

It's a little early...

Should you have a drink,

Catherine?

It's my house, Michael.

Have a drink.

Vodka.

Rocks.

Jesus, Lucian,

don't play with him.

Just give him a drink.

How's a boy?

Boy?

Your son, Adam.

How is he?

Uh, he's fine.

He's great. The usual.

Good! Good.

That's what we all work for, isn't it?

The children.

The future.

I suppose so.

How was your childhood, Lucian?

Somehow I don't see you laughing

and playing in the meadows.

It was fine.

Great.

The usual.

Mike,

is this a social visit or did you actually want something?

No... uh, yes, actually

it has to do with Adam.

Addie, my wife, she worries

maybe too much,

but she worries about how much time he's been spending over here

and he's starting to neglect his school work.

And the thing with the... the paint this morning...

If your wife wants him to

stop working for me

consider it done.

Simple as that?

Simple as that.

It sure was a pleasure to meet you, Mike.

I'll be looking forward to you next piece.

Yes, great.

Thanks.

Have fun in Texas!

Nice to meet you both.

You don't have to scare him.

I suppose not.

But you enjoyed it.

There are some perks that come with the job

That I do admit.

Scaring people?

Forcing them to do things they don't wanna do?

Sometimes what seems like

the worst choice,

is actually the best.

There's nothing I can do, Lucian.

Catherine, your friend Jack

won't talk to me,

won't in fact talk to anyone inside the agency.

You're our only connection

to the Oval Office.

He's made it abundantly clear:

no talking,

no f***ing,

no nothing.

It's over.

- I need to warn you.

- About what?

The situation is very fluid.

If he refuses to deal with Cuba,

then Cuba is going to deal with him.

What's that supposed to mean?

There is pressure on me too...

He could be in danger.

He's the president,

for God's sake.

He's a man and men make mistakes

which they have to own up to. And correct them.

Things have to change,

Catherine,

or else things will really change.

It's all a game of chess isn't it?

Playing out the pawns in you head.

Should I sacrifice the rook? Or the king?

Will you sacrifice me?

Catherine, I'm your son's godfather.

My son is dead.

Where does that leave you?

He was a lovely boy.

- Graham was...

- Get out!

This is Catherine Caswell.

Is he...

No, no message.

Carver. Lucian Carver.

Adrienne, he knew Adam's name.

He knew what I've been writing, he knew I'm going to Texas.

He's with the C.I.A.?

Yeah, he's with C.I.A. the way that Stalin

was with the Communist Party.

He is the C.I.A.: special ops,

Castro, Lumumba, all of it.

What is uh, what's for breakfast?

Sit your ass down.

- Dad, I...

- Sit!

Okay, number one,

you're gonna have no more contact

with that Caswell woman, none,

zero, zilch, ever.

- Dad...

- Number two, you're grounded.

- Why?

- Because I said so.

And number three,

while I'm gone,

your mother's gonna be working from home

and you're gonna be at school or you're gonna be here

nowhere elsewhere,

clear?

What happened?

School, here

nowhere else.

Clear?

Clear.

Eggs ok?

Eggs it is.

May I help you, madam?

Catherine Caswell.

Yes, madam.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Caswell.

The personal list,

I'm sure I'm here.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Caswell,

it doesn't appear to be there anymore.

Would you take a bullet?

Madam?

For the president.

Would you take a bullet?

I'm a soldier, madam.

Just following orders?

Do your duty?

Yes, madam.

F*** do you want?

Nothing, my ball.

Got your ball, right?

Yes.

because there was fear in Dallas...

that there might be a demonstration

that will embarass the president,

because it was only on October 24

that our Ambassador to the United Nations

Adlai Stevenson,

was assaulted in Dallas

leaving a dinner meeting there.

From Dallas, Texas

the flash, apparently official:

President Kennedy died

at 1:
00 p. m.

central standard time,

some 38 minutes ago.

Killed...

They killed him...

Vice President Johnson

has left a hospital in Dallas,

we do not know to where he has proceeded.

presumably he will be taking the Oval Office shortly

and become the 36th

president of the United States.

President Kennedy at the Dulles airport this morning

where cheering waving..

Stop.

Bugs...

You're gonna hurt them.

November 22,

and my garden is blossoming.

Police have been looking for a white man,

approximately 30 years of age

It seems that this man

has shot the president

with 30-30 rifle.

It's not my fault.

Adam.

Don't touch me.

I'm sorry...

Get out.

- Catherine, I...

- No.

Get out, you little sh*t.

Mom?

It's alright.

Everything's gonna be fine.

How bad was it?

Well when he came around the corner,

wind was blowing, people were talking

laughing, waiting,

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