Apt Pupil Page #5

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DUSSANDER:

Why should I? Why should I do any of it?

TODD:

Because you hung up the phone. That's why.

...And just so you know, just so there is no

misunderstanding whatsoever. Everything I

have on you, the compares, the want sheet,

all the photographs, are all in an envelope

under my mattress. I'm going to put it there

every time I come to see you. If anything

happens to me, if I should suddenly

disappear, some one will find it. Believe

me --

DUSSANDER:

That's a foolish thing to do. What if your

mother goes in your room anyway? What if she

hires a maid?

TODD:

You better hope she doesn't.

(looking at watch)

We're wasting time. Let's get started. I

have to be home for dinner. Today I want to

hear about the ovens. How you baked them

after they were dead... and before.

Pause.

DUSSANDER:

(to himself)

A boy... a boy...

TODD:

But before we start, put your teeth in. You

look better with your teeth.

EXT. DUSSANDER'S HOUSE - DUSK

It is later the same day. Todd emerges from the house. The

setting sun tells us he has been inside for several hours. He

picks up his bike and hops on. He stops. He turns to look up

the street in both directions. No one. A moment later he

pedals off down the street.

MAIN TITLES:

INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY

TITLE:
SEPTEMBER 1984

A typical high school image. Rows of students sit listening to

a lecture from MR. PROXMIRE, fifties, as he weaves his way

through the aisles.

PROXMIRE:

But in 1902, Panama didn't exist. The

country we know as Panama was part of

Columbia.

As the teacher continues to lecture, the camera stops on JOEY,

17. On his desk is a folded note. He hands it across the aisle

and motions for it to be sent to Todd a few rows over. The note

moves across the room, avoiding the meandering teacher, on its

way to Todd.

PROXMIRE (CONT'D)

Now the nations of the west knew they needed

a canal through Central America. They were

tired of waiting for their ships to sail

around Cape Horn. This was the new century,

the age of modernization. And the U.S. was

at the forefront. Teddy Roosevelt was in the

White House, looking for any chance to assert

the might of America. When Columbia balked

at the offer made by the U.S. and England,

Roosevelt sent his naval war ships to sit off

the coast of Panama, just sit there, where

they could be seen from the coast.

The FEMALE STUDENT across the aisle from Todd now has the note.

She whispers to him but he doesn't hear. Todd is trying to say

awake with great difficulty.

The girl extends the note just as Proxmire passes. He stops,

turns around, plucks the note from the girl's hand and heads for

the front of the class.

PROXMIRE (CONT'D)

Finally Columbia gave up the territory for

about a tenth of its original price. And as

Roosevelt would say later, "The U.S. stole

the Panama canal fair and square."

Without glancing at it, Proxmire crumples the note and drops it

into the waste basket by his desk.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL - LOCKER AREA - DAY

It is in between classes. The denizens of STUDENTS crowd around

their lockers. Among them is Todd. He searches through his

locker and selects a book. Suddenly the door SLAMS shut to

reveal the face of Joey standing against the lockers. Todd,

startled, jumps back.

JOEY:

(laughs)

Take it easy, Jesus. It's just me, flinch-

man.

TODD:

(serious)

Don't do that.

JOEY:

I got news for you. You're gonna like it.

TODD:

Walk with me to French.

The two walk down the corridor.

JOEY:

Someone likes you. Someone good.

TODD:

Who?

JOEY:

Well, I heard my sister talking on the phone

with Lisa Herman, and... well --

TODD:

You going to tell me who it is?

Two CHEERLEADERS pass them.

JOEY:

(lowering voice)

You didn't hear it from me.

TODD:

Fine.

JOEY:

Becky Trask.

TODD:

Was that so hard?

JOEY:

So ask her out and the weekend after next you

can double with me and Vanessa.

TODD:

What about this weekend?

JOEY:

I'm already planning on being grounded.

TODD:

Grounded? What for?

JOEY:

Where the hell you been? Report cards were

sent out today. I know that never affects

you...

They arrive at the door of Todd's classroom as the BELL SOUNDS.

JOEY (CONT'D)

Sh*t. Don't forget what I told you.

Joey runs off, leaving Todd looking after him.

EXT. DUSSANDER'S BACK PORCH - DAY

TITLE:
OCTOBER 1984

It is late afternoon. Dussander sits in a rocking chair facing

out into the backyard. Todd is in the lawn chair off to the

side. He has just finished a McDonald's cheeseburger and is

about to start another one. Dussander eats a Big Mac, washing

it down with bourbon. A large cat keeps jumping onto

Dussander's lap while he is eating. He brushes it away annoyed.

TODD:

I've never seen anyone drink bourbon with

McDonald's before. ...So, How did the stuff

get to Patin?

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