Being Charlie Page #2

How you doing, new guy?

They probably put him

in Joe's room.

Yeah, he was way too cool

for this place.

Yeah, he flew the cuckoo's nest,

went mcmurphy.

You guys do nothing

but complain about how you can't

stand it in this place here,

but you don't have the guts

to just walk out?

Paul, just finish, man.

- - Okay.

So all I'm saying is...

You could be under a bridge

in the cold rain,

still feel the warmth.

You could hit the lottery.

Win the nobel prize,

and bang the homecoming queen

all at the same time,

and it wouldn't touch

that first rush.

F***.

Man, I'm sold.

But every shot after that,

just sloppy seconds.

The lucky ones

just mourn the feeling,

but most end up

chasing it to the grave.

Okay, open your eyes.

So before we start,

would anybody like to share

feelings about Joe's departure?

Joe's gone?

No one has anything to share?

I have something.

Before group, I couldn't help

but overhear Paul

talking explicitly

and glowingly

about heroin usage.

And I feel,

in light of Joe's relapse,

this kind of drug talk

is counterproductive

to working a rigorous program.

Yeah, Joe failed.

He failed to see

his disease for what it is.

I guess for some people,

it takes a while.

They lose sight

of why they're here.

Near as I could figure it out,

it's because i...

- I fight and f*** too much.

I think it's

a little more than that.

I could put a bug

so far up your ass

you wouldn't know

whether to take a sh*t

- or wind your wristwatch.

- Okay, that's enough.

What is it with you

and that stupid movie?

I don't want to break up

the meeting or nothing,

but she's something of a c*nt,

ain't she, doctor?

- Language.

- I'd like to break that f***ing DVD.

If you break that DVD,

we're down to "the notebook"

and "cars 2."

People, enough.

Look, I know this is

an open forum,

but can we please keep it

to the parameters

of acceptance, solution,

and commitment?

Dylan.

Yeah, so in the spirit

of the open forum,

I was wondering

why a myriad of web domains

are blocked

in the computer room.

You mean porn?

No.

No, I was referring

to certain destinations

within

the political blogosphere.

There's an outpouring

of stimulating

and thought-provoking material

that we're being

denied access to.

The only outpouring

you're interested in

is gonna wind up getting stuck

to the f***ing keyboard.

Okay, guys, the rules

of the computer room

are not relevant right now.

What is relevant is acceptance.

That's what your recovery

is all about,

having the Serenity to accept

the things we cannot change.

Joining us today,

we have Charlie mills.

- Charlie.

- Hi, Charlie.

Is there anything

that you'd like

to share with us today, Charlie?

No.

No?

Okay, Charlie.

Well, just know

that if you continue

to refuse to accept

the disease that put you here,

you will continue to be

a repeat offender.

Don't you mean repeat customer?

You have a disease, Charlie.

We all do, all right?

And acceptance is the first step

towards controlling...

you know, you're right.

I do have a disease.

It's this place, okay?

It makes you feel

like a f***ing leper,

and then when you get out,

everyone's expecting you

to f*** up again,

so you start using.

And then it's like

you hold our heads underwater,

but then come down on us

for trying to come up for air.

Sobriety is your breath

of fresh air.

It's your ticket out,

and it's priceless.

Priceless? Really?

What's the entrance fee

to this place nowadays, 20k?

You're no better than the guy

on the corner, okay,

but you're not slinging dope.

You're slinging false hope

and Serenity,

and you got everybody hooked.

Doctors, parents,

teachers, lawyers,

even the judges,

and we're paying

out the f***ing nose for it.

You think I do this

for the money?

No. No.

I think you do this

for the courtside seats

to human suffering.

Can't watch you do that anymore.

Hey, thanks.

I liked your...

your "cuckoo's nest" bit.

Yeah?

Been in and out of these places

for 20 years,

and all I got to show for it's

a bag of newcomer chips

and an okay

Nicholson impersonation.

Excuse me.

I don't mean to pry,

but are you David mills' son?

See? I told you!

I-I'm a huge fan.

I f***ing love

that pirate sh*t, man!

Oh, man.

Did... did he do

his own fencing?

Charlie!

Need you in the office.

I'll be right there!

Now, kiddo!

Yeah.

Keep your head down, brother.

You know why you're here?

Let me take a crack at it.

You're gonna say

that I'm being difficult

and that is hindering

not only my own recovery,

but the recovery

of those around me.

Thank you, sir, for...

Taking time out

of your very busy day.

Hello?

Charlie?

Dad.

What do you think you're doing?

Don't know what you're

talking about, dad.

Not one day goes by,

and already

they want to throw you out.

Sounds good.

Go ahead. Be glib.

You think just 'cause you're 18,

everything will

magically slide off you?

It doesn't work that way,

Charlie.

Oh, tell me, dad,

how does it work?

Want to be your own man,

make your own choices,

you live with the consequences.

I got a call about that stunt

you pulled up in Utah.

Yeah. They wanted

to press charges.

But I pulled some strings

with a friend

who knows the judge,

and they said if you cooperate,

they'll let it go.

But, hey, you're 18.

You do whatever you want.

Just know if you don't comply,

you won't have to answer to me.

You'll be facing

possible jail time in Utah.

It's your choice.

Fine.

You know what?

I'll do the 30 days.

And you can't just go through

the motions this time, Charlie.

You have to complete the program

to their satisfaction.

That could be

longer than 30 days.

Like how long, dad?

Say...

Till after the election?

And if you leave

or get expelled,

there will be a warrant out

for your arrest.

I have to go now.

You think he'll stay?

He has no choice.

Hey.

Hey.

You making a break for it?

What makes you say that?

Where are you headed?

Anywhere but here.

Really?

So, what, you'd be okay

with, like, Iraq,

Darfur,

New Jersey?

Maybe not Jersey.

What are you doing out here?

I'm on night watch.

You're one of the staff?

Why were you in group

with everybody else?

Well, I was just there

as an observer.

I mean, I introduced myself,

but I guess you were out of it.

I'm gonna have

to report this, you know.

Okay.

That wasn't funny.

It was a little funny.

Yeah, you're the next

moms mabley.

Who's that?

Oh, she's an old black comedian.

She died in the '70s.

Oh, yeah. That's me,

old, black, and dead.

Ah, she got me through, like...

like three months

at this shitty place in Utah,

her and George carlin,

Lenny Bruce, Richard pryor,

lord Buckley.

What, you're some kind

of comedy expert?

Nah, I'm just more of a fan.

But I did do some open mics.

How'd that go?

I'm on a porch in rehab

playing to a crowd of one.

How do you think it went?

That was you.

Hmm?

The cloves. I smoked one

at the table earlier.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes