Being There Page #3

20.INT. TOWNHOUSE - ATTIC - AFTERNOON

A large attic filled with the Old Man's possessions of

the past. Chance enters, turns on an old black-and white

TV with a magnifying lens attached to the front. As it

plays, he selects a fine leather suitcase from several,

takes a hand-made suit from a long rack.

21INT. CHANCE'S ROOM - AFTERNOON

The TV is on as Chance packs his belongings. He tries

to fit in his umbrella, but it is too long for the suitcase.

22EXT. GARDEN - AFTERNOON

Chance, very nicely dressed, with his suitcase and umbrella,

stands in the middle of the garden looking around.

23INT. TOWNHOUSE - FRONT HALLWAY - AFTERNOON

Chance is reluctant to open the front door. After some

hesitation, he gathers up his courage, opens it and steps

outside, closing the door behind him.

24EXT. FRONT OF TOWNHOUSE - WASHINGTON, D.C. - AFTERNOON

Chance stops short on the steps; the front of the townhouse

is run down and the yard filled with trash. He tries

to return to the safety of inside, but the door is locked.

Chance stays on the steps for a moment, ponders which way

to go. Making a decision, he steps to the sidewalk and

walks down the street to reveal a decaying ghetto.

Windows are shattered or boarded up, walls are smeared

with grafitti. Chance passes a group of black people

huddled together in threadbare stuffed furniture on the

sidewalk, a fire burning between them for warmth. Chance

nods politely to the the people; they stare back, no sign of

friendship in their faces.

25EXT. GHETTO STREET - WASHINGTON, D.C. - AFTERNOON

Chance walks along a ghetto sidewalk. He notices some-

thing, moves across the street toward a gang of eight

to ten hard-core ghetto youths.

26EXT. GHETTO STREET - WASHINGTON, D.C. - AFTERNOON

Chance approaches the gang.

CHANCE:

(friendly)

...Excuse me, would you please

tell em where I could find a

garden to work in?

They turn to him as one, silent. After a moment, LOLO, one

of the gang, speaks.

LOLO:

What you growin', man?

CHANCE:

There is much to be done during

the winter, I must start the

seeds for the spring, I must

work the soil...

The leader of the gang, ABBAZ, moves forward and interrupts.

ABBAZ:

Bullshit. Who sent you here,

boy? Did that chickenshit

a**hole Raphael send you here,

boy?

CHANCE:

No. Thomas Franklin told me

that I had to leave the Old

Man's house, he's dead now,

you know...

ABBAZ:

Dead, my ass! Now get this,

honkie - you go tell Raphael

that I ain't takin' no jive

from no Western Union messenger!

You tell that a**hole, if he got

somethin' to tell me to get his

ass down here himself!

(edges closer

to Chance)

You got that boy?

During this, as Abbaz becomes more hostile, Chance reaches

into his pocket, takes out his remote control TV changer.

He points the changer at Abbaz and clicks it three times,

tries to change the picture. ABBAZ immediately pulls out

a switchblade knife, holds it at Chance.

ABBAZ:

Now, move, honkie! Before I

cut your white ass.

Chance, disappointed that the changer did not work, returns

it to his pocket.

CHANCE:

Yes. I understand. If I see

Raphael, I will tell him.

(as he leaves)

Good day.

Abbaz, Lolo and the gang watch him go, then begin to buzz

with excitement:
"Who the f*** died?" "Why'd he pull that

changer on us, man?" "The Old Man died, must be Papa Joe!"

"He's some weird honkie, man!"

27EXT. PORNO AREA - WASHINGTON, D.C. - AFTERNOON

A street lined with adult book stores, X-rated movies and

strip joints. An elderly Black Woman approaches carrying a

bag of groceries. Chance steps in front of the woman, stops

her.

CHANCE:

I'm very hungry now. Would

you please bring my lunch?

The woman looks up to Chance, becomes very frightened.

She turns and half-runs into a sleazy bar for safety.

Chances watches after her for a moment, then continues

along.

28EXT. PARK - WASHINGTON, D.C. - AFTERNOON

Chance stands looking through a chain-link fence

watching some teenage boys playing basketball. He bangs

on the fence, calls to them.

CHANCE:

I have seen your game! I have

watched Elvin Hayes play it

many times! They call him

'Big E!'

The boys ignore him, Chance walks away.

29EXT. - WASHINGTON, D.C. - LATE AFTERNOON

Chance seems stumped on which way to walk. He looks one

way, then the other, turns and looks behind him and sees a

large statue of Benito Juarez pointing. Chance smiles and

goes off in the direction that Benito points.

30EXT. WASHINGTON, D.C. - LATE AFTERNOON

Chance walks down the center meridian of a divided street.

He seems oblivious to the automobiles passing on either

side. In the background can be seen the Capitol Building.

31EXT. REAR OF THE WHITE HOUSE - DUSK

Chance is across the street from the White House, inspecting

the branches of a potted tree. He moves to a POLICEMAN

standing nearby.

CHANCE:

Excuse me...

(points to tree)

...That tree is very sick. It

should be cared for.

The Policeman looks at the tree, then at Chance, figures a

man dressed that well must be important.

POLICEMAN:

Yes sir. I'll report it right

away.

CHANCE:

Yes. That would be a good

thing to do. Good day.

POLICEMAN:

Good day.

The Policeman takes out his walkie-talkie as Chance leaves.

32EXT. BUSINESS DISTRICT - EVENING

A fashionable area. Expensive shops, well-kept streets

and sidewalks. Chance stands by the display window of a

TV store, looks in at a dozen or so color TVs, all turned

on, playing various channels. A video camera points outward

and is focused on the sidewalk to allow passersby to see

themselves live on TV. Chance is intrigued by his own image.

He poses, then steps back off the curb, frowns as his like-

ness disappears from the frame. Standing between two parked cars,

Chance takes out his remote control, clicks it at the store.

Four or five other sets in the window change channels, but

he does not reappear on the giant screen. As he does this,

the car to his left, a large, American-made limousine, backs

up. The limo bumps Chance, pins him against the car to his

right. Chance cries out in pain, drops his suitcase, his

umbrella, his changer, and bangs his hand on the trunk of the

limo. The chauffer, DAVID, and the liveryman, JEFFREY,

immediately jump from the car, run back to Chance.

DAVID:

I'm very sorry, sir... I...

David and Jeffrey reach out to help, but Chance is wedged

solidly between the two cars.

CHANCE:

(in pain)

...I can't move... My leg...

DAVID:

(rushes back to limo)

...My Lord...

JEFFREY:

This is terrible, sir - I hope

you're not badly injured...

CHANCE:

No. I'm not badly injured. But

my leg is very sore.

David pulls the car forward, freeing Chance. A few by-

standers begin to gather as Jeffrey helps Chance to the

sidewalk.

JEFFREY:

Can you walk? It's not broken,

is it?

CHANCE:

(leans against limo,

holds leg)

I hope not.

DAVID.

(returning)

Perhaps I should call an

ambulance.

A BYSTANDER interrupts.

BYSTANDER:

Somebody ought to call the police!

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