Big Stone Gap Page #6

mother done to my family,

it almost killed my mama when

Fred came home with a wop.

He married her out of pity,

'cause she was knocked up.

My brother done educated you, clothed

you and fed you like you was his.

You lived like a princess

here in my family home,

with trips to Monticello

and so forth,

while I never done

got as far as Roanoke.

I'll see you in court.

You give me my key.

Come on, Wayne.

We just want what's

coming to us.

(GRUNTS)

AVE MARIA:
Can I have a grilled

cheese sandwich, tapioca pudding

and a coconut cake?

THEODORE:
Black coffee

for me. Thanks.

I'm sorry I left you

stranded last night, Ave,

but we need to talk.

Okay. About what?

Well, I was gonna wait

to tell you this, but, um...

I just got offered

the band directorjob

at the University

of Tennessee.

Chattanooga, so don't get too excited.

(CHUCKLES)

That's amazing.

Well, what's gonna

happen to us?

We can't do this anymore.

No, we can't,

can we?

We can't go around pretending we're just...

We're like other people.

Yeah, exactly. Oh, my

God, it's exhausting.

It sure is.

Oh, Ave.

You don't want me.

I'm a bad bet.

I have quirks.

You know, I'm persnickety

and I'm churlish.

I'm moody, cranky,

impossible, I'm...

And you know I have

a terrible background.

Half my family drinks,

and the other half

hit the people who drink.

Theodore,

do you like men?

And there's that, too.

Hope y'all are hungry!

Don't forget the coconut cake.

Coming right up!

(SIGHS HEAVILY)

PEARL:
Did you see that Liz Taylor

sent a check to the hospital

to thank 'em for

saving her life?

I did and I felt

so bad for her.

But I tell you what,

I voted for her husband.

First time I ever

voted Republican.

And he won.

Which just goes to show you,

every vote counts.

Hey, Miss Ave. Do you need

help with any of those...

She ain't in her

right mind.

FLEETA:
I'm worried

about Ave Maria.

Iva Lou says she

ain't been sleeping,

and I can see

she ain't been eating.

She just don't look good.

(CLAMORING)

NAN:
Jack? Bring down

that last tree.

You have to put it

in the front hall.

Now, Mary Beth,

grab them balls.

MAN:
This is the best Christmas

show ever, Mrs. MacChesney.

Ma'am?

WOMAN:
This show'll

be spectacular.

Feeling all right?

Ave Maria, I almost

gave up on you.

Hey, ladies. Start stringing

these extra lights.

Listen. You gotta

do something.

Sweet Sue is planning a New

Year's Eve wedding to my son.

They're gonna get married right

in front of that fireplace

while the tree

is still up.

Now, he is the

marrying kind,

and he will

never leave her

once that ring

is on his finger.

He's just like

his fool daddy.

You can love him

or beat him.

But either way

he'd stay.

Now, please help me give her

the big heave-ho.

Do you hear me,

Ave Maria?

NAN:
You're gonna miss

your chance with my son.

(GASPS) Ave?

WOMAN". Ave, are you okay?

NA LOU:
Doc,

what's happened to her?

DOC DAUGHERTY:
This is what we call

an old-fashioned nervous breakdown.

What, do we take her

up to Lonesome Pine?

No, her vitals

are normal.

There's no reason to

take her to the hospital.

Then why's she laying there

like a bag of rocks?

That's for her

to figure out.

I'll come and check her in the morning.

Just let her sleep.

Might be a good idea if you

don't smoke around her.

Okay. There comes a time

in every woman's life

when she's gotta

face her fear.

I know. I know.

All right, whose time

is it now?

It's mine.

It's my time.

Good. Now. A woman

with a purpose

is worth 10 men

with the same, okay?

Now, I'm not gonna tell you

exactly what to say to him,

but I am gonna tell you

how to say it, all right?

You're gonna march up to Jack

MacChesney, and you're gonna say,

"I need to talk

to you, sir."

And he's gonna hem and haw

and"yep"and"nope" and look right past you,

like the shower after

the shift is more important

than the information

you need to relay.

But you are to ignore

all of that.

All right?

All right.

Men are bad at communicating,

but they actually have ears.

So you just need to state

your piece, you know,

get into that

little brain of his,

'cause he's actually

a pretty smart guy.

I happen to know that, 'cause

he checked out Quo Vadis,

from the Bookmobile and

that there's a doorstopper.

You just think

of Ave Maria,

and all she done for you.

And that'll fuel your ambition

to tell him what's what.

Okay?

Okay,

All right now,

scoofl

Get your books

on the way back.

Mr. MacChesney.

Mr. MacChesney? See you later, Mr.

MacChesney.

We're gonna save you

some water, Mr. MacChesney.

Please do.

Please do.

What is it, Pearl?

It's about Ave Maria.

She's still asleep.

Well, I'm sorry

to hear that.

She loves you.

She say something to you?

No, sir. And she

don't know it yet.

But according to the ancient

art of Chinese face reading...

Oh, come on.

According to the ancient art

of Chinese face reading,

the bridge of her nose

and yours match

which makes you

besotted, true lovers.

You handled her all wrong.

Pearl, I appreciate your

interest, but you're wrong.

She don't want me. She done

told me herself. (snens)

And if there's one thing

I know about women,

it's when they tell you something,

they mean it. Thank you.

No! Not Ave Maria.

She buries

her feelings.

Doc thinks that's why she

had that nervous breakdown.

Well, what do you want me

to do about it, Pearl?

Well, I don't know.

I was hoping you could

think of something.

Go on, get on.

So?

I don't know, Miss Iva Lou.

He seemed awful angry.

Passion in the pit.

That's the good news!

Let's go.

(DOOR UNLOCKS)

FIAMMETTA:
(WHISPERING)

Ave Maria.

Ave Maria.

Carissima, Ave Maria.

By the time you read this,

I will be gone.

Please know that of all the

things I ever had to do,

leaving you here without me

is the most difficult.

High in the Italian Alps,

you have a family.

Your father is there,

and my sister.

I was too ashamed and

never told them about you.

But you deserve every

good thing in this life.

All the things

I could not give you,

for my own reasons.

AVE MARIA:
Papa!

(SHRIEKING)

She's up!

Good God almighty.

She's up!

Come here!

Ave?

She's awake!

What happened?

Fleeta, she's awake!

Ave!

(AVE MARIA SHUDDERS)

it is so cold here.

Honey.

IVA LOU:
Here, bundle up.

You're back.

You done come out

of your deep sleep.

Oh, Spec.

Spec, I'm leaving.

I'm going to Italy.

I'm going to Schilpario,

way up in the Italian Alps.

I've been telling you for

years to go on vacation.

No.

I saw my father in a dream.

And I have to go find him.

You know, you need to

calm down a little bit.

Take a deep breath.

(LAUGHS)

I don't know what pills

Doc Daugherty been giving her,

but it's making

that girl crazy.

SPEC". Listen up, Ave.

Before you leave for Italy, we've gotta

get everything out of your name.

Even that old Cadillac.

AVE MARIA:
All right,

hand me the pen.

Howdy, Miss Grimes,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes