Boyhood Page #19

SHEENA:

So, why're you trying with me?

MASON:

I don't know. I guess I feel

comfortable.

SHEENA:

I'm glad.

EXT. JIM'S HOUSE - LATER

Mason comes home late. Jim sits outside on a chair surrounded

by empty beer cans and one in hand.

MASON:

Hey, Jim. I'm sorry I'm so late.

JIM:

What time were you supposed to be

home?

MASON:

I don't know. Awhile ago.

JIM:

Awhile ago like, thirty minutes ago,

an hour ago? Cause, truthfully,

nobody even knew where you were until

your sister told us. She's been

home for awhile.

132.

MASON:

I'm sorry.

JIM:

Yeah, been hearin' a lot of that

lately. See, but you don't actually

care. You just kinda... kinda come

and go as you please and you don't

care if your mom's upset or what

time you gotta be home... Is that

what's up?

MASON:

I don't know what to tell you.

JIM:

Stop mumbling! You know, speak up!

I can't understand a word comin'

outta your mouth. It's just like,

"uh uhh nuhh" and I ask you questions

and you just--

MASON:

Man, can I just have one day where

everyone isn't all over my ass!?

Jim gets up abruptly and advances on Mason.

JIM:

I'm up your ass? This is my house.

Now, if you wanna live in my house

then you get home when you say you're

gonna be home.

MASON:

You know, Jim, you're not my dad.

JIM:

No, I'm not your dad! You know how

I know that? Cause I'm actually

here. I'm the guy with the job,

paying the bills, taking care of

you, your mom, your sister... Huh?!

Huh?!

Mason goes inside.

JIM (CONT'D)

I'm that guy...

Jim sits down.

133.

INT. MOM'S HOUSE - DAY

Mom sits at the kitchen table surrounded by bills and papers.

Mason comes down the stairs.

MASON:

Morning.

MOM:

Morning. Hey, which one of you guys

used the downstairs bathroom last

night?

MASON:

I don't know. I didn't.

MOM:

That tall guy, what's his name?

MASON:

Phillip?

MOM:

Yeah, Phillip. He did it. Can

Phillip read? I mean, there's a big

sign on the door, it says, "Do not

use this bathroom, it's broken." I

mean, how difficult is that?

MASON:

I don't know. I'm sorry.

Mason prepares cereal.

MOM:

I think I'm gonna put the house on

the market.

MASON:

Why?

MOM:

This house is too big for us. I

mean, you're going to school

eventually... It's too expensive.

I'm done.

MASON:

Well why did you even buy it in the

first place, then?

MOM:

Because I really enjoy making poor

life decisions, keeping us on the

(MORE)

134.

MOM (CONT'D)

brink of poverty. I mean, I've spent

the first half of my life acquiring

all this crap and now I'm gonna spend

the second half of my life getting

rid of all this stuff.

MASON:

Really? Like what?

MOM:

Like - Well, I got rid of a couple

husbands, now I'm gonna get rid of a

mortgage, some maintenance, the

tchotchkes, the, the homeowner's

insurance, the property tax, the

plumbing... Ahhh. You know what?

From now on I am gonna be Mommy Monk.

Simple. Celibate.

MASON:

Don't be gross, Mom.

MOM:

Fine. I'll be a poor whore with a

big house.

(Laughs)

Is that better?

MASON:

Okay.

Mason starts to walk away.

MOM:

Mason -- Mason, please, don't leave

me that dirty dish to wash.

MASON:

I do dishes all day.

MOM:

Well, great honey, then you're a

professional. Come on, you could do

one or two more for you poor old

mom.

Mason walks over to the sink.

MASON:

Okay.

MOM:

Thank you.

135.

EXT. MOM'S HOUSE

Mason gets in truck, drives away.

INT. RESTAURANT KITCHEN

Music plays in the background. Mason is in uniform, he

carries in a bus tub of dirty dishes, one with uneaten

battered shrimp on it. He sticks one in his mouth and flirts

with APRIL, a waitress.

MASON:

You want one?

APRIL:

Ugh. God -

MASON:

(Laughing)

She didn't even touch them, seriously.

I watched her the whole time.

April takes one.

APRIL:

Yeah, I bet you did watch her, you

little pervert.

(Laughing)

It's like we're on a date. Cheers.

They clink battered shrimp.

MASON:

It's a night of romance.

APRIL:

Yeah, except I'm not gonna kiss you.

She heads back out to the restaurant floor.

APRIL (CONT'D)

I will blow you, though.

Mason brings the dishes over to the industrial washers. His

boss, MR. WOOD, storms in.

MR. WOOD

Mason! We are in the weeds out here!

MASON:

I'm goin' as fast as I can.

MR. WOOD

Oh!

(MORE)

136.

MR. WOOD (CONT'D)

Then I must be confused then, cause

I just saw you chattin it up with

April when I gotta salad bar that

needs a refill, I gotta six top, two

four tops I can't use, because they

haven't been bused.

MASON:

Enrique is not here. I'm tryin'.

MR. WOOD

Well, while you're tryin', we're

dyin'! What am I supposed to tell

my customers? "Oh, I'm sorry that

your table's got dirty plates on it,

but Mason's tryin'. Least that's

what he told me, after he was flirtin'

with April and eatin' your leftover

shrimp." Now it is a challenge out

there today, I know, but I wanna

share somethin' with you, I got you

pegged for fry cook this summer, now

that's a lot more responsibility.

It's also more money. How's that

sound?

MASON:

Good.

MR. WOOD

I know you can handle that money...

but can you take the responsibility?

I think you can, because I believe

in you. But I need you on the floor.

Now leave the dishes. Giddyup.

Right, come on, don't let me down!

Mason exits.

INT. MOM'S HOUSE - DAY

Mason sits on the stairs video chatting with Dad on his phone.

DAD:

Well, so it's -- it's runnin' okay?

That alternator's not messin' up

anymore?

MASON:

(Holding Phone)

No , it's fine. It's up for the

trip.

137.

DAD:

(Laughing)

Well, you gonna see your sister when

you guys are in Austin?

MASON:

Yeah, she said I can stay at her

dorm, which is cool, and I guess her

roommate's out of town so it's no

big deal.

DAD:

Alright, well, did you apply there

yet? Did you get that application

in to UT?

MASON:

Not yet, but Sheena's pretty much

in, though.

DAD:

Yeah, right. Well, if you know that's

where you wanna go, you should

probably do that early acceptance

thing. You know? I mean seriously,

let 'em know you're a man who knows

what he wants.

MASON:

Yeah.

DAD:

A bit of decisiveness goes a long

way in this life, alright?

MASON:

Yeah.

DAD:

Great. And uh, what about work?

How's that goin'?

MASON:

Uh, I don't know. It's, it's alright.

Today kind of sucked, this guy didn't

show up. But it's definitely an

interesting perspective on the world.

People are slobs.

DAD:

(Laughing)

Well, when people ask me about you I

say, "Oh, Mason, he's doing great.

He's got a job, he's really cleanin'

up."

138.

Mason laughs.

DAD (CONT'D)

(From Phone)

Alright, hey, hey, say hi to Annie

and Cooper, will you?

Dad pans the phone to Annie and baby.

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