Boyhood Page #25

100%. Just cause of the computer.

MOM:

Well. Sounds like he'll be a good

roommate, then.

MASON:

Yeah. But we've pretty much decided

that soon they won't even need a

questionnaire. Because they'll just

let the NSA scan your digital ghost,

and they'll tell you who your roommate

is, based on everything you've ever

said, written, or clicked.

Mason walks back into the living room, carrying a box. He

holds up a framed picture.

174.

MASON (CONT'D)

Did you -- Did you put this in here

again?

Mom laughs.

MASON (CONT'D)

I don't want it.

MOM:

Come on, it's the first picture you

ever took.

MASON:

Well, I mean, all the more reason to

leave it behind, right?

Mason goes to put the picture back in his room, while Mom

suddenly breaks into quiet sobs.

He comes back out, wearing a backpack, and notices Mom crying.

MASON (CONT'D)

What?

MOM:

(crying)

Nothing.

MASON:

No, what is it?

MOM:

Nothing!

MASON:

Mom...

MOM:

This is the worst day of my life.

MASON:

What are you talking about?

MOM:

I knew this day was coming. I just -I

didn't know you were gonna be so

f***in' happy to be leaving.

MASON:

I mean, it's not that I'm that happy.

What do you, what do you expect?

175.

MOM:

You know what I'm realizing? My

life is just gonna go, like that!

This series of milestones. Getting

married, having kids, getting

divorced, the time that we thought

you were dyslexic, when I taught you

how to ride a bike, getting divorced

AGAIN, getting my masters degree,

finally getting the job I wanted,

sending Samantha off to college,

sending YOU off the college... You

know what's next? Huh? It's my

f***in' funeral!

A beat.

MOM (CONT'D)

Just go, and leave my picture!

Stunned, Mason doesn't know what to say.

MASON:

Aren't you jumping ahead by like,

forty years or something?

MOM:

I just thought there would be more.

Mom sits at the table crying. Mason does not know how to

comfort her.

EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY

Mason drives his pick-up truck through the open roads and

mountains of West Texas.

EXT. GAS STATION - DAY

Mason stops at a gas station to fill up. While he waits, he

takes pictures.

EXT. UNIVERSITY - DAY

Mason pulls into the parking lot of his University and parks.

INT. DORM - AFTERNOON

Mason walks through a hallway area and finds his dorm room.

He enters to find it half decorated with music going. He

throws his bag up on the available bed and starts to unpack

and get situated. DALTON enters.

DALTON:

Hey, you must be Mason.

176.

MASON:

Yeah. Dalton, right?

DALTON:

Yeah, man, it's nice to finally meet

you.

MASON:

Definitely.

DALTON:

Are you cool with this side of the

room?

MASON:

Yeah.

DALTON:

Got in this morning, just moved my

sh*t in, man.

MASON:

(laughs)

Well, yeah. I don't- I don't care.

No worries.

He unzips his bag, but keeps the conversation going.

DALTON:

Cool. Can I help with anything,

man? Any bags? Any last stuff you

need brought in?

MASON:

I just got like one... box left, I

packed pretty light. But I appreciate

it.

DALTON:

My pleasure, man. Of course.

MASON:

Um, are you goin' to the orientation

mixer thing?

DALTON:

Orientation mixer thing? F*** no,

man! I'm not goin' to that and

neither are you, by the way. We got

way better stuff to be doin', dude.

BARB, Dalton's girlfriend, drifts into the room.

BARB:

You ready?

177.

DALTON:

Yeah. Hey, Barb, this' my roommate

Mason. Mason, Barb.

They shake.

MASON:

Hi.

BARB:

Hey. You comin' with us?

MASON:

Where're you going?

BARB:

Hiking.

DALTON:

Yeah, man, you should come. If we

leave now we can catch the late

afternoon at Big Bend. You ever

been before, man?

MASON:

Yeah. But not since I was really

little.

DALTON:

Oh, well then all the more reason to

come now, man. That's why we're

here, dude.

Barb's roommate, NICOLE, is now hanging out by the door.

DALTON (CONT'D)

Oh, Mason. This is Nicole, Barb's

roommate.

NICOLE:

Hey, what's up?

MASON:

Hi.

Barb is reaching in her bag for something.

DALTON:

Mason, Nicole.

BARB:

(to Mason)

So, you game?

178.

MASON:

Sure.

She has produced a chunk of brownie that she hands to Mason.

BARB:

Here. Have the rest of this. Got

it timed perfectly. It'll kick in

when we get to the mountains.

Mason takes it, a little amused, looks at the others

(confirmation), then starts to consume.

MASON:

Awesome.

DALTON (O.S.)

Let's go.

They roll out of there.

EXT. BIG BEND - LATE AFTERNOON

Mason, Nicole, Dalton and Barb hike through a BIG canyon.

Nicole talks to Mason about teaching dance.

MASON:

Do they let you major in that here?

NICOLE:

Well, it's not that serious here, so

I kinda like train outside the

university, but I'm taking all my

basics like History of Dance and all

that.

MASON:

Nice.

NICOLE:

Yeah.

MASON:

What do you teach?

NICOLE:

Oh, gosh. Ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical,

hip-hop...

MASON:

Wow. Which one's your favorite?

NICOLE:

Tap.

179.

MASON:

Yeah?

NICOLE:

Yeah. You can make up all your own

sounds and there's no rules.

MASON:

Right...

NICOLE:

Just, like, creative freedom.

MASON:

That's great.

NICOLE:

Yeah.

MASON:

Right.

NICOLE:

... So to be a part of bringing it

back to the kids...

MASON:

Right, keep it going.

NICOLE:

... Is really rewarding. Yeah.

MASON:

How old are they?

NICOLE:

Six to eight.

MASON:

(laughs)

Wow.

NICOLE:

(laughing)

Yeah. They have like no fear, and

they're not self-conscious at all.

MASON:

They haven't reached the awkward

years yet.

NICOLE:

Yeah, not yet. It's coming.

180.

The group continues walking over a ridge as the sun is

setting.

EXT. HIKE - LATER

As Barb and Dalton coyote call on the rocks, Mason joins

Nicole sitting on a rock overlooking the river and sunset.

NICOLE:

Hey.

Dalton and Barb continue like coyotes, much to Nicole and

Mason's amusement.

NICOLE (CONT'D)

Dalton can be crazy sometimes.

MASON:

He seems cool, though.

NICOLE:

Yeah. Yeah, they're both really

cool. How are you feeling?

They both laugh.

MASON:

Great. Really great, to be honest.

NICOLE:

Good. I'm really happy that you're

hangin' out with us.

MASON:

Yeah. Me too.

Meanwhile, over on a big rock, the coyotes are now yelling

words.

DALTON (O.S.)

This moment's having a multiple

orgasm! It's like as if all of time

has unfolded before us so we can

stand here and look out and scream F***

yea!! Wooo!

Back with Nicole and Mason laughing.

NICOLE:

You know how everyone's always saying,

"Seize the moment"?

Mason nods yes.

181.

NICOLE (CONT'D)

I don't know, I'm kinda thinkin'

it's the other way around. You know,

like, the moment seizes us.

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