Bull Durham Page #12

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NUKE:

(a bit angry)

How was that?

ANNIE:

A little better.

NUKE:

Gimme the God damn ball!

NUKE WINDS UP and fires a pitch to Jackson. Alas--

THE BALL SAILS THROUGH A WINDOW -- Crashing glass.

NUKE:

(cynically)

How ya like that?

ANNIE:

Much better. Your delivery was

fully integrated because you

weren't thinking about it 'cause

you were pissed off at me.

(beat)

This is progress.

Nuke smiles and gives in. And reaches for her.

NUKE:

I give up. Let's go inside, make

love, and fall asleep till it's

time to go to the ballpark.

She takes his hand and leads him up to the back porch.

ANNIE:

Or...

(taking his hand)

...We could just take that sexual

energy and save it for a few hours

and re-channel it into your

pitching tonight.

(shouting)

C'mon, Jackson, I've got some

lemonade!

Jackson runs over in full gear to join them.

SITTING ON THE BACK PORCH -- A pitcher of lemonade.

NUKE:

I can't keep up with you. First

you say sex is gonna make me a

better pitcher--now no sex is

gonna do it?!

ANNIE:

It's all the same thing.

SUDDENLY NUKE'S FACE IS FILLED WITH ALARM -- He points.

NUKE:

What's that?!

--P.O.V. A CARDBOARD BOX ON A TABLE NEARBY -- Scrawled in

larged letters on the side are the words "MAX PATKIN".

ANNIE:

(matter of factly)

That's Max. His ashes anyway.

He left no kin...

Nuke stares, unsettled.

NUKE:

God...I think I'm gonna be sick--

ANNIE:

Oh don't be silly. Death is

nothing to be scared of. It's

just another way of living. It's

just a fresh start--kinda like

spring training.

Nuke thinks about this carefully. Looks at the ashes, at

Annie, and at Jackson, in full gear, mask on his head.

NUKE:

Death is like spring training?

ANNIE:

Yes. And so is birth. Now look

me in the eyes, Nuke--

(sweetly accusing him)

You haven't been wearing my

panties, have you?

CLOSE ON NUKE -- Utterly bewildered.

CUT TO:

INT. BULLS LOCKER ROOM -- NIGHT

NUKE PULLS HIS JOCKSTRAP ON over the red panties.

Crash notices the panties, and snaps the waistband.

CRASH:

Hot. Very hot...

Nuke looks around nervously, continues dressing quickly.

NUKE:

Annie says her panties will keep

one side of my brain occupied

while I'm on the mound, thus

keeping my brain slightly off

center, which is where it should

be for artists and pitchers. She

also said I should throw whatever

pitches you call for.

CRASH:

Annie's a smart lady.

Suddenly Deke spots Nuke's panties.

DEKE:

Hey, fruit alert! Check out the

Rook.

SEVERAL PLAYERS GATHER AROUND -- Wolf whistles aimed at Nuke

as the players are dressing into their uniforms.

NUKE:

Annie says there's no such thing

as straight and gay. We're all

sexual creatures to start with,

and we get formed into certain

roles.

TOMMY:

You believe that?

NUKE:

When I'm one and six I'll believe

anything.

(as they dress)

Annie also says that God is a

woman. You believe that, Crash,

you think God's a lady?

CRASH:

God's definitely a woman--but

she's no lady.

TOMMY:

This is all Commie bullshit.

(beat)

God has a dick, man.

TONY:

God damn it, Jimmy, you're an

expert--does God have a dick or a

p*ssy?

JIMMY TURNS FROM HIS CUBICLE to answer the theological

question. All heads wait for the answer.

JIMMY:

The Lord God is tri-une--Father,

Son, and Holy Ghost.

TOMMY:

Father and Son. Awright!

The guys slap fives, convinced God is a man.

MICKEY,

(baiting them)

Yeah, but He is a brother.

TOMMY:

Bullshit! God ain't no brother!

Deke turns to Crash, full of despair.

DEKE:

If there is a God, why am I hitting

.200?

SUDDENLY SKIP AND LARRY APPEAR to restore order.

SKIP:

Shut up! This is a damn noisy

clubhouse for a team that's lost

15 straight.

Silence.

Skip takes off his cap--instantly sincere.

SKIP:

Patkin was a tribute to baseball...

LARRY:

...and one helluva guy.

CUT TO:

EXT. DURHAM BALLPARK -- DUSK

A BLACK GOSPEL GROUP at a mike at home plate, singing:

GOSPEL SINGER (SINGING)

I come to the garden alone, When

the dew is still on the roses,

And the voice I hear, whispering

in my ear,. The Son of God

discloses--

ANNIE SPRINKLES MAX'S ASHES on the pitcher's mound, as:

JACKSON SITS IN THE DUGOUT FILLING ROSIN BAGS with the extra

ashes from a box.

EXTREME CLOSE UP -- A ROSIN BAG MARKED "MAX"

DISSOLVE TO:

EXTREME CLOSE UP -- "MAX" ROSIN BAG on the mound.

EXT. DURHAM BALLPARK -- GAME IN PROGRESS -- NIGHT

NUKE ON THE MOUND -- PICKS UP the rosin bag, and paces. A

small crowd. A batter steps in to hit. Nuke looks. in for

the sign.

NUKE (VOICE OVER)

God, these panties feel great.

That don't make me queer, right?

Right. Whoo.

(reads the sign)

Breaking ball.

NUKE WINDS AND DELIVERS -- Breaking ball for a strike.

NUKE:

I ain't queer. I know I ain't...

(reads the sign)

Fastball.

NUKE WINDS AND DELIVERS -- Fastball for a strike.

CUT TO:

ANNIE'S BOX SEAT IN THE STANDS -- She charts pitches.

JACKSON:

Ninety-three miles an hour.

ANNIE:

He looks wonderful, Jackson...

CUT TO:

NUKE ON THE MOUND -- He looks in for the sign.

NUKE:

Fastball again? Why's he want

the heat--I just threw heat.

Don't think, Meat--give 'em the

gas.

NUKE WINDS AND DELIVERS -- An eye-popping fastball. The

batter swings and misses. Strike three.

CUT TO:

IN THE DUGOUT -- SKIP AND LARRY LOOK AT EACH other warily.

SKIP:

Jesus--what's got into Nuke?

LARRY:

I heard he's wearing women's

underwear--and he's breathing

through his pingala nostril.

SKIP:

(spitting tobacco)

I'm getting too old for this game.

P.O.V. NUKES FASTBALL SHATTERS A BAT -- THE HITTER

hits a weak roller to third for the second out.

CUT TO:

BACK TO THE MOUND -- Nuke is pumped up. Paces.

NUKE (VOICE OVER)

God, Annie's got a great ass....

How come her panties fit me?

That's one of the mysteries of

sex I guess...

NUKE WINDS AND DELIVERS A VICIOUS CURVEBALL -- A check swing

dribbler to first for the third out. And the players run

into the dugout.

CUT TO:

INT. THE DUGOUT

NUKE PUTS ON HIS WARM UP JACKET and sits down next to Crash,

who's taking off his gear, readying to hit.

NUKE:

I was great, eh?

CRASH:

Your fastball was up and your

curveball was hanging--in the

Show they woulda ripped you.

NUKE:

Can't you let me enjoy the moment?

CRASH:

The moment's over.

(rising to get a bat)

If this guy starts me off with a

breaking ball, I'm going downtown--

CRASH SMILES in his disarming way, and grabs a bat.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE ON DECK CIRCLE

Crash kneels, rubbing the bat handle with pine tar. He

studies the pitcher working the first two hitters.

CRASH RISES and heads to the plate.

CRASH STEPS INTO THE BOX -- Digs in.

CRASH (VOICE OVER)

I dare you to throw me the hammer--

you ain't that stupid...

CRASH'S P.O.V. IN SLOW-MOTION -- The pitcher winds and

delivers. And as the ball leaves the pitcher's hand--

CRASH (VOICE OVER)

Breaking ball--you fool!

CRASH UNLOADS ON THE PITCH -- Crushing a home run deep over

the left field wall.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. THE PRESS BOX

TEDDY THE RADIO ANNOUNCER is wary about these events.

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