Bull Durham Page #18

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NUKE:

I gotta go now, Dad.

FATHER:

I was thinking I could fly up and

spend a week in the Big Leagues

with you--help you get comfortable.

NUKE:

No. If I screw up, I wanta do it

alone. I'll call.

FATHER:

We'll be praying for you.

NUKE:

Dad--if my curveball is hanging,

God ain't gonna help me.

FATHER:

We'll pray anyway.

NUKE:

(kindly)

If it makes you and mom feel

better, go for it. I gotta run--

THEY SHAKE HANDS, AND:

CRASH'S P.O.V. -- NUKE ROARS AWAY in his Porsche, leaving a

trail of dust in the Stadium parking lot.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. DURHAM STADIUM -- DUSK

MILLIE AND JIMMY'S WEDDING -- A formal wedding on the

pitcher's mound. Millie in white. Jimmy in his uniform.

Skip is the best man, also in uniform, and several players

and groupies are the attendants, Annie as the Bride's Maid.

Organ music plays the wedding march.

JIMMY LIFTS MILLIE'S VEIL and kisses her. The stands are

full of fans.

JIMMY LEADS MILLIE DOWN THE "AISLE" towards home plate.

DISSOLVE TO:

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

CLOSE ON SCOREBOARD -- Ninth inning. Durham is leading by a

score of 1 to 0. Two outs.

JIMMY IS PITCHING -- He delivers. The batter rockets a line

drive up the alley. A PENINSULA RUNNER races from first,

rounding third, trying to score. A relay.

CRASH WAITS AT THE PLATE -- Here comes the runner. Here

comes the throw. A close play. A terrible collision.

Crash goes rolling. The umpire waits--and in a cloud of

dust, Crash holds up the ball.

THE CROWD ROARS -- Jimmy jumps victoriously in the air.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LOCKER ROOM -- NIGHT

The air of victory. The mood is up and goofy. Beer cans

are squirted at Jimmy, the groom.

JIMMY:

I wanta thank everybody and the

Lord for the victory, it's a

wonderful way to celebrate my

marriage--and I guess we're all

back on a winning streak, eh?l A

few raucous "F***in A's" from the

team.

TONY:

Hey, Jimmy--we chipped in and

kind got a little gift for ya of

a special wedding cake from the

Durham Bulls.

DEKE CARRIES OUT AN WEDDING CAKE -- It's X-Rated. The

decorative Bride and Groom are f***ing. Jimmy's embarrassed

but it's all good natured.

CUT TO:

CRASH COMING OUT OF THE SHOWER -- Toweling off, watching the

innocent, vulgar fun. He sits down in front of his locker,

drying his hair, when the CLUBHOUSE BOY approaches:

CLUBHOUSE BOY:

Hey, Crash--Skip wants to see ya.

CRASH RISES AND HEADS FOR SKIP'S CUBICLE -- Wearing only a

towel and his shower shoes.

CUT TO:

INSIDE SKIP'S OFFICE -- Skip and Larry sit in postgame

routine, checking charts, smoking, half dressed.

CRASH ENTERS as he's still drying off.

CRASH:

Yeah, Skip, you wanted to see me?

SKIP:

Crash, shut the door.

And it hits him. Crash looks at Skip, who looks down at the

floor, unwilling to face Crash who then looks at Larry, who

also looks away nervously.

CRASH SHUTS THE DOOR -- The party rages beyond.

SKIP:

(heartfelt)

This is the toughest job a manager

has...

CLOSE ON CRASH -- He's been in the game too long to be

surprised; nonetheless, he's surprised. And hurt. His

stoicism is professional.

SKIP:

The organization wants to make a

change...now that Nuke's gone

they wanta bring up some young

catcher...

LARRY:

Some kid hittin' .300 in Lynchburg

...probably a bust.

SKIP:

I put in a word for you with the

organization--told 'em I thought

you'd make a fine minor league

manager someday...Might be an

opening at Salem next year--

EXTREME CLOSE UP ON CRASH -- His eyes are moist.

SKIP:

Helluva year, Crash--you know how

it is.

Silence.

Crash stands there nearly nude. He just nods slightly.

Without rancor or bitterness, he turns and re-enters the

raucous locker room.

CUT TO:

EXT. STREETS OF DURHAM -- NIGHT

CRASH WALKS THE STREETS ALONE -- Crash stops in front of a

window and takes his batting stroke, studying the reflection.

And he keeps walking into:

CUT TO:

EXT/INT. CHEAP BAR IN DOWNTOWN DURHAM -- NIGHT

CRASH DRINKING ALONE at the end of a bar.

CUT TO:

EXT. STREETS OF DURHAM -- NIGHT

CRASH WANDERS ALONG into the residential neighborhoods.

HE STARTS ACROSS A QUIET INTERSECTION Stops. Looks at the

street signs. He CHANGES DIRECTION, walks on.

CUT TO:

EXT. ANNIE'S HOUSE -- NIGHT

The windows glow. After midnight.

CRASH STARES AT THE HOUSE -- Hesitates, then walks up the

porch stairs. Knocks at the door. Moments later:

ANNIE OPENS THE DOOR -- She looks beautiful. Almost as if

she was expecting him. At first, silence. Then:

CRASH:

I got released.

ANNIE:

I heard already.

SHE OPENS THE DOOR -- Crash enters Annie's house.

CUT TO:

INT. ANNIE'S HOUSE -- NIGHT

ANNIE PUTS ON her favorite Piaf record.

ANNIE POURS A DRINK for both of them.

CRASH PUTS A HAND ON HER HIP -- Annie closes her eyes, a

tiny gasp. He kisses her forehead. She kisses his neck. A

tiny smile from Crash. The same from Annie.

SHE KISSES HIM on the corner of his mouth. Her hand finds

the back of his head and she runs her fingers through his

hair.

CRASH RESPONDS -- They kiss slowly, deeply. As--

HIS HAND ON HER HIP PULLS UP HER SKIRT -- By degrees, the

skirt is raised up her stocking covered leg. At last exposing

the beloved-

BLACK GARTER SNAPS -- Crash's hand expertly holds up the

skirt and effortlessly UNSNAPS THE GARTER with a minimum of

effort.

FLICK, FLICK, FLICK -- The garter snaps are free.

ANNIE:

Oh my...

DISSOLVE TO:

THE BEDROOM -- Crash carries Annie to the bed.

DISSOLVE TO:

ANNIE'S FOOT KICKS OVER A LAMP onto the floor.

DISSOLVE TO:

ANNIE'S BLOUSE FRONT -- Flick, flick, flick. Crash unbuttons

it with one hand in seconds. Even Annie is startled with

the speed and ease of Crash's hand.

DISSOLVE TO:

HER HAND SLIDES UNDER THE WAISTBAND of his underwear

DISSOLVE TO:

HIS HAND SLIDES UP UNDER HER panties.

DISSOLVE TO:

A FULL EMBRACE ON THE EDGE OF THE BED -- Remnants of clothes

cover parts of their bodies. They tumble out of control to

the floor.

DISSOLVE TO:

ANNIE'S HAND GRABS ONTO A DRESSER LEG -- A carved oak antique,

her hand holds on tight and shakes the dresser.

DISSOLVE TO:

THE DRESSER TOP SHAKES -- Makeup bottles and pictures and

dozens of Annie's special things rattle and fall

DISSOLVE TO:

ANNIE'S READ RESTS ON CRASH'S STOMACH -- Post coital, they

lie on the floor blissfully as Piaf finishes.

DISSOLVE TO:

ANNIE CHANGES THE RECORD to Hank Williams.

DISSOLVE:

THE KITCHEN -- ANNIE AND CRASH eat an after mid after sex

snack. Crash eats a bowl of Wheaties. They each wear one

of her robes.

DISSOLVE"

Annie sits, munching a carrot and rolling a joint of marijuana

she keeps in a Victorian jewel box.

ANNIE:

... so you see in a former

lifetime I'm sure that I was

Alexandria, the Czarette of Russia?

What do you think?

CRASH:

How come in former lifetimes,

everybody was someone famous?

(beat)

How come nobody ever says they

were Joe Schmo?

ANNIE:

It doesn't work like that.

(stares at him)

God, you're gorgeous. Want to

dance?

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