Charlie Bartlett Page #7

Yeah.

(FEEDBACK SCREECHlNG)

Attention, all dissenting students

of Western Summit High School,

You have two minutes to disperse,

If you ha ve not at that time,

you will be suspended,

No! See, we have a right to be here.

They can't kick us all out.

There has to be a better way

to handle this.

-Okay. Can you help me out?

-What are you gonna do?

Could you go over there and tell them

to break it up and come back tonight?

Okay.

STUDENTS:
This is a school, not a prison!

This is a school, not a prison!

Hey, guys, Charlie wanted me to ask...

Charlie wants us to go home

and come back tonight, all right?

Susan!

-What did he just give you?

-What?

-That's just...

-Shut it! I'm talking to my daughter.

-What is in that pharmacy bag?

-None of your business.

-Susan...

-I don't need any assistance from you

handling my daughter.

Do you understand?

Try saying one more word

and see what happens.

Come on, you really think

I don't know what's in the bag?

Yeah. I really don't think

you know what's in the bag.

Where are you going?

You're not going anywhere.

Whatever.

Susan Gardner, get your ass

back in the house on the count of three,

or you're grounded.

What makes you think

you're still in control of what I do?

I don't think. I know. It's a fact.

What are you looking at? One!

I would not make me choose

between you and Charlie if I were you.

You don't have to choose.

Drug dealer! Dad!

I'm your father.

This is a boy who goes to my school. Two!

Charlie Bartlett has done more

for your school than you ever will.

Three!

Hey! Don't touch her!

Oh, sh*t. I'm so sorry.

I didn't mean to do that.

Well, you did it. It's done.

Whatever. Let's go. Come on.

I'm really sorry I did that.

It's not your fault.

So, Charlie Bartlett assaulted you.

Well, now it's up to you.

Do you want to press charges or not?

HENRY ON MEGAPHONE: Now, we're

gonna get these cameras out of the lounge,

We're gonna figure it out tonight,

Hey, look who it is, everybody,

-CROWD :
Charlie! Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!

-Charlie! Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!

(ALL CHEERlNG)

How you all doing tonight?

(CHEERlNG)

My name is Charlie Bartlett,

If there's one thing I want you guys

to walk away with tonight,

it's that you guys don 't need me,

I really mean it,

You think I'm any less screwed up

than you are?

I get up every morning

and I look in the mirror

and I try and figure out

just where I fit in,

And I draw a complete blank,

And you guys are looking to me

to tell you what to do?

You need to stop listening to me,

(SlRENS WAlLlNG)

And stop listening to people telling you

who you should be,

And stop listening to the people

that are telling you

you're not good enough

to do the things that you want to do!

(STUDENTS CHEERlNG)

You guys have all the answers,

You're under arrest for assault.

(STUDENTS BOOlNG)

Charlie!

STUDENTS CHANTlNG:

Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!

-Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!

-Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!

Okay, party's over,

I want you all out ofhere now!

Have I made myself abundantly clear?

We want to know

what the hell's gonna happen to Charlie.

-Yeah!

-ALL:
Yeah!

I'd be more worried about yourselves,

Thanks to him,

the Class of '83 Student Lounge

is now The Charlie Bartlett

Detention Center,

Bullshit! Come on!

Get the cameras!

Well, every time I feel you're

coming round, you're going down

You hit the ground with every force

It makes no sense or sound

Emergency, Western Summit High School.

(STUDENTS WHOOPlNG)

God bless your soul, girl

Now you got the whole world

It's your eyes that make me smile

Oh, yeah

Oh, yeah

Well, I guess now is as good a time

as any to tell you.

You're fired.

(SlREN WAlLlNG)

It's your eyes that make me smile

Come on.

Wasting time hanging out

Oh, yeah

Oh, yeah

Come on, Charlie.

Your mom's here to bail you out.

What's gonna happen to the other kids?

Well, there's gonna be an investigation.

But since all the cameras were destroyed,

they're gonna have a hard time

figuring out who did what.

Well, I'm prepared

to take full responsibility.

Charlie, go home.

-Are you mad?

-I don't know how to feel, Charlie.

Well, Mom, I think you should be mad

because I just got arrested

and a bunch of my friends

just trashed a building.

I am aware of that.

And I'm having a hard time being mad

at you when it just might be my fault.

No, Mom, it's not your fault.

Don't say that.

No, some of it is.

I treated you like an adult for so long,

you missed out on being a little boy.

And now we're paying for it.

With a vengeance, I'd say.

But you are just a kid, Charlie.

You understand that, right?

And that doesn't change just

because I don't know what to do with you.

Mom.

I wouldn't know

what to do with me, either.

Well, I think it's safe to say

that you're grounded.

Really? How long?

That's a good question.

What is the standard?

Usually, like, 24 hours.

Well, seeing as you've acquired

a misdemeanor, we'd better make it 30.

Okay.

-Get in the car.

-Okay.

(SUSAN HUMMlNG

YANKEE DOODLE DANDY)

(SlGHS)

-Hi.

-Hey!

How are you feeling?

A little nervous, I guess. But that's normal.

Yeah. How's your dad?

He's holed himself up in his study.

That's usually a bad sign.

You could've asked him to come,

you know.

Really? What am I going to say?

"Hey, Dad, you want to come

sit with a bunch of people

"that are really glad you were fired

and watch me on stage?"

(DOORBELL RlNGS)

(KNOCKlNG ON DOOR)

Hello?

Hello?

Principal Gardner?

Hello? Principal Gardner?

It's me, sir. Charlie Bartlett.

Hello?

(BOTTLE TOOTlNG)

Hello?

Oh, this better be good, Charles.

I came to invite you to the play.

Well, thank you for that,

but I am just a little tied up right now.

-What are you doing?

-Venting. Just venting a little bit.

Is that your new word of the day?

Sure as sh*t is.

(EXCLAlMS)

Word of the day, "venting."

Explanation. That's kind of how I deal

with my little life's frustrations. I vent.

As in "to vent," original derivation

from the Latin exventare,

Jesus!

Everybody needs to vent a little

now and again, don't you figure?

Some of us are privileged enough

to vent to you in the boys' room stall,

and the rest of us just have to settle

for less conventional methods.

Like, I don't know,

a bottle of booze and a handgun.

(GUN FlRES)

I'm sorry. I'm not putting you on edge

with my behavior, am l?

That's all right.

Maybe you could put the gun down.

Park it, Chuck!

In case you're not aware of this,

I'm entirely displeased with you right now.

I was racking my brain to figure out why,

and I think it's because

you've taken everything from me.

Why did you do that?

Do you have anything enlightening

to say to me right now? 'Cause if you do,

I'd appreciate it if you'd spit it out.

I don't know.

Maybe some of

that post-pubescent psychobabble?

Maybe a pearl of wisdom?

I don't know what to say to you.

I mean, I don't know how to help you.

I really want to.

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