Coco Page #12

46.

MIGUEL:

This isn't fair, it's my life! You

already had yours!

Miguel grabs another petal, he marches over to Papá Julio.

MIGUEL:

Papá Julio, I ask for your

blessing.

Papá Julio shakes his head and pulls his hat down.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Tía Rosita? Oscar? Felipe? Tía

Victoria?

They all shake their heads.

MAMÁ IMELDA

Don't make this hard, mijo. You go

home my way, or no way.

MIGUEL:

You really hate music that much?

MAMÁ IMELDA

I will not let you go down the same

path he did.

Miguel gets an idea. He pulls the photo out and turns from

the group.

MIGUEL:

The same path he did.

He gazes at the man with no face.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

(to himself)

He's family...

TÍA VICTORIA

Listen to your Mamá Imelda.

TÍO OSCAR

She's just looking out for you.

TÍA ROSITA

Be reasonable.

Miguel starts back toward the door.

47.

MIGUEL:

Con permiso, I... need to visit the

restroom. Be right back!

Miguel sees himself out. The family waits for a beat.

CLERK:

Uh, should we tell him there are no

restrooms in the Land of the Dead?

INT. STAIRCASE - MOMENTS LATER

Miguel hustles down a staircase with Dante. Once on the

ground floor, they huddle beneath the staircase. He looks to

the upper floor. The Dead Riveras are there. Tío Oscar asks

a PATROLWOMAN about a boy of Miguel's height. The

patrolwoman picks up her walkie-talkie.

Miguel scopes the ground floor and spies a revolving door

exit.

MIGUEL:

Vámonos.

Miguel puts up his hood, tightening it to a tiny eye hole,

and heads out. Dante pads after him.

PATROLWOMAN:

We got a family looking for a

LIVING BOY.

MIGUEL:

If I wanna be a musician, I need a

MUSICIAN'S blessing. We gotta find

my great-great grandpa.

The exit gets closer when Miguel is stopped by a PATROLMAN.

PATROLMAN:

Hold it, muchacho.

Miguel's hoodie loosens to reveal his living face.

PATROLMAN:

Ahh!

The patrolman frantically grabs for his walkie-talkie.

PATROLMAN:

I've found that living boy!

48.

A large family passes between Miguel and the officer, chatty,

arms full of offerings.

PATROLMAN:

Uh whoa, excuse me, excuse me

folks! Excuse me--

Once the family clears, Miguel is nowhere to be seen.

CUT TO:

INT. NEARBY CORRIDOR

Miguel and Dante hide from the patrolman. But Dante wanders

off to inspect a side room.

MIGUEL:

No, no -- Dante!

INT. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Miguel catches up to Dante. He overhears an exchange in a

nearby cubicle.

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

...disturbing the peace, fleeing an

officer, falsifying a unibrow...

HÉCTOR

That's illegal?

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

VERY illegal. You need to clean up

your act, amigo.

HÉCTOR

Amigo?

(verklempt)

Oh, that's so nice, to hear you say

that, because...

(misty)

I've just had a really hard Día de

Muertos, and I could really use an

amigo right now.

Héctor leans gratefully toward the officer, overwhelmed with

mock emotion.

49.

HÉCTOR (CONT'D)

And amigos, they help their amigos.

Listen, you get me across that

bridge tonight and I'll make it

worth your while.

Héctor spies a de la Cruz poster at the officer's

workstation.

HÉCTOR (CONT'D)

Oh, you like de la Cruz? He and I

go way back! I can get you front

row seats to his Sunrise

Spectacular Show!

Miguel perks at the mention of de la Cruz.

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

Uh--

HÉCTOR

I'll -- I'll get you backstage, you

can meet him!

(beat)

You just gotta let me cross that

bridge!

The corrections officer pulls away.

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

I should lock you up for the rest

of the holiday...

(beat)

But my shift's almost up, and I

wanna visit my living family... so

I'm letting you off with a warning.

HÉCTOR

Can I at least get my costume back?

CORRECTIONS OFFICER

Uh, no.

In a huff, Héctor marches out of the room.

HÉCTOR

Some amigo...

Miguel follows him.

50.

INT. HALLWAY

MIGUEL:

Hey. Hey! You really know de la

Cruz?

HÉCTOR

Who wants to--

(noticing Miguel)

Ah! You're alive!

MIGUEL:

Shhh!

CUT INTO:

INT. PHONEBOOTH

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