Confidence Page #16

MRS. SANTUCCI

More water. It's too pasty.

Letty pours in more water.

LETTY:

I'll never get the hang of this.

.

MRS. SANTUCCI

All the Santucci women go through

this.

Letty smiles at her and kneads harder. Mr. Santucci enters

and kisses his wife.

MR. SANTUCCI

Hi there, Letty.

LETTY:

Hi, Frank.

Mr. Santucci looks in the pasta bowl.

MR. SANTUCCI

It needs more water.

He dumps some in. Letty looks sadly at the gloppy mess.

LETTY:

(to Mrs. Santucci)

Maybe we should make lamb next

week.

Michael walks in.

MRS. SANTUCCI

Hi, Sweetheart.

LETTY:

How'd it go?

102.

Michael takes his tie, holds it up like a noose and lets his

tongue loll out of his mouth.

LETTY:

What happened?

MICHAEL:

Four interviews. Four no-gos.

LETTY:

The restaurant, too?

MICHAEL:

I couldn't even face that one.

Mr. and Mrs. Santucci look at each other.

LETTY:

That's OK. We can call and

reschedule in the morning.

MICHAEL:

You don't have to take care of me,

you know.

An uneasy silence falls in the room.

MRS. SANTUCCI

Maybe we should save the job talk

for after dinner.

Michael looks in the bowl of pasta dough that Letty continues

to labor over. He reaches in to help with the mixing.

MICHAEL:

(to Letty)

Just promise you'll love me even if

I end up in a job where I have to

wear a blue polyester cap.

LETTY:

I think you know I'd love you even

more in a blue polyester cap.

INT. BATHROOM - MICHAEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Michael finishes brushing his teeth. He opens the medicine

cabinet, pulls out a prescription bottle and pours a pill

into his hand.

LETTY (OS)

You're going to miss the Top Ten.

103.

MICHAEL:

Coming.

He raises the pill to his mouth, then opens his hand and lets

it drop in the sink. Michael runs the water and watches the

pill swirl slowly down the drain.

LETTY (OS)

Michael, hurry.

Michael stuffs the pill bottle in a bottom drawer. He opens

the door, sprints into the bedroom and leaps onto Letty, who

lies on the futon. Letty SCREAMS and LAUGHS.

INT. MCDONALD'S RESTAURANT - DAY

Michael sits in a booth drinking coffee. He bows over an

application, pen in hand. About a third is filled out.

INT. SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE - DAY

Letty and Superintendent Johansen sit on the floor, which is

covered with math games, posters and charts.

LETTY:

I think I could get the program up

and running in the next two weeks.

JOHANSEN:

From what I understand the

principal has removed you from

student activities.

LETTY:

She's worried that I'm unstable.

Johansen studies her.

LETTY:

But I wouldn't push for the program

if I wasn't ready.

JOHANSEN:

What about the office work?

LETTY:

I'd have to do that, too. But I've

gotten better at pacing myself.

JOHANSEN:

Are you sure?

104.

LETTY:

I'll call you if I have problems.

Scout's honor.

JOHANSEN:

I have to say I'm inclined to give

it another try.

Letty hugs Johansen.

JOHANSEN:

But, Letty, why don't you give

yourself three weeks to set it up

this time?

INT. MCDONALD'S RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Michael sits in the same booth, eating a hamburger. About

half of the application is now completed.

INT. TUXEDO SHOP - NIGHT

Letty and her mother sit in silence. Letty smiles at her

mother. Her mother gives her a very tiny smile back.

Michael hurries in.

MICHAEL:

Hey, Letty. Mrs. Mayer.

LETTY:

I got worried. Are you OK?

Michael pulls a blue polyester hat out of his pocket and puts

it on.

.

MICHAEL:

How may I help you?

LETTY:

Congratulations.

MRS. MAYER

Michael, the shop's about to close.

Maybe you could try on your tux.

Michael heads to the dressing room in the back of the store.

LETTY:

(to Mrs. Mayer)

Michael just got a job. Couldn't

you congratulate him?

105.

MRS. MAYER

I will, Dear. I promise.

(beat)

Why McDonald's?

LETTY:

He's been looking everywhere for

weeks, Mom. It's not that easy

after you've been locked away.

Letty looks toward the back of the store. Her mother looks

at her. Letty ignores her mother.

MRS. MAYER

I've read that lots of people my

age are supplementing their incomes

these days by working at McDonald's

and Burger King.

Letty looks at her mother, tries to read her.

LETTY:

I'm going to take that as an honest

effort at being open minded.

MRS. MAYER

Don't be fresh.

LETTY:

Just remember that I love him.

Michael walks out of the dressing room and advances toward

the two women, bowing in Cary Grant fashion as he nears.

Letty's mother turns to her daughter, who beams brightly at

the dashing Michael.

MRS. MAYER

(to Letty)

I'll say this, Dear. He looks damn

good in a tuxedo.

EXT. TRACK - DAY

Letty and Michael jog.

MICHAEL:

Aunt Lily is the one who married

your father's cousin?

LETTY:

No, that's Aunt Connie. Lily is

the one who looks like a hooker.

106.

MICHAEL:

Oh. And, Harry, he's the one who

likes magic?

LETTY:

You don't have to know all this by

Saturday. It took me years.

INT. CHURCH - DAY

Every inch of every pew in the Baroque church is stuffed with

guests. Michael sits in the second row. He cranes his head

around as "Pachelbel's Canon" RINGS OUT and the FLOWER GIRL

advances.

.

Letty, in the first part of the bride's maids' procession,

heads down the aisle next. The bride is nowhere in sight.

But even so, as soon as Michael spots Letty, he stands.

Everyone else remains seated. They look at him. Michael

doesn't notice. He has eyes only for Letty.

Letty's mother looks at Michael with more than annoyance.

Begrudgingly, she also stands.

Following the lead, the entire church stands for Letty. She

smiles at Michael.

INT. BALLROOM - COUNTRY CLUB - LATER

A parade of guests pass through the receiving line to greet

Mr. Mayer, Monica, Letty, Mrs. Mayer, Ruth and Jake.

Michael hovers close to Letty. AUNT LILY, with fluorescent

red hair and a silver lame miniskirt, spots him.

AUNT LILY:

(to Michael)

What a beautiful wedding.

As she passes out of earshot,

MICHAEL:

(to Letty)

Aunt Lily?

LETTY:

Bingo.

Mrs. Mayer talks to her brother CORT.

107.

MRS. MAYER

Oh, and have you met Michael? He's

Letty's boyfriend.

Letty and Ruth overhear this. They make eye contact. Ruth

raises her eyebrows toward Letty. Letty smiles back.

INT. BALLROOM - LATER

Ruth and Letty talk while Michael twirls across the dance

floor with Monica.

RUTH:

The worst was when I stammered

Jake's name.

LETTY:

I don't think people even noticed.

I thought the ceremony was perfect.

RUTH:

That's thanks to all your help.

Cort, overweight and red from drink, approaches Ruth and

Letty.

LETTY:

Uh oh, Uncle Cort at 6 o'clock.

RUTH:

Sorry to do this to you. But I am

the bride.

Ruth turns and flees. CORT pounces on Letty and plants the

wettest kiss ever on her mouth.

CORT:

(to Letty)

I don't think I've seen you in two

or three years.

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