Confidence Page #3

Zach looks back toward his classmates for help.

LETTY:

What's wrong, Zach?

Letty picks up a piece of chalk and writes an "a." She

erases it furiously and works at it until the "a" is perfect.

.

LETTY:

Try again, Zach. Like that.

Letty jabs at the board with a piece of chalk. Zach freezes.

He sees Letty's shoes, her arm, her contorted face, and,

above all else, that perfect “a” staring right back down at

him.

Letty grips Zach’s arm, guiding the chalk to form what looks

like a pretty good “a.”

LETTY:

I don't believe it. You still

can't do it.

ZACH:

I'm sorry, OK, Miss Mayer?

LETTY:

No, it's not OK. You'll never get

to college on OK.

Letty's fingers press into Zach's arm. A tear slides

ominously down his cheek.

14.

LETTY:

It has to be good, Zach. Do you

understand me?

Zach wrests free of Letty. He's in full cry now. He backs

away, stumbles, then makes a run for his seat. Bobby

SNICKERS at Zach's misfortune. Other children glance around,

unsure, confused.

Letty looks vacantly at the children, stares at the board and

looks at the children again.

She sits down at her desk and buries her face in her hands.

Letty's fists, clenched at first, slowly relax. She takes a

deep breath and raises her head.

LETTY:

I'm very, very sorry, Zach.

Zach continues to cry. Letty looks down at her desk. She

grabs a piece of construction paper and a jar of paste.

LETTY:

You know what, guys? Wednesday's

not a grammar day. It's a collage

day. It's a collage ON THE WALL

day.

Letty jumps up. She slaps the paper on the wall with some

paste. She motions for the students to join her.

The children slowly approach her. Zach lags behind.

LETTY:

And, Zach? Zach, I want you to be

in charge of paste.

INT. BEDROOM - LETTY'S APARTMENT - DAY

Letty lies in bed. The alarm clock BLASTS opera. Letty

fumbles for the switch. She can't turn it off. She yanks

out the cord.

.

Letty gets out of bed, walks to the dresser and turns off the

second clock before it rings. She goes to the KITCHEN and

snaps off the alarm, then heads down the HALLWAY and shuts

that alarm off, as well.

Letty hurries back to her BEDROOM and crawls into bed. Paul,

toweling his hair dry, walks in.

15.

PAUL:

What are you doing? You're going

to be late.

LETTY:

I'm calling in sick.

Paul sits on the bed and puts his hand to Letty's forehead.

PAUL:

You don't have a fever.

LETTY:

I don't feel like going to work

today.

PAUL:

Won't it be hard for them to get a

substitute this late?

LETTY:

It'll be OK.

PAUL:

But what about that math project?

LETTY:

Paul, I just can't go. Is that OK

with you or am I committing some

horrible crime?

PAUL:

Forget I asked.

LETTY:

I'm sorry.

(beat)

I'm just...I'm so tired lately.

PAUL:

Maybe you ought to see a doctor.

LETTY:

No, it's not like that.

Letty starts to cry.

LETTY:

It's just I've got those parent

conferences, and I'm supposed to

set up the math program by next

week.

(MORE)

16.

LETTY(cont'd)

And shopping for Ruth's dress and

that, that engagement dinner.

PAUL:

You can get out of the dinner.

LETTY:

No, I can't. I've already

convinced both Mom and Dad to come.

PAUL:

Come on, Letty. It'll get done.

Paul touches Letty's shoulder. She pulls away from him.

LETTY:

I don't think so.

PAUL:

Of course it will. Remember the

big talent show you planned last

year? And what about the Christmas

benefit when Santa canceled at the

last minute? But you still pulled

it off.

LETTY:

Yeah.

PAUL:

You just need to get more

organized.

.

LETTY:

Maybe.

PAUL:

Let's make a list of the things you

need to do, OK?

Letty nods her head, and Paul grabs a legal pad from his

briefcase.

INT. CLASSROOM - CHASEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - NIGHT

MR. and MRS. ANDERSON, over-eager parents, sit across the

desk from Letty, who stares at the legal pad in her lap. As

the Andersons talk, Letty twists a lock of hair tighter and

tighter.

MRS. ANDERSON

So at home, we've started our own

little library for Chandra.

17.

MR. ANDERSON

We thought it would be a good

project for her to set up her own

card-catalogue.

LETTY:

I see.

Letty tries unsuccessfully to extricate her hand from her

hair.

MRS. ANDERSON

But what I'm wondering is whether

we should also be spending more

time on her computer skills at

home. What do you think?

LETTY:

Well...

MR. ANDERSON

Because we don't want her to get

behind her classmates.

MRS. ANDERSON

And we trust your opinion.

Chandra's always talking about Miss

Mayer.

LETTY:

Oh.

MR. ANDERSON

Just the other day she came home

and told us about you taking care

of her bloody nose.

MRS. ANDERSON

And she went on and on about the

collage. That seems very

inventive, Miss Mayer.

Letty stares blankly at the couple.

MR. ANDERSON

Miss Mayer?

LETTY:

What the f***. It's my job.

Off Mr. Anderson's raised eyebrow, we

CUT TO:

18.

INT. LIVING ROOM - LETTY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

The room is a mess of scattered papers and the math Twister

game. Letty sits on the ground crying. She makes a pyramid

out of the wadded-up tissues that surround her.

INT. BRIDAL SHOP - DAY

The upscale shop is festooned with pastels and lace and lots

of signs announcing "Sale Day." Frenzied women pick through

dresses as "Pachelbel's Canon" plays in the background.

Letty is wedged into a corner, sipping coffee. A CLERK

approaches her with a coffee pot and tray of pastries.

CLERK:

More coffee?

LETTY:

Hit me.

CLERK:

Danish?

LETTY:

(rooting through the tray)

No more bear claws left?

Ruth bounces into the shop.

CLERK:

(to Ruth)

Danish?

RUTH:

Oh, no thanks, I'm too excited to

eat.

The clerk gives Ruth an approving smile as Letty rips into a

sweet roll. Ruth looks through a nearby rack of gowns.

RUTH:

(to Letty)

Where's Mommy?

LETTY:

Do you have to call her Mommy?

RUTH:

Where's the old bag I sometimes

call Mommy?

19.

LETTY:

She said she'd be here at 10.

Ruth pulls a dress from the rack and holds it up.

RUTH:

What do you think of this one?

LETTY:

I'd have to see it on.

Ruth looks closer at Letty.

RUTH:

Have you been crying? Your eyes

are all puffy.

Letty self-consciously touches her eyes.

LETTY:

Things have been kind of stressful

lately.

RUTH:

But everything's OK?

Ruth is trying on a veil at this point.

LETTY:

Yeah, everything's under control.

RUTH:

What about the engagement party?

LETTY:

Everything's ready for tomorrow

night--except the artillery.

RUTH:

Thanks so much for planning it,

Letty. Jake's really looking

forward to it.

Letty sighs, moves to the racks and pulls out a dress.

LETTY:

You better start trying on before

the vultures get all the good ones.

INT. DRESSING ROOM - LATER

.

Ruth twirls around in a taffeta gown as Letty picks up

discarded dresses from the floor and hangs them up.

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