Dear White People Page #11

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KURT:

The f***?

Sam grins from a table comprised of Martin, Sungmi and her

other support staff. Martin is visibly annoyed.

TROY:

Yo!

Troy takes some of the brunt of this and walks with the

humiliated Kurt back out of the Dining Hall.

Lionel watches with a smirk as Troy talks Kurt down on the

other side of the entrance. Lionel catches eyes with Sam

briefly who shares the same smirk.

He realizes Sam’s actually looking at Reggie, perched behind

him at a table flanked by Curls and Dreads. They address him.

REGGIE:

Finally made it in.

62.

DREADS:

Been moved around a lot right?

CURLS:

You must have been terrified when

you saw “Armstrong/Parker” written

on your moving assignment.

LIONEL:

I was just finishing up.

REGGIE:

Do Black people scare you?

LIONEL:

(realizing its true)

No.

REGGIE:

You’re too scared to even ask

anyone for a cut.

LIONEL:

I’m growing it out.

DREADS:

No. I’m growing it out. You’re

fostering an ecosystem.

REGGIE:

How come you don’t come to BSU?

LIONEL:

I listen to Mumford and Sons and

watch Robert Altman movies. You

honestly think I’m Black enough for

the union?

DREADS:

Yo, I love Robert Altman. Mutha

fucka goes in.

CURLS:

(after a beat)

We’re not all homophobes you know.

Black folks?

Lionel’s eyes dart around. How did she know?

DREADS:

I’m bumping Frank Ocean right now.

I don’t give a f***. Imma still eat

at Chik Fil A though. Them nuggets

good as hell.

63.

LIONEL:

I’m late for class.

REGGIE:

You’re the “Black voice” of the

Bugle now. We’re just trying to

decide if you are friend or foe.

Reggie pulls a folded copy of the Bugle from under his arm.

Sam’s on the front page with the headline “WHITE STUDENTS

TOLD TO ‘GET OUT’ BY LIONEL HIGGINS.”

REGGIE (CONT’D)

We got to protect our girl.

Reggie motions over to a stressed out Sam as she argues over

something with Martin at another table.

LIONEL:

I’m not on staff. Not until I make

good on my assignment, I’m just --

REGGIE:

-- Assignment? What’s the story?

LIONEL:

They want me to do a profile piece

on Black culture at Manchester.

REGGIE:

Of which you are so clearly an

expert.

Shame floods Lionel’s face.

REGGIE (CONT’D)

So what’s harder man? Being Black

enough for the Black kids or the

white ones?

LIONEL:

Being neither.

Another GONG sounds with another shower of paper balls. This

time it’s for...

...Gabe, who’s stuck outside. He makes eye contact with...

GABE:

Sam! Really Sam?

She just looks away. Reggie eyes him coolly.

64.

58 INT. CLASSROOM - DAY 58

Professor Bodkin watches over a small class as the students

fill in essay questions. Sam’s eyes are glued to a window...

Outside below the Brofros pull up in an SUV. They hop out and

start pulling out rally signs and bullhorns.

Sam’s eyes dart back to the clock as Gabe watches her watch

the time.

59A EXT. MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY - DAY 59A

Sam bounds out of a building on her way to the parking lot.

From behind her...

DEAN FAIRBANKS:

Running late.

Sam pauses and turns to see him.

DEAN FAIRBANKS (CONT’D)

For your little rally?

SAM:

Forget your sign Dean?

DEAN FAIRBANKS:

Do you honestly think this is in

the spirit of Armstrong / Parker

house?

SAM:

The role of the counter culture is

to wake up the mainstream to --

DEAN FAIRBANKS:

-- I’ve got furniture older than

you. Counter culture? Is that what

you think this is? That show of

yours?

SAM:

What about my show?

DEAN FAIRBANKS:

Your show is racist.

SAM:

Black people can’t be racist.

The Dean is rendered speechless at this statement.

65.

SAM (CONT’D)

Prejudice? Yes. But not racist.

Racism describes a system of

disadvantage based on race. Black

people can’t be racist since they

don’t benefit from such a system.

DEAN FAIRBANKS:

Do you read the school papers?

SAM:

Is the New York Times a school

paper?

DEAN FAIRBANKS:

Your antics are making press Sam

and press like this keeps men like

President Fletcher up at night.

SAM:

Warm milk?

DEAN FAIRBANKS:

He’s building a file on you.

SAM:

It’s not my fault your son couldn’t

beat me in an election.

DEAN FAIRBANKS:

I’m sure it was hard growing up.

Wondering which side you fit into.

Feeling like you have to

overcompensate perhaps?

SAM:

If that’s true, I’m not the only

one Dean.

Sam walks off in a half jog - Fairbank’s last words resonate

more than she’d like.

Gabe, making his way outside just catches her exit.

59B EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY 59B

Huge canvas signs with the words “WHITES ONLY” are strewn

about the pavement, along with bullhorns and picket signs.

Sam takes these in while the Brofros feverishly unpack the

SUV.

66.

REGGIE:

There you are! We supposed to start

at noon.

SAM:

I told you I had class.

There’s a vibration in Sam’s pocket. Her phone says “MOM.”

She cuts it off and picks up a “white’s only” sign.

REGGIE:

Those are going up on Gillespie.

Good right?

Sam shrugs in the affirmative but it’s too much. Reggie sees

a doubt in her eyes.

REGGIE (CONT’D)

Yo. What’s that? You’re not getting

cold feet are you?

SAM:

No. I mean how long do I have to

talk anyway?

REGGIE:

You’re kidding right? You’re sort

of the keynote.

SAM:

Yeah but...you know I think the

whole Malcolm X thing is your lane

Reg. I’m just not -

REGGIE:

-- They came to hear you Sam. Grab

a bullhorn. Turn it on.

Sam is struck by the command. Stuck between wanting to curse

and comply another buzz in her pocket yanks her attention to

her phone. Sam checks: “IT’S ABOUT DAD. CALL ME”

Sam turns for some privacy. She makes eye contact with Gabe

who’s just happened upon the parking lot.

GABE:

What is all this?

SAM:

(on phone)

Hey. In the middle of---

Okay. Okay. Okay.

67.

Tears well up in Sam’s eyes as she shakes her head no and

heads away from the parking lot and passed Gabe.

When Reggie looks up and catches eyes with Sam. His tilted

look of indignation asks her what she’s doing.

REGGIE:

Sam?

Sam takes in the scene and decisively turns to go. Reggie’s

heart sinks as a bewildered Gabe goes to chase after her.

REGGIE (CONT’D)

Sam!

60 INT. ARMSTRONG / PARKER HALL - DAY 60

Reggie flanked by the BoFros bangs on Sam’s door.

REGGIE:

Yo, what the hell Sam?

61

INT. SAM’S ROOM - DAY 61

The banging continues as Sam sits on the edge of her bed. The

tears have dried. Gabe paces behind the bed.

GABE:

You want me to tell them to go?

SAM:

You’re so tough.

GABE:

I will.

SAM:

I want you to wait until they’ve

gone and then head home.

GABE:

I’m trying to be here for you.

SAM:

Can you be somewhere else for me?

61A HALLWAY 61A

REGGIE:

Sam! I know you’re home.

68.

61B SAM’S ROOM 61B

GABE:

What do you see in him?

SAM:

The only eligible single brother on

campus.

GABE:

Wow. Okay.

SAM:

I get it. Your parents owned in

Harlem or something? You watched

“Do The Right Thing” in high school

and you want to prove to the world

you’re down?

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