Doubt Page #2

teachers to eighth grade,

but I am working within constraints.

- Are you in control of your class?

- I think so.

Usually more students

are sent down to me.

- I try to take care of things myself.

- That can be an error.

You are answerable to me,

I to the Monsignor, he to the Bishop,

and so on up to the Holy Father.

There is a chain. Make use of it.

- Candy?

- Cough drops.

Candy by another name.

- How is Donald Miller doing?

- Steady.

Good.

That girl... Noreen Horan.

I've seated her as far away from the

boys as possible. Doesn't do much good.

Just get her through. Intact.

What's this?

The wind is so... peripatetic this year.

Is that the word I want?

Is something the matter?

- What?

- Is something the matter?

No. Why? Is something the matter?

- I don't think so.

- Well, then, nothing's the matter then.

- Yes.

- What's this?

- A pen?

- A ballpoint pen.

The students are not using them

for assignments, I hope?

- No, of course not. - I'm sorry I allowed

even cartridge pens into this school.

Always the easy way out these days.

Every easy choice today

will have its consequence tomorrow.

- Mark my words.

- Yes.

Ballpoints make them press down, when

they press down, they write like monkeys.

- I don't allow them ballpoint pens.

- And yet here one is.

Penmanship is dying

all across this country.

I hope not.

You should frame something.

Put it up on the blackboard.

Put the Pope up.

That's the wrong Pope. He's deceased.

I don't care what Pope it is.

Use the glass to see behind you.

The children should think you have eyes

in the back of your head.

- Wouldn't that be a little frightening?

- Only to the ones who are up to no good.

Relax. Put it up there.

All right, now.

The thing about shooting from

the foul line is it's psychological.

All right, come up with a routine.

All right, shift your weight,

move your hips...

Hey, you think that's funny, Ralph?

You know what's funny is

you never getting a foul shot.

All right, concentrate on the routine,

and you'll forget to get tensed up.

All right, go ahead, Jimmy.

Good man. You listen. That's good.

All right, now sit down. Everyone.

Good.

On another matter, I've noticed

several of you guys got dirty nails.

I don't want to see that.

I'm not talking about the length of your

nails, I'm talking about cleanliness.

See? Look at my nails.

All right, they're long,

I like them a little long,

but look at how clean they are.

That makes it okay.

The climpity-clomp.

Clomp clomp clomp.

Harder than a herd of elephants.

You are wicked!

No, I told her, "You're her mother!

You raised her, you fed her,

YOU tell her she's fat!"

- Oh!

- But wait, how fat is she?

- What, the mother or the daughter?

- The daughter.

- I never met the daughter.

- What about the mother?

Fat!!!

Father, we having practice after school?

If you guys want it, we can have it.

Let me know.

The Fascist governments of Germany

and Italy were already working together.

They formed the Pact of Steel.

The Pact of Steel was a military alliance

between Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler.

Mister London, get back in your seat

and stop bothering Miss Horan, please.

Now, who can tell me---

Yes?

Yes. Of course, Father.

Donald? You should go to the Rectory.

Two, three, four, five, six,

seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven.

Go one, two, three, touch.

One, two, three, kick.

And back, side, front, kick.

Back, side, front...

- Raymond, what are you doing?

- The mashed potato.

You're supposed to be doing

the bossa nova.

But I know the mashed potato.

All right, now follow.

Back, side, front, kick.

Back, side, one, two, three, kick.

Back, side, front, kick.

Back, side, front. Okay.

Let me get in front of you

so that you can see what I'm doing.

One, two, three...

Okay.

Donald, are you feeling ill?

No.

You sure?

Are you all right?

- Good afternoon, Sister.

- Good afternoon, Sister James.

Sister, can I speak with you

about Donald Miller?

- Is he being accepted?

- He has no friends.

That would be a lot to expect

after only two months.

- Has anyone hit him?

- No.

Someone will.

And when that happens,

send them right down to me.

I'm not so sure anyone will.

This parish serves Irish

and Italian families.

Someone will hit Donald Miller.

He has a protector.

Who?

Father Flynn.

What?

He's taken an interest.

I told you to come to me,

but I hoped you never would.

Maybe I shouldn't have.

So it's happened.

What?

I'm not telling you that!

I'm not even certain what you mean.

Oh excuse me there, Sisters!

No bother we're done here! Come, Sister.

What have you seen?

It is unsettling to look at people with

suspicion. I feel less close to God.

When you take a step

to address wrongdoing,

you are taking a step away from God,

but in His service.

What have you seen?

Good afternoon, Sisters!

Good afternoon, Mrs. Carson.

Why the cat?

Because there's a mouse. Want some tea?

If you don't want to dance with her,

don't dance with her.

- Well, is it wrong?

- No.

But what if the girl turns you down?

You have the right to ask

a girl to dance.

All right, she has the right

to turn you down.

The trick is don't take it to heart.

What if they ALL turn you down?

Well, then you become a priest.

All right, next question.

What have you seen?

He called Donald Miller to the Rectory.

- What for?

- A talk.

- Alone?

- Yes.

- When?

- A week ago, during class.

Why didn't you tell me?

I didn't think there was

anything wrong with it.

Of all the children. Donald Miller.

- I suppose it makes sense.

- How does it make sense?

He's isolated.

- I don't know that anything is wrong!

- Our first Negro student.

I thought there would be fighting.

A parent or two to deal with.

I should have foreseen this possibility.

How could you imagine it?

It's my job to outshine

the fox in cleverness.

- That is my job!

- But maybe it's nothing!

Then why do you look like

you've seen the Devil?

It's just the way the boy acted

when he came back to class.

- He said something?

- No. It was his expression.

He looked frightened and he...

put his head on the desk

in the most peculiar way. And...

And one other thing. There was...

I think there was alcohol on his breath.

There WAS alcohol on his breath.

Years ago at St. Boniface

there was a priest...

But I had Father Scully then.

Here there's no man I can go to,

men run everything.

We are going to have to stop him

ourselves.

There we go! She got him!

It takes a cat.

Yes it does.

Yes it does.

- This towel will never be dead white again.

- Yes it will.

- Mrs. Carson!

- I'm fine.

- What happened?

- There's a branch down.

- Are you alright, Sister?

- She didn't see it.

I'm fine. Just bushwhacked.

No need for a fuss.

You just go lie down.

I'll bring you some tea.

Come on.

Mister McGuinn?

Could you look in on the courtyard?

A branch has fallen.

A branch has---

Watch your step here, Sister.

I'll cut it up.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes