Election Page #9

TRACY:

When you cast your vote for Tracy Flick

next week, you won't just be voting for

me. You'll be voting for yourself and

for every other student Our days won't

be any longer, but they can sure be

better. Thank you.

Tracy smiles and walks back to her folding chair. There is polite

applause and a few whistles. JJJB comes back to the microphone.

Tracy takes her seat next to Paul and glances at him. Paul scares

straight ahead, a fat bead of sweat on his forehead. One of his legs

is jiggling.

JIM:

The next candidate for student body

president is Paul Metzier. Paul?

Paul awkwardly makes his way to the mike. Though by no means

thunderous, his applause clearly exceeds Tracy's. A small cluster of

jocks "woof" for him, shaking their fists in the air. Paul manages a

weak grin for his buddies.

Tracy shifts in her chair, her smile stiff and forced

Lisa smiles and nods at Paul from the bleachers, giving him

encouragement and a silent reminder to remember what they talked

about.

Tammy's eyes dart between Lisa and Paul. She shows no emotion, reveals

nothing.

The applause quickly dies, and after a moment Paul remembers to look

at the white paper in his hand. He speaks in a barely audible

monotone, never once glancing up.

PAUL:

As many of you know I broke my leg

pretty bad thi3 year and the experience

has made me reevaluate what I want to do

with my life and that is help people

when you think about it a school is more

than a school it's our second home where

we spend all cur time and grow as

individuals and a community but is our

school everything it could be I want our

school to reach its true potential that

is why I am running for president.

JIM pinches the bridge of his nose, clearly pained

A few loud SOUND EFFECT SNORES saw through the air, and Walt points a

stern finger at - you guessed it -- Doug Schenken.

PAUL:

I know what it is to fight hard and win

like when we almost went to state last

fall and I threw that fourth-quarter

pass against Westside for the touchdown

that won the game by three points I

won't let you down like I didn't then I

promise we can all score a winning

(big breath)

touchdown together. Vote Paul Metzier

for president thank you.

Paul now gets considerably less applause, but his jock friends remain

loyal.

JIM:

Okay, Paul. Now our final candidate for

President - another one of the Metzier

clan -- sophomore Tammy Metzier.

Tammy approaches the mike. There are scattered mocking whistles and

catcalls.

Tammy calmly looks over the crowd, waiting for the jeers to subside.

She makes eye contact with Lisa, who stares back.

WALT:

People. People I

The room quiets down. Tammy puts her lips close to the mike,

TAMMY:

Who cares about this stupid election?

NOW there's something worth listening to.

TAMMY (CONT'D)

We all know it doesn't matter who gets

elected president of Millard. You think

it's going to change anything around

here, make one single person happier or

smarter or nicer? The only person it

matters to is the one who gets elected.

The same pathetic charade happens every

year, and everyone makes the same

pathetic promises just so they can put

it on their transcripts to get into

college. So vote for me, because I

don't even want to go to college, and I

don't care, and as president I won't do

anything. The only promise I make is

that if elected I will immediately

dismantle the student government, so

that none of us will ever have to sit

through one of these stupid assemblies

again!

There is a sudden huge cathartic eruption of cheers and applause.

Tammy has set them free. Even cynical old Doug Schenken and his

buddies join in.

STUDENTS:

Tammy! Tammy! Tammy!

In total control, she steps back from the mike and CURTSIES.

Walt shoots an angry, confused look at Jim, who shrugs. Tracy is

clearly upset, but her smile remains eerily fixed Paul just looks

confused and ashamed. Jerry Slavin is convulsed in laughter and

chants along with the multitude.

Tammy quickly grabs the mike for one final exhortation.

TAMMY:

0h don't vote for me I Who cares?

Don't vote at all!

The students go nuts.

INT. WALT HENDRICK'S OFFICEDAY

Dr. Hendricks is in a serious post-assembly discussion with JIM and

VICE-PRINCIPAL RON BELL.

WALT:

That little b*tch made a fool of us I

want her out of the election. Getting

everybody all riled up like that. She's

finished, you hear me? Washed up.

JIM:

Walt, we can't throw her out of the

election just because we don't like her

speech. That's not what student

government's about.

WALT:

(grumbling)

Yeah... whatever. All I know is she's

a troublemaker. She's on my list.

RON:

All we need to do is send a message, so

maybe we should just suspend her.

WALT:

Right. That's it. She's suspended for

a week!

To emphasize his point, Walt throws his STYROFOAM CUP at the

wastepaper basket and misses. Lowell the janitor, passing by outside

the door, notices the cup bouncing on the floor.

JIM:

I think that's a little strong Walt.

Ron?

RON:

We don't want to make a martyr out of

her. Three days sounds right to me.

WALT:

Okay. Three days. Take care of it.

EXT. STREETSDAY

Tammy rides her bike on this crisp sunny spring day. The music is

buoyant. Tammy is all smiles.

TAMMY (VO)

Being suspended is like getting a paid

vacation. Too bad it was only three

days

EXT. 7-11 DAY

Tammy is hanging out by the entrance. A DUDE emerges from the store

carrying a 12-pack of beer. En route to his car, he throws Tammy a

pack of CIGARETTES.

DUDE:

Here you go.

Tammy looks at the pack

TAMMY:

Hey -- I said lights I

EXT. SACRED HEART ACADEMY -- DAY

A cigarette hanging out of her mouth, Tammy rides by the front of this

Catholic girls' school.

NOW AT THE ATHLETIC FIELD -

Tammy gets off her bike, goes to look through the surrounding fence at

GIRLS PLAYING LACROSSE

in their cleats, short skirts, jerseys. LITURGICAL MUSIC accompanies

SLOW-MOTION close-ups of the girls in action.

Tammy seems to breathe them in

INT. TAMMY'S ROOM -- DAY

Wearing headphones. Tammy DANCES to music only she can hear. She

happens to glance toward her door and notices a MANILA ENVELOPE

sliding under it. She opens the door and finds a startled Paul.

TAMMY:

What do you want?

PAUL:

Oh. Hi, Tammy. I was just, you know,

I went to all your teachers and got your

assignments.

Tammy looks at him, picks up the packet.

PAUL (CONT'D)

I just thought, well, last time you got

suspended you fell so behind and -

TAMMY:

Okay, Paul. Thanks. Thanks a lot.

Paul smiles at the acknowledgment of his good deed.

TAMMY (CONT'D)

Now could you leave me alone?

PAUL:

Yeah. Oh, one more thing. Tammy. You

know, all this election stuff. 'Cause,

you know, everyone is saying it's so

weird that you're running against me,

and, well, it is kind of weird, and you

haven't really told me why you're doing

it and didn't tell me in advance or

anything. But that's okay, you know. l

respect your privacy. I just want you

to know that no matter who wins, if it's

you or me, there's no hard feelings.

We're still brother and sister. Okay?

Cause... and I hope you feel the same.

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