Hope Floats Page #2

You got one.

Just a different kind, that's all.

So, Bernice, what are your plans?

Stop that, Travis.

My name is Aunt Birdee.

Well, stop that, Aunt Birdee.

I don't know.

Well, l think it's time you made some.

You know,

you're starting a whole new life here.

Anything you wish is possible.

Is that marmalade over there?

Oh, no, excuse me.

Travis, l said stop it.

If anything's possible like Grandma says,

then l want more friends.

What if they don't like me here?

Bernice, sweetheart,

you worry too much.

You're a likeable girl, Bernice.

You are.

You want more friends?

Is that what you wish for? Yeah? Yeah?

Granted.

Bernice, telephone.

Where we used to make big plans

Bernice?

Hey, Daddy. l miss you so much.

Nothing I say is cool

Nothing l think is bright

Nothing's good enough for you

Daddy says hi. He really misses me.

I'm sure he does, sweetheart.

Well, I'm glad you only

missed six weeks here, huh?

I'm sure the schools in Chicago

are way ahead of here.

Keep it up, keep it up.

Keep that Tiger spirit up. l said keep it up.

You sure you don't want me

to pick you up after school today?

I'll walk home with Travis.

Okay.

it up.

Keep it up, keep it up.

Keep that Tiger spirit up. l said keep it up.

This still smells the same,

like peanut butter and paste.

Can you smell it?

All right. You look perfect.

You ready?

Maybe I could go in alone.

Show them you're the

independent type, huh? Yeah?

You're gonna do great.

Mm-hm.

Go knock them dead.

Okay.

Okay.

Bye, Mama.

Hey. Come back here.

What's the matter with you?

Bye, Mom.

Bye, baby.

Mm-hm. Yes, that's correct.

"Harry gave me a turtle."

Okay. "He drunk that water fast."

Brandie?

"He drank that water fast."

Very good.

"He drank that water fast."

That's the correct answer. Very good.

Okay, Bernice.

All right, class, this is Bernice Pruitt.

Bernice comes to us from Chicago.

You take the desk next to Kristen.

That will be your seat. Kristen?

Go on, honey.

All right, class, let's open up your books

to Page 76, Chapter 3.

Pay attention, because you're gonna have

a quiz on Monday.

She's got pop-eyes.

Bernice, you just follow along

with Kristen, okay?

I didn't do anything.

Why is it always my fault?

I didn't say anything about fault.

I just asked what you did, that's all.

Nothing.

People fall in love,

they fall right back out.

It happens all the time.

You never even told me

you were having trouble with Bill.

Maybe it's because

I didn't want to hear, "l told you so."

Besides,

how could we have trouble?

Prom queen, quarterback,

pride of Smithville.

We practically left town on a float.

Well, maybe you were special.

But then again, maybe you

were just like the rest of us...

...except you were riding around on

flowers made out of toilet paper.

You just never liked Bill.

Oh, l like all of God's creatures.

I just like some of them better stuffed.

And he's one of them.

Why don't you just cut to the part where,

you know, he started fooling around?

Well, at cocktail parties, the women

that Bill worked with would never...

They'd never look at me.

Their eyes were always surveying

the room...

...looking for somebody better

to talk to.

I was the beauty queen from Smithville,

worse than ordinary, a joke.

That was it.

No, you were never a joke.

Oh, yeah, I was, Mama.

You could see it in his eyes.

You can't mistake that.

Honey, you know, crying over it

won't make it clean.

Life just goes on and

you gotta move along with it.

Yeah.

Bud.

Weiser.

How's your dinner, Kermit?

Good.

Well, we seem to be

the only ones enjoying it.

Did you ever see two such mopes?

That's a mope and that's a mope.

All right, Mama.

No, it isn't all right.

I mean, look at me.

My life has no big meaning or

direction or purpose, and I'm happy.

Look at Kermit here.

You think it's easy being green?

Ribbit.

Oh, l saw that, Bernice.

That smile means there's hope for you.

I got it!

You expecting someone?

No. I mean, it might be Justin Matisse.

I mean, he said he might drop over

after his day job.

He's helping me fix the porch.

I don't want to see Justin Matisse.

Hi, Travis.

Why? Because your hair's not fixed?

He's back from California.

So what?

And--

Justin, come on in.

Mama.

Hey, Justin.

Well, well, well.

If it ain't Birdee Calvert.

It's Pruitt. Birdee Pruitt.

Sorry.

It's all right.

Birdee, Birdee, Birdee.

Move on to something else,

Justin.

So l heard you'd come back.

I wonder how.

Oh, this is my daughter, Bernice.

Bernice, Bernice, Bernice.

She's funny.

You smell just delicious, Justin.

Thanks.

Are you wearing cologne?

Oh, no. That's a little paint thinner.

A little sweat mixed in with it.

Well, it sure does smell good.

Don't it, Birdee?

Why don't you go out on the porch and

I'll have Birdee bring you some iced tea?

That sounds great, Mrs. Calvert.

Thank you. Bye, y'all.

Bye.

Bye, Bernice, Bernice, Bernice.

Great to see you, Birdee.

You look good.

Here.

Oh, hey, Bernice. Thank you.

I don't see a glass there for your mother.

She went upstairs.

My daddy usually calls about now

for one of his daily chats...

...and then we all turn in.

I see.

So how do you like it down here

in Smithville?

It wasn't on any maps

until we got to Texas.

Well, see, we like to keep it a secret.

That way,

it doesn't get overrun with people.

It seems to be working.

You know, your mother and l

go way back.

I know you must.

Back home, we had a pet skunk.

Mom called it Justin Matisse.

Do you think that's a coincidence?

All day long, Mom would scream,

"You stink, Justin Matisse."

Finally, she just picked up a club

and killed it.

Well, that's a sad story.

If you like

the skunk, which we didn't.

I think she still has that club

in her purse upstairs.

So l guess that means

she's not coming down, huh?

Not until you leave.

Guess l better go, then.

Hey, thanks for packing up

all my stuff. I appreciate it.

I'll see you around.

That's what's great about a small town.

Birdee!

What, Mama?

Honey, can you give me a hand?

What? Mama.

Oh. Oh!

Honey, are you still in here?

I had no idea.

It's a beautiful day out.

Just take a look at that.

Go on.

Get out there.

Get the stink blown off you.

I always hated that expression, Mama.

Don't make me use it, then.

I'm gonna turn the shower on for you.

Then Im going shopping later,

if you want to get out of the house.

Mama!

Mama, can't this--?

Mama! Mama! Mother!

Justin, hey.

What are you doing up here?

I'm building shelves.

You look terrible.

Been drinking, huh?

Why does everybody keep

asking if I've been drinking?

What, is there a coaster stuck

to my butt or something?

How long is this gonna take?

A couple hours.

Why don't you go down

and get dressed? You'll feel better.

You've got to feel depressed

looking like that.

Do you always say what's

on your mind or is it just my lucky day?

I'm not gonna do you any favors

by lying.

Well, Justin, I don't need your favors,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes