I Am Sam Page #11

ON SAM:

Devastated.

CUT TO:

INT. INSTITUTIONAL GRAY SOCIAL WORKERS OFFICE - DAY

Margaret Brown observes Sam and Lucy.

LUCY:

But how did he prove it?

SAM:

Columbus had to sail around the world to

prove it was round.

LUCY:

You're so smart, Daddy.

Sam shoots a look at Margaret. He hasn't heard anything nice

about himself in so long. Lucy looks into her father's eyes.

LUCY (CONT'D)

Are we winning, Daddy?

Sam shoots ANOTHER look. He doesn't want to lie. Lucy

catches the look between Sam and Margaret.

MARGARET BROWN:

Excuse me, time's up.

LUCY:

Please. Just a little more.

MARGARET BROWN:

I have another client at two-thirty.

You need to put your shoes on and get

ready to go.

LUCY:

Oh no! There's a knot. A really big

knot.

Sam attempts to undo it. Lucy and he work very slowly,

cherishing each moment together.

MARGARET BROWN:

I'll help you.

She undoes it quickly. Hands it back.

LUCY:

I need to go to the bathroom.

INT. BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Lucy's feet dangle from under the stall. Margaret's sturdy

shoes from under another. Suddenly, Lucy's head pops out and

now she quietly wriggles out from under the stall, tip toes

across the room and out the door. Locking it with a key.

INT. SOCIAL WORKERS ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Lucy runs up to her father.

LUCY:

Daddy, she said we could go to the park.

SAM:

What's going on? What made her change

her mind?

LUCY:

I started crying in the bathroom. She

thought we needed more time.

SAM:

That was so nice of her. Very nice.

INT. BUS - DAY

Sam and Lucy hold hands and look out the window. Sam sees

Echo Park approaching and gets up. Lucy pulls him back to

the seat. She looks Daddy in the eye and in a furtive

whisper:

LUCY:

Let's not get off. Let's keep going.

SAM:

No, Lucy.

LUCY:

Please.

SAM:

That would be wrong.

LUCY:

Tamara's Mommy lost her case and Tamara

hasn't seen her in six years. She's had

five different mommies and one of them

hit her.

SAM:

I won't let that happen.

LUCY:

That's what her real mommy said. And

now they won't even let her talk to her.

Sam reels with confusion. Lucy buries herself in his chest.

LUCY (CONT'D)

Daddy, it's the only way to be together.

We'll start a new life, get new names.

We'll live in a new apartment. They'll

never find us.

The bus has stopped. Passengers for the park have exited.

Sam doesn't move. As the BUSDRIVER closes the door and heads

on, he holds Lucy protectively to his chest.

SAM:

I love you Lucy. I love you.

LUCY:

My name isn't Lucy anymore, it's

Michelle.

INT. BUS - NIGHT

Lucy sleeps cuddled close to Sam, who is wide awake, as he

gazes out at the passing highway, far from home. We hear the

song "Michelle".

EXT. PARK - 4 A.M.

Sam, totally disoriented, walks in circles around the plastic

tunnels and jungle gym. A flashlight shines in Sam's face.

COP:

Hey, buddy. No loitering. Move it.

SAM:

Not yet not yet not yet.

COP:

You want me to get a black and white

down here?

He moves toward Sam. SUDDENLY THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM goes on.

The cop backs off, but Sam doesn't move, standing in the

middle of the park and getting totally wet.

SAM:

Not yet not yet not yet.

He shines the flashlight in Sam's face and we see INSIDE THE

PLASTIC TUNNEL where LUCY SLEEPS PEACEFULLY on a bed of

coats, holding a discarded stuffed animal.

COP:

Jesus Christ.

SAM:

She hasn't been sleeping well. She

needs a good night's rest. Let her

sleep, let her sleep.

(the cop moves toward Sam)

NO!

COP:

What are you, crazy?

All the cop sees is a lunatic walking in protective circles

in the downpour of the sprinklers with a kid in a plastic

tunnel.

SMASH CUT TO:

INT. POLICE STATION - DAWN

Police doors swing open as Rita, coat over pj's, a sleepy

DANNY by her side, storm inside. Lucy lies on a bench with

her head in Sam's lap.

RITA:

What were you thinking what were you

possibly thinking?!

SAM:

I -

RITA:

That's ridiculous! Danny stay with me -

(he moves away)

What could you possibly gain by

kidnapping your kid in the middle of a

custody hearing?!

SAM:

She -

RITA:

I don't wanna hear it! Can you possibly

explain this to me?!

SAM:

But Lucy said -

RITA:

Who's the parent here? Who's the

goddamned parent here? Danny! Stay in

the hallway -

Danny turns the corner just as Margaret Brown rushes in.

Rita turns to her - her expression changes on a dime.

RITA (CONT'D)

Miss Brown, I can imagine what you're

thinking.

MARGARET BROWN:

I'm -

RITA:

But I ask you what parent in their right

mind seeing their child in pain --

MARGARET BROWN:

I have seen -

RITA:

Their yearning for contact - wouldn't

take them in an attempt to comfort them?

Where the hell is Danny?

MARGARET BROWN:

You -

RITA:

He -

MARGARET BROWN:

There's -

RITA:

Oh yes there is! And if I were you I'd

look at my conscience you do have one

don't you long and hard before I tried

to use this in court.

MARGARET BROWN:

Is that a threat?

RITA:

No. It's a plea. Give'm a break.

Give'm one goddman break.

Margaret's cell phone RINGS.

MARGARET BROWN:

What?! No, Mrs. Sloan. His temperature

couldn't be 117, no not even 107. Okay,

okay, I'll come...Come on Lucy, I'll

take you back.

RITA:

C'mon, Danny. We're going home.

Danny!? Danny!?!?

The FIRE ALARM GOES OFF and --

RITA (CONT'D)

Goddamn it, Danny!

Rita avoids Margaret's look. Margaret's cell phone goes off

again. She doesn't answer. Now Rita looks at Margaret, but

this time Margaret avoids looking at her. Lucy runs to Rita

and throws her arms around her waist.

LUCY:

Please don't fire us. It was all my

idea. Please don't. Please. Please.

Rita is disarmed. She's moved and not used to being moved.

INT. COURTROOM - DAY

BAILIFF:

...the whole truth, and nothing but the

truth, so help you God?

Lucy's in her best dress, being sworn in. One hand in the

air.

LUCY:

So help me God...

And now CAMERA MOVES AROUND HER AND WE SEE THAT SHE'S HIDING

HER OTHER HAND BEHIND HER BACK - FINGERS CROSSED.

INT. COURTROOM - LATER

Lucy is on the stand, Turner is cross-examining her.

TURNER:

I heard you turned seven this year.

That's pretty exciting.

LUCY:

Everybody gets older. It's not that big

a deal.

TURNER:

What'd you get for your birthday?

LUCY:

I haven't opened my presents yet.

TURNER:

Really? That's odd. Why not?

Lucy looks to her father and Rita.

LUCY:

I opened my presents. I got the HELP

album - limited edition.

ON RITA AND SAM:

What is she doing?

TURNER:

Oh, I'm sorry. I was confused. I

thought you didn't open your birthday

presents because you ran away from your

own party when your best friend told

everyone that you were adopted.

LUCY:

I never said that; why would I say that?

TURNER:

Why would your friends say it if you

hadn't said it?

LUCY:

Kids lie all the time.

Next to her skirt, we see her fingers are crossed so hard

they're practically turning purple.

TURNER:

May I remind you Lucy that you're under

oath?

LUCY:

You may.

TURNER:

And do you know that means if you lie

you could be in serious trouble?

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