I Am Sam Page #17

EXT. RANDY'S NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY

Sam rounds the corner walking - or rather being walked by SIX

DOGS, all shapes, all sizes. He heads up the walkway to

Randy's house. She comes out of the house and shuts the door

behind her, stopping him.

RANDY:

You're early.

SAM:

All the lights were green.

RANDY:

There's a reason for the court schedule.

You stopped showing up. Lucy has had to

rebuild her life.

SAM:

I want her back. I can do it. I know I

can.

RANDY:

That's not up to me, but I'm telling

you, I will do everything in my power to

prevent Lucy from getting hurt again.

Sam hangs his head. A dog barks at Randy.

RANDY (CONT'D)

Whose dogs are these?

SAM:

Supplemental income supplemental income -

bathe, walk and feed. Sam Dawson meets

your canine needs.

(to dogs)

Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit!

All the dogs sit but a BIG BLACK LAB. Randy heads into the

house. The front door opens and Lucy comes out. She runs

down the stares to Sam. Thrilled, Sam opens his arms to her.

She leaps into them and begins slugging his chest with pent

up fury.

LUCY:

You never came! You never even called!

You forgot about me! How could you

forget me!

SAM:

I never forgot you. I forgot me.

SAM (CONT'D)

I hate you I hate you I hate you!

Lucy pulls away. A long charged silence. Lucy refusing to

even look at her father.

SAM (CONT'D)

Lucy, I tried to write you a letter last

night...

A BASSET HOUND SNEEZES.

SAM (CONT'D)

Gesundheit, Buster. Buster has a cold.

But the letter had too many big words.

Pokey, sit.

The black lab has begun eating Randy's flowers. Lucy stares

forward. Sam speaks tentatively, carefully:

SAM (CONT'D)

Dear Lucy. Pokey sit. Dear Lucy, I'm

sorry that I hurt you. Every moment of

the day I thought about you. Lucy in

the hammock, Lucy at school. Lucy in

the sky...XXOO. Daddy. P.S. I love

you, recorded September 11th, the day

you took your first step.

Lucy raises her head and looks at Sam for the first time.

INT. DENNY'S - DAY

ON SALAD BAR:

Rows of carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and - uh-oh, a tomato's

in the peas. A hand comes into frame and carefully places

the tomato just so, in the tomato bin. Now it moves to the

olives. Shouldn't all the pimentos be facing up?

PULL BACK:

To reveal Sam, in white apron and hat, deftly filling the

containers of the elaborate salad bar as people fill their

plates.

SAM:

Napa cabbage, excellent choice. Purple

and green, purple and green. Very rich

in Vitamin C. Good choice. Very good

choice.

INT. COURTHOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY

Sam walks toward the courtroom when we see Rita approaching

from the other end of the hall. They both slow down when

they see each other. Rita unconsciously fixes her hair. Sam

adjusts his tie.

RITA:

Hello, Sam. Mr. Dawson. Sam. Dawson.

SAM:

Hello, lawyer.

They almost shake hands - realize that means touching each

other and don't. Rita motions toward the door.

RITA:

Shall we?

SAM:

No. We already did. Don't tell

anybody.

They nervously walk through the door, bumping into each

other.

INT. SMALL COURT ROOM - LATER

She's very aware of Sam. He looks away, over compensating

obviously. Throughout the scene, Rita's hair falls in her

eyes. She attempts to put it in place.

RITA:

Furthermore, my client has found a new

job, and is making every effort to find

a bigger apartment so that -

Rita's hair falls in her eyes again. Sam stands up, pulls

HER BARRETTE from his pocket, the one she left at his house.

SAM:

Here.

Rita stares at the barrette as if it were the murder weapon.

RITA:

Oh, thank you. What a...a lovely

barrette, Mr. Dawson. It will look

great on Lucy. Who I'm sure you bought

it for. Furthermore, so that...there

will be more room for Lucy as she grows

up.

MARGARET BROWN:

All of that is well and good but the

fact that Mr. Dawson quite his job,

missed his hearing, and did not even

show up for his visits with his

daughter...

RITA:

The fact that my client went through

profound depression is the most natural

reaction any parent could have.

MARGARET BROWN:

But once again he had no idea how his

behavior during that depression impacted

on his daughter.

RITA:

In these next months, Mr. Dawson will be

expanding his support system to include

Social Service programs, tutors --

MARGARET BROWN:

It's too late! The foster family is

petitioning the court for sole custody

of Lucy and I fully support their

request.

Sam turns to Rita. This can't be happening.

INT. DENNY'S - NIGHT

Sam, Rita, Ifty, Robert and Brad sit in a booth. With one

extra person, it's a little tight. Rita picks at her

Salisbury Steak special, trying to deal with the business at

hand.

IFTY:

Isn't it illegal? It's illegal to go

through stop signs. It's illegal to

cross on the red.

RITA:

It's not illegal. It's very

complicated. When a strong foster

parent lobbies for a child it changes

the equation.

ROBERT:

They're reaching right through Sam as if

he doesn't exist. As if he's a ghost.

RITA:

There's one option we've never talked

about, Sam.

(very carefully)

I know what you went through the last

time you took the stand. We could

settle out of court, ask for the most

incredible visitation rights - it would

almost seem like joint custody.

SAM:

You're saying I don't have a chance.

That's what you're saying.

RITA:

I'm not saying you don't have a chance.

ROBERT:

That's what you said last time and look

where he is now.

SAM:

Stop. Rita's not saying I don't have a

chance. Are you? Tell me I have a

chance.

Too long a pause. Ifty looks at the clock.

IFTY:

Oh my God! 6:
35 is Video Night at my

house and I'm not even there!

ROBERT:

If we get there before you do we'll wait

for you - check!

BRAD:

Sam get your dessert to go.

SAM:

This is very hard to say. I'm having my

dessert here. With Rita. I'm not

coming to video night.

Devastated, Ifty, Robert and Brad solemnly gather their

things.

RITA:

Sam - if you want to go...

SAM:

I said no, Rita.

RITA:

I know, but if you -

SAM:

What? Do you want me to go?

RITA:

I didn't say that. But do you want to

go?

SAM:

Where?

RITA:

Nevermind.

SAM:

Fine.

RITA:

Fine.

IFTY, ROBERT & BRAD

Fine.

They leave in a huff. The WAITRESS delivers the check with

dessert and coffee.

RITA:

I've got it.

SAM:

I've got it.

Long pause. Rita slowly eats her pie.

SAM (CONT'D)

It's good to chew. You're eating more

slowly.

Rita laughs and nods.

SAM (CONT'D)

Coconut Rhubarb. Sidebar, we need to

talk. Sidebar.

RITA:

(carefully)

Yes we do.

SAM:

I need to get Lucy back. We need, we

need - to be professional.

RITA:

Do you know what that means?

SAM:

When dealing with Starbucks' customers,

be friendly but not familiar. I can be

your friend.

RITA:

(oddly touched)

Thank you, Sam.

SAM:

You need to leave your husband.

RITA:

(her armor up again)

Oh, my marriage isn't so bad.

SAM:

'Life is very short and there's no time

for fussing and fighting, my friend.'

RITA:

(undone)

It's just...it's just that...I've never

lost anything.

EXT. SCHOOL - DAY

Randy kisses Lucy goodbye as she heads toward school. We

follow Lucy - suddenly a BIRD SAILS THROUGH THE SKY and LANDS

IN FRONT OF LUCY. It's an ORIGAMI BIRD. She looks around -

but doesn't see Sam anywhere. But she feels him. She walks

toward school, clutching the bird, past a tree and we move up

that tree and see Sam nestled in the branches. There. They

made contact.

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