I Am Sam Page #7

SAM:

I earn eight dollars an hour at

Starbucks. I can pay your hourly rate,

rate by the hour, hourly --

Rita stands up, ushering him to the door.

RITA:

Mr. Dawson, I'm sorry, I have to be in

court in eight minutes with the Kresges.

You understand, good luck to you and

don't give up.

She turns, ahhhh! He's gone! She begins searching the room.

RITA (CONT'D)

Patricia?! Where are my keys? Where

the hell are my keys?! Alright alright.

(replaying)

I walked into the room - I went over

here - I looked at my desk - I put my

coat down - Patricia?! Where's my coat?

SAM (O.S.)

Is there a child involved in Mr.

Kresges' case?

Stunned, Rita looks up and sees Sam holding up a strip of

photos taken at the birthday booth.

RITA:

No.

SAM:

This is Lucy. One year old. First

word, "apple". December third. 3:16

p.m. December third.

Out of his pocket he pulls another photo strip.

SAM (CONT'D)

Here's Lucy two years old. First merry

go-round ride. June 6th. 4:13 p.m.

June 6th. Here's Lucy. Seven years

old. The day the police took her away.

Rita looks at the photo strip of Lucy's birthday. In the

first three we see Lucy's sad face. The fourth has a cop's

face smashed into the frame with her.

SAM (CONT'D)

Thank you for telling me not to give up.

I won't give up.

PATRICIA:

(through the phone)

Danny on Line 2.

Rita LUNGES FOR THE PHONE.

RITA:

Danny? Hi. Could we possibly talk

about this when I get home. Danny?

Danny? C'mon. You're not gonna talk to

me? I bought you a bag of your favorite

lemonade jelly beans. Danny?

(Rita starts singing)

"One little bird in one little tree,

we're all alone and we don't want to

be... So they flew far away over the

trees..." I said "Over the sea..." I

know the words, I said "Over the sea..."

Since when don't you like that song?

Danny?

She checks her watch, puts him on the SPEAKER PHONE, and

frantically searches the room for her keys.

RITA (CONT'D)

Danny?

Silence. We hear SIX LOUD THUDS - the sound of a basketball

bouncing against the floor.

RITA (CONT'D)

Danny?

CLICK! The LINE GOES DEAD. Rita trips over the coffee

table, completely losing it.

RITA (CONT'D)

I hate this stupid coffee table - how

many times have I asked you to get rid

of this crappy coffee table?

She kicks it, sending the lemonade jelly beans FLYING. Then,

after a beat.

SAM:

(from the doorway)

You did say "over the trees" instead of

"over the sea." It's hard to remember

all the words to all the songs. There's

so many.

(Rita almost stops)

you have a child Rita rubel Bly Harrison

Williams. If they took him away

wouldn't you hire the fastest talking

four-named lawyer you could?

RITA:

Yes, I would. I went to college with a

friend who does these kinds of cases.

Leave your number. I'll see if she can

help you.

PATRICIA:

(through your phone)

Your therapist on Line 1.

RITA:

Tell him you can't find me.

INT. STARBUCKS - DAY

Sam is face to face with George.

SAM:

I'm ready.

GEORGE:

Let's not add more stress to your life.

SAM:

I'm ready. I'm ready to make coffee.

Lo-fat decaf latte. Coffee up to here.

Add steamed milk up to here. No foam,

no foam. Cinnamon or chocolate

sprinkles.

GEORGE:

That's pretty good Sam. I'll think

about it.

SAM:

I know what that means. I stock shelves

at Lucky Supermarkets. I want to bag

groceries, Miss Losey says "I'll think

about it." Randy Brenner gets the job.

I was the janitor at the La Reina

Theater, I wanted to take tickets. Mr.

Jenkins said he'd think about it. Larry

Peters gets the job. Lets his friends

in for free...

GEORGE:

I promise you, Sam. I'll honestly think

about it. You have my word.

SAM:

Words, words, words. I need more than

that. I need to pay my lawyer. I need

to make coffee.

INT. RUBEL BLY HARRISON AND WILLIAMS - 8:15 P.M.

A group of Rita's colleagues are celebrating a big win. Rita

is backing out of the room with her glass of champagne.

RITA:

I am celebrating congratulations to us

these are the moments good night.

She stops, stunned, as she sees Sam, sitting in the lobby

holding out a Starbucks Cappuccino.

SAM:

Non-fat vente cap. I'm sorry to bother

you, but did you call your friend?

(Rita's confused)

Your friend from college, your friend

who does this kind of work?

RITA:

(there never was a friend)

I don't have her number anymore, Sam.

We lost touch.

SAM:

(devastated)

Oh, that happens. That happens. People

lose touch. Will you call me if you

find it? If you get back in touch?

RITA:

Yes, I'm just in the middle..it's a

special..I'll call you.

To avoid any further interaction, she heads back to the

employee party she previously escaped from. Sam walks down

the hall.

COLLEAGUE:

Is that the new janitor?

RITA:

No, it's a case. Sort of a pro-bono

thing.

Her assistant Patricia clears her throat.

RITA (CONT'D)

What's that supposed to mean?

PATRICIA:

Nothing. A cracker went down the wrong

pipe.

Muffled laughter from her colleagues.

RITA:

You think I don't pro-bono?..I can do

pro-bono.. I can do Goddamn pro-bono..

where the hell are my keys..hold the

door!

Rita runs to the open elevator and comes face to face with

Sam who's been holding the door open for her.

INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS

The door closes. Rita is trapped with Sam. She stares

forward trying to will him not there. Rita gulps her

champagne.

SAM:

32nd floor. 32 floors more. 31st

floor. 31 floors more...

And on and on and on. Rita is about to spontaneously

combust. Finally, "G" - Rita bolts out the elevator doors,

then just as suddenly turns around.

RITA:

Alright, alright I'll take you.

Alright, Goddammitt, I'll take you.

SAM:

Oh my God oh my God! Rubel Bly Harrison

and Williams!

Sam, shaking with relief, pulls out his wallet just as the

elevator door starts closing.

RITA:

No, no no. Pro-bono. Alright? Pro

bono.

The doors close. We hear from within, as Sam goes up again:

SAM (O.S.)

Yes! Alright! I liked Sonny Bono too!

INT. BUS - MORNING

Sam stares out the window at an unfamiliar neighborhood. On

his lap, the pink box, now ripped, allowing us to see Lucy's

birthday cake. It's lopsided from having been thawed and

refrozen.

EXT. BUS STOP - NOON

Sam waits for his transfer. He sets the cake down on the

bench and takes out a piece of paper with directions written

on it. The number 43 bus pull sup and Sam consults his paper

once more before jumping on, forgetting the cake.

The bus goes half a block before it SCREECHES to a halt. Sam

jumps off and runs back for the cake, but the bus continues

on its way. Moments later, the NUMBER 34 bus pulls up.

Flustered and worried about being late, Sam jumps on. He

feels something cold on his hand, looks down, the box is

starting to leak ice cream.

INT. SOCIAL WORKERS OFFICE - DAY

Lucy, Margaret, a therapist and a child psychologist wait for

Sam.

MARGARET BROWN:

Lucy, I'm sorry. But it doesn't look

like he's going to make it.

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