Infinitely Polar Bear Page #17

AMELIA:

Daddy, Annie invited me for a

sleepover, can I go? Please?

105.

FAITH:

And Fifi asked if I wanted to go

with her family to the movies.

CAM:

But I finally convinced Eliot

Perkins to let me borrow his boat.

I thought we could have a picnic on

the river.

AMELIA:

It’s too late to go out on a boat.

CAM:

It’s four o’clock.

AMELIA:

I really want to go to Annie’s.

CAM:

Maybe Annie wants to take a ride

down the Charles River.

AMELIA:

Daddy...

CAM:

I’m serious. She lives in Boston.

How many times has she gotten a

ride home on a boat?

Now they are the only ones left on the field.

AMELIA:

She takes the T.

CAM:

(to Faith)

What about Fifi, do you think she’d

like to have a picnic on the water?

FAITH:

Her mom’s picking her up in twenty

minutes. Please can I go?

CAM:

You will never find a more

beautiful boat or a more perfect

day to go out on the river.

They are unmoved. Cam shakes his head, giving up.

106.

CAM:

Okay, well, I guess I’ll tell the

Charles River to go f*** itself.

Both girls laugh at his ridiculous reaction.

AMELIA:

Well, I have heard that the Charles

River is a real a**hole.

Cam chuckles at that.

AMELIA:

Thanks, Daddy.

He nods. They both hug him. He hugs them back.

FAITH:

Bye, Daddy.

CAM:

Oh, darlings, I’m so proud of you.

So’s Mommy.

AMELIA:

Why?

CAM:

We just are.

They back away from him, waving, then turn and head across

the field. He stands, watching them go. They glance back

over their shoulders, smile and wave again quickly. He waves

mournfully. They quicken their pace. Then he calls out:

CAM:

I love you!

They stop dead. They whirl around and steam toward him.

They are completely enraged.

AMELIA:

Don’t do that.

CAM:

Do what?

AMELIA:

Watch us walk away.

CAM:

I’m just watching you walk.

107.

FAITH:

Please don’t.

CAM:

Why?

FAITH:

You make us feel bad.

CAM:

I don’t want you to feel bad.

FAITH:

(stamping her foot)

Yes, you do! That’s why you stand

there looking all pathetic!

CAM:

I’m just watching you walk across

the field, for chrissake! I think

I’m allowed!

The girls sigh, frustrated. Amelia steps toward him, looking

him dead in the eye. She is stern, deliberate.

AMELIA:

Daddy. We are walking away now.

And we are not turning around. We

are not looking back.

CAM:

I’m not asking you too!

They shake their heads.

FAITH:

(angry)

We love you, Daddy.

AMELIA:

(furious)

We love you. Goodbye.

The girls turn and link arms. They huddle close together and

walk away from him as quickly as they can. As they go, Faith

glances at her sister with concern. She puts her hand over

Amelia’s and squeezes it.

FAITH:

Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

Tears stream down Amelia’s face.

108.

AMELIA:

(shakes her head)

Can’t help it.

ANGLE ON CAM:

Hands in his pockets, he watches them walk away.

Pressed together, in lock-step, they cross the playing

fields. Autumn leaves skitter around their feet.

They keep walking. They do not turn around. They do not

look back.

Then, just before they recede from view, they stop and turn.

They face him from this great distance. He brightens and

holds up his hand. They each hold up a hand. He makes a

fist in the air as if to say courage, onward. The girls do

the same. The three of them stand like that for a moment.

Then Amelia and Faith turn and run in the opposite direction,

disappearing into the gymnasium.

Cam looks up at the sky. He smiles to himself. He pulls a

tam o’shanter with a red pompom from his pocket and puts it

on his head. He lights a cigarette and walks toward the

river.

FADE OUT.

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