Inventing the Abbotts Page #10

53.

87 EXT. ROAD (COUNTRYSIDE) - DAY 87

The Plymouth drives along the two-lane blacktop past thefields of tall, green corn. Doug is driving, Helen sitsbeside him. She reacts to something in the distance:

HELEN:

Isn't that Pamela Abbott?

In the distance Pamela struggles with a jack as she triesto remove a flat tire on her convertible.

Doug grimaces as he recognizes her.

HELEN:

It is Pam. Pull over.

Doug reluctantly pulls over beside Pam's car. She's no

more pleased to see Doug than he is to see her.

HELEN:

Hi, Pam. Do you need some help?

PAMELA:

Hi, Mrs. Holt. It's so darn hot

the stupid jack just keeps sinkinginto the pavement.

HELEN:

Well, maybe Doug can give you ahand?

Doug frowns and slowly climbs out of the Plymouth.

DOUG:

Where's the thing that goes on thebottom of the jack?

PAMELA:

What thing?

DOUG:

The thing, the base that the jackfits into?

(finds it in her

open trunk)

This.

PAMELA:

Oh, I thought that was just the'spare-tire-holder-on-er.'

DOUG:

Read your manual.

Pamela would slug him if his mother wasn't present.

(CONTINUED)

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Doug releases the load on the jack and strains to extractit from the molten pavement.

HELEN:

Pam, would you mind running Doughome? I'd like to get to the bankbefore they close.

Mom...

DOUG:

(protesting)

PAMELA:

Sure, Mrs. Holt, I'll drive him

home. Thanks for stopping.

Of course.

HELEN:

Bye-bye.

Helen slides over behind the wheel and drives away.

Doug fumes silently while he reassembles the jack.

88 INT. IRON SKILLET RESTAURANT - DAY 88

Jacey sits at the counter at the rear of the busy dinersipping an iced tea. He sees Alice Abbott enter -- she

pulls a dollar bill out of her purse as she approachesthe cash register near the front door. She calls out

to a waitress who is fetching an order from the grill.

ALICE:

Excuse me -- could I get changefor a dollar?

The waitress is too distracted to take notice of Alice

and Alice herself doesn't notice Jacey as he steps upbehind her.

JACEY:

Can I help you?

ALICE:

Yes, I need change for...

(turns to him)

Oh... you don't work here, do you?

JACEY:

No. I was just thinking about

you. I was going to call youtonight.

(CONTINUED)

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ALICE:

(rattled)

What? Why?

JACEY:

There's a picnic out at RiverPoint on Sunday -- I wanted toinvite you.

ALICE:

I couldn't.

JACEY:

Bring Susan, kids love picnics.

ALICE:

(re:
the dollar bill)

I need change for the parking

meter.

JACEY:

Here.

Jacey opens his palm and reveals the correct change.

Alice nervously exchanges the dollar bill for thecoins.

ALICE:

Oh, thanks.

JACEY:

Do you have time for an ice tea?

ALICE:

My mother's waiting by the carso I won't get a ticket.

JACEY:

Maybe she'd like an ice tea, too?

ALICE:

No.

JACEY:

No harm asking.

ALICE:

No. Don't do that.

JACEY:

Why not?

ALICE:

You know why.

(CONTINUED)

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JACEY:

Then I'll make you a deal.

ALICE:

I just came in to get some change.

JACEY:

Come to the picnic on Sunday andI'll wait here and let you leavefirst, so your mother won't see me.

ALICE:

I don't care if my mother sees

you.

JACEY:

(heads for the door)

Then you won't care if I ask herif she'd like to join us for anice tea?

No! Wait.

ALICE:

Jacey turns to her.

ALICE:

I don't know if I can.

It just depends.

I'll try.

Alice goes out the door -- as she passes by Jacey he

says:

Sunday.

noon.

JACEY:

River Point. Around

Jacey watches through the window as Alice returns tothe Town & Country station wagon and puts a few coinsinto the meter. Joan waits impatiently beside the carwith Susan in hand. As the Abbott women walk down the

sidewalk (away from the diner), Alice glances back andsees Jacey smiling at her from the diner window.

89 EXT. ROAD (COUNTRYSIDE) - DAY 89

Pamela sits behind the wheel of her convertible listeningto PAT BOONE sing "April Love" on the car RADIO. Dougdrips with sweat as he tightens the lugs on the sparetire. Pamela climbs out and inspects his progress.

(CONTINUED)

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PAMELA:

You think you'll finish sometimetoday? I'm getting sun stroke.

DOUG:

Put the top up.

PAMELA:

Stop acting like Jacey. What

makes you think you're so... cool?

DOUG:

Because -- I know all the answers

on 'The $64,000 Question,' because

I have X-ray vision and I can singbetter than Pat Boone. And

because I'm really a negro, butdon't tell anyone around here,

'cause you know what would happen

to me.

PAMELA:

God, I can't even talk to you.

She starts to get back into the car, then turns to him:

(CONTINUED)

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PAMELA:

Name one bad thing I've ever done

to you.

DOUG:

Why?

PAMELA:

Go on, name one bad thing.

DOUG:

What's the point?

PAMELA:

You tell me, because I don't getit! Look, I'm not rich, my fatheris. And I didn't pick my father.

And if I had a choice between

having tons of money or havinganother father, I'd be absolutelydelighted to be poor! But

unfortunately life is not acafeteria!

DOUG:

Life is not a cafeteria?

PAMELA:

You know what I mean!

DOUG:

Sh*t, I'm supposed to feel sorryfor you 'cause you're rich?

PAMELA:

Well, am I supposed to feel sorryfor you 'cause you're so poor?

DOUG:

No.

PAMELA:

So then just stop it!

DOUG:

Stop what?!

PAMELA:

Stop treating me like an Abbott!

DOUG:

Well, how am I supposed to treatyou?

(CONTINUED)

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PAMELA:

Like you used to.

Pam.

Like just plain

Doug exhales as if he's winding up to apologize.

PAMELA:

And you don't have to say you'resorry, and you don't have to looklike somebody just ran over yourdog. You just make me want toscream sometimes.

Doug stares at her as if he's never seen her before.

PAMELA:

What are you looking at?

DOUG:

You.

90 EXT. RIVER POINT PARK - DAY (FOLLOWING SUNDAY) 90

Jacey lounges on top of a blanket beside a cooler.

ALICE (O.S.)

Where is everyone?

Jacey sits up and finds Alice standing behind him.

carries a picnic basket. Other than a few children

skipping rock into the river they are alone.

She

JACEY:

We are everyone.

ALICE:

But you said...

JACEY:

(overlapping)

No, I didn't. I just said apicnic. I didn't say if anyoneelse was coming.

Alice walks away. Jacey jumps up and runs after her.

JACEY:

Where are you going?

ALICE:

I'm sorry... I thought...

(CONTINUED)

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JACEY:

(blocking her way)

You didn't come here to see

everybody else. You came here to

see me. Didn't you? That's whyyou didn't bring Susan along.

I'm married.

ALICE:

JACEY:

I thought you were getting adivorce?

ALICE:

I am, but it's not final yet.

Besides, I'm two years older than

you.

JACEY:

Good, if the cops come around we'lltell 'em you bought the beers inthe cooler.

91 EXT. RIVERPOINT PARK - ANOTHER PART OF PARK -

LATER THAT DAY:

91

Jacey and Alice wander along a path on the riverbank.

ALICE:

I knew he would hit me. Peter's a

real hot-head. I knew if he hit

me hard enough, hurt me enough,

that even my father wouldn't standfor it. Then one night I put toomuch soap in the washing machineand it overflowed. That did it.

He punched me. Broke my fronttooth.

Bastard.

JACEY:

ALICE:

So... what do you hear fromEleanor?

I don't.

JACEY:

Do you?

No.

ALICE:

Did you love her?

(CONTINUED)

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