Inventing the Abbotts Page #8

PAMELA:

Is Jacey home for the summer or ishe just here for a visit?

The mention of his brother's name at this exact moment

sends a chill down Doug's spine.

(CONTINUED)

INVENTING THE ABBOTTS - Rev. 2/16/96 42.

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DOUG:

Home for the summer.

(slight beat)

It's cheaper if he stays here for

the summer. He can save more

money for school, 'cause he

doesn't have to pay rent. Money's

tight, you know, we're sort of

poor.

PAMELA:

You're not poor, are you?

DOUG:

Hell -- you kidding? Even with

Jacey working summers, my mom had

to borrow against the house so he

could go to Penn. I don't know

where the money'll come from for

me to go to college.

Doug sees Joan Abbott prompting Ted to cut in on hisdance with Pamela. Doug's bitterness swells.

DOUG:

I hear Alice and Peter are getting

a divorce.

PAMELA:

They're just separated.

DOUG:

What's the difference?

PAMELA:

I don't know, you'll have to ask

them.

DOUG:

So, where's Eleanor tonight?

PAMELA:

Eleanor's... just not here.

DOUG:

Is she pregnant?

PAMELA:

No! Who said that?

(CONTINUED)

43.

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DOUG:

I don't know, everybody in town issaying something different -- shegot knocked up, she ran away, yourold man kicked her out. So, which

is it?

Ted steps over and taps Doug on the shoulder.

F*** off.

DOUG:

Ted is taken aback. Pamela's eyes fill with tears.

PAMELA:

Why do you hate me so much?

TED:

Excuse me, a**hole, but...

Doug spins and slugs Ted in the jaw -- sending himreeling into the other dancers. Everyone pulls away fromDoug and Pam. Doug massages his fist and lookshelplessly at Pamela:

DOUG:

I don't hate you.

70 INT. HOLT HOME - DOUG'S BEDROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT 70

The hall light is on but the bedroom is dark. Doug lieson his bed (still dressed). Jacey appears in thedoorway.

You asleep?

JACEY:

Nope.

DOUG:

71 EXT. HOLT HOME - GARAGE - NIGHT (SHORT TIME LATER) 71

Doug and Jacey play another hard fought game of ping-pongin the garage. In the midst of a volley Doug says:

DOUG:

I'm gonna go to Penn like you.

Jacey snorts with incredulous laughter.

JACEY:

You're gonna what?

(CONTINUED)

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DOUG:

I'm going to the University ofPennsylvania. I think I'm goingto be an architect, too.

JACEY:

Like hell you are.

DOUG:

Why not? Maybe we can beroommates in Philadelphia?

JACEY:

You're nuts. You'll never getaccepted to Penn. Besides, Mom

couldn't afford it anyway.

DOUG:

I'll get a scholarship.

JACEY:

I had a four-point-0 grade averageand I couldn't get a scholarship-- so, I say you got your head up

your ass.

Jacey skillfully manipulates the volley and wins the gamewith a savage return that Doug is unable to counter.

Jacey smiles, puts his paddle down, and walks out of the

garage. Doug quickly picks up a ping-pong ball and hitsit into the back of Jacey's head. Jacey turns and shootsa perturbed look at Doug -- Doug smiles:

'Night.

DOUG:

72 INT. WOMEN'S APPAREL STORE (DOWNTOWN HALEY) - DAY(WINTER, 1958)

72

Helen looks over the merchandise. Doug absent-mindedlytrails after his mother as he studies a large brochureabout the University of Pennsylvania.

DOUG:

What's 'scenic design'?

HELEN:

In what context?

DOUG:

What a minute -- it's theatre.

Mmmm?

HELEN:

(CONTINUED)

45.

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DOUG:

(re:
brochure)

'The Howard Lambert Scholarship inScenic Design for the Theatre.'

It's a full ride, four years.

Pays everything almost. Hell, I

could do that. Just have to

figure out what scenic design is.

Doug looks up from the brochure and comes face-to-facewith a mannequin wearing a bra, girdle, and stockings.

He almost flinches with surprise and blushes profusely:

DOUG:

I'll wait for you outside, Ma.

73 EXT. LADIES APPAREL STORE (DOWNTOWN HALEY) - MOVIETHEATER - SIDEWALK - DAY (MINUTES LATER)

73

It's snowing -- Doug paces to keep warm. He momentarilyforgets the cold as he sees Pam and three of her girlfriends come out of the drugstore across the street. The

girls are in high spirits as they get into Pam's car.

Two well-dressed townswomen (MURIEL and DORIS) encounterHelen on their way into the apparel shop as she steps outonto the sidewalk.

HELEN:

Hello, Muriel... Doris.

The women pass by Helen with obvious reserve. Helen is

seemingly unruffled by their distant responses. She

observes Doug as he watches Pam and her friends driveoff.

Helen and Doug walk up sidewalk (towards the movietheater -- the marquee reads: KIM NOVAK -- JEFF CHANDLER

-- JEANNE EAGELS):

HELEN:

Why don't you drop me off at homeand take the car and go out withyour friends. Go have some fun.

DOUG:

Why don't you?

HELEN:

Why don't I what? Go hang out atthe Dog'n'Suds?

(CONTINUED)

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DOUG:

No, go out -- play bridge orwhatever adults do for fun.

HELEN:

I read for fun.

DOUG:

You read too much.

HELEN:

You sound like your brother.

DOUG:

Come on -- let's go see a movie.

74 INT. MOVIE THEATER (DOWNTOWN HALEY) - DAY 74

Doug and Helen share a bag of popcorn as they wait forthe feature to begin.

HELEN:

Came here on my very first datewith Charlie. Saw Rosalie with

Nelson Eddy and... not JeanetteMacDonald... oh... Eleanor Powell.

DOUG:

Did Dad kiss you?

HELEN:

(gives Doug a "look")

No.

(slight beat)

I kissed him.

DOUG:

(grins)

All right, Mom.

75 OMITTED 75

76 EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - PLAYING FIELD - GYMNASIUM - DAY

(SUMMER, 1959)

76

The commencement exercises are being held in thesweltering gym to accommodate the large crowd of proudparents and family members. Doug, hot and uncomfortablein his cap and gown, is seated among his fellow graduatesbehind the podium. The PRINCIPAL (at the podium)

announces the names of the graduates as he calls themforward to receive their diplomas.

(CONTINUED)

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PRINCIPAL:

Pamela Louise Abbott...

Pamela rises from her seat and takes her diploma.

Lloyd and Joan Abbott applaud their daughter. Joan

stands to take a snapshot. Alice is occupied with herrestless and fussy eighteen-month-old daughter, Susan.

Doug watches Pam return to her seat; she avoids his eyes.

Helen is all smiles, this is a very special day for her.

The chair next to her is empty. She glances behind herand sees Jacey standing in the back of the gym.

Jacey idly surveys the gathering with irritable boredom.

He is only there at his mother's insistence. His eyessettle on... Alice Abbott.

Alice tries to quiet her CRYING eighteen-month-olddaughter (SUSAN). Lloyd makes a reprimanding aside toAlice and she rises and carries Susan up the aisle.

Jacey's eyes follow Alice -- she notices his stare as shepasses by with Susan in her arms.

77 EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - PARKING LOT - LATER THAT DAY 77

Commencement is over -- the parking lot is a sea of carsslowly negotiating through the mob of celebratinggraduates, beaming parents, and rambunctious siblings.

As Helen slips through the crowd she is pleasantlyambushed by three (second grade) students of hers. She

has a brief exchange with the children and then moves on.

Helen finds herself face-to-face with Lloyd Abbott asthey both attempt to pass through a narrow space betweentwo parked vehicles. They are both caught off-guard -there

is no graceful way for them to squeeze past eachother.

LLOYD:

Congratulations, Helen.

HELEN:

Thank you. Congratulations to

you, too. Where's Pam going toschool?

LLOYD:

Hmm... Christ, I forgot.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

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