Life as a House Page #17

JOSH (CONT'D)

He already knows everything about what he

can't do. You can tell him not to even

look at you, if you want.

SAM:

I'm thinking it's too weird now.

Josh pulls a baggie of grass and holds it out for Sam, who

takes it and stuffs it in his pants pocket.

JOSH:

It beats working.

Josh hands Sam the joint.

JOSH (CONT'D)

Inhale and get out.

Sam is quick to inhale, but slow to get out. Josh takes the

joint and Sam steps out. He walks slowly to the Mercedes,

opens the door and climbs in. Josh turns the CD on to

Guster's "ALL THE WAY UP TO HEAVEN." Sam closes the door to

the Mercedes. 'He said to only look up, he said to never

look down, down is where we came from...' It's an odd song

sung in a happy tempo; a whistling refrain overtakes the

lyrics as Josh inhales. 'He said to hope for the best and

take a load off my chest. Soon, I could be happy, and go all

the way up to heaven and go all the way back home.'

With the music loud, Josh misses the police car as it stops

behind him without the lights. Too late for a getaway, he

fumbles for his cell phone and tosses the joint out the open

window. The OFFICER approaches the Porsche with his hand on

his gun.

OFFICER:

What did you toss into the brush?

Josh furtively presses send on his cell phone as he faces the

officer with a guilty face.

JOSH:

Nothing.

'He said I might need his help, no one gets high on

themselves. I just seem so lonely; he's just trying to be

nice and spread around his advice. I could be happy...'

OFFICER:

Turn off the music!

As the music stops, the door to the Mercedes opens and Sam

hops out with his pants around his ankles. The officer

notices and walks towards the Mercedes. The parking lights

flash red as the car starts and flees the scene. Sam yanks

up his pants and leaps down the hillside, falling and rolling

in the brush as the officer yells for him to stop. Josh

starts his car, but the officer dissuades him from leaving by

removing his gun. Josh turns off the engine.

JOSH:

Oh, it's working now.

OFFICER:

What did you toss into the brush?

Before Josh can feign innocence again, the brush starts to

smolder. Busted.

EXT. HILLSIDE - NIGHT

Sam is spotted with weeds and dirt as he continues his way

down the steep hillside holding up his pants. After he's

sure he's safe, he sits down and rests his head in his hands.

He starts to shake, frightened by his actions. He drops onto

his back, buttons and zips his pants as he starts to cry.

Slowly, he stops crying, but keeps staring up at the sky,

which is loaded with stars and a full moon. Mesmerized by

the brilliant night, Sam can't stop staring.

EXT. GEORGE'S SHACK - MORNING

George is removing the last of the windows, carefully prying

it out of the casement as Robin pulls up in her Range Rover.

She steps out dressed in Levi's, boots and a t-shirt,

carrying a large bag.

ROBIN:

Lunch.

She smiles and walks toward George, dropping the food sack on

the patio table.

GEORGE:

It's not breakfast yet.

ROBIN:

I dreamed about your house last night.

GEORGE:

Finished or unfinished?

ROBIN:

It was perfect, George. Amazing. It was

so real.

GEORGE:

Didn't you once dream you could lick

people well, though?

ROBIN:

That wasn't a dream. That was Sam.

GEORGE:

Oh...with his ear infection!

ROBIN:

My tongue around the edge of his ear is

what cured him.

George isn't quite sure how to take her comment. Finally, he

points to the Garage.

GEORGE:

Go in there and lick his attitude.

ROBIN:

The antibiotics weren't working.

(beat)

It's what I believe, George.

George stares at Robin for a second before he nods.

GEORGE:

You were wrong about the first year, you

know?

It takes Robin a second to understand he's saying he loved

her when they married.

ROBIN:

I've been wrong a lot in my life.

GEORGE:

Hindsight. It's like foresight without a

future.

Robin almost smiles; George confessing love ten years dead.

ROBIN:

I have three hours before I pick up Adam

and Ryan.

(beat)

Where will I be most useful?

Robin glances around, assessing the best use of her time.

GEORGE:

With your hands or your tongue?

ROBIN:

You're not well.

Robin picks up a pile of splintered board and tosses them in

the garbage bin. George nods...he's not.

LATER:

Robin and George carry a twelve-foot beam from inside the

shack and set it down on cinder blocks. Both look exhausted

as they head back in for another beam. Sam saunters out of

the garage in shorts, sits down on the patio chair and opens

the sack his mother had packed for lunch. He pulls out a

peanut butter and jelly sandwich and starts eating as George

and Robin emerge from the shack with another beam.

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