Little Red Wagon Page #6

this one without me.

No, Kel, it's for

all of us to do.

It would be fun.

It could be like

our family project

for the summer.

Whenever we do

something together,

we have so much fun.

Remember making the Christmas

ornaments for the old folks' home?

Christmas caroling? That was

fun. And it'll be like that.

But better.

(SIGHS)

Oh, come on, Kel.

Say yes.

Say yes.

(SIGHS)

I'll do anything you

want me to do after this.

(MOUTHING)

Okay. Maybe.

Maybe. That's it.

Thanks, Kel.

Mom?

Mmm...

Just hold on, mister.

You still have some big hoops to jump

through before this is a done deal.

No sweat. I'm gonna go e

- mail Kristy.

So much for those

cooking classes, huh?

(SOFTLY)

Don't worry about it.

This is such

a long shot, Kel.

WOMAN OVER PA:

Any further business?

Okay, before we go,

Kristy and Harold have someone

who would like to speak to us.

Zach Bonner.

You can do it.

WOMAN:
Zach?

(ALL APPLAUDING)

Uh...

"Thank you for this

opportunity to speak to you.

"There are estimated 1.3 million

homeless children in the United States.

"2% of the children

in this country,

"10% of all poor children.

"The major causes

of child homelessness

"are family problems, economic

or money-related problems.

(MAN CLEARS THROAT)

"Homelessness makes these children

vulnerable to violence or abuse."

(MOUTHING)

(SIGHS)

Okay, you know what?

You all got a Be More Awd

for helping homeless children

get off the streets.

You all know that.

So, I guess when you find out

what these kids are going through,

it's hard not

to do something.

But it's a really

big problem.

Over one million kids.

I can't even put that

in my head. That's like...

Raymond James Stadium 15 times

overfilled with kids without homes.

So, you ask yourself,

"How can only

one person help?"

So, you got together and created your

own foundation to help these kids.

That's so cool!

(ALL CHUCKLING)

And now you're probably

looking at me and thinking,

"How can this one

little kid help?"

But the way I see it,

it's like

cleaning your room.

Whenever it's really messy

and too big of a problem,

you ignore it.

you shove it

under the bed, whatever.

But if you pick

one small spot,

work on it, then another,

eventually it gets done.

My mom taught me that.

(ALL LAUGHING)

That's how I think we should go

about with helping these kids.

So my small part

is to walk to our

state capital in Tallahassee.

Along the way, I hope to speak

to schools and media outlets

to raise awareness

about the homeless kids.

So, I'll pick up

the dirty clothes,

and you guys put away

the toys or make the bed.

(ALL LAUGHING)

One day,

our room will be clean.

And one day, there won't be

any more homeless kids to help.

Thank you.

(ALL APPLAUDING)

I move that we see if we

can get that RV for him

and donate $1,000 from

the fund to Zach's walk.

(APPLAUDING) Do we have

a second to that motion?

ALL:
Seconded!

You know what?

$1,000 isn't gonna do it.

Here you go, Zach.

Anyone else?

(ALL MURMURING)

MAN:
Good luck, kid.

ZACH:
Thanks.

(SIGHS)

Thank you. Thank you.

Come on.

Did you think...

Yeah, he... He wouldn't

be able to do it, huh?

Well, I mean, did you think that he'd

be able to do it? But look at him.

Thank you.

LAURIE:
It's unbelievable.

Thank you. Thank you.

Kel...

Look, I'm so sorry.

I know that

you're disappointed.

But we can always do those cooking

classes next summer, all right?

Come on.

Sure.

Hmm, it's not

a done deal yet.

I still have to figure out

how we survive.

But you can do it, right?

I'll give it my best.

That's all

I can tell you.

(SIGHS)

Teeth.

(DOOR OPENING)

Where do you think you're

going? Anywhere but here.

Um, no, you're not.

You're 16.

17 in a month.

I call the cops, they'll

drag you right back here.

You wouldn't.

You wanna try me?

Look, Kelley,

I know you're upset.

Upset? Upset?

You promised!

It was a plan.

Plans change.

Life does that to us

all the time. I had plans.

All sorts of plans.

I made the best out

of what was dealt me.

Really?

Yes.

Does your life suck?

Because mine sucks!

LAURIE:

Are you kidding me?

Mom.

Zach...

I want you to

go to bed right now.

But... Right now, I

don't care. Go ahead.

Go in there right now.

Right now.

So your life sucks, huh?

(DOOR CLOSES)

Do you want

for anything?

No.

I provide for your

every need,

for your every

little whim.

Girl, poke your head

out of that

sheltered life of yours

and take a look

at mine for a second.

I am the sole provider

for this family.

Every day I have to find a way

to keep our heads above water.

Every day,

whether we eat or not,

it is all on me and some days,

that is plain bone crushing.

But I do it.

Is that why you're trying

to ruin my life?

Because yours

is so pathetic?

My life is in no way

pathetic, Kelley,

and I'm so sorry

it seems that way to you.

Yes, maybe before this

I was just treading water,

before Zach started on

his... His mission here.

But this has

given him a purpose,

a dream.

For me, too.

And maybe just once, instead

of only thinking about yourself,

maybe just once you could

think about climbing aboard.

You know what?

(SHOUTING) I don't give

a damn about his dream!

My life is a nightmare!

You better watch it,

young lady.

(SCREAMING) I will not!

You will watch it

in my house!

You wanna

grow up so fast?

Well, every once in

a while, us grown-ups,

more than we'd like,

have to suck it up

and move on.

So get your butt

back in your room.

Clean that up.

You clean it up!

(DOOR SLAMMING)

Listen to me.

You don't get the life

you want, you know.

You get what comes

down the line.

You live with that

or you be miserable.

It is your choice.

(THUDDING)

(LAURIE SOBBING)

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

ZACH:
Kelley?

You mad at me?

What do you think?

You wouldn't really go,

would you?

I didn't pack

for a vacation.

But I don't want you

to go. Ever.

I'm gonna go someday.

So will you.

We're in this together.

We're a team.

The Dynamic Trio.

Us against the world.

You remember that?

You were so little.

I still am little.

Don't give me that

"puppy dog Zach" act.

You can play everyone

else, including Mom,

but you can't

play your sister.

(WHISPERS) Sorry.

But this would

be fun, Kel.

I was thinking you'd be like

the publicity whatchamacallit.

You know, calling the

newspaper and the radio people,

and the TV stations

during the walk.

I bet you'll like it

much more than the cooking.

You never quit, do you?

What do you mean?

Go all innocent on me.

You're such a selfish

little jerk sometimes.

I wish I cared about

something as much as you do.

But I don't.

So I just...

People walk all over me

like a doormat.

But you're not a doormat.

(LAUGHS HUMORLESSLY)

Yeah, I am.

(SIGHS)

Hey.

Mom said to

come eat breakfast.

She make biscuits?

Yep.

(SIGHS) She thinks she

can buy me with biscuits.

Well, that works for me.

Hey...

Look, I was thinking...

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