Lone Star Page #7

RODERICK:

Don't mind him, Sheriff. Boy's

just a bit slow, is all. He don't

mean nothin' by it--

WADE:

That the problem, son? You Slow?

RODERICK:

Otis, apologize to the Sheriff--

Otis eases the chair down but doesn't say anything--

RODERICK:

You got him too scared to peep,

Sheriff. Maybe if you put that

gun up--

WADE:

You telling me what to do,

Roderick?

RODERICK:

No, Sheriff, I'm just--

Wade looks around, widens his eyes in mock surprise--

WADE:

What's this I see? Is that whiskey

in them glasses on the Bar?

Roderick, I'm onna have to cite

you for a violation of state law--

RODERICK:

This is a club, Sheriff--you been

in here--

WADE:

And people better clear out of

here! Now!

A few people start for the exit. Wade swivels and BLAM!

sends a bullet past Minnie that shatters a crystal decanter

behind the bar. People run for the door. Wade squats down

to look Otis in the face--

CU WADE:

WADE:

You learn how to act your place,

son. This idn't Houston.

He stands and we FOLLOW him toward the bar--

OTIS (V.O.)

'Course I was young and full of

beans then--

The camera passes Wade and instead of Minnie there stands

Otis, PRESENT DAY, reminiscing.

We are back in '95--

OTIS:

I didn't understand the spot I

was putting Roderick in.

SAM:

And that was the last time you

saw him?

We SHIFT to see Sam sitting where Wade was headed--

OTIS:

Oh--I think he came in one more

time with Hollis and--naw, your

Daddy wasn't with them. Made

their monthly pickup. Roderick

wasn't in so I just kept my mouth

good and shut and handed over

that envelope.

SAM:

That was the night he disappeared?

OTIS:

(Shakes his head)

Could of been. That was white

people's business.

SAM:

And when my father was Sheriff?

OTIS:

What about it?

SAM:

What was your deal with him?

Otis smiles, chooses his words carefully--

OTIS:

Buddy was more a part of the big

picture--county political machine,

chamber of commerce, zoning board

if I kept those people happy, he

was pretty much on my side.

(Smiles)

Whenever somebody thought--they

start up another bar for the black

folks, they'd be--how should I

put this? They'd be officially

discouraged.

SAM:

He ever accept cash for a favor?

Otis smiles, looks away to ponder his response--

OTIS:

I don't recall a prisoner ever

died in your father's custody. I

don't recall a man in this town--

Black, White, Mexican--who'd

hesitate a minute before they'd

call on Buddy Deeds to solve a

problem. More than that I wouldn't

like to say.

INT. CAR -- LATE AFTERNOON

Pilar drives Amado and her daughter Paloma home--

AMADO:

If you had your way I wouldn't

have any friends.

PILAR:

Oh, come on, Amado--

AMADO:

Just 'cause I'm not like Little

Miss Honor Roll here--

PILAR:

Leave your sister out of it.

AMADO:

You and all of the teachers in

this dump--your story's over, so

you don't want anybody else to

have fun.

We see on PILAR's face that he has scored--

PALOMA:

You jerk--

AMADO:

I'm not talking to you. You don't

have any friends.

PILAR eases the car down San Jacinto street, seeing something

on the street and she's tuning her kids' conversation out--

PALOMA:

Who'd want to be friends with

that bunch of pachuco wannabes?

AMADO:

I don't pretend I came over on

the Mayflower--

PALOMA:

And those stupid girls who hang

out with them--

AMADO:

Just shut up.

PILAR'S POV -- SAM

Sam walks on the sidewalk parallel to them, talking with

three other MEN--

PALOMA (O.S.)

Joanie Orozco's telling the whole

school she's like desperately in

love with Santo Guerra.

AMADO (O.S.)

So?

PALOMA (O.S.)

It's pathetic. You can't he

desperately in love when you're

14 years old.

INT. PILAR'S CAR

Pilar is still looking fixedly out the window--

PALOMA:

Not if you have half a brain in

your head.

PILAR:

Of course you can.

PALOMA:

What?

PILAR:

It doesn't have anything to do

with being smart.

EXT. SAN JACINTO STREET -- LATE AFTERNOON

Danny Padilla is arguing with H.L. BRIGGS, a construction

company big shot, and JORGE GUERRA, a Council member in his

40s and Sam, as they walk down the sidewalk of the main street--

JORGE:

What I'm saying is, I don't see

the point. You had your chance

when the dedication committee was

meeting--

DANNY:

I've got new information--

H.L.

It's ancient goddarn history,

Danny--

DANNY:

1963, they dam up the north branch

to make Lake Pescadero. A whole

little town disappears--

H.L.

Squatter town--

DANNY:

People had been living in Perdido

for over a hundred years. Mexicans

and Chicanos are deported, evicted,

moved forcibly out of their houses

by our local hero, Buddy Deeds,

and his department--

JORGE:

There was a bill from the state

legislature--

DANNY:

Families were split apart, a whole

community was destroyed--

H.L.

They were trespassing, Danny--

DANNY:

--and who ends up with lakefront

property bought for a fraction of

the market price? Buddy Deeds,

Sheriff of Rio County, and his

Chief Deputy, Hollis Pogue.

They all look at Sam, who has been listening patiently the

whole while. They've reached his office

SAM:

You finished?

DANNY:

Look, I'm not after you, Sam. I

just think people in town ought

to know the full story on Buddy

Deeds.

SAM:

(Nods)

That makes two of us.

Sam steps into his office, leaving H.L. shaking his head--

H.L.

You best be thankful that's the

son and not the father. Buddy

woulda kicked your ass from here

to sundown.

INT HALLWAY -- DEL'S HOUSE -- LATE AFTERNOON

We TRACK down a hallway as Celie walks toward us, call ing

ahead. Chet stands in the middle of the hall behind her

CELIE (O.S.)

I don't see what the big deal is.

Go back over, talk to the man,

and bury the hatchet, Del--

CELIE passes us and Del crosses back in the other direction

from behind the camera, carrying boxes of their belongings.

We continue our SLOW TRACK forward--

DEL:

Otis Payne was never embarrassed

about a thing in his life.

CHET:

Dad--

CELIE (O.S.)

You were 8 years old when he left--

DEL:

He didn't leave, he moved three

houses down with one of my mother's

best friends.

CHET:

Dad--?

DEL:

"Hey, Delmore, where's your Daddy?"

Del disappears into the bedroom at the end of the hall--

DEL (O.S.)

everybody else's business. And

everybody loved Big O--

DEL comes back out, empty-handed--

DEL:

Big O was always there with a

smile or a loan or a free drink.

CHET:

Dad, can I talk to you about track?

CELIE (O.S.)

People change.

DEL:

Not that much.

CHET:

Dad, I talked to the track coach--

DEL:

I thought we already had this

out? Next year, if your grades

are high enough--

CHET:

I have a B average.

DEL:

How many B-average students do

you think they take at West Point?

CELIE (O.S.)

We're going to have to see him.

DEL:

No, we don't.

Del steps away past us, leaving Chet, defeated--

INT. CAFE -- NIGHT -- ENRIQUE

We start on Enrique, talking surreptitiously on the pay phone

on the way to the kitchen

ENRIQUE:

Sabado por la noche--Si, es el

mas seguero-- a cruzar por la

manana y pues tendremos que esperar--

[Friday night--Yes, that's the

safest--I'll cross in the morning

and then we'll have to wait--]

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