Loving Page #16

Richard sits at a table with Percy, Raymond and Virgil.

They’re well into a bottle of liquor and not bothering with

setups.

VIRGIL:

I miss you Rich. Hell I can say

it. Percy, don’t you miss Rich?

With a shrug,

PERCY:

Yeah.

RICHARD:

I miss you too Virgil.

VIRGIL:

So what’s with all this?

RICHARD:

All a what?

85.

VIRGIL:

What you got. You just made it too

hard now.

Richard fends this with a half smile and nod.

VIRGIL (CONT’D)

See you think I’m crazy but you

know what hard is now don’t you?

RICHARD:

Yeah.

Raymond keeps a watchful eye on Virgil.

VIRGIL:

You white Richard. You think you

like a black man but you white.

You hang ‘round all these black

folks but when you go to work you

still white. But not now. Now you

know what it’s like. You black now

aren’t you? You a damn fool.

RAYMOND:

Come on now.

VIRGIL:

He need to hear it. Every nigga up

in here wish he were you Rich, and

you ain’t got sense enough for it.

But see you got the fix. I ain’t

got no fix. Yourn easy. All you

gotta do is divorce her. That’s

easy. That’s all you gotta do.

RICHARD:

Divorce her?

VIRGIL:

That’s right. Easy.

Richard smiles and nods.

RICHARD:

I’m gonna divorce her.

VIRGIL:

That’s all you gotta do.

Richard’s smile fades as he picks up the bottle and pours

another round. He slams back the drink.

Raymond stares down Virgil, who is oblivious.

86.

152

INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE/BEDROOM - NIGHT 152

Mildred lifts her head off the pillow when she hears Richard

enter the room.

He takes a seat on the end of the bed and removes his boots.

She can’t see his face.

He sits there, quiet. Until finally mumbling, inaudible.

MILDRED:

Come to bed.

RICHARD:

We been talking to lawyers near ten

years now.

MILDRED:

Let’s go to bed.

Mildred tries to see his face but can’t.

She moves to the end of the bed to sit next to him.

RICHARD:

I can take care of you.

Mildred can see he’s drunk and speaks slightly dismissive.

MILDRED:

I know that.

She puts her hand on his back.

He finally looks at her. His eyes have tears in them. She

has rarely seen him like this.

RICHARD:

I can take care of you.

Mildred begins to nod.

MILDRED:

I know.

Richard looks down.

153

INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE - DAY 153

Richard, his heavy coat on, steps outside the front door.

87.

154 EXT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE - DAY 154

The ground is covered in snow. The fields and trees are all

white with ice.

Richard crunches across the yard to a wood pile and begins

gathering up a stack.

A shiny black Lincoln is parked in the yard.

155 INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE/KITCHEN - DAY 155

Richard enters the kitchen with the wood.

Bernie and Phil are seated at the kitchen table across from

Mildred. Bernie sips a hot cup of coffee.

BERNIE COHEN:

It’s good.

Richard adds the wood to the stove and takes a seat at the

table next to Mildred. Bernie can’t contain his smile.

BERNIE COHEN (CONT’D)

So I have some really terrific

news. The Supreme Court of the

United States has agreed to hear

our case.

MILDRED:

Oh!

Mildred’s hands go to her face, ecstatic.

PHIL HIRSCHKOP:

Of course, the state of Virginia

will mount their defense, but we

are feeling very good about our

chances here. You’ve got the full

weight of the ACLU behind this.

MILDRED:

It’s a miracle.

Mildred grabs Richard’s hand. Richard has not moved, nor

smiled.

RICHARD:

What’s their defense?

BERNIE COHEN:

I’m sorry?

88.

RICHARD:

Virginia. How are they gonna

defend what they done to us?

BERNIE COHEN:

I guess we won’t really know until

the hearing, but it’s expected

they’ll use a defense similar to

something they’ve used before.

RICHARD:

And what’s that?

Bernie looks to Phil. They realize they can’t avoid it.

PHIL HIRSCHKOP:

It’s your kids.

RICHARD:

Our kids?

BERNIE COHEN:

Yes. The state of Virginia will

argue that it’s unfair to bring

children of mixed race into the

world. They believe they are

bastards.

Richard stares at Bernie on this point. It’s rare for him to

make this much eye contact. Bernie looks down.

After a moment, Bernie tries to pick things up.

BERNIE COHEN (CONT’D)

Now, as the defendants in this

case, you both are allowed to come

hear the arguments.

RICHARD:

No. We won’t need to do that.

BERNIE COHEN:

Well it’s a very big honor to sit

in front of the Supreme Court.

Very few people...

RICHARD:

No. That’s fine. Scuse me.

Richard stands and leaves the room. Bernie looks at Mildred,

who just smiles.

BERNIE COHEN:

Mildred?

89.

MILDRED:

I wouldn’t go without him.

156 EXT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE - DAY 156

Richard stands on the porch smoking a cigarette. He looks

out over the cold landscape.

Bernie exits the house and takes a place on the steps.

BERNIE COHEN:

You know, Richard, it’s of course

up to you not to attend, but you

should know, the Supreme Court only

hears maybe 1 out of 400 cases.

It’s historic.

RICHARD:

Thank you Mr. Cohen.

Bernie is stumped.

BERNIE COHEN:

Well. Is there anything you want

me to tell them, and of course by

them I mean the justices of the

Supreme Court of the United States?

Richard thinks on this for awhile. He nods.

RICHARD:

Yeah. Tell the judge, tell the

judge I love my wife.

This strikes Bernie. He understands Richard, possibly for

the first time.

157 EXT. JOB SITE - MORNING 157

Sunlight breaks through just above the horizon.

The snow has all melted. Spring has started, signaled by

buds sprouting on the trees.

Richard arrives at work alongside other workers.

He makes his way to a newly started wall of bricks, sets down

his work bag and begins taking out his tools for the day.

90.

158

EXT. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES - DAY 158

Several cars idle at the curb.

Phil, accompanied by his FATHER, climbs out of the first car.

Bernie climbs out of the other. He reaches in for his WIFE

and leans down to address his Secretary, who is driving.

BERNIE COHEN:

You’re okay to park? Thanks

Martha.

Bernie shuts the door. Both cars drive away.

He turns and is stopped by the sight in front of him.

The Supreme Court of the United States.

It’s a massive stone building with expansive white steps

leading up to it. It’s both daunting and inspiring.

Bernie looks to Phil, who is also pausing to take in the

breadth of the building.

They look at one another, nervous yet determined, and begin

making their way up the steps.

159

INT. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY FARMHOUSE - DAY 159

Mildred sits in their bedroom at a push pedal sewing machine.

She runs fabric through, pausing occasionally to inspect her

stitching.

160

INT. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES - DAY 160

A microphone stands empty atop a lectern.

Phil Hirschkop approaches. He looks nervous, but speaks with

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes