O Brother, Where Art Thou? Page #15

He gives Everett a meaningful look, which Everett holds for

a considering beat.

EVERETT:

...Governor - that's one of our

favorites!

Pappy returns a considered appraisal:

PAPPY:

Son, you gonna go far.

The song begins.

LATER:

The steps of the meeting hall. People stream out of the

concert into the warm summer night.

Everett, now relieved of his beard, is walking down the steps

with Penny.

EVERETT:

I guess Vernon T. Waldrip is gonna

be goin' on relief. Maybe I'll be

able to throw a little patronage his

way, get the man a job diggin' ditches

or rounding up stray dogs.

DELMAR:

Is the marriage off then, Miz Wharvey?

PENNY:

McGill. No, the marriage'll take

place as planned.

EVERETT:

Just a little change of cast. Me and

the little lady are gonna pick up

the pieces'n retie the knot,

mixaphorically speakin'. You boys're

invited, of course. Hell, you're

best men! Already got the rings.

He raises Penny's left hand with his own to display their

wedding bands - but Penny's finger is bare.

EVERETT:

Where's your ring, honey?

PENNY:

I ain't worn it since our divorce

came through. It must still be in

the rolltop in the old cabin. Never

thought I'd need it; Vernon bought

one encrusted with jewels.

EVERETT:

Hell, now's the time to buy it off

him cheap.

PENNY:

We ain't gettin' married with his

ring! You said you'd changed!

EVERETT:

Aw, honey, our ring is just a old

pewter thing -

PENNY:

Ain't gonna be no weddin'.

EVERETT:

It's just a symbol, honey -

PENNY:

No weddin'.

DELMAR:

We'll go fetch it with ya, Everett.

EVERETT:

Honey, it's just - Shutup, Delmar -

it's just -

PENNY:

I have spoken my piece and counted

to three.

She walks off.

EVERETT:

Oh, goddamnit! She counted to three!

Sonofabitch! You know how far that

cabin is?!

His attention, and everyone else's, is drawn by a procession

on the street below. A crowd carrying torches jogs behind a

man in clanking leg irons and wrist manacles who is being

escorted by four policemen trotting alongside, their

nightsticks held across their chests in riot-ready formation.

Everett and the rest of the Soggy Bottom Boys descend the

last couple of steps to meet the oncoming criminal. Delmar

cries out:

DELMAR:

George!

It is indeed George Nelson, grinning and game despite his

heavy restraints.

GEORGE:

'Lo, boys! Well, these little men

finally caught up with the criminal

a the century! Looks like the chair

for George Nelson. Yup! Gonna

electrify me! I'm gonna go off like

a Roman candle! Twenty thousand

volts chasin' the rabbit through

yours truly! Gonna shoot sparks out

the top of my head and lightning

from my fingertips!

As he passes he turns to call back over his shoulder:

GEORGE:

Yessir! Gonna suck all the power

right outa the state! Goddamn, boys,

I'm on top of the world! I'M GEORGE

NELSON AND I'M FEELIN' TEN FEET TALL!

Delmar, smiling, shakes his head as he watches him go.

DELMAR:

Looks like George is right back on

top again.

BLACK:

In the black we hear snuffling, growing louder, closer,

slobberier.

A crack of light. We are inside a cupboard. Its door is being

nosed open by an eagerly sniffing snout.

As the door swings wide the inside of the cupboard is washed

with light. It contains, next to a tangled bunch of hairnets,

several neatly stacked tins of Dapper Dan pomade.

PINEY WOODS:

Everett, Pete, Delmar and Tommy are walking through the woods.

EVERETT:

Well, at least you boys'll get to

see the old manse - the home where I

spent so many happy days in the bosom

of my family - a refugium, if you

will - with a mighty oak tree out

front and a happy little tire swing...

They emerge into a clearing. The cabin stands before them.

It is indeed a peaceful-looking haven with a mighty oak tree

in front. There is, however, no tire swing; instead, three

nooses hang from one stout limb.

DELMAR:

Where's the happy little tire swing?

Two shotgun-wielding goons fall in behind the four men and

push them forward.

Moving forward reveals, next to the oak tree, three fresh-

dug graves. Standing at the far lip of each grave is a rough

pine coffin.

The sheriff with mirrored sunglasses, Cooley, steps off the

porch, the drooling hound at his heels.

COOLEY:

End of the road, boys. It's had its

twists and turns -

EVERETT:

Waitaminute -

COOLEY:

- but now it deposits you here.

The goons are shoving them toward the tree. Three

gravediggers, having just finished their work, emerge from

the three graves. They are shirtless black men with bandannas

round their necks.

EVERETT:

Waitaminute -

COOLEY:

You have eluded fate - and eluded me -

for the last time. Tie their hands,

boys.

EVERETT:

You can't do this -

COOLEY:

Didn't know you'd be bringin' a

friend. Well, he'll have to wait

his turn -

EVERETT:

Hang on there -

COOLEY:

- and share one of your graves.

EVERETT:

You can't do this - we just been

pardoned! By the Governer himself!

DELMAR:

It went out over the radio!

COOLEY:

Is that right?

The leering goons, who have been lashing the men's wrists

behind their backs, pause, their sadism stymied. They look

to Cooley for guidance.

So too does the drooling hound.

Silence.

Finally:

COOLEY:

...Too bad we don't have a radio.

The goons recover their leering grins and resume their happy

task.

The gravediggers stand next to the graves, leaning on their

shovels. They begin to sing a slow and dirgelike 'You've Got

to Walk That Lonesome Valley'. Sweat glistens on them and

trickles down their faces like tears.

PETE:

God have Mercy!

TOMMY:

It ain't fittin'!

EVERETT:

It ain't the law!

COOLEY:

The law. Well the law is a human

institution.

Cooley gives the faintest smile.

COOLEY:

Perhaps you should take a moment for

your prayers.

PETE:

Oh my God! Everett!

DELMAR:

I'm sorry we got you into this, Tommy.

PETE:

Good Lord, what do we do?

Pete is in tears. Tommy is terrified. Delmar bows his head

to silently pray.

Everett bows his head as well. He murmurs:

EVERETT:

Oh Lord, please look down and

recognize us poor sinners... please

Lord...

The singing of the gravediggers begins a mournful swell.

EVERETT:

...I just want to see my daughters

again. Oh Lord, I've been separated

from my family for so long...

The mournfully building song is now supported by a bass more

palpable than audible - the song, it seems, rising out of

the earth itself.

EVERETT:

...I know I've been guilty of pride

and sharp dealing. I'm sorry that I

turned my back on you, Lord. Please

forgive me, and help us, Lord, and I

swear I'll mend my ways... For the

sake of my family... For Tommy's

sake, and Delmar's, and Pete's...

The rumble is building.

EVERETT:

...Let me see my daughters again.

Please, Lord, help us... Please help

us...

The rumble erupts into a deafening roar.

A wall of water is crashing through the hollow.

It engulfs everything and everybody. The cabin itself is

ripped away; the Soggy Bottom Boys are knocked off their

feet and all is noise and confusion.

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