Orange County

Mr. Marcus Skinner...

care of the English department, | Stanford University.

Dear Mr. Skinner, | My name is Shaun Brumder...

and I think | you are a total genius.

I live in California...

in a place called Orange County.

A year ago, I was just | another Orange County surfer--

spending my days at the beach | with my buddies...

playing volleyball...

Spike it, Shaun!

and spending my nights | around a bonfire partying.

School was always a walk for me.

I did pretty well | without trying too hard.

Theres a tropical storm off Laguna.

Lets go, dude. | Surfs up.

I was easily distracted.

- What about next period? | - Twenty-footers. Screw your period.

Twenty-footers?

Then last April, me and my crew | drove out to Emerald Cove...

to catch some major tsunami waves.

I dont know, you guys.

Dude, face the fear.

This is intense!

Righteous.

Lonny always said he wanted to die | eating foam in a massive wipeout...

but I bet hes up in heaven | right now.

After Lonny drowned, | I did some heavy meditating.

I thought, maybe theres more to life | than extreme sports...

and trying to get laid.

Maybe theres | a bigger purpose for me...

and Ive just been too high | to figure it out.

I was sitting on the beach, | totally cogitating.

I looked down, and there, in the sand, | was a copy of your book.

It was like a sign, like your book | was calling out to me.

Read me.

For the next few days, | I read it from cover to cover.

Your book totally captured | what its like to be a teenager--

the excitement, the confusion, | the horniness.

Sometimes I laughed so hard, | I thought I was going to puke and die.

Other times, I cried.

Are you okay?

Its just so sad.

I read your book | 52 times that month...

and I finally realized | what I wanted to do with my life.

I want to be a writer.

Ive been writing ever since. | Its all I ever do.

All day and all night sometimes.

It was hard to get going, | but, once I did, I couldnt stop.

Im like a machine, | and nothing else matters.

Im selling my board. | I dont have time.

- I need to focus on my writing. | - What?

My friends think | Ive lost my mind.

Hes lost his mind.

Lets get lit and go jump off | the roof of my house.

Now youre talking.

I need some feedback, | and theres no one here to help me.

Got your story here. Wow.

I have the sneaking suspicion | that my English teacher is illiterate.

I noticed you used a lot of big words. | Nice. Good for you.

It was a little long, so I didnt | read the whole thing.

But who cares? | Cause I gave you an A.

My brother, Lance, is perpetually | recovering from the night before.

Im sorry. | I dont feel good.

My girlfriend is the only one | whos actually read my work.

But shes always so positive, | its hard to take her seriously.

Its, like, the best story | Ive ever read.

Really?

Its funny and original.

I mean...

I think it could be a movie.

I dont know if Orange County | is the best environment...

for an aspiring writer...

so Im applying to Stanford.

You are a shoo-in.

Do you think I should apply | to some safety schools?

No need. | Dont be a scaredy-cat.

Theres no doubt in my mind | youre gonna go to Berkeley.

Stanford.

Yes. Stanford is where | youre going, mister.

Im sending you | a copy of my story.

Hopefully, | with your wisdom and guidance...

I will one day be a real writer.

I look forward to seeing you | in the fall, Mr. Skinner.

Your greatest admirer, | Shaun Brumder.

Watch it, man.

What are you doing lying here?

My parole officer wants to give me | a drug test, and I need your urine.

Can I score some of your piss?

- Yeah. | - Awesome, man.

Bob?

Dont yell at me!

Are you okay?

Its my kitchen!

Mom. Hey, Mom.

- What? | - Somethings wrong with Bob.

- Did you feed him his pills today? | - I dont know. Is he okay?

You gotta remember | to feed him his pills.

Lupe, did you give Bob his pills?

Im not a nurse.

Youve got to get rid of her | right now, okay, baby?

She has a bad attitude, and shes-- | You stole my Palm Pilot.

You did. Admit it.

- Thats it. | - You did.

Yeah. Its over.

What? What happened? | Whatd she say?

Shes sorry, and she thinks | youre an incredible lady.

Listen, Mom, when the mail comes, | will you call me on my cell?

Cause Im supposed to hear | from Stanford today.

Okay.

Come on. Dont get upset, Mom.

All right? You knew this day | was gonna come.

Im just goin to college. | Its not like Im leaving the planet.

Mom, get a grip.

I wont.

Im going back to bed.

Check this out. | You gotta help us out.

- Dont call me a punk. | - Youre a punk.

You remember the night we all went | golfing and I paid for everyone?

- Cause stinge-king over here-- | - Who paid for parking?

I dont remember you ever paying | for anything in your sorry life.

Of course you dont remember | when someone else does.

Did you guys know | that its April 1 5?

A year ago today, Lonny died.

Hey, dude, thats true.

I cant believe | its been a whole year.

I was thinking that, you know...

maybe we should do something | in his memory.

We should pull a killer prank. | We should go jump off something.

Yeah, bro, or blow something up.

Maybe we should go to Emerald Cove | and have a surf in Lonnys memory.

Shaun doesnt surf anymore, stupid.

I forgot. He doesnt surf or skate | or pick his butt.

- Writer boy now. | - Whats up, Dr. Seuss? Cat in the Hat?

Principal Harbert, as you may know...

there was an oil spill last week | off the coast of Redondo.

Todays paper just says hundreds | of seagulls have been affected.

I propose a school-sponsored | fund-raiser...

with all the proceeds going to | the seagull rehabilitation fund.

As the community-service leader, | we would be morally remiss...

if we did nothing | for these seagulls.

Fine.

One more. Last one.

After this, well let all sick and | endangered animals die horrible deaths.

Agreed?

Now, people, | June is just around the corner.

Lets talk graduation speakers. | Ideas?

Toni Morrison.

Shes in town that same weekend | for a book signing.

Shes won the Nobel Prize.

Interesting.

Dana, didnt you say you have a cousin | whos friends with Britney Spears?

Yeah. Best friends.

Now when I say Romeo and Juliet, | who comes to mind?

- Dana? | - Claire Danes.

Thats right. Claire Danes. | Who else?

- Leonardo DiCaprio. | - Right. Who else?

You know, someone else | was involved in that movie...

who, in some ways, is as famous | as Leonardo DiCaprio.

And his names William Shakespeare...

and some great movies | are based on his plays.

Hamlet, West Side Story...

Talented Mr. Ripley, | Waterworld...

Gladiator, Chocolat.

Mr. Burke, as you know, my boyfriend | drowned in a surfing accident.

I dont think I can handle | Romeo and Juliet right now...

emotionally.

Tanya, Lonny died a year ago.

Sometimes it takes decades to recover | from a tragedy like this.

You only went out with him | for two weeks.

Your moms outside. | She says you got into Stanford!

Hello.

- Can you do me a favor? | - Who you lookin for?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes