Panther Page #5

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HUEY:

Well as the Rev says, God helps those

who help themselves.

(a smile)

We'll be our own stoplight.

EXT. INTERSECTION - DAY

Huey marches into the middle of the street. Amid swerving

cars and screeching brakes he begins DIRECTING TRAFFIC.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Judge and Cy split off as the other Panthers march into the

intersection, joining Huey's traffic duty.

CY:

(pointing)

Check it out... Great huh? I tell

you those guys know what time it is.

Man I'm with that...

JUDGE:

I don't know. Look around man.

CY:

C'mon Judge we got to start somewhere.

JUDGE:

Yeah, and I'm gonna start by getting

on my feet. Working on things from

inside the system.

CY:

Inside ain't in the system.

(poking Judge)

It's right there inside you!! I'm

joining up.

Judge's face cracks into a wry SMILE. Suddenly his smile

fades when he spots RITA staring at him from her stoop.

JUDGE:

I... I gotta go...

Judge crosses the street, heading over to his mother.

EXT. BROWNSTONE - DAY

Concern searing her face, Rita regards her son warily.

JUDGE:

It's okay Mom. I'm allright.

RITA:

You don't look alright.

JUDGE:

(touching his head)

Yeah... cop hit me...

RITA:

I saw. I saw that big one

(pointing to Carter)

hit that police man. Saw 'em drag

you off too.

(a beat)

They take you to jail?

JUDGE:

(soft)

Yeah.

RITA:

Lord, never thought I'd live to see

my boy in prison.

JUDGE:

Mom! It wasn't like that. It was

bullsh... They were just harassing

us. No charges were filed. It's

alright.

Worry in her voice, Rita stares across at the Panthers.

RITA:

You meet those friends of yours in

jail too?

JUDGE:

Yes... No... Mom it's not like you

think. They're alright. There out

there trying to do something.

RITA:

I hear them boys, those Black

Panthers, they're communists. They

don't even believe in God.

JUDGE:

Mom, black folks been praying to God

for four hundred years. Maybe it's

time we tried something else...

RITA:

You believe that?

JUDGE:

I don't know. I really don't.

A moment passes, Rita notes her son's confusion.

RITA:

I'll tell you one thing Judge...

EXT. INTERSECTION - DAY

Following Huey's lead, the Panthers move traffic through the

intersection. CY'S with them, guiding cars past.

RITA:

(over)

Them boys gonna start a bunch of

trouble they keep on like that.

INT. OAKLAND POLICE HEADQUARTERS- DAY

DORSETT, the Chief Duty Officer, shifts behind his desk,

popping a TUMS. A VOICE comes from the doorway.

RODGERS:

(over)

Those things don't work...

Looking up, Dorsett sees RODGERS -- a hawk-faced guy with

slippery glasses. He's FBI down to the shine on his shoes.

DORSETT:

Don't I know it. Come on in Agent

Rodgers. Sit down. Always a...

pleasure to see you. How can I be of

help?

RODGERS:

It's a bit more like how can we help

you. Bay Area's become quite a

hornet's nest in terms of subversive

activities. And... well Mr. Hoover

wants to reiterate that the FBI will

be happy to assist local authorities

in any way we can. On a strictly

advisory basis... of course.

DORSETT:

Of course. Well, I appreciate your

offer, but we got things pretty well

under control. Same bunch of kooks

you guys already have under

surveillance. They're still doing a

lot of yelling and pot-smoking but

nothing to worry about.

RODGERS:

(cocking an eyebrow)

I see. What about the Black Panther

Party for Self-Defense?

DORSETT:

Heh, bunch of shines running around

in dark caps waving their fists about

some streetlight. They're loud, but

they aren't dangerous,

RODGERS:

Can you make a deal with them?

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