Rushmore Page #10

A class of Rushmore FOURTH GRADERS file past a big painting

of a ship caught in a storm and disappear into the next

room. One of them immediately comes back and looks around

the corner. It is Dirk. He has seen something:

Miss Cross and Mr. Blume are sitting on a bench in front of

a Rembrandt. They are holding hands.

Dirk narrows his eyes.

EXT. RUSHMORE. DAY

Mr. Blume is parked at the curb, staring off into space.

Ronny and Donny jump into the car and slam the doors.

RONNY:

Let's go.

Mr. Blume automatically puts the car in gear. He slams on

the brakes. Dirk is standing in front of the car, blocking

them. He stares at Mr. Blume. Mr. Blume rolls down his

window.

MR. BLUME

Dirk?

Dirk does not budge. Mr. Blume gets out of the car and

leaves it idling. He closes the door.

MR. BLUME

Dirk? What's wrong?

DIRK:

I know about you and the teacher.

Silence. Mr. Blume looks very worried.

MR. BLUME

Does Max know?

DIRK:

No. And I don't want him to know. I just want it to stop.

Right now.

They stare at each other.

DIRK:

You're a married man, Blume. And you're supposed to be his

friend.

MR. BLUME

Look, Dirk. I am his friend -

DIRK:

Yeah. And with friends like you, who needs friends?

Dirk turns and walks off. Mr. Blume looks puzzled.

MR. BLUME

Jesus Christ.

Mr. Blume sighs. He turns around and tries to open the car

door. Ronny and Donny have locked him out of the car. He can

see them inside laughing. He says fiercely:

MR. BLUME

Unlock it!

CUT TO:

Dirk walking across the lawn with a hard look on his face.

He walks past Magnus Buchan. Magnus is throwing Chinese

throwing stars at a tree trunk.

MAGNUS:

Little Calloway

Dirk stops and looks to Magnus.

MAGNUS:

You're standing up for the wrong bloke. Fischer ain't your

mate.

DIRK:

(angry) What are you talking about, Buchan?

MAGNUS:

(shrugs)

He thinks your mum's good for a bonk. That's why he picked

you as his chapel partner.

Dirk looks deeply wounded. But he doesn't want to believe

it:

DIRK:

Who sold you that crock?

MAGNUS:

He told me himself. He says she gave him a hand job in the

backseat of her bloody Jaguar.

DIRK:

Max would never say that.

MAGNUS:

(smiles) Yeah. You're probably right. After all, the son of

a brain doctor doesn't need to impress anybody.

Buchan laughs wickedly and fires off another throwing star.

INT. GROVE CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL. NIGHT

The school auditorium . Max is onstage dressed as a South

Central lowrider called Little Juan. He is opposite a senior

named 40 OUNCE and Margaret Yang, who plays Blue Eyes. While

they are rehearsing the scene a MESSENGER comes in with an

envelope for Max.

LITTLE JUAN:

The killing has got to stop, esse. It's getting too loco. No

more gats.

40 OUNCE

N*gger, you're the crazy one. Motherfuckers be wanting to

kill you. Are you talking about getting rid of your gun?

LITTLE JUAN:

It's time, homey.

BLUE EYES:

Kiss me, Little Juan.

MAX:

(suddenly out of character)

Then he kisses her and we're out. OK.

(pointing to the messenger)

Is that for me?

The messenger gives Max the envelope. Max opens it.

INSERT LETTER:

Written neatly in blue crayon on paper torn from a spiral

notebook. Dirk reads in VOICEOVER dripping with sarcasm.

Dear Max,

I'm sorry to say that I have secretly found out that Mr.

Blume is having an affair with Miss Cross. My first

suspicions came when I saw them frenching at the museum, and

then I knew for sure when they went skinny dipping in Mr.

Blume's swimming pool, giving each other hand jobs while you

were taking a nap on the front porch. Why am I telling you

this now? Because you're such a good friend. Take care, pal.

Fondly,

Dirk Calloway

EXT. MISS CROSS' HOUSE. NIGHT

Mr. Blume puts on his jacket as he walks down the front path

from Miss Cross' house. He gets in his Bentley and starts

the engine. He looks in the rearview mirror and sees the

glowing red tip of a cigarette. He wheels around fast.

Max is sitting in the backseat smoking a cigarette.

BLUME:

Max!

MAX:

How was she, Herman?

BLUME:

Jesus Christ!

MAX:

Was she good? I bet she was. Although I wouldn't know cause

I never screwed her.

Blume flicks on the lights. Max has tears all over his face.

MAX:

(with bitter contempt)

Going skinny-dipping while I took a nap. Are you

comfortable, Max? I'll just be out nude getting hand jobs

from the woman you love.

MR. BLUME

(frowns)

We never went skipping dipping.

MAX:

Sure, you didn't. And next you're going to tell me you

didn't just walk out of her house at two o'clock in the

morning.

MR. BLUME

(pause)

I'm in love with her.

MAX:

Well, I was in love with her first. And all that crap about,

I don't think she's that great, I don't think she's right

for you, Max. That was all bullshit, wasn't it?

Silence.

MAX:

Do you think she's in love with you?

MR. BLUME

I don't know.

MAX:

Well, I guarantee you she's not.

And she never will be.

MR. BLUME

Look, Max -

MAX:

I saved Latin!

Max glares at Mr. Blume. He shakes his head.

MAX:

What'd you ever do?

INT. CLASSROOM. DAY

Miss Cross' class. A little boy named BENJAMIN reads his

story in front of the class. Miss Cross sits in a chair at

the back. Max appears in the doorway.

BENJAMIN:

On the planet I'm from the sun only comes out once a year.

That is -

Max coughs loudly. Miss Cross turns around. Max motions to

her. She holds up her index finger for him to wait.

BENJAMIN:

That is why my skin is the color of a cloud, said the old -

MAX:

(loudly) I just came by to thank you for wrecking my life.

Max slams the door.

Max stands alone smoking a cigarette in front of a pile of

leaves. A LAWN CREW is raking in the background.

Max strikes a match, throws it on the leaves, and watches

sadly as the leaves burn and smoke rises black into the

crisp autumn air. He takes off his Rushmore blazer and

throws it on the fire. He looks up at the sky and says

quietly:

MAX:

Sic transit gloria, Mr. Blume.

Sic transit gloria.

EXT. PARK. DAY

A cold day. Dry leaves fall from the trees in the park.

Mr. Blume comes down the path to Max sitting alone on a

bench. Max is dressed in blue jeans, a plaid shirt, a ski

cap, and huge down parka. Mrs. Blume is wearing a topcoat

and gloves. Max stands up to shake hands with her.

MAX:

Thank you for meeting me.

MRS. BLUME

(coldly) You're welcome.

MAX:

Would you like a sandwich?

Silence. Mrs. Blume looks around the park.

MRS. BLUME

All right.

She sits down. Max takes two sandwiches out of his backpack.

MAX:

I have tuna fish and I have peanut butter and jelly. I'm

sorry it's not something more exotic.

MRS. BLUME

I'll take the tuna fish.

Max gives her the tuna fish sandwich.

MAX:

Milk or apple juice?

Max holds out the two drinks. Mrs. Blume just stares at him.

MAX:

You want me to cut to the chase?

Silence. Max puts down his sandwich and gathers his

thoughts.

MAX:

OK. As you know, Mr. Blume and I used to be friends.

MRS. BLUME

I have no idea what the relationship is between you and

Herman. Honestly, I find it very bizarre.

MAX:

(taken aback)

What do you mean to imply?

MRS. BLUME

I'm not implying anything. You make a very strange couple.

It's too bad Herman doesn't have that kind of affection for

his own children.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes