Six Feet Under Page #19

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53.

NATE (CONT'D)

(angry)

He was our father.

DAVID:

(quietly)

Please don't do this.

NATE:

(overlapping)

You can pump him full of chemicals, and

put makeup on him, and prop him up for a

(air quotes)

"Nap" in the "slumber room," but the

fact remains:
The only father we will

ever have is gone. Forever. And that

sucks, but it's a goddamn part of life

and you can't really accept it without

getting your hands dirty. Well, I do

accept it, and I intend to honor the old

bastard by letting the world see just

how f***ed up and shitty I feel that

he's dead.

And he angrily throws his fistful of dirt into the grave.

NATE (CONT'D)

God damn it!

An awkward beat.

PRIEST:

Uh... Amen.

RUTH:

Wait.

Nate and David watch apprehensively as Ruth crosses to the

mound of earth, grabs a fistful and throws it into the grave.

She grabs another... then another... throwing them all into

the grave, losing control, GROWLING like an animal. Unnerved,

David starts toward her, but Nate holds him back.

NATE:

Let her.

Mourners look on, a little stunned, as Ruth continues flinging

dirt wildly into the grave. Suddenly she stops and SCREAMS, a

primal, animalistic scream.

RUTH:

Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh!

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54.

Ruth screams until she's spent, then just stands there, gasping

for breath. Nate crosses to his mother and wraps his arms

around her. She clings to him, too exhausted to cry.

David is seething. An awkward beat.

PRIEST:

(quickly)

The Lord be with you.

MOURNERS:

And with thy spirit.

PRIEST:

Let us pray...

PRIEST/MOURNERS

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed

be thy name...

Brenda watches, smiling. Behind her, Nathaniel is also

smiling.

NATHANIEL:

(clapping)

Woo-Oho!

ON CLAIRE, watching him, her face blank.

77 EXT. CEMETARY - A SHORT TIME LATER (DAY FOUR) 77

The funeral is over. Nate walks an exhausted Ruth to a car.

David approaches with Federico.

DAVID:

Mom, Federico's going to drive you back,

okay? I just want to go over some details

with Nate. We'll be right behind you.

FEDERICO:

(offers his arm)

Put her there, Mrs. F.

RUTH:

(loopy from exhaustion)

You have such delicate hands, Rico. Like

a statue. Or an illustration in an antique

book. Or one of those little ceramic

hands they use to display gloves...

Ruth and Federico cross off. David turns to Nate, glaring.

DAVID:

You want to be the alpha dog, Nate?

(MORE)

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55.

DAVID (CONT'D)

Is that it? Coasting toward mid-life

with nothing to show for it and now you

want to come back and be the rock for

this family to lean on? F*** you.

NATE:

(stung)

That's not what I'm--

DAVID:

You want to get your hands dirty? You

sanctimonious prick. Talk to me when

you've had to stuff formaldehyde-soaked

cotton up your father's ass so he won't

leak.

NATE:

(totally skeeved)

Jesus.

DAVID:

Yeah, well, I guess you'd just toss him

out with the garbage. It may seem weird

to you, but there is a reason for

everything we do. We provide people with

a very important and sacred service at

the darkest time in their lives. When

maybe they don't want to make a spectacle

of themselves. Because maybe they'd prefer

to grieve in private.

NATE:

Why? Why does it have Co be such a secret?

It's nothing Co be ashamed of.

David has no answer to this. Furious, he turns to go.

NATE (CONT'D)

Dave, please...

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