Sounder Page #16

NATHAN LEE:

Let me have one with a little steam on it, now!

DAVID rears back and fires a hard one at him. It pops into his glove.

NATHAN LEE:

Boy that was a mean curve you just threw!

PULLS BACK TO:

DAVID rears back once again, and throws a hard one.

NATHAN LEE:

That's enough for now, son. I better eat so we

can get out to the field and help your mama

before she come lookin' for us, and you know

how tough your mama can get!

EXT. CORNFIELD - DAY

REBECCA, JOSIE MAE, and EARL are working the field when MR. HOWARD drives out

in his truck -- He gets out and approaches them.

MR HOWARD:

(smiling)

Hi ya, Rebecca...

REBECCA:

(the cynical truth)

Tired.

MR HOWARD:

(looks about the field)

Somebody told me Nathan was back. How is he?

REBECCA:

Why don't you pay him a visit, Mr. Howard?

He'll tell you all about it.

MR. HOWARD

I'll do that, Rebecca... I'll do that...

MR HOWARD moves back to his truck and drives off. As they watch the truck

move away --

EXT. CORNFIELD - DAY

They all turn to see NATHAN limping toward them with SOUNDER and DAVID LEE --

They wait until they arrive --

NATHAN LEE:

What did he want?

REBECCA:

To invite you to his house -- the two of you

could just sit under the shade tree, drink ice

cold whiskey, and just shoot the breeze!

NATHAN LEE:

Did you tell 'im I was too busy for that kinda

stuff?

He puts his arms around her shoulders, and draws her close to him -- The

children stand by with big wide open smiles on their faces --

NATHAN LEE:

Dammit! It shore feels good to be back home!

He releases her -- walks about twelve feet away -- inspects some of the corn

-- looks about over the field --

NATHAN LEE:

Y'all did some good job with the crop.

He turns and walks back to them --

NATHAN LEE:

Well, let's get to work!

REBECCA:

You sure you feel up to it, Nathan?

NATHAN LEE:

Yeah. I feel real up to it right now. Come on,

David Lee, you and me'll do the loading.

REBECCA and the other children start in with the picking, but REBECCA watches

NATHAN with concern as he, DAVID LEE and SOUNDER move through the field --

finally, she returns her full attention to the work --

NATHAN LEE:

I'm real proud of how you helped your mama to

keep this place goin', David Lee.

DAVID LEE:

Thank you, Daddy...

They come to a group of corn-filled sacks alongside the wagon and stop.

NATHAN LEE:

I'll lift up the back end, and you just hold on

to the front end for me.

He lifts up the back end of the sack -- DAVID LEE takes hold of the front,

tied end, and they struggle to get it up on the wagon, with NATHAN grunting

and groaning. The same thing happens with the second sack --

NATHAN LEE:

Wheeew! This is some hard work, but it beats

goin' to jail.

DAVID LEE:

You won't be goin' to jail again, will you,

Daddy?

NATHAN LEE:

No, son -- they'd have to kill me before I'd

let 'em do that to me again!

He realizes he has said the wrong thing from the worried look on the boy's

face.

NATHAN LEE:

Nobody's goin' to jail, and nobody's gittin'

hurt. Come on, let's get this one up on the

wagon.

NATHAN reaches down for the bag -- his leg gives way on him and he falls on

his behind --

DAVID LEE:

You hurt, Daddy!?

NATHAN LEE:

No, no, I'm all right, son... This damn leg

just won't act right no more!

He tries to get up right away but the leg is in such pain, he can't make it --

DAVID LEE:

Mama! Mama!

REBECCA and the other children come running toward them --

REBECCA:

What's wrong, Nathan?

DAVID LEE:

He can't get up, Mama!

NATHAN LEE:

This done happen before. It ain't nothin' -- I

just have to wait a minute or two.

REBECCA:

Is there something I can do to help you?

NATHAN LEE:

Yeah, just stay where you is...

He supports himself on his right arm and slowly pushes himself up to where he

can stand on his foot --

NATHAN LEE:

There, you see?

REBECCA:

I see, all right -- It's time for us to get out

of this field.

NATHAN LEE:

I just got out here!

REBECCA:

It's lunchtime, and I wanna have a talk with

you, Nathan Lee. Come on, children...

She turns briskly and moves off with JOSIE MAE and EARL following --

NATHAN LEE:

Woman worries too much for me.

He slowly starts to limp away with SOUNDER but DAVID LEE remains standing

where he is --

CLOSE FACE ANGLE - DAVID LEE

There is worry and concern in his face as he watches his father strain to

walk on the injured leg --

PULLS TO:

FULL ANGLE - NATHAN LEE, SOUNDER and DAVID LEE

As NATHAN stops and turns to DAVID LEE --

NATHAN LEE:

You comin' with us, son?

After a bit of hesitation, DAVID LEE slowly moves toward his father, who has

now turned and is moving farther out of the field --

EXT. FRONT OF THE HOUSE - FULL ANGLE - EVERYONE - DAY

REBECCA is sitting on the porch, cutting string beans -- JOSIE MAE and EARL

are playing hop scotch -- DAVID LEE is tossing the baseball to his father as

IKE enters the yard -- he has a white envelope in his hand -- SOUNDER is

standing near NATHAN.

NATHAN LEE:

Hi ya doin' there, Ike?

IKE:

Any time it's Saturday and I don't hafta do any

work, I'm doin' okay!

NATHAN LEE:

Whatcha got there?

IKE:

Seems this piece of mail came to Mr. Howard's

place this mornin' and he had me to bring it

over here.

NATHAN LEE:

Well, let me have it.

IKE:

Don't belong to you! It's for the little

important man, here!

He hands it to DAVID LEE -- DAVID LEE does not look at the envelope as he

takes it -- Everyone's attention is to DAVID LEE and the letter now --

NATHAN LEE:

Well, son, who is it from?

DAVID LEE hesitates for a moment, then holds the letter up to read --

DAVID LEE:

(pause)

From Miss Johnson --

NATHAN LEE:

Well, ain't you gon' open and read it for us?

He looks directly to his father, and then to his mother -- walks to the steps

and sits. They all gather closer to him as he takes his time, opening the

envelope. When it is opened -- he seems not to want to read it --

DAVID LEE:

(reads)

Dear David, if you are coming to school here,

be sure to bring some warm clothes. The school

term will begin September 8th, but it would be

good for you to be here by the 4th or 5th of

the month. I do hope everything is fine and you

will be here. Give my "hello" to your family.

Yours truly, Miss Camille Johnson...

NATHAN LEE:

September 4 -- how far away is that?

REBECCA:

'Bout a week...

With directness, NATHAN LEE moves toward the wagon in front of the yard --

stops and turns --

NATHAN LEE:

Come on, children, let's go!

Moves on to the wagon.

PULLS TO:

WIDER ANGLE - INCLUDE EDGE OF ROAD AND WAGON

NATHAN climbs up on the wagon and SOUNDER leaps up behind him as JOSIE MAE

and EARL follow. DAVID LEE steps down into the yard and merely looks on --

REBECCA:

Where you goin'!?

NATHAN LEE:

To the commissary to get this boy some clothes!

I'm gon' get everybody somethin'!

REBECCA:

But, Nathan--

NATHAN LEE:

Don't tell me nothin' 'bout what we owe ol' man

Howard! I'll do the owing, and let him worry

'bout the collecting! Come on, David Lee!

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote