Sounder Page #7

EXT. LANDSDOWN, MAIN STREET - DAY

Sunday, REBECCA and the children -- DAVID LEE carrying the cake box, make

their way down the street -- people are moving back and forth in their Sunday

dress. They move into the Square at the Court House.

EXT. COURT HOUSE SQUARE - DAY

At the square, they come to a halt as REBECCA looks up at the clock on top of

the Court House building. It is about ten minutes to twelve noon. They

continue on around to the back of the building --

EXT. BACK OF BUILDING - DAY

They stop in front of a huge back entrance and look up to the small windows

with prison bars. A number of black people are moving into the area, milling

about and waiting as REBECCA and the children are.

REBECCA:

Be sure to ask your daddy to tell you what camp

they goin' to send him to. And whatever you do

in there, David Lee, act perkish, and don't

grieve him.

The clock above the Court House strikes twelve times. They listen with

intensity until the twelfth stroke.

REBECCA:

All right, son, that's it -- now don't forget

what I told you.

DAVID LEE moves through the doorway with the other people --

INT. THE CORRIDORS AND STAIRWAYS OF THE BUILDING - DAY

DAVID follows the other people down the corridor and then up a group of

stairs -- then down another corridor. They line up at a huge steel door.

DAVID touches the MAN in front of him on the arm --

DAVID LEE:

This where you go visit, mister?

MAN:

Yeah...

INT. ADMITTANCE AREA - DAY

The door swings open and a red-faced Guard at a table just inside the door

begins to admit people. DAVID's turn comes and the Guard stops him.

GUARD:

Whatcha got there, boy?

DAVID:

A cake for my Daddy.

GUARD:

Well, you put it on this table here'n wait 'til

I check it.

DAVID puts the cake on the table just inside the door as the Guard sits at

the table.

GUARD:

Can't be too careful, boy, jest might have a

steel file or hacksaw in it.

The GUARD opens the box, pulls from his pocket a switchblade knife and with

slow deliberation punctures knife holes in about fifteen different places in

the cake. After he is done, he closes the box and rises.

GUARD:

What's your daddy's name?

DAVID LEE:

Nathan Lee Morgan...

The GUARD checks his list on the table --

GUARD:

Okay, boy, fourth cell down there on your left.

DAVID moves inside --

INT. CORRIDOR OF JAIL CELLS - DAY

DAVID LEE moves along the corridor, looking from one side to the other at the

men sitting on cots and standing behind iron gates. He comes To NATHAN'S cell

and there is his father, standing with his hands on the bars.

NATHAN LEE:

Well, looka here...

DAVID LEE:

Hi, Daddy...

NATHAN LEE:

Hi to you, son...

He extends his hands and they shake -- and then he draws the boy close and

embraces him --

DAVID LEE:

Mama is outside with Josie Mae and Earl.

NATHAN LEE:

They is!? It shore is good to see you, boy!

Finally DAVID passes the box with the cake on to him.

DAVID LEE:

This was a real cake before the man at the door

put all these holes in it.

NATHAN takes the box and immediately opens it --

NATHAN LEE:

Aw, don't make no difference, son. If I know

your mama, a few knife holes ain't gon' destroy

the soul she put into this cake. Come on, have

a piece with your daddy.

NATHAN breaks a piece for himself and passes another on to DAVID. DAVID takes

a bite out of the cake.

DAVID LEE:

We didn't find Sounder yet.

NATHAN LEE:

He'll show up one day.

DAVID LEE:

Do you think he's dead, Daddy?

NATHAN LEE:

Naww -- he'll come back to you, soon as his

wounds heal. This cake shore is tasty, son.

He walks away from the cell door and moves to the window of his cell, looks

up with his back to DAVID.

NATHAN LEE:

It's a shame they won't let 'em come in here.

If I had the strength I'd knock down these damn

walls -- if I could just git my arms 'round

your mama right now -- is they on this side of

us, son?

DAVID LEE:

I think so...

NATHAN jumps up to the window a couple of times until his hands can get a

grip around the bars of the small window -- he strains and pulls, trying to

get his eyes up to the window level --

NATHAN LEE:

Dammit! I'm gon' see 'em if I have to break my

arms!

NATHAN finally gets his eyes up to the window -- he looks down -- he can see

them --

NATHAN LEE:

I can see them! I can see them!

His arms give way and he drops back to the floor on his feet -- he moves

slowly to DAVID and takes him by the arms through the bars of the cell --

NATHAN LEE:

Son, don't ever let yourself get caught in a

place like this.

There is a moment of agonizing silence as they look at each other --

DAVID LEE:

Can you say what camp they gon' send you to,

Daddy?

NATHAN LEE:

I don't know, son -- they won't tell us things

like that -- but I don't want y'all to come

here no more.

DAVID LEE:

Why, Daddy; you won't be here?

NATHAN LEE:

Just do like I tell you -- I'll get word to you

through the visitin' preacher.

GUARD'S VOICE

Visitin' over!

People start filing out but DAVID remains in front of the cell, looking on

his father --

GUARD'S VOICE

Come on, boy!

NATHAN LEE:

Go, son...

NATHAN and DAVID shake hands and then DAVID slowly moves away from the cell,

sporadically looking back over his shoulder toward his father until he moves

through the cell block door -- the door slams behind him --

EXT. BACK OF THE COURT HOUSE BUILDING - DAY

DAVID steps out into the Court House yard where they are waiting for him --

his feelings bound in confusion, and his face flooded in tears -- he runs to

his mother's arms. She embraces him long and deep.

INT. CHURCH - DAY

REBECCA and the children attend services at the Church -- Everyone is

standing -- they are in the midst of a song, led by the Pastor of the Church.

Like everything else in Landsdown for Black People, it is an old disinherited

structure with creaky, movable chairs for the worshipers to sit in -- there

are two high windows on both sides.

The Pastor reads the verses of the song in the traditional, dramatic Black

Preacher's fashion, and the congregation repeats the verses musically.

Song --

EXT. CHURCH - DAY

Coffee, cold drinks, cookies and fruit are being served to a laughing,

chattering crowd of church goers -- inside a woman is at the piano, playing

rhythmic uptempo gospel songs. IKE is there also.

REBECCA, with HARRIET in line behind her, and the children, are moving up to

the table to be served.

HARRIET:

If this wasn't a church, I'd do me a dance to

that music she's playin'.

REBECCA:

Why don't you try it, Harriet, and just see

what everybody would do.

HARRIET:

Now, Rebecca, I may be a country woman, but I

ain't no fool.

REBECCA and HARRIET take coffee and cookies at the table while the children

take fruit. They move across the floor for a corner to sit. HARRIET does a

little moving dance step as they arrive to the corner and sit.

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