Sounder Page #8

REBECCA:

You determined to get that dance in.

HARRIET:

Well, you can't blame a girl for tryin' if the

feelin' hits her.

REBECCA notices the PREACHER talking to a group of women across the floor.

REBECCA:

If I don't go over there and butt in, I ain't

gon' ever get to talk to the Preacher about

Nathan.

She rises and moves across the floor. DAVID LEE watches closely as his mother

approaches the PREACHER and gets his attention by touching him on the arm,

and they move off to a more secluded spot in the Church. DAVID rises and

moves to join their company.

PREACHER:

No, I ain't got no word yet, Rebecca. I went to

the courthouse yesterday to see 'bout it, but

they just won't tell me nothin' about what

labor camp Nathan was sent to. I'm sorry,

Rebecca.

REBECCA:

It's a shame, Reverend. It's a damn shame.

PREACHER:

I hope you don't take to bitterness, Sister

Morgan. I tell you like I tell all the women in

this church who got the same trouble you got.

No matter what the trial or what the misery is,

I tell 'em to stay with God.

REBECCA:

Yeah, he'll crawl into my bed tonight, lie

close to my body and keep me warm -- and

rectify the evil in the men who live over us

in this valley.

PREACHER:

It's not that simple, Sister Rebecca -- the

Lord works in mysterious ways -- we come into

this life with nothin' and we'll leave it with

nothing.

REBECCA:

Is that a blessing, Reverend?

Her words jar and disturb the PREACHER --

EXT. FRONT OF THE MORGANS' CABIN - NIGHT

REBECCA and the children are just about to enter the yard, when DAVID LEE

stops and pulls on his mother's arm.

DAVID LEE:

Mama, did you hear that?!

REBECCA, JOSIE MAE and EARL come to a halt on his words.

REBECCA:

What is it, David Lee?

DAVID LEE:

Listen, Mama...

They stand quietly for a moment -- and then they hear the sound of a faint

whine coming from the direction of the porch -- the whine becomes louder --

DAVID LEE:

Mama, I hear Sounder!

He takes off in the direction of the porch --

EXT. THE PORCH - NIGHT

DAVID stops just at the top of the porch, and there, scratching at the door

and wagging his tail, is SOUNDER. The side of his head where the shot scraped

him is discolored and hairless -- the top of his eye is scarred causing it to

be half-closed, and what's left of his ear on the same side, sticks straight

out. Upon seeing DAVID LEE, he raises his good ear and whines. DAVID rushes

to grab him.

DAVID LEE:

You come back, boy! I just knowed it! I just

knowed you'd come back!

REBECCA, JOSIE MAE and EARL arrive at the porch -- REBECCA kneels, looks on

the bad sight of the dog and strokes his back --

REBECCA:

Poor creature...

DAVID LEE:

He'll be all right, Mama. I'll make him all

right.

EXT. THE BACKYARD - DAY

The next morning, DAVID LEE feeds SOUNDER as EARL stands by, looking on.

DAVID LEE:

He eats all right -- his throat ain't scarred.

EARL:

Then why don't he holler like he usta?

DAVID LEE:

He will... Come on, git down and act like a

possum.

EARL:

I don't look like no possum!

DAVID LEE:

Act like one!

After a moment of hesitation, EARL gets down on his hands and knees --

DAVID LEE:

Git him, boy!

EARL jumps to his feet quickly and backs away across the yard --

EARL:

Don't tell that dog to git me!

SOUNDER merely turns to DAVID LEE and gives out with a few muffled whines --

DAVID LEE:

I guess I'll havta work harder to git him back

like he usta be.

EARL:

Why don't you try and git you a new dog?

DAVID LEE takes off after EARL who turns, breaks and runs out into the back

field --

EXT. CROP FIELD - DAY

REBECCA, DAVID LEE, JOSIE MAE and EARL up in the field, working, planting,

hoeing and cultivating the soil -- SOUNDER trots about the field in the

vicinity of DAVID LEE --

EXT. THE FIELD - DAY

REBECCA is looking on about three hundred feet away as DAVID LEE runs about

with SOUNDER in open field, trying to work him back into physical shape -- he

halfway picks the dog up -- drops him to the ground, takes off and runs but

SOUNDER does not follow him. He comes back to the dog and ruffles him

affectionately -- takes off and runs again -- this time, SOUNDER takes off

after him. REBECCA and DAVID look to each other and smile broadly --

success!! He caresses and hugs the dog -- they move toward REBECCA, join her,

and they start walking back toward the house -- and then the rains come --

they and the dog take off in speed with huge raindrops splattering against

their faces and bodies. From the field, as they make a run for it, their

figures become smaller as they near the backyard and the doorway to their

home...

EXT. MRS. BOATWRIGHT'S BACKYARD - DAY

A bright sunny day -- DAVID LEE is just about to quit for the day in some

gardening work he is doing for MRS. BOATWRIGHT -- He moves to the side of the

house to put some equipment away when the lady approaches him --

MRS BOATWRIGHT:

David, you never cease to amaze me at how good

you are in taking care of my garden.

DAVID LEE:

My father taught me...

MRS. BOATWRIGHT

Would you like to have a cool drink, David?

DAVID LEE:

No, thank you -- I gotta go do some work in the

field today.

DAVID starts to walk away and then decides to stop, turns to her as she is

heading back into the house --

DAVID LEE:

Miss Boatwright --

MRS BOATWRIGHT:

(stops, turns)

Yes, David...

DAVID LEE:

Will you help me to find out what camp they

sent my father to?

MRS. BOATWRIGHT

The courthouse has rules about things like that,

David -- but I'll ask around town about it.

He looks on her with an expression of disappointment, turns and walks away.

DAVID LEE:

See you tomorrow, Miss Boatwright.

MRS BOATWRIGHT:

David!

DAVID LEE:

(turns to her)

Yes, ma'am...?

MRS. BOATWRIGHT

I'll find out where your daddy is for you.

DAVID LEE:

(smiles)

Thank you, Miss Boatwright!

(turns and runs away)

MRS. BOATWRIGHT

Don't mention this to anyone! You hear me,

David!

He just keeps running --

EXT. FRONT YARD, BACK YARD, BACK FIELD - DAY

DAVID LEE, at top speed, runs into the front yard from the road, on around

the side of the house through the back yard and on into the field in the back

of the house, heading for the crop field.

EXT. THE CROP FIELD - DAY

REBECCA, JOSIE MAE and EARL are working the field as DAVID LEE comes running

towards them --

DAVID LEE:

Mama! Mama! Miss Boatwright, say she gon' help

me find where Daddy is!

REBECCA:

Good! But you don't have to tell the whole

valley 'bout it! You'll get that woman in

trouble!

INT. COURT CLERK'S OFFICE - DAY

CHARLIE DAVID, the Court Clerk, is standing behind his desk -- MRS.

BOATWRIGHT is seated in a chair before his desk. There are two windows in the

small office, a coat rack in the corner diagonally behind his desk, three

chairs, another small working desk, and a row of file cabinets against the

wall --

CHARLIE:

I can't do it, Rita -- that's the policy here

on colored prisoners, and I ain't about to

change it, not even for a friend like you.

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