St. Vincent Page #14

VINCENT:

They’ll be sommmme interest.

Maggie shakes her head, walks off. Vin squirts the hose,

it hits Maggie’s back.

VINCENT (CONT’D)

Sorrrryy. I’m a littttle slower

with the reaction time these days.

MAGGIE:

You were never fast. Just stupid.

INT. VIN’S KITCHEN - NIGHT

Vin sits at his counter. Looking at the biggest pile of

bills and mail. He fishes through, tossing most aside.

Eventually...the answering machine comes into view. The

red light is blinking.

87.

Vin hits play.

ANA (V.O.)

Hello, Mr. Vincent. This is Ana

from Sunnyside. I have some news

about your wife, Sandy, sir.

INT. VIN’S CAR - THE NEXT DAY

Charisse is driving. Vin riding. The answering machine

plays under.

ANA (V.O.)

(another message)

Mr. Vincent, this is Ana again at

Sunnyside, sir. I’ve left you a

few messages now. I hope that you

are okay...

INT. SUNNYSIDE RESIDENCE FOR THE ELDERLY - CONTINUOUS

Vin’s walking down the hallway. The answering machine

continues.

SHIRLEY (V.O.)

Mr. Canatella, this is Shirley

Jorstin over here at Sunnyside.

Sir, I hate to be the bearer of bad

news, but your wife is dead. And

she’s been dead for a few weeks

now. And we haven’t heard from

you. Which is concerning as well.

SHIRLEY’S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER

Vin’s sitting at Shirley’s desk. Shirley enters with a

box of personal items.

SHIRLEY:

Oookay, Mr. Canatella. Here we go.

Shirley sits. Puts the box on her desk.

SHIRLEY (CONT’D)

All her personal items are in

there, sir.

Vin looks at the box.

VINCENT:

Where is shhhee?

SHIRLEY:

Who?

VINCENT:

My wwwife.

88.

SHIRLEY:

She died, Mr. Canatella.

VINCENT:

I know that. Where isss she?

SHIRLEY:

(indicates the box)

She’s in there, sir.

VINCENT:

Where?

SHIRLEY:

In the box. Her remains.

Vin is speechless. For once.

SHIRLEY (CONT’D)

She died a few weeks ago, Mr.

Canatella. We tried to contact you

several times. So there’s that.

And when we didn’t hear back from

you. Well. We just went ahead and

followed your death directives,

sir.

She pushes a signed paper towards, Vin.

SHIRLEY (CONT’D)

You did want her cremated. That’s

what’s on the signed directives

there.

Vin looks at the paper, then back at the box.

VINCENT:

She’s in that bbbox?

SHIRLEY:

Her remains are, sir. Yes. In a

box inside that box. We can’t

just keep a body lying around. I’m

sure you understand. That would be

inappropriate. And legally we just

can’t do that, of course. You

could imagine the litigation

potential.

Vin stands. Takes the box.

SHIRLEY (CONT’D)

I’m sorry for your loss, Mr.

Canatella.

Vin stares at here, then walks away.

89.

SHIRLEY (CONT’D)

There is the other matter of your

outstanding balance we should

discuss.

Vin keeps walking.

VINCENT:

(over his back)

I’ll maiilll it to you.

He’s gone.

EXT. SUNNYSIDE GROUNDS - LATER

Vin’s sitting on the bench in front of the pond. Sandy’s

spot. Charisse sits next to him. The box in the middle.

CHARISSE:

This sh*t is peaceful.

VINCENT:

It wwwwas.

He lights a smoke.

VINCENT (CONT’D)

Tellll mmme what’s in there, would

ya.

Charisse opens the lid on the box.

CHARISSE:

Picture of...

Inspects it. Pulls it out. It’s Vin and Sandy’s wedding

picture.

CHARISSE (CONT’D)

That you?

Vin nods.

CHARISSE (CONT’D)

And her?

He nods again.

CHARISSE (CONT’D)

Man, you went downhill.

VINCENT:

You’lll ggget there.

She digs around in the box.

CHARISSE:

Another box. Looks like suede or

some leather sh*t.

90.

VINCENT:

Dddon’t touch that one.

Fishes. Pulls out an envelope.

CHARISSE:

Has your name on it.

Vin takes the envelope. Opens it. Official looking

paperwork...and a key. Hmm.

INT. ST. FRANCIS DE SALES - GYMNASIUM - ANOTHER DAY

Oliver and Ozinski are sitting against a wall. A dodge

ball game in progress in front of them.

OZINSKI:

Being with your dad ain’t so bad.

Least he’s around. And wants to

see ya.

OLIVER:

My mom’s the one who hates it.

OZINSKI:

That’s her problem. These woman

gotta learn to let go.

Oliver is impressed with the rare deep thought.

OZINSKI (CONT’D)

I’m seeing a shrink.

OLIVER:

That’s cool.

OZINSKI:

My Ma’s makin’ me. Thinks me

acting out all the time is due to

the fact that my father left us and

I got no positive male role model

in my life. So I do bad sh*t to

get attention.

OLIVER:

What’s the shrink say?

OZINSKI:

He thinks my Ma is overbearing and

controlling and actually I’m acting

out to rebel against her.

OLIVER:

That makes more sense.

OZINSKI:

That’s what I’m f***ing thinkin’.

91.

OLIVER:

You talk to her about it.

OZINSKI:

No. She’d whop my ass.

A whistle blows. The dodge ball game is over. Next up.

OZINSKI (CONT’D)

Let’s tag team these ass fags. You

go high, I’ll shoot for the nuts.

Oliver and Ozinski run onto the court.

EXT. ST. FRANCIS DE SALES - SIDEWALKS

After school. KIDS everywhere. Oliver’s walking out

with Ozinski. A HORN honks. Maggie’s sitting in her

Volvo in parent pickup.

INT. MAGGIE’S VOLVO - LATER

Maggie’s driving. Oliver’s riding. And a strange Latin

lady is sitting quietly in the backseat. This is AMELDA.

Oliver’s new nanny. Short, stout, pointless.

MAGGIE:

It’s your father’s idea of safer

child care.

OLIVER:

Does she speak English?

MAGGIE:

(to Amelda)

Poquito?

AMELDA:

Si.

MAGGIE:

Guess that’s good enough.

AMELDA:

Si.

MAGGIE:

Yes. Si.

OLIVER:

Everyday?

MAGGIE:

And every other weekend when you go

to your dad’s.

Oliver’s not thrilled.

92.

MAGGIE (CONT’D)

That’s the deal now. You get

shuffled back and forth between

your father and I.

OLIVER:

He is my dad.

Maggie takes this in.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

I know he cheated on you...a bunch

of times. And that why we left.

MAGGIE:

You know that?

OLIVER:

It’s a secret? You tell anybody

who’ll listen. Grandma, Aunt Judy,

all the cousins...it’s your

Facebook status.

MAGGIE:

I been meaning to change that

Maggie considers this.

MAGGIE (CONT’D)

I’ll just say that I’m single.

EXT. VIN’S HOUSE - DAY

Backyard. Vin’s sitting on a beach chair, staring at the

box with Sandy in it, perched on the lawn table in front

of him.

Oliver walks around the side of the house. Amelda’s

right behind him.

VINCENT:

You cannnn’t be here.

OLIVER:

Mom said I could say...goodbye.

Oliver just stands there. Not knowing what to say.

VINCENT:

That mmmy replacement?

OLIVER:

Yea. I guess so.

VINCENT:

She lllllegal?

Amelda chimes in.

93.

AMELDA:

Si.

VINCENT:

Hate to havvvve to report your

mother to INS.

Amelda knows this term. She bulls up.

AMELDA:

Mr. Oliver, vamanos.

She makes her way back from where she came.

OLIVER:

What’s in the box?

VINCENT:

Mmmmmy wife.

OLIVER:

She...died?

VINCENT:

No. Sssshe shrunk herself and now

she’s living in there rent free.

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