St. Vincent Page #17

A headshot of Vincent as a young Marine in Vietnam.

Smoking a cigarette, proud, strong.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

There he heroically saved the lives

of two officers pinned down by

enemy fire and carried them to

safety.

Newspaper clippings of Vin’s heroics. A picture of Vin

receiving the Bronze Star. In the back of the

auditorium, Vin is frozen...seeing his life through the

eyes of another.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

I imagine the best way I can tell

you who Vincent Canatella is...is

to tell you what he’s done for me.

For the first time, Oliver sees Vin standing in back.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

When my mom and I first moved here,

we knew no one. And Mr. Canatella

took me in. When he didn’t have

to. And probably didn’t want to.

Laughter.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

But he did it anyhow. That’s what

saints do.

A wedding picture of Vin and Sandy pops up on the screen.

106.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

We visited his wife of forty years,

Sandy, who recently passed away.

Vin’s done her laundry every week

for the past eight years, even

after she no longer recognized him.

Another picture of Vin and Sandy.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

Because saints never give up.

A picture of VIN AS A FIGHTER, with boxing gloves on.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

He taught me how to fight. How to

stand my ground and be brave. How

to speak up and be bold.

Maggie is crying. David hands her a tissue.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

Because saints fight for themselves

and others. They are heard.

Vin is glued, hearing what he means to another, is the

warmth that melts an iceberg.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

He taught me how to gamble. Horse

racing, Keno, the over and under.

Which is a big reason why I’m

grounded till I’m eighteen.

Laughs.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

But in that I learned how to take

risks and go for broke. Because in

life the odds can be stacked

against you.

A picture of Vin’s cat, Felix.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

This is Vin’s cat, Felix, who eats

gourmet cat food. Vin eats Spam.

The CROWD loves it.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

Because saints make sacrifices.

Maggie, David and Charisse are mesmerized, proud,

inspired.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

Mr. Vincent Canatella is flawed.

He’s rough, drinks too much, smokes

and curses.

(MORE)

107.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

He’s angry, mad at the world, and

I’m sure full of regrets.

Vin takes it in.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

Because after all, saints are human

beings. Very human beings.

The picture of St. William next to Vincent replays on the

projection screen.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

Courage, sacrifice, compassion and

humanity. These are the markings

of a saint. And what makes Mr.

Vincent Canatella not so far

removed from St. William of

Rochester...

Vin’s picture solos on the presentation.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

And with that, I’d like to present

my friend and baby sitter, Mr.

Vincent Canatella for sainthood.

And hereby proclaim him St. Vincent

de Van Nuys.

The place is wild with applause.

Vin doesn’t know what to do. People are looking around

for him. Finally...he starts walking down the aisle.

Brother Crespi helps Vin up the steps. And towards

Oliver, who’s holding the “Saint Medal.”

Vin steps in front of Oliver. He leans over as Oliver

puts the medal around his neck.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

Thank you, sir.

VINCENT:

Thanks, kkkid.

And...without warning...Vin starts crying. Maybe for the

first time in his life.

PEOPLE rise in their seats to applaud him.

Oliver hugs Vin.

INT. MISSION HILLS HOSPITAL - ANOTHER DAY

The break room. Oliver and Vin stand in front of a

vending machine, considering their options. Vin’s

wearing scrubs. His speech impediment is not so

abstruse.

108.

VINCENT:

They got the same selection from

when I was a kid.

OLIVER:

Surely not. They’d be really

rotten by now.

VINCENT:

Nah. They’re all jacked up on

preservatives. Crap has a half

life of plutonium.

Oliver digs in his pocket for change.

VINCENT (CONT’D)

I got it. I owe you money anyhow.

What’s it going to be?

OLIVER:

The hard pretzels.

VINCENT:

Just what I was looking at.

Vin puts coins in the slot.

VINCENT (CONT’D)

Hit the buttons would ya. If I do

it, we’ll end up with Twinkies.

Oliver keys in the selection.

OLIVER:

If you hit it just right...you

can...

Oliver hits the machine just as the bag of pretzels is

about to drop.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

...get two for the price of one.

A second bag of pretzels drops down behind the first.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

Pretty cool.

Oliver grabs both bags, hands one to Vin.

VINCENT:

That’s stealing though, right?

Oliver thinks about it. A NURSE pops her head into the

room.

NURSE:

Mr. Canatella, it’s about that

time.

109.

Vin rushes off.

VINCENT:

Hold your horses.

Oliver stands there, eating his pretzels. He digs into

his pockets, grabs some change and slips it in the coin

slot. He walks off.

INT. LABOR & DELIVERY ROOM - LATER

Charisse is in the final stages of giving birth. She’s

calm and focused. A DOCTOR between her legs calls out

the final push. The BABY is crowning.

DOCTOR:

One more time. Big breath. Big

push.

CHARISSE:

You said one more time last one

more time.

DOCTOR:

This time I mean it. You’re almost

there.

Charisse pushes. And...a BABY is born. The doctor does

his thing, suctioning, inspecting.

CHARISSE:

Let me see.

The doctor holds her up.

DOCTOR:

Here she is.

The baby cries. A voice from the corner breaks the

moment:

VINCENT (O.S.)

What is it?

Vin has one foot in the room, one out.

VINCENT (CONT’D)

Black, white, in the middle?

CHARISSE:

Get outta here.

VINCENT:

What’s wrong with asking?

A Nurse takes the baby.

110.

NURSE:

(to Charisse)

You want him to cut the cord?

CHARISSE:

No.

VINCENT:

I’m a little shaky. Let a

professional handle that.

The Nurse cuts the cord. Vin sneaks a closer look at the

baby.

VINCENT (CONT’D)

Sure aren’t pretty when they pop

out.

CHARISSE:

Get the f*** out of here.

Vin walks off. Mumbles.

VINCENT:

All doped up. No sense ‘a humor.

The doctor rests the baby on Charisse’s bosom.

CHARISSE:

Come here. My little princess.

Let mommy hold ya.

INT. VIN’S HOUSE - ANOTHER DAY

A “family” dinner. Charisse is serving a homemade meal

of spaghetti and green beans. Fancy it’s not.

Oliver and Ozinski sit on one side of the table. Maggie

on the opposite side. The baby’s in a bassinet, set

within a high chair. And Vin is in the captain’s seat.

VINCENT:

(re:
the food)

It’s colorful. I’ll say that.

CHARISSE:

How ‘bout you don’t say nothing.

MAGGIE:

I love green beans.

Oliver jumps in.

OLIVER:

You do?

MAGGIE:

Sure. Don’t get ‘em that often.

111.

OZINSKI:

My ma makes ‘em out of the can.

VINCENT:

That’s why your brain is stilted.

Charisse sits. Vin starts to dig in.

VINCENT (CONT’D)

Well. Beats Spam. By a hair.

Everyone just stares at him.

OLIVER:

Don’t you want to say something?

VINCENT:

Like what?

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