St. Vincent Page #4

He crumples up his race form. Throws it on the floor.

It lands at a MAN’S FEET.

MAN (O.S.)

No need to get pissy, Vincenzo.

You lose all the time. Should be

comfortable by now.

Vincent looks up and sees...Zucko. His bookie. Dirty

fingernails. Hairy eyeballs.

VINCENT:

Yeah. Rough day.

Zucko sits. Takes a pull of Vin’s Maker’s.

VINCENT (CONT’D)

Help yourself.

ZUCKO:

You owe me, Vin. I’m thirsty.

VINCENT:

I don’t have it right now, kid.

Got a situation I’m working out.

ZUCKO:

We all have situations. If you’re

breathing. Thing is, I’m not a

sole proprietor here, Vinny. Got

my own people to answer to. You

know that.

VINCENT:

I just need a little time, you

know.

ZUCKO:

What do I tell ‘em?

VINCENT:

A month.

ZUCKO:

You’re funny, Vin. I always loved

your jokes. They kill me.

20.

VINCENT:

I always pay, don’t I?

Zucko hits Vin’s Makers again.

ZUCKO:

Split the difference. Ya got two

weeks.

Zucko stands.

ZUCKO (CONT’D)

I hear “Lucky By Numbers” is the

inside on the fifth. But you got

bad luck, right. So...go the other

way.

24 He leaves. Vin pushes his lunch aside. Appetite gone. 24

INT. ST. FRANCIS DE SALES - GYMNASIUM - DAY

Gym class. Oliver’s straining with all his might, trying

to do a sit-up. A PARTNER holds his feet.

On the mat next to him, ROBERT OZINSKI, the school bully

reps through sit-ups like a rabid Marine.

COACH MITCHELL blows the whistle, asks the PARTNERS for

the count. Oliver’s Partner holds up one finger.

THE TRACK - LATER

Relay races. Ozinski sprints past the finish line. He’s

a specimen for a twelve-year-old.

Oliver is at the farthest end of the track. Running in

slow motion. He’s lapped by a SMALL ASIAN GIRL.

CHIN-UP BARS - LATER

Ozinski’s ripping off chin-ups like a baboon. As amatter-

of-fact, he looks like one. KIDS count off:

fifteen, sixteen, seventeen.

Oliver’s on the next bar, shaking like a leaf. He may

die.

Finally, COACH MITCHELL blows the whistle. Oliver’s

Partner holds up a goose egg.

COACH MITCHELL:

Time. All right. Good job,

kiddos.

Ozinski drops to the floor.

21.

COACH MITCHELL (CONT’D)

We’re done.

Exodus towards the lockers. Coach Mitchell taps Oliver,

who’s still hell-bent on getting his chin to that bar.

It’s not going to happen.

COACH MITCHELL (CONT’D)

You can let go now.

Oliver looks down at the drop. He’s chicken sh*t. Coach

grabs him by the back, lowers him like a feather.

OLIVER:

Thank you.

COACH MITCHELL:

You have PE at your last school?

OLIVER:

Yes, sir.

COACH MITCHELL:

Did you take it?

OLIVER:

Yes, sir.

Hmm.

COACH MITCHELL:

Go get changed.

Oliver walks away, in the wrong direction.

COACH MITCHELL (CONT’D)

The other way. Those doors.

He stops, looks. Changes direction.

INT. LOCKER ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Oliver enters the locker room. Most of the KIDS are

fully dressed already, and leaving. Ozinski starts

heckling the moment he sees Oliver.

OZINSKI:

There’s the strong man.

Laughs. One of Ozinski’s buddies (BROOKLYN) chimes in.

BROOKLYN:

“I think I’m Jewish.”

More laughs. Oliver takes a seat in front of his locker.

OLIVER:

My name is Oliver.

22.

OZINSKI:

(like a retard)

My name is Oliver.

Just then Coach walks in.

COACH MITCHELL:

You guys hear that bell?

Silence.

COACH MITCHELL (CONT’D)

That means get moving.

Shuffling.

COACH MITCHELL (CONT’D)

Go on. Get to class.

They’re off.

COACH MITCHELL (CONT’D)

(to Oliver)

You need a map?

Oliver nods.

OLIVER:

No, sir.

COACH MITCHELL:

Double time it or you’ll be late.

Oliver nods. Coach walks off.

He opens his locker. It’s empty. His pants,

uniform...everything’s gone.

OLIVER:

Sh*t.

EXT. ST. FRANCIS DE SALES - SIDEWALKS - LATER

School’s out. KIDS everywhere: jumping in cars, riding

bikes, walking home.

It’s easy to spot Oliver in the crowd, he’s the only

student wearing short gym shorts, a tank top and

sneakers.

As expected, STUDENTS comment, laugh, text, chide. It’s

not been a good first day for Oliver.

He reaches the crosswalk. Looks up at the street sign,

it doesn’t look vaguely familiar. He crosses anyway.

23.

MONTAGE OF OLIVER WALKING - LOST

-- Oliver crosses a major Boulevard. Cars everywhere.

-- He stops in the middle of a block. Looks around.

Then turns and goes back in the direction from wince he

came.

-- Oliver walks in front of a row of houses. A DOG tears

up and jumps on the picket fence, barking. Oliver runs

off.

-- Oliver reads a street sign. Thinks. Walks on.

INT. VIN’S CAR - CONTINUOUS

Vin’s driving through major traffic. He pulls up next to

a bus load of PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS. They stare at him. He

stares back. The light turns green, the bus pulls off.

Then in tandem, the WHOLE WINDOW ROW OF KIDS flip him

off. Damn kids. Vin lights a cigarette.

OLIVER WALKING - CONTINUOUS

Finally, Oliver recognizes his block. He runs towards

what he thinks is his house...looks...that’s it. He’s

home.

EXT. MAGGIE & OLIVER’S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

Oliver, at the front door, reaches into his pocket for

the key. Damn. He’s not wearing his pants. His key and

phone were in the pockets of his stolen uniform.

He could cry. But he’s not the type. He slumps down in

resignation and sits on the cold concrete steps.

VIN’S DRIVEWAY - CONTINUOUS

Vin’s car pulls in haphazardly. He runs over some of the

toppled fence. Curses, with the windows up...so it

sounds like Charlie Brown’s parents.

Vin climbs out of the car. Walks to the fallen mailbox,

lowers himself onto the lawn, pulls mail out until...

OLIVER:

Sir?

Vin hears something. Stops, looks around. Confused.

VINCENT:

Take me, God. Don’t play with me.

24.

Oliver steps forward, down the walk.

OLIVER:

It’s me, sir.

Vin squints. Finally sees the kid.

VINCENT:

Yeah. What?

OLIVER:

I was wondering if I could use your

phone?

VINCENT:

My phone?

OLIVER:

Yes.

VINCENT:

In my house?

OLIVER:

Yes.

VINCENT:

For what?

OLIVER:

To call my mom. I’m locked out. I

was in gym class and these kids

took my pants and I had my-

Vin cuts him off.

VINCENT:

I don’t need the whole story.

Vin stares at the little sh*t. Pulls himself up off the

lawn.

VINCENT (CONT’D)

One call.

Vin walks away. Oliver walks across the lawn and through

the demolished fence into Vin’s yard.

INT. VIN’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Oliver’s on an old rotary phone in the kitchen. Vin’s

fixing a Maker’s Mark in the background.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Voicemail.

OLIVER:

Hi, Mom. I...ah...lost my key for

the house. So, I’m at the old

guy’s next door.

25.

Oliver turns to Vin.

OLIVER (CONT’D)

Sir...what’s your name?

VINCENT:

Vincent.

OLIVER:

Vincent.

(whispers)

The mean one...

The conversation trails.

VIN’S LIVING ROOM - LATER

Vin’s sitting in his La-Z-Boy, facing Oliver on the

couch. Felix the Cat is sitting in Vin’s lap, staring at

Oliver. They don’t get much company around here.

The silence lasts forever. And ever.

A little longer.

Then...

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