Tapping Page #14

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funeral?

Avery nods.

AVERY:

I'm here for Po's Mother, Mary. I'm

not here to listen to a minister

talk about someone he's never met.

The old woman nods.

AVERY (CONT’D)

I couldn't stay in there another

minute while the minister talks

about what a great life he had.

'Cause he didn't. And telling

people that Po had a good life is

downright wrong. You can't remember

him by the good times that he had.

Why would you even want to think

about that? He was a good man. And

that's what matters.

Avery sniffles.

(MORE)

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PINK 05/18/2017 89.

CONTINUED:

AVERY (CONT’D)

Po's father has beat him and his

mother for years. They don't have

any money. Po's spent the last five

years trying to protect his little

brother from his father. I can't

imagine what that's like. And then

he walks around, making people

happy, being a good example.

Avery takes a moment.

AVERY (CONT’D)

I had kidney failure. Po went under

surgery to give me one, and due to

his background, died in surgery. Is

that even a thing? How the Hell

does that happen?

She shakes her head, crying.

AVERY (CONT’D)

Now you tell me; does that sound

like he had an easy life?

A beat.

OLD WOMAN:

It's people like Po that will

always make us better people. Part

of living is dying. And I think

that it's important we accept that.

But if you're gonna walk away from

this as a sad, broken person, or as

a stronger, better person? That is

your decision.

The woman gets up, and leaves. Avery watches her.

INT. AVERY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Avery sits down against her bed. She has her phone out. She

plays her voice-mail.

PO (V.O.)

Avery. I know you can't hear this,

but I hope that you'll hear it

soon. We've spent the last few

months together.

(MORE) (MORE)

*

PINK 05/18/2017 90.

CONTINUED:

PO (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Despite my Mom being hospitalized,

and my Dad being arrested, and you

getting sick... This has been the

best few months of my life. Getting

to spend all this time with you has

been a gift from God. I once told

my Mom my dream for life. I wanted

to get married, and go home. I

wanted to grow old with my wife,

and take care of my mother. I

wanted my brother to have a real

future, go wherever he wanted to go

in life. And I met you. You were

the most interesting person that I

had ever met. And when my life

spiraled down to my own personal

Hell, you didn't leave me. And you

reminded me of my dream for life.

And I want to spend the rest of my

life with you. I realized that you

have the same dream as me. We're

gonna get through this. I'll give

you a kidney, 'cause I already

agreed anyways. But you're gonna

have to teach me how to do the

Swing Dance. It's only fair.

Avery smiles slightly. She's almost crying. She looks over to

something on her desk. It is an invitation to the next school

dance.

INT. PO'S SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

Avery stands in the middle of the gym. People are dancing,

having fun. Avery stands still.

DJ:

And now for our Swing Dance!

People back away from her. Jonathan is nowhere. Avery takes a

deep breath.

The music starts, and Avery does the dance, alone.

But she isn't alone. Because Po is dancing with her. Po knows

how to do the Swing Dance, from watching her do it. It's

beautiful. The dance is slower this time.

(MORE)

*

BLUE 05/3/2017 91.

CONTINUED:

Everyone watches as Avery dances with herself. But they

realize that she isn't dancing with herself. Because she's

dancing with Po.

The song ends. Po fades away.

Silence. The entire school together, remembering Po.

And Avery smiles. Because he isn't just a memory. He's

something else. Something present. This smile communicates it

all.

END ACT THREE:

THE END:

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