The Book of Henry Page #2

You, you're smart at least.

But him?

Alright, come on, guys,

break it up.

He's a nothing.

He's a nothing!

- Where were you?

- Remember that.

I'm sorry.

Thank you, let's go.

Come. Come on, Peter.

I said sorry to you,

like, a thousand times.

I promise I will not let

Morris near you again. Okay?

I promise.

I bet I can make you smile.

Mom's home!

Hello?

My munchkin!

What... Geez, Henry,

just say no.

Surprise.

Sheila!

Hello, Peter.

Hank.

It's actually Henry.

I think you'd be able to retain

at least one simple name

somewhere beyond that haircut.

Nice goggles. They go well

with your misshapen head.

Don't you two start already.

Now, I'm gonna pretend

all this didn't happen.

'Cause I've had a hell

of a day, and Sheila and I

are just gonna hang out

a little. Okay?

They're gonna get

so drunk right now.

- I know.

- I heard that.

My mom...

But my mom was a b*tch.

But she was,

like, she wasn't.

She would try to,

she scared my friends.

How?

You know those like,

Dracula teeth?

Yeah.

For Halloween?

Yeah, and if a,

if a guy asked me out

at all,

and he would come over,

she would wear

her Dracula teeth.

- God.

- And then she'd just, like...

Slowly smile, like...

Or maybe

she was being protective.

She was horrif...

She was being protective.

She was great.

She was just trying

to raise me right.

She failed miserably

but she should win an award.

Please don't let me

screw 'em up.

I mean, you just do

the best you can, right?

But they're kids.

Little tiny creatures

in the world

waiting for life to just happen.

I don't know how you do it.

Honestly, I don't know

how you do it all by yourself.

Come on, I have Henry.

Find me another male

of the species

who's... more grown up than him.

I'd like to.

Can I sleep here?

Henry! Let's move it!

There you go.

Hey, sweetie?

You okay?

Fine. Why?

What's with the face?

Nothing.

It's just a headache.

Okay.

Hey, sweetie.

Need a lift?

You okay?

Yeah.

Now for some bad news.

Zach's mom dropped off

donuts for his birthday.

Okay, class...

Time to start thinking

about your acts

for next month's talent show.

I'm handing out forms now.

So, be sure to bring back

parent's signatures.

Henry, where are you going?

Henry!

Goddamn it, Janice. How much

longer does this have to go on?

What else do you need to see?

I believe you mean

Principal Wilder?

Henry, we're not going down

this road again.

Bruises, exhaustion,

decreased school performance.

What have her grades

been this year?

You know

I can't tell you anything

about another student's grades.

You're under no obligation

to investigate.

You need merely

report suspicion of.

It's, it's your ethical

responsibility as an educator.

I made preliminary inquiries

which turned...

So make secondary inquiries!

It's more complicated

than that, Henry.

Mr. Sickleman

is the police commissioner

and an upstanding member...

As if upstanding members

of the community...

These type of

baseless allegations

can have extremely

serious ramifications.

Jesus! Do...

Do these things mean anything?

I have known Mr. Sickleman

longer than you've been alive.

Don't condescend to me.

I'm not gonna subject him

to public scrutiny

without conclusive evidence.

Fine.

I will handle this without you.

Henry Carpenter, come in. Over.

When do you think

mom's gonna be here? Over.

Sorry.

Where are we going?

We have to stop by Sheila's.

She was supposed to work the morning

shift but she didn't show up.

Stop that.

Sheila?

Hello?

Found her.

Lovely.

You brought the children.

Hello, Hank.

Sheila. Looking radiant as ever.

Let me guess, drinking away

memories of that ex

who left you in the lurch

with two young boys.

- That was you.

- Yeah.

I covered for you at work.

Come on. Get up.

No!

No! Have a sip.

You're weakening.

Yay.

Yay.

Us.

It's really great how you

enable her alcoholism.

Sheila is not an alcoholic.

Yes, she is.

Would you relax?

Honestly,

she's such a sharp dresser.

Didn't acid wash go out

before I was born?

Compared to some of the sh*t

in her closet that's nothing.

Mom...

Don't curse in front of Peter.

Like it matters anymore.

"Mom has a two-headed baby."

Bet that made

for a trying delivery.

Right in the middle

of the damn freezer.

You had all day. You've had all

day to talk about it.

Henry.

It's none of our business.

You'll only make it worse.

Did you threaten me?

You are not...

Henry.

No. Stop.

Come on.

Child Protective Services.

How can I direct your call?

- Hello?

- Hello.

Can I help you?

Yes, can I have the

intake caseworker, please?

A caseworker? That's me.

How can I help you?

Hi. I'd like to report

a child abuse case.

Okay.

Is somebody hurting you?

No. It's not me.

How old are you, honey?

Eleven.

And what's going on?

Where can I reach you?

Look, I'm not... I'm not gonna

give you my phone number.

That's why I called

the anonymous reporting line.

- Get it?

- Stay calm.

Henry!

The address is

3328 Spindle Lane

and the abuser's name

is Glenn Sickleman.

Thank you very much.

Goodbye.

Don't hang up.

Hold on.

Hey, Henry.

Hey.

For your brother.

It's one of mine.

It's,

very considerate of you.

- I hope he likes it okay.

- Hey, sweetie!

Henry told me you're gonna

do a dance next month.

Can't wait to see it.

Hey, Glenn! You must be excited

about the talent show.

Yeah, I, I confess

I, I get a little impatient

at things like that.

I, I thought,

Janie's mom was taking you.

Jenna.

They're out of town that week.

Well, I can...

I'm happy to take her.

I'll, I'll pick her up.

Great.

Mrs. Carpenter...

Sweetie, please.

Susan.

Henry and Peter,

they're lucky to have you.

Thank you.

And your father's lucky

to have you too.

Stepfather.

I want you to stop focusing

on academics

and spend a little more time

goofing off.

Pick up a bad habit

or something.

Gambling.

Booze, get hammered.

Rob a bank.

Come on!

You're no fun.

Mom...

That woman today

at the grocery store...

You didn't...

do anything to help her.

I told you.

It just wasn't our business.

I think... when someone

hurts someone else

I, I think it is our business.

Well, I know

it seems that way

but... there was nothing

I could do.

Yeah, mom if... if

everybody did that

then there would be no one

to look out for the people

who just can't look out

for themselves.

So what should I have done?

I didn't want things

to get violent.

Violence isn't the worst thing

in the world.

What is then?

Apathy.

Sickleman.

Four-hundred-foot drop

to the south

and deep water

to the north.

Here?

Keep going.

Here?

Keep going.

But if I go any further

I'll fall in.

Okay. Now hold up some fingers.

Three.

Roger that.

Yeah, that's what

I'm looking for.

How many rounds per minute?

Twelve hundred.

- What's she run?

- Eight.

Eight hundred dollars?

No. Eight hundred drachma.

Funny.

Needs a license I suppose?

Yeah. Federal.

Yeah. Well, I left

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