The Boston Strangler Page #8

...I don't think I would give a damn.

BOTTOMLY:
Remember the day the

astronaut, Alan Shepard, came to town?

They had a big parade for him.

Yes. Yes, I remember.

Uh, I think I saw the parade.

Where were you?

Let's see. I think I was in front

of the Statler Hilton Hotel. Right.

Tell me what you saw.

What has that got to do with anything?

We've been through this before, Albert.

I want to check what you remember

about things with the facts.

We have your work record.

We can find out

if what you remember is true.

- Yes, but why would I lie?

- I'm not saying you would lie.

I'm saying if you do lie,

you don't mean to.

I think that may be

how you got yourself in trouble.

Oh.

Well, uh, let's see.

I was standing in front...

...of the Statler Hilton Hotel...

...a little back in the crowd.

[MUSIC PLAYING AND CROWD CHEERING]

I remember...

...I wanted to get home early

that day because...

...I promised Judy I'd fix her dollhouse.

So I left the parade before it was over.

I get in my car.

I wanted to get out of the parking lot

before the crowd broke.

Tell me about Judy's dollhouse.

It was just a kid's dollhouse.

You see, I, uh... I built this...

...kind of playroom in the basement...

...a couple of years before in my house.

And Judy...

...wanted the same thing...

...in her dollhouse.

Kids are...

...funny that way.

You know what I mean?

Was it much of a job?

Um...

Well...

You needed special tools.

Small, small ones.

- Do you feel ill?

- It's just that I can't remember things.

It's very tough.

Of course it is.

We won't do any more today.

Sit down, Albert.

All right.

How are you feeling?

I don't feel so good.

You've been walking and talking

in your sleep.

Yeah, I know.

They've told me, but I don't remember.

I don't remember it.

Do you want me to stop Mr. Bottomly

from seeing you?

I can, at least for a little while.

Let you catch your breath.

No.

It bothers you though, doesn't it?

It's awful.

- NAGY:
Then why do you want to go on?

- DESALVO:
I don't know.

Can you tell me what the feeling is

when you talk to Mr. Bottomly?

What's it like?

I don't know.

I'm always feeling like...

...something is going to happen

and it never does.

But you like the feeling?

Oh, yeah, I like the feeling.

It's all right.

It's just scary. It's...

...like driving a car too fast.

You know what I mean?

NAGY:
When it doesn't happen...

...this something...

...how do you feel?

Well, then I feel lousy,

like the bottom is falling out...

...like everything is going away

and I can't reach it.

You know what I mean?

I mean...

Let me tell you. It...

I remember when I used to go

to confession when I was a kid.

I'd be walking toward the box,

feeling great...

...because I was gonna tell the Father

what I did...

...stealing out of my mother's purse

or something worse.

You know what I mean? I mean, for real.

And then, all of a sudden, I'd lose it.

I mean...

...I could actually...

I could see it coming out of my head,

kind of floating out of the box.

Then it'd be gone,

and I couldn't talk to him.

I'd feel awful,

and that's the way I feel...

...about Mr. Bottomly.

NAGY:
But you do feel good...

...when you think you're going to be able

to tell him something, don't you?

But scared.

Well, like...

I suppose it's because I didn't

tell him anything.

Albert, tell me this. What

do you think would happen to you...

...if you found out what this something

is and you told him?

I'd die.

- Morning, Albert.

- Morning.

Let's go back to the day

of the president's funeral.

You remember what you did that day?

- I guess we all remember that day.

- Tell me about it.

What's the point?

I could tell you anything.

You got no facts to check. Pyne Furnace

was closed like everybody else.

What we did on days of crisis, Pearl

Harbor, V-J Day, the assassination...

...tell us a lot about ourselves.

That's a crock. You're not kidding me.

You got something I don't know about.

You've got something I don't know about.

- We're just trying to trade information.

- Suppose I call it off.

You won't do that, Albert.

You're an honest man.

You want to know, don't you?

Will it make me feel better?

Do you promise it'll make me feel better?

Of course it will.

Did you watch TV that day?

Yes.

- Did you feel very badly?

- At first, I didn't believe...

...that he was dead.

But after I knew it really happened,

I felt bad.

- Very, very bad.

- Did you watch it all day?

It seemed the only thing to do...

...to give respect.

BOTTOMLY:
You didn't go out?

DESALVO:
You're right.

I went out and drove around.

I didn't want to look anymore.

BOTTOMLY:
Go on, Albert.

Well, I parked for some reason.

- Did you get out of the car?

- DESALVO:
No.

Was there mail that day?

- BOTTOMLY:
I think so. Why?

- DESALVO:
I remember looking for it.

You looked for the mail when you

went home? Are you sure?

Where else could I look for my mail?

[WOMAN SCREAMING]

[GASPS]

BOTTOMLY:
What's the matter?

I... I saw something.

BOTTOMLY:
What?

I don't know what it was, but it...

It scared the hell out of me.

BOTTOMLY:
What did it look like?

I don't know now. It came in my head

and it's flashed out again.

What's...?

What's happening to me?

BOTTOMLY:
Something touched you off.

You're having an anxiety attack.

- Want the doctor?

- No.

I don't need a doctor.

I'll fight it out myself.

I must...

...be losing my marbles.

You're not, Albert.

But you know now there's something wrong.

- Will you admit that to me?

- Yeah.

Yeah, something. All right.

Something.

- Want some?

- MARY:
Mm-mm.

What are you doing?

Reading law.

Just law generally?

I've always found it comforting.

Some people read automobile books

or rifle magazines.

MARY:
But it isn't working?

Nope.

I think he's about to crack.

I'm glad.

He's suffering.

You don't seem to be

jumping for joy either.

No, but I don't have to face anything

that monstrous about myself.

That monstrous?

What are you facing in yourself

that's just a little bit monstrous?

At this hour of the night,

you look at yourself, and...

...the truth has a way of...

...lying there on the rug in front of you.

I'm enjoying this.

It's a big game on tonight.

Don't like myself for it.

Don't be too hard on yourself.

I know I didn't marry

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes.

It's a hell of a thing

to find out at my age...

...you're not what you thought you were.

What time do you have to start on him

in the morning?

Early.

MARY:
Then come to bed.

JUDY:
Michael punched a boy in the nose.

Michael did that?

What did you tell the boy's mother?

I told her if he couldn't play

with Michael nicely...

...he couldn't come over anymore.

Michael picks fights. I saw him.

Judy, your mother didn't ask you.

Michael still picks fights.

- How are you doing in school?

- Show Daddy your report card.

Hey, not bad.

Thank you. I miss you, Daddy.

When are you going to not be crazy

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes