The Education of Charlie Banks Page #7

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- I mean, that makes sense, okay?

- Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.

He just wanted to come up

and say goodbye and that's it.

- He's my friend, Charlie.

- He's your friend? He's your friend?

We've been friends

since we were little kids.

He's your friend? Then I guess

you haven't lied to his face

for a f***ing month, Danny.

I didn't know he was gonna

be here this long.

- I'm sorry.

- I can't believe it.

You can't believe it?

The guy jumped him, all right?

The guy jumped him.

And Mick felt f***ing terrible about it.

- Do you think he's happy?

- Yeah, I'm sure he's weeping, Danny.

I'm sure he's f***ing weeping.

You didn't even kill this guy.

You got nothing to do with this.

- Not with my own hands, okay?

- What the hell are you talking about?

Mick swears up and down

that he had no other f***ing choice.

- That's all he could do.

- He had no choice?

F*** that. He had a choice to not

stomp on the guy if he was out cold.

How do you know?

I'm surprised at you, Charlie.

You believe

everything you read?

Okay. All right.

I walk in for a beer, right?

I see this fine girl at the bar.

I give her a look.

This guys she's with

jumps down my throat.

I walk away

because I just want a beer.

He gets back in my face,

all right?

He swung. I swung, right?

But then that wasted chick

starts yelling,

"Shoot him, Louie."

The last thing on my mind

when I walked into that bar

was killing anybody.

I swear to God.

You could have still talked

to the cops.

You could have told them

your side of the story.

Look, Mick, Charlie's got a point.

Mick, f***, man, it's in the papers.

Mick, maybe you should

get a lawyer now.

- Exactly.

- The guy at the bar who saw--

You guys can talk to the cops,

not me.

I was gonna take a train

down to Florida

'cause I know a couple

of hard guys down there

who could help me

go away for good.

But cruising through Penn Station,

I see that there's a train

heading up north in five minutes.

I think, "Danny boy's up there

getting over."

And I remember

when I was a kid

the Fresh Air Fund

sent me

to a summer camp up here

with goats and cows and sh*t.

So I just flipped a coin.

You know, this place--

I listen to what I'm thinking

and I'm sitting in some class

or laying around with Mary,

and I wonder

if it's me.

And then I think,

"Well, maybe it is."

You know?

And I just--

I never would have known if l--

if I never came up here.

Do you know that this is

the first book

I ever read cover to cover?

"So we beat on,

boats against the current,

borne back ceaselessly

into the past."

(exhales)

So what am I supposed

to do, Charlie?

Just let my ass

get dragged back?

I mean, what would you do?

Hey.

What's going on?

Hey, can I borrow a cigarette?

Yeah.

Thanks, man.

Woman:
Hey, Mick.

- Hey.

- I'm really slammed.

- Okay, Mary, let me explain.

- That was unforgiveable.

It was f***ed up,

me hitting Leo,

if you take it cold.

But if you think about all of it,

if you think about

everything that's been

going on here,

and you take apart

all of the threads,

and you look at each

individual thread--

What the hell are you

talking about?

Unforgiveable, Mary?

No, see?

It's not that simple because--

ask Charlie--

there is no absolute truth.

I can't do this now.

I can't.

I had fun

at Leo's and at the dance,

but I have to write

my paper now.

Okay?

I'm sorry.

(bangs)

Danny:
I'm gonna go f***ing nuts,

all right? Give me a goddamn minute.

- Danny, what about the next guy?

- What f***ing next guy?

You're talking like he's some

goddamn serial killer or some sh*t.

Don't you think

we have a responsibility?

This has nothing to do with you.

You understand?

This has f***ing nothing

to do with you, Charlie.

- Hey, what if he's lying?

- He's not f***ing lying.

- What if he's lying?

- Because whatever Mickey is,

- he isn't a f***ing liar.

- That's it? That's it?

- Hey, Charlie, f*** off.

- That's not good enough for me.

Shut up. Shut up.

F*** off, okay?

Go back to the goddamn dorms

and f*** off, Charlie.

- Hey, Danny, Danny.

- I'm f***ing done, Charlie.

- Danny, Danny, hold up.

- I'm not listening to you anymore.

I told Mick I was the one who called

the police on him, all right?

- You called the f***ing cops?

- Three years ago after the fight

on the roof, I called the police.

I told him last night.

- Three years ago?

- Yeah.

- You f***ing did that?

- Yeah. Yes.

You motherf***er,

what's wrong with you?

You told him?

What did he say?

I don't know.

No, he didn't say anything.

- Danny.

- I can't f***ing believe you.

Danny, a guy f***ing died, okay?

A guy f***ing died.

A guy shouldn't have died,

all right?

What does that have to do

with anything?

You're holding this in like you've got

some form of responsibility for this?

Oh, Christ, Charlie, I didn't want this

to have anything to do with you.

- Do you understand?

- Yeah.

- Danny, Danny.

- Nia, can I call you in a little while?

- Have you seen Mick?

- No.

- Do you know what he did?

- What did he do?

He beat the sh*t out of Leo.

What the hell is wrong

with that guy?

- Where's Leo?

- He's home.

- Where's Mary? Is she all right?

- I don't know where she is.

- Excuse me.

- Hey, Charlie, where are you going?

Mary.

It's quiet in here during exams.

I don't make nearly enough money

without the college crowd.

Still, it is very very nice

to have the bar just full of

regular working people, huh?

(country song playing)

Right? Here's to working people.

What's the matter with you?

You need more beer?

You're usually completely

naked by now.

It won't matter with me

When she ran away

My world ended that day

So I don't care if tomorrow

never comes.

Hey, Leo.

Hey. Hey.

- Hey, what's up?

- Hey, are you all right?

- Yeah, I'm okay. I'm all right.

- Are you sure?

I've just, you know, been...

- I know. I heard about that.

- Nasty.

I know, I know.

Hey, where is Mary?

Mary? She went

to the liquor store.

- She's at the liquor store?

- We're christening the boat tonight.

- We're gonna be pirates.

- We're gonna be pirates?

- All right.

- You too, Charlie. I'll see you there.

We're gonna sail

into the killer f***ing night!

(bell dinging quietly)

- (thud)

- Jesus, you scared me.

Are we having a party?

We're supposed to christen the boat,

but Leo's a little under the weather.

I know. Look,

like I was trying to say,

I'm sorry about that.

Look look, just give me

another chance.

Mick, it was fun, okay?

We both knew how far it was gonna go.

I'm sorry I hurt you.

I'm gonna go, okay?

How far it was gonna go?

I knew what this was gonna be like?

Mary, please please.

Please stop.

- (Mary crying) No.

- Stop, please.

Mary:
No. No. No.

(Mary sobbing)

I'm done with you,

f***ing b*tch!

- Mary.

- Charlie:
Mick. Mick. Mick.

Mick, get off her.

Oh, Charlie boy.

Mick, what the hell

are you doing?

- Mary:
Charlie. Charlie.

- Shut up!

Oh, look at you. You man up nice.

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