The Glass Castle Page #2

Pretty soon the sun's comin'

down, we'll be watchin'

Orion and Aquarius

and Horologium

rotate through the night sky.

This is as real

as it gets, kids!

And don't let no dumb-ass

doctor tell you different.

You learn from living!

Everything else is a damn lie.

Oh! Look at that!

REX:
What is it, baby?

That is the most beautiful

tree I have ever seen!

Someone get my canvas!

(CHUCKLES) Looks like we'll be

sleepin' here tonight, kids.

This is actually great

for your posture.

You know, the Indians

never use pillows either,

and look how

straight they stand.

Why that one?

(ROSE MARY SIGHS)

The wind's been beatin'

that tree down

since the day it was born.

But it refuses to fall.

It's the struggle that

gives it its beauty.

(GRUNTS SOFTLY)

(RUSTLING)

(CONTINUES RUSTLING)

Dad.

Dad?

Huh?

I think maybe I saw

something out there.

All right. Did you get

a good look at it?

Not really.

Was he a big ol'

hairy son of a b*tch

with the damndest lookin'

teeth and claws?

Maybe. Mmm-hmm.

And, uh,

did it have pointy ears and

evil eyes with fire in 'em?

You've seen him, too?

Oh, yeah, yeah. I been chasin'

that demon for years.

Where'd you see him?

Ow!

We gotta get that off you.

It's okay. Fire

can't get you here.

We're just gonna let this

wound breathe a little. Yeah?

Now, I want you to just hold

this puppy right there.

You see the top of the flames

where the yellow

dissolves into the heat?

That zone is known in physics

as the boundary between

turbulence and order.

It's a place where

no rules apply.

Or at least they haven't

figured 'em out yet.

That's all life is,

bunch of molecules bouncin'

off each other at random.

So there's no point in tryin'

to find a reason or pattern

for why you were born

at a certain time

and why you got

bit by that fire.

You just got a little too

close to the chaos is all.

You understand?

(CHUCKLES)

I'm not sure I do either.

There. How's that feel?

DAVID:
Jeannette? Yeah?

I've got a surprise

for you in here.

Okay!

You... You said it was fun.

No. I said it was funny.

Okay, well... And

it's very overpriced.

It's Italian, that's why.

Just sit down in it. Enjoy

the chair for a second.

Just wiggle around

in it a little bit.

You're not wiggling...

There you go.

I'll take it back. That's fine.

No, no, it's fine.

Don't worry about it.

I'll take the chair back.

It's not about the chair.

I...

I'm gettin' lunch

with my mom today.

I didn't tell you 'cause I

didn't want you to worry.

Are you gonna tell her about us?

I'm gonna have to tell

her at some point.

Okay.

(CHUCKLES) Okay.

Just please try to not let her

dump her crap on you this time.

That's what parents are for.

Can you just try, though?

Of course I'll try. Thank you.

Mom...

Yeah, your dad said

he saw you pass by

in a cab the other night.

Acted like we

weren't even there.

You shouldn't be ashamed of

us just 'cause we choose

a different lifestyle than you.

Being homeless in New York City

does not count as a

lifestyle choice.

Well, if we heard from you more,

you'd know that we

found a lovely place

on the Lower East Side.

Lori says you're squatting

in an abandoned building.

That does not sound safe, Mom.

When did you lose your

sense of adventure?

I have a little

bit of money now.

I can help you if you want.

Mmm-mmm-mmm.

We're fine. You're the

one who needs help.

Look at you. Your values

are all confused.

Mmm.

So what did you

want to talk about?

(SIGHS)

I'm gettin' married.

To the accountant?

David is a financial analyst.

Well, I... I don't

mean to be rude,

but isn't he a little...

Mom, David is good for me.

You mean he's got money.

I mean I'm in love with him.

Hmm.

Can I see that again?

Hmm. Well...

I just hope you've

got a good plan

for telling your

dad, because this

is gonna kill him.

(BABY GURGLING)

JEANNETTE:
Shh, it's okay.

I'm right here.

Everything's gonna

be okay, Maureen.

I'm gonna take care of you.

(DOOR SLAMS) REX:

Let's go, kids!

Time to pull up stakes and

leave this hell-hole behind!

What's going on? REX:

Feds are on our tail!

BRIAN:
Really? He means

the bill collectors.

Truck leaves in 15 minutes!

ROSE MARY:
Now, there's not

enough room in the cab,

so you guys are in

for a real treat.

You get to ride in the back.

What?

Hey, it's not an ideal

scenario for anyone,

so we'll just try to

make the best of it.

It'll be kinda like that

rotor ride at the fair.

Except without any

lights or oxygen.

ROSE MARY:
Oh, don't

be so dramatic.

It'll be an adventure.

(MAUREEN CRYING) Be careful.

There you go. Okay, scoot back.

JEANNETTE:
How long do

we have to be back here?

REX:
Don't worry.

This'll be the last time

you have to do this.

(TRUCK HATCH CLOSES)

(TRUCK HATCH UNLOCKS)

REX:
Welcome to the oldest

mining town in Utah.

I thought that was

the last town.

Me, too.

That one was the

oldest in Nevada.

REX:
People been

strikin' it rich here

for a hundred years.

They must've all

moved somewhere else

to spend their fortune.

Has a real frontier

quality to it.

Think we might be able to

stay here for a while?

Hmm, I got a good

feelin' about this one.

(CHUCKLES)

(SIGHS)

ROSE MARY:
I got it.

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

ROSE MARY:
The kids are tired

of movin' to a new town

every time you lose a job.

They'd love it in West Virginia.

I just think it'd

be good for them

to see where their

daddy grew up.

Mountain Goat, let go!

Try floatin' a little!

We're fine where we are.

Taking showers at

the public pool?

I'll get the water

turned on this weekend.

You said that two months ago.

Okay, Brian, don't be shy.

Everyone here is the same as us.

They just got different

complexions.

Go on. Go play.

If we went, your parents

could help us out

with some money.

I ain't moving back to Welch.

What are you so afraid of?

I ain't afraid o' nothin'.

Hey! Quit clingin' to the side!

(WATER SPLASHES)

Don't be scared. I got ya.

Come on. Yeah.

Kick your legs.

That's not so hard.

It's all about movin' the water.

Yeah?

Move your arms, go ahead.

Move 'em in the water.

Push the water, push it.

Push it with your arms.

That's good.

It's not so bad, is it?

Good. 'Cause you're gonna

learn to swim today.

(SCREAMS)

(GASPING)

Catch your breath. Catch your breath.

All right.

Okay, all right. Breathe. Nice.

Why'd you do that?

Okay. Okay. Now, sink or swim!

(SCREAMS)

(MUFFLED SCREAM)

(GASPING) (REX MUMBLING)

ROSE MARY:
Rex!

It's okay! She's

already gettin' it!

Pretty soon she's gonna be

doin' the backstroke, right?

No. Yeah?

Okay. I wanna go back.

(GRUNTS) (SCREAMS)

(GASPING)

REX:
You did it, baby!

(CHUCKLES) You were swimmin'!

Hey!

Mountain Goat!

WOMAN:
Mister, you're

wrong for that!

ROSE MARY:
Come on, kids.

Let's go.

(CRYING) Stop, no! Hey! Hey!

Don't touch me! You

tried to kill me!

Hey. I would never let

anything bad happen to you.

But I can't let you

cling to the side

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