The Good Lie Page #3

- I'm thinking about that chicken.

Carrie?

Holy crap!

- Are you crazy? - There is a reason

you do not have a husband.

What the hell are you doing?

You can't just break into somebody's house!

I didn't. The door was unlocked.

How'd you even know where I live?

I used my map.

I am here to thank you. Because of

you, my brothers and I have jobs.

Okay. Thank you so much.

That's really nice of you.

But that's my job.

So once I get you a job, my job is done.

Okay? If you want to bring me oranges,

just call me on the telephone. Okay?

- Okay. Sorry, Carrie.

- Thank you.

Now, hold onto these receipts for your plane

fare and your records for at least one year.

You guys are lucky.

Since 9/11, the program that brought

you here is stopped indefinitely.

What about everyone waiting

in the refugee camp?

For now they're stuck there.

You're fortunate you made it.

We have a sister who's been sent to Boston,

and she needs to be here with us.

Right now the system is overloaded.

I'd wait a few months

until things have cooled down.

- Thank you.

- You're welcome.

Abital, I am now teaching Sunday school

at our church.

That's excellent. Just like at camp.

- Abital?

- Yes, Paul?

- You know, Mamere is going to go to school.

- Great news!

Only one of us can go at a time.

It is very expensive.

I have two jobs now to help pay for it.

Be patient, Paul.

I'm sorry. I have to go now.

My family is waiting for me.

- Okay. Bye.

- Bye.

Hey, Paul?

What's up, man? Um...

Listen, you're always out of synch.

- Out of synch?

- Right. We're a unit, you know...

so when you're on the line,

you just gotta take it easy.

Take it easy?

Jerry, we need you in produce, please.

Hey, you! Don't go in there.

I'm sorry.

What I have in here is much fresher.

Thank you.

What the hell are you doing?

It is a sin not to give to those in need.

According to who?

Jeremiah.

And who's that?

Me.

My name is Jeremiah.

Jeremiah? Come to my office.

I miss Sudan.

Why?

Because in Sudan

we know what a lion looks like.

Okay. Look, Nick Costas just called me,

and he's really upset.

- So why don't you tell me what happened?

- I'm sorry if I bring you dishonor.

But I cannot do a job

I believe in my heart is wrong.

You don't bring me dishonor personally...

but this company did vouch for you,

and it is a big deal.

Let me explain something to you. In

America, we have this thing called bosses.

Sometimes they're just a**holes. And they

have too much power for their tiny brains.

And they get really angry when you don't follow

their orders. But you have to put up with it...

because you need money

to live and to eat and to go to school.

So I'm gonna try and get you more job

interviews. It's not gonna be easy.

I have faith, Yardit.

- Yardit?

- This is our special name for you.

- For me?

- Yes. It has great cultural significance.

- What does it mean?

- It means great white cow.

Okay.

Well, it's better than a lot of things

I've been called.

- Hey, you're, uh...?

- Jeremiah.

Jeremiah. Right. Where you going?

To my home.

Come on, I'll give you a ride.

- You are Carrie's boss.

- Heh. Nobody's Carrie's boss.

Oh, this is a very fine car.

Thank you.

May I ask, what credential

is required to drive a car?

You need a driver's license.

You practice, and then you pass a test.

Oh, slow down! Slow down!

Left, left, okay, now just stop... Whoa!

Hold on, put on the brakes!

Brakes! Brakes!

- You okay?

- Oh...

I think you should just stick to walking.

Having all read Huckleberry Finn, can

anyone tell me what "the good lie" means?

Huck uses lies to survive

in undesirable situations.

Exactly. But later in the book,

the lies change. How so?

They change because Huck changes.

Yes. Keep going.

When he tells the slave hunters

that he has no slaves, his lie is credible.

So he lies well.

But what is more important...

is that it is an unselfish lie,

because it saves Jim.

Jim's freedom means more to Huck than the

money he would get for turning him in.

So it is a good lie.

Could not have said it better.

Let us turn to chapter 19, page 108.

"Here is the way we put in the time.

It was a monstrous big river down there,

sometimes a mile and a half wide."

Where have you been?

What is wrong with your eyes?

Nothing.

You could have an infection.

Let me look. Let me see.

Stop pretending

you're something you're not, Mamere.

You're not a doctor.

You're not Theo.

We are in America now,

and in America we are nothing.

That is not true.

You think you're so smart

that we want all you want.

We don't. I don't.

- Then what do you want?

- I don't want this!

I don't want to work so I can be, what...?

Be alone? Be nobody?

Paul!

Paul!

Paul.

I'm sorry, dude. I gotta ask.

- What happened?

- This?

A lion.

- I'm serious, a lion.

- Okay. Yeah, it was a lion. From Africa.

Come on.

The smell of this lion

was very sweet like rain.

That was a surprise to me.

He put his mouth onto

the leg of my brother.

I tried to pull the lion off...

but it clawed me.

Whoa, man. You're serious.

Lions do not leave the bones

of their meals the way vultures does.

They take it with them...

to their family...

and share them.

Sometime I wonder...

where is that lion who ate my brother?

Would I know him if I saw him?

Would he know me?

He didn't punch out?

Wait, you're saying he's done this before?

Okay, no. I'm sorry.

Thank you for your understanding.

Yeah, I'm gonna get right into it.

Okay. I'll call you back. Bye.

Mamere?

Paul?

Jeremiah?

Hey-

You did not call first.

- Ha-ha-ha. Busted.

- Welcome.

What are you guys doing out here?

It's freezing.

We miss seeing the stars.

I'm looking for Paul. Have you seen him?

May we invite you in for some tea?

You know how to play dominoes?

Uh, no.

I teach you.

Okay.

Paul comes home very late or not at all.

Spends many days and nights

away from us.

Doing what?

I don't know.

Did something happen?

Lately Paul has not been Paul.

- He's your younger brother, right?

- We do not share the same mother or father.

- Oh, I didn't know.

- There is only me and my sister, Abital.

Oh. Is that the girl on the fridge?

- Yes.

- Where is she?

INS sent her to Boston.

Because there is not one family

that wanted her here in Kansas City.

Why?

It's difficult for us to talk about.

Because there was nothing I could do.

Operator. How can I help you?

Hello, I need to speak

to Abital Deng right away.

- What city?

- The city of Boston, please.

Can you spell the name?

D-E-N-G.

You must find her, please.

Calm down, sir. I need an address.

Please! You must help me!

I need to speak to Abital Deng!

Hello?

Hey! Hey! What do you think you're doing?

What do you have to say?

- Nothing.

- Nothing?

You bring shame upon us

and you say nothing?

You have been given a chance at life that

was taken from your brothers in Africa.

And this is what you do with it?

How could you forget?

No, it is you who forget. Who gave you

Rate this script:4.6 / 10 votes