The Help Page #15

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MINNY (CONT'D)

It's what we dream a doing all

weekend long, get back in they

house to polish the silver. And we

just love not getting minimum wage

or Social Security.

SKEETER:

I know, Minny. Maybe things might

CHANGE IF-

MINNY:

What law's gonna say you gotta be

nice to your maid? And another

thing, I don't want my children

going to school with white kids.

And I don't care a thing about

votin.' Only thing black mens get

elected to is Deacon of the church.

AIBILEEN:

You don't have to do this, Minny.

MINNY:

You damn right I don't! You two

givin' me the heart palpitations.

Minny storms out the back door. Skeeter looks like she might

get sick.

AIBILEEN:

And that was a good mood.

Minny immediately storms back in the kitchen.

MINNY:

All right...I'm gone do it. I just

want to make sure you know this

ain't no game we're playing here.

Skeeter nods, trembling as Minny slides a chair in the middle

of the kitchen and sits.

MINNY (CONT'D)

(TO SKEETER)

Slide your chair out from under

that table and face me. I want to

see you square on at all times.

Still trembling, Skeeter slides her chair from the table and

just sits there staring at Minny.

MINNY (CONT'D)

I's got to come up with your

questions, too?!

SKEETER:

Let's begin...begin with...with

where you were born.

Aibileen grabs her notebook and begins writing.

54.

MINNY:

Belzoni, Mississippi on my great-

auntie's sofa. Next!

INT. AIBILEEN'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - HOURS LATER

Minny talks a mile a minute. Aibileen continues writing.

AIBILEEN (V.O.)

Once Minny got to talking `bout

food, she liked to never stop...

MINNY:

I put the green beans in first,

then I go on and get the pork chops

going cause, mmm-mmm, I like my

chops hot out the pan.

Just as Aibileen fills the first notebook, Skeeter hands her

another from her satchel.

AIBILEEN (V.O.)

But when she got to talking about

the white ladies, it took all

night...

INT. AIBILEEN'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - SUNRISE

The first signs of morning sun filter into the kitchen.

MINNY:

"Oh, Minny, I'm gone give you a

week paid vacation." Now, I ain't

had no paid vacation in my life. A

week later, I come back and they'd

moved to Mobile. "Miss Lazy

Fingers" scared I'd find a new job

before she moved...

Minny spins around to Aibileen with sudden realization...

MINNY (CONT'D)

We gots to get more maids!

Minny stands. Skeeter's eyes widen with hope.

AIBILEEN:

I know, but it hard, Minny.

Mind racing, Minny flies out the door without a word.

Aibileen turns to Skeeter.

AIBILEEN (CONT'D)

You gone and done it now.

55.

INT. HARPER AND ROW PUBLISHING - OFFICE - NEW YORK - DAY

Miss Stein discusses Aibileen and Minny's stories with

Skeeter on the phone.

MISS STEIN:

I like this "Sarah Ross." She can

kvetch but not complain too much.

INT- PHELAN PLANTATION (INTERCUT) - PANTRY

Skeeter nods rapidly as if she knows what "kvetch" means.

MISS STEIN:

And this "Bertha"...she's got

chutzpah. I'll give her that.

SKEETER:

So...you liked it?

MISS STEIN:

Eugenia, Martin Luther King just

invited the country to march with

him in D.C. this August. This many

negroes and whites haven't worked

together since "Gone with the

Wind."

SKEETER:

Does this mean you'll publish it?

MISS STEIN:

I never said that. My advice is to

write it fast before this civil

rights thing blows over. I need it

by New Year's, and don't send me

anything more until you have twelve

maids.

SKEETER:

Twelve?

MISS STEIN:

At least.

INT. AIBILEEN'S KITCHEN - THAT NIGHT

Minny, Aibileen and Skeeter sit at the kitchen table.

MINNY:

Aibileen and I done asked everbody

we know. Thirty-one maids.

Everbody too scared, think we

crazy...

SKEETER:

Then we might as well stop!

56.

MINNY:

I got plenty a stories, Miss

Skeeter. Just write`em down and

invent a maid that said it. We

already making up everbody's name.

Make up the maids, too.

Skeeter jumps up from her chair.

SKEETER:

We can't do that!

Aibileen and Minny lean back.

SKEETER (CONT'D)

I mean...I would never do that. It

wouldn't be real. It's wrong.

AIBILEEN:

Don't give up on us, Miss Skeeter.

Skeeter softens and sits back down.

SKEETER:

I'm sorry. Thank you both for

trying.

INT. JACKSON JOURNAL NEWSPAPER - OFFICE - DAY

Skeeter delivers the "Miss Myrna" columns to the

receptionist, who hands her back a paycheck.

INT. FOOTE ESTATE - KITCHEN

Celia and Minny stand at a fried chicken assembly line.

MINNY:

What can you cook?

Minny dips pieces chicken in an egg wash, then drops them in

a paper bag. A puff of flour rises out of the bag.

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