The Help Page #16

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CELIA:

I can cook corn pone, boil

potatoes, and do grits.

Minny bursts out laughing.

CELIA (CONT'D)

We didn't have electric current

where I was raised.

MINNY:

Well, I reckon if there's anything

you ought to know `bout cooking...

Minny holds up a can of Crisco.

57.

MINNY (CONT'D)

It's this. The most important

invention since they put mayonnaise

in a jar. You don't even know the

things you can do with this here

can.

Celia peers into the skillet as Minny spoons out a mound of

Crisco.

CELIA:

How pretty. Looks like frosting.

Minny rolls her eyes and hands Celia the bag of Chicken.

MINNY:

Shake that.

Celia starts shaking the bag.

CELIA:

This is fun!

INT. FOOTE ESTATE - KITCHEN - LATER

Minny sits down at the table with a plate of chicken. Celia

sits down next to her.

CELIA:

Looks so good! I'm starved.

Aggravated, Minny stands.

MINNY:

You supposed to eat in the dining

room, Miss Celia. That how it

works.

Minny grabs Celia's plate.

MINNY (CONT'D)

Here, I'll take your plate in the

dinin' room for ya. Want tea?

CELIA:

I'm fine right here, Minny.

Minny sits back down with a sigh. Celia touches her arm.

CELIA (CONT'D)

I'm real grateful you're here.

MINNY:

Miss Celia, you got a lot more to

be grateful for than me.

A car is heard pulling up in the driveway. Minny panics.

MINNY (CONT'D)

Mister Johnny?!

58.

CELIA:

Oh, no! Hide!

Minny slides down underneath the kitchen table.

CELIA (CONT'D)

Oh...It's just the florist. Johnny

must have sent me flowers.

Minny pulls herself up off the floor. She's mad.

MINNY:

Miss Celia, I ain't playin' around

no more! He gone catch me here and

shoot me dead right here on this no-

wax floor! You gots to tell him.

Ain't he wondering how the cooking

so good?

CELIA FOOTE:

You're right. Maybe we ought to

burn the chicken a little.

The doorbell rings. Celia runs off to answer.

MINNY:

Minny don't burn chicken.

INT. PHELAN PLANTATION - KITCHEN - DAY

Skeeter sits with a towel draped across her shoulders.

Charlotte, now in an auburn wig, squirts mounds of goo from a

pink tube onto Skeeter's hair.

CHARLOTTE:

This is bound to work, Sweetie. It

even smells expensive.

She begins twisting Skeeter's hair into gooey spikes.

SKEETER:

I feel the hope in your fingers.

Skeeter resembles a papier maché starfish.

CHARLOTTE:

How can you not know his last name?

SKEETER:

He's William's cousin. That's all

I know.

CHARLOTTE:

That's just so sweet of Hilly.

Charlotte takes a drag from her cigarette, then lifts up a

silver machine complete with power cord and rubber hose.

SKEETER:

What is that?!

59.

CHARLOTTE:

The Shinolator! It cost eleven

dollars. I'm a good mother.

Charlotte puts a shower cap device on Skeeter's head and

reads from the Shinolator manual.

CHARLOTTE (CONT'D)

"The Miracle Straitening Cap" must

remain on the head for two hours."

SKEETER:

Two hours?!

Charlotte flips a switch and takes another drag. The machine

groans to life. Skeeter's cap inflates.

CHARLOTTE:

I'll have Pascagoula bring you a

magazine.

Skeeter snatches her mother's cigarette and takes a drag.

INT. PHELAN PLANTATION - KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Skeeter sits under the Shinolator buried in a magazine.

Pascagoula enters and sets down a glass of tea.

SKEETER:

Thanks, Constantine. Do you think

this dress is cute?

Skeeter holds the magazine up to Pascagoula. Only now does

she realize what she's said and done.

SKEETER (CONT'D)

I'm sorry. Thanks, Pascagoula.

Pascagoula nods and starts to walk away then turns.

PASCAGOLUA:

I knew Constantine. She was a

mighty fine woman.

INT. PHELEN PLANTATION - SKEETER'S BEDROOM - LATER THAT DAY

The Shinolator was a success. Skeeter's hair is straight,

silky and beautiful.

SKEETER:

Holy sh*t.

CHARLOTTE:

You've shrunk five inches. You'll

be able to wear heels tonight.

Charlotte looks down to the huarache shoes on Skeeter's feet

and rushes to the closet.

60.

CHARLOTTE (CONT'D)

You're not leaving this house in

those awful, Mexican, man shoes.

Charlotte pulls out a dress and pair of heels.

CHARLOTTE (CONT'D)

What time is he picking you up?

SKEETER:

He's meeting me at Hilly's. Can I

take the Cadillac?

CHARLOTTE:

We promised Carlton the Cadillac

tonight. So, William's cousin will

just have to come get you himself.

SKEETER:

I'll take the truck.

CHARLOTTE:

It's hooked to the motor grader.

SKEETER:

I'll drive slow.

EXT. PHELAN PLANTATION - FIELD - LATER THAT AFTERNOON

Skeeter pulls away in a rusted 1941 Chevy farm truck with a

huge motor grader attached. Charlotte runs next to the

truck. Her wig is askew.

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