The Hollars Page #10

JOHN:

I know. I know. I’m such an a**hole.

GWEN:

It’s okay. I knew we weren’t really going

to get married.

JOHN:

Really?

GWEN:

Yeah. Even when you proposed, I knew you

weren’t going to follow through on it. *

JOHN:

Yeah. I guess, you always knew me too

well.

GWEN:

(laughs)

I’m not sure I ever really knew you at

all.

JOHN:

What is that supposed to mean?

GWEN:

I don’t know.

JOHN:

No, tell me.

GWEN *

Well, I don’t know what you’re like now *

but all through school you were so *

desperate to be liked, to be accepted. *

(CONTINUED)

67A.

CONTINUED:
(2) 44

JOHN *

Yeah, me and every other teenager in the *

world. *

GWEN *

No, it was different with you. You were *

terrified of disappointing anyone... like *

your mom... You were always what people *

wanted you to be, and never what you *

needed to be. *

Beat. This hits John. *

GWEN (CONT’D) *

So, yeah, I knew you weren’t going to *

call when you left. I hoped you would *

but...I think it was important for you *

that you didn’t. *

JOHN *

See. You do know me. *

Gwen looks at John and realizes... *

GWEN *

You haven’t changed at all, have you? *

*

(CONTINUED)

68.

CONTINUED:
(3) 44

JOHN *

Yes. No. Sort of. I don’t know. Not

really... I think I’m just going through

a tough time.

GWEN:

... When are you not? *

Gwen smiles. John looks at her.

(CONTINUED)

69.

CONTINUED:
(4) 44

GWEN (CONT’D) *

(laughs)

You still drawing cartoons? *

JOHN *

Kind of. *

JOHN (CONT’D) *

You still writing? *

GWEN *

No... Do you want to have sex with me? *

Gwen tosses the cigarette. She straddles John. *

JOHN:

Yes.

JOHN (CONT'D) *

But I shouldn’t.

GWEN:

Why not?

JOHN:

I’m going to have a kid.

GWEN:

Don’t worry. It doesn’t really change

that much.

John stops Gwen.

JOHN:

I hope that’s not true.

Pause. Gwen hardens.

GWEN:

What does she do that’s so special?

John thinks about it... Hadn’t realized til he says it...

JOHN:

She lets me be who I need to be. *

Gwen looks a little stung by this.

(CONTINUED)

70.

44 CONTINUED:
(5) 44

JASON (O.S.)

Hey, guys. What are you doing out here?

GWEN:

I was trying to seduce John but he thinks

he’s in love with his girlfriend.

Jason laughs. Then he abruptly stops laughing.

JASON:

That’s not true, is it?

JOHN:

No. I mean... the part about me being in

love with my girlfriend is. But the rest

was a joke.

John forces a laugh. Gwen frowns. Jason looks really

confused.

JASON:

We’re out of beer.

JOHN:

(eager to get out of there)

Oh, I’ll go get more!

45 EXT. HOUSE. NIGHT. 45

John screeches his mom’s car out of the driveway. He

calls Rebecca on his cellphone.

46 INT. CAR ON HIGHWAY. NIGHT. 46

John is on his cellphone. We hear ringing.

47 INT. BROOKLYN BROWNSTONE. NIGHT. 47

Rebecca sits knitting what looks like a child’s sweater

but it has four leg holes. Her phone rings.

REBECCA:

John? Oh my God, I haven’t heard from

you in like two days. I was worried.

JOHN:

Rebecca, I just saw Gwen.

Silence.

71.

48 INT. CAR ON HIGHWAY. NIGHT. 48

INTERCUT:

JOHN:

I went over to her house for dinner-with

her and her husband. (beat) Honey,

she kissed me.

REBECCA:

(taken aback)

You kissed her... ok.

JOHN:

No, no, she kissed ME! Major difference.

REBECCA:

I-- I thought you said you didn’t have

feelings for her anymore. I mean she just

had a kid.

John turns into the Liquor Barn. He finds a parking spot.

JOHN:

I don’t-- She did-- oh btw, she still

looks great by the way! So you have

nothing to worry about.

REBECCA:

Still looks great?

JOHN:

Yeah, I mean she may have gained a little

weight, but I never really liked skinny

girls.

REBECCA:

What!?

JOHN:

Rebecca, please, forget about the way she

looks. It’s not important. The point is,

kissing her, it didn’t do anything for

me. I mean, if anything it just PROVED my

feelings for you.

REBECCA:

Oh, John. You sound like a basket case.

JOHN:

No, I don’t. I know what I’m saying.

(CONTINUED)

72.

48 CONTINUED:
48

REBECCA:

You are not making me feel very secure

right now.

JOHN:

I know. But I will. I promise I will.

Starting right now.

REBECCA:

You’re drunk.

John gets out of the car. He puts a cigarette in his

mouth and looks for a lighter.

JOHN:

A little but that’s not why I’m saying

this. Listen-

REBECCA:

You’re probably still smoking, too,

aren’t you?

John throws the cigarette to the ground.

JOHN:

No. I just quit.

John goes into the Liquor Barn.

49 INT. LIQUOR BARN. NIGHT. 49

John looks around the liquor store for a six pack of beer

while talking on the phone.

JOHN:

I’m trying to tell you that I love you. I

love you. Okay. I just...I don’t know. I

wanted you to hear that.

REBECCA:

(moved)

... John.

Suddenly, John spots his father, wearing an apron,

stocking wine coolers on shelves. He slowly drops the

phone away from his ear.

REBECCA (CONT’D)

... John?

JOHN:

Dad?

(CONTINUED)

73.

CONTINUED:
49

DON:

Oh, hey, Johnny. What’s going on?

JOHN:

Dad, what are you doing here?

REBECCA:

(faint telephone voice)

John? John? Hello?

JOHN:

(to Rebecca)

Sorry, Rebecca. I’m going to have to call

you back.

REBECCA:

John. What’s going on?? John-

John hangs up. Don looks at the same young Mexican

American man we saw before... who is now behind the cash

register.

DON:

Pedro, I’m going to take five. *

PEDRO:

(in Spanish)

My name is not Pedro.

DON:

Thanks.

Don smiles and leaves.

EXT. LIQUOR BARN. NIGHT. 50

Don and John sit on the tailgate of Don’s truck in the

parking lot, having a beer.

JOHN:

I don’t understand. How did it get this

bad?

DON:

We’re in a lot of debt... I took out

three small business loans. Mortgaged the

house. I thought that would see us

through the recession but now the money’s

gone and we’re still not making a profit.

I got nothing left to pay my employees

with.

(CONTINUED)

74.

50 CONTINUED:
50

JOHN:

So, are you bankrupt?

DON:

I haven’t filed.

JOHN:

Dad, I can give you some money.

DON:

Don’t be ridiculous. You don’t have any

money.

JOHN:

Rebecca does.

DON:

I’m not going to take her money.

JOHN:

But I want to help.

Don shakes his head.

DON:

You got your own family to worry about.

I’ll figure this out.

JOHN:

How?

Don looks out at the highway.

DON:

I’m sorry I didn’t spend more time with

you growing up.

John looks to Don. Don continues looking out.

JOHN:

Oh, come on, Dad. I don’t care about that-

DON:

--I do. I never got to know you, I mean

really know you. As a man. And it’s...

one of the greatest regrets of my life.

JOHN:

... You’re just going through a tough

time.

DON:

When am I not?

(CONTINUED)

75.

50 CONTINUED:
(2) 50

This registers with John.

DON (CONT’D)

God, I wasted so much on that stupid

business. And now I’m probably going to

lose it all and it’s... terrifying.

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