The Power of One Page #15

PK:

I'll give you a boost.

PK stirrups his hands. Maria boosts up to the first

branch of the tree. She crests the wall.

MARIA:

Thank you for tonight. You were

great.

She smiles and drops down behind the wall. PK runs back

85.

toward the car.

CUT TO:

112 EXT. PRINCE OF WALES SCHOOL - DAWN 112

Solly's car pulls up opposite the gate.

CUT TO:

113 INT. CAR 113

Morrie is sleeping in the back seat. Solly and PK are

sitting in the front.

SOLLY:

When you and your manager first

came to me with that meshuganah

idea to be welterweight champion

of the world you did not have a

big believer here. But I gotta

tell you. Now you do. In London

lives Benny Rosen, the greatest

trainer in the world today. When

you go to your Oxford I give you

a letter to Rosen. Whatever I

can't do for you, he can.

PK:

Thanks, Mr. G.

Solly pokes Morrie awake.

SOLLY:

And I give the address of a very

good bookmaker. Teach you also

a thing or two. Now, go on back

to being fancy-schmancy English

gentlemen. I'm proud of both of

you.

PK and Morrie exit the car and run back to the school.

114 EXT. CAMPUS 114

As PK and Morrie jog toward their dorm a VOICE stops

them from behind.

ST. JOHN (V.O)

Gentlemen.

PK and Morrie stop cold. They turn to St. John, up early

86.

for his daily constitutional.

MORRIE:

You're up early, sir.

ST. JOHN

Best time for walking.

PK:

Best time for running too, sir.

MORRIE:

Have to put in the roadwork, sir.

You know, keep those legs strong.

St. John eyes the bruise on PK's cheek.

ST. JOHN

Yes. Quite a fresh bruise there.

PK:

I tripped.

ST. JOHN

Maybe you should change your

footwear.

He looks down at their shoes. Both boys are wearing proper

shoes; not at all what would be worn for roadwork.

ST. JOHN

To something a little more

appropriate for...

(beat)

roadwork.

Busted, the boys squirm uncomfortably.

BOTH:

Yes, sir.

St. John fixes them with a look, and then walks off. The

boys bolt into the dorm.

CUT TO:

115 INT. PK'S ROOM 115

PK and Morrie open the door and stop cold. Gideon

Mandoma sits in a chair facing the door. He rises.

MANDOMA:

Please excuse me for coming like

a thief by the window.

87.

PK:

You speak English?

PK is surprised. Mandoma nods.

PK:

You are a great fighter, Gideon.

MANDOMA:

Second greatest in this room.

PK:

But you didn't come to talk about

fighting.

Mandoma shakes his head. He waits for a moment, then

begins.

MANDOMA:

When you say to me, Onoshobishobi

Ingelosi means nothing, you are

right. And you are wrong. The

legend gives the people hope for

a good tomorrow. But hope alone

will not make a good tomorrow

for the people. You cannot

write our letters, get us clothes,

food, work. These things we must

do ourselves, so we can be part

of this country's good tomorrow.

If we are not, the hope will

disappear. The people will grow

tired. The tired will grow angry

and there will be no good tomorrow

for anybody -- black or white.

PK:

What are you asking from me?

MANDOMA:

To be part of something you must

know what everyone else knows.

We have our own knowledge. We

need yours.

MORRIE:

We get our knowledge in schools,

Gideon. We're not born with it.

MANDOMA:

Then it must be the same with us.

MORRIE:

You have schools.

88.

MANDOMA:

Yes. And teachers who cannot do

more than their own ABC's. We

have a system made not to teach

us.

PK:

(anxious)

I am only seventeen years old,

Gideon. I cannot teach five

million people how to speak

English and do sums.

MANDOMA:

You taught the singing to

thousands at Barberton Prison.

You were only twelve.

Mandoma rises.

MANDOMA (CONT'D)

You are a great fighter, PK.

PK:

Second greatest in this room,

Gideon.

Mandoma exits through the window.

CUT TO:

116 INT. ST. JOHN'S STUDY 116

PK stands in front of a pondering St. John.

ST. JOHN

You are asking me for a lot,

young man.

PK:

I'm only asking you to put what

you've taught us into practice,

sir.

ST. JOHN

You are asking me to put the

reputation of this school in

jeopardy.

PK:

The reputation of this school,

sir, is based on its integrity.

89.

ST. JOHN

I'm aware of that. I'm also aware

of what will happen if this ever

gets out. We live in a country

where the rules are being

rewritten.

PK:

Then we'd better be careful to

keep a firm hand on our pens...

(beat)

... sir.

St. John regards PK.

ST. JOHN

All right. I will allow it on a

trial basis. Here are my

conditions:
you tell no one; you

operate at night on Saturdays when

the student body is gone; you

involve no one besides yourself

and Mr. Levy. If you can comply,

you can have your school.

CUT TO:

117 EXT. BEACH - LATE AFTERNOON 117

Maria and PK are about to race. Maria is given a head

start of ten yards.

MARIA:

Ready. Set. Go!

They both take off. Maria runs as hard as she can. PK

catches up to her. She strains with the effort. PK

crosses the finish line first. Maria trips and falls,

rolling in the sand. PK comes back to her. He kneels

down.

PK:

You okay?

MARIA:

You're supposed to let me win.

PK:

Then you'd say I was being

condescending.

MARIA:

You were guilty of that when you

gave me a head start.

90.

She kisses him and stands up. They begin to walk along

the beach.

MARIA:

Get your formal yet?

PK grows uncomfortable.

PK:

Uh... no.

MARIA:

The dance is only a week away.

PK:

Maria...

(beat)

I can't come to the dance.

MARIA:

(shocked)

Why not?

PK:

I have an obligation.

MARIA:

Can't you change it?

PK:

It's a permanent obligation.

Every Saturday night...

(beat)

It starts tonight.

Maria cannot believe what she is hearing.

MARIA:

You're breaking up with me.

PK:

No.

MARIA:

Then what could be so important

that it takes all your Saturday

nights?

PK:

I really can't say.

Maria starts to cry. She throws her arm around him.

MARIA:

91.

P.K., I love you. Please don't

go away.

PK:

I'm not going away.

MARIA:

Yes you are. I can feel it.

PK:

I'm not. I'm just tutoring.

Maria pulls back.

PK:

I started a school...

(beat)

... for Gideon Mandoma and some

others in the seniors library.

Maria's sadness turns to anger.

MARIA:

I'm losing you to a bunch of

kaffirs?

PK:

You're not losing anything.

MARIA:

No? Are you escorting me to the

dance? Are you going to see me on

the only free night they give us?

PK:

Maria, this is important to me.

MARIA:

And my life's important to me.

Damn you.

She runs off in tears. A pained PK doesn't attempt to

go after her.

FADE TO.

118 EXT. CLIFF FACE 118

On an escarpment high above the dense green rainforest

cover, PK and Doc move along the sheer cliff face with

photographic equipment and rucksacks.

PK notices Doc's labored breathing and slow movements.

They reach some small cacti growing out of the side of

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