The Prince of Tides Page #8

a mother's heart?

You have to be patient

with me, Lila.

You've done a lot to piss me off.

There's so much noise in New York.

Sirens, horns, screaming.

Cream, no sugar, right?

Oh, yeah, thanks.

I have something to tell you.

I know.

I don't know how.

Just say it.

It was raining that night.

Mama was teaching us to dance.

Tom, dance with us!

One of the few times

I remember having fun.

Mom, I can't dance.

What do you mean?

Of course you can.

Hold Savannah's hand.

Savannah does it better than me.

Here you go. Turn around.

One, two, kick. There you go, Tom.

Here comes another turn.

Here we go.

Turn. That's it!

I wonder who that is?

That's it.

They broke into our house.

Three men.

Mama cried, "Help us, Tom. "

I wanted to, but I couldn't.

One of them raped Savannah.

One of them raped my mother.

I guess that's not the answer to

all of Savannah's problems...

...but I thought you should know.

God, yes.

And what's Callanwolde?

That's the prison they escaped from.

How old was Savannah

when this happened?

Thirteen.

What were you doing

while this was going on?

I don't know.

You don't know?

Maybe you ran for help?

Why not?

I don't know. I don't know.

Why do you think you didn't?

I don't know.

Just because.

That's a child's answer, Tom.

You said before...

...that three men came in.

What happened to the third man?

Where was he?

Tom, help me!

Help me!

Stop it!

It's okay.

Tell me about him.

He said, "You move,

I'll slit your throat. "

Raw meat.

He called me raw meat.

"Nothing I like better than fresh...

...raw meat. "

What was happening to me...

...was unimaginable...

...literally.

I didn't know it could happen

to a boy.

All I wanted to do was die.

Especially when I saw Luke.

Luke, two. Mama, one.

While I did nothing.

There was nothing you could do.

You were just a young boy.

You had no weapon.

I'm surprised you and Savannah

survived it at all.

What happened after? I mean...

How did your family deal with it?

Your father?

Who said we told?

You didn't tell?

No one?

You must have told

the police or...

Jesus Christ, Tom.

Mama said, "It's over.

Get these carcasses outside.

Clean up this mess. "

She was insane that night.

"This did not happen.

This did not happen. "

She kept saying it.

Said the minute we talked about it...

...was the minute she stopped

being our mother.

Said morning would come and everything

would look nicer in the sunlight.

And after we buried the bodies...

...I went in there

to check on Savannah...

...to see how she was doing.

She was trying to do

what Mama had said.

Trying to act as if

nothing had happened.

Putting her hair up in rollers.

Only her dress was on

wrong side out.

And when my father came home

for dinner...

...we sat around and ate

as if nothing was wrong.

God help me.

I think the silence was worse

than the rapes.

Three days later, Savannah tried to

kill herself.

She could keep quiet,

but she couldn't lie.

And that's what I like

About the South

Say something, Lowenstein.

How do you feel?

Well, I feel okay.

I mean, I thought I'd be on the floor

after telling you this...

...but I feel surprisingly all right.

You're sure?

I mean...

What am I?

I'm relieved.

The laundry's clean, and the ghost's

out of the closet and I'm-

You've really learned how to

cover your pain.

You've done that all your life.

That 13-year-old boy is

still in a lot of pain.

Don't do this to me, Lowenstein.

Don't do this to me.

I can feel your pain, Tom.

I feel it.

Let yourself feel it.

It takes courage to feel the pain.

You can do it. You can handle it.

Don't be afraid.

It's okay.

You've kept it locked up for so long.

Just let it go.

Let it go.

You have so much to cry about,

don't you?

It's okay.

It's okay.

Feel the pain.

Cry.

Cry.

Feel the pain.

It's the only way to heal yourself.

Just let it go.

Let it go.

I'm too old for this sh*t.

Come on, coach.

Let's do it again.

Out of shape and past your prime?

Come here.

I don't mean anything personal

by this...

...but I'm gonna leave cleat marks

all over your face.

It felt great putting you

on your ass.

All right, you ready?

Set!

Hut!

Go! Come on, come on, come on.

I can't believe I'm being outplayed

by a violinist.

Come on. Give an old man a hand.

Now I'm gonna get you

if I can't teach you football.

Dad.

This is how your mother lets you

spend the summer?

Professor Greenberg said you've

skipped two lessons this week.

I don't like him. He's a creep.

He's strict.

The great teachers usually are.

I'm Tom Wingo, Mr. Woodruff.

Bernard's football coach.

It's a pleasure, Mr. Wingo.

Heard a lot about you.

Let's call it quits.

Go home and practice your fiddle.

Maybe we can

work something out tomorrow.

I had no idea he was so strong.

He's a good football player.

I don't want him playing

the violin with broken fingers.

He said you'd be worried.

He's careful.

He should be worried.

I'm sorry to cut your session short...

...but I've enrolled Bernard

in the last two weeks at Tanglewood.

With a little discipline, he might

actually become a good musician.

You're the maestro.

I'm glad you understand.

Susan and I are having

a dinner party next Friday.

Why don't you join us?

Thanks, I'll look forward to it.

How are you?

Oh, I'm okay.

Good.

How is she?

Considering what she's been through

this week, she's doing very well.

Can I see her?

I think she'd like that.

How you doing, darling?

I'm still here.

So...

So...

I don't know what to say.

Then just let me hold you.

Tom, I'm so sorry I put you

through all this.

No, no, you did me a favor.

But just don't do it again.

I couldn't bear to think of a world

without you in it, sweetheart.

- I hear it's pretty up in Tanglewood.

- Who gives a sh*t?

- I wrote the coach at your school, pal.

- Why?

I told him I was sending back a hell

of a ballplayer. You're a tough kid.

I am?

You took everything I dished out

and came back asking for more.

You're the best coach I ever had.

Well, I'm the only coach you ever had.

No, I mean teacher.

You're the best teacher I ever had.

Thanks. It's been a long time

since a student of mine said that.

Why'd you quit?

I thought I should do

something better with my life.

Like what?

Well, that's a good question.

I'm not sure.

Can't you go back to it?

I don't know if they'd want me.

I could write a letter.

Tell me where to send it.

Thanks, but I want you

to do something else.

Play the violin.

Your father says you're good.

- Here? Now?

- Sure, why not?

Cheer this joint up.

I'm a little embarrassed.

People might think I want them

to throw money.

Well, what's wrong with

a few extra bucks?

I guess I'll play this thing

I've kind of been working on.

All right.

If I could play the violin like that,

I'd never touch a football.

What's wrong with doing both?

Absolutely nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Here you go. Put this on.

You gotta hurry.

Rate this script:1.5 / 2 votes