Witness Page #18

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99 INT. CARPENTRY SHOP, LAPP FARM - DAY

99

Book works on repairing the broken birdhouse when

Rachel enters.

BOOK:

He uses a drawknife on a piece of 2x4, with some

obvious expertise.

RACHEL:

Eli is a fine carpenter. Best in

the district. He and his father

built the big house themselves

forty years ago.

BOOK:

Oh?

(and)

What happened to Hochstetler?

RACHEL:

We had some lemonade and he left.

BOOK:

A real fireball.

Rachel smiles. Book crosses to a workbench and selects

another tool.

RACHEL:

You know carpentry?

BOOK:

I did some carpentry summers when

I was going to school.

RACHEL:

What else can you do?

BOOK:

(really annoyed)

I can whack people.

I'm hell at whacking.

RACHEL:

Whacking is not of much use on a

farm.

BOOK:

Now hold on. There's a lot of

people who think being a cop is a

legitimate job.

RACHEL:

I'm sorry. I'm sure it is.

She turns, starts to go. Then turns back, eyeing his

makeshift garb:

RACHEL:

(continuing)

Tonight I'll let out those

trousers for you.

Stifling a smile, she goes. HOLD on Book a beat,

then...

CUT TO:

100 INT. LAPP FARMHOUSE - DINING ROOM

100

Eli is seated at the head of the table, Book opposite

Samuel and Rachel. The table is piled high with an

incredible amount of food. Eli eyes Book cagily, waves

his fork at him:

ELI:

Eat up, Book. What's the matter

with your appetite?

BOOK:

Guess I'm not used to so much.

ELI:

(snorts)

Not used to hard work. That's

what makes an appetite.

Book swallows that one. With difficulty. Rachel

intervenes:

RACHEL:

Eli, John is a carpenter.

(conciliatory after-

thought)

As well as being a fine policeman.

ELI:

Eh? Well then, maybe he can go to

Zook's barn-raising, eh? See

how good a carpenter.

Book can't refuse the challenge.

BOOK:

Sure.

RACHEL:

But . . . You may not be well enough.

BOOK:

I'll drink some more of Stoltzfus'

tea.

100A EXT./INT BARN - NIGHT

101A

As Rachel, lamp in hand, walks up to the barn She

looks in to find Book tinkering with the battery hookup

to the Lapp buggy.

He glances up as she enters:

BOOK:

Hi . . .

As she sets her lamp down near the one he's using.

RACHEL:

(beat)

When will you be going?

BOOK:

Not long . . . A few days.

Another beat as Rachel watches him . . . Book,

checking

out the battery power, hits the radio - and suddenly

from the Twentieth Century comes the sound of one of

its major inventions - rock and roll.

It fills the barn, but Book turns up the volume a

click more even and, eyeing Rachel, starts moving

with

the beat. It's his culture, coming through loud and

clear, as incongruous as it all might seem with the

tough Philly cop decked out in Amish.

Rachel can't help but laugh . . . Sensing her response,

Book sweeps her up and they boogie in the lamplight,

Rachel alternately protesting and laughing.

BOOK (CONT'D)

You like it . . . Don't you?

Rachel, confused, protests:

RACHEL:

No . . . You just stop -

But she doesn't really want too Book grins:

BOOK:

(mock alarm)

Next thing you know you'll be off

drinking beer and racing motor-

cycles.

And it goes on . . . Rachel alternately protesting and

laughing.

ANGLE - THE BARN DOOR

As Eli suddenly appears. He glowers for an instant,

thunderstruck, then BELLOWS:

ELI:

Rachel -- !

THE SCENE:

As Book and Rachel's dancing comes to a sudden halt.

Both turn, look at Eli. Rachel regards him level-

eyed, without discernible alarm. Book, looking a

bit sheepish, goes over, turns off the radio, as:

ELI (CONT.)

(in the dialect)

What is this? This Myusick?

Book hesitates, then starts to say something:

BOOK:

It's not her fault. I --

But he gets such a look from Eli that he turns, goes

out.

ELI:

(in the dialect)

How can this be? How can you do

such a thing? Is this plain?

Is this the ordnung?

RACHEL:

I have done nothing against

the ordnung.

ELI:

(in the dialect)

Eh? Nothing? Rachel, you

bring this man to our house.

With his gun of the hand. you

bring fear to this house. Fear

of English with guns coming

after. You bring blood and

whispers of more blood. Now

English music...and you are

dancing to English music! And

you call this nothing?

RACHEL:

I have committed no sin.

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