Post by djblue on May 18, 2006 1:43:38 GMT -5
FADE IN
Ext: Front Porch of a Log House in a Forest - Dusk
Anthony Douglas sits on his porch in Flagstaff, Arizona, his Newfoundland, Bear, lying at his feet and his German Shepherd, Sarge, lying by the door. Anthony's wearing a black "Anthony Douglas" Baseball jersey, blue jeans, black boots and his black cowboy hat as he sips sweet tea from an oversized tumbler. A peaceful, almost serene look crosses his face as he watches the sun dip below the Ponderosa Pines and Douglas Fir Trees of the Coconino National Forest in the western sky. From inside the house, there is the sound of a baseball game on the television.
ANTHONY (V.O.)
Somewhere there is a peace. Somewhere out in the world, there is the peace of mind that has eluded me for over a decade. I don't know how to find this, but I will. I have to. I've almost destroyed myself looking.
Anthony turns his head and looks to see Melissa watching a Diamondback game on FSN-Arizona.
ANTHONY (V.O.)
I am wondering if she is the peace I am looking for. Could the person I've pushed away for nearly a month be the peace of mind and the way to forget?
ISABELLA (O.C.)
I don't think you want to forget, Anthony.
ANTHONY
(turns his head)
All I want to do is forget.
ISABELLA
(leaning on the railing)
Why? What could you possibly get by forgetting your family?
ANTHONY
I want to wake up and no see myself holding a load gun in my hand. I want to forget my. . .
ISABELLA
Your pain? You weren't part of the accident. You didn't cause it. You just watched it.
ANTHONY
(quietly)
It should have been me.
ISABELLA
What?
ANTHONY
(yelling)
It should have been me!!!
Isabella looks at Anthony, confused. She tries to hold Anthony's hand, but he pulls away.
ANTHONY
I should have been in the car, but I told Mom to go to hell. "I'm not going to pick up Dad. I hate the son of a bitch." Mom looked at me like I tore her heart out and said. . .
CUT TO: FLASHBACK
Anthony's Mom stands in his door way. Anthony sits at his desk, 16 again.
MOM
You can't possibly mean what you said.
ANTHONY
Why don't I have to mean it? I meant it! His work is more important than I am. He puts everyone before us. Hell, he hasn't been to one of my football games. . .but he goes to ever damn dinner he can so he can beg people for money for some stupid cause he in Tucson. When will my family give a sh*t about me?
MOM
(about to cry)
Your father runs Kino Hospital (OOC: Kino Hospital is the only public hospital in Southern Arizona. It deals with the poor mostly). He hosts fund raisers for St. Jude's. He works with the Chi Omega sorority to enable their St. Jude's fundraisers. That man is important to many people and, yes, he does alot.
ANTHONY
I don't want to deal with this. I don't want to talk to you and I certainly don't want to be around him.
MOM
(sighs)
Fine. . .I'll pick him up. I didn't raise my son to be selfish.
ANTHONY
At least one of you raised me.
MOM
That's it. I'm not going to put up with this!
ANTHONY
Then leave then!
Mom walks out of the room.
ANTHONY (V.O.)
The last thing I said to her was "then leave." I never got a good bye, I never got to apologize. I never got to redeem myself. I should have been in the crash, not her. . .not Dad, and not you, Izzy.
CUT TO: REAL TIME
ISABELLA
You have a second chance. That young woman in there watching baseball. She's your second chance, Anthony.
ANTHONY
I'm afraid I'll do the same thing again. I've pushed everyone way.
ISABELLA
Sometimes, you have to fall. In order to know how a skinned knee feels. Why don't you go in there?
Anthony looks in the living room. As he turns around, Isabella is gone.
ANTHONY (V.O.)
This is odd. I should be in Seth's shoes right now. . .crying and drinking my life away in some skid row bar. I'd normally want to tell him how much of a jackass he looks like and how his clothing is in a nice shade of bitch, but, I understand him. His life is falling apart. Seth, don't look for sympathy from me. You're not going to find any. I wouldn't spit in your mouth if you were dying of thirst or piss on you if you were on fire. Fact of the matter is, son. . .you sit there and bitch about how you don't have a family to look forward to now, so you're going to cry and bitch? You dragged my family's name and memory through the mud in the HHW. Just because your whore of a wife slept with a fake elven piece of trash doesn't excuse sh*t!!! Right now, I watch your fall apart, and I try to look for empathy, but I remember too well how much you went out of your way to sh*t on my family. F*ck your tears. . .be a man. Stand up and be a G-d damn man! I've lived with nothing for over 10 years. Funny how you lose for life just as I find mine. Remember, back in the HHW, I took my .44 desert eagle and shot up your poster? You wanted homicide. . .At the PPV, that's what you've got. Sad thing is, Seth. . .you are looking for redemption, and I found mine. She's sitting in my living room, watching baseball. Yours was hoping from bed to bed, shacking up with a fake Elven sack of sh*t! Cry me a f*cking river, bitch. Karma's a bitch, kid.
Anthony stands up and walks into the living room. The two dogs follow. Bear licks Melissa's face and lies down at the foot of a sofa. Sarge jumps on a recliner and falls asleep. Anthony sits on the sofa.
ANTHONY
Who's winning?
MELISSA
Not us.
ANTHONY
Care to join me?
Melissa looks at Anthony strangely. This is not a request Anthony would make normally. She stands up and sits next to Anthony, resting her head on his chest under his arm. Anthony picks up a remote control, presses a button and the fireplace turns on. He turns off the lamp, and only the TV and the fire are the light in the house.
The camera pans to a picture of Anthony's family, who are smiling.
FADE TO BLACK