"A WOMAN
SCORNED"
by
Charles Deemer
3550
SW Pomona St.
Portland, OR 97219-7518
charles@charlesdeemer.com
1-503-452-8277
FADE IN:
INT.
HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - STAGE - NIGHT
A scene
from the play "Medea" by Euripedes.
TRISHA,
playing the lead, is a pretty, blonde high school
senior
wearing exaggerated makeup and a stylized "mad"
hairdo
for her part.
The
actors are near play's end, when Medea is wild and crazy
after
the murder of her children. Trisha
plays the role
with
passion and talent.
TRISHA
No, it was not to be for you to
scorn my love and live happily
ever after, laughing at me.
Medea is
on stage with Jason and The Chorus.
TRISHA
You have no right to call me a
monster.
Jason is
played by JOHN, a tall handsome senior.
JOHN
If you are not, then feel the
same sorrow as I.
TRISHA
I will embrace sorrow when you
cannot mock it.
JOHN
O my children, what a wicked
mother she has been!
TRISHA
No! My children died from a
disease they caught from their
father!
INT.
AUDITORIUM - NIGHT
The
audience, composed largely of parents, teachers and
other
students, watches spell-bound by the performance on
stage.
2.
INT.
STAGE - NIGHT
CHORUS
O your heart is made of rock if
you can kill the fruit of your
womb with your own hands!
INT.
AUDITORIUM - NIGHT
CONNIE,
40ish, and HEATHER, 15, are as wrapped up in the
action
as the rest of the audience. Heather
wears dark
glasses
and has a blind person's cane.
At the
back of the auditorium GREG, 40ish, the director of
the
play, watches on happily. He is fit and
handsome and a
well-liked
drama teacher at Wilson High School in Portland,
Oregon.
Greg
dresses flamboyantly in a style reminiscent of the
sixties,
in jeans and a bright tie-dye shirt. He
is clearly
delighted
with the performance of his students.
INT. THE
STAGE - NIGHT
JOHN
How I loved my children!
TRISHA
No, I loved them more than you.
JOHN
You killed them!
TRISHA
Only to make you feel pain!
CHORUS
And so the gods achieve many
things that we do not understand.
The
LIGHTS COME DOWN on stage as APPLAUSE rises spontaneously
from the
audience.
INT.
AUDITORIUM - NIGHT
The
APPLAUSE continues as parents and teachers and students
rise to
their feet to give the cast a standing ovation.
Connie
whispers something to Heather and then both get to
their
feet to join in the standing ovation.
3.
INT.
STAGE - NIGHT
The
cast, beaming and ecstatic at their success, move
forward
in a choreographed curtain call.
Trisha
and John, hand in hand, move forward to the stage's
edge
together and take their bows as leads.
INT.
DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT
Greg and
his cast are accepting the congratulations of
parents,
students and other well-wishers who crowd into the
hallway
outside the dressing room.
With
Greg is his girlfriend, CHRISTY, 30ish, a wealthy
heiress.
She is over-dressed for a high school play.
CHRISTY
I'll see you at home.
GREG
Aren't you coming to the party?
CHRISTY
This is your night. Party as
late as you want.
She
kisses him on the cheek and moves off, as Trisha's
parents
come forward to shake Greg's hand.
MR. AND
MRS. MORRIS are conservative business types, he in
banking
and she in real estate, who hope their daughter
doesn't
get the theater bug so badly she decides to make a
career
of it.
MR. MORRIS
Well done, well done.
GREG
Thank you. We couldn't have done
it without Trish.
He finds
Trisha in the crowd.
GREG
Trish! Trisha!
Trisha
comes out of the crowd, half her theatrical makeup
off,
part of her costume off, and almost ignoring her
parents
she rushes forward to give Greg an embrace.
GREG
You were really great tonight.
4.
He turns
to the parents.
GREG
Wasn't she spectacular?
MRS. MORRIS
It's such a mature role.
Greg
breaks the embrace.
GREG
I'll tell you, she can go as far
as she wants.
This
isn't what the parents want to hear or have encouraged.
Greg's
good friend and fellow teacher, RAYMOND, 30ish, comes
by.
RAYMOND
Good work as always, buddy.
Great job, Trisha.
TRISHA
Thank you.
GREG
Coming to the party?
RAYMOND
Wouldn't miss it.
He moves
off.
MR. MORRIS
Trisha, we have dinner
reservations. How long will it
take you to change?
TRISHA
Can I meet you there?
Mr.
Morris looks at his watch.
MR. MORRIS
Well, I suppose so, if you don't
keep us waiting - I told you the
recruiter from Penn is in town.
I've arranged for him to join us.
He turns
to Greg.
MR. MORRIS
One of the best marketing
curricula in the country.
5.
TRISHA
I'll meet you there in an hour.
She
makes a move toward Greg.
TRISHA
Tell people at the party I'll be
late.
She
gives the teacher a quick hug and disappears back into
the
crowd.
MRS. MORRIS
This is important, dear!
GREG
They get a little crazy on
closing night.
INT.
DRESSING AREA - NIGHT
Connie
and Heather come through the crowd, Heather feeling
her way
ahead with the cane.
(As we
shall learn, she is not really blind but posing as
Greg's
former blind step-daughter, Annie, as part of an
elaborate
set-up and frame job.)
INT.
DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT
Greg is
shaking hands a final time with the Morris' when he
sees
Connie and Heather as they approach. He
is visibly
startled
to find them here.
GREG
Excuse me.
He moves
toward the approaching pair.
CONNIE
Greg?
GREG
Connie? I don't believe this.
HEATHER
Is it Greg?
Greg
turns to Heather, whom he mistakes for his former step-
daughter.
GREG
Annie?
6.
HEATHER
It is you!
Heather
steps forward, arms reaching outward for the approach
she
cannot see, and Greg moves into her arms.
GREG
Annie, my God! This is incredible.
They
embrace a long moment. Greg is clearly
moved that
"Annie"
is there.
CONNIE
We loved the play. Didn't we,
Annie?
HEATHER
I read it before.
GREG
I didn't even know you were in
town.
CONNIE
Well, if you wrote now and
then...
GREG
Annie, you're so - grown. I
wouldn't have recognized you.
CONNIE
She's fifteen.
HEATHER
Almost sixteen.
GREG
You'll have to excuse me, I'm
just speechless.
CONNIE
Well, it's been what, eight
years?
GREG
I wish you'd've called. I mean,
closing night, it's a zoo around
here.
CONNIE
How about lunch tomorrow?
GREG
Tomorrow?
7.
CONNIE
Unless you're too busy.
GREG
Well, yeah, I can fit that in.
Late, say two?
CONNIE
Where do you recommend?
GREG
Let me think.
CONNIE
You are rattled, aren't you?
I'll think of someplace and leave
a message on your machine. You
do have a machine?
GREG
Well, sure, that'll work. Let me
give you the number.
As he
writes it down, JAY, 50ish, the high school principal,
comes
forward to congratulate Greg.
JAY
Greg, my boy, you've done it again!
Greg
passes over his phone number. Connie
takes Heather's
hand,
and they start to move away.
JAY
How you get that quality of
performances out of these kids is
beyond me - but, yessiree, you've
done the magic number one more
time!
Greg
calls after Connie.
GREG
Leave a message on my machine!
INT.
BACKSTAGE AREA - HALLWAY - NIGHT
Greg is
closing up the theater building. He
walks down a
hallway
to the door to the men's dressing room, opens it and
sticks
his head in.
GREG
Anybody home?
No one
answers. Greg reaches inside and turns
out the light.
8.
He
continues down the hallway to the women's dressing room,
opens
it, sticks his head in and looks around.
A SHOWER
is running and the room is full of STEAM.
INT.
WOMEN'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT
Greg
steps inside.
GREG
Hello! Time to close up in here!
The
shower stops.
GREG
Hello? Who's in here, please?
TRISHA (O.C.)
I'll just be a minute!
GREG
Trish, is that you?
There is
no response.
GREG
Trish, I've got to close up. And
you're late, your parents are
waiting for you.
He looks
toward the shower area, which is still filled with
steam. Out of the steam comes Trisha now,
naked. She
slowly
walks toward Greg.
GREG
Trish, you'd better get dressed.
You're late.
She
continues her approach.
GREG
I'll wait outside.
As he
turns to go, Trisha rushes to him and embraces him
from
behind, naked and still wet.
Greg
turns, trying to get free, and when they are face to
face,
Trisha plants a passionate kiss on his lips.
It takes
some effort for him to break free. Then
they are
face to
face again.
GREG
Trisha, Jesus . . .
9.
TRISHA
I love you.
She
tries to embrace him again but Greg pulls away.
GREG
I'll be in my office. We need to
talk.
He
hurries out of there.
INT. THE
HALLWAY - NIGHT
Greg
emerges from the dressing room. He
clearly is upset
about
what happened with Trisha in the shower.
INT.
HIGH SCHOOL - GREG'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Trisha
is seated at Greg's desk, bent forward with her head
on her
arms, weeping. She's wearing jeans and
a sweatshirt.
A black
party dress, fresh from the cleaners,
is draped
over the
desk.
Greg is
nervously pacing back and forth.
GREG
It's not what you think, Trisha.
Come on now.
TRISHA
You don't love me.
GREG
I do love you. But there's love
and there's love.
TRISHA
You don't.
GREG
Remember when we studied Greek
culture for the play? How they
had three words for love?
Fidelia, eros and agape? Well,
we are in the fidelia category.
We can love one another as friends.
As he
speaks, Trisha cries even harder. Greg
is beside
himself,
not knowing how to handle her.
10.
GREG
And agape, too, okay? Spiritual
love. Because I do have a very
special feeling for you, Trisha.
Honestly I do.
Trisha
moves up off the desk and looks at him.
Without
makeup,
her face streaked with tears, she looks even younger
than she
is.
GREG
You're very special to me.
TRISHA
But I love you.
GREG
I accept that - as fidelia, as
agape. I love you, too.
She gets
up and moves into his arms. They
embrace. Greg at
first
holds back but finally is hugging her in return.
Then he
breaks the embrace.
GREG
Get dressed, your parents are
expecting you.
Trisha
tries to smile, and Greg touches her cheek.
GREG
That's better. You are special
to me, Trish.
INT.
PARTY HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Loud
music blasts from a phonograph.
Students are drinking
pop and
dancing.
INT. THE
KITCHEN - NIGHT
Greg is
sipping a beer and watching the dancing in the
living
room through the open door. Then he
sees Trisha enter.
INT. THE
LIVING ROOM
Trisha
looks beautiful now, dressed in a black party dress
which
perfectly accentuates her blonde hair and blue eyes.
INT. THE
KITCHEN
Raymond
taps Greg on the shoulder.
11.
RAYMOND
Get you a beer?
GREG
I'm out of here.
RAYMOND
Already?
Greg
raises his empty beer bottle to the cast members in the
kitchen.
GREG
To a job well done!
Spontaneous
CHEERING breaks out.
Greg
maveuvers to go out the back door. He
disappears just
as
Trisha enters the kitchen.
Trisha
watches Greg go. She looks hurt.
John
moves up beside Trisha and clearly has a crush on her.
JOHN
Hi, Trish. I was hoping you'd
finally get here.
But
Trisha looks lost in thought, staring at the spot where
Greg
disappeared.
EXT. THE
BLUE DOLPHIN RESTAURANT - DAY
The
small French restaurant is in the hills outside Portland,
overlooking
the Willamette River.
INT.
RESTAURANT - DINING AREA - DAY
Greg and
Connie are seated in a table by the window
overlooking
the river.
A WAITER
is pouring wine. When he finishes, he
puts the
bottle
in an ice bucket by the table and leaves.
Connie
raises her glass.
CONNIE
To what?
GREG
Surprises.
CONNIE
Reunions.
12.
They
touch glasses and sip.
GREG
I'm sorry Annie couldn't come.
CONNIE
She wants to spend more time with
you, too.
GREG
She's so grown.
CONNIE
They do that.
GREG
Almost sixteen, huh? Amazing.
CONNIE
Greg, if you want to spend more
time with her, you can. She
feels closer to you than to her
real father. Or to Roger, for
that matter.
GREG
I've missed her, actually.
CONNIE
Listen, Roger has a friend with a
beach house. We'd like to get
away to San Francisco for a day.
His friend would fly us.
GREG
Sounds like you're mixing with
the right people.
CONNIE
I'll ignore that. How would you
like to babysit? Just for a
night. Roger's in the middle of
some kind of business thing, he
can't get away for longer than
that. But you know how I love
San Francisco.
GREG
I remember.
CONNIE
You'll love the beach house.
It'll give you and Ann time to
get re-acquainted.
13.
GREG
Well, sure, I'd like that.
EXT. THE
OREGON COAST - DAY
Greg's
VW bus is driving along the Oregon coast highway. The
view
beyond the highway is spectacular, with magestic rocks
jutting
up out of the ocean under a clear blue sky.
INT.
GREG'S VAN - DAY
Early
Bob Dylan is playing on his car stereo and Greg
listens
thoughtfully. He takes a deep
breath. His face
reflects
a certain nervousness.
EXT.
OREGON COAST - BEACH HOUSE - DAY
Greg
pulls into the driveway of a modern beach house
overlooking
a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean, isolated
and
without close neighbors.
Greg
gets out and climbs the steps to the front door.
EXT.
BEACH HOUSE - PORCH - DAY
Greg
knocks, then knocks again. He moves to
look through
the
large bay windows facing the porch, cupping his eyes to
look
inside.
He
knocks once more, louder. He tries the
door, and it is
unlocked. He opens it and walks in.
INT.
BEACH HOUSE - ENTRANCE WAY - DAY
Greg
stands inside the door.
GREG
Annie? Anybody home?
He moves
tentatively into the house.
INT. THE
BEACH HOUSE - DAY
Looking
for "Annie," Greg moves through the house, which is
tastefully
decorated with modern art and furniture.
As he
enters the large living room, he notices a deck
outside
and heads for the glass doors which lead to it.
There,
looking outside, he sees Heather alone in a hot tub
on the
deck.
Heather
is naked but still wearing her dark glasses, alone
in the
hot tub which overlooks the ocean.
14.
Greg
slides open the door and goes out onto the deck.
EXT. THE
DECK - DAY
Heather
hears the door open and turns to it.
HEATHER
Is that you, Greg?
GREG
Sure is.
HEATHER
You're late.
GREG
I got lost.
HEATHER
Come on in. Put your clothes on
the bench.
Greg
sees the bench that runs along the outside wall of the
house. Heather's clothes are laid out there.
He moves
to the bench and starts to undress.
HEATHER
We have suits if you're not into
nudity.
The
remark surprises Greg, who is still remembering her as a
little
girl.
GREG
Au naturel is fine.
He
continues to undress.
EXT. THE
HOT TUB - DAY
Naked,
Greg slips into the hot tub across from Heather. The
water is
hotter than he anticipated.
GREG
Oooo . . .
HEATHER
You'll get used to it.
She
smiles in his direction.
15.
HEATHER
I'm really glad to be able to
spend some time with you, Greg.
GREG
Me, too.
He is
obviously feeling awkward, naked in a hot tub with a
girl on
the brink of womanhood.
EXT.
MAIN ROAD - DAY
On the
main road outside the beach house, a distance from
the
driveway, a car pulls over.
FINLEY,
40ish, a photographer, gets out and walks to the
trunk.
He opens
the trunk and takes out camera gear.
Gear in hand,
he
closes the trunk and moves toward the beach house.
EXT. THE
HOT TUB - DAY
Heather
is slowly moving around the circumference of the hot
tub
toward Greg. He is moving away at the
same rate.
HEATHER
How old was I when you left?
GREG
Around eight.
HEATHER
Have I changed?
GREG
Of course you've changed. What
kind of question is that?
HEATHER
Have you changed?
GREG
Yeah, I've changed, too.
HEATHER
Do you have gray hair?
GREG
No, I don't have gray hair.
HEATHER
Why do you keep moving away? I
want to feel your face.
16.
Greg
stops, and Heather comes around the circumference to
catch up
with him, stopping right beside him.
She reaches
out and
slowly feels his face, exploring it.
HEATHER
You have changed. You feel older.
GREG
That's because I am older.
HEATHER
Are you sorry you left us?
GREG
Annie, what happened had to
happen.
HEATHER
I really missed you.
GREG
I missed you, too.
EXT.
OUTSIDE THE BEACH HOUSE - DAY
Finley
continues to approach the house along an embankment
and
reaches a spot now where he gets a good view of the hot
tub. He stops, checking out an unobstructed view
of the hot
tub,
where Greg and Heather are standing close.
Satisfied
with his position, Finley unloads the camera gear
and
prepares to shoot.
EXT. THE
HOT TUB - DAY
Heather
still stands close to Greg, who appears very nervous.
Under
the water, her hand glances against his genitals.
She
giggles. Greg immediately moves away.
HEATHER
What's the matter?
GREG
That wasn't nice.
HEATHER
Who wants to be nice?
GREG
I want to be nice. I'm getting
out.
She
moves across the hot tub toward him, reaching him before
he
climbs out. She embraces him and their
mouths meet.
17.
EXT.
ALONG THE EMBANKMENT - DAY
Finley
is shooting pictures, one after the other.
He grins
with
satisfaction.
FINLEY
Now we're cooking, honey - now
we're cooking.
EXT. THE
HOT TUB - DAY
Heather
is kissing Greg passionately. Finally
he pulls back.
GREG
We shouldn't be doing this.
HEATHER
I missed you so much . . .
GREG
Annie, this isn't right. I'm
practically your father.
HEATHER
Not my real dad.
HEATHER
Don't you think I'm attractive?
GREG
Of course you're attractive.
HEATHER
You just feel sorry for me.
GREG
That has nothing to do with it.
She
again embraces him, kissing him passionately.
EXT.
ALONG THE EMBANKMENT - DAY
Finley
is still snapping away. He is visibly
pleased with
the
results he's getting.
EXT. THE
HOT TUB - DAY
Heather
moves close to whisper to Greg.
HEATHER
Sit up on the edge. I want to go
down on you.
18.
GREG
No!
Heather
makes a move to do so anyway, going underwater, her
hands up
on his chest.
EXT.
ALONG THE EMBANKMENT - DAY
FINLEY
All right, all right . . .!
He
continues shooting pictures.
EXT. THE
HOT TUB - DAY
Greg
pulls away and jumps up out of the hot tub.
Heather
surfaces.
GREG
No, goddamn it, this is wrong!
He moves
away, looking confused and upset. He
goes to the
bench
and starts dressing without drying off.
GREG
I didn't come here to seduce you,
for Christ's sake.
HEATHER
I was seducing you.
GREG
And you shouldn't be. Jesus.
HEATHER
So pretend I'm older.
GREG
I'll be inside.
Half-dressed,
he moves into the house.
EXT. ON
THE EMBANKMENT - DAY
Finley
stops shooting. He looks delighted with
what he's
been
able to get on film.
FINLEY
Honey, you ought to be in
pictures.
19.
INT.
BEACH HOUSE - DINING ROOM - EVENING
Greg and
Heather sit across the dining room table from one
another,
in the middle of an awkward dinner.
Greg is in the
clothes
he arrived in. Heather is wearing a
robe. As ever,
she has
the dark glasses on.
HEATHER
So shoot me or something.
GREG
I'm not going to shoot you.
HEATHER
You might as well - you won't
talk to me.
GREG
Frankly, I don't know what to say
to you. How the hell's a girl
your age know about stuff like
that?
HEATHER
I know a lot more than that.
EXT.
BEACH HOUSE - OUTSIDE DINING ROOM - EVENING
Finley
is taking photos of their dinner through a window.
INT.
DINING ROOM - EVENING
Greg is
pouring himself some more wine.
HEATHER
Don't I get any?
GREG
You're too young.
Heather
gets up from the table and, feeling her way, fetches
a wine
glass, comes back and, feeling along the table, finds
the
bottle and pours herself wine.
HEATHER
You're really a geek.
GREG
Why, because I won't screw you?
You're practically my daughter.
HEATHER
If I'm your daughter, how come
you never wrote us?
20.
Greg
looks a little guilty and does not reply.
HEATHER
I'm not a virgin.
GREG
Yeah, I got the impression you
aren't.
HEATHER
This is going to be a great
weekend.
GREG
Tell me about it.
HEATHER
What are you afraid of?
GREG
Who the hell are you? Where's
the cute little eight-year-old I
knew? You sound like a hooker.
HEATHER
You sound like a dinosaur.
GREG
I'm going to watch television.
He moves
away from the table. Heather pours
herself some
more
wine.
EXT. THE
HIGHWAY - NIGHT
Finley
is putting the camera gear into the trunk of his car
when
another car approaches and pulls up behind him. He
recognizes
it and walks to the driver's window.
The
other car is driven by Connie.
CONNIE
Did you get them?
FINLEY
Couldn't have been better.
CONNIE
You have everything we need?
FINLEY
Hey, the kid's a natural.
21.
CONNIE
Good.
She
backs up and pulls back onto the highway, continuing
ahead to
the beach house.
INT.
BEACH HOUSE - DEN - NIGHT
Greg is
watching television. The front door
opens and
Connie
walks in.
Greg
gets up and meets her in the living room off the
entranceway.
INT.
BEACH HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Greg
starts to speak but is cut off by Connie.
CONNIE
Surprise, surprise. There ought
to be a law against those goddamn
portable telephones. We're
halfway to San Francisco and
Roger gets an urgent call, and we
have to turn back. So much for a
weekend in the city. Where's
Annie?
GREG
In her room.
CONNIE
How are you two getting along?
GREG
It's a long story.
CONNIE
Sounds like she got in one of her
moods. Their age, they can pout
for days at a time.
GREG
Listen, since you're here, I
think I'll drive on home.
CONNIE
You don't have to go. There's a
guest room you can use. Spend
the weekend. Roger won't be long.
I want you to meet him.
22.
GREG
To tell the truth, I can use the
time to grade papers this
weekend.
Greg
moves quickly, heading for the door.
CONNIE
You can grade papers here. I
can't believe you didn't bring
your work. Don't you think the
house is gorgeous?
GREG
Too gorgeous. It's a distraction.
Listen, I really appreciate
everything, I ah, I'll call you -
I don't have your number, you
call me.
CONNIE
Greg? Did something happen
between you and Ann?
GREG
Of course not. It's just been,
you know, so long - we hardly
know one another any more.
CONNIE
What did you expect?
GREG
Gorgeous house, really. Thanks
for everything. Give me a call.
He leaves.
Connie
moves to the window to watch him go to his car.
EXT.
BEACH HOUSE - NIGHT
Greg
gets into his car and backs out the driveway.
INT.
BEACH HOUSE - ENTRANCEWAY - NIGHT
Connie
turns away from the front window to find Heather
behind
her.
CONNIE
How'd it go?
HEATHER
Just like you said it would.
23.
She
takes off her dark glasses.
Without
the glasses on, Heather's eyes are clear, and
obviously
she is not blind.
Heather
smiles at Connie.
EXT.
HIGH SCHOOL STADIUM - FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY
STUDENTS
in caps and gowns march to music played by the
school
band. Graduation ceremonies are under
way.
EXT.
HIGH SCHOOL STADIUM - BLEACHERS - DAY
Greg and
Christy sit in the bleachers, watching the ceremony.
It's a
beautiful day, and the excitement and joy in the air
are
palpable.
EXT. A
STREET OUTSIDE THE STADIUM - DAY
A car
slowly moves down a street outside the stadium.
INT. THE
CAR - DAY
The car
is occupied by two MEN dressed in suits.
Their
demeanor
suggests "the law."
EXT.
PARKING LOT OUTSIDE STADIUM - DAY
The car
pulls into the parking lot and drives close to the
stadium,
finally parking illegally. The two men
get out.
One of
the men has a manilla envelope. He
takes a photograph
out of
it.
INSERT:
THE PHOTOGRAPH
It is a
photo of Greg and Heather in the hot tub, nude, the
teenager
smiling and standing very close to him.
EXT.
PARKING LOT - DAY
The men
are perusing the photograph.
FIRST OFFICER
Guys like him make me puke.
They
enter the stadium.
EXT.
FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY
After
the ceremonies, parents and friends come onto the
field to
congratulate the graduating seniors, who beam in
their
caps and gowns.
24.
Greg is
giving Trisha a big hug as Christy and her parents
watch. Mr. Morris has a camera.
TRISHA
Take my picture with Greg.
GREG
Hey, I may break the camera.
TRISHA
Don't be silly.
Trisha
puts her arm in his in a pose suggesting they are a
couple,
rather than teacher and student.
Mr.
Morris takes position to snap the photo.
TRISHA
I'll put it on my desk in the
dorm.
MRS. MORRIS
Then Greg can take one of us.
Across
the way, the police officers work their way through
the
crowd, looking for Greg. One of them
sees him.
SECOND OFFICER
Over there.
They
move off.
Greg has
just snapped the family photo.
GREG
Good show.
The two
officers move into the scene.
FIRST OFFICER
Gregory Barstow?
GREG
Yes.
The
first officer flashes his badge.
FIRST OFFICER
You're under arrest.
GREG
Pardon me?
25.
FIRST OFFICER
Please come with us, sir. We'd
like to make as quiet a scene
here as possible.
Christy
butts in.
CHRISTY
You can't just barge in here like
this.
SECOND OFFICER
Please, ma'am.
GREG
Christy, I'll handle it. I'm
sure there's some mistake here.
What's the charge?
SECOND OFFICER
If you'd come with us, please.
GREG
I want to know the charge.
The
first officer smiles, looking like he is enjoying this.
FIRST OFFICER
Let's call it "moral
turpitude."
You ready to come with us now?
Greg
looks stunned by the charge. The
officers start to
lead him
away.
CHRISTY
Don't say a word until I call my
lawyer.
TRISHA
What is going on?
Trisha
makes a move to go after Greg but is stopped by her
father.
Christy
moves to Trisha, comforting her, and they all watch
the
officers lead Greg away.
EXT.
PORTLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT - DAY
Police
headquarters is located in the new City Hall building
downtown.
26.
INT.
POLICE HEADQUARTERS - LARGE ROOM - DAY
Greg,
sitting at a conference table, is looking through the
photographs
of himself and Heather in the hot tub.
Across
from him sits DETECTIVE VILLANOVA, 60ish, a hard-
looking
veteran close to retirement age.
DETECTIVE VILLANOVA
So you going to tell me you have
a twin or what?
GREG
It's me. But nothing happened.
DETECTIVE VILLANOVA
That's not what the girl or her
mother says.
GREG
As soon as Annie made advances, I
was out of there. We barely
talked to one another the rest of
the evening.
DETECTIVE VILLANOVA
Who's Annie?
GREG
What do you mean, who's Annie?
The girl. My former
step-daughter.
DETECTIVE VILLANOVA
I don't know about step-daughters
but this here is Heather Swanson.
GREG
That's ridiculous.
DETECTIVE VILLANOVA
She and her mother--
GREG
Her mother is my ex-wife, Connie.
I'm not sure what last name she's
using now. She may have remarried.
DETECTIVE VILLANOVA
Charges were filed by one Ms.
Judi Swanson, in behalf of her
daughter, Heather. Here, look
for yourself.
27.
He
passes a sheet of paper to Greg, who grabs it.
He is
visibly
shocked at what he reads.
GREG
This is-- . . . Christ, I don't
know what it is. A set-up or
something. Who took these
photographs?
Villanova
smiles at him.
GREG
This girl is my step-daughter,
and she's blind. Look, see the
dark glasses?
DETECTIVE VILLANOVA
Maybe she thinks she's cool.
GREG
She's blind, damn it!
DETECTIVE VILLANOVA
She wasn't blind when I talked to
her the other day. She told her
story looking me straight in the
eye.
INT.
POLICE HEADQUARTERS - JAIL CELL - EVENING
Greg is
alone in his cell. Down the hallway, a
jail door
opens
and shuts with a loud clanging noise.
Greg
moves to the bars to see who is coming.
It is Jay, the
principal
of the high school, who is escorted to the cell by
a police
officer.
JAY
I'm sorry I couldn't get here
earlier.
Jay
enters the cell, which the police officer closes behind
him. The officer leaves.
JAY
I had a larger room in grad
school.
GREG
I don't know what the hell's
going on, Jay.
JAY
If I could believe you, that
would be a relief.
28.
GREG
I'm innocent, goddamn it!
JAY
Greg, you're a very talented
teacher but your lifestyle . . .
you know I never approved of you
moving in with Christy. It sets
a bad role model. And now this.
GREG
I've never heard of this
girl. I
thought it was my step-daughter.
Ex-step-daughter. And nothing
happened between us.
JAY
I want to believe that. Christy
will pay your bail, of course.
They wouldn't let both of us in
to see you.
GREG
Are you telling me I can get out
of here?
JAY
It shouldn't be long. I just
wanted to come by and see for
myself.
GREG
Jay, I'm innocent.
JAY
Good. Good.
INT.
JAIL - PRISONER INTAKE AREA - NIGHT
A POLICE
OFFICER is giving Greg some personal possessions
that
were taken from him.
In the
adjacent waiting area, Christy and Raymond are
waiting
for him. When Greg has his things, he
joins them.
GREG
Let's get the hell out of here.
EXT.
POLICE HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT
Greg,
Christy and Raymond come out of the building.
29.
GREG
Half a day in there feels like
eternity.
RAYMOND
Where to?
GREG
My car's still at school.
RAYMOND