John From Cincinnati
(Episode 3)

Watch the trailer

(Open at the hospital with everyone in place from episode 2. Butchie, Cissy and Dr Smith are standing by the nurses station talking as Bill slowly exits Shaun’s room. Bill is side-stepping around the group when he speaks.)

Bill: He’s much improved, Shaun, he’s well. (Smith turns and hurries into the room) I had Zippy kiss him. Thought I’d take a shot.

(Smith is in Shaun’s room and finds him with his eyes open)

Smith: Hi Shaun. My name’s Dr Smith. You got hurt a few hours ago surfing. Um… I’m going to ask you to do a few things for me OK? If you understand me just blink once for yes and twice for no. Do you understand me?

Shaun: (one blink)

Smith: (stifles a laugh) OK!

(Outside in the hall with Cissy and Butchie)

Butchie: I’m goin’ in there.

Cissy: No, you’re not. (whispering)

Butchie: (whispering) Well if he hasn’t come out in a couple minutes I’m goin’ back in there. (pauses) Pretty quick.

(Cut to the parking lot, we see Freddy sitting alone in his car watching the hospital doors. Freddy is listening to the car radio, closed captioning refers to the music as “new-age music”)

Freddy: She’s got some voice on her, this girl. Like the girl in the Phantom of the Opera. I had tickets twice…see the show. (He looks over to see the news crews in the parking lot) Oh yeah, here’s some blood-drinkin’ vampire cocksucker on sale for half a ham sandwich. (He looks back to see Mitch exiting the hospital) Oh, god hail Christ. (Mitch is peeking around a corner and sees the reporters). Pray for yourself you don’t see this man you fuckin’ vampire reptiles, cause I will cut you into 50 fuckin’ pieces before you get your first question out. (Mitch pauses and stands out of view of the reporters)

(Cut back to Shaun in bed. Dr Smith is clearly happy about Shaun’s “recovery”)

Smith: Ahhhh, well you see perfectly fine to me Shaun. I know that tube is uncomfortable for you. I’m going to go outside and tell your family how you’re doing, then I’m going to come back in and I’ll take that out for you, OK?

Shaun: (One blink)

Smith: (No longer able to contain himself, he laughs) OK!

(Smith exits the room, briefly speaks to the nurse who goes into the room as Smith approaches the Yosts).

Smith: (voice quivering) Shaun has recovered. Once I get the tube out of his throat, I’ll come back out and we should talk. (Cissy and Butchie are stunned)

Cissy: We can’t come in now?

Smith: (Hurrying back to the room) No, not till the tube’s out, it can be uncomfortable for relatives to watch. (He goes back into the room, we see Bill peering into his jacket pocket)

Bill: (to Zippy) You’re gonna pay for that pal. (to the others) Bird shit in my pocket.

(Camera pans around the hall, we see Linc standing alone, and we see Kai and John standing against a wall. )

John: I took a dump. Zippy kissed him. Shaun’s much improved and well. Bill thought he’d give it a shot. Shit in Bill’s pocket. No-no, I got my eye on you! (Looking over at Linc) The end is near.

Linc: I know, you told me.

John: (to Kai) I’d like to bone you Kai.

Kai: You are one smooth talkin’ city dude. (They smile and laugh while Linc watches)

(Cut back to the parking lot, we see Mitch is still lurking to avoid the reporters. Freddy is watching as Cass exits the hospital and sees Mitch)

Freddy: Oh, who’s this now? (she’s approaching Mitch) Ah, shit.

Cass: (to Mitch) Do you mind?

Mitch: These reporters around the corner, I’m just working up to making a break for the parking garage.

Cass: Can I ask how your grandson’s doing?

Mitch: (pauses) He’s gonna die. And my wife doesn’t want me up there. (makes a realization and sighs) I gotta leave her the car.

Cass: I can give you a ride, if you want. I’ll bring my car around, we can go out the other way. (she pauses, then leaves. Mitch watches her walk away, then turns and follows)

Freddy: (apparently to the radio) Huh, that’s where the blind dego’s supposed to come in. What is this, a different version? Ehhhhh.

(Cut back to Dr Smith with the Yosts and Bill in the hallway)

Smith: When I examined Shaun on admission, his neck was broken. His spinal cord was severed, and there was no brain function. You grandson had passed away, by every meaningful measure, but now he has come alive, showing no sign of any of those injuries. (Everyone looks at each other, this is not sinking in yet)

Cissy: How badly damaged is his brain?

Smith: He’s fully responsive, and the monitor’s showing normal electrical activity. Everything that should move, does. (sighs) I don’t think his brain is damaged at all.

Butchie: Well how long is he going to have to stay in here?

Smith: This is a very important and delicate part of this conversation. (Butchie and Bill back away) (to Cissy) No hospital is equipped to deal with what happened to your grandson. If he stays, what’ll happen to him here is in the hospital’s interest and will be of no benefit to him.

Cissy: So you’re saying we should take him home.

Smith: As a physician, I can’t say that to you. (silence while they consider what he has said)

(Butchie is peeking into Shaun’s room to see Shaun drinking from a straw)

Butchie: What’s the word, kurd!

Shaun: Hey dad!

(Cut to Freddy in the parking lot as a car is pulling in along side his car)

Freddy: Here’s this fucking idiot. (A shadey looking guy exits the car and moves over to Freddy’s car, standing silently outside the car window. Freddy looks straight ahead)

Freddy: Are ya gonna get in the fuckin’ car?

Palaka: Well I – I didn’t know if ya saw me, cause I didn’t wanna frighten you.

Freddy: (pauses, still looking ahead) Well are ya gonna get in? (he gets in)

Palaka: How ya doin’? How’s the flight, guy?

Freddy: Gimme your hand. (he takes Palaka’s hand and smashes it hard against the dash board several times)

Palaka: (gasping, sputtering) Oh, oh that’s broken. Oh boy, oh boy, wow, wow.

Freddy: I’m half thinkin’ I’m gonna need a reason to find out what’s goin’ on in there.

Palaka: Ghhuhhh, uh-huh.

Freddy: Take you in as a injured friend.

Palaka: Uhhoh, absolutely.

Freddy: I take you in, you need attention, I’m in there on the ear about the kid.

Palaka: Wazza that? Look. (We see Bill exiting a back door of the hospital and looking suspiciously around)

Freddy: Oh shit……oh shit…..oh Christ! (We see Butchie exit with Shaun riding on his back)

(To Palaka) Get out! Scare the snakes off!

Palaka: Where’s the snakes?!

Freddy: The reporters! Scare the fuckin’ reporters over there! (We now see Bill and Butchie doubling back to the door)

Palaka: Where?

Freddy: Over there! Over there!

Palaka: (Running towards the wrong group of people) Hey, I’ve been attacked! I’m injured, looks what’s happened to me! Help me! (He’s holding up his newly hurt hand) Please! Please!

(Now we see the rest of the Yost gang exiting the door and heading toward the parking garage, needing to get past the reporters)

Freddy: (To Palaka) No, no! Over there! Over there! (Freddy gets out of the car now and heads towards the reporters to block them. Freddy manages to distract the reporters while the Yosts make their escape. We see the Yost wagon rushing out of the parking garage, followed by Kai’s jeep and Bill’s truck)

(Cut to a beach parking area, we see Cass and Mitch sitting in her Porsche)

Mitch: I knew it was fuckin’ wrong. Letting him compete.

Cass: I’m sure it’s what he wanted.

Mitch: Well, the mistake is not him wanting it, the mistake is me letting him.

Cass: Sometimes I think, you have to let people follow their heart. (Mitch makes a face) And that whole heat, every ride, it was beautiful to see.

Mitch: What was beautiful, watching him milk a closed out section to impress a bunch of fuckin’ judges! That’s not surfing. (Cass’ phone rings, she answers. It’s Linc, and she pretends it’s a different conversation)

Cass: Oh hi, yeah, I’m glad you called, can you tell the lab the film looks good?

Linc: (in the hospital) Are you with him?

Cass: Yeah.

Linc: I don’t know what’s going on. But the whole family just left here with Shaun, and… it looked to me like his eyes were open. He was moving his arms.

Cass: No, I don’t know about that reel.

Linc: Has anybody called Mitch?

Cass: No, but probably they will soon. (Linc sees Dr Smith in the hallway).

Linc: Just play it out. You doing any good with him?

Cass: Yeah, I like the way the film looks, a lot.

Linc: Yeah well, smart girl. (they hang up)

Mitch: You know that’s flapping your fins for an audience. That’s letting dipshits define you by a number, so other dipshits can compare you with other numbers so the other dipshits know who to pay to wear their sunglasses, so other dipshits in the malls know which ones to buy. I just…I shouldn’t have let him go out. (long pause) Um…and what I’m doin’ here…..instead of bein’ at the hospital… for me and for her. But I suppose that’s what’s it’s come to between my wife and myself.

Cass: Would you like to walk?

(Cut to the hospital hall, Linc has approached Dr Smith)

Linc: Uh, I’m a uh friend of the Yosts, and um, can you tell me anything about Shaun? His eyes were open, looked to me like he was moving his arms. Can you tell me anything about that?

Smith: (Has been eyeing Linc suspiciously) No.

Linc: Well you’re probably not allowed to talk to anyone who’s not part of the family.

Smith: This is a restricted area sir.

Linc: Thank you. (turning away) Thank you for the work you do. (They eye each other as Linc walks away.)

(Cut to the Snug Harbor Motel office, Barry is fiddling with a coffee machine)

Ramon: (to Dickstein) When my brother-in-law got shot one time, nobody felt like cooking.

Barry: One wonders, Ramon, why that comes to mind?

Ramon: When the Yosts get home, they’ll be sad….they’ll have no food.

Dickstein: Shall we take them a nourishing pot-luck dinner?

Ramon: Yeah, that’s what I would think.

Dickstein: Something which can be heated easily and served without fuss.

Barry: May I be your wheel man? Once I’ve seen to room 24? O-Only to close the door I left open as I fled.

Ramon: (rolling his eyes at Dickstein) Or, you could leave closing the door till tomorrow.

Barry: I intend no confrontation with what I saw within. Only to mark the boundary between us. Didn’t the poet say: Good fences make good neighbors? (Barry walks out, Ramon and Dickstein each sigh and start after him. As the group starts across the parking area, Barry says:) Uh, no skipping! (Barry looks across the parking to the 3 bikini-clad cutout figures that Butchie and John left there earlier, and points at them) Animate or inanimate?

Dickstein: Inanimate.

Barry: (As he slowly approached the door to room 24) Do you hear the dead man singing within, gentlemen?

Ramon: I’m half deaf from the leaf blower.

Barry: No, attorney Dickstein?

Dickstein: Ah, surfer’s ear. Exostosis of the ear canal.

Barry: I alone then am favored by that jovially croaking post-coital falsetto, winsomely characturing Debbie Boone? (He begins humming and singing “You light up my life”, as he quickly grabs the door and slams it shut)

Ramon: (Ramon and Dickstein have been trying not to stare at Barry) Maybe we could get them some pea soup?

Barry: Black knee socks.

Dickstein: You’re suggesting we go to a pea soup restaurant, am I correct Ramon? Now that the door is properly closed.

Ramon: (Barry is frozen in his tracks, Ramon takes him by the arm) Come, come.

Dickstein: We’ll take mine.

Ramon: Yeah.

(Cut to the Yost house, Shaun’s room. Shaun is in bed talking to Butchie as he checks the surf meet results online)

Shaun: I won, dad.

Butchie: Good job.

Shaun: Can’t I get out of bed?

Butchie: Aw, it’s a 3-ring circus out there now Shaunie, if you get out of bed we’ll be up to 5. (Butchie peers through the bedroom door to see Cissy, Kai and John in the living room, Bill is near the door looking out the window. Cut to the front of the house, there’s a small crowd of on-lookers in the street. Freddy and Palaka are sitting in their car a short distance away, “keeping watch”. Palaka is wrapping his wrist and hand with some duct tape, struggling with it)

Freddy: What a stupid fuck you are.

Palaka: Almost got this put on.

Freddie: Explain to me the difference between you, and a monkey in a tree.

Palaka: (chewing on duct tape) Bleeaack, I don’t know. Would it distract you if I asked you a question? (Freddy is studying the group of on-lookers) I called you yesterday, Butchie wanted to buy an ounce. “Don’t give him no dope, sell him shit.” Right? Could you explain your thinking? If you think I could follow it.

Freddy: He’s got some insurance settlement, Butchie. He thinks he’ll deal, instead of just use. What he’s gonna do, is OD and die.

Palaka: Long term, we lose a client.

Freddy: All the weight I move, you think Butchie’s 2 dime bags a day means anything to me?

Palaka: Nah, absolutely not.

Freddy: (shaking his head) Moron.

Palaka: So, our angle….

Freddy: Is what?

Palaka: No, um, um, I’m asking.

Freddy: I don’t know. Not why I told you not to sell to him, not what I flew out here for to see shape-changers in a rear-view mirror.

Palaka: You see him now, you see him?

Freddy: Shut up.

Palaka: Nah, I go weeks on end not knowing what I’m up to.

Freddy: (nodding to the growing crowd) Believe me, it’s gonna be a zoo out here for that family to deal with. And you’re too fuckin’ ignorant to realize it.

Palaka: (Still struggling to get the duct tape secured around his wrist) God what a fracture!

(Cut to the beach, as Cass and Mitch are walking)

Mitch: When I was a kid, there was still some of those old-timers down here in those drift-wood shacks.

Cass: Dempsey Holder.

Mitch: Uh, you know your history.

Cass: Well like I said…

Mitch: You like vintage. (pause) When you love a thing, you want to pass it on.

Cass: You have.

Mitch: You met my son? Now Shaun.

Cass: You should also know, you’ve had an effect on a lot of people. Ya know, who you are. (stops walking and pauses) Come to my hotel.

(Cut back to the Yost house, Butchie is approaching Cissy. Cissy is hanging up a cell phone)

Cissy: Straight to fuckin’ voice mail.

Butchie: Well, if dad’s surfing, he’s not going to have his phone on.

Bill: (mumbling to himself at the window) I’m a family spokesman. I’m a retired police officer. Let’s give the Yost family a little bit of privacy….

Cissy: What’s that Bill?

Bill: Gawkers, press, candle fanatics, we’re on the precipice of a clusterfuck! I’m thinkin’ I’ll go out and thin it out.

Cissy: I’d appreciate it.

Bill: Happy to do it. Come on Zip. (John is standing in the way) Why don’t you press yourself up against the door, make it impossible to do what she’s asked me to do. (John leans against the door, Kai grabs John’s hand and pulls him out of the way.) Jesus Christ almighty. (Bill goes outside)

Kai: John wanted to go look at some boards at the shop.

John: I’m gonna bone Kai Butchie. I may have to break her jaw first.

Kai: No floor boning, we’ll just clear off a couch.

Butchie: Make her see god, John.

John: I’m gonna try hard enough.

Kai: Yeah, we’ll go out back. We can jump the fence. (They leave)

Cissy: Where is that guy from?

Butchie: Cincinnati. (Cissy sighs) Shaunie won.

Cissy: Maybe I should leave your dad another message. (She walks to the window and looks out) I went off on him.

Butchie: Um…yeah?

Cissy: When it looked like Shaun was gonna die.

Butchie: Um, I bet dad held his end up. The last few days have been a little strange. I’m not confusing you two with the Huxtables.

Cissy: (peering out the window) Is that Freddy out there?

Butchie: Yeah?

Cissy: Why am I surprised he’s not in Hawaii?

Butchie: He flew out to beat my balls off.

Cissy: I don’t want any trouble here Butchie!

Butchie: We’re alright. I mean he drove me to the hospital.

Cissy: He’s not surfing! His boards are in the garage!

Butchie: Well, I mean when you go up in the air like he did, it has to fuck with your head a little.

Cissy: What, Freddy?

Butchie: No…. (pauses, thinking about what to say) I don’t know.

Cissy: Well tell Shaunie I’ll be in in a minute. I’m gonna go have a cigarette. (grabs a pack and heads for the back door)

Butchie: Sure.

(Cut to the street outside. Bill is approaching Freddy, who’s leaning against the car.)

Bill: Excuse me. I have to ask you your business with the Yosts.

Freddy: My business is none of your business.

Bill: I believe I just made it my business. What is your name please?

Freddy: What’s your name?

Bill: Bill Jacks, I’m a retired police officer, and you don’t wanna make me ask your name again.

Freddy: Retired cops don’t get my name, what time it is, or pissed on if they go up in flames.

Bill: That would be a mistake by you, pertaining to me.

Freddy: Then go up in flames and I’ll piss on ya.

Bill: Because I will kick your ass, retired or not.

Freddy: (pauses, studying Bill) I’m a friend of the family, alright?

Bill: I’m a friend of the family.

Freddy: Then they got 2 friends lookin’ out for them.

Bill: And you look out for them how, by seein’ when their backs are turned so you can steal their drapes?

Freddy: (pauses again) I’ve flown a long distance on my own dime to look out for these people.

Bill: I don’t have to fly, cause I live nearby.

Freddy: Well pin a rose on your donkey nose.

Bill: Bein’ you won’t tell me your real name, here’s a made up one. Do not impede me lookin’ out for these people, dipshit who looks like someone smashed his face with a board. (both of them appear to be enjoying this exchange quite a bit. They both lean back against the car and look around)

(Cut to the Porsche, driving with Mitch and Cass, Cass is on the phone with Linc again)

Cass: Susan, make your own decision about those exposures and we’ll go over them at the lab.

Linc: (who is now standing in front of the Yost house.) This is bullshit, get him over here.

Cass: Really.

Linc: Yes, really, they brought him home.

Cass: I may take a ride over there.

Linc: Well, make it fast, I’m standing around like a fucking wanna-be. (hangs up)

Cass: (to Mitch) It’s the girl who called earlier.

Mitch: Susan.

Cass: She’s been following the story. They’ve taken Shaun home.

Mitch: Turn around. (she turns the car around)

(Cut to the surf shop, Kai and John are there)

Kai: Maybe you wanna find yourself a board, John. People take hours with that. Could be our full date.

John: Where do we bone, Kai?

Kai: If we were gonna bone? My trailer’s out back. What does bone mean, John?

John: I don’t know Butchie instead.

Kai: Touch my tits.

John: (confused) Tits don’t ring a bell. (she takes him by the hand to lead him out of the shop) Are we gonna bone?

Kai: We’re going to my trailer. Boning doesn’t necessarily ring a bell.

(Cut back to Shaun’s room, where he is sitting up and reading a magazine. Butchie enters)

Shaun: I’m not tired.

Butchie: OK, you can read them mags, no need to stay in bed.

Shaun: Why does Gram want me to?

Butchie: Well, she saw you get hurt.

Shaun: I’m OK now.

Butchie: You were hurt. (he pauses, then sits down beside Shaun) Hey, you remember anything, you know, after you wiped out? (Shaun shakes his head – no) You got fuckin’ done, man. Owned hard. You know, Gram and Gramps too, they thought you weren’t gonna make it. A lot of people…. (he takes the magazine from Shaun and starts reading).

Shaun: I woke up, I had a tube in.

Butchie: Yeah. (points to a picture in the magazine) One time I put “Icy Hot” in the crotch of this guy’s wetsuit.

Shaun: And Bill was there, and Zippy.

Butchie: And then you got better. But before that, I didn’t think you could.

Shaun: Zippy was dead, the day before yesterday.

Butchie: You thought he was dead.

Shaun: Can I go out on the half-pipe?

Butchie: Your Grams is out there smoking a cigarette.

Shaun: She’s always worried.

Butchie: Alright understand you go out there you can’t just hug her and say “I’m OK Grams” and start to boogie. (Shaun nods and gets up) I let you go out there, you’re gonna do what you’re gonna do, but you have to let Grams do what she has to do. Cool?

Shaun: Thanks, dad.

Butchie: You know, because something really did happen to you, Shaunie. (they study each other for a moment, Shaun starts to leave) Don’t go to the front of the house, there’s a lot of people out there.

Shaun: OK

Butchie: An they heard something happened, they’re just curious, that’s all.

Shaun: OK (He leaves)

(Butchie pulls out his phone and dials)

Butchie: Yo, dad, call mom for christ’s sake. All right, it’s not what you think. Just call her.

(Cut to the back yard, Cissy is smoking as Shaun exits the house)

Shaun: Hi Gram.

Cissy: What are you doing?!

Shaun: Dan said, you know, I could ride a little while.

Cissy: (sighs, not happy) Did he?

Shaun: And not to go out front.

Cissy: So dad was full of instructions. Did he tell you to break your neck for the second time today?

Shaun: (we cut to Butchie, inside, listening through the door) Gram, I feel like a dork in there laying around.

Cissy: (shouting now) Well isn’t that too goddamn bad. You listen to me, don’t listen to that fucking idiot . (She leads him back to his room, we see Butchie cringing as though he knows what is coming) You stay in here till you hear me say you can leave. (still shouting at Shaun, then she comes out to confront Butchie in the living room) Did you build that half-pipe?

Butchie: (quietly, head down, his back to Cissy) No ma, you did.

Cissy: (Completely losing it now, screaming) And what you did is blow smoke in the phone. “Ya mom, I’ll be right there ma” (we see Shaun in his room, listening to this) “Sorry I couldn’t help ma” I didn’t even tell Shaun you were gonna come help, cause I knew what the odds were! (Still screaming, sobbing) “Where’s my dad, Gram? Where’s my dad?” …. Now you want him to break his neck. (Butchie has had his back to her through all this, cringing. He starts and suddenly leaves, slamming the door. Cissy is left alone, sobbing)

(Cut to Kai’s trailer as she is putting on a record while John watches)

Kai: We’re boning now, aren’t we?

John: Now we’re boning, Kai. (acoustic blues starts playing)

Kai: Boning John, is when you put your joint in my pussy. (John is clueless) That’s your joint, here’s my pussy.

John: (still doesn’t have a clue) Now we’re boning.

Kai: (pauses) Has anyone ever called you slow John? Challenged?

John: (his mood changes, more serious) I don’t know Butchie instead.

Kai: You know, if we did bone, I’d feel like I was getting over on a hot slow guy.

John: (more serious now, he looks at her directly) See god, Kai.

(Kai looks at him, her eyes get really big, then eyes roll back in her head and she falls back onto the bed unconscious. Suddenly we see a grainy, blurry image of Butchie standing in an alley as someone comes up behind him and hands him something. Next we see Kai again, then we see Vietnam Joe standing with the crowd at the Yosts house. Joe is suddenly doubled over and grabbing his leg in severe pain, yelling “Ah!, Ow!”. After this we see Ramon with Dickstein and Barry, outside a sandwich shop, Ramon is grabbing at his crucifix chain as though it is burning him. All this time the blues music is playing. Now we see Kai again, it seems as though she is the one seeing all these things as she is passed out. Now we see Butchie in his motel room just getting ready to shoot up. Suddenly his hair starts smoking all over the top of his head. He drops his syringe and yells “Motherfucker!” and grabs his head. Cut back to John who is watching Kai with curiosity. Kai’s eyes open and she sits up, confused.)

Kai: (gasps) Oh, did you slip me a roofie?

John: I slipped you a roofie.

Kai: Shut up John, you don’t know what you are talking about.

John: I don’t know what I’m talking about.

Kai: (gasps, grabs her head) I’m so dizzy! (she grabs both her breasts) My piercings feel like they were in a furnace!

John: They were in a furnace.

Kai: Ah, shut up. (she reaches over and grabs John’s head) Don’t do that to me again, John, ever. You fucking hear me?

John: See god, Kai.

Kai: If that’s what it’s like, I don’t want to.

John: That’s what it’s like. (again looking straight at her, almost through her)

(Cut to the Yost house, in the street out front, as the Porsche arrives with Mitch. It’s dark now. Mitch says thanks to Cass and gets out, she drives away. Mitch starts walking up the street to his house. He stops when he sees a large crowd of people and reporters on his front yard. We see Linc lurking in his car watching. Bill and Freddy are still leaning against the car, when Bill spots Mitch and walks towards him, leaving Freddy at the car. Palaka is approaching with what looks like coffee and sandwiches.)

Freddy: Where’s’ the girl in the Porsche?

Palaka: Yeah, where’d she get to?

Freddy: What’d you do, celebrate your birthday over there?

Palaka: Busy Winchells. (he holds up his duct-tape-wrapped hand) It’s burnt. Burnt. It rains, it pours. (Bill has caught up with Mitch)

Mitch: Why’d she bring him home?

Bill: He recovered from his injuries.

Mitch: What’re you talking about?

Bill: (shrugs) A miracle? (Mitch is stunned, and walks slowly towards his house, leaving Bill alone talking to himself:) Whataya gonna say, tell him that the bird kissed him? (We hear a squawk from Zippy in his pocket. ) Aw Zippy, Jesus Christ Almighty!

(Mitch is mobbed by reporters as he approaches the house, he makes several exchanges with them about answering questions, then turns and talks to one of them)

Mitch: Why don’t you pick that cigarette of yours off my driveway, and swallow it? (This reporter turns and sees Vietnam Joe standing nearby, approaches him as if to ask a question. Joe raises his hands to wave the reporter off)

Bill: (seeing Joe) There’s another fucking drug casualty.

(Cut to the interior living room as Mitch enters, Cissy is sitting there smoking a cig.)

Mitch: I’m so happy about Shaun.

Cissy: You notice, I’m smoking in here?

Mitch: If we’d done things my way at the hospital, he wouldn’t be alive.

Cissy: I looked for you when we were leaving.

Mitch: Yeah, I had the phone off. Just coming to terms with how it seemed like it was gonna be for Shaunie.

Cissy: Maybe if I asked why you had the phone off you’d tell me were you went?

Mitch: I walked away, Cissy. I - you know, I’m not trying to turn away from that. You know, and I’ll take whatever time I have to .. to live into what that means. But I’m also not gonna deny the things you said to me in that room. And, it’s going to take some time living into those too.

Cissy: (pausing) You wanna see Shaun? (We see Shaun, laying in his room, listening to them.)

Mitch: He’s in his room?

Cissy: Over there. (Mitch starts to Shaun’s room, then stops and sits down with a sigh)

Mitch: What you said to me in the hospital shamed me, Cissy. And it made me recognize how my shortcomings have hurt you. And I mean that’s… that’s on me to deal with. But I’d just as soon Shaunie not see me right now, this fucked up.

Cissy: (Shaking her head) Not being as bright as you, Mitch, so full of the wisdom of the East, sounds like you’re saying that what’s right for you is to do whatever you fucking want. (He groans and leans back, he knows what’s coming) Which isn’t exactly fresh news.

Mitch: Cissy….

Cissy: Anyways, we’re a little busy here. Go do your heavy thinking. And whoever drove you from the hospital, can give you a lift.

Mitch: Which is another way of saying, yeah we do need time apart. I’m going. (heads for the door) There’s a mob outside, I’ll go over the back fence. Everyone better get used to that.

Cissy: Maybe not you Mitch. (He turns and looks at her, then leaves)

(Cut to Butchie in his motel room, he’s feeling his head carefully, trying to figure out what happened to him. After a moment, he gets up and leaves. His drugs and needle laying on the table having not been used)

(Cut back to the street at the Yost house, we see Dr Smith approaching on foot. Bill and Freddy are still at their post, Bill spots Smith)

Bill: Doc! (They exchange waves)

Palaka: Physician? (Freddy and Bill just look at him. Smith approaches the house and is met by reporters wanting to ask questions. Smith tells them no. )

Palaka: Is that the bay, or the ocean itself? ( He seems to be making an excuse for walking over to the house, then leaves and walks away)

(Cut to the interior house as Smith knocks on the door. Cissy is lighting a cig off the stove, then looks out the window to see the Dr. She quickly puts out the cig and answers the door)

Cissy: Dr, hi. Yeah, you smell the smoke. I usually do it outside. (He enters)

Smith: Uh…so how is Shaun?

Cissy: Breaking my balls to let him skate.

Smith: Well, I take that as a good sign.

Cissy: (pauses then looks at him) What do you want? (reconsiders her attitude) Sorry.

Smith: No … um, uh…It’s a good question.

Cissy: Uh….are you hear to examine him?

Smith: It’s important to me not to misrepresent myself, Mrs. Yost. Uh… I’m confident the diagnosis of Shaun’s condition that I gave you and your husband in that waiting room was correct. Shaun’s x-rays showed catastrophic spinal injury. His E.E.G…..the test that measures brain waves, was essentially a flat line. Now, people don’t survive those injuries as vegetables, let alone recover fully. Yet I don’t doubt, if you let me examine Shaun, I’ll confirm that he has recovered. Which brings us face to face with possibilities that… uh… I’ve been taught deserve no more than a friendly pat on the head. Which brings me there….here….(stammering) to…to…uh. Watching a stranger tie himself in knots is probably not your idea of fun just now, but…um.

Cissy: (pausing, smiling) Room’s in back.

Smith: Thank you. (he goes to see Shaun) You know, I smoke sometimes -- a couple a day.

(Cut to an exterior, looks like the Yost’s back yard. Butchie is climbing over a fence and hops into the yard. He walks over to the next fence to see Mitch. Mitch is dangling from the top of the fence by one leg, the leg hooked over the fence by the knee and Mitch trying to hang on to the fence to hold himself up. )

Butchie: Dad? Hey. (Mitch looks around to see him)

Mitch: Fuck

Butchie: Hey that’s some mess out front huh?

Mitch: Yeah, and now I gotta nail right in the back of my knee.

Butchie: Well you’re hanging there like a side of beef. (He moves to try to lift Mitch)

Mitch: No, no, no, don’t don’t…..get away. I don’t want to tear the artery.

Butchie: (He’s lifting anyway) We gotta get you off there dad.

Mitch: Wait, just wait….fuck!

Butchie: (Lifting again) Now come on, here we go—

Mitch: OK, you know what? Put your thumb above it just to stop the circulation.

Butchie: Just shut up, dad!

Mitch: Goddamnit! Just to stop it from spurting.

Butchie: (Literally lifting Mitch off of the fence and setting him on the ground) Oh what, a fountain?

Mitch: (On the ground now) Oh fuck, is it spurting?

Butchie: No, I’m fucking with you. You’re off the hook dad. (Mitch is fine, no blood anywhere, he stands and takes stock of himself) I guess you heard about Shaun.

Mitch: Yeah, that was something, huh?

Butchie: Here, come on, let’s go clean it up. Up in your fort. (Mitch starts to walk away) Where are you going?

Mitch: Thanks. (walks away, leaves Butchie as Butchie is checking his head again. Then Butchie hops over the fence)

(Cut to Shaun’s room as Dr Smith is having him do some tests. Shaun has his arms outstretched at his sides)

Shaun: Now?

Smith: Yeah. (Shaun takes his fingers, eyes closed, and brings them together to meet. Like a drunk test.) Good. Now, bring your fingers toward your face and touch the tip of your nose.

Shaun: This sucks. (He performs the test flawlessly)

Smith: OK, you can open your eyes. (He places his hand under Shaun’s chin) I want you to push down on my thumb with your chin. (Shaun does so) Hard as you can…hard. Good! Done! We’re all done. Very good.

Shaun: So…was I dead or something? (startles Smith)

Smith: You ---you looked pretty banged up when they brought you in, Shaun. But obviously, you’re fine. If I had any doubts, I’d restrict your activities.

Shaun: Did you think I was gonna die?

Smith: No sir. No I did not. (I think no, I think not?) (Smith gets up to leave) Well, I’m sure glad I got the chance to be your doctor. (Shakes Shaun’s hand)

Shaun: Thanks for taking care of me.

Smith: Sure. (We hear Butchie clearing his throat outside the door to the backyard)

Shaun: That’s my dad. (Opens the door to the yard.) Hey dad!

Butchie: Hey! I was just out here, uh, rippin’ a few.

Smith: I’ll see you Shaun.

Shaun: Can I skate?

Smith: Whatever’s OK with your grandmother.

Shaun: See ya. (Smith exits the house, Shaun stays inside. Shaun goes to the kitchen to find Cissy washing dishes.)

Cissy: What’d the doctor say?

Shaun: He wouldn’t restrict my activity.

Cissy: Did he leave?

Shaun: He’s out back with my dad.

Cissy: When did your dad get back?

Shaun: I guess he came over the fence.

Cissy: (softly) I was a jerk before, to your dad.

Shaun: (putting a hand on her shoulder) I’m sorry I scared you, getting hurt.

Cissy: I guess the doctor meant you could skate.

Shaun: He said you had to say it was OK.

Cissy: (smiling) It’s OK. I mean, maybe wait till your dad’s done talking to the doctor.

Shaun: OK

Cissy: Cause he was scared too, your dad.

Shaun: OK, thanks Gram.

Cissy: OK.

(Cut to the back yard, Butchie and Smith are in the half-pipe. Butchie is sitting, Smith is pacing as though he doesn’t know what to do with himself)

Smith: Maybe I …

Butchie: Find a place to light, would ya doc? (Smith sits down) I’m having a problem with my implants, doc. (points to his head with both hands)

Smith: Implants?

(We see Shaun inside trying to eavesdrop through the door. Palaka has come down the side of the house and is outside Shaun’s window)

Palaka: Psst! Hey. It’s Palaka, the ice cream man. You know me?

Shaun: No.

Palaka: No? Cause I know your father. Yeah. Listen, that guy, ah, in the back, is that the guy I saw coming in?

Shaun: How do I know who you saw coming in?

Palaka: You make a good point. Anyway, he’s a doctor? He identified himself as a doctor, to get past the heat.

Shaun: Yeah, he’s a doctor.

Palaka: Yeah? Good. Oh, thanks, thanks very much. Thanks dude. (Starts to leave then turns back) You know Steady Freddy? I do delivery work for him.

Shaun: I thought he was in Hawaii.

Palaka: No, he - he’s here. He broke my wrist. That’s why – because, you know. Anyway, I’m glad you’re better. Yo, cool. Hey, I was, eh, we were, er, we were in the parking lot when you booked? I was the guy who stood off the reporters. I mean, never mind. Don’t worry about it, I got you covered.

(Cut back to the half-pipe)

Butchie: Yeah, I passed out, it got that fuckin’ hot.

Smith: But that’s not the first place you’d think of for implants.

Butchie: Was sort of a “fuck you, who gives a fuck”, you know?

Smith: Uh-huh.

Butchie: 35 fuckin’ old-schoolers write to a magazine: “Butchie Yost and his fuckin’ aerials!”. “Stink finger to the entire fuckin’ sport!” Well good, douche bags. If I’m such a bad guy, deal with these! (pointing to his head)

Smith: (clears his throat) Sensations of burning like you felt with your implants, can be caused by IV drug use.

Butchie: What’s drug use got to do with the price of eggs? (pulls down his sleeve)

Smith: You’ve got a phlebitis that should be looked at. (pointing to Butchie’s arm) Where you shoot up. If it breaks off, that clot can go places in your body that you’d prefer it didn’t.

Butchie: (laughs nervously) Whoa, you should be a doctor.

Smith: It’s also possible that what you felt had nothing to do with paresthesias.

Butchie: Whatever that means doc, I’m busted for being a dope fiend.

Smith: Why would that make you ineligible for a paranormal experience? And as Shaun’s father, maybe your eligibility’s enhanced. (Butchie pauses, considering)

Butchie: You met my old man, right?

Smith: Mitch, yeah.

Butchie: Up in the air yesterday. I saw it with my own eyes. Off the fucking ground.

Smith: (pauses) I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a connection.

Butchie: Listen to this doc, a guy shows up at my door, he creates money in his pants. Plastic! Platinum fuckin’ credit card with unspecified upper credit authority. His cell phone!

Smith: Unlimited calling minutes?

Butchie: You know, plus as far as getting’ high, the last couple of days have been one fuckin’ interruption after another. You know I should be on the floor, dope-sick. And I don’t feel that bad! (Smith is nodding, smiling oddly) What’s the matter?

Smith: (smiling, fidgeting) I am so happy! (laughs)

(We see Palaka has been behind the half-pipe listening to them, he moves to leave. On his way past Shaun’s window again he says: “You take care”)

(Cut to Shaun’s room again)

Cissy: (Calling to him from the kitchen) Shaun! Go ahead Shaun. Go on out on the half-pipe!

(Music fades in as he grins and grabs his skateboard. Cut to the front yard where the crowd continues to grow. We see Vietnam Joe with an apparent buddy of his. We also see Linc is still lurking in his car. All of them are noticing that John and Kai are walking towards the house. Linc gets out of his car. Cut to Bill on the front lawn, he has intercepted Ramon, Barry and Dickstein as they try to deliver their pea soup.)

Dickstein: But we’re bringing them some nutritious soup!

Bill: I don’t care if you’re bringing them a Sikorsky Helicopter.

Vietnam Joe: (to his buddy) Saw plenty of them, didn’t we.

Bill: (To Dickstein) I can’t let you in. We let you in, we gotta let ‘em all in!

(Freddy is standing next to the group, looking at Barry.)

Freddy: (to Barry) You need a smack?

Barry: No, I don’t need a smack.

John: (Approaching Bill with Kai) I got my eye on you!

Bill: Ohahh!

Freddy: (to Barry) That’s that shape changer.

(Linc has approached the side of the house where a group are watching Shaun in the half-pipe from across the fence)

Linc: Jesus Christ!

Kai: (she looks at Linc, then at John) What’s going on , John?

John: (Nodding towards Shaun in the half-pipe) See god, Kai. (We see the entire crowd is watching Shaun.)

(Cut to Shaun doing his routine in the half-pipe. Butchie and Smith are watching him and smiling. We see Cissy watching too, through the window. Music increases as we watch Shaun in the half-pipe, cameras are clicking, flashes, finally we see a freeze-frame of him, he has a big grin on his face.)

(Fade to white, then black, credits roll)

Click for the music from the credits

Directed by: Mark Tinker
Written by: Ted Mann

Mitch Yost:  Bruce Greenwood Cissy Yost: Rebecca De Mornay Bill Jacks: Ed O'Neill Barry Cunningham: Matt Winston Linc Stark: Luke Perry Kai: Keala Kennelley Dr Michael Smith:  Garret Dillahunt Palaka: Paul Ben Victor	Butchie Yost: Brian Van Holt John Monad: Austin Nichols Ramon Gaviota: Luis Guzman Shaun Yost: Greyson Fletcher Meyer Dickstein: Willie Garson Vietnam Joe: Jim Beaver Cass:  Emily Rose Steady Freddy Lopez:  Dayton Callie
Transcript last updated on 07/03/2007
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