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FADE IN: INT. BEDROOM - DAY TUCKER (13), stands by his mother's feet at the end of the bed. A beam of sunlight shines through the window. His MOTHER (33), lies there sickly, her skin sags off her bones. Tucker slowly moves to the head of the bed, his face filled with sadness, and his eyes drowned with tears. The sunlight shines over him, his sandy blonde hair seems to glow. He reaches for his mother with his right arm, his only arm, and grabs her by the wrist. He squeezes. She turns her head and looks at her son. She smiles. MOTHER (softly) My boy. Tucker wipes the tears off of his face with the back of his only hand. TUCKER Hi Mama. He bends over and kisses her on the cheek. TUCKER (CONT'D) Do you need anything? She shakes her head. MOTHER I have everything that I need right here. Tucker's lips tremble. There is a string of snot dribbling out of his nose. He SNORTS up the gooey substance. TUCKER (sobbing) I don't want you to die Mama. She grabs Tucker by his only arm and pulls him closer to her. He kneels down next to the bed. MOTHER It's going to happen wether you like it or not Tucker. I don't want to die either, but God is calling on me to join him in his kingdom. I guess he just needs me right now. More tears spill out of Tucker's eyes. TUCKER (trembling) I need you more than God. Tucker lays his head down on her chest. She puts her hand behind his head and strokes his hair. MOTHER I will always be with you Tucker. No one, not even God himself can stop me. She COUGHS. MOTHER (CONT'D) You will never be alone. I promise you that. Your father and I will always look out for you. Tucker lifts his head and looks into his mother's pale eyes. There is a tear drop sitting on the top of her cheek bone. TUCKER Swear to God. She smiles again. MOTHER Swear to God. TUCKER And hope to die. She gives out a CHUCKLE. MOTHER It's already too late for that. Tucker looks away for a second, then turns back to his mother. TUCKER And hope I die. She raises her arm and glides her hand down the side of his face. MOTHER And hope you die. Tucker smiles. He puts his head back on her chest. He rises with every breath that she takes. The light from the window shines down on both of them. STUBBS (V.O.) The day Tucker's mother died was the day he knew he had to get out of Astoria, not because he thought it was a shit hole in the middle of butt fuck nowhere, but because there was no one left for him anymore, no one except for Dodger, and Dodger was reason enough to get the out of town. FADE TO WHITE. FADE IN: EXT. ASTORIA - DAY Astoria sits in a valley surrounded by mountains, a hidden community cut off by the Pacific ocean. STUBBS (V.O.) Tucker once told me that Astoria was not unlike the kind of town that you would find in a Capra film. Downtown was one street, but you could find anything you needed on that. There was the local market, the barbershop which had one of those candy striped poles, the beauty salon for the women, the town tavern "Mickey's" where the men went after a long day at work, and of course the Jukebox, which was the local hang out for the kids. INT. THE JUKEBOX - NIGHT The large fifties diner is packed with kids ranging from twelve to nineteen. Booths surround the perimeter of the diner. Elvis's "Heart break hotel" is pulsating out of the speakers. In one of the booths is Tucker with three of his friends. There is BENNY (14), HOWARD (12), and ISAAC (12). The four of them have chocolate milk shakes and fries sitting in front of them. Tucker takes a sip from his milk shake. HOWARD So Tucker, did you ask your mom about getting a new Schwinn for your birthday? TUCKER Uh-huh, but she said she would have to run that idea by with Dodger first. BENNY (high pitched voice) What do ya think he'll say? FREEZE ON BENNY STUBBS (V.O.) Now if you're wonderin' why this fourteen year old boy sounds a like an eight year old girl I'll tell you. It's an unpleasant story, but I'm gonna tell it to ya anyway. EXT. BARN - NIGHT The moonlight shines down on the barn below. The barn is surrounded by a corn field. Sitting fifty feet away is an outhouse. STUBBS (V.O.) You see young Benny was from Kansas. I don't recall which town, I don't think Tucker ever told me, but anyway. Every Saturday night the town had a barn dance. Benny walks out of the barn which is filled with people. Country MUSIC is heard. He walks over to the outhouse and opens the door. INT. OUTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS Benny crawls into the hole of the out house. He lands on his feet, stepping through the towns filth. In his hands is a flashlight. STUBBS (V.O.) And every Saturday night Benny would crawl into that stinky hole with the hopes of catching a glimpse of the local cunny. A young GIRL (16), walks into the outhouse. She lifts up her dress and pulls down her panties. She sits down over the hole. Benny turns on his flashlight and stands underneath her. The young girl looks down at her legs and sees a light shinning through the crack of her thighs. She SCREAMS and hops off the hole and pulls her panties up. She looks down and sees Benny standing below her with a grin on his face. YOUNG GIRL (SHOUTING) I'm gonna tell my dad on you, ya little pervert! He's gonna kick your butt from here to St. Louis. She storms out of the outhouse. STUBBS (V.O.) Well, after he got caught Benny was banned from the dance, in fact he was not to come close to that barn ever again. So ole Benny had to find a new way of getting his rocks off. EXT. LAKE - DAY The lake is crowded with people. Benny walks up along the beach. STUBBS (V.O.) Benny became a little more courageous. Benny runs up to a GIRL around sixteen, and puts his hand under the top of her bathing suit. He gives her breast a squeeze then runs away. STUBBS (V.O.) (CONT'D) Well a couple of the local farm girls had enough of Benny and his raging hormones and decided to do something about it. Three FARM GIRLS, all around sixteen, grab Benny and drag him behind some bushes. BENNY What the heck are you girls doing? FARM GIRL #1 We've had enough of your touches and glares. FARM GIRL #2 Yeah, but after today, you won't feel like looking at us anymore. FARM GIRL #3 Or touching us. Heck, you won't even have any of those sex dreams anymore. Not after today. One of the girls takes out a pair of shears and some lye out of a bag. Benny's eyes open wide. BENNY What are you gonna do to me? FARM GIRL #1 We're gonna have you fixed. BENNY What do you mean have me fixed? One of the girls pulls Benny's bathing suit off. BENNY (CONT'D) No! Please don't! I swear I'll never bother you again. FARM GIRL #2 Oh you got that right. STUBBS (V.O.) Now these girls have lived on a farm all their lives. They've probably seen hundreds of cows castrated before, hell, they must of done a few themselves cause they knew exactly what they were doing. I mean a nut sack is just a nut sack, I guess it don't matter who's legs they sag between. Benny gives out a high pitched SCREAM. INT. THE JUKEBOX - NIGHT The four kids sit in their booth. STUBBS (V.O.) And that's how poor ole Benny ended up soundin' like a kindergartner, wether you wanted to know or not, well now you know anyway. Tucker takes another sip from his milk shake. TUCKER He'll probably say that it's too expensive, maybe for my next birthday. ISAAC Hells bells Tucker. That ole son of a gun's got more money than Fort Knox I'll tell you what. I mean he owns the bank for cripe's sake. He'd be a ding dang dirty liar if he said he couldn't afford it. TUCKER First of all he doesn't own the bank. He's just the manager. But I do know that it wouldn't empty his pocket book a whole lot, heck, he'd probably wouldn't even notice. The MUSIC switches from Elvis to Buddy Holly. HOWARD I sure did like this guy. I wish he never got on that gosh darn plane. That was a real shame. BENNY (high pitched voice) You know, I liked the Big Bopper more. HOWARD Jeeze whiz Benny. Buddy Holly was way better than the Bopper. BENNY (high pitched voice) Hey I liked Buddy Holly. It's just that I liked the Big Bopper more. ISAAC You gotta be nuttier than a ten pound fruit cake if you think that the Big Bopper was better than Buddy Holly. TUCKER I thought Richie Valense was the best out of all of 'em. HOWARD What the heck are you talkin' about Tucker? There ain't no way that Richie Valense was better than Buddy Holly, or the Big Bopper for that matter. TUCKER C'mon. I mean the guy was only a few years older than us when he died. ISAAC So what. The guy was a spick. TUCKER Who cares if he was a spick. He was still a heck of a singer. ISAAC Yeah, well my old man says that them dirty Mexicans are sneaking across the border and stealing jobs from real American's cause they work for like a penny an hour. HOWARD My dad says that the Mexicans are worse than the niggers and Jews combined. TUCKER What does that have to do with Richie Valense. The guy didn't sneak across the border and steal someone's job. ISAAC Well my Pa says that it's in their blood. TUCKER Yeah, well your Pa be full of shit. They all LAUGH and continue to eat their fries and drink their milk shakes. STUBBS (V.O.) I met Tucker in the year of our Lord nineteen fifty nine, but we'll get to that later on I promise you. First we have to go back four years, to the fall of fifty five. That was the year that would start a chain of events that would lead to our introduction. EXT. TUCKER'S HOUSE - DAY A small white house is surrounded by a white picket fence in a row of houses that all look the same. The lawn is freshly cut, and there is a flower garden that sits below the front window. STUBBS (V.O.) Tucker's home looked like every other house in the neighborhood, even the yards all looked the same. And in these homes were your average nuclear families. INT. TUCKER'S HOUSE - DAY Tucker lies on his belly in the living room watching television. His elbows point to the ground, and his hands support his head. Sitting on the couch behind him is his FATHER (31), with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Tucker's mother enters the room with a glass of scotch in her hands. She walks over to her husband and gives him the drink. He puts his cigarette in the ashtray next to him. FATHER Thank's dear. MOTHER You're welcome hon. She leans down and kisses him on the cheek. He grabs her by the arm and pulls her on top of him. He kisses her on the lips. Tucker turns around and GIGGLES. STUBBS (V.O.) They lived the good life, Tucker's family. I mean his father and mother were a regular Ozzie and Harriet. EXT. PARK - DAY Tucker and his father stand in the middle of the park with baseball gloves in their hands. They throw the ball back an forth. STUBBS (V.O.) His father would take him to the park on weekends to play catch. FATHER You got one hell of an arm son. TUCKER You ain't to shabby yourself Pa. FATHER Okay son, show me what you got. Tucker smiles. TUCKER You asked for it. Tucker throws his father the ball. STUBBS (V.O.) His father knew he had a gift. Not many kids his age could throw as hard, or with such accuracy as Tucker, hell, probably not many adults either. So his father signed him up for little league. EXT. BASEBALL FIELD - DAY Tucker stands out in left field. His white uniform is covered with dirt just like all the other boys. STUBBS (V.O.) You see Tucker had a hell of an arm, and this was back when he had two of them. A young BOY (12), stands at the plate. He takes a hard swing at the ball coming towards him. He makes contact. The ball flies far into the air. Tucker runs to the falling ball and catches it. Another BOY (13), who is at third base, runs for the home plate. Tucker throws the ball hard. It lands only a few feet away from the plate. The CATCHER (13), grabs it and tags the boy out. The people in the stands jump up and CHEERS, but no one is as loud as Tucker's father. FATHER (shouting) That's my boy! STUBBS (V.O.) It was the good life, but like all good things it came to an end. INT. CLASSROOM - DAY Tucker's father stands at the head of the classroom with a textbook in his hands. He paces back and forth as he reads. The rows of student's heads are up listening to what he is saying. STUBBS (V.O.) Tucker's father was the history teacher at the only high school in Astoria. He was one of those teachers that everyone liked, and if you happened to be a teenage girl, may have even had a crush on. I/E. CAR - DAY Tucker's father sits in his car and drives through the main street of town. He takes a cigarette out from his shirt pocket and puts it in his mouth. He lights it up and takes a drag. He comes to a set of stop lights. He puts his foot on the breaks. STUBBS (V.O.) In November of nineteen fifty five, Tucker's father was on his way home from school. He was driving through main street like he always did. The light turns green. He takes his foot of the brakes and begins to move forward. As Tucker's father reaches the intersection, an old blue pick up truck CRASHES into him from the drivers side. STUBBS (V.O.) (CONT'D) Tucker's father was killed instantly. The man who slammed into him did not die in that accident but of a self inflicted shotgun blast to the face two years later, about the same time Tucker's mother became ill. EXT. CEMETERY - DAY Tucker stands beside his mother holding her hand as they lower his father into the ground. They are surrounded by twenty or so people, all dressed in black. Tucker's mother has a black veil over her face. She lifts it to wipe off her tears with a tissue. There is a PREACHER (50), standing beside a mound of dirt. STUBBS (V.O.) Tucker stood next to his mother strong and true as they lowered his father into the earth. The preacher gave his usual ashes to ashes and dust to dust speech, a speech he must have given a hundred times before and a speech he will probably give a hundred rimes again. He knew that he was the man of the house now, and that it was up to him to take care of his mother. INT. BANK - DAY Tellers sit behind rows of booths in the small bank. There are a couple patrons standing in line. Tucker's mother sits in the middle booth. STUBBS (V.O.) A few months after the funeral Tucker's mother got a job at the bank of Astoria. This is where she met Dodger, the man who would become her future husband, and Tucker's future step father. DODGER (40), walks up to Tucker's mother from behind the booth. STUBBS (V.O.) (CONT'D) He had asked her out after only two weeks. God only knows why she excepted the invitation. Maybe because she felt lonely, or maybe she thought Tucker needed a man in his life. There were better catch's out there than Dodger I can tell you that much, but what's done is done, there ain't no goin' back and fixin' it now. INT. CHURCH - DAY The church is filled with people. Standing up front in a black tuxedo is Dodger, and next to him is Tucker's mother, who is wearing a wedding dress. Sitting in the front row is Tucker. STUBBS (V.O.) After two months of courtship Dodger and Tucker's mother were wed. And things started out pretty good. EXT. PARK - DAY Tucker and Dodger stand in the middle of the park throwing a baseball back and forth. Tucker's mother watches from the side. STUBBS (V.O.) Dodger took Tucker to the park to play catch, just like his father did before he got plowed into. Tucker throws the ball hard to Dodger. DODGER God throw son. Tucker smiles. Dodger throws him back the ball. TUCKER This next one's gonna make your palms bleed. DODGER Let me have it. Tucker throws the ball. It flies through the air and SLAMS into Dodger's glove. STUBBS (V.O.) They were a real family again. Tucker took quite a liking to Dodger, who treated him like a real son. But the demon, that's what Tucker liked to call it, would soon come out to play. INT. DODGER'S HOUSE - NIGHT Dodger sits in his chair watching television. He takes a sip from the Jack Daniel's he is holding in his hand. Tucker enters the room wearing a pair of muddy shoes. He walks over to the couch and sits down. Dodger looks over at him with an angry look on his face. DODGER What the hell do you think you're doing? Tucker looks confused. TUCKER Watching TV. Dodger gets out of his chair and walks over to Tucker and back hands him across the face. DODGER (shouting) Don't you be smart with me boy! Look at your feet! Tucker looks up at Dodger with tears in his eyes. He remains silent. Dodger SMACKS him across the other side of his face. DODGER (CONT'D) (shouting) I said look at your feet Goddamnit! He looks down at his feet. DODGER (CONT'D) Now what's on your feet? TUCKER Shoes. DODGER And what are those shoes covered in? He looks up again at Dodger. TUCKER Mud. DODGER Now take off those shoes and clean up this Goddamn mess! TUCKER (sobbing) Yes sir. Tucker takes off his shoes and brings them over to the front door. STUBBS (V.O.) It was usually Jack Daniels or Canadian Whiskey that brought out the demon. Most of the time it consisted of a smack across the face, but sometimes it was worse, much worse. INT. BEDROOM - DAY Tucker's mother stand in front of the bedroom mirror applying make up on the bruises that cover her face. STUBBS (V.O.) His mother would use make up to cover her bruises, and Tucker would just tell people that he fell, and no one was the wiser, I mean kids fall down all the time right, no big deal. He had hoped that things would change. Maybe if he talked with Dodger when the demon was asleep he would listen. INT. DODGER'S HOUSE - NIGHT Dodger is once again in his chair watching television. Tucker slowly approaches him. STUBBS (V.O.) Tucker tried this, and the result was disastrous. He reaches Dodger. TUCKER (frightened) Dodger? Dodger looks up at him with a smile on his face. DODGER How many times do I have to tell you that you can call me Pa. TUCKER I'm sorry. Pa? DODGER Yes son. TUCKER (nervously) I don't want you to get mad at me. DODGER (confused) Mad at you for what? Dodger takes out a cigarette and puts it in his mouth. Tucker fidgets with his hands. TUCKER (nervously) For what I'm about to say. The smile on Dodger's face disappears. He takes a drag from his cigarette. Smoke escapes his mouth. DODGER (impatiently) Well what is it boy? What are you about to say? TUCKER (more nervous) It's about how you sometimes treat mommy and me. I mean most of the time you're great, it's just that sometimes. Dodger takes another drag from his cigarette. DODGER Continue. TUCKER (still nervous) I don't think it's you at all, but the drink. Dodger chuckles. He looks down at hiss lap. There sits a glass of Jack Daniels. DODGER You think I may have a drinking problem. Dodger pick up the glass of Jack Daniels and swallows the remains TUCKER (nervous) No. It's just that... DODGER (interrupting) You ungrateful little shit! After all I've done for you this is how you repay me. By coming in here and calling me a lousy drunk! Tucker backs up. TUCKER (scared) I never called you a lousy drunk. DODGER Well you didn't use those exact words, but I think I got the message. TUCKER I think you misunderstood me. I didn't mean it like that I swear! Dodger gets up on his feet. He throws the empty glass at Tucker. It SMASHES right above his left eye. Glass SHATTERS all over the place. Tucker SCREAMS, blood gushes out from his cut. He falls down to his knees with his hands over his face. His mother runs into the room. MOTHER (shouting) What's going on here? She looks down at Tucker who is on his knees SCREAMING. MOTHER (CONT'D) (shouting) Tucker! She runs over to him. Dodger grabs her by the wrist. DODGER The little son of a bitch got out of line. So I had to put him back in line. I think he learned his lesson. MOTHER (shouting) Let go of me! She frees herself from his grip. She kneels down next to Tucker who is still SCREAMING. MOTHER (CONT'D) Let me take a look sweetie. His CRIES soften. He removes his hands from his face. Blood spills into his eyes. She takes her apron from around her waist and puts it over his wound. MOTHER (CONT'D) I'm so sorry baby. TUCKER I just wanted him to stop hurting us. MOTHER I know. TUCKER It's never gonna stop is it? She rocks back and forth as she holds him in her arms. STUBBS (V.O.) The beatings didn't stop, at least not right away. Dodger's drinking got worse and worse. Then came the accident. EXT. STREET - DAY Tucker walks along the sidewalk through the heart of town. He passes the barber shop and waves to the OLD MAN (70) inside, who appears to be giving someone a shave. The old man waves back. STUBBS (V.O.) Tucker was walking home from school one day and came up to the same intersection where his father was struck just over a year before. He walks across the intersection looking straight down at the ground. A 1955 red Chevey SLAMS into him. His body flies up in the air and lands about ten feet away. INT. HOSPITAL - DAY Tucker lies in bed unconscious. His face is all bruised and wrapped in bandages. His right leg is in a cast, and his left arm is missing from the shoulder down. Sitting next to him are his mother and Dodger. Tucker turns his head and opens his eyes. His mother's face is filled with surprise. She gets up and wraps her arms around him. MOTHER (overjoyed) Sweetie you're awake! Dodger pats him on his head. DODGER How ya feeling kiddo? TUCKER (groggy) My head hurts. Tucker's mother's eyes are filled with tears of joy. TUCKER (CONT'D) What happened? MOTHER You were in an accident. Don't you remember anything? TUCKER No. I remember leaving school, but that's about it. Tucker looks down where his arm used to be. His eyes open wide. TUCKER (CONT'D) My arm! What happened to my arm! His mother looks into his eyes. MOTHER They had to take it off sweetie. But you're gonna be just fine. TUCKER (shouting) My arm! Get me back my arm! I want my arm! DODGER It's gonna be alright buddy. TUCKER Where's my arm! MOTHER It's gone. TUCKER (pleading) Mama, please have the doctor's put my arm back on me. Please! His mother kisses him on his cheek. MOTHER Don't worry, everything's gonna be okay. Tucker breaks down. His face is wet from sweat, snot, and tears. His mother hold him. INT. DODGER'S HOUSE - DAY Tucker limps through the front door. His mother and Dodger are right behind him. His face is no longer wrapped in bandages. STUBBS (V.O.) Tucker was in that hospital for almost a month before he returned home. And things had changed. Dodger promised he would give up drinking, and he did, at least for a while. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT Tucker, his mother, and Dodger sit around the kitchen table. Tucker tries to cut his food with a knife. STUBBS (V.O.) It took Tucker some time getting used to having only one arm. His mother leans in and takes the knife out of his hand. Tucker grabs back the knife. STUBBS (V.O.) (CONT'D) He didn't want to be treated any different than he was before the accident. Tucker takes his fork and stabs it into his food. He leaned down and clamps down on the end of the fork with his teeth. He takes the knife and begins to cut his meal. He opens his mouth and lifts his head. He has a huge smile on his face. Both his mother and Dodger smile back. CUT TO: EXT. PARK - DAY Tucker and Dodger stand at about twenty feet apart. Tucker has a baseball in his hands. STUBBS (V.O.) Dodger brought Tucker back to the park to play catch JUST like they used to DO. They had to figure a way to make this work, but ole Tucker still had his good arm. TUCKER Are you ready Pa? DODGER Ready as I'm gonna be. Tucker throws the ball to Dodger. STUBBS (V.O.) He could through that ball just as hard as when he had two arms. EXT. DODGER'S HOUSE - DAY Tucker sits on an old rusted schwinn on the driveway. His one hand holds on the right handle bar. Dodger stands behind him. He starts to peddle. The schwinn swerves all over the place. He falls off. Dodger runs over and helps him up. DODGER Are you okay son. TUCKER Yeah I'm fine. STUBBS (V.O.) He had to learn things all over again, even something as simple as riding a bike was a difficult experience for him, but he always succeeded. Tucker puts his hand in the middle of the handle bar. He begins to peddle the bike again. It swerves a couple times but Tucker manages to keep it from falling. He rides off the driveway and goes down the street. Dodger smiles. INT. DODGER'S HOUSE - NIGHT Tucker sits in the living room with his mother by his side. They are watching television. Dodger walks through the front door. He has an unhappy look on his face. He takes his jacket off and puts it on the coat rack. He looks over at the two of them . DODGER Is dinner ready? MOTHER It'll be another half hour or so. It's a roast and I put it in a little late. DODGER Jesus Christ woman! I come home from a long day at the office and you ain't even got supper on the table! You've probably been sittin' on your ass watching television all day! That's probably why your ass has gotten so big. She gets up off the couch and walks over to him. MOTHER I'm sorry honey. It'll be ready soon. Don't get yourself all worked up over it. She sniffs around Dodger's mouth. STUBBS (V.O.) The demon had returned, she could smell it on him. MOTHER Have you been drinking? With that, Dodger SMACKS her across the face with the back of his hand. DODGER Don't be smart with me bitch! When I come home I expect supper to be on the table. You got that! Tucker jumps off the couch and runs over to his mother. He looks up at Dodger angrily. DODGER (CONT'D) What the hell are you lookin' at you little son of a bitch? TUCKER (loudly) You didn't have to hit her! Dodger grabs him by the arm. DODGER You don't raise your voice to me boy! Do you wanna lose you're other arm? TUCKER Let go of me! Tucker breaks free of Dodger's grip. MOTHER Leave him alone, he didn't do anything! DODGER He's giving me attitude that's what he's doing. And I don't take attitude from one armed little shits! Dodger walks away. Tucker puts his only arm around his mother's waist. STUBBS (V.O.) Things had returned back to normal. The demon was back, and so were the bruises. And a few months later Tucker's mother became ill. EXT. CEMETERY - DAY Rains pours out of the grey sky. Tucker and Dodger stand by the grave site, they are surrounded by twenty people. The minister stands by the casket. Tucker has no emotion on his face. STUBBS (V.O.) As they lowered his mother into the ground, right next to his father, Tucker had made the decision to high tail it out of town. He knew things would get worse with Dodger now that his mother was gone, and he was right. INT. DODGER'S HOUSE - NIGHT Tucker is thrown into the wall by Dodger. A picture hanging from a nail falls down. The glass BREAKS as it lands on his head. Dodger walks over to the liquor cabinet and pours himself a glass of whiskey. Tucker lies on the floor, his nose bleeding. DODGER Why do you make me do it son? Why do you gotta step out of line all the time? Dodger swallows his glass of whiskey. Tucker gets up on his feet and wipes the blood from his nose. TUCKER You're the one who's always out of line. Dodger looks surprised. DODGER What did you just say? TUCKER You heard me. Does it make you feel tough beatin' up on a little kid, a little one armed cripple kid at that. Dodger walks up to Tucker. DODGER You better shut your mouth boy or I'll shut if for you! TUCKER Go ahead. Do it if it makes you feel any better. I just don't care anymore. Dodger back hands Tucker across the face. DODGER Still don't care? Tucker looks straight into his eyes. TUCKER Not the littlest bit. Dodger back hands him again. DODGER How 'bout now? TUCKER You can do better than that can't you? Dodger punches him in the stomach. Tucker falls to his knees. He looks up at Dodger, then gets up on his feet with his hand over his belly. DODGER Had enough? TUCKER I had enough the day I met you. Dodger punches him in the face. Tucker falls straight to the ground. CUT TO: INT. DODGER'S HOUSE - NIGHT Tucker stuffs his backpack full of clothes. He walks over to his dresser and grabs a picture of his mother that sits on top. He puts it in his back pocket. STUBBS (V.O.) The time had come for him to leave town. Tucker walks out of his room with his back pack slung over his shoulder. He walks through the hallway, then heads down the staircase. Dodger is passed out on the couch, there is an empty bottle of Jack Daniels beside him. He walks over to Dodger's coat and takes his wallet out from the pocket. He opens the wallet and grabs the cash inside. He stuffs the money in his front pant pocket, then puts the wallet back into the jacket. He turns around and looks over at Dodger. STUBBS (V.O.) (CONT'D) He took what money he could find, had one last glance of Dodger, then high tailed it out of there. Tucker opens the front door and walks out. STUBBS (V.O.) (CONT'D) And the start of Tucker's journey began. FADE TO BLACK.Return to SimplyScripts.com