FLASHBACK:
16 INT. VIEIRA FAMILY KITCHEN, AZORES, PORTUGAL - DAY
MUSIC PLAYS from an old record player.
GRACE (V.O.):
There’s a word in Portuguese called ‘saudades’ ...
In the kitchen, JOSE twirls and turns a BEAMING, LAUGHING Bella around ... serenading her.
GRACE (V.O.):
... it means ‘longing.’ Longing for something you left behind, but yet, it never left you.
(a beat)
Leaving changed my mother - forever.
17 INT. JOHNNY’S BEDROOM - MORNING
Bella, wearing a drab old coat over her factory work clothes, stands at the doorway steadying GRACE on her hip.
Johnny’s asleep in a crammed bedroom with two twin beds and a crib.
BELLA (in Portuguese):
Johnny. Get up. It’s time for school.
JOHNNY (in Portuguese):
I don’t wanna go to school.
(in English):
I hate school.
BELLA (in Portuguese, hurried):
There’s a lot of things I hate too! GET UP!
Door SLAMS shut.
18 INT. SIXTH GRADE CLASSROOM - DAY
Wearing hand-me-downs, Johnny sits in the back row. His dark, olive features totally out of place among the sea of blue- eyed, blonde-haired, ten-year-olds.
The children eagerly raise their hands as the teacher walks up, down the rows carrying an English Grammar book.
TEACHER:
Melissa.
Child stands, reads aloud. Teacher calls out names.
TEACHER:
Kelly, Michael, Gloria ...
Johnny sinks deeper into his seat as teacher gets closer.
TEACHER:
John Vieira, you’re next.
Petrified. His big, brown eyes look like melting Milk Duds.
TEACHER:
Johnny, it’s your turn to read.
Class snickers. Johnny grows red with embarrassment.
TEACHER: (impatient, taps on desk):
Come on Johnny. Everyone has to participate in my classroom.
Reluctantly, he stands. Stammers and stutters as he reads. EVERYONE STARES. LAUGHS.
In the back row, sits BILLY MAGUIRE - BIG, blonde, tough - born to repeat a grade.
BILLY MAGUIRE (bellows):
Dumb Port-A-Gee can’t even read. Why don’t you go back to where you came from.
Class laughs louder. The teacher RAPS on the desk.
TEACHER:
Billy Maguire, that’s enough. Johnny, sit down.
Humiliated, swallowing back tears and hate, Johnny sinks down low in his seat.
19 INT. CAMBRIDGE #91 BUS - CONTINUOUS
Dressed in a new bus driver uniform, EDDIE PACHECO (mid 20’s), greets passengers with pride - like he’s the CAPTAIN of the QE2. His good looks, perfectly coifed pompadour set him apart from the working-class passengers.
EDDIE (Boston accent):
Mornin’ Mrs. O’Brien. Mr. O’Toole. Mr. Garcia, how’s the leg?
Nods and smiles as they drop money into the fare box.
A frazzled Bella enters. She’s balancing a CRYING Grace on one hip and a grocery bag on the other. She struggles to find the change in her pocket.
Eddie covers the fare box with his hand and waves her on.
20 EXT. OUTSIDE SCHOOL YARD - LATER THAT AFTERNOON
School bell RINGS.
Droves of kids rush out, banding together in cliques. Johnny walks out, ALONE. Big Billy Maguire lurks at the end of the courtyard, sneaking cigarettes with his buddies.
BILLY MAGUIRE (pointing at Johnny):
There he is.
They hop on their bikes. Rush towards Johnny - circling him like shark bait.
BILLY MAGUIRE (taunting, mimicking Johnny’s stutter):
Hey J-J-J-Johnny, what kinda geese can’t fly?
J-J-J-Johnny? What kinda geese can’t fly?
(laughing wildly)
Port-a-Geese, dumb Port-a-Geese. JUST like you,
J-J-J Johnny.
Johnny stands. Fists clenched, staring Billy down - refusing to show fear.
Billy pulls at Johnny’s old jacket.
BILLY MAGUIRE:
Hey J-J-J-Johnny. Where’d you get that jacket?
JOHNNY (stuttering):
M-M-M-My mother.
BILLY MAGUIRE (mean spirited):
Oh yeah, she been barrel picking again.
They circle closer and closer.
Johnny, fighting back tears, makes a run for it.
On the other side of the street is an old cemetery. He dashes across ... disappearing into it.
21 EXT. CEMETERY
Weeds strangle decaying headstones etched with Irish and old Boston Brahman names; Dennis Thomas Riley, Mary Elizabeth Trowbridge ...
Johnny steps over vodka and rum nips. Finds a sunny spot. Sticks his hand in his pocket and pulls out two green plastic Army men. Lays then down on the ground, plays.
A large shadow hovers over him.
Johnny stops playing. CLOSE UP ON JOHNNY’S FACE:
OH SHIT moment ... no way he’s turning around.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
Hey kid.
Not moving, swallowing hard ... Johnny cranes his neck.
Towering over him is tall, thin TOMMY CALLAHAN (16) wearing a red bandana over his long stringy hair and three-hundred pound Fat Manny (17). EYES GLASSY. BLOODSHOT.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
Why ain’t you in school?
Johnny EYES Tommy.
JOHNNY:
I hate school.
FAT MANNY:
Oh yeah, who don’t?
Tommy takes a long drag on a joint.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
What’s your name?
JOHNNY (slowly):
JJJohnny. Johnny Vieira.
TOMMY CALLAHAN (pointing to himself):
Tommy Callahan ...
(then to Manny)
This here is Fat Manny.
Listen to me, Johnny Vieira ... School sucks. It’s a GAME for LOSERS.
Tommy digs into his jacket pocket. Pulls out a bag of marijuana. Wiggles it ...
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
Come on.
Confused, Johnny shrugs.
Tommy extends him a hand up, he takes it. Tommy wraps his arm around Johnny’s shoulder.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
Let’s go get high little man.
22 INT. MARKET BASKET GROCERY STORE - LATER LONG SHOT OF THE SNACK FOOD AISLE
Johnny’s sitting in a wheelchair, a blanket covers his legs. The chair’s marked “Property of Cambridge Hospital.” Playing along, Johnny’s head bends to his left: sad, pathetic.
HUMMING, Tommy wheels Johnny down the aisle, casually stealing junk food as Johnny tucks it under the blanket.
People pass, and look at little Johnny with pity.
23 INT. HOTEL SONESTA, CAMBRIDGE, GUEST ROOM
Dressed in a pink hotel maid uniform, Fatima fluffs a pillow on a guest bed. She SINGS a religious song in Portuguese.
GRACE (V.O.):
Fatima was the prettiest girl on the island. Father Garcia even picked her to be the Virgin Mary in the church’s Nativity play. That’s like being canonized for a month.
FATIMA (singing in Portuguese):
Quão Grande é o meu Deus ...
Dressed in his bus driver uniform, a grinning Eddie FRAMES the entrance of the door with his height.
Fatima’s long, black ponytail swings with her every move as she pulls up the comforter ... SINGING.
Eddie JINGLES the big ring of keys hanging from his belt.
EDDIE:
You sound pretty.
FATIMA (startled, broken English):
Ai meu Deus, Eddie. You scare me.
EDDIE:
Sorry baby. Just checkin’ in on my girl.
He playfully tugs her ponytail, draping it around her neck then gently kisses her forehead. She’s dwarfed by his height.
EDDIE:
You are way too beautiful Fatima to be cleaning other people’s toilets.
Sliding her hands into her uniform’s pockets, Fatima smiles shyly.
Eddie leaps backwards and flops onto the newly made bed. He PATS the spot next to him.
FATIMA:
Eddie, I just make that.
Eddie leans back, cradling his arms behind his head.
EDDIE:
Maybe it’s time you stopped making other people’s beds.
(tapping the wad of keys)
You know. I got me a good job. Maybe. Maybe it’s time we get married.
FATIMA:
Marries? Reallies?
EDDIE (laughing):
Reallies.
Eddie grabs for her hand and pulls her onto the bed as she falls towards him giggling.
CUT TO:
24 INT. TOMMY’S VOLKSWAGEN VAN - NIGHT
An old mattress lines the back of the van. It’s jam-packed with goods - from junk food, to shoe laces, to rolls of ribbon - a crammed Dollar Store.
The van is filled with smoke.
Tommy is driving, smoking a joint, singing off key to The Rolling Stones on the radio.
TOMMY CALLAHAN (singing):
Timmmmmmmme is on my side. Oh Yes it is...
Fat Manny pounds Devil Dogs into his mouth, eating them in one bite.
25 EXT. OUTSIDE OF JOHNNY’S TRIPLE DECKER
The triple decker is pitch black, except for one window.
Tommy’s van pulls up - the radio BLARING.
An old lady peeks out through the window blinds. The passenger side door opens. Johnny gets in.
26 EXT. TRAIN TRACKS OUTSIDE DEPARTMENT STORE
The tracks are lined with freight trains.
Tommy and Fat Manny are dressed in dark camouflage clothes, black grease paint covering their faces - over the top.
Tommy has a cigarette in one hand, a pair of wire cutters in the other. Fat Manny swings a flashlight.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
I got this one from a buddy of mine. He works the night shift. There’s trains here with cigarettes... Think of the money we’ll make selling ‘em.
JOHNNY (clocking the miles of trains):
What train is it?
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
I don’t know. It’s not like he told me everything.
Walking up and down the tracks, circling the trains, Tommy starts to sniff around, smelling for tobacco.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
Come on help me out here. Take a whiff. Maybe we can smell ‘em out.
Johnny SHOOTS him a WTF look but joins in the “smell fest” anyway. Fat Manny gets closer to Tommy. SNIFFS.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
What? You find something?
FAT MANNY:
Yeah. I smell dog shit.
Tommy’s stepped in a big pile of dog shit. He starts scraping his sneakers against the train track.
TOMMY CALLAHAN (looking down):
Oh man, I just stole these bad boys yesterday.
Johnny’s hysterically laughing.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
Shhh! Shhh! Did you hear that?
Johnny shakes his head, no.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
Listen.
They all stand completely still, listening.
VOICES talking in the distance ... getting closer.
TOMMY CALLAHAN (pointing to a train):
Come on. Quick, let’s try this one.
Tommy cuts the lock off the train’s door.
Jumps inside: Dozens of long cardboard boxes fill the cabin of the train.
TOMMY CALLAHAN (elated):
This is it. This is it! Oh my God! We’re gonna be loaded.
Tommy pulls out a knife. SLASH. Slices open the boxes.
CLOSE VIEW ON A DUMBFOUNDED TOMMY.
TOMMY CALLAHAN:
BROOOOOMS??? What THE FUCK are we gonna do with brooms?
CUT TO:
27 INT. VIEIRA TRIPLE DECKER - DAY
Looking so pretty in a powder blue summer dress, Fatima has Johnny by the hand, pulling him towards a Chevy Impala.
JOHNNY:
Stop dragging me. Where are we going?
FATIMA:
To the carnival. Mama say I can go with Eddie if you come with me.
Johnny lags behind as Fatima drags him towards the Impala - where Eddie sits behind the wheel ... admiring himself in the mirror.
28 EXT. SAUGUS ELKS CLUB CARNIVAL
The large makeshift carnival is set up in an open parking lot across from the Squires Strip Club. A multi-colored Ferris wheel dots the background, Carnival Barkers, YELLING, selling their games and fried dough.
CARNIVAL BARKER (standing next to The High Striker game):
Test ya’ strength here. Are you Olive Oyl or Popeye? Come on over. Test ya’ strength.
SEQUENCE OF SHOTS: Eddie and Fatima - holding hands, eating cotton candy.
Eddie shows Johnny how to shoot a basketball into the Hoop of Tower game. Winning. Choosing a prize.
29 INT. EDDIE’S CHEVY IMPALA
Johnny sits in the backseat trying to spin his newly won basketball on his finger. Towering next to him is a huge black and white stuffed panda bear.
Under Eddie’s driver’s seat rests a six pack of beer.
Eddie holds a can in one hand, the other is wrapped around Fatima as he steers the car with his knee. He offers Fatima a sip.
FATIMA:
No Eddie. I no drink.
EDDIE:
I like that. Good girls don’t drink.
They roll up in front of Fatima’s triple decker. Eddie parks, turns around towards Johnny, who’s sleeping against the stuffed panda.
EDDIE (shaking Johnny awake):
Hey! Snooze on your own time.
30 EXT. OUTSIDE EDDIE’S CAR
Johnny gets out, cradling his new basketball and dragging the ginormous panda by its ear.
EDDIE (yelling out):
Make sure you give that bear to your baby sista.
Now, get lost.
31 INT. EDDIE’S CAR
Eddie grabs another beer and pulls Fatima closer to him, feeling the effects of the beer.
EDDIE:
You think your Ma is ever gonna let us go out on a date alone?
FATIMA (shaking her head):
No Eddie. She no likes. Is okay when we marries.
EDDIE (a bit aggressive):
Come on, that’s bullshit. This ain’t the old country.
It’s freakin’ America.
Eddie guzzles the beer. CRUSHES the can and lobs it into the back seat. It rolls off, CLINKS onto the aluminum graveyard of crushed beer cans littering the floor board.
CUT TO:
32 INT. TOMMY’S VAN - NEXT DAY
Sitting in the back of his van, Tommy’s drinking beer and smoking dope as he musses up Johnny’s hair — smearing what looks like dirt on his face.
Tommy passes Johnny the joint. He takes an inexperienced drag on the joint - CHOKES and COUGHS.
33 EXT. TOMMY’S VAN IN FRONT OF A LARGE SUBURBAN HOUSE
Johnny’s standing outside the van. Waif-like. His hair is messed up, face smudged - looking like Oliver Twist.
He’s carrying a new broom. But the broom is elaborately decorated with colorful ribbons.
Johnny reluctantly trudges towards the house, Tommy, cupping his hands, YELLS out from the van.
TOMMY CALLAHAN (slowly separating his words):
Don’t forget the line about your BLIND father.
Johnny rings the doorbell.
A nicely dressed woman answers. Johnny hands her the broom, selling his story. She ruffles his hair. Pulls out some dollar bills from her apron pocket.
CLOSE UP VIEW ON JOHNNY, TURNING TOWARDS TOMMY - SMILING.
34 INT. vieira KITCHEN - NEXT MORNING
Johnny, wearing his little boy underwear, spots a bowl of Froot Loops cereal on the table. He munches on a handful, walks towards the fridge, grabs the
milk.
A cat PURRS.
Looking down, he pets the cat. Shakes the milk carton. Picks up his cereal bowl, dumps it out. Pours the milk into the bowl, gives it to the cat.
35 INT. HALLWAY
Johnny, still in his underwear, sits on the floor playing with a bucket of green, plastic Army soldiers.
The front door OPENS.
Johnny perks up, LISTENS.
36 INT. APARTMENT DOOR
Fatima’s wearing her pink hotel maid’s uniform.
FATIMA:
Come. Come Eddie. Nobody home.
Eddie, dressed in his bus driver uniform, drinking a beer follows with his big wad of keys dangling from his belt.
37 INT. HALLWAY
Johnny leans flat up against the wall. Listens.
38 INT. KITCHEN
Fatima and Eddie flirt, he grabs for her, she pulls away.
She strikes a match under the old kettle. Eddie gulps down his beer.
FATIMA:
I make you some thing to eat.
He reaches for her butt, but she fends him off.
FATIMA:
Eddie, come, you sit down.
She pulls cheese and butter out of the fridge.
Eyes downcast, she uncovers the bread that’s on the table.
Eddie - oblivious to her mood - paws at her while simultaneously putting a big hunk of cheese in his mouth.
EDDIE:
Come here baby. Come sit on Big Daddy’s lap.
(He pats his thigh and looks down at his crotch.)
Big Eddie wants to talk to you.
With her back to Eddie, Fatima stands by the stove fidgeting with the kettle.
FATIMA (blurts out):
Eddie, I gonna have a baby.
He chokes on the chunk of cheese - coughing, rambling...
EDDIE:
What? No way. You can’t be. I always pulled out in time.
The kettle WHISTLES.
Eddie gets up. PACES around the kitchen.
Okay. Okay, I know. I know this guy. He can make the whole thing disappear.
(snapping his fingers)
Just like that.
FATIMA:
What you mean?
EDDIE:
We’re gonna get rid of it.
FATIMA:
I no understand.
EDDIE:
I’m gonna get you an abortion.
(slowly, in Portuguese)
A-bor-tamento. No one will ever know.
FATIMA (horrified):
No, Eddie. God, he know everything. Is a bad sin.
EDDIE:
What Geese Can't Fly Page 2
