| DEREK Jesus. I can't believe I ever let it get this bad. DORIS It's not that uncomfortable. DANNY Are you gonna to live or what, Mom? DORIS I need a cigarette. DEREK My ass. You smoke two packs a day. That's why you're spittin' phlegm. Doris coughs once again and spits green into her napkin. SETH (astonished) Jesus, Mrs. Vinyard. I think a lung just came up. Everybody laughs including Doris. Derek tenderly puts his hand on his mother's cheek. DORIS I'm high as a kite. DANNY You got any more? DORIS Daniel? I know you got homework. DANNY I'm goin' in a second. Relax. SETH (interjecting to Derek) Hey. I'm gonna re-wipe and we're out of here. Seth laughs as he walks down the hall. DAVINA You're a pig. DORIS I don't like him in this house. DEREK I knew. DAVINA He ' s a fuckin ' loser, Nazi scumbag. DANNY No he's not. DEREK Yes he is. Open your eyes. Danny looks at Derek and smiles. DANNY Whatever, dude. I'm gonna go power that shit and I'll see you later. He pats his brother on the shoulder and walks off. DEREK Not at Cammeron's you won't see me. DANNY (turning back) Come on, Der! It's gonna be fuckin' DEREK Forget it, Danny! It ain't gonna happen for you tonight. Danny walks off, frustrated. He crosses Seth's path, gets shoved into the wall, and reacts like it's an everyday occurrence. Seth moves out the side window and climbs out. SETH Hurry up. I'm starving. DAVINA What else is new? Derek nods, looks at his mother and kisses her on the forehead. DEREK I'll see ya. DORIS Okay. Be careful. DEREK I will. Derek follows Seth out the SIDE WINDOW and goes down the alley. INT. APARTMENT - TIGHT ON DORIS She thinks to herself and closes her eyes. EXT. SIDE STREET - SETH'S TRUCK Derek looks at the oblivious cops and drops into the passenger's seat. Seth starts the engine and drives away. As the truck disappears, we pick up on a WHITE SOUPED UP JEEP CHEROKEE turning the corner. Tinted windows, it cruises past the apartment complex. INT. DANNY'S BEDROOM - A DESK CUT TO: Danny's attention is everywhere except on his homework. DANNY This sucks. He walks back out of his bedroom. INT. HALLWAY/LIVING ROOM - DANNY'S POV He watches Davina complete her homework on the couch. Doris, on the sofa opposite, tries to sleep. DANNY Hey. DAVINA Hey what? DANNY Come here. DAVINA What!? DANNY Come here for a second! The scholar sets her homework aside and impatiently follows him down the hall. INT. BEDROOM - TWO SINGLE BEDS She sits on the edge of DANNY'S bed. Danny hands her his assignment instructions. DAVINA I got shit to do, Dan. DANNY Just read it. She sighs and begins to read it out loud. DAVINA "American History X? Take home paper as assigned by Principal Robert Sweeney?" (to Danny) Why is he giving you homework? What happened to Murray? DANNY Asshole turned me in. DAVINA Why? DANNY Just read. DAVINA "Describe in detail your opinion of -the historical event that took place in the early morning of October 4th, 1993." What's that? DANNY The night Derek wasted those guys. Davina takes a moment. DAVINA Sweeney gave you this? DANNY Yep. DAVINA (continuing her reading) "Before and after...how has this event helped or hurt your present perspective concerning life in contemporary America. Use the standard five paragraph format, blab blab blahthis'll be good for you.. DANNY Nooo...it'll be good for you. She stares at him for a good three seconds. DAVINA Eat me, Dan. DANNY Come on! Dick Nixon's playin' at Cammeron's tonight. You owe me. DAVINA I'm not doing your homework for you! I gotta spreadsheet due! DANNY Goddammit! Davina walks to the door and looks back to her brother. DAVINA What's the matter with you? You wanna be a fuckin' loser your whole life? Not receiving a response, she walks out the door. DANNY Asshole Sweeney. He slowly begins to strike the computer keys. The screen reads "People look at me and they see my brother. That's the way things have gone since the murder of our father," TIGHT ON DANNY. The frustated kid sits and thinks to himself. himself. QUICK CUT TO: EXT. ESTABLISHING SHOT - NIGHT - FLASHBACK THE BROAD EXPANSE OF AN EMPTY, DIMLY LIT PARKING LOT. In the distant corner we see a few parked cars and a group of skins gathering. DANNY (V/O) It was lunacy after he left us. All the time. Derek believed in Cammeron...he was angry...that combination gave them bodies. White punks...sick of gettin' their asses kicked by black and mexican gangs at school. TIGHT ON DANNY LEANING AGAINST AN ADJACENT CAR. Seven skins, including Seth and Curtis, smoke and wait. DANNY'S POV. Danny looks to his left and sees Derek with Cammeron, who sits in the driver's seat of the BRONCO. Stacey leans in from the backseat. STACEY I hope you kill that fucker. Derek looks back at her and straight to Cameron. CAMMERON He might have a gun. DEREK Are you going in or not? CAMMERON You know I got the cops on me. If I come up on one of those cameras I'm a dead man. Derek stares at the older man, who appears nervous. CAMMERON Somebody needs to drive, Derek. DEREK (referring to his mouth) All right. You can turn it off now. (back to Stacey) You're right on his tail, right? STACEY (nodding) I hate that fucking Korean. I hope you smash his face in. DEREK Just be ready, okay? She nods and Derek gets out. The group is silent. DEREK Come on. Let's pull it together. Hey! We're not playing fuckin' games here. Let's go. The group snaps to attention behind him as Seth toys with the camera. CURTIS from earlier takes a hit off a joint and makes Derek wait for him. Derek walks over to the crazy man, takes the joint, and throws it onto the ground. DEREK What the fuck, Curtis? You a fuckin' nigger now? Want some crack? CURTIS No. DEREK (grabbing his neck) Pull your fucking stupid head out of your ass then. CURTIS Okay. Jesus. DEREK (to the group) We're here tonight cause we got immigration problems spiralling out of control. We got Asians up the ass... taking over our land with their fucking Yen. Mexicans...flocking into this place like some giant fucking Pinata was shattered. The group busts up. Cammeron watches Derek and smiles. DEREK Don't laugh. It's tragic. On the Statue of Liberty it says "Give me your tired, your hungry, your poor, your huddled masses...yearning to be free." It does not say give me your shiftless, your greedy, your indolent, your criminals, looking for a free ticket. The group agrees. DEREK We're here tonight to show the government how we feel about minorities taking over our country. The treat us like criminals while they reward them with jobs and fucking welfare checks. And it's only getting worse. ET AL (nodding) Fuck yeah it is. DEREK Are you ready to do something about it? ET AL Yeah. DEREK Okay then. AND THEY'RE MOVING. In formation. Fast. Directly at us. Angry. As the camera swings into line, TRACKING WITH THEM, Derek reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a STOCKING MASK. He pulls it down over his face. The foot soldiers follow him in unison. DEREK (back to his troops) Remember. No names. Danny? Stay right on my fucking ass, man. And now they're getting ahead of us. As the CAMERA SWINGS behind them, we see their destination. EXT. LIGHTED GROCERY STORE - SAME They storm the front entrance. The few people who are in there scream and scramble for cover. Derek grabs a Mexican boxboy and throws him to the ground. Seth catches up to another and gets him on the ground. SETH Wheto's your fucking green card, asshole? Seth kicks the young man in the face with a blatant shot and continues. DEREK leaves a terrified white woman alone like she's not even there and pushes over an adjacent shelf, knocking over another worker with CANS OF BEANS. DEREK (referring to the border) Can't hide from me, motherfucker! He kicks the man and looks around the market for more. Danny watches in awe. Curtis breaks a giant jelly jar over a head. Another skin throws a BLACK CHECKER into a shelf of POTATO CHIPS. DEREK'S POV. He looks up at one of the aisle mirrors. INT. BACK STOCK AREA - THE 55-YEAR-OLD KOREAN OWNER He rushes out with a pistol. He takes aim on Curtis and FROM OUT OF NOWHERE, DEREK TAKES A MOP TO THE OWNER'S HEAD AND PROCEEDS TO KICK HIM. Danny looks at Derek like he's Superman. Derek looks to his watch and straightens up. DEREK Let's go! We're outta here! Move ! From just inside the door we see skins get in their last blows and pour out the aisles and pass us through the doors. TIRES SCREECH. THE CAMERA HOLDS ON THE WRECKAGE OF THE MARKET AND THE MOTIONLESS BODIES ON THE FLOOR; INT. BRONCO - TIGHT ON DANNY He takes off his stocking mask and stares at his stone- faced brother. DANNY (V/O) And before Derek could even blink...he had a crazed army behind him. CUT TO: INT. BEDROOM - PRESENT - THE COMPUTER Danny sparks up a cigarette and types on the screen. DANNY (V/O) Willing to follow his word like it was the word of God. CUT TO: EXT. VENICE BEACH HOUSE - A RAINY NIGHT - FLASHBACK As the rain falls, we see the Vinyards sitting at the table. Stacey and Murray Rosenberg, Doris' then boyfriend who we met earlier, round out the clan. Stacey sits close to Derek. DANNY (V/O) And then came October 4th, 1993. INT. BEACH HOUSE - THE DINING ROOM Doris looks wonderful while Murray, mustache and beard, shakes his head at Derek as he chatters away. DANNY (V/O) Things were fine on the homefront. My Mom had a good job but a below average boyfriend. We had a four-bedroom house that Dad left us with. Everyone was happy. TIGHT ON DEREK. Shaved head, rolled-up sleeves, tattoos, loosened tie, LA COPY CENTER name tag from earlier. His charisma draws their attention as he rambles over the crackling rainfall. DANNY (V/O) Everyone but Derek. DEREK Fuck you, Murray. White men don't cruise the streets of LA killing each other. MURRAY No. You guys make bombs. Derek stares at the man, eyes filled with homicide. DEREK You're so fucking lame. A couple of cranks in cabins in Montana is not statistically significant. (then) White Americans don't take PCP and drink and drive a hundred and twenty fuckin' miles an hour! We pull over and trust the law. MURRAY You're kidding, right? DAVINA (sarcastically) Don't you know, Murray? White people never break the law. We're perfect little angels. DEREK That's not what I said, Davina. (to the group) Three different times Rodney King comes at those officers with the intent to hurt them. To hurt them! Three times! But since we see it on some fucking tampered videotape...the bleeding heart media makes you believe that he only comes at them once. All we see is Powell, Koon and Wind hittin' him and (busting up laughing) Briseno kickin' him in the back of the fuckin' skull with his boot. Still, the dumbfuck's tryin' to get up and kick their asses! That's how stupid that motherfucker is. Those cops used textbook-solid tactics and if Dad were still here he'd say the same damn thing. DORIS That doesn't make it right. DEREK Yes it does. Yes it does. They're cops! They are taught to use that stick and they did. MURRAY Excessively. DEREK No. Appropriately. Appropriately! Cops have been granted a certain amount of authority by society and white people, unfortunately, are the only ones who acknowledge it. I acknowledge a cop's authority. Davina starts to laugh. DAVINA Look who's talking about respecting the law? Mr. K.K.K. here. DEREK That's two errors in one sentence, Davina, so take a fucking course in semantics. First errorI didn't say I respect the law. I said I respect a cop's authority. Second error...I'm not a member of the fuckin' low rent, disorganized, redneck Ku Klux Klan.. Pull your head outta your ass and look at who you're dealing with. MURRAY Don't speak to her that way, Derek. DEREK Murray, stay out of it. You're not a member of this family and you never will be. MURRAY What the hell does that have to do with anything? DORIS (to Derek) You know...sometimes it's hard to believe I gave birth to you. DEREK Give thanks to the food on the table and then believe it, Doris. DORIS We both put food on this table, fella. DEREK True enough. The point is...if Dan was walking across the street that night and Rodney King plowed into him DORIS Can we forget about Rodney King for chrissake?! DEREK (fiercely continuing) while hopped up on Chivas and P.C.P...you'd consider the force those cops used to be justified! DORIS He didn't hit anybody! DEREK If he did though! If that shithead killed Dan...you would have believed the beating to be justified and so would everybody else. But since he didn't hit anyone...it's "Hands Across America" for the son of a bitch. Derek takes a bite of food. DEREK We are still so hung up in this notion that we have an obligation to help the struggling black man and all you contribute to it! Lincoln freed the slaves a hundred and thirty years ago! Get off your fucking asses! STACEY I'm with you, honey. All the way. It's one...giant...ploy. DAVINA Here we go. STACEY I mean...nobody likes Chief whatever his name is, right? DAVINA Gates. STACEY Yeah. So here comes this filthy piece of garbage in his Hyundai. He pulls over in front of a perfectly lighted area where a video camera is sitting there...fucking waiting for him, man. What happens next? Chief Gates is dust. It's total Davina drops her silverware on the plate with a clatter and looks at her mother. Everyone stares at Davina. DAVINA (to Doris) May I be excused please? DEREK Don't interrupt, Davina. DAVINA I didn't interrupt shit. DEREK The hell you didn't. I was listening to Stacey and then I heard you. That's called interrupting. Wait 'til she's finished and you can be excused. DAVINA Who the hell do you think you are? Derek jumps up from the table and grabs her by the back of the hair. The table JOLTS and plates tumble to zhe floor. DEREK You don't know when to shut up. DORIS Dammit Derek! MURRAY What are you trying to prove, man?! Derek turns and laughs at Murray. DEREK I'm trying to teach my sister some respect, Murray. DAVI NA Let go of my fucking hair! DEREK (to Murray) See! See the way she speaks! Tell me you're gonna shut up and I'll let go. DORIS Derek! Let go of her hair and sit down! DEREK I will when I hear an answer, Doris. Are you going to shut up, Davina? TIGHT ON DANNY. He gets up quickly and tries to pull Derek off. Derek turns and cracks Danny in the face with a BACKHAND, dropping him back into a cabinet. A crystal vase with flowers crashes to the floor, just missing Danny's head. MURRAY Jesus! DEREK (to Danny) What are you thinkin'? DORIS Danny?! Are you okay?! Danny nods his head as everyone looks at Derek. DEREK It's a real easy question, Davina. A simple yes or no will suffice. Tell me what I want to hear and I'll let go. DAVINA Fuck...you. Derek takes a piece of roast beef off her plate and shoves it in her mouth. Me holds the whole piece inside so she can't spit it out. Davina cries as she chokes on the meat. MURRAY She can't breathe, Derek! DEREK Stay back, both of you! It's her bed, she's gotta lie in it. (grabbing harder) You can cry all you want, Davina. I'm not gonna let go until you tell me what I wanna hear! Are you going to shut that fat fucking mouth of your's and let my girlfriend tell her opinion? Are you?! DORIS grabs him from behind and he aggressively turns on her. Derek curls his tongue behind his teeth and raises his arm like he's actually going to smack his mother. She grabs his arm though, forcefully. DORIS Let go of her hair and get out. Derek releases his grip on his sister and she spits the roast beef onto the floor. She runs into the back bedroom crying, choking and coughing. DAVINA (O.S) I hate you, you fucking asshole! The door slams shut in the background. Doris, Murray, Danny, and Stacey all stare at Derek. Derek calmly faces his brother. DEREK You okay? Danny nods. MURRAY (softly) Psycho. IN SLO MOTime FREEZES as Derek slowly turns his head back to Murray. ON THE TRACK we hear a few keys being typed and then silence. A cigarette sizzles. CUT TO: INT. BEDROOM - DANNY THINKING - PRESENT He takes a long drag off his cigarette and exhales. He slowly runs his hands over his stubbly head, marveling at the past. BACK QUICKLY TO: INT. DINING ROOM - TIGHT ON DEREK - FLASHBACK CONT. Derek smiles at Murray in wonder and disbelief. DEREK Would you care to repeat that, Murray? I'm not sure I got all of it. STACEY (smiling) He called you a "psycho", honey. DEREK (smiling back) Was that it? Thanks Murray. MURRAY See. Here we go again with this, Derek. Making me out to be the bad guy again. STACEY You callin' me a liar, RosenKike? MURRAY (to Stacey) Hey goddammit! You talk to me with respect or! DEREK Or what, Murray!? What're you gonna do? Give her fucking detention? DORIS Both of you get out right now. Murray stares at Derek with pity. Doris becomes emotional. DORIS (to Derek) Do you think you're the only one who's affected around here? Derek focuses on his mother for a moment. A captivated Danny watches and waits as Derek turns to Murray. DEREK Out of respect for my mother...I'm gonna let that comment go, Murray. I won't bash your face in. But let me tell you somethin'...man to fuckin' mouse here. Normally in a situation like this I'd take my steel-tips to your fucking Jewish temple. That goes for anyone making comments about me, my family, Stacey, whomever. You know and I know that I could crush that puny fuckin' skull of yours in a second. So it's beyond me why you would say something like that without being able to back it up? What's worse, you sack of shit, is you calling the woman I love a liar. MURRAY I never said she was a liar. DEREK Weasel like that again Murray...you fuckin' ponytail, pussy, bagel eating, teacher, faggot...and I'll cut your shylock nose off. Make no mistake. Murray silently walks out of the house. Derek claps and sings the Jewish celebration song "Hava Naghila." Stacey joins in and the two laugh. Doris goes after Murray. STACEY Murray Rosenberg...International Jew. EXT. STREET - NIGHT Murray goes to his car and Doris follows. Danny watches from the door. DORIS He's a stupid kid, Murray! I'm sorry! MURRAY He's not a kid, Doris. We were kids. We didn't call people kikes. DORIS It's just gonna take some time with him. What can I do? MURRAY You don't know your children, Doris! You have no clue about the world they live in. Your son is a terrorist. DORIS He's not a terrorist, Murray. Jesus! MURRAY He's a member of the Disciples of Christ. You remember that grocery store incident?! DORIS Murray? MURRAY My sister and her two kids got evacuated from her Temple in Woodland Hills! DORIS Murray! Please! Derek would never have anything to do with bombs, okay?! You don't know him like I do. MURRAY And I wouldn't want to. Goodbye. Murray gets inside and goes down the street. INT. HOUSE - SAME DANNY'S POV He watches Doris stand alone, her face in her hands, crying. BEHIND Dan a humiliated Davina storms towards Derek, now wielding a BASEBALL BAT. DANNY Davina? Derek hears Dan and looks out of the corner of his eye. He spots her at the last moment. DAVINA Take this, you fucking dick! Derek pops up quickly, disarms her, and pulls her close. DEREK Davina! It's okay! Calm down. Please. DAVINA Fuck you! Let go! DEREK (whispering in her ear) I'm sorry, Davina. Come on. DAVINA Let go of me! DEREK Come on, Davina. I'm sorry. I lost control. Please. I screwed up. Derek holds tight until the crying girl settles down. He's gripped as desperately by remorse as he was moments before by rage. He kisses and repeats his apology over and over. Finally, she succumbs and puts her arms around him. Derek looks to Danny. DEREK (hugging Davina) You guys are my life and I'd do anything for you. You do know that? DAVINA (wiping her tears) I don't believe you anymore. DEREK I swear to God I would, Davina. Please. DANNY I believe you, Der. Derek smiles at his little brother, lovingly. DEREK Davina? Please forgive me. Please. I'm sorry. DAVINA (nodding, after a beat) That fuckin' sucked, Derek. DEREK I know it did. And I'm sorry. I just really hate that guy. DAVINA You couldn't tell. A RAINSOAKED DORIS walks through the front door. DORIS Find an apartment because I want you out of here. DEREK Morn, I'm sorry but that guy's DORIS I don't wanna hear it anymore! I want you out! STACEY He can move in with me. DORIS When? STACEY Tomorrow. DORIS Good. She walks past Derek and into the back bedroom. DISSOLVE TO: INT. BEDROOM - TIGHT ON DANNY'S EYES - PRESENT He rises from the computer and PEEKS out the blinds. The two cops supposedly watching Derek are now eating in the car. One of them looks up. Danny flips the blinds down. From the other room, he hears Doris break into another coughing fit. INT. LIVING ROOM - DANNY He sits beside her and hands her a glass of water. | |
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