"KINGPIN" (1996)

KINGPIN

Screenplay by

Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan

Director's Draft

April 5, 1995

FADE IN:

An amber afternoon sun hangs low behind an old one-pump filling station in corn country.

SUPER: OCELOT, IOWA 1962

ANGLE ON - CALVERT MUNSON, the owner, early 40's, sitting out front next to a Coke machine. He's reading a Des Moines Register newspaper with the headline: "Glenn Orbits Earth". Calvert is square-jawed, crew-cut, sun-baked... theembodiment of Midwestern decency.

Calvert nonchalantly looks up. Something catches his eye and he smiles broadly.

WIDE SHOT - In the distance, a nine-year-old boy in overalls is running as fast as he can up the road toward the station. It's Calvert's son ROY. Cute, freckle-faced, athletic, Roy could have been plucked from a Norman Rockwell painting.

Roy tries to hurdle a fence but falls, then gets up and races to his father.

Abandoned cars and trucks rust in the back yard. Roy and Calvert are standing across from each other.

Roy nods, rears back and hurls ...a bowling ball.

ON THE BOWLING BALL - moving with ~reat speed over hard-packed dirt, it smashes into ten homemade hand-carved pins.

ON CALVERT - he whistles softly, impressed.

Calvert resets the pins and coaches Roy as Roy continues to bowl.

SAME SCENE - LATER

Calvert and Roy, in silhouette from behind as they walk toward their little pink ranch house. The sun is setting. Calvert has his arm around the young Roy.

Calvert takes one more step and collapses to the ground.

After a moment, Calvert stands up.

Calvert continues toward the house, limping, as Roy follows.

MUSIC SWELLS

SUPER: 1979

CREDITS ROLL and THE BEE GEE'S 'NIGHT FEVER' PLAYS

This is a glittery bowlarama, circa Saturday Night Fever. The place is hopping, all lanes are jammed, and there are beautiful girls everywhere. It's like a disco party at a bowling alley.

The doors burst open and all heads turn to see Roy Munson, now 26, enter a la Tony Manero. Following behind him is a line of sharp-dressed, sycophantic, would-be bowling studs. Bowling is cool here, it's the golden age of 10-pins, a bowling dynasty in which Roy Munson sits on the throne.

PAN UP - to a banner: "CONGRATULATIONS ROY MUNSON, STATE AMATEUR CHAMPION."

ON AN ALLEY - The action in the other lanes ceases and all eyes turn to Roy as he and his boys take their favorite lane. Roy takes off his jacket revealing a tailored bowling outfit complete with flashy white shoes, a customed-designed wide-lapeled bowling shirt, and beltless double-knit polyester slacks.

PN THE GIRLS IN THE CROWD - as they swoon with admiration.

BACK ON ROY - He does a few fancy stretches, then unzips his bowling bag. You can hear the GASPS as he pulls out the most sparkling, SHINY SKY-BLUE BALL ever.

Finally Roy steps to the line and lets one fly down the middle --CRASH! But, uh-oh, three pins are left standing. The crowd seems surprised and a little disappointed. Roy crouches down and inspects the boards, checking for irregularities. He takes his ball and moves one lane over, bowls again, and leaves THREE BALLS STANDING. A MURMUR passes through the crowd.

Roy picks up his ball and prepares to go for the spare. Then he stops, walks back to his friends and borrows a second ball. With his back to the pins, Roy fires a ball down each lane at the same time--DOUBLE SPARE! The crowd APPLAUDS as they realize the great Roy Munson has been toying with them.

BACK ON THE DOORWAY - The doors open and Roy's dad Calvert enters. He sees the crowd around his son's lane and can't help but beam.

BACK ON ROY - When Roy's ball returns, he picks it up and waits for the crowd to quiet, then he lets another one fly. But , something strange happens--the ball starts to spin wildly, the!!,' about ten feet from the pins it comes to a halt, though its wi'ld spinning continues. A moment later Roy yanks his fist as though "pulling the string" -- the ball takes off like a rocket again and SPLATTERS the ten pins in all directions. The crowd erupts in CHEERS, and Roy smiles at his proud father.

Roy's shiny new candy-apple red Chevy Impala convertible with a sparkling white interior is parked at his father's gas station. Roy puts his suitcase and bowling ball bag in the trunk, then turns to his dad.

Calvert Munson shakes his son's hand. The two men stand for a moment, awkward, uncomfortable. Finally Calvert pulls out a rickety pocket-watch.

Roy steps forward and hugs his dad.

Roy is at the wheel of his shiny new convertible, a smile on his face, as he drives under a banner that reads: "GOOD LUCK, ROY". As a few TOWNSFOLK wave to him, Roy hits the road on his way to fame and fortune.

Roy's first tournament. It is deathly quiet. We can see from the scorecards overhead this is the last frame. Roy picks up his ball and steps to the line.

ON THE CROWD frozen with anticipation.

CLOSE ON ROY - His eyes are focused in pure concentration.

ON ROY'S FEET - they move gracefully forward.

ON ROY'S ARM - as it arcs back and pauses at the top beyond where it should be able to go.

ON ROY'S FEET - they skid to a stop right at the line.

ON THE BALL ··as it's released. THE CAMERA TRACKS with it down the alley and through the pins in a cool series of shots that indicates someone other than a mere mortal just threw this strike. CRASH!!!

ON THE CROWD - as it CHEERS wildly.

ON ROY - as he smiles. He crosses to his opponent, shakes his hand and pats him on the back. Roy is handed a giant check from a guy dressed as a footpad. The check reads, DR. SCROLLS INVITATIONAL... $1,500. He waves to the crowd.

THE CAMERA TRACKS - through the cheering crowd, stopping on BURT DELAND, a good-·lookingman in his early thirties, dressed in suit and tie. Burt looks very interested in what has just taken place.

Roy's Impala is parked in front of his nondescript cabin. It's quiet except for the occasional sound of a bug flying into the bug zapper light outside Roy's room. Suddenly we hear a car's tires crunching on the gravel as i.:pulls in next to Rdy's Impala.

ON THE DOOR - to the two-tone Cadillac opens and the figure of a man gets out. We see his feet next to the chrome wire wheels of his car.

CLOSE ON -the gas tank of Roy's car. A hand reaches in and pops open gas cap. Something is poured in the gas tank.

Roy's car is on a hoist. Roy and an OLD MAN are looking up at the engine.

We hear the BELL RING as a car pulls in next to the gas tanks. Old Man heads to the gas tanks and Roy follows.

CAMERA TRACKS with Roy and Old Man to pumps.

The CAMERA settles on the chrome wire wheels of a two-tone Cadillac.

ANGLE ON - Burt Deland, who is behind the wheel of the Cadillac

Burt gets out of the car to stretch his legs. He looks over at a distraught Roy.

Roy glances at his car.

Roy is having pie and milk. Burt is drinking a scotch and smoking a cigarette.

Burt is driving. Roy is sitting next to him and looks concerned.

Roy thinks about this.

A dreary town in the middle of nowhere. Windows are broken out of abandon stores. Newspapers blow past rusted pick up trucks. Burt Deland's car pulls into the parking lot of the run-down bowling alley.

As dreary as outside. The place is nearly deserted. A handful of people are bowling.

ON A SNACKSHOP/BAR - in the back of the alley.

ANGLE ON - Roy and Burt, seated at the bar. The OWNER serves them drinks. Roy looks nervous. Burt nods to him... it's time to begin.

The Owner brings over two beers. Roy pays from a large wad of bills.

Roy shoves wad back in pocket.

Burt gives Roy a look.

The owner nods, seemingly satisfied.

Roy pours his beer into the potted plant. He slams down the empty glass on the bar.

The Owner turns around.

The building is dark and completely empty except for the lone lane that is lit in the middle of the alley. Roy and Burt are seated on one side of the alley. The Owner and a group of men are on the other.

We see THE MAN bowling against Roy from behind. He approaches the lane and throws the ball with perfect form. STRIKE!

ON BURT - he winces, then throws back a shot of whiskey. Roy picks up his ball and nervously bowls.

ON THE PINS - as the ball smashes through them. Three remain. The five, seven and the ten. An almost impossible spare.

ON ROY - defeated, walks back and sits next to Burt. THE MAN.· approaches Roy and holds out his hand.

Roy hands him the money.

ON THE MAN - A priest, FATHER HINCHEY, smiles.

Hinchey takes a healthy swig from a flask.

Burt throws back another drink, then turns to the group.

Roy picks up his ball and looks at the man.

Roy lets the ball fly. He turns and faces the men before the ball reaches the pins.

ON THE PINS ··Roy makes the spare.

A somber Roy is sitting in the passenger seat of the car. Burt, LAUGHING and carrying a huge wad of cash, hops behind the wheel.

Burt's laughter is cut short by an earthquake level CRASH.

ROY AND BURT'S POV - Through the shattered front windshield we see Father Hinchey and the group of men. One of them holds the baseball bat that did the job on the windshield.

ON BURT AND ROY -·they look concerned. The back windshield is smashed.

Burt indicates to Roy that they should get out of the car.

Roy gets out and closes the door. Burt floors the gas pedal. The car hauls ass into the distance and disappears.

The men grab Roy's hand and hold it out. ZOOM IN ON ROY'S HAND - We see the ring on Roy's finger .... STATEAMATEUR CHAMPION 1979

CLOSE ON ROY - He knows he's in deep shit.

Father Hinchey pulls his fake collar off.

CLOSE - AUTOMATIC BALL RETURN HOLE

The men are holding Roy forcing his arm halfway into the return hole.

ANGLE ON ROY - He looks terrified.

The "Priest" motions to the men who force Roy's arm all the way into the hole. We hear a GROTESQUE GRINDING NOISE and

A real shit hole. A sign out front reads: ROOMS BY THE MONTH ... WEEK ...HOUR.

SUPER: SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA 1995

It's worse inside. People can be heard arguing faintly off in the distance. The CAMERA PANS past peeling paint on the walls ... stained shades with holes in them let the morning sun come through. The CAMERA continues past the beat up furniture, a hot plate with God knows what splattering all over it, to the back of the head of the man sleeping in the bed. The CAMERA PANS past him, finally landing on a taped together clock radio on a nightstand next to the bed. CLOSE ON THE CLOCK RADIO - The time goes from 7:29 to 7:30. Music comes on. It's GOOD DAY SUNSHINE by the BEATLES.

The man's hand reaches out for the clock but can't find it. Suddenly AN ARTIFICIAL METAL HOOK HAND comes crashing down on the clock radio. It's now quiet. The CAMERA PANS up and we see who's attached to the hook--IT'S ROY. The room looks better than he does.

Roy opens his door and pokes his head out. With the exception of a sport coat, he's still wearing tacky bowling attire--wide lapels, double-knit slacks, etc. He looks around nervously. Then, satisfied, he walks down the steps past an OLD DRUNK sitting out front.

Roy climbs behind the wheel of the same Impala convertible he drove seventeen years earlier. Its once candy-red color is now dulled, dirty, and rusted. The bumper barely hangs on by weathered duct tape, the muffler's attached by a piece of rope, and the radio antenna has been replaced by a twisted coat hanger.

This catches Roy by surprise.

-, I 14.

Roy nods and as he turns the engine over he hears:

ROY'S POV - It's his landlady, MRS. DUMARS, one of the angriest and ugliest women God ever let loose on this planet. She's dressed appropriately in floral housecoat and terry cloth slippers.

Roy puts the car in drive and SPEEDS OFF.

The bowling alley parking lot. Roy's car pulls in. He rolls up his window and gets out. The window crank is still in his metal hand. He takes it out, opens the car door and tosses it in. He shuts the car door and starts to walk away but stops when he realizes the door handle is still in his artificial hand. He removes the door handle from "hand" and puts on his sports jacket. The metal hand tears through the length of the right sleeve.

Roy walks around and opens the trunk of the car. He's looking for something. He finds it. He fumbles with it for a moment.

CLOSE ON ROY - He brings right hand up into frame. He now has a prosthetic hand on over "the hook." Not the best, but pretty good. He looks at the rubber hand and smiles.

CLOSE ON HAND - On the third finger the big, tacky ring which reads: STATE AMATEUR CHAMPION 1979.

Roy grabs a clipboard and walks to the entrance of the bowling alley.

Hasn't changed much since the fifties. A bar-grill. Register and shoe rental area. Jukebox, pinball machines, video games. A few people are bowling. Ugly people. Bowling's heyday has come and gone. Now it's about as cool as ... well,bowling.

RICH CARRUBA, the twenty-year-old rotund manager of Lancaster Bo.wl is at his desk. He's flipping through the pages of ASIAN BRIDES MAGAZINE. Roy walks in, clipboard in hand.

Rich continues to look through the magazine.

Rich looks up to see Roy still standing there.

He pats Roy on the shoulder and leaves. Roy stands and screams after him.

CAMERA TRACKS past a couple of people at the counter and stops on Roy, eating an egg salad sandwich. He's reading the 'USA Today' and is completely over his tirade. Suddenly he hears what sounds like A THUNDERCLAP.

PUNCH IN - on Roy's face as he turns to where the sound has come from.

ANGLE ON A BOWLING ALLEY - ISHMAEL BOORG, a giant of a boy, in his twenties, sweet looking ... longish blond hair,physique of an offensive lineman. A straight arrow all American farm boy. He's on the lane by himself. Ishmael has just bowled the "thunderclap" strike. As Ishmael is about to bowl again, Roy walks up behind him.

Ishmael reluctantly does it. He lets the ball go with a tremendous amount of force.

CLOSE ON ROY - a THUNDERCLAP again. LOIIDERthis time.

Ishmael begins gathering his things.

Ray holds out his hand with his championship ring on it.

1B.

Roy WHISTLES. Ishmael nervously rushes away, and out the front door.

As Roy races after Ishmael, he passes the bowling alley manager, Mr. Carruba.

Ishmael is about to take off on his bicycle when Roy comes outside.

l 9 •

With this, Ishmael turns and pedals off on his bike.

We see Roy's car parked out front. PAN UP THE STREET to a convenience store.

Drab as hell. The fluorescent lighting makes the bags under the CLERK's eyes seem even more yellow than they are.

ON A PAY PHONE IN THE CORNER - Roy is on the phone.

Roy hangs up, pours himself a cup of coffee and moves to the counter.

The Clerk looks up from reading Hustler.

Roy points to a row of milk containers in the cooler.

Roy pulls out a twenty-dollar bill and holds it up.

He points behind the Clerk.

The Clerk turns to get it.

ANGLE ON THE TWENTY - in Roy's hand. There's a ten hidden underneath it. When the Clerk turns, Roy puts down the ten. The Clerk picks up the ten and gives Roy change for a twenty.

Roy comes out of the store and starts up the street. He comes upon a MOTHER having trouble getting her BABY in a stroller over the street curb.

Roy walks over a.ndhelps the Mo_ther.

Roy bends over to take a look at the Baby holding its bottle.

Roy brushes his hook under the Baby's chin as the Mother looks on nervously.

Roy smiles. The Mother hurries away. Roy starts back toward his apartment. As he does, he pulls the baby bottle out of his jacket and squirts milk into his coffee.

Roy mixes the coffee with his hook, then nonchalantly tosses the baby bottle into a garbage can. He begins to walk, then suddenly stops in his tracks.

ROY'S POV - His ornery landlady, Mrs. Dumars, is being mugged by a CRAZED-LOOKING MAN in his mid··30's.He waves a switchblade in her face.

ON ROY

Roy hurries to the rescue. The Crazed·-LookingMan grabs her pocketbook, then jumps back as Roy steps between him and Mrs. Dumars.

Roy takes a step closer and the Robber raises his knife. Roy raises his hook at the Robber.

The Robber takes a swipe at Roy. He steps back, avoiding the blade, then throws his steaming coffee into the Robber's face.

Roy lunges again, hooking the purse out of the robber's hand. Finally the Robber hightails around the corner.

Roy turns to see Mrs. Dumars .looking at him in shock.

Roy hands Mrs. Dumars her purse.

Roy starts into his apartment, then turns.

This brings a half-smile to Roy's face, then he continues to his apartment.

Roy is paying off the "robber" from downstairs, LENNY. He lays the money on the kitchen table.

Lenny starts walking around the room like he's looking for something.

But it's too late. Mrs. Dumars opens the door with her key. She's carrying a bottle of bourbon.

She freezes when she sees Lenny.

Lenny's seen enough. He ditches back out the window.

He turns to Mrs. Dumars, but he's at a loss for words.

She turns to leave.

Mrs. Dumars and Roy are in bed. Mrs. Dumars, in afterglow, is smoking a cigarette. God, she's ugly--like the "Throw Momma From the Train" lady without the pretty eyes. Roy is in the fetal position WHIMPERING.

As she stands to get dressed, WE SHOOT HIS PAINFUL REACTION to her nakedness through her pathetically misshapen, varicose-mapped legs.

Roy GRUNTS. She walks to the door and picks a bowling magazine off a table.

She tosses the magazine onto the floor besides Roy's bed.

She wiggles her tongue at him wantonly, then SLAMS THE DOOR as she leaves.

ON ROY - He looks terrified, unable to move. He lays there and shivers for a few moments, then he notices something on the floor:

ON THE BOWLING MAGAZINE - It reads: "The Reno Open, $1,000,000 Winner Take All".

Roy thinks about this for a moment, and we

An Amish woman, RACHAEL, cuts and cleans vegetables in the kitchen. The light from the window illuminates her face (which happens to be bearded.) There is a KNOCK on the door.

ON RACHAEL - she crosses to the door and opens it. Roy is there in overalls, workshirt, straw hat and Amish beard.

Roy is seated at a long table in the country kitchen of the Boorg farmhouse. At the end of the table is Ishmael's father, SAMUEL. His mother Rachael is putting another platter of food on an already bountiful table. Their handsome son THOMAS, 30, his pretty wife SARAH, 22, and the Boorg's youngest son LUCAS, 10, are also there. Rachael sits down as young Lucas reaches for a biscuit. So does Roy.

He puts it back. Roy takes a bite out of his, then noticing that everyone's staring at him he spits it out and puts it back on his side dish--then feeds it to the family DOG.

Samuel and Rachael exchange looks.

Ishmael comes through the back door.

Ishmael turns and is frozen in stunned silence.

Ishmael shakes Roy's hand, unable to believe he's there in full Amish regalia. Everyone bows their heads. Ishmael continues to look at Roy in horror.

Roy and Ishmael exchange looks.Thomas also glances at Roy, sizing him up.

Roy is sitting on a wooden chair, feet up on the fence. Ishmael comes out of the house and looks around nervously.

Suddenly a beautiful girl, REBECCA, appears from around a corner. She glows with decency and innocence. A Botticelli in a Monet.

Ishmael shoots Roy a look, then heads off for a stroll with his girlfriend.

A moment later, the front doors open and Ishmael's mother comes out reprimanding young Lucas. The family dog follows.

Rachael goes back in the house.

Roy is left with young Lucas and the Hound Dog on the porch. The boy sits down, pouting.

Lucas thinks about this and smiles.

Ishmael's father Samuel appears in the front door with his son Thomas.

Lucas leaves.

Roy holds up his rubber hand. Samuel grows uncomfortable.

As Roy heads off, Thomas gives him a long hard look.

Sunrise. Dew. Mist. Samuel, Rachael, Ishmael, Sarah and Thomas are in the buggy waiting. Everyone looks unhappy. Thomas, particularly stoic and perturbed, glances at his pocket watch, then to the barn.

Lucas comes out of the barn.

Ishmael looks pleased.

Just then, they hear a HOLLER, and look to see a chipper Roy come from around the back of the barn. He's lugging a huge, SLOSHING pail of milk and wearing a MILK MUSTACHE.

ON THE BOORG FAMILY - they look at one another.

Roy (with thick milk mustache) nods at this, deadpan.

Inspirational Music. From all directions tiny ant-like shapes converge at a rise in the meadow. As we get closer we see that the figures are Amish men carrying tools, meeting wagons filled with lumber.

ON THE AMISH WOMEN - they pull up in buggies and begin unloading food in preparation for the mid-day feast which is many hours away.

ON THE CHILDREN - running through high golden grasses to catch a butterfly. ON THE MEN - strapping on toolbelts and unloading lumber all with good cheer, fellowship and enthusiasm.

ON THE BOORG BUGGY - as it arrives. Everyone gets out. Samuel and Ishmael head toward the barn raising. Rachael, the girls and Roy head to where the food is being prepared. Ishmael runs over, grabs Roy by the arm and redirects him to where the work is.

A large hole is drilled with a hand auger. A peg is pounded into a hole. It fits with exacting precision. A piece of lumber is hand sawed and planed with surgical accuracy. ETC. All of the images indicate that this is a group effort of flawless, old world craftsmanship.

vN THE SIDE OF THE BARN - An Amish worker nails a long board on the side of the barn.

He is able to do it with two forceful, expert swings of the hammer. CAMERA TRACKS to a second worker who does exactly the same. CAMERA TRACKS to Roy hammering. His board has ten bent' nails in it and a hundred hammer marks.

ON THE ROOF - From the crest of the roof a man passes a handsaw down the line of several men seated along the rafter. When it gets to the last man he saws off the end.

ON ISHMAEL - working on the ground, sweating.

Rebecca approaches with a glass of lemonade. He wipes his brow and they smile at one another.

IN THE BACKGROUND - we see Lucas working with his dog. The pooch SITS, then ROLLS OVER, then WALKS ON ITS HIND LEGS. Lucas looks pleased.

ON A HUGE WALL - being hammered together on the ground. Ten men lift the huge framed wall a few inches off the ground. Roy, along with six other men, place a long pole under it and begin pushing it upright, straining under its tremendous weight. Men seated along the roof reach out to grab the wall as it inches its way closer and closer to them. We cut back and forth between these groups of men sweating, reaching, straining, pushing. ON AN AMISH WOMAN - standing under a large tree where the food is set out, rings a BELL to let the workers know lunch is ready.

CLOSE ON ROY - he looks up and lets go of the pole.

WIDE SHOT - Roy races down the hill to the food. Behind him in the distance, we see the barn wall collapse backward. Men fall off the roof lunging for it. Startled horses pull wagons into what's left of the structure, sending the entire morning's work crashing to the ground.

Roy is seated at the head of a table. His plate is piled high with food which he is devouring. He looks up.

ROY'S POV - All of the men, many bandaged and bruised, stare at him in disgust.

Thomas stands and walks off.

The men begin making their way back to the hill. Samuel w~lks up to Roy. Ishmael is there.

Samuel walks back to the barn-raising.

Ishmael grabs his tools and is off. Roy looks up to God, thinks better of asking for a favor and trudges back up the hill for the barn raising.

The skeletal framework of the barn is nearly completed. The men seem to be everywhere on the structure working with robust spirit.

Samuel attaches a thick rope to an extremely heavy, hand-hewn beam. Samuel looks up and the CAMERA follows the rope to a massive wooden pulley attached to the top of the roof.

CAMERA follows rope through pulley down to another worker who attaches the rope to a horse.

where Ishmael is working on a rafter. Roy sets his tools down next to him. Ishmael grabs his tool belt and hops to another rafter.

ON SAMUEL~ signaling to man by the horse.

The horse is pulled forward and the beam slowly rises toward the roof. Samuel holds the rope trailing from the beam, helping to gently guide it.

ON THE HORSE - suddenly becomes skiddish. As the workman tries to quiet the horse, he looks down to see ...

ON A SNAKE - near the horse's hoof.

ON THE HORSE - snorting and wild-eyed, charges forward.

ON THE BEAM - inside the barn is pulled up at an alarming rate. The trailing length of the rope whips through the air, wrapping itself around Samuel, yanking him twenty five feet off the ground. We see that the rope is around his neck. He is choking, struggling to get out.

ON THE HORSE - still struggling, breaks free and bolts. The rope ZOOMS back through the pulley.

ON SAMUEL - he drops a few feet but the rope gets bunched up like on a giant fishing reel, stopping Samuel's fall, but trapping him high off the ground. There is pandemonium.

ON ROY - who is on the rafter closest to the pulley, takes in the situation, hesitates for a moment, then moves decisively. Roy shimmeys down the rope to the beam. Samuel hangs a few feet below him. Roy holds up his right hand and pulls off the paper stuffed work glove with his teeth, revealing ... THEHOOK. He reaches down with T"HEHOOK, and uses it scissor like to cut the rope from Samuel's neck. The rope is cut.

Samuel falls to the ground where he is caught in a tarp held by a group of men.

Samuel's quick release has made the beam wildly unbalanced. Roy is thrown from it violently but at the last minute he is able to swing up his right arm, embedding THE HOOK into one end of the beam. He reaches up with his left arm, wrapping it around the other end of the beam.

ON THE AMISH WORKERS AND THEIR WIVES - gathered below stare in awe.

ON ROY -with the sun behind him, hanging Christ-like on the beam.

ON ISHMAEL - looking up at Roy.

Ishmael and his girlfriend REBECCA hold hands by the side of the road.

Roy pulls up in the car and waves to Ishmael. Ishmael kisses Rebecca on the cheek and as he runs to the car:

He gets in the car. Rebecca calls after him.

The car pulls off. We stay on Rebecca. Actually we stay on her for quite some time. After a few moments the car backs into frame.

Rebecca runs to the farmhouse.

Roy reaches under his seat and drags out a dusty black leather case and opens it. A couple of early Beatles eight tracks are in it.

Roy shakes his head.

The car pulls away, climbing a hill. The cassette player starts to blast, "REVOLUTION."

As the car is about to reach the crest of the hill:

OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL

The car comes over the top of the hill and stops.

A small fender bender between two hay trucks has caused a major traffic jam. They have traveled about a hundred yards and will be here for awhile.

Roy shuts off the music and turns to Ishmael.

Roy and Ishmael are now cruising along. Roy lights a cigarette and offers the pack to Ishmael.

Roy reacts to this.

Ishmael thinks about this.

Roy pops Ishmael a cigarette and he lights up.

They've pulled up to a TOLL BOOTH. Roy throws in a quarter with a string attached. As the gate goes up, he yanks out the quarter and takes off.

A dozen rundown wooden cabins in a semi-circle. All of the rooms look out onto a patch of weed-choked grass with a dilapidated swingset.

The office, a low-slung fifties-style box, has a cheesy replica of the Eiffel Tower on the roof. A neon sign reads: LEFT BANK ECONOLODGE - 11 A TOUCHOFPARIS IN THE POCONOS" - USE OUR COMPLIMENTARY SHOE POLISHER AT THE FRONT DESK.

Two single beds - nightstand between them. A few cheap knick-knacks to keep the Paris theme going. Ishmael is lying in his bed drinking a carton of milk and smoking a butt. Roy is at the sink flossing his teeth.

Roy sits on the foot of Ishmael's bed and grows introspective.

Roy moves to his bag, takes something out and hands it to Ishmael.

Ishmael smiles and swallows a pill, washing it down with the milk.

Very quiet now. No cars on the highway.

It is 4:27 according to the clock on the nightstand. Ishmael is sound asleep. A hand reaches in to shake him awake.

Ishmael sits up a bit dazed.

Dimly lit from a lamp on a desk. The NIGHT MANAGER, an old man in a beret, with a pencil-thin mustache, is asleep in a Naugahide chair.

Slowly and silently the Impala creeps into frame. Roy is behind the wheel. He nervously glances into the office. As the car continues past the office, we see that Ishmael is pushing it.

HIGHWAY

in front of motel. Ishmael continues to push the car. Roy leans out the window,

Ishmael gets in. Roy cranks up the engine and peels off down the highway.

Wide shot of the Impala traveling through Ohio farmland. We here the Beatles "LOVE ME DO".

Roy and Ishmael.

Roy shrugs and makes the 'money' sign by rubbing his thumb and forefinger together.

Roy flicks a booger out the window and turns to Ishmael.

Roy shoots him a look.

Roy and Ishmael are at a lane. Ishmael is putting on his shoes.

Ishmael thinks about this. Then:

Roy nods and heads off. Ishmael grabs his ball and fires it down the lane.

ON THE PINS - an explosive strike!

ON THE LANE NEXT TO ISHMAEL'S - a MIDDLE-AGED MAN WITH A POT-BELLY watches Ishmael.

Roy returns with the coffees.

Roy reaches for his wallet and takes all his money out.

Roy paces frantically. Ishmael hangs his head.

BEAT.

Ishmael sneers at this. This hits Roy hard.

Roy looks sick.

Roy is at the wheel. Ishmael is upset.

Roy pulls over.

Ishmael thinks a moment.

Roy Munson thinks about this and shakes his head. Ishmael gets out of the car.

Ishmael crosses the street and starts walking in the other direction.

HOLD ON ROY'S FACE - Ishmael's speech seems to have hit home. Then something catches his eye in the REAR VIEW MIRROR.

Roy blinks hard and she disappears.

Roy pulls a u-turn and drives up next to Ishmael.

MONTAGE OF ROY COACHING ISHMAEL:

Roy, with a no-nonsense attitude, is standing at a lane lecturing Ishmael.

SEVERAL SHOTS of Ishmael bowling, INTERCUT with Roy yelling instructions.

ISHMAEL BOWLING

ROY AT A CHALKBOARD, SCRATCHING DOWN A FORMULA LIKE A PHYSICS PROFESSOR

ISHMAEL BOWLING, NOW BLINDFOLDED, WHILE ROY HOLDS A STOP WATCH

ANOTHER TOSS

AND ANOTHER TOSS

SWEATING NOW, MINUS BLINDFOLD, ISHMAEL BOWLS SOME MORE

PINS FLYING

PINS FLYING

PINS IMPLODING - in on themselves, like wooden houses in atomic bomb films.

WIDE SHOT - A delighted Roy and Ishmael high-fiving each other. As they do, ROY'S HAND FLIES ACROSS THE ROOM.

ON A COFFEE SHOP TABLE - an embarrassed Roy picks his hand out of a customer's soup bowl.

Roy is at the sink washing his face.

MEDIUM SHOT OF ISHMAEL - sitting on a toilet, reading a newspaper.

Roy glances over at Ishmael and does a double-take.

HIS POV - Ishmael is taking a crap on the urinal. TWO MEN urinate on either side of him, looking very uncomfortable.

Roy and an excited Ishmael are back on the road.

Ishmael REACTS to this.

Ishmael thinks it over. Then:

Ishmael smiles.

This soothes Ishmael.

Roy holds up his hands as if to say 'Beats me.'Then he glances at his hook and lowers it quickly. Roy looks uncomfortable for a moment, then turns on the radio.

Roy changes the station.

Roy pushes another knob.

Again Roy clicks to another station. Finally finding 'Mr. Sandman', Roy nods.

Roy glares at the radio, horrified, then quickly turns it off.

A dreary town in the middle of nowhere. Windows are broken out of abandon stores. Newspapers blow past rusted pick-up trucks.

TRACKING SHOT along store fronts and empty lots, finally stopping on a nondescript cinder block building sitting out by itself along a lonely stretch of highway. The neon sign over the en~rance reads: SAM HITTLE'S BOWL.

A pick-up truck with high school kids in the back pulls to a stop underneath the sign. They break a couple of the letters with rocks and speed off laughing.

The sign now reads: SHIT BOWL. The CAMERA pans down from the sign to Roy's car pulling into the parking lot.

CLOSE -BARTENDER

ON ROY AND ISHMAEL - seated at the bar in the bowling alley.

The bartender looks at Roy.

Ishmael doesn't react.

The Bartender walks away.

The bartender returns and hands Roy a slip of paper.

Roy pulls out a wad of bills with a hundred on the outside.

Ishmael gives Roy awink. Roy gives him a sarcastic thumbs-up back.

This is a huge gothic structure out in the middle of nowhere. Roy and Ishmael stand beside the Impala which is parked outside a black wrought-iron gate. Roy is pacing nervously.

Roy stops fidgeting and approaches Ishmael.

Roy takes out the wad of bills and fans it. There's a hundred on the outside and the rest are fake.

MARSHAKOWSKI, a bear of a man with a thick eastern European accent, steps out of the darkness.

Roy and Ishmael jump up and grab their crotches.

Marshakowski opens the gate and they follow him into the darkness toward the house.

Contemporary art on every wall. Televisions, stereos, and VCR's stacked everywhere, next to the cartons they came in. A dramatic curved glass staircase leads to the second level and appears to float in space.

Roy and Ishmael sit disappearing into a large white sofa. Marshakowski sits in front of a big screen television watching Beavis and Butthead. He makes a GRUNTING SOUND like a Frankenstein monster who's just learned how to laugh. We hear a VOICE from the top of the stairs.

Marshakowski picks up his remote and turns off the television.

ON THE STAIRS - we see STANLEY OSMANSKI -·-Fila running suit, ~.ike pumps, Rolex, gold chains. An iron curtain Bob Evans.

Osmanski heads over to Roy and Ishmael.

Roy holds out a "hand" with championship ring.

Roy shakes his hand.

Osmanski suddenly grabs Roy by the collar.

Osmanski releases him.

Osmanski indicates for Roy and Ishmael to follow him.

As Roy and Ishmael follow we can see that Roy is having second thoughts about this.

Osmanski spins around. They all stop underneath the glass staircase. In Roy's face.

Roy swallows hard.

As Roy and Ishmael react to this, ~e hear the sound of HIGH HEELS ON GLASS above them. They all look up.

THE GROUP'S POV - A beautiful woman in a short, tight, white mini, descends the clear glass staircase directly above them. rhe woman, CLAUDIA, stops midway and looks down through the stairs,'..

CLAUDIA'S POV - Between her feet we see the men looking straight up at her.

They stop looking up. Claudia continues to the bottom of the stairs. She's unbelievable. Hot, distant, a little bored, very unattainable. She crosses over to where the men are standing and staring.

She walks to the thermostat. It's a sexually cathartic experience just to watch her perform this mundane task and all eyes are on her.

Roy nods. Osmanski slaps him on the back and walks off.

Roy and Ishmael continue looking. Ishmael giggles.

ISHMAEL

I won't be the one to tell him, but with those narrow hips, I don't think she could have more than six or seven children.

Roy looks at Ishmael stunned.

Ishmael turns and follows Osmanski. Roy takes one final look and follows Ishmael.

Probably a library before the bowling alley was put in. Leather couches and chairs. Dark wood paneling. A well-stocked bar.

Roy and Ishmael are seated on a sofa next to Claudia who looks bored. Marshakowski is keeping score on an overhead projector. We see that Osmanski is working on a spare in the last frame.

OSMANSKI picks up the ball, approaches the line and lets it go. He leaves one pin. Osmanski turns around, fist clenched in rage. He stalks back to his seat.

ROY AND ISHMAEL

Ishmael walks over to his ball.

Osmanski continues talking as Ishmael steps to the line.

The THUNDERCLAP. A strike.

ON OSMANSKI - he gives Claudia a look. She knows what to do - she's done this for Osmanski before. As Ishmael is about to bowl again ...

CLAUDIA spills a beer, completely drenching the front of her dress.

All eyes turn to her.

GROUP POV - Claudia is blotting herself with a napkin. Her top is completely soaked through. Jackie Bisset from THE DEEP. Ungodly. Memorable. ISHMAEL moves toward her, Osmanski stof, him.

Ishmael turns quickly .... bowls .... THUNDERCLAP.

Ishmael walks through the group of men to Claudia. He grabs his jacket from a chair and puts it over Claudia's shoulders.

Ishmael walks back to bowl. As he passes Osmanski.

Osmanski, a bit stunned, watches as Ishmael matter-of-factly grabs his ball, bowls ....STRIKE.

HOLD ON OSMANSKI - as we see him try to contain a slow burn. The guy isn't used to losing, and he doesn't like it at all. Claudia can't help but bark out a LAUGH.

Osmanski glares at her, furious, like McEnroe on angel dust.

Claudia hesitates, then follows him out of the room. They close the door behind them. A few moments later we :,eara SLAP, a SCREAM, then nothing. Roy stands and glances at Ishmael nervously.

Ishmael makes aweak gesture for the door, but Marshakowsi steps in his way. Finally the door opens and Osmanski re-enters the room alone. He seems to have lost his edginess.

Osmanski pulls out a thousand dollars and hands it to Roy. Roy takes the dough and tries to act nonchalant.

As Roy puts the thousand with his bankroll.

Osmanski hits Roy in the stomach and takes all the money.

Roy writhes in pain on the floor. Ishmael goes to help him. He glares at Osmanski.

Osmanski bends down next to Roy.

Osmanski stands and turns to Marshakowski.

Marshskowski nods.

Marshakowski moves toward Roy and Ishmael.

THE LIGHTS GO OUT - Pitch black. Confusion. Yelling in Polish. Punches thrown. Crashes. Cursing. After a few more moments of this,

THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON - Marshakowski has a bowling ball in a headlock and is punching it repeatedly. Osmanski is standing at the light switch. He looks around. Roy and Ishmael are gone. The place is demolished. Marshakowski drops the bowling ball.

Roy, Ishmael, and Claudia come running out the front door and tear down the long driveway to the Impala.

Roy flips her his keys and they hop in the car.

They peel out. Claudia is driving, Roy is up front and Ishmael is in the back. Claudia looks in the review mirror.

Claudia ignores him, intent on driving.

The Impala comes hauling ass around a tight curve at 90 miles per hour glued to the road. It roars over a rise in the road, flying through mid air. It hits hard with sparks coming off the pavement and it becomes a speck instantly as it disappears up a long stretch of road.

Roy digs his fingers into the dashboard.

Suddenly a PORSCHE comes SCREECHING out of a side streeet and pulls in behind them.

QUICK CAR CHASE - over hills, around corners, etc. By using her wits and managing as few sharp turns, Claudia manages to get a hundred-·yard lead on the Porsche.

Lights flashing, bells ringing. The gate is already down.

As they approach the crossing, the train is approaching fast.

But she does. The Impala breaks through the wooden gate and over the crossing. A half beat later the TRAIN ROCKETS PAST.

Roy looks out the back. The train is blocking any chance of , Osmanski catching up to them. Roy lets out a long VICTORIOUS/ YELL.

BACK ON THE PORSCHE -As it SKIDS to a stop before the train.

The door opens and Osmanski steps out. He stares off in their direction, cold, emotionless.

Roy seems pleased to have escaped from the Porsche, but Claudia starts banging on the steering wheel angrily.

Roy looks back at Ishmael and notices that he isn't moving.

He snaps his fingers in front of Ishmael's face. Nothing. He's completely catatonic.

The Impala is parked behind some bushes and Ishmael is sprawled' out on the grass with a beer in his hand and a wet towel on hi's forehead.

This gets Claudia's attention.

Claudia crouches down and grabs his hand.

Ishmael's father Samuel and his brother Thomas stand beside a HORSE-DRAWN COACH. In thebackground we see Lucas still working with his dog. The DOG ISWALKING ON ITS HIND LEGS, BALANCING A BEACH BALL ON ITS NOSE.

Thomas climbs into the coach, WHIPS the horses and they race off into the early morning light.

ESTABLISHING SHOT - ROADHOUSE TAVERN - DAY

Roy's Impala is in the parking lot.

Roy, Ishmael and Claudia are seated at a booth. Plates of burgers and fries are on the table. They are holding hands as Ishmael says grace.

Ishmael stops. He looks down at his hand. Claudia's fingers softly caress Ishmael's hand.

ON ROY - as he takes this all in.

Claudia shoots Roy a dirty look.

They release hands.

Claudia calls back to the waitress.

Ishmael smiles. Claudia smiles at him and then at Roy. Flustered, Roy knocks over a glass of milk onto his lap.

As Roy wipes the milk off his lap, a pretty young woman, BARB, appproaches the table. She's bouncy and friendly and about one drink over her limit.

Roy checks her out and perks up.

She smiles at Ishmael.

As she pulls him onto the DANCE FLOOR, Ishmael looks helplessly back at Roy and Claudia.

ON THE DANCE FLOOR - The slow, sappy song, "Baby, I'm A Want You" by Bread plays as Barb pulls a stiff Ishmael in close.

BACK ON ROY AND CLAUDIA

Claudia smiles and lights a cigarette.

ON THE DANCE FLOOR

Ishmael and his dance partner Barb are still moving to the beat of 'Baby, I'm a Want You.' Ishmael seems to be enjoying himself.

Suddenly Barb lifts her head off Ishmael's shoulder, alarmed.

HER POV - a big burly trucker comes walking in the door followed by three of his buddies.

BACK ON ROY AND CLAUDIA

Still at their table.

Claudia reaches over and lifts up Roy's burger bun with her knife. There's a bug under it.

A WAITRESS passes by carrying food to another table.

Claudia leans in.

Claudia looks up and notices something o.s.

ROY AND CLAUDIA'S POV - Seabass has Ishmael pinned against the wall.

BACK ON ROY

Reluctantly Roy gets up and starts toward the dance floor.

ON ISHMAEL ""Seabass is still pinning him against the wall.

Just as Roy arrives on the scene, so do SEABASS'S THREE FRIENDS. Roy sees that this is even more trouble than he thought.

SEABASS FRIEND #1 Ain't you got no manners? You don't take what don't belong to you.

SEABASS FRIEND #2 And what kind of anti-Christ cult do you come from wearing that get-up around here? You recruiting, boy·?

SEABASS FRIEND #3 Kick his ass, Seabass!

Finally, Seabass and his Friends turn to Roy, wondering just what the hell he wants. Roy hesitates amoment, then hauls off and SUCKER-PUNCHES Ishmael. As Ishmael falls to the ground like a sack of potatoes, Roy YELLS:

'

Roy, Ishmael, and Claudia are back on the road. Ishmael is dab,ping blood from under his nose and rubbing his eyes.

Claudia hands some styrofoam take-out boxes to the boys.

Ishmael smiles. Claudia smiles at him and then at Roy. Roy sees he doesn't have much choice.

Roy takes a bite of his burger. We hear a CRUNCH. Roy stops chewing. He realizes what it is and pulls out a huge bug.

Roy's beat-up Impala, with the top down, barrels by on an open stretch of Midwestern interstate.

Roy's driving. Ishmael is next to him staring at Claudia who is stretched out in the back seat. Claudia is in shorts and a tank top rubbing suntan lotion on her legs and shoulders. Roy looks over at Ishmael, then in the rearview mirror. He doesn't like the picture.

Claudia leans forward, her cleavage pressed against the back of Roy's seat.

Claudia leans in incredibly close to Ishmael. She applies the sunblock to his nose slowly, erotically, seductively.

She sits back.

Claudia nonchalantly flicks the tube at Roy which ricochets off his ear. Roy gives her a dirty look in the rearview. Behind her hand, so Ishmael doesn't see, she flips Roy the bird.

Roy reacts to this.

Ishmael pops in the tape. "I FEEL FINE" blares over the speakers.

CLAUDIA begins swaying to the beat. As the music continues, she really gets into it. Sexy. Twitchy. She jumps up on the back seat and begins dancing with total abandon. she can't help herself. It's just the way she is. Hair flying. Stomach pulsating. Hips pumping. She's moving and gyrating in an incredibly erotic, out of body manner. Ishmael is riveted. Roy drives with one eye on the road, one eye on the rearview mirror.

WIDE SHOT - The car going down the highway. A weird and incredible sight.

MONTAGE - HUSTLING ON THE ROAD - (to the song "DOTHE HUSTLE")

ROY AND ISHMAEL - Talking to a STEELWORKER type at a bar in a bowling alley.

ISHMAEL - bowling against the STEELWORKER. The match is in progress. The STEELWORKER gets ready to bowl but something catches his eye on the lane next to him.

CLAUDIA - in one of those short ice skaters skirts that twirl up a lot. She smiles at Ishmael's opponent and grabs her ball. Claudia and the big lug approach the line. She bowls first. The skirt does what it's supposed to. It twirls up.

The STEELWORKER has seen the face of God. He bowls. One eye on the pins, the other on Claudia, who's now walking back to her seat in heart-·stopping, slow-motion profile.

The STEELWORKER'S ball knocks down one pin.

Claudia leaning over the handblower. Her hair is swept back. She looks like she's in the middle of a fashion shoot. A gutter ball.

Claudia shaving her legs with electric razor.

Bowling ball CRASHES through a-window.

STEELWORKER paying off a grinning Roy.

Roy and Claudia POP a champagne bottle. She pours each of them a glass, then motions to see if Ishmael wants a glass. He hesitates, then nods 'what the heck.' They pour him a glass, then they all toast and drink. CAMERA moves across a road map. Sandusky, Ohio .... Muncie,Indiana ...

CLAUDIA - bowling in an updated Daisy Mae affair. Cut offs. Open denim shirt.

A FARMER paying off Roy.

ROY - flossing at a bathroom mirror while Ishmael looks on with interest.

CLAUDIA AND ISHMAEL - dancing 'The Hustle' while Roy looks on happily.

CAMERA continues west across the map.

THOMAS (Ishmael's brother) - racing his horse and carriage down the Interstate while tractor trailer trucks zoom past him.

SERIES OF VARIOUS SHOTS

--Ishmael bowling with a butt in his mouth and a cigarette pack rolled up in each Amish sleeve. Claudia exuding sexuality and sensuality.

--An eighty-year-·old lady paying money to Roy.

THE CAR - cruising along another stretch of highway ..Ishmael and Claudia are now both standing in the back seat dancing. Ishmael is wearing a beer-can helmet with a hose leading into his mouth.

Ishmael is fast asleep in bed, still wearing the beer-can hat. There are empty champagne bottles scattered around the room. Roy is asleep in the next bed. Ishmael starts to stir, then sits up. He looks hungover but unfazed, until he looks down.

Roy jumps out of bed and tries to catch his breath.

Ishmael is staring at a tiny FOUR-LEAF CLOVER that is TATTOOED·' onto his chest.

Ishmael flops back on the bed.

Ishmael takes a deep breath, then springs out of bed and moves to the mirrror to examine it.

ON ROY - he does a double-take at what he sees.

ROY'S POV - Ishmael's entire back is covered with the tatoo of a NAKED WOMAN with gigantic BARE BREASTS.

CONTINUE MONTAGE /TOTHE SONG 'DOTHE HUSTLE')

The map. Different bowling alleys as they head west. Ishmael : bowling. Claudia as the sexy diversion. /

THOMAS - holding a picture of Ishmael. The OLD LADY they hustled earlier is nodding.

ISHMAEL - flossing his teeth in a motel bathroom while Roy looks on in disgust. It's Ishmael's first time flossing and the string is lined with chunks of beef, shrimp, broccoli, etc.

ROY, CLAUDIA, AND ISHMAEL exit a movie theater. Roy and Claudia look bored. Ishmael is doubled over with LAUGHTER.

As they continue walking we see a neon marquee above them.

STOP! OR MY MOM WILL SHOOT SYLVESTER STALLONE ESTELLE GETTY

CLAUDIA pops another bottle of champagne in the car as they cruise down the highway. She turns to pour Ishmael a glass, but we see him in the backseat sucking on a two-foot high BONG.

Money being paid to Roy by various opponents. Money. Money. Money.

ESTABLISHING SHOT - JOLLY CHOLLY'S AMUSEMENT PARK MOTEL- NIGHT

We see an upscale motel, with a nice swimming pool on the grounds and a rinky-dink amusement park next door.

Roy is lying on his bed, smoking a cigarette. Ishmael is in the next bed watching TV. He's flipping around with the channel-changer like a kid with a new toy. Finally Roy crushes out his smoke and sits up.

With that, Roy is out the door.

ON ISHMAEL - He continues running through the channels.

ON THE TV - Ishmael flips past a series of talk shows and infomercials and finally stops on an ad for 976-PARTY. We see THREE BIKINI-CLAD GIRLS. The sexiest one PURRS in a kittenish voice.

He sits up and stares at the phone.

Roy KNOCKS on Claudia's door. She opens it.

She arches her eyebrows.

She thinks about this, then swings the door open.

Ishmael is talking on the phone.

Roy is talking to Claudia.

CLAtIDIA That's called sleeping with me.

Claudia thinks about this for a moment.

Roy raises his right hand.

ROY r' ,r' On everything that is holy to me.

Ishmael sits cross-legged on the bed, still on the phone, drinking a beer.

Roy and Claudia are lying side by side in bed beneath the covers.

CEILING POV - Claudia rolls over and closes her eyes. Roy lies beside her on his back, his eyes wide open.

CEILING POV - Roy's still lying on his back, wide-eyed. Claudia sleeps peacefully beside him.

SERIES OF TIME-LAPSE SHOTS - Claudia assumes various sleeping positions, while Roy always remains the same: on his back with his eyes wide open.

In the final shot, Roy is in the same wide-eyed position, but now the sun is up. Claudia stirs, then sits up and YAWNS.

Claudia hops out of bed.

ON ROY - As his eyes instantly snap shut and he falls deeply asleep. We see the clock next to his head reads 7:30. HOLD ON IT as we

THE CLOCK - now reads 12:30.

ON ROY~ still fast asleep. We hear LAUGHTER and SCREAMING coming from outside. Finally Roy wakes up. He lies there for a second trying to get his bearings, then looks at the clock and sits up, alarmed. Panicking, he jUl!"psout ofbed and runs to the window.

HIS POV - The Impala is still there.

He lets out a SIGH OF RELIEF, then notices something else.

HIS POV - a 200-foot high BUNGEE CRANE is set up in the parking lot. CLOSE ON THE CRANE - a TEENAGE BOY does a swan-dive off the platform. He comes within ten feet of the ground, then springs back up.

Then Roy sees something that almost knocks the wind out of him.

HIS POV - Ishmael is next in line atop the platform. He's getting strapped in.

A frantic Roy comes rushing out with only a towel around his waist. Claudia is standing with a CROWD OF ONLOOKERS beneath the crane.

CLAlffiIA Hey, sleepyhead.

CLAlffiIA What does it look like'?

CLAlffiIA You mean we're out a million bucks.

ON ISHMAEL - atop the platform.

He JUMPS. The bungee cord stretches and stretches and stretches, until Ishmael LANDS FEET-FIRST ON THE GROUND, SOFTLY, and then DOESN'T SNAP BACK UP.

ON ISHMAEL - He stands on the ground, unharmed but exasperated.

ROY runs over to him, holding the towel firmly around his waist.

Roy starts to unhook Ishmael from the harness. As soon as he does, THE BUNGEE CORD SNAPS BACK UP, GRABBING ONTO ROY'S HOOK AND CATAPAULTING HIM SKYWARD, OUT OF FRAME, WITH IT.

HOLD ON ISHMAEL AND CLAUDIA - looking up. Roy's TOWEL FALLS into frame and onto Ishmael's head.

LONGSHOT ~ of a naked Roy, dangling above the crowd.

BIRD'S EYE POV - of Claudia and Ishmael looking up at Roy.

A pissed-off Roy is sitting alone having a cup of coffee. He looks at his watch, impatient. A moment later, Claudia enters.

Roy throws her a look. Then we hear Ishmael's voice off-camera.

ANGLE ON - Ishmael coming through the front door. He's carrying packages ... and for the firsttime since we've met him, Ishmael is not in his normal Amish garb. He's wearing a loud,mismatched suit, at-shirt that says 'HARDBODY', and two-tone shoes.

Roy shoots Claudia a look.

Roy shoots Claudia a smug smile.

Roy's smile is gone. A song comes on the jukebox.

As they hit the dance floor we go

ON ROY - who looks aggravated as hell.

Ishmael is asleep. He is shaken awake. When he bolts up, Roy puts his hand over his mouth.

Roy and Ishmael run toward the Impala.

They jump in.

Roy looks in the rearview mirror and is shocked to see Claudia sitting there.

Ishmael realizes Claudia is there.

Roy and Claudia get out and walk away from the car.

ANGLE ON ROY AND CLAUDIA - as they walk from the car.

Roy turns, Claudia kicks him in the nuts, dropping him like a sack of potatoes.

He writhes on the ground like an animal.

Roy struggles to stand back up.

Claudia punches Roy in the face.

Claudia p1·nches Roy again.

She fires off two more rapid PUNCHES to Roy's face.

ON ROY ·-he has a bloody nose and one eye is blackened and swollen shut.

Claudia connects with a haymaker to the other eye.

Roy has had enough--he winds up and pops her one in the face. Energized by this, she connects a couple more times. Roy's counter leads to a full-fledged brawl, straight out of the old west. For every good shot Roy gets in, she lands a better one. This isn't sissy fighting, scratching or biting. It's an all-out fistfight with blows connecting left and right. Back and forth they go, rolling over cars, punching each other's lights out.

Suddenly Roy looks back toward the car.

HIS POV - Ishmael is gone. There's a note on the windshield under the wiper.

Roy and Claudia run into shot and pick up the note.

Ishmael stands in place hitchhiking, still wearing his beer can hat. A few vehicles go by and finally a car pulls over about fifty feet past him. Ishmael continues to thumb, however, unaware that the car has stopped.

The driver BEEPS, hangs out the car and tries to get Ishmael's attention. The Amish kid fails to turn around and eventually the car drives off. Finally Ishmael turns and continues walking, ' oblivious to what just happened.

A large pickup with giant monster truck tires pulls to the side of the road. Ishmael opens the door and jumps the six feet to the ground.

The truck pulls out and Ishmael yells after it.

The truck turns off the road and heads down a deserted road.

Ishmael walks up to the ATTENDANT in the garage.

The sign reads, "Orvis Meecharn's ReptileFarm"

CLOSE ON ISHMAEL - He's holding a large RATTLESNAKE, one hand on its head, one on its tail, and as far away from him as possible. There is a tall beaker on a table before him. ORVIS MEECHAM, who we see from the back, is yelling at him.

Ishmael pounding the pavement.

SERIES OF SHOTS

A sign outside a diner reads, "Experienced Waiter Wanted." Ishmael walks in. We DISSOLVE and he walks out disappointed.

A sign outside a car dealership reads, "Experienced Salesman Wanted." Ishmael walks in. DISSOLVE. He walks out disappointed.

A sign outside another building reads, "Experienced Lap Dancer Wanted." The word "Experienced" is crossed out. Ishmael spots the sign, smiles and walks in.

A divey-trucker place. Ishmael sits at the bar. The BARTENDER walks up to him.

Ishmael shakes the bartender's hand.

The bartender just stares at him.

CLOSE - ISHMAEL SITTING IN A CHAIR

We hear hard-driving music. A beautiful g-stringed rear-end pops into shot, very close to Ishmael's face. It bobs, sways, twitches to the music. It drops down and gives him a grinding, hot, lap dance. Ishmael's eyes go wide as blonde hair gets whipped in his face.

Ishmael is disheveled and totally drained as another girl finishes up a lap dance for him. The bartender walks over.

A CHAIN LINK FENCE that Ishmael is thrown against.

We're in an empty lot behind the bar. The bartender shoves / Ishmael in the gut with a baseball bat, sending him to his knees.

The bartender raises the bat.

He lowers the bat.

The bartender raises the bat again.

The Bartender thinks about this.

Roy and Claudia still searching for Ishmael.

Roy notices something on the highway. He slams on the brakes and skids off the road.

CLAtIDIA What's the matter?

Roy is looking at a highway sign through his front windshield. It reads: Ocelot, Iowa... 17 miles.

CLAtmIA What time are the tours to your boyhood home?

Roy doesn't even hear her.

Roy looks in the mirror and makes a pathetic effort to fix his hair.

Claudia looks at him for a long beat. She has to be honest.

CLAtmIA (sweetly) Like you've lived an incredibly hard life.

Claudia smiles and indicates it's time for him to give it a shot.

Roy drives the Impala slowly through town, but nobody recognizes him.

This is Roy's dad's old place. It looks like it's been closed for over a decade. It's all boarded-up, weeds growing everywhere. CAMERA PANS TO THE BACK - where we see Roy sitting on an old tractor tire. Claudia approaches and sits beside him.

Roy thinks about this.

Roy pulls something out of his pocket and holds it up to her.

Roy stares at the place where his old childhood bowling alley used to be.

Disgusted with himself, Roy throws the watch in the dirt. Claudia puts her hand on his shoulder, showing her first inkling of compassion.

Roy thinks about this.

Roy stands and walks toward the car.

Claudia begins to follow him, then picks up the watch and puts it in her pocket.

Roy and Claudia are back on the highway. Roy seems to have a new sense of resolve.

Roy shoots her a look, then turns back to the highway.

They look at each other for a long beat, then Roy looks away.

CUT TO: ;

Roy and Claudia are talking to the gas station Atlendant who Ishmael met earlier. The Attendant points up the road.

Roy and Claudia are talking to Orvis Meecham. One of his eyes is swollen shut. There are scars and bumps all over his face from where he's been bitten.

A snake he's holding bites him on the chin. He swats it away like it's a fly.

ON ROY AND CLAUDIA - who look concerned.

The Impala pulls into the lap dancer bar. The parking lot is now jammed, business is booming.

Roy and Claudia enter and squeeze their way to the bar. The place is packed, with mostly men.

Roy and Claudia turn.

HIS POV - there's a stage with a banner over it that reads 'THE GREAT FABULINA.' We hear a DRUM ROLL. A fey ANNOUNCER is at the mike.

I

The CROWD APPLAUDS as the CURTAIN OPENS and we see Ishmael standing there, dressed up like Divine. The song 'It's Raining Men' starts to blare and to the crowd's hearty approval, a clearly uncomfortable Ishmael starts to dance.

Roy and Claudia look at one another in shock. The Crowd starts'to chant 'TAKE IT OFF' and Ishmael, loosening up, starts to do just that. As Ishmael starts to show more and more skin, a concerned Roy and Claudia make a dash for the stage, pushing their way through the crowd. They're intercepted by the Bartender and a couple BURLY BOUNCERS.

Roy flips open his wallet.

He flips his wallet shut.

Roy and Claudia are forced to watch as the now shameless Ishmael strips down into a g-string, working the crowd into a FRENZY.

Claudia looks with concern at Roy. Suddenly Roy stabs his HOOK into the crotch of the Bartender and starts to pull. The Bartender SQUEAKS OUT A YELP. ,

,· ', ROY One move, pal, and those babies are gonna be shish-kabobed. (to Claudia) Pull the car out front.

Claudia takes off.

Claudia is sitting in the Impala, engine running. Suddenly the doors burst open and Roy and Ishmael (stilling-string, carrying his clothes) race out. They dive in the car and the Impala ' SQUEALS AWAY just as the Bartender and a couple Bouncers run out into the parking lot.

Roy is driving, Claudia's in the front, Ishmael's in the back.

This registers with Claudia. Roy is telling the truth.

~

Claudia agrees.

A small smile brightens Ishmael's face.

As the Impala comes over a hill, we see the bright lights of Reno in the distance. Claudia and Ishmael stand up and start HOWLING. Roy pumps his fist from the driver's seat.

The garish sign outside reads:

THE PROFESSIONAL BOWLERS TOUR WELCOMES YOU TO THE SHOWBOAT INVITATIONAL

This place is great. Gold rails, thick carpets, etc. Roy, Ishmael, and Claudia are checking in to the big-time and they look very happy.

Mississippi gambler motif, in formica. The three of them holding their giant menus.

WAITRESS puts down three plates, piled high with food.

The Waitress leaves.

Roy and Ishmael cross to the potato bar. They start to put on the toppings.

Roy looks across the potato bar. There's a man staring at him and smiling. It's Burt Deland.

Burt sticks out his hand to shake Roy's. Roy just stares at him.

Burt looks at Claudia and smiles.

·Burt smiles at Claudia, who almost looks embarrassed.

Burt LAUGHS.

Ishmael reacts to this.

Roy hauls off to smack him, but Ishmael grabs his arm.

At this, Ishmael floors Burt with one punch.

A shaken Burt stands and hurries out the door.

ON ROY AND CLAUDIA - They stare at Ishmael in shock.

Ishmael doesn't respond. He just storms off.

Claudia looks concerned as we

The door opens and Claudia enters. She starts to move across the room when suddenly she stops in her tracks and GASPS.

HER POV - Stanley Osmanski is sitting in the corner wearing a big smile.

For a moment neither of them move. Then Osmanski rises and approaches her. He hesitates in front of her, then gives her a kiss on the cheek.

Osmanski smiles.

Roy stands outside the bathroom door.

No answer.

Still no answer. Then the door opens. Ishmael's face is red and swollen from crying. He wipes his nose.

Ishmael holds up his hand. That's swollen, too.

Off Roy's reaction, we

SAME SCENE - LATER

Roy and Ishmael are sitting on the floor where we last saw them. Ishmael's hand is now in an ice bucket.

Roy and Ishmael.

When they get to Claudia's room the door is open and a maid's cart is out in the hall.

Roy and Ishmael enter and see a MAID straightening up.

Roy turns to Ishmael, alarmed.

Roy sits on the bed, devastated.

Roy and Ishmael are carrying their bags down the empty hall.

Roy stops in his tracks.

ROY'S POV of a huge fist approaching.

ROY hitting the floor like he was dropped from a telephone pole. He shakes his head, and slowly sits up. Blood is coming from his nose, mouth, and ears.

Ishmael helps Roy to his feet.

Roy walks about ten feet, then pulls a u-ey and comes back to Ishmael.

Roy picks up his bags and we

A tiered, Vegas-style lounge. A lot of people at small tables enjoying the entertainment. CAMERA TRACKS through the crowd and stops on Roy and Ishmael at the bar. In the background we see the cast of "The Jeffersons" on ice skates.

Roy is staring into space, his face a little swollen from the punch. For a few moments neither of them speak. Then, irrationally, Roy turns to the Man beside him.

The man downs his drink and leaves. Roy turns drunkenly to Ishmael.

Roy stares at Ishmael for a moment, and then LAUGHS.

Roy takes a healthy swallow from his glass.

Roy twists his hand. It SQUEAKS softly.

Ishmael stands up.

Roy doesn't budge, he just sips his drink.

Ishmael starts to go, then turns back.

Ishmael leaves. Roy stares into his drink. In the B.G. we hear the SCRAPE OF SKATES. Ice from the stage flies into Roy's face, and we

Ishmael comes out into the bright morning sunshine and finds Roy sitting on the front steps with a butt in his mouth. He looks like he hasn't slept much, if at all.

Ishmael smiles and throws his arms around Roy. Then:

Ishmael runs off.

MONTAGE OF ROY MAKE-OVER - WE PLAY OLD WEST MUSIC AS IF AN OVER-THE-HILL GUNSLINGER WAS READYING FOR A SHOOTOUT (a la Lee Marvin in 'Cat Ballou.')

--Roy doing pathetic sit-ups. --Roy doing girly push-ups from his knees. Then he does them with one hand behind his back. --Ishmael giving Roy a back-rub. --Quick shots of Roy practicing bowling. He throws two strikes, then he throws a gutter ball. Ishmael looks on, concerned.

llL

/' ROY ,, (thinks for a moment) No. No booze.

--Roy throws another strike, and another, and anotl:;ter. --Roy sitting in a steaming tub of water at the mission, while Ishmael pours more buckets on him. --Finally Ishmael opens the valise. Roy stands in the middle of the room in his underwear. Ishmael pulls a midriff girdle from the bag. Ishmael holds it out, Roy steps in, Ishmael has to pull it hard to get it over Roy's beer belly. Ishmael gets behind him and pulls it tight, sucking Roy in and up. --Ishmael pulls out the same double-knit beltless polyester slacks that Roy wore in 1979. He unfolds them carefully and Roy steps into them. --Roy slides on the same wide-lapeled shirt from 1979. --Ishmael polishes the hook and Roy snaps the rubber hand into place. Afterwards Ishmael pulls out a bowling glove and slides it over the rubber hand. --Finally Ishmael pulls out the bowling ball bag. Carefully he unzips it and with reverence pulls out what is still the most sparkling blue bowling ball in the whole world. --Roy stands there now, a complete and imposing bowling specimen. Suddenly we hear APPLAUSE. Roy turns to see all the winos at the mission clapping their approval.

Hotel, Casino and 180 Lane Bowling Center. This is Oz to the bowling world. A monumental shrine to the sport.

Tournament banners everywhere. Registration and courtesy tables are set up. Hundreds of bowlers. Roy and Ishmael enter.

Roy stops and drinks this scene in. He's home.

Everyone around them is seriously out of shape, smoking cigarettes, carrying bowling balls.

Roy spots a short, stocky bald guy, NATE NOUCHI.

Roy grabs him and starts pumping his hand.

Nate walks off. Roy steps up to the REGISTRATION TABLE. An older woman wearing the name tag MARIANN is there.

The woman takes the card and looks at it.

Roy runs his fingers through his hair and turns to Ishmael.

What's the difference? Where are we gonna get that kind of money?

Roy has an idea and turns back to the registration table. He holds his ring out to her.

She leans forward and checks it out.

The CAMERA TRACKS down the entire 180 lanes. We catch a glimpse of everyone in the tournament. The faces are varied yet somehow all look like bowlers. The mood is intense.

The CAMERA STOPS on Roy. Lane 180. Everyone has started. Roy is frozen.

ROY'S POV - The pins look like they're half a mile away.

Roy turns and looks at Ishmael sitting with a handful of spectators in the vast bleachers. Ishmael holds up a small handwritten sign that reads: Gq ROY!

Roy shakes his head and mouths:

Ishmael flips over the sign. It reads: WILL WORK FOR FOOD. Roy nods. What choice is there? He turns ... lifts his):Jall... approaches the lane ... and for the firsttime in seventeen years... bowls!

CLOSE ON BOWLING BALL - ROY'S RUBBER HAND IS ATTACHED TO IT. It flops around like a wounded duck as it heads toward the pins.

ON ROY - horrified.

ON THE BALL AND HAND - it flies through the pins. A STRIKE.

ON THE CROWD - they're frozen for a long BEAT, not knowing how to react. The silence is broken by an ODD SOUND.

ON THE BALL RETURN - the ball and hand squeeze through. Roy picks it up, embarrassed.

MONTAGE OF THE BOWLING TOURNAMENT

--Roy continues to bowl. He's tentative but definitely finding the groove. --Pins flying apart on different alleys and scores are entered on overhead opaque projectors. --Other faces mirror victory and defeat. --Roy's face becomes more focused. --Ishmael urges him on. --A series of great shots by Roy --Roy smiles. We pull back to reveal he's looking at his name being moved to the next level on a large scoreboard against an entire wall. Roy's won his first one. --Ishmael pats him on the back.

ON ROY AND ISHMAEL - seated side by side at a table eating.

They're at a MISSION SOUP KITCHEN seated at a long table with a lot of other DOWN-ON-THEIR-LUCK GUYS. A PRIEST turns to Roy.

MONTAGE OF BOWLING TOURNAMENT - THE NEXT DAY

--Roy is bowling with increased confidence. \ --Ishmael is in the stands. More people are there now.

PAN ACROSS - Roy's scorecard. It's filled with spares and strikes. --Roy's name continues to advance on the big board.

CLOSE ON ROY AND IS~MAEL

We hear the PRIEST'S VOICE from off camera.

WIDE SHOT REVEALS - Roy, Ishmael, and several other men from the shelter are naked in a large shower, facing the wall. The Priest turns a HIGH-POWERED HOSE on them.

MONTAGE OF BOWLING TOURNAMENT - THE NEXT DAY

--The bleachers are now nearly filled to capacity. --The bowling is now taking place on several of the middle lanes, dramatically lit from above. --A dozen men, including Roy, are vying for the final spots. --·Themen are now paired against each other in individual matches. --Roy bowls. His opponent bowls. Roy bowls. His opponent bowls. --Roy shakes hands with the man. --Roy's name advances to the next round... then the next round ... and again to the nextround.

ON TWO BOWLING ANALYSTS - SKIP NICHOLAS and DON NAMAHOE, ESPN bowling analysts, holding mikes, looking into mini-cams.

VIDEO FOOTAGE - of Roy bowling.

FOOTAGE OF DON AND ROY

A dive bar in Roy's hometown. The bowling tournament is on TV. A couple of BAR PATRONS look up and notice Roy being interviewed.

Everybody perks up, starts HOOTING AND HOLLERING.

J

Roy has just released the ball. A BEAT. The large\crowd behind Roy jumps to their feet CHEERING.

Roy puts his arm around Ishmael. Flashbulbs pop. The CROWD CHEERS.

Namahoe and Nicholas are standing on the lanes, talking into the ESPN camera.

CAMERA TRACKS - down the hallway to Ishmael and TWO TOURAMENT OFFICIALS wearing official tournament paraphernalia.

OFFICIAL #1 Why wasn't he at the the breakfast?

OFFICIAL #2 Why wasn't he at the press conference·?

T~ey stop near the locker room door.

OFFICIAL #1 It's less than an hour before the match. Is this guy gonna show?

The Two Officials leave. Ishmael opens the door to the locker room. \

Ishmael enters. He looks around. No Roy. Ishmael sits on a bench and folds his hands in prayer. After a BEAT he hears something that lets him know Roy hasn't let him down. It's the sound of Roy VOMITING in the bathroom.

Ishmael enters as Roy comes out of one of the stalls. He looks like shit. Ishmael looks disappointed.

Roy crosses to Ishmael.

Ishmael hugs Roy.

ESPN SPORTSCENTER DESK

ON DON NAMAHOE AND SKIP NICHOLAS - complete with headsets, microphones, and blazers.

The bleachers are filled to capacity. The place has the BUZZ of something momentous about to happen.

Bright, hot television lights everywhere.

ANGLE ON - DAVE OZIO as he enters to APPLAUSE. He's wearing a sports jacket with really wide lapels over a knit shirt.

Dave takes off his jacket and begins to prepare. Which consists of putting on a glove. He sits.

Roy enters. APPLAUSE as he squints into the bright lights. He moves to his chair.

CLOSE ON ROY - Ishmael is seated behind him. We see Ozio bowling in the background. Roy looks down his lane and squints. He turns to Ishmael.

We hear PINS SMASH. The audience APPLAUDS.

Roy looks up at the stands.

ROY'S POV - Burt Deland is standing in the back, laughing. Roy .' stands, determined. Roy picks up his ball. He takes a deep bre9th. A look of determination and focus comes over his face. He approaches the line and lets the ball go with the grace and fluidity of a dancer. The sheer force of Roy's STRIKE brings the crowd to its feet.

SHORT MONTAGE OF THE BOWLING

--Shots of Dave Ozio bowling --Roy bowling --Ishmael --ESPN computerized video graphics illustrates the path of the ball as it travels down the alley. Don uses the electronic pen to show how Dave Ozio's hips are out of alignment. When he's done, it looks like he's drawn a penis onto his body. --More bowling --Fans applauding, reacting. --tough, grueling action--a back-and-forth head-to-head battle.

ANGLE ON ROY - He bowls and leaves the dreaded 7- and 10-pin standing. The crowd GROANS.

CLOSE ON ROY ·-Deathly quiet except for the sound of Roy's RAPID HEARTBEAT. Roy studies the sixty feet ahead of him that could change his life.

--Roy head-on as he approaches the line. His arm swings up, then forward. As the ball is about to be released. --The crowd stands ... Ishmael stands ... --ROY RELEASES THE BALL...

ON THE PINS--The 7-pin goes down, ricochets off the backboard, and bounces into the 10-pin. ROY MAKES HIS SPARE. The CROWD GOES WILD.

ON ISHMAEL as he jumps up and down like a crazy man. He makes eye-contact with Roy and pumps his fist.

ON DAVE OZIO - Under extreme pressure now, he waits for the crowd to quiet, then steps to the line and bowls ... aSTRIKE.

The crowd grows excited again. Ozio takes his ball from the ball return. He takes a deep breath and bowls again ... STRIKE.The crowd grows even more excited.

ON ROY - he swallows hard and wipes the sweat frocl his forehead.

ON ISHMAEL - a waitress passes with a tray of drinks. He grabs one and throws back a shot of tequila. Suddenly he gets a tap on his shoulder. He turns and GASPS.

ISHMAEL'S POV - his brother Thomas.

ON DAVE OZIO - face covered in sweat, he takes a long, deep breath to calm his nerves, then steps to the line. You could hear a flea fart. Ozio throws his ball down the lane ...

SLOW MOTION - as it smashes into the pins, knocking down eight of them .... the ninth pinWOBBLES, and finally falls, just glancing the tenth pin, which ...

SUPER SLOW MOTION - which WOBBLES, then WOBBLES SOME MORE, and as it finally FALLS we hear the loud, gruesome sound of a BUILDING IMPLODING. Ozio made his third straight strike and the crowd ERUPTS.

ON ROY - He stares down the lane for a moment, then hops to his feet and offers his hand to a jubilant Dave Ozio.

Roy smiles, then steps aside as the ESPN Announcers mob Dave Ozio. Roy looks into the crowd.

HIS POV - Ishmael's seat is empty.

BACK ON ROY - He picks up his ball, puts it in his bag, and walks away.

Roy sits on his bunk... quiet, all alone.He we pan to a letter ~h his bunk. /

ON THE LETTER - it reads: 'Dear Roy, Sorry about leaving on short notice. My brother Thomas came to take me home. Didn't get to see if you made your last shot. Either way, you're a champion in my eyes. Your friend, Ishmael.' I

BACK ON ROY - There's a KNOCK AT THE DOOR. He opens it to find Mariann (the woman from the bowler's registration table.)

Mariann hands Roy back his ring.

Roy throws his travel bag into the trunk of the Impala. He closes the trunk, then moves to the driver's side door when suddenly a porsche SCREECHES up, and Marshakowsi jumps out and GRABS HIM BY THE THROAT. Stanley Osmanski gets out of the driver's side.

Osmanski approaches and KICKS Roy in the shins.

This is the final insult to Roy. He drives his knee into Marshakowski's gut. The big goon doubles over, releasing his grip on Roy.

Roy holds out his hand.

When Marshakowski catches his breath, he looks to get the word from Osmanski whether or not he should annihilate Roy. Osmanski shakes his head 'no.'

Roy thinks about this.

Roy stares Osmanski down. Finally Osmanski turns and heads back to his car. The Porsche drives away as we HOLD ON Roy.

The place still sucks. We see the old drunk, Frank, sitting on the front steps with a quart of beer.

Roy is at the sink dumping out bottles of booze. At least fifty/ bottles are on the counter and when he finally gets to the last' one, he takes a breath. Then he opens another cupboard where ·we see fifty more bottles. As he starts to dump those out, too, we hear a KNOCK at the door.

The door opens, however, and CLAUDIA STEPS INTO THE ROOM.

Roy turns his back and continues dumping the bottles out. Claudia enters and closes the door.

Finally Roy turns and faces her.

Roy just stares at her, unsure how to take all this. She holds out her bag.

This is one of the few honest moments in Claudia's life, and they both feel the awkwardness of it.

Roy picks a piece of paper off the coffee table and hands it tb her.

HER POV - it's a check written out to Roy Munson for $500,000.

Roy snatches the check out of her hands.

We're at the end of the Boorg dirt driveway. We see the house off in the distance and a moment later the CARRIAGE carrying Thomas and Ishmael PULLS INTO FRAME and stops.

Thomas puts his hand on Ishmael's shoulder.

Ishmael and Thomas get to the door of the house and Ishmael hesitates. Thomas nods to him. Ishmael takes a deep breath and opens the door.

As Ishmael enters the house, he catches a dinner roll off the forehead. He turns to see who threw it and his eyes go wide.

HIS POV - sitting at the dinner table with his entire family are Roy and Claudia.

Samuel stands and approaches Ishmael.

Ishmael lowers his head.

Samuel hugs Ishmael.

Ishmael's eyes fill with tears. He approaches Roy and Claudia.

As he hugs Claudia, we

Ishmael is saying goodbye to Roy next to the Impala. Claudia is already in the car. In the B.G. we see a BONFIRE surrounded by dozens of loud, happy Amish revelers.

Roy smiles and the two men hug. Rebecca comes up to Ishmael.

Ishmael forces a smile. Then he puts his arm around Rebecca and they head back toward their people. Roy and Claudia watch them go, then Roy climbs into the Impala.

Suddenly we see a SHOOTING STAR flare across the night sky.

Roy thinks for a moment.

Claudia smiles.

Roy grabs her and they start MAKING OUT. After a few moments they stop and smile at one another.

Claudia pulls something out of her pocket and hands it to Roy.

CLOSE ON - the POCKETWATCH.

Claudia rolls her eyes, Roy starts the car and thef drive off.

As they head down the driveway, they pass Ishmael's younger brother Lucas who's running along, followed by his DOG ON A UNICYCLE.

ON ROY - He sees this sight and winces.

As the car continues on, we pull up, up, up ... and ...

ROLL END CREDITS