Pine Rat - Scenes 2-6

FADE IN:

INT. MCDERMOTT’S APARTMENT - MORNING

[The phone rings. STEVEN MCDERMOTT, man of about fifty stirs in his bed. He reaches a hand over to pick up the phone. He puts the receiver to his ear.]

MCDERMOTT: (gruffly) Yeah.

BRICKOWSKY: (o.s) Lieutenant McDermott?

MCDERMOTT: Yeah

BRICKOWSKI: (o.s) We’ve got something you should see.

MCDERMOTT: Where?

BRICKOWSKI (o.s): The Common, corner of Charles and Beacon.

MCDERMOTT: I’ll be there.

[McDermott hangs up the phone and sits up in bed, brushes a hand through his graying hair. He gets up and goes to the bathroom. He looks athis razor and his toothbrush. He settles on the toothbrush and brushes his teeth. Going back to his bedroom he picks a boring brown suit out of the closet and gets dressed. His room is neither clean nor messy and lacks a female’s touch. On his way out of the door we see a picture of him taken five years ago with his family, a wife of about 40 and a daughter of about 16.]

EXT. BOSTON COMMON - MORNING

[McDermott drives down Beacon in a beat up old sedan and parks illegally behind a black and white cruiser next to the common, just pass the Charles St. intersection. McDermott gets out of his car and walks into the common. A corner of the park has been cordoned off with yellow police tape. Several uniformed officers are keeping the public at bay. Inside the tape a man is furiously snapping pictures, but from a distance there doesn’t seem to be much to see. Also in the tape, two detectives, BRICKOWSKI and MORSE are edging around and looking down at the ground. McDermott reaches the tape, flashes his badge to a uniform, and ducks under the tape. He approaches Brickowski and Morse. They’re standing over a blood soaked blanket and picnic basket. HAN LO, a very old Chinese man, stands on the periphery, watching the scene, but unnoticed by the police.

MCDERMOTT: So what do we have?

BRICKOWSKI: Don’t know yet. No witnesses, no bodies. Someone might have spilled paint for all we know. [McDermott shoots Brickowski a nasty look.] The lab boys should be by soon, and we’ll have a better idea. Right now we’ve got a couple uniforms knocking on doors, see if anyone saw anything out their windows last night.

MCDERMOTT: Then what do you need me for?

BRICKOWSKI: Hey, you’re the senior homicide dick on this beat, so we thought we should keep you in the loop. Any ideas?

MCDERMOTT: It’s a shitload of blood. Whatever happened, it was messy. We’re in the middle of the city, can’t just drag a bloody body out of the Common without anyone seeing anything. Keep knocking on doors and get this in the papers. Something will turn up. Besides that, you can wait here for the lab boys. I’ll be downtown.

[McDermott turns and walks back to his car.]

INT. B.U. CLASSROOM - DAY

[SUSAN MCDERMOTT, a senior at BU, sits in the middle of a lecture hall. The hall is about half-full. PROFESSOR VON REULING, an old man with crazy white hair, stands at the head of class next to a large blackboard. “Dr. Von Reuling, Zoology 101" is written on the blackboard. Sue sits with her friends, JACK and BILLY, listening to the lecture.]

VON REULING: Today class, we will study ze rodent family.

[The class groans in unison.]

VON REULING: Now, now, zere will be none of zat. I know zat most of you think of icky mice and vicious rats, but rodents are truly fascinating creatures, and zeir family includes animals much more interesting zan your typical household pests. Why, there’s the giant capybara, ze aquatic rodent of South America. Zen zere’s zat engineering marvel, ze beaver. Surely none of you have anything against ze beaver.

[The class giggles.]

VON REULING:  Movingon, don’t forget that cute forest creature, ze chipmunk. Surely you’re fans of Chip ‘n’ Dale?

FEMALE STUDENT: Oh yeah.

[There’s more laughter.]

VON REULING: Really, I don’t know what’s so funny. Anyway, zere is one more furry critter I’m sure you all know. Today’s lecture will center around our good friend, ze squirrel. Squirrels are truly fascinating creatures, adaptable to many environments. Surely you have seen zem in both ze forest and ze city.

[Von Reuling turns to face the blackboard.]

VON REULING: Today wewill cover ze eating and mating patterns of ze squirrel. To begin...

INT. BU CLASSROOM - 45 MINUTES LATER

[Von Reuling finishes his class by making some flourishes on the blackboard.]

VON REULING: So, are zere any questions?

[Susan raises her hand.]

VON REULING: Yes, Ms.McDermott?

SUSAN: Professor Von Reuling, are squirrels always diurnal in their habits?

VON REULING: Ja, zat is ze generally accepted theory. I did not mention it, but zere is a growing school of thought zat squirrels may be more active at night zan was previously supposed. However, zere is little evidence to support zis notion. Perhaps some of you in class would be interested in doing a project about the nighttime behavior of squirrels on Boston Common. Zere are plenty of squirrels there, and I’m sure you could collect some interesting data. Zat’s all the time we have. Dismissed.

[The class stands, gathering their books. Susan, Jack, and Billy walk outof the classroom together.]

EXT. BU CAMPUS - CONTINUOUS

[Susan, Jack, and Billy are walking through the BU campus.]

JACK: Was that a boring class or what?

SUSAN: Jack! I think Professor Von Reuling gives very interesting lectures.

JACK: Whatever. Hey, Billy, some of the guys aregoing drinking tonight. Do you wantto come?

BILLY: What the hell. It’s better than what I usually do all night. Jack off. How about you, Sue?

SUSAN: Ew! Do you guys always have to talk about that stuff? But sorry, I going to see my grandpa tonight.

BILLY: That’ss cool. Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.

INT. GRANDPA MCDERMOTT’S ROOM - EVENING

[A man of about 75, GRANDPA MCDERMOTT, is puttering around his room at the old folks home. He’s sitting on his bed going through an old photo album when there’s a knock on his open door.]

GRANDPA: Come in.

[Susan steps into the room.]

SUSAN: Hello, Grandpa.

GRANDPA: Oh, hello, Susan. Is it that time of the week already? I tend to lose track ofthe date these days. (chuckles) Please have a seat.

[He gestures to the lazy boy by in the corner of his room. Susan goes over and sits down in it. Grandpa closes his album and places it on the bed next to himself.]

SUSAN: Thank you. How have you been, Grandpa?

GRANDPA: Oh you know, they don’t really let me do too much around here. You know you can’t even squeeze a nurse’s ass anymore? I remember when my father was in one of these things. It was the only thing that kept him going.

SUSAN: I don’t know why you put yourself in here. You can still take care of yourself, you know.

GRANDPA: Maybe, but I’d be calling you and your father to help me with something or other every other day or so. I don’t want to put you through that hassle. These people get paid for it.

SUSAN: It’s really not a hassle. We’d love to do it. I hate to see you in here.

GRANDPA: It’s all right, I’d hate for the people I’ve raised since they were children start treating me like a child. Speaking of my children, how’s your father?

SUSAN: He’s all right, I guess. We don’t talk that much. When was the last time you saw him?

GRANDPA: I don’t know. Maybe for my birthday.

SUSAN: Your birthday? That was three months ago. I can’t believe he doesn’t visit you more than that. You’re his ownfather.

GRANDPA: Don’t be so hard on him. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I wasn’t around much when he was growing up. We never talked much. And ever since your mother and brother died... I remember what it was like when your grandmother passed…

SUSAN: You’d think that would make him want to spend more time with his family. We’re all he has left.

GRANDPA: He has his job. That’s all that kept me going for a long time. I don’t know how I’ve done it since I turned in my badge... But enough about me. I’m a boring old man. How’s my little granddaughter doing?

SUSAN: I’m OK. Classes started last week. I really like my zoology class. Professor Von Reuling talked about squirrels today.

[Grandpa’s eyes narrow and a flash of intense emotion crosses his face before he regains his composure. Susan gets up out of her chair.

SUSAN: (concerned) Are you all right, Grandpa?

GRANDPA: I’m all right. Must have been my dinner, I’ll be all right, I just need to get some rest.

SUSAN: Do you want me to get someone?

GRANDPA: I’m fine. Just let me lie down. Hopefully I’ll have more energy next week. It was sweet of you to come by.

SUSAN: OK... I guess I’ll see you next week, Grandpa. Bye.

GRANDPA: Goodbye, Susan. I love you.

SUSAN: I love you, too, Grandpa.

[Susan leaves the room. Grandpa lies down. An intent, grave look  comes over his face as he slowly closes his eyes.]