英语剧本《选》

EXT. MILLARD HIGH -- DAWN



The school stretches out before us, slumbering in the overcast morning 

air.



Along the front sidewalk, a lone JANITOR trundles a garbage bin filled 

with overstuffed hefty bags.



A weathered FORD ESCORT pulls into the empty PARKING LOT and comes to 

a stop near the athletic field.



A TEENAGE GIRL'S VOICE -



					TRACY (VO) 

		None of this would have happened if Mr. 

		McAllister hadn't meddled the way he 

		did.  He should have just accepted 

		things as they are instead of trying to 

		interfere with destiny.  You see, you 

		can't interfere with destiny.  That's 

		why it's destiny.  And if you try to 

		interfere, the same thing's going to 

		happen anyway, and you'll just suffer.



JIM MCALLISTER, a teacher in his mid to late-thirties, emerges from 

the car in running clothes and carrying a briefcase, gym bag, and 

coffee mug.  On his way to the field, he crosses paths with the 

janitor.



					JIM

		Morning, Lowell



Lowell nods, hoists a bag and tosses it into a dumpster.



EXT. ATHLETIC FIELD -- DAWN



JIM CIRCLES THE TRACK, sweating and panting.



ON THE GROUND JIM does sit ups



					JIM

		Twenty-one... twenty-two.



He collapses onto his back.  His head rolls to one side, and he 

glances past the fence at --



THE PARKING LOT



Where a second CAR is just arriving.  JIM watches as TRACY FLICK, a 

junior, and her MOTHER get out.



The mother helps remove a CARD TABLE and a big plastic sack from the 

trunk before Tracy heads toward the school.



					MOTHER

				(distant)

		Good luck!



JIM turns his gaze toward the sky, closes his eyes, sighs.



INT.    BOYS'    LOCKER   ROOM   --   DAY



Naked in the showers, JIM pumps liquid soap from the wall- mounted 

metal dispenser.



INT.   HILLARD   HALL  DAY



THE LEGS OF A CARD TABLE - as Tracy spreads them open and locks them 

into place.



STICKS OF GUM from a Plen-T-Pack are emptied into a FISHBOWL-



SCOTCH TAPE is wrapped around the end of a pen to attach a piece of 

string



INT. BOYS' LOCKER ROOM	DAY



AT THE MIRROR



JIM adjusts the knot of his tie, notices a little shaving cream in his 

ear.



INT. MILLARD HALL	DAY



FOUR CLIPBOARDS  with pens and lined sheets of paper are being placed 

in a row like little soldiers. The top of every sheet reads "Tracy 

Flick for President: Official Nomination Signatures."



INT. FACULTY LOUNGE -- MORNING



AT THE REFRIGERATOR



JIM tries to place his lunch inside, but the shelves are too crammed 

with old take-out containers. He opens one and smells it. Disgusted, 

he drags a garbage can over and begins throwing things away.



Lowell appears in the doorway wheeling his squeaky maintenance cart 

and watches JIM conduct his purge as A CHINESE FOOD BOX misses the can 

and rolls on the floor.



INT. MILLARD HALLWAY -- DAY



Tracy is seated behind her card table strategically placed near the 

school's main entrance.  A sign taped to the wall behind her reads, 

TRACY FOR PREZ.  SIGN UP FOR TOMORROW, TODAY!  She checks her watch, 

readies herself.



JIM walks around the corner whistling vaguely.



					TRACY

		Good morning, Mr. McAllister.



					JIM

		Not wasting any time, are you, Tracy?



					TRACY

				(chirping)

		You know what they say about the early 

		bird.



					JIM

		Yes, I do.



An awkward moment passes between them.



					JIM

		Well, good luck there, Tracy



					TRACY

		Thanks, Mr. M.



AS JIM turns and walks away, Tracy watches him.  He stops and picks up 

some litter, tosses it in a nearby garbage can.



					TRACY (VO)

		No matter what he says, Mr. McAllister 

		had it out for me from the start.  Oh 

		sure, he was all smiles and good wishes 

		and everything, but underneath he was 

		just as unfair and petty as anybody 

		else.



INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM	DAY 



Alone in his room, JIM studies the Omaha World-Herald



					TRACY (VO CONT'D) 

		He'll probably tell you how committed 

		he was to teaching and democracy and 

		integrity and all. Don't be fooled.



After laying the paper down to circle an article, JIM leans back in 

his chair and momentarily loses himself in thought.



					JIM (VO)

		It's hard to remember how the whole 

		thing started, the whole election mess. 

		What I do remember is that I loved my 

		job. I was a teacher, an educator, and I 

		couldn't imagine doing anything else.



Suddenly a VOICE --



					VOICE (OS)

		Hey, Mr. M. Mr. M.!



JIM glances OUT THE WINDOW and sees a kid -- PAUL METZLER -- pointing 

at him. Paul walks with a LIMP. Behind him, other STUDENTS approach 

the school.



					PAUL

		Stop daydreaming! Get back to work!



JIM enjoys the affectionate joshing and gives the kid  a wave. He 

returns to his newspaper, a contented man.



					JIM (VO)

		The students knew it wasn't just a job 

		for me.



EXT. MILARD HIGH FOOTBALL STADIUM	-- NIGHT 



JIM sits in the bleachers, clapping his  hands  over his head.



					JIM

		C'mon, wolverines!  Defense!  Let's 

		hold 'em back!



					JIM (VO)

		I got involved. And I cared.



INT. MILLARD GYM    DAY  AT A PEP RALLY -



JIM is dressed as a WESTERN VILLAIN, and his black hat reads "Lincoln 

South." With a menacing grimace he approaches a group of FOOTBALL 

PLAYERS at a poker table.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		And I think I made a difference.



A CORNER OF THE SCHOOL    DAY



JIM has a comforting hand of the shoulder of a CRYING GIRL



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		I knew I touched the students' lives 

		during their difficult young adult 

		years, and I took that responsibility 

		seriously.



INT. AUDITORIUM -- NIGHT 



JIM trots up the stairs to receive a plaque. He beams.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		In the twelve years I taught U.S. 

		History, Civics and current Events at 

		Millard, I was voted Teacher of the Year 

		three times - a school record.



INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM -- DAY



Mr. McAllister reads aloud from the newspaper as he paces in front of 

his class of high school juniors, Tracy Flick among them. The seats 

are arranged in a SEMI-CIRCLE.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		Standing in front of a room full of 

		young people, trying to make them think 

		that's how I wanted to spend the rest 

		of my life,



JIM slaps the newspaper for emphasis and addresses the class



					JIM 

		So would this be an ethical situation 

		or a moral situation? What's the 

		difference between ethics and morals, 

		anyway?



Tracy shoots her hand into the air.  JIM notices but keeps looking 

around.



					JIM (CONT'D)

		Anybody



Other hands rise tentatively



					JIM (CONT'D)

		Derek



					DEREK

		Uh, ethics is like when you, uh, do 

		what society tells you is right and 

		morals are like, uh...



					JIM

		You're on the right track,  who can 

		help him out?



					DEREK

		..morals are when...



Tracy's hand goes higher.



					JIM

		Michelle?



					MICHELLE

		Morals are like lessons, you know, like 

		the moral of a story; it's what you 

		learn from a story or a fable or 

		something. . .



					JIM

		Or a life experience.  Good.  And 

		ethics?



					MICHELLE

		That's more like, urn... Ethics is how 

		you use the morals... that you learn 

		from a story?



JIM weighs the answer, tries to be encouraging.



					JIM

		Okay.  But we're still missing 

		something key here.  What are we 

		missing?



					TRACY

				(hand still raised)

		I know.



					JIM

				(finally)

		Tracy.



					TRACY

		Ethics are...



FREEZE FRAME on Tracy, her hand lowering, her mouth agape.



					JIM (VO)

		Tracy Flick.  Tracy Flick.  I've never 

		met anyone quite like Tracy Flick.



INT. STUDENT COUNCIL ROOM -- DAY -- ONE YEAR PREVIOUS



JIM sits to one side, monitoring the student council MEETING about to 

convene.  A younger Tracy enters briskly and, unlike her casual teen 

comrades, has made an attempt to dress for success.  She takes a seat 

right up front and opens her backpack.



After preparing her notepad and pen, Tracy puts a MICROCASSETTE 

RECORDER on the table in front of her and pushes RECORD.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		She first showed up in my life as a 

		freshman delegate in student council. 

		I'd seen a lot of ambitious students 

		come and go over the years, but I could 

		tell right away Tracy Flick was 

		different.



JIM observes Tracy, trying to size her up.



ON TRACY -- putting all her little things in order, finally folding 

her hands to wait.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		It wasn't long before everyone knew who 

		Tracy Flick was.  She made sure of that.  

		Her drive was astonishing.  Even scary.



A FAST-PACED MONTAGE BEGINS UNDER TRACY'S VOICE-OVER:



INSERT	HILLARD HIGH YEARBOOK It fans open to the INDEX.



PAN DOWN to Tracy's name followed by countless page references



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		Some people say I'm an overachiever, 

		but I think they're just jealous.



A page number turns BOLD, and the other numbers drop away



Suddenly we are on that page, and we PAN to a headline: "Spanish Club 

says Oh La!"



PAN to the group shot and ZOOM in on Tracy smiling in a big SOMBRERO.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		My Mom always tells me I'm different -- 

		you know, special. And if you look at 

		all the things I've accomplished so far, 

		I think you'd have to agree.



We see Tracy on other pages too: "Yearbook Staff goes for it!" "Junior 

Achievers put on the dog!" "Student Council meets the challenge;" 

Oklahoma's a hit!



					TRACY (VO CONT'D) 

		Here I am in Oklahoma.



The STILL of Tracy in Oklahoma suddenly COMES TO LIFE.



INT. MILLARD HIGH AUDITORIUM	NIGHT



On stage, Tracy wears a cowgirl outfit and hams it up with exaggerated 

gestures.



					TRACY

				(off-key) 

		I'm just a girl who can't say no...



TV INSERT/INT. CAFETERIA	DAY



It's the closed-circuit school NEWS BROADCAST. Tracy is delivering a 

stand-up report from the crowded cafeteria. Her dress and makeup are 

an obvious if lame emulation of a professional newswoman.



					TRACY (VO)

		And here I am on KMHS, our student-run 

		TV station.



					TRACY (ON TV)

		..that's why Principal Hendricks made 

		the controversial announcement that the 

		littering must stop.  Tracy Flick 

		reporting.



INT. STUDENT COUNCIL MEETING ROOM -- AFTERNOON



A Student Council meeting is underway led by the president, LARRY 

FOUCH.  A girl, ASHLEY, is speaking.  JIM observes from the side.



					TRACY (VO)

		But it was in SGA, the Student 

		Government Association, where I made my 

		biggest mark.  I never missed a meeting, 

		and I volunteered for every committee as 

		long as I could lead it.



Before Ashley can finish, Tracy STANDS UP



					TRACY

		I agree with Ashley.  We should rent 

		the barrels at least a day beforehand.  

		What happened last time was a travesty,  

		I mean, we were --



					LARRY FOUCH

				(trying to quiet 

				her)

		Yeah, no, I know, Tracy.  That's why 

		we're -- Look, can we just take a vote 

		on this?



INT.  JIM'S CLASSROOM	DAY



BACK TO TRACY still frozen mid-sentence, waiting to finish her answer.



					JIM (VO)

		Now at the end of her junior year, 

		Tracy was poised to win the presidency 

		of the student body.  And so far she was 

		running unopposed.



TRACY COMES BACK TO LIFE



					TRACY

		...the rules of conduct determined by a 

		culture at a...



SHE FREEZES AGAIN



					JIM (VO)

		Oh.  There's one more thing about Tracy 

		I think you should know.



INT.  MILLARD STAFF-ROOM -- DAY



CLOSE ON DAVE NOVOTNY, another teacher in his mid-thirties  



					DAVE

		Her pussy gets so wet you can't believe 

		it.



WIDE -



Dave is leaning across his desk to speak with JIM at an adjacent work 

area.  They eat sack lunches.



					JIM (VO)

		A few months before the election, she'd 

		had an affair with my best friend Dave 

		Novotny.



					JIM

		Don't tell me that.  I don't want to 

		know that.



					DAVE

		She's incredible.  Everything just gets 

		soaked.



INT. JIM'S BASEMENT	DAY Dun-dun-DUN... Dun-dun-DUN



JIM and Dave are playing the opening notes of "Foxy Lady" through 

cheap, distorting amps. JIM plays bass. Dave plays guitar and sings 

into a microphone. They're bad. As in not good.



The basement is typical of a Midwest middle-class young couple -- half 

storage and laundry, half makeshift roc-room.



					JIM (VO)

		Dave came to Millard the year after I 

		did, and we hit it off right away. We 

		backed each other up in teachers' 

		meetings and shared an interest in 60's 

		music and micro-breweries.



CLOSE ON DAVE really getting into it, playing to an unseen stadium. 

Behind him JIM is very careful with his chords.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		You could tell Dave was one of those 

		guys who taught because they never 

		wanted to leave high school in the first 

		place, and that could get a little 

		irritating sometimes, but basically he 

		was a real good guy.



					DAVE 

				(singing)

		Foxy. . . Foxy. . . You know you're a 

		cute little heartbreaker... Foxy... You 

		know you're a sweet little love maker...



CAMERA DRIFTS toward the stairs leading up.



INT. JIM'S KITCHEN



CAMERA DRIFTS from the open basement stairway door and toward DIANE 

MCALLISTER and SHERRY NOVOTNY seated at the kitchen  table. They are 

fussing over little six-month-old DARRYL NOVOTNY in his highchair.



					JIM (VO)

		Our wives became best friends too. And 

		when Dave and Sherry's son Darryl was 

		born, they asked us to be godparents.



At a particularly grating note from downstairs, Diane gets up and 

closes the basement door.



INT. GEOMETRY CLASS



AN ISOSCELES TRIANGLE is being drawn on the blackboard and bisected. 

PULL  OUT to reveal Dave explaining.



The class is taking notes, and we zero in on a younger Tracy.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		YOU probably think the worst - that Mr. 

		Novotny was just taking advantage of one 

		of his students, but it wasn't like that 

		at all. Our relationship was based on 

		mutual respect and admiration. I mean, 

		during my sophomore year in geometry it 

		was strictly professional between us -- 

		I mean, nothing.



EXT. GODFATHER'S PIZZA -- NIGHT The parking lot, the neon lights, the 

promise of good times.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		It wasn't until junior year when we 

		worked together on the yearbook that 

		things got serious.



INT. GODFATHER'S PIZZA -- NIGHT Dave and  Tracy are at a booth along 

with six other students.



TWO KIDS  DISSOLVE OUT OF FRAME,



and the others shift positions. Others continue to disappear in the 

same way, until only Dave and Tracy remain.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		One night he took us editors out to 

		celebrate after a deadline. Eventually 

		Dave and I were left alone and we got to 

		talking - not like teacher and student, 

		but like two adults.



					DAVE

		You know, Tracy... I don't know how to 

		say this, but...



Dave's finger traces the rim of his frosty root beer mug.



					TRACY

		what?



					DAVE

		Well, I notice you don't seem to have 

		any close friends at Millard. You seem 

		to be kind of a loner.



					TRACY

		No, I'm not. I'm just really busy.



					DAVE

		I know.  I know its not by choice.  I 

		just mean, well, being the kind of 

		person you are, it must be really 

		difficult to find someone you can talk 

		to.



					TRACY

		What do you mean? What kind of person 

		am I?



					DAVE

		What kind of person?



Dave looks directly into her eyes.



					DAVE (CONT'D)

		Tracy, I've been watching you for going 

		on two years now, and I think you are 

		one of the most talented, hard-working, 

		sensitive, attractive, brilliant 

		students -- no, human beings -- I have 

		ever met.  I mean, you're the real 

		thing.  Special.



					TRACY

				(embarrassed, low)

		Thank you.



					DAVE

		And I know sometimes people like you 

		have to pay a price for their greatness, 

		and that price is loneliness.



Tracy nods in quiet recognition.



					DAVE (CONT'D)

		I don't know.  Maybe I'm wrong.  But it 

		seems like you might need a friend.



INT. MILLARD YEARBOOK OFFICE -- DAY



A DOOR with cloudy glass and a stenciled sign: YEARBOOK OFFICE.



DISSOLVE through the door and TRAVEL through an empty room to discover 

another door with a sign that reads DARKROOM.



					TRACY (VO)

		Since I grew up without a dad, you 

		might assume psychologically I was 

		looking for a father figure.



DISSOLVE through the darkroom door to



DAVE AND TRACY bathed in red light.  Tracy is sitting on Dave's lap as 

they make out hungrily.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		But that had nothing to do with it at 

		all.  It was just that Dave was so 

		strong and made me feel so safe and 

		protected.



INT. DAVE'S CAR -- DAY 



Dave drives.  Tracy sits in the passenger seat.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		It was the first time somebody ever saw 

		the real me, the me that nobody else 

		knows.



					DAVE

				(looking around) 

		Here, get down.



EXT. NOVOTKY HOUSE - DAY



Dave wheels his car into the open garage.  The automatic door closes 

behind him.



INT. NOVOTHY LIVIMG ROOM



Dave stands up from his squat at the STEREO, and the sexy sounds of 

Sade set the mood.



Tracy is seated awkwardly at one end of the sofa, a Diet Dr. Pepper in 

one hand.  Dave walks slowly toward her, a sexy, knowing look in his 

eye.  The music is sexy.  Tracy is sexy. He's sexy.  Keeping his eyes 

locked on Tracy's, he takes the pop can from her hand and takes a sip 

himself.  Sexy.



INT.  NOVOTHY STAIRCASE	DAY



Dave and Tracy walk up the stairs and down the hall.  Dave enters the 

bedroom first, while Tracy pauses in the hall. His arm reaches out and 

pulls her inside.



INT. NOVOTNY BEDROOM	DAY



IN QUICK TIGHT CUTS we see Dave and Tracy DISROBING



Tracy's head and naked shoulders lay themselves on Dave's pillow.  She 

looks toward the foot of the bed at -- DAVE, unable to believe his 

eyes.  He looks at naked Tracy up and down, up and down, his breath 

quickening.  Sade wafts up the stairs.



					DAVE 

		Look at you.



He descends out of frame.



					TRACY (VO)

		When I think back on my relationship 

		with Mr. Novotny, what I miss most. is 

		our talks.



INT. DAVE'S BASEMENT	DAY 



JIM is riveted by Dave's story; he is both horrified and titillated



					JIM

		You did it at your house?  Your own 

		house?



					DAVE

		Look, Jim...  Okay.  I know it all 

		seems crazy, and maybe it did start out, 

		you know, for the... for the sex and the 

		danger.  But now it's different.  Jim, 

		what I'm trying to tell you is that 

		Tracy and I are totally, totally in 

		love.



					JIM

		In love?



					DAVE

		Yeah, it's serious.  I mean she 

		inspires me in ways Sherry never has.  

		She even wants to read my novel.



					JIM

		But you haven't written your novel.



					DAVE

		That's the whole point. It's all in my 

		head; it's right here.  I just got to 

		get it out there. Tracy wants me to 

		write it so she can read it.  It's 

		beautiful.



					JIM

		Dave, I'm just saying this as your 

		friend.  What you're doing is really, 

		really wrong, and you've got to stop.



Dave draws a heavy sigh and buries his head in his hands perhaps JIM 

has reached him.  Perhaps not.



					DAVE

		You're not just jealous, are you?  I 

		mean, we both used to talk about her



					JIM

				(exploding)

		That was just talk!  Fantasy talk! What 

		are you, nuts?  We talk about girls all 

		the time, but it doesn't mean anything.  

		I would never. . . I mean, I take very 

		seriously our strict moral code.  The 

		line you've crossed is... it's illegal 

		and it's immoral.



					DAVE

		I don't need a lecture on ethics, Jim, 

		okay?  I know what --



					JIM

		I'm not talking about ethics.  I'm 

		talking about morals.



CLICK.  SQUEAK.  STEP STEP STEP.



					SHERRY (OS)

		Peek-a-boo!



Sherry comes down the basement stairs with Darryl in her arms.



					DAVE

				(to Jim, 

				whispering)

		Look, I appreciate your concern. I 

		really do.  But like I said, I got it 

		under control.



As Sherry approaches them, Dave rises to take Darryl, the perfect 

father:  hug, tickle, kiss.



					JIM (VO)

		I guess I don't have to tell you how 

		all this turned out.



INT.  PRINCIPAL HENDRICK'S OFFICE	DAY



CLOSE ON DAVE slumped in a chair.  He is lost in agony: all he can do 

is look down and draw short, gasping breaths.



Principal Walt Hendricks is at his desk, examining a little BOOKLET.  

JIM

sits on the vinyl sofa.



CLOSE ON -- the small makeshift booklet whose cover reads, "There's a 

place for us" in overdone fancy cursive.



THE SECOND PAGE shows a cutout from a travel magazine of a swanky 

BEACHFRONT HOTEL.  One room has been circled with the words "you and 

me" written next to it.  Below: "A time and place for us."  We HEAR 

Walt clearing his throat, swallowing.



THE THIRD PAGE has glued to it a POSTCARD showing a couple hand-in-

hand on the beach at sunset and reading, "Maui is for lovers." Below: 

Take my hand and we'll soon be there.



THE LAST PAGE has a cutout of a bouquet of flowers.  It reads, "Tracy,  

See you in paradise?  Love, your 'teacher' David.  P.S. I really, 

really need you now."  The booklet is lowered.



					DAVE

		Tracy's Mom -- she doesn't understand.



					WALT

		No, I'd say she doesn't.  I don't think 

		I've ever seen a mother quite so upset.  

		We're all very, very lucky she doesn't 

		want this public.



Dave looks at JIM for help. JIM looks away. Dave's breaths grow more 

convulsive. Finally -



					DAVE 

		But we're in love



					WALT 

		Dave. Dave, look at me



Dave looks slowly up.



					WALT 

		I want you to get some help.



					DAVE & SHERRY'S LIVING ROOM	NIGHT



Sherry cradles Darryl while Dave grovels at her feet.



					JIM (VO)

		After Dave got fired, Sherry kicked him 

		out of the house and filed for divorce.



					SHERRY

		Your novel? Are you fucking kidding me?



Dave follows Sherry as she takes the baby into their bedroom and slams 

the door in Dave's face. Dave pounds on the door, eventually sinking 

to his knees and crying.



					DAVE

		Sherry   Sherry  Sheerrry. ...



					JIM (VO)

		He ended up moving back to Milwaukee to 

		live with his parents. I haven't heard 

		from him in a long time. Poor guy. I 

		warned him.



INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM -- DAY 



Tracy, still frozen, THAWS OUT. Maybe now she can finish



					TRACY

		...certain time in history and



RINGGGGG  Maybe not.



At the bell, students instantly shut their textbooks and collect their 

things.



					JIM

		Okay.  We'll pick up here next time



Tracy is miffed as she puts her things away: slam, stuff, zip. She 

slings her backpack over her shoulder and heads toward the door.  She 

looks back at --



MR. MCALLISTER who himself now FREEZES as he talks to a couple of 

students



					TRACY (VO)

		Now that I have more life experience, I 

		feel sorry for Mr. McAllister.



CLOSE-UP FROZEN DETAILS - of Jim's appearance - his slightly frayed 

collar and bad tie; the heels of his old docksiders worn down at 

irritating angles; the faded impression his too-big wallet has made in 

his khakis; his growing bald spot; his ear hairs.



					TRACY (VO)

		I mean, anyone who's stuck in the same 

		little room saying the exact same things 

		year after year for his whole life, 

		wearing the same stupid clothes, while 

		his students go on to good colleges and 

		move to big cities and do great things 

		and make loads of money has got to be at 

		least a little jealous.  It's like my 

		room says - the weak always try to 

		sabotage the strong.



Tracy turns and walks out the door.



INT.  TRACY'S HOUSE -- DAY



CLOSE ON A SMILING LITTLE TRACY - in a Sears-style portrait.  PAN 

across a wall full of other framed photos of Tracy accepting awards, 

dancing in a recital, poised to dive at a swim meet.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		One thing that's important to know 

		about me is that I'm an only child.  So 

		my Mom is really devoted to me, and I 

		love her so much.  She wants me to do 

		all the things she wanted to do in life 

		but couldn't.



AT THE DINING ROOM TABLE



Tracy's mother, BARBARA FLICK, finishes a letter and puts it in an 

envelope.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		See, Mom used to be a stewardess for 

		Northwest and now works as a para-legal.  

		She likes to write letters to successful 

		women like Janet Reno and Elizabeth Dole 

		and ask them how they got to be where 

		they are and what advice do they have 

		for me, Tracy, her daughter.



CLOSE ON BARBARA'S TONGUE as the envelope flap slides across it.



INT. MILLARD HALLWAY	DAY



A politician's SMILE plastered to her face, Tracy is at her card table 

vigorously gathering signatures.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		Nine times out of ten they say you have 

		to hold on to your dreams no matter 

		what.  The pressures women face mean you 

		have to work twice as hard, and you 

		can't let anything or anyone stand in 

		your way.



A shabbily dressed BURNOUT -- DOUG SCHENKEN -- walks past and grabs a 

huge handful of gum.



					TRACY

		One per person!  Put those back I



John just keeps on walking away, and his two BUDDIES take great 

delight in his nimble-witted, quick retort.



					DOUG SCHENKEN

		Eat me



INT. HILLARD LIBRARY -- DAY



While other students sit in groups around her, Tracy sits apart at her 

own table, concentrated and alone. She is writing little numbers by 

her signatures.



					TRACY

		Ninety-seven.. .ninety-eight.



					TRACY (VO)

		But you know,  winning isn't 

		everything.  If you play fair and follow 

		all the rules thoroughly, you'll always 

		come out ahead.  Win or lose, ethical 

		conduct is the most important thing.   

		Just ask Mr. McAllister.



EXT. PARKING LOT -- DAY CLOSE ON TRACY'S EXCITED FACE



					TRACY

		Mr. McAllister? Mr. McAllister! Wait up 

		I



Jim, his tie loose and his sleeves rolled up, looks up from unlocking 

his car.  Tracy runs toward him holding out a TERM PAPER FOLDER.



					TRACY

		I got all my signatures.  One hundred 

		and fifty-eight -- way more than I need!



					JIM

		Hey, that's super



					TRACY

		Here they are.



					JIM

		You can put those in my box.  I'll look 

		at them tomorrow.



					TRACY

		Could you approve them now?  I'd like 

		to kick off my campaign right away, you 

		know, in the morning.



					JIM

				(resigned)

		Right



He cursorily flips through the bound pages and offers them back to 

Tracy.



					JIM (CONT'D)

		Looks good to me.



					TRACY

		Aren't you supposed to keep them?



					JIM

		NO, that's fine



					TRACY

		I thought you were supposed to keep 

		them.



					JIM 

		Okay, fine. Sure



JIM throws his briefcase and Tracy's folder into the backseat.



					TRACY

		Thanks for everything.



					JIM

		You bet.



Tracy stays put as JIM climbs in, shuts the door and fastens his seat 

belt.



					TRACY

				(cheery, awkward)

		I can't wait to start campaigning.



					JIM

		Should be easy.  So far no competition.



					TRACY

		Hell, you know, Coca-Cola's the world's 

		number one soft drink, but they spend 

		more money than anybody on advertising.  

		I guess that's how come they stay number 

		one.



					JIM

		Yeah.  Okay.  well, good luck Tracy



They exchange a long, curious stare.  There's a tone at once 

confrontational and vaguely sexual about this moment.



					TRACY

		You know, Mr. M., when I win the 

		presidency, that means you and I are 

		going to be spending a lot of time 

		together next year.  And I for one would 

		like that time to be harmonious and 

		productive. Wouldn't you?



					JIM

		Sure



					TRACY

		Okay. That's good. I just wanted to 

		make sure.



					JIM

		Good luck, Tracy.



JIM pulls away and heads for the parking lot exit.



INT.EXT. JIM'S CAR ON STREET -- DAY



JIM drives stone-faced, unblinking. Something about the music on the 

radio mocks him.



					JIM (VO)

		I don't blame Tracy for what happened 

		with Dave. How could I? Dave was an 

		adult more than twice her age.



EXT. GROCERY STORE PARKIKG LOT	DAY 



JIM pulls to a stop next to a giant DUMPSTER



Out of his window come yellowed newspapers, balled-up fast food bags, 

and other detritus. He speeds away.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		Sure, she got on my nerves once in a 

		while, but I admired Tracy. I really 

		did.



INSIDE THE DUMPSTER we see Tracy's little bound book of signatures.



INT. MCALLISTER DIKING ROOM - MIGHT



JIM and his wife Diane sit at their dining room table, eating chicken 

pot pies, baked potatoes with sour cream, salad with Lite Ranch 

dressing. Not a word passes between them.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		Thank God for Diane.  She was my best 

		friend, my source of love and strength.  

		Oh sure, we'd had our share of bumpy 

		times, but we'd always seen them 

		through.  After nine years of marriage, 

		we were closer than ever.  And the 

		secret? Good communication.



					DIANE

		Anything wrong?



					JIM

		Everything's fine.  Just, you know, 

		school.



INT. MCALLISTER BEDROOM - NIGHT



JIM lies awake in bed while Diane snores beside him. Something seems 

to be echoing in his head.



					TRACY'S VOICE

		...You know, Coca-Cola's by far the 

		number one soft drink... When I win the 

		presidency we're going to be spending a 

		lot of time together... a lot of time... 

		lots and lots and lots of time... 

		president and advisor. . .



CLOSE ON JIM'S EAR as Tracy's LIPS magically whisper into it.



					TRACY

		...harmonious and productive... close 

		and special... you and I...  so close... 

		so intimate... together...



INT. MCALLISTER BASEMENT	NIGHT



In the darkness a light pops on, and JIM quietly pads down the stairs.



He opens an old CEDAR TRUNK, lifts out a few blankets and a piece of 

cardboard to reveal a row of PORNO TAPES cleverly concealed in the 

bottom of the trunk.



ON THE TV SCREEN -



A FOOTBALL PLAYER in uniform and helmet filets a CHEERLEADER in a 

locker room.



JIM watches with detachment, as though watching the news.  He sips a 

can of PEPSI.  The football stud continues to bump and grind.  Looking 

at his Pepsi can, JIM is suddenly inspired.



					JIM 

				(quietly)

		Paul.



EXT. SKI SLOPE (REAR PROJECTION) DAY



PAUL METZLER is SKIING in goggles and scarf. Behind  him is a cheesy 

dated rear projection of other skiers. Suddenly Paul loses his balance 

and FALLS.



CLOSE ON PAUL writhing in the snow.



					PAUL

		Why. . . ? Why. . . ?



					PAUL (VO)

		I was so mad at God when I broke my leg 

		at Shadow Ridge over Christmas break.



INSERT X-RAY LIGHT BOX



CLOSE ON AN X-RAY of a multiple FRACTURE.



					PAUL (VO CONT'D)

		The doctors told me I'd have to quit 

		sports for at least a couple years if 

		not forever.



INSERT	YEARBOOK PICTURE



Paul kneels in his FOOTBALL UNIFORM. The photograph erupts in flames. 

Bonanza-style.



					PAUL (VO CONT'D)

		...which meant no first-string 

		quarterback in the fall. It was like the 

		end of my life!



EXT. MILLARD HIGH FRONT STEPS DAY



Paul stands talking to FRIENDS in a very typical high school tableau. 

All wear backpacks or carry books. A GIRL kneels to sign his cast.



					PAUL (VO CONT'D)

		When I got back to school everybody was 

		so supportive, and they all wanted to 

		sign my cast and everything...



EXT. MISSOURI RIVER LOCKOUT -- DAY Alone, Paul leans on his crutches 

and watches the river



					PAUL (VO CONT'D)

		... but I still couldn't shake the 

		feeling that now my life had no purpose. 

		What did God want from me?



THE VAST MISSOURI - always flowing, never stopping, no beginning, no 

end



					PAUL (VO CONT'D)

		Why did I exist?



INT. LIBRARY DAY



Paul is sleeping slumped over a table, his head cradled on crossed 

arms. The Celestine Prophecy is open face down next to him.



					PAUL (VO CONT'D)

		Sometimes you can search everywhere for 

		answers. Then one day destiny just taps 

		you on the shoulder. I know, because it 

		happened to me.



A FINGER reaches down and taps Paul's shoulder. Paul comes to and 

looks -- it's Mr. McAllister.



					JIM

		Paul, could I talk to you for a minute?



MILLARD HALLWAY - DAY



His arm on Paul's shoulder, JIM walks Paul down a deserted hall and 

into Jim's classroom. JIM picks up some scrap paper off the floor and 

puts it in the proper place.



					PAUL (VO)

		Mr. McAllister changed my life. And no 

		matter what they say he did or did not 

		do, I believe he is a good man.



JIM'S CLASSROOM - DAY Paul sits in a chair, while JIM stands



					JIM

		Paul, I know you've been pretty down 

		since your accident.



					PAUL

		I wanted to play next year so bad I 

		could taste it.  And maybe go on to...



					JIM

		I know.  I understand disappointment.  

		I really do.



					PAUL

		Yeah.



					JIM

		But you've got a big choice right now.  

		You can choose to be depressed about it 

		for the rest of your life. Or you can 

		choose to see it for what it really is: 

		an opportunity.  I personally think you 

		have a big future ahead of you, and I 

		don't mean the fleeting glory of sports.



					PAUL

		What do you mean?



					JIM

		Let me give you a clue.  You're a born 

		leader.  You're one of the most popular 

		students at Millard.  You're honest and 

		straightforward.  You don't choke under 

		pressure, as we all saw in that amazing 

		fourth quarter against Westside.  The 

		other kids look up to you.  What does 

		that spell?



Paul furrows his brow and looks around, searching for an answer.  His 

lower lip is wet.



					JIM

		Student... council... president.



It takes a moment for this to sink in.  Finally



					PAUL

		Who, me?  Nooo.  I never... I don't 

		know anything about that stuff, Mr. M. 

		Besides, that's Tracy Flick's thing. 

		She's always working so hard and --



					JIM

		Yeah, no, she's a go-getter, all right.



					PAUL

		And she's super-nice



					JIM

		Yeah.  But one person assured of 

		victory kind of undermines the whole 

		idea of a democracy, doesn't it? That's 

		more like a... well, like a 

		dictatorship, like we studied.



					JIM

		Paul, what's your favorite fruit?



					PAUL

		Huh?  Oh.  Uh... pears



					JIM

		takes a piece of chalk from the lip of 

		the blackboard.



					JIM

		Okay, let's say



					PAUL

		No, wait -- apples.  Apples.



JIM draws illustrative circles on the board as he speaks.



					JIM

		Fine.  Let's say all you ever knew was 

		apples.  Apples, apples and more apples.  

		You might think apples were pretty good, 

		even if you occasionally got a rotten 

		one. Then one day there's an orange. And 

		now you can make a decision. Do you want 

		an apple, or do you want an orange?  

		That's democracy.



					PAUL

		I also like bananas.



					JIM

		Exactly.  So what do you say?  Maybe 

		it's time to give a little something 

		back.



INT.    STUDENT   COMHON   AREA  DAY



Tracy directs her friend ERIC OVERHOLDT on a ladder as he hangs a 

large POSTER high on a wall.



					TRACY

		The right side is too high. The right 

		side. Just a smidge.



Suddenly she notices a small COMMOTION in the adjacent cafeteria and 

goes to investigate.



INT. CAFETERIA	DAY



A small crowd of students compete to sign Paul's nomination petition 

taped to the wall.



					GUY 

				(signing)

		Hey Paul, you going over to Anthony's 

		on Friday, or what did you decide?



					PAUL

		I gotta talk to him first.



Tracy watches the hubbub, none too pleased, and pushes her way to the 

front of the group.



					TRACY

		Who put you up to this?



					PAUL

		Huh?  Oh, hi, Tracy



Tracy stares at him.



					TRACY

		Who put you up to this?



					PAUL

		What do you mean?



					TRACY

		You just woke up this morning and 

		suddenly decided to run for president?



					PAUL

		No.  Uh... I just... you know, I just 

		thought --



					TRACY

		Thought what?



					PAUL

		Well, see, I was talking to Mr. 

		McAllister about my leg and 

		everything... and how I still want to, 

		you know, do something for the school 

		and --



					TRACY

		So Mr. McAllister asked you to run.



					PAUL

		Well, I mean, you know, I talked to him 

		and everything, but he just said he 

		thought it was a good idea... and how 

		there's all different kinds of fruit 

		and...  It's nothing against you, Tracy.  

		You're the best.  I just thought --



					TRACY

		Okay, Mr. Popular.  You're on.



With that Tracy turns and SIGNS Paul's sheet



THE "I" IN "FLICK" is dotted with a STAR



CLOSE ON TRACY'S FACE - as she walks away, Paul and his fans receding 

behind her



					TRACY (VO)

		You might think it upset me that Paul 

		Metzier had decided to run against me, 

		but nothing could be further from the 

		truth.  He was no competition for me: it 

		was like apples and oranges. It just 

		meant I had to work a little harder, 

		that's all.



INT. TRACY'S BASEMENT	NIGHT



CLOSE ON TRACY'S FACE --



in a xeroxed photograph. "Vote Tracy!" is written at the bottom.



Tracy is making campaign buttons with her BUTTON MACHINE. She 

manufactures her buttons with almost alarming intensity. PATRIOTIC 

MUSIC begins to rise.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		You see, I believe in the voters. They 

		understand that elections aren't just 

		popularity contests. They know this 

		country was built by people just like me 

		who work very hard and don't have 

		everything handed to them on a silver 

		spoon.



THE TRACY BUTTONS



drop one by one into a box. All the little round Tracys smile up at 

us.



EXT. MILLARD PARKING LOT    DAY



Paul is in the driver's seat of his hitching big-wheeled PICKUP TRUCK.  

His door is open, and his radio blasts a SONG carefully selected to 

boost soundtrack album sales.  Various FRIENDS OF PAUL'S hang around.



Tracy watches the scene from her seat on the SCHOOL BUS



					TRACY (VO CONT'D) 

		Not like some rich kids who everybody 

		likes because their fathers own Metzier 

		Cement and give them trucks on their 

		sixteenth birthday and throw them big 

		parties all the time.  They don't ever 

		have to work for anything.



The .bus pulls away.



INT. TRACY'S LIVING ROOM	AFTERNOON



CLOSE ON TRACY'S FACE -



staring into camera as she exercises on a NORDIC TRAC, Drenched in 

sweat, she moves in a hypnotic frenzy.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		They think they can all of a sudden one 

		day out of the blue waltz right in with 

		no qualifications whatsoever and try to 

		take away what other people have worked 

		for very, very hard their entire lives.  

		No, it didn't bother me at all I



INT. PAUL'S PICKUP -- DAY



Paul drives home, his stereo thumping. Silent, he appears lost in 

thought, as though a little gopher idea were burrowing its way to the 

surface. Oh, look -- there's its snout  now.



					PAUL

		Paul... Paul... power... Paul... Paul 

		for President... progress... promise... 

		peanut... Paul-i-tics... yeah... 

		President Paul... Punt for Paul!  No.



EXT. METZLER HOME	DAY Paul pulls into the driveway and hops out of 

his car.



INT. TAMMY METZLER'S BEDROOM	DAY



Two GIRLS are kissing on the bed. They are TAMMY METZLER and LISA 

FLANAGAN, fifteen and seventeen respectively. Lisa breaks away. Tammy 

tries to kiss her again, but Lisa resists.



					TAMMY

				(softly) 

		What?



					LISA

		I told you ... I can't. I just -- It 

		doesn't feel right anymore, you know?



INT. METZLER KITCHEN    DAY



Whistling a cheerful tune, Paul tosses his backpack on a chair, grabs 

a banana, and opens the refrigerator.



INT. TAMMY METZLER'S BEDROOM	DAY 



Tammy is still trying to comfort Lisa.



					TAMMY

		If you could just get out of your head.



Tammy leans forward, puts her palm on Lisa's cheek.  Lisa looks at 

Tammy as though at a stranger.  Tammy leans forward and .kisses Lisa's 

eyes.  Lisa jerks her head out of Tammy's hands.



					LISA 

		I said no!



Suddenly, there's a quick KNOCK at the door, and Paul enters. The 

girls rise quickly.



					PAUL

		Hey, Tammy, guess what happened today.



					TAMMY

		Don't you fucking knock?



					PAUL

		Yeah.  So guess what happened.  So Mr. 

		McAllister, he --

				(noticing Lisa) 

		Oh hi. Lisa.



					TAMMY

		Paul, get out!



					PAUL

		So Mr. M. calls me in and tells me --



					LISA 

		I gotta go.



Lisa pushes her way past Paul and runs down the hall



					TAMMY

				(to Paul) 

		You dumbshit!



					PAUL

		What'd I do?



THE SCENE FREEZES.



					TAMMY (VO)

		You know how they say one day a big 

		meteor might come and crash into the 

		Earth and kill everybody? Well, I think 

		that would be a good thing.



BACK TO LIFE - Tammy turns away from Paul in disgust and runs after 

Lisa



INT. METZLER LIVING ROOM AND FOYER	CONTINUOUS



Tammy finds the front door flung open and through it sees Lisa 

slamming the door of her beat-up Honda Civic and starting the engine.



					TAMMY

		Lisa



EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET	CONTINUOUS



Tammy runs up to the car as it pulls away. She pounds on the window.



					TAMMY

		Stop! Wait!



Lisa stops the car, rolls down the window



					TAMMY (CONT'D)

		Where 're you going?



					LISA 

		I'm not like you.



					TAMMY

		What...?



					LISA

		I'm not a dyke, okay, and we're not in 

		love. We were just... I was just 

		experimenting.



Lisa speeds away, and we watch her car grow smaller and smaller.



CLOSE ON TAMMY'S FACE -



as we see the greatest disappointment of her short life break across 

her face.



					TAMMY (VO)

		How can something that seems so true 

		turn out to be such a lie?



EXT. ELMWOOD PARK -- DAY



Lisa and Tammy are swinging synchronized on a swingset, smiling and 

laughing. The image is slightly OVEREXPOSED as though to suggest an 

ideal memory.



CLOSE ON TAMMY looking over at Lisa



					TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

		I mean Lisa and I were destined to be 

		together. It was so obvious. Of all the 

		people on the planet who had ever lived, 

		somehow we'd found each other.



CLOSE ON LISA



in SLOW MOTION, swinging next to us. She looks  back, her face so 

happy.



					TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

		Lisa...



INT. TAMMY'S ROOM -- DAY



CHOMP-CHOMP-CHOMP Tammy eats an asparagus spear.



GNAW-GNAW-GNAW Lisa eats an asparagus spear



TAMMY drinks a big glass of water.  She giggles a little.



LISA drinks a big glass of water.  She giggles too.



					TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

		I remember one time Lisa and I did an 

		experiment with asparagus to see how 

		long it takes your pee to smell. We peed 

		a little every five minutes.



AN EGG TIMER:  Ding I Tammy and Lisa, very serious now, smell little 

Dixie cups



					TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

		For her it took about fifteen minutes, 

		and for me it was twenty.



INT. LIBRARY	DAY 



Lisa studies at a table, surrounded by other busy students.



					TAMMY (VO)

		Everyday I found some new way to tell 

		Lisa I loved her.



Suddenly Tammy walks by, drops a folded NOTE in front of Lisa, and 

walks on.  Lisa opens it.



					NOTE 

				(Tammy's voice)

		If you died right now, I would throw 

		myself into one of my Dad's cement 

		trucks and get poured into your tomb.



Lisa looks over her shoulder at Tammy, who is now at the door of the 

library.  Tammy nods at her with quiet loving reassurance.



					TAMMY (VO)

		But it just seemed like the closer we 

		got, the more she pulled away.



INT. MILLARD HALLWAY	DAY



Lisa watches Tammy open her locker and notices a four-frame PHOTO-

BOOTH PHOTOGRAPH taped to the inside of the door.  In the photos Lisa 

and Tammy are clowning and smooching.  Lisa reaches over and YANKS the 

photos off the door.



					LISA 

		Are you crazy?



					TAMMY

		What?



					LISA

		People can see this.



					TAMMY

		So?



					LISA

		These are private -- these are for us.



					TAMMY

		I know.



					LISA

		But other people can see them too.



					TAMMY

		I don't care.



					LISA 

		Well, I do.



Lisa walks away with the photos



EXT. ELMWOOD PARK	DAY



CLOSE ON LISA SWINGING -- next to us, a final reprise of Tammy's 

favorite memory



					TAMMY (VO)

		What did I do to make her change? 

		What's wrong with me?



Lisa swings out of frame, and the swing returns EMPTY.



					TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

				(a whisper) 

		Lisa.



EXT. HILL ABOVE A POWER PLANT	TWILIGHT



Tammy sits on a promontory overlooking an Omaha Public Power District 

station -- towers, wires, insulators, a loud HUM.



					TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

		Sometimes when I'm sad, I sit and watch 

		the power station.



Tammy lifts a pair of BINOCULARS to her eyes, sees THE POWER PLANT.



					TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

		They say if you lie between two of the 

		main wires, your body just evaporates.  

		You become a gas.  I wonder what that 

		would feel like.



TAMMY'S STREET -- EVENING



Lisa's car speeds away, growing smaller and smaller. We're back at the 

BREAK-UP.  CLOSE ON TAMMY'S FACE as she stares down the street, unable 

to move. It  starts to rain. Tears roll down her cheeks, mixing with 

the  rain. very French, very sad.



					TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

		I don ' t know what I did to make Lisa 

		hate me so much, but somehow she decided 

		to hurt roe. And she knew exactly what 

		to do.



LISA'S BEDROOM	DAY



CLOSE ON PAUL'S FACE -- 



matched in size to Tammy's. He is moaning, gasping.



FROM OVERHEAD --



Paul is sprawled on Lisa's bed, surrounded by stuffed animals. His 

legs dangle over the edge of the bed, and Lisa kneels between them, 

her head bobbing up and down.



					PAUL (VO)

		I sure was surprised the day Lisa 

		Flanagan asked me for a ride home and 

		ended up blowing me.



Lisa pauses and looks up at Paul.



					LISA

		I've wanted this for so long.



She resumes with renewed vigor



					PAUL

		Uhhh... teeth. Teeth.



					LISA

		Sorry.



INT. MILLARD HIGH CAFETERIA    DAY



Paul and Lisa sit with some other friends at a lunch table. Paul has 

one arm around Lisa as he eats with his other hand.



					PAUL (VO)

		Life is so weird.  First Lisa has a big 

		fight with my sister, and the next thing 

		you know she's my girlfriend.



Lisa turns around to look at



TAMMY seated at another table directly behind them.  She and Lisa lock 

eyes before they both turn around again.



EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD	DAY



Paul poses for a campaign photo in his football uniform.  He freezes 

in position as though about to throw a pass.  Lisa adjusts his 

position -- CLICK.



					PAUL (VO CONT'D)

		Since Lisa knew all about public 

		relations and stuff, she offered to help 

		me with my campaign.  We made a great 

		team!



Tammy spies from underneath the bleachers



INT. MILLARD HALLWAY	DAY



Paul is on all fours as Lisa stands on his back to hang a poster with 

Paul's football picture reading: "Paul Metzier You Bet-zier!"



					PAUL (VO CONT'D)

		It seemed so natural, the two of us 

		together.  It was like destiny.



Tammy watches from a nearby classroom door, her nose and cheek pressed 

against the window.



EXT. LISA'S HOUSE	DAY 



Paul's truck pulls up, and Paul and Lisa get out



					PAUL (VO CONT'D)

		That spring was perfect.  My leg wasn't 

		bugging me too much, and the weather was 

		so nice.  And every afternoon after 

		school. Lisa and I would go to her house 

		to fuck and have a swim.  It was like we 

		were in a world all our own.



Tammy emerges from behind a tree.  She's on her bike.  Angry and 

fragile, she watches the couple enter Lisa's house.



EXT. LISA'S BACKYARD	DAY 



Tammy peeks OVER THE FENCE and sees --



LISA AND PAUL swimming.  Paul dives off the board and resurfaces right 

into Lisa's arms.



MOVE CLOSER TO TAMMY as she dies a thousand deaths.



					TAMMY (VO)

		I had to do something.  I didn't know 

		what, but I had to do something.



FADE OUT



INT. SHERRY NOVOTNY'S BACKYARD -- DAY



A laughing BABY BOY is lowered into frame and pulled back up again.  

Then he swings across frame.  It's little DARRYL NOVOTNY.



WIDE -



JIM has Darryl by the ankles and is swinging him between his legs. 

Diane and Sherry are setting the picnic table.  Stacked charcoal 

briquettes burn off in a nearby barbecue.



					JIM (VO)

		Around that time Diane and I were 

		hanging out a lot at Sherry Novotny's  

		house, giving her our love and support 

		and helping her make it through a 

		difficult time.



					DIANE

		Jim, don't.  You're scaring him.



					JIM

		He likes it.



Darryl's laughter suddenly turns into CRYING



					DIANE

		Here.  Give him to me.

				(as she takes 

				Darryl)

		is little Darryl dizzy?  That's it. . 

		come here. . .



					SHERRY 

		You got him?



					DIANE 

		Yeah.



Sherry heads into the house.  JIM watches her walk, then turns toward 

Diane and Darryl.  It's as though Diane, not Sherry, were the infant's 

real mother, so loving and attentive is she, so swelled with maternal 

piety.



					JIM (VO)

		Diane really wanted to have kids -- and 

		so did I -- but it seemed like there was 

		always a reason to wait: she had to 

		finish nursing school, I had to get my 

		masters, we needed a new house, we 

		needed more money.  Finally we just 

		decided to go for it...



INT.  JIM'S BEDROOM	NIGHT



A DIGITAL THERMOMETER reads 99.3.  Behind it Diane lies in bed reading 

a copy of Self.



					JIM (VO)

		...but for over a year we hadn't had 

		any luck.  And Diane was getting 

		desperate.



INT. JIM'S HOME OFFICE	NIGHT



At his desk, JIM studies a High Society magazine.  He is naked.



JIM closes his eyes and bites his lip as though feeling something he 

wished not to leave him.  He quickly replaces a stack of magazines in 

his desk and goes across the hall to --



INT.  BEDROOM	CONTINUOUS



where 'Lisa''s car speeds away, growing smaller and smaller. We''re 

back at the BREAK-UP.  CLOSE ON TAMMY''S FACE as she stares down the 

street, unable to move. It  starts to rain. Tears roll down her 

cheeks, mixing with the  rain. very French, very sad.' waits in bed.  

She puts aside her magazine and welcomes Papa Bear.  Lisa pauses and 

looks up at Paul. closes the door behind him.



INT. MCALLISTER BEDROOM	LATER



JIM and Diane copulate.  Although ostensibly near climax, JIM seems to 

be struggling.  Diane's exhortations, once forbidden and exciting, now 

seem routine.



					DIANE

		You gonna do it? You gonna do it?



					JIM

		 Yeah, uh, just a minute



					DIANE

		Come on, doit. Doit. Fill me up. Come 

		on, fill me up



					JIM

		Yeah, just --



					DIANE 

		Do it!



JIM finally climaxes



					DIANE (CONT'D) 

		Okay!



With that JIM rolls off of her. Diane immediately hoists her knees to 

her chest.



CLOSE ON JIM - on his side of the bed facing away from Diane.



					DIANE

		Could you hand me the remote?



EXT. NOVOTNY BACKYARD	AS BEFORE 



JIM is snapped out of his reverie by Sherry's voice



					SHERRY 

		Say, Jim. Jim.



JIM looks. Sherry is walking out the patio door holding a big bottle 

of wine with a corkscrew sticking out of it.



					SHERRY (CONT'D) 

		Could you get this? I can't



					JIM

		Sure.



JIM takes the bottle.  CLOSE ON the neck as the cork emerges: POP!



INT. NOVOTNY KITCHEN -- DAY



Sherry stands at the base of a stepladder as JIM climbs up and points 

to a spot on the ceiling.



					JIM (VO)

		Without Dave around. Sherry needed a 

		lot of help around the house.



					JIM

		Here?



					SHERRY 

				(indicating) 

		More this way.



					JIM

		Okay.  Give me the drill.



JIM looks down at Sherry as she hands it up.  Her blouse reveals a bit 

more than it should, and JIM pauses to get an extra glimpse.



THE POWER DRILL BIT penetrates the ceiling.



EXT. HOVOTHY FRONT YARD -- DAY



A shirtless JIM is MOWING the lawn on a hot day.  He shuts it off as 

Sherry emerges from the house with lemonade.  She wears culottes, a 

halter top, and flip-flops.



					JIM

		I'd always liked Sherry, but we'd never 

		had a chance to spend any time alone 

		together.  How with Dave out of the 

		picture, I began to see what an 

		incredibly sensitive and giving person 

		she was.



JIM downs his glass in big thirsty gulps and hands her back the glass. 

He watches her walk back to the house.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		Plus she had finally dropped all that 

		weight from her pregnancy, and really 

		she looked great.



THE RIPCORD of the lawnmower is pulled a couple of times until it 

starts.



INT. YOUHKERS DEPARTMENT STORE -- DAY



IN WOMEN'S ACCESSORIES -



Sherry looks at herself in the mirror modeling a colorful floppy hat. 

She spins around for Jim's approval.



					JIM (VO)

		We got to be pretty good buddies.  I 

		even took her to the mall one time while 

		her car was in the shop.



JIM smiles and nods.  She puts on another.  Sherry is like a young 

girl on a date.  She grabs Jim's hand and pulls him in another 

direction.



AT THE MAKEUP COUNTER - Sherry spreads on lipstick.



					SHERRY 

		What do you think?



It's clear what JIM thinks.



					JIM

		You look great



INT. JIM'S CAR -- DAY



They're driving home.  There are packages on Sherry's lap and in the 

backseat.



					SHERRY

		I can't afford this stuff right now.



					JIM

		Oh, come on.  You've had a hard year, 

		you're cooped up with the kid all the 

		time.  Let go; live a little.



					SHERRY 

		You sure?



They come to a stop at a red light.  Out one window JIM spots a MOTEL.



					JIM

		So what do you think?  Should we get a 

		room?



					SHERRY

		Should we get a what?



					JIM

		points at the motel.



					SHERRY (CONT'D) 

		Oh.



Her smile fades, and she stares straight ahead. There's an icy, 

uncomfortable silence.



					SHERRY (CONT'D) 

				(stiffly) 

		That's not funny.



The light changes. JIM swallows, accelerates



INT. JIM'S KITCHEN	DAY



JIM walks in through the backdoor. Diane is loading the dishwasher. 

They peck-kiss.



					DIANE 

		How'd it go?



					JIM 

		Fine. You know. We just went to 

		Crossroads.



					DIANE 

		You guys have fun?



JIM picks an apple out of a bowl.



					JIM

				(between bites)

		Yeah. No. I mean, you know.



					DIANE

		What?



					JIM

		Well, Sherry's great.  But she can be a 

		little much sometimes.



INT. MCALLISTER BEDROOM	NIGHT



Diane lies face-down, and JIM is on top of her. JIM makes spirited 

love with her.



					DIANE 

		Oh, Jim! Oh, God!



SHERRY'S HEAD, like a cut-out from a tabloid cover, floats in from 

off-screen and lands on the back of Diane's head. At the right moment, 

her face COMES TO LIFE and vaguely mouths the words that Diane is 

saying, like a badly-dubbed movie.



					DIANE/SHERRY

		Oh, God.  Just like that.  Oh yes. Fill 

		me up...



Jim's wicked desire increases with each movement



Now TRACY FLICK'S FACE floats over and replaces Sherry's. Tracy mouths 

Diane's words.



					DIANE/TRACY 

		Do it, Jim.  Fuck me.



JIM is at once in deep-space ecstasy and surprised at himself.  

Diane's voice now changes: it's Tracy's VOICE.



					TRACY (OS) 

		Fuck me, Mr. McAllister



FADE OUT



UNDER BLACK



					JIM (VO)

		So like I was saying, things were going 

		pretty well in my life.



INT. MILLARD HALLWAY -- DAY 



It's passing period, and hundreds of students clog the halls



					JIM (VO)

		... that is, until things started going 

		all haywire with that damn election.



A distant DING-DING grows louder and louder. Everyone turns toward the 

source, far down the hall, and eventually TAMMY emerges wearing a 

makeshift SANDWICH BOARD that reads "Tammy Metzier For President." 

Smiling a perverse smile, she rings a hand bell. Salvation Army style.



Paul is at his locker and watches Tammy go by.



					PAUL

		Tammy? Tammy, what are you doing?



Tammy ignores her brother and keeps walking directly toward us, 

finally INTO CAMERA.



INT. MILLARD TEACHERS' OFFICES -- DAY Tracy sits opposite Mr. 

McAllister.



					TRACY

		You're the advisor.  You should stop 

		her.  She's not qualified.  She's just a 

		sophomore.



					JIM

		Calm down, Tracy.  Just calm down.



					TRACY

		Are you sure all her signatures are 

		real?  It's not easy to get all those 

		signatures.



					JIM

		As far as I know, they--



Suddenly LISA AND PAUL are sitting where Tracy was.



					PAUL

		We can't both run, can we?  We're 

		brother and sister.  Can we?



					LISA

		It's a conflict of interest.  And Paul 

		was first.



					JIM

		Anyone who gets signatures in on time 

		can run.  And she got in just under the 

		wire.  Nothing I can do.



Now TRACY replaces Lisa and Paul



					TRACY

		Let me see them.  Let me see them



Sighing, JIM fishes in his drawer and hands Tracy some sheets



					TRACY

		These are a bunch of burn-outs. And 

		look at this one, I can't even read this 

		one.



					JIM

				(taking the sheet) 

		Looks like Tim Kobza.



LISA AND PAUL again



					LISA

		She's doing this to get back at me



					PAUL

		For what?



					LISA 

		I mean at you.



					PAUL

		For what?



					LISA

		I don't know.  You're her brother you 

		should know.



TRACY returns.



					TRACY

		Tim Kobza?  Tim Kobza!  Who's he? I've 

		never heard of him!



					JIM

		Look, why don't we just forget about 

		Tammy?  We'll have the assembly 

		tomorrow, everybody'll make their 

		speeches, and I'm sure everything will 

		be fine.



INT. MILLARD GYMNASIUM DAY



The entire student body is assembled on the bleachers. There is a 

palpable mood of boredom and apathy.



JERRY SLAVIN, a handicapped kid in a wheelchair, is  at the 

microphone. His head lists to one side, and he takes  long breaths as 

he speaks.



					JERRY

		I love Millard High, and I will be a 

		dedicated vice President. A vote for 

		Jerry Slavin is a vote for good 

		government. And even if I can't really 

		stand up for you, I will.

				(cracks himself up)

		Thank you.



Jerry motors away amid scattered applause and coughs.  JIM steps 

forward, clapping, and raises the mike.



					JIM

		Thank you, Jerry, and good luck. Again, 

		Jerry is running unopposed for Vice 

		President. So we'll move on now to the 

		presidential race with three candidates 

		running. The first in alphabetical order 

		is Tracy Flick.



Tracy steps forward with a small stack of index cards. During her 

speech she flips the cards over one by one but rarely looks at them.



					TRACY

		Poet Henry David Thoreau once wrote, "I 

		cannot make my days longer, so I strive 

		to make them better."  With this 

		election, we here at Millard also have 

		an opportunity to make our high school 

		days better.  During this campaign I 

		have had the opportunity to speak with 

		many of you about your concerns.  I 

		spoke with freshman Eliza Ramirez, who 

		told me how alienated she feels from her 

		own homeroom.  I spoke with sophomore 

		Reggie Banks, who said his mother works 

		in a cafeteria and can't afford to buy 

		him enough spiral notebooks for his 

		classes.  I won't bore you with long-

		winded promises about all the new and 

		innovative things I will definitely 

		achieve during the year in which it will 

		be my honor and privilege to represent 

		each and every one of you, but I can say 

		that my years of experience on the 

		student council have taught me the three 

		most important attributes the president 

		needs to possess;  commitment -



					DOUG SCHENKEN

		Eat me



					DOUG'S BUDDY 

		Eat me raw!



There is  scattered laughter. Tracy pauses, wait Hendricks bounds up 

and grabs the mike.



					WALT

		If you can't be adults and give these 

		candidates the courtesy they deserve, 

		then you don't deserve to be called 

		adults but children* Because that's what 

		children are. And you'll be treated like 

		children. So let's all listen up.



Walt backs away to his seat. Tracy resumes



					TRACY

		The three most important attributes the 

		president needs to possess are: 

		commitment, qualifications, and 

		experience.  I'll add one more; caring.  

		I care about Millard, and I care about 

		each and every one of you, and together 

		we can all make a difference.  One of 

		the things I would like to establish is 

		a regular open forum where any student 

		can come and voice their concern about 

		issues we face here at Millard.  I and 

		the rest of the student council would 

		then interface with the faculty and 

		staff, so a continuous dialogue would 

		exist.



Walt whispers to Jim.



					WALT

		I'd say she knows a thing or two about 

		student-faculty dialogue.



JIM nods solemnly



					TRACY

		When you cast your vote for Tracy Flick 

		next week, you won't just be voting for 

		me.  You'll be voting for yourself and 

		for every other student Our days won't 

		be any longer, but they can sure be 

		better.  Thank you.



Tracy smiles and walks back to her folding chair.  There is polite 

applause and a few whistles.  JJJB comes back to the microphone.



Tracy takes her seat next to Paul and glances at him.  Paul scares 

straight ahead, a fat bead of sweat on his forehead. One of his legs 

is jiggling.



					JIM

		The next candidate for student body 

		president is Paul Metzier.  Paul?



Paul awkwardly makes his way to the mike.   Though by no means 

thunderous, his applause clearly exceeds Tracy's.  A small cluster of 

jocks "woof" for him, shaking their fists in the air.  Paul manages a 

weak grin for his buddies.



Tracy shifts in her chair, her smile stiff and forced



Lisa smiles and nods at Paul from the bleachers, giving him 

encouragement and a silent reminder to remember what they talked 

about.



Tammy's eyes dart between Lisa and Paul. She shows no emotion, reveals 

nothing.



The applause quickly dies, and after a moment Paul remembers to look 

at the white paper in his hand. He speaks in a barely audible 

monotone, never once glancing up.



					PAUL

		As many of you know I broke my leg 

		pretty bad thi3 year and the experience 

		has made me reevaluate what I want to do 

		with my life and that is help people 

		when you think about it a school is more 

		than a school it's our second home where 

		we spend all cur time and grow as 

		individuals and a community but is our 

		school everything it could be I want our 

		school to reach its true potential that 

		is why I am running for president.



JIM pinches the bridge of his nose, clearly pained



A few loud SOUND EFFECT SNORES saw through the air, and Walt points a 

stern finger at - you guessed it -- Doug Schenken.



					PAUL

		I know what it is to fight hard and win 

		like when we almost went to state last 

		fall and I threw that fourth-quarter 

		pass against Westside for the touchdown 

		that won the game by three points I 

		won't let you down like I didn't then I 

		promise we can all score a winning

				(big breath)

		touchdown together. Vote Paul Metzier 

		for president thank you.



Paul now gets considerably less applause, but his jock friends remain 

loyal.



					JIM

		Okay, Paul. Now our final candidate for 

		President - another one of the Metzier 

		clan -- sophomore Tammy Metzier.



Tammy approaches the mike. There are scattered mocking whistles and 

catcalls.



Tammy calmly looks over the crowd, waiting for the jeers to subside. 

She makes eye contact with Lisa, who stares back.



					WALT 

		People.  People I



The room quiets down.  Tammy puts her lips close to the mike,



					TAMMY

		Who cares about this stupid election?



NOW there's something worth listening to.



					TAMMY (CONT'D)

		We all know it doesn't matter who gets 

		elected president of Millard. You think 

		it's going to change anything around 

		here, make one single person happier or 

		smarter or nicer? The only person it 

		matters to is the one who gets elected.  

		The same pathetic charade happens every 

		year, and everyone makes the same 

		pathetic promises just so they can put 

		it on their transcripts to get into 

		college.  So vote for me, because I 

		don't even want to go to college, and I 

		don't care, and as president I won't do 

		anything.  The only promise I make is 

		that if elected I will immediately 

		dismantle the student government, so 

		that none of us will ever have to sit 

		through one of these stupid assemblies 

		again!



There is a sudden huge cathartic eruption of cheers and applause.  

Tammy has set them free.  Even cynical old Doug Schenken and his 

buddies join in.



					STUDENTS 

		Tammy!   Tammy!  Tammy!



In total control, she steps back from the mike and CURTSIES.



Walt shoots an angry, confused look at Jim, who shrugs. Tracy is 

clearly upset, but her smile remains eerily fixed Paul just looks 

confused and ashamed.  Jerry Slavin is convulsed in laughter and 

chants along with the multitude.



Tammy quickly grabs the mike for one final exhortation.



					TAMMY

		0h don't vote for me I  Who cares? 

		Don't vote at all!



The students go nuts.



INT. WALT HENDRICK'S OFFICE	DAY



Dr. Hendricks is in a serious post-assembly discussion with JIM and 

VICE-PRINCIPAL RON BELL.



					WALT

		That little bitch made a fool of us I 

		want her out of the election. Getting 

		everybody all riled up like that.  She's 

		finished, you hear me? Washed up.



					JIM

		Walt, we can't throw her out of the 

		election just because we don't like her 

		speech.  That's not what student 

		government's about.



					WALT 

				(grumbling)

		Yeah... whatever.  All I know is she's 

		a troublemaker.  She's on my list.



					RON

		All we need to do is send a message, so 

		maybe we should just suspend her.



					WALT

		Right.  That's it.  She's suspended for 

		a week!



To emphasize his point, Walt throws his STYROFOAM CUP at the 

wastepaper basket and misses.  Lowell the janitor, passing by outside 

the door, notices the cup bouncing on the floor.



					JIM

		I think that's a little strong Walt.  

		Ron?



					RON

		We don't want to make a martyr out of 

		her.  Three days sounds right to me.



					WALT

		Okay.  Three days.  Take care of it.



EXT. STREETS	DAY



Tammy rides her bike on this crisp sunny spring day.  The music is 

buoyant.  Tammy is all smiles.



					TAMMY (VO)

		Being suspended is like getting a paid 

		vacation.  Too bad it was only three 

		days



EXT. 7-11  DAY



Tammy is hanging out by the entrance. A DUDE emerges from the store 

carrying a 12-pack of beer. En route to his car, he throws Tammy a 

pack of CIGARETTES.



					DUDE 

		Here you go.



Tammy looks at the pack



					TAMMY

		Hey -- I said lights I



EXT. SACRED HEART ACADEMY -- DAY



A cigarette hanging out of her mouth, Tammy rides by the front of this 

Catholic girls' school.



NOW AT THE ATHLETIC FIELD -



Tammy gets off her bike, goes to look through the surrounding fence at 



GIRLS PLAYING LACROSSE



in their cleats, short skirts, jerseys. LITURGICAL MUSIC accompanies 

SLOW-MOTION close-ups of the girls in action.



Tammy seems to breathe them in



INT. TAMMY'S ROOM -- DAY



Wearing headphones. Tammy DANCES to music only  she can hear. She 

happens to glance toward her door and notices a MANILA ENVELOPE 

sliding under it. She opens the door  and finds a startled Paul.



					TAMMY

		What do you want?



					PAUL

		Oh.  Hi, Tammy.  I was just, you know, 

		I went to all your teachers and got your 

		assignments.



Tammy looks at him, picks up the packet.



					PAUL (CONT'D)

		I just thought, well, last time you got 

		suspended you fell so behind and -



					TAMMY

		Okay, Paul.  Thanks.  Thanks a lot.



Paul smiles at the acknowledgment of his good deed.



					TAMMY (CONT'D)

		Now could you leave me alone?



					PAUL

		Yeah.  Oh, one more thing. Tammy. You 

		know, all this election stuff. 'Cause, 

		you know, everyone is saying it's so 

		weird that you're running against me, 

		and, well, it is kind of weird, and you 

		haven't really told me why you're doing 

		it and didn't tell me in advance or 

		anything.  But that's okay, you know.  l 

		respect your privacy.  I just want you 

		to know that no matter who wins, if it's 

		you or me, there's no hard feelings.  

		We're still brother and sister.  Okay?  

		Cause... and I hope you feel the same.



					TAMMY

		Sure, Paul.  No hard feelings.



					PAUL

		Okay.  Great.  I feel good.



Paul is about to leave again but



					PAUL

		Oh.  Oh.  Yeah.  Right.  One other 

		thing.  Since you know Lisa so well, 

		could you give me some advice?  I want 

		to get her something for helping me with 

		the election.  You know, something 

		really special -- like flowers or candy 

		or flowers and candy.  Or is that too 

		typical?  I mean, can you think of 

		something? Something really special?  

		You know, something she'd really like?



Tammy looks as though she'd like to push the button on all the world's 

atomic bombs.



EXT. TRACY'S DRIVEWAY DAY



CLOSE ON A GIANT OUTLINED "0" --



drawn on white paper. A hand enters frame with a brush and begins to 

fill in the outline with blue tempera-paint.



Camera RISES to reveal the "0" as part of a giant banner. Tracy is 

working on some letters, while ERIC OVERHOLDT is working on others.



					TRACY (VO)

		What happened at the speeches was an 

		unconscienceable travesty. That little 

		bitch Tammy Metzier wanted to make a 

		fool out of me. Well, it wasn't going to 

		work. People do care who wins. Things do 

		matter.



Finally, we're high enough to read:



WHO CARES? I DO: VOTE TRACY!



					TRACY

		Eric, the "r" is supposed to be green, 

		not blue.



					ERIC 

		Oh. Okay.



Eric carefully paints over his mistake, then works up  some courage.



					ERIC (CONT'D)

		So, Tracy, I was wondering if after we 

		finish with these you'd like to go to a 

		movie or something.



					TRACY

		That's okay.  I'm too busy.



Ouch.



INT. MILLARD YEARBOOK OFFICE -- NIGHT A haggard Tracy sits alone at a 

computer monitor



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		People are so ungrateful.  If all those 

		students who cheered for Tammy Metzier 

		only knew how hard I worked for Millard.  

		Like all the late nights I spent at the 

		yearbook office just to give them their 

		memories.



THE MONITOR



displays a DIGITIZED PHOTO of the Millard yearbook staff.  DAVE 

NOVOTNY peers proudly from behind two of the taller students. A CURSOR 

in the shape of tiny SCISSORS makes a small circle around Dave's face.  

Suddenly, the cursor turns into a tiny HAND and drags Dave's dislodged 

head into the TRASH.



Tracy concentrates as she deftly controls the mouse.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)

		One of my duties was to clean up the 

		group photos.  It was a cinch with our 

		new software.



THE COMPUTER MONITOR AGAIN --



as Tracy outlines a piece of the WALL and places it in the void where 

Dave used to be, blurring the edges for a perfect effect,  voila!



Satisfied, Tracy taps on the keyboard.



					TRACY

				(under her breath)

		Let's see... "save" is Command "S."  

		Okay.



INT. MILLARD HIGH HALLWAY -- NIGHT



Tracy is heading down the hall toward the exit when she rounds a 

corner and, suddenly deeply troubled, sees that



HER NEW "WHO CARES?" BANNER has come loose on an upper corner and is 

drooping.



Tracy puts down her things and JUMPS up to slap the corner back into 

place.  Satisfied, she turns away.  But then - SHOOP!  The banner 

fights back, peeling even further from the wall.  Tracy prepares for 

battle.



INT. YEARBOOK OFFICE	NIGHT 



Tracy enters and grabs a long aluminum STRAIGHT-EDGE.



INT. HALLWAY	NIGHT



Standing on an overturned GARBAGE CAN and wielding the straight-edge, 

Tracy tries to smooth the banner. But she's not holding the ruler flat 

against the wall and -- RIP! -- she slices the banner lengthwise. Now 

the plastic garbage can begins to buckle. Struggling to retain her 

balance, Tracy accidentally hooks the banner and as she TUMBLES yanks 

the whole thing down.



Overcome with anger and frustration, she thrashes around on the ground 

and TEARS UP what remains of her banner.



PAUL METZLER smiles down at Tracy from his poster across the hall.



Tracy looks up at it. Instantly she is on her feet, lunging for the 

poster. She jumps up, TEARS it down, and RIPS Paul's head into pieces.



Blood issues from a thin paper cut on one hand. Tracy regards it at 

first without comprehending, then raises it to her mouth. While 

sucking her wound, her gaze falls on --



ANOTHER SMILING PAUL mocking her pain.



ANGLE FROM WAY DOWN THE HALL



Hurricane Tracy begins a savage assault on the fragile coast of 

Millard High. Paul's campaign posters fill the air, shredded to pieces 

by the powerful winds of jealousy and rage.



TIME DISSOLVE --



to Tracy even farther down the hall, still jumping, still ripping.



TRACK FROM OVERHEAD - THE HALLWAY FLOOR - where a thousand bits of 

Paul lie scattered -- a grinning mouth here, an eye there.



TILT UP finally to Tracy, sweating, panting.  She finishes ripping a 

poster and looks to find another.  But there are no more Paul posters: 

she has destroyed them all.  Tracy raises her hands and sees they are 

streaked with Blood.



INT. GIRLS ' BATHROOM	NIGHT



Tracy is at the sink, washing away the blood.  She pats her hands dry 

with paper towels.  The gravity of what she's done now sinks in, and 

she panics.



					TRACY

		I didn't do this.  I didn't do it.



She lifts the top off a garbage can, removes the PLASTIC LINER.



INT. MILLARD HALLWAY	NIGHT



With frantic haste, Tracy stuffs the evidence of her awful deed into 

the garbage bag.



EXT. BACK OF HILLARD HIGH -- MIGHT



Tracy's face is half-obscured by the bulging bag she carries down the 

sidewalk.



EXT. HILLARD PARKIMC LOT - MIGHT



Tracy opens her TRUNK and heaves the garbage bag inside slamming the 

trunk, she looks around - no one.



INT. TRACY'S CAR	NIGHT



Tracy drives, sucking on a wounded hand. She glances frequently in the 

rear-view mirror.



EXT. STREET    MIGHT



Tracy's car drives down a REMOTE ROAD.  There are no sidewalks here, 

and the surroundings consist of scrubby vegetation and industrial 

structures.  In the background looms a POWER PLANT.



INT. CAR - CONTINUOUS



We now sense that Tracy has a plan. She throws the car into reverse, 

backs up and turns onto -



EXT. A SMALL ACCESS ROAD -- CONTINUOUS



Tracy stop the car near an EMBANKMENT. She gets out and pulls the 

garbage bag from the trunk.



With a big shove Tracy sends the bag cartwheeling down the hill 

Breathing hard but clearly relieved, Tracy watches the evidence of her 

deed tumble into obscurity.



NOW THROUGH BINOCULARS Tracy's shadowy figure runs back to the car.



EXT.    HILL   ABOVE   POWER   PLANT  NIGHT



Tammy momentarily drops her BINOCULARS before raising them again.



THROUGH THE BINOCULARS - Tracy's car speeds away.



Tammy drops her binoculars and mounts her bike



EXT. EMBANKMENT -- NIGHT



Tammy skids to a stop, drops her bike, and heads down the embankment.



CLOSE ON THE HEFTY BAG



as Tammy draws near. She pauses at first, but intrepid curiosity 

conquers her fear. She unties the knot.



FROM INSIDE THE BAG we see Tammy's sudden look of HORROR



PAUL'S MANGLED FACE smiles up at her. Tammy raises it toward camera



INT. NOVOTWY BATHROOM -- MORNING



CLOSE ON A DRAIN



as a hand extracts a huge WAD OF HAIR -- stringy, mucousy. fetid.



JIM holds it up for Sherry, who stands behind him in her bathrobe.



					JIM

		There's your culprit



He examines it from different angles. Both scrunch their faces



					JIM (CONT'D)

		Shall we give it a name?



					SHERRY

				(not missing a 

				beat)

		Dave.



CLOSE ON AN OPEN TOILET - Plop!  The hairwad joins several smaller 

stringy friends.



NOW AT THE SINK



JIM washes his hands.  Sherry glances between JIM and the water 

running in the shower.  It's getting steamy.



					SHERRY

		Did you know Dave's a bed wetter?



					JIM

		No, I... uh, didn't know that



					SHERRY

		All his life.  He's tried everything.



					JIM

				(about the shower)

		Still clear?



					SHERRY

		Yep.



					JIM

		We'll let it run awhile



JIM turns off the faucet and reaches for a towel.  Sherry offers him 

another.



					SHERRY 

		This one's clean.



JIM takes it and dries his hands.  Sherry now stands very close to 

him.  JIM

sets the towel on the sink.  It's a little awkward as they look into 

each other's eyes, standing so near.



					SHERRY (CONT'D)

		I guess you'd better get to work huh?  

		You're going to be late.



She slowly wraps her arms around Jim's neck and pulls him to her, a 

hug of gratitude and warmth -- nothing sexual here, just the embrace 

of two people in need of shelter from the storm of life.  No, nothing 

sexual at all.



					SHERRY (CONT'D) 

		Thank you, Jim.



Now sherry begins to cry a little, and things begin to change -- hands 

wander, cheek brushes cheek.  Finally lips meet, tenderly at first.  

And then it is a deluge.



INT. NOVOTNY LIVING ROOM	DAY



JIM and Sherry stumble in from the hallway locked in an embrace.  They 

rove around the room, barely able to keep their balance.  Finally, 

they fall to the ground.



CLOSE ON LITTLE DARRYL --



playing with his foot in the CRIB.  Through the bars behind him we can 

discern the murky shape of Sherry and JIM rutting and grunting like 

wild boars.



EXT. NOVOTNY DRIVEWAY	DAY



JIM starts his car.  Sherry leans into his window.  She looks around 

the neighborhood before kissing him firmly on the mouth.



					SHERRY

		Hey Yeah?



					SHERRY

		Take me to that motel.  Like you 

		wanted.



					JIM

		Right now?



					SHERRY

		Easy, tiger.  Come by after school. 

		I'll leave Darryl with the sitter.



					JIM

		Three twenty-five.



					SHERRY 

		Three twenty-five.



EXT. HILLSIDE ROAD -- DAY



VROOM!  JIM roars past us in his new RED FERRARI CONVERTIBLE



EXT. ITALIAM RIVIERA (REAR PROJECTIOH)	CONTINUOUS



JIM wears a BLACK SUIT and hip HRAPAROUND SUNGLASSES as he drives. He 

lights a cigarette. Behind him is a cheesy dated REAR PROJECTION Of a 

curvy MOUNTAIN ROAD. Next Stop: portofino!



					JIM (VO)

		What had blossomed between Sherry and 

		me was too real, too powerful to deny. 

		For the first time in years, I felt free 

		and alive!



EXT. MILLARD HIGH PARKING LOT	DAY



JIM'S Ferrari heads up the driveway and into his assigned space He 

opens the Ferrari door.



JIM'S FOOT touches the pavement - not a shiny Salvatore Ferragamo 

loafer but a worn out Dexter.



WIDE -



JIM is back in his own clothes, and his car has reverted to a Ford 

Escort in need of a wash. He heads toward the school.



INT. HILLARD LIBRARY -- DAY 



JIM enters the library, walks among the stacks.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		So as you can imagine, my thoughts 

		weren't on the election that Monday 

		morning.



JIM takes a BOOK from the shelf



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		My thoughts were only on Sherry, on how 

		perfect she felt inside. There was a 

		special poem I wanted to read to her 

		later, at the motel, as she lay next to 

		me.



Jim flips through the book and finds the poem he seeks. His lips move 

silently.



JIM'S VOICE (VO CONT'D) 

Close, close the lovers keep. They stay together in their sleep. Close 

as two pages in a book That read each other in the dark..



Suddenly -- a grating VOICE from the loudspeakers.



					VOICE (OS) 

		Mr. McAllister to the Principal's 

		Office.  Mr. McAllister to the 

		Principal's office.



JIM smacks the book closed



INT. WALT ' S OFFICE - DAY



LISA FLAMAGAN - her face streaked with tears from outrage and 

confusion.



					LISA

		It's not fair.  It's not fair



Paul sits next to Lisa on the vinyl sofa.  He wants to console her, 

but he doesn't know how.



					PAUL

		I just don't think anybody would do 

		something like that on purpose.  It must 

		have been some kind of mistake. Like a 

		maintenance thing.



JIM enters.



					WALT

		Jim, where the hell have you been?



					JIM

		Nowhere.  I don't have class until 

		second period.



					WALT

		Even tried you at home.  We've got a 

		situation here.



					LISA

		If Paul loses tomorrow, it's not fair.  

		There has to be another election,  with 

		posters.



					JIM

		What's the problem?



					LISA 

		Didn't you see?



					WALT

		Somebody tore down their posters.



					LISA

		Those posters cost a lot of money we 

		don't have I  There's no time to make 

		any more posters, there's no --



					WALT

		We'll get to the bottom of it.



					PAUL

				(to Lisa)

		We still have some extra ones, don't 

		we?  Maybe we can just --



					LISA

		It was Tammy I  That's who it was.



					PAUL

		Oh, no, hey.  Like I said. Tammy 

		wouldn't... she...



					WALT

		Well, that speech she gave -- it was 

		pretty, you know, pretty out there.  But 

		we'll get to the bottom of it.  Don't 

		you worry. Mr. McAllister is going to 

		see to that.  Right, Jim?



					JIM

				(his thoughts 

				elsewhere) 

		Oh yeah, you bet.



					LISA

		She should be expelled.  Or worse!



					WALT

		You two just go back and focus on your 

		studies.  Mr. McAllister's going to 

		handle this.



INT.  CHEMISTRY CLASSROOM	DAY



A BUNSEN BURNER --



as a VIAL containing blue liquid is held to the flame.  The solution 

magically changes from blue to yellow.



Wearing goggles, Tracy holds the beaker with chemist's tongs Her two 

LAB PARTNERS observe.



The classroom door and a STUDENT approaches the teacher, MR. BECKMAN, 

to deliver a note.



					MR. BECKMAN 

		Tracy?



Tracy looks up through her goggles.



INT.    MILLARD   HALLWAY  DAY



LONG TRACKING SHOT	. - of Tracy as she leaves the classroom. AS 

she walks through the .desolate halls and descends a flight of stairs, 

she holds her head high, suggesting a serene, almost regal confidence.



					TRACY (VO)

		When I arrived at school that morning, 

		I was shocked to find that one of my key 

		banners had been removed by vandals. I 

		noticed that a few of my rival's posters 

		had also been tampered with. Of course, 

		I was outraged, but one day before the 

		election is not the time to lose your 

		head over a couple of posters. When 

		you're in the public eye, attacks like 

		that just come with the territory.



Finally she reaches the



INT. SCHOOL OFFICE	DAY



Upon seeing Tracy, MISS LINDA BEEDER, the "They 're-all-my-kids office 

administrator, points wordlessly to an open door of a conference room. 

JIM

is inside.



					JIM

		Tracy. Come on in. And shut the door 

		behind you.



She goes in and closes the door in our face.



INT. LITTLE CONFERENCE ROOM -- DAY



Tracy is seated in a chair. JIM hovers above her, alternately leaning 

on a desk and pacing.



					JIM

		I guess you know why you're here



					TRACY

		If it's about the posters, I think it's 

		so awful. It's a travesty.



					JIM

		A travesty.  Huh.  That's interesting, 

		because I think you did it.



					TRACY

		Wait - are you accusing me? You're not 

		serious. 

				(indignant)

		I can't... Mr. McAllister, we have 

		worked together on SGA for three solid 

		years and... I mean, I can't believe it.  

		I'm... I'm shocked!



JIM stares at her.



					TRACY (CONT'D) 

		Mr. M., I am running on my 

		qualifications.  I would never need to 

		resort to, you know, to vandalism like 

		a, you know... Plus, my own best banner 

		was torn down.  Did I do that too?



					JIM

		Were you or were you not working in the 

		Watchdog office over the weekend?



					TRACY

		I was.  So?  Mr. Pecharda let me in.  

		As you know, with all my 

		responsibilities I often come in on the 

		weekend and have permission to do so.  

		But I left very early, around 6:30.



					JIM

		6:30.  How do you know what time the 

		posters were torn down?



					TRACY

		I don't.  I just know they were there 

		when I left.  I'm giving you helpful 

		information is all.  You know, instead 

		of wasting time interrogating me, we 

		should be out there trying to find out 

		who did this.



					JIM

		Okay, Tracy, so who do you think did 

		it?  Whom should we "interrogate?"



					TRACY

		well, I don't know.  It could have been 

		anybody.  There are a lot of, you know, 

		subversive elements around Millard.  You 

		know, like Rick Thieson and Kevin Speck 

		and those burn-outs.  Or Doug Schenken -

		what about him?  Or what about Tammy

		Metzier?  Her whole thing is being anti-

		this and anti-that.



JIM shifts gears



					JIM

		You're a very intelligent girl, Tracy.  

		You have many admirable qualities.  But 

		someday maybe you'll learn that being 

		smart and always being on top and doing 

		whatever you need to do to get ahead, 

		and yes, stepping on people to get 

		there, well, there's a lot more to life 

		than that.  And in the end, you're only 

		cheating yourself.



					TRACY

		Why are you lecturing me?



					JIM

		This isn't the time or the place to get 

		into it, but there is, for just one 

		example, a certain former colleague of 

		mine, who made a very big mistake, a 

		life mistake.  I think the lesson there 

		is that, old and young, we ail make 

		mistakes, and we have to learn that our 

		actions, all of them, can carry serious 

		consequences.  You're very young, Tracy 

		underage, in fact -- but maybe one

		day you'll understand.



					TRACY

		I don't know what you're referring to, 

		but I do know that if certain older and 

		wiser people hadn't acted like such 

		little babies and gotten all mushy, 

		everything would be okay.



					JIM

		I agree.  But I also think certain 

		young and naive people need to thank 

		their lucky stars and be very, very 

		grateful the whole school didn't find 

		out about certain indiscretions which 

		could have ruined their reputations, and 

		chances to win certain elections.



					TRACY

		And I think certain older persons like 

		you and your "colleague" shouldn't be 

		leaching after their students, 

		especially when some of them can't even 

		get their own wives pregnant.  And they 

		certainly shouldn't be running around 

		making slanderous accusations.  

		Especially when certain young, naive 

		people's mothers are para-legal 

		secretaries at the city's biggest law 

		firm and have won many successful 

		lawsuits. And if you want to keep 

		questioning me like this, I won't 

		continue without my attorney present.



JIM draws a long breath as he tries to control himself



					JIM

		Okay, Tracy.  Have it your way.



There's a KNOCK.  JIM and Tracy turn to see



TAMMY METZLER timidly poking her head in.



					TAMMY

		You wanted to see me, Mr. M.?



					JIM

		Just wait outside. Tammy.



					TAMMY

		Okay.  But is this about the posters?



					JIM

		Possibly.  Please just wait outside.



					TAMMY

		Okay. 

				(looking at Tracy)

		Because I know who did it.  So.. I'll 

		just be outside.



Tammy manages to squeeze in a naughty little smile before closing the 

door.



INT. OUTER OFFICE    DAY



Tammy sits patiently in a chair, bobbing to an unheard song. The door 

opens, and Tracy emerges.



					JIM

		Tracy, don't go away.  Come in, Tammy.



As Tammy and Tracy cross, Tracy speaks in a low voice but loud enough 

for JIM

to hear.



					TRACY

		This ought to be good



INT. CONFERENCE ROOM -- DAY 



Tammy sits facing Jim, cradling her backpack.



					JIM

		So... what do you have to tell me?



					TAMMY

		Well, this is hard for me, but I think 

		it's important to be honest. Don't you?



					JIM

				(impatient) 

		What is it. Tammy?



					TAMMY

		I'm the one.  I did it.  I tore down 

		Paul's posters.



					JIM

		Looks at her skeptically  doesn't say a 

		word.



					TAMMY (CONT'D)

		I did it.



					JIM

		And when did you do it?



					TAMMY

		This weekend.



					JIM

		Exactly when?



					TAMMY

		I don't know. Yesterday.  Sunday.



					JIM

		And how did you get in the school?



					TAMMY

		Door was open.



					JIM

		Which door?



					TAMMY

		I don't know. All I know is I did it I



					JIM

		I don't believe you.



					TAMMY

		I have proof.



She burrows in her backpack.



INT. OUTER OFFICE -- CONTINUOUS



Tracy stands up from her seat and manages to PEEK THROUGH THE WINDOW 

of the conference room. She sees --



pulling out a handful of POSTER SHREDS from her backpack and handing 

them to Jim.



Tracy turns away and covers her mouth with one hand.



INT. CONFERENCE ROOM	CONTINUOUS



THE POSTER FRAGMENTS in Jim's hands. TILT UP to Tammy really hamming 

it up.



					TAMMY

		You don't know what it's like to grow 

		up in the shadow of an older brother 

		like Paul.  it's always Paul, Paul, 

		Paul, Paul.  Never Tammy.  I'm only 

		Paul's little sister.  You must be 



Paul's little sister.  He's so perfect, 

		and I'm so troubled.  I hate him!  I 

		hate him!  And I tore down his posters, 

		It was a horrible, cowardly act, but I 

		did it,.. I did it... l did it... And 

		I'm not sorry...



JIM watches her performance until he can't take it anymore he's got 

other fish to fry.



					JIM

		Final  I don't know what your problem 

		is, but if that's the way you want it, 

		that's the way it'll be.  I don't have 

		time.  You're out of the election, and 

		I'm turning you over to Dr. Hendricks.



He throws the door open.



					JIM (CONT'D)

		Tracy?



INT. OUTER OFFICE	CONTINUOUS 



Tracy is frightened but still plays the indignant victim.



					TRACY

		Yes?



					JIM

		Looks like today's your lucky day



What does he mean?



					TRACY

		What do you mean?



					JIM

		You're off the hook. Tammy here has 

		confessed.



It takes Tracy a second to figure out how to react. But once she's got 

it, she runs with it.



					TRACY

		I told you!  I told you! 

				(pointing at Tammy)

		You're going to pay for my banner!



					JIM

		That's enough, Tracy.  Quit while 

		you're ahead, okay?  I'll handle this. 

				(to Hiss Seeder)

		Could you ask Walt to come in?



STAFFROOM	DAY 



JIM is feverishly TYPING.



					JIM (VO)

		The rest of the day was unbearable.  I 

		kept smelling Sherry on my clothes and 

		on my fingers and I just couldn't wait 

		to get out of there.



He yanks the paper out of the carriage and hurries away.



INT. XEROX ROOM -- DAY



A PHOTOCOPY COLLATOR in operation.



JIM pulls sheets out and stacks them.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		I wanted everything to be perfect that 

		afternoon, so I decided to give myself a 

		little time to prepare during eighth 

		period.



INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM	DAY



Students are settling into their seats.  JIM breezes in, a sheaf of 

papers fucked under his arm.



					JIM

		Pop quiz, everybody



The class groans.



					JIM (CONT'D)

		No whining.  If you've done your 

		reading, this is an easy one.



JIM peels off a stack of papers for each row



					JIM (VO)

		I'd have exactly forty-eight minutes to 

		make all the arrangements.



JIM glances at the clock:  2:08



					JIM

		If you finish early, just sit quietly 

		and check your work.  I'll be right 

		back.



POOF -- he's gone I



EXT. MILLARD HIGH	DAY



TRACK WITH JIM as he SPRINTS toward the parking lot, fumbling for his 

keys.



EXT. WALGREEN'S -- DAY 



JIM exits with a bouquet of flowers and a plastic bag.



EXT. SAFARI MOTEL -- DAY 



Jim's car speeds into the driveway and parks



INT. SAFARI MOTEL ROOM -- DAY 



JIM opens the door, sets his things down, and gets to work.



THE SINK --



JIM dumps a bucketful of ICE and wedges in a bottle of cheap 

CHAMPAGNE.



THE BEDSIDE TABLE -



JIM props up his flowers in the ice bucket and puts a small box of 

Russell Stover's CANDY next to it.  He unwraps the motel's plastic 

cups and places them just so.  Perfect.



JIM'S BOOK OF POETRY -- open to that special poem.  He marks it with a 

carnation.



UNDER THE BED --



Jim's face appears as he kneels down and slides the book into place, 

ready for that perfect moment.



THE BATHROOM -



Where JIM is NAKED now, squatting in the bathtub, frantically washing 

his undercarriage. He checks his watch.



EXT: SAFARI MOTEL ROOM	DAY



JIM shuts the door and with jaunty confidence slips the key into his 

pocket.



EXT. SAFARI MOTEL	DAY 



Jim's car speeds toward the street.



EXT. MILLARD HIGH PARKING LOT -- DAY 



JIM gets out of his car and races back toward the school.



INT. MILLARD HALLWAY	DAY 



JIM skids around a corner.



INT.    JIM'S   CLASSROOM  DAY



With feigned coolness, he saunters into class just as the BELL RINGS.



					JIM

		Okay, everybody, pass them forward.  

		Stephanie, put down your pen.



The class begins to rise.



					JIM (CONT'D)

		I'll see you all on Wednesday. And 

		don't forget to vote tomorrow.



FROM BEHIND - Jim's back has a large vulva-shaped patch of SWEAT



EXT. MILLARD HIGH PARKING LOT -- DAY 



JIM hurries back to his car, weaving his way through students



EXT. SHERRY'S HOUSE -- DAY 



JIM pulls to a stop in Sherry's driveway.



INT. JIM'S CAR 



JIM checks his watch: 3:24 turns into 3:25



Bingo



EXT. SHERRY ' S HOUSE	DAY



JIM'S FINGER on the doorbell. DING-DONG.



JIM waits, rings again. Ho answer. He knocks. No one. He tries the 

door. Locked. Maybe she's out back. He walks around the house to --



EXT. SHERRY'S BACKYARD	CONTINUOUS



It's a lovely little backyard. Springtime flowers bloom. Bees buzz 

among the peonies.



JIM opens the gate, approaches the back door, and knocks.



					JIM

		Sherry I



He rears back and aims his yell toward the second floor.



					JIM (CONT'D)

		Sherry I It's Jim!



No response. He tries the door. It's locked. JIM cranes his neck for a 

last look at the house. As he starts to leave, he calls out one final 

time, not really expecting a response.



					JIM

		Sherry



Suddenly A WASP STINGS him above his right EYE



					JIM (CONT'D)

		Oww! Fuck! Jesus fuck!



Cursing and holding his head, JIM stumbles out the gate



INT. SAFARI MOTEL LOBBY - DAY



Through the glass windows, we see Jim's car pull into the lot and 

park. JIM enters the lobby. His eye is puffy and red.



A MOTEL EMPLOYEE watches TV behind the counter



					JIM

		By any chance, has a woman shown up in 

		the last half-hour or so?  Maybe she was 

		looking for me.



					EMPLOYEE

		Nobody's come in here looking for 

		anybody.  Just you.



					JIM

		Are you sure?



					EMPLOYEE

				(indicating Jim's 

				eye)

		You okay?



INT. SAFARI MOTEL ROOM	DAY



THE TELEPHONE - as JIM punches in Sherry's number.



JIM holds the phone against his ear and the champagne bottle against 

his eye.



					JIM

		Sherry, it's me.  Are you there? Pick 

		up.  Okay, it's 4:32.  I came by at 3:25 

		like we said and waited, but you weren't 

		there.  Anyway, I hope you're okay -- 

		I'm worried about you. So now I'm just 

		at the...  at the place we talked about.  

		Suite 219.  So I'm here.  Everything's 

		all set.  You can just come over.  Can't 

		wait. Okay.  Bye.



EXT. SAFARI MOTEL	DAY



TIME LAPSE - as the sky darkens, the motel's NEON SIGN turns on.



JIM now descends the motel stairway carrying his Walgreen's sack.  He 

puts the key into the drop box and gets in his car.



INT. METZLER KITCHEN -- NIGHT



Dick Metzier and his wife JO are at the breakfast table Tammy sits 

across from them, her eyes lowered.



					DICK METZIER

		I don't get it.  What you have against 

		your mother and me, against your brother 

		Paul, is completely beyond me.  And your 

		mother is extremely upset, she's at the 

		end of her rope.  Your behavior gets 

		crazier and crazier and wilder and 

		wilder, and who knows what the hell else 

		you're doing out there that we don't 

		even know about?



					TAMMY

		Dad, I



					DICK

				(jabbing his 

				finger)

		Don't you smartass me!  Don't you dare 

		smartass me!  You just shut your mouth I 

				(taking a breath)

				Now your mother and I have had a long talk with Halt Hendricks  --- we 

				just got off the phone with him at home. You know, he doesn't want you 

				back at Millard.  He's fed up with you.  Fed up!  And I don't blame 

				him!



					JO 

		Dick... Dick,..



					DICK

		What?



					JO 

				(calmly)

		Tammy,  now we've come to a decision.  

		He just think it would be best --



					DICK

		You're going to Catholic school next 

		year.  You're going to Sacred Heart.  

		Maybe they'll straighten you out!



ANGLE FROM UNDER THE TABLE - Her head low. Tammy SMILES to herself



EXT. JIM'S HOUSE	NIGHT 



JIM'S car pulls into the driveway.



INT. JIM AND DIANE'S KITCHEN    NIGHT



JIM enters the back door and sets his satchel down in the usual place.  

He opens the refrigerator, grabs a beer.  As he closes the door, 

something catches his eye.  He reaches inside and throws a plastic 

container away.  Rooting around noisily, he finds other things to 

dispose of.  Suddenly --



A BABY CRY stops him cold.



JIM stiffens, his good eye widening as the horrible truth sinks in.  

He carefully closes the refrigerator and tiptoes toward the living 

room.



INT.    LIVING   ROOM   --   CONTINUOUS



Jim's face slowly appears around the corner, bad eye first. Finally, 

he's able to see --



					SHERRY AND DIANE



together on the living room sofa, staring at him.  Their eyes are red 

from crying.  Little Darryl squirms in Sherry's lap.



Caught, JIM emerges from his hiding place.  No one speaks. Finally, he 

looks down, sucks in air, blows it out again, nods a little.



					JIM

				(very softly) 

		Okay



He turns to leave, and nobody stops him.



EXT. JIM'S HOME -- NIGHT



JIM wanders out the front door and stands in his driveway, bewildered 

and alone.  The camera slowly CRANES UP, eventually looking down on 

him from a great height.



					JIM (VO)

		As I walked out of my home that 

		evening, unsure if I'd ever return, my 

		entire life in question, I somehow 

		discovered within myself a place of 

		perfect peace.   Oddly, in my solitude I 

		felt more than ever a sense of communion 

		with every human being - past, present 

		and future.  Because no matter what we 

		tell ourselves, no matter what illusions 

		of friendship and family we create, each 

		of us is always and forever profoundly 

		alone.



INT.  TRACY'S BEDROOM	NIGHT



FROM OVERHEAD - Tracy slides out of her bed and kneels beside it



					TRACY

		Dear Lord Jesus, I do not often speak 

		with You and ask for things, but now I 

		really must insist that You help me win 

		the election tomorrow, because I deserve 

		it and Paul Metzier doesn't, as You well 

		know.  l realize that it was Your divine 

		hand that disqualified Tammy, and now 

		I'm asking that You go that one last 

		mile and make sure to put me in office 

		where I belong, so that I may carry out 

		Your will on Earth as it is in Heaven.  

		If elected I promise that I will pray 

		more often.  Okay?  Amen.



EXT.  TAMMY'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT



FROM OVERHEAD --



Tammy wears a white t-shirt and underwear and kneels at her bedside.



					TAMMY (VO)

		Dear God, I know I don't believe in 

		you, but since I'll be starting Catholic 

		school soon, I thought I should 

		practice.  Let's see... what do I want?  

		I want people to be nicer to each other.  

		I want Lisa to realize what a bitch she 

		has been and feel really bad and 

		apologize for how she hurt me and know 

		how much I still love her.  In spite of 

		everything, I still want Paul to win the 

		election tomorrow, not that cunt Tracy.  

		I also want a really expensive pair of 

		leather pants... and someday I want to 

		be really good friends with Madonna.  

		Love, Tammy



INT. PAUL'S BEDROOM



FROM OVERHEAD -- Paul lies in bed looking at the heavens beyond his 

ceiling,



					PAUL (VO)

		Dear God, thank You for all Your 

		blessings.  You have given me so many 

		things, like good health, nice parents, 

		a nice truck, and what I've been told is 

		a large penis, and I'm very grateful.  

		But I sure am worried about Tammy.  In 

		my heart I still can't believe she tore 

		down my posters, but sometimes she does 

		get so weird and angry.  Please help her 

		be a happier person, because she's so 

		smart and sensitive, and I love her.  

		Also, I'm nervous about the election 

		tomorrow, and I guess I want to win and 

		all, but I know that's totally up to 

		You.  You'll decide who the best person 

		is, and I'll accept it.  And forgive my 

		sins, whatever they may be.  Amen.



FADE OUT



INT. JIM'S CAR -- NIGHT



JIM sits parked outside of Sherry's house, a SLURPEE held against his 

now grotesquely swollen eye.  He is so tired and pain-ridden that he 

practically gasps for breath.



					JIM (VO)

		Sherry never came home that night.  I 

		know, because I spent the entire night 

		in her driveway.



INT. TRACY'S KITCHEN -- DAWN 



Tracy and her mom are hard at work frosting cupcakes.



					TRACY (VO)

		Mom and I got up at five AM, and 

		together we custom-iced three hundred 

		and fifty cupcakes.



CLOSE ON A CUPCAKE - as "PICK FLICK" is written on it with a yellow 

icing tube.



MRS. Flick cheerfully performs her task. She hums.



					TRACY (VO CONT'D)



I remember she was so happy, like there was nothing in the world she'd 

rather be doing.  Besides me and her job, I guess my mom doesn't have 

much of a life.  She hasn't dated anyone since Frank, and she hardly 

ever buys new clothes for herself or travels.



					TRACY

		Mom?



					MRS. FLICK

		Hmmm?



					TRACY

		I think I'm going to lose today



					MRS. FLICK

		What are you talking about? This time 

		tomorrow, you'll be president



					TRACY

		You really think so?



Mrs. Flick puts an arm around her daughter



					MRS. FLICK 

		Tracy Flick's a winner.



EXT. SHERRY'S HOUSE	DAWN



Jim's car has not moved from its spot on the driveway. Its windows are 

now fogged. A LOUD GARBAGE TRUCK rumbles by.



INT. JIM'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS



Reclined in his car seat, mouth open as he sleeps, JIM is awakened by 

the truck. His breath steams. His eye has turned bluish. He tries to 

wipe the condensation from the windshield, but it's on the outside.



EXT. SHERRY'S DRIVEWAY -- CONTINUOUS



JIM opens the door and looks around -- no sign of Sherry's car. He 

stiffly walks to the side of the garage and unzips his pants to pee.



Now cradling his head on the roof of his car, JIM gathers what little 

strength he has, gets in, and tries to start the cold engine.



					JIM (VO)

		I had no choice but to go home. I 

		needed to shower, get fresh clothes, 

		explain what I could to Diane.  But what 

		was I going to say?  That our marriage 

		had become a charade?  That making love 

		with Sherry had given me a vision of a 

		better life?



THE TAILPIPE finally coughs out a cloud of exhaust



INT./EXT. JIM'S CAR	DAWN



JIM drives, bleary-eyed.  He creeps along his tree-lined middle-class 

block.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		Then again, maybe I could slip in and 

		out without waking her up.



JIM slows to a stop, looks with dread at his home



EXT.  JIM'S HOUSE	CONTINUOUS



On the front porch sits A GYM BAG.  JIM approaches, stares numbly at 

the bag.  Drawing a long breath, he bends over and picks it up.  

Attached is a NOTE reading:   "Don't come in."



EXT. MILLARD HIGH	DAWN



At the foot of the main walk to the school, Tracy and her mother are 

setting up a CARD TABLE covered with little pink cakes.



Jim's Ford Escort chugs its way through the fog and comes to a stop.  

Looking like a war refugee, JIM emerges from his car carrying the gym 

bag and heads toward school.



					TRACY

				(chirping)

		Good morning, Mr. M.



JIM stops, turns slowly, regards mother and daughter with a crazed, 

one-eyed, uncomprehending stare.



					TRACY (CONT'D) 

				(holding one out)

		Looks like you could use a cupcake!



JIM takes it wordlessly.  AS he heads up the walkway, he eats it in 

two huge bites, like a feral animal.



					TRACY (CONT'D) 

				(calling out)

		What's wrong with your eye?  Are you 

		OK?



INT. BOYS' LOCKER ROOM -- DAY



IN THE SHOWERS JIM scrubs himself as if to wash his whole life away.



					JIM (VO)

		Cupcakes.  Jesus Christ.  Cupcakes? My 

		life was crumbling, and I was expected 

		to care about these ungrateful kids and 

		their pathetic little dreams.  As if my 

		only purpose in life were to serve them.



					JIM

				(mocking)

		Mr. McAllister.  Mr. McAllister. 

		Somebody tore down my posters. It's not 

		fair.  It's not fair. Can I have an A?  

		Can I have a recommendation?  Can I?  

		Can I?



AT THE MIRROR JIM adjusts his tie, tries to smooth his wrinkled shirt.



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		Well, fuck them.  Didn't I have my own 

		life?  Didn't I have my own dreams?



He coughs up phlegm and spits it into the sink



					JIM (VO CONT'D)

		Cupcakes



INT. MILLARD HALLWAY	DAY 



JIM exits the BOYS' LOCKER ROOM door and bumps into Mr. Beckman.



					MR. BECKMAN 

		Hey, Jim. Big day today



					JIM

				(putting on a 

				smile)

		Oh, yeah. Big day.



INT. SCHOOL OFFICE	DAY



MISS BEEDER of the school office is at the P.A. MICROPHONE. Walt is 

behind her.  She looks over her shoulder, and Walt gives her the go-

ahead.



					MISS BEEDER

		Attention, everyone.  We have an 

		important announcement from our 

		principal. Dr. Hendricks.



Walt gives Miss Beeder a courtesy smile and takes the mike



					WALT

		Good morning, students.  It, uh, 

		behooves me to inform you of an 

		important change in today's elections.  

		Effective this morning...



INT.  TEACHERS'  OFFICES	DAY



BALLOT AFTER BALLOT -- as a black magic marker crosses out Tammy's 

name.



JIM sits at his desk and carries out his absurd task.  He stops and 

stares.  His thoughts wander far, far away.



					WALT (OS CONT'D)

		. .. sophomore Tammy Metzier has 

		been... Metzier has been determined 

		ineligible - I repeat: ineligible -- for 

		SGA president.  You may not vote for 

		Tammy Metzier.  All other candidates are 

		eligible.  Now please pay attention to a 

		very important, uh, audio-visual 

		presentation.

				(irritated, 

				thinking he's off)

		Linda, who typed this thing?  I said I 

		need all caps....



INT. TV AND MILLARD CLASSROOMS	DAY



CLOSE ON A TV-- mounted in the corner.  An educational video is just 

beginning.  Host CLARK NAYLOR sits on the edge of a desk in a generic 

office set.



During the video, we cut to CLASSROOMS, where from the TV's point of 

view, we see the students watching:  English class shop class, gym 

class, biology class.



					CLARK (ON TV)

		Hello, students,  I'm Clark Naylor of 

		Joslyn's Educational Resources.  It's 

		election day, and how you vote will make 

		a big difference in the activities, 

		events, and perhaps even the policies of 

		your school.  Over the past few days or 

		weeks, you've heard candidates for the 

		various offices make their speeches and 

		tell you where they stand.  You've 

		probably seen their posters.  Maybe 

		you've even had a chance to speak with 

		them personally.



CLOSE-UPS OF STUDENTS



Now replace the wider shots of classrooms.  Photographed as though 

from a Soviet propaganda film, some students look up nobly and 

attentively, while others watch with dead eyes and open mouth, and 

still others goof off.



					CLARK (ON TV CONT'D) 

		Well, today marks the end of 

		campaigning, and now the spotlight turns 

		to you. Voting is your privilege and 

		your responsibility. Remember, no one 

		needs to know for whom you've voted.  

		That's between you. . . and you.



An AFRICAN-AMERICAN TEENAGER walks up to Clark.



					CLARK (ON TV CONT'D)

		Now I'd like to introduce you to Tony. 

		Tony's going to show you how to cast 

		your vote.  Are you ready, Tony?



					TONY (ON TV) 

		I think s0



					CLARK (ON TV) 

		Good.  Let's get started



INT. MILLARD HALLWAY NEAR OF-PICE -- DAY



JIM slinks down the hall and ducks into a PHONE BOOTH. He fishes 

change out of his pocket and dials.   We hear the echo of the video 

emanating from all the classrooms.



					SHERRY'S VOICE (VO)

		Hi.  You've reached the Novotnys. We're 

		not around, but we'll call you back real 

		soon.  Have a nice day.



					JIM 

		Are you there?  Sherry, are you there?  

		It's Jim. 

				(suddenly angry)

		Why did you do that?  I trusted you. 

		Completely.  You've ruined my life. Do 

		you know that?  Do you realize that?  

		Huh?  Do you?  You've ruined Diane's 

		life.  You ruined my life.  is that what 

		you wanted? 

				(recovering)

		I'm sorry.  It's just... I'm going nuts 

		here.  Okay, all right, so... Really, 

		I'm sorry.  I just think we should talk, 

		okay?  I love you.



INT.  TEACHERS' OFFICES -- DAY 



JIM crosses out more ballots, this time with perverse intensity.



					JIM (VO)

		If only my own life could be corrected 

		so easily, with nice fat black lines 

		drawn neatly through my sins.



CLOSE ON TAMMY'S NAME -



as it is blackened.  We WIPE with the motion of the magic marker to:



INT. LITTLE SALLY ANN SHOP    DAY



SWISH!



The curtain of the dressing room is drawn back, and there's Tammy. She 

beams and walks toward --



A THREE-PANEL MIRROR,



where she takes herself in, dressed in her new Catholic schoolgirl 

UNIFORM.



The SALESLADY converses nearby with Jo Metzier.



					SALESLADY

		And Sacred Heart is such a good school. 

		Excellent school. The public schools are 

		going downhill, as far as I'm concerned.



					JO

		Well, we've had good luck at Millard, 

		but for this one it's time for a change.



Tammy spins and admires the flip of the skirt.



					SALESLADY

		So what do you think?  Sacred Heart has 

		the prettiest.  They have that nice hint 

		of purple.



					TAMMY

				(lying) 

		I hate it.



					JO

		You're just going to have to get used 

		to it.



					TAMMY

		Please, morn.  Please don't make me go 

		to Sacred Heart.  I beg you.



					JO

				(to saleslady)

		We'll take two.



INT. MILLARD HIGH CAFETERIA    DAY



Makeshift POLLING BOOTHS are set up just outside the cafeteria. Behind 

two tables sit TWO TEACHERS who cross out voters' names on big master 

computer lists. Tracy stands in line, not-so-patiently waiting her 

turn.



					TRACY (VO)

		When the time came to cast our votes, I 

		stood in line just like everyone else.



She finally reaches the front of the line.



					TEACHER 

		Hi, Tracy



					TRACY

		Tracy Enid Flick.



					TEACHER 

		I know.



Tracy goes into a VOTING BOOTH and quickly hands her ballot. sophomore 

PHIL CHOY stands nearby with his CAMERA.



					TRACY

		Phil you ready?



					PHIL

		Ready.



Tracy exits the booth and heads toward the BALLOT BOX.  She inserts 

her ballot halfway and freezes, smiling.  Phil snaps a picture, but -



					PHIL 

		Just a second.  My flash.



Tracy remains perfectly still while Phil fiddles with his camera.  A 

STUDENT stands behind her, waiting to put his ballot in the box.



					STUDENT 

		Come on, Tracy.



					TRACY

				(through her smile) 

		Just wait.



FLASH!  Phil gets his shot and Tracy drops her ballot in.



					TRACY

		Thanks, Phil.



On her way out Tracy passes Paul at the end of the line.  He gives her 

an enthusiastic THUMBS UP.



					PAUL

		Way to go, Tracy!  Isn't this exciting?



					TRACY

				(awkward) 

		Yeah.



					PAUL

		Hell, good luck!



					TRACY

				(reluctant)

		Good luck to you too, Paul.



					PAUL

		Thanks!



INT. VOTING BOOTH Paul scans his ballot, struggles with his decision.



					PAUL (VO)

		It's so weird.  DO people always just 

		vote for themselves?  'Cause looking at 

		my own name on the ballot, I just... I 

		don't know, I just felt like it's not 

		right to vote for yourself.



THE BALLOT - as Paul's pen puts an "X" next to the name "Tracy Flick



INT. MILLARD HALLWAYS	DAY



THE BALLOT BOX is being carried through the halls and up some stairs 

by Larry Fouch and three other STUDENT COUNCIL MEMBERS. The music 

suggests the weighty importance of its contents and the sacred mission 

of its bearers.



INT. JIM'S CLASSROOM - DAY



JIM is hunkered over his desk.  He's a wreck: dark, dark circles under 

his eyes;  his hair didn't dry right -- frizzy here, matted there.  

And he's near tears.



Larry Fouch and his retinue enter cheerfully



					LARRY

		Okay, Mr. M.



Larry drops the ballot box on Jim's desk



					JIM

		What?  Right.  So let's start counting.



					LARRY

		Well, I thought that... well, the way 

		it always works is that SGA president 

		does a count, then the SGA advisor, you 

		know, for the two independent counts.



					JIM

		Fine.  So do your count.  Start with 

		president, and I'll be right back.



					LARRY

		You have the key, Mr. McAllister.



JIM doesn't understand at first, then



					JIM

		Right.  I know.



JIM proceeds to sort through his cluttered desk drawers but can't seem 

to find the key.  The council members exchange concerned looks as 

Jim's search becomes frenzied.



					LARRY 

		Are you okay, Mr. M.?



					ANOTHER STUDENT 

		What happened to your eye?



					JIM

		I'm fine.  It's just a bee sting, a 

		simple little everyday bee sting. Some 

		people, they get stung, it's no big 

		deal.  Me, I swell up.  Okay?



JIM emerges from the drawer wielding a VISE GRIP.  He goes to the box 

and TEARS the entire hardware assembly off.  Holding the mangled lock, 

he turns to the students, who look back STUNNED.



					JIM (CONT'D)

		I just want to get this over with, so 

		we can have the assembly and go home.  

		We don't have much time until eighth 

		period.  I have other things going on, 

		too, you know.



					LARRY

		Okay.  Yeah.  We know



					JIM

		All right.  I'll be back



INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE SCHOOL OFFICE	DAY 



JIM slinks up to a PAY PHONE, inserts a coin, dials



					SHERRY'S VOICE 

				(cheery)

		Hi.  You've reached the Novotnys. We're 

		not around, but we'll call you back real 

		soon.  Have a nice day.



JIM it's me again.  I'm sorry for all the calls.  But Sherry, if I 

could just hear your voice, if you'd only acknowledge that I...



					SHERRY (OS) 

				(picking up phone) 

		What do you want, Jim?



					JIM

		You're there.



					SHERRY (OS)

		Yeah.  I'm here.



					JIM

		Sherry... I love you.



					SHERRY (OS) 

				(loud exhale)

		Don't say that.  You know it's not 

		true.



					JIM

		It's the only true thing I know 

		anymore.



					SHERRY (OS)

		We made a mistake.  Let's not make it 

		worse.



					JIM

		A mistake?  That was no mistake.



					SHERRY (OS) 

		I was lonely.  You took advantage



					JIM

		Me?