The Coach's Son
by
Tarl N. Telford
page 1
FADE IN:
EXT HANNIGAN HOUSE - ESTABLISHING
The Hannigans live in a clean neighborhood in the middle-sized town of Saltville.
INT HANNIGAN HOUSE - EVENING
CHRIS HANNIGAN (17 yrs) is a determined, hardworking athlete. He plays the second-string tailback position on the football team at school - The Saltville Wolverines.
Chris stalks down the HALL, followed closely by his mother, MARGARET HANNIGAN (39 yrs), an even-tempered and dedicated housewife.
CHRIS
No, I will not watch Mattie again. Get Jen to do it.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
She's busy tonight. Chris, your father and I have been planning this for over a month now.
CHRIS
Then you should have gotten another baby-sitter.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
You said you would do it.
CHRIS
Well I'm busy.
Chris slams the door to his bedroom. Margaret glares at the door for a moment, starts to say something else, thinks better of it, and just walks away.
INT HANNIGAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUING
Margaret walks into the living room. Her husband, TODD HANNIGAN (42 yrs), a strong, robust man, slightly graying, but still full of life, reads his newspaper. He sets it down when Margaret walks in.
Margaret sits down on the arm of Todd's recliner.
TODD HANNIGAN
What was that all about?
MARGARET HANNIGAN
Chris won't watch Mattie.
TODD HANNIGAN
I should go talk to him.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
I don't want him to get mad.
TODD HANNIGAN
He's got to realize that I'm the head of this house.
Todd gets up and walks down the hallway.
INT CHRIS' BEDROOM - CONTINUING
Chris' room is decorated in the standard male teenage fashion. Football posters line the walls. Several football trophies lie half-covered in dirty clothing. Sports magazines litter the floor.
Chris lies on his bed, reading a bodybuilding magazine. There is KNOCK at his door. Chris scowls and puts down his magazine.
CHRIS
What do you want?
Todd opens the door and enters.
TODD HANNIGAN
We need to talk.
Todd gestures to the edge of Chris' bed. Chris ignores him, so Todd sits down anyway.
TODD HANNIGAN
Well?
CHRIS
Talk. I'm here.
TODD HANNIGAN
You upset your mother.
CHRIS
So? What about me? What about my plans?
TODD HANNIGAN
You told us you would watch Mattie this evening.
CHRIS
That was a long time ago. Me and Gene were going to get together.
TODD HANNIGAN
You knew about this social. Why did you make other plans?
Chris starts reading his magazine again, rudely ignoring his father.
CHRIS
Maybe I forgot.
TODD HANNIGAN
Yeah, well maybe you can forget taking the car out this weekend.
Todd gets up and closes the door. Chris scowls first, then anger sets in, and he hurls his magazine across the room.
CUT TO:
INT HANNIGAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The doorbell RINGS. Margaret answers the door. There stands LAURA BITTERS (15 yrs). Laura wears baggy jeans and a comic book hero T-shirt. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail. She carries a backpack slung over one shoulder.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
Ah, Laura, I'm glad you could make it.
LAURA
No problem. Is it all right if I leave my bike in front?
MARGARET HANNIGAN
Sure. Mattie's in the rec room.
Laura immediately heads back to the rec room. Todd enters the living room, dressed in a nice shirt and tie.
TODD HANNIGAN
Well, now that she's here, shall we get going?
MARGARET HANNIGAN
What about Chris?
TODD HANNIGAN
He'll leave when he feels like it. I really don't think talking to him again is going to do any good. Not tonight, anyway.
Margaret heads back to the rec room.
INT HANNIGAN HOUSE - REC ROOM - CONTINUING
Toys of all kinds fill boxes and cover shelves. A television in the corner plays a Disney movie. There's no one in the room.
Two large boxes on one side of the room have blankets covering their open tops.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
Hmm, where could they be? I know Mattie was in here just a minute ago.
One of the boxes starts giggling.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
And I'm sure I saw Laura come in here, too. Where could they be?
Margaret looks inside the VCR.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
They're not in the VCR. Maybe they're under the couch.
Margaret looks behind the couch. The giggling box shakes even more.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
I hear Mattie, but I don't see him. Where could he be?
MATTIE HANNIGAN (16 yrs), pops up out of his hiding place in the box. Mattie is mentally challenged. He is at the developmental level of a five-year old child. Nevertheless, he is all smiles.
MATTIE
Here I am!
MARGARET HANNIGAN
There you are.
Laura tips her box over. Mattie and Margaret look at each other and point to the box, saying silently, "Let's get her." Mattie sneaks beside the box.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
Where's Laura? Mattie, have you seen Laura?
Mattie giggles. He pulls the blanket off Laura's box.
LAURA
You found me, Mattie.
MATTIE
I found you.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
Laura, we're going to go now. Julie's asleep already. She shouldn't be any problem. Chris is going out this evening; I don't know when he's leaving. Do you have any questions?
LAURA
No, we should be fine, Mrs. Hannigan.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
You're a life saver, Laura.
LAURA
You can tell by the hole in my head.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
We're at the church if there's any problems. The number is by the phone. We'll be back by eleven.
LAURA
Okay.
Margaret hugs and kisses Mattie.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
Bye, Mattie, we'll be back later, okay? I love you.
MATTIE
Okay.
Margaret walks through the house to the living room. Mattie follows her. Laura tags along behind.
INT HANNIGAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUING
Todd holds out Margaret's coat and helps her put it on.
TODD HANNIGAN
Thanks for doing this, Laura.
LAURA
No problem. Jen had a date tonight.
MATTIE
What? Where's Jenny?
LAURA
She went out to the movies - with a boy!
Laura and Mattie feign disgust.
LAURA AND MATTIE
Eeew!
TODD HANNIGAN
Be good, Mattie.
Todd yells down the hallway to Chris' room.
TODD HANNIGAN
We're leaving, Chris!
Chris bangs once on the wall in anger.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
He's mad, isn't he?
TODD HANNIGAN
He'll be fine. We've got to go.
MARGARET HANNIGAN
Bye bye, love you.
MATTIE
Bye bye, love you.
LAURA
Have fun, Mr. and Mrs. Hannigan.
Todd and Margaret close the door behind them.
MATTIE
I got a new toy.
LAURA
Ooh, show me.
Mattie takes Laura by the hand and leads her excitedly toward the rec room.
CUT TO:
INT CHRIS' BEDROOM - NIGHT
Chris continues to fume about his parents' "ignorance" of important things - like letting him take the car on Friday.
Chris' friend, GENE, drives up outside and honks the horn.
Chris looks out the window to see who it is. Chris grabs a jacket, his baseball cap, and slams his door behind him as he exits.
CUT TO:
INT HANNIGAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUING
Mattie and Laura are in the adjoining kitchen, making peanut butter sandwiches.
Chris opens the front door to leave. Mattie walks into the living room, his face messy with peanut butter.
MATTIE
Bye bye, love you.
Chris stiffens and stops for a moment, then he exits and closes the door behind him.
Laura moves to stand next to Mattie.
MATTIE
He didn't say bye.
LAURA
Maybe he didn't hear you, Mattie. Come one, no eating in the living room.
CUT TO:
EXT HANNIGAN HOUSE - CONTINUING
EUGENE "GENE" COCKERELL (18 yrs) is a stout, but not quite pudgy, offensive lineman. He is laid back and easy going, but has a definite moral code.
Gene waits in his battered pickup truck. He sings to himself, unaware that Chris is watching him.
GENE
(singing)
So tell me what you want, what you really really want.
When Chris gets to the door, Gene quickly pulls a cassette tape out of the tape deck.
GENE
Oh, hi, Chris. How's it going?
Chris climbs in and slams the door.
CHRIS
What were you singing?
Gene hides the cassette behind him.
GENE
Um, nothing. Humming, maybe, but singing...
CHRIS
What's that behind your back?
GENE
It's nothing. Hey, what do you say we get going? The guys are waiting.
Chris snatches the cassette from behind Gene. He looks at it.
CHRIS
Spice Girls? Come on, Gene.
GENE
It's my sister's.
CHRIS
She's two.
GENE
Okay, you found me out. I admit, I like the Spice Girls.
CHRIS
What's up with that? Gene, you're like the biggest guy on the team. You can't be listening to this stuff.
GENE
Why? You think it'll make me look like a wuss? Well, if liking the music of five gorgeous girls makes me a wimp, then sign me up.
CHRIS
There's only four of them now.
GENE
In my heart, there's always five.
CHRIS
Whatever. What are we doing tonight?
Gene pulls out into the street.
GENE
We thought we'd do something fun before school starts again.
CUT TO:
EXT DRIVE IN THEATER - NIGHT
Gene's truck pulls into the drive in. Several cars are parked along the back row. Gene pulls in right next to them.
CHRIS
The movie doesn't start for an hour.
GENE
Relax, Chris. We're just going to hang out.
Gene gets out and walks to another pickup truck. Two other big linemen, PUDGE and VINCENT chug lemon-lime sodas. Pudge's real name is Francis Jackson, but everyone has called him Pudge since childhood.
GENE
Vincent, Pudge, we made it.
VINCENT
It's about time, Gene. We were about to drink these last two.
Pudge hands the last two sodas to Gene.
GENE
Lemon lime? What, couldn't handle caffeine tonight?
PUDGE
Nah, man, keeps me awake. We'll stick with the good stuff.
Gene calls back to Chris. He holds up the sodas.
GENE
Come on, Chris, we've got the good stuff!
Chris takes one of the sodas.
CHRIS
Pudge. Vincent. Hey, where's everyone else?
Pudge gestures to the other cars.
PUDGE
Phillip's sleeping there. Guess he had a big day at work.
VINCENT
Like bagging groceries is hard work.
PUDGE
Everyone else went to get some grub for this movie.
CHRIS
So, you guys ready to start practice tomorrow?
GENE
Practice, yes. School, no. We're gonna have a great season. Us on the line, you in the backfield. It's gonna be great.
VINCENT
There's still Scott to think about.
GENE
Chris can take him.
PUDGE
I don't know. He's been in the weight room every day this summer. I saw him last week benching three fifty!
CHRIS
He probably had a strong spotter.
VINCENT
Nah, man, he was alone. And he was doing it for reps!
GENE
Get out. Nobody's that strong.
PUDGE
I heard from some of the guys that he's been juicing up.
Pudge pantomimes sticking a needle in his arm.
CHRIS
Steroids?
PUDGE
I haven't seen it. That's just what I've heard.
GENE
You can take him, Chris. You've got the talent.
Several more cars pull into the drive in. They all park by the group. More greetings are called. Sodas are tossed to empty hands. This is the last night before school starts again.
CUT TO:
EXT SALTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL - MORNING
Students pour in for the first day of school. Gene pulls up in his pickup. Chris is waiting for him in the parking lot.
EXT SALTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL - PARKING LOT - CONTINUING
Gene stifles a yawn as he pulls his backpack out of the truck.
CHRIS
What time did you get to bed, Gene?
GENE
I stayed up for another couple of hours after we got done. There was this really cheesy movie on cable.
Chris gestures to Gene's backpack.
CHRIS
You're not actually taking Senior year seriously, are you?
GENE
No way. This is my lunch.
Gene pulls a pencil from his back pocket.
GENE
Got everything I need right here.
Chris and Gene walk toward the buildings.
GENE
So is your dad still making you ride with him?
CHRIS
Yeah. He says it's some family bonding thing. But he's too busy keeping Mattie buckled in to talk to me.
Laura walks up to Chris. Her older sister, JEN (18 yrs), a gorgeous redhead, follows close behind. Jen is one of the managers for the football team. She's a friend to everyone who needs one.
LAURA
Hey, Chris, we missed you last night.
CHRIS
Oh, yeah, I had something to do. Hi, Jen.
JEN
Hey, Chris. I stopped by your house last night, but Laura said you'd gone out.
CHRIS
Yeah, me and some of the guys got together.
GENE
Real manly hair-on-the-chest kind of stuff.
LAURA
I heard they went to the drive in and had a burping contest.
CHRIS
No, of course not. We're not that shallow.
GENE
Yes we are.
JEN
It's all right. I was going to ask you if you and Mattie wanted to go with us to Sunny's this weekend.
Shouts ring out from inside the building. People rush inside. The crowds are chanting, "Fight, fight".
Police cars and an ambulance pull up outside the school.
CHRIS
What's going on?
GENE
Excuse us.
Gene and Chris push their way through the crowd.
INT SALTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - CONTINUING
SCOTT POWERS (18 yrs), a mountain of muscle and athleticism, is going berserk. He swings at everyone that comes within arm's length.
Todd Hannigan pushes his way through the crowd on the other side. He tries vainly to calm Scott down.
TODD HANNIGAN
Scott, now just settle down.
SCOTT POWERS
Who told him! WHO TOLD HIM!
TODD HANNIGAN
Once you settle down, we can discuss this rationally.
Scott charges at Todd, knocking him back against the wall. He punches Todd in the face.
Gene jumps out into the fray.
GENE
Coach!
Gene pulls Scott off of Todd Hannigan. Gene throws Scott back into the wall. Scott glares at Gene with a mix of hatred and rage.
SCOTT POWERS
You're in on this, too, aren't you EUGENE?
GENE
Just settle down, Scott. I don't know what's going on, but I'm sure there's a logical explanation.
SCOTT POWERS
They cut me from the team!
Chris steps out to try to help. Scott turns to glare at Chris.
SCOTT POWERS
It was you, wasn't it, Hannigan? You wanted my position, so you told them.
CHRIS
I didn't tell them anything, Scott.
SCOTT POWERS
You told them I was using steroids, didn't you? I'll kill you!
Scott lunges at Chris, but Gene steps in the way and completely wraps Scott up in a confining bear hug.
SCOTT POWERS
I'll kill you!
Todd rushes in to help wrestle Scott to the ground.
TODD HANNIGAN
Get him down on the ground.
SCOTT POWERS
Get off me!
Todd, Chris, and Gene pin Scott to the ground. Two police officers push their way through the crowd. Paramedics are right behind them. Todd points the paramedics to Coach Williamson.
TODD HANNIGAN
Back there, in the athletic office. Coach Williams is down. I think he might have a broken jaw.
The paramedics head for the athletic office. The police slap handcuffs on Scott Powers. They pull him to his feet. Scott lashes out and kicks Chris in the stomach. Chris doubles over in pain.
SCOTT POWERS
I'll get you, Hannigan. You and your whole family!
Chris slowly gets up. Todd helps his son to his feet.
TODD HANNIGAN
Are you okay, Son?
CHRIS
I'm fine.
GENE
That's a nasty cut there, Coach.
TODD HANNIGAN
I'll be fine, Gene. I can't say the same for Coach Williams, though.
GENE
What happened?
The crowd begins dispersing.
TODD HANNIGAN
Coach Williamson caught Scott in the weight room popping some pills - steroids. They went back to the athletic office, and I guess Scott just snapped.
The paramedics push their way through the thinning crowd. COACH TOM WILLIAMSON (50's), a slim, graying man, lies unconscious on the stretcher. His face is puffy and swollen.
PARAMEDIC
Out of the way! We need room!
TODD HANNIGAN
Is he going to be all right?
PARAMEDIC
I hope so.
The paramedics push Coach Williamson out the door and to the ambulance.
GENE
I hope so, too.
CUT TO: