JOSH

But his sister’s hotter.

 

MIKE

Hot as Mom was?

 

JOSH

No, Dad.

(to HENRY)

Come on.

 

They go down a hall to the bathroom.

 

JOSH

There’s soap and a towel.

 

HENRY touches the one towel in the dingy bathroom.

 

HENRY

It’s damp.

 

JOSH

We’ve only been using it this week.

 

HENRY

Oh. 

(hesitating)

Is your dad drunk?  Why’s he watching Oprah?

 

JOSH

He doesn’t drink.  Not even beer.

He just gets this way some times.

 

HENRY

Cause of your mom?

 

JOSH shrugs. 

 

JOSH

I guess.  Some times he’s okay.  He goes to work.  Comes home.  Watches Skinamax.  Eats chips.  Gives me tips on how to get in girls’ pants.  Then all of a sudden he’ll get like this.

 

HENRY

He’s always telling you how you can

get laid, but does he ever go out

with girls . . . women?

 

JOSH

No. 

 

HENRY

Don’t you think that’s weird?  He’s probably lonely since your mom died.

 

JOSH

He’s too old.  He’s a lot older than your dad and mom.  He’s like fifty or something.  He says sex is just a spectator sport for guys his age.

 

HENRY

How old was your mom?  Was she really young and hot or something?

 

JOSH

She was forty-something.  He always says she was hot, but she wasn’t. 

 

HENRY

Don’t you worry about him when he gets like this?  Shouldn’t you do something?

 

JOSH

What am I going to do?  Go find him a hooker to cheer him up?

 

HENRY

Just something.

 

JOSH

Henry, haven’t you noticed that all adults are pretty screwed up?  Dude, they’re worse off than kids our age.

 

HENRY stares at JOSH.

 

HENRY

I gotta get this paint off.

 

EXT.  WALES HOUSE   LATE AFTERNOON

 

HENRY rides his bike up the driveway of his house.  He notices DOG’s Harley.  His mom’s somewhat beat-up Chevrolet Caprice is parked next to it.  The driver’s side front fender is blue, but the rest of the car is red.

 

INT.  WALES HOUSE   LATE AFTERNOON

 

HENRY enters the house through the front door. 

 

DOG is sprawled on the sofa, watching the Animal Attacks! video.

 

The phone is ringing.  Dog is ignoring it.

 

HENRY

Where’s Mom?

 

DOG

Hey, watch this, kid.

 

On the TV a leopard goes after a giraffe, brings it down.  The giraffe’s long neck sags gracefully and poignantly as the giraffe silently dies.

 

DOG

Mother nature is one heartless

bitch.

 

The phone is still ringing.

 

HENRY

Is the answering machine

unplugged?

 

DOG

Yeah.

 

HENRY

Why?

 

DOG

Your daddy called your mommy and

left a message to call him back.

Then he called again.  Then Mona

pulled the plug.  You know your

mom. But isn’t that cool?

 

HENRY

What?

 

The phone stops ringing.

 

DOG

That leopard.

 

HENRY

Why you watch this?

 

DOG sits up on the sofa and looks at HENRY for the first time since HENRY came in.

 

DOG

You get in a fight, kid? Or some

chick been suckin’ on your neck?

 

HENRY touches the bruise on his neck.

 

HENRY

Got shot in the neck with a

paintball.

 

DOG

Did you beat the crap outta the guy that did it?

 

HENRY

Yeah.  Yeah, I did.

 

DOG

Good.  You wanta know why I watch

this?

(pointing at the TV)

Cause it’s real, kid.  The real

reality TV.  It ain’t no lame

Survivor shit.  Or Fear Factor. 

More like fag factor. . . .

 

Hey, take a look at my new tattoo.  There’s this new tattoo place

downtown that’s got an artist

that’s like some kind of

fuckin’ Picasso or somethin’.

 

Dog opens his vest to show HENRY a fierce-looking green dinosaur on his chest.

 

Mona loves it.

 

HENRY

A dinosaur?

 

DOG

Not just any dinosaur, kid.  A velociraptor.  You ever been to

that museum with the dinosaurs?

 

HENRY

Yeah, like on a field trip every year since first grade.

 

DOG

I love those mothers.  All those

teeth and claws and horns.  That’s

what made those mothers survivors. 

You wanta get by in this world? 

You got to have teeth and claws

and horns.  How did you feel after

you beat the crap out of the guy

that shot your neck?

 

The phone starts ringing again.

 

HENRY

Kinda sick.

 

DOG

(frowning)

That’s no good.  You got to enjoy

it.  You got to acquire a taste

for blood until it’s what you want

to drink for breakfast.

 

HENRY

Thanks for the tip.

 

DOG

It’s true, kid.

 

HENRY

Where’s my mom?

 

DOG

Gettin’ spruced up.

 

HENRY starts to head back toward MONA’s bedroom but stops, comes back toward DOG a couple of steps.

 

HENRY

Did you ever know my mom before my

dad left?

 

DOG squints at HENRY.

 

DOG

You accusin’ me?

 

The phone stops ringing.

 

HENRY

I’m just asking.

 

DOG

In my world, foolin’ with another

man’s old lady is a good and fast

way to get yourself planted six

feet in the ground.

 

HENRY

So you didn’t?

 

DOG

Mona was a free agent when she

pinched my cute little butt the

first time.  So you love my tattoo

or what?

 

HENRY

Sure.

 

HENRY goes back to MONA’s bedroom.  The door is shut, and he knocks.

 

HENRY

Mom.  It’s me.

 

MONA

What you want?

 

HENRY

I wanted to let you know I was

home.

 

MONA

Okay.  I know you’re home.

 

HENRY

You going out?

 

MONA

Yeah.