AmandaGrihm.com

 

 

PROJECT MATCH

The movie

by amanda grihm

 

 

© 1994; Revised 1996; 1999; 2007

FADE IN:

POV - JAN BROWN, driving in downtown, Atlanta, GA. Camera pans down street past several people walking. From a distance she spots a PATTY, a homeless woman with a shopping cart, pulling food from a trash bin. Above the woman’s head is a white banner that spans the length of the building.

 

As Jan gets closer, the writing on the banner becomes clear - HAMBURGERS 39 cents, CHEESEBURGERS 49 cents. CLOSE UP on the woman, placing food from the trash bin in her mouth. As Jan gets closer still, she notices that she takes more food out of the bin and holds it auspiciously in place in the center of her shopping cart.

 

Jan, still driving, digs in her purse for money. She slows almost to the point of stopping as she nears the woman. She pulls up into the restaurant parking lot and blows the horn to get the woman’s attention. She ignores Jan so she parks the car and walks over to the woman. She is surprised to hear cries of a baby coming from the shopping cart.

 

JAN

Ma'am, here's a few dollars. Go inside and get yourself something to eat.

Turning to Jan and taking the food away from her baby's mouth.

 

PATTY

God bless you.

 

JAN

You were feeding garbage to your baby.

 

PATTY

She has to eat.

 

JAN

Why didn't you go inside and tell them you were hungry?

 

PATTY

I guess you think I prefer to eat garbage.

 

Jan reaches into her purse for more money. Jan hands Patty $20.00.

 

JAN

It's all I have. Please, go inside and get something to eat.

 

Patty doesn’t want Jan to see her with a tear in her eyes.

 

PATTY

What’s your name? One day I'll be able to pay you back.

 

JAN

That's okay. Can I do anything else for you? Take you somewhere?

 

Patty hugs her baby and flashes back to her son sitting at the kitchen table, unable to move as she runs out of the house with her newborn baby.

 

PATTY

Would you mind going inside to get something for us? They don't allow me in there.

 

JAN

What do you mean?

 

PATTY

I mean, they won't let me in cause I offend their customers.

 

JAN

But you are a customer when you're buying.

 

PATTY

Am I the first homeless person you ever set eyes on?

 

JAN

No, no…you’re the first one I ever spoke to.

 

Jan flashes to the image of a man frozen to death, on a street in Chicago. His eyes and mouth are opened, almost as if he were calling a name.

 

PATTY

Figures! Here, get a couple of cheeseburgers and a milk shake. Since this is all you have, if you like, get something for yo’self, too.

JAN

No, that’s for you.

 

Jan goes inside to order the food.

 

 

CUT TO:

INT – MICKIE’S FRESH FOOD RESTAURANT – DAY

 

A heavyset COUNTER GIRL barely out of her teens stands behind the counter with a bored look on her face. Her uniform is greasy and dirty. She sees Jan, turns her back and starts mixing the French Fries.

 

COUNTER GIRL

Can I help you?

 

JAN

Yes, I'd like to have 2 cheeseburgers and a vanilla shake.

 

COUNTER GIRL

Will that be all?

 

JAN

Oh, let me have 2 medium fries.

 

COUNTER GIRL

That'll be $4.00.

 

JAN

Miss, did you know that there’s a homeless woman in front of your restaurant eating garbage out of your trash bin. She is feeding it to her baby, too.

 

COUNTER GIRL

Da’ always do dat! Da’getting on my last nerve comin’eat’n our garbage.

 

JAN

Well, I was telling you to see if... maybe you could just give her some food for later on.

 

COUNTER GIRL

No. I can't. She can eat that garbage as far as I’m concerned.

 

JAN

Most restaurants throw away food at the end of the day. Does this restaurant throw out food?

 

COUNTER GIRL

If you so concerned why don't you just buy her some food or take her home with you and feed her?

 

Counter girl pushes the food across the counter at Jan.

 

JAN

Maybe I will.

 

She turns to walk away, and then turns back to the girl.

JAN (Continued)

Who is the manager, here?

 

COUNTER GIRL

I am. And I ain't giving away no free food. We in the business to make money. You betta tell that fool to stop begging and get a job!

 

JAN

Will you hire her?

 

COUNTER GIRL

Hell no.

 

JAN

Why not?

 

COUNTER GIRL

Cause she stinks... and she's crazy.

 

JAN

How can you suggest that she get a job if you're not willing to hire her?

 

COUNTER GIRL

I tell you what. You wash her butt, get her some psychiatric help and then I'll hire her. Oh.... and find somebody to keep her baby all day.

 

JAN

They really don't have a chance, do they?

 

COUNTER GIRL

Not here.

 

PATTY

Why did it take you so long?

 

JAN

I was trying to see if I could get some free food for you.

 

PATTY

Ain't nobody giving me nothing free.

 

Patty starts talking to herself.

 

PATTY

Send this woman in to get a couple of cheeseburgers and she cain't even do that. What the hell am I gonna do for the rest of the night? I guess she meant well. Who you talking to Patty? I'm talking to you Patty? These do gooder's don't know nothing ‘bout what I need.

 

Patty walks away.

JAN

Hey, can I take you somewhere?

 

PATTY

Didn't we tell her, we ain't got nowhere to go. Yes we did. Look, Miss ... We ain't got nowhere to go... we already told you that. We are going to the shelter.

 

JAN

Well, I'll take you. But I don't know how to get your shopping cart there.

 

PATTY

Go back in there and get me some more cheeseburgers... Get me bout 6 more.

 

JAN

Six

 

PATTY

Better make that 8.

 

JAN

Okay. Eight, anything else?

 

PATTY

That's $4.00. That only leaves me with $12.00. I can stretch it out. I can eat the bread and the meat separately. I gotta go get some milk for my baby.

 

JAN

Eight cheeseburgers. Do you want any fries?

 

PATTY

No.... ain't nothing worse than paying for fries and eating 'em cold.

 

Jan goes in and comes back with the cheeseburgers.

 

JAN

Here you go. Come on, I'll take you to the shelter.

 

Patty starts talking to herself in a very loud voice.

 

PATTY

How many times we got to tell her. We can't go to the shelter till 6:00 o'clock.

JAN

Why 6 o'clock?

 

PATTY

That's when they let us in. We get in at 6 in the evening and leave at 6 in the morning.

JAN

It's only 1:30 now. What’ll you do until 6?

 

PATTY

Walk around. Try to find some shade to sit in.

 

JAN

You know... you keep talking to yourself.

 

PATTY

Who else gonna talk to us? People don't want us to live on the same planet with them. They don't ever talk to us. You are the exception!

 

JAN

Do you hear yourself answer?

 

PATTY

Ain't nothing wrong with my hearing.

I’m homeless, not deaf or crazy!

 

JAN

Sorry.

 

PATTY

You know my baby is gonna be somebody special when she grows up.

 

JAN

Yes, she's a beautiful baby.

 

PATTY

They tried to take her from me. But I hid.

 

JAN

Who is they?

 

PATTY

The police.

 

JAN

Why did the police try to take your baby?

 

PATTY

Cause I reported being raped. When they saw my baby they said that I couldn't take care of her properly?

 

JAN

But wouldn't you like to know that she's eating and being properly taken care of?

 

PATTY

Whose gonna take better care of my baby than me? You people are all the same.

 

Patty shakes her fist at Jan then she starts talking to herself again. She wants to frighten Jan into leaving her alone. But she is saddened that no one seems to understand that even though she is homeless she is the best one to take care of her child.

 

PATTY

Everybody knows what's best for my baby. But don't nobody love her but me. How is someone gonna treat a baby they don't love? Whose gonna love my baby more than me?

 

JAN

I didn't mean any harm. I just thought...

 

PATTY

You just thought you knew what was best for my baby, and I didn't.

 

Patty reaches into a sock that is sitting upright in her cart and pulls out a rusty knife.

 

Jan begins backing, slowly, away from Patty.

 

JAN

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.

 

PATTY

Look, don't come out here trying to help people if you gonna get scared and back down so fast.

 

JAN

I am not scared.

 

Patty Jumps at Jan. Jan runs down the street, leaving her car in the lot.

 

PATTY

Told you, you was scared. Don't try this no more girl...These people feed off of your fear.... They'll eat you alive. Com’on back and get in yo’ car.

 

Patty talking to her baby.

 

PATTY (Continued)

You gonna be somebody special when you grow up... You ain't gonna be scared of nothing. I'm scared and angry all the time... but don't nobody know it. I have a boy that I have to raise to be a good man. We are going to get your brother, baby. I love my son. He will grow to be a good man. I don't hate men! I don't, and I don’t want you to hate men when you grow up. When I come out of this, I'll be alright. I don't hate men...just some of them, I just hate some of them!

 

CUT TO:

Jan is speeding down the street; she runs through a red light and keeps going.

JAN

I can't believe I ran from her...I was scared... I won't do that again... Those people are crazy.

 

CUT TO:

INT - CRIME SCENE... HOME OF ELDERLY WOMAN.

 

Detectives Jenstin and Spender step inside the house holding their noses.

 

DETECTIVE JENSTIN

Damn... she’s been here for awhile.

 

DETECTIVE SPENDER

Yeah, but how long... from the smell... must have been at least a month.

 

DETECTIVE JENSTIN

Where was her family?

 

DETECTIVE SPENDER

What you wanna bet she didn't have any?

 

A neighbor walks into the house, escorted by a uniform policeman.

 

POLICEMAN

Detectives... here's her neighbor. She says she didn't see or hear anything.

 

DETECTIVE JENSTIN

What's your name miss?

 

EVELYN

My name is Evelyn... want my phone number?

 

DETECTIVE JENSTIN

Yeah, but just for the record.

 

EVELYN

Look! I haven't seen Mrs. Saunders for about two weeks.

 

DETECTIVE SPENDER

What about her family?

EVELYN

She ain't got no family! If she do, don't nobody come to visit her.

 

DETECTIVE JENSTIN

Who looks after her?

 

EVELYN

Look, she ain't my responsibility. I got my hands full with my kids.

 

DETECTIVE JENSTIN

I understand, but who looks after her?

 

EVELYN

Nobody that I know of.

 

DETECTIVE SPENDER

You mean nobody looked out for this poor, old woman?

 

EVELYN

Nobody don't want to be bothered. We got enough to do just watching out for our kids and ourselves. We cain't be taking on no extra responsibilities. Besides, she wasn't very friendly. All she ever did was hide behind those curtains peeking out at us. Sitting there staring at people all day long!

 

DETECTIVE SPENDER

Maybe she was afraid. You kn