PROJECT
MATCH
The
movie
by
amanda grihm
©
1994; Revised 1996; 1999; 2007
FADE IN:
POV - JAN BROWN, driving in
downtown,
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
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