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TRANSCRIPT:
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Scene: A Pittsburgh street
The streets, cars, all covered with several inches of fresh snow. Nick gets out of his car, parked at the curb, and walks gingerly in the fresh snow to the sidewalk just as Alvin exits his apartment building.
Alvin: Nick? (Surprised)
Nick: 'Morning, Alvin.
Alvin: You know where I live?
Nick: Yeah. Uhm… yeah.
Alvin: I haven't seen you around for awhile.
Nick: Well, you know, Lulu… she doesn't really want me around the clinic. (Walks with Alvin to the bus stop) You catch the bus?
Alvin: Three days a week. Gotta cut down on those fossil fuels.
Nick: Good for you. Yeah… I'm… I've been lookin' at those, uh… hybrid cars. (Alvin gives him a doubtful look) Maybe when the lease runs. (Nods towards the BMW)
Alvin: Well… here's my bus.
Nick: Hey, Alvin, d'you have a minute to talk?
Alvin: I'm gonna be late, Nick.
Nick: Well, I'm working on my amends for the, uh… you know, the program.
Bus pulls up—door opens.
Cliff Jenkins: (Bus driver) You comin', Alvin?
Alvin: Not today, Cliff. (To Cliff's daughter—sitting behind him) Hi, Norah.
Norah Jenkins: (She waves) Hi.
Bus door closes.
Nick: Thanks. Thanks. Thank you.
Alvin: The ninth step already, huh?
Nick: I—I'm working on it.
Alvin: That's fast.
Nick: I… I… I wrote some things down, uh… (Pulls a piece of paper from his breast pocket)
Alvin: It's, uh… it's pretty cold out here, Nick.
Nick: I'll give you a ride to work and… we can do it in the car.
Alvin: Sure.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—elevator
Nick and Alvin step off the elevator.
Alvin: Look… I appreciate everything you've been saying, Nick, and… of course, I'm happy to let bygones be bygones but, uh…
Nick: Well, I'm three weeks in. It's only a thirty-day program.
Alvin: Well, you see, in my situation I wasn't ready to make my amends for almost a year.
Nick: (Scoffs) Well, Alvin… (Smiles)
Alvin: (Chuffs) Okay then. (Walks away)
Nick: Right. Right.
Nick walks to Lulu's office, removes an envelope from his breast pocket, takes a deep breath and knocks.
Lulu: Come in. (He pokes his head in) Nick.
Nick: (Enters) Hey. How've you been?
Lulu: Okay. How are you doin'?
Nick: Okay. D'you get my messages?
Lulu: Yeah, uh… I still think that you should continue with your outpatient therapy before you take cases.
Nick: I wasn't calling about that.
Lulu: Because I think, until I know that you're not drinking or doing drugs, it would be highly irresponsible for me to let you practice law here.
Nick: I wasn't calling about the clinic.
Lulu: (Pause) Oh.
Nick: I was calling because, uh… (Long pause) …I wanted to talk to you about what I've done.
Lulu: About the fact that I'm pregnant with our child and you're having sex with another woman?
Nick: Uh… maybe this isn't the best time.
Lulu: Maybe not.
Nick: (Backs towards the door) Maybe, uh… another time. (She shrugs—he backs out the door)
Nick tucks the envelope back into his pocket. Alvin walks up.
Alvin: Nick. It crashed.
Nick: What?
Alvin: The bus. It crashed.
Nick: What bus?
Alvin: My bus—the 38B. Went over a guardrail on 51. The news is saying that a lot of people are dead.
Nick dashes towards the elevator.
Alvin: (After Nick) I was just about to get on it. (To no one) I was supposed to be on that bus.
Scene: Fallin & Fallin—lobby/conference room
Nick hurries through the lobby to the conference room. Enters the room where a meeting is already in progress with Pat Hagerty of Allegheny County Transit Authority. A television monitor is on with the news coverage of the accident scene. Nick stands just inside the door.
Burton: We'll stay ahead of this, uh… Pat.
Pat: Good.
Burton: Jake is already coordinating with the… your P.R…
Jake: (Interrupts) We're setting up a grief counseling plan today.
Pat: Good.
Burton: Now, there will be civil suits filed.
Nick watches the monitor.
Jake: And our answer, of course, will be a blanket denial of all claims and liability.
Burton: Your driver's given blood and urine samples to the police and he's down at the county hospital right now with his daughter but, uh… he has agreed to speak with us later today.
Nick: I'll interview the driver.
Burton: Well, no… Jake's taking care of that.
Nick: I can do it.
Burton: (Pause) No… Jake's on that. We do need maintenance records on the bus and, uh… the regulation manual for your drivers…
They all look to the monitor and the on-going news coverage.
TV reporter: …tragic Allegheny County Transit bus crash on Route 51 has reached fifteen. The death toll has climbed…
Burton: Well, let's get to work. (To Pat) I'll talk to you later, okay?
Jake turns off the monitor. Everyone exits. Nick follows Burton.
Scene: Anteroom outside Burton's office
Nick: I can talk to the driver.
Burton: I thought maybe you could, uh… drop over to the Transit Authority and check on that accident reconstruction work.
Nick: Well, I could do that on the way to the driver's house.
Burton: (Sighs) Nicholas. This case could cost Allegheny Transit tens of millions of dollars. What they need from us is continuity and consistency.
Nick: You're saying I can't work on it?
Burton: Well… come on in here a minute. (They enter his office) Nicholas… you got a lot of important stuff going on right now. For yourself…
Nick: I gotta work.
Burton: (Pause) Right.
Nick: Dad, I can handle working.
Burton: (Sighs) Right.
Nick: I will stop by the Transit Authority on the way to the driver's house.
Burton: Are you sure?
Nick: (Gives him a look and exits)
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—Lulu's office
Lulu stands with her back to the open door, going through a batch of files. Suzanne knocks and breezes in.
Lulu: Come in. (Glances over her shoulder) What is it?
Suzanne: I've got a new client. He's thirteen and his father died today in that bus accident.
Lulu: Uh-huh.
Suzanne: His name is Connor Adams. He was on the bus, too.
Lulu: Was he hurt?
Suzanne: His wrist. He's got some stitches but otherwise…
Lulu: (Impatiently) Well… what can I do for you? (Sits at her desk)
Suzanne: Connor and his father lived alone. The mother died a few years ago. The only relatives in the area are a cousin and an uncle. I did a little background check… (Holds out the file) …and it turns out that…
Lulu: Uh… could you just tell me, Suzanne?
Suzanne: Right. Okay. (Opens the file) Uhm… Connor's Uncle Phil spent seven years in a State prison for aggravated assault and rape. He's still drinking heavily and his apartment…
Lulu: (Interrupts) Well, what about the cousin?
Suzanne: Connor's with him now. The problem with Cousin Dell is that, uh, he already has a severe history of neglect with his own kids.
Lulu: Okay.
Suzanne: So, we're gonna have to go in and take Connor out of his custody today. And I thought of you. Because, well, he just needs someone really good to represent him. If you don't mind working with me.
Lulu: Well, let's not make this about us, Suzanne.
Alvin stands at the door—upbeat.
Alvin: I'm taking the entire staff out to lunch—on me. You guys wanna come?
Lulu: Oh… no thank you, Alvin.
Alvin: Suzanne?
Suzanne: Oh, nice… but no thank you.
Alvin: Okay. (Exits)
Suzanne: So… I'll just go ahead and set up that meeting.
Lulu: Yeah.
Scene: Fallin & Fallin—Jake's office
Meeting with Dell and Connor Adams regarding the bus accident.
Jake: So, Connor, I know this is a very hard time for you and I really appreciate you coming and talking today.
Dell: How much do we get?
Nick walks by—looks in.
Jake: (Notices Nick—is thrown off by the question and Nick's presence) Uh… uh… excuse me?
Nick walks in—stands.
Dell: How much do we get?
Jake: You know, Mr. Adams, uh…
Dell: Dell.
Jake: Dell. Dell, we're not here to discuss money. We're here to discuss what happened on the bus.
Dell: You represent the bus company?
Jake: Right.
Dell: Connor said the driver crashed the bus on purpose so… how much do we get?
Nick: Mr. Adams? Nick Fallin. Nice to meet you. Connor, right?
Connor: (Ignores Nick)
Nick: Connor, you said the bus driver crashed the bus on purpose?
Connor: Yeah.
Nick: D'you tell that to the police?
Connor: No.
Dell: (Grabs his arm) Connor. If they're not paying… you're not talking.
They exit. Nick and Jake share a look.
Scene: Cliff Jenkins' house—day
Nick knocks. Cliff Jenkins answers the door.
Nick: Mr. Jenkins, I'm sorry to disturb you. (Hands him his business card)
Cliff: You work for ACT?
Nick: That's right. I need to speak with you about this accident today.
Cliff: Norah, would you go into the other room with your grandma, please.
Norah walks to the adjacent room (visible from the living room)—Cliff motions for Nick to enter.
Cliff: Already told the police everything.
Nick: Right.
Cliff: Even pissed in a cup. Gave blood. Blew into a breathalyzer. All came back fine, they said.
Nick: (Sits on the couch and takes out a small tape-recorder) I have to record this, if it's okay.
Cliff: (Nods)
Nick: (Softly) Thank you. (Turns recorder on) Uh, please state your name and… where you work.
Cliff: Cliff Jenkins. I'm a bus driver for the city lines.
Nick: Mr. Jenkins, you were driving the 38B bus that was involved in the accident today?
Cliff: (Pause) Yes.
Nick: I interviewed someone else that was actually on that bus—a boy that was sitting up at the front.
Cliff: Okay.
Nick: He blames you for the accident. He said that you crashed the bus intentionally.
Cliff: I would never crash the bus intentionally.
Nick: Of course not. I'm sorry. Mr. Jenkins, can you… can you tell me what you remember of the crash? You were driving on Route 51. How fast were you going?
Cliff: Uhm… thirty-five… maybe forty.
Nick: Then what happened?
Cliff: I saw the next stop up ahead. Next thing I know, the… the bus was skidding. I must've driven over a patch of ice. And you don't wanna hit the brakes because, you know, you lose control. So, I… I just tried to, uh… uh… steer through it. I saw, uh… the guardrail comin' up and, uh… that's when I slammed on the brakes but, uh… (Long pause) …it just kept goin'.
Scene: Suzanne's apartment—evening
Nick walks carefully along the snow-packed sidewalk to the door of the apartment. He rings the buzzer. The main door is buzzed open. He enters the entry hallway. Suzanne greets him at her apartment door with a smile.
Nick: Hey, Suzanne.
Suzanne: What're you doin' here?
Scene: Inside the apartment—moments later
Nick: It… it's a thirty-day program and it has twelve steps and… one of the steps is to, uh, make a list of people that you may have either hurt or… or mistreated and then make amends.
Suzanne: Okay.
Nick: (Hesitates) You're… you're on my list.
Suzanne: Why?
Nick: Uh… uh… when I… when I had the problem drinking… I… I slept with you.
Suzanne: I enjoyed sleeping with you, Nick.
Nick: I guess what I mean is… it… was… just sex to me.
Suzanne: Are you apologizing for having sex? Didn't you enjoy having sex with me?
Nick: (Stammers) No. Yeah, I… I did. I just, I'm… I'm… I'm apologizing for not taking it more seriously.
Suzanne: Oh. Oh, uhm… I liked… you.
Nick: I know, that's… that's why I'm apologizing.
Suzanne: I don't understand what you're apologizing for. (Getting upset)
Nick: I told you.
Suzanne: (Emotionally) You told me that you didn't take me seriously. That you kinda treated me like a whore. But, you didn't tell me why. I'm sorry, but I don't accept that apology. (Leaves the room—slams the door)
Nick stands—his amends letter in his hand. Looks around to see Suzanne's son, Cam, watching from another room. He leaves the letter and exits.
Scene: Fallin & Fallin—Jake's office
Nick removes an envelope from his breast pocket, knocks on the open door and walks in—amends letter in hand.
Jake: Oh, hey. Uh… Pat Hagerty and the guys from ACT are gonna be here at ten.
Nick: Right.
Jake: And… and you, uh, spoke to the driver.
Nick: Right.
Jake: How'd it go?
Nick: His account seemed straight forward.
Jake: Well, I mean there's black ice on the road and… and that kid's story hasn't been corroborated by any of the other witnesses.
Nick: Right.
Jake: Right.
Nick: (Holds out the envelope to Jake)
Jake: What's this?
Nick: As you know, I'm in a thirty-day program.
Jake: Right.
Nick: I'm working on making my amends with people I may have hurt advertently or inadvertently.
Jake: Right.
Nick: (Gestures towards the letter in Jake's hand)
Jake: (Pause) Uh… should I read it now?
Nick: Or later.
Jake: Right. (Tosses the letter onto his laptop keyboard) So… I… I reviewed Cliff's work records and there's no prior accidents—I mean, not a single complaint against him in over ten years of service.
Nick: (Clearly uncomfortable) Yeah, I didn't write… in the letter that (Clears throat) I took Sklar Chemical from you. (Pause) I overheard you talking about how they were in play and I set up a meeting and I didn't invite you.
Jake: Oh.
Nick: (Pause) Did the NTSB contact you about their investigation because they can be a real pain in the ass?
Jake: Wait, you went behind my back to Sklar Chemical?
Nick: Yeah.
Jake: Have you done this other times as well?
Nick: (Doesn't respond)
Jake tears open the letter and reads.
Scene: Fallin & Fallin—Burton's office
Nick removes an envelope from his breast pocket and walks into his father's office.
Burton: (Looks up) Hey.
Nick shuts the door.
Burton: Well, that black ice situation's gonna save ACT's ass.
Nick: Yeah.
Burton: What about that driver? You think he's being truthful?
Nick: Yes… I do.
Burton: Good.
Nick: (Sits down) Dad, I, uh… I wanna give Jake my source credit… for Sklar Chemical.
Burton: Wh—whadaya mean?
Nick: Uh… and also MacKenzie Shipping. And Johnson Technology.
Burton: (Chuckles and leans back in his chair) Are you okay, son?
Nick: Yeah. (Long pause) There's some things that… that I've done… that, uh… that I'm sorry for. I've lied to you and I've been unreliable and… and I've blamed you for some things that… that you probably didn't do.
Nick stands and holds the letter out to Burton. He finally takes it.
Burton: What the hell, son?
Nick: Uh… just read it, please. It's… it's an apology.
Burton: As long as we're apologizing, I… I'd like to say 'I'm sorry.'
Nick: What for?
Burton: Whatever the hell I've done.
Nick: Oh.
Burton: Well, Pat Hagerty's here. (Tosses the unopened letter aside) We better give him a briefing.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—bullpen
Lulu: (Walks over to Connor) Connor?
Connor: (Looks up but doesn't respond)
Lulu: Hi, I'm Louisa Archer. I'll be your lawyer. You wanna come with me? (Gets up and walks with her) How's the shelter?
Connor: It sucks. I don't understand why I couldn't just stay with Dell.
They enter Lulu's office.
Lulu: (Sighs) Well… your, uh… your social worker, Suzanne, she… she, uhm… she found, a… a… a nice foster family for you that's in your neighborhood so you can stay in your school and, uh… they actually have another foster child. His name's Jeremy. He's about your age.
Connor: So?
Lulu: So… we, uh, we're gonna go to court now and we're gonna make the placement official.
Scene: Suzanne's house—exterior—day
Nick rings the buzzer. Cam comes up the steps behind him carrying his sled.
Nick: Hey, uh… my name is Nick.
Cam: I know who you are.
Nick: You're Suzanne's son, right?
Cam: Yeah. Cam.
Nick: Right. Uhm… d'you know if your mom's home?
Cam: Uh… she left for work early today.
Nick: Okay. No school today?
Cam: Snow Day. I'll tell her you stopped by.
Nick: All right. Uh… Cam, uhm… last night when I was talking to your mom…
Cam: You hurt my mom's feelings pretty bad. She cried for, like, an hour.
Nick: Right. Well, if… last night I… I did anything that upset you, I just want you to know that… you know, if there's anything that I can do… Or just know that I'm sorry.
Cam: Okay, man.
Scene: Allegheny County Courthouse—corridor
Lulu: You know, just because you're going to live with the Heatons doesn't mean that we still won't help you. We're gonna come visit you once a month and if there are things that you need, we'll help you get them. Okay? Oh, here she is.
Suzanne: Hi. Connor, this is Mr. and Mrs. Heaton. (Introduces a white man with his black wife) This is Connor. (He scowls)
Scene: Judge Damsen's courtroom—moments later
Judge Damsen: Miss Pell.
Suzanne: The Heatons have been foster parents for over five years. They've done a remarkably good job with their three other children.
Judge: Okay. Miss Archer?
Lulu: I think it's a terrific placement.
Judge: Connor? How do you feel about this?
Connor: (Pause) I ain't livin' with a nigger.
Scene: Judge Damsen's chambers
Lulu: His father just died.
Judge: I know that.
Lulu: He—he's just… is having a really hard time and he wants to be with his family.
Judge: (Tersely) Right. Well… obviously we cannot place Connor with the Heatons.
Lulu: Right. But, also, Judge Damsen, I mean, given his, uh…
Judge: His what, Miss Archer?
Lulu: His… mood. Uh… keeping him in a group shelter with, uh…
Judge: ...with black kids?
Lulu: (Pause) It might not work out so well.
Judge: (Pause—sigh) He'll remain at the Allegheny Boys Home. I will order counseling and therapy. Thank you, ladies.
Scene: Outside Judge Damsen's courtroom
Suzanne: Okay, well, I won't be able to find a group home for Connor without minority kids.
Lulu: Well, I'm sure you'll do your best. (Walks off)
Suzanne follows.
Suzanne: Hey. (Lulu keeps walking) Hey. (Lulu stops) I've apologized to you, Lulu.
Lulu: Right?
Suzanne: I would like for this to stop.
Lulu: (Sighs) What?
Suzanne: He never told me that you were pregnant.
Lulu: You knew I was living with him.
Suzanne: I did. So did he.
Lulu: Well, I just would never do something like that. (Turns and walks away—Suzanne follows)
Suzanne: I'm not like that. Lulu, I—I'm a mom. I… if I'd known that you were pregnant…
Lulu: You know… I don't understand you. You knew that we were living together. The fact that I'm pregnant… Wh—why does that make a difference?
Suzanne: It does… I mean… I—I thought he liked me. I thought I had a chance.
Lulu walks off. After a moment, Suzanne walks the other direction.
Scene: Suzanne's house—late afternoon
Nick knocks. Cam opens the door.
Cam: Hey, man. She's still not here.
Nick: Okay.
Cam: I'll tell her you're looking for her.
Nick: All right. (Starts to walk away)
Cam: Oh… hey. (Nick turns back) I was thinking about what you said earlier.
Nick: Right?
Cam: About if there was anything you could do for me.
Nick: Yeah?
Cam: (Disappears inside the house for a moment then returns with a necklace which he shows to Nick) It had a pearl in it.
Nick: So…? (Shakes his head—puzzled)
Cam: My dad gave it to her and Valentine's Day is coming up and I wanted to give it to my mom. But, I don't have the money to fix it… or buy a new pearl. You know?
Nick: Right.
Cam: So… you said if there was anything you could do…
Scene: Nick's house—evening
Nick works feverishly at the kitchen table on his 12-Step program—making notations as he refers to the manuals. Suzanne's necklace lies on the table beside him. Alvin knocks on the window. Nick glances up then hurriedly straightens up his paperwork, shoving it aside. He pockets the necklace and goes to let Alvin in.
Alvin: Hey. You alone?
Nick: I was.
Alvin: Pizza's probably cold.
Nick: I'll put it in the oven. (Takes the box from him and slides the pizza onto the oven rack and sets the time)
Alvin: I have not slept for two days. Can't sleep. Cannot sleep. You may have saved my life. The more I think about it you were like… I don't know… an angel.
Nick: Hey, Alvin, please, just… You want some coffee?
Alvin: Sure. You know, I think Lulu may need some help, uh… understanding your particularities. For instance, her father. I saw that guy, right? Had alcoholic written all over him. Clearly she grew up watching somebody enable an addict. Know what I mean?
Nick: (As he prepares coffee in a French press) No.
Alvin: (Watches as Nick prepares the coffee—realizes he doesn't want to talk about Lulu) So… this kid, whose dad died in the crash… in court today in front of Judge Damsen… Suzanne and Lulu bring in this foster family—dad's white, mom's black. This kid, in front of the court, says the 'n' word. Refuses to go with the foster family. His whole family's, like, these white supremacists. Sad story 'bout the dad dying but, uh… man. I knew the father, too. From the bus. Never saw the kid but, uh… the dad used to call that, uh… driver names… all the time—under his breath. The driver, Cliff… good man… just used to stare straight ahead and drive that bus.
Nick takes this all in.
Scene: Cliff Jenkins' house—night
Nick knocks on the door. Norah answers.
Nick: Hey.
Norah: Hi.
Nick: Is your daddy here?
Norah: No. Just grandma.
Nick stands in the doorway.
Nick: (Softly) Right. (Nods) And, it's—it's Norah, right? (She nods) I—I'm Nick. I… I came around yesterday.
Nick can see Grandma sleeping in the adjacent room.
Nick: (He cautiously looks around and proceeds) I heard that there, uh… might've been someone on the bus that wasn't very nice. (She shrugs—he stoops to her level) Yeah. I was wondering if… if you remember if your dad was having a… a bad time with anyone. (She shakes her head) Uh, maybe not yesterday, maybe… maybe… maybe another day?
Norah: This man… some days… would say things to daddy.
Nick: What kinda things?
Norah: Call him bad names.
Nick: Oh… kay.
Norah: Daddy always told me not to listen. He said that kinda stuff shouldn't be listened to.
Nick: Oh, that's right. Your daddy's right. This man, that was mean to your daddy, was… was he on the bus when… when it crashed?
Norah: (She nods)
Nick: Okay. Thanks, Norah. (Stands and starts to leave)
Norah: His son called me a nigger.
Nick: When did he do that?
Norah: Before we crashed. Daddy turned around. He was really mad. He turned around. He yelled at the kid and his dad and… that's when it happened.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—bullpen—morning
Suzanne and Connor exit the elevator. Lulu is talking with a woman and young child in the bullpen.
Lulu: So, I think that's everything. I'll talk to you about it later. (To child) Ok, bye, sweetie.
Suzanne and Connor walk up to Lulu as they leave.
Lulu: What happened?
Suzanne: Connor's not exactly gettin' along with the other kids.
Lulu: Come on. (They follow her to her office) Okay, have a seat, Connor. Wanna tell me what's going on? (Sighs) You wanna tell me what happened? (No response) Connor? You know, I know this must be an extremely difficult time for you…
Connor: My dad's funeral is on Friday. They got me sharing a room with a bunch of coons.
Lulu: (Winces at the slur) Connor. All right, you know, I know you must have loved your dad a lot…
Connor: Don't talk about my father!
Lulu: No, I just mean…
Connor: Don't talk about him!
Lulu: (Long pause) If you keep believing the things that your father believed… and you keep acting the way that you act, you're gonna lose everything. You will lose every opportunity that comes your way. No one will want you, Connor. I'm sorry. Nobody will. (He glares at her—sullenly)
Scene: Fallin & Fallin—Nick's office—day
Cliff Jenkins and Norah walk into the office.
Cliff: Understand you stopped by the house last night. Understand you spoke to Norah. What she told you was true. It's true. I wasn't lookin'.
Nick: Uhm… (Stands and goes to close the door) Sit down. (Sits back down) (To Norah) Hi. (She smiles) Uh, Cliff, uh… you said the other day that, uh… if you'd hit the brakes when you were going over the ice that you still would have lost control of the bus.
Cliff: Right.
Nick: You said that you weren't exceeding the speed limit.
Cliff: Right.
Nick: And you weren't driving recklessly.
Cliff: Right.
Nick: (Pause) Would you've done anything differently?
Cliff: I looked away from the road. I turned to the man and I yelled at him.
Nick: Cliff, if… if you blame yourself for this accident, the bus company will distance itself from you. There may be criminal charges filed for negligent homicide. You understand what that means? (Cliff looks at Norah—concerned) I mean, this could have been an accident. It doesn't have to be your fault.
Cliff: Let's say… I say things different. What does that mean for Norah? I say I didn't look away… she has to say the same thing. Right? (Long pause) Right?
Scene: Fallin & Fallin—conference room
Cliff Jenkins gives his recorded statement.
Cliff: This guy… a few months ago… gets on the bus and he don't have the fare. I tell him he gotta pay to ride. He tells me to give him a break because I seen him before. I tell him I can't do that. So he calls me… he calls me a nigger… and he gets off the bus. The next morning he gets on and he sits down right behind me and he starts with the names and he keeps it up… all the way from Carnegie into the City. And I just listen to him. Try to imagine that he's not there. Just do… my… job. (Pause) Day it happened… snowstorm… all the schools were closed. I had my daughter, Norah, ridin' with me on account of that. This man gets on the bus with his boy. They sit down… close to me. I hear him whispering. He started saying things to me. In front of his boy. In front of my daughter. I look at my daughter. She's staring at the floor. I try to think whether to stop the bus or not. I… I think no. So… we drive over the hill, right? And that's when I hear it. His boy calling my baby a nigger. (Pause) Calling my baby that word. I turned to that man and his child and I tell him what I tell him and the next thing I know, the bus… The next thing I know… You see… I turned away from my job. I turned away.
Burton, Pat Hagerty, and Jake exit the conference room.
Burton: (To Hagerty) Well this is a problem.
Hagerty: Right.
Burton: You should suspend him immediately. Make that public. It's just a start to, uh… distancing yourself from him in the press.
Hagerty: Okay.
Nick walks up.
Burton: Agree to cooperate fully with the D.A.'s office, case they decide to press charges.
Hagerty: Right.
Burton: Now, this is gonna come back at us for sure. (Walks away)
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—Lulu's office
Lulu removes a file from her filing cabinet and walks to her desk. Finds a pamphlet lying there which reads: What is CoDA? [Co-Dependents Anonymous] She looks at it and sighs heavily.
Suzanne: (Walks in) So… found a family that will consider taking Connor. I told 'em about his… mood, as you said, and, uhm… they seemed to be up to the task.
Lulu: Okay. (Slides the pamphlet under a file on her desk)
Suzanne: So… I'm scheduling a meeting for tomorrow morning. Thought you might wanna be there.
Lulu: (She nods—shrugs)
Suzanne: Okay. (Turns and walks out)
Lulu sees Alvin outside her office.
Lulu: Uh… Alvin. D'you have a second? (Walks into the office) Uh… Co-Dependents Anonymous?
Alvin: Right.
Lulu: Right. And Al-Anon. (Holds up the pamphlets)
Alvin: One of 'em might be right for you.
Lulu: It's kind of offensive.
Alvin: Well, I didn't mean to offend you. I…
Lulu: It implies that I'm the one who has the…
Alvin: Fifty-percent.
Lulu: What?
Alvin: You are fifty-percent of any relationship.
Lulu: (Chuffs—disgusted) Well… okay. Thank you, Alvin. (Hands him the pamphlets) Very much.
Alvin: Just think about it?
Lulu: Thank you. Thanks a lot. (Goes to the door and waits for him to leave—then closes it)
Scene: Suzanne's apartment—evening
Nick rings the buzzer. Suzanne pulls back the curtain on her door glass and peers out. Sees Nick, hesitates, then opens the door.
Nick: Hey. I'm sorry… for starting something that I… didn't intend to finish. I withheld certain information from you.
Suzanne: If I'd asked you about Lulu, would you have told me the truth?
Nick: (Pause) I don't think so.
Suzanne: Well maybe that's what you're sorry for.
Nick: Maybe.
Suzanne: Maybe. (Shuts the door in his face)
He turns to leave and Cam tosses a snowball at him, hitting him in the shoulder. He brushes the snow off.
Cam: (Smiles) Did you get it?
Nick: (Pulls a small box from his coat pocket and hands it to him)
Cam: (Opens the box to find the necklace—complete with a new pearl—nods) I forgive you, man.
Nick smiles and walks away.
Scene: Shelter—meeting room—day
Lulu: Thank you for your time. (The potential foster parents exit)
Connor: It's not my fault. If they don't like me, it's not my fault. (Angrily)
Scene: Shelter—hallway—moments later
Suzanne signs a form and hands it to Lulu.
Suzanne: Connor, you're gonna have to go with Mr. Johnson now.
Connor goes with Mr. Johnson, a black man.
Lulu: (Sighs) Well, I guess they weren't up to the task, huh…? The foster couple?
Suzanne: (Chuckles) That's an understatement.
Lulu: How many times did he use darkie in that interview?
Suzanne: I… counted… six.
Lulu: And the other words? It was amazing. It was almost… (Chuffs) …I don't know, I don't know what that was like.
Suzanne: Yeah. Maybe there's a family out there for him… once he gets counseling and therapy.
Lulu: He won't change.
Suzanne: (Pause—sighs) No. Things probably aren't going to go so well for him.
Lulu: (Chuffs) That's an understatement.
They start walking down the hallway together.
Lulu: Uh… I didn't know that you had a son.
Suzanne: Yeah. His name's Cam.
Lulu: Cam. How old is he?
Suzanne: He's ten.
Lulu: I didn't know that.
Suzanne: You should meet him sometime.
Scene: Cliff Jenkins' apartment—afternoon
Cliff and Nick drink coffee in the living room.
Cliff: If I gotta go to jail…
Nick: Cliff, you're not gonna go to jail.
Cliff: I don't know who's gonna look after my daughter and my mother.
Nick: What you need to do is get yourself a lawyer as soon as you can. (Reaches into his breast pocket for a card) Uh, if you can't afford one…
Cliff: Right. I'll get one of those public defender men.
Nick: Well, only if criminal charges are filed. But, right now you need to find a lawyer that'll represent you civilly. (Hands him the card) Give that number a call and ask for Louisa Archer. She'll help get you started.
Grandma coughs in the adjacent room.
Cliff: Probably don't stand much of a chance with a free lawyer… against guys like you.
Norah: Daddy?
Cliff: Not now, sweetheart.
Norah: There's something with grandma. I think she needs you.
Cliff: Um… kay. (Takes a last sip of coffee then gets up to check on her)
Nick: Cliff? (Extends his hand) Good luck.
Cliff: Thanks. (Walks into the next room)
Scene: Adjacent room
Grandma: (Weakly) Son… I'm having a hard time with my breathing…
Nick picks up his coat and briefcase and exits.
Scene: Lulu's house—night
Lulu hears a knock at the door. Walks down the stairs and looks through the curtain on the door to find Nick. She opens the door a crack.
Nick: Hi.
Lulu: Hi.
Nick: It's freezing out here.
Lulu: Oh… (She lets him in)
Nick hands her a large white envelope.
Lulu: What's that?
Nick: Just open it.
Lulu: What is it?
Nick: It's a certificate… from the program.
Lulu: A certificate?
Nick: Yeah. I graduated.
Lulu: Oh, I see. It's been thirty days.
Nick: Right.
Lulu: Well, congratulations on completing your program.
Nick: Thank you. You know, Lulu, I was wondering… about us.
Lulu: What about us?
Nick: If we could just try…
Lulu: Try?
Nick: Right. Try.
Lulu: (Shakes her head) No.
Nick: Lulu…
Lulu: No.
Nick: Just try.
Lulu: Because you have a certificate?
Nick: Well, not just that…
Lulu: That's just a piece of paper, Nick.
Nick: Right.
Lulu: And it's only been thirty days.
Scene: Nick's house—dining room—later same evening
Wind howls outside. Nick sits alone—the certificate on the table in front of him between his outstretched hands—just staring off into space. Alvin knocks and enters.
Alvin: Whew! That wind—it's really somethin'.
Nick shoves the certificate aside.
Alvin: You have your certificate.
Nick: Uh… yeah. Yeah.
Alvin: Congratulations. (Nick shrugs) Mind if I sit? Thirty days. That's progress.
Nick: (Sighs) Progress.
Alvin: It's amazing what you did. Finishing all those steps in so short a time.
Nick: You know, Alvin, to be honest with you, I…
Alvin: Nick… I've been through this before. And this… this acceleration thing…?
Nick: Yeah?
Alvin: Is crap.
Nick: Crap?
Alvin: Crap. Because you just… you have to surrender to the problem, Nick. At least admit you have one.
Nick: (Angrily jumps up, grabs the certificate and walks to the kitchen) You know… Alvin, you know what?
Alvin: Yeah?
Nick: I didn't… I didn't save your life…
Alvin: Okay.
Nick: So… so… you can stop comin' around here. (Lays the certificate on the counter—rubs his forehead)
Alvin: I've… recovered before, Nick. That's all I'm saying.
Nick: Yeah.
Alvin: It's something you do for the rest of your life. It's not something you can speed up… unless you want the rest of your life to, uh… I don't know… go faster… or just go away.
Nick looks at Alvin. Alvin leaves. Nick picks up the certificate, looks at it, tosses it aside.
Scene: Shelter—hallway—morning
Lulu waits. Connor walks up.
Lulu: Hey. You ready? (No response) Uh… after the funeral, the woman from the shelter, here, is gonna take you to your cousin's for the reception. Okay? (Connor looks dejected) How ya doin'?
Connor: I don't like it here.
Lulu: (Nods) I know. I'm sorry, Connor.
Connor: (Emotionally) I just wanna go home. Just want my dad.
Lulu: (Empathetic) Come on. (Puts her hand on his shoulder as they walk out)
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—Lulu's office
Nick knocks.
Lulu: Come in.
Surprised to find Suzanne there.
Nick: Uh, I'm sorry. Uhm… am I interrupting something?
Suzanne: Nope. I was just leaving. I'll talk to you later. (Makes a hurried exit without looking at Nick)
Nick: You called this morning?
Lulu: (Very businesslike) Yeah. Uh… have a seat. (He sits) I think it's okay for you to start taking cases again.
Nick: (Sits rigidly in the chair) Good.
Lulu: Right. So… uh… there's a man. His name is Alfred Kingston. Uhm… he was wrongfully convicted of rape and he served ten years of a hundred year sentence before the DNA test cleared him of the charges.
Nick: Okay.
Lulu: He wants custody of his son… but the problem is… the wife. She's kinda moved on and Alfred's just wondering how he's gonna get his kid back.
Nick: Okay. Got it. Thank you. (Takes the file)
Lulu: He's waiting for you outside.
He exits and walks through the bullpen. Sees Cliff in the meeting room as he passes then notices his new client.
Nick: Mr. Kingston? (He nods—they shake hands) Nick Fallin. I understand that you were exonerated.
Kingston: Yeah.
Nick: Come with me.
Nick shows him to his office. Alvin exits the meeting room with Cliff Jenkins. Fade out….
END OF EPISODE
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