Scene 20 - Mary Phones Home

(Camera is across a sparsely busy highway. Telephoto shot of Bruce's car, parked next to a phone booth, tail lights facing the camera. Traffic intermittently interrupts camera's view. As scene opens, Mary jumps out of passerger's side, slams door, and runs up to pay phone.)

(Close up of Mary entering phone booth. She sloses the door, lifts receiver, puts money in, dials.)

Mary: Hi, Mom!... Yep... Dolores Mission... almost... Yep... Guess what?... We get to go to New Mexico... Uh huh... Yeah... Just like you and Dad... It's hot down here... I'm with Bruce.. You know... Um, no... Listen to this, Mom.. (plays Mary Had a Little Lamb with touch keypad of phone) Hey, you got it! We should put you on Name That Tune... A single, a triple. Almost went all the way. Next play I scored. Uh huh. Huh huh... Wait... (Mary fumbles for chinge in her pocket) Shit... Sorry.. (Puts hand over phone, looks to Bruce's car, yells) Hey!

(Bruce is sitting in the car, listening to radio. He looks up as Mary calls to him, then sticks his head out of car window.)

Mary: I need more change.

(Bruce opens car door, gets out, fumbling for change.)

(We hear car door slam as we see Mary gesturing for Bruce to hurry. She speaks to the Operator.)

Mary: Okay, just a sec... (Bruce approaches.)

(Bruce comes up, hands her a lot of change. Very brief incredulous close up of Bruce opening his hand to reveal a fistful of Kennedy half dollars for Mary to pick from. Mary abruptly takes change in hand as she cradles the phone. She adeptly takes what she needs, puts change in phone slot, then takes Bruce's hand as she switches the phone to her other hand.)

Mary: Hello, Mom? Still there? Wow, what a hassle... Bruce. (She looks up to him, smiles. Bruce returns the look.) Want to talk to him?

(Bruce makes face of dread, shakes head emphatically.)

(Mary hands him the phone. He looks at it for a spell, then takes the receiver.)

Bruce: Yes, Mrs. Born... All right, CLAIRE... Yes, the girls played exceptionally well. Your daughter is a star... Oh she had a couple of key plays... School luncheon?... Oh, yes! I look forward to it... Face to face... At last... Okay, then... Claire... Here let me reconnect you to your little lamb again.

(Bruce hands Mary the phone. She takes it, but doesn't let go of Bruce's hand. They change positions so that Bruce now has his arm around Mary, still holding her hand. He looks around, a little self-consciously.)

Mary: Huh? Oh, yeah, he's sweet... (She looks up at Bruce.) Say, Mom, we're going to be eating in the city to celebrate... whoever shows up... Nine o'clock or so?

(We see Mary's mom, Claire, for the first time. She is standing in a hallway. Claire is a pretty woman with dark hair. She is thirty eight years old.)

Claire: Well, you have a nice time, Dear. I'm very proud of you. Your Dad would be, too. I'll see you tonight, but remember you have school tomorrow. I love you, Sweetheart. Okay, bye.

(Claire hangs up phone, walks away.)

(Mary hangs up phone, places Bruce's arms around her waist, smiles, leans back, holding her arms out to her side, letting them hang. She looks up at Bruce, sideways, smiling.)

Bruce: Momma's little jewel...