A MAN IN THE SON
Written by Kwyn Bader
and
Eugene Ashe
FORTY ACRES AND A MULE FILMWORKS
2001 - 2003
“Great script. We need to make it.”
Spike Lee
to Kwyn
regarding
A MAN IN THE SON
A screenplay developed by Kwyn’s Mighty Inc. and Homecoming director Eugene Ashe in partnership with Spike Lee’s Forty Acres and Mule Filmworks, A MAN IN THE SON is a father-son story filled with pathos and humor. In the following scene, Cassius, a newly single dad tries to watch a ball game with his buddies...
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
Cassius sits on the couch watching the Knicks game with Ron, and JERRY, thirty, white guy from work.
RON: (watching game):
Come on! You gonna let them just D-up on you like that?
Kharik joins with half a glass of milk and a milk mustache.
KHARIK:
Dad, can I watch the game with you?
CASSIUS:
Ah-ight, but don’t ask me a million questions
LATER
KHARIK:
Dad?
CASSIUS:
(interested in the game): What?
KHARIK:
What’s an assist?
CASSIUS:
It’s when one player helps another player get a basket.
FEW MOMENTS LATER
KHARIK:
Dad?
CASSIUS:
(trying to concentrate): Yeah?
KHARIK:
What’s a “Double Triple”?
CASSIUS:
It’s a “Triple Double”. It’s when a player gets double figures in rebounds, points, and assists.
MOMENTS LATER
KHARIK:
Dad?
CASSIUS: (losing patience):
Yeah?
KHARIK:
I’m bored.
CASSIUS:
Alright, why don’t you go take your bath?
KHARIK:
Can I play with my Action Men in the tub?
CASSIUS:
Yeah, go ahead.
Kharik exits. LATER It is the fourth quarter. The game is tied. A Knick is at the foul line.
JERRY:
Come on, man. (beat) Yo, Ron, you got cologne on?
RON:
Naw, I can smell it though. Yo, Cass, what’s that smell?
Cassius smells at the air. He gets up, and walks to the BATHROOM. Kharik stands wearing just a towel. He is splashing a whole bottle of Cass’s cologne on himself. Cass snatches the bottle from him.
CASSIUS:
Whew! Boy, what are you doin’?!
KHARIK:
I was puttin’ on some cologne.
CASSIUS:
You used the whole bottle! That cologne cost fifty dollars! Yo, you gotta take another bath.
KHARIK:
But the water’s dirty.
Cassius sticks his hand in the bath water and pulls out the drain stop. Nothing happens.
CASSIUS:
How come the water’s not drainin’?
KHARIK:
I don’t know.
LATER
CASSIUS:
What did you do to the tub?
KHARIK:
Nothin’.
The SUPERINTENDENT is bent over the tub with a SNAKE. He stands up holding an ACTION MAN.
SUPER:
(thick Polish accent) This is problem. Maybe, little man try to swim away, then get stuck in drain pipe.
LIVING ROOM
Cassius returns. The post game wrap up is on the TV. Ron and Jerry are about to leave.
JERRY:
You missed one hell of a game.
RON:
We won by a trey with .05 in OT!
Kharik joins. Ron looks at him, then at Cass, and starts to crack up laughing as him and Jerry exit.