SCENE 5
EXT. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Grady (11) and cronies crouch under a lilac bush below their 5th grade teacher’s open window. Great restraint required to hide their building excitement.
INT. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- CLASSROOM — CONTINUOUS
Teacher Cindy Evans (28) dreads this next meeting. She’s a perky Ms. Optimism when it comes to her students but this time…
Jeff Smith, a man more used to wrestling calves than holding his tongue with a teacher or ex-girlfriend, plops down in a chair.
SMITH: Okay Cindy, what’s the bottom line with the kid? Let’s not make this more painful for either of us.
EVANS: Excuse me Jeff, I mean Mr. Smith, as his uncle you don’t have — (beat) where are Grady’s parents?
SMITH: Let’s just say they’re detained.
EVANS: I don’t understand. Just saw them yesterday —
SMITH (leans close to Evans, lowers voice): Got mixed up in some shopping cart rage in Beaufort Piggly Wiggly. Some fool played chicken with their cart, unmentionable words thrown down and all hell broke loose. Groceries flying everywhere. Just went plain berserko I tell you.
EVANS (frowning): Didn’t hear any of this on the news
SMITH: If you’d rather, county jail has decent conference rooms.
EVANS: Sorry, apparent anger management issues. That might explain some of Grady’s behavior. He struggles with authority. Doesn’t listen to instructions. Instigated a —
SMITH: Go on, he instigated what?
EVANS: A massive food fight. Unfortunately the wrong teacher got nailed with chocolate pudding and pizza. Mrs. Willows.
SMITH (fakes a sympathetic head shake): Is she okay?
EVANS: Demands Grady be suspended.
SMITH: Can’t have him following his parents’ footsteps, can we? Isn’t there something you can do? Poor kid needs a break. Parents in the slammer (beat), being stuck with me.
EVANS (under her breath): Use to have same problem.
SMITH: Don’t take this out on the kid because you and I are at odds.
EVANS: At odds? We’re history- not even recent!
SMITH (softly): Give him a break. Start with clean slate?
EVANS: You’ll follow through on this? I mean it; make sure he understands the consequences should this happen again?
SMITH: Done!
He rises, tips an imaginary hat toward Cindy.
SMITH (continuous): Good to see you again.
EXT. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Grady and cronies sneak out from bushes, stifling giggles.
GRADY (wide grin): Another stellar performance uncle!
SMITH: Yeah, she still cares. Who wants ice cream?