Trees - 2nd Installment

EXT – TREE FIELD – MORNING

The boys reach the trees, which are still covered in snow. They begin to pat everything off, sending clouds of snow flying all around.

KEITH
Where’d you suppose Matt is?

DAVE
Who knows?

LOUIS
Do you think he’s all right? Maybe he’s sick.

DAVE
Louis, whenever anything involves getting up early,
Matt’s sick.

KEITH
He couldn’t help us haul the trees cause he was
“sick”.

DAVE
He’ll show up around noon.

KEITH
“Feeling much better.”

DAVE nods. They continue patting.

KEITH
D’you think Mr. Thomson makes Matt and Chris do
knots at home?

DAVE
Ha! “C’mon guys, you can have some ice cream if you
can tie a lark's head hitch for me.”

KEITH and DAVE laugh.

LOUIS
I like the square knot. That’s easy.

He mimes tying it.

DAVE
You’ll have to show me some day.

KEITH
Dave, you don’t know the square knot?

DAVE
I just don’t do knots well. I can’t figure out
those diagrams and Mr Thomson’s breath is too
strong. All I want to do is get away from him.

LOUIS
He smokes a lot.

KEITH
My dad says he drinks too.

LOUIS
Wine?

DAVE
I think he starts with wine.

KEITH
I don’t get it, Dave. How have you got this far in Scouts
without being able to tie a knot?

DAVE
When it comes time to tying anything, we know to leave it
up to someone else.

KEITH
So, you’ve just avoided tying knots.

DAVE
I’ve gotten lucky.

Most of the trees have been patted down. The three converge on a very large green tree. It is probably about 8 feet high. Keith is around 5’ 7” but it still towers over him. They pat up it as well as they can.

LOUIS
My dad was thinking about buying this one.

KEITH
“The $50 giant?”

DAVE
Yeah. Last year they had one bigger than this.
It went for 60.

LOUIS
Who bought that?

K & D
No one.

The boys begin to walk back to the trailer.

DAVE
Mr. Klebes ended up buying it.

Mr T is outside the trailer. He is elaborately stretching with a cigarette in one hand. He is doing the “Ahhhh! It’s good to be alive but who really believes it” shtick. Kind of showing the boys that it’s good to be up this early doing something they really don’t want to do (except maybe LOUIS).

None of the boys are interested.

LOUIS goes inside the trailer to speak to his dad and get some cocoa.

MR T continues his over elaborate routine.

MR T
Ahh, boys. We’re warmin’ up the water. Have some cocoa
and coffee soon.

The boys nod. They begin to go inside.

MR T
So, what do you boys think? Is it going to be a good
selling day?

KEITH is able to make it through the door into the trailer. Unfortunately, Mr. T catches DAVE’s eye.

MR T
You up for some selling, Dave?

DAVE
I don’t really like selling, Mr. Thomson.

MR T puts his hand on Dave’s shoulder.

MR T
You’ll learn son, you’ll learn.

DAVE seems vaguely disturbed.

CUT TO

INT – TRAILER – MORNING

The interior gives new meaning to the word cramped. There are a couple of fold out chairs and a beat up card table. The table is covered with cups, strainers, packets of cocoa and an old sports section.

There is a small counter against the back wall. It’s right by the window, which continues to let cold air blow in. SVEL is trying to seal it off. There is a small hot plate with two burners: one for coffee, one for hot water.

LOUIS is standing next to it with a mug reading “CATHOLIC PARENTS GET TO THE [heart]!” There is a small plastic spoon poking out.

LOUIS
Now, Dad!

SVEL
It makes a noise when it’s done, Louis. Just give
it a minute.

KEITH begins to make himself some cocoa. Dave enters with a strange look on his face. He walks over to SVEL.

DAVE
Mr. Vyvenberg went through that?

SVEL
At just the right angle.

DAVE
I wouldn’t think he would fit.

SVEL
Well, he did.

DAVE
I wish we’d had a camera.

SVEL nods.

DAVE begins to prepare some cocoa. The kettle begins to make noise. SVEL pours out bowling water for the boys.

They begin stirring. LOUIS’s eyes light up with excitement. For him, this makes it all worth it. The other two aren’t as convinced but they clearly like their cocoa.

Everyone sits, sipping. Steam from breath and steam from cocoa and coffee mingle together, lovely. So peaceful…

It can only last for a moment.

There is a loud pound on the side of the trailer. It wobbles dangerously. There is another pound. The boys look towards it but don’t move.

SVEL stands. There is another pound.

EXT. – TRAILER – AM

SVEL leans out with coffee. He has a look at the pound. MR T, cig in hand, is pummeling the side and looking off into the distance.

SVEL
You’re going to knock the trailer over again.

MR T
Send one of the boys out! Customer!

SVEL looks up.