EXT – RURAL CHESTER COUNTY FARMHOUSE – LATE MORNING
Lucas is behind the wheel of a 1970s Ford Bronco. The car has been restored, and appears in near mint condition, while having no showy or gaudy enhancements. Huckleberry is riding in the back, head sticking out of the rear window. The car slows at a driveway that cuts between two long rows of post and rail fences. The car pulls into the cinder drive, and slowly pulls up to a stone farmhouse. Lucas parks in front of a free standing garage, and gets out of the truck. He walks to the back of the truck, and opens the tailgate to let Huck out. In the distance there is the sound of barking dogs, and then they appear in the distance. Huck races in their direction, and Lucas follows, following a well worn dirt path that divides two fields. Coming down the path behind her own dogs is APRIL WALKER. She is in her fifties, dressed in country elegance, jeans and a Barbour jacket. Her hair is silver and pulled back, a contrast to the deep tan on her face. She is carrying a basket under one arm. April and Lucas meet through the whirlwind of dog interaction.
APRIL
Good morning Lucas. Here to drop off my grandson for the weekend?
LUCAS
As always.
APRIL
Want an apple? I just picked them.
April tilts the basket in Lucas’s direction, and reveals a dozen apples. Lucas hesitates, and April picks one out of the basket, and takes a large bite. She smiles.
LUCAS
All right. Here, give me the basket. I’ll carry it.
Lucas takes the basket from April selects an apple, and they begin to walk back down the path towards the house.
APRIL
Some news about your father.
LUCAS
I’m surprised you know. Watching Sportscenter these days?
APRIL
Can’t miss it in the paper. Or online for that matter. I don’t pay any attention, but I was surprised. He always said he never wanted to be a coach.
LUCAS
That was before people stopped paying attention to him.
APRIL
I don’t know. All you baseball players can’t give it up. Want to sit in the clubhouse all day, every day, die in the clubhouse. Have your funeral in the clubhouse.
LUCAS
What do you mean you baseball players?
APRIL
You and your father. You spend every day in a bar surrounded by baseball, talking to people about baseball. It would be exhausting for a civilian.
LUCAS
A civilian? Did you just come up with that?
APRIL
Maybe the term, but not the theory. You know I put my time in Lucas.
LUCAS
I know mom.
APRIL
And, it wasn’t all bad. That’s not what I want you to think. It was good times mostly. I just worry about you. I know your father lost something when he couldn’t play anymore. I just think you might have lost more. You haven’t been the same since, and I worry. I don’t want you standing behind that bar forever thinking it’s going to replace what you lost.
Lucas and April arrive at the steps to the house. They walk up onto the front porch, and April pauses to remove her boots. She sets them neatly next to the door.
LUCAS
(after a pause)
So what kind of apples are these anyway? We talking red delicious? Some fancy hybrid? Are you conducting experiments out in that orchard?
APRIL
(shaking her head)
Such a masterful change of topic Lucas, the curiosity in the apples seems so genuine. You can leave them on the table by the way. I don’t know what I’m going to do with them yet.
April gestures towards a wooden picnic table that sits on the far end of the porch. Lucas sets the apples on the table, and then follows his mother into the house through a screen door.
INT – FARMHOUSE KITCHEN
April has taken off her coat, and is staring into an open refrigerator. Lucas sits at a breakfast table flipping through a newspaper. The kitchen is new but not overly modern, wooden cabinets, large island, stainless steel appliances.
APRIL
Would you like a sandwich or something? Have you eaten anything all day?
Lucas holds up a half-eaten apple.
APRIL
Something of substance?
LUCAS
I had the majority of a pop-tart this morning.
APRIL
Sounds delicious. I have ham, and turkey, or do you want a grilled cheese? I have some muenster. I have those chicken patties that the guy in the frozen foods truck sells. They take a while, you want an iced tea? I made sun tea.
LUCAS
Who eats all this food?
Lucas gets up from the table, and looks over April’s shoulder into the refrigerator. She takes the iced tea off the shelf, and ducks under his arm, out of the way.
APRIL
I like variety. It’s not like there is pounds of lunchmeat in there. Do you want the iced tea?
LUCAS
Uh huh.
APRIL
Are you going to make a grilled cheese? Do you want the pan out?
LUCAS
No, I’ll just have a ham sandwich. Where’s the cheese?
April comes back over the refrigerator, puts the iced tea back and pulls the cheese out of a drawer, and hands it to Lucas.
LUCAS CONT
Where’s the?
April takes a bottle of mustard off a shelf, and puts it in his other hand. She goes to the far side of the island and sits in a stool. Lucas closes the refrigerator, and spreads the sandwich ingredients on the island. He pulls a knife from a drawer, and takes a loaf of bread from a basket.
APRIL
Where’s Jill this morning? I thought she might be by.
LUCAS
(trailing off)
She was running a little late for class.
Lucas spreads mustard on a piece of bread, and then wipes the knife clean with his finger. He tastes the mustard with interest, and then puts the knife in the sink.
APRIL
Are the two of you getting along? She seems like a nice girl. In as much as you go out of your way to see we don’t spend too much time together.
LUCAS
Mom, I just don’t want you to get the wrong impression.
APRIL
You mean you don’t want Jill to get the wrong impression.
LUCAS
I don’t want anyone to get any impression. Jill is just Jill. She’s always the same. That’s what’s good about her.
APRIL
That doesn’t sound very interesting.
LUCAS
Interesting is overrated. I haven’t been ring shopping or anything Mom, if that is where you are meandering to.
APRIL
When do you think you will be ready to meet a girl that you could possibly, conceivably, see yourself maybe wanting to get married to? Will I still be alive?
LUCAS
How old are you?
April laughs, and Lucas does as well after taking a bite of the sandwich.
APRIL
You are such a smart ass. Ok, no girls, no father, what are we supposed to talk about?
LUCAS
Let’s talk about you. You have a date tomorrow? Some gentleman caller? Is Huck going to be properly supervised?
APRIL
(defensive)
You know that I don’t, and he will be.
LUCAS
Mom, when do you think, I mean when do you possibly see yourself being ready to date a guy? Is this going to happen in my lifetime?
APRIL
Okay, I get the point. God you are bad. You weren’t like this when you were a child. Maybe because you spent twenty four hours a day outside. I won’t ask any more questions about Jill. She does seem like a nice girl though, Lucas. So pretty too. I just envision grandchildren, and it gets me excited.
LUCAS
Well that’s what Huck is for. You can envision him for a while.
APRIL
I guess he’ll have to do.
Lucas nods his head as he finishes his sandwich. He balls up a napkin, and tosses it in a trashcan.
APRIL CONT
Do you want some more tea? A cookie or something?
LUCAS
No, I’ve got to get out of here. Probably a big lunch rush today, regulars sitting around watching the news conference talking about 1985.
Lucas comes around the island, and gives his mother a quick hug
APRIL
Ok, well I’ll see you Sunday right? Maybe bring Jill and you can stay for dinner?
LUCAS
Probably not. I’ll see you Sunday mom. Come out and corral the dogs while I leave?
Lucas begins to leave the kitchen.
APRIL
Ok, But maybe you’ll stay for dinner?
LUCAS
Ok, maybe
April gets up, and follows Lucas out of the kitchen.
3-Putt Territory 