Infinitely Polar Bear Page #3

CAM:

Goddamnit, Maggie! I am a man! I

am a man! Men like to screw!

That’s what we do!

MAGGIE:

Amelia, Faith. Cover your ears.

They don’t. They watch in disbelief as Cam pounds his chest

and roars unto the skies:

CAM (CONT'D)

That’s why we have balls!

Then he rips open the hood and reaches into the engine.

Maggie finds the right key, puts it in the ignition and turns

it. Nothing. She turns it again. Nothing.

Cam slams the hood down and grins through the windshield. He

comes around to her driver’s side window. His eyes are

bright and wet and insane. He holds the distributor cap.

CAM (CONT'D)

I’m never going to let you go. I

love you all too much.

Both girls stare at him, completely still. Cam looks back at

them and sees their terrified faces looking out at him and

his face changes. A profoundly sad expression comes over

him. An expression of regret.

8.

CAM:

I’m sorry.

He staggers backwards, puts his hands in front of his face

and sinks to the driveway cross-legged. He doesn’t move.

INT. SAAB. LATER

Maggie sits in the backseat, between the girls. Faith is on

her knees, braiding her mother’s hair. Amelia looks out the

window. Cam hasn’t moved. His bare shoulders are beet red.

AMELIA:

He’s sitting on the gravel and all

he’s wearing is a bathing suit.

MAGGIE:

Sweetie, your father is very sick

right now. He’s not himself.

AMELIA:

He’s really sunburned.

MAGGIE:

Listen. Look at me.

She does.

MAGGIE (CONT'D)

I don’t want you to tell your

friends or teachers about any of

this. We know your father’s a good

person and he would never hurt us,

but it’s hard for people to

understand and it’s very sad.

Okay? Okay?

Amelia nods.

EXT. DRIVEWAY. DUSK

Two policeman lay a blanket over Cam’s shoulders and help him

into the back of their police car. Cam is docile and does

not resist. The girls watch from an upstairs bedroom.

INT. MCLEAN HOSPITAL VISITING ROOM. DAY

Maggie and the girls sit side-by-side on the couch of the

visiting room of McLean Hospital.

9.

Amelia is engrossed in “Watership Down.” Faith is making two

Barbie dolls kiss passionately and whispering. The room is

pale green, filled with tranquil watercolors.

A nurse holds the door open. Cam enters. He moves slowly

and he is hunched over, bloated and slow. He has a shaggy

beard. He wears an oversized stained t-shirt with an idiotic

logo and sweatpants. His hands tremble.

AMELIA/FAITH

Daddy!

They run to him and hug him around the waist. He pats their

heads with swollen hands. His speech is thick and slurred.

CAM:

Little. Big Little. I loved your

letters. I’m feeling much better.

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