Infinitely Polar Bear Page #4

They are disturbed by his appearance.

AMELIA:

You are?

FAITH:

Your stomach is really big.

CAM:

That’s the medication they put me

on. Doesn’t hurt. Go on, hit it.

He stands tall and sticks his lithium gut out. They shake

their heads.

CAM:

Come on. Pound on it.

He slaps it again to show how hard it is. Amelia punches him

half-heartedly in the stomach. He tenses his muscles.

CAM (CONT’D)

Harder. Let’s go.

Amelia complies with a flurry of little fists. Cam shuffles

away from her.

CAM:

Okay, okay. Remember. Never do

that when Harry Houdini’s not

ready. That’s how they killed him.

Cam sits down across from Maggie and indicates for the girls

to climb into his lap. They do. He lights a cigarette with

unsteady hands and smiles at Maggie through the smoke.

10.

CAM:

You’re a sight for sore eyes.

MAGGIE:

What happened to the clothes I

brought you?

CAM:

There were too many buttons on

shirts. And...

(searching)

...latches on pants.

MAGGIE:

How are you feeling?

CAM:

(ruefully)

I feel great.

Maggie looks concerned.

MAGGIE:

You seemed better last week. Are

they adjusting your medication?

CAM:

Yeah, they’re trying something new

on me...

(standing up)

I want to sit down.

Cam starts shuffling around the room again.

CAM:

I want to sit down. I want to be

home with my family.

AMELIA:

You will, Daddy!

Cam smiles at them. Then, abruptly, he starts to sing,

stiffly.

CAM:

“When Daddy comes marching home

again, hurrah hurrah...

We’ll give him a hearty welcome

then, hurrah hurrah...

The men will cheer and the boys

will shout, hurrah hurrah...

the ladies they will all turn out,

hurrah hurrah...

And we’ll all...

(MORE)

11.

CAM (cont'd)

(pauses, re-sets)

“When Daddy comes marching home

again, hurrah hurrah...

He holds his arms out. The girls go to him and sing along.

ALL FOUR:

“We’ll give him a hearty welcome

then, hurrah hurrah...

The men will cheer and the boys

will shout, hurrah hurrah,

the ladies they will all turn out,

hurrah hurrah...

Their singing continues over:

EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX. DAY

Two large brick apartment buildings face each other across a

parking lot. It is an urban environment.

INT. APARTMENT. DAY

Maggie and the girls look around a vacant two-bedroom

apartment. It is clean and bright and sunny. Maggie nods at

the SUPERINTENDENT.

Amelia looks very worried. Maggie goes to the window and

points, trying to be upbeat.

MAGGIE:

Look, girls. There’s a swimming

pool. It’ll be open in the summer.

Amelia looks out. In between the two matching apartment

buildings is a pool enclosed by a chain link fence. Next to

the pool area is a concrete “park” area with metal picnic

tables. Across from the building they are in is the other

building, staring back at them.

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