The Butler Page #2

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SEQUENCE:
Cecil traveling through the Southern countryside.

He walks through the rain, alone, hungry and desperate.

CECIL V.O. (CONT’D)

No one would give me a job, or

food, or a place to sleep. I was

hungry all the time.

EXT. STREET INTO TOWN - MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT - 1933

Cecil walks into a town and passes by two lynched men hanging

from a pole (the opening of the film). Cecil stares at them,

terrified.

CECIL V.O.

Any white man could kill any of us

at any time and not be punished for

it. The law wasn’t on our side. The

law was against us.

EXT. HOTEL RESTAURANT - MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT - 1933

Cecil creeps down the street through the pouring rain.

Paranoid, he looks over his shoulder. He peers in a window of

the restaurant, sees an elaborate array of succulent pies and

cakes resting on the counter.

CECIL V.O.

And even though I knew the law was

against me...

He gazes in, then suddenly SMASHES the window with his fist!

INT. HOTEL RESTAURANT - NIGHT - 1933

His wrist gashed and spilling blood, Cecil heads toward the

pastry laced counter. He devours a frosted coconut creme

cake. He sees his blood drip into the frosting.

Cecil catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror behind the

counter. The hunger in his eyes, blood mixed with white

frosting against his black skin are a site of the macabre.

CECIL V.O.

...I never knew I could be this

hungry.

Then a VOICE calls out from across the room.

6.

VOICE:

You know what could happen to you

son?

Clutching the cake like a rabid dog, Cecil turns to MAYNARD,

late 50’s, a freckled-faced, gentle-looking light-skinned

black man.

MAYNARD:

Get up. I said get up.

EXT. ALLEY WAY - DAWN - 1933

Cecil and Maynard sit on the kitchen stoop outside the

restaurant. Cigarette dangling, Maynard bandages Cecil’s

wrist.

MAYNARD:

I’m going to have to lie to the

boss man about that window. Good

lord says you aint supposed to lie.

CECIL:

Sorry sir.

MAYNARD:

Where’s your ma and your pa?

CECIL:

My Ma crazy in the head and my Pa

got killed.

MAYNARD:

I’ma make you some ham sandwiches

and send you on your way. The boss

will be here any minute. Sunday’s

our busiest morning.

CECIL:

You looking for some help? I know

how to serve.

MAYNARD:

(laughing)

You done broke our window. You done

stole our food. And now you asking

for a job?

CECIL:

(proudly)

Back in Macon, I’ma house n*gger.

A good one.

7.

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