walk back towards the party together.
JOHN
I’ll be out of the army before you’re out of school. I’ll be right there in the audience when you graduate.
SAVANNAH
Graduation may take me a little longer now, though. I think I’m gonna switch majors.
(off his look)
It just hit me this week, actually, spending all that time with your Dad. You’re gonna laugh but -- I want to teach special education. I want to help people.
John does laugh.
JOHN
You don’t say.
SAVANNAH
I don’t know why it took me so long to realize it. I grew up next door to Alan. He’s always been drawn to me for some reason, and--
But John interrupts her. Something is nagging at him.
JOHN
What does hanging around my Dad have to do with anything?
Savannah pauses. Takes a breath, looks for the right words.
SAVANNAH
Well... I just think there’s an explanation for why he is the way he is...
(off his darkening face)
You know what? Forget it. Come here.
She tries to kiss him, but John shrugs her away.
JOHN
Savannah. What are you saying?
SAVANNAH
I dunno, okay? I guess I’m just saying I grew up next door to a boy with autism, so I kinda have a frame of reference here--
JOHN
Whoa whoa. Autism? Wait, you think my Dad’s like Alan? You think he’s retarded or something?
SAVANNAH
Alan isn’t retarded , John, he’s severely autistic. But there are milder cases, ones that go undiagnosed all the time -- there’s something called Asperger’s Syndrome, and I think your Dad may--
JOHN
So that’s what you’ve been doing this whole time, isn’t it? You’ve been studying him.
SAVANNAH
No, John, that’s not true--
JOHN
I’ve lived with him my whole life, okay? I’ve put up with him my whole life. I know he’s not normal. You think I need you to tell me he’s not normal?
She grabs at his hand, but he rips it from her, then turns and walks away.
SAVANNAH
John, wait! John!
49 EXT. PARKING AREA -- DAY
Randy sits on the back of his truck with a cooler full of beer. He sees John stalk back towards the house.
RANDY
Leaving so soon, big guy?
John just keeps walking, in no mood to chat. Randy stands up, a little bit drunk.
RANDY
You need to relax, my friend.
Here, have a beer, join the party.
(tosses John a beer)
Incoming.
The can just hits John on the chest, drops to the ground. He glares at Randy, who finds it funny even though he probably shouldn’t.
Then Randy glances past him, sees Savannah emerge from the dunes, distressed and upset.
RANDY
Whoa, what happened to her?
JOHN
Just get out of my way.
RANDY
Ho, slow down, tough guy. Let me make sure she’s okay...
JOHN
And then what? What are you gonna do if she’s not?
(off his silence)
Get out of my way. I’m not gonna ask you again.
John tries to walk through him, but Randy doesn’t budge. John takes a deep breath -- then walks around Randy -- but Randy steps in front of him.
So John tries to step around him --
-- and Randy makes the mistake of pushing him back with one hand.
So John snaps. He snatches his hand, yanks it behind Randy’s back, gives him a quick, debilitating shot to the solar plexis.
Susan’s boyfriend Jerry jumps off the truck and charges at John, but one quick right jab sends him straight into the sand too.
Then there’s a voice from behind -- HEY! -- and then a hand on John’s shoulder -- and John reflexively swings his elbow up -- causing a nose to audibly CRUNCH.
John turns to find Tim, already sunk to his knees, his nose already a bloody mess. It’s all over in a few seconds.
Savannah hurries up, takes in all three guys, crumpled over and in pain. She looks up at John, aghast.
SAVANNAH
What’d you do?
John looks back at her. Regret already flashes on his face. But there’s nothing he can say. So --
50 EXT. ROAD -- DUSK
John tromps down the side of the road. Headlights from the occasional car illuminate him as they pass by.
But this time, none stop for him. John walks home,
JOHN
I’ll be out of the army before you’re out of school. I’ll be right there in the audience when you graduate.
SAVANNAH
Graduation may take me a little longer now, though. I think I’m gonna switch majors.
(off his look)
It just hit me this week, actually, spending all that time with your Dad. You’re gonna laugh but -- I want to teach special education. I want to help people.
John does laugh.
JOHN
You don’t say.
SAVANNAH
I don’t know why it took me so long to realize it. I grew up next door to Alan. He’s always been drawn to me for some reason, and--
But John interrupts her. Something is nagging at him.
JOHN
What does hanging around my Dad have to do with anything?
Savannah pauses. Takes a breath, looks for the right words.
SAVANNAH
Well... I just think there’s an explanation for why he is the way he is...
(off his darkening face)
You know what? Forget it. Come here.
She tries to kiss him, but John shrugs her away.
JOHN
Savannah. What are you saying?
SAVANNAH
I dunno, okay? I guess I’m just saying I grew up next door to a boy with autism, so I kinda have a frame of reference here--
JOHN
Whoa whoa. Autism? Wait, you think my Dad’s like Alan? You think he’s retarded or something?
SAVANNAH
Alan isn’t retarded , John, he’s severely autistic. But there are milder cases, ones that go undiagnosed all the time -- there’s something called Asperger’s Syndrome, and I think your Dad may--
JOHN
So that’s what you’ve been doing this whole time, isn’t it? You’ve been studying him.
SAVANNAH
No, John, that’s not true--
JOHN
I’ve lived with him my whole life, okay? I’ve put up with him my whole life. I know he’s not normal. You think I need you to tell me he’s not normal?
She grabs at his hand, but he rips it from her, then turns and walks away.
SAVANNAH
John, wait! John!
49 EXT. PARKING AREA -- DAY
Randy sits on the back of his truck with a cooler full of beer. He sees John stalk back towards the house.
RANDY
Leaving so soon, big guy?
John just keeps walking, in no mood to chat. Randy stands up, a little bit drunk.
RANDY
You need to relax, my friend.
Here, have a beer, join the party.
(tosses John a beer)
Incoming.
The can just hits John on the chest, drops to the ground. He glares at Randy, who finds it funny even though he probably shouldn’t.
Then Randy glances past him, sees Savannah emerge from the dunes, distressed and upset.
RANDY
Whoa, what happened to her?
JOHN
Just get out of my way.
RANDY
Ho, slow down, tough guy. Let me make sure she’s okay...
JOHN
And then what? What are you gonna do if she’s not?
(off his silence)
Get out of my way. I’m not gonna ask you again.
John tries to walk through him, but Randy doesn’t budge. John takes a deep breath -- then walks around Randy -- but Randy steps in front of him.
So John tries to step around him --
-- and Randy makes the mistake of pushing him back with one hand.
So John snaps. He snatches his hand, yanks it behind Randy’s back, gives him a quick, debilitating shot to the solar plexis.
Susan’s boyfriend Jerry jumps off the truck and charges at John, but one quick right jab sends him straight into the sand too.
Then there’s a voice from behind -- HEY! -- and then a hand on John’s shoulder -- and John reflexively swings his elbow up -- causing a nose to audibly CRUNCH.
John turns to find Tim, already sunk to his knees, his nose already a bloody mess. It’s all over in a few seconds.
Savannah hurries up, takes in all three guys, crumpled over and in pain. She looks up at John, aghast.
SAVANNAH
What’d you do?
John looks back at her. Regret already flashes on his face. But there’s nothing he can say. So --
50 EXT. ROAD -- DUSK
John tromps down the side of the road. Headlights from the occasional car illuminate him as they pass by.
But this time, none stop for him. John walks home,
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