Legacy

(2nd draft)
By

Patrick Biggs
EXT.PLAYGROUND. DAY
WENDY, 30’s, proudly alternates between watching children on
the jungle-gym and working a small sewing project.

ROD, mid 30’s, curious as an anthropologist, approaches the

SWINGS. He watches a FATHER, hip H&M 40’s, put his LITTLE
GIRL into a swing and begin pushing her.
The two men smile at each other.

FATHER 1
Hey bro. Who do you belong to?
ROD
Oh, I was taking a walk and decided
to just sit down for a minute.

FATHER 1
(trying to be cool)
oh, that’s fine. I mean it’s cool
if you hang out for a breather, but
did you see the sign?

ROD
Yeah I did. I just thought---
FATHER 1
No, no, no, It’s cool! It’s just
that you’re not supposed to be in
here unless you’re accompanied by a
child---
ROD
Yeah, I know. I read the sign---
FATHER 1
It’s a safety measure---
ROD
I didn’t mean to break any rules---
FATHER 1
I mean, it’s cool, but the sign
says---

ROD
I know, I know. My apologies---
FATHER 1
No, it’s cool! It’s just, you
know, my wife sits on the
neighborhood watch and she get’s
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.

FATHER 1 (cont’d)
all agro when people don’t read
signs, you know?
ROD
I’m sorry. I’ll just be leaving.
FATHER 1
Okay. I think that’s best.
Rod turns and smacks into the METAL POLE of the
swing-set. He staggers and bends double.
Rod stands up. Father 1, hands out, follows Rod’s sway.
ROD
I’m okay. I’m going.

Rod, bent over, makes his way out of the play area.
Father 1 goes to a group of PARENTS, who turn to watch Rod
leave. Father 1 mimes the accident.

Wendy, smiling, watches the children.

INT.WAITING ROOM.DAY
Rod leans over the waiting room counter to talk to the
nurse. He has a large BANDAGE on his forehead.
ROD
Excuse me. I just got this in the
mail. It says I have low
motility? What’s that?

NURSE
The ability to move spontaneously
and actively towards an egg---

Rod hands the nurse his sheet.

ROD
Is it because I masturbated? It
also says that my sperm wasn’t able
to withstand the freezing process.

NURSE
(reading)
Sir, you’re not supposed to
ejaculate three days prior to a
sample test day.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.

ROD
I know, I know. But it says that
I’ve been rejected for low sperm
count. I don’t really have---

NURSE
I’m not your doctor, so I couldn’t
tell you that.
ROD
Well, can I just start over?

NURSE
I’m sorry, you can’t start over.
Once you’ve been tested those
results are final.

ROD
Is there another clinic I can---
NURSE
And you’re in our national data
base so there is no other clinic,
ours or otherwise. I’m sorry sir.
The nurse hands back the sheet.
Rod stands broken and in a daze.

NURSE
Oh, wait. I forgot to give you
your photo back.
Rod collects the PHOTO.

Rod stops at the door and checks his reflection. He removes

the bandage and examines a small cut and bruise on his
forehead. He folds the bandage and drops it in the waste
bin.

INT.ROD’S.DAY
Rod’s apartment is full of stacked LABELED BOXES. The
apartment is decorated functionally and is well lived-in.

Rod changes from UNIFORM to street clothes. Switching SOCKS

Rod notices his TOENAILS are long.
Rod clips his toe nails. He follows with his finger nails.
Rod cleans up the pile of nails. Holding them above the
trash, Rod stops, dizzy, sways and rubs at his forehead.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.

He puts down the pile and goes searching through boxes.

From the box labeled "glass," Rod removes a CANNING JAR.
Unsure, Rod drops the nail clippings into the jar. He
removes a WRITING PAD from his pocket and writes "nails,
XXXX 2011" He folds the paper and puts it into the jar.
Something catches as Rod puts the pad back in his
pocket. He removes the photo.

Rod finds the box marked "Family History." He removes a

FOLDER and flips through to a marked spot. He fits the
photo into it’s space on the page. The photo is of Rod as a
child.
He flips back through the pages. Family trees are
diagrammed with photos or names. Back on his page, Rod
traced the blood line to his photo.
Rod contemplates the jar.

EXT.SPORTS FIELD.DUSK
Rod, in high spirits, walks the perimeter fence of the
game. YOUNG BOYS play soccer and PARENTS cheer from the
bleachers.

Rod watches the game then sees Wendy in the stands.

Rod approaches Wendy.
ROD
Who do you belong to?

WENDY
(proudly)
Peter. The goalie.

Rod watches PETER, 10 yrs old, fair haired and lanky.

ROD
Hey looks like a good kid.
WENDY
Oh, he is a good kid. He’s a
really good student.
ROD
Oh, yeah?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.

WENDY
Yeah. He’s good at math, the
sciences. He’s active, not like
some of these fat kids. And he’s
artistic too.

ROD
Oh, he’s artistic?
WENDY
Uh huh. He’s going to be in the
school play. Peter Pan. Isn’t
that perfect?
Wendy stands up.
WENDY
I’ve seen you at the
schools. Watching the kids. You
seem all right.
Wendy walks away. Rod, like a fugitive, tenses up when
Wendy mentions the schools. He watches he walk past the
concessions stand.
Peter blocks a kick. A YOUNG COUPLE cheers.
Rod, confused, follows Wendy. She has left the sports field
and is walking down the street. Rod catches up to her.

EXT.STREET.NIGHT
Rod catches up to Wendy.

WENDY
He reminds me of the little brother
I always prayed to God for.
Rod watches Wendy walk. She doesn’t seem to see anybody
else as she glides through crowds. Rod is amazed by her.
ROD
I was married before. My wife
wanted to adopt. She didn’t
understand.

WENDY
I was always waiting to fall in
love. I never married. I was
waiting for the right man to come
along. It wasn’t until I got too
old to be attractive that I
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.

WENDY (cont’d)
realized that there is no right
man. There aren’t even really good
men...
(as Wendy talks)

-They pass a TREE with low hanging FLOWERS and stop. Wendy
smells the flowers. Rod smells the flowers and has an
allergic reaction.
WENDY
(cont.)
...We’re all just shitty people
waiting for someone better to do
the right thing so we don’t have to
do it ourselves. And the only
reason anyone gets what they want
is because they take it...
(as Wendy talks)
-Wendy hands Rod a TISSUE. Rod has a sneezing fit. They
pass a TRASH CAN. Wendy motions at the can. Rod makes like
he is throwing away the tissue, but hides is and puts it in
his pocket.
WENDY
(cont.)
...And the only reason anyone keeps
what they take is because everyone
else is just so scared of life
they’d sooner just not be involved.
Wendy stops in front of a ICE CREAM SHOP.

WENDY
Do you want to get some ice cream?
Rod follows Wendy into the shop.

INT.WENDY’S.NIGHT
Rod and Wendy sit in a dark living room with a movie
playing. Wendy is asleep on Rod’s shoulder. Rod turns down
the volume.

He slips out from under Wendy.

Rod quietly examines Wendy’s apartment.
Light comes from under a door. Rod tests the handle.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.

WENDY
Are you looking for the bathroom?
Wendy stands behind Rod.
ROD
Oh. I was just leaving.
Rod tries to pass by Wendy. She pushes up against Rod and
kisses him on the mouth. Rod keeps his eyes open.

ROD
Thank you.
Rod leaves.
Wendy opens the door to the lit room. She goes in humming.

INT.AMBULANCE.DAY
The AMBULANCE screams down the street.

Rod, in a E.M.T. UNIFORM drives.

In back MEDICS try to revive a YOUNG BOY, preteen, in SWIM
TRUNKS, wet. FATHER 2 holds the Boy’s hand.
The Ambulance arrives at the HOSPITAL.

E.M.T. 1 passes Rod’s window shaking his head and makes the
swipe at his neck to say "dead."
Rod breaks down crying in the cab. When finished he
collects his TEARS in a JAR.

INT.ROD’S.DAY
Rod scrubs his body with a PED EGG, collecting the dry skin
into a jar.

He combs his hair, collecting the loose strands into a jar.

He places the jars onto a SHELF full of jars labeled "Feces
XXXX2010," "Nails XXXX2010," "Sweat XXXX2010," and so
on. The shelf is nearly full of jars.

He makes a label, "Tears XXXX2010."

 8.

INT.ROD’S.DAY
Rod scrubs his body with a ped egg, collecting the dry skin
into a jar. He combs his hair, collecting the loose strands
into a jar.

Rod places the jars onto a shelf full of jars labeled "feces
xxxx2010," "nails xxxx2010," "sweat xxxx2010," and so
on. The shelf is nearly full of jars.

EXT.FAST FOOD JOINT.DAY

Sitting on a curb in uniform, Rod sips a drink. He
intentionaly scratches his hand raw.

EXT.WENDY’S.NIGHT
Rod is dressed formally. Wendy answers in an apron.

INT.WENDY’S.NIGHT

They sit at a table eating spaghetti. They talk and laugh.

They watch a movie. Wendy falls asleep. Rod goes to the door
that was lit.

He goes in. The room has shelves of DOLLS. On a sewing board

are miniature dresses. Beads in jars. Fabric in jars. A
child size mannequin. A book shelf full of National
Geographic. Rod opens a BINDER. Picture of children and
fabric matching children’s garments.

Rod notices a scab on his hand. He picks it off and puts it

into a mini baggy from his pocket that has other scabs.
He leaves and goes to Wendy. She wakes and puts things away.

WENDY
Oh, you’re hand’s bleeding.
Rod notices. She takes his hand to the sink. Rod panics.
ROD
No no no!
Wendy tugs him to the sink.
Rod gives in as Wendy rinses the raw spot.

Rod watches the blood run down the drain.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.

Wendy dries his hand with a paper towel. Rod watches every
movement. Wendy puts the blood spotted paper towel on the
counter. She opens a drawer and fishes out a BAND-AID and
neosporin. She puts on the band aid.

WENDY
That’s a big one for such a little
cut.
She removes the band-aid and applies a smaller on. She puts
the spent band-aid on the paper towel. She throws them both
away. She ties up the trash bag and puts it by the door.
Rod pushes a button on his BEEPER and it beeps.
ROD
I’ve got to go. I’m on call.

Rod leaves.
Wendy, stunned, cleans up.

EXT. WENDY’S - NIGHT/DAY

Rod paces.
The night passes to day.

Wendy exits with little trash bag. Rod watches her, but a
truck passes when she goes to toss it in a can. There are
three cans. She walks inside. Rod waits a beat before going
to the cans. Rod goes through the cans looking for the
band-aid and towel. He makes a mess. He finds a used tampon
and is disgusted. He finds it all and is relieved.