| Episode 3.05 �Tequila Mockingbird and the Wisdom of John Denver� Written by Kasey M. Dunton and Danielle M. Rega (Teaser) (We open from a �previously on Sports Night�, Day I, Dana�s office. Casey is dressed as he would be for a show, in a suit and tie, which Dana is tying for him as he stands there.) CASEY: I�m nervous. DANA: I know. CASEY: Is it unreasonable for me to be nervous? DANA: Absolutely not. CASEY: I mean, the outcome of this affects me in a very big way. DANA: Right. CASEY: Not to mention Charlie. DANA: Casey. CASEY: What? DANA: I know all that. And your nervousness is rubbing off on me. CASEY: Sorry. DANA: It�s okay. (She finishes tying his tie and straightens his collar) CASEY: I�m just afraid of losing him. DANA: I know. CASEY: Stakes here are very high. DANA: Yeah. CASEY: Bobbi�s ready to go? DANA: Not right this second, but she will be. CASEY: Because I don�t know how long it�s gonna take, and I might not be in any shape to do the show � DANA: Casey. Don�t worry about that. CASEY: Okay. DANA: You�ve got enough to worry about otherwise. CASEY: Yes. DANA: I�ve got everything covered here. CASEY: Okay. DANA: When do you have to be there? CASEY: One. DANA: (Checks her watch.) Then you should go. CASEY: Yeah, I�m heading off. DANA: Good luck. CASEY: Thanks. DANA: (Raises slightly up on her toes to kiss him gently.) Call me as soon as you know anything, okay? CASEY: Yeah. DANA: Not like during a summation or anything, but y�know. CASEY: (Smiling faintly.) Yeah. DANA: Maybe we�ll have dinner later? CASEY: Okay. Yeah. I gotta go. DANA: (Quietly.) Okay. (He pauses momentarily, then leaves.) (Fade to commercial. End Teaser.) (Act I.) (Dana�s walking through the newsroom with her clipboard, occasionally putting papers on various desks. Natalie walks from the hallway by Dan and Casey�s office and keeps walking beside her.) NATALIE: Hey. DANA: Hey, what? NATALIE: Should we tease Nixon? DANA: I don�t know, it seems mean� NATALIE: Mean? DANA: I just�he�s already had so much humiliation.. NATALIE: Humiliation? For what? DANA: Resigning the presidency isn�t easy, Natalie. NATALIE: I think we�re discussing two different Nixons. DANA: I think you�re right. NATALIE: Should we tease TROT Nixon? DANA: Sure. NATALIE: Okay. (She stops.) DANA: (Turning back.) You need something? NATALIE: You�re out of it today. DANA: (Beat.) Yes. NATALIE: (Sorta quietly.) You�re worried about the trial. DANA: Yeah. NATALIE: Casey�s gonna call when there�s word? DANA: Not during a summation or anything, but y�know. NATALIE: Dana, honestly. Do you think he�s got a shot? DANA: Of course. Don�t you? NATALIE: He�s a great dad, you know that, I know that, but Lisa�s gonna rip him up one side and down the other. And the judge won�t know what you and I know. Plus he�s in entertainment, that�s gonna work against him� DANA: Yes, but if he stresses the fact that Charlie doesn�t want to leave the state, plus the idea of Charlie�s well-being�Lisa�s past personal problems if she�s playing hardball�and it�s in the bag. NATALIE: You don�t know what you�re talking about? DANA: No. NATALIE: Never been to a law class in your life. DANA: I dated a U.S. Attorney for 6 months. NATALIE: I probably know as much as you do�I read To Kill a Mockingbird about 25 times. DANA: You read Tequila Mockingbird? NATALIE: Junior English class. DANA: Me too�.Freshman Honors English. NATALIE: Show-off. DANA: Yes indeed. (Grins.) (Dan passes them on the way to his office.) NATALIE: Danny! (He stops.) Did you ever read To Kill a Mockingbird? DAN: Yeah. Freshman year, I think. DANA: See? NATALIE: Shut up. DAN: Would you two stop talking? Or whichever of you in this room are talking, would half of you STOP? DANA: What�s with you? DAN: I have a song stuck in my head. NATALIE: Tom Waits? DAN: No. DANA: Ghetto? DAN: Worse. NATALIE: Worse? DAN: John Denver. DANA: (Stifling a giggle.) John Denver? DAN: Yes. NATALIE: You�re kidding, right? DAN: It�s not funny. Why are you laughing? DANA: You�re in a bad mood because a John Denver song is stuck in your head? DAN: Not just a bad mood, a VERY bad mood! DANA: And you want to know why we�re laughing. DAN: Yes. NATALIE: I dunno, maybe if you sing a few bars� DAN: This is not a laughing matter! DANA: Which John Denver song? DAN: Um�(singing the chorus.) �And the wind will whisper your name to me�Little birds will sing along in time�Leaves will bow down when you walk by and morning bells will chime�� DANA: Ah, �For Baby.� NATALIE: �For Bobbi!� DANA: Is it really? NATALIE: I always thought so�I could be wrong� DAN: Go figure. DANA: I coulda sworn it was �For Baby�. NATALIE: No�Dad always used to sing it for my mom�Maybe it IS �For Baby�� DAN: Could we PLEASE talk about ME?! DANA: I dunno, do you think the song in your head will get in the way? (Cut to: Interior of the Courtroom, Day I.) JUDGE: Okay, Charlie I just want you to answer the questions that the lawyers are gonna ask you truthfully, okay? CHARLIE: (Nods.) Yes, your honour. JUDGE: (Smiles.) Proceed. LISA�S LAWYER: Hi, Charlie. CHARLIE: Hi. LISA�S LAWYER: What�s your full name for the record, please? CHARLIE: Charles Daniel McCall. LISA�S LAWYER: Thank you, Charlie. Do you love your mother? CHARLIE: Of course I love her. LISA�S LAWYER: Do you love your father? CHARLIE: Of course. LISA�S LAWYER: Do you wish your dad still lived with you? CHARLIE: (Pause.) Well, yes�and no. I mean, I miss Daddy, I don�t get to see him as much as I want to because he has his work. But I�m glad my parents don�t live together anymore. LISA�S LAWYER: Why�s that? CHARLIE: They were fighting all the time. I mean ALL the time. They couldn�t be nice to each other, no matter how hard they tried. LISA�S LAWYER: And this was hard on you? CHARLIE: Yes. LISA�S LAWYER: And since your dad moved out, you haven�t been sad? CHARLIE: Of course I still get sad. Like sometimes Daddy gets busy and he doesn�t call me when he�s supposed to�But I�m not as sad as I was. LISA�S LAWYER: Does your dad get busy a lot? CHARLIE: Uh huh�But so does Mama sometimes� LISA�S LAWYER: Charlie, has your dad ever had to call you and tell you that he couldn�t come and take you when he was supposed to because he got busy? CHARLIE: (Shoots a glance at Casey, then looks back at the lawyer.) Yeah, a few times. LISA�S LAWYER: Thanks, Charlie. (To judge.) No further questions. CASEY�S LAWYER: Hi, Charlie. You doing okay? CHARLIE: Yeah. CASEY�S LAWYER: Good. Charlie, do you want to move to LA? CHARLIE: No! I don�t want to leave Daddy and all my friends. I�I don�t make friends easily�and I don�t think�I just don�t wanna leave here. CASEY�S LAWYER: You�ve had to move before, right? CHARLIE: Yeah, we used to live in Dallas when daddy was doing a show there. CASEY�S LAWYER: What was moving like? CHARLIE: It was hard. I had to leave all friends I�d made down there �cause I knew I�d never see them again. CASEY�S LAWYER: Do you think moving to LA will be harder than leaving Dallas? LISA�S LAWYER: Objection! Calls for speculation! JUDGE: I�ll allow it � I want to hear this answer. Go ahead, Charlie. CHARLIE: (Starting to get teary-eyed.) Yes, I do, �cause Id have to leave Daddy and Dana and Dan�they�re like my family and I don�t want to leave them�(He starts to cry.) Mama, please don�t make me go�I promise, I�ll be good, I�ll do whatever you want me to do�Just don�t make me go! (Casey looks over at Lisa, who�s on the verge of breaking down.) LISA: I never wanted this to be so hard for you� CHARLIE: Just don�t make me go, Mama, stay here�please? LISA: I�I don�t know what to say, Charlie� CHARLIE: Say I don�t have to go! Say YOU don�t have to go! You and Daddy already don�t live in the same house, you don�t have to livein different states? Mama, please�stay here and don�t make me go! (He puts his head in his hand and sobs quietly.) JUDGE: (Holds up his hands to let the lawyers know he�s taking over.) Charlie? CHARLIE: (Looks up.) Yes, your honour? JUDGE: Why don�t you want your mom to move? CHARLIE: (In a rush.) I love her and I love Daddy and I don�t know what else to do�I�I don�t want to leave here, but I don�t wanna leave Mama either�I�Why do I have to do this? I�m only a little kid! LISA: (In tears.) Oh God�I�m so sorry� CASEY: Didn�t I tell you, Lisa? Didn�t I tell you what this would do to him? CHARLIE: Daddy, don�t yell at her�I just want everything to be the way it was� JUDGE: Charlie, come with me for a minute. (Takes Charlie into his chambers, then comes back out. I don�t have all the details yet, but I know the child does not want to leave the state. If, Ms. McCall, you still plan on leaving, I will have to give custody to Mr. McCall. I believe that would be in the best interest of the child. What would truly be in Charlie�s best interest would be to have both of his parents in the same state, but I do understand if that�s no longer possible and it is not my position to rule on that. So, that being said, full custody is awarded to Casey McCall if and only if Lisa McCall moves out of state. We will work out visitation schedules at a later date, if it comes to that. (Bangs gavel.) Court is adjourned. CASEY: (Turns to Lisa with a look of anticipation.) What�s it gonna be, Lisa? (Fade to Commercial, End Act I.) Act II (Newsroom, Natalie�s desk, Day I. She has a stack of large books around her, several of which are open. Her computer shows a �net window. Jeremy walks up behind her.) JEREMY: So when�s graduation? NATALIE: (Without looking up.) Hmm? JEREMY: You look like you�re either writing a term paper, studying for finals, or holding the reference section of the library hostage. NATALIE: Personal research. JEREMY: What are you finding out about yourself in there? (She looks up and quirks an eyebrow.) It was a joke. NATALIE: Okay. (She goes back to her book.) JEREMY: What are you researching? (She mumbles something.) Tequila? (She uses her pen to point to the computer monitor. �To Kill a Mockingbird�? Good book. I read it when I was � NATALIE: A freshman? JEREMY: Almost 11. NATALIE: (Stops.) You read it when you were TEN?! JEREMY: (Shrugs). Yeah. Why? NATALIE: I was almost 17. JEREMY: When you read it? NATALIE: Yeah. JEREMY: (Shrugs again.) I�ve always been precocious. NATALIE: Shut up. JEREMY: Okay. (Slight silence.) So what do you want to know about it? NATALIE: If it was a real trial. JEREMY: (Considers.) It�s called fiction� NATALIE: So are stories involving concentration camps. Just because it wasn�t an actual person�s biography doesn�t mean the same thing didn�t happen in the actual war. JEREMY: Y�know, there are actually people who think that it � NATALIE: The war happened, okay? JEREMY: Okay. (pause.) Want help? NATALIE: Grab a book. (Cut to: Int. Dan and Casey�s office, Day I. Casey walks into the office looking very tired, still dressed in his clothes from the trial. Dan is sitting on the couch, his hands over his ears, eyes closed, and humming.) CASEY: (Looking over at Dan.) Dan? I�m back. (No answer.) Dan? (Still no answer. Casey takes a piece of paper from the desk, crumples it, and throws it at Dan�s head.) DAN: Hey! (Opens his eyes and takes his hands from his ears.) You�re back! CASEY: (With a bemused smile.) Yes. DAN: How�d it go? CASEY: I get custody if she leaves the state. DAN: That�s good. CASEY: (Without as much enthusiasm as the situation would merit.) Yeah. (Pause.) So what was that just now? DAN: What was what? CASEY: (Pantomiming.) the hands over the ears things. DAN: Oh. I have a song stuck in my head, I�m trying to get it out. CASEY: What song? DAN: You�re gonna laugh. CASEY: Why? DAN: It�s not the most respected song. CASEY: There�s a most respected song? DAN: Absolutely. CASEY: And it is�? DAN: The National Anthem�Ever notice how whenever they play it, everyone stands up? CASEY: Yes. So the song stuck in your head isn�t �The Star-Spangled Banner� DAN: Right. CASEY: One song down, roughly one billion to go. (Bobbi walks in, a dry cleaner�s bag over one shoulder.) BOBBI: Hey, Dan, Casey�If you want to do the show, Casey, I can � CASEY: No, no, it�s fine, I was thinking of heading out anyway, and I�m mean, you�re here� BOBBI: Yeah, okay� DAN: Rundown sheet�s on the desk. BOBBI: (Looking.) No, it�s not. DAN: I know it is, I specifically set it right � (Casey picks up the paper ball from the floor, uncrumples it, and hands it to Bobbi.) CASEY: Sorry, it�s sorta, uh�wrinkled. BOBBI: (Trying to keep from laughing) Yes. CASEY: So Dan, what IS the song? DAN: (Innocently.) What song? BOBBI: Yeah, what song? CASEY: Dan�s got a song stuck in his head, and my only clue to what is might be is that it�s not The National Anthem. BOBBI: Is it something else by Sousa? CASEY: Something ELSE by Sousa? BOBBI: Yeah, other than �The Star-Spangled Banner�? CASEY: That�s not Sousa. BOBBI: Sure it is. CASEY: John Phillip Sousa�s peak time was around the turn of the century. BOBBI: So it was one of his early pieces. CASEY: By 86 years? BOBBI: 86 years? CASEY: 1900 was the age of Sousa. BOBBI: Wouldn�t that make it�124 years? CASEY: Only if it was written during the revolution. BOBBI: It wasn�t. CASEY: War of 1812. BOBBI: That was �1812 Overture.� CASEY: It was both. BOBBI: Really? CASEY: Yes. BOBBI: Are you sure? CASEY: Yes. DAN: Casey, just out of curiosity � how do you know this? (Casey mumbles something.) What was that? CASEY: Music appreciation. DAN: Coulda taken typing instead, my friend. (Cut to: Newsroom, Night I. Jeremy and Natalie are still searching through books and the internet. As people pass, they give Jeremy and Natalie odd looks �cause they look like two college kids in the library just before finals.) JEREMY: Oh! Here�s something! NATALIE: What? (She scrambles over to read over his shoulder.) JEREMY: (Reading from a book.) �Much like her beloved character Scout, Harper Lee lived in a small southern town. She began reading when she was very young, and read the daily newspaper before she was 6. At that time, a trial in her county was covered with great detail. A pair of black men were accused of raping two white women � one of whom was a minor � both of whom, it was later found out, were prostitutes. The innocence of the men was revealed by a heroic judge who saw through prejudice to the truth. To Kill a Mockingbird is her only novel.� NATALIE: So. JEREMY: Yes. NATALIE: It WAS a real trial. JEREMY: Sort of. NATALIE: It was. (Pause.) Wow. JEREMY: What? NATALIE: People suck. JEREMY: Natalie. NATALIE: I�m serious. The fact that a couple of bitches get into trouble and blame two innocent men and that they were almost convicted � JEREMY: �Almost� is the key word. It was 70 years ago, Natalie. 70 years ago, two innocent men were arrested and then acquitted because of a judge who had his priorities straight. It ended better than in the book. Know why? Because there ARE good people out there, there always have been and there always will be. People as a whole suck no more and no less than they did when you got out of bed this morning. If anything, this restores my faith in the human race because it proves some people will do whatever it takes to do what�s right, including being part of the ultimate minority. NATALIE: (Quietly.) That�s true. KIM: (VO) Five minutes to air, first team to the studio, please. (Cut to: Int. Dan and Casey�s office, Night I. Bobbi and Dan are dressed for the show, and Casey is still there.) CASEY: �This Kiss� by Faith Hill. DAN: No. Though may I say I wouldn�t have a picture of her stuck in my head � BOBBI: Dan. DAN: Okay. CASEY: Anything by Faith Hill? BOBBI: Y�know, Casey, when I got here�7 hours ago, you said you were leaving. CASEY: I wanna get this. DAN: You�re still thinking of too respectable songs. BOBBI: C�mon, Dan, it�s not like it�s John Denver or something. (Dan looks guilty and looks down.) CASEY: (Choking on his laughter.) John Denver!? DAN: Yes. CASEY: John Denver?! DAN: Yeah. CASEY: As in, like, Rocky Mountain-lovin� Country boy John Denver? DAN: How many are there? CASEY: You had the nerve to make fun of me for the Starland Vocal Band and you�ve got John DENVER stuck in your head! BOBBI: Which song? DAN: �For Baby� BOBBI: What? Sing some of it. DAN: No. CASEY: Oh, C�mon, Dan! DAN: (Sigh, then starts to sing it quietly and haltingly.) �I�ll walk in the rain by your side�I�ll cling to the warmth of your hand� BOBBI: Oh! �For Bobbi�! DAN: �For Baby� BOBBI: �I think it�s �For Bobbi�. DAN/CASEY: Yeah, you would. NATALIE: (VO) Two minutes guys. Dan, Casey, stop bothering Bobbi so we can have first team. CASEY: (Calling) Eh! DAN: You know she can�t hear you, right? CASEY: For someone who�s humming a John Denver song with an ambiguous name� BOBBI: Dan, let�s go. (They stand and head off through the newsroom.) (Cut to the Control room in Show Mode, Night I.) DAVE: Roll VTR, 60 seconds live. DANA: Show me Boston. NATALIE: We�re still teasing TROT Nixon? DANA: Yes. NATALIE: Okay. (She leans over and whispers to Dana.) He got custody? DANA: If she leaves the state. NATALIE: Is she leaving? DANA: How should I know? Casey said she�d have a decision within twenty-four hours. NATALIE: Okay. (To room.) Does anyone have a final in Detroit? ELLIOT: 3-2, Cleveland. NATALIE: Thank you, patch it in on four. DAN: (On monitor, from studio.) Hey, guys, is the John Denver Song �For Baby� or �For Bobbi�. DANA: Baby. NATALIE: Baby. DAVE: Bobbi. CHRIS: Both. WILL: Neither. ELLIOT: Bobbi. KIM: Both. DAN: (Beat.) Well, that was helpful. DAVE: In 3�2�1� DAVE: (OTA) Good evening, from new York City, I�m Dan Rydell alongside Bobbi Bernstein, sitting in For Casey McCall, those stories plus� (Fade to Dan and Casey�s office, night I. Casey is sitting at the desk, staring at the computer screen as Sports Night can be heard on the TV in the background. We see Lisa walk to stand in the door of the office. She stands there a few seconds before clearing her throat.) LISA: Hi. CASEY: (Looks up, startled. Coldy.) Hi, Lisa. LISA: I, uh�I made up my mind. CASEY: Well? LISA: I�m going. (Casey rolls his eyes and starts to say something, but she holds up her hands.) Look, don�t think I just made this decision without thinking about it. It was one of the most difficult, most gut-wrenching things I�ve ever had to do- CASEY: Yet you did it. LISA: Casey, I put my life on hold so our son could have the parents he deserved growing up. With your work, you were generally busy most of the time, so who did the kid have? Me. I gave up everything for you and him�this is my dream job, Casey. (She starts to tear up, but composes herself.) It�s time for me to start living my life. How could I turn it down? CASEY: How can you just walk away from him? LISA: I�m not walking away from him. CASEY: Lisa, you�re moving across the damn country! What the hell do you call that? (Lisa looks downa t her hands, unable to give him an answer.) Have you at least told him? LISA: Not yet�I was gonna take him to dinner� CASEY: Do it soon. (he goes back to his work.) LISA: (Starts to walk out, then turns back.) I�m not doing this to hurt him, you know. CASEY: Do you think he�ll understand that? LISA: (Looks at Casey and sighs sadly.) No. (She turns and walks out.) (Cut back to the Studio, Night I. It�s during a C-break.) DAN: (Sliding his chair closer to Bobbi.) �Reach for the heavens and hope for the future and all that we CAN be, not what we are.) BOBBI: (A little afraid.) Okay� DAN: Y�know who said that? A very wise man. BOBBI: (Deadpan) By the name of John Denver? DAN: By the name of John Denver. (We start to hear strains of �For Baby/For Bobbi� that continue to increase vlume until we end up on the SN logo.) DAN: �He was born in the summer of his 27th year, coming home to a place he�d never been before. He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again, You might say he found a key to every door.� BOBBI: Dan. �For the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers, their laughter and their loveliness could clear a cloudy day.� BOBBI: Are you sure you�re a straight man? DAN: You would know. BOBBI: Shut up. DAN: �How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man?� BOBBI: That�s Bob Dylan. DAN: Really? BOBBI: Yes. DAN: Okay. (Beat.) �Sunshine on my shoulders�� (Fade to black/white SN logo. End Act II.) |