LINCOLN - EXCERPT - "TO BE A MAN"

Copyright 2004 Mark George

************************************************************

INT. LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL (SHIKE'S OFFICE) - DAY

Shike, sitting at his desk.

KNOCK-KNOCK.

It's Jake. Shike motions for him to come in.

SHIKEWhere's Trey?

JAKEI don't know, sir. I thought he was already here.

SHIKESit down. We'll wait for him.

As Jake sits he notices the FRAMED PHOTO on Shike's desk.

SHIKEMy son... He was a few years older than you.

JAKEI'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare.

SHIKEIt's all right, Jake. If I didn't want the picture noticed, I wouldn't have it on my desk. How are you doing?

JAKESir?

SHIKEYour parents' divorce. I know what it's like when your family shatters.

JAKEYou know about that?

KNOCK-KNOCK.

It's Trey. He enters the room, sits next to Jake.

TREYSorry I'm late.

SHIKEI liked your speech this morning, Trey. It was very good.

TREYThank you, sir.

Trey is beaming.

SHIKEWhat impressed me most was when you said your classmates are more than just friends - they're family. Did you mean that?

Trey doesn't look at Jake.

TREYYes, sir.

SHIKEAnd do you feel that way, too, Jake?

JAKEAbsolutely, sir.

Shike leans back.

SHIKEWe know who defaced school property last night.

TREYI feel safer now that you got him, sir.

SHIKEThe question is, what do we do with him?

JAKESir?

SHIKEI had a long talk with him. He's just a kid like everyone else. He's talented, he's smart - but for some reason, he doesn't feel like

(MORE)

part of our family. He does not SHIKE (CONT'D)

fit in, and that's a problem.

Shike leans forward.

SHIKENow, I could suspend him. In fact, I probably will. But, I recognize all that will do is push him further away from us. Alienate him even more. When he returns our family will seem even stranger to him. He still won't fit in.

TREYMaybe some people just aren't meant to fit in.

SHIKEI've been at Lincoln four years now, and the two of you have changed dramatically during that time. You're not boys anymore. You're men now. You know what that means, to be a man? Here's what I think it means, the oldest definition around. To be a man, you protect your family. You protect your house. That's what men have been doing for thousands of years.

Shike reaches into his desk drawer.

SHIKEI need you to do something for me.

Shike tosses two black knit ski masks into their laps.

SHIKEI need you to convince Trevor that he doesn't belong at Lincoln anymore. Convince him that he wants to transfer to another school.

Jake picks up his ski mask. His fingers protrude from the eyeholes.

TREYWhere is he?