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LESSONS 

FADE IN:

INT. A MEDIUM SECURITY PRISON CELL -- NIGHT

Two men sit at a small writing desk that has been placed against the sand colored wall of this neatly kept cell. Above the table, is a metal shelf that has been screwed into the wall. Stacks of mail and several photos sit on the shelf.

THOMAS W. NIGHTLAND, 58, sits on the lower bunk of a bunkbed to the right of the table. He's wearing an orange inmates coverall and a pair of old fashioned bifocals perched on his nose. He's balding and has the fleshy look of a fat man who has lost more than a hundred pounds.

Sitting in a steel chair across the desk from NIGHTLAND is DEPUTY MARSHAL KEVIN GARCIA, early 30s. He's wearing a perfectly cut charcoal gray suit. He is shuffling files around on the table.

GARCIA
He made no mention whatsoever?

NIGHTLAND
Honestly, no.

GARCIA
Mr. Nightland. . .

NIGHTLAND
What more can I say?

GARCIA
. . . you were this young man's cell mate for over a year.

ANGLE ON A MUGSHOT

This is CLINT NINESLING, 20, a skater kid with a thousand yard stare. He has a green star tattooed on the right side of his neck and a faux hawk haircut.

NIGHTLAND
He's a kid. I'm old.

BACK TO SCENE

Nightland chuckles.

GARCIA
According to the guards, he was constantly with you.

NIGHTLAND
Meaning what!?

GARCIA
No, Mr. Nightland...I...didn't...

NIGHTLAND
Christ sakes.

GARCIA
. . . sir. . .

NIGHTLAND
Jesus! This isn't San Quentin, Deputy. This is minimum security. Do you think a place like this could turn a man queer?

GARCIA
I only meant...

NIGHTLAND
I was trying to teach the kid. Teach him about business. Making money.

GARCIA
That's all I meant. His mentor. And he never said anything about walking out the front gate? Didn't confide in you?

CUT TO: 

NIGHTLAND'S POV

He's looking at the cell door. It opens and Clint walks in. This was the first time Nightland saw him.

NIGHTLAND
Just the usual.

CUT TO:

TITLE CARD:

12 MONTHS EARLIER

ANGLE ON THE BUNKBEDS

Clint is sprawled across the top bunk on his stomach. On the bottom bunk, Nightland is reading a book on economic history.

NIGHTLAND
Clint, ever heard of Lloyd's Of London?

CLINT
(mumbling)
Hell, no.

NIGHTLAND
The biggest insurance company in the world.

CLINT makes a loud snoring noise to show his disinterest.

NIGHTLAND
They'll insure 
(more)
anything. They insure professional athletes in case they get injured.

CLINT
Don't you ever want to sleep?

NIGHTLAND
We got a few minutes. The entire business started in a bar in London.

When Clint gives no response Nightland slams the book shut.

CLINT
Why do you bother with this shit?

NIGHTLAND
Clint. Don't you see the gift you've been given.

CLINT
What fucking gift?

NIGHTLAND
This. . . time.

Clint snorts a laugh.

NIGHTLAND
 At your age it sounds strange but trust me, you get out you will still be a young man. You'll have all the time you need to conquer the world.

A VOICE is heard from the hall.

VOICE
Light's out!

The cell goes black.

NIGHTLAND
I can teach you how to do it.

CUT TO:

CLOSE ON GARCIA'S FACE--THE PRESENT

GARCIA
Sounds like he couldn't do the time.

GARCIA'S POV

His hand holding a larger Clint photo.

BACK TO SCENE

NIGHTLAND
Early on he couldn't. But, tell me Deputy, how many 20 year olds could? Staring down a ten year sentence with no family to help. Because of a drug charge.

GARCIA
It is illegal.

NIGHTLAND
We all smoked a little pot.

GARCIA
Never touched it myself.

NIGHTLAND
Mister perfect.

GARCIA
Kids his age have been in worse places than this.

Nightland thinks for a moment. 

NIGHTLAND
Will this take much longer? I wanted to make popcorn.

Garcia looks at him with a sly "you got to be shitting me" grin.

NIGHTLAND
I told you, this isn't San Quentin.

They share an easy chuckle.

CLINT(o.s.)
Popcorn?

CUT TO:

CU OF CLINT--FLASHBACK 

NIGHTLAND
It's the little reward I give myself.  When you accomplish something you should always reward yourself with something. This is the only reward I can get now. 

ANGLE ON THE LOWER BUNK

Clint is sittin there. His hair has grown out from when he first arrived in prison. An economics book in his lap.

Nightland is sitting back on the bunk, reading a newsmagazine. On the cover is a cartoon of him covered in tar and feathers. The caption next to the cartoon reads: "The Downfall Of A Snake Oil Salesman".

CLINT
What did you accomplish?

NIGHTLAND
I lost two more pounds. Look at this.

Nightland turns the magazine towards Clint.

ANGLE ON THE MAGAZINE PAGE

Its an old photograph of Nightland during his master of the universe phase when he was 100 pounds heavier. He's attending a gala with his wife on his arm.

BACK TO SCENE

CLINT
Goddamn! How long you been in here?

NIGHTLAND
I started losing it during the trial. Real smart to look my best right when I'm about to go to jail. Still got a ways to go.

Nightland pats his belly.

CLINT
I guess you were rich. Get a hot woman like that...

NIGHTLAND
She's everything a man could want. If what you want is to have a Barbie doll betray you in every way possible.

CLINT
Even so. . .You have any kids?

NIGHTLAND
Two of them. A surrogate mother. We didn't want Tiffany to ruin her body. That came back to bite my ass. Gave her something to offer the guy who sold me out.

Nightland stands up from the bunk.

ANGLE ON THE DOOR

Nightland is about to walk out.

CLINT
She go with him after the trial.

NIGHTLAND
No. Before.

Nightland walks out of the cell door.

Nightland walks back in the door with an open bag of microwave popcorn in his hand.

GARCIA
You think if people saw you with that popcorn they'd be happy about it?

CUT TO: 

ANGLE ON THE CELL

Back in present day,Nightland walks back in and sits across from Garcia again.

As Nightland talks he munches on the popcorn.

NIGHTLAND
Are you a reporter?

GARCIA
I just remember you. Your trial.

NIGHTLAND
You weren't an investor?

GARCIA
No.

Nightland jokingly wipes a fake sweat from (more)
his forehead.

NIGHTLAND
All I did was try to keep a bunch of balls in the air at once. When the bubble burst. . .

He shrugs his shoulders in a "what can you do" fashion.

GARCIA
You dropped them.

Nightland nods his head "yes".

GARCIA
But, you knew you were misusing funds.

NIGHTLAND
There was some hubris, Deputy. All gone now. It was my company.

GARCIA
Was that one of your lessons for Clint?

NIGHTLAND
The most important.

CUT TO: 

CU OF NIGHTLAND'S FACE

NIGHTLAND
You have to let them know they cannot defeat you.

NIGHTLAND'S POV

Clint is doing a set of squats against the wall of the cell. His hair has grown out more and is now in the style of a college preppy.

NIGHTLAND
But do it in a nice (more)
way.

ANGLE ON THE CELL

Nightland is sealing a letter in an envelope.

NIGHTLAND
It is much better to make a friend of the man you are trying to defeat than to make him an enemy.

Clint finishes his exercises. He's breathing hard and sweating.  He notices something lying next to Nightland on the bunk.

CLINT
That a new picture?

Nightland picks up the photo and looks at it.

NIGHTLAND
Yeah. The girls get bigger in everyone Tiffany sends.

He offers the photo to Clint.

NIGHTLAND
Want to look?

Clint takes the photo and studies it.

CLINT
Your wife looks different.

NIGHTLAND
She's gone back to her natural color. She'll change her name next.

CLINT
Tiffany isn't her real name?

NIGHTLAND
No. Originally it was Mary Anna.

ANGLE ON THE METAL SHELF

Clint places the photo of Tiffany and Nightland's daughters on top of the shelf.

BACK TO SCENE

Clint begins to leave the cell. 

NIGHTLAND
Going to the mailroom? 

CLINT
Yeah. The new batch of cookies is supposed to be coming.

NIGHTLAND
How much do you have saved?

CLINT
Haven't counted it this week.

NIGHTLAND
I told you these guys would pay more for homemade than that manufactured crap.  Everybody wants a taste of home. Even if its a home they've never been to.

ANGLE ON THE SEALED ENVELOPE

...as Nightland hands it to Clint.

BACK TO SCENE

Clint looks at the address.

CLINT
This going to your family?

NIGHTLAND
My girls. Yeah.

DISSOLVE TO:

ANGLE ON CELL

Garcia is packing away his files.

GARCIA
So, you guys started a business right here in prison?

NIGHTLAND
It was Clint's business.Girl he knew in the state home made them. It was like a kid with a lemonade stand. Showing him how it works. Making money. Best of all, it wasn't drugs or cigarettes.

GARCIA
I guess he took the money with him.

NIGHTLAND
You could probably search. . . but, yeah, I imagine he took it.

Garcia stands up. He looks at the photos on the shelf.

GARCIA
Your family?

NIGHTLAND
Yes.

GARCIA
You just got divorced?

NIGHTLAND
Deputy, we had to be realistic. I'm 58 and I have 20 more years to serve. I love her (more)
too much to make her stop her life for me.

CUT TO: 

CU OF NIGHTLAND'S EYES

... filled with fury.

NIGHTLAND
I rented an entire Greek island for her 40th birthday. I made that bitch come three times a day for two weeks.

ANGLE ON THE CELL

Clint is sitting on the floor writing a letter. He now looks like a young entrepreneuer wearing an orange coverall.

NIGHTLAND
And now she fucks me back!

Nightland flings the divorce papers across the cell.

NIGHTLAND
Took half the fucking Viagra in Europe.

Clint chuckles.

NIGHTLAND(cont’d)
I don't think I could ever get it up on my own again.

Nightland sits downtrodden on the edge of the bunk. Clint concentrates on his writing.

NIGHTLAND(cont’d)
Its her fault I'm in here. My CFO testified, but the evidence came out of my safe. Tiffany was (more)
the only one with the combination besides me. She probably sucked his cock while he practiced his testimony. 

Clint is pensive as he finishes writing his letter. He seals the letter in an envelope and stands up.

CLINT
You need anything while I'm gone?

NIGHTLAND(CONT’D)
I would give anything to be you Clint. You know that? The chance to wipe the slate clean.

Clint is unable to respond.

NIGHTLAND(CONT’)
If you had the chance would you start over tomorrow?

CLINT
Of course.

Nightland looks up and squares his eyes with Clint's.

NIGHTLAND
Before I was arrested. I was twelve hours from leaving the country. Disappearing. With 5 million dollars.

Nightland stands up and takes Clint by the shoulders.

NIGHTLAND(cont’d)
I can give you your new start. And it won't take ten years. A few weeks is all we're talking about. But, it will require you to do something for me.

CLINT
What?

NIGHTLAND
It's hard...the hardest thing...Make Tiffany disappear.

CLINT
Kill her?

Nightland nods his head "yes".

NIGHTLAND
This is a woman who took a father away from her children.

CLINT
Tom, I never did any violence.

NIGHTLAND
The five million is yours...If you do this.  You know how to make a business work now and that's a great start.

Nightland puts his arm around Clint's shoulders.

NIGHTLAND
A new start. For both (more)
of us.

CUT TO:

CLOSE ON NIGHTLAND

He's making his bed.

ANGLE ON THE DOOR

Clint walks in. He looks ill.

CLINT
I can't calm down.

NIGHTLAND(CONT’D)
Just relax. Everything is set up. You know where the clothes are. You just have to change and walk out. Remember what I said.  When you get the deal done, take a picture of the strawberry birthmark she has here.

Nightland points to his lower right abdomen.

NIGHTLAND(CONT’D)
Send it to me. I'll send you the directions to the money. Do you remember the address to pick up the mail?

Clint nods "yes".

NIGHTLAND(CONT’D)
Stay strong. A year from now. Your life will be a dream.

The two walk out the door.

CUT TO:

ANGLE ON THE DOOR

Nightland shuffles into the cell with an envelope in his hand. He opens the envelope.

NIGHTLAND'S POV

He pulls a photo out of the envelope.

CLOSE ON PHOTO

Its a woman's lower right abdomen with a strawberry birthmark.

CUT TO: 

ANGLE ON THE CELL

Nightland is now sitting on his bunk as he writes a letter. He munches on a bag of popcorn as he writes. He's wearing a sly smile.

INVESTIGATOR(V.O.)
Your cellmate escapes and two months later your ex-wife disappears. How can you not see we'd be suspicious?

NIGHTLAND(V.O.)
Our divorce was amicable. I wanted to do what was best for her and the kids. Killing her is not in their best interest. And Clint had no idea she'd be at the house in Michigan.

DISSOLVE TO:

ANGLE ON THE LOWER BUNK BED

Nightland sits against the wall reading a book.

PRISONER'S VOICE(O.S.)
Letter Nightland.

A manila envelope lands in Nightland's lap. He puts his book down and tears the envelope open. He pulls out a sheet of paper wrapped around three photos.

NIGHTLAND'S POV ANGLE ON PAPER

The paper reads: Thanks millions.

ANGLE ON PHOTO #1

A bag of popcorn held in front of a tropical background.

CLOSE ON NIGHTLAND

He smiles.

ANGLE ON PHOTO #2

A green star tattooed on a man's neck. Written inside the tattoo is the name "Mary Anna".

CLOSE ON NIGHTLAND

He's becoming confused.

ANGEL ON PHOTO #3

An identical green star tattooed on a woman's lower right abdomen next to a strawberry birthmark.

CLOSE ON NIGHTLAND

He stares straight ahead. He's dumbfounded.

NIGHTLAND
Life is so fucked.

FADE OUT.