SAMMY 58pages
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SAMMY, THE MOUSE
by
glenn H. whittaker, jr.
glenn H. whittaker, jr.
P.O. Box 188
Glen Carbon,
IL 62934
618-692-9347
1.
EXT. WOODS BESIDE
LARGE CORN FIELD – DUSK
Sitting and standing around the remains a small
campfire in a clearing of woods ten feet from a corn field are a group of brown
field mice.
Leading the discussion, the elder Whiskers, walks
back and forth, kicking the fire to stir up the embers to emphasis his point of
view.
WHISKERS
It doesn't exist. It's a myth, forget about it.
BENT EAR
You're wrong as usual. It's just too far, that's
why no one ever returns.
WHISKERS
They don't return because they're dead. Eaten by a
cat or a hawk or something worse.
(kicks an ember)
SHORTIE
(stands up)
I agree. We've lost too many already. Last year two
of my cousins and my best friend, they made the journey but never came back. I
say nobody goes anymore.
(sits down)
More than half the group of mice scattered around
the campfire slap their tails against the ground.
Whiskers kicks at the fire and the bright embers
fly skyward.
WHISKERS
Shortie's right. I remember a dozen friends that
left, never to be heard of again. Makes me sad. Maybe we should make a rule no
more journeys.
BENT EAR
What's next? A rule on where we sleep, on what we
eat? You make too many rules. I say go go where you wanta go and do what you
wanta do!
All the mice slap their tails against the ground
and half make a shrill whistle.
BENT EAR
(gestures group to quiet)
Life here is tough, we all know that. You can't
make a rule to stop anyone from trying to find a better place. We know the City
exists. The Old One's stories are real.
WHISKERS
How do you know? She's dead a long time now.
BENT EAR
I remember listening to her stories when I was very
new. Her old one's had left the City because the giant rats ate all the food.
And there were so many cats. They wandered for months before settling here.
WHISKERS
I do remember her singing, "Cats, rats and
baseball bats, on no." I remember had dreams of cats and rats, those
horrible stories she told.
SHORTIE
(stands up)
Cats and rats! Why would anyone want to go to a
place like that. I'm staying here.
(sits down)
BENT EAR
Indeed, cats and rats are bad. But the machine that
eats the corn before the winter, that's bad too. Less and less to eat each
year. And don't forget the hawk. This aign't no paradise.
The mice about the fire grumble and nod their heads
in agreement.
WHISKERS
What you say is true. There is danger here. Making
a rule to stay here would be wrong. So I agree. If anyone wants to leave for
the City, they can. What say you all?
The campfire mice whistle and slap their tails on
the ground in nodding agreement.
The mice quieted; Sammy stands up and kicks an
ember.
SAMMY
I too am going to the city.
SHORTIE
(stands up)
Don't go. The cats and the rats. You'll be killed,
eaten. Stay here, be safe.
SAMMY
I see it different. So many have left for the City
over the generations, surely no matter how perilous the long trip may be, some
have arrived there. And must, therefore, have become so famous and important
they hadn't the time for a return trip home.
BENT EAR
Good for you young one. When are you leaving?
SAMMY
(fearful but proud)
Why, ah, ah tomorrow. I am going to the City and
become rich and famous.
SHORTIE
Famous? Rich? What's that?
SAMMY
Ah, ah. Well, I'm sure, ah well. That's what
happens to us in the City.
(kicks the embers)
All the campfire mice slap their tails and whistle.
Then they get up and dance around the campfire.
2.
EXT. CORNFIELD/WOODS - MORNING
Sammy stands in the stubbles of the cornfield and
waves good-bye to the crowd of mice at
the woods' edge.
GROUP OF MICE
(singing and waving)
Cats, rats and baseball bats, oh no. Cats, rats and
baseball bats, oh no!
He turns and weaves a path across the dirt and
chopped up corn husks.
3.
EXT. CORNFIELD - AFTERNOON
During his trek Sammy sees the banana spiders
weaving their entrancing nets, the beetle and the red-horned wasp in a death
battle, the warring red and black ants.
Exhausted Sammy does not see the hawk circling
above him.
The hawk looks down on the cornfield, seeing a
plump brown mouse, dives to catch its meal. Talons open.
Sammy trips over dirt, loses his balance and falls
into an abandoned mole home out of sight from the hungry hawk.
4.
INT. MOLE'S HOLE -
CORNFIELD
Sammy bumps his head and falls asleep.
Sammy awakes in darkness and on the damp ground.
SAMMY
Boy, this is one of the darkest nights I can ever
remember.
Sore, slowly gets up. His legs shake, he whimpers
from their pain, yet moves forward one step at a time.
SAMMY
Well, it was such a long walk and I haven't eaten
since… No matter. I'm hungry and there is food here, I can smell it. I'll feel
much better then.
And with the next step he bumps into the wall
marking the end of the mole's home.
This mole's home, like most, is long and narrow. He
backs off two steps, turns and goes back down the long corridor. His search
takes him past the darken entrance into which he had fallen.
Then much to his surprise, he bumps into the end
wall. Hurt and confused he cries, then
falls asleep.
Sammy awakes in the morning and a few
sight-restoring sun rays flow into the tunnel's entrance, spreading dimly
throughout the mole's home. The terror of his tunnel search and sunlight's
promise of freedom, jets Sammy to the ground above.
5. EXT. MOLE'S HOLE - CORNFIELD
His nose guides him toward a half ear of corn
SAMMY
(looks at sky)
I'm out. I'm safe. And I'm very hungry.
He flares his nostrils: sniff, sniff. With a burst of
energy, he is over a mound of corncobs, scraping his breakfast clean of
winter's dirt.
He eats ferociously and beyond fulfillment as the
starved do. He is bloated; too ballooned to walk. His stomach hangs to the
ground. Only his front feet touch the dirt, his back feet dangle in the air. He
laughs at himself.
SAMMY
(giggles)
What a sight I must be.
And quite a sight he is, especially to the hungry
hawk circling not so high over his head.
And down swoops the hawk. The air rushing by his smoothed feathers; his
talons pulled under to hasten his guided missile dive.
When just above Sammy, the hawk's claws drop out
and open as he spreads his wings to cushion his pounce.
Meanwhile, Sammy rocks backward on his stomach and
leaps toward a half empty corncob. He grabs the end of it with his front feet.
As the ear comes loose, Sammy rolls over on his back and the corncob ends up on
top of him. At that very moment the hawk's claws hit and clasp the corncob, not
Sammy.
The hawk is high above the field before he notices
his breakfast is last year's corn and not a plump mouse. The hawk is mad, drops
the corn and immediately rolls over into an attack dive.
Sammy sees the hawk fly away with the corn.
Panicked, he tries to run. But two feet are dangling as his belly is aground.
Sammy digs a little hole. But one much too little
to get into. His eyes open wide with inspiration. With a twist and a kick he
rolls up over the mound and down its side, right to the mole home entrance.
As he falls down the dark hole, the hawk's claws
tear through the ground and stop thunderously close above him.
Sammy shrieks and rolls away. He looks back toward
the opening as the claws fly angrily skyward. He lays down in the back of the
hole and falls asleep.
6.
EXT. MOLE'S HOLE -
CORNFIELD - DARKNESS
Sammy slowly climbs out of the mole's hole. He sees
a distant light in a church window and walks toward it.
7.
EXT. COUNTRY CHURCH - DAWN
The night crickets sing out their mating songs as
Sammy nears the church.
Sammy's eyes are focused on the grayish outline of
the church; the first human building he's ever seen.
Suddenly he stops. There are no more cornrows in
front of him. He is facing a human's yard.
SAMMY
What's this? Green like corn leaves, but oh so
little and so close together.
He bounce-walks-runs over it like on a trampoline.
He is now beside the church looking into a very
small opening in a crawl-way door.
SAMMY
Looks like a good hiding place till dark.
The church cats meandors around the corner.
Surprised to see a mouse, it shrieks.
CAT
Eeerrrrreeeeee Mousee!
Sammy bolts into the small crack in the crawl-way
door.
The cat's claws strike at the door again and again
and it howls with frustration.
Sammy's frightened eyes are all the cat can see as
Sammy continues to back away from the cat in the crack.
8.
EXT. CHURCH PARKING LOT - DAWN
A small pickup truck pulling a lawn mower trailer
parks in the lot. The young man gets
out. He hears the screeching cat and
looks around holding his hands over his ears.
LAWNBOY
(shaking head)
Too much to drink last night. Damn noisy cat.
The lawnboy hurries to the back of the church. He
sees the cat at crawl-way door.
LAWNBOY
You damn noisy cat, shut up!
I said shut up! I don't have to hear no cat and I
aign't going to hear no damn cat!
The cat continues hissing loudly.
LAWNBOY
Stupid old cat! I'll give you a reason to holler,
up on the roof you go.
The lawnboy is now standing beside the cat. He
looks at the torn up crawl-way door.
LAWNBOY
I just painted that! You crazy damn old cat.
He lashes a steel-toed boot into the temple of cat.
The cat flies, lands on the ground immobile and
dead.
9.
EXT. CHURCH CEMETARY - MORNING
The lawnboy is throwing the last spadeful of dirt
atop a small grave.
LAWNBOY
Time for a new cat, that one was too old to catch
mice anyway.
The lawnboy walks over to a large shed, goes inside
and drives a riding lawn mower out. He
proceeds to mow the lawn.
Sammy is looking through the crack, watching the
lawnboy on the mower.
SAMMY
Another noisy human machine. I need a nap.
Sammy backs away from the crack and lays down to
sleep.
10.
INT. CHURCH CRAWL-WAY - MORNING
Sammy is awaken by a loud sound of rumbling above
him. Dust falls from above and lands on him.
Frightened he scampers to the crawl-way door crack. He peeks out.
Seeing no cat or lawnmower, Sammy goes onto the
lawn. Staying close to the wall, he goes to the corner and looks around it.
11.
EXT. CHURCH PARKING LOT - MORNING
Dozens of human women in their best Sunday dresses
and men in their suits and tens of bright, shoe-shined children standing
impatiently, but reverently aside their parents in front of the church.
Chatting amoung themselves and waving goodbyes to friends, they get in their
cars. One by one the cars drive onto
the hard road and disappear in the distance.
The minister, black suit and white collar, shakes
hands with the last members; they too drive off. The minister walks back up the steps and enters the church.
Sammy slowly ambles to the front of the church. At
the bottom of the steps he stops and looks up at the church doors. He looks at
the empty parking lot, its gravel dust settles.
The minister exits the church doors and hurries
down the steps.
Sammy hears his heavy footsteps and looks up at his
face. Sammy is frozen in place as the giant feet pass over his head.
The minister gets in his car and drives off just as
the lawnboy arrives.
SAMMY
Those were humans. They're so big. They have so
many noisy machines. Where did they go? The City? I'm not so sure I want to go
there now.
Sammy looks back at the cornfield. He looks up at
the church. Then at the parking lot and the road. He then sees the beanfield
across the road.
SAMMY
Beans! Oh good I'm hungry.
Sammy scampers across the parking lot toward the
bean field
Just then the lawnboy drives into the parking lot.
Sammy sees it and stops. The truck goes
right over Sammy and stops. The lawnboy gets out holding a cardboard box.
LAWNBOY
That was a mouse.
(looks under truck)
It is a mouse. Okay you cat kittens, do your job.
The lawnboy opens the cardboard box. He puts the
open end close to the gravel, then
thrusts the kittens out of the box to under the truck.
The kittens roll out of the box and tumble all
around Sammy.
SAMMY
Ahhh! Cats!
Sammy runs between the dizzy kittens and climbs up
the lawnboy's leg.
Surprised and frightened the lawnboy screams and
jumps up kicking his leg.
Sammy is thrown off the boy's leg and lands in a
rolling slide in the grass of the road's shoulder.
The lawnboy quickly reaches under the truck and
grabs two of the kittens. He turns and underhandedly throws them toward Sammy.
LAWNBOY
(screams)
Mouse, mouse! Get that mouse!
The two kittens roll on the grass right past Sammy.
12.
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - MORNING
As the kittens wobbly get to their feet, Sammy runs
down the ditch, across the gravel shoulder, and onto the hard road. The kittens
see him and give chase.
The kittens are about to catch Sammy when he
crosses the yellow dividing line and the roar of a car engine passes over his
head. The left front tire squashes one
kitten and the left back tire squashes the second kitten.
Sammy runs into the bean field.
13.
EXT. BEAN FIELD - MORNING
Sammy does not stop running until he clears the
beanfield. He stops at the edge before the woods. He catches his breath.
He rubs his stomach, then turns around. Sammy
climbs up a slender bean plant. As he
reaches for the bean pod his weight tips the plant to the ground.
His back feet on the ground, his front feet pop the
plump bean pod open, loosening the beans to the ground. Sammy quickly eats them.
Just then a small airplane flies low over the
church and drops down to skim just 10 feet above the bean field. It showers a fine mist of bug spray over
the field.
Sammy falls to the ground as the engine roars by.
The spray covers Sammy and he swoons dizzy. He staggers to the woods, rolls
down a sloop, then stops passed out.
15.
INT. WOODS - DAWN
Sammy awakes to see sunshine streaking through oak
and maple leaves brightening the beauty of the wild flowers dotting the wide
stream's moss covered banks.
The floor of the wood isn't cluttered with weeds
and the trees are spaced apart enough for Sammy to see the tops of cornstalks
in the next field. He smiles rubbing his stomach.
A wide tree branch is lodged across the stream.
Sammy hastens upon it, eyeing the distant cornstalks. But patches of bark have
been soaked off, very treacherous.
From behind a tree on the other side of the stream
a weasel is watching Sammy.
As Sammy begins his trot over the slippery limb,
the weasel charges down from the other side.
Sammy's hunger overrides his caution and he slips
headfirst into the water.
The weasel jumps just as Sammy falls into the
water. Missing Sammy, the weasel splashes into the water beyond him.
The wave bounces Sammy back onto the limb. He then
scampers to the bank and up into a hollow tree trunk.
The weasel scampers out of the water, onto the bank
and chases after Sammy up the tree.
16.
INT. HOLLOW TREE
Inside the dim hollow tree hole Sammy runs higher
and higher as the squealing weasel closes in.
Sammy sees an opening of bright light and darts
into it, landing on the back of a sleeping owl.
17.
EXT. HOLLOW TREE
The owl feels the small claws around his neck
and panics, leaping out into the air
with his wings in full flight.
The weasel hurries to get his mouse but finds
himself at full run in the empty chamber. He slides forward, out the opening
into vacant air.
18.
EXT. SKY
Up into the air flies a very frightened owl with
Sammy clinging desperately to his back. High above the ground, the owl regains
his composure and tries to shake off his passenger.
Sammy sees the ground far below him and claw-climbs
up the owl's thick neck and wraps his front feet around the owl's head, covering
its eyes.
Now the owl can't see, so it flies even more
erratically. Up, up, then twist-spiral to the earth, then wings out full to
break and then left, wings under for a death spiral. Then wings out full to
break and right wing under for a reverse death spiral.
But Sammy still holds on.
Then the owl hit a circling hawk. The very hawk who
had nearly gotten Sammy before.
Thud; feathers and mouse plummet toward earth.
19.
EXT. COW PASTURE
Ba-thud onto the earth; the hawk on the bottom of
the pile lay dead. The owl on top of the hawk lay unconscious. And Sammy lay
dazed on top of the owl.
Sammy's head clears, his breath returns, and he
runs like summer's thunder from the pile of feathers.
He runs around piles of cow manure. Then he runs
inbetween the cows' legs.
Two farm cats sitting on the pasture fence, see
Sammy and quickly give chase. They too run between the cows' legs.
Sammy sees the cats closing in on him and he panics
and climbs up a cow's leg onto its back.
Seeing a mouse on its back the cow bellows and
begins to run. All the cows begin a
stampede, running toward the barn.
The two cats follow close behind the stampede.
20.
INT. BARN
Two farmhands are just beginning to pull a
tarpaulin over a truckload of corn. They hear the cows, then see the stampede,
and quickly run to the front of the truck.
The truck blocks the cows path so they quick stop.
Sammy jumps from the cow's back onto the side of
the barn and climbs upwards.
After the cows settle down, the farmhands herd them
back out to the pasture.
When all the cows are out of the barn the cats
enter. They quickly spy Sammy. One cat follows after Sammy; the other goes up
the other side of the barn wall.
Sammy swallows in fear then climbs onto a
crossbeam.
The first cat carefully follows Sammy onto the
crossbeam while the second cat comes for Sammy from the far end.
When both cats are only inches from Sammy, he
faints and falls down onto the loose corn in the truck bed.
The two farmhands have returned to the truck and
pull the tarpaulin over the top of the corn just as Sammy lands. They secure the tarpaulin, then get in the
truck and drive off.
21.
EXT. RAILROAD SILO
The truck pulls over a conveyor belt and dumps out
all the corn and Sammy for a conveyor ride to the top of the silo.
22.
INT. RAILROAD SILO
Sammy lands on the top of the huge pile of loose
corn in the silo. Looks around, smiles
and begins to eat.
After consuming a few kernels another truck load of
corn tumbles down into the silo.
Soon Sammy is covered by the loose corn. He digs quickly to keep his head above the
corn. The falling corn stops and Sammy
ends up at the top of the pile.
He barely catches his breath when another load of
corn begins to tumble about him. Again
he must dig and dig to keep from being buried. Finally the corn stops.
Suddenly the mound of corn begins to drop from
under Sammy. Lower and lower he slides. He plummets downward in a whirlpool of
loose corn. Down and around and around he spins. There isn't any air! He is
suffocating, he is dizzy, he is afraid.
23.
INT. RAILROAD BOXCAR
Sammy's spiraling ends in a roll to a dark corner
of the boxcar. He stopped, but the corn coming in didn't. He is once again
being buried alive.
Clawing, scrabbling and scratching, his little legs
ramble upward against the spillway of kernels.
Sammy finally sides over to his left where the
force of the falling corn is less, giving him chance to over-view his new
surroundings: four walls and a growing pile of corn. Then he notices the
sunlight encircling the waterfall of corn.
Quickly he climbs closer to the top of the growing
pile toward the sunlight aside the gush of corn.
Then the falling corn stops. When the square of
sunlight clears of dust, Sammy can see the sky and a few clouds. He rejoices
aloud and scampers up the wall toward his freedom.
24.
EXT. RAILROAD BOXCAR - TOPSIDE
The sunlight disappears with a loud clash that
knocks Sammy down to the corn mound, for the switchman has slammed the car's
roof door closed. Within the darkness, Sammy cries himself to sleep.
25.
EXT. FOOD FACTORY - TRAIN SIDING
Sammy and the boxcar of corn tumble down onto a
very large, fast moving conveyor belt. The corn cushions Sammy's drop from the
boxcar onto the conveyor belt. It moves smoothly and very swiftly.
26.
INT. FOOD FACTORY - CONVEYOR BELT
Up, up, Sammy and corn travel till it reached the
ceiling, turns right and proceeds into an enclosed tunnel heading for a steam
rinse.
The closer the corn and Sammy got to the steam
rinse, the hotter the air. When he finally couldn't bear the temperature any
longer, he squeals, turns around and begins to run against the flow of corn.
27.
INT. FOOD FACTORY - OUTSIDE ENCLOSED CONVEYOR BELT
At the precise moment Sammy screams; a workman is
walking along the catwalk beside the conveyor. The workman hears the squeal and
opens the inspection hatch.
Sammy darts through the door and onto his chest
causing the man to be startled and to lose his balance and slip and fall,
bumping his head on the railing.
Sammy climbs into the open pocket of the workman's
jacket and is knocked unconscious.
A second workman closes the inspection hatch, then
helps the fallen workman who is very dizzy.
28.
INT. FOOD FACTORY NURSE'S OFFICE
A nurse in white puts a gauze bandage around the
fallen workman's head. She gives him a
small bottle of pills and points to the door.
29.
INT. WORKMAN'S APARTMENT
The workman takes his jacket off, throws it on the
couch. He goes into his bedroom and
closes the door.
Sammy climbs out of the workman's jacket pocket,
cautiously looks around; astounded by this new place and all the human objects.
SAMMY
Where's all the corn? What happened? Where am I?
That hot dark tunnel, I remember now; I jumped into the light. But then, then,
oh that's all I remember.
With his full gaze he sees everything in the
apartment at once; the strange and large array of colors. Then his perceptions
note the different depths of the furniture. Finally his gaze is attracted to
the radio tower lights in the picture window across the room.
Sammy quick scampers down the jacket, across the
floor, up the curtains and onto the window ledge.
And once he is upon the ledge he doesn't have the
chance to look at the radio tower lights for his sight is filled with hundreds
of dancing automobile headlights
Car lights, street lights, apartment lights,
flashing yellow lights, neon lights; there were more lights here than all the
summer nights.
SAMMY
This must be the City. What a wonderful place. I
must find my rich cousins.
Sammy takes two steps forward, bump, right into the
glass window. He falls flat onto his belly. His nose throbs in pain and the
star-struck changes to confusion. He eases himself up and cautiously touches
the glass window with his nose. He scratches it with his toenails.
SAMMY
I'm so close to the City. What is this?
He squeals madly. He scratches the glass, again and
again. Finally he calms down.
SAMMY
There must be a crack somewhere, a path into the
City.
He climbs back down the curtains to the floor. He
walks along the baseboards, finally arrives at the closed apartment door. He
sniffs the fresher outside air from its floor crack, but it is much too small
for him to escape through.
He continues searching; sniffing his way into the
kitchen. He smells the food scraps on the counter top. But he can not climb up the shinny metal
cabinets.
Frustrated, he runs back to the apartment door
crack and tries to squeeze under it. Unable, he runs back into the kitchen and
tries to climb the metal cabinets to get the food. Unable, he runs back to the
apartment door crack and scratches the door. Unable to escape, he runs back to
the curtains and climbs up to the window ledge.
He stares down at all the lights. He runs back down the curtains. Runs around in circles until he trips, rolls
under the couch and falls asleep.
30.
INT. WORKMAN'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAWN
The alarm clock rings loudly.
The workman, still in work clothes, sits up. Looks
at the clock. Looks at himself in a dresser mirror. Takes off the head bandage,
then goes to the door.
31.
INT. WORKMAN'S APARTMENT - KITCHEN
The workman splashes water from the sink onto his
face, dries his face with a towel.
WORKMAN
I don't feel like fixing breakfast. I'll just stop
at the diner, say hi to Helen.
Sammy peeks a look from under the couch. He sees the brown workboots and the blue
workpants of the workman walking toward him and then past him.
The workman is at the apartment door. He opens it.
Sammy sees the door crack open, exposing the wide
hallway.
SAMMY
That's the path to the City.
Sammy runs toward the open apartment door. Only a foot from the open door the workman
closes the door behind him. Sammy slides to stop against the hard door.
Suddenly the door knob is turning; Sammy hears it
and scampers to the wall.
The workman returns inside to retrieve his jacket.
As the workman goes out the open apartment door, Sammy quickly follows his
brown boots.
32. WORKMAN'S APARTMENT
ELEVATOR
Sammy stays inbetween the brown boots; following
them into the elevator. When the workman does his turn around to face the
elevator doors; Sammy freezes in place avoiding being stepped on.
The elevator abruptly slides downward then stops as
suddenly. Sammy's stomach flip flops and his head spins dizzy.
The brown boots leave the elevator at a quick pace
and Sammy wobbles from side to side if effort to keep.
33.
EXT. WORKMAN'S
APARTMENT BUILDING DOORWAY
The workman goes through the building entrance
doors letting the door close automatically; just slow enough for Sammy to
squeeze through before shutting tight.
34.
EXT. WORKMAN'S
APARTMENT BUILDING SIDEWALK
Sammy follows inbetween the brown boots a few
steps. Then Sammy sees the streaks of passing car lights and stops, frozen in
stare.
SAMMY
I'm in the City. I made it.
So many flashing, moving colorful lights and
thunderous automotive sounds confuse and daze Sammy. He continues to stand
still while dozens of two legged humans are stepping past him, over him, around
him and more are marching toward him.
SLICK CITY (O.S.)
Hey you. You dumbhead, get yourself over here. Move
mouse, quick before they step on you.
Sammy turns toward the voice but doesn't see it.
But he now sees the boots and shoes walking toward him. And so he begins to
dodge left and right, left and right.
SLICK CITY
(yells)
Get over here you dumb mouse!
Sammy sees the eyes of a city mouse huddled in the
shadow of a broom aside tenement steps.
Sammy quickly runs and stops beside the city mouse.
SAMMY
You must be my city cousin come to welcome me to
the City. Where are Aunt Kath and Uncle Klob? And what are all these humans
doing here in our city? And I'm hungry and
(SAMMY cont)
tired, and I've had such a frightening journey
here. Where can we rest? Where's my family? When will I be famous? Are you real
rich? Is it always so loud? Does it rain? Where are your cornfields? What's
your name? Mine's Sammy.
The city mouse just sits there, smiling and shaking
his head.
SLICK CITY
So your name is Sammy. Where do you hail from? What
did you say your Aunt's name was?
SAMMY
Say. You don't look like any of my cousins or aunts
or uncles, or grandparents. You must be a city mouse. This is the City, right?
(looks at passing cars)
SLICK CITY
Right, little lost one, this is the big city. In
fact the only city. There is nowhere else. So what part of this do you come
from? Or do you remember?
SAMMY
Yes I remember where I am from. And I am going to
call you City since you are the first mouse I have met here.
(grins)
SLICK CITY
You're going to call me City, since I'm the first
mouse you've met, right? Well my friends call me Slick. So I guess you can call
me Slick
(SLICK CITY cont)
City. Yea. That sounds neat. You can call me Slick
City. Say, you doing some of those crazy human drugs or what? You got any more?
Maybe you and I can have some fun.
SAMMY
You see City, I mean Slick City. I have been
traveling for many sun risings since I left my home in the cornfields to become
rich and famous like so many of my family have.
SLICK CITY
(grins)
Sure, tell me more lost one.
SAMMY
Oh. There isn't much more to say. I was born in a
cornfield in the spring with my two brothers and sisters. And I listened to the
stories of our forefathers traveling here to your City to become rich. And so
one day, I too decided I would travel here to make my fortune. Well, that's it,
the whole story.
SLICK CITY
That's pretty interesting. Yes sir, that's a
whopper of a story. Ah, you said lots of other mice like you have been coming
here for a long time right? And one more thing, where are your clothes?
Slick City pulls at his own shirt.
SAMMY
Yes, hundreds and hundreds of we cornfield mice
have bound for this City, and we don't have clo.., ah clothes there.
(tugs the shirt)
SLICK CITY
Well little lost one I got to tell you straight
out. You are the first mouse I've ever run into with a story like yours. And
I've never heard any of my friends talk about mice from cor.., ah, cornfields.
Sammy sits back and gives his new friend an
inquiring gaze.
SAMMY
Well it's not my fault you don't know about
cornfields. There's, there's lots of cornfields. But really far away. Slick
City, I made it here to the City, so some of my family must be here somewhere.
Tell me, just how big is this City?
SLICK CITY
(to self)
I must say, he doesn't sound so crazy. Makes some
sense and seems to be telling the truth. Still could have some fun hitting the
hot spots.
(to Sammy)
Well Sammy, this is such a big place that I've been
told that it has no beginning or end.
SAMMY
Then it would be very possible for my family to
have arrived here long ago and be living in a different part of this big place,
so far from here and your friends, that you would never have heard about them.
SLICK CITY
Yea, lost one, that's real possible, especially if
they are rich like you think they are.
SAMMY
Do you mean, this isn't the place where rich mice
live?
(looks at the passing humans)
SLICK CITY
You got it, lost one, this street here is called
Workers Row. Where the rich are, is called Uptown and it's far away from here,
I think. At least that's what Billy is always saying.
(scratches his right ear)
SAMMY
(smiles wide eyed)
Well, let's get going to this friend of yours,
Billy.
SLICK CITY
Right, we'll see Billy first. He should dig this.
Yea, he can tell us how to get Uptown to your rich folks.
35. EXT. CITY ALLEYWAY - MORNING
Sammy follows Slick City through the alley darting
from deep shadow to deep shadow, pausing to listen, sniff and overview for
cats, dogs, rats, and drunken humans.
36. INT. CITY ALLEYWAY - STORAGE GARAGE
Slick City leads Sammy through a narrow passage
into a storage garage. He jangles a row of small, discarded Christmas Bells.
BILLY
(raspy voice)
Yea? Come in. Who is it?
SLICK CITY
It's me Billy, and I got a lost one with me. Okay
to come in?
Slick City ducks under the boards; Sammy follows
Billy sits rolling marbles over to his girl friend,
Moll; she then rolls them back at him.
Sammy sees the marbles, Billy, his place and all
its stuff. Then he sees Moll.
Moll sees Sammy; smiles and eye flirts. Sammy
immediately hurries over to her.
Billy sees them; jealous he begins to confront them
but Slick City rushes to his side and whispers in his ear.
Moll leads Sammy onto a soft cushion and they begin
to pet each other's faces.
SLICK CITY
Look here. Leave them be. We got important stuff
here. That naked nut is some kind of rich one. Came from a cornfield. Got rich
family on the other side. He's lost and confused. We can make a bundle getting
him back to his family.
BILLY
For real? Rich huh, like Uptown rich? Lost huh. Yea.
(BILLY cont)
We take him back. We get the reward. Then I can get
out of this dump. And show Moll a real good time. What's the plan?
Billy glances at Sammy and Moll who are now
kissing. He begins to get up, but Slick City grabs him.
SLICK CITY
Yea. Uptown rich. We get him to his family, we get
a nice piece of change. But I don't think we can do it alone, gonna need some
help.
BILLY
Uptown rich. Well that is something. Yea, let's do
it. Definitely need help. Hate to, but have to go to the Barr boys.
SLICK CITY
(fearful)
Them? Really? You sure? Don't you know anybody
else.
BILLY
At least I know them. More than you can say. Come
on let's go.
(looks at Sammy & Moll)
Before I lose my temper and change my mind.
Slick City hurries over to the cushion, pulls
Sammy's tail.
SLICK CITY
Come on lover boy. We're taking you to your family.
Time to go. Now!
(yanks tail hard)
Sammy climbs off the cushion, pulling Moll along
with him.
The foursome exit under the loose boards, Billy
leads.
37.
EXT. CITY ALLEYWAY
Billy hugs close to the buildings, being sure to
stay deep within the shadows and ever watchful for the menaces of his
neighborhood.
BILLY
(over shoulder)
Do what I do. Walk where I walk. And we might make
it.
Billy continues with his sneaky, careful movements.
But Sammy and Moll are busy hugging each other and Slick City is busy giggling
and watching them more than Billy.
Near the end of the alley, a few feet from the
humans walking on the sidewalk, is a narrow opening between a building's
bricks.
Billy stops, holding up his paw. But Slick City is
still looking back at the lovers and knocks into Billy. They tumble to the
ground. Sammy and Moll then bump into
them and the foursome scramble to the feet.
Panicked, Billy looks quickly around.
BILLY
(raspy voice)
Through there, under a flap. That's where they hang
out. There'll be guards. Let me do the talking.
SLICK CITY
Sure Billy. I follow.
SAMMY AND MOLL
(tails around each other)
Uh huh.
38.
INT. BRICK BUILDING
STORAGE ROOM
Billy disappears behind the flap of cloth.
Sammy, Moll, and Slick City are on the other side
of the flap in the narrow brick passage way.
FIRST GUARD (O.S.)
Uptown. You sure? Yea, well better be.
The flap opens and Billy gestures them inside.
The troupe pass under a dark cloth and immediately
into the light of candles.
A Second Guard stops them while the First Guard
walks over to a table of mice playing dice.
The First Guard whispers into the ear of the
biggest mouse, Ye Boss, who turns slowly to gaze at them.
YE BOSS
(loudly)
Bring him here.
SECOND GUARD
Come with me.
The
Second Guard pulls Billy over to Ye Boss.
Billy and Ye Boss whisper back and forth, pointing
at Sammy. Ye Boss laughs and so do the other mice at the dice table.
Billy keeps whispering and all soon quiet and begin
to roll their eyes at each other and nod their heads.
While they talk Moll guides Sammy over to a soft
carpet not in the light of any candle. There they lay close to each other,
kissing and touching toes and wriggling their tails affectionately around each
other's ears.
YE BOSS
(loudly)
Bring the nut over here!
Moll pushes Sammy up and toward Ye Boss like a
child drops a hot pan.
YE BOSS
Billy here, says you from out of town. Got you self
lost. Says you got family Uptown. That right?
SAMMY
Uptown? Out of town? Ah, yea. I got family Uptown.
I'm from the cornfield. Corn. That's what we eat. Don't exactly know where
Uptown is. So you are right. I am lost, sort of. Can you help me?
YE BOSS
Oh yea. We can help you. But it will cost you. Say
boy, where's you clothes?
All the mice at the dice table laugh.
SAMMY
(defiant)
Out in the cornfield, we don't need clothes.
YE BOSS
Proud you are. I can see that.
(points and laughs)
SAMMY
(defiant)
Didn't come all this way to be laughed at. Can you
help me or what?
YE BOSS
Cool it boy. We can help. Like I said, it will
cost.
SAMMY
Ah, good. But I don't have any corn, or or, just
what do you want?
YE BOSS
You Uptown family will have what we want. We get
you there and they pay. Right?
SAMMY
You get me to my family, I'm sure they'll be very
greatful. Very generous. That's the way we are.
YE BOSS
Good enough. You got a deal.
Without further comment all the mice around the
table rise and follow Ye Boss toward the cloth doorway.
The First Guard nods to Billy and he in turn to
Moll, who slides beside Sammy as he comes to the doorway amidst the dice
players. City follows the two new lovers. And Billy, shocked, is shuffled to
the rear by the Second Guard.
The troupe scampers single file through the narrow
brick passage way out into the
alleyway.
39.
EXT. CITY ALLEYWAYS
The troupe stays single file as they scamper
through the shadows of the alleyways.
Ye Boss points to narrow slits and dark holes, left
and right and a mouse disappears within, only to return to the rear of the
troupe with one or two more mice. Soon the troupe has grown in size to that of
a small parade whispering of Uptown riches.
In the middle of an alley a basement window hidden
behind a stack of wooden pallets, is where the parade disappears into.
40.
INT. BRICK BUILDING -
BASEMENT WINDOW
The troupe scampers down a board lodged from the
window to the floor. The room is small, dark and cluttered. The troupe stops
outside a large crack in a closet door.
Ye Boss calls two of the dice players forward.
YE BOSS
Go tell Revelle I'm here. I wanna talk. Peace talk.
Got a good deal for him. Don't say nuttin else. Got it!
CRAPS
I follow. I wern't born Tuesday. Be right back.
Craps slips through the closet door.
SLICK CITY
Billy. Where the hell are we?
BILLY
Fool. Aign't you been nowhere? This hot spot belong
to Revelle. This be his side of the street. Ye Boss is shrud. Got make a deal
so Revelle don't think this is a food raid.
SLICK CITY
Well I heard of Revelle. Yea. Don't want another
food war. Make a deal, good plan.
Craps returns through the door crack, nods okay.
Ye Boss leads the troupe into the nightclub.
41.
INT. BRICK BUILDING -
BASEMENT NIGHTCLUB
Fancy garbed mice are playing mice musical
instruments and a dozen mice are twirling on the dance floor. A few dozen more mice are scattered about
the large room at tables, or walking and talking, or at the tiny bar rail.
The band stops playing with the entrance of Ye Boss
and all eyes are on him and his group. Fifteen members of Ye Boss's gang stay
by the door ready to swamp-in if there is any sign of trouble.
The silence lengthens to a state of anxiety, which
even pulls Sammy's attention from Moll. Slick City begins to shake
uncontrollably and Billy shudders aloud.
Ye Boss smiles his grandest and walks over to
Revelle. He swoops up an empty thread spool with his tail and in one quick
motion places it opposite Revelle and sits down without changing his gaze or
breaking his smile.
Revelle pushes a disc of whiskey to Ye Boss, which he sucks up with one slurp, never breaking his
gaze.
Ye Boss tosses a small, plastic bag of herbs to
Revelle, who opens it, tastes it and then swallows its contents whole. And then
he too smiles.
Whereupon, the silence becomes chatter throughout
the place. And the band begins to play.
Ye Boss turns his head toward Sammy and points to
him with his tail. A dice player pushes Sammy away from Moll and straight to Ye
Boss' table.
Sammy loses his balance by the unexpected push and
careens into two tables, spins all the way around a third table, reaches out to
grab for his balance and finds himself in the arms of the most sensuous mouse
dancer in the joint.
The dancer catches Sammy in the middle of his spin
and whisks him out onto the dance floor, twirling him around to the rhythm of
the band's music.
The dancer's eyes smile deep into Sammy's and her
tail slides slowly up his spine, sending waves of new found desire into Sammy's
soul.
Moll senses Sammy's hunger change and immediately
runs onto the dance floor and leaps through the air onto the back of the
honky-tonk dancer, pulling her and Sammy to the floor. They roll into two
spinning couples, who fall rolling into the other dancers around them. Soon all
the dancers have toppled themselves, wriggling to the pounding vibes of the
band.
Moll and the dancer wrestle, roll, twist on top of
Sammy. He tries to roll right and gets jabbed. He goes left and they push him
over into some of the other dancers.
The floor now is covered with wriggly, giggling
mice, who begin to spread their new dance into the tables of drinks while the
band plays on and everyone roars laughter.
Slick City sees a table crash near Sammy. Afraid,
he grabs Revelle.
SLICK CITY
The lost one might be hurt!
Revelle's eyes open wide. He snaps his tail twice.
The band stops and the dancers lay still.
REVELLE
Bring the nut to me.
Two very large mice pick Sammy up from under the
dancers and take him quickly over to Revelle's table.
REVELLE
(yells)
Drinks on the House!
The dancers are up and at the bar made of a marble
sliver before the band beats out another note. They whoop up and down as they
holler out for their favorite drink. The nightclub rocks with laughter.
Moll stands at the bar rail beside the honky-tonker
dancer, both smiling and yelling for whisky and wine.
REVELLE
So this soused little one is from the country
fields where corn grows and he's here to visit his family, his Uptown
(REVELLE cont)
family. And he's somewhat lost. Well Ye Boss, I think
between the two of us we'll be able to accommodate his desires. Now if you
don't find my plan too objectionable we should have this one united happily
with his family within days. Uptown is
quite a long dangerous trip, so we'll need lots of helpers, escorts, guards,
food, drink, herbs and of course the band. And, I'm sure the reward will more
than cover the cost. That right corn boy?
SAMMY
Oh. Very. My, ah my family. Very rich. Big reward.
When do we go?
REVELLE
Soon. Very soon. We make plans. You go dance.
Revelle stands up, whips his tail twice around his
head and pops it back underneath his feet.
He pushes Sammy toward the dance floor.
At his motion the band slides into a quick ragtime
beat. The dancers move toward the dance floor; twisting and turning in grin
with the music and each other. And Moll is spinning away from the bar rail with
the dancer she had fought away from Sammy.
Sammy bobs from the table and weaves through the
dancers into Moll's waiting arms. There, they melt into a slow blur of passion
and are soon hidden by the dancers.
Billy watches Sammy and Moll, then shrugs his
shoulders. He meanders up to Ye Bosses' table. Slick City glares silently at
him and screws his eyebrows to quiet him.
SLICK CITY
(looks at Revelle)
How many of us do you figure we'll need?
Revelle looks about the club, counting heads.
REVELLE
(looks at Ye Boss)
How many you bring tonight?
YE BOSS
There's about thirty of us counting the lost drunk
we're taking Uptown.
Revelle snaps his tail once and three guards are
quickly aside him.
REVELLE
Quickly go to Northtown and give Ye Tyrant this
bag. Tell him a big party is going to happen Uptown and to bring everyone here
posthaste.
42.
INT. BRICK BUILDING -
BASEMENT NIGHTCLUB
The nightclub is packed with mice, body to body.
Drinking at the bar rail, dancing, sitting at tables.
A very large mouse, Ye Tyrant, dressed in purple,
sits drinking and laughing at the table with Ye Boss, Revelle and Slick City.
Sammy and Moll are kissing in a dark corner near
the door crack.
SAMMY
Let's get out of here. It's too loud. Too
noisy. I need some fresh air. Come on.
He pulls Moll to the door crack and they disappear
through it.
Slick City is still at Ye Boss and Revelle's table,
watching Sammy and Moll through the crowd. Suddenly he jumps on the table top,
pointing.
SLICK CITY
They are getting away!
Ye Boss and Revelle rush after Sammy and Moll.
YE TYRANT
(yells)
Everyone! Follow me!
All the mice, including the band, follow out
through the crack in the door.
43.
EXT. BRICK BUILDING
ALLEYWAY - DUSK
The large crowd of mice encircle Sammy and Moll.
The party mob of mice run singing and dancing through the alley then cross the
vacant human sidewalks, finally entering the highway drain pipes.
44.
INT. HIGHWAY DRAIN
PIPES
The squealing noise echoes through the drain pipes.
The scout forerunners slow their pace in the dark
pipes, but the main core of wild singing and dancing mice keep pushing the
scout forerunners through the darkness.
At the first fork in the pipes, the scout
forerunners veer left. At the second fork they veer right. Then at the third
fork they veer left again toward a gathering of fighting rats.
As the noisy party of mice round the turn, their
squeal reaches the ears of the quarreling rats. And in turning, the rats see dozens and dozens of wild eyes
frantically closing upon them. The rats drop their corpse and run into the left
pipe.
The scout forerunners, seeing the rats, panic into
the right pipe. The crowd of mice follow their lead. And soon the party runs
out of the pipes' darkness and into a lit parking lot.
45.
EXT. LARGE PARKING
LOT - DARK
In the middle of the parking lot the crowd slows,
their eyes fixed on the lot lights. Ye Tyrant's tail snaps the party to a halt.
And Sammy and Moll fall to the pavement giggling
until Slick City nicks their ears for silence.
YE TYRANT
(yells)
Go forth into the streets and bring back all who
wish to join us. Get directions to Uptown and ask of their security.
Ye Tyrant snaps his tail and the forerunner scouts
break into groups of five and disappear down the alleyways.
Ye Tyrant, Ye Boss and Revelle lay down to sleep.
And as a pebble thrown into a still pond sends its circlous waves to the
shorelines, so too the mice lay down close to their friends for warmth.
46.
EXT. LARGE PARKING
LOT - DAWN
The streetlights begin to dim as the morning sun
lights the asphalt around Sammy.
Sammy's stomach growls. He looks at sleeping Moll,
then around at the crowd of sleeping mice.
SAMMY
I'm so hungry. I don't see any corn around here.
Have to go find some. Let Moll sleep. I'll surprise her with breakfast
Sammy carefully gets up from Moll's embrace,
tip-toes through the sleeping crowd, and begins his breakfast search walking
quietly toward the new sun along a vacant sidewalk.
47.
EXT. LARGE PARKING
LOT - JUST AFTER DAWN
Meanwhile back at the parking lot, the first
forerunner scouts are just returning with news of Uptown and with many local
recruits bent on getting some of their overpaid taxes back from the rich.
The crowd of mice begin wakening.
Ye Boss, Ye Tyrant and Revelle sit in the center of
the crowd and question the new recruits.
Moll looks around for Sammy, then begins to wander
through the crowd in search. Slick City
follows her.
More forerunner scouts return with more angry,
vengeful, starved recruits.
The crowd swirls with excitement.
The band begins to play adding to the tempo.
The parking lot becomes loud with the excitement of
the partiers and the wildness of the dancers and the anger of the recruits.
It becomes too loud to understand each other and a
local boss hits Revelle while arguing over the percentage of the reward.
Immediately two of Revelle's guards ram their
spears through the local boss and his blood pours-out over Revelle's toes.
The blood! The squeal of death! The jumping of the
dancers! The anger of the recruits!
Everyone is screaming, each one with the added
pitch of a mouse's death. And death becomes their feeling and revenge over the
rich becomes their outcry.
CROWD
Death to the Uptown rich!
Revelle and Ye Boss and Ye Tyrant each snap their
tails for the attack rush.
The crowd pitch their voices forward and their
bodies rush along in unison for the riches of Uptown.
Moll is at the edge of the crowd and stays in the
parking lot when the crowd rushes off. She sniffs along the sidewalk, finding
Sammy's scent.
Slick City is pushed along with the crowd, but
manages to slip to the back of the crowd and stops. He sees Moll leave the parking lot for the sidewalk. He hurries to catch up to her.
48.
EXT. CITY SIDEWALK - MORNING
Blinded by the sunlight reflecting off a
skyscraper, Sammy drifts blindly walking
straight toward a very mean, hungry alley cat.
MEAN CAT
That's a mouse. Walking straight toward me. That
mouse may be sick. Dad always said, Don't eat a sick mouse.
When Sammy is only inches away, the cat hits him
across the face, knocking him down and to his senses.
Sammy shakes his head and blinks his eyes many
times.
The cat swipes Sammy across the face again. And he
rolls across the sidewalk, his eyes unblinking.
The cat saunters over and smacks our hero again.
Again Sammy rolls away, but his time the cat gets an unexpected surprise.
Inflamed, outraged, and mad to the point of
hysteria, Moll leaps in the air over Sammy and tares her claws into the cat's
face.
The cat screams in pain, shock, and disbelief and
shakes Moll off. The cat sits and stares down at Sammy and Moll.
Then Slick City flings himself through the air and
claws at the cat's eyes with his front paws and at its neck with his back paws.
The cat shrieks, jumps high into the air and twists
loose from Slick City's grip. When the cat lands it runs across the street and
climbs high into an elm tree.
Slick City grabs Sammy and Moll, tugging them
toward the narrow walkway of two abandoned buildings.
49.
EXT. CITY ALLEYWAY
They follow Slick City along the dim path to a
small broken, boarded up basement window. They scurry along the inside window
ledge and down a slanted plank into the basement.
50.
INT. BUILDING
BASEMENT
On the floor Sammy, Moll and Slick City find an
empty cardboard box, crawl inside and lay quiet.
51. EXT. CITY STREET - STORM DRAIN
The crowd of screaming mice follow the local scouts
down into a storm drain.
52.
INT. BUILDING BASEMENT
A fat mouse is shaking the cardboard box.
CREW BOSS
Wake up, wake up! What are you three doing in here?
Wake up, there'll be no loafing up here. Come on Bobby Ray, help me rouse these
vagabonds.
SLICK CITY
All right! I hear you, I hear you, I'm awake.
The Crew Boss pulls on Slick City's hair. Slick City hits him in the nose. The Crew
Boss stumbles back, tripping over Moll.
MOLL
(screams)
You slob, get off me!
Moll kicks the crew boss over onto Sammy, who put
his dreamy arms around him and kisses him on the ear.
CREW BOSS
You flaming queer, get off me. Help. Help me.
Two worker mice pull Sammy off their Crew Boss.
WORKER
Should we slug him a couple, Boss?
CREW BOSS
(angry)
No, that one's for me. Hold him up!
Slick City jumps up, carefully puts his paws on the
crew boss's shoulders.
SLICK CITY
(softly)
Just a minute, you better not hit a Prince or the
King will have your hide, Sir Boss.
CREW BOSS
(looks at Sammy)
What?
SLICK CITY
Yes, that is his Royalness from the Cornlands south
of our fair city. He is here on a mission of inquiry and a few days of fun and
pleasure. As you will learn when he forgives your curtness and rough behavior
and favors you with conversation.
CREW BOSS
What!? Well I never thought I'd live to see the day
when I actually would meet anyone
(CREW BOSS cont)
from a Royal family. Imagine that. Help the Prince
to his feet you clowns. Quickly. Quickly!
The Crew Boss rushes over to his workers and pushes
them back from Sammy as he brushes the dust off him.
CREW BOSS
Excuse my men, your Royalness. We didn't know it
was you. They're good men, trusted helpers and ah, ah, here here, there most of
that dust is gone. Excuse us, excuse us.
(brushes Sammy's hair clean)
Moll walks over to the Crew Boss and firmly shoves
him aside from Sammy.
MOLL
There will be no need to worry, the Prince and I
are very grateful to see how thorough your men are. Aren't we my love?
Moll smiles over to Sammy. Puts her tail around his
ears and nibbles him a kiss. Sammy smiles and hums back in her ear.
MOLL
(winks)
Well your Princeship, order him to take us to his
leader.
SAMMY
(winks at Moll)
Yes, everything will be superb after you escort us
to your leader. And a little something for my hunger.
CREW BOSS
Follow me, your Royalness. Your bidding is my
command.
(to workers)
Walk behind us.
Slick City, Moll and Sammy follow the Crew Boss and
his two workers into a dark hole in a side wall.
53.
INT. BUILDING PIPES HALLWAY
Moll wraps her tail around Sammy's ears pulling him
close to her as they walk on top of water pipes in the dark hallway.
Larger pipes enter from the walls into the hallway.
SLICK CITY
Sir worker, could you tell the Prince something
about this tunnel walk of yours? Also, what of rats? Are they a problem?
An approaching troop of patrol mice walk toward
them on another pipe.
CREW BOSS
As the Prince can see, we have many troops
patrolling our pathways. We can travel safely to any part of our city. They ran
the rats out of our tunnels long before even I was born.
As the two groups converged, the Crew Boss and the
Patrol Leader stop and hail each other.
CREW BOSS
(proudly)
This is his Royal Prince of the Cornlands south of
our city. Form-up and escort us to the Leader.
The Patrol Leader snaps his tail and the troupe
splits to the front and rear of the Royal procession. Then the whole parade
moves forward.
At intersections of larger pipes, Slick City
notices lookouts posted at each entrance. He whispers to Moll.
SLICK CITY
(whispers)
This place is heavily guarded. What will the
soldiers do when they hear of the bosses' attack? They'll think we are the
leaders cause we told them Sammy was the Country Prince, oh CATS!
Moll sees mice walking on the other pipeways.
Groups of males and females standing and talking, some garbed in workwear and
some in casuals.
MOLL
Those clothes look very expensive.
SLICK CITY
Yea. Must be near Uptown.
The pipeway mice spot Slick City, Sammy and Moll.
Some turn to their friends and some openly point at the newcomers.
MOLL
Think they know of the attack?
SLICK CITY
Too soon. Just curious.
(to Sammy)
Smile and wave at the crowd.
Moll winks at Slick City, kisses Sammy on the
inside of his ear, grins her widest and blows kisses with both of her paws.
Sammy begins mock kisses and bows of his head, then
waves his hand in a small swoop across his belly.
SAMMY
Say. I'm hungry.
CREW BOSS
Sorry your Highness, I should have thought of that.
The Crew Boss trots to the Escort Captain and
whispers. The Captain glances back at the friendly royal couple, shrugs his
shoulders, turns and points to a gate.
54.
INT. BUILDING PIPEWAY HALL - MOUSE MANSION
GATE
The troupe stops at the gate and the Captain
reports to the Gatekeeper who looks curiously at Sammy.
Sammy blows him a kiss and does his small bow.
Moll tops the scene with a full bow; her tail in
slow circle around her head and lands aside Sammy's groin. He turns to her,
smiles and slides his tail around her waist.
Slick City walks to within five feet of the
Gatekeeper.
SLICK CITY
The Prince of Corn Country and his city love are
here on tour of our great and wonderful city! Announce His arrival to the
Leader.
ESCORT CAPTAIN
And be quick. The Prince is hungry.
GATEKEEPER
(smiling)
I am quite sure of the Leader's pleasure over the
arrival and visit of royalty. Captain, bring the Prince and follow me.
The Gatekeeper pushes the small iron gates open. He
picks up a stick and hits a car hubcap.
Suddenly the hum of mice voices becomes silent.
GATEKEEPER
(booming voice)
Make way for the Prince, make way for the Prince.
Clear our path straight to the Leader. The Royal Corn Prince has arrived.
The soldiers and the members of the wealth slide
aside and bow their heads with the passing of Sammy and his escort.
At the end of a narrow pathway standing infront of
a jeweled doll house door, two guards bring their lances forward in unison,
their uniforms nearly as jeweled as the door.
GUARDS
Halt, announce yourself.
ESCORT CAPTAIN
(salutes)
Captain of the roving guard first shift reporting.
I present to the Leader the Royal Prince from the Corn Country. Our southern border
crew encountered them at that ground entrance. Announce our presence to the
Leader.
One guard pulls back his lance, snaps his heals,
pivots and pushes the door open.
55.
INT. MOUSE MANSION WAITING ROOM
The door opens wide and a smiling guard dressed in
bright yellow satin comes toward Sammy, his paws extended in the greeting
gesture. He hugs Sammy, pulls back, and bows deeply.
YELLOW GUARD
We are honored, deeply honored by this gracious
visit, your Highness. Please to follow me. Our Leader is greatly honored.
They enter a long hall lit by large candles. The
light is reflected through the hall by shiny metal signs from the humans'
streets. Also hanging on the walls are human watches, bracelets, necklaces and
rings. At the end of the hall stands a guard dressed in red satin, holding a
solid silver lance.
RED GUARD
(bellows)
Halt, who goes there?
GATEKEEPER
(bellows back)
Cool it and open up. This is the Royal Prince of
Corn Country with me.
The Red Guard immediately bows, turns and opens the
doors of silver plates.
The troupe enter a room filled with lounge couches
of red crushed velvet, adorned with silver satin pillows. Trays of fresh fruit
slices set aside each.
RED GUARD
(smiles)
Please be seated, relax and snack. I will inform
the Leader of your arrival and make the necessary arrangements for the
introductions.
The Red Guard exits through a double thickness of
silk draperies from which string music and soft laughter slip. The Gatekeeper
follows him.
Sammy and Moll and Slick City lay into the fruit
trays as famished tramps. With the tray empty, they fall back into the couches
for a short nap.
The
Red Guard returns.
RED GUARD
Your highness, the Leader awaits your entrance. And
between us, he is ecstatic at your visit.
(bows)
SAMMY
(ecstatic)
Soon I'll find my family.
SLICK CITY
(whispers to Moll)
If he only realized what his family will really
think when they hear of the Bosses' raid.
56.
INT. MOUSE MANSION
Inside the silken draperies the magnitude of the
scene stops even the Escort Captain in his tracks. An entire human wine cellar,
long ago abandon, is now lit by candles. Each candle is encircled by mice
dressed in pieces of silk and satin, lounging on velvet cushions, nibbling on
fruit pieces, vegetable slices and drinking from small saucers.
The air resounds with their laughter and music from
mouse-made guitars. In the center of this collection of hundreds of Uptowners,
sitting on a raised platform of blue velvet peering directly at the Royal
troupe, is the Leader sporting a glimmering hat. He beams in expectant emotion
of these first Royal visitors. He rises, swoop-dipping his large hat before
them.
The room stills spontaneously as if he had
commanded it to.
The Leader bows to the royal troupe, extends his
paws.
Slick City nudges Sammy.
Sammy bows in turn; also extending his paws.
The crowd cheers.
The Gatekeeper leads the royal troupe through the
crowd toward the Leader's platform.
At the base of the platform the Gatekeeper motions
the Escort Captain and the Crew Boss aside to an empty table. He then leads
Sammy and Moll and Slick City up to the Leader.
GATEKEEPER
(bellows)
Your Highness, may I present our illustrious
Leader.
The Leader nods, tipping his hat again.
GATEKEEPER
(bellows)
Leader, his Royal Prince of the Corn Country.
Sammy nods.
The Leader picks up a large diamond ring and walks
over to Sammy and draps it around his neck.
THE LEADER
Your Highness, please accept this as a token of our
welcome.
Sammy smiles and nods his head.
The crowd cheers and quickly quiets.
SAMMY
Leader, are you from Corn Country?
THE LEADER
(warmly laughs)
No your Highness, my family have always been city
dwellers.
SAMMY
Well your leadership, could you introduce me to
some of my country family members here in your city?
THE LEADER
(puzzled)
Your Highness, I don't quite understand. You are
the first member from Corn Country I have ever met. In fact, I'm not really
sure where Corn Country is.
SAMMY
(shakes head)
I don't understand this. My family members have
ventured for the City for generations. Where are they?
Sammy looks out over the crowd as if to spot one of
his cousins.
Slick City looks around the crowd and sees at the
entranceway rushing armed guards, looking very angry and pointing at Sammy.
SLICK CITY
(nudges Moll)
Rats! They know about the raid. We gotta git.
Slick City looks all around for way out. Then he
looks at the Leader. Slick City grabs a sharp knife, then whisks around behind
the leader grabbing one of his paws, putting the knife hard to his neck.
SLICK CITY
(loudly)
If you want to live, quiet your people and take us
above.
The armed guards rush to the platform, their
captain yelling.
GUARD CAPTAIN
A large raiding party from the South Highway...
Slick City puts the knife hard against the leader's
throat.
SLICK CITY
Quiet them, if you want to live. Get us out of
here, NOW!
The Leader coughs then clears his throat.
THE LEADER
Stay back, make way. I'm taking them above. Stay
back.
Sammy is still in shock about his family and Moll
has to pull him along behind Slick City and the Leader.
The Leader leads them through the dividing crowd
with the guards close, but safely back. He leads them up a fallen board aside a
long winding stairway. Up to the top of the stairs and then through a narrow
crack in the cellar door.
57.
INT. BASEMENT - WINE CELLAR
They exit into a dimly lit basement masked with the
odor of humans. The Leader leads them to another set of stairs.
THE LEADER
Up there is the way out.
Slick City pushes him forward. They climb up the
stairway trim.
At the top of the stairs is a closed door. At the
bottom of the stairs are the armed guards and most of the crowd of Uptown mice.
MOLL
(looks at Slick City)
What now?
SLICK CITY
(looks at Leader)
How do we get in?
THE LEADER
(shrugs)
When the humans open the door, I guess. We never
use this way. Our closest exit was the Southern exit, you know, the way you
came in.
SLICK CITY
Rats. We'll never make it out that way. We'll just
have to wait. Tell your guards to stay down there if they value your life.
57.
INT. HOUSE - GUEST BEDROOM
Placing folded clothes into an open suitcase on a
bed is a minister, dressed in black wearing a white collar.
A woman, MRS. BLAIR, dressed in a orange business
suit is standing in the doorway.
MRS. BLAIR
Oh, I nearly forgot. That bottle of wine. It'll
only take a second, the maid can retrieve it.
MINISTER
Well if you insist. I really did enjoy that.
MRS. BLAIR
(turns away)
Mandy. Be a dear and fetch the Minister a bottle of
that wine we had at dinner last night. Hurry if you can, he's about to leave.
MANDY (O.S.)
Be but a s'cond mame.
58.
INT. HOUSE - BASEMENT - WINE CELLAR
Mandy opens the cellar door. Then flips the light
switch on. She hurries down the stairs
without seeing Sammy, Moll, Slick City and the Leader.
Slick City sees the open door. He pushes the Leader down the stairs after
the maid passes.
Slick City grabs Moll and Moll grabs Sammy and they
run into the kitchen.
Mandy is down at the bottom of the stairs before
she sees the hundreds of scurrying mice. She screams, turns, and bolts up the
stairs past the terror struck Leader.
59.
INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN
Mandy slams the cellar door behind her. Then
screams again and faints.
60.
INT. HOUSE - HALLWAY
Mrs. Blair and the minister run to Mandy's rescue. In
their haste they pass Sammy, Moll and Slick City hiding in the shadow of a
hallway chair.
With the humans in the kitchen, Sammy, Moll and
Slick City run down the hall and into the guestroom.
61.
INT. HOUSE - GUESTROOM
One piece of luggage on the floor is still open
awaiting the promised vintage wine.
Slick City sees the sunlight through the window.
SLICK CITY
Up there.
Sammy sees the glass and freezes in place.
FLASHBACK
62.
INT. WORKMAN'S APARTMENT WINDOW LEDGE
Sammy is looking down at the street lights. He scratches and scratches at the glass
window.
END
FLASHBACK
63.
INT. HOUSE - GUESTROOM
SAMMY
No, no, no.
Sammy
faints.
SLICK CITY
Rats. Wake up, wake up! We've got to get out of
here.
(slaps Sammy)
Moll
looks toward the open door.
MOLL
They're coming. Do something!
Slick City climbs up on the side of the open
suitcase, looks in, jumps down, then goes to Sammy.
SLICK CITY
Help me pick him up. We can hide in there.
Slick City and Moll struggle to lift Sammy into the
suitcase. Sammy finally wakes up.
SAMMY
What's going on?
MOLL
Shut up and get inside. We got to hide. Quickly.
The three mice are in the suitcase and under some
clothes just as Mrs. Blair and the minister enter.
MRS. BLAIR
I'm so sorry about the wine. I had no idea we had
mice.
THE MINISTER
It's of no matter. We'll save the wine for our next
dinner. Don't send the maid back down there until it's fumed.
MRS. BLAIR
You are so correct. Until our next dinner then.
The minister bends down and closes the suitcase
lid.
64.
INT. MINISTER'S SUITCASE
Inside the warm dark suitcase our heroes sigh
relief at their unbelievable escape.
SAMMY
I'm not rich and I'm not famous. And I didn't find
my family.
(cries)
SLICK CITY
You're wrong. You are very famous. But I don't
think you can go back to the city.
SAMMY
You think the bosses are mad at me?
SLICK CITY
If they survived that raid, I'd say everyone is mad
at you back there.
SAMMY
Oh. I guess you're right.
SLICK CITY
It's okay. You are very rich. That ring the Leader
gave you will keep us fed for years. No matter where we end up.
SAMMY
But I didn't find my family. What happened to them?
MOLL
I don't know Sammy. But you did find me.
SAMMY
Yes, I am rich and famous. And better than all of
that, I have found something much more. Moll's love.
SLICK CITY
That's the best of all. We better get some sleep.
No tellin' what's next.
65.
INT. COUNTRY CHURCH - BEDROOM
The suitcase lid opens and the bright sunlight
awakens Sammy, Moll and Slick City.
The minister takes a shirt from the suitcase and
goes over to a closet.
All three peek through the clothes then climb out
of the suitcase onto the floor.
They spot an open door, run through it.
66.
INT. COUNTRY CHURCH
Sammy leads them down a long path with side
tunnels, pews, straight toward an open sunlit doorway.
67.
EXT. COUNTRY CHURCH
The three mice jump down four steps onto a gravel
pathway.
Sammy stops.
Stares at the parking lot. Then
turns right, running over the spongy grass and continues running right into a
cornfield.
Sammy runs into the cornfield a few rows, then
stops and stares out over the immense field.
SAMMY
Home. I'm home.
He takes a long deep breath. Sees last season's
corncob remains. He digs it out of the earth, cleans it quickly, then stops.
SAMMY
Where is Moll, where is Slick City? Or was all of
that just dream?
Sammy turns around.
Coming across the corn rows with the white church
looming in the horizon are his love, Moll, and his friend, Slick City.
When they catch up with Sammy, he pushes the
corncob between them, looks up in the sky for the hawk.
SAMMY
Here's our breakfast.
### the end.
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