BIRDMEN

EXT PARK - SOUTH CENTRAL LA - SUNDOWN

THE PARK pulsates with rap music. Young people of color hangin' out, shootin' hoops, getting high, makin' time.

EXT PARK - BARBECUE AREA

An older CROWD, OGs, wives, kids. Barbecuin', drinkin', and socializin'.

EXT PARK - ANOTHER ANGLE

A group of mostly men tending to a large number of pigeon cages.

PETE, a twenty-something, tall, 400 pounds of heft, black man is tending his cages with his nephews.

DARNELL, thirteen, and ROD, ten, are both a combination of innocent and street wise.

EXT. - SKY ABOVE

A FLOCK OF PIGEONS FLY IN A BIG CIRCULAR LOOP

EXT. - PARK BELOW

PETE CLAPS and calls his birds out by name.

PETE

RED'S gonna roll over three times right here.

SKY - ANGLE ON RED

RED rolls over in a somersault three times in mid-air.

The CROWD OOHS AND AHS

DARNELL AND ROD are fixated on PETE and HIS PIGEONS.

MAN IN THE CROWD

Damn, Pete know his birds.

PETE

GREY'S gonna rollover now, make a short loop, then rollover two mo' times.

SKY - ANGLE ON GREY PERFORMING PERFECTLY.

THE CROWD WHOOPS IT UP

A MAN IN THE CROWD

(HOLLERS OUT)

Twenty bucks says you can't call another ONE.

SOMEONE ELSE

Twenty-five says he can!

Pete revels in the glory. He pulls A BIRD out FROM UNDER HIS SLEEVE. Holds him up like a prized possession.

PETE

CREAM here gonna rollover twice, make a big swing, rollover twice again and then land on that wire over there.

SOMEONE ELSE

Another twenty says you crazy. No-one can call they birds like that.

CREAM takes to the air and does exactly what Pete called.

THE CROWD is up on its feet. Cheering. Darnell and Rod stare into the sky knowing CREAM will do what Pete called.

EXT. - WILSHIRE BLVD SAME TIME

A shiny RED DODGE CHARGER speeds down the boulevard, music blasting from the open windows.

INT. - DODGE CHARGER

JOHNNY, MALIK, and REGGIE, ultra hip, pretty menacing Black males, early twenties, are on a mission.

JOHNNY pulls out a revolver and loads it.

JOHNNY

Stealin' shit is stealin' shit. My corner boys caint be stealin' ma shit. That bike cost me plenty green and the boy came up real short with his payments last week.

MALIK AND REGGIE nod in agreement. Malik lights a pipe and takes a big hit, passes it to Johnny.

EXT PARK - ANGLE ON SKY AND THE PIGEON GAME

CREAM has just landed on the wire. Darnell and Rod are weaving in and out of the crowd collecting money.

DARNELL

Tomorrow night's the big night. Be here or be a fool. Ain't no Birdman around can take my uncle's birds.

Pete looks up in the sky.

EXT SKY

CREAM has taken flight again and started rolling down.

PETE

Look at that flyboy roll!

THE CROWD

(in unison)

Five, six, seven, eight...

CREAM is coming down FAST. Pete is worried. He claps his hands and whistles a loud screeching whistle.

CREAM rolls out and lands on the ground at Pete's feet. Pete picks him up

PETE

(relieved)

Damn bird, damn crazy bird.

EXT PARK ENTRANCE

The CHARGER pulls into the parking lot and CRUISES the length of the park like a shark cruising the waters offshore.

INT CHARGER

JOHNNY spots THE BIKE and THE BOY, TAKES A SHOT, THEN ANOTHER

EXT PARK

EVERYONE IN THE PARK STOPS MOVING. STOPS TALKING. IN SLOW MOTION THE BOY CRUMPLES TO THE GROUND.

The CHARGER SPEEDS OUT OF THE PARK

PEOPLE SCATTER, SHOUTING, CRYING.

SOME OF THE MEN have pulled their guns out.

PETE

(shouting)

Darnell! Rod! Get over here NOW!

DARNELL AND ROD RACE TO HIS SIDE.

He CLAPS for his pigeons. Hurriedly putting them in their cages.

The SOUND OF SIRENS PIERCE THE NIGHT AIR

EXT. PARK MINUTES LATER

Four police cars roll in. EIGHT OFFICERS JUMP OUT, WEAPONS DRAWN, TWO K-9S ON POINT

EXT PARK ANOTHER ANGLE

People surround the YOUNG BOY crumpled on the ground. HE IS BLEEDING OUT. His eyes bulge in a blank stare.

OFFICER

Alright everyone, calm down. Easy does it. We are here to help.

ANOTHER OFFICER

(in a loud, aggressive voice)

Back up, now. Let us in here.

He shoves and pushes people out of the way. The crowd is tense. A MAN kneeling over the boy's body jumps up and starts toward the officer.

MAN

(VERY ANGRILY)

Don't fuck with my li'l brother, asshole. We need an ambulance.

Pandemonium breaks out, again. Screaming, lunging, shoving. The MAN is grabbed from behind by two officers, one of them puts a gun to his neck.

OFFICER WITH GUN

Don't move boy, you're in deep shit here and you don't want it to get any deeper. This is a fucking crime scene. Back down.

PETE pushes his way through the crowd and approaches the officer, who is dwarfed by Pete's size.

PETE

Yo' officer. We don't need no riot man, the boy here needs a doctor. He needs help.

OFFICER hesitates and then fires his gun in the air.

The CROWD is EXTREMELY AGITATED but starts to back away.

ANOTHER OFFICER calls the shooting in.

OFFICER WITH RADIO

Shots fired in Walnut. Victim down. We need an AMBO ASAP.

PETE

(to the crowd)

We got a situation here ya'll, everybody chill. Don't nobody else need to get hurt.

The crowd settles down but their restraint is tenuous.

EXT. PARK ANOTHER ANGLE

The AMBO races into the parking lot, lights flashing siren screaming. PARAMEDICS jump out and rush to the boy's body.

AGITATED the CROWD paces as the body is examined. The boy is dead. They cover his body and lift him into the back of the ambulance.

The crowd stills and goes silent. The officers put their weapons away.

EXT SOUTH CENTRAL STREETS LATER

NIGHTLIFE IS COMING ALIVE. Cars are cruising, barroom doors are open, music is blasting from every direction in the night.

Pete and the boys are driving back from the park. The pigeon cages are in the open flatbed of Pete's truck. Darnell and Rod are wound up, recreating the scene from the park.

Darnell points an imaginary gun at Rod and pretend fires it. ROD gurgles, crumples into his lap.

DARNELL

Too cool, man. Cain't nobody fuck with the Johnnyman.

Pete SLAPS Darnell's head

PETE

Shut the fuck up Darnell. Ain't nothin cool about what happened tonight. Your daddy died like that little man or have you forgotten that already?

The boys quiet down, remembering.

EXT. PETE'S HOUSE JUST AFTER SUNRISE

The lawn is dead. The house is in dire need of paint and repair.

INT PETE'S BEDROOM

Pete awakens. He stares at the ceiling, stretches and then gets out of bed.

He turns the radio on and dances a little dance to the music. THEN heads down the hall.

EXT PETE'S HOUSE BACKYARD

Pete lumbers across the yard to A RAMSHACKLE large pigeon coop made out of scrap wood and chicken wire. It has shelves and small coops inside, housing dozens of birds.

At the sight of Pete the birds all begin making a ruckus.

Pete opens the door, hunches down and squeezes in with a bag of grain. The birds flutter and coo and gather around him as he tosses their food around.

Pete checks on the nesting birds. He is delighted to see eggs in one nest in particular.

PETE

Well if that don't beat all. CREAM is gonna be a daddy.

Pete picks up the nesting bird and strokes her. The bird looks so tiny cradled in the big mans hands. He holds the bird up and looks in her eye.

PETE

These are gonna be some bad babies. Wild as CREAM is these are gonna be some high flyin' birds.

EXT PIGEON CAGE

Pete pulls up a chair and sits down to wait for the birds to finish eating. He notices RED harassing another bird who is ignoring him.

PETE

(laughing)

You won't rest 'til you get that bitches attention, will ya, Red?

When the birds are done feeding they start flapping their wings.

PETE

Time to fly, birds?

INT. PIGEON CAGE

Pete squeezes in again and grabs up an armful of birds.

He looks over at CREAM.

PETE

Not you my friend. I'm savin' my baddest bird for this evenin's affair.

The CREAM wants Pete to pick him up. He prances and paces at Pete's feet and flutters up to his shoulder.

PETE

You love to fly don't ya fella? Well you gonna fly tonight. Better than you ever have.

Pete backs out of the cage with his arms full of birds.

EXT YARD

Pete tosses the birds into the air.

EXT - ANGLE ON THE SKY

The birds fly way up and circle above the house. Pete claps. The birds begin flipping and rolling over, doing somersaults. There's a feeling of ecstasy in the air.

INT BIRD CAGE

CREAM is having a fit. He flutters and flaps from shelf to shelf.

PETE

(to the CREAM)

Relax man. Tonight's your night. Aint no rolldown nowhere bad as you.

CREAM stops and looks at Pete, listening.

EXT YARD

After a good fly time Pete whistles and claps and the flock begins to circle and head down to the yard. They land on the ground and begin walking themselves into the cage. Pete loves his birds.

DARNELL AND ROD come racing up to him.

DARNELL AND ROD

(simultaneously)

Hey Pete

PETE

Hey yourselves. You guys up pretty early this morning, what it be about?

The boys look at each other. Darnell nods at Rod. Rod nods back at Darnell. Darnell insists. Rod goes first.

ROD

Be about the birds Pete. Me and Darnell wants our own birds.

PETE

Rodman, you and DARNELL don't know nothin about no birds and ain't gonna know nothing either as goof off as you two are. Birds is WORK

DARNELL

We can do the work Pete, we wants our own birds. We wanna be birdmen too.

PETE

Wanna bees. I cain't be bothered wid no wanna bees. Birds is serious bidness.

DARNELL AND ROD ARE CRUSHED

EXT YARD - FENCE

TWO YOUNG BOYS PEEK THEIR HEADS OVER THE FENCE

ONE OF THE BOYS

Hey Darnell, Darlene's down at the bus stop and she be looking fine, very fine.

This gets Darnell's attention.

DARNELL

Pete! We're serious.

PETE

Yeah yeah We'll see...

Darnell jumps in the air and lets out a whoop. He races out of the back yard with Rod hot on his heels.

DARNELL

Where you think you going Rod?

ROD

I'm going to the bus stop.

(to Pete)

Darnell's already got him a bird Pete. She's at the bus stop.

PETE

(laughing)

Darnell's got him a bird and don't know what to do wid it.

EXT. YARD VERY LATE AFTERNOON

Pete, dressed in his finest, is loading pigeons into their carriers. He pics up CREAM.

PETE

(to Cream)

After tonight fly boy, we gonna get us a new birdhouse and you gonna be makin' me plenty mo bad birds like you.

He fold Creams wings around the bird and tucks him up into his shirt sleeve.

EXT. PARK

TWENTY BIRDMEN are gathered. Socializing. Pigeons in cages are everywhere. The birds are pacing, restless.

Betting has started.

ONE BETTING MAN

Twenty bucks says Clay's Big Red takes the prize tonight

ANOTHER BETTER

Nah, twenty mo says JD's Feather Foot's got it.

Excitement and tension are building.

MALIK

Fifty says no one can even come close to Johnny's BLACK

PETE

Double that. Cream's gonna kick everyone's ass.

Johnny whips out a wad of bills

JOHNNY

I'll give you two c's for that bird right now.

PETE

For one a his babies maybe...

EXT. PARK ANOTHER ANGLE

Birdmen are opening cages and tossing birds into the air.

Someone starts calling out the birds and counting their flips.

BIRDS GET UP TO FIVE AND SIX FLIPS

THE CROWD shrieks and shouts.

VOICE IN THE CROWD

Hey Pete, where's the CREAM?

Pete reaches into his sleeve, making a big show, pulls Cream out and tosses him in the air.

PETE

Gotta save the best fo last.

Right then JOHNNY reaches into his pocket and pulls his BLACK out and tosses him up

The crowd CHEERS

The two birds soar into the sky.

The BLACK rolls out first. One, two, three, four and pulls up.

CREAM rolls, one, two, three, four and pulls out.

The birds make a big loop in the sky.

The Black rolls one, two, three

CREAM rolls one, two, three

Black keeps going, four, five, six, seven

CREAM goes four, five, six, seven

Black goes eight, nine, ten, and rolls out soaring into the sky.

The crowd is screaming

MAN IN THE CROWD

Holy shit Creams still rolling

Pete is in his glory

MAN IN THE CROWD

Baddest bird in the world

CROWD IN UNISON

Eleven, twelve, thirteen

But CREAM is careening toward the ground.

ROD CRIES OUT

He aint gonna stop...

PETE

(gasping)

Claps and whistles

FREEZE FRAME on the BIRD in freefall.

Then in SLOW MOTION CREAM crashes into the concrete in a broken pile.

Crowd gasps. No one moves.

Pete can't believe his eyes. He goes to the bird and kneels down.

MAN IN THE CROWD

That bird went and kilt hisself for the game.

People encircle Pete patting his back. Handing him money.

Pete is in a daze. He tucks Cream into his sleeve and walks out of the park.

DARNELL

What about the birds? Pete, what about the birds?!

Pete can't seem to hear.

EXT. PETE'S YARD LATER

Pete digs a hole and buries CREAM. He tries to fight back his tears, but they fall on his cheeks anyway.

He gets up and walks over to the pigeon coop, opens the door and lets all of the pigeons fly free.

Darnell and Rod enter the yard.

DARNELL

Pete! The birds! We brought the...

Pete grabs their carrier, opens the door and shakes the birds free.

PETE

Ain't gonna be no mo' birds round here.

Pete storms across the yard, enters the house, and slams the door.

Darnell and Rod don't know what to do.

EXT PETE'S BACKYARD SUNRISE

All of the birds Pete released are sitting along the fence and in the shrubs. Darnell and Rod are trying to get them to go into the coop. They are making a lot of racket.

INT. PETE'S BEDROOM

Pete is sound asleep. We hear the echo of a gunshot in hisdream.

In a HAZY DREAM SEQUENCE we SEE CREAM careening toward the pavement and then shapeshifting into the boy Johnny shot in the park bleeding out.

Pete wakes up with a start. His whole body is drenched with sweat.

Pete overhears the Darnell and Rod talking outside.

EXT FRONT OF PETE'S HOUSE SAME TIME

Johnny's car is parked out front.

INT. HOUSE WINDOW

Pete watches Johnny and Darnell talking. Johnny hands Darnell a package. They slap five.

EXT. HOUSE

Pete comes storming out of the and grabs the package out of Darnell's hand.

PETE

You stupid as I think you are? You ain't never gonna be no corner boy. Here me? Never.

He tosses the package in the window of Johnny's car.

PETE

Maybe you have a real short memory, Johnny. These are my brother's boys.

He leans in and gets close to Johnny's face.

PETE

And now they are my boys.

Johnny rolls up the window and speeds away.

PETE

(To Darnell and Rod)

If you and Rod wanna be birdmen, you better get back in that yard and get started on that new bird house we need. Hear?

Darnell's eyes widen and he nods yes. Rod jumps in the air.

ROD

BIRDMEN! We gonna be birdmen, Darnell!

Pete heads down the driveway with the boys behind him. He breaks into a rap.

PETE

(rapping)

Let me educate you 'bout life in the street. It's called gang bangin', dope slingin'. Its bad fo yo head. If you do it too long you gonna wind up dead. If you ain't dead you gonna spend the rest of yo' life in a concrete hell...

EXT BACK YARD

Pete comes around the corner and sees all the birds perched on the fence and in the shrubs. He laughs a big hearty laugh.

PETE

Can't get ridda these no 'count birds anyway.

He tosses grain around the yard and the birds gather around his feet.

Darnell and Rod come around the corner. They wait for Pete to tell them what to do.

PETE

The first thing to remember if you're gonna be birdmen is how much birds like to eat.

Darnell and Rod nod excitedly.

PETE

And the second thing to remember is how much room they need.

HE STARES AT THE BOYS. The boys stare back.

PETE

Well you just gonna stand there or are we gonna build us a new bird house?

DARNELL AND ROD

(CHEERING)

Birdmen! We gonna be Birdmen.

FADE OUT