Have Dreams, Will Travel

Henderson:
Do you, Ben...

Cassie:
Benjamin Reynolds.

Henderson:
Benjamin Reynolds, take this young woman...

Cassie:
Cassie Kennington.

Henderson:
[Henderson wipes eyes, takes off hat] Do both of you promise to treat each other with dignity and love until one or the other drops dead?

Cassie:
I do.

[looks at Ben]

Ben:
I do.

Henderson:
[Henderson, Cassie, and Ben put their hands in the center and "break"] Well, looks like you're both married now.

[grins]

Ben:
[looks at Cassie, laughs nervously and grins] That's great.

[Henderson nods]

Cassie:
[whispers] Oh, the ring.

[Ben gets a straightened paper clip and wraps it around her finger, then pats her hand]

Henderson:
Congratulations to you both.

[gets up]

Cassie:
Well, I feel good about this whole thing.

[to Henderson]

Cassie:
How about you?

Henderson:
[grins again] Yeah. I feel good about it.

[Cassie looks at Ben and their eyes meet]

Ben:
[nervously] Uh, well, I don't have a lot to compare it to, but, uh, yeah...

[gulps]

Ben:
I feel good.

Henderson:
Oh and if you wanna kiss the bride, you can do that now, 'cause I forgot to say it.

Cassie:
Sure is nice being up bright and early to take in the new day.

Ben:
Yeah. That's what they say. Where are we anyways?

Cassie:
Life In Hell, Kentucky. By the way, did I ever thank you? Because it would be way too comfortable for me and my banged up body to be in a nice, warm bus taking us directly where we need to be going.

Ben:
We're married, you know. That's supposed to count for something.

Cassie:
He's a nice guy. So we talked. It wasn't like I kissed him or anything, jeez.

Ben:
Yeah, whatever. [gets up, picks up a rock]

Cassie:
[after a pause] Jealousy. It's a good quality to have in a husband. Unless, of course, he gets overly possessive.

Ben:
Okay, why don't you just rest your tired ass and let me make the calls for a little while.

Cassie:
Tired ass? Where's that sweet, innocent youth I used to know?

Ben:
Don't you worry about it, he's in here somewhere.

Cassie:
Well, he better be. [Ben throws rock]

[from trailer]

[narrating]

Ben:
[on Cassie's breakdown] I guess I hoped that when she woke up, things would be okay. But I was wrong. She had gone over this edge, and no one knew how to get her back. I didn't know what to do or where to go.

Cassie:
The real question is why you're putting it in such a negative context. Yes, I am withdrawing somewhat, but is that a sin?

Ben:
Great. Take a major problem, even though you won't tell me what it is, and turn it into one of your brainy discussions.

Cassie:
Oh. Is that your opinion? You did finish seventh grade, so I want to give it the way it deserves.

Ben:
And you graduated from Harvard, right?

Cassie:
[sitting up a little straighter and looking angry] Okay, cowboy. Wanna play?

Ben:
[also sitting up straighter] I'm not exactly sure what we're playing here, but yeah, let's go.

Cassie:
It's all about introspection. And concepts which you are no doubt unable to digest at this point in your narrow-minded and sheltered pathetic life! [turns away and folds her arms]

Ben:
[pause] Go screw yourself.

[turns off light]

Cassie:
[after small pause] Ben?

Ben:
What?

Cassie:
[leaning in a little closer] Are you mad at me?

Ben:
Yeah.

Cassie:
Well, I don't like it.

Ben:
Then start talking to me like a real person.

Cassie:
[remorsefully] I told you I was flawed when we met.

Ben:
Cass, everybody's flawed. Just in different ways.

Cassie:
[cuddles up next to Ben] I'm so sorry.

Ben:
[kisses the top of her head] It's okay.

Cassie:
[to her aunt and uncle, about needing a double mattress] Y'know with my legs stiffening up sometimes and the two of us being married and all.

Cassie's Uncle:
You're married?

Cassie's Aunt:
That must be what kids call going steady these days.

Ben:
No, we're actually married. [Cassie smiles and displays her "ring"]

Cassie's Aunt:
[looking a little confused] Was it a large wedding?

Cassie:
Oh, about twenty or thirty head. Mostly hogs and some sows.

Ben:
Oh, and pigs.

Cassie:
Yes, there were several pigs in attendence as well.

Cassie's Aunt:
[still looking confused] Well, I guess we'll get you a double mattress then.

Cassie:
That was one goddamn doozy of an accident, that's for sure. [Ben turns suddenly away] What? [she smiles] You never heard anyone cuss before?

Ben:
Well yeah, but... not from a girl.

Cassie:
Well, I'm very flawed. Extremely flawed, if you want to know the truth.

Ben:
[after Cassie wakes up from a particularly detailed nightmare] You took it as long as you could, Cass. You can't blame yourself for that.

[puts his hand on her cheek]

Cassie:
There are good parts to them too.

[pauses, then looks down, tears sparkling in her eyes]

Ben:
[after a brief pause] Cass?

Cassie:
[looks up] Yeah?

Ben:
Let's go.

Cassie:
[whispering] Ben, I'm sick. When you kill two people it makes you sick.

Ben:
[sniffs] Look, I'm going to take you out of here, and... well, worry about everything later, okay?

Cassie:
[nods] Okay.

[pause, then Cassie leans her head against Ben's hand, where Ben strokes her cheek gently with his thumb]

Ben:
[after Cassie wakes up from a nightmare] You were screaming.

Cassie:
[Cassie gets a drink of water and lays back down, still panting] It's late. You should get back to bed.

Cassie:
[smiling after she sees Ben watching her take off her jacket] Don't worry. I'm not ready to have sex yet.

Waitress:
So, what can I get you little chickens this morning? Some silver dollar pancakes? Or some piggies in a blanket, I bet?

Ben:
Two coffees, both black.

Cassie:
How much do we owe you? For room and board and water.

Henderson:
Hmm... well, waking up to the smell of pig sh*t ought to do it.

Cassie:
How much did you get?

Ben:
$25.

Cassie:
Well, at least that's $25 more than we had before.

Ben:
That's true.

Ben:
[wakes up and sees Cassie by his bed] Jesus!

Cassie:
You're not screwing with me, are you?

Ben:
What?

Cassie:
You seem to like me, which is fine because I like you too. But if you're acting like you do because my parents are dead and you feel sorry for me, then that's just bullshit.

[Ben stares at Cassie for a few moments]

Cassie:
[waving her hand in front of his face] Hello?

Ben:
No, I'm not screwing with you. I like you too.

Ben:
When I look back, I think it's my fault. Not that I couldn't figure out why she was sad, but not seeing how incredibly sad she really was.

Cassie:
See, a real plan is more than just some pipe dream.

Ben:
Pipe dream?

Cassie:
A pipe dream is an unrealistic fantasy that deludes oneself into thinking that it's an actual plan. It's a very popular expression. I'm surprised you've never heard of it before.

Ben:
I didn't say I'd never heard it.

Cassie:
Anyway, a real plan is an actual goal that you believe in enough to create a set of circumstances. Which leads you to, and into, a plan. Comprende?

Ben:
Where do you come up with this stuff? I mean, what part of your brain works so hard it makes you think and talk like that?

Cassie:
My father was a professor with a very wide vocabulary and lots of unique ideas. When he wasn't teaching his students, he taught me.

Ben:
So what does your mom do?

Cassie:
[after a pause] She never did anything. [blinks, then turns and walks away from him]

Ben:
[picks up their bags and follows her, regretting he said anything] You know, I think most of what you say is true. [Cassie turns and tilts her head at him] Some I just don't understand. But I also think you like to screw with people's heads.

Cassie:
I may be wrong sometimes. But I won't ever screw with your head. Ever.

Ben:
Me too. Ever. [Cassie smiles and nods]

Ben:
[to Cassie] [whispering] Talk to me. Please.

Truck Driver:
[sees Ben pouring hot liquid] Hot chocolate?

Ben:
Hot coffee.

Ben:
[in the hospital visiting Cassie] [gently] Hey.

Cassie:
Hey.

Ben:
Cass?

Cassie:
Yeah?

Ben:
It's time to go.

Cassie:
[pause, then looks at him with dark circles under her eyes] Is that the plan?

Ben:
Yeah. That's the plan.

Cassie:
What if I'm really, really tired? [pause, then she kisses his cheek and lays against him and goes to sleep]

[first lines]

Ben:
[narrating] I'm just a kid, there's a lot I don't know. But one thing I do know, is that my folks should never have married. And they definitely should never had a kid.

Ben:
Who knows anything when it comes down to it? [sighs embracing Cassie] I don't.. I pretend I do sometimes but.. I don't. But I do know this..

Ben:
When your life becomes what you dream it'll be [dramatic pause in narration] It's amazing..