The Peach Ring

“The Peach Ring”

Written
By
Michael J Hughes

Adapted from a story
By
Mathew Smith



Fade in.

EXT. MISSISSIPPI BACK ROADS

JUDE SMITH is DRIVING his CAR down the road. A FLASH BACK of JUDE’S girlfriend, SHERRY, being BEATEN by her EX-BOYFRIEND, JT fades in and out. JUDE then passes an AUTO GARAGE and sees JT pushing a CAR into one of the GARAGES.

MATT
(narrative voice over)
That’s my brother Jude, and the guy you saw pushing that jalopy into that garage is JT. Jude doesn’t like JT all that much because he is his girlfriend ex. He also used to beat her, so now Jude wants to destroy JT. There is a slight problem though. Jude is in the process of getting into the army and can’t have a scuff on his record, that’s where I come in.

INT. MATT’S HOUSE

MATT SMITH is SITTING at the KITCHEN TABLE of his house. JUDE bursts into the DOOR and sees MATT, eating CEREAL. MATT looks up CONFUSED, a flake of CEREAL falls from his MOUTH.

JUDE
Matt! You owe me a favor right?

MATT
Not that I can recall.

JUDE
No! You do!

MATT
Fine I do, what do you need?

JUDE
A favor! Jesus were you not listening!?
MATT
Apparently not (beat) so what is this favor?

JUDE
You know JT right?

MATT
(beat) Yes?

JUDE
You know Sherry’s ex-boyfriend, that JT.

MATT
Oh, right right right, the douche!

JUDE
Right, the douche!

MATT
Ok, I know him then.

MATT goes back to EATING his CEREAL.

JUDE
Matt!

MATT
Jude, can you not see I am trying to eat some cereal here?

As MATT speaks he is SHAKING his SPOON and MILK flings everywhere.

JUDE
Do you remember me asking you to do me a favor not but ten seconds ok?

MATT
Oh, right right right. What is it, dude?



JUDE
JT (beat) I want you to kick his ass!

MATT CHOKES on his CEREAL.

MATT
What? Why?

JUDE
Long story short, I saw him at the auto garage, I really wanted to kick ass, I couldn’t, you know army, now I really want his ass kicked, and you’re going to do it.

MATT
(sighs)
So where’s this auto garage?

EXT. HOUSE DRIVEWAY

MATT walks outside and there is a SCOOTER in the DRIVEWAY. MATT hops on the SCOOTER and puts on his WINGED THOR HELMET. MATT kicks the KICK STARTER and revs the ENGINE. MATT nods his head at JUDE with a COCKY SMILE. The SCOOTER flies out of the DRIVEWAY with a giant SMOKE trail dust flying everywhere.

EXT. MISSISSIPPI BACK ROADS

Various shots of MATT riding his SCOOTER through MISSISSIPPI BACK ROADS

These shots are going to be very Quentin Tarantino inspired.

MATT
(voice over)
Now today I was not expecting to engage in an ass kicking. But when have I ever been known to turn down such an opportunity. Not to mention it was a good cause, JT is a douche after all.

EXT. AUTO GARAGE PARKING LOT

MATT PULLS into the AUTO GARAGE parking lot and sees a friend of his he knows STEVEN RODGERS.

STEVE
(friendly)
Hey Matt, what the hell are you doing here?

MATT
You know JT?

STEVE
Yeah, he works here. He’s out back, breaking some cinder blocks.

MATT overly CONFUSED and DISTRAUGHT pulls a pack of CIGARETTES out of his POCKET and LIGHTS on up. MATT then stands for a second reflecting on what he had just heard.

MATT
(beat) eh wait what!? Why?

STEVE
Hell if I know, only reason he got a job here is because his parents own the place. Anyway, why do you need him?

MATT
Well I was going to kick his ass but (beat) that sounds like a bad idea.

MATT
(voice over)
I didn’t expect to fight today. But I really started looking forward to it. Now my days shot and I have to go home and tell Jude I couldn’t kick his ass. (beat) That’s just great. (interrupted)



STEVE
Oh well, I have to go to the El Cheapo do you want to come?

MATT
(depressed)
Yeah I guess.

JT runs over to STEVE because he over hears the EL CHEAPO run.

JT
Hey, Steve, mind if I tag along, they don’t have any damned cokes here.

MATT
(voice over)
Now how convenient is that?

EXT. MISSISSIPPI BACK ROADS

A CAR flies down the ROAD it is a beige sedan. STEVE is driving JT is in the FRONT SEAT and MATT is sitting in the BACK.

MATT begins to CONCOCT a PLAN.

Fade.

EXT. EL CHEAPO


Camera Direction: Camera view from the inside of the EL CHEAPO, STEVE and JT walk in. We use a plank board camera rig through the store to the outside. The camera moves to a jib tongue pan of the EL CHEAPO. The camera view changes to a dolly roll down the street towards MATT’S house that is down the street from the EL CHEAPO. When the camera reaches the house it changes to another jib tongue pan and then a zoom on the driveway. Transparent forms of MATT and JT are fighting in the driveway with JUDE standing on the porch rooting MATT on.

Camera view changes to a BS of MATT in the CAR.


MATT
I got it. (smile)

STEVE and JT get back into the CAR.

MATT
(voice over)
Oooh JT you have no idea how bad your ass is going to get kicked. It’s going to get kicked so bad your future children are going to feel it! I cut you so bad you wish I never cut you so bad, I cut you so bad! Am I ready for this? Oh I’m ready for this. JT are you ready for this? Oh no! Oh no! You’re not ready for this!

MATT punches the palm of his HAND.

MATT
Steve! I really need to stop by my house real quick.

STEVE turns around and gives MATT a THUMBS UP and a BIG SMILE.

MATT
(smiling)
Thanks buddy!

Just then JT turns around holding a PEACH RING out to MATT.

JT
Hey, you want a peach ring?

MATT FREEZES and loses his CONCENTRATION.

XCU of the bag of PEACH RINGS

JT smiles and WIGGLES the PEACH RING at MATT.

MATT
(voice over)
what? Did he just offer me a (beat) peach ring? It looks so good. The sugar crystals glistening over that orange and red peachy goodness. He just sits there with a smile offering me that heavenly circle. How can I deny such a delectable savory morsel?

MATT
Hell yeah I want a peach ring.

Matt takes the peach ring and begins nibbling on it.

MATT
(voice over)
How can I kick his ass now? He gave me a peach ring! He can’t be that bad after all. I mean he gave me a peach ring, that automatically makes him a cool guy.

EXT. MATT’S HOUSE DRIVEWAY

MATT pulls up into the DRIVEWAY. MATT gets off of it and goes inside.

The CAMERA focus’s on the door for a moment. There is silence. Then out of NOWHERE.

JUDE
(loud and muffled
voice from inside)
YOU BETRAYED ME FOR A PEACH RING!?

JUDE bursts out of the DOOR and STORMS off CAMERA. MATT walks out onto the PORCH.

MATT
(not loud)
Wait Jude come back…

MATT really doesn’t try to GET JUDE to come back. MATT then PULLS a PEACH RING out of his POCKET and STARTS eating it.

END