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turning to page one
turning to page one
DAD
Hey, Sam.
He subtly indicates for her to get off her laptop and join the family. They take their seats in the living room.
DAD (CONT'D)
Hey, still sleeping here?
GRANDPA CLIFF
Oh, yeah, sawin' logs.
DAD
You ready?
The family sings happy birthday to Mason. Nana brings in the birthday cake, complete with lit candles.
ALL
(singing)
Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday
to you. Happy birthday, dear Mason...
Happy birthday to you!
DAD
Make a wish, make a wish.
Mason blows out the candles. The family cheers.
NANA
Real good! Presents! Wait, wait,
wait. Here, sweetie.
Nana hands Mason a wrapped gift.
DAD
Hey Sam, would you get us a knife so
we can cut this up? Hey? Alright.
Sam walks into the kitchen to grab a knife.
NANA
I hope you like it. I heard you
didn't have one, so.
He unwraps the gift.
NANA (CONT'D)
It's a Bible. Is this your first
Bible? Look, there's your name...
MASON
Wow.
NANA
...In gold. And wait-wait-wait-wait.
Look at this. It's a Red Letter
edition, and that means that
everything Jesus said is in red.
MASON
Thank you.
NANA
Like it? Alright. I love you,
sweetie. Happy Birthday.
ANNIE
And this one's from us.
Annie hands Mason a large gift box.
DAD
come true, here, you know. Just
keep your expectations low. No, no,
no, no, you need it. It's...
Dad pulls a blue dress shirt, blazer, and tie out of the box.
DAD (CONT'D)
It's -- hey! Come, on right? You
gotta have it. You need this.
NANA
Wow!
DAD
You've got life ahead of you. You
know --
ANNIE
And the shirt is blue, and I know
you like blue.
DAD
You've got dances --
NANA
It's beautiful!
DAD
-- And job interviews. Here, I'm
going to get it all wrinkled here.
Grandpa comes out of the kitchen with a covered gun.
GRANDPA CLIFF
Mason?
DAD
(whispers)
The Black Album was from me.
NANA
Uh-oh.
GRANDPA CLIFF
Come here, son. Pull that off.
Mason walks over and pulls the case off to reveal a shotgun.
GRANDPA CLIFF (CONT'D)
There's a 20 gauge shotgun.
MASON
Wow.
GRANDPA CLIFF
Yeah. My dad gave it to me when I
was a little younger than you, and
his dad gave it to him, and well,
you're fifteen and I'd like for you
to have it. Alright? Here, you
hold it. Yeah.
MASON
(taking the gun)
Thank you.
GRANDPA CLIFF
Congratulations, son. I'll teach
you how to clean it, teach you how
to fire it. I'll teach you a little
bit of safety.
The family laughs, as Mason holds the gun pointing precariously across the room.