Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Mr. Redneck's Trailer Park

[As always, during piano intro ("It's a Bootiful Day in the Trailer Park"), see the trailer park miniature, back up from pole barn, pan right with the pickup, and then zoom to his trailer's miniature.]
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[Then, as the music continues, inside, looking at Mr. Rednecks' empty trailer from the fish tank, past the neon Bud sign flashing, past Picher Picher (with painting of old-fashioned farm fields), past living room and up to the door. MR. REDNECKS enters, a welcoming smile and singing: "It's a Bootiful Day in the Trailer Park." He wears a lei around his neck but it's not made of flowers, but unhulled peanuts! He wears a denim jacket today and, while singing, goes to the closet, changing it for a plaid sleeveless flannel shirt, leaving the lei on.]
MR REDNECKS
[singing] "It's a bootiful day in this trailer park,
A bootiful day for a neighbor.
Would y’all be mine.
Could y’all be mine.
It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood,
A neighborly day for a beauty
Would y’all be mine.
Could y’all be mine.
I have always wanted to have a neighbor
Jes’ like y’all.
I've always wanted to live in a trailer park
With y’all, so
Let's make the most of this bootiful day
Since we're together,
Reckon might as well say,
"Would y’all be mine, could y’all be mine,
Won't y’all be, my neighbor?"
Won't y’all please?
Won't y’all please?
Please won't y’all be
My neighbor?"

[He sat down on the bench and changed a boot for one of the old house slipper he keeps on the bench. The song is done, he stops, speaks as slow and neighborly as ever. During this (after showing us the peanut lei), he puts on the other slipper. We notice they are not matched.]

Heya neighbor.
See anything, different looking around my neck?
See this? A buddy of mine made this for me. Hmm-hmm. It's called a "peanut lei."
I guess lei is another word for a, necklace. Heh heh. An' this is made of aallll different peanuts. I didn't knooow there could be so many different looking ones. Just like we saw last time. Each One is different. Just like each one of our buddies is different, an' each one is special. Y’all know who one of my special buddies is. Y’all know the person who says, "Speedy Delivery"?
Mr. McFeely. He told me last time that he would bring us a videotape of how folks make chili- from the library. Well, he's not here right yet, so while we're waitin’ for him to come, why don't we sing our song about waitin’. Y’all know the one that says, "let's figure of sumpin’ to do while we're waitin’"?
[sings] "Let's figure of sumpin’ to do,
While we're waitin’,
While we're waitin’ for sumpin’ new
To do!
Let's try to figure up a song,
While we're waitin’,
That's liberatin’, and will be true,
To
Y’all!
Let's figure of sumpin’ to do,
While we're waitin’,
While we're waitin’ 'til sumpin’s through!
Y’all know it's really All Right?
In fact it's downright,
Quite bright,
To figure of sumpin’ to do,
That's specific for y’all!
Let's figure of sumpin’ to do,
While we're Waitin’!"

[remembers something] I have sumpin’ Right Now I'd like to show y’all. While we're waitin’. This is sumpin’ that I found, that I thought might be fun for y’all to see. Take a look at this here...

[He got a little box from near him on the bench. It's about 4" X 4" X 1", a cosmic little black box that is clear on one wide side to show: a yellow background and red and green bubbles that flow downward. Mr. Rednecks is slowly turning it this way and that, making patterns (closeup on it for us to see it). Dueling Banjos music accompanies. At the end:]

Ain’t that there fun?
I don't know how it's done but I figure that there's some, water, and some, oils--different colored oils--they just, kinda make me feel like I been smokin’ ragweed. Y’all know sumpin’ else I like to do? I like to read books. In fact, I remember the first teacher I had, who helped me to learn to read so’s I could get my drivin’ license. Here's a book of poems. It's just wonderful to be able to read. Yep.

[When he'd mentioned books, he'd got up and got a book from Pickup's area and held it up for us (title is POEMS, it looks homemade). He sits down on the couch and opens it up.]

Here's a, poem that I like. It's wonderful to know what, those words on the page mean. It says: " There once wuz a man from Nantucket, Whose wiener was so long he could…"-- [someone's knocking] Oh there's somebody at the door. Oh maybe it's Mr. McFeely!
[has got up and looks out window] It is.
[quickly gets door] Come in, Mr. McFeely!

MR McFEELY
Indeed. Sorry that this delivery took so long.

REDNECKS
Ohhh, my buddies an' I have lots of ideas of ways to, do things while we're waitin’.

McFEELY
Then y’all never be bored!

REDNECKS
That's no shit!

McFEELY
Well that's a nice lei y’all have on.

REDNECKS
Yes, a friend of mine made that--all different peanuts.

McFEELY
And this videotape is how people make chili. [shows him the "How People Make Chili" video tape]

REDNECKS
I know! Uh, could y’all wait, an' watch it with us?

McFEELY
Oh I--I can, I don't have that many deliveries today, an' as a matter fact--

REDNECKS
Hmm--hmm?

McFEELY
I have seen it an' I'll be able to tell y’all some things.

REDNECKS
--Good!--

McFEELY
All righty?

REDNECKS
Good, we'll watch it together.

McFEELY
All righty.

[They move to Picher Picher and REDNECKS puts the tape in down on the side by Pickup's oil stained park area.]

REDNECKS
We'll look at it on Picher Picher, "How People make Chili."


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[As we watch, McFEELY explains what's going on with all this equipment, machinery, and people. REDNECKS echoes and comments, too, interested.]
McFEELY
[about a walking through a grocery store]
First, people go to the Piggly Wiggly to get vittles."

REDNECKS
Those are grocery stores…

McFEELY
[closeup on the shopping cart, cans of potted meat and Chili]
And then gets all their canned goods.

REDNECKS
Chili, fresh from the store...

McFEELY
[at the checkout counter]
That's right. But first, y’all have to pay for it. Git out yer food stamps.

REDNECKS
[driving home from the store]
Now they are on the way home, crossing the railroad tracks.

McFEELY
Hmm-hmm, ya gots to be careful on the railroad tracks, so y’all don’t spill yer PBR.

REDNECKS
Hmm-mm. Ah know what y’all mean...

McFEELY
[about opening the can of chili]
Here the folks are using a can opener to get the chili out.

REDNECKS
I hear some folks have ‘lectric can openers!

McFEELY
[about dumping the chili into a sauce pan]
They surely do. Here you gotta heat up the chili. Don’t turn up the hot plate too high or the chili will stick to the pan.

REDNECKS
Can you eat it right from the can?

McFEELY
Well ya can, but it’s better warm.

[the chili is now hot. Pouring the chili into a bowl]

Now here's the important part. You can eat the chili with crackers, or pour it over the top of just about any other food.

REDNECKS
Git in mah belly!

McFEELY
In a few hours you get a bonus!

REDNECKS
Hmm!

McFEELY
Chili Farts!

REDNECKS
Be very careful, around open flames!

McFEELY
That's right.

REDNECKS
Now what needs to be done?

[about cleaning up the mess]

McFEELY
Now just throw the paper plate away and let the dog lick the pan. That’s all!

[Back to the living room, REDNECKS gets the tape.]
REDNECKS
Now when I eat chili, I'll know about some of the people who helped to make it.

McFEELY
It takes people to make practically everything, doesn't it?

REDNECKS
Yes, that's why so many people have go to work.

McFEELY
I have my speedy delivery work, and y’all do yore television programs.

REDNECKS
Yeah, that's right. Takes people to make all sorts of things.

McFEELY
Away, and at home, too. I uh, better get back to my speedy deliveries; I have more pickups and deliveries.

REDNECKS
Good, would y’all mind taking that tape back to the library?

McFEELY
I'll do it, if y’all, will, sign right here on the dotted line for the pickup and delivery. [getting clipboard out of his sack]

REDNECKS
[signing an “X”] Of course. I appreciate yore work, Mr. McFeely.

McFEELY
An' I appreciate yore business.

REDNECKS
[walking with McFEELY to door] Please give my best to Mrs. McFeely.

McFEELY
I'llll do that, we'll seeee y’all around the trailer park.

REDNECKS
Thank y’all again.

McFEELY
Y’all're welcome! Speedy Delivery. [leaves with a wave]

REDNECKS
Bye. [shuts door and turns to us, stopping at the bottom of the stairs] Ain’t that interesting? Seeing how people make things like chili?
Does it feel good to learn things?
It does for me. [phone's ringing] Oh there's the phone.
[goes to the other side of the post for the phone]
Hello?
[sitting] Mr. McFeely!
Yes! Yes I'm here, hmm-mm.
Well of course! Y’all know y’all're always welcome here.
All right. Fine! Thank y’all. Bye-bye.
[to us, soon getting up] Mr. McFeely says, I just want to bring one more thing, one more thing. So he must have a surprise to bring us.

McFEELY
A Speedy Delivery surprise!

[McFEELY has a real orange flower lei around his neck and another in his hand. (At the start, the Speedy music was in background.)]

REDNECKS
--What are those?--

McFEELY
Well, when I returned the video tape to the library, I happened to stop in on a craft class, and they were making flower leis, an' they gave me this one, an' they asked me to, Speedy Delivery this one, to y’all! [REDNECKS was saying, "Hmm-hmm" and "Uh-huh" during all of this]

REDNECKS
This one's for me?

McFEELY
There y’all go. Speedy Delivery to y’all.

[REDNECKS puts it on. (Brief electric organ Hawaiian music in background.)]

REDNECKS
[smiling, holding peanut lei up] Peanuts.

McFEELY
Peanuts.

REDNECKS
[likewise with the flower lei] An' flowers.

McFEELY
An' flowers. Well, many different ways of makin' necklaces.

REDNECKS
There certainly are. Do y’all have a minute I can show y’all sumpin’.

McFEELY
I do.

[McFEELY follows him downstairs, REDNECKS is going to the bench for that magic little box.]

REDNECKS
[about the lei] Thank y’all for this.

McFEELY
Well, y’all're welcome.

REDNECKS
Boy all the things that they do at the library.

McFEELY
Many things there.

REDNECKS
I would like y’all to see this.

McFEELY
What's this?

REDNECKS
Sumpin’ that I found..

McFEELY
--Mm-mm--

REDNECKS
[turning it as before] Look at it..

[Close-up on it making different patterns as Mr. Rednecks slowly turns it this way and that.]

McFEELY
Why, it's a Moving, Picture. Ha ha!

REDNECKS
[laughs] Ha ha! Yes it is!

McFEELY
That's bootiful.

REDNECKS
I figure it is.
I keep looking at it an' seeing aaall of the different, designs that it makes..

McFEELY
No one picture is the same!
They're all different.

REDNECKS
They surely are. Just like allll of the flowers and all peanuts--

McFEELY
And all people--

REDNECKS
And all people. Do y’all figure y’all grandchildren would enjoy seeing this.

McFEELY
They would love seeing this. They're coming for a visit, [R: "Hmm-hmm"] do y’all figure I could borrow it?

REDNECKS
Of course!

McFEELY
An' I'll bring it back in a few days.

REDNECKS
All right.

McFEELY
[takes it] Speedy Delivery. A lot of surprises in this trailer park! Heh-heh-heh! [leaving]

REDNECKS
[a farewell] That's for sure. Thanks Mr. McFeely.

McFEELY
Yeah, I have one more delivery, then I'm going home! Good day--

REDNECKS
Please give Mrs. McFeely my best.

McFEELY
I will. Speedy Delivery to y’all! [REDNECKS: Byeee!] Buh-bye! [he's gone]

REDNECKS
[shuts door, comes back down stairs, sits on bench] It's fun to take care, ain’t it?
As y’all grow, y’all'll find more an' more ways of taking care. Of y’allrself, and others. An' when y’all do it, it gives y’all such a good feeling.
[happy, singing] "It's such a good, feeling
To know y’all're alive
It's such a Happy feeling
Y’all're growing inside
And when y’all wake up, ready to say:
'I figure I'll make a snappy new day'
It's such a good, feeling
A very good feeling
A feeling y’all know
That, I'll be back
When the day is new
An' I'll have more, ideas
For y’all.
And y’all'll have things y’all'll want to talk about.
I
Will
Too."

[During the song, he took his slippers off again and slipped back into his boots. Then he stood, took off his plaid sleeveless flannel shirt, and tossed it on the floor. As he talks, he puts his huntin' jacket on, keeping the leis on.]

Y’all always make each day a special day.
Y’all know how?
By just y’allr being y’allrself.
Only one person in this whole world like y’all. Y’all. And people can like y’all exactly as y’all are. I'll be back next time. Bye.

[He waves and leaves, shutting the door again. He'd got the music instrument off the bench before leaving.]



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[During credits, we see the view of the trailer park miniature starting on his trailer, then back up to a wide shot, following the little pickup left to a pole barn we zoom in on.]

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