Black Hickory

Part 2






               EXT. HAYNIE PLANTATION - DAY

               JESSIE HAYNIE, 45, lights a cigar as he stands in front of
               the big house and waits as his white overseer GRADY, 40, and
               Simon ride up on HORSES.

               Simon and Grady dismount.  Simon presents himself before
               Haynie.

                                   GRADY
                             (to Simon)
                         This is Captain Jessie Haynie of
                         the West Tennessee militia.  He's
                         your new owner.

                                   HAYNIE
                         You come highly recommended, Simon. 
                         Now I hope you don't disappoint me.

                                   SIMON
                         I try to do good, sir.  But Cap'n
                         Haynie . . . I hope you ain't
                         planning on making me no house
                         servant.  

                                   HAYNIE
                         Why, you'd probably make a good
                         house servant, Simon.

                                   SIMON
                         I told folks I was a good 'un, sir -
                         and I wasn't lying 'bout it neether.
                         It's just that I wasn't really as
                         good a house servant as I thought I
                         was.

                                   HAYNIE
                         What would you like to do, Simon?

                                   SIMON
                         Why, I'd like to be a jockey, sir. 
                         That's what I was doing at the
                         colonel's.

                                   HAYNIE
                         That's why I bought you from him,
                         boy.  To ride horses.  The colonel
                         said that you were making good
                         progress.

                                   SIMON
                         He did?  If I was making good
                         progress, then how come he sold me?

                                   HAYNIE
                         He said he had another black boy
                         that could be even better than you.

                                   SIMON
                         Then how come I never seen him?

                                   HAYNIE
                         The colonel wasn't telling the 
                         truth?

                                   SIMON
                         Why that - I ain't saying he was
                         lying, sir, but he didn't give me
                         no chance, no chance to prove how
                         good I can be.  And I can tell you
                         one thing, sir.  I'm gonna be good
                         all right.  I'm gonna win you
                         races, Cap'n Haynie, like there
                         ain't no tomorrow.  And there ain't
                         no hosses I'd rather beat than the
                         colonel's.  And that's the God's
                         truth!  And any other hosses too,
                         of course.  You ain't gonna regret
                         buying me.

                                   HAYNIE
                         You know what, boy?  It just may be 
                         that you were a steal at four hundred
                         dollars.  Come on, boy, I want to
                         show you something.

               EXT. THE PLANTATION - DAY (MOMENTS LATER)

               Simon and Haynie are walking to the stable.

                                   HAYNIE
                         My best damn jockey got thrown last
                         week and broke his leg.

                                   SIMON
                         And he was your best 'un?

                                   HAYNIE
                         Even the best can get thrown, boy.

                                   SIMON
                         It depends on how you handle the
                         hoss.  I been kicked in the head, 
                         but I ain't never been throwed.

               INT. THE STABLE - DAY

               Haynie introduces Simon to a fine-looking 3-year-old MARE:

                                   HAYNIE
                         This here's Haynie's Maria.

               Simon admiringly pets Maria.

                                   SIMON
                         Haynie's part of her name, sir?

                                   HAYNIE
                         That's right.  Before, she was just
                         Maria.  Now she's Haynie's.  Lord
                         knows, she cost me enough.  Simon,
                         have you ever heard of General Andrew
                         Jackson?

                                   SIMON
                         No, sir.

                                   HAYNIE
                         West Tennessee militia - and the
                         troops may soon get called up, 
                         because there's going to be war.

                                   SIMON
                         War against who, sir?

                                   HAYNIE
                         Why, the British, the way they've 
                         been acting.  They've been fighting 
                         the French, but while they're at 
                         it, they been seizing our ships.

                                   SIMON
                         That don't sound right.

                                   HAYNIE
                         It's not!  What we need is a second
                         war of independence.

                                   SIMON
                         You mean there's already been one?
                         Just joking with you, Cap'n.  I've
                         heard there was one.

               Simon keeps petting Maria, who likes it.

                                   HAYNIE
                         They been treating this country like
                         dirt.  Anyway, General Jackson's got 
                         a new horse, named Decatur.  He's the
                         son of Jackson's horse Truxton, the
                         winningest stallion in West Tennessee.
                         And now I've got Haynie's Maria.  

               Simon seems to be paying more attention to Maria than to what
               Haynie is saying.

                                   HAYNIE (cont'd)
                         You come listen to me.

               Haynie leads Simon away from the horse. 

                                   HAYNIE (cont'd)
                         There's a race being set up for
                         July, boy, at Jackson's track, over
                         at Clover Bottom.  You listening?

                                   SIMON
                         Yes, sir.

                                   HAYNIE
                         It'll be Decatur's first race - and
                         General Jackson thinks he's got him
                         another Truxton.  I aim to see
                         Maria win that race.  You want to
                         ride her?

                                   SIMON
                         Yes, sir.

                                   HAYNIE
                         We'll see, then.  Twixt now and
                         that race, you're going to have 
                         to show me you can do it.

               EXT. JACKSON'S RACETRACK - CLOVER BOTTOM - DAY

               The grandstand is filled with white GENTRY, with SLAVES on
               the grass by the track or sitting on the fence.

               TWO JOCKEYS, one white and one black, are finishing a heat on
               their HORSES.  SUPERIMPOSE:

                            CLOVER BOTTOM, TENNESSEE
                                   JULY, 1812

               ANDREW JACKSON, 45, tall and thin, moves to his seat by his
               attractive wife RACHEL, 37, and 4-year-old ANDREW JR.  The
               Elliotts sit nearby.

               As Jackson shakes hands with GENTLEMAN #1 and sits down,
               GENTLEMAN #2 calls to him:

                                   GENTLEMAN #2
                         General Jackson, sir, when's Tennessee
                         going after those British up north?

                                   JACKSON
                         When Washington tells me to muster
                         our troops, sir.

                                   GENTLEMAN #2
                         But war was declared a month ago,
                         sir.  What's going on?

                                   JACKSON
                         They apparently feel they don't
                         need us up there.  And they're
                         keeping one eye on the Gulf.

                                   GENTLEMAN #3
                         Good luck with Decatur, General!

                                   JACKSON
                         Thank you, sir.

                                   GENTLEMAN #4
                         If he runs like his daddy Truxton, he
                         won't need no luck!

               Simon, in cap, silk shirt, and buckskin pants like the other
               jockeys, is walking along the side of the track, acknowledging
               encouragement from slaves at the fence.  

                                   DAVY
                         Simon!  Simon from the Hines
                         plantation!

               Simon is surprised to see Davy, who was going to replace him
               as a house servant.  As they shake hands:

                                   SIMON
                         Davy!  What the world you doing 
                         here?

                                   DAVY
                         I wound up with that same lawyer 
                         you did.  He let me hire out to the
                         Sheffields, that's who I works for. 
                         But I still belong to them young
                         uns in Nashville.  

                                   SIMON
                         The house servant Rose - do you
                         know what happened to her?

                                   DAVY
                         I believe she and some others wound
                         up with some Hineses in Loueesiana.

                                   SIMON
                         New Awlens?

                                   DAVY
                         Nah, it was some other name.  Damn,
                         I can't remember.  You still got
                         that banjo?

                                   SIMON
                         I sure do.

                                   HAYNIE
                         Simon!  Get over here!

                                   SIMON
                         Elijah, who gave me the banjo - did
                         he run away like he said he was?

                                   DAVY
                         He sure did.  And you know what? 
                         He must still be running, 'cause
                         nobody heard nothing 'bout him.

                                   SIMON
                         Good to see ya, Davy.

                                   DAVY
                         You too, Simon.  You win this race
                         now!

               Jackson in the grandstand watches Simon mount Haynie's Maria.

                                   JACKSON
                         I see Haynie's got a black jockey
                         too on Maria.

                                   ELLIOTT
                         A boy named Simon, from South Carolina.
                         He'd never seen a horse till he got 
                         to my farm.  I sold him to Haynie.

                                   GENTLEMAN #4
                         They don't have horses in South
                         Carolina?

                                   ELLIOTT
                         They've got 'em, he just wasn't
                         paying much attention.

               On the track, Haynie steps over Simon, aboard Maria.  Other
               JOCKEYS and TRAINERS are in b.g.

                                   HAYNIE
                         You listen to me, Simon.  That
                         Decatur is General Jackson's pride
                         and joy, and this three-year-old
                         beauty is mine.  This is the maiden
                         voyage of Haynie's Maria, and
                         you're gonna sail her home to
                         victory.  Aren't you, boy?

                                   SIMON
                         Yes, sir.

                                   HAYNIE
                         I'm headin' for the grandstand, boy.

               A minute later, Haynie sits down by his wife MRS. HAYNIE, 
               45, in the grandstand.

                                   GENTLEMAN #5
                         Captain Haynie, you and the general
                         got a side bet going?

                                   HAYNIE
                         We sure do.  That Decatur's got me
                         worried, though, I wouldn't lie.

               Rachel looks at Jackson, who says nothing.

               Eight jockeys on their mounts are lined up for the first heat,
               Simon on Haynie's Maria beside Jackson's BLACK JOCKEY #1 on
               DECATUR.  

               The STARTER fires his flintlock pistol, and the horses are off.

               As the Jacksons and others are watching, many urging on their
               favorites:

                                   RACHEL
                         How much have you bet, Andrew?

                                   JACKSON
                         We're not going lose the farm. 
                         We're not even going to lose 
                         this race.

               Decatur takes the lead, with Haynie's Maria moving up to second.

                                   JACKSON (cont'd)
                         That-a-way, Decatur.  Come on, boy.

               In the stretch Decatur's lead starts evaporating.  Simon
               moves right on by him on Haynie's Maria.

               As they cross the finish line, Haynie jumps to his feet with
               a whoop.

                                   GENTLEMAN #6
                         Haynie's Maria!

               Rachel looks at Jackson.

                                   JACKSON
                         That's only one heat.

               Minutes later, Decatur beats Haynie's Maria by a length in
               the second heat.  Jackson happily slaps his knee and hugs
               Andrew Jr.

                                   GENTLEMAN #7
                         Well, now we'll find out who's got
                         how much left.

               Minutes later, the starter's pistol fires again.

               With TIME LAPSE SHOTS, Jackson watches helplessly as Simon on
               Haynie's Maria leads all the way in the third heat.

               Haynie celebrates, with many applauding.

                                   RACHEL
                         How much, Andrew?

               EXT. A PLANTATION - DAY (LATER)

               There's a SOCIAL (V.O.) going on in the mansion - Simon (V.O.)
               can be heard playing the banjo for the guests - while the
               guests' CHILDREN play outside.

               On the porch a pretty, petite slave named BECCA, 18, watches the
               show inside through a window.  Three other SLAVES, attendants of
               guests, are watching through a second window.

               INT. A PARLOR - THE MANSION - DAY

               Simon is singing and playing the banjo for the roomful of
               white GENTLEMEN and LADIES.

                                   SIMON
                             (singing last chorus)
                         If you're goin' to the races, 
                             I'll see ya,
                         I'm ridin' on Haynie's Maria;
                         If you're bettin', I'll 
                             guarantee ya,
                         You can't lose with 
                         Haynieeeee's Maria!  See ya!

               The guests including Haynie heartily applaud.  

               Jackson, with Rachel applauding beside him, applauds without
               much appreciation.

               EXT. THE PORCH - MANSION - DAY (A FEW MINUTES LATER)

               Simon, looking pleased with the day, sits down on the edge of
               the porch with his banjo, while the social goes on inside.  

               Becca strolls over as Simon idly picks.  The other three
               slaves sit idly on the porch.    

                                   BECCA
                         Did you write that song you was
                         singin' in there?

                                   SIMON
                         Sure did.  What makes you think I
                         didn't?

                                   BECCA
                         I don't know.  You just got some
                         kind of nerve.  I'm Becca.

                                   SIMON
                         Pleased to meet you.  I'm Simon.

               Becca sits down near him, Simon idly picking a little.

                                   BECCA
                         You from around here in Davidson
                         County?

                                   SIMON
                         Yeah.  Where you from?

                                   BECCA
                         From over Miz Stoner's.  You play
                         the banjo good.

                                   SIMON
                         I'm gonna be a free man someday,
                         after my hoss-racing's done with.
                         Then I'll make a living with the
                         banjo maybe.

                                   BECCA
                         Who's gonna pay you to play the
                         banjo?

                                   SIMON
                         Folks who want to be entertained.  
                         Didn't you see 'em in there?  

                                   BECCA
                         I didn't see 'em pay you for it.

                                   SIMON
                         You saw 'em pay me attention.  When
                         I'm free and ain't racing no more,
                         I'll play this thing on my head if
                         they pay me enough.

                                   BECCA
                         I want to be there when you stand
                         on your head.

                                   SIMON
                         You can help hold up my feet for me.
                         You want to come along, then?

                                   BECCA
                         Where to?

                                   SIMON
                         Oh, I might play this thing on a
                         steamboat, rolling down that river
                         they call the Miz Sippi.  When I
                         get tired of that, I'll play it in
                         a fancy hotel in some big city or
                         other.   

                                   BECCA
                         How are we gonna get free?

                                   SIMON
                         I'm working on that.

                                   BECCA
                         Oh, you are, huh?  What are you 
                         doing?

                                   SIMON
                         Making money.

                                   BECCA
                         Counterfeitin'?

                                   SIMON
                         Racing horses, girl.  I'll make
                         enough to buy you and me both.

                                   BECCA
                         I fetch a pretty high price.

                                   SIMON
                         So do I.  We could have some high
                         priced children - if they weren't
                         born free, that is.

                                   BECCA
                         You really race horses?

                                   SIMON
                         You weren't at the races today?

                                   BECCA
                         Nah.  Miz Stoner don't care nothing
                         'bout racing.  She's just here for
                         the social.  

                                   SIMON
                         I mainly ride a hoss named Haynie's
                         Maria.  She's something else.

                                   BECCA
                         You've got to win a race to make
                         money, don'tcha?

                                   SIMON
                         Yes, ma'am.  That's why I win 'em.

                                   BECCA
                         You sound pretty proud of yourself.

                                   SIMON
                         I know what I want.  If the Lord be
                         willing.

                                   BECCA
                         I know what I want too.

                                   SIMON
                         What's that?

               Becca looks around.  As she gestures toward the moon, visible
               in the afternoon sky:

                                   BECCA
                         I want that moon right there, when
                         it lights up at night.  I'd like to
                         hang it around my neck.

                                   SIMON
                         You gotta want more than that.

                                   BECA
                         More than the moon?

                                   SIMON
                         More than something fancy to wear.

                                   BECCA
                         Well all of us want to be free.

                                   SIMON
                         Now you're cooking.  I want to be
                         free wherever I be, day and night,
                         just like I feel when I'm racing.
                         When me and Maria's out there on
                         that track, it's her and me against
                         the whole wide world.  But that's
                         only part of it all.  What I win,
                         see - Can you keep a secret?

                                   BECCA
                         Yeah.

                                   SIMON
                         Part of what I win, see, can go
                         toward buying my freedom.  I just
                         hadn't talked to the cap'n yet,
                         that's why it's a secret.   After
                         today I've got me some bargaining
                         power.

               The fragile-looking MRS. STONER, 45, appears at the doorway.

                                   MRS. STONER
                         Becca! . . . Come here, we're about 
                         to leave.

               Becca rises, Mrs. Stoner turning back to the social.  

                                   SIMON
                         Where'd you say you live?

                                   BECCA
                         The Stoner plantation.  That was
                         Miz Stoner.  When you're free and
                         you can come buy me, so that I'm
                         free too, I'll go help hold your
                         feet up and anything else.

               Becca walks to the door.

                                   SIMON
                         I don't hardly need no help with
                         anything else.

               Becca starts to go in, then walks back over to Simon.  She
               leans down and kisses him, then goes on inside.

               Simon looks at MALE SLAVE #6, who's been watching.

                                   MALE SLAVE #6
                         Woooooo!!

               EXT. MRS. STONER'S CARRIAGE - DAY (HALF AN HOUR LATER)

               Mrs. Stoner and Becca are riding home, slave DRIVER #2
               driving.

                                   MRS. STONER
                         What did the banjo player have to
                         say on the porch?

                                   BECCA
                         Oh, 'bout how he wants to be free
                         someday.  Could we go to the races
                         sometime, Miz Stoner?  They sound
                         like lots of fun.

                                   MRS. STONER
                         All I need, Becca, is to go bet on
                         horses.

                                   BECCA
                         You don't have to bet, do you, Miz
                         Stoner?

                                   MRS. STONER
                         Things aren't going very well since
                         my husband died.  Lord knows, I
                         don't think I can handle it.  If
                         worse comes to worse, I may have to
                         sell the whole place.

                                   BECCA
                         You wouldn't sell me, would you,
                         Miz Stoner?

                                   MRS. STONER
                         It would break my heart, Becca.
                         It would break my heart.

               EXT. STONER PLANTATION - DAY (A FEW MINUTES LATER)

               Stoner's white overseer LANDRESS, 35, smokes a corncob pipe as
               he stands watching MALE SLAVES #7 and #8 building a hog pen.

               Landress notes Becca, Mrs. Stoner, and Driver #2 arriving home
               in the carriage.  

                                   LANDRESS
                         You know, that Becca's grown into 
                         a nice-looking little thing.  Is
                         anybody getting it?

               One slave hammers, the other holding the wood.

                                   MALE SLAVE #7
                         I don't know, Mister Landress.

                                   LANDRESS
                             (to Slave #8)
                         What about you?  Know of anybody
                         poking her?

                                   MALE SLAVE #8
                         No, sir, Mister Landress.

               Landress puffs on his pipe as he looks off after Becca.

               INT. STABLES - JACKSON'S FARM - DAY (LATE AFTERNOON)

               Decatur is in his stall, a BLACK STABLEBOY grooming him, as
               Jackson's black trainer Dunwoody (DUN), 35, looks on.

               Jackson, home from the social, joins Dun and looks at Decatur. 
               Two other HORSES are in b.g.

                                   JACKSON
                         Well, Decatur come through it all
                         right?

                                   DUN
                         Oh, he's fine, General Jackson.  He
                         was just a little tuckered out,
                         that's all. 

               As Jackson turns to go back out:

                                   JACKSON
                         I need to talk to you.

               Dun and the stableboy exchange glances.  Dun follows Jackson.

               EXT. THE FARM - DAY

               Waiting, Jackson looks around at his 400 acres (devoted to
               cotton, corn, livestock, and horse breeding), a few SLAVES
               moving about, as Dun comes out of the stable.

               Jackson and Dun walk toward the main cabin.

                                   JACKSON
                         How long you been training for 
                         me, Dun?

                                   DUN
                         About six years now, sir.

                                   JACKSON
                         Six years.  And I've got confidence,
                         Dun, that you know about horses.

                                   DUN
                         I'm sorry about today, General
                         Jackson.  I -

                                   JACKSON
                             (interrupting)
                         Oh, don't worry about that.  Decatur
                         just didn't have it in him, I reckon.
                         I'm sending you on a trip.  You're
                         going to the state of Virginia.

                                   DUN
                         I'm going to Virginia, sir?

                                   JACKSON
                         That's right.  You're going to find
                         me a horse - that we can buy and
                         bring here - to beat Haynie's Maria.
                         Then we'll let Simon write a song
                         about that.

               INT. A PARLOR - HAYNIE'S PLANTATION - DAY (A DAY LATER)

               Haynie and some fellow GENTLEMEN sit talking about war while
               drinking mint juleps.

                                   HAYNIE
                         The first thing we ought to do,
                         before the British have time to
                         strike on the Gulf, is to march
                         into Florida and kick out the
                         Spanish.  

               INTERCUT: INT. HALLWAY - DAY

               Simon sits waiting outside the parlor.  He can hear the talk through
               the open door.

                                   HAYNIE (cont'd)
                         They're damn allies of Britain, and 
                         been harboring Injun marauders.

                                   GENTLEMAN #8
                         Why not?  We can do that and take
                         Canada too.

                                   GENTLEMAN #9
                         That's right.  

                END INTERCUT, STAY in the parlor.

                                   GENTLEMAN #9 (cont'd)
                         The British can't spare enough men to 
                         be striking the Gulf yet.

               INT. THE PARLOR - DAY (AN HOUR LATER)

               Haynie, fixing another mint julep, stands waiting alone as
               Simon enters, a black HOUSE SERVANT leaving.

                                   HAYNIE
                         You wanted to see me, Simon?

                                   SIMON
                         Yes, sir, Cap'n Haynie.

                                   HAYNIE
                         Have a seat.  Boy, that song you
                         sang at the social yesterday had 
                         me plumb scared.

                                   SIMON
                             (sitting down)
                         Why's that, Cap'n Haynie?

                                   HAYNIE
                         That part about General Jackson
                         leaving his horses to go fight the
                         British?  That's all right, you're
                         a clever one, but -
                             (sitting down with drink)
                         - don't you ever put something in 
                         a song about the general - well,
                         living in adultery.  If you do, 
                         you could wind up dead.

                                   SIMON
                         The general's been living in what?

                                   HAYNIE
                         It's an old story around here.  You
                         might as well hear it from me.  When
                         the general married Miz Jackson, see,
                         they thought her first husband had
                         finalized the divorce, but he hadn't.

                                   SIMON
                         That do sound like trouble.

                                   HAYNIE
                         You said it.  When the Jacksons
                         found out, well, the general made
                         sure that divorce went through,
                         then he and Miz Jackson got married
                         all over again.  But some folks -
                         political enemies - talked like
                         that weren't enough.  They said
                         Jackson took another man's wife. 
                         They called her a bigamist,
                         adulteress, and worse.

                                   SIMON
                         You don't have to worry 'bout me
                         writing no song about that, sir.

                                   HAYNIE
                         Good.  Now what do you want to see
                         me about?

                                   SIMON
                             (rising)
                         I have a proposition, sir, that I'd
                         like to present.

                                   HAYNIE
                         Sounds like serious business.  Sit
                         on back down there and present it.

                                   SIMON
                             (sitting down)
                         Yes, sir.  I won for you good
                         yestiddy.

                                   HAYNIE
                         That you did, son, that you did.

                                   SIMON
                         And I can win more for you, sir,
                         plenty more, on whatever hoss I'm
                         on.  Specially when I've got some
                         incent-a-tive.  

                                   HAYNIE
                         Do you mean incentive?

                                   SIMON
                         That's what I mean, sir.  I'd like
                         a cut of what I win to go toward
                         buying my freedom.  And I'll win
                         you race after race.

                                   HAYNIE
                         How much do you reckon you're worth?

                                   SIMON
                         Let's say fifteen hundred dollars. 
                         That's more than -

                                   HAYNIE
                             (interrupting)
                         Fifteen hundred?  I'd say more like
                         two thousand.

                                   SIMON
                         Let's say seventeen fifty.  

                                   HAYNIE
                         You know math pretty good.

                                   SIMON
                         And you pay me one hundred dollars
                         each time I win -

               Simon rises to pace, full of nervous energy.

                                   SIMON (cont'd)
                         - in addition to the ten that I'm
                         getting.  But you don't give me 
                         the one hundred dollars, you let 
                         it count toward my purchase price,
                         till I done won my manumission.
                         Have we got a deal, sir?

                                   HAYNIE
                         One hundred dollars a win?  Whew! 
                         Plus ten?

                                   SIMON
                         You don't give me the hundred, 
                         Cap'n Haynie, you just count it 
                         aside. It's imaginary payment.  
                         The money's still yours when 
                         I'm free.

                                   HAYNIE
                         Well that's mighty kind of you.

                                   SIMON
                             (sitting down)
                         It's the only fair thing, Cap'n
                         Haynie, or I won't never get free.  

                                   HAYNIE
                         And if I say no, there won't be 
                         any deal, you'd still win for me,
                         wouldn't you?  For pride and 
                         because that's your job.  Because
                         it's your duty to win.  Isn't that
                         right?

                                   SIMON
                         Yes, sir, I'd still try to win.
                         Sure it's a matter of pride.  I
                         take pride in being a jockey.  
                         It don't get much better for a
                         slave than riding a hoss like
                         Haynie's Maria, against hosses 
                         of men like the general.  I'm just
                         saying, sir, that with that extra
                         incentive, why, I'd just be trying
                         all the harder. 'Cause nothing
                         ain't worth more than freedom.

                                   HAYNIE
                         Is that the way you feel, Simon,
                         about your station in life?  That
                         nothing is worth more than freedom?

                                   SIMON
                         Well, not being free . . . You'd 
                         have to be there, sir, to know 
                         what it feels like.  Meaning no
                         disrespect.

                                   HAYNIE
                         That ain't no kind of attitude,
                         Simon.  Don't you know that slavery
                         is basic to civilized society?  

               Haynie rises to pace, drink in hand.

                                   HAYNIE (cont'd)
                         It's the very nature of man that
                         the strong and the wise should 
                         control the weak and the ignorant.  
                         I'm not saying you're ignorant, 
                         but you know what I mean.  

                                   SIMON
                         Yes, sir, I know what you mean.
                         Cap'n Haynie, if I was free, I
                         could still ride for you.  You'd
                         have to pay me something, of
                         course, 'cause I'd have a living 
                         to make.  But I'd still love to 
                         ride.  But by then, sir, you'll
                         have won lots of money - my 
                         freedom would be paid for many
                         times over - and - 

                                   HAYNIE
                             (interrupting)
                         All right, Simon, I hear you. 

               Haynie sits down.  Mrs. Haynie enters and walks over to
               listen.

                                   HAYNIE (cont'd)
                         You caught me in a generous mood, 
                         I reckon.  We'll strike a deal -
                         seventeen fifty at one hundred
                         dollars a win, for your manumission.
                         'Cause I want you to win, boy, you
                         take that incentive.  In exchange 
                         for this deal, see, you better win -
                         that's what you just said, right,
                         you're gonna win me some money - or
                         I'm going to be mighty displeased.

                                   SIMON
                         Yes, sir!

                                   HAYNIE
                         Now you go on, boy.  I've got things
                         to do.

                                   SIMON
                             (rising)
                         Yes, sir.  Thank you again, Cap'n
                         Haynie.  How are you, Miz Haynie,
                         ma'am?

               Mrs. Haynie nods to Simon.  As Simon leaves, Haynie rises
               with his drink.

                                   MRS. HAYNIE
                         You're going to let that slave buy
                         his freedom?

                                   HAYNIE
                         Well, I'll let him think that I am,
                         if he wants to think it. 

               Haynie finishes his drink.

                                   MRS. HAYNIE
                         That's rather cruel, Jessie.

                                   HAYNIE
                         If it'll make him win us more races,
                         there's nothing cruel about it a-tall.

                                   MRS. HAYNIE
                         What will he say when you -

                                   HAYNIE
                             (interrupting)
                         He's a slave!  He's not going to
                         say anything that matters one bit
                         in this world.  That boy needs to
                         learn - and maybe you do too - that
                         we all have a station in life.

               Haynie walks over to pour straight liquor in his emptied
               glass.

                                   HAYNIE (cont'd)
                         That boy comes in here with high
                         notions of freedom.  The Creator 
                         didn't intend for every man to be 
                         free.  No man was ever born free -
                         we're all born in utter dependence. 
                         And no two men were ever born equal.

               Haynie walks over to his wife with his drink.

                                   HAYNIE (cont'd)
                         The Negroes are peculiarly suited
                         for their station in life - and
                         have the security of their masters'
                         own interests.

                                   MRS. HAYNIE
                         What does that have to do with
                         lying to Simon?

                                   HAYNIE
                         I've got a good mind to slap your
                         face - or throw this here drink 
                         in it.  But I hate to waste good
                         liquor.

               Haynie walks off toward the door.

               EXT. A RACETRACK - SUMNER COUNTY - DAY

               GENTLEMEN, LADIES, and CHILDREN are arriving for a day 
               at the races.  JOCKEYS warm up MOUNTS on the track, SLAVES
               watching along the fence.  SUPERIMPOSE:

                                 SUMNER COUNTY
                                  MARCH, 1813

               Jackson, having arrived with Rachel and Andrew Jr., has 
               stopped to talk with some gentlemen and ladies.

                                   JACKSON
                         I wrote to President Madison,
                         offering my twenty-five hundred
                         volunteers for service wherever
                         they're needed.

                                   GENTLEMAN #10
                         What did the President say?

                                   JACKSON
                         Not a word.  

               As the Jacksons start walking toward the grandstand, the
               others following:

                                   JACKSON (cont'd)
                         Meanwhile, we get our behinds
                         kicked on the Canadian border, the
                         city of Detroit surrenders - no
                         telling what's next.

               GENTLEMAN #11 whispers to a 50-ish LADY:

                                   GENTLEMAN #11
                         You know the reason he's ignored by
                         Washington, don't you?  It's because
                         of his bad reputation.  Fighting
                         duels, calling a federal general 
                         a traitor for -

                                   LADY
                             (interrupting)
                         Maybe that's what we need, sir, to
                         beat the damn British.  Men with
                         bad reputations.

               On the track, jockey Simon stands petting Haynie's Maria.

               White trainer GREEN BERRY WILLIAMS, 45, waits nearby.

                                   SIMON
                         Maria, honey, I heard tell General
                         Jackson got very upset when we beat
                         his Decatur.  Now he's got Pacolet,
                         and we've got to beat him too.

                                   GREEN BERRY
                         Let's go, Simon.

                                   SIMON
                             (to Maria)
                         We can't be showing no mercy to the
                         general, honey.  'Cause there's
                         freedom at stake, little by little,
                         every time we're running a race.

               Minutes later, six jockeys on their mounts come to the
               starting line.

               Simon on Maria notes the initials AJ on the saddle cloth of
               PACOLET next to him.  

               Simon puts some tobacco in his mouth, Black Jockey #1 on
               Pacolet watching him. 

                                   BLACK JOCKEY #1
                         Get ready to eat some dust, my
                         nigger.

                                   SIMON
                         I'd have to be riding backwards.
                         Even then I wouldn't eat no dust. 
                         You'll be hogging it all for
                         yourself.

               Simon sees Smitty, on Elliott's horse, giving him a look.

               Moments later, the starter's pistol fires, and the horses are
               off.

               Haynie's Maria leads, Pacolet second, as they come into the
               home stretch.

               Pacolet is now charging, closing the gap, but Simon, looking
               back, keeps blocking him, keeping him off the rail.

               Trainers Dun and Green Berry both watch by the track.

                                   DUN
                         Come on, Pacolet . . .

               Pacolet is threatening to pass Haynie's Maria close on the
               outside.  Simon spits tobacco juice at him.  

               The spray causes Pacolet to momentarily break stride, the
               black jockey wiping his own face with a sleeve.

                                   JACKSON
                         Did I see that boy spit tobacco
                         juice in my jockey's face?

                                   GENTLEMAN #12
                         Don't be surprised, General.  That
                         Simon'll try anything to win.

               Haynie's Maria crosses the finish line, a length ahead of
               Pacolet.

                                   ELLIOTT
                         Simon won it.

                                   HAYNIE
                         I didn't see any tobacco juice
                         spit.  Did y'all?

                                   RACHEL
                             (to Jackson)
                         Remember, dear, that's just the
                         first heat.

               EXT. THE RACETRACK - DAY (TEN MINUTES LATER)

               The starter's pistol fires for the second heat, the field
               down to three horses.

               TIME LAPSE SHOTS of Jackson and Rachel, then Dun, then
               Haynie, then Jackson again, watching.  Their expressions show
               that they're watching a stunning no-contest.

               Simon on Haynie's Maria crosses the finish line.  A far second
               is Pacolet, with the third horse following.

                                   GENTLEMAN #12
                         That late charge in the first heat,
                         General, took too much out of your
                         horse.

               Minutes later, Simon and another jockey are walking past the
               slaves by the track.

                                   BECCA
                         Congratulations, Simon.

               Simon, surprised to see her, walks over to Becca.

                                   SIMON
                         Thank you, Becca.  Miz Stoner come
                         to the races?

                                   BECCA
                         I talked her into it, I did.  Kept
                         telling her what she was missing.

               In the grandstand, Mrs. Haynie remains seated with others
               while Haynie starts down toward the track.

                                   GENTLEMAN #13
                         Cap'n Haynie, long as you've got
                         Simon and Maria, you're king of the
                         hill around here!

               Becca whispers to Simon:

                                   BECCA
                         On the road that runs north near
                         the Stoner plantation, there's kind
                         of an old lean-to, sitting off the
                         far side of the road.  I could
                         sneak out and meet you there one
                         night - if you can get there.

                                   SIMON
                         I can get there.  Which night?




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