EXT. SHACK FRONT PORCH – DAY
BOBBY LEE and HIS MENTOR (named later) push through the brush and approaches the front porch of a rickety shack. On the porch, an old man sits staring off into the trees.
BOBBY LEE
Who is that?
MENTOR
Don’t rile him. Just move slowly and carefully, and maybe no one gets hurt.
BOBBY LEE
But...
MENTOR moves forward and BOBBY LEE follows a bit more slowly.
MENTOR
Jake? You awake?
BOBBY LEE
Jake? His name’s Jake?
The man on the porch continues to stare into the trees as if he’s heard nothing.
MENTOR
His name is Thumbeye Jake. I done told you to shut up and let me handle this.
Bobby Lee smirks. He sets his bags down in the dust and climbs up onto the steps, standing close beside the man on the porch.
BOBBY LEE
Hey Jake, I’m Bobby Lee. My friend MENTOR here tells me maybe you can teach me something about fighting.
The man still doesn’t move, and BOBBY LEE frowns. MENTOR steps up and grabs BOBBY LEE by the arm, but Bobby Lee shakes him off.
MENTOR
Let him be, boy.
BOBBY LEE
(ignoring Mentor) Mentor tells me they call you ‘Thumbeye” Jake. Kind of a funny name.
MENTOR
It aint’ funny.
BOBBY LEE
Why they call you Thumbeye?
Mentor dives off the porch. At the same time, moving quickly, Jake rises and jabs his thumb into BOBBY LEE’s eye, sending him reeling off the steps and onto his ass, screaming in pain.
MENTOR
(spits) Done told you to keep your mouth shut.
THUMBEYE
(glaring down at Bobby Lee)
Ain’t too bright.
MENTOR
Nope.
THUMBEYE
You think he can fight?
MENTOR
Maybe. Now it kind of depends on if he can see...
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