An (Almost) True Story.
In 1971, a biker pulls up to a bar called the Electric Eye. He's part of the Wolf Pack. He goes inside where a wild biker party rages. The bar is VERY Southern without being country. A band called the Road Dogs is playing and they are pretty much an early version of Tom Petty and his band. They take a break from their set and Cash, the guy who runs the bar comes out to join them. He's high on cocaine and gives some to the band. Tom doesn't want any, but the others do.
Mary arrives and kisses her boyfriend, Tom. She and Cash make a connection. Cash asks another one of the band members who Mary is. Cash takes note and they go party. As he leaves, he looks back and he and Mary make eye contact one more time.
Out behind the Electric Eye, people smoke joints around a barrel fire. Mary plays guitar and sings a Janis Joplin tune. She's good and Tom kisses her on the cheek. Mary puts the guitar away and Tom goes inside. Once Tom is gone, Cash appears and starts flirting with Mary. Cash takes an actual handful of cash and tosses it in the air and people scramble for it. As Tom returns, Mary has decided to go with Cash and she leaves with him. Tom goes to follow but Ben stops him, saying Mary isn't worth it. Cash and Mary do drugs and have sex in the back room of the Electric Eye.
Nine months later, Mary delivers a baby. A nurse goes into the waiting room where Mary's mother is waiting, but Cash is not. The nurse needs details for the birth certificate, saying that Mary wanted to name the baby Freedom. Clearly, Mary's mother doesn't like Cash. She doesn't even know Cash's last name.
In 1977, Cash and Mary drop Freedom off at the public library. He's 5. Mary tells him she's proud of him. She tells him to stay at the library until 4 o'clock and has him point out that time on his Mickey Mouse watch. After that, he's supposed to walk to the daycare center and check himself in. They'll pick him up later. Cash waves goodbye from the car. Mary gets in the car and blows him a kiss. They're off to party and they're already talking about NOT picking Freedom up later, saying that Tina can pick him up. Freedom stares after them until they are gone. Then he walks into a convenience store across the street.
Inside the Suwanee Swifty, Freedom grabs 10 Jolly Rancher stix and heads towards the comic book rack. Richie and Steve stand at the rack. Richie steals one of the comic books. Steve spots Freedom watching them and threatens Freedom. They rush out of the store. The clerk chases them out of the store as Freedom watches.
Freedom sits at a table reading a comic book. An alarm goes off and he watches the Librarian catch a girl leaving without checking her book out. Freedom comes across another comic, Weather Witch Comix. From the cover of the comic, Weather Witch winks at him. Then she points towards the alarm sticker on the front of the comic. Freedom rips the corner of the comic and the sticker off and hides it in a book on the shelf. He stuffs the Weather Witch comic in his backpack and goes out the door. The alarm doesn't go off.
In 1978, the kids play tetherball at Lillian Elementary School. Richie is the current champ. Coach Jackson supervises the class. Kinda. Jackson makes fun of Freedom and the other kids laugh. Freedom doesn't want to play next, so Steve steps up instead. Steve beats Richie quite easily and Richie calls him a dick. The kids laugh. Coach Jackson calls it an ass-whooping. The kids laugh more. Even Freedom lets go and laughs a bit.
Three weeks later, the same kids are playing box hockey. The biggest kid in class is the current champ. Coach Jackson tells Freedom it's his turn to play. Freedom pretends that his ankle is hurt, but Coach Jackson tells him he has to play anyway. David insults Freedom behind the coach's back. Coach Jackson tells him to play or go to the principal's office. Everyone laughs at him.
Freedom steps up to play the game. Coach drops the ball. While David makes threats against Freedom, Freedom concentrates on the ball and advances it to the next box. David swats it away, but the ricochet puts the ball close to his goal, Freedom knocks it in for a score. David is angry as the kids AND coach start getting into the game.
Coach drops the ball again. David is ready this time, he uses his size to quickly navigate the ball into a scoring shot. Coach Jackson makes fun of Freedom and everybody laughs with relief. Coach drops the ball again and Freedom quickly gains control and gets off a shot at the goal. As everybody watches the ball go into the hole, Freedom calls David a dick. David smacks Freedom in the head with his hockey stick.
Freedom's head starts to well up to the size of a golf ball. David tells coach he accidentally hit "Freakdom" in the head. Coach and the other kids laugh. Freedom falls on his ass. Coach Jackson realizes Freedom is actually hurt and he helps him get up. He tells Melody to help Freedom go to the nurse's office. David and his friends laugh, but the other kids don't find it funny.
Freedom sits in the office with a bandage on his forehead. Inside the principal's office, Principal Henderson talks to Mary. Freedom can hear them, but he doesn't react. He pulls out the Weather Witch comic book and starts reading. The principal said he's in trouble today for using inappropriate language.
Weather Witch moves in the comic, catching Freedom's eye.
Principal Henderson actually wants to talk about Freedom's overall direction, not just today. He says Freedom's IQ is 143, which puts him in the 1%, but he has behavior problems. Experts say he has a developmental delay, but there isn't any treatment yet.
Freedom finishes the comic with a big smile and reads it again.
Freedom is home alone. He peruses one of his parents books, "Steal This Book." He steals some quarters from his dad's night stand. He starts looking through one of his father's Playboy magazines and it really excites him. He hears a car horn outside and he goes into his parents closet and hides so he can look at the Playboy more. Cash arrives outside. Freedom stares at the centerfold. Also in the closet is a hydroponic weed set up, but Freedom doesn't even notice it.
He does hear the front door slam, though. He drops the Playboy in a panic and hides behind a row of coats, even though his legs are still visible. Cash comes in and sees the drawer open that holds his Playboys. He checks the other drawer to make sure his drugs and money are still there. Cash easily finds Freedom and yanks the closet door open. He takes the Playboy and rolls it up, using it to spank Freedom as he pulls him out of the closet.
Cash throws Freedom on the bed and tells him to take his pants down. He does. Cash bends the kid over his lap and continues to spank his bare bottom. Again and again.
In 1979, Freedom and Mary walk through the flea market. She runs off to party with some biker friends and he wanders around looking at the booths. A rack of Betamax tapes includes a Weather Witch video. The picture of the Weather Witch on the front of the box starts talking to him. It calls him by his name and she tells him to buy the tape and they can talk more. It's only $1, so he buys it.
At home, Freedom puts the Weather Witch video on. Weather Witch immediately starts talking to him. She's here to help him. She asks him if he wants to be a hero. He does. She tells him that heroes must have a moral code. She explains to him what that means and that he has to decide upon this code by himself. She tells him that all the rules for a moral code can be found in culture, all around him. He just has to find as many as he can. She tells him there are are a lot of rules, but that she has an idea for how he can remember them all.
Freedom writes new cards:
#1: STEALING IS OKAY.
#2: YOU ARE SMART.
#3: CALLING PEOPLE "DICK" IS FUNNY.
#4: LAUGHING IS GOOD.
#5: PEOPLE WHO HATE WILL KILL.
#6: WHEN YOU GOTTA GO, YOU GOTTA GO.
#7: READ COMICS.
#8: DON'T LOOK AT NAKED WOMEN.
The camera stays on the cards while Freedom continues writing. He finishes the next card and posts it to the wall:
#9: WATCH MOVIES.
He sits down again and starts writing another while the camera stays on the cards long enough to read them all.
#10: LIKE WEIRD STUFF.
In 1980, Freedom is an a grocery store. He sees David, Steve and Richie stealing action figures. They make fun of him as they leave. Once they're gone, he takes an action figure and hides it in his underwear. A store clerk yells for someone to stop and Freedom thinks he's busted. He looks around and it's not him, it's David and the other boys who got caught.
In 1981, Cash drives the family back from the beach. Freedom sleeps in the back seat on a towel. They arrive home to find the front door open. Cash has them wait outside while he checks it out. He comes back out and starts cursing the neighbors up and down the street who are peering out of their windows. Inside, they found that the house has been trashed. Spray-painted on the walls are all kinds of insults, from calling them weirdos to using homophobic slurs against Freedom.
Cash stands outside talking to two police officers. Mary starts to clean things up. Cash is mad that the police aren't going to do anything about it. The cops ask to come inside and search his house and he backs down, he starts kissing ass. As they leave, the cops suggest they move to a different neighborhood.
Freedom cleans up his trashed room. There aren't a lot of things left that aren't damaged. A broken spring on the bed boings and scares him. He knocks over a trash bag and out falls the Sharpie and index cars. He rewrites the cards and puts them up on the wall again. He rewrote some cards:
#1: STEALING IS OKAY IF YOU DON'T GET CAUGHT.
#3: NAME-CALLING IS FUNNY.
And writes new cards:
#11: DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS.
#12: PROTECT YOURSELF.
Freedom is fully dressed up as the Weather Witch, tights and cape included. Mary walks into the room and double checks that's the costume he wants to wear. He proudly nods yes. He arrives late to school and kids make fun of him for wearing tights. Cash picks him up from school and wonders what Mary was thinking when she let him go to school dressed like that. When they get back to the house, Freedom tries to get out of the car. His cape gets caught and he struggles. Cash yells at him and drives off. Forever.
Freedom writes new cards:
#13: DON'T WEAR GIRLS' CLOTHES.
#14: DADS CAN LEAVE, BUT MOMS DON'T.
In school, Freedom raises his hand because he really needs to go pee. The teacher, Miss Richards ignores him at first. When he won't give it up, she starts berating him. He pees himself underneath the cover of his jacket. Melody sees his pee leaking on the floor and helps cover it up while the teacher continues yelling at him.
In 1983, Freedom gets off the school bus, carrying a baseball bat. Two girls start throwing rocks at him as he walks home. One of the rocks hits him and the girls run off. He turns the corner and runs into the girls. They make fun of him and threaten him with rocks. Another rock hits him in the head. He swings the bat as hard as he can and hits Summer's finger. She screams and they run away.
Freedom walks up to the front door of his house. Chrissy points him out and Summer and Autumn, her older sister, march up to freedom. Autumn snatches the bat from him and they both drop it. Autumn yells at him for hitting her sister with the bat. Summer's crying has receded and she's happy to see Freedom get in trouble. Autumn forces him to drop to his knees and apologize. Freedom starts to cry and complies. He's legitimately sorry.
Another day, Freedom walks home from a nearby basketball court. He drops the ball and it bounces into the grass. He walks to get it and discovers he can see directly into a woman's bedroom woman as she undresses. They make eye contact and she covers up while he runs.
Mary accuses him of being some kind of pervert. She sends him to bed without letting him watch the new George Carlin special. She said he could watch it, but that was before he got in trouble. He calls her a bitch. She slaps his face and sends him to his room.
Freedom has re-written the old cards:
#1: WHOOPI GOLDBERG SAYS STEALING IS OKAY, YOU JUST GOTTA STEAL FROM THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
#3: NAME-CALLING IS MEAN.
#8: DON'T GET CAUGHT LOOKING AT NAKED WOMEN.
Freedom writes new cards:
#15: TEACHERS SUCK.
#16: NEVER HIT A WOMAN.
#17: NEVER CALL A WOMAN A BITCH.
Freedom walks up the hill from the bus stop. Steve, David and Richie get off the bus, too. They follow him. Once they're far enough away from anyone else, they get really close. They start making fun of his name, asking if he's from the U.S. and making fun of him for being gay, which he isn't. Freedom says he has a girlfriend who lives in Canada and they laugh at him. They threaten to beat him up for being gay and he says he's in love with Melody. They laugh at him for being an idiot, but they're convinced he's straight now.
Freedom is home alone and into his parents' bedroom. He digs through his mom's night stand and finds all of his report cards and other school papers. He's doing okay with grades, but his reading/writing scores are off the charts. Other papers suggest he's androgynous in terms of gender rolls. He hears a car honk outside and closes everything and puts it away. He goes back to his bedroom. His wall is a giant collage of pop culture and the wall opposite his bed is where the cards are pinned to the wall. He flops onto the bed and covers his head with a pillow.
Mary walks into Freedom's bedroom and tells him to clean it up because it's disgusting. She turns off the TV, which was playing a Weather Witch cartoon. He gets upset because he was watching it. She says she needs to talk to him. Two of his friends are coming to spend the night, Steve and his brother, Keith. Freedom starts to freak out, since he's not at all friends with them. Freedom pouts. She offered to watch them, but she's not staying home anyway, she's going partying, he'll be alone with Steve and Keith.
Later, Steve and his younger brother Keith sit on the couch flipping through comic books. He hates the Weather Witch comic and throws it at Freedom. He says it's dumb. Steve hands Freedom a cassette of "Licensed to Ill," by the Beastie Boys, and tells Freedom to play it. Weather Witch tells him he's going to be into it.
Steve asks Freedom what kind of drinks they have as he opens the fridge. He pulls out some beers and hands them to Keith and Freedom. Freedom's never had beer before, but he tries it. He burps and everyone laughs.
Later, Freedom is passed out on the couch. Six empty beers on the coffee table. Steve and Keith go to his room and start going through his things. Keith finds an orange notebook labeled "Welcome to he Beehive," a set of rules for a role playing game. Steve steals it and he and Keith think they can sent it to Hollywood to make a movie. They leave the house without even shutting the front door.
Freedom writes new cards:
#18: DON'T BE GAY.
#19: YOU ARE NOT LIKE OTHER PEOPLE.
#20: PEOPLE HATE WEIRDOS.
#21: FIND A WAY TO FIT IN.
In the elementary school gym, the kids in Freedom's class wear caps and gowns. Other kids in the crowd chat with each other or wave to people in the audience. Freedom is alone in a crowd. No one came to support him.
In 1984, Freedom attends Manticore Middle School. Miss Cobb teaches science class. Freedom stands in front of her desk and she chastises him about making himself presentable when he comes to class, wearing a clean shirt and brushing his hair. Other kids laugh at him and Miss Cobb gives them a pop quiz.
Chastity arrives late and sits next to freedom. She asks him what they're doing. He says it's a pop quiz and they've already answered two questions. Chastity gets out paper and starts copying all of Freedom's answers. After the quiz is done, Miss Cobb comes over to give Chastity the first two questions. Chastity says she already got the answers, Freedom told her. Miss Cobb asks him if that's true and he says no. Miss Cobb tells Chastity to see her after class and Chastity calls Freedom a dick.
One week later, the gym is filled with kids dressed in Halloween costumes. Freedom is dressed as a zombie paladin. A cheap homemade costume. Coach Jackson calls them up for a costume contest judged by the other students. The coach calls them up individually and has the audience cheer for them. When it's Freedom's turn, the coach makes fun of him and a group of girls led by Chastity boo him. No one cares except maybe Melody.
Freedom writes new cards:
#22: BRUSH YOUR HAIR.
#23: DON'T CHEAT.
#24: BE CAREFUL OF PEOPLE WHO WANT THINGS FROM YOU.
In 1985, Freedom sits in the back of the bus with he Black kids. The radio plays Run-DMC. Freedom's into it. Later, Freedom watches Family Ties, wearing loose shorts and a t-shirt.
At home, his mom comes in with a huge redneck named Ruben. Mary goes straight towards the bedroom, telling Ruben to grab the vodka. He goes and gets it. On the way back, he looks at Freedom in disgust. He makes a joke about Freedom masturbating too often and then goes into the bedroom.
Freedom bolts awake in his bedroom when he hears his mother scream. He runs into the living room where Ruben and Mary argue. Mary tries to slap him, but he picks her up and smashes her against the wall. Freedom runs and gets his baseball bat. He rushes at Ruben and swings the bat. Ruben turns towards him and is able to catch the bat before it hits. He picks Freedom up and throws him against the wall. Mary screams as Freedom passes out.
Two sheriff's cars sit outside the front of the house, lights blazing. Neighbors stare out from windows up and down the street. Ruben is in handcuffs and Mary rages at both him and the cops. Freedom watches as Ruben is put in the back of the police car. It drives away and Freedom asks Mary if Ruben is going to jail. She tells him no, as the cops can't get involved in a domestic dispute. Freedom asks if that means Ruben is coming back.
Freedom has re-written the old cards:
#16: NEVER HIT ANYONE.
Freedom writes new cards:
#25: LISTEN TO RAP.
#26: DON'T PRETEND TO BE SOMETHING YOU'RE NOT.
#27: MEN CAN BE EVIL.
Freedom limps on his left foot towards P.E. class. He tells Coach Jackson he twisted his ankle and can't dress out today. Jackson calls him Freakdom and says don't even try it. He passes Steve, who calls him out for saying he's limping on a different ankle than before.
After P.E. class, the kids are in the locker room, changing clothes. Freedom spaces out and David says if Freedom is going to stare at his dick, he should come suck it. Freedom leaves as everybody laughs at him.
In 1986, Freedom sits in Principal Youngblood's office at Manticore Middle School. Youngblood tells him they found his father's body. He was killed in a shootout in Atlantic City. They called his mom to pick him up, but she couldn't make it. He'll have to ride the bus home, as usual.
Freedom draws a bowl of fruit in art class. He's average at it. Kids at the next table talk about him behind his back, assuming he can't hear. A girl says she heard he's gay. Steve says, nah, he's just a weirdo. Steve hits Freedom in the back of his head with a balled up piece of paper. Mr. Henry tells them to quiet down. Freedom yells out that he's not gay and stabs Mr. Henry with his pencil when the teacher tries to take his picture away.
Freedom sits in Principal Youngblood's office. Youngblood says it doesn't matter what the other kids call him, that doesn't excuse violence. Freedom is suspended for a week.
Freedom has re-written the old cards:
#16: VIOLENCE IS BAD.
#18: ONLY TELL PEOPLE YOU TRUST THAT YOU ARE GAY.
Freedom writes new cards:
#28: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU STARE AT.
#29: DON'T FAKE INJURIES.
#30: DON'T DO DRUGS.
Freedom sits in a classroom with the other students. Miss Sharon teaches the class and she reads aloud a haiku Freedom wrote. She tells him she wants to keep a copy. Even some of the students are impressed. David calls Freedom a gay slur. Miss Sharon sends David to the principal's office.
Freedom walks back from the basketball court, dribbling the ball. Steve and Richie walk nearby as they walk by the elementary school. Steve and Richie start checking the school doors and find the main office door unlocked. Steve tells Freedom to come with them. Steve and Richie dig into the Girl Scout cookies. Richie finds some cash and takes it. Then he takes various knickknacks. As they move a round, Freedom grabs a typewriter as Steve sees the Sonitrol alarm has gone off. He quietly tells Richie and they tell Freedom they're going to go outside and smoke. Richie grabs chocolate bars as they leave.
Freedom walks outside, struggling to carry the heavy typewriter. A cop points a gun directly at him and tells him to freeze. He's arrested and Garry comes to pick him up from the police station because his mother is incapacitated.
His mom and Garry finally get home that night after 4 a.m. Garry heads for the bedroom. Mary tells Freedom he's a disappointment and drops her glass on the hallway floor. She laughs, leaves it and stumbles to catch up to Garry.
Freedom has re-written the old cards:
#1: DON'T STEAL.
#15: SOME TEACHERS SUCK.
#22: BRUSH YOUR HAIR. KEEP IT BORING.
#25: LISTEN TO ALL KINDS OF MUSIC.
Freedom writes new cards:
#31: WRITE MORE.
In 1987 at Tallahassee High School, Coach Gillespie hands back papers. Freedom got a B on the test. Melody got an A+, but she congratulates him on doing well. She thought he had dropped the class, since he hadn't been there in five weeks. She tells him it took a lot of courage to skip class. Her parents would've killed her. She says he must be pretty smart and he shrugs. She tells him he should stop by during lunch, she's recruiting for Locke Club. During lunch, he does stop by and fills out a membership form.
It's 1988, Freedom and the other new Locke Club members are going through initiation. Andy calls them dirtbags and he holds a bag of dirt. Other members hold ketchup, mustard, flour, soda and the like. They pour the stuff all over the new guys. The initiation proceeds:
-Andy and Steve float in the pool, sipping beers. Freedom mows the very large yard, covered in goop.
-Andy and Steve use a high-powered hose to clean off Freedom.
-Freedom is dressed in a Locke Club t-shirt and dry boxers and prances across a golf course holding a Playboy centerfold up to various golfers. Andy and Steve chase him, laughing.
-At the Locke Club OysterFest, the crowd cheers as Andy announces the winning bid was 16 oysters. Freedom is required to chug them, which he does. They cheer him on. He vomits and the cheers turn to disgust.
Freedom walks out of the courthouse wearing a suit, Garry with him. Garry tells him it's a bummer his mom overdosed. And he's sorry Cash left. Garry is legally his uncle or godfather or something, but he figures Freedom has been taking care of himself for so long he should keep doing it. Garry gives him $20 and tells him he's leaving town to work on an oil rig. Garry hands him a set of keys and tells Freedom the house is his. Garry leaves.
Freedom has re-written the old cards:
#14: PARENTS LEAVE.
#30: DO THE RIGHT DRUGS.
Freedom writes new cards:
#32: JOIN CLUBS.
#33: SAY HELLO TO PEOPLE WHO SAY HELLO TO YOU.
#34: TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Freedom sits in the concrete bleachers at Capitol Stadium, dressed in a red and white Tallahassee High School Conquistadors t-shirt. Steve hands him a can of Coke. He takes a sip and burps. It's got alcohol in it and he's supposed to pass it on. Freedom plays with a small plastic giveaway football with the school's logo on it. He throws it in the air and Richie steps in and catches it. He and Keith play keep away and Freedom tries hard to get the ball. He trips and falls face-first into the bleachers. The people that were laughing at him stop and groan. Freedom bleeds from his cheek. Steve calls Richie and Keith idiots and tells them to give Freedom the ball. Melody calls them children. A kid named Andre picks up the ball and gives it to Freedom.
It's 1989 at Tallahassee High School, Freedom walks towards David, who stands with two girls. David jokes to the girls that this little "retard" is going to ask him for a ride home. Freedom overhears him and tries to make the case that he could really use the ride. David instantly blows him off and the girls and several other kids laugh at him. David says he's gotta take his mom to church.
Freedom interviews for a job at Taco Bell and gets the gig.
During a Locke Club meeting, Andy leads the group in a discussion about the upcoming Locke Club bash. He asks who is going to bring cups. Freedom says he can bring them, because he works at Taco Bell. Steve and David start clapping and everyone joins in to give him a sarcastic standing ovation.
Freedom has re-written the old cards:
#18: DON'T TELL PEOPLE YOU ARE GAY.
Freedom writes new cards:
#35: DRINKING AND DRUGS ARE DIFFERENT.
#36: PEOPLE AREN'T NICE.
#37: DON'T TALK TO CO-WORKERS ABOUT YOUR BOSS.
#38: WHEN ARE PEOPLE MAKING FUN OF YOU?
At Capitol Stadium, Freedom goes into the bathroom ans says hello to Richie and Steve. They make fun of him for talking to men who are peeing. Freedom walks out of the bathroom and runs into Steve, Keith, David and a few others. Freedom asks if he can go to a party with the guys. Steve tells him the party is only for people who have dates. They all have dates, but he doesn't, so he can't come. They all laugh at him and leave.
Freedom sits in his homeroom class. The teacher, Mrs. Mock walks in and pulls out a stack of papers. She tells them not to forget to buy their Bunnygrams for Valentine's Day and the Spring Fling dance. Later, Freedom visits Mrs. Mock and Katey selling Bunnygrams. Freedom buys a Bunnygram for Melody. Katey starts to tell him that's a bad idea, but Mrs. Mock quiets her down.
The Tallahassee High School gym is set up for the Spring Fling Dance, which has an Easter theme. Freedom is dressed in a mismatched blazer and slacks with a mismatched tie. He carries a single row. He walks confidently into the room and starts looking for Melody. She's on the dance floor, embracing and making out with Joe, a point guard on he school's basketball team. Freedom drops the rose on the ground.
It's 1990 ad the Locke Club Bash, a big bonfire and party at club president Andy's house. Everyone from school is there, even the unpopular kids. Even a few teachers. Most people ignore Freedom as he makes his way to the keg. Melody tells him where the drinks are and he makes himself a screwdriver. He makes it way too strong. He goes to look for Melody, but she's moved on. He wanders around, vaguely looking for Melody.
He wanders behind the main house and comes upon Andy and Steve and the other guys. He's pretty drunk. They tell him to hit the joint. He does after an aborted attempt. He says he doesn't feel anything. Andy offers him more, then compliments his mom. The weed starts to kick in and Freedom gets wobbly. Andy asks if he can get Freedom's mom's phone number. Freedom passes out. David tells Andy to go get his father's video camera.
Freedom writes new cards:
#39: LEARN MORE ABOUT FUCKING.
#40: DON'T COPY MOVIE STARS WHEN IT COMES TO HITTING ON WOMEN.
#41: DON'T DRINK ON CAMPUS.
#42: DON'T DRINK TOO MUCH.
Freedom sits on the floor of his living room, watching MTV. The VJ talks about how MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" sampled a Rick James song. Freedom goes to his father's record collection and finds the Rick James album. He plays it. He reads the liner notes and sees his father's name in the thank yous. He goes through numerous albums and they all have his dad's name in the liner notes.
Freedom looks up Katey's phone number in the Tallahassee High School Directory. He dials her number and waits. She answers and he says hi. She has no idea who he is. He explains who he is and she asks where he got her number. He says the school directory. She asks why he called. He says he just wanted to say hi. She says hi. He says hi again. She thanks him for calling and says she's gotta do homework.
Freedom walks into the high school and almost bumps into Melody and Joe. Joe gets fake excited. He says he heard Freedom called Katey last night. Melody slaps him on the shoulder. Joe says Freedom should ask her to prom. Freedom says he's definitely going to. Melody pulls Joe down the hall and says he's mean. Other kids laugh at him as they walk by.
A large group of teens plays football in a field that sits between a parking lot and a lake. The teens play football:
-Steve throws to Joe, but it's too high and Joe falls into the water.
-Keith says he's going to hurt Freedom. Keith tries to hit him, but Freedom doesn't engage and runs past him. Joe throws Freedom a touchdown.
-Joe gets blitzed, but he doesn't want to throw to Freedom again. He throws to someone else and it's a bad pass that gets picked off by David and returned for a touchdown.
-Again, Freedom is open and Joe refused to throw to him, leading to an incomplete pass.
-Keith throws a wobbly pass that is intercepted by Freedom, who returns it for a touchdown.
-Freedom's team loses 63-42. The other guys make fun of Joe for how bad he played QB.
Freedom sits at his phone, Tallahassee High School directory open before him. He calls Katey. She doesn't recognize him and he's awkward about it. She's not happy it's him. He asks her to go to prom with him. She says she's already going with Steve. He doesn't respond. She thanks him for asking her, says she's flattered and hangs up.
Freedom writes new cards:
#43: LEARN HOW TO DANCE.
#44: CARPE DIEM.
#45: POPULAR KIDS ARE ASSHOLES.
#46: BE GOOD AT SPORTS.
Freedom stands in his bathroom and stares into the mirror, a large zit on his cheek. He looks through the cabinet until he finds his mom's foundation. He puts some on to cover up the zit, saying no one will notice. He heads to school, where it is picture day. Freedom sits in his home room class, the make-up on his face obvious. Steve and Richie walk in and stop in front of Freedom's desk for a second and stare at him. Richie asks if Freedom is wearing make-up. Steve says that's even too freaky for him.
The entire senior class sits in the high school auditorium. Many family members are here, too, for Senior Superlative Day. The principal, Mr. Skelton, gives out certificates to David and Katina as "Most Athletic." The next award is for "Best Make-Up." The winner is Shelly. David then gives the award for best make-up for a dude to Freedom. No one else was in on this joke and they stare at David in shock. A few of David's friends laugh, but they are the only ones. Katina says she had nothing to do with it. David tells whoever his accomplice is to hit it. A grainy video of a very drunk Freedom at the Lock Club Bash plays. He's upset about his nickname. He vomits. Then he passes out. The video finally cuts off and Mr. Skelton says it was totally inappropriate. Freedom runs from the auditorium.
Freedom writes new cards:
#47: DON'T INSULT PEOPLE.
#48: DON'T WEAR MAKE-UP.
#49: PEOPLE SUCK.
#50: DON'T ASK PEOPLE OUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEM.
Freedom walks slowly through a nearly-empty Northwood Mall, shops are about to close. He goes into Sam Goody and browses the alt rock section. He comes across Liz Phair's "Exile in Guyville," and Liz starts talking to him, telling him to take her home. He does. At home, he listens and he's really into it.
It's 1991 and Freedom stands outside the FSU library, talking to a group of other freshman for orientation. The group is led by a happy sorority girl. They are told to do an icebreaker and Freedom is partnered with Whitney. She asks his name and he says Freedom. She says he's lying. He says he's not at the moment. They both laugh, but Whitney's laugh is nervous.
Freedom walks down Airport Drive carrying a six-pack. He walks into a house party and walks back out holding a red solo cup. He walks into a second house party and comes back out with a bottle of beer. Freedom vomits by a stop sign.
He goes inside a third party and sees Steve at the keg, hanging out with Charlie. Steve introduces them and says they went to high school together. Charlie thinks it's bad ass that his name is Freedom. Freedom says the party is cool, it's just too far from campus. Steve and Charlie agree, they live much closer to where Freedom lives. He says he has a house and Steve and Charlie get excited that they have a new spot to host parties. Freedom is excited to have friends.
In 1993, Freedom hosts the party at his house. A few dozen students are there. Freedom doesn't know most of the people there. He walks up to Steve and Charlie and they ask him about this woman he was flirting with, Whitney. He says she's cool, but he's really into this other woman, but if that doesn't work out, he might give Whitney a chance. Whitney overhears him and she rejects him.
Freedom goes to his room and flops on the bed. Liz Phair speaks to him from a poster on the wall. She asks why he's so down and he says women, as always. He says he scared a woman off by saying something stupid. She tells him that he needs to listen to her. He says he is. But she means the music. He does start listening.
Freedom sits awkwardly, sweating, in a circle with other students for Professor Donalds' class. The class gives feedback on a short story Freedom wrote. A snooty kid eviscerates the story and a wispy girl agrees with him.
Freedom writes new cards:
#51: SOME PEOPLE WILL TRY TO TRICK YOU.
#52: DON'T TELL PEOPLE YOUR FEELINGS.
#53: DON'T LET PEOPLE SEE YOUR ROOM.
#54: WEAR ARMOR.
#55: DON'T SAY CREEPY THINGS.
#56: DON'T LISTEN TO YOUR COMPETITORS.
Freedom walks out of Professor Donalds' class. Rasheika runs to catch up with him and taps him on the shoulder. She just wanted to tell him that those other kids don't know what they're talking about. They don't have any life experience and thus no imagination. She liked his story. Freedom thanks her.
Miss Elliott hands papers back to students. She says for the first time in her five years teaching the class, the highest grade on the term paper went to a male student, Freedom. He got a 98. Jess introduces herself to Freedom and asks if she can read his paper. He is hesitant at first, but can't say no to her and hands it over.
Jess and Freedom stand outside and she gives him her number. He invites her to a party at his house Friday. She says sure, just call her. He drops the phone number and it blows away in the wind. He says he'll call as he chases the number and she giggles.
A group of mostly men watch the NBA Finals on TV when the O.J. Simpson chase breaks into the coverage. Jess sits on Freedom's lap, sipping wine and flirting. They smoke weed and get to know each other. Their arms get tangled and a little wine spills on Jess' neck. Freedom leans in to lick it up and asks for consent. She gives it and he licks the wine off her neck. Later, they're in bed and he's licking her neck again. She warns him that they can't have intercourse, but they can do anything else he wants. He takes her underwear off and kisses his way up her leg. She has multiple orgasms over the next hour. Once he's done, she pushes him onto his back and says "my turn."
The phone rings in Freedom's hallway. He answers, very hung over. It's Jess. She said last night was wonderful and he's a great guy, but they can't see each other again. Her ex-boyfriend got jealous watching them together and they're getting back together.
Freedom writes new cards:
#57: DON'T BE MACHO.
#58: ARGUMENTS LEAD TO COPS BEING CALLED
#59: WOMEN HATE PAULY SHORE.
#60: BE LESS INTENSE.
Freedom cautiously walks up to the door of a frat house and rings the bell. Keith opens the door and asks Freedom what he's doing here. Freedom says he goes to school here and Keith invites him in. Keith tells him the keg's out back and walks away. Freedom makes his way towards the keg, largely ignored by the partygoers. He gets a beer and joins a group of guys who are watching a porno movie nearby. The movie has a scene with a Black man and a white woman and several of the frat guys watching make racist comments about it. Another one predicts if Clinton wins, there's gonna be a race war. They turn to football highlights and make racist comments about that. The Liz Phair cassette starts talking to him from his pocket. Liz tells him he's got to get the hall out of there.
It's 1994 and the phone rings in Freedom's hallway. After the third time, he runs out of the bathroom and gets it. On the other end, someone tells him something and he yells no ans starts to cry. Later, the news reports that his father was found murdered in Atlantic City.
Freedom writes his deceased parents a goodbye letter. He says he's sorry for the bad that happened to them. And sorry for not being who they wanted him to be. And sorry that they weren't what he needed. He cries and says goodbye. He seals the letter in an envelope and addresses it to "mom and dad."
Freedom hangs out at a dirty basement bar, playing the game Area 51 and drinking beer. Sandy, a transgender woman, compliments him and asks him to buy her a drink. He stops playing the game and follows her to the bar. One drink later, Sandy laughs at Freedom because he says he's submissive but not into pain and humiliation. Two drinks later, they start kissing. A lot.
Freedom has re-written the old cards:
#14: PARENTS LEAVE.
#18: DON'T TELL PEOPLE YOU ARE BISEXUAL.
#32: ONLY JOIN ORGANIZATIONS THAT KEEP ASSHOLES OUT.
#35: DRINKING AND DRUGS AREN'T DIFFERENT
#45: "GREEKS" ARE ASSHOLES. FUCK FRATERNITIES.
Freedom writes new cards:
#61: DON'T BE RACIST.
#62: DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DRUNK GIRLS.
Freedom hosts a wild "6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon" party. He is dressed up as a slice of bacon. People break things, people steal things. Sandy arrives, dressed up as Kevin Bacon's ROTC character from "Animal House." They flirt. Later, they're making out and they're starting to undress when Steve comes stumbling back into the party. He makes a joke about them hooking up and locks the door on his way out. Freedom and Sandy start to kiss again. It starts to progress and she stops him. She tells him she's not like other girls he's dated. He makes it clear he understands, leans in and kisses her.
Two months later, Freedom and Sandy are in bed after sex. Sandy asks him if he's ever said "I love you." He says he doesn't think so. She asks why not and he says it's hard. She asks him to say the words, even if it's a lie. He doesn't.
At a gay night club, a drag queen leads the night's proceedings. Freedom gets up and goes outside. Sandy gets angry and follows him.
Freedom leans against a wall, moping. Sandy asks him what the hell that shit was. He says nothing, but she says they're missing the show. He says he wanted to spend time with her tonight, not at some show. She goes back inside and tells him to find something else to do.
He's shocked and asks why. She says she has limits and he has exceeded them. She respects herself and won't spend time with someone that doesn't respect herself or themself. She's not willing to be with someone that only thinks of her as a way to prove he's not like other guys. She says he hasn't been treating her that well. She says he doesn't know who he is or what he wants. She does. And she knows what she deserves.
She kisses him on the cheek and tells him to call her when she figures it out. He asks if she hates him. She says no, they've only known each other a couple of months. She tells him he's going to hate himself for a while, but tells him not to dwell on it.
Jess calls Freedom at home. She asks him to come hang out with her. He agrees. Later, Freedom and Jess dance at Late Night Library. They go outside and chat. She asks if she can rent his house while he's in New York. She's going to film school. He agrees, he doesn't want to lose the place and can't bring all his stuff to New York. She can keep it safe and clean while she goes to school.
Freedom and Jess lay under the covers, happy. He asks what he'd think if he skipped New York and stayed here with her. She gets upset and tells him to never do that again. He doesn't get it. She says that just because they had good sex doesn't mean he has to make some grand gesture and ask her to change her entire life. He apologizes. She kisses him and says he doesn't have to be sorry, just don't do it again.
Freedom has re-written the old cards:
#18: PEOPLE CAN MIND THEIR OWN FUCKING BUSINESS.
#39: LEARN MORE ABOUT SEX.
#52: BE CAREFUL IN TELLING PEOPLE YOUR FEELINGS.
Freedom writes a new card:
#63: BE PATIENT.
Freedom takes out an older Nikon. He takes a picture of the cards. He starts pulling out the pins and taking each of them down and putting them in a box. He paints over the old walls. He puts the Weather Witch movie in a box and she talks to him one last time. She asks if he found his code and he said he did. She said it was a pleasure to know him. He picks up the Liz Phair cassette and she asks why he's so down. He says it's because he has to leave her behind. He's moving into a tiny place in New York City. She congratulates him and tells him to look her up at a CD shop in the city. He says he will.
Freedom picks up the letter to his parents, kisses it and puts it in the box. He puts it in the attic with a bunch of other boxes. The last one is labeled "Exiled in Guyville."
Jess has finished moving her boxes in and joins Freedom on the couch. They kiss and she invites him to spend his last night with her. They run to the bedroom.
Freedom walks onto the plane, but the camera doesn't follow him. An airline employee shuts the door behind him.