AH Annie Hughes
[It transitions to a bright early morning sunrise in Rockwell. The camera pans through the pier and zooms towards the hill, a young boy who is Hogarth Hughes cycles down the street and stops outside Chat 'n' Chew diner. He enters the diner and looks around to see if his mother is around] [Off-screen]
Over here, honey!
HH Hogarth Hughes
[Hogarth notices his mother at the bar and he approaches it with a box in his arm]
Hey, Mom! You won't believe our good luck. Guess what I found?
AH Annie Hughes
Hogarth, we've been through this before: No pets.
HH Hogarth Hughes
Oh, but he's not a pet, Mom. He's a friend.
AH Annie Hughes
Hogarth, we've got to rent a room this year if we're gonna make ends meet, and no one wants to live in a place with shredded upholstery.
HH Hogarth Hughes
You'll never know he's there. I'll keep him in a cage.
AH Annie Hughes
Until you feel sorry for him and set him free... in the house. You remember the raccoon, Hogarth? [Shudders] I remember the raccoon.
HH Hogarth Hughes
Please, Mom, at least look at him.
AH Annie Hughes
All right. Where is this guy?
HH Hogarth Hughes
[Hogarth turns to the box, but he discovers it empty and the lid opened. Thankfully, his mom didn't notice, because she is busy talking to another waitress.]
I will go get him, okay?
HH Hogarth Hughes
[He leaves the bar to start looking around the diner under tables. He approaches one with a man behind the newspaper]
Excuse me. Excuse me. Sir? Excuse me--!
DM Dean McCoppin
[Hogarth brings down the newspaper away from the man's face to find that he is actually sleeping. The man is Dean McCoppin, who wakes up.]
What's that?
HH Hogarth Hughes
Please don't move. My pet's under your table. [Dean is about to look underneath] Don't look! If you make a scene, my mom won't let me keep him.
DM Dean McCoppin
What kind of pet, kid?
HH Hogarth Hughes
A squirrel. He's friendly.
Earl Stutz
[Then, they hear Earl talking to his friends about what happened to him last night.]
I'm telling the truth, dang it! It came from outer space. I saw it. And it was headed toward land. I called the government in Washington about it. Maybe it was a Sputnik or an invader from Mars. That's what it is. It's an invader from Mars! A spaceship of some kind. An unidentified flying object.
P Patron
Unidentified? Knowing you, Earl, I'd say it was either whiskey or beer.
DM Dean McCoppin
[They laugh at him]
Hey. [they turn to Dean] I saw it too.
P Patron
[The patrons look at Dean suspiciously and turn away]
I rest my case.
HH Hogarth Hughes
[They laugh again, Dean sighs in annoyance]
I believe you. What if it is Sputnik? [Dean takes off his sunglasses, unbeknown to them, a squirrel looks up Dean's trouser leg] Or a flying saucer from Mars? I bet we could find it.
DM Dean McCoppin
Sorry, kid. I didn't really see anything. But if we don't stick up for the kooks, who will?
AH Annie Hughes
[walking by]
Is my son bothering you, sir?
DM Dean McCoppin
[Suddenly, Dean's eyes widen, and he grits his teeth awkwardly.]
Yes, I mean No! [he bangs the table] Call me Dean.
AH Annie Hughes
[Hogarth and his mom look dumbfounded]
Hogarth, you were going to get your pet, honey?
HH Hogarth Hughes
I will, Mom. Right after I finish talking with--
DM Dean McCoppin
[Annie leaves to go back to the bar.]
Found your pet.
DM Dean McCoppin
It's in my leg, man. Squirrel's up my pants, Hogarth. I'm trying not to wig out here.
HH Hogarth Hughes
Don't wig out.
DM Dean McCoppin
[Dean begins to jolt uncontrollably]
Okay. He's heading north now. I'm sorry, kid. [he gets up from the table and stands in the aisle] I'd like to apologize to everyone in advance for this. [he unzips the flyer on his pants and the squirrel starts running away the diner, causing the customers and the waitresses and waiters to scream and panic. Annie has seen all, and turns to glare at Dean. Dean places his sunglasses on nervously] Check, please.
C Customer
[From Annie's POV, the camera pans to Hogarth who smiles nervously]
It's a rat!
[Later, Hogarth cycles down the path back to his home.]
DM Dean McCoppin
[In a signature/extended edition, we cut outside Chat 'n' Chew diner, where Annie makes Dean some coffee, and Dean is examining a eaten tractor]
What a nice girl serving coffee to a guy like me.
AH Annie Hughes
Particularly, I have the right to refuse the service to anyone. [referring to the sign]
DM Dean McCoppin
I'm sorry about yesterday. I usually...
AH Annie Hughes
Not like that?
DM Dean McCoppin
[chuckling]
Right. [they chuckle softly]
AH Annie Hughes
It wasn't your fault. Hogarth is... I think he's lonely.
DM Dean McCoppin
[feeling sympathy]
Yeah. Well, he's a good kid.
Earl Stutz
[They smile at each other. Earl approaches Dean by placing a hand on his shoulder]
Hey, come on, outside. I've got something' to show ya.
DM Dean McCoppin
Thanks for the scrap, Floyd. I can't pay you more, but well, it's-- it's got this um... this large bite out of it.
F Floyd
That's why I'm selling it, it's got a large bite out of it.
DM Dean McCoppin
[chuckling softly]
That's... Who could have done this?
Earl Stutz
I told you what.
DM Dean McCoppin
Oh, yeah. Strange invaders. [he walks to his truck]
Earl Stutz
Thanks for believing me. I really did call the government. They're sending someone to take care of the whole thing.
DM Dean McCoppin
Jeez, Earl. You really are crazy. I mean, who in the hell would the government send?
[Answering Dean's question]
