Officer

Sergeant Gump!

FORREST

Yes, sir!

OFFICER

As you were. I have your discharge

papers. Your service is up, son.

The officer hands Forrest an envelope, then walks away.

FORREST

Does this mean I can't play ping

pong no more?

OFFICER

For the Army it does.

FORREST (V.O.)

And just like that, my service in

the United States Army was over. So

I went home.

Forrest takes his paddle and runs out of the gymnasium.

EXT. GUMP HOUSE - DAY

Mrs. Gump walks out of the house and smiles. Forrest walks

up to the house, wearing his uniform.

FORREST

I'm home, Momma.

MRS. GUMP

I know, I know.

INT. GUMP HOUSE

Mrs. Gump and Forrest walk into the house.

MRS. GUMP

Louise, he's here. He's here,

everybody.

FORREST (V.O.)

Now, when I got home, I had no idea

that Momma had had all sorts of

visitors.

In the house are stacks of ping-pong paddles and life-sized

cardboard cutouts of Forrest playing ping-pong. The name on

the ping-pong paddles boxes reads: " Gump-Mao table tennis."

MRS. GUMP

We've had all sorts of visitors,

Forrest. Everybody wants you to use

their ping-pong stuff. One man even

left a check for twenty-five thousand

dollars if you'd be agreeable to

saying you like using their paddle.

FORREST

Oh, Momma. I only like using my own

paddle. Hi, Miss Louise.

LOUISE

Hey, Forrest.

MRS. GUMP

I know that. I know that. But it's

twenty-five thousand dollars, Forrest.

I thought maybe you could hold it

for a while, see if it grows on you.

Oh, you look good, Forrest. You look

real good.

FORREST (V.O.)

That Momma, she sure was right. It's

funny how things work out.

EXT. BAYOU LA BATRE/BUBBA'S MOM'S HOUSE - DAY

Forrest walks up to a shack on the edge of the Bayou. A group

of black kids play in the front yard.

FORREST (V.O.)

I didn't stay home for long, because

I'd made a promise to Bubba. And I

always try to keep my promise. So I

went on down to Bayou La Batre to

meet Bubba's family and make their

introduction.

Bubba's mother named MRS. BLUE and her other children look

at Forrest.

MRS. BLUE

Are you crazy, or just plain stupid?

FORREST

Stupid is as stupid does, Mrs. Blue.

MRS. BLUE

I guess.

EXT. BUBBA'S GRAVE - DAY

Forrest steps over to Bubba's tombstone.

FORREST (V.O.)

And of course, I paid my respect to

Bubba himself.

FORREST

Hey, Bubba, it's me, Forrest Gump. I

remember everything you said, and I

got it all figured out.

Forrest pulls out notes from his pocket.

FORREST

I'm taking the twenty-four thousand,

five hundred and six-two dollars and

forty-seven cents that I got...

EXT. BAYOU - DAY

Forrest walks across a yard where men are cleaning shrimp.