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                                 "BODIES, REST & MOTION"

                                      Screenplay by

                                       Roger Hedden

                                    Based on a play by

                                       Roger Hedden

                                      SHOOTING DRAFT

                

               THE SCREEN IS BLACK

               FADE IN:

               INT. SHOPPING MALL - DAY

               THE CAMERA LOOKS DOWN ON three levels of escalators 
               transporting a smattering of Southwestern shoppers -- some 
               in cowboy hats.

               AS CREDITS ROLL

               A SERIES OF ANGLES of shoppers being conveyed up and down.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. ARIZONA DESERT - SUNSET

               A beautiful vista -- cacti and sage dot the landscape as it 
               rises to mountains in the distance.

               END CREDITS

               THE CAMERA PANS revealing an island of modern culture -- 
               malls and more malls, parking lots, and fast food franchises.

               FADE IN TITLE: ENFIELD, ARIZONA

               A brown Pinto pulls out of a parking lot and into rush hour 
               traffic.

               INT. PINTO - DUSK

               BETH WALKER is driving. She looks younger, but she's twenty-
               eight. She has a strong face and flashing intelligent eyes. 
               She's wearing a WAITRESS UNIFORM from Friendly's. She's deep 
               in thought.

               Beth pulls up to stoplight and stops.

               SOUND: A gentle toot of car horn.

               Beth looks up, startled.

               BETH'S POV

               SID, a pleasant looking twenty-four year old, is in a pick-
               up truck next to her. He smiles and points up toward the 
               traffic light.

               BETH

               She looks up toward the traffic light.

               TRAFFIC LIGHTS

               They're red except for one with a lit green arrow.

               BETH AND SID

               She pantomimes that she's in the wrong lane and wants to go 
               straight.

               Sid pantomimes that he'll let her cut in front of him.

               SOUND: Horns honk impatiently.

               THE INTERSECTION

               Beth pulls away in front of the pick-up truck. The HONKING 
               continues. Sid looks back at the honking car, cheerfully 
               waves to it.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. CAROL'S HOUSE - NIGHT

               A tiny well-kept Spanish style home in lower middle class 
               residential section.

               INT. CAROL'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

               It's neat and smartly furnished -- discount Swedish modern, 
               framed deco posters, some nice plants. The only problem is 
               it seems a little more like a well-designed waiting room 
               than a home.

               There's an empty ice bucket, several empty liquor bottles, 
               and a swinging metal ball thingabobby on a chrome and glass 
               coffee table in front of leather sofa.

               CAROL AND NICK are curled up together on the sofa, drinks in 
               hand.

               They're both in their late twenties. Carol's dressed in the 
               casually stylish clothes worn by women who work in shopping 
               mall boutiques.

               Nick's clothes are frumpled, a knit tie loose around his 
               neck. They've achieved a state of contemplative drunkenness.

               Carol sips her drink. Nick sips his drink. Carol sips her 
               drink. Nick brings his glass to his lips, hesitates...

                                     NICK
                              (flatly)
                         We're moving.

                                     CAROL
                         What?

                                     NICK
                              (enunciating)
                         We're going to move.

                                     CAROL
                              (after a beat)
                         When?

                                     NICK
                         Two days.

                                     CAROL
                         In two days?!

                                     NICK
                         Yeah.

               Carol shakes her head in weary disbelief.

                                     CAROL
                              (covering her hurt)
                         Thanks for the news...

               She knocks back her drink. Nick broods.

                                     NICK
                         I haven't known for long. I just 
                         decided.
                              (ruminating)
                         What do I need that makes me make 
                         these decisions?

               Carol stares at him. He knocks back his drink.

                                     CAROL
                         You got me.

               She pours herself another drink.

                                     CAROL
                         What does Beth say?

                                     NICK
                         Beth?...

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH'S CAR - NIGHT

               She stops at an intersection.

                                     NICK (V.O.)
                         Whatever makes me happy. That's what 
                         she says...

               Headlights flash from behind her. She turns and looks.

               BETH'S POV

               Sid's smiling from his truck right behind her. He flashes 
               his lights again.

               INT. BETH'S PINTO

               Beth looks up in the rearview mirror, amused.

               REARVIEW MIRROR

               Sid turns off, disappearing into the night.

               BETH

               Surprised to find herself vaguely disappointed, she drives 
               on.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. CAROL'S KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

               It's small, prefab, and tidy. It has a counter with shutters 
               that open onto the living room. Nick is kneeling, going 
               through bottles in a cabinet.

                                     NICK
                              (w/ drunken desperation)
                         I know this place.

               Nick stands, with an almost empty bottle of Johnny Walker 
               Red.

                                     NICK
                         I know what happens here.

               He pours himself a drink. Carol shuts the cabinet.

                                     NICK
                         I know what's going to happen.

               Nick opens a cabinet under the sink and tosses the empty 
               bottle in the trash. He begins to pace. Carol shuts the 
               cabinet and follows him with her gaze.

               As Nick speaks, he gestures grandly with his drink, liquor 
               splashing unnoticed over the sides.

                                     NICK
                              (bursting with 
                              frustration)
                         The same job, same scenery, same 
                         people... I've been in this town for 
                         years... Years!!

                                     CAROL
                              (flatly)
                         Three years.

                                     NICK
                              (in despair)
                         Oh, Carol...

                                     CAROL
                         I know...

               He stops and slugs back his drink.

                                     NICK
                         Forever -- it seems forever.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH'S PINTO - CONTINUOUS

               Beth pulls up to a stoplight, her face blank with thought. 
               She's suddenly lit by the flash of headlights going on and 
               off. She looks up and smiles.

               EXT. INTERSECTION - CONTINUOUS

               Sid's pick-up truck is facing her across the intersection. 
               It slowly pulls up beside her and stops.

               He smiles and gives a little wave of his hand.

               Without knowing why, she smiles and waves back.

                                     BETH
                              (sweetly but firmly)
                         Good-bye.

               She drives away. Sid stares after her.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. CAROL'S LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               Carol lifts the end metal ball on the thingabobby and releases 
               it, starting the chain reaction. She stares at it clacking 
               back and forth as she speaks.

                                     CAROL
                         How long a drive is it?

               Nick paces.

                                     NICK
                         Fourteen hours.

                                     CAROL
                         That's not bad.

                                     NICK
                         In a car? It's a fuckin' nightmare.

               Carol stops the metal ball. She releases two balls, starting 
               a new chain reaction.

                                     NICK
                              (griping)
                         And there's no radio in Utah. It's 
                         all religious programs.

                                     CAROL
                         Get saved.

               Nick slumps on the sofa beside her.

                                     NICK
                              (flatly)
                         No thanks.

                                     CAROL
                         Hey. Think about this. You take a 
                         detour and go through Vegas -- you 
                         and Beth stop, see a show, have a 
                         nice romantic dinner -- play the 
                         slots, get the free drinks...

                                     NICK
                              (interrupting)
                         Too much money. The show. The meal. 
                         The slots. Then the hotel -- that's 
                         another hundred down the toilet.

               As Carol speaks she pokes at Nick. He fends off her blows. 
               By the end of her speech she is on top of him mock-strangling 
               him.

                                     CAROL
                              (jabbing Nick)
                         No, you skip the hotel. It's night, 
                         the highway's empty -- you can make 
                         good time. You start speeding. You 
                         get stopped in Utah by the cops -- 
                         you flunk the breathalizer, they 
                         haul you in. The judge is Mormon -- 
                         you get fifteen years, you go to 
                         prison, but at least your life has 
                         taken a direction!

               Nick and Carol collapse into laughter. The front door opens.

                                     BETH
                              (calling in)
                         I'm here!

               Beth steps in. Carol quickly lets go of Nick's neck and gets 
               off him.

               NICK AND CAROL

               Embarrassed, they both smile self-consciously.

               There's an awkward instant followed by too much cheerfulness.

                                     CAROL
                              (chipper)
                         Hi!

                                     NICK
                         Hi, honey.

                                     CAROL
                         Hi.

               BETH

               stands in the doorway, awkwardly conscious of having 
               interrupted something.

                                     BETH
                              (w/ forced cheer)
                         Hi.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. FRONT LAWN - NIGHT

               Nick and Beth are standing in the lawn, lit by the glow of 
               the porch lamp.

               Both sides of the street are lined with nearly identical 
               tiny faux Spanish houses.

                                     BETH
                         G'night.

               THE FRONT DOORWAY

               Carol waves.

                                     CAROL
                         G'night.

               ANOTHER ANGLE INCLUDING NICK, BETH, AND CAROL

                                     NICK
                              (calling out)
                         Pizza Hut, tomorrow?

                                     CAROL
                         Okay.
                              (to Beth)
                         I've got the short shift -- you want 
                         me to come over, help pack?

                                     BETH
                         Great... I'm really sorry we didn't 
                         tell you sooner. He just decided.

               CAROL

               smiles to herself, a trace of sadness in her eyes.

                                     CAROL
                         I understand.

               She shuts the door.

               NICK AND BETH

               She starts to walk across the lawn. She stops and stares at 
               Nick, who's staring out into the night, oblivious to her.

                                     BETH
                         I'm tired. I'm going to bed.

               He turns and looks at her.

                                     NICK
                         What's your problem?

                                     BETH
                         I haven't got a problem.

                                     NICK
                         Okay.

               He walks up to her and past her -- when she doesn't fall 
               into step, he stops.

                                     NICK
                         You agreed to try Billings.

                                     BETH
                         I know.
                              (in Nick's words)
                         Billings, Montana. City of the future.

                                     NICK
                         Yeah and I read that a while ago -- 
                         so the future's probably already 
                         there.

               She smiles and shakes her head.

                                     NICK
                              (defensively)
                         It's not like you're leaving anything 
                         behind. A good job or something.

                                     BETH
                         Just some friends.

               He puts his arms around her waist from behind, and nestles 
               her against his body.

                                     NICK
                         You'll make new friends.

                                     BETH
                         I know.
                              (after a beat)
                         I'm not eight years old. I know I'll 
                         make new friends.

                                     NICK
                         Then what is it?

               She pulls away from him and starts walking to the house next 
               door. He falls into step with her.

                                     BETH
                              (uncomfortably)
                         I, umm... I... It embarrasses me. 
                         When you talk about something with 
                         Carol that happened before me. She's 
                         my best friend. It embarrasses me 
                         that you used to live with her.

                                     NICK
                         That was years ago.

                                     BETH
                         Three years.

                                     NICK
                         That's right.

                                     BETH
                         I know...

                                     NICK
                         And we're moving. She won't be your 
                         best friend anymore.

               They arrive at their front door. Beth takes out her keys. 
               Nick stops her hand and kisses her. She kisses him back.

                                     NICK
                         Living with someone isn't such a big 
                         deal.

               She nods and looks to the lock.

                                     NICK
                         Anyway... I live with you now.

               Beth looks to Nick. He stares out at the night.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               CLOSE-UP: COFFEE-MAKER

               The coffee-maker clock hits nine o'clock. The coffee maker 
               clicks on with a rattle. Steam starts to spew out.

               The coffee-maker makes horrible gurgling sounds.

               INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

               The kitchen is small and a little grimy, its furnishings 
               fatigued.

               Nick stares at the coffee-maker in disbelief. He's dressed 
               in a dress shirt, untied necktie, and slacks. He's carrying 
               a sportscoat with a Sears' employee name-tag attached.

                                     NICK
                              (calling out)
                         Beth!... Beth!!

               Beth walks into the kitchen, wearing a robe and carrying the 
               paper.

               Nick points accusingly at the coffee maker as water pours 
               down from around its top.

                                     NICK
                         It's... it's raining!

                                     BETH
                         It does that.

               She drops the paper on the kitchen table and gets a mug off 
               the counter.

                                     NICK
                         Since we got it?

                                     BETH
                         No.
                              (pouring herself a 
                              cup)
                         Lately.

                                     NICK
                              (throwing his jacket 
                              on a chair)
                         Shit.
                              (agitated)
                         What's wrong with it?

                                     BETH
                         Water comes out.

                                     NICK
                         Shit.
                              (unplugging the coffee 
                              maker)
                         I hate this shit! It never kept the 
                         coffee hot. And now this.

               He angrily wraps the cord around the coffee-maker.

                                     BETH
                              (blowing on her coffee)
                         It still works.

                                     NICK
                              (adamant)
                         No. It doesn't. Water comes out.

                                     BETH
                         Okay.

               She sips her coffee. She flips open a box of Dunkin' Donuts.

                                     NICK
                         I could've gotten a new one. On my 
                         discount. Now it's too late.

                                     BETH
                         Do you want a donut?

                                     NICK
                              (exasperated)
                         No. I want an appliance that works.

               Beth shrugs and takes a donut out of the box. She leans 
               against the counter, eating the donut.

               Nick walks past Beth and jams the coffee maker into the trash.

                                     NICK
                         This coffee maker was junk.

               Nick pushes a button on the blender. It makes a horrible 
               GRINDING WHINE. He unplugs it.

                                     NICK
                         This blender's junk. Our t.v. is 
                         junk!

               He jams the blender into the trash.

                                     NICK
                         I don't know why we're even bothering 
                         to pack.

                                     BETH
                              (through a mouthful 
                              of donut)
                         You got me.

                                     NICK
                         The t.v. gets no channels.

                                     BETH
                         And it's fifteen inch.

                                     NICK
                              (shaking his head)
                         I can't believe we don't have a big 
                         t.v.

                                     BETH
                         We don't watch much.

                                     NICK
                         But at our age...

               They stare at each other. Nick picks the almost full pint 
               bottle of scotch off the counter and puts it in his jacket 
               pocket. Beth takes another donut.

                                     BETH
                         Why don't you take one?

                                     NICK
                         I'm not hungry.

                                     BETH
                              (offhandedly)
                         Not a donut. A t.v.

                                     NICK
                         Take a t.v.?

                                     BETH
                         It's your last day.

                                     NICK
                         Like a bonus.

                                     BETH
                         Yeah.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. NICK AND BETH'S CARPORT - MINUTES LATER

               Beth is holding a donut and her coffee mug. Nick tosses his 
               jacket into the front seat of his old sedan.

                                     NICK
                         I might do it.

                                     BETH
                         I say do it.
                              (after a beat)
                         Sears can afford to give you a bonus.

                                     NICK
                         Maybe they are.

                                     BETH
                         What do you mean?

                                     NICK
                         Maybe when I get my check today, 
                         there'll be a bonus in it.

                                     BETH
                              (evenly)
                         Nick. They fired you.

                                     NICK
                         Yeah...

                                     BETH
                              (flatly)
                         There's no bonus.

                                     NICK
                         Yeah... That's true.
                              (shaking his head)
                         And I sold a lot of teevees for 
                         them...

               Beth sips her coffee, waiting for Nick to decide.

                                     BETH
                              (calmly)
                         You should take a t.v.

               Nick looks at his watch.

                                     NICK
                         I should go.
                              (sarcastically)
                         Don't wanna be late on my last day.

               He kisses Beth, surprising her. He presses against her. He 
               takes the donut from her hand and takes a bite.

               Beth kisses Nick, his mouth still full of donut.

                                     BETH
                         Mmmmm...

               He kisses her fully, then breaks the kiss.

                                     NICK
                         I gotta go.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. MALL PARKING LOT - MORNING

               About hundred cars dot the vast parking lot.

               Nick swings into a parking spot and gets out of the car. He 
               tosses his jacket on the roof and crouches, tieing his necktie 
               using the car's outside mirror.

                                     MAN'S VOICE
                         You livin' in your car or what?

               NICK'S POV - IN THE MIRROR

               CHIP, a big redheaded guy in his late thirties, wearing a 
               jacket and tie, is grinning at the crouched Nick. Nick's 
               reflection grins back.

                                     NICK
                         Just waiting for the last second to 
                         put on the noose.
                              (tightening the tie)
                         So Chip -- what's new?

               NICK AND CHIP

               Nick straightens up and grabs his jacket. They start walking 
               toward the mall.

                                     CHIP
                         Nothing much.
                              (broaching the subject)
                         I heard you're leaving.

                                     NICK
                         Yeah. I'm outta here.

               They approach the employees entrance.

                                     CHIP
                         They can you?

                                     NICK
                         That's what they think.

                                     CHIP
                         Yeah?

                                     NICK
                         I was gonna quit anyway -- this way 
                         I get unemployment.

                                     CHIP
                         Good deal.

               Nick opens the door.

                                     NICK
                         Yeah... recession insurance...
                              (Chip enters)
                         This way I'm not stuck waiting around 
                         for the lay-offs to start.

               Nick follows Chip in.

                                     CHIP
                              (a hint of panic)
                         Lay-offs?

               The door shuts behind him.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               CLOSE-UP - NEWSPAPER

               The front page of the Phoenix Sun-Times -- the headline reads 
               "Misery Index Soars".

               Beth's hand comes INTO FRAME and crumples the page.

               INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

               Beth stuffs the paper in a glass and wraps the glass in 
               another piece. She's sitting on the floor, surrounded by 
               dishes, newspaper, and cardboard liquor boxes. She adds the 
               wrapped glass to a box.

               She hears the SOUND of a CAR DOOR SLAMMING, looks up, then 
               returns to her packing. She reaches behind herself into the 
               trash, pulls out the blender, and begins to wrap it.

               At the SOUND of the FRONT DOOR opening, followed by a curious 
               METALLIC CLUNKING, she stands and hurries through the swinging 
               door to the living room.

               INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               The living room is sparsely furnished -- a sofa, a coffee 
               table, a bookcase cluttered with a handful of paperbooks, a 
               couple of boardgames, a dying cactus, etc. A crappy old 
               fifteen inch t.v. on a t.v. tray. WE SEE this for a moment 
               before...

               A paint-splattered cloth is unfurled FILLING THE SCREEN.

               It gently floats down, revealing a PAINTER and his shopping 
               cart overloaded with supplies. He's dressed in paint-
               splattered clothes. A paint-splattered Red Sox cap is pulled 
               low over his eyes, obscuring his face.

               Beth stares in disbelief. Without seeing her, the painter 
               backs up, his attention focused on spreading the dropcloth.

                                     BETH
                         Who are you?

                                     SID
                              (not looking up)
                         The painter.

                                     BETH
                              (agitated)
                         What are you doing?

                                     SID
                         Painting.

               The painter looks up from the drop-cloth, ready to deal with 
               this obstacle. He freezes. His face lights up.

               It's Sid.

                                     SID
                              (extremely pleased)
                         Well, good morning...

                                     BETH
                              (recognizing him)
                         You...

                                     SID
                              (extending a hand)
                         Sid. Nice to see you again.

               Beth stares in agitated disbelief.

               With his untaken extended hand, he pulls a long strip of 
               masking tape from a roll around his wrist, masking one side 
               of the door frame from top to bottom.

                                     BETH
                         Why are you here?

                                     SID
                         Realty office likes a fresh coat 
                         between tenants.

                                     BETH
                              (pointedly)
                         We're still here.

               He stands on his tiptoes and puts a strip of masking tape on 
               the top edge of the doorframe.

                                     SID
                         I've done this house before.
                              (admiringly)
                         I did a nice job.

               He masks the remaining side of the door frame.

                                     BETH
                         Can't you come back tomorrow?

                                     SID
                         Tomorrow's Sunday.

                                     BETH
                         Yeah...?

                                     SID
                         The new people move in on Sunday.
                              (conversationally)
                         Where are you moving to?

                                     BETH
                              (wearily)
                         Billings, Montana.

               Sid moves to a window.

                                     SID
                              (incredulous)
                         Why?

                                     BETH
                         It can't be worse than Enfield, 
                         Arizona.

               Sid pulls a strip of tape off the roll.

                                     SID
                              (smiling)
                         I've lived in Enfield my whole life.

               He holds out the end of the masking tape.

                                     SID
                         Could you hold this?

               Beth takes it. He walks backwards, easing a long strip of 
               tape off the roll.

                                     SID
                         I use this to mask. Have you ever 
                         used masking tape to mask?

               He tears the tape off the roll and sticks it to the top of 
               the baseboard in one corner.

                                     BETH
                         No. I haven't.

               Crouched, he waddles across the room toward Beth, applying 
               the masking tape to the baseboard. He gets to Beth, stands 
               up, takes the tape off her fingers, and presses it into place.

                                     SID
                         A house like this, it's real easy. 
                         Hardly needs a paint job.

                                     BETH
                         You can skip it. I won't tell.

                                     SID
                         It needs a fresh coat...

               He hands her the end of the tape again and begins another 
               baseboard.

                                     SID
                         ...a little color.

                                     BETH
                              (naturally curious)
                         What color is it gonna be?

                                     SID
                         Off-white.

               He goes along the floor pressing the masking tape to the 
               baseboard.

                                     BETH
                         It's already off-white.

                                     SID
                         No. It's white. It's just dirty.

               Beth looks at the walls. He's right.

                                     SID
                         Now if it was my house, I would choose 
                         a color...

               Beth kneels down, holding the tape, as he arrives at her end 
               of the wall.

                                     SID
                         I would not choose off-white.

               Beth holds out the tape. They are kneeling next to each other.

                                     BETH
                         What would you choose?

                                     SID
                         The color of your eyes.
                              (pause, without looking)
                         Hazel.

               Beth stares at Sid. Sid looks to Beth. Smiling, he takes the 
               tape from her fingers.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. PIZZA HUT - AFTERNOON

               An oasis in the center of a packed mall parking lot. Carol 
               hurries toward the front entrance in a snappy skirt and blazer 
               combo, a Bullock's name tag attached to her lapel.

               INT. PIZZA HUT - CONTINUOUS

               Nick is sitting at a booth, a beer in front of him, lost in 
               thought.

               Carol arrives, drops a gift-wrapped box on the table, and 
               scoots into the booth.

                                     CAROL
                         Sorry I'm late, the new girl's a 
                         moron.

                                     NICK
                              (looking to the present)
                         What's that?

                                     CAROL
                         Going away present.

               Nick takes it.

                                     NICK
                         Thanks.

               He quickly unwraps it.

                                     NICK
                              (happily)
                         A map!

                                     CAROL
                         I thought you might need it.

                                     NICK
                              (unfolding it)
                         I do! I had a map -- I lost it.

               He spreads the map out over the table.

                                     CAROL
                              (organized)
                         Let's highlight your route.

               A MAP

               of the Western half of the U.S.A. fills the FRAME. Carol's 
               hand, holding a bright red felt-tip pen, ENTERS FRAME.

                                     CAROL (O.S.)
                         Here's Enfield.

               She circles it. Nick's finger ENTERS FRAME.

                                     NICK (O.S.)
                         Here's Billings.

               Carol circles Billings. Nick's finger starts to trace the 
               route.

               Carol's pen follows, marking the route. Halfway to Billings, 
               Nick's finger abruptly stops. Carol stops the pen at the 
               same point.

                                     NICK (O.S.)
                         Look at this -- right there -- that's 
                         the town I was born in.

               NICK AND CAROL

               He looks to her for a reaction.

                                     NICK
                              (emphatically)
                         Where I grew up. Where my parent's 
                         live... Isn't that a coincidence?

                                     CAROL
                         Visit them.

                                     NICK
                              (shaking his head)
                         Oh... no...

                                     CAROL
                         You're going to be driving by.

                                     NICK
                         No...
                              (shaking his head)
                         They're not near the interstate.
                              (sort of chagrined)
                         I haven't even called them in years.

                                     CAROL
                         You might as well visit.

                                     NICK
                              (adamantly)
                         No.
                              (shrugging)
                         I wouldn't know them.

               Nick starts to fold the map -- very unsuccessfully.

                                     NICK
                         Shit.

                                     CAROL
                         Let me.

               Nick hands her the map. She deftly folds it in one motion 
               and hands it back to him.

                                     NICK
                         Thanks.

               He leans over the table and kisses her. She stands.

                                     CAROL
                         I'm starved.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH AND NICK'S LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON

               Two of the walls gleam with fresh paint.

               Sid is painting with long-handled roller.

               Beth, enters, hesitates, and then -- consciously ignoring 
               him -- walks by with a packed box and adds it to the stack 
               by the front door.

                                     SID
                         I'm lucky I don't have to kill them.

                                     BETH
                              (not a line she was 
                              expecting)
                         What?

                                     SID
                         If they were dark, I'd have to put a 
                         layer of kill down first.

               Beth starts back to the kitchen. Sid and THE CAMERA FOLLOW.

                                     SID
                         So the dark paint wouldn't shine 
                         through the off-white.

               INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

               The dishes are mostly packed.

                                     BETH
                         Oh.

               She picks up two empty liquor boxes.

                                     SID
                         Kill's an oil based paint.

               Beth carries the boxes out of the kitchen -- Sid and THE 
               CAMERA FOLLOW.

               INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               Beth walks right on through followed by the talking Sid and 
               THE CAMERA.

                                     SID
                         It covers the old paint so that you'd 
                         never know it was there, but it gives 
                         off fumes when it's drying.

               Beth goes into the small hallway, Sid and THE CAMERA FOLLOW.

               INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

               Beth walks toward the bedroom, Sid right behind her.

                                     SID
                         Noxious fumes. They would find us on 
                         the floor unconscious.

               They enter the bedroom, THE CAMERA FOLLOWING.

               INT. BEDROOM

               There's a queen-sized bed, a bureau, a mirror, and a closet.

               Beth takes the boxes to the closet.

                                     BETH
                         They?

               Sid sits on the bed, checking it's firmness.

                                     SID
                         The "they" that find people...

                                     BETH
                              (interjecting)
                         Nick.

                                     SID
                         ...unconscious.

                                     BETH
                              (flatly)
                         Nick.
                              (after a beat)
                         The man I live with.

                                     SID
                              (smiling)
                         I guess he'd be the "they".

                                     BETH
                         He'd find us. And he'd be surprised.

               Sid gets off the bed and with a grin, gingerly pats out the 
               wrinkles he's made in the bed spread.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. MALL PARKING LOT - AFTERNOON

               Nick and Carol are walking away from the Pizza Hut, across a 
               huge parking lot, toward a large mall. Cars circle past them, 
               searching for close spots.

                                     NICK
                              (doggedly)
                         It was the drive that killed us. San 
                         Antonio to Seattle is just too many 
                         hours in a car. If we'd have flown, 
                         we would've made it.

                                     CAROL
                              (shaking her head)
                         No...

                                     NICK
                         Things were all right in bed.

                                     CAROL
                         But the rest of the time they were... 
                         awful.

                                     NICK
                              (hurt)
                         Really?

                                     CAROL
                              (flatly)
                         Nick. We couldn't stand each other. 
                         We stopped in Enfield and just stayed.

                                     NICK
                              (after a beat)
                         Why didn't you go on to Seattle? It 
                         was your car.

               Carol stops. On her face, the answer to his question is clear -- 
               she was stuck on Nick then and she's still stuck on him now.

               But she'd never let him know that.

                                     CAROL
                              (dryly)
                         Big trees scare me.

               She starts walking. Nick hurries up beside her. They walk 
               side by side for a few paces before the shotdown Nick comes 
               up with a new ploy to win favor.

                                     NICK
                              (casually)
                         I'm thinking about stealing a t.v.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. NICK AND BETH'S BEDROOM HALLWAY - AFTERNOON

               Beth's taking extra sheets and towels from the linen closet 
               and packing them in liquor boxes.

               Sid enters from the living room.

                                     SID
                              (cheerfully)
                         I'm done in there. I won't paint the 
                         ceiling 'til you've moved the 
                         furniture out.

                                     BETH
                         I don't think we're going to take 
                         much of the furniture.

                                     SID
                         No?

                                     BETH
                         It's ugly.

                                     SID
                         I kind of like the sofa.

                                     BETH
                         It's a sofa bed.

                                     SID
                         You're not going to take it?

                                     BETH
                              (flatly)
                         It weighs two thousand pounds.

                                     SID
                         Can I have it?

                                     BETH
                         It's yours.

                                     SID
                         Excellent.

               INT. THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               The furniture is kind of ugly, but the walls look great. The 
               whole room seems brighter, almost magically more cheerful.

               Sid runs into the room and flops onto the sofa. He settles 
               in and sighs contentedly.

               The front door BURSTS open. Sid leaps up.

               Carol races into the room.

                                     CAROL
                              (excited)
                         Nick's gonna steal a t.v.!

               She sees Sid and freezes.

                                     CAROL
                         Who are you?

                                     SID
                         The painter.

               Beth hurries into the living room.

                                     BETH
                              (excitedly)
                         He's really gonna do it?

                                     CAROL
                         He says yes.

               Carol glances pointedly at Sid then returns her attention to 
               Beth.

                                     CAROL
                              (conspiratorilly)
                         We've got to talk.

                                     SID
                              (piping in)
                         About the crime?

                                     CAROL
                              (sharply)
                         There's no crime.

                                     SID
                         Nick's gonna steal a t.v.

                                     CAROL
                         That's just an expression.

                                     SID
                         I've never heard that expression.

                                     CAROL
                              (witheringly)
                         It's making the rounds. College 
                         students use it.

                                     SID
                              (to Beth)
                         Where's he stealing it from?

                                     BETH
                         Sears.

                                     CAROL
                              (incredulous)
                         You want him to know?

                                     BETH
                         He knows. He doesn't care.
                              (to Sid)
                         Do you care?

                                     SID
                              (enthusiastically)
                         I'm interested. Crime's interesting. 
                         I read the papers.

                                     BETH
                         It's not a crime.

                                     CAROL
                         It's justice.

                                     BETH
                         Poetic justice.

                                     SID
                         How?

                                     BETH
                         They fired him.

                                     SID
                              (deducing)
                         He's got motive.

                                     CAROL
                              (exasperated)
                         Who is this guy?!

                                     BETH
                         The painter.

                                     SID
                              (helpfully)
                         Sid.

               He holds out a hand to shake. Carol stares at his outstretched 
               hand.

                                     CAROL
                              (point blank)
                         No.

               Carol takes Beth by the arm and leads her away from Sid. She 
               stares back over her shoulder at Sid.

               Taking the hint, he begins to stir a can of paint, assuming 
               an air of indifference. Carol turns her attention back to 
               Beth.

                                     CAROL
                              (purposefully)
                         He needs you at the store.

                                     BETH
                              (tinged w/ apprehension)
                         He needs me?

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. SEARS TELEVISION DEPARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

               Nick is standing next to RORY, a precocious eight year old 
               boy who's staring at a soap opera on a big screen t.v. As 
               Nick and Rory talk, the soap ACTOR and ACTRESS passionately 
               embrace.

                                     NICK
                         You lookin' or buyin'?

                                     RORY
                         Lookin'. I hate television.

                                     NICK
                         Yeah. What do you like?

                                     RORY
                         Movies.

                                     NICK
                              (shaking his head)
                         No...

                                     RORY
                         I do.

                                     NICK
                              (laying it out)
                         You see... you go to a movie, you're 
                         there.

               Rory listens attentively.

                                     NICK
                         You watch t.v., you're thirteen places 
                         at once. As many channels as you 
                         get, that's as many places as you 
                         are. You get cable? You're forty 
                         places at once. You get a satellite 
                         dish?...

                                     RORY
                         You're all over the world.

                                     NICK
                         Exactly.

               In the BACKGROUND, on the big screen t.v., the soap actress 
               breaks the embrace and points a gun at the actor.

                                     NICK
                         You're everywhere.

               The soap actress shoots the actor. He stares at her in 
               overacting disbelief and slumps to the floor.

                                     NICK
                         It's called freedom.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH'S LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               Carol watches as Sid whistles cheerfully, ripping the long 
               strips of masking tape off the trim.

                                     CAROL
                              (w/ attitude)
                         This is what you do?

                                     SID
                         I also mow lawns.

                                     CAROL
                         Which is your career?

                                     SID
                         Painting. I'm an inside person.
                              (confidentially)
                         Mowing grass is seasonal.

                                     CAROL
                              (dryly)
                         That is true.

               Sid wads the tape into a big ball.

                                     SID
                              (disarmingly)
                         You've got a nice tan.

                                     CAROL
                              (not disarmed)
                         I work on it.

               Sid shoots the tape ball into his shopping cart of supplies.

                                     SID
                         Do you want to get stoned?

               Carol thinks for a moment. It's been a long time and she's 
               not crazy about him being there.

                                     CAROL
                              (after a beat)
                         Yeah.

               Sid takes a joint out of his shirt pocket.

                                     SID
                         This kind of painting -- for people 
                         I won't know -- it's boring.
                              (lighting the joint)
                         It's not very good. It's homegrown.

               He takes a drag.

                                     CAROL
                         Yeah?

                                     SID
                         But it'll get you fucked up.

               He hands the joint to Carol.

               CAROL

               takes a drag on the joint like an old pro.

                                     SID (O.S.)
                         It'll take you someplace.

               Carol chokes back wheezes and then explodes in a coughing 
               fit.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. APPLIANCE CENTER - LATER

               Nick and MAJOR JENKINS, a uniformed military man in his late 
               forties, are standing in front of a wall of silent color 
               televisions. On the t.v.s a nearly identical pairs of LOCAL 
               ANCHORS smile their way through the news.

                                     NICK
                         Have you thought about American?

                                     MAJOR JENKINS
                         No.

                                     NICK
                         I own an American set. I'm very 
                         satisfied.

                                     MAJOR JENKINS
                         I want Japanese.

                                     NICK
                         I'll tell you...

               Nick put his arm around the man's shoulder and guides him 
               toward a display case.

                                     NICK
                         ...the thing is, a hundred and fifty 
                         dollars gets you very little in the 
                         way of Japanese technology.

                                     MAJOR JENKINS
                         Oh.

               They stop at the case. Nick points.

                                     NICK
                         It would get you that t.v.

               CLOSE-UP

               A tiny two inch Casio television playing "Gilligan's Island".

               NICK AND JENKINS

               Nick looks to see the Jenkin's reaction. Jenkins stares 
               dumbfounded at the tiny t.v. He looks to Nick.

                                     MAJOR JENKINS
                         It's for my parents.

                                     NICK
                         Your parents?

                                     MAJOR JENKINS
                         Yes. They live with me...

               Beth enters the FRAME. Nick doesn't see her.

                                     MAJOR JENKINS
                         ...and they want Japanese.

               Nick stifles a strange urge to giggle. Beth tries to subtly 
               get Nick's attention.

                                     MAJOR JENKINS
                         Is there a problem?

                                     NICK
                              (controlling the 
                              giggles)
                         No... I, uh, just never think of 
                         adults as having parents.

                                     MAJOR JENKINS
                              (flatly)
                         They do.

                                     NICK
                              (agreeably)
                         I know...

               Beth fake coughs to get his attention. Nick sees her.

                                     NICK
                         I'm an adult, I have parents.

               Nick turns to Beth with a burst of salesman cheer.

                                     NICK
                         Oh, Miss, I've got your receipt!

               Beth approaches them, still not sure what Nick's up to.

                                     BETH
                              (acting cheerful)
                         Oh... great!

               Nick holds out the receipt.

                                     NICK
                         This is all you need.

               Beth takes the receipt.

                                     BETH
                              (puzzled, but playing 
                              along)
                         Thanks...

                                     NICK
                              (personably)
                         Now you just take this receipt out, 
                         give it to the guys at the loading 
                         dock and they'll give you your brand 
                         new beautiful television set.

                                     BETH
                              (thrown)
                         I get the t.v...?

                                     NICK
                              (cheerfully)
                         Out back. They'll help load it in 
                         your car and everything.

                                     BETH
                              (flatly)
                         I get the t.v.

                                     NICK
                         Out back.

               Nick turns his full attention to the man.

                                     NICK
                         Think about American. They're mostly 
                         Japanese parts anyway.

               Beth stares at Nick, amazed that he's managed to come up 
               with a plan that has her taking the television.

                                     BETH
                         Excuse me, I just...

                                     NICK
                              (interrupting, 
                              pleasantly)
                         Miss... I'm helping this customer 
                         here, perhaps you might...
                              (firmly, a salesman's 
                              put-off)
                         You might want to see someone else.

                                     BETH
                              (pointedly)
                         You can't help me?

                                     NICK
                              (after a beat, then 
                              w/ finality)
                         Not really.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. SEARS - CONTINUOUS

               Beth rides down on the escalator, the receipt clenched in 
               her hand, surrounded by other shoppers, as a tinny Muzak 
               version of the "Theme from The Mary Tyler Moore Show" drones 
               on in the background.

               Conflicting emotions cloud her face.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               CLOSE-UP - A HUGE T.V. BOX

                                     SID (O.S.)
                         How'd you do it?

                                     BETH (O.S.)
                         Nick sold a demo, wrote it up like a 
                         new set, and gave me the receipt.

               As Sid's jacknife ENTERS FRAME and zips through the packing 
               tape, THE CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal...

               INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               The sun is low, giving the room a golden glow.

               Sid and Beth are sitting on the sofa, the t.v. box on the 
               floor in front of them.

               Sid opens the television box. Slowly, he pulls out the sheets 
               of bubbled packing plastic. He pops several of the bubbles.

                                     SID
                              (savoring the bubble 
                              plastic)
                         Excellent.

                                     BETH
                         Maybe I should just leave it packed...

                                     SID
                         C'mon! You stole it. You gotta see 
                         it! Hold the box.

               Beth holds the box. Sid starts to lift out the television.

                                     SID
                              (urgently)
                         Wait!

               Beth looks to him, anxiously.

                                     SID
                         I thought I heard the police.

               Beth listens, nervously. Sid grins.

                                     BETH
                         Ha ha ha.
                              (an amused realization)
                         You're stoned!

                                     SID
                              (innocently)
                         Me?

                                     BETH
                         You're being silly and you've got 
                         bunny eyes.

               Embarrassed, Sid pulls Visine from a pocket and drips it in 
               his eyes as he speaks.

                                     SID
                         I'm a little stoned... not that 
                         stoned.

                                     BETH
                         No?

                                     SID
                         No.
                              (after a beat)
                         Carol's really stoned.

                                     BETH
                         You got Carol stoned?

                                     SID
                         Very stoned.

                                     BETH
                         I didn't think she liked you.

                                     SID
                         She doesn't. But she likes getting 
                         stoned.

                                     BETH
                              (smiling)
                         She does.

                                     SID
                         There's nothing like drugs to create 
                         a quick and shallow friendship.

               Beth laughs.

                                     SID
                              (rubbing his hands)
                         Let's look at the loot.

               Sid pulls the t.v. up and out of the box. He sits back on 
               the sofa, the t.v. in his lap.

               The t.v. is spectacular -- huge, metallic, and ultra-modern.

                                     SID
                              (very impressed)
                         Jesus... you didn't fool around.

                                     BETH
                              (w/ mixed emotions)
                         This is the nicest thing I've ever 
                         owned.

               Beth stares at the television. Sid stares at Beth. She meets 
               his eyes, then looks quickly back to the television.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT./EXT. SEDAN - ENFIELD'S MAIN DRAG - DUSK

               Nick is driving. His face is beaded with sweat as he drags 
               heavily on a cigarette. He pushes the buttons on his radio, 
               getting NEWS BROADCASTS.

                                     NEWSMAN'S VOICE
                         And in Canton, Ohio today, a man 
                         opened fire in a mall, killing nine 
                         and wounding seventeen others. Initial 
                         reports indicate the young man was a 
                         disgruntled employee...

               Nick turns the radio off.

               He pulls the scotch bottle from his jacket and takes a slug.

               He jerks his necktie loose and slips it over his head. He 
               tosses it into the back seat.

               NICK'S SEDAN

               swerves into a vast mall parking lot.

               EXT. MALL PARKING LOT - MINUTES LATER

               Through the flow of traffic, WE SEE Nick standing at a 
               payphone on the outside wall of a Red Lobster Restaurant.

               Nick speaks urgently into the phone, punctuating his 
               conversation with edgy body language. Abruptly, he hangs up.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. CAROL'S KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

               Carol hangs up a wallphone. She leans against the 
               refridgerator, her expression a controlled blank. She turns 
               her head and looks out her kitchen window.

               CAROL'S POV

               Through Nick and Beth's living room window, WE SEE Sid 
               struggling under the weight of the t.v. as Beth laughingly 
               gestures where she wants it.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH AND NICK'S LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               Beth and Sid are kneeling on the floor in front of the t.v.

               Playing on the t.v. a rock video featuring girls, guitars, 
               and the endless highway.

                                     BETH
                         It's a beautiful picture.

               Sid takes the remote from Beth and turns the VOLUME UP very 
               loud.

                                     SID
                              (enthusiastically)
                         Nice speakers!

               Carol enters through the front door, unseen by the mesmerized 
               t. v. viewers.

                                     BETH
                              (happily)
                         Yeah!
                              (w/ happy disbelief)
                         Fuckin' Nick...

               Sid and Beth stare at the television, completely engrossed. 
               Carol stares at them for a long moment.

                                     CAROL
                              (over the din, dryly)
                         Hi, kids.

               Startled, Sid and Beth jump back. They look at each other 
               and laugh.

                                     BETH
                              (cheerfully)
                         Come see!

               Beth turns the VOLUME DOWN as Carol comes and looks at the 
               t.v.

                                     CAROL
                              (impressed)
                         I should have had him steal me one, 
                         too.

                                     BETH
                         You can come over and watch.

               Carol looks to Beth, a quizzical expression on her face.

                                     SID
                              (to Beth, quietly)
                         You're moving.

                                     BETH
                              (w/ a tinge of sadness)
                         Oh. Right.
                              (to Carol)
                         Sorry.

                                     CAROL
                         Forget it...

               Beth turns off the t.v. There's a moment of awkward silence 
               as they all stare at the blank screen.

                                     CAROL
                              (breaking the silence, 
                              pointedly)
                         How's the painting going?

                                     SID
                              (shaking his head)
                         Too many distractions. I'll be at it 
                         all night.

                                     CAROL
                         You have bad work habits.

                                     SID
                         Not when I'm actually working.
                              (standing)
                         I better get set up in the kitchen.

               He goes to his shopping cart of supplies. Carol and Beth 
               stare at the television.

               The television stares back at them, gleamingly modern.

                                     CAROL
                         It makes teevee seem very futuristic.

                                     SID
                              (at the kitchen door)
                         That's 'cause you're stoned.

                                     CAROL
                         I'm hardly stoned.

               She looks to Beth. Beth is grinning.

                                     CAROL
                              (mitigating)
                         It was homegrown.

                                     BETH
                              (teasing)
                         Want some Visine?

                                     CAROL
                              (flatly)
                         No.

                                     SID (O.S.)
                              (calling out)
                         It gets the red out.

               The Visine comes flying INTO FRAME. Carol fumbles, then 
               catches it.

                                     CAROL
                              (dryly)
                         Thank you.

               Carol tilts back her head and manuevers the Visine.

                                     CAROL
                         Shit. Missed the eye, got the face.

                                     BETH
                         Need help?

                                     CAROL
                         Yeah.

               Beth goes to her and takes the Visine.

                                     BETH
                         Okay.
                              (holding Carol's arm)
                         Tilt your head back.

                                     CAROL
                         Beth...

                                     BETH
                         Stop fidgeting.

               She puts a drop in one eye. Carol flinches.

                                     CAROL
                         Got it.

                                     BETH
                         Next eye.

                                     CAROL
                         Wait a second.

               Carol blinks and wipes a Visine tear off her cheek.

                                     CAROL
                              (nodding to the 
                              kitchen, in a 
                              conspiratorial whisper)
                         He really wants to get in your pants.

                                     BETH
                              (smiling)
                         My pants are taken.

               She tilts Carol's head back.

                                     BETH
                         Why don't you go for him?

                                     CAROL
                         He likes you.

               Beth puts a drop in Carol's eye. Carol flinches and rubs her 
               eye.

                                     BETH
                         I wish Nick would get back and help 
                         with the packing.

               She sighs, cheerfully exasperated.

                                     BETH
                         He's probably getting drunk with the 
                         stockboys...
                              (after a beat)
                         That's what he's probably doing.

               Carol braces herself.

                                     CAROL
                         Beth...
                              (pause, then w/ 
                              difficulty)
                         Listen...

               They stare into each other's eyes.

               After a long moment Carol averts her eyes and looks down.

                                     BETH
                              (simply)
                         He's gone.

                                     CAROL
                         Yeah.

                                     BETH
                              (badly shaken)
                         Where'd he call from?

                                     CAROL
                         He said the highway.

               Beth takes a deep breath, controlling her emotions.

                                     BETH
                         I have to do something.

                                     CAROL
                         I'll help.

                                     BETH
                         I've got to be out of here Sunday. 
                         That's tomorrow.

                                     CAROL
                         You can come to my place.

                                     BETH
                              (stunned)
                         He's gone.

               Beth sinks onto the arm of the sofa to support herself.

                                     CAROL
                              (gently)
                         He's an asshole.

               CLOSE-UP: BETH

               The truth makes its way deeply into her.

                                     BETH
                              (a half whisper)
                         Fuckin' Nick...

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT

               The lightly traveled highway cuts a straight line through 
               the desert.

               Nick's sedan pulls off into a service station with a giant 
               teepee beside it.

               EXT. SERVICE STATION

               The wind is roaring, kicking up swirls of grey dust in the 
               flourescent light of the service station.

               A TEENAGE NAVAJO boy is filling Nick's tank. Nick leans 
               against the car staring at the giant teepee.

                                     NICK
                         Nobody lives in that, right?

                                     NAVAJO TEEN
                         Gift shop. But it closed at seven.

                                     NICK
                              (cheerfully shrugging)
                         I got no one to shop for.

               A gust of wind sends dust into Nick's eye.

                                     NICK
                         Shit.
                              (rubbing his eye)
                         Fuckin' wind...

                                     NAVAJO TEEN
                         Yeah.

                                     NICK
                              (sincerely)
                         What does it mean?

                                     NAVAJO TEEN
                         High pressure field coming in -- 
                         should bring some nice weather.

                                     NICK
                         No. The wind itself, you know what I 
                         mean, you're an Indian...

                                     NAVAJO TEEN
                              (correcting him)
                         I'm a Navajo.

                                     NICK
                         Yeah, so you're in tune with this 
                         stuff...

                                     NAVAJO TEEN
                              (checking the pump)
                         It's thirteen bucks.

                                     NICK
                              (his train of thought 
                              broken)
                         Oh... right.

               Nick pulls a bill out of his wallet and holds it out.

                                     NICK
                         Here's a twenty.

               The Navajo Teen takes the bill and takes a wad of bills from 
               his pocket.

               Nick stares out at the moonlit desert and the mountains rising 
               in the distance.

                                     NICK
                         So what does the wind mean? Like as 
                         an omen or something, you know --
                              (making his voice 
                              mystical)
                         -- a change is coming to the people. -- 
                         the spirit of freedom is walking the 
                         land.
                              (flatly)
                         That kind of meaning...

                                     NAVAJO TEEN
                              (handing him money)
                         Fourteen, fifteen and five makes 
                         twenty.

               He opens Nick's car door for him.

                                     NAVAJO TEEN
                         The wind is. It's the wind like I'm 
                         a Navajo.

                                     NICK
                         That's it?

               The Navajo teen nods.

                                     NICK
                         Shit.

               He gets in the car, his mood darkening, and pulls his door 
               shut with a slam.

                                     NICK
                              (out the window)
                         It would be better if meant something.

               The Navajo teen shrugs. Nick starts the engine.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. A BAR IN ENFIELD - NIGHT

               A dimly lit room filled with raucous customers and lots of 
               neon beer signs. Waitresses in red dresses tote pitchers of 
               brew to the thirsty throng. At the far end a band plays a 
               foot-stompin' good time tune about a trucker on his way to 
               see his woman.

               THE CAMERA MOVES through the crowd and discovers Carol and 
               Beth sitting at a small table, an almost finished pitcher of 
               beer between them.

               They speak loudly to be heard over the din.

                                     CAROL
                         He said he needs to be alone again. 
                         Learn about himself. Make a fresh 
                         start in a new town.

               Beth shakes her head then takes a sip of her beer -- it tastes 
               bitter in her mouth and she puts her glass down in disgust.

                                     CAROL
                              (after a beat)
                         He's sorry.

               Beth stares at her beer. Carol puts a hand comfortingly on 
               Beth's arm.

                                     CAROL
                         He said he would have called you, 
                         but your phone's disconnected. 'Cause 
                         you're moving.
                              (after a beat)
                         He's always been an asshole.
                              (after a beat)
                         You'll be all right.

                                     BETH
                         Yeah...

                                     CAROL
                              (gently)
                         I'm here.

                                     BETH
                         I know that.

               A big-haired WAITRESS approaches the table.

                                     WAITRESS
                         You ready for another?

               Carol looks to Beth.

                                     BETH
                         Oh... uh, no...

                                     CAROL
                         We're fine.

                                     WAITRESS
                         Is Nick coming in?

               Carol throws the waitress a look that could kill. Beth takes 
               a deep breath.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT./EXT. NICK'S SEDAN - HIGHWAY - NIGHT

               Nick stares at the road ahead. He takes rapid drags on a 
               cigarette. The RADIO is barely audible over the ROAR of the 
               WIND through the open windows.

                                     PREACHER'S VOICE
                              (covered by static)
                         "And he arose and came to his father, 
                         but when he was still a great way 
                         off, his father saw him and had 
                         compassion, and ran and..."

               Nick turns the radio off.

               He fumbles the cigarette into the ashtray.

               He takes a pint of scotch from the front seat, uncaps it, 
               takes a slug, takes another slug, recaps it, and drops it 
               back on the seat.

               He stares at the road. He looks down to the front seat and 
               finds the map. He splits his attention between the road and 
               unfolding the map. The wind catches the map.

               The map billows up, covering his face. Losing control of the 
               car, Nick slaps it down.

               A car HORN blares.

               Nick jerks the car back into his lane, bats the map down 
               again, and pulls off to the side of the road.

               He stops the car and slams the shift into park.

               He opens his door a crack, turning on the dome light. He 
               smooths out the map on the dashboard.

               Billings and Enfield are marked with Carol's big red circles.

               CLOSE-UP - THE MAP

               Nick's finger traces from Enfield toward Billings along the 
               route Carol highlighted with the red felt-tip. Halfway to 
               Billings, the red line stops. Nick's finger stops.

               NICK

               He stares at the map.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH'S LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               Beth comes in the front door. The sound of Sid whistling 
               comes softly from the kitchen.

               Beth stares at the t.v. for a moment then strides purposefully 
               toward the kitchen.

               INT. BETH'S KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

               Sid is standing on the counter masking the top sill of the 
               kitchen window. There's half a donut hanging from his mouth.

               Beth comes through the swinging door.

                                     BETH
                              (forcefully)
                         You've lived here your whole life?

               The half-donut falls from the startled Sid's mouth.

                                     SID
                              (after a beat)
                         Yeah.

                                     BETH
                              (increduously)
                         You've never gone anywhere?

               He picks up the half-donut.

                                     SID
                         Travelling has no allure for me.

                                     BETH
                         None?

               Sid climbs down and sits on the counter, dropping the half-
               donut back into the donut box.

                                     SID
                         Maybe through time.

                                     BETH
                              (smiling)
                         That's not offered.

                                     SID
                         So I stay here.

                                     BETH
                         Why?

                                     SID
                              (the simple truth)
                         It's my home. I belong here.

                                     BETH
                         I'm serious.

               So was Sid -- but he realizes Beth doesn't believe it can be 
               as simple as that.

                                     SID
                         My father says if you stay in one 
                         place long enough your luck knows 
                         where to find you.

                                     BETH
                              (wryly)
                         Maybe that's my problem.

                                     SID
                              (carefully)
                         Maybe it is...

               Sid holds out the box of donuts to her.

                                     BETH
                         Thanks.

               She takes a donut and fiddles with it.

                                     BETH
                         You think your father knows the truth?

                                     SID
                         He's a bartender.
                              (smiling)
                         He's lived here his whole life.

                                     BETH
                         Has his luck found him?

                                     SID
                         Not yet.
                              (after a beat)
                         But it's probably very close.

               Beth smiles weakly. Abruptly, she drops her donut back in 
               the box.

                                     SID
                              (cautiously)
                         Are you all right?

                                     BETH
                              (apologetically)
                         Must be the paint fumes...

               She opens up the back door and steps out. Sid stares at the 
               empty doorway.

               EXT. BACK STOOP - CONTINUOUS

               Beth stands in the moonlight, staring out at the stars.

                                     BETH
                              (contemplatively 
                              dubious)
                         You find what you want here?

               Sid steps out behind her.

                                     SID
                         It seems that way.

                                     BETH
                         Yeah?

                                     SID
                              (simply)
                         I found you.

                                     BETH
                         Oh. No...

               She walks out into the backyard. Sid follows her.

                                     SID
                              (earnestly)
                         We never met before last night...

               The moonlight through the orange trees casts a magical air 
               about the backyard. Beth stops by a swingset.

                                     SID
                         ...but we know each other.

               Beth stiffens.

                                     BETH
                         No...

               She walks away from him. He watches her intently.

                                     SID
                         Leave it behind.

               She looks to him.

                                     BETH
                         Leave what behind?

                                     SID
                         Unhappiness.

                                     BETH
                              (amused)
                         That was a bad answer.

                                     SID
                              (seriously)
                         No. It was true.

               Beth stares at Sid.

                                     BETH
                         It's not.

                                     SID
                         Come hold me.
                              (after a beat)
                         Come hold me, and you'll be happy.

                                     BETH
                              (dryly)
                         I'll find happiness. Right. In your 
                         arms.

                                     SID
                         Yes.

                                     BETH
                         In you.

                                     SID
                         Yes.

                                     BETH
                         But I won't. I have to find happiness 
                         in myself.

                                     SID
                         No. That's wrong.
                              (going toward her)
                         People tell you that, but it's wrong.

               She turns away from him. He stands behind her, close.

                                     SID
                         I've lived with people who have that 
                         happiness from within. That happiness -- 
                         it's just them being pleased with 
                         themselves. It's not enough. It's a 
                         lonely thing.

               She turns and faces him. The moonlight casts a pale glow 
               over them.

               She stares in his eyes for a long moment. She steps back 
               from him.

                                     BETH
                         You're showing how young you are.

                                     SID
                         No. I'm not. I'm showing you a way. 
                         You know that. And you know me.
                              (after a beat)
                         And I know you.

               She walks away from him, back to the swingset.

                                     BETH
                         I don't know you.

               Sid follows and takes her arms, turning her to face him.

                                     SID
                         You know.

                                     BETH
                              (after a beat, 
                              defensively)
                         I know you want to fuck me.

               He pulls her very close. He lets go of her arms so she is 
               standing against him, unrestrained.

                                     SID
                         Is that what you know?

               Beth stares at his face for a long time.

                                     BETH
                         I know...

               She kisses him, suddenly, long and slow.

                                     BETH
                              (whispering)
                         I know you.

               They kiss, pulling each other tight.

               They lose their balance and stagger against the swingset, 
               kissing passionately. Beth pulls back.

                                     BETH
                              (w/ fierce intensity)
                         I know you.

                                     SID
                         That's right.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. TWO-STORY SUBURBAN RANCH HOUSE - NIGHT

               A canopy of stars hangs over it.

               INT. NICK'S SEDAN - CONTINUOUS

               Nick is parked, staring at the house. The roadmap is on the 
               seat beside him. He takes a drink from a half empty pint of 
               scotch. He screws the cap on and drops the bottle on the 
               map.

               He steps out of the car, unsteadily.

               EXT. RANCH HOUSE'S FRONT LAWN - CONTINUOUS

               Nick walks toward the door. He stops, stares at the door and 
               starts back for his car. He stops, shakes his head, and walks 
               quickly to the front door.

               FRONT PORCH

               Nick stands, staring at the door. He knocks. He waits 
               impatiently, then pounds on the door. On his third pound the 
               lights in the house suddenly go on.

               OVER NICK'S SHOULDER

               The door abruptly opens.

               MR. AUGUST, an eighty year old man, stands in the doorway. 
               HE wears pajamas, slippers, and a long robe. He is over six 
               and a half feet tall.

               NICK AND MR. AUGUST

               Nick, startled, steps back. Mr. August stares at him. Nick 
               composes himself.

                                     NICK
                         Excuse me...

               Mr. August stares at him.

                                     NICK
                         Excuse me... I'm... I'm looking for 
                         my parents.

               Mr. August calmly puts his hands over his ears, and slowly 
               shakes his head.

                                     NICK
                         My mother, my father... they...

               ELIZABETH, a fifteen year old girl steps out from behind Mr. 
               August. She seems very small next to Mr. August. He puts a 
               hand on her shoulder. She stares at Nick.

                                     NICK
                              (uncomfortably)
                         Hello.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         Hello.

                                     NICK
                              (exhaling in relief)
                         Oh... good...
                              (to the point)
                         This is my house. I, uhh... mean 
                         this is the house I grew up in.

               Nick looks past them into the house.

                                     ELIZABETH
                              (nodding to Mr. August)
                         This is his house now.

                                     NICK
                         Nice to meet you.

               He holds out a hand to Mr. August, who slowly shakes it.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         He's deaf.

                                     NICK
                              (loudly)
                         Nice to meet you.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         He's stone deaf.

                                     NICK
                         Oh.
                              (uncomfortably)
                         Yelling doesn't help.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         No.

               Nick breaks the handshake. Mr. August smiles at him. Nick 
               looks to Elizabeth.

                                     NICK
                         My name is Nick, Nick Brennan.

               He waits for her to introduce herself. She doesn't.

                                     NICK
                         Did you know the Brennans?

                                     ELIZABETH
                         No.

                                     NICK
                         They lived here. They used to live 
                         here. I used to live here with them...

               Elizabeth stares at him. Nick tries his salesman charm.

                                     NICK
                         What's your name?

                                     ELIZABETH
                         Elizabeth.

                                     NICK
                         No...

                                     ELIZABETH
                         Yes.

                                     NICK
                         I know an Elizabeth.
                              (quietly)
                         I call her Beth.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

               Bathed in moonlight, Sid and Beth make tender passionate 
               love.

               Sid has never wanted someone so much and Beth has never felt 
               so wanted.

               Beth clings to Sid as if she were afraid of being swept 
               away... and then she is.

                                                               DISSOLVE TO:

               INT. MR. AUGUST'S DINING ROOM - LATER

               A chandelier casts a gently sparkling golden glow.

               The CAMERA TILTS down to reveal...

               Mr. August, Elizabeth and Nick, sitting at a large antique 
               dining room table.

               Nick is eating a sandwich, an untouched glass of milk in 
               front of him. Mr. August and Elizabeth watch him, expectantly. 
               Nick notices this.

                                     NICK
                              (swallowing)
                         This is a good sandwich.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         Thank you.

                                     NICK
                              (abruptly nodding 
                              toward Mr. August)
                         When did he move here? Would he know 
                         where the people before him went?

                                     ELIZABETH
                         No. He wouldn't remember.

                                     NICK
                         You're sure?

                                     ELIZABETH
                         Yes. He doesn't remember anymore.

                                     NICK
                         Oh.
                              (taking a deep breath)
                         He can't help me.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         No.

               Nick looks around the familiar room, struck by the absurdity 
               of the situation.

                                     NICK
                              (with wry awareness)
                         I've lost my parents.

               Nick smiles weakly at Elizabeth.

                                     ELIZABETH
                              (matter-or-factly)
                         Did you lose them both at the same 
                         time?

                                     NICK
                         Is that like a joke?

                                     ELIZABETH
                         No.

                                     NICK
                         Then yes. I lost them both at the 
                         same time.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         I lost mine one at a time.
                              (after a beat)
                         Last year.

               Nick realizes she's talking about death.

                                     NICK
                         I'm sorry. That's tragic. I should...

                                     ELIZABETH
                              (interrupting)
                         Six months apart. Body failures. 
                         Separate body failures.

                                     NICK
                         I'm really sorry.
                              (standing)
                         I should go.

               Mr. August slowly stands as Elizabeth follows Nick toward 
               the foyer.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         First my father's heart kept starting 
                         and stopping.

                                     NICK
                              (nodding)
                         Attacks...

               IN THE FOYER

               Nick edges toward the door followed by Elizabeth and Mr. 
               August.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         My mother and I were with him in the 
                         hospital and he'd grab at us, he'd 
                         grab my arms and hold on.

                                     NICK
                         That's very sad...
                              (after a beat, backing 
                              toward the door)
                         I've really gotta be going. I, uh... 
                         thank you again for the sandwich. 
                         Delicious...

                                     ELIZABETH
                         Right before my mother died, she 
                         said -- "Elizabeth. You're adopted."

               Nick stops in his tracks, his hand on the doorknob.

                                     NICK
                         Have you found your real parents?

                                     ELIZABETH
                         No. Two are enough to lose.

               Nick stares at her -- the sad truth of her statement sinking 
               in.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         I'm not alone. I have my Grandfather.

               Nick looks down. He is alone. He has no one.

                                     NICK
                              (opening the door)
                         Listen...

               He looks into her eyes.

               Elizabeth suddenly grabs his arm.

               He stares at her, not knowing what to do. She holds his arm 
               tightly for a moment, then lets go.

                                     ELIZABETH
                         I'm sorry.

               She steps back from Nick, against her grandfather.

                                     ELIZABETH
                              (in explanation)
                         He's stone deaf.

               Nick stares at Elizabeth.

                                     NICK
                         I have to go.

               And he hurries out the door into the night.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

               Beth is sitting up in bed, Sid leaning back against her, her 
               arms wrapped around him.

                                     SID
                              (after a beat)
                         I'd like to stay right here...

                                     BETH
                         I have to be out tomorrow.

                                     SID
                         In this moment... Enjoying this 
                         moment.

               They both lie perfectly still. A flicker of sadness crosses 
               Beth's face.

                                     BETH
                              (hushed)
                         The moment's gone.

                                     SID
                              (shaking his head)
                         It can go on as long as we want.

               Beth leans him back, cradling him in her arms. She stares at 
               him, a quizzical expression on her face.

                                     BETH
                              (skeptically)
                         Have you ever been in a relationship?

                                     SID
                         No.
                              (after a beat)
                         I was married... but it wasn't really 
                         a relationship.

                                     BETH
                              (incredulous)
                         You weren't married...

                                     SID
                         Two years. Right out of high school.

               Beth ponders this for a moment.

                                     BETH
                         Do I remind you of her?

                                     SID
                         No.

                                     BETH
                              (relieved)
                         Thank God.

               Sid runs his hands over her body.

                                     SID
                         You have beautiful skin... her skin 
                         was polka-dotted.

                                     BETH
                         Freckled...

                                     SID
                         When we were kids we called her 
                         "Spot".

                                     BETH
                              (laughing)
                         What happened?

                                     SID
                         She disappeared.

               Beth looks to Sid. He's staring off.

                                     BETH
                              (after a beat)
                         Was she ever found?

               A flicker of loss crosses his face.

                                     SID
                         No. Not by me...
                              (looking to Beth)
                         I didn't go look.

               Beth stares at him, uncertainly. He leans up and gently traces 
               circles on Beth's skin.

                                     SID
                         She wanted to meet someone new. I 
                         asked her "why?" -- she said, "Because 
                         he won't know me from before. Just 
                         now. Just what I am now."

               Beth looks to him, puzzled.

                                     SID
                         I knew her... on playgrounds... in 
                         Sunday School... all those grades -- 
                         I knew her as she changed. But she 
                         was still the same person. All the 
                         times I knew her, she was still her.
                              (after a beat)
                         She can't get away from that.

               He holds Beth tightly.

                                     SID
                         You stay in one place, and all those 
                         things that are you... are there. 
                         She didn't understand that if you 
                         leave, they're still there, in you -- 
                         but they stop being clear. You stop 
                         knowing who you are, and what you 
                         want.

                                     BETH
                         You've stayed here and you know who 
                         you are?

               He moves away from Beth.

                                     SID
                         I see the lawns I mow, houses I've 
                         painted, faces I know... my parents... 
                         And I'm constantly reminded of who I 
                         am.

                                     BETH
                         And you know what you want.

                                     SID
                         I want you.

                                     BETH
                         Oh.

                                     SID
                         I want to be inside you.

                                     BETH
                         Good.
                              (after a beat)
                         Come here and put it inside me.

                                     SID
                         No... I want to be able to put myself 
                         inside of you.

                                     BETH
                         Doing this is as close as you get.

               Beth pulls Sid close, bringing him into her.

                                     BETH
                         Come here.

                                     SID
                         I love you.

               She holds him tightly.

                                     BETH
                         Come inside me.

               Sid arches away from her.

                                     SID
                         Beth?

                                     BETH
                         Yes?

                                     SID
                         What do you want?

                                     BETH
                              (uncertainly)
                         I want... I want...

               Beth pulls Sid back to her.

                                     BETH
                              (w/ quiet urgency)
                         Come inside me.

               They hold each other tightly.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT./EXT. NICK'S SEDAN - NIGHT

               Nick looks like hell -- his eyes red, his hair a mess. The 
               nearly empty scotch bottle is on the dashboard.

               The car windows are open, the roar of the wind competing 
               with the blasting radio.

               Nick suddenly jerks the wheel over.

               EXT. ABANDONED REST STOP - CONTINUOUS

               The sedan screeches off the highway into the abandoned rest 
               area.

               It stops facing a battered phone booth -- the engine turns 
               off but the headlines stay shining on the phone booth.

               IN THE SEDAN

               Nick turns off the radio. It is suddenly very quiet -- only 
               the occasional lonely DRONE OF A TRUCK passing on the highway. 
               He takes a deep breath.

               INT. PHONE BOOTH - MOMENTS LATER

               Nick is standing in the phone booth, harshly lit by his 
               headlights.

                                     NICK
                              (into the phone)
                         Could you give me the number for 
                         information in Arizona?... Thank 
                         you.

               Nick dials with drunken concentration.

                                     NICK
                              (into the phone)
                         Enfield. Carol, Carol, umm...
                              (mortified)
                         Carol... Carol Something... Shit!

               He hangs up. He hits himself in the head in angry disbelief. 
               He hurriedly dials zero and listens for a moment, desperately 
               summoning up all his salesman charm.

                                     NICK
                              (into the phone)
                         Hello Janet, thank you for being my 
                         operator. I hope you can help me, I 
                         need to call my home.

               Nick listens impatiently.

                                     NICK
                         Well, I'll tell you my number, but 
                         there's a problem. My phone's been 
                         disconnected, not because of bills, 
                         I mean we paid all our bills. We 
                         were hardly ever even late. We were 
                         very good customers, but we're moving, 
                         so we had the phone disconnected. 
                         But now I need to call... the woman 
                         I live with. She's still there and 
                         I've got to let her know where I am.

               Nick listens, shaking his head emphatically.

                                     NICK
                         I don't know any of the neighbors. I 
                         know one, but I can't remember her 
                         last name.
                              (he listens, frustrated)
                         No. No. No. You see you have to be 
                         able to help me, this is not a prank, 
                         it's my home phone, this is an 
                         emergency.
                              (he listens, then 
                              urgently)
                         Yes it can, it can be done. Someone 
                         there can hook the phone back up. 
                         It's not like a phone guy came to 
                         our house to disconnect the phone, 
                         nobody came to our house, someone 
                         just flipped a switch somewhere, 
                         somewhere there where you work, or 
                         plugged something into a computer 
                         and our phone stopped working!
                              (he listens)
                         They turned it off, they can turn it 
                         back on!
                              (he listens, starting 
                              to panic)
                         I know it's the week-end! I know! 
                         Call them at home! They'll have a 
                         computer at their house, they'll 
                         have a phone thing to hook it up to 
                         the real computer! That's how these 
                         people live! They'll be glad to do 
                         it!...

               Nick listens. Suddenly all his energy drains away.

                                     NICK
                              (crestfallen)
                         No. No. I can't have the police go 
                         to the house. That won't work, there 
                         are circumstances.
                              (desperately)
                         It's you... you've got to help me! 
                         Please! I've gotta call home! I can't 
                         wait. It could be too late! Janet!! 
                         You've gotta help me! Please! You 
                         can reconnect me. Please!! Don't 
                         hang up! Don't hang up!!

               He hurls the receiver at the phone.

                                     NICK
                         You fucker!! You heartless...

               Nick doubles over, retching, clutching the side of the booth.

                                     TELEPHONE RECORDING
                         "If you'd like to make a call, please 
                         hang up and try again. If you need 
                         help..."

                                                              CUT TO BLACK:

               FADE IN:

               INT. BETH'S BEDROOM - MORNING

               Sid is sprawled out over the bed, sleeping, Beth nestled 
               against him. She stirs and cuddles closer.

               Suddenly she realizes it's not Nick. She pulls away, 
               orientating herself. She quickly scoots out of bed and 
               hurriedly pulls on a pair of jeans.

               The alarm clock CLANGS.

               Beth looks about for the alarm. She tensely scatters some 
               boxes. She dumps one, finds the alarm and shuts it off. She 
               stares at the clock and drops it into a box.

                                     SID (O.S.)
                              (cheerfully)
                         Morning.

               Beth cringes slightly and turns to face Sid.

               SID AND BETH

                                     BETH
                              (attempting a smile)
                         Hi.

                                     SID
                              (grinning)
                         Hi.

                                     BETH
                         I didn't want to wake you.

                                     SID
                              (cheerfully)
                         I'm awake. I'm a morning person.

                                     BETH
                         I'm not.

                                     SID
                         Then why don't you come back to bed?

                                     BETH
                         I've got to pack.

                                     SID
                              (sitting up)
                         Where do we start?

                                     BETH
                              (firmly)
                         No.
                              (softening)
                         You paint.

               She looks around the room littered with boxes and piles of 
               clothes.

                                     BETH
                         I'll manage.

                                     SID
                              (cheerfully)
                         Whatever you say.

               Sid gets out of bed, wrapping the sheet around himself. Beth 
               stares at the room. She suddenly trembles. She steadies 
               herself on the bed table.

                                     BETH
                         Oh God...

                                     SID
                              (concerned)
                         What?

               Beth avoids his eyes, glancing around the room.

                                     BETH
                              (an outpouring)
                         I'd be so much happier if I could 
                         blame this on Nick, but it always 
                         happens to me. I'm always left with 
                         nothing.
                              (taking a deep breath)
                         It doesn't matter if I leave the guy 
                         or if the guy leaves me -- I'm left 
                         with nothing. I never do anything 
                         for myself. I never acquire anything. 
                         I mean Nick didn't take from me. He 
                         stole a t.v. and left it for me. He 
                         didn't take my things, he didn't 
                         take our things... he didn't even 
                         take his clothes! And I'll still 
                         leave this house with nothing!

                                     SID
                         He took three years from you.

                                     BETH
                         No...
                              (meeting his eyes)
                         He didn't take 'em. I mean, when he 
                         cared about me, he cared about me. 
                         And he was really good in bed.

               She glances away from Sid toward the bed.

                                     BETH
                              (after a beat)
                         I didn't expect more.

               She turns away from Sid and the bed. Sid moves toward her.

                                     SID
                              (carefully)
                         Beth...

               Beth summons up all the composure she can manage.

                                     BETH
                              (referring to the 
                              cluttered room)
                         I can't face this.
                              (looking to Sid)
                         I'm gonna finish up the kitchen...
                              (heading for the door)
                         ...get some momentum...

               She goes out the bedroom door. Sid stares after her.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. ABANDONED REST STOP - MORNING

               Nick's sedan is parked in the same place as the night before.

               A YOUNG MAN with long hair ROARS into the rest stop on a 
               Harley-Davidson, his life's possession strapped on the back.

               He stops the bike between Nick's car and the phonebooth, 
               idling the engine, loudly. He looks to the phonebooth, the 
               receiver dangling. He turns to Nick's sedan.

                                     YOUNG MAN
                         Phone work?

               NICK

               Awakened by the ROAR, Nick has wearily leaned his head out 
               the window.

               Nick stares at the young man.

                                     NICK
                              (after a beat)
                         No.

               Drained, Nick rests his head on the steering wheel.

               OFFSCREEN, the motorcycle starts up and zooms away. A silence 
               falls over the rest stop.

               Without raising his head from the steering wheel, Nick starts 
               the car.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH'S BEDROOM - MORNING

               Sid is making the bed.

                                     CAROL (V.O.)
                              (gleefully 
                              conspiratorially)
                         How was he?

                                     BETH (V.O.)
                              (sheepishly)
                         He's twenty-four.

               Sid pulls up the blanket and fluffs the pillows.

                                     CAROL (V.O.)
                         A little weak on tenderness, but 
                         long on juice?

                                     BETH (V.O.)
                         Long on conversation.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BETH'S KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

               The cupboards are all open and bare. A half dozen boxes are 
               neatly stacked. Beth is sitting on the floor packing the 
               final dishes. Carol holds out a mug of coffee.

                                     CAROL
                         Did you need talk?

               Beth stands and takes the coffee.

                                     BETH
                         Yeah. I guess I did.

                                     CAROL
                         Good.

               Beth sips her coffee, gazing out the kitchen window.

               BETH'S POV

               The backyard. In the light of day it's lost its magical 
               quality. The grass needs cutting and is marred by brown 
               patches. The swingset looks pathetically rusted and 
               dilapidated.

               CLOSE-UP: BETH

               Her face clouds over.

                                     CAROL (O.S.)
                              (cheerfully)
                         So what are we doing?

               BETH AND CAROL

               Carol is staring at Beth staring out at the backyard.

                                     BETH
                         Christ...

               She turns to Carol.

                                     BETH
                              (w/ an edge of 
                              desperation)
                         I gotta get out here. I was in Tucson 
                         two years before you and Nick got 
                         here.
                              (in disbelief)
                         I've been here five years...

                                     CAROL
                         Yeah...

                                     BETH
                         This state's driving me crazy.

                                     CAROL
                         So what are you gonna do?

                                     BETH
                         I've got no money.

                                     CAROL
                         I've got some.

                                     BETH
                              (chagrined by self-
                              awareness)
                         I can't take it. I mean you're being 
                         great, but I can't take it. I'm gonna 
                         be gone, we won't see each other, 
                         and I won't send the money. I won't. 
                         I know... I won't get around, I'll 
                         forget, I won't do it.

               She looks around the room in disgust.

                                     BETH
                              (agitated)
                         Shit. I'll sell all this shit. I 
                         don't want any of it, just my car 
                         and my clothes...

                                     CAROL
                              (carefully)
                         Okay...

                                     BETH
                              (shaking her head)
                         I'm sorry... I shouldn't have fucked 
                         this kid last night. I should have 
                         slept. Now I've got all this stuff 
                         to do, and I'm tired, I'm churned 
                         up, I'm in a fuckin' mood.

                                     CAROL
                         Let's do things, get you busy.

                                     BETH
                         Yeah.

                                     CAROL
                         You get all the stuff you wanna sell, 
                         and I'll make some tag sale signs.

                                     BETH
                         No one'll buy my stuff. It's all 
                         junk.

                                     CAROL
                         That's what people buy at tag sales. 
                         Broken appliances, ugly knicknacks.

               Beth looks at the semi-packed boxes.

                                     BETH
                              (laughing)
                         I guess I do have stuff to sell.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. BETH'S FRONT LAWN - DAY

               Boxes full of a motley collection of knickknacks, housewares, 
               and crummy appliances are spread out on the lawn.

               In the BACKGROUND a couple of M.T.V. influenced teens are 
               checking out the knickknacks and goofing on them.

               MRS. DOTSON, a woman in her late forties wearing a NURSE'S 
               UNIFORM is poking through the odds and ends.

               Beth and Carol hovering near her.

               Mrs. Dotson picks up the coffee maker, examines it, and puts 
               it down. She picks up the blender, examines it, and puts it 
               down.

                                     CAROL
                              (impatiently)
                         Is there something specific you're 
                         looking for?

                                     MRS. DOTSON
                         Yes.
                              (sheepishly)
                         Actually everything... I don't have 
                         anything.

                                     BETH
                         Nothing?

                                     MRS. DOTSON
                         I just moved to town.
                              (hesitating then 
                              confiding)
                         My husband passed away, and I, umm, 
                         didn't want to have our things... 
                         they were too familiar.

               Beth realizes why she's selling all her stuff -- it's too 
               familiar.

                                     BETH
                              (abruptly)
                         You can have it all for three hundred. 
                         The stuff in these boxes and 
                         everything inside.

                                     MRS. DOTSON
                              (taken aback)
                         Oh, my, I don't know... everything?

                                     BETH
                         Everything.
                              (hesitating)
                         Except the t.v.

               Mrs. Dotson searches Beth's face with a kind gaze. Beth smiles 
               nervously.

                                     BETH
                              (apologetically)
                         The t.v.s not for sale.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT/EXT. NICK'S SEDAN

               Nick's smoking, looking haggard. Between drags, he anxiously 
               taps a tempo on the steering wheel with his cigarette holding 
               hand.

               NICK'S POV

               The highway and the desert stretch out before him, the heat 
               waves of late afternoon shimmering above the blacktop.

               In the distance, the giant teepee souvenir shop rises out of 
               the horizon like a mirage.

               NICK

               An idea strikes him and his lips tighten into a small 
               determined smile.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. TEEPEE GIFT SHOP - AFTERNOON

               A couple of vacationing families and a busload of elderly 
               sightseers poke through the stunning assortment of Native 
               American souvenirs.

               Nick stands at the counter talking to a plump elderly NAVAJO 
               WOMAN.

                                     NAVAJO WOMAN
                         Maybe some nice turquoise jewelry.

                                     NICK
                              (shaking his head)
                         I don't think she really wears 
                         jewelry.

               A little boy stares at the disheveled Nick. His mother hurries 
               him away.

                                     NAVAJO WOMAN
                         Maybe a nice Navajo rug?

                                     NICK
                              (incredulous)
                         As a present? No.

               He points past her.

                                     NICK
                         What about that?

               THEIR POV

               A huge beautifully feathered ceremonial headdress.

               NICK AND THE NAVAJO WOMAN

                                     NICK
                         That would make her laugh.

                                     NAVAJO WOMAN
                              (not amused)
                         That's authentic -- it's very 
                         expensive.

                                     NICK
                         You got something like it but fake?

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. FRONT LAWN - LATE AFTERNOON

               Beth and Mrs. Dotson are standing beside the now empty 
               blankets.

               In the BACKGROUND, Sid and Carol are packing boxes into Mrs. 
               Dotson's car.

               Mrs. Dotson has begun to fill out a check.

                                     MRS. DOTSON
                         I'm sorry, what's your name?

                                     BETH
                         Can you just leave the name blank? I 
                         won't have an account, so I'll have 
                         to find someplace to cash it for me.

               Mrs. Dotson looks at her. They stare into each other's eyes.

                                     MRS. DOTSON
                              (after a beat)
                         All right.

               Mrs. Dotson hands Beth the check. Beth sticks it in her back 
               pocket. After an awkward moment she extends her hand.

                                     BETH
                         Thanks a lot.

               Mrs. Dotson takes her hand. Sid and Carol walk up to them.

                                     SID
                              (cheerfully)
                         You're set.

               Mrs. Dotson lets go of Beth's hand. They turn to Sid and 
               Carol.

                                     MRS. DOTSON
                              (warmly chagrined)
                         You did all the work...

                                     SID
                              (good-naturedly)
                         Sure.
                              (mischieviously)
                         Now I've gotta finish painting, but 
                         Carol here would be happy to help 
                         you unload.

               Carol starts to protest and then checks herself for Beth's 
               sake.

                                     CAROL
                              (trapped, dryly)
                         Of course. I'll follow you in my 
                         car.

                                     SID
                              (to Mrs. Dotson)
                         And I'll be by tomorrow with my truck 
                         and the big things.

               He heads into the house. Beth stares after him. Mrs. Dotson 
               touches her shoulder, lightly, getting her attention.

                                     MRS. DOTSON
                              (to Beth)
                         Thank you.
                              (smiling)
                         You've given me a home.

               She looks to Carol.

                                     CAROL
                              (nicely)
                         I'll be right along.

               Mrs. Dotson walks off toward her car.

                                     CAROL
                              (to Beth)
                         This had to be history's most 
                         efficient tag sale.

               Beth laughs, distractedly.

                                     BETH
                         Yeah... I'm sorry Sid stuck you with 
                         unloading.

                                     CAROL
                         No problem.
                              (smiling to herself)
                         He kinda bites my butt, but he's 
                         okay.

                                     BETH
                         He is.

               Beth suddenly embraces Carol.

                                     BETH
                         Listen.
                              (breaking the embrace)
                         I'll probably be gone before you get 
                         back.

                                     CAROL
                         I thought maybe we could be roomies 
                         for a while. You know, while you 
                         figure out what's next.

                                     BETH
                              (shaking her head)
                         I can't.
                              (after a beat, 
                              admitting her feelings)
                         He gets to me... too much. If I don't 
                         go I'll end up with staying with 
                         him.

                                     CAROL
                              (gently)
                         You've done worse.

                                     BETH
                         Sure.

               They look at each other and start to laugh. Their laughter 
               builds -- a release of the strain of the last two days.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. NICK'S SEDAN - INTERSTATE - DAY

               Nick's driving fast, completely focused on the road ahead, 
               the wind ROARING through the open windows.

               A cheap plastic Indian headdress with brightly colored 
               synthetic feathers is perched on his head.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

               Sid's finished painting -- the room gleams. He pulls a 
               dropcloth off the bureau, then another one off of Beth's two 
               packed suitcases.

                                     BETH (O.S.)
                              (softly)
                         Sid?

               Sid turns and looks, smiling.

               SID'S POV

               Beth is standing in the doorway, a weariness having settled 
               over her. She steps into the room.

               BETH AND SID

                                     SID
                         Hi.

                                     BETH
                         I'm sorry about selling the sofa 
                         bed.

                                     SID
                         I didn't really need one. When my 
                         friends get drunk, they throw up and 
                         sleep on the floor.

                                     BETH
                         But I gave it to you.

               He puts his arms around her.

                                     SID
                         You gave me a lot more.

                                     BETH
                         No.
                              (holding him tightly)
                         It was all even in this department.

                                     SID
                              (softly)
                         ...Feel me?

                                     BETH
                              (whispering)
                         I know... You're hard again.

               Holding her tightly, Sid runs his fingers down her spine.

                                     SID
                         I want you all the time.

                                     BETH
                              (torn)
                         Shit.

               She kisses him. They kiss, long and hard. Abruptly, she breaks 
               the embrace and moves away from him.

                                     BETH
                              (ironically self-aware)
                         I just fleeced a widow.

                                     SID
                              (protesting)
                         No...

                                     BETH
                         It was all junk.

               She shivers.

                                     BETH
                         Shit. I've got to get some aspirin...
                              (shaking her head)
                         I didn't drink enough to be hung 
                         over.

               She walks away from Sid, out of the bedroom.

               INT. BETH'S BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER

               Beth gulps down aspirin. She stares at herself in the mirror, 
               wearily searching.

               IN THE MIRROR

               Sid appears in the doorway, his reflection small next to the 
               reflection of her face.

                                     SID
                         You just feel bad for her like I 
                         feel bad for her... 'cause her husband 
                         died.

                                     BETH
                              (doubting this)
                         Yeah?

               ANGLE TO INCLUDE SID AND BETH

                                     SID
                         That's about the saddest thing there 
                         is... losing someone you love.

               Beth is struck by a certainty that she's never lost anyone 
               she's loved because she's never really loved anyone.

                                     BETH
                         It's never happened to me.

               Sid hesitates, then speaks his heart.

                                     SID
                         If you died, I couldn't stand life.

                                     BETH
                         I...

               She steps forward and kisses him. She steps back.

                                     BETH
                              (businesslike)
                         I've got to go now.

               She walks out of the bathroom. Sid and THE CAMERA FOLLOW as 
               she hurries though the living room toward the bedroom.

               IN THE LIVING ROOM

                                     BETH
                         The new people'll be here.

               She disappears down the hall to the bedroom.

                                     SID
                              (following)
                         Go to my house.

                                     BETH (O.S.)
                         No.

               IN THE BEDROOM

               Beth picks up her suitcases. Sid steps into the doorway.

                                     SID
                         While you find a place.

                                     BETH
                         No. I gotta get out.

               She heads to the bedroom door.

                                     SID
                         I can talk to the realtors, I know 
                         they've got a place in Agawam.

               Beth stops.

                                     BETH
                              (shaking her head)
                         No... Agawam?... no. I don't know 
                         where I'm going. Somewhere else.

               She walks past him into the hallway. Sid and THE CAMERA 
               FOLLOW.

                                     SID
                         You can call me when you get there. 
                         I'll give you my number.

               IN THE LIVING ROOM

               She stops and puts down the suitcases.

                                     BETH
                              (gently)
                         Sid. I'm going away. You're making 
                         me way too important. You met me 
                         yesterday.

               He goes to her.

                                     SID
                         And today I love you.

               She steps back, shaking her head.

                                     BETH
                         Jesus... one day...

                                     SID
                         That doesn't matter. You know that. 
                         It can take a second.

               Beth loses control, upset with herself for having mixed 
               emotions, upset with her life, and upset he's making this 
               more difficult.

                                     BETH
                         No! That's... that's a fuckin' animal 
                         thing, I've done that.

                                     SID
                         Not with me.

                                     BETH
                         I meet men, go home with them and 
                         just stay. No decision involved -- 
                         it's just what I do. And then I don't 
                         have to live my life, I just lead 
                         theirs. I can't keep doing that.

                                     SID
                              (adamant)
                         We're not that way!

                                     BETH
                         What way are we?

                                     SID
                         We're passionate. We're comfortable.

                                     BETH
                         It's been passionate, it's been 
                         comfortable. But it hasn't been... 
                         important.
                              (after a beat)
                         Like you're making it!

                                     SID
                              (urgently)
                         It is important! You know that.

                                     BETH
                         No! It was a night! It wasn't real. 
                         It was fun, it was some great fucking! 
                         But it's just something that happened! 
                         It's not real!

                                     SID
                         It didn't "just happen"! You know 
                         we're it! I'm the one for you!

                                     BETH
                         The "one"?! I've had lots of "ones"! 
                         I look like a baby but I'm twenty-
                         fuckin'-- eight years old! You're 
                         just the latest!

                                     SID
                         No. I'm the last. You've found me. 
                         And it can go on forever.

                                     BETH
                         No!
                              (her heart breaking 
                              for him)
                         Oh, Sid... Forever?
                              (shaking her head)
                         You have to understand -- it's just 
                         talk.

                                     SID
                         It's not.

                                     BETH
                              (defiantly disbelieving)
                         It is. C'mon, these things you say... 
                         c'mon! What?! If I died you couldn't 
                         stand life? That's... that's...

                                     SID
                         That's true.

                                     BETH
                         No.

               Beth can't bear the risk of opening her soul to believe him -- 
               and she can't bear to hear the outpouring of his soul without 
               believing him. So she ends it.

                                     BETH
                              (after a beat, harshly)
                         You won't know when I die. You won't 
                         be there.

               She picks up her suitcases and heads for the door.

                                     SID
                              (following her, certain)
                         You'd want me there. If I wasn't 
                         there it wouldn't matter who was. 
                         You'd be alone.

                                     BETH
                         No.

               He grabs her arms and spins her to face him.

                                     SID
                              (imploring)
                         Beth... Beth... you love me...

                                     BETH
                              (defiantly)
                         No!

                                     SID
                         How do you feel? Think! You love me.

               She stares at him, breathing deeply, gathering herself. He 
               lets go of her arms and steps back.

                                     BETH
                              (her words carefully 
                              chosen)
                         I care about you.

                                     SID
                         You have to be with me.

                                     BETH
                         No.
                              (pause)
                         I care about you. But I'm an adult. 
                         I can say no.

               They stare at each other.

                                     SID
                              (w/ controlled anger)
                         That's what makes you an adult?

                                     BETH
                              (unwavering)
                         Yes.
                              (pause)
                         I can say no.
                              (pause)
                         No, I won't do that. No, I won't 
                         have that. No, I can't.

                                     SID
                              (needing to hear her 
                              say it)
                         You can say no to me?

                                     BETH
                         Yes.

               He looks away from her. She stares at his back.

                                     BETH
                         I'm going.

               She steps toward the door.

                                     SID
                         Beth!

               She stops.

                                     SID
                              (after a beat)
                         Have someplace to go.

                                     BETH
                              (simply)
                         I don't.

               She opens the door.

                                     SID
                         Why don't...

                                     BETH
                              (interrupting)
                         Don't tell me what to do.

               She goes out the door. Sid goes to the door.

               EXT. THE FRONT LAWN - CONTINUOUS

               Beth makes her way to her car. Sid stands in the doorway, 
               watching.

                                     SID
                         What are you gonna do?

               She turns and faces him.

                                     BETH
                         I don't know.

               Beth tosses her suitcases in the backseat. She gets into the 
               car and starts the engine.

               Sid stands, willing her to stop the car.

               Beth pulls out to the end of the driveway.

               INT. BETH'S PINTO

               She looks up at the rearview mirror.

               BETH'S POV

               Sid is framed in the doorway of her old home, waiting, 
               trusting that she can't leave, that they are destined.

               BETH

               Her eyes well with tears. Her face sets with resolve.

               THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY

               The car pulls out and disappears down the road. Sid stands 
               in the doorway for a long moment. He steps back into the 
               house and shuts the door.

                                                          SLOW DISSOLVE TO:

               INT. NICK'S CAR - DUSK

               Nick is driving, the cheap headdress still perched on his 
               head. Crumpled empty coffee cups are scattered about the 
               front seat. He reaches up and turns the rearview mirror.

               REARVIEW MIRROR

               Nick's face stares back at him. It's not a pretty sight.

               NICK

               Nick reaches into the back seat, fishes and comes up with 
               his necktie. He slips the still-knotted necktie over his 
               headdress and tightens it around his neck.

               Nick looks back to the road and suddenly swerves off an exit 
               ramp. The CAMERA LINGERS on the Exit Sign -- "Enfield AZ.".

                                                               DISSOLVE TO:

               INT. KITCHEN - DUSK

               Sid silently goes through the motions of pulling the masking 
               tape from around the window sills of the freshly painted 
               room, his face a stony mask.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. BETH'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

               Nick's car screeches to a stop in front of the house. He 
               leaps out of the car and runs toward the front door.

               INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               The front door flings open. Nick charges into the room.

                                     NICK
                              (calling out)
                         Beth!
                              (bellowing)
                         Beth!!!

               Sid steps through the swinging door into the living room. 
               Nick freezes.

                                     SID
                              (coldly)
                         She's not here.

                                     NICK
                              (desperately)
                         Where is she?

                                     SID
                         She's gone.

                                     NICK
                         Shit!
                              (a moment of manners)
                         Excuse me.
                              (exploding)
                         Shiiiiit!!
                              (confrontationally)
                         Who are you?

                                     SID
                              (coldly)
                         The painter. You're Nick.

                                     NICK
                              (startled)
                         Yeah.

                                     SID
                         The Indian chief.

                                     NICK
                              (puzzled)
                         What?

               Then Nick, remembering the headdress, rips it off his head 
               and furiously tears it apart -- scattering a flurry of plastic 
               feathers. He hurls what's left of it across the room.

                                     NICK
                         Shit!

                                     SID
                              (accusingly)
                         You're too late. She's gone.

                                     NICK
                              (angrily)
                         I got that. Where'd she go?

                                     SID
                         She didn't say.

                                     NICK
                         Shit!

                                     SID
                              (bitterly)
                         She didn't know.

               Nick runs out the front door.

               EXT. NICK'S FRONT LAWN - CONTINUOUS

               Nick runs out into his lawn.

                                     NICK
                              (running; under his 
                              breath)
                         Be at Carol's... be at Carol's...

               The CAMERA FOLLOWING he races up to Carol's front door and 
               leans on the doorbell -- a loud tight buzzing.

               He pounds on the door, then stops, gasping for breath. No 
               one's home. He turns, leaning against the door for support, 
               staring out at tract house neighborhood.

                                     NICK
                              (spent)
                         I'm too late...

               Suddenly he bolts for his car.

               Nick yanks his car door open and disappears into it. In a 
               second he emerges with the bottle of scotch.

               It's empty. He eyes it for a moment then hurls it as far as 
               he can down the street -- it shatters explosively.

               He races to his front door and stops dead in his tracks at 
               the open doorway.

               INT. NICK'S LIVING ROOM

               Sid has covered the floor and remaining furniture with drop 
               cloths and is applying even strokes to the ceiling with a 
               long handled roller.

               Nick steps in and stares at Sid and his own nearly empty 
               drop-cloth covered home.

                                     NICK
                              (at the top of his 
                              lungs)
                         This really bothers me!

               Sid stares at him.

                                     SID
                              (after a moment, with 
                              mock politeness)
                         Will you do me a favor?

                                     NICK
                              (spitting out the 
                              word)
                         What?

                                     SID
                         Act normal.

               Nick advances on Sid.

                                     NICK
                              (adamantly)
                         Listen! I don't want to be normal. I 
                         don't have to be, I don't! This is 
                         my house. You're in my house. And 
                         I'm tired of going to my house and 
                         finding strangers!

               They're face to face in a stand-off.

                                     SID
                         It's not your house. You're gone. 
                         I'm painting --

               He puts the long handled roller right in Nick's face.

                                     SID
                         -- for the new people -- whose house 
                         it's going to be.
                              (pause)
                         You're gone. They're not here yet. 
                         I'm here.
                              (calmly)
                         I guess that makes this my house.

               Nick ponders this logic, Sid's size, and the roller in his 
               face.

                                     NICK
                              (politely)
                         May I look around?

                                     SID
                              (w/ a stony politeness)
                         Sure. Make yourself at home.

               Nick wanders around the nearly empty room, then, after a 
               beat...

               ...he pulls a dropcloth off an object in the corner, revealing 
               the television.

                                     NICK
                              (dismayed)
                         Nooo... she left the television.

                                     SID
                         Yeah.

                                     NICK
                         Too bad.

                                     SID
                              (pointedly)
                         She didn't seem to want it.

                                     NICK
                         That's foolish. That t.v. is a 
                         remarkable thing.

               They both stare at the television.

               The sweep of HEADLIGHTS turning into the driveway cross their 
               faces. They both race to the door.

               EXT. FRONT LAWN - CONTINUOUS

               Carol gets out of her car. Nick hurries toward her.

                                     CAROL
                              (flatly)
                         You came back.

                                     NICK
                              (a little chagrined)
                         Yeah.

                                     CAROL
                         Is Beth here?

                                     NICK
                         No. Do you know where she went?

                                     CAROL
                         No.

                                     NICK
                         Shit.

                                     CAROL
                         You're too late.

                                     SID
                              (from the doorway)
                         She's gone.

                                     NICK
                              (to Carol, exasperated)
                         Who is this guy?

                                     CAROL
                              (walking past him 
                              toward the house)
                         Beth's new boyfriend.

                                     NICK
                              (exploding)
                         What?!

                                     CAROL
                              (stopping)
                         You heard me.

                                     NICK
                              (to Sid)
                         Is this true?!

                                     SID
                         Not really.

               He turns and walks back into the house.

                                     NICK
                              (to Carol)
                         Not really?

               He races after Sid.

               INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               Sid is painting the ceiling. Nick bursts through the door.

                                     NICK
                              (to Sid)
                         Not really?! What?
                              (w/ "say it ain't so" 
                              attitude)
                         Did you fuck her?

                                     SID
                         I don't tell.

                                     NICK
                         Jesus! The next day!
                              (bitterly disillusioned)
                         That's the world, huh? They don't 
                         even wait a day anymore.

                                     CAROL
                              (stepping in the 
                              doorway)
                         You left her.

                                     NICK
                              (defensively)
                         I didn't fuck anyone.

                                     CAROL
                              (witheringly)
                         You didn't find anyone.

                                     NICK
                              (hurt)
                         No... I didn't leave her for another 
                         person, I left her for another place.
                              (pause)
                         Which I think is a little more 
                         excusable.

                                     SID
                         I don't.

                                     NICK
                         Well it's none of your fuckin' 
                         business!

                                     SID
                              (threateningly)
                         I think it is.

                                     NICK
                         Cause you fucked her? No! That gives 
                         you no business in my life.

                                     SID
                         If you hadn't gone, I'd be done by 
                         now. I'd be home.

                                     NICK
                         Be glad you have a home, asshole!

                                     CAROL
                         Let it drop, Nick!

                                     NICK
                              (outraged)
                         Why?!

                                     CAROL
                         He was nice to Beth when you treated 
                         her like shit.

               Nick stares at her -- knowing what she says is true.

                                     NICK
                              (protesting weakly)
                         I came back...

                                     CAROL
                              (busting him)
                         Nick. This is me. You didn't come 
                         back for Beth's sake -- something 
                         just didn't work out like you had 
                         planned.

                                     NICK
                              (defensively)
                         You see -- you don't know everything 
                         about me -- I didn't really have any 
                         real plans!

                                     CAROL
                         He was sweet to her. They were sweet 
                         with each other.

               Nick stares at her.

                                     CAROL
                         Beth looked young with him. They had 
                         a real connection.

                                     NICK
                              (after a beat, dryly)
                         And I brought them together?

               He exhales loudly and holds his head in his hands.

                                     NICK
                         It seems I'm blessed... in what I 
                         do. I do wrong, and it turns out 
                         right... that I've done right. So it 
                         really doesn't matter what I do.

               Nick takes a deep breath.

                                     NICK
                         Hey!

               Sid ignores him.

                                     NICK
                              (after a beat)
                         I said "hey!"

               Sid looks at him.

                                     NICK
                              (flamboyantly sarcastic)
                         I hope you're very happy together!

                                     SID
                         She's gone.

                                     NICK
                              (glancing to Carol, 
                              pointedly)
                         She is, isn't she?
                              (to Sid)
                         If you two were such the happy couple 
                         why the fuck did she leave, Romeo?

                                     SID
                         After three years with you, she wanted 
                         to be alone.

                                     NICK
                         I was already gone! This is not about 
                         me and Beth, there is no me and Beth! 
                         This is about you! Why didn't you go 
                         with her?

                                     SID
                         It wasn't offered.

                                     NICK
                              (advancing on him)
                         People aren't going to offer you 
                         anything! You have to take what you 
                         want.

                                     SID
                         You can't take another person. They 
                         have to give themselves to you.

                                     NICK
                              (in his face)
                         That's very wise, but not very true.
                              (relentlessly)
                         I sell televisions. People don't 
                         know what they want. You have to 
                         show them.

                                     SID
                         I couldn't show her.

                                     NICK
                         Go after her!

                                     CAROL
                         Leave him alone!

                                     NICK
                         No. He's not alone, he's with us. 
                         She's alone. She's out there alone.
                              (after a beat, quietly)
                         Just hoping she's closer to what she 
                         wants...

                                     CAROL
                              (sardonically)
                         And what is that?

                                     NICK
                              (exploding)
                         I don't know!

               Nick throws his arms in the air and storms up to Carol's 
               face.

                                     NICK
                         How would I know?! What do I know?!

               Carol doesn't flinch. He steps back.

                                     NICK
                              (w/ a sweeping gesture)
                         I know that what I want isn't there.
                              (pointing to his chest)
                         It isn't here.
                              (gesturing wildly)
                         It isn't inside! It isn't outside!
                              (spent)
                         It doesn't exist.

               He turns on Sid.

                                     NICK
                              (forcefully)
                         But you want her, and you aren't 
                         doing shit about it!

                                     CAROL
                         There isn't anything he can do.

                                     NICK
                         He can go after her.
                              (to Sid)
                         Go after her!

                                     SID
                         I can't. She...
                              (torn)
                         My life is here.

                                     NICK
                         What kind of man won't fuck up his 
                         life for the women he loves? Go find 
                         her!!

               He stares at Sid.

                                     CAROL
                         He wouldn't know where to look.

                                     NICK
                              (groping)
                         She'd she'd she'd...
                              (triumphant)
                         She'd head for her parents!

                                     CAROL
                         What?

                                     NICK
                         She'd head for her parents. Believe 
                         me.
                              (pause, then flatly)
                         They're in Florida. That's east.

               Nick stares at Sid, waiting.

                                     SID
                         I...

                                     NICK
                              (businesslike)
                         You start driving east on route forty. 
                         Keep going east and around eleven 
                         start checking every roadside motel. 
                         The budget ones... You do that all 
                         night, you'll find her.

                                     CAROL
                         How do you know she's on the highway?

                                     NICK
                         When you don't know where you're 
                         going, you drive on the highway.

               Sid looks to Carol, then around the drop cloth covered room.

                                     NICK
                              (cheerfully)
                         I'll finish painting.

                                     SID
                              (to Carol)
                         Do I have a chance?

               Nick and Sid both look to Carol.

                                     CAROL
                              (after a beat, shaking 
                              her head)
                         You've got a chance.

                                     SID
                              (determined)
                         Then I'm gone.

               Sid races out the door.

               Nick tosses a self-satisfied smile at Carol and walks past 
               her to the door.

               SOUND

               Sid's truck engine roars to life.

               NICK'S POV

               Sid peels out, driving up onto the lawn past Nick and Carol's 
               cars, out onto the street and out of sight.

               THE DOORWAY

               Carol steps into the doorway beside Nick.

                                     CAROL
                         So.
                              (dryly)
                         Start painting.

               Nick looks back into the room.

                                     NICK
                              (after a beat)
                         Fuck the ceiling.
                              (walking in)
                         Who looks up that often?

               Carol follows him into the room. Nick slumps on the sofa, 
               staring at the blank t.v.

                                     MAN'S VOICE
                              (happily)
                         This is it!

               A MAN and a WOMAN, both slightly portly Mexican-Americans in 
               their late forties, wearing their Sunday best, step over the 
               threshold and kiss.

               The man is carrying the woman cradled in his arms.

                                     CAROL
                              (politely)
                         Hello...?

                                     MAN
                              (surprised, breaking 
                              the kiss)
                         Oh. Hello.

               The four stare at each other in awkward silence, the woman 
               still cradled in the man's arms.

                                     MAN
                         I'm sorry. We thought it was going 
                         to be empty.

                                     NICK
                              (flatly)
                         It is.

                                     WOMAN
                              (cheerfully)
                         We're here to move in.

               The man puts her down on her feet.

                                     WOMAN
                         Are you the couple moving out?

                                     CAROL
                         No.

                                     NICK
                         No...

               Nick and Carol look to each other, at a loss. Nick looks 
               back to the couple.

                                     NICK
                              (improvising)
                         We're your new neighbors. From next 
                         door.

               Carol throws him a look.

                                     MAN
                         Well.
                              (putting on a good 
                              face)
                         It's nice to meet you.

               He holds out his hand to shake. After an instant of awkward 
               hesitation they all shake hands with too much enthusiasm.

                                     WOMAN
                              (cheerfully, while 
                              shaking hands)
                         It is... and it's so nice of you to 
                         greet us.

                                     CAROL
                         Thank you.

               They finish the handshakes -- there's an awkward pause.

                                     NICK
                         Actually, we're here for the t.v.

               He waits, half expecting this statement to be challenged. It 
               isn't.

                                     NICK
                              (confidently)
                         The people who left here -- our old 
                         neighbors -- left us that t.v.

               They all look at the t.v.

                                     MAN
                         Oh. It's very nice.

                                     CAROL
                         Yes. It is.

               There's an awkward pause.

                                     CAROL
                              (going to the t.v.)
                         Well, dear... we should carry it 
                         home.

               Nick and Carol lift the t.v.

                                     WOMAN
                         Do you need help?

                                     NICK
                         We can manage.

               They move toward the front door, Carol going backwards.

                                     CAROL
                         Thanks anyway.

               Nick looks to make eye contact with Carol. He can't. She's 
               looking back over her shoulder for obstacles. He smiles and 
               glances toward the couple.

               Nick and Carol go out the door, lugging the t.v.

                                     WOMAN
                              (calling out)
                         Nice meeting you.

               The man and woman look at each other. They look around the 
               room.

                                     MAN
                         They're not done painting.

                                     WOMAN
                         They'll finish.

               She stares out the front door.

                                     WOMAN
                              (whimsically)
                         I wonder where our furniture is?

               She looks back to him. He's staring at the ceiling.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. THE LAWN - CONTINUOUS

               They're lugging the t.v. across to Carol's -- Carol backing 
               up and Nick going forward. They arrive at the front door.

               Nick takes most of the weight of the t.v., while Carol fumbles 
               with her key into her front door lock with her free hand.

                                     CAROL
                         You're not going to be their new 
                         neighbor.

                                     NICK
                         It was just something to say.

               Carol gets the door open.

                                     CAROL
                         Good.

               Carol backs into the house, leading the way.

               INT. CAROL'S FOYER - CONTINUOUS

               They lug the t.v. toward the living room.

                                     CAROL
                         You look terrible.

                                     NICK
                         Yeah? Well, I had a big day.
                              (after a beat)
                         I went to my parent's house. Like 
                         you said to. And there was this 
                         ancient man, this giant man in the 
                         doorway.

               They step into the living room.

               INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

               Carol leads them to a corner.

                                     NICK
                         And I thought, "It's my father. My 
                         how he's aged."

                                     CAROL
                         You were drunk...

               They gingerly put the t.v. down.

                                     NICK
                         Not at the house. At the house I was 
                         stone sober.

               Nick slumps down onto the sofa. Carol watches him, puzzled.

                                     NICK
                         He was very tall. He was too tall to 
                         be my father. He was wearing a long 
                         overcoat, and I thought, "it's a 
                         trick, he's on my mother's shoulders".

               He smiles at the memory.

                                     NICK
                         And then out from behind him came 
                         this beautiful young girl... Beth.

                                     CAROL
                         Beth?...

                                     NICK
                              (lost in reverie)
                         And they sang to me. They sang "London 
                         Bridge is Falling Down"...
                              (singing softly)
                         "Falling down, falling down.".

               Nick looks to Carol. She stares at him.

                                     NICK
                              (seriously)
                         It was very touching.

                                     CAROL
                         I'm sure.

                                     NICK
                              (defensively)
                         It was.

               Carol sits beside him.

                                     CAROL
                         Nick?...

                                     NICK
                         Yeah?

                                     CAROL
                         What you've been doing... you can't 
                         do anymore.

               Nick looks to Carol, puzzled.

                                     CAROL
                         You just can't do it.

                                     NICK
                              (after a beat, 
                              agreeably)
                         Okay.

                                     CAROL
                              (very skeptically)
                         Okay?

                                     NICK
                         Yeah. I understand.

                                     CAROL
                         No. I don't think so.

                                     NICK
                              (defensively)
                         I understand.

                                     CAROL
                              (determined)
                         It's not like you can't do it.

                                     NICK
                              (interjecting)
                         I'll stop.

                                     CAROL
                              (urgently)
                         It's that I don't want you to do it.

                                     NICK
                         I've stopped.

               She stares at Nick. He avoids her stare. She takes his face 
               in her hand and makes him look at her.

                                     CAROL
                              (staring in his eyes)
                         Nick.
                              (emphatic)
                         I don't want you to do it.

               Nick stares in her eyes.

                                     NICK
                              (calmly, after a beat)
                         Okay.

               She lets go of his face.

                                     CAROL
                         Shit.
                              (after a beat, wryly)
                         I hate talking to you.

                                                                    CUT TO:

               EXT. SID'S TRUCK - NIGHT

               Through the windshield we see Sid driving slowly, looking 
               out at motel parking lots. Their neon signs reflect in the 
               windshield.

               EXT. STRIP OFF THE HIGHWAY

               Gas stations, fast food joints and motels.

               Sid and his truck pull away from the strip and up onto the 
               on ramp.

               EXT. HIGHWAY - CONTINUOUS

               Sid and his truck pull onto the highway.

               CREDITS ROLL

               As Sid's taillights disappear down the barren highway.

                                                                  FADE OUT:

                                         THE END

Bodies, Rest & Motion



Writers :   Roger Hedden
Genres :   Drama  Romance


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