low.

START.

1.1

(Exterior& interior 2:00 PM, partly cloudy. Shots of a 1985 Buick Park Ave- Electra Model- dark green inside and out. Wedged in between a wooden sand dune wall and the side of a two story beach house. The shot roams away, inside presumably through windows, to reveal a recently partied in and dirty kitchen, a few hungover houseguests and finally revealing a very serious looking gent, DOUGLAS, jogging down the stairs in the background- heading toward the camera and speaking on a cell phone. He's dressed sloppily in Umbro shorts and a band concert shirt which he struggles to get on as he talks. He moves into the foreground and out the glass door the camera watches from and with a sharp turn that the camera pulls to follow, he makes the corner, hops on the hood of the car, and keeps talking, head low. As he has this conversation he at some point hops off and searches inside the car for a pair of shoes to put on his sock-less feet. He is quick, stern, and curt with the voice on the other end, which tries to relay more information as he asks.)

DOUGLAS: So, tell me again. Exactly what happened and when. Right. Go.

(Pause as DOUGLAS listens)

This happened Sunday. It's Monday- who else knows, should I call anyone should-

(Pause as DOUGLAS listens)

Okay. Fuck. Fuck. So who's going? Who's going to go? I mean I know it's in the boonies, but c'mon.

(Pause as DOUGLAS listens)

What? You have got to be kidding me. Someone should go. One of us should go. Huh? One of us, from the wedding. Fucking- Eric, listen to me, if no one shows up- This is his fucking wife Eric.

(Pause as DOUGLAS listens)

Eric, look I'm in the middle of a vacation here and I'm thinking of going- I'm supposed to be at work in two days and I'm obviously going to have to break- what? Fuck that, fuck your days off. This is his wife Eric! I'm going from here. Yeah. J probably won't, this is his house anyway and he's host I don't blame him right now, and he didn't know them well anyway. What? Yes you did.

(Pause as DOUGLAS listens, brushes back his hair)

I'm going. Do you have anyone else to call? No. No? You waited to- nevermind. Nevermind. Has Tony called anyone? His Mom called you right? Yeah, well I've been here. Yeah I know I just got this phone no-one has the number but you and like-

(Pause as DOUGLAS listens)

Fuck. T's wife. Fucking Sandy. I can't believe it.

(Pause. DOUGLAS sets the phone down on the car's hood. ERIC'S VOICE can be heard.)

ERIC'S VOICE: Doug. Doug. Tell him. Tell him we're all really sorry. Tell him I send- I dunno. Tell him-

(DOUGLAS picks the phone back up and listens)

DOUGLAS: Yeah. I will. I gotta look for a map. Get my head straight. I'll leave in like an hour. Do me a favor and tell T's Mom I'm coming okay? I'll drive all day. Tell T to look for me. I'll call him on his phone when I get close for directions and...and all that. Yeah, give him this number.

(Pause as DOUGLAS listens)

Thanks. See ya.

(Pause as DOUGLAS lingers, then punches the number to shut the phone off. DOUGLAS tosses the phone in the car. The camera pulls back and reveals a crying LAURA and an eavesdropping KASSI, listening in from around the corner. They round the corner and KASSI embraces DOUGLAS who somewhat embraces back. B and J join them outside. Fade.)

1.2

(Exterior House/Drive: Same place, same pan from inside to out, cutting to the side of the car and revealing B, J, LAURA, KASSI, MIKE, KIRA, and RICK wishing DOUGLAS goodbye in various hungover but serious states. The scene is quiet but with some banter. DOUGLAS emerges with one last garbage bag of clothes which he tosses into the backseat of the Buick. J hands DOUGLAS a map tabbed with post-it notes which DOUGLAS puts in the front seat. DOUGLAS retrieves a dirty shot glass and 1/4 full Tequila bottle from the back seat, but stops before totally getting out and retrieves a pair of purple panties which he stuffs quickly under his shirt.)

DOUGLAS: J, here's that bottle I uh- borrowed. And one of your shot glasses... Sorry.

(DOUGLAS tries to distract J with the bottle and glass and retrieves the panties to shove them in LAURA's hand clasped round. LAURA is surprised but understands and stashes them, embarrassed but quickly.)

J: Don't worry man. I marked your map for you- just call him when you get past 460, he might have a quicker way.

DOUGLAS: Thanks. I appreciate it.

J: I wish I could go. Tell him-

DOUGLAS: I will man.

(DOUGLAS and J hug. The males exchange a handshake/half-hug with DOUGLAS, the females a full hug. Some goodbyes are said. DOUGLAS gets in the car, but not without scraping the door on one side. Car starts quickly, and DOUGLAS starts to back out. In some fashion to be determined by the set and surroundings, DOUGLAS has a difficult time backing out and/or getting past a parked car in the way, resulting in a many-point turn which never succeeds despite how close DOUGLAS almost gets. The tension of goodbye is destroyed by the goofy predicament and DOUGLAS is stuck. B, J, LAURA, KASSI, MIKE, KIRA, and RICK run down the driveway and have to help him get out. Possible fade, or show DOUGLAS escape with their help. DOUGLAS drives away. Fade.)

low.

2.1

(Interior of the car: see car description.  Driving from VA Beach to Rocky Mount, VA- use background where applicable, preferably around Appomattox mark. Scene features DOUGLAS Voice Over and actual voice.  One take if possible.  Find pause and stage direction.)

DOUGLAS V.O.:  Shit.  So far to go.  At least it's a nice day.

T's wife.  Nobody knew her that well nobody.  Just her friends and family will eb there.  I bet I'm the only one there for T.  Shit, what does he do now?  What does anyone do now?  When you- when you have just settled down in the idea of settling down.  When the cement just dried.  When the runway just got clear for the rest of your life and all of a sudden you're not allowed for take- shit.   That's a horrible analogy.  Horrible.  Just despicable Douglas.

DOUGLAS:  Bum-badumdum (Along with music of some sort.)

DOUGLAS V.O.:  What do you do with pictures of these people?  IF you lose something- someone like that it null and voids every single picture taken in like the last year.  Like a reversing.  Like you can somehow rewind and pretend it all never happened I know that's not an option.  But what do you do?  And we left him so hard.  Things are different even when he was the same when you're married- how do you just re-enter circles again?  You made so many new friends based on the fact that there were two of you now everything will be pity and molasses.  Just trying to slow down the world so much, so hard...just hoping if you stick that foot into the ground hard enough that you can make the merry-go round go the other direction.  But you're more likely to get your foot cut off.  Fuck.  What does T do now?   So many of us had an image of him.  Drying dishes.  Going to work.  A car for a commute.  Coming home.  Kissing Sandra hello.  Going to sleep after a movie, sitting up in bed with a book- sure it was more domestic than any of us wanted to be but our whole framework of what T had become was built around the fact that we conceded the war of attention to his wife.  It was a willful and happy concession because we were there, the ceremony and all and even if it was a war before it was a reckoning we would let quietly and happily go and now the dust settles and we were ready to move on, and we look back and T is going to be there, trying to catch up, trying to still be alive after half of him died and how do we let him back in?  Not "if" but "how" and how does he even get the strength to run back to anyone?  Like parents we'd let him go with a birthday card and a few visits but were sad and happy that he'd found his way.  How can he move back into his friends hearts?

(Pause)

He's still here.  Still here for me.  I mean, I just know that me going is fucking self righteous in a way, but I know I'm the only one on the road right now.  I'm not doing it for any points.  There's lots of people that feel guilty right now but won't set their hands on the wheel to go to him.  It'd be halfway disingenuous anyway, they don't know him any more.  They certainly didn't know Sandy.  But T.  Shit.  He's going to be a wreck.  Man.

(Silence as DOUGLAS drives.  Eventually he scribbles an idea on a corner of the map.  3 words.  Frustrated by his writing and the awkwardness of the action, DOUGLAS pulls into a gas station.  Fade.)

2.2

(Fade in.  Clip of a package of post-it notes in the passenger seat.  one graces the dashboard with some words scribbled on it.)

DOUGLAS V.O.:  One of these days.  One.  One of these days I'm going to write the great American comic book.  The great American story.  The great, great- oh who knows.  But I want this out of my head.  One idea at a time if I have to.  OKay-- Sandy, Sandy.  Gotta try and remember things about her.  Gonna look bad if I can't remember anything.  Ok.  First thing:  maiden name.  Damn.  Ascot?  No.  Hamil- no.  Damn.  Where'd she go to school?  Pennsylvania somewhere.  Close enough.  From....From... From Virginia, south west.  Okay, know that much.  Gonna be a shitload of her family there at the funeral.

(Pause)

DOUGLAS:  Am I ready for a funeral?

DOUGLAS V.O.:  Shit I hardly even have any nice clothes.  Emergency khakis in the trunk.  Shirts in there too.  Might need to borrow some socks.  Well, and shoes.  (Pause)  I can't get that picture out of my head.  With her behind him, head kinda poking out from his shoulders, arms around him.  God that's gotta hurt.  I have a copy of that picture.  Just the thought that he's not going to feel her skin again like that- never going to have those arms around.  I mean, I'm focusing on a picture but there must have been thousands of those moments and now he's down to zero.  No one takes pictures of any fights they had, so those moments will be what he sees on people's walls, in scrapbooks and albums.  I'd avoid all photographic matter if I were him.  God I just don't want to belive it.  This trip seems like such fiction.  I don't feel like I'm skipping work, and I'm not yet.  I won't have to call in 'til Wed.

(Pause)

God, what am I doing?  I'm the last fucking guy that needs to be on the road right now.  I"m that guy.  That guy who's always getting the short end of the relationship stick.  But I put myself there.  I can't keep a plant living much less a relationship.  But they keep ruining on my watch, not because of me.  Like plants that scoot themselves to the edge of windowsills so they'll fall over.  I'm the owner that comes home to find the pot broken, the whole thing ruined without my input, and I can't put anything back together.  Suddenly, it's all un-repairable.  Girls just dump me like I don't mind it.  So I shrug, smile, say I'd like to just be friends too, or "take a break" and it's all gone with one fake smile.  One last kick to my own ass and it's all over.  I didn't even know it was ending usually.  Every one else basks in girlfriends and relationships no one understands and I get to sit there still cracking jokes, trying to be more relevant than ever during meals where I'm a third or fifth leg. Fuck.  Then I'm the guy running off to go relate to T when his wife dies.  While everyone else lets themselves seem wrapped up in mourning on their end.

(Pause.  looking around.)

But I like driving.  Gives me time to think.

(Fade.)

2.3

(Fade in as DOUGLAS is turning a corner while on the cell phone, also looking at a post-it-note with directions scribbled on it.  Several post-it-notes are stuck on the dash. It is late afternoon- near sunset.)

DOUGLAS:  Okay, T- I just turned onto Garst, now what.  Yeah, you told me that, I have that written here but I took a Left on Garst and I don't see-- ohh.  Yeah.  I got it, here it is.  'kay, taking that left now.  Yeah.  Just up here on the right.  Red brick house.  Anyone in the driveway parking wise, can I -  Okay.  Yeah.  I see you-- allright...

(DOUGLAS turns off the phone, drops it in the passenger seat as he makes the turn into the driveway and throws the car in park, opening the door and turning off the car in one motion that fades as the sound of them greeting eachother fades out just after the camera.)

low.

3.1

(exter.  night, outside a house, with driveway where the CAR is sitting.  TONY and DOUGLAS emerge from around the back, whispering.  TONY and DOUGLAS sit holding beers either on the front steps of the house if it is near the CAR or on the actual back of the car.  TONY and DOUGLAS talk relatively normal volume there.)

TONY: Still have that old car, eh?

DOUGLAS: Yep, yep.

(Pause.)

TONY: huh.

DOUGLAS:  hey, finish that story you were telling before we woke the house up...

(DOUGLAS laughs, gestures to the house.)

TONY: yeah, yeah.  will do.  so, we're at this little cafe place, and I mean this is like, Florence, Italy, so we don't know anyone, or the language or anything...

DOUGLAS: yeah- there you're just "those damn foreigners"

TONY: -exactly, and so we walk out after eating and we must get like two feet away from the door and like a flock, and i mean like a damn bucket- just a huge heap of bird shit just comes dumping down-

(TONY and DOUGLAS laugh.)

DOUGLAS: oh Jesus...

TONY: -and we are just soaked in this white crap and just miserable and covered and it's not like we're anywhere near our hotel or had a spare shirt on us...so we ended up buying some absolutely cheesy and waaay overpriced shirts at this place down the block, and then "humbly" walk right back in that cafe and ask to use the bathroom, covered in bird shit, so we could change clothes...oh god we were so embarrassed, I thought Sandy was ready to escape from the whole country, she was just devastated...

(TONY and DOUGLAS laugh, but it subsides to a pause.  TONY stares off into the distance, and after a swig of beer, starts to tear up.)

DOUGLAS: I...I bet...

(Pause.)

TONY: God Doug.  I just can't imagine telling that story without her laughing right along or trying to interrupt.  I just can't even.  I mean its hard to even remember her face for a second and not think she's just inside sleeping and we're just bullshitting outside like old times...

DOUGLAS: I know man.  Or, I don't but I....I'm just glad I can be here.

(DOUGLAS makes some move to let TONY know he's trying to console HIM)

TONY: I know.  I know man.  But what am I supposed to do?  What the fuck am I supposed to do man?  She is my whole life man.  I felt okay not talking to anyone, not calling any friends, not e-mailing everyone I knew every free moment, not hanging out with buddies because every single day I thought of and saw her.  And so I didn't.

(Pause.  TONY is as teared up as appropriate here.)

TONY: I didn't.  I didn't and where the fuck is everyone?

DOUGLAS: T, they send they're best-

TONY: Don't bullshit me Doug.  Now I'm- I'm not blaming them.  I'm just.  I'm just trying to figure it out. Talk it out.  I know it's my doing.  Our doing.  It's my fucking fault.  But it means...  I don't know.

DOUGLAS: Dude...  Seriously...  Everyone understands.  Everyone is thinking of you right now, and I know you don't want that either but everyone knew- knows how important she is...was to you...  shit...

(Pause.)

TONY: Fuck Doug.  (Sigh.)  I just.  I just.

(Pause.)

DOUGLAS: I know.

TONY: I mean look at me.  Tomorrow we bury my wife.  My wife!  I don't even know if I'm old enough to be married!  Not really!  And now I've lost some...I've lost.  Game.  Game fucking over man.  And you are the only groomsman here.  Every person who stood up with me at that altar isn't here.  I appreciate that you're here man.  And you have no idea how much that really means to me-

DOUGLAS: I know

TONY: No, no you don't Doug.  I mean, you are really good at this- and I love you man for it, but you really don't have any idea how it feels that just a couple of years after the biggest event of my life not one of the men I chose to stand up there with me, not one is here...not one!  I mean they were picked especially to represent my life up until that point and they aren't even in the picture now.  I mean, even if they did show up tomorrow I don't know how I'd feel.  It'd be like seeing some uncle that doesn't mean crap anymore.  And it's not their fault, we just grew apart.  But man.  If I had to pick the same number of people I don't know who I'd pick.  Seriously, and with all due respect man.  If I had to pick 20 people in the last three years that meant something to me really, really tangible- and I don't just mean basic buddies man, and like I said, I mean no disrespect man but just to pick someone that knew everything about me, just who I was- am, now, at this moment...I could only name one:  Sandy.  I just.  I just don't know.  I mean.  I mean they say that getting married is this big life-altering experience, and it was I guess.  I'd never been married before so that was certainly a change.
(TONY tries to be funny but DOUG doesn't laugh.)
But I mean this.  This moment that happened when I get a fucking phone call...when I have to even think about what it's like to roll over and she's not there, and it's not because one of us is out of town.  Or maybe it is, and it's just that one of us is out of town permanently.  God.   I mean that was life-altering.  That phone call.  That truly changed my life in one second more than any ceremony.  Because we'd made each-other our lives.  We were totally comfortable, fights and any friction aside, with knowing that if, if the phone rings that, that  one of us will pick it up.  That- that someone gets the mail.  That if one of us is sick- in the middle of the night- that the other one hears it and wakes up.  If one of us is sad, the other one is too and we might not even know why yet.  If..if one of you looks a little long in the mirror, thinking..maybe worried about something...the other one thinks or cares enough to ask "what's wrong" or something...
(TONY builds up to this moment.)
Who's here to ask me what's wrong, man?  Who's..who's here to find out if I'm okay?  Who's...Who do I ask?  Who do I watch over now?  Who...Who am I supposed to be now? She isn't here... I just. I really don't know what to do.  I just don't know if they, those guys that stood up with me, know... that when they hear that Sandy's gone.. that they know what that means.  That they realize that if she's gone then that means I'm gone.  Not that I wish I was dead- not like that- just that...That... Where's my life?  Wife...Life...

(Pause.)

DOUGLAS: I.  I uh.  Um.  T, I am truly...truly sorry.

(TONY looks directly at DOUGLAS.  TONY is trying to compose himself.)

TONY: I know you are.  But I still don't know what to do.

(Pause.)

DOUGLAS: T.  C'mere.

(DOUG hugs TONY from their sitting position.  TONY and DOUGLAS finish, and TONY jokes.)

TONY:  Fag.

(TONY and DOUGLAS laugh.)

DOUGLAS:  Fag.

TONY: Man, you wouldn't believe... I haven't gotten any sleep these last couple of days... I'm just not used to sleeping alone yet.

DOUGLAS:  I bet.

TONY: Would you...would you sleep with me tonight man?

(DOUGLAS is stunned by the question, but considering the scenario he hardly can turn TONY down.)

DOUGLAS: I..I, sure...sure man whatever you need-

TONY: I'm kidding Doug.

(TONY laughs and DOUGLAS does after a pause of making sure TONY is indeed, kidding.)

DOUGLAS: Asshole.

TONY:  Jerk. Man, things haven't changed, you'll sleep with anything...

(DOUGLAS is laughing, happy that the mood is lighter.)

DOUGLAS:  God, can I go home now?  You done?  My car's right there.

(TONY finally does get serious.)

TONY:  No man... And I really can't tell you how good it is to talk to you.  I mean Sandy's family and my family are great and all but...

DOUGLAS:  I bet they are man, but... I understand.  I'm just glad I could be here.

TONY:  Me too man.  Me too.

(Pause.)

DOUGLAS:  Let's go get some sleep.  Big day  tomorrow.

TONY:  Yeah.  Yeah it is.

(TONY and DOUGLAS rise and exit the way they came silently.  Fade.)

3.2

(Ext. Funeral scene.   Circled shots of a funeral scene from the perspective of the cars parked alongside the curved, awkward roads that snake through the cemetery.  FAMILY gather with PRIEST but we can still make out DOUGLAS, JOY and a weeping TONY.  Any music fades with the screen black.)

low.

4.1

(Interior of CAR.  The Police’s “So Lonely” begins with the scene, abruptly from black.  DOUGLAS and JOY, DOUGLAS driving of course, ride back to the house where TONY is with windows down and music audible.  JOY closes HER eyes and plays with the air of the open window with HER hand.  DOUGLAS talks on the cell phone. Music continues throughout scene, rising and falling at appropriate times.)

DOUGLAS: What?  Yeah.  Yeah things are fine.  Four, yeah four days here so far, counting the one I drove in one.  And yeah!  Yeah things are okay.  He's doing fine.  Yeah.  Can we not go over this now?  Right.  I don't know.  No idea.  Oh I'm sure I'm fired by now.  Hey, let me call you back- what are you doing today?  Well I don't feel like going home just yet and there's some places I want to see out this way.  Want to meet me somewhere?  Well hey I'll call you back, I'll consult the map...Yeah, Time Bandits style.  Cool.  See ya.

(DOUGLAS turns off the phone and shoots JOY a look.  DOUGLAS tossed the phone nonchalantly into the back seat and brings that hand back down onto JOY's leg, which he strokes.  JOY practically purrs.  DOUGLAS guides the car into the driveway, honks the horn, and parks.  JOY kisses DOUGLAS for a quick peck and exits the car.  DOUGLAS exits slower, and sees TONY coming to meet him as JOY buzzes by TONY to get inside. TONY still looks very tired.  TONY speaks slowly, out of synch with the energy of DOUGLAS.)

TONY: Well you two are cozy... (Once JOY is inside) Damn man, she's like 18...

DOUGLAS: She is?  Thank God!

(DOUGLAS and TONY laugh)

TONY: Well fling or no it’s good to see her smiling again.  I wish Sandy's other sister was taking it as well.

DOUGLAS: Well I thought after your suggestion of sleeping with the bereaved-

TONY: Dude you didn't sleep with her, did-

DOUGLAS: I'm kidding.  Jesus, I have some morals...

TONY: Since when?

DOUGLAS: Bastard.

TONY: Dick.

(DOUGLAS retrieves a map from the backseat and spreads it on the hood or trunk for TONY to see.)

DOUGLAS: Hey I was thinking of meeting J somewhere on my way back.  I'm gonna take the long way home but I want to set a course, go by some places I've never been.

TONY: Out here?  What, you need a tour of the distilleries?

DOUGLAS: Well I was thinking more like Appomattox.  Never been there.

TONY: That should be a good drive from here.  (Points out on map) Yeah just take this to 460, then 24 up into Appomattox.  You mean like the historical part, right?

DOUGLAS: Yeah. Something different.

TONY: Well it'll be a good hour and a half I bet.  Maybe more if you get stuck anywhere.  But it's a pretty drive.

DOUGLAS: Cool.  Cool.  Thanks.

(Pause.)

TONY: No man.  Thank you.  For staying so long, and being so cool around both families.  It was really great to have you around.  Gives me someone to hang with.

DOUGLAS: No problem man.  I'm glad I could be here. (puts a hand on TONY's shoulder) And you have my new number, you call me if you need anything, okay?

TONY: Will do.  Will do.  You want anything to eat, take on the road?  Sandwich? Coke?

DOUGLAS: I might grab a drink- I have to get a few things inside still.  Say good bye to everyone.  Oh- um, let me call J back real fast...

(DOUGLAS fishes the cell phone out from inside the car.  DOUGLAS uses speed dial to call J and TONY goes inside ahead of DOUGLAS.)

DOUGLAS: Hey!  It's me.  Yeah. (grabs map and starts inside)  Ever been to Appomattox?

(Fade.)

4.2
 

(int./ext. of car traveling the route to Appomattox.  A road-trip montage of pictures, preferably to "Keep On Burning" by Edwyn Collins if you can get it, carry the short scene.  Shots all round car, sweeping and rolling with tires, head bobbing of DOUGLAS, possibly with some shots of him writing notes and posting them to the dash, possibly leading to his attempted control of notes flying out the window with windows open. Maybe some shots of him staring at passing cars, and reactions of people inside.  Food consumption of various types would help. Montage could last the 4 minutes of the song, if the variety is appropriate.)