INT. DINER - DAY
This is a great place -- a major hub of social life in Hale. The
food is greasy and good, Mrs. Pressman is the waitress, and the
CROWD the essence of what is wonderful about a small town. Bob,
Maggie and Ike sit on the counter. Mrs. Pressman CHUFFS about
the luau, then moves around the corner.
BOB
Mrs. Pressman, I think were ready to
order.
MRS. PRESSMAN
Were out the special because
somebody...
(indicates COOK with head)
... didnt order enough sausage.
BOB
Let me have the garden omelette. Egg
whites only.
Ike looks at Maggie. Hed bet a thousand bucks on what shed say
next.
MAGGIE
Ill have the same.
IKE
(clears his throat)
Of course.
MAGGIE
What was that? I cant order my eggs
without sarcasm?
BOB
Neutral corners you two. Youre on the
same team now. Any more fighting and
its fifteen minutes in the penalty box.
(gently, to Ike)
Maggies the nicest person youll ever
meet. But shes always focusing out
there. Shes got to start focusing
more in here.
(taps his chest)
Thats why shes had some -- whatever
you want to call it -- problems in the
past.
(to Maggie)
Thats what were working on -- focus.
Right, Maggie? Focus on Maggie. Focus
on Bob.
As Bob has been talking, Ike has been watching Maggies face.
The joy seems to have drained out of her.
MAGGIE
(quietly)
Right.
BOB
(to Ike)
I lead Maggie through a visualization
exercise. All the sports shrinks use
this head stuff. Visualize the end
zone, if you catch my drift.
Bob takes out a notepad and hands it to Maggie.
BOB (contd)
Heres todays mantra: "Its an open
field to Big Bob."
IKE
Tell me. When you get to the altar,
will you spike the bouquet?
MAGGIE
You know, theres no...
Before Maggie can finish, Ike intercepts her.
IKE
Well, Im off. A reporters work is
never done.
(heading to the door)
Mrs. Pressman, thank you.
MRS. PRESSMAN
Tootaloo.
INT. ATLANTIC HOTEL - MOMENTS LATER
GRANDMA JULIA (V.O.)
Id like to explain about the weddings.
There are reasons why they didnt come
off. Three weddings, no "I dos". You
cant believe how much cake we were
left with. I should weigh three
hundred pounds. I dont think her
father minded spending so much money on
booze that nobody drank.
We hear Grandma as through the hotel doors, we see Maggie exit
the diner. She gets a bag from inside the cab of her truck and
comes inside the hotel where she finds Ike talking to Grandma,
who is having tea with her friend, NETTA.
MAGGIE
Ike... Hi, Grandma.
IKE
Gram here was going to give me the
skinny on why you run from marital
bliss.
GRANDMA JULIA
Right, cover your ears, Netta. Its
not that shes afraid of the wedding,
shes afraid of the wedding night.
Innocent girls are terrified of "the
one-eyed snake".
(getting into it)
Why, when I was a virgin bride, I took
a knitting needle with me into the bed...
Ike winces.
MAGGIE
Actually, Grandma, I charmed the one-
eyed snake awhile ago.
GRANDMA JULIA
Oh, yeah, I forgot. Ill tell you one
thing, your grandpa didnt forget that
wedding night.
(no Netta)
You can take your hands off your ears,
Netta. Your teas getting cold.
MAGGIE
Can you excuse us a minute?
(then to Ike)
May I have a word with you, please?
Maggie moves toward door.
IKE
Bye, Netta... Bye, Grandam.
He steps over to Maggie in the doorway.
MAGGIE
I found this and didnt know if it was
something interesting.
Maggie hands Ike a 30-year-old LP: Miles Davis "Kind of Blue."
IKE
(excited)
Oh, my God -- Its Miles Davis. This
is "King of Blue"! This is the
original recording. Hard to find in
good condition. Where did you find
this?
MAGGIE
(casual)
It was in the attic. It was jus
sitting there gathering dust.
IKE
Its valuable. Hang onto it.
MAGGIE
No. You take it.
She steps outside, leaving Ike with the record.
IKE
Hmmm... Figuring out what kind of music
I like and then finding me a rare album.
Youre not trying to soften me up, are
you?
MAGGIE
No -- Im cleaning an attic. I
wouldnt attempt the impossible.
She turns and walks back to the diner where Mrs. Pressman is
outside watering plants. Ike looks after Maggie and then back
down at the record in his hand. Somehow it makes him sad.
CUT TO:
INT. IKES CAR - LATER THAT DAY
Ike drives through Hale gobbling french fries from the fast food
bag in his lap. Ike passes THE INN HALE BAR, same dump of a
tavern he talked to bartender at.
ANGLE ON: MAGGIES CAR parked a few cars down. He pulls over
and parks. He gets out and speaks into his tape recorder.
INT./EXT. THE INN HALE BAR -- DAY
Ike approaches the window of the bar. Theres a DRUNK MAN and a
DOG sitting outside. Inside, we see two figures from the back,
arms around each other. One is definitely Maggie. The other is
definitely not Bob.
MAGGIE
(coaxing)
Cmon. Lets go.
As Maggie helps the man get up, we see that its Walter, Maggies
father -- dead drunk.
WALTER
(belligerently)
I havent had any fun since you got
your drivers license...
They stumble and lurch, exiting the bar toward Maggies car.
MAGGIE
Im not exactly having fun, either...
Steady.
WALTER
(to Dog)
Good boy, Port Hole.
MAGGIE
His name is Skipper, Dad... Steady.
WALTER
I changed it.
(then to Drunk)
See you later, Mr. Travis.
(then to Maggie)
That guy has a problem... Maggie, you
can run everyones life but your own.
Maggies having trouble keeping him steady as she opens the car
door. Ike is there in a flash to help her pull Walter into the
car.
WALTER (contd)
Good daughters let their fathers pass
out.
Walter passes out on the front seat.
MAGGIE
(without difficulty)
Ike... Please dont write anything
about this --
IKE
No. Forget about it. Dont even think
about it.
Maggie looks at him with real gratitude. She swings the car
door shut.
MAGGIE
Watch your leg, Dad.
(then to Ike)
Im so tired of this.
IKE
Why dont you let him sleep it off in
the trunk. Ill take you for a ride.
Then well come back for him.
(to Drunk on bench)
Keep an eye on him.
DRUNK MAN
Im too loaded.
IKE
I was talking to the dog.
(turning to Maggie)
All right?
Maggie thinks about this for a moment. She takes a deep breath.
MAGGIE
Okay... Ill just grab my jacket.
CUT TO:
EXT. ROAD - LATE DUSK TO NIGHT
Establishing of Ikes car driving.
INT. IKES CAR - LATE DUSK TO NIGHT
Maggie and Ike ride along.
IKE
My dad managed a business and two
mistresses. He wanted me to be a
novelist. More?
Maggie nods,
IKE (contd)
My mother wanted me to become a
musician. 0 for two. But at least
Im a journalist and we all know
journalism is literature in a hurry