unformated_scripts/Script_All About Steve.txt

                                 ALL ABOUT STEVE                                                           Written by                                  Kim Barker                                                         November 2006                              TNT. KITCHEN - DAY          A New York Times crossword puzzle. The hand of MARY HOROWITZ          scratches the answers in ink without pausing even a second          between each one.          MARY (V.O.)          Vita aenigma est. Life is a          puzzle. It is. Specifically, life          is most like a crossword puzzle.          There are a million reasons why,          not the least of which is that          life, like crosswords, requires the          use of your whole entire brain-          Her writing hand knocks a glass of grape soda and it spills          all over the puzzle.                         MARY          Crap.          The puzzle answers all run together.          INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY          Ten plastic folding chairs line the hallway -- all empty          except for one.          In the last chair sits Mary Horowitz, 31, in her best          synthetic cardigan, somebody's grandmother's skirt, her own          red rubber boots. Genius meets retard. She mumbles to          herself.                         MARY          Four letter word for... vomit.          She takes a deep breath to calm her nerves. it doesn't help.                         MARY          Not "barf". For sure not "barf".          That's too easy. "Puke" is okay,          but maybe a bit pedestrian (that          means boring)... I like "hurl". I          do. I like the way it rolls off          your tongue -- the word, I mean.          But my all time favorite is none of          those.          She puts her head between her knees, tries to keep it          together.                                                  2.                         MARY          Four letter word for vomit? S-P-E-          W. Spew... Sp-ew.          A door nearby opens but Mary doesn't budge. A POLICE OFFICER          walks out.          A 40ish female TEACHER pokes her head out the door, signals          to Mary.                         TEACHER          We're ready for you now.          (a plastic Kroger shopping          Mary jumps up, grabs her purse          bag).                         MARY          Jesus help me.          INT. CLASSROOM - DAY          Mary stands in front of the chalkboard, "CAREER DAY" written          in huge letters behind her. She smiles with terror at the          class of 10 year old KIDS.          The Teacher reads from her notes.                         TEACHER          Here's a treat, students. Our          final guest for Career Day, Miss          Mary Horowitz, is the crossword          constructor for the Atlanta          Citizen. You know the crossword          puzzles you see every week in the          newspaper? It's her job to create          them. Isn't that fun?          Mary stares at the Teacher, whispers.                         MARY          You weren't supposed to tell them.                         TEACHER          Pardon me?                         MARY          I made a crossword puzzle to help          them guess what my job is. You          ruined it.                         TEACHER          Oh, I'm so sorry.                                                  3.          Mary takes the crossword puzzles out of her bag, looks at          them like lost puppies.                         TEACHER          Maybe you could tell them a bit          about what your job is like?           watche s hit                          GARBAGE          Mary drops thu p file out her          the bottom She p lls           u hearsed enthusiasm.          bag, reads with re                         MARY          People do crossword puzzles all the          time but they don't often think of          the person who made all the words          fit together, and who thought up          the clues, and who made sure the          little black squares at the top          mirror the ones at the bottom.          She pulls one of the crosswords out of the garbage can, holds          it up, turns it upside down, forces a nervous smile.                         MARY          Crossword constructors usually have          above average intelligence, with          knowledge of just about every          subject you can imagine. And it          helps if they can spell.          The card in Mary's hand reads "LAUGH". She laughs. Nobody          else does. She looks at the cards again, instantly gets          serious, sweeps her hand through the air.                         MARY          Imagine, for a moment, a world          without crossword puzzles. A world-          Mary notices one Kid with his hand up. It totally throws her          off.                         TEACHER          Daniel, you have a question?                         DANIEL          You make a living doing that? Just          making puzzles? The Atlanta          Citizen only comes out on Fridays.          One puzzle a week can't make you          enough to live on.          A LARGE KID in the front row pipes up.                                                  4.          LARGE KID          How do you pay your rent?                         MARY          My parents -                         DANIEL          You live with your parents?          The Kids all laugh their asses off. Mary just stares at          them.          LARGE KID          Oh my God, how old are you? Still          living at home!          The kids all laugh some more. Mary's on the verge of panic.                         TEACHER          Children!          The Teacher shoots the Kids a warning look, then notices Mary          hyperventilating.                         TEACHER          Are you okay?          Mary grasps for breath, struggles to speak.                         MARY          Water.                         TEACHER          Water. Just hang on.          The Teacher rushes out. The kids all stare at Mary.                         MARY          Yep, I live at home...          She forces herself to get it together, totally faking it.                         MARY          But so do all of you, so there...          And sure, I only create one          crossword puzzle a week but I have          deadlines, I have stress, I have          demands on me so huge you would not          believe. The newspaper business is          hell. I mean it. Hell.          Somebody's got to write about all          the horrors that go on in this          world.                         (MORE)                                                  5.          MARY (cont'd)          And after people read about those          horrors, somebody else has to bring          them back from the brink of          suicide. Who do you think that is?          She leans in close to the front row, scares herself more than          anybody.                         MARY          Me! My crossword puzzle is always          good news. it enlightens.          it r andma's          entertains. It keeps your g          mind alive so she remembers to send          you five bucks on your birthday.          Think about that as you lie in bed          tonight picking your nose and crying          yourself to sleep. I know I will.          The Kids just stare at her. She leans against the teacher's          desk, tries to look relaxed but fails miserably.                         MARY          My job matters, you know. In media          circles I am, as the Dutch say,          geliefd. That means I have plenty          of friends. Hoards, in fact.          Scads even.          The kids aren't buying it.          LARGE KID          You're a freak.          The kids all nod in agreement. Mary's frozen, devastated.          The Teacher rushes back into the room with a cup of water,          hands it over. Mary sips it like communion wine. Half of it          runs down her chin.          Mary looks at the Teacher, fakes a smile.                         MARY          That's a pretty blouse.          The Teacher smiles back. Awkward.          EXT. SCHOOL -- DAY          The front doors of the school swing open and a visibly shaken          Mary walks out. She takes a deep breath and embraces denial.                                                  6.                         MARY          Twelve letter phrase for smashing          success!          She heads down the walkway toward the bus stop.                         MARY          As one would say in old Paris...          Coup de maitre!           A CUSTODIAN cleaning the school yard looks up. Mary keeps on          talking - now to him.                         MARY          It means "master stroke", even          though the direct translation is          actually "master blow"... Leave it          to the French to pass off an          unpleasant slave activity as an          everyday expression.          The Custodian doesn't know what the hell she's talking about.          Mary continues on to the bus stop.          INT. CITY BUS -- DAY           The CITY BUS DRIVER watches as Mary pays her $1.75 one nickel          at a time.                         MARY          I sometimes suffer from benign          positional vertigo. Could you          please not drive until I'm -          f He ignores her, starts driving. Mary struggles toward the          back o f the bus, grabbing g          goes.                         MARY          Excuse me... pardonnez-moi...          begnadiyen sie mich...          She lurches for an empty seat and just about dislodges her          shoulder on the center pole. Finally settled, she peeks          under her sweater at the shoulder damage.                         MARY          Hello hematoma.          She smiles at an angry ELDERLY LADY sitting across from her.          The lady gives her the "don't talk to me" glare, then stares          out the window. Mary fidgets in her seat.                                                  7.          MARY (V.O.)          In crosswords, as in life, some          days are harder than others. It's          true. In the New York Times, for          example, the puzzles get harder as          the week goes. So on Monday, a day          that traditionally bites the big          one, the crossword is super easy.          It's comforting to know that          although life can be difficult at          times, crosswords let you off easy          when you need it the most.          Mary looks around for anybody to talk to. The other          PASSENGERS avert their eyes. Mary starts biting her nails.           EXT. NEWSSTAND - DAY          A frail 80 year old man MR. TAKIHASHI works alongside his          wspapers,          40ish granddaughter BETTY selling magazines, ne          smokes and Pocky.          In the corner of the newsstand, a muted TV features CNN          "Breaking News" coverage of a high speed car chase.          BUSINESSMEN are glued to the images as they wait in line.          Mary grabs a half a dozen different newspapers, yells to Mr.          Takihashi like he's deaf.                         MARY          KONCHA, TAKIHASHI-SAN!          He ignores her. Mary hands the papers to Betty.                         MARY          Hi Betty.          Betty just rings up the papers.                         MARY          Did you see the review of          "Hairspray" in the Journal          yesterday? They used the word          "spectacular" -- always a good          sign. Maybe you'd like to go see          it with rne? I have a coupon for          five dollars off.          Betty shoves the newspapers back across the counter, points          at them, then speaks in barely recognizable English.                                                  S.                         BETTY          Nine dollar twenty.          Mary fishes in her bag for money.                         MARY          We could bring your dad if you          want. I don't think the show is          ageist. That means he won't feel          like a loser for being old.          As she takes her time paying, Mr. Takihashi madly gestures          about Mary holding up the line. Betty barks at her.                         BETTY          Pecha kucha! Do Itta!          Betty takes Mary's money, waves her on and helps the next          customer.                         MARY          So no then? That's a no?          Betty ignores her. Mary waits, loads the newspapers into her          bag.          MARY (V.O.)          Sometimes crosswords are even          better than life. Here's how.          They don't discriminate.          Crosswords don't care if you're          young or old; black or white; male,          female or intersex. Crosswords          only care if you're an idiot. And,          really, that's okay, because if you          have the IQ of a yam, finishing a          crossword should be the least of          your worries.          Mary glances up at the TV news once more, then walks away.          INT. CNN LOADING BAY - DAY          A half dozen NEWS CREWS rush to load and unload CNN news ECHS --          vans. JOURNALISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS,          PRODUCERS, SOUNDyT          all in a mad rush to go get          An unshaven and surprisingly calm STEVE balances camera          equipment in one hand while he scratches a barely legible          "Steve" onto a clipboard. A young PA takes the clipboard,          hands Steve a bunch of gas masks.                                                  9.                         50'S          Steve heads to an open van where a disheveled, mid          producer ANGUS MCCORMACK checks his watch.                         ANGUS          Where the hell is he?                         STEVE          Probably doing his nails.           -- paper          40ish reporter HARTMAN HUGHES rushes to the van on his face.          napkin tucked in his shirt collar, bread crumbs                         HARTMAN          What do you mean "the big one"?          Terrorists, natural disaster, what?                         ANGUS          Pandemic.          Hartman's eyes light up.                         ANGUS          Half of the Midwest and spreading.          Nobody's safe.          Steve tries on a gas mask.                         HARTMAN          Please let it be the bird flu.                         STEVE          Bird flu is for pussies. This          thing's unstoppable.                         HARTMAN          How's it spreading?          Angus looks at Steve.                         STEVE          Squirrels.          Hartman can barely contain his excitement.                         HARTMAN          Oh my God, they're everywhere!                         STEVE          Exactly.                         HARTMAN          Al Qaeda connection?                                                  10.                         ANGUS          Always a possibility.                         STEVE          Who wishes he was in Iraq now?                         HARTMAN          Not me!.          Hartman grabs a gas mask and rushes to the van's side mirror.                         HARTMAN          I need blush. No, wait. I'll go          pasty. It'll look like I could be          the first media victim. "Hartman          Hughes, no such thing as too close          to the story".          Hartman looks back at Steve and Angus. They're just standing          there, unable to keep a straight face. Hartman deflates.                         HARTMAN          Assholes! I knew it was too good          to be true.          He throws his gas mask down, storms off.                         ANGUS          Hartman, come on.          Hartman gets in the elevator, hollers out to them.                         HARTMAN          I had a perfectly good bologna          sandwich going on upstairs.          Wasted!          Angus and Steve watch the elevator door close, shrug it off.                         STEVE          Next E-coli story breaks, he'll be          fine.          EXT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY          An 1890 Colonial Revival home surrounded by White Oaks.          Oversized statue of the Blessed Virgin in the flower bed.          Mezuzah on the door.          Face still in the newspaper, Mary trips up the steps and          skids onto the porch. Her knee starts to bleed.                                                  11.                         MARY          Crap.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY           It's house that's been lived in. Every inch cluttered with           old newspapers, family photos, various objet d'art, and          books, books and more books.           Mary steps out of her boots and marches into the living room          where her 50ish mother, MRS. HOROWITZ, sits reading with MR.          HOROWITZ (late 50's, professorial head to toe, furrowed brow          to worn loafers).                         MARY          "Brilliant" is what they said.          Never in the history of St.          Margaret's Career Day have the          children's brains been so          inordinately stimulated as they          were today by my presentation.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Good for you, sweetie.          Mary pulls the newspapers out of her bag, sorts through them,          stacks them on top of the TV.                         MARY          "Inspired", the teacher told me.          MR. HOROWITZ          You get the Post?          She hands him the paper.                         MARY          "Engrossing" one child exclaimed.          MR. HOROWITZ          A ten year old said that?                         MARY          I'm sure that's what he meant. And          "ebullient"-          MR. HOROWITZ          What happened to your knee?          Mary looks down at the blood dripping down from her knee onto          her sock. She's completely annoyed - more at the question          than the mess.                                                  12.                         MARY          Dad, some of the greatest orators          of all time had their heads chopped          off for their labors. I'm lucky to          escape with a simple flesh wound.          Mary hands over the last newspaper, heads out to the hallway.          Her mother yells to her.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Change those socks before your          date.                         MARY          I told you I'm not going.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Mrs. Alchessi says you'll like this          one.                         MARY          Mrs. Alchessi has gliomatosis          cerebri.          MRS. HOROWITZ          What?                         MARY          A brain tumor characterized by,          among other things, dementia.          She's nuts.          Mary walks up the stairs.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Mary, it's just a date. This is          what normal girls your age do.          Mary stops on the stairs.                         MARY          I'm normal.          Silence from her parents. Mary marches back into the living          room.                         MARY          In fact, I'm normalis extremes.          That's the kind of normal that          doesn't get more normal.          MRS. HANCOCK          Of course you are, sweetie.                                                  13.          Mary looks at her obviously lying mother and uncomfortable          father. Mary's mind reels, like her head is going to          explode. Finally, a determination hits her.                         MARY          I'll go.          Mary bolts up the stairs to her room.          Mr. and Mrs. Horowitz look at each other, surprised, happy.          MR. HOROWITZ          You ever want to see grandchildren,          you better burn the damn boots.          She swats him with her book, tries not to laugh.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - MARY'S ROOM - NIGHT           Storage room or bedroom? Boxes and books all over the place.           In the middle of it all, a bed.           On the dresser, a bunch of photos of Mary Tyler Moore in the - MTM in a          1970's. Taped to the mirror, the chosen photo Horowitz           smart blue sweater and skirt ensemble. An           wears the exact same outfit. Oddly,           surprisingly current and actually hot.           She leans over the gerbil cage next to her desk, taps to wake          up the :Lone, fat occupant.                         MARY          Carol, tonight I have a date. A          blind one. Not the guy, I mean the          situation. We are, as yet, unknown          to one another... It's nerve          wracking, I know. Try not to have          a spontaneous epileptiform seizure.          The doorbell rings. Mary freezes, listens for the muffled          voices downstairs.          She sits on the corner of her bed and breathes rapidly into a          paper bag.          There's a knock on her bedroom door. Mary folds up the bag,          puts it in her pocket for later, then opens the door a crack.          It's her mother.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Guess who's here.                                                  14.                         MARY          I'd rather not.          Mrs. Horowitz opens the door wider, takes a look at Mary,          looks like she's going to cry.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Look at you.                         MARY          i already did. Repeatedly.          MRS. HOROWITZ          You're beautiful.                         MARY          Please don't mean on the inside.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Beautiful and smart. And fun. And          interesting.          Mary takes a deep breath, lets it out fast.                         MARY          Let's hope all that does it for          him.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - HALLWAY - NIGHT          A bored, CNN jacket wearing Steve looks up to see Mrs.          Horowitz descending the stairs. Not far behind, Mary takes          each step like her knees are fused together but still manages          to look hot. Steve's pleasantly surprised.          With one look at Steve, Mary's eyes glaze over as if a choir          is screaming "hallelujah" in her brain.          As Mary reaches the bottom step --                         STEVE          Mary, hi. I'm Steve.          She puts up a finger - "just a second".          She turns around and runs back upstairs. Steve looks at Mrs.          Horowitz, confused.          MRS. HOROWITZ          And how's your mother?                                                  15.                         STEVE          Great. Thanks.          She just stares at him and smiles.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - MARY'S ROOM - NIGHT          Mary runs into her room, kneels down in front of the mizrach          and crucifix on the wall. Hands clasped in prayer.                         MARY          Gods. You may have noticed that          I'm wearing clean socks.          Translation: I'm really trying and          thus should be amply rewarded.          Thanks for your support.          She gets up, has a second thought, gets back onto her knees.                         MARY          And by support I don't mean, you          know -          She hikes up her bra.                         MARY          I mean your assistance, your          furtherance, your advocacy of my          efforts to get out there and... do          what I'm supposed to do.          She concentrates hard, opens her eyes. Now she's ready.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - HALLWAY - NIGHT          Steve waits as Mary walks down the stairs again, this time a          bit more relaxed.          MRS. HOROWITZ          There we go.          Mary makes it to the bottom of the stairs, steps into her red          boots. Her mother cringes. Steve's a bit surprised at the          boots but who cares, Mary's still hot from the knee caps up.                         STEVE          Ready?          Mary nods a bunch of times.                                                  16.                         STEVE          Mrs. Horowitz. Goodnight.          (calling into living room)          Sir.          MR. HOROWITZ (O.S.)          You kids have fun.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Be careful now. Don't forget your          seatbelts.          Mrs. Horowitz sees them out the door then heads into the          living room. She waves to them out the window, trying to          hide her worry but failing miserably.          MR. HOROWITZ          She'll be fine.          They look at each other - a bit of hope, a bit of dread.          EXT. STREET - NIGHT          Steve unlocks the driver's side door of his SUV while Mary          waits at her door, nervous but smiling.                         STEVE          Sorry about this blind date thing.          My mother -                         MARY          I never went to kindergarten!          He looks at her, totally confused.                         MARY          They skipped me to the forth grade.                         STEVE          Okay.          She gets in the car, fastens her seatbelt. Steve hesitates          then heads to the driver's side, gets in.                         MARY          I missed finger painting.          He has no clue what to say.                         STEVE          Sorry?                                                  17.                         MARY          Me too.          She lunges for his lips but the seatbelt snaps her back          inches short.                         STEVE          Whoa!          Undeterred by the whiplash, Mary undoes her seatbelt and          tries again, this time making contact with Steve's lips.          He's more than a little startled but kisses her back anyway,          all the while straining to see the Horowitz house.                         STEVE          Mary... uh, what about your mother?          She straddles him and keeps kissing.                         MARY          You're not her type. And she's          married.                         STEVE          No, we're right in front of your          house and...          She undoes her sweater.                         STEVE          And I have no problem with that          whatsoever.          She kisses his neck. He looks up with a "thank you, God".                         MARY          Steve?                         STEVE          Mary.                         MARY          Is it Steven with a V or Stephen          with a P-H?                         STEVE          V.          She works over his face over like it's an ice cream cone.                                                  18.                         MARY          I thought so. There are almost a          million Stevens with a V in the          country, you know. It's much more          popular than the P-H way, almost          twice as popular in fact. I think          it's the Brits who prefer the P-H.          They love their P-H's over there.          Not as much as they love their fish          and chips but still, they love          them. It was the media thing, you          know, that's why our moms wanted us          to get together. You work in the          media, so do I. We really have to          hand it to our moms, Steve, we do,          and not just for raising us, or for          thriving during a time when women          painstakingly struggled for          equality, but I mean we should hand          it to them for being visionaries          and predicting our all encompassing          compatibility. We're          professionally compatible, yes, but          it's occurring to me at this          particular moment that we're also          sexually compatible, and I don't          know if you noticed like I noticed          but we're also both wearing blue.          What are the chances of that?          Actually, if I really think about          it, the chances are probably pretty          good. Blue is one of the most          popular three colors, however,          yours is-          She leans forward and checks the fabric tag on the neck of          his jacket. She can't quite read it. She reaches up and          flips on the interior light. Steve's just about blinded.          She grabs the tag, reads.                         MARY          Nylon. And mine...          She grabs her own tag and reads it, just about elbowing Steve          in the eye.                         MARY          Polyester! See? Both synthetic          fibres! And the chances of that          are much smaller than the chances          of us just wearing blue.          Steve looks at Mary - suddenly fully aware of her craziness.                                                  19.                         MARY          Do you like crosswords?                         STEVE          Sure.          She just about jumps out of her pants with excitement.                         MARY          Me too! And semantics, the study          of the meaning of words? You love          words, right?                         STEVE          What's not to love.                         MARY          I know!          She can hardly believe her good fortune. Her mind reels just          as fast as her lips.                         MARY          Steve with a V, you know what we          are? We're didymous. Two of a          kind. Two rare earth elements          brought together by Norns, that's          Scandinavian for The Destinies.          You want to make out for ten to          fifteen minutes more then go get a          six pack of Twinkies and Mountain          Dew and stay up all night and talk?          Steve is frozen. No escape - then it hits him. He jumps a          bit, pulls out his cell phone.                         STEVE          Sorry. I have to get this.                         MARY          I didn't hear it ring.                         STEVE          Vibrate.                         MARY          I didn't feel it                         STEVE          You didn't?          (into phone)          This is Steve... What? Really?          Now? If I don't have a choice...                                                  20.          He hangs up, looks at Mary like he feels bad.                         STEVE          Work. I have to go to... Boston.          This happens all the time. You          know how it is. Wherever news          happens...          Mary gets off of him, slides back into her seat, buttons her          sweater.                         MARY          It's okay. When you get back we          can have plenty of quality time.                         STEVE          Sure. I'll call you.          He leans over, opens her door.                         MARY          Steve, this has been a night to          remember.                         STEVE          No kidding. You certainly are -          He searches for any word that will do. Mary jumps in.                         MARY          Normal.                         STEVE          You read my mind.          Never happier, she jumps out of the car.          As he drives away, she pulls the paper bag out of her pocket,          breathes into it.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - NIGHT          Mary's parents hear the door open then Mary's footsteps hit          the stairs. Mrs. Horowitz jumps up, rushes to meet her.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Sweetie, what's wrong? What          happened? My God, you've barely          been gone ten minutes.          Mary stops on the stairs, turns back.                                                  21.                         MARY          Mom, sometimes that's all you need          to know he's the one!          Mary smiles big, takes the rest of the stairs up two at a          time. Mrs. Horowitz is about to follow her.          MR. HOROWITZ          That girl makes up her mind the          moon is green, it's green. Leave          her be. It'll pass. Eventually.          Mrs. Horowitz moves away from the stairs, no less worried.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - MARY'S ROOM - NIGHT          Mary leaps from the doorway and lands on her bed in pencil          pose, smiling up at the ceiling.                         MARY          Eleven letter word for serendipity.          She screams into her pillow.                         MARY          The perfect answer: S-E-R-E-N-D-I-P-          I-T-Y. Serendipity. Why would you          ever need a better word than that?          She sits up, grabs her notebook, starts to draw out a new          crossword puzzle.          - DAY          INT. ATLANTA CITIZEN NEWSPAPER OFFICES          A busy newspaper office. COURIERS make deliveries,          JOURNALISTS talk at their desks, SECRETARIES count the          minutes until they can go home.          In the Editor's office, JIM SOLOMAN looks over the newspaper          layout with an ASSISTANT.                         SOLOMAN          Let's split the gardening feature          into two weeks. Keep them in          suspense.          He steps back, looks at the whole layout.                         SOLOMAN          Looks good. How are we doing here?                                                  22.          He checks his watch.                         SOLOMAN          Five minutes to spare. Look at          that.          The Assistant points to a blank corner of page 26. Soloman's          surprised, and not particularly impressed.                         SOLOMAN          Horowitz.          INT. ATLANTA CITIZEN BUILDING - ELEVATOR - DAY          Mary stands at the front of the full elevator, smiling, a          piece of paper gripped in her hand.          MARY (V.0.)          When I was a fledgling (that means          novice) crossword constructor, I          would find comfort in the words of          the learned crossword sages. Above          all, my hero is Manny Nosowsky,          frequent New York Times contributor          and all around cruciverbial master.          INT. ATLANTA CITIZEN NEWSPAPER OFFICES - DAY          Mary walks out of the elevator and heads through the office.          Nobody seems to notice her.          MARY (V.O.)          Manny says that a crossword          puzzle's greatness can be          determined by asking three simple          questions.          She marches in the direction of the Editor's office.          MARY (V.0.)          Is it solvable?          She almost collides with a mail cart but keeps walking.          MARY (V.0.)          Is it entertaining?          She arrives at the Editor's office, plants her feet in the          doorway.                                                  23.          MARY (V.O.)          Does it s arkle?          She looks down at the crossword puzzle in her hands, smiles,          holds it out for Soloman.          Soloman grabs the crossword and hands it right to the          Assistant, who rushes it out the door.          INT. HAIR SALON - DAY          Two OLD LADIES sit under the hair dryers, each doing the          Atlanta Citizen crossword puzzle. They're stumped. The          first Old Lady hollers over the noise of the dryer.          OLD LADY          I CAN'T GET ANY OF THESE!          The other Old Lady holds up her blank crossword, shrugs.          INT. TAXI - DAY          The TAXI DRIVER sits in the parked taxi doing the crossword.          TAXI DRIVER          This is bullshit.          INT. STARBUCKS - DAY                         A          A long haired GUY gets up from his seat, puts his coat on.          male EXECUTIVE sits down and spots the newspaper opened to          the crossword puzzle.                         GUY          Don't even bother, man. I don't          know what the deal is, but it looks           like all the answers are --          INT. ATLANTA CITIZEN - EDITOR'S OFFICE - DAY          Soloman holds up the crossword page.                         SOLOMAN          Steve?          Mary sits and smiles.                                                  24.                         SOLOMAN          Every single answer is "Steve"?          Who the hell is Steve anyway? No          wait, I don't care, but I do care          that you pissed off our readers.          Mary's smile falls a bit.                         SOLOMAN          I thought you knew better than to          pull something like this. It's           unprofessional, it's --           to him.          He's too frustrated, the words aren't coming                          MARY           Romantic?                          SOLOMAN           No!                         MARY          Creativo? That's Italian for          "creative".                         SOLOMAN          No.                         MARY          How about -                         SOLOMAN          Mary. We're letting you go.                         MARY          Oh.           up her Kroger          She looks like she's going to cry. She picks          bag, fidgets.                         MARY          Maybe I could make it up to you by          doing a fishing themed crossword.          I know how you love the          piscatology.          Soloman shakes his head -- it's done.          Mary hesitates then finally gets up.                         MARY          Okay. I'll just give you some time          then. We'll talk next week.                                                  25.          He ignores that. She walks out, seemingly content, a bit of          denial.          A PAYROLL CLERK sees the elevator doors close behind Mary.          PAYROLL CLERK          She forgot her severance.                         ASSISTANT          Don't you mean "Steverance"?          They both laugh.          EXT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY           Mary walks up to the front steps where Mr. Horowitz sits                          THE          waiting for her. She sits down beside him. He holds up          Atlanta Citizen crossword.          MR. HOROWITZ          Interesting way to go.                         MARY          Indeed.          MR. HOROWITZ          They like it?          She points to the other newspaper in his lap.                         MARY          Finished with the Times?          She goes to take the paper. He stops her.          MR. HOROWITZ          Neshama, the puzzle. How'd it go?          She looks around. Nowhere to run.                         MARY          How do you think?          She looks at him -- worry all over his face. She hesitates          for a moment then sucks it up.                         MARY          Because if you're thinking that          they loved it, that they thought it          was imaginative and bold and          evocative... you would be right.                                                  26.          He's not sure how to take that.          MR. HOROWITZ          And Steve?                         MARY          He works a lot, you know. Travels          all the time. 'Tis possible he has          not yet espied it.          She picks up the crossword, admires it.                         MARY          But when he does, I'm sure he'll          say, "that Mary Horowitz... is a          catch. Where oh where has she been          all my empty life? From here          onward my life will be divided into          'before I met Mary' and 'after I          met Mary' with the second part          being far superior. I am lonely no          more. The missing letter in my          puzzle has at last been found."          MR. HOROWITZ          I don't want you getting your hopes          up too much.                         MARY          I'm not.          INT. CNN ATLANTA - DAY          An exec office. Steve relaxes on the sofa next to Angus          while Hartman noses around the office.                         ANGUS          We're going to hit rush. We'll          have to take the second flight.          Exec. Producer DAN CORBITT walks in, heads straight for his          desk.                         CORBITT          You're set. KDFW's on site now.          Angus and Steve start to get up.                         CORBITT          Hang on.          They sit. Corbitt grabs the remote control, turns the TV on.                                                  27.                         CORBITT          Anybody want to tell me about this?          He fast forwards through footage of Hartman reporting from a          greenhouse. Corbitt slows it to normal speed, mutes it.          They watch as Hartman interviews an attractive female          BOTANIST holding a test tube with a seedling in it. Hartman          keeps pointing to the seedling - which happens to be right in          front of the Botanist's generous breasts.          The camera gets closer and closer - each time it pulls away          Hartman points to the seedling again to force the camera in          close - basically turning the piece into a giant boob-fest.                         ANGUS          Take a look at those... plants.          Corbitt pauses it on the worst shot, looks at Steve.                         CORBITT          We can't use this.          Hartman fakes disgust.                         HARTMAN          Of course not. Nice camera work,          Stevie.          Steve glares at Hartman. Corbitt points at the frozen shot          on the TV screen, looks at Steve.                         CORBITT          You want to go back to the Weather          Channel, try that again.          Corbitt checks his watch, points them out the door.                         CORBITT          Get out of here. Don't embarrass          me in Dallas.          Hartman, Angus and Steve walk out. Steve nods to Hartman -          thanks asshole.          In the hallway, Steve's cell phone rings. He answers it.                         STEVE          What?... Mom, let me call you          back.                                                  28.          He listens, signals to Angus he needs a minute, then stops at          a reception area. He sorts through the newspapers, pulls out          the Atlanta Citizen, flips through it.                         STEVE          What page?          He finds Mary's crossword. He looks at it closely, totally          confused. It takes him more than a second to get it.          He laughs -- then suddenly reality sets in.                         STEVE          Jesus.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - BATHROOM - NIGHT          Mary does a crossword while soaking in the bathtub. Without          missing an answer, she reaches over the side of the tub,          grabs the telephone on the floor. She checks the dial tone,          hangs up quickly, continues with the puzzle.                         MARY          Four letter word for am I going to          wait my whole life for Steve to          call?          She suddenly stops writing.                         MARY          Nope.          She flails out of the tub like a salmon heading upstream,          grabs a towel barely big enough to cover her. Without any          effort to dry off, she runs out of the bathroom.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - HALLWAY / LIVING ROOM - NIGHT          Towel wrapped around her but barely covering, Mary reaches          the top of the stairs. Her wet feet sliding all over the          place, she opts for the safety of a banister slide. She gets          up on it, slides a few inches before realizing what a bad          idea it was.                         MARY          Ow ow ouch.          She gets off the banister, slops the rest of the way down the          stairs, jumps into the doorway of the living room.                                                  29.                         MARY          The news is Steve's life! It's not          just what he does, it's who he is,          imbedded deep down in his polymer          of nucleotides. I should be out          there by his side. That's what          girlfriends do, isn't it? Let him          concentrate on his work. I'll          concentrate on the relationship.          It won't be easy, I know, but          neither is quantum physics or...          the Heisenberg Uncertainty          Principle or... paper mache, but          I've managed to do fine with those,          haven't I?          She looks at her parents. They sit at a table playing bridge          with MR. and MRS. HANCOCK.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Mary, you remember the Hancocks.                         MARY          Top of the evening.          Mr. Hancock checks out Mary's bare legs as she stands in a          puddle of bath water. Mrs. Hancock lifts her husband's chin,          snaps him out of it.          MRS. HANCOCK          Loved this week's puzzle, dear.          Whoever Steve is, he must be a very          lucky young man.          Mr. Horowitz gives Mrs. Hancock a look - "don't encourage          her".                         MARY          Exactly! And all I have to do is          go to him, be near him, and do my          best to radiate... me.          Mr. Horowitz doesn't like the sound of this.          MR. HOROWITZ          And where exactly will this          radiation take place?          Mary rushes to the TV, turns it on, flips it to CNN.          ON THE TV:                                                  30.          A shot of the Medieval Times castle in Dallas, TX. The          banner on the screen reads "WORKPLACE KILLING".                         MARY          Wherever news happens, Dad.          Wherever news happens.          EXT. GREYHOUND BUS STATION - ATLANTA - DAY          PASSENGERS board the bus destined for Dallas. Way too          excited in her red boots, Mary is the last in line. She hugs          her mother then jumps up onto the first step of the bus. Mr.          Horowitz holds Mary's knapsack and Kroger bag, shakes his          head in disbelief.          MR. HOROWITZ          This is nuts.          Mary takes the bags from him.                         MARY          Abe, Catherine, I'm off. I don't          know where I'm going -          The Greyhound Bus DRIVER hollers from behind her.                         DRIVER          Dallas.                         MARY          Geographically yes, I know.          Figuratively, philosophically,          spiritually, much less so. My          entire life is before me. The          world is my ostrea edulis... That          means the edible kind of oyster.          MRS. HOROWITZ          That's beautiful, sweetie. You          sure you won't take mine instead?          She tries to switch her leather bag for Mary's Kroger bag.          Mary resists, points back and forth between the two bags.                         MARY          Mom, two handles, two handles, they          both hold stuff, what's the          difference?          Mrs. Horowitz goes to explain, gives up.                                                  31.          MR. HOROWITZ          That Steve shows any disrespect,          you're on the next bus back here.                         MARY          Disrespect. Do you mean          unmannerly, tactless, vulgar?          Because he's a straight man, Dad,          and some things can't be helped.          But if you mean inconsiderate to          me, contemptuous toward me,          insulting, irreverent, uncivil -                         DRIVER          Let's go already!          She steps up one more step, yells out to her parents and the                         WORLD:                         MARY          I don't know when I'll be back but          I do know this-          The door shuts in her face.          INT. GREYHOUND BUS DAY          Mary waves to her worried parents through the closed door.                         MARY          (to herself)          I'm not coming back alone.          EXT. MEDIEVAL TIMES - DALLAS - DAY          Local and national NEWS CREWS are camped across the road from          the Medieval Times castle. Among them, Steve holds the CNN          camera on Hartman. A young audio tech JOSH hovers nearby.                         HARTMAN          Paula, what started out as a          routine rehearsal here at the          Dallas Medieval Times turned deadly          when an employee allegedly turned          on his fellow performers. Twenty-          four hours later, at least thirty          employees are still being held          hostage by the assailant, their          lives hanging in the balance.          He listens to his earpiece, nods.                                                  32.                         HARTMAN          The castle you see behind me is one          of eight medieval Times dinner          theatre restaurants. Guests who          cross the drawbridge enjoy a          medieval style feast while watching          the main attraction: knights          engaging in a battle of strength          and skill. The restaurant promises          "fun, feasting and fighting" but it          appears that this time, fun was in          short supply.          A few feet away, Angus frantically takes notes as he talks to          a MAINTENANCE WORKER, then slips a piece of paper to Hartman.                         HARTMAN          Paula, devastating news just in.          We have one confirmed death - an          Andalusian - a purebred Spanish          horse. One of many that perform in          the show, and the first innocent          victim of a rogue knight's rage...          He takes a moment to fake compose himself, barely getting the          words out.                         HARTMAN          At times like this, I like to think          there's a heaven just for horses.          A rolling meadow, lush grasses,          unlimited supply of... those things          horses like to lick - or is that          cows? Nevertheless, a beautiful,          peaceful place.          He turns and looks toward to the Medieval Times.                         HARTMAN          May you long roam in that heaven,          noble horse -          Angus hands him another note. Hartman scans it, instantly          kills the fake anguish.                         HARTMAN          But not quite yet. We're the first          to report, the horse is not dead,          Paula. Not dead. The horse is          alive and well after having merely          fainted, as it was trained to do          for the show. One happy, blessed          miracle...                         (MORE)                                                  33.          HARTMAN (cont'd)          while a deranged madman continues          to hold the lives of his coworkers          in his depraved hands.          And they're out. A pissed off Hartman pulls out his          earpiece.                         HARTMAN          Dammit, Angus. Get it a bit closer          to right before you hand it to me.          Josh moves in, removes Hartman's mic.                         STEVE          But then we wouldn't have heard          about horse heaven.          Josh and Angus laugh.                         HARTMAN          It's that kind of genius that won          me the Southeast Idaho Christian          Family Coalition's Journalist of          the Year award, you ingrates.          INT. GREYHOUND BUS - NIGHT          The bus is full. Most PASSENGERS sleep.          Mary sits in the aisle seat of the first row, a BURLY MAN in          his 60's beside her. The light above their seats illuminates          the crossword puzzle he's working on. Mary looks over his          shoulder, points to the blank spaces in his puzzle.                         MARY          Omaha... Einstein... cholera...          grenade... Bach... oui...          potbelly... Oreo.          The man drops the crossword, glares at her.                         MARY          Sorry.          She looks away, starts biting her nails, then spots a sign on          the freeway, calls-out to the Driver and anybody else who          will listen.                         MARY          Bessemer, Alabama! Named after Sir          Henry Bessemer, a Brit. Guess what          he did? Perfected the way steel is          made, of course.                         (MORE)                                                  34.          MARY (cont'd)          I won't bore you with the whole          story, just the best parts, like          how it involves molten pig iron          which does not, as one might think,          have anything to do with pigs.          It's actually a raw iron made from          iron ore, plus limestone, plus coke          - and by coke I mean the          carbonaceous residue, not the cola,          or the booger sugar.          Mary looks around for a response -- nothing.                         MARY          You know what else is in Bessemer?          The city, I mean? Hitler's          typewriter. It's crazy, I know.          That guy was such an asshole.           The Driver's eyes glaze over. Please let this and.          EXT. REST STOP - NIGHT          The bus pulls into the rundown rest stop.          INT. GREYHOUND BUS - NIGHT          The Driver looks at the passengers. Most of them are still          sleeping.                         DRIVER          We'll just take five minutes here.          He steps off the bus. Mary turns to the man next to her.                         MARY          Can you watch my stuff?          He glares at her -- you have got to be kidding. Mary grabs          her backpack and Kroger bag and steps off the bus.          INT. REST STOP - NIGHT          Mary walks into the restaurant, heads toward the ladies room.          On her way, she spots a television behind the counter. A few          DINERS watch. Mary joins them.          On the TV: "MEDIEVAL TIMES HOSTAGE CRISIS".                                                  35.                         HARTMAN          (on TV)          Perhaps the greatest obstacle the          hostage negotiators face is the          suspect's refusal to communicate          using modern day technology. In          keeping with his role as a medieval          knight, he's insisting on an          eleventh century messenger to          deliver all communication.          The screen splits with a female news ANCHOR.                         ANCHOR          What are we talking about here,          Hartman? Carrier pigeons?                         MARY          Homing pigeons.          A few of the Diners overhear.                         HARTMAN          Actually, homing pigeons.          The Diners look at Mary.                         MARY          Carrier pigeons, despite their          name, are more or less useless when          it comes to actually carrying          anything. Homing pigeons are          better for messenger work...          The Diners lose interest. Mary catches the eye of a WANDERER          at the end of the counter. He's hanging on her every word.                         MARY          You know who used them all the          time? Genghis Khan. Loved the          pigeons, scared to death of pooches          though.          The Wanderer just stares at her.                         MARY          You know, dogs, canines, de honden?          Still nothing. She looks back at the TV.                                                  36.                         ANCHOR          Have the negotiators located any          homing pigeons? Where do you even          get them in this day and age?                         HARTMAN          You can buy them on the internet          for twenty-five bucks a pop.          Mary looks at the Diners, smiles, points to the TV.                         MARY          My boyfriend is probably holding          that camera right now.          The Diners ignore her and just eat their pie. Mary realizes          the time, runs out of the rest stop.          EXT. REST STOP - NIGHT          Mary runs out into the parking lot. The bus is gone.                         MARY          Crap! Crap, crap, crap!          She looks down the road -- no sign of the bus anywhere. She          takes her paper bag out of her pocket, breathes into it.          A TRUCK DRIVER passes her with coffee in hand, on his way to          his rig.                         MARY          Do you know when the next bus to          Dallas goes through here?          TRUCK DRIVER          Can't say I do.                         MARY          I missed mine.          She breathes double time into the paper bag. He takes pity          on her.          TRUCK DRIVER          I'm headed that way.          He points to his truck. Mary looks at the truck, looks at          him, looks at the truck, thinks about it for a long time.                                                  37.          With no sign of an answer forthcoming, the Truck Driver keeps          walking to his rig. When he's just about there, Mary yells          out to him.                         MARY          You ever killed animals?          He looks at her, surprised but amused.          TRUCK DRIVER          Road kill?                         MARY          Set a garbage can full of kittens          on fire or anything like that?          Now he's disturbed.          TRUCK DRIVER          No.                         MARY          Humans?          TRUCK DRIVER          Would I tell you if I did?                         MARY          Touche, sir. Touche.          Mary thinks some more.          TRUCK DRIVER          Wait for the next bus if that suits          you.          He climbs into the truck. Mary runs to catch up with him.                         MARY          Do you have a .light? Matches,          Zippo, blow torch, et al?          TRUCK DRIVER          Afraid not.                         MARY          May I see your license?          Why not. He pulls his license out of the visor, flashes it.          Mary steps up and grabs it, looks at it closely.                         MARY          Norman James Durwood.                                                  38.          She reaches up and shakes his hand.                         MARY          Mary Magdalene Horowitz.          TRUCK DRIVER/NORM          Good to meet you... I think.          Still holding the license, she digs in her Kroger bag, pulls          out a large black magic marker. She pushes up her sleeve and          writes Norm's license number in huge print down her arm.                         MARY          Norm, if you're going to rape and          murder me, you'll have to cut me up          into a million chunks and scatter           me all over four states, otherwise          this appendage -          She holds her arm up, shows him.                         MARY          Will lead homicide detectives right          to you.          She smiles at him warmly, puts the marker back in her bag.                         MARY          And you already told me you don't          have a light to burn the flesh off.          Norm can't believe this. Before he can say a word, Mary          moves around to the passenger side, hops up into the truck.          She notices some snacks on the dash.                         MARY          Moon Pies! Want to go halfsies?          At a loss, Norm motions for Mary to help herself. As she          unwraps a Pie, he reluctantly starts up the truck.          EXT. MEDIEVAL TIMES - DALLAS - NIGHT          Steve reloads his battery camera at the rental van. Angus          looks over paperwork.                         ANGUS          Rebecca wants you to come for          dinner when we're back home. Her          cousin from Florida -                                                  39.                         STEVE          Forget it.                         ANGUS          What?                         STEVE          It's a set up.                         ANGUS          She's hot.                         STEVE          I don't care. Never again. My mom          set me up with this chick -                         ANGUS          You let you mother set you up?          What the hell is wrong with you?          There's a commotion in the distance. Every photographer on          the grounds focuses on the castle. Reporters jump into          position.          Hartman touches up his make-up, roots through his bag. He          yells out to Steve, Angus and Josh.                         HARTMAN          Which one of you bastards hid my          bronzing shimmer?          The police surrounding the castle take aim.          Dead silence as the Medieval Times drawbridge lowers.          A KNIGHT walks out, arms raised as high as his squeaking          armor will allow, which is not very high, but high enough to          get the point across -- Surrender.          INT. NORM'S TRUCK -- NIGHT          Norm drives as Mary drones on while flipping through a truck          repair manual.                         MARY          And my other rule about crossword          puzzles is this. No pencils.          Doing a crossword with a pencil is          like screaming with your lips duct          taped together. It's weak.                         (MORE)                                                  40.          MARY (cont'd)          If you're going to do a crossword,          you should do it fearlessly, with          abandon, and with a pen. I prefer          a medium tip, felt, blue -                         NORM          Quiet time might be good right          about now.                         MARY          Oh.          She thinks about it, whispers.                         MARY          Do you mean quiet as in softly          hushed like this? Or do you mean          quiet, as in silent?          He nods. Mary squeezes her lips together, holds them. It          lasts for about a second.                         MARY          Norm?                         NORM          What?                         MARY          Thanks for not raping me.                         NORM          My pleasure.          EXT. ROUTE 20 - DAY           As the sun comes up, Norm's truck drives into Dallas.           EXT. MEDIEVAL TIMES - DALLAS - DAY           Norm's truck drives away, leaving Mary standing on the side          of Interstate 35. She looks across the road to the Medieval          Times -- it's completely deserted.                         MARY          Eight letter word for "screwed".          Mary crosses to the Medieval Times parking lot, steps over          the police line blowing in the wind.                         MARY          F-A-S-T-E-N-E-D. Fastened.                                                  41.          She looks around. There's nobody for miles.          MARY (V.O.)          That's what's great about          crosswords, and life. Every once          in a while, you get a surprise.          She heads back to the interstate, starts walking.          INT. BUS STATION - DAY          Mary walks past TV in the bus station tuned to Fox News.          On every screen - images of an upset WOMAN dodging press to          get through the doors of Children's Hospital, Oklahoma City.          The screen caption: "The Fight for Baby Peggy".          EXT. CITY STREET -- DAY          Mary talks on a pay phone.                         MARY          All roads lead to Oklahoma, Papa.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY          Mary's parents share the phone.          MR. HOROWITZ          Last time I checked, freeway 20          still heads right back here.          EXT. CITY STREET - DAY          Mary continues on the phone.                         MARY          My road, dad. My road. You don't          commit to a relationship and then          give up because you'd rather be at          home curled up in front of the          fireplace with a thesaurus. This          is what people are supposed to do -          go out on a limb for love. My limb          just happens to be in Oklahoma.          It's only 850 miles away from home.          No big deal.                         (MORE)                                                  42.          MARY (cont'd)          Just think of this like the time I          went to Girl Scout camp, except for          the part where I got kicked out.          This time, no unsupervised butane          experiment is going to ruin the          adventure, I swear.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY          Mrs. Horowitz hangs up the phone. Mr. Horowitz walks to the          TV, turns it on, flips stations.          MR. HOROWITZ          Oklahoma.          Images of the Oklahoma hospital vigil are everywhere.          Captions like "Breaking News: Baby Peggy" flash across the          screen.          EXT. OKLAHOMA CITY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL - DAY          Dozens of local and national news vans line the streets          surrounding the hospital.          A long line of news crews, views of the hospital's admitting          entrance behind them. At one end of the line, a male KOCO          (Oklahoma) REPORTER talks to camera.          KOCO REPORTER          Eleven months ago, the child we've          come to know as Baby Peggy was born          with an extremely rare birth          defect, a third leg. Shortly after          the birth, her parents Misty and          Bill Dunlevy separated. Now with          joint custody, one parent wants the          baby to keep the third leg, the          other wants it gone...          A few feet away, a female FOX NEWS REPORTER is on camera.          FOX NEWS REPORTER          After months of legal wrangling, a          judge has ordered in favor of the          mother. Amputation surgery is          scheduled for Wednesday but the          father, Bill Dunlevy, isn't about          to give up. As his lawyers work to          secure an injunction, the devoted          father rallies public support for          the extra limb.                                                  43.          At the end of the long line of news crews, Steve has the          camera on Hartman.                         HARTMAN                         (READING)          "God wouldn't have given my child          the third leg if he didn't want her          to keep it." But for now, the fate          of that precious child's third leg          is the hands of a judge... This is          Hartman Hughes reporting, live from          Oklahoma City.          Steve signals they've cut, lowers his camera. Hartman calls          out to Angus.                         HARTMAN          What if next time I say Baby Peggy          is like the wishbone of her          parents' dispute?          Hartman acts out a wishbone pull. Steve's disgusted.                         STEVE          Yeah, go ahead and suggest that.          Corbitt will love it.          Steve turns and looks toward the edge of the fenced off          hospital grounds. Dozens of PROTESTORS are camped out - a          sorry assortment of oddballs standing at the fence, waving          their signs: "SPARE THE LEG", and "HONOR THE FATHER". Many          of them carry drawings of a three legged baby wearing a halo.          Steve braces himself and heads for the crowd. Half way          across, he spots a loner walking from the parking lot. He's          35, chubby, his shirt buttoned one button off so it hangs          lower on the left. This is HOWARD. In one hand: a pro-leg          sign. In his other hand: a carton of chocolate milk.          Howard stops to lick up the chocolate milk spilling all over          his arm. Steve catches up with him.                         STEVE          Mind if I ask you a few questions          on camera?                         HOWARD          Me?                         STEVE          How do you feel about what's going          on here?                                                  44.          Steve shoulders his camera, focuses in on Howard's sign.          It's an impressively detailed drawing of a judge yanking a          baby's third leg off.                         HOWARD          I haven't made up my mind yet.          Both parties have valid arguments.          EXT. 13TH STREET - DAY          HOSPITAL STAFF, PROTESTORS and the curious PUBLIC approach          the hospital grounds.          A taxi inches through the crowd. It barely stops when Mary          leaps out like she's late for a Yanni concert.          EXT. OKLAHOMA CITY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL - DAY          Mary steps onto the hospital grounds and looks all around her          - NEWS CREWS circulate, PATIENTS and staff walk in and out of          the hospital, protestors line the fence. Somewhere in the          middle, she finds what she's hunting for -- Steve.          Mary's face lights up and she starts running toward him - in          her mind, no doubt in slow motion, with clouds parting to          light her way.          Steve's attention is drawn away from the interview with          Howard. He spots Mary running toward him, arms outstretched.                         STEVE          Please God, no.          He looks for a place to hide but she's running ridiculously          fast. It's too late. She's only a few feet away.                         MARY          Steve!          She jumps into his arms but he's only got one arm free and          isn't about to use it to catch her. She slides down his leg          to the ground but quickly picks herself up.                         MARY          I'm here! Surprised?                         STEVE          Surprised?                                                  45.                         MARY          Astounded, flabbergasted,          bushwacked -          He pulls Mary off to the side, away from everybody.                         STEVE          What are you doing?                         MARY          Talking to you. And noticing how          the Oklahoma climate agrees with          your complexion.                         STEVE          Tell me you didn't come all the way          here just to see me.                         MARY          Of course not... I went to Dallas          looking for you first. And you          know why?          Steve grabs his head. This is not happening.                         MARY          Because you're inimitable and I'm          intransigent.                         STEVE          No, we're not. I don't know what          that means but trust me. We're so          not.                         MARY          It means you're awesome and I'm          unstoppable.                         STEVE          Great. Listen, Mary, you seem like          a nice girl, and the ten minutes we          spent together were --                         MARY          Mind blowing.          At a complete loss, he just goes along.                         STEVE          Sure, but I'm working here.          Working.                                                  46.          Mary points to the partially hidden side door of the          hospital. A MAN with his face covered, in a nurse's uniform          and dress shoes, sneaks out the door unnoticed.                         MARY          I know. I'm just here to support          you, show you I care, and also ask          why you aren't following that guy          pretending to be a nurse but          obviously not wearing sterilizable,          non-slip footwear.          Steve looks toward the hospital, spots the Man.                         MARY          If I was Baby Peggy's dad, that's          how I'd avoid the press too.          Steve takes off running. Mary yells out to him.                         MARY          I'll be right here in case you want          to make out later on!          Steve looks back, a bunch of people stare. Mary waves to him          then watches until he's out of sight.          A SECURITY GUARD approaches her.          SECURITY GUARD          Miss, if you want to be here,          you're going to have to stay behind          the fence.          Mary turns to see what he's pointing at - the growing crowd          of protestors off in the distance. They wave their signs          around, cry, sing and sway together, their painful song          barely audible from afar.                         PROTESTORS          Near, far, wherever you are, we          believe that the leg should stay          on...          Mary watches, paralyzed with awe, like seeing herself in the          mirror for the first time ever.          At last, she has found her people.                                                  47.          EXT. OKLAHOMA PROTESTORS CAMP - DAY          An overweight 30ish woman ELIZABETH (who shouldn't be wearing          those low rise pants and cropped tee) lights a bunch of          candles in the grass behind the protestor fence. She reaches          the last candle in line just as Mary walks up to join the          group.          Elizabeth looks up at Mary, smiles.                         ELIZABETH          I like your boots.                         MARY          Thanks. I found them in an alley.          Elizabeth looks at the boots again, impressed. She stands          up.                         ELIZABETH          Are you pro-leg or anti-leg?                         MARY          Neither really.                         ELIZABETH          This is the pro-leg group over          here. We're supporting Baby          Peggy's dad in his fight to save          the baby's third leg.          She points to the end of the fenced off area where only a few           protestors hold anti-leg signs:"NORMAL LIFE FOR BABY PEGGY",          "3 LEGS ARE NOT BETTER THAN 2".                         ELIZABETH          Those are the anti-leggers.          They're all for the amputation.                         MARY          I'm just here because my boyfriend          is working the story. He's with          CNN, the world's news leader, the          most trusted name in news, the          place where more -                         ELIZABETH          The pro-leggers have better snacks.                         MARY          I'm definitely pro-leg.                                                  48.          Elizabeth smiles, hands Mary a candle.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE -- NIGHT          Mr. and Mrs. Horowitz watch TV and read at the same time.          The TV is on mute --- CNN's Baby Peggy coverage.          In the corner of the screen, "amputation countdown - 35          hours". Shots of the protestors' candlelight vigil appear on          the screen.          Mrs. Horowitz spots Mary in the crowd, standing next to          Elizabeth. She sings and waves her candle around, all the          while straining to look for Steve.          MRS. HOROWITZ          There she is! Abe, look! There          she is right there.          Mr. Horowitz glances up from his book.          MR. HOROWITZ          She's going to set her hair on fire          with that candle.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Look, she's made friends.          Mrs. Horowitz tries not to cry.          EXT. OKLAHOMA MEDIA CAMP - NIGHT          At the back doors of the rental van, Steve and Angus work on          laptops. Steve confides in Angus, trying not to wake up          Hartman sleeping on the back seat.                         STEVE          She's on me what, thirty seconds          after meeting me, and the chick          will not shut up the whole time. I          had to fake a work call, gave her          the -                         ANGUS          (imitating Steve)          Wherever news goes...                                                  49.                         STEVE          I think I'm in the clear, then she          does this crossword - she works for          the Citizen - she does this          crossword all about me, and as if          that's not crazy enough, she shows          up here.                         ANGUS          Here?                         STEVE          Over by the fence. Red boots.          Can't miss her.                         ANGUS          Is she hot?                         STEVE          Jesus, Angus. When a psychotic          chick's swinging a machete at your          throat, who cares if she's hot?                         ANGUS          I've been married to the same woman          for seventeen years. I care.                         STEVE          Crazy, man. The chick is cra-zy.          Hartman sits up, totally awake and never happier. He points          at Steve.                         HARTMAN          Priceless! This is priceless!          Steve cringes.                         STEVE          Hughes, don't. Don't even.          EXT. OKLAHOMA PROTESTORS CAMP - NIGHT          A short, 60ish PROTESTOR and his PROTESTOR WIFE talk to an          Oklahoma Journal Record NEWSPAPER REPORTER at the fence.          PROTESTOR WIFE          All we're saying is, wait until          Baby Peggy can talk and ask her          what she wants to do with the          spare.                                                  50.          Mary listens in while she dispenses a hot chocolate from          another protestor's backpack thermos. She finishes pouring,          taps the guy on the shoulder.                         MARY          Thanks, Bruno.          He walks away. Mary takes a sip of the hot chocolate, burns          her mouth.                         MARY          Crap.          She grabs her tongue with her fingers. Hartman appears right          in front of her.                         HARTMAN          M'lady.          She's a bit stunned and star struck. He offers his hand.                         HARTMAN          Hartman Hughes.          Mary lets go of her tongue, uses her saliva covered hand to          shake his.                         MARY          Mary.                         HARTMAN          Mary'. Mary, Mary, Mary.          He takes his hand back, discretely wipes it on his pants.                         HARTMAN          Steve told me you were beautiful.          He was going on and on and on and          on about it. I had to come see for          myself. Great boots.                         MARY          Thank y-          He puts an arm around her, pulls her away from the crowd.                         HARTMAN          Listen, Mary, I've been working          with Steve for about a year now.          The guy is like a brother to me.          A YOUNG PROTESTOR recognizes Hartman.                                                  51.          YOUNG PROTESTOR          Hartman Hughes'.          Without missing a step, Hartman grabs a pen from his pocket          and autographs the guy's sign whether he wants it or not,          then continues on with Mary.                         HARTMAN          Girls follow us around everywhere          we go. Who do you think they're          after?          Hartman reflects on it, smiles.                         HARTMAN          Me, of course me, but every once in          a while some of them try to land          Steve. It's true. Sure he'll go          for a few skanks here and there but          it's all just a sad attempt to hide          his fear. All he wants is to love          but he's afraid of opening up,          afraid of putting himself out          there, afraid of somebody like you,          Mary - yes you - afraid of you          breaking his heart. Can you blame          him?          She's a bit stunned and confused by all of this.                         MARY          No?                         HARTMAN          No! Promise me this. Promise          you'll stick around long enough to          help him get over that fear. He          tells you to go away, don't. He          says he thinks you're crazy?          You're not. He's crazy, Mary.          Crazy not to let down his walls and          tell you how he really feels. Can          I count on you to hang in there no          matter what?                         MARY          Of course. I don't want to          interfere in his work but I just          need to be here for him and -          He grabs her, hugs her in so her words are all muffled - and          yet she keeps talking.                                                  52.                         HARTMAN          Good girl.          The SECURITY GUARD walks past, gestures that they should be          behind the fence. Hartman holds up his press pass to get rid          of the Guard, then lets go of Mary. He points her toward the          protestors, starts backing away.                         HARTMAN          I'll tell Steve to come find you          when we wrap for the day. What          side are you on?                         MARY          Pro-leg.          She shows him her button featuring a cartoon of a very happy          three legged baby. Hartman laughs.                         HARTMAN          You might want to jump camps. No          way they're going let that baby          keep the third leg and live like a          freak. Trust me.          He waves and turns around, starts heading for the press camp.          Mary calls out to him.                         MARY          She'd just be like the tree frogs.          Hartman turns around. What?                         MARY          A trematode parasite causes          polymely (that means extra limbs)          in tree frogs. It happens all the          time. In some ponds there's like a          quarter of the tree frogs with          extra legs. Totally natural.          Hartman looks at her like she's a nutcase.          EXT. OKLAHOMA MEDIA CAMP - NIGHT          Angus is on his phone as Steve rushes to set up his          equipment. Hartman arrives back at the van.                         HARTMAN          What's going on?          Josh rushes to get the mic on Hartman.                                                  53.                         JOSH          The parents of the kid got back          together. Surgery's cancelled.                         HARTMAN          No amputation?                         STEVE          Tell me you weren't talking to          Mary.                         HARTMAN          Who?                         STEVE          Go to hell, Hughes.          scans it          Angus hands Hartman the press release. Hartman          quickly.                         HARTMAN          It's over? The kid keeps the leg.                         ANGUS          For now.          Hartman checks his teeth in a hand mirror.                         HARTMAN          'Til she gets it caught in a car          door.          EXT. OKLAHOMA PROTESTORS CAMP - NIGHT          News spreads around the pro-leg protestors camp. They all          start hollering with joy.          The disappointed anti-leg protestors ditch their signs and          storm off.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - NIGHT          Mr. Horowitz is asleep in front of the TV. He wakes up as          the amputation countdown clock on the news stops.          EXT. OKLAHOMA CITY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL - NIGHT          The news crews line the hospital entrance once again.                                                  54.          KOCO REPORTER          With mere hours to spare, the          Dunlevys reconciled, agreeing to          halt surgery until Baby Peggy is          old enough to decide for herself.          Further down the row of reporters:          FOX NEWS REPORTER          And while dozens of children fight          for their lives behind these walls,          Baby Peggy won't be one of them.          With surgery cancelled, it's time          for the Dunlevys to be a family          once again.          Past a few more news crews, at the end the line, Steve has          the camera on Hartman.                         HARTMAN          And like the noble tree frog whose          extra leg is nothing if not          natural, so Baby Peggy begins the          rest of her three legged life...          This is Hartman Hughes reporting          live from Oklahoma City.          Hartman pulls out his ear piece. Angus, Josh and Steve all          look at him, a bit surprised.                         STEVE          Tree frog? Where do you get this          shit?          Hartman taps the side of his head -- it's all up here.                         HARTMAN          A little thing called astutitude,          my friends.          Steve and Angus look at each other -- is that even a word?          EXT. OKLAHOMA PROTESTORS CAMP - NIGHT          Mary celebrates with the other protestors. The Protestor and          his Protestor Wife cry tears of joy. Mary pulls a tissue out          of her bag, hands it over. The husband takes it, turns away          and wipes his eyes.                                                  55.                         MARY          There you go, George. Just a          little nasolacrimal duct cleaning.          Nothing to be ashamed of.          Elizabeth runs up to Mary, hugs her.                         ELIZABETH          You see? When you sing loud enough          and when your signs are big enough,          people listen!          Mary spots some of the news vans pulling away.                         MARY          Steve!                         ELIZABETH          Go, go on. I'll watch your stuff.          Mary drops her bags, runs toward the media camp.          EXT. OKLAHOMA MEDIA CAMP - NIGHT          Josh pulls the back doors of the van shut.          INT. RENTAL VAN - NIGHT          Angus at the wheel, Hartman in the passenger seat. In the          back, Steve nervously looks out the windows. Josh gets in          next to him.          Angus starts driving slowly across the grass behind other          news vans. Steve finally relaxes.          EXT. RENTAL VAN - NIGHT          As the van drives, Mary runs to catch up.                         MARY          Steve! STEVE!          INT. RENTAL VAN - NIGHT          Hartman spots Mary in the rear view mirror.                         HARTMAN          Angus, hold up.                                                  56.          Steve sees what Hartman's looking at.                         STEVE          No, go. Fast.          Hartman rolls down his window.                         STEVE          Don't.          Hartman sticks his head out the window.                         STEVE          Hughes, I swear I'll kill you.          Hartman waves to Mary to catch up. Angus sees her in the          mirror as he drives.                         ANGUS          Is that her? She's hot.                         STEVE          Angus, come on man, get me out of          here.                         ANGUS          She's really hot.                         STEVE          Who cares? Jesus, you guys -          Angus hits the brakes. Steve hides behind the seat just as          Mary catches up with the van.                         HARTMAN          Hi beautiful.          Mary tries to get a look at Steve but can only see part of          his back hunched over behind the seat.                         MARY          Steve? Are you okay? Is he okay?          Angus leans over to her window.                         ANGUS          I don't think we've met. Angus.          Mary shakes Angus' hand. He can't take his eyes off her.                         HARTMAN          Steve's not feeling well.                                                  57.                         MARY          Oh no.                         HARTMAN          I'm sure he'll be fine by the time          we get to New Mexico.                         ANGUS          Your eyes are striking.          Steve punches him through the seat. Mary's oblivious.                         MARY          Thank you.                         HARTMAN          Steve really wants you to follow          us. It would mean a lot to him.                         STAYS          Steve cringes, goes to speak up but stops himself and          hidden.                         HARTMAN          He was going to go ask you himself          but look at the poor bastard. So          sick he can't even sit up straight.                         MARY          What if it's a viral zoonotic          disease? He should see a doctor.                         HARTMAN          Exactly what I told him, but the          only person he wants touching his          infected flesh is you.          Mary looks at Steve, worried.                         MARY          But wait, what if -          up.          Hartman grabs her face, squishes her lips to shut her                         HARTMAN          Hey now, we need you to be strong          for him. Leachinan trial, Santa Fe,          can you remember that?          Mary nods, unable to speak.                         HARTMAN          We'll meet you there, God willing.                                                  58.          He lets go of her face.                         MARY          Will you take care of him?                         HARTMAN          Like he's my own.          She backs away from the window. Angus waves to her and          starts driving.                         ANGUS          Nothing wrong with that one.                         JOSH          Except for those boots.                         STEVE          You're an asshole, Hughes.          Hartman laughs.          EXT. RENTAL VAN - NIGHT          Mary watches the van drive away.          EXT. OKLAHOMA PROTESTORS CAMP - NIGHT          Only a few protestors remain. Abandoned signs and garbage          cover the grass. Elizabeth gets autographs from other          protestors like it's the last day of high school.          Mary runs up, grabs her bags.                         MARY          Elizabeth! I have to meet Steve at          his next job, in New Mexico. He's          sick, not as in rad, although he is          that too, but more like unwell,          infirm, perhaps barfy. Hopefully          nothing serious but you never can          be too sure and besides, healthy or          not, he needs me.                         ELIZABETH          Sign my book before you go?          Elizabeth hands her the ratty hand decorated book and a pen.                                                  59.                         MARY          The trip's not too long, right          through all kinds of interesting          sites like, for example, El          Santuario de Chimayo: The Lourdes          of America. Know what that is? A          sacred sand pit near a burrito          stand. What could be better than          that?          Mary looks away from Elizabeth, fidgets a bit.                         MARY          Want to go? Unless you're busy, I          mean. You probably have something          better to do.          Elizabeth thinks about it.                         ELIZABETH          Not really.          Mary is stunned. She takes a minute to realize it's real,          gets excited. From behind her:          HOWARD (O.S.)          I'll go too.          Mary turns around and spots Howard.                         ELIZABETH          Mary, have you met Howard?          Mary shakes her head. Howard offers his hand. It's got          dried chocolate milk all over it. She takes it.                         ELIZABETH          Mary, Howard. Howard, Mary. Mary,          Howard's got a car, you know. He          can drive us.          Mary looks at him, thinks about it.                         MARY          What kind of car do you have?                         HOWARD          Plymouth Colt.                         MARY          What year?                                                  60.                         HOWARD          Eighty-nine.          Mary quickly scans her memory.                         MARY          Replace the recalled seat belts?                         HOWARD          Yes.          Mary thinks about it, smiles.                         MARY          Let's grab souvenirs!          Elizabeth and Howard each pick up a Baby Peggy sign off the          ground. Mary grabs as many as she can hold -- way, way too          many. A bunch of them slide off but she perseveres.          MARY (V.0.)          Here's something you never see in          crosswords, two letter words, and          thank goodness for that. The word          "go": not fun. The word "vamoose":          super fun. You see? crosswords          are just like life in that way -          they're only boring if you have no          sense of adventure.          INT. HOWARD'S CAR - NIGHT          Howard starts the car. In the passenger seat, Elizabeth has          a bunch of the protest signs crammed in at her feet.          Mary gets settled in the back seat, spots a copy of          Scientific American magazine, then finds an apple stuck          behind the seat belt. She yanks the apple out, looks at it.          Howard looks at her in the rear view mirror.                         HOWARD          You can have that. I have more.                         MARY          Thanks.          Mary puts the apple in her Kroger bag.                         MARY          Howard, if you get sleepy and want          to trade off driving for a while,          just wake me up and I'll take over.                         (MORE)                                                  61.          MARY (cont'd)          I'm a night owl, yes, but I'm also          a day owl too, a burrowing owl,          technically. They stay awake all          day too. I'm pretty much alert          24/7, always have been. No          caffeine. Just sugar and my          natural tendency to, you know,          never fall asleep.          Mary leans back, closes her eyes, and she's out.          EXT. I-40 - NIGHT          Howard's car merges onto the highway, westbound toward New          Mexico and into the night. Mary sleep talks in the back.                         MARY          Persimmon. AKA, the mabolo, the          date-plum, the velvet apple.          Genus: Diospyros.          EXT. SANTA FE FEDERAL COURT HOUSE - DAY          A media extravaganza - local, national and this time,          international news teams.          A REPORTER for Inside Edition talks on camera.          INSIDE EDITION REPORTER          This tragedy began eight months ago          in what was once paradise - the          Elysium Sanctuary outside of Taos,          New Mexico. For years, celebrities          considered the five star meditation          resort the only true place for          spiritual purification, and with          good reason. Nestled in the heart          of reclaimed Pueblo Indian lands,          the Elysium Sanctuary promised one          thing - enlightenment.          A COURT TV REPORTER is on camera a few feet away.          COURT TV REPORTER          But the Elysium Sanctuary would          never be the same after tragedy          struck last winter. Twenty-six          year old resort masseuse Juan          Carlos Velasquez found stabbed to          death in the meditation villa of          beloved star of stage and screen,          Cloris Leachman.                                                  62.          A bit further down the'line of reporters, an EXTRA! REPORTER          is on camera.          EXTRA! REPORTER          Publicists for the eighty year old          Leachman insist her relationship          with the deceased Velasquez was no          different than with the dozens of          other resort personnel attending to          Ms. Leachman during her solitude          retreat.          At the end of the row, Hartman reports.                         HARTMAN          But the octogenarian Leachman may          not have been as innocent as her          representatives claimed, at least          according to the evidence found at          the murder scene.          Hartman reads from his notes.                         HARTMAN          Whips, hot wax, bamboo skewers, a          spanking bench, and perhaps most          damaging, a henna tattoo across Ms.          Leachman's chest that read "Mrs.          Juan Carlos Velasquez".          EXT. SANTA FE FEDERAL COURT HOUSE - DAY          Elizabeth, Mary and Howard step onto the curb and survey the          crowd.          On one side, an odd assortment of fans with signs like "FREE          CLORIS", "JAIL REAL CRIMINALS, NOT OLD LADIES" and "OSCAR          WINNERS DON'T KILL", with photos of Cloris Leachman through          the years.          On the other side of the crowd, a smaller group of MEXICAN          MOURNERS with signs "JUSTICE FOR JUAN", "GUILTY", and "LET          THE BITCH FRY".                         HOWARD          Guilty or not?          They all think about it. A greasy haired Shaman CLYDE steps          up behind them.                                                  63.                         CLYDE          Everybody deserves the benefit of          the doubt.          He looks at Mary, smiles.                         CLYDE          Everybody.          As he joins the Leachman fans, Mary thinks about it.                         MARY          Be has a point.                         ELIZABETH          Yay! I love Cloris Leachman.                         HOWARD          Who doesn't?          MEXICAN MOURNERS          jMuerte! iMuerte! iMuerte!                         MARY          I have to go find Steve. How do I          look?          Unwashed hair, bed head, and there's a chunk of a Twinkie          caked onto Mary's ear. Elizabeth picks the Twinkie off,          smooths down Mary's hair.                         ELIZABETH          Perfect.                         MARY          I'll be back. Save me a sign! And          if Cloris comes out, tell her I          loved her in "My Little Pony: The          Movie".          Mary runs off as Howard and Elizabeth join the crowd of fans.          EXT. SANTA FE FEDERAL COURT HOUSE - MEDIA CAMP - DAY          Mary walks among the news vans. At the entrance to a nearby          tent, Hartman spots her, waves her over.                         HARTMAN          Hi gorgeous. What'd you do to your          hair?                                                  64.                         MARY          Slept on it in the car. Where's          Steve? Is he okay?                         HARTMAN          Never better. Come in and wait.          He'll be back soon.          INT. MEDIA TENT - DAY          A briefing area is set up - folding chairs, table, podium. A          bunch of male journalists sit around the table playing poker -          Vince (CNN), DOUG (CNN), the COURT TV REPORTER, a BBC NEWS           PHOTOGRAPHER, a FRENCH PHOTOGRAPHER, A SPANISH JOURNALIST and          Angus.          Hartman escorts Mary in. The guys perk up a bit.                         HARTMAN          You all know Mary? Steve's          girlfriend?          Mary shakes hands around the table, greets them all in their          native tongues.                         MARY          Hello... Bonjour... Hola...          Jolly afternoon...          She gets to Angus. He kisses her hand.                         ANGUS          My dear, sit.          He shoves the BBC guy out of the way to make room for Mary          next to him. Vince shuffles the cards.                         VINCE          Mary, you in?                         MARY          Poker? Technically I'm familiar          but I've never actually played.          With people, I mean.          SPANISH JOURNALIST          She's in.          Doug throws in some cash as Vince starts to deal.                                                  65.          EXT. SANTA FE FEDERAL COURT HOUSE - SPECTATORS AREA - DAY          Howard wanders through the crowd wearing an "I V Cloris" t-          shirt over his own. He passes a VENDOR selling "Innocence          Beads", "Acquittal Incense" and "autographed" Cloris Leachman          photos.          The crowd continues to grow. A Candles are lit, healing          rituals performed, donuts passed around.          INT. MEDIA TENT - DAY          Mary holds her cards close to her.                         MARY          "There are few things that are so          unpardonably neglected in our          country as poker." Guess who said          that one.          She looks around the table. The guys, except Angus, are          starting to lose their patience.                         MARY          Mark Twain. And you know what else-          BBC NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER          Darling, you in or not?                         MARY          Sorry.          Mary looks at her cards, thinks about it for way too long,          then grabs a handful of coins from her Kroger bag, slaps them          on the table.                         MARY          Send it, ladies!          Steve steps into the tent, spots Mary, turns to run back out.                         HARTMAN          Don't go, Steve! Look who's here.          Mary jumps up - just about knocks the table over, then          sustains a number of injuries trying to leap over chairs. At          last she makes it to Steve, hugs him.                         MARY          Thank God you're okay!                                                  66.          He looks over her shoulder and mouths "you're dead" to          Hartman.                         TO          He holds her back at arm's length, looks at her, goes          speak then stops himself, pulls her outside the tent.          EXT. MEDIA TENT - DAY          Steve tries to stay calm talking to Mary.                         STEVE          You have to stop stalking me.                         MARY          I'm not. It's more like picking          travel destinations based on where          you happen to be working.                         STEVE          Stalking.                         MARY          Hartman told me you wanted me here.          Now that I am, what better          opportunity for us to get to know          each other better.                         STEVE          This is crazy.                         MARY          Hartman said you'd say that.                         STEVE          Go home, Mary.                         MARY          And he said you'd say that too.          It's just your fear talking.          Steve just about loses it.                         STEVE          He's not my friend, he's not your          friend. He's just an asshole who          thinks it's fun to string you along          and make my life hell.          He yells toward the tent.                         STEVE          Hughes! Get out here!                                                  67.          Mary looks right at him.                         MARY          You know how sometimes you see a          pinguid (that means fat and greasy)          guy with an attractive girl and you          think how the heck did he pull that          off? People won't think that when          they look at us. We're perfectly          matched.          She can hardly contain her excitement.                         STEVE          HUGHES!          Hartman peeks out of the tent.                         HARTMAN          For the hundredth time, Steve, no,          I am not interested in a threesome          with you and your new girlfriend.          Steve points to Mary.                         STEVE          Tell her the truth. About all the          crap you told her.                         HARTMAN          Okay. Fine.          Hartman goes to Mary, grabs her hand.                         HARTMAN          Everything I said about Steve,          about his feelings for you, his          hopes, his dreams, his fears, his          unexplainable odor, forget about          it. Forget everything I said.          None of it was true.          Mary's stunned, devastated. She looks like she's going to          cry. Hartman and Steve look at each other - what now?          Hartman shoves him forward. Steve reluctantly puts a          comforting hand on her shoulder.                         HARTMAN          Because nothing I said comes close          to the enormity of Steve's real          feelings for you!                                                  68.          Mary perks up. Steve yanks his hand off her shoulder like          it's on fire.                         HARTMAN          It's a love that defies words!          Steve jumps him. Hartman fights back. Mary's horrified.                         MARY          Stop it, you guys! Stop! "Victory          attained by violence is tantamount          to a defeat, for it is momentary."          You know who said that? Gandhi.          And me. Just now.          The fight continues. Mary half covers her eyes.          INT. MEDIA TENT - DAY          At the poker table, the guys hear scuffling outside.          BBC NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER          Fight!          They all jump up and run out of the tent.          EXT. MEDIA TENT - DAY          Steve gets a few jabs to Hartman as the rest of the guys          calmly watch.                         VINCE          Nice one.          BBC NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER          Somebody's going to be crying in a          minute.          Angus hugs Mary to "console" her. Hartman gets Steve in a          headlock. Mary can't even watch.          SPANISH JOURNALIST          I'm going to go with Hughes on this          one.                         VINCE          Come on, the guy wears makeup.          The guys all start pulling out cash to place bets. Mary          spots the cash changing hands.                                                  69.                         MARY          No! This isn't about money! It's          about courage, love, honor and all          things virtuous and pure. Steve,          kick him in the leberknoedel!          Hartman looks up at her, hurt. The distraction costs him.          Steve knees him then follows with a jab to his face.                         JOURNALISTS          Ohhhh!          Hartman drops to his knees, tries to pull himself together.                         STEVE          Tell her!                         HARTMAN          Okay, alright.          Hartman wipes his lip, looks up at Mary.                         HARTMAN          Mary, millions of people believe          what I tell them every night. Why          shouldn't you?          Steve dives at him. Hartman swings and gets him right in the          nose. One of their cell phones ring, then another, then all          the guys' phones go off.                         ANGUS          Verdict's in.          They all rush off to the court house, leaving a stunned Mary          standing alone.                         MARY          He fought for me.          Happiest moment of her life.          EXT. SANTA FE FEDERAL COURT HOUSE - DAY          The crowd cheers as CLORIS LEACHMAN is whisked out of the          court house and into a police car. She waves to her fans as          she goes.          The Court TV Reporter is on camera.                                                  70.          COURT TV REPORTER          The end to a difficult and often          emotional trial, the verdict          finally in, Cloris Leachman found          not guilty of the murder of her          twenty-six year old lover Juan          Carlos Velasquez.          Down the row of journalists, the BBC CREW.          BBC JOURNALIST          After a devastating eight months,          Leachman at last vindicated despite          overwhelming evidence against her.          Six more cameras down, the French Reporter.          FRENCH REPORTER                         (SUBTITLED)          Eyewitness testimony, fingerprints          on every inch of the body, the          murder weapon still warm in her          Chanel handbag -          And finally at the end of the line, Hartman - his hair a          mess, his lip cut, his mood sour.          A few feet away filming, Steve's nose bleeds down his chin          and shirt.                         HARTMAN          And as she left the court room          today a free woman, the cheers of          her devoted fans carrying her          forward -          MARY (O.S.)          OH MY GOD, STEVE, YOU'RE BLEEDING!          The camera is knocked out of position as Mary rushes Steve.          Angus steps in and pulls her away. A COP grabs her.          Mary looks back to Steve as she's dragged back to the fan          area.                         MARY          Please! Somebody help him! Apply          a vasoconstrictor, a nasal tampon,          anything! At the absolute least,          direct pressure and a clean tissue!          Steve puts the camera back in place. Hartman recovers fast.                                                  71.                         HARTMAN          As you can see, Cloris Leachman's          fans have become surprisingly          violent despite her victory here          today. Add this to the list of the          most dangerous locations for          journalists. Iraq, Somalia,          Lebanon, Sri Lanka... and just          about any place Cloris Leachman          fans gather.          Hartman wipes blood from his lip.                         HARTMAN          Hartman Hughes putting his life at          risk to report live from Santa Fe,          New Mexico.          They cut. Hartman grabs a hand mirror, points to his face,          yells out to Steve.                         HARTMAN          This is my gift, understand, my          instrument. Makes no difference if          you're walking around looking like          Quasimodo.          Ignoring Hartman, Steve walks over to Angus.                         STEVE          How long do you figure until -          Steve's phone rings. He cringes, answers it.          INT. CNN ATLANTA - DAY          A furious Corbitt holds the phone and replays the live shot          of Hartman at the court house.          MARY (O.S., ON TV)          OH MY GOD, STEVE, YOU'RE          BLEEDING!... OH MY GOD, STEVE,          YOU'RE BLEEDING!... OH MY GOD,          STEVE, YOU'RE BLEEDING!                         CORBITT          Who the hell was that?          EXT. SANTA FE FEDERAL COURT HOUSE - DAY          Steve hesitates on the phone.                                                  72.                         STEVE          This girl. She's been following          me... She's not my girlfriend...          He listens, clenches his teeth, hands the phone to Angus. As          Angus listens, Steve grabs his equipment, waits in dread.          Angus hangs up the phone, hands it back to Steve.                         STEVE          I'm done?                         ANGUS          Consider yourself temporarily saved          by the storm. It's worse than they          thought. We've got to move.          Steve grabs his equipment. They start walking.                         ANGUS          He'll probably fire you after.                         STEVE          Any luck, the storm will kill me          first.          EXT. SANTA FE FEDERAL COURT HOUSE - FAN CAMP - DAY          Elizabeth runs around hugging other fans as Mary stands at          the fence watching the press wrap up, worried.          Clyde the Shaman joins her at the fence, looks right at her,          raises a finger to his lips.                         CLYDE          Shhhh.                         MARY          What? I didn't -                         CLYDE          Shhhh.          He puts his hands on the sides of her head. Mary's confused          and a bit freaked out.                         CLYDE          In here. So loud. Always          thinking, thinking, thinking.          Mary goes to speak, stops herself. Clyde keeps his hands          still on her head, looks into her eyes.                                                  73.                         CLYDE          You already found what you're          looking for.          Mary's eyes soften and she's suddenly calm. A moment of          peace.          Suddenly, Mary spots Hartman, Steve and Angus rush past. She          breaks away from Clyde, rushes along the fence to catch up.                         MARY          Wait! Steve!          Hartman spots her.                         HARTMAN          Sorry, darling, we're on to the          next story.                         MARY          No, wait! Attendee!          She runs to the end of the fence, jumps it, runs after them.          EXT. SANTA FE MEDIA CAMP - DAY          Mary runs to catch up with Steve, Angus and Hartman as they          rush to the trucks.                         MARY          STEVE! STEVE!          Angus and Hartman load up the truck as Steve turns back to          Mary, seething.                         STEVE          Considering you probably just cost          me my job, maybe you don't want to          talk to me right now.                         MARY          But I do! If you're in trouble          because of me I can fix it, I can          explain to your boss. He or she          probably just doesn't understand          our relationship.                         STEVE          We don't have a relationship.                                                  74.                         MARY          Sure we do, it's just in the pupa          stage right now.                         STEVE          Mary, go home!          She looks at him, hurt.                         STEVE          Go home.          He jumps in the CNN truck as Angus starts it up. Mary looks          around, helpless.          EXT. SANTA FE STREET - DAY          Mary runs to the street behind the CNN truck, stops on the          sidewalk. Behind her, a run down rep theater -- "All Above          Eve" on the marquee.          As she watches the truck drive away, her panic suddenly turns          to resolve.                         MARY          Six letter word for "over my          lifeless, rigormortic and maggot          infested, i.e. dead, body am I          giving up now"... D-O-G-G-          motherfucking-E-D. Dogged.          She gets out her Chapstick, liberally applies it, dabs a bit          on her temples as well.                         MARY          Normally I don't condone swearing.          I think it's something people do          when they don't have the vocabulary          to express themselves properly, but          even I, with my plenitudinous          vocab, must admit -- every once in          a while, it's okay to get a bit          peppery -          INT. GREYHOUND BUS STATION - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT          Mary talks on a pay phone. No pacing, no fidgeting. She          means business.                                                  75.                         MARY          I got him in trouble, Dad. I have          to go find him and make it right.          There's three places they could be          headed.          She pulls a note pad out of her pocket, looks it over.                         MARY          For each story, I've worked out an          equation of potential human          casualties, estimated property          damage, availability of endlessly          repeatable images, with bonus          points for anything involving          reporters in galoshes. There's no          doubt in my mind. They're heading          to the storm in Galveston.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - NIGHT          Mr. Horowitz talks on the living room phone, his wife on the          hallway phone - they look at each other in exasperation.          MR. HOROWITZ          Enough is enough. You've got to          get home, turn in your crossword          for next week -          MARY (O.S.)          I can't think of work at a time          like this!          MRS. HOROWITZ          You can't chase that boy any more.          If he doesn't appreciate you it's          ridiculous to -          INT. GREYHOUND BUS STATION -- LOS ANGELES - NIGHT          Mary screams into the phone.                         MARY          Ridiculous? Mom! How many times          did you propose to dad?          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - NIGHT          Mr. and Mrs. Horowitz think about it for a second.                                                  76.          MRS. HOROWITZ MR. HOROWITZ          Twice. Seven times.          INT. GREYHOUND BUS STATION - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT          Mary yells on the phone. PASSENGERS start to stare.                         MARY          I rest my case! If you gave up the          first time dad said no then I          wouldn't exist. Telling me to give          up so soon on my potential husband-          to-be, birth father of my twelve          future children and adoptive father          of my gerbil Carol -- you might as          well be saying that you wish you          had given up too and that you never          married dad and that I'd never been          born. Is that what you're saying?          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - NIGHT          Mrs. Horowitz looks at her husband.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Give Steve my best.          MR. HOROWITZ          Be careful.          MRS. HOROWITZ          And eat! A biscuit, anything. A          V8 wouldn't kill you.          EXT. GREYHOUND BUS STATION - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT          Elizabeth stands at the bus to Oklahoma City, a pile of          Leachman signs at her feet. Mary approaches.                         MARY          Sure you don't want to come along?                         ELIZABETH          I wish, but I only left enough cat          food out for two days. I'll miss          you guys!          Elizabeth hugs them both, jumps on the bus. Howard and Mary          watch as she struggles to her seat with all the signs.                                                  77.          INT. HOWARD'S CAR - PARKING LOT - NIGHT          Howard and Mary fasten their seat belts.                         HOWARD          This storm could be bad. Sure you          want to drive into it?                         MARY          How bad could it be?          TNT. CNN ATLANTA - NIGHT          The CNN METEOROLOGIST points at the map, images swirling          around the Gulf Coast.          CNN METEOROLOGIST          Hurricane Lorraine, currently rated          category four, expected to hit          landfall by tomorrow evening.          Making the situation even more          frightening, that area of Texas          currently in the midst of its worst          tornado season in history.          Tornado images appear on the map.          CNN METEOROLOGIST          And here's where it gets          interesting.          A black swarm graphic appears as well.          CNN METEOROLOGIST          Add the looming cicada migration to          the mix and no one knows just how          devastating this storm could be.          INT. WEATHER CHANNEL STAGE - DAY          A WEATHER CHANNEL METEOROLOGIST talks on camera, completely          calm.          WEATHER CHANNEL METEOROLOGIST          Category four hurricane, an F-3 or          "severe" tornado, billions upon          billions of cicadas -- collectively          now being termed a "category          fifteen winged tornadocane".                                                  78.          INT. KTFT TELEFUTURA TV STATION - DAY          The Hispanic KTFT METEOROLOGIST points to the green screen.          KTFT METEOROLOGIST          Tornadocane.          INT. KPRC HOUSTON TV STATION - DAY          The KPRC ANCHOR is on camera.          KPRC ANCHOR          Tornadocane.          INT. KLUG HARLINGTON TX TV STATION - - DAY          The KLUJ METEOROLOGIST looks at his notes, tries to keep it          together, half talks to himself.          KLUG METEOROLOGIST          God really hates us now.          EXT. 1-45 TO GALVESTON TX - DAY          Torrential rain pelts the line of vehicles heading north.          The only movement in the southbound lanes -- Howard's car.          EXT. GALVESTON WATERFRONT - DAY          In full rain gear, Hartman walks past rows of boarded up          businesses. Steve follows him with the camera. Angus, Doug          and Josh are close behind.          The rain is deafening, the wind ridiculous. It's all Hartman          can do to stay on his feet.                         HARTMAN          (yelling his head off)          And this time, the warnings were          hard to ignore. One Galvestonian          told us "tornados, we can handle.          Hurricanes we can handle. Bugs we          can handle. Put 'em all together          and that's a storm I don't need to          see". A wise man indeed.          Something off to the side catches Hartman's eye -- it's a          picnic table blowing down the street.                                                  79.                         HARTMAN          Oooh! Get that!          Steve gets the shot then pretends to make adjustments to his          camera while he discretely scans the area, on the lookout for          Mary.          INT. HOWARD'S CAR ON 1-45 TO GALVESTON TX - DAY          Howard and Mary can barely see out the window. The car          inches along.          Mary digs in a KFC bag, takes out a handy wipe, starts          cleaning her body with it.                         MARY          And when I met Steve, I knew right          away we had a lot in common. We're          both in the media, we both love          crosswords, we both love words. We          both felt this unexplainable          connection, no matter how much his          instinct might be to fight it.          That's okay. We just have to get          to know each other better, that's          all.          She uses the wipe on her face, gets a bit on her lip and the          taste is awful. She rolls down the window, closes her eyes          and gently sticks her face out to rinse with rain water.          The car hits a flooded patch of the road. A wave of mud          washes up and smacks Mary right in the face.                         MARY          Crap.          She starts the handy wipe bath all over again. A nervous          Howard speaks up.                         HOWARD          I saw Steve talking to you... He          wasn't very nice.          Mary makes herself busy putting the handy wipe in her Kroger          bag then looks out the window.                         MARY          If there's one thing I learned from          crossword puzzles it's that you          can't give up.                         (MORE)                                                  80.          MARY (cont'd)          Sometimes you run into a doozy and          you think you'll never be able to          solve it in a million years. If          you quit, you're right, but if you          stick with it, you'll figure it          out. Eventually.          She looks at Howard.                         MARY          I have to give it one more try. I          have to fix the mess I made with          his work, then maybe he and I --          For the first time, she doesn't seem so sure. Howard          notices.                         HOWARD          You know what my favorite part of          doing crosswords is? When you know          something you didn't think you          knew.          Mary thinks about it, then turns back to looking out the          window.                         MARY          Me too.          EXT. GALVESTON PIER - DAY          Hartman stands in the middle of a pier that looks moments          away from being carried out to sea. Steve shoots from a spot          on the pier a few feet closer to shore but not much safer.                         HARTMAN          Paula, this pier was closed to the          public twenty-four hours ago, and          for good reason.          Steve inches a bit closer for the shot, his footing unstable.          Josh moves in and hangs on to Steve to keep him steady.                         HARTMAN          As I stand here, I can actually          feel the structure moving under my          feet. The only thing between me          and the limitless depths of the sea          is this two-by-four railing that -          The railing flies off. Hartman drops to his knees and crawls          to the other railing then hangs on for dear life. Steve and          Josh struggle to hang on to the camera and each other.                                                  81.          Steve signals,to Hartman to wrap it up fast. Hartman talks          slower than ever.                         HARTMAN          And Paula I have to tell you, not          only has my hearing been          permanently damaged by the sheer          force of the rain hitting my          eardrums, but at this point, I'm          beginning to wonder if I'll even          make it out alive.          He raises his head up for the big finish, gets hammered by          the wind and rain.                         HARTMAN          This is Hartman Hughes, reporting          live from Galveston, Texas.          Steve and Josh start backing up off the pier with Hartman          crawling behind them. Steve yells back to him.                         STEVE          You had to get the pier shot. Had          to. Just about got us all killed.          Happy?          Hartman points in the water, yells.                         HARTMAN          OH MY GOD! IT'S MARY!          Steve jumps, looks to where Hartman is pointing -- it's a          plastic bag floating by in the water.                         STEVE          You're such an asshole.          Steve walks off the pier mad as hell.                         HARTMAN          Come on, that was funny. You have          to admit... Stevie?          EXT. HOWARD'S CAR ON 1-45 TO GALVESTON TX - DAY          The northbound lanes now empty, Howard's car is the only one          on the road.                                                  82.          1-45 TO GALVESTON TX - DAY          INT. HOWARD'S CAR ON          Howard stares out the window, the first look of real fear on          his face.                         HOWARD          Hang on.          He hits the brakes, starts backing up as quickly as possible.          Mary looks ahead -- sees what looks like a tornado up ahead.                         MARY          Oh my God.          Howard backs under an overpass, points to a protected area up          the cement embankment.          EXT. 1-45 OVERPASS - DAY          Mary and Howard run up the cement embankment as the rain and          winds swirl all around them.                         HOWARD          We'll just have to wait for this to          pass, then we'll keep going. It'll          be okay.          They look down to the road just in time to see Howard's car          picked up and blown right through the underpass, landing on          its side in a ditch fifty yards away.                         MARY          Crap!          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - NIGHT          Mr. and Mrs. Horowitz watch images of the storm on TV, the          captions read "BREAKING NEWS: KILLER STORM". Mrs. Horowitz          crosses herself. Mr. Horowitz puts an arm around her.          MR. HOROWITZ          She's fine. She's fine.          MRS. HOROWITZ          This is all your fault.          MR. HOROWITZ          I know.                                                  83.          EXT. GALVESTON WATERFRONT - NIGHT          Steve is asleep sitting upright in the back of the rental          van. A hand caresses his cheek.          GIRL'S VOICE          Steve... Oh Steve...          Steve awakens in panic.                         STEVE          GO AWAY, GO AWAY, GO AWAY!          13          Steve looks at the person in front of him -- it's a scared          year old MEXICAN BOY.                         STEVE          Who the hell are you? What are you          doing?          MEXICAN BOY          They pay me twenty dollar to wake          you.          Steve looks outside the van, sees Doug and Hartman laughing          hard. The Kid scurries out of the van. Angus gets in, opens          up his laptop.                         STEVE          You seen her?                         ANGUS          She's too smart to come here during          this.          Steve looks around like he's crazy.                         STEVE          No, she's here somewhere. I can          feel it.          EXT. 1--45 OVERPASS - NIGHT          As the storm calms around them, Howard and an exhausted Mary          crouch in the sheltered area. They use a little flashlight          on Mary's keychain to watch debris blowing by.                         MARY          I spy with my little eye a chemical          element from group two of the          periodic table.                                                  84.          Howard points to a discarded fireworks casing at their feet.                         HOWARD          Barium... I spy with my little                         -          eye... a transition metal          She barely has the energy to get the word out.                         MARY          Cobalt.          Mary points to a steel belted tire on the ground, lays back          and shuts her eyes. Howard takes something out of his - it's a          pocket, puts it in her hand. Mary looks at it          shrivelled, sculpted apple head. She smiles, hardly able to          keep her eyes open.                         MARY          Mother Teresa.                         HOWARD          My best seller. I'm an apple          sculptor.          She's quiet for once. Howard watches her drift off.                         HOWARD          I went to school for physics but got          bored. Now I just make these and          sell them on appleheadsrule.com. I          was going to give that one to my          girlfriend in Bangor but I can make          her another one. She'd probably          prefer a Stephen Hawking one anyway.          Science is her life. Not like my          girlfriend in Tacoma. She's really          into Jesus. Same as my other          girlfriend in Duluth.          He waits for a response - nothing.                         HOWARD          Maybe I'll meet them in person one          day. They're just so far away and          I don't get out much, not farther          than the apple orchard or the post          office anyway.                         MARY          But you're out now.          He's a bit surprised she was listening.                                                  85.                         HOWARD          I saw the people on TV fighting for          Baby Peggy. It wasn't far from my          house, and the people there looked          nice enough, so I went. I thought          I had everything I needed at home          but then I thought, maybe there's          more.                         MARY          Maybe there is.                         HOWARD          Can I tell you something?          Mary nods.                         HOWARD          I like your eyeballs.                         MARY          They're fuscous, that means -                         HOWARD          Brownish gray. I know.          They both smile.          EXT. GALVESTON WATERFRONT - DAY          Downed trees, flooded lawns, debris all over the place but          all in all, not too bad.          EXT. 1-45 TO GALVESTON TX - DAY          The storm subsided, nothing but a light rain. Howard and          Mary stand beside the car on its side in the shallow ditch.                         MARY          You know what I'd call this?                         HOWARD          Quagmire?                         MARY          Imbroglio, Howard. That means          we're screwed.                                                  86.          INT. CNN ATLANTA - DAY          Dan Corbitt talks to another EXEC. at the water cooler.                         CORBITT          Storm's over. What else is          happening?          The Exec shrugs and yawns.          EXT. CITY STREET - DAY          A BUSINESSMAN picks up a newspaper, looks at the front page -          it's a photo from the Westminster Garden Show.                         BUSINESSMAN          Sloooowww news day.          INT. THE TIMES-PICAYUNE NEWSPAPER OFFICES - DAY          A couple of bored REPORTERS sit tapping pens on their desks.          FIRST REPORTER          Fire, a car chase, anything?          SECOND REPORTER          There is nothing going on, man.          Nada.          EXT. PASTORAL FIELD NEAR EUNICE, LOUISIANA - DAY          15 DEAF KIDS bounce up a small hill, followed by three female           TEACHERS. When they finally reach the top, they all st op.          Ahead of them, down the hill, the Tri-Parish Fair - complete          with carnival rides, pie contests, music, dancing, rodeo and          livestock shows.                         TEACHER          (speaking while signing to          the kids)          Who's ready for some fun?          The deaf kids start running down the hill, straight for the          petting zoo.                                                  87.          Just when they're close enough to smell the goats, tground          gives way from the back and the kids drop out of sight          front of the Teachers - each kid taken tota off           having heard the dropping behind them. A g lly i ant puf guard, not f           dust settles to reveal a gaping hole in the earth.          The Teachers drop their picnic baskets and scream their heads          off.          INT. RURAL HOME - DAY          A messy living room, the TV on, nobody watching it.          ON THE TV: "BREAKING NEWS - ABANDONED MINE DISASTER".          CNN ANCHOR          An abandoned mine shaft on the          outskirts of Eunice, Louisiana.          The children, apparently all          hearing impaired, enjoying a trip'          to the county fair, blissfully          unaware of the danger that lay          ahead.          INT. FOX NEWS STAGE - DAY          The FOX NEWS ANCHOR is on camera.          FOX NEWS ANCHOR          No word yet on injuries. No word          on when, or if, rescuers will be          able to reach the special needs          children. Well continue to bring          you news as this tragic story          unfolds.          EXT. 1-45 TO GALVESTON TX - DAY          As Mary and Howard try to tip the car, Mary is distracted by          a rental van barrelling down the interstate, northbound.          INT. RENTAL VAN ON 1-45 - DAY          Steve drives, Hartman is next to him. Angus is in the back          with Doug and Josh.                                                  88.                         HARTMAN          Tornadocane my ass. Where the hell          were the cicadas? Retards in a          mine shaft, now that's a story.                         STEVE          They're deaf, asshole.          They spot Mary and Howard up ahead in the ditch, next to the          car on its side.                         HARTMAN          Look, it's your girlfriend.                         STEVE          We're not stopping.          Hartman grabs a piece of paper, writes fast.                         ANGUS          We can't just leave them.                         STEVE          Highway patrol's down here every          hour. It's not like they'll rot in          the ditch.          As they get closer, Hartman rolls down his window, folds up          the piece of paper.                         STEVE          What the hell are you doing?                         HARTMAN          Getting some fresh air. It helps          my pores.          Steve tries to grab the paper.                         STEVE          Hughes!                         HARTMAN          Yes, Steven?                         STEVE          You're not telling her where we're          going.                         HARTMAN          Aren't I?                                                  89.          Hartman leans out the window with the paper, waves it around.          Steve reaches for it, one hand on the wheel. As he grabs          Hartman, the truck starts swerving.                         ANGUS          Christ, you two. You'll get us          killed.          Angus leans into the front seat, tries to steady the steering          wheel.          EXT. 1-45 TO GALVESTON TX - DAY          Mary spots the rental van approaching, swerving - Hartman          waving a piece of paper out the window. As the van passes          by, Hartman lets the paper go.          INT. RENTAL VAN ON 1-45 - DAY          Hartman rolls up the window, happy with himself. Steve slugs          him in the arm.                         STEVE          Asshole!          Hartman laughs, rubs his arm in pain.          EXT. 1-45 TO GALVESTON TX - DAY          Mary rushes to the ditch, picks up the paper.                         MARY          "Eunice, Louisiana. Please..."          She stops reading, looks a bit uneasy. Howard steps forward,          grabs the note.                         HOWARD          "Please meet..."          He looks at Mary, disgusted, continues reading.                         HOWARD          M-E-A-T. "Please meat me there.          XO Steve".                         MARY          See? He needs me, if only to help          with his spelling.                                                  90.                         HOWARD          No kidding.          She rushes to the car, Howard joins her. They push the car ey          with everything they have, it tips back onto its wheels. Th          jump in the car and start it up.          - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS          SECURITY PERSONNEL guard the closed entrance and turn away          pissed off FAIR PATRONS.          At the edge of the fair grounds, the ferris wheel casts a          shadow over the rescue site. The whole area has been          overtaken by RESCUERS and their equipment. POLICE guard the          tape to keep ONLOOKERS back. Local MEDIA circulates.          Hartman kneels at the back of the ambulance, holding the hand          of one of the Teachers. Steve gets it on camera, all the          while looking around, a bit paranoid.                         HARTMAN          And what went through your mind          when you realized they were gone?          The Teacher just bawls. Hartman turns to the camera.                         HARTMAN          Grief too strong for words. That's          the best way to describe this          tragic, tragic scene. One minute,          a merry day at the fair. The next          minute, helpless babes savagely          sucked into the menacing abyss.          The Teacher bawls even harder. Hartman gives her a "there          there" then continues talking to camera.                         HARTMAN          And here's how hopeless the rescue          looks at this moment. The earth          surrounding hole is far too          perilous for anybody to approach on          foot. Moving heavy rescue          equipment in too close could mean          death for the rescuers as well.          Its cold down there, wet, dark,          probably a few snakes and rats          moving around.                         (MORE)                                                  91.          HARTMAN (cont'd)          If the hearing impaired children          even survived the fall, they're          undoubtedly dealing with serious          injuries, although some may have          had their fall cushioned by their          deaf brothers and sisters who          dropped before them. Nevertheless,          they've got to be in complete          misery. Even if one them is          telling the next "it'll be okay",          it's not like he, or she, can hear          a word of it.          INT. MINE SHAFT - DAY          The coal dust covered kids sit in the dark, totally unharmed.          A few of them play rock, paper, scissors. Others braid each          other's hair. An 8 year old boy signs to his friend.          DEAF BOY                         (SUBTITLED)          I don't know what the hell happened          but I smell a lawsuit.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - DAY          Behind the taped off area, a crowd is forming. A school bus          pulls up and drops off a bunch more people. They place their          stuffed animals, notes, flowers at the tape barrier. A bunch          of them start crying. Among them, some familiar faces from          the Oklahoma protestors.          INT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - RESCUE SITE - DAY          Rescuers keep a safe distance from the perilous hole. A          RESCUE SUPERVISOR oversees the effort, watches as a bucket is          attached to the old crane, barely big enough for one person.          A FIREMAN gets in the bucket, doesn't fit. He gets out. A          SKINNY FIREMAN is pushed forward. He gets in.          The bucket is lowered into the ground. Hartman jumps in          front of the scene. Steve follows with the camera.                         HARTMAN          To some, a simple crane. To the          trapped, innocent, special children          -- the answer to their prayers.          The cable lowering the bucket jerks and stops. The crowd          gasps. Hartman stays on camera.                                                  92.                         HARTMAN          Or is it?          The cable jerks and begins moving again.                         HARTMAN          Only time will tell.          Through the crowd, Steve sees a WOMAN who looks like Mary          from the back. fie freezes, then realizes it's not her.          Total relief.          - PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS          The crowd, now even larger, waits.          - DAY          INT. HOWARD'S CAR NEAR THE FAIR GROUNDS          Howard searches for a space to park. Every inch of the place          is packed with cars, trucks, buses. Mary prays.                         MARY          Please let those kids be okay.          - RESCUE SITE - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS          A line of cameras fixed on the opening to the hole.          At the ambulances, the Teachers stand wrapped in blankets          watching, crying.          Steve steps a bit closer to the hole with his camera.                         RESCUER          Hey! Buddy! Back it up.          Steve backs up, refocuses on the hole as the cable rises.          - it's one of the Kids          Finally, a smiling little face appears          being carried up by the Fireman.                         FIREMAN          They're all okay!          The rescuers cheer. The Teachers bawl.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - DAY          The crowd goes nuts.                                                  93.          - RESCUE SITE - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS          Hartman jumps in front of Steve's camera.                         HARTMAN          Elation here in Louisiana but the          danger, far from over as rescuers          bring these children up one grubby          little face at a time.          Hartman looks off to the side, holds up a finger like he's          trying not to cry. He signals Steve to cut.                         HARTMAN          Remind me next time to mention          Jesus.          Still on the lookout for Mary, Steve's not even listening.          --- PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS          Mary and Howard run through the crowd. Mary spots George,          the Protestor from Oklahoma and his Wife.                         MARY          George, Lydia! What's going on?          Lydia hugs her.          PROTESTOR WIFE / LYDIA          They got eleven out. All fine,          thank God. More coming up.          - RESCUE SITE - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS          Steve films as the rescued kids are wrapped in blankets, the          Teachers hysterically crying.          The Fireman brings up another one. As he's raised to ground          level he calls out to the Rescue Supervisor.                         FIREMAN          That's the last of them!          As he hands the kid to safety, the cable jerks. He gets out          of the basket just in time before the whole thing - basket          and cable -- snaps off and drops into the hole.                                                  94.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - DAY          Mary celebrates with the other onlookers as if she forgot why          she's there.          She glances toward the rescue site and spots Steve on the far          side. She gets excited all over again, ducks under the tape          and runs toward him.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - RESCUE SITE - DAY          Steve films Hartman.                         HARTMAN          A happy ending that's left parents          across this country wondering - how          can I keep my family safe from          abandoned mines? Are there          abandoned mines in my backyard? Is          my child's school built on top of          an abandoned mine?          Steve spots Mary, running toward him.                         STEVE          No, no, no.                         HARTMAN          And how, oh how, can these death          traps be avoided?          Mary drops right into the abandoned mine.          INT. CNN ATLANTA - DAY          A monitor displays the current broadcast: "Breaking News:          Abandoned Mine Accident"          CNN ANCHOR          Mary Horowitz.          A painful high school photo of Mary appears on the screen.          Bad hair, bad make-up, ridiculously large smile, unfortunate          frilly chemise.          INT. OFFICE - DAY          A GUY watches the news on his laptop.                                                  95.          NEWS ANCHOR          Mary Horowitz.          - DAY          INT. ATLANTA CITIZEN NEWSPAPER OFFICES          Staff members huddle around the TV.          ANOTHER NEWS ANCHOR          Mary Horowitz.          - MEDIA CAMP - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS          As all the other Journalists scramble, Hartman and Steve are          a bit stunned. Angus joins them, puts his phone on speaker.          CORBITT (O.S.)          Shame about your girlfriend in the          pit, Steve, but we've got the          inside advantage here so let's use          it.          Steve shakes his head, not impressed.          Angus takes the phone off speaker, steps aside to talk to          Corbitt. Steve's phone rings. He answers it, listens,          cringes.                         STEVE          Mrs. Horowitz.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY          Mrs. Horowitz cries into the phone.          MRS. HOROWITZ          We're coming! Tell her to hang on!          Mr. Horowitz runs down the stairs with luggage and Carol the          gerbil.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - MEDIA CAMP -- DAY          Steve listens to the phone and glares at Hartman.                         STEVE          You and your husband stay put, Mrs.          Horowitz.                         (MORE)                                                  96.          STEVE (cont'd)          They'll have her out before you          even make it to the airport...          She'll be fine. I promise.          He hangs up, looks at Hartman.                         STEVE          She better be.          Hartman looks away, guilty.          INT. MINE SHAFT - DAY          Complete darkness. Mary's voice full of misery.                         MARY          Eight letter word for... my life          has come to this.          There's a bit of shuffling around in the dark.                         MARY          Not destiny, that's only seven          letters. Not fortuity - that          sounds more like when good things          happen to people like finding a          quarter in the sofa or something.          I mean the not so great stuff          that's bound to befall some people          more than others. Fate's nasty          cousin, I mean.          Suddenly Mary's face lights up with her mini keychain          flashlight.                         MARY          F-O-R-E-D-0-0-M. Foredoom.                         A          Mary shines the light on her knee. Her previous cut is now          gaping wound, blood is all over the place.                         MARY          Crap.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - DAY          State Troopers hold back the growing crowd. Howard looks          toward the rescue site, worried. He tries to sneak under the          rope but a State Trooper points him back.                                                  97.          - RESCUE SITE - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS          Near the hole, the Rescue Supervisor consults with the other          rescuers and a MINE SAFETY EXPERT.          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          The new equipment is going to take          a while. Let's try and find out          what kind of shape our victim's in.                         RESCUER          Can we lower a phone down in there?          MINE SAFETY EXPERT          Not at those depths, this whole          area is bad enough above ground.          We'll never get a signal down          there.          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          Let's keep it simple. Get me a          flashlight, a piece of paper and a          pencil.          An unenthusiastic Hartman steps in front of the camera, the          Rescuers in the shot behind him. Doug films. Hartman goes          to speak but can't seem to summon his on air personality.                         HARTMAN          Behind inc... Oh what's the point?          Hartman walks away moping.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - MEDIA CAMP - DAY          Steve paces. Angus hangs up the phone.                         ANGUS          Corbitt wants you to go on air to          talk about Mary. An interview with          the boyfriend.                         STEVE          I'm not her boyfriend!                         ANGUS          Close enough. Come on, we need          this.          Hartman steps up, listens in.                                                  98.                         ANGUS          Fox has already got their hands on          everything but her panty size.                         HARTMAN          Fox scooped us? Our Mary? The          bastards.          Steve glares at him.          INT. FOX NEWS - DAY          A RETIRED MINE SUPERVISOR comments as a graphic shows the          cross section of the mine. As he talks, the graphic animates          with a female figure in red boots tumbling into the mine and          bouncing off the walls all the way down -- and it plays over          and over.          RETIRED MINE SUPERVISOR          That area was never reinforced up          above, no need since the whole          eastern tunnel was blocked off in          the late Seventies. Of course that          would also affect the air quality          down there.                         ANCHOR          That has to be bad news for Mary          Horowitz, wouldn't you say?          RETIRED MINE SUPERVISOR          Definitely not looking good.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY          Mr. Horowitz snaps the TV off, furious and worried.          An upset Mrs. Horowitz cracks open the curtains, looks          outside.          MRS. HOROWITZ          Who are these people?          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY          A slick, young JOURNALIST stands on the sidewalk in front of          the Horowitz house.                                                  99.          SLICK JOURNALIST          Mary Horowitz, described by those          who know her as smart, talkative,          very much the girl next door, that          is, if the girl next door has a          genius level IQ. She's worked for          eleven years as the crossword          constructor for the Atlanta Citizen          and lives right here with her          parents.          Mr. Horowitz opens the door an is swarmed by Reporters. The          Slick Journalist gets right in there.          MR. HOROWITZ          No, Mary doesn't live with us. She          just came over one day and won't          leave, but she has her own place.          SLICK JOURNALIST          Can you comment on the rumors that          Mary's fall into the mine was a          suicide attempt?          MR. HOROWITZ          That's ridiculous. Not our Mary.          The word depression isn't in her          vocabulary. Well, it's in her          vocabulary, obviously, but no,          nothing ever gets her down. Steady          as a rock, that one.          INT. MINE SHAFT - DAY          Mary shines her light around on the walls of the mine. Black          soot everywhere, a mine track, abandoned equipment.                         MARY          I am not afraid. I am not fearful,          pusillanimous, nor am I affrighted.          Suddenly in the light - a face. Mary screams her head off.          The face doesn't budge - it's a LITTLE DEAF GIRL.                         MARY          Oh my God, they forgot one! You          scared the crap out of me.          The girl just stares at her.                                                  100.                         MARY          I'm sorry, can you hear me, I mean          at all? Do you have sensorineural          hearing loss or conductive? "Deaf          people can do anything except          hear." You know who said that?          Doctor Jordan, first deaf President          of Gallaudet U. Maybe you'll go          there one day. That is, unless we          perish down here.          Mary smiles. The Little Deaf Girl just stares back.          - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - RESCUE SITE          A YOUNG RESCUER arrives with the flashlight, pencil and          paper.          YOUNG RESCUER          What should we say?          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          Tell her help is on the way. We          just need her to confirm she's          conscious -- here, give me that.          The Supervisor grabs the paper and pencil, scribbles the          note, ties it to the flashlight.          They look up to the thin nylon rope now in place of the          snapped cable. The Rescue Supervisor signals for them to          drop it. He attaches the flashlight/note, waves to the crane          op.          The crane swings over, lowers the rope into the hole.          INT. MINE SHAFT - DAY          Mary talks to the little Girl.                         MARY          And then there's black lung          disease, also a problem in coal          mines. Chronic cough,          breathlessness, cyanosis - that's          where your skin turns purple --          There's a CLINK behind Mary. She turns her light onto the          area, sees the flashlight and note hanging from the thin          rope. Mary grabs the flashlight, turns it on, reads the          note.                                                  101.          - RESCUE SITE - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS          At the hole, the crane reels in the rope, swings it away from          the hole. They see the note attached, flashlight gone.          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          That's a good sign right there.          The Young Rescuer grabs the note.          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          What's it say?                         UNFOLDS          The rescue team gathers around. The Young Rescuer          the note, reads it slowly and loudly.          YOUNG RESCUER          "I think you mean, am i conscious,          not am I conscience."          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          Jesus Christ.          YOUNG RESCUER          "Conscious means alert and awake.          Conscience is your inner morality          gauge, you know, the thing that          stops you from doing bad things,          e.g. killing, stealing, harming          helpless animals, and whatnot."          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          Can we leave her down there?          He motions for the Rescuer to continue.          YOUNG RESCUER          "To answer your question, yes I am          conscious. My leg is bleeding but          I'll probably live."           RESCUE SUPERVISOR          Great.          YOUNG RESCUER          "Yours truly, Mary Horowitz."          The other rescuers start to disperse.                         RESCUER          "P.S. Did anybody lose a little          deaf girl?"                                                  102.          The rescuers stop in their tracks.                         RESCUER          "I found one. She's fine... Other          than not being able to hear, I          mean."          INT. FOX NEWS DESK - DAY          "Alive!" splashes across the screen.          FOX NEWS ANCHOR          Breaking news from Louisiana, we've          just received word that abandoned          mine victim Mary Horowitz is alive.          TNT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY          Mr. and Mrs. Horowitz watch the "Alive!" news coverage. Mrs.          Horowitz cries. Mr. Horowitz comforts her.          TNT. FOX NEWS DESK -- DAY          The mine coverage continues.          FOX NEWS ANCHOR          Also in the mine, a hearing          impaired child overlooked in the          earlier rescue. Speculation now as          to whether or not Mary Horowitz          intentionally heaved herself into          the mine to save the child after          rescuers ignored her pleas.          INT. CNN HEADLINE NEWS -- DAY          NANCY GRACE is locked and loaded.          NANCY GRACE          They missed a child? They missed a          child? Can't these people count?          Thank goodness for this woman, this          Mary Horowitz - let's bring up that          picture of her again.          The picture of Mary appears on the monitor.                                                  103.          NANCY GRACE          We're looking at an American hero,          folks. It it wasn't for Mary          Horowitz, the child would have          never been found.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - MEDIA CAMP - DAY          Steve, Hartman, Doug and Josh breathe a sigh of relief.                         STEVE          Thank Christ. Now if they can only          get her out of there.          Angus hangs up his phone.                         ANGUS          Corbitt wants you on in five.          Steve sees he has no choice. He nods. Hartman puts an arm          around him.                         HARTMAN          I'll be gentle.          - DAY          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - RESCUE SITE          The Rescue Supervisor talks to the Mine Safety Expert.          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          We've got the whole country          watching now, can't afford any more          mistakes. The crane from          Shreveport is a wash. We're          looking at as much as sixteen hours          to bring the other one in.          MINE SAFETY EXPERT          Sixteen hours? If we've got carbon          monoxide -          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          There's air coming in through the          top.          MINE SAFETY EXPERT          Even at a concentration of 5ppm,          they could suffocate... We do not          have sixteen hours.                                                  104.          The Rescue supervisor looks toward the hole, of the severity          and hopelessness of their situation showing on his face.          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          Let's at least get some food and          water down there. The rope we've          got on there now will handle a          small load -- if that damn crane          holds.          He looks up at the old crane, worried.          MINE SAFETY EXPERT          Gas masks, oxygen supply, how long?          The Rescue Supervisor points around the area - look where we          are.          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          As fast as we can get them here.          MINE SAFETY EXPERT          Might not be soon enough.          INT. FOX NEWS - DAY          - this          The Retired Mine Supervisor is back with a new graphic          time an image of adult and child sitting in the mine as gases          swirl around them and they eventually slump down onto the          mine floor. It plays on a loop.          RETIRED MINE SUPERVISOR          They're pretty much done.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - NIGHT          As night falls, the crowd at the fence starts lighting and          candles, passing them around. Among them, George, Lydia,          now Carlos, the backpack dispensing hot cocoa guy from          Oklahoma. They all look on, worried.          Howard stands at the barrier looking more worried than          anybody. Elizabeth pushes through the crowd to him. She's          wearing red rubber boots.                         ELIZABETH          Howard!          She hugs him.                                                  105.                         HOWARD          She'll be okay. She will.          Howard looks behind him at the ever growing crowd.                         HOWARD          All this. For her.          He manages a sad smile.          EXT. TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT          The headline "Mary Watch" is broadcast on a mammoth screen          over Times Square.          INT. TRAIN STATION - NIGHT           PASSENGERS are glued to a news ticker that reads "MARY WATCH,          RESCUE UNCERTAIN".          EXT. LOADING DOCK - NIGHT           Evening edition newspapers are loaded onto a truck. On the          front page - "Mary Watch".          INT. 24 HOUR LAUNDROMAT - NIGHT          A pair of LAUNDRY SORTERS are glued to the Mary Watch          coverage on TV.          FOX NEWS ANCHOR          The question on everybody's mind          tonight is, who is Mary Horowitz?          Atlanta affiliate WAGA looks into          the mind of an everyday hero.          WAGA Reporter CINDY emotes like her life depends on it.          WAGA CINDY          No one will argue that the city of          Atlanta has always been a breeding          ground for heroes. Jimmy Carter,          Hank Aaron, Ryan Seacrest and          now... Mary Horowitz. As the          country wonders about what would          drive this woman to such an          extraordinary act, we went straight          to those closest to her.                                                  106.          INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY          WAGA Cindy interviews a sweet but NERVOUS OLD LADY.          NERVOUS OLD LADY          Mary Horowitz was one of my second          grade students. Brilliant girl...          Darling. Always a smart dresser as          I remember. And she once brought          me soup when I wasn't well.          EXT. CITY STREET - DAY          WAGA Cindy reports.          WAGA CINDY          Mary Horowitz, a hero who's devoted          her life to caring for the sick and          elderly. Clearly a woman with a          higher purpose.          INT. WAL-MART - DAY          A nervous WAL-MART MANAGER poses in the shoe department,          holding a pair of red rubber boots. An excited FEMALE          REPORTER points to the boots, talks on camera.          FEMALE REPORTER          Exactly like the boots worn by Mary          Horowitz when she slipped into the          mine. Were the boots responsible          for the accident? The manufacturer          refuses to comment. For now, the          deadly footwear remains on store          shelves, leaving consumers to pay          the ultimate price.          INT. TEENAGER'S ROOM - NIGHT          Three FOURTEEN YEAR OLD GIRLS shop online. They click on          "Mary Boots" - a picture of red rubber boots comes up. A          STATES".          banner underneath reads "NOW BANNED IN 4          FOURTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL          Oh my God, we so have to have them!                                                  107.          INT. MINE SHAFT - NIGHT          Mary talks to the Little Deaf Girl.                         MARY          Rhinolith, that's the real word.          Rhino is nose, lithos means stone.          Nose stone. You know what that is?          Snot.          INT. TV REPAIR SHOP - DAY          WAGA Cindy interviews a 30ish male SCIENTIST.                         SCIENTIST          I knew Mary Horowitz in college.          She caught me trying to cheat off          her physics midterm, lectured me          for an hour and when she finally          stopped talking I asked her out.          She said no, said it was because I          was, get this - hebetudinous. Can          you believe?          He walks away, bitter, gets back to work on NASA rockets.          INT. LIBRARY - DAY          WAGA Cindy interviews an attractive male RESEARCHER as he          puts away books. He talks as though it still stings:                         RESEARCHER          We dated for a while but she ended          it. Said she couldn't stand this -          He points around 'to the library - you could hear a pin drop.                         RESEARCHER          Whatever that means.          EXT. CITY STREET - DAY          WAGA Cindy continues her report.          WAGA CINDY          A heartbreaker, leaving behind a          trail of devastation.                                                  108.          INT. MINE SHAFT - NIGHT          Mary still talks.                         MARY          And Archimedes, there's another          one. He was into math, philosophy,          all kinds of stuff, then one day he          was working out an equation in the          sand and somebody stabbed him.          Crappy, I know.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - NIGHT          A bus pulls up behind other parked and unloading buses.          PEOPLE OF ALL AGES file off the buses, holding handmade "SAVE          MARY" signs, stuffed animals, flowers, rosary beads, Kleenex.          They head toward the fence to join the others.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - RESCUE SITE - NIGHT          Angus watches as Doug films Hartman interviewing Steve.                         HARTMAN          Steve, tell us about Mary, your          fiance struggling for her life at          the bottom of the abandoned mine as          we speak.          Steve glares at him. Hartman motions for him to go on.                         STEVE          Mary... she's smart, incredibly          smart. She talks a lot. Never          boring, I'll tell you that much.          He thinks about her, gets lost in it.                         STEVE          Mary Horowitz doesn't pretend to be          anything she's not. She's          passionate, beautiful, real... and          she definitely doesn't deserve to          be where she is now.                                                  109.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - NIGHT          The spectators all gather, candles in hand, hands joined in          silent prayer.          An ELDERLY COUPLE hands Howard and Elizabeth candles. Howard          looks around at the rest of the crowd - strangers watching,          waiting, worried.                         HOWARD          They don't even know her.          ELDERLY LADY          No, but they know what it's like to          be alone, to need a helping hand.          That's a good enough reason to be          here.          EXT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - NIGHT          NEIGHBORS hold a candlelight vigil on the lawn. The media          catches every minute of it.          INT. BAR - NIGHT          Bar PATRONS are silent, glued to the "Mary Watch" coverage on          the overhead TV.          EXT. MINE SHAFT - NIGHT          The old crane lowers the small rope into the hole, smoke          seeping out of the motor.          The Rescue Supervisor watches, anxious and helpless. The          other Rescuers just watch. Nothing to do but wait.          INT. MINE SHAFT - NIGHT          Mary still talks.                         MARY          Happenstance, I love that word too.          And you know what else -          Mary coughs. Before she has a chance to catch her breath, a          rope with a small bag attached quickly drops next to her, the          bag hitting the floor. Mary unties the bag and looks inside          to find water and sandwiches.                                                  110.                         MARY          No dessert. Crappy. Did you know          that the word dessert comes from an          old French word that means "clear          the table"? Sometimes I feel like          dinner is just doing time so I can          get to the point, and of course the          point always involves sugar. Who          needs -          The Little Deaf Girl covers her ears, vocalizes as much as          she's able.          LITTLE DEAF GIRL          Shut up! I can't hear you but you          talk a lot.          Totally catches Mary off guard. She fully takes that in.          Her demeanor completely shifts, a calm washes over her.,                         MARY          I know.          She sits down.                         MARY          I know.          She notices the Little Girl's shoes are soaked. Mary moves          next to her, takes off her rubber boots and puts them on the          Little Girl. Mary puts an arm around her, holds her close at          - softly,          her side, then speaks like she's a different person          to herself, the Little Girl unable to read her lips.                         MARY          I'm not good at... silence. "Mary          doesn't do quiet", that's how my          grandmother always said it.          "What's that hush?" she'd holler at          a party. "It's Mary about to          talk", then she'd laugh and laugh          and laugh. Everybody would... But          I knew something they didn't - that          if you keep talking, if you keep on          talking, you don't hear people          telling you that you're different.          You don't hear people saying they          don't like you. And if you're          talking, you just might not hear it          when some kid... calls you a freak.          Mary's eyes start to well.                                                                 MARY          I just wanted to be normal, that's          all. Steve said I was.          She thinks about it, laughs a bit.                         MARY          I'm beginning to think newsmen          can't entirely be trusted.          She buttons up the Little Girl's sweater.                         MARY          The truth is normal is -- not me.          She seems surprised she said it out loud. There's relief in          it.                         MARY          My friends, the people I've met          over the past week, they're not          normal either. They're more          interesting, more original, more          real, more rare.          She suddenly gets it, brightens up.                         MARY          That's where I fit.          - and for          She thinks about it, in silence. The sadness fades          the first time, she's comfortably quiet.          She smiles at the Little Deaf Girl. The Little Deaf Girl          smiles back. And they sit -- Mary totally calm.          Mary hears something in the distance - a gentle PLINK PLINK          PLINK she couldn't have heard while talking.          She picks up the flashlight, moves toward the noise. In a          corner of the mine, a water drip hits on some old rusted          mining tools, including two rusty vice grips.          The Little Girl coughs. Mary looks back at her, concerned.                         MARY          Little Deaf Girl, it's time for us          to go home.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - PUBLIC VIEWING AREA - NIGHT          Howard, Elizabeth and Carlos watch from the fence.                                                  112.                         ELIZABETH          What's taking so long?           INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - NIGHT           Mr. and Mrs. Horowitz are glued to the TV.           MRS. HOROWITZ           Why aren't they doing anything?           Mr. Horowitz grabs her hand.          INT. 24 HOUR LAUNDROMAT - NIGHT          The Laundry Sorters still glued to the Mary Watch coverage.          INT. BAR - NIGHT          Quiet tension in the bar as the patrons all watch CNN.          CNN ANCHOR          A tense night in Eunice, Louisiana.          Hartman what can you tell us?          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - RESCUE SITE - NIGHT          Doug films Hartman. In the shot behind him, smoke seeps out          of the old crane.                         HARTMAN          They've lowered food and water into          the depths of this abandoned mine.          The last task of this archaic crane          that finally blew its motor. We've          been told the new rescue equipment          won't make it until daybreak.          Until then, all we can do is wait,          hope, and of course pray.          There's a commotion at the rescue site. Doug zooms in.          AT THE HOLE:          The rope hanging into the hole is moving. Rescuers get as          close to the hole as possible.          RESCUE SUPERVISOR          Jesus Christ. Tell me she's not -                                                  113.          INT. MINE SHAFT - NIGHT          Mary cuts two pieces of excess rope off the bottom, attaches          each it to the hanging rope using the vice grips as makeshift          climbing ascenders.                         MARY          After I got kicked out of Girl          Scouts, while the other girls were          learning how to sell cookies, I was          at home reading the biography of          Sir Edmund Hillary.          Mary motions for the Little Deaf Girl to jump on piggyback.          She jumps up onto Mary's back, still in the red rubber boots.          Mary starts jugging up the rope, the vice grips and rope          pieces acting like ladder steps.          They start rising up slowly. Not an easy task. Mary          struggles every step.          EXT. TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT          A shot of the moving rope up above the hole is broadcast.          People on the street stop and watch.          INT. BAR - NIGHT          The Guys at the bar stand up to watch to the shot of the          moving rope on TV.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - DAY          Mr. and Mrs. Horowitz on the edge of their seats in front of          the Mary Watch TV coverage.          INT. MINE SHAFT - DAY          The Little Deaf Girl helps Mary move one of the vice grips up          the rope.          MARY (V.0.)          If life is like a crossword puzzle          then its worth, its greatness, its          raison d'efre should be judged in          the same way.                                                  114.          Mary grasps the cable with everything she has, pulls up          another step.          MARY (V.O.)          Is it solvable?          One of the red boots drops down into the mine shaft.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - RESCUE SITE - NIGHT          Every eye is on the moving rope.          INT. MINE SHAFT - NIGHT          Mary looks up as the lights above get closer and closer.          MARY (V.0.)          Is it entertaining?          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - RESCUE SITE - NIGHT          As the Rescuers, Firemen, Troopers, Media and Public look on,          Mary at last appears above ground, the little Girl in her          arms.          MARY (V.O.)          Does it sparkle?          The crowd goes nuts. Cameras flash. Rescuers rush to help          them onto the ground.          An Ambulance Attendant grabs the little Girl, wraps her in a          blanket. Mary's eyes flutter in the blinding lights of the          cameras pointed at her. She scans the entire crowd.          MARY (V.0.)          And does it fit?          Her eyes fix on a spot in the crowd. She starts running.          INT. HOROWITZ HOUSE - NIGHT          Mrs. Horowitz hands her husband the box of Kleenex as they          wail and watch Mary on TV, safely above ground.                                                  115.          INT. REST STOP - NIGHT          The customers eat pie while they're glued to images of Mary          and the little Girl.                         NORM          Good for her. Good for her.          INT. ATLANTA CITIZEN NEWSPAPER OFFICES - NIGHT          The staff breathe a sigh of relief when they see Mary alive          on TV. Jim Soloman stares at the images, happy, acquiescent.          JIM SOLOMAN          We're going to have to give her her          job back.          He shakes his head, laughs.          INT. BAR - NIGHT          Everybody in the bar celebrates. The BARTENDER rings the          bell.          INT. TINY APARTMENT - NIGHT          The Career Day teacher watches Mary on TV, wipes her eyes.          INT. 24 HOUR LAUNDROMAT - NIGHT          The Laundry Sorters celebrate, then realize their laundry is          all pink.          INT. ATLANTA ROW HOUSE - NIGHT          The Large Kid from the Career Day class walks into the living          room where his DAD has Mary Watch on TV. The Kid holds up a          crossword, half done, and he's not happy about it.          LARGE KID          Did you start this and not bother          finishing it? Do you know how much          work goes into making these things?          Honestly, Dad.          The Kid grabs a pencil to finish the puzzle.                                                  116.          EXT. NEWSSTAND - NIGHT          Mr. Takihashi watches Mary on TV, wipes his tears.          EXT. TRI-PARISH FAIR GROUNDS - RESCUE SITE - NIGHT          Mary adjusts her eyes to the flashing lights, looks around.          An Ambulance Attendant tries to attend to her leg. She waves          him off. In bare feet, blood running down her leg, limping,          she starts running away from the site toward the media.          Steve's watches, genuinely happy to see her. Hartman nudges          Doug to get the camera on Steve.                         HARTMAN          First interview is ours. Here          comes our girl. Steve, you ready?          Grab her arid kiss her then let me          start with the questions.          Doug focuses in on Steve. Hartman holds the crowd back so          Mary can get to him.          Mary runs toward them -- and keeps on running, right past          Steve's open arms.          She heads for her friends at the fence - Howard, Elizabeth,          Carlos, George, Lydia, all of the other Protestors. She swan          dives right into them. They catch her.                         HOWARD          You're okay.                         MARY          I am.          Cameras go off all around them.          EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY          A Greyhound bus travels.          MARY (V.0.)          My brain is full of all kinds of          information, some of it useful,          some of it not.                         (MORE)                                                  117.          MARY (V.0.) (cont'd)          I've recently discovered, hiding in          the back of my mind, somewhere          between astrophysics and a catalog          of candy bars of the Seventies, a          previously hidden bit of knowledge          more important than everything          else. It is this...          INT. GREYHOUND BUS - DAY          Mary sits right at the front talking to the female BUS          DRIVER.                         MARY          In solving the puzzle of life          there's one thing you must do.          She points to the side of the road. The bus pulls over.                         MARY          Find somebody just as normal as          you.          Mary stands up, gets off the bus.                         MARY          if not a whole bunch.          Howard, Elizabeth, George, Lydia, Carlos, Clyde, a few old          Ladies, a bunch of other Protestors file off the bus. Mary          keeps talking to the bus driver.                         MARY          And don't be a slave to your loins.          Trust me on that one.          Mary taps the side of her head.                         MARY          You need to let this be the boss of          you. Cornprende ?          EXT. MARY'S NEIGHBORHOOD - ATLANTA - DAY          A huge gated property. Mary opens the gate and walks up a          tree covered path, Howard right behind her, all the other          Protestors following. For once, Mary isn't doing all the          talking.                         HOWARD          That bus driver looked like Francis          Galton. Did you see that?                                                  118.                         MARY          He's my favorite behavioral          geneticist in the world.          They continue on through an open yard.                         HOWARD          In retrospect, and I say this with          some hesitation because I don't          like to have actual regrets so I'll          just say I'm beginning to perpend -                         MARY          Good one.                         HOWARD          I'm beginning to perpend whether or          not eating three bags of caramel          corn for lunch was the smartest          thing to do. Honestly I'm this          close to spewing...          Mary reaches the end of the path and stops, waits for          everybody else to catch up. They're in complete awe of the          monstrous Georgian estate before them.                         MARY          My grandma left it to me. My          parents won't stay here. And for          me it was always too... quiet.          She looks at her new friends.                         MARY          Not anymore.          They head toward the house.                        THE END