A Few Good Men Page #11

INT. KAFFEE'S OFFICE - DAY

He's packing up stuff into his briefcase at the end of the

work day. Lt. JACK ROSS, a marine lawyer maybe two years

older than Kaffee, opens the door and walks in..

ROSS:

Dan Kaffee.

KAFFEE:

Sailin' Jack Ross.

ROSS:

Welcome to the big time.

KAFFEE:

You think so?

ROSS:

I hope for Dawson and Downey's sake

you practice law better than you

play softball.

KAFFEE:

Unfortunately for Dawson and Downey,

I don't do anything better than I

play softball. What are we lookin'

at?

ROSS:

They plead guilty to manslaughter,

I'll drop the conspiracy and the

conduct unbecoming. 20 years, they'll

be home in half that time.

KAFFEE:

I want twelve.

ROSS:

Can't do it.

KAFFEE:

They called the ambulance, Jack.

ROSS:

I don't care if they called the Avon

Lady, they killed a marine.

KAFFEE:

The rag was tested for poison. The

autopsy, lab report, even the initial

E.R. and C.O.D. reports. They all

say the same thing: Maybe, maybe

not.

ROSS:

The Chief of Internal Medicine at

the Guantanamo Bay Naval hospital

says he's sure.

KAFFEE:

What do you know about Code Reds?

ROSS smiles and shakes his head.

ROSS:

Oh man.

He closes the office door.

ROSS:

(continuing)

Are we off the record?

KAFFEE:

You tell me.

ROSS:

(pause)

I'm gonna give you the twelve years,

but before you go getting yourself

into trouble tomorrow, you should

know this:
The platoon commander Lt.

Jonathan Kendrick, had a meeting

with the men. And he specifically

told them not to touch Santiago.

KAFFEE holds for a moment. Dawson and Downey neglected to

mention this... He packs up his briefcase and cleats.

KAFFEE:

I'll talk to you when I get back.

ROSS:

Hey, we got a little four-on-four

going tomorrow night. When does your

plane get in?

CUT TO:

EXT. THE PARKING LOT - DUSK

It's dusk and people on the base are going home from work.

We can see the flag being lowered in the background.

KAFFEE's walking toward his car. JO intercepts him and starts

walking along with him.

JO:

Hi there.

KAFFEE:

Any luck getting me replaced?

JO:

Is there anyone in this command that

you don't either drink or play

softball with?

KAFFEE:

Commander --

JO:

Listen, I came to make peace. We

started off on the wrong foot. What

do you say? Friends?

KAFFEE:

Look, I don't --

JO:

By the way, I brought Downey some

comic books he was asking for. The

kid, Kaffee, I swear, he doesn't

know where he is, he doesn't even

know why he's been arrested.

KAFFEE:

Commander --

JO:

You can call me Joanne.

KAFFEE:

Joanne --

JO:

or Jo.

KAFFEE:

Jo?

JO:

Yes.

KAFFEE:

Jo, if you ever speak to a client of

mine again without my permission,

I'll have you disbarred. Friends?

JO:

I had authorization.

KAFFEE:

From where?

JO:

Downey's closest living relative,

Ginny Miller, his aunt on his mother's

side.

KAFFEE:

You got authorization from Aunt Ginny?

JO:

I gave her a call like you asked.

Very nice woman, we talked for about

an hour.

KAFFEE:

You got authorization from Aunt Ginny.

JO:

Perfectly within my province.

KAFFEE:

Does Aunt Ginny have a barn? We can

hold the trial there. I can sew the

costumes, and maybe his Uncle Goober

can be the judge.

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