As Good as It Gets Page #10

EXT. MANHATTAN BRIDGE - TWO AM

Carol crossing to Manhattan. She looks as if she's on

her way to some final exam where she has no notion of the

subject.

EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET - NEAR MELVIN'S BUILDING -

NIGHT (RAIN)

Hot summer night as she gets off the bus and now the

rains come... We are in a familiar neighborhood.

ANGLE ON MELVIN AND SIMON'S APARTMENT HOUSE

As Carol consults the slip of paper with the address on

it.

INT. NEW YORK APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT (RAIN)

As she enters building and realizes it's not just that

she's wet -- the thin summer dress is a winner in any wet

T-shirt contest... the fabric clinging to her breasts,

like the old movie poster of The Deep.

INT. NEW YORK APARTMENT BUILDING - HALLWAY - NIGHT

As Carol passes Simon's door... stands in front of

Melvin's apartment -- twists herself to ease nervousness

and knocks on the door... then RINGS the BELL. Finally

Carol hears MUFFLED THROAT CLEARING on the other side

of the door.

CAROL:

Uh, Udall?

MELVIN (O.S.)

Carol the waitress?

CAROL:

Yes.

As we hear him unlock the door, Carol looks at her

breasts and gasps. She grasps the fabric and holds it

straight out just as Melvin opens the door. His hair is

static city, standing on end as he periodically gives it

self-conscious pats.

CAROL:

The doctors had your billing

address. I'm sorry about the

hour.

MELVIN:

I was working... can't you just

drop me a thank-you note?

CAROL:

That's not why I'm here...

(tearing suddenly)

... though you have no idea what

it's like to have a real

conversation with a doctor about

Spencer...

MELVIN:

(very uncomfortable)

Note. Put it in the note.

CAROL:

Why did yo do this for me?

MELVIN:

To get you back at work so you can

wait on me.

CAROL:

But you do have some idea how

strange that sounds??? I'm

worried that you did this

because...

She pauses -- the beginning of an extraordinarily long

silence. Finally.

MELVIN:

You waiting for me to say

something?

(as she shakes her head)

What sort of thing do you want?

Look, I'll be at the restaurant

tomorrow.

CAROL:

I don't think I can wait until

tomorrow. This needs clearing up.

MELVIN:

What needs clearing up?

CAROL:

(strong and true)

I'm not going to sleep with you.

I will never, ever sleep with you.

Never. Not ever.

Melvin's reaction? Well, he'll never get credit for the

brief but intense inner struggle -- the struggle not to

scream --

-- not to cry -- to process the sudden and stunning hurt

during his half turn away from her -- and then answer

hoarsely.

MELVIN:

I'm sorry. We don't open for the

no-sex oaths until 9 a.m.

Carol is amused, surprised... maybe, in some small way

ever taken by his style... but top priority is clarity.

CAROL:

I'm not kidding.

MELVIN:

Okay!!!! Anything else?!?

CAROL:

Just how grateful I am.

Her mission completed -- she turns.

MELVIN:

So you'll be at work?

CAROL:

Yes.

INT. MELVIN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

It's a 3:
22 a.m. as the two digital clocks on Melvin's

night stand tell us... He gets up -- the first time we've

seen his waking routine -- taps one foot on the floor

twice -- then the other foot -- two more taps and his

body angles from the bed in a deliberate way.

He is having anxiety. He sits at the piano and plays

very briefly... Stops -- wipes some sweat from his

forehead... Walks to his computer room -- turns the light

on and then quickly off... Walks to his refrigerator...

INT. MELVIN'S APARTMENT, KITCHEN, INSIDE REFRIGERATOR -

NIGHT:

As he grabs a cardboard take-out box...

INT. NEW YORK APT. BUILDING - HALLWAY/SIMON'S APT.

He knocks of Simon's door... It opens quickly.

SIMON'S APARTMENT

MELVIN:

I took a chance you were up.

Simon walks painfully back to a chair.

MELVIN:

I brought you Chinese soup.

SIMON:

Thanks.

MELVIN:

I have never been so tired in my

life. Okay, if I sit here?

SIMON:

Got any easier questions?

Melvin sits and moans -- the dog sitting near him.

MELVIN:

I haven't been sleeping. I

haven't been clear or felt like

myself. I'm in trouble. Some son

of a b*tch is burning my bridges

behind my back... But the

tiredness -- boy... Not just

sleepy.

SIMON:

But sick -- nauseous -- where

everything looks distorted and

everything inside just aches --

when you can barely get up the

will to complain.

MELVIN:

(brightening)

Yeah...

He feels a touch of community and not knowing where to

take it from here.

MELVIN:

I'm glad we did this.

He rises and makes an awkward exit.

MELVIN:

Good talking to you.

He exits -- Simon puzzled and concerned.

INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Carol seated working on a letter... She is trying to

express her gratitude... An enormous sheaf of completed

pages sit next to her... She is so involved she doesn't

even look up as a young man, SEAN, knocks on the door and

is let in by Beverly.

They exchange greetings and move inside where we faintly

hear Spencer greeting him... We MOVE IN and read over

Carol's shoulder -- "I'm sorry to have gotten sloppy and

emotional in this letter, but it would have been on my

conscionce (sic) forever if I didn't tell you how

gratefull (sic)... "

BEVERLY:

You're not still writing that

thank-you note?

CAROL:

I'm on the last page. How do you

spell conscience?

BEVERLY:

C-o-n-s-c-i-e-n-c-e. I got Sean

from the bakery to baby-sit so

let's go out.

CAROL:

I still don't feel safe leaving

Spencer with someone. How do you

spell it again?

BEVERLY:

Spencer is okay. You'd better

start finding something else to do

with your free time. If you can't

feel good about this break and

step out a little...

(struts and pumps

her arms)

You ought to get Mr. Udall to send

you over a psychiatrist.

CAROL:

(more emotionally

than she intended)

I don't need one 'cause I know

what's really going on here. I

have to finish this letter or

I'll go nuts.

(looking at paper;

weepy)

This can't be right -- con-

science.

Carol breathes heavily -- gets control, stopping herself

on the brink of crying.

BEVERLY:

Carol. What?

Carol is amazed at herself... that she might not be able

to stem the flow... wide-eyed with apprehension, she

looks at her mother, who, in return, only nods permission

for Carol to let it go. A last defiant snort from Carol

-- and then she is overwhelmed. The headline comes first.

CAROL:

I don't know... It's very strange

not feeling that stupid panic

thing inside you all the time.

Without that you just start

thinking about yourself -- and

what does that ever get anybody.

Today, on the bus there was this

adorable couple and I felt myself

giving them a dirty look -- I had

no idea everything was...

BEVERLY:

Go ahead.

CAROL:

(great, forceful

hand gestures)

... moving in the wrong

direction... Away from when I

even remembered what it was like

to have a man to... anything...

hold f***ing -- sorry -- hands

with, for Christ's sake. I was

feeling like really bad that Dr.

Bettes is married.

(this next one's

tough)

Which is probably why I make poor

Spencer hug me more than he wants

to... Like the poor kid doesn't

have enough problems. He has to

make up for his mom not getting

any.

(weeps at her

insight)

Oh, boy. Who needs these

thoughts?

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