Away from Her Page #2

GRANT gets into bed behind FIONA. He spoons her, holding her

close, kissing her neck.

GRANT:

That was lovely.

FIONA:

What was lovely?

He thinks for a moment.

GRANT:

Nothing.

6.

He looks at the back of her head, guilty and wondering. He

leans over and kisses her forehead. She smiles. He turns away

and closes his eyes.

11 EXT MARIAN’S HOUSE -FEBRUARY 2005- MORNING 11

Grant sits in his car, in the same shot as the opening. He

gets out of the car and knocks on the door of the house in

the rundown neighbourhood. Marian, an attractive woman in her

60’s opens the door. She holds some flowers in her hand, as

though she was just about to put them in a vase. She speaks

with a fairly heavy American accent.

MARIAN:

Yes?

GRANT:

I don’t quite know how to introduce

myself. I used to see your husband

at Meadowlake. I’m a regular

visitor there myself. Those are

some lovely flowers.

We will keep returning to this scene throughout the film,

always picking up right where we left off.

12 INT ANDERSSON’S LIVINGROOM- JUNE 2003- AFTERNOON 12

Fiona arranges wild flowers while Grant makes drinks. Warm

spring light pours through the house.

GRANT:

I’ve never seen those white ones

before.

FIONA:

The earth must really suit them

there.

Grant goes to the kitchen and notices something as he goes to

get a spoon to stir the drinks. On each of the kitchen

drawers there are post it notes saying,”cutlery, dishtowels,

knives.” He looks at them, debating whether or not to say

something. He laughs.

Fiona is busily arranging the flowers.

GRANT:

You could always just open the

drawers. Remind yourself.

6A.

FIONA:

What?

He comes into the livingroom and stands in the doorway to the

kitchen.

GRANT:

Maybe all the labels... All the

lists are defeating the purpose.

(MORE)

7.

GRANT (cont'd)

If you stop thinking about things

the moment you write them down,

maybe that’s the end of your need

to recall.

Fiona seems unperturbed by this question. Doesn’t turn

around.

FIONA:

If only we recalled just what we

needed.

She lets this hang in the air a moment. Then continues

lightly.

FIONA:

There was a story I heard at a

dinner party, about the German

soldiers on border patrol in

Czechoslovakia during the war.

Remember that Czech student you

had? Veronica? We spoke once at a

dinner party.

Grant is absolutely still. She tosses this casually.

CUT TO:

12A INT 1970’S DINNER PARTY 12A

Veronica, a gorgeous young girl looks at us across the table.

CUT BACK TO:

12B INT ANDERSSON’S LIVINGROOM - JUNE 2003- AFTERNOON 12B

Fiona glances at Grant. He is stock still.

FIONA:

Don’t get nervous. It’s a good

story.

And now she looks at him with a smile.

FIONA:

She told me that each of the German

patrol dogs wore a sign that said

Hund. Why? said the Czechs, and the

Germans said, Because that is a

Hund.

8.

She gives him an amicable smile. Not threatening in any way.

He watches her, his breath is caught in his throat. She

leaves the room and he lets his breath out. Stares at the

post it notes.We flash quickly in and out of:

13 INT DINNER PARTY - 1970’S -NIGHT 13

GRANT’S MEMORY: Veronica, a beautiful creature with dark hair

and shiny eyes, talks to someone animatedly at a dinner

party, stealing furtive glances at us. We see her foot crawl

up a pant leg under the table.

14 INT ANDERSSON’S LIVINGROOM - JUNE 2003-EARLY EVENING 14

The doorbell rings. Fiona answers the door. Phoebe and

William Hart, a couple in their 60’s stand at the door. Fiona

throws her arms around Phoebe.

PHOEBE:

Where the hell have you two been?

WILLIAM:

Phoebe’s a nightmare to live with

when she hasn’t played bridge in a

while. Call more often will you?

15 INT LIVINGROOM - NIGHT 15

They have drinks in the livingroom

FIONA:

Well at least we’re all waiting

together.

WILLIAM:

You wouldn’t say that if you were

waiting for a transplant.

PHOEBE:

(to William)

Who have you become all of a

sudden? Jesus, you sound like one

of those “Stand up For Canada”

conservative commercials.

FIONA:

(winks at William)

Well he’s not as young as he used

to be Phoebe.

Grant is poking the fire. His hands covered in soot.

9.

WILLIAM:

I just don’t think you can ignore

how serious a problem these waiting

lists are.

FIONA:

I think they are a problem. I just

don’t think the solution is a

shorter line for those who can

afford it and longer lines for

those who can’t. Oh look, now

you’ve made me all earnest and

boring.

Grant looks down at his sooty fingers. He gets up and as he

passes Fiona, he touches her face, leaving a big sooty

fingerprint on her cheek. She looks up at him knowingly. She

knows there’s a mark on her cheek and tries hard not to

smile. He tries not to smile too. It doesn’t really work. He

sits down.

FIONA:

You’re an idiot. Do you know that?

GRANT:

It worked for you.

FIONA:

It’s a wonder I ever brought him

home to the parents.

16 INT LIVINGROOM- JUNE 2003- NIGHT 16

They eat dinner.

FIONA:

It was one of those craft shows

where you look around and wonder

that the laws of supply and demand

have allowed for the production of

so many macrame ducks.

PHOEBE:

God those are everywhere. What do

you do with them.

GRANT:

You’ve got one of those as a

little, whatdoyoucallit, light

fixutre holder or whatever it is.

10.

PHOEBE:

I do not. Oh wait a minute I do.

Fiona gave it to me.

FIONA:

Yes I did!

Fiona laughs. holds up the wine bottle.

FIONA:

Would anyone like some more...

She stops, totally unable to find the word she’s looking for.

FIONA:

Some more...

Grant looks at her, looks at the HART’s to see their

reaction.

FIONA:

Ween.

She furrows her brow. Stares at the wine bottle.

FIONA:

Wane. Wane....

GRANT:

No, but I’ll have some wine.

PHOEBE and William stare at her. William breaks the silence.

WILLIAM:

Yes. Yes that would be wonderful

Fiona. Some more “wane.”

They laugh.He holds his glass out to her. Fiona doesn’t move

to fill it. She stays standing there, thinking. Begins

talking as though to no one in particular.

FIONA:

The thing is...

CUT TO:

17 OMITTED 17

18

EXT LAKE- FLASHBACK TO:SUNSET -JANUARY -2003 18

Fiona is skiing around the lake at sunset. She looks

determined, focussed. Gradually she slows down.

10A.

Glides a little. Her focus becomes less clear, her face more

and more blank.

11.

FIONA (V.O.)

Half the time I wander around

looking for something which I know

is very pertinent. But then, I

can’t remember what I’m looking

for...once the idea is lost,

everything is lost and I have to

wander around trying to figure out

what it was that was so important

earlier.

CUT TO:

19 INT ANDERSSON’S LIVINGROOM -JUNE 2003- NIGHT 19

Phoebe and Grant stare, speechless.

FIONA:

I think I may be beginning to

disappear.

PHOEBE:

Oh Fiona. You’ve always been a

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