Away from Her Page #3

funny sort of person though haven’t

you? I mean, remember - you’ll

remember this Grant - Remember when

you two went to Florida that year?

And Fiona left her fur coat in

storage, and then just forgot about

it? Remember that?

GRANT:

Oh that was unintentionally on

purpose. Like it was a sin you were

leaving behind.

Fiona sits back down at the table, joining into the process

of brushing the awkwardness aside.

FIONA:

Well. The way some people made me

feel about fur coats.

They laugh. Go back to more playful banter. We move to look

out the window and move towards the snowy fields.

GRANT (V.O.)

Uh... How is your husband doing?

12.

MARIAN (V.O.)

He’s okay.

20 EXT MARIAN’S HOUSE - FEBRUARY 2005 - MORNING 20

Marian still stands in the door. ( We will keep returning to

this scene throughout the film, picking up right where we

left off.)

GRANT:

My wife and he struck up quite a

close friendship.

MARIAN:

I heard about that.

GRANT:

So. I wanted to talk to you about

something if you had a minute.

21 EXT WOODS - APRIL 2003-LATE AFTERNOON 21

Grant and Fiona walk together through the woods. They reach a

little hollow, skunk lilies everywhere. They are the size of

platters and spring up like flames. It’s surreal, and

beautiful beyond belief. Fiona and Grant look at each other,

amazed. Fiona bends down and touches one.

Fiona looks at the flower. Then away from it. Then back at it

again. Closes her eyes. Opens them. Grant watches her

quizzically.

FIONA:

When I look away, I forget what

yellow means. But I can look again.

She pauses. Thinks.

FIONA:

Sometimes there’s something

delicious in oblivion.

Grant is moved.

FIONA:

They generate a heat of their own.

Grant bends down to feel one.

13.

FIONA:

They generate a heat of their own.

She stops a minute. Thinks. She may have already said this.

Looks at Grant hoping he didn’t catch it. He smiles.

GRANT:

I don’t feel it.

FIONA:

I think...I think...you’re supposed

to be able to put your hand inside

the curled petal and feel the heat.

She tries it. He watches her. She looks up at him and smiles.

This is a gorgeous place, and they are both a bit

overwhelmed.

GRANT:

Well?

FIONA:

I can’t be sure. I can’t be sure if

what I’m feeling is the heat or my

imagination.

She stands up. Changes her tone to a more certain one.

FIONA:

The heat attracts bugs.

She begins to walk away.

FIONA:

Nature doesn’t fool around just

being decorative.

Grant watches her walk away. Looks around at the gorgeous

flowers, savours the image of his wife walking through them.

Then follows.

23 EXT LAKE HURON BEACH -NOVEMBER 1960’S 23

GRANT’S MEMORY: Grant and Fiona in their 20’s. They walk,

holding hands along the beach. There are dividers every so

often. Steel walls that have staircases on either side. They

go up and down them. Occasionally there is space between the

staircases so that you must walk, balancing on the narrow

divide until you get to the next one. Grant helps Fiona over

these, holding her hand as she balances. Close on her feet as

she walks on the precarious edge. We rise up from her feet to

reveal:

14.

24 EXT LAKE HURON BEACH - SUNSET - NOVEMBER 2003 24

Back to the present:Fiona is walking along one of these edges

now, with Grant helping her along in much the same way. Their

noses red, their breath in the air. They do this in silence.

And walk further in silence. They settle on the beach,

sitting on a piece of drift wood.

FIONA:

We better get back before it gets

dark.

GRANT:

You think after 50 years we won’t

find our way back? Just because

it’s dark?

She smiles. Takes his hand. They look out at the water.

GRANT:

Let’s stay here. A little longer.

25 EXT PARIS ONTARIO BRIDGE-NOVEMBER 2003- DAY 25

Grant and Fiona are walking along the bridge. Grant holds

shopping bags.

GRANT:

Cheese. What about cheese?

FIONA:

Only if it’s very high cholesterol.

They pass a couple about their age.

FIONA:

Hi there Lauren, Michael.

They couple coolly nod their heads. Grant looks

uncomfortable. There’s some history here. Fiona sighs.

FIONA:

Poor people. Poor human beings.

They continue walking.

FIONA:

Oh. I forgot my list.

Grant stops.

14A.

FIONA:

No no. Give me the keys. You go on

ahead and I’ll meet you there.

Grant hesitates for a split second. Then hands them to her.

GRANT:

Okay. I’ll see you there.

Grant continues on and Fiona walks in the opposite direction.

She sees a dog walk by. She stops for a moment, thinking.

She begins to look around, quite confused.

26 OMITTED 26

26A OMITTED 26A

15.

27 EXT PARIS ONTARIO MAIN STREET- NOVEMBER 2003-DAY 27

We see her in the distance coming towards us down a steep

hill. The occasional car stops and she walks around us.

Finally she comes to a stop and just stands there, looking

all around her, perplexed. A car comes to a stop in front of

her. The driver is stunned. Finally sort of leans on his

horn. She looks into the car and waves politely but is still

distracted. A police officer, Buddy, hears the horn honk and

comes out of a coffee shop and approaches her. She is

patient. Doesn’t rush her, even though the driver is

obviously irate.

BUDDY:

Hi there Mrs. Andersson.

FIONA:

Hi Buddy.

She’s not really paying attention to him. Still worried about

something.

BUDDY:

Would you like to have a coffee

with me Fiona? I’m just inside

there. In Cafe de Paris.

FIONA:

Oh. I don’t drink coffee Buddy.

Makes me go to the bathroom.

BUDDY:

Alright then. I’ll buy you a tea.

How’s that? I think Mac there’s in

a bit of a hurry to keep driving on

up the road. You know how he can

be.

Fiona peers into the car again.

16.

FIONA:

Oh. Hi Mac. Is that you? Where are

you on your way to?

Mac, an old farmer, leans out the window.

MAC:

To the cattle auction if you don’t

mind!

FIONA:

Not at all.

She stays where she is, looking around. Buddy leads Fiona

gently out of the road.

28 INT CAFE DE PARIS -NOVEMBER 2003- DAY 28

Fiona and Buddy sit and sip tea at a table overlooking the

river.

BUDDY:

Can you tell me what your name is?

FIONA:

Fiona. Fiona Andersson.

BUDDY:

Can you tell me what the Prime

Ministers name is?

Fiona laughs a little.

FIONA:

If you don’t know that, young lady,

you really shouldn’t be in such a

responsible job.

Buddy laughs.

FIONA:

Listen Buddy. You haven’t seen

Edith and George lately have you? I

think they ran off on me.

Buddy thinks for a moment.

BUDDY:

Who are Edith and George?

Fiona furrows her brow.

17.

30 INT LATE 1960’S HOUSE. 30

GRANT’S MEMORY: Fiona opens the door to the bathroom. She is

in her mid 20’s. Crying. She looks up at us, defeated. This

image plays over the following dialogue.

GRANT (V.O.)

Edith and George. Uhhh. Edith and

George are...were... Some scraggly

mutts she adopted some years ago.

As a favour to a friend. She

devoted herself to them for the

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