Beginners Page #14

He’s silent, distant, confused. She’s hurt by his silence and

mistrust and leaves.

10/29/07 81.

INT. OLIVER’S BEDROOM

WE SEE BUT DON’T HEAR: Oliver and Anna talking/arguing

through a series of jump cuts. The sound comes back for the

last line.

OLIVER:

I don’t know Anna. I don’t think

this is what I am supposed to feel

like.

Anna looks crushed and surprised.

ANNA:

Okay. I will go back to New York

then.

She gets up to go.

EXT. OLIVER’S HOUSE DAY

A cab is picking her up, Anna looks back up at Oliver’s

house, hoping something will happen, nothing does, she puts

her suitcase in the trunk and gets in.

INT. OLIVER’S LIVING ROOM DAY

Oliver paces by his door. He rests his head against the door,

lost in a confused sadness, we cant tell he’s crying.

CUT TO PAST:

INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY - DAY

Oliver’s POV as he pushes Hal's wheelchair down a cold

hospital hallway.

INT. DOCTORS' OFFICE - DAY

Inside a small doctor's office, Hal, Oliver and Dr. Long have

a meeting.

DR. LONG

Hal, you don't need to come in for

any more treatments.

Stoic and irreverent, Hal feigns surprise.

HAL:

Have I done something wrong?

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 82.

CONTINUED:

DR. FLASTER

It's best that you stay home.

Hospice can help you more now, any

more treatments would just -- cause

more pain.

HAL:

I see.

DR. LONG

I'm sorry, I wish we could do more.

HAL:

You did an excellent job Dr. Long.

Thank you... for... For coming to

the party.

Oliver’s devastated.

INT. HAL'S HOME - DAY - LATER

JUMP CUTS:
From Hal and Oliver’s POV we jump through time as

two men deliver and set up a hospital bed in Hal's living

room. And the nurse puts sheets and a blanket on the bed.

EXT. HAL'S STREET - DAY

Oliver wheels Hal’s chair in outside the house, taking him to

see a view of the canyons. Hal’s face reveals he’s finally

stopped denying the end is near.

INT. HAL'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Oliver and Hal sit side by side in his new hospital bed, it’s

dark and quite and Oliver has his hand in Hal’s.

HAL:

You always wanted to hold my hand

when you were little. I couldn’t,

you know. I was afraid it would

look funny. I wanted to be close,

you know and my father certainly

was never close with me. God, I

hope I wasn’t like that.

OLIVER:

I can barely remember you from when

I was little.

HAL:

I guess I was at work.

CUT TO PAST:

10/29/07 83.

INT. MUSEUM OPENING 1978

Young Oliver walks behind Georgia as she meanders through the

crowd, feeling alone. She turns and finds Oliver on her tail.

A fancy woman is talking pretentiously about a painting.

Georgia’s critical and amused, she sidles up to the woman and

gently places her head on the woman’s shoulder.

FANCY WOMAN:

Oh!

Georgia smiles at her, casually unnerving. Oliver pulls her

away.

OLIVER:

Let's go home.

CUT TO:
Oliver and Georgia heading away through the gallery.

GEORGIA:

What about your father? What will

he possibly do without us?

INT. MUSEUM HALLWAY

As they’re making their way out of the museum an formal older

lady stops them.

OLDER WOMAN:

Georgia? You leaving?

GEORGIA:

Yes Mary, it’s an emergency,

Oliver’s appendix has ruptured.

OLDER WOMAN:

Oh dear.

They look at Oliver who’s mortified.

GEORGIA:

He’s a very composed child.

OLIVER:

Let’s go.

Oliver pulls her away before she starts any more trouble.

EXT. STREET/INT. GEORGIA'S CAR

Georgia’s in drivers seat, they're at a stoplight.

GEORGIA:

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 84.

CONTINUED:

Oliver points left and she turns...

GEORGIA:

Aha. The infamous left.

Up a new street, they arrive at the next stop.

GEORGIA:

And?

Oliver points left.

GEORGIA:

Left again. Going in circles. I

like it.

Irreverent but heavy, they drive on.

INT. OLIVER’S CHILDHOOD HOME

Oliver and Georgia enter. She heads down the hallway to her

room, Young Oliver follows behind. She walks down the hallway

to her bedroom, enters and closes the door.

CUT TO PRESENT:

INT. OLIVER'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Oliver lies on his bed in the half darkness. He's been there

a while, Arthur staring at him.

CUT TO PAST:

INT. ANNA’S HOTEL

Oliver remembers Anna on her hotel bed the night they met,

messing up his hair, kissing for the first time.

BACK TO PRESENT:

INT. OLIVER’S BEDROOM

Oliver feeling the most lost, can’t help but look at Arthur

who’s staring him down.

ARTHUR SUBTITLE:

We knew it wouldn’t work even

before we met her.

Oliver get’s this more than ever. Something changes inside of

him, he picks up his cel phone and dials.

ANNA:

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 85.

CONTINUED:

OLIVER:

Anna? Where where you?

EXT. ELLIOTT’S HOUSE - DAY

Oliver arrives with Arthur in a hurry.

EXT. ELLIOTT'S DOOR - DAY

Oliver hands Arthur, a dog bed, and a bag of dog food to

Elliott.

OLIVER:

Hey.

ELLIOTT:

Hey.

OLIVER:

(to Arthur)

You're going to take care of

Elliott. I’ll be back in a couple

of days.

(to Elliot)

Good luck.

ELLIOTT:

Alright.

OLIVER:

Okay? Thanks.

Elliott closes the door. Oliver heads back to his car and

Arthur’s howling begins. It’s an incredibly sad and desperate

howl. Oliver gets to his car, the howling doesn't stop,

Oliver can’t ignore it. Oliver get’s out of the car, heads

back to house to get Arthur.

EXT. OLIVER'S CAR - DAY

Oliver and Arthur drive up to a new house. Oliver looks at

Arthur with guilt.

EXT. ANDY’S BACKYARD - DAY (CONTINUOUS)

Oliver watches Andy cry as Arthur licks him all over.

ANDY:

He remembers me.

It’s true, Oliver's surprised.

10/29/07 86.

EXT. ANDY'S HOUSE - DAY (CONTINUOUS)

Andy closes the door, Oliver walks the first ten feet, to his

surprise, silence. He walks to the edge of the yard, silence.

He tentatively gets into his car, silence. He drives away.

INT. TAXI CAB - NEW YORK - DAWN

Oliver sees the Manhattan skyline as they cross the bridge

into Manhattan.

EXT. 2ND AVENUE - CONTINUOUS

Oliver crosses the cold New York avenue.

EXT. AVENUE B AND 10TH ST. - CONTINUOUS

Oliver passes a bodega with flowers - he pauses.

EXT. ANNA’S STREET - CONTINUOUS

Oliver now with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, looking for

the right number, finds her building. On his way to the door,

he has doubts about the flowers, he decides to throw them

away.

Oliver rings her buzzer, no answers, a stranger leaves the

building and he catches the door before it close, he enters.

INT. ANNA’S DOOR

Oliver makes it to her door, he knocks, there’s no answer. He

pulls out his phone and calls her.

INTERCUT BETWEEN THEM:

ANNA (V.O.)

Hey.

OLIVER:

Hey. Look I’m so sorry... But I’m,

I’m at your front door. I’m in New

York.

Anna, still in bed, sits up and feels something.

ANNA (V.O.)

I’m in Los Angeles.

Oliver’s flabbergasted she’s not behind the door.

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 87.

CONTINUED:

OLIVER:

You, you’re in LA?

Anna laughs, but is touched.

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