Being There Page #12

SALLY:

Who knows..? Maybe the government

had something to do with it.

FRANKLIN:

You know, Sally - he made a

fool out of me, ...and you know

what that means, don't you?...

It means that any political future

I had is right down the toilet!

The CAMERA begins to slowly move away from the table,

the sound of Franklin's voice continues.

FRANKLIN (cont'd)

...Jesus, the thought of spending

the rest of my life as an attorney,

that is really a downer... And,

Christ, Sally, I almost forgot -

Johanna is starting to think some-

thing's going on between...

Franklin's voice fades into the background hubbub. The

voice of Kinney, the research assistant from the WASHINGTON

POST is heard as the camera settles on a table occupied

by Sidney Courtney and his staff.

KINNEY:

...Sid, be reasonable - I've been

everywhere, there's no place left

to check!

COURTNEY:

Try again.

KINNEY:

Sure, try again - where? There's

nothing, it's like Gardiner never

existed!

COURTNEY:

Try again.

KINNEY:

It's useless!

COURTNEY:

(coldly)

I said - try again.

Kinney stands, shoves her paperwork across the table.

KINNEY:

Up yours, Sid. You try again,

I quit!

Kinney takes her drink with her as she leaves the lounge.

97INT. RAND MANSION - THIRD FLOOR HALLWAY - NIGHT

The elevator door opens revealing Eve and Chance inside.

EVE:

(as they come out)

I'll bet you don't have a

tuxedo with you, do you?

CHANCE:

No, thank you.

EVE:

... Well, we can fix up one

of Ben's for you tomorrow.

Sophie insists on Black Tie.

CHANCE:

I see.

They walk in silence for a moment. Eve stops, then

Chance.

EVE:

(softly)

...I have very few friends,

Chauncey... And Benjamin's

friends are all quite a bit

older...

Eve gives Chance a long look, then kisses him on the

lips. She steps back, smiles.

EVE:

...Good night, Chauncey.

CHANCE:

Good night, Eve.

Eve goes into her bedrom, closes the door. Chance heads

for his room as though nothing had happened.

98INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE ANTE ROOM - MORNING

Kaufman and the five other Aides nervously await the

President's arrival. The door opens, the President

briskly enters.

PRESIDENT:

Good morning, gentlemen.

AIDES:

(as one)

Good morning, sir.

The President leads the way into the Oval Office.

99INT. OVAL OFFICE - MORNING

As the President goes to his desk, Kaufman hands him a

folder. The President sits, reads it quickly, it is

very brief.

PRESIDENT:

(to Kaufman)

This is not what I requested.

KAUFMAN:

No, sir.

PRESIDENT:

This information goes back a day

and a half! I want the standard

file, you know that.

KAUFMAN:

Right, Chief.

PRESIDENT:

So...? Where the hell is it?

KAUFMAN:

We...uh, have been unable to come

up with any information before Mr.

Gardiner appeared at the Rand's...

and, uh...

PRESIDENT:

What the hell are you talking

about, Kaufman?

KAUFMAN:

Well, we do have some data from the

Bureau, but it isn't pertinent.

PRESIDENT:

I'd like to hear that data

Kaufman.

KAUFMAN:

Yes, sir.

Kaufman takes a clipboard from the man at his right.

KAUFMAN:

(reading)

...Suits hand-made by a tailor in

Chicago in 1928. The tailor went

out of business in 1933, then took

his own life.

...His shoes were hand-made in

1936. The cobbler has long since

been dead. Underwear, all of the

finest cloth, factory destroyed by

fire in 1948. The man carries no

indentification; no wallet, no

driver's license, no credit cards.

...He carries one item along with

him, a fine Swiss Patek-Phillipe watch,

made in 1887, but there is no

record of where or when it was

purchased.

...Computers have analyzed Gardiner's

vocal characteristics; it is impos-

sible to determine his ethnic back-

ground, they feel his accent may be

northeastern, but they will not

commit to that.

...Fingerprint check proved negative,

no identification possible.

(a pause)

...That's it, Mr. President.

The President stares at Kaufman for a beat, then speaks

into his intercom.

PRESIDENT:

Miss Davis - I'd like my eggs

poached this morning, please.

100INT. CHANCE'S ROOM - MORNING

Chance is in bed, a tray on his lap, eating breakfast.

A pile of the morning's newspapers lie at the foot of

the bed, untouched. The TV is playing, Chance watches

as he eats. There is a knock at the door.

CHANCE:

(without turning

from TV)

Come in!

Eve enters, wearing a robe over her nightgown.

EVE:

Chauncey! Have you seen the

papers?

CHANCE:

No, Eve. I don't read the

papers.

EVE:

(moving to bed)

Well, it seems you've been

described as one of the architects

of the President's speech. And

your own comments from the television

show are quoted side by side with

the President's.

CHANCE:

I like the President. He is a

very nice man.

eve

(sits on bed)

I know...

(a moment)

...So are you, Chauncey...

(another moment,

Chance watches TV)

...Do you mind my being here,

like this?

CHANCE:

(a bite of toast)

No, Eve. I like you to be here.

Eve smiles, moves a little closer to Chance.

EVE:

...You know, Chauncey... I

want us to be...

(with difficulty)

I want us... You and I to

become... close... I want us

to become very close, you know...?

CHANCE:

Yes, Eve. I know that.

Eve suddenly begins to cry, sobbing quietly at first,

then losing control, the tears flowing freely. To

comfort her, Chance puts his arm around her shoulder,

nearly tipping his breakfast tray. Eve responds to

his touch, draws closer, holds Chance tightly. Chance

does his best to avoid slipping his breakfast, keep an

eye on the Tv, and to comfort Eve. She begins to caress

Chance, running her hand over his body. She kisses him,

his eyes, his neck, his lips, his ears. Chance does not

return the lovemaking, and Eve eventually catches hold of

herself, stops. She lies quietly beside Chance for a

time, regains her demeanor, then speaks.

EVE:

...I'm grateful to you, Chauncey...

I would have opened to you with a

touch, and you know that...

(Chance, confused,

turns to her)

EVE (cont'd)

...But you're so strong - I can

trust myself with you...

CHANCE:

Yes, Eve. I'm very glad that

you didn't open.

EVE:

I know you are, Chauncey... And

I appreciate why you've decided

to wait...until...until...

There is a long moment, then Eve rises, straightens her

robe and moves toward the door.

EVE:

(stopping by door)

...I do love you, Chauncey.

Eve leaves. Chance eats his once-warm scrambled eggs and

watches "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" on TV.

101INT. RAND MANSION - ALLENBY'S ROOM - DAY

Allenby is at his desk, searching through the Washington,

D. C. telphone book. He finds a number, dials.

ALLENBY:

(into phone)

Mr. Thomas Franklin, please.

(a wait)

Is Thomas Franklin in?

(a beat)

Yes, this is Dr. Robert Allenby,

would you please tell Mr. Franklin

that I would like to talk to him?

It concerns Chauncey Gardiner.

102INT. RAND'S ROOM - DUSK

Rand is in bed, very still, deep in thought. Teresa and

Constance work in the background.

103 EXT. SOPHIE'S - NIGHT

Chance wears Ben's tuxedo and Eve is done to the teeth

as they emerge from the limousine and are met by the

press:
a couple of reporters, 5 photographers and a

mini-cam crew from a local TV station.

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