Being There Page #8

PRESIDENT:

(smiling)

...Hello.

RAND:

Oh, Mr. President, I'd like you

to meet my dear friend, Mr.

Chauncey Gardiner.

Chance and the President exchange a two-handed handshake.

The President reacts.

CHANCE:

You look much smaller on

television, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT:

(a beat)

...Oh, really...

RAND:

(smiling)

You will find that Chauncey

does not bandy words, Mr.

President.

The President gives Chance a look, then laughs.

PRESIDENT:

Well, Mr. Gardiner, that's

just fine with me - I'm a man

that appreciates a frank dis-

cussion... Be seated, please,

Mr. Gardiner...

CHANCE:

(sitting)

Yes, I will.

PRESIDENT:

(also sits)

Now, Ben, did you happen to get

a chance to go over...

Chance reacts to the mention of his name, interrupts.

CHANCE:

Yes?

There is a beat as the President look at Chance quizzically,

then he continues.

PRESIDENT:

...I just wonder if you had

gone over my speech, Ben.

RAND:

Yes, I did.

PRESIDENT:

...Well?

RAND:

Overall - pretty good. But, Mr.

President, I think it's very

dangerous to resort to temporary

measures at this stage of the game.

PRESIDENT:

Well, Ben... I...

RAND:

I sympathize with you and, I

know how difficult it is to be

straightforward, but I'm telling

you right now, Bobby - your

position on this is going to

cause more dissension that you

want or might even be able to

stand.

60INT. CHANCE'S ROOM - MORNING

Allenby is searching through Chance's clothes looking for

something. There is a knock at the door, Allenby pulls

back from the closet as Riff opens the door, looks inside.

ALLENBY:

Oh... Hello.

RIFF:

(entering)

Good morning. I'm Riff, Secret

Service.

ALLENBY:

...Yes. Of course.

Allenby spreads his arms as Riff passes the metal detector

over him.

61INT. LIBRARY - MORNING

The President paces, is worried about what Rand is telling

him. Chance smiles through it all.

RAND:

...There is no longer any margin

for inflation, it has gone as

far as it can. You've reached

your limits on taxation, dependence

on foreign energy is at a point of

crisis, and, from where I see it,

Mr. President, the so-called Free

Enterprise System could be at

the breaking point.

PRESIDENT:

You don't think I should take

that chance, huh?

RAND:

Absolutely not.

Chance has reacted to his name, but doesn't know what

to say. The President sits, turns, to Chance.

PRESIDENT:

Do you agree with Ben, Mr.

Gardiner? Or do you think we

can stimulate growth through

temporary incentives?

CHANCE:

(a beat)

As long as the roots are not

severed, all is well and all

will be well in the garden.

PRESIDENT:

(a pause)

...In the garden?

CHANCE:

That is correct. In a garden,

growth has its season. There

is spring and summer, but there

is also fall and winter. And

then spring and summer again...

PRESIDENT:

(staring at Chance)

...Spring and summer...

(confused)

Yes, I see...Fall and winter.

(smiles at Chance)

Yes, indeed.

RAND:

(interrupts)

I think what my most insightfult

friend is building up to, Mr.

President, is that we welcome the

inevitable saesons of nature, yet

we are upset by the seasons of

our economy.

CHANCE:

Yes. That is correct. There will

be growth in the spring.

PRESIDENT:

(pleased)

...Well, Mr. Gardiner, I must

admit, that is one of the most

refreshing and optimistic state-

ments I've heard in a very, very

long time.

(he rises)

...I envy your good, solid sense,

Mr. Gardiner - that is precisely

what we lack on Capitol Hill.

(glances at watch)

I must be going.

(holds out hand

to Chance)

... This visit has been most

enlightening...

Chance rises and shakes the President's hand.

CHANCE:

Yes. It has.

PRESIDENT:

...You will honor me and my family

with a visit, won't you?

CHANCE:

Yes. I will.

PRESIDENT:

Wonderful, we'll all look forward

to seeing you.

(turns to Rand)

Is Eve around? I'd like to say

hello.

RAND:

No, she flew up to Boston for some

charity event. She'll be sorry

to have missed you.

PRESIDENT:

I'm sorry, too. Well, Nancy wanted

me to send along her best to the two

of you - and, Ben, I want to thank

you for your time and thoughts.

RAND:

Nonsense, Mr. President - I

thank you for coming to spend

time with a dying man.

PRESIDENT:

Now, Ben, I won't have any any of

that. Why don't you listen to

your good friend Chauncey -

this is a time to think of

life!

The President claps Rand's hand.

RAND:

You're right, Mr. President -

I don't like feeling sorry

for myself.

PRESIDENT:

Take care of yourself, Ben.

RAND:

You too, Bobby.

PRESIDENT:

(as he turns to

go, a smile to

Chance)

...Chauncey...

CHANCE:

...Bobby...

The President leaves the library and Chance turns to Rand.

RAND:

(as the door

closes)

He's a decent fellow, the

President, isn't he?

CHANCE:

I'm glad he came, Ben. It was

nice talking to the President.

62INT. RAND MANSION - HALLWAY - MORNING

The President and his entourage are moving along toward

the front door. One aide, KAUFMAN, walks next to the

President.

PRESIDENT:

Kaufman, I'm going to need

information on Mr. Chauncey

Gardiner's background.

KAUFMAN:

(makes note of name)

Gardiner, yes, sir.

PRESIDENT:

And I'd like it some time today.

KAUFMAN:

No problem, Chief.

63INT. RAND MANSION - TAPESTRY ROOM - MORNING

Rand has an arm around Chance as the two of them walk.

Behind them, Wilson and Perkins push empty wheelchairs.

RAND:

(very weak)

...You know, Chauncey, there's

something about you... You don't

play games with words to protect

yourself. You're direct...

(they walk a

few more feet

in silence)

You know what I was talking to

you about last night?

CHANCE:

(blankly)

No, Ben.

RAND:

Oh, sure you do, the financial

assistance program for the

businessman.

(another beat)

Well, I think you might be just

the man to take charge of such an

undertaking. I'd like you to meet

with the other members of the Board

so you can discuss the matter at

greater length with them.

CHANCE:

I understand.

RAND:

And, please, Chauncey - don't

rush your decision. I know

you're not a man to act on the

spur of the moment.

CHANCE:

Thank you, Ben.

RAND:

And now, Chauncey, I'm afriad

you must excuse me - I'm very

tired...

Rand sits down in his wheelchair and Perkins starts off

with him.

CHANCE:

(as they go)

I'm sorry that you are so sick,

Ben.

Chance watches after them for a moment, then his interest

is taken by one of the large tapestries.

64EXT. RAND MANSION - MAIN GARDEN - DAY

Chance and Eve walk through the garden. At one end, is a

huge Victorian greenhouse, with smaller greenhouses next

to it. Off to one side, stands an attractive stone house.

Five young men work in one area, shovelling mulch.

EVE:

There are over sixty thousand

tulip bulbs planted here. It's

quite a sight when they're

blooming. Of course, the

roses are beautiful, too. We

have, I think, around twenty

thousand bushes.

(gestures to

men working)

...We plant something different

every year in that area... But

I haven't decided what I would

like this spring. What do you

think, Chauncey?

CHANCE:

I don't know.

EVE:

Well, give it some thought.

(indicates stone

house)

That's the gardener's house

over there.

Chance looks off to the two story stone house.

Rate this script:2.0 / 1 vote