Blast from the Past Page #2

CALVIN:

(intense)

A veeeery good one, Harold. Free

market capitalism may not be a perfect

order, but it's the best we've got, or

will ever have. And why? Three

reasons!

Poor Harold.

INT. KITCHEN - SAME TIME

Most of the guests are women, gabbing and helping Helen

out as she removes a pot roast from the oven and busily

jumps around the kitchen.

WOMAN GUEST #2

Say, Helen? What does Calvin think

about this trouble down in Cuba?

HELEN:

(rolling her eyes)

Oh, please don't bring that up!

EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT, MOMENTS LATER

A late guest named RON hurries up the walkway and into

the house.

SCENE 8 OMITTED

INT. LIVING ROOM - A SECOND LATER

Calvin is with another guest.

CALVIN:

I'd say my baseball card collection is

as complete as any one I've ever seen.

Ron pushes his way through the crowd.

RON:

Calvin! Hey, Calvin!

(pointing over his shoulder)

Kennedy's going toe-to-toe with

Khrushchev on the television!

Calvin immediately heads for the family room. Others

follow.

INT. FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Everyone is huddled around the JFK TV press conference.

There seems to be a lot of smokers. Helen appears

shortly, wearing a hot pad mitten on each hand.

JFK:

...this sudden, clandestine decision

to station strategic weapons for the

first time outside of Soviet soil, is

a deliberately provocative and

unjustified change in the status quo

which cannot be accepted by this

country.

Calvin cuts a knowing look at Helen who dutifully returns

it.

EXT. JET - NIGHT

The plane swoops over the Valley and we see the

spectacular lights of L.A. sprawl. There is a TRAIL OF

SPARKS coming from the jet's engine.

INT. JET COCKPIT

The plane is shaking terribly and the pilot is having a

very hard time controlling it.

TOWER:

Wolf One -- say intentions.

PILOT:

I've got secondaries of an engine fire

and I'll need to find a clear area to

eject.

TOWER:

Roger, Wolf One. Can you make it to

the ocean?

EXT. JET

The trembling plane circles to the west.

INT. FAMILY ROOM

Return to TV.

JFK:

...we will not prematurely or

unnecessarily risk the cost of

worldwide nuclear war, in which even

the fruits of victory would be ashes

in our mouth. But neither will we

shrink from the risk at any time it

must be faced.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT/ EXT. HOUSE, MOMENTS LATER

To Helen's embarrassment, Calvin is ushering all the

guests to the front door. Helen is passing out hats and

purses. She and Calvin speak simultaneously - somewhere

in the middle we cut outside.

CALVIN:

I'm sorry everyone, but given this

extraordinary turn of events, I think

it's prudent that we cut the evening

short. I'm sure this Cuban thing will

resolve itself, but in the

meantime...I'd suggest taking a

prayerful watch-and-wait stance!

HELEN:

We'll do this again! Maybe next week.

Here's your hat. Could I wrap

something up for you? Did you have a

coat?

Helen can barely get a "good night" out before Calvin

shuts the door.

ANGLE - DAVE AND BOB

Following their wives out.

DAVE:

(sotto to Bob)

What'd I tell ya?!

Bob whistles softly. Calvin's a nut all right.

INT. FRONT DOOR

Calvin turns to Helen, a grave expression on his face.

CALVIN:

It's time.

HELEN:

(misinterpreting, holding her

stomach)

Time? Oh, no Calvin. It's not time

yet. I still have--

He points down.

HELEN (cont'd)

Oh, that time! You know Calvin, I'm

not sure I'm really ready for this.

CALVIN:

On the contrary, I think we're the

only ones who are.

He leads her out of shot.

HELEN (OC)

Calvin I'm sure everything's going to

be all right. I just know it is!

EXT. BACKYARD - MOMENTS LATER

Calvin and Helen leave the house; cross the patio; and

hurry to the shop. Back in the house, the record player

has been left on: "How Much Is That Doggie In The

Window...?" Helen is carrying the pot roast which is

wrapped in foil.

HELEN:

Well, I'm certainly not going to let

the pot roast go to waste. Could you

just put that seat cover back on that

lawn chair?

He does.

HELEN (cont'd)

Shouldn't we at least turn off the

phonograph?

CALVIN:

It shuts off automatically.

HELEN:

Did you rig it to do that? You're so

clever.

CALVIN:

No. They all do.

HELEN:

I never know anymore.

The SOUND OF THE TRAINER JET makes a low pass over

Calvin's house. Calvin sticks his head out the door and

looks up.

CALVIN:

I bet that's a fighter jet on his way

to Key West! Good luck, amigo!

INT. WORKSHOP

They enter. The place is full of tools and gadgets--

mostly construction equipment. The ham radio is still on.

TOWER:

An emergency has been declared. I

repeat, an emergency has been

declared.

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