Carol Page #2

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RICHARD:

Anyway she wants to make it for you

so there’s no use fighting it, once

she gets an idea in her head...

She’s just going crazy with no

girls in the family but Esther-

A SECURITY GUARD has opened the door and the line has begunto move.

Upon entering, each employee is handed a Santa Cap, whichthey dutifully put on. RICHARD reaches the door, takes hiscap, wordlessly puts it on, moves inside. He holds out a capto THERESE.

SECURITY GUARD:

Compliments of the season from themanagement.

THERESE takes her cap, doesn’t put it on, moves inside.

RICHARD:

I gotta open the floor.

INT. FRANKENBERG’S. EMPLOYEE CAFETERIA. MORNING.

From a table in the corner, THERESE sips at a cup of coffeeand watches a sea of Santa-capped and uniform-smocked STAFFmove wordlessly along the breakfast line, accepting gooeyeggs and cups of coffee. THERESE looks down at aFrankenberg’s employee handbook. We glimpse bits and piecesof information: ...2 weeks vacation after 5 years, 4 weeksvacation after 15 years... full pension, benefits...” She

turns a page:
“Are YOU Frankenberg Material?”

It’s too depressing to take in. THERESE slips the handbookback into her purse and removes a copy of Joyce’s “Portrait

of the Artist as a Young Man.” But just as she settles inROBERTA WALLS, an officious supervisor in bright redharlequin glasses, swoops by THERESE planting a Santa capfirmly onto her head.

ROBERTA WALLS:

You’re needed upstairs, Miss

Belivet. Make it snappy.

INT. FRANKENBERG’S. DOLL STOCK ROOM. MORNING.

THERESE, surrounded by rows of identical Christmas dolls,

counts stock. THERESE watches a very middle-aged, wheezingemployee, RUBY ROBICHEK, struggle with carrying seven oreight large boxes across the stock room floor. RUBY can’t seein front of her, and as she attempts to peer around the edgeof the boxes, most of the boxes tumble out of RUBY’S arms andonto the floor.

THERESE quickly determines she’s the only help on the floor,

and goes to assist RUBY, who has great difficulty in kneelingto pick up the boxes.

THERESE:

(kneels to help RUBY)

Please- let me help.

RUBY is grateful to avoid kneeling, and places each box

THERESE hands to her on the display counter.

RUBY ROBICHEK:

Thanks an awful lot, honey. I keeptelling them upstairs we need morestock boys come the holidays, butthey haven’t listened in 18 years.

THERESE:

You’ve been here 18 years?

RUBY ROBICHEK:

Oh, sure. And when you’re here longenough, you’ll get inventive withjuggling boxes, like me.

THERESE:

I’m just a temporary. For the

holiday.

RUBY ROBICHEK:

(shrugs)

I said that once.

INT. FRANKENBERG'S. TOY DEPARTMENT. MORNING.

Just before opening: a surreal calm and silence. THERESE, inSanta cap, and makeshift bandage, stands beside an elaboratemodel train set. She flips a switch and the train set comesto life - the tiny lights, the tinny whir of the engine asthe train chugs its way along the track. A LOUD BUZZERsounds. Behind THERESE, we can see the analogue liftindicator start to move: 5th floor, 4th floor, 3rd floor...

as the lift descends to accept its first load of dailycustomers and a voice bellows from the intercom:

STORE ANNOUNCER (V.O.)

Good morning, Happy Holidays andwelcome, shoppers, toFrankenberg’s. Be sure to takeadvantage of our CongratulationsIke and Mamie Inaugural Early Birdspecial in our Beds and BeddingDepartment on the second floor.

(MORE)

STORE ANNOUNCER (V.O.) (CONT'D)

And on your way there, you won’twant to miss our brand new General

Electric television and

stereophonic display on the firstfloor, just past the haberdashery.

Behind THERESE, the lift doors open and all at once THERESEis swallowed up by the rush of MANAGERS, STAFF and CUSTOMERS.

INT. FRANKENBERG’S. DOLL DEPARTMENT. LATER

THERESE sits behind a display case full of dolls. She triesto make herself invisible while she surreptitiously reads herbook. The department is full of MOTHERS buying Christmasgifts for their children. THERESE’S reading is interrupted bya SHARP WAILING. She looks up to see a TODDLER throwing atantrum and an EMBARRASSED MOM trying to get the situationunder control. Just then, ROBERTA WALLS bustles through thedepartment, sees THERESE, points to THERESE’S head - where’sthe Santa cap? ROBERTA WALLS seems to say without saying it.

THERESE hurriedly stashes her book into her handbag and pullsout the cap. She tries to hide the bloodstains. ROBERTA WALLSnods to THERESE and moves on.

THERESE settles back down, bored. A CUSTOMER looksexpectantly to THERESE; THERESE pretends she doesn’t see theCUSTOMER and ducks down to her handbag to retrieve her book.

She looks up above the desk to see where the CUSTOMER wentand instead spies a glance of another woman - a woman whosegreen silk scarf tied loosely around her neck and headcatches THERESE’S attention. This WOMAN appears to be theonly customer surrounded by no one else. This is CAROL AIRD.

CAROL bends down to examine the train set, and inadvertentlytoggles the on/off switch - the train shuts down. CAROLstands up, turns around towards the doll department, smiling,

as if asking for help.

THERESE meets CAROL’S eyes for a strange split second - untilthe EMBARRASSED MOM and the screaming TODDLER appear in frontof THERESE, blocking her view of anything else.

EMBARRASSED MOM:

Where’s the ladies room, honey?

THERESE:

To the left, past men’s shoes, thenright at the tie racks.

EMBARRASSED MOM nods her thanks and hoists TODDLER away.

THERESE looks for CAROL, but she’s no longer there. The trainset is back on, and being admired by several sets of FATHERSand SONS.

INT. FRANKENBERG’S. DOLL DEPARTMENT. MOMENTS LATER

Behind and below the desk, THERESE contemplates sneaking aread of her book, but decides against it. She glances back upand sees a pair of black leather gloves tossed onto the desk.

THERESE looks and sees CAROL standing before her.

CAROL:

I’m looking for a doll. She’s about(

she gestures)- this high and thiswide and... (rethinking): Let’s

begin again, shall we?

As CAROL steps away from the desk a moment to rummage throughher purse, THERESE can’t stop staring - at her well-tailoredsuit, her blonde hair, her green silk scarf. CAROL produces acrumpled slip of paper, steps back up to the desk, givesTHERESE a big smile as she hands it to her.

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CAROL (CONT'D) (CONT’D)

I wonder if you might help me findthis doll for my daughter.

THERESE reads the slip of paper.

THERESE:

Bright Betsy. She cries.

CAROL:

Oh she does?

THERESE:

And wets herself. But we’re out of

stock.

CAROL:

I’ve left it too long.

She begins to rummage through her purse.

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