Cast Away Page #5

KELLY:

We're covered with suntan lotion and

sweat. Our skin is so hot, it's

glowing...

And she comes closer to him.

KELLY:

We could take a swim.

She's really close now.

CHUCK:

On the other hand we could not take a

swim...

They squiggle themselves onto the desk.

INT. LAB - NIGHT

Someone kicks the door shut. Now the figures are in

silhouette, lit by the light in the office.

And then the light goes out.

EXT. FEDEX OFFICES - NEXT MORNING

A nondescript office park near the airport. No sign.

Chuck's car screeches into the parking lot. He jumps out,

glances at this watch, and heads for the building at a run.

INT. EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

A large room dominated by an animated MAP OF THE WORLD.

Lights at various locations blink and flash. Above the map

are a large Sign saying "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" and two

huge digital Clocks -- one keeping time, the other a

countdown clock for that day's package sort at the SuperHub.

The operations team of FedEx sits around a large table. Each

has on a headset. BECCA TWIGG, the business-like senior vice

president of Operations, addresses questions to a man --

COLIN PARKER-BOWLES, the European operations manager -- on a

LARGE TV SCREEN in front of her. "London" is superimposed on

the screen.

BECCA:

So why was Milan late, Colin?

COLIN:

One of the race horses coming from

Ireland got colic and had to be off-

loaded in Brussels. That put the Jumbo

15, six hours late into Charles De

Gaulle. Customs had difficulty locating

the dutiable items...

Colin continues as Chuck, out of breath, slips under the

screen and heads for the one remaining vacant seat -- across

from Stan. Next to Stan is MAYNARD GRAHAM, an MBA systems

man. Becca addresses a question over to Stan.

BECCA:

Stan, can we get P&A down to work with

Milan customs?

STAN:

We're already on it.

BECCA:

Good. And let's look at our live animal

policy. I don't think the income stream

justifies delaying IP product, especially

at Christmas.

Colin disappears. A red light goes on. Becca pushes a

button. Another face comes on the screen. "Oakland" appears

under the face.

BECCA:

Stand by, Benson, we're still wrapping up

foreign.

She turns pointedly to Chuck.

BECCA:

Chuck, thanks for joining us. Status?

Chuck swallows nervously, tries to talk matter-of-factly.

CHUCK:

Becca, as you know St. Petersburg was

consistently running late by six to ten

hours -- sometimes a full day or more. I

replaced the station manager. We

identified inefficiencies and worked out

a quality improvement plan I believe can

be met.

MAYNARD:

You replaced the station manager with a

driver. A local with no knowledge of our

systems.

BECCA:

Shouldn't you have brought in someone

from Memphis? Russia is priority one.

MAYNARD:

James Pottinger is available.

The process is being ripped out of Chuck's hands. He

struggles to get an answer.

STAN:

He's a numbers cruncher. Chuck's done

all the right things here...

Stan is doing his best to back up Chuck.

CHUCK:

Jim's a terrific financial man, no

question. But we can't always parachute

in from Memphis. We've got to build up

our local staff.

MAYNARD:

We've got to improve foreign on-time,

that's what we've got to do. If this new

guy's so good, how come the very first

plane he sent missed the connection in

Paris?

Maynard knows how to go for the jugular. Everyone looks at

Chuck.

CHUCK:

We're building a new team here. We got

every package on the truck for the first

time ever. Success is the best teacher.

MAYNARD:

I don't call missing the plane a success.

Everyone looks at Chuck.

EXT. KELLY'S HOUSE - DAY - LATE THAT AFTERNOON

Chuck lugs a big package up to the door, knocks on it. Kelly

opens the door.

KELLY:

Merry Christmas eve.

CHUCK:

Not if you work for FedEx.

INT. KELLY'S HOUSE - DAY

Chuck enters as they keep talking. Her house is cozy but

also where she works. There's a computer, specimen jars, and

some terrariums with frogs inside. A Christmas tree with

packages under it.

KELLY:

You break four million packages last

night?

In the b.g. one of the packages by the Christmas tree is

starting to shake on its own.

CHUCK:

Four four. A record.

KELLY:

You don't seem too happy about it.

CHUCK:

Ah, the staff meeting could have gone

better.

KELLY:

Let me guess, Russia came up?

Chuck's attention goes to the tree.

CHUCK:

One of those packages just moved.

The package turns over, something darts out. It's a puppy,

with a bow around its neck.

KELLY:

Merry Christmas.

Chuck bends down to see the puppy.

CHUCK:

Hey, look at you.

KELLY:

I figure, if we could take care of a

puppy, we could, you know, take care

of --

A baby, she wants to say, but that's going a little fast so

she catches herself. Chuck picks the puppy up.

CHUCK:

He is a cute thing.

KELLY:

He's your cute thing.

CHUCK:

I can't even keep fish alive.

KELLY:

A puppy's got a little more personality

than a fish.

CHUCK:

And for you --

Chuck hands over his present.

KELLY:

So do good things come in large packages?

Kelly opens Chuck's present -- a very large box.

It's a piece of luggage.

CHUCK:

You know, for when you travel.

KELLY:

For when I travel?

She can't believe it. It's the exact opposite of what she

wanted.

KELLY:

You should have got me something that

shows you want us to be together, not

apart.

Chuck is flummoxed. Women read so much into things.

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