Cast Away Page #6

CHUCK:

I wasn't sending a message. I though

you'd like it.

Chuck's beeper goes off.

KELLY:

You should have got me a ring.

He checks the number.

CHUCK:

I have to go. I'm on call for overflow

down at the Hub.

KELLY:

A ring. I wanted a ring.

CHUCK:

You did?

She nods. What to do?

CHUCK:

Look, I love the puppy. I love you. But

I have to go.

KELLY:

You can't go now.

CHUCK:

I have to.

KELLY:

You want to.

Chuck picks up the puppy.

CHUCK:

What should we call him? Or is it her?

How about Jango?

Kelly is having one of those moments when everything comes

clear.

KELLY:

This isn't working out.

CHUCK:

We're a little emotional here. It's

Christmas, maybe we're over-reacting.

KELLY:

"We're" not over-reacting.

CHUCK:

Could you watch Jango?

KELLY:

No.

CHUCK:

I can't take him to work.

He hands her the puppy.

CHUCK:

We'll talk about it when I come back.

It'll all be fine. Really.

This is not a happy woman he is leaving behind.

EXT. KELLY'S HOUSE - HOUSE LATER

It's dark now. Chuck returns. The stars are putting on an

amazing show, but he doesn't notice as he heads for the door.

INT. KELLY'S HOUSE - MINUTES LATER

Chuck enters. The tree and the presents under it are gone.

CHUCK:

Kelly? Kelly?

No answer, nothing but the sound of Jango, who begins yelping

in the kitchen.

INT. KELLY'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck picks up Jango, who is barricaded in the kitchen with

some food, some water, and some wet newspapers.

CHUCK:

There. There. Easy now.

EXT. KELLY'S HOUSE - BACK YARD - NIGHT - MINUTES LATER

Holding Jango, Chuck walks out into the back yard.

CHUCK:

Kelly?

A fire still smolders. The packages have burned. The tree

is a blackened mess.

Chuck stares at it.

EXT. CHUCK'S HOUSE - NEXT MORNING

Chuck gets into his car, puts Jango on the front seat next to

him. Pulls out of the driveway.

EXT. ARKANSAS HIGHWAY - DAY

Chuck is in his car, with the dog on his lap.

EXT. FARM HOUSE - DAY

Chuck's car drives up to a typical Arkansas farm house. His

MOM is setting some Christmas tree lights around the door.

Chuck gets out of the car. There's a large wet spot on the

front of his pants.

MOM:

What happened to your pants?

CHUCK:

Mom, meet Jango.

Chuck displays the puppy.

EXT. FARM HOUSE - SHED - DAY

Chuck works on an old tractor in the shed. Some small legs

appear in his vision, then a small face. This is AMANDA, his

niece.

AMANDA:

Dinner's ready.

INT. FARM HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

Around the table are Chuck's brother ROGER, his wife MARY,

Amanda, and her TWO BROTHERS. Mom brings in the turkey,

places it on the table, sits down. They all hold hands and

bow their heads.

MOM:

Chuck?

Chuck hesitates just a moment.

CHUCK:

Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts,

which we are about to receive, from thou

bounty, through Christ the Lord. Amen.

ROGER:

Let's eat.

EXT. FARM HOUSE - LATER THAT DAY

The children burst out the door, shrieking, chased by Jango.

INT. FARM HOUSE - DAY

The grown-ups are cleaning up after Christmas dinner. The

scene moves between the table, the kitchen counter, and the

refrigerator. It's an old-fashioned kitchen, simply

furnished.

MARY:

How's Kelly?

CHUCK:

Great.

ROGER:

Thought you were going to bring her.

CHUCK:

So did I.

MOM:

It seemed like she had such a good time

last time.

CHUCK:

It's nothing you did, Mom, believe me.

MARY:

Jennifer's still down at the post office.

And she's still got that crush on you.

ROGER:

And she's still got those --

MARY:

Roger.

ROGER:

You should have stuck around.

This is an old, sore subject.

CHUCK:

Look, I help take care of the place. You

got my check, didn't you Mom?

MOM:

That new roof, that's your doing.

ROGER:

You're just allergic to farming, that's

what dad said. Can't stand to be alone.

Can't stand to be in one place. Can't

stand the sight of...blood.

He drops the turkey giblets into the trash.

MARY:

Roger's going to put chickens in here.

Chuck can't believe this.

CHUCK:

Come on Roger, this is dad all over

again. You already did beefalo,

chinchillas, and what was that, ostrich?

They chased Mom around the yard, sprained

her hip.

Mom goes to the freezer and takes out some frozen

strawberries.

MOM:

It wasn't that bad, dear.

MARY:

You can't make a living out of this

place. We tried.

CHUCK:

But chickens?

ROGER:

Sixty three pounds consumed per capita,

up from twenty seven in 1960. Going to

pass beef. Chicken's global. No

religious taboos. You don't see your

Hindus and your Muslims boycotting

poultry.

CHUCK:

True enough. No sacred chickens nowhere,

so far as I know.

MOM:

Roger's working at Tyson's now.

Mom mashes the block of frozen strawberries with a fork to

separate the strawberries from the ice.

CHUCK:

Really?

ROGER:

Come on down to the plant. It's state of

the art. We're doing for chickens what

FedEx did for the delivery business.

CHUCK:

Just don't count 'em before they hatch.

Roger grins at him. This is just how they are.

ROGER:

I'll try to remember that.

MOM:

Dessert.

They all sit down. Mom brings the slushy frozen strawberries

to the table, squirts on some Reddi-whip. Looks pointedly at

Chuck.

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