Dave Page #19

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CLOSER SHOT:

Dave and Ellen emerge stepping out

onto the sidewalk.

ELLEN:

Huh.

DAVE:

Duane said he'd leave the car over

here.

DIFFERENT ANGLE:

He leads Ellen around a corner where a small brown Plymouth

sits parked at the curb. Dave fishes through his pockets and

pulls out the car keys.

DAVE:

(handing them to her)

Here you go.

Ellen looks down at the car keys.

DAVE:

He said he'll pick it up in a couple

of days.

ELLEN:

Oh... Okay.

She glances at the Plymouth then back a Dave. She just stares

at him for a moment.

DAVE:

What?

ELLEN:

(shaking her head)

It's just so strange...

Dave looks at her. Ellen takes a deep breath.

ELLEN:

I lock at you and I see Bill...

(turning to him)

I mean, he's almost dead, but he's

right here... I mean, you're right

here... alive and...

DAVE:

I'm not Bill Mitchell.

She looks at him.

DAVE:

In fact, I'm not anything like him

and... I guess I want you to know that.

ELLEN:

(quietly)

He wasn't always like that, anyway.

Their eyes lock for a second.

DAVE:

(suddenly)

Are you hungry?

ELLEN:

(beat)

What?

DAVE:

(smiling a little)

I'm starving. There's got to be

something open around here.

Ellen stares at him for a moment, then finally smiles...

CUT TO:

EXT. 7-11 - NIGHT

It is a twenty-four-hour convenience store. Even at two in

the morning, several cars are parked in the lot.

Ellen sits on the passenger side of Plymouth with her door

locked. Dave emerges carrying a brown paper bag.

He pops the driver's side door and hops inside.

INT. CAR

ELLEN:

I really don't have much of an appetite.

DAVE:

(looking over at her)

Just wait.

He FIRES UP the CAR.

CUT TO:

EXT. "THE MALL" - NIGHT

The monuments are illuminated a glittering white. The Lincoln

Memorial and Capitol Dome stand out against the long field of

grass.

ELLEN (O.S.)

(eating Dave's "special

sandwich")

This is good. What's in it?

CLOSER SHOT:

They sit side by side on a raised, grassy mound at the base

of the Washington Monument. A large bath towel is spread

out between them with the Presidential Seal at the center.

Dave's bag is opened at their side.

DAVE:

That's a secret.

ELLEN:

(taking another bite)

You have a lot of secrets.

DAVE:

I guess.

AFTER A BEAT:

DAVE:

When did you know?... About me.

She pauses.

ELLEN:

I think in the car.

ELLEN:

The car?

ELLEN:

On the way to the homeless shelter.

You looked at my leg.

(pause)

Bill lost interest a long time ago.

He turns and looks at her.

DAVE:

That's good. I was worried it was the

shower.

She smiles. They are perched on a small hill overlooking the

White House.

ELLEN:

So what do you do the rest of the time?

DAVE:

(smiling)

You mean when I'm not running the

country?

ELLEN:

Yes.

DAVE:

I run a temp agency.

She looks at him.

DAVE:

You know, secretaries and stiff.

ELLEN:

(smiles)

You find people jobs?

DAVE:

Yeah. Is that funny?

ELLEN:

It's just more than anybody else does

around here.

DAVE:

Well don't get carried away --

I'm not that good at it.

She turns and studies him for a moment.

ELLEN:

(suddenly personal)

And your family? I assume you're

married?

He turns back to her. A couple of seconds go by.

DAVE:

I was... once.

(pause)

It didn't take.

Ellen laughs and looks out over the mall. Dave takes another

swig of his soda.

ELLEN:

(quietly)

You know, Dave -- it is Dave, isn't

it? I can't keep all of this a secret.

DAVE:

I know.

ELLEN:

But you could go to jail for it.

He turns and looks at her. There doesn't seem to be any

fear.

DAVE:

Yeah, I know.

Ellen turns and studies him.

DAVE:

I liked doing it, though. Not the

fancy stuff with the helicopter or the

TV cameras but...

DIFFERENT ANGLE:

Ellen keeps staring at him. Dave glances back.

DAVE:

I liked saving that shelter. I liked

helping people I hadn't even met before.

It's quiet for a moment. He stares back at the White House.

DAVE:

(pause)

And right then I felt like I wasn't

pretending anymore.

CLOSER:

Several seconds go by. Dave stares off at the White House

across the mall while Ellen studies his face.

ELLEN:

I don't think you were pretending.

Dave turns to her as their eyes lock.

DAVE:

I liked being married to you.

Ellen turns all the way around on the blanket staring at him

from less than a foot away.

ELLEN:

What would you do if you were still in

there? If you had one more chance to

be President, what would you do then?

CLOSEUP - DAVE

He stares at her for a moment.

DAVE:

(quietly)

Lots of things.

EXT. WHITE HOUSE GATE - NIGHT

The small brown Plymouth rolls up to the guard ate as the

uniformed officer leans out of his booth.

GUARD:

I'm sorry, sir. There's no visitors...

Dave rolls down his window, showing his Presidential face to

the Guard,

GUARD:

(snapping to)

Mr. President! I'm sorry I...

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