Election Page #19

LATER --

Paul is at a KEG, pumping it up and serving himself a beer. He takes

a sip, seems to grow pensive.

PAUL (VO CONT'D)

The only really bad thing about senior

year was Lisa. Right before Christmas

she dumped me. One minute she's totally

in love with me and then boom she's

going out with my football buddy Randy.

Paul looks over at

LISA dancing suggestively with RANDY

Paul looks sad, takes another gulp, waves at unseen friends.

PAUL (VO CONT'D)

Sometimes I wonder what would've

happened if I'd actually won the

election. Maybe my whole life would be

different. Like I might never have gone

to Yosemite with Greg and Travis.

Paul takes a BIG GULP and looks into camera.

PAUL (VO CONT'D)

Or maybe I'd be dead.

FADE OUT:

UNDER BLACK we hear a distinctive AIRY HISS.

INT. SACRED HEART BATHROOMDAY

Tammy takes a big toke off a JOINT.

TAMMY (VO)

Catholic school was great!

Tammy and JENNIFER, a Sacred Heart schoolmate, are jammed into a

bathroom stall.

TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

I mean, the teachers kind of sucked,

and they were supposedly way more

strict, but you could get away with

murder.

Tammy hands off the doob to Jennifer, who takes a huge hit.

TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

The best thing about Sacred Heart was

meeting Jennifer.

Jennifer looks at Tammy. Tammy looks at Jennifer

JENNIFER MONTAGE -

accompanied by the early '70's song, "Jennifer." SUPER-8 style

glimpses of Tammy and Jennifer in the Sacred Heart hallways, Jennifer

in the park, Jennifer dancing in Tammy's room, and finally, Jennifer

SWINGING.

TAMMY (VO CONT'D)

All those feelings I had for Lisa were

just preparing me for the real thing.

Jennifer and I are soul mates, and we're

never, ever, ever going to be apart.

FADE OUT:

UNDER BLACK:

we hear the MURMUR of a small crowd, interrupted by the BANG, BANG,

BANG of a GAVEL.

TRACY (VO)

Senior year was very productive for me

and full of personal achievement.

INT. STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICEDAY

Tracy officiates a MEETING. Next to her at the head table is Jerry

Raynor and other council members.

TRACY:

Order. Order. Order I Can we vote on

this? Those in favor.

TRACY (VO)

On top of a very successful student

council year, I got into Cornell like I

wanted, with scholarships, and I was in

the top 7th percentile of my graduating

class.

TRACY Approved

EXT. PARK DAY

Tracy walks along the edge of a pond on this overcast day, Her arms

are crossed, and she wears an oversized woolen sweater. Wind blows

softly through her hair.

TRACY (VO CONT'D)

But sometimes I got lonely, and I'd

think about Dave. I missed our talks.

Maybe it could have worked out between

us. I don't know.

INT. REAL VALU HARDWAREDAY

Wearing the red vest and "Ask me" button of a Real Valu foot soldier,

Dave stands above a case of SPRAY PAINT. He is stamping prices on

every cap.

TRACY (VO CONT'D)

I wonder what he's doing now. Maybe he

finally finished his novel

INT. MILLARD CAFETERIA - DAY

It's ANNUAL distribution time, and crowd of excited students are lined

up to get their precious book of memories. Many have already received

theirs and are crowded around dining tables, gleefully exchanging bans

mots.

Tracy takes her annual and quickly opens it to the INDEX.

CLOSE ON TRACT'S NAME - followed by a whopping list of page references

TRACY (VO)

When the yearbooks came out, I was on

almost every page.

EXT. MILLARD PARKING LOT - DAY

Tracy walks outside hugging her yearbook and sees

PAUL AT HIS TRUCK, surrounded by supplicants.

Tracy stops for a moment and watches. She gathers her courage and

heads toward him. Paul doesn't even notice her, so occupied is he

with his friends and admirers.

TRACY:

Paul, will you sign my yearbook?

PAUL:

Sure, Tracy.

Paul takes the book, efficiently finds the page with his picture, and

goes to work.

TRACY:

Can I sign yours too?

PAUL:

Oh, yeah, sure.

(to a friend)

Hey Nolan, give my book to Tracy when

you're done*

Nolan finishes and hands the book over. Tracy turns to the front

pages and finds them completely filled, as are the end pages. Now she

looks for her picture. When she finds it, it's almost completely

obscured by part of some ASSWIPE 'S long, illegible, exclamation

point-filled message. Finally, she locates an available space and

begins to write.

TRACY (VO)

I thought very carefully about what to

write. Because despite everything that

had happened with the election, I really

wished him well. I even signed it...

CLOSE ON - Tracy writing: "Love, Tracy" beneath her inscription

Tracy takes Paul's book back to him. He's already working on another

annual and barely looks up when he swaps with her.

PAUL:

Thanks, Tracy.

Tracy starts to walk away and Paul stops her

PAUL (CONT'D)

Hey, Tracy I..

She turns around expectantly

TRACY:

Yes, Paul?

PAUL:

Have a great summer. And good luck at

college.

TRACY:

(genuinely moved)

Thanks. You too. It was great working

with you.

Tracy opens the book as she walks and stops when she finds

AN ALMOST BLANK PAGE with Paul's puny inscription at the bottom:

Have a great Summer! Good luck at college Paul Metzier'

INT. TRACY'S ROOMDAY

Tracy looks at herself in a mirror, as though dispassionately

assessing her own face. Then she begins to put on lipstick.

TRACY (VO)

After graduation, I don't know. ;

somehow felt empty inside. I guess high

school just seemed so meaningless now

and I couldn't wait to get out of Omaha.

Next year I was going to make all new

friends. Smarter, more ambitious

friends. It was time to move on. There

was nothing left for roe here. I just

had one more thing to take care of.

FADE OUT:

UNDER BLACK comes the sound of a BUSY COMMERCIAL STREET.

JIM (VO)

After two months of sitting on my ass

and two months helping out at my

brother-in-law's travel agency...

EXT. GRIFFITH SATURNDAY

A standard-issue car dealership: banner-draped lot, glass enclosed

showroom.

JIM (VO CONT'D)

...I landed a position at a Saturn

dealership.

INT. GRIFFITH SATURNDAY

All those cars and that new-car SMELL

IN HIS CUBICLE JIM is typing at his desk across from a 55-ish MALE

CUSTOMER.

JIM (VO CONT'D)

I never thought I'd end up selling

cars, but it's not so bad. I like the

Saturn philosophy -- it really is a

different kind of company.

A FRAMED SNAPSHOT on Jim's desk shows Diane and him with the LITTLE

ONE.

JIM (VO CONT'D)

I'm just relieved to have a steady

income now that there are three of us.

INT./EXT. GRIFFITH SATURN DAYQUICK MONTAGE

OUTSIDE ON THE LOT JIM saunters toward a client reading stickers.

INSIDE THE DEALERSHIP JIM explains features of a CROSS-SECTIONED

SATURN:

THE CLIENT IS IN A DRIVER'S SEAT while JIM leans in from the opposite

window, pointing out dashboard features.

JIM (VO)

Actually, it wasn't so difficult making

the transition from teaching to selling.

It's like I tell my customers: my role

is just to educate people so they can

make informed decisions.

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