Flight Page #19

VICKI EVANS:

I know who you are.

WHIP senses an unwelcome undercurrent. He locks eyes with

EVANS trying to read him. Silence before EVANS speaks to the

ATTENDING NURSE...

EVANS:

Ma’am can you give us some privacy?

Thank you.

(to Whip)

Come on in sir. Shut the door.

The ATTENDING NURSE files out placing a chair next to the bed

as she leaves. WHIP enters. It’s again quiet.

WHIP:

Listen, how long have you been...

EVANS:

Outta the coma? Two days.

WHIP:

I didn’t mean to disrupt your whole

day. I know they been swamping you

with interviews. You were great on

CNN...

EVANS smiles at WHIP.

EVANS:

Both my legs were crushed and my

pelvis snapped. I’ll probably

never walk again, least not without

a walker or braces. I’ll certainly

never fly again.

WHIP:

I’m sorry Ken.

103.

EVANS:

That plane was doomed the second

you sat in the chair. You reeked

like gin or somethin’. I called

Vicki from the plane before we took

off. That’s when the rain kicked

up.

VICKI nods, holding her cross with the chain across her lips.

WHIP:

I don’t know how much you remember,

but the plane started to fall

apart.

EVANS:

I remember everything until we

crashed. I know what went on.

WHIP:

What are we talking about?

EVANS:

I don’t know Captain Whitaker, what

are we talking about?

WHIP:

I just wanted to get a sense from

you what you thought caused the

crash.

EVANS:

Was it the fact that you got on the

plane drunk from the night before?

WHIP goes white and drops his head.

EVANS (CONT’D)

The NTSB is coming back tomorrow to

finish taking a deposition from me

about the events on the flight.

WHIP:

You think you’d be alive without me

on that plane?

EVANS:

No, we’d all be dead. But are you

gonna argue that your physical

state was tip top?

WHIP:

I’m not gonna argue anything with

you.

104.

WHIP gets up.

EVANS:

Sit, please sit.

(Whip sits)

I never shared my opinion about

your physical state the morning of

the flight. I’ve never said word.

WHIP sits and studies EVANS.

EVANS (CONT’D)

The flight was pre-ordained. I’ve

prayed on it Captain. Vicki and I

have prayed on it. There’s only

one judge -

VICKI EVANS:

Praise Jesus.

EVANS:

And he has a higher plan for you

sir. This event although tragic in

its loss of life is also a

celebration of life.

EVANS begins to mist up with sincere inspiration.

EVANS (CONT’D)

Nothing happens in the Kingdom of

the Lord by mistake.

VICKI EVANS:

Praise Jesus.

EVANS:

Captain, will you pray with me?

WHIP stares into EVANS’ eyes and sees a believer’s

conviction. EVANS reaches out his hand to WHIP.

WHIP slowly moves out of his chair and kneels at the side of

EVANS’ bed. WHIP takes EVANS’ hand and bows his head as he

reaches for VICKI’s at the same time. It’s quiet before...

EVANS (CONT’D)

Jesus our Lord and savior we thank

you for blessing Captain Whitaker

with courage and wisdom. For

guiding his hand on that fateful

morning. In his divine light we

were saved. Praise Jesus.

105.

VICKI EVANS:

Praise Jesus.

It is quiet for an extended beat. Finally...

WHIP:

Praise Jesus.

97

WHIP looks at EVANS and his WIFE whose heads are bowed with 97

reverence.

EXT. WHITAKER FARM -- DRIVEWAY -- NIGHT

A small pickup truck rambles to a stop in the driveway. We

hear music and laughter as NICOLE gets out.

NICOLE:

Thanks for the ride guys. I’ll see

you tomorrow.

COWORKER:

Keep it up Nicole, you could be

employee of the year.

They all laugh; Nicole waves as they drive off. She walks

towards the house which is dark. She hears music and looks

towards the barn to see bright light escaping through the

sagging doors and split wood walls.

EXT. WHITAKER FARM -- BARN -- NIGHT

NICOLE slowly approaches the almost glowing barn door. Her

curiosity compels her to pull it open.

INT./EXT. WHITAKER FARM -- BARN -- NIGHT

The door swings open to find the plane pointed towards the

driveway with an aged patina but revitalized shine. Lenny

Kravitz, “Fly Away” blares from the stereo...

WHIP emerges from the cockpit. He’s still in his suit but

with his jacket off and sleeves rolled up. He’s energized

like an excited kid. He runs up and kisses her.

NICOLE notes the cloud of smoke hanging in the air and the

burning cigarette in the ashtray, empty beers.

WHIP:

Looks great right?

106.

NICOLE:

It’s kind of...beautiful.

WHIP wipes at his nose.

WHIP:

It’s a Cessna 172, it was my dad’s.

He kept it perfect.

NICOLE takes in this cool trinket of aviation history.

NICOLE:

Does it work...

WHIP:

Yeah, he flew this plane a few

months before he died. I learned

to fly in this plane.

it anywhere.

You can land

WHIP laughs, remembering...

WHIP (CONT’D)

My friend Harling and I flew it to

Jamaica.

NICOLE:

Jamaica? In this?

WHIP:

We set off for an overnight fishing

trip two hours south of here. We

ended up in Bethel, Jamaica.

NICOLE:

You’re insane.

WHIP:

It was like a picture on a post

card. The white sand and sky blue

water. Most beautiful place I’ve

ever been.

NICOLE:

Was the water warm?

WHIP:

Yeah, really warm.

NICOLE:

That’s my kind of place.

WHIP:

Let’s go.

107.

NICOLE:

Sure, why not.

NICOLE laughs thinking they’re playing a game.

WHIP:

Let’s go tomorrow.

NICOLE:

You’re serious?

WHIP:

We’ll leave in the morning...we’ll

just go. Start over.

NICOLE realizes he’s serious as he opens another beer.

NICOLE:

Whip, we can’t.

WHIP:

It’s a beautiful beach, it’s

paradise.

NICOLE:

I’m worried about you.

WHIP:

(laughs a bit lit)

I’m fine thanks.

NICOLE:

No you’re not, you’re really not.

You need help, Whip. I think you

need rehab.

WHIP:

You go to a couple of AA meetings

and all of a sudden you think

you’re Jesus Christ? Worry about

yourself.

NICOLE:

We’re the same Whip, you and me,

we’re the same-

WHIP:

We’re not-

NICOLE:

We are

108.

WHIP:

I didn’t suck dick to get high.

And don’t give me a whole...

NICOLE:

Never Whip, I never in my life-

WHIP:

Your mom died and dad drank and

bullshit, bullshit, bullshit --

NICOLE:

Stop. Please stop.

WHIP:

Is that why you shot dope?

NICOLE:

That’s not fair-

WHIP:

Well there’s a lot of people out

there who lost their mom who’ve

never had a drink in their life.

NICOLE:

You’re sick, Whip.

NICOLE walks away, leaving WHIP with his plane and his dream

of freedom. WHIP calls after her.

WHIP:

I choose to drink.

NICOLE:

Do you? You choose it? I don’t

see a lot of choice goin’ on.

WHIP:

I choose to drink! And I blame it

on me. I’m happy to. I’ve got an

ex-wife and a son I don’t see.

Why? Because I choose to drink!

INT. WHITAKER FARM -- WHIP’S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

We follow WHIP as he enters the house and approaches the

doorway of the bedroom. WHIP sees NICOLE sitting on the bed.

She quickly tucks her cell phone away as WHIP holds up his

hand to signal a truce.

109.

WHIP:

Alright look, I was loaded when I

crashed that plane. With this

investigation going on, I don’t

know what’s gonna happen. Come to

Jamaica with me.

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