Groundhog Day Page #2

-5-

HAWLEY:

You can do the nurses when you

get back. Just take the squeaky

wheel here up to Punxsutawney and

get him back in one piece. Okay?

RITA:

Yeah, okay.

Hawley exits leaving Phil and Rita alone in the studio. She

knows Phil mainly by his reputation and it isn't good. Still,

she finds him appealing in an odd way.

PHIL:

(PLEASANTLY)

You know, this could be extremely

interesting.

RITA:

I've never done a weather story

before. What's Punxsutawney

like?

PHIL:

Oh, it's an enchanted place. A

magical world. It's the

Constantinople of the whole

Western Appalachian-Susquehanna

Drainage system.

RITA:

Do you always joke?

PHIL:

About 70 to 80% of the time.

Inside I'm actually a very shy

and sensitive person.

RITA:

A lot of people around here think

you're not very sincere.

PHIL:

Tell me the names of these

people.

RITA:

I'll line up a crew and

transportation. If you don't

feel like driving, we can all go

up in the van together.

PHIL:

I think I'll take my own car.

I ' m not that fond of my fellow

man.

-6-

RITA:

(EXITING)

Nice attitude.

PHIL:

Nice face.

(calls after her)

Why don't you ride up with me?

RITA:

No, thanks.

STEPHANIE DECASTRO , an attractive, dark-eyed, dark-haired

correspondent, glares at Phil from across the studio.

INT. PHIL'S OFFICE - LATER

Phil is in his cluttered cubicle talking on a headset phone

while he reviews cassettes of his groundhog spots from the past

two years on a small monitor. As he talks, he stuffs a number

of personal items in an overnight bag, all the time watching

himself on the TV monitor.

PHIL:

(on the phone)

They don't really think of me as

a weatherman around here. More

of a "personality," but with the

credibility of a first-class

broadcast journalist. Once you

look at my tape I think you'll

see what they mean.

Stephanie enters and stands in the doorway looking at Phil for

a long moment. There is something vaguely off-center about

this woman, not quite FATAL ATTRACTION but still a little

scary.

STEPHANIE:

(BITTERLY)

I just want to know one thing:

did I do something wrong or are

you just tired of me or what? I

have to know.

Phil sighs.

PHIL:

(on the phone)

Dan, can I call you back? I've

just been handed something and I

better get on it...

(he picks up some

papers and rustles

them for effect)

...Okay, thanks.

-7-

He takes off the headset, gets up and closes the door for

privacy.

PHIL:

(KINDLY)

You didn't do anything wrong,

Stephanie, and I ' m not tired of

you. It's just that I don't have

time for a real relationship

right now. I told you that the

first time we went out.

STEPHANIE:

(getting close)

Everybody says that at the

beginning of a relationship.

PHIL:

(gently pushing her

AWAY)

I'm different. I really meant

it! Things are really starting

to move for me now. I ' m not

going to be doing the weather for

the rest of my life. I was just

talking to the CBS guy about a

network job. I want that. This

is just the beginning for me. I

can't waste any more time.

STEPHANIE:

Are you saying our relationship

was a waste of time?

PHIL:

Our relationship? We went out a

total of four times! And only

twice did anything happen. It

was fun but I don't see that as

a big commitment.

STEPHANIE:

(closing in again)

I had our charts done. My

astrologer says we're extremely

compatible. There may even be

some past lives involvement here.

PHIL:

See? So we've already done this.

Let's move on. Next case.

STEPHANIE:

You know what's wrong with you,

Phil? You're selfish. You don't

have time for anyone but

yourself.

-8-

PHIL:

That's what I ' m trying to tell

you. You don't want to be with

me. You can do better. Look,

Stephanie, if I ever said or did

anything to mislead you I'm sorry

for that, but right now I have to

do this groundhog thing and I

don't have a handle on it yet.

He throws some papers and his datebook into a briefcase and

puts on his jacket.

PHIL (CONT.)

I'll tell you what. I ' m going to

do some serious thinking while

I ' m in Punxsutawney, okay?

He pats her on the shoulder and brushes past her, leaving her

standing there with a malevolent look on her face.

CUT TO:

EXT. A HIGHWAY - AFTERNOON

A VAN marked ".Channel 9 Action News" speeds along a two-lane

highway through the winter landscape of West Central

Pennsylvania. Mounted atop the van is a microwave transmitter.

Rita is riding up front with LARRY, the union cameraman and

techie. Phil is following close behind the van in a new Lexus

coupe. His car has a bumper-sticker that reads "Weathermen

Like it Wet."

PHIL (V.O.)

(on his earphone)

I'm on my way to Punxsutawney...

(forced to repeat it,

a little embarrassed)

Punx^su-taw-ney....Work or fun?

I think that all depends on you.

INT. THE LEXUS - CONTINUOUS

Phil is talking to one of his girlfriends, sorting through a

stack of CD's, as usual, grabbing at the good life with both

hands.

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