Groundhog Day Page #25

FIRST BUSINESSMAN

Jerry, you okay?

SECOND BUSINESSMAN

I think that did it.

Phil lets go of the grateful victim.

PHIL:

If you're going to eat steak, get

better teeth, will you? Enjoy

the rest of your lunch, gents.

He exits.

JERRY:

Wow. Who was that guy?

Phil gets to the door and finds Rita standing there, looking at

him in awe.

PHIL:

Rita!

.RITA

(CONFRONTING)

-Okay, hold it right there. I

want to know what' s going on and

I want to know right now.

PHIL:

I'm sorry, I'm really pressed

right now. Meet me outside the

hospital about 5:00 and we'll

talk about it.

RITA:

The hospital?

Phil looks at his watch and rushes away.

PHIL:

Try the curlycue fries. Killer.

CUT TO:

-109-

INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - LATER

A gurney bursts through the double doors, paramedics and nurses

in attendance. The patient is a teenage girl, JANEY, totally

unconscious.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The gurney is wheeled into the surgery.

NURSE:

Looks like insulin shock. She's

probably diabetic.

Phil enters wearing a doctor's scrub suit and begins barking

orders.

PHIL:

She's not diabetic. It's an

overdose. Let's get her up here

and pump her stomach, then I want

a complete blood work-up, STAT.

NURSE:

R i g h t , Doctor--uh--

She realizes she's never seen him before.

PHIL:

Call me Phil.

NURSE:

Phil. Like the groundhog?

PHIL:

Exactly.

CUT TO:

INT. CHILDREN'S WARD - LATE AFTERNOON

Sick CHILDREN in hospital gowns are gathered around Phil,

laughing and squealing. Phil is. making balloon animals.

KID:

Make a giraffe!

PHIL:

A giraffe? Let's see. It's just

like a dog with a biiiiig-- what

was it?

ALL THE KIDS:

Neck!

-110-

PHIL:

A big tail? Okay, a big tail.

KIDS:

Neck! A big neck!

Phil makes an animal really quickly.

Rita watches from the doorway, unseen by Phil.

PHIL:

There. A dog with long legs.

KIDS:

Nooo ! Long neck !

PHIL:

Oh! Right! A dog with a big

head.

KIDS:

Noooo!

The kids attack Phil. Lots of rolling around on the bed. Rita

watches, completely enthralled.

Finally, Phil extricates himself and exits to find Rita

waiting.

RITA:

All right, now what's going on?

PHIL:

(taking her arm)

Come on. We have to hurry.

CUT TO:

EXT . RESIDENTIAL STREET - A LITTLE LATER

Phil rushes down the sidewalk with Rita close behind him. He

stops under a tree and puts his arms out just as a YOUNG BOY

falls out of the tree and into his arms, knocking him to the

ground. The kid runs off unhurt as Phil gets back to his feet

and brushes himself off.

PHIL:

(to Rita)

That little bastard has never

thanked me once . I ought to j ust

let him fall. Teach him a

lesson.

RITA:

Phil, this is too -- I must be

dreaming.

-1 1-

1

PHIL:

Yeah, you and me both. Come on,

We're almost done.

CUT TO:

EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT

Phil kneels on the cold ground beside the old bum who lies

huddled against the wall, immobile.

Rita is standing by at the end of the alley, watching as Phil

examines him.

Phil writes something down on a small pad. He finishes, and

sets it down by the old man. Then he takes his coat and uses

it to cover the man up. A siren is heard.

Phil stands and walks away, as an ambulance pulls into the

alley.

RITA:

Is he -- ?

. 'PHIL

Yeah. Let's go.

RITA:

In a minute.

She waits and watches.

The paramedics, BUD and ANDY, get out of the ambulance and

inspect the scene.

BUD:

It's ol1 Really.

ANDY:

That's a shame.

BUD:

Look here .

Bud picks up the note Phil left.

Rita steps closer.

RITA:

May I see that?

(reading aloud)

"Every night, by cold bricks

GLOW:

I watch the shadow rising

from this old man in the snow.

At 8:
02 we let it go."

-112-

ANDY:

(REPEATING)

"At 8:
02 we let it go."

BUD:

Wow, that's nice.

Rita hands him the note and quickly walks away.

ANDY:

Suppose he wrote it?

BUD:

(DOUBTFUL)

Are you kidding?

CUT TO:

EXT. MAIN STREET - NIGHT

Rita catches up with Phil outside the Pennsylvanian, the town's

oldest and best hotel.

RITA:

Now what?

PHIL:

Come on. You'll see.

They enter.

CUT TO :

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

As Phil and Rita enter there is music coming from a side room.

The black velvet announcement board proclaims: KLEISER-SCOTT

WEDDING.

CUT TO:

INT. PARTY ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Phil and Rita walk into a banquet room decorated with

streamers, balloons and flowers. There is a long buffet table

and a punch bowl. Another long table is loaded with wedding

gifts. A small band is playing.

People are dancing. The wedding party is dressed in rented

tuxedos and appropriately pouffy bridesmaid dresses.

RITA:

This is incredible. Who's

wedding is this?

-113-

Phil grabs two glasses of champagne and hands one to Rita.

PHIL:

Just some friends. Dorisi

The bride, DORIS, young and cheery, is on her way to see Phil.

She is dragging FRED, her groom, with her.

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