Hector and the Search for Happiness Page #6

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(GRUNTING)

HENCHMAN:
Go!

MAN:
Higher.

With patience and perseverance,

you can climb the mountain.

(LAUGHING WILDLY)

- (UPBEAT AFRICAN SONG PLAYING)

- Whoo-hoo-hoo!

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

(CHEERING)

Hello, Hector.

I'm alive, too.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Wait a minute.

Oh, look,

you're very beautiful.

Very beautiful but, uh...

Let's just, uh, dance.

Okay-

(UPBEAT AFRICAN SONG PLAYING)

Happiness is knowing

how to celebrate.

(RINGING)

- Hector.

- Clara, hi.

Clara, I got kidnapped.

Really.

- Is that a cut? Are you okay?

- Yeah, I'm fine... now.

I nearly died.

I thought about you so much.

- And?

- So very much.

Hector, why are you

telling me this?

I just... What am I

supposed to think?

I don't hear from you for...

Are you coming home?

Not yet.

Look, I've got to go.

- Oh, no!

- What is it? What?

Dropped the cup on the floor.

You see, that's what you do?

- I didn't do...

- Tell me what you want.

I'm not part of your project.

You just have to decide, Hector.

Yes or no.

Yes or no.

I've got to go.

Do you know where

you're going next?

- No.

- (SLAMMING)

- You know where you're going next?

- Yes, Los Angeles.

Agnes.

It's a work-related matter.

Unfinished business.

So... finish it.

Champagne, sir?

Would you like the vintage?

Why not?

Madame, the vintage?

Why not.

Why else do we travel

first class?

(AIRPLANE REVVING)

(INDISTINCT)

PILOT:
Sorry to interrupt

ladies and gentlemen,

but if there's a doctor

on board this plane,

can you please contact the cabin

crew? Thank you very much.

Once again, if there

is a doctor on board...

(GROANING)

Please!

Please don't let them

turn the plane around.

I have to see my sister

one last time.

Look, uh, on a scale

of 1 to 10,

ten being the most pain

you can imagine,

where would you place yourself?

Nine.

I need to see the pilot.

HECTOR:
She had a massive tumor

removed from her brain

about three months ago

and the swelling is acute.

- Should we turn around?

- No, no, no.

But, uh, if you can lower

the altitude of the plane,

it would make a big difference

to the pressure on her brain.

- Be a tremendous help to her.

- I'll check air traffic control.

(GROANING)

And I've lived in six countries.

Can you believe that?

PILOT:
Ladies and gentlemen,

please don't be concerned.

We will be flying

at a lower altitude

for the remainder

of our journey, thank you.

Okay, that is going to make

a huge difference, alright?

Let's try and get that nine

down to a five.

Mmm.

Okay-

Madame, do you mind?

(GROANING)

If you must.

(SIGHING)

Okay. May I?

Oh.

Do you have

any children, Doctor?

No.

My husband and I,

it was our only regret.

We couldn't.

But, you know what?

It was bloody good fun trying.

(LAUGHING)

- (GROANING)

- Oh, you okay?

- There you go. Let it pass.

- (BREATHING DEEPLY)

You know,

after my last surgery,

I was in and out

of consciousness for days.

They said I wouldn't make it,

and I remember the moment.

I remember it so clearly.

I was in a sandstorm

walking with all these people,

our heads covered and walking

in the same direction.

And I kept thinking

to myself, why?

Why am I in this group?

I wasn't scared.

I was...

I don't know, puzzled?

And then, I heard my name

being called,

"Jamilla, over here."

And I looked to my right.

And in the middle

of an open space was this...

Oh, it was this beautiful...

What do you call it,

the happy-go-round?

Merry-go-round.

That's a carousel.

And all the people

that I know and love...

are riding on this carousel.

They're laughing and waving.

Waving for me to join them.

It took everything I had

to run to them...

but I did it.

It was my last ride,

wasn't it?

Yes.

It was your last ride.

(INHALING DEEPLY)

All those faces,

all those hearts.

I'm such a lucky woman.

PILOT:
Ladies and gentlemen,

thank you once again

for your cooperation.

It made a big difference,

believe me.

(APPLAUSE, CHEERING)

Don't take her to the hospital.

Take her straight to this address.

Are you going to be okay?

I'm not afraid, Hector.

People who are afraid of death

are afraid of life.

You have a real talent,

you know.

Oh!

Not really my field.

No, you misunderstand.

Listening is loving.

(MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING)

(GULLS CRYING)

Of all the places

you could have chosen.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

This beach, you know,

this whole area,

it's just...

it's changed so much.

Well, nostalgia is not what

it used to be, Hector.

You've been busy.

Lilly!

Hey, baby!

Jack.

Okay-

Okay, you've been really busy.

Kids, this is Mommy's...

Mommy's Hector.

(GRUNTING)

Not too bad.

(LAUGHING)

- Hello!

- Hello!

Oh.

Oh, God!

I got you seeing

Professor Coreman tomorrow.

You owe me. That guy is on

a fast track to the Nobel.

His happiness book

is going through the roof.

I know, I read it.

Somebody gave it to me.

- I liked it.

- Yeah, me too.

Hate him.

- We hate him.

- We hate him.

(LAUGHING) Hate him.

- Hey, I saw Michael.

- Oh, in Africa?

- Is he happy?

- He's gay-

- Are you?

- Gay?

No, happy.

I mean is there someone?

Uh, yes.

- Clara.

- Great.

I may have f***ed up.

It's... They can't hear.

Ah! The Indiana Jones

of happiness.

Alan, very nice to meet you.

You, too!

Hector wants to know the secret

to a happy marriage.

From a mathematician?

- ALAN:
Hector?

- HECTOR:
Oh, my God!

Jack.

(LAUGHING)

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

Hi!

Hey, I'm in L.A.

I knew it.

You're with sock drawer.

- Sock drawer?

- That skank in the sock drawer.

In the photo, the one you've

kept hidden from me.

That's what this whole trip's

been all about, am I right?

Jesus, Clara,

she's not a skank, okay?

She's a psychologist.

Not to mention the pregnant mother

- of two beautiful children.

- Ouch!

That really hurt, Hector.

You know it did.

Look, she is my oldest friend,

alright?

What were you doing

in my sock drawer anyway?

(SHOUTING) Putting away your socks!

Before taking care of every

other aspect of your life.

HECTOR:
Maybe if you

didn't assume I needed

so much taking care of I could

get on taking care of myself.

You know what

smothering is, Clara?

It's mothering with an S.

Oh, that is the lamest

f***ing thing I've ever heard.

You have paid for this.

Well, at least I don't make

a living making up

meaningless, manipulative names

of seriously dodgy drugs.

Is this call as bad

as I think it is?

Yes.

Yes, I think it is.

Fine!

At last a decision.

I can get on

with my meaningless life.

Oh, shut...

(MUTTERING)

(PHONE RINGING)

Darling, sweetheart.

Where is my f***ing pen?

Oh, Diego.

Um, it's... it's here.

Actually I've got it.

It's, um, here.

Saved my life.

How are you anyway?

- How's things? How is she?

- Very good.

I feel like I got

my wife back, and a lot more.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

What's the name

of your friend's clinic?

The one who hates me?

Uh, the Edulu Clinic, why?

I want to make a donation.

Anonymous, of course.

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