Lost in America

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1EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT

Sold sign is posted in front of a house. SHOT OF SIGN.

CUT TO:

2INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - SAME NIGHT

The house is empty except for Bekins boxes which are

packed. They are all over the rooms. The CAMERA

SLOWLY MOVES IN AND AROUND the boxes until we REACH

the bedroom.

3INT. BEDROOM

The bed is the only piece of furniture left. The CAM-

ERA STOPS. In front of the bed is a small black-and-

white television. In bed are DAVID and NANCY HOWARD.

Nancy is rolled over on her side. David is lying on

his back with his eyes wide open.

DAVID:

Nancy? Nancy?

NANCY:

What?

DAVID:

Sleeping?

NANCY:

Yes.

DAVID:

Maybe we shouldn't move.

NANCY:

(sitting up)

Oh God. What's the matter now?

DAVID:

Nothing. It's just time to ask

these questions.

NANCY:

No. We've sold our house and

bought another one. These

questions should have been

asked before.

DAVID:

Okay, fine. I can't talk to

you. Good night.

David pretends like he's actually going to go to sleep.

NANCY:

(in a monotone; obvi-

ously she's had to

say this many times

before)

Stop it. You're nervous about

tomorrow. You'll get your

promotion, don't worry. We'll

move into our new house and we'll

be happy, okay?

DAVID:

Boy, you should hear yourself.

The excitement in your voice

just fills the room.

NANCY:

Look, I'm tired. Stop questioning.

We made a wise decision. Let's try

and feel good about it, alright?

DAVID:

Fine.

NANCY:

Good night.

DAVID:

Good night.

Nancy tries to go back to sleep. David just lies

there.

DAVID:

(continuing)

But why that house?

NANCY:

What?

DAVID:

I think it's too close to here.

It's going to feel like the same

place. Maybe we really didn't

think about this long enough.

NANCY:

We thought about it forever.

We wanted more space. That

house has more space.

DAVID:

Yes, but the point of a house is

not just space. You can rent

space. Maybe we should've moved

into a completely different

neighborhood, a step up or

something. Maybe we should've

gotten a house with a tennis

court.

NANCY:

Why? We don't play tennis.

DAVID:

Sure we don't play tennis. We

don't have a court. When you

have a court, you learn.

NANCY:

Well, possibly some day, we'll

have a court and then we can

learn.

DAVID:

Let me ask you one more question?

Why did we let Bekins do all of

our packing?

NANCY:

What?

DAVID:

Isn't that a waste of money? We

could've packed ourselves. Maybe

we were too irresponsible.

NANCY:

I don't believe you. One minute

you want a tennis court, the next

minute you're worried about Bekins

packing a box? My God. Sometimes

I wish we really were irresponsible.

DAVID:

What does that mean?

NANCY:

Nothing. Look, get some sleep,

okay? You'll feel better.

DAVID:

Don't assume how I'm feeling.

What do you mean "nothing"? If

you're saying we should be more

irresponsible, I imagine you mean

we're too responsible? Is that

right?

NANCY:

Well, sometimes I think that we

are too controlled, yes.

DAVID:

Oh, I see. Well, tell me

something? How do you go out

and buy a four-hundred-thousand-

dollar house and let a moving

company pack everything and get

maids and servants and live the

good life and not be controlled?

NANCY:

What are you talking about?

DAVID:

It doesn't matter what I'm

talking about.

David gets up. He takes his pillow with him.

DAVID:

(continuing)

I'm going to sleep in the garage.

NANCY:

Don't do that.

DAVID:

Why not? I'm responsible. I

should be guarding the car.

NANCY:

You're insane.

DAVID:

(yelling from

the kitchen)

You're right. I am insane. I

am insane and I'm responsible.

A very, very good combination.

We STAY in the bedroom with Nancy. She lies there.

Her eyes are open. She's staring straight ahead. She

looks sad. After a moment, David reappears at the door.

DAVID:

I am not an animal.

NANCY:

What?

DAVID:

I am not an animal. I will not

sleep in the garage.

NANCY:

Just come to bed. Come on.

DAVID:

(sitting down on

the bed)

I apologize, okay? But don't

call me names.

NANCY:

What names?

DAVID:

You know what names. Calling me

responsible is saying what? That

I'm closed up. I'm old. I'm

stodgy. That's not fair. I

don't like the way things are any

more than anybody else does but

what am I supposed to do? I'm

trying. What about you? You're

as responsible as I am. Personnel

Director for a department store is

not the most irresponsible job in

the world. Go hire anyone you

want. Think you'd be fired fast

if you did that? How much freedom

do you have? We're all in the

same boat. We're trying to make

something of ourselves and it's

hard. Okay?

NANCY:

You're very upset. I'm sorry I

used that word.

DAVID:

No, I'm glad you used that word.

It's honest but things are going

to get better. They're going to

change.

NANCY:

You always say that.

DAVID:

Yes, but this time it's different.

After tomorrow I'm no longer an

employee, I'm a Vice President.

I'll be my own boss. I'll have

a piece of the company. You see

what I mean? I can be more

irresponsible because I'll be in

a position of responsibility.

That makes sense, doesn't it?

NANCY:

I don't know. I guess it does.

Good night.

DAVID:

Okay, go to sleep.

Nancy and David both lie down, each facing the oppo-

site direction. After a few seconds...

DAVID:

(continuing)

It does make sense and things

will work out, don't you think

so?

No answer.

DAVID:

(continuing)

Nancy?

No answer.

DAVID:

(continuing)

Asleep already?

No answer.

DAVID:

(continuing)

Maybe men are supposed to fall

asleep last. It could be a

protective thing.

CUT TO:

4INT. BATHROOM - NEXT MORNING

David is brushing his teeth. He stops for a minute

and looks in the mirror. He starts talking, pretend-

ing the face he's seeing is the one of his boss.

DAVID:

What can I say? I'd be a liar if

I tell you I'm surprised. I do

feel it's deserved but yes, I

still am flattered... That's very

nice. Thank you... Oh, stop,

please. I've never been good

at taking too many compliments

at once... Well, I feel the

same way about you.

Nancy walks in during this. She watches him for a bit.

NANCY:

(interrupting him)

What are you doing?

DAVID:

(caught off guard)

Why? Nothing.

NANCY:

Who are you talking to?

DAVID:

I'm not talking to anybody.

What is it?

NANCY:

I'm leaving now. Mr. Taft will

be there in twenty minutes.

Please be on time.

DAVID:

Wait a second. I can't do this

today. I can't choose tiles.

This is my big day. Please?

You do it.

NANCY:

We're trying to do this together.

I think it's important.

DAVID:

I'm very nervous and it's your

kitchen anyway. You'll make

the right choice.

NANCY:

You're in the kitchen more than

I am.

DAVID:

But I'm not thinking about

anything when I'm in the kitchen.

I don't really care.

NANCY:

We said we would make these

decisions together.

DAVID:

Come on. It's just today.

NANCY:

(exasperated, turn-

ing around and

leaving)

Fine.

DAVID:

Please don't be mad.

NANCY:

I'm not mad.

After a moment, she comes back in.

NANCY:

(continuing)

Good luck. You'll get it. You

deserve it.

Nancy exits.

DAVID:

Thank you. And I trust any

decision you make. You have

great taste.

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