One Chance Page #3

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PAUL:

I’d love to, but the job starts tomorrow

and until I get the cast off my leg, it’s

too difficult for me to get around.

Paul grimaces at the lie.

JULZ:

(after a beat...)

Right.

PAUL:

If I ask you something, promise not to

get offended?

JULZ:

Anything?

13.

PAUL:

You are a girl-(

deletes the word girl,

replaces it with...)

--a woman, right?

He sighs with relief at her response and continues

“chatting.”

BRADDON (O.S.)

I could feel the firming of her breasts

as she pressed them into me.

CUT TO:

INT. CAR PHONE WAREHOUSE - DAY

Where Braddon is in mid-soliloquy as he and Paul stock

shelves with bluetooth ear-pieces...

BRADDON:

“Be gentle,” said she. “Unicorns are not

meant for human love.” “But lady,” said

I, “I am only half human.” And I laid her

down and took her there, amidst the moss

and leaves of the forest floor.

PAUL:

And that was your weekend?

BRADDON:

In a nutshell. Yours?

PAUL:

Sorry, but... Did you say you shagged a

horse?

BRADDON:

It’s a game, role-playing, like Dungeons

& Dragons but for real.

PAUL:

So she was a girl, pretending to be a

horse.

BRADDON:

A unicorn!

PAUL:

Right... Sorry. And you were--?

BRADDON:

A half-elf wizard from the Black Mages

Guild of Quilanthum.

14.

PAUL:

Right.

BRADDON:

When’s the last time you had a bit of

fluff?

PAUL:

Em, well...

BRADDON:

Right.

PAUL:

She is a girl, by the way. My girlfriend.

BRADDON:

When shall we double-date then?

PAUL:

Um, she doesn’t really live here.

BRADDON:

Where’s she live, then?

PAUL:

Bristol.

BRADDON:

Bristol? That’s miles from-- You have

actually met her, haven’t you?

PAUL:

Well, we chat all the time...

Shows Braddon his phone-chat which shows a lengthy text-

thread between he and julzRulz.

PAUL (CONT’D)

She keeps inviting me up for a visit,

but...

BRADDON:

But what?

PAUL:

Well, she looks like Cameron Diaz and...

BRADDON:

And?

Suddenly Paul sees something over Braddon’s shoulder and

darts through the curtains into the back of the store.

15.

BRADDON (CONT’D)

What’s crawled up his-

He turns to the storefront where Matthew enters

belligerently, wearing a blue janitor’s uniform and

carrying a smashed cell phone...

MATTHEW:

The service on this phone is total crap!

BRADDON:

It can’t be bad as all that. I can see

quarter crap, or maybe even half-

As Matthew dumps the smashed cell phone on the counter.

BRADDON (CONT’D)

Right, the thing is, in order for the

service to actually work, the phone

itself should really be in no more than

three or four pieces.

MATTHEW:

(threatening)

It’s under warranty.

BRADDON:

Of course, but-

MATTHEW:

How ‘bout you gimme a phone that works

properly and I won’t cram this one down

your throat. Yeh?

Braddon glances at the cel phone Paul left on the counter,

then at the curtains at the back of the store.

BRADDON:

Excellent.

CUT TO:

EXT. CAR PHONE WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

Paul and Braddon lock up for the night.

BRADDON:

Oh, nearly forgot.

Flips Paul his phone.

PAUL:

Oh, right. Thanks.

16.

BRADDON:

I took the liberty, while you were

cowering in the back...

PAUL:

I wasn’t cowering, I was-- Took the

liberty to do what?

BRADDON:

This Saturday, Swansea Railway Station.

She’s on the nine fifteen train.

Walks off leaving Paul dumbfounded...

EXT. SHOPPING ARCADE - NIGHT

As Paul catches up with Braddon.

PAUL:

What did you do?

BRADDON:

It’s a bit difficult losing your

virginity someone a hundred miles away.

PAUL:

You invited her here?

BRADDON:

You did. As far as she knows. And what’s

this rubbish about a broken leg?

PAUL:

I told her that so-- She said she looks

like Cameron Diaz!

BRADDON:

How awful.

PAUL:

It is!

BRADDON:

In what universe could that be-

(realizing...)

You told her you look like someone famous

as well?

PAUL:

A bit, yeah.

BRADDON:

Robbie Coltraine? Jack Black? Madonna?

17.

PAUL:

Worse.

BRADDON:

Worse than Madonna?

CUT TO:

A PHOTO OF BRAD PITT - TORN FROM A MAGAZINE

INT. TINY APARTMENT - DAY

Taped to a mirror-frame in which Paul is seen not coming

within a million miles of emulating Pitt’s hair-style.

Finally, he gives up and tears the photo from the mirror.

EXT. SWANSEA RAILWAY STATION - DAY

Where Paul waits nervously as the train arrives. He

practices several nonchalant leans against a pole before

giving up entirely.

PASSENGERS flood from the train as the doors open. Paul

searches through them, looking for a Cameron Diaz clone.

The train pulls away and the crowd thins until Paul is

alone on the platform. His heart sinks a little - she

stood him up.

JULZ (O.S.)

Brad?

He turns around and has to hide his smile...

PAUL:

Cameron?

JULIE-ANNE “JULZ” COOPER, cute but short and thoroughly

relieved that she’s not the only one who exaggerated her

appearance, smiles back at him.

They smile at each other for a moment...

PAUL (CONT’D)

Um, welcome to Port Talbot.

JULZ:

(laughing at him, but in a

good way)

Thank you.

They turn and walk towards the far end of the platform,

each taking turns stealing glances at one another.

18.

At one point, their hands touch and Paul’s fingers close

around hers... The continue walking, neither speaking.

CUT TO:

EXT. PORT TALBOT HIGH STREET - DAY

Still holding hands, Paul and Julz walk amidst shoppers.

JULZ:

You’re leg’s much better.

PAUL:

(touching his left leg)

Yeah, thanks. Ship-shape.

(off her look)

What?

JULZ:

I thought it was your right leg?

PAUL:

Oh, right. Um...

YVONNE (O.S.)

Paul, is that you darling?

PAUL:

Oh god.

Yvonne appears through the crowd, carrying bags of food

from Sainsbury’s and an incredulous look on her face.

YVONNE:

Well, bless my soul. Hallo, I’m Paul’s

mum.

Paul dies a little inside as Julz has to wrest her hand

from his to shake Yvonne’s hand.

JULZ:

Lovely to meet you. I’m Julz.

YVONNE:

Paul, you didn’t tell me you were... Oh

you must come for dinner. My husband

would love to-

PAUL:

Thanks, mum, but Julz has to be back to

the station by-

19.

JULZ:

(seeing Yvonne’s

disappointment)

It’s alright. I’d love to come. Can we

help you with these?

She takes several of Yvonne’s bags.

YVONNE:

Thank you dear. Aren’t you lovely?

Julz looks at Paul. Mouths the word, “Okay?” Paul can’t

help but nod and smile/grimace. Julz sticks her tongue out

at him before Yvonne pulls her onwards...

YVONNE (CONT’D)

Now then, tell me everything about

yourself.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Where the four of them are packed around the small table

loaded with food.

JULZ:

--but then I thought to myself, I haven’t

got the slightest interest in die-cast

aluminum figurines. So I got a job in the

pharmacy at Boots.

ROLAND:

Good retirement benefits at Boots.

JULZ:

Not so good as Car Phone Warehouse.

(to Yvonne)

That’s lovely, thanks.

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