Pleasantville Page #12

DAVID:

(entering)

FIRE ... FIRE ...

They still don't move. All the firemen just look at him from

their bunks with a perplexed expression.

DAVID (CONT)

(beat)

CAT!!!

All at once they spring to their feet grabbing their helmets

and their yellow slickers. They race to the landing just

outside the bunkroom and leap onto the pole ...

EXT. MAIN STREET. NIGHT.

The FIRE HAS SPREAD TO AN ADJOINING TREE as the FIRE ENGINE

comes SCREAMING toward the house from the top of the block.

David sits in the front of the truck next to the Fire Chief

who drives the vehicle at break neck speed.

DAVID:

Right here!

The Fire ENGINE screeches to a halt. The Fire Chief looks

around ...

FIRE CHIEF:

Where is it?

David shoots him a look then glances at the inferno. He

shakes his head and leaps from the truck.

FOLLOWING DAVID.

He races around to the back where the other firemen are

standing just as confused. David grabs one of the hoses and

begins to pull it from the truck.

DAVID:

Here! Grab this nozzle.

FIREMAN:

But where's the ...

DAVID:

Just grab it!

He strips out about fifteen feet of hose, then grabs the

fireman and pulls him toward the curb. David parts the crowd

and positions the man right in front of the flames.

DAVID (CONT)

(shouting)

Okay! Now point this right at the

flames--like this.

The Fireman nods and does as he is told. David opens the

valve sending out a huge FLUME OF WATER.

FIREMAN:

Whoa!

(beat)

So that's what these do.

A huge smile breaks out across the fireman's face--like a man

who has suddenly found his purpose in life. He beams from ear

to ear dousing the flames, while David runs to get another

hose ...

BOB (VO)

(fading in)

... In honor and in recognition of

your heroism ...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. TOWN HALL. DAY

David stands at a podium receiving a commendation from "Big"

Bob McGee (the man from the barbershop). He holds a large

plaque up for public display, while "David's" whole family

beams in the background.

BOB:

... And with great appreciation from

the citizens of Pleasantville ...

WIDER.

A huge crowd is gathered on the town hall steps. There are

lots of balloons and bunting.

BOB:

I am pleased to present You with this

special commendation, from the

Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce!

He hands the plaque to David as the entire town bursts into

APPLAUSE.

CUT TO:

EXT. MAIN STREET. LATER ...

David walks away from the center of town looking down at his

plaque. He takes his sleeve and starts to rub off a smudge

when a young woman comes up beside him.

GIRL'S VOICE

Hi Bud ...

WIDER.

She is MARGARET ANNE HENDERSON, the prettiest girl in school,

and one of the most popular. Margaret wears a frilly polka

dot dress, that only accentuates a bombshell '50s figure.

Nonetheless, she seems the image of girly innocence.

MARGARET:

That was sure swell ...

DAVID:

Oh. Thanks, Margaret.

MARGARET:

(smiling)

I baked you my oatmeal cookies.

DAVID:

(vaguely remembering an episode)

Oh, no ... You baked those for Whitey.

MARGARET:

No. I baked them for you.

DAVID:

No. You baked them for Whitey.

MARGARET:

(low and gutteral)

No. I baked them for you.

All at once, Margaret grabs his arm and presses herself up

against him. Her breasts shove up against his chest. Her

mouth is inches away from his.

DAVID:

Um ... thanks.

David can smell the weird combination of hot moist breath and

freshly baked cookies. He stares into her eyes for a moment,

unable to speak. Margaret flashes him a not-so Pleasantville

smile.

MARGARET:

See ya.

She turns and heads around the comer, while David just

watches her dumbstruck.

CUT TO:

SODA SHOP. DUSK.

David heads toward work with his apron and little paper hat.

The BUDDY HOLLY music has given way to "hip" '50s JAZZ. DAVE

BRUBECK drifts out of the soda shop as David pauses for a

moment, takes a bite of his oatmeal cookie, and heads inside.

SODA SHOP.

The place has "morphed" even more. If it was a teenage

hangout before, it has become almost a Bohemian coffee house

now. Brubeck's "TAKE FIVE" plays in the background while

several patrons talk "intensely" in their booths.

DOORWAY.

David walks into the building and pauses. Next to him, one of

the boys from the basketball team plays along with the jazz

on a BONGO DRUM. There are several COFFEE cups on the table.

Jennifer gets up quickly and comes over to him.

JENNIFER:

(in a whisper)

I had nothing to do with that fire.

DAVID:

(quietly)

It's okay.

JENNIFER:

Not directly anyhow ...

DAVID:

It's fine.

David glances at the booth beside them and realizes that the

bongos have stopped playing. All the kids are staring up at

him, with a weird expression of awe.

JENNIFER:

(still under her breath)

Um ... They like wanna ask you a

question ... I didn't know how to

handle it. So ...

DAVID:

Sure.

He crosses to the booth where Biff and two others look up at

him. It's like Elvis has entered the building.

DAVID (CONT)

How you doin?

VARIOUS KIDS:

Swell ...

They keep on staring. Several glances are exchanged back and

forth like they're sharing a secret. Finally ...

BOY:

How'd you know about the fire?

DAVID:

What?

BOY:

How'd you know how to put it out and

all?

David hesitates, weighing his words.

DAVID:

Well--where I used to live ...

That's just what firemen did.

This sends a MURMUR through the shop. The boy leans forward.

BOY:

And where's that?

DAVID:

(carefully)

Um ... Outside of Pleasantville.

This sends a much LOUDER MURMUR rifling through the kids.

It's like electricity. They glance excited at one another. A

hush descends.

BOY:

What's outside of Pleasantville?

DAVID:

Look it doesn't matter. It's not

important.

BOY:

What is it?

David stops and looks out at the kids who are hanging on

every word.

DAVID:

It's really not important.

GIRL'S VOICE (OS)

What's outside of Pleasantville?

REVERSE ANGLE. INCLUDING DOORWAY.

Margaret Henderson (the girl with the cookies) stands in the

doorway staring at David. She hangs on his words with the

same excitement as the others, it just means so much more.

MARGARET (CONT)

(hungry for knowledge)

C'mon. Tell us ...

She stares right in his eyes. She's ten feet away but might

as well be touching him.

DAVID:

(slowly)

Well ... There are some places where

the road doesn't go in a circle.

There are some places where it keeps

on going.

There's an excited giggle. They lean forward.

MARGARET:

(an exotic concept)

Keeps going ...

DAVID:

Well--it all just keeps going.

Roads ... rivers ...

2ND BOY

(from the back)

Like the "Mighty Mississippi".

DAVID:

... What?

He moves forward extending a book. The cover reads: "THE

ADVENTURES OF HUCKELBERRY FINN." David opens the first page.

There is printing inside.

BOY:

(quoting)

"It was big 'n brown 'n kept goin'

an' goin' as far you could see."

DAVID:

(turning to Jennifer)

I thought the books were blank?

JENNIFER:

They were.

He looks over at her.

JENNIFER (CONT)

(quickly)

Okay look, this like--wasn't my fault.

They asked me what it was about and I

like didn't remember 'cause we had it

back in tenth grade, But I told them

what I DID remember, and the next

thing I knew the pages had filled in.

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