Shadows in the Sun Page #5

---

Time passed, and the bird became better.

It wanted to fly,

but no matter how hard it tried...

something inside stopped it

from leaving the ground.

Day after day it tried, and day after day...

its fear held it down.

Then one day, a strong wind came...

and lifted it high into the sky.

It opened its wings

and it realized that it could fly.

I know. Okay. I get it, I do.

Weldon's the bird and he's afraid to fly, right?

No, Jeremy.

Weldon is the bird, and you are the wind.

That is the path fate's chosen for you.

[Birds chirping]

[Door closing]

Hi.

Hello.

Father Moretti tells me

you had a nice little chat today.

Obviously I didn't punch you

in the stomach hard enough.

I need to apologize for earlier.

Look, I only went to speak with Father Moretti

because I didn't understand what hap...

- This is my manuscript.

- I know.

Where did you get this?

I went to the hotel and told Gustavo

you wanted me to get it for you.

You had no right to do that, Weldon.

You've got talent, Jeremy.

You're a good writer.

The problem is, you don't trust your talent.

You don't believe you can find that part of you

that has something to say.

Well...

- How do I know when I've found it?

- Believe me, there's no mistaking it.

I know there's a lot of time and effort

put into those pages.

Have enough faith in yourself to let them go.

Take what you've learned from them

and start again.

[Sighing]

Ciao.

[Speaking Italian]

[Speaking Italian]

I have absolutely no idea what you just said.

But it sounds good.

- Want some company?

- Sure. Come.

With the horses, huh?

[Clearing throat]

Jesus, I'm gonna die.

[Neighing]

Phew.

[Both laughing]

When was the last time you were on a horse?

Uh, let's see...

the last time I was on a horse was, um...

Oh, whoa. Uh, that would be never.

- Never?

- Yes, never.

- Why did you come?

- It's a new experience. I'm big on... Oh.

[Chuckling] Big on new experiences lately.

[Grunting]

[Laughing]

[Birds chirping]

WELDON:
So how is the writing going?

[Sighing]

Um, I don't know, actually.

I'm really starting to question whether or not

I have what it takes.

Ah, yes, self-doubt.

It is a common thing with creative people.

Do you find that a lot of creative people are...

- Crazy?

- Yes, crazy.

[Chuckling] Of course, they're crazy.

There are thousands of writers and artists.

For most of them,

their dreams will never come true.

You have to be crazy.

Well, thanks, Weldon, that's very encouraging.

No, that's reality, Jeremy.

Art is not something you choose to do.

It's something that chooses you.

Why did you wanna become a writer?

- Because I think that I have...

- No, it's not something you think.

It's something you know.

Tell me when you know the answer.

[Isabella speaking Italian]

[Dog barking]

It's amazing how much

she looks like her mother.

Sometimes I'll walk into her room

and for a moment I'll think...

[Speaking Italian]

Describe her to me.

- Come on, not this again.

- Just do it, will you?

[Sighing]

Sunlight frames her body

in a golden glow of honeyed light...

while the wind dances gently

through the long strands of her hair.

Her face is strong, proud...

with eyes that don't easily

give away their secrets.

It's a face that doesn't call out...

but softly beckons.

How was that?

You tell me.

By the way...

how long have you been

in love with my daughter?

[Headboard banging on wall]

[Woman moaning]

[Both speaking Italian]

No.

- Ciao, Weldon.

- Ciao.

What?

You two are the couple next door?

Are you ready for the party?

[Snickering] Yeah.

[Accordion music playing]

[People chattering]

I wasn't stealing. I was accepting charity.

GUSTAVO:
Weldon, it's going to be

a late night.

Why don't you all stay at the hotel?

Half price, of course.

Okay, free.

[Accordion music playing]

[Sway playing]

When marimba rhythms start to play

Dance with me, make me sway

Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore

Hold me close, sway me more

Like a flower bendin' in the breeze

Bend with me, sway with ease

When we dance, you have a way with me

Stay with me, sway with me

Other dancers may be on the floor

Dear, but my eyes will see only you

Only you have the magic technique

When we sway, I grow weak

I can hear the sound of violins

Long before it begins

Make me thrill as only you know how

Sway me smooth, sway me now

[Birds chirping]

[Groaning]

You were gone when I woke up this morning.

You had a dream.

It's funny 'cause it felt pretty real to me.

Yes, but last night was last night.

What exactly does that mean?

It means I wanted to see how I felt with you.

And how did you feel?

Jeremy...

we live in different worlds, uh?

There's no reason

why you couldn't come and live in my world.

Do I look like I belong in London?

My life is here with my family and my horses.

[Sighing]

Isabella, I don't wanna just let this slip away.

I know.

I'm sorry, I...

I just wanted to share something with you.

JEREMY:
You wanna know

what my problem really is?

I'm afraid.

WELDON:
Of what?

Of life.

Of love. Of everything.

I want my own villa, Weldon.

I wanna grow grapes and write great novels.

[Both chuckling]

So what's stopping you?

Fear.

Fear... I mean, I've built this whole life

for myself in London.

I don't think I can just change.

Well, Jeremy...

most people are perfectly content

living in their dreary little worlds.

They just cling to the edge of the toilet bowl...

trying to keep their heads above water...

hoping some fool

won't come along, pull the chain.

It's only when they hear that flushing sound

and they begin to slide down into the abyss...

that they start taking stock of their lives.

What about the people

who are so comfortable in their suffering...

they don't even know

that the chain's been pulled?

I know that you wanna write, Weldon.

Oh, you just can't leave it alone, can you?

No. No, I can't.

But tell me I'm wrong.

Weldon, look me in the eye

and tell me that you don't wanna write.

- I don't wanna write.

- You know what I think?

- I think that you miss it.

- No!

I think that all the drinking

and all the craziness...

is just your way of covering up

what's missing in your life.

- Right.

- And everybody knows it, Weldon. Everybody.

Your daughters know it,

Father Moretti knows it...

Gustavo knows it, I know it.

But what's worse is you know it.

Tell me, hotshot,

you think knowing me a couple of weeks...

and living 25 years of a sheltered existence...

gives you the right

to tell me how to live my life?

the truth is still the truth.

My life is fine the way it is!

I do what I want when I want!

I pick a few grapes once a year.

That's all I have to do!

I was just a writer, for God's sake!

That's all I was!

I didn't cure cancer, I didn't walk on the moon!

The world isn't gonna stop spinning...

- lf there isn't another Weldon Parish novel.

- You're right, it won't...

but maybe yours will start again.

And you are a writer, Weldon.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes