Sleepless in Seattle Page #13

VICTORIA:

(turning to Jonah)

Can I bring something back for

you? A souvenir?

(to Sam)

Does he like those little snow

scenes?

(to Jonah)

You know -- you shake them up

and the snow floats down?

Sam looks at Jonah, threateningly. Be nice or else.

JONAH:

(extremely polite)

Sure. I'd really like that.

Thank you so much.

VICTORIA:

Well...

JONAH:

I think they're announcing your

flight.

Sure enough, passengers are starting to board.

SAM:

He's ten.

VICTORIA:

(he's good at it)

He's good at it.

SAM:

I read an article about this

...

VICTORIA:

I read the same article...

SAM:

It takes time --

VICTORIA:

Absolutely. When I come back,

maybe the two of us should

spend some time together, on

our own. What do you think?

SAM:

Sure. Sure.

Victoria waves goodbye and starts toward the jetway.

As Sam watches her go, Jonah looks at him, sticks his

finger in his mouth and pretends to gag.

SAM:

(impatiently)

Jonah, this isn't fair. You

don't know Victoria. I hardly

know her myself. She is, in

fact, a mystery to me. She

tosses her hair a lot. Why

does she do this? I have no

idea. Is it a twitch? Does

she need a haircut? Should she

use barrette so it doesn't

keep falling in her face?

These are things that I'm

willing to get to the bottom

of, and that is why I am dating

her. That is all I am doing.

I am not marrying her. Can you

appreciate the difference?

That's what single people do,

they try people on and they see

if they fit. But nobody fits

perfectly, everyone is an

adjustment.

JONAH:

Was Mom an adjustment?

SAM:

(complete exasperation)

I'm never going to meet anyone

who's going to measure up to

your mom in your eyes? What do

you think? There's a perfect

woman walking around out there?

At that moment, Annie emerges from the jetway right next

to the one Victoria went into and comes toward us.

SAM:

There's no such thing as a

perf --

Sam sees Annie immediately, and is instantly struck by

her looks, her fluidity, her poise.

Annie walks right toward Sam, right past him, inches

from him, not noticing him as she looks for the exit.

Sam continues to stare at her.

SAM:

(to himself, referring

to Annie)

God, she's beautiful.

JONAH:

(unaware he's talking

about Annie)

Victoria? She's okay.

Sam and Jonah start toward the exit, Sam trying not to

lose sight of Annie.

JONAH:

Dad, I was talking to Jessica

about reincarnation, and she

thinks that probably you knew

Annie in another life.

SAM:

(completely distracted)

Who is Annie?

JONAH:

The one who wrote us.

Sam is preoccupied with Annie. She takes a turn that he

doesn't expect. He's having trouble keeping up, because

he has to wait for Jonah.

JONAH:

(continuing)

But Jessica says you and Annie

never got together in that

life, and your hearts are like

puzzles with parts out of them

and when you get together the

puzzle's complete.

He's lost Annie in the crowd. She's nowhere in sight.

SAM:

God dammit.

A beat, then Sam heads off to the exit. Jonah follows.

As they walk into the distance --

JONAH:

The reason I know this and you

don't is that I'm younger and

purer so I'm more in touch with

cosmic forces.

SAM:

I sincerely hope you are not

going to marry Jessica.

EXT. AIRPORT CAR RENTAL AGENCY - DAY

As the shuttle bus drops Annie off at a rental car. As

she gets in and starts the car.

EXT/INT. SEATTLE/RENTAL CAR - DAY

Annie driving through the streets of Seattle, referring

continually to a map she has spread out on the passenger

seat, trying to navigate her way to the Baldwin houseboat.

EXT. STREET FRONTING THE BALDWIN HOUSEBOAT SLIP -- DAY

Annie drives slowly down the street, looking for the

Baldwins' marina. She stops, blocking the driveway to

the marina.

ON ANNIE IN HER RENTAL CAR

checking the map.

Suddenly she hears a HORN HONKING behind her. She looks

into the rear-view mirror and sees Sam and Jonah in

their van, anxious for her to move so they can pull into

their driveway.

Recognizing Sam from Wheedle's picture, Annie panics and

speeds away, tires squealing.

EXT. SEATTLE GAS STATION - DAY

Annie's car is parked just outside the rest room.

INT. GAS STATION RESTROOM - DAY

Annie's in the Ladies' Room, splashing some water on her

face. She towels it off and looks into the mirror.

ANNIE:

(practicing)

Hello, Mr. Baldwin? No.

Hello, Sam?

(sweet)

I'm Annie Reed.

(dignified)

I'm Annie Reed.

(sultry)

I'm Annie Reed.

(matter-of-fact)

I'm Annie Reed.

She settles on the matter-of-fact reading.

ANNIE:

I heard about you calling Dr.

Fieldstone, and well, I just

happened to be out here on...

JUMP CUT:

ANNIE:

(businesslike)

business...

JUMP CUT:

ANNIE:

(carefree)

vacation...

JUMP CUT:

ANNIE:

(losing confidence,

ready to pack it in)

for no good reason at all...

(rallying, businesslike

again)

business... and I thought I'd

drop and...

(breezy)

say hello...

JUMP CUT:

ANNIE:

(earnest)

invite you to lunch...

JUMP CUT:

ANNIE:

(sexy)

take a shower with you...

JUMP CUT:

ANNIE:

(embarrassed with all

this)

shoot myself.

EXT. STREET NEAR MARINA - LATER

ON ANNIE:

watching. She's at a safe distance, across the street

and down some from the marina entrance. She watches it

for a moment, then gains courage. She starts to cross

the street to enter the dock.

EXT. DOCK - CONTINUOUS

Annie walks toward Sam's houseboat. Nervously. Goes up

to the door. Adjusts herself quickly and knocks. No

response. Let down, she's just about to walk away when

she hears a motor REV UP.

Annie peeks around the side of Sam's houseboat and spots

Sam and Jonah heading out in their dingy.

EXT. STREET NEAR MARINA - CONTINUOUS

Annie races back to her car, jumps in and follows the

boat along the seashore drive.

EXT. SEATTLE HIGHWAY - CONTINUOUS

As we see Annie driving along the water as Sam and Jonah

chug along in the water.

EXT. ALKI BEACH - ON SAM AND JONAH

They're down at the water's edge, skipping broken

clamshells, like stones, across the surface of the water.

They're laughing, pointing, counting out the number of

skips, arguing over the merits of each throw.

ON ANNIE:

checking them out from a phone booth next to the Snak Shak.

DISSOLVE TO:

ANNIE'S POV - ON SAM AND JONAH - LATER

They're throwing a football. Jonah catches it and

starts to pretend to score a touchdown, dodging and

feinting. Sam tackles him and they tumble together on

the beach.

CLOSE ON ANNIE:

watching. The purity and innocence of this little scene

-- a father and son at play -- is affecting her more

than she ever could have imagined. Their LAUGHTER

filters up to her. Right to her heart.

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