The Family Man Page #14

Jack stands at a lane holding a bowling ball, the

nickname “The Hammer” emblazoned over his bowling shirt

pocket...He approaches the line and throws the ball

down the lane...

It’s ugly...The ball caroms off the hardwood into the

gutter.

JACK:

Damn...

ARNIE:

(O.S., from behind)

Jesus, Jack, this is a

league match, for god’s

sake!

Jack turns. Arnie and the BOWLING TEAM are in the

scorekeeping area watching Jack make a mockery of the

sport. Jack scowls.

ARNIE (CONT’D)

Where’s your follow

through? Where’s your

stance?

JACK:

Hey, I’m doing the best I

can...

(under his breath)

I’d like to see you hit a

squash ball after

seventeen beers...

ARNIE:

You’re right. Why am I

so competitive!?

Compensation, I guess.

Look, just focus, Jack.

You can still pick up the

spare...

Jack retrieves his ball, sets up, genuinely

concentrating...

JACK:

(quietly, to

himself)

You are Jack Campbell.

You’re better than this

sport. You shot the

rapids at Kenai. You ran

with the bulls at

Pamplona. You jumped out

of a plane over the

Mojave Desert, for

Christ’s sake. You can

do this...

Jack puts everything he has into the throw, heaving the

ball down the lane with as much grace and power as he

can muster...hitting the six pin and taking out four

others.

JACK (CONT’D)

(screaming, excited)

Yeah!!

He turns, a fist pumped...But the guys could care

less...

ARNIE:

(to TEAMMATE)

Okay, Pete, you’re up.

67INT. BOWLING ALLEY - LATE

Jack walks out of the men’s room, heading toward the

lounge. He sees a familiar face walking toward him...a

woman in a sexy little bowling outfit, carrying a

bowling ball to a far lane.

EVELYN:

Hi Jack...

A moment of confusion as he tries to place the face.

Then...

JACK:

Evelyn, right?

EVELYN:

Very funny. I saw you

out there on lane five.

What do you have the flu

or something?

JACK:

Something like that.

EVELYN:

(with a wink)

Need a nurse?

JACK:

You’re a nurse?

Evelyn laughs.

EVELYN:

If that’s what you

want...

She brushes past Jack, continuing to her lane...Jack

follows her with his eyes a moment, then...

JACK:

Wait a second...

She turns.

JACK (CONT’D)

Are we...?

EVELYN:

Are we what, Jack?

JACK:

Is there something going

on between us?

Evelyn’s surprised at Jack’s directness. She stands

there a beat, then walks back toward him.

EVELYN:

Are we finally being

honest?

JACK:

It would help me if we

were.

EVELYN:

Okay, you’re right, we’ve

been dancing around this

for years...

Evelyn looks a little flush...she briefly fans her

face.

EVELYN (CONT’D)

God, my heart is racing.

Here goes...

(a smile)

When I get dressed for a

party and I know you’re

going to be there...

well, let’s just say I

don’t go strapless

because my husband likes

it...

An intrigued smile from Jack.

EVELYN (CONT’D)

I’ve got six sets of snow

tires piled up in my

garage and I won’t even

drive in the snow...And

our kids just happen to

be in the same ballet

class every year?

She picks a piece of lint off his shirt.

EVELYN (CONT’D)

So, if you’re asking me

whether I’d like it to be

more, the answer is

yes...

A look of surprise from Jack.

EVELYN (CONT’D)

...and Kate would never

have to know.

Jack considers this for a moment.

JACK:

Do I have your number?

A wide smile from Evelyn.

EVELYN:

Steve’s out of town with

the kids this week. Why

don’t you just stop by...

She turns, leaving Jack standing there, watching her

sashay back to her lane.

68INT. BOWLING ALLEY, LOUNGE - SECONDS LATER

Jack walks into the lounge, a little dazed. He heads

over to Arnie who’s having a beer at the bar.

ARNIE:

(looking at Jack)

Hey Jack, you’re all

flush. I guess that

seventy-one took a lot

outta you.

JACK:

(sitting down)

I just saw Evelyn

Thompson.

ARNIE:

She is relentless.

JACK:

She wants to have an

affair with me.

ARNIE:

She said that?

JACK:

Pretty much.

ARNIE:

Oh yeah...

(shaking his head)

What is it about you?

JACK:

(pushing over a

napkin)

So could you write down

her exact address?

ARNIE:

Whoa...whoa...wait a

second, Jack. You’re not

actually gonna cheat on

Kate?

JACK:

It wouldn’t really be

cheating...

(off Arnie’s

doubtful look)

It’s complicated.

ARNIE:

Look, maybe I’m not as

good a consigliere as you

are but you have to trust

me on this one. A little

flirtation’s harmless but

you’re playing with fire

here. The Fidelity Bank

and Trust is a tough

creditor. You make a

deposit somewhere else,

they close your account

forever.

JACK:

I’m telling you, those

rules don’t apply to me,

Arn.

ARNIE:

(a chuckle)

Screw the rules. I’m

talking about the choice.

Jack looks at him curiously.

ARNIE (CONT’D)

C’mon, Evelyn Thompson’s

got no class. She

doesn’t marry Dr. Steve,

the woman’s living in a

trailer.

JACK:

Hey, is that really

necessary?

ARNIE:

All I’m saying it there

isn’t a guy in Union

County who wouldn’t give

his left nut to be

married to Kate...

Arnie takes one last swig of his beer and gets up...

ARNIE (CONT’D)

I’ll see ya later,

Jack...

He leaves Jack alone, thinking...

CHAPTER TEN - CAKE WARS

69INT. CAMPBELL HOUSE - NIGHT

Jack walks into the house carrying his bowling bag. He

dumps the bag in the coat closet and walks into the

kitchen where...

Kate is at the counter, her back to him, poring over

some legal documents.

KATE:

(not looking up)

How was the game, honey?

JACK:

(opening the fridge)

Long, boring, and

generally pretty sad.

Arnie seemed to enjoy

it...

(peering inside)

Hey, where’s that chocolate

cake...?

Kate turns around, revealing a huge hunk of chocolate

cake on a plate in front of her, a bite ready to go

into her mouth.

KATE:

(with a smile)

You mean this chocolate

cake?

JACK:

That’s my piece. I was

saving it because I got

nauseated from that store

bought chicken.

Kate takes the bite, a little piece of icing sticks to

the side of her mouth.

KATE:

It’s good...

Jack approaches the counter.

JACK:

Gimme that cake.

She takes another bite.

KATE:

No way.

He makes a grab for the plate but she holds it out

where he can’t reach it.

JACK:

C’mon.

KATE:

Sorry, Jack. It’s too

important to me.

They stare each other down a moment. Then...

He tries to swipe the plate. Kate jumps out of her

chair, running out of the kitchen with the cake,

laughing...

Jack takes off after her...chasing her through the

house... just about the catch up to her when...

She darts up the stairs, still laughing...he follows

her...

JACK:

I want that cake!

...reaches up...grabs her shirt...pulls her down

playfully on top of him...

KATE:

(laughing)

You want the cake!?

JACK:

(out of breath)

I want it...

She looks at him, then takes the whole piece in her

hand and smooshes it right in his mouth...

Beat. Then, Jack starts laughing...

JACK (CONT’D)

Thank you...

KATE:

It’s good, right?

He takes a big clump of it and smooshes it in her

mouth.

They stay there a moment, lying on the stairs, feeding

each other cake, laughing.

Jack leans back on the stairs. He looks at Kate’s

face, practically covered in cake, smiling, and

realizes...

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