The Family Man Page #22

Cash ignores Jack, watching the girl as she heads to

the door, hesitates a moment, then walks out...

A look of disappointment on Cash’s face as he reaches

into his pocket, pulling out a little notebook...

Cash looks at Jack.

CASH:

(making a note

in his book)

That was a character issue...

(shaking his head)

...and for nine dollars?

That’s just sad...

JACK:

Hey, I’m talking to you!

I am not going back, do you

understand...?!

Cash looks at him, compassion on his face.

JACK (CONT’D)

You can’t do this. You

can’t keep coming in and

out of people’s lives,

messing things up...

CASH:

C’mon, Jack...

Jack throws six bucks on the counter...

JACK:

I’ve got kids, I’m going

home...

CASH:

You know what the word

glimpse means, J? It’s

by nature an impermanent

thing.

Jack walks determinedly toward the exit. He stops and

turns at the door...

JACK:

(pointing at

Cash)

I’m staying.

Cash follows him with his eyes, a proud look on Cash’s

face as Jack leaves...

111INT. CAMPBELL HOUSE, JOSH’S ROOM - LATE NIGHT

Jack walks to Josh. He’s sleeping soundly.

Jack gently kisses Josh on the head, careful not to

wake him.

112INT. CAMPBELL HOUSE, ANNIE’S ROOM - LATE NIGHT

Jack is standing over Annie, kissing her on the cheek.

ANNIE:

(stirring, groggy)

Is it morning yet?

JACK:

No, honey. Go back to

sleep.

She closes her eyes as Jack stands there for a moment

looking at her, sadness all over his face.

JACK (CONT’D)

Take care of yourself,

Annie. I’m going back to

the mother ship...

Finally, he turns to go...

113INT. CAMPBELL HOUSE MASTER BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

The clock reads, “11:17.” Kate is already in bed as

Jack walks in.

KATE:

(looking up from

her book)

Hey...

Jack approaches her, sitting on the bed...

JACK:

These last weeks, Kate, I

know that I’ve done

some...some unusual

things.

Kate nods.

KATE:

It’s been interesting,

that’s for sure.

JACK:

But I’ve done some good

things too, haven’t I?

KATE:

You’ve been Jack

Campbell. And that’s

always a good thing...

She kisses him on the cheek.

He takes her arms in his hands and looks her in the

eyes.

JACK:

I need you to remember

me, Kate. How I am right

now, right this very

moment. I need you to

put that image in your

heart and keep it with

you, no matter what

happens.

KATE:

Are you okay, Jack?

JACK:

Please, just promise me

you’ll do that. You have

to promise, Kate.

Because if you don’t,

then it’s like it never

happened and I don’t

think I could live with

that.

She’s a bit confused but she couldn’t be more in love

with him.

KATE:

I promise, Jack...

JACK:

Promise me again...

KATE:

I promise. Come to bed,

honey.

Jack stands up, heading toward the door.

JACK:

Soon...

114EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - LATE NIGHT

Snow begins to fall...

Jack with Lucy on a leash, walking side by side, his

mind elsewhere...

Lucy leads him around a corner...to a large open

field...

Lucy stops. She looks back at Jack, then out to the

open field.

Jack removes the leash. The dog bounds happily out

into the field, looking for just the right spot.

Jack puts his hands in his coat pocket...pulls out a

half-eaten roll of PEPPERMINT LIFESAVERS, puts one in

his mouth...

He looks up at the sky, snow gently falling onto his

face. It’s cold, but it’s beautiful...peaceful and

still...the air clean and crisp...

He breathes in the fresh air, the Lifesaver dissolving

in his mouth, watching the dog...

115INT. CAMPBELL HOUSE MASTER BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

The room is dark...

Jack enters, sees Kate sleeping soundly in bed.

He sits down in a chair and watches Kate asleep, a sad

look in his eyes...

As he continues to watch her, to listen to her, his own

eyelids appear to grow heavy...

He tries to fight the sleep...opening his eyes...

focusing on her...but it’s no use...

Finally, he closes his eyes...falling into a deep

sleep...

CHAPTER SIXTEEN – THE OLD LIFE

DISSOLVE TO:

116INT. JACK’S APARTMENT, BEDROOM - MORNING

A PHONE RINGING:

Jack, flat on his back in bed...Light streams onto

his face ...he stirs...

THE PHONE STILL RINGING...

Jack reaches over to Kate’s side...there’s no one

there.

Pull back to reveal...his old Manhattan apartment...

his old dressy clothes strewn on the floor...

Jack, sleep still in his eyes, reaches over...he’s not

wearing any pajamas...picks up the phone...

JACK:

(groggy, dazed)

Yeah...okay, send her

up...

He drops the phone...turns back over...let’s his eyes

stay closed for another moment...then...

His eyes open...

He looks around...sees his shirtless torso...then his

old apartment...tailored clothes on the floor.

JACK (CONT’D)

(sadly)

Damnit.

Jack looks at the clock, “9:23 a.m.” He gets out of

bed, throwing on pants and a pair of shoes, and leaves

the room...

117INT. JACK’S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

...Jack walks to the door just as...

The doorbell RINGS. He stops, then cautiously opens

the door, seeing...

PAULA, wearing a long overcoat and a wide smile on her

face.

PAULA:

Waiting for me by the door,

huh?

Jack looks at her.

JACK:

Paula...

Paula opens her coat – the only thing she has on

underneath is a sexy little teddy.

JACK (CONT’D)

(momentarily

distracted)

That’s totally see through...

PAULA:

(smiling)

Merry Christmas...

JACK:

(confused)

Christmas? It can’t be

Christmas...

Jack stares at her, totally confused...

PAULA:

(lasciviously)

It’s whatever you want it

to be, Jack...

Jack grabs a leather jacket then walks right by a

shocked Paula and heads out the door, practically

running down the corridor.

PAULA (CONT’D)

Jack?...Jack!

CUT TO:

118EXT. GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE - MORNING

Jack’s Ferrari speeds down the bridge, toward Jersey...

119EXT. CAMPBELL HOUSE - MORNING

Jack’s Ferrari pulls up in the driveway and he hops

out. He races to the front door, POUNDING on it...

A MAN in a Van Heusen shirt and Hagar slacks answers.

Jack stares at him in shock.

MAN:

Can I help you?

JACK:

Is Kate here? Does Kate live

here?!

MAN:

Kate? No, there’s no one here

named Kate. Is that good

enough for you?

Jack starts rapping his head against the door post,

much to the shock of the guy standing there.

JACK:

Damn...damn...damn...

MAN:

Hey, are you okay?

JACK:

No...I’m not...

MAN:

Is there anything I can do

for you?

Jack shakes his head mournfully.

MAN (CONT’D)

Hey, my wife’s in the kitchen.

You got a cigarette?

JACK:

I’m sorry, no...

Jack walks off, beleaguered...

120EXT. ARNIE’S HOUSE - MINUTES LATER

Jack’s car drives by as Arnie carries a bicycle box out

to the garbage. The car screeches to a halt in front

of the driveway.

ARNIE:

(shouting at Jack)

Hey, you can’t park that

thing here.

JACK:

(out the window)

It’s me, Jack...

ARNIE:

I don’t care if you’re Tim

Allen with your fancy car

and all your tools, you

still can’t park here.

JACK:

Tell me you recognize me,

Arnie. Please...

ARNIE:

How’d you know my name?

JACK:

We bowl together. We’re

bowlers ...we won a

championship...we’re winners.

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