The Hollars Page #2

JOHN *

Well, lemme tell ya, nothing holds your *

life up to a big mirror like a due date. *

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Every *

day, I’m feeling more and more lost and

inadequate. And the craziest part I *

can’t get out of my head is... “Did I *

ever even really want a kid

ANYWAY”???????”

John is in a state. Pause.

(CONTINUED)

6A.

CONTINUED:
(5) 4

VOICE (O.S.)

... I’m sorry I didn’t put the order

through.

JOHN:

No, that’s...hey, you’ll get em to us

when you get em to us, right? *

VOICE (O.S.) *

Boy or girl. *

JOHN *

Oh we don’t-- We want it to be a *

surprise. We want everything to be a *

surprise... You, uh... you have a nice *

day, Nancy. *

John hangs up the phone and stares at the drawing. He

then picks it up and holds it next to an actual ultra

sound image that is taped to his computer. He just

stares. The phone rings. He picks it up.

JOHN (CONT’D)

Routledge Publishing.

(CONTINUED)

7.

CONTINUED:
(6) 4

VOICE (O.S.)

John.

JOHN:

Nancy?

VOICE (O.S.)

It’s me. *

JOHN:

Oh, Rebecca. I’m sorry I missed the *

appointment. I just got swamped. How’d *

it go? *

REBECCA *

It was... fine. We can talk about it *

another time. *

JOHN *

Ok. Can I call you back in a little bit, *

I’m in the middle of a--*

An extremely pregnant woman on a cellphone rounds the *

corner of John’s cubicle. It is John’s girlfriend,

Rebbecca Feingold, 31.

REBECCA:

Hey... *

JOHN:

Hey! How’d you get up here? You need a

card to-

REBECCA:

John, listen. Your Dad called me. *

JOHN:

What?

REBECCA:

Your Mom had a seizure this morning. They *

think it might be a brain tumor. I booked *

you on a non stop flight, so you should *

get in around 3:
30. I packed you clothes *

and some lunch in the bag. *

JOHN *

There are non-stop flights to--*

REBECCA *

John, this is serious. Your dad called *

the house. He was sobbing into the phone. *

(CONTINUED)

7A.

CONTINUED:
(7) 4

JOHN *

Who thinks it might be a brain tumor? *

John just looks at Rebecca. A new experience of anxiety

washes over his face. He is either not getting it, or

not accepting it. It’s hard to tell. *

REBECCA *

I know this is a lot. But, your mother is *

in the hospital. You have to go. Now. *

Rebecca rolls John’s suitcase closer to him. *

(CONTINUED)

8.

CONTINUED:
(8) 4

This snaps John out of it. *

JOHN:

Wait, you’re not going to come with me? *

REBECCA:

They won’t let me on a plane like this.

JOHN:

Well, I can’t-- I can’t just leave you

here.

Rebecca gives John a long, hard look.

REBECCA:

John, it’s your mother. You need to go.

We’ll figure everything else out later.

JOHN:

What do you mean figure everything elseout?

REBECCA:

She needs you. *

The weight of this statement hits John for the firsttime. He looks really scared.

JOHN:

Okay. I should tell Mike about missingwork-*

*

REBECCA:

I’ll go find Mike. You just go get acab. Call me when you get there.

*

*

*

John stands. He takes the bag from Rebecca. She gives hima big hug. They smile warmly at each other.

Okay.

JOHN:

BEGIN CREDITS:

A5 EXT. NEW YORK CITY/INT. NYC TAXI A5

John exits his work building and drives to airport.

9.

B5 EXT. JFK AIRPORT. DAY.

John arrives at JFK.

B5

5 INT. JFK. DAY.

John rides along a people mover as people pass.

5

AA6 EXT. JFK. TARMAC

A Delta plane takes off.

AA6

AB6 INT. DELTA PLANE. DAY.

John sits in his seat on the plane.

AB6 *

*

A6 INT. HOMETOWN AIRPORT. DAY.

John deplanes down the jetway and walks into small townterminal.

A6 *

*

B6 INT. HOMETOWN AIRPORT. DAY.

John exits the gate area in his hometown airport.

B6

6 EXT. HOMETOWN AIRPORT. DAY.

John walks out of the airport and into the street. Hehails a taxi.

6

7 INT. TAXI. DAY.

John sits in the taxi and stares out the window at a lone

highway of strip malls, GAPS and APPLEBEES.

JOHN:

(to the taxi driver)

Can we stop at a gas station for asecond?

7

8 EXT. GAS STATION. DAY.

John stands at the edge of the gas station and smokes acigarette. He hasn’t smoked in a long time and it shows.

He doesn’t look right holding it. But he’s happy to have

the nicotine running through his blood.

8

(CONTINUED)

9A.

8 CONTINUED:
8

John watches as high school kids exit the gas station

with ‘slushies’ and cigarettes. John stares at the

former version of himself.

The taxi driver sits in his car and sighs with boredom.

(CONTINUED)

10.

8 CONTINUED:
(2) 8

END CREDITS:

9 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM. DAY. 9

Sally lies in bed, knitting, as she watches Project

Runway. She is in a hospital gown but otherwise she seems

fine. Don and Ron sit beside Sally. They watch the show

as well. There is a nurse changing Sally’s IV.

RON:

Oh, that’s really creative. I would have

never thought to do that with denim.

DON:

He wouldn’t.

SALLY:

Oh, I would. I think that’s terrific.

A10 INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY. DAY. A10

John walks down the hospital hallway and pauses just

before entering his Mom’s room. He takes a breath...

then walks in.

B10 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM. DAY. B10

John enters.

JOHN:

Hey, mom.

Sally lights up when she sees him.

SALLY:

Oh my God--Look who’s here! How did you

know?

John looks to his Dad who smiles.

SALLY (CONT’D)

Donald!

Don gives a satisfied laugh as he hugs his son.

SALLY (CONT’D)

Come here and give mom a hug.

John puts down his bag and gives his mother a big hug.

(CONTINUED)

11.

B10 CONTINUED:
B10

JOHN:

How you doing?

John looks at her wrist. It is all bandaged up.

JOHN (CONT’D)

What happened to your hand?

SALLY:

Brain tumor. Have you been smoking?

JOHN:

What? No?

John pats his brother on the shoulder.

RON:

Hey.

SALLY:

You smell like an ashtray.

JOHN:

Uh...

DON:

Don’t lie to your mother. She almost died

today.

RON:

She didn’t almost die.

DON:

That’s not what the doctor said.

RON:

That wasn’t a doctor. He was a nurse. We

haven’t seen a doctor yet. And you’re

scaring mom.

SALLY:

I’m not scared. I just don’t want John to

get lung cancer.

JOHN:

(to his mother)

I only had one.

SALLY:

Well, don’t have anymore. You’re going to

be a father soon.

JOHN:

I know. I know.

(CONTINUED)

12.

B10 CONTINUED:
(2) B10

DON:

That guy was a nurse?

RON:

Yeah. He was in John’s class in high

school.

JOHN:

Really? What’s his name?

SALLY:

Jason.

JOHN:

Jason? Jason Owens?

SALLY:

Yeah, that’s it.

JOHN:

Wow, he’s a nurse? That guy was such a

burn out in high school.

SALLY:

I thought he was nice.

RON:

He married Gwen.

John is a bit taken aback by this information.

JOHN:

(surprised)

She married Jason Owens?

RON:

She just had a kid.

JOHN:

Are you serious? How did I not know that?

Ron shrugs.

DON:

Who’s Gwen?

SALLY:

(Surprised, but polite)

Oh, you know Gwen. Johnny’s girlfriend in

high school.

(CONTINUED)

13.

B10 CONTINUED:
(3) B10

Ron nods.

RON:

(can’t believe his father

doesn’t remember)

They were engaged for God’s sake!

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