The Sweet Hereafter Page #3

MITCHELL:

I'm not getting any sound.

The STEWARDESS checks the headset and confirms the problem.

STEWARDESS:

I'll find you another pair.

The STEWARDESS leaves.

A young woman seated beside MITCHELL hands him her headset.

ALISON:

You can have mine.

MITCHELL takes ALISON'S headset. Their eyes lock for a

moment.

ALISON (CONT'D)

Yes, we do know each other. I'm

Alison Jones.

MITCHELL:

Alison Jones.

ALISON:

I was a friend of Zoe's. We went to

school together. I used to come to

your house.

MITCHELL:

(pretending to

remember)

Yes.

ALISON:

Ally. That was my nickname.

MITCHELL:

Ally. That's right.

ALISON:

How are you?

MITCHELL:

I'm just fine, Ally. What about

you?

ALISON:

I'm fine. Still working with my

father.

MITCHELL:

And what does he do again?

ALISON:

He used to work with you. Until you

found out he was having an affair

with your wife.

Pause. MITCHELL finally remembers ALISON JONES.

MITCHELL:

Ally Jones.

ALISON:

How is Mrs. Stephens?

MITCHELL:

We're...not together.

ALISON:

I'd heard that. But she's well?

MITCHELL:

Yes...fine.

ALISON:

And Zoe? How's Zoe?

Pause. The STEWARDESS comes back with a new headset. She

notices the set that ALISON has given him.

STEWARDESS:

Oh, you've beaten me to it.

The STEWARDESS hands the headset to ALISON.

STEWARDESS (CONT'D)

Here.

The camera has remained fixed on MITCHELL'S face.

CUT TO:

EXT. ROADSIDE -- MORNING

WANDA and HARTLEY OTTO are waiting for the school bus with

their adopted son BEAR.

The bus arrives, and the door opens to reveal DOLORES

DRISCOLL, who is driving.

DOLORES:

Good morning, Wanda. Hi, Hartley.

WANDA:

Hi, Dolores.

DOLORES watches as WANDA and HARTLEY OTTO affectionately say

goodbye to their boy. WANDA gives BEAR a photograph, which

has strong psychedelic influences. BEAR shows it proudly to

DOLORES.

WANDA (CONT'D)

What do you think?

DOLORES:

Well, it's certainly what you'd call

interesting.

WANDA:

(laughing)

You hate it.

DOLORES:

I didn't say that.

WANDA:

I could wrap it up. Protect the

other kids.

DOLORES:

I'll just strap it on the roof.

WANDA:

It's for the school bazaar.

DOLORES:

Oh, it's bizarre alright. C'mon

Bear. Let's get you out of here.

WANDA:

Away from your crazy Mom.

DOLORES:

(voice over)

The Ottos always waited for the bus

with Bear. They were the only

parents who did that, together like

that. I guess they're what you

might call hippies.

MITCHELL:

(voice over)

What do you mean by that, Mrs.

Driscoll?

CUT TO:

INT. DOLORES'S HOUSE -- DAY

DOLORES and MITCHELL are in the modest livingroom of

DOLORES'S house. The conversation continues from the

previous voice over.

In the corner of the room sits ABBOTT, DOLORES'S husband.

ABBOTT has suffered a massive stroke, and seems to be

completely paralyzed. His presence, however, is intense and

powerful.

MITCHELL frequently looks over to ABBOTT during his

conversations with DOLORES. ABBOTT is always watching him

like a hawk, making MITCHELL uneasy.

DOLORES:

Dolores. No one calls me 'Mrs.

Driscoll'.

MITCHELL:

What do you mean by that, Dolores?

DOLORES:

About the Ottos?

MITCHELL:

Yes. What do you mean by 'hippies'?

DOLORES:

I mean, the way they look. Their

hair and clothing...

MITCHELL:

Do they have any reputation for

drugs?

DOLORES:

No, nothing like that. The Ottos

are what I'd call model citizens.

They're regular at town meetings.

They give their opinions in a

respectful way. They always help

out at various fund-raising bazaars

in town , though they aren't church

goers.

MITCHELL:

And they loved Bear.

DOLORES:

Oh yes. Like I said, they always

came out together to see him off to

school. It's like he was their

little treasure. He was such a

beautiful boy. That's a picture of

him on the wall there, behind

Abbott.

MITCHELL turns around to find the picture of BEAR.

It is right behind ABBOTT'S head, so MITCHELL has to divide

his attention between the cute PHOTOGRAPH of BEAR clutching

a prize rabbit at last year's county fair, and ABBOTT'S

glaring eyes.

ANGLE ON:

The PHOTOGRAPHS of various children with their pets. Some

have ribbons.

DOLORES (CONT'D)

(voice over)

Those are all from the fair last

year. Abbott and me were judges at

the pet show.

MITCHELL:

For rabbits?

DOLORES:

(nodding)

Abbott used to breed them 'til he

had the stroke. Bear won first

prize. Just look at the smile on

his face.

DOLORES:

He was one of those children that

bring out the best in people. He

would have been a wonderful man.

ANGLE ON:

MITCHELL as he stares at the photo of BEAR.

CUT TO:

EXT. SCHOOL BUS -- MORNING

The camera is outside the bus, looking at BEAR as he

finishes waving to his parents.

ANGLE ON:

BEAR'S P.O.V. of WANDA and HARTLEY disappearing as the bus

pulls away.

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL BUS -- MORNING

The camera moves inside the crowded bus, peering at the

childrens' activity as they play with each other in the bus.

ANGLE ON:

JESSICA and MASON ANSEL are seated at the back of the bus,

looking out the rear window, waving at someone.

CUT TO:

EXT. SCHOOL BUS -- MORNING

JESSICA and MASON are seen waving at...

BILLY ANSEL, driving behind them in his pick up truck. He

waves back at his children.

DOLORES:

(voice over)

Billy Ansel started honking at us up

around Upper Hat Creek. He always

started to do that when he caught up

to the bus. He'd wave at his kids,

Jessica and Mason, who always sat at

the back. Normally, he followed us

the whole distance over the ridge

towards the school.

CUT TO:

INT. DOLORES'S HOUSE -- DAY

The conversation between MITCHELL and DOLORES continues from

the previous scene.

MITCHELL:

So Billy was driving behind the bus

at the time of the accident?

DOLORES nods. Her expression is distant.

DOLORES:

Billy loved to see his kids in the

bus. They always sat in the back,

so they could wave to each other.

It comforted him.

MITCHELL:

From what?

DOLORES:

(confused)

From what?

MITCHELL:

Did he have any particular problems

that you knew of? Financial

pressures...run-ins with the law...

DOLORES:

No, nothing like that. Billy's

wife, Lydia, died of cancer a few

years ago. He took over raising the

children by himself. It was obvious

how much he missed Lydia.

MITCHELL:

You talked about it?

DOLORES:

No.

(beat)

I saw it on his face.

Pause. DOLORES stares at MITCHELL.

CUT TO:

EXT. BILLY'S PICK-UP -- MORNING

Through the windshield, the camera fixes on BILLY'S face as

he stares at his children.

ANGLE ON:

Inside the cab of his pick up, BILLY dials a number on his

cell phone. He continues to wave at his children as he

speaks into the phone.

BILLY:

(into the phone)

Hi...Can you talk? I'm on my way to

work...I'm waving at them

now...What's that noise?

CUT TO:

EXT. BIDE-A-WILE MOTEL -- MORNING

RISA is on a cordless phone. She has just finished cleaning

a room. WENDELL is hammering in the background.

RISA:

Wendell's working on the roof. He

thinks he's fixing a leak. As far

as I'm concerned he's just punching

in a few new holes.

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