Up in the Air Page #7

Ding -The elevator door opens.

INT. RECEPTION, BOTTLING COMPANY - DAY

Ryan and Natalie enter the door to find a reception desk on

an empty floor. Scattered telephones sit on the ground where

desks used to be. A few desks in one corner are still manned.

Natalie tries not to show: It’s all becoming very real.

RYAN:

(to desk girl)

Ryan Bingham, from CTC.

The desk girl looks up from her work. She knows who they are.

INT. CUBICLE CITY, BOTTLING COMPANY - DAY

Ryan and Natalie pass rows of cubicles. Heads begin to pop up

to see their arrival. Natalie accidentally makes eye contact

with one guy, then quickly shifts her gaze forward.

41.

INT. WINDOWLESS CONFERENCE ROOM, BOTTLING COMPANY - DAY

Ryan and Natalie sit next to each other at a polyurethane

conference table.

RYAN:

All you have to do today is watch

and listen. When I talk about the

strategy packet. You hand them one

of these...

Ryan points to a stack of packets.

NATALIE:

You ever find it strange that

termination comes with a packet.

RYAN:

Everything important in life comes

with a packet.

MONTAGE OF MORE REAL PEOPLE REACTING TO BEING FIRED

A SERIES OF REAL PEOPLE sit down across from Ryan and Natalie

RYAN:

Thank you for coming by. As you’re

probably well aware, this is a

tough economic climate and your

company is not immune.

REAL PEOPLE tighten up as they begin to catch on.

RYAN:

While I wish I was here with better

news, the reason you and I are

meeting is this is your final week

of employment here.

REAL PEOPLE blame all sorts of people and situations that

they personally hold responsible.

RYAN:

This is not a time to look for

blame. Your position simply no

longer exists.

REAL PEOPLE respond further. Some are enraged. Some are

polite. One is even grateful.

RYAN:

I understand why you are saying

these things.

(MORE)

42.

RYAN (cont'd)

It’s perfectly natural to feel

this way. I want you to take the

next week to explore this strategy

packet...

Ryan nods to Natalie who we now see begrudgingly HANDING

PACKETS to all of the REAL PEOPLE we’ve already met.

RYAN:

Fill out the skill set work

sheet... Use the hopes and dreams

diagram... And the tree of

aspirations.

We SEE the “TREE OF ASPIRATIONS” sheet.

RYAN:

(with emphasis)

The answers are all in there.

We see more packets getting handed out as Ryan repeats...

RYAN:

The answers are all in there.

(another person)

The answers...

(another person)

The answers...

(another person)

... are-all-in-there.

CUT TO:

BOB (AN ACTOR) PRESENTING A PHOTO OF HIS CHILDREN

BOB:

And what do you suggest I tell

them?

BOB. Dry red eyes from tears of rage stare down the lens.

Natalie can’t hold back any longer.

NATALIE:

(a suggestion)

Perhaps you’re underestimating the

positive effect your career transition

may have on your children.

Ryan looks at Natalie like she’s out of her mind.

BOB:

Positive effect?

43.

NATALIE:

Well, tests have shown that

children under moderate trauma have

a tendency to apply themselves

academically as a method of coping.

BOB:

Go f*** yourself. That’s what my

kids’ll think.

Natalie shrinks. Ryan immediately covers.

RYAN:

Your children’s admiration is

important to you?

BOB:

Yeah. It was.

RYAN:

(frankly)

Well, I doubt they ever admired

you, Bob.

Bob looks up shocked and pissed.

BOB:

Hey a**hole, aren’t you here to

console me?

RYAN:

I’m not a shrink, Bob. I’m a wake

up call. You know why kids love

athletes?

BOB:

Because they screw lingerie models.

RYAN:

No, that’s why we love athletes.

Kids love them because they follow

their dreams.

BOB:

Yeah, well I can’t dunk.

RYAN:

But you can cook.

Natalie looks to Ryan - Where is he going with this?

BOB:

What are you talking about?

44.

Ryan picks up Bob’s resume.

RYAN:

Your resume says you minored in

French Culinary Arts. Most students

work the frier at KFC. You bussed

tables at Il Picatorre to support

yourself. Then you got out of

college and started working here.

(looks up at Bob)

How much did they first pay you to

give up on your dreams?

BOB:

(flat)

Twenty seven thousand a year.

RYAN:

At what point were you going to

stop and go back to what made you

happy?

Bob simply shrugs.

RYAN:

Do you believe in fate, Bob?

BOB:

Fate?

RYAN:

Yeah. You know, the mysterious ways

in which we wind up doing the

things we were meant to do.

BOB:

(offering)

I met my wife at a gas station.

RYAN:

Exactly. Well, I think fate is

telling you to do something, Bob.

Bob looks up and meets eyes with Ryan.

RYAN (CONT’D)

I see guys who work for the same

company their entire lives. Clock

in. Clock out. Never a moment of

happiness.

(pauses for effect)

Not everyone gets this kind of

opportunity.

(MORE)

45.

RYAN (CONT’D)

The chance for rebirth. If not for

yourself... Do it for your kids.

Bob’s eyes begin to water again. He’s a changed man.

Ryan shoots Natalie a look -Hand over the packet.

Natalie jumps to attention and hands Bob a packet.

INT. LOBBY, ST. LOUIS HILTON - NIGHT

There’s a BUSINESS WOMAN waiting in the regular line. Ryan

walks right past her and gets into the ELITE LINE. They are

now both first in their respective lines for the counter.

The woman looks over at Ryan and sighs. Natalie holds back,

confused by Ryan’s actions and wanting to avoid confrontation.

The DESK CLERK frees up and gestures for Ryan to step

forward. Ryan begins wheeling his bag forward. Meanwhile, the

woman lifts her hand in outrage.

BUSINESS WOMAN:

I’ve been waiting ten minutes. He just

waltzes in and gets to cut in line.

DESK CLERK:

We reserve priority assistance for

our Hilton Honors members.

Ryan grabs a BROCHURE for ELITE MEMBERSHIP off the desk and

hands it to the business woman.

RYAN:

You should look into it - The

promotions are great...

The woman bats it out of Ryan’s hand onto the floor.

BUSINESS WOMAN:

F*** off.

Ryan looks back at the desk clerk and smiles. The desk clerk

swipes his card.

Ryan’s DIGITAL NUMBER bumps up another thousand points.

INT. PUBLIC BATHROOM, ST. LOUIS HILTON - EVENING

Natalie is washing her hands, when she stops to look at

herself in the mirror.

46.

After a beat, she hears someone CRYING in one of the stalls.

She goes to see if the woman is okay, then stops herself -

Maybe I fired her.

She grabs a paper towel, dries off her hands, and leaves.

INT. RESTAURANT BAR, ST. LOUIS HILTON - EVENING

Natalie sits back down at the table a little visibly shaken.

RYAN:

You okay?

NATALIE:

(covers quickly)

Yeah. Fine.

Just then, their food arrives... And there’s a lot of food.

Natalie’s eyes move back and forth trying to figure out why

there seems to be three main courses and a bunch of sides.

NATALIE:

Hungry, much?

RYAN:

Our expense account allots for forty

dollars each on dinner. I plan on

grabbing every mile I can.

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