Up in the Air Page #8

NATALIE:

Okay, you got to fill me in on this mile

business. What’s that all about? Are you

talking like frequent flier miles?

Ryan gives Natalie a look -Is she ready for this information?

RYAN:

Your really want to know?

NATALIE:

(mock serious)

I’m dying to know.

RYAN:

I don’t spend a nickel, if I can help

it, unless it somehow profits my

mileage account. I’m not talking

hotel rooms and rental cars either,

but internet services, cell phone,

music downloads, teleflorists. The

works. I shop them according to the

miles they pay and I pit them against

each other for the most value.

47.

NATALIE:

So, what are you saving up for?

Hawaii? South of France?

RYAN:

No, it’s not like that... The miles

are the goal.

NATALIE:

That’s it? You’re saving to save?

RYAN:

Let’s just say I’ve got a number in

mind and haven’t hit it yet.

NATALIE:

Wow. Seems a little abstract.

What’s your target?

RYAN:

I’d rather not.

NATALIE:

(teasing)

It’s a secret target?

RYAN:

It’s ten million miles.

NATALIE:

Huh. Isn’t ten million just a number?

RYAN:

Pi is just a number.

NATALIE:

I guess we all need a hobby.

Ryan looks back at Natalie -Hobby?

NATALIE (CONT’D)

Oh hey, I didn’t mean to belittle your

collection. I get it. Sounds cool.

RYAN:

I’d be the seventh person to do it.

More people have walked on the moon.

NATALIE:

Do they give you a parade or something?

48.

RYAN:

Lifetime Exec Platinum status. You

get to meet the Chief Pilot,

Maynard Finch. And... They put your

name on the side of a plane.

NATALIE:

Men get such a hard-on from putting

their name on stuff... You guys

don’t grow up - You just need to

pee on everything.

RYAN:

Now, who’s stereotyping?

NANCY:

Fear of mortality. It’s like Yes,

you’re going to die one day.

RYAN:

And why do you suppose that’s singular

to men?

NATALIE:

Probably cause you can’t have babies.

Ryan can’t help but laugh a little.

NATALIE (CONT’D)

If I had that many miles, I’d just

show up at the airport, look up at

one of those big destination

boards, pick a place and go.

This idea sinks in for a second with both of them.

INT. RYAN’S ROOM, ST. LOUIS HILTON - NIGHT

Ryan is laying in bed wearing a Hilton bathrobe. He’s

reviewing his sister’s wedding invite when his BLACKBERRY

BUZZES on the night stand. He reaches over to check it. It’s

a text message:

Alex:
“Can’t fall asleep.”

Ryan types back:

Ryan:
“Me too. Just laying here.”

INTERCUT WITH:

49.

INT. ALEX’S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Alex is in a t-shirt, lying in bed. She types away at her

BLACKBERRY and presses SEND.

Ryan’s BLACKBERRY BUZZES again.

Alex:
“You should rub one out.”

RYAN:

(chuckles)

Thanks for the advice.

Types back.

Ryan:
“Only fair if you do too.”

BLACKBERRY BUZZES again.

Alex:
“Way ahead of you.”

RYAN:

Man alive.

Ryan:
“Call me next time so I can listen.”

Alex:
“;) Have sweet dreams about me.”

Ryan smiles. He stares at the message for a second, then sets

the blackberry down and turns off the light.

EXT. LAMBERT FIELD, ST. LOUIS - DAY

Natalie is standing with a camera in her hands, giving

directions.

NATALIE:

Left, left, left, left... one more

inch... and stop.

Reveal:
Ryan is placing the CUT-OUT of Julie and Jim.

The camera POV makes it look like Julie and Jim are standing

in front of St. Louis International Airport.

NATALIE:

I don’t get it.

RYAN:

My sister is cooky. She thinks this is

charming... Like the gnome thing.

50.

NATALIE:

No, I mean... why would your sister

want a fake photo in front of the

St. Louis Airport?

RYAN:

She should be so lucky to visit Lambert

Field. The Wright Brothers flew through

there...

(points out the conical

main terminal)

The domed main terminal was the

first of its kind. A precursor to

everything from JFK to DeGualle.

NATALIE:

(lame)

Wow. Pretty sweet.

Natalie takes the photo.

RYAN:

Why she wants dozens of reminders

of all the places she hasn’t been

is beyond me.

NATALIE:

Well, I’m sure she’s going to be

crushed for having missed this airport.

RYAN:

Look - Before Lindbergh could cross

the Atlantic, he took off from one of

those runways... Ever wondered why

they call it the Spirit of St. Louis?

NATALIE:

(quickly)

No.

Ryan goes to say something, but Natalie is already gone.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM, WICHITA SECURITIES COMPANY - DAY

Ryan and Natalie sit stoically as a YOUNG ASIAN GUY rants

about why they are idiots to fire him.

YOUNG ASIAN GUY:

... And another thing...? You know

how f***ed this place is without me?

You know how f***ed this place is

without me? F***ed in the ass, man.

(MORE)

51.

YOUNG ASIAN GUY (cont'd)

I am the one thing preventing this

place from being totally f***ed in

the ass.

The young asian guy snaps up one of the PACKETS and leaves,

slamming the door behind himself.

RYAN:

Sometimes, they just need to vent.

NATALIE:

Please, for the love of God, can I

fire the next one?

Ryan gives it some thought.

CUT TO:

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM, WICHITA SECURITIES COMPANY - LATER

A professional African-American woman wearing a smart suit

sits down at the conference table.

Natalie sits up.

KAREN:

I’m here to be fired, right?

NATALIE:

We’re here to talk about your future.

KAREN:

You don’t have to sugar coat it. I get

the drill. What are they offering?

NATALIE:

Inside the packet you’ll find a

clearly worked out severance package.

KAREN:

Give me the bullet points.

NATALIE:

Three months pay. Six months

medical. A full year of placement

services through our company, CTC.

KAREN:

Placement services? How generous.

52.

NATALIE:

Commonly, it takes one month of

searching for every ten thousand

dollars you expect to earn in salary.

KAREN:

So I could be looking for a while.

NATALIE:

Not necessarily...

KAREN:

Oh, don’t sweat it. I’m pretty

confident about my plans.

NATALIE:

(spirits lifted)

Oh yeah?

KAREN:

Yeah. Can you tell me? Is high tide

in the morning or the evening?

NATALIE:

I don’t know. Why?

KAREN:

There’s this beautiful bridge by my

apartment. I need to figure out

what time to jump off it.

Natalie begins to tremble.

EXT. WICHITA SECURITIES COMPANY COURTYARD - DAY

Natalie bursts out the doors and sits on a bench. She’s

freaked out. Ryan is five steps behind her. He puts a hand on

her shoulder.

RYAN:

People say these things all the

time. It comes with the trade.

NATALIE:

They do?

RYAN:

Sure. People are always saying

crazy stuff. They get worked up.

NATALIE:

She was so calm.

53.

RYAN:

(not quite sure)

I think that’s a good sign.

NATALIE:

So they don’t actually ever do it?

RYAN:

No... it’s just talk.

NATALIE:

How do you know? Do you follow up?

RYAN:

I mean, no, nothing good can come

of that, but I don’t think you

should worry about it.

Natalie is clearly still worried.

RYAN (CONT’D)

This is the job. Taking people at

their most fragile moment and

setting them adrift.

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