White Squall Page #12

John chokes back a sob.

JOHN:

Hell, they even kicked me outa vo-

tech 'cause I couldn't read a slide

rule.

PHIL:

I can show you how to use a slide

rule.

The three turn around, startled.

ROBIN:

How long you been standing there?

PHIL:

Long enough.

John looks down, resigned.

JOHN:

They were gonna put me into special-

ed this year. I stole a copy of my

transcript, changed all the grades.

Sh*t, who am I kidding. I'll never

pass the boards.

CHUCK:

Listen, you don't cheat, and we'll

make sure you get the grades. We'll

start a private study group. Nobody

knows. You'll ace that test.

ROBIN:

I'm in.

They turn and look to Phil, who still shows the tell-tail

signs of their fight.

PHIL:

Me, too.

JOHN:

Why would you do that?

CHUCK:

Because we believe in you.

(beat)

Because we're your friends.

EXT. CURACAO - HARBOR - DUSK

As a blazing sun sizzles into the western sea, the

Albatross rounds a point and heads towards the docks

several hundred yards away. On the dock, the students of

the school wait. As soon as the ship is in view, they

start to cheer. Chuck squints.

CHUCK:

What are they doing?

ROBIN:

I can't make it out?

Robin calls up to Phil, who is at the wheelhouse.

ROBIN:

Hey, Phil... Swing up the 'binocs'

and tell us what you see.

Phil picks up the binoculars and focuses.

PHIL:

(puzzled)

They're waving... handkerchiefs or

something.

RICK:

What?

CHARLIE:

Maybe they're surrendering.

PHIL:

Wait a second...

Phil lowers the binoculars and turns to Skipper.

PHIL:

They're girls! They're all girls!

Skipper shares a knowing look with Alice.

TOD:

Gimme those.

Tod snatches the binoculars.

TOD:

WHHOOOOAAAAA!!!!!! WOMEN!!!

Everyone on board rushes to the port side. Every single

person on the dock is a young girl waving a white

handkerchief. Spontaneous cheers from the boys.

As the 'Big A' pulls to the dock, John and Tod run for the

gunnel door and swing it open. The girls flood the deck.

BILL:

Good morning, ladies.

They chatter in Dutch and hurry aboard. Like wall

flowers, Robin, Phil and Chuck stand on top of the chart

house watching utopia unfold before them.

ROBIN:

What are we supposed to talk about?

PHIL:

You've gotta be kidding?

ROBIN:

But, they don't speak English.

PHIL:

There are some things that everybody

does in the same language.

CHUCK:

Yeah, but how are you supposed to

make the first move?

PHIL:

Like this!

Phil reaches up for a free line. With a running start he

swings out over the water...

PHIL:

Yeeee Haaaaa!!

He careens back onto the deck and lands in front of two

startled, but impressed girls. Robin and Chuck applaud.

Phil takes a bow. All hell is breaking loose.

Skipper and Alice welcome aboard the headmaster, MS.

BOYDE, 50's, dumpy but tough.

SKIPPER:

A very enthusiastic welcome.

MS. BOYDE

We don't often have guests. Our

girls have been looking forward to

your visit for some time. Welcome

to Curacao.

SKIPPER:

Thank you. You're all ready to sail

then?

MS. BOYDE

I should think so.

ALICE:

I'm sure they won't be disappointed.

A man's voice bellows up from the dock.

FRANCIS (O.S.)

Ahoy there!!

Everyone stops and freezes. Phil turns, disbelieving.

It's his parents, Francis and PEGGY BOUTILLIER, standing

next to a limousine dressed in brightly colored tourist

garb.

PEGGY:

Surprise!

FRANCIS:

Well, well. What do we have here?

A floating brothel?

ALICE:

(cool)

Hardly.

Francis comes aboard uninvited as usual.

FRANCIS:

Well, we thought we'd drop in and

see if you were all still in one

piece.

SKIPPER:

(pointed)

And, of course, we are.

FRANCIS:

Well, you never can tell these days,

can you?

Skipper shoots a look over at Phil who is staring a hole

in the deck.

SKIPPER:

What is it we can do for you today?

FRANCIS:

Well, we've come to give our boy a

little break from the monotony.

PHIL:

It's not monotonous.

Francis flushes red.

FRANCIS:

Never the less...

He turns and joins Peggy on the dock. Phil is suddenly

full of rage. This is an invasion of his privacy.

Everyone feels it.

FRANCIS:

Hop to boy. We haven't got all day.

Phil's anger turns to resigned humiliation. He stops,

staring down at his parents. Skipper puts a hand on his

shoulder.

SKIPPER:

I didn't know, Phil.

Phil nods, head down and walks down the ramp. All watch

him go, feeling for him.

EXT. OPEN WATER - DAY

The sails begin to rise but unlike earlier, the guys SING

out like the Vienna Boys Choir and it's having the desired

impressive effect on the women.

CREW TOGETHER:

When the sun came up there was

whisky in the cup/ and not one of us

was sober/ Kerry thought she saw a

picture, but it really was the sun/

then we knew the party was over...

The weather was perfect, brisk and steady under the trade

wind swells. The voices trail away as the ship moves off.

OLDER CHUCK (V.O.)

Curacao seemed out of a dream,

somehow make-believe. But, as Ohio

drew further and further away, it

was home that began to seem unreal,

drifting somewhere in the foggy

reaches of our memories. And I knew

that each of us was falling in love.

But not only with these wonderful

women or the swaying palms and

porcelain beaches... We were falling

in love with the experience we were

sharing, and with who we were

becoming.

INT. MAIN CABIN - NIGHT

The crew is getting ready for a farewell party. Each

member is primping.

CHUCK:

Bregitta. Do you believe it?

JOHN:

Believe what?

CHUCK:

Her name.

(savoring the sound)

Bregitta. It's poetry.

TERRY:

Soon as we ship it'll be "forgetta".

TOD:

Don't mind him, Chucky. You're

talking to a guy whose idea of big

romance is a palm full of Vaseline.

TERRY:

Screw you, Valentino. I haven't

seen you swapping spit with anybody.

Tod smiles as he slowly pulls something from his pocket.

It's a pair of girls' cotton underwear.

TOD:

That's because I'm discrete, moron.

The guys try to wrestle the underwear away from him. Just

then Skipper descends the companionway.

SKIPPER:

Alright, gentlemen, we sail with the

tide. Twenty-three hundred. Sharp.

I'm not waiting. Have a good time

tonight but be back on time.

The crew cheer. This means the trip goes on.

EXT. SCHOOL - GARDENS - NIGHT

Decorated with colored paper lanterns and streamers, a

STEEL DRUM BAND softly plays in the b.g. The crew slow-

dance with their girls, dressed in cotton that seems to

glow against their dark skin.

Ms. Boyde is scrutinizing the body contact between Chuck

and BREGITTA. Their lips appear pasted together and she

doesn't like it. Lawford sees what is about to happen and

hands his slimy cigar to George who reacts.

LAWFORD:

Hold this, will ya?

Lawford intercepts Ms. Boyde.

LAWFORD:

Madam, I would consider it a

privilege if you would allow me to

take you on a tour of the dance

floor.

Ms. Boyde is so flattered, it is all she can do to extend

her hand. Lawford leads her away and glares at Rick.

LAWFORD:

You're very light on your feet Ms.

Boyde. Was it you who taught all of

these young ladies the art of the

dance?

Ms. Boyde giggles like a school girl.

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