White Squall Page #2

TOD:

Well Ricky boy, spear gun or no,

it's sweet to be back in the world

of rum and honey.

RICK:

I gotta admit I never thought you'd

be back after the great "Bowsprit

Affair".

TOD:

Me and Skipper had a meeting of the

minds.

CHARLIE:

How's that?

TOD:

I begged.

CHUCK:

(warming a little)

What the "Bowsprit Affair"?

RICK:

Well, Romeo here was on harbor watch

and managed to sweet talk one of the

local girls to have a go in the

bowsprit.

TOD:

Not just any 'local' girl.

RICK:

The 'local' mayor's 'local'

daughter.

Tod smiles, reminiscing.

CHARLIE:

Thing is, the net in the basket

isn't very comfortable, so Tod-o

wraps them up in the jib. After the

deed was done...

RICK:

He says they did the deed...

TOD:

Trust me, we did the deed.

CHARLIE:

After the "alleged" deed was done,

they fell asleep. Big Daddy Lawford

comes on deck at four bells and

hears Casanova sawing logs.

TOD:

Believe me, I needed the rest...

CHARLIE:

He gets the whole crew on deck, gets

us on the halyard, and orders the

old "heave ho...".

RICK:

Up goes the jib and out roll Tod-o

and the mayor's daughter, naked as

pilot whales...

CHARLIE:

(to Tod)

I don't know who was more surprised,

you or Big Daddy.

TOD:

To tell you the truth, I think it

was her father.

At the top of a hill, the harbor comes into view.

RICK:

Well gentlemen, there she is.

The cab stops. Besides many colorful fishing boats, is

the ALBATROSS. At ninety-two feet, she dwarfs everything

in the harbor. Her white hull glows like ivory and her

twin masts and yard arms tower above her deck.

Breathtaking.

CHARLIE:

Home sweet hell on the water.

EXT. DOCK - DAY

The boys pile out of the taxi. What seemed like a

pristine ship from the hill looks like a rust bucket up

close. The white paint is streaked and barnacles cover

the hull. Looks of disappointment.

CHUCK:

What happened to it?

A voice from behind turns Chuck.

BILL:

She cleans up. We'll have her ship

shape before we shove off.

This is BILL BUTLER, 15, removed, the youngest of the crew

and... first mate. Bill gives Chuck a friendly slap on

the back and climbs aboard. He is greeted by a Viking

giant of a man, LAWFORD, 37, and bearded, the ship's

English professor.

Puffing on a huge Havana cigar, he stares coolly down at

Tod and the others. He speaks with the voice of Moses.

LAWFORD:

"That this same child of honor and

renown, This gallant Hotspur, this

all praised knight, And your

unthought-of Harry chance to meet.

For every honor sitting on his helm,

Would they were multitudes, and on

my head. My shames redoubled! For

the time will come...

Chuck feels something and looks up where he meets the

intense stare of a man standing between the deck cabins.

Their eyes lock.

LAWFORD:

... That I shall make this northern

youth exchange, his glorious deeds

for my indignities."

Then, the man is gone. Haunting. Only Chuck has seen

him. Tod smiles back at Lawford impishly.

TOD:

Would you be addressing me, sir?

LAWFORD:

I would.

RICK:

What's that supposed to mean?

LAWFORD:

(beat)

Henry the IV part I Act I Scene ii.

I suggest you read it.

Lawford sneers and walks away. It's all a show.

CHARLIE:

It means Shakespeare. B-o-r-i-n-g.

BILL:

It means if he catches anybody

basket-napping on watch this

passage, he's gonna use their lizard

for 'cuda' bait.

RICK:

(lightly)

Well that's a hell of a how-do-you-

do.

BILL:

Drop your gear, go below and pick

yourself some bunks.

Chuck and the others climb aboard.

INT. MAIN CABIN - DAY

Chuck makes his way down the companionway into the main

cabin. Other crew members are already unpacking.

The sleeping arrangement is Pullman-style with two rows of

bunks on each side of the cabin. In the middle of the

room is a gimbaled table. This is where the crew will eat

and study.

RICK:

Listen up. This is Chuck Gieg.

Among the crew -- feature ROBIN WEATHERS, 16, a cherub

with soft puffy cheeks and TERRY LAPCHICK, 17, skinny and

rodent-like.

Robin approaches with a hand extended. He carries a 8x10

photo of a young man in a football uniform.

ROBIN:

I'm Robin.

Chuck regards the photo.

ROBIN:

(flat)

That's my brother. He's dead.

Apprehensively Chuck shakes and retreats to a lower bunk.

Robin tacks up the picture above his bunk. Terry unpacks

in front of one of the lower berths.

A loud "THUD!" turns everyone around. A duffel bag lies

at the bottom of the companionway. A large imposing

figure climbs into the cabin.

This is JOHN GOODALL, 17, over six feet, big and broad.

His hair is slicked back "Dean" style and wears a full

day's growth of bread on his face. Compared to the

others, he looks all man. Everybody clears from his path.

He stops in front of the lower, center bunk (Terry's bunk)

and drops his bag.

JOHN:

I'll take this one.

TERRY:

You probably didn't notice, but this

bunk has been taken.

John just glares at him, then dumps all of Terry's things

onto the blanket on the bunk, gathers it up and tosses it

into the remaining upper berth. Terry watches,

intimidated.

JOHN:

Anybody gotta problem with that?

RICK:

(beat)

Absolutely not.

John climbs into his bunk and closes his eyes. Bill

enters, followed by several adults.

DR. ALICE SHELDRAKE, 30, smart, attractive and tough, is

ship's surgeon and Skipper's wife. Lawford appears with

GEORGE PASCAL, 30's from Brazil, dark, and fit.

BILL:

Alright, listen up. This is Dr.

Alice Sheldrake.

The guys stumble over only half listening.

ALICE:

I'm ship's surgeon. I'm in charge

of aches, pains, biology, math and

science.

BILL:

George Pascal here is ship's cook.

GEORGE:

If you want to keep all your

fingers, stay the hell out of my

galley unless you're invited.

BILL:

Some of you already know Mr.

Lawford.

LAWFORD:

I have been charged with the dubious

task of insuring your literary

education.

Lawford puts a hand on Bill's shoulder.

LAWFORD:

Bill Butler is your first mate. But

don't let his size fool you.

Bill gives a half reluctant wave.

MIKE:

So when the hell do we get to meet

El Capitan?

Snickering.

TERRY:

(aside)

Maybe he's getting his wooden leg

waxed.

Laughter. A sound stops the laughter. Almost on cue, the

sound of slow methodical footsteps, pace the deck above

them. Then a shadow falls across the skylight, blocking

the light. Ominous. They all notice and look up.

LAWFORD:

(mysterious)

You'll meet him. Soon enough.

INT. MAIN CABIN - SUNRISE

Dawn glows orange in the skylights above the cabin. The

only sound is the heavy, even breathing of slumber.

Suddenly, a booming voice rumbles down the companionway.

LAWFORD (O.S.)

Arise, Arise, Arise...

Chuck wakes, disoriented. Terry bolts upright and hits

his head on the low ceiling. Ouch.

Tod, Rick and Charlie are up instantly. Lawford's voice

echoes through the ship.

LAWFORD (O.S.)

Exultation is the going/ Of an

inland soul to sea/ Past the houses/

Past the headlands/ Into deep

Eternity/ Bred as we, among the

mountains/ Can the sailor

understand/ the divine intoxication/

of the first league out from land?

(pause)

But I suppose we'll answer that

question soon enough gentlemen.

Soon enough.

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