[
previous
| bottom
]
EXT. SHOE STORE - EVENING
Downtown setting. Light traffic, people going places.
Mary is standing in front of a closed shoe store with big
display windows. She is blank, looking at all the lit shoes.
She looks at her feet, turns to the street.
EXT. JOSHUA'S TREES CHRISTMAS TREE FARM - EVENING
Josh is watching a spider weave a web. It's light enough to
see, but getting darker fast. As the light fades, color turns
to monochrome.
INT. MARY'S APARTMENT - EVENING
Mary is comfy. Incense, candles, pjs, etc. She is trying to
read a book.
The phone rings. Mary checks the caller id, doesn't answer.
Mary puts the book down, grabs the remote and turns the TV
on.
EXT. DAYCARE CENTER - AFTERNOON
Mary is giving all the children back to their parents.
MARY
Goodbye Julie!
JULIE
Bye Miss Mary!
MARY
(to Julie's Mom)
Bye.
JULIE'S MOM
Bye, thanks!
JULIE
(to her Mom)
Is today my birthday, Momma?
JULIE'S MOM
Your birthday? You just had your
birthday, silly! Remember?
JULIE
(deflated)
Yes.
Mary takes note of this exchange, watches them leave.
INT. JOSH'S HOUSE/TEACHER'S LOUNGE - INTERCUT
In Josh's house, Josh is just getting into the shower. The
phone rings.
Josh weighs his options for the duration of a ring, leaves
the water running to catch the phone.
JOSH
Hello? Hello?
In the teacher's lounge, Mary hears Josh answer just as she's
hanging up. It's not in time to stop the receiver from
landing in the cradle. She picks it back up; DIAL TONE. She
starts to dial again.
JOSH (CONT'D)
Hellooo?
In the teacher's lounge, Mary gets a busy signal.
They both hang up.
At Josh's house, Josh heads back towards the shower. The
phone rings. (dashes denote cuts)
JOSH (CONT'D)
Hello? Hey! Yeah, no, I know, I think I
just missed... Right. Good, good, you?
No, no, I was, no, it's fine. What's
going on? Um, nothing, I mean, I'm not,
I'm open, why? Totally. I don't know, I'm
up for whatever -- Are you kidding? No, I
mean, kids are, I mean that's gotta be
like so much therapy. Right, right, easy
for me to say -- Right. Yeah? Yeah? Ahh!
Madness -- SUCH a good movie, but they
only really run it around Christmas, you
know. But I've got it, I mean, we could
watch -- No, that sounds awesome... Yeah,
absolutely, I mean it's just a bunch of
trees really, but if you want to see it,
I mean I could, what time is it? OK,
well, do you want to meet me there in an
hour? Alright. OK, do you know where
you're going? Right, except it's faster
if you go past there, and then the next
left takes you right to me, it's Montreal
drive. Actually, you know what? Will you
meet me there in two hours? No, no, I
just have a thing, I have, I want to show
you something. You'll see, or, you'll,
just meet me at... Yeah, that's perfect,
but not later than that either. OK. See
ya.
Josh hangs up, checks the clock, considers.
Josh turns the shower off.
Now he's dressed, going through a box of tapes, looking at
labels, putting some in a bag.
He grabs keys, out the door.
INT. JOSHUA'S TREES CHRISTMAS TREE FARM - MOMENTS LATER
Josh is sitting in front of a workbench in the pole barn,
with a bunch of BOOM BOXES of various age/size. He's
replacing batteries, rewinding, fast forwarding.
He's grabbing bundles of extension cords off a wall.
He is loading these things into a TRAILER attached to the
back of the TRACTOR.
We see him at various corners of the tree lot. The sun is
starting to set.
Mary pulls into the lot.
Josh comes to greet her.
JOSH
Hey! How are you?
MARY
Oh my God! This is beautiful.
Josh turns to take it in with her. He's impatient.
JOSH
Thanks. Thanks.
MARY
Here, I brought you a gift.
Mary hands Josh a CARD.
JOSH
What? Wow. Thanks. Wow.
MARY
You're welcome. It's just a card, I
just... You're welcome.
Josh rips the envelope open to remove a TACKY CHRISTMAS CARD.
He opens, reads, looks at the front again.
Josh looks at Mary, shakes his head.
JOSH
I... Come on.
Josh takes Mary by the hand and leads her into the middle of
the field, where the ends of TWO EXTENSION CORDS are laying.
He surveys the setting, light.
Josh picks up the two ends of extension cord, ready to plug
them in.
JOSH (CONT'D)
OK, so the sun's almost setting, see over
there?
MARY
Yes.
JOSH
OK, good. That makes it more dramatic, I
guess, or something... OK, OK.
Josh connects the two extension cords, sending power
throughout the farm, turning on christmas lights all over. At
first we don't hear the stereos, all winding away in random
corners of the farm. Then about 10-12 stereos, full blast,
each begin to play a different (but in-time) version of
"Silent Night".
JOSH (CONT'D)
I don't know, it's just this thing I like
to do some --
Mary grabs Josh and kisses him full well on the mouth.
MONTAGE:
Over cheery Christmas music, Josh and Mary spanning time in
November.
They walk in the park.
They decorate trees with the daycare kids.
They make cookies.
They watch old Christmas movies.
They take baths together.
INT. FRANCHISE COFFEE HOUSE - DAY
Josh and Mary are sitting at a table, two huge hot chocolates
in front of them, with tons of whip cream. Josh is looking
around at the decorations, fixtures.
JOSH
I've never been in here before... nice.
MARY
Really? Never? I come here at least five
times a week. I can't stay away from
Swoon for too long.
JOSH
Swoon?
MARY
Yeah, Swoon. Never been there?
JOSH
Nope. I pretty much haven't ever been to
any of the stores on this side of town.
MARY
How come? I mean not that it matters, but
why?
JOSH
I guess it's another thing.
MARY
Oh... You and your things.
Josh looks away.
JOSH
Yeah.
Mary stands up, takes Josh's head in her hands and kisses him
full well.
MARY
I LOVE your things. What's this one now?
Josh laughs to himself, looks at Mary.
JOSH
You're funny... So, I don't go to places,
or to stores or whatever, where I haven't
been before.
MARY
OK... but here you are.
JOSH
Right, I mean, if I'm with someone then
it's OK. But I would never come here by
myself, or...
Josh shakes his head.
JOSH (CONT'D)
I mean, this whole side of town is pretty
new, and I can get most things at the
store by me.
MARY
So, is it that you don't come here, or
that you can't.
Josh shrugs.
JOSH
I just... I think, and I know this isn't
really true, but I feel like people will
think that I don't belong there... or
here.
MARY
Wow... So, but now that you've been here,
you would come again?
JOSH
Yeah, I guess. Good Cocoa, so...
Josh smiles. Mary laughs at him, gets up abruptly.
MARY
Come on.
JOSH
What?
MARY
Come on, you can bring your cocoa.
JOSH
Where are we going?
MARY
Everywhere. Come on.
Josh and Mary leave the coffee house.
MONTAGE:
Mary leads Josh into every store on the block. We see them
enter, then they emerge, sometimes with their purchases.
They go to a sandwich shop, where they buy two large pickles.
They go to a bookstore, they emerge with a bag.
They go to a clothing store, where they buy sunglasses.
They go to a shoe store, where Mary picks out a pair that she
likes. She makes Josh try them on. Mary buys the shoes for
Josh. She pays with a credit card. Mary crams Josh's old
shoes into the new box. They leave the store.
INT. JOSH'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Josh & Mary are cooking. Josh is showing Mary how to make pot
pies from scratch. Mary is chopping potatoes while Josh is
rolling pie dough.
MARY
Like this?
JOSH
Yeah, good, except maybe a little
smaller.
Now they are putting all the filling in the pies, putting the
tops on, etc.
MARY
There you go little guy. And some for
you...
Josh takes her in for a beat. She senses him watching, throws
a piece of carrot at him. He ducks, attacks.
INT. JOSH'S BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Mary is trying to carefully remove pot pie from Josh's eye.
JOSH
No, I mean, it's kind of itchy, but I
really think it's fine.
MARY
I am SO sorry. Wait, wait... OK, I got
some.
JOSH
It's fine, it doesn't even... Did you
check the pies though?
Mary looks towards the kitchen.
INT. JOSH'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
In the living room, Mary & Josh are sitting on the couch,
eating pot pies, watching TV. Josh grabs a remote off the
table, uses it to turn the Christmas tree on, smiles at Mary.
She takes him in for a beat.
MARY
Let's go out.
JOSH
You wanna go out? Where do you feel like
going?
MARY
I don't know, let's just get a drink
somewhere?
JOSH
What time do you work tomorrow?
MARY
Seven.
JOSH
It's ten thirty almost, how are you going
to do that?
MARY
I don't know, I guess I'll just get up
and go. So get up, let's go.
JOSH
How about I show you how to make Egg Nog,
that's a drink. Then you won't be so
tired in the morning.
MARY
Fine.
JOSH
I'll make eggs.
MARY
You're boring.
Josh stares at her for a beat. He picks a potato chunk off
his plate, throws it at Mary. It bounces off her forehead,
She flinches, keeps watching TV.
INT. JOSH'S BATHROOM - LATER
Mary & Josh are taking a bath.
MARY
Thank you.
JOSH
Hmm, for what?
MARY
For not going out... You're good to me.
You're sweet.
A beat.
JOSH
...I'll make eggs.
Mary gets out. She dries, hangs the towel up sloppy on the
rack next to his neat one, leaves the bathroom.
Josh ponders the towels.
INT. JOSH'S HOUSE - MORNING
In the kitchen, Josh is making eggs.
In the bathroom, Mary is getting ready.
In the kitchen, Josh is looking out the window, taking in the
view. Mary storms into the kitchen. She takes a few bites of
eggs, swills some orange juice, throws her coffee in a mug,
kisses Josh on the cheek, leaves.
Josh looks at the dishes on the table.
EXT. DAYCARE CENTER - MORNING
Mary arrives in the parking lot. She is the first one here.
She gets out of her car, sets her coffee on top of the car,
pulls her trendy attache and grocery bag out of the passenger
seat. She closes the door and locks the car.
Mary looks around at the empty parking lot, smiles to
herself.
INT. DAYCARE CENTER - MOMENTS LATER
Mary is setting up each of the students desks for today's
activity. On each desk, she puts five sheets of CONSTRUCTION
PAPER, a BOTTLE OF GLUE, and SAFETY SCISSORS. From the hall,
we hear heeled footsteps.
Miss Claire appears in the classroom doorway. Mary doesn't
look up.
MARY
Good morning, Claire.
MISS CLAIRE
Well... Good morning Mary. You're here
early. Can I... do you need any help?
MARY
No, I think I've got it, thanks.
The BELL rings in the hallway. It's time for class. Miss
Claire looks at the bell with a start, then her watch.
MISS CLAIRE
Oh dear!
Miss Claire looks at Mary once more, then hurries off down
the hallway.
EXT. DAYCARE CENTER - AFTERNOON
Mary is giving the children back to their parents. It is the
beginning of Thanksgiving break. All the children are wearing
head dresses or pilgrim hats made from construction paper.
Three boys with pilgrim hats are chasing one boy with a head
dress, who is screaming and not having fun. Mary doesn't seem
to notice.
Mary notices Josh waiting in the parking lot for her. She
goes to him, he has flowers for her.
MARY
Well, this is sweet! Oh my God, these are
so pretty! Thank you!
JOSH
You're welcome. I thought we could go to
the bar.
MARY
Wow, who are you all of a sudden?
JOSH
Nobody, just the same old boring guy.
MARY
Stop. You're not, you're sweet... You're
so sweet to me.
Mary grabs Josh's cheeks and kisses him.
MARY (CONT'D)
You driving?
INT. LOADING DOCK - MOMENTS LATER
Josh and Mary are sitting, much like before, same drink
orders.
A sign on an easel tells us that tonight is open mic night.
Someone is just finishing up their version of a time-honored
open mic kind of song.
MARY
I played the piano till I was eight, then
the clarinet for a year, then trombone,
cello, flute, guitar, and I think that's
it.
JOSH
Wow. Do you still play?
MARY
No, I basically sucked at all of them. My
parents were persistent. I think I could
play 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' on most of
them if I had to. What about you?
JOSH
I used to sing a bunch, but I mean, never
like for choir or anything. Just around
the house. I guess everyone probably did
that, or does that.
MARY
Probably.
JOSH
I always liked to carol?
MARY
Carol?
JOSH
Yeah, like caroling. Christmas caroling.
MARY
Oh, right. Do people still do that?
JOSH
Not really. Which sucks, kinda. We used
to go caroling every year. It was like a
big block party. My cousins would come
over, and we'd go stomping around in our
moon boots, singing... I used to ride
around on my Dad's shoulders.
A beat.
JOSH (CONT'D)
Did you ever get those cramps when you'd
be riding on shoulders, and then they put
you down, and you couldn't walk for a
minute?
MARY
Yeah.
JOSH
I hate that.
Someone has just finished a song. Josh and Mary clap with
everyone else, lackluster. The OPEN MIC MC gets up to
announce.
OPEN MIC MC
Okay, Michael Dean everybody! Next up is
Julian. Julian, are you out there?
INT. LOADING DOCK BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
Julian, late twenties, slight, effortlessly attractive, is
sitting in a handicap bathroom stall with a guitar case over
his knees, hearing his name called in the bar.
He rattles two white pills out of a prescription bottle,
crushes them with a lighter, makes two lines with his
driver's license, rolls up a twenty dollar bill, and snorts
the lines.
He is now at the sink, checks his nose, runs water over his
fingers, puts them up his nose and snorts.
He heads out the door, walks on stage, the MC recognizes him,
gives him a hug. He sits down and sets up. By the time he's
ready, the bar is so loud you can barely hear him.
JULIAN
(sniffs) Cheers.
Julian plays an indifferent brit-rock ballad. Slowly, the bar
quiets down and is listening to him. He gets a big applause.
Note: The song lyrics are given in subtitles, and fade
consistently with the audience quieting to hear.
JOSH
That was sweet.
MARY
That is so weird.
JOSH
Huh?
MARY
I can't... that is so weird!
JOSH
What? Are you okay?
MARY
I totally know that guy.
JOSH
Who? The guy on stage?
MARY
Yeah... He was my first boyfriend.
JOSH
No way, really? When was the last time
you saw him?
MARY
Two winters ago.
TITLE: Two Winters Ago
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT - FLASHBACK
In the shower, Mary and Julian are having sex. Mary and
Julian disappear and reappear in different places within the
room, having sex.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER
Mary is sleeping in the bed, Julian is leaving with a duffle
bag.
In the hotel parking lot, Julian gets into his car and
leaves. We see Mary in the hotel room's window, watching him
go.
INT. LOADING DOCK - BACK FROM FLASHBACK
MARY
That is so weird.
JOSH
Yeah. Wow. Do you guys still talk?
MARY
No, I mean, I haven't, I don't. I thought
he moved away. I can't believe he's here.
JOSH
Huh. Weird.
Julian has finished his set. A waitress brings three bottles
of domestic beer and three shots of whiskey to Josh and
Mary's table.
MARY
Um, we didn't order these. (to Josh) Did
you order these?
JOSH
No, I don't --
WAITRESS
(looking up)
Yeah, he did.
Julian is walking up to the table. He smiles.
JULIAN
What's up?
MARY
Hey! Oh my god! What are you doing here?!
Mary gets up and hugs Julian. Josh watches, smiling.
WAITRESS
(to Josh)
So, it's twelve fifty.
JOSH
Oh, right. Okay.
Before Josh can get his wallet out, Julian hands the waitress
a semi-rolled up twenty dollar bill. The waitress starts
making change.
JULIAN
You're all set, thanks.
WAITRESS
Thank you.
JULIAN
(to Josh)
What's hapnin' man, I'm Julian.
JOSH
Hey, Josh. Good to meet you.
Josh gets up to shake Julian's hand. Julian sits while he's
shaking. Mary sits also. Josh is left standing. He sits down
quickly.
JULIAN
So what's up?
MARY
Nothing. I can't believe you're here!
What are you doing here?
JULIAN
Not much. I'm just... here.
MARY
Nice! That's awesome. When did you get
into town?
JULIAN
Um, Tuesday? I think Tuesday. I was gonna
call you. Are you still at your Dad's?
What are you doing?
MARY
No, I moved out last summer. I work at
Little Rascals. I'm a teacher.
JULIAN
Right on... So what are y'all up to
tonight? Just drinking?
MARY
Yeah, nothing, just chillin. Are these
for us? Jack?
JULIAN
(passing out the shots)
Yeah yeah. Here. Josh?
JOSH
Sure, yeah, thanks.
JULIAN
(raising his glass)
No sweat. okay, to what?
Nobody has a suggestion.
JULIAN (CONT'D)
Eh, fuck it, cheers.
They all take they're shots. Julian lights a cigarette.
MARY
Can I have one?
JULIAN
Yeah, knock yourself out.
Julian slides the pack of imported cigarettes over towards
Mary.
Josh looks at Mary.
Julian lights Mary's cigarette with a match.
JULIAN (CONT'D)
So what's your story, Josh?
INT. LOADING DOCK - LATER
More empties. Fuller ashtray. Julian is holding court at the
table.
JULIAN
...just, madness. Everywhere you look. I
couldn't even sit still long enough to
sit in the hash bars. Coke, mushrooms,
ecstasy, and every other doorway is some
beautiful girl, just chillin, like a
mannequin. I was dating this girl for a
minute, and she'd have to work the
windows every other night.
I mean, you talk about security, and
trust? We have no idea about what it
means to belong to someone here. I'm
totally going back. It's just... And then
in the daytime, there's Van Gogh, the
louvre, it was fucking amazing. Just...
So how's teaching? Are your kids cool?
MARY
Yeah, they are, I love my kids!
JOSH
Yeah, they're great kids.
JULIAN
Right. I got a thing. You can do this to
your kids. You wanna hear it?
Mary grabs another cigarette.
MARY
Yeah. Is it dirty?
JULIAN
(sarcastic)
Yeah, it's filthy, they'll love it. Be
quiet. OK, you guys both do this, but do
it in your head. OK, pick any number in
your head.
JOSH
Any number?
JULIAN
Right. You're going to have to do math
with it, though, so... OK, you got it?
Josh and Mary both nod.
JULIAN (CONT'D)
OK, now take that number and... Double
it... Got it?
MARY
Yeah.
JOSH
Yeah.
JULIAN
OK, now add... I don't know...Uh, eight
to that number.
Josh and Mary both equate and nod.
JULIAN (CONT'D)
Right, now let's take your number and cut
it in half. Got it?
MARY
Yup.
JOSH
Wait... OK.
JULIAN
Now take the number you have now, and
subtract your original number from it.
MARY
The number I thought of first?
JULIAN
Right, your original number.
MARY
OK.
JOSH
OK.
JULIAN
Alright, now take the number you have
now, and find the corresponding number in
the alphabet. Like 1 is 'A', 2 is 'B', if
you have to go past 26, just start over
like 27 is 'A', 28 is...
JOSH
Got it.
MARY
Me too.
JULIAN
Oh, OK. Now think of a country that
starts with that letter. Let me know when
you've got it.
A beat.
JOSH
OK.
MARY
Wait, I can't think of one... Oh, Oh, OK
I got one.
JULIAN
OK, now take the last letter of the name
of the country...
MARY
My kids are like four and five, they're
totally not going to get this.
JULIAN
Fine. Take the last letter of the country
and think of an animal whose name begins
with that letter.
JOSH
Wow, um
JULIAN
Just let me know.
JOSH
OK, I got it.
MARY
Wait...
JOSH
Do you need help?
JULIAN
No helping. You got one?
MARY
Oh, OK. I got one.
JULIAN
OK, now. I have a question. How many
kangaroos are there in Denmark?
Josh and Mary are surprised and impressed.
MARY
Wait. How did? Wait...
[
top
| previous
| next
]
