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CHAPTER 3
The Family Man
Written By: Matt Layden
04/07/06
INT. HOUSE - MORNING
Greg sits at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and
eating breakfast. His wife, Joan is making some coffee. A
young boy at girl, both looking at the age of 8 sit at the
table as well eating Lucky Charms. The boy's name is Alex
and the girl's name is Sandra.
SANDRA
Are you going to come to my play
tonight daddy?
GREG
I'll be there honey. Don't worry.
ALEX
Yeah, you always say that, but
you never show up.
SANDRA
But Daddy, you promised.
ALEX
He always promises and he always
breaks them.
GREG
Alex, be quite. Darling, I'll be
there.
Greg looks over to Alex.
GREG (CONT'D)
I promise.
Joan walks over to the kitchen table and sits down with a
cup of hot coffee in her hand.
JOAN
I'll be there honey.
SANDRA
You're always there, I want daddy
to come.
GREG
Sandra, I already said that I was
going to be there.
SANDRA
Good.
JOAN
Hurry up and finish or you'll
miss the bus.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOUSE - MORNING
The school bus is sitting in front of the house with the
doors open waiting for the two kids. Alex is walking
towards the bus and Joan is zipping up Sandra's jacket.
JOAN
Kisses.
They kiss each other on both sides of the cheek.
JOAN
Bye baby.
SANDRA
Bye mommy.
Sandra runs towards the bus. Joan stands in front of the
door frame watching the bus drive away. Greg walks up
behind Joan and kisses her neck.
JOAN
So help me Greg, if you don't
show up.
He stops.
GREG
I'll be there.
JOAN
And what do you want me to tell
them when you don't. You're not
the one who has to see the look
on their faces when you miss
their baseball game
(pause)
Or school play.
Joan walks back into the house. Greg stands there thinking
about the comment Joan has just said.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - MORNING
Joan is cleaning up the kitchen and Greg is wearing a suit.
He grabs a briefcase and kisses Joan on the lips. Greg runs
out the door and into his car.
Joan looks out the window as Greg drives away to go to
work. He waves and honks the horn before he leaves. She
closes her eyes as a tear falls down her face.
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE - EVENING
Greg is in a cubical doing random paper work and computer
typing. Evan, Greg's boss walks up into his cubical.
EVAN
Hey Greg, how are ya today?
GREG
I'm fine Evan. Just doing the
daily reports.
EVAN
You hear about Juan?
GREG
No, what happened?
Greg stops his work and turns around to face Evan.
EVAN
He fell down the stares, he's in
the hospital.
GREG
You're kidding? Is he okay?
EVAN
Bumps and bruises. But it's
serious enough for him not to be
here today.
(pause)
Which is why I'm here to see you.
GREG
No, I'm sorry Evan, but no can
do. Ive got to go to my
daughter's school play tonight.
There is absolutely no chance of
me staying here overnight.
EVAN
Listen Greg. We've got a lot of
backed up work since December. We
need to get these logs out to our
distributors before we get heel
from the big guy upstairs.
GREG
Why can't you get Lenny to do it?
EVAN
No can do, he's taking care of
the Mendez file.
GREG
Well what about Carl?
EVAN
He's helping Lenny. Seriously
those two are always working on
projects together, you know that.
The Mendez file is too big for
one person. Listen Greg, if there
was anyone else I would, but I'm
sorry, there just isn't. You're
going to have to do it.
Evan walks away before Greg can say anything.
GREG
Shit...
Greg looks at the picture of Sandra and Alex on his desk.
He then proceeds to pick up the phone. Greg dials his home
number and Joan answers it.
JOAN
I knew it...
GREG
Listen, it whouldn't take me too
long.
JOAN
No, you know what, you're not
getting out that easy. If you
want to skip out on them, you
tell them yourself.
Sandra is in the kitchen trying on a princess outfit. Joan
calls for her to pick up the phone. Sandra picks up the
phone located in the Kitchen.
SANDRA
Daddy? Daddy I'm a princess. It's
pink and I got a tiara and a
princess wand.
GREG
That's great darling. Listen
Uh...
Sandra cuts him off.
SANDRA
Where are you daddy? The show
starts in two hours.
GREG
Yeah, I know darling. Listen, I
don't think I'll be able to make
it tonight.
SANDRA
But you promised.
GREG
I know darling, I know I did. But
there is all this work and no one
else can do it.
SANDRA
You never keep your promises,
NEVER!!
Sandra slams the phone done and runs into her room crying.
Alex stands in the living room and looks over to Joan.
ALEX
I told you so, way to go.
GREG
Oh God. I really screwed up
didn't I?
JOAN
Yes, you do it. Don't bother
coming home tonight, with all
that work that you have.
Joan hands up the phone. Greg sits on the other end, with
the phone to his ear, listening to the dial tone.
GREG
God dammit.
Greg hangs up the phone and begins to type at his work.
FADE OUT:
INT. OFFICE - NIGHT
The clock is ticking, it's 30 minutes till Sandra's school
play.
No one is in the office except for Greg, who is typing a
mile a minute at his computer. He stops to take a breather.
He looks over at the picture of his daughter and son once
more. Greg picks it up and holds it. He takes the picture
out of the frame and reads the back. It reads:
"Joan, Alex and Sandra At Cottage, 1999"
Greg look at the picture once again.
GREG
I'm never around...
Greg places the picture back on the desk and takes his
jacket off the chair. He leaves the computer on and runs
for the elevator. He grabs his cell phone and dials Joan's
number.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL - NIGHT.
Joan is sitting in the audience with Alex, Sandra is
backstage getting ready for the play. She hears the phone
ringing, it's the Superman Theme Song. Joan sees that it's
Greg calling and rolls her eyes.
JOAN
What is it now?
GREG
Put her on the phone.
JOAN
She is backstage Greg, what do
you want?
GREG
I'm on my way.
JOAN
What do you mean you're on your
way.
GREG
I'm on my way, I'm making this
one. Look, I know I haven't been
around because of work, but
that's going to change. I want to
be apart of this family again.
JOAN
I'll believe it when I see it
Greg. If this is true, you have
less the 30 minutes to get here.
GREG
I'm on my way.
Greg closes his cell phone and gets off the elevator and
into his car.
INT. CAR - BASEMENT.
Greg gets into his car and races out of the buildings
parking basement.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL - NIGHT.
Alex looks over at his mother.
ALEX
Is he coming?
JOAN
He says he will be here. But we
have to wait and see if he shows
up.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR - NIGHT.
Greg is racing to the school to see his daughter in her
school play. There is no one else on the road, he runs
though red lights to get their quicker.
GREG
I'll make it. I'm going to make
it. I've still got...
Greg checks his watch.
GREG (CONT'D)
20 or so more minutes.
Greg turns onto James street and speeds up. He is able to
see a set of headlights heading towards him in another
direction. The headlights are getting closer and closer. A
car suddenly speeds across Greg, Greg hits the rear end of
the car.
GREG
Oh Shit.
Greg loses control of his car and directly hit the car that
was heading towards him.
The car that was hit on the tail end swerves out of control
and hits a ditch a few yards down from the accident. The
two cars that hit each other head on are destroyed. Greg
hits head on the steering wheel and covers his head in
pain.
GREG
Fuck. Oh shit. God dammit.
Greg takes off his seat belt and exits his car.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT.
Greg stumbles back and forth, he's injured. There is blood
on his forehead. He slowly walks towards the front of his
car. He inspects the damage.
GREG
Shit...perfect.
Greg looks over at the other car, no one has gotten out
yet.
GREG
Hey, Hey buddy. Are you okay?
The man in the other steps out. There is blood all over his
face. His shirt is bloody and he's seriously injured.
GREG
Jesus Christ man. You need to go
to a hospital?
The other driver takes out a gun and shoots Greg in the
chest. Greg falls to the ground. The man goes back into his
car and takes out a screw driver. He proceeds to unscrew
the license plates of his car. Greg is gasping for air.
GREG
Help me...please.
The man doesn't listen to him. Instead he takes out a can
of gasoline and pours it over his car and on the inside. He
takes out his lighter and sets the car on fire, then throws
his lighter inside the car. The man runs away into the
darkness leaving Greg there to die.
GREG
Sandra...I'm sorry. I love you...
Robert is heard yelling to see if Greg is okay.
ROBERT
Are you okay? Help is on the way.
Greg doesn't respond, he cannot talk. He gurgles blood and
holds on tight to Robert.
ROBERT
It's going to be okay man. I've
called the police, they're on
their way.
Robert looks in Greg's eyes.
ROBERT
You're going to be okay, trust
me. Okay? Do you hear me? Can you
hear me? What's your name? If you
can hear me what's your name?
Greg isn't able to say his name.
ROBERT
Fuck....what the hell. I'm sorry
man. I'm so sorry.
Greg dies slowly in Roberts arms. Robert closes the Greg's
eyes and holds him close to this body. A police officer is
seen down the street, he runs towards the accident.
NICK
Jesus Christ.
Nick draws out his gun and runs towards the two cars. He
sees Robert holding Greg
NICK
Freeze, this is the police.
Robert holds his hands up.
NICK
I didn't say hold your hands up I
said freeze.
Robert puts his arms back down.
NICK
No, put them back up, you already
had them up, so leave them up.
Robert put his arms back up.
NICK
Now step away from the body,
slowly.
Robert slowly gets up from the ground and turns around. I
ROBERT
Listen man, I called this in.
This guy was in an accident then
he was shot.
NICK
Shut up, we'll wait for back-up.
Suddenly Michael shows up, out of breath.
NICK
What are you doing here?
MICHEAL
I've come for the accident.
NICK
What about the body, the car, the
building and the drug addict?
Michael stops to think.
MICHEAL
Oh, shit.
Michael begins to run back to the police car.
NICK
Listen, I don't care if you
called in the police or not. I
simply want you to step aside and
lay on the ground with your arms
spread out.
ROBERT
Okay, okay.
Robert does as Nick says. When Robert lays on the ground,
the car finally explodes. Nick falls to the ground and
Robert covers his body as best he can. Nick gets up to see
the damage. Greg's body is covered in car parts and flames.
NICK
Shit. Hey you.
ROBERT
What?
Robert looks up at Nick.
NICK
Get out of there.
Robert crawls out of the wreckage area and into safety.
Robert sits there, with blood on his hands and burn marks
on him. Nick and Robert both sit there look at the flames
flicker in the night.
End of Chapter 3
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