and indignant and pleading --
SAVANNAH
John. You’re supposed to say it.
You’re supposed to say “I’ll see you soon then.”
John looks back at her. Takes her in one final time. Then, without another word, he walks out.
186A EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- NIGHT
John walks to his car, his face finally betraying his emotions.
187 INT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- NIGHT
Savannah watches from the window as John gets into his car, turns it on, and heads up the driveway. Only when he disappears from view does she finally start to sob.
188 EXT. MR. TYREE’S HOUSE -- DAY
John sits outside in his father’s car, staring at his father’s house. Debating what he’s about to do.
189 INT. FRIENDLY COIN SHOP -- THE FOLLOWING DAY
The front door CHIMES, and the DEALER looks up (his is a face we’ve seen before). John nods hello.
JOHN
Hi. You probably don’t remember me, but you know my father-- Bill Tyree?
COIN DEALER
Course I do. Haven’t seen him in a while, how is he?
John doesn’t answer at first, just takes in the store, remembers the first time he stepped foot in here almost twenty years ago now.
JOHN
You offered to buy his whole collection once. Didn’t you?
COIN DEALER
Sure did. More than once.
John eyeballs the rows of coins laid out under the glass.
JOHN
Just out of curiosity... how much do you think it’s worth? All his stuff?
COIN DEALER
A collection big as your Dad’s?
He WHISTLES, lets him know -- serious money. John nods, finally looks the Dealer in the eye.
JOHN
Think you could lend me a hand?
190 EXT. FRIENDLY COIN SHOP -- DAY
John POPS his trunk.
JOHN
There’s only one condition-- the mules stay together. Offer them as a set. Keep them yourself. But they stay together, okay?
The Dealer eyes the boxes jammed into the trunk. Even more are stacked in the backseat. He turns to John in disbelief.
COIN DEALER
You’re really gonna sell me all your Daddy’s coins?
John looks over at him.
JOHN
All but one.
191 EXT. SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST -- MONTHS LATER
John stands in the middle of the desert. Takes in the view as he flips a COIN through his fingers. A very familiar coin.
Around him, Berg and the rest of his TEAM (all new faces) argue where base camp should be set up. John SHUSHES them.
JOHN
Guys. This comes up nickel side, we set up here, where we’ve got shade.
Comes up penny side, we set up on the ridge, where we have visibility.
John FLIPS the coin high up in the air, lets it fall into the sand. Berg goes to check out the result.
BERG
It’s tails.
(beat)
So what does that mean?
John takes the coin back. Carefully wipes a smudge off it, then tucks it safely into his pocket.
JOHN
It means we’re gonna need sunscreen.
Some of the soldiers GROAN -- but they all get to work. A YOUNG BERET walks up, hands John a delivery.
YOUNG BERET
Master Sargeant?
JOHN
Thanks. But no ranks in the field, okay?
He looks down at the delivery in his hands -- it’s a LETTER. The handwriting is familiar. So is the clean, white envelope. He instantly knows what it is.
John takes the letter, finds himself a secluded spot, carefully opens it up.
And then he begins to read.
SAVANNAH’S VOICE
Dear John...
Drift away from John, alone in this sea of sand.
SAVANNAH’S VOICE
It’s been almost five years since I wrote a letter with an actual pen, on an actual sheet of notebook paper. I don’t think I realized until today how much I’ve missed it.
192 EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- DOCK -- DAY
Savannah watches Alan carefully pencil in words on a banner.
SAVANNAH’S VOICE
Though I suppose it’s not really writing letters that I miss. It’s writing letters to you.
She hands Alan a magic marker. Watches as he starts back at the beginning, tracing his pencil lines with the marker. Watches the ink seep into the paper.
SAVANNAH
So I thought maybe I could write to you, now, and
SAVANNAH
John. You’re supposed to say it.
You’re supposed to say “I’ll see you soon then.”
John looks back at her. Takes her in one final time. Then, without another word, he walks out.
186A EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- NIGHT
John walks to his car, his face finally betraying his emotions.
187 INT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- NIGHT
Savannah watches from the window as John gets into his car, turns it on, and heads up the driveway. Only when he disappears from view does she finally start to sob.
188 EXT. MR. TYREE’S HOUSE -- DAY
John sits outside in his father’s car, staring at his father’s house. Debating what he’s about to do.
189 INT. FRIENDLY COIN SHOP -- THE FOLLOWING DAY
The front door CHIMES, and the DEALER looks up (his is a face we’ve seen before). John nods hello.
JOHN
Hi. You probably don’t remember me, but you know my father-- Bill Tyree?
COIN DEALER
Course I do. Haven’t seen him in a while, how is he?
John doesn’t answer at first, just takes in the store, remembers the first time he stepped foot in here almost twenty years ago now.
JOHN
You offered to buy his whole collection once. Didn’t you?
COIN DEALER
Sure did. More than once.
John eyeballs the rows of coins laid out under the glass.
JOHN
Just out of curiosity... how much do you think it’s worth? All his stuff?
COIN DEALER
A collection big as your Dad’s?
He WHISTLES, lets him know -- serious money. John nods, finally looks the Dealer in the eye.
JOHN
Think you could lend me a hand?
190 EXT. FRIENDLY COIN SHOP -- DAY
John POPS his trunk.
JOHN
There’s only one condition-- the mules stay together. Offer them as a set. Keep them yourself. But they stay together, okay?
The Dealer eyes the boxes jammed into the trunk. Even more are stacked in the backseat. He turns to John in disbelief.
COIN DEALER
You’re really gonna sell me all your Daddy’s coins?
John looks over at him.
JOHN
All but one.
191 EXT. SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST -- MONTHS LATER
John stands in the middle of the desert. Takes in the view as he flips a COIN through his fingers. A very familiar coin.
Around him, Berg and the rest of his TEAM (all new faces) argue where base camp should be set up. John SHUSHES them.
JOHN
Guys. This comes up nickel side, we set up here, where we’ve got shade.
Comes up penny side, we set up on the ridge, where we have visibility.
John FLIPS the coin high up in the air, lets it fall into the sand. Berg goes to check out the result.
BERG
It’s tails.
(beat)
So what does that mean?
John takes the coin back. Carefully wipes a smudge off it, then tucks it safely into his pocket.
JOHN
It means we’re gonna need sunscreen.
Some of the soldiers GROAN -- but they all get to work. A YOUNG BERET walks up, hands John a delivery.
YOUNG BERET
Master Sargeant?
JOHN
Thanks. But no ranks in the field, okay?
He looks down at the delivery in his hands -- it’s a LETTER. The handwriting is familiar. So is the clean, white envelope. He instantly knows what it is.
John takes the letter, finds himself a secluded spot, carefully opens it up.
And then he begins to read.
SAVANNAH’S VOICE
Dear John...
Drift away from John, alone in this sea of sand.
SAVANNAH’S VOICE
It’s been almost five years since I wrote a letter with an actual pen, on an actual sheet of notebook paper. I don’t think I realized until today how much I’ve missed it.
192 EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- DOCK -- DAY
Savannah watches Alan carefully pencil in words on a banner.
SAVANNAH’S VOICE
Though I suppose it’s not really writing letters that I miss. It’s writing letters to you.
She hands Alan a magic marker. Watches as he starts back at the beginning, tracing his pencil lines with the marker. Watches the ink seep into the paper.
SAVANNAH
So I thought maybe I could write to you, now, and
Similar Books
