First-Place Winner, November 2004 – April 2005 Screenplay Contest – Teleplay/Short Series
“ Fifteen Miles ”
Written by Herbert Higginbotham
LOGLINE
A mysterious woman disrupts the dilapidated life of a man, his father, and his son.
SYNOPSIS
For a man, his father, and his son, the future is as bleak and bland as the parched fields they till – until a lively woman careens off the road and into their lives. With no help around for miles, the man reluctantly invites her into their home while he fixes her car. But when this new and unexpected visitor presses him to confront a painful past, he decides he’s had enough disruption for one lifetime. Can he open up his eyes to a second chance before it vanishes forever, or will his painful past threaten to blind him to still more tragedy?
SCRIPT FOLLOWS
EXT. FARMHOUSE- LATE AFTERNOON
A small, rundown farmhouse in rural western Pennsylvania sits against a country road. Window shades are tightly drawn to the hot sun and blue sky. Dry, brown fields stretch for miles. No other life in sight. A palpable loneliness.
Dust reshuffles the dirt driveway whenever the wind changes. Amid half-worked-on farm equipment, a radio crackles light FM while RAY, 40s, white and scraggly, works on an old pickup.
A shot CRACKS through the thick summer air. A Jeep Cherokee swerves off the road violently, coming to a halt in the drive.
Ray springs to his feet to investigate. Through a cloud of dust, the car door slams and a woman's figure materializes.
WOMAN
Woooh! What a mess!
The dust settles to reveal a WOMAN, 50s, black and lively. She wears a light cotton dress and no shoes.
WOMAN
Don't suppose you could change
a flat?
Ray stares bewilderedly at the attractive stranger.
EXT. FARMHOUSE - LATER
Ray is on his back under the Cherokee, jacked-up on one side, tire removed. The woman peers after him.
RAY
Looks like the axle jammed up when
you swerved off the road.
WOMAN
Eww... can I still drive on it?
RAY
Not for more'n a few miles.
WOMAN
Does that get me to a service
station?
Ray stands up and dusts off.
RAY
That gits you to the end of this
field.
WOMAN
Well. Could I trouble you for a
ride -
The woman turns to see the cacophony of metal, equipment, and parts across the driveway.
WOMAN
- or - a phone?
EXT. FARMHOUSE - LATER
Ray pretends to work on the pickup while he watches the woman in the kitchen on the phone. She hangs up and he quickly returns to the truck.
The screen door slams.
WOMAN
Well, no luck with Triple A. And
everything in town seems closed.
RAY
I figured as much. We're in a bit
of nowhere out here.
WOMAN
You're not kidding. I brought you
some water.
Ray pauses, thrown off by her gesture, before accepting.
RAY
Thanks.
He guzzles the water voraciously.
WOMAN
If you could fix my car, I could
pay you.
Ray finishes the water, considers the offer.
RAY
(hesitantly)
I could fix it, but it wouldn't be
done til tomorrow.
WOMAN
That's fine with me. How 'bout
you?
INT. POP'S ROOM- MOMENTS LATER
The room is mostly kempt, with a made-up single bed and modest furniture. On the nightstand, a black and white picture of a young man in uniform hugging his beautiful wife. A man's slippers peek out from under the bed.
WOMAN
Are you sure I'm not taking
somebody's room?
RAY
No. My father's - he's away for
the night. Make yourself
comfortable. Supper's at half
past.
Ray steps out of the doorway and turns down the hall.
INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
WOMAN
Ray?
Ray stops, turns around.
WOMAN
Do you have a towel I could use?
I'd like to freshen up a bit, if
that's alright.
EXT. FIELDS - SUNSET
The wind whistles through waves of wheat. A boy, STEPHEN, 7, spins in a circle, hands outstretched to chop at the wheat stalks.
INT. BATHROOM - SAME
Hands turn on the bath faucets. They test the water flowing from the spigot.
EXT. FIELDS - SAME
Stephen abruptly stops his play to feel the winds change.
INT. BATHROOM - SAME
A foot gingerly steps into the new bath.
EXT. FIELDS - SAME
Stephen remains motionless. From far off,
RAY(O.S.)
Steee-phen!
Stephen bolts back to the farmhouse.
INT. BATHROOM - SAME
The woman slouches into the water.
INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Stephen excitedly sets the table for three while Ray moves hot food from stove to table.
STEPHEN
What's she look like?
RAY
Uhh, I don't know. She's - she
has short black hair, 'bout as
tall as Pop.
STEPHEN
Is she pretty?
Ray turns with a dish of potatoes, placing them on the table.
RAY
Ehh, she's eh - I suppose they'd
say. Judge for yourself.
STEPHEN
Now?
RAY
No, you go on and wash up now.
I'll call her down for supper.
Stephen hurries to the sink.
RAY (O.S.)
Ma'am?!
INT. POP'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
RAY
Ma'am?
The room is unoccupied.
WOMAN (O.S.)
Yes.
Ray pops back into the hallway.
INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
WOMAN (O.S.)
In the bathroom.
Ray moves tenuously toward the open bathroom door. He peeks in to see the woman standing nude, toweling off. He quickly retracts in embarrassment.
RAY
Oh my god! I'm sorry.
She laughs.
WOMAN
You alright?
RAY
Umm. Yeah. Supper's ready.
WOMAN (O.S.)
Thank you. I'll be down in a
minute.
Ray breathes out a short puff of air.
INT. KITCHEN - EVENING
The three eat in silence save for the old radio broadcasting a Pirates baseball game. Stephen picks at his food, mesmerized by the strange woman. She reciprocates his gaze with a wise smile. Ray observes.
RAY
Stephen, eat your greens.
STEPHEN
I don't like them.
RAY
Eat 'em anyway.
STEPHEN
(quietly)
You make 'em crappy.
RAY
(swiftly)
What'd you say, young man?
WOMAN
Ya know, Stephen, greens is what
gives you big strong muscles. All
the girls like boys who eat their
greens.
Stephen smiles at her sheepishly, attacks his greens with vigor. The woman smiles at Ray, who scowls at her success.
INT. STEPHEN'S ROOM- NIGHT
Stephen is tucked into bed, eyes closed, praying. Ray sits on the edge of his bed, in his own thoughts.
STEPHEN
And God bless Mommy and all the
other people in heaven. And bless
Daddy, and me, -and God, help Pop
come back home safe and sound.
Ray looks at his son forlornly.
STEPHEN
We sure miss him. Amen.
Ray stands, then stops, as Stephen remembers a prayer.
STEPHEN
Oh wait! And God bless the nice
lady who's staying here tonight.
Amen.
Ray stands and-
STEPHEN
(stalling)
Oh, and God bless all the
Pittsburgh Pirates, help them win
a game soon, and -
RAY
Okay, that's enough, kid. I don't
think God's too worried about
baseball.
He tousles Stephen's hair and kisses him on the head.
RAY
Good night, son.
STEPHEN
Night, Daddy. I love you.
RAY
You too.
Ray flicks off the light.
STEPHEN
Daddy? I think she's pretty.
Ray nods and exits.
INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
As Ray walks past the woman's door, he hears muffled voices, like a conversation. He stops, puzzled. Deciding not to investigate, he moves on.
INT. ray's room - MOMENTS LATER
Ray sits on the edge of the double bed staring at the moonlight peeking through the shuttered window. At his feet lay an open suitcase. In his lap is a small, rectangular leather case.
Inside the suitcase are women's clothing, trinkets, photos from a happy life, and a death certificate for Maren Jane Coulter. Ray looks for a while at all that remains of his wife. Then,
RAY
Not today.
He places the leather case under some clothes, closes the suitcase, and slides it back under the bed.
INT. RAY'S ROOM - next morning
Sunlight streams onto Ray's sleeping face from the window. His eyes creak open. From across the house, he hears Stephen and the woman laughing and singing, pans clanging, bacon sizzling. He sits up with a start.
INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Light pours into the room, kitchenware is everywhere. Stephen is on a stepstool beside the woman. They fix breakfast and sing, still in nightclothes.
WOMAN
'I've got a mule, her name is Sal.'
STEPHEN
'Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal!'
WOMAN
'She's a good old worker and a good old
pal.'
STEPHEN
'Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal!'
WOMAN
'We've hauled some barges-
RAY
(angrily)
What the hell is this?
Stephen and the woman stop and turn, looking caught. The woman recovers.
WOMAN
It's Sunday breakfast, silly. I'm
boiling some water - you want tea?
RAY
(to the woman)
What are you doing?
STEPHEN
Dad, we're just fixin' breakfast.
WOMAN
It's just breakfast, Ray.
Ray is about to speak when there's a KNOCK on the kitchen screen door.
JIMMY (O.S.)
Morning, Ray. Everythin' alright?
JIMMY, police officer, 40s, white, trim, peers through the screen door. Ray regains his composure and goes to the door. A police cruiser is parked at the end of the driveway.
RAY
Jimmy. What're y'all doin' out
this way?
JIMMY
We found him again.
Stephen rushes to the screen.
STEPHEN
Pop!
JIMMY
Hey there, Stephen.
Jimmy takes notice of the black woman in a nightgown in the kitchen.
JIMMY
Who's your lady friend, buddy?
Ray darts out the door, taking Jimmy with him toward the cruiser. He shoots a warning look back at Stephen to stay.
EXT. FARMHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
JIMMY
Stayin' dry?
Ray chuckles despondently.
RAY
Looks like we'll lose half the
crop again this year.
Jimmy winces sympathetically.
RAY
Yep. Gotta figure somethin' out... So how is he?
JIMMY
Ohhh, ornery as ever. And talkin'
to himself, as always. He was out
past McCallister's place this
time.
The two share mutual disbelief. Jimmy opens the door for POP, 80s, small, sinewy and slightly senile.
POP
I almost beat 'em this time, son!
I almost made it!
The old man springs out of the car, muttering and lost.
RAY
Hey Pop, how you feelin'?
POP
Feel fine, fine. The ocean was in
my sights!
Ray and Jimmy stare at each other sadly.
RAY
Dad, thank Jimmy for bringin' you
back home.
POP
Thank him? For what? I almost
made it, I tell ya.
RAY
Sorry, Jimmy.
POP
...the sea was right there...
JIMMY
No worries.
POP
Humph! Thank him for what? For
bringing me back to this
graveyard?
RAY
Dad!
Ray momentarily has Pop's full attention. Pop begins his muttering in more muted tones.
POP
I could smell the water... it was
beautiful...
RAY
Jimmy, thank McCallister for me.
Jimmy nods.
POP
I could hear the waves-
Pop stops in his tracks, transfixed by the woman standing in the kitchen doorway.
POP
I could-, I could-, I could see...
Ray scrambles to get Jimmy on his way.
RAY
Thanks again, Jim. I'll stop by
the station this week!
Jimmy looks on skeptically as Ray moves Pop into the house.
(CONTINUED)
