by Jamie Linden
COIN DEALER
It’s a mule.
(off their blank stares)
A mule. An error coin. Every now and then they make a mistake, a batch accidentally slips through. This one, head’s a nickel, tail’s a penny.
Thing’s a mule. They’re really more of a novelty than anything else.
JOHN’S VOICE
Remember the horse sense you were talking about?
COIN DEALER
Tell you what. Since the kid found it, I’ll buy it anyway. 20 bucks.
He winks at John, who’s thrilled. But Mr. Tyree isn’t.
MR. TYREE
No thank you.
He abruptly walks away. John’s bummed -- he was already spending that twenty bucks in his head. The Dealer CALLS after them... but Mr. Tyree does not turn around.
JOHN’S VOICE
Well my Dad has it too.
105 INT. FRIENDLY COIN SHOP -- DAY
A SECOND DEALER’s eye widens under his own magnifying glass.
SECOND DEALER
I’ll be damned... you know what this is? You know how much this is worth?
Mr. Tyree and John shake their heads. The Second Dealer digs through a pile nearby (there are piles of everything stacked everywhere), finally finds what he’s looking for.
It’s a clipped magazine article called THE FOUR THOUSAND DOLLAR MULE with a picture of their exact same coin. Now it’s John’s turn for his EYES TO WIDEN.
SECOND DEALER
Listen, I’ll give you the full four grand for that thing right now. But--you want some advice? Dad to Dad?
(off Mr. Tyree’s silence)
Keep it. Just hold on to it. Pass it down to your son, have your son pass it down to his son, and forty, fifty, one hundred years from now...You’ll have something worth much more than four grand, I promise you.
Mr. Tyree considers him. Then looks down at John deferentially, lets him know -- this one’s up to you.
John pauses... and then he grins back at his Dad.
106 INT. COIN SHOW -- DAY
Rows and rows of dealers. John and Mr. Tyree scour them all.
JOHN’S VOICE
At first I loved it, chasing after these mules with my father. We finally had something to talk about, something we could do together.
107 INT. DIFFERENT COIN SHOW -- DAY
Mr. Tyree focuses on a new glass-encased mule. He’s older now, with less hair, more wrinkles, and the same gleam in his eye.
JOHN’S VOICE
But he became obsessed with them.
You know how he is.
The DEALER gives him the coin. Mr. Tyree carefully flips it over in his hands, inspects it closely. Finally he turns to show it to John -- who’s suddenly nowhere to be found.
JOHN’S VOICE
Then I became a teenager. And you know how I am.
108 INT. MR. TYREE’S HOUSE -- KITCHEN -- DAY
EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD JOHN opens an OLD GREEN REFRIGERATOR and drinks some milk out of the gallon.
JOHN
I’m not driving all the way up to Wooster for another goddamn coin show, Dad. Jesus.
Mr. Tyree stands silently at the doorway, his coat already on.
JOHN
You spend all our money on those stupid coins. How about you buy a fridge that works, for chrissakes.
John shuts the fridge, walks past him into the living room, and doesn’t see the hurt that creases his father’s face.
109 INT. MR. TYREE’S HOUSE -- DEN -- DAY
Mr. Tyree sequesters himself away with his growing collection.
JOHN’S VOICE
Eventually, he stopped talking about coins with me altogether.
The front door OPENS. Mr. Tyree turns hopefully...
JOHN’S VOICE
And when that happened, we found there just wasn’t all that much left to talk about.
...but then he hears John walk into his bedroom and SHUT THE DOOR. Mr. Tyree looks down at their ‘78 Jefferson nickel mule.
JOHN’S VOICE
So that’s the story. I miss you so much it hurts.
110 EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS -- PRESENT DAY
It is morning, and the campus is still sleepy. Savannah walks down the steps, reading John’s letter --
-- when she’s bumped by a frantic student. She looks up, sees a bunch of other students on their cell phones, concerned and confused. Something is wrong.
111 EXT/INT LOCAL CAFE -- EASTERN EUROPE -- DAY
Ten time zones to the east, John’s late for dinner. He pushes open a door, walks into their makeshift mess hall...
...but no one’s eating. They’re all gathered around a small TV here, too. John heads over to take a peek. He’s confused at first, not understanding what he’s looking at.
JOHN
What is that? Is that the Empire State Building?
STARKS
No, Tyree. That’s the World Trade Center.
The rest of the team stares at the TV, takes in these images that we cannot see. No one speaks. No one says another word.
112 INT. HANGAR -- STUTTGART, GERMANY -- DAY
John and his team load packing gear and tents onto pallets.
FALL 2001
Finally Captain Stone walks in.
CAPTAIN STONE
Alright, fellas, here’s the deal...
To John’s left, Daniels stands at attention, interrupting.
DANIELS
Requesting permission to reenlist, sir.
John looks up, startled. Stone just grimaces.
CAPTAIN STONE
Jesus. Settle down, Daniels -- you’re not even up for it for another, what, eight months?
DANIELS
Doesn’t matter, sir. Requesting permission to reenlist right now, sir.
Behind John, Rooster stands at attention, too.
ROOSTER
Requesting permission to reenlist as well, sir.
CAPTAIN STONE
You guys know you don’t actually need my permission, right?
But Noodles immediately stands at attention on John’s right.
NOODLES
Requesting permission to reenlist as well, sir.
Stone sighs. Understands the gesture. And so John stares down at the floor, jaw set, as one after another, his entire team volunteers to reenlist.
Finally, John is the last holdout. Noodles turns, looks over at him, waiting for him to stand up, too.
The others start to look over at him as well. But before John can react, Captain Stone clears his throat.
CAPTAIN STONE
Okay guys, listen. We’re gonna get our orders from operations on Monday, so before we do anything rash, let’s take the weekend to just mull this all over, alright? I got a wife and kids to think about here.
DANIELS
Nobody’s asking you to stay on too, Capt--
CAPTAIN STONE
(interrupting)
Yeah. You are.
He looks around at his men. Ten standing. One sitting.
CAPTAIN STONE
This is my team. Where you go, I go. Where we go -- we all go.
He shoots a passing glance at John, who looks away.
CAPTAIN STONE
Take the weekend they’re giving us, guys. Think this over. If everyone still wants to reenlist on Monday, then we’ll do it. Together.
NOODLES
Wait -- whaddaya mean, the weekend they’re giving us?
Stone stares back at him soberly... and then he breaks out into a small grin.
112A INT. SPECIAL FORCES TEAM ROOM -- DAY
John is already throwing stuff into a duffel bag when Noodles saunters in.
NOODLES
The van’s leaving for Paris in an hour, my man. I’ll have a flute of champagne in your hand and a pair of french ta-tas in your face by midnight.
John just zips up his duffel.
JOHN
I’m not going to Paris.
NOODLES
What? Why not?
JOH
N
Because I’m going to Charleston.
NOODLES
You’re going to -- wait, Charleston, South Carolina!? What are you, nuts? We’ve only got two days off, man -- by the time you fly there and back, you’ll maybe have what, 18 hours on the ground?
JOHN
That’s 18 hours more than I had this morning.
He nods over at the television, which is showing footage of Ground Zero.
JOHN
And who knows when I’m gonna get another 18 hours again.
113 EXT. HALLWAY -- SAME
John walks out, picks up the hall pay phone, dials a number. Waits impatiently as it rings... and rings...
114 INT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- DAY
Mrs. Curtis hangs up some decorations while Savannah carries a cake that says HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY onto an antique buffet table. She sets down the cake, answers her phone...
SAVANNAH
Hello?
On her face, as she breaks out into a much bigger smile --
115 EXT. US AIRPORT -- DAY
A military plane touches down on the runway.
116 INT. PLANE LOADING CORRIDOR -- DAY
John hurries down the corridor towards the terminal, already twenty feet ahead of the second passenger off the plane.
He anxiously tosses his dufflebag over his shoulder and trots the last few steps before he bursts out into the terminal--
-- to find the gate basically empty. A few people glance up at him from nearby as they mill around, waiting for their flights. But Savannah’s nowhere to be seen. John’s face creases with disappointment.
117 INT. AIRPORT -- SECURITY BARRIER -- DAY
Savannah quietly ducks under a security rope... sneaks towards the nearby escalator... and nearly runs right into a visibly annoyed AIRPORT SECURITY GUARD.
SECURITY GUARD
Ma’am. You still can’t go up there.
SAVANNAH
C’mon, man! Do I really look like a national security threat to you?
SECURITY GUARD
No ma’am, you don’t, but rules are rules. No one goes up to the gates anymore without a ticket.
But just then Savannah notices something behind him, on the empty escalator --
-- where a pair of feet have appeared -- and her heart jumps in her chest -- because the rest of John follows.
She pushes past the Security Guard, who’s a second too slow, and runs up the escalator.
When she reaches John, she jumps into his arms and they kiss, aggressive and passionate, as the escalator carries them down.
JOHN
I thought you’d be waiting for me at the gate.
Savannah smiles and kisses him again.
SAVANNAH
I’ve been waiting for you everywhere, John.
118 INT. SAVANNAH’S CAR (MOVING -- DAY
Savannah drives, John sits next to her, holding her hand.
JOHN
Did you call my Dad?
SAVANNAH
Yeah. He can’t wait to see you.
John looks over at her, immediately skeptical.
JOHN
He said that?
SAVANNAH
Well. I could just tell.
John nods. That’s what he figured.
JOHN
So is he gonna come to your parents’ with us?
SAVANNAH
I’m not sure. He wanted to think about it.
John nods again. That’s what he figured, too.
119 INT. MR. TYREE’S HOUSE -- DAY
John and Savannah walk in to find Mr. Tyree sitting patiently in the shadows at the dining room table.
JOHN
Hey, Dad.
Mr. Tyree stands up, and John can see he’s wearing a very old suit, now a few sizes too small and twenty years out of style. But it’s a suit nonetheless. John’s thrilled.
JOHN
You’re really coming?
Mr. Tyree shrugs. Nods towards the kitchen, where a meatloaf cools on the stove.
MR. TYREE
You hungry yet? Cause I made meatloaf.
JOHN
(smiling this time)
Yeah, it’s Saturday, I know you made meatloaf.
He goes to the pantry, grabs some tin foil, starts wrapping it up.
JOHN
We’ll take it with us, okay?
Mr. Tyree just watches him, still and quiet.
119A EXT. MR. TYREE’S HOUSE -- DAY
Mr. Tyree walks to Savannah’s Jetta, awkward and nervous but armed with a cooler or a picnic basket or whatever Props thinks is best. John opens the passenger door for him, but Mr. Tyree beelines straight to the backseat.
JOHN
Come sit up front, Dad.
MR. TYREE
No no, you two should...
He trails off as he squeezes himself into the compact backseat, his legs clumsily pushed up into his chest.
So Savannah and John get in, too. Savannah turns the car on and they start heading out of his driveway --
119E INT. SAVANNAH CAR -- SAME (MOVING)
-- down the small road in front of his house. But in the backseat, Mr. Tyree grows increasingly uncomfortable.
MR. TYREE
Stop the car. I forgot something.
Savannah slows down. John looks back at his father.
JOHN
What did you forget?
MR. TYREE
Stop the car. Let me out. I need to get out.
Mr. Tyree tries to open the door while the car’s still moving. But it’s locked. He pulls on the handle harder.
JOHN
Dad...
Savannah comes to a stop. Mr. Tyree pulls at the handle harder and harder.
MR. TYREE
Let me out...
JOHN
Okay, Dad. Okay.
John reaches back, unlocks the door for him and Mr Tyree pops--
119F EXT. ROAD IN FRONT OF MR. TYREE’S HOUSE -- DAY (SAME)
--where he pulls off his jacket. John gets out, goes over to him, puts a hand on his back.
JOHN
Jesus. You’re sweating through your shirt.
Savannah gets out of the car. She and John trade a look, his face flush with embarrassment.
SAVANNAH
It’s fine. John, honestly, it’s fine. Let’s stay here instead -- I was at my parent’s last party, I’ll be at their next.
MR. TYREE
No. You should just go.
Mr. Tyree stands stubbornly on the side of the road.
MR. TYREE
You should both just go.
JOHN
Dad. I’m here for one night. You get that, right? I’m only back for one night.
MR. TYREE
(gruffly)
Then why waste it here?
Off John’s face, hurt and wounded --
OMIT 199 B-D
120 INT. MR. TYREE’S HOUSE -- DAY
The house is quiet and dark... until Mr. Tyree walks back in.
He looks around the empty house. Goes into the kitchen, sets down his picnic basket, pulls out the meatloaf.
Then, in his old, wrinkled suit, he starts making himself his dinner, all alone again.
121 INT. SAVANNAH’S CAR (MOVING) -- DAY
Savannah drives. John stares quietly out the window.
SAVANNAH
He tried, John. At least he tried.
But John doesn’t respond, just keeps watching the scenery blurs past outside.
122 EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- LATE DAY
Savannah and John pull up to find cars parked all over the yard. Above the front door hangs an American flag.
123 EXT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- LATE DAY
Mrs. Curtis hurries out to greet them as they walk up the front steps.
MRS. CURTIS
My girl!
She throws her arms around Savannah. Then she surprises John by hugging him, too.
MRS. CURTIS
And John, I feel like I know you
already. Where’s your father, did he come too?
John doesn’t answer. Mrs. Curtis immediately understands and gracefully glosses right over it.
MRS. CURTIS
Oh, it doesn’t matter, I’m just glad you’re home safe. I’m just glad you’re here safe!
She nods back at the house behind her, full of people.
MRS. CURTIS
We almost canceled this whole thing after what happened, of course, but we throw this party every year and I dunno... I think people are just looking for something to celebrate right now, you know?
Then she hugs John again, warm and inviting.
MRS. CURTIS
But I can’t say I envy you -- there’s a lot of people to meet tonight. Things could get ugly.
SAVANNAH
Don’t worry, I’ve been briefing him in the car. Background on family members, history of feuds, that sorta thing.
JOHN
Good intel. Solid tactical training.
I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.
Mrs. Curtis grins at Savannah, mouths “I love him already” to her. Then she links arms and leads them both into the fray.
MRS. CURTIS
Let’s get this show on the road then.
124 INT. FAMILY HOME IN LENOIR -- LATE DAY
Mrs. Curtis plays a great hostess, introducing John to PARTY GUESTS with Savannah by his side, beaming.
When word spreads what John does for a living, GUESTS begin to come up and shake his hand, thanking him for his service.
John greets stranger after stranger after stranger... until he finally reaches a familiar face.
RANDY
Hey. Welcome back.
Randy is much worse than a stranger, though. He just stands there, holding his hand out for John to shake... but John doesn’t take it. Things get uncomfortable.
RANDY
Uh...hey, you want a drink? You look like you could use a drink.
He slinks off to the nearby bar. John pulls Savannah aside.
JOHN
What’s he doing here?
SAVANNAH
(with a shrug)
I invited him. Turns out his family actually lives really close by.
JOHN
So, what, you two hang out now?
SAVANNAH
Ah, he’s not so bad once you get to know him.
Randy returns, bringing them each a drink. But John doesn’t take it, just eyes him coldly. Randy looks around nervously.
RANDY
C’mon, man, I’m making an effort.
Meet me halfway here.
Savannah gives John a polite but firm nudge, then turns to greet somebody. John reluctantly takes the drink, cornered.
RANDY
Listen, I should really apologize.