Klondike Page #4

The train chugs to life. Begins to leave the station. Epstein

gazes into Bill challengingly.

EPSTEIN (CONT’D)

We got a bet or don't we?

As Bill meets his gaze, shakes his hand with a knowing smile-

EXT. FROZEN WILDS - DAY

We are back in the frozen wild. Bearded Bill’s near-frozen

lips curl a half a percent in bemused, wizened reminiscence.

BILL (V.O.)

1000 dollars. Seemed like a million

then. Like something that

actually...mattered.

(beat)

But even then, whether we knew it

or not, the bet wasn't about the

money. It was about the bet itself.

Around him in the whiteness...shouts, euphoric, unbridled...

INT./EXT. TRAIN - DAY

Various shots of Bill & Epstein, young men emancipated upon

the land:

9.

• Hanging heads out the window, shouting exultantly out at

the passing America landscape.

BILL (V.O.)

Epstein wanted to prove he was the

dog with the runny nose, the poor

man that society couldn't keep

down. And to him, even though I was

his best friend...I was society.

Camera drifts back to Bill in the window behind him-

BILL (V.O.)

Thing he didn’t get was that was

the last thing I wanted to be. All

I wanted was to get away and find

my own thing. Something that was

real, bare-boned...

CUT TO--BILL & EPSTEIN--in the back of the dining car,

tossing dice and drinks with negro porters and cooks.

BILL:

A place to set up shop...and carve

out my future with my own two

hands.

INT. TRAIN - LATER

CASH--being tossed into a hat. Widen. Bill & Epstein--forming

a “kitty” for their coming endeavor.

BILL:

That’s all of it. 350. Every cent I

got for graduation.

EPSTEIN (CONSIDERING CASH)

(mild disappointment)

Huh.

BILL:

Huh what?

EPSTEIN:

Thought it’d be more, that’s all.

BILL:

Don’t look a gift horse in the

mouth, brother. I’m putting all

that into the kitty.

It’s then that Epstein unfurls his own wad of cash and tosses

it into the kitty.

EPSTEIN:

Just...I got, what, 400 here.

Thought it’d be me that’d be the

one light on the contribution.

BILL (INCREDULOUS)

What, you rob someone?

10.

EPSTEIN:

Funny. That there is legally

acquired tender, brother. Which I

prefer to call capital investment,

if we’re going to be business men

about things.

BILL (COUNTING)

So we’re looking at...750.

EPSTEIN:

Ain't much of a nest-egg, but it's

something.

BILL (NODS)

Who we kidding. It's nothing.

EPSTEIN:

Makes the story all the more

beautiful though, doesn't it? When

we're millionaires...we can say we

started with nothing.

Bill nods. Liking that.

BILL:

Here's to nothing, brother.

Epstein smiles. Nods.

EPSTEIN:

To nothing.

Off their smiles, CUT TO-

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