Carol

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EXT. NYC SUBWAY STATION. APRIL 1953. NIGHT.

Out of the darkness, the screeching moan of an arrivingtrain. A dark swarm of bodies file out of the LEXINGTON and

59TH ST STATION. We descend upon the crowd, singling out ayoung man in coat and hat, JACK TAFT, late 20s, who weaves

through the line of COMMUTERS, some opening umbrellas to thepatchy skies. JACK buys an evening paper at a newsstand andmakes his way across 59th.

EXT./INT. RITZ TOWER HOTEL. NIGHT.

JACK enters the hotel and we follow him as he walks throughthe lobby to the bar. JACK easily finds a stool, nods to theBARTENDER and tosses him the newspaper. The BARTENDER pointsto a bottle of Dewars and JACK gives him a thumbs up. Hescans the cocktail lounge adjacent to the bar - not muchactivity in there, either: a FEW TABLES OF BUSINESSMENgetting drunk, an ELDERLY COUPLE, TWO WOMEN tucked away in acorner table. JACK checks his watch and the BARTENDER sets

down his drink.

JACK:

Not much going on for a Friday.

BARTENDER:

It’s early yet.

JACK downs his scotch, slides his empty glass over to theBARTENDER, taps out a rhythm along the edge of the bar.

JACK:

Say Cal, make it a double, wouldyou? And one for yourself. I gottamake a call.

JACK gets up.

INT. RITZ TOWER HOTEL. BAR/LOUNGE. NIGHT.

JACK makes his way through the lounge on his way to atelephone booth. He takes another look at the TWO WOMENtucked away in the corner, deep in conversation, and thinkshe recognizes one of them. He begins approaching them.

JACK:

Therese? Is that you?

THERESE, the younger of the women, turns to look at JACK.

JACK (CONT’D)

What do you know!

(he starts over)

I’m saying to myself, I know that

girl.

It seems to take her a split second to react, to stand and

greet JACK with a short hug.

THERESE:

Jack.

JACK:

Gee it’s great to see you, Therese.

It’s been, well, months.

THERESE:

Months.

The OTHER WOMAN at the table lights a cigarette. THERESEglances at her, and they hold a brief, tense look beforeTHERESE remembers her manners.

THERESE (CONT’D)

Jack, this is Carol Aird.

JACK holds out his hand. CAROL shakes it.

JACK:

Pleased to meet you.

CAROL:

Likewise.

CAROL retreats back to her own thoughts, smokes.

JACK:

Hey, Ted Gray’s meeting me here anda bunch of us are heading down toPhil’s party. You’re going aren’tyou?

THERESE:

Well - yes. I just planned to get

there a little...(looking to Carol)

CAROL:

You should go ahead.

JACK:

You coming along?

CAROL:

No, no. (to THERESE) I should make

a few calls before dinner, anyway.

I should really run.

THERESE:

You sure?

CAROL:

Of course.

THERESE:

(to JACK)

Well... it would be great to catcha ride.

CAROL takes a step towards THERESE, but no more.

CAROL:

You two have a wonderful night.

Nice meeting you, Jack.

JACK:

Nice meeting you.

And she’s gone. THERESE doesn’t move, doesn’t turn around towatch CAROL leave.

JACK (CONT’D)

Alright, well let me go make surethe loaf is on his way. Back in aflash.

JACK takes off. A beat before THERESE turns and scans the bar

and beyond for CAROL. But she’s gone.

INT. RITZ TOWER HOTEL. BAR/LOUNGE. MOMENTS LATER

JACK, through the glass of the phone-booth door, is finishinghis call. He emerges from the booth, passing the bar on theway, where the bartender spots him, and holds up the paper.

JACK:

Keep it!

JACK returns to where he left THERESE but stops when hedoesn’t see her, glancing around. He’s about to ask a WAITERif he’s seen her when he spots THERESE emerging from theladies lounge. She looks pallid.

JACK (CONT’D)

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