White Squall Page #7

He spits into the water. The crew sheepishly throw

glances to the horizon.

SKIPPER:

So look out there... and explain to

me why any man in possession of any

sense at all, would take on the sea

with sail?

Skipper turns his gaze back to the boys. There is a fire

in his eyes. Nobody dare answers.

SKIPPER:

Because there's something else out

there. It beckons in the wind and

sings in the shrouds. Voices.

Whispering...

His ear to the wind.

SKIPPER:

They're voices of men. Calling. Men

you don't even know. Men you can't

even imagine. It's a seed, a wish,

that part of you and I that aches to

be alive, that was banished by

everything we've ever been taught or

told. It's a part of us that can

only be found on mountain tops and

deserts, in the deepest caverns,

smoking battle fields and... across

oceans.

He turns back to the sea, dark.

SKIPPER:

Out there, is where it all waits.

OLDER CHUCK (V.O.)

He was everything I had expected,

part Ahab part Queeg and even Bligh.

He spoke in whispers and answered

all queries with efficiency and

directness. He had gone to sea for

the first time at fifteen, the same

age as Bill Butler. And as he

looked upon us that first day it

must have been as though he were

staring into a mirror.

Skipper manages a sobering look and climbs on top of the

chart house. He pats a small brass sign that is welded to

the main mast and reads the inscription.

SKIPPER:

(reading)

"Where we go one, we go all."

With that, he disappears below. Nobody moves. This is

exactly the kind of man you want around when the sh*t hits

the fan.

TERRY:

This -- is gonna be a long eight

months.

INT. MAIN CABIN - DAY

The boys devour a hearty breakfast. Tod is the 'galley

slave' and fills glasses with orange juice.

TOD:

Chow down boys. The milk and eggs

are the first things to go once we

put out.

John enters balancing two plates heaped with food.

RICK:

You know we gotta dumbwaiter for

that.

John looks over to the dumbwaiter mounted in the wall.

RICK:

Not that one. Tod-o here.

The guys groan.

TOD:

Har, har, har...

John approaches the full table, glaring down at Terry who

doesn't notice him. Finally he looks up, startled.

TERRY:

I'm done. I'm finished...

He scrambles to get up and clear his plate. John sits

down without a word. The others notice the two plates of

food.

RICK:

Hungry, Goodall?

He just grunts and starts eating. Robin watches him.

JOHN:

What's your problem?

ROBIN:

Why'd you jump?

JOHN:

Because I felt like it.

(sharp)

What do you care?

ROBIN:

(aside)

I couldn't do it.

JOHN:

Well, as soon as you grow some

balls, let me know.

Robin bristles.

ROBIN:

Screw you!

CHARLIE:

He's right. It was a stupid stunt.

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