WEEHAWKEN and the MEANING OF LIFE

“Life is just a brief spin around the rim before being lost forever down eternity’s glug-hole!”

 EXT. WEEHAWKEN, NJ �" CONTINUOUS

ETHAN CROSSE (50) and his chauffeur MARCUS (42) are on their daily commute to work. All appears black and white as Ethan gazes at the boat landings, piers and commuter ferries along the river. The dismal weather has leached all color from their view. Thick fog rolls in, compromising the view of the waterway. He watches the vague outline of a barge going out to sea and a Circle Line Ferry going up river.

Ethan listens to the DISTANT FOG HORNS sounding alternately in a question and answer sequence. The ferries’ SHRILL HORNS blow as they traverse the river. The river sounds fade and the RUMBLE of a ROLLER COASTER whirs by in FAINT TONES along with the SCREAMS and LAUGHTER of children. The coaster fades and eerie echoes of a CALLIOPE swirl in and then fade to the SOUNDS OF THE RIVER.

Both Ethan and Marcus, having been distracted by the river view, did not notice that traffic had started moving again.

INT. LIMOUSINE �" CONTINUOUS

MARCUS

I’ve seen people do a lot worse by following in their dad’s footsteps.

ETHAN

Don’t get me wrong Marcus, I am grateful for my blessings and take great satisfaction in what I have accomplished, but if I were granted a do-over --

MARCUS

-- What did you lose when that sleazy old park was torn down that makes you miss it so much?

ETHAN

What we all lose eventually.

MARCUS

What?

ETHAN

Innocence!

Ask anyone . . . most can identify the day, sometimes the very moment that they lost their innocence.It’s the beginning of an internal decay that depletes our mortal soul until the very end, when we realize there is nothing left.

Most spend their lives filling the ever-expanding void with things, confusing acclaim and envy with immortality, but despite the best efforts at stuffing ourselves to a point beyond mortal boundaries, when the end is imminent, we are still left with a spiritual vacuum, alone in a hospital bed.

INT. QUICK FLASH FORWARD - HOSPITAL ROOM �" THE FUTURE

An ancient, bearded Ethan is deathly ill in a hospital bed cluttered by monitors and life sustaining equipment. He is surrounded by lab-coated doctors, nurses and aides. Ethan struggles for breath as his grim-faced family, now older, watches his battle against the grim reaper.

ETHAN (V.O.)

Even if your bedside is surrounded by a room full of caring people, when the Lord calls, you will venture alone into the bright light that beckons.

The alarm sounds on Ethan’s vitals monitor. No one makes a move to save him, they just watch with sad resignation.

FADE TO WHITE:

The alarm is still heard blaring.

FADE TO BLACK:

The alarm fades gradually to inaudible.

END QUICK FLASH FORWARD

CUT TO:

INT. LIMOUSINE �" THE PRESENT

 ETHAN

There are a fortunate few, who in old age, return to a state of senile innocence. Sadly, that is just a brief spin around the rim before being lost forever down eternity’s glug-hole!

Author's Note

Scene from THE CAROUSEL
An original screenplay by Ross E Cooper
Registered Copyright/ WGA registered