Getting Benefits

By
Carl V. Rossi
14 Caddy Rock Road, Apt B WGA: Registration Pending
North Kingstown, RI 02852
401-294-4421
INT. NOTHING. - DAY
The screen is black.
SUPER: 2008
JOHNSON
Where?
GEORGE
Not today. White pickup. Nine
Oclock. Uh... Three Oclock.
Three Oclock, Johnson.
JOHNSON
I dont know. What do you think?
Suddenly, the sound of a small, dirty explosion can be heard.
JOHNSON (CONTD)
I cant see! I cant see! I cant
see! Where do I turn? Fuck!
Where do I turn?!
EXT. VERMONT COTTAGE. FLASHBACK. - DAY
The mildest of a winter breeze passes through the leafless
trees. A lone cottage sits quiet and a rope of white smoke
reaches into the sky from the chimney.
GEORGE fills a leather sling with cut wood. He carries it
inside.
SUPER: 2007
INT. VERMONT COTTAGE. FLASHBACK. - DAY
GEORGE drops the whole sling in the wood rack. He puts
frozen logs in the wood stove until its full. Pull back to
reveal LESLEY sitting in the bed.
GEORGE
I cant believe how often you have
to load this thing.
LESLEY
Come here. Get naked.
He sheds his coat and then his clothes. George holds up his
left hand which sports a wedding ring.
GEORGE
Im never really naked am I?
LESLEY
Never.
Lesley touches his chest and then puts her hands around to
his back and pulls him closer. She kisses him. She smiles.
LESLEY (CONTD)
Chilly kisses.
He moves down to kiss her breast. She jumps a little and
then laughs and cradles his head.
INT. NOTHING. - DAY
The screen is black, but the sounds of a combat hospital can
be heard. The sounds of TROOPS in agony and MEDICAL
PERSONNEL can be heard.
DOCTOR
Stabilize him!
DOCTOR 2
I dont KNOW! Intubate!
DOCTOR
Stop that.
DOCTOR 2
Exploratory intubation then! Come
on!
GEORGE
(Screaming.)
Where am I?!
DOCTOR 2
Anesthesia! Lets go!
GEORGE
Whats happening?! Am I dying? Am
I dying?
EXT. BEACH. FLASHBACK. - DAY
The sun has been turned up to full today. SWIMMERS in the
ocean cant seem to cool off. GEORGE runs to the beach from
the water. LESLEY is tanning herself, the shiny suntan oil
accentuating every curve.
2.
LESLEY
Are you sure you want to do this?
GEORGE
Nobodys hiring. What am I
supposed to do? Keep living at my
parents?
LESLEY
I dont mind.
GEORGE
Im not embarrassed to live there,
I just want out.
LESLEY
There are other jobs.
GEORGE
Im not flipping burgers. Theres
no benefits. Im not getting
married unless youre covered. In
case anything happens.
LESLEY
What if you get killed?
GEORGE
I was just reading, they got the
most efficient medical supply line
in world history. Hardly anyone is
getting killed this time.
LESLEY
But they are.
GEORGE
Sure.
LESLEY
(Disagreeing.)
Okay.
GEORGE
But not like before, Les.
Lesley looks at him hard.
LESLEY
I just love you.
GEORGE
I just love you, too.
3.
LESLEY
Shut up. This is serious.
GEORGE
I may not even see combat.
LESLEY
Are you kidding? Look at you.
She looks at his wonderfully fit body.
GEORGE
I had that broken ankle, after
homecoming. You never know.
Her gaze goes down to his ankle. Then back up.
LESLEY
Im sure your ankles heeled by
now.
GEORGE
Im gonna go down tomorrow.
She looks at him quick and smiles. She runs a hand down his
calf.
LESLEY
Then get out of my sun.
INT. NOTHING. - DAY
The screen is black. Sounds of the combat hospital, but
later after wounded have stopped arriving. TROOPS moan in
the background.
CHAPLAIN
P.F.C. George Penn? Ive been
asked to visit.
GEORGE
Asked to perform Last Rites?
CHAPLAIN
If that is what you wish. Have you
confessed?
GEORGE
Im not going to die.
4.
CHAPLAIN
The doctors have asked me to sit
with you.
GEORGE
What do they know?
CHAPLAIN
Nonetheless, they believe I should
sit with you.
GEORGE
Are you Catholic?
CHAPLAIN
Methodist.
GEORGE
Then you can sit as long as you
like.
CHAPLAIN
I carry with me the Roman Rite
Anointing of the Sick.
GEORGE
Only a priest can do it. And if a
priest cant do it, then God can
come down himself and do it. So
like I said, you can sit there as
long as you like. Im not dying.
INT. RESTAURANT. FLASHBACK. - NIGHT
GEORGE sits with LESLEY at a table in a restaurant that is
well beyond his means. Lesley takes her first bite of
dessert, a behemoth of a cake slice.
Her hand shoots up to her mouth as she chews and swallows.
LESLEY
Wow. Dont ever get the cake here.
Not good.
George smiles.
LESLEY (CONTD)
What?
GEORGE
Nothing.
5.
LESLEY
Nothing?
GEORGE
Nothing. But if it were me, I
would have spit it out.
LESLEY
Im not you. And I would still
swallow it. Im not spitting out
cake in this place. They might sue
me or something.
GEORGE
What if its bad cake?
LESLEY
It is bad cake.
GEORGE
I mean if its gone bad.
LESLEY
Then Ill still swallow it. And
then Ill sue them for ridiculous
amounts of money.
He puts his hand across the table. She holds it.
GEORGE
Thank you for not spitting.
LESLEY
You are welcome, sir.
She looks down at his hand. She puts her other hand out, he
holds her other hand.
LESLEY (CONTD)
I love these hands.
GEORGE
Weirdo.
LESLEY
That may be, but I love them
anyway.
GEORGE
What about them?
6.
LESLEY
Well, youve never really worked
before, so theyre real soft.
Especially when you touch me.
GEORGE
Oh yeah?
LESLEY
Especially.
They look at each other for a moment.
GEORGE
I need to ask you something.
LESLEY
Whats that?
GEORGE
Im going to ask you to do
something, but theres a condition.
LESLEY
Anything.
GEORGE
Promise me you wont do a damn
thing until I have a job, that can
support us both.
LESLEY
Easy. I promise.
He lets go of her hand and produces a small black, felt box.
With a well-practiced move, he opens the top with his thumb
and presents her with an engagement ring that is well beyond
his means.
She looks down at the ring in his hand.
LESLEY (CONTD)
I love these hands.
INT. NOTHING. - DAY
The screen is black. The sounds of the combat hospital are
the same as before. No time has passed since Georges last
line. It is repeated.
7.
GEORGE
So like I said, you can sit there
as long as you like. Im not
dying.
INT. COMBAT HOSPITAL. - DAY
Above Georges hospital cot we can see GEORGE with the
CHAPLAIN still seated next to him.
George hasnt been sponged down yet, he still wears the dirt
and soot from the IED that destroyed his Humvee.
GEORGE
I know Im not dying.
Pull back to reveal George is missing his arms, the left
amputated at the forearm and the right amputated at the
shoulder. His left leg is amputated at the thigh.
GEORGE (CONTD)
Go find a dying Methodist.
FADE OUT:
8.