We’re continuing Fair Week with an excerpt from my feature script, The Handicaped.  This scene is a flashback our hero has early in the script.  Also, since we filmed this scene a couple years ago, I attached pictures as well.  Yay pictures.

 

EXT. FAIRGROUNDS – DAY

The coin is still spinning, but now it’s on a picnic table.
Pete is sitting at the table.  He looks roughly the same age
as in the bar.  The only exceptions is that his hair is cut
short and he’s wearing nicer clothes.  He is on the phone
with one hand, spinning the token with the other.  He is
occasionally eating deep fried vegetables off a plate.

PETE
No, no, I totally understand.  I
seriously thought I left the
documents on the table before I
left yesterday.  Brian, trust me.

Pete reaches for some fried vegetables.  He inspects the
piece in his hand before placing it in his mouth.

PETE (CONT’D)
Okay, well if he asks, you just
tell him it’s my fault.  I’m on
better terms with him anyway.
Well, currently. I’ll just get a
slap on the wrist or something.

A girl sits on the opposite side of the table.  She is KAREN,
20-ish.  She has red hair and is sporting clothing that has
probably made herself.  An Andie Walsh for the 21 century.
Pete doesn’t look at her, even when she grabs a deep fried
vegetable from his plate.

PETE (CONT’D)
No, you won’t lose your precious
parking space.
That paranoia is going to get to
ya.  No, you’ll be fine.

He reaches his hand over his plate and feels around.  He
notices the disappearance of most of his food.  He looks up
at Karen smiling uncomfortably.

PETE (CONT’D)
Hey Brian, I’m going to have to let
you go.  Let me know how that goes
though, okay?  Yeah, bye.

He puts his phone away.

PETE (CONT’D)
Did?  Did you eat my food?

KAREN
Yeah, I’m sorry they just looked so
good.  What were they supposed to
be?

PETE
Deep fried vegetables.

KAREN
Oh.  We trying to stay healthy
here?

PETE
Yeah, tragically I don’t think it
works that way.

Pete grabs the last remaining piece of his food.  He gestures
at Karen’s own plate of nearly untouched fair food.

PETE (CONT’D)
What do you have?

KAREN
They’re deep fried Oreos.  They
gave me four and I plan on having a
heart attack after the third.  So
if you want one, there will
probably be one left.

PETE
No, it’s alright.  Thanks though.

KAREN
You a local?

PETE
Yeah.  Just down the road.

KAREN
Cool.  My cousin is from here.  I
told him I’d visit.  We’re meeting
at Norm’s Tavern tonight?  Like I’m
supposed to know where that is.
It’s a small town, but you guys
seem to have nothing, well except
for antique stores.

PETE
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.
That bar is just down the road by
the way.

KAREN
Care to show me?

PETE
Are you hitting on me?

KAREN
Yeah, but you’re not making it
easy.

PETE
I’m Pete.

She extends her hand, coated in powdered sugar.  Pete reaches
his hand out.  He begins to pull his hand back after seeing
her messy hand, but she grabs it forcibly and shakes it.

KAREN
Karen.

Pete and Karen walk down the busy road of fair-goers.  Karen
tosses the last deep fried Oreo in the trash.

KAREN (CONT’D)
Hey, three down, and I’m still
going. I…

She stumbles a bit and clutches her chest.  Pete holds her
up, terrified.  She stands back up right.

KAREN (CONT’D)
Kidding.  You have good reflexes.

She punches Pete in the shoulder.

PETE
Okay, yeah.  So you said you have a
cousin that lives here?

KAREN
Trying to get rid of me?

PETE
No, it’s just, living in a small
town, I probably know him.

KAREN
His name is Steven Morgan, he’s…

PETE
Yeah, I know Steven.  Known him
since second grade.  Always beat me
up and took my lunch money.

KAREN
I’m sorry.

PETE
It’s okay.  He stopped doing that
months ago.

They both smile as they walk off a less busy street.

KAREN
That sounds like him.  When I used
to visit him, he would rip the head
off of my Barbies and feed to his
cockatoo.  I’ve hated birds ever
since.

PETE
Oh, uh…

KAREN
Kidding.  I don’t really hate
birds.  Now cats, that’s a
different story.

PETE
Yeah, they’re always plotting
things.  You said you were from out
of town?

KAREN
Out of town and out of state.  I
live in a little place in New York.

PETE
That’s cool.

KAREN
Yeah, I was actually doing some
traveling recently.  I was in
Colorado just a few months ago.  I
figured I’d visit my cousin here on
my drive back home.

PETE
What’s in Colorado?

KAREN
Mountains mostly.  So where do you
work?

PETE
Oh, just a desk job.

KAREN
Oh, well that’s cool.

PETE
You don’t have to say that.  It
isn’t.  I’m okay with it.  I’m not
going to pretend living in a
cubicle is ideal or anything.  It
doesn’t matter, I plan on quitting
there relatively soon.

KAREN
What do you plan to do?

PETE
You know, I’m not sure.

They are now outside of Norm’s Tavern.

KAREN
Well, I should go.  You want to
come in for a drink?

PETE
No, I don’t drink.  Nor do I have
the lunch money I owe your cousin.

Karen’s face becomes the definition of disappointment.

KAREN
It was really nice meeting you,
Pete.

She gets in close and hugs him.  He doesn’t respond quickly
enough to hug back.  Disappointed, she walks into the bar.

PETE
Wait…I um…

As he struggles for words, his eyes glow orange.  A blur
flows out of him and covers the surroundings.  Everything
begins to slow down, eventually stopping.  Everything starts
rewinding slowly. Pete, although moving backwards along with
the surrounding, frantically moves his eyes around.  He is
aware of the bizarre situation, but powerless to stop it.  A
flash of white covers the area.  When the surroundings
reemerge,  Pete is once again standing in front of Anne.

PETE (CONT’D)
No, I don’t drink.  Nor do I
have…wait, what?

KAREN
What?

PETE
What’s going on?  Did you see that?

KAREN
The…tavern?  Yeah, I just told
you that.  Thanks for helping me
find…
Pete’s eyes begin to glow orange again.

KAREN (CONT’D)
Pete?  Your eyes…they…

Pete begins to panic as his surroundings stop yet again.
Everything fades to white, and the scene repeats again.

PETE
No, I don’t drink.  Nor…What the
hell is going on here?!

KAREN
I was just asking you a question?

PETE
Yeah, I know you did, just…just
stop it!

KAREN
(Angered) What?

PETE
What?  No, not you, the, I don’t
know.

His eyes begin to glow orange again.

KAREN
Your eyes?  What the hell?

PETE
Oh, great.

The surroundings flash white, and the scene repeats again.

PETE (CONT’D)
Karen, listen.  Something is
happening.

KAREN
Yeah?

PETE
I’m looping.  We keep having this
same conversation.  It just
keeps…

KAREN
Should we bundle up because it’s
COLD outside!?

PETE
What?

KAREN
Groundhog Day, silly.  But
seriously, what are you talking
about?

PETE
I think I’m going crazy here.

KAREN
No kidding, Phil Connors.  If you
want to play games, I’m just going
to go.

Flash to white again.

KAREN (CONT’D)

What do you plan to do?

PETE
I’m…not sure.

KAREN
Well, I should go.  It was really
nice meeting you, Pete.

Karen goes in to hug Pete who gives the same lackluster
response.  She turns away to walk into the bar.

PETE
Karen!

Karen pops her head out the tavern door.  She tries to hold
back a smile.

PETE (CONT’D)
Maybe sometime…

Karen walks up to him with a piece of paper.  She is writing
something on it as she slowly walks back to Pete.

KAREN
Here’s my number.  I’m not sure
when I’ll get another chance to
leave New York, but if you ever get
the chance to leave that cubicle
maybe we’ll see each other again.