TV SHOW [V/O]: While the mother remains with the young, the male ventures into a hostile environment to find sustenance.
[Shot of a nature show about gorillas on TV.]
TV SHOW: He returns after an unsuccessful foray - aggressive and unpredictable.
[Close up of a gorilla.]
[Shot of NORMA, WAYNE and KEVIN.]
[Sound of screeching tires outside.]
TV SHOW [V/O]: Notice the reaction of the startled mother...
[NORMA moves to the window and looks out.]
TV SHOW [V/O]:...as her offspring...
[Shot of KEVIN, shot of WAYNE.]
TV SHOW [V/O]:...begin to sense the presence of the male.
[Shot of NORMA approaching the table.]
NORMA: Your father's had a bad day at work so no noise. [Gestures.]
[Shot of the kitchen, with the boys in the background, as JACK comes through the kitchen door.]
NORMA: Hi hon, how's work?
JACK: Work's work.
[JACK continues to walk through the kitchen.]
[Shot of the TV set as a gorilla runs around.]
TV SHOW [V/O]: The irritable male gives out unmistakable signals that tell the young to keep their distance.
[Sound of a loud bang.]
[NORMA looks over her shoulder after JACK off-screen.]
[Shot of KEVIN glancing at WAYNE.]
KEVIN: Let's go play catch.
WAYNE: Good idea.
[Shot of the kitchen as KEVIN and WAYNE hurry off. NORMA is at the sink.]
[Shot of TV set. The gorilla is beating his chest and grunting.]
Fade to
NARRATOR: When my father had a bad day at work, he'd just sit in the dark by himself and watch TV. We learned early on that this was a danger signal and we adapted our behavior accordingly.
[KEVIN and WAYNE crawl across the floor in front of the TV.]
Fade to
[Shot of JACK standing in the back yard looking through his telescope.]
NARRATOR: And when he had a really bad day - I'm talking about a very, not good day - he had this telescope, and he'd go in the back yard and look through it for hours.
[KEVIN and WAYNE walk away from the window in the background. JACK continues to look through the telescope.]
Cut to
KEVIN: Etienne: Maman, nous allons...
[Shot of NORMA looking at KEVIN off-screen.]
KEVIN [V/O]: ... diner.......soir.
[Shot of KEVIN.]
KEVIN: Nicole: Oui, Maman, dinons en vit.
[Wide shot of both at the table.]
NORMA: That's very good, Kevin.
[JACK's car screeches into the driveway.]
[Shot of NORMA looking up suddenly.]
[Sound of a slamming car door.]
[Shot of KEVIN looking up. KEVIN and NORMA exchange worried glances, and NORMA sighs.]
[JACK jerks the door open and walks directly to KEVIN, slamming the door behind him and dropping his briefcase onto the table.]
JACK: Dammit, Kevin! How many times I tell ya not to leave your bicycle in the driveway!
KEVIN: But I...
JACK: You think they grow on trees?! If you don't want to take
care of it...[jabs his finger at KEVIN]...you don't have
to have it!
KEVIN: But I was just going to ride it over to Paul's later.
JACK: Now you're not going to ride it over to Paul's. You're going to put it away, and then you're going to go to your room. Now!
NARRATOR: And then sometimes, you knew you shouldn't do it, but you just couldn't help yourself.
KEVIN: OK, OK, get a grip on yourself.
NARRATOR: You gave him lip.
JACK: What did you say?
KEVIN: Nothing.
JACK: I asked you a question, dammit, what did you say?
KEVIN: Nothing.
JACK: We have certain rules around here, young man, and you're going to follow them. The first one is that you take care of your own stuff!
[KEVIN hurries out of the scene.]
[Shot of JACK grabbing his briefcase and hurrying out of the scene, leaving NORMA sitting at the kitchen table. NORMA looks after them off-screen.] ["Blackbird"-like music starts.]
[Close shot of KEVIN lying on his bed, tossing a baseball into his glove, and he is crying.]
NARRATOR: I guess we really didn't understand why he was so hard on us sometimes.
Fade to
NARRATOR: Because sometimes, and I remember these times so distinctly, my dad could be great. He could be so much fun. You never wanted that feeling to end...
Fade to
NARRATOR: And then, for some reason...
[JACK sighs and looks up.]
NARRATOR: ...it always would.
[He looks in the telescope.]
Fade to
KEVIN [V/O]: Now look, first you have to have something you really want to be, and then you have to have a fallback position.
[Close shot of KEVIN in the bus.]
KEVIN: So like, I wanna be a professional baseball player, but my fallbacks...are either...an astronaut or a forest ranger.
STEVE: OK. OK, I want to be a professional baseball player too.
PAUL: Well what's your fallbacks?
STEVE: A professional football player.
WAYNE: Why don't you fall back a little further.
STEVE: I don't know. I'd probably go into business with my father.
KEVIN: What's your dad do?
[Close shot of STEVE turning in KEVIN's direction and frowning in thought.]
STEVE: I don't know - he works.
[Close shot of WAYNE.]
WAYNE: You don't know what your father does? That's the most stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life.
STEVE: Yeah, well what does your father do?
WAYNE: He works at NORCOM.
[Shot of KEVIN.]
KEVIN: Yeah, he works at NORCOM.
STEVE: Nor-com? What the hell is that?
[Close shot of PAUL hanging his tongue out, making a "duh" face.]
WAYNE [V/O]: It's a company, moron.
[Shot of WAYNE and STEVE.]
STEVE: What does he do there? Is he the janitor?
WAYNE: No, he's the manager, jerk.
STEVE: What does he manage, toilet bowls?
KEVIN: No, business, stupid! [Gestures.] He manages business.
STEVE: "He manages business? What the hell's that supposed to mean?
[Shot of KEVIN.]
NARRATOR: And that's when it hit me. I had absolutely no idea what that meant.
[Close shot of PAUL, then WAYNE, then PAUL again.]
NARRATOR: Fortunately, Wayne was able to salvage some of our family dignity.
[Shot of WAYNE.]
WAYNE: So, you're too stupid to understand anyway, so, so...
[WAYNE makes farting noises.]
STEVE: Oh yeah?
[STEVE starts making retaliatory farting noises. PAUL joins in.]
[Close shot of KEVIN frowning and looking out the window.]
[Cut to shot from the sidewalk of the bus approaching, with the boys making fart sounds.]
Cut to
ANNOUNCER: In Saigon today, President Thieu will offer a new peace proposal which will...
[Close shot of KAREN turning away from the news. She looks down.]
KAREN: It's too long.
[Wide shot of the kitchen. KAREN is standing on a chair. NORMA is kneeling, hemming Karen's skirt.]
NORMA: If I made it any shorter it would be a headband.
[KEVIN enters through the kitchen door.]
[Closer shot of KEVIN between NORMA and KAREN's legs.]
KEVIN: Hey, mom?
[KEVIN looks at Karen's hem as he sets his books down.]
NORMA: Hmmmm?
KEVIN: What does dad do for a living?
NORMA: What do you mean what does he do for a living? He works for NORCOM.
[KEVIN gestures.]
KEVIN: Yeah, I know. But what does NORCOM do?
[Shot of KEVIN looking up at KAREN as she turns around.]
KAREN [V/O]: They're part of the military-industrial complex.
NORMA: It is not. They make those little - thingies. You know, electro...something. I forget what they're called.
KAREN: Those little "thingies" are helping to burn villages and kill children in Southeast Asia.
NORMA: They are this big [gestures] for God's sake, they are not killing anybody's children.
KAREN [V/O]: But you admit they're used for military purposes.
NORMA: They're used in toasters and coffee makers.
KAREN: Oh. So the military does need toast.
NORMA: Karen?! For God's sake.
KEVIN: Dad doesn't actually make those little thingies, does he?
NORMA: Well no, of course he doesn't actually make them.
KEVIN: Then what does he do?
[Close shot of NORMA turning toward KEVIN.]
NORMA: Well he's a manager. He manages "distribution and product support services".
[Shot of KEVIN picking up his books and starting to walk off, as NORMA continues to hem Karen's dress.]
NARRATOR: My mother obviously hoped the tone of her declaration would forestall the one glaring question that its substance raised.
[KEVIN pauses.]
KEVIN: What does that mean?
NARRATOR: No such luck.
NORMA: Kevin? Why the sudden interest in your father's job?
KEVIN: I don't know...just wondered.
[Sound of JACK's car screeching into the driveway.]
NORMA: Well, that sounds like him now. Why don't you just go ask him yourself?
[NORMA and KEVIN glance toward driveway.]
[JACK enters the kitchen.]
NORMA: Hi hon! How was your day?
JACK: Day's a day.
[JACK walks through the scene. NORMA and KEVIN frown.]
NARRATOR: Yeah. Ask him yourself.
[Cut to shot of JACK sitting in his easy chair, watching TV in the living room as KEVIN enters.]
NARRATOR: Easy for her to say. The man had grunted exactly twice in three-and-a-half hours. I didn't see anybody else lining up to probe his inner life.
KEVIN: Dad?
[JACK is looking at the TV.]
KEVIN: Dad, what do you do all day?
JACK: Aw, man! I can't believe they lost to the Senators.
[He sips his drink.]
KEVIN: Dad, I said - what do you do all day?
[Close shot of JACK as he looks over his shoulder at KEVIN.]
JACK: What do I do all day? I shovel other people's crap so you kids can eat.
[Shot of KEVIN.]
NARRATOR: OK. That was pretty specific. No need to press the issue.
KEVIN: No, I mean, what do you do?
JACK: Wh- ? I work at NORCOM - you know that.
KEVIN: Yeah, I know, but what do you do there?
JACK: Come on, Kevin. I work all day and all I ask now is to sit here and watch this...
["Buckle Up for Safety" commercial plays on TV.]
JACK: Great. Is two minutes peace and quiet too much to ask for around here? Now what do you want?
[Wide shot of KEVIN and JACK.]
KEVIN: Forget it.
[KEVIN walks across the scene. JACK looks after him, and finishes his drink.]
[Cut to shot of NORMA washing dishes in the kitchen as JACK enters behind her.]
NARRATOR: Now I was in bed, sulking, so I can only imagine what happened next...
[JACK fixes another drink in background, NORMA dries dishes in foreground.]
NARRATOR: But you have to bear in mind, when it came to surveillance, the KGB had nothing on my mother.
NORMA: I couldn't help but overhearing a little bit.
[JACK tenses up a little.]
JACK: Overhear what?
NORMA: He just wants to know what you do, Jack.
JACK: He knows what I do. I work at NORCOM.
NORMA: Yeah, but he wants to know what that's like.
[Shot of JACK leaning back on the counter, holding his drink. NORMA is next to him, and puts her arm on JACK's shoulder.]
NORMA: You gotta relax a little, Jack.
[JACK pulls away and frowns.]
JACK: Dammit Norma, don't tell me to relax! I mean what does
he want to know? About the seven S-14 forms I gotta fill out every time
I turn around? About the whining customers, about the incompetent jackasses
in shipping and receiving?
NORMA: Yeah. Yes, I think that's exactly what he wants to know.
He wants to know more about you, Jack! I don't know why that's so hard
for you to understand.
[She shakes her head and walks past the camera. JACK looks after her.]
Cut to
JACK: Uh...hiya, Kevin.
[The camera backs up as JACK slowly approaches.]
NARRATOR: Oh no, pal. You think it's going to be that easy. You hurt my feelings, and now you have to pay the piper.
[JACK stops, puts his hands in his back pockets, and sighs deeply.]
JACK: So you want to know what I do at work, huh?
[Shot of KEVIN on his bed, and JACK to one side.]
NARRATOR: That's it, don't look him in the eye.
[Closer shot of KEVIN looking down.]
NARRATOR: Don't look him in the eye. Don't look him in the...
[KEVIN looks at JACK.]
NARRATOR: Oh geez, what are you doin'? You're killin' me here.
[JACK paces slowly.]
JACK: It's uh...no big deal, ya know.
[Shot of KEVIN, as JACK sits on the opposite bed with his hands together.]
JACK: Mostly pushin' papers from over here to over there.
[He shakes his head.]
JACK: It's...not some...big glamorous thing.
NARRATOR: OK, fine. Look at him...look at him all you want - just no words, OK?
KEVIN: What do the papers say?
NARRATOR: Uhnhhnhhhh!
KEVIN: What's your office like?
JACK: It's an office. Four walls, a ceiling, a door...
KEVIN: Does it have filing cabinets?
JACK: Sure, it has filing cabinets. Look, Kevin, uh...why don't
you come into the office with me tomorrow and see for yourself? I'll write
you a note, OK? OK?!
KEVIN: OK.
JACK: OK. Goodnight.
[He pats KEVIN and exits the shot. Close shot of KEVIN looking after him.]
JACK [V/O]: Set your alarm for 6:30. I don't want to be waiting for ya.
[Shot of JACK closing the door behind him, and the shot goes almost black.]
Fade to
[Close shot of KEVIN loosening his tie and frowning. He walks forward to get some toast.]
[NORMA notices him and turns toward him.]
NORMA: Kevin, you look so nice.
[Close shot of KEVIN as NORMA adjusts his tie.]
NORMA: Karen, doesn't your brother just look so nice.
[Close shot of KEVIN smiling at KAREN, as NORMA smoothes his hair.]
[Shot of KAREN looking over the newspaper.]
KAREN: He looks like a little running dog, capitalist pig.
[Shot of NORMA frowning.]
[Shot of KEVIN making a face.]
[Wide shot as WAYNE enters.]
WAYNE: Hey, Uncle Sid finally kicked the bucket?
[WAYNE takes a seat at the table.]
NORMA: Wayne.
WAYNE: What's with Sir Lancelot here?
NORMA: Your brother has an interest in what your father does, so he's going to the office with him.
[Close shot of WAYNE.]
WAYNE: You mean - instead of school?
[Shot of KEVIN buttering his toast.]
KEVIN: Yep.
WAYNE: Well, I've always interested in dad's work - I wanna go,
too! Gimme that toast, butthead.
[WAYNE snatches KEVIN's toast.]
[JACK enters and grabs his briefcase.]
JACK: We better go. Traffic's gonna be hell.
Cut to
NARRATOR: And so I went to work with my father. I didn't know exactly what I expected to learn about him here. I guess I was looking for clues. Something to explain why he was the way he was.
[Cut to shot of the office as JACK opens the door. KEVIN and JACK enter toward the camera.]
[The camera pulls back as JACK's co-worker approach from behind the camera.]
JACK: Everybody, this is my son, Kevin. This is Phyllis and Stan and Betty and Mary.
BETTY: Hi, there!
STAN [WISANSKI]: You look just like your old man.
[Wide angle shot from KEVIN's perspective of a woman right in front of him.]
PHYLLIS: Oh my goodness, he's adorable.
[PHYLLIS moves to one side as MARY approaches closely. Other co-workers are in the background looking at KEVIN also.]
MARY: What an angel. Look at those cheeks.
[The camera moves in rhythm as she tweaks his cheek.]
[Shot of KEVIN smiling as MARY wiggles his face.]
NARRATOR: I got the feeling they didn't see a lot of twelve-year-olds around here.
[WISANSKI pumps his arm in a handshake.]
PHYLLIS: And what are you gonna be when you grow up?
MARY: Are you going to come to work with us at NORCOM?
NARRATOR: Of course I knew exactly what I was going to be when I grew up - either centerfielder for the San Francisco Giants, or a crew member of the first manned spacecraft to Mars.
PHYLLIS: Are you going to go into distribution like your father, hmmm?
KEVIN: I don't know, maybe.
JACK: Uh, come on Kevin, I'll show you my office. [To co-workers]: Excuse me.
[The office workers move back slightly, as JACK and KEVIN approach the camera. KEVIN turns toward co-workers and waves, then turns forward and frowns. The co-workers look admiringly after KEVIN.]
Cut to
NARRATOR: Dad's office wasn't impressive the way say, the Apollo 8 was impressive, but it did have a lot of pretty cool stuff in it. A big executive desk, a phone with lots of flashing lights and buttons, and a swivel chair.
[Shot from the corner behind the desk. KEVIN stands near the chair as JACK rolls up his shirt cuffs.]
KEVIN: Can I sit in your chair?
JACK: Sure.
[KEVIN sits, and "swivels".]
JACK [to intercom]: Phyllis, pull the quarterly distribution reports. Oh, and the, uh...West Coast shipping statements from September.
PHYLLIS: Right.
JACK: Thanks.
KEVIN: Here.
[Close shot of KEVIN looking at JACK off-screen. He starts to rise.]
KEVIN: No, you can sit down...
JACK: No, no, it's OK, OK...sit down, sit down. OK!
[He claps his hands together.]
JACK: First thing you gotta learn about around here is the S-14 forms. You gotta fill one of these babies out every time -
[Intercom buzzes]
JACK: Yeah, Phyllis.
PHYLLIS: Jeff Meyers on one.
JACK: OK. [He picks up the phone] Hello Jeff! How are ya? Good, good. Really? No, look Jeff, I told him the same thing, but he said that NU-Tech wanted those 1018's. Well, Jeff, Jeff! - that's not really my problem. They should know their own system, right? Yeah, OK. Uh, OK, I'll see ya. Uh huh.
[He hangs up the phone.]
JACK: Be with ya in just a minute here, Kevin.
[Close shot of KEVIN looking at JACK off-screen.]
PHYLLIS: Peter Dante on two.
JACK: Yeah Phyllis. Thanks.
[He picks up the phone]
JACK: Hello, Pete. Yeah, Jack Arnold. How are ya? Good, good. Listen, Pete, I was just talking with Jeff Meyers over...I don't know. I don't know! I'm checking on it right now. Oh, well hell, Pete! They could just get someone else then!
[Close shot of KEVIN.]
NARRATOR: I had no idea what my father
was talking about, but suddenly I fell in love with the rhythm and flow
of it all.
[Shot of JACK on the phone.]
NARRATOR: The way he punched those phone buttons, flipped through papers, gave orders.
JACK: Can you give me a minute, please!
NARRATOR: He had power, authority, just like at home, only here it was even more mysterious and impressive.
[WISANSKI enters and waits for JACK.]
JACK: Hello, Pete. Listen, I'm working on it right now. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks.
[JACK hangs up the phone.]
JACK [to WISANSKI]: Call Albuquerque, tell 'em Rusty ordered a...AG Lansford, and you get me the purchase orders from last week. I forgot my briefcase in the car. [He gestures.]
[JACK looks at KEVIN and gestures to "stay put".]
JACK: Kevin.
[JACK hurries out of the scene.]
[WISANSKI dumps the papers on the desk, then backs up and knocks the telephone. He fumbles with the phone and hurries out.]
[Close shot of KEVIN leaning forward and looking toward the door, then smiling.]
NARRATOR: I imagined myself in that role...
[KEVIN puts his feet up on the desk. The nameplate on the desk changes from "JACK Arnold" to "KEVIN Arnold".]
NARRATOR: Administering things...
[He puts his hands behind his head.]
NARRATOR: Giving orders, chewing people out.
[Close shot of KEVIN frowning in irritation, and looks toward the door.]
KEVIN: What the hell do you want?!
[KAREN enters as "a secretary".]
KAREN [timidly]: Well, Mr. Arnold, sir, i-if...if you're not too busy, sir, I have some papers for your approval, sir.
[She puts some papers on the desk. KEVIN snatches them up.]
KEVIN: Sure, I do everything else around here, don't I?
[KEVIN stamps the papers forcefully.]
KAREN: Thank you, sir.
[KAREN backs up and exits, as WAYNE enters on his knees.]
[Close shot of KEVIN from over WAYNE's shoulder. He smiles.]
KEVIN: Good morning...buttface!
[Shot of WAYNE. He is wearing glasses.]
WAYNE: Good morning, sir. I spent all night working on these for your approval, sir.
[KEVIN flips through some pages, then rips and throws papers back in WAYNE's face.]
KEVIN: They stink. Do 'em over again.
WAYNE: Thank you, sir.
[WAYNE backs up on his knees out of the shot.]
[Shot of KEVIN putting his feet up again.]
NARRATOR: Yeah, this was OK. Like father, like son, I guess.
[Close shot of KEVIN straightening up as he hears JACK returning.]
JACK[V/O]: Wisanski! Bring the purchase order.
[Shot of JACK and WISANSKI standing at the desk.]
JACK: Phyllis - get Pete back for me.
PHYLLIS: OK.
JACK: What's this?
WISANSKI: We need these approved by Friday...and we're having a problem with STI Phoenix. The October shipment's late.
JACK: What do you mean "late", how late, and when did you find this out?
[He drops the stack of papers on the desk.]
WISANSKI: Well, they called yesterday, but I thought they would get there by today.
JACK: You though maybe it would get there by today. What the hell? [To intercom:] Phyllis, get me Southwest Express, please.
WISANSKI: Well, actually we're using a new carrier. Maybe they, uh, you know -
JACK: You what?! You went with a new carrier? Jesus, Wisanski! You didn't clear that with me. If this screws up the damn account, we're all gonna be...
WISANSKI: Look, I'm sorry. Maybe I should go down there.
JACK: Look, no...it's OK, I'll handle it. Next time check first with me.
[Shot of JACK leaning forward on the desk as WISANSKI exits.]
[Close shot of KEVIN.]
[Shot of JACK looking at KEVIN off-screen and sighing.]
JACK: Tell you what, Kevin, it is time you learned about the most important part of the working day.
[Close shot of KEVIN.]
JACK[V/O]: The coffee break.
[KEVIN smiles.]
[JACK motions to KEVIN.]
JACK: Come on.
[Shot from rear corner of the desk as KEVIN starts to rise. PHYLLIS enters.]
PHYLLIS: Jack, Mr. Keller's on line one.
[JACK sighs and looks at KEVIN, then walks toward the door.]
JACK: Tell 'em I'm not here.
PHYLLIS: Oh, but he sounds like it's important.
[JACK turns toward KEVIN and motions.]
JACK: Come on.
[JACK walks past PHYLLIS in the doorway. KEVIN follows.]
Cut to
[Cut to wide shot. JACK and KEVIN are at the vending machine area of the break-room. JACK hands a cup to KEVIN. KEVIN walks toward camera and takes a seat. JACK follows.]
JACK: Sure that's what you want?
[JACK sits down.]
KEVIN: Yeah. [Nods.] I like it black.
[Close shot of JACK raising an eyebrow and nodding slowly.]
JACK: Uh huh. Learn something new every day.
[KEVIN takes a sip of coffee, frowns a little at it, then smiles a little at JACK.]
KEVIN: Dad?
[Shot of JACK looking up from his coffee.]
JACK: Hmmm?
KEVIN: When did you decide you wanted to become a manager of distribution and product support services?
[Shot of JACK smiling broadly.]
JACK: Hah! Sorry.
[Shot of KEVIN looking at JACK.]
JACK [V/O]: Just a funny sort of a thought.
[Shot of JACK smiling.]
JACK: Really wanting to be manager of distribution and product
support services.
[JACK glances away.]
JACK: I mean it's a good job, but, uh...[he shakes his head and raises his eyebrows]...it's not what I thought I'd be doing with my life.
[JACK looks into his cup as he takes a drink.]
[Shot of KEVIN.]
KEVIN: What did you want to do?
[Shot of JACK. He smiles broadly.]
JACK: What - are you kiddin' - a professional baseball player.
KEVIN: No, really.
[JACK raises his eyebrows and smiles.]
JACK: Really?
[He is serious again.]
JACK: Well, I...did have a fallback position...
[JACK looks at his coffee as he swirls the cup.]
KEVIN: This job?
[Shot of JACK. He shakes his head while swallowing his coffee.]
JACK: No. Not this job.
[He pauses and looks in his coffee.]
JACK: I never told anybody this before...[he looks at KEVIN]...not even your mother. When I was your age, I wanted to be a captain of a ship.
[Shot of KEVIN showing interest.]
KEVIN: A captain of a ship?
[Shot of JACK. He looks off as he speaks.]
JACK: Yeah. Ya know, one of those big oceanliners...or a freighter...or an oil tanker...Be out there on the ocean in the middle of the night, navigating by the stars.
[He pauses in thought.]
JACK: Course, they use instruments for all that now, but...
[He smirks and shakes his head, then looks at KEVIN.]
JACK: I didn't know that.
[Shot of KEVIN.]
JACK [V/O]: Yeah, thought it would be the greatest thing in the world.
KEVIN: How come you didn't do it?
JACK: How come?
[JACK tries not to smile.]
JACK: Well, ya know...
[He waves his cup slightly.]
JACK: One thing leads to another...went off to college...
[He points his finger at KEVIN and nods.]
JACK: Met your mom.
[He smiles briefly, looks seriously at his coffee, then looks off.]
JACK: Next summer I got a job on a loading dock here at NORCOM.
[He looks up at KEVIN and makes a little face.]
JACK: Rest is history.
[JACK looks at his cup and takes a drink.]
KEVIN: You'd have made a great ship's captain, Dad.
[JACK make a big "frown".]
JACK: Nahhhh - probably not.
[He looks at his coffee and swirls it, then smiles broadly at KEVIN.]
JACK: Probably get sea sick. Huh.
[He smiles again at his coffee, then looks up seriously at KEVIN.]
JACK: Ya know, Kevin...
[Shot of KEVIN listening.]
JACK [V/O]: You can't do every silly thing you want to in life. You have to make your choices...
[Shot of JACK nodding faintly.]
JACK: You have to try and be happy with them. I've think we've done pretty well, don't you?
[He gestures with his cup.]
KEVIN: Yeah, I think we've done great.
[Wide shot of KEVIN and JACK. JACK finishes his coffee and sets the cup down.]
[Cut to shot of office hallway. KEVIN ad JACK are walking toward the camera in the far background. JACK has his hand on KEVIN's shoulder.]
NARRATOR: But as we walked back to my father's office, I suddenly realized something that made a lot of things make sense. My dad was too good for this place. Sure it was good - we were all lucky he had it and all that...
[KEVIN and JACK walk past camera. Shot cuts to from behind them as the camera follows them to the door of the office.]
NARRATOR: But my Dad had something finer
in him than S-14's and distribution reports.
[JACK adjusts KEVIN's tie.]
NARRATOR: I'll never forget how I felt at that moment. I felt that my father was a great man.
[JACK flips KEVIN's tie and KEVIN smiles. JACK opens the door and enters, followed by KEVIN and the camera.]
[JACK's boss approaches, looking upset. WISANSKI stands behind his desk in the background.]
MR. KELLER: What the hell is this, Arnold?! [He points at papers]: This is incompetence, just plain incompetence!
JACK: Look, Al. Wisanski -
[MR. KELLER swings his arm backward and nods in WISANSKI's direction.]
MR. KELLER: Nevermind Wisanski!
[WISANSKI starts to sit down.]
MR. KELLER [V/O]: He works for you!
[Shot of KEVIN frowning and looking at the men.]
MR. KELLER [V/O]: Now this is the third major screw up in your department in the last two months.
[Wider shot of the office looking at JACK and MR. KELLER in the foreground, and WISANSKI in far background at his desk.]
MR. KELLER: Now if you can't hire competent people, and supervise them, we can find somebody that can!
JACK: It's being taken care of.
[Close shot of WISANSKI glancing up, then back at some papers.]
MR. KELLER [V/O]: Well it sure as hell better be!
[Shot of PHYLLIS looking up and frowning.]
MR. KELLER [V/O]: Oh, and one more thing.
[Close shot of KEVIN looking up at JACK and MR. KELLER.]
MR. KELLER [V/O]: The next time I try to get you on the phone...you better be there, to take the call.
[Close shot of JACK frowning, looking down, and rubbing his chin.]
MR. KELLER [V/O]: Now do you read me, Arnold?
[Close shot of Al.]
MR. KELLER: Do you read me?!!
[Close shot of KEVIN glancing from MR. KELLER up to JACK, off-screen.]
[Shot of JACK.]
JACK [V/O]: Yeah Al, I read you.
MR. KELLER[V/O]: Good!
[Close shot of KEVIN watching MR. KELLER walk away, then KEVIN turns back to JACK off-screen.]
Cut to
[JACK enters, slams the door, and walks quickly through the scene, loosening his tie.]
[NORMA and the kids look after him.]
[KEVIN opens the door. NORMA and kids looks at him as he walks through the scene, loosening his tie.]
[WAYNE and KAREN look at each other.]
Fade to
[Wide shot of JACK standing in the backyard over a telescope. The house is behind him.] ["Blackbird"-like music starts.]
NARRATOR: That night my father stood there, looking up at the sky the way he always did.
[The door opens and KEVIN stands just outside the door.]
NARRATOR: But suddenly I realized I wasn't afraid of him in quite the same way anymore.
[Close shot of KEVIN.]
NARRATOR: The funny thing is, I felt like I lost something.
[Close shot of JACK from behind. He glances back, and sees KEVIN. JACK is mildly surprised, and looks away and sighs.]
[Close shot of KEVIN.]
JACK [V/O]: Come here, Kevin.
[KEVIN approaches.]
[Wide shot as KEVIN goes down the steps. JACK is looking at through the telescope.]
[JACK stands up, and motions toward KEVIN. KEVIN moves closer.]
[Close shot of KEVIN looking through the telescope. JACK puts his hand on KEVIN's shoulder.]
[Fade to wide shot.]
[Camera slowly moves sideways as it pulls up and back.]
JACK: That's Polaris, the North Star.
[The camera continues to move.]
JACK: That's how the sailors used to find their way home.
Fade to
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