Lucy's Dilemma: A Christmas Story of Love and Family, Lecture notes of Voice

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June 29, 1994

WHILE YOU WERESLEEPING•••

by Dan Sullivan and Fred Lebow

•^ •'

1

EXT. QD££'RS - LATE FALL - 1974

A subway= rattles bene~th a cobalt sky. It's a cold November evening. 'Tlided amid a t:.Jw of storefronts is Moderatz and Hinch

Insurance co. The door opens, a bell jingles and a little girl

and a mam wearing a heavy gray overcoat step out. The man locks the store, milds the little girl's hand and they walk down the street toget:ller. A woman's voice comes up in VOICE OVER.

V .O. My father was a liar. (beat) I guess that's kind of strong. He was in sales. His motto was never leave the prospects' house until they call the cops.

EXT. WOODS:IDERAILYARD

CUT TO:

Trains pull in and out of the yard. trudge up and down the tracks. The off to the side. The father points trains. The little girl looks up at

Heavily bundled workmen

v.o.

man and the little girl stand to the wheezing passenger him, fascinated.

He would tell me stories. some- times they were about all the places we were going to vi.sit. Exotic places like Fiji,..Awala Lumpur, even Paraguay. The Poconos weren't good enough for us. ,I The little girl and the man walk along the railroad tracks.

V .o.'

But mostly the stories he told me were about my mother. He said they met at the World's Fair in

1964. He broke the bell with one of those mallets you swing and they gave him his choice of stuffed bears. He saw my Mom in the crowd but he didn't give her the bear. He gave it to a little girl. He told my Mom he'd get her a real bear if one was ignorant enough to cross his path. They spent a magical day together. When the sun set she gave him her phone number and told him if he didn't call her the next morning she would know he didn't truly love her. He put the number in his wallet and on the train ride home... ·

3

v.o. I hadn't actually spoken to him but I knew someday I would •••

He boards tie train. The doors BING BONGclosed. The train pulls out of the station and into the tunnel. He stands in the window.

v.o. He was perfect.

The VOICE OVERENDS as the train disappears into the tunnel.

CUT TO: EXT. BROOKLYll - NIGHT

Snow falls lightly over the city. Christmas decorations are strung along Prospect Park. The North star winks above the vast span of the Manhattan Bridge. A Christmas tree stands on the sidewalk. Suddenly, as if by magic, it rises slowly in the air.

EXT. FIRE ESCAPE

Lucy, the token booth attendant, plants her feet, grips the rope tied to the Christmas tree and pulls. The tree lurches upward.

Lucy pulls.

LUCY

(complains) 45 dollars for a Christmas tree and they won't deliver. You order $10 worth of chow mein from Twin Dragons and th€9' bring it to your door.

Her cat, MEL, watcqes curiously.

The Christmas tree sways as i.t climbs into the air.

LUCY (to Mel) I should have got the blue spruce, they're lighter.

Lucy huffs and puffs as she hauls on the rope. The tree creeps closer to the fire escape. Suddenly Mel leaps into the air.

LUCY Mell

The cat springs onto the Christmas tree. The tree swings wildly back and forth. Lucy struggles to hold the rope.

LUCY Don't look down!

Mel clings to the tree. Lucy tries to lower the rope.

LUCY

Hold on!

The ttll!le !IIWings -- CRASH! A window shatters. A voice bellows frol!I he)filll!

LUCY!

nn. ~ - 'LATER

VOICE (o.s.)

Lucy n~ly stands in her landlord, MR. MOLLO'S apartment. So does iMel, who stands safely behind her. Plastic covers the broken w.J.5ll!bw. Mr. Mollo sits at a table with a claim form.

MR. MOLLO (reads) Nature of claim ••• Christmas tree through window. (looks at Lucy) How'm I gonna write that on my insurance?

Lucy casts her eyes down.

MR. MOLLO

They're still pissed off about that arson claim I made in Staten Island.

LUCY --

I'll pay for it, Mr. Mollo.

MR. MOLLO Why didn't you bring it up the stairs?

LUCY I couldn't carry it myself and you don't like pine needles in the hallway ••• I'm sorry, Mr. Mollo.

MR. MOLLO That's O.K., Lucy. (stands) My brother Funzie's in the glass business.

Lucy heads for the door.

LUCY I almost forgot.

Lucy slips a tiny present out of her pocket.

4

LUCY

(scolds) Next time you get me set up with Joe Jr. I'm getting a dog.

INT. Lucy•s APARTMENT- NIGHT

6

CUT TO:

Lucy loo"k:511hrough her mail. One Christmas card. She opens it. It's stam,P£il, "Happy Holidays from l{OURLETTER CARRIER." Lucy --places it am:-efully on her bookcase next to Christmas caras from the SANIT.A'.l!JON MAN, the PHONECOMPANYand KEY FOOD. She finds a Christmas imcord and puts it on the stereo. She opens a box of Christmas tree ornaments and starts decorating her battered tree.

EXT. LUCY'S APARTMENT- NIGHT

LONGSHOT. ~~cy is in the window draping tinsel on her Christmas tree -- aJme_ CUT TO: INT. CHOC-:FJILL-OF-NUTS- DAY

A waitress aeaves through the busy restaurant and sweeps past Lucy. Lucy sits at a small table. She opens her pocketbook and pulls out a stack of travel brochures. The colorful pamphlets advertise everything from castles in Europe to sandy beaches in the Carib.bean. She spreads them carefully on the table.

WAITRESS Ready to order?

LUCY (smiles) I'll have the usual. ,. WAITRESS What's that?

LUCY (embarrassed) Tuna sandwich on whole wheat.

The waitress scribbles on a pad and moves off. There's a rap on the window. Lucy looks up.

Her supervisor, JERRY WALLACE,a black man also wearing an MTA jacket, waves. Lucy quickly scoops up her travel brochures and tucks them in her pocketbook. Jerry walks in, blows some warmth into his hands and joins her.

JERRY I was hoping I'd find you here.

LUCY I was hoping you'd find me in Bermuda.

Jerry leans forward.

JERRY I'm recoLhending you for the MTA employee of the month award.

LUCY (smiles)

Really, I didn't .know there was

an employee of the month award.

The waitress comes over.

JERRY

(to waitress) The usual,

The waitress nods and moves off. sheet of paper from his pocket.

JERRY (reads)

Lucy frowns. Jerry pulls a He slips on a pair of glasses.

Supervisor Jerry Wallace nominates Lucy Moderatz for MTAemployee of the month. Lucy is never tardy and always works holidays, even if she has worked the previous holiday. Just because she worked Thanksgiving Lucy is willing to work Christmas too.

LUCY - I'm not working Christmas.

JERRY .' They give you a nice plaque with the mayor's s~amp on it.

LUCY I didn't vote.

JERRY You get holiday pay.

Lucy isn't impressed.

JERRY (cheerfully) .You can have your birthday Dff.

LUCY My birthday's Christmas.

Jerry folds his nomination and slides it back in his pocket.

7

9

LUCY Arrrgk.

Cashmere l500ops his token, and in an instant -- he's gone. Lucy is frozen. A crooked smile is stamped on her face. She sits in silence. The radio seems to fade out. There's an eerie quiet.

LUCY (calmly) 'Four inonths • Four ,nonths 'I waited for this moment. (her voice rises) Never took a sick day.

She stands and looks through her bubble. He's disappeared.

LUCY I could have said ••• (smiles) "Merry Christmas to you." (angrily) But I said .•• (shouts) "Arrgk!" (bangs her head against the glass) Idiot! Stupid, stupid, idiot!

Suddenly she hears a yell! She looks through the glass.

LUCY'S P.o.v. -- Far down the platform°cashmere is being mugged. Two men grapple with him.

Lucy grabs the phone. (^) ,,,

Cashmere lurches backward and falls headfirst off the platform.

LUCY Oh, my God!

Lucy bursts out of her booth. She vaults the turnstile and races along the platform.

Cashmere lies face down on the tracks.

A train's lights appear in the tunnel!

LUCY (runs faster) A train's coming! Get off the tracks!

He doesn't move. Lucy skids to a stop--gets on her hands and knees. The train HORNblasts!

LUCY

(enunciates) Can--you--hear me?! A--train-- is coming!

The man JLoolk:s up groggily, sees Lucy and passes out.

LUCY

.Help!

The train streaks toward him!

Lucy dangl.es over the edge of the tracks and extends her hand.

LUCY Grab my hand!

He doesn't JDOve. Lucy ••• stretches! The train's HORNblares!

Lucy looks at the on-rushing train figure -- shuts her eyes and jumps.

looks at the helpless

She tumbles next to the unconscious man, scrambles to her feet and tries to lift him. His coat is caught.

The train bears down •••

Lucy pulls -- the coat tears .••

10

The train sweeps past the CAMERA. The ..a.st car disappears into the tunnel. SILENCE.

Lucy's head pops up. She has pressed herself and the man into the notch workmen use to let tra1ns pass. She looks down. He's unconscious but even more breathtaking. Lucy stares at him. She's in love. CUT TO:

INT. EMERGENCYROOM

BOOM! Paramedics sweep through the emergency room pushing a gurney with the subway victim strapped to it. Lucy scampers behind them. It's Christmas day in New York. Chaos. Gun shot wounds, car accident victims and attempted suicides crowd the halls. A nurse, WANDACOLES, holds a clipboard and meets them.

WANDA .ffead injury, this way.

The paramedics bang through a swinging door. A self-important, young INTERN stops Lucy.

INTERN You can't come in here.

'

ELSIE

He's been in an accident ..• CUT TO: EXT. DRil'll.Wx'

Kids play 1:!Dckey. The goalie whacks one of the kids across the shins wi±hlis stick. A woman opens the door to the house.

WOMAN Mary, you've got to go home, right away.

The goal:lie's mask comes off revealing MARY, a 12 year old girl.

INT. HOSPIDL - NURSESSTATION - LATER

Wanda pokes her head around a corner. All clear.

WANDA come on.

Wanda starts down a hallway. Lucy follows.

INT. INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

CUT TO:

Lucy and Nanda slip inside. They ease the doors shut .••

SMASHCUT TO:

INT. HOSPITALLOBBY- SAMETI.ME^ =

Another set of doors BLASTS open. The Conlon family led by the Ox charge inside. Behind Ox is,Midge, Elsie, Mary and Saul. They storm the front desk.

ox : Where is he!

Who?

NURSE

(looks cowed)

ox Peter Conlon, what room's he in!?

!I'he nurse quickly looks through a file. She finds Conlon.

NURSE I. C. U. but .••

Ox waves the clan forward.

NURSE

You need passes you can't •••

The conlons barrel int01,lthe elevator.

INT. ELEVATOR

Ox looks at the buttons frantically.

ox

Ox bangs six.

Where the hell is ICU?

SAUL It's on 6.

ELSIE How do you know?

SAUL I passed a gall stone in '79.

ox (distressed) This is my fault.

MIDGE It's not your fault.

ox I haven't talked to him in months. Maybe I could have done something. ,,, The elevator BINGS opens. The family storms out.

INT. INTENSIVE CARE

J.

CUT TO:

The subway victim lies on a bed. Monitors blink and beep. Tubes are hooked to his arms and nose. He's still unconscious.

WANDA (whispers) I can only give you a minute.

Lucy nods. She edges forward. The unconscious man looks serene. The room is quiet. .Lucy slowly r.eaches .out ••

VOICE (o.s.) Who are you?

Lucy jumps. A doctor enters brusquely and walks to the side of the bed.

The doctor looks uncomfortable. The family looks at him. The doctor answers reluctantly.

DOCTOR He's in a coma.

MIDGE (stricken} Dear GOLl.. OD Ch.r.i.st.ma.s .day.

Elsie fights back a sob. Saul grabs a chair for support. ox looks like he's just been punched in the stomach. His huge shoulders sag.

ox Jesus, Peter •••

DOCTOR I'm sorry but we're doing everything we can.

ox stares helplessly at his unconscious son. The rest of the family are in disbelief. The room is deathly silent.

SAUL Are you a specialist?!

MIDGE How could this happen?

• , A VOICE pipes up from the corner of the room.

LUCY (gently} , He was pushed off a subway platform.

The family turns. Lucy, stands against the wall by the door.

ox Who are you?

DOCTOR That's his fiance. Now please •••

The Conlons look stunned. Everyone looks at each other.

HIDGE His fiance?

Lucy looks confused.

ELSIE (shocked} Peter's engaged? <

.

DOCTOR

(surprised) Yes ••• I thought ••.

The Conlons are reeling. ox looks at Midge.

MIDGE He would have told us.

ELSIE (diplomatically) Maybe he's been busy.

ox looks angrily at Peter.

ox (bellows) Too busy to tell his own mother he's getting married!

MARY Don't yell at him!

ox I'm not yelling at him!

The intern who barred Lucy in the emergency room barges in.

INTERN What are you doing in hez:.el ·

Wanda steps in front of the intern.

WANDA , • (belligerently) She saved his _l_ife ..•

MIDGE (to Lucy) You saved his life?

LUCY Yes, but •••

The Conlons are astonished.

ox

I thought he got pushed off

a subway platform.

LUCY He did •••

WANDA She jumped on the tracks.

J.

Dalton griJPS

DALTON

(gravely) Dalton Charles, colleague of Peter's at Lubel, Parker, Jacobs and Fink.

ox

I'm Peter's father.

Ox's hand firmly.

DALTON He spoke highly of you.

ox We haven't seen each other in six^ months.

Dalton smiles uneasily.

MIDGE You know Lucy?

DALTON (phony smile) Lucy .••?

ox Peter's fiance.

Dalton obviously doesn't have a clue.

DALTON So you 're, Lucy. ,'

The family smiles.

INT. HALLWAY

LUCY

(strained) Yes ••• I'm Lucy. (nervously stands) Excuse me.

Lucy scampers down the hall.

LUCY (hushed) Nurse ... nurse ...

--·

Wanda turns, sees Lucy, and picks up her pace.

LUCY Wait!

Lucy das'lnes after her. Wanda's caught.

LUCY What am^1 ~^1 gonna do?

WANDA (defensive) I didn't know they were going

to show up • .I was trying to help.

LUCY

She hugged me so tight ••• I couldn't tell her.

WANDA I know, I know .••

LUCY I've got to tell..

Lucy takes a deep breath, turns and bumps into Saul Tuttle.

SAUL (to Wanda) You can tell me. Is he gonna die? (claps his hands over his ears) I don't want to know. Is there a pharmacy in the hospital?

WANDA What do you need?

SAUL

Elsie needs her nitroglycerin pills. '

WANDA Nitroglycerin? She has a heart problem?

Lucy looks alarmed.

$AUL Problem! She's had three heart attacks already. You know what .her .blood pressure is •••

Lucy shakes her head.

SAUL High. To the roof. It would be through the roof if it wasn't for you. I'm tellin' you •••

J.