FADE IN: EXT. MANHATTAN STREET - DAY 1959 It's a warm, sunny day in New York City. The sidewalk is overflowing with people. A CHECKER CAB stops near the curb. MARK JENSEN, twenty-five, a clean-cut accountant wearing a brown suit, exits the cab and enters a medical office building. CUT TO: INT. DOCTORS OFFICE - DAY DOCTOR ERIC HAYDEN, fifty-two, robust, sits at his desk. He is flipping through a folder. He rubs the sweat from his forehead. There's a KNOCK at the door. DOCTOR HAYDEN Enter. The door opens and a conservatively dressed, attractive WOMAN, thirty-five, enters. WOMAN Your eleven-thirty is here. Mark Jensen. DOCTOR HAYDEN Thank you. She smiles at Mark as he enters the office. She exits, shuts the door. The doctor stands, closes the medical folder. Mark, with his brown sport coat draped over one arm, shakes his hand. DOCTOR HAYDEN Hello Mark. Good to see you again. MARK You, too, Doctor Hayden. They both sit. The doctor looks at the metal fan on the file cabinet. DOCTOR HAYDEN It's hotter than hell in here. I'll turn this on. He leans over and flips the switch. It doesn't work. DOCTOR HAYDEN Damn thing... Of all the days to quit it chooses the hottest. Mark smiles as the doctor flips the switch up and down, again and again. He gives up. DOCTOR HAYDEN Oh Well. Are you hot? MARK No, no. I'm okay. The doctor leans back in his black leather chair. He folds his hands across his chest. Takes a deep breath. A beat. DOCTOR HAYDEN Mark, have you heard of macular degeneration? Mark shakes his head: No. DOCTOR HAYDEN Macular degeneration is a disease that affects the macula, the center of the retina. We don't know why this occurs and it's normally something that happens to older people. It's rare for this disease to affect young people. The doctor leans forward and takes a drink from his water glass. He points to the pitcher of water on the desk. DOCTOR HAYDEN I'm sorry. Would you like a glass? MARK Thanks. I'm fine. The doctor sets the glass down. DOCTOR HAYDEN Well, the tests indicate that you have the beginning stages of the disease. Mark shifts in his seat. He reclines. MARK So... What does that mean? Can it be corrected? DOCTOR HAYDEN Frankly, there is no cure. No procedure to correct this. MARK So, what you're telling me is... DOCTOR HAYDEN Your eyesight is diminishing. Over time it will progress - MARK - And I'll go blind. I'm twenty five and I'll be blind. Mark stands and walks to the window. He looks through the blinds. DOCTOR HAYDEN Yes, someday. Maybe. But you're young and healthy. It may be several years before - Mark walks back to the chair and places one hand on it. MARK - Before I lose my sight. A beat. Mark rubs his head. MARK I can't believe this. I have a wife and child. DOCTOR HAYDEN I know. (beat) Please sit. He gestures for Mark to sit. Mark sits and rests his arms on his legs. MARK Is there another doctor I can see. A specialist, someone? The doctor leans back and grabs the armrests. DOCTOR HAYDEN Well, there are others you could see. (beat) I can set up an appointment if you'd like. Mark wipes his face with both hands and stares at the floor. MARK No. No, I should go. I have to get back to work. Mark stands and puts his jacket on. The doctor stands. DOCTOR HAYDEN Mark, I'm sorry. I really am. Mark looks at him and nods. DOCTOR HAYDEN We should set up another appointment. We'll need to monitor its progression. Mark nods his head, staring at the desk. MARK All right. Well... Mark puts his hand out. They shake. MARK Thanks. DOCTOR HAYDEN I'm sorry. Mark exits, shuts the door. CUT TO: INT. ELEVATOR - DAY Mark stands inside the crowded elevator, staring at the floor. He's in a daze, doesn't even blink. The elevator stops and everyone exits. EXT. STREET - DAY Mark exits the building and stands on the sidewalk. Dozens of people walk by. He looks at his watch and then notices a PHONE BOOTH nearby. He walks to the booth and enters. CUT TO: INT. PHONE BOOTH - DAY He puts a dime into the slot and cranks out a number on the dial. The phone rings several times before a MAN answers. MAN (V.O.) Charlie's Cycle Shop. MARK Hi. I'm calling for Jake Jensen. Is he - MAN (V.O.) - Hang on a sec. A beat. Mark waits, staring at the ground. JAKE (V.O.) Hi, this is Jake. Mark smiles. MARK Jake, it's Mark. JAKE (V.O.) (elated) Mark! What's going on? MARK Are you busy? JAKE (V.O.) No. I was about to go to lunch. What's wrong? MARK Nothing. I was calling to see if you'd want to meet me. I'm in the area. JAKE (V.O.) Yeah. Where are you? MARK A few blocks from your work, on Eighth. JAKE (V.O.) There's a diner on Eighth called Half Moon. I can meet you there in, say, about fifteen minutes. MARK Okay, great. JAKE (V.O.) All right. See you there bro. Mark hangs up and exits the booth. CUT TO: INT. DINER - DAY Mark sits alone at a booth in the rear of the busy diner. He looks out the window and watches as people walk by. An Elvis SONG plays on the jukebox. A cute WAITRESS, nineteen, hair in a ponytail, walks up to the table. He doesn't know she's there. WAITRESS Sir. Mark turns and looks at her. She blows a bubble and scratches her arm with a pencil. WAITRESS What would you like to order? MARK A Coke please. The waitress puts her pencil and pad into her apron pocket and walks away. MARK Make that two Cokes. The waitress turns and gives him a half-smile as she exits. Mark looks outside and sees JAKE pull to the curb on his black and chrome INDIAN MOTORCYCLE. He parks the bike and takes his helmet off. JAKE, twenty-nine, a handsome motorcycle mechanic, is wearing a white T-shirt, black leather jacket and dirty blue jeans. Three teenage girls walk by, smiling at him. Jake smiles back and walks toward the diner's entrance. Mark watches through the window as Jake goes to the door. CUT TO: INT. DINER DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS Jake opens the door and enters the diner. He looks around, sees Mark and waves. Mark waves back. Jake walks down the aisle toward him. He takes his leather jacket off and throws it onto the booth. Mark stands to greet him and they give each other a quick handshake and hug. They sit across from each other. JAKE It's been a long time. The waitress arrives with two Cokes and sets them on the table. MARK Thank you. JAKE Thanks. She gives Jake a big smile and exits. Jake stares at her ass and smiles. He pulls out a pack of Lucky Strike's and a Zippo. JAKE So, what's up? I haven't heard from you in, what, eight months? He lights his cigarette. MARK Can I have one of those? JAKE I thought you quit. MARK I did. Jake slides the pack and lighter across the table to him. Mark lights a cigarette and sits back in the booth. MARK So... Why did you kiss Tracy at that party? Jake shakes his head and reclines. JAKE (smiling) Oh God! Is that why you called me here? Mark gives Jake a fake smile and just stares at him. JAKE I was drunk. A beat. JAKE I called and apologized to her. You didn't call me back. I tried to talk to you. Mark nods his head and looks out the window. JAKE Did she tell you I called? MARK Yeah, she did. A beat. Mark takes a sip of his Coke and looks at Jake. MARK That's not why I called. (beat) I went to the doctor today. I went there a couple weeks ago for an eye exam. They did some tests and today he tells me that I have macular degeneration. JAKE What's that? MARK An eye disease. It makes you go blind. Jake leans forward, eyes wide open. JAKE (surprised) You're going blind? Mark nods his head: Yes. Jake rests his hand to face and leans on the table. JAKE (whispering) How did this happen? MARK I don't know. JAKE Jesus Christ! Can they fix it, operate or whatever? MARK No. They can't do anything. I might go see someone else, a specialist or something. I don't know. Jake reclines in the booth and stares at Mark. JAKE Man, I'm shocked. MARK Me too. A beat. JAKE Did he say how long until - MARK - Several years, maybe less. JAKE I'm sorry Mark. I... I don't know what to say. (beat) Does Tracy know? Mark shakes his head: No. MARK Not yet. I guess I'll tell her tonight. Mark puts his elbows on the table and rests his chin on this hands, staring at the ashtray. MARK What am I going to do? What the hell... Jake shakes his head. They look at each other in disbelief. JAKE I don't know. That's bullshit Mark. You're only twenty-four and - MARK - Twenty-five. JAKE - Whatever, twenty-five - The waitress approaches and pulls out her pencil and pad. WAITRESS - Do you know what you'd like to order? JAKE Can we have a couple of minutes please? WAITRESS Sure, I'll come back. The waitress exits. MARK I guess we should eat. Mark picks up his menu and opens it. Jake stares at him and remembers something. He leans in toward Mark. JAKE Do you remember when we used to talk about riding motorcycles out to see dad? Mark puts the menu down and smiles. MARK Yeah. JAKE I was thinking about that on the way over here. (beat) We should do it. Why don't we just ride out to California? Mark raises his eyebrows in a questioning manner. JAKE What? MARK I don't have a bike. I haven't ridden in years. Tracy would flip. (beat) No way. JAKE Mark, this is something we always wanted to do. We haven't seen dad in fifteen years. (beat) We should go. Mark shakes his head and smiles at Jake. MARK I don't know. I have Tracy and Johnny. That's a lot of time off work - JAKE - When's the last time you took a vacation? MARK I don't know. Last year. JAKE Good. Then you've got vacation time. (beat) We can get dad's old Harley from mom's house. I can fix it. MARK I don't know Jake. JAKE Come on Mark. (beat) This could be our last chance to see him again, ya know? Mark nods. MARK I know. (beat) I'll tell Tracy, but there's no way she'll go for it. Jake relaxes in his booth and lights another cigarette. He smiles at Mark. JAKE All right then. Let's eat. They pick the menus up. CUT TO: INT. MARK'S TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT Mark enters the fashionable townhouse and flips on a light. He sets his keys on the foyer table and walks to the kitchen. CUT TO: INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS He enters the dark kitchen and opens the refrigerator. He rummages through, pulls out a beer bottle and pops it open on the counter. He closes the fridge and leans against the counter. He takes a drink and stares at the wall. TRACY (O.S.) (shouting) Mark, is that you? (beat) I'm in the tub. Mark exits the kitchen, beer in hand. CUT TO: INT. BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER Tracy, twenty-four, a beautiful, petite woman, is in the bathtub with their one-year-old son JOHNNY. He sits between her legs and plays with a plastic boat amidst the bubbles. Mark enters the bathroom and walks to the bathtub. TRACY Hi. He kisses Tracy. MARK Hi honey. Hey there Johnny. Mark rubs Johnny's wet hair and kisses him on the head. He sits next to Tracy on the floor and touches her bare shoulder. He takes a swig from the bottle. TRACY How was work? MARK Fine. (beat) I saw Jake today. We had lunch. TRACY (surprised) You did? Good. How's he doing? MARK Okay. I had a doctor's appointment downtown and then I called - Tracy turns her attention from Johnny to Mark. TRACY (concerned) - You had a doctor's appointment? What for? MARK I've been having some eyesight trouble, so I went in a couple weeks ago. They ran some tests and I went back today. (beat) I didn't think it was a big deal. I didn't want you to worry. TRACY I am worried. What's wrong? Tracy moves closer to Mark and puts her hand on his shoulder. MARK Well, he said that I have this disease called macular degeneration. My eyesight is gradually going to get worse and... eventually I'll go blind. Mark shakes his head and looks down at the tub. TRACY (upset) Oh Mark! How can that be? Mark begins to tear up and looks at her. MARK I don't know. That's what he said. They stare at each other and Tracy tears up, too. She touches his head with her wet hand and rests her face on his. MARK He said that it may take several years before I... A beat. Mark wipes the tears from his eyes. MARK I told Jake. That's why I called him. Tracy wipes the tears from her eyes. TRACY What did he say? MARK He's worried, of course. We talked about it, ya know. Then he brought up something that we used to talk about when we were kids. Mark takes a drink. MARK We used to talk about riding our motorcycles out to California to live with our dad. We never went, of course, but Jake thinks we should go see him. TRACY Do you want to go? MARK I haven't really thought about it. The last time I saw him I was about ten. He was in the Navy and after the war he stayed in L.A. and mom remarried. (beat) I don't know. TRACY Maybe you should go. Maybe it'd be good for you, for both of you. MARK (surprised) Yeah? I didn't think that you'd want me to. I'd be gone for a couple of weeks at least - TRACY - Mark, if you want to go, go. He's your dad. You should see him. Mark stares at the wall, mulling it over. TRACY I think you want to, right? MARK Yeah, I do... I think so. It's been a long time. Tracy stares at him for a beat. TRACY You should call Jake. Tell him you'll go. Mark gives her a kiss and stands up. MARK All right. I'll call him. They hold hands. Mark turns for the door. TRACY Come back when you're off. Mark exits. CUT TO: INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER Mark stands in the kitchen. He dials Jake's number and sits at the small, round dining table. CUT TO: INT. JAKE'S APARTMENT BEDROOM - NIGHT Jake and a GIRLFRIEND are wrestling under the sheets. We see shapes moving under the covers, lit by the black and white television. She giggles hysterically as they wrestle. An empty bottle of wine and a burning cigarette sit atop the end table. The phone RINGS and the wrestling subsides. Jake pulls the sheets away from his face. He grabs the phone. JAKE Yeah? MARK (V.O.) Jake, it's Mark. JAKE Hey. What's up? MARK (V.O.) Sorry it's so late. I wanted to let you know I talked to Tracy about the trip thing and she's cool with it. JAKE (excited) I knew it! So... MARK (V.O.) I have to tell my boss and see. I think it'll be all right though. Jake grabs the cigarette off of the table. JAKE Sounds good. Call me and let me know. (beat) Hey! I have next Saturday off. We could drive to mom's and get the Harley. We can take my truck. Jake's girlfriend, twenty-five, slides on top of him and takes the cigarette out of his mouth. She takes a drag and nibbles on his ear. JAKE (to her) Shit... hang on a minute. GIRLFRIEND (whispering) Jakeypoo. MARK (V.O.) What? JAKE Yeah. So, call me and we'll do that. I better go bro. MARK (V.O.) Okay, I'll let you go. Bye Jake. JAKE Okay Mark. Call me. Jake drops the phone onto the receiver and spins around so that he's on top of her. He takes the cigarette from her mouth and crushes it into the ashtray. JAKE (laughing) You're so gonna get it. GIRLFRIEND Oh yeah? Jake kisses her on the lips, then slides down and kisses her neck. He throws the sheet over their heads. Laughter. DISSOLVE TO: INT. PICKUP TRUCK (MOVING) - DAY Mark and Jake are in Jake's pickup on a highway in central New York. Jake drives as Mark messes with the radio. MARK What do you want to listen to? JAKE Whatever. When's the last time you saw mom? MARK At Christmas. She was in town with Richard staying at some hotel. We met for dinner. JAKE Yeah? I saw her a couple months ago. (beat) Do you think she knows dad's address? MARK Doubtful. She doesn't even talk about him anymore. You notice that? Jake nods his head: Yes. JAKE Are you going to tell her about your eyes? MARK Are you kidding? She'll worry herself to death. I don't want to tell her yet. JAKE Good. MARK We're going to see dad and that's it. I'll tell her when we get back. CUT TO: EXT. PICKUP - DAY They turn off of the main highway onto a small road. Jake stops the truck. Mark gets out and picks a handful of wildflowers from the roadside. He gets back into the truck. They drive off. CUT TO: INT. PICKUP (MOVING) - DAY They drive up a long, dirt drive that leads to a white Victorian. Jake parks the pickup behind a blue Cadillac. MARK This place hasn't changed a bit. JAKE Just the way she likes it. EXT. PICKUP - CONTINUOUS They exit the pickup and walk to the porch. An attractive WOMAN opens the screen door, fifty-three, wearing a white sundress. It's their mother ILENE. The boys walk up the porch steps and stand before her. ILENE Hello boys. It's so good to see you two. Mark hands her the bundle of wildflowers and gives her a kiss and hug. She smiles and rubs his head. ILENE You used to always pick flowers for me. Thank you. JAKE Only when he was in trouble. Laughter. Jake gives her a kiss and a hug. ILENE Mark was never in trouble. JAKE Just me, right? Ilene smiles at Jake. ILENE That's right. She holds the door open and enters behind them. CUT TO: INT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS They follow her through the immaculate living room and into the kitchen. The place looks like a fine antiques store. CUT TO: INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS Ilene pulls a crystal vase from the cabinet and goes to the sink to fill it. The boys lean against the counter and watch. MARK The place looks great. ILENE Thanks... Courtney Daniels helped me redecorate last month. Remember her? Mark smiles at Jake and laughs. MARK I think Jake does. ILENE Oh yeah? Why is that? Jake shakes his head at Mark, smiling. MARK He had a thing for her. Jake punches Mark in the arm. JAKE Asshole. No I didn't. Mark rubs his arm. Ilene turns to Jake. ILENE No swearing in this house. Ilene turns back to the sink and cuts the flowers. Jake looks at Mark and mouths "asshole". Mark grins. Ilene puts the flowers in the vase and hands it to Mark. ILENE Here, Mark, put this on the kitchen table. Jake goes to the fridge and opens the door. He bends down and looks inside. JAKE Mind if I get a beer? ILENE Go ahead. Jake turns to Mark, who's setting the vase on the table. JAKE Want one? MARK Sure. Mark walks over to Jake and he hands him a bottle. Jake takes another out and shuts the fridge door. Ilene pulls a bottle of wine from the cabinet and pours herself a glass. She turns around and leans against the counter, smiling at them. ILENE Let's go sit on the porch. It's such a nice day out. Ilene walks past them. They follow her out of the kitchen. CUT TO: EXT. PORCH - MOMENTS LATER They step onto the back porch, which is covered with potted plants and flowers. ILENE Have a seat. Ilene sits on a white, wicker love seat and the boys sit across from her on two wicker chairs. Ilene sets her glass down on the cocktail table and lights a cigarette. ILENE So, you're going to California to see your father? JAKE Yeah. Ilene stares at them. She leans back, placing her arm on the top of the love seat. She takes a drag off her cigarette. ILENE It's been fifteen years. Why on Earth would you want to put yourselves through that? Mark and Jake look at each other in silence. Jake scratches his face. JAKE We'd just like to see him again. We know it's been a long time, but - Ilene ashes her cigarette. ILENE - What if he doesn't want to see you? (beat) Have you thought about that? Jake sets his beer down on the table and looks at Mark, then his mom. JAKE Why wouldn't he want to see us? Jake shakes his head at her. Waits for a reply. A beat. ILENE Has he ever tried to contact you? Either of you? MARK That doesn't mean he wouldn't like to see us. I just think - ILENE - Look. I don't want you to get hurt, that's all. That's a long way to go to get disappointed. Right? JAKE I guess we'll find out. Jake raises his eyebrows at her and creases his lips. He looks at Mark. MARK We want to go. Ilene looks at both of them and takes a deep breath. Her eyes fill with tears. A beat. ILENE Well, I just wish that you'd reconsider this. Just think about it for awhile longer. Maybe you - JAKE - We're going. Mark nods his head in agreement. Ilene shakes her head slightly and takes a drag from her cigarette. Jake stands up and walks to his mom and kisses her on the forehead. He looks back at Mark. JAKE We should probably load the bike and head back. Ilene grabs onto jake's arm. ILENE Can't you stay for dinner at least? JAKE It's getting late and we have to work tomorrow. It's a long drive back. Ilene stands, puts her cigarette out. The guys know she's upset. Jake looks at Mark wide-eyed. Mark rolls his eyes at him. MARK If we had more time we could stay. Ilene looks into his eyes and smiles. ILENE I know you would. Ilene grabs Jake's hand. Mark stands and takes Jake's beer bottle off the table. Ilene opens the screen door and they enter the house. CUT TO: EXT. FRONT YARD - DAY The three walk across the lawn toward the garage. Ilene unlocks the garage door and swings it open. She holds the door as the guys look inside. The dark, dusty garage is full of boxes, furniture and items covered by sheets. CUT TO: INT. GARAGE - DAY Jake enters first and looks around. He points to a large object in the rear of the garage which is covered with a brown sheet. JAKE I think that's it, behind those boxes. Jake begins moving the boxes. Mark helps him. They stack the boxes to the side and Jake pulls the sheet off. Their father's 1942 olive green Harley-Davidson military bike stands there, covered with dust and cobwebs. Jake pats Mark on the back and smiles. JAKE (sarcastically) Ain't she a beauty? MARK Do you think it'll run? Jake pulls the bike outside. Mark holds onto the seat. Jake bends down and blows the dust off of the engine. He inspects it. He stands up and backs away, looking it over. JAKE It'll run. Not today, but it will. CUT TO: EXT. PICKUP - LATER The motorcycle is loaded into the back of the pickup, lying on its side. Jake secures it with a rope. Mark closes the tailgate. Mark walks over to his mom and gives her a kiss and hug. MARK Well, I guess we're off. I love you. ILENE God, be careful. I love you, too. (beat) If anything should happen to the two of you - Jake approaches them and brushes the dirt off his hands. JAKE - We'll be fine, don't worry. Ilene and Jake hug, kiss. JAKE We'll go slow. Nothing over a hundred. ILENE (concerned) Don't you dare. They get into the pickup. Ilene stands beside the window. Jake starts the engine. ILENE Be so careful. Mark smiles and waves. Jake touches her hand as she steps back from the pickup. JAKE We'll talk to you soon. Love ya. Ilene smiles and waves at them as they pull away. She watches the pickup head down the drive. CUT TO: EXT. MARK'S TOWNHOUSE STREET - MORNING Mark straps his duffle bag to the Harley. He picks his helmet up and sets it on the seat. Tracy stands on the sidewalk, holding Johnny. He walks over to them. Mark touches her arms, rubbing them up and down. MARK I'll call you. They hug, kiss. He kisses Johnny. MARK Be good Johnny. Take care of mommy while I'm gone. TRACY I'll be fine. Be careful. The sound of Jake's motorcycle interrupts them. They turn. Jake pulls to the curb on his spotless, black and chrome Indian. He cuts the engine and takes his sunglasses off. JAKE Hey Tracy! TRACY Hi Jake. Jake gets off and puts his helmet on the seat. He walks over and hugs Tracy. Jake steps back, looks down at Johnny and smiles. JAKE Johnny! Hey there little guy. Jake pats Johnny on the head. Kisses him. JAKE (to Tracy) Can we take him with us? Tracy smiles. JAKE Mark, ever notice that he looks a lot like me? Jake and Tracy laugh. Mark pats Jake on the back. MARK Ha, ha, funny. JAKE What? Tracy didn't tell you? Mark shakes his head, looks at Jake. MARK You wish! Jake turns and looks at the Harley. JAKE So, you ready? MARK Yep. Jake gets on his bike and starts it up. He revs the engine. Straps his helmet on. JAKE (excited) Let's go! Mark puts his helmet on. Goes to Tracy. MARK I'll call you later. I love you. TRACY I love you, too. Have a good trip. They kiss, hug. Mark gets on the bike and starts it up. The bike lets out a roar, followed by a chug. A plume of black smoke exits the tailpipe. Mark turns to Jake and gives him a look. JAKE What? It's fine. (beat) Bye Tracy. See you in a couple weeks. Tracy waves. They back into the street. Mark waves to her. She watches from the sidewalk as they ride away. CUT TO: EXT. BROOKLYN BRIDGE (MOVING) - DAY They ride over the Brooklyn Bridge with the Manhattan skyline behind them. CUT TO: EXT. VIRGINIA HIGHWAY (MOVING) - DAY They ride along a desolate stretch of a two lane highway. Jake's ahead of Mark. He drops back to ride beside him. There's a slower moving truck ahead of them. JAKE Let's pick it up a notch. Mark nods at him: Yes. Jake hits the accelerator and easily passes the truck. Mark looks around the truck and sees a car coming towards him. He swerves back to the right and waits. The car passes and he tries it again. Another car. He can see Jake ahead of the truck, looking back at him. Jake waves him on. Mark guns it and slowly passes the truck. A car is approaching. He leans forward and cranks the accelerator to its limit. The oncoming car honks its horn. Mark pulls in front of the truck. The car nearly hits him. Swerves to the shoulder. He pulls up beside Jake. Mark's face is sheet white. JAKE You made it! MARK I almost got killed! Jake smiles and points to the car ahead of them. JAKE Good job! Ready to pass the next one? Mark shakes his head: No. JAKE Come on... Live a little! MARK No way! JAKE One more. That's it. Jake speeds up and closes in on the car ahead. An oncoming car passes. He guns it, pulls into the lane. Mark stays back and watches as Jake easily passes. A beat. MARK (to himself) Shit! Mark hits the accelerator and looks at the oncoming traffic. A car passes and he slips into the other lane. He gets over. An oncoming car is closing in fast. He passes and slides over. As he pulls up beside Jake. The oncoming car passes them. Jake looks over and grins. JAKE That wasn't so bad. MARK You trying to kill me? Jake laughs. JAKE Lighten up, grandpa! Mark cracks a smile and shakes his head. Jake pulls ahead of Mark and takes the lead. CUT TO: EXT LAKE GASTON, VIRGINIA - EVENING Establishing shot of Lake Gaston. They're relaxing beside a campfire near the water's edge. Jake throws a piece of wood onto the small fire and lights a cigarette. Mark takes a bite of his charred hotdog. MARK (chewing) This tastes like shit. Laughter. JAKE (smiling) Glad you like it. Jake spreads his leather jacket on the ground and lays on it. MARK (sarcastically) Yeah. You're quite the cook. Mmm - JAKE - Fuck you. Mark laughs. Jake pops open a beer. MARK No, really. Thanks. Mark throws the half-eaten dog into the fire. Jake stares into the fire. A beat. JAKE Remember when dad took us sailing? MARK Yeah. Lake Erie. (beat) You freaked out, went below and got all the life jackets - JAKE (defensively) - I thought we were gonna flip - MARK (laughing) - Yeah you did. JAKE I didn't know there was a keel. A beat. MARK You know, that's the last vacation we went on with him. JAKE It was. Huh. A beat. They stare into the fire. Jake smiles. JAKE How 'bout the time he took us to see the Yankees. You had to piss so bad - Laughter. MARK (laughing) Oh man - JAKE - And dad wouldn't stop the car cuz we were already late - MARK - And I kept telling him to pull over - JAKE (laughing) - Pull over! Pull over! I gotta pee! - MARK - That's right! I gotta pee! I gotta pee! And dad... (imitating his dad) Goddammit Mark! Can't you hold it? We're almost there. JAKE (laughing) And then you pissed all over the backseat. A beat. Mark stops laughing. MARK He was so mad. (beat) But what the hell was I supposed to do? We were an hour from the city. JAKE (laughing) I know, I know. But you really should've held it. I mean, Jesus, that was his brand new Cadillac. (beat) He had a right to be pissed. Mark laughs. MARK And I had a right to go piss. He should've pulled the freakin' car over. JAKE Yeah, I guess. Jake holds his cigarettes out toward Mark. MARK Yeah, sure. Jake throws a cigarette and the Zippo to Mark. He lights it and throws the Zippo back. Jake stares into the fire and drinks. A beat. MARK What do you think he's doing right now, right this second? Jake laughs. JAKE He's probably not pissing in his backseat. Laughter. Mark nods and takes a drag. JAKE No... I don't have a clue. MARK Do you think that he wonders the same about us? JAKE Yeah, I'm sure he has. Jake takes another swig from his beer. JAKE (sarcastically) I'm sure he thinks about us between all the women and drinking. Mark lies back in the grass and stares at the sky. A beat. MARK I wonder if he's married. Jake gets up. Pulls a beer out of a paper bag. He walks over to Mark, pops the beer open and hands it to him. He sits next to Mark and lies down. Mark drinks. MARK Do you think he'd marry again? JAKE Sure, why not? MARK You think? JAKE I guess. (beat) I wonder what he looks like now. They look at each other and then look back into the sky. MARK I bet he looks pretty much the same, just older. Jake throws his cigarette into the fire and rests his arms behind his head. JAKE Yeah. We'll find out soon enough. MARK I wonder... What are you going to say to him? Jake shakes his head. JAKE Why'd you leave us? MARK (surprised) Really? JAKE I'd like to. They look at each other for a beat. MARK Bullshit. You won't ask him that. Jake just looks at him. Mark looks back into the sky. MARK Why did he leave? JAKE I dunno... A beat. Jake takes a drink from his beer. JAKE Because that's what bastards do. Mark looks at Jake and he's staring into the sky, grinding his teeth. Mark takes a drag from his cigarette. Hands it to Jake. Jake takes a drag, passes it back. CUT TO: EXT NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY (MOVING) - MORNING The two are riding their motorcycles down the two lane highway. Old barns and grassy fields flank the road. CUT TO: EXT HIGHWAY GAS STATION, TENNESSEE - EVENING Mark stands beside the Harley filling it with gas. He puts the nozzle back onto the pump, tightens the cap. Jake exits the station's bathroom and is walking toward Mark. JAKE The attendant said that we're twenty miles from Memphis. Said there's plenty of motels there, too. Mark stretches. MARK (yawning) Good. I'm tired and my ass is starting to - JAKE - You're not pussin' out on me. (beat) We're goin' to see the Sun Studio. MARK I'm tired, Jake. Jake spits on the ground and gets on his bike. He straps his helmet on and starts the engine. Jake looks at his watch. JAKE It's only eight-thirty, ya baby. Let's go. Jake gets on his bike and starts it up. Jake revs the engine and takes off, leaving Mark at the pump. Mark puts his helmet on. Has trouble fastening the chin strap. MARK Dammit, Jake. Wait a minute. Jake is already turning onto the highway when Mark finally gets the helmet strapped. Mark takes off and tries to catch up with him. CUT TO: EXT MEMPHIS STREET - NIGHT They ride through the city and turn into the parking lot of a motel. They park their bikes and walk into the office. CUT TO: EXT UNION STREET - LATER The two walk down the sidewalk. It's a Friday night and the street is alive with activity. Jake walks two steps ahead of Mark, who seems to be dragging. JAKE (turning to Mark) Come on. The motel clerk said it was right up here. MARK (sarcastically) Great. (beat) You know it's just a building, right? Jake stops and Mark stops next to him. JAKE The Sun Studio isn't just a building. It's the rock-n-roll building. It's... Jake gives up and starts walking. Mark follows. Jake stops and walks up to the window of a building. JAKE This is it! Jake smiles at Mark and steps away from the window. He walks to the street and turns to get a good look at it. They are standing in front of the Sun Studio. Mark puts his hands in his pockets and stares at Jake. JAKE This is where everyone comes to record their music. This is it. Mark walks over to Jake, who's taking in the moment. MARK Elvis Presley records here, right? Jake gives him a look. JAKE Not just Elvis. Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins. MARK Ah. (beat) Well. Tonight it's just a building. Jake looks at him. JAKE Jesus! It's not just a - MARK - No one's here. Jake shakes his head and walks to the window, trying to see inside. Several people walk by. MARK If Elvis or someone was here, it'd be different. Jake looks through another window. JAKE Yeah, well. (beat) Man. Imagine what goes on in there. A beat. Mark looks around. He's bored. MARK Let's go get a drink. I think there's a bar down there. Jake backs away from the studio and turns to Mark. JAKE Down where? MARK (pointing) There. JAKE All right. They walk down the sidewalk. Jake turns to get another look at the studio as they walk away. CUT TO: EXT SIDEWALK - MOMENTS LATER They stop at a street corner and wait for cars to pass. Jake notices something down a side street. He hits Mark on the arm. JAKE Well, would you look at that. Mark looks around. MARK What? JAKE (pointing) There. (beat) It's a topless bar. Jake smiles at Mark. Mark is unimpressed. MARK I'm thirsty. Let's - JAKE - They have drinks. Jake raises his eyebrows, smiling. He crosses the street. MARK Jake. Mark reluctantly follows. They walk toward the topless bar, Memphis Nights. CUT TO: INT MEMPHIS NIGHTS TOPLESS BAR - MOMENTS LATER We follow them through the crowded bar. They find a small table next to the stage and sit. Jake lights a cigarette as a COCKTAIL WAITRESS, twenty-seven, approaches. WAITRESS Hi guys. What can I get ya? Jake looks at her chest, which is falling out the top of her black satin corset. She smiles at Jake. JAKE Hi. A beer for me. WAITRESS (looking at Mark) And you? MARK Water please. Jake gives him a look. JAKE He'll have a beer and two shots of Jack. The waitress smiles at Jake and turns to walk away. MARK (yelling to her) And a water! She turns, smiles, exits. Mark looks at Jake, raising his eyebrows. MARK Two shots of Jack? Jake smiles. JAKE One for you. One for me. MARK I want water. JAKE Fine. A beautiful stripper, twenty-one, walks by. She smiles at Mark and touches him on the shoulder as she passes. He stares at her as she walks away. He looks back at Jake, who's grinning. MARK I shouldn't be here. I'm married. Jake takes a drag from his cigarette. JAKE Over half the guys in here are married. Hell, that's why they're here. MARK Yeah? JAKE It's no big deal. Haven't you been to one of these before? MARK Of course. JAKE So, what's the matter? MARK I wasn't married back then. A beat. JAKE Then... Give me your ring. MARK Why? JAKE You don't wear a wedding ring into a place like this. No one does. (beat) It's the unwritten law of topless bars. Just give it to me. Mark looks around at the guys around them. No one's wearing a wedding ring. He looks back at Jake and starts to pry it off his finger. He hands it to Jake, who puts it into his jacket pocket. MARK Don't lose it! JAKE Lighten up! Have some fun for God's sake. Mark picks up Jake's cigarette pack and takes one out. He lights it and turns to look at the stage. A tall, voluptuous stripper, twenty-four (CLAUDIA) steps onto the stage, wearing a white dress and white feather boa. JAKE Now that's a woman. They smile at each other. ANNOUNCER (V.O.) Gentlemen, let's hear it for Miss Claudia. Everyone claps and whistles. Jake whistles. Miss Claudia turns and faces the curtains. A spotlight illuminates her incredible body. The music starts and she begins her dance. The crowd falls silent as they watch her. The waitress returns and sets their drinks on the table. WAITRESS That'll be seventy-five cents. Jake pays her and she exits. He pushes a shot over to Mark. JAKE Let's toast! Mark turns and picks the glass up. JAKE To women! Mark smiles. MARK To women. They drink. Mark winces and chases the shot with his beer. Jake shakes his head, takes a drag from his cigarette and sets it in the ashtray. He stands. JAKE I'll be right back. Mark nods and turns to watch Miss Claudia. We follow Jake as he makes his way to the bar. He leans against it and waits for the BARTENDER, forty-five. A beat. BARTENDER What'll it be? Jake puts his money on the counter. JAKE It's my brother's birthday. How much to have him pulled on stage? BARTENDER Three bucks I think. (pointing) See the announcer's booth? Go over there and tell him. Jake looks over, nods. JAKE Thanks. We follow Jake as he walks to the booth. The ANNOUNCER, thirty-three, doesn't notice him. Jake waves the money and he takes his headphones off. ANNOUNCER Yeah? JAKE It's my brother's birthday. I'd like to have him pulled on stage. ANNOUNCER Three bucks. Jake hands him the money. ANNOUNCER What's his name? JAKE Mark. Mark Jensen. ANNOUNCER Okay. I'll see what I can do, but we're pretty busy. Jake pulls three more from his wallet and hands it to the announcer. JAKE Here's another three. The announcer nods and puts his headphones back on. JAKE Thanks. CUT TO: INT TOPLESS BAR - MOMENTS LATER Jake approaches their table and sits. Mark is too busy watching the stripper to notice. Jake grins and drinks his beer. Miss Claudia is near Mark on stage. She slings her boa over Mark's neck and pulls him closer. Mark's face is inches from her breasts. She smiles, touching his chin with her finger. She stands and continues her dance, staring down at him. Mark looks over, smiling from ear-to-ear, and sees Jake. MARK Hey. You missed it. JAKE I saw. I think she likes you. MARK Yeah, right. Where'd you go? JAKE Bathroom. Mark turns and watches her. MARK Damn, she's beautiful. (beat) When do you want to go? JAKE (shocked) Go? We just got here. MARK Well, how long are we going to stay? Jake smiles at a passing waitress. JAKE A little longer. CUT TO: INT TOPLESS BAR, ANNOUNCERS BOOTH - MOMENTS LATER The announcer stops the music and turns the mike on. ANNOUNCER We have a birthday to celebrate. Mark Jensen. Where are you Mark? Stand up. CUT TO: INT TOPLESS BAR, JAKE AND MARK'S TABLE - CONTINUOUS Mark looks around and then at Jake. His jaw drops and he shakes his head. MARK What'd you do? JAKE Nothing. MARK It's not my birthday. JAKE (smiling) It is now. Jake stands up, walks over to Mark and pries him out of his chair. Mark stands and THREE STRIPPERS, twenties, walk onto the stage. They walk toward Mark. ANNOUNCER (V.O.) There he is. Happy birthday. (beat) Now get up there! The crowd cheers. MARK (to the strippers) It's not my birthday. The strippers pull him onto the stage. One of the strippers pulls a chair onto the stage and Mark sits. He can't stop smiling. The burlesque music begins and the three circle him like a shark. One-by-one they mess up his hair, touch him and shake their goods in his face. Jake claps and whistles. One of the strippers is MISS CLAUDIA. She pulls his shirt off and waves it over her head. She drops it to the floor. She sits on his lap and rubs his chest. She stands. ALL THREE STRIPPERS take their tops off. The crowd goes wild. STRIPPER TWO, twenty-two, petite, undoes his belt and slaps his legs with it. The crowd roars. Miss Claudia stands him up and unbuttons his pants. He tries to stop her. The pants drop to his ankles and she pushes him down into the chair. He sits with nothing on but white boxers and a smile. The audience erupts in laughter, cheers. STRIPPER THREE, twenty-five, holds a tube of red lipstick in front of Mark. He shakes his head. The other two hold him in place as she begins writing on his chest. She draws a heart and writes the words "Memphis Nights". Miss Claudia takes the lipstick and seductively rubs it on her lips. She licks her lips and kisses him. Mark's lips are bright red. He's embarrassed, but loving it. Miss Claudia drapes her hair over his head and puts her cheek on his. CLAUDIA I want to talk to you later. Mark smiles at her as she moves back. STRIPPER TWO sits on his lap. The crowd cheers. DISSOLVE TO: INT TOPLESS BAR, JAKE AND MARK'S TABLE - LATER Jake sits at the table alone, smoking a cigarette. There's several bottles on the table. He picks one up. It's empty. He picks another one up. Empty. The WAITRESS walks by. He reaches out to get her attention. JAKE Miss. She stops. JAKE Could I get another beer please. WAITRESS Sure. I'll be right back. Jake smiles as she exits. He takes a drag and looks around. Jake's P.O.V. reveals Mark and Claudia standing across the room, talking. Mark is leaning against the wall, telling her something. Claudia laughs and touches his arm. A stripper walks up to them and whispers into her ear. Claudia excuses herself and walks away. Mark heads back to their table. CUT TO: INT TOPLESS BAR, TABLE - CONTINUOUS Mark approaches the table and sits. He smiles at Jake and picks up an empty bottle. He sets it down. MARK What happened to my beer? JAKE I drank it. It was getting warm. Mark rattles another bottle. JAKE So? What's the deal with you and Miss whatever? MARK Claudia. JAKE Yeah. Mark smiles. MARK She's nice. JAKE Nice? Bullshit. She likes you. Mark nods his head: Yes. JAKE She likes you! Ha! I told you she did. (beat) So? MARK There's an after work party by the river. JAKE (excited) No shit? MARK Yeah. JAKE She's hot. You're gonna get some, aren't you? Mark shakes his head: No. MARK I'm only going for your sake. Jake grimaces. JAKE For me? You lie. Mark smiles. Laughter. JAKE You fuckin' liar. The waitress brings the beer. Jake pays her. She picks up the empty bottles and exits. JAKE Thanks. Jake slides the bottle to Mark. He drinks. MARK Jake, I'm married. What the hell am I doing? Jake leans in, pushing the ashtray aside. JAKE (whispering slowly) Maybe she's married too. (beat) That'll cancel it out. Mark shakes his head. MARK Drunk ass. She's not married. JAKE Well... (beat) You don't have to do anything, right? MARK Yeah, right. A beat. JAKE (laughing) You're in deep shit little bro. Mark nods his head: Yes. Jake takes a drink, smiles. CUT TO: EXT MISSISSIPPI RIVER BANK - NIGHT Several vehicles are parked along the river bank. A crowd of people are partying nearby. Mark and Jake are sitting with Claudia and her friend SHIRLEY (STRIPPER TWO). They're all drunk. Laughter. CLAUDIA You're an accountant. MARK Yeah, it's boring, I know. CLAUDIA It's not boring. It's cute. Claudia puts her arm around Mark. MARK No, it's pretty boring actually. It's - Claudia leans in and kisses him. SHIRLEY Well now. Jake and Shirley give each other a shocked smile. Jake lights a cigarette. JAKE So, Shirley, what do you do? SHIRLEY I'm a stripper! JAKE That's right. I knew that. SHIRLEY (slurring) And what do you do? JAKE I'm a motorcycle mechanic. SHIRLEY That's cool. Shirley takes Jake's beer, drinks. SHIRLEY I like - SCREAMING causes Shirley to shut up. Claudia and Mark stop kissing. They look on as SEVERAL PEOPLE run toward the river naked. They jump in. Shirley looks at Claudia and smiles. SHIRLEY Let's go in! CLAUDIA (to Mark) Want to go for a dip? MARK Yeah, sure. Shirley stands up, strips her clothes off. Jake watches. SHIRLEY (to Jake) Are you coming? Jake starts taking his clothes off and stands up. Mark and Claudia do the same. Shirley grabs Jake's arm and they run into the water. Mark looks at Claudia, who is totally nude. MARK Oh man... Mark fumbles with his pants as he stares at her. CLAUDIA Let me help you. Mark balances on one foot. Claudia grabs his jeans and yanks them off. CLAUDIA Let's go! They run into the water. CUT TO: EXT RIVER - MOMENTS LATER Everyone wades in the water together. Shirley swims up behind Jake and wraps her arms around him. He takes a drag and throws the cigarette. SHIRLEY Hi. JAKE Hi. She clings onto him. Jake looks down at her breasts. She stares into his eyes and puts her lips near his. SHIRLEY (smiling) What? JAKE (smiling) What? SHIRLEY What are you smiling at? Jake pecks at her lips and they kiss. Claudia sees this and claps. Mark claps, whistles. CLAUDIA All right! Claudia bear hugs Mark and stares into his eyes. A beat. CLAUDIA I could eat you up. Mark smiles. They kiss. A beat. A SPOTLIGHT shines onto the water. A MAN yells from O.S. MAN Cops! They stop kissing and look into the light. Everyone runs for shore. The COP CAR is on a bridge, slowly moving closer. They gather their clothing. MARK What do we do? JAKE Get out of here! The girls look at them. JAKE (to the girls) Come with us. They grab the girl's hands, run to the motorcycles. Jump on, completely naked, and take off down a dirt road. The cop car follows. Turns on the red and blues. EXT DIRT ROAD (MOVING) - CONTINUOUS Jake turns, looks at the cop car. Looks at Mark. JAKE Yeehaw! Mark shakes his head. Claudia looks back at the cop car and throws her shirt at it. It sticks to the windshield. The driver reaches out, pulls it off. JAKE (to Mark) Follow me! Jake speeds up, passes. CUT TO: INT COP CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT They pull up behind Mark and Claudia. Shines the spotlight on them. The PASSENGER COP sticks his head out the window, signals for them to pull over. PASSENGER COP (yelling) Pull over! Pull Over! Claudia looks back, squeezes her ass cheeks with both hands and smiles. DRIVER COP (laughing) Jesus Christ! PASSENGER COP Look at that! (beat) I'd like to get her back to the station. DRIVER COP No shit. PASSENGER COP Should I call for backup? DRIVER COP Hell no! We can handle this. They smile. CUT TO: EXT DIRT ROAD (MOVING) - NIGHT Jake looks back at Shirley. She's looking over his shoulder. JAKE How you doin'? SHIRLEY I think this is a dead end! JAKE What? SHIRLEY The road ends! JAKE Fuck. Where? A beat. SHIRLEY Right there! Jake's P.O.V. Reveals a dead end barricade. Too fast to stop. JAKE Hang on! Shirley buries her head behind his back. Jake hits the brakes and turns right. Soars over the side of the road going thirty-five. Hard landing. Keeps going. Dodging trees now. CUT TO: EXT DIRT ROAD (MOVING) - MOMENTS LATER Mark sees the barricade. Hits the brakes and skids. Dust everywhere. MARK Oh Shit! They come to a sideways stop, inches from the barricade. The cop hits his brakes and slides toward them. They stare at the car. Deer in headlights. Cops can't stop. CLAUDIA Go! Go! Go! Mark hits the accelerator. The tire just spins in the dirt. The cop car is getting closer. CLAUDIA Go dammit! Go! Cops P.O.V. reveals the bike lunging forward into the woods. They brace themselves. BOOM! CUT TO: EXT COP CAR - MOMENTS LATER Steam and dust fill the air as the cops sit inside the demolished car. They're dazed, but alive. CUT TO: EXT WOODS - MOMENTS LATER Mark catches up to Jake, who's waiting for him. They slowly make their way through the woods. They reach another dirt road and speed away. CUT TO: EXT HOUSE - MORNING The motorcycles are parked behind a Jeep on the driveway of a small house in the woods. CUT TO: INT HOUSE - MORNING The cozy house is quiet. A log burns itself out in the beehive fireplace. A sliver of sunlight breaks through the window. A bedroom door opens. Jake enters the living room and sees Mark and Claudia asleep on the couch, lying head-to-toe. Jake rubs his head and walks to the couch. He shakes Mark's arm. JAKE Mark. (beat) Mark. Nothing. Jake looks around the room and walks to the kitchen. He takes the kettle off the burner and fills it with water. Turns the burner on. Finds the coffee and mug. Mark sits up, looks over the couch. Rubs his bloodshot eyes. MARK (whispering) What time is it? JAKE Seven-thirty. Mark lies back down. JAKE Get up. Mark groans. JAKE Mark. Claudia opens her eyes, looks at Mark, smiles and closes them. Mark rubs her leg. MARK I'm sleeping. Jake sits at the dining room table. Lights a cigarette. JAKE We should hit the road soon. Claudia springs up. She's wide awake. CLAUDIA I can make breakfast. MARK No. You don't need to. CLAUDIA I want to. She looks at Jake. CLAUDIA Jake? JAKE Sure. Claudia stands up. She's wearing Mark's shirt, no pants. CLAUDIA Let me shower and I'll make pancakes. Blueberry? Mark nods. She kisses him. He smiles as she walks away. Stares at her ass. The bedroom door shuts. Mark walks over to the table and sits. Lays his head on the table. JAKE Rough night? Mark shakes his head. MARK Oh, man. My head. Jake rubs Mark's head. JAKE (baby voice) It'll be okay. MARK Stop. Jake keeps rubbing. Mark sits up, sighs. A beat. MARK You making coffee? JAKE Yeah. Jake slides his cigarettes toward Mark. MARK No. JAKE So? Mark knows what he's going to say. MARK We didn't. JAKE You didn't want to? MARK Fell asleep. Jake laughs. MARK Hey. I wanted to, but - JAKE - Yeah. You were tired. MARK I just couldn't. I wanted to so bad. JAKE Couldn't stop thinking about Tracy? Mark nods his head: Yes. A beat. MARK You? JAKE Did it. MARK Yeah? JAKE Twice. They smile. MARK Twice. (beat) I would've done it ten times with Claudia. I swear... Jake stands and pats him on the shoulder. JAKE I know, bro. So would I. Jake walks to the stove. MARK Oh God. What I'd do to her. Jake laughs. Pours two cups. Walks over to the table, sits. JAKE Here. Drink. Hands Mark the mug. They drink. A beat. JAKE You did the right thing. MARK Yeah? JAKE (smiling) I would've banged her, personally, but you - MARK - Screw you - JAKE - You did the right thing. Mark bangs his head on the table. CUT TO: EXT HOUSE - DAY Everyone is in the drive saying good-bye. Jake and Shirley hug and kiss. Mark stands by Claudia. She hands him a piece of paper. CLAUDIA Call me when you come back through. MARK Alright. They hug, kiss. CLAUDIA See you later. Mark gets on the Harley. Starts it. Jake breaks free from Shirley's kisses and starts his bike. JAKE I'll call you. SHIRLEY You better. Jake nods. The girls walk toward them as they roll down the drive. Mark waves to Claudia, smiles. She waves. CLAUDIA Bye guys! SHIRLEY Bye! They ride off. CUT TO: EXT EASTERN OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY - DAY They ride past lakes and farmland. DISSOLVE TO: EXT CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY - LATER Riding through the plains east of Oklahoma City. Oil pumps dot the landscape. They pass a SIGN that reads "Oklahoma City 30 Miles". CUT TO: EXT GAS STATION - DAY They come across a run-down gas station. They pull in and stop at the pump. Get off the bikes, stretch. JAKE I'll go pay. Jake walks toward the building. Three rednecks, eighteen, drink beer in a parked pickup. They glare at Jake as he passes. He ignores them. He opens the door, enters. CUT TO: INT STATION - CONTINUOUS An African-American BOY and GIRL, mid-teens, are paying for their sodas. TWO REDNECKS stand behind them in line, holding beer. Jake gets in line. The boy drops some coins. He steps back to pick them up and steps on a rednecks foot, the BIG REDNECK. BIG REDNECK (pushing the boy) Watch it boy! He continues picking up the coins. BOY (quietly) Sorry. The boy pays the CASHIER, fifty, a fat, sweaty hick. REDNECK TWO He step on your foot? BIG REDNECK Son-of-a-bitch did. REDNECK TWO (to boy) Dipshit. The girl gives them a look. The boy ignores them. They take their sodas and exit. Big redneck and friend drop their beer onto the counter. CASHIER That'll be two-fifty. Big redneck pays him. They walk toward the door. REDNECK TWO See that little bitch look at us? BIG REDNECK Let's go talk to 'em. They exit. Jake hands his money to the cashier. Jake watches the rednecks through the window. JAKE Three on pump two. The cashier takes the money and looks outside. Jake exits. CUT TO: EXT STATION - CONTINUOUS Jake passes by the two rednecks. They stand beside the pickup, telling their buddies what happened. All five rednecks walk over to the boy and girl, who are standing under a tree by the road. Jake walks up to Mark. MARK What's going on? JAKE Rednecks are starting shit with those kids. They watch the rednecks. Mark puts the nozzle into the tank. A beat. JAKE I'm going over there. MARK I wouldn't do that. JAKE (walking away) Fill my tank. MARK Jake... We follow Jake as he walks. He's pissed. A beat. Big redneck is arguing with the girl. GIRL He said he was sorry. BIG REDNECK I don't think I heard him. Big redneck undoes his belt. BIG REDNECK (to boy) I'm gonna teach you a lesson. Jake interrupts. JAKE Guys. Everyone looks at Jake. BIG REDNECK What? JAKE I'm supposed to give them a ride home. BIG REDNECK (surprised) What? JAKE That's my brother and sister. The rednecks laugh, look at each other. BIG REDNECK (smiling) You're their brother? These two niggers are - Jake PUNCHES him in the nose, full force. Big redneck stumbles back and falls, holding his nose. His friends are stunned. REDNECK TWO punches Jake. He almost falls. Mark runs toward them, top speed. REDNECK TWO puts his fists up, egging Jake on. They square off. Big redneck stands, watches. His nose is bleeding. Mark TACKLES redneck two. They slam to the ground. Exchange of messy blows. Contrary to what we might think, Mark can fight. Another redneck grabs Mark around the throat. Mark fights back. He's outnumbered. Jake goes to help. Big redneck throws a wild punch at Jake. He counters with an upper cut to his stomach. Big redneck falls. Grabs Jake's legs. Jake falls. Big red gets on top, pounds his face. Jake throws him off. Gets on top. Unleashes a series of blows. TWO REDNECKS grab Jake's arms, pull him back. The CASHIER shoots his SHOTGUN into the air. The fighting stops and everyone backs off. CASHIER I called the cops. Get on out of here. The cashier stands near them, gun pointed at the sky. The rednecks stagger to their truck. Jake goes over to Mark and helps him up. They're both a mess. The cashier stands there, watching everyone. MARK (upset) Jesus Jake. JAKE You tackled that guy! MARK What was I supposed to do? Jake pats him on the back. JAKE (smiling) I mean you really tackled him... MARK (looking at his hand) I think I broke a finger. Mark wipes the blood off his hand. Jake looks at Mark's finger. The boy and girl stand by, watching. MARK You guys okay? They nod their heads. GIRL Yeah. Thanks for sticking up for my brother and me. She elbows her brother. BOY Thank you. JAKE No problem. The boy looks at the motorcycles. BOY Where you goin'? JAKE California. BOY Where from? JAKE New York. The rednecks PEEL OUT. Everyone looks. BOTTLES FLY at them from the pickup. Two smash at their feet. One nearly hits Mark's head. He ducks. Jake flips them off as they speed away. CASHIER You guys better leave. The cashier walks back to the station. JAKE (yelling) We're leavin'! They walk toward the bikes. MARK Guys need a lift? They look at each other. GIRL Thanks. We can walk. BOY Yeah. Thanks though. MARK You sure? GIRL Yeah. It's not that far. Mark takes the nozzle out of the tank. They get on the bikes. JAKE We can give you a ride. BOY We'll be fine. Mark shakes their hands. They wave and walk away. Jake nods, smiles. JAKE All right. Take care. GIRL You, too. They exit, walk down the road. The guys start the bikes up. MARK Let's find a motel. Jake wipes his dirty, bloody face. Looks at his hand. JAKE Hey, thanks for jumpin' in. Mark's hurting, rubbing his neck. MARK No problem. They take off. CUT TO: EXT MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT They park their bikes outside ROOM TEN. They can barely get off the bikes, obviously in pain, tired. They grab their things and enter the room. The door shuts. DISSOLVE TO: EXT MOTEL ROOM - MORNING SAME SHOT A family of four walks past the room, carrying their luggage. The door's open. Mark and Jake exit. They look fresh. Jake closes the door. They get on the bikes. Their things are already strapped on. They leave. CUT TO: EXT NEW MEXICO HIGHWAY (MOVING) - DAY They cruise past rugged, sandstone mesas and desert dunes. Outside Santa Rosa they pass a sign that reads "Horseback Riding and Cookout". Jake does a U-turn and Mark follows him down the dirt road, which leads to a ranch. There's several cars parked beside a barn. Tourists make their way toward the ranch house. They park their bikes. Jake gets off, looks around. MARK What are you doing? JAKE Thought we'd check this out. (beat) Might be fun. MARK You know I hate horses. Jake grins, starts walking. JAKE I didn't know that. MARK Jake... Mark gets off the bike. Jake's making a beeline toward the house. Mark follows. MARK Wait up! Jake keeps walking, doesn't look back. Mark catches up to him. CUT TO: EXT RANCH HOUSE - CONTINUOUS They walk up the steps to the front door. A sign on the building reads "Santa Rosa Ranch". They follow two kids, ten, inside. CUT TO: INT HOUSE - CONTINUOUS They enter, stand inside the doorway. It's a western gift shop. An ELDERLY WOMAN, seventy-two, wearing a cowboy hat, is talking to a couple. She sees the two enter. ELDERLY WOMAN Howdy guys. Come on in. JAKE Hi. Mark nods. ELDERLY WOMAN Be with you in a minute. Jake walks to a hat rack. Mark follows, leans in to him. MARK What are we doing? Jake puts a cowboy hat on, looks in the mirror. JAKE Lookin' at hats. MARK I mean, what are we doing here? Jake puts on another hat, a black one. He likes it. JAKE (cowboy accent) We're goin' ridin' partner. What'd ya think? Mark looks at Jake's reflection in the mirror. MARK (sarcastically) You're funny. Jake rolls his eyes and grabs another hat. He shoves it onto Mark's head and laughs. Mark looks into the mirror. Jake looks over his shoulder, adjusts the hat for Mark. It's too big. JAKE No. Let's see... Jake takes it off Mark and grabs another. He smacks it on. JAKE Oh yeah. That's the one. Mark stares at his image in the mirror. This one looks good. He takes it off. Jake puts it back on. Mark's getting pissed. MARK I'm not wearing this. Jake gives him a look. JAKE It looks good. MARK I'm not going riding. Jake ignores him, looks into the mirror, smiles at himself and adjusts his hat. CUT TO: EXT RANCH STABLES - DAY Mark's on horseback. Jake stands, looking up at him. They're wearing their new hats. JAKE You look good. MARK I look like an ass. Mark adjusts his ten-gallon. Jake mounts his horse. Looks at Mark, trying not to laugh. JAKE No you don't. They're with a group of tourists preparing for a trail ride. The RANCH HAND, thirty-nine, is checking everyone's saddle. He approaches them. RANCH HAND Fellas. JAKE How you doin'. MARK Hi. The ranch hand adjusts Mark's stirrups. Mark gives Jake a blank stare. Jake laughs. JAKE What? It'll be fun. Mark looks at him out of the corner of his eye, then stares ahead. The ranch hand exits. Jake rubs his horse's neck, leans forward. JAKE (to the horse) Watch out for the guy next to us. Got a stick up his ass. Jake looks over at Mark. Mark cracks a smile. RANCH HAND You folks ready? EVERYONE BUT MARK Yeah! RANCH HAND Alright. Move 'em out! The ranch hand turns around, leads the group. The horses make a single file line behind him. They're off. CUT TO: EXT PRAIRIE TRAIL, ESTABLISHING SHOT - DAY We travel across the desolate desert horizon. Finally, we see the horse-train making its way down toward a river. EXT PECOS RIVER TRAIL - LATER The horses carefully maneuver a rugged trail along the Pecos River. EXT PECOS RIVER (MOVING) - MOMENTS LATER All of the horses are galloping in shallow water. No single file line here. Jake gets beside Mark. JAKE How you doin'? Mark smiles. MARK Good. JAKE See. I knew you'd like it. A beat. Jake smiles. JAKE (to horse) Yaw! Yaw! Jake kicks his horse. Moves ahead of Mark. MARK (kicking horse) Yaw! Mark closes in on Jake. Jake looks back, continues kicking. Mark kicks. Leans forward. Gains on Jake. Passes. Mark looks over at him and smiles. ANGLE ON ALL HORSES: GALLOPING, SPLASHING We watch as the horses run by in the water. CUT TO: EXT PECOS RIVER TRAIL - EVENING They make their way toward an established campsite. A fresh bonfire lights the way. A cook prepares supper for the group. Everyone dismounts and several ranch hands lead the horses to a trough. Mark and Jake walk toward each other. The others head for the bonfire. Jake lights a cigarette. JAKE Smells good. I'm starvin'. MARK (rubbing his ass) My ass hurts. Jake nods. Takes his hat off. They walk toward the bonfire. People are grabbing plates and heading for the grub. Mark's walking like he's got a stick up his ass. Jake gives him an awkward look, smiles. CUT TO: EXT COOKOUT - LATER Everyone's sitting around the bonfire, eating. A RANCH HAND (MAX), handsome, thirty-two, sits next to Mark. He's got a huge plate of food. MAX (chewing) Howdy. MARK Hi. Jake looks over, nods. Max puts his gloved hand out. Mark shakes his hand. MAX I'm Max. MARK Mark. My brother Jake. Jake scoots closer, shakes his hand. They continue eating. MAX Where y'all from? MARK New York City. MAX No shit? I went to N.Y.U. Mark looks at Jake, back to Max. MAX Yep. Went there for two years. (beat) Couldn't stand it. MARK Why not? MAX Went stir crazy. God damn city ain't no place for a cowboy. JAKE Why'd you go there? MAX Scholarship. Football. JAKE Oh yeah? MAX Q.B. JAKE That's great. Max nods his head: No. MARK Why not? MAX Got injured junior year. (holding his hand up) No use for an injured quarterback. JAKE Sorry. MAX Nah, I'm not. Couldn't wait to get outta there. Max drinks his beer. MAX City will kill ya. The ranch lets ya live, lets ya breathe. (beat) But I'll tell ya... I do miss those city women. He smiles. Mark and Jake smile back. JAKE No shit. MARK Yeah. MAX Bet ya both got girls back there. They nod. MAX Yeah. The desert don't have many girls. Lot's of cattle though. He nudges Mark's arm, smiles. Laughter. MARK (smiling) Yeah. A beat. MAX One of these days I'll find me a lady. JAKE There's gotta be some women. Max half-smiles, winces. MAX A couple. Albuquerque's got some. Figure I'll get a place there one day. MARK Cool. Max nods. Stares at his plate and eats. Jake stands. JAKE You guys need a beer? MAX Sure. MARK Yeah, thanks. Jake exits. MAX So, what's brought ya out here? MARK Going to L.A. to find our dad. MAX Well... I wish ya luck. Max sets his plate down, stares into the fire. A beat. MAX Didn't know my father. MARK Serious? MAX Yep. Took off before I was born. MARK Damn. MAX Some people shouldn't have kids. Too many damn fools out there. MARK That's true. MAX Yep. (beat) Wouldn't do that to anyone. A beat. MARK Haven't seen my dad since I was ten. MAX Really? MARK (smiling) Another damn fool. Max nods. Mark smiles, raises his eyebrows. Jake returns with the beers. Hands them out. MAX Thanks. MARK Thanks. Jake sits. All three stare into the fire for a beat. MAX (standing up) Well boys. I gotta go get my guitar. MARK What for? MAX Get paid a little extra to sing a few songs. Mark and Jake nod. Max shakes their hands. MAX Nice meeting you. MARK Yeah, you too. JAKE See ya later. Max exits. EXT BONFIRE COOKOUT - MOMENTS LATER Max sits, perched atop a bail of hay, with his guitar. He's staring into the fire. Everyone is relaxing, drinking coffee, beer, spirits. He adjusts the guitar strings. Begins singing. It's a somber tale of a lonely cowboy's life on the range. We slowly make a circle around the fire and see that everyone is entranced by his voice and the softness of the acoustic guitar. The song ends. Everyone applauds. He plays another song. A faster, more upbeat tune. It's a humorous song. People start clapping along to the beat. Mark and Jake look at each other and smile. CUT TO: EXT ALBUQUERQUE MOTEL - MORNING Jake pulls into the motel parking lot and parks next to the Harley. He's got a paper bag between his legs. INT ALBUQUERQUE MOTEL ROOM - MORNING Mark's asleep in bed. The sound of Jake revving the engine doesn't wake him. The engine stops. A beat. Jake enters the dark room. He's carrying a doughnut bag and a bottle of o.j. He opens the curtains and the light awakens Mark. He looks at Jake and rolls over. JAKE Wake up. I got breakfast. Jake takes a doughnut out of the bag and lobs it at Mark. It hits his head. He just lies there. JAKE I called Fisher. Said we're only a few hours from his grandfather's place. Mark turns to him, picks the doughnut up off the sheet. MARK Who? JAKE Fisher. My buddy from high school. MARK I don't... JAKE Tall, black hair. We all went hunting together. Jake grabs his duffle bag and goes into the bathroom. MARK Oh Yeah. (beat) I thought he lived in Manhattan. JAKE (O.S.) He moved back to the reservation to take care of his grandfather. (beat) I told him we'd stop by there on our way to the canyon. Mark takes a bite of the doughnut. MARK (chewing) Are we staying there? JAKE (O.S.) At Fisher's? MARK Yeah. JAKE (O.S.) He said we could. Mark gets up and grabs the o.j. and bag off the table. He turns the t.v. on and lays back down. Jake enters the room wearing shorts and has a towel draped around his neck. He could use a tan. Mark laughs. MARK Where you going? JAKE There's a blonde lying out by the pool. Thought I'd do a few laps. MARK Ah. JAKE Wanna go? MARK No. Jake puts his sunglasses on and walks to the door. JAKE All right. We're leavin' when I get back, so get up. MARK I'm up. Mark takes a doughnut out of the bag. Jake glares back at Mark while opening the door. Checks his watch. JAKE I'll be back in a half hour. Mark stares at the t.v. JAKE Mark... Mark gives him a look. MARK (sarcastically) Okay dad. Jake exits. Mark gets up, shuts the curtains and turns the a/c fan to high. He lies back down and puts a pillow under his chin. He chews, slowly closing his eyes, begins nodding off. CUT TO: EXT ARIZONA HIGHWAY - DAY They ride across the high desert plains of the Navajo Reservation. CUT TO: EXT FISHER'S GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE - DAY They ride along a dirt road leading to an old adobe house. Three dogs greet them as they park near an old pickup. FISHER, twenty-nine, Navajo, tall, long hair, exits the house and walks toward them. JAKE (yelling) Fisher! Fisher smiles. FISHER (yelling back) Jensen! They get off the bikes. Jake and Fisher shake hands, quick hug. JAKE You remember Mark? FISHER Yeah. Hey Mark. MARK (shaking his hand) Hi. FISHER Come inside. They follow Fisher into the house. He shuts the screen door, keeping the dogs out with his foot. FISHER (to the dogs) Stay. CUT TO: INT HOUSE - CONTINUOUS They walk through the small adobe. Mark and Jake look at the animal sculptures on the wall. FISHER Grandpa does those. JAKE He's good. MARK He is. FISHER Yeah. He's out back making another right now. They enter the small kitchen. FISHER You guys want some water? Fisher pours two glasses of water from a pitcher. Hands them to the guys. JAKE Yeah, thanks. MARK Thanks you. They drink. FISHER You mentioned going to the canyon. JAKE Yeah. FISHER Grandpa wants to go with. We can take the truck. JAKE That's cool. Mark looks closely at an old black and white photo on the wall. It's of the grandfather wearing a feather headdress. MARK Is that your grandfather? Fisher moves in closer, looks at the photo. FISHER Yeah. That's him wearing an old medicine man's headdress. MARK Is he... FISHER A medicine man? Oh, no. MARK Oh. FISHER (smiling) He's just old. Old and blind. MARK Blind? FISHER Yeah... Blind, crazy old man. (beat) That's why I came back here. (smiling) He tried to drive the pickup into town last year. Ran into a cactus. Walked around barefoot all night. JAKE (smiling) No shit? FISHER Yeah. That's when they called me. (walking toward the door) He's out here. I'll introduce you guys. They set their glasses down on the counter. Fisher opens the back door. They follow him outside. EXT PATIO - CONTINUOUS They step out onto the covered patio. The grandfather is seated at a workbench, where he's carving a piece. Opera music plays on the small radio. They follow Fisher to the workbench. FISHER Grandpa. He continues carving. GRANDPA What? FISHER My friends are here. Grandpa turns to him, smiles. We can see that he is blind by the look in his eyes, the way he moves. GRANDPA I know. I heard the motorcycles. FISHER Jake, Mark, this is my grandpa. Grandpa puts his hand out. They shake his hand. MARK I'm Mark. Nice to meet you. JAKE Hi. I'm Jake. GRANDPA I used to have a motorcycle. Many years ago. I wrecked it though. FISHER Grandpa wrecks many things. Laughter. GRANDPA (smiling) I do not. Fisher looks at the new sculpture on the table. FISHER What are you carving today? GRANDPA An eagle. How does it look? FISHER It looks good. Fisher pats him on the back. FISHER You still wanna go to the canyon? GRANDPA Yep. You guys ready? JAKE Sure. Grandpa sets his carving tool down. He stands. FISHER Take my arm. He holds onto Fisher's elbow as they walk. GRANDPA You guys mind if I drive? Laughter. Fisher looks back and smiles. MARK Go ahead. JAKE Fine with me. Mark and Jake follow them inside. CUT TO: EXT DIRT ROAD - DAY The old pickup speeds along on a dirt road. They're going fast. EXT PICKUP (MOVING) - MOMENTS LATER Mark and Jake ride in the back. They're holding on tight and looking forward. Grandpa is in the driver's seat. Fisher sits next to him, helping steer. Fisher looks back through the window and smiles. Mark and Jake smile back. Jake gives Fisher a thumbs-up. Fisher returns the thumbs-up and looks back out the windshield. Jake looks at Mark. They're both scared as hell. JAKE (quietly) I thought he was joking. MARK Me too. They exchange nervous smiles. CUT TO: EXT DIRT ROAD - MOMENTS LATER The truck speeds by - a blur and a wake of dust. CUT TO: EXT GRAND CANYON, SOUTH RIM - EVENING The truck stops near the rim of the canyon. Everyone gets out and walks toward the edge. Establishing shot of the Grand Canyon. The sun is setting. They all stand there, looking out. Grandpa stands next to Mark. FISHER Here she is. JAKE Damn. Look at that. MARK Wow. It's incredible. Grandpa puts his hand on Mark's shoulder. GRANDPA Isn't it beautiful? MARK It is. GRANDPA I'll never forget it. (beat) You may lose your sight, but you never lose your vision. MARK Yeah. Grandpa pats Mark on the back. Jake looks at Mark. They exchange smiles. Everyone stares out at the canyon. The sun slowly sets. CUT TO: EXT NORTHERN ARIZONA HIGHWAY - DAY They ride along the winding highway near Flagstaff. CUT TO: EXT ARIZONA/CALIFORNIA BORDER - DAY They stop at a large billboard next to the Colorado River. The sign reads "Welcome to California" and is emblazoned with colorful imagery of the state. We watch as they take a photo of each other in front of the sign. They finish and ride across the bridge into California. CUT TO: EXT LOS ANGELES BEACHFRONT MOTEL - NIGHT The two pull into the motel and park. CUT TO: INT MOTEL ROOM - LATER Jake is on the bed flipping through the phone book while Mark stands on the balcony. JAKE There's a ton of John Jensen's in here. (beat) J. Jensen, John Jensen - MARK - Come out here. Jake closes the book and walks to the balcony. JAKE I'm not calling all of these. He stands next to Mark. MARK Look at this view. They look out at the crashing surf. JAKE Nice. A beat. MARK Why don't we just go to the Naval Office tomorrow and look him up. JAKE Yeah. We can do that. Jake lights a cigarette. They both lean on the railing and watch as people walk by in the sand. MARK I'm going down there. Mark walks inside. He takes his shoes off. Jake watches from the balcony. JAKE You going swimming? MARK The beach. Come with. A beat. Jake takes his shoes off. CUT TO: EXT MOTEL - MOMENTS LATER We watch from the balcony as they walk toward the beach. EXT BEACH - CONTINUOUS Mark walks into the surf and stops. The waves roll in at their feet. Jake walks behind him. Mark goes out a few more steps and stops. MARK It's not that bad. Jake takes a drag off his cigarette. JAKE I thought you weren't goin' in. MARK I'm not. JAKE Looks like you are. Mark turns to him. Jake's grinning. Jake throws his cigarette and runs at Mark. Mark runs away, parallel to the beach. MARK Jake! JAKE Ha, ha. Mark runs the best he can in the knee-high water. MARK Dammit! JAKE You're goin' down! Jake gets behind him and leaps onto his back. Mark runs a few steps and falls. He kneels in the water and wipes the water from his face. Laughter. Jake stands above him, victorious. Mark lunges at his legs, knocking him down. Mark stands, laughs. Jake tries to grab him, but Mark moves away. Jake gets up and chases Mark. Laughter. They run down the beach. Jake tackles Mark in the surf. CUT TO: EXT LOS ANGELES NAVAL OFFICE - DAY The motorcycles are parked outside the building. A group of sailors walk by, admiring the bikes. CUT TO: INT NAVAL OFFICE - DAY Mark and Jake walk to the receptionists desk. The female SECRETARY, thirty, hangs up the phone. SECRETARY Hi. Can I help you? MARK Hi. Yes. Our father was a seaman back in forty-four. He lives here and we're trying to locate him. SECRETARY (pointing) The Personnel Office is down the hall on your right. They look down the hall. MARK All right. Thanks. JAKE Thanks. SECRETARY You're welcome. She smiles as they exit. CUT TO: INT PERSONNEL OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER They enter the office. The office manager (ENSIGN O'NEILL), twenty-three, is at his desk, writing. He looks up at them. ENSIGN O'NEILL (standing) Hi. He puts his hand out. Mark shakes his hand. ENSIGN O'NEILL Ensign O'Neill, Personnel Manager. MARK Hi. Mark Jensen. Jake shakes his hand. JAKE Jake Jensen. ENSIGN O'NEILL Please, have a seat. Everyone sits. ENSIGN O'NEILL What can I help you with. Jake gives Mark the go ahead nod. MARK Our father, John Jensen, was in the Navy during World War Two and we'd like to find him - JAKE - Last we heard, he moved to L.A. MARK That was in forty-four. ENSIGN O'NEILL Okay. What's his full name? MARK John Allen Jensen. Ensign O'Neill writes it down. ENSIGN O'NEILL A-l-a-n or - MARK - A-l-l-e-n. He stops writing. ENSIGN O'NEILL (standing) All right. Follow me. They stand and follow him into the adjacent room. INT FILE ROOM - CONTINUOUS They walk through the room. Ensign O'Neill looks for the right cabinet and stops at one. He opens it and fingers through the folders. He pulls a folder out and opens it. ENSIGN O'NEILL This is it. Mark and Jake move closer, looking at its contents. Ensign O'Neill holds up a sheet of paper. ENSIGN O'NEILL All right. Says here that he retired in fifty-six. (beat) There's his address and phone number. MARK Great. ENSIGN O'NEILL (writing) I'll write it down. (beat) We're not really supposed to give this information out, but... He hands the paper to Mark. MARK Thank you. I appreciate it. Mark shakes his hand. ENSIGN O'NEILL You're welcome. JAKE Thank you. Jake shakes his hand. ENSIGN O'NEILL Good luck. JAKE Thanks. Ensign O'Neill puts the folder back as Mark and Jake exit. CUT TO: EXT LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY They pull to the curb of a small, white house. Mark checks the address on the paper. MARK I guess this is it. JAKE Yeah. They park the bikes and walk up the drive. They step onto the porch and stop at the front door. Mark looks at Jake. The windows are open and we can hear people talking inside. JAKE Go ahead. Mark rings the doorbell and steps back. A beat. MAN (O.S.) Coming. We hear his footsteps. Mark and Jake look at each other. The door opens. The MAN (Bill Keller), fifty-two, African-American, holds the door open. BILL Hi. MARK Hi. We're looking for John Jensen. (pulls the paper out) I have his address here - BILL - Yeah. John used to live here. We bought this house from him. MARK Oh. A beat. BILL How do you know John? JAKE We're his sons. BILL (excited) You are? Well... (shakes their hands) Nice to meet you. I'm Bill Keller. MARK Mark. JAKE Jake. BILL Your father's a friend of mine. We served in the Navy together. MARK Does he still live in - BILL - Oh yeah. He and Julie bought a place over in Newport Beach. JAKE Julie?... BILL His wife. MARK Oh. Mark and Jake look at each other. BILL You haven't met Julie? MARK We - JAKE - We haven't seen him in a long time. BILL (surprised) Oh. Well, I'm sure he'll be happy to see you. (beat) Would you like to call him? MARK Well, I guess - JAKE - We'd really like to surprise him. A beat. Mark gives Jake a look. BILL Okay. I'll get his address for you. I'll be right back. Bill exits, leaving the door open. MARK Why don't we just call him? JAKE What for? We can ride over there. A beat. MARK Julie? JAKE I know. Jake crosses his arms and taps his fingers, staring at the door. Mark watches him for a beat. BILL (O.S.) I found it. He comes to the door and hands Mark a piece of paper. MARK Thanks. BILL I wrote the address and directions on there. It's a few miles south of here. MARK (shaking his hand) Thanks. Nice meeting you. BILL Nice to meet you, too. JAKE (shaking his hand) Thanks. BILL Take care. MARK Bye. BILL Tell John I said hi. Mark and Jake walk away. MARK (looking back) I will. Jake takes the paper out of his hand. Bill closes the door. They get on their bikes and leave. CUT TO: EXT NEWPORT BEACH HOUSE - DAY They slowly make their way down the street and stop in front of a green and white Bungalow. We follow them up the front steps. Mark rings the doorbell and puts the piece of paper in his pocket. They stare at the door a beat. A beautiful YOUNG WOMAN, twenty, tan, wearing a bikini top and towel, opens the door. YOUNG WOMAN Can I help you? MARK Yeah. We're looking for John Jensen. YOUNG WOMAN He's still in the pool. I'll go get him. MARK Thanks. She smiles and shuts the door. Jake gives Mark a look. JAKE (upset) What the hell? MARK I don't know. JAKE What is she, eighteen? MARK She's older than that. JAKE Okay. Nineteen? MARK I don't know, Jake. A beat. JAKE That's not right. MARK Well... JAKE (more upset) I bet she's a stripper. Dad married a fuckin' stripper. MARK What? (beat) Jake. Jake shakes his head. Their father JOHN, fifty-five, handsome, wearing a towel, opens the door. He recognizes them after a beat. JOHN (surprised) Jake! Mark! Holy - Jake PUNCHES him in the face. John grabs his nose, steps backward. JAKE That's for mom, you son-of-a-bitch. Mark is shocked, horrified. MARK Jake! What the... Jake turns and exits. JOHN (steps onto porch) Jake! His nose is bleeding. Mark looks at him. MARK Jesus! You all right? JOHN Yeah. John looks at the blood on his hands. Jake starts the bike up, peels out. MARK I'll go get him. John nods his head: Yes. Mark runs to the Harley. John stands on the porch. JOHN (to himself) That's my bike. John smiles. Mark puts his helmet on and takes off. CUT TO: EXT NEWPORT STREETS - CONTINUOUS Jake is hauling ass down the street. Mark is a block behind. Jake turns on a side street. A large Buick backs out of a drive. Sees Jake and stops. Jake swerves to miss it. The Buick continues backing out, slowly. Mark turns the corner. The Buick's blocking the narrow street. Mark hits the brakes, can't stop. He crashes into the front fender and flies over the handlebars, landing on the street. Jake hears the crash and looks back. Mark's unconscious, lying near the Buick. Jake does a U-turn and speeds to the scene. The male DRIVER, seventy, gets out and kneels next to Mark. Jake stops, drops his bike and goes to Mark. DRIVER He just ran right into me. JAKE Go call an ambulance. DRIVER Okay. The driver exits. JAKE Mark. Shit. Mark. Jake checks Mark's neck for a pulse. JAKE Come on Mark. Jake puts his ear to Mark's chest. A beat. Mark opens his eyes. MARK You hit dad. Jake sits back. JAKE Jesus. I thought you were dead. A beat. MARK (smiling) At least we got to see him. JAKE (laughing) Yeah. (beat) Don't move. CUT TO: INT HOSPITAL ROOM - EVENING Mark lies in bed with a cast on his right arm. Jake sits in a chair next to him, reading a magazine. MARK So, you called dad? JAKE Yeah. He said he'd come right away. A beat. MARK What'd he say to you? JAKE I apologized to him. MARK Oh yeah? JAKE Yeah. (puts magazine down) That was his step-daughter Melissa. MARK (laughing) Oh shit. JAKE Yeah. A KNOCK at the door interrupts them. MARK Come in. John opens the door and shuts it behind him. He has a band aid on his nose. JOHN Hi guys. Jake stands. Mark sits up. John walks to Mark. He's hiding something behind his back. He holds out a small teddy bear in front of Mark. JOHN (smiling) They didn't have much to choose from in the gift shop. Sorry. MARK (smiling) Thanks. JOHN How are you doing? MARK Eh. All right. Broke my arm. JOHN I see. Sorry. (looks at Jake) Hey Jake. JAKE Hi. A beat. Jake walks over to John. They hug. JAKE Sorry. JOHN That's all right. I probably deserved it. They step back. JAKE How's your nose? JOHN (laughing) I think you broke it. JAKE (smiling) Yeah. Well, Mark wrecked your bike. John nods. MARK (defensively) Hey. It can be fixed. JOHN I figure it's yours now. JAKE I'm gonna fix it. A beat. John sits on the end of the bed. Jake sits in the chair. JOHN So, how long are they keeping you here? MARK Just a night. JOHN Good. (beat) We're going to sail to Catalina for the weekend. You guys are welcome to go. MARK Oh yeah? Mark looks at Jake. Jake nods his head: Yes. JOHN I'd like you to go. MARK Yeah. John looks at Jake. JAKE Sounds cool. MARK So, Julie and - JOHN - Julie and Melissa are going, too. They'd really like to meet you guys. MARK Okay. JAKE Sure. JOHN Good. We have a lot of catching up to do. John stands. JOHN Well, I better let you rest. MARK You can stay. John and Mark hug. JOHN I'd like to, but I have to pick Julie up. Sorry you're in here. MARK (smiling) It's Jake's fault. John smiles. Jake stands, walks to John. JAKE Sorry about your nose. John fakes a punch toward Jake. Jake steps back, smiles. JOHN (laughs) I owe you one. They hug. John pats Jake on the shoulder. JOHN I'm glad you guys came out here. John walks to the door and stops. JOHN (turns to Mark) Jake told me that you named your son John. MARK Yeah. A beat. JOHN (smiling) Well... I'll see you guys later. He exits, shuts the door. CUT TO: EXT BOAT MARINA - DAY Establishing shot of the marina. We watch as Jake and Mark walk along the dock. John greets them as they board the boat. He introduces them to his wife Julie, fifty-one, and step-daughter Melissa. DISSOLVE TO: EXT SAILBOAT (MOVING) - LATER In the distance lies Santa Catalina Island. John is at the wheel while everyone sits, enjoying the trip. Jake looks over at Mark, who's staring at the island. They smile as we... FADE OUT