Dear John

OVER BLACK:

JOHN’S VOICE

There's something I want to tell you.

1         
INT. DINGY ROOM
- DAY

John smiles, then turns and says something we cannot hear to someone we cannot see.

JOHN’S VOICE

After I got shot, you wanna know the very first thing that entered my mind, right before I blacked out?

Then despite the EERIE SILENCE, the BULLET slices into John’s neck. His eyes widen, but he’s too stunned to cry out.

JOHN’S VOICE

Coins.

He drops to his knees. His hand flies up to his neck. In no time at all his fingers are coated with blood. John falls onto his back. His eyes search the dingy ceiling above him. All is still SILENT.

Sunlight pours in from a large mortar hole, and as John stares at it, the light ENVELOPES THE SCREEN, AND --

EVERYTHING GOES WHITE.

2         
INT. US MINT
- DAY

John as a LITTLE BOY, standing in front of a sprawling metal contraption that seems to stretch on and on. From his POV it looks like a Rube Goldberg machine.

JOHN’S VOICE

I’m eight years old again, on a tour of the US Mint, listening to the guide explain how coins are made.

The other CHILDREN around John are bored out of their minds. But John is not. John is fascinated.

ON A BLANKING PRESS
--

--as enormous metal coils are fed through a reel that cuts out individual round discs called blanks.

JOHN’S VOICE

How they are punched out of sheet metal.

3         
ON AN UPSETTING MILL
--

-- which squeezes the edges of the blanks, giving them a slightly raised surface.

JOHN’S VOICE

How they are rimmed and beveled.

4         
ON A COINING PRESS
--

-- which actually engraves the blanks.

JOHN’S VOICE

How they are stamped and cleaned.

5         
FINALLY, ON A PRESS OPERATOR
--

-- who uses a magnifying glass to spot-check the new coins.

JOHN’S VOICE

And then how each and every batch of coins are personally examined, just in case any have slipped through with the slightest imperfection.

The operator finds a bad coin, pulls a lever to STOP THE MACHINE. The entire batch CLATTERS down onto a belt below, while --

MATCH CUT:

6         
INT. DINGY ROOM
-- PRESENT DAY

-- where spent M-16 rounds CLATTER onto the ground, making the exact same noise. Now all SOUND can be heard, and it is LOUD.

Whoever shot John is paying for it dearly. Three other GREEN BERETS are unloading their ammo.

John is still flat on his back, still bleeding profusely, still staring up at the ceiling.

JOHN’S VOICE

That's what popped into my head.

One of the soldiers, Staff Sargeant TONY GALLO, stops firing and turns to John, kneels over him. A vein pops out of his forehead. John desperately tries to make eye contact.

JOHN’S VOICE

I am a coin in the United States Army. I was minted in the year 1980. I have been punched from sheet metal, I have been stamped and cleaned, my edges have been rimmed and beveled.

Tony cuts open John’s fatigues. Blood flows freely.

JOHN’S VOICE

But now I have one small hole in me, and I am no longer in perfect condition.

John looks at his bloody hands and draws a sharp breath.

JOHN’S VOICE

I am no longer in perfect condition.

He glances up at Tony, sees the panic in his face.

JOHN’S VOICE

I am no longer in perfect condition.

John GULPS for air. His PUPILS DILATE. He’s fading fast.

JOHN’S VOICE

So there’s something else I want to tell you before I go.

His eyelids flutter. The chaos around him slowly slips away.

JOHN’S VOICE

After I got shot, right before everything went black, you wanna know the very last thing that entered my mind?

And then as John’s eyes finally close --

FADE TO BLACK

JOHN’S VOICE

You.

FADE IN ON:

7         
EXT. BEACH
-- DAY

A wave crashes over John, submerging him completely.

He closes his eyes. Then his surfboard pops back above water, and because John is on top of it, he pops up too.

He is younger now, and he is back in South Carolina. But his head is still shaved.

Before he can even catch his breath, another wave is coming. John positions himself, paddles into the wave -- stands up --

ON THE SHORE -- he catches a brief glimpse of TWO GIRLS in bikinis as they wade into the water --

8         -- but there’s not time to focus on them -- he’s caught the wave and rides it towards shore, when suddenly another SURFER cuts him off -- John has to wipe out to avoid a collision --

9         UNDERWATER -- he gets lost in the power of the crashing wave, doesn’t try to fight it, lets himself get dragged to shore --

10        -- until he can finally find his footing. He stands up in waist high water, angrily yells out to the other surfer --

JOHN

Hey! What the hell--

-- then suddenly realizes he’s only a few yards from the girls he saw earlier. One’s BLONDE, the other is BRUNETTE, and they’re both knockouts. The Brunette smiles at him.

BRUNETTE GIRL

Nice wave.

John wipes the salt out of his mouth.

JOHN

Shoulda been.

The Brunette’s eyes twinkle, but the Blonde rolls hers, tugs at her friend. Although the Brunette allows herself to be pulled away, she smiles back at John before she goes.

John watches her disappear down the beach while the surfer that cut John off wades over to him.

OTHER SURFER

Sorry, bro. Didn’t see you there.

John turns towards him fast -- the other guy flinches slightly. But John is smiling now, too.

JOHN

What? Oh -- no problem.

Then he climbs on his board and paddles back into the ocean.

11       
EXT. PIER
-- DAY

John leans against the rail, staring down at the water.

Nearby, he hears GIGGLING -- and when he turns, he sees the same two girls from before walking up the pier. They stop 20 feet away or so, but they don’t see him.

John peeks over at them... but before he can make a move, TWO GUYS in polo shirts walk up behind the girls. They’re good-looking and loud, each with a beer in hand.

The one in the YELLOW SHIRT wraps his arms around the Blonde Girl. They’re clearly a couple. But John’s focused on the Brunette Girl, and he watches as the guy in the BABY BLUE SHIRT hops up easily on the rail next to her-- and knocks her tote bag off the edge. It hits the water with a SPLASH.

BLUE SHIRT

Whoops. Son of a--

BRUNETTE GIRL

There’s no way you just did that.

BLUE SHIRT

Shit. I’m really sorry.

(off her look)

Oh. Should I, um. . .

BRUNETTE GIRL

My whole life is in that bag!

YELLOW SHIRT

You knocked it in, dumbass. Be a man, go save the day.

Blue Shirt SIGHS. Then he sits down, ponderously takes off his shoes, carefully stuffs his socks into them.

He hesitates... takes a deep breath... looks down at the ocean swirling twenty feet below him... hesitates some more...

BRUNETTE GIRL

Oh, for crying out loud.

John watches the Brunette Girl kick off her own shoes, start to climb up the rail. He grins.

Then, without hardly even thinking about it, he hops the rail and jumps down into the ocean himself.

12        He dives under -- John is clearly comfortable in water -- and finds the bag on the ocean floor quickly.

13        He reemerges to find the group on the pier staring down at him in astonishment. John just paddles back to shore. The Brunette meets him at the end of the pier, all smiles.

BRUNETTE GIRL

Thank you so much!

Blue Shirt trails close behind her.

BLUE SHIRT

You really didn’t have to do that, bro. I was just about to jump in...

JOHN

I’m sure you were. Figured I’d just save you the trouble.

He hands the bag to the Brunette. Their fingers brush briefly.

BRUNETTE GIRL

My name’s Savannah.

JOHN

John.

Blue Shirt notices the way she smiles at him, rolls his eyes.

BLUE SHIRT

Yeah, he’s a real hero, isn’t he?

Maybe you should give him a reward.

Savannah glares at Blue Shirt. John registers the insult.

JOHN

I don’t want a reward.

He nods goodbye to Savannah, turns to leave.

JOHN

You all have a good night.

SAVANNAH

Wait.

She hurries over to him. Blue and Yellow Shirt trade a look.

SAVANNAH

I’m staying right over there.

We’ve got food, and -- I mean, do you want something to eat?

JOHN

Thanks, but I should really be getting home.

SAVANNAH

C’mon. One good deed deserves another, right?

John looks at her. Grins.

JOHN

You gotta understand. My Dad’s expecting me back for dinner -- I don’t want to ruin my appetite.

Savannah grins too.

SAVANNAH

Oh, you won’t. Our food is terrible.

Then she reaches her hand out. Looks him in the eye.

SAVANNAH

Come on, John. Don’t make me beg.

John pauses... then he holds out his hand, too, and their fingers touch again.

14       
EXT. BEACH BONFIRE
-- DAY

COLLEGE KIDS wander around near the house, setting up the bonfire for later that night. While Blonde Girl and Yellow Shirt take a walk down the beach--

--John sits in awkward silence across from Blue Shirt.

Then Savannah returns with two drinks, to both their relief. Blue Shirt scoots over, making room for her. But she takes a seat beside John instead, hands him a beer (she’s drinking diet coke).

Blue Shirt just eyeballs John.

BLUE SHIRT

You in the military or something?

(off John’s nod)

What branch?

John flashes him his sapphire ring (which he never takes off).

JOHN

Army. Special Forces.

BLUE SHIRT

Yeah? Nice ring -- where’s your beret, did you leave it at home?

Blue Shirt grins -- he’s egging John on. John just ignores the comment, but Savannah levels her gaze at Blue Shirt.

SAVANNAH

Hey, Randy? I thought Susan told me you were smart.

BLUE SHIRT

(RANDY) Huh? I--

SAVANNAH

Then why are you making fun of a guy who could kill you with his bare hands?

His smile wipes away. Slowly realizes three’s a crowd.

RANDY

I’m... gonna go get another beer.

He leaves. John and Savannah are alone now. John grins.

JOHN

I’m not so sure I could kill him with my bare hands, actually. He has a thick neck.

SAVANNAH

Sorry about him -- he thinks he likes me.

JOHN

I think he likes you, too.

SAVANNAH

Nah. I’m not his type, he just doesn’t know it yet.

(off John’s grin)

What? What are you smiling about?

JOHN

I just think you’re probably everybody’s type.

At that moment, a SIX YEAR-OLD BOY comes out of nowhere and bear hugs Savannah, almost knocking her over.

JOHN

See what I mean?

The boy’s name is ALAN, and although it may or may not be apparent right away, he’s autistic. But Savannah’s delighted to see him.

SAVANNAH

Alan, this is John. Say hello.

Alan hides his head instead.

SAVANNAH

He’s shy. Alan, where’s your Dad at?

VOICE

Two steps behind, as usual.

They turn to find TIM, a friendly looking guy in his early 30’s. He rubs Savannah’s head as a greeting and it’s obvious they’ve known each other for years.

TIM

They shake hands. Tim notices his sapphire ring right away.

TIM

Special Forces, huh? Where you stationed out of, Fort Bragg?

JOHN

Germany, actually.

TIM

You’re on leave.

(off his nod)

Good for you. I hope you’re enjoying yourself.

John glances over at Savannah. She smiles.

JOHN

Yeah. Yeah, I think I am.

Tim sees the smile and realizes what he’s walked into.

TIM

Well, sorry to interrupt. Nice to meet you, though -- c’mon, son.

Alan gives Savannah one last hug. Then, as he goes, Alan calls back to John, almost as an afterthought --

ALAN

Hello, John.

JOHN

(waving goodbye)

Hello, Alan.

Tim and Savannah trade a quick look, impressed. Then Tim heads Alan back inside the BEACH HOUSE next door.

SAVANNAH

Wow. That was a pretty big deal.

JOHN

Yeah?

SAVANNAH

Alan doesn’t talk to just anybody.

He doesn’t talk to anybody at all, actually, other than his family.

JOHN

He talked to you.

Savannah stands. Nods at the beach houses behind them.

SAVANNAH

Well we’re practically family.

We’ve all been coming here forever -- I’ve known him since he was born.

She motions for John to follow her up.