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FADE IN: CLOSE ON SAM BALDWIN A card: Chicago. He's in his thirties. His neck is pinched into a crisp dress shirt and tie. His expression is vacant, faraway. A breeze blows but he doesn't react to it. In the distance the architecture of the Chicago skyline. SAM Mommy got sick and it happened just like that and there was nothing anybody would do. (continued) And pull back to reveal: EXT. CHICAGO - A GRAVESITE - DAY Next to Sam is his son Jonah, age 9. Sam's hand is on his shoulder. As the mourners go past and each takes a turn shoveling a clod of dirt into an open grave -- SAM If we start asking why we'll go crazy. So, rule number one. We don't ask why. CUT TO: CLOSE ON ANNIE REED Pretty, blonde, animated. Jeans, a T-shirt, a Baltimore Orioles hat. ANNIE Why? I just want to know why? That's my first rule. I always ask why. Come on. Tell me. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon -- And pull back to reveal: EXT. CHICAGO ALLEY - DAY Annie is talking to her boyfriend, a good-looking guy named SETH. They're carrying packing boxes into the house they share in the Old Town section of Chicago. The same stunning architecture in the b.g. They go up the back wooden staircase to the house. SETH There's no why, Annie. I'm just not up for it. I never said I was. ANNIE Is there somebody else? SETH Nope. ANNIE You don't love me, is that it? SETH Nope. Follow them into: INT. KITCHEN - DUSK As they set down the packing boxes and Seth starts to assemble them. ANNIE How about ... you're too narcissistic to commit to another human being in a long- term way. SETH (agreeably) That's good. CUT TO: INT. SAM'S CHICAGO TOWN HOUSE - DAY An attractive, thirtyish couple, SUZY and GREG are stocking Sam's freezer with enough Ziploc meals for a months. A number of friends and relatives talk quietly in the living room beyond. Sam stands alone by a window that looks into the backyard. We can see a garden of flowers -- clearly planted by Sam's wife. SUZY Five minutes in the microwave. Any one of them, five minutes and done. Ready to eat. Do you know how to make juice? SAM Microwave. Five minutes. CUT TO: ANNIE'S KITCHEN - SEVERAL DAYS LATER Packing boxes. Seth is moving out. ANNIE You take the microwave? SETH What am I going to do with a microwave? ANNIE You turn it on, you open it and you stand in front of it for a very long time. SETH So you're angry. Big deal. CUT TO: SAM'S OFFICE - DAY A large modern architectural firm in a Chicago high- rise. Lake Michigan out the window. A large space with several architects consulting, drafting, etc. Sam is at his desk, working. An older colleague, ROB, comes over to him. Rob has a mustache, smokes a pipe; he's kind but a little stuffy. ROB Young man, it's none of my business, but maybe you should talk to someone. I myself have consulted a professional. I used to be up tight. On Sam's face. It's hard to imagine Rob being any more uptight than he is. Sam takes some business cards out of his shirt pocket and reads them off. SAM Hypnotherapy...Shiatu Massage... Loss of Spouse support groups... Single parent discussion nights... Parents without partners. (starts riffling, angry) Partners without parents. People who need people. Guys who go into the woods, beat drums and bond. Get a shrink. Hug a friend. Hug yourself. He stops, realizing that everyone in the room is staring at him. Quickly they pretend they weren't paying attention. Someone whispers something to a client. SAM (continued) Don't mind him. He's the guy who just lost his wife. (beat) What I really think is we need a change. ROB Good idea. Take a few weeks off, get some sun, take Jonah fishing -- SAM (shaking his head no) A real change. New city. Someplace where every time I go around a corner I don't think of Maggie. And hold on Sam for a moment and-- DISSOLVE: EXT. WRIGLEY FIELD - DAY Sam, Jonah and Maggie walking toward the field. It's a gorgeous day for a game. They high-five each other. ROB (V.O.) Where you going to go? And cut back to: INT. SAM'S OFFICE - DAY As Sam snaps out of it. SAM I was thinking about Seattle. INT. CHICAGO TRIBUNE - DAY The Living Section of the paper. Annie is blowing her nose as she finishes telling her tale of woe to her boss, LAURIE JOHNSON. LAURIE Honey, he wasn't right for you. ANNIE (blowing her nose) I know. LAURIE He wasn't even wrong for you, like cosmically wrong, so don't beat up on yourself for wasting...however long it was. ANNIE I know. (blowing her nose again) She pours Annie a cup of hot water. Annie pulls a teabag out of her pocket, puts it into the water. LAURIE Maybe you should see a shrink. ANNIE I want my money. LAURIE Go home for the weekend. ANNIE (after a beat) That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to go home. (she thinks about it) I quit. Laurie, I quit. I'm going back to Baltimore. (she's giddy) How does a blonde do a high- five? She smacks herself in the head. CUT TO: O'HARE AIRPORT - DAY The X where walkway K crosses with walkway L. Coming down walkway K are Sam, Jonah, Suzy, Greg, their son MACK, and several other friends. And coming down walkway L is Annie with Laurie and a couple of FRIENDS from the paper, JUDITH and DIANE. They pass each other going in diagonal directions and continue on. We stay with Sam's group: JONAH (to Mack) Dad says I'm going to get used to it, but I don't think you can ever get used to a designated hitter. overlap: SUZY (to Sam) Eventually, in a few months, you'll start seeing women, you'll meet someone. SAM Move on. Right. That's what I'm going to do. In a few months, boom, I'll be fine, I'll just grow a new heart. SUZY I'm sorry -- GREG Sam, she didn't mean -- Sam is shaking his head no as they reach the gate for the Seattle plane. SAM I know, I know. (emphatic) Look, it doesn't happen twice. CUT TO: Annie's group, as they approach the gate for the Baltimore plane. ANNIE I'm going to meet someone, someone nice and stable who wears a hat so he won't catch a cold, and I'm going to marry him and have three children and live happily ever after. I mean, I am not cut out for this -- DIANE For what? ANNIE For life as we know it. LAURIE Just make sure he isn't fat like my Michael or you'll spend your whole life worrying he's going to drop dead. JUDITH God, you guys are so romantic. ANNIE Do you know how long romance lasts? (she snaps her fingers) That long. DIANE Steven still brings me flowers every Friday and we've been married 10 years. LAURIE (to Diane) Honey, nobody wants to hear that. (to Annie) Here, darling, have some Tic Tacs. Kissing everyone. Annie starts toward the plane, loaded with stuff. ANNIE The next time you see me I am going to be incredibly happy. INT. PLANE - NIGHT Sam and Jonah sitting together as the plane waits on the runway. He notices his father's distractedness, reaches over and takes his hand. Sam comes back into focus. SAM I'm your dad. Don't ever forget that. That's rule number two. (beat) It's you and me, kid. INT. PLANE - NIGHT Annie sitting by herself as the plane waits on the runway. ANNIE (to herself) I guess it's just us. She gulps. EXT. O'HARA AIRPORT - NIGHT The two planes face in opposite directions, waiting for instructions. And now they both start to take off. In opposite directions. And we pull back back back back as the planes take off, one flying east, the other flying west. And further and further back as they soar into the air and leave the frame. The night sky. Stars twinkle. And now tilt down to see the United States. It looks like a cross between a satellite photo and a drawing by Saul Steinberg. A light goes on in Baltimore. A light goes on in Seattle. They are the only lights on the map. EXT. BALTIMORE SUN BUILDING - LATE AFTERNOON - CHRISTMAS EVE As Annie comes out of the newspaper building with WALTER JACKSON, a tall, handsome man who wears a hat. They're carrying an armful of Christmas presents. They're walking toward the parking lot. WALTER The short one with black hair is your cousin Irene -- ANNIE -- who's married to -- WALTER Harold, who ran away with his secretary but came back -- ANNIE -- because Irene threatened to put the dog to sleep if he didn't -- WALTER And your brother Tom is a psychology professor and is married to...Betsy -- ANNIE -- who is the most competitive woman in the world -- They put the presents in the backs of their two cars and pull out together. EXT. A HOUSE IN BALTIMORE SUBURBS - NIGHT Christmas lights twinkling as the two cars pull up in front of a comfortable upper middle-class house and park their cars. They get out assembling presents. WALTER Your Uncle Milton lost all his money in a Puerto Rican condominium that went belly up, don't mention the IRS or the Federal prison system. Your mother is Barbara, your father is Cliff -- ANNIE I hope he doesn't get out his slides. WALTER Am I what they had in mind? ANNIE They're going to love you. As they start toward the house. CUT TO: CLANGING ON THE WINE GLASSES. AND PULL BACK TO REVEAL: INT. ANNIE'S PARENTS' DINING ROOM - NIGHT BARBARA Everybody! Annie has an announcement -- ANNIE Walter and I are engaged! And the family's at the diner table. Annie's family is a completely normally-looking WASP family -- only everyone is a little eccentric. Annie's mother BARBARA, a beautiful gray-haired, fantastically cheerful woman, claps her hands together. Her father CLIFF, who's at the head of the table next to her, gives Annie a kiss. Annie's brother TOM and his wife BETSY are at the table, along with cousin IRENE and her husband HAROLD. UNCLE MILTON, who's Irene's father and Barbara's brother. There are about FIVE CHILDREN there, too. IRENE That's wonderful, Annie. I hope it lasts... for years and years. BETSY (the competitive one) Do you have a ring? ANNIE No. Not yet. BETSY Oh. Well. How will anyone know? TOM Because you're going to call them all and tell them. Congratulations, Walter. He claps Walter on the back. Walter sneezes. And sneezes again. CLIFF Are you all right? WALTER It's nothing. Nothing. ANNIE It's probably just the flowers -- BARBARA We'll move them -- WALTER Don't touch them. I feel terrible sneezing at a time like this. This is a big moment for me -- ANNIE (overlapping) He's allergic to everything, don't worry about it -- HAROLD Bees. I'm allergic to bees. CLIFF Not salmon I hope -- ANNIE If he eats one tiny piece of a nut -- WALTER (cheerfully) My head swells up like a watermelon and I drop dead. IRENE It's the same with Harold and bees. CLIFF Your mother and I had salmon at our wedding, and I really think a wedding without cold salmon -- WALTER I'm not allergic to salmon. I don't think. But you never know. HAROLD You never know. BARBARA Oh, honey, I feel terrible, we used up this magnum of champagne we were saving on something else, what did we use it for? TOM Uncle Milton's parole -- BARBARA Right. UNCLE MILTON And it was delicious. BARBARA It was, wasn't it, Milton darling -- BETSY When are you getting married, Annie? CLIFF In early June. In the garden. HAROLD Does it have to be in the garden? IRENE What about Harold and bees? BARBARA We'll spray you. CLIFF Cold salmon. A lovely cucumber salad. Strawberries. WALTER I'm afraid I'm allergic to strawberries. CLIFF No strawberries. Annie smiles at Walter. ANNIE (to Walter) Is that all right with you? WALTER (to Lou Gehrig line) Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. IRENE What are you wearing? ANNIE I don't know. BETSY I wish you would wear my dress. I only wore it once, and you'll barely have to do anything to it except take it in in the bust -- BARBARA I have something that might do -- INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER Walter is sitting on the couch as Cliff shows him slides of cloud formations in Guatemala. In the next room Tom's at the piano and the kids are singing Christmas carols. INT. BACK STAIRWAY - SIMULTANEOUS MAX, one of the children, is teaching Uncle Milton to burp. INT. ATTIC - NIGHT The sound of Christmas carols from below. The attic is full of boxes and Annie walks through with her mother. They come to a dressmakers dummy with a sheet over it. Barbara removes the sheet. A beautiful antique dress. A veil sitting on top of the dummy. BARBARA The Historical Society wanted this and I never would give it to them -- ANNIE Granny's dress. Oh, Mom. BARBARA I notice these things are back in fashion. Oh, honey. (tears are rolling down her face as she tries the veil on Annie) He's a lovely man, Annie. ANNIE I know. He's wonderful, isn't he? BARBARA Are his folks nice? ANNIE You'll love them. We're going down to D.C. tonight to be with them Christmas morning. BARBARA How did it happen? Barbara starts to unbutton the tiny buttons on the back of the dress and remove it from the dummy. ANNIE It's silly, really. I mean, I'd seen him at the office, obviously I'd seen him, he's the associate publisher, and then one day we both ordered sandwiches from the same place, and he got my lettuce and tomato sandwich on whole wheat, which of course he was allergic to, and I got his lettuce and tomato on white. BARBARA (utterly without irony) How amazing. ANNIE It is, isn't it? You make millions of decisions that mean nothing and then one day you decide to order takeout and it changes your life. BARBARA Destiny takes a hand. ANNIE Oh, please. Destiny's just something we've invented because we can't stand the fact that everything that happens is accidental. BARBARA Then how do you explain that you both ordered exactly the same sandwich except for the bread? How many people in this world like lettuce and tomato without something else like tuna? ANNIE It wasn't a sign. It was a coincidence. Barbara shrugs, slips the dress off the dummy and Annie steps into it. Barbra starts to button the dress on Annie. BARBARA I was in Atlantic City with my family. Cliff was a waiter. He talked me into sneaking out for a midnight walk on the Steel Pier. I've probably told you this a million times, but I don't care. And then he held my hand. I was scared. All sorts of thing were going through my head. But after a while I forgot about them. At one point I looked down, at our hands, and I couldn't tell which fingers were mine and which were his. And I knew. ANNIE (hearing it for the first time) What? BARBARA You know. ANNIE (she doesn't know, but she doesn't want her mother to know she doesn't know) What? BARBARA Magic. It was magic. ANNIE (repeating) Magic. BARBARA I knew we would be together forever, and that everything would be wonderful, just the way you feel about Walter. Walter. It's quite a formal name, isn't it? (lowering her voice) One of the things I truly knew was that your father and I were going to have a wonderful time ... in the sack I believe you call it -- ANNIE Mom! BARBARA Of course it took several years before everything worked like clockwork in that department, so don't be worried if it takes a while -- ANNIE Mom, we already... BARBARA Well, fine, fine. Fiddle da dee. And how's it working? ANNIE Like... clockwork. She turns to look in the mirror. The dress doesn't fit at all. It's completely lopsided. One shoulder is higher than the other. The waist is in the wrong spot. The effect is quite comical. BARBARA So you'll get married in a new dress. ANNIE It's a sign. BARBARA (gently) You don't believe in signs. EXT. STREET - LATE The house Christmas lights sparkle outside, twinkling on the tree inside, and the warm light spilling out. ANNIE They loved you. I told you they would love you and they did. WALTER I love you. ANNIE I love you, Walter. (beat) Did anyone ever call you anything other than Walter? WALTER Nope. ANNIE Even when you were young? WALTER Nope. Not even when I was young. It's starting to rain. WALTER You sure you don't want to drive with me? ANNIE How will I get back to Baltimore Saturday? (remembering something) Oh God, I forgot my present for your stepmother -- I took it inside by accident. WALTER I'll wait. ANNIE Don't be silly. I'll just be ten minutes behind you. EXT. BELTWAY - NIGHT As Annie drives back toward Washington, D.C. Raining. INT. CAR - NIGHT Annie driving. Presents on the front seat. She's singing "Sleigh Ride" and doing all the sound effects and clipclops and giddyups. After a moment, she realizes she doesn't know all the words and turns on the radio. DR. MARSHA'S FIELDSTONE'S VOICE Welcome back to "You and Your Emotions." I'm Dr. Marcia Fieldstone broadcasting across America from the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago where we would have a fantastic view of Santa Claus and his reindeer if there was a -- oops, never mind. Tonight we're talking about wishes and dreams. What's your wishes this Christmas Eve? Maybe the best present you can give yourself is a call to me. The number is -- ANNIE Give me a break. Annie changes the station. RADIO VOICE The subject of the evening's medical update is You and Your Spleen and our host -- She flips the dial back the other way. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Our caller is from Seattle. Annie changes the station. RADIO VOICE Coming up, Jingle Bells backwards, sung by the New Jersey Cape Mayettes -- Annie twists the dial back the other way. We hear a YOUNG BOY's voice. BOY'S VOICE (V.O.) Hello, this is Jonah -- (there's a bleep as Jonah says his last name) Annie's hand lingers on the dial. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) No last names, Jonah. Hello there, you sound younger than our usual callers. How come you're up so late? JONAH (V.O.) It's not that late in Seattle. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Got me there. What's your Christmas wish, Jonah? JONAH (V.O.) It's not for me. It's for my dad. I think he needs a new wife. Annie shakes her head. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) You don't like the one he was now? JONAH (V.O.) He doesn't have one now. That's the problem. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Where's your mom? JONAH (V.O.) She died. Annie closes her eyes for a moment. ANNIE I don't believe this -- EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT As the car drives along. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) I'm sorry to hear that, Jonah. JONAH (V.O.) I've been pretty sad, but I think my dad is worse. INT. CAR - NIGHT DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) And you're worried about him. JONAH (V.O.) I'm worried about him, he's worried about me, I ride my bike to school, he follows in the car, like I'm not supposed to know he's there. Now it's Christmas, and you know what happens to people at Christmas. ANNIE They lose their minds and call crackpot doctors on the radio -- DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Have you talked to your dad about this? JONAH (V.O.) No. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Why not? JONAH (V.O.) It's very hard for him to talk about this stuff. It's like it makes him sadder. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) You want me to talk to him? ANNIE Perfect. Sandbag the father. JONAH (V.O.) And you crazy? He thinks shows like this are dumb. If you didn't have an 800 number I could never get away with this -- DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Is he home right now? JONAH (V.O.) Yeah. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Well, I think I can help a little more if I talk to him directly. JONAH (V.O.) I don't know -- DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) I'm sure he won't be angry once he realizes how concerned you are about him. JONAH (V.O.) Okay, but if I get yelled at, I'm never gonna listen to this show again. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Fair enough. INT. SAM'S HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT Jonah is on the telephone on the first floor of the houseboat he lives in with Sam. He's got the phone cord coming out of the small first-floor study, and he's standing near the kitchen end of a large living area looking out at the back deck, where his dad is sitting in a deck chair looking out at the sea. JONAH Dad -- SAM What is it? ON ANNIE AGAIN. JONAH (V.O.) There's somebody on the phone for you. (into phone) His name is Sam. ANNIE This is completely disgusting. INT. BALDWIN HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT Sam pokes his head in the back door. He looks much as he did eighteen months earlier, except that his hair is a little longer. He picks up the phone extension. SAM Hello. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Hello, Sam, this is Dr. Marcia Fieldstone on Network America. Sam looks across the room to Jonah. SAM I'm probably not interested in whatever you're selling. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) I'm not selling anything. Your son called and asked for advice on how to find you a new wife. SAM (he really didn't get her name) Who is this? DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) (repeating herself) Dr. Marcia Fieldstone of Network America. SAM Jesus, are we on the air? Jonah, for God's sake -- JONAH Don't be mad at me, Dad. Sam can see Jonah. He's frightened. Sam immediately feels how upset Jonah is. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) He feels that since your wife's death you've been very unhappy. He's genuinely worried about you. Sam is looking at Jonah, who's rooted to the spot he's standing on. SAM (to Jonah) I'm not mad at you. Okay, I'm not mad at you. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) I think it's hard for him to talk to you about all this. Maybe we could talk and it would make him feel a little better. Sam hesitates. JONAH Please -- INT. ANNIE'S CAR - NIGHT ANNIE This is a grotesque violation of this man's personal life, but never mind -- SAM (V.O.) All righ... DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Good. How long ago did your wife die? INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT SAM It's been about a year and a half. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Have you had any relationship since? SAM No. Sam is very uncomfortable about this -- DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Why not? SAM Look, Doctor, I don't want to be rude, but -- DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) And I don't want to invade your privacy -- INT. CAR - NIGHT ANNIE Sure you do. SAM (V.O.) (overlapping) Sure you do -- Annie smiles. SAM Look, we had a tough time at first, but I think I'm holding my own as a dad, and Jonah and I will get along fine again as soon as I break his radio. Annie laughs. So does Mr. Fieldstone INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT Jonah is smiling too. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) I have no doubt that you're a good dad. You can tell a lot from a person's voice. But something must be missing if Jonah feels that you're still under a cloud. JONAH Tell her how you don't sleep at night. SAM How do you know that? Sam and Jonah both talk into their extensions, literally talking to each other on the phone within their own house, but also ON THE AIR. JONAH I can hear you walking around sometimes. At first I thought it was a robber. Go ahead, tell her, Dad. SAM I don't think I have to now. Sam starts across the room towards Jonah, who starts toward him, both of them holding their phone receivers. On the wall in the dining area is a pine bench. SAM Look, it's almost Christmas -- (as the two of them sit down together on the bench) A kid needs a mother -- He puts an arm around Jonah. INT. CAR - NIGHT As Annie listens. She's softened considerably. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Could it be that you need someone just as much as Jonah does? ANNIE Yes. Annie catches herself, covers her mouth in embarrassment. ANNIE I'm losing my mind. EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT As Annie makes a turn off the beltway into a rest stop. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) We've been talking to -- well, let's just call him Sleepless in Seattle, and we'll be right back after this break with listener response, your response, to the things we've been discussing. The number to call is... INT. BALDWIN HOUSE SAM What's she talking about? JONAH This is where other people get to call in and dump on what you said. We hear the beginning of a commercial. INT. TRUCK STOP RESTAURANT - NIGHT Annie walks in, anxious to break the spell of her radio reverie. She goes to the counter to order some coffee. There's a commercial on the radio. The counter WAITRESS LORETTA is talking to the customers -- who include a TRUCK DRIVER at a booth. HARRIET, a short-order-cook, is visible through an open window to the kitchen. LORETTA I'll bet he's tall, with a cute butt. HARRIET I'll bet he hasn't shaved in a week. I'll bet he stinks. LORETTA Shut up, Harriet. (to Annie) What'll it be? ANNIE Coffee, please. Black. To go. LORETTA Maybe I should hustle myself out to Seattle. Give him a little present for New Year's Eve. HARRIET You can go there if you want but don't open his refrigerator. They don't cover anything when they put it in the fridge. They just stick it in and leave it there till it walks out by itself. LORETTA Harriet, ever since you divorced your last husband, you've been no fun. I'm looking, and this guy pops my tarts. TRUCK DRIVER Come on, Loretta, you're going to have to jump-start this guy. His battery's dead. And look at me. Mister Ever-Ready. Every six minutes, another charge. LORETTA I'm looking for someone sensitive. ANNIE Come on, nobody wants a guy who's sensitive on the radio. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Let's take a call before we get back to Sleepless. Knoxville, Tennessee, you're on. SWEET SOUTHERN VOICE Yes, I would just like to know where I could get this man's address? LORETTA (to the radio) Honey, get on line. EXT. DINER - NIGHT As Annie gets into her car. EXT. WASHINGTON, D.C. STREET - NIGHT Annie driving toward the house where Walter's parents live. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Do you think there's somebody out there you could love as much as your wife? Maybe even more? SAM (V.O.) It's hard to imagine. And cut back and forth between the car and the houseboat. Sam and Jonah are still on the bench, but Jonah has fallen asleep in Sam's lap. Sam is stroking the boy's hair. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) What are you going to do, Sam? SAM I don't know. When I met my wife, it was so clear. I just knew. Annie is listening now. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) What was it that made you know? SAM I don't think I could really describe it. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Why not? SAM And if I could describe it, it probably wouldn't be on a radio show. (he laughs to himself) But what the hell. It's not one specific thing. It's more of a feeling. (continued) Annie coasts to a stop outside a handsome mansion in Washington, D.C., the motor running. She's hooked now, she's not getting out of the car until she's heard it all. SAM You touch her for the first time, and suddenly... you're home. It's almost like... ANNIE Magic. SAM Magic. CLOSER ON ANNIE realizing she has just said this. Realizing that it must mean something but not knowing what. SHE'S CRYING. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Well, it's time to wrap up, folks -- A FIGURE appears at the passenger side window, which Annie doesn't notice. She's wiping the tears away with her hand. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) We hope you'll call again soon. The figure TAPS on the window -- WALTER (muffled, outside car) Annie? DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) ... and let us know how it's going. -- and taps again. WALTER Annie? She turns. He's pointing at the locked door. She searches for the button. Finally finds it so that Walter can open the door. ANNIE I'm sorry, Walter. I just heard the most amazing thing on the radio. They start toward the front door, Walter and Annie carrying presents, an overnight bag of Annie's. ANNIE People call up these shows and you can't believe the stuff they say. It's the end of privacy as we know it, this country is just one big global village with everyone out there going blah blah blah -- As they enter the house, we hear Silent Night and we see a Christmas tree, glittering with lights. CUT TO: A CHRISTMAS TREE GLITTERING WITH LIGHTS as we pull back to reveal: INT. HOUSEBOAT - EARLY MORNING As Jonah opens his presents under the tree and we cut from gift to gift: A BROOKS ROBINSON BASEBALL GLOVE which Jonah loves and which he puts on his hand and keeps on while continuing to open: A TIE which mystifies him, but he hangs it around his neck. A PLAID SHIRT A MAP OF THE UNITED STATES -- the kind that's used in schoolrooms that pulls down from a roller. And now Sam brings out a long narrow present from behind the door and Jonah opens -- A NEW FISHING ROD EXT. HOUSEBOAT - DAY As Jonah poses with all his Christmas presents -- his tie hanging around his neck over his bathrobe and new plaid shirt, his baseball glove, fishing rod -- as Sam takes his picture. INT. HOUSEBOAT - DAY (OR POSSIBLY EXT. DECK HOUSEBOAT) Sam opens his present from Jonah, which is something he made in woodworking class. SAM The hopes are perfect -- beautiful, identical, smooth -- and they are for something really amazing I feel it in my bones -- JONAH It's a spice rack. SAM We desperately need a spice rack. Desperately. CUT TO: INT. KITCHEN OF HOUSEBOAT - DAY SAM And we desperately need spices. Where Sam is putting the spices they have -- pepper, salt, paprika and oregano -- into the spice rack, which has room for at least twenty more. Jonah is methodically making pancakes. JONAH Dad? About last night? SAM It's never happening again. Right? JONAH Right. There's a knock on the door. SAM Then it never happened. Sam goes to answer the door. TWO YOUNG WOMEN are standing there. Both are wearing quite a lot of Spandex. One of them is named LULU. It says so on her jacket. The other is JOBETH. SAM Hi. LULU Hi. Sam? SAM Yes? LULU (looking in and seeing Jonah) You must be Jonah. Jonah nods. LULU (to her friend) See. I told you. Sam and Jonah. I'm LULU. This is JoBeth. JoBeth nods, and continues to nod as Lulu talks. LULU (continues) We live two piers over, don't we? Number 12, right? We're having like a really neat open house today from like four to whenever if you care to stop by. SAM Thanks, but... we've got plans. LULU Well, here's the number. If you ever find yourself Sleepless, give us a call. We also... do babysitting. She winks. JoBeth nods. Sam nods. Lulu waves goodbye, and she and JoBeth sashay off down the dock. Jonah closes the door and turns to Sam. JONAH Not. SAM My feelings exactly. EXT. LAKE UNION MARINA - EARLY MORNING Jonah and Sam are fishing off a dingy. SAM How many people do you think heard that thing last night? JONAH It plays in 50 states. SAM What?! JONAH Nobody else is going to know it was us. SAM You're right. (after a beat) You better hope so. EXT. BALTIMORE SUN - MORNING INT. LIFESTYLE SECTION - DAY A large open newsroom-type space with REPORTERS at computers. Around the perimeter are glass-partitioned offices and meeting rooms. Inside one of the offices is BECKY, the Lifestyle editor of the Sun. She's at a table with Annie, now a reporter for the section, and two other colleagues -- KEITH and WYATT. Wyatt is playing Gameboy. KEITH This man sells the greatest soup you've ever eaten, there's a line around the block, and he is, I am not kidding, the meanest man in America. (beat) I feel strongly about this, Becky. This is not just about soup. BECKY Do it. What else? WYATT New Year's Eve. Please don't make me write it. Becky looks at Wyatt, notices the Gameboy. BECKY Wyatt, I do not mean to remind you of your mother, but if you don't put that game away, no TV for a week. WYATT (pushing it to the center of the table) Would someone look this up, don't tell me where. Becky is riffling through some papers on the table, among which are some tearsheets from the Associated Press wire. BECKY Listen to this. Phone service in the greater Chicago area was tied up for two hours Christmas Eve because some kid called a phone-in show to get a wife for his father. Two thousand women called in for the number. KEITH Jesus. ANNIE I heard it. This kid calls up and says my dad needs a wife and I'm talking to myself in the car saying, this is completely disgusting, you're taking advantage of a child, and then the father gets on and this shrinkette says, do you want to talk about it? And he says no as a matter of fact I don't, and I am saying, bravo! Right on! Don't talk to her, it's none of her business -- (she's completely into this story now) -- and then suddenly, for no reason at all, he's talking about how much he loved his wife, and how he just -- (she snaps her fingers) fell in love with her and I am crying. Me. A tear is actually rolling down my face. It was like what happens when I watch those phone company ads. I don't have to see the whole ad, I just have to see the part where the daughter gives her mother a refrigerator with a big red bow on it, have you seen that one? Everyone looks at her. Apparently she's finished. BECKY You should write something about this. ANNIE About what? BECKY Whatever it is. KEITH (waving the AP story) What it is is, there are a lot of desperate women out there looking for love. WYATT Especially over a certain age. Annie is looking at them. This isn't what she was talking about at all, although she isn't quite sure what she was talking about. KEITH It is easier to be killed by a terrorist after the age of 40 than it is to get married -- ANNIE That is not true. That statistic is not true. BECKY It's not true, but it feels true. ANNIE There's practically a whole book about how that statistic is not true -- WYATT Calm down. You brought it up -- ANNIE (sharply) I did not, Wyatt. A beat, everyone pauses. Things are a little out of hand. BECKY So where were we? WYATT New Year's Eve. I'll do it, okay? BECKY Okay. ANNIE If someone is a widower, why do they say he was widowed? Why don't they say he was widowered? Everyone looks at her strangely. ANNIE I was jus wondering. EXT. BALTIMORE STREET - DAY Annie walking purposefully, followed by Becky, hurrying to catch up. BECKY What was that about up there? ANNIE What was what? BECKY What's with you? ANNIE Nothing's with me. INT. BALTIMORE RESTAURANT - DAY Becky and Annie are having lunch. BECKY "Sleepless in Seattle"? ANNIE That's what she called him on the show. Because he can't sleep. BECKY And now 2,000 women want his number. The guy could be a crackhead, a psychopath, a flasher, a junkie, a transvestite, a chain-saw murderer, or someone really sick, like Rick. ANNIE Actually, he sounded nice. BECKY Oh? Oh, really? Now we're getting down to it. ANNIE Not. She reaches down for her purse. INT/EXT. REMODEL HOUSE - DAY A hand reaching down to pick something up -- the Seattle newspaper, and PULL BACK TO REVEAL: Sam carrying the paper down/up the stairs to an old house that's being renovated. Jonah, who is playing Cameboy, is walking along with him. WORKMEN are active everywhere. Dry wall going up, cabinets being installed, tile being set. One of Sam's partners, BOB LANGMAN, is walking with him, and JAY MATHEWS, the on-site supervisor, is waiting for them in an unfinished doorframe. Bob is hefty, older, always eating something dietetic. Jay is younger and always wears as little as possible, even in cold weather. BOB LANGMAN Now she wants a circular stairwell off the den. JAY (to Jonah, in b.g.) Punch me, punch in right here. (points to his stomach; Jonah punches) And she wants the Sub-Zero with the side-by-side doors -- BOB Which means -- SAM The cabinets have to be redone -- They all nod at each other. The woman has been a nightmare. BOB So we thought -- JAY Since you're on the make again -- Sam looks at Jonah -- SAM Great. This is great. The whole town knows. Just out of curiosity, how do you two know? BOB Grace heard it. SAM Grace the dispatcher. Great. BOB The point is, take the client out to dinner and ask her to marry you and then maybe we won't have to redo the kitchen cabinets. SAM Why me? What about Jay? JAY Hey, my plate is full. SAM Well, okay. What's the big deal? If she'll forget the new fireplace, I'll marry her. Just point me in the right direction. JONAH Dad, I don't know about this one -- SAM Oh, you're changing your mind -- JONAH No, I'm not, but -- SAM What's the matter with this one? Wouldn't you like to have Imelda Marcos as your mother? JONAH Dad -- Sam cuffs him good-naturedly. SAM We better take the measurements for the new cabinets. He walks away past some workmen, ladders, etc. and starts checking the cross-beams in the ceiling over in another area of the site. Bob follows after him. Jay tosses Jonah a hammer and they start knocking nails into the wall. BOB Sam, if you're not doing anything New Year's -- obviously you're not doing anything New Year's -- we're having some people over, all of them married, not one even remotely interested in playing around. Does that sound great or what? (whistfully) I can't think of the last time I was at a party when anything actually happened. SAM Thanks, but I'll pass. It's kind of a big night. I don't like to leave Jonah alone. CUT TO: SHOT OF HOUSEBOAT BEING TOWED BY A TUG DOWN THE RIVER (OR A SEAPLANE LANDING) - TWILIGHT EXT. HOUSEBOAT - TWILIGHT Jonah watching it. Sam visible in the distance in the kitchen. INT. KITCHEN - TWILIGHT As Sam is busy installing the spice rack. He marks the wall, hammers in the nails, etc. SAM (as he starts putting new spices into the rack, in alphabetical order) Does red pepper go under R or P? JONAH P. (beat) Dad? SAM (absently) What? JONAH I forgot to mention. Jed called -- SAM Just out of curiosity, do you have any friends whose names don't begin with a J? I feel like it was a failure of the imagination on our part naming you Jonah. (looking at the spices) What is marjoram? Does anyone know? JONAH Jed is having a slumber party New Year's Eve and he invited me. A beat. SAM Fine. Fine. JONAH So I can go. SAM Sure. (almost done with the spices) Looking good. JONAH Shouldn't you have used a toggle bolt? SAM I think I know how to have a spice rack. He puts in the last spice. They stand back to admire it. A beat. The rack falls off the wall. The rack itself doesn't break, but about six of the glass jars of spices break. There's paprika and thyme and currying powder, etc. all over the floor along with shards of glass. SAM God fucking dammit! Shit! Fuck. Piss. Jonah bursts into tears. SAM (still angry) I'm sorry. (softening) I'm sorry. He picks up Jonah and holds him. SAM I'm sorry. I'm just -- JONAH Stressed. SAM Right. I'm sorry, Jonah, I'm sorry. And he holds Jonah as Jonah calms down. Sam closes his eyes tight. INT. A TELEVISION SET OF NEW YEAR'S EVE ON TIMES SQUARE And pull back to reveal: INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT Sam, alone, watching the ball drop. He's got a bag of Doritos and a beer. A VOICE Can I have half your beer? SAM Sure. It's Maggie. She takes his bottle of beer and pours half of it into a glass. MAGGIE What did I used to say? Here's looking at you? Here's mud in your eye? SAM Here's to us. You used to say here's to us. (he looks at her and his eyes well with tears) Oh babe. I miss you so much it hurts. He reaches out for her. She's gone. And we hear the television set now counting down to midnight in New York. CUT TO: INT. NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY IN BALTIMORE - NIGHT The same television show counting down to midnight. Champagne corks popping, etc. And we see Walter and Annie. WALTER Happy New Year, darling. ANNIE Happy New Year. They start to dance. WALTER I was thinking, I have to go up to Boston for the AAP convention and then visit Winston-Hughes about switching over our computers. Why don't we meet in New York for Valentine's Day weekend? ANNIE Walter, I'd love to -- WALTER We'll stay at the Plaza -- ANNIE Go for a walk in Central Park -- WALTER Go to the Symphony -- A beat. ANNIE We will? (beat) The Symphony? (beat) Okay. (beat) I'll take you to the Russian Tea Room for pelmeni. WALTER What is it? ANNIE It's delicious, trust me. WALTER Does it have wheat in it? ANNIE I don't think so. They go on dancing. It's one of those parties where everyone looks so happy and so in love. Annie, however, looks thoughtful. ET. MARINA PARKING AREA - DAY Sam gets out of his car and starts down the dock toward his houseboat. He's carrying a bag of groceries. In the parking lot is a U.S. MAIL TRUCK. EXT. HOUSEBOAT - DAY Sam approaches his boat and a puzzled look comes over his face. A MAILMAN with a sack of mail is standing outside the front door of the houseboat. Jonah is signing a receipt for the mail. JONAH Look at this, Dad. They're all for you -- Sam picks up an envelop and looks at it. It's addressed to Sleepless in Seattle c/o Dr. Marcia Fieldstone, Radio Station KWRS in Chicago. He's stunned. As he signs the receipt: MAILMAN If you're having trouble sleeping, you might want to try drinking a glass of water from the other side. JONAH I thought that was for hiccups. MAILMAN Does it work for hiccups? JONAH For hiccups, a spoonful of sugar, you hold it in your mouth for a minute. MAILMAN Really? The mailman starts back toward the mail truck. Sam and Jonah start toward the door. INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT Sam is in the kitchen making dinner. Jonah is sitting at the table, reading the letters from the stack they found by the door. SAM Just out of curiosity, how did they get our address? JONAH They called and asked for it. (reading) "Dear Sleepless in Seattle. You are the most attractive man I've ever laid ears on." Jonah rolls his eyes, tosses the letter into a pile of rejects, opens another. SAM How did they get our phone number? JONAH You have to give them your phone number or they won't let you go on the air. Sam nods as if this makes perfect sense. JONAH (continues, reading) "Dear Sleepless in Seattle: I am an SWF"-- (to Sam) What is that? SAM Thank God. Something you don't know. It's a single white female. JONAH This is no good. She's looking for someone French. Or Greek. (puzzled, he throws the letter into the reject pile, opens another) "Dear Sleepless in Seattle: I live in Tulsa." Where is that? -- SAM Oklahoma. Do you know where that is? JONAH Somewhere in the middle. SAM I'm not going to think about what they're not teaching you in school. I am not going to think about it. (beat) Generally speaking I think we should rule out people who don't live somewhere near here -- JONAH She's willing to fly anywhere. As Jonah hands Sam the picture. SAM She looks like my third grade teacher. I hated my third grade teacher. Hold it! Wait a minute! She is my third grade teacher! JONAH Dad, you're not taking this seriously. SAM This is not how you do it. (referring to the hamburger) You want this on an English muffin or a bun? JONAH English muffin. How do you do it? SAM You see someone you like, you get a feeling about them, you ask them if they want to have a drink or -- JONAH -- a slice of pizza -- SAM But not dinner necessarily on the first date because by the time you're halfway through dinner you might be sorry you asked them to dinner whereas if it's just a drink, if you like them you can always ask them for dinner but if you don't you can go home if you see what I mean. (beat) I wonder if it still works this way. JONAH It doesn't. They ask you. SAM I'm starting to notice that. INT. ANNIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Annie and Walter are making love. JONAH (V.O.) If you get a new wife, I guess you'll have sex with her, huh? SAM (V.O.) What do you think? JONAH (V.O.) Will she scratch up your back? SAM (V.O.) What? JONAH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT As Sam puts Jonah to sleep. Jonah is holding his teddy bear while this conversation concludes. JONAH In the movies women are always scratching up guy's back and screaming and stuff. When they're having sex. SAM Whose show was this on? JONAH Jed's got cables. SAM Go to sleep. He kisses him good-night. JONAH Kiss Howard. (he holds out the teddy bear) G'night, Howard. INT. ANNIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Annie and Walter have just finished making love. Walter falling asleep. Annie lying in bed, with her eyes open. She starts to get out of bed. Puts on a robe. INT. STAIRWAY - HOUSE As Annie comes downstairs in a bathrobe. She opens the door to the street. EXT. STREET - NIGHT As Annie starts to run down the street. CLOSEUP OF: ANNIE, RUNNING And now we widen out to see a misty highway she's running down. Past a sign saying: Seattle Approximately 3,000 miles. Past another sign: Your nerves are shot. And another: Your feet are cold. And another: Will you find love. And another: Before you're cold? And another: Burma Shave. And Annie continues to run, and now we see she's running across a map of the United States -- it's a little like the one we saw in the beginning of the movie -- it's like the famous map of the United States by Saul Steinberg, but instead of being about New York, this one is about Seattle. In the distance, at the very edge of the map, we see two indistinct figures -- a map and a young boy. They start to wave at her, very slowly. Annie's eyes widen. CUT TO: INT. ANNIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Annie in bed, eyes open. Walter fast asleep. She gets out of bed, puts on her robe (just as she did in the dream sequence). INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT As Annie comes down the stairs. INT. KITCHEN - HOUSE She turns the light on. Opens the refrigerator. Closes it. Opens it again. Takes out some milk. Sits down at the kitchen table with a bowl, corn flakes, banana. She's about to assemble it when: She sees: THE RADIO She stands up, turns it on to the station Dr. Marcia Fieldstone is on. She sits back down with her corn flakes. ANNOUNCER (V.O.) Up next, "You and Your Emotions" with Dr. Marcia Fieldstone, clinical psychologist and the best friend you never had. (the teaser continues) WOMAN'S VOICE (V.O.) He says he doesn't love me any more. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Why do you want to be with someone who doesn't love you? ANOTHER WOMAN (V.O.) Every time I come close to orgasm he stops and goes to make himself a sandwich -- DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Why don't you make him a sandwich beforehand? SAM'S VOICE (V.O.) When I met my wife, it was so clear. I jus knew. Annie starts at hearing Sam's voice. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) What was it that made you know? SAM'S VOICE (V.O.) I don't think I could really describe it. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Why not? SAM'S VOICE (V.O.) And if I could describe it, it probably wouldn't be on a radio show. (he laughs to himself) But what the hell. It's not one specific thing. It's more of a feeling. (continuing) You touch her for the first time, and suddenly... you're home. It's almost like... magic. Annie closes her eyes. ANNOUNCER (V.O.) We'll be back after this commercial with Dr. Marcia Fieldstone. EXT. BALTIMORE - PEABODY LIBRARY - DAY We see Annie's car pull into a parking space outside the Peabody Library. Annie gets out of the car. INT. LIBRARY - DAY As Annie strides purposefully across the library and enters: INT. ANNIE'S BROTHER TOM'S OFFICE - DAY Annie bursts into Tom's office and walks over to his desk. We barely has time to look up. ANNIE I think I'm going crazy, Tom. I really do. Are you happily married? TOM (completely panicked by the question) What? ANNIE I mean, why did you get married? Was it all fireworks and trumpets and -- TOM (regaining composure) I got married because Betsy said we had to break up or get married. So we get married. ANNIE But when you met her, did you believe she was the only person for you? That in some mystical, cosmic way, it was fated? TOM Annie, when you meet someone and you're attracted to them, it just means that your subconscious is attracted to their subconscious, subconsciously. So what we think of as chemistry is just two neuroses knowing that they are a perfect match. ANNIE I don't even know him. But I'm having all these fantasies about a man I've never met, who lives in Seattle. TOM It rains nine months of the year in Seattle. ANNIE I know, I know. I do not want to move to Seattle. But what I really don't want to do is end up always wondering what might have happened and knowing I could have done something. What do you think? (Tom opens his mouth to say something, but before anything comes out, Annie fills the void) It's just cold feet, isn't it? Everyone panics before they get married, didn't you? TOM Yes, I did. ANNIE Thank you, Tom. I feel so much better just having blown this off. TOM Any time. INT. PEABODY LIBRARY - DAY As Annie walks through it and pushes the door to exit. EXT. A DOOR OPENING TO SEATTLE STREET - DAY Sam and Jay walk out of the Arctic Building onto the street. JAY Sandy has a girlfriend, Clenda ... She's a weightlifter, but it's not like her neck is bigger than her head or anything -- SAM I'm not asking you to set me up, Jay. That's not what I need your help for. I want to know what it's like over there. JAY And that's what I'm trying to tell you. What women are looking over, okay? Pecs and a cute butt. SAM You mean, like, "He has the cutest butt"? Where did I hear that recently? JAY Everywhere. You can't even turn on the news without hearing about how some babe thought some guy's butt was cute. Who the first babe to say this was I don't know, but it caught on. INT. SEATTLE RESTAURANT - DAY Sam and Jay at the counter. Out the window, we can see water. JAY When's the latest time you were out there? SAM (trying to remember) Seventy... eight. JAY Well. Things are different. First, you have to be friends. You have to like each other. Then you neck. This can go on for years. Then you have tests. Then you get to do it with a condom. (beat) The good news is, split the check. SAM I don't think it could let a woman pay for dinner. JAY Great. They'll have a parade in your honor. You'll be Man of the Year in Seattle Magazine. Tira misu. SAM What's tira misu? JAY You'll find out. SAM What is it? JAY You'll see. SAM Some woman is going to want me to do it to her and I'm not going to know what it is. JAY You'll like it. SAM (grimly) This is going to be tougher than I thought. EXT. HOUSEBOAT - EARLY EVENING Sam coming home. INT. HOUSEBOAT - EARLY EVENING As he enters. It's very quiet. Too quiet. SAM Jonah? No answers. SAM Jonah? He starts to look concerned. SAM Jonah? He goes down the hall to Jonah's room. The door is shut. He opens it. Jonah is sitting on his bed listening to a tape. Earphones on. Next to him is a young girl named JESSICA. SAM Jonah? Jonah takes off the earphones. JONAH Hi, Dad. Dad, this is Jessica. SAM It's nice to meet you, Jessica. JONAH Dad, this is amazing. If you play this backwards, it says "Paul is dead." SAM I know. JONAH How do you know? Sam shrugs, turns to go back down the hall. JONAH Dad, could you close the door? JESSICA H and G. (Sam looks back) Hi and goodbye. Sam closes the door to Jonah's room. Hold on Sam. SAM (to himself) Get a life. INT. HOUSEBOAT - CONTINUOUS As Sam comes downstairs, goes into his office. Closes the door. INT. SAM'S OFFICE AT HOME - CONTINUOUS He goes to the phone. Looks up a number in the phone book. Picks up the phone and dials a number. SAM Hi, Victoria?... It's Sam Baldwin, I don't know if you remember me. Oh? Well, great. I was wondering if you wanted to have a drink... Friday, say... Dinner?... Sure, dinner would be fine. Sure. Dinner. INT. AN UNFINISHED DINNER ON A PLATE IN ANNIE'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Annie is watching "An Affair to Remember" on television, tears pouring down her face. Cary Grant is saying: "Are you in love with him?" Deborah Kerr replies: "I'm not now." She's sitting at the dining room table. A dozen pieces of paper litter the table. Annie's been unsuccessfully typing a letter on an old Underwood typewriter. ANNIE Now those were the days when people knew how to be in love. She takes a blast from the wine glass to her right. Becky leans in, refilling the glass. Annie begins to type and sob and look at the TV. BECKY You're a basket case. ANNIE (as she types) They knew it. Time, distance, nothing could separate them. Because they knew. It was right. It was real. It was... BECKY ... movie. (beat) That's your problem. You don't want to be in love. You want to be in love in a movie. (beat) Read it to me. ANNIE (reading her letter) "Dear Sleepless and Son..." BECKY It sounds like the name of a mattress store -- ANNIE "I am not the sort of person who listens to call-in radio shows" -- Becky flops on the couch. BECKY And this woman is a writer! That's what everyone writes at the beginning of letters to strangers. ANNIE I know that. You think I don't know that? "I know that's a dumb way to begin, but it's the only way I can think of to convey what happened to me the other night when I heard the two of you on the radio. On the other hand, maybe I'm just losing my mind." BECKY You are. You're losing your mind. What about Walter? ANNIE I'm going to marry Walter. I just have to get this out of my system. BECKY Right. ANNIE I should say something in this about magic. BECKY What? ANNIE I don't know. I mean, what if I never meet him? What if this man is my destiny and I never meet him? BECKY Your destiny can be your doom. Look at me and Rick. ANNIE (typing some more) "I want to meet you..." Cary Grant says: "How about the top of the Empire State Building?" BECKY "On top of the Empire State Building at sunset on Valentine's Day." ANNIE Good. Perfect. I'll be in New York with Walter, I can squeeze it in. She types in Becky's idea. Then she takes the piece of paper out of the typewriter, smashes it into a ball and tosses it up in the air and into Becky's lap. BECKY You want to hear about destiny? If my husband hadn't gone on a diet, which caused me to leave him, I would never have been on that flight to Miami, and met Rick, and ended up having sex in the bathroom of a 727 with that nob you slide that says "vacant-occupied, vacant- occupied, vacant-occupied" -- (she shudders in ecstasy, then pulls herself together) ANNIE You never told me you left your husband because he went on a diet. BECKY (nods; after a beat) He lost all the weight... there. ANNIE That's impossible. A guy can't -- BECKY Can too. ANNIE No. BECKY Yes. ANNIE And then you left him? He lost weight there and you left him? BECKY Plus he fell in love with a temp. ANNIE Listen to this, I love this part -- Deborah Kerr says: "It's now or never." And Cary Grant says: "We'd be fools to let happiness pass us by." Deborah Kerr: "Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories." Becky and Annie with tears rolling down their faces. BECKY Men never get this movie. ANNIE I know. BECKY Do you think at the end of the movie when she's in the wheelchair they can still do it? ANNIE I always wondered about that too. As Becky reaches for a Kleenex. INT. JONAH'S BEDROOM A Kleenex being pulled from a box. Sam is giving it to Jonah, who's up. His hair is mated with perspiration. SAM It's okay, it's okay. I'm here. A beat while Jonah calms down. JONAH It was sinking. SAM What was? JONAH Our house. There was water coming in all the windows. SAM (calm and definite) You're worried we're going to be all right. We're going to be all right. (Sam gives Jonah a squeeze) I remember sometimes you'd have nightmares as a baby. Your mom would hold you and rock you and sing you a song. JONAH Bye bye blackbird. SAM Is that what she used to sing? JONAH I miss her. (beat) What do you think happens to someone after they die? SAM I don't know. JONAH Like do you believe in heaven? SAM I never did. Or the whole idea of an afterlife. But I don't know any more. I have these dreams about... your mom... and we have long talks about... about you, and how you are, which she sort of knows but I tell her anyway. So what is that? It's sort of an afterlife, isn't it? JONAH I'm starting to forget her. SAM I know. But she's here, Jonah. Because I have you. And as long as I have you, I have your Mom. Hold on the two of them as music begins. Bye Bye Blackbird. SAM I... uh... have a date with someone Friday night. JONAH Good. A beat. SAM Did I ever tell you about the time I ate a dog biscuit? As Jonah cuddles closer MUSIC COMES UP AS WE PULL BACK FROM THE BED AND... CUT TO: EXT. ANNIE'S TOWNHOUSE - LATE NIGHT AS MUSIC CONTINUES. Annie waves as Becky gets into her car and rides away. Annie turns to her doorway and stops. She can't go back in. She needs to walk and think. She crosses the street into a little neighborhood park. We can see the moon. CUT TO: EXT. SAM'S HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT Sam comes out onto the porch. Flops down in his deck chair. The city lights in the background. Same moon. The MUSIC CONTINUES. CUT TO: EXT. PARK - NIGHT Annie flops down on a child's swing set in the park. MUSIC CONTINUES. CUT TO: CLOSE ON SAM CLOSE ON ANNIE AND A LONG SHOT OF ANNIE IN THE SWING As Walter pulls up into the parking space Becky pulled out of. Annie starts toward him. A LONG SHOT OF SAM ON THE BACK OF THE BOAT Make my bed and light the lights I'll arrive late tonight, blackbird, bye bye. FADE IN: INT. BALTIMORE SUN - DAY Annie on the phone at her desk. ANNIE Laurie, it's Annie. Fine, I'm fine. Listen, I'm doing an article on call-in radio shows. Do you know anyone who works for someone named Dr. Marcia Fieldstone...? CUT TO: Annie on the phone. ANNIE I'm a writer for the Baltimore Sun and I'm a friend of Laurie Johnson's. I'm doing a piece on how people handle bereavement and I understand that you had a caller the other night... I know you're not supposed to, but Laurie said you might, and I'll plug the show and everything -- (she winces in anticipation of a rejection, but then her face relaxes) CUT TO: Annie dialing Sam's telephone number. JONAH (ON MACHINE) This is Jonah Baldwin, we're not in right now but you can leave -- Annie hangs up. ANNIE Baldwin. CUT TO: Annie at her computer modem. She's dialing a number. We hear some beeps. COMPUTER SCREEN Directory. Enter password. (Annie types) Ann Reed. BSun124. (computer) Find. (Annie types) Samuel Baldwin. (computer types) 216 Samuel Baldwin. Strike Y to printout or enter factors. (Annie types) Samuel Baldwin, Seattle. (there's a pause) Not found. (Annie thinks for a moment, then types) Samuel Baldwin, Jonah Baldwin. (a pause) Samuel Baldwin, Jonah Baldwin found. Strike Y to printout or enter factors. (Annie types Y) And now on the computer screen, we see a funeral notice from the Chicago Tribune that reads: Baldwin, Margaret Abbott, beloved wife of Samuel, mother of Jonah, June 10, Funeral 10 a.m. Thursday, Church of the Heavenly Rest, 110 N. State, in lieu of flowers contributions should be sent to Chicago Horticultural Society. And then there's a citation: Chicago Tribune, June 12, 1989. Annie types another entry. ANNIE (typing) Samuel. Baldwin, Chicago. (after a beat) Four Samuel Baldwins. Strike Y to printout. (Annie strikes Y) Samuel Baldwin, arrested for grand larceny, 1961. Samuel Baldwin, alderman, convicted of accepting bribes, 1967. Samuel J. Baldwin, architect, built City Plaza. (Annie presses Y) CUT TO: A PRINTOUT OF AN ARTICLE that Annie's reading. There's a newspaper picture of Sam at the dedication of a building site. It's got that kind of grainy quality that things have when they've been transmitted, but you can make out Sam's basic good looks. EXT. BO'S SECURITIES/WORLDWIDE - DAY Annie coming from the street toward a storefront in downtown Baltimore across the street from the courthouse. Next door there's a bailbondsman, there are ambulance- chasing lawyers hanging out on the corner. The sign on the door reads: "No job too small." "All major credit cards accepted." And then everything on the sign is translated into Spanish. INT. BO'S SECURITIES - DAY Detective Bo Wheedle, a former cop, sits at his desk listening to Annie. He has some papers. ANNIE I need to know about him because... he's involved with my sister... DET. WHEEDLE Okay. ANNIE She has a pattern of getting involved with losers... Once she almost ran away with a human cannonball from the circus. DET. WHEEDLE Do you want a matrimonial, past wives, any kids-- ANNIE No, I know that part -- DET. WHEEDLE So you want a financial, is he a deadbeat, we can do a D&B -- ANNIE No, no, no, it's more like, who is he, does he have a sense of humor, is he nice -- no forget nice, I've got nice -- DET. WHEEDLE A sense of humor. ANNIE I'll tell you the truth, I heard this guy on a call-in radio show and I might not marry the person I should marry because I've become obsessed with him. DET. WHEEDLE Oh. Like Glenn Close in that movie. ANNIE No. Not remotely. I just want to find out about him. DET. WHEEDLE You want a tail. (picking up the phone) I got a guy in Seattle -- INT. SAM'S HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT Jonah is watching Geraldo with his babysitter, CLARISE, 17. Geraldo is talking to a heavily made-up, sexily-dressed WOMAN. GERALDO So how long have you been a woman? WOMAN (husky voice) About two weeks. Sam is coming down the stairs. CLARISE (to Jonah) Pssst! Jonah hits the remote control and the channel changes to the Disney channel as Sam comes into the room, dressed for his date. SAM Clarise, I'll be back by midnight I'm sure -- CLARISE Whenever. Sam tosses Jonah a letter. SAM This one's for both of us. JONAH (reading from the envelope) Sleepless and Son. (reading the postmark) Baltimore. He starts to open the letter. SAM I left the number of the restaurant I'll be at if there's any emergency. CLARISE Fine. SAM (to Jonah) How do I look? JONAH (absently) Great. SAM (looks in mirror) I look stupid. I look stupid, don't I? I look like I'm trying too hard. I was going to get a haircut but then I thought I'd look like I just got a haircut. (checks his teeth, peers up his nose) JONAH (reading the letters) This is a good letter, Dad. SAM (checks his fly, looks down at his feet) The heels on these shoes are very large. Why have I never noticed this? The heels on these shoes are grotesque. JONAH Her name is Annie. Annie Reed. SAM Now I'm late. Bye. He starts toward the door. JONAH Listen to this -- SAM Not now, Jonah -- JONAH Just this one part, okay? (reading) "I have been an excellent third-baseman for as long as I or anyone else can remember, and I guarantee you will not get one past me" SAM Jonah, I'm leaving -- JONAH WAIT!!! (Sam stops, amazed at Jonah's vehemence; Jonah continues reading) -- "and while we're on the subject, let's just say right now that Brooks Robinson was the best third baseman ever. It's important that you agree with me on that because I'm from Baltimore." Dad, she thinks Brooks Robinson is the greatest. Sam goes out the door with Jonah behind him, waving the letter. EXT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT JONAH Dad! SAM Everyone thinks Brooks Robinson is the greatest. JONAH It's a sign. SAM Oh, right. Sam stops, takes Jonah by the hand and takes him back into the house. SAM Come here. I want to show you something. INT. HOUSE - NIGHT As Sam pulls down the map of the United States, which is hanging over one of the kitchen windows and stands Jonah in front of it. SAM Here is Seattle. (moves his finger across the country) And here is Baltimore. Case closed. (he pulls the map and it snaps back up) JONAH She doesn't want us to go to Baltimore. She wants to meet us in New York City on Valentine's Day. On top of the Empire State Building. SAM Perfect. We'll be there. Sam goes out the door. Jonah just looks down at his letter, his hopes on hold. Clarise switches the TV back to Geraldo. INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT Sam sits at a table. Nursing a beer. A little nervous. He looks up and spots: VICTORIA walking into the place. She's attractive. She waves and smiles and sits down, orders a white wine spritzer from the maitre d'. After a beat. SAM Hi. VICTORIA Hi. An awkward pause. SAM You look good. VICTORIA You look good yourself. Another pause. VICTORIA I thought you were never going to call me. SAM You did? VICTORIA I really wanted you to call me, and I thought you were never going to -- SAM You could have called me -- VICTORIA No way. No way I was going to be the first woman you went out with after... (she gestures helplessly) There is no percentage whatsoever in being the first woman anyone goes out with after... SAM You are the first woman I'm going out with. VICTORIA Oh. SAM So whatdya say? I'll get the check, and I'll call you in eight months. Victoria laughs far too enthusiastically. VICTORIA Oh, you are funny -- We hear a CLICK as the image FREEZES. CUT TO: SEATTLE DETECTIVE sitting at a table across the room, having just taken the picture of Sam we saw frozen, with a miniature camera. In QUICK CUTS we see a progression of later photographs: SAM AND VICTORIA SIMPLY TALKING. SAM HOLDING HIS FORK ACROSS THE TABLE TO GIVE VICTORIA A BITE OF HIS SALMON. SAM AND VICTORIA SHARING A LAUGH. CUT TO: INT. BALTIMORE MARKET - DAY Lots and lots of fish stalls with crabs, etc. Annie is walking with Det. Wheedle toward a table you stand at near the clam bar. ANNIE Tell me he's living in squalor. Tell me everything he has is being repossessed, including his filthy, dented mobile home. WHEEDLE He's got a houseboat. ANNIE I hate boats. WHEEDLE It sounds nice. ANNIE Boats. You go out in them. You come back in them. I hate them. WHEEDLE Houseboats don't go anywhere. ANNIE Boats. All anyone talks about is the wind. Is it up, is it down. I can't live with a man who only talks about the wind. WHEEDLE It's not a boat boat. It's really a house. ANNIE But it's on the water. WHEEDLE It's on the lake right in the middle of Seattle. (beat) It rains nine months of the year in Seattle. ANNIE I hope I don't have to pay for that piece of information. WHEEDLE No, that's free. He's an architect. Used to do big high-profile projects. He scaled it all back when his wife died. Now he remodels people's homes. He works in a small firm, makes a good living. He shows her a good picture of him. ANNIE He's real. She goes to the next shot. Sees a picture of Sam and Victoria in the restaurant, although all we see of Victoria is her back and mane of blond hair. Hold on Annie's face. INT. SEATTLE MARKETPLACE With its stalls of king crab, but otherwise almost identical in design to the Baltimore marketplace. Sam and Jonah walk past the fish stand, Sam looking around, slightly distracted. JONAH I figure we could go to New York, catch the Knicks, and since we'd be there anyway, obviously we'd go to the Empire State Building -- SAM There she is. As Victoria comes toward them, with a bag full of groceries. JONAH Why is she bringing that bag? SAM She's going to cook something for us? VICTORIA Hi, Sam. And let me guess -- you must be Jonah. JONAH Hi. (back to the subject) He should book now because we can get an excursion fare. Jessica's parents are travel agents and -- SAM Not now, Jonah. INT. HOUSEBOAT - LATER Sam, Jonah and Victoria are at the dining room table, finishing the dinner that Victoria cooked. SAM We can't finish the job. She's on her sixth painter, now she's thinking maybe she wants the fireplace rebricked -- VICTORIA I know her pretty well. Maybe I could call her -- SAM I've already solved it. I've hired a hit man. Victoria laughs a little too hard. VICTORIA Oh that is so funny, you are so funny. Sam smiles. Jonah is appalled. SAM Every time she wants to change something, she talks in this little baby voice -- (in a little baby voice) "Couldn't you just move the stairway a teeny tiny bit?"-- Victoria almost dies laughing. Jonah's eyes narrow to slits. JONAH Do you like baseball? VICTORIA Yes, I do. In fact, my firm has box seats for the Mariners. Why don't we all go next week? JONAH What about camping? VICTORIA What about it? JONAH Do you like it? VICTORIA I went camping once. (to Sam) I love to brush my teeth in a brook and floss with a weed. JONAH We ought to start camping again, Dad. SAM Okay, tiger. Time for bed. JONAH It's only ten o'clock. SAM (a little edgy) Jonah! JONAH Okay. SAM Thank Victoria for dinner. JONAH Thanks for dinner. I never saw anybody cook potatoes that way. SAM (gracious) I'm glad you liked it. Good night, Jonah. They watch as Jonah pads down the hallway. EXT. SAM'S HOUSEBOAT - REAR DECK - ON SAM & VICTORIA They're standing at the rail, talking. INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT Jonah has snuck downstairs and is peeking out the window at them. Victoria runs her finger down Sam's arm. Jonah is horrified. He dashes over to the phone and begins to dial. INT. ANNIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT A sleeping Annie and Walter are startled awake by the ringing of her phone. ANNIE (groggy) Hello. BECKY (through filter) Turn on your radio! ANNIE What? BECKY (through filter) The kid is on. You've got me listening to this garbage. Go on, turn it on. WALTER Who is it? ANNIE Oh, it's just Becky, she's having trouble with Rich again. (into phone) Hold on, Becky, I'm going downstairs. She puts the phone on hold and gets out of bed. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT As Annie comes in and turns on the radio and picks up the phone. JONAH (V.O.) This is a complete disaster. I wanted him to find a wife, but he's got the wrong one -- ANNIE How am I going to explain this to Walter? BECKY (V.O.) Shhh, listen to this -- Annie takes the portable radio and the telephone receiver, opens the broom closet and closes herself inside. DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Shouldn't your father be the judge of whether she's right or wrong? ON JONAH sneaking glances out at Sam and Victoria as he talks. Victoria puts her arms around Sam's waist and clasps them behind him. JONAH Please, please don't make me sick. He's not sane enough to judge anything. She's a ho. ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BROOM CLOSET, WITH THE TELEPHONE CORD LEADING INTO IT. JONAH (V.O.) (muffled slightly) My dad's been captured by a ho. Suddenly Sam happens to look over to the window. Jonah ducks down behind the desk before Sam sees him. EXT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT Victoria notices Sam glancing back at the house, aware that he's concerned about Jonah seeing them. VICTORIA Is he there? SAM (turning back) No. (beat) After he was born, every time we started to make love, he would cry. He had an uncanny sense of timing. We really shouldn't do anything here anyway. VICTORIA Absolutely. Right. And she moves in to kiss him. ON JONAH Jonah peeks up over the top of the desk to check if the coast is clear and is sickened to see them locked in a kiss. JONAH Oh God, it's major. He's kissing her on the lips. I have to stop this. ON BROOM CLOSET ANNIE (muffled) Come on, Jonah -- BECKY (V.O.) Do something -- ON JONAH DR. MARCIA FIELDSTONE (V.O.) Jonah, you can't butt in here. JONAH Yes, I can. He hangs up the phone and SCREAMS. CUT TO: ANNIE AS THE BROOM CLOSET DOOR OPENS. SHE SCREAMS. It's Walter. WALTER Miss Scarlett. In the broom closet. With the radio. ANNIE (to Becky) I gotta go. I'll see you at work. (she hangs up, turns off radio) Walter, you scared me. Don't ever do that again. INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT As Sam holds Jonah by the shoulders. SAM Don't ever do that again. JONAH I thought I saw a black widow spider. Sam looks at Victoria, shrugs. Back to Jonah. SAM What are you doing up? JONAH I was thirsty. SAM There's a bathroom upstairs. JONAH The water tastes better in the kitchen. SAM That's true. Why is that? INT. ANNIE'S TOWNHOUSE APARTMENT - NIGHT As she and Walter go upstairs to bed. ANNIE Becky heard this woman on the radio complaining about this guy she was sure was Rick, which meant he was cheating on her. She was completely hysterical. Then it turned out the woman lived in Duluth. WALTER That doesn't make any sense. ANNIE I know. It makes no sense at all. Thank God my life is in place. INT. ANNIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Walter asleep. Annie stares up at the ceiling, wide awake. Thinking. INT. JONAH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Jonah lying on his pillow, staring up at the ceiling, wide awake. Thinking. INT. JESSICA'S PARENTS' TRAVEL AGENCY - DAY Jessica is reading the letter from Annie. She's sitting at a computer in their travel agency, which is on the entrance level to a charming Seattle townhouse. Jonah sitting there. JESSICA Write her. JONAH You think so? JESSICA It's Y. O. H. JONAH (agreeing) Yeah. (a beat) What's that? JESSICA Your only hope. INT. NEWSROOM - DAY Annie, at her computer, talking to Becky. ANNIE I thought I would look into doing a story about those radio shows. BECKY (nods; after a beat) You'd probably have to go somewhere to really look into it. ANNIE Definitely. EXT. STREET OUTSIDE JESSICA'S HOUSE - A LITTLE LATER Jonah and Jessica at the mailbox. As Jonah opens the mailbox and drops the letter in, we hear a SQUEAL OF BRAKES. It's Sam's car. SAM (angry) Get in the car right this minute. Jonah, about to get in, looks at Jessica. JESSICA I'll call you later. Jonah gets in. INT. SAM'S CAR - CONTINUOUS SAM Did you call that radio station again? JONAH No. SAM Everyone at work heard you. JONAH I just called for a second. SAM Long enough to call Victoria a ho. JONAH It's a short word. SAM This is not a joke. Thank God Victoria doesn't know. It would really have hurt her feelings. JONAH (really getting into it) If she knew, she'd never forgive me. It would be hopeless for the two of you. EXT. SEATTLE STREET - CONTINUOUS As the car drives off. SAM (V.O.) Don't open your mouth again. Ever. EXT. A CAR DOOR SLAMMING - NIGHT And pull back to reveal: EXT. BALTIMORE RESIDENTIAL STREET - NIGHT As Annie and Walter get out of the car, dressed for a dinner. WALTER Couldn't you just do a phone interview? ANNIE Not for the kind of place I want to do. I won't be in Chicago that long. WALTER When you get back, I'll be gone -- ANNIE And then I'll see you in New York -- WALTER Okay, okay. EXT. BALTIMORE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY A 747 accelerates down the runway and blasts into the winter sky. INT. AIRPLANE - IN FLIGHT - DAY Annie is looking out the window, preoccupied. PILOT'S VOICE This is Captain Foster welcoming you aboard Flight 132 to Seattle. Our flying time today... ANNIE Do you believe that any lie is a betrayal? That's what Harold Pinter says, but it seems to me it's a very harsh way of drawing the line. Annie turns back to the window, leaving the seatmate, who in any case doesn't speak English, completely mystified. INT. SEATTLE/TACOMA AIRPORT - DAY Jonah is standing out of the way at a departure gate, watching Sam as Victoria checks in for a flight bound for Minneapolis. VICTORIA (turning to Jonah) Can I bring something back for you? A souvenir? (to Sam) Does he like those little snow scenes? (to Jonah) You know -- you shake them up and the snow floats down? Sam looks at Jonah, threateningly. Be nice or else. JONAH (extremely polite) Sure. I'd really like that. Thank you so much. VICTORIA Well... JONAH I think they're announcing your flight. Sure enough, passengers are starting to board. SAM He's ten. VICTORIA (he's good at it) He's good at it. SAM I read an article about this ... VICTORIA I read the same article... SAM It takes time -- VICTORIA Absolutely. When I come back, maybe the two of us should spend some time together, on our own. What do you think? SAM Sure. Sure. Victoria waves goodbye and starts toward the jetway. As Sam watches her go, Jonah looks at him, sticks his finger in his mouth and pretends to gag. SAM (impatiently) Jonah, this isn't fair. You don't know Victoria. I hardly know her myself. She is, in fact, a mystery to me. She tosses her hair a lot. Why does she do this? I have no idea. Is it a twitch? Does she need a haircut? Should she use barrette so it doesn't keep falling in her face? These are things that I'm willing to get to the bottom of, and that is why I am dating her. That is all I am doing. I am not marrying her. Can you appreciate the difference? That's what single people do, they try people on and they see if they fit. But nobody fits perfectly, everyone is an adjustment. JONAH Was Mom an adjustment? SAM (complete exasperation) I'm never going to meet anyone who's going to measure up to your mom in your eyes? What do you think? There's a perfect woman walking around out there? At that moment, Annie emerges from the jetway right next to the one Victoria went into and comes toward us. SAM There's no such thing as a perf -- Sam sees Annie immediately, and is instantly struck by her looks, her fluidity, her poise. Annie walks right toward Sam, right past him, inches from him, not noticing him as she looks for the exit. Sam continues to stare at her. SAM (to himself, referring to Annie) God, she's beautiful. JONAH (unaware he's talking about Annie) Victoria? She's okay. Sam and Jonah start toward the exit, Sam trying not to lose sight of Annie. JONAH Dad, I was talking to Jessica about reincarnation, and she thinks that probably you knew Annie in another life. SAM (completely distracted) Who is Annie? JONAH The one who wrote us. Sam is preoccupied with Annie. She takes a turn that he doesn't expect. He's having trouble keeping up, because he has to wait for Jonah. JONAH (continuing) But Jessica says you and Annie never got together in that life, and your hearts are like puzzles with parts out of them and when you get together the puzzle's complete. He's lost Annie in the crowd. She's nowhere in sight. SAM God dammit. A beat, then Sam heads off to the exit. Jonah follows. As they walk into the distance -- JONAH The reason I know this and you don't is that I'm younger and purer so I'm more in touch with cosmic forces. SAM I sincerely hope you are not going to marry Jessica. EXT. AIRPORT CAR RENTAL AGENCY - DAY As the shuttle bus drops Annie off at a rental car. As she gets in and starts the car. EXT/INT. SEATTLE/RENTAL CAR - DAY Annie driving through the streets of Seattle, referring continually to a map she has spread out on the passenger seat, trying to navigate her way to the Baldwin houseboat. EXT. STREET FRONTING THE BALDWIN HOUSEBOAT SLIP -- DAY Annie drives slowly down the street, looking for the Baldwins' marina. She stops, blocking the driveway to the marina. ON ANNIE IN HER RENTAL CAR checking the map. Suddenly she hears a HORN HONKING behind her. She looks into the rear-view mirror and sees Sam and Jonah in their van, anxious for her to move so they can pull into their driveway. Recognizing Sam from Wheedle's picture, Annie panics and speeds away, tires squealing. EXT. SEATTLE GAS STATION - DAY Annie's car is parked just outside the rest room. INT. GAS STATION RESTROOM - DAY Annie's in the Ladies' Room, splashing some water on her face. She towels it off and looks into the mirror. ANNIE (practicing) Hello, Mr. Baldwin? No. Hello, Sam? (sweet) I'm Annie Reed. (dignified) I'm Annie Reed. (sultry) I'm Annie Reed. (matter-of-fact) I'm Annie Reed. She settles on the matter-of-fact reading. ANNIE I heard about you calling Dr. Fieldstone, and well, I just happened to be out here on... JUMP CUT: ANNIE (businesslike) business... JUMP CUT: ANNIE (carefree) vacation... JUMP CUT: ANNIE (losing confidence, ready to pack it in) for no good reason at all... (rallying, businesslike again) business... and I thought I'd drop and... (breezy) say hello... JUMP CUT: ANNIE (earnest) invite you to lunch... JUMP CUT: ANNIE (sexy) take a shower with you... JUMP CUT: ANNIE (embarrassed with all this) shoot myself. EXT. STREET NEAR MARINA - LATER ON ANNIE watching. She's at a safe distance, across the street and down some from the marina entrance. She watches it for a moment, then gains courage. She starts to cross the street to enter the dock. EXT. DOCK - CONTINUOUS Annie walks toward Sam's houseboat. Nervously. Goes up to the door. Adjusts herself quickly and knocks. No response. Let down, she's just about to walk away when she hears a motor REV UP. Annie peeks around the side of Sam's houseboat and spots Sam and Jonah heading out in their dingy. EXT. STREET NEAR MARINA - CONTINUOUS Annie races back to her car, jumps in and follows the boat along the seashore drive. EXT. SEATTLE HIGHWAY - CONTINUOUS As we see Annie driving along the water as Sam and Jonah chug along in the water. EXT. ALKI BEACH - ON SAM AND JONAH They're down at the water's edge, skipping broken clamshells, like stones, across the surface of the water. They're laughing, pointing, counting out the number of skips, arguing over the merits of each throw. ON ANNIE checking them out from a phone booth next to the Snak Shak. DISSOLVE TO: ANNIE'S POV - ON SAM AND JONAH - LATER They're throwing a football. Jonah catches it and starts to pretend to score a touchdown, dodging and feinting. Sam tackles him and they tumble together on the beach. CLOSE ON ANNIE watching. The purity and innocence of this little scene -- a father and son at play -- is affecting her more than she ever could have imagined. Their LAUGHTER filters up to her. Right to her heart. ANNIE (V.O.) I watched him play with his son at the beach. INT. ANNIE'S MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT Annie's on the phone with Becky. We cut back and forth between them. BECKY (V.O.) Did you talk to him? ANNIE I couldn't do it. How did I get here? INT. BECKY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Becky on the phone in bed. And cut back and forth. BECKY You told a lie and got on a plane. ANNIE That's not what I mean. (beat) I'm going back over there tomorrow and talk to him. I am. BECKY Okay. Good. Goodbye. ANNIE Becky? BECKY What? ANNIE Is this crazy? BECKY No. That's the weirdest part about it. ANNIE Thank you. I love you. BECKY I love you, too. ANNIE Good night. Annie hangs up the phone. She turns off the light. Moonlight coming through the window. Hold on her. EXT. STREET NEAR MARINA - DAY Annie parks across from the marina, starts to get out. Sam's van pulls into a parking space. Jonah in the front with Sam. They're diagonally across a four-lane street. ON SAM AND JONAH As they start to get groceries out of the car. Annie watching. This is it. No chickening out this time. She's come three thousand miles, told lies, the whole thing. It's now or never. Sam and Jonah start toward the gate to the dock. Annie starts to cross the street, gathering courage and rightness with every step. But she STOPS DEAD WHEN SHE SEES: SUZY who we remember from eighteen months ago, appearing at the gate to the marina -- waving, smiling a mile wide -- beckoning Sam and Jonah home like a military wife whose boys have just come back from the front. Sam and Jonah are overjoyed to see her. Jonah breaks into a run, nearly leaping into Suzy's waiting arms -- as Sam brings up the rear, picking up Jonah's sodas which he dropped when he started running. ON ANNIE She comes to a standstill, in the middle of the street. In shock. The scene in front of her is too horrible to bear. ANNIE'S POV - GATE TO MARINA Sam catches up. Suzy -- no less beautiful and vivacious than she was before -- tousles Jonah's hair, kisses Sam and hugs them both. ON SAM, JONAH AND SUZY. SAM God, it's wonderful to see you. Where's Greg? SUZY He's over at the boat show. He'll be by later. (she looks around) It's so beautiful here. ANNIE There is such apparent warmth, and joy, and love about this homecoming that she forget where she is -- in the middle of the street. A car HORN blares at her... all she can do is stare at the nightmare that has unfolded. She starts to back away -- and that's when she sees -- A TAXICAB coming right at her, horn BLARING, tires SQUEALING. Annie starts to jump to the other lane but there's a van bearing down from the opposite direction. She steps back to the middle line. The cab goes into a skid. Annie freezes. Sam heard the noise and turns to see what's going on. The cab comes SCREECHING right at the CAMERA. Annie screams. The cab stops inches from her body. The van in the other oncoming lane fishtails to a stop as well. ON SAM responding. He runs from the gate toward the near- accident. ON THE CAB DRIVER getting out of the cab, as other people gawk from the sidewalk. DRIVER Lady, what the hell are you doing? Annie, still in shock from her brush with disaster, hears the Cabbie but doesn't respond. Stunned, she turns to see Sam on the other side of the street. Their eyes meet. Sam stops, realizing it's the woman he saw in the airport. SAM Hello. ANNIE Hello. Annie, totally mortified and humiliated by everything that's happened, bolts for her car. Sam wants to run after her -- but there's traffic is coming past and he can't cross the street. Annie gets into her car, starts and pulls away. Sam stands there, deflated. EXT. AIRPLANE - IN FLIGHT ACROSS THE U.S. - DAY ANNIE (V.O.) How could I have been such an idiot? EXT. BALTIMORE STREET - DUSK Becky's car driving toward Annie's house. BECKY You were standing in the middle of the street? INT. BECKY'S CAR - DUSK ANNIE You know that dream where you're walking down the street naked and everyone is looking at you? BECKY I love that dream. ANNIE That was nothing compared to this humiliation, nothing. BECKY But he saw you, right? ANNIE He said hello. EXT. TOWNHOUSE - ON ANNIE & BECKY - DUSK As Annie leads the way to her door, from Becky's car. BECKY And what did you say? Annie takes the mail from the mailbox on her way to the door. ANNIE All I could think of to say was hello. CUT TO: "AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER" ON THE TELEVISION SET. DEBORAH KERR IS SAYING: "ALL I COULD THINK OF TO SAY WAS HELLO." And pull back to reveal: INT. ANNIE'S TOWNHOUSE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Becky and Annie looking at the television. BECKY It's a sign -- ANNIE It's a sign I've watched this movie too many times. (beat) I'm so stupid. From the minute I listen to that stupid program on the radio, I've been a complete jerk. She starts absently going through the mail, throwing almost all of it away without even opening it. BECKY You don't know who she was, Annie -- ANNIE I saw her. She looked just like this -- She shows Becky the photo of Victoria and Sam having dinner. BECKY This is a photo of hair. ANNIE Well, it's the same woman. And he was crazy about her. (looking at one letter) What is this? (beat) This is from Seattle. She opens the letter. Reads it. Looks up at Becky. ANNIE Becky? BECKY So I mailed your letter. ANNIE (reading the letter) "Dear Annie: Thanks for your letter. It was great. We're very excited about meeting you in New York on Valentine's Day and seeing if we are M.F.E.O. Sleepless in Seattle." BECKY M.F.E.O.? ANNIE Made for each other. A long beat. BECKY It's cute. It's like a little clue. Annie looks at her balefully. BECKY (continuing) So he can't write. Big deal. I mean, verbal ability is a highly overrated thing in a guy, and our pathetic need for it is what gets us into so much trouble. ANNIE (with resolve) I'm going to run back to Walter's arms, if he's still have me. BECKY What about the letter? ANNIE It doesn't mean anything. It was written before I went out there. Before the ho. She puts the letter on an ashtray, takes a match and lights it. They both watch it burn. CLOSEUP ON THE FIRE And pull back to reveal: INT. SAM'S HOUSEBOAT - NIGHT A fire is blazing in the wood-burning stove. Suzy is sitting with her husband Greg and Sam. Jonah is in evidence, curled up on the couch under some blankets, asleep. On the table near the couch is red construction paper for valentines, doilies, magic markers, etc. SUZY You saw her in the airport and then here? SAM I tried to talk to her... (he shrugs) It was like I knew her. Weird. GREG Well, at least you're out there seeing people again. That's terrific. SAM Well, just one really. SUZY How's Jonah taking it? SAM It'll take him a while to come around. A month ago he called one of those radio call-in shows and told them I needed a wife -- SUZY (charmed) You're kidding -- SAM Now that I'm seeing someone, it's a whole other thing. ON JONAH he's not asleep after all. He's been listening all along. SAM He's become obsessed with some woman who wrote me -- GREG Are you serious? SAM She wants to meet me at the top of the Empire State Building. SUZY It's a little derivative. SAM What do you mean? SUZY "An Affair To Remember." Did you ever see it? Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. Before that it was called "Love Affair With Irene Dunne And Charles Boyer." GREG Women love this movie. On Jonah, listening. SUZY They met at the Empire State Building, only they didn't. Never mind. GREG What kind of person would write to someone they heard on the radio? SAM I got hundreds of letters from women all over the country -- GREG Desperate women -- SUZY Just because someone's looking for a nice guy doesn't make them desperate. GREG How about rapacious and love- starved? SUZY No. GREG It is easier to be killed by a terrorist -- SUZY It is not -- GREG Right, right. Suzy's irritated. SAM Anyway, Victoria's nice. SUZY Would you follow her through an airport? SAM Look, I met somebody. She's good, and capable and smart. We hit it off. We can't spend your life chasing after fantasies. Jonah is devastated by the realization that his dad is serious about Victoria. INT. SAM'S BEDROOM - ON SAM IN BED - NIGHT The door to his bedroom opens. Annie walks in. She's wearing a white men's shirt. ANNIE Hi. SAM Hi. (a beat) So far so good. So. What should we talk about? How insecure we were in high school. Shirley Votypka, the first girl I ever felt up. Health. What about health? Did you know that eating six macadamia nuts is the equivalent of eating a steak? ANNIE Shhhh -- She unbuttons her shirt. And they kiss. FREEZE FRAME on the kiss. It becomes the silhouette of a man and a woman kissing. AND PULL BACK TO REVEAL: The silhouette of a man and a woman kissing on a red box of Valentine's Day chocolates and now we see: EXT. BALTIMORE - VALENTINE'S DAY - DAY A few quick shot of Valentine's Day in Baltimore: shop windows lined with candy displays of red satin hearts, lacy Valentine cards, red roses in elaborate floral arrangements, old ladies selling chocolates, young ladies selling perfume. A red Valentine's envelope is being tossed on a desk, and pull back to reveal: INT. BALTIMORE SUN - DAY Annie at work. She looks at the card and opens it. It's from Walter. She smiles. Looks up. There's Becky. BECKY You're going to miss the train. ANNIE No, I'm not. (she starts assembling her things) BECKY What are your plans in New York? ANNIE We're going to the Rainbow Room and the symphony tomorrow night. BECKY I love the symphony. ANNIE (cheerfully) I hate it. (she stands to go, starts toward the elevator) I'm so happy, Becky. Finally I feel happy. This is right. This is real. Everything else is what happens when you watch too many movies and completely lose sight of what counts. (as she steps into elevator) Please don't tell anyone about what happened. "Sleepless in Seattle" is history. INT. BALTIMORE TRAIN STATION - DAY Annie through the train window as the train starts to move out of the station. MAP OF THE UNITED STATES. The map we saw at the beginning of the movie, as the light dims in Baltimore and a light goes on in New York. EXT. NEW YORK HOTEL - NIGHT Annie steps out of a cab. INT. NEW YORK HOTEL - NIGHT Walter opens the door to a beautiful suite. A bouquet of flowers sits on the desk. A bucket of champagne. Annie throws herself into his arms. Walter sneezes. EXT. THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - DAY And pull back to reveal that it's a shot from "An Affair To Remember." And pull back to reveal: INT. JESSICA'S HOUSE - DAY JONAH is watching with his little girlfriend JESSICA, who's crying. JESSICA (weeping) This is the best movie I've ever seen in my life. JONAH I don't get it. JESSICA You have to go to her, Jonah. You have to find her. Jonah nods. But he isn't sure how he's going to do it. JONAH Do you know how much it costs to go to New York? JESSICA Nobody knows. It changes practically every day. How much money do you have? JONAH Eighty dollars. JESSICA I have forty-two. So that would definitely cover taxicabs, I think. JONAH But how am I going to get there? JESSICA'S MOTHER Honey, I'm going out for a few minutes. (sticking her head in the door to the living room) Could you keep an eye on things out front till I get back? Jessica looks over at Jonah. JESSICA Sure. INT. JESSICA'S HOUSE - TRAVEL AGENCY OFFICE - DAY Jessica is working on the computer. She punches Jonah's name into it. JESSICA Do you want an aisle or a window seat? JONAH Window. JESSICA Do you want a fruit plate? JONAH I don't know. Do I? JESSICA (shrugs) I'd rather die than eat on an airplane. (beat) I'm telling them you're twelve so you can fly unaccompanied and they won't make you be carried around by a stewardess and everything. Jonah nods. Now Jessica takes a ticket form out of the desk and starts to fill it out for Jonah. EXT. FIFTH AVENUE - TIFFANY'S - A SCULPTED GLASS HEART - DAY formed by two dancers bending over backwards, awash in pink light and spotlighted in white. Walter and Annie are among a few other people -- couples mostly -- looking in the windows. Each one a variation on the heart motif. They move to a window -- "Broken Heart" -- burnished metal, with tow cherubs flying out of the wound in the middle. ON WALTER AND ANNIE'S REFLECTION in the Broken Heart window. They're both in their own worlds. Then they both start to speak at once. They stop. Annie looks at Walter. ANNIE You go. WALTER Ever since Christmas, you've been different. Kind of distracted, distant. But I feel like you're coming back from wherever you were. ANNIE I am. (she smiles at him) I was just... I just got... I think I got nervous. It's normal, right? Don't you ever feel nervous about, you know? WALTER What? ANNIE About forever. WALTER No. ANNIE Well, I did. And you know what I think? I think that it was almost... too perfect. INT. FIRST FLOOR - TIFFANY'S - DAY As Annie and Walter walk through the jewelry department to the elevator. ANNIE I started to wonder whether we were the human equivalent of two rights making a wrong, you know? Walter has no idea what she means, but he's completely good-natured about it. INT. THIRD FLOOR TIFFANY'S - DAY Annie and Walter are walking around the floor, followed by a SALESWOMAN who is carrying a large white card on which she is noting their selections. ANNIE It was like kismet but not, if you see what I mean. Walter's brow furrows slightly. ANNIE (continuing) You have to grow up. You can't have all these adolescent dreams about how exciting your life is going to be -- Walter starting to look puzzled. ANNIE (continuing) Don't hate me but I love this pattern. WALTER You couldn't. ANNIE I do. WALTER It's just like my grandmother's china. SALESWOMAN How many place settings should I put down? ANNIE & WALTER Ten. Walter beams at her. WALTER Exactly. Eight is too few and twelve is too many. The SALESWOMAN writes a "10" on the big sheet of paper. INT. FIRST FLOOR - TIFFANY'S - DAY As Annie and Walter come out of the elevator on the ground floor and WALTER stops for a moment at the Jewelry Repair department, reappears with a little blue Tiffany's box he gives to Annie. Annie opens it. Inside is a lovely antique diamond ring. ANNIE Walter. WALTER It was my mother's. ANNIE It's so beautiful. It's just what I would have picked out if I'd had every ring in the world to choose from. (as she slips the ring onto her finger) You see what I mean. There are people who would like a relationship to be full of surprises, but I am not one of them. (as she starts out the door with Walter behind, thinking about what she has just said) Surprises are highly overrated. As they go out the door to: EXT. FIFTH AVE. - DAY As they start down the street and go off into the distance. ANNIE (continuing) Promise me something, Walter. Promise me you will never have a surprise party for me. Ever. You know what happens, you walk in the door in some horrible sweater you put on that morning, and there are hundreds of people in their best clothes shouting "Surprise!" INT. SAM'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Sam's got a suitcase on the bed, packing. Jonah is standing in the doorway, watching. He goes to his desk looking for something but can't find it. He tries a few drawers. SAM Have you seen my wallet? JONAH It might be in the kitchen. Sam doesn't remember leaving it in the kitchen. SAM I'm only going to be away one night, okay, and Clarise will be here. You'll have a swell time. You'll watch a little Geraldo, some Nightmare on Elm Street 12, I'll never know. JONAH Are you going with her? SAM Yes. Jonah walks out of Sam's bedroom and we hear the door to his bedroom slam shut. ON SAM Starting to boil. He walks into -- INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT And open the door to Jonah's room. INT. JONAH'S ROOM - NIGHT SAM I have to have a life. I have to do things that I want with people my own age. It's none of your business who I am going out with. I don't give a good goddam if you're angry -- JONAH (holding up Annie's letter) This is the one I like. Sam starts back to his bedroom. INT. SAM'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS SAM I don't care who you like. It's who I like. But the truth is you're never going to like anyone because it isn't your mother. Sam throws a pair of socks into the suitcase. JONAH (yelling) Fine. I won't say anything. You can marry Count Dracula. SAM Thank you, Jonah. But the point is, I am not asking permission. JONAH (yelling) What's wrong with Annie? SAM (emphasizing every word) Shut up. Jonah appears at the doorway. JONAH Shut up? Shut up??? Mom never did that. Mom never said shut up to me. Mom never yelled at me. SAM This conversation is finished. JONAH You said we could go to New York. SAM Did not. JONAH Did too. SAM I can't know what I said, but we're not going. JONAH (crossing his arms across his chest) I'm not leaving this room until you say yes. SAM Get out. JONAH No. SAM Goddammit, I am sick of this -- Sam picks Jonah up and carries him kicking and screaming into: INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT and into: INT. JONAH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT JONAH Put me down. I hate you, I hate you -- He throws Jonah on the bed. Jonah in tears. SAM I'm sick of this phony melodramatic bullshit. I'm sick of it. He leaves the room and slams the door. INT. HALL - CONTINUOUS Jonah weeping as Sam goes back to his bedroom. INT. SAM'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS The sound of Jonah weeping. Sam sits down on the bed, wiped out. Hold on him. EXT. BALDWIN HOUSEBOAT - MORNING As Clarise the babysitter arrives at the houseboat. INT. HOUSEBOAT - MORNING Sam and Clarise in the hallway outside Jonah's door. SAM Jonah? Clarise is here, okay? And I'm leaving. No response. SAM Jonah? (to Clarise) He's probably still asleep. He opens the door gently to the room. Jonah's gone. IN QUICK CUTS: Sam looks in the bathroom: no Jonah. In the main cabin. The back deck. Out onto the docks. Looking all up and down. Clarise coming down the deck -- she's apparently been looking in the neighborhood. As she shakes her head no, Sam goes to the bicycle shed. Jonah's bike still there. Sam stands on the deck. EXT. SEATTLE/TACOMA AIRPORT - DAY We see a group of people filing off an airport shuttle bus. The sign in front rotates from "Airport" back to "Marina." Jonah comes down the stairs and steps off with his Mariners backpack. He just stands there a beat, looking around. Then he goes through the glass doors. INT. AIRPORT FIRST CLASS TICKET COUNTER - DAY The TICKET CLERK turns back to the counter. TICKET CLERK Next. Jonah steps forward, with his ticket. INT. JESSICA'S HOUSE - DAY Jessica is sitting defiantly in a chair in the middle of the living room. She is being interrogated but she is not going to talk. There's a clock on the mantel. Sam is in the room with Jessica's mother and father. JESSICA'S MOTHER Jessica, this is not acceptable. JESSICA'S FATHER If you don't tell us right now, right this minute, I'm going to kill you. Jessica rolls her eyes. She looks over the clock on the mantel. As it ticks to 8:30: JESSICA He's on his way to New York. JESSICA'S MOTHER What? SAM How? JESSICA (the child of travel agents) United 597. Jessica's mother and father are horrified. JESSICA'S MOTHER Jessica! SAM When does it leave? JESSICA'S FATHER Eight-thirty. Everyone looks over at the clock. It says 8:31. Jessica smiles. INT. SAM'S CAR - DAY CLOSE ON SAM Driving to the airport. EXT. HIGHWAY NEAR SEATTLE/TACOMA AIRPORT - DAY As his car takes the airport exit. INT. AIRPLANE - DAY A stewardess bends affectionately over Jonah, ensconced in the first-class section. He's got his backpack on his lap and he's holding it. STEWARDESS Here you go... here's a nice pin for you, for flying with us. JONAH (completely unmoved, but polite) Thank you. STEWARDESS You're welcome. Can I take that for you? JONAH (clutching it even tighter) No. INT. AIRPORT TICKET COUNTER - ON SAM - DAY at the reservations desk. Desperation. SAM (frantic) He's about this high, 90 pounds, never combs his hair, Mariner's hat -- AIRLINE CLERK (to his colleagues) Anyone check in a unaccompanied minor on the New York flight? FIRST CLASS TICKET CLERK I did. Sam closes his eyes. SAM I'll kill him. (beat) I have to get to New York as fast as I can. AIRLINE CLERK We can get you on a flight to Chicago and you can change planes -- Starting to punch information into the computer. AIRLINE CLERK How will you be paying for this? SAM (taking out his wallet) American Express. (there's no American Express card in his wallet) Visa. (beat) I really am going to kill him. INT. O'HARA AIRPORT - DAY As Sam comes out of the plane from Seattle and dashes through the concourse, managing to arrive at the plane for New York at the very last moment. INT. KENNEDY AIRPORT - DAY As Jonah comes out of the plane from Seattle and looks up to see which way to go. He looks very small. Big New York passengers in a hurry whiz by with their carryons dangerously flying at their sides. EXT. KENNEDY AIRPORT - A FEW MINUTES LATER Jonah stands in a taxi line. INT. TAXI - A FEW MINUTES LATER Jonah sits down in the back seat. Looks up. A big bruiser of a CAB DRIVER leans back over the seat, sizing Jonah up. TAXI DRIVER Where to? JONAH Empire State Building. INT. PLANE TO NEW YORK - DAY Sam is in an aisle seat. He closes his eyes and squeezes them tight. SAM (to himself) Come on... come on... come on... COMEONCOMEONCOMEONCOMEONCOMEON... EXT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - AFTERNOON It looks magnificent in the waning afternoon light. CABBIE'S VOICE There it is. We are watching from: INT. A TAXICAB where Jonah, with his head out the window, regards the building with awe. CABBIE What are you gonna do there, spit off the top? JONAH No. I'm gonna meet... (trying to figure out what to call her) my mother. INT. RAINBOW ROOM - DUSK Walter and Annie walking toward their table with the MAITRE D'. Annie sits down, looks at the view. Walter starts to sit, revealing a spectacular view of the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING directly behind him. Annie's smile fades. WALTER Is something wrong. Annie shakes her head. MAITRE D' May I get you a drink? WALTER Some champagne? ANNIE Fine, fine. Walter glances back over his shoulder. WALTER Beautiful view, isn't it? ANNIE Walter, there's something I have to tell you -- EXT. KENNEDY AIRPORT - DUSK As Sam rushes out of the terminal. Desperate. A cab pulls up. Sam bolts to the head of the line and muscles his way into the cab. The other people in line are irate. SAM Sorry, this is an emergency. The cab pulls out to a chorus of verbal abuse. SAM (V.O.) Empire State Building. INT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING LOBBY - DUSK Jonah, carrying his backpack, walks through the majestic lobby and follows the arrow to the Observation Deck. EXT. TOP OF EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - HELICOPTER SHOT - DESK Looking down on the observation deck. The city below. The tiny figure of Jonah walks into the middle of the deck. Looks around. EXT. 59TH STREET BRIDGE - DUSK Sam's cab speeds across the bridge and into Manhattan, heading for the Empire State Building. INT. TOP OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - DUSK Jonah is going to take the bull by the horns. He walks up to a likely-looking WOMAN. JONAH Hi, I'm Jonah. Are you Annie? WOMAN #1 No. (smiles at him) I'm Cynthia. He spies another unattached woman. JONAH Excuse me, are you Annie? EXT. RAINBOW ROOM - DUSK A helicopter shot of Annie talking animatedly to Walter. And pull back to reveal that the Rainbow Room is actually being seen by Jonah through a viewscope in: EXT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING OBSERVATION DECK - DUSK INTO NIGHT Jonah is looking through the viewfinder. He turns around, forlorn. He takes off his backpack and is about to sit down next to it when Sam bolts into the observation deck. Jonah leaps into his arms. SAM You're my family. You're all I've got. What if something happened to you? Sam's eyes well up. Jonah starts to cry. SAM What if I couldn't get to you? JONAH I was scared of what you were gonna do. SAM When I found you? JONAH If I didn't go. SAM Listen, have I ever done anything really stupid? JONAH No. SAM I mean, so far, have I screwed it up for you? JONAH No. The two of them hold each other tight. After a beat: SAM I can't believe you flew first class. JONAH It was all they had. INT. RAINBOW ROOM - NIGHT Annie and Walter. There's champagne in their glasses, but neither of them has drunk a drop. ANNIE I don't know what to say about it, Walter. It was a form of temporary insanity. But I had to tell you about it because -- WALTER (matter-of-fact) -- it was a betrayal. ANNIE Yes. But it wasn't really. It was just... WALTER So what happened? ANNIE I told you. Nothing -- WALTER At the top of the Empire State Building -- ANNIE I'm not at the top of the Empire State Building. I'm here. WALTER Not really. (beat) Look, Annie, I love you. Let's leave that out of it. I don't want to be someone you're settling for. I don't want to be someone anyone settles for. (beat) I have a life insurance policy, I'm fully invested in growth stocks, I have a paid subscription to Home Rox Office, I have no sexual diseases, I have been steadily employed in a part of the economy that isn't soft, I have expectation in the way of inherited wealth, I dress nicely, I am a member of the private sector, an independent voter, I don't watch Monday Night Football, the only thing wrong with me is that I am allergic to wheat, strawberries, penicillin, pollen, nuts and wool. There are plenty of women who see me as the brass ring. If you don't -- marriage is hard enough without bringing such low expectations into it, isn't it? Annie is nodding. She wipes a tear from her face. ANNIE Oh, Walter. I don't deserve you. WALTER I think that's what I'm saying. Slowly, gingerly, Annie slips the engagement ring off her finger and hands it to Walter. No bitterness here. Both of them trying to be gentle with each other. ANNIE You okay? WALTER Yes. (beat) Some people will do anything to get out of going to a symphony. This breaks the tension. Both of them smiles. ANNIE Oh! WALTER What? ANNIE Look! Walter turns to look over his shoulder at what Annie sees: THE LIGHTS HAVE JUST GONE ON ON THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING VALENTINE LIGHTS: A huge pink and white heart. Walter turns back to Annie. WALTER Go for it. And as Annie's heart leaps and she's about to bolt. CUT TO: EXT. WEST 50TH STREET - NIGHT As Annie comes out to the street and hails a cab. As it screeches off toward Fifth Ave. INT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING OBSERVATION DECK - NIGHT The lights are on all over the city. The crowd has thinned out considerably. Jonah and Sam are among the last people left. They gaze out at the twinkling lights and the ever-darkening sky. ELEVATOR OPERATOR Last call. Closing time. Jonah looks at Sam. JONAH This is pretty dumb, wasn't it? Sam shrugs. SAM Big deal. After a beat. SAM Maybe we'll get a dog when we get back. JONAH Okay. SAM What do you mean, okay? Wouldn't you like a dog? JONAH Sure. Sam puts his arm around him, they start toward the elevator. SAM Let's go home. EXT. FIFTH AVE - NIGHT Annie's cab stuck in traffic. As Annie gets out of the cab. She's breaking into a hard run toward the Empire State Building. INT. LOBBY OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - NIGHT Annie sprints in and over to Information Booth. INFORMATION BOOTH PERSON Sorry, ma'am, but the elevators are closed. ANNIE (out of breath) No. Please. I really need to get up there. INFORMATION BOOTH PERSON We're closing up. No more runs tonight. Annie takes a deep breath. She's hit the end of the road. She turns to go but then turns back. ANNIE (out of breath) Listen, can I just take a look? Maybe... maybe... There's someone I was supposed to meet... He's probably not there, but if I don't at least look I'll always wonder about it. The Information Booth Person looks at her. INFORMATION BOOTH PERSON Cary Grant, right? ANNIE You know that movie? INFORMATION BOOTH PERSON One of my wife's favorites. INT. TOP OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING After a few beat the elevator door opens on a very empty platform. ELEVATOR MAN Sorry, ma'am. Empty. Annie slowly walks out. ANNIE Can I take a minute? ELEVATOR MAN Go ahead. She sighs. Heads for the telescopes. Looks out at the twinkling lights below. She casually turns the telescope and suddenly sees something on the floor. Jonah's Seattle Mariners backpack. She picks it up. She realizes that it might be... could be... and opens it. Inside is a toothbrush and Jonah's teddy bear. As she takes out the bear the other elevator DINGS. Annie looks up as Jonah and Sam exit the elevator. JONAH I left it near the... And they stop. There she is. There they are. Sam can't believe it. It's the mystery woman. SAM It's you. ANNIE It's me? SAM The one in the street. I chased after you. JONAH Are you Annie? ANNIE Yes. SAM (confused) You're Annie too? She smiles awkwardly. ANNIE (indicating the backpack) Is this yours? Jonah walks over to her. He puts his hand out. She shakes it solemnly. JONAH I'm Jonah. (nodding back to Sam) That's my dad. His name is Sam. ANNIE Hi, Jonah. Sam. (indicating the teddy bear) And who is this? JONAH Howard. ANNIE Howard. Sam nods. Smiling. Starting to put it all together. Annie smiles. Still nervous. No one knows what to do next. Just then, one of the elevator operators CLEARS HIS THROAT. SAM We better go. Annie nods. Sam holds out his hand. SAM Shall we? Annie slips her hand into his. It feels comfortable, natural, right. ANNIE Sam? He looks at her. ANNIE It's nice to meet you. On Annie. On Sam. On Jonah. He makes a triumphant little double-fist gesture to himself as the elevator doors close. EXT. THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - NIGHT WE SEE THE BUILDING from above, all lit up, a romantic confection, the world's largest Valentine. The CAMERA PULLS BACK and we see the United States spread out before us, with lights twinkling everywhere. And FADE OUT