EXT. IN FRONT OF HER CHURCH DAY
SARA approaches and enters her church for Sunday morning mass.
INT. CHURCH DAY
SARA enters church with mass in progress. She finds a place to sit down and participates in service. She takes communion when offered. At conclusion of service, she walks over to talk to the FATHER, thin middle-aged man, who greets her warmly.
SARA: Good morning, FATHER.
FATHER: Good morning, Sara. How are you today?
SARA: Can we talk, FATHER?
FATHER: Of course, let's sit over here.
They sit down on a nearby bench.
FATHER: How can I help you, my child?
SARA: I'm conflicted, FATHER. As I've told you, I needed to leave my family in Michigan, but it's not easy to make a new life here, finding purpose, companionship, love. It's getting better. Work is good. I make enough. Every day I'm feeling more comfortable in the community, especially in your church.
FATHER: Our church, SARA.
SARA: I know. But there are some things missing. I'm not an outgoing person, never have been. I'm afraid. I have always been afraid, of so many things. I don't want to be, but it seems it's my nature.
FATHER: I don't believe it is your nature, SARA. Fear is part of the human experience, but it can be overcome, with courage. Always remember that God loves you and God is always with you. But he needs you to use your strength to overcome your fears. If you will try, God will help you. Can you do that, SARA?
SARA I try, FATHER. I'll keep trying. I try to meet others half way, but, I don't know, something seems to happen and I withdraw. Last night, I was invited to go out with a couple of friends from work. Before I could think, the word "no" jumped out of my mouth. No! And then I went home and watched a movie alone. I enjoy movies, but I don't enjoy being alone so much.
FATHER: Think about why you said no last night.
SARA: I guess I was afraid of what might happen. Maybe they'd snicker about my clothes or makeup. I suppose we'd go to some bar and drink. I'm not really into that. Drinking caused problems at home when I was a kid. And then probably guys would hit on us. My friends want that, but I'm always suspicious of men. It's like I fear men, not you FATHER, but most men I meet. I'd like to find a nice man who I could talk to, be with, who would want to be with me.
FATHER: That's normal. You haven't met the right type of man yet. Here at the church, there are such young men. Perhaps I could introduce you to some. Would you like that, SARA?
SARA: How would that work, FATHER?
FATHER: Let me talk with some single men in our congregation to see if they might be interested in meeting a nice young woman such as yourself. Come back next Sunday and I'll let you know what I find. But, SARA, sometimes you have to go more than halfway with people. You have to find the courage to overcome your fears. Can you do that?
SARA I'll try, FATHER.
FATHER: Pray to God for help, SARA. He loves you and is always with you.
SARA: See you next Sunday, FATHER. Bye.
SARA rises and leaves church.
EXT. BUS STOP DAY
Later that day, SARA waits for bus. Bus arrives and SARA enters bus.
EXT. BUS DAY
SARA sits on bus and bus heads toward cinema.
EXT. BUS STOP DAY
Bus arrives at bus stop near cinema. SARA leaves bus and walks toward cinema.
EXT. PARKING LOT DAY
ABRAHAM arrives in his car at parking lot near cinema, parks car, leaves car and walks toward cinema.
EXT. IN FRONT OF CINEMA DAY
SARA and ABRAHAM line up to buy tickets at cinema.
SARA: One for the 2:00 showing in room one, please.
CASHIER: $15.
SARA pays, receives ticket and enters cinema.
ABRAHAM: Senior for 2:00 movie in room number one, please.
CASHIER: $10.
ABRAHAM pays, receives ticket and enters cinema.
INT. LOBBY OF CINEMA DAY
SARA and ABRAHAM separately walk towards room one and enter.
INT. ROOM ONE DAY
SARA and ABRAHAM separately find a place to sit and watch movie. Movie starts and subsequently ends. SARA and ABRAHAM exit room and cinema.
EXT. ON STREET NEAR CINEMA DAY
ABRAHAM arrives at nearby coffee shop and enters.
INT. COFFEE SHOP DAY
ABRAHAM sits at table in crowded coffee shop. He signals to waitress who approaches.
ABRAHAM: Regular coffee, please.
SARA soon arrives at coffee shop, but all tables are occupied. She nervously waits for a table to open up. ABRAHAM notices her situation and tries to get her attention.
ABRAHAM: Miss, would you like to sit at my table?
SARA: You sure?
ABRAHAM: Sure!
SARA reluctantly sits down at ABRAHAM's table. ABRAHAM signals to waitress who approaches SARA.
SARA: Decafe, please.
ABRAHAM and SARA nervously sit at same table and wait for coffee orders to arrive. When coffees finally arrive, the two start drinking them. ABRAHAM studies SARA's face.
ABRAHAM: Excuse me, but I think I know you.
SARA looks at ABRAHAM with a quizzical expression.
SARA (thinking for a moment): Yeah, I believe I waited on you yesterday at the Blue Bay Diner on Francis Lewis Boulevard.
ABRAHAM: That's it. What a coincidence...You work there long?
SARA: About a year.
ABRAHAM: You like it there?
SARA: Yeah. The managers are nice and the tips are good.
ABRAHAM: It seems like a tough job dealing with customers who want their food great and right away.
SARA Well, it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Been doin' it since after high school.
ABRAHAM: Which high school? I went to Cardozo in Bayside.
SARA: No, I'm not from here. I went to Community High in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
ABRAHAM Oh, nice. Why did you move here?
SARA: You know, "if you can make it there..."
ABRAHAM: I wouldn't know. I was born and raised right here.
SARA: What do you do?
ABRAHAM: I'm an accountant at White Rock Beverages. You carry them at Blue Bay.
SARA Yeah, I know. Sorry, but I prefer Coke.
ABRAHAM No problem. So, you live around here?
SARA No, I came for the movie.
ABRAHAM: Really? Which one?
SARA: Bridge of Spies, the 2:00 show.
ABRAHAM: Wow! Me, too. Another coincidence. Did you like it?
SARA: Yeah. I go to all Tom Hanks movies. I think he's great.
ABRAHAM: I agree. I really enjoyed this one because it was based on a true story I read about in college. I always love when they say, "based on a true story." 10% or 90%. Who knows?
SARA: I didn't know anything about the spy thing, but I especially liked the part in Berlin.
ABRAHAM: My wife and I were in Berlin in '83 and passed through Check Point Charley, from West to East and thankfully back again. Scary!
SARA: You married? Where's your wife?
ABRAHAM: Oh...ah...she died many years ago. Her name's HELEN.
SARA: I'm so sorry. (pause) Did you enjoy your trip to Berlin?
ABRAHAM: Yeah. We were young then, in our twenties. Traveled around Europe for a month, Paris, Rome, Copenhagen and Berlin. Never been back.
SARA: I've never been anywhere except here and Michigan. And it took some courage to come here.
ABRAHAM: Why did you want to leave Michigan?
SARA: It's a long story. Just needed to get away from the same old, same old. Especially my family. Sometimes, it was like I couldn't breathe. Wanted my own space.
ABRAHAM: I never had that problem. I grew up here, almost in this neighborhood. My parents encouraged me to go out on my own, but when I did, I didn't go far. (pause) You know, one thing in the movie I especially liked was when the lawyer asked his client, "Are you worried?" and he said, "Would it help?"
SARA: Yeah, that happened a few times.
ABRAHAM: It made me think. What's the point of worrying? It doesn't help.
SARA: I guess you're right.
ABRAHAM: By the way, my name is ABRAHAM SHAPIRO. What's yours?
SARA: SARA CASEY. Pleased to meet you, ABRAHAM.
ABRAHAM: Likewise. You said you like Tom Hanks movies. What's your favorite?
SARA: There's so many to choose, but I'd say Forest Gump. He was so adorable. What about you?
ABRAHAM: My favorite is Road to Perdition. I liked the relationship with his son and also because of the great Paul Newman. I saw him live in a play once.
SARA: That's so cool.
ABRAHAM: Yeah, a lot of movie stars, when they're not doing movies, they act on Broadway.
SARA: You know, a friend told me Paul Newman was a Jew. Is that right?
ABRAHAM: Well, his father was Jewish and he always considered himself to be a Jew, even though he didn't practice the religion. Is that a problem?
SARA: No, no, not at all. I was just curious. I didn't know.
ABRAHAM: What about Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis and ABRAHAM SHAPIRO? All Jews.
SARA: You're a Jew?
ABRAHAM: Yes.
SARA: Wow! You're the first Jew I've met, ever talked to.
ABRAHAM: I'm sure you have talked to many, especially at the Blue Bay Diner. Many Jews live in the neighborhood and frequent the place. No Jews in Ypsilanti?
SARA: Not that I was aware. Not in my neighborhood. Not among the kids I hung out with. And certainly not at the Catholic church I went to regular. But I'm real glad to have met one today, ABRAHAM. You know, in that movie you mentioned, Road to Perdition, Paul Newman plays an Irish Catholic gangster so well, I thought he was Irish Catholic, like me.
ABRAHAM: That's just good acting on Newman's part. But don't worry. Think about James Cagney, Spencer Tracy and Maureen O'Hara to name a few with Irish Catholic roots.
SARA: I know all those names from TCM.
ABRAHAM: You watch TCM?
SARA: All the time, my favorite channel.
ABRAHAM: Me, too. Another coincidence. ROBERT OSBORNE is such a fountain of information. Say, SARA, I'm getting hungry. I'm gonna order some pie. Would you like something, too?
SARA: Sure, if you are.
ABRAHAM signals to the waitress who comes over to the table.
WAITRESS: What can I get you folks?
ABRAHAM: If you have apple pie, I'll take a slice, please.
WAITRESS: We do. What about you, miss?
SARA: Another cup of decaf plus a scoop of chocolate ice cream.
WAITRESS: Okay.
WAITRESS leaves table to place order. Returns shortly to refill SARA's cup. She and ABRAHAM sit silently for a while. And then...
SARA: Did you see Now, Voyager last night?
ABRAHAM: Sure did. "don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." Great last line.
SARA: The Bette Davis character, Charlotte, made me think of me.
ABRAHAM: Really? How so?
WAITRESS arrives with pie and ice cream. SARA and ABRAHAM start to eat their desserts.
SARA: In my case, it wasn't my mom, it was my DAD. I come from a big family, five kids, four now since one of my brothers got killed in Afghanistan. I got one sister and two brothers left. But we're all still under the thumb of my domineering DAD. Mom's kinda quiet. Follows whatever DAD says. Ever since I was a kid, he's been tellin' me what a loser I am. I'm not as pretty as other girls, especially my older sister. And I'm not as smart as my older brothers. Always pointing out when I screw up, and of course sooner or later, I do. So what happens, I think I'm the loser he says I am. That's a hell of a way to have to deal with life. That's how a DAD is supposed to raise a daughter, me? (SARA starts crying)
ABRAHAM stops eating and sits silently for a moment.
ABRAHAM: I'm sorry, SARA. I've only know you for a short time, but you're wrong about yourself. You are a pretty girl, and you're bright. Forget about your DAD. Just like Charlotte, you can blossom and be the person you wanna be.
SARA (stops crying): Thanks. I know what you're saying, but it's not easy just to forget thirty years of what he's been telling me. That's why I had to leave Michigan. So, I don't have to listen no more. I can't believe I'm telling you all this. You must think I'm an idiot.
ABRAHAM: Not at all. You know, I'm a good listener. Too many people just talk, but don't listen to what others say.
SARA: So, what did you think about Now, Voyager?
ABRAHAM: I loved when Charlotte's mother asked Dr. Jaquith about parental rights and he said, "tawdle, a child has rights." I believe you raise your children to be independent. To do that you need to instill self-confidence in them.
SARA (thinking for a moment): You're right. That's what I lack, self-confidence.
ABRAHAM: That's the one thing I've always wanted to do. To have a child, to raise it well, to see it blossom, like Forest Gump did with his son, with self-confidence bursting out. Then there's nothing a child can't do.
SARA: Did you have kids? You sound like a wonderful father.
ABRAHAM: I wanted to. Did have a child. Stillborn. My wife dead, too. Worst day of my life.
ABRAHAM and SARA sat in silence for some moments.
SARA: I'm so sorry.
ABRAHAM: It happened a long time ago. I've moved on. But, sometimes I think there's a hole in my life.
SARA: I'm a religious person. I have faith in God, but when I see the unfairness of my dad with five kids and you with none, it's hard to accept.
ABRAHAM: I'm religious, too. My faith gives me strength to carry on, to look for purpose and meaning in my life. (pause) Your ice cream's melting.
SARA: I've had enough. I need to head home. It's been real nice talking to you, ABRAHAM. Maybe we'll run into each other again.
ABRAHAM: I hope so, too.
ABRAHAM picks up both checks the waitress left.
ABRAHAM: My treat. I insist.
SARA: Thanks.
ABRAHAM: How do you get home from here?
SARA: Bus. I can catch it nearby.
ABRAHAM: Please, let me drive you. My car is parked only a block away.
SARA: You sure? I can take a bus. No problem.
ABRAHAM: Please, it'll save you a lot of time and I'll feel better.
SARA: Okay. Thanks again.
ABRAHAM pays the checks and he and SARA leave the coffee shop.
INT. INSIDE ABRAHAM'S CAR DAY
Car pulls up in front of SARA's apartment building.
SARA: Thanks for the lift, ABRAHAM. Have a good evening.
ABRAHAM: Let me make a suggestion. Next Sunday, I'm gonna be back at the cinema for a show around 2:00. Didn't you say you do likewise every Sunday? Why don't we go together? It'd be much nicer to watch a movie with someone rather than alone. What do you think, SARA?
SARA (thinks for a moment): Okay. Let's. I'll meet you there next Sunday. Bye-bye, ABRAHAM.
ABRAHAM: Bye, SARA. Until next Sunday.
SARA exits car.
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