THE DRIVE

Leave it to the media to give you cheery stories to brighten your holiday. More on that later.

THE DRIVE

By Ken Sheetz

EXT. RV FRONT OF HOUSE - DAY

An older couple, JACK and MARY, wave from the steps of an RV as happy members of Jack and Mary's huge family clap and cheer.

MARY
I think I left the stove on!

JACK'S OLDEST DAUGHTER
Go on you two. We can turn off a stove.

JACK
I don't know about that, daughter.

Everyone laughs as Jack's Oldest swats him along into the RV.

INT. RV (MOVING) - DAY

Jack and Mary switch radio stations on each other as the RV motors up I-4o.

JACK

Alone at last and we fight over the radio?

MARY

When's the last time we were alone
enough to fight over the radio?

JACK
I think Elton John was in diapers.

MARY
Diapers. Won't miss those.

JACK
Hang on!

Jack swings the RV onto the shoulder of the road.

MARY

Jack! You'll get us killed! What are you doing?

Jack brakes the RV to a halt in the emergency lane.

JACK
This.

Jack kisses Mary deeply.

Passing cars honk.

EXT. RV, CAMPSITE - GRAND CANYON- SUNSET

Jack makes a toast of a champagne glass to Mary before the magnificent Grand Canyon.

JACK

To 25 years of mostly wedded bliss.

Mary toasts a champagne glass to Jack's.

MARY

Stinker.

JACK

What? "Mostly" bother you?

MARY

Nope. We've been married 32 years.

JACK

I seem to recall the first 7 years we lived in sin,

babe.

MARY

In California living in sin is married.

Jack raises his champagne glass again.

JACK

To 32 years of mostly wedded bliss.

MARY

And great sex.

JACK

And lots more to come. Thanks Viagra!

Jack and Mary laugh and kiss as they toast. But as they pull

away from the happy kiss Jack notices tears well in Mary's eyes.

JACK

What's the matter, Mary?

MARY

Nothing.

JACK

So why the tears?

MARY

Oh... just so happy we finally

have this time to ourselves.

JACK

Six kids and eighteen grandkids.

MARY

And how many dogs?

JACK

Lost count.

Jack and Mary share a laugh.

MARY

Remember, Rusty?

JACK

Best hunting dog a man ever had,
the pain in the ass.

MARY

Rusty'd cry every time you went off

to work.

JACK

And you didn't?

Mary chuckles.

MARY

Too busy with the kids

for tears.

Mary dabs tears from her eyes with a paper napkin.

MARY

No trouble crying now. So happy.

JACK

Bull. What's wrong, Mary?

Be straight with me.

Mary fights back the tears.

MARY

Cancer.

JACK

Jesus. They catch it soon enough?

MARY

God I wish I went to the doctor like you

told me sooner.

JACK

I hate being right all the time.

Mary smiles between sobs.

JACK

How long?

MARY

Weeks.

Mary can't bear to look at Jack, whose eyes fill with tears.

JACK

Weeks... You're sure?

Mary tires to speak but only manages a tearful nod.

JACK

Damnit!

MARY

I'm sorry!

JACK

For what?! Getting cancer?!

MARY

For telling you like this!

Jack takes Mary into his arms and rocks her as she weeps.

JACK

Just look at that sunset.

MARY

I can't.

JACK

For me?

Mary slowly raises her head off Jack's shoulder.

MARY

So beautiful.

JACK

It's shit compared to your smile.

MARY

Oh, Jack. Why now? Why when

we finally have a life of our own?

JACK

I never try to figure crap like that out.

I should've been dead ten times over

in Vietnam. But I do know one thing...

MARY

What?

JACK

Life ain't nothing without you.

MARY

Not true.

JACK

(savagely)

I'll be the damn judge of what's true for me!

MARY

You have at least another 40 years.

JACK

Hell, Mary, without you I won't last 40 days.

MARY

Jack Kerrgian, there's not single thing I do for you, outside

the bedroom, that a good maid couldn't do and with
the right maid maybe even --

Jack flips over the camping table and runs for the cliffs.

MARY

Jack! No!

EXT. CLIFFSIDE, GRAND CANYON - SUNSET

Mary clings to Jack's legs as he struggles for the edge.

MARY

No, Jack!

JACK

Let me go, damnit!

MARY

No! We can't end like this!

JACK

Watch me!

MARY

No! You're no quitter, Jack!

JACK

I am for this. I ain't gonna watch

you die!

MARY

Oh. And am I supposed to sit here

and watch you jump?

Jack sinks to the dirt on his knees.

MARY

Our six kids and eighteen grandkids

need you, Jack.

JACK

You're the one the kids love.

MARY

Wrong. They all worship you

and you know it.

Jack is silent for a long beat.

JACK

That's not the same as love.

Mary stands and holds out a hand for Jack.

MARY

Half us in their lives is better than

none.

Jack takes Mary's hand.

EXT. FRONT OF HOUSE - DAY

Mary's hand becomes the hand of his daughter's in Jack's hand as she helps him from the black funeral limo.

All the family, dressed in funeral black, comfort Jack and welcome him with love and tenderness as he shakily enters his home and his new life without Mary.

THE END

I hope you enjoyed THE DRIVE which will hopefully soon be a short film. Many times when I read sad news stories I'm inspired to write something that turns out better than real life.

Here's the story on SPHERE that created the drive to write THE DRIVE.

Jumbled into all this story are all the experiences of my past amazing and heart warming two weeks in New Mexico with Gilley Grey and Kim Griego, my roomies and their wonderful families.