COOPER
There's a whole new world out there, Annie. jump in.
(quoting)
"Hear the other side. See the other side."
ANNIE
(recognizing quote, pleased)
St. Augustine. Coffee?
COOPER
You bet.
Annie pours, takes a closer look. Faint doubt amidst his ardor.
ANNIE
Something's troubling you.
COOPER
(surprised)
Yes.
ANNIE
Do you want to talk about it?
COOPER
(after a beat)
I am involved in a complicated investigation that
requires my total attention. Yet I spend most of my
time thinking about you.
ANNIE
I know the feeling. I've been seeing your face in fried
eggs all morning.
COOPER
There are those who believe in a scientific basis for
attraction. It's chemical.
ANNIE
Is that what this is?
COOPER
I don't know. Is it possible to understand without
perspective?
ANNIE
I spent five years trying.
COOPER
Faith.
ANNIE
It's difficult for me. But I have faith in you. In us, as I
understand it.
COOPER
We are very much alike.
ANNIE
It helps.
COOPER
But we think too much.
ANNIE
(her turn to quote)
"What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning."
COOPER
(his turn to recognize)
Heisenberg.
They share a warm beat. Kindred spirits from another time and place. Annie deadpans:
ANNIE
Maybe we should go bowling.
COOPER
No. Dancing.
ANNIE
I don't know how.
COOPER
I'll teach you.
ANNIE
When?
COOPER
Tonight.
--------------------
COOPER
Looks like a staff meeting of the Double R brain trust.
ANNIE
We're trying to decide who's going to win tonight.
COOPER
No question about it. You are.
ANNIE
You're not exactly objective -
COOPER
I am completely objective.
ANNIE
(softly flirtatious)
I think you're not as objective as you think you are.
COOPER
Perhaps that's why it seems so important to me that we
kiss.
ANNIE
(affectionate, not shy)
You impetuous boy. We have an audience.
COOPER
I know this violates multiple laws of physics, but at his
moment, Annie, and I mean this quite literally... you are
the only person in the room.
------------------------
COOPER
I want to make specific mention of Annie Blackburne.
Diane, she is a completely original human being. Her
responses are as pure as a child's. To be honest, I haven't felt this way about anyone since Caroline. It's taken meeting someone like Annie to realize how gray my life has been since Caroline's death, how cold and solitary -
A knock on the door. Cooper rises to answer it.
COOPER (CONTINUED)
Although occasionally there is something to be said for
solitude.
He flips off the recorder, opens the door. Annie stands before him. He admits her.
COOPER
You have nearly perfect timing.
ANNIE
That's not what our choreographer says.
COOPER
What can I do for you, Annie?
ANNIE
I have to give a speech in six hours. I haven't written a
word and I don't have a thought in my hand. I am in a
complete, sweaty-palmed panic and I needed to talk to
someone, namely you.
COOPER
What's the topic?
ANNIE
"What You Can Do to Save Our Local Forests." So what
am I supposed to do, stand up there like a deranged
Barbie Doll, "make sure you're campfires are completely
out, kind of like my brain."
COOPER
You're terrified of public speaking.
ANNIE
Yes.
COOPER
(amused)
Our forests need saving because of the way people regard them.
ANNIE
Expendable.
COOPER
If the Ghostwood development were going to cost
thousands of lives, would it have even the slightest chance of going forward?
ANNIE
Trees aren't the same as people ...
(answering herself)
But they're alive.
COOPER
(extending the metaphor)
Your forest ... is beautiful and very peaceful.
ANNIE
Part of it's been damaged. I've tried to replant, but
nothing's taken root ...
They kiss. Tentatively at first. Then with greater fervor.
COOPER
Let's not talk anymore about trees.
ANNIE
To be honest, that's not really why I'm here. The speech.
COOPER
The way I feel transcends metaphor. Obliterates it.
ANNIE
How do you feel? I mean, usually. I only ask because ...
well, actually, I want to know.
COOPER
(an analytic detour)
My habit is to construct and control my emotions with
great precision. Everything ordered and in its place.
What I am feeling now has steamrollered every barrier
I've ever, if you'll excuse the expression, erected. I don't
know what I know or don't know. I only know ...
(happily jumbled, he sighs)
I want to make love with you, Annie. That's all I know.
ANNIE
Good.
COOPER
Do you feel the same...?
Annie begins to unbutton her blouse. A gentle ritual.
ANNIE
(beat, she removes her blouse)
I am eager ... and full of grace.
COOPER
That's good enough for me.
-------------------
Annie giving her speech.
ANNIE
... and to illustrate my point, I'd like to read these words
from Chief Seattle, leader of the Suquamish tribe:
"Your dead... are soon forgotten and never return. Our
dead never forget the beautiful world that gave them
being. They still love its verdant valleys, its murmuring
rivers, its magnificent mountains, sequestered vales and
verdant lined lakes and bay and even yearn in tender, fond affection over the lonely hearted living, and often return from the Happy Hunting Ground to visit, guide, console and comfort them."
A hush has fallen over the crowd. She folds up her paper.
27. CUTAWAY - CATWALK
Windom Earle, now undisguised, darts along the catwalk overhead. He attaches another device to a sandbag line, sets the timer. That's when Annie's voice catches his attention from below. Earle pauses, peers down at her with rapt expression.
28. BACK TO SCENE
ANNIE
Why have we all lost touch with this beauty? We tell
ourselves the world is not alive so that we won't feel its
pain. But instead we feel it all the more. Maybe saving a forest starts with preserving the little feelings that die
inside us every day. Those parts of ourselves we deny.
Because if that interior land is not honored, then neither
will we honor the land we walk. Thank you very much.
---------------------------
ANNIE
What are we doing here?
EARLE
A momentary pause in limbo, dear. Please be patient.
Pity young Dale will miss all the fun. I always felt we
were sort of Lodge Brothers.
ANNIE
He'll find you. He'll come for me.
EARLE
(screaming)
Do you see him anywhere? Huh? Huh?
Annie seems very calm, closes her eyes, whispers prayers to herself.
EARLE
Prayers? What a revolting development.
Earle checks his watch. Frustrated. She's not scaring.
------------
So much to about these scenes that I love and think on. And the distorted mirror images in my life. But I have to go see sister's family from England, buy coconuts and a hawaiian shirt for work. (It's really not as interesting as it might sound.)
If I have the energy I may have some pictures tomorrow or Saturday. But today is so long I don't know that I will be able to stay up long enough. For now, I feel wonder and exalted.
There's a whole new world out there, Annie. jump in.
(quoting)
"Hear the other side. See the other side."
ANNIE
(recognizing quote, pleased)
St. Augustine. Coffee?
COOPER
You bet.
Annie pours, takes a closer look. Faint doubt amidst his ardor.
ANNIE
Something's troubling you.
COOPER
(surprised)
Yes.
ANNIE
Do you want to talk about it?
COOPER
(after a beat)
I am involved in a complicated investigation that
requires my total attention. Yet I spend most of my
time thinking about you.
ANNIE
I know the feeling. I've been seeing your face in fried
eggs all morning.
COOPER
There are those who believe in a scientific basis for
attraction. It's chemical.
ANNIE
Is that what this is?
COOPER
I don't know. Is it possible to understand without
perspective?
ANNIE
I spent five years trying.
COOPER
Faith.
ANNIE
It's difficult for me. But I have faith in you. In us, as I
understand it.
COOPER
We are very much alike.
ANNIE
It helps.
COOPER
But we think too much.
ANNIE
(her turn to quote)
"What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning."
COOPER
(his turn to recognize)
Heisenberg.
They share a warm beat. Kindred spirits from another time and place. Annie deadpans:
ANNIE
Maybe we should go bowling.
COOPER
No. Dancing.
ANNIE
I don't know how.
COOPER
I'll teach you.
ANNIE
When?
COOPER
Tonight.
--------------------
COOPER
Looks like a staff meeting of the Double R brain trust.
ANNIE
We're trying to decide who's going to win tonight.
COOPER
No question about it. You are.
ANNIE
You're not exactly objective -
COOPER
I am completely objective.
ANNIE
(softly flirtatious)
I think you're not as objective as you think you are.
COOPER
Perhaps that's why it seems so important to me that we
kiss.
ANNIE
(affectionate, not shy)
You impetuous boy. We have an audience.
COOPER
I know this violates multiple laws of physics, but at his
moment, Annie, and I mean this quite literally... you are
the only person in the room.
------------------------
COOPER
I want to make specific mention of Annie Blackburne.
Diane, she is a completely original human being. Her
responses are as pure as a child's. To be honest, I haven't felt this way about anyone since Caroline. It's taken meeting someone like Annie to realize how gray my life has been since Caroline's death, how cold and solitary -
A knock on the door. Cooper rises to answer it.
COOPER (CONTINUED)
Although occasionally there is something to be said for
solitude.
He flips off the recorder, opens the door. Annie stands before him. He admits her.
COOPER
You have nearly perfect timing.
ANNIE
That's not what our choreographer says.
COOPER
What can I do for you, Annie?
ANNIE
I have to give a speech in six hours. I haven't written a
word and I don't have a thought in my hand. I am in a
complete, sweaty-palmed panic and I needed to talk to
someone, namely you.
COOPER
What's the topic?
ANNIE
"What You Can Do to Save Our Local Forests." So what
am I supposed to do, stand up there like a deranged
Barbie Doll, "make sure you're campfires are completely
out, kind of like my brain."
COOPER
You're terrified of public speaking.
ANNIE
Yes.
COOPER
(amused)
Our forests need saving because of the way people regard them.
ANNIE
Expendable.
COOPER
If the Ghostwood development were going to cost
thousands of lives, would it have even the slightest chance of going forward?
ANNIE
Trees aren't the same as people ...
(answering herself)
But they're alive.
COOPER
(extending the metaphor)
Your forest ... is beautiful and very peaceful.
ANNIE
Part of it's been damaged. I've tried to replant, but
nothing's taken root ...
They kiss. Tentatively at first. Then with greater fervor.
COOPER
Let's not talk anymore about trees.
ANNIE
To be honest, that's not really why I'm here. The speech.
COOPER
The way I feel transcends metaphor. Obliterates it.
ANNIE
How do you feel? I mean, usually. I only ask because ...
well, actually, I want to know.
COOPER
(an analytic detour)
My habit is to construct and control my emotions with
great precision. Everything ordered and in its place.
What I am feeling now has steamrollered every barrier
I've ever, if you'll excuse the expression, erected. I don't
know what I know or don't know. I only know ...
(happily jumbled, he sighs)
I want to make love with you, Annie. That's all I know.
ANNIE
Good.
COOPER
Do you feel the same...?
Annie begins to unbutton her blouse. A gentle ritual.
ANNIE
(beat, she removes her blouse)
I am eager ... and full of grace.
COOPER
That's good enough for me.
-------------------
Annie giving her speech.
ANNIE
... and to illustrate my point, I'd like to read these words
from Chief Seattle, leader of the Suquamish tribe:
"Your dead... are soon forgotten and never return. Our
dead never forget the beautiful world that gave them
being. They still love its verdant valleys, its murmuring
rivers, its magnificent mountains, sequestered vales and
verdant lined lakes and bay and even yearn in tender, fond affection over the lonely hearted living, and often return from the Happy Hunting Ground to visit, guide, console and comfort them."
A hush has fallen over the crowd. She folds up her paper.
27. CUTAWAY - CATWALK
Windom Earle, now undisguised, darts along the catwalk overhead. He attaches another device to a sandbag line, sets the timer. That's when Annie's voice catches his attention from below. Earle pauses, peers down at her with rapt expression.
28. BACK TO SCENE
ANNIE
Why have we all lost touch with this beauty? We tell
ourselves the world is not alive so that we won't feel its
pain. But instead we feel it all the more. Maybe saving a forest starts with preserving the little feelings that die
inside us every day. Those parts of ourselves we deny.
Because if that interior land is not honored, then neither
will we honor the land we walk. Thank you very much.
---------------------------
ANNIE
What are we doing here?
EARLE
A momentary pause in limbo, dear. Please be patient.
Pity young Dale will miss all the fun. I always felt we
were sort of Lodge Brothers.
ANNIE
He'll find you. He'll come for me.
EARLE
(screaming)
Do you see him anywhere? Huh? Huh?
Annie seems very calm, closes her eyes, whispers prayers to herself.
EARLE
Prayers? What a revolting development.
Earle checks his watch. Frustrated. She's not scaring.
------------
So much to about these scenes that I love and think on. And the distorted mirror images in my life. But I have to go see sister's family from England, buy coconuts and a hawaiian shirt for work. (It's really not as interesting as it might sound.)
If I have the energy I may have some pictures tomorrow or Saturday. But today is so long I don't know that I will be able to stay up long enough. For now, I feel wonder and exalted.
...I take it you're in Chicago (from your recovery pic)?