Scott: The Drop

FADE IN

INT. BEDROOM – MORNING

Shot of an empty king-size bed.  The right side has obviously been slept in while the left side remains neatly made.  MR. GOSS enters dressed for the day, sits on the bed and takes off his shoes.  He lies down and we get an over-head shot of his face deep in thought.  The alarm clock goes off.  He sighs and gets out of bed, revealing the films title where he was lying.

INT. KITCHEN

MR. GOSS makes himself a nutritious breakfast.

EXT. FRONT PORCH

He goes out to get the newspaper and finds that someone has left a baby in a car-seat on his front porch.  He scans the street and quickly spots ALEX fleeing the scene.  MR. GOSS starts after him but abruptly stops when he recognizes the young man.

MR. GOSS

Alex?!

Pulls out his cell phone and starts dialing 

MR. GOSS cont.

(to himself with frustration)

Alexander Gonzalez!

EXT. AROUND THE CORNER 

ALEX’s phone rings in his pocket.  After determining he is not being chased, he stops running, nervously takes out his phone and looks to see who is calling.  He immediately ends the call and walks at a brisk speed.  As the gravity of the situation dawns on him, his breathing becomes more panicked and his face tightens.  His phone rings again and he sits flat on the pavement.  A shot of the phone shows “Coach Goss.”  He takes in a deep breath, releases, and answers the phone. 

MR. GOSS

(Loudly over the phone)

Why don’t you just step into my office

so we can talk about what just happened

before I really get angry! 

EXT. FRONT OF HOUSE 

ALEX knocks on the garage door and it immediately opens revealing MR. GOSS’s “office” which consists of a desk facing out and a chair on each side.  MR. GOSS sits behind the desk, peering out from the shadows. 

MR. GOSS

Have a seat, Son. 

ALEX goes to the empty chair to find that the car-seat with the baby is already occupying it.  He grabs a stool from the corner and sits diagonally to MR. GOSS. 

MR. GOSS

I came out to get the newspaper this

morning and found something quite

disturbing.  Did you know, Alex,

that less than fifty percent of American

 households have regular dinners as a family?

Picks up the newspaper on his desk and opens it.

MR. GOSS cont.

 The University of Michigan just did a

study.  Isn’t that something? It’s a

sad thing.  I read this stuff every day and I

 swear each time it makes me at

least two days older.  I’m not a geezer

yet but I sure can’t afford to keep

taking these double-helpings.  Wouldn’t

you agree, Alex?

ALEX

I… 

MR. GOSS

(exploding)

This is a baby!  A human baby! 

ALEX

I’m sorry Coach, I… 

MR. GOSS

For goodness sakes you’re a married

man Alex, you don’t have to keep

calling me Coach! 

ALEX

Sorry, John… 

MR. GOSS

I didn’t say you could call me John! 

ALEX

Sorry, uh… Sir.  I’m really sorry for…

Look, the baby’s not mine!  I swear, someone

left it on my doorstep this morning.  I know,

I should have taken it somewhere but

I was late for work and… 

MR. GOSS

(slowly and deliberately)

Alex, listen to me.  Why did you bring

him here? 
 

ALEX

I don’t know… I thought you’d know

what to do.

MR. GOSS

Why on earth would you think that?!

(no answer)

MR. GOSS cont.

Alex, you’re young.  Did you ever

think whoever this sad person is

didn’t just drop off their child on a

doorstep, they dropped him on your

doorstep.  Does Luisa know

what happened?

ALEX

She’s sleeping.

MR. GOSS

(calming down and staring into space)

Ya know, Lacey isn’t our oldest.

I wasn’t gonna tell you this but

my Megan had a miscarriage too.

It’s a terrible thing.  But then came

Lacey…  She was a miracle, in more

than one way.  I can still smell

the… 

(he gets choked up) 

…blanket they wrapped her in.

Alex, you’re not responsible for

this child.

Pause 

ALEX

What should we do?

MR. GOSS

Get in the car, I’ll drive you to work. 

MR. GOSS stands and walks toward the car parked on the street.  ALEX follows. 
 

MR. GOSS

(in “coach mode” with his back toward ALEX)

Get the baby, there’s no one

here to watch him.

ALEX grabs car-seat and rushes to catch up.

ALEX

How can you be sure it’s a boy?

They get in the car.

INT. CAR

MR. GOSS

Who would abandon a beautiful

baby girl?

This next scene has a whole different feel.  The intensity has died and a comfortable silence fills the gaps between sentences.

MR. GOSS

I guess Sandy Moller’ll think twice before

trying to undertake one of her little

projects again.  I told her to call me

and I could round up some boys

to patch things up but she wouldn’t

hear of it.  But I guess she wouldn’t

be Sandy Moller without that stubbornness.

   

ALEX

Coach John, Sir.  I can’t seem to

open that recommendation you

wrote for me…

MR. GOSS

Well, does your computer have XP?

ALEX

Ummm…

MR. GOSS

Windows XP!  For goodness sakes

you’re supposed to be generation

X – you don’t even have XP?  Whatcha

got on your hog, 2003?  I mean it’s

not a big deal I’ll just reformat it

and send you a new one.

ALEX

Okay thanks, that’d be great.

Long pause

ALEX cont.

(looking back at baby)

It looks like there’s a note.

Reaches back and grabs piece of paper.

MR. GOSS

What does it say? 

ALEX unfolds it.

ALEX

Just “Frankie.”  I guess that’s his

name. 

MR. GOSS

I’ve always liked that name.  It’s

Irish, I believe.

ALEX stares at MR. GOSS as something clicks in his head.

ALEX

So how’s Lacey doing? 

MR. GOSS

Fine.  She’s loving it.  I just went

and visited her.  Beautiful campus. 

ALEX

She’s been there what, like nine months

right? 

MR. GOSS

Um, yeah I suppose so, yeah.

ALEX

And, was it a ten month program you said? 

MR. GOSS

Yep. 

ALEX

That must be tough, not having your

daughter around. 

MR. GOSS

Is it okay if I drop you off here, I need

to do some errands?

ALEX

Absolutely, yeah.

ALEX gets out and stands on the curb.  MR. GOSS rolls down the passenger window. 

MR. GOSS

Listen, don’t worry about the baby.

I’ll take care of everything.  Lacey will

be home soon.  She’ll make sure I don’t

screw things up. 

MR. GOSS drives away.  Shot of the baby through the back window looking up as the tree reflections come over him in waves.

FADE OUT