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   You've Got Mail

   by Nora Ephron & Delia Ephron

   Based on:
    
   The Shop Around The corner

   by Nikolaus Laszlo

 
       2nd Final White revised
       February 2, 1998

 FADE IN ON:

 CYBERSPACE

 We have a sense of cyberspace-travel as we hurtle through a
 sky that's just beginning to get light.  There are a few
 stars but they fade and the sky turns a milky blue and a big
 computer sun starts to rise.

 We continue hurtling through space and see that we're heading
 over a computer version of the New York City skyline.  We
 move over Central Park.  It's fall and the leaves are
 glorious reds and yellows.

 We reach the West Side of Manhattan and move swiftly down
 Broadway with its stores and gyms and movies theatres and
  turn onto a street in the West 80s.

 Hold in front of a New York brownstone.

 At the bottom of the screen a small rectangle appears and the
 words:

 ADDING ART

 As the rectangle starts to fill with color, we see a percentage
 increase from 0% to 100%.  When it hits 100% the image pops and
 we are in real life.

 EXT. NEW YORK BROWNSTONE - DAY

 Early morning in New York. A couple of runners pass on their
 way to Riverside Drive Park.

 We go through the brownstone window into:

 INT. KATHLEEN KELLY'S APARTMENT - DAY

 KATHLEEN KELLY is asleep.  Kathleen, 30, is as pretty and
 fresh as a spring day.  Her bedroom cozy, has a queen-sized
 bed and a desk with a computer on it.  Bookshelves line every
 inch of wall space and overflow with books.  Framed on the
 children's classic.  Madeleine.

 As Kathleen wakes up, her boyfriend FRANK NAVASKY walks into
 the room.  He wears blue jeans and a workshirt.  He's carrying
 the New York Times.

    KATHLEEN
  Good morning.

    FRANK
   (as he reads)
  Listen to this -- the entire work force
  of the state of Virginia had to have
  solitaire removed from their computers --

 Kathleen gets out of bed and goes to brush her teeth in the
 bathroom, and we stay with Frank.

    FRANK
   (continuing)
  -- because they hadn't done any work in
  six weeks.

 Kathleen comes out of the bathroom in her robe.

    KATHLEEN
  Aren't you late?

    FRANK
   (continuing)
  You know what this is, you know what
  we're seeing here?  We're seeing the end
  of Western civilization as we know it.

    KATHLEEN
  This is so sad.

 She tosses him his jacket.

    FRANK
   (points at her computer)
  You think that machine is your friend,
  but it's not.
   (checks his watch)
  I'm late.

 INT. LIVING ROOM - KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

 As Frank walks to the apartment door.  We see a charming room
 with a couch, fireplace, books, and a dining table with a
 typewriter with a cover on it.

    KATHLEEN (O.C.)
  I'll see you tonight.

    FRANK
  Sushi.

    KATHLEEN (O.C.)
  Great.  Bye.

 Frank goes out the door.  It closes.

 Kathleen tiptoes into the hall and looks through the fish-eye
 peephole watching as he goes down the stairs, disappearing
 from sight.  She walks into:

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - DAY

 And looks out the front window as Frank walks out onto the
 street and turns toward Broadway.

 He's gone.  Good.

 She sits down at her computer.  An expression‎ of anticipation
 and guilty pleasure as she clicks the mouse.

 INT. COMPUTER SCREEN - DAY

 As we see the logo for America On Line come up and Kathleen's
 code name: Shopgirl.  She logs on and the computer makes all
 its little modem noises as the computer dials the access
 number and connects and we hear the machine:

    COMPUTER
  Welcome.

 And we see Kathleen, listening for the words she's waiting to
 hear:

    COMPUTER (cont'd)
  You've got mail.

 And Kathleen smiles as her mail page comes up:

 INT. COMPUTER SCREEN - DAY

 We see a list of letters:

 Big Cash Op: You can make $$$ in your spare time.  OIL MKT: You
 can turn $20 into $20,000 THIS REALLY WORKS U CAN DO IT:
 Maximize your selling ability nowwwww!!!  NY152 Brinkley

 Kathleen hits the "delete" key and the first three letters --
 all of them junk-mail -- are deleted and drop offscreen.

 Then she selects the "Read Mail" key for "NY 152 Brinkley".

 And the letter comes up:
     To: Shopgirl
  From: NY152
     Re: Brinkley

 Kathleen starts to read the letter aloud:

    KATHLEEN
  Brinkley is my dog.  He loves the streets
  of New York as much as I do --

 And now we hear Kathleen's voice replaced by the voice of
 NY 152, a man named JOE FOX --

    JOE (V.O.)
  -- although he likes to eat bits of pizza
  and bagel off the sidewalk, and I prefer
  to buy them.  Brinkley is a great catcher
  and was offered a tryout on the Mets farm
  team --
   (continued)

 INT. JOE'S APARTMENT - DAY

 A dog is sitting on a large green pillow on the floor. This
 is BRINKLEY.  The pillow has "Brinkley" embroidered on it.
 Brinkley's master, JOE FOX, a great-looking guy, full of
 charm and irony, comes into the kitchen and pours himself
 some orange juice.  He's half-dressed.

    JOE (cont'd)
  -- but he chose to stay with me so that
  he could spend 18 hours a day sleeping on
  a large green pillow the size of an inner
  tube.  Don't you love New York in the
  fall?  It makes me want to buy school
  supplies.  I would send you a bouquet of
  newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your
  name and address.  On the other hand,
  this not knowing has its charms.

    VOICE
  Darling --

    JOE
  Mmmmmhmmm --

 Joe's girlfriend PATRICIA EDEN, in Armani head to toe, comes
 into the kitchen and turns on the $2000 espresso machine,
 which starts grinding beans.  She's carrying the morning
 papers.

    PATRICIA
  I'm late.
   (indicating the newspaper)
  Random House fired Dick Atkins.  Good
  riddance.  Murray Chilton died.  Which
  makes one less person I'm not speaking
  to --
   (she drains a cup of espresso
    as a second starts to come out
    of the machine)
  Vince got a great review.  He'll be
  insufferable.  Tonight,  PEN dinner --

    JOE
  Am I going?

    PATRICIA
  You promised.

    JOE
  Can't I just give them money?  That's the
  cause?  Free Albanian writers?  I'm for
  that.

 Patricia drains another cup of espresso, looks at him.

        JOE
  All right, I'll go.  You're late.

        PATRICIA
  I know I know I know.

 She tears out of the kitchen and the door slams behind her.

 Hold on Joe, listening as he hears the elevator door open and
 close on the landing outside.

 IT. JOE'S DEN - DAY

 As he comes in and sits down at his laptop computer and logs
 on.

        JOE & THE COMPUTER (TOGETHER)
  Welcome... You've got mail.

 And as he starts to read his letter, we hear:

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I like to start my notes to you as if
  we're already in the middle of a
  conversation.  I pretend that we're
  the oldest and dearest friends --
  as opposed to what we actually are,
  people who don't know each other's names
  and met in a Chat Room where we both
  claimed we'd never been before.

 INT. JOE'S ELEVATOR - DAY

 As Joe, dressed for work, takes the elevator down with his
 elevator man CHARLIE.  There's a certain amount of Good
 morning, etc., as the elevator goes down and the voice-over
 continues:

    KATHLEEN (V.O., CONTINUES)
  What will he say today, I wonder.  I turn
  on my computer, I wait impatiently as it
  boots up.

 EXT. RIVERSIDE DRIVE - DAY

 As Joe comes out of his building.

    KATHLEEN (V.O., CONTINUES)
  I go on line, and my breath catches in my
  chest until I hear three little words:
  You've got mail.

 And the camera now pans from 152 Riverside uptown to:

 EXT. NEW YORK BROWNSTONE - MORNING

    KATHLEEN (V.O., CONTINUES)
  I hear nothing, not even a sound on the
  streets of New York, just the beat of my
  own heart.  I have mail.  From you.

 EXT. BROADWAY - MORNING

 As Kathleen comes onto Broadway at the corner of 83rd Street
 and starts downtown.

 Through a long lens we can see Joe, walking into blocks behind
 her.

 As Kathleen and Joe make their way down Broadway we see the
 West Side of Manhattan in the morning.  Mothers and fathers
 taking their kids to school, people on their way to work,
 dogs being walked.  School buses picking up kids, bakery
 trucks dropping off brown bags of bread in the doorframes of
 unopened restaurants.

 Kathleen stops at a newsstand, says good morning to the
 newsstand dealer, and picks up a New York Times.

 Metal grates are pulled up to open flower shops, nail salons,
 the pharmacy, fish store, the Cuban Chinese Restaurant,
 Zabar's.

 Joe stops at the same newsstand.  He buys all the papers --
 the Times, Wall Street Journal, Post and Daily News.

 INT. STARBUCKS - DAY

 As Kathleen picks up her coffee, walks out.

 EXT. COLUMBUS AVENUE - DAY

 As Kathleen walks down Columbus, we see Joe a block behind
 her.  She stops to buy flowers and Joe passes her, crosses to
 the Ease side of Columbus Avenue.

 EXT. COLUMBUS AVENUE - DAY

 A building under construction, with plywood board covering
 the front and wrapping around the corner.  Joe goes to a side
 entrance and enters.

 EXT. COLUMBUS & 73RD STREET - DAY - CONTINUOUS

 As Kathleen comes around the corner onto 73rd and stops in
 front of her store, a children's bookstore called "The Shop
 Around the Corner."  It is an irresistibly inviting store.
 There are twinkle lights in the windows, framing large
 stuffed animals reading children's books: Madeleine, Good
 Night Moon, Where the Wild Things Are.  A teddy bear in a
 pinafore is reading The Stupids Step Out.  Waiting for
 Kathleen in front is one of her employees, CHRISTINA.

    KATHLEEN
  Hello, Christina.  It's a beautiful day.
  Isn't it the most beautiful day?

 Christina looks up at the sky as if seeing it for the first
 time.

    CHRISTINA
  I guess.  Yeah, sure.

 Kathleen unlocks the shop and cranks the grate, which
 rises, making a horrible noise.  Two cabs almost collide in
 front of the store, with a screech, and one cabdriver starts
 yelling obscenities at the other.  Kathleen unlocks the door
 to the store.

    KATHLEEN
  Don't you love New York in the fall?

 Christina looks at her puzzled.

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - CONTINUOUS

 Kathleen turns the CLOSED sign on the door over to read
 "OPEN" and she activates the computer system.  She looks
 around, and we see a small but charming children's bookstore,
 with wooden shelves, a tiny area where kids can sit and read,
 some charming posters and a glass case full of first editions
 of the Oz books and Alice In Wonderland, etc.  There's a
 playful display of witches, lit with twinkle lights covered
 with orange pumpkin globes and a sign reading "The Ten Best
 Witch List"  and a collection of witch books -- "The Lion, The
 Witch and the Wardrobe," "The Witches," "The Wizard of Oz."
 On the counter is a glass jar full of sugar-free lollipops.

 Kathleen hangs up her coat in the back of the store and
 suddenly stops to daydream.  A smile creeps onto her face.
 Christina looks at her.

    CHRISTINA
  What's going on with you?

    KATHLEEN
  Nothing.

    CHRISTINA
  You're in love.

    KATHLEEN
  In love?  No.  Yes.  Of course I am.
  I'm in love with Frank.  I'm practically
  living with Frank.  Do you think you
  could get our Christmas mailers out this
  week?

    CHRISTINA
  By Monday I promise.  I have a paper due
  Friday.  Now what's going on?
   (she looks at Kathleen)
  I'm just going to stand here till you tell
  me.

 A beat.

    KATHLEEN
  Is it infidelity if you're involved with
  someone on E-mail?

    CHRISTINA
  Have you had sex?

    KATHLEEN
  Of course not.  I don't even know him.

    CHRISTINA
  I mean cybersex.

    KATHLEEN
  No!

    CHRISTINA
  Well, don't do it.  The minute you do,
  they lose all respect for you.

    KATHLEEN
  It's not like that.  We just E-mail.
  It's really nothing, on top of which I'm
  definitely thinking of stopping because
  it's getting --

    CHRISTINA
  Out of hand?

    KATHLEEN
  Confusing.  But not really.  Because it's
  nothing.

    CHRISTINA
  Where did you meet him?

    KATHLEEN
  I can't even remember.
   (off Christina's look)
  The day I turned thirty I wandered into
  the Over Thirty Room for a joke, sort of
  and he was there, and we started
  chatting.

    CHRISTINA
  About what?

    KATHLEEN
  Books.  Music.  How much we both love New
  York.  Harmless.  Harmless.  Meaningless.
   (starts smiling)
  Bouquets of sharpened pencils.

    CHRISTINA
  Excuse me?

    KATHLEEN
  Forget it.  We don't talk about anything
  personal.  We made a rule about that.
  I don't know his name, what he does or
  exactly where he lives, so it will be
  really easy to stop seeing him, because
  I'm not.

    CHRISTINA
  God, he could be the next person to talk
  into the store.  He could be...
   (as George walks in)
  George.

 GEORGE PAPPAS, in his twenties, one of Kathleen's
 salespeople, is a cute guy who has no idea that he's supposed
 to look in the mirror when he gets dressed.

    GEORGE
  Morning.

    CHRISTINA
  Are you On Line?

    GEORGE
  As far as I'm concerned, the Internet is
  just another way to be rejected by a
  woman.

 BIRDIE walks in.  She is in her seventies, has white hair,
 and is tiny, like a little sparrow.  She is the store's
 oldest employee, having worked there for over forty years,
 and serves as a accountant as well as salesperson.

    KATHLEEN
  Good morning, Birdie.

    BIRDIE
  What are you all talking about?

    CHRISTINA
  Cybersex.

    BIRDIE
  I tried to have cybersex once but I kept
  getting a busy signal.

    CHRISTINA
  I know, I know.  One Saturday night I was
  really depressed about not having a date,
  so I thought, no problemo, I'll go on
  line and I won't be lonely, but I
  couldn't get on, there were hundreds of
  thousands of people who didn't have dates
  trying to get on.
   (MORE)
  You have to wonder which is harder,
  getting a date or getting On Line when
  you don't have a date.

    GEORGE
  Getting a date is harder.

 We hear the bell jingle as TWO WEST SIDE MOTHERS come in with
 two KIDS IN STROLLERS.

    KATHLEEN
   (to the kids)
  Jessica and Maia, how are you today?

 We hear the sound of the garbage truck.  Kathleen goes out
 the front door to:

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DAY

 As the commercial garbage truck pulls up and TWO GARBAGEMEN
 start to load her trash.

    KATHLEEN
  Hey, you forgot to pick up the garbage
  last week and I got a ticket.  And you're
  late today -- I could have gotten
  another.

    GARBAGEMAN #1
  We were here, there was no garbage.

    GARBAGEMAN #2
  Yeah.

    KATHLEEN
  Of course there was --

    GARBAGEMAN #1
  What do you think, I don't want to pick
  up garbage?  You think I go up and down
  the street picking up garbage, I'm not
  going to pick up yours?  What's the
  matter with you?

    GARBAGEMAN #2
  Yeah.

 Kathleen is standing there, tongue-tied.
 
    GARBAGEMAN #1
  You don't even bundle it right, you're
  supposed to bundle it and leave it near
  the curb, you leave it near the store
  and you use cheap garbage bags, they
  smear all over the place, and then I got
  to pick it up with my shovel --

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - CONTINUOUS

 As Christina, who's helping one of the customers, looks out
 the window as the harangue continues.

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - CONTINUOUS

    GARBAGEMAN #1
  And now you're busting my chops.  You're
  just another garbage pick-up to us, okay?

    GARBAGEMAN #2
  Yeah.

 As Kathleen continues to stand there, speechless.

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - CONTINUOUS

 As Kathleen comes back into the store.  Christina is ringing
 up a sale.

    KATHLEEN
  That guy went ballistic on me.

    CHRISTINA
  I hope you told him off.

    KATHLEEN
  Not exactly.

 Another customer enters the store.  The bell jingles.

 EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE ON COLUMBUS - DAY

 A little truck carrying a knife sharpener, its bells ringing,
 passes the building under construction.

 INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - DAY

 WORKERS, ELECTRICIANS, MASONS, CARPENTERS, etc. in the
 process of building what looks like a large store.  Wires
 hanging everywhere.

    KEVIN
  The electrical contractor called.  His
  truck hit a deer last night, he won't be
  in 'til tomorrow.  The shelves are late
  because the shipment of pine had beetles.
  And there's some question about whether
  we're installing the stairs in the right
  spot --

    JOE
  That sounds great.

    KEVIN
  Testing one two three four.

    JOE
  Is the electrician here?

    KEVIN
  I just told you -- he hit a deer.

    JOE
  I hear nothing.  Not a sound on the city
  streets, just the beat of my own heart.
  I think that's the way it goes.
  Something like that.

    KEVIN
   (beginning to glean something)
  Did you and Patricia get engaged?

    JOE
  Engaged?  Are you crazy?

    KEVIN
  I thought you liked Patricia --

    JOE
  I love Patricia.  Patricia's amazing.
  Patricia makes coffee nervous.
   (suddenly all business)
  Are we still on schedule?

    KEVIN
  We open two weeks before Thanksgiving.

    JOE
  I guess we should announce ourselves
  soon.  Tell people we're coming.

    KEVIN
  This is the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
  The minute they hear they'll be lining up
  --

    JOE
  -- to picket --

    KEVIN
  -- the big bad --

    JOE
  --chain store --

    KEVIN
  -- that destroys --

    JOE
  -- everything we hold dear.  But we'll
  seduce them with our square footage and
  our deep armchairs and our amazingly
  swift checkout lines and our discounts
  and our...

    JOE & KEVIN
   (the trump card)
  -- cappuccino.

    JOE
  They hate us in the beginning, but we
  get them in the end.  Meanwhile we
  should just put up a sign -- Coming soon,
  a Foxbooks Superstore and The End of
  Western Civilization As We Know It.

 INT. FOXBOOKS - WORLD HEADQUARTERS - DAY

 Joe is in the office with his father, NELSON FOX, and his
 grandfather, SCHUYLER FOX.  The office has been recently
 redecorated; everything is new and a little overdone.

 On the wall we see the Foxbooks logo.

    JOE
  Kevin and I are both a little concerned
  about the neighborhood response --
   (suddenly notices the garish
    couch)
  What is this fabric?  Does it have a
  name?

    NELSON
  Money.  Its name is money.

    JOE
  Gillian selected it.

    NELSON
  Of course.

    SCHUYLER
  Your father is getting married again.

    JOE
  Oh, great, congratulations, Dad.  Why?

    NELSON
  Who knows?  Why does anyone get married?

    JOE
  Love.

    NELSON
  Yes, that is one reason.

    SCHUYLER
  I think you're a damn fool.

    NELSON
  Dad, Matthew is four.  It would be nice
  for him if his parents were married.

    SCHUYLER
  Annabel is eight and I'm not married to
  her mother.  I can't even remember her
  mother's name.
   (he laughs merrily)

    JOE
  I have a very sad announcement to make.
  City Books on 23rd Street is going under
  ...

 Nelson, Shuyler, and Joe high-five each other.

    NELSON
  Another independent bookstore bites the
  dust --

    SCHUYLER
  On to the next.

    JOE
  And I'm buying their entire stock --
  architecture, New York history -- for the
  new store.

    NELSON
  How much are your paying?

    JOE
  Whatever it costs, it won't be as much as
  this exquisite mohair episode.
   (indicates the couch)
  We're also going to have a section on
  West Side Writers --

    SCHUYLER
  -- as a sop to the neighborhood.

    NELSON
  Perfect.  It'll keep those West Side
  liberal nut pseudo-intellectual bleeding
  hearts --

    JOE
  Readers.  They're called readers.

    NELSON
  Don't romanticize them.  It'll keep them
  from jumping down your throat --

    SCHUYLER
  What's the competition?

    JOE
  One mystery store.  Sleuth, on 86th and
  Amsterdam.  And a children's bookstore.
  The Shop Around the Corner.  Been there
  forever.

    SCHUYLER
  Cecilia's store.

    JOE
  Who's that?

    SCHUYLER
  Cecilia Kelly, lovely woman.  I think we
  might have had a date once.  Or maybe we
  just exchange letters.

    JOE
  You wrote her letters?

    SCHUYLER
  Mail.  It was called mail.

    NELSON
   (fondly nostalgic and kidding
    it slightly)
  Stamps.  Envelopes.

    JOE
  Wait.  I've heard of it.  It was a means
  of communication before I was born.

    NELSON
  Exactly.

    SCHUYLER
  Cecilia had beautiful penmanship.
  She was too young for me, but she was...
  enchanting.  Her daughter owns it now.

    NELSON
  Too bad for her.

 As a DECORATOR walks into the office carrying a pile of
 upholstered pillows, and Joe turns to look at them.

    COMPUTER VOICE (OVER)
  Welcome.  You've got mail.

    JOE (V.O.)
  My father is getting married again.  For
  five years he's been living with a woman
  who studied decorating at Caesar's
  Palace.

    COMPUTER VOICE (OVER)
  You've got mail.

 INT. SUBWAY - DAY

 Kathleen looks up from her book as a butterfly flies through
 the subway car.

    KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  Once I read a story about a butterfly in
  the subway, and today I saw one. I
  couldn't believe it.  It got on at 42nd
  --
   (continued)

 The train comes to a stop.  The butterfly flies out.

    KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  -- and got off at 59th, where I assume it
  was going to Bloomindale's to buy a hat
  that will turn out to be a mistake.  As
  almost all hats are.

 EXT. H & H BAGELS - NIGHT

 A flour truck is unloading flour into a hole in the ground.

    JOE (V.O.)
  Did you know that every night a truck
  pulls up to H&H Bagels and pumps about a
  ton of flour into the ground?  The air is
  absolutely amazing.

 As Joe comes around the corner and sees the dust filling the
 air.  It is amazing.

    KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I guess I've read Pride & Prejudice about
  100 times --

 INT. JOE'S KITCHEN - DAY

 As Joe reads a copy of Pride and Prejudice.  He can't stand
 it.

    KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  -- and every time I read it I worry that
  Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are not going to
  get together -- but the truth is whenever
  I think about my favorite book I always
  think about the books I read as a child --

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DAY

 As Kathleen takes a copy of Homer Price off the shelf.

    JOE (V.O.)
  Did you ever read Homer Price?  My all-
  time favorite children's book.
   (continued)

 She opens it to the illustration of the doughnut machine that
 won't stop making doughnuts.

    JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  There's a doughnut machine in it that
  won't stop making doughnuts, they just
  keep coming down the chute just as
  regular as a clock can tick.

 EXT. KRISPY KREME STORE - DAY

    KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  Have you been to Krispy Kreme?
   (continued)

 Joe, eating a doughnut, looks through the window at the huge
 doughnut machine as the doughnuts roll down the chute just as
 regular as a clock can tick.

    KATHLEEN (V.O., cont'd)
  There's a doughnut machine right in the
  window that makes 110 dozen doughnuts an
  hour.

 EXT. STARBUCKS - DAY

 As Joe leaves with his morning coffee.

 EXT. COLUMBUS AVENUE - NEW YORK - MORNING

 Joe goes to his painter at work: COMING SOON is as far as he's
 gotten.

 EXT. STARBUCKS - DAY

 She enters Starbucks.

 INT. STARBUCKS - DAY

 As Kathleen buys her morning coffee and listens to everyone
 ordering.

 We can hear the sounds of Starbucks: "Short decaf cap,"  "Tall
 mocha latte."  "Grande lowfat regular."  Etc.

 EXT. COLUMBUS AVENUE - A HALF HOUR LATER

 The painter is further along on the sign.  It now reads:
 COMING SOON, A FOXBOOKS SU --

 Kathleen walks past the construction site.  She doesn't
 really pay attention to the sign painter.

 We see two police cars barreling up 75th Street, followed by
 a television news truck.

 EXT. BROADWAY - CONTINUOUS

 The police cars and TV truck barrel uptown.

 EXT. 101st STREET - CONTINUOUS

 They turn left onto West 101st and stop in front of an
 apartment building on the block.  There are more police cars
 and a horde of television reporters with microphones, etc.

 George emerges from the building as a newscaster broadcasts.

    TV REPORTER
  The body of a woman was found this
  morning on the roof of a New York
  building...

 As George comes out of his building into a horde of REPORTERS
 with microphones, cameras, etc. and listens to the reporter,
 who, seeing George, sticks the microphone into his face.

    TV REPORTER
  Here is a resident of the building.  Your
  name, please?

    GEORGE
  George Pappas.

    REPORTER
  Did you see or hear anything unusual last
  night?

    GEORGE
  No.  I didn't go out.

 At that moment, George sees a young woman.  This is MEREDITH
 CARTER.  He is struck dumb.

    REPORTER
  The victim was red-haired, about thirty-
  five, wearing a jogging suit.  Did you
  encounter anyone by that description
  in the building?  Sir?

 George hasn't heard a word.

    REPORTER
  Have there been any wild parties
  lately?

 George doesn't answer.

    REPORTER
  Could it perhaps be one of your
  neighbors?

 George continues to stare at the beautiful woman.  As he
 does, she notices him.  She stares back.  The reporter,
 ignored, finally turns away.

    REPORTER
   (to camera)
  As you can see, no one here knows
  anything.

 He continues to stand there, dumbstruck for a moment.
 Meredith Carter starts to walk away.

 EXT. NEW YORK STREET - DAY

 As George walks along Broadway, past the sign, which now
 says: "COMING SOON: A FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE".  He sees it.

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER

 Kathleen and several CUSTOMERS in the store.

 George walks in and goes to the back to hang up his coat.
 Christina is unpacking boxes.  Birdie is at the desk.  George
 looks at Christina meaningfully.

    CHRISTINA
   (totally mystified)
  What?

    GEORGE
  The coup de foudre. I had one. I
  never believed in them, but I just had
  one.

    BIRDIE
  Is that the thing where you get cold
  suddenly, bang?

    CHRISTINA
  No, that's the coup de vieux.

    BIRDIE
  I had that.

    GEORGE
  The coup de foudre is where you get
  love suddenly, bang.  A thunderbolt.

    BIRDIE
  I had that too.  Only I had it in
  Seville, where it was called ,el
  estruendo de amor.

    GEORGE
  I don't know her name, or anything about
  her.  I may never see her again.

    CHRISTINA
  And if you ever do meet her, you'll find
  out all the horrible details, and that
  will be that.  She'll turn out to have
  pictures of the Virgin Mary all over the
  walls.

    GEORGE
  I won't care.

 Kathleen sticks her head into the back.

    KATHLEEN
  Can someone help me out here?

    CHRISTINA
  George had a coup de foudre.

    GEORGE
  And Christina's making fun of me.

    KATHLEEN
  Don't let her.  I believe in this, I
  completely believe in this.  It happened
  to Madame Bovary, at least six times.

    CHRISTINA
  And she was wrong every time.

    KATHLEEN
  Yes!
   (beat)
  Who was she?

    GEORGE
  I don't know.  She was standing outside
  my building with the police and the
  reporters.

    KATHLEEN
  What police and reporters?

    GEORGE
  Someone died.

    KATHLEEN
  Who?

    GEORGE
  I have no idea about that either.
  They found her on the roof.

    KATHLEEN
  A dead body.  That's so sad.  But
  you fell in love.  That's so great.

    GEORGE
  Oh.  One other thing.

 EXT. COLUMBUS AVENUE - DAY

 The sign is now complete and it says: "Coming soon, just
 around the corner.  A Foxbooks Superstore."

 Kathleen and George and Christina stand there looking at it.

    CHRISTINA
  Quel nightmare.

    KATHLEEN
  It has nothing to do with us. It's
  big, impersonal, overstocked and
  full of ignorant salespeople.

    GEORGE
  But they discount.

    KATHLEEN
  But they don't provide any service.  We
  do.

 George and Christina nod.

 INT. BARNEY GREENGRASS - LUNCHTIME

 Kathleen is having lunch with Birdie.

    KATHLEEN
  So really it's a good development.  You
  know how in the flower district, there
  are all these flower shops in a row so
  you can find whatever you want.  Well,
  this is going to be the book district.
  If you don't have it, we do.

    BIRDIE
  And vice versa.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - DUSK

 Kathleen in the kitchen, unloading groceries.  Frank is
 standing there, plugging in an Olympia Report deluxe Electric
 typewriter.

    FRANK
  When you are finished with Foxbooks, the
  Shop Around the Corner is going to be
  responsible for reversing the entire
  course of the Industrial Revolution.

    KATHLEEN
  That is so sweet, Frank.  Thank you.
  That is so sweet.

    FRANK
  Hey --

 He holds his arms out.  They hug.

    KATHLEEN
  Although...

    FRANK
  What?

    KATHLEEN
   (over his shoulder, she notices
    the typewriter, breaks from
    the hug)
  What is that doing there?

    FRANK
  Listen to it.  Just listen--

 He strikes a key.  Practically swoons.

    FRANK
  The Olympia Report deluxe Electric
  Report.  As in gunshot.

    KATHLEEN
  That sound is familiar.

    FRANK
  Now listen to this.

 He puts his ear to the typewriter.

 Kathleen listens too.

    KATHLEEN
  That whirring?

    FRANK
  The gentle and soothing lullaby of a
  piece of machinery so perfect --

    KATHLEEN
  I know where I've heard it before.  I
  know.

 She whips a cover off the other typewriter on the table.
 It's the same machine exactly.

    FRANK
  I needed a backup.

    KATHLEEN
  Don't you have another one at your
  apartment?

    FRANK
  I might, I might.  So what?

    KATHLEEN
  You're turning my apartment into a
  typewriter museum.

    FRANK
  I'll stop.  I'll try.  I probably can't.
  I see one and my knees go weak.  Anyway,
  what were you starting to say?

    KATHLEEN
  When?

    FRANK
  Before.

    KATHLEEN
  Nothing.

    FRANK
  Come on.

    KATHLEEN
  I don't know.  I was just wondering about
  my work and all.  I mean, what is it I do
  exactly?  All I really do is run a
  bookstore --

    FRANK
  All you really do is this incredibly
  noble thing --

 Kathleen nods.

    KATHLEEN
  But I don't know if I --

    FRANK
   (stopping her)
  Kathleen --

    KATHLEEN
  But I just --

    FRANK
  You are a lone reed.

 Kathleen looks puzzled.

 He sticks a piece of paper in the typewriter, starts typing.

    FRANK
  You are a lone reed waving in the
  breeze standing strong and tall in
  the corrupt sands of commerce.

 He whips the piece of paper out of the typewriter and hands
 it to her.

    KATHLEEN
   (reading from it)
  I am a lone reed.
   (tries it on again)
  I am a lone reed.

 Clutching her piece of paper, she wanders into the bathroom.

 INT. BEDROOM - DUSK

 We hear the sound of a typewriter begin to clack away in the
 next room.

 Kathleen walks past her computer, looks at it.  Then she goes
 over to the window, looks out at her street at dusk.

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S STREET - DUSK

 A group of schoolgirls in uniform, in two straight lines,
 walk past with a tall woman.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - DUSK

 She goes over to the bookshelf and pulls out a copy of
 Madeleine by Ludwig Bemelmans and opens it to the
 illustration of the twelve little girls in two straight lines
 marching through the streets of Paris.  She looks at it, then
 looks up, lost in thought.  We hear the sound of the computer
 keys.

    KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  Sometimes I wonder about my life.  I lead
  a small life.  Well, not small, but
  circumscribed.  And sometimes I wonder,
  do I do it because I like it, or because
  I haven't been brave?  So much of what I
  see reminds me of something I read in a
  book, when shouldn't it be the other way
  around?
   (continued)

 And hold on her as she thinks about this.

 In the other room, we hear Frank typing.

 Kathleen goes to the computer, turns it on.

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S BUILDING - NIGHT

 As we see Kathleen, through her curtains, a small figure
 barely lit by her computer.

    KATHLEEN (V.O., cont'd)
  I don't really want an answer.  I just
  want to send this cosmic question out
  into the void.  So goodnight, dear void.

 INT. DRIP - DAY

 Drip is a cafe on Amsterdam Avenue with Fifties-style couches
 and chairs in cozy seating arrangements.  Kathleen is
 standing at the front counter with Christina, getting drinks.

    CHRISTINA
  I went to the Foxbooks Website and you
  can buy anything.  They ship it to you
  in a day.  Maybe we should get a website.

    KATHLEEN
  My mother would never have wanted us to
  have a website.  "Every book you sell is
  a gift from your heart."  She always said
  that.

 As they walk toward the back of the cafe, Kathleen notices a
 stack of loose-leaf binders on the table.

    CHRISTINA
  What if they put us out of business?

    KATHLEEN
  It's out of the question.  We're a
  fixture in the neighborhood.  We're
  practically a landmark.
   (indicating the binders)
  Men For Women, Women for Men, Women for
  Women -- what is this?

    CHRISTINA
  You fill out one of these forms and they
  file it in the book and if someone wants
  to meet you, they arrange it.

    KATHLEEN
  What a stupid way to meet someone.

    CHRISTINA
  Compared to the Internet?

    KATHLEEN
  My little thing on the Internet is just
  a lark.

    CHRISTINA
  So it's still going on?

    KATHLEEN
  And I do not plan to meet him.
   (indicating the book)
  Why do I get the feeling that you are in
  here somewhere?

 Christina flips the book open to her application.

    CHRISTINA
  I came in here one night and drank too
  much coffee and filled one out.
   (off Kathleen's look)
  Well how am I supposed to meet someone?

    KATHLEEN
  You are a runner.  Some day you will make
  eye contact with another runner and --

    CHRISTINA
  No one ever even looks at me.  They
  don't.  On top of which, who are they?
  They could like the symphony.  I could
  never fall in love with someone who
  likes to go to the symphony --

    KATHLEEN
  I know.  What are you supposed to do
  there?

    CHRISTINA
  I don't know.

    KATHLEEN
  Sit.  You're supposed to sit.

    CHRISTINA
  I could never fall in love with anyone
  who smokes cigars either.

    KATHLEEN
  I'll tell you what I hate.  Big fat legs
  like stumps.

    CHRISTINA
  Yeah.  I hate that too.

    KATHLEEN
  The worst, the worst -- I could never,
  under any circumstances, love anybody
  who had a sailboat.

    CHRISTINA
  Neither could I.

    KATHLEEN
  If I had to get up on Saturday morning
  knowing that I was about to go down to
  the pier and unravel all those ropes and
  put on all that sunblock --

    CHRISTINA
  All that talk about the wind.

    KATHLEEN
  And then you have to go out on the boat,
  and you sail and sail and sail until you
  are bored witless, and then, only then,
  do they say, let's turn around and you
  realize the trip is only half over, only
  it's not, because the wind has changed --

    CHRISTINA
  It hasn't changed.  It's died.

    KATHLEEN
  So then there's more talk about the wind.
  While you just float up and down trying
  not to get nauseous.  And when you
  finally get back, you have to clean up
  the boat.

    CHRISTINA
  Why don't people have boat maids?

    KATHLEEN
  I know.  There're all these people who
  wouldn't be caught dead polishing a
  doorknob in their house but put them on
  a boat and they want to rub down
  everything in sight.
  
 EXT. 19TH STREET BOAT BASIN - ANOTHER DAY

 Joe is on his sailboat.  He is polishing his brass and
 whistling.

    ANNABEL
  Joe --

 Joe jumps off the boat onto the dock to greet his
 grandfather's daughter ANNABEL, 8, who is coming toward the
 dock with GILLIAN, his father's overdecorated 32-year-old
 fiance, her son, MATTHEW, 4, and the Nanny, MAUREEN.

    JOE
  Hello.
   (picks up Annabel)
  Annabel, how are you today?

    ANNABEL
  Great.

    JOE
   (picks up Matt)
  Hey, big guy --

    GILLIAN
  Don't I get a hello?

    JOE
  Hello, Gillian.

    GILLIAN
  Kiss me.  I'm going to be your wicked
  stepmother.

 Joe gives her a peck on the cheek.

    JOE
  Who is this?

    GILLIAN
  Nanny Maureen.  I brought her in case
  you couldn't handle the kids.

    ANNABEL
  Maureen's getting a divorce.

    JOE
  I'm sorry to hear that.

    MAUREEN
  It's my own fault.  Never marry a man
  who lies.

    JOE
  That is so wise.  Remember that, Annabel.

    ANNABEL
  She taught Matt to spell his name.

    MATT
  Fox. F-O-X.

    JOE
  Excellent, Matt.
   (to Maureen)
  Good work.  You can have the day off.
  I'll take over from here.
   (to Gillian)
  You must be late for something.
  Volunteer work at the Henry Street
  Settlement.  Packing bandages for
  Bosnian refugees.  A course in
  Chinese literature at Columbia.

    GILLIAN
  I am.  I'm having my eggs harvested.

 EXT. STREET FAIR - DAY

 There's a block street fair with little booths, sausage
 sandwich concessions, etc.  Annabel and Matt have been to the
 makeup booth.  Annabel is a cat and Matt is a pirate.
 Annabel is carrying a goldfish in a baggie as they walk toward
 Broadway.

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S STORE - DAY

 As Joe, Annabel and Matt walk past.  There's some sort of toy
 miniature princess in a pointed hat sitting outside the store
 and a sign lit with twinkle lights: Storybook Lady today 3:30.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S STORE - DAY

 Kathleen is sitting on a stool reading to a group of CHILDREN,
 including Annabel and Matt, who are crammed into her store.
 Joe is watching, along with some PARENTS as Kathleen reads
 from a Roald Dahl book.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S STORE - LATER

 Matt is sitting on the floor reading a book.  Kathleen is
 showing Annabel a copy of a book called Betsy-Tacy.

    KATHLEEN
  This is her best friend Tacy, whose real
  name is Anastasia, and then in the next
  book Betsy and Tacy become friends with
  Tib, whose real name, I am sorry to tell
  you, is Thelma.

 In another section of the store:

 George is showing Joe a first edition of Swiss Family
 Robinson from the glass case.

    GEORGE
  The illustrations are hand-tipped,
  which is why --

    JOE
  It costs so much.

    GEORGE
  It's why it's worth so much.

 Joe smiles and turns to see Kathleen and Annabel at a whole
 shelf of Betsy-Tacy books.

    ANNABEL
  I want all of them.

    KATHLEEN
  That might be an awful lot for your dad
  to buy at one time.

    ANNABEL
  My dad gets me all the books I want.

    KATHLEEN
   (looking over at Joe)
  Well, that's very nice of him.

    ANNABEL
  That's not my dad.  That's my nephew --

    KATHLEEN
  Oh, I don't really think that's your
  nephew --

 As Joe approaches.

    JOE
  It's true.  Annabel is my aunt.  Aren't
  you, Aunt Annabel?

 Annabel nods solemnly.

    ANNABEL
  And Matt is --

    KATHLEEN
  Let me guess.
   (to Matt)
  Are you his uncle?

    MATT
  No.

    KATHLEEN
  His grandfather?

 Annabel and Matt start giggling.

    KATHLEEN (cont'd)
  His great-grandfather?

    MATT
   (shouting with glee)
  I'm his brother.

    JOE
  Annabel is my grandfather's daughter.
  And Matt is my father's son.  We are an
  American family.

 He smiles at Kathleen, who finds herself smiling back.

 Annabel suddenly sneezes.

 Kathleen takes a handkerchief from her sleeve.  It's an old
 fashioned hankie that's embroidered.  She offers it to
 Annabel, who instead wipes her nose with her hand and then
 looks at the handkerchief, a little puzzled.

    ANNABEL
  What is that?

    KATHLEEN
  A handkerchief.  Oh my, do children not
  even know what handkerchiefs are?  A
  handkerchief is a Kleenex you don't throw
  away.  My mother embroidered it for me --
  you see?  My initials and a daisy,
  because daisies are my favorite flower.

    ANNABEL
  Orchids are my favorite flower.

    KATHLEEN
   (to Joe)
  You know what else children don't know?
  They don't know what a telephone booth
  is?

 Joe is looking at Kathleen.

    JOE
  Who are you?

    KATHLEEN
  Kathleen Kelly.  I own this store.
  Are you are?

    JOE
  Joe.  Just call me Joe.
   (quickly)
  We'll take these books.

 He gets the one Matt is reading.  And the two other Kathleen
 has gotten for Annabel.

    KATHLEEN
  These are wonderful books.  As Annabel
  gets older the characters in the books do,
  too.
   (to Annabel)
  You can grow up with Betsy.

    GEORGE
  You're going to come back again, aren't
  you?

    JOE
  Of course.

    GEORGE
  This is why we're never going to go
  under.  Our customers are loyal.

    KATHLEEN
   (by way of explanation)
  They're opening a Foxbooks around the
  corner.

    ANNABEL
  Foxbooks!  My Daddy --

    JOE
   (gently putting his hand over
    her mouth)
  -- likes to buy at discount.  Don't tell
  anyone that, Annabel, it's nothing to be
  proud of --

    MATT
   (spelling)
  F-O-X.

    KATHLEEN
  That's amazing.  You can spell fox.  Can
  you spell dog?

    MATT
  F-O-X.

        JOE
  Matt, look at this dinosaur book.
  Wouldn't you like a dinosaur book?
  Annabel, maybe you could read this to
  Matt while I wrap things up here.
   (moves them to a corner, to
    them quickly)
  Sit down, read, and don't listen to
  anything I say.

 Returns to counter and gives Kathleen some cash.

        JOE
  And the dinosaur book too.

        KATHLEEN
  The world is not driven by discounts,
  believe me.  I've been in business
  forever.  I started helping my mother
  here after school when I was six years
  old.  I used to watch her, and it wasn't
  that she was selling books, it was that
  she was helping people become whoever
  they were going to turn out to be.  When
  you read a book as a child it becomes
  part of your identity in a way that no
  other reading in your life does.
   (stops herself)
  I guess I've gotten carried away.

        JOE
  You have, and you've made me feel...

 He can't finish the sentence.  He looks at her and sees,
 behind her on the shelf, a picture of a woman who is
 unmistakably Kathleen's mother, with a young Kathleen.

        JOE (cont'd)
  Enchanting, your mother was enchanting.

        KATHLEEN
  She was.  How did you know that?

        JOE
  Lucky guess.

        KATHLEEN
  Anyway.  She left the store to me, and
  I'm going to leave it to my daughter.

        JOE
  How old is your daughter now?

        KATHLEEN
  Oh, I'm not married.  But eventually.

 She smiles at Joe...

        KATHLEEN
  So Foxbooks can...

        KATHLEEN AND GEORGE TOGETHER
  Go to hell.

        KATHLEEN
   (handing him his books)
  Here you go.

        JOE
  We ready?

 Annabel and Matt join him at the counter.  Kathleen gives them
 each a lollipop.

        ANNABEL
  Bye, Kathleen.

        KATHLEEN
  Goodbye, Annabel.  Bye, Matt.  What
  about cat?  Can you spell cat?

        MATT
  F-O-X.

 INT. AUDITORIUM - DAY

 Someplace like the auditorium at the Museum of Broadcasting.
 PATRICIA EDEN, Joe's girlfriend, who is the editor-in-chief
 of a New York publishing house called Eden Books, is standing
 at a podium at a sales conference.  In the audience are sales
 reps, wholesalers, etc.  There's a screen behind her with
 pictures of the authors being flashed on it as she speaks.

        PATRICIA (cont'd)
  And now, the book you've all been waiting
  for, the book it's been my dreams to
  publish.  The legendary Veronica Grant
  has written her memoirs --

 There's a burst of applause as a photograph of Veronica Grant
 flashes on screen.

        PATRICIA (cont'd)
  -- and I'm happy to report it is just
  crammed with tragedy.
   (she laughs gaily)
  Just kidding, but seriously, it's all
  here: poverty, addiction, divorce,
  tracheotomies --

 We see pictures of Veronica at eight with her sharecropper
 family, Veronica at 14 with her first child, Veronica with a
 series of husbands, Veronica in a wheelchair, etc.

        PATRICIA (cont'd)
  -- her third husband beat her up, hip
  replacement, and an amazing face lift
  where all the injected fat fell to her
  chin.

 Now we see a blow-up of the book's jacket, with a picture of
 Veronica on it and the title: "Am I Rising from Ashes, or Did
 I Just Forget to Dust?"

        PATRICIA (cont'd)
  This book is fabulous.  And even if it
  weren't, it would sell like crazy,
  because Veronica is going to plug it to
  death on every talk show in America.
  This book...

 Patricia bursts into tears.

        PATRICIA (cont'd)
  I'm sorry.  I can't talk about it without
  crying.  Veronica and I have so much in
  common -- well, not all the sad parts --
  but we were both famous by the time we
  were 29 and, believe me, that's rough.
   (wipes her nose with a Kleenex,
    pulling herself together)
  Anyway, I just want to say that I'm
  especially thrilled to be publishing it.
  Veronica lives in my building and we met
  in the elevator.  By the time we had
  traveled from the eighth floor to the
  first, we had a deal.  First printing:
  one million copies.

 Everyone applauds enthusiastically.

 INT. AUDITORIUM LOBBY - A SHORT WHILE LATER

 Patricia is leaving, still surrounded by colleagues and sales
 reps congratulating her.  She is the soul of graciousness.
 Her assistant, Sarah, comes up.

        SARAH
   (quickly)
  You have a dentist appointment in twenty
  minutes.  So you should leave soon...

        PATRICIA
  What's my car number?

        SARAH
  Car?  You didn't say anything about a car
  --

        PATRICIA
  Are you an idiot?  Of course I need a car.
  God!

 She walks toward the exit.

 EXT. 57TH STREET - CONTINUOUS

 Patricia in the pouring rain, trying to hail a cab.  She
 spots one across the street.

        PATRICIA
  Taxi!  Taxi!  Taxi!

 She whistles -- a longshoreman's whistle.

 The cab makes a U-turn, but instead of stopping for Patricia
 it stops about twenty feet ahead for a MAN in an overcoat who
 gets into it.

        PATRICIA
  Excuse me -- what are you doing?  This is
  my taxicab.
   (to the driver)
  Don't take him.  I am telling you right
  now, and I am memorizing your number,
  don't take him.
   (to the man)
  Who the fuck do you think you are?

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  Are you going uptown?

        PATRICIA
  Yes.

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  Get in.  I'll drop you.

 INT. TAXI - A MINUTE LATER

 As the cab turns onto Eighth Avenue, starts uptown.

 Patricia is dialing her cell phone.  She's elaborately
 ignoring the man who stole her cab.

        PATRICIA
  Veronica, it's Patricia, you should have
  been there, it was unbelievable, we're
  going to sell truckloads of your book.
  Call me.

 She hangs up, folds up the phone, puts it back in her purse
 as the cab moves on.

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  Are you an editor?

        PATRICIA
  Yes.

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  I am a rabbi.

        PATRICIA
  Oh, my God, I said fuck to a rabbi.  I'm
  sorry.

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  I hope you don't mind my asking, but are
  you Jewish?

        PATRICIA
  Yes.

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  You should come to our temple.

        PATRICIA
  I'm not really religious.

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  Oh, I am surprised, you seem like a very
  religious person.

        PATRICIA
  You're kidding, right?

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  We are at West End Avenue and 83rd
  Street.  Every Friday night, we have a
  joyous time, everyone dancing, everyone
  singing.  Also some wisdom.  Perhaps you
  have heard of us, we are known as The
  Singles Temple.

 He smiles at her.

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  It's a very good place to calm down.

 The cab stops.

        MAN IN OVERCOAT
  Oh, look, I am already here.  Very nice
  to meet you.
   (gives the cabbie money)
  Take this woman to her destination.

 He gets out.  Closes the door.  A beat too late:

        PATRICIA
  Goodbye.

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

 Frank comes up the stoop.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

 Kathleen is dressed up for a party.

 Frank walks in, looks meaningfully at her.

        FRANK
  I saw him.  I actually saw him.

        KATHLEEN
  Who?

        FRANK
  I can't believe it.  I saw William
  Spungeon.

        KATHLEEN
  I thought he was in Mexico.

        FRANK
  Maybe he's in Mexico, but today he was in
  New York.  The most brilliant and
  reclusive novelist in the history of the
  world is here, in this neighborhood.  He
  may be living on this very block.

        KATHLEEN
  Where did you see him?

        FRANK
  I was on the subway --

 INT. SUBWAY - DAY

        FRANK (V.O.)
  -- and this musician got onto the train --

 Frank is sitting on the subway, reading the Village Voice.
 The door between the cars opens and a man playing the
 clarinet enters the car.

 No one looks up except Frank.

        FRANK (V.O.)
  -- and I suddenly saw him, sitting
  directly across from me doing the
  crossword puzzle.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  How'd you know it was him?

        FRANK (V.O.)
  He looked exactly the same as his high
  school yearbook picture, which happens to
  be the last photograph ever taken of him.

 Frank takes out his billfold on the subway, pulls out a piece
 of paper.

 CLOSE UP - FOLDED PIECE OF PAPER

 As Frank unfolds a newspaper clipping of a yearbook picture
 of William Spungeon at 17.

 Frank compares the photo of Spungeon with the person sitting
 across the way.  They don't look remotely alike except that
 the boy in the picture and the man on the subway are both
 wearing the same style glasses.

 The subway stops at 79th Street, and William Spungeon gets off.
 Frank follows.

 EXT. BROADWAY - CONTINUOUS

 As Frank comes out of the subway station and looks around.

        FRANK
  So I followed him.

 Frank sees Spungeon cross 79th.  He follows.

 EXT. H&H BAGELS - CONTINUOUS

 Frank follows Spungeon, who hurries into H&H Bagels passing a
 HOMELESS MAN holding a paper cup at the door.

        FRANK (V.O.)
  He went into H&H and bought a bagel
  with everything.

 EXT. H&H BAGELS - A MINUTE LATER

 As Spungeon leaves the store, passing the paper cup, which we
 now realize that Frank, in dark glasses, is holding.

 Spungeon drops his newspaper in a garbage container.

        FRANK (V.O.)
  He dropped his crossword into the
  garbage and I rescued it.

 Frank plucks the puzzle from the trashcan, follows Spungeon.

 INT. SPORTING GOOD STORE - CONTINUOUS

 Spungeon at the counter in the shoe store.

        FRANK (V.O.)
  Then he went into a sporting good store
  and bought tube socks, 6 pair for $7.99.

 We see Frank, peeking out at him from behind a stack of
 running pants.  Suddenly he's distracted by a couple of
 joggers.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  William Spungeon and tube socks.

        FRANK (V.O.)
  I know.  I don't want to dwell on it.

 Frank looks back at the counter.  Spungeon's gone.

        FRANK (V.O.)
  And then I lost him.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - THAT NIGHT

 Frank waves the crossword puzzle in front of Kathleen.

        FRANK
  Do you know what this is worth?

 He takes an empty instant-frame from the closet, puts the
 puzzle into it and sets it next to the typewriters.

 INT. JAPANESE RESTAURANT - NIGHT

 As the two of them eat dinner.

        FRANK
  What I was thinking as I was trailing him
  was that eventually I would have the
  courage to say hello to him, you know,
  not in a horrible, intrusive or slavering
  fan-slash-acolyte kind of way, but more
  like, "Hi."  "How ya doing?"  "Have you
  ever thought about trading up in the sock
  area?"  "Who knows, maybe he's read my
  work -- and then we'd become friends, and
  eventually I'd introduce him to you --
  you know how much he loves children's
  books, there's a whole long section in
  Relativity's Smile about The Wizard of Oz
  -- and then maybe he'd come out of hiding
  so he could help save the store.

        KATHLEEN
  What are you talking about?

        FRANK
  From Foxbooks.  I mean, if things got
  tough, he could help rally support --

        KATHLEEN
  It's never going to get to that.  The
  store is fine.

 EXT. STREET - NIGHT

 As they walk along after dinner.

        FRANK
  I don't even know why you would say that?

        KATHLEEN
  Neither do I.  It just flew out of my
  mouth.

        FRANK
  There's enough business for us all.

 INT. ELEVATOR - NIGHT

 As they go up in an elevator.

        KATHLEEN
  I mean, we're fine.

        FRANK
  You're more than fine, you're absolutely
  fine.

        KATHLEEN
  We're fine.

 The elevator opens onto:

 INT. VINCE MANCINI'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

 A publication party for an author named VINCE MANCINI.  A mix
 of book people, journalists and various other media folk.

        FRANK
  Hey, Vince.  Congratulations.  You know
  Kathleen Kelly.

        VINCE
  How are you?

        FRANK
  Guess who I saw today on the subway?
  William Spungeon.

        VINCE
  I thought he was in Mexico.

 They start chatting.

 Across the room, Joe is with Patricia, who is telling two
 other people the story of meeting the rabbi in the taxicab.
 Joe looks over and sees Kathleen.  He suddenly looks
 stricken.

 Shifts his position so Kathleen can't see his face, but
 sneaks a look.

        PATRICIA
  Would you get me another drink, sweetie?
  I'm all out.
   (continues chattering)
  So then the rabbi says, "It's a very good
  place to calm down."  Isn't that
  hysterical?

 They all laugh.  Joe moves over to the bar.

        JOE
  Absolut on the rocks.

 As he is waiting, Kathleen comes up next to him.

        KATHLEEN
  A white wine, please.
   (very friendly)
  Oh, hello.

        JOE
  Hi.

        KATHLEEN
  Remember me, from the bookstore?

        JOE
  Of course I remember you.

        KATHLEEN
  How's your aunt?

        JOE
  Good.  She's good.
   (gets his drink)
  I have to deliver this.  I have a very
  thirsty date.  She's part camel.

 Kathleen laughs.

        KATHLEEN
  Joe.  It's Joe, isn't it?

        JOE
  And you're Kathleen.

 Joe vanishes into the party.

 INT. VINCE MANCINI'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - A MINUTE LATER

        VINCE
  I can't believe you were talking to Joe
  Fox.

        KATHLEEN
  Joe Fox?  As in --

 She can't even finish the sentence.

 INT. VINCE MANCINI'S APARTMENT - A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER

 Joe is standing at a table of food, his back to the room.

        KATHLEEN
  Fox?  Your last name is Fox?

 Joe spins around, looks at her.

        JOE
  F-O-X.

        KATHLEEN
  God, I didn't realize.  I didn't know who
  you --
   (she trails off)

        JOE
  -- were with.
   (quoting)
  "I didn't know who you were with."

        KATHLEEN
  Excuse me?

        JOE
  It's from the Godfather.  When the movie
  producer realizes that Tom Hagen is the
  emissary of Vito Corleone --
   (continued)

 Kathleen is staring at him.

        JOE (cont'd)
  -- just before the horse's head ends up
  in his bed never mind --

        KATHLEEN
  You were spying on me, weren't you?  You
  probably rented those children.

        JOE
  Why would I spy on you?

        KATHLEEN
  I am your competition.  Which you know
  perfectly well or you would not have put
  up that sign saying "Just around the
  Corner."

        JOE
  The entrance to our store is around the
  corner.  There is no other way to say it.
  It's not the name of our store, it's
  where it is.  You don't own "around the
  corner."

        KATHLEEN
  Next thing you'll be using twinkle
  lights.

        JOE
  Twinkle lights?

        KATHLEEN
  Little white Christmas lights that
  twinkle.  I use them in my window and on
  all my displays, as if you didn't notice.

        JOE
  Look, the reason I came into your store
  is that I was spending the day with
  Annabel and Matt.  I like to buy them a
  present when I see them because I'm one
  of those guys who likes to buy his way
  into the hearts of children who are his
  relatives.  There was only one place to
  buy children's books in the neighborhood
  -- although that will not always be the
  case, and it was yours, and it is a
  charming little bookstore.  You probably
  sell $250,000 worth of book a year --

        KATHLEEN
  How do you know that?

        JOE
  I'm in the book business.

        KATHLEEN
  I'm in the book business --

        JOE
  Oh, I see, and we're the Price Club.
  Only instead of a ten-gallon can of olive
  oil for $3.99 that won't even fit into
  your kitchen cabinet, we're selling cheap
  books.  Me a spy.
   (beat)
  Absolutely.  And I managed to get my hands
  on a secret printout of the sales figures
  of a bookstore so inconsequential and yet
  full of its own virtue that I was instantly
  compelled to rush over and check it out
  for fear it would drive me out of business
  --

 Kathleen stares at him.  She's speechless.

        JOE (cont'd)
  What?
   (off her look)
  What?

 Kathleen shakes her head.

 Frank turns up.

        FRANK
  Hi.  I'm Frank Navasky --

        JOE
  -- Joe Fox.

        FRANK
  Joe Fox?  Inventor of the Superstore,
  enemy of the mid-list novel, destroyer of
  City Books -- tell me something:
  How do you sleep at night?

 Patricia joins them.

        PATRICIA
  I use a wonderful over-the-counter drug,
  Ultrasom.  Don't take the whole thing,
  just half, and you will wake up without
  even that tiniest hangover.  You're Frank
  Navasky, aren't you?

        FRANK
  Yes.

        PATRICIA
  Your last piece in the Independent, the
  one about Anthony Powell, was brilliant.
  I'm Patricia Eden, Eden Books.  Joe, this
  man is the greatest living expert on
  Julius and Ethel Rosenberg --

        JOE
  And this is Kathleen Kelly --

 Kathleen glares at him.

        FRANK
  You liked my piece.  God, I'm flattered.
  You know you write these things and you
  think someone's going to mention them and
  then the whole week goes by and the phone
  doesn't ring, and you think Oh, God, I'm
  a fraud, a failure --

        PATRICIA
  You know what's always fascinated me
  about Julius and Ethel Rosenberg is how
  old they looked when they were really
  just our age.

 Everyone is stopped dead by this observation and looks at
 Patricia, who smiles at them all.

        PATRICIA
   (to Frank)
  I'm so happy to have finally met you.  We
  will talk.  Have you ever thought about
  doing a book?

        FRANK
  Oh sure, it's passed through my head.
  Something really relevant for today like
  the Luddite movement in 19th century
  England.

 At the same time:

        JOE
  Patricia --

        KATHLEEN
  Frank --

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

 As Kathleen and Frank get into bed.

        FRANK
  I really like Patricia Eden.  She's a
  very nice person.

 Kathleen doesn't respond.  Frank turns out the light.

        FRANK
  She needs educating, that's all.

 A beat.

        FRANK
  She's hopelessly driven by money and
  power, but there's a hope for anyone
  who's that familiar with my work --

 On Kathleen, as she turns away from Frank and lies there,
 eyes open.

 INT. JOE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

 As Joe and Patricia get into bed.  Brinkley is already on the
 bed.

        PATRICIA
  I had no idea that Frank Navasky was so
  down-to-earth.

 Joe doesn't respond.  Patricia turns out the light.

        PATRICIA
  You read his stuff, you think he's going
  to be so obscure and abstruse.

 A beat.

        PATRICIA (cont'd)
  He's always talking about Heidigger and
  Foucault and I have no idea what any of
  it's about, really.

 Joe gets up.  Brinkley follows.

        PATRICIA (cont'd)
  Where are you going?

        JOE
  I'm not really tired.

 INT. JOE'S DEN - NIGHT

 Joe writes on his computer.  Brinkley on the floor next to him.

 And cut between Joe and his computer screen.

        JOE (V.O.)
  Do you ever feel you become the worst
  version of yourself?  That a Pandora's
  Box of all the secret hateful parts --
  your arrogance, your spite, your
  condescension -- has sprung open.
  Someone provokes you, and instead of
  just smiling and moving on, you zing
  them.  Hello, it's Mr. Nasty.  I'm sure
  you have no idea what I'm talking about.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S COMPUTER SCREEN - DAY

 And cut between screen and

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - DAY

 As Kathleen reads the end of Joe's letter.

 Kathleen hits the Reply key and starts to type:

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I know what you mean and I'm completely
  jealous.  What happens to me when I'm
  provoked is that I get tongue-tied.  My
  mind goes blank.  Then I spend all night
  tossing and turning trying to think of
  what I should have said.

 INT. JOE'S COMPUTER SCREEN AND JOE'S DEN - NIGHT

 As he replies:

        JOE (V.O.)
  Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could pass
  all my zingers to you and then I would
  never behave badly and you could behave
  badly all the time and we'd both be
  happy?  On the other hand, I must warn
  you that when you finally have the
  pleasure of saying the thing you mean to
  say at the moment you mean to say it,
  remorse inevitably follows.  Do you think
  we should meet?

 INT. KATHLEEN'S COMPUTER SCREEN AND BEDROOM - DAY

 Kathleen stares at Joe's letter in her computer.

 She's frozen.

        KATHLEEN
  Meet?  Omigod.

 She sits staring at the letter.  She has no idea what to do.

 EXT. 75TH STREET & COLUMBUS - DAY

 As the iron gates on all the stores start to open, just the
 way we saw them open in the opening sequence of the movie.
 The pharmacy.  The optician.  The cosmetics supply store.
 The video store.

 And now, finally, we see the new grate on the new Foxbooks
 Superstore start to open upwards.  This is the finest grate
 on Broadway, no question of it.  It's electric and almost
 soundless.  We see a sign saying, OPENING DAY.  35% OFF ON
 ALL BEST-SELLERS.

 People on the street notice the store.  One walks in...

 CAMERA follows him...

 INT. FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE - DAY

 The inside is beautiful.  Gleaning staircase, a cafe,
 comfortable chairs to sit, a bank of cashiers, everyone
 decked out in gray alligator shirts with a fox where the
 alligator should be, a rope for the checkout line, and seven
 cash registers with seven cashiers.  Of course, books, books,
 books, as far as the eye can see.

 MATCH DISSOLVE TO:

 INT. SAME SCENE - LATER THAT DAY

 The store is jam-packed.  Joe with his father Nelson, his
 grandfather Schuyler, and Kevin, the store manager.

        JOE
  No pickets, no demonstrations.

        KEVIN
  The neighborhood loves us.

        NELSON
  They're wondering where we've been all
  these years.  They're wondering how they
  ever did without it.

        SCHUYLER
  It's a hit.

 They admire their own store, walk through the downstairs and
 start up the staircase to the second floor.

        NELSON
  How's the children's book department?

        JOE
  It's early yet.  School isn't out.  And
  there's that children's bookstore nearby
  --

        SCHUYLER
  Cecilia's store --

        JOE
  Her daughter's --

        NELSON
  We'll crush it --

        SCHUYLER
  She was enchanting.

 And as they walk on upstairs, several mothers with children
 come up the stairs behind them.

 EXT. BROADWAY - MORNING

 A little group of children dressed as Pilgrims walk down the
 street as Kathleen comes around the corner to buy her morning
 paper.  Joe is at the newsstand.  She turns and pretends to
 be staring at a wall until he finishes buying his paper and
 walks on.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I don't think it's a good idea for us
  to meet...

 INT. STARBUCKS - ANOTHER DAY

 Joe is putting sugar into his coffee at the sugar counter as
 Kathleen comes in.  He pretends he didn't see her.

        KATHLEEN (V.O., cont'd)
  I love our relationship.  There's a lot
  going on in the day-to-dayness of my life
  and there's something magical...

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DUSK

 We see Kathleen and George at the end of the day, counting
 the receipts.  Birdie is using a calculator to total them.
 Christina is shelving books.  There are Thanksgiving
 decorations -- cardboard turkeys and pilgrims, books on
 colonists like Myles Standish.

        KATHLEEN (V.O., cont'd)
  ... and thrilling about this island in
  cyberspace I have with you.  SO PLEASE
  DON'T ASK ME AGAIN.

        BIRDIE
  About $1200 less than the same week last
  year.

        KATHLEEN
  That could be a fluke, right?

 They look at each other.

        BIRDIE
  Or not.

        KATHLEEN
  Their store is new.  It's a novelty.  But
  it will all shake out.  Do you think I
  should put up more twinkle lights?

        BIRDIE
  That's a lovely idea.

        CHRISTINA
  What if we have to fold?  I'll never find
  another part time job and I won't be able
  to pay the rent and I'll have to move to
  Brooklyn.

        GEORGE
  The joy of rent control.  Six room for
  $450 a month.

        CHRISTINA
  We know.  You've told us a million times.
  I can't believe you're bringing it up at
  a time like this.  It's like bragging
  because you're tall.  Birdie never brags
  about her rent and she pays even less
  than you.

        BIRDIE
  Ten rooms.  I just rattle around from one
  to the other.

        KATHLEEN
  Hey, guys.  We are not going to fold.

 The door opens, and Meredith Carter, the woman George had
 swooned over in front of his building, walks in.

 George stares, frozen in place, as she walks up to him.

        MEREDITH
  George Pappas?

        GEORGE
   (I have died and gone to
    heaven)
  Yes.

        MEREDITH
   (flashing her badge)
  Detective Carter, 23rd precinct.  I'd
  like to ask you a few questions.

 Kathleen suddenly sees George, following Meredith out of the
 store.  He's in a complete daze.

        KATHLEEN
  George?  Where are you going?

 He goes out the door.

 LAURA MARGULIES, a well-known children's book author, enters
 as George leaves.

        LAURA
  Kathleen, are you surviving?

        KATHLEEN
  Laura!  We're so excited about your new
  book.  When should we schedule your
  signing?

        LAURA
  Oh, it's being published in January.
  Are you going to be in business in
  January?  I'm so worried.

        KATHLEEN
  We're doing great, aren't we?

        CHRISTINA
  Great.

        BIRDIE
  No difference whatsoever.

        LAURA
  Thank God.  Well, you know you can count
  on me.  For anything, support, rallies.
  Picket lines.  We can get the Times to
  write something.  Or that nut in the
  Independent --

        KATHLEEN
  What nut in the Independent?

        LAURA
  Frank Navasky.  This is just the sort of
  thing that would outrage him.

 She smiles brightly.

 INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

 George and Meredith are sitting in a booth.

        MEREDITH
  Mr. Pappas, I'm investigating the murder
  of the woman found on the roof of your
  building.  Do you live alone there?

        GEORGE
  Do I live alone?  Yes I do.  Do you live
  alone?

        MEREDITH
  Yes.

 George takes her hand in his and looks at it as if it were
 the eighth wonder of the world.  He starts stroking it,
 caressing it...

 Meredith pulls it away.  A beat.  Then she gives it right
 back to him.  He continues stroking.  They stare at each
 other.  He puts her fingers into his mouth.

  MEREDITH
   (overwhelmed)
  What are you doing?

        GEORGE
  I don't know.  I have no idea.

        MEREDITH
  You have to stop.

        GEORGE
  I can't.

 She utters a little moan.

 INT. GEORGE'S APARTMENT - A SHORT WHILE LATER

 They come into the apartment.  She throws herself into his
 arms.

 EXT. RIVERSIDE DRIVE PARK - DAY

 As Christina runs, desperately trying to make eye contact
 with men running in the opposite direction.  No one will look
 at her.

 INT. ZABAR'S CHEESE DEPARTMENT - NIGHT

 The place is mobbed -- the usual crush the night before
 Thanksgiving.

 Kathleen, pushing a shopping cart, is trying to wedge her way
 through the crowd in the cheese department.  As she reaches
 across three people to grab some Brie, she sees Joe walk into
 the store.  Quickly, she turns her back so he can't see her.
 She stands there frozen.  A beat...

 Peeks around, doesn't see him anywhere.  Cranes her neck this
 way and that.  No Joe.

 INT. ZABAR'S CASHIER AREA - CONTINUOUS

 Kathleen, now wearing dark glasses but looking not at all
 disguised, looks around and spots a short line and makes a
 beeline for it.

 At that moment, Joe comes from the Appetizing Department and
 gets on the line she was heading for.

 Panicked, Kathleen retreats onto another line and stands with
 her back to him.

 INT. SAME SCENE - MOMENTS LATER

 The CASHIER totals up Kathleen's purchases and Kathleen hands
 over her credit card.

        CASHIER
  This is a Cash Only line.

        KATHLEEN
  What?

        CASHIER
  Cash Only.

        KATHLEEN
  Omigod, I only have a credit card.  Is
  that okay?

        PERSON BEHIND HER IN LINE
  Of course it's not okay, there's a sign.

        CASHIER
  There's a sign.

        PERSON IN LINE
   (to the person behind her)
  She doesn't have cash.

 "She doesn't have cash" is repeated all the way down the
 line.

 Joe turns to see what's going on.

        ANOTHER PERSON
  Get on another line, lady.

        JOE
  Oh, hello.

        KATHLEEN
  Hello.

        JOE
  Do you need some money?

        KATHLEEN
  No, I don't need any money.  Thank you
  very much.

        CASHIER
  Get on another line.

        JOE
  Hi.
   (off her nametag, big smile)
  Rose. Great name.  Rose, this is
  Kathleen, I'm Joe, and this is a credit
  card machine.  Happy Thanksgiving.

 Rose just stares at him.

        JOE (cont'd)
  Now it's your turn to say happy
  Thanksgiving back.

        ROSE
  Happy Thanksgiving back.

 Joe looks at her, winks.

        JOE
  Mississippi is a hard word to spell.  How
  do you spell it?  I-T.
   (big smile)
  Now take this credit card and put it
  through the machine, zip zip.

 The cashier, completely charmed, takes Kathleen's credit
 card.

 Kathleen is appalled.

 Everyone on the line signs irritably and audibly.

        JOE
  So you're fine.

        KATHLEEN
  Fine.

        JOE
  Happy Thanksgiving.

 As Kathleen signs the charge slip and the cashier exasperatedly
 starts to put her groceries into a bag.

 INT. JOE'S FATHER'S APARTMENT - THANKSGIVING DAY

 An elegant East Side apartment.  Schuyler, his youngish
 French wife, YVETTE, Nelson, Gillian and their child Matt,
 and Joe are sitting and listening as Annabel sings Tomorrow.

        ANNABEL
  The sun'll come up tomorrow, bet your
  bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be
  sun --

 Joe is on a loveseat with Matt.  Gillian lifts Matt up, sits
 down in his place next to Joe and plunks Matt into her lap.
 Nelson is already seated in a chair in front of the loveseat
 and can't see her without turning around.

 As she continues singing, Gillian moves her hand next to
 Joe's leg.  Joe edges away.  He looks around the room, sees
 Nanny Maureen standing behind the couch.  He stands, offers
 her his seat.  She sits.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

 A much more informal Thanksgiving dinner. We see the
 leftovers on a sideboard near a round table in Kathleen's
 living room.

 Kathleen, Frank, Birdie, Christina, George and George's new
 girlfriend, Meredith and TWO OTHER FRIENDS are standing
 around the upright piano.  Birdie is playing a Christmas
 song, and everyone is singing.

 As the singing continues, over, we cut to:

 EXT. FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE - DECEMBER DAY

 As the Christmas decorations and twinkle lights go into the
 window.

 Birdie walks by the store.  She stops to look at the
 customers inside, and then notices a sign in the window:

 "Book Signing January 10 - Best Selling Children's Author
 Laura Margulies."  There's a picture of Laura Margulies.

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DECEMBER DUSK

 Kathleen is in the window decorating a little tree with
 lovely decorations from a box.  Two people are carrying a
 tree home, there's the sound of church bells.

 Kathleen looks up as a couple of people walk past the store,
 carrying Foxbooks shopping bags.

 Then she unwraps a pair of ruby slipper ornaments, and as she
 starts to hang them on the tree we hear the sound of the
 computer.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  This is such an odd Christmas.  I find
  myself missing my mother, who's been dead
  for ten years.  New York at Christmas is
  so loaded with all the things we used to
  do --

 INT. NEW YORK STATE THEATER - 1972 - DAY

 As Young Kathleen, dressed in a little velvet dress, sits in
 the audience next to her mother watching the ballet.

        KATHLEEN (V.O. cont'd)
  -- going to the Nutcracker --

 EXT. ROCKEFELLER CENTER SKATING RINK - 1972 - DAY

        KATHLEEN (V.O. cont'd)
  -- ice skating at Rockefeller Center,
  where I was knocked into a 6-year-old
  maniac --

 A SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY knocks into her.

        YOUNG KATHLEEN
  Hey, watch out --

        SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY
  Me watch out, why don't you watch out?
  I'm not sliding around like a baby.  You
  think I come here to skate with babies?

 Young Kathleen's jaw drops and she stands there tongue-tied.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  My first experience as a speechless
  person.

 Her mother skates up and takes her hand.  The boy skates off.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I always miss my mother at Christmas, but
  somehow it's worse this year since I need
  some advice from her.

 And we hear the sound of another computer.

 INT. JOE'S DEN

 As he replies to Kathleen.

        JOE (V.O.)
  My mother took me ice skating too --

 EXT. ROCKEFELLER CENTER SKATING RINK - DAY

 We see a little boy, YOUNG JOE, 8, skate past holding someone's
 hand --

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  -- although my mother did not skate.  The
  nanny skated --

 And we now see JOE'S NANNY, a young Sonja Henie, who suddenly
 peels off into a series of triple lutzes, as JOE'S MOTHER
 absently reads a copy of Vogue in the spectators' section.

 INT. LINCOLN CENTER THEATER - 1972 - DAY

        JOE (V.O.)
  And I was in the Nutcracker.

 We see the stage now.  There's Young Joe, among the children
 at the Christmas party.

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  So was my nanny.

 As JOE'S NANNY #2 pirouettes past.

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  Different nanny.  By the way, I'm
  surprised you aren't a writer.  Although
  you probably are a writer and don't
  know it.  Are you a writer and I don't
  know it?

 INT. JOE'S APARTMENT - 1972 - NIGHT

 Young Joe, at the dinner table with his father.  A wide shot
 of a big room with a huge table and servants.  Joe looks very
 small at the table as he eats his soup.

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  My mother died when I was ten.  I was
  staying with my father, who is not famous
  for intimacy, and whose way of breaking
  the news of her death was to tell me she
  would not be coming to pick me up as
  usual.  It was a car accident, and I
  don't know where she was going or who she
  was with, and I assume what I owe her is
  my tendency to cover almost any emotion
  with a joke.  A useful gift, unless you
  want to know what you're feeling.  She
  was very beautiful.  People toss that
  word around a lot, but my mother was.

 The camera moves closer to the dining table.  We see that
 tears are rolling down little Joe's cheeks.

 INT. JOE'S DEN - NIGHT

 Joe stops typing.  He is surprised to find his eyes watering.
 A moment of confusion as he cannot believe he has moved
 himself to tears.  Shakes his head, shakes the emotion off.
 Starts typing again.

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  Ancient history.  So what kind of advice
  do you need?  Can I help?

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - DAY

 Kathleen in bed with her laptop reading Joe's letter.

 She starts to type a response.

 Suddenly there's harp arpeggio and an Instant Message
 flashes on screen.

 From NY 152

 CLOSE ON KATHLEEN - TOTAL SHOCK

 ON SCREEN AS WE SEE THE MESSAGE

        JOE (V.O.)
  I had a gut feeling you would be on line
  now.

 INT. JOE'S BEDROOM - DAY

 Joe is in bed with his laptop.  And cut back and forth
 between them and their computer screens as they type Instant
 Messages to one another.  Possible split screens.

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  I can give you advice.  I'm great at
  advice.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I don't think you can help.

        JOE (V.O.)
  Is it about love?

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  My business is in trouble.  My mother
  would have something wise to say.

        JOE (V.O.)
  I'm a brilliant businessman.  It's what
  I do best.  What's your business?

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  No specifics, remember?

        JOE (V.O.)
  Minus specifics, it's hard to help.
  Except to say, go to the mattresses.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  What?

        JOE (V.O.)
  It's from The Godfather.  It means you
  have to go to war.

 CLOSE ON KATHLEEN - LOOKING AT THE COMPUTER

        KATHLEEN
   (to herself)
  The Godfather?

 She starts to type.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  What is it with men and The Godfather?

        JOE (V.O.)
  The Godfather is the I Ching.  The
  Godfather is the sum of all wisdom.  The
  Godfather is the answer to any question.
  What should I pack for my summer
  vacation?  "Leave the gun, take the
  cannoli."  What day of the week is it?
  "Maunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday."
  And the answer to your question is "Go to
  the mattresses."
   (continued)

 CAMERA ON KATHLEEN - CONSIDERING WHAT HE SAYS

        JOE (cont'd)
  You're at war.  "It's not personal, it's
  business.  It's not personal it's
  business."  Recite that to yourself every
  time you feel you're losing your nerve.
  I know you worry about being brave, this
  is your chance.  Fight.  Fight to the
  death.

 INT. JOE'S APARTMENT - DAY

 Patricia comes in as Joe is waiting for Kathleen's response.

        PATRICIA
  Look what I bought.

 Joe types "Ciao" and signs off.  Looks up to see Patricia
 showing him a Plexiglas menorah.

        PATRICIA
  I was just passing this store on Columbus
  Avenue and it caught my eye.

        JOE
  What is it?

        PATRICIA
  A Menorah.
        JOE
  It doesn't look like a Menorah.

        PATRICIA
  I know.  I don't know what came over me.
  I don't even celebrate Hanukkah.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - DAY

 As Kathleen logs off, Frank comes in.

        KATHLEEN
  Frank, I've decided to go to the
  mattresses.  Do you think it would be a
  gigantic conflict of interest if you
  wrote something about us?

 INT. THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DAY

 It's January.  The store is more crowded than we've seen it.
 Frank is there with several copies of the Independent.  The
 phone is ringing off the hook.  Christina and George are
 fielding calls.  Birdie is reading Frank's article.

        BIRDIE
   (reading)
  "Kathleen Kelly and her mother Cecilia
  Kelly have raised your children.  If this
  precious resource is killed by the cold
  cash cow of Foxbooks, it will not only be
  the end of Western civilization as we
  know it, but the end of something even
  dearer: our neighborhood as we know it.
  Save the Shop Around the Corner and you
  will save your own soul."  Frank, that's
  charming.

        FRANK
  You think it's a little over the top?

        BIRDIE
  Just say thank you.

        FRANK
  Thank you.

        CHRISTINA
   (calling to Kathleen)
  Channel 2's outside.

 INT. BACK ROOM - THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - SAME TIME

 Kathleen is primping in a tiny wall mirror.  She takes a deep
 breath.

        KATHLEEN
  In a second.

        GEORGE
   (from the other room)
  The Village Voice is coming.

        KATHLEEN
  Omigod.

 Frank sticks his head in.

        FRANK
   (in shock)
  It's him.

        KATHLEEN
  Who?

        FRANK
  God. It is God.

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - CONTINUOUS

 Kathleen comes out of the storage room.

 William Spungeon is standing there.

        WILLIAM SPUNGEON
  I'm William Spungeon.

        KATHLEEN
  I'm very pleased to meet you.  I'm
  Kathleen Kelly.

 Frank is practically levitating.

        SPUNGEON
  I knew your mother.  Although she knew me
  only as W.  That enormous bookstore is
  obscene.

        FRANK
  I'm Frank Navasky.  I carry your picture
  in my wallet.

 He pulls it out.  Spungeon looks at him like he's crazy.

        KATHLEEN
  We've organized pickets.  Channel 13 is
  doing a special.

        SPUNGEON
  I'd be glad to talk to the press if it's
  all right with you.  They've been trying
  to interview me for years.

        FRANK
  The press?  I'm the press.

        KATHLEEN
  You'd allow that?  For me?  For the
  store?  That's incredible.  Although you
  wouldn't have to be photographed.  I
  respect that.  If it's television, they
  could just put one of those blurry dots
  in front of your face.

        SPUNGEON
  No television.

        CHRISTINA
   (referring to the TV crew)
  They're waiting for you --

        FRANK
  I know all your books.  Phaelox the
  gnome, the little man who comes from
  nowhere... and is going nowhere...
   (quoting)
  "Where did you come from?"  "Nowhere."
  "Where are you going?"  "Nowhere."

        SPUNGEON
  Cool it.  I'm starting to break out in
  hives.
   (to Kathleen)
  Here's my phone number.

        KATHLEEN
  I had no idea William Spugeon had a
  phone.

        SPUNGEON
  Adios.

 He gives a little wave and leaves.

        FRANK
  This is historic.
   (beat)
  Do you realize what I've done?  By
  writing that piece, do you realize?
  I've brought William Spungeon in from
  the cold. Holy shit.  I am completely
  amazing.

 At that moment a TV REPORTER sticks her head into the store.

        TV REPORTER
  Kathleen Kelly?

 Kathleen takes a deep breath, walks out the door.

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - A FEW MINUTES LATER

        CHANNEL 2 TV REPORTER
  Are you ready, Miss Kelly?

        KATHLEEN
  Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.

        CHANNEL 2 TV REPORTER
  What?

        KATHLEEN
  Never mind.  I'm ready.  Shoot.

 INT. TELEVISION SCREEN - THAT NIGHT

        CHANNEL 2 TV REPORTER
  We're here in front of the Shop Around
  the Corner, the famous West Side
  children's bookstore now on the verge of
  having to close its doors because the big
  bad wolf, Foxbooks, has opened only a few
  hundred feet away, wooing customers with
  its sharp discounts and designer coffee.

        KATHLEEN
  They have to have discounts and lattes,
  because most of the people who work there
  have never read a book.

 And pull back now to reveal that we're in:

 INT. GYM - NIGHT

 Five TV sets are on, over adjoining treadmills, Joe and
 Kevin are on two of the treadmills, walking and watching.

        JOE
  She's not as nice as she seems on
  television.

        KEVIN
  You've met her?

        JOE
  She's kind of a pill.

        KEVIN
  She's probably not as attractive as she
  seems on television either.

        JOE
  No, she's beautiful.  But a pill.

        KEVIN
  So you don't feel bad about basically
  destroying her livelihood not to mention
  her legacy not to mention her raison
  d'etre.

        JOE
  It's not personal --

        KEVIN
  It's business.

        JOE
  Right.  Exactly.

 They look up at the television.

 INT. TELEVISION SCREEN - CONTINUOUS

 Joe onscreen, with a super: Joe Fox, Vice-President Foxbooks.

        JOE
  I sell cheap books.  Sue me.  I sell
  cheap books, and as a result -- listen
  to this, because it's really bad --
  more people can buy books.

 The show immediately cuts back to the newscaster.

 On Joe and Kevin.

        KEVIN
  That's what you said?

        JOE
   (outraged)
  That's not all I said.  I said -- I can't
  believe those bastards -- I said we were
  great, I said people can come and sit and
  read for hours and no one bothers them, I
  said we stock 150,000 titles, I showed
  them the New York City section.  I said
  we were a goddamn piazza where people
  could mingle and mix and be.

        KEVIN
  A piazza?

        JOE
  I was eloquent.  Shit.  It's just
  inevitable, isn't it?  People are going
  to want to turn her into Joan of Arc --

        KEVIN
  -- and you into Attila the Hun.

        JOE
  Well it's not me personally, it's more
  like it's the company --

        KATHLEEN
   (on the television)
  And I have to say, I have met Joe Fox,
  who owns Foxbooks, and I have heard him
  compared his store to a Price Club and the
  books in it to cans of olive oil.

 On Joe, reacting.

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER

 A small rally is taking place, with picket signs.  Kathleen
 is standing on a small speaker's platform, along with the
 Borough President.

        KATHLEEN
  My mother used to say to me that every
  book you sell is a gift from the
  heart...

 EXT. FOXBOOKS - DAY

 As 20 CHILDREN march in front of the store, holding little
 makeshift picket signs and singing songs.  "One, two, three,
 four, we don't want this Superstore."

 Customers go right through the line and into the store.

 INT. FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE - DAY

 We can hear the pickets marching and singing outside --
 although the store is full of customers anyway.  The Fox men
 -- Joe, Nelson and Schuyler -- are sitting in the cafe.
 Nelson is holding a copy of a weekly newspaper, which has the
 old high-school yearbook picture of William Spungeon on the
 front page and a headline: William Spungeon Emerges from
 Hiding to Support Bookstore.

        SCHUYLER
  Who is this Spungeon anyway?

        JOE
  He's a writer.

        NELSON
  Well, I've never heard of him.  And
  neither has anyone else in this place.

 INT. TV SET - NIGHT

 As we see SIDNEY-ANN STRONGIN, a young and attractive PBS
 talk show hostess for a show called Inside Media.

        SIDNEY-ANN
  The New York Literary world was shocked
  this week when William Spungeon, the most
  famously reclusive author since J.D.
  Salinger, announced that he was coming
  out of hiding because of his loyalty to a
  small children's bookstore on the West
  Side of Manhattan.  Discussing this
  tonight is a man I happen to think of as
  one of this city's most underappreciated
  assets, Frank Navasky.

        FRANK
  Thank you.

        SIDNEY-ANN
  This all happened because of you, didn't
  it --

        FRANK
  Well, I knew William Spungeon loved
  children's books so I wrote a provocative
  column --

        SIDNEY-ANN
  Your specialty.

 Frank laughs.  Sidney-Ann laughs.

        FRANK
  And it kind of smoked him out.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

 As she and Frank watch the television show.

        FRANK ON TELEVISION
  Technologically speaking, the world's
  out of hand.  Take the VCR.  The whole
  idea of a VCR is that it makes it possible
  for you to tape what's on television
  while you're out of the house.  But the
  whole point of being out of the house is
  so you can miss what's on television.
  Radio.  Now there's a medium I can get
  behind.

        SIDNEY-ANN ON TELEVISION
  Well, we're on television... and you're
  good at it.

        FRANK ON TELEVISION
  Thank you.

 Another little moment between them.

        SIDNEY-ANN ON TELEVISION
  The bookstore.  Tell us about it.

        FRANK ON TELEVISION
  Are you planning to collect radios?

        SIDNEY-ANN ON TELEVISION
  Do you think I should?

        FRANK ON TELEVISION
  The Shop Around the Corner is a true New
  York treasure.

        SIDNEY-ANN ON TELEVISION
  As are you.  I'd love to have you back.

        FRANK ON TELEVISION
  Any time.  Are we done?

        SIDNEY-ANN ON TELEVISION
  Not at all.

        FRANK ON TELEVISION
  Because I just want to say that the only
  show I do watch is yours.

        KATHLEEN
   (appalled)
  Omigod.

        FRANK
  Hey, I was just being polite.  Okay, I
  admit, I slobbered all over her.

 The show continues.

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DUSK

 As we see Kathleen flip the open sign to closed.

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DUSK

 George is talking to Kathleen and Birdie, who is toting up
 the week's receipts.

        GEORGE
  And I can't decide whether to put
  sausages into the meat sauce or just
  chopped meat.  Last time I made it,
  Detective Carter and I never even sat
  down to dinner because --
   (he makes some sort of hand
    gesture indicating that sex
    prevented them from dining)
  and last night, I made margaritas in the
  blender, and I took the ice cube and --

        BIRDIE
  Spare us.

 George goes out the door.

 Birdie looks at Kathleen.

        KATHLEEN
  Don't tell me.  Not the slightest
  difference?

 Birdie can't bring herself to answer.

        KATHLEEN (cont'd)
  How could that be?  All this publicity
  and not one bit of difference?
  Oh Birdie, what am I going to do?  What
  would Mom have done?

        BIRDIE
  Let's ask her.

 She opens the locket hanging around her neck.  There's a
 picture of Kathleen's mother inside it.  Birdie holds the
 locket up to her face.

        BIRDIE
  Cecilia, what should we do?

 Birdie holds the locket to her ear and listens.  A pause.

        KATHLEEN
  Birdie?

        BIRDIE
  Shhhh.
   (after a beat, shrugs)
  She has no idea, but she thinks the
  window display is lovely.  Good night
  dearie.

 Birdie smiles and picks up her shopping bag, goes out the
 door.

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - NIGHT

 It's starting to rain.  Kathleen lowers the grate over the
 store.  As she turns to walk away, William Spungeon steps in
 her path out of the shadows.

        KATHLEEN
  Oh my goodness, hello.  What are you
  doing here.

        SPUNGEON
  Loitering.  Lurking.  Skulking.
  Stalking.

 He laughs.  So does she.  Dramatically, he whips out an
 umbrella and opens it over the two of them.

        SPUNGEON (cont'd)
  You look very beautiful.

        KATHLEEN
  Thank you.  But I'm a wreck.

 He touches her cheek suddenly.  Kathleen starts.  Then he
 blows on his hand.

        SPUNGEON
  An eyelash.  It's gone.

 Kathleen relaxes.  They start walking.

        KATHLEEN
  Are you writing another book?

        SPUNGEON
  I'm in the home stretch.  I'll be done in
  approximately six more years.

        KATHLEEN
  Should I discount?

        SPUNGEON
  It's about a man on a quest for knowledge
  who meets a woman he cannot resist.

        KATHLEEN
  If I discount I have to fire someone
  because I can't discount with this
  overhead but whom could I fire?  I
  couldn't fire anyone.

 Spungeon suddenly puts his hand through Kathleen's hair.  She
 stops, frozen in place.

        SPUNGEON
  You have your mother's hair.  Thick,
  wild, the color of Nebraska wheat.

 He grabs her and tries to kiss her.

        KATHLEEN
  What are you doing?  Let me go.

 He backs her into a wall.

        KATHLEEN
  Stop it.  Are you crazy?

 She kicks him in the shins, wiggles free and runs away.

        SPUNGEON
   (calling after her)
  If you change your mind, you can E-mail
  me.  Hermit@AOL.com.

 INT. COMPUTER SCREEN - NIGHT

 The mail form says "To:" and Kathleen types in "NY 152".

 The form says "Re:" and Kathleen types in:  "Advice"

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

 Rain is falling.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I need help.  Do you still want to meet
  me?

 EXT. JOE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

 Rain is falling.

 We hear the sound of the computer.

        JOE (V.O.)
  "Where?  When?"

 INT. NUT SHOP OF BROADWAY - DAY

 George, Kathleen and Christina in the shop.  Kathleen is
 buying more lollipops.

        KATHLEEN
  We're meeting in a public place.

        CHRISTINA
  Well don't go anywhere with him.  Don't
  even go out to the street with him
  afterwards.  Get a dial cab to just sit
  there and wait for you.

        GEORGE
  Did you tell Frank?

        KATHLEEN
  There's nothing to tell.

        CHRISTINA
  But did you tell him?

        KATHLEEN
  He's away.  At the 32nd anniversary of
  the Chicago Seven trial.

        GEORGE
  And he's gone to a place where there are
  no phones.  Do you even know this guy's
  name?

 Kathleen shakes her head no.

        CHRISTINA
  And you're going to meet him in a bar?

        KATHLEEN
  Not a bar.  That place on 83rd with the
  cheesecake.

        GEORGE
  And he will wear a flower in his lapel,
  and you will be carrying a copy of Anna
  Karenina with a rose in it.

 No answer.

        CHRISTINA
  Oh God, no.

        KATHLEEN
  Not Anna Karenina.  Pride and Prejudice.

 EXT. FOXBOOKS - NIGHT

 As Joe and Kevin walk out of the store and start downtown.

        KEVIN
  I suppose she's carrying a copy of a book
  with a flower in it.

 Joe doesn't say anything.

        KEVIN
  Not really.

        JOE
  Really.

        KEVIN
  Which Jane Austen is it?

        JOE
  Pride and Prejudice.

        KEVIN
  She could be a real dog.

        JOE
  I know.  Look, I'll just stay ten
  minutes.  I'll say hello.  Drink a cup of
  coffee and split.  I'm outta here.

 He looks at Kevin.

        JOE (cont'd)
  Walk me there, okay?

 EXT. 83RD STREET - NIGHT

 As the two men walk toward Cafe Lalo, the European cafe on
 West 83rd Street.

        JOE
  What if she has a really high, squeaky
  voice?  I hate that.  It reminds me of
  those mice in Cinderella.

        KEVIN
  What mice in Cinderella?

        JOE
  Gus-gus and oh shit, I can't remember the
  other one.  Why am I compelled to meet
  her?  I'm just ruining a good thing.

        KEVIN
  You're taking it to the next level.  I
  always do that.  I always take a
  relationship to the next level, and if it
  works okay I take it to the next level
  after that, until I can finally get to
  the level where it becomes absolutely
  necessary for me to leave.

        JOE
  I'm not going to stay long anyway.  I
  already said that, didn't I.  Christ.
  I'm a total wreck.

 As they reach:

 EXT. CAFE LALO - CONTINUOUS

 Joe stops and looks at Kevin.

        JOE
  Kevin, this woman is the most adorable
  creature I have ever come in contact
  with.  If she turns out to be even as
  good-looking as a mailbox, I will be
  crazy not to turn my life upside down
  and marry her.

        KEVIN
  She could be a real dog.

        JOE
   (a total panic)
  You go look.

        KEVIN
  Me?

        JOE
  Just go to the window and check her out.

        KEVIN
  You're pathetic.

 Kevin goes to the window and looks inside.

 EXT. CAFE LALO - NIGHT

 Joe and Kevin in front.

 Kevin looks in the window.

        JOE
  See her?

        KEVIN
  There's a beautiful, whoa, a very
  beautiful girl.

        JOE
  Yes.

        KEVIN
  But no book.  Let me see, let me see...
  Wait a minute.  There's a book with a
  flower, so it must be her.

        JOE
  What does he look like?

        KEVIN
  There's a waiter blocking, I can't see
  her face.  He's serving her a cup of tea
  and she's putting in three spoonfuls of
  sugar --

        JOE
  Well, why shouldn't she?

        KEVIN
  No reason.  Unless she has hypoglycemia.
  Oh, he's moving.

        JOE
  Can you see her?

        KEVIN
  Yes.

        JOE
  And? --

        KEVIN
   (clearly frustrated)
  She's very pretty.

        JOE
  She is.  I knew she would be.  She had
  to be.

        KEVIN
  She looks... I would say she has a little
  of the coloring of that Kathleen Kelly
  person.

        JOE
  Kathleen Kelly of the bookstore.

        KEVIN
  Why not?  You said you thought she was
  attractive.

        JOE
  So what?  Who cares about Kathleen Kelly?

        KEVIN
  Well, if you don't like Kathleen Kelly,
  I can tell you right now you ain't gonna
  like this girl.

        JOE
  Why not?

        KEVIN
  Because it is Kathleen Kelly.

 Joe elbows Kevin aside and looks.

        JOE
  Oh, God.

 A long beat.

        KEVIN
  What are you going to do?

        JOE
  Nothing.

        KEVIN
  You're going to let her just wait there?

        JOE
  Yes.  Yes I am.  That's exactly what I'm
  going to do.  Why not?

        KEVIN
  But she wrote the letters.

        JOE
  Good night, Kevin.  I'll see you
  tomorrow.

 He walks away, leaving Kevin.

 Kevin stares after him.  Then he walks away in the other
 direction.

 INT. CAFE LALO - CONTINUOUS

 Kathleen, sitting alone, at a table for two, is drinking her
 tea.  She's starting to feel a little foolish.  She checks
 her watch.

 A loud, boisterous group comes in and sits at the table next
 to hers.  They're laughing.  A man from the group grabs the
 empty chair at Kathleen's table.

        MAN
  Do you mind?

 Kathleen jumps up.

        KATHLEEN
  Oh, yes.  I'm expecting someone.
  Please.

 She takes the chair back.  Sits down again.  She watches the
 group as they playfully fight over the menus.

 She checks her watch again.  Then she opens her copy of Pride
 and Prejudice and looks at it.  She can't focus.

 A man comes into the restaurant and she looks up hopefully at
 him.  But he's going to meet another group of people.

 As he passes her table, he knocks the book and the flower
 onto the floor.

        KATHLEEN
  Oh!

 She jumps up and rescues the book and flower as if they were
 precious china.

 In the window, now, behind her, Joe appears.  He watches, as
 she rearranges the book and the flower.

 He disappears from sight.

 A beat...

 He walks in the door.

        JOE
  Kathleen Kelly.  Hello.  What a
  coincidence.  Mind if I sit down?

        KATHLEEN
  Yes I do.  I'm expecting someone.

 Joe picks up her book, looks at it.

        JOE
  Pride and Prejudice.

 Kathleen grabs it back.

        KATHLEEN
  Do you mind?

 She places it back on the table, puts the rose into it.

        JOE
  I didn't know you were a Jane Austen
  fan.  Not that it's a surprise.  I bet
  you read it every year.  I bet you just
  love Mr. Darcy, and that your sentimental
  heart beats wildly at the thought that he
  and whatever her name is are really,
  honestly and truly going to end up
  together.

        KATHLEEN
  Would you please leave?

 Joe sits down.

        KATHLEEN
  Please?

        JOE
  I'll get up as soon as your friend comes.
  Is he late?

        KATHLEEN
  The heroine of Pride and Prejudice is
  Elizabeth Bennet and she's one of the
  greatest, most complex characters ever
  written, not that you would know.

        JOE
  As a matter of fact I've read it.

        KATHLEEN
  Well, good for you.

        JOE
  I think you'd discover a lot of things if
  you really knew me.

        KATHLEEN
  If I really knew you, I know what I would
  find -- instead of a brain, a cash
  register, instead of a heart, a bottom
  line.

 Kathleen is shocked at herself.

        JOE
  What is it?

        KATHLEEN
  I just had a breakthrough, and I have to
  thank you for it.  For the first time in
  my life, when confronted with a horrible,
  insensitive person I actually knew what I
  wanted to say and I said it.

        JOE
  I think you have a gift for it.  It was a
  splendid mixture of poetry and meanness.

        KATHLEEN
  Meanness?  Let me tell you --

        JOE
  Don't misunderstand me, I'm just paying
  you a compliment.

 He lifts the book off the table.  Kathleen grabs for it.

        KATHLEEN
  Why are you doing this?

 She manages to get the book, leaving Joe with the rose.

        JOE
  What have we have?  A red, no, crimson
  rose, tucked into the pages.  Something
  you read about in a book, no doubt.  One
  of those books with a lady in a nightgown
  on the cover about to throw herself off a
  cliff.

 She holds her hand out for it.

        KATHLEEN (cont'd)
  Give it to me.

 Joe puts it between his mouth and his nose like a mustache.

        JOE
  It's a joke to you, isn't it?
  Everything's a joke to you.

 She grabs the rose.  Puts it back in the book.

        KATHLEEN (cont'd)
  Please leave.  I beg you.

 He stands up, walks from the table, sits down at the very
 next table, with his back to her.

 The door to the restaurant opens.  Kathleen looks at it
 hopefully.  A pleasant looking man, who's immediately joined
 by a pleasant looking woman.

 For a moment, Kathleen looks just a little droopy, as if the
 wind has just gone out of her sails.  She takes out her
 compact, looks into her mirror.  She slides it over to look
 behind her, at him, just as he's looking sideways at her.  He
 turns away suddenly.

 Then she blots her lipstick with her handkerchief.

        JOE
  You know what the handkerchief reminds
  me of?  The first day I met you --

        KATHLEEN
  The first day you lied to me --

        JOE
  I didn't lie to you --

        KATHLEEN
  You did too --

        JOE
  I did not --

        KATHLEEN
  I thought all that Fox stuff was so
  charming.  F-O-X.

        JOE
  I never lied about it --

        KATHLEEN
  "Joe.  Just call me Joe."  As if you were
  one of those stupid 22-year-old girls
  with no last name.  "Hi, I'm Kimberley."
  "Hi, I'm Janice."  What's wrong with
  them?  Don't they know you're supposed to
  have last names?  It's like they're a
  whole generation of cocktail waitresses.

 She stops herself -- it's a tangent she never meant to go off
 on.  But Joe has stood up and seated himself back at her
 table.

        JOE
  I am not a stupid 22-year-old girl --

        KATHLEEN
  That's not what I meant --

        JOE
  And when I said the thing about the Price
  Club and cans of olive oil, that wasn't
  what I meant either --

        KATHLEEN
  Oh, you poor sad multimillionaire.  I
  feel so sorry for you.

 The door opens and a large and very attractive TRANSVESTITE
 in a boa comes in the door.

        JOE
  I am going to take a wild guess that this
  isn't him, either.  Who is he, I wonder.
  Not, I gather, the world's greatest
  living expert on Julius and Ethel
  Rosenberg, but someone else entirely.
  Will you be you be mean to him too?  Will
  you start out sweet as sugar candy and
  then suddenly, miraculously, like a bolt
  from the blue, find that sharp little
  tongue of yours?

        KATHLEEN
  No, I won't.  Because the man who's
  coming here tonight is completely unlike
  you.  The man who is coming here is kind
  and funny -- he has the most wonderful
  sense of humor --

        JOE
  But he's not here.

        KATHLEEN
  If he's not here, he has a reason,
  because there is not a cruel or careless
  bone in his body.  I can't expect you to
  know anything about a person like that.
  You've nothing but a suit.

 A beat.  Joe gets up.

        JOE
  That is my cue.  Good night.

 Joe leaves.

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT BUILDING -- LATER THAT NIGHT

 Kathleen comes down the street.  She drops the rose in the
 trash can.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - A MINUTE LATER

 Kathleen comes in, drops the book on the table, takes off her
 coat and goes immediately to the computer.  She clicks on
 American Online.  Waits impatiently to connect.  Looks with
 anticipation at the mail box.

 THE COMPUTER SCREEN - NO MAIL

 Hold on Kathleen as a tear starts down her face.

 She takes her handkerchief out of her sleeve and wipes her
 face and blows her nose.  Then looks at her handkerchief and
 tosses it over her shoulder.

 She goes over to the bed and turns it down and slips out of
 her shoes.

 Then she lies down on the bed, fully clothed.  She reaches
 up to turn out the light.

 INT. JOE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

 As Joe turns on his closet light and hangs up his jacket.
 The computer is on the desk, and the light on it illuminates
 the room.

 Patricia is in the next room, eating matzos.

        PATRICIA (O.C.)
  So I said to her, "If you think I will
  even talk to you about paying that kind
  of advance for an author whose last book
  is being used as trivets all over the
  world, you are completely crazy."

 On Joe's face, barely bearing.

 INT. FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE - DAY

 As Kevin and Joe walk through the store.

        KEVIN
  But underneath that disagreeable exterior
  she could turn out to be --

        JOE
  A real bitch.  Let's not talk about it.
  I'm going back to the office.  You must
  have work to do.

        KEVIN
  Not really.  This place is humming like a
  top.

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DAY

 As Kathleen comes around the corner.  Christina is waiting.

        CHRISTINA
  What happened?

        KATHLEEN
  He never came.

        CHRISTINA
  He stood you up?

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER

 As Kathleen puts her purse into the drawer.

        KATHLEEN
  I think something happened, something
  terrible and unexpected that made it
  impossible for him --

 George walks in.

        GEORGE
  What happened?

        KATHLEEN
  He wasn't able to make it.

        GEORGE
  He stood you up.

        KATHLEEN
  What could have happened?
   (continued)

 George looks suddenly stricken.

        KATHLEEN (cont'd)
  Why didn't he come?  Maybe he showed up,
  took one look at me and left.

        CHRISTINA
  Not possible.

        KATHLEEN
  Maybe there was a subway accident.

        CHRISTINA
  Absolutely.

        KATHLEEN
  A train was trapped underground with him
  inside.

        CHRISTINA
  And no phone.

 George continues to look stricken.  He's starting to shake
 his head.

        KATHLEEN
  Or an automobile accident.  Those cab
  drivers are maniacs.

        CHRISTINA
  They hit something and you slam right
  into that plastic partition.

        KATHLEEN
  His elbows could be in splints -- so he
  can't really dial --

        CHRISTINA
  Or he could be in the hospital in one of
  those semi-private room with like --
       
        CHRISTINA & KATHLEEN
   (together)
  -- no phone.

 They look at George.  Still shaking his head.

        KATHLEEN
   (to George)
  What?

 George hands them a New York Post.  They look at the cover:
 COPS NAB ROOFTOP KILLER

        KATHLEEN
  What are you saying?

        GEORGE
  It could be.

 Dead silence.

        GEORGE (cont'd)
  He was arrested two blocks from the
  cheesecake place.

        CHRISTINA
  Is there a picture?

 There it is.  It's of a man with his jacket pulled over his
 head.

 They all look at it.

        CHRISTINA
  So that explains it.

        GEORGE
  He was in jail.

        CHRISTINA
  And there was a phone --

        GEORGE
  -- but he got only one call and he had to
  use it to call his lawyer.

        CHRISTINA
  You are so lucky.

        GEORGE
  You could be dead.

        KATHLEEN
  Are you crazy?  This man couldn't
  possibly be the rooftop killer.

        CHRISTINA
  Remember when you thought Frank might be
  the Unabomber?

        KATHLEEN
  That was different.

        CHRISTINA
  How long did you sit there all alone?

        KATHLEEN
  Not that long.  Joe Fox came in --

        CHRISTINA
  Joe Fox!

        KATHLEEN
  I don't want to talk about it.
   (closes her eyes)
  Let's get to work.

 They look around.  There's no one in the store and nothing to
 do.

 A pause.

        KATHLEEN
  There must be something to do.  There's
  always something to do.

 They hear the jingle of the front door.  They look hopefully
 toward it.  It's only Birdie.

        CHRISTINA
  He stood her up.

 Hold on Kathleen as the computer sound begins.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I have been thinking about you.  Last
  night I went to meet you and you weren't
  there.  I wish I knew why.  I felt so
  foolish.
   (continued)

 INT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

 As she types.  And we cut from her face to the screen as we
 hear a voice-over:

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  And as I waited, someone else showed up,
  a man who has made my professional life a
  misery, and an amazing thing happened --
  I was able, for the first time in my
  life, to say the exact thing I wanted to say
  it.  And of course, afterwards, I felt
  terrible.  Just as you said I would.

 INT. JOE'S APARTMENT - LATER

 The E-mail from Kathleen continues as Joe reads.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I was cruel, and I'm never cruel.  And
  even though I can hardly believe what I
  said mattered to this man -- to him, I'm
  just a bug to be crushed -- but what if
  it did?  No matter what he's done to me,
  there's no excuse for my behavior.
  Anyway, you are my dear friend, and I so
  wanted to talk to you.  I hope you have a
  good reason for not being there last
  night, but if you don't, and if we never
  really connect again, I just want to tell
  you how much it has meant to me to know
  you were there.

 Joe sits there a second.  A moment of intense ambivalence.
 Then he hits the Menu key and signs off.

        COMPUTER
  Goodbye.

 Joe stands and leaves the room.

 The computer sits there.

 Hold on the computer.  We hear him open the refrigerator
 door. We hear him close the refrigerator door.  He passes
 the den without even looking into it.  A moment later he
 comes back into the room, stares at the computer.  He starts
 for the bedroom, changes his mind.  Circles the computer.
 He's going to go cold turkey if it kills him.

 Fuck it.  He sits down.  Sign on.  Starts to type.

        JOE (V.O.)
  I am in Vancouver.

 He stops... Hits the delete button and erases the message.
 He starts typing again:

        JOE (V.O.)
  I was stuck in a meeting, which I
  couldn't get out of it, and there was
  no phone.

 He backspaces to erase "there was no phone."

 Screen now reads: I was stuck in a meeting, which I couldn't
 get out of it.  Joe sits there thinking for a moment.  Then he
 starts typing.

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  The electricity went out in the building
  and we were trapped on the 18th floor and
  the telephone system blew too.

 He stops and looks at it.  Then he types:

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  Amazingly enough.

 He sits looking at it.

 Then he deletes the whole thing.

 Sits looking at the blank screen.

        JOE
  Fuck you.

 He clicks the Yes box.

 Then he starts to type again.

        JOE (V.O.)
  Dear friend: I cannot tell you what
  happened to me last night, but I beg you
  from the bottom of my heart to forgive me
  for not being there.

 He deletes "for not being there."

 Then types again, after "to forgive me".

        JOE (V.O.)
  -- for what happened.  I feel terrible
  that you found yourself in a situation
  that caused you additional pain.  But I'm
  absolutely sure that whatever you said
  last night was provoked, even deserved.
  And everyone says things they regret when
  they're worried or stressed.  You were
  expecting to see someone you trusted and
  met the enemy instead.  The fault is
  mine.
   (continued)

 EXT. NEW YORK STREET - DAY

 As Kathleen and Christina walk down the street together.

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  Someday I'll explain everything.
  Meanwhile, I'm still here.  Talk to me.

        CHRISTINA
  Did he say anything about meeting again?

        KATHLEEN
  Not really.  It doesn't matter.  We'll
  just be like George Bernard Shaw and Mrs.
  Patrick Campbell and write letters our
  whole lives --

 They go into an apartment building.

 INT. BIRDIE'S APARTMENT - DAY

 A large rent-controlled West Side apartment.  Birdie is
 pouring tea.  There's a plate of cookies.

 Christina is looking at the picture of Birdie as a young
 woman, dressed in a sort of Carmen Miranda getup.

        CHRISTINA
  Where was this taken, Birdie?

        BIRDIE
  Seville.

        KATHLEEN
  When you had the thunderbolt?

        BIRDIE
  Yes.  What did you decide, dearie?

        KATHLEEN
  Close.  We're going to close.

        CHRISTINA
  Close.

        KATHLEEN
  Although it feels like such a failure.
  It feels like I'm quitting.  It feels
  like... Mom...

 She closes her eyes.

 Birdie sits down on the loveseat next to Kathleen, puts her
 arms around her.  Hold on them.

        BIRDIE
  Keeping the store open doesn't keep your
  mother alive, although sometimes I think
  we all think it does.

 Christina looks over at the picture of Birdie.

        CHRISTINA
  Who was it, Birdie?  That you had the
  thunderbolt over?

 Birdie shakes her head.  She's not going to tell them.

        CHRISTINA (cont'd)
  It's so romantic.

        BIRDIE
  But it wasn't meant to be.

        CHRISTINA
  Why not?

        BIRDIE
  He ran Spain.

        CHRISTINA
  Spain?

        BIRDIE
  The country.  He ran it.  That was his
  job.  And then he died.  Just as well.

 INT. SONY LINCOLN SQUARE THEATRE - NIGHT

 As Frank and Kathleen go up the escalator, on their way to a
 movie.

        FRANK
  She fell in love with Generalissimo
  Franco?

        KATHLEEN
  Don't say that.  We don't know that for
  sure.

        FRANK
  Who else could it have been?  It was
  probably around 1960 --

        KATHLEEN
  I mean, it's not like he was something
  normal, like a socialist or an anarchist
  or something --

        FRANK
  It happened in Spain.  People do really
  stupid things in foreign countries.

        KATHLEEN
  Absolutely.  They buy leather jackets,
  they go see Flamenco, they ride in
  gondolas, they eat in restaurants where
  guitarists sing Malaguena sola Rosa, but
  they don't fall in love with fascist
  dictators.

 They enters one of the theatres.

 INT. THEATER - CONTINUOUS

 As they find seats and sit down.  A trailer is playing.

        KATHLEEN
  Birdie is a very kind person, she's
  practically my surrogate mother.

        FRANK
  Well she's out of her mind.

        KATHLEEN
  She is not.

        FRANK
  I could never ever be with anyone who
  doesn't take politics as seriously as I
  do.

 The person in front of them turns around.

        PERSON IN FRONT OF THEM
  Do you mind?

        FRANK
  A hot dog is singing.  You need quiet
  while a hot dog is singing?

 The two of them sit there.

        KATHLEEN
  I have something to tell you.  I didn't
  vote.

        FRANK
  What?

        KATHLEEN
  In the last mayoral election, when Rudy
  Giuliani was running against Ruth
  Messinger, I went to get a manicure and
  forgot to vote.

        FRANK
  Since when do you get manicures?

        KATHLEEN
  Oh, I suppose you could never be with a
  woman who gets manicures.

        FRANK
  Forget it.  It's okay.  I forgive you.

        PERSON IN FRONT OF THEM
  Shhhhhh.

        KATHLEEN
  You forgive me.

 Hold on them a beat.

 Kathleen stands and walks out of the theatre.

 INT. SONY LINCOLN SQUARE THEATRE ESCALATOR - NIGHT

 Kathleen on the down escalator.  Frank scrambling to catch up
 with her.

        FRANK
  What's going on?

 Kathleen's upset.

        FRANK (cont'd)
  Hey.  What is it?

 EXT. COLUMBUS AVENUE - NIGHT

 As they walk uptown.

        FRANK
  Look, this has been a big week, you're
  closing the store --

        KATHLEEN
  It's not that, Frank, really it's not.
  It's just... Frank...

        FRANK
  I know, that was terrible of me.

        KATHLEEN
  What was?

        FRANK
  To jump all over you when I'm the one
  who's really...  Oh, God, I don't know
  how to say this --

        KATHLEEN
  What is it?

 EXT. COLUMBUS AVENUE - NIGHT

 As we see Kathleen and Frank being served drinks in a glassed-
 in extension of a restaurant.

 INT. COLUMBUS AVENUE RESTAURANT - NIGHT

 As Kathleen looks at Frank, waiting for him to begin.

        FRANK
  You're a wonderful person, Kathleen.

        KATHLEEN
  So are you.

        FRANK
  And I'm honored that you want to be with
  me because you would never be with anyone
  who wasn't truly worthy --

        KATHLEEN
  I feel exactly the same way about you.

        FRANK
  Oh, God, don't say that, please, that
  just makes it worse.

        KATHLEEN
  What?
   (he shakes his head)
  You don't love me?

 Frank shakes his head no.

        KATHLEEN
  Me either.

        FRANK
  You don't love me?

 Kathleen shakes her head no.

        FRANK
  But we're so right for each other.

        KATHLEEN
  I know.

 A long beat.

        KATHLEEN
  That woman on television, right?
  Sidney-Ann.

 Frank nods.

        FRANK
  I mean, nothing's happened or anything.

        KATHLEEN
  I think she's a Republican.

        FRANK
  I can't help myself.

 Kathleen pats him.

        FRANK (cont'd)
  What about you?  Is there someone else?

        KATHLEEN
  Oh, somewhere out there, I'm sure.
  Somewhere --
   (she throws up her hands)
  In cyberspace.

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S BUILDING - NIGHT

 As Frank, carrying a typewriter, walks out off Kathleen's
 building and puts it into the back of a taxicab.

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DAY

 As a sign goes up in the window: "Closing This Week: All
 Stock 40% off."

 INT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - LATE THAT DAY

 The store is crowded.  People are buying stacks of books.
 We hear brief snatches of conversation: Birdie telling a
 customer she's planning to travel, Christina saying she's
 finally going to have to finish her dissertation, George
 saying he's been offered a job at Foxbooks but even though
 it's okay with Kathleen, he wouldn't work there if it were
 the last place on the earth.

 There is a frantic, rummage sale atmosphere.

 Kathleen, busy at the cash register, looks up for a minute at
 her beautiful store being ravaged by vultures.  We hear the
 sound of the computer and hear her voice-over:

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  My store is closing this week.
  I own a store.  Did I ever tell you that?
  Probably not.  It's a lovely store --

 As a woman dumps a huge stack of books on the checkout table.

        WOMAN SHOPPER
  This is a tragedy.
   (yelling across the shop to her
    husband)
  Honey, grab a copy of The Trumpet of the
  Swan.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.,cont'd)
  -- and in a week, it will be something
  really depressing, like a Baby Gap.  I
  am being amazingly brave --

        WOMAN SHOPPER
  What are you going to do with yourself?

        KATHLEEN
  I don't know.  I'm going to take some
  time.  I have a little money saved.  I'm
  almost looking forward to it --

        KATHLEEN (V.O.,cont'd)
  I am so cheerful I would make Pollyanna
  throw up.

        SECOND SHOPPER
  I came here every Saturday when I was a
  little girl.  I remember when your mother
  gave me Anne of Green Gables.  "Read it
  with a box of Kleenex," that's what she
  told me.

        THIRD SHOPPER
  She's looking down on you right now.

        KATHLEEN
  I'm sure she is.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.,cont'd)
  I have promised myself I'm not going
  to cry.

 A FORTH SHOPPER approaches the counter with a stack of books
 up to his chin, and manages to slide the stack on the
 counter.

        FOURTH SHOPPER
  We should bomb Foxbooks.

        KATHLEEN
  It's not their fault.  The truth is, the
  world is just... different.

 She starts ringing up the sale.

 EXT. FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE - NIGHT

 As Kathleen walks home.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.,cont'd)
  Soon we'll just be a memory.  In fact,
  someone, some foolish person will
  probably think it's a tribute to this
  city, the way it keeps changing on you,
  the way you can never count on it, or
  something.  I know, because that's the
  sort of thing I'm always saying.  But the
  truth is, I'm heartbroken.  I feel as if
  part of me has died,  and my mother has
  died all over again, and no one can ever
  make it right.

 She stops in front of the window, watching the customers
 lined up to buy books.

 EXT. FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE - NIGHT

 As Kathleen enters and looks around.

 She goes up the stairs.

 INT. FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE - CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT

 As Kathleen walks into it.

 It's huge, of course.  With its reading area, and stage, and
 room for displays, and child-size furniture, and so many
 books and so many customers.

 Kathleen sits down on a little child-size chair, completely
 wilted.

 KATHLEEN FROM ANOTHER P.O.V.

 And now we see Joe watching her, from a distance.  She doesn't
 see him.

 A woman browsing, stops a sales person.

        WOMAN SHOPPER
  Do you have the "Shoe" books?

        SALESPERSON
  The "Shoe" books?  Who's the author?

        WOMAN SHOPPER
  I don't know.  My friend told me my
  daughter has to read the "Shoe" books,
  so here I am.

        KATHLEEN
  Noel Streatfeild.  Noel Streatfeild wrote
  Ballet Shoes and Skating Shoes and
  Theater Shoes and Movie Shoes...
   (she starts crying as she tells
    her)
  I'd start with Skating Shoes, it's my
  favorite, although Ballet Shoes is
  completely wonderful.

        SALESPERSON
  Streatfeild.  How do you spell that?

        KATHLEEN
  S-T-R-E-A-T-F-E-I-L-D.

        WOMAN SHOPPER
  Thank you.

 As she walks away.

        KATHLEEN
   (to herself)
  They know nothing, they know absolutely
  nothing.

 ON JOE

 as he watches her.  We hear the sound of the computer.

 She starts out of the store.  And hold on him.

        JOE (V.O.)
  I'm sorry.

 INT. JOE'S COMPUTER SCREEN

 A screen which says Reply and which now reads "I'm sorry."

 INT. JOE'S OFFICE - DAY

 On Joe at his computer, staring at the screen.

        JOE
  Asshole.

 He backspaces, deleting.  Starts typing again.

        JOE (V.O.)
  I'm sorry.  I don't know what to say.
  Truly I don't.  And anything I do say
  will sound trite.  I hope you feel
  better.

 He sits there, appalled at his own triteness.

 EXT. JOE'S STREET - NIGHT

 As a taxi comes down the street and stops in front of Joe's
 building.

        PATRICIA (V.O.)
  What I was thinking was she'd probably
  make a great children's book either.

        JOE (V.O.)
  Why would you think that?

 They get out of the cab.

        PATRICIA
  She knows everything.  She has flawless
  taste.  She's famous for it.
  The salesmen swear by her.  If she likes
  it, it sells.  Period.

 INT. JOE'S LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

 As they enter the lobby and walk toward the elevator.

        JOE
  So you're going to offer her a job?

        PATRICIA
  Why not?  What else has she got to do?

        JOE
  Now that she's destitute --

        PATRICIA
  Thanks to you.

        JOE
  Well, I can't imagine her working for
  you.

        PATRICIA
  Why not?

        JOE
  She has a horrible personality, she's...
  nice to everyone all the time.  It's
  exhausting.  And her staff turnover is
  ... non-existent.  They've been there
  forever.  Until... recently, when they
  all found out they were going to lose
  their jobs.

        PATRICIA
  Thanks to you.

 The elevator door is closing.

        PATRICIA (cont'd)
  Hold the elevator!

 They get in.

 INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS

        JOE
  Hello, Charlie, Veronica.

        PATRICIA
  Last time, we rode in an elevator, we
  made the deal of the century.  What is
  going to happen this time?

        CHARLIE
  Miss Grant's going to get me a part in
  one of her movies, that's what's going
  to happen.

        VERONICA
  In your dream, Charlie.

        PATRICIA
   (back to the conversation with
    Joe)
  I love how you've totally forgotten you
  had any role in her current situation.
  It's so obtuse.  It reminds me of someone
  ... Who?  Who does it remind me of?
   (thinks for a moment)
  Me!

 The elevator suddenly stops.

        PATRICIA
  Shit.

        VERONICA
  Shit.

        JOE
  It is stuck?

        CHARLIE
  Could be.

 He pushes the open button.  Nothing.  Turns the key, hits the
 open button, flicks the emergency switch.  The he starts
 hitting the buttons in every possible combination.

        JOE
  Charlie, what are you doing?

        CHARLIE
  Bang the door.

        PATRICIA
  Really.

 Joe bangs the door.  Nothing.

        CHARLIE
  I hope this thing doesn't plummet to the
  basement.

        VERONICA
  Can it do that?

        JOE
  No.

 He picks up the phone.

        JOE
  This is Joe Fox.  Who is this?  Hi, Juan.
  We're stuck on the sixth floor.  There
  are four of us --

        PATRICIA
   (grabs the phone)
  -- and if you don't get your ass up here
  in two shakes and get us out --

 He hangs up.

        JOE
   (to Veronica)
  Are you all right?

        VERONICA
  It's hot.

 Joe hands her his handkerchief.

        CHARLIE
  Everyone should jump in the air.

        PATRICIA
  What?

        CHARLIE
  We jump.  The elevator thinks that no one
  is here and it opens.

 Everyone stares at each other.

        JOE
  One -- two -- three --

 They all jump into the air.

 They all land.

 Nothing happens.

 INT. ELEVATOR - A LITTLE LATER

 Patricia is sitting on the elevator floor, polishing her
 nails.

 We hear the fire department banging outside...

        VERONICA
  If I ever get out of here, I'm going to
  start speaking to my mother.  She slept
  with Oscar, and maybe it was Oscar's
  fault, I don't know, and then she sold
  the story to Inside Edition.
  That could have been Oscar's idea, too.
  Who knows?  But I divorced him.  I wonder
  what she's doing right this minute.  I
  think of her... whenever I hear about a
  new pill.  Ecstasy, Zoloft, Fenphen, I
  just think, I hope Mama knows about that.

 She takes out a tissue and dabs at her eyes.

        PATRICIA
  Maybe you can make up on Rosie.  That
  would be so great for the book.

        CHARLIE
   (trying to figure it out)
  If I ever get out of here...

        PATRICIA
  If I ever get out of here, I'm having my
  eyes lasered.

        CHARLIE
  I'm marrying Oreet.  I love her.  I
  should marry her.  I don't know what's
  been stopping me.

 He takes out his wallet and looks at a picture of Oreet,
 shows it to Joe.

        JOE
  If I ever get out of here, I'm going to --

 He stops, he looks at Patricia who is fishing through her
 purse.

        PATRICIA
  Where is my TicTacs?
   (looks at Joe)
  What?

 The firemen crowbar open the elevator door.

 EXT. 79TH STREET BOAT BASIN - NIGHT

 Joe and Brinkley walk out on the dock toward Joe's boat.  Joe
 is carrying Brinkley's pillow, his laptop and a suitcase.

 He boards his boat and goes below.  A light goes on.  We hear
 the sound of the computer.

        JOE (V.O.)
  I came home tonight and got into the
  elevator to go to my apartment.  An hour
  later, I got out of the elevator and
  Brinkley and I moved out.  Suddenly
  everything had become clear.
   (continued)

 INT. BOAT - NIGHT

 A small sleeping area with a berth and a little table, where
 Joe's laptop has been hooked up to the phone.

 Joe is on the narrow berth, as is Brinkley.

        JOE (V.O., cont'd)
  It's a long story.  Full of the personal
  details we avoid so carefully...

 Joe puts Brinkley on the floor, on his pillow.  Brinkley
 jumps back onto the berth with Joe.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - DAY

 Kathleen is making tea.  She starts toward the bedroom.  We
 see her computer, now hooked up in the living room, where all
 of Frank's typewriters used to be.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I wonder whether change isn't a kind of
  infection.  You start with one thing --
  something you never ever thought would
  change and it does --
   (continued)

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

        KATHLEEN (V.O., cont'd)
  and the next thing you know even your bed
  is in a different place.
   (continued)

 Kathleen enters the bedroom and we see the entire room has
 been rearranged.

 She gets into bed and turns on the television set.

 EXT. SHOP AROUND THE CORNER - DUSK

 The bookshelves are empty.

        KATHLEEN (V.O., cont'd)
  Six months ago, when you and I first met,
  I knew everything about myself -- what I
  would be doing for the rest of my life
  and even the person I would be doing it
  with.  Now I know nothing.

 On the door is a small sign.  "After 42 years, we are closing
 our doors.  We have loved being part of your lives."

 Kathleen turns out the light in the store and opens the door.

 The little bell over the door jingles.

 Kathleen reaches up on her tiptoes for the bell and detaches
 it.

 Then she comes out of the store, carrying the bell.

 Kathleen locks the door and reaches down to operate the grate
 for the last time.

 The grate starts to lower.

 Kathleen looks at her store, one last time.  Then she walks
 off, carrying the bell.  We hear it jingle in the night.

 And hold on The Shop Around the Corner, and it slowly turns
 into a computer-enhanced version of itself.

 And then, suddenly, it vanishes with a poof, leaving an empty
 screen.

 EXT. A BLUE SKY WITH A BIG COMPUTER SUN SHINING IN IT, AND PAN
 DOWN TO:

 A COMPUTER VERSION OF COLUMBUS AVENUE

 The trees sprout leaves and birdies start to tweet.  And the
 scene turns into a real version of:

 EXT. COLUMBUS AVE. - FOXBOOKS - MORNING

 INT. FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE - DAY

 George is now the head of the children department at the
 store and he is sitting in the children's section on an itty-
 bitty chair.  His staff is sitting on little itty-bitty
 chairs too.

        GEORGE
  Then, in the 19th century, Caldecott
  revolutionized the publishing of
  children's books by the introduction of
  color illustrations --

 We see:

 THE STAFF

 Several are dozing.

 EXT. RIVERSIDE DRIVE & 72ND - DAY

 Joe walks past the Eleanor Roosevelt statue.  He's with
 Annabel and Matt:

        JOE
  What about going to the Children's Zoo?

        ANNABEL
  I don't want to go to the Children's Zoo.

        JOE
  Okay.  The Staten Island Ferry.

        ANNABEL
  I want to go to the Storybook Lady.

        MATT
  I want to go to the Storybook Lady.

        JOE
  Well we can't go to the Storybook Lady.

 INT. JAPANESE NOODLE RESTAURANT - DAY

 Annabel is sitting in her chair, staring glumly at a bowl of
 Japanese soup and noodles.

        JOE
  I'll read you a story.

        ANNABEL
  Where did she go?

        JOE
  She had to close her store.

        ANNABEL
  Why?

        JOE
  She didn't have enough business.

        ANNABEL
  Why?

        JOE
  Well.  Her store was very close to our
  store, and you know our store sells books
  at a slightly lower cost --

        ANNABEL
  Why?

        JOE
  Why do we sell at a lower cost?  So more
  people can buy books.

        ANNABEL
  Why couldn't she sell that way too?

        JOE
  Because she's small and we're big.  How
  about we go get some candy?

        ANNABEL
  So now she's gone and it's all your
  fault.

        JOE
  It's business, Annabel.  It's not
  personal.  How about we go get so much
  candy you'll be bouncing off the walls
  for days?

        MATT
  What's personal?

        ANNABEL
  Personal means that she's gone forever,
  and now we'll never get another book from
  her as long as we ever live.

 She burst into tears.  Matt bursts into tears too.

        JOE
  Remember the man who worked with her?

        ANNABEL
   (a wail)
  No.

        JOE
  Well I hired him.

        ANNABEL
  You killed the Storybook Lady.

 Matt throws himself on the ground, crying.

 Annabel sobs hysterically.

 INT. FOXBOOKS SUPERSTORE - DAY

 George is wearing the same pointed hat Kathleen wore as the
 Storybook Lady.  There's a sign that says: Storybook Person.

 Several children are listening.

 We see:

 ANNABEL

 She's glowering.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

 Kathleen is in bed with a huge box of Kleenex.  She has a
 terrible cold.  Her nose is red, her eyes are watery.  On the
 bedside table are a huge assortment of atomizers, pills, etc.

 We hear the sound of computer keys clicking.

         JOE (V.O.)
  Why haven't you written?

             KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I have a cold.

 INT. JOE'S OFFICE - DAY

 We see Joe on his computer.

             JOE (V.O.)
  How's your cold?

             KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  My ears are blocked, my nose is clogged.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

 She's drinking cranberry juice.  Joni Mitchell on the stereo.

 The sound of computer keys clicking again.

             JOE (V.O.)
  Are you feeling any better?

             KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I'm lying in bed listening to Joni
  Mitchell and drinking cranberry juice
  which I am sorry to say is the exact same
  color as my nose.  I keep thinking about
  my future.  What future?  What am I
  going to do?

 EXT. 79TH STREET BOAT BASIN - LATE AFTERNOON

 As Joe is walking Brinkley back to the boat.  A limousine has
 pulled up near the pier and the driver is unloading bags.
 Joe stops to see the passenger: his father, Nelson Fox.

        JOE
  What are you doing here?

 EXT. 79TH STREET BOAT BASIN - DUSK

 Next to Joe's boat is a larger yacht.

 INT. YACHT - NIGHT

 In the main cabin Joe and Nelson are having drinks.  Nelson
 lifts his glass in a toast.

        NELSON
  To us.

        JOE
  Father and son, together at last.  That
  happened with Gillian?

 Nelson ignores the question.

        NELSON
  I've stayed here after, let's see, your
  mother, Laurette that ballet dancer --

        JOE
  -- the nanny --

        NELSON
  Was she the nanny?  I forgot that.  How
  ironic.  Then there was the ice skater --

        JOE
  -- also the nanny --

        NELSON
  Really.  How amazingly ironic.  Sybil the
  astrologer.

        JOE
  Whose moon turned out to be in somebody
  else's house, as I recall.

        NELSON
  Just like Gillian.

        JOE
  Gillian ran off with someone?

        NELSON
  The nanny.

        JOE
  Nanny Maureen?  Gillian ran off with
  Nanny Maureen?  That's incredibly
  ironic.

        NELSON
  True true.

        JOE
  There's no other word for it.

        NELSON
  Who did you break up with?

        JOE
  Patricia.  You met her.

        NELSON
  Would I like her?
   (cracks himself up)
  Just kidding.  Isn't this great?  Have
  some peanuts.  Of course I have to live
  out of a suitcase for a least three
  weeks, and then there's the inevitable
  legal hassle, more of your inheritance
  down the drain.

        JOE
  Don't worry about it.

        NELSON
  I won't.  But then I get to meet someone
  new.  That's the easy part.

        JOE
  Oh, right, a snap to find the one single
  person in the world who fills your heart
  with joy.

        NELSON
  Don't be ridiculous.  Have I ever been
  with anyone who fits that description?
  Have you?

        JOE
  On to the next.

        NELSON
  Isn't it a beautiful night?

 Hold on Joe.

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S STREET - DAY

 Joe, on his way to Kathleen's apartment building, carrying a
 bunch of daisies, wrapped in cellophane.

 Joe goes up the stoop to her building and looks at buzzer.
 Sees Kelly, 3A.  He presses.  Nothing.  Presses again.

        KATHLEEN
   (voice clogged, through
    intercom)
  Who is it?

        JOE
  Joe Fox.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - SAME TIME

 Kathleen, in her pajamas, at the intercom, horrified.

        KATHLEEN
  What are you doing here?

        JOE
  May I please come up?

        KATHLEEN
  It's really not a good idea.

 Someone else walks up to the door, unlocks it and walks in.
 Joe follows.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - SAME TIME

        KATHLEEN
   (into the intercom)
  I have a terrible cold, can you hear it?
  I'm sniffling and not really awake --

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

 As Kathleen continues to talk through the Intercom to an
 empty stoop.

        KATHLEEN'S VOICE
  and I'm sleeping practically twenty-four
  hours a day, and taking echinacea --

 INT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

        KATHLEEN
   (into intercom)
  -- and vitamin C, so I would really
  appreciate it if you would come some
  other time --

 There's a knock on the door right next to her.  Kathleen
 practically jumps out of her skin.  She looks through the
 peephole.  There he is.

        JOE
  Kathleen?

        KATHLEEN
  Just a second.

 She puts on a robe, runs frantically about picking up various
 scattered wadded-up Kleenexs, opens the front door.  Joe is
 holding a bunch of flowers wrapped in paper.

        JOE
  Hello.

        KATHLEEN
  What are you doing here?

        JOE
  I heard you were sick and I was worried
  and I wanted to --
   (he hears voices)
  Is someone here?

        KATHLEEN
  Just the Home Shopping Network.

        JOE
  Bought any porcelain dolls?

        KATHLEEN
  I was thinking about it.
   (beat)
  You put me out of business --

        JOE
  I know that --

        KATHLEEN
  And now you turn up with flowers?  Did
  you come to gloat?

        JOE
  No.

        KATHLEEN
  To offer me a job --

        JOE
  No, I wouldn't think of --

        KATHLEEN
  Because I have plans, I have lots of
  offers.  I've been offered a job by --
  well, actually by --

        JOE
  My former?

        KATHLEEN
  Former?

        JOE
  We broke up.

        KATHLEEN
  That's too bad.  You seemed so perfect
  for each other.
   (she claps her hand over her
    mouth)
  I don't mean to say things like that.  No
  matter what you have done to me, there is
  no excuse for my saying anything like
  that.  But every time I see you --

        JOE
  Things like that just seem to fly out of
  your mouth.

        KATHLEEN
  Yes.  I'm sorry.  I'm starting over.
   (sharply)
  Thank you for coming.  Goodbye.
   (she says it again, a little
    more nicely)
  Thank you for coming. Goodbye.

 She starts to the door.

        JOE
  I bought you flowers.

        KATHLEEN
  Oh.
   (trying as hard as she can)
  Thank you.

 She takes them.

 He takes them back.

        JOE
  Why don't I put them in water?

 He heads for the kitchen.  A beat, while she stares after him.
 Then follows.

 INT. KITCHEN - DAY

 When Kathleen gets to the kitchen, Joe is checking the kettle
 for water.  Turns on the stove.

        JOE
  You're sick.  Sit down, please.

 He pulls out a kitchen chair.  Kathleen sits.  She's a little
 woozy.

        JOE
  Vase?

        KATHLEEN
  Upper left.

 He gets out a vase.  Fills it with water.

        JOE
  George says hello.  He told me you
  weren't feeling well.

        KATHLEEN
  How is George?

        JOE
  Great.  He's revolutionizing the place.
  No one is allowed to work in his
  department who doesn't have a Ph.D. in
  children's literature.

 He unwraps the paper around the flowers.  Daisies.  Puts them
 in a vase.

        KATHLEEN
  I love daisies.

        JOE
  You told me.

 He puts the vase on the kitchen table.  Kathleen plays with
 the petals.

        KATHLEEN
  They're so friendly.  Don't you think
  they are the friendliest flower?

        JOE
  I do.

        KATHLEEN
  When did you break up?

        JOE
  Oh, a couple of weeks ago.

        KATHLEEN
  Everyone is breaking up.  You.  Me.  This
  other person I know broke up with someone
  in an elevator.  I think it was in an
  elevator.  Or just outside it.  Or after
  it.  It got stuck.  I think.  And suddenly
  everything became clear.  When I saw you,
  at the coffee place, I was waiting for him
  and I was --

        JOE
  -- charming.

        KATHLEEN
  I was not charming.

        JOE
  Well, you looked charming.

 The teakettle whistles.  Joe turns off the burner.

        JOE
  Tea?

        KATHLEEN
  Upper right.

 He gets out mugs and teabags and pours the water.

        KATHLEEN
  I was upset.  And I was horrible.

        JOE
  Honey?

 Kathleen nods.  He puts in two spoonfuls, gives it to her.

        JOE
  I was horrible.

        KATHLEEN
  True.  But I have no excuse.

 She picks up the daisies and carries them into:

 INT. KATHLEEN'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

 Joe follows her.  They both sit.

        JOE
  Whereas I am a horrible person and have
  no choice but to be horrible, is that
  what you're saying?

        KATHLEEN
  No I am not saying that because I am done
  saying horrible things, even to you.

        JOE
  You did it again.

 She claps her hand over her mouth.

        JOE
  I put you out of business.  You're
  entitled to hate me.

        KATHLEEN
  I don't hate you --

        JOE
  But you'll never forgive me.  Like
  Elizabeth.

        KATHLEEN
  Who?

        JOE
  Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.
  She was too proud --

        KATHLEEN
  I thought you hated Pride and Prejudice.

        JOE
  -- or was she too prejudiced and Mr.
  Darcy too proud?  I can never remember.
   (beat)
  It wasn't personal --

        KATHLEEN
  -- It was business.  What is that
  supposed to mean?  I am so sick of that.
  All it means is it's not personal to you,
  but it's personal to me, it's personal to
  a lot of people.
   (she shrugs helplessly)
  What's wrong with personal anyway?

        JOE
  Nothing.

        KATHLEEN
  I mean, whatever else anything is, it
  ought to begin by being personal.

 Kathleen stands up, picks up the daisies.

        KATHLEEN
  My head's starting to get funny.  I have
  to go back to bed.

 They walk to...

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

 Kathleen puts the daisies next to the bed and gets into it.
 She fluffs up the pillows, pulls up the blankets, surrounds
 herself with Kleenex and Evian and sneezes a gigantic sneeze.

        KATHLEEN
  Why did you stop by?  I forget.

        JOE
  I wanted to be your friend.

        KATHLEEN
  Oh.

        JOE
  I knew it wasn't possible.  What can I
  say?  Sometimes a person just wants the
  impossible.  Could I ask you something?

        KATHLEEN
  What?

        JOE
  What happened with that guy at the cafe?

        KATHLEEN
  Nothing.

        JOE
  But you're crazy about him --

        KATHLEEN
  Yes.  I am.

        JOE
  Then why don't you run off with him?
  What are you waiting for?

 A long beat.

        KATHLEEN
  I don't actually know him.

        JOE
  Really.

        KATHLEEN
  We only know each other -- oh God, you're
  not going to believe this --

        JOE
  Let me guess.  From the Internet.

        KATHLEEN
  Yes.

        JOE
  You've Got Mail.

        KATHLEEN
  Yes.

        JOE
  Very powerful words.

        KATHLEEN
  Yes.

 Joe sits on the edge of the bed.

        JOE
  I'm happy for him.  Although -- could I
  make a little suggestion?  I think you
  should meet him.  No.  I take it back.
  Why meet him?

        KATHLEEN
   (starting to get sharp again)
  I hardly think I need advice from someone
  who --

 He reaches out and gently claps his hand over her mouth.  And
 holds it there.  It's unexpectedly tender and sexy.

        JOE
  I concede I bring out the worst in you,
  but let me help you not to say something
  you'll just torture yourself about for
  years to come.

 She starts to smile and he removes his hand.

 They look at each other.

        JOE
  I hope you're better soon.  It would be
  a shame to miss New York in the spring.

 Joe stands.

        KATHLEEN
  Thank you for the daisies.

 He starts for the door.

        JOE
  Take care.

        KATHLEEN
  I will.

        JOE
  Goodbye.

        KATHLEEN
  Goodbye.

 We hear the door close.

 Hold on Kathleen.

 EXT. CENTRAL PARK - DAY

 Christina is running.  She sees a good-looking MALE RUNNER
 coming toward her.  She has no hope that he will notice her,
 and starts to look away as they get close to one another.

        MALE RUNNER
  Hi.

        CHRISTINA
  Hi.

 He passes her.  Christina can't believe it.

 She does a little dance of joy.

 Camera pulls back as we see her by the reservoir on a
 beautiful morning doing her little celebratory spin.

 Then she resumes her morning exercise, running on.

 INT. THE SINGLES TEMPLE - FRIDAY EVENING

 Patricia comes in.

 The place is packed.  There are hundreds of young Jewish New
 Yorkers singing folk songs and dancing the hora.  The Rabbi
 is dancing among them.

 Patricia sees the rabbi, leading the dance.

 The rabbi whirls madly toward her, like a human dreidel.

        RABBIT
  Shabbat shalom!

 He grabs Patricia's hand, and to her surprise, they go
 whirling off together.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - DAY

 Kathleen at the computer, typing.

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I have been thinking about this and
  I think we should meet.

 She clicks the send button and then exits from American On
 Line.

 On her computer screen we now see the standard screen with
 several icons: American On-Line, Word, Recycle Bin, etc.

 She clicks Word.

 She goes to File: New.

 There are several choices of format.

 She stares at the choices.  Then she clicks Book format.

 A blank page appears in the computer.

 She starts to type:  "Once upon a time there was a little
 girl named..."

 She pauses for a moment and looks around the room.  She sees
 the flowers that Joe brought her.

 And then she types: "Daisy."

 As she goes on typing...

 INT. JOE' BOAT - NIGHT

 On Joe typing.

        JOE (V.O.)
  We should meet.  And we will meet.  But
  I'm in the middle of a project that
  needs...
   (he pauses to think of the
    right word)
  ... tweaking.

 A look of calculation on his face.

 EXT. STARBUCKS - DAY

 We can see Kathleen through the window, drinking a cup of
 coffee.

 And now we see Joe walk into Starbucks.  He waves at her,
 pretending surprise at seeing her.  Has he been watching the
 store and waiting for her to come in?  We'll never know.

 INT. STARBUCKS - A FEW MINUTES LATER

 He's sitting next to her at the counter in the window.

        JOE
  Tweaking?

        KATHLEEN
  That's what he said.

        JOE
  He's probably married.

        KATHLEEN
  That's a terrible thing to say.  It's not
  possible.

        JOE
  Have you asked him if he's married?  Have
  you said, "Are you married?"

        KATHLEEN
  No.

 Joe looks at her, shrugs.

 INT. KATHLEEN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

 As she types:

        KATHLEEN (V.O.)
  I know this is probably a little late to
  be asking, but are you married?

 INT. JOE'S OFFICE - NIGHT

 As he answers:

        JOE (V.O.)
  Am I married?  What kind of a question is
  that?  How can you ask me that?  Don't
  you know me at all?  Oh wait, I get it.
  Your friends are telling you the reason
  we haven't met is that I'm married.  Am I
  right?

 INT. SIDEWALK CAFE - ANOTHER DAY

 Kathleen and Joe having nachos.

        JOE
  So he didn't exactly answer.

        KATHLEEN
  He did too.  He nailed me.  He knew
  exactly what I was up to.  Which is just
  like him.

        JOE
  But he didn't exactly answer, did he?
  Did he?

        KATHLEEN
  No.

        JOE
  Maybe he's fat.

        KATHLEEN
  I don't care about that.

        JOE
  You don't care that he might be one of
  those guys who's so fat he has to be
  removed from his house with a crane?

        KATHLEEN
  That's very unlikely.

        JOE
  Why else do you think he's putting off
  meeting you?  Although... maybe that's
  not it.  Maybe...

        KATHLEEN
  What?

        JOE
  Never mind.

        KATHLEEN
  What????

        JOE
  He could be waiting til he's paroled.

        KATHLEEN
  Oh, you won't believe this, there was a
  moment when George thought he might be
  the rooftop killer, which was completely
  ridiculous --

 Her voice trails off, as she considers whether it could be
 true.

        JOE
  What's his handle?

 She shakes her head.

        JOE
  Come on, I'm not going to write him.  Is
  that what you think?

        KATHLEEN
  NY 152.

        JOE
  One five two.  One hundred fifty two.
  Very interesting.  He's 152 years old.
  He has 152 hairs remaining on his head.
  He's had 152 moles removed and now he
  has 152 pockmarks.

 EXT. FARMER'S MARKET ON BROADWAY - LATER

 As they walk past tables of bread and flowers, etc.

        JOE
  His combined college board scores.

        KATHLEEN
  His IQ.

        JOE
  The number of women he's slept with.

        KATHLEEN
  The number of times he's seen The
  Godfather.

        JOE
  That's the first good thing I've heard
  about him.

        KATHLEEN
  His address.  No, no, no.  He would never
  do anything that prosaic.

 On Joe, looking a little wounded.

        KATHLEEN (cont'd)
  The only thing I really care about
  besides the married thing... and the
  jail thing... is the boat thing.

        JOE
  The boat thing?

        KATHLEEN
  I could never be with anyone who has
  a boat.

        JOE
  Oh.

        KATHLEEN
  So that clinches it.  We'll never be
  together.  I'll take care of these.

 He picks up a mango, squeezes it.

        JOE (cont'd)
  I could never be with anyone who likes
  Joni Mitchell.
   (singing, imitating Joni)
  "It's cloud's illusions I recall, I
  really don't know clouds at all." 
  What does that mean?

 Joe waits for Kathleen to say she likes Joni Mitchell.

 But Kathleen doesn't say anything.

 She starts intently picking over apples, trying to find some
 she wants.

        JOE
  How's your book coming?

 EXT. BROADWAY - DAY

 As they walk away from the market, going uptown.

        KATHLEEN
  There's a children's book editor I know,
  from the store, and she's excited to
  read it.  When I finish it.  Who would
  ever have thought I'd write?  I mean,
  if I didn't have all this free time, I
  would never have discovered --

 She stops, realizing what she's saying.

        KATHLEEN (cont'd)
  The truth is, he was the one who made me
  start thinking about writing --

        JOE
  Mister 152 Felony Indictments --

        KATHLEEN
  Mister 152... insights into my soul.

        JOE
  Yes.  Well.  Can't compete with that.

        KATHLEEN
  Well.  I keep bumping into you.  Hope
  your mango's ripe.

        JOE
  I think it is.  Want to bump into me
  Saturday?  Around lunchtime?

 EXT. COMPUTER SCREEN - NIGHT

 As Joe types.

        JOE (V.O.)
  How about meeting Saturday?  The first
  day of spring.  4 P.M.  There's a place
  in Riverside Park at 88th Street where
  the path curves and when you come around
  the curve, you'll find me waiting.

 INT./EXT. SATURDAY - GREY'S PAPAYA - THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING

 Kathleen and Joe are putting mustard on their hot dogs.

        JOE
  Today?

        KATHLEEN
  Today.

        JOE
  Whoa.

        KATHLEEN
  I know.  In Riverside Park.

        JOE
  Isn't that amazing?  Maybe I've seen him,
  and I don't even know it.

 EXT. COLUMBUS AVENUE - DAY

 As they walk uptown, eating their hot dogs and drinking
 papaya drinks.

        JOE
  He could be the Zipper Man.

        KATHLEEN
  Who's that?

        JOE
  This guy on Amsterdam who repairs
  zippers.  You'll never have to buy new
  luggage.

        KATHLEEN
  Stop teasing.

        JOE
  Timing is everything.  He waited until
  you were primed.  Until you knew there
  was no other man you could ever love.

        KATHLEEN
   (almost believe it)
  Yes.

        JOE
  Sometimes I wonder...

        KATHLEEN
  What?

 They stop walking, they look at each other.

        JOE
  If I hadn't been Foxbooks and you hadn't
  been The Shop Around the Corner and we'd
  just met --

        KATHLEEN
  Don't.

        JOE
  I would have asked for your phone number
  and I wouldn't have been able to wait 24
  hours before calling and asking, "How
  about coffee, drinks, dinner, a movie,
  for as long as we both shall live?"

        KATHLEEN
   (almost a swoon)
  Joe...

        JOE
  And then we would never have been at war.

        KATHLEEN
  No.

        JOE
  The only fight we'd ever have is what
  video to rent on Saturday night.

        KATHLEEN
  Who fights about that?

        JOE
  Some people.  Not us.

        KATHLEEN
  We would never.

 A long beat.

        JOE
  If only...

        KATHLEEN
  Please.  I have to go.

 She doesn't move.

        JOE
  Let me ask you something?  How come
  you'll forgive him for standing you
  up and you won't forgive me for a
  little tiny thing like putting you
  out of business?

 Kathleen looks at him.  Shakes her head.

 They look at each other.

        JOE
  Oh how I wish you would.

 It's all Kathleen can do not to forgive him.

 It's all Joe can do not to kiss her.

        KATHLEEN
  I really do have to go.

        JOE
  You don't want to be late.

 She's in agony.

 He turns and walks away.

 After a moment, she does too.

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - LATER

 As we see Kathleen come down the street and walk into her
 house.

 EXT. KATHLEEN'S APARTMENT - LATER

 As she comes out of the apartment house, having changed her
 clothes.

 EXT. RIVERSIDE DRIVE - LATER AFTERNOON

 As she comes toward the entrance to the park.

 EXT. RIVERSIDE DRIVE PARK - LATE AFTERNOON

 As Kathleen comes down a path in the park, near 88th Street.

 She comes to a stop.

 Looks around.

 A young woman in running clothes passes by.

 A young father pushing a baby in one of those strollers
 runners use to push babies in.

 Kathleen looks at her watch.

 Suddenly she hears a noise.  A dog barking.

 And Brinkley comes around the corner.

        VOICE
  Brinkley!  Brinkley!

 And hold on Kathleen as she sees.

 JOE

 And she starts to cry.

 And he comes to her.  And puts his arms around her.

        JOE
  Don't cry, Shopgirl, don't cry.

        KATHLEEN
  I wanted it to be you.  I wanted it to
  be you so badly.

 And as they kiss, we hold on them.

 And crane up and away as we see them, a couple kissing in the
 park on a beautiful spring day.

 A dog is leaping around them.

 And as we get further and further away from them, the screen
 turns into

 CYBERSPACE

 And the dog turns cartwheels and flipflops.

 And we tilt up to see the clouds and the sky

 and hear the sound of computer keys, clicking, clicking,
 clicking

     FADE OUT