Forever 6
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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FADE IN:
EXT. PARK - DAY
The trees are in blossom, just sprouting their new leaves
towards the spring sun.
Birds swoop and soar, round and round in circles playfully.
Daisies and other wild flowers flourish amongst the lush green
grass.
Clean white clouds wander lazily across a rich blue sky.
A squirrel wanders along the branch of a tree and down the main
trunk to the ground, on a hunt for food.
NIGEL, in his mid to late twenties with a lot on his mind, sits
on a bench absorbed in his own thoughts.
He casually tosses sections of bread to the pigeons at his feet,
completely disinterested in the beauty that surrounds him.
Nigel absently plays with a thick, plain gold wedding ring that
adorns the ring finger of his left hand.
The pigeons push each other, fighting over the last scraps of
bread with no regard for the others.
An OLD COUPLE walk past holding hands. Nigel watches them.
Nigel spreads his hands out before him, palms upwards, and
stares at them intently. They are big, powerful, scared hands
of a man used to manual labour.
He clenches his hands into fists and lets them out again,
testing their power.
Nigel stands. The pigeons scatter, afraid to leave the food
behind, as Nigel wanders off.
EXT. HOUSING ESTATE - DAY
Terraced houses, all identical. Each house packed closely to
it's neighbour, claustrophobic.
Nigel walks down a path past the backs of the houses, hands in
pockets and head down, looking no further than a couple of feet
in front.
He approaches a small narrow tunnel entrance, leading to a cul
de-sac.
Nigel takes a couple of steps towards the tunnel and stops,
unsure.
He turns and heads back the way he came, the relief shows in his
quickened pace.
INT. BAR - DAY
The bar isn't very busy. A few people are scattered, in twos or
threes, around the seating area.
Nigel pays for his drink. The barman hands him his change and
moves onto the next customer.
As Nigel wanders off the barman morphs to become the spitting
image of Nigel.
Nigel sits down at a table alone and sips his drink.
A young couple, the same age as Nigel, sit near.
They smile and chat away happily. Nigel listens in on their
conversation. As he does so they also change before his eyes
becoming images of Nigel.
MAN#1
(feigned shock)
No, way!
WOMAN#1
Yes, we are!
MAN#1
But I've had it for years. You can't just
throw it out, it's just got comfortable.
Nigel sips at his drink and then leans back so he can hear
better.
WOMAN#1
(laughing)
It's falling to bits, it smells and it's
covered in stains. It's going!
MAN#1
Everyone of those stains and smells is a
memory happily spent watching the football.
WOMAN#1
I'm scared to ask what some of those stains
are. It's going whether you like it or
not.
MAN#1
You can't throw it out, it's part of my
history.
WOMAN#1
Do you want me to move in?
Nigel smiles.
The man jokingly pretends to think on what his girlfriend has
just said.
MAN#1
Hmm, old comfortable chair or girlfriend?
Tough one.
The woman can't believe he's even considering it.
WOMAN#1
Hey.
She playfully threatens him with her hand.
WOMAN#1 (cont'd)
Do you want a slap?
The smile disappears from Nigel's face, replaced by a deep
sadness. He clenches his right fist.
The man attempts to defend himself.
MAN#1
Okay, okay! I'll choose the chair.
The woman makes to hit him again.
WOMAN#1
Watch it.
MAN#1
Sorry, I meant you. The chair's gone. It
is no more. It is an ex chair.
Nigel turns his attention back to his pint. He takes a large
gulp.
Something catches his eye.
A small graze can clearly be seen on a knuckle of his right
hand. Nigel looks at it fiercely.
He takes his hand away from his drink and runs a finger over the
recent wound.
Nigel snaps out of it and takes another sip of his drink.
Three lads, in their early twenties, lagers in hand, sit down on
the next table.
They too morph into images of Nigel.
LAD#1
Are you going to see her again?
LAD#2
Doubt it.
LAD#3
You're an idiot. She's a babe. I'll have
her telephone number if you're not
interested.
Lad#1 and Lad#2 grin. Nigel grins.
LAD#2
Like she'll want to shag an ugly bastard
like you?
LAD#3
You never know?
LAD#1
Yeah right. Dream on!
LAD#3
(exasperated)
It could happen.
LAD#1
Not a chance. Anyway, why are we going on
about your nonexistent love life when we
should be giving this idiot grief.
Lad#1 slaps Lad#2 on the back.
LAD#3
So what's wrong with this one?
LAD#2
Nothing. I'm just enjoying myself too much
at the moment to get into a relationship.
LAD#3
Ooh, hark at her. Relationship?
Nigel absently starts to play with his wedding ring, twisting it
round and round.
LAD#1
Snap out of it, mate, you've got a good
looking women who wants you. What more do
you need?
Nigel nods in agreement.
LAD#2
You know what'll happen. She'll want to
see me more and more and then you guys
won't see me at all.
LAD#3
Ahh, isn't that sweet. We're touched.
LAD#2
You know what I mean. I'm young, good
looking...
This brings laughter from the others. Lad#2 ignores his friends
and continues. Nigel remains sullen faced.
LAD#2 (cont'd)
...and single. Why would I need, or want,
to tie myself down to one woman?
LAD#3
I see what you mean. Forget her.
The other two laugh.
Nigel watches his fingers through the beer as he moves them.
The beer distorts them and makes them seem impossibly big,
grotesque even.
Nigel downs the rest of his pint and walks up to the bar.
The Barman, still the image of Nigel, serves him.
BARMAN
Same again?
Nigel nods and waits for his drink. It arrives and he pays for
it before returning to his seat.
Nigel listens in on the three lads again.
LAD#3
She's good-looking, great in bed and you
still want to leave it?
Lad#2 nods.
LAD#1
But, mate, you only live once and you never
know when you are going to find the right
woman. You have to take your chances.
LAD#3
And besides, if she isn't the one then you
keep boffing away until you get bored.
LAD#2
Sex! Is that all you think of?
Lad#3 thinks about this.
LAD#3
(nodding furiously)
Yep!
LAD#1
Come on though, seriously. You can't throw
away a good opportunity like this just
because you want the "young free and
single" lifestyle. If you do decide to see
her again I promise you we're not going to
just disappear. We'll come and rescue you
now and again.
LAD#3
Or just come round and ogle her.
Lad#2 turns and gives a disapproving look at Lad#3.
LAD#1
Just take her out again and see if things
work out, and if they don't then...
Lad#2 thinks on this.
LAD#2
Yeah, I suppose you're right. I'll give
her a call.
He finishes his drink. The others reach into their pockets
pulling out a handful of coins simultaneously and offering them
to Lad#2.
Lad#2 shakes his head and grins. He takes some money and
wanders off to find a phone.
Nigel turns his attention back to young couple. They are still
the image of Nigel, but things are a little more serious now.
MAN#1
No! Absolutely not.
The woman leans in closer.
WOMAN#1
But we can't entertain people with holes in
it.
MAN#1
You never complained about it before.
WOMAN#1
Yeah, then it was your place, but it's
going to be ours now.
MAN#1
So I'm scruffy and untidy then?
Nigel unconsciously straightens his clothes.
WOMAN#1
That's not what I meant.
MAN#1
Okay then, I live in a slum?
WOMAN#1
I didn't mean that either.
MAN#1
Then what did you mean, because so far you
have criticised every bit of furniture I
own and my decorating as well.
WOMAN#1
All I'm asking is, it's a new start for
both of us and I think, the flat was yours
and now it's going to ours, so we should
make it ours.
MAN#1
And how much do you think "making it ours"
is going to cost?
WOMAN#1
We earn a decent amount between us.
MAN#1
Not enough to do what you're proposing.
The carpet is fine. It has plenty of years
left in it yet.
WOMAN#1
I'm not talking about doing everything at
once, just getting the most urgent things
sorted first.
MAN#1
I gave you the chair, fair enough. I'm
even prepared to take down the posters of
Jordan and redecorate some of the rooms,
but that's it.
Nigel smiles sadly.
WOMAN#1
The carpet needs changing!
The Man stands, a vein throbbing in his forehead.
MAN#1
Lets forget it. Moving in together was a
big mistake.
The man storms off and the woman follows leaving their half
empty drinks behind. As they go they return back to the people
they were originally.
Nigel turns back to his drink.
He finishes his pint and gets up, walking out.
As he walks past the bar the Barman reverts back to the person
he was originally.
EXT. PARK - DAY
Nigel walks slowly and randomly through the park. Indecision
plagues his every step.
EXT. HOUSING ESTATE - DAY
The narrow tunnel looms and Nigel hesitates before walking
through.
EXT/INT. HOUSE - DAY
Nigel stands in front of the house.
A WOMAN, the same age as Nigel, can be viewed through the
kitchen window.
A small bruise visible on her cheek and her eyes red and puffy.
Nigel watches the Woman as she finishes making herself a cup of
tea. She walks to the kitchen table and sits down, her head
drops and she bursts into tears.
Nigel's eyes mist and he can no longer watch her. He looks down
at the wedding ring on his finger.
He plays with it. Nigel looks up once more.
The Woman shakes, sobs rack her body.
Nigel pulls on the ring. With some effort it finally comes
loose.
He looks at it, twirling it around in his fingers.
Nigel slips the ring into his pocket, turns and walks into the
distance.
FADE OUT:
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.