The Running Tide 6.1
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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FADE IN:
INT. MATT'S BEDROOM - MORNING
A typical loft converted bedroom of a nineteen year old lad.
The only noticeable exception in the room is a poster of a
luxury fifty foot sailing yacht on one wall.
Alongside the poster a series of four photographs hang in
their frames, illuminated by a beam of the early morning sun
streaming through the skylight.
- A nine year old MATT and his PARENTS on a small sail boat.
Matt is steering, having fun.
The other three photographs purvey a sense of loss, of
something missing, not quite complete.
- Matt, the same age, standing beside his parents' grave. He
stands alone, physically and symbolically.
- RAY at his retirement bash with his arm around a fourteen
year old Matt.
- A sixteen year old Matt in a brand new seventeen foot
Cornish Crabber, sails up and heading towards the horizon.
Alone and isolated.
Below the skylight, sleeping in a double bed, are MATT and
his nineteen year old girlfriend, SOPHIE. She lies in his
arms with her head resting on his chest, her long blonde hair
covering her features.
A radio alarm clock, on the bedside table, reads 7:59 AM. We
watch as it changes to 8:00 AM and the radio blasts out,
filling the room with the melodies of the Travis hit, "Why
Does It Always Rain On Me?."
Matt's eyes open and he reaches out to turn the radio off as
Sophie stirs.
MATT
It's eight.
SOPHIE
Just as I was dreaming I was on a golden
sandy beach, and exams didn't matter.
She groans loudly and pulls the covers up over her head.
Matt laughs as he rolls out of bed.
MATT
They won't after this afternoon. Come
on.
Sophie sticks her head out of the covers, her dishevelled
hair partially obscuring her face.
SOPHIE
Did I ever tell you I loved you?
MATT
Yes.
SOPHIE
Well I lied!
She dives back under the covers. Matt laughs again and dives
onto the duvet covered lump that is Sophie and tickles her.
She screams.
EXT. PUB GARDEN - DAY
Birds dive and swoop playfully in the crystal blue sky, under
the glare of the summer sun. A luscious green hedge
surrounds the garden creating a sun trap, the only shelter
from which is a large willow providing shade in one corner.
A group of young men and women, all eighteen and nineteen,
sit around two large wooden tables cluttered with empty and
partially full pint glasses. By their drunken manner, all
the group look as if they have been here for some time.
Matt is standing in between the two tables downing a pint of
lager in record time, the others looking on. He downs the
last drop and thrusts the empty glass into the air,
triumphant. The crowd ROAR their approval as Matt slumps
down next to a beaming Sophie.
SOPHIE
My hero!
The tables ROAR once again with approval as one of their
clan, GARY, stands unsteadily, ready to address his friends.
He theatrically waves them into silence.
GARY
Friends, friends? We are gathered here
today to say farewell to the bane of our
lives for the past two years.
Another CHEER. He waves them into silence again.
GARY (CONT'D)
Goodbye 'A' levels. May we never see
your like again.
The crowd ROAR again but quieten quickly.
GARY (CONT'D)
Now they are over we find ourselves
journeying to the four corners of this
world, before we all come back to this
beloved land of ours...
Yet another CHEER. Gary raises his glass and drinks greedily
from it until it is half empty, swaying a little as he does.
GARY (CONT'D)
... and depart our separate ways as we
enter the world of university. Three
years of nonstop shagging, alcohol and
drugs.
This brings the most raucous CHEER so far as glasses are
raised and beer is showered in every direction.
GARY (CONT'D)
Good luck to you all. I have only one
final comment to make before you can get
back to your drinking...
Gary lets out the loudest BURP in history to the THUNDEROUS
APPLAUSE of the others, where upon one of the group tips a
pint over his head. A drenched Gary returns to his seat as
some of the others get up to go to the bar and replenish
their glasses.
SOPHIE
It would be wonderful if we could go away
as well.
(beat)
The adventure, a once in a lifetime
opportunity. Visiting strange places,
meeting new people, experiencing
different cultures and tasting all those
exotic foods.
MATT
I was planning on working and spending
some time on the boat.
Sophie leans in close, putting her arm around Matt's shoulder
and whispering in his ear.
SOPHIE
You're no fun at all. After all that
hard work over the last couple of years,
you can't tell me you're not in need of a
rest. A little time to recuperate before
you start again?
MATT
It would be nice... ideal in fact, but
then I would be struggling financially
next year.
She kisses him.
SOPHIE
At least think about it.
Sophie gets to her feet and heads to the bar. Matt watches
her go.
EXT. FIELD - DAY
Matt walks with RAY, 70, and his dog, TESS a sixteen year old
Border Collie. Ray lets Tess off the lead and she lopes
away.
RAY
Your mum and dad would be proud of you.
Matt smiles. Ray watches Tess as she bobs under a hedge
chasing imaginary rabbits.
MATT
Have you thought about what you're going
to do when I leave?
RAY
Enjoy my retirement. I've applied for
another allotment so between the two,
they should keep me busy.
Tess emerges from the hedge and ambles towards the two,
passing them.
RAY (CONT'D)
Anyway, why are you worrying? I was fine
on my own before you came along and I'll
be fine when you leave for university.
(beat)
Just make sure you come and visit me a
few times, eh?
Tess saunters up to them and then stops, sniffing a tuft of
grass.
MATT
You know I will!
EXT. HELEN'S CAFE - MORNING
A picturesque sea-side cafe over looking the famous Cobb in
Lyme Regis, the kind often frequented by the over seventies.
INT. HELEN'S CAFE - MORNING
The early morning sun streams through the windows in shafts,
like a thousand search lights, leaving only the rear of the
cafe in shadow.
The cafe is a wonderland of cream cakes, biscuits and an
assortment of iced buns. A coffee machine steams away behind
the counter occasionally spitting and hissing its contents at
a forty year old MARY, as she serves the cafe's only
customer.
HELEN, a roly-poly, jolly Scot in her late fifties, is
interviewing Matt at one of the tables.
HELEN
I pop in now and again just to keep my
hand in, usually when I get a craving for
chocolate eclairs. When they're gone, so
am I.
Helen laughs and her body shakes with her as she does. Mary
looks up briefly before returning to her customer. Matt
smiles.
HELEN (CONT'D)
Anyway, I'm forgetting myself. Did you
have any questions?
MATT
When will I know if I've been successful?
HELEN
Oh, on Monday morning when you arrive for
work at nine, chief.
MATT
I've got the job?
HELEN
Of course. It'll be good to have a
handsome young chap around to brighten up
the place.
She starts to laugh again. Matt joins her, a little
embarrassed.
EXT. RECREATIONAL GROUND - DAY
Matt and his friends are having a knock about game of footie
on the grass, turned yellow and worn in places by the endless
summer use.
Matt is playing for the skins, their tee-shirts discarded or
wrapped around their waists. The girlfriends, including
Sophie, are scattered lazily at the side of the roughly
marked out pitch watching the game, chatting or sunbathing.
Matt is on the ball, sprinting down the wing. Two defenders
come towards him to cut him off.
Matt knows he's going nowhere so he crosses the ball into the
area, where Gary jumps and heads the ball into the goal.
As they run back to their own half, Gary pats Matt on the
back thanking him for the inch perfect cross.
Somebody calls for half-time and the players disperse,
dropping to the floor at the side of the pitch. Matt sinks
down next to Sophie as she hands him a bottle of water, from
a bag at her side.
Matt wipes the sweat from his forehead and draws greedily
from the bottle.
SOPHIE
You were great!
(pause)
I had a look around at places we could
go...
She reaches into the bag and removes some travel brochures.
SOPHIE (CONT'D)
I was thinking maybe India or somewhere a
little different than the norm.
MATT
What?
SOPHIE
You said you would think about it?
MATT
The holiday? No, you said I should think
about it.
SOPHIE
It'll only be for a couple of weeks...
Sophie leans in close to whisper in Matt's ear.
SOPHIE (CONT'D)
Just you, me, the warm water lapping
against the golden sands and the hot sun
warming our tanned skin... It would be
nice to go away together.
MATT
Yeah, it would.
SOPHIE
(hopeful)
Does that mean yes?
Matt looks at her before answering.
MATT
Maybe for a week and if I can afford it,
possibly two.
Sophie kisses Matt gleefully and hugs him. She pulls away
again almost immediately, pulling a face.
SOPHIE
Yuck, you're all sweaty.
Matt downs some more of the water and hands the bottle back
to Sophie. He then jumps on her, kissing her and pushing her
down to the ground, holding her there.
SOPHIE (CONT'D)
(laughing)
Get off me, you're all wet.
Matt leaps up and runs back with the others to the makeshift
pitch. Sophie lies there smiling, content.
EXT. HELEN'S CAFE - DAY
The Cafe is closed. Matt and Helen occupy one of the cafe's
wooden tables over looking The Cobb and the sea. Helen is
sipping a can of coke, as Matt drinks a glass of water.
MATT
I actually think he's going to miss me.
I mean he can't even set the video
recorder, or anything, without my help.
Helen shakes her can of coke and peers into it, to see how
much drink is left.
HELEN
Us oldies aren't used to change, not like
you youngsters, with your world wide web
and digital communications.
MATT
Yeah, I suppose Gramps is set in his
ways.
HELEN
What about you, chief? Don't you want to
travel before you go to university?
Matt empties his glass.
MATT
Soph wants us to go to India, but I fancy
something a little more lively.
(beat)
A little clubbing and sun.
INT. RAY'S HOUSE, KITCHEN - DAY
Ray pours himself some squash into a glass as Matt enters
from the hall carrying a parcel under his arm.
RAY
So how was the first week then, working
man?
Matt smiles.
MATT
Pretty good.
RAY
What's that you've got?
Matt opens up the package on the kitchen top.
MATT
Good quality custard doughnuts courtesy
of work.
Ray looks at him disapprovingly.
RAY
You didn't take them did you..?
MATT
(incredulous)
Gramps..?
RAY
Sorry!
(pause)
So are we going to be blessed with the
company of the delightful Sophie tonight?
Matt gets a chopping board and some mushrooms from the fridge
and starts to peel them.
MATT
Not tonight. Does lasagne sound OK?
RAY
How about a good hotpot?
MATT
(smiling)
In this heat? Lasagne and salad I think.
Ray makes a face but doesn't complain.
Tess trots in through the back door, tongue hanging out. Ray
turns and looks at her pleading eyes.
RAY
(to Tess)
Sorry, girl. No titbits tonight.
EXT. AT SEA - DAY
The calm sea gently rocks the small Crabber, the same boat in
the last photograph from Matt's bedroom, as it sails along
with the aid of a soft breeze.
Matt, in shorts and tee-shirt, in control at the tiller and
Sophie in a bikini, soaking up the sun.
SOPHIE
My cousin's away in a couple of weeks so
we could stay at her place and look for a
place of our own, maybe even spend
sometime down on the beach.
Matt nods his approval.
MATT
We could check out the clubs as well,
while we're there.
SOPHIE
That's settled then. I'll ring her and
get the keys.
Matt tacks with the wind and the boom swings over a prone
Sophie, casting a shadow over her body.
MATT
I still think we should go where the
accommodation office put us and then look
for a place when we've sussed it out a
bit more. That's presuming I get in.
SOPHIE
You worry too much.
MATT
(smiling)
I'm not worrying. Well... I suppose I am
a little. I'm just not sure I did enough
revision.
Matt looks up at the sky shading his eyes. He reaches down
to his side and produces a baseball cap, placing it on his
head.
SOPHIE
You did fine, trust me.
MATT
I just don't want to count my chickens
before they've hatched. We can look for
another place when we actually get there.
Sophie shades her eyes and looks at him, noticing the boom is
casting a shadow across her middle.
SOPHIE
It won't hurt to at least look...
(pause)
Do you mind turning this boat in the
other direction, you're spoiling my tan?
MATT
I could, but I don't think the
authorities in Africa would be happy that
we forgot our passports...
SOPHIE
It would be a free holiday though!
The comment isn't lost on Matt but he attempts to ignore it
anyway.
EXT. CRICKET PITCH - DAY
The sun is blazing down on the cricket pitch. Some of the
grass in the outfield has started to turn brown.
Ray is marking out the creases on the cricket pitch. A big
floppy cricket hat shades his eyes from the sun's glare.
He stops for a moment and removing his hat, mops his brow
with a handkerchief.
He looks up at the sky and then puts his hat back on before
returning to finish his job.
As he finishes marking out he rubs his right calf.
EXT. CRICKET PAVILION - DAY
Matt cycles up to the pavilion and rests his bike against the
wall. He looks for Ray but can't see him, so he wanders off
around the side of the building.
INT. GROUNDSMAN'S HUT - DAY
The darkness of the inside of the hut is a stark contrast the
glaring sunshine outside. Ray is sitting on a mower, a flask
and sandwiches beside him, rubbing his calf. Tess is asleep
next to him.
Matt enters and Ray stops rubbing, pulling his trouser leg
down. Matt notices.
MATT
Are you alright, Gramps?
Ray reaches for his flask and pours himself some tea.
RAY
Just a little sore. Cramp probably.
Matt sits himself down on a box beside Ray and looks around.
MATT
Are you sure you want to be in here,
there are some pretty big spider webs.
RAY
I like spider's webs. The product of a
patient craftsman.
Matt turns his attention back to Ray.
MATT
Anyway, I came to tell you I won't be
home for tea tonight. There's some cold
lasagne in the fridge and some leftover
salad too.
RAY
(sarcastic)
Great!
INT. RAY'S HOUSE, KITCHEN - DAY
Empty shopping bags and opened cartons are scattered across
the work top.
A large pan bubbles away on the cooker. Ray lifts the lid
smelling the contents before giving it a quick stir with a
ladle.
Ray turns off the heat and begins to spoon piping hot beef
stew onto a plate. Tess scampers in through the back door
and sits at Ray's feet, looking up at the food and licking
her lips.
Ray looks down.
RAY
Beef stew tonight, girl?
Ray uses a fork to remove a chunk of beef from his plate. He
blows on it and then tosses it to Tess.
RAY (CONT'D)
There you go. Be careful it's hot.
Tess wolves it down.
RAY (CONT'D)
Better than that tasteless foreign muck,
eh?
Tess searches hungrily for another piece. Ray starts to walk
outside, throwing her another chunk as he does. It's
swallowed before it has chance to hit the floor.
RAY (CONT'D)
Come on, girl.
EXT. TENNIS COURT - EVENING
The court is surrounded by a wire fence designed to keep non
members out. A hole has been cut in the fence for people to
gain access through. The sun is setting in the background.
Sophie and Matt are playing each other, while a bored looking
Gary rests against the fence watching.
Matt serves to Sophie.
MATT
Spain?
Sophie returns.
SOPHIE
India!
Matt volleys.
MATT
The Canary Islands?
Sophie plays cross court.
SOPHIE
Thailand!
Matt tries to lob her.
MATT
Kos?
Sophie returns the ball down the line.
SOPHIE
Norway?
MATT
Greece?
Matt plays cross court.
SOPHIE
Italy?
Sophie volleys and wins the point.
MATT
When?
SOPHIE
Next month? A last minute deal?
MATT
I'll see if I can get the time off work.
Gary looks over at Matt.
GARY
Good! Now that's decided can we get on
with the match. I'm gagging for a pint.
INT. RAY'S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The room is dark except for the light radiating from the
television. Ray is dozing on the sofa, halfway between awake
and asleep, Tess at his feet.
The front door BANGS shut and muffled voices and giggling can
be heard. Tess's head snaps up, her ears alert. Matt and
Sophie, his arm around her, stagger into the living room a
little the worse for drink.
Tess returns to her original position. Matt and Sophie both
stop as they see Ray asleep and drooling. They giggle.
SOPHIE
Ahh, don't he look sweet!
Ray stirs and wakes, wiping the drool from his chin. Matt
flips on the light switch.
RAY
(yawning)
Did you two have a good time?
Matt slumps down on an armchair and Sophie drops down next to
Ray, resting her head on his shoulder.
MATT
A classic night. I beat Soph again so we
had to go and celebrate.
SOPHIE
(to Ray)
He cheated!
MATT
I did not!
Ray winces and reaches down to rub his leg.
MATT (CONT'D)
Is it still giving you grief?
Ray shrugs.
MATT (CONT'D)
Go and see the doctor tomorrow.
RAY
It's not worth bothering with, it's only
a touch of cramp.
Matt looks at Ray and raises his eyebrows.
MATT
Gramps?
RAY
(defensive)
OK! I'll go and see him. I'm off to
bed.
Sophie gives Ray a hug.
SOPHIE
Night, Ray.
RAY
Good night.
INT. MATT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Clothes litter the floor hastily discarded.
Sophie, asleep, lies on Matt's chest. Matt is awake.
He looks at Sophie and strokes her hair. He leans his head
forward a little and smells her hair.
He relaxes his head back onto the pillow and stares out of
the skylight at the stars above.
INT. DOCTOR'S WAITING ROOM - DAY
The waiting room is the typical type. Years old copies of
Reader's Digest, Cosmopolitan and the odd dishevelled comic
are scattered across a table. One corner is set aside as a
children's play area, where two children are happily building
houses out of Lego, as their mother looks on.
A MAN, Ray's age, sits opposite him. The Man has two
crutches and he looks as if he doesn't have full use of his
legs.
Ray stares at him intently until the Man looks up. Ray gives
a half smile and looks away embarrassed.
EXT. PUB - DAY
The late afternoon sun casts a warm orange glow over the pub
and the narrow street.
Matt, Sophie, Gary and two of their friends, JUSTINE and
LISA, walk down the street and enter the pub.
INT. PUB - DAY
Ray is at the bar with Tess at his feet. An empty plate and
a half empty pint of ale are on the bar in front of him. He
looks up as Matt and his friends enter.
Sophie smiles and waves, Ray waves back.
MATT
(to Sophie)
Get me a pint and I'll meet you outside.
SOPHIE
(nodding)
Usual?
MATT
Yep!
Matt strolls over to Ray and sits on the stool next to him.
Tess wags her tail and Matt reaches down to pat her on the
head.
MATT (CONT'D)
Let me guess. Steak 'n' kidney pie,
chips and peas?
Ray sips his drink as the BARMAN comes and takes the empty
plate away.
RAY
Potatoes actually.
Matt flashes an knowing smile.
MATT
How did you get on?
Ray shifts uncomfortably.
RAY
I got a late appointment.
The Barman brings a bowl of apple crumble and custard,
placing it on the bar in front of Ray.
BARMAN
There you go, Ray.
RAY
Thank you.
Ray starts on the pudding.
MATT
And?
RAY
He thought it was a blood clot.
Gary, Justine and Lisa exit the back door to the garden.
Sophie saunters over and stands next to Matt, handing him his
pint.
MATT
(startled)
A blood clot?
SOPHIE
(concerned)
How?
Ray shrugs.
RAY
The nurse took a blood sample for tests.
Ray washes down a piece of crumble with some ale.
MATT
Did he get rid of the clot?
Ray reaches into his pocket and produces a small bottle of
pills. Sophie takes the bottle off him and looks at it with
Matt.
RAY
I have to take these and go and see him
again in a couple of days.
(beat)
They thin the blood out and dissolve the
clot.
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.