YOU'VE GOT MAIL

        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.