Cold Place

Chuck E Cheese is a place well hidden
Buried in your lake with your bones still diggin
Picking up things that I know I should sell
Simple as this...gonna damn it all to hell

In the Cold Place - where the fire burns
In the Dark Night - with open arms

Get me beyond the shadow
Get me beyond disguise
Get me beyond, beyond
Get us past our costume cries

In the Cold Place - where the fire burns
In the Dark Night - with open arms

Rain on your wedding day
Lovers in the grass
Heart shaped thoughts and feelings
Coming down - Coming fast

In the Cold Place - where the fire burns
In the Dark Night - with open arms

So we offer up a YES
Welcome Sister Death
Kiss each flame - fire by fire

In the Cold Place - where the fire burns
In the Dark Night - with eternal eyes - of love
with Eternal Eyes - of love
with Eternal Eyes - of love

Script/Voice Over

FADE IN:
INT. POSTAL OFFICE - EVENING
A cramped, but purposely cluttered postal clerk’s office from
yesteryear complete with curly phone and antiquated zoning
maps.
CLOSE UPS OF: (all objects well worn)
Empty chair with well worn seat cushion
Neatly organized but lived in desk
In/Out boxes (stamped envelopes in the out box)
Mailing ledger
Assortment of ink stained stamps and ink pad
Open sketchbook with drawing in progress
Stacks of files and folders
Stacks of boxes
William, (late 60s), well groomed, professional in his
uniform, eases the door open. Faint light spills in, as he
enters. He braces himself and slides boxes to be shipped
inside with some effort.
He props his cane against the wall and exits.
INT. POSTAL OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
William re enters, balancing a few pieces of fire wood in his
arms.
Logs drop at his feet.
He closes the door and brushes off the cold. He places the
logs into the fireplace and strikes a match.
William surveys his post. He has stood here a thousand times
but rarely enjoyed it.
William hangs a kettle of water over the fire.
William lowers himself into his seat.
He twists the knob on his desk lamp and prepares the blotter.
2.
William weighs a box and fills out the ledger with
destination address and shipping cost. We notice small
drawings in the margins of the ledger.
WILLIAM (V.O.)
The scribble of the pen... the flap
of the page... These are my only
companions now.
William goes about his business, placing the registered box
in the outbound pile. He makes a mark on the wall chart next
to “Packages”. The wall chart has a landscape painting
hanging next to it. He picks up the next box and places it on
the scale. Adjusts the weights.
William removes the kettle from the fire with a hand towel.
He pours it over a scoop of instant coffee in his cup.
A series of certificates of recognition on the wall celebrate
25, 30 and 40 years as Postal Service Clerk. Next to them is
a certificate of outstanding service.
WILLIAM (V.O.)
I have spent my life ensuring
people’s packages and letters find
their way to their loved ones. Day
in, day out, rain, snow, sleet and
even a tornado or two have seen me
come to this desk.
William writes down the name and address in the ledger. He
stamps the package “Fragile” and writes the cost in the
column. He sketches a small child in the margin.
WILLIAM (V.O.)
My father told me I’ll never make
money as an artist. He told me to
do something worthwhile with my
life. He got me my first job.
Worked my way up from newspaper boy
to a mail carrier.
Close up over the shoulder of William working, reveals a
portrait of a timeless beauty sitting on his desk.
WILLIAM (V.O.)
Met the most beautiful eyes through
a mail slot.
EXT. FRONT PORCH - DAY
A man’s hand drops a letter marked “Lisbeth” through a mail
slot in the door.
3.
INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
The young lady pictured on William’s desk, Lisbeth, picks the
letter off the floor. She smiles and looks through the mail
slot. No one is there.
Lisbeth opens the envelope and reveals a finely rendered
drawing of her eyes, signed “Bill”. She closes her eyes and
holds the drawing to her chest.
INT. POSTAL OFFICE - DAY
William opens his desk drawer to retrieve a ball of packing
string. Peeking out from the back of the drawer are bundles
of letters and drawings marked “Lisbeth” and “Bill”.
William draws the string across the box, measuring it and
snips it with sheers. He rotely returns the ball to the
drawer.
WILLIAM (V.O.)
We were married 32 years. I planned
to buy a small house by the lake
and we would take walks together
when we got old and the kids left
the house.
William ties the bow on the box and takes it to the outbound
pile.
WILLIAM (V.O.)
But that dream ended when the
...sickness took her away. So I
worked harder. For the kids.
William pulls a key from his pocket and steps to the Letter
receptacle. He unlocks the metal box and gathers a handful
of letters. He sorts through the letters and closes the box.
One of the letters, a clinically official looking letter, is
addressed to William. William examines it for a long moment-
His brow skeptically furrowed.
William sits with the letter. He takes a swallow of his
coffee. His stained hand slides the letter opener into the
envelope and removes the letter.
The Typewritten Formletter reads:
NOTICE OF TERMINATION
4.
Attention of William J. Boyd
Dear Sir,
You are hereby notified, that the United States Postal
Service pursuant to paragraph 6 of its contract with you,
dated February 12, 1926 hereby terminates said contract,
effective immediately, for the following reasons.
[ ] In the opinion of the Postal Master, you are not and have
not maintained your position in excellent condition.
[ ] In the opinion of the Postal Master, you are failing and
have failed to demonstrate sufficient skill and capacity to
perform your duties as required by the U.S. Postal Service.
[x] In the opinion of the Postal Master, your position is
redundant and is no longer necessary.
Signed,
Postmaster, U.S. Postal Service
William stares at the letter in disbelief and swallows. He
takes a moment. His mind struggles to accept this
information.
William re reads the words “effective immediately”.
William freezes. His world collapsing.
William suddenly knocks the scale off his desk.
The stamps hit the floor. Ink splashes.
William rakes his desk clean.
William collapses onto his empty desk. His head in his arms.
A long moment passes, then William peers at his sketchbook
and studies his half finished drawing.
SUDDENLY a KNOCK alerts William.
William scans the door and room for the source of the knock.
CHILD
(whispers)
William...
William perks up. Is he hallucinating?
5.
CHILD (CONT'D)
(whispers)
William...
William gets up and walks to the door. No one. Looks out the
window. No one.
CHILD (CONT'D)
(whispers)
William...
William walks to the back wall of his office and puts his ear
against it. Through FAINTLY OSCILLATING WHITE NOISE. (Or THE
SONG)
ART TEACHER
You’re a fine painter, Billy. Keep
pursuing your art as you grow older
and I’ll look forward to seeing
your work in a museum one day.
I’ll be proud to say ‘He was in my
class.’
William recognizes the supportive voice of his Art Teacher,
Mr. Richardson. His eyes dart over to the landscape painting
on the wall, then to the portrait of Lisbeth on his desk.
LISBETH
(joyful, giggly)
Just try it Billy. Take your
paintings to the gallery. The worst
that can happen is they say No.
But I know they won’t.
William’s memories reflect across his face.
CHILD
I’m still here William. Come.
Determination flashes across William’s eyes.
Suddenly, The wall cranes and slowly crashes to the ground.
CHILD (CONT'D)
Come...
William stands, shocked, in the aftermath.
A new burst of energy. William starts moving boxes out of the
way.
6.
EXT. VAST DESERT - DUSK
William walks off into the desert. He sheds his jacket,
shoes, pants, vest, shirt, tie.
William drops to his knees in his undershirt, boxers and
socks - exhausted.
He lays down. Looks skyward.
EXT. VAST DESERT - MORNING
A young boy rises from the sand holding an empty canvas. The
young boy walks toward the horizon. William’s old uniform
pieces burn, creating a trail soon forgotten behind the boy.
FADE TO BLACK.
QUOTE: “DESTINY ALWAYS HAS A POSSESSOR.”
END.