South – the script
EXT. YARD SALE. WHITE FALLS. SOUTHERN CANADA. DAY.
Open on a MODEL BOAT which widens to show a yard sale in progress in front of a white clapboard house. There is a CAMPER VAN and a thirty foot CABIN CRUISER in the drive. The lawn is covered in furniture and personal effects. RAY TABERNAC, a heavy set man, in blue jeans and slightly soiled white T shirt, is helping DAN, a friend and neighbour, with some chairs. Over on the other side of the yard, RITA, his wife, a slender woman in blue jeans and an oversized sweatshirt, is selling a basketball to a WOMAN. The couple are in their early fifties.
RITA
Yeah, it belonged to Charlie. He liked to shoot hoops.
She presses the ball into the woman’s hands.
RITA (cont’d)
Look, take it.
The WOMAN looks startled but keeps the ball. RITA turns to RAY.
RITA (cont’d)
Hey Ray! Don’t forget we’ve got the table over there….goes with those chairs.
RAY acknowledges her and, having finished packing the chairs, leads DAN over to the table.
RAY
Yeah, so we’re going to Moose Jaw first. Course, we’ll hit Kansas.
DAN
I still can’t believe you’re going.
RAY
There’s got to be more to life than hardware.
DAN looks at him in exaggerated disbelief. They grin at the joke.
DAN
You got the carburetor fixed on the van?
RAY
Sure, sounds sweet, she’ll go like a dream.
Cut to RITA serving MARTHA, an elderly neighbour, MARTHA is examining an antique china bowl.
RITA
Now, are you going to have that, Martha?
MARTHA
Well, I don’t know.
Rita pushes the bowl firmly into Martha’s hands.
RITA
Look, have it.
MARTHA scurries off clutching the bowl triumphantly. RAY sees the incident but says nothing.
CUT TO:
EXT. RAY & RITA’S HOUSE. DAY. EARLY MORNING.
There is a sold sign outside the house. It is a misty September day. The Van is packed up to leave. RITA is sitting in the passenger seat whilst RAY cleans the windscreen meticulously. She gestures impatiently to him but he can’t resist bending to polish the chrome bumper. RITA’S quite amused by it. RAY gets in and after countless adjustments to seat, mirrors etc. They set off.
CUT TO:
EXT. MAIN STREET. DAY. EARLY MORNING.
RAY and RITA drive past a hardware store with its boarded up windows and sold sign. The name of the shop TABARNAC’S HARDWARE is clearly seen. RAY slows the van down.
CUT TO:
INT. VAN. DAY. EARLY MORNING.
RITA looks out at the store, she is close to tears.
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTSIDE STORE. DAY. FLASHBACK. 4 YEARS EARLIER
It is hot and sunny. A taxi pulls up. The store is in business and flourishing. RITA gets out of the taxi and goes inside. After a while she reappears with RAY, they embrace and RITA gets into the taxi. RAY waves her off and then goes back in the store. We see RITA through the window of the taxi she is clearly anxious and unhappy.
CUT TO:
INT. VAN. DAY. EARLY MORNING.
The camper pulls away. Rita wipes a tear away. RAY’S eyes are fixed straight ahead. They’re driving through an avenue of trees. Behind them the street is empty, one leaf spirals down signalling the start of fall.
