Page 8 of Eva Reddy’s Trip of a Lifetime
I grab a dusty bottle of hors d’age cognac from the cabinet, slip quietly into the study and grab my old journal. Buried somewhere deep down inside is a girl with dreams and the determination to make them happen.
I just need to find her. And this journal is as good a place as any to start.
As I smooth down the pages, a wave of incredible sadness washes over me. This time it isn’t the spectre of an affair that weighs me down. It is something else.
Jonathan didn’t remember my birthday.
From the journals and miscellaneous paperwork of Eva Reddy (Age 14)
March 8th, 1986
I haven’t spoken to Rachael yet. We usually talk every day, but after last night, I don’t much want to call her. And I guess she’s feeling the same. We’ll sort it out at school tomorrow. We have to—because do I have some big news!
Jonathan phoned me this morning. I’d only just woken up and I was still half asleep.
I’d been tossing and turning all night, unable stop thinking about everything—everything being Jonathan Moore.
Anyway, he asked me out for my birthday.
And not only did we go on a date. I think we are dating for real.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME
Draft screenplay
by Eva Reddy
(The story continues)
CAST:
Eva Reddy—Phoebe Cates
Jonathan Moore—(Let’s work with Tom Cruise’s schedule)
Jock—Emilio Estevez
FADE IN ON
1. EXT. SUBURBAN STREET—EARLY AFTERNOON
Cars are whizzing along an arterial road in the commercial district of an inner-city suburb. It’s Sunday, so the traffic is light. The sun is shining and it seems as though the whole world is in a good mood. Dogs are being walked. Prams are being pushed. Bicycles are being pedalled.
CUT TO
EVA is bouncing along the footpath. She has a Walkman tucked into her belt and she’s humming ‘Walking on Sunshine’ a lot louder and more out of tune than her headphoned ears realise.
She’s channelling a Bananarama vibe in cropped white overalls, a navy and white striped T-shirt and black combat boots.
Her hair is the biggest and highest it’s ever been.
A bandana is knotted around her head like a super fashionable antenna.
She stops in front of a glass doorway, takes off her Wayfarers and checks her reflection.
Happy with what she sees, she walks inside.
CAMERA PANS UP TO
A neon sign spelling out B-O-W-L in large vertical red letters next to an enormous flashing ten pin.
2. INT. BOWLING ALLEY
The bowling alley is dimly lit. At one end of the cavernous space is a boomerang-shaped customer service desk.
Bowling shoes of various sizes line the wall behind.
There’s a room off to one side crammed full of pinball machines and arcade games.
Next to it, tables of teenagers and some young families squeeze into the booths of a fifties-style milk bar. EVA scans the room nervously.
JONATHAN (VOICE)
(Shouting over the sound of crashing ten pins and the synthesised electronic music coming from the games room.)
Over here.
CUT TO
JONATHAN waving. He’s standing at the top of one of the alleys. Above his head, a projection screen displays a score card with the names JONATHAN and EVA written in bold but wonky letters.
JONATHAN
(Testing the weight and grip of the balls stacked on the communal rack in front of him.)
Hey there. I can’t believe you didn’t have anything better to do on your birthday than hang out with me. I got lucky.
EVA
(Blushing furiously. She cleared her diary the moment JONATHAN called.)
Birthdays aren’t a big deal in my house. And most of my friends are still sleeping off last night. I’d much rather be out and about.
EVA lifts one ball and wiggles her fingers into the grip holes. The ball is heavy and it immediately slips from her grasp. Jonathan catches it just before it smashes onto her toes.
EVA
Well, that’s not a great start. I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but I haven’t been bowling since my sixth birthday party.
JONATHAN
(Holding the bowling ball as if it weighs no more than a balloon.)
That’s okay. Bowling is about having fun. We don’t have to break any records. Why don’t you grab some shoes? I’ll hunt down some lighter balls. You’d need to be Arnold Schwarzenegger to lift some of these.
EVA heads over to the rental counter.
CUT TO
JONATHAN getting ready to bowl. He takes a long run-up and the ball lands in the gutter almost immediately.
JONATHAN
Well, that’s embarrassing. I guess there’s plenty of room for improvement.
JONATHAN grabs a second ball. This time, he manages to clip an outside pin. He marks down his score and it appears on the screen overhead.
JONATHAN
(Pointing at the screen and grimacing.)
There’s a challenge for you. See if you can beat that!
(He hands a bright pink ball to EVA.)
How’s the ball … Not too heavy?
EVA shakes her head. She stands at the top of the alley, the ball dangling limply from her fingers.
JONATHAN comes up behind her and guides the ball up to her chest. He puts his other arm around her body as she starts her back swing.
EVA sends the ball down the alley. Five pins fall.
She jumps and punches the air with her fist.
JONATHAN
(Beaming)
There you go! You’re a natural.
EVA selects her next ball.
JONATHAN
You clearly don’t need my help … more’s the pity.
JONATHAN gives EVA a mournful smile. EVA stands with her back to the pins and drops the ball. It sputters down the alley and wobbles into the gutter.
EVA
(Giving JONATHAN a wink.)
No, I definitely think I need your help.
JONATHAN
Only if you help me as well. Fair’s fair.
JONATHAN picks a ball from the carousel and walks to the top of the lane.
EVA stands behind him. She puts an arm around his waist. She’s so tentative you’d think there were spiders crawling all over his back.
He grabs her hands and places them around his waist. They crab walk closer to the top of the lane and laugh as JONATHAN releases the ball. It lands straight in the gutter.
BOWLING MONTAGE
EVA and JONATHAN are laughing and having fun now.
Their physical contact is no longer self-conscious.
This doesn’t look like a first date. They’re behaving as if they’ve known each other for years.
Finally, they collapse in the seats at the top of their lane and look up at the score. EVA has won by a single point.
EVA
(Smiling)
I have to say that’s unexpected. Almost as unexpected as your phone call this morning.
JONATHAN
(A confused expression on his face.)
You didn’t think I’d call?
EVA
I hoped you’d call. But I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. You broke the three-day rule. Never contact someone you’ve hooked up with until midway through the next week.
JONATHAN
That’s stupid. Why would I wait three or four days?
EVA
To keep me guessing. I think that’s the idea, anyway.
JONATHAN
It’s pretty obvious that I’m interested in you. Why would I pretend I wasn’t? Don’t tell me I’ve blown this already?
EVA
(Taking off her bowling shoes and pulling on her combat boots.)
Absolutely not! I broke the rule too by agreeing to come out with you. I should have told you I was washing my hair.
JONATHAN
There you go, then. We just saved each other three days of confusion.
CUT TO
A teenage boy is strutting toward them. He is dressed like a typical jock in stone wash jeans, white T-shirt and high-top sneakers.
JOCK
(Looking up at the scoreboard and then down at JONATHAN.)
Since when do you score in double figures?
JONATHAN
(A sheepish expression on his face.)
I guess I was off my game.
JOCK
(Turning to EVA.)
You do know this guy holds the record here for the highest scoring game?
EVA colours. She can’t believe she was gullible enough to believe she’d really won.
JONATHAN
I must have forgotten to concentrate. I was having too much fun. And Eva here is very distracting.
JOCK
(Looking from JONATHAN and then to EVA. He’s trying to work out what the deal is between the two of them. Finally, he shrugs and changes the subject.)
There’s a barbecue after the game next week at my place. Are you in?
JONATHAN
Only if I can bring my girlfriend along.
EVA is confused until she realises that JONATHAN is referring to her. If she was blushing before, now she is a bright beetroot red. The JOCK looks even more bewildered. EVA wonders if that is because JONATHAN has announced he has a girlfriend or because that girlfriend is her.
JOCK
Sure. Why not?
(He starts to leave.)
See you at school.
(Pausing for a beat.)
Both of you, I guess.
The JOCK leaves.
EVA
(Crossing her arms and trying to look cranky. She fails miserably because her eyes are sparkling like twin diamonds.)
So, I’m your girlfriend now?
JONATHAN
Only if you want to be. Do you want to be official? Then we never have to worry about the three-day rule again.
JONATHAN leans in to kiss her. The kiss is sweet, soft and very quick, maybe too quick. But EVA isn’t the type to stick her tongue down a boy’s throat in public, so she’s not too disappointed.
JONATHAN
(Getting to his feet.)
I guess we should be making tracks. Thanks for a great day.
EVA
No, I should thank you. This has been the best birthday I’ve ever had.
JONATHAN
Even better than your sixth birthday bowling party?
(He grins, not waiting for an answer.)
But if you thought today was fun, imagine what your fifteenth birthday is going to be like. I’ll have a whole year to plan it!
JONATHAN holds out a hand to help her up from her seat. He doesn’t let go as they head to the exit. He kisses her once more, this time lightly on the cheek. She is walking on clouds.
FADE TO BLACK
So that’s the story of my birthday. It seems I am now dating the most handsome, the most athletic, the most popular boy in school.
If I pinch myself too many more times, I’ll end up covered in welts for our big relationship debut at school on Monday.
At least, that’s what I presume is happening.
This is all new for me. I’m just hoping my life turns into Sixteen Candles and this is not some cruel high school prank.
To be continued (I hope).