The Passengers

FADE IN.

INT. AIRPLANE – DAY

A well to do OLDER MAN in his fifties sits in the aisle seat. The seats next to him are empty. He is balding with a nice white linen shirt and gold watch.

A YOUNGER MAN approaches the older man's row. The younger man wears a gray hooded sweatshirt and jeans. He carries a backpack over one shoulder. He stops next to the older man.

The younger man checks his boarding pass and the seat identifier above the older man's row.

YOUNGER MAN

                Sorry, but I'm 15E.

The older man doesn't look up at him.

OLDER MAN

                15D.

The younger man checks his ticket again.

YOUNGER MAN

                I'm sorry it says 15E.

The older man looks up at him for the first time. He is very stern.

OLDER MAN

                My seat is 15D. I paid extra.

The younger man shakes his head.

YOUNGER MAN

                Oh, I'm sure you're right. There must be a  

                misunderstanding. I meant my seat is 15E.

The older man just stares at him. The younger man smiles sheepishly.

YOUNGER MAN

                The seat next to you. Can I get through?

The older man nods. He gets up. The younger man puts his backpack in the overhead compartment and slides into seat 15E. He sits down. The older man returns to his seat.

They sit in silence for a moment. The younger man reaches forward and grabs a Skymall magazine from the seat compartment. He flips through it.

OLDER MAN

                I don't believe in divine appointments.

The younger man looks up surprised.

YOUNGER MAN

                I'm sorry?

OLDER MAN

                Divine appointment, you know. Meetings between two  

                people that have a purpose. A purpose greater than  

                the two people realize? Like just because we are  

                sitting next to each other, we are fated to some  

                supernatural interaction.

YOUNGER MAN

                All right. That's fine. I...

OLDER MAN

                I'm just saying that up front, because typically 

                these types of conversations go down that road. You 

                ask me what job I have and I tell you that I'm a 

                private investor and that I'm worth roughly 5 

                million dollars. Then what typically happens  

                next is you tell me you are an entrepreneur who has 

                been looking for an angel investor ever since you 

                came up with the idea for a Carpal Tunnel Wrist  

                Brace that has a wrist watch built in it, or the 

                lightest pair of shoes in the world because they  

                are made of a bunch of socks sewn together. You 

                will get real excited telling me about your idea 

                and assume that since we are sitting in 15D and 15E 

                respectively that we were meant to meet and that I 

                will give you money for your worthless idea.

As the younger man goes to respond, the WOMAN FLIGHT ATTENDANT pushes the refreshment cart up next to them. The older man turns to her.

OLDER MAN

                I'll have a Vodka Soda and the complimentary 

                pretzels or peanuts or whatever you have.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

(TO THE YOUNGER MAN)

                And for you, sir?

YOUNGER MAN

                Ginger Ale, please.

STEWARDESS

                Sure.

She turns to get the refreshments. Older man turns back to the younger man.

OLDER MAN

                You wouldn't believe how many flight attendants 

                have asked me to fund their movie, their hair 

                salon, their “next best thing”. They are all just 

                doing this until they get their life's dream off  

                the ground.

(Whispering to the younger man)

                I don't let them even ask me questions. Questions 

                lead to answers. Answers lead to stories. Stories 

                lead to questions. Questions about money.

The younger man just nods. She turns and hands the younger man his ginger ale.

YOUNGER MAN

                Thanks.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

                No problem.

She gives the older man his mixed drink and peanuts.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

                That will be $7.00 for the drink.

He hands her a five and two ones. The younger man takes a sip of juice as the attendant leaves them. The older man rips open the peanut package and dumps them in his mouth. He chews them and attempts to swallow.

Suddenly he lunges back into his chair, CHOKING ON THE PEANUTS. The younger man turns him sideways in his seat, puts his arms around the older man's mid section, and begins giving him abdominal thrusts.

The man spits up the peanuts all over and breathes hard. He looks at the younger man, who is grabbing his ginger ale for another sip.

YOUNGER MAN

                I don't believe in divine appointments either.

FADE OUT.