For the Screddit Write on, Write Off Challenge - May 7

FADE IN:
EXT. MIAMI BOARDWALK - DAY
Tourists, skaters, men and women in swim suits, children
frolicking down on the beach. Grease shacks line the
boardwalk, cooks yelling out their orders in a mix of
Spanish and English while Spanish radio blares over
everything.
Sticking out in the crowd like a sore thumb, in a classical,
excellently cut suit, a once vibrant blue faded down to
powder by the years, LUIS POSADA [86, refined, still
energetic], who takes a seat on a small bench. He groans
with effort as he watches the beach.
Eventually, a MAN in a more modern black suit comes to sit
by him. Neither of them look at each other. The man,
SANTIAGO ALVAREZ [50s, sweating, on edge] wipes at his brow
with a kerchief.
SANTIAGO
You could have chosen a spot a
little more out of the sun. Im
roasting here.
LUIS
Youll be fine.
SANTIAGO
What are we going to do about Jose?
LUIS
Relax, let me enjoy the sun.
SANTIAGO
No, Im not going to relax.
(hushed)
The CIA is already moving. They
picked up Jose, Obdulio, all of
them. The others wont be too far
behind, theyre going to find the
weapons. We need to get if were
going to continue.
LUIS
Im not going anywhere, and neither
are you. You especially need to
stay.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
SANTIAGO
If these men talk, and you know
they will, in time, they have
families. They cant just throw
away their lives. And Manuel-
He spits.
SANTIAGO
(cont)
You saw him on TV last night?
Saying he didnt know us? Acting
like we were terrorist lunatics?
LUIS
I did. I didnt pay much attention.
I wanted to watch The Simpsons.
Santiago is exasperated and holds his heand in his hands.
Luis sees his anxiety and holds out his arm. The sun catches
a glint of metal on his wrist, a big, heavy watch that looks
a little loose on his thin and frail arm.
LUIS
(cont)
You know who gave me this watch?
JFK himself. Gave it to me at a
meeting a week after the Bay of
Pigs.
SANTIAGO
Bullshit.
LUIS
Nah, no bullshit. 54 years ago.
Damn, I can remember it like
yesterday. Hed had some sappy
quote on the back before the
invasion. Oh, we were patting
ourselves on the backs, drinking
champagne, toasting to the end of
communism in the americas. Took him
a week to get the engraving fixed.
He undoes the strap and hands the watch over to Santiago.
Holding it under a shaded palm, he reads an inscription on
the back.
"To L.P. So foul and fair a day I have not seen., J.F.K."
SANTIAGO
You never told me this.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
LUIS
It never mattered. I remember in
the case file someone said that it
had been the clearest, most
beautiful day theyd ever seen.
Clear skies, crystal water all the
way out to the deeps.
He grumbles.
LUIS
(cont)
You want it though? You can keep
it. The CIAs just going to destroy
it when they come for me.
Santiago pockets the watch after a moments hesitation and
looks around. He gets to his feet.
SANTIAGO
Luis, listen to me, we can get out
of here. I can get you a plane.
Maybe not back to Cuba, but maybe
Guatemala or Panama, or someplace,
maldita sea, but not prison.
Luis voice is ice.
LUIS
I said calm down. You forget
because you are young, but I have
been fighting for over 60 years.
You think I am afraid of anything?
You think I am running from
anything? Santiago, it is you who
should be afraid.
Santiago looks around. All the grease shacks are run by
cubanos, and several of them look at Santiago from behind
glass and heat lamps. One cook chops down on a slab of meat
a little too emphatically.
Luis waves a hand and the cooks and cashiers break their
focus, returning to their labor.
Santiago releases a deep breath.
LUIS
(cont)
And trust me, Ive been in real
prisons. As terrible as it is here,
the US has nothing on Turkey. And
if I wanted to run, Id already be
gone.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
He laughs a sardonic laugh. Santiago sits back down.
SANTIAGO
So then whats our plan?
LUIS
Your plan. Manuel is clean, but his
reputation will not survive.
Obdulio and his men, if they cave,
will say that I was the one who
plotted the attacks. Theyre not to
mention you, and I expect you to
deny any connections to them.
SANTIAGO
Luis-
A phone starts ringing.
LUIS
That would be me. One of my
contacts says that the warrant for
my arrest is on its way.Theyll be
here soon, you should start going.
SANTIAGO
Tell me what to do. Just tell me.
The other weapons, the other
contacts. You said you would tell
me where.
LUIS
Santiago, I showed you all the
tricks, you can figure it out.
Thats all this is, a war of
tricks. Just puppets and shadows
cast from candlelight. Its why I
like being in the sun.
The crowd of boardwalkers is starting to part. Men in suits
and dark sunglasses are approaching. Luis waves away to
Santiago.
LUIS
Thank you for your time. And treat
that watch proudly. Itll keep you
weighed to the earth. Now go. Go!
Santiago, in pain, turns around and starts walking away.
Luis waves his hand and a small crowd gathers around him,
shielding him from the CIA agents. The agents surround Luis
and, in a show of brutality, he ends up on the ground with
cuffs.
5.
the crowd starts to get rowdy. The cooks and cashiers are
watching and yelling. Santiago looks back one last time
before he is shuffled away. He looks at the watch in his
hand, then straps it around his wrist.
FADE OUT