Nostalgia

By
Tyler Johnston
FADE IN:

INT. DINER - DAY

GIRL (17) walks into the diner and walks to the middle of
the diner, aimlessly. She looks around the practically empty
diner, except for GUY (17) who is sitting at a booth,
drinking coffee alone. He is alone, but does not look like a
loner. Girl sees the guy and decides to sit across from him
in the booth.
GIRL
Hey.
Guy looks at her, trying to figure out if he supposed to
know who she is.
GUY
Uh... hi. Do I know you?
GIRL
Oh no. My flight is just delayed
and I need a place to hang for a
while.
GUY
Oh, where you heading to?
GIRL
Vancouver. Interview for some
university that I don’t even know
if I want to go to.
(Beat.)
So- what do you do for work?
GUY
I work in the hospital down the
road. I work with the Alzheimer’s
patients.
GIRL
(Sympathetically)
That must be hard for you.
GUY
Well I actually help them.
GIRL
How so?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.

GUY
Well I have this... ability.
Girl laughs.
GIRL
Like a superhero?
GUY
Kind of.
GIRL
(Sarcastically.)
And this "ability," is it flying?
GUY
No, it’s like I can give back
people their memories.
GIRL
(Shocked.)
Oh crap, really?
GUY
Yeah. It’s like, when you forget
something that happened, I am that
person that will make you remember.
GIRL
Can you try it on me?
Guy looks around to make sure no one is listening or
watching them.
GUY
Okay.
(Beat)
Hold my hands.
Girl extends her hands to Guy. He holds them gently, and she
looks at him and smiles.
GUY (CONT’D)
Now closes your eyes, and try to
remember the one memory you have
forgotten.
Girl closes her eyes and tries to think of something.
GUY (CONT’D)
Alright now try really hard to
think of anything you know you’ve
forgotten.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.

GIRL
(Softly.)
Okay.

EXT. GIRL’S HOUSE- DAY

FLASHBACK- 11 YEAR OLD GIRL walks out of her house,
bare-footed and wiping away a tear, with a pair of sneakers
in her hand.
GIRL (V.O.)
Ha! It’s working. Yeah, it’s
working. I’m starting to remember
this.
11 Year Old Girl drops her shoes on her lawn, and starts to
tie them up.
GIRL (V.O.)
My parents were in the house
fighting...
11 Year Old Girl looks around her, while standing on her
front lawn, alone. She starts to dance freely on her lawn as
Older Girl continues to narrate...
GIRL (V.O.)
(Choking up.)
It was so hard me back then... Even
then I knew I was too young to deal
with my parents’ complicated
relationship... I think this was
the only time when I just... felt
nothing.
11 Year Old Girl continues to dance and she laughs at
herself.

INT. DINER - DAY

PRESENT- Girl, still holding hands with Guy, smiles and
opens her eyes. She is very moved. She gently lets go of
Guy’s hand.
GUY
So what happened to your parents?
GIRL
They eventually divorced.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.

GUY
Oh I’m so sorry.
GIRL
No don’t be. I’d rather have two
normal parents being separated than
have parents being dysfunctional
together. Some people are meant to
be together for moment, but not
forever.
Girl sighs. She looks at the WAITRESS and waves her over.
WAITRESS
What can get you?
GIRL
(To Waitress.)
Could I get some coffee please?
WAITRESS
Sure thing.
Waitress winks at Guy and walks away.
GIRL
(To Guy.)
Don’t worry, I’ll pay for it.
Guy smiles at her, and she looks back at him with content.
GIRL (CONT’D)
I really think you should do that
to more people.
GUY
Do what?
GIRL
You know, make them remember. If
you have this power, you should use
it as much as you can. Be someone’s
superhero.
Guy isn’t too keen on this idea. The Waitress comes over and
gives Girl her coffee.
GUY
I- I don’t know.
GIRL
Aw, come one. It will be fun, and
you get to help out random
strangers.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.

Guy contemplates. He finally budges.

GUY
Okay. Yeah, sure. I should do this.
GIRL
Yay! Come on superhero, let’s find
someone.
They both get up and look for someone to talk to. They spot
an OLDER MAN (60) sitting at a booth alone and sit down in
his booth.
GIRL
(To Older Man)
Hey, we’re doing this little
experiment thing and helping out
random strangers.
GUY
(To Older Man)
Would you like to participate?
OLDER MAN
Uhm... Sure, why not.
Girl gets excited by this.
GIRL
Ok, do you have a memory that is
long gone and you wish to have it
back?
OLDER MAN
(Not quite sure what to make
of this.)
Pardon?
GUY
Have you forgotten something that
you want to remember again?
Older Man thinks to himself.
OLDER MAN
Uhh, meeting my wife for the first
time.
GIRL
Awh.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.

GUY
Okay, uh- hold my hands.
Still in disbelief, Older Man extends his hands to Guy, and
he holds them.
OLDER MAN
This is legal right? This isn’t
voodoo or anything?
GUY
(Laughing.)
Ha, no.
(Beat.)
Okay now close your eyes, and try
to remember meeting your wife for
the first time.
Older Man sighs and closes his eyes.

INT. DINER - DAY

FLASHBACK- YOUNGER MAN (19) walks in the diner and sees a
YOUNG WOMAN (19). The Young Woman is wearing a red dress. He
walks over and talks to her while the Older Man is
narrating...
OLDER MAN (V.O.)
Oh my God. There she is... I knew
we met in this diner. She looked
beautiful that day...
Young Man and Young Woman start to laugh at a joke.

INT. DINER - DAY

PRESENT- Older Man laughs as he opens his eyes. He is amazed
at what just happened. He lets go of Guy’s hands.
OLDER MAN
Wow, that was really what I needed
to remember right now. Thanks.
GUY
Your welcome.
Guy and Girl get up and walk away. They sit down on on 2
stools.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.

GIRL
See didn’t that feel good?
GUY
Yeah, it really did. I usually
don’t help people other than the
patients at the hospital.
GIRL
Now what about your memories?
GUY
What do you mean?
GIRL
What happens to all your memories,
since you have this ability.
GUY
I just remember everything that
happens. Everything is basically
memory that won’t go away. I don’t
think about some memories all the
time, but they will always be there
in my mind.
(Beat.)
It’s a weird feeling... having all
these memories being so vivid and
they will fade. Sometimes I lay
down and just think over all these
memories I have. I stopped thinking
what I could have done differently,
because I’ve realized that I really
cannot change my memories. I guess
I have learned to appreciate
everything that has happened to me.
Girl is affected by Guy has been saying. She looks into his
eyes, trying to figure him out. She puts her hand on his
hand. The diner door CHIMES as a MIDDLE AGED LADY (40’s)
walks into the diner and sits in a booth. Both Guy and Girl
look at the Middle Aged Lady and then they look at each
other. They both get up and walk over to the booth that the
Middle Aged Lady is sitting at.
GUY
(To Middle Aged Lady)
Hi. We’re just doing this
experiment today and we wanted to
know if you would like to
participate?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.

MIDDLE AGED WOMAN

Well, what kind of experiment?
GIRL
It deals with memories. He lets you
remember anything that you have
forgotten.
GUY
I hold your hands and you just try
to remember any memory that is long
forgotten.
(Beat.)
Is there anything you want to
remember?
MIDDLE AGED WOMAN
No.
GIRL
No? Nothing? Isn’t there something
that you knew that happened, but
you can’t picture it in your mind?
MIDDLE AGED WOMAN
No. I don’t want to remember
anything.
Guy and Girl are both somewhat shocked by her response, but
they both get interested in what she might say to them.
MIDDLE AGED WOMAN (CONT’D)
You both may not understand but as
you get older, memories start to
slip away more and more often. Even
though it’s sad, I think it is
supposed to happen.
Waitress walks up to the booth.
WAITRESS
Did any of you want anything to
drink or eat?
MIDDLE AGED WOMAN
I’ll have a coffee.
WAITRESS
Coming up.
Waitress walks away.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.

MIDDLE AGED WOMAN

(To both Guy and Girl)
I have had so many things happen to
me over years. Good and bad things.
But with time, they all fade.
Memories are meant to fade away,
and only the ones that matter will
stand the test of time. So, no
thank you, I would not like to
participate in your experiment. All
these memories I have now, are
supposed to remembered, so I’m
good. Thank you though for asking.
Both Guy and Girl moved by what she just said to them. Girl
clears her throat.
GIRL
Your welcome. And thank you for
your time.
Guy and Girl get up and walk over to the stools, as Waitress
gives the Middle Aged Lady her coffee. Guy and Girl sits
down on the stools and look at each. There is this silence
between them for just a moment.
GUY
I... I think I’m done doing these
memories for today.
GIRL
Yeah. Me too. You’re such a cool
superhero, by the way.
GUY
You’re an awesome side-kick.
They both laugh. Girl looks at Guy. She starts to tap her
nails on the table. Guy reaches over and puts holds her
hand. She looks down at their hands touching, and looks at
him.
GIRL
My plane is going soon.
GUY
Yeah... Yeah I know.
It is obvious neither of them want each other to go. Girl
starts to tear up.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.

GIRL
I want to leave this like this.
GUY
What?
GIRL
I have screwed up so many things in
my life. I cannot let this be one
of them. What we are right now, is
so... innocent. I would rather have
this end now and be such a happy
memory, than us being together and
end terribly.
Guy is tearing up, but he understands and agrees with Girl.
GUY
Yeah, this is how it should end.
They both stare at each other, trying to figure what is the
right thing to say next. They finally get up and walk
towards the door and stood in the middle of the diner. Girl
turns around and looks at Guy. Both are trying to hold back
their tears.
GIRL
This has been so great. Thank you
so much for everything you’ve done.
GUY
It’s was nice getting to know you.
Girl lets out a big sigh, trying hard not weep in a public
place. She then smiles at Guy.
GIRL
Goodbye.
GUY
Goodbye.
Girl turns around and walks towards the diner door to exit.
She is wiping tears from her eyes. She finally leaves the
diner. Guy is left standing in the diner, looking around,
aimlessly.
FADE OUT