© 1987, 1987, 1989, 1991
INT. INSIDE CAR #1 DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY - DAY
IRENE and CHARLIE, a young married couple, are in the front seat of their car. CHARLIE is driving. They've been on the highway for a long time; traffic is heavy, and they are getting skittish.
CHARLIE
Driving, driving, driving -- it's all so unreal.
IRENE
What, dear?
CHARLIE
It's unreal, I tell you. We're sitting here like we're in our
livingroom and things just go by.
IRENE
Just drive, dear. We'll have plenty of time to think when we
get there. You know how distracted you can get. Just keep your
mind on the road.
CHARLIE
But the world looks so two-dimensional and fuzzy through the
windshield.
IRENE
Well, if you'd wash the windshield, Charlie.
CUT TO:
INT. INSIDE CAR #2 ON THE SAME HIGHWAY - DAY
MARY and ED, another young married couple, are going down the same highway, with ED in the driver's seat.
MARY
Dear, where are we going?
ED
Don't you know? I thought it was your idea.
MARY
No, it was your idea. I remember distinctly. We were at
breakfast. You were reading your newspaper. I was listening to
the news on the radio, and Tommy had just dropped the Wheaties
all over the floor.
ED
Yes, dear, but what did I say? Where did I say we were going?
MARY
Oh, I don't remember that.
CUT TO:
EXT. TWO CARS SIDE-BY-SIDE ON THE SAME HIGHWAY - DAY
RALPH and AL, middle-aged business men, are driving side by side, each alone in a convertible. After they've been close to one another for some time, they start talk to one another, shouting above the noise of the traffic.
RALPH
(shouts)
Man what a view.
AL
(shouts)
What view? There's nothing but cars and cars and more cars.
RALPH
(shouts)
Yeah, man, ain't it beautiful. Just look at all them cars.
I've never seen so many cars in all my life.
CUT TO:
INT. INSIDE CAR #1 - DAY
IRENE
You look tired, dear. Do you want me to take over?
CHARLIE
That's fine with me, but there's no way we can stop in all
this traffic. It's unreal how much traffic there is. Where can
they all be going?
CUT TO:
INT. INSIDE CAR #2 - DAY
MARY
Where are we going, dear?
ED
I just told you I don't know.
MARY
Then why are we going there?
ED
Because we have no choice. There's no way we can stop or turn
around in all this traffic.
CUT TO:
EXT. TWO CARS SIDE-BY-SIDE ON THE SAME HIGHWAY -- DAY
Al waves and tries using signs to catch Ralph's attention and tell him to move; finally he gives up and shouts.
AL
(shouts)
Look, buddy, can you let me in your lane? My exit's coming up.
RALPH
(shouts)
Cool it, man, cool it. It's a beautiful day. Just look at all
them cars. That's a Rolls over there, isn't it? That red one?
AL
(shouts)
Look, buddy, my exit's coming up. We're pretty jammed up as it
is. The only way I'm going to get out of this...
RALPH
(shouts)
Like, crazy, man. I'd like to help, but this car won't slow
down for anybody. She's just driving herself.
AL
(shouts)
God, that was my exit. Thanks, buddy. Thanks loads. Now
there's no telling how long I'll be stuck on this damned
highway.
CUT TO:
INT. INSIDE CAR #1 - DAY
CHARLIE
Is it my imagination, dear, or is the road getting wider?
IRENE
What was that, dear?
CHARLIE
Is it just me, or is the road getting wider? I can't see the
side of the road anymore. Just cars and cars and cars.
IRENE
And trucks. Just look at all those trucks. I'm sure it's just
the trucks, dear. They obscure the road, and they take up so
much space. I hate driving when there are trucks on the road.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #2 - DAY
MARY
Where are we, dear?
ED
I wish I knew. I haven't seen a sign for hours. Can't say I've
seen anything but cars and highway for hours.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #1 - DAY
Charlie is puzzled. He taps on the gas gauge before and while talking.
CHARLIE
Something's strange, dear. I know that something's strange.
When we started, the gas was on empty. I meant to fill up
before we got to the turnpike, but I forgot.
IRENE
Oh, no, you mean we're running out of gas?
CHARLIE
No, dear, I don't think so. But I wish we were.
IRENE
And why would you wish that on us?
CHARLIE
Look, we've been driving for hours on an empty tank. It
doesn't make sense. It isn't natural.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #2 - DAY
Ed keeps looking at his feet, keeps moving his feet up and down on gas pedal, brake, and clutch. He grows increasingly frantic when the car doesn't respond.
Mary keeps looking out at traffic on all sides. She's upset too, but for a different reason. She doesn't seem to notice her husband's frantic foot motions.
MARY
Do something, Ed! Do something! Don't just sit there like a
lump and let this traffic hem us in. Here we are wherever we
are, and we don't know where we're going, and we've been going
for hours on end. Do something. This is insane.
ED
Yes, dear, yes. I've been trying to change lanes for so long
it's ridiculous. But that gas truck beside us slowed down when
we slowed down and speeded up when we speeded up.
MARY
Then stop. Just stop.
ED
I tried, dear. But I didn't want to alarm you. Now when I hit
the brake, but the car doesn't stop. It doesn't even slow
down. I've been hitting the brake, the clutch, the
accelerator; but nothing happens. Somehow we just keep going,
staying even with the traffic around us.
CUT TO:
EXT. TWO CARS SIDE-BY-SIDE ON THE SAME HIGHWAY -- DAY
Al points to his wrist.
AL
(shouts)
Hey, buddy, have you got the time?
RALPH
(shouts)
Sorry, man, but my watch stopped.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #1 - NIGHT
It's now dark outside, except for the headlights of cars and trucks. Charlie is spooked by the moving lights, and keeps ducking to avoid their beams.
CHARLIE
It's so dark. And those lights over there are racing at us.
And these lights all around us. It's eery.
IRENE
Calm down, Charlie. Calm down. Just pull yourself together.
It's night. There's a perfectly rational explanation for
everything. The gas tank was probably full, and the gauge is
broken. Just take it easy. Slow down, and try to pull over.
CHARLIE
But the car's driving itself. I'm not doing anything. I'm not
even steering it.
Charlie drops his arms to his sides. Irene shrieks, reaches for the wheel, falls across his lap. But nothing happens -- no crash, no change of direction even. Charlie helps her up, and she settles back in her seat -- numb and helpless and frightened.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #2 - NIGHT
Ed's arms hang helplessly at his side. He is making no effort to control his car.
MARY: Where are we going, Ed? Where are we going?
ED: I don't know. I just don't know.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #1 - NIGHT
CHARLIE
It's like we were on a rocketship, and there were thousands of
other rocketships just like ours, soaring through space on
automatic pilot. Some computer somewhere has set us on our
course and set thousands of others on exactly the same course
and thousands more on the opposite course. And here we are
racing through space with our headlights bright like so many
stars or meteorites. We worry about where we're going and how
we'll get there; but it's all probably just a light show. The
object isn't to get anywhere at all. Somebody just wanted to
see the lights.
CUT TO:
EXT. TWO CARS SIDE-BY-SIDE ON THE SAME HIGHWAY -- NIGHT
Ralph, smiling, raises his arms.
RALPH
shouts)
Man, this is the life. Just look at them lights, man, just
look at them lights.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #1 - NIGHT
Charlie gestures, suddenly animated.
CHARLIE: Look at the lights, Irene. Aren't they beautiful? Look at all the lights.
FADE OUT:
THE
END
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