EXT. BEACH – DAY
Most people go to the beach to relax but Sam (5) isn’t most people and right now she’s about as focused as can be.
SAM
Come on. Where are you Mr. Seashell? I’m gonna find you.
Sam scours the beach. Head down. With purpose. She barely notices that the ice cream cone she’s holding is starting to melt and drip. Her parents sit far off in the distance under a giant umbrella. Dad watches Sam intently while Mom is busy reading a book.
DAD
Sam! Quit playing and finish your ice cream. That thing’s melting all over the place!
Sam barely registers this warning. She suddenly spots something shiny a few feet away and rushes toward it. Jackpot! Another beautiful seashell! Sam bends over to pick up the seashell and as she does most of her ice cream slips off the cone and into the sand.
DAD
Don’t you dare eat that Sam!
Sam, who might have just been contemplating whether the 5 second rule applies to the beach, begins to cry. She throws her seashell down in disgust. Dad puts down his beer, gets up off his beach towel and walks toward Sam.
DAD
It’s okay Sam. It’s just ice cream. We have a lot more at home.
SAM
It’s not the same. Their ice cream’s better. Can I get another one?
DAD
We’re not getting another one. I told you it was melting!
SAM
I barely got to eat it. It’s not fair.
Dad kneels down to look Sam in the eye. There’s a grave look on his face.
DAD
You’ve just learned one of life’s most important lessons. Do you know what that lesson is?
Sam doesn’t know.
DAD
Life’s not fair. Sometimes that’s just how it is.
Sam is still mad. What does that even mean? This is clearly not the lesson she was hoping for.
DAD
And anyway, that seashell actually looks pretty cool so it might’ve even been worth it.
Sam rethinks this. Dad might have a point there.
INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Sam sits on the floor watching a movie with her parents curled up on the couch behind her. Mom is busy scrolling through her phone and dad is busy trying to steal some potato chips out of the small bag that is on her lap.
He moves slowly and is just about to get his hand into to the bag when Mom slaps his hand away. This is particularly impressive given that her eyes never leave her phone.
MOM
Nice try.
Dad then spots an easier target. Sam has her potato chips dumped out into a pile on the coffee table in front of her. She is so enthralled with the movie that she doesn’t notice as dad slyly takes a few. He makes sure to chew them slowly.
He begins to collect some more when Sam turns around to ask a question. She sees dad move his hand and immediately recognizes what’s been happening. Dad’s been caught red handed.
SAM
What’s a --Hey! That’s not fair!
Dad quickly puts the two chips he’s already been able to snag into his mouth as Sam positions her body to protect the remaining pile. The commotion causes Mom to finally look up from her phone. She’s not impressed.
DAD
(to Mom)
Life’s not fair. Remember?
INT. APARTMENT LOBBY – NIGHT
Dad enters the lobby and heads over to the post office boxes. He is dressed sharply, wearing a nice grey suit. The suit looks like it might be new but Dad’s face looks worn out. He’s had a long day and it’s kind of ruining the outfit. As he flips through his mail, he gets a phone call.
DAD
Hello?
He stops flipping. This phone call is more important than pizza flyers.
DAD
Hi Catherine, I’m hoping this is good news?
There is a moment of uneasiness before we see that Dad is clearly devastated. Rejection stings at any age and you never quite get numb to it.
DAD
I’m sorry to hear that. Was there any particular reason why?
(beat)
No I understand. Thanks. Please keep me in mind if anything similar comes up.
(beat)
You too.
Dad stares at his phone after hanging up. It’s like he’s mentally trying to undo that phone call from happening.
INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT
Mom is in the kitchen chopping up vegetables when Dad enters and greets her with a kiss.
MOM
Hey! Didn’t hear you come in. How was the interview?
DAD
Honestly? I have no idea. They were pretty hard to read.
MOM
Well I still have a good feeling about the other guys. Hopefully you’ll hear back from them soon.
Dad stares at mom as she picks up the cutting board and turns towards the stove. He really doesn’t want to ruin the great mood that she is in.
DAD
They actually called me today. Just before I came in.
MOM
Let me guess, another interview?
DAD
Worse. I didn’t get it.
Mom turns back towards dad. She can’t believe it.
MOM
Really? Three interviews and no offer? That’s ridiculous! How can they just waste someone’s time like that?
DAD
You’re telling me...
The two share an uncomfortable silent moment before Sam bursts into the kitchen. She’s completely oblivious to the tension in the room and skips over to give Dad a hug.
SAM
Why are you making dinner? Dad said we’re getting pizza today.
MOM
Did he?
Mom gives dad a look that says “you have some explaining to do”.
DAD
I said maybe. Mom’s already started on dinner and I’m really tired. Sam, we’ll have to get pizza another time.
This time it’s Sam that can’t believe the words that are coming out of Dad’s mouth. The shock on her face quickly turns to every parent’s worst nightmare -- pre-crying face. Sam quickly turns into an incomprehensible blubbering mess and rushes out of the room just as quickly as she came in. Mom glares at Dad.
DAD
Don’t give me that look. I was really hoping for a celebration meal!
Mom stays silent. Dad gets even more defensive.
DAD
We can make her one. We have perfectly good frozen pizza at home!
MOM
You know how much she loves pizza. That’s not fair.
Mom leaves the kitchen to go comfort Sam. Dad winces as he slams his keys on the kitchen counter. He knows he just messed up. He loosens his tie and begins looking through the mail he’s just brought in. There are a few too many past due bills in the pile.
DAD
(to himself)
Life’s not fair...
Just in case he wasn’t feeling shitty enough, Dad looks up to see that the stir-fry that Mom was making has begun to burn.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
Sam’s bedroom might look small and messy to the average adult eye but to her the bedroom is perfect. The moon shaped light-night on the wall and the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling give the room an outdoor feel. The only thing messing up the illusion is the muffled sound of her parents arguing in the other room. Sam lies in bed wide awake.
MOM
(Offscreen)
How many times have we talked about this? Exactly. It’s really just that simple. I can’t keep letting this go over and over again. It’s not okay.
DAD
(Offscreen)
So you’re just going to leave? Like our vows mean nothing? Like we don’t have a child that needs both of us?
MOM
(Offscreen)
Don’t you dare try to hide behind Sam. I will always be there for her. You need to start taking responsibility for your actions. This isn’t college anymore.
Sam rolls over to her side as we hear the sound of a door slam and the sound of footsteps coming towards her door a few moments later. She panics and pulls the sheets over her head. Sam is so terrible at pretending to be a sleep that it’s actually quite cute. Dad opens her bedroom door and lets out a weary chuckle.
DAD
Of course you’re still up.
Sam doesn’t budge. She insists on playing dead. Dad walks over and sits at the foot of her bed.
DAD
I know you’re awake Sam. How much of that did you hear?
Sam takes a moment before giving up the charade and pulling the sheets down from her face.
SAM
Where’s Mom going?
DAD
To Auntie Tania’s house.
SAM
Is she coming back soon?
DAD
I don’t know. I hope so.
SAM
How come you and Mom fight more than other people’s parents? It’s not fair.
DAD
It isn’t but I promise that Mom and I are working on it.
Sam is not impressed with this answer.
DAD
I want you to remember two things okay Sam? First, even if sometimes it doesn’t seem that way, Mom and I will always love you and want what’s best for you. Okay? Always.
Dad stops to make sure she’s listening.
DAD
Second, what’s the most important thing to remember about life and fairness?
SAM
(reluctantly)
Life’s not fair.
INT. APARTMENT LOBBY – NIGHT
Sam, now in her teens, is almost unrecognizable. In fact, if it wasn’t for the nametag on her Wal-Mart employee vest we probably wouldn’t recognize her. Streaks of messy blonde and blue hair poke out from underneath her beanie hat and her nose ring and multiple ear cartilage piercings indicate that she is clearly going through a bit of a rebellious phase. She wears large headphones over her ears that blast loud punk music. After grabbing the mail, Sam quickly heads for the elevators.
INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Dad sits in the living room smoking a cigarette as he watches a baseball game. A polite person might say that Dad has not aged well and a blunt person would say that he looks like shit. There are dark bags under his eyes and his shirt is dirty. There are far too many empty beer bottles scattered across the coffee table in front of him and he barely budges as Sam enters the apartment and wrestles off her vest behind him. She heads straight towards her bedroom without greeting him.
A moment later a furious Sam comes storming back into the living room and walks directly between Dad and the TV.
SAM
Where’s my desk?
DAD
You mean my desk. I bought that thing before you were born. Now if you don’t mind, it’s the top of the eighth.
SAM
I’m not doing this. Where is it?
Dad pulls a few crumpled bills out of his front shirt pocket.
DAD
And I guess technically some of it is over here too.
Dad sarcastically gestures towards the beer and food on the coffee table.
SAM
You pawned my desk? Are you fucking kidding me? I had three weeks of pay hidden in there!
DAD
Shit..Looks like Alberto got a great deal then. I guess that’s probably why they always say that keeping family secrets are bad. To avoid situations like this.
Sam stares at him in disgust for a moment, trying desperately to hold back her tears. She grabs a pack of cigarettes off of the coffee table and storms back to her room.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
There is a blank corner of the room where Sam’s desk clearly used to sit and the moon shaped night-light may also be gone but the glow-in-the-dark stars in Sam’s bedroom still remain. Sam sits at the base of her bed smoking a cigarette as her runny mascara begins to dry. She stares deeply at an old family photo of a much happier and much younger Sam playing at the beach. As we close in on the photo we can’t help but notice that Sam has a tattoo on her left wrist that reads “LIFE’S NOT FAIR”.
EXT. CHURCH PARKING LOT – DAY
Sam, now middle aged and looking a lot more like her mother, stares at her own reflection in a car window. This isn’t the stare of someone trying to make sure their outfit looks okay, this is the stare of someone deep in thought and apparently someone else has noticed.
SAM’S HUSBAND
Sam?
Sam’s turns to her left where her husband is standing towards the trunk of the car with what must be their son. The two look like they walked out of a department store catalogue in their stylish matching black outfits. Sam snaps out of the daze that she’s in and heads over to join them. They walk towards the church hand in hand like a perfect family.
As they near the church they see a giant sign with a familiar face. This is Sam’s dad’s funeral service.
SAM’S SON
Why am I the only one that has to miss Daniel’s birthday party? This is going to be so boring, it’s not fair.
Sam stops walking and crouches down to look her son in the eye. She has the same grave look on her face that her father once gave her all those years ago. She stares at her son for a moment and just as she opens her mouth to potentially utter those three pesky words we cut to black.