Jim & Evelyn Cooper




(Ep 1 - "Pilot")

(Kevin has gotten in trouble at school. Jack and Norma have picked him up, and they have just arrived home.)
And then it happened - I think we were about halfway to the front porch.
(Karen and Wayne come out onto porch. They are on the verge of tears.)
Brian Cooper was killed.
Oh my God! When did they find out?
(Karen shakes her head.)
I'm gonna call Evelyn and see if there's anything I can do. Oh my god, poor Evelyn...poor Jim.
(Norma hurries into the house. Karen follows. Wayne looks toward Kevin and Jack. Jack looks down and squeezes Kevin's shoulder. Kevin looks up at Jack.)

See also "Full Transcript"



(Ep 9 - "Christmas")

(Kevin rings Winnie's doorbell. An older woman opens the door.)
Yes?
Holy cow! I'd never seen this person before in my life!
Uh, is...Winnie home?
No, she's not. Can I help you?
No, that's OK. (Frowns.)
(Kevin turns to leave.)
You're the boy next door, aren't you? Gwendolyn said you might be stopping by.
She did? (Smiles.)
The Cooper's decided to spend the holiday's with relatives. It was a last minute decision. She seemed to think you'd understand.
Understand what? That nothing made sense? That Christmas was a bust? That my whole family was coming apart at the -
You...do know about her brother, don't you? Brian.
Oh...
Brian was killed...last fall. In Viet Nam.
I know! I know that! (Frowns.) I guess I just...forgot.
They needed time away - they'll be back in a few days. Goodnight.
(She closes the door.)
At that moment I felt like the dumbest human being on earth.

See also "Full Transcript"



(Ep 23 - "How I'm Spending My Summer Vacation")
(At the Cooper's party.)
So, uh...you want to sit down?
Win-nie!
(Winnie hands the tray to Kevin.)
Uh, can you take this to my dad?
Uh, sure.
Thanks.
(Winnie hurries into the house.)
OK, so she was busy, that was understandable. After all, it was her parents' party.
(Kevin approaches Mr. Cooper tending the barbecue.)
Hi, Mr. Cooper!
(He holds the tray out. Mr. Cooper takes the tray, and doesn't acknowledge Kevin.)
OK, so everybody was busy. No problem - the evening was young.
*
(Later, Winnie picks up some 45 RPM records. Kevin approaches.)
Winnie.
Hi.
Do you wanna take a walk with me somewhere?
I can't, I have to help out.
Come on, only for a minute.
(Mrs. Cooper approaches and hands a bag of hamburger buns to Winnie, while looking out the window.)
Winnie, would you take these to your father?
Ughhhhhh...
Mom, I'm changing the records.
(Mrs. Cooper gives Winnie a stern look.)
Honey, please!
(Winnie takes the bag, sets down the records, gives Mrs. Cooper a sharp glance, and walks away. Mrs. Cooper absent-mindedly rubs her chin and stares out the window.)
Um, I'll change the records! (Smiles.)
(Mrs. Cooper, turns and walks away, without acknowledging Kevin.)
Don't mention it. Just here to help.
(Kevin shakes his head, then begins sorting through the records. Then watches Winnie. Winnie approaches her dad, and he grabs the bag and walks off. Winnie quickly turns and looks after him, frowning.)
*
(Kevin is standing at one end of a ping-pong table, bouncing a ball. He looks toward Winnie and Mrs. Cooper behind the bar.)
In the course of the next hour, I watched Winnie wear a groove in the patio between her parents.
(Winnie turns and hurries across to her dad, loading up a plate of hamburgers off the barbeque.)
There was only one possible explanation - she was avoiding me.
(Kevin approaches Winnie.)
Wait a minute.
Hi!
Yeah, we'd already said that.
Listen -
Did you have a burger?
Winnie, are we gonna have some time alone or not?
Win-nie!
(Mrs. Cooper holds up some drinks.)
OK, I promise, in a few minutes. I gotta go.
*
(Later, Kevin sees Winnie standing alone in the distance. He approaches behind her and pauses, but Winnie doesn't notice.)
What is with you, huh?! (Frowns.)
(Winnie turns suddenly. She looks sad and turns away.)
One minute you like me and then the next minute you don't! First you kiss me, and then...you act like you don't even know me. You've doing this all year! (Gesures.) I mean, if you like me, then say so. But if you don't...then...(shrugs)...don't act like you do, OK?
(Winnie keeps her back turned.)
OK?!

(Winnie turns around.)
Kevin, I have to go away this summer.
What?! (Frowns.)
With my mom. We're going to my aunt's in Maine.
(Kevin backs up and turns around. He throws up his hands in frustration.)
I don't believe this! I mean, what about my summer! Paul's going away with his parents...and now you're going away with your mom...(gestures)...and -
(Winnie turns around, looks at Kevin sadly, then runs toward the house.)
And then, for the first time that night, I looked around.
(Shot from Kevin's perspective of the backyard. The camera slowly pans across the patio.)
The music was playing...couples were dancing. Holding each other tight. But not everybody.

(Mrs. Cooper is near the bar, unsmiling. Mr. Cooper is scraping the barbeque grill, also unsmiling.)
And suddenly I began to understand.
(Fade to Winnie sitting on the edge of the flower bed along the front porch, staring out toward the street. Kevin approaches, and stands next to her, with his hands together. She glances at him, then looks toward the street again.)
I wanted to tell Winnie I understood what was happening to her family.
(Winnie hunches her shoulders.)
I wanted to say something that would give her comfort. Something incredibly wise.
Sorry.
Will you write to me when I'm away?
Sure.
(Kevin sits next to Winnie. She turns to him.)
I miss my brother.
(She is misty-eyed, and looks over Kevin's face. Kevin looks down, then toward the street.)
Yeah...
(Winnie looks away. Kevin slowly puts his arm around Winnie, and she quickly looks at him as he touches her shoulder. Kevin keeps his hand on her shoulder, but they both look away. The camera pulls up and back slowly.)
That summer, kids everywhere swam, water-skied, and sailed - while Winnie Cooper struggled to keep her head above water, in a family torn apart by anger, and grief.

See also "Jeff's Transcript"



(Ep 24 - "Summer Song")

By the end of that summer of 1969...a lot of things had changed. The Mets were headed for first-place. Woodstock was a household word. And Winnie Cooper's dad had moved to Chicago. And it wasn't over yet.

See also "Full Transcript"



(Ep 28 - "On the Spot")

(Kevin's at the spotlight balcony, watching rehearsals.)
The thing was, with just a few days left, Winnie seemed more lost than ever.
Why can't I stay for awhile? Just as I am? Let's go away.
No, no, Emily. Now stop and think a minute.
Don't you remember what you used to say?
(Winnie pauses and looks off.)
Heck - even I knew the lines by now.
All the time you used to say...
All the time you used to say...
(Winnie looks off and pauses. She turns to Mr. Weber, frowns and raises her arms.)
I can't do this! I'll never be able to do it! (Frowns.)
(Winnie runs off the stage.)
This wasn't just stage-fright. This girl was in trouble.
*
(Winnie hurries up the hallway. Kevin trots after her into the courtyard.)
Winnie! Wait up!
(Winnie turns abruptly, frowning.)
What's your advice, now?! (Frowns.) Quit school?! Lock myself in my room?! Change my name?!
OK - forget it! (Shrugs.)
(Winnie frowns, then looks down.)
I'm...(gestures)...just tryin' to help.
Mr. Weber says it's quite natural. (Shrugs.) All actors go though this. Even Laurence Olivier.
Oh, well...that's good, I guess.
(Winnie glances down and sighs, then looking at him.)
You were right - I shouldn't have done this.
(She frowns and shakes her head, then turns away from Kevin.)
I should just quit. (Frowns.) I have an understudy. I'm sure she'd be better than me. Let's face it - she couldn't be any worse.
(She turns to Kevin and sighs heavily.)
What do you think I should do?
I think you should...do whatever you want to do.
I want to quit! (Shrugs.)
Then I think you should quit! (Shrugs.)
I can't quit!
Why not?! (Frowns.)
My father's coming out to see me.
(She looks down for a moment, then back to Kevin, then turns away and glances off.)
He's flying in from Chicago just to see the play.
(She turns back to Kevin.)
Mom and dad haven't seen each other for two months.
Oh...Is there anything I can do?
You can tell me to break a leg. (Smiles slightly.)
But the play's not for a week. (Frowns.)
No - mean really break a leg. That way I won't have to do it. (Smiles slightly.)
Then...(shrugs)...break a leg. (Smiles.)

*
(Auditorium.)
But just Winnie's luck, the night of the big play, she was still in perfect health.
(The Arnold's take their seats. Paul looks at the script, and then checks the spotlight cord.)
I guess everyone was feeling a little tense.
(Mr. and Mrs. Cooper walk along a row of seats in front of the Arnold's.)
Especially Winnie's parents.
(Jack stands and shakes Mr. Cooper's hand. Mrs. Cooper starts to take a seat. Mr. Cooper starts to take the second seat away, then sits next to her.)
But...at least I could relax. I had complete confidence in Paul.
Paul? Paul?
(Mr. Weber opens the door and leans in.)
Ah. Kevin...Paul is ill.
Ill?! (Frowns.)
Just a little case of nerves...But uh, you'll have to operate the spotlight. (Frowns.)
But Paul knows the cues - I can't -
There's no time. (Nods.) You'll just have do...the best you can.
(Mr. Weber frowns and shakes his head slightly, then exits.)
Wait! Mr. Weber!
(Kevin turns toward the stage and looks off, breathing heavily.)
Great. Paul had been stricken with the world's first documented case of back-stage fright.
And I had to pick up the pieces...
(The house lights dim, and Kevin looks forward and frowns.)
In the dark.
(The stage manager walks onto the stage.)
This play is called..."Our Town." Well...I better show you how "Our Town" lies.
I didn't even know how this thing worked!
Up there...(points)...is Main Street.
(The spot moves across the background.)
Uh...that-that is (points)...up there.
It was horrible. I could feel my ears starting to sweat.
Way up there...
(The stage manager points. The spot is on the other side of him.)
Is the railway station. Tracks go that way...
(The stage manager gesture. The light shines behind him. The stage manager looks at Kevin off-screen. The audience murmurs. Jack frowns with his fingers on his lip, then looks over his shoulder toward Kevin.)
It was humiliating. I wanted to just walk away.
There, are the children...coming home from school already.
But then...
(Winnie and others come onto the stage.)
I can't Lois. I've got to go home and help my mother. I promised.
Then I realized I couldn't walk away.
Emily! Walk simply. Who do you think you are, today?
Papa, you're terrible! One minute you tell me to stand up straight, then the next minute you call me names. I just don't listen to you.
Golly - I never got a kiss from such a great lady before.
(Winnie kneels down, picks up a flower, and smells it.)
She looked beautiful.
(Winnie looks up toward Kevin.)
And terrified.
(Kevin looks at Winnie.)
And I knew she needed me.
(Winnie hesitates and looks toward Kevin. Kevin lines up the spotlight and turning it on. The spotlight moves over onto Winnie.)
Those next few minutes seemed to last a thousand years.
(Fade to a shot of the Cooper's in the audience.)
Every moment was potential disaster.
Why can't I stay for awhile - just as I am?
We were both struggling.
Don't you remember what you used to say? All the time you used to say...
(Winnie pauses. Mr. Weber watches from the edge of the stage. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper watch in the audience. Winnie glances off.)
And then, a weird thing happened. I was holding the light on Winnie, when everything got very quiet. And I felt something. I don't know what it was. I felt like...I was holding her up with that light. That we were connected by the light. And I wouldn't let her fall.
Come on. Just keep goin'.
(Winnie looks toward Kevin. Mr. Weber looks at Winnie. Winnie turns to Mr. Webb.)
That I was your girl.
(Mr. Weber smiles.)
There must be a lot of places we can go. I'll work for you - I can keep a house!
No matter what - I wouldn' let her fall.
Oh, mama - just look at me for a moment, as if you really saw me.
That night I learned something. About courage...And maybe about love.
Mama, fourteen years have gone by. I'm dead! You're a grandmother, Mama. But just for a moment now, when we're all together...Mama, just for a moment, let's be happy! Let's look at one another!
(Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, and Karen and Norma behind them, watch. Mr. Cooper glances down slightly, then back.)
I can't! I can't go on! It goes so fast! We don't have time to look at one another! Take me back. Up the hill to my grave. But first...wait. Let me have one more look. Goodbye...Goodbye, world! Goodbye, Grover's Corners. Mama and Papa...
(Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, and Karen and Norma, watch.)
Goodbye, to clocks ticking...and mama's sunflowers...and food and coffee...and new-ironed dresses...and hot baths...and sleeping and waking up! Oh, Earth, you're too wonderful for anyone to realize you!
(Mr. and Mrs. Cooper are watching emotionally, as they join hands. Norma glances at them. Mr. Weber watching and smiling. Norma smiles. Kevin watches, as a tear rolls down his cheek.)
Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?
No. The saints and poets, maybe. They do, some.
(Mr. and Mrs. Cooper watch, near tears, as he rubs her hand. Norma looks at them. Mrs. Cooper leans over and kisses his hand.)
I'm ready to go back.
(Winnie turns and walks to a row of chairs, and takes a seat.)
Hmmm. Eleven o'clock in Grover's Corners. You get a good rest, too. Goodnight.
(The audience applauds, then rises. Kevin smiles. The cast lining up on stage, and Winnie smiles, looking over the audience. The Cooper's smile and applaud. Winnie takes her bow, and rises again. She smiles toward her parents, and sighs.)
I couldn't exactly say we made theater history that autumn evening...maybe we weren't even very good. The thing is, it didn't matter. We made it though.
(Mr. and Mrs. Cooper applaud and smile at Winnie, nearly crying.)
And the critics were kind.
(Winnie smiles at her parents.)
And a week later...
(Mr. Cooper applauds and looks at Winnie.)
Mr. Cooper moved back in with his family.

(Mrs. Cooper applauds, looks at Mr. Cooper, then Winnie.
Mr. Weber presents Winnie with roses. She smiles and looks toward Kevin.
Kevin smiles. Winnie and Mr. Weber stand in the spotlight with other cast members.
The image freezes and fades to black-and-white.)


See also "Full Transcript"



(Ep 40 - "Night Out")

(Kevin approaches Winnie's front door. They are going to a make-out party.)
Still, we were going to that party. It was...expected of us. And really, what was the big deal? It's not like there was anything to feel guilty about, here.
(Fantasy scene. Mr. Cooper opens the door.)
Hi, Mr. Coop-
(Mr. Cooper picks up Kevin and shakes him.)
So, I hear you taking my little Gwendolyn to a make-out party! Arggggh!
(Reality. Mr. Cooper opens the door and smiles.)
Evening, Kevin!
Hi, Mr. Cooper.
(Winnie comes to the door.)
Hi!
She looked so beautiful, I wanted to kiss her.
(Winnie's smile fades. Kevin looks away.)
Until I remembered I had to.
Ahem. Hadn't you two...better get started?
Oh...yeah. (Smiles nervously.)
Bye, Daddy!
Have a nice time. (Smiles.)
Easy for him to say. Well nothing to do but - get through this with our dignity intact.

See also "Full Transcript"



(Ep 46 - "Moving")

(Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, and the movers, are on the Cooper's lawn.)
Winnie? Win-nie!
(Kevin approaches the doorway of the moving van. Winnie is inside.)
Hi.
Hi.
She looked...small. And lost. Like a little girl, sitting in a moving van. Which...I guess she was.
Can I come in?
I guess so.
(Kevin climbs the steps and enters.)
Have a seat. (Nods.)
Oh...I can't stay. I've got Karen's graduation.
(They both look off.)
I'd been planning what to say for about two weeks. About life. About love.
So what did you get in English?
(Winnie frowns.)
Just asking.
Win-nie!
(Kevin and Winnie look toward the sound. Winnie sighs.)
They're packing up my stuff. (Shrugs.) My brother's stuff, too. They're putting his in storage. (Frowns.) I think this is gonna be good for my mom and dad.
Yeah. I think so, too. (Nods.)
(Winnie looks down.)
(V/O): Winnie? Where are you?
So, I'll probably see you around.
(Winnie walks to the door and pauses, looking out.)
But somehow, I knew I wouldn't. And not just because of a few miles or a new school. It was because...things could never be the same.
(Winnie looks out, while Kevin looks at her.)
These lawns, these streets, this place...Winnie Cooper was leaving. Leaving her home. Leaving her past.
(Winnie looks at Kevin and starts to walk out. Kevin grabs her hand, and she looks at Kevin.)
Leaving...
(Kevin looks down at Winnie's hand. She slowly opens it, holding the ring he gave her. Winnie looks at him softly.)
You.

See also "Full Transcript"



(Ep 66 - "The Accident")

(Kevin is riding his bike on the sidewalk, toward Winnie's house. Winnie and Mrs. Cooper are unloading the trunk of the car.)
I don't know why I pursued her. Maybe it was because I wanted to help her. And maybe it was because I wanted to know she needed my help.
Hi, Kevin!
(Winnie glances at Kevin, then looks off.)
Hi, Mrs. Cooper! You need some help with that?
No, no, it's OK, I can handle it. (To Winnie) Honey, why don't you stay out here and talk?
(Mrs. Cooper smiles at Kevin as she gets a bag from the trunk, and moves toward the house.)
It's good to see you, Kevin. You should come around more often.
(Mrs. Cooper goes inside.)
And, we were alone again.
(Winnie smiles.)
Again.
(Winnie sighs.)
Hi...I'm sorry about what happened yesterday.
It's okay. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.
I'm fine, thanks. (Smiles.)
And she did look fine.
(Winnie looks off.)
Which left only one thing to say.
Winnie, does your mom know you're hanging out with eleventh-graders?
(Winnie glances off again.)
Apparently, the wrong thing.
Kinda. Why?
Well, it's just...
(Kevin leans back and looks off.)
Look, Winnie...you know when you know somebody, but then all of a sudden you don't, and you feel that you kinda missed out on something, because they're not being like the way you thought they would?
(Winnie frowns and shakes her head.)
Kevin, what are you talking about?
(Kevin sighs and leans back, looking off again.)
Nothing.
But it wasn't nothing.
(Winnie sighs and looks off.)
I just...couldn't say what it was.
(Kevin looks at the sleeping bag on the car.)
New sleeping bag?
Yeah!
Well, you going on a trip?
Camping. (Frowns.)
Oh! Sounds like fun.
We go every year on Brian's birthday. The anniversary of his birthday. I hate camping. (Frowns.)
(Winnie's friends drive up and honk.)
Hey, Winnie, come on! Let's go.
Yeah, come on, jump in!
(Winnie looks at Kevin.)
Well, I gotta go. So, maybe I'll see ya?
(Winnie heads toward the car.)
Yeah.
Hey guys. How are you?
(To himself): Maybe I'll see ya.
(The carload drives off. Mrs. Cooper steps outside.)
Winnie?
She left.
(Mrs. Cooper sags in resignation, and goes inside.)

*
(Kevin is waiting outside the Cooper's house, after Winnie's accident. The Cooper's pull up to the curb, and Mr. Cooper steps out. Kevin runs up to him.)
Kevin?
Mr. Cooper!
(Winnie is hidden in shadows in the back seat.)
Is she all right?
(Mr. Cooper glances down.)
Well, it's a broken leg and some cuts. She's gonna need some time to recover. But, she'll be OK.
Can I see her?
(Mr. Cooper looks down, as Mrs. Cooper gets out of the car.)
Hello, Kevin.
Mrs. Cooper, may I talk to her?
Kevin, maybe you should go home now.
What?
Kevin, Winnie doesn't want to see you right now.
Wh...but that's impossible. I know she wants to see me. (Smiles.)
Kevin...Please go home.

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04/3/05 13:58