Officer And A Gentleman, An

"AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN" by Douglas Day Stewart FINAL DRAFT April 13, 1981 FADE IN: EXT. MANILA AIRPORT - FULL SHOT - DAY A Philippine Airlines passenger plane is arriving and touching down. ANGLE - THE PLANE A 13-year old boy starts down the ramp, a suitcase in one hand, an old photo-strip in the other. He studies the strip closely as he searches the faces of the people greeting the passengers. CLOSE - THE PHOTO STRIP A handsome sailor is necking with his girl in each of the three shots. CLOSE - THE BOY looking around. HIS EYES FALL ON A SAILOR It's the same sailor from the photo strip, only about fifteen years older. If he was in his early twenties then, now he's in his mid- thirties. He's in the uniform of a 1st class Petty Officer. He searches the faces of the descending passengers, very uncertain and uncomfortable. THE BOY AND THE SAILOR come together very, very tentatively. The sailor, BYRON MAYO, extends a hand to young ZACK. BYRON You, Zack? ZACK Yes, Sir. BYRON I'm Byron. Nice to meet you. (awkwardly) C'mon. Let's go get your luggage. They head off together. EXT. THE AIRPORT PARKING LOT - DAY Byron and Zack step aboard one of the colorful jeepneys that Manila is famous for. We MOVE WITH the jeepney as it leaves the airport and starts down the highway toward Olongapo. The boy is frightened but he's also excited by the strange, super-chrome and ornately-decorated vehicle he's riding in. They're not alone in the small bus.