Transcription
NOMADLANDWritten byChloé ZhaoBased on the book by Jessica BruderJanuary 12, 2019
Music. Title sequence:Archival black and white photos of Empire -- One of America’slongest running mine and company towns in the Black Rockdesert of Northern Nevada.The factory. Workers. Meetings in board rooms. White piles ofgypsum against black mountains.Families playing at the pool. People leaving church. Grandopening of a grocery store. Faces smiling. Children playingin the yard of a grammar school. A community flourishing.Proud townsfolk posing outside the factory. Young loversgetting married. A man mowing his lawn. A young womanstanding in front of her house, looking at the camera.She is FERN.Title sequence ends.The sound of heavy wind.EXT. EMPIRE - STORAGE - EVENINGThe metal storage door rises, revealing Fern, now in hersixties, and the snowy landscape behind her.She digs through dusty boxes and trunks, scanning for luckyitems to bring with her. A stack of plates with autumn leafpatterns and a rusty camping lamp make the cut.She loads them into “Vanguard”, a white Ford cargo van, rustyand muddy, parked in the snow.Fern keeps searching when she pulls out a man’s blue workcoat that’s too big for her. She holds it to her face like anold friend and breathes it in. Holding back tears.Later, she pays storage fee to GAY, seventies, the storageowner and an old-timer. They give each other a hug.GAYYou take care of yourself outthere.EXT. ROAD - NORTHERN NEVADA - EVENINGVanguard travels across an endless, frostbitten landscape.
2.EXT. ROAD SIDE - LATERFern, shivering, squats at the side of the icy road,urinating, while looking for incoming cars.INT. ROAD - NORTHERN NEVADA - DUSKHighway stretches out under a dark and cloudy sky.Fern drives, gently singing a Christmas carol.FERN(Singing)What Child is this who, laid torest/ On Mary's lap is sleeping?Whom Angels greet with anthemssweet/ While shepherds watch arekeeping?EXT. DESERT ROSE RV PARK - OFFICE - SAME NIGHTVanguard pulls up in front of a small building covered insnow and icicles. A large sign reads ‘DESERT ROSE’.INT. DESERT ROSE RV PARK - OFFICE - NIGHTPATTY, a chatty manager in her sixties, looks for Fern’sreservation. A little nervous, Fern waits.PATTYNo. I don’t see your reservation.FERNAre you sure? I’m on the AmazonCamperForce list.PATTYOoooh, Amazon. I see. Hold on.Try McD.FERNPATTYThere you are!Fern is relived. It’s been a long night.
3.EXT. DESERT ROSE RV PARK - NIGHTVanguard pulls into a spot. The engine rattles to astandstill and the lights turn off.INT. VANGUARD - MOMENTS LATERFern closes the curtain dividing the drivers seat and theback of the van. She turns on a small desk lamp and revealsthe warm and cozy DIY interior -- her home on wheels.A pot of mac and cheese bubbles on a portable stove. Fernadds a can of stewed tomato and seasons it.She pours it onto the “autumn leaf” plate she brought fromstorage and eats, staring blankly out of the dark window.She does dishes with a spray bottle and carefully wipes everyone clean and stores them away.She uses her five gallon bucket and cat litter for a pee.She goes to bed. A red Santa light glows beside her.EXT.AMAZON WAREHOUSE - NEXT MORNINGThe giant Amazon sign looms above.Fern approaches briskly in the morning chill.INT. AMAZON WAREHOUSE - SECURITY LINE - MORNINGFern lines up with SEASONAL WORKERS. Faces of all types, sometired and others excited.Fern sees a someone she knows - AL, a man in his fifties. Shenods and he nods back.ALSeems like more every year.INT. AMAZON WAREHOUSE - DAYThe sound in the massive factory is bone rattling.Futuristic looking machineries and the shelves stretching allthe way to the towering ceiling.Fern marches down long corridors, pushing a “stower” cart.
4.She talks to herself as she matches items and packs boxes.She works with LINDA MAY, sixty-five with long gray hair,wearing an orange blazer that reads “Ambassador, Ask Me.”Linda is warm and helpful. The kind of friend you want tohave on the road.EXT. AMAZON WAREHOUSE - BACK - DAYThe towering warehouse stands alone in the open desert. Largedelivery trucks are lined up against the building.Fern lights a cigarette and hands Linda May one.I quit.What?!LINDA MAYFERNLINDA MAYI know. Forty-three years. Wasn’tas hard as I thought.FERNI salute you, Linda May.LINDA MAYWell, I had to. Doctor said I havemacular degeneration in my righteye.Oh shit.FERNLINDA MAYCould’ve been worse.FERNWhat can you do?LINDA MAYEat healthier, exercise. Definitelyno smoking.Fern quickly puts her cigarette out.LINDA MAY (CONT'D)Oh, I was enjoying that.
5.FERN(fans the air)No, no.LINDA MAYI think I found land, Fern.FERNReally?! Where?LINDA MAYDouglas, Arizona. Right on theMexico border. It’s four acres inthe desert. And I just put down thedeposit.Nice!FERNLINDA MAYYeah. Real nice. Well, I haven’tactually seen the land in personbut the pictures on Craigslistlooked real nice.FERN(worried)Linda May!LINDA MAYFern! I’m taking a leap of faith!It’s now or never!FERN(thinking)Valid point. The other day I lookedin the mirror and I saw my mother.LINDA MAY(laughs)Exactly. I look into the mirror andI see my grandmother.EXT.DESERT ROSE RV PARK - LATERFern walks down a muddy path carrying oversized laundry.INT. DESERT ROSE RV PARK - LAUNDRY - SAME EVENINGFern and Linda May share a box of detergent.They get competitive doing a jigsaw puzzle while waiting.
6.I/E. DESERT ROSE RV PARK - VANGUARD - SAME EVENINGFern shows off Vanguard to Linda May who is folding laundry.FERNI put these drawers under the bed.They pull out from both sides. NowI can get my stuff from inside andoutside.LINDA MAYVery smart. Where’s your bucket?And the carbon detector? Mr. Buddyheater?FERNHere. Here. And my bucket and catlitter is right here. I made acurtain to cover it.LINDA MAYI should do that. I have to hurryand hide my bucket whenever peopleare visiting.FERNOh, look. This is my husband’s oldfishing box. I made a littlestopper and when it opens.(opens it)It becomes a surface to work on.LINDA MAYCounter space is everything.FERN(takes out the dishes)And I got my nice dishes that myDad gave me. He collected thesefrom yard sales and when Igraduated from high school he gaveme the whole set.Beautiful.LINDA MAYFERNIt’s called “autumn leaf”. I don’thave that many pieces left though.LINDA MAYHave you named your van yet?
7.Vanguard.FERNLINDA MAYOoooh. That’s strong.She is.FERNINT. AMAZON WAREHOUSE - DAYS LATERFern works, taking her job so seriously it’s almost comical.EXT. FERNLEY - EVENINGSnow is falling. Time has passed. Fern drives.INT. SPORTS STORE - LATERChristmas music plays through the store speakers. Fern ispassed out on a weightlifting bench. Her foot slips. Shealmost falls and wakes up.Fern! Hi!VOICEFern quickly gets up and sees BRANDY, mid-forties, walks overwith a full shopping cart. Her young daughters AUDREY andMACKENZIE trail behind her.FERNHi. Hi Brandy.BRANDYHey girls. It’s Mrs. M!DAUGHTERSHi, Mrs. M.Fern and Brandy hug.BRANDYHow have you been?FERNGood. Real good.BRANDYYou’re working at Amazon again?
8.Yep.FERNBRANDYHow is it? You like it?FERNYes. Great money.BRANDYYou still doing the. van thing?FERNYes. I’m parked at Desert Rose RVPark.BRANDYWe just drove by there today.Didn’t we, girls -- ?FERNHow’s your mom?BRANDYGood. Real good. She misses you.You know.(leans in, quietly)You can stay with us. I mean atleast while you’re working aroundhere. We’re worried about you.FERNDon’t worry about me. I’m fine.Thank you.BRANDYOK. You let us know if you changeyour mind, yeah?FERNI promise. Merry Christmas.BRANDYMerry Christmas, Fern. Take care!They hug again. Brandy walks away with Audrey, whileMackenzie lingers.MACKENZIEHey, Mrs. M. we went to BurningMan for field trip this year.Finally!FERN
9.MACKENZIERight?! Well, we went before itstarted. They gave us ice cream andwe got to write our names and amessage on a piece of wood, andthey put the wood on top of thatbig temple thing they built andthen they burn it on the last day.FERNNice. What did you write on yours?MACKENZIEI wrote that I wish we still livedin Empire and all my friends thatmoved away are all moving back.Fern smiles at Mackenzie’s innocent hopefulness.FERNYou like your new school?It’s OK.MACKENZIEFERNI bet you’re still the smartestkid.MACKENZIEYeh, kinda.FERNYou remember anything we worked onwhen I tutored you?MACKENZIEUh, yes.(thinking hard)Tomorrow, and tomorrow, andtomorrow/ And all our yesterdayshave lighted fools/ The way todusty death/ Out, out, briefcandle!Moved, Fern shakes Mackenzie’s hand.FERNThat’s really good. Thank you.MACKENZIEMy mom said you’re homeless. Isthat true?
10.Fern is caught off guard, but quickly recovers.FERNNo. I’m not homeless. I’m just.houseless. Not the same thing,right?No.MACKENZIEFERNIt’s nice to see you, Mackenzie.MACKENZIEYeah. Ok. Bye, Mrs. M.Fern watches Mackenzie walking back to her family. Shefinally relaxes from the encounter.EXT. DESERT ROSE RV PARK - SQUEEZE INN - NIGHTLinda May’s home -- a small, pale-yellow, 10-foot-longfiberglass trailer she calls the ‘Squeeze Inn’.She has neatly decorated her “front yard” with Christmaslights and plastic pink flamingos that glows in the dark.INT. SQUEEZE INN - SAMEThe space is cramped but homey -- Colorful fabrics. Pink andblue donut shaped pillows. Red plastic flowers hanging fromthe ceiling. Pictures and postcards on the fridge door.Fern knits, listening intently as Linda recounts the eventsthat lead her to a life on the road.LINDA MAYBefore I moved into Squeeze Inn, Ilived in a 30 FT trailer. This was2008. The money was running out andI was getting behind on paying forthe trailer and the rent on theland and I still had no water orelectricity. I couldn’t findwork. I was. I’ve never beensuicidal. But, I had some liquor inmy trailer. I just thought, oh Iwill just drink all this booze,turn on the gas and pass out, andif I come to, I will light acigarette and blow us all up.(MORE)
11.LINDA MAY (CONT'D)Then I looked at my two littletrusting dogs, my cocker spanieland little toy poodle and I justcouldn’t do that to them and then Ithought. well, I couldn’t do thatto me either!Fern shakes her head, eyes wide.LINDA MAY (CONT'D)I was getting close to sixty-two atthe time and I went online to lookat my social security benefit. Itsaid five hundred and fiftydollars. Fern, I worked my wholelife. I worked since I was twelveyears old. Raised two daughters.Now I’ve only got five hundred andfifty dollars a month to live with.I couldn’t believe it. That’s whenI heard about Bob Wells and CheapRV Living. On his website, he hastwo budgets laid out. One for 500 amonth and one for 1000. I couldlive in an RV, travel and not haveto work for the rest of my life.Later, the small space is steamed up with Linda May’scooking. Fern sips on hot cider, watching a youtube video ofBob Wells. He wears glasses and has long white hair.BOB WELLS ON SCREENThe RTR is a bootcamp for beginnernomads. Once a year, we cometogether as a tribe -FERN(looks up)Bob Wells looks just like SantaClaus.LINDA MAYEveryone says that.FERNWhat does RTR stand for?LINDA MAYRubber Tramp Rendezvous. It’s inQuartzsite, Arizona, in the deserton BLM land. I’ll draw you a map.You won’t have reception out there.
12.FERNI don’t think I will go.LINDA MAYYou should! The “Big Tent” ishappening in town at the same time.It’s a RV show, biggest in thecountry. You can sign up for jobs.FERNWhat kind of jobs?LINDA MAYSeasonal. All kinds. Camp hostingfor National Parks, Adventureland,working concessions at springtraining games in Texas, beetharvest in Nebraska.FERNBeet harvest.LINDA MAYNot the small red ones. The bigwhite sugar beets. I’ve done ittwice now.FERNUm. No. I’m gonna stay aroundhere. I know the area.LINDA MAYI’ll draw you a map anyway.INT. AMAZON WAREHOUSE - WEEKS LATEREveryone works double-speed during holiday shopping season.The warehouse begins to look bigger and the workers smaller.EXT. AMAZON WAREHOUSE - NIGHT A WEEK LATERFern smokes alone. DOUG, a coworker, walks by shivering.DOUGHappy holidays Fern. See you nextyear.FERNYou too, Doug.
13.INT. DESERT ROSE RV PARK - VANGUARD - NEW YEAR EVEThe blue flame of a Mr. Buddy heater glows in the corner. Thesound of fireworks in the distance.Fern makes a treat for herself -- bread with hot milk andsugar. She adjusts her Happy New Year headband.2012, another year arrives.EXT. DESERT ROSE RV PARK - VANGUARD - MORNING A WEEK LATERFern cleans thick snow off of Vanguard when she sees a DOGsniffing near her things.INT. OFFICE - MOMENTS LATERPATTYCarl had a stroke!FERNIs he dead?PATTYNo! No. But his daughter took himback east.FERNThey didn’t take the dog?!PATTYThey didn’t take the dog. Do youwant to keep him? His name isScout.FERNNo. I can’t. I don’t have space.PATTYHe’s a good guard dog. You know.it’s not safe for a woman to be outthere all alone.FERNI’ve got nothing people want.PATTYOooh. I’m sorry.(beat)You’re checking out tomorrow right?
14.FERNYeah. I finished at Amazon lastweek. How much is it now?PATTYLet’s see, Amazon paid for yourparking spot until this Thursday.Afterwards, it’s thirty-three anight and nine-fifty a month.FERNWhat about a discount if I don’tuse the electrical and dump? I justgot my van.PATTYNo sorry. We’re set up for RVs. Ifyou live in a van, why not just gosomewhere warmer?FERNI’m trying to find a job aroundhere.PATTYOh. Ok. Good luck with that.FERNAright, Patty. Bye.PATTYSo long, Fern. See you next year.Fern steps out into the cold roar of traffic outside. Scoutstill waits. Fern pets him awkwardly and goes on her way.INT. FALLON - JOB CENTER - DAYFern sits at a desk opposite a JOB CENTER RECRUITER and putson her best smile.FERNI went to college. I studiedEnglish and Theater. I have skillsin the service industry. I was awaiter while I was in school. Ialso have secretarial skills. Onesummer I answered fan letters forACDC. My husband worked at the USGEmpire mine and I worked for theirHR department for a few years, thenI stopped working because of. anillness in the family.
15.RECRUITERDidn’t the Empire mine shut down?FERNYeah. Last year. We all moved out.Before the recruiter can say anything, Fern continues.FERN (CONT'D)I also did a lot of part time jobs.I tutored, I cashiered at theEmpire store and I also worked atthe Black Rock Information Centerin Gerlach during Burning Man everyyear. Have you been to Burning Man?RECRUITERNo, but my son goes every year -FERNAh! So you know, people have allkinds of questions. I took care ofit all. I just worked at Amazonduring the holidays. I’m also veryhandy and I have my own tools.RECRUITERThat’s. all very good. But you’renot specialized in anything?A moment. Fern shakes her head.RECRUITER (CONT'D)Have you looked into earlyretirement?FERNI don’t want to retire! I. don’tthink I can get by on the benefitsanyway. I need work. I like work.RECRUITERI understand but the jobs we haverequire special trainings, andfrankly they won’t be availableuntil the weather gets better.EXT. FOX PEAK GAS STATION - NIGHTBlizzard at night fall. Vanguard pulls into the gas station.
16.EXT. FOX PEAK GAS STATION - VANGUARD - LATERFern is wearing two hats and gloves as she shakes off a rug.RACHEL, the gas station manager, approaches.RACHELHello, ma’am. I’m Rachel, I’m themanager here at Fox Peak -FERN-- I asked and someone told me Ican park here overnight.RACHELYes, you’re fine. But you know thetemperature’s gonna drop. It getsreally cold at night. Real cold.FERNI have a really good sleeping bag.RACHELI don’t want to overstep myboundaries here, but there is achurch down by Seven-Eleven. ABaptist church and they do haveopen bed -FERNI’m gonna be good! Thank you.INT. FOX PEAK GAS STATION - VANGUARD - SAME NIGHTFern wraps herself in layers of blankets and sleeping bags.She shivers hard, unable to get warm.EXT. FOX PEAK GAS STATION - NEXT MORNINGThe ground is frozen. Fern smokes by vanguard.Lights start to turn on in the suburban homes beyond thehighway. A freight train rattles across.It’s time to move on.INT. VANGUARD ON HIGHWAY - DAWNHeadlights illuminate the dark road ahead.
17.Fern drives. Ahead of her, the first light of dawnilluminates a new landscape.EXT. ROAD IN DESERT - MORNINGVanguard heads south on the warm low desert drenched in sun.It passes sleepy towns, corky billboards and hitchhikers.EXT. QUARTZSITE, ARIZONA - EVENINGFern drives through the bustling town of Quartzsite -- astrange and wild oasis in the desert.ELDERLY RETIREES, DREADLOCKED TEENS, MOTORCYCLE GANGS, ROCKHUNTERS, TOURISTS. Cars and trucks towing all kinds ofshelters. Mostly dusty. Traffic crawls. No one is in a hurry.I/E. VANGUARD ON UNPAVED ROAD IN THE DESERT - EVENINGVanguard travels on a bumpy road towards the middle ofnowhere.Fern looks at a hand-drawn map, unsure until she spots ayellow DIY sign in the distance that reads ‘RTR’.She goes further, finds another sign, and makes a sharp turndeeper into the desert.EXT. RTR - EVENINGFern spots a cluster of 50 vehicles in the distance. Mostlyvans, old trailers, campers, some tents and a school bus.She parks and climbs out of Vanguard, pulling on theoversized blue work jacket she took out of the storage.She finds Linda May in A GROUP OF NOMADS. Linda is so happyto see Fern. She points at the MAN speaking in the front.LINDA MAYThat’s Bob Wells.Bob has a deep voice and speaks with confidence.BOB WELLSWe not only accept the tyranny ofthe dollar. We embrace it. Wegladly live by it our whole lives.I think of the analogy as like awork horse.(MORE)
18.BOB WELLS (CONT'D)The work horse that is willing towork itself to death and then beput out to pasture. That’s whathappened to so many of us in 2008.If society is throwing us away andputting us out to pasture, we workhorses have to gather together andtake care of each other, and thatis what this is all about.Fern smiles. She’s in the right place.BOB WELLS (CONT'D)The way I see it -- The Titanic issinking and economic times arechanging. My goal is to get thelife boats out and get as manypeople into the lifeboats as I can.EXT. RTR - DUSKSteaming hot chili is served and shared with all from twolarge pots, similar to the old-fashioned hobo stew.Fern and Linda May wait eagerly in line.Fern is offered some vegan stew by DAVE, sixties, kind eyes.FERNWhat’s that?DAVEThis is vegan.FERNNo thanks, I’m a carnivore.SWANKIE, seventies, wades forward, hungry and eager for herserving. She is sharp and energetic, with one arm in a sling.SWANKIEI’m a carnivore too!EXT. RTR - CAMPFIRE - LATER THAT NIGHTLogs glow on the fire. A small group of nomads gather andshare their stories of what lead to a life on the road.BRYCE, sixties, a stern face, holds a small dog.
19.BRYCEI’m a Vietnam vet and I got PTSD. Ireally can’t handle loud noises,big crowds, fireworks. Bob helpedme. I got a pickup truck andcamper. I can live out here. And beat peace.DENI, fifties, wearing a red beanie and feather earrings.DENII had finally convinced my grandpa,my poppa and my momma that weshould take off in an RV and seethe country. But then both of themwere told they had cancer and theydied three weeks apart. I beganwatching Bob Wells videos on vandwelling. Then I bought my vanPaint, because ‘she takes me whereI ain’t’. And started my healingjourney two years ago.MERLE, sixties, blue eyes glistening in the fire light.MERLEI worked for corporate America fortwenty years. My friend Bill workedfor the same company and he hadliver failure. A week before he wasabout to retire, HR called him, inhospice, and said ‘let’s talk aboutyour retirement!’ He died ten dayslater. having never taken thatsailboat he bought out of hisdriveway. He missed out oneverything. He told me before hedied ‘just don’t waste any time,Merle. Don’t waste any time.’ So Iretired as soon as I could. Ididn’t want my sailboat to be in mydriveway when I died.(beat)And it’s not. My sailboat is outhere in the desert.EXT. RTR - CAMP - DAWNSaguaro cactus silhouetted against the Arizona morning sky.Bob Wells and Fern sit on the edge of the camp talking.
20.BOB WELLSI can’t imagine what you’re goingthrough. The loss of your husband.The loss of your whole town andfriends. That kind of loss is nevereasy.Fern forces a smile.BOB WELLS (CONT'D)I wish I had an easy answer foryou, but I think you’ve come to theright place to find an answer. Ithink that connecting to nature andto a real true community and tribewill make a difference for you.(beat)I hope so.EXT. RTR - CAMP - LATERFern takes a long walk through the camp. People goingthrough their morning routines, cleaning, washing, cooking, afew gathered by the bonfire.LINDA MAYHey Fern! Come join us.FERNNo. I’m just gonna take a littlewalk. Be right back.Fern watches as OLD-TIMERS help a NEWCOMER installing hissolar panels. A MAN is giving free hair cuts. A SMALL GROUPis doing Tai-Chi together. A ROLL OF ATV speed by.EXT. RTR - MAIN CAMP - MORNINGBob Wells teaches in front of a crowd. Fern takes notes.BOB WELLSA lot of folks ask me: ‘Bob, I wantto live this lifestyle, but I workin the city. What do I do about thedreaded ‘knock on the door’. So Icreated what I call the TenCommandments of Stealth Parking.FOREST, a younger man, teaches an “All About Tires” seminar.Fern is trying to plug a tire.
21.FORESTThat’s it. You gotta make the holebigger.The WOMEN in the audience laugh delightedly at accidentalinnuendos. Fern blushes.SUANNE, sixties, funny, enthusiastically teaches hygiene onthe road.SUANNEI love this lifestyle. Freedom,beauty and connection with theearth. But there is a tradeoff -you gotta learn to take care ofyour own shit!Everyone laughs. Suanne takes out a stack of three buckets.SUANNA(displays a medium bucket)Most of us use a five-gallonbucket. Most of us are in vans orsomething larger. I’m in a Prius.(displays a small bucket)So I use a two-gallon bucket. AndIf you have bad knees.(displays a large bucket)You can use a seven-gallon bucket!Look, it’s like Goldilocks and theThree Bears!EXT. RTR - CAMP - FREE PILE - NEXT MORNINGThe ‘Free Pile’ -- a blue tarp cluttered with various items.People take what they need and leave what they don’t.Fern tries to decide between a blue or red can opener.DAVE(leans over)You should take this one. Thatone’s kinda funky.FERNThese yours?DAVEYep. There’s a black hole in everyvan. One time I had seven of thesecan openers.Fern considers Dave’s observations.
22.FERNDoesn’t happen to me.Really.DAVEFERNI know exactly where everything is.Fern hands Dave one of the pot holders she made.FERN (CONT'D)Trade you for a pot holder. I makethem.DAVEThanks. First year?Yep. You?FERNDAVEBeen coming here every year. I’mwhat you would call a ‘FOB’ -Friend of Bob’s. You read his book?FERNIt’s my bible.(picks up a tray)Nice.DAVE(pretends to reach for it)It is nice.FERN(laughs)No, no. It’s coming home with me.(walks away)See ya.DAVE(waves)See you around.EXT. QUARTZSITE - RV SHOW - NEXT DAYThe largest RV show in the country. Hundreds of venders, RVdisplays, seasonal job recruiters, food stalls.Fern, Linda May and Swankie munch on corn dogs and sign upfor seasonal jobs. The ladies are having a great time.
23.EXT. RV SHOW - LATERThey walk by a lot full of luxurious RVs, towering over them.SWANKIEThey are HUGE!FERNLike dinosaurs.LINDA MAYDo you know how much money issitting right here?INT. GIANT RV - SAMEWide eyed, they enter a brightly-lit fancy RV. They look inwonder at the leather sofas, marble kitchen counter, polishedwood cabinets and flat-screen TVs. Fern opens a cupboards.FERNWasher and dryer!LINDA MAYNow that’s real nice.EXT. RTR - NIGHTFern signs her name on a small “van” made of cardboard boxes,covered with signatures and messages.The van is burned in a bonfire while the tribe of nomadsgather with food and drinks and sing their version of “On theRoad Again” -- “Burn the Van again”.NOMADSIn our vans again / Just can't waitto get in our vans again / The lifewe love is in the desert with ourfriends / And we can't wait to getin our vans again.In our vans again / Goin placesmost haven't been / Goin places wemay never go again/ And we can'twait to get in our vans again.Rubber tramps again / Like a bandof gypsies we go down to QuartzsiteWe'll see Bob again / We'll shareour tales at campfires in the nighttime / Warm fire time(MORE)
24.NOMADS (CONT'D)Burn that van again / Just can'twait to burn up that van again / Itmarks the end of our stay here inQuartzsite town / But next yearwe'll be coming back again / And wecan't wait to get in our vans againINT. QUARTZSITE YACHT CLUB - SAME NIGHTColorful disco lights flicker across smiling faces. TheSINGER in a cowboy hat plays on a small stage in the corner.Fern, Linda May, Swankie and more WOMEN line dance together.Fern is drunk and having a great time.Later. Dave approaches Fern when she is sitting alone. Heasks her to dance. She hesitates but accepts.They dance to an old cowboy song.EXT. RTR - NEXT MORNINGThe RTR has come to an end. Fern walks passed a line of vansand RVs pulling out of the campsite, like an old fashionedwagon train, heading on to greener pastures.She waves, sad to see them go.EXT. DESERT - VANGUARD - MORNING A MONTH LATERThe desert is empty now. And it’s getting hot.Vanguard is parked by a cluster of cactus. Music rattles froma radio. Laundry drying on the line.Fern finishes screwing a new panel to the back door,impressed by her handy work.She looks to the distance -- Swankie, the only other camperin miles, is hoisting a pirate flag up by her van.INT. LAUNDROMAT AND MALL - DAYFern reads while waiting for her laundry.She inspects the bulletin board for local jobs. She tears offa contact number.
25.EXT.QUARTZSITE - TROCK - DAYS LATERFern is at her new job, dragging a small cart in a sea ofgems and rocks, sorting, cleaning and stashing them.NOODLE and ROXY, two travelers in their early twenties, aretrying to sell the jewelry they made.FERNHey Ron! Can you come here for asecond? These guys have some reallynice stuff.RON, skin like an iguana, emerges from his office/RV.FERN (CONT'D)This is Noodle, Roxy. This is Ron.NOODLEHey Ron. Just trying to make somegas money.RONNot sure we need new products -FERNYeah, but these are much nicer thanwhat we have going on here. Look atthe details. Look, Ron, look!Fern holds one up to her neck to demonstrate, clearly tryingto help the youngsters out.Later, Fern takes a smoke break. She sees a colorfullypainted school bus parked in the open desert. Noodle, Roxyand a group of YOUNG TRAVELLERS gather around a smolderingfire with their dogs. One of them is playing the banjo.Fern tries not to stare and looks away.VOICEHello, ma’am.Fern looks back and sees DEREK, one of the travelers in hisearly twenties, approaches her. He is straight out of a WaltWhitman novel, wearing suspenders and a misshapen cowboy hat.DEREKWould you by chance have an extracigarette?FERNYeah sure. Need a light?
26.Fern lights Derek’s cigarette and notices that his hands andforearms are covered in tattoos. The inked words on hisknuckles read “RAIL FARE”.FERN (CONT'D)(offers him the lighter)Need it?DEREKWhy sure. Thank you. I’m Derek.Fern.FERNDEREKFern. Well, it’s nice to meet you.I’ll be seeing you.Derek walks away. Fern watches him go, concerned to see thoseso young out here on the road.EXT. DESERT - NEXT MORNINGThunder. Darkening sky. A storm is approaching.Vanguard’s front tire is flat. Frustrated, Fern kicks it.EXT. SWANKIE’S VAN - LATERThe pirate flag is still up. Fern hesitates and knocks on thedoor. No one answers at first, she knocks again.SWANKIEWhat? I’m busy!FERNSorry! Swankie, it’s Fern! Can Italk to you?Swankie opens the door, squinting. Eye mask on her forehead.SWANKIEDidn’t you see the flag? That meansdo not disturb -- !FERN-- I know. I need a ride into town.Why?SWANKIE
27.FERNI blew my tire.SWANKIEYou blew your tire.Yeah.FERNSWANKIEGo change it!FERNI don’t have a spare.SWANKIEYou don’t have a spare.(stares)You’re out here in the boondocksand you don’t have a spare?!EXT. QUARTZSITE - GARAGE - DAYVanguard is being worked on by a YOUNG MECHANIC. Swankie islecturing Fern who tries to listen patiently.SWANKIEYou need to take this lifestyleseriously. This is not a holiday.You can die out here. You knowthat? You can die out here. I don’twant you to die.FERNI really appreciate it, Swankie.SWANKIEYou’re welcome. You can pay meback.Fern raises her eyebrows.SWANKIE (CONT'D)See, I’m going on an important tripand I got a lot of getting ready todo. I can’t get things done fastenough, with my arm. I can’t liftit, look, hey, look.(tries to lift her armdramatically)Ouch! See? I can’t --
28.Ok! Yes --FERNSWANKIEGood. I really appreciate it.EXT. SWANKIE'S VAN - DAYSwankie shows Fern how to touch up the paint on her van.SWANKIEI’m going to leave you the rest ofmy paint. You need to touch up yourvan. It’s looking kinda.ratty.FERNWhat? No. She just needs a wash.SWANKIEOh, she needs more than a wash.Take my paint.Fern looks over at Vanguard, offended.Later, Fern is hard at work polishing the paint.SWANKIE (O.S.) (CONT'D)Ha! Fern, come look at this!Fern wipes her hand and peaks into the van.Swankie sits at her small desk next to piles of VHS tapes.SWANKIE (CONT'D)I’m digitizing home videos -Watch! Watch!The old laptop display a video of her skydiving with her SONfrom twenty years ago. The image is fuzzy but Fern can stillmake out Swankie, laughing as she jumps out of the airplane.SWANKIE (CONT'D)Off we go. To the blue yonder.That’s me and my son Doug. Isurprised him for his 30thbirthday. Look! He’s gonna grab memid-air and kisses me!On screen -- Two tiny figures falling through the skytogether. One gives the other a kiss.SWANKIE (CONT'D)Ha! Did you see that!?
29.Swankie laughs like a child watching it. Another momentpasses. She shrugs.SWANKIE (CONT'D)I used to like him. That was beforehe turned so goddamn boring.EXT. VANGUARD - NEXT MORNINGFern brushes her teeth, gargles and spits into a dry bush.She inspects Vanguard. It’s
2. EXT. ROAD SIDE - LATER Fern, shivering, squats at the side of the icy road, urinating, while look
