![[Original Script] The Postman: Affections Across Time](https://www.nicolecw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ThePostman-500x675.jpg)
The Postman actually started out as a screenplay assignment for one of my creative writing classes at university.
I felt that there was more to be said and explored. Also, I didn’t want to live with the regret that this story was not fully fleshed out.
Hence, I’ve extended the plot and turned it into a novel. I rewrote it in such a way that it’s not restricted to a word limit (which I strongly felt was too short when I wrote it as an assignment). Neither do I have to pander to the professor’s tastes (or anyone’s tastes for that matter).
Thus, here’s the original script for you who have finished reading the novel~ The script was titled “Affections Across Time” (inspired by an anime hahaha).
P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts about The Postman novel and screenplay! Feel free to drop me a message on any social media channels 😆
EXT. MICHAEL’S BUNGALOW (2013) – EARLY MORNING
Birds chirping. Trees rustling. Empty street, with houses lining both sides.
Unshaven. Tangled hair. MICHAEL, 28 years old, in a blue uniform and hat, leaves his house and heads for his bicycle, stationed near the mailbox. The word Express is printed on the front pocket of his shirt, hat and messenger bag.
ALBERT (O.S.)
Going out this early again?
That’s why I never like this job of yours.
Michael looks at the window of the second floor. The image of ALBERT, a 62-year-old elderly, staring down at him faces away. Michael shakes his head.
He pulls out a paper from his pocket, with the salutation of Dad and the opening line of How are you? in strikethrough. He crumples the paper and throws it on the ground.
Brown and white letters peek out from the messenger bag – some sealed, some tied with a ribbon, all decorated exquisitely. Michael pulls out one letter:
Margaret Smith
551 Avenue
Cottage Lake, Washington, USA
3 July 2010
Michael keeps the letter and takes out a pocket watch. Beside the hour and minute hands, there are three more moving hands (year, month and day). Michael adjusts the additional hands, puts it back in his pocket and mounts on his bicycle.
A silhouette of Michael riding his bicycle down the street against the brightening sky.
He vanishes.
EXT. MARGARET’S DETACHED HOUSE (2010) – EARLY MORNING
Michael stops before the house and picks up the newspaper dating 3 July 2010 from the ground. MARGARET, 35 years old, is watering the flower garden.
Michael leaves his bicycle, strolls to her and passes her the letter and newspaper. She opens the handwritten letter and smiles. Zoom in on the ending of the letter (Your Husband, John). She looks up. Astonished.
Michael, riding his bicycle, disappears on the street.
EXT. MARGARET’S DETACHED HOUSE (2010) – NOON
Through the open window, we see that Margaret is in the living room, folding clothes and watching television. The gas stove is switched on. A wind blows the curtain nearer to the stove. It gets caught in flames. Slowly, one by one, the items in the kitchen catches fire. Soon, the house is engulfed in flames. The letter is burnt to ashes.
INT. COUNSELLING AND CARE CENTRE (2013) – AFTERNOON
The door sign reads: Emily Brown, Grief Counselor. A poster on the wall, near the door, reads:
Have an unspoken message for your loved ones?
Fast and affordable.
We transcend time to pass your love to them.
Remember, love is never too late.
Terms and conditions apply.
Michael looks through the windowpane.
EMILY, 30 years old, sits at her desk and passes a piece of tissue paper to the weeping MS. YOUNG. MR. YOUNG sits beside his wife. We see Emily talking but we don’t hear her.
Emily passes a piece of paper and pen to Ms. Young. After Ms. Young finished writing, she folds the paper, puts it in a pink envelope and decorates it with Disney princess stickers. She passes it to Emily.
Emily guides the couple out of the office. As she opens the door, we start hearing her voice.
EMILY
Let’s end your grief there with
that letter you’ve just written.
I’m sure your daughter will receive
your love when we send her the letter.
The couple frowns when they see Michael. Before they leave, they turn and look at Michael again.
Once they are gone, Emily holds out her hand, her palm facing Michael. She walks back to her office, places the envelope on top of a pile of letters and passes it to Michael.
Emily glances sympathetically at Michael and makes an okay sign. Michael nods his head.
INT. LIVING ROOM, MICHAEL’S BUNGALOW (2013) – NIGHT
Michael slumps down into the sofa.
He sees Albert reading the newspaper beside him, on his left side. Another Albert is watching the television also beside him, on his right side.
The two Alberts dissolve.
Silence. Darkness. Michael alone in the living room.
He switches on the table lamp and begins writing a letter on the table. He ruffles his hair in agony, crumples the paper and tosses it into the trash can. Balls of crumpled paper fill and surround the trash can. He writes again.
EXT. SARAH’S SINGLE-STOREY SEMI-DETACHED HOUSE (2012) –
EARLY MORNING
Sarah Young
27 Avenue
Cottage Lake, Washington, USA
16 November 2012
Michael looks up from the letter, gazes at the house and rings the doorbell.
Mr. and Ms. Young appear. Michael shows them the pink envelope decorated with Disney princess stickers.
They guide him to a bedroom with a pink interior. A calendar of November 2012 sits on the desk. SARAH, 9 years old, is putting a pencil box into her bag.
Michael shows her the exquisitely decorated letter. Sarah’s eyes sparkle with joy. She scampers to him. Michael gives her the letter and she happily opens it.
Staring at the letter, she is puzzled. Michael takes the letter, reads to her and gestures with his hands, such as making a heart with his hands. Zoom in on the ending of the letter (Loving You Always, Dad and Mom).
EXT. 27 PARK AVENUE (2012) – AFTERNOON
Sarah is lying in a pool of blood. A car nearby. An overturned small pink bicycle with streaks of crimson, wheels spinning. Policemen are stopping Mr. and Ms. Young, with tear-stained faces, from approaching the crime scene.
INT. COUNSELLING AND CARE CENTRE (2013) – AFTERNOON
Standing before the door, Michael hesitates with his hand on the door handle. He draws a deep breath and opens the door.
Emily looks up from the document she is reading and puts down the file.
Michael passes her a brown envelope.
EMILY
Are you sure you’re ready?
MICHAEL
Yes, I am.
EXT. MICHAEL’S BUNGALOW (2013) – EARLY MORNING
Michael places the brown envelope in the mailbox. Heavy slow footsteps. Michael dashes to the side of the house. Albert saunters to the mailbox, takes out the letter and reads it. Michael smiles sadly.
INT. DINING ROOM, MICHAEL’S BUNGALOW (2013) – EVENING
ALBERT (O.S.)
Why did you have to find such a job?
You have so many options
and you have to settle for this.
MICHAEL (O.S.)
What’s wrong with it?
Besides, I didn’t find it.
It found me.
ALBERT (O.S.)
Don’t give me that crap.
Do you take me for a fool?
MICHAEL (O.S.)
Dad, just trust me.
I know what I’m doing.
ALBERT (O.S.)
How do you expect me to trust you
when you don’t even want to talk about it?
MICHAEL (O.S.)
I can’t. It’s part of the contract.
I’m not supposed to divulge
anything about my duties.
ALBERT (O.S.)
(sarcastic)
Oh, so this postman job is so important
that you have to be this secretive?
MICHAEL (O.S.)
It’s never about this job, isn’t it?
You just don’t believe me.
Hiding at the corridor, Michael covers his ears at the cacophony of voices, clinking of cutlery, screeching chair and hurried footsteps. He sees himself (his past self) storming off, exiting the dining room.
His eyes are now brimming with tears. He turns around and peers at Albert.
Albert sighs. He walks to a nearby cabinet, pulls out a drawer and takes out the brown envelope. After sitting down at the dining table, he opens the envelope and reads the letter again.
Suddenly, Albert’s face contorts with pain. He drops the letter and clutches his heart. Albert’s head falls on the table, his hands hanging idly at his sides.
Michael clutches the pocket watch. He trudges over to Albert. A tear trickles down Michael’s eye and lands on the letter.
The ink smudges.
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