THE SETTING: A boardwalk in a sleepy New Jersey beach community, sometime in the 1950s. Or possibly the 1940s. Or the 1960s. It’s hard to tell.
A station wagon pulls up to the beach. The FATHER steps out of the car.
FATHER
Everybody up! We’re here!
MOTHER
(sleepily)
Wha’? We’re here already?
JUNIOR
Oh, boy, we’re here! I’m gonna go build a sandcastle!
(JUNIOR runs off toward the water.)
MOTHER
Junior! Wait for your mother!
(MOTHER runs off to follow JUNIOR.)
FATHER opens the back door of the station wagon, leans in, and shakes a 17-year-old JANET RENO awake.
FATHER
Janet? Janet? Wake up: We’re finally here.
JANET RENO
(sulkily)
Daaaa-aaad! I was sleeping! And I don’t want to go to the stupid old beach anyway.
FATHER
Oh, come now, Janet. I know you wanted to go to cheerleading camp. But this is our last chance to spend a summer together before you go off to school. Now come on, punkin, cheer up!
JANET RENO gets out of the car, begins sulking toward the beach with her FATHER, when she hears a wolf-whistle behind her. She stands still, as her FATHER continues walking toward the water.
JANET RENO
(turning around)
Hey! Who did that?
A young, tanned BILL GATES appears, carrying a surfboard.
BILL GATES
Sorry, miss. I just had to get your attention. My name’s Bill. What’s yours?
JANET RENO
(blushing)
It’s Janet. Janet Reno.
BILL GATES
Janet Reno. That’s a pretty name. Almost as pretty as your eyes.
JANET RENO blushes.
BILL GATES
Can I buy you a malt?
JANET RENO
(calling toward the shore)
Daddy? I’m going off with Bill for a malt, okay?
CUE SOUNDTRACK: “The Look of Love,” by Dusty Springfield
MONTAGE: The two sharing a malt, laughing; they walk along the water as BILL GATES tosses stones into it; they ride a ferris wheel, sharing cotton candy; at a carnival booth, BILL GATES knocks over an array of milk bottles and wins an enormous stuffed animal, which he presents to JANET RENO; a seagull grabs JANET RENO’s hat, and the two chase it until they collapse, laughing; the two kiss and roll around in the frothing surf. As the music fades out, we see BILL and JANET, walking along the boardwalk at night.
JANET RENO
Thank you, Bill. I had a beautiful day.
BILL GATES
You look beautiful in the moonlight, Janet.
They kiss. But just as they do, we hear a crowd of men, yelling. They appear, all carrying surfboards.
CROWD
Hey, Bill! Who’s your girlfriend? Aren’t ya gonna introduce us?
BILL GATES
Um, Nathan! Paul! Hey, guys!
JANET RENO
Bill? Who are these people?
NATHAN MYRHVOLD
So, Bill, who’s this?
BILL GATES
Um, she’s just a girl I met.
JANET RENO
Just a girl you met? Why, of all the nerve!
NATHAN MYRHVOLD
C’mon, Bill. We’re gonna go catch some waves.
BILL GATES
(to JANET RENO)
Um, listen, Janet —I gotta go. See ya around sometime.
BILL GATES leaves with the rest of his CROWD. JANET RENO stands alone on the boardwalk, clutching the oversized stuffed animal he won for her earlier in the day.
JANET RENO
I hate you, Bill Gates! I hate you with all my heart! Someday I’ll hurt you the way you’ve hurt me! I’ll pay you back for this if it’s the last thing I ever do!
THE END.