The Games Plan

surrounded by nothing but ogres and beanpoles!

  He shakes his head at a group of fat, hairy weightlifters tanning across the pool when his eyes meet the flowing hair of a WONDERFUL WOMAN jogging through the gardens.

  DAVID LEE ROTH'S "THAT'S LIFE" kicks in, Kidal blinks dazed as he slowly turns to:

  -- four blond angels playing beach volley in the distance.

  -- Synchronized swimmers diving one by one into the pool.

  -- A passion fruit picked from a 10 feet high branch by a giraffesque lady basketball player.

  -- A beach volley player lands in the sand after the ball. The girls across the net get chest to chest to celebrate.

  -- Kidal keeps blinking as two overweight lady wrestlers roll over each other on the grass.

  INT. OLYMPIC VILLAGE – DAY

  Edwin walks up to a snack distributor, finds a tiny Japanese girl staring up at it.

  EDWIN: You need help, kiddy?

  He pops out a coin and... doesn't know what to do with it. The girl snorts, points up to the coin inlet, way out of her reach. Edwin sticks the coin into it, stares at the machine waiting for something to happen. Nothing.

  EDWIN: You know, I fear it is broken. (Spots the bottom window) Oh, there you go!

  He sticks an arm into the distributor, tries to get to the snacks on the lower shelf.

  EDWIN: Well, I guess we'll have to settle for a soy yogurt.

  He struggles to twist his stuck arm when Talita appears behind his back. Edwin freezes, stares stunned at her.

  JAPANESE GIRL: Can I have my snack?

  EDWIN: Right away.

  TALITA: You need a hand?

  EDWIN: No, no problem here.

  With an alarming creak of bones he finally manages to pull out a crumpled pack of whole-wheat crackers. The little girl walks away quite unhappy, Edwin keeps grinning in embarrassment as Talita nods at the distributor.

  TALITA: May I ..?

  EDWIN: Sure... (starts again for the lower window) just tell me what you need.

  TALITA: Thanks, but I think I'll use the buttons. Do you want something, too?

  Edwin stares at her in silence, then hands her a coin.

  EXT. OLYMPIC VILLAGE GARDEN – DAY

  Edwin and Talita walk through the gardens, both holding a big cup.

  TALITA: I'm so sorry, are you sure I didn't hit the wrong code?

  EDWIN: Sure you didn't, I just love groundhog milk! (He takes a sip and almost throws up) Actually you were so kind to help me out, you've been very nice... (glances at her in growing embarrassment) and your veil is really nice, too, I mean, it covers you really well.

  TALITA: (a bit puzzled) Well, thank you.

  EDWIN: Not that you need something to cover with, I didn't mean that, I'm sure you would look great even without it -- I mean, with something else on.

  Talita cracks a smile as Edwin retreats to a sip of milk.

  TALITA: So, aside from plundering vending machines, what are you doing here?

  EDWIN: (suddenly strutting) Well, I'm in the national table tennis team of Zimbabwe.

  TALITA: Wow, a table tennis champion, that's wonderful!

  EDWIN: Oh no, me and my friends, let's say that's more of a hobby for us!

  TALITA: Come on, just to be here I'm sure you must be an extraordinary player! Even if I thought you were more of an athletics type of guy, you know?

  EDWIN: Really?

  He sticks out his chest, just as they walk by a SWIMMER smearing oil over pecs the size of two bonnets.

  TALITA: Yes, but I'm sure you're capable of great things anyway, just like everyone here!

  Edwin looks over her shoulder to see a GYMNAST practice a five flips diagonal with a final double pike twist, then land on the springboard to dive into the pool.

  EDWIN: Yeah, let's say I get by pretty well! And what about you?

  TALITA: Oh, nothing special. I've been the Qatari horse riding champion for the last three years, but I guess that's just thanks to my horse!

  EDWIN: Come on, three years? I'm sure you would have won even if your horse had got a heart attack!

  Talita frowns at him, he hides behind his cup as they get to a wonderfully trimmed rose garden. Edwin spots the gardener staring daggers at him, takes Talita's harm and walks her away.

  EDWIN: And what do you do when you're not riding your horse?

  TALITA: Well, I just handle accounting in my father's company and take care of our riding stable. I'm left with just enough time to study pedagogy and to play some golf, my real passion after horses. (Off Edwin's astonished look) Well, to be honest I would have rather become a racing car driver, that has always been my dream.

  EDWIN: (still trying to recover) Well, I guess you're still in time.

  TALITA: I don't think so. It seems in my country women just can't drive.

  EDWIN: Well, maybe 'cause they don't practice enough.

  TALITA: Maybe 'cause it's forbidden for us.

  Edwin drops his smile as Talita forces one of her own.

  TALITA: And what about you?

  Edwin smiles back, takes a glimpse at her golden bracelets.

  EDWIN: Well, let's say I own a little transport company...

  TALITA: Wow, that's wonderful! And I bet business must be going great...

  Edwin puts up a frozen grin as she nods at his Ferrari cap.

  TALITA: ...and I guess you'll also get to travel a lot.

  EDWIN: Well, actually I just tend to keep it local but, yes, surely there's room to expand a little bit.

  Talita's smile fades as they walk by a group of training athletes.

  TALITA: I envy you, you know, I envy pretty much everyone here. Even if my family's wealthy and I live a comfortable life, I'd leave everything behind to just do what every girl in the world does, to go out with my friends, travel, and sing and dance in the street when I'm happy!

  Edwin's smile fades, too, her words touching him more than she could imagine as she sets her dreamy eyes on the horizon.

  TALITA: I'd like to be free to do what I want, not just what I'm allowed. I only want a chance to choose my way, nothing more.

  EDWIN: Well, you don't know how much I understand you.

  TALITA: Really?

  EDWIN: (nods a heartfelt yes) Even my life's not that great if you really look at it. I mean, if it was perfect I wouldn't be here, looking for something I don't already have.

  They look at each other for an intense moment.

  TALITA: Well, whatever it is you're looking for, I just hope you will find it in these two weeks.

  Edwin resumes smiling as he keeps his eyes into hers. He's smitten, big time. She warmly smiles back, until she spots a young EGYPTIAN RUNNER slumped against a tree.

  TALITA: Amir, are you alright?

  The young man keeps sobbing on the ground.

  AMIR: I didn't make it. I'm so sorry but I just couldn't do it.

  TALITA: You lost your race?

  AMIR: I just wanted to make it to the final, it was the only thing I cared about!

  EDWIN: Come on, man, it's not the end of the world!

  AMIR: Not for you, maybe, for me it is!

  He wipes his tears, pulls up his singlet to reveal a peace symbol painted on his skin.

  AMIR: In my country girls and boys like me are fighting and dying every day to defend our freedom... (pats on his naked chest) this was my way to be fighting on their side, and entering the final would have meant the world would not forget them, that all those boys and girls didn't die in vain.

  He puts the singlet back down and stands up, walks away in tears leaving Edwin and Talita shook up and without words.

  EDWIN: Well, it seems we're not the only ones looking for more than a medal.

  TALITA: I just wish I could help him, and all those like him. (Wipes her tears) Why is the world so unjust? Why can't those boys and girls just live their lives like everybody else?

  EDWIN: You're right, there should be no need to fight for things like freedom and a normal life. But you know
what, as long as there is someone forced to do so, well, I just think maybe we all should.

  Talita turns her wet eyes into his.

  TALITA: You know, I wish for every bad person in the world there was one just like you.

  Edwin smiles abashed, tries hard to find the strength to tell her the truth about him when she hugs him tight.

  EDWIN: Even if I barely know you I feel you're a wonderful person, Edwin, and I bet those who are part of your life must be really lucky!

  INT. THE GUYS' ROOM – DAY

  A huge set of sharp kitchen knives lies on the table before Kidal and Leon as they clumsily try to slip black stockings on their faces.

  LEON: (gives up) Come on, who are we trying to fool? I couldn't hold a knife even if it was to scare my grandma!

  KIDAL: Yeah, I'm not a knife guy, too. Maybe we should just opt for something else... (moves over the TV) Don't know if you ever noticed, but if you put your undies over the remote and a toilet paper tube you get something resembling of a hidden gun.

  A glacial stare from Leon and he puts down the remote.

  KIDAL: Well, just to say...

  LEON: Forget about it, we're way out of our element. We might as well cross our fingers and hope for the tournament...

  INT. TABLE TENNIS PLAYGROUND – DAY

  A white missile hits the table and flies past Edwin, racket held upside-down and frozen gaze at the wild audience on the stands. The referee whistles.

  REFEREE: 3 sets to 0, you're out!

  INT. OLYMPIC VILLAGE MAIN DINING HALL – DAY

  A surreal silence hovers in the huge hall as two distinct blocks of athletes stand around one of the tables, where a South Korean young man and his North Korean rival sit in front of a chessboard with tense faces and sharp eyes.

  Everybody is barely breathing waiting for the next move. Someone holds back a cough, gets struck by a storm of nasty looks.

  NORTH KOREAN MAN: (moves the bishop) Checkmate.

  The room erupts in a thunderous turmoil as the South Korean man bolts up in