I will miss you forever.

Indeed. The press box at Fenway Park. Paul Newman, Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Backroads and byways. Hartford. G. Fox. Nerd glasses. The beach. Whole-belly fried clams. Stories. Taking the train to Boston. NYC by train. Norwich. OpSail. Beginnings and endings. Ferries and aircraft. Thank you, you said that day in front of that dratted fridge with the balky door–which you likened to It's A Wonderful Life, that finial on the stair banister and Jimmy Stewart's thankfulness at the end.

Thank you.

Now I know. You knew then, that's why you stood there, said what you said.

————-

INT. GUMP HOUSE – MORNING

Forrest steps into Jenny's bedroom. He carries a tray with
breakfast on it. Forrest looks at Jenny as she sleeps.

Slowly she wakes up and looks at Forrest.

FORREST
Hey.

JENNY
Hey.

Forrest sets the tray down next to Jenny as she sits up in
bed. Forrest opens a window, then sits down next to the bed.

JENNY
Hey, Forrest, were you scared in
Vietnam?

FORREST
Yes. Well, I, I don't know.

EXT. VIETNAM – FLASHBACK – NIGHT

Forrest looks up into the sky as the rain stops. Forrest
removes his helmet. The stars emerge from behind the clouds.

FORREST (V.O.)
Sometimes it would stop raining long
enough for the stars to come out.
And then it was nice. It was like
just before the sun goes to bed down
on the bayou…

EXT. BAYOU – FLASHBACK – SUNSET

Forrest stands on his boat and looks at a deep orange and
red sunset.

FORREST (V.O.)
There was over a million sparkles on
the water. Like that mountain lake.

EXT. MOUNTAIN LAKE – FLASHBACK – DAY

Forrest runs along a highway. A lake reflects the mountains
and the sky.

FORREST (V.O.)
It was so clear, Jenny. It looks
like there were two skies, one on
top of the other. And then in the
desert, when the sun comes up…

EXT. DESERT – FLASHBACK – SUNRISE

Forrest runs along a desert highway. The morning light casts
an orange glow over the desert.

FORREST (V.O.)
I couldn't tell where heavens stopped
and the earth began. It was so
beautiful.

INT. GUMP HOUSE – MORNING

Forrest looks at Jenny. Jenny looks out the window.

JENNY
I wish I could have been there with
you.

FORREST
You were.

Jenny reaches over and takes Forrest's hand.

JENNY
I love you.

FORREST (V.O.)
You died on a Saturday morning.

EXT. JENNY'S GRAVE AT OLD OAK TREE – DAY

Forrest stands under the old oak tree where Jenny has been
buried.

FORREST
And I had you placed here under our
tree.

Jenny's grave marker. Forrest tries to hold back his tears.

FORREST
And I had that house of your father's
bulldozed to the ground.

EXT. JENNY'S OLD HOUSE – DAY

Forrest watches as Jenny's dad's house is knocked down by a
bulldozer.

FORREST (V.O.)
Momma…

EXT. JENNY'S GRAVE

FORREST
…always said dyin' was a part of
life.

Jenny's grave marker reads: JENNY GUMP July 16, 1945 — March
22, 1982 Beloved Mother, Wife and Friend

FORREST
I sure wish it wasn't. Little Forrest,
he's doing just fine.

INT. GUMP HOUSE – NIGHT

Forrest Jr. reads a book to Forrest sitting next to him.

FORREST JR.
(reading)
“But he wasn't quite sure. Everywhere
they went, the new guests…

FORREST (V.O.)
About to start school again soon. I
make his breakfast, lunch, and
dinner…

EXT. JENNY'S GRAVE

Forrest looks down as he sobs.

FORREST
…every day. I make sure he combs
his hair and brushes his teeth every
day. Teaching him how to play ping
pong.

EXT. GUMP HOUSE – NIGHT

Forrest tries to teach Forrest Jr. how to play ping-pong.

FORREST
Okay…

FORREST (V.O.)
He's really good.

FORREST
Forrest, you go.

Forrest Jr. serves the ball, causing Forrest dive and miss
it.

EXT. GUMP HOUSE/RIVER – DAY

Forrest and Forrest Jr. sit on a log by the river and fish.

FORREST (V.O.)
We fish a lot.

EXT. JENNY'S GRAVE

Forrest looks down at the grave marker.

FORREST
And every night, we read a book.
He's so smart, Jenny. You'd be so
proud of him. I am. He, uh, wrote a
letter, and he says I can't read it.
I'm not supposed to, so I'll just
leave it here for you.

Forrest places the letter down at the grave marker, next to
fresh flowers. The name on the envelope reads: “Mom.” Forrest
steps back and looks down at the grave.

FORREST
Jenny, I don't know if Momma was
right or if, if it's Lieutenant Dan.
I don't know if we each have a
destiny, or if we're all just floating
around accidental-like on a breeze,
but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe
both is happening at the same time.
I miss you, Jenny. If there's anything
you need, I won't be far away.

As Forrest walks away, a flock of birds flies overhead and
lands in the tree. Forrest turns and watches.

“FORREST GUMP” screenplay by Eric Roth. Based on a novel by Winston Groom.
http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/forrest_gump.html

——–

For all of it.