Unburied

Another 永, part of a rusty, seen-better-days sign on a:

LARGE CHINESE RESTAURANT, positioned squarely in a swamp.

The sign says **Wing Yun (永遠) — Elegant Cantonese + Cajun**

And the restaurant shows that, at one point in its history, it did provide that elegance. But years of weather and hard times have made it a shell of what it once was.

Still, as it sits here on this quiet summer evening, with the cicadas and frogs chattering and not a human in sight, there's something impressively formidable about the place.

Something calm, almost like it's home.

Close on a MAN'S FACE. He's early 50s, Chinese, and full of nervous but upbeat energy. He's muttering something to himself, like he's practicing a speech only he can hear.

Then he stops. Closes his eyes. Opens them. And smiles wide.

This is HENRY CHU.

Henry bursts in with manic flair.

Team meeting everyone!

It's chaos in here — a skeleton crew STAFF is shuffling around the place, trying to hurry and complete their tasks.

This is not some well-oiled machine. This is a restaurant that is barely hanging on.

(CONT'D)HENRY Team meeting, five minutes! Out of nowhere pops cook BILL (60s, Black, built like a football player and intense like he's seen some real shit).

Henry, we got a problem.

Can it wait for the team meeting?

The walk-in freezer is on the fritz.

(annoyingly upbeat)

Then we cook everything fresh!

Also, Henry—

Bill makes a motion to his shirt — it becomes clear that Henry's buttons are all askew, and he has no idea.

Dining room, team meeting!

Henry leaves in a flash. Bill shakes his head.

(in perfect Cantonese)

*Fucking shit.*

Henry steps into the bar area and announces—

Team meeting, everyone!

He's quickly met by KAYLEIGH (white, early 20s, frail on the outside but tough on the inside), holding an order pad.

Henry, we got a problem.

Henry almost speaks, but—

(CONT'D)KAYLEIGH It can't wait for the team meeting. (reading off pad; walking) Hallie called out sick, Amber called out pregnant, and Levi called out forever. HENRY Forever?

He quit.

Is that all?

Losing three people and having no backups? I hope that's all.

Henry stops Kayleigh.

You know, the Chinese word for "crisis"—

—also means "opportunity"? Yeah, I saw that on The Simpsons.

No. That's wrong. It means "danger machine."

Kayleigh waits for him to finish that thought.

(CONT'D)HENRY That means we are a machine that attacks the danger! (to no one in particular) Team meeting, starting soon!

Henry leaves.

OK...

The lone, small TV in the restaurant is tuned into the local weather — on it, a meteorologist named MAGGIE BABINEAUX is tracking a hurricane in the Gulf.

...it'll be a close call, but it'll miss us here in New Orleans.

Nearby, typing furiously at an aging computer is a young woman. She's mid-20s, Chinese American, and carries a steady pragmatism that covers up some deep-seated dreams. This is VIVIAN CHU. Henry's daughter.

Henry BURSTS in and Vivian quickly closes what she was working on.

Vivian! Team meeting, snooze it or lose it

(re: the computer)

Ooh, is that for tonight?

No, it's—

No? Head in the game, Vivian! Tonight is the night!

Actually, Dad, I have something I want to talk to you about.

Bring it up at the team meeting!

I don't think it's really—

(noticing his shirt)

Dad?

(oblivious)

Hmmm?

Your shirt.

Henry touches it and realizes all the buttons are messed up.

Undeterred and completely lacking shame, Henry just shrugs and exits while shouting:

Team meeting, starting now!

This is the centerpiece of the restaurant, an ornate, high-ceiling space that — like the rest of the place — was once impressive but is now fading.

A murmur fills the room as the skeleton crew team — Bill, Kayleigh, Vivian and a few others — awaits Henry's arrival. Finally, Henry emerges.

Are you ready?!

Henry steps into the center of the room, like a magician presenting a trick.

Nobody applauds. Or even has much of a reaction. They're all going through the motions, except:

I am!

Henry nods to a back table, where sitting alone is LOU (60s, white Cajun, uncouth but lovable). He's not an employee, just a customer. A very loyal customer.

Thanks, Lou!

*Note: Lou's French-Cajun slang will also be italicized.*

*Laissez les bons temps rouler.*

(completely mangles this)

*Laissez les bons temps rouler* indeed!

Slowly everyone realizes: Henry has fixed his buttons, but overcorrected — now they're wrong in the opposite direction.

Vivian tries to get his attention about the buttons, but he shakes it off and she shakes her head and just lets him go:

(CONT'D)HENRY You might be aware, it's been a hard few years for Wing Yun.

We now see the dining area is covered with nods to the restaurant's glorious past: Plaques and awards, laudatory news clippings, and family photos that include a woman, GRACE CHU, who clearly ran the business.

(CONT'D)HENRY But tonight is the night we turn things around.

There's a long beat after that. Vivian and the rest of the crew wait for Henry to continue his speech. Instead: (CONT'D)HENRY Vivian? Your turn?

(confused)

That's your whole speech?

I'm a man of action.

Vivian nods — it's just Henry being Henry — then stands and starts handing out printed packets.

(CONT'D)HENRY Look at these packets! I spent a lot of time on them.

Vivian shoots Henry a look — you did? — but shakes it off and gets back to her job.

As you know, the hurricane in the Gulf is expected to miss us. So, guests will begin arriving at 7, the presentation will begin at 7:30, and first course will be served soon after.

Kayleigh gets her packet and opens it up.

(CONT'D)VIVIAN We are expecting three VIPs.

Inside, is information that matches Vivian's words:

(CONT'D)VIVIAN First is J.T. Devereux—

There's a murmur at the sound of his name.

In a booth, speaking into the microphone, is J.T. DEVEREUX (30s then, white, wearing a sailor's tie that somehow makes him snobby and folksy all at once).

-the Radio Food King of Louisiana.

INSERT: Footage and photos of Henry and J.T. shaking hands, from years ago, being chummy. VIVIAN (V.O.) J.T. put us on the map.

INSERT: J.T. and Henry at a local banquet, more recently but still some time ago, J.T. presenting Henry an award.

(bombastic)

Best restaurant on the North Shore!

INSERT: Henry in his office, listening to the radio.

...but lately...

...a supreme disappointment, things have really fallen off at Wing Yun.

Younger Vivian shuts off the radio. Henry looks heartbroken.

An angry murmur fills the crowd.

That man is a *couillon*.

Now now, Lou. He's not a *couillon*, he's an old friend! We need to be nice to him — a good review could go far.

Lou mutters something else in French-Cajun.

Next up...

Vivian turns the page in her packet, as do the others.

(CONT'D)VIVIAN ...is Beth Trahan.

That brings some nervous energy from the crowd.

BETH TRAHAN (40s then, white, ice cold and dead serious), sits in her stuffy office across a desk from younger Henry. VIVIAN (V.O.) She's our primary investor.

Beth, flanked by a TALL SECURITY GUARD and a SHORT SECURITY GUARD, signs a check and slides it over to Henry.

And she isn't giving up without seeing a return.

INSERT: Photos of the aftermath of people who defaulted on Beth's loans — broken windows, broken legs, not good.

She don't scare me.

Be that as it may, we need to project professionalism and success.

Vivian looks over to Henry, whose mind has wandered.

(CONT'D)VIVIAN Dad? Are you with us?

Great work, Vivian!

I'm not done.

Oh.

Last up—

Vivian turns a page in the packet and it's: _A_ blank figure _wi_th a question mark on its face.

(CONT'D)VIVIAN A major Hollywood celebrity.

Now a murmur of excitement fills the room.

We're outside a fancy trailer. The door opens, but we're only at the base of it. VIVIAN (V.O.) This celebrity is in town shooting a movie.

All we see are EXPENSIVE ITALIAN SHOES. They walk.

The feet now walk toward a vehicle — a limousine.

It's door opens and the feet get in.

They must be treated with the utmost respect.

The limousine's door opens and the feet exit.

...like it's the biggest privilege in the world to have them.

The feet and legs are facing the restaurant entrance.

So no being weird or geeking out. That's why we're not telling you who it is.

The crew starts whispering to each other, speculating about who it might be.

Is it Britney Spears?

I'm not— OK fine, it's not Britney Spears.

*Merde*.

(off their looks)

What? She's the pride of Louisiana.

Vivian puts her packet away. VIVIAN That's it for the VIPs, the full schedule of courses is in the packet. Kayleigh, I understand we're missing some people?

They won't be people when I get done with 'em.

(ignoring that)

I'll help out front, then. Everyone else, you know your roles. Dad, unless you have something, I think—

Suddenly there's a BIG SNIFF that interrupts her.

It's coming from Henry, who is fighting back tears.

(CONT'D)VIVIAN Dad?

He composes himself and wipes his eyes.

When I came to this country, many years ago...

Vivian rubs her forehead. This is kind of embarrassing.

The others have similar reactions — they want to root for him, but he's a lot. Only Lou is genuinely on board.

(CONT'D)HENRY ...I had a dream. The dream was this restaurant. Now...I'm in danger of losing that dream.

Henry stops crying and completely changes his tune.

(CONT'D)HENRY But tonight is going to change that! Yes, if we get tonight wrong, it's all over. But we won't. _W_hen tonight goes right, we're not just going to save this restaurant for now. We're going to save it—

Henry puts his hand on Vivian's shoulder.

(CONT'D)HENRY —forever. Lou gets up and starts APPLAUDING. The rest of the crew quietly joins in with some claps.

The claps slowly die down as a sound emerges:

Henry is now full-on BAWLING.

Dad?

He doesn't stop. It's weird.

(CONT'D)VIVIAN It's gonna be OK.

Henry takes a HUGE SNORT of snot. It echoes through the room.

He then composes himself:

I know.

(smiling through it)

This is going to be the best night of our lives.

It's quiet. The low sun is casting long shadows. Clouds are building in the distance. The water is completely still.

Four TEN-YEAR-OLD BOYS make their way down a nearby gravel path, carrying big sticks they picked up on the way, swearing and talking shit on each other the way young boys do.

One SMACKS another one with a stick. The recipient yells OW! and hits the next one in line, who pays it forward.

The water, meanwhile, looks like glass. Until:

A TINY RIPPLE fans out from the edge.

Then nothing. For a long beat.

The boys just go about their business, being brats.

Finally we see another RIPPLE, bigger this time.

Slowly, something POKES OUT of the water. It's green, slimy — covered in what could be algae or seaweed.

The kids, 30 or so yards away, aren't even looking.

Back in the water, it keeps rising, until it's clear that: