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Reverie

by
Geoffrey Nel

Name (of company, if applicable)


Address
Phone Number
1 INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT 1

SOPHIE JONES (28) stands naked in front of a cracked


bathroom mirror. Sophie opens the cabinet, removes a jar
of prescribed medicine, fills her mouth with thirty
tablets, then drinks them down with a glass of water.

CUT TO:

2 EXT. CITY PARK - NIGHT 2

An aged, bleeding, homeless dog limps across a park towards


city traffic.

CUT TO:

3 CLOSE UP: 3

An ink pen trails across a map of Wisconsin, along the “Ice


Age Trail.”

(V.O.)

ARCHIE
Start in Taylors Falls... head
East, through forests and
marsh... hike south almost
entering Illinois, climbing along
the border of Lake Michigan...
going north all the way to
Sturgeon Bay. Pick up our
motorcycle, take the ferry across
to Michigan and we’re on our way
to the east coast.

(V.O.)

JESSICA
This is going to be beautiful,
honey. The greatest trip of our
lives.

(V.O.)

ARCHIE
I can’t wait. (Archie and Jessica
smooch.)

CUT TO:

4 INT. MARIE’S CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT 4

MARIE FONTAINE (24) speeds down a residential two-way


street, passing through stop signs.
2.

Her sobbing is uncontrollable, loud music blasts from the


car stereo: I keep looking for a place to fit in where I
can speak my mind/I’ve been trying hard to find the people
that I won’t leave behind.

CUT TO:

5 EXT. CITY PARK - NIGHT 5

The old dog limps into traffic. Cars swerve out of the
way, the dog rushes as fast as he can to get to the other
side.

CUT TO:

6 CLOSE UP: 6

SCOTT MCKIERNAN (35) applies makeup to his face, covering


up the many pock marks on his cheeks. He applies gel into
his bleach blond hair and styles it to a point.

CUT TO:

7 CLOSE UP: 7

Scenes from the movie TRON.

AUSTIN O’MOYLE is a five year old child watching fervently


the movie which has characters made of light battling
inside a computer world.

CUT TO:

8 INT. LIQUOR STORE - NIGHT 8

HENRY REEF (25) walks through a busy liquor store, grabs a


bottle of cognac and a six pack of beer and walks to the
front counter.

CUT TO:

9 INT. MARIE’S CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT 9

Marie smashes head on into the old, limping dog. She puts
on the brakes, the dog flies above and beyond the car,
leaving behind it a trail of blood and guts smeared across
the front hood and windshield.

CUT TO:
3.

10 INT. OFFICE - MORNING 10

Scott walks past MAX, a younger man wearing stylish


clothes.

To Max;

SCOTT
Hey Max, how’s it going this
morning?

MAX
Fabulous, how you doin’ Scott?

SCOTT
Can’t complain. Have a wonderful
day today.

MAX
Thanks, you too.

SCOTT
Always do.

CUT TO:

11 INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT 11

Sophie lays in the tub, a stream of cold water pelts her


naked body.

CUT TO:

12 INT. GLENWOOD VAN (MOVING) - DAY 12

KRIS ANDERSON (26) sits behind the wheel of a van hauling


mineral water.

(V.O.)

KRIS
My name is Kris Anderson. I
deliver mineral water through
Glenwood Water Services. My
route is pretty much the same
every day. I go to the flower
shop in the morning, those
offices off of twenty-fifth - all
in a row they got ‘em made up, so
I don’t back track my schedule.
Some grocery stores, a few
restaurants serve what we offer.
New stop on the route today,
though. I’ve filled orders to
bars before, this shouldn’t be
too different, or difficult...
4.

Kris drives up to a corner bar, parks, turns on the hazard


lights.

CUT TO:

13 INT. CORNER BAR - DAY 13

A long bar on one side leading to a stage at the other end,


window walls on the opposite wall illuminate Gini. GINI
(26) takes down the chairs from the tables. Kris enters
the bar.

KRIS
Afternoon... I’m looking for
Gini.

GINI
That’s me, Gini.

KRIS
I’m Kris, from Glenwood Mineral
Springs.

GINI
Ah the water guy. You ever get
confused with the Culligan man?

KRIS
Happens frequently, actually.

GINI
I bet it does. Where do you need
to go?

KRIS
Closest door to your-the kitchen.
If you can show me where the
previous water system was, i can
pretty much figure it out from
there.

GINI
Okay. Let me direct you to the
back of the kitchen. Come with
me.

(V.O.)

KRIS
I liked her from the start. She
had a sort of relaxing, playful
way about her that didn’t seem
too dangerous.
5.

14 INT. CORNER BAR - KITCHEN - DAY 14

GINI
Here we are. I don’t know what’s
wrong with the water system,
exactly... the maintenance guys
from the water works came around
last week and fixed something, I
wasn’t here.

KRIS
Okay. Well, they should have
fixed whatever piping problems
you guys had - previously, that
is. There’s the hole, that’s
where I install my bottles.

Gini laughs.

GINI
Install those jugs. Purified
water is what this place needs.
I’ll be in the front if you need
anything.

KRIS
Thank you.

Kris watches Gini walk into the front of the bar.

(V.O.)

KRIS
The place didn’t open until five
o’clock. I thought that was kind
of funny, being that it was a
bar. I always assumed they were
open all day. But, then, I
didn’t drink too much liquor.
Just water.
She would occasionally come in
and check up on me to see how I
was doing, offered me a beer once-
that was nice. Usually folks
just leave me alone with the work
all by myself. She even made me
a deli sandwich when I was
finished. Free of charge.

Kris installs water system. When finished, informs Gini of


the adjustments to the new system and such.

CUT TO:
6.

15 INT. GLENWOOD VAN (MOVING) - DAY 15

Kris drives around town.

CUT TO:

16 INT. CORNER BAR - DAY 16

(V.O.)

KRIS
Gini wasn’t there the next week.
The other boss was there, fella
by the name of Tony Vitulli. He
was just as relaxed as she was.
I found it kind of strange. You
two related? I asked. Nope.
Huh.
Anyway, while I refilled the
water system Tony hung around,
talked all about these musicians
I had never heard of before.
Apparently they were legends, or,
unsung heroes of the underground
movement - people whose music was
largely ignored at the time, was
now considered ahead of its time.

Kris answers No to every artist Tony cites.

TONY
Now you may have heard of some of
these guys: R. Stevie Moore?
Roky Erickson? Daniel Johnston?
Hasil Atkins? Gary Wilson?
Shuggie Otis? Moondog? The
Shaggs? Tiny Tim? Aw come on
you gotta know Tiny Tim!

(V.O.)

KRIS
He was a nice enough guy. Never
shut up. Offered me a beer, said
no. I was thinking of Gini.

CUT TO:

17 INT. GLENWOOD VAN (MOVING) - DAY 17

Kris drives around the city.

CUT TO:
7.

18 INT. CORNER BAR - DAY 18

(V.O.)

KRIS
The next week Gini was there. My
face gushed red when I caught
sight of her cherry red hair,
blue eyes and clear skin. I was
suddenly overcome with an intense
bought of emotions that made my
words stumble. My knees began to
shake and my heart was pounding
faster as I approached her.

GINI
Hi there. We just keep drinking
up your water, everyone loves it.

KRIS
That’s good-thanks.

GINI
Heh, it’s all set up in the back.

Kris bumps into CHRIS as he walks toward the kitchen.

CHRIS
Oh sorry, man, I wasn’t watching
where I was going.

KRIS
That’s okay.

Kris watches as Chris talks with Gini. Chris bears a


striking resemblance to Kris: identical in height, weight,
hair color - brown, same stature; everything about Chris
mimics the image of Kris.

(V.O.)

KRIS
That’s when I met Chris. The new
guy, apparently. He talked with
Gini the entire time I was there.
I could barely overhear what they
were talking about, but from what
I gathered it sounded like she
was training him in. I couldn’t
make this my last stop of the day
with this guy working here.
There just wasn’t something right
about him.

KRIS (CONT’D)
All finished, Gini.

Gini walks to the back of the kitchen.


8.

GINI
Great, thanks Christopher. Have
a good one.

Gini exits the kitchen.

KRIS
It’s Kris.

Kris exits, leaving his work gloves on the counter.

CUT TO:

19 INT. GLENWOOD VAN (STATIONARY) - DAY 19

Kris holds a tight grip on the steering wheel. A red vein


bulges out from the center of his forehead.

CUT TO:

20 INT. CORNER BAR - DAY 20

GINI
... And we usually stock more
than we need, so...

Kris bursts through the front door.

KRIS
I’m sorry I left so quickly I
forgot my gloves.

Kris brushes past Gini and Chris, into the kitchen.

GINI
Oh that’s...

Just as quickly as he came, Kris walks back with gloves in


hand.

SLOW MOTION:

Kris glares an evil eye at Chris as he passes.

CUT TO:

21 INT. GLENWOOD VAN (MOVING) - DAY 21

Kris speeds through busy city traffic. At a clustered


intersection Kris attempts a left turn only to veer
directly into oncoming traffic. Kris pushes the brakes and
stops inches from the front bumper of a black Jaguar. The
man in the Jaguar yells at Kris then spits onto his
windshield.
9.

Kris drives off down a quieter street. Kris’ cell phone


rings from inside his pants pocket.

KRIS
Hello?

(V.O.)

SCHEDULER
Kris, Jason with scheduling.

KRIS
Hi Jason.

(V.O.)

SCHEDULER
Hi, listen, I have a last minute
reroute for you, a new client.

KRIS
Okay where-

(V.O.)

SCHEDULER
I’m sending the data to your GPS
right now and it should upload
within the next twelve seconds.

The dashboard GPS displays the new route and numbers.

KRIS
Okay, yeah, I received it.

(V.O.)

SCHEDULER
Good. Um, this new place is...
kind of out of the city, so if
you run out of gas it will have
to be out of your expenses.

KRIS
Will I be reimbursed?

(V.O.)

SCHEDULER
Oh of course, yes. Don’t worry
about that, just save your
receipts.

KRIS
How far out of the city is it?

CUT TO:
10.

22 EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT 22

A thin fog enshrouds the road underneath a full moon.

(V.O.)

KRIS
I had been on the road for four
hours... I had gone off the major
highway an hour back... I hadn’t
seen another car since then...
the moon was becoming larger the
closer I drove to my destination,
and the fog... the fog was
thinning so I could see...

CUT TO:

BLACK

TITLE:

September

CUT TO:

23 EXT. HEXAGON BAR - NIGHT 23

Henry and Suzie bike up to a bar and lock theirs together


to a stop sign. Henry and Suzie walk past the group of
smokers into the bar.

24 INT. HEXAGON BAR - NIGHT 24

The bar is full and busy. Henry and Suzie order beers and
drink. Henry and Suzie’s words are inaudible over the
noise from the band in the opposite room.

CUT TO:

Henry and Suzie dance to the two-piece band. The audience


is small.

Henry orders two more beers, gives one to Suzie.

CUT TO:

Henry and Suzie have become progressively drunker, now


dancing to the music of Alice Conroy’s Gypsy Caravan. The
audience is bigger, rowdier. Henry and Suzie grind on each
other, they kiss.

CUT TO:
11.

25 EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT 25

Henry and Suzie drunkenly bike through residential streets


without crashing.

CUT TO:

26 INT. SUZIE’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT 26

Suzie and Henry stumble into the moon-lit bedroom. Suzie


and Henry fall onto the bed as they makeout.

Suzie tears off Henry’s clothes. Henry rips off Suzie’s


jeans. Suzie straddles Henry. Henry grabs Suzie’s
breasts. Henry and Suzie converge into one being of sweat,
grunts, and bodily fluids gyrating under the pale moon
light.

CUT TO:

27 INT. SUZIE’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - MORNING 27

A fully dressed Henry ties his sneaker’s shoelaces and


exits the room while Suzie sleeps.

CUT TO:

28 INT. NEIGHBORHOOD CAFE - MORNING 28

The diner is busy, three waitresses working the floor, the


clang of the kitchen & conversations from each table fill
the air. JOHN (24) and BRENDA (21) sit at a table near the
front window.

JOHN
I started reading Picture of
Dorian Gray again, and, it wasn’t
as good as I remembered it. Some
interesting parts in it,but what
irritated me was the comedy of
manners thing - just the whole
concept of it kind of tired me
out.

BRENDA
I thought that was, like, a
Gothic horror story.

JOHN
Yeah that was his style. I guess
you’re right in that respect,
that was his style - and he was
very stylish. I just got tired
of it. It. Wasn’t. That.
Good.
12.

Suzie walks up with two plates of breakfast food.

SUZIE
Two eggs, bacon, white toast...
and the omelet. Can I get you
guys anything else?

JOHN
Some more water when you get the
chance.

SUZIE
More water, sure. Enjoy.

Suzie walks into the kitchen.

ROSIE (37) and EDDIE (47) sit at a table near the front
window on the other side of the diner. Both are middle
aged, dressed in suits, noticeably gesticulating through
their conversation.

ROSIE
Hank and Tina are doing well, I
saw them last... March I think it
was. I was on a business trip to
Boise, Hank and Tina live in
Boise, so I had dinner with them
one night. It was nice.

EDDIE
Oh that’s great, how are they
doing?

ROSIE
They seem to be doing fine. Will
is at college, so they have an
empty next which they are
completely okay with, I mean, I
remember when Greg and Sandy left
and it was only Dan and I... oh
god it was so much quieter.

EDDIE
I bet.

ROSIE
I could come home, there wouldn’t
be any drums - Greg played the
drums for a band so he was always
banging on the drums - I’d open a
bottle of red wine, fill two
glasses and listen to the evening
sounds on the porch while Dan
rubbed my feet.

EDDIE
And how’s Sandy liking Oberlin?
13.

ROSIE
We haven’t heard from her in
weeks-

EDDIE
So she’s doing well, then.

ROSIE
Yeah that means she’s doing fine.
If she doesn’t call us we assume
she’s having a good time, if she
calls, it’s usually because she
has a problem, or needs money,
either of the two.

EDDIE
Oh but doesn’t she call you to
tell you she loves you?

ROSIE
Yeah, she does that, too. I’m
joking of course she does.

EDDIE
That’s great. (beat) Well I spoke
with Aunt Irma yesterday.

ROSIE
Oh my god you did? How is she
doing?

EDDIE
She’s... she’s hanging in there.
I visited her at the hospital and
she had all those tubes going in
and out of her nose and out her
veins, it was a shock to see her
like that. I just wasn’t used to
it.

ROSIE
I’ve been meaning to visit her.

EDDIE
Yeah I don’t think she gets many
visitors. Tony has stopped
talking to her, has for a while,
I think.

ROSIE
That incestual incident really
ruined that family. I am
serious.
14.

EDDIE
It’s a shame, really. I go to
see Irma because she’s family,
and I never deny my family no
matter how strange or socially
isolated they may become. I
don’t know where I would be
without my family. Tony has made
some bad decisions-

ROSIE
Eddie, Tony fucked... (quieter)
Tony molested his cousin, he made
every family function
uncomfortable as hell because he
would flirt with all his aunts-
leering at his cousins... Bad
decision making yes, completely
out of his fucking mind is a
better description of Tony.

EDDIE
You’re right. It’s too bad.
That family had so much
potential.

Eddie and Rosie drink their coffee, nibbling on their


breakfast.

The waitress walks to their table with a pitcher of water.

OLGA
More water?

EDDIE
Yes, please.

ROSIE
Thank you.

ARLO (35) and BETSY (30) sit at a table behind Rosie and
Eddie.

Arlo is on his cell phone.

ARLO
No she’s not picking up. I’ll
leave a message-oh hello? She
picked up the phone, hello Carol?
Hi, it’s Arlo. Just fine,
thanks. Say, I’m here with
Betsy, and we’re catching up and
having a bite to eat. We got
talking about Uncle Fred’s cabin
in Duluth, and our summers up
there, remember-as huh... yeah...
exactly, that’s what she said!
Right... uh huh... oh no, really?
(MORE)
15.
ARLO (CONT'D)
That’s too bad. Okay, yeah,
well, we were just trying to
recall the name of the bridge we
used to cross, the one going from
Duluth to Superior. Do you
remember the name of that bridge?
We can both picture it, but it’s
driving us nuts not being able to
name it.
Oh shoot, same... yeah, same
here, it’s on the tip of our
tongues we just can’t name it.
The Mackinac?

BETSY
No that’s Michigan.

ARLO
No Betsy’s telling me the
Mackinac Bridge is in Michigan.
That’s okay. Okay say hi to the
kids for us, take care, Carol.
Bye.

Arlo ends the call.

ARLO (CONT’D)
What is the name of that bridge?

BETSY
Hold on let me call my father.
He knows all this sort of trivia
stuff.

Betsy takes out her cell and dials a number.

BETSY (CONT’D)
Hello dad? Just fine. Hey, do
you know the name of the bridge
that goes across from Duluth to
Superior? I’m here with Arlo and
we’re trying to figure out the
name but it’s escaping us. Hold
on, he said... Blatnik? Hey says
it’s Blatnik.

ARLO
Blatnik. That’s it!

BETSY
The Blatnik Bridge. Okay, thanks
dad. Okay, talk to you later,
mbye. (ends the call) I’m glad he
knew that or it woulda been
driving me nuts all day.

ARLO
Yeah, sheesh.
16.

The waitress in the kitchen talks to the cook.

WAITRESS
It’s like Heath Ledger. He does
something significant and really
great, then goes and dies.

A balding man eats his breakfast as he sits at the counter


of the diner. The television in the corner ceiling
displays the morning news.

NEWS ANCHOR
... On the corner of Chicago and
Noble. The ambulance was
transporting local artist Jimmie
Bonner to North Memorial Hospital
after he had received a gunshot
wound to the face in his
apartment around nine-thirty last
night. The EMT team barely
grazed the cause of the crash - a
bike messenger - as they sped
through the intersection. The
vehicle flipped onto its side,
crashed into traffic and was
stopped by a lamp post.
Those involved in the crash are
in care at the hospital and are
in recovery...

CUT TO:

29 EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD CAFE - MORNING 29

Henry sits outside the cafe. A bleach-blonde haired woman


walks past Henry.

To the woman;

HENRY
Hello yellow woman where are you
going?

The woman does not respond, she just keeps walking. Henry
follows her.

HENRY (CONT’D)
Wait, I need to tell you
something. I need to tell you
what I have been longing to tell
you since I first met you.

BLONDE WOMAN
What is it?
17.

HENRY
I want you to know, that I will
be with you where ever you go,
and that the moments we spend
away from each other will be
heartache for both of us, but I
will be in pain the most. I want
to be with you on your journey,
tell me where you are going?

BLONDE WOMAN
Get away from me creep!

HENRY
I want to go the same way.

BLONDE WOMAN
You’re following me, you know.

HENRY
I never want to part from you
again. I was gone much too long
from you until this second, now I
realize how stupid I was. I am
sorry for ever leaving you. I am
sorry that I left you when you
needed my love. But I am back,
you have returned into my life
for a reason, and I yours, to be
together on this journey,
forever, into eternity. I want
to be with you, can’t you see
that?

BLONDE WOMAN
I think you’re out of your mind.

HENRY
You haven’t changed one bit.

BLONDE WOMAN
I don’t know you.

HENRY
Still the same crotchety priss I
remember. Why I even looked at
you with such lust and desire I
will never know. Why I gave my
heart to you when yours was
broken, and fed you, and cleaned
you, and tucked you into bed, and
caressed your skin until your
pores opened and sweat dripped
from every orifice of your body
as we made fucking love in every
room of our apartment... I will
never know why I did all that.
18.

BLONDE WOMAN
Do you want me to call the cops?

HENRY
So long. Maybe you can write me
a postcard some time. Remember
to double stamp it, though,
because there are international
fees for letters from hell!

Henry spits onto the ground.

The blonde woman leaves, walking down the street in a the


haze of car exhaust.

Across the street, a car door slams, a tall woman with


fiery red/orange hair steps out into traffic - the cars
stop and slam on their brakes. The woman waves to the
drivers, “thanks,” then jogs across the street, walking
past the young poet and into the cafe.

HENRY (CONT’D)
Who is that? What is that? She
is the one. The girl with hair
the color of autumn leaves, her
skin: clear and white as clouds
in between eyes of sky blue. She
sets fire to my imagination
giving me visions for tomorrow.
She is the phoenix. I am reborn
in her arms. Now she’s sitting
down, looking at the menu, turn
the page... she’s drinking her
coffee... good god, she radiates
as she orders her food... how can
a woman look so beautiful in the
most banal of situations? I must
speak and hear her voice.

Henry walks into the cafe. Henry walks right up to the red
haired woman and begins speaking with her. Henry sits down
in the booth with her.

CUT TO:

CLOSE UP:

Austin’s left hand has an onset of warts just below the


surface of the skin, ready to break out at any moment.

(V.O.)
19.

AUSTIN
What’s making this happen, doc?
I remember having warts on my
fingers when I was a kid, but
they were burnt off and never
came back.

(V.O.)

DOCTOR SAM
Hmm... yeah, those warts may
disappear on the surface, but
they remain dormant underneath
the skin, almost waiting for
another chance to breakout.

30 INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE - DAY 30

AUSTIN
So you’re saying I'm having a
breakout of warts. These aren’t
just going to disappear?

DOCTOR SAM
Well-no, you see they’re just
below the surface of the skin so
they haven’t declared themselves
yet. As for disappearing
completely, well, I don’t see why
they shouldn’t fade away as long
as you keep yourself clean.
You do stay clean, Austin?

AUSTIN
I take two showers a day, wash my
hands after every flush - even if
it’s only a tinkle. I was at the
hospital once before because of
cleanliness-well it wasn’t so
much a hospital as it was a free
clinic... and I was too dirty,
you see, and this Jamaican nurse
had to freeze the warts off my
penis.

Beat, then;

DOCTOR SAM
You had warts on your genitals?

AUSTIN
No. It wasn’t genital warts,
thank god. I was just very
dirty...
(MORE)
20.
AUSTIN (CONT'D)
I wore the same pair of underwear
for about three weeks once, my
apartment was dusty-there was
construction going on outside,
blew the dirt in.

DOCTOR SAM
So you weren’t keeping clean.

AUSTIN
I’m clean now.

DOCTOR SAM
And those warts never returned on
your genitals?

AUSTIN
Nope. Hey, do you think--?

DOCTOR SAM
The warts which appear underneath
the skin of your left hand could
be the same warts that once were
on your penis. These things tend
to travel.

AUSTIN
Shit.

DOCTOR SAM
Are you sexually active, Austin?

AUSTIN
Not really, I masturbate twelve
times a week.

DOCTOR SAM
That much huh... I highly doubt
you caught these warts from
someone else, these types of
things, once you’ve had them they
never really go away.

AUSTIN
So are you saying I’m my own
disease?

DOCTOR SAM
I wouldn’t put it that way,
Austin. Are you right-handed or
a lefty?

AUSTIN
Right-handed...

Dr. Sam writes out his report on a pad of paper.


21.

DOCTOR SAM
Okay. I’ll prescribe you some
ointment which should reduce the
inflammation of the warts on your
palm. If you feel the ointment
isn’t working we can use other
means to remove the warts.

AUSTIN
Like liquid nitrogen?

DOCTOR SAM
Yes that’s most common, here.

Dr. Sam hands Austin a prescription note. The handwriting


is illegible, scribbles scrawled across the paper.

CUT TO:

31 EXT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE - DAY 31

Austin takes out his cell phone as he walks to his car.

Austin stops in his tracks.

AUSTIN
What the fuck?

Austin scrolls through his address book. The names and


phone numbers to his contacts are empty.

AUSTIN (CONT’D)
Where are all my numbers?

CUT TO:

32 INT. AUSTIN’S CAR (MOVING) - DAY 32

Austin’s phone rings through his pants. Austin rushes to


get the phone call while driving.

Austin answers the call.

AUSTIN
Hello?

(V.O.)

MONA
Hi Theo.

AUSTIN
No you have the wrong number.

(V.O.)
22.

MONA
Oh sorry.

AUSTIN
That’s ok-

CLICK she hangs up.

CUT TO:

33 EXT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY 33

Austin walks across the street. Austin’s phone buzzes in


his pants pocket. Austin removes the phone, he has
received a text message: Sally has sent you a message.

(V.O.)

AUSTIN
Who the hell is Sally?

CUT TO:

34 INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY 34

Austin walks into the coffee shop, stands in line. A woman


with orange hair walks into the cafe and stands behind
Austin.

The coffee shop is quite busy, each table taken with


gabbing, caffeinated men and women. Austin turns to the
woman with orange hair, he smiles.

AUSTIN
Hi.

THE GIRL
Hello.

The line moves up closer to the counter. Austin turns face


to face with a blonde-haired woman wearing dark-rimmed
glasses.

LILY
Hi.

AUSTIN
Hello. I’m looking for Alex, I
have an interview with him at one
o’clock.

LILY
Alex should be in the back. Just
knock on the door.
23.

Lily points to the manager’s office in the back of the


coffee shop.

AUSTIN
That door there-

LILY
Uh huh.

AUSTIN
Okay, thanks.

LILY
Yup, good luck.

Austin walks to the back of the cafe. Austin knocks on the


door, the door opens swiftly and Alex bursts through to
almost knock Austin over.

ALEX (26) mimics Lily in appearance - he speaks in an


almost fey accent, accentuating his own girlish tendencies
to gush externally in any situation.

ALEX
Oh my god. That was a close one.
I almost knocked you right over.

AUSTIN
Luckily you stopped.

ALEX
Right, I stopped. Can I help you
with something? This is the door
to my office.

AUSTIN
You’re Alex.

ALEX
I am-you must be Austin.

AUSTIN
That’s me.

ALEX
Austin, I have to put some cash
into the register, you can sit
down in the office. I’ll be
right back.

AUSTIN
Okay.

Austin walks into the office, leaves the door open. Alex
turns to check out Austin as he walks away.

CUT TO:
24.

35 INT. COFFEE SHOP - OFFICE - DAY 35

Austin sits across from Alex. Alex holds Austin’s resume


in his hands.

ALEX
I thought you said you had
barista experience.

AUSTIN
Oh I didn’t put that on there?

ALEX
No, there’s just a bunch of
construction jobs, and a line
that says, “stripper.”

AUSTIN
Oh, yeah, that was when I
stripped wood, furniture,
banisters, door frames.

ALEX
Cause I was about to say,
stripper doesn’t really qualify
you for a barista position, strip
club, yes, coffee shop not so
much.

AUSTIN
I mean I could strip down to my
skivvies right now if it would
get me the job.

ALEX
Ha, ha that would... that’s
funny, but, no. I mean I
shouldn’t force you to-

AUSTIN
I must have forgotten to update
my resume because I do have
barista experience. I worked at
the Dunn Brothers on Larpenteur
for six months.

ALEX
Dunn Brothers on Larpenteur? I
didn’t think there was one, which
cross street is it on?

AUSTIN
Hamline... Larpenteur and
Hamline. It’s one of those drive-
thru places.

ALEX
Oh.
25.

AUSTIN
Yeah I worked there for six
months, but had to leave because,
well, I needed a place closer to
where I lived. I thought it
would be fine, it’s only a ten
mile bike there, but, last winter
I injured my leg riding over
Snelling-you know, when it turns
into a highway and they up the
speed from thirty to fifty miles
an hour-I was rushed off the road
by a reckless driver, spun around
on the ice, flipped over the
handlebars and landed underneath
the bike. Crushed my leg as I
slid down the Como avenue exit.

ALEX
Oh my god.

AUSTIN
Yeah, I was out commission for a
while, close to four months,
decided I’d like to work some
place closer.

ALEX
Did you try any other routes?

AUSTIN
I did, same situation. A long
haul I wasn’t able to commit to.
Plus they wouldn’t take me on
because the meds I was taking had
adverse effects on the way I
worked.

ALEX
Hmmm... that’s awful. You’re
better now, though, right?

AUSTIN
Been walking on my feet without
crutches for the past month now.

ALEX
Wow that’s great, I’m glad to see
that you’re much better. So you
live closer to my place than you
did to the one on Larpenteur?

AUSTIN
Much closer.
26.

ALEX
Cause, Pleasant avenue,
Minneapolis, sounds further away.
What is that, at least ten miles?

AUSTIN
Uh... Pleasant avenue? That’s
what it says on there? Which
resume did I give you? I don’t
live there anymore.

ALEX
Your name is Austin Solomon,
right?

AUSTIN
No. My name is Austin O’Moyle.

ALEX
Austin O’Moyle.

AUSTIN
That says Austin Sullivan?

ALEX
Solomon, Austin Solomon.

AUSTIN
Yeah that’s not me. I’m Austin
O’Moyle.

CUT TO:

36 EXT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY 36

Austin sips from a cup of coffee as he walks across the


street to his car. Austin removes his cell phone from his
pocket, checking the text message from Sally, To reply text
“P.”

Austin replies back with the letter “P.”

Message sent.

CUT TO:

37 INT. AUSTIN’S CAR (STATIONARY) - DAY 37

Austin searches through his backpack, unearths a pocket


calender, flips to the back of the book to the
address/phone number section. All of the entries have been
torn from the book.

AUSTIN
What the fuck?
27.

Lily the barista walks out of the coffee shop, stands in


front and lights up a cigarette.

Austin copies the number from where the text message was
sent onto a piece of paper.

CUT TO:

38 INT. DUNN BROTHERS COFFEE SHOP - DAY 38

Austin sips on a coffee, connects to the internet from his


laptop.

Austin searches the number, the number is nonexistent.

Austin’s phone buzzes on the table, he’s received a text


message: RE: Here’s that number, Amanda, 651-646-8921, call
me soon.

(V.O.)

AUSTIN
Who the hell is Amanda?

CUT TO:

39 EXT. DUNN BROTHERS COFFEE SHOP - DAY 39

Austin dials a number on his phone.

AUSTIN
Call the only number I do know.

Austin waits for an answer on the other line.

CUT TO:

40 INT. BILBO’S PAD - DAY 40

BILBO (28) eats chicken from a Chinese take-out carton.


The phone rings, he picks up the receiver. Bilbo speaks in
an British accent.

BILBO
‘ello?

AUSTIN
Bilbo, it’s Austin.

BILBO
Hold on mate I’ll call you right
back.
28.

Bilbo hangs up the phone. An Asian woman strips


erotically, gyrating to sexy music in front of Bilbo.

CUT TO:

41 EXT. DUNN BROTHERS COFFEE SHOP - DAY 41

Austin returns the phone into his coat pocket. A second


later, the phone buzzes, Austin takes out the phone.

Text message received: You have a new message from Sally.

Austin opens the text message: To reply, press “P.”

AUSTIN
What’s the message?

Austin puts the phone back in his coat pocket.

Austin turns around towards the coffee shop. A tall woman


with red/orange hair turns the corner, entering the coffee
shop before Austin. Austin enters the coffee shop.

CUT TO:

42 INT. DUNN BROTHERS COFFEE SHOP - DAY 42

The redheaded woman orders a drink at the counter. Austin


glances at her as he walks to his table.

In Austin’s e-mail inbox he has received one new message.


Austin opens the message: Barnes and Noble 50% OFF Sale.
Austin reads the message, deletes the message.

The redheaded woman walks out of the coffee shop.

Austin types text message into his cell phone: “P.”

... Message sent.

CUT TO:

43 CLOSE UP: 43

Austin splashes an ointment onto his left hand palm over


the forthcoming warts, he rubs his palms together; the
liquid dissolves into his skin.

CUT TO:
29.

44 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - BATHROOM - DUSK 44

Austin hides a rolled up newspaper behind his back, opens


the bathroom door, turns on the light - two cockroaches sit
on the sink. Austin smashes the roaches, scrapes the dead
junk off into tissue paper, throws the tissue into the
garbage.

CUT TO:

45 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DUSK 45

Austin lies in bed above the sheets. The cell phone buzzes
against the window sill. Austin has received a text
message: You have a new message from Sally.

CUT TO:

46 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - KITCHEN - DUSK 46

Austin sits at the table and reads the classified section


of the newspaper.

(V.O.)

BILBO
I knew a girl named Penelope
Breedlove once. She was a fox.
Clear skin like, well, clearly
white, but it was like she was
lit from inside, you know-she was
glowing all the time. Dark black
hair, great tits, a big cunt,
though. We dated for about
seventeen months before callin’
it quits. I realized that
Penelope looked just like my mum,
rest in peace. I told her about
it, she called me a freak, ended
the relationship right there.
Got a last screw in, though, that
made me proud. I fucked her for
two hours knowing I was going to
tell her I envisioned my mother
in her place.

AUSTIN
You’re a sick bastard, Bilbo.

BILBO
Don’t judge me for who I am you
insignificant prick.
30.

AUSTIN
What time is it there? Did I
wake you from a nap, because I
can call back at a more
convenient time if-

BILBO
No, no, fuck you I’m joking,
mate. This guy, got to take
everything so seriously. Why so
serious? Why so serious, son?
No seriously, what’s the problem?

AUSTIN
Strange things are occurring.

BILBO
Strange like how? Twilight Zone
or David Lynch?

AUSTIN
I feel like my life is just like
The Truman Show.

BILBO
Oh come off it your life ain’t
that special.

AUSTIN
No, I don’t think it is, either.
Yet I’m receiving these messages
from strange women, numbers, I
lost all of my addresses, phone
numbers. Someone tore out all my
contacts from my address book.

BILBO
Strange shit. You say you lost
all your contacts? You don’t
save ‘em on your computer?
Blackberry? Iphone?

AUSTIN
I am about as technologically
retarded as anyone can be. I
still use a pen and paper. Since
I lost all my numbers I can’t
recognize who it is that’s
calling me, or leaving me
messages on my phone. So, for
all I know, whoever is sending me
these messages could be someone I
know, but I wouldn’t know,
because I don’t recognize the
number.
31.

BILBO
Right, heard of that. Strange
women leaving messages? Have you
called any of ‘em?

AUSTIN
No. Do you think I should?

BILBO
You said yourself, for all you
know this could be a girl that
you’re familiar with. Maybe she
wants your penis, son.

AUSTIN
I do remember meeting a girl at
the bar last week-the other
night, maybe it’s her, she gave
me her number, but I know I
forgot it.

BILBO
But you got my number, right?

AUSTIN
You’re my brother.

CUT TO:

BLACK

47 TITLE: 47

October

CUT TO:

48 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - BEDROOM - MORNING 48

The darkness is interrupted when the flashing fluorescent


bulbs turn on. The room is static with bland colors, a
series of cabinets line the wall. Two curtains shade the
window on the west wall.

Two female nurses enter the room with a heart rate machine
on wheels.

NURSE BETTY
Good morning.

CARLTON (29), groggy, replying half-awake.

CARLTON
Morning... what’s that for?
32.

NURSE EDITH
We need your blood.

NURSE BETTY
Bet you never got woken up like
this before.

CARLTON
Not like this, no.

The nurse pricks Carlton’s veins with a needle, and takes


three vials of blood.

NURSE BETTY
Doing okay?

CARLTON
Oh yeah just fine.

NURSE EDITH
Almost finished.

CARLTON
Great.

Nurse Edith removes the needle from Carlton’s arm, patches


it up with a cotton ball and tape.

NURSE EDITH
There, all finished. Thank you.

CARLTON
Sure, any time.

NURSE BETTY
And there’s breakfast in the
lounge when you’re ready,
Carlton. Do you prefer Carlton?

CARLTON
You can call me Carl, if you
like.

NURSE BETTY
Okay, thanks Carl.

The nurses exit the room.

CUT TO:

49 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - GROUP ROOM - AFTERNOON 49

Carlton sits in front of a room of patients in blue smocks.

CARLTON
Hi, my name is Carlton, and my
day has been pretty okay.
(MORE)
33.
CARLTON (CONT'D)
My girlfriend visited me, and we
talked a lot about our future,
and how prepared we were to stay
steady through all this. It was
a very strong, loving, helpful
talk.

MARGIE (33) is thin as a rail, her clothes hang from her


body; her hair is black and blond, greasy; her brown eyes
bulge out from behind her round glasses.

MARGIE
That’s great, Carlton.

CARLTON
Yeah. Um, I was feeling a tad
bit anxious in the morning, only
because I think I just got rid of
my hangover. For the first day
or two I was still slightly
drunk, dazed rather. I’m not
looking forward to the shakes.

MARGIE
And so this is why you were
admitted to the hospital, because
of your drinking problem?

CARLTON
It was the drinking, and the
noose hanging from my bedroom
ceiling. When I became-when I
felt unsafe in my own home I
decided it was time to seek out
some help.

MARGIE
Good, good. It’s great that you
understood that you had a
problem, and you took the
necessary steps for help. That
takes a whole lotta courage to
say to yourself - hey, I’ve got a
serious drinking problem - that
could cost me my life - I need
help.
I’m glad you’re here, Carlton.
You made the right decision.

CARLTON
Thank you.

MARGIE
And, so, while you’re here, what
do you think are the next stages
of your recovery?
(MORE)
34.
MARGIE (CONT'D)
What are you going to work on to
better yourself here, what can we
do to help you?

CARLTON
I’ve never given AA a proper
chance, and that’s the first
thing I’m going to sign up for
when I get back out there. Go to
the meetings, learn the twelve
steps and get on board.

BRYAN
All AA ever did to me was make me
want to drink more.

MARGIE
Bryan-please.

CARLTON
As for now, I think I need time
to reevaluate myself. I need to
take a look at who I am and
really question him.
Um, I know this is therapeutic,
we’re not all cuckoo in here. I
mean, I may be a drunk, but...

The room is silent.

MARGIE
Thank you for sharing with us,
Carlton. I hope you find what
you’re looking for here, and that
we can help in your safe
recovery.

CARLTON
I appreciate that.

Margie looks over to the man sitting next to Carlton,


TIMOTHY (23). Timothy, rubbing his hands on the tops of
his thighs, speaks in a low, monotone voice. Timothy’s
eyes are half open, as if half asleep.

TIMOTHY
Uh I ain’t feeling too good
today. Little, little tired.

MARGIE
Would you first like to tell us
your name? I know who your are
but some of the rest of us might
not.

TIMOTHY
Timothy, but...
35.

MARGIE
And how are things going,
Timothy? Didn’t get enough sleep
last night?

TIMOTHY
Eh... yeah, yeah. Little, little
tired.

MARGIE
Timothy, do you want to talk
about why you’re here?

TIMOTHY
No.

MARGIE
Aside from maybe getting more
sleep - going to bed earlier -
what do you think will make your
situation better?

TIMOTHY
If I move back in with my sister.

MARGIE
If you move back in with your
sister?

TIMOTHY
Yeah.

MARGIE
Where does your sister live?

TIMOTHY
Elk Lake.

MARGIE
Elk Lake, I’ve hear it’s nice up
there.

TIMOTHY
Yeah.

DISSOLVE TO:

50 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - BEDROOM - DAY 50

Carlton sits on his bed and writes into a journal.

(V.O.)

CARLTON
Living - is it futile to keep
questioning this “drama”?
(MORE)
36.
CARLTON (CONT'D)
Is it all too much of a romantic
vision? I need to feel
significant, to not always dwell
on the depressing aspects of life
and of my existence. To make
sense out of what is going on -
and to be at least in control of
my actions... I remember that I
liked who I was then. Why even
write this down? For future
readers? For myself? For
Veronica?

Carlton reaches underneath his smocks and scratches the


skin at the edge of a large bandage wrapped around his left
hand’s wrist.

DISSOLVE TO:

51 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - LOUNGE - NIGHT 51

Patients eat their dinner, talk, some are on the phone


talking to their loved ones or their lawyers; others watch
the six o’clock news.

DAVID
I’m never getting out of here.
My lawyer is the most incompetent
ass on the planet! I can’t
believe I’m paying this guy to
help me.

ZEE
Fight the power!

CAROL
David, please keep your voice
down.

Carlton sits alone in the corner, slowly eating his


meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

DISSOLVE TO:

52 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - GROUP ROOM - DAY 52

ALICE (32), black hair, short, pale skin, speaks in a quiet


voice.

ALICE
How is everyone feeling today?
Are you ready to start a new
project?

The patients slowly file in to the group room, sitting at


the tables.
37.

Alice unlocks and opens the adjoining cabinets to reveal an


arsenal of art supplies. Sunlight bursts in through the
large window walls.

CARLTON
Wow what’s this?

ALICE
This is occupational therapy. We
usually start a project. Some
people paint, draw pictures,
sculpt with clay, you can create
a collage. We have model trains
and cars you can construct. It’s
really all up to you.

CARLTON
That’s it, just arts and crafts?

ALICE
Yup. But you have to finish the
project. We require that if you
start something you must finish
it.

CARLTON
Makes sense. Let’s see what I
want to make today...

CUT TO:

Carlton is constructing a wood model train.

ALICE
So you decided to build a train.

CARLTON
Yes, but we don’t call it a train
- the correct term is “choo-
choo.”

ALICE
Looks good.

CARLTON
Thanks.

CUT TO:

53 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - COUNSELOR’S ROOM - DAY 53

One wall is a two-way mirror reflecting the scene. Carlton


sits at a table with his counselor, Margie. Margie has
Carlton’s file in front of her.
38.

MARGIE
Now, we have an inpatient program
for mental illness and chemical
dependency - which I strongly
suggest you take into
consideration as your next step.

CARLTON
Inpatient, is that... ?

MARGIE
Inpatient you stay inside the
hospital for a minimum of thirty
days at a facility not unlike
this one, unfortunately, I don’t
think we have dual MI/CD
treatment centers at this
hospital. I could have you talk
with someone from alcohol
dependency and they could give
you more information about the
program.

CARLTON
I would like that.

MARGIE
Okay, great, I’ll call someone
today and setup an appointment.
They should be able to see you by
tomorrow. Otherwise, Carlton,
how do you think you’re doing?
How have you been doing? You got
here, what, on Tuesday?

CARLTON
Yep, got here Tuesday afternoon,
been three days. I’ve actually
had two really vivid dreams,
which have helped me to
understand what it is that’s
going on inside my head.

MARGIE
Really? Your dreams have been
helping you figure some things
out?

CARLTON
Very much so. The first dream I
had I was at a bar, and I ordered
a beer, the bartender asked which
kind I would like - there were
seven hundred variants of the
same brew, I picked one, then he
said it was seven bucks. I
thought that was too much money
and left without the beer.
39.

MARGIE
That’s very good, sounds like
your subconscious is trying to
tell you something.
Let me ask you a question, Carl,
have you ever thought of
volunteering?

CARLTON
Volunteering? Um, no, never.
Where did that come from?

MARGIE
I only say that because in group
you mentioned that you were
selfish-I’m sorry, you admitted
that your empathy towards those
less fortunate has been, or is,
lacking. I know Diane mentioned
volunteering for her church, and
that helps her in spreading...
some kind of joy and hope to
those who need it. I mention
this before it got too late, I
don’t know when you’re leaving,
so...

CARLTON
The thought crossed my mind,
definitely. I know that I am a
selfish person, I am coming to
terms with that, maybe
volunteering at a shelter, or a
hospital? I don’t agree with the
church. I could not only make my
life feel worthwhile, but
influence someone else just the
same.

MARGIE
Yeah, that’s great, Carl. It
feels good giving back to the
needy, the disabled, or those
less fortunate.

CARLTON
Right.

CUT TO:

54 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - LOUNGE - NIGHT 54

A female patient is being rolled into the ward. Two EMT


drivers bring her down the corridor on a mechanized
stretcher. The nurses scatter to find the paperwork to
check her in. The sound of the six o’clock news blares on
the television.
40.

The stretcher is lowered to the ground. Sophie is


unchained, she stands up, her body frail and wiry, her hair
frazzled, dark circles of grey entomb her eyes into their
sockets.

CUT TO:

55 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - BEDROOM - NIGHT 55

Sophie is led into her room by an attending doctor. The


lights are off.

DR. FOWL
Here you are Sophie. The
bathroom is locked, so if you
need to use the facilities - even
the shower or bath - just let one
of us know and we’ll be there.
Are you hungry?

SOPHIE
No.

DR. FOWL
Okay, well, there is a dinner
waiting for you in the lounge if
your appetite gets stronger.

The doctor leaves the room. Sophie walks to the edge of


the bed and sits down.

Sophie stares at the ground.

CUT TO:

56 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - LOUNGE - NIGHT 56

All of the patients are eating their dinners.

CARLTON
I think I’ve figured out the
people’s reactions from when they
first get here. The first day
they almost never speak, not
isolating themselves, but more or
less becoming used to the fact
that they’re actually here. The
second day, they loosen up
slightly, but not as much as the
third day. The third day they
seem to come around, open up a
bit more and talk to the group.

HENRIETTA (62) is dressed in her smocks, she is chubby, her


bleach blond hair is greasy.
41.

HENRIETTA
That’s an interesting
observation, Carl. Maybe by the
third day they get used to the
fact that the food they order
isn’t necessarily what they’re
going to get.

CARLTON
Oh did they get your order wrong
again?

HENRIETTA
Yeah. I ordered the chicken
salad, and I get meatloaf and
mashed potatoes. Tell me how you
can confuse salad with meatloaf?
I swear, or maybe I did order
meatloaf.

BYRON (24) speaks in a faux-Southern accent.

BYRON
No, they’re pretty bad about
getting your food orders right
down in the kitchen. I order the
same thing for every meal every
day, and if they get something
wrong I know it’s not my fault.
I order the same meal, every
time. I know what I ordered,
this ain’t it, you report it to
the doctors, they won’t do
anything about it.

CARLTON
Now that I look at it, I don’t
remember ordering the banana
bread. That’s what I’ve got
here, banana bread. I’ll eat it,
but, I didn’t order this.

HENRIETTA
See! They’re really pretty inept
down there, they should really do
something about it. Anyone want
to trade with me?

BYRON
No, I’m all set. I got the oven
roasted pork, it’s delicious.
Best thing on the menu if you ask
me.

CARLTON
What’s so good about it?
42.

BYRON
It’s real tender. Don’t even
need to use the knife, I can cut
it with my fork.

HENRIETTA
I guess I’ve gotta eat it.

ZEE is a small woman, she speaks in a Turkish accent.

ZEE
I order two of everything on the
menu. I can’t finish it all, you
can take from me.

CUT TO:

57 EXT. ICE AGE TRAIL - DAY 57

ARCHIE BOOSEY and JESSICA PAYNE step out of their station


wagon and walk up the hill of a forest trail. Archie and
Jessica are dressed in hiking gear, both with large packs
on their backs.

JESSICA
This looks beautiful, honey.
This is going to be great.

ARCHIE
Getting outside finally. The end
to a wonderful summer. Two
months on the trail.

JESSICA
Do you think Fiona will be angry
that we’re not starting at the
beginning?

ARCHIE
She doesn’t need to know that. I
don’t think she would be angry,
anyhow. We’ll say we couldn’t
get out of work that early.
Which is true, to an extent.

JESSICA
We’re making our way up to a hike
of that length. We can’t jump
into it willy-nilly, after god
knows how many years inside we’re
expected to start hiking across
the state?

ARCHIE
We trained-
43.

JESSICA
I know, I know, I’m only kidding.
I’m trying to justify our
situation.

ARCHIE
Fiona said cheeseburgers were
unhealthy.

JESSICA
She’s a vegan.

ARCHIE
I hope she doesn’t turn us into
vegans.

Archie and Jessica walks past the trail’s opening sign.

JESSICA
Oh, look, it’s a five mile hike.

ARCHIE
Ha, should be a piece of cake.

CUT TO:

58 INT. SCOTT’S CAR (STATIONARY) - AFTERNOON 58

Scott sits in his car. Scott sips on a soda pop through a


straw.

CUT TO:

Two young men walk out of an office building together.


They carry their lunch pails with them. The men laugh at
each other’s jokes.

CUT TO:

Scott sips on the straw. Scott puts the car into drive and
exits the parking lot. The two men get into their
respected cars and drive off behind Scott.

CUT TO:

59 INT. LIQUOR STORE - AFTERNOON 59

Scott walks down a wine aisle. A woman with blond hair


enters the aisle on the opposite end. Scott moves to
another aisle, perusing the hard liquor selection.

The blond woman picks a bottle of wine and moves to the


front register and pays, exiting the store.
44.

Scott returns to the wine aisle. A businessman peers at


the wine selection. Scott moves towards the man at the
other end of the aisle.

SCOTT
Excuse me.

Scott brushes past the backside of the man as he moves down


the aisle.

BUSINESS MAN
Oh I’m sorry.

Scott reaches for a bottle of red wine close to where the


man stands.

CUT TO:

Scott pays the front clerk with two ten dollar bills.

CLERK
Out of twenty. Six is your
change. You want a bag for this?

SCOTT
Yes please. Thanks.

The clerk bags the bottle of wine into a paper bag.

CLERK
Have a good one.

SCOTT
Thanks, you too.

CUT TO:

60 INT. SCOTT’S CAR (MOVING) - EVENING 60

Scott sings along to the music on the stereo.

CUT TO:

61 INT. SCOTT’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - EVENING 61

Scott enters his apartment to the sounds of a pug dog


barking, snarling, hopping for joy that his owner is home.

SCOTT
Hey Willy. Are you glad I’m
home? How is my puppy!

Scott walks through the living room with a bag of groceries


in his arms and into the kitchen.
45.

Scott opens the fridge and removes the contents of the


grocery bag into the fridge.

CUT TO:

62 INT. SCOTT’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 62

Scott watches a baseball game on television as he eats


sushi and drinks a glass of wine.

FADE TO BLACK.

63 EXT. ICE AGE TRAIL - DAY 63

Archie and Jessica walk through the forest, underneath


trees and over small streams.

ARCHIE
It’s great to get away from the
city.

JESSICA
I can’t remember the last time I
was outside like this, in the
woods, I mean. You forget how
beautiful nature is when you’re
stuck inside the city all the
time.

ARCHIE
Exactly. We’ve been so busy and
forgot about the simpler things
in life. The smell of the
forest. The clean air we’re
breathing. The birds’ song, the
color of the earth. The
mosquitos... the ow-honey did you
bring any of that mosquito spray
with you?

JESSICA
Huh? Yeah, are you getting
bitten?

ARCHIE
Yeah, well, I think if we keep
walking they won’t have a chance
to bite, but, just to be on the
safe side...

Jessica stops in front of Archie. Archie unzips her pack.

ARCHIE (CONT’D)
Condoms?
46.

JESSICA
Oh how did those get in there?

ARCHIE
We can put up the tent together
then.

Jessica chuckles.

ARCHIE (CONT’D)
Here we are.

Archie sprays a cloud of mosquito spray around his body.


Archie sprays some on Jessica.

JESSICA
Ick that stinks.

ARCHIE
Close your mouth so you don’t
swallow it.

JESSICA
How many more miles do you think
we have until our first stop?
I’m getting kind of tired.

Archie returns the spray can into Jessica’s pack.

ARCHIE
Tired, already? We’ve been on
the trail for about... (looking
at his wristwatch) twenty
minutes... got quite a ways to go
still.

JESSICA
Darn.

ARCHIE
Let’s not think about time right
now, can’t we enjoy this?
Remember our plan, dear. The
first part of this journey is
going to be difficult, and not
without pain, but the harder we
try, and the more effort we put
into this thing, the more we are
going to get out of it.

JESSICA
You’re right. This is beginning
of our new life. We should keep
on going. Why, we’ve only been
on the trail for twenty minutes!
That’s nothing! We should be so
tired, ha!
47.

ARCHIE
That’s the spirit! Onward!

CUT TO:

64 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - GROUP ROOM - DAY 64

BETH (21) is morbidly obese at 6’2” in height, her voice is


soft and delicate.

BETH
I feel stuck. I feel like
they’re never going to let me out
of here, because of that stuff I
did yesterday. I feel like
they’re treating me like a little
kid. I don’t feel respected. I
never get the positive feedback I
need when I do something that’s
um positive. I really don’t like
it here. I hate it here.

MARGIE
The group was worried about you.
I know we talked about this,
Beth, but I hope it’s okay if I
tell the group what happened
yesterday.

BETH
No that’s okay I can say it. I
got frustrated, I went out into
the lounge and started bitching
at the nurses. I said some nasty
things. I wanted the headphones,
but they wouldn’t give them to
me. So I covered myself up in a
blanket and screamed. I calmed
down, then I ate some food and
fell asleep.

MARGIE
You’ve been here a while haven’t
you.

BETH
Almost a month now. I know they
won’t let me leave. I’m afraid
Poutin is going to commit me.
They want to commit me. I can’t
stand this place anymore. I’m
not getting any better because
I’m stuck in here. I don’t
really know what to do next.
48.

MARGIE
That’s a tough feeling, that
feeling of being stuck in a rut.
Stuck in one place you can’t get
out of. I’m sure a lot of us
here have had that feeling in our
lives before.
What would you do, or where would
you go if-and when-you get out?

BETH
Um, I would like to stay at
Bluefin Bay, on the north shore.
I stayed there with my family
once, and then another time with
some friends. That’s my favorite
place to visit.

DIANE
I’ve been to Bluefin before, it’s
really nice up there.

BETH
Yeah I love it up there. My
favorite place is Minnesota. I
love Minnesota. I would never
move away from here.

MARGIE
Would you ever think about going
back to college? I know you had
some thoughts about finishing
your degree...

BETH
I don’t know. I think it’s too
late.

MARGIE
It’s never too late to finish
your degree, Beth. I know people-
why isn’t one of the attendants,
Liz, she’s in her sixties and
just finished her degree in
psychology. It’s never too late
to start something.

BETH
Yeah, maybe.

MARGIE
Well, I hope you find more of
yourself here. I hope you can
get yourself out of that stuck
place you were speaking of. It’s
not fun being in a place like
that.
(MORE)
49.
MARGIE (CONT'D)
I want to tell you I understand
where you are coming from.

AMBER
You just gotta find out what it
is that you like to do, and do
that to the best of your
abilities. Until it pleases you,
and-it gives you money, also.

MARGIE
Ha, ha! Money is an essential
thing, Amber. We all need that
to survive. But it’s a good
point, find out the thing it is
that you love doing, and do that.
Do what you love.

CARLTON
Do the things which give you the
passion to live, not that which
makes you feel dead.

MARGIE
Exactly. The positive things.

BETH
I really appreciate that. I’ve
always wanted to be a
veterinarian. I love animals. I
miss my kittens Baxter and Lucy.

MARGIE
That sounds wonderful. You
shouldn’t let anything stop you
from doing that, Beth. Taking
care of animals. That’s just
fabulous.

BETH
Thanks. I feel a little better
now.

MARGIE
Carl, how are you feeling today?

CARLTON
I’m really glad to be getting out
of here later today.

CUT TO:

65 INT. ART STUDIO - NIGHT 65

Marie walks into an art studio. Marie is young, dressed


elegantly in black and red, beautiful in structure and in
pose, her style is dark and brooding.
50.

Marie sips from the glass of white wine she holds in her
hand. Other visitors walk through the gallery, perusing at
the art, commenting to the artist - KEN GREEN (55) - who
sits behind a desk in the middle of the room, he drinks a
beer softly and answers questions.

To Marie;

KEN
Do you see something you like?

MARIE
I really like... you know I like
them all. The colors are really
bursting through so that I expect
to see them animated and scored
with jazz and samba.

KEN
I try to capture what I hear when
I listen to music and relate that
to color, shape, form, motion,
expression, landscapes.

MARIE
Well you do it really well.
That’s for fucking sure.

KEN
Thank you. Do you paint?

MARIE
Paint? Do I look like an artist?
I try hard to look like I spend
all my time cooped up in my
studio. I don’t know what you
call it, I call it painting, some
people say it’s splatter art,
finger painting, nothing as
beautiful as this.

KEN
I accept the compliment, but, I’m
sure your art isn’t that bad -
you shouldn’t be so hard on
yourself. If it’s your painting,
you should believe in it. Not
one other person’s opinion should
hold sway on your art.

MARIE
It’s difficult sometimes to
continue going with what your
passion is, when no one wants to
view your art, then when they do
they call it ‘shit.’
51.

KEN
Everyone’s a critic. It’s a
necessity in this business. Hate
to say it but it’s true,
criticism is everywhere. Girl as
smart as you should know that.

MARIE
What makes you so certain I’m
that smart?

KEN
You like my paintings, so you
can’t be all that dumb. In fact,
I think you’re more than
intelligent, you got smarts. Can
you name who that is?

Ken points to one of his paintings.

MARIE
Who that? That’s easy, it’s King
Curtis.

KEN
Most people who look at that
automatically point out that
Charlie Parker looked nothing
like that, and I say, Of course
he didn’t, but King Curtis did.
And they say, who’s King Curtis?

MARIE
They obviously have no taste in
good music.

KEN
Ain’t that the truth.

MARIE
Ain’t it?

Ken drinks from his beer. Marie drinks from her wine. The
two lock eyes over their glasses.

CUT TO:

66 INT. OFFICE - AFTERNOON 66

Scott sits at his desk in his cubicle. MAX (20s) walks up


to Scott.

MAX
Morning Scottie.

SCOTT
Hey Max, how was your weekend?
52.

MAX
Um, it was good. I got to spend
some time outside.

SCOTT
Oh, it was beautiful outside
wasn’t it.

MAX
Yeah the weather was perfect. I
went to the beach, rode my bike,
enjoyed my time outside of
prison.

SCOTT
Ha, that’s funny.

Scott’s eyes wander back and forth from one side of the
office to the next, almost on the lookout for someone; his
eyesight gazes upon Max’s body frequently - Max doesn’t
seem to notice this.

MAX
I went out drinking with a buddy
of mine. We told ourselves just
a couple of beers, sooner or
later two turns into six, and six
turns into three pitchers... we
drove each other home before I
jerked the car into reverse. I
nearly broke his bumper but
stopped when I saw this squirrel
scattering across the road. I
don’t know, I was pretty hammered
last night. Had to console him
over his girlfriend, she cheated
on him. How was your weekend?

SCOTT
It was good... that sounds like a
crazy night, I hope you are okay.

MAX
Oh yeah I’m fine.

SCOTT
Do you feel okay to work?

MAX
I’m not hungover or anything. I
puked all over his car then fell
asleep. I had a big breakfast
his mom made us, so, I’m just
peachy.
53.

SCOTT
Great.

CUT TO:

67 EXT. COUNTRY HOUSE - NIGHT 67

Kris has parked the van, he walks towards the house. A


tall shadow looms over Kris, the full moon glows behind a
shroud of mist and fog.

(V.O.)

KRIS
I did not know where I was, or
where I was going. I had lost
all sense of time. There was an
instinctive feeling in every step
I took towards the house that
where I was headed was some place
familiar and foreign.

Kris enters the house through the front door.

68 INT. COUNTRY HOUSE - NIGHT 68

The interior of the house is smaller than its exterior


imposed. Family pictures are on the mantelpiece. A fire
is raging behind an iron gate. A cup of coffee exhales
curls of steam.

KRIS
Hello?

Kris examines the photographs: portraits, weddings, births,


elementary school, birthday parties; pictures of Kris and
his family.

A voice calls from another room.

LISA
Hello?

LISA (43) walks out from behind the kitchen door, into the
living room she carries cleaning products.

LISA (CONT’D)
Oh, hi I didn’t know you were
going to be home.

KRIS
I-I can leave if I’m going to be
in your way...
54.

LISA
No, don’t worry about it. You’re
fine here.

KRIS
Okay.

LISA
Honey-

From the other room her daughter, JANICE, calls.

JANICE
I’m coming.

Janice (carrying the vacuum cleaner) is sixteen, skinny,


but geographically well-rounded in all of the right places.
She wears tight clothes.

LISA
You want to start upstairs in the
bathroom and I’ll clean the
kitchen.

JANICE
Uh huh.

Lisa and Janice switch cleaning items with each other.

KRIS
I’ll just finish my coffee.

Kris picks up the cup of coffee and drinks.

DISSOLVE TO:

69 INT. COUNTRY HOUSE - BATHROOM - NIGHT 69

Janice stands on top of the sink counter, she cleans the


large glass mirror.

Kris enters the room.

KRIS
Oh I’m sorry--

JANICE
No that’s okay, you can come in.

KRIS
Um... I need to use the toilet.
I can wait-

JANICE
As long as it’s not number two,
it’s fine. I’ve seen boy parts.
Go.
55.

Down the stairs, the sound of the vacuum cleaner buzzes.


Kris enters the bathroom.

Kris goes pee.

Janice kneels down onto the counter, she spins around so


her legs dangle above the floor.

Kris is still peeing.

To Janice;

KRIS
Lot of coffee.

JANICE
I see.

Kris finishes then zips up, closes the lid and flushes the
toilet.

Kris turns around to stand face to face with Janice.


Janice’s eyes move themselves up and down Kris’ body.
Janice bites her lower lip.

KRIS
I should wash my hands.

Kris’ hands brush against Janice’s thighs as he reaches for


the sink. Kris washes his hands.

KRIS (CONT’D)
I’ll let you finish your work.

Janice looks up to Kris.

JANICE
Thank you.

KRIS
Uh huh.

CUT TO:

BLACK

TITLE:

November

CUT TO:

70 INT. NORTHRUP AUDITORIUM LOBBY - AFTERNOON 70

Bilbo and Austin stand in a line of waiting people.


56.

BILBO
Austin, you seem to be one of
those unfortunate people who
finds themselves rolling in the
gutter every six months.

AUSTIN
Thanks.

BILBO
I always watch sports when I’m
feeling really depressed.

AUSTIN
I hate sports.

BILBO
So it would suit you. Baseball
is the most boring fucking game
on the planet. It’s on for three
fucking hours, and nothing
happens. Bunch of men in tights
whacking balls with their large,
wooden bats. It’s slow and
boring. It’s one of the most
overtly homosexual sports where
is. American football being the
other.

AUSTIN
Things would be much easier if I
were gay. It’d be much easier to
pick someone up. Hell, we could
be lovers, it’s that easy.

BILBO
I wouldn’t date you if I were
gay. We wouldn’t be lovers.

AUSTIN
No? Why not?

BILBO
You’re too neurotic for me, I
couldn’t deal with that all the
time. Vera’s a relaxed girl, she
smells nice, I like playing with
her tits, and she knows me better
than any one of my friends.

AUSTIN
Great. Even if I consider
switching over I’d be denied
entrance into my best friend.

BILBO
I’m not saying a menage-trois is
out of the picture-
57.

AUSTIN
No it’d have to be intimate, just
me and you, no vag interference,
it’d never work.

BILBO
Sorry, mate. Whatever happened
to that barista girl?

AUSTIN
Amanda? We’re seeing each other
now.

BILBO
What? Why the fuck then are you
thinking about sucking my dick
when you’ve got her?

AUSTIN
I never considered sucking your
dick. I said if I was ever gay
I’d want to pair up with you
because you’re the closest male
friend I have, it’d be easier
than picking someone up in a
club.

BILBO
How did you meet Amanda?

AUSTIN
I don’t remember. I think I met
her in a club.

A woman walks up to the middle of the line.

TICKET LADY
I’m sorry all of the tickets are
sold out.

BILBO
Aw what the fuck is this?

AUSTIN
Five minutes in line and they’re
sold out? Well, at least I got
to see Bob twice before he kicked
the bucket.

BILBO
Don’t say that. Take that back
he ain’t dead yet.

A buzz rings from Austin’s cell phone in his pocket.


Austin and Bilbo begin to file out of the building.

AUSTIN
Got a buzz.
58.

BILBO
I’m serious take it back.

AUSTIN
All right I take it all back.

BILBO
What? Who’s it from? That Susan
girl texting you again-

AUSTIN
Sally, it says the messages are
from Sally.

BILBO
Do you know any Sallys?

AUSTIN
I might know a Sally. I’ll just
have to check...

Austin checks the message: I hope you are feeling better


today.

CUT TO:

71 INT. TURF CLUB BAR - NIGHT 71

Henry sits at the bar, he nurses a tall glass of Guinness.


The Children’s Hour plays on the television screens behind
the bar. P.J. (22), a tall, lanky fellow walks up to the
bar.

To Henry;

P.J.
Hey what’s up, Henry.

HENRY
P.J., you’re everywhere, man.

P.J.
So are you, too, man.

HENRY
What are you doing here?

P.J.
I’m managing Alice’s band. Alice
Conroy’s Caravan.

HENRY
Wow, that’s a really fucking good
name.

P.J.
I know, right.
59.

HENRY
I’m just here nursing my beer.
Looking forward to the show.

P.J.
Have you ever seen them before?

HENRY
No this is my first time.

P.J.
Ah, well, prepare to be amazed,
it should be a rockin’ show.

HENRY
And you’re not saying that
because you manage the band?

P.J.
No, I would say that even if I
wasn’t managing the band.
They’re really super good.

HENRY
Looks like they’re setting up
right now.

A man and woman dressed in 1930’s era clothing set up their


instruments on the stage.

P.J.
No, that’s the first band, The
New Times. Alice goes on second,
then it’s Victrola Punk third.

HENRY
They any good?

P.J.
The New Times? Yeah. Well, I
should go talk to Alice. I’ll
see you around.

HENRY
Later dude.

GRETCHEN (40), a perky, small woman turns around on her


stool to Henry.

GRETCHEN
Who was that?

HENRY
That was P.J., old friend. Used
to go on road trips to folk
festivals in the middle of
nowhere, get stoned and listen to
music every summer.
60.

GRETCHEN
Cool, do you know anything about
the music playing tonight?

HENRY
No, I know only a little about
Alice Conroy’s band.

GRETCHEN
Is it something I can dance to?

HENRY
Why don’t you go ask them?

GRETCHEN
Where?

HENRY
Right over there in the booth.
Go and ask if their music is
something you can dance to. I’m
sure it is.

GRETCHEN
Right over there?

HENRY
Short girl, black blonde hair,
mini-skirt, that’s Alice.

Gretchen takes her beer, leaves her seat and stumbles over
to the booth where Alice and her bandmates are.

Gretchen points to Henry, Alice looks over at Henry and


smiles. Henry raises his glass to the girls and drinks.

CUT TO:

The New Times play their set. Husband and wife duo - the
husband on the guitar, the wife on the ukulele - plays
tunes which pronounce their love for each other, their love
for the era which they emulate: 1930’s dust-bowl America,
the depression.

Gretchen and Henry sit at the bar next to each other.


Gretchen has her hand rubbing down Henry’s inner thigh.
Henry has his hand on Gretchen’s back.

Alice occasionally looks over at Henry and Gretchen. Henry


glances over at Alice, for a second the two lock eyesight
with each other, unable to look away until something
distracts the two (someone passing through their gaze, the
sound of a glass bottle breaking on the floor, etc.)

CUT TO:
61.

72 EXT. TURF CLUB BAR - NIGHT 72

Henry and Gretchen smoke cigarettes outside the bar within


a group of people taking a smoke break in between bands.

GRETCHEN
So where are you staying tonight?

HENRY
I got a room at the Days Inn.

GRETCHEN
Really? That sounds nice.

HENRY
No, I’m staying with my parents
down the block.

GRETCHEN
Are you kidding me?

HENRY
Yes. I am. Where are you
staying tonight? Don’t want to
drive all the way back to the
‘burbs tonight, in your
condition.

GRETCHEN
My condition-it would make my
night easier if I ha some place
close to say. My sister’s out of
town, though, and I don’t have a
key to the place, so I really
don’t have anywhere to go.

HENRY
Let me see what I can do, I think
I might have something for you.

GRETCHEN
Hmmm, growl, you better big man.
I’m going back inside. See you
in there.

Gretchen stumbles towards the front door, the door is


opened from the inside unexpectedly, and Gretchen gets
bonked on the head.

CUT TO:

73 INT. TURF CLUB BAR - NIGHT 73

Alice Conroy and her band set up on the stage. Gretchen


stands at the bar, flirting with a tall man with goatee.
Henry walks towards Gretchen.
62.

HENRY
Hey babe.

Henry throws his arm around Gretchen’s waist. Gretchen


slithers out of his grip.

HENRY (CONT’D)
Who’s this?

GRETCHEN
This is Dan. I... used to date
Dan in high school.

DAN
One night is no date. But it was
the greatest night of my life,
and I’ve never forgotten it.

GRETCHEN
Come on, we dated more than once,
didn’t we?

HENRY
High school?

DAN
Senior prom is one night. We
never dated before than, either.
I kept a tally of how many times
I asked you out, and how many of
those times you rejected me.

GRETCHEN
And how many times was that-no
wait don’t tell me, I don’t wanna
know. I so awful about it.

DAN
That one night was enough to make
up for all those lost chances, I
tell ya. She was my first kiss.

HENRY
So you guys knew each other from
high school?

DAN
What have you been doing lately?

GRETCHEN
I’m back in town for a week,
under dire circumstances it seems-

DAN
Oh no what’s wrong?
63.

GRETCHEN
My mother is sick in the hospital
with ovarian cancer. So I...

DAN
Oh my god I’m so sorry to hear
that, is she doing okay?

GRETCHEN
She’s doing good, I think-

HENRY
The music’s starting, I’m going
to get a better view of the band.

GRETCHEN
Okay.

DAN
Oh the music’s starting, how long
are you in town for?

GRETCHEN
I leave Thursday.

DAN
Wow, one night, huh?

GRETCHEN
I’ve been here a week, so...

Henry leaves the scene and walks towards the front of the
stage.

CUT TO:

ALICE
Wow, looks like a good crowd out
there. Thanks for coming out
tonight to the Turf. Thanks to
the New Times, Victrola Punk...
those are some great bands.
Lovin’ that banjo playing, gotta
love that banjo sound. Mandolin
sound, eh? Banjo? Mandolin?
We’ve got enough to keep us busy
for now.
Anyway-we’re getting ready to
play some tunes for you right
now. I’m Alice Conroy. Alice
Conroy’s Caravan.

The music begins, Alice sings:


64.

ALICE (CONT’D)
I’d like to walk around in your
mind someday/I’d like to walk all
over the things you say to me/I’d
like to rearrange your attitude
to me...

Henry stares at Alice, as though in a trance, his gaze goes


unbroken. Alice returns his glance, as though the song she
is singing was meant for the two them only.

CUT TO:

74 INT. GROCERY MARKET - NIGHT 74

Marie pushes a cart of food through the aisles of the


grocery market. Marie reaches the end of an aisle, opens a
freezer door, she searches for a frozen dinner. The door
remains open. Marie stares off past the wall of frozen
foods, her eyes closed.

I guess I just wasn’t made for these times... music plays


in the background.

The carcass of a dead dog falls from the ceiling, spilling


into the middle of the aisle - blood and guts splatter
everywhere. All of the customers are oblivious to the
hallucination. Marie glances over at the animal, then
shuts her eyes again.

CUT TO:

75 EXT. TURF CLUB BAR - NIGHT 75

The smokers are out coughing up a storm.

HENRY
Hey P.J.

P.J.
What’s up, Henry? Did you like
the show?

HENRY
Did I? That was an amazing
display of versatility. I was
dancing, I was listening, I was
fully enthralled in her every
move, every pluck, every note she
pitched was perfect.

P.J.
Yeah it was a good show-hey.

CHRISSY (21), a petite, dark-haired girl, cuddles up to


P.J.
65.

CHRISSY
Did I miss their set?

P.J.
Yeah they just got finished.
Where have you been? Did you
bike here?

CHRISSY
Yeah, I didn’t plan ahead.
Thought I would be here earlier.
(P.J. and Chrissy kiss) I’m going
inside, Alice is in there, right?

P.J.
Yeah she should be.

CHRISSY
Okay see you inside.

Chrissy walks into the club.

HENRY
So are you only doing producing
duties for Alice, or do you cut
other people’s records?

P.J.
Um, I don’t, I’m not the
producer, I’m their manager. So
I book them gigs at places,
promote their shows, stuff like
that. Why?

HENRY
I’ve been writing this poem, an
epic poem it’s seventeen pages so
far, and I think I’d like to
perform it live with music
accompaniment, I’ve got an old
ukulele - not a guitar, a
baritone ukulele.

P.J.
It’s small.

HENRY
Yes. Do you think Alice would be
interested in scoring something?

P.J.
Yeah most definitely she’d be
into that.

HENRY
Sweet.
66.

P.J.
Yeah, how long was it you said,
seventeen pages?

HENRY
Right it’s seventeen pages. I’m
not finished with it yet. It’s
almost complete. I’ve been
writing it for the past two
months.

P.J.
Wow. What’s it about?

HENRY
Earlier this summer. I went on a
trip - couple a trips - to see
the grave sites of my ancestors,
and peculiar things happened
along the way.

P.J.
Sounds creepy, dude.

HENRY
It was real.

CUT TO:

76 INT. TURF CLUB BAR - NIGHT 76

The New Times are playing on the stage. People are


dancing. Henry talks with Alice near the back of the
crowd. Alice shakes her head and smiles at Henry’s wild
expressions.

CUT TO:

77 MONTAGE OF EVENTS: 77

(set to “Summer Wine” sung by Lee Hazlewood & Nancy


Sinatra)

-Henry and Alice make-out in the back of the club, Alice


gives Henry a hand job. Henry kneels down, lifts up
Alice’s skirt, his head disappears into her crotch.

-Alice plays a show at a different club. Henry stands in


the front row, singing along with Alice.

-At a house party a crowd of people dance in the living


room. Alice and Henry dance erotically together.

SPLIT SCREEN
67.

-Henry types away on his


typewriter; he chain-smoked
and drinks whiskey.

-Alice writes lyrics


in a journal and drinks coffee.
Megan brings Alice a slice of
breakfast bread.

-Alice and her bandmates, Henry,


and a few other people, sit on
blankets on a grassy hill at an
outdoor music festival. A young
child sits on Alice’s lap. Henry
drinks a bottle of beer.

-Henry watches Alice perform


on the stage. Later in the
night, Alice and Henry make
love in a tent.

-Alice and her band rehearses.

-Henry walks past a music shop,


backtracks, looks inside front
window. A single banjo hangs
amongst the wall of guitars.

-Megan, Alice and Mac watch a


movie together. They eat pop-
corn from a giant bowl.

-Henry walks along the banks


of the Mississippi river alone.
Henry calls Alice, Alice does
not answer.

-Alice ignores the phone call


from Henry. Alice is drink-
ing coffee with Mac.

-Henry walks into music store


speaks with tall, tattooed
employee who removes the banjo
from the wall. Henry plucks
the strings.

-Band plays at house party.

-Henry is introduced to Chrissy


through P.J. Henry smokes weed
in back room.

-Henry is lost amongst the


crowd before the band.

-Mac and Alice share a beer


together.
68.

-Henry smokes a cigarette


alone in front yard.

-Alice and Mac are in each other’s


arms, laughing and drinking
among various crowds of people
on front lawn.

CUT TO:

78 EXT. ICE AGE TRAIL - NIGHT 78

Archie and Jessica sit next to a fire, beneath the open,


starry sky.

ARCHIE
The sky is so open tonight. No
city lights, only star light.

JESSICA
There must be hundreds of
thousands of them.

ARCHIE
Millions, honey. We’re staring
at a million stars at once.

JESSICA
The universe is so cool. I mean,
really. To think, that we’re a
part of a million-year old cosmic
story. Makes me feel like we’re
a part of something special.

ARCHIE
Well that’s because we are, in
the grand scheme of things.

JESSICA
That hike made me really tired.
I wasn’t prepared for it. I hope
it doesn’t rain.

ARCHIE
You feeling okay? You scared me
back there when you were puking
up my breakfast everywhere.

JESSICA
I’m feeling better, I haven’t
felt anything coming up in about
an hour. I was feeling so
nauseous before. I think it was
the height we were climbing, too
fast for me.
69.

ARCHIE
Just drink this water, you’ll
feel better.

Jessica drinks the water from Archie’s canteen.

JESSICA
Thanks.

ARCHIE
And tomorrow, we’ll go blueberry
picking, and I’ll make blueberry
pancakes, with cantaloupe, whole
wheat toast, fresh squeezed
orange juice, warm coffee...

JESSICA
Mmm that sounds delicious.

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN:

79 INT. TENT - NIGHT 79

Archie and Jessica sit up right in the tent.

ARCHIE
I think it’s going away.

JESSICA
I can’t hear anything-

ARCHIE
Shh! Quiet.

The muffled snarls of a brown bear surrounds the darkness


outside of the tent. Tree branches breaking, camping
supplies/dishware are being searched through.

JESSICA
We didn’t leave any food out did
we?

ARCHIE
I don’t think so.

CUT TO:

80 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - LOUNGE - MORNING 80

Sophie sits at the table with the rest of the patients.


Some new ones have arrived, older patients are vacant.
70.

KRISTEN
So the question is, what is the
warmest place you would like to
be? Some place-

BYRON
Some place I would rather be than
here right now? Ha, ha!

KRISTEN
Yes... the warmest memory of a
place you’ve been. Or it could
be a place you’ve never been to
but have always wanted to visit.

BYRON
Oh that’s easy it’d be at my
grandfather’s ranch in Lubbock,
Texas.

KRISTEN
Wait your turn, Byron. Sophie is
going to speak.

Sophie sets down her cup of coffee.

SOPHIE
Is this decaf?

KRISTEN
I think it is, yes.

SOPHIE
That makes sense. Otherwise I’d
be really jittery right now. The
island of Cyprus.

KRISTEN
Ah that’s nice. That’s in the
middle east, right?

SOPHIE
In the Mediterranean Sea.

KRISTEN
Have you ever been there before?

SOPHIE
My ex-girlfriend was from Cyprus.
I wouldn’t be going back to her-
it’s just- it was the warmest
place I’ve ever been to. The
people are so welcoming,
embracing, the sun shines much
brighter when it’s reflected off
the sea.
71.

KRISTEN
That sounds very picturesque.
You paint a beautiful picture,
Sophie.

Sophie doesn’t respond.

BYRON
Is it my turn?

KRISTEN
Okay go ahead Byron. What-

BYRON
I’d-what?

KRISTEN
No go.

BYRON
Oh okay. I’d probably visit my
grandfather’s ranch.

KRISTEN
Where’s your grandpa’s ranch?

BYRON
It’s in Lubbock, Texas. There’s
fifty acres. Horses, cattle,
sheep, but, also, it’s the
warmest place I know. Always hot
down there.

KRISTEN
Very good, Byron. Do you rope
those cattle, does your grandpa
live off the land, or does he
sell the animals-

BYRON
We’re selling them.

KRISTEN
I’m a vegetarian, so that’s just-
yuck-

BYRON
Oh you are? You’re a vegetarian.

KRISTEN
Yeah, I can’t stand to eat meat.
It makes me sick to my stomach
what they do to those animals,
it’s so cruel.
72.

SOPHIE
Plus all the chemicals they
inject into their blood streams
it’s so unnatural. Who knows how
many infectious diseases you
could catch by eating beef that’s
been fed hormones. It’d be like
eating Mark McGuire’s bicep for
dinner. Fucking disgusting.

BYRON
Well I like beef. I would think
Mark McGuire’s bicep to be tough.
We sell the beef on our farm.

SOPHIE
Good for you, keep raping the
animals of the earth for your own
prosperity.

BYRON
I’m sorry... Sophie. I don’t
like the way you’re talking to
me, I wish you would stop it.

SOPHIE
I can speak my mind however I
fucking want to.

KRISTEN
Okay, Sophie, knock it off with
the language. Byron, let’s not
get too protective about this.
I’m sure Sophie didn’t mean
anything by what she said.

BYRON
It offends me.

SOPHIE
I meant every word of what I
said. You offend me, fat
American slob. You’re what’s
wrong with this country,
cocksucking twit.

KRISTEN
Jeff! Jeff, can you-

JEFF, built like a brick shit house, enters the lounge.

JEFF
What’s the matter here?

KRISTEN
Um, Sophie is starting a fight
with Byron.
73.

SOPHIE
Listen I’ll shut up. I’m sorry.
I shouldn’t have said all that.
I wasn’t thinking positively. I
was only bringing in negative
energy to the group, and I’m
sorry for that. Sometimes I get
overworked when it comes to
topics that I’m passionate about.
I’m sorry.

KRISTEN
Don’t apologize to me.

SOPHIE
Byron, I’m sorry.

BYRON
I accept your apology, Sophie.

JEFF
We square here, guys?

BYRON
Yeah we’re square.

SOPHIE
Yeah.

KRISTEN
Thanks, Jeff.

Jeff leaves the scene.

BRYAN
I guess I shouldn’t say my
warmest memory is on a chicken
farm tour.

SOPHIE
Ha, ha!

KRISTEN
Ha, no, well, you can if you
want, if that’s your favorite
place...

BRYAN
No I’m just kidding. It’s not my
turn anyway.

Kristen turns to SUSAN. Susan (58), skinny and frail, pale


skin, bright orange hair, sits in a wheelchair; she stares
off into the distance. A worried crease in between her
eyes disappears when her name is called.
74.

KRISTEN
Susan? You want to share with
the group?

Susan looks over at Kristen. Susan speaks with difficulty,


she is missing her teeth, her words are complicated to
decipher because of the powerful drugs she is on.

SUSAN
What me? Mmm okay.

Beat, then;

SUSAN (CONT’D)
What’s the question?

KRISTEN
What would be the warmest place
you would like to visit?

SUSAN
Warmest place like to visit.
Well, I used to go walking, near
the lake. That was always warm
in the summer. I would walks
sometimes with my sons. The view
of the sun on the lake was just
beautiful. I walked on the trail
every weekend. Then I walked
there when it got cold, in the
winter, and the sidewalk got
slippery from the ice, and I
fell, and my head hit the ground,
I felt the back of my head.
Blood, there was so much blood
coming from the back of my head,
that I--

Susan cannot go on speaking, tears stream down her face,


her voice becomes choked as she tries to hold back a
wailing cry.

Jeff wheels Susan out of the lounge and back into her room.

KRISTEN
Jeff, here, take the rest of her
breakfast.

JEFF
Yeah.

KRISTEN
Diane, you want to go?

DIANE
Sure.

CUT TO:
75.

81 INT. GROCERY MARKET - NIGHT 81

Marie walks slowly through the grocery store. A mother and


her screaming, crying children zip past Marie in a hurry.

A young, male clerk stocking shelves eyes her breasts as


she walks past an aisle.

Shoppers read the nutritional facts on boxes of food; look


for an expiration date; smell bouquets of flowers; squeeze
fruits; smell vegetables; wait in line at the deli; meat
slices into piles on wax paper; single men stand in front
of three columns of chips and salsa - they all look at
Marie when she passes.

Marie’s eyes flutter, she opens her eyes wide, the room
expands and every person in the market moves like bacteria
consuming healthy blood cells. The voice blend together,
their sounds growing louder.

Marie stops in the middle of the market, her hands clench


onto the cart.

KEN
Marie.

Marie looks over to see Ken.

MARIE
Ken.

KEN
Funny seeing you here, how’s it
going?

MARIE
Good...

KEN
Are you sure, you don’t look so
good.

MARIE
I need to get out of here. I got
to get out of here right now can
you help me?

KEN
Sure yeah let’s go to the
checkout line.

CUT TO:

Each checkout lane is full and busy.


76.

MARIE
I can’t do this. I can’t stand
in line. I’ve got to get out of
here.

KEN
All right, let’s go. You wait
outside, I’ll be right there.

Marie manages to squeeze through all of the shoppers


without touching a single one.

Ken walks over to a manager, explaining the situation as he


points to the two carts of food left unattended.

CUT TO:

82 EXT. GROCERY MARKET - NIGHT 82

Marie stands outside of the grocery market, her hands


frozen to her sides.

Ken walks out of the market.

KEN
I’m gonna bring my car around,
you wait here.

CUT TO:

83 INT. KEN’S CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT 83

MARIE
Thank you, Ken. I don’t know
what happened back there, that’s
never happened to me before.

KEN
What was it, some kind of panic
attack?

MARIE
Yeah I think so. I was walking
through the aisles, and all of a
sudden I just became so...
anxious. I could feel every
single eye watching me, every
person seemed to want to charge
into mine like particles bonding.
That’s never happened before. I
was really scared that I was
going to pass out.
77.

KEN
I was going to order Cantonese.
It’s a good thing I decided I
wanted a pizza instead, else I
would’ve been home.

Marie and Ken laugh together.

MARIE
Thanks. Thanks, Ken, really. I-
I don’t know what would’ve
happened if you hadn’t been
there.

KEN
Not a problem. You think your
car is safe in the lot back
there?

MARIE
Oh I didn’t drive, I biked. My
bike is locked on to a street
sign, it should be fine. Thanks
for driving me to my apartment,
Ken. I really appreciate this-
you know you didn’t have to do
this. I could’ve gotten a cab,
or I could’ve walked--

KEN
Marie don’t worry about it.
Artists got to stick together.
We’re a lot different from the
rest of them. We need shelter
from the animals trying to
destroy our work, there’s a bond
between us because we see things
differently than most people do.
If our collective cannot support
each other there’s no hope in any
of us surviving.

Beat, then;

KEN (CONT’D)
How’s your painting coming along,
by the way?

MARIE
I’m tired of painting. I think
I’m going to give it up entirely.

KEN
Why?

MARIE
I’ve gone as far as I can go with
what I’ve accomplished.
78.

KEN
You really don’t expect me to
take you seriously, do you? When
I was your age I was still in
grad school. You’ve been in the
thick of things since you left
home. I know you are against
post-secondary education, rightly
so, and I don’t want to downplay
my own education, but, you’re
much further from where I was in
terms of experience.
What have you done lately that’s
gotten you so down?

MARIE
No, no, grad school is for people
unwilling to get on with life.
Fucking students forever.
They’re afraid of getting a job.
I know I’ve already said this.
There’s a point where I feel like
I’ve done all there is to be
done. I can’t add any more to my
work. I can’t take away anything
from what is already there, but
it feels unfinished, incomplete,
in some way. There’s something
missing, a big gaping void that I
have no idea how to fill. I feel
old and useless.

KEN
Hmm... you’re young and aging -
stupid - talking like you’re my
age. Here’s my card, it’s got my
number on it. I want you to call
me in a couple of days. I want
to see what’s troubling your
artwork.

Ken pulls up to a brownstone apartment.

MARIE
You can see it now, if you want.

KEN
How are you feeling? The
dizziness gone?

MARIE
Yes.

KEN
I want to make sure you get in
safely, okay. You think you can
make it back to your place in one
piece?
79.

MARIE
Yeah, Ken.

KEN
Okay.

Marie steps out of the car. Ken steps out of the driver’s
side and walks over to Marie.

KEN (CONT’D)
You should probably order
something to eat when you get
inside. You forgot your
groceries back there. I didn’t
even think about that.

MARIE
Oh yeah. So did you, too?

KEN
I guess I did.

MARIE
So we both did, lose our food.

KEN
Not our appetites, though.

MARIE
No?

KEN
You go home into your apartment,
Marie. Get some rest. Call me
in a few days. I’ve got a show
coming up. I’ll call you with
the details later. Don’t stop
working. Okay?

MARIE
Sure.

KEN
I’m serious, don’t stop, I’ll
call you.

MARIE
No, yeah I won’t.

KEN
All right.

Ken walks towards the driver’s side of the car.

MARIE
Ken. Thanks again. I don’t know
how I would’ve made it without
you there.
80.

KEN
Don’t worry about it. Order a
pizza or something. Take care,
Marie.

MARIE
Ha, yeah, thanks, you too, Ken.

Ken drives off down the street.

MARIE (CONT’D)
I’ll order a big sausage and
pepperoni pizza.

CUT TO:

84 INT. KEN’S CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT 84

Ken dials a number on his cell phone.

KEN
That girl needs help. Hi honey,
I got caught up, sorry. I’m on
my way home right now... the
grocery store was very busy, but,
I saw someone I knew who needed
help. I don’t really want to
tell you this on the phone, I’m
almost home, I’ll see you soon.

CUT TO:

85 EXT. UNDER THE BRIDGE - NIGHT 85

Henry curls himself in a corner, underneath a bridge, next


to train tracks. Henry sips on a beer, he lights a
cigarette and puffs away.

Henry removes a black notebook from his coat pocket. He


jots down these words with a black pen.

(V.O.)

HENRY
My close companion/Through it
all/Is a friend/I’ve never
met/They come at just the right
moments/And I live with them/For
two weeks at the most.

Henry’s cell phone rings: Call from Alice. Henry ignores


the call.

CUT TO:
81.

86 INT. APARTMENT - HALLWAY - NIGHT 86

Scott holds two bags of groceries as he climbs the stairs


of his apartment building. Down the hall a cat exits from
one of the doors.

A woman walks out of the doorway looking for the cat.

SCOTT
You got a cat loose. Cat loose!

AUNTIE
Excuse me?

SCOTT
Your cat, I just saw it get out,
didn’t want it to escape-

AUNTIE
Oh, she does that some times.

Scott begins to walk towards AUNTIE (53) - a rotund woman


with long, silvery hair in a pony tail - adjusts her
glasses to see Scott as he approaches.

Auntie picks up the fat cat, Norman.

SCOTT
It’s a pretty cat, what’s its
name?

AUNTIE
His name is Norman.

SCOTT
Hi Norman.

Scott pets Norman.

AUNTIE
Now you’re on his good side.
Usually is uncertain of most
people he hasn’t met before.

SCOTT
Well, I like cats. I like all
animals, actually.

AUNTIE
That’s good. So how are things
going down there?

SCOTT
I paid my rent on time this
month.
82.

AUNTIE
Yes! You need to do that, that’s
what counts most. Pay your rent
on time, keep making that money.

SCOTT
Yep. And pay my bills on time,
otherwise, ten bucks turns into
fifty real quick. Say hey thanks
for the cookies. They were
really good.

AUNTIE
You liked ‘em huh?

SCOTT
I scarfed ‘em down quick. I feel
like I should make up for it
somehow.

AUNTIE
I haven’t asked you to, so don’t
worry about it. As a matter a
fact baking cookies is good for,
it’s one the few times I actually
cook. I’ve got to keep my skills
up.

SCOTT
Could you make me some more?

AUNTIE
Do you want me to? Sure! I’m
tellin’ ya, it’s no problem. I
enjoy cooking them... and I enjoy
eatin’ ‘em.

Auntie slaps her fat belly. Her large breasts jiggle


underneath the torn sweatshirt.

SCOTT
And I enjoy eatin’ ‘em!

AUNTIE
It’s my pleasure cooking them for
you.

SCOTT
I appreciate it-well I need to
get these groceries in the fridge
before things start melting.

AUNTIE
Right-don’t want things dripping
all over the floor.

Scott walks down the hall.


83.

AUNTIE (CONT’D)
And if you want me to bake
anything else, like a cake, a pie
- anything - let me know.

SCOTT
Thanks, take care Auntie.

AUNTIE
Auf wiedersehen, Scott.

CUT TO:

87 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - KITCHEN - NIGHT 87

Austin reaches into his fridge and takes out an orange.


Austin begins to peel the orange.

A buzz sounds from Austin’s cell phone, he checks the


message:

CLOSE UP:

Sally has sent you a new message. Type “P” to reply.

Austin types, “P” - Message sent.

CUT TO:

88 EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD CAFE - MORNING 88

The red-haired girl walks out of the cafe. The girl trots
across the street to her car, gets in and drives off.

CUT TO:

CLOSE UP:

A razor blade cuts the soft, white skin of the girl’s


wrist. The girl slices the skin four more times - though
the cuts are not deep, she pulls the torn skin apart to
induce the bleeding.

The girl washes the blood from her arms, pours alcohol on
the wound.

CUT TO:

89 EXT. ABANDONED BUILDING - AFTERNOON 89

The sky is overcast. Auto traffic sounds in the distance.


Henry sits on a rug on the floor of sawdust, sand and dirt.
84.

Henry has a lit cigarette in his mouth, he punches away at


the key to his typewriter.

(V.O.)

HENRY
I’ve burrowed myself
underground/Like a mole/Wishing I
was a lizard in the
spring/Winter’s a comin’/And the
trees and its leaves/Have turned
a shade of Autumn/In your name I
continue talking.

Henry’s cell phone rings: Incoming call from Sally.

Henry checks the caller ID, ignores the call, and continues
to type.

CUT TO:

The girl ends the call.

CUT TO:

90 INT. GLENWOOD VAN (MOVING) - AFTERNOON 90

Kris drives into the city.

(V.O.)

KRIS
Only five days gone, but five
days I would never forget. Five
days that would serve as the
beginning of my new life. There
was no other way but forward for
me. No turning back now. Every
moment was one to cherish, to
savor... to relish in every day
the possibilities of happiness
and joy - I saw new hope in the
four o’clock sunlight. I was on
my way to see an old friend.

CUT TO:

91 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT 91

Austin wakes up short of breath. Standing above him is the


red-haired girl. Austin rubs his eyes, lean forward, the
girl has vanished.

Amanda lays in bed next to Austin.

CUT TO:
85.

92 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - KITCHEN - NIGHT 92

Austin opens the fridge and looks inside. A buzzing noise


sounds from another room.

CUT TO:

93 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT 93

Austin picks up his cell phone: You have received a new


message from Sally.

AMANDA
Come back to bed.

CUT TO:

94 INT. ART INSTITUTE - NIGHT 94

Two galleries display artwork by a prominent African


American artist. This is opening night and the gallery is
crowded with onlookers, friends, critics, journalists and
the like.

Marie walks through the gallery holding a glass of red wine


in her hand. She is noticeably tipsy.

EARL (30) - a short, muscular Latino - walks up to Marie.

EARL
Hi Marie how’s it going?

MARIE
Earl it’s going great. I am
loving all of this.

EARL
Yeah it’s beautiful-

MARIE
What are you doing here? I would
never excepted to find you here.

EARL
You posted the notice on the
bulletin board.

MARIE
Huh.

EARL
The open bar is sweet, eh?

MARIE
Hmm...? hell yeah!
86.

EARL
I might go over and fix myself a
drink. Join me?

MARIE
Sure, sure.

Earl leads Marie over to the open bar. Earl orders a


drink, Marie has her glass topped off.

BILL (53) and BOBBIE (26) walk over to the bar. Bill is
black, chubby, bald. Bobbie is black with short dreads.

BILL
Marie it’s good to see you how
are you doing?

MARIE
Hi Bill-

BILL
This is a lovely evening isn’t
it? Yes. (To bartender) Double
martini, please. What would you
like, dear?

BOBBIE
Something strong, I don’t care
what.

BILL
Put some whiskey in it. So this
is a slow and dull evening isn’t
it? What they need is a jazz
combo to speed things up.

BOBBIE
Yeah, some beats would definitely
liven things up - would start the
conversation quicker.

MARIE
How have you been, Bill?

BILL
Oh hi Marie I didn’t see you
there. Who is your friend?

EARL
Earl’s the name.

BILL
Nice to meet you, my name is
Bill.

EARL
Nice to meet you. How do you
know Marie?
87.

BILL
Marie and I used to be lovers.

MARIE
He’s lying. Bill was my
instructor.

BILL
I was the influential one.

EARL
Ah.

MARIE

Gave me my first job after he


caught me tagging one of his
buildings.

EARL
I didn’t know you were on the
streets?

MARIE
I wasn’t on the streets, Earl.

BILL
I caught her spraying some shit
on one of my studio buildings and
I liked what I saw so I set her
up inside. Got you your first
show didn’t I?

MARIE
You did.

EARL
Wow.

BOBBIE
Was that the Effrin show?

BILL
You weren’t with us yet, honey.

MARIE
I’m sorry I didn’t catch your
name.

BOBBIE
I’m-

BILL
This is Bobbie she’s my adopted
daughter. Bobbie this is Marie
my protege.
88.

MARIE
It’s nice to meet you.

BOBBIE
Likewise... dad...

BILL
What?

BOBBIE
I don’t like having people look
over my shoulder when I’m
drawing.

MARIE
I know what you mean.

BOBBIE
See what I mean?

BILL
She hasn’t had enough to drink
yet. I’m going to find Ken, and
the two of you can get to know
each other better. You: thick-
skinned Latino man, come follow
me.

EARL
Um - okay. This art crowd is
funny.

Earl and Bill disappear into the crowd.

Marie and Bobbie share a moment of awkward silence in the


absence of Bill.

BOBBIE
Are you the one with all the
tattoos?

MARIE
Hmm? Ah, yes. He told you about
that?

BOBBIE
It’s apparently a work of art.

MARIE
Cheesy - really fucking cheesy.
Maybe you want to see them some
time?

CUT TO:
89.

95 EXT. GARAGE - MORNING 95

Henry walks down an alley towards an open garage where a


red truck attaches itself to a trailer full of landscaping
machinery.

Henry guides the truck as it backs up to fall directly into


place above the hitch. Henry attaches the hitch to the
truck, and closes the garage door.

Henry jumps into the passenger side of the truck.

CUT TO:

96 INT. LAWN SERVICE TRUCK (MOVING) - MORNING 96

The morning news is on the car radio. JOE (48) sips from a
mug of coffee as he drives.

JOE
How was your weekend, Henry?

HENRY
Got a lot done.

JOE
Oh yeah?

HENRY
Yeah. I mean I did a lot, I kept
myself very busy.

JOE
Ah I getcha. I got a lot done,
too.

Joe chuckles to himself.

CUT TO:

97 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - DAY 97

Austin sits at his desk, he types on his laptop, searching


for jobs on craigslist.

Austin writes down numbers, names; Austin e-mails his


resume to some of the prospective employers.

CUT TO:
90.

98 EXT. HOUSE LAWN - MORNING 98

Henry and Joe work on landscaping a yard: first mowing the


lawn, then whipping the edges of the yard (around trees,
bushes, fences, etc.), Then blowing the excess grass off
the yard/sidewalk and into the street.

The sun rises above the horizon.

CUT TO:

99 INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY 99

Austin talks with an employee at the “Customer Service”


counter.

AUSTIN
I would like an application,
please.

RITA
A job application... those are...
(reaching beneath the counter
into a drawer) right here.

AUSTIN
Thank you. When should I bring
this back-who should I be giving
this to?

RITA
You can give this to Brian, our
day manager, he’s actually not
working today. I know for a fact
we’re not hiring full-time right
now, but we are looking to hire
for seasonal work. If that
interests you...

AUSTIN
Oh yeah. Okay, so, I bring this
to Brian.

RITA
Right.

AUSTIN
Okay, thanks. What was your
name?

RITA
Rita.

AUSTIN
(pointing to Rita’s name tag on
her left breast) Oh there it is
on your name tag.
91.

RITA
Okay have a good day, sir.

AUSTIN
All right, you too.

CUT TO:

100 EXT. LARGE LAWN - DAY 100

Joe and Henry cut and trim the lawn of a mansion estate.

CUT TO:

101 EXT. GAS STATION - DAY 101

Joe and Henry eat their lunches as they are parked outside
of a gas station.

CUT TO:

102 INT. OFFICE - DAY 102

Austin sits across the table from a woman whom he has just
interviewed with.

LEGAL WOMAN
... And so we’ll call you when we
sort through our applications.

AUSTIN
Thank you. I’ll try and keep my
balance this time.

LEGAL WOMAN
Yes, we want you to stay alive,
Austin - I don’t want to hear
that kind of story again from a
person as nice as you.

AUSTIN
Thank you. Take care.

LEGAL WOMAN
You too, mbuh bye.

Austin leaves the office.

CUT TO:
92.

103 INT. CITY BUS (MOVING) - AFTERNOON 103

Henry sits at the back of the bus. Henry’s legs are


stretched across the aisle. Henry listens to hip hop on
his headphones.

CUT TO:

104 INT. VINYL RECORD STORE - DAY 104

Austin walks around a store cluttered with bins stacked


with vintage vinyl albums, some pinned to the wall at
prices of upwards to $300 dollars.

A tiny woman sits behind the counter, near the cash


register. The Cab Calloway record ends, and she puts on
another LP.

AUSTIN
How does one get a job at a
record store like this?

CHELSEA
I’ve got it pretty sweet, I know.

Chelsea continues to put the records into a paper bag.

CHELSEA (CONT’D)
I know the owner, so...

AUSTIN
I figured that. You had to know
someone to get an “in.”

CHELSEA
Yeah.

AUSTIN
Well I’m jealous. I could see
myself staying in here for hours,
getting lost in all of it...
looking through every single
album.

CUT TO:

105 INT. BARNES AND NOBLE - NIGHT 105

Austin and Bilbo walk through a Barnes and Noble like


mallrats.

BILBO
Almost all of the women I’ve been
attracted to have had black hair.
(MORE)
93.
BILBO (CONT'D)
Either natural black, or
sometimes the blondes who dye
their hair black. Blonde roots
with black hair is sexy, too.

AUSTIN
Vera’s got natural hair, right?

BILBO
Vera’s Asian.

AUSTIN
She could be Asian and have
blonde hair, too.

BILBO
This Amanda, was she-did she have
bleach blond hair?

AUSTIN
No. She has black hair.

BILBO
They’re wild ones, eh?

AUSTIN
She’s Irish, her graduate thesis
is in peace and conflict studies.

BILBO
Oh shit. She must have you
whipped.

AUSTIN
We get along nicely.

BILBO
Having fun?

AUSTIN
We’re both looking for jobs at
the moment. We’re more focused
on finding work than anything
else.

BILBO
Do you fuck?

AUSTIN
Yeah...

BILBO
I’m sorry, man. It doesn’t sound
like a good relationship you got
going on.

AUSTIN
What?
94.

BILBO
You seem preoccupied with
something.

AUSTIN
Preoccupied? I’m planning for my-
our future. I like Amanda. We
are a good couple. There’s just
a lot on our minds right now.

BILBO
Hey, Vera and me are having a
party tomorrow at our place. We
finally got the Wii fixed and
it’s gonna be the bomb, boi!

AUSTIN
What? The Wii? I dunno, I’ll
have to check with Amanda to
see... we might be going to the
gym. We just got a membership at
Anytime Fitness and we’re gonna
make the most of it.

BILBO
That’s cool, just let us know
when you can. Oh snap! They
made a graphic novel out of
“TRON”?

Austin’s stare is fixated on the red-haired, clear-skinned,


blue-eyed woman standing in the science-fiction/horror
section.

BILBO (CONT’D)
Dude... TRON. Hello? What time
does the movie start?

AUSTIN
Fifteen minutes.

CUT TO:

106 INT. LIQUOR STORE - NIGHT 106

Henry carries a six-pack of Schlitz up to the front


counter.

A man stands near the counter shooting the shit with the
clerk.

DEAL
... I keep telling this boy you
take my daughter out some place
nice, you know, like Red Lobster
or The Olive Garden.
(MORE)
95.
DEAL (CONT'D)
He was gonna take her some where
like J.J.’s - that’s not a first
date.

HUGO
Even Ruby Tuesday, or Chili’s-
Applebee’s. Those are nice
places.

DEAL
Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.
This boy, man I’m tellin’ you, he
better not disrespect my
Charlotte or I swear...

HUGO
He’ll be in big trouble.

DEAL
At the very least he’ll be in big
fucking trouble. You don’t want
to know what I could do to that
kid if he... I don’t even want to
think about it, shit. Why a
daughter? God couldn’t give me a
son: four girls. I mean, I love
‘em all, don’t get me wrong I
love my girls... now I just
realize how dirty-minded those
young boys are. Why can’t they
be kids forever?

To Henry;

HUGO
Hello sir.

HENRY
And can I get a pack of Marlboro
reds, too.

DEAL
Gonna party tonight, right? It’s
Friday!

HENRY
Not for me tonight, man. I just
got finished working forty hours
this week. I’m going home and
relaxing in front of the tube. A
well-deserved night off.

DEAL
All right that’s cool. Say Hugo,
think I’ll take one of these.

Deal grabs a small bottle of Jagermeister.


96.

Deal pays Hugo, Henry pays Hugo.

HENRY
Take it easy, fellas.

HUGO
Thank you.

DEAL
You too, man

CUT TO:

107 EXT. LIQUOR STORE - NIGHT 107

Henry lights up a cigarette. Henry gets on his bicycle, he


rides away holding the six-pack close to him.

CUT TO:

108 INT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - ELEVATOR - DAY 108

Sophie and her mother stand in the elevator going down.


Sophie holds two paper bags with clothes and books -
mementos from her hospital stay.

MRS. BECKETT
Well that was-

SOPHIE
Don’t say anything until we
leave.

Sophie and her mother walk through the lobby of the


hospital. Two nurses roll a wheelchair bound patient in
through the front doors.

Sophie and her mother exit the hospital.

109 EXT. BEHAVIORAL HOSPITAL - DAY 109

The sun is just above the horizon filling the autumn sky
with shades of orange and pink. The crisp, cool air
brushes against Sophie’s face.

SOPHIE
I feel like Morgan Freeman in The
Shawshank Redemption. Do you
remember the name of the town?

Mrs. Beckett doesn’t respond.


97.

SOPHIE (CONT’D)
Zihuatanejo. I’m going to see my
friend.

CUT TO:

110 EXT. MISSISSIPPI RIVER BANKS - NIGHT 110

Henry drinks his booze, smokes his cigarettes in a fury.


Henry smashes the banjo onto the concrete wall next to the
edge of the river.

CUT TO:

111 EXT. FERRY BOAT - LAKE MICHIGAN - MORNING 111

Archie and Jessica stand on the deck of a ferry which


crosses Lake Michigan.

CUT TO:

112 INT. MOVIE THEATER - DAY 112

Austin and Bilbo wait in line at the concession stand.

AUSTIN
We don’t do much of that, either.

BILBO
What? You used to have so many
action figures. You had an
impressive collection. What
happened?

AUSTIN
I guess I grew out of it. Comic
books, action figures, all that
trivia - it’s child’s play.

BILBO
That’s bullshit, man. You never
grew out of it. That is still a
part of you. I remember when
that was your obsession. When
you knew everything and anything
about movies, you knew the
filmographies of every director
and could give me a detailed
review of each of their films.
You knew every actor,
cinematographer, writer... you
could predict the weekend box
office like no other, you had mad
skills.
(MORE)
98.
BILBO (CONT'D)
You knew every toy line, you were
on top of the new releases every
season...
What the fuck happened to you,
man? Is it this Amanda chick
doing this to you?

AUSTIN
No, and I don’t like how you’re
talking about Amanda. I would
appreciate it if you showed her
some respect - show me some
respect. I remember what you’re
talking about, and I haven’t lost
all of that. Aside from most of
what I was obsessed with being
pointless and a waste of time, I
still go see movies. Amanda and
I go and see movies.

BILBO
Like what, some gay-ass political
documentary?

AUSTIN
No...

BILBO
I don’t like the way you’re
turning out, Austin. What do you
want?

An orange-haired woman stands behind the concession


counter.

AUSTIN
Raisinets. Water, please.

BILBO
Large popcorn, lots a butter,
large coke.

CONCESSION GIRL
Okay.

To Austin;

BILBO
Raisinets?

AUSTIN
I’ve got to watch what I eat.
It’s the healthiest choice there.

BILBO
This is exactly what I’m talking
about.
(MORE)
99.
BILBO (CONT'D)
That bitch is twisting your mind
around. I don’t like it.

AUSTIN
You’re one of my oldest pals.
The strength of our friendship
restricts me from bashing your
fucking face in. Show some god
damned respect, man. I’m sorry
you don’t like Amanda. Tough
titties. She’s my girl. Vera is
yours. If there’s something I
don’t like about Vera, something
that bugs me, I tell her
directly. I don’t talk behind
her back and spill all my
feelings about her to you. If
you have a problem with Amanda,
who you haven’t even met yet, say
it to her face.

BILBO
When can I meet her?

CUT TO:

BLACK

113 TITLE: 113

December

CUT TO:

114 EXT. CHICAGO AVE. - NIGHT 114

An empty street, a few cars and taxis pass each other on


the road in the middle of the night. An ambulance speeds
down the street. A loud crash follows suddenly thereafter.

Down the street the traffic is heavy. The ambulance has


been overturned, lying in the middle of the street above a
pile of mashed automobiles.

Onlookers exit their cars to tend to those injured


underneath the ambulance. Someone calls 911.

The chaos of the scene reflects into the store front glass
windows. The reflection in the windows reveals another
picture:

Two emergency medics emerge from the ambulance, aiding the


homeless cyclist who lies on the ground, he grasps for air,
clutching at his broken leg, through drunken words trying
to communicate with the medics his condition.
100.

115 EXT. NOBLE ST. - NIGHT 115

On Noble st., Kris walks away from the scene through empty
streets, underneath an orange-lit night below the shade of
summer oak leaves.

Kris walks through an alley towards his apartment door.

A blaze of gunfire sounds from the opposite street. Kris


turns towards the noise. A black Escalade speeds off from
the scene, turns the corner onto Grand Ave.

A man lies in the middle of the street in between the haze


of the orange lamps.

Kris tip toes into the street.

The man on the ground bears a striking resemblance to Kris.


Perhaps the man lying on the ground - fighting to live -
has thicker eyebrows, chubbier cheeks, larger hands, than
Kris. There is something similar yet vacant in his
appearance. The man lying on the ground bleeds from the
multitude of bullet wounds in his body and face. Smoke
rises from inside his body.

The man reaches up to Kris - whose face is obscured by a


thick, black shadow. The wounded man chokes on the blood
gurgling from out of the hole in his throat.

Kris looks both ways down an empty street. The corner


store is closed. The building across from Kris doesn’t
seem to notice the dead. Kris kneels down to the dying
man, and opens the inner jacket pocket.

Kris removes the man’s wallet.

CUT TO:

116 INT. THERAPIST’S OFFICE - DAY 116

Sophie sits on a couch in Dr. Klinger’s office.

SOPHIE
I’m feeling hopeless again. I
realize how much the hospital
helped me, and I learned a lot
about myself in there. But that
was two months ago, you know,
and, things just haven’t been
working the way I thought they
would even though I have tried-
really fucking hard I’ve tried,
to stay positive. I understand
the meds aren’t going to make my
depression just disappear so that
I’m constantly euphoric. I know
I need to work with them.
101.

DR. KLINGER
It usually takes four to six
weeks to see the effects of the
medication. We don’t know why,
but that’s just how it is.

SOPHIE
Right, I remember that, but, I
don’t know what to do sometimes.
I’m really lonely, I don’t have a
girlfriend, my school loans are
piling up and- now I’m getting
all of these bills from the
hospital, and the ambulance,
and... even though my parents
said they would help me kind of
cut the rope about a week ago.

DR. KLINGER
They’re not helping you with your
loans anymore?

SOPHIE
No they said after this incident,
and because they’re paying for
these sessions I can help out...
because they’re losing money,
also, and, my job can’t pay for
it all. I’m going to go further
into debt. My debts are going to
follow me to the grave.

DR. KLINGER
You can pay your rent, right?

SOPHIE
Yeah, my rent is... I have enough
money for rent but I’m not sure I
can afford to live anymore.

DR. KLINGER
Sounds like a lot of stress going
on.

SOPHIE
No shit, doc!

DR. KLINGER
Well, Sophie, have you tried
looking for another job that will
give you a higher income? There
are institutions that can help
you with your loans in creating
some kind of payment plan. Maybe
you can pay in smaller
increments? I wasn’t finished
paying off my loans until I was
thirty. We all go through this.
102.

SOPHIE
I suppose I could see about that.
Paying in smaller amounts. As
far as my job goes... I really
don’t have any other skills that
would qualify me for any other
job than barista. Having a BA in
poetry doesn’t necessarily knock
down the doors of six-figure
careers.

DR. KLINGER
I understand, but is that
something you really want?

SOPHIE
I do not want to work in
corporate America, fuck that. If
you find me working in an office -
please - shoot me with a shotgun
and get it over with. Fuck that.

DR. KLINGER
So what is a job that you would
be interested in doing?
Something that would incorporate
your skills - I know you say you
don’t have any skills but you do,
you have more skills than you
give yourself credit for - then
also, a job where your principles
can be admired, and your
thoughts, imagination, and
creativity can flourish.

SOPHIE
What you’re talking about is an
internship, a volunteer position
that I need time to grow in. I
need money. I don’t have time
for this.

DR. KLINGER
I can see you’re getting
irritated, do you mind if we
switch subjects? How is your
love life? I remember saying
that you were going to-

SOPHIE
Pretty dead, yeah, it’s pretty
dead... although I do have a
crush on someone from my work,
but she’s straight.

DR. KLINGER
You know they’re straight?
103.

SOPHIE
Yeah she talks about her fiance
all the time.

DR. KLINGER
What makes you attracted to her?

SOPHIE
I don’t know, she’s hot for one
thing-ha ha! I wouldn’t be
having this crush on her if I
didn’t think she was hot. She’s
really easy to talk to, you know,
and I feel like she could be a
lesbian, but that for the sake of
acting she’s playing it straight -
you know, getting a husband,
doing all the regular, “normal”
things society thinks is
acceptable to fit in.

DR. KLINGER
So you think she’s playing you?

SOPHIE
No I don’t think she’s doing
that, I think she’s denying
something to herself. I’m not
for certain, but it sometimes
shows, I could be wrong, but...

DR. KLINGER
Have you met her fiance? Does he
seem like the kind of guy she
would be good with? Like can you
tell if it’s a perfect match?

SOPHIE
I’ve never met her fiance, all I
know is that he’s Welsh. She
went over to Europe for a
vacation, she knew some friends
that lived over there. She comes
back two weeks later and
announces to everyone at the
cafe, Hey I got engaged.

DR. KLINGER
Weird.

SOPHIE
It kind of was weird. It was
almost like she couldn’t find
anyone that she could date here
so that she had to travel to
another country to find her “true
love.”
104.

DR. KLINGER
I bet you were thinking, The
perfect candidate is right here
in front of you!

SOPHIE
Yeah! I know... but it’s fine.
There are other girls at work I
can hit on.

DR. KLINGER
That’s-that’s the spirit. Don’t
let it get you down.

SOPHIE
I won’t. I’m so totally over it.
It won’t get to me like that last
bitch did.

CUT TO:

117 INT. GALACTIC CAFE - DAY 117

Sophie stands behind the counter, her arms crossed, she


stares off into the distance.

The front door opens, Suzie walks in. Suzie walks to the
front counter.

To Sophie;

SUZIE
Hello.

SOPHIE
Hi. What can I get for you
today?

SUZIE
Let me see... I’ll take a skim
latte.

SOPHIE
Would you like that in a to-go
cup?

SUZIE
Sure.

Sophie prepares the drink.

(V.O.)

SOPHIE
She’s really hot.

CUT TO:
105.

118 INT. USED BOOKSTORE - NIGHT 118

Scott walks through the fiction section.

Max walks down the same aisle as Scott.

SCOTT
Max.

MAX
Hey Scott. What’s up, dude?

SCOTT
Just looking at some books, how’s
it going?

MAX
It’s good, good. I’m looking for
this book someone told me about.

SCOTT
What’s the name?

MAX
Naked Lunch? Have you ever heard
of it?

SCOTT
William Burroughs. I am a huge
Burroughs fan.

MAX
Really? I never knew that. So
he wrote it?

SCOTT
Yeah I’ve collected most of his
major works, I’ve traveled to
Europe to purchase some of his
first editions... most of them
were in Amsterdam.

MAX
Wow, that’s cool, man. So you’ve
read this book?

SCOTT
Oh yeah it’s one of his best. A
classic. Not as good as Queer or
Junky, but it ranks up there at
the top.

MAX
Do you see it anywhere around
here?

Scott and Max look for the book on the shelf.


106.

SCOTT
Yep, here it is.

Scott removes the book, placing it in Max’s hand.

MAX
Cool, yeah, my aunt recommended
it to me. She said this is the
best place to start.

SCOTT
Really she said that?

MAX
Yeah... why? Was she wrong?

CUT TO:

119 EXT. USED BOOKSTORE - NIGHT 119

Max and Scott stand outside of the bookstore.

MAX
Well I should get going if I want
to start reading this.

SCOTT
Okay.

MAX
It was good seeing you, Scott...
outside of the office every once
and a while.

SCOTT
Yeah this is nice.

MAX
Okay... I’ll see you at work-
you’re okay?

SCOTT
I’m fine.

MAX
All right, it’s just... do you
want to go get a drink somewhere?
We could talk more about
Burroughs...

SCOTT
Sure I don’t see why not.

MAX
Great. Just down the block
there’s a good place.
107.

SCOTT
Sweet.

CUT TO:

120 INT. FEDEX BUILDING - MEETING ROOM - MORNING 120

Austin sits in a classroom with ten other people.

MIKE (29) gives a lecture in front of the class. Mike’s


voice quivers and his words shake with the end of every
sentence.

MIKE
... For the first two days you
will be in the classroom
receiving in-depth instruction as
to the proper delivery methods
and safety requirements for temp
drivers. After this week you
will attend a five-day driver’s
training session, I believe it’s
held at our Mahtomedi location -
the main hub of FedEx Ground for
Minnesota - and after driver’s
training you will be put out on
the road to deliver packages for
FedEx.
Now, Ted is going to be in here
in fifteen minutes, so I’ll
quickly go over some of the
topics we will be discussing
later in the day. (writing on
the white board) Proper delivery
techniques... sorry my
handwriting didn’t improve past
fifth grade... driving routes,
delivery codes, safe driving...

DISSOLVE TO:

TED (44) is a rotund man wearing glasses, constantly


fiddling with the dry erase marker in his hand. Ed
lectures to the class.

TED
This is the second most dangerous
job in the United States, second
only to mining. Now you may be
thinking to yourself, How is this
job dangerous? I drive, deliver
the packages, if nobody’s home I
leave a door sticker, no big
deal.
(MORE)
108.
TED (CONT'D)
Phil Ricardo, fella in our Denver
branch, whose job is equivalent
to mine, one night had to knock
on some poor woman’s door and
tell her her husband wasn’t going
to make it home that night. The
driver, man by the name of Frank
Tasker, was rolled over by his
truck. Forgot to put the
emergency brake on, went in the
back to get his package - truck
rolled right flat over him. The
house where he was delivering,
nobody was home. So he sat in
the driveway, bleeding to death,
until they came home - five hours
later. This can be a dangerous
job.
How do we prevent such accidents
from happening? Safety. You are
more important than that package
in the back of the truck, you are
our priority. I’d rather have
Miss Moffet’s box of china glass
break than see one of my drivers
run over, killed, dead. Safety
is the key here, it’s the number
one importance in this business.
We’ve had six accidents in the
last quarter, I’m not too proud
to say that but it’s true...

MIKE
Seven, actually.

TED
Seven? Oh yeah that’s right.
Let me tell you some of the
crashes we’ve encountered.
Parked cars, we’ve had drivers
crash into cars that were not
moving... not using their mirrors
correctly they crash into parked
cars - mail boxes, moving cars,
someone backed into a house.
Destroyed the front porch. Do
you know what all these accidents
have in common?

CLYDE
Improper driving?

TED
Well they were all driving
improperly otherwise they
wouldn’t have crashed. Something
more specific.
109.

AUSTIN
They were unsafe?

TED
Safety is a part of it, not the
complete answer, though.

STELLA
They were intoxicated while
driving?

TED
No, although we have had problems
with that in the past, very few
of our drivers are ludicrous
enough to drink and drive our
vehicles. No... it’s backing.
Six out of the seven accidents
we’ve recorded in this quarter
have been backing accidents.
Don’t ever back. Need to go up a
driveway to deliver the package,
park the vehicle on the street
and walk the package. Here’s a
rule I’m going to say again and
again until it’s ingrained in
your brain, do not back. Or
unless the situation calls for it
and there’s no other choice, do
not back.

CUT TO:

121 EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT 121

Austin walks past a video game store. People inside sit on


couches, playing Guitar Hero, Tekken, etc. In the back
customers play card games, RPGs.

Austin stares in through the front glass window as if into


another world, distant yet familiar.

CUT TO:

122 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 122

Austin dials a number on his cell phone. Bilbo answers.

BILBO
Hey Austin, what’s up?

AUSTIN
Say I just called to say you owe
me ten bucks for that Bruce
Campbell movie.
110.

BILBO
Oh come on it wasn’t that bad.

AUSTIN
It was the worst movie I’ve ever
seen.

BILBO
Well why didn’t you tell me then--
?

AUSTIN
Because I knew how much of a
Bruce fan you were. I didn’t
want to ruin that, I’m not an
asshole.

BILBO
Is this why you call me when I’m
out to dinner with my special
lady?

AUSTIN
Oh... sorry. I was actually
calling to see if you wanted to
go to a movie.

BILBO
Fuck off. We could hang out
another time, right?

VERA
We missed you and Amanda at our
party, Austin.

BILBO
Yeah we missed you. Busy with
Amanda?

AUSTIN
Uh huh... we broke up.

BILBO
That’s terrible. I knew you
really liked her. You two were
such a great couple.

VERA
What happened?

BILBO
I’ll tell you later. What did
she want the fairy tale version?

AUSTIN
Something like that.
111.

BILBO
Why don’t you call that Sally
chick?

AUSTIN
Yeah I don’t even know who she
is. I should let you two go.

BILBO
Giver me a call later, dude.
“TRON” is playing at midnight
this week - we should get the
crew together.

AUSTIN
Yeah, yeah, “tron.” I remember
“tron.”

Austin ends the call.

Austin searches his recent text message “in-box” and “sent


items” folders.

CUT TO:

Austin puts a roll of film into a 35mm camera.

CUT TO:

123 EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT 123

Austin walks around the city taking photographs of people,


animals, buildings, lights, whatever he finds on his
wanderings.

CUT TO:

124 INT. LOUNGE - NIGHT 124

The lounge is an Eastern island/Asian decor theme, with


tiki mugs, a bamboo bar, tropical flower wallpaper. The
waitresses are punk rock.

Austin and a bevy of friends sit around a table, they drink


liquor out of tiki mugs.

Austin talks with JASMINE (27) - who wears a “Justice


League” t-shirt.
112.

JASMINE
The streets in DC make sense
because they’re all named
according to how many syllables
there are - going from two
syllable names to three, then
they’re all alphabetical at the
same time. So you know where
you’re going. When I moved here
I had no fucking clue how to get
around.

AUSTIN
I think it’s from east to west
streets are numbered going up,
then the same from north to
south.

JASMINE
Yeah I figured that out real
quick, but there are so many
fucking one way streets that just
come out of nowhere it doesn’t
make any sense. There’s no real
system to the naming of the
streets either, cause, like, in
DC the streets are all named
after cities or states, it’s
really easy to understand that.
Here, it goes from Chicago, to
Bloomington, to... Park, then...
it switches to fifteenth street
and... I don’t know it just
doesn’t make sense.

AUSTIN
It’s like a bunch of drunk
Irishmen designed the streets.

JASMINE
Whoever did must have been on
something, cause it don’t make no
sense whatsoever.

AUSTIN
I used to live in Chicago, and in
downtown all of the streets were
named after the presidents. So,
if you knew your presidents it’d
be really easy to guess where you
were and how far you had left to
go - I’m on Washington and I need
to get to Madison... uh...
Washington, Adams, Jefferson,
Madison - three blocks.
113.

JASMINE
That’s cool. If you know your
presidents, that is.

AUSTIN
But it makes sense, right?

JASMINE
No yeah it does, totally. My ex-
boyfriend’s father lived in
Chicago.

AUSTIN
Oh.

JASMINE
S’why I moved to St. Paul!

Jasmine and Austin drink their beverages.

CUT TO:

125 EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT 125

Austin takes a snapshot of an embracing African American


couple outside of a club as they wait for their valet to
bring them their car.

CUT TO:

126 INT. DUNN BROTHERS COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT 126

Austin eats a chocolate chip cookie and drinks coffee.

(V.O.)

RADIO DJ
... This song is like your first
girlfriend you never forget. No
matter how much time has passed,
you still wish you could make it
right somehow and still be
together, or, at the very lease,
you have a bittersweet memory of
the first love that got away from
you...

CUT TO:

127 INT. BAR - NIGHT 127

Zee and Austin sit at the bar.


114.

ZEE
These new girls, there’s a whole
generation out there of girls who
all they want to do is fuck.
This is all they know. They go
to the bar, pick up a man, he
buys her drinks, she buys him a
drink, they go home and fuck.
This is the only way she knows
how to get a man.
They want one night stands, no
strings attached, you know? Be
friends with this girl first.
Then she will gain your trust.
Me, I don’t know what to do. I’m
all alone in a big house in Apple
Valley. All day my husband is
gone, my child is taken from me
by asshole judge, I’m all alone.

AUSTIN
Yeah, yeah I know all that. I
just wish it were different. I
wish I didn’t have to go out and
fuck everything in sight just to
get ahead in life. It’s not that
I don’t want to fuck. It’s
only... and I know it doesn’t
take that long... at least when
you’re drunk... um...

Zee sips her drink through a straw.

AUSTIN (CONT’D)
But I think this girl is getting
the wrong impression about me. I
believe she thinks I’m the
epitome of evil because I’m a
man, and not only that, but-
because she had a terrible
father. So she was raised by her
mother who talked about how much
of a dick asshole her husband
was, and now this girl’s got a
twisted and warped view of what
men are, or what they should be,
and... I want to help her realize
that not all men are dogs out to
fuck. There are some men, myself
included, who were raised to
treat women with respect, to
treat the body with reverence and
admiration...
I mean where has the romance
gone? Where has the love gone
to? Doesn’t anyone believe in
romance anymore?
(MORE)
115.
AUSTIN (CONT’D)
I want to give flowers. I want
to softly caress. I-

ZEE
These girls they don’t know how
to romance. They think the only
way to get a man and not be
lonely is to fuck them first,
have sex with them, and then
they’ve got it.

AUSTIN
Yeah you said that shit already.

ZEE
That’s because it’s true. Who is
this girl, your friend?

AUSTIN
She’s...

ZEE
I can be your friend. Everybody
needs friends.

AUSTIN
I don’t want to see her in the
gutter. I want to help her.

ZEE
Forget about her. She doesn’t
need your help. Get over it,
man. Where are your balls? I
have bigger balls than you!

AUSTIN
Dammit you’re not a dude are you?

ZEE
I am the least dude in here.

CUT TO:

128 INT. AUSTIN’S APARTMENT - NIGHT 128

Austin fucks Zee on top of his wooden desk.

AUSTIN
You’re definitely not a dude.

ZEE
Shut up and fuck me!

CUT TO:
116.

129 EXT. CITY PARK - AFTERNOON 129

Sophie pushes Susan in her wheelchair through a city park


on a warm autumn afternoon.

SOPHIE
Where do you want to go, Susan?

SUSAN
Over by the river.

SOPHIE
Over by the river, okay.

DISSOLVE TO:

Sophie sits on a park bench. Susan stares at the lake.

SOPHIE (CONT’D)
Are you warm enough?

SUSAN
Uh huh.

CUT TO:

130 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - NIGHT 130

Henry walks along the vinyl section, flipping through


classics of jazz and soul music. He eyes the girl standing
at the back door taking cash for the show. She looks back
at Henry.

Henry walks up to the lady, EMILY (27) - blond, stringy


hair, skinny, flat chested, blue eyes, she speaks in a
wispy tone.

EMILY
Hi, here for the show?

HENRY
How much... ?

EMILY
It’s five dollars.

HENRY
That’s just the right price-but I
need to find an ATM. I’ll be
back. When does the show start?

EMILY
Fifteen minutes.

Henry walks away.


117.

HENRY
Okay...

EMILY
Hurry and you can make it.

HENRY
Going to bike as fast as I can.

EMILY
Be swift like the wind!

Henry laughs as he leaves the record store.

CUT TO:

131 EXT. GAS STATION - NIGHT 131

Henry bikes up to the entrance, drops the bike on the


ground and goes inside.

CUT TO:

132 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - NIGHT 132

The store is empty except for the owner seated behind the
front counter.

To owner;

HENRY
Can I pay you for the show?

OWNER
Um-actually you can pay her.

The owner points to Emily as she re-enters the music store


from the back room.

Henry slides over to Emily.

HENRY
I’m back. Here you go.

EMILY
Okay... here you are.

Emily hands Henry his change: one five, one ten.

HENRY
Sweet, so it’s just behind those
doors?

EMILY
Yeah, they’ve already started.
I’ll walk back there with you.
118.

133 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - MUSIC HALL - NIGHT 133

Henry and Emily walk through a long, black room to the


stage at the other end. Climbing the stage they walk
further to enter the back garage, otherwise the storage
room where bands haul their equipment from.

134 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - BACK ROOM - NIGHT 134

A small crowd is gathered around the lone musician sitting


in the middle of the room. People are either seated on the
concrete floor or they stand.

RICHARD
There’s an increasing problem
within our generation, so many
kinds - so many of us young
adults are on prescription
drugs... we’re all being put on
medications for depression. I
think it’s a real bad situation
that so many of us are as fucked
up as we are.
Most of my problems stem from how
terrible my father raised me. I
was pretty much neglected growing
up, my mother died when I was
nine, I was an only child, and so
it was my father who had to raise
me, but he was a shitty dad.
This is a song about him.
I fucking hate your guts/You
taught me all of the wrong
things/Sometimes I wish your
father taught you the wrong
things/So I wouldn’t have ended
up like you-

CUT TO:

135 INT. GALACTIC CAFE - NIGHT 135

Sophie stands behind the counter. Suzie walks in.

SOPHIE
Hey.

SUZIE
Hi. How’s it going?

SOPHIE
Good. What can I get for you?

SUZIE
I’ll go with a vanilla chai.
119.

SOPHIE
What size?

SUZIE
Medium.

A sign on the counter reads: “The barista is not flirting


with you.”

CUT TO:

136 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - MUSIC HALL - NIGHT 136

Another musician stands in front of the crowd, he plays an


unplugged electric ukulele.

BARRY
A beer before work/Gets me kind
of buzzed/I think it’s okay/To be
buzzed before I go to work-

CUT TO:

137 INT. GALACTIC CAFE - NIGHT 137

Sophie stands next to Suzie. Suzie sits at a table


littered with books and papers. The two are in mid-
conversation.

SOPHIE
I think Shreck means “terror.”

SUZIE
Right! Do you know German or
something?

SOPHIE
No, I-I it’s something of a hobby
of mine to memorize useless
trivia for such occasions.

SUZIE
Oh... Are you kidding?

SOPHIE
No. I just happen to love
vampires, and so I try and
memorize all I can about a
subject, even the trivial facts,
just so it sounds like I know
what I’m talking about.

SUZIE
Even though you do.
120.

SOPHIE
Even though I do-

SUZIE
If you memorize them.

SOPHIE
Yeah, you’re right.

SUZIE
But what a weird name for someone
to have who played a vampire.

SOPHIE
I know, terror fits perfectly.

SUZIE
Vampyros Lesbos.

SOPHIE
What?

SUZIE
Have you ever seen... Vampyros
Lesbos?

SOPHIE
It’s an awesome title, no what is
it?

CUT TO:

138 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - MUSIC HALL - NIGHT 138

The crowd has moved into the stage arena. A one-man band
sets up on the stage.

SEAN
Hold on while I set up, sorry
this is taking so long. I’m kind
of nervous.

The crowd responds with words of encouragement.

SEAN (CONT’D)
Okay. The computer’s the beat
box. I’m Sean, I’ll play the
guitar, sort of good I guess -
ha, heh, and I got some pop slash
electro tunes for you. Here we
go-um, this is my first time
playing in front of a crowd,
so... don’t be surprised if I
mess up.

CUT TO:
121.

139 INT. GALACTIC CAFE - DAY 139

BRIDGET - a brunette - stands with her arms folded, behind


the counter.

CUT TO:

140 EXT. GALACTIC CAFE - ALLEY - DAY 140

In the alley behind the cafe a few cars are parked next to
the tall brick walls of the cafe and adjoining apartment
complex.

Sophie throws two plastic garbage bags into a dumpster.

Sophie looks inside the back door window.

CUT TO:

POV: SOPHIE

Through a muggy glass window the cafe is slow with no


customers entering.

CUT TO:

Sophie steps down from the window, removes a pack of


cigarettes from her back pocket and lights up as she sits
on the door stoop.

CUT TO:

141 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - MUSIC HALL - NIGHT 141

Three-piece band plays on stage: COWBOY AL on vocal &


guitar, PRISSY BISSY on back-up vocals, vibes, toy
instruments, and BUFF JIMMY on percussion/drums.

COWBOY AL/PRISSY BISSY


Come home smelly/Come home
smelly/Come home smelly we miss
you/Come home smelly/You’ll fit
right back in-

CUT TO:

142 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - ARCADE ROOM - NIGHT 142

Henry plays Hugh Hefner’s “Playboy” pinball machine in the


arcade room.

The band’s music sounds muffled through the wall.

CUT TO:
122.

143 EXT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - NIGHT 143

Henry stands outside in a blustery wind, smoking a


cigarette. Henry checks his cell phone constantly.

CUT TO:

144 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - MUSIC HALL - NIGHT 144

Henry walks into the room just as Emily begins her set.
Emily stands alone with her guitar, a computer beatbox
behind her on the floor.

EMILY
Is everyone ready to rock?! This
first song I’m going to sing is
about something I feel strongly
about right now. I’ve been
through lots of relationships.
Some difficult, some were better
than others, some boys know how
to kiss and others... oh boy!
They just don’t get it! Let’s
just say I’ve been through a lot.
I’m old. Every one of them boys
were just boys, not men, and
every relationship lacked one
thing - one thing which I think
is lacking in general all over
this place. Romance. Where did
the romance go?
I remember when I was a little
girl, and I heard songs all about
holding hands while walking
through the park, and long kisses
under a starlit sky, and I asked
my mom what they were all singing
about? She said it was romance,
dear, romance is the key to
happiness. Find romance, Emily.

Emily finds Henry’s eyes and catches his glance directly.

EMILY (CONT’D)
Romance/Ro-mance/Romance/Ro-
mance/Everybody sing it with
me...

The audience sings along to the words: Romance/Ro-


mance/Romance/Ro-mance...

Henry stands up against the wall. Henry’s attention is on


the ass of a young girl standing in front of him.

CUT TO:
123.

145 INT. GROUPIE BAR - NIGHT 145

Max and Scott sit at a table, they’re drinking.

SCOTT
Oh my god you’re into Wu-Tang?
Tell me you’re kidding.

MAX
It’s no joke I am so into Wu-
Tang, dude.

SCOTT
Because I’ve just gotten back
into them, “Jah Time” is such a
hook.

MAX
What album is that from... “The
W?”

SCOTT
Yeah. I think the entire track
is a sample from a kung-fu movie.

MAX
Hell yeah they do that all the
time. I like “Gravel Pit” the
most on the at album. Definitely
not their best, I don’t think
anything surpasses “thirty-six
chambers,” but it’s still good.

SCOTT
Oh yeah, no doubt. The RZA is
amazing.

Beat, then;

SCOTT (CONT’D)
Wow that’s great. Wu-Tang.

MAX
We have much in common, dude.

SCOTT
Yeah.

The waitress walks up to their table.

LUCY
Can I get any refills over here?

MAX
I could go for another.
124.

SCOTT
I got this round, you can get
next.

MAX
Really? Sounds good to me.

SCOTT
Two more of the same.

LUCY
Okay.

Lucy takes their empty glasses.

CUT TO:

146 INT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - MUSIC HALL - NIGHT 146

The crowd dissipates from the room as Emily’s set ends on a


dour note.

EMILY
... Just leave/Go/Take your
tobacco breath away from
me/You’re choking me/Please
leave/You’re killing me/Can’t you
see you’re killing me?

The beat ends, the reverb from her guitar fades away.

To crowd;

COWBOY AL
Does anyone know if Porky’s is
still open?

CUT TO:

Henry walks up to Emily as she pulls together her


instruments, finishes talking with some of the audience.

HENRY
That was a very interesting show
you put on.

EMILY
Uh thank you, thank you.

HENRY
There was a theme throughout the
piece, I could tell-

EMILY
Ha, yeah, it’s kind of obvious.
125.

HENRY
Let me tell you, I know exactly
how you feel-

Emily laughs at Henry’s comment.

EMILY
Oh my god, are you serious?

HENRY
What? About the summer love,
about not having any relationship
from spring until summer, and
you’re not getting any-

EMILY
Right... right.

HENRY
I thought your beats were cool.

EMILY
Well that’s not really my forte,
exactly.

HENRY
And you can play the guitar
really well.

EMILY
Heh, thanks...

HENRY
Well I should probably go. I’d
love to stay and chat, but I’m
tired, and I’ve got work early
tomorrow.

EMILY
Sure.

HENRY
Thanks.

Henry backs away from the situation, moving through the


crowd towards the exit.

CUT TO:

147 EXT. ECLIPSE RECORDS MUSIC STORE - NIGHT 147

Henry walks down the street laughing out loud.

CUT TO:
126.

148 INT. SOPHIE’S APARTMENT - NIGHT 148

Sophie and Suzie makeout on the bed.

Suzie leans in too far, spilling an open glass of red wine


onto the carpet.

SUZIE
Oh fuck.

SOPHIE
Don’t worry about it.

Sophie and Suzie continue.

A black cat lays on the other side of the room. Shoes fly
off and barely miss the cat; pants come off next, provoking
the cat to meow and reluctantly move out of its spot.

CUT TO:

149 EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT 149

Scott and Max are drunk as they walk down the street.

SCOTT
Oh come on, man, Boston’s track
record keeps them afloat when the
Cubs are just an abomination.
It’s a joke! They’re a shame to
the game.

MAX
Whatever dude, I’ve got to stay
true to my roots and go for my
home team. Go Cubbies!

Scott and Max laugh.

Scott loosens his walk and stops in front of Max, staring


with intensity into his eyes.

SCOTT
Max I like you.

MAX
I like you, too, Scott.

Scott swaggers drunkenly.

MAX (CONT’D)
Can you keep your balance?

SCOTT
I’m on my feet, I can stay on my
two feet, for the time being.
127.

MAX
We don’t want you to fall over
now. You okay?

SCOTT
I know I’m fine, I know you’re
fine.

Scott leans in for a kiss. Max backs away.

MAX
I think you’re more drunk than I
am, man.

Scott falls onto Max’s shoulder.

MAX (CONT’D)
You okay, buddy? One too many of
those whiskey shots, eh?

SCOTT
Yeah, one too many of those
whiskey shots.

MAX
We should get you home. Taxi!

Max hails a taxi cab.

SCOTT
No I’m okay. I can make it home
just fine walking.

Scott walks down the street.

MAX
Scott, Scott! Wait up a sec.

CUT TO:

BLACK

150 TITLE: 150

New Year

CUT TO:

151 EXT. VIDEO GAME STORE - NIGHT 151

Snow falls outside. Many people surround the gamers inside


the video game store.

Austin walks past the glass window. Austin retraces his


steps and looks inside. The girl with orange hair, clear
skin, and blue eyes plays a “TRON” video game.
128.

Austin walks into the store. Austin walks around the


store, perusing through all of the games before saying
“hello” to the proprietor behind the counter; Austin turns
and walks towards “the girl.”

CUT TO:

152 INT. VIDEO GAME STORE - NIGHT 152

AUSTIN
I can’t believe they made a game
after “TRON.” This is awesome.

THE GIRL
I hadn’t played this game in a
while, it’s at least two years
old.

AUSTIN
Oh.

THE GIRL
But they’re coming out with a
sequel to “TRON.” So I’m just...
in a tron mood, I guess.

Austin stands speechless.

AUSTIN
A sequel to “TRON”?

THE GIRL
Yeah. That’s cool, right?

AUSTIN
I... does anyone have a
connection here? I need to see
evidence right now.

THE GIRL
There’s a bootleg trailer that’s
been up for a while.

AUSTIN
I’m about to cream my pants.
Computer. Internet. Anyone.

THE GIRL
My blackberry is in my coat-

AUSTIN
Where, I need to see this now.

CUT TO:
129.

153 INT. MADAME’S BAR - NIGHT 153

The time is 11:59 at night. A full bar, the place is


crowded, everyone celebrates the new year.

People kiss and embrace each other.

Henry sits at the bar with a blond woman seated on his lap.
Henry and the blond girl suck each other’s face, when Henry
stops to whisper something into her ear.

The blond girl’s face distorts into that of disgust, and


she slaps him in the face, punches his crotch and leaves.

Scott nudges through the thick wall of people to reach the


bar.

To Marie, the bartender;

SCOTT
Black Irish.

Henry turns to Scott.

HENRY
Hey I’m part black Irish.

SCOTT
Is that a fact?

HENRY
Well at least fifty percent of me
is. How’d you know to order my
drink this time?

SCOTT
This time?

HENRY
I’ll order apple, jack. You
order black Irish. You sit down
here, my man, and we’ll celebrate
the coming of news years together
without that whore.

SCOTT
I don’t know about that. I’m
here with some friends. Do you
want to join us?

HENRY
Hell yeah. Where are your
friends?

SCOTT
Over there-well you can’t really
see them because it’s so crowded-
it’s so crowded in here!
130.

HENRY
I know right!

MARIE
It’s six.

Marie hands Scott the drink, a “black Irish.” Scott throws


down a twenty, Marie goes to change the bill in lightning
fast speed and returns with the change. Scott takes the
money, leaves a tip.

To Henry;

SCOTT
Come on.

HENRY
Okay.

CUT TO:

154 EXT. MADAME’S BAR - NIGHT 154

Behind the bar a small crowd passes the bottle around,


Marie and Bobbie embrace each other through a cloud of
marijuana smoke.

CUT TO:

CLOSE UP:

A match lights the tip of an incense stick.

155 INT. CARLTON’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DUSK 155

Carlton and Veronica are seated on the floor in meditation.

The smoke curls. The orange sunset peeks through the


window shades. The distant sound of the city traffic fades
away so there is calm silence enveloping the room.

FADE TO BLACK:

END CREDITS

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