NEW_DAY 140page
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The New Day
by
glenn H. whittaker, jr.
glenn H. whittaker,
jr.
P.O. Box 188
Glen Carbon, IL 62934
618-692-9347
1.
EXT. CITY STREET – SUBURBS – DUSK 6pm August 2, 2000
Lights are being turned on inside the houses.
A few children riding bicycles disappear into
garages.
No one is outside on the sidewalks or lawns.
A 1982 Chevy Malibu slowly comes to a stop
along the curbside ten feet from a small telephone switching box.
2.
INT. 1982 CHEVY MALIBU – 6:02pm August
2
The driver of the Malibu, Scotty, puts the
car into park, engine still running.
Scotty looks about the neighborhood through
infrared binoculars.
Scotty takes a small plastic box with toggle
switches out of his glove box and puts it on his lap.
Scotty focuses on the telephone switching box
and flips on the toggle switches.
Within seconds a small whisk of black smoke
curls around the telephone switching box.
The grass at the base of the switching box turns black.
Scotty puts the binoculars and the plastic
box back into the glove box.
SCOTTY
All the
years of planning and preparation have finally gone up in smoke. Ha ha ha.
Scotty looks around the neighborhood then
slowly drives away.
3.
INT. LIVING ROOM CHARLES AND MRS. INA
6:03pm August 2
Mrs. Ina is sitting at a small desk writing
checks.
Charles is sitting in an easy chair watching
TV.
MRS. INA
Here's
something else we can't do.
CHARLES
Oh?
What's that dear?
MRS. INA
Your pay
is the same, but the bills get larger each month. When are you going to ask for
that raise?
CHARLES
It’s not
my fault dear. It’s that New World Government. No one gets raises anymore.
MRS. INA
I don’t
understand. And neither does your mother. Which reminds me, it's time for my
monthly phone call.
Mrs. Ina picks up the phone receiver and punches in the number.
She puts the receiver to her ear, waits, then hangs up. Picks it up again and listens.
MRS. INA
Charles!
This phone is not working. No dial tone.
Mrs. Ina looks at Charles watching the TV. She goes over to the
TV and turns it off. Then stares at him.
CHARLES
Hay the
sports are on! What are you doing?
Mrs. Ina lowers her forehead, speaking more to his feet than to
his ears.
MRS. INA
Ah look
Charles. The phone is not working and I have to call your mother. She is
MRS. INA
(continues)
expecting
me to call her. She depends on me to call her. Do you want to drive over there
every month or do you want me to call her on the phone?
CHARLES
(flexes socks)
Ah,
well. It is rather far to drive and expensive. Calling her on the phone is a
better idea.
MRS. INA
That's
what I am trying to tell you Charles. The phone is not working. There's
something wrong with the phone and your mother is expecting me to call right
now.
CHARLES
(scratches foot)
What do
you mean there's something wrong with the phone? Did you hang it up and try
again?
MRS. INA
(raises head)
Come see
for yourself Charles. The phone is not working.
Charles gets up from his easy chair and
follows her to the desk. He puts the receiver to his ear.
CHARLES
You are
right dear; the phone is not working. Report it to the Phone Company tomorrow.
Mrs. Ina raises her head to the ceiling then
slowly lowers to eye level.
MRS. INA
Look
Charles. The phone is not working. How am I to call the Phone Company tomorrow?
CHARLES
Ah well,
ah.
Charles
walks over to the window, looks out.
CHARLES
Ah well,
it's not late yet. Why don't you go over to Mr. Brown's and report our phone?
MRS. INA
No
Charles. I don't get along with Mr. Brown. We don't ever talk or anything. You
get along with him; you go over there and report our phone.
CHARLES
But
dear, the sports are on.
MRS. INA
Look
Charles do you want me to call your mom or what?
(both hands on hips)
CHARLES
I'll go
see if I can use his phone. Guess I could give mom a call from there too.
Charles turns toward door, takes two
steps, stops and turns around to face her.
CHARLES
Say.
Aren't you friendly with any of these neighborhood women? Can't you use one of
their phones to call mom?
MRS. INA
(lowers head)
Well I
guess I could go down to Enus's house.
(raises her head)
That's
an idea. You go over to Mr. Brown's. See if his phone is working. I'll go to
Enus's.
Charles
and Mrs. Ina walk toward the front door.
4. EXT. FRONT LAWN OF CHARLES AND MRS. INA 6:07pm August 2
As Charles and Mrs. Ina walk across their lawn, four other
neighbors come out of their front doors.
All of the neighbors walk out into the middle
of the street. They stand silent,
awkwardly looking at each other. Suddenly they all begin talking, looking from
face to face for answers.
RANDOM NEIGHBORS
Does
your phone work? Mine went dead; I've got this science project to do. Well I've
just got to call his mother. Look, I just want to watch the sports; does
anyone's phone work around here? What happened?
5.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING JANE’S KITCHEN TABLE
7am Aug 3
Jane
is reading the newspaper comics at the table.
JANE
That's
not funny, but it does remind me.
Jane picks-up the phone: no dial
tone. She flicks the receiver button a few times, but still no dial tone.
Jane
walks to her apartment door.
6. INT.
HALLWAY OF JANE’S APARTMENT BUILDING 7:05am Aug 3
Jane
knocks on the door across from her apartment.
Maggie
opens the door and smiles.
MAGGIE
What's
the scoop?
JANE
Hi
Maggie, my phone's dead. Yours?
MAGGIE
It went
dead last night about 8:30. I tried to call a while ago but it’s still out.
Wonder what’s up.
JANE
(shrugs shoulders)
Guess
I'll find out at work. Gotta go, see ya later.
7.
INT. FREEDOM PRESS REPORTER’S OFFICE 9am Aug
3
Jane exits the packed elevator and walks
through the narrow path between desks piled with mounds of penciled notes and
typewritten half pages held in place by heavy black phones.
Jane drops her large shoulder bag on the desk
just as her intercom buzzes.
SHARA (O.S.)
Jane,
Mr. Thompson want's you in his office now!
Jane picks up a small notepad and hurries through the desks,
smiling at co-workers.
Jane stops in front of Shara’s desk, pointing to the aging man
behind the glass walls.
JANE
Good
morning Sarah. What's his mood?
Shara slides a nail file across a
fingertip.
SHARA
Not much
different from every other day.
Jane grins at her then pushes the heavy
door open.
8.
INT. MR.
THOMPSON’S OFFICE 9:03am Aug 3
Mr. Thompson gestures her toward the only
chair free of clutter.
MR. THOMPSON
(smiles warmly)
Jane,
you know that I love you like a daughter. In fact, ever since Terri and Charles
moved, you are the closest thing to family I have.
Mr.
Thompson raises loose papers from his desk, waving them at her.
MR. THOMPSON
But you
have to stop this. The New World Government is not going to tolerate this
editorial. You are only fifteen years away from retirement and you cannot
afford to lose your benefits from the paper.
He
rifles through the loose pages in an ancient three tiered in-box, jerks one
toward her.
MR. THOMPSON
And I
just received an e-notice that you have over spent your clothing allotment again.
On yellow shoes? One more time and they’ll reduce your spending and increase
your sayings.
Jane grabs the loose papers from
him.
JANE
No
Taxes, No Representation! But Mr. Thompson, people do not understand. They
believe the propaganda. They are treated like sheep. Told how to budget, what
to buy, where to shop, where to live, what to eat, and what to wear. They have
no rights because they pay no taxes. That’s all the column asks the reader to
question.
Then she flops down in the chair
staring at him.
MR. THOMPSON
Are we
going to have a Boston Tea party in Cyber-Space? I don't think so. I lost my
savings in the bank like so many others when the Y2K Sun’s Magnetic Pulse
crashed the world’s computers. The only thing left is my newspaper retirement
account. We were lucky that the New World Government didn’t take corporate
funds. I can’t and I won’t let your editorials cost me my job.
JANE
I’m just
trying to get my reader’s attention. To get them to realize how bad the NWG
is. We are living in George Orwell's
1984; the people are subservient to the government bureaucrats.
MR. THOMPSON
The
masses don't care any more. Because they remember the horrible winter of
MR. THOMPSON
(continues)
January 2000. They were destitute and without jobs.
They remember standing in food lines all winter until the NWG rescued them. Now
they have work, food and money. That's what they care about.
JANE
Right
now people are little better than pawns for the government. This New World
Government is not filled with wrestlers in clown makeup; it is filled with the
very corporate people we vilified less than a decade ago.
MR. THOMPSON
You were
right; the corporate greed of the 1990’s had become epidemic. We were facing a class
civil war. But the NWG has changed all that. Now everyone has a job and savings
and a retirement plan. Everyone gets paid in accordance to their needs and
their skill level.
JANE
But we
have no freedom. We are forced to save money. We can’t spend what we want to.
MR. THOMPSON
Your
focus is only on your immediate wants. The NWG’s forced savings and retirement
funds insure that all the people will have an income to live on when they have
to retire. Money they earned while working.
JANE
But how
can they lower my spending if I over spend?
MR. THOMPSON
It’s
kind of penalty like a traffic fine so people don’t get into credit
difficulties. The new world economy is based on stability. Knowing the amount
of spending allows for better control of supplies and of products created. They
don’t end up with surpluses and waste. Knowing the amount saved allows for
precise investment for public programs and infrastructure. When a person knows
they have a secure retirement fund, they don’t worry or panic about their old
age. When everyone has a job they can pay their bills; they don’t have to worry
about having their home repossessed so they buy houses. It’s all about
stability.
JANE
You make
it sound like a good thing. But I can’t buy anything on impulse. I have to
spend a precise amount every month. It's worse than when I was married to Carl
and he cataloged every penny I spent on a yellow legal tablet. He also said it
was for our retirement. Only Carl took our retirement moneys and left me with a
pile of bills while he jetted to the Bahamas and elsewhere with an intern from
his law firm.
MR. THOMPSON
That was
before Y2K Pulse. And this is now. You
didn't really need new yellow shoes, did you? Bought them on a whim and now you
have to return them. And you don't like that, do you? I don't either, but
that's just the way life is now. You can't get even with the government, so
don't try. Take that editorial and tone it down. Understand.
JANE
Oh all
right. I'll return the shoes. I'll re-write this, but I don't have to like it.
Jane turns with a huff and stamps her feet out the office, but
doesn't slam the door.
9.
INT. FREEDOM PRESS – REPORTER’S ROOM
9:10am Aug 3
At her desk Jane throws her editorial papers on
the desk then turns on her computer. She stares at the blank computer screen.
She sips on yesterdays’ coffee then looks over her shoulder at her co-worker,
Pat.
Pat is wearing a gray sweat outfit, stained
with moisture.
JANE
Mornin’
Pat. Still trying to break the four minute mile on the stairwell?
PAT
Okay, so
I wasn’t big enough for professional sports, but I’m not letting all those
years of training with dad go to waste. This body’s not going to get flabby
sitting behind a sport’s desk.
JANE
Have you
heard anything suspicious about the telephone outage?
PAT
(picks up her phone)
Mine is
okay.
JANE
(shakes head)
Ahhh.
Jocks. No no, not here. At home, my phone and a few hundred others were out all
night.
PAT
Oh that.
Yea I heard a quickie on the TV this morning. It was on your side of town. They
said it only lasted for 30 minutes.
JANE
That's
not right. Mine was still out this morning. Maggie across the hall said hers
was out at 8:30 last night. All the people’s phones at my bus stop were out. And
the driver said many streets were out too.
PAT
Looks as
if you're hot on the scene of this fast breaking news item.
JANE
Maybe.
Think I’ll check with the Phone Company.
Jane rolls back to her desk. Then dials out.
JANE
Good
morning. This is Jane Goody from the Freedom Press. I’d like some information
concerning the phone outage in the Maple Street area last night.
PHONE COMPANY (O.S.)
Our
mainframe shutdown, only lasted a few minutes. An override fuse blew and it
took the maintenance men that long to find and repair it. Sorry for any
inconvenience.
JANE
But my
home phone is still out as is the entire Maple Street neighborhood.
PHONE COMPANY (O.S.)
Miss Goody. I have no information about
residential telephones being out of order. If your home phone is not working
please call the repair number on your phone bill.
Jane hangs up the phone. Makes a note and tacks it on her note
board.
Jane reads the editorial she is to re-write;
bored she puts it down. Then takes folder from her desk and fingers through the
pages, reading some. She puts the
folder on her lap then she turns back to Pat and rolls her chair to her desk.
JANE
Are you
really happy being married and working?
PAT
Yes. I
like working, the activity, the satisfaction, and the extra money. I have
something new to talk about at the diner table. I'd really be bored being home
alone every day. We are never bored. We are happy this way. Why are you asking
this? What's on your mind? Is there someone new in your life? Well dish.
JANE
Well yes
I have met someone. Well we haven't met, not face to face. He started sending
me emails last week. He’s sort of a fan; says he's been reading my column for a
long time.
PAT
A fan is
sending you emails? Why? What’s he want?
JANE
I guess
because of what's happening in the congress. These New World Government big
brother ideas finally prompted him to speak out. He said I'm the first person
he has ever written to about our government. He said he liked my views and felt
he could trust me, that my opinions seemed honest and genuine, so he started
sending me emails.
PAT
Who is
he? What does he do?
JANE
He’s a
computer programmer for Diacom.
PAT
How many
emails? What exactly are they about?
Jane opens the folder on her lap, holds a
page up.
JANE
This
first one is like an introduction. He got hired to fix the Y2K computer problem
for Diacom. The second one thanked me for my strong editorials about the Y2k.
He thinks my warnings helped him convince Diacom to focus on the seriousness of
the Y2K problem. His third email says he thinks the banking system began to
take the upcoming Y2K as a serious threat because of my editorials. And he
ended up getting a promotion, an office and a staff.
PAT
Sounds
like you helped make his career happen. Those Y2k editorials were a couple of
years ago. Why is he writing you now?
JANE
I think
he’s just angry and fed-up with this New World Government. Like I am. That's
what most of my editorials have been about this year. He says he dislikes
having to write programs that allow the New World Government to monitor all
Diacom employee pay and savings plans. But he has to or he loses his job.
PAT
You sure
this guy is on the level? Maybe he really works for the government and they’re
trying to get something on you.
JANE
Well I
did wonder about that. So I checked with Diacom. He’s been with them a couple
of years. So I began writing back to him.
PAT
Exchanging
desert recipes or political plans?
JANE
Politics
you silly. He agrees with most of my views about this new system and has given
me some ideas to research.
PAT
Intelligent
and informed. Why not put him in your
national opinion focus group?
JANE
I
suggested that to him, but he declined after I told him that if the government
ever pressed the newspaper for names of our focus group, that we would tell
them. He is afraid he might get fired. Diacom doesn’t want their employees to
make their personal opinions made public.
PAT
In these
times, caution is prudent. Ahh, so where do things stand between you two?
JANE
Well, we
went past just politics. He had his research department find an old photo of
me. He complimented my hairstyle, thought I was attractive and wondered if I
was married.
PAT
So he’s
interested in more that just politics.
JANE
Maybe.
So I had our research department find his work photo.
PAT
Ahh
really! Let me see!
Jane carefully pulls a newspaper photo from
her shirt pocket and hands it forward.
PAT
You carry
it with you, right next to your heart, so romantic.
(photo close to eyes)
My, he is a pretty one. And about your age,
very attractive. What’s his name?
Jane reaches forward taking the photo back
and stares at it.
JANE
Dale
Teleco. You know, I don't even know where he lives. I really hadn't thought
about it before. Yet we seem to have so much in common. At least politically.
You know, I don't even know if he's married. He asked me if I was married.
PAT
He’s
cute. Find out if he’s married. He’s interested in more than just your mind.
Well, my oh my. You go for it girl. Get yourself a life. There's more to being
alive than just this office and the story.
JANE
But
the New World Congress is dangerous; the people have to be told what big
brother is up to.
Pat
coughs and points up at a corner camera.
PAT
There's
always been a big brother doing something to someone somewhere and nobody could
do anything about it. You take all that government stuff too seriously. You've told
the people plenty. People got jobs now, they got food, they're happy. You
aign't getting any younger. You deserve a personal life. Maybe even get lucky
and fall in love.
JANE
Maybe
you're right. My life could use a little romance.
PAT
Now
you're getting the big picture. Love, romance, happiness. You're a woman,
you've got needs. Remember a happy worker is a productive worker. Remember
that, hee hee hee. Go on. Send him an email; find out if he’s single.
Jane rolls her chair back to her desk. Then types an email
message to Dale.
Jane reads ALL the
emails out loud.
EMAIL TO DALE FROM JANE
Good
morning. A strange thing with the Phone Company this morning. Last night my
phone went dead and still is. When I
called the Phone Company, they said it was only a 'computer glitch'. And they
denied knowing of any problems in my neighborhood. Then they told me to make a
repair report if my phone was out then abruptly hung up. But I know in fact
there are three or four streets still without phone service. Have you heard
anything about the incident?
EMAIL TO JANE FROM DALE
Yes
something did happen to the phones around Maple Street last night. You should
contact the Maple Street repair crew. They are on the job right now. I might
have some further notes of interest for you but not over the e-lines, you know
big brother has cyber-specs-on. If you have the time maybe we could meet
somewhere for dinner or lunch?
EMAIL TO DALE FROM JANE
Dinner
after work sounds okay if your “wife” doesn’t mind.
EMAIL TO JANE FROM DALE
No wife
yet. Dinner. When and where?
EMAIL TO DALE FROM JANE
Not sure
yet, have to see how the day goes. Contact you later.
Jane offs her computer and grabs her bag and leaves, waving at
Pat.
JANE
I’m off to
Maple Street to check on the phone repair crew.
10.
EXT. MAPLE STREET BUS STOP – 10:30 am Aug 3
Jane gets off the bus and sees a Phone Company repair truck five
houses away.
As Jane walks to the repair truck she sees two men in dark
business suits exit the repair curtain carrying a
a large bag.
The businessmen briskly walk across the
street and get into a long black town car with dark windows.
As
Jane nears the repair tent, phone repairman Bob exits carrying a bundle of
dangling burnt phone wires. He goes over to the phone truck.
REPAIRMAN BOB
(mutters to self)
Sure got
all burnt together somehow.
Jane
peers inside the open repair tent curtains.
11.
INT. REPAIRMAN’S TENT 10:33am Aug 3
There is small pile of dirt; the repair box is
lying on its side; and a roll of new phone wire and tiny strands of blacken
phone wire lay all about the ground.
Another repairman is sitting on a small
foldout chair splicing new wires, cutting off the ruined old wires.
12.
EXT. REPAIRMAN’S TENT 10:34am Aug 3
REPAIRMAN BOB
Can I
help you mame?
JANE
Are you
going to have these fixed today? Am I going to be able to call my mom? She's
expecting me to call.
REPAIRMAN BOB
Yes
mame, I'm pretty sure we are going to be done today. It's going to take a while
longer; there are a lot of wires to be replaced. Should be done sometime today,
that is, if we don't have too many disruptions and distractions. All those
school kids sure had a lot of question this morning.
Jane bends down, picks up of a burnt phone wire.
JANE
Why this wire looks burnt. How in
the world could that have happened?
REPAIRMAN BOB
You're right about that. They're
burned all right. I aign't just sure how that happened. I just don't know mame.
Maybe lightning hit it. Maybe a truck rolled over the box. Or some freak kinda
ground lightning or static electricity
JANE
Burnt? Static electricity? Ground
lightning? I don't know about that. This doesn't look like an accident. This
looks deliberate. Maybe some neighborhood boy did a prank. We didn't have any
lightning; I just live a few blocks over. And I don't see any down pole wires.
Shuffling his work boots over snipped wires,
Bob stares at the dark car windows across the street.
REPAIRMAN BOB
Well mame,
I just don't know. I'm not supposed to know. It's just our job to fix em'. To
get your telephone turned back on. Isn't that what you want; your telephone
turned back on? Do you mind moving on and letting me get back to my work?
Jane looks over at the dark windows of the
black car.
JANE
I'm
sorry. You're right. Let you get back to your work.
Jane walks back toward the bus stop, muttering.
JANE
Two to
one that’s an F.B.I car.
13.
INT. FREEDOM PRESS REPORTER’S ROOM 11:45am
Aug 3
Jane
is at her desk, typing on her computer.
Jane
reads ALL the emails out loud.
EMAIL TO DALE FROM JANE
A most
curious thing. I went out to the neighborhood. Phone repairmen were there and
the old phone lines were laying all about the ground. Burned and frazzled. Like
flame or electricity had burned them. One repairman said he didn't know and
guessed some kind of ground lightning. I'm thinking that maybe somebody has
done something. This almost looks like a prank. Got any ideas?
EMAIL TO JANE FROM DALE
Yes I do
have some ideas. There is this contact I have, an old college chum. And he
might be willing to talk about that, but certainly not over the e-lines. Maybe
you might want to meet somewhere and talk about this a little more. If you
really want to follow up this story, I think I can get my contact to meet us.
EMAIL TO DALE FROM JANE
I’ll get
back to you.
Jane makes some quick notes on a pad and then goes to Mr.
Thompson’s office.
14.
INT. FREEDOM PRESS MR. THOMPSON’S OFFICE 12:05am Aug 3
Jane is sitting across from Mr. Thompson
looking at her notes.
JANE
I’ve got
the makings of a new story. The phones
went out in my neighborhood last night and they’re still out. I called the
Phone Company and got the run-around. A programmer friend of mine at Diacom
said that I should investigate the repairs. When I arrived at the repair site I
saw two men that I believe are F.B.I. taking a bundle of phone wires into their
car. I looked into the repairman’s tent and saw burnt wires being fixed. The
repairman said it was probably ground lightning. But that’s bull. My computer
friend says he has a contact that knows more, but he wants a private meeting to
discuss the matter.
Mr. Thompson leans back in his easy chair.
MR. THOMPSON
If
it was just your neighborhood I’d say forget it. But the phones were out in
three other parts of town last night. Including mine. So the Phone Company
isn't talking, burnt wires and you know some computer geek who knows someone
who knows something and wants a meeting. Probably in some dark and secluded
place. This all does sound like some kind of story. You say this contact works
for Diacom. Maybe he does know something. Might be worth meeting him. Just
don't blow this up into some government conspiracy. Keep it a phone company repair
story. How maybe the Phone Company no longer will divulge information. Now
that's a story we could print with no problem. Keep me informed.
Jane smiles and hurries from his office.
15. INT. FREEDOM
PRESS – REPORTER’S ROOM 12:10am Aug 3
Jane is typing on her computer.
Jane reads ALL the emails out loud.
EMAIL TO DALE FROM JANE
My
editor thinks there might be a story brewing. So he has okayed a meeting with
your contact. Where and when?
EMAIL TO JANE FROM DALE
My
contact will only meet us somewhere that the government has not put in a
monitor system. He suggests along the beach at Parkit. The commuter train from
the city arrives there at noon? Can you make it tomorrow?
Jane
buzzes Mr. Thompson on the intercom.
JANE
Mr.
Thompson. They want to have the meeting tomorrow on the beach up in Parkit at
noon. What should I do?
MR. THOMPSON (O.S.)
Parkit?
I grew up there. The Chief of Police is one of my best friends. I'll give him a
call. We'll put a tiny microphone on you. If the situation turns ugly, the
local police will there. If nothing bad happens, we'll have the exclusive
story. And we'll have kept the cops and big brother out of the newspaper's
face. And no trouble for your friend or his contact.
JANE
I like that idea.
Jane
reads ALL the emails out loud.
EMAIL TO DALE FROM JANE
Parkit
tomorrow at noon is fine. After the meeting, maybe you and I could discuss some
of our other mutual topics of interest. Maybe you could amplify on the
wage/price and tariff issue.
EMAIL TO JANE FROM DALE
Noon
tomorrow. Maybe you and I are two soul mates who haven't had that chance to
meet yet. We owe it to ourselves to find out. I’ll be waiting for you at the
train depot.
EMAIL TO DALE FROM JANE
Noon it
is. Come rain or come shine.
Jane
looks up from her computer to see Mr. Thompson.
MR. THOMPSON
All set?
Good. Let’s go get you fitted for that microphone.
JANE
What if
he asks me or they search me for it?
MR. THOMPSON
Be
honest. You're a girl reporter and your boss is scarred for your safety. If
they don't want to talk, fine, thank them and walk away. But they're contacting
us, so I think talking is just what they want. Free advertising for some
left-wing politicals, that's what I really think they are up to. Remember Jane,
honesty is always the best policy.
Mr. Thompson points at the ceiling
monitor.
JANE
Your right of course. I feel better
now. You'll be here listening the whole time?
MR.
THOMPSON
Of course. And so will the Sheriff Henderson.
I can't afford to lose my best editorial writer.
JANE
Well okay. Let’s go get that
microphone.
16.
INT. HALLWAY OF JANE’S APARTMENT BUILDING
6pm Aug 3
Standing before her apartment door, Jane
takes her hand off the knob and does a slow turn to face her neighbor's door.
She steps across the wide hall, closes her fingers into a fist and knocks.
MAGGIE (O.S.)
Just a
minute, just a minute.
Maggie opens the door.
MAGGIE
Oh it's you!
Quick come in. They're going to kiss. I'm sure they're going to kiss today. I
just know it.
Maggie
calls over her shoulder as she races back to the sofa facing the flickering
television.
MAGGIE
I've
just got to see it. Help yourself to some drinks in the kitchen.
Maggie plops down on the sofa, leans very
close to the TV screen.
JANE
It's
just the television, I should have known. A soap opera. Not so close, you'll
burn out your eye sockets. And I can't see a thing!
(pulls Maggie’s shoulders back)
A television commercial breaks Maggie's trance. She sits back.
MAGGIE
Sorry
Jane, I'm really hooked on this one. Been watching for months. I think they're
gonna do it.
Maggie grins and crosses her legs, hugs her self then kisses a
couch pillow.
MAGGIE
Ahhhh,
love sweet love, take me my darling.
JANE
Soap
opera junkie. You really are hooked. It's you that needs to get a life. A real
life, not this fake TV junk. Well what are we watching?
Maggie remotes the
volume to mute.
MAGGIE
It's
new. It's more like a mini series than a soap opera. Revolves around the action
of the New World Congress political people. A different cast of characters
every couple of weeks instead of the usual cast of actors year-in and year-out.
It's a bunch of new stories every few weeks. It was sort of hard to follow for
a while. Now I sort of kinda like it. And now Bob and sweetheart Alice, they've
been friends about a week now. I think they're going to kiss. I think this is
the moment their romance is going to begin.
JANE
Friends
a week, romance about to begin, politics, congress. Sounds familiar somehow.
The new media world group does this show, do they?
MAGGIE
Schooose,
commercial is over, quiet, its back.
Maggie remotes the
volume back up.
JANE
Well, ah, I'm going to get myself a beer.
Jane
goes into Maggie’s kitchen.
17.
INT. MAGGIE’S KITCHEN 6:12pm Aug 3
Jane takes a bottle opener out of a drawer and puts it on top of
the beer bottle. She pauses, thinking
out loud.
JANE
This is too
coincidental. I stop in to talk about Dale and she is watching a TV soap that
has the same story line as my life does this very day. Could big brother be
making a soap opera based on my life? Monitoring my every movement and putting
it on TV for the world to see. They wouldn't, they couldn't do anything so cold
and mean and intrusive.
Jane pops open the beer and guzzles down half
of it. Then thinks aloud again.
JANE
Oh what
am I saying? Just listen to me, carrying on like a detective novelist. I need a
day off. Careful ol' gal, you're on the edge again.
Jane puts the opener back in the drawer and walks back to the
front room.
18.
INT. MAGGIE’S FRONT ROOM 6:15pm Aug 3
When Jane walks into the room a commercial
comes on.
JANE
Well did
they kiss?
MAGGIE
(frowning)
No. Not
yet durn it. You know how the TV is, always building the suspense up. They want
you glued to the tube. Don't want you to miss a minute of their damn
commercials.
Jane sits on the arm of the sofa.
JANE
Yea
gotta buy their products if you want to see the romance. So this new one has
you hooked. Pretty good huh? What's it about?
MAGGIE
The girl
is an office geek, works all the time. Her name is Alice. She works for
Livecom. Her soon to be lover, Bob, is reporter doing a story on duplicating
machines. They met because her office was upgrading their monitoring program
for photocopies so to comply with the new government regulations and Bob was
interviewing the repair crew.
JANE
This is
so strange. Just too strange. Last week I made friends with this computer
programmer, Dale. He fixes Diacom's monitoring programs and I report stories.
We met over the Internet; we've been chatting emails. We have similar
philosophies. And we are going to meet this weekend at the beach.
MAGGIE
(excited)
Romance!
A real romance. You going to do the bed-n-breakfast?
JANE
No no. A
picnic at a beach park.
MAGGIE
Isn't
that the modern way of saying 'bed-n-breakfast?
JANE
(hands on hips)
Well I
don't know what the moderns call it. We're really just going to meet face to
face for the first time.
MAGGIE
A picnic
in a public park. Sounds nice, safe and yet also romantic. Stay loose, maybe
you'll get lucky. Better take some protection. You do know about protection,
don't you Jane? Say how long has it been anyway?
(glances at TV)
JANE
(blushes)
Yes I
know about protection. We are just meeting for the first time. I wouldn't do
anything even if I felt like doing anything. Don't you think this a little
coincidental? The soap you're watching is almost identical to my life.
MAGGIE
No no.
The girl is not a reporter, the guy is. It's not a newspaper; he works for a
magazine. See, it's different. It's not the same.
JANE
Well no
it's not exactly the same. They couldn't do that. But it seems awfully much the
same.
MAGGIE
Oh his
name is Dale, how masculine. Do you know what he looks like; have you met him
yet?
(glances at TV)
Jane claps her hands three times.
JANE
No no
no. You are not listening. You're watching that stupid television. Over the
Net. We chat email over the Internet. I have a news-clipping photo of him and
he has a copy of my graduation photo. We are going to meet face to face for the
first time this weekend.
MAGGIE
You've
been talking on the Internet. And he has a picture of you and you have his. And
now you're going to meet for the first time at a park. See I was listening, I
can do two things at once. I'm no dummy.
JANE
I'm
sorry Maggie, I didn't mean that. It's just not polite to watch the television
when someone is talking to you. Especially when I'm pouring my heart out to
you. I'm scarred and confused and not sure what's going on and you're staring
at the stupid government vision. And they're putting my life on a soap opera
and I can't do a thing about it. Nobody can.
Jane drops her face into her hands.
MAGGIE
Okay
okay. You're right. Calm down. The television people aren't important, real
people are. Friends are, neighbors are. Besides the show's almost over. Now
let's get back to your problem. You've got a new man in your life and you two
are going to meet. Romance or friendship, you're not sure. Is that about it?
JANE
Well,
yea, that's why I stopped in. But that show on television is just like my life.
Jane's mouth is hung open, her finger pointing at the quiet
tube.
Maggie stands up and grabs Jane's shoulders
and guides her to a chair.
MAGGIE
Sit
down, be quiet a minute, catch your breath. Forget that television, that's not
important. Maybe they are watching you, maybe not. What you do is what is
important. You met a new guy. You like his looks?
Jane nods a yes.
MAGGIE
You like
what he said in the emails?
Jane nods a yes.
MAGGIE
Your
single, he's single?
Jane nods a yes.
MAGGIE
You two are actually going to meet at a park
near the beach?
Jane nods a yes.
MAGGIE
Just you
and him. Sounds like a nice place to begin a romance, doesn't it?
Jane nods a yes.
MAGGIE
Well my advice is to take a picnic basket of
food and some protection just in case and let nature take its course. Kapish?
JANE
And a
blanket?
MAGGIE
Yes, a
big blanket. Put the blanket at the bottom of the basket so it doesn't seem too
obvious.
JANE
I know
just the blanket, soft and pretty, it's been sitting on the shelf for such a
long time. Do you have a big picnic basket?
MAGGIE
Oh yes,
a big picnic basket. I was a young girl once myself and picnics never go out of
style.
Maggie skips to her bedroom closet.
Jane looks at the television. The commercials
are over and Alice and Bob are standing very close. Jane remotes the TV volume
up.
TV BOB
You have
the darkest eyes I've ever seen. They seem to be pulling me within. I don't
think I can resist. I don't think I want to resist.
TV ALICE
Oh Bob,
Oh Bob. Oh Bob. Come inside my…
Right then Bob kisses her.
Jane is mesmerized, leaning closer and closer
to the television screen. Her gradual decent is stopped by Magpie’s outcry.
MAGGIE (O.S.)
I found
it!
Jane offs the television and walks toward the bedroom.
JANE
It's no
wonder so many people get hooked on those soaps.
19.
INT. COMMUTER TRAIN - 11:30am Aug 4
Only a few people are in the train car.
Jane is sitting at a window seat watching the
scenery change from city suburbs to rural country to very wide spaces of
farmland.
The train conductor walks through the car.
Jane waves him to stop and talk.
JANE
There’s
very little traffic on the highways. Is it always like this?
CONDUCTOR
Pretty
much. It’s like this in every suburb we pass through. Only the down town
district has traffic now-a-days.
JANE
Yea I
guess the days of traffic jams are gone. The NWG fixed that too by putting such
super high taxes on owning cars and miles driven.
CONDUCTOR
You got
that right miss. I haven’t driven my car since they changed the law. Put it in the
garage, hoping some day things might change. I miss driving, but I just can’t
afford it.
JANE
I know
what you mean.
The conductor walks on through to the next
car.
20.
EXT. COMMUTER TRAIN DEPOT AT PARKIT -
12:05pm Aug 4
The commuter train whistles its arrival at
Parkit and screaming metal sounds its gradual slowing to a stop.
Jane angles her basket down the car’s wide
steps and exits onto the boarding platform.
Dale is the only person on the platform. He
waves and walks briskly to her. He stops the appropriate viewing distance then
extends a handshake and a smile.
Jane smiles back and matches his firm grasp.
DALE
Let me
carry that for you. Lunch, isn't it?
JANE
Uh huh.
Hungry?
Dale takes the heavy basket from her.
DALE
I can hardly
wait. What are we having?
JANE
You'll
just have to wait. Which way's the park?
DALE
Follow
me, just a short block north.
Dale and Jane walk off the platform and onto a sidewalk that
leads to a small city park.
An undercover Deputy Sheriff Henderson
follows them a mere ten feet back. His two-way radio receiver ear-jack cord
protrudes nearly unnoticeable.
Sheriff Whittaker in an unmarked van in the
city park parking lot is in radio contact with Henderson.
SHERIFF WHITTAKER
You are walking
too close, back off. I can hear them clearly and it’s cool. So back off some
before he gets suspicious.
DEPUTY HENDERSON (O.S.)
Backing
off sir.
21. EXT. PARKIT CITY PARK 12:20pm Aug 4
Dale and Jane stop at the entrance to the park, looking at a
half dozen empty picnic tables.
DALE
The
choice is yours.
JANE
Is your
contact going to meet us here?
DALE
Oh.
Sorry. He called me at the last minute and cancelled. There was no way to reach
you, besides I really wanted to meet you in person. Hope you don't mind.
JANE
Well my
editor will be disappointed; they're
paying for this. Did he tell you anything I can use?
DALE
(nods a yes)
That one
has a barbecue pit; are we cooking today?
Jane
We could
warm the pie, if you really wanted to. But I don't have a lot of time today.
Jane points to the most isolated table near the pond's edge and
leads the way across the freshly cut lawn.
At the table Dale puts the basket down with a
thud.
DALE
This
thing gets heavy quick. Food to feed an army?
JANE
Well I
wasn't just sure what you might want. Brought a little of everything for the
traditional park lunch, according to Miss E. Post.
Jane
lifts the lid and takes out the Lenin tablecloth.
They cover the picnic table top with the
cloth.
Jane sets the plastic bowls of food on the
cloth.
JANE
Being
the middle of the workday, a bottle of mountain water and brewed Jamaican
coffee. Sweet and sour potato salad; strawberry Jell-O dotted with miniature marshmallows;
cold fried chicken pieces; ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches; cucumber cubes;
cherry tomatoes; black olives; large sour pickles; and apple pie.
Dale sits down on the bench, then Jane sits down across from
him.
DALE
If you
don't mind, I'll just have a taste of it all.
JANE
That
will be fine, I can see for myself what you favor.
Between bites of food Jane quizzes Dale.
JANE
Back to business. What did your contact tell
you of the phone outage? Was it deliberate?
Dale slowly looks about the park.
Two kids are fishing at the edge of the pond.
Deputy Henderson is sitting with his back to
them two tables away; he looks at the boys fishing.
Dale leans close to her ear and whispers.
DALE
All that
he said to me was, 'Strong acid melted those wires'.
Jane writes the five words onto the pad.
JANE
I was
right! Burnt wires. What else? I need more. Acid? That couldn't have been an
accident. Are you sure that's what he said?
Dale nods affirmatively while sampling the
food.
JANE
I need
more. The paper needs more. The public needs to know what's going on. Can you
set up another meeting?
DALE
I do not
know how to reach him. He contacted me from a payphone and the background
sounds seemed different each time.
JANE
That
sounds like he doesn't trust you. I thought you were college buddies?
DALE
He said
he knew me from college. That was a very long time ago and I can't remember his
voice. He could be anyone from back then. Or he could be lying, using me because
of my position in Diacom.
JANE
He could
be using you? When did this begin?
DALE
He
called me last week saying they were going to over-throw the new government. He
asked if I was interested. I said sort of. He said 'good' and hung-up. He
called again and said, 'Strong acid will melt the phone wires. Tell the news
media.' Then he hung up before I could ask him what he was talking about.
That's all I know. To tell the truth I really didn't believe him until all
those phones went dead.
JANE
So is he
the only reason you contacted me?
DALE
(impish eye wink)
Yes and
no. I have been following your career for years like I said. Then that phone
bomb thing happened and contacting you seemed like the natural action. You are
a news reporter. You make the public's feelings known. You have commentaries
of, 'This is wrong and that needs to be changed’. You play such an important
part in the checks and balances of maintaining our freedoms. Pointing out the
freedoms that might be lost if the population doesn't get the leaders to change
and to vote against the ideas that are only advantageous to the rich and
powerful. Did I do wrong?
JANE
Well not
exactly. The terrorist is using you because of your position and you are using
me because of my position and I, in turn, am using you because of your
position. You're in the middle of this story; we've made you a type of victim.
DALE
Guess I
didn't see it that way. You want to know the truth? I'm loving every minute of
this picnic.
Jane puts her notepad away.
JANE
And you
know, so am I.
DALE
Oh I
think we have had enough of this serious political discourse. Let's just enjoy
the rest of this beautiful afternoon in this sunny park away from the bustle of
our normal regular lives. Let's go over and check out the prices of the canoe
rides. Let's walk around the park and see if the boys are catching any fish.
JANE
Okay.
That is a good idea. I have had enough of this political talk for a while.
Jane begins to put the food bowls back into
the basket. Dale helps her fold the up the tablecloth.
JANE
Do you
think we should take the basket along?
DALE
Na.
We're not going to walk that far. It'll be in sight. And besides, this looks
like a safe little town. I do think you should carry your handbag though. You
have valuables?
JANE
Yea. I
have my wallet IDs, cell phone and some money.
Dale and Jane walk to the boys fishing in
the pond.
DALE
You boys
having any luck?
The tallest lad, Johnny, lifts his pole,
exposing a barren hook.
JOHNNY
Na I
aign’t. Durn it, got my bait again.
Johnny
reaches into a coffee can, extracts a long fat earthworm and begins to slide it
over the fishhook.
The other boy, Sam, lifts a stringer of
caught small fish from the water.
SAM
(proudly)
I got up
enough for supper. Maw goin' be happy 'bout that. A few more an' we have
breakfast.
JOHNNY
Yea.
He's got the luck today. Keep taking my bait. This fat one. It aught ta get me
a big bass.
Johnny
looses the hook and swings the pole toward the water. The lead weight extends
the line to its furthest; plop, the cork bobs upon the murky surface.
JANE
Eey-ow-o-yuck. The poor worm.
DALE
Ha, ha, ha ha ha
ha.
JOHNNY
You folks don't mind bee-in quiet, do ya?
Fish don't like talkin' much.
Dale grabs Jane’s hand, tugs her.
DALE
Come on,
I'll race you to the canoe dock.
Jane quick sprints away from him and he never quite catches up
to her. Each time he gets near enough he grab pinches her and says:
DALE
Gottcha worm.
JANE
(giggles)
Eey-ow-oh.
Jane and Dale stop at the dock to catch their
breath.
JOHNNY
(yells)
Hot damn! Breakfast.
Jane
and Dale look back at the two boys.
Johnny brings the flopping fish onto the
bank. He takes the fish off the hook.
Sam pulls the stringer of caught fish from
the water. And Johnny slides his
fish onto the stringer point.
JANE
(shudders)
Eey-ow-o-yuck,
the poor fish. I never seen anybody do that. Guess I never really watched
anybody fish before. You?
DALE
Ah,
well, no. I've seen 'em on TV and in the movies, people sitting in their boats
with fishing poles in the water.
JANE
(cringes her shoulders)
It was
that worm. Eey-ow-o-yuck. I wonder if that hurt the worm?
DALE
What do
I know about worms? I don't even know where worms come from.
Jane quick punches his shoulder and giggles.
JANE
Oh you
silly. Worms come from the ground. They live in the ground. Haven't you ever
seen a bird pulling a worm out of the grass? They carry them up to their nest
to feed their babies.
DALE
Ah well.
I don't have time for watching what the birds do. I'm too busy working in the
office. That Y2K kept me busy ten hours a day, six and seven days a week. There
wasn't time to do much of anything. Certainly not watching birds or boys
fishing.
JANE
Yea I
know busy. Me too, especially since the New World Government. But, but that
worm. Did you see what that boy did to that poor worm?
DALE
(mocking her)
Girls.
Ha ha ha. Eey-ow-o-yuck, the poor worm. Eey-ow-o-yuck, the poor fish.
Jane and Dale walk to the canoe rental office. They read the
rental price list.
Deputy Henderson slowly wanders past them.
Then he takes a bench seat near the dock railing. He takes a lunch sack from
his pocket and begins throwing small pieces of bread to the gaggle of ducks
below.
JANE
You know
how to canoe?
DALE
Sure.
Back in college I was on the race team. All those hours sitting in the computer
laboratory, I had to have a physical outlet. My dad used to say, 'Boy. You got
to keep your body as fit as your mind. Strong body. Strong mind. Got to keep
them in balance. Your body is what the girls see first off.
Jane
squeezes his arm muscles, giggles.
JANE
Smart
man, that dad of yours.
Two
fifty for a row boat. Two dollars for a canoe. A dollar extra for life jacket.
You know how to swim, I guess?
DALE
Yea I
know how to swim. But I'd still take a life jacket; that water looks pretty
deep. It's been quite a few years since I was out on the water. Better to be on
the safe side than the sorry. Want to go? You know how to swim don't you?
JANE
I did
some swimming in college too. But, I don't know. I don't feel like getting all
wet and splashy. The train back to the city comes in thirty minutes.
DALE
(disappointed)
Well if
you don't want to, guess I won't either.
JANE
Look here.
If you want to canoe, go ahead. This is your day off too.
DALE
Yea, it
is my day off. If you don't mind, I think I'll take a quick run to the damn and
back. You sure you don't mind?
Jane squeezes his arm
muscles again.
JANE
Go on.
Strong body, strong mind.
Dale walks over to the dockhand, his $5
extended.
DALE
One paddle. I’m just going to paddle to the
damn and back. Skip the jacket, I was a lifeguard one summer.
Dale gets into the canoe and paddles away.
Jane goes over to the dockhand.
JANE
I'll
take the other paddle and a canoe. And I know how to swim. Please hold my purse
for me.
Jane
takes the paddle and climbs into the canoe. A quick succession of left-handed
then right-handed strokes puts her aside Dale.
JANE
Changed
my mind.
DALE
A woman's
prerogative. By the way you look like you've sat in a canoe before.
JANE
Sat?
I'll show you sat.
Jane leans forward extending the
paddle, then pulls a deep fast stroke with her right. Shifting to her left, she
takes another hard pull. A good ten feet ahead of him she faces him.
JANE
Five
bucks, says I can get to the damn and back first.
DALE
Not
fair, you've got a lead.
JANE
Sure it
is. You're the man; you've got the muscles.
Hammering the water, Dale’s paddle thrusts
him toward her.
DALE
Go!
JANE
Not
fair, not fair. What happened to one, two, three?
Jane makes the turn around at the damn just before Dale does.
When Dale makes his turn, his paddle gets stuck in the mud. By the time he gets back in the race, Jane
is near the dock.
At the dock Jane quicks onto the dock and has the front tie-down
rope secured before he crashes in the tires behind her.
Dale carefully climbs onto the dock and secures his canoe ropes.
They turn in the paddles and she gets her purse back.
JANE
(squeezes his arm)
You were
right, that was fun. Weak body, weak mind?
DALE
Funny,
very funny.
Dale squeezes Jane’s arm muscle.
JANE
Pretty
strong for a girl, must be all that typing. What'd you say we try a race back to
the picnic table? Give me a chance to get my five bucks back?
Jane breaks into a sprint yelling over her
shoulder.
JANE
Go!
DALE
I can't
believe you did it again. No fair, you cheated, no fair!
JANE
Ha ha ha. You'll
never catch me college boy. Always sitting behind your computer.
Running as fast as he can, he is barely
staying even with her.
As they approach their picnic table she goes
left and he goes right. As they round behind it, they reach out and grab each
other's arms; spinning them to the ground. They sit up laughing.
DALE
Well you
didn't get wet, but you did get a little dirty.
JANE
He he he
tee he. That was fun. Oh no! Grass stains on my new jeans.
DALE
You are
on assignment; won't the newspaper pick up the cleaning costs on your expense
account?
JANE
What's
that? A bad joke? Expense accounts were one of the first things to go when the
New World Government took control over us.
DALE
Guess
there is still some advantage in working for private industry. Maybe I could
get those jeans cleaned for you on my exec-clothing.
JANE
What's
that?
DALE
Executive
clothing account. It's a perk, a minor loophole around the NWG rules on
percentage of pay into saving. Diacom issues Special Safety Clothes for its
executive level employees. The company owns and cleans the clothes.
Jane looks at her
watch.
JANE
Ten
minutes till my train. We got to go. Walk and talk.
Dale looks around and sees undercover Deputy
Henderson sitting two picnic tables away. He grabs the basket.
DALE
Better
walk fast, might be early.
Jane and Dale walk side by side toward the
depot.
JANE
Exec-clothes
sounds like the military issue.
DALE
Yea, I
think that's where Accounting got the idea. The difference is, we get to pick
them out at any store we want. And we get to keep them even after we leave the
company. The company pays the store and the cleaners. So I could just throw
your jeans in my cleaning basket. It was sort of my fault.
JANE
Well it
was your fault. Spinning me then letting go like that, throwing me to the
ground. You dirtied my jeans. I probably would win in a court of law, if I were
a mind to. Okay, I'll let you pick up the cleaning bill.
22.
EXT. COMMUTER DEPOT 1pm Aug 4
As Jane and Dale walk onto the loading platform the commuter train
whistles its approach.
DALE
Well?
Are you going to give me your jeans for the cleaners or not?
JANE
(double take)
You mean
now. Right now?
DALE
(serious)
Well I
have to drive the company car back. I could take them to the cleaners tonight
and send them to your office tomorrow.
JANE
(grins)
I can't
tell if you are joking or sincere. And just what should I do for jeans on the
ride back into the city? Or do you think going about naked won't be noticed?
DALE
Naked.
Did you say naked? I'm so embarrassed.
Jane slaps his arm.
JANE
You
silly. You were making a joke, weren't you?
DALE
Well you
could do something with the tablecloth. Ha ha. Sorry, I didn't really mean for
you to ride naked. I guess I wasn't actually thinking. Maybe you can just send
them to me at the company. Ah no, that's not too good of an idea.
The commuter train stops.
The conductor puts the portable boarding steps in place.
CONDUCTOR
All aboard! All aboard!
Dale follows Jane to the boarding steps.
JANE
Thanks for
the nice picnic. I'll just pay for the cleaning myself.
DALE
Well
okay, maybe that'll be easier all the way around. I really had a very nice
time. Thanks for making my day off so relaxing. Maybe we could do this again?
JANE
Yea I
had a nice time too. I don't know about coming this far.
Jane extends her
handshake.
Dale squeezes her hand and pumps her arm a few times vigorously.
DALE
You're
right, this is pretty far. It was the contact's idea. Maybe we could meet in
the city. Do you like music? Maybe we could go to a nightclub?
Dale gives her the picnic basket.
JANE
Yea, I
like music. I used to go to some night spots before I got busy at work.
DALE
How
about tomorrow? Supper at seven?
JANE
Maybe,
but I've got to get this assignment going.
DALE
Anyplace
special you like?
JANE
Let me
think about it. I’ll email you. Okay?
The train whistles and the conductor motions for her to hurry
and get on the train.
Jane carefully angles the basket up the
boarding steps.
DALE
Email.
Okay.
23.
INT. JANE’S APARTMENT LIVING ROOM 5pm Aug 4
Jane drops the picnic
basket and bag, then flops onto the couch.
A knock on her door, "Knock, knock,
knock."
JANE
Who is
it?
MAGGIE (O.S.)
Me,
Maggie.
JANE
Come on
in. I think it's open, it's probably open. It shouldn't be open, but it
probably is. I'm tired, I'm beat. I probably forgot.
Maggie sticks her head through the
open door.
MAGGIE
Anybody
here with you?
JANE
No.
What’d ya think I am?
Maggie quicks in, slamming the door as she rushes forward to the
chair beside the collapsed reporter.
MAGGIE
(excited)
Details girl, I want details. Come on Jane, talk. Was he there?
Did you have any time alone? Did you kiss him? Was there any privacy?
JANE
Privacy? That's funny.
Jane sits up, then carefully takes the mini-microphone loose
from her brazier strap. Holds it to her mouth.
JANE
Ahh, Mr. Thompson, I'm at home now, how do you turn this thing
off?
The telephone rings; Jane picks it up.
MR. THOMPSON (O.S.)
The lab
technicians will have to switch it off tomorrow. Think he was telling the
truth?
JANE
Yea. I
really do. He just got stuck in the middle cause they were college chums. I can
believe that. Talk with you tomorrow about it. I'm tired and my neighbor is
here.
MR. THOMPSON (O.S.)
You did
good Jane, I'm proud of you. See you in the morning, good night.
JANE
See you
tomorrow.
Jane goes into the kitchen and takes
a large can of fresh coffee grounds from a cabinet. She wraps a hand towel
around the microphone, then pushing it deep into the can of grounds. She ons
the lid and places the can back in the cabinet.
Jane
returns to the couch.
JANE
Now we
have some privacy.
MAGGIE
Why did you
have to wear that thing? I thought you were on a date.
JANE
A
business date, that’s all I can say for now. You'll just have to wait and read
about it in my next commentary. Besides it could be dangerous to know anything
more than what's in the newspaper.
MAGGE
Dangerous?
I guess you could be right. Oh Jane, I'm not interested in politics, you know
that. Romance is my passion. Did he touch you? Did you hold hands? Did you want
to, you know, with him, did you want to?
JANE
(frowns)
Well,
maybe someday. I'd say he's on the maybe list. We set up a diner and dancing
date. I think Reggy Rocks across from the office will do just fine.
MAGGIE
(giggly)
Good
show girl. Definitely on the maybe list. Girl I think you got yourself a man.
Jane giggles and gently shoves her.
JANE
Go on
home with you. I got things to do.
MAGGIE
Do you
have to wear that thing at the nightclub?
JANE
(shrugs)
Don't
know, probably have to.
MAGGIE
Better
safe than sorry. You know how the NWG works. A tape will keep your butt covered
and your boss happy and will make a nice memento for your grand kids.
Maggie hurries to the door.
Jane throws a pillow at the door.
JANE
Out you!
24.
INT. FREEDOM PRESS – MR. THOMPSON’S OFFICE
5:15pm Aug 4
Mr.
Thompson is sitting at this cluttered desk talking on the phone.
MR. THOMPSON
Well,
what do you think? That Dale on the level?
SHERIFF WHITTAKER (O.S.)
We
listened to the tape again. And I'm in agreement with Henderson who was
undercover on the scene every minute. They appeared to be two people on a date.
They laughed, played chase and trusted each other enough to be out in canoes.
Just like young lovers. Didn't look suspicious or dangerous.
MR. THOMPSON
Oh boy
that's what I was afraid of.
SHERIFF WHITTAKER (O.S.)
Say you
don't have a thing for her, do you? Isn't she about your daughter's age?
MR. THOMPSON
Yea,
she's just like a daughter to me. And I get a little worried sometimes. I don't
know about that guy, if he really is on the up and up.
SHERIFF WHITTAKER (O.S.)
Well.
She's a smart girl. Tell her to be careful. Those reporters have to take some
chances to get their stories, isn't that right?
MR. THOMPSON
Yea yea.
SHERIFF WHITTAKER (O.S.)
Well if
there's anything else I can do, let me know. Can you keep us in the loop on
this?
MR. THOMPSON
As much
as I can, I will. Talk to ya later.
25.
INT. FREEDOM PRESS – REPORTER’S ROOM 9am Aug 5
Jane is sitting at her desk staring at her
computer.
Pat rolls her chair over to Jane’s desk and
tugs her.
PAT
Wake up
Jane. This is not a dream. You do work here. Wake up girly and smell the
newsprint. Seems like the Phone Company has a spreading disease.
Pat hands Jane a newspaper, finger on an
article.
Jane
reads aloud.
JANE
Local
telephone service was disrupted for two days outside of Taos, New Mexico. Two
high wire telephone poles were found on the ground. The Phone Company spokesman
attributed a freak desert wind as the cause.
Jane
tears the article out and tacks it on her tiny bulletin board.
PAT
On the
lighter side of life, how's tricks with you and your new email pal? Think
you'll ever meet?
JANE
What? Oh
yea, that's right you weren't here Saturday afternoon.
PAT
So? I
had a soccer game to review. Way on the other side of town. Thompson say
anything about me?
JANE
No no.
It's not that. We had a meeting about the telephone outage. My new email
friend, Dale, has a contact, an old college chum, who knows more than the Phone
Company is saying. Dale's contact agreed to relay the info to me, but only at a
rural secluded park. Perry decided to go with the story if I wore a microphone.
So I took the train to Parkit yesterday and met Dale there.
PAT
Wow.
Real cloak and dragger. Just like Thursday Night Mystery on cable three. I'm
impressed. You actually met this guy in a park?
JANE
Dale
yes. But his contact was a no show.
PAT
(dubious)
You,
just you, in a park, all alone wearing a hidden microphone? Just who was at the
other end?
JANE
The
local sheriff and an undercover deputy were at the park listening to everything
we said. I think the man reading at the next picnic table was the undercover
cop, but I couldn't tell for sure.
PAT
Cops. I
should have guessed. That was smart. Learn anything?
JANE
Not
nearly enough. But just enough to make me suspicious, especially now after
reading about those downed telephone poles in Taos.
PAT
I was
right, just like a TV mystery, cool. He peaked your interest without revealing
himself. Maybe he's just using the dead phones as a way to meet you. And the
mystery college chum was just the bait. Maybe he's just a man wanting to meet a
pretty, single woman? Would that be so bad? Isn't that what you really need, a
romance?
JANE
Well.
Ah, well, yea, sort of. Romance was a big part of what the day was.
PAT
So he
really didn't tell you anything about the phones?
JANE
He knew
the wires were burnt, but could have learned that from the repair crew or the
men in dark suits. That's all he really said.
PAT
(thoughtful)
Men in
dark suits? So he does know someone who knows something.
JANE
Yea, I
think so.
The elevator opens, letting a handful of office people chitchat
their way toward their desks.
PAT
So how
long were you there? What did you two do? Is he nice? Attractive as his photo?
JANE
I took a
picnic basket of food, which he liked. We watched some local boys fish, which
was interesting but very yucky. Rented canoes. I challenged him to a race and I
won. Ha ha, thank you very much. Then we did a foot race back to the table.
That ended in a tie, swinging hands in a circle we fell to the ground. I got a
grass stain on my jeans and he offered to pay for the cleaning. Then I took the
train back. End of story.
Pat sits intently nodding after each sentence
as if approving of Jane's actions.
PAT
Sounds
like a very nice picnic, a fun day?
JANE
(beaming)
Yes. Oh yes,
a very fun day. And we have a maybe diner date tonight.
PAT
You
should see yourself right now; you look ten years younger. Like a college girl
with her first love.
JANE
(flushed)
That's
just how I feel. He seems so nice and sincere. I sure hope he really isn't a
part of this telephone outage thing.
PAT
I sure
hope so too. You deserve some happiness in your life.
Jane’s intercom
buzzes.
SHARA (O.S.)
Jane.
Mr. Thompson wants you in his office right now.
Jane
grabs her note pad and hurries to his office.
26.
INT. FREEDOM PRESS – MR. THOMPSON’S OFFICE
9:15am
As Jane enters Mr. Thompson’s office he is closing all the
window blinds.
JANE
You
sensitive to the light?
MR. THOMPSON
Can't
take a chance, one of them might read lips. I heard what he said about the
strong acid burning the wires. Did he say anything else? Did he write you a
note? What about all those emails he has been sending you, anything cryptic?
JANE
No,
there really is nothing else to say about him. I believe some old college chum
went political and is using him because he is important in Diacom.
MR. THOMPSON
And I
believe you. But there is just not enough here for a story, especially if
you're thinking of some type of anti-phone company terrorist conspiracy.
JANE
Well I
think there is some kind of story brewing. But I don't think Dale is involved.
MR. THOMPSON
You
could be right; there might be a story, just not enough to go public yet. Keep your
ears open and let me know immediately if your new friend Dale has any more
information.
Jane snaps a short salute, then goes for the door, takes two
steps and turns around.
JANE
Ahh, I
forgot to mention that I have a maybe diner and dancing date tonight with Dale
at the Reggy Rocks.
MR. THOMPSON
What!
How could you forget something like that? This guy might be part of some
terrorist gang, you don't know for sure. Maybe he's just an innocent messenger
boy or maybe more. Until we're definite, you have got to wear that microphone,
for your protection and the newspaper's. Is that understood!
JANE
The
microphone? Every time we're together?
MR. THOMPSON
Yes!
Every time. You might be in the middle of something very serious, very
dangerous.
JANE
You are
right Perry. This could be serious. I'll wear the mic.
MR. THOMPSON
I'll
call down to the lab so we can run a test on it. I hate calling the local cops
in on this, but you should have some protection.
JANE
I left
the microphone back at my apartment.
MR. THOMPSON
We'll
give you a new one.
JANE
I have
to change into my evening clothes. I can get the microphone then.
MR. THOMPSON
What
time are you meeting him?
JANE
I agreed
to seven if I could make it.
MR. THOMPSON
You'll
have to stop in here first so they can check the microphone.
JANE
Are you
absolutely sure the cops are necessary? This is suppose to be just a dinner and
dancing date. Not a meeting to get terrorist info.
MR. THOMPONS
Sorry dear,
but it's my job to keep my reporters out of harm’s way. I know about the phone
lines down in Taos. And a couple of large districts in Miami lost service this
morning.
JANE
Ahhha
ahhaa, what? Miami? When, how did you find out?
MR. THOMPSON
(shrugs shoulders)
Coincidence?
Luck? I was on the phone this morning with my old college chum, who runs the
Miami Sun Television Guide. We were discussing vacation plans when the phone
went dead. Fifteen minutes later he calls me back on his wireless cell phone. Ten
square blocks around his home are mysteriously dead. Sounds just like your
Maple Street. doesn't it?
Mr. Thompson dials a phone number, lifts the receiver to his
ear.
MR. THOMPSON
My
contact at the F.B.I. Director Hasting.
Jane reaches over and disconnects the phone.
JANE
What
about my romance?
MR. THOMPSON
What?!
JANE
Romance.
That's right, he thinks we're going to have a romance. That's what I really
learned at the picnic.
MR. THOMPSON
So fine.
Let him think what he wants to, that's what young men do. He still could be
dangerous.
JANE
He's
not!
MR. THOMPSON
You've
only known him a week. You work for me.
You're investigating a possible terrorist story, remember?
JANE
Sorry,
sorry boss. You're right. Newspaper reporter, that's me. Anything for the
story. He thinks it's a romance. Fine, I just play along.
MR. THOMPSON
Right.
Get him to talk, we get it on tape. If he's innocent, fine, no harm done. But
if he's one of them, you might need some protection.
Mr. Thompson begins to redial the
F.B.I.
Jane pushes the receiver's off button.
JANE
Wait.
Some protection. You're right. That's a good idea. But not the F.B.I. I'll take Pat along with me. I’ve kept her informed
about Dale. A public place, two women. He wouldn't dare try anything. Besides I
trust him. I was the one alone with him at the park.
MR. THOMPSON
You
weren't alone. The undercover deputy, remember?
JANE
The
point is, Dale thought we were alone. Not once was I alarmed. Pat has a black
belt in Karate; she could kick his butt with one hand behind her back if he
tried anything. Nothing happened at the park and if nothing happens at the
club, the cops will think you're crying 'wolf wolf'. We don't want that do we?
MR. THOMPSON
Well
maybe I was getting a little ahead of myself. I guess I worry a little too much
about you. Pat has a black belt huh, didn't know that. Hummmm. I suppose you
two gals could handle one skinny guy. But I insist you wear the microphone,
just in case he has some new info from that contact of his. Get her in here.
Jane opens his office door and waves toward
Pat.
Pat hurries into the office.
MR. THOMPSON
I want
you to tag along with Jane tonight. You'll be the third wheel, keep him from
putting the moves on her, and if he gets out of hand kick him where it counts.
You girls arrived together; you leave together. Understand your assignment?
PAT
Gotcha
dad. This is at company expense of course.
MR. THOMPSON
(frowns)
I suppose
so.
PAT
I'll
need a new evening gown to properly play my part, dad.
MR. THOMPSON
I
suppose so.
PAT
Big date
tonight. Hot story? Gonna need shoes to match that fancy dress. What'd ya say
we go shopping?
JANE
Could be
a very hot story. Definitely need to look our best. Just gotta have a purse and
matching hat.
MR. THOMPSON
Hats?
Don't push it. Be back here at six p.m. to check out the microphone. Go.
27.
INT. JANE’S APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM 11am Aug 5
Jane is cleaning her apartment. When she dusts the television she
accidentally pushes the on button. The picture tube fuzzes and the sound clears
while she is wiping the coffee table. A dialogue of soon-to-be-lovers slips
from the speaker, surprising and enticing Jane to sit and watch.
TV ALICE
Oh Bob,
you're so manly, so strong.
TV BOB
Yes
Alice, I am strong, very strong. I was on the rowing team in college. We always
took first place. Do you want to touch my muscle?
TV ALICE
Oh Bob,
can I squeeze your muscle?
TV BOB
Yes
Alice, you can squeeze it as hard as you like.
TV ALICE
Oh Bob, it's so big, so hard.
TV BOB
Yes
Alice, it is big and hard just for you.
TV ALICE
Oh Bob,
I think I'm getting hungry. Are you?
TV BOB
Yes
Alice, I am very hungry.
TV ALICE
Oh Bob,
I was hoping you were. I know a very special place in town. Would you like to
go there with me?
TV BOB
Yes
Alice, I would like to go to your special place.
TV ALICE
Oh Bob,
I was always happy at Bobby Socks. Can we go there tonight?
TV BOB
Yes
Alice. We can. Here comes the train.
Alarmed, Jane stands up, leaning
toward the TV.
JANE
Bobby Socks? Reggy Rocks?
On the TV screen the couple are holding hands, running across a
green lawn toward a train station that reminds her immediately of Parkit.
The scene fades and the end of the show
credits begin to roll.
Jane remote offs the TV.
JANE
That
couple was on Maggie's TV the day I got the picnic basket. It's that new
political soap opera. The news reporter and the computer geek. Running on the lawn
for a train. Bobby Socks instead of Reggy Rocks.
Jane does a slow turn around the apartment, staring and pointing
at the ceiling lights.
JANE
It's
against the law to put hidden cameras in private citizens living quarters. You
know that, don't you? It's against the law to put a citizen's life on
television, isn't it? Well isn't it!
“Knock knock knock," raps on her
apartment door.
Jane's jerks completely around to face the
door
JANE
Who is
it?!
The
door slowly opens and Maggie sticks her head in.
MAGGIE
Maggie.
Just checking. What you doing home this time of day?
JANE
Oh. Got
the day off to go shopping, but this place needs cleaning. Let me give your
basket back.
Jane steps over to the basket, lifts it to the coffee table then
begins taking the empty containers out.
MAGGIE
I'm just
glad I saved it, but honestly I never thought it would see a park bench again.
Shopping for your date tonight?
JANE
Oh, I
can't, I spent over my government allowance last week. It's alright, I've got a
nice dress I've been saving for such a special occasion.
Jane
puts the last bowl on the table and closes the basket lid.
MAGGIE
Oh! What
are you wearing?
JANE
(sarcastic)
Just my
microphone.
MAGGIE
Microphone?
I don't under-stand. I thought you two had a nice picnic. Are you that worried
about tonight?
Jane carefully balances a row of bowls on her
arm cradled against her side.
JANE
I'm not.
It's Mr. Thompson's idea. He thinks Dale might be dangerous; that he really might
be part of the, ops I almost said too much. Anyway, he's sending Pat along
tonight.
MAGGIE
Pat? You
mean Pat from your office?
Jane nods a "Yes" as she stacks the
plastic bowls.
MAGGIE
A chaperon? What kind of romantic night is that?
JANE
Exactly! It's not. It was either Pat or some
F.B.I., ops; I've done it again. Anyway Pat's shopping for a dress on the
company's account and will be at our table all night. Perry says it's just
incase Dale is part of the story and not just an innocent messenger.
Jane tries putting another bowl on the stack
and knocks one loose. She quick lunges for it and knocks the whole armful
loose. While plastic bowls bang and bounce off the coffee table like giant
ping-pong balls, Jane starts waving her arms wildly and lets loose a loud
scream.
JANE
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
MAGGIE
Are we
all done now? Do you feel better?
Jane flops down on the couch cushions.
JANE
Yes. All
done. All better.
Maggie picks up the basket and walks to the
door.
MAGGIE
Well, try
to be nice tonight. Your boss might be right, he might be wrong. Either way, it
won't hurt to have a girlfriend along. Hells-bells girl, maybe she'll find
somebody and you'll both get lucky.
JANE
Ha ha ha
he he te he. Lucky, yea maybe.
28.
EXT. REGGIE ROCKS NIGHTCLUB SIDEWALK – 6:45pm
Aug 5
Jane is standing in front of the entrance
doors, looking at her watch.
Pat hurries across the street
to meet her.
PAT
Jane. Oh
Jane. Wait up a sec.
Pat steps onto the sidewalk and looks at
Jane’s outfit.
Jane looks Pat over top to bottom.
JANE
The
company certainly has nice taste. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were out
to snag my fellow.
PAT
Gonna
snag something, that's for sure. Ha ha ha ha. Wait a sec. Perry has to check the microphone.
They both look back at the newspaper
building. The front door opens just wide enough for a bare arm to stick
through. Its hand gestures a thumbs-up, then disappears behind the dark glass.
PAT
That's
the signal it's working. We can go in now. Think this is too short?
JANE
Ha ha
ha, not short enough for what you're after this evening. Let's go knock their
socks off.
29.
INT. REGGIE ROCKS NIGHTCLUB 6:50pm Aug 5
The nightclub is absent of customers. One middle-aged
couple sits at a booth sipping tall glasses. A solitary bald business suit sits
on a stool facing the bartender. A waitress, Susan, sporting a scanty black and
white apron stands at a center table collecting silverware into a box. And the
bandstand holds but a barren set of drums.
JANE
See,
there's going to be a band later.
SUSAN
Sorry
ladies, nothing live tonight, only on the weekends. There's a jukebox in the
corner if you're wanting to dance.
Pat walks over the Melody Box in the corner
and begins reading the labels.
JANE
Oh
that's alright. We're meeting a friend for dinner.
SUSAN
Sorry
dearie, not after 7p.m. You're just a little late.
JANE
This
isn't going very well. And it's our first real date.
SUSAN
Now
don't you fret dearie. There's still the desert tray. Chocolate cake and
champagne will turn any man's mind to romance. A couple slow tunes on the box
and a whirl around the floor and he'll be buying you a ring in the morning.
JANE
Champagne
and chocolate cake? Yes. Yes you're right. That would do it for me. Yea, a
bottle of champagne. Pink champagne. And that cake, the whole cake, I'm
starved.
SUSAN
Right
you are dearie.
Susan goes to the kitchen and wheels the array of sweets back to Jane
sitting at a table. She carefully sets the large oval cake platter in the
center of the table. Then sets in place four plates, silverware, wineglasses, a
cake knife and the champagne.
SUSAN
I'd suggest small slices; it's very
rich. Sorry about the rush dearie, the baby sitter has to leave early tonight.
If you need anything else, ask Jake behind the bar. You can pay him later. You
have a nice evening dearie.
JANE
Now all I need is some romantic
music and my man.
Susan
smiles at Jane and hurries away.
The silence is replaced by the first of a
long series of dance songs Pat has punched into the jukebox.
JUKE BOX SONG LYRICS
First
the tide comes rushing in and plants a kiss on the shore. Then rolls out to sea
to be still once more.
Glancing toward the entrance doors, Jane's
gaze is filled by Dale's entrance.
Jane rises out of her chair and drifts to his
waiting arms. They finish the song in dance.
In the pause between the songs Jane takes his
hand and guides him to their table. She takes the cake knife and holds it above
the dark oval. He grabs the champagne bottle and tears the foil off the cork.
As Jane slides the blade into the cake, Dale twists the cork up. The cork pops
loudly as the first sliver of cake loosens from the platter.
The pinkish hue bubbles and fills the tall
glasses about the table as slivers of the sweet desert fill the thick white
plates. Their eyes meet across the table and they freeze.
Pat has stayed beside the music box slow
dancing with a memory until the song's end. She heaves a sigh and calls over to
the Jake, the bartender.
PAT
A
whiskey for the lady, my good man. Straight up.
Jake and his only customer have both been
watching Pat sway to music. He has jabbed the bald beer drinker with a
go-on-get-her gesture. But the balding businessman only huffs a smile and
watches her dance.
Jake lifts a bottle toward her; she nods an
okay and he pours a generous portion into a slender glass. When he slides the
stainless steel scope into the box of ice cubes she hollers.
PAT
No ice,
barkeep. I like my drinks like I like my men, strong.
Pat carries her drink to Jane’s table and
sits down.
PAT
Whee!
What a long day.
(drinks whiskey)
Chough
chough ahhhh, warms all the way down.
Jane and Dale are still standing and
staring at each other.
PAT
Ah,
sweet romance thine heart takes the mind. Deserts nor mountains nor hurricanes
can stop.
(drinks whiskey)
Wheeooo,
smooth. Say Jane. You sure set a nice table. Say Jane. Want to introduce me to
your friend?
JANE
Oh. Oh
yea. I am. I will introduce you. This is my office buddy, the famous sports
columnist, Pat Moanoham. And this is the computer genius from the Diacom
Corporation, Dale Teleco.
Dale tilt nods once and extends his handshake.
Pat shakes his hand.
DALE
Nice to
meet you I'm sure.
PAT
You look
nice to me.
JANE
A toast.
Let's toast to the beginning of our long friendship.
Jane grabs a glass of pink and
raises it chest high.
Dale takes the glass nearest and
does likewise.
Pat stands, extending her glass.
JANE
To us.
DALE
Yes.
PAT
To long
friendships.
JANE
I'm
starved.
DALE
Me too.
PAT
Me
three.
They all take a long drink and then
they sit down.
Jane and Dale reach for each other and hold hands
across the table; their arms encompass the cake sitting between them. They sit
silently gazing into each other's eyes.
PAT
I
thought we were going to eat the cake, not ritualize it.
Jane glares at Pat, breaks her hand holding,
then cuts a piece of cake giving it to Pat. Then takes Dale’s hands again.
Pat looks about the table, counting.
PAT
One,
two, three, four. I see four plates of cake. Whose is that?
Dale breaks their handholding. He looks about
the place, seeing the bald man at the bar.
DALE
There's
your blind date.
Dale
walks up to the bar and stands beside the man
DALE
Hello,
my name's Dale. Sorry to interrupt, it's just that my girl friend's best friend
is a little shy. She saw you sitting alone and wants to meet you. Allow me the
opportunity to introduce you two.
(whispers in ear)
Play
your cards right and you could get lucky tonight.
Dale
and the man return to Jane and Pat.
DALE
Pat,
this is your date for the evening. Mr. ah Mr.
BENJAMIN
(smiles)
Mr.
Benjamin Harrison, the IV, at your service mame.
Benjamin sits down in the empty chair
opposite Pat.
Dale walks around to Jane and extends his
open hands. She grasps both his hands and stands. He walks backwards to the
dance floor, pulling her behind him. She walks in step and falls against him in
dance.
JANE
I've got
to ask, my boss wants to know. Have you learned anything else from your college
chum?
DALE
No. Not a
word since that first time about the strong acid on the wires. Why? Is there
something else going on?
JANE
Nothing
around here. Let's go get some cake.
Jane and Dale return to the table to fill
their bellies with food and drink.
PAT
Jane
would you believe that Benjamin is an international computer sales
representative for IBB.
DALE
Is that
right? IBB and my company Diacom are business rivals.
BENJAMIN
Oh not
so much rivals anymore. Not since the New World Government took over.
JANE
Are you
referring to their one set of rules for all people throughout the planet?
BENJAMIN
It’s not such a bad idea. I often take
prospective clients out for lunch, sometimes diner and more often and not, my
company pays the check. And I always send clients Christmas and birthday
presents. In some backward countries that could be viewed as a payoff or bribe.
But in the highly industrial Western Hemisphere it's just a common business
practice almost a traditional courtesy. I'd hate to end up in jail in Boa Boa
for something everyone else is doing in Paris or Brussels, New York or LA. That
one set of rules for everyone sounds like a good idea to me.
PAT
(smiles)
You've
been to Boa Boa?
BENJAMIN
(smiles back)
Oh yes
many times. Went on a hunting trip out in
the bush country last year. Around the
campfire one evening our guide told us how the ancient headhunters would skin
their captives before boiling them for supper.
They tanned the skin and made it into coats.
JANE
(shivers)
Owee.
How cruel, so barbaric.
DALE
(shrugs sarcastic)
Not so
much different than what we do to cattle.
PAT
Are you
comparing cows to people? Don't you see
the difference?
DALE
Let's
see. Cows mate, bear their offspring
and nurse them; just like we do. They talk,
eat, crap, get sick, get old and die; just like we do. I don't see any basic difference. Humans make things and cows don't; is that
what you mean?
PAT
Sort
of. We are better than cows and all the
other animals. We have laws. We have religion.
DALE
(smiles)
How do
you know that humans are better, smarter than all the other animals?
PAT
(smiles back)
Because
God said so. He made the animals for us
to use and to eat.
DALE
(incredulous)
And how
do you know that?
PAT
(defiant)
Because
it is in the Bible.
DALE
And who
wrote that Bible? A cow or some human?
PAT
Don't be
so stupid. You know it was written by
people and they were inspired, guided to write it by God.
DALE
Only
people can read it. If humans are so
smart why can't we understand the other animals when they talk to each
other? If we could learn their
languages and we told them about our God, do you think they would agree that
God created them for us to use and to kill and eat?
PAT
(grins)
Of
course they would agree with us.
BENJAMIN
She's
right ol' man. God is better than us
and we are better than other animals.
JANE
So then,
does that mean that the ancient people of Boa Boa were better than the people
they ate?
BENJAMIN
Uhhh. I don't think so. I think they were wrong to eat other humans. And after awhile they realized that so they
stopped eating people and only ate animals.
DALE
Well do
you think the people of Boa Boa will some day realize that eating animals is
wrong?
BENJAMIN
No
way. They’re backwards. You just wouldn't believe how they treat
their women.
PAT
Like
queens?
BENJAMIN
Well.
Not exactly.
JANE
Are you
forgetting that cultural differences have existed since time began? There's no
way you could expect an Eskimo to be like a Frenchman, or that either of them
would want to. So how could there be one set of rules for everyone?
DALE
The
Inca's believed in many different gods running this planet, while at the same
time in history, the Christians had only one god. And that's just one of the many
different religious differences.
BENJAMIN
You both
make good points. But when it comes to business practices, the buying, selling
and trading of goods and services, I think the rules for that should be the
same and binding for everyone of this world. That way there would be less
confusion or misunderstandings. Everyone goes home happy, no matter where you
are doing business. Happy people are honest and well meaning. Happy people
don't have ulcers and they don't go to war.
DALE
I'm in
business too and one set of rules governing business worldwide does sound like
a fair proposition. But not one set of rules totally. So many divergent
religious and cultural practices that one set of rules governing everyone is
not practical, That would make the world a Totalitarian Dictatorship.
PAT
You two
are confusing me. And my glass is empty and nature calls.
Benjamin takes the bottle from the ice,
refills their glasses, then inserts the bottle back.
Pat
quickly kisses Ben on the cheek then turns toward the neon lights, GIRLS/GUYS.
JANE
Wait a
sec Pat, I'll join you.
30.
INT. REGGIE ROCKS NIGHTCLUB - FEMALE BATHROOM
7:30pm
Pat is combing her hair in the large mirror.
Jane is fixing her make up in the large
mirror.
JANE
Pat we came
here together, we leave here together. This is a first date. If you're planning
an early Christmas present, forget it. Remember Mr. Thompson?
PAT
Oh yea.
Can't forget about that microphone.
JANE
If Ben
presses you about later, 'We came together, we leave together', it's the
standard girl friend motto.
PAT
It's
okay Jane; we already set up a tennis date for this weekend. I'll unwrap my
present then. We're both finding a little romance, alright!
Pat slaps Jane a high-five.
31.
INT. REGGIE ROCKS NIGHTCLUB DINING AREA
When Jane and Pat re-enter the room they are
met with silence. The music box is dark; the couple at the far booth has left.
Jane looks at her watch.
JANE
Fifteen,
only fifteen minutes left till the bus.
PAT
That can't
be. We haven't been here that long. Where did the time go?
Jane and Pat remain standing at the table.
Dale looks at his wristwatch and Ben looks
at his.
PAT
I had a
wonderful evening Ben. Thank you.
JANE
Time to
go. The bus leaves in less than fifteen minutes. And the last bus isn't until
ten and that's much too late. I've got an early day tomorrow and so do you. You
know how Mr. Thompson is.
PAT
Yea yea
yea. I know how he is. Sorry boys but we've got to go.
BENJAMIN
It’s getting
a little late. Tomorrow is another day.
(gazes at Pat)
We still
on for tennis this weekend?
PAT
Wouldn't
miss it for the world. Meet you at the Spring Valley Club at 9 for juice.
Ben kisses the back of Pat’s hand.
BENJAMIN
Until
then.
JANE
(smiles at Dale)
Ah we
really got to get going. This was fun. I wouldn't mind coming back when the
bank is playing.
Dale gets up then spins around Jane, wrapping
his arms about her waist, swaying her as if dancing.
DALE
I can
hardly wait.
JAKE
Excuse me
folks, got a couple of tabs here that need paying.
BENJAMIN
Yea.
I'll get hers barkeep.
PAT
The bus
is pulling into the station. Time to go!
With no response from Jane, Pat
bangs a chair on the floor, "thud". Their swaying continues to ignore
her.
PAT
What do
I have to do? Throw a bucket of water on you two?
Pat reaches over, grabbing Jane's shoulder,
twist pulling her free from their dance.
PAT
The bus.
Remember the bus. Remember Mr. Thompson! Come on girl, time to go.
Pat pulls Jane through the tables to the exit.
32.
INT. CONGRESSMAN B.J. WILLS’ OFFICE – 1pm Aug
7
Secretary Shirly is taking notes while
listening on the telephone. Her friend
Bernice is sitting and sipping coffee.
SHIRLY
Bernice,
can you believe this? That was the tenth call this morning about the phones
being out. What do they expect him to do about it anyway? The phone company has
repairmen don't they. Do me a favor; find some whiskey to wake up that brown
liquid you call coffee. I'm not use to so many people yelling at me on the same
day.
BERNICE
You got
to be kidding. One whiff of booze on your breath and you'll be watching a
monitor instead of this cushy phone-answering gig. So you get a few moans and
groans. Isn't that big salary worth it?
SHIRLY
Yea I
guess you got a good point. And it's not their fault. I'd be calling and
complaining to my congressman too if my phone went out and I lost a bundle on
the stock market cause the phone went dead.
The phone rings and
Shirly answers it.
SHIRLY
Senator
Wills' office. How may we help you today? I'm sorry for your phone trouble
mame, but you should be contacting the Phone Company, this sounds like a
problem they can fix. It's not the government's job to fix phones or call the
Phone Company for you.
Bernice fills two cups with coffee from the
Brewmaster on the table in the corner. She takes them back to Shirly, placing
one close to the writing pad. She then sits down in the large chair beside the
desk and sips and looks at the complaint on the pad.
SHIRLY
Well
mame you may have a valid point there. If the Phone Company is not
co-operating, not giving you any reason for the outage or when the lines will
be fixed, then maybe this office can act as a go-between. Senator Wills should
be in this later this afternoon. I will give him your message. When he
determines the correct course of action, someone from this office will inform
you. Thank you mame for your continued support. Good day.
Shirly takes the coffee cup, drinks a large gulp.