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EXT. LEONARD CHRISTIAN'S PORCH - DUSK
CU LEONARD'S BOOTS
LEONARD rocks in a rocking chair. We hear his knife
scrape away at a stick, and see wood shavings collect on
and around his boots.
Small yellow text appears onto the bottom of the frame,
accompanied by a click noise.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Leonard Christian is a cowboy.
The text clicks away.
The scraping noise is drowned out slowly by labored
breathing. LEONARD stops rocking and digs a heel of his
boot into the porch, pushing himself back in his rocking
chair.
More text clicks on.
ON-SCREEN TEXT (CONT'D)
He has been diagnosed with Adult Onset
(or Type II) Diabetes.
Text clicks away.
The scraping stops entirely, and LEONARD coughs heavily,
wheezing.
LEONARD's knife falls from the top of the frame and
lodges itself into the porch, wiggling back and forth.
LEONARD's breathing intensifies.
More text.
ON-SCREEN TEXT (CONT'D)
Leonard lives alone.
Clicks away.
A stream of urine runs down LEONARD's pant leg, pooling
onto the deck.
LEONARD grunts as if trying to communicate, hacking in
between. He scrapes his feet on the porch and his arm
falls into the frame, still holding a partially whittled
stick.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S CAR - AFTERNOON
TRAN PHAM (Early 30s, Vietnamese-American) turns her
steering wheel and watches the road. She clicks her
turning signal on.
Small yellow text clicks onto the bottom of the frame.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Tran Pham is a real estate agent.
The text clicks away.
TRAN pulls over and turns her head towards the sidewalk.
Unlocking her door, she steps outside and stares forward.
Thomas SEXTON (young, scruffy) is in the doorway of a
house, grumbling as he tries to pull a mattress from the
hallway through the door frame onto the front lawn. A few
feet from the sidewalk is a large pile of furnishings; a
mirror, a desk, several pairs of shoes, and an overturned
coffee table. Thomas whips his head around suddenly and
with animalistic intensity to look at TRAN.
FREEZE FRAME:
More text clicks on.
ON-SCREEN TEXT (CONT'D)
Thomas Sexton is an anti-social manic
depressive.
Text clicks away.
More text appears by the mattress.
ON-SCREEN TEXT (CONT'D)
Tran's mattress.
More text by the pile.
ON-SCREEN TEXT (CONT'D)
Tran's mirror.
More text by the pile.
ON-SCREEN TEXT (CONT'D)
Tran's desk.
More text by the pile.
ON-SCREEN TEXT (CONT'D)
Tran's shoes.
More text by the pile.
ON-SCREEN TEXT (CONT'D)
Tran's coffee table.
After a short pause, larger text at the top of the screen
clicks on.
ON-SCREEN TEXT (CONT'D)
Tran's house.
All of the on-screen text clicks away.
UNFREEZE:
Thomas unhands the mattress and charges TRAN's car.
TRAN scrambles back inside, clicking on the power lock as
Thomas pounds her window.
THOMAS
You took everything from me! You whore!
You have nothing from now on, nothing!
Staring forward, TRAN starts her car and pushes the gas,
leaving Thomas behind on her lawn.
As she drives, TRAN slowly tips her head to the left,
eventually leaning it against the window. Grimacing, she
shifts her weight until her cheek is pressed tight
against the glass, her eyes completely fused shut,
driving forward.
TRAN sniffles.
Text clicks on-screen.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Tran has a difficult life.
TRAN
(softly, under tears)
Fuck.
Text clicks away.
CUT TO BLACK:
Large text clicks on, center frame.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Cowboy Seeks Townhouse.
Text clicks away.
FADE IN:
INT. MARY'S OFFICE - DAY
MARY TAMBER (pretty, businesslike) is a young and
successful psychiatrist. Scribbling on her note pad, she
is currently in a session with THOMAS SEXTON. THOMAS is
curled up on MARY's couch, facing her and smiling
comfortably and content.
MARY stops scribbling, and furrows her brow as she looks
to Thomas, who continues to gaze.
Text clicks on-screen.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Monday.
Text clicks away.
MARY
Anything on your mind, Thomas?
THOMAS
(as if surprised)
Hmm? No.
MARY
Alright. How has this week gone for you?
THOMAS
This week? Well! Uh, as a matter of fact,
really good. I've just been thinking
about what you said- about taking control-
and, and I got to say, work's better,
I've been exercising, and I've felt...
just, fantastic.
MARY
That's good, Thomas.
THOMAS
Yeah.
MARY
Because I know last week there had been
sort of an incident for you.
THOMAS
Oh, that, that was... You know, and now
I've talked to Fred, we've talked about
it, and everything is- that's not even an
issue anymore. It's a non-issue. It was
stupid, and- and insignificant, and I
came here feeling really hot about
completely stupid things, and then- and
then you probably got to hear the worst
of it. Just blowing off steam, you know?
Being a big jerk.
(laughs)
You know?
MARY
Mm-hmm.
MARY continues scribbling.
THOMAS
Ah, but this week, yeah. It's just been
great.
MARY
Alright. How about-
(MARY stops scribbling)
Have there been any more... voices?
THOMAS
What?
(chuckles)
No! No, no of course not!
MARY resumes scribbling.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Definitely not, no. What are you- there
aren't any... Mary- Mary: I'm fine.
MARY continues scribbling.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Listen, I'm being completely serious, I
really, honestly feel like- like- ah, I
dunno. Sated. I just- everything is
finally making sense again.
MARY finishes scribbling.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Honestly.
MARY
Well, Thomas, if you've making progress,
then I can't tell you how happy I am for
you.
THOMAS
Good! I'm glad, because I'm happy.
MARY
But I don't think you are... making
progress.
Beat.
THOMAS
(clears his throat)
Well. Alright. That's... your opinion, I
guess. Can I ask-
MARY
Last week I saw you become very, very
distressed.
THOMAS
I know, no, I- see? I know that. And I'm
really so embarrassed you had to see
that, Mary, because it probably gave you
a completely- you know- a bad- wrong
impression of what's going on up there in
the old- ah- headroom.
(chuckles)
But, honestly, it's as simple as you just
caught me on an extremely tough day, the
events of which have already become
completely ancient history.
MARY
Thomas, I feel you're trying very hard to
impress me.
THOMAS
I- Impress you?
(laughs)
What? Well, that's pretty ridiculous,
Mary. I mean, at these rates, I hope you
can do a little better than that.
(continues laughing)
Ah, I'm just teasing, though.
MARY
And I suspect that over the last couple
of months you've begun to see our
relationship in a very inappropriate way.
Beat.
THOMAS
Our... Are you- No, no, it's not like
that at all!
MARY
It's called transference, Thomas. It's
extremely common. All that happened is
you became very thankful for the help
I've given you, and you just got a little
bit confused; misinterpreted your
feelings, that's all. And I'm not angry
at you, Thomas, and nobody's judging you.
Beat.
MARY (CONT'D)
But, until you start to look at yourself
as my patient again, there's absolutely
nothing I can say to you that'll be of
any help.
THOMAS
Can I just say that I really think you're
off base about all this?
MARY
So I'm going to ask that you just
meditated on this over the next week, try
and collect your thoughts, try to keep
positive, and we'll have a nice, friendly
discussion about all this on Tuesday.
Alright?
THOMAS
(laughs nervously,
frustrated)
I- God.
Beat.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Yeah... Yeah.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - MORNING
THOMAS crosses the street, walking towards a large office
building.
Text clicks on-screen.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Tuesday.
He veers to the side and stops in front of a STREET
VENDOR.
No audible dialogue as THOMAS pays for a newspaper and
thumbs through it, continuing towards the building.
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE - LATER
THOMAS staples a document together, holding it in his
left hand and tracing his right index finger along a wall
of three ring binders, until he eventually lands on one
marked "Uv - We."
THOMAS pulls the binder out of the wall and opens it up
to the center, carefully undoing the rings and sliding
the newly stapled document inside.
He exits the office.
CUT TO:
INT. CUBICLE HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
THOMAS slaloms through a sea of cubicles, eventually
arriving at his own. Picking up his coffee mug, he eyes a
ring of liquid left behind on his desk.
THOMAS sighs deeply, getting up.
Looking around his personal effects, THOMAS snatches a
coaster from a shelf and sets the mug down on it, wiping
the coffee ring away with the sleeve of his jacket.
Grabbing a handful of documents from his "IN" box, THOMAS
again leaves his cubicle, walking through the hallway.
Passing by the door of a large office with a placard
reading "DALBY ORELLANO," he stops, lingering in front of
the door for a moment, looking around before subtly
leaning his ear against the wood.
We hear muffled male voices.
THOMAS furrows his brow, and eventually lets out a sharp,
breathy scoff.
CUT TO:
INT. DINER - AFTERNOON
THOMAS eats a Danish, thumbing through another newspaper.
Text clicks on.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Wednesday.
Text clicks away.
Looking up towards the door, he notices two MEN entering
in laughter and camaraderie. Inhaling, he rises from his
table, wiping his hands on his pants and darting off to
the men's room.
CUT TO:
INT. MEN'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
THOMAS has locked himself into a stall, which he stands
in, leaning on his arm against the door.
After a bit of heavy breathing, he begins to pull yards
of toilet paper out of the roller, bunching it up around
his hands.
With much fervor, THOMAS rips the length of paper into
individual squares, muttering under his breath.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT
THOMAS sits in his car, lights off, tapping his thumbs on
his steering wheel.
Text clicks on.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Thursday.
Text clicks away.
After a bit, he cranks his window down, leaning his arm
out the side of his car before shifting uncomfortably,
pulling his arm back inside and rolling his window up
again.
The sound of a car engine snaps THOMAS into a rush,
frantically positioning his rear view mirror which he
stares into intently.
THOMAS
(voice crackling)
Aha!
After staring into the mirror for a few more seconds, he
slams his hands down on the dashboard, rolling forward
with his eyes shut and laughing with a mixture of relief
and disbelief.
CUT TO:
INT. CUBICLE HALLWAY - AFTERNOON
THOMAS is in his cubicle, clicking out of his computer
and folding up a binder on his desk.
Text clicks on.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Friday.
Text clicks away.
With everything in its place, he exits his cubicle.
CUT TO:
INT. MEN'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
THOMAS checks himself over in the mirror, matting his
hair down and straightening his tie. With his finger, he
smudges something off one of his front teeth. Looking
himself up and down, he nods and gives his knuckles a
crack.
CUT TO:
INT. CUBICLE HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
In front of DALBY ORELLANO's office, THOMAS rolls back
and forth on the balls of his feet for a moment, staring
at the floor, before tapping on the door.
DALBY
(through the door)
Just a second!
THOMAS continues to rock.
DALBY (CONT'D)
Come in.
THOMAS opens the door and enters.
CUT TO:
INT. DALBY'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
DALBY ORELLANO (heavyset, early 50s), one of the two men
from the diner on Wednesday, sits at his desk.
DALBY
Ah, Thomas. What can I do you for?
THOMAS laughs through his nose.
THOMAS
(eerily coy)
Dalby...
DALBY
(arching his eyebrows)
Hmm?
THOMAS
I know something.
DALBY
Uh-huh.
THOMAS
Oh yeah. Oh yeah, I do.
DALBY looks to thomas, arched eyebrows, curious.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
(grinning)
You...
(chuckles, matter of fact)
You've been kissing boys.
DALBY
(politely smiling)
Excuse me?
THOMAS
(in a playful singsong)
It's with Peter... From finance.
DALBY
(laughs)
I've- Thomas, what are you talking about?
THOMAS
(through the ever-present
grin)
Inside of here on Tuesday you and him
talked about a vacation together, and
then you ate lunch with him on Wednesday,
and then last night in the carpark, I saw
you kissing and driving home in the same
car.
DALBY
(sighs)
Alright, Thomas. What is this, blackmail?
THOMAS approaches DALBY's desk, leaning his hands on it.
THOMAS
(very slow and deliberately)
You...
(exhales slowly)
You're not supposed to kiss boys, Dalby.
DALBY
Oh, for God's sake, Thomas, what do you
want from me?
THOMAS
You're supposed to kiss girls, Dalby.
DALBY stares at THOMAS, exasperated.
DALBY
Why are you even-
Abruptly, THOMAS climbs over DALBY's desk and grabs him
by the collar, pushing him down, as he shouts:
THOMAS
(through gritted teeth)
You're supposed to kiss girls!
DALBY's head hits the floor, and he closes his eyes,
groaning. THOMAS shakes DALBY by his shoulders.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Look at me! Look at me, Dalby!
Grimacing, DALBY opens his eyes.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
(grabbing DALBY's hair)
You kiss the girls!
With his free hand, THOMAS punches DALBY twice in the
jaw.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
(still clutching DALBY's
hair)
You kiss the girls...
THOMAS punches DALBY repeatedly in the gut.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
And you-
(another fist to the gut)
*hit* the boys!
THOMAS flattens his hand over DALBY's mouth, muffling his
screams.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Dalby! Dalby! You kiss the girls and you
hit the boys!
THOMAS punches DALBY in the throat.
CUT TO:
INT. SMALLER OFFICE - LATER
THOMAS sits, quietly gazing at his shoes, on a chair in
front of a desk, two large SECURITY GUARDS standing at
the door behind him. A MANAGER sits across from him.
MANAGER
Now, new company policy, so Faber and
Faber will not be pursuing any charges
against you, Thomas. Obviously, ah, Mr.
Orellano still- you know- can. Yeah, and
I assume he almost certainly will- ah- eh-
you know. We-
(trails off)
Thomas. If you- we can help you get into
some kind of therapy. I don't know if
that's anything that would-
THOMAS mumbles gently, head turned down.
MANAGER (CONT'D)
What's that, Thomas?
THOMAS turns his head up to look at the MANAGER, eyes
watery and smiling.
THOMAS
(nodding and content)
I'm already in therapy.
THOMAS bursts into loud, staccato laughter.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
I'm already in therapy!
THOMAS reaches his arms up and begins to stand. The
SECURITY GUARDS uncross their arms and start to slowly
approach THOMAS.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
(voice breaking, continuing
to laugh)
I'm already in therapy! I'm already in
it!
CUT TO:
INT. THOMAS' APARTMENT - AFTERNOON
THOMAS stares at the television, still in Friday's work
clothing.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Saturday.
CUT TO:
INT. THOMAS' APARTMENT - AFTERNOON
THOMAS sits in an identical pose, television blaring,
whiskers starting to sprout on his cheeks, hair matted
and messy.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Sunday.
CUT TO:
INT. MARY'S OFFICE - DAY
THOMAS lays on MARY's couch, curled up and staring at her
with cloudy, affectionate eyes and a gentle smile.
MARY taps her pen on her note pad, frowning slightly at
THOMAS.
MARY
So, Thomas, how was your week?
THOMAS
(slow and breathy)
Fantastic.
MARY
Mhm. And have you given any thought to
what-
THOMAS
(all smiles)
Yes, and I know now that I'm in love with
you, so I plan to terminate immediately
so we can start spending the rest of our
lives together.
Beat.
MARY
(scribbling on her pad)
Mhm.
CUT TO:
EXT. LEONARD CHRISTIAN'S PORCH - AFTERNOON
LEONARD CHRISTIAN (early 40s, vest, chaps and boots) is
keeled over on his porch. He coughs, letting out a small
cloud of dust.
LEONARD (V.O.)
Dad, the problem I've had all my life is
that I just can't trust doctors.
HARLAN (V.O.)
Ginny Perriera's son was a doctor. Good
man. Honest man.
LEONARD opens his eyes, straight into the overbearing
sun. Gagging slightly, he closes them again and rolls
onto his side, reopening them in the shade.
LEONARD (V.O.)
I just find that trying to keep me alive
and trying to take my money to be sorta'
like... conflicting interests.
LEONARD looks down to his hand, the side of which is
caked with dry blood. His eyes dart to the knife in his
deck, which is likewise, smeared with dry blood.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
(hoarsely)
Hell.
LEONARD meekly pushes himself up onto his feet, clutching
his wounded hand with the other, and stumbling inside.
CUT TO:
INT. LEONARD'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
LEONARD teeters slowly towards his sink as if drunk.
HARLAN (V.O.)
Well, if you don't like 'em, then don't
see 'em, I guess.
LEONARD (V.O.)
Yeah, Dad. I know.
LEONARD turns the tap on and leans his head underneath
the sink, sucking water down his throat before lifting
his head up to the mirror, his face covered in dirt and
still dripping with water.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
Shoot.
CUT TO BLACK.
LEONARD (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But I got my condition, right?
HARLAN (V.O.)
Oh, yeah, right. There is that. So that's
a problem, I guess?
LEONARD grabs a towel and begins to mat the dirt and
sweat off of his face.
LEONARD (V.O.)
Well, what I done is, a few years back I
found myself a real fine nutritionist.
CUT TO:
EXT. BAR - NIGHT
A slightly younger LEONARD is sitting on some railing
outside of a city bar, tipping back a bottle of beer.
His friend, GIL (tubby, sprightly) is standing behind
LEONARD's right, leaned over the railing with a bottle
hanging in his hand.
GIL
Damn!
(chuckles, drunkenly)
Damn, Leonard, how d'you drink like that?
LEONARD
(spits)
What are you on about?
GIL
You put 'em down like a real badass, you
know that?
LEONARD
(laughs)
Gil, keep quiet.
GIL
Nah, Leonard! I mean it! I think it's the
eyes.
LEONARD
Oh, yeah. The eyes, huh?
GIL
Yep. Gotta be the eyes.
LEONARD
Well, Gil, I gotta hand it to you: You
sure know how to sweet talk 'em.
GIL
(laughs)
Fuck you, Leonard.
LEONARD
Your place or mine?
GIL
(laughing)
Fuck you, fuck you. Another round?
LEONARD tilts his bottle into the light, eyeing it and
sighing.
LEONARD
(belches)
Yeah, sounds good.
GIL
(coughs, turning around)
But seriously, some of these days you
gotta teach me how to drink like that.
GIL wanders back inside, as LEONARD pulls a cigarette
from his shirt pocket and pops it in his mouth, digging
through his pants for a moment before producing a
lighter. He flicks the flint and holds the flame to his
cigarette.
EDMUND (O.S.)
For goodness sake, son- You're pitching a
no-hitter tonight.
PAN TO REVEAL:
EDMUND COLLARD (late fifties, haggard but sharply
dressed) is crouched on the ground ten feet to the left
of LEONARD.
LEONARD
(dragging off of his
cigarette)
Excuse me?
EDMUND
I was in the "U" Diner earlier tonight,
and I saw you do away with a cut of beef
bigger than my head. Then, you gone
through eight bottles in an hour and a
half. And I bet that pack's only got,
what, two sticks left?
LEONARD chuckles deeply.
LEONARD
What's it to you?
EDMUND
Well, you're sprinting for an early
grave, I take it?
LEONARD
(eyeing him over, confused)
Mind your business.
EDMUND
Fine, fine. 'Course I'm just trying to
help.
(Looks away momentarily,
before)
But you're really killing yourself, you
know that?
LEONARD
What's your name, old man?
EDMUND
It's- ah- it's Collard. Edmund Collard.
LEONARD
You a doctor or something?
EDMUND
Uh-huh. That's right.
Text clicks on-screen.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Edmund Collard is not a doctor.
LEONARD
Well,
(Leonard drops his cigarette,
stamping it out)
Edmund Collard, you went and sermonized
the wrong son of a bitch on the worst
possible night.
LEONARD jumps to his feet, throwing his bottle into the
street, which shatters off screen.
EDMUND sighs, standing up.
The two men, walk up to each other, chests out. LEONARD
has EDMUND by a few inches.
EDMUND
Alright, cowboy- this your game?
LEONARD
Oh yeah, doctor. This is my game.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - MOMENTS LATER
LEONARD and EDMUND wrestle into the street, trading
punches.
LEONARD whips around EDMUNDS back, holding him into a
headlock.
LEONARD
Come on, you pieceashit! Let's hear
s'more! How long would you say I got,
huh? Ten years? Five? Huh? Huh?!
EDMUND gags.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
But, shit, I dunno- Maybe you can get me
on a regimen! Diet, exercise, Technicolor
cocktail of pharmaceuticals, huh?
EDMUND elbows LEONARD in the gut, sending him back,
doubled over.
EDMUND spins and sends out a fist, which catches LEONARD
in the head, sending him to the ground. Standing over
him, EDMUND kicks LEONARD in the gut. LEONARD moans.
EDMUND
(much slower, calmer than
LEONARD)
Mhm. Well, you've got a real sharp mouth
on you, don't you, pretty boy?
EDMUND kicks LEONARD again.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
Oh, but that's right- This is your game,
isn't it? You're the star, yeah? You call
the shots, huh?
EDMUND kicks LEONARD, who hacks.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
But guess what; I can keep this up all
night, cowboy.
EDMUND kicks LEONARD.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
Or are-
(grunts)
- you done playing?
EDMUND kicks LEONARD.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
(suddenly in a shout)
Well, come on, boy! I ain't fixing to
just quit on my own accord, so let's hear
it!
(spelling it out)
Have you had enough?
LEONARD moans.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
Huh?
LEONARD
(meekly, under his breath)
Uncle...
EDMUND
What's that?
LEONARD
(shouting)
Uncle!
EDMUND
(laughs, leaning into a
stretch)
Alright. Alright.
LEONARD rolls onto his back, clutching his gut and
breathing heavily.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
And what was that line? The wrong son of
a bitch on the worst possible night?
(laughs)
That was good.
LEONARD rests for a moment, before lunging out at EDMUNDS
leg and sinking his teeth into his ankle. EDMUND screams.
CUT TO:
INT. BAR - LATER
EDMUND and LEONARD sit across from one another at a
table, EDMUND holding a glass of beer up against his eye,
his busted lip sticking out underneath, and LEONARD
leaning back in his chair with a blood soaked napkin
covering his face. The jukebox blares. After some time:
LEONARD
They don't play good music in this bar.
EDMUND
Well... I wouldn't say they play good
music in any bar.
BOTH take a swig from their glasses. From the motion,
LEONARD stifles a groan.
LEONARD
Boy, doctor. You know how to throw a
punch.
EDMUND
(weakly chuckles)
Yeah. Thanks, uh-
LEONARD
My name's Leonard Christian.
EDMUND
Leonard Christian? Well, that's a good
name.
LEONARD
Came from my granddad.
EDMUND
Mine, too. Though I can't say I done well
with Edmund.
LEONARD
Yeah, Edmund, uh-
(clears his throat)
You said you was a doctor?
EDMUND
I did, but- uh- I lied. Well, no- I mean,
I'm like a doctor, just except it's-
LEONARD
What, are you a nurse or something?
EDMUND
No! No, no. I'm, uh... I'm a
nutritionist.
After a pause, LEONARD begins to laugh uncontrollably,
threatening to fall over in his chair.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
That's right, that's right, whoop it up,
cowboy.
LEONARD peels the napkin off of his face, leaning forward
with two puffy eyes and a crooked nose, laughing.
LEONARD
(voice crackling)
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
(sighs, laughter trailing)
No-
(one last chuckle)
- that's not bad.
EDMUND
Gee, thanks.
LEONARD
Honestly, Edmund, it's better that you're
a nutritionist. You know? 'Cause I hate
doctors.
EDMUND
Alright, yeah, yeah.
LEONARD
Well, I do.
(shifts his weight)
But, listen- I, uh... I had to get a few
tests done about a month and a half ago,
and they- I guess- found some stuff
that's- you know- really got me all
worked up.
EDMUND
Yeah?
LEONARD
Yeah. And, look I was just gonna ignore
it, but if it's not too big a deal, you
think I could make, like, a- an, uh-
EDMUND
An appointment?
LEONARD
Yeah, that's right, an appointment to
come in sometime and- well, I dunno- talk
it over or something?
EDMUND stares at LEONARD for a moment before himself
succumbing to laughter.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
What? No, come on, what?
EDMUND
(hysterical, unable to
communicate)
We - you just - ah!
LEONARD
Alright, alright, alright- come on.
EDMUND
(subsides)
Oh, man. No, I- hoo.
LEONARD
Okay. Okay.
EDMUND
Well, of course I will, Leonard!
LEONARD
Yeah?
EDMUND
Yeah, sure!
LEONARD
Well- okay! Damn, thanks Edmund!
LEONARD raises his glass, which EDMUND matches in cheers.
CUT TO BLACK.
HARLAN (V.O.)
That's good, son. See? You figure these
things out. I'm glad for you.
LEONARD (V.O.)
Yeah, well. Thing is, though, now I got
me, like, a new problem.
CUT TO:
INT. LEONARD'S LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON
Back in the present, a slightly cleaned up but still
wrecked looking LEONARD wedges his phone in between his
ear and shoulder, dialing a number from a piece of paper.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMUND'S HOUSE - SAME TIME
EDMUND's phone rings three times.
EDMUND (O.S.)
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I hear you.
EDMUND, dressed for golf, enters to pick up his receiver.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
(slightly out of breath)
Hh- Edmund Collard speaking.
CUT TO:
INT. LEONARD'S LIVING ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD
Hi, Edmund.
EDMUND
(on the other end)
Leonard? God! Been too long.
LEONARD
I know, I know, yeah, real busy.
EDMUND
(on the other end)
How you keeping, son?
LEONARD
Well, Edmund, been better. I- ah- I think
I experienced today something akin to...
Well, I guess, a diabetic coma.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMUND'S HOUSE - SAME TIME
EDMUND holds the phone, standing silently, before sitting
down in a chair and facing the wall.
EDMUND
(sighs, rubbing his head)
Leonard... Ah, jeez. Come on, man. I
mean, what do you want me to do for you?
LEONARD
(on the other end)
I dunno, anything?
EDMUND
Well, I sure as hell ain't making a two
thousand mile house call, if that's what
you're getting at.
LEONARD
(on the other end)
No, I don't mean like that-
EDMUND
Shit, Leonard... You know you've got to
do something. I mean, I'm not getting
into specifics over the phone, but this
sounds like it's gonna get pretty serious
and real quick, too.
LEONARD
(on the other end)
Yeah. I know.
EDMUND
Look, it's twenty minutes to Galveston,
and I can assure you, they got some real
good doctors there.
LEONARD yells unintelligibly over the other end.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
(yelling back)
Wait a minute, wait a minute- Stop acting
like a child and take some fucking
responsibility for your situation!
LEONARD
(on the other end)
I know. I know.
EDMUND
(calmed down)
Damn it, Leonard, you know I understand
how you feel, but if you don't get on
this *now*, you're gonna die.
CUT TO:
INT. LEONARD'S LIVING ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD sighs.
LEONARD
Alright, but I can't do it, Edmund. I
just can't do it.
Beat.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
Boy, I sure wish you hadn't have moved.
EDMUND
(on the other end)
That's not fair, Leonard.
LEONARD
Nah, I mean- I know you got your practice
down there now and you're doin' real well
and I'm real happy for you and
everything. I just-
(exhales)
Hoo, the way things work out sometimes,
you know?
CUT TO:
INT. EDMUND'S HOUSE - SAME TIME
EDMUND
Yeah, I know, Leonard. I know.
Beat.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
Look, don't do anything stupid like
upping your dose a bunch. Eat lots of
grain, drink as much water as you can
hold, and sleep next to the toilet.
(reaching into a drawer)
Now, I know you'll hate this, but I'm
gonna give you an address, and first
thing tomorrow morning, you've got to
give it a try.
LEONARD sighs over the other end.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
At least for me, right cowboy?
CUT TO BLACK.
HARLAN (V.O.)
Yeah, son. That is a problem.
LEONARD (V.O.)
Well... Yeah.
INT. WAITING ROOM - NEXT MORNING
A blonde RECEPTIONIST speaks on the telephone with a
headset, typing at her computer throughout.
LEONARD sits in a chair across the room, visibly
impatient.
RECEPTIONIST
No, Thursday isn't going to work. Not at
any time before three. After five? I
thought you said- oh, alright. Actually,
I think there might be a... Hang on a
minute... No, not after five, either.
There's still an opening for Wednesday at
four if you're- What's that? No. Okay.
Oh, well, we're closed on the weekends.
Yes, that includes Saturday.
LEONARD stands and leans against the wall, irritated.
RECEPTIONIST (CONT'D)
You mean the following Tuesday?
Actually... Well, I'll have to check,
hang on. Alright, I see that we can get
you in at ten o'clock. Ten. AM, yes. Oh,
that's alright. No, of course not. The
next- Actually, I'm sorry, Wednesday is
basically booked. If you want to come in
the following Thursday, not the twenty
first but the twenty-eighth-
LEONARD pulls a cigarette out of a pack in his pocket and
begins to light it.
RECEPTIONIST (CONT'D)
Just a moment. Sir?
(holds out her hand to
LEONARD)
Sir.
LEONARD pauses to look at the RECEPTIONIST.
RECEPTIONIST (CONT'D)
You can't- There's no smoking in here.
LEONARD eventually reacts by plucking the cigarette from
his mouth and putting it back in the breast pocket of his
vest.
RECEPTIONIST (CONT'D)
Sorry about that. But the Thursday after,
the twenty eighth, we would have... let
me check... four hours starting at noon,
and two hours-
CUT TO:
EXT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - LATER
LEONARD exits the building and sidles over to a pay
phone, which he pumps a handful of quarters into,
dialing.
LEONARD
(after a moment, shouting
over the traffic and wind)
Okay, I couldn't do it! What? It's
Leonard! Yeah, I know- you're right!
And I'm sorry! But anyway, I'm really
really scared about all of this, so I'm
thinking I'm just gonna go ahead and load
up all my junk on a train and move down
to Cimarron! You know, so's that I can
keep on seeing you from there!
Beat.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
(laughs)
Yeah, I am serious! Uh-huh, that's right!
I'll, uh... Well, I'll drop by- I dunno-
Tuesday, I guess!
LEONARD laughs.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
Yeah. Okay, Edmund! Ah- you have yourself
a good day!
CUT TO BLACK.
LEONARD (V.O.) (CONT'D)
So don't be mad or nothing, Dad, but it's
looking like that's how it's gonna have
to be.
CUT TO:
EXT. LEONARD'S BACKYARD - NIGHT
LEONARD sits in front of a large, round gravestone, legs
outstretched. HARLAN CHRISTIAN (built like LEONARD, grey,
dusty) sits on top of the gravestone, hunched over.
HARLAN
Nah, Leonard. I ain't mad.
LEONARD nods.
LEONARD
(exhales)
Hoo, the way things turn out sometimes,
you know?
HARLAN
Yeah, I know, son.
(clapping his hands together)
So, what're you gonna do with the house?
LEONARD
Well, I ain't sure. I hadn't even thought
about it. I mean, what do you think, Dad?
Should I sell it?
HARLAN
(shocked)
Sell it? Leonard, what the hell's wrong
with you?
LEONARD
Well, I don't know, Dad, you asked!
HARLAN
What, you need money or something?
LEONARD
No, no! Come on, I'm fine. I won't sell
it, Jesus. I'm sorry.
HARLAN
(sighs)
Damn it, Leonard- I just meant, well,
have a talk with Larry Masters or
somebody and have 'em drop in from time
to time. Sell it- Damn place is gonna
fall over one of these days!
LEONARD
Fine, Dad. Why didn't you just say that
in the first place?
The CHRISTIANS sigh in synchronicity.
HARLAN
Well. City life, huh?
LEONARD
City life? Dad, you ever been to
Cimarron?
HARLAN
I know, I know. But, still, it's gonna be
different than out here, you know?
LEONARD
Well, I know. I'll be alright.
HARLAN
Oh yeah, I'm sure you will.
HARLAN chews his lip for a moment.
HARLAN (CONT'D)
But then I reckon that means nobody's
gonna come out here and talk to me no
more, huh?
LEONARD
(scratching his head)
Ah, come on, Dad. You're dead.
HARLAN
Yeah. Yeah, I guess I am.
The CHRISTIANS sit in a moment of quiet reflection.
HARLAN (CONT'D)
Well, I suppose you got some more packing
to do.
LEONARD
(getting up)
Yeah. Suppose I do.
HARLAN
Then I don't wanna keep you none.
LEONARD
I'll talk to Larry about the house like
you said.
HARLAN
Appreciate it. And- ah, I appreciate you
coming out here and talking to me about
this.
LEONARD pats his father on the shoulder and starts to
walk towards the house.
HARLAN (CONT'D)
Don't be a stranger, son.
(calling after him)
Oh, and see if you don't have any luck
finding yourself a wife down in Cimarron!
I'd sure like to meet myself a New
Mexican one of these days!
LEONARDM (O.S.)
(laughing)
Will do, Dad.
HARLAN chuckles for a bit, before slapping his thighs and
hunching forward, looking from side to side as if waiting
for something.
FADE TO:
INT. VICTORIAN KITCHEN - MORNING
TRAN PHAM's hand reaches high up onto a shelf, wiping off
a thick coat of dust with a white rag.
CUT TO:
INT. VICTORIAN BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN PHAM's hand clutches a bottle of industrial strength
cleaner in one hand and a sponge in the other, tackling a
rusty stain in a sink.
CUT TO:
INT. VICTORIAN LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN PHAM's hand plugs a cord into a wall socket,
immediately blowing the power and switching out the
lights.
TRAN sighs.
CUT TO:
EXT. SIDE OF VICTORIAN HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN PHAM's hand opens up a circuit box, running up and
down an array of switches before hesitating over and
hitting one, sending sparks all over.
TRAN shrieks.
CUT TO:
EXT. VICTORIAN BACKYARD - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN PHAM stands a swimming pool with a large,
telescoping net, fishing out leaves and clutter.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
(gentle, male voice)
You're awfully quiet today.
TRAN
Hmm.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
Is something wrong, Tran?
TRAN
No. I just don't have anything to say.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
Then why not hum? You normally hum.
TRAN continues to clean the pool.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
(CONT'D)
Are there people coming to see me today,
Tran?
TRAN
(sighs)
Uh- yes. There are.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
What kind of people?
TRAN walks around to the other side of the pool, getting
on her knees and reaching out to fish out a leaf that's
wandered dead into the center.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
(CONT'D)
When are they arriving?
TRAN continues to reach.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
(CONT'D)
I'm sorry about my pool being such a
mess. Of course, do you think the people
are going to mind that one little leaf?
TRAN grunts, leaning further over the water, before
slipping and soaking the front of her shirt in the pool.
TRAN
Shit!
TRAN throws the net into the pool and sits back on her
hands, irritated.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
Are you mad at me, Tran?
TRAN
No, I'm not mad, but I'm really, really
busy right now and I really need to
concentrate, so just shut up for a few
minutes, okay?
After a moment, TRAN gets up and tries wiping her shirt
off before stepping to the pool and reaching out to grab
the net and try again on the leaf.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
You're such a bitch today.
CUT TO:
INT. VICTORIAN HALLWAY - LATER
TRAN escorts a YOUNG COUPLE (yuppies, attractive) through
the VICTORIAN HOUSE.
TRAN
Okay, the bathroom is a little bit on the
cozy side-
GIRLFRIEND
Uh-oh...
TRAN
- But, it's got something that I
absolutely love.
TRAN opens the door to the bathroom, the COUPLE entering.
BOYFRIEND
Oh, wow.
GIRLFRIEND
(gasps)
Hers and his sinks! Oh, that is too much!
TRAN
I know! Don't you love it?
CUT TO:
INT. VICTORIAN LIVING ROOM - LATER
The COUPLE sits on the sofa, across from TRAN in her
chair.
GIRLFRIEND
Now, there are some issues. The street's
a little bit busy-
BOYFRIEND
And the location.
GIRLFRIEND
Stan's of course worried about getting to
work. But- actually, I don't honestly
think that's gonna be too much of a
problem.
TRAN
No, it shouldn't be. I mean, Stan, coming
from the west end of town, you have the
Almendarez bridge traffic-
BOYFRIEND
Yeah.
TRAN
- so even though this is maybe a couple
more miles out- I mean, I've got a lot of
clients just like you, and you will not-
I guarantee you- will not even notice the
difference.
BOYFRIEND
Yeah, I've been told that. But, I mean,
you have to make sure your bases are
covered.
GIRLFRIEND
Also, the color is an issue for me.
TRAN
Oh, yeah?
GIRLFRIEND
Yeah. Actually, I think we'd probably
have to paint everything.
BOYFRIEND
Uh-huh, I was gonna say-
GIRLFRIEND
Maybe something sunnier? Oh, and I
really, really don't like the hardwood
floor in the bedroom-
BOYFRIEND
Hmm.
GIRLFRIEND
What?
BOYFRIEND
No, it's nothing. I just-
GIRLFRIEND
Go ahead, speak your mind.
BOYFRIEND
Well, honestly? You know, I didn't mind
that.
GIRLFRIEND
No?
BOYFRIEND
No, not really.
GIRLFRIEND
Honey? Ick, ick, ick.
BOYFRIEND
(laughs)
Of course, I'm not married to it.
TRAN
(laughs)
Oh, and by the way, all of this is fine.
Standard changes, easy changes. No
problem whatsoever as far as any of this
is concerned.
GIRLFRIEND
And, again, with the color. Honestly, I
can't even think of what system would
work with those walls. You know, I mean
as far as carpeting and trim and
everything.
TRAN
Mm-hm.
GIRLFRIEND
So it's a lot of work.
TRAN
Mm-hm.
GIRLFRIEND
But we love the garden-
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
(drowning them out)
I don't like these people.
TRAN blinks awkwardly as if slightly thrown.
BOYFRIEND
And the pool.
GIRLFRIEND
Oh, the pool. And, we love-
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
(drowning them out)
I don't want to be painted. Not by them.
Get them out of me.
BOYFRIEND
(laughs)
I know, definitely.
TRAN
(chuckles)
Ah, I- I'm sorry, I didn't catch that.
The GIRLFRIEND begins to speak, but:
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
Tran, listen to me: These people aren't
right. You have to get them out of here,
and you have to do it now.
GIRLFRIEND
- if that makes any sense.
TRAN
Mm-hm. Mm-hm.
GIRLFRIEND
So, we're definitely going to keep this
one in mind, definitely. But for the next
place, if we could try for something-
VICTORIAN HOUSE (V.O.)
Tran, please-
TRAN
(screaming)
Fuck, stop it!
The COUPLE stares at TRAN.
GIRLFRIEND
I'm sorry?
CUT TO:
EXT. VICTORIAN BACKYARD - LATER
Looking in through the sliding glass door as TRAN walks
up, trying to pull it open to no avail.
After a few frustrated tugs, she kicks the glass which
cracks in a large web pattern towards the bottom.
VICTORIAN HOUSE
How unnecessary.
After fidgeting for a moment, TRAN undoes the lock, and
slides the door open, storming outside.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (CONT'D)
Why are you doing this?
TRAN steps in front of the pool and turns around, facing
the house.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (CONT'D)
There will be more people, Tran. You know
that.
TRAN spreads her arms out like wings and falls backwards
into the pool, completely submerged.
VICTORIAN HOUSE (CONT'D)
(after TRAN has stayed
beneath for a while)
You're like a child.
CUT TO:
SPLIT SCREEN:
INT. TRAN'S HOUSE - LATER THAT EVENING
SPLIT WITH:
INT. TEN'S HOUSE - SAME TIME
At camera left, TRAN dries her hair with a free hand,
holding the receiver to her ear with the other, wandering
towards her kitchen.
TEN PHAM (ancient-looking, stern), TRAN's mother, is
sitting on a chair at frame right, holding her receiver
gracefully, as if it might be made of crystal.
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
That is just a ridiculous question.
TEN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
No it isn't. No, it's a good question.
Everything you've been-
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
Whether or not I'm happy doesn't have
anything to do with-
TEN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
Tran! Tran!
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
- Never mind the implication, which
couldn't be any more obvious, but it
doesn't have anything to do with
anything!
TRAN opens up her refrigerator.
TEN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
Yes it does. It does if you're unhappy.
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
Okay, then. Yes, I am happy.
TEN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
You can't be happy just to get me to
leave you alone!
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
I can't- Is this whole thing a game for
you or something?
After sifting through her refrigerator, TRAN pulls a
carrot out of the bottom crisper and takes a bite.
TEN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
Listen to me, Tran: You are unhappy, and
I know why you're unhappy, and you know
why, too, so I don't even have to say it.
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese with
her mouth full)
Good. Then let's move on.
TEN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
You can't agree with me just to get me to
leave you alone!
TRAN spits the bite of carrot into the sink and throws
the remainder down the garbage disposal.
TRAN
(to herself)
No, no. I can't afford another pizza.
TEN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
What was that?
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
Nothing, what were we talking about?
TEN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
Don't curse me in English, because I
know!
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
How about you stop being such an asshole
and maybe I'll try and have a real
conversation with you someday?
TEN freezes as if struck by an arrow through the heart.
TRAN (CONT'D)
(to herself)
Oh, stupid. Stupid, stupid...
(SUBTITLE)
(sighs, spoken in Vietnamese)
Mom, I didn't mean it.
TEN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
All I can think is, if a girl speaks in
such a way to her own mother, how does
she hope to find a man to settle down
with?
TRAN shrieks
TEN (SUBTITLE) (CONT'D)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
What about Thomas? Thomas was nice.
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
Stop calling my house!
TRAN hangs up her phone.
CUT TO:
EXT. TRAIN STATION - AFTERNOON
Looking deep-eyed on to the city before him, LEONARD
steps off of a midday train with a bag on each arm.
Flaring his nostrils, he takes in a deep breath of
Cimarron air, before doubling over in a fit of hacking.
In a bit of a panic, he yanks a zipper down on one of his
packs, pulling out the first shirt he can get his hands
on and pressing it over his mouth, coughing heartily into
it and slowing his breath.
LEONARD
(in between sighs)
Okay... Gotta get used to a... Tighter
air.
CUT TO BLACK.
We hear a zipper close.
CUT TO:
INT. ART DECO ONE STORY - LATE NIGHT
Extended quiet interior shots of a vibrantly colored art
deco house, fully furnished in that late sixties take on
ultra modern.
In an explosion of sound and motion, the front door
swings open, TRAN rushing in from the outside, bundled
and determined looking.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
(bubbly but calm younger
female voice)
Oh, Tran! I had no idea you were coming!
TRAN
(rushing to the kitchen)
Hi, yeah- sorry, so much to- such a...
CUT TO:
INT. ART DECO KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN pauses briefly in the kitchen, scanning the
cupboards before jerking her head down to the floor,
watching the linoleum for something.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
What are you here for?
TRAN's eyes dart up level, pointing towards nothing in
particular.
TRAN
(choosing her words
carefully)
Oh, I'm just here because of... the- ah,
the trim.
TRAN gets on her hands and knees, reaching into the
corner behind the furnishings to feel at the floor-to
wall trimming, as if to strip it away.
TRAN (CONT'D)
It's very thick rubber, it's extremely
scuffed up, and it doesn't at all
coordinate with the theme of the room.
(grunting now)
And I have no idea what kind of tools-
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Tran, that can't be why you're here.
TRAN fidgets for a few seconds more, before stopping
entirely.
TRAN
No, yeah... Of course you're right, I
mean, of course it's not. I was
actually...
(edging out of the kitchen)
I was rushing over to do a little bit of
emergency landscaping.
CUT TO:
EXT. ART DECO BACKYARD - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN breezes into the backyard, where she begins to scoop
up stepping stones.
TRAN
These stones are, like, really really old
world, which is totally confusing the
whole ultra, ah, contemporary sort of vib
you have going here. I'm not a feng shui
kind of girl or anything, you know that,
but it's, like, I dunno! A total drag.
Just misguided, stupid. Did I put these
here? I did, didn't I? Stupid. Stupid.
Obvious. Stupid.
TRAN collects an armful of stones and dumps them by the
entry way of the house, before returning to collect the
remainder.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Tran, come on. That isn't why you're
here.
TRAN freezes, back to the house.
TRAN
(softly, as if scolding
herself)
No. Ah- no.
(instantly)
It was the fucking blinds!
TRAN fires off back inside.
CUT TO:
INT. ART DECO FAMILY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN dashes towards the windows and pulls a pair of
scissors from her pocket, lining them up with a support
string for a set of venetian blinds.
TRAN
These windows are so tiny, it's
absolutely disgusting. No idea who did
this or what they were thinking,
(she snips a string, sending
a set of blinds to the
floor)
But any sunlight I can possibly squeeze
into this family room, that's twenty
thousand right there. Easy. Just like
that. If I can just get a little bit
more...
(snips another string,
another blind falls)
I'd even knock out a big chunk, right?
A huge rectangle, dead in the middle. If
I could just be sure-
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Tran, it's not this.
TRAN groans sickly, dropping her scissors.
TRAN
Why not? Why isn't it this? It could be
this.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
No, Tran. It can't.
TRAN
(completely exasperated)
Yes it can!
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Tran, there's no way you came here about
the blinds.
TRAN
Well, why not?
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Because it's four-thirty in the morning
on Tuesday.
TRAN closes her eyes, breathing and standing.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
(CONT'D)
What are you here for, Tran?
TRAN falls on her ass and crosses her legs, head slumped
over embarrassed.
TRAN
(softly)
I'm here because I have to talk now or
else I'm gonna die.
CUT TO:
INT. ART DECO KITCHEN - LATER
TRAN runs her finger along the rim of a glass of deep
Merlot, looking deeply perturbed.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
What do they say you do in the magazines?
TRAN
What? In the magazines? Turn to page 53
for special mail-in rebate, try this
recipe at home, send a letter to the
editor.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
No, the smart ones. I think they say
you've got to identify the problem.
TRAN
Okay, right! No, that's good advice, but
that's exactly what the problem is. I
can't even *describe* the problem.
Everything's a problem, so I know there's
a problem, but I can't tell you where the
problem ends and I start, or something.
Maybe not even that, I don't know.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Well, isn't part of the problem admitting
that you have a problem?
TRAN
I think that's only if I'm a crack addict
or something.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
And you're not?
TRAN
No, definitely not.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Okay, so we're one step closer!
TRAN buries her head on the table.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
(CONT'D)
Just a joke. Look, I'm mostly just
repeating things I heard on television
and whatever.
TRAN
(into her arms, still
sprawled on the table)
It's okay. People do that, too.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Is it one big problem or a lot of little
problems?
TRAN
(after a pause)
A lot of little.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Well, maybe that really is the problem,
then! Maybe you're so overwhelmed by the
bunch of little problems that you don't
understand the big picture or the big
problem, and that's why you're confused!
Too many little problems, right?
TRAN lifts her head up, eyebrow cocked.
TRAN
In a very strange way, I think you might
be onto something.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Okay! So, let's try that! Just name a
bunch little problems in your life, okay?
TRAN
(sighs heavy)
No, it passed. You're definitely wrong
again.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Come on, it would be fun!
TRAN
What the fuck are you talking about? It
wouldn't be fun at all. What, you mean,
for you?
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Yeah! And for you, it'll be cathartic.
TRAN
I just-
(groans)
Beat.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Well?
TRAN
My mom is calling me way too much.
Beat.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Oh.
TRAN
See? That's stupid! That's not even a
problem, and it must not be the problem,
because I'm not an idiot and I wouldn't
get all worked up about something like
that.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Relax, relax. Just roll with the punches,
yeah?
TRAN
And, you know... I hate myself that I
have to do this.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Do...?
TRAN
Talk to fucking houses? I get sad so I
talk to a house?
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Well, I think that one's alright-
TRAN
What, am I just supposed to be poor
forever until I'm dead? So I can never
afford to go out and eat good food and do
regular people things, and see a real
therapist? A real human therapist, with a
big leather couch and maybe even a
moustache?
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
I may not have the best advice, but-
TRAN
Ugh, like that! Stop getting so
defensive! You don't even exist, it's
ridiculous!
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Well. Where reasonable minds differ.
TRAN
And, on another note, you are a big, big
fucking problem.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
Excuse me?
TRAN
I'm never going to sell you, ever.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
(gasps)
And why's that?!
TRAN
Because you're absolutely atrocious. I
spend hours at a time on you, chipping
away, stripping and destroying and
rebuilding, and every time I get a walk
in, they just stare at me like, 'Oh, you
must be joking.'
(letting it sink in)
You disgust everybody and you waste my
time.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
I always just assumed you were sabotaging
the viewings because you didn't want to
lose me.
TRAN frowns at her Merlot, irritated at first, but
resorts to frustrated laughter, instead.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
(CONT'D)
But I guess not.
TRAN's laughter slowly, slowly trails off.
TRAN
And... and then Thomas.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
I remember this part, I'm almost sure.
Almost sure you mentioned him before.
TRAN
I'm afraid of Thomas. I know he's getting
worse and worse. He's definitely getting
less predictable. I'm- you know, I'm not
sure if he even knows what he's doing
anymore.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
That he might hurt himself?
TRAN
What? No! Hurt me. Hurt me. Hurt himself-
Thomas always- he's always hurting
himself. Shit, if that bothered me I'd
never leave this kitchen.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
But you and he were together for some
time?
TRAN
Some time, I- yeah. Not very long, no. I
just- He was never ever my type, even
before all of the... You know, Thomas has
a very...
TRAN trails off and stares at her glass. Lifting it, she
pours the contents down her throat in a single gulp. With
a small belch and a cough, she inhales deeply before
continuing.
TRAN (CONT'D)
Thomas has a very effective way of
presenting himself.
CUT TO:
INT. COUNTY COURTHOUSE - AFTERNOON
THOMAS SEXTON stands at a window, talking to a courthouse
receptionist.
THOMAS
You know, you call this a citizen
service, but you people haven't actually
covered your end.
COURTHOUSE RECEPTIONIST
Sir-
THOMAS
Yeah, I know, I know. Duty of the people
and everything, but you've got to admit,
(leaning in to whisper)
It's a pretty shoddily run operation
you've got here, isn't it?
COURTHOUSE RECEPTIONIST
(sighs)
Sir...
THOMAS
(lowering his whisper)
Well, the waiting? I mean, we don't eat,
there's nothing to read. What, we just
sit and wait?
COURTHOUSE RECEPTIONIST
We're very busy, here, sir
THOMAS
But don't get me wrong, here: I'm not
trying to get down on you or call you out
or anything. But, you know, I mean- I'd
probably sit a lot easier if you'd just
admit that you guys are being real
terrific assholes from your side of the
bargain.
COURTHOUSE RECEPTIONIST
Alright, Mr.-
THOMAS
Sexton.
COURTHOUSE RECEPTIONIST
Sexton. We of the Renderos County Court
system- I, my co-workers, and all of my
professional affiliations- are being real
terrific assholes from our side of the
bargain.
THOMAS tightens his lips and nods.
THOMAS
Alright.
(slaps the counter)
Thank you.
COURTHOUSE RECEPTIONIST
Thank you, Mr. Sexton.
THOMAS returns to his seat, arms folded contentedly.
Next to him sits a bemused, onlooking TRAN PHAM, who
glances back and forth between the COURTHOUSE
RECEPTIONIST and THOMAS.
TRAN
That was very brassy.
THOMAS
Oh, the- uh-
(chuckles)
Yeah, thanks.
TRAN
I know a lot of people probably try to
wiggle their way out of jury duty, but I
think you might have actually found an
exit just now.
THOMAS
Wait, you mean- Oh, I hope not! Ah, come
on, I've been looking forward to this all
week.
TRAN laughs at first.
TRAN
You're serious?
THOMAS
Yeah, man- We're not getting some petty
thief or something. Trial by jury. Come
on, what if we get, like, a murder, or a
rape, or something? No, I just did that
because they shouldn't make us wait like
this. You know?
TRAN
(nodding)
You like murder and rape?
THOMAS
Well, I mean- everyone's got to admit,
it's interesting. From a purely
psychological standpoint. You know, as
long as it's not happening to you, it's
interesting.
TRAN
I guess so. Well, if I get picked and you
don't, I'll happily trade.
THOMAS
I would say yes. I would. But I don't
think I look very Chinese.
They laugh lightly.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Of course, now I feel like a jerk for
saying that, because I'm *positive*
you're not Chinese.
TRAN
Vietnamese.
THOMAS
Hey, what's your name? Can I ask?
TRAN
Yeah. It's Tran Pham.
THOMAS
Tram-
TRAN
Tran.
THOMAS
Tran Pham.
TRAN
Uh-huh.
THOMAS
Okay! Yeah, that's very, very pretty.
TRAN
I've never thought so.
THOMAS
How do you spell that?
TRAN
Me? I spell it in Vietnamese.
THOMAS nods.
TRAN (CONT'D)
And that was a joke.
THOMAS
Of course! Yeah!
(laughs)
Sorry, a long day.
TRAN
Here, take my card.
TRAN produces from her purse an attractive, orange
business card, handing it to Thomas.
TRAN'S CARD
Tran Pham
Agent
Maxi Real Estate
THOMAS
Real Estate agent?
TRAN
Yeah.
THOMAS
If I said I needed one, I'd just be lying
because you're pretty.
TRAN
Mm-hm. Well, I do alright, as is.
THOMAS
Oh, how rude- here, this is mine.
THOMAS removes his battered wallet and hands her a plain
white card.
THOMAS' CARD
Thomas Sexton
Sexton and Holmes
TRAN
(intrigued)
Oh! Sexton and Holmes? Like on
television?
THOMAS chuckles nervously.
TRAN(CONT'D)
Boy, Sexton of Sexton and Holmes.
Insurance, right?
(shakes her head)
It's impressive. Thomas, how old are you?
THOMAS
Ah- Twenty-six. Twenty-six.
TRAN
A young entrepreneur. That's sort of the
American thing, isn't it?
THOMAS
Well, I guess, but it's-
(suddenly harsh)
I hate talking about this stuff, Tran.
Really.
TRAN
Oh. I'm sorry.
THOMAS
Why can't we take a clue from the
British? See, over there, you can get
away with pretty much anything in
conversation- everything's fair game. But
there are three topics that you cannot
breach- *cannot*.
TRAN
Okay.
THOMAS
It's a well known fact. One of them's
religion, one of them's politics, and the
other is money.
TRAN
(after a pause)
Hmm.
THOMAS
And I'm all for that. All for it. I'm not
religious, I've never been, and if you
are, I wouldn't care to know. And then,
Politics are just a thing you bring up
when you want to sound smart or piss off
somebody at a dinner party, right?
TRAN
Well-
THOMAS
And who cares whether or not I have
money? Or whether or not you have money?
If I do or don't, whatever. Money is a
two second conversation that doesn't ever
need to be had. Yes or no: Do you have
it? That's it. Beyond that, aren't you
just blowing smoke out of your ass?
TRAN
It's a philosophy. Definitely a
philosophy.
THOMAS
Anyway, lemme shut up. What's Vietnam
like?
TRAN
Well, from what I hear, jungle, rain,
swarming with gooks and child suicide
bombers, right?
THOMAS
I...
TRAN
I was born in Philadelphia.
THOMAS
(laughs)
Right, ah!
TRAN
But if I hear anything, I'll let you
know.
THOMAS laughs and nods his head, crossing his arms.
The two sit comfortably, waiting for somebody's name to
be called.
CUT TO BLACK.
A key turns in its latch.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
A BELLHOP opens the door and LEONARD enters, setting his
two bags down on the bed. The BELLHOP follows.
BELLHOP
This is room 308, sir- Shower in here,
with linens and toiletries provided. You
get basic cable with the optional adult
entertainment package. We have wireless
internet, and if you need anything from
the desk, please don't hesitate to call.
LEONARD pulls open the curtain and looks into the street.
LEONARD
...Okay. And the- and the shitter?
BELLHOP
(clears his throat)
Facilities in that room, again. With the
shower.
LEONARD saunters over to the bathroom to look inside.
LEONARD
Ah, yeah. Alright. Those windows open?
BELLHOP
Uh, no.
LEONARD
Mhm. Why not?
BELLHOP
Well, with the safety risk and whatnot.
LEONARD
Huh. What, do people just fall out of
windows around here?
BELLHOP
I can ask at the desk, if-
LEONARD
No, it's fine.
They pause and face each other for a moment, the BELLHOP
crossing his hands in front of his body.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
Ah, shit- sorry.
(digging through his pocket)
I guess I ain't even really been inside a
hotel since I was up in Canada with my
folks. And that was the seventies, I
reckon. Dunno, though- seems like the
rooms got even smaller since then.
LEONARD finally hands the BELLHOP several torn, crumpled,
sweaty bills, which the BELLHOP pockets.
BELLHOP
Yes, I'm sure you're right, Mr.
Christian. Well, please enjoy your night.
And again, don't hesitate to phone the
desk for anything you may require.
LEONARD falls back on his bed.
LEONARD
Yeah, alright.
BELLHOP
Good evening, sir.
BELLHOP excuses himself from the room.
LEONARD stares at the ceiling momentarily before getting
up and walking to the television, turning it on and off
several times.
LEONARD turns to the window and moves towards it, pulling
hooking his fingers around the curtains for a peak into
the street.
The sound of traffic builds.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMUND'S HOUSE - EVENING
EDMUND in his walkway opens his door to find LEONARD
leaning against his porch railing and smiling, arms
crossed.
EDMUND
Cowboy!
LEONARD
Look how fat you got, Edmund.
LEONARD and EDMUND hug, patting hard on shoulders.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
Where the hell's that wife of yours?
EDMUND
Oh, never mind, never mind. Cheryl's
sister took ill, so she went up to Parma
for the week.
(laughs)
I cannot believe you're in Cimarron!
LEONARD
Well, I am!
CUT TO:
INT. EDMUND'S DINING ROOM - LATER
EDMUND and LEONARD sit over a pasta dish, finishing off a
meal.
LEONARD
The biggest part for me is all the damn
traffic.
EDMUND
Yeah, yeah.
LEONARD
I mean, I been in traffic before, but
never had to live around it like this. If
I want a walk in the morning, you gotta
stand around in a line and wait for a
ding before you can even get across the
road.
EDMUND
You thinking about getting a car?
LEONARD
No, nah. No use for one, I don't think.
EDMUND
Well, it's hard, Leonard. You know,
living in the city without one. I mean,
everything's scattered around-
LEONARD
Yeah, but I got the bus for that sort of
thing.
EDMUND
We'll see how you feel in a year.
(Takes a bite)
Leonard... You look awful.
LEONARD
(sighs)
Yeah, I-
EDMUND
Bags under the eyes, and doughy,
jaundiced- I'm not kidding, Leonard, it's
bad.
LEONARD
Yeah.
EDMUND
I can't believe you even let it get this
far.
LEONARD
Yeah.
EDMUND
It's, uh- I mean, I'm gonna help you with
everything, obviously. But, I tell you,
it's not gonna... The diet is gonna be
very, very hard. But I'm not gonna pump
you up full of pills or nothing like
that, alright? Any other doctor in this
city, I guarantee you that's what they
do. But whatever I do say you got to do,
then you got to do it, no questions.
Alright?
LEONARD sighs, leaning back.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
And I always been right there with you as
far taking it easy with all that stuff,
you going at it your way, and everything.
But if you and I don't start getting
really, really desperate here, I mean,
you're gonna be dead. Fast.
LEONARD
(nods)
I- Yeah...
EDMUND
So that means you gotta promise me,
Leonard. No complaining. I mean, well, no-
you can complain, but you still
absolutely got to do whatever we find out
you got to do. You know?
LEONARD
Well, Edmund, I reckon that's why I'm
here.
EDMUND nods his head.
EDMUND
Leonard, of course I know you can swing
it. You're tough.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMUND'S LIVING ROOM - LATER
Sitting towards a window, EDMUND sips wine, LEONARD sips
water, sprawled out on parallel recliners.
LEONARD
Look at this place you got, here, Edmund.
EDMUND
Yeah, yeah. It's not bad, is it?
LEONARD
It's horrible.
EDMUND laughs.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
It's nothing but glass and flowers.
EDMUND
It's a little bit fruity, huh?
LEONARD
I can't believe Cheryl talked you into
it.
EDMUND
Well, to be honest, I was basically too
busy setting up the practice to notice.
EDMUND rises from his chair and walks around the room.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
But now that you mention it, the place
*could* use some fixing up. I think a-
(spreads his arms out against
a wall)
- big head of some sort right here. Bison
or a moose or something. That'd be
something.
LEONARD
Until Cheryl ties a bonnet around it's
ears-
(EDMUND laughs)
- plucks it's eyebrows. Sticks a daisy in
its mouth.
EDMUND, still laughing, sits back down.
EDMUND
Yeah, I guess that's one of the catches
for the whole domestic scene. But I don't
let it get to me. Houses, doing stuff to
houses, that's sort of girly stuff
anyway.
LEONARD
Girly stuff?
EDMUND
Well, you know, I figure if the wife
cares about the decor more than the
husband- more than me- then maybe she
ought to be able to do with it- well,
what she wants. 'Cause it's kind of a...
you know, a woman's thing.
LEONARD
(leaning forward in his
chair, no longer relaxed)
That's bullshit. No, no. Who taught you
to think like that?
EDMUND
Well, I just mean-
LEONARD
Women are terrible homemakers. Terrible.
They got absolutely no taste.
I mean, I know what I want out of a
house. I know what my house ought to look
like. And it sure ain't nothing like
this. What with the plants, and the vases-
I mean, candelabras? Look at how much
junk you got in this room, Edmund. Does
that look good to you? No, it just looks
girly. Fact is, women don't know the
first thing about putting a house
together, so they just pack it full of
clutter and hope we don't notice. But
guess what? I'm a man, and as it should
happen, I know how to make a living room
feel nice to sit in without drowning it
in a bunch of useless accessories.
EDMUND
Well...
LEONARD
There it is.
EDMUND
Wanna decorate my house?
LEONARD
(laughs)
I'll pass, doctor.
EDMUND
(shifting)
Speaking of which, Leonard, where are you
staying?
LEONARD
Oh...
(shakes head)
Y'know, just a hotel until I find
somewhere else.
EDMUND
Now, come on, Leonard, we got the guest
room.
LEONARD
No, no-
EDMUND
Just for a couple of weeks while you
figure out what you're doing, it wouldn't
be-
LEONARD
I'm not gonna impose.
EDMUND
Hey, it's not an imposition at all,
Leonard.
LEONARD
I don't mean in the polite way, I just
wouldn't feel comfortable, that's all.
EDMUND
It's a very nice room-
LEONARD
Seriously, it's not in the cards.
EDMUND looks at LEONARD and sips his wine.
EDMUND
Well, if that's how you feel.
LEONARD
That's how I feel.
EDMUND shrugs, reclining. LEONARD regains his relaxation,
lying back in his chair again.
EDMUND
Then, from the sound of it, you got a
hell of a house hunt ahead of you.
LEONARD
Oh yeah. You bet.
EDMUND
Fortunately for you, we've been having a
ton of rentin' in Cimarron this year. In
fact, the Guardian just done this big
report-
LEONARD
I ain't looking to rent, Edmund.
EDMUND
What's that?
LEONARD
Nope. Not renting. Landlords and all of
that. No thank you.
EDMUND
You're gonna buy a house in Cimarron?
LEONARD
Well, if I'm gonna keep on seeing you
from here, then I'm gonna need a castle
to call my own.
EDMUND
(exhales sharply)
Buying property, Leonard... that's a big
deal.
LEONARD
Not really.
EDMUND
You gonna get some help?
LEONARD
Ah, you mean like a-
EDMUND
Like an agent, yes.
LEONARD
Don't know. Been considering. I've heard
all about the... But, to be honest, I'd-
I'd really rather not.
EDMUND
I assumed you wouldn't. Except, of
course, I'm looking at it like this:
(holds up a finger)
New in town.
(holds up a second finger)
Got no car.
(holds up a third finger)
Drifting from hotel to hotel. Cowboy,
under the present circumstances, I
wouldn't really say you got much of a
choice.
LEONARD
Hmm.
CUT TO BLACK.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
Hmm.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
TRAN lies on her back and stares at the ceiling, THOMAS
lying next to her, asleep, turned on his side.
TRAN (V.O.)
With Thomas, everything moved quickly.
Straight off, we just did coupley things.
He helped me move, we went out to the
theater, and when I took him to meet my
mom- he was basically living with me at
this point- but she was so happy she
cried. I had to translate all night, and
when we were going home, she held me and
wept. And I felt happy, but weird.
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
How come?
TRAN (V.O.)
I didn't know. Then, one night, I was
looking at him, and I just thought, 'Fuck
you, Tran. Look what you did.'
ART DECO ONE STORY (V.O.)
What did you do?
TRAN (V.O.)
Well, for some reason, I listened to my
mother. All these years, I thought I'd
been ignoring her, but here I was,
falling in love with a guy who I hated to
listen to, didn't like looking at, and
couldn't stand touching, all because
of... well, you know- the money. I was
disgusted with myself. I'd think, 'Do I
really care about security? Or is this
just some weird, tacky, shallow fetish
thing that's somehow been coded into my
brain?' I knew that I didn't care about
him at all. That was certain. He was just
Sexton of Sexton and Holmes, and that was
it. So, in between the nausea, the self
loathing, the restless nights, I decided
to bring it up.
TRAN turns to THOMAS.
TRAN (CONT'D)
Thomas?
THOMAS
Hmm?
TRAN
Can we talk?
TRAN (V. O.) (CONT'D)
And then everything came out.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S LIVING ROOM - MORNING
THOMAS and TRAN stand far apart, facing each other.
THOMAS looks animalistic and full of adrenaline, TRAN
looks tired and calm.
TRAN (V.O.)
At first he was angry, and he screamed at
me.
THOMAS
You're like a frightened little girl who
just jumps all over the fucking place!
Trying to hitch your hat on another post,
well, it's time to learn a lesson, Tran!
No more just bouncing on to whatever
stupid, childish whim is sounding good
that day, okay? Because this is
adulthood, and you're hurting *people*,
now- Not silly characters at your little
fucking tea party!
CUT TO:
EXT. TRAN'S HOUSE - MORNING
TRAN stands in her doorway, THOMAS paces up and down the
walkway to the street.
TRAN (V.O.)
Then he was afraid, and he bargained with
me.
THOMAS
Look. Okay? Look- A lot of this is just
normal couple shit, and tons of people
can work through this. Normal people. I
mean, if you want, we could see a
counselor. Or- Shit- just talk it out
like human beings. Diplomatically,
alright?
(walks up to TRAN)
I love you.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE STREET - MORNING
THOMAS sits in his car, TRAN stands outside by the door.
The window is down, and THOMAS speaks through it.
TRAN (V.O.)
Then he was sad or angry again or maybe a
little of both.
THOMAS
(tears throughout)
What we had was very important to me,
Tran, and that's all I want you to know.
I'm gonna think about you until the day I
die and even though you- you fucking
*ripped* me apart, Tran, even though you
fucking *destroyed* me- I'll never get
over you, because you were the best thing
that ever happened to me- ah!
(pounding on his car horn)
Fuck fuck fuck fuck!
CUT TO:
TRAN'S LIVING ROOM - EVENING
The telephone rings.
TRAN (V.O.)
He started calling my house constantly.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE
The telephone rings.
TRAN (V.O.)
Then my office.
CUT TO:
INT. THOMAS' HOUSE
EXTREME CU: THOMAS' MOUTH TALKING INTO A RECEIVER
TRAN (V.O.)
He'd tell me about going off of his
medication, and this was medication I
never new he was on in the first place.
He'd tell me he knew about boyfriends I
had that didn't exist. He'd say that he
was ready to accept my apology.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S LIVING ROOM - EVENING
The telephone rings.
TRAN (V.O.)
Then, I stopped answering.
The telephone finishes ringing.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE STREET - DAY
TRAN walks along a sidewalk, carrying a purse, looking
relatively happy in the sunshine.
TRAN (V.O.)
I became extremely good at ignoring him,
the calls slowed down, and life was
picking up again. I didn't date, and I
still don't. I didn't want to, and I
still don't. Every now and then, I'd hear
from a friend who'd say, 'Oh, Thomas has
been sending out chain e-mails about
you,' or maybe I'd swear I'd see his car
driving off when I got home from work one
day, but it was all easy enough to put in
the back of my mind. Then, weeks down the
line, I got a different call.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE - AFTERNOON
TRAN's telephone rings. After scanning the caller ID, she
clicks on the receiver.
TRAN
Hello?
CUT TO:
INT. LARGE OFFICE - SAME TIME
A SUITED EXECUTIVE sits with his feet on his desk, phone
in hand
RAYMOND
Hello, Ms. Pham?
TRAN
(on the other end)
Yes?
RAYMOND
This is Raymond Haverstock, I'm with the
legal department at Sexton and Holmes
insurance. Is this a good time?
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
TRAN holds the phone, looking confused, furrowing her
brow.
CUT TO:
INT. LARGE OFFICE - SAME TIME
RAYMOND hasn't moved.
TRAN
(on the other end)
I guess so. What's this about?
RAYMOND
Well, Ms. Pham, we understand that you
may be very valuable to us regarding
pending litigation against a-
(reads a sheet of paper in
front of him)
Thomas Sexton. You know Thomas, yes?
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
TRAN
Uh- I did, yes. I'm sorry, can you
explain what this is?
CUT TO:
INT. LARGE OFFICE - SAME TIME
RAYMOND
Sexton and Holmes is pursuing legal
action against Mr. Sexton involving a
series of- ah- dramatics, which followed
his termination.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
TRAN laughs.
TRAN
Termination? You fired your boss?
RAYMOND
(on the other end)
Excuse me?
TRAN
(still chuckling)
So is it just gonna be Holmes Insurance
from now on?
CUT TO:
INT. LARGE OFFICE - SAME TIME
RAYMOND uncrosses his legs and replaces them on the
ground.
RAYMOND
I'm sorry, I don't think I understand.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
TRAN
Well, I mean, what happened? Shareholders
got angry? I mean, 'terminated,'- he
didn't even resign?
CUT TO:
INT. LARGE OFFICE - SAME TIME
RAYMOND
Oh, wait, do you...
(a pause)
I'm sorry, Ms. Pham, how well do you know
Thomas?
TRAN
(on the other end)
What do you mean?
RAYMOND
No, I see how you could get that mixed up-
Uh, Thomas Sexton, he's not Vilmos
Sexton, the cofounder.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
TRAN suddenly looks a bit shocked, still working it out.
TRAN
I-... What's Thomas, then?
CUT TO:
INT. LARGE OFFICE - SAME TIME
Laughing, RAYMOND replaces his legs on top of his desk.
RAYMOND
Thomas is a former filing clerk of ours.
Did he actually tell you he ran the
place?
RAYMOND laughs.
RAYMOND (CONT'D)
No, but when we canned him, he tried to
set fire to his desk, and then got into a
brawl with a security guard, so we're
seeking damages. Anyway, we heard he'd
given you some trouble, and were
wondering if you'd be interested in
serving us as a character witness?
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
TRAN holds the phone an inch or two away from her head,
which waves back and forth as if dizzy. She sighs
repeatedly.
TRAN
(quickly)
No.
TRAN slams the receiver and holds her head, embarrassed.
CUT TO BLACK.
TRAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
After that, I stopped hearing from Thomas
altogether.
CUT TO:
INT. ART DECO KITCHEN - LATE NIGHT
TRAN emptied a bottle of wine and is currently pulling
the cork from another.
TRAN
I figured he found out that I found out
and decided to avoid me.
(grunts, popping out the
cork)
I didn't tell anyone about the whole
ordeal. I deserved to feel like an idiot.
Even though it was completely obvious the
entire time that I was being lied to, I
had bought too far into the American
dream. A learning experience altogether.
TRAN pours herself a glass.
ART DECO ONE STORY
People. And love.
TRAN
(sipping)
But now, now it's all back and it's all
worse. The calls started again full
force, the e-mails. I found him-
(laughs)
I found him on my yard. He'd broken into
my house and pulled everything out onto
the lawn. I don't know if he was stealing
my things, or if he was gonna start a
bonfire, or what.
ART DECO ONE STORY
My word! Did you call the police?
TRAN
No, but he thinks I did. When I got back
home, everything was still outside, but
he'd left, and he'd put some vague,
threatening note in my mailbox about
'Keeping things private.'
ART DECO ONE STORY
You should call the police.
TRAN
No...
ART DECO ONE STORY
What? Why not! Don't stand up for this
creep- don't be one of these battered
housewives from the Lifetime movies.
TRAN
It isn't that, I just I can't! I don't
have the time, the energy, or the
strength to deal with any of this.
Beat.
ART DECO ONE STORY
(quietly)
But aren't you afraid?
TRAN chuckles, looking at her glass, now nearly empty.
After a moments pause, she abruptly tears up, lowering
her head.
TRAN
(weakly)
Yes.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - MORNING
LEONARD CHRISTIAN pulls open a drawer and throws a large
phone book on his bed, walking into the bathroom.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER
LEONARD brushes his teeth, humming "Yellow Rose of
Texas."
LEONARD spits.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
LEONARD thumbs to the back of the phone book, into the
yellow pages.
In the R's, he passes by different sections.
LEONARD
(under his breath)
Rabbis... Racecourses... RCCh...
(slowly)
Real. Estate.
Scanning up and down the pages, LEONARD's finger stops on
a large, eye-catching advertisement.
In the ad, DEBBI WAGNER, an enthusiastic looking woman in
her late forties, points to the viewer, towering over
several houses. Her name features prominently on the top
of the image, and on the bottom, the text reads "Real
Compassion. Real Experience. Real Estate.
LEONARD sighs and reaches for the receiver.
Looking back and forth between the yellow pages and
phone, he slowly punches in the number.
LEONARD holds the phone to his ear, which rings.
DESKMAN
(Indian accent, on the other
end)
Hello?
LEONARD
Uh, good morning, is this Debbi...
(looks up and down the page)
Wagner's office?
DESKMAN
(on the other end)
Okay, you have to dial '9' before any
telephone number, or else all of them
just go to the hotel desk, okay?
LEONARD scrunches his eyebrows.
LEONARD
Uh... Okay.
DESKMAN hangs up.
LEONARD hangs up, picking the phone up again and checking
for the dial tone.
Looking at the phone, LEONARD makes a large, deliberate
movement to punch in the number nine before re-dialing
DEBBI from looking in the yellow pages.
The phone rings.
CUT TO:
INT. DEBBI'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
DEBBI WAGNER is at her desk, finishing a note while her
phone rings. Scrambling out the last sentence, she picks
up the receiver.
DEBBI
Hello, Wagner Real Estate.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD
Uh, good morning, this is Leonard
Christian, and I'm hoping to talk to
Debbi.
CUT TO:
INT. DEBBI'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
DEBBI
You've got her, Leonard. How can I help
you?
LEONARD
(on the other end)
Well, I'm looking for a house.
DEBBI
Listen to that accent. Where are you
from, cowpoke?
LEONARD
(on the other end)
Texas.
DEBBI
Texas! Where in Texas?
LEONARD
(on the other end)
You wouldn't have heard of it. Near
Galveston.
DEBBI
Oh, you don't say? I've got a girlfriend
lives in Beaumont. What kind of a house
are you looking for, Leonard?
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD
Well, the right one.
DEBBI
(laughs, on the other end)
Of course. Let's get specific. How many
bedrooms?
LEONARD
Bedrooms? Well, I'm thinking at least
one.
DEBBI
(chuckles, on the other end)
Uh-huh. And no more than?
LEONARD
Uh... I dunno.
DEBBI
(on the other end)
Need a number, Leonard.
LEONARD
Well, I would say a thousand bedrooms
would be too many.
CUT TO:
INT. DEBBI'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
DEBBI leans back, laughing.
DEBBI
I think I get your point, Leonard. See, I
love your type- You've probably lived in
the same house your whole life, and now,
for some reason or another, you've got to
move, and all you're looking for is the
one that clicks. You've got no idea what
it looks like, no idea where it is, but
when you see it, you'll know- ding! It's
the one.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD
(clears his throat)
Ah, w- Alright.
CUT TO:
INT. DEBBI'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
DEBBI
We'll find it, Leonard. Rest assured.
Should I be looking for immediate
availabilities?
LEONARD
(on the other end)
Uh, yes. Definitely.
DEBBI
Alright. Now, here's something we do need
to discuss: Price range.
LEONARD
(on the other end)
Nah, that's not important.
DEBBI
Trust me, Leonard, price is important.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD
Don't worry about that. Don't worry about
that. Whatever it costs, I can take care
of it.
CUT TO:
INT. DEBBI'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
DEBBI
Ooh! Well, well, well, Leonard! Now
you're talking my language!
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD
Yeah, yeah. But, listen, don't get too
worked up about that. I mean, you know,
don't limit me to a bunch of fancy crap.
'Cause, if you bring me the giant
colonial estate on the waterfront, I'm
not gonna want it.
DEBBI
(on the other end)
Loud and clear, Leonard. Loud and clear.
CUT TO:
INT. DEBBI'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
DEBBI
Leonard, if I may ask, where'd you
stumble onto your- uh- your fortune?
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD
Oh, uh... It's just family money, y'know.
As a young man, my father was- uh,
developing some property and, basically,
he discovered an oil field.
CUT TO:
INT. DEBBI'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
DEBBI
Wait a minute, was his name Jed?
LEONARD
(on the other line)
Huh? N-no, it was- Harlan.
DEBBI
You know, a poor mountaineer, barely kept
his family fed?
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD holds his phone and stares off.
LEONARD
Uh...
(a pause, then, highly
disappointed)
Yeah.
CUT TO:
INT. BLONDE WOMAN'S OFFICE - MORNING
A bubbly blonde is on the phone.
BLONDE WOMAN
An oil baron? Why, you must be looking
for a house with a cee-ment pond!
CUT TO:
INT. BRUNETTE'S OFFICE - MORNING
Brunette woman is on the phone.
BRUNETTE
So you packed up your bags and moved to
Bever-lee!
CUT TO:
INT. OLDER MAN'S OFFICE - MORNING
A greying old man is on the phone.
OLDER MAN
Son, I think you got the wrong number!
This ain't Californee!
CUT TO:
INT. YOUNG MAN'S OFFICE - MORNING
A young African-American male is on the phone.
YOUNG MAN
Oh, black gold!
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD flinches, inhaling deeply before slamming the
phone onto the receiver.
LEONARD
Son of a bitch.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE - MORNING
TRAN
An oiler? That's very interesting.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD looks surprised.
LEONARD
Excuse me?
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S OFFICE - SAME TIME
TRAN
(raising her voice)
I said that's very interesting.
LEONARD
(on the other end)
Yeah, yeah- but, I mean, that's it?
Nothing else?
TRAN
Uh... N- no. I mean, you know, it's very
interesting, it's an interesting thing to
do- for him to have done.
LEONARD
(on the other end)
But that's it?
TRAN
Uh-huh.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD stands up and grabs a piece of paper, digging
through his pocket for a pen frantically.
LEONARD
Uh, listen- listen, what was it, Tran
Pham?
TRAN
(on the other end)
Yeah, Tran.
LEONARD
When's the soonest you can take me house
hunting, Ms. Pham?
TRAN
(digging through her date
book)
When's the- ah, it'd be...
(arriving at a page)
It'd be soon, pretty soon.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMUND'S OFFICE - THE NEXT DAY
LEONARD is thumbing through a magazine, feet up on a
table. EDMUND enters, tapping the door.
LEONARD
Shit, I was fixing to skeletonize.
EDMUND
I'm sorry 'bout the wait, Leonard.
LEONARD
Fucked up is all.
EDMUND
D'you remember the routine?
LEONARD
Do I re- yeah, Edmund, of course I do.
But now look around. You scrambled
everything up, how'm I supposed to find
the damn popsicle sticks in this room?
EDMUND
Lookie here, Leonard, 'cause I'm just
gonna go through his once.
(points towards the bathroom)
You piss here,
(points at the hypodermic
kit)
You poke yourself there,
(points at the table)
Then you sit down there.
LEONARD
(getting up)
Okay. Okay.
EDMUND
Damn, Leonard, we'd just about have you
on your way if you'd've been on this
shit. What, now I got to wait around for
a year 'till you've finished.
LEONARD
(heading out the door)
Hope I can piss. I been saving up all
morning.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMUND'S OFFICE - LATER
LEONARD is seated on the table, EDMUND leans against the
wall, addressing him.
EDMUND
Well, I got a folder full of numbers. If
any of 'em mean something to you, I'll be
glad to share.
LEONARD
Nah, nah. Just... Just the overall-
EDMUND
The overall is bad, Lenny. The overall is
you're about 65, 68 years old on the
inside. Everything's up in arms. Thyroid,
blood sugar, iron, all that shit you
don't care about, it's all bad.
LEONARD
I- yeah.
EDMUND
But I've taken some of my free time
lately, and I've devised a little book
for you.
EDMUND digs a black book out of his coat.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
I need you to live by this, Leonard. This
here is your brand new Holy Bible.
LEONARD
(grabbing the book)
Huh. What's this?
EDMUND
That's the next three weeks worth of
meals for you.
LEONARD
Ah, jeez...
EDMUND
I got everything in there from when you
can drink coffee to what kind of fruit to
cut into your cereal to who knows what
else. So in the back of the book, if
you'd just turn to, to the back.
LEONARD flips the book.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
I went ahead and wrote down a shopping
list for you, Lenny. The kind of stuff
that-
LEONARD
What's pomegranate?
EDMUND
Listen to me. There's some stuff on that
list that you're gonna have to pick up at
Sunshine Market.
LEONARD
Sunshine Market. Alright.
EDMUND
That's the alternative grocery. Organic
health whatnot.
LEONARD
(being as diplomatic as
possible)
Hmm.
EDMUND
I'm just taking advantage of your new
location. Cimarron, we got stuff here
that you just can't find back in Texas.
I'm talking about real superfoods,
Leonard.
LEONARD
Superfoods.
EDMUND
Yeah, it just basically means a food
that's got tons of stuff you're looking
for. Omega-3 Fatty acids, B vitamins,
fiber, that sort of thing. Sweet potatoes
are a superfood, for instance.
LEONARD
Never liked those damn things, man.
My mother, Ginny, she always trying to
sneak those things in with a cut of beef.
Cover it up in cinnamon, sweet cream
butter- turned my stomach like the tide.
EDMUND
Look, Leonard; I'll come one honest with
you. There are people out there who would
choose to eat this shit on their own free
will. You and I are never gonna be one of
those people. So I think it's best for
you to look at it like this: From now on,
you're just taking medicine. You're not
really eating, you're not really
drinking, just taking your medicine.
LEONARD
Shit.
EDMUND
Listen to me. This isn't good, huh? This
is the last thing you want to be going
through right now, I know it. But we have
an agreement as friends over this, and
you've got to stick to what I say, no
matter what you're feeling inside. Every
other doctor in this town would just have
you crank up your dosage, alright? And I
could tell you to do that, and you'd be
out of my hair next week. I'd rather
stabilize your diet, keep you where you
are as far as the insulin is concerned.
Because if I get you up to some
ridiculous- you know, eight gallons of
that shit every day, well, your blood
sugar's gonna look just fine on my little
clipboard, but the next time you stumble
up on your food or something, you're
gonna have a lot farther to fall.
LEONARD
Yeah.
EDMUND
Speaking of which, you see that red page?
It's, uh, the one in the back.
LEONARD
(under his breath)
How to...
EDMUND
How to do what you do if and when you
have to.
That's sort of your emergency list. So if
my system falls apart and you find
yourself up shit creek-
LEONARD
I think we're gonna cross that bridge
when we come to it.
EDMUND
Yeah, no, I- I'm just looking out for
you, buddy.
LEONARD
(flipping through his book)
Nah, doc, I can see you spent an awful
lot of time setting this up for me.
EDMUND
Hmm. Yeah, it wasn't anything too
extreme. Just when I had some free time.
LEONARD
And like you say, we got an agreement as
friends over this.
EDMUND
Uh-huh.
LEONARD
So what's a couple of weeks of eating
shit, I guess?
EDMUND
(sighs)
Alright. Thank you, Leonard.
LEONARD
Yeah.
EDMUND
So I'm gonna need to keep a close watch
on your numbers if this is gonna work.
And, ah- I'll need you in often.
LEONARD
So we're talking...?
EDMUND
(sighs)
Is three times a week too much?
LEONARD
If anything, that'd make it a lot easier
for me.
EDMUND pats LEONARD on the shoulder.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - MORNING
TRAN's car is outside of a park. She looks around, unable
to relax.
After a moment, LEONARD is seen walking towards the car
from through the window.
He leans over, smiling a bit before tapping gently on the
window, startling TRAN. When she gets hold of the
situation, she meets his eye contact and slightly cracks
her window, which he slips his fingers in.
TRAN
Leonard?
LEONARD
Ms. Pham.
TRAN
Hop in.
TRAN opens the power lock, and LEONARD begins to climb
in.
TRAN looks to LEONARD's boots, which are caked in mud.
TRAN (CONT'D)
Oh, gosh...
LEONARD
What?
TRAN
Your- look at your shoes.
LEONARD looks down.
LEONARD
Oh, yeah. Uh... What- should I just...
What should I do?
TRAN
Can you maybe put them in the trunk?
LEONARD
Really?
TRAN
You don't have to. Please, though?
LEONARD starts unlacing his boots
LEONARD
Uh-huh. Sure.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S CAR - LATER
TRAN drives and talks, but throughout, LEONARD seems
preoccupied with his feet.
TRAN
I think you'll like this district up
ahead, Leonard, where we're going. It's
sort of quieter, like what you were
saying earlier? And they've got some lots
that are off the main-ways, and the
people there seem pretty- oh- pretty
real. You know, normal people.
LEONARD
Yeah, alright. Well, I'm wishing us both
good luck.
CUT TO:
INT. SMALL COTTAGE - LATER
TRAN shows LEONARD through a living room/kitchen.
TRAN
Most of the furnishing and the sinks,
and... the counter-tops, the shelving,
the gas heating, it's all new. Just put
in last year-
Vacantly, LEONARD wanders into a room.
CUT TO:
INT. SMALL COTTAGE BEDROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD peers out a window overlooking the yard as TRAN
enters.
TRAN
And I see you've found your way to the
master bedroom, which I think we can
obviously call a highlight for this lot-
As far as closet space, well, there
really isn't any, but it's got a nice
atmosphere altogether, gets a lot of
natural light-
LEONARD
(opening the door)
That's the bathroom? Across the hall?
TRAN
Yes, that's a full bath, and the tile in
there, I think you'll like.
LEONARD
It's not the green like out in here.
TRAN
No, it's a gentle tan, with a white-
LEONARD
What's next?
TRAN pauses for a moment, trying to understand.
CUT TO:
INT. SUBURBAN TWO-STORY - LATER
TRAN, having learned her lesson, now allows LEONARD to
lead the way. As he paces through the house, she follows,
doing her best to talk up the scenery.
TRAN
Okay, that was the family room and we're
heading right for the walk-in closet,
which has some carpeting- it's the only
room in the house, actually, with
carpeting. This is cherry wood on the
floor, it's extremely tough, it doesn't
scratch easily, and it doesn't conduct
sound between the two floors. So, you
won't be hearing, you know, stomp, stomp,
stomp if someone's wandering round
upstairs.
LEONARD nods for a moment before changing directions.
TRAN (CONT'D)
Alright, so this would be the second
bedroom, and it's actually just about as
big as the master. No walk-in, but there
is quite a bit of storage space-
LEONARD
Yeah, it's all a little bit too...
TRAN
Too?
LEONARD shrugs for a moment before shaking his head.
CUT TO:
EXT. MANUFACTURED HOME - LATER
TRAN and LEONARD walk towards the house over stepping
stones.
TRAN
Okay, this is Hesterly street.
LEONARD
Ms. Pham?
TRAN
Uh, Leonard?
They stop.
LEONARD
I really think you're- well, you're very
good at what you do, Tran.
TRAN
Leonard?
LEONARD
No, I mean, you know everything that
there is to know about most of these
places. You've been good about your
homework, I mean, I like how you talk 'em
up. Not even talk 'em up so much as you,
TRAN
Wait a minute, are you firing me?
LEONARD
What? No, no- Tran, that's- that's not
what I'm trying to get at.
TRAN
Because it's okay if-
LEONARD
It's not that, I promise.
TRAN
I- alright.
LEONARD
But all I mean is, since you're so good
at your job and all, and since I respect
you and whatnot, I was hoping that if we
got to a house and it wasn't the one, or
it wasn't right, wasn't what I was
looking for, if I could just go ahead and
let you know so you don't have to waste a
bunch of time telling me about it.
'Cause, you know, I mean, I know you've
got everything- ah-
(tapping his head)
- up there. About the house, I know that.
TRAN
Um, of course, Leonard. I mean, I hope
that if we get somewhere and you simply
aren't feeling it, that you'll tell me.
LEONARD
Yeah?
TRAN
Of course.
LEONARD
Because this isn't gonna be my house.
TRAN
I...
LEONARD
Yeah.
FADE TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
LEONARD is stretched out cross-legged on his bed. After a
moment, he reaches for EDMUND's book.
LEONARD thumbs through the pages, arriving at something
and reading it over before getting up.
As the camera pans across the room, we reveal a mountain
of paper grocery bags, which LEONARD peers into one at a
time, sifting and sorting through.
After a moment, he crouches in front of his minifridge,
opening it and taking a couple of items.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM - LATER
LEONARD sautŽs tofu in a pan over a hot plate. He looks
in EDMUND's book which is on the counter top, and adds an
extra squirt of organic, low-sodium oil. He sniffs the
air, and coughs.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER
LEONARD sits down with a plate and a fork, scooping the
first bite into his mouth. He chews for about twenty
seconds before gurgling in protest.
LEONARD gets off of his bed and walks off frame into the
bathroom, where we hear him spitting the food into the
the toilet.
LEONARD
(between spitting and
coughing)
Shit, that is-
After a moment, LEONARD reenters the main room, and
collects the plate of tofu from his bed, walking again
off frame.
We hear him scraping the remainder into the toilet,
before flushing it all down.
LEONARD returns to his bed and stretches back out.
After a moment, he eyes EDMUND's book, and sighs deeply.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM - LATER
LEONARD sautŽs another pan full of tofu, this time
squirting a steady stream of the low-sodium oil.
CUT TO:
EXT. TRAN'S HOUSE - NIGHT
A tired looking TRAN walks towards her house, suitcase in
hand. She opens her front door and enters.
After a moment, she exits the house and closes the door
mostly, peeling a note off the peep hole.
THOMAS' NOTE
Finally woken up from a long and
murderous dream. Wondering how to break
it to the therapist. Any thoughts?
- T
TRAN gazes at the note for a moment.
CUT TO:
INT. LEONARD'S HOTEL ROOOM - LATER
LEONARD pricks a needle to his fingertip, dabbing the
blood on an electronic reader.
He looks at the reader for a moment, waiting.
Text clicks on the screen.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
278.
LEONARD
Shit.
(breathing harder)
Shit...
The text clicks out.
LEONARD steadies himself against the bed for a moment
before slowly settling on the ground.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER
LEONARD hasn't lost consciousness, still seated against
his bed, and even looks a bit better. He finishes the
last of his tofu, and pulls himself to his knees,
grabbing the telephone and wedging it between his
shoulder and ear.
Digging a piece of paper from his pocket, he dials a
number.
DESKMAN
(Indian accent)
Hello?
LEONARD hangs up. Allowing his line to reset, he picks
the phone back up, dialing nine before his number.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S ROOM - SAME TIME
The telephone on tran's night stand rings. From off
frame, TRAN reaches over to grab it, pulling the
telephone off with her.
TRAN
(weakly, hiccuping under
tears)
Hello?
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD
(softening his voice)
Ms. Pham? Is this- are you alright?
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S ROOOM - SAME TIME
TRAN sighs and whimpers.
TRAN
(with a bit of strength)
How can I help you, Leonard?
(after a pause)
Yes, about the house hunt.
Would you hate me if I canceled for
tomorrow and just met up with you-
(sniffs)
Up with you on Wednesday instead?
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
LEONARD
Well, actually, that's exactly what I was
calling about. There's some health- some,
I've gotta go see my nutritionist
tomorrow. So I was hoping-
(chuckles)
Yeah, exactly. So Wednesday would be
fine. Okay.
(softer still)
Are you- is everything okay, Tran?
CUT TO:
INT. THOMAS' APARTMENT - DAY
THOMAS pulls a chair up in front of a dresser. On top of
the dresser sits a picture frame which is currently faced
away from the camera.
After dragging the chair, THOMAS walks off screen again
before returning with a glass and a bottle of white wine.
THOMAS
(sighing to his picture)
Hello again.
(he corks the bottle and
begins to pour himself a
glass)
I hope you weren't getting too lonely in
that drawer.
CU PICTURE OF TRAN
TRAN smiles, hair shorter, frozen in time.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
But I've sure been doing a lot of
thinking, you know. It's all I have to-
it's all I can do anymore. Is think.
(sipping his wine, darkly)
And at first, I felt afraid of myself. Of
what my life had become, and I thought,
'Holy Mackerel.
How long have you been looking the other
way, Thomas?' I thought, 'You're a sick
man.' I won't get into everything
tonight, but all of these horrible
months, and so many... awful, disgusting
things that I've done, or thought about
doing.
(a bit lighter)
And I couldn't believe it, you know? What
that all meant for me. How could I- Was I
really so far gone that I hadn't even
noticed? That I'd gone crazy? But then I
said- and this was actually out loud, I
said 'Thomas, get better!' I shouted it
at myself! And then there's about five
minutes I can't even remember. I woke up
on the floor, there was a puddle of tears
in my nose. And I felt like a great demon
had left me. And for the first time in a
long time, I looked back on my life, and
everything was unobstructed. Perfectly
clear. And I thought, 'You are better,
Thomas.'
(smiles and shakes his head)
So I called Mary, and I told her that she
was right. That I had tricked myself into
falling in love with her, that what I was
feeling- what I thought I was feeling,
wasn't real.
(building impassion)
But I also told her that she was fucking
abysmal at the job she does- that in four
months, she'd accomplished nothing for
me, and that she needed to find work
where people weren't relying on her to
help them,. I mean, fucking shit, that's
actually dangerous, what she's doing. You
know?
(after a pause, and calm
again)
And then... With all of that taken care
of... Well, it brought me back to you.
And I realized that, not only was I
absolutely, entirely not angry with you,
but that I'd actually never been angry
with you. There was a period when, boy, I
sure thought I was. So I pictured myself,
all of those times, screaming at you or
ranting at you or threatening you, and I
cringed. I felt such a despair, such a
deep, horrible embarrassment. I mean, you
wouldn't believe there were so many
things that I looked back on and
dreaded...
Like, I can't believe I actually asked
you for an apology. I asked you! That was
so... ugly, and wrong of me, Tran. But I
was sick. And then I thought, 'Well, if
I'm not angry at Tran, then what do I
feel about her?' And I thought, 'I don't
know, I don't know.'
(smiles)
But now I think I finally understand...
About us.
THOMAS sets his wine down.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
I wrote this song for me, for my own
sake. But it'd be wrong to hide it from
you, I think. Because it's about us. And
I guess I- I hope you like it.
THOMAS inhales deep and closes his eyes. As he begins,
gentle guitar accompanies him.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
There are only a handful of ways
That I can
Apologize
Been a year of miserable days
But hear me
And watch my eyes
It can be better
Because
It has to be better
Because if one more second
Slips by on my wrist
It can be sweet again
Because
It has to be sweet again
Because I live with my heart now
Instead of my fist
And all the regret
And every last lie
And anything else I said
That was wrong and disgusting and savage
I take it all back
I can be stronger
Because
I have to be stronger
Because if I turn 28 still living a dream
I will be good to you
Because
I have to be good to you
Because I love and I know what I mean
And all the regret
And every last lie
And anything else I said
That was wrong and disgusting and savage
I take it all back
CU TRAN'S PICTURE
THOMAS closes his eyes, still deep in his thoughts.
FADE TO BLACK.
FADE IN:
INT. EDMUND'S OFFICE - DAY
LEONARD reads a poster in the examination room.
EDMUND enters.
EDMUND
How about a walk, Leonard?
CUT TO:
EXT. THE STREET - LATER
EDMUND and LEONARD walk along a road. After a moment.
LEONARD
So why isn't it taking?
EDMUND
I knew you were going to say that.
LEONARD
Well?
EDMUND
It *is* taking, Leonard, but it's going
to be gradual.
LEONARD
Lookie, I'm all for gradual, but how long
do I have to go around feeling like death
warmed over?
EDMUND
I know. It's... I don't know, Leonard,
maybe you got to me too late.
LEONARD
Well...
EDMUND
Maybe we've just gotta medicate you from
here on in.
They walk.
LEONARD
That isn't what I want.
EDMUND
I realize.
LEONARD
So stick with the book you made for me?
EDMUND
You can, of course. I won't force nothing
on you. But my professional advice, I
mean- I'd say at this juncture... Flip a
coin.
LEONARD
Mm.
EDMUND
That red page. 'How to do What you do If
and when you have to.' Have you read it?
LEONARD
No.
EDMUND
Well, it says if you can get to a phone,
then call me. And if you can't, then
forget the system, get yourself a hypo,
and save your life.
LEONARD coughs.
LEONARD
Alright.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S CAR - THE NEXT DAY
LEONARD sits in TRAN's passenger seat, TRAN drives.
TRAN
I want to focus on townhouses today,
because I'm getting the feeling that this
sort of southwestern, frilly, clay
pattern thing isn't hitting any of the
right notes with you.
LEONARD
Alright. Townhouses?
TRAN
Yeah. They're really simple lots. Usually
three stories, or two stories, and they
call them that because they sort of tend
to build them into little neighborhoods.
Like a cluster of these little,
inoffensive, towny houses.
LEONARD
Yeah, okay.
TRAN
Okay?
LEONARD
Sounds like it's worth a shot.
TRAN
Okay.
LEONARD
Are you, ah- How are you feeling today?
TRAN
I'm fine. I'm fine, Leonard, and I just
wanted to say that I'm really sorry you
caught me at such a bad time the other
night.
LEONARD
Oh, no, I didn't- ah, don't worry about
that.
TRAN
Well, it wasn't very professional of me,
is all. And I really hope it's not going
to be, like, in the back of your head all
of the time. Does that make sense? Don't
think I'm some sort of loser that you
can't depend on or something, okay?
LEONARD
I don't think that at all.
TRAN
Okay. Yeah. But I'm fine. Thank you for
asking.
LEONARD
Okay.
CUT TO:
EXT. TOWNHOUSES - LATER
TRAN and LEONARD pull up in front of a townhouse.
TRAN
Alright, this is the first lot we're
going to check out today.
LEONARD
Alright.
TRAN
There are...
(checking paperwork against
her steering wheel)
As a matter of fact, three availabilities
here.
LEONARD
Huh.
TRAN
And I myself have only actually been
inside these particular houses one time
years ago.
LEONARD
Alright.
TRAN
So we're kind of on equal ground as far
as that's concerned.
LEONARD
Alright.
TRAN
But, of course, you know me: I did do my
homework. Three bedroom, two and a half
bath, and two decks.
LEONARD
Two decks?
TRAN
That's right.
LEONARD
Nice.
TRAN
Good! So we'll take a look here, and then
I have about four more lots to show you
today. So let's move, move, move!
They climb out of TRAN's car and walk around to the
trunk, which TRAN opens.
LEONARD
(digging out his boots)
I think I'm going to like this one.
LEONARD is cut off by TRAN's cell phone.
TRAN
(digging it from her pocket
and flipping open)
Hello?
TRAN immediately stops in her tracks, launching into
harsh and unsubtitled Vietnamese.
LEONARD stops too, looking confused and a bit shocked
before lacing up his boots.
TRAN's conversation continues on for about half of a
minute, with LEONARD looking around and eventually
putting his hands in his pockets.
TRAN hangs her phone up.
TRAN (CONT'D)
(under her breath)
Fuck.
(to LEONARD)
Alright... I have a *very* small
emergency that I need to take care of,
Leonard. Would you mind coming with me? I
promise I'll only be... Five minutes.
LEONARD
Yeah. Yeah, of course.
LEONARD begins to unlace his boots.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
I think I like this one.
TRAN
Good! Good. And I promise, we'll come
right back here.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S CAR - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN drives, LEONARD sits.
LEONARD
Is anything the matter?
TRAN
(quickly)
No, don't worry.
CUT TO:
EXT. TEN'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN's car pulls up.
TRAN
I'll be five minutes.
LEONARD
Okay. Is there anything I can-
TRAN
(getting out)
No. Five minutes.
TRAN shuts her car door and walks towards the house.
LEONARD
Okay.
CUT TO:
INT. TEN'S HOUSE - SAME TIME
TRAN enters, closing the front door and walking into the
living room, looking around.
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(shouted in Vietnamese)
Mom, I'm here but I can't stay! Mom?
TRAN sighs and walks upstairs.
INT. TEN'S BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN slowly opens the door and peeks in to the empty
bedroom.
TRAN (SUBTITLE)
(spoken in Vietnamese)
Mom?
TRAN furrows her brow, and shuts the door.
CUT TO:
EXT. TEN'S UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - SAME TIME
TRAN leans against the door momentarily in thought.
TRAN heads back downstairs.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S CAR - SAME TIME
LEONARD flips the car radio on and off, which doesn't
respond. He tips his cowboy hat over his eyes, puts his
bootless feat on the dashboard, and leans back.
CUT TO:
INT. TEN'S DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
A bathroom door is ajar, and TRAN walks towards it. She
gets a glance into the bathtub, and spins around
immediately.
TRAN
Fuck, that's blood. Fuck, that's a lot of
blood. Oh mom.
(turning back to look again,
and whimpering)
Oh, God, mom...
Walking closer to the tub, she stops a few feet in front
of it.
TRAN (CONT'D)
What?
TRAN reaches into the bathtub and pulls out a waterlogged
bottle of red wine, dumping out a mixture of wine and
bath water.
TRAN scoffs in disbelief, turning to the sink and picking
up an open bottle of prescription drugs.
TRAN (CONT'D)
(shouting)
I fucking hate you so, so much!
TRAN kicks the bathtub in frustration and begins to wash
her hands.
CUT TO:
INT. TRAN'S CAR - LATER
LEONARD is back to turning the radio dial on and off. He
sighs once and then hits the dashboard.
CUT TO:
EXT. TEN'S HOUSE
LEONARD climbs out of the car and walks around to the
trunk. After a few moments of trying to pull it open in
vain, he gives up and uncomfortably steps towards the
front door in socks.
CUT TO:
INT. TEN'S HOUSE - SAME TIME
LEONARD opens the door and enters.
LEONARD
(looking around)
Uh...
TRAN (O.S.)
(muffled)
Damn it...
LEONARD
Tran?
No response. LEONARD continues to walk.
CUT TO:
INT. TEN'S DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - SAME TIME
LEONARD walks down the hall and turns towards the
bathroom.
Inside TRAN has lifted TEN's nude, comatose, wine and
waterlogged body out of the tub, now in plain view of
LEONARD.
TRAN
(surprised)
Leonard, fuck!
LEONARD
Shit!
(turns away and starts
walking)
I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm going back to
the car.
TRAN
Leonard, wait.
LEONARD stops, his back to the bathroom.
TRAN (CONT'D)
Can you maybe get me a couple of towels
first?
LEONARD
Of course, yeah. Towels.
TRAN
Okay, upstairs, take a right, and they're
in the cupboard on the left of the
hallway.
LEONARD
Alright, yeah!
(takes off, and says to
himself)
Upstairs, right, cupboard on the left...
TRAN (O.S.)
(calling out)
Get the big white ones, and thank you!
LEONARD
(to himself)
The big white ones.
CUT TO:
INT. TEN'S UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
LEONARD piles white towels into his arms, trying to close
the cupboard with his shoulders.
TEN retches off-screen.
TRAN (O.S.)
(calling out)
Leonard?
LEONARD
(shouting)
I'm on my way!
CUT TO:
INT. TEN'S STAIRWAY
LEONARD quickly descends
CUT TO:
INT. TEN'S DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
With a mountain of white towels, LEONARD slowly
approaches the bathroom.
LEONARD
Okay, I'm here, I'm closing my eyes.
TRAN exits the bathroom alone, grabbing half of LEONARD's
towels.
TRAN
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
LEONARD
Oh, hi there. Sorry again.
TRAN
(quickly)
Don't worry about it.
TRAN re-enters the bathroom.
TRAN (CONT'D)
(from inside the bathroom, as
an afterthought)
I'm sorry.
LEONARD
Should I go back to the car?
TRAN
(ignoring him, still unseen
in the bathroom)
Leonard, my mom's robe is in her room on
the bed, would you mind getting it?
LEONARD
No, of course I wouldn't mind. Just give
me a list of shit to do, and I can help
out, alright?
TRAN
(coughing)
Um, I think that might be it, actually.
LEONARD
Your mom, huh?
TRAN
(sighing)
Yeah.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM - LATER
LEONARD holds up TEN, now robed, while TRAN dries her
hair.
LEONARD
Is she an epileptic or something?
TRAN
Not quite, no.
LEONARD
Huh.
TRAN
This is like, a... Cry for help.
LEONARD
(embarrassed)
Oh. I'm sorry, Tran.
TRAN
(drying TEN's hair harder)
Well, fucking don't be. We're going
through this same old drama every year it
seems like.
LEONARD
You sure you don't want me to call an
ambulance or nothing?
TRAN
I'm sure. She already vomited in the tub.
LEONARD
Yeah, alright.
TRAN
She's going to be fine. I've seen her
barely yawn from twice as many Qualudes
and four times the wine.
LEONARD
You sure, though?
TRAN
(stopping)
She doesn't have insurance, and she'd
never speak to me again.
LEONARD nods.
TRAN (CONT'D)
Yeah. But thanks.
CUT TO:
INT. TEN'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
TEN is still out, bundled up on a recliner. TRAN has
changed out of her suit and into one of her mother's
sweaters and jeans. She seems dazed.
LEONARD enters holding two mugs.
LEONARD
(handing her a mug)
Here, I made some tea.
TRAN
Leonard, aw...
LEONARD
Don't worry about it.
LEONARD takes a seat next to TRAN on the couch.
TRAN
You really... Thanks so much for
everything today. I feel very retarded.
But I promise, we will get out to house
hunt, alright?
LEONARD
(laughs)
Tran, don't beat yourself up about that.
TRAN
Yeah? But anyway, I... Thanks.
LEONARD
Don't be embarrassed or anything, yeah.
TRAN
If you want to go, I mean, you can. I can
handle it.
LEONARD
Well, I'll clear out if you want.
TRAN
No, I mean, you can stay. I just mean,
you know, if you- don't feel like you
have to baby-sit my mom.
LEONARD
I don't feel like that. And it isn't like
I really have anywhere else to be, 'sides
back to the hotel and whatnot.
TRAN
You're living in a hotel?
LEONARD
Yeah, well, just until I find my house.
TRAN
Oh, Leonard. I'm so sorry I've cancelled
on you twice now.
LEONARD
No, I mean it, don't get down on yourself
about that.
TRAN
Living in a hotel-
LEONARD
I mean it, I'm fine.
TRAN
(sighing)
Tomorrow. I promise.
LEONARD
Don't worry.
They sip tea.
TRAN
Can I ask why Cimarron?
LEONARD
Oh, well... Ah, yeah, I guess I can... I
got some health issues.
TRAN
Oh, I can but out, if-
LEONARD
Nah, I'm not ashamed. I've had Diabetes
for a few years now, and pretty recently,
I had a coma.
TRAN
Man.
LEONARD
Yeah. I'm no good at taking care of
myself, and I've got this nutritionist
who I used to see, until he moved down
here.
TRAN
You followed your nutritionist to New
Mexico?
LEONARD
Yeah, well. He's my friend, too.
TRAN
I think that's really sweet.
LEONARD
I just didn't want to die, I guess. So
can I ask about you?
TRAN
What do you want to know?
LEONARD
Well, like... Are you alright?
TRAN
Leonard, I think my life is falling
apart.
LEONARD nods for a moment, before scooting next to TRAN,
who sets down her tea and leans against LEONARD's
shoulder.
TRAN (CONT'D)
(beginning to cry)
Is this okay? I'll leave you alone.
LEONARD
This is fine.
TRAN
(breaking down)
Mom's a mess, and she just blames
everything on me. And whenever I look at
her, all I can think is, there's you,
Tran: There's you at fifty-eight.
TRAN sobs.
LEONARD
(giving her shoulders a
squeeze)
I wouldn't worry about that, really,
Tran. It's pretty easy to not end up like
your folks, I mean, especially when
they're wrecks like that, no offense.
TRAN
I don't even want her to be happy, I
don't care if she dies tonight- which she
won't. I just want her to leave me alone
forever!
LEONARD
Yeah.
TRAN
And I want Thomas to leave me alone
forever.
LEONARD
Thomas?
TRAN
He's this... Honestly, Leonard, you don't
want to know.
LEONARD
An ex-boyfriend?
TRAN doesn't respond.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
I'm sorry.
TRAN
No, he is. There's... He's a very big
problem.
FADE TO:
INT. TEN'S LIVING ROOM - MIDNIGHT
LEONARD hangs out of the window, whittling away at
another stick. TEN still sleeps on her chair.
LEONARD is torn apart, and watches the moon, mindlessly
sharpening and sharpening.
A light clicks on behind him.
LEONARD
(half dazed)
What's wrong, don't worry, I'm watching
her.
TEN, robed and awake, sees LEONARD in her window and
screams.
LEONARD spins around shocked, and sees TEN.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
No, uh... Don't worry, Ms. Pham! I'm not
here to... uh, y'know, whatever-
TEN screams at LEONARD in Vietnamese
LEONARD (CONT'D)
I'm sorry! I don't speak... that!
TEN points at LEONARD and continues to bark at him.
LEONARD notices he's still clutching his whittling knife.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
(dropping the knife)
Oh, shit! No, no, no, no, no! Ma'am, I'm
not going to hurt you, I- I promise!
TEN backs away, yelling and raving.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
(slowly following her)
You had a little accident earlier, and I
was just trying to help you out a bit,
okay? I'm a friend of Tran's, who's
apparently a very, very deep sleeper...
TEN stops.
TEN
Tran?
LEONARD
(slowly and clearly)
Yeah! Yeah, I'm a friend of Tran's, I was
just trying to help you.
TEN
(extremely labored English)
Friend.
LEONARD
Right. Tran's friend.
TEN
(smiling)
Tran's boyfriend?
LEONARD
What? No, no, that's not quite it.
TEN continues to smile and sits down on the couch,
motioning LEONARD to sit next to her. LEONARD shrugs and
sighs, obliging.
TEN
Oh... Handsome!
LEONARD
Thank you, ma'am, but again-
TEN
Tran lonely. So sad.
LEONARD
I know. Yeah, I know.
After a moment, TEN coos, happily.
TEN
Oh, so handsome!
LEONARD
(chuckling)
Yeah, you mentioned that.
CUT TO:
EXT. TEN'S HOUSE - THE NEXT MORNING
TEN, TRAN and LEONARD walk towards TRAN's car. TEN and
TRAN are arm in arm, LEONARD a few feet to their side.
TRAN says something to her mother in Vietnamese, and TEN
snaps back at her. They argue momentarily before TRAN
sighs and continues to her car, TEN staying on the
sidewalk. LEONARD begins to follow TRAN, but TEN grabs
his arm.
LEONARD turns to meet TEN as TRAN enters her car.
TEN smiles at LEONARD and leans up to kiss his cheek.
LEONARD
Goodbye, Ms. Pham.
TEN
(sweetly)
Goodbye.
LEONARD enters TRAN's car.
INT. TRAN'S CAR - SAME TIME
TEN watches the two from outside.
TRAN
I'm sorry about my mother, Leonard.
LEONARD
She'll be alright, I bet.
TRAN
No, she won't.
LEONARD
Well.
TRAN
Leonard, I need to find you a house, so
I'm going to at least momentarily forget
about all of this so that I can at least
try and help you.
LEONARD
Tran, why don't you take the day, huh? I
think you could use it.
TRAN
Leonard...
LEONARD
I'm fine at that hotel, Tran. But I don't
even think I'm up for a house hunt today,
so I can't begin to imagine how you're
feeling about it.
TRAN
I-
TRAN sighs.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
LEONARD is laying on his bed. He reaches for EDMUND's
book, and turns to the red page. Then, for his telephone.
He dials nine first.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMUND'S BEDROOM - SAME TIME
EDMUND and his WIFE are asleep. The phone begins to ring.
EDMUND wakes up and grabs the phone.
EDMUND
(quietly)
Edmund Collard.
(normally)
Leonard? Alright, sit down, be calm, do
exactly what I say.
(pause)
What? Then... What's this about? Yeah, of
course I'm your friend.
EDMUND exits the bedroom.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - SAME TIME
EDMUND turns on a light and sits on his couch.
EDMUND
Leonard, you're not making any sense.
(pause)
What? Well, Leonard, that's great! Who is
she? Uh-huh. Yeah. Oh... Oh, I see.
(clears is throat)
Well, I mean, have you met this guy? No,
I mean, well... he could be tough. Or
big. Is he from the city? Well, you're
from the country. Did he hit her or
anything?
(pause)
Huh. Alright. Well, you're from Texas,
Leonard. Own that. Just come at him as
Texas as you can possibly get and you'll
probably scare the bastard shitless.
(laughs)
No, it sounds like you're crazy about
her. No, no, don't sweat it, Leonard,
that's what I'm here for. Hey, while I've
got you, how's the diet holding up?
(pause)
Oh. Of course I understand. Yeah, we'll
talk later. Good luck with everything,
pal.
EDMUND clicks the phone off and heads for his bedroom.
EDMUND (CONT'D)
It's nothing, Cheryl. Go back to sleep.
FADE TO:
INT. TRAN'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
TRAN's phone rings. She clicks on a light and picks up
her receiver off of the night stand.
TRAN
(tired)
Hello? Oh, hey Leonard.
(yawns)
No, it's fine. I'm sorry, what's that?
(pause)
Oh. No, of course that's no problem. No,
I mean it. I mean, you're basically
setting the schedule here, so if you
don't mind the extra night in a hotel,
then who am I to...
(pause)
Yeah, of course we can reschedule.
(pause)
Uh, well, actually, I do have something
going Friday morning. Yeah, I know. But
how about after two? Would that work for
you? Okay. Yeah, okay.
(pause)
No, you really shouldn't worry about
that. Maybe another day is what I need,
who knows? Alright, yeah.
(pause)
Hey, Leonard... Everything going okay?
(she nods)
Just checking. Alright. Then Friday it
is. Okay, Leonard. Goodnight.
TRAN hangs up her phone and pauses a moment before
clicking off her light and heading back to sleep.
FADE TO:
INT. THOMAS' APARTMENT - MOMENTS LATER
THOMAS is sifting through his refrigerator when his phone
begins to ring. He shoots up and pivots, walking over to
answer.
THOMAS
Hello? Yes, speaking.
(pause)
I'm sorry? Uh... Who is this? Do I know
you?
(a long pause)
Fucking... How did you get this number?
No, that is important.
(cutting him off)
Hey, hey, hey- Look, mister, you don't
know the half of that situation- no, shut
up! Look, I may have done a few things
that I'm not proud of, but don't you go
barking at me about something that's-
that you don't- it's not even any of your
fucking business, mister!
(pause)
What?
(pause, exhaling)
Okay... Well, why should I?
(pause)
I'm sorry, is that a threat?
After a short pause, THOMAS sits down on the floor of his
kitchen, looking struck.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Alright. Fine. Hang on a second.
THOMAS pulls a pad of paper and a pen off of his kitchen
counter.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Go ahead, I guess.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER
LEONARD zips up his coat and secures his cowboy hat.
From his belt, LEONARD produces a six-shooter revolver,
punching out the chamber and giving it a spin to see that
it's loaded. It is.
LEONARD nods, gives himself a pat over, and exits the
room.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE PARK - DUSK
A nervous THOMAS SEXTON walks towards the center of a
park.
He looks around, but visibility is low.
THOMAS stops and checks his watch. Standing in place, he
continues to look around uncomfortably.
LEONARD is perched against a tree behind THOMAS
LEONARD
Sexton?
THOMAS jumps and spins, staring at LEONARD.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
Just relax.
THOMAS
Alright. I'm here.
LEONARD
That's right, Sexton.
After a moment, LEONARD holds his gun to THOMAS,
approaching him.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
So, lookie here, dirtbag, you've gotta be
taken care of.
Horror washes over THOMAS's face, then tears.
THOMAS
Oh God!
THOMAS curls into a ball and rocks, screaming into the
grass.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
No, no, no, please! Ohhhhh, God...
LEONARD
Look at me. Hey! Sexton, look at me!
THOMAS continues to yelp and hyperventilate.
THOMAS
No... Why... Ah no...
LEONARD kicks THOMAS in his side a few times to roll him
over, gun aimed at his head.
LEONARD
Get up and look at me, you piece of shit!
THOMAS' eyes are sealed shut and he weeps and babbles.
THOMAS
Oh, fuck, no... Ohh... God...
LEONARD lowers his gun for a moment, looking THOMAS over.
LEONARD
Shit... You're young.
THOMAS
(in between snot and coughs)
What?
LEONARD
I suppose you would be... She's young,
isn't she?
(sighs)
How old are you, Thomas?
THOMAS
(hysterics)
I don't wanna die, Leonard, don't kill me
please!
LEONARD holds his revolver out to his side, letting
holding it by his finger.
LEONARD
Sexton, look at me! I'm not even holding
the gun at you anymore, okay?
THOMAS
No!
LEONARD
Sexton, look at me.
THOMAS barely begins to open his eyes, wincing tight.
THOMAS
No... Leonard don't kill me...
LEONARD
For right now we're just gonna talk,
alright?
THOMAS whimpers.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
But for God's sake, Thomas, if you carry
on weeping and spitting, I'm gonna shoot
you like a fucking dog, right in your
head.
THOMAS dry heaves.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
Hey, but right now, you and I, we're just
talking.
THOMAS
(finally, after a few deep
breaths)
Just talking.
LEONARD
That's right. So get up.
THOMAS
I... yeah.
THOMAS gets to his knees and pulls himself up.
He meekly looks LEONARD in the eye, face to face.
LEONARD shakes his head after a moment.
LEONARD
I hate you.
THOMAS
(submissive)
Yes.
LEONARD
You're scum.
THOMAS
I'm scum.
LEONARD
I scrape shit like you right off the
bottom of my boots and I do it with the
rustiest, crustiest knife I own, you
understand?
THOMAS
I understand.
LEONARD
You're on some... Whatever, some sort of
bullshit, personal, dramatics trip, and
you never stop to think that you're
torturing that girl? That you're
destroying that girl?
THOMAS
I never think, Leonard, I never think.
LEONARD
Shut up and let me talk.
THOMAS
Yes, sir.
LEONARD
She's a ghost. She hasn't lived a day in
a long time, Sexton, and I don't like
that. And I hate you. So one way or
another, we're getting you out of her
life. For good.
THOMAS' lip begins to shake again.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
Cut that out right now.
THOMAS lowers his head, nodding.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
You don't have the right to associate
with her, Sexton. Not anymore. She's
precious, and beautiful, and intelligent,
and you're a fucking leach. You are dirt.
LEONARD sighs, THOMAS still looking down.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
But I ain't gonna kill you. 'Cause you're
just a kid.
THOMAS finally responds.
THOMAS
Well... What, then?
LEONARD
You're leaving town. Tonight.
THOMAS
I- well... How?
With is gun, LEONARD points to THOMAS' car.
LEONARD
That's your vehicle, right?
THOMAS
Yes, sir.
LEONARD digs into his back pocket and pulls out a roll of
100 dollar bills.
LEONARD
You're taking this money, you're getting
in your vehicle, and you're driving-
(points east)
- that way until you hit water. Ocean.
THOMAS sniffs, then coughs. LEONARD holds out the roll of
bills, and after a moment, THOMAS takes them.
THOMAS eyes his bills, then LEONARD.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
What?
THOMAS
(pointing east)
Why that way?
LEONARD
That's east. That way you drive into the
sunrise.
THOMAS gulps, his lip shaking for a moment before he
takes a big breath in and nods his head.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
So go on. Git.
THOMAS holds his roll of bills and turns around, walking
towards his car. Fifteen paces behind, LEONARD follows.
LEONARD stands behind THOMAS' car as he fires up the
engine.
THOMAS waves out the back window and begins to drive off,
LEONARD watching.
CU LEONARD'S EYES
The sound of THOMAS' engine gets quieter and quieter. As
it just about fades, LEONARD coughs and winces.
FADE TO BLACK.
Text clicks on-screen.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Four months later.
FADE IN:
INT. LEONARD'S TOWNHOUSE - AFTERNOON
LEONARD CHRISTIAN looks healthy.
The on-screen text clicks off.
LEONARD is grabbing his coat and putting on his hat, when
his cell phone rings.
LEONARD pulls out his phone.
LEONARD
(flipping it open)
Hello? Edmund, what's going on? Uh-huh,
I'm just heading out. I know. I'm running
a little late.
(pause)
Yeah? Well, what'd she make?
(laughs)
It sounds awful.
(pause)
No, no. I'll be there in twenty.
LEONARD hangs up his phone and tucks it back into his
coat, leaving his room.
Out of his bedroom window, we watch as he climbs into a
brown sedan, turning over the engine and heading off.
LEONARD's telephone rings. After four rings, the machine
picks up.
LEONARD (CONT'D)
(machine recording)
Hey, you reached Leonard Christian. Let
me know after the beep.
The machine beeps.
TRAN
(over the machine)
Leonard? It's Tran. I hope you're doing
well. I know it's- it's been a few- a
while. So I hope that... we can-
(pause)
Look, what you did wasn't right, okay? We
don't- nobody acts like that in the real
world, right? I mean, you know that.
(sighs)
But there's too much Texas in you, or
whatever. It's not important. Look, I'm
not condoning this in any way, but- ah, I
felt like I had to call, because-
(sighs)
Leonard, in a very fucked up way, you
kind of saved my life here. I don't know.
I guess I'm kind trying to say thanks.
And that I hope the move went well for
you.
(a pause, now with a bit of a
broken voice)
Leonard, for both of our sake, please
don't call me back, okay? Bye.
The machine clicks.
CUT TO BLACK.
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