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INT. LIVING ROOM, DARLENE'S APT.
JUSTIN:
"So should I read them?"
DARLENE:
"Read what?"
JUSTIN:
"Tarzan."
DARLENE:
"You should read everything."
JUSTIN:
"Not every boy raised by wolves
becomes a hero."
DARLENE:
"What's that from? I think I've
heard that."
JUSTIN:
"It's just a quote from something."
Justin's phone starts ringing.
DARLENE:
"I'll get it."
JUSTIN: (THINKING SHE'S CONFUSED)
"No, it's my phone."
DARLENE:
"I know, I'll get it."
Reaching for the inside of his pocket
DARLENE: JUSTIN: (TO DARLENE)
"Hello" "Tina, don't"
Eyes getting wide, like she just caught God in a shoebox
SHOT OF DARLENE EXCLUSIVELY
Darlene is holding the phone one-handed, covering the
speaking end.
DARLENE:
"What did you call me?"
Justin is making a face like it pains him to have said that,
in the effect of it being caught in his teeth somehow.
SHOT OF TINA ON
HER BACK PORCH
ON A PORCH
SWING, WITH A
GLASS OF SHERRY
NEXT TO HER ON A
GLASS TABLE:
TINA: (ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE)
"Hello-o?"
DARLENE:
"Just a second, Tina"
TINA:
"Who is this? W-Uh-Who are you?
Where's Justin?
DARLENE:
(in a voice meaning, we both do,
and also like, we need to talk: me
chastising you)
SCENE CHANGE "SOMEONE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU."
JUSTIN:
(taking the phone) "Tina? Hey."
TINA'S BACK PORCH, LOOKING OUT AT HER SWIMMING POOL
TINA:
"Who was that?"
JUSTIN:
"Um, Darlene." (Darlene making a
motion like "thankyou for knowing
my name") "You've met her. Anyway,
what's up?"
TINA:
(sucking the lemonade off of her
finger, looking a little pissed,
but holding it in) "I wanted to see
what you were doing. But I guess
you're busy."
JUSTIN:
"Yeah. I'm out."
TINA:
"Well, are you doing anything
Friday night?"
JUSTIN:
"You know I don't really make
plans, so I'm not sure."
Justin and Darlene get comfortable on the couch.
I don't mean they get closer to each other necessarily or
anything, they both just feel like relaxing, separately, like
they just came inside on a hot summer day.
TINA:
"Some people are getting together
Friday at Charlie's. You should
come."
JUSTIN:
"I don't know. I'm not gonna be in
town very long and I've got some
things to take care of."
Stirring her Sherry.
TINA:
"You can see me one night."
JUSTIN:
"Yeah, well. When and where again?"
The voices fade out
IDEALISTIC
FLASHBACK
FLASHBACK TO WHEN TINA & JUSTIN WERE DATING & THINGS WERE
'PERFECT'
A younger Tina and Justin are talking outside of a house at a
party.
TINA:
"Cause it's so good when it's just
me and you."
JUSTIN:
"Yeah. I know."
TINA:
"But then we mix all of your
friends, or my friends into it, and
everything gets screwed up."
JUSTIN:
"It's like we're different people."
Tina looks like this is the wrong thing to say.
JUSTIN:
"I mean. Well, it's like we could
be perfectly happy if it was just
the two of us, forever."
Tina has gotten up and is walking into the house.
She holds the watch around her left wrist with her thumb and
middle finger for a moment and then shakes her left arm out
and down, all while gliding under the overhead light.
SCENE CHANGES
INTO JUSTIN
LOOKING UP FROM
THE COUCH IN
DARLENE'S HOUSE
TO THE DOORWAY
TO THE KITCHEN
WHERE DARLENE
IS, AND IN A
MOMENT SHE COMES
WALKING IN.
Justin is sort of slack jawed.
BACK IN DARLENE'S APARTMENT
Darlene is holding out a plate of cookies to Justin, leaning
forward, other hand resting with some weight behind her on
her back.
DARLENE:
"Want one?"
JUSTIN (TO TINA - ON THE PHONE):
"I've gotta go."
TINA (TRYING DESERVEDLY TO GET HIS
ATTENTION):
"Maybe I'll call you later tonight"
JUSTIN:
"That's fine. See you."
TINA:
"Bye" (as Justin is hanging up the
phone, not rudely.)
DARLENE:
"I can't believe you called me
that."
JUSTIN:
"Yeah. I can't believe it either."
DARLENE (SPONTANEOUS) :
"What in the hell are we doing? How
could you just leave and come back
like this? There should be
guidebooks and.. expository
essays…"
JUSTIN:
"That's what living is."
(Silence)
JUSTIN:
"There's a party tomorrow night if
you feel like going."
DARLENE:
"Yeah, sure. -- How long are you
going to be here for real?"
JUSTIN:
"I don't want to stay. I mean, I
want to stay, but -- "
He grabs her wrists with his palms over her upturned hands.
JUSTIN (NOT CHEESILY, SO, KNOWING
EVERYTHING AS HE SAYS IT, AND HAVING A
SENSE OF HUMOR):
"I want to go and never stop."
DARLENE:
"I'll go with you."
JUSTIN:
"Yeah, you can come too. Of course.
Definitely."
He says, pulling a cigarette pack out of his front left shirt
pocket and then a cigarette out with his teeth unexpertly and
starting to smoke.
A LITTLE LATER
Justin leaves.
DRIVING HOME
ONE PANEL OF
JUSTIN'S CAR
ZOOMING BY
Driving home from South Grand area by Tower Grove park, to
South Hampton area by this park I can't remember the name of.
Good song playing. MUSIC: BAND 'IDLEWILD' - SONG 'WHEN I
ARGUE I SEE SHAPES' from their album 'Hope is Important'
LYRICS:
"I'm not really sure of all this pressure, i'm never going to
lose any of my old letters They'll stay with me, until i can
see, until i can see that i'm no-one I'm not really sure of
all this pressure, i'm never going to lose any of my old
letters They'll stay with me, until i can see, until i can
see that i'm no-one So don't slight it off cos you'll be
fined, don't start slighting off cos you'll be fined Cos all
(CON'T)
you ever do is build it up inside, Cos all you ever do is
build it up inside I'm not really sure of all this pressure,
i'm never going to lose any of my old letters They'll stay
with me, until i can see, until i can see that i'm no-one So
don't slight it off cos you'll be fined, don't start
slighting off cos you'll be fined Cos all you ever do is
build it up inside, Cos all you ever do is build it up inside
You smoke too much when you talk too much, and when i argue I
sit there it makes me laugh I laugh at your conversational
skills, or lack of You smoke too much when you talk too much,
and when i argue I sit there it makes me laugh I laugh at
your conversational skills, or lack of I'm not really sure of
all this pressure, i'm never going to lose any of my old
letters Cos they'll stay with me, until i can see, until i
can see that i'm no-one I'm not really sure of all this
pressure, i'm never going to lose any of my old letters Cos
they'll stay with me, until i can see, until i can see that
i'm no-one So don't slight it off cos you'll be fined, don't
start slighting off cos you'll be fined Cos all you ever do
is build it up inside, Cos all you ever do is build it up
inside You smoke too much when you talk too much, and when i
argue I sit there it makes me laugh I laugh at your
conversational skills, or lack of You smoke too much when you
talk too much, and when i argue I sit there it makes me laugh
I laugh at your conversational skills, or lack of Cos when i
argue i see shapes(x10) You smoke too much when you talk too
much, and when i argue sit back it makes me laugh I laugh at
your conversational skills, or lack of You smoke too much
when you talk too much, and when i argue sit back it makes me
laugh I laugh at your conversational skills, or lack of"
JUSTIN'S ROOM, READING MAIL
Justin goes home and takes his bundle of mail and starts
reading through it
He's sitting at a desk. He's facing the right side of the
desk (there's a computer screen on the desk, with a
screensaver of a pirate flag that says "Hold Fast").
The bag is on his left, and he reaches over and arches it
over himself with his left hand and lands it on his right
He unzips his backpack, we see this from his view, looking
down on the bag from his seat in the chair, his hands low in
the shot.
Gets out the bag, and spreads the mail out on his already a
little cluttered desk.
Cut to him leaning back in his desk chair, the nicest piece
of furniture in the room, reading a letter.
He reads a few pieces of the mail, music playing, Him
smoking.
Music: ARTIST: 'VANESSA CARLTON' SONG - 'SPRING STREET'
LYRICS:
"Nah, nah-nah-nah, nah nah nah Nah, nah-nah-nah, nah nah nah
I was heading down to Spring Street with a suitcase in my
hand Filled with love and life and grand illusion, I knew
you'd understand I left you by the stairwell And your eyes
were wet with tears Mother you knew you had to let me go,
Even after all these years And we sing Nah, nah-nah-nah, nah
nah nah She said Nah-nah-nahnah nah nah nah Walk on Nah-nah
nah, nah, nah nah nah You're alright Nah-nah, nah, nah nah
nah nah And I found myself a new life I've been living with
some friends We hold on to dreams and live like kings, Like
the days will never end I left him by the statue and his eyes
were filled with tears Lover you knew you had to let me go
Even after all these years And we sing Nah-nahnah-nah nah nah
nah He said Nah-nah, nah, nah, nah nah nah Walk on Nah-nah,
nah, nah, nah nah nah You're alright Nah-nah, nah, nah nah
nah nah Everything changes friends become strangers What we
hold so dear slips away The past keeps on fading, But I'll
never forget you It's hard to see that you're a part of me
Even when we have to say Nah-nah, nah, nah,nah nah nah Walk
on Nah-nah, nah, nah nah nah nah nah We sing Nah-nah, nah,
nah, nah nah nah Well alright Nah-nah, nah, nah nah nah nah
And I moved out of the city To start a family of my own When
I look into my daughter's eyes, I don't feel so alone And as
I walk her down to Spring Street She holds on to my hand
Mother you knew my eyes would be wet with tears and now I
(CON'T)
understand Nah-nah, nah, nah, nah nah nah And I said Nah-nah,
nah, nah, nah nah nah Walk on Nah-nah, nah, nah, nah nah nah
Thank you Nah-nah, nah, nah, nah nah nah Walk on, You're
alright Can't hold on Nah-nah,nah, nah, nah nah nah"
MAIL SAYS: (MAYBE V.O.)
"I can't believe you just published
all this stuff at once and then
took off. What are people supposed
to think? as a writer myself--"
MAIL TWO:
"i had a dream about the characters
in your comic the other night. you
were in it too, even though i don't
know what you look like. We were at
a fancy italian restaurant and"
then Justin comes upon a very nice, large, royal blue
envelope.
He sits looking at the blue envelope for a moment before
opening it.
FLASHBACK TO
FLASHBACK TO WORKING ON THE COMIC - LAYING IN SUPPLIES
(FOUR YEARS
EARLIER)
WORKING ON THE COMIC BOOK.
INT. A COMIC BOOK STORE.
Justin's looking over the counter at himself on camera.
COMIC STORE CLERK:
"Whadya need?"
JUSTIN:
"I need some comic sheets. Um, for
drawing."
COMIC STORE CLERK: (GETTING THE
SHEETS)
"Making a comic, huh?"
JUSTIN: (LIKE, A LITTLE BIT LIKE, OF
COURSE, BUT THE MOCKING SEEMING TO
LAND ON HIS OWN SIDE)
"Yep"
WORKING ON THE COMIC.
Shots of Justin drawing the comic, the title thirsty
predominantly displayed, you get the gist that it's about
good natured vampires who have human blood donor friends.
VARIOUS VOICES / CLIPS PASTICHED
TOGETHER: (V.O.)
"What's it about?
"THE comic"
"What's your comic about?"
"It's about… *breathe*" (like,
'you'd never believe it')
"What writers do you like?"
"--ike writers who would rather not
be writing. Who would rather be…
you know, in the streets… in…
life."
"But like who?"
DRIVING TO SEATTLE - FOUR YEARS AGO STILL
MUSIC: BAND: 'THE GOOD LIFE' - SONG 'ALBUM OF THE YEAR' from
their album 'Album of the Year'
(CON'T)
LYRICS:
"The first time that I met her I was throwing up in the
ladies room stall. She asked me if I needed anything; I said,
"I think I spilled my drink". And that's how it started (or
so I'd like to believe)…
She took me to her mother's house outside of town where the
stars hang down. She said she'd never seen someone so lost, I
said I'd never felt so found – and then I kissed her on the
cheek… and so she kissed me on the mouth.
Spring was poppin' daises up 'round rusted trucks and busted
lawn chairs. We moved into a studio in Council Bluffs to save
a couple bucks. Where the mice came out at night, neighbors
were screaming all the time. We'd make love in the afternoons
to Chelsea Girls and Bachelor No. 2, I'd play for her some
songs I wrote, she'd joke and say I'm shooting through the
roof, I'd say, "They're all for you, dear, I'll write the
album of the year."
And I know she loved me then, I swear to God she did. It's
way she'd bite my lower lip and push her hips against my hips
and dig her nails so deep into my skin.
The first time that I met her I was convinced I had finally
found the one. She was convinced I was under the influence of
all those drunken romantics – I was reading Fante at the the
time – I had bukowski on the mind. She got a job at Jacob's
serving cocktails to the local drunks. Against her will. I
fit the the bill: I perched down at the end of the bar, She
Said, "Space is not just a place for stars – I gave you an
inch, you want a house with a yard." And I know she loved me
once, but those days are gone.
She used to call me everyday from a pay phone on her break
for lunch – just to say she can't wait to come home.
The last time that I saw her she was picking through which
records were hers. Her clothes were packed in boxes, with
some pots and pans and books and a toaster. Just then a mouse
scurried across the floor….we started laughing 'til it didn't
hurt."
JUSTIN HEADED TO SEATTLE
TAKING A FEW THINGS FROM HIS ROOM IN HIS PARENT'S HOUSE IN
ST. LOUIS
PACKING HIS CAR
MONTAGE OF ROAD TRIP TO SEATTLE
DRIVING AROUND SEATTLE
JUSTIN (SPEAKING - IN HIS WRITING AND
VOICE OVER - TO HIS READERS IN HIS
ZINE - IN HIS LAST ISSUE UPON HIS
DEPARTURE TO SEATTLE): (IN WRITING AND
V.O.)
"This issue will be my last. I must
regret to inform you, that I inform
you of my regrets no more. I have a
date atop the space needle with a
random person I've never met or
even heard of. I'm getting an
innoculation against the future
injustices that I may have never
incurred otherwise. Yes, I am
traveling the country in the hopes
of eventually making residence in
Seattle for the fortubalseeable
future. Godspeed and best wishes.
I hope you enjoy the humble
offerings of this final encasement
of a stubbled dream. This ones
dedicated to the kids. I think you
know who you are. "
SHOTS OF THE COMIC FINISHED PRODUCT. THE COMIC BOOK 'THIRSTY'
- ISSUE ONE 'THE LIGHTNING ROD MIGRATION' - THE WEIGHT WE
CARRY IS LOVE'
We see written in comic book bubbles narration:
"... My missing person's report. I think about who would care
that I go missing. Who would come looking for me, and why.
Really, what more can you ask for in this world than to have
people come to your rescue when you're being held captive by
vampires?
The first thing they'll check is when and where I was last
seen or heard from…
"You should be around," he told me.
"I am around."
"But I mean, you should be around."
He means, even when you are around, you should actually be
here.
"Oh… Yeah. I'll try."
Truth is, you need to live on a construction site… to be able
to knock down buildings and build new ones. All the time.
Maybe a reconstruction site, that might be a better name. And
if you're not in that place, you need to do everything you
can to get there. So, hopefully I was last seen driving a
Caterpillar."
And also
"A part of me knows there is no truth but youth."
END FLASHBACK
BACK TO JUSTIN'S
ROOM
JUSTIN'S ROOM, INT. SAME AS BEFORE, SITTING AT DESK
PRESENT DAY
He's holding the "certain letter"… opens the blue envelope…
nice stationary beautifully set up, just the quote from
catcher in the rye:
Music (BACK TO: ARTIST 'VANESSA CARLTON' - SONG 'SPRING
STREET')
MUSIC:
" And everything changes,
And friends become strangers,
And what we hold so dear slips away,
The past keeps on fading,
But I'll never forget you,
It's hard to see that you're a part of me,
Even when we have to say…
na na na nana na na"
While showing: The Letter:
"It's funny. Don't ever tell
anybody anything. If you do, you
start missing everybody."
Justin's phone rings…
he doesn't answer it…
HE GOES TO SLEEP
HE TURNS OFF
LAMP, WHICH
FADES INTO THE
SUN FADING IN
GOING TO A COFFEE SHOP
THE NEXT DAY WAKING UP
Music still Vanessa Carlton - Spring Street
WALKING INTO A
COFFEE SHOP
RIGHT BEFORE THE
VERSE IN THE
MUSIC ABOUT
STARTING A
FAMILY OF MY OWN
COFFEE SHOP INT.
SHOT FROM THE SIDE OVER THE COUNTER FOR THIS WHOLE
CONVERSATION, BOTH OF THEM IN THE FRAME
BARISTA:
"How's it going?"
JUSTIN:
"Oh, not too bad."
BARISTA:
"What're you having?"
JUSTIN:
"Some sort of cold chai coffee
thing."
BARISTA:
"Sure."
She goes to prepare drink right behind counter in front of
him
Justin looks at the bumper stickers tacked up on the wall.
"Eve was framed"
"My country invaded Iraq and all I
got was this expensive gas"
"Grand Oil Party"
"Abolish Nuclear Weapons ---
Disarmament.org"
"Dissent is the highest form of
patriotism"
"Who would Jesus Bomb?"
"Hate is not a family value"
Barista pours the chai mix, and then the rest of the mix for
the drink from a milk carton over ice.
JUSTIN:
"Do you guys sell the stickers?"
BARISTA:
"Huh?"
JUSTIN:
"The bumper stickers."
BARISTA:
"Oh. No. We just have them. Which
one did you like?"
JUSTIN:
(Picking up his drink.) "Who would
Jesus Bomb?" I guess.
BARISTA:
(looks closely at the bumper
sticker) "Peace project dot com."
(turns back to Justin)
"That's $3.50" (for the drink)
Justin hands her four dollars
JUSTIN:
"Thanks."
BARISTA:
"Yep"
Justin finds a table in the immediate section he is in, which
is the smoking section.
The camera follows him.
He sets up his laptop.
We see the screen flip up and start booting.
We see him enter a password we are not allowed to see, with
many characters.
He pulls out some of the mail he still hasn't read from the
bag in his backpack, and sets it next to him on the table.
He's checking his email.
Among:
We see some craigslist posts he's made: "Post/Edit/Delete"
We see - "About the piano - craigslist - I saw your ad about
getting rid of a piano--"
We see "Tina: "Intentionally Left Blank"
We see from "Me - thirsty"
We see Pollstar Digest AutoNotify Update: Greetings, we have
just updated our listings for Radiohead, 2 new dat--
We find:
"PJ: We should get together while you're in town. Here's --"
Music: ARTIST: 'VANESSA CARLTON' playing in the overhead
speakers of the coffee shop, the song 'MY BEST' also from her
album 'Heroes and Thieves'
LYRICS
(CON'T)
"Mmmmmmmmm We scream and shout and try to make it last Though
it didn't work out, I don't love you any less My lover or
friend, I wont ever tell Our secrets safe An unspoken citadel
And in these broken times, well, It's so easy to forget So I
sing to remind Upon my shoulder you can rest Cause I'll
always give you my best A sidewalk's path leads me to you
Though we don't look back, We hold on to a truth And in these
broken times I promise I will not forget Though you're not
mine Upon your shoulder I can rest Cause you always give me
your best Like a promise kept It's like you never left It's
like you never left And though it's been so long, I can't
ever seem to forget All it takes is a song And I could swear
I hear your steps Down the hall echoes a past Thatleaves an
ache, It's never left Cause I gave you my best It's like you
never left It's like you never left We scream and shout and
try to make it last"
He sees the letter (from his comic book mail) from Tina,
opens it and starts to read it.
We can't see the contents of the letter, only his reaction,
which is surprised and distressed.
He reads through it for about a minute, then:
Looks up Hiroshima on his laptop
Takes a drink of his chai, then puts his hands on his thighs
and sort of looks around like he's expecting sympathy or
something.
Then gets up and walks toward the bathroom.
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