Transcript

QUESTA - Act 3 · Table Read

0:00
Speaker 1: Previously in Act Two. When we last left Cuesta, it
0:04
Speaker 1: was 1991, and Paul, a grieving gay widower, had killed
0:08
Speaker 1: a young man in an alley behind a gay bar.
0:10
Speaker 1: His sister Susan covered for him. Daniel, a homeless witness,
0:14
Speaker 1: lied to the police and started following Paul home. The
0:18
Speaker 1: dead boy was Will. His mother Lori, a village hairdresser
0:21
Speaker 1: sleeping with her parish priest, was already in spiritual freefall.
0:26
Speaker 1: Susan was pregnant. Bradley was dying of AIDS. Then it
0:29
Speaker 1: all tightened. Paul started following Lori. He sat across from
0:33
Speaker 1: her at a Jersey coffee shop, pretended to be one
0:36
Speaker 1: of her old clients, and cried in front of her
0:38
Speaker 1: for the first time since the killing. She comforted him.
0:42
Speaker 1: Daniel sat next to Paul at AA and told him
0:45
Speaker 1: he was beautiful. Paul walked into a gay bar shaking
0:48
Speaker 1: and gave a stranger his number. Susan came to his
0:51
Speaker 1: apartment and found him refusing meat and talking about trying
0:54
Speaker 1: to be good. By the end of Act II, Lori
0:57
Speaker 1: had walked into a confessional Interior Paul's apartment later that evening. Richard,
1:02
Speaker 1: Lori's ex-boss and the guy from the bar, is sitting
1:04
Speaker 1: on Paul's sofa. Paul is surprised that Richard.
1:20
Speaker 2: One more time.
1:21
Speaker 3: R sitting on.
1:21
Speaker 1: Well, but R, I know. And I do think it's
1:24
Speaker 1: a typo because it's one guy.
1:26
Speaker 4: Oh, yeah, it is.
1:26
Speaker 3: I'm sorry. I thought Richard and Lori were there together. Yeah,
1:29
Speaker 3: I know.
1:29
Speaker 1: That's what I thought. No, it caught me off guard
1:32
Speaker 1: when I was practicing. So that's the only reason I know.
1:36
Speaker 1: Interior Paul's apartment later that evening. Richard, Lori's ex-boss and
1:41
Speaker 1: the guy from the bar, is sitting on Paul's sofa.
1:44
Speaker 1: Paul is surprised that Richard called him. Richard is surprised
1:47
Speaker 1: that he called Paul. What to do? What to say?
1:51
Speaker 1: Paul hands him a glass.
1:53
Speaker 3: Sorry, I only have water.
1:54
Speaker 5: That's okay.
1:56
Speaker 1: Paul sits on the sofa.
1:59
Speaker 2: Just a chance calling you tonight. I'm surprised you remembered me.
2:04
Speaker 3: It's only been a couple weeks. I'm glad I picked
2:07
Speaker 3: up the phone.
2:09
Speaker 2: I don't usually do things like this. Call up someone
2:13
Speaker 2: I hardly know and.
2:15
Speaker 1: You know, Paul is just smiling at Richard. Both guys
2:18
Speaker 1: are uncomfortable.
2:20
Speaker 5: Nice place.
2:22
Speaker 3: You caught it on a good day.
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Speaker 5: What are you thinking?
2:26
Speaker 3: About you.
2:28
Speaker 5: What about me?
2:30
Speaker 3: I'm wondering what you look like without your clothes.
2:33
Speaker 1: Paul goes to unbutton Richard's shirt.
2:35
Speaker 5: Oh, you move fast.
2:40
Speaker 3: I'm hoping you didn't come here to discuss Proust.
2:42
Speaker 5: Not Proust, but the use of irony in Jackie Collins.
2:47
Speaker 4: Touché.
2:49
Speaker 5: I haven't had sex in a long time.
2:51
Speaker 3: Neither have I.
2:53
Speaker 2: That's hard to believe. You seem very comfortable with the idea,
2:58
Speaker 2: and you're a bit aggressive.
3:01
Speaker 6: Kevin would have roared if he heard you say that.
3:04
Speaker 6: He thought of me as uptight and shy.
3:06
Speaker 5: Was he your lover?
3:08
Speaker 4: Yes.
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Speaker 3: My dead one.
3:10
Speaker 5: Mine was John.
3:12
Speaker 3: We gay boys who have so much in common... Our
3:16
Speaker 3: love of divas and dead boyfriends.
3:18
Speaker 5: Let's not talk about that now.
3:21
Speaker 1: After a moment, Paul gets up. And although also a
3:24
Speaker 1: bit nervous, he begins to undress himself.
3:26
Speaker 2: Should I?
3:29
Speaker 5: I don't know if this is going to work.
3:31
Speaker 3: Don't you like sex?
3:33
Speaker 1: Paul continues to undress as Richard watches him.
3:36
Speaker 4: Obsessed with it.
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Speaker 2: Masturbate way too much for somebody my age. Since John's death,
3:43
Speaker 2: that's three years. Only had sex twice. Both disasters. But
3:50
Speaker 2: my fantasies get more and more bizarre.
3:55
Speaker 1: Paul is down to his underwear. Really?
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Speaker 3: Yeah. Let's go there tonight.
4:02
Speaker 1: Richard turns away from Paul. Paul kneels near the sofa
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Speaker 1: and puts his arms around Richard.
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Speaker 6: Whisper one of your fantasies. I'll create it for you.
4:13
Speaker 6: I'll enter your mind and take it over. This way
4:16
Speaker 6: we can both stop thinking for a while.
4:19
Speaker 1: Richard starts responding to Paul.
4:25
Speaker 3: The darker, the better.
4:29
Speaker 4: Go there.
4:30
Speaker 1: Richard, still slightly shaking, starts whispering in Paul's ear. The
4:34
Speaker 1: camera gets closer and closer. They begin kissing passionately. Exterior street, day.
4:42
Speaker 1: Daniel is following Paul, but he is quite a ways
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Speaker 1: behind him. The street is packed with people running around
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Speaker 1: with determination and purpose, traffic noise. Daniel appears almost to
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Speaker 1: be in slow motion. He is strolling. He's in a
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Speaker 1: different world, on something powerful. He may have even forgotten
5:00
Speaker 1: he's been following Paul. He passes an attractive heterosexual couple
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Speaker 1: in their twenties. He sizes up the man.
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Speaker 4: Are you one lucky bitch?
5:09
Speaker 1: The woman laughs. The man gives Daniel a contemptuous look.
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Speaker 1: Daniel sees this.
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Speaker 4: One second, glads.
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Speaker 1: Close on Daniel laughing. Cut to interior Paul's apartment, night.
5:20
Speaker 1: Close up on Paul's answering machine. Paul's hand is erasing messages.
5:25
Speaker 1: Ron's voice.
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Speaker 6: Hey, it's me.
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Speaker 4: Where the hell are you? By the way.
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Speaker 1: Erased. Joan's voice.
5:32
Speaker 7: Paul, can you call me back?
5:34
Speaker 3: We have to talk about this leave of absence.
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Speaker 1: Erased. Richard's voice.
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Speaker 2: It's Richard. Last night.
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Speaker 5: What a night. I'm still.
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Speaker 3: Erased.
5:45
Speaker 1: The sound of messages gets louder and more garbled as
5:48
Speaker 1: we hear the messages being quickly erased. The camera pulls
5:52
Speaker 1: back to reveal Paul in his semi-lit apartment. It's night.
5:56
Speaker 1: All looks lonely and frozen. Exterior, a street in New Jersey.
6:01
Speaker 1: Bright afternoon. Lori comes out of a bank. Some distance
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Speaker 1: from her, Paul lurks near the entrance of a store.
6:07
Speaker 1: He begins to follow Lori. He stays about a half
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Speaker 1: a block away from her. Lori abruptly turns as if
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Speaker 1: she's forgotten something. She instantly spots Paul.
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Speaker 7: It is you.
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Speaker 3: What are you doing?
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Speaker 1: Oh, why, hello.
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Speaker 7: Have you been following me?
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Speaker 2: No.
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Speaker 3: It's good to see you. It's been a while.
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Speaker 7: What are you doing here?
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Speaker 3: Going to St.
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Speaker 4: Anthony's.
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Speaker 7: In the middle of a weekday afternoon. I thought I
6:35
Speaker 7: saw you last week.
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Speaker 3: You couldn't have. I haven't come here for a while.
6:40
Speaker 7: It was you.
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Speaker 3: You're being silly. How about a coffee?
6:44
Speaker 1: Lori stops. She stares at Paul, really looking him over.
6:47
Speaker 1: Paul is terrified.
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Speaker 7: You know something about my son? You were never a
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Speaker 7: client of mine.
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Speaker 3: What do you know?
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Speaker 1: Nothing.
6:57
Speaker 4: Really.
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Speaker 7: Oh my God. Do you know who killed him?
7:01
Speaker 6: No.
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Speaker 7: Was he a friend of yours?
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Speaker 3: I never met him.
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Speaker 7: I don't think that's true.
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Speaker 3: I better go.
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Speaker 1: Lori grabs him and stops.
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Speaker 8: You move one step away from me and I'll start screaming.
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Speaker 8: How did you know my son?
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Speaker 1: Paul tries not to look at Lori as she holds
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Speaker 1: on to him.
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Speaker 3: I didn't know him.
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Speaker 7: Did you meet him in that bar? Had he been
7:21
Speaker 7: there before?
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Speaker 6: No.
7:23
Speaker 1: A couple of passersby take notice of Paul and Lori.
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Speaker 7: Look at you.
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Speaker 3: Look at the pain in your eyes.
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Speaker 7: It can't be that. You didn't... Did you... Did you
7:34
Speaker 7: love him?
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Speaker 6: What?
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Speaker 2: You did.
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Speaker 7: You loved him.
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Speaker 3: How stupid.
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Speaker 4: How blind.
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Speaker 7: Look, I swear I didn't know. Oh, dear Jesus, my son.
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Speaker 3: He was.
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Speaker 7: Gay, wasn't he?
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Speaker 1: Paul breaks away from Lori and starts walking. Lori aggressively
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Speaker 1: follows him.
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Speaker 3: You know he wasn't.
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Speaker 7: You're lying.
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Speaker 3: Look at you.
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Speaker 8: Wanting to be close to me, following me. You loved
8:01
Speaker 8: my son. Was he in love too? Come home with me.
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Speaker 7: Tell me about my son. Please.
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Speaker 3: This is so wrong.
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Speaker 4: I'll beg.
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Speaker 7: I'll get down on my knees right here on the street.
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Speaker 3: I'll never bother you again.
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Speaker 7: I swear it.
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Speaker 1: Lori grabs his shirt and clings to it. Paul is
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Speaker 1: afraid to move. People are looking at them.
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Speaker 4: Please.
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Speaker 9: Please.
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Speaker 1: A man rushes up to Lori.
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Speaker 4: Are you alright?
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Speaker 7: Get the hell away from me.
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Speaker 1: The man backs away.
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Speaker 4: Crazies.
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Speaker 1: Paul gently releases Lori's hands from his shirt and takes
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Speaker 1: her in his arms.
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Speaker 2: True.
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Speaker 1: Close-up picture of Will looking young and happy.
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Speaker 7: You can have that picture.
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Speaker 1: Dissolve to interior Lori's kitchen the next moment. Paul is
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Speaker 1: seated at Lori's kitchen table. Lori's handing him Will's picture.
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Speaker 1: Paul looks frightened and totally out of it.
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Speaker 4: I couldn't.
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Speaker 3: No, no, really.
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Speaker 7: I want you to have it.
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Speaker 3: No, thank you.
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Speaker 7: You sure he can't get you anything? A little something
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Speaker 7: to drink?
9:00
Speaker 3: No, no, thank you.
9:02
Speaker 7: Did he have lots of gay friends?
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Speaker 3: I don't think so.
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Speaker 7: He was new to it all, wasn't he? I had
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Speaker 7: no inkling. Not the slightest. Where did you meet? Was
9:11
Speaker 7: it in that bar?
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Speaker 1: No.
9:15
Speaker 3: In a coffee shop.
9:16
Speaker 7: But you loved him.
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Speaker 1: Paul is desperately trying to hold himself together.
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Speaker 7: Please, tell me.
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Speaker 10: Yes?
9:24
Speaker 4: Yes.
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Speaker 1: His smile.
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Speaker 7: It was wonderful, wasn't it? That picture captures it. Don't
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Speaker 7: you think so?
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Speaker 4: Yes.
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Speaker 8: I took it about a month before. We were in
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Speaker 8: Atlantic City, did a little gambling. I'm sure he told
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Speaker 8: you about it. Please, don't be shy. Talk to me
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Speaker 8: about my son. You don't know what it means to me.
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Speaker 8: When I buried him, how I wished there were more
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Speaker 8: people there who left him. This is probably my fault.
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Speaker 7: I'm not too social. I'm too guarded.
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Speaker 8: I have a small family, just a few friends. He
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Speaker 8: seemed popular at school, though. But only a few of
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Speaker 8: his friends came to the church. You know, young people,
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Speaker 8: they avoid funerals, don't they? Were the two of you
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Speaker 8: serious about each other? Were you making plans for the future?
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Speaker 6: I don't know how serious he was. He was younger
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Speaker 6: than me. You're not upset to find out he was gay?
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Speaker 3: I don't know.
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Speaker 8: I'm just happy to talk to someone else who loved him.
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Speaker 8: It's a comfort to me. Mothers want their children to
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Speaker 8: be loved. We all think our children are geniuses. When
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Speaker 8: you guys are little and helpless, we have such fantasies
10:30
Speaker 8: about your futures.
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Speaker 7: What were your mother's dreams about you?
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Speaker 3: I wouldn't know. She died when I was young.
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Speaker 7: How sad.
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Speaker 4: Yes, it was.
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Speaker 9: What was she like?
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Speaker 8: Do you remember?
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Speaker 4: Vaguely.
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Speaker 3: I was only nine. Every once in a while, I
10:48
Speaker 3: wonder what my life would have been like if my
10:50
Speaker 3: mother had lived.
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Speaker 8: When Will was a baby, I was convinced that when
10:54
Speaker 8: he grew up, he would discover the cure for cancer
10:56
Speaker 8: or be a senator or get hideously rich. But he
10:58
Speaker 8: turned out to be just a regular guy, but regular
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Speaker 8: in so many wonderful ways. How I wish he would
11:06
Speaker 8: have been comfortable enough to tell me he was gay.
11:09
Speaker 1: Paul can no longer hold himself together. He's shaking and
11:12
Speaker 1: barely holding back his tears.
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Speaker 3: I am so sorry.
11:17
Speaker 1: Lori cradles Paul in her arms.
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Speaker 7: Oh, oh, I'm glad he was loved. You don't have
11:23
Speaker 7: to follow me anymore, because now I know.
11:27
Speaker 9: Forgive me, please.
11:30
Speaker 3: Forgive me.
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Speaker 7: Shh, there's nothing, nothing to forgive.
11:37
Speaker 1: The camera pulls out of Lori's kitchen window into the
11:40
Speaker 1: New Jersey street. Dissolve to exterior, New York City street,
11:45
Speaker 1: early evening, later. Paul is on his block heading toward
11:47
Speaker 1: his building. Daniel is on the block waiting for Paul.
11:51
Speaker 1: Daniel spots Paul and watches him. Interior, ground floor entrance
11:56
Speaker 1: to Paul's building, later. Paul enters his building. Mrs. Morente
12:00
Speaker 1: comes down the stairs, spots Paul. He looks lost. Another
12:04
Speaker 1: neighbor enters the building soon after Paul. The neighbor heads
12:07
Speaker 1: to the mailboxes.
12:09
Speaker 7: The elevator's out again.
12:11
Speaker 3: Honey, what's wrong?
12:15
Speaker 1: I'm okay.
12:16
Speaker 3: I'm getting better.
12:17
Speaker 10: Better from what?
12:18
Speaker 1: Paul gives a tiny smile to Mrs. Morente, then bolts upstairs.
12:22
Speaker 10: Is it AIDS?
12:23
Speaker 4: Or drugs or alcohol? Huh?
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Speaker 8: What?
12:27
Speaker 1: Fuck you. Interior, Paul's bathroom, later. Paul is looking at
12:32
Speaker 1: himself in the mirror. Doesn't like what he sees. He
12:35
Speaker 1: begins scrubbing his face violently, as if he could scrub
12:39
Speaker 1: himself away. Interior, Paul's apartment, continuous. Paul comes out of
12:44
Speaker 1: the bathroom, all scrubbed up. Paul picks up a photo
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Speaker 1: from the table near his bed and looks at it.
12:49
Speaker 1: It's a picture of four smiling people. Susan, Nicholas, Paul,
12:53
Speaker 1: and another man. Paul has his arm around the man.
12:57
Speaker 1: He then puts the photo down. Dissolved to flashbacks. Interior
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Speaker 1: crowded cheap restaurant day. Paul, Nicholas, and Susan are seated
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Speaker 1: at a table. They're drinking and animated.
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Speaker 4: You'll like him.
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Speaker 3: If I knew this was a set up, I never
13:11
Speaker 3: would have come. It's not a set up. I thought
13:14
Speaker 3: it was time you met my best friend.
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Speaker 7: I just asked him to join us for a drink.
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Speaker 3: A setup.
13:20
Speaker 6: I have to tell you, I don't think straight men
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Speaker 6: know what is attractive to gay men.
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Speaker 3: Especially not after you set me up with Don.
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Speaker 1: Paul, you are going to be really grateful. Kevin is
13:31
Speaker 1: great and so cute.
13:33
Speaker 4: And I am sorry about Don.
13:35
Speaker 3: He picked his nose.
13:37
Speaker 4: At dinner.
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Speaker 7: Okay, I wasn't aware of that fact.
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Speaker 5: But I have to tell you, Kevin is.
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Speaker 3: Is what?
13:45
Speaker 1: Kevin is beautiful. In a totally masculine way.
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Speaker 3: And hot.
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Speaker 1: He is the man in the photo in Paul's apartment.
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Speaker 1: Paul and Kevin's eyes lock in a most tender way.
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Speaker 1: Paul gets up to greet Kevin and knocks him for
13:57
Speaker 1: a couple of drinks.
13:59
Speaker 4: I think he likes him.
14:03
Speaker 1: Dissolve to interior Paul's apartment night. Paul and Kevin are
14:08
Speaker 1: making love and giggling.
14:11
Speaker 3: Thank you, Nicholas.
14:13
Speaker 9: Thank you, Nicholas.
14:15
Speaker 1: Dissolve to interior Paul's apartment a few weeks later. Paul
14:19
Speaker 1: and Kevin are surveying the apartment. Near the door are
14:21
Speaker 1: a few boxes and two large suitcases.
14:24
Speaker 9: It's going to be real tight in here.
14:27
Speaker 3: It's going to be cozy.
14:29
Speaker 1: Paul jumps on Kevin. Dissolve to interior doctor's office day.
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Speaker 1: Kevin and Paul sit opposite Dr. Anna Schwartz. She is
14:38
Speaker 1: giving Kevin very bad news. His AIDS diagnosis. The dialogue
14:42
Speaker 1: is not heard. Kevin looks like a child. He starts
14:46
Speaker 1: shaking and then breaks down. Paul embraces him. The doctor
14:50
Speaker 1: is hating her job. Dissolved to exterior, New York City street,
14:54
Speaker 1: a bit later. Paul and Kevin holding hands walk in
14:58
Speaker 1: a daze as the couple and the streets blur. Back
15:01
Speaker 1: to present. Interior, Lori's kitchen, night. Lori is seated at
15:06
Speaker 1: her kitchen table. Father James is at the kitchen counter
15:09
Speaker 1: adding milk and sugar to this coffee.
15:11
Speaker 7: My son was gay.
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Speaker 4: What are you talking about?
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Speaker 7: I've met his lover. He sat right here.
15:21
Speaker 4: He wasn't gay.
15:22
Speaker 8: All my little fag jokes about Richard, I didn't really
15:25
Speaker 8: mean them. But what did they sound like to my son?
15:30
Speaker 8: His name is Paul. See?
15:31
Speaker 2: See?
15:32
Speaker 1: Laurie tosses Father James a slip of paper. It holds
15:35
Speaker 1: Paul's information.
15:36
Speaker 8: And I made him give me this in case I
15:38
Speaker 8: want to talk to him again.
15:42
Speaker 4: You can't see this man again.
15:44
Speaker 7: I might have to. It's good to look into the
15:47
Speaker 7: eyes of someone else who loved him.
15:49
Speaker 4: Move to Florida. Be with your sister.
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Speaker 7: God has other plans for me. Maybe this boy is
15:55
Speaker 7: my penance.
15:57
Speaker 4: God has nothing to do with this.
16:00
Speaker 1: They are both silent for a moment.
16:04
Speaker 4: You have no idea how much I love you.
16:08
Speaker 7: But you love the idea of your God more.
16:12
Speaker 1: Interior, hospital room, day. Paul sits close to Bradley, who's
16:16
Speaker 1: lying in bed. He looks ravaged.
16:19
Speaker 4: This is it.
16:21
Speaker 9: There'll be no going home this time. I've been worried
16:26
Speaker 9: about you. Ron says you're not sick.
16:32
Speaker 4: Is that true?
16:34
Speaker 3: True.
16:35
Speaker 1: Really?
16:37
Speaker 2: Really.
16:39
Speaker 9: Please don't get sick. Oh, and find yourself another old
16:45
Speaker 9: movie queen.
16:47
Speaker 4: No.
16:49
Speaker 3: I'm just going to keep playing our conversations in my head.
16:53
Speaker 9: Then I won't be forgotten.
16:56
Speaker 2: Never.
16:56
Speaker 9: Oh, I can't talk anymore.
17:02
Speaker 4: I'm so tired. sleep.
17:06
Speaker 1: Paul gets up and kisses him on the forehead.
17:10
Speaker 9: Don't leave until I'm asleep. When I used to go
17:14
Speaker 9: to sleep, I used to think of the boys I
17:17
Speaker 9: liked or what I would be doing the next day.
17:21
Speaker 1: Paul sits on the bed and takes Bradley's hand.
17:25
Speaker 9: Stay with me until I fall asleep.
17:29
Speaker 6: Think about our time in P-Town. That must have been
17:34
Speaker 6: That must be seven years ago.
17:36
Speaker 3: You, Ron, and me. How we danced. People thought we
17:42
Speaker 3: were a threesome. I think you told them that, but
17:48
Speaker 3: we were friends. Family. Every night we would walk along
17:53
Speaker 3: the beach and watch the sunset.
17:56
Speaker 6: Remember?
17:57
Speaker 1: Bradley is asleep. Paul slowly puts Bradley's hand down and
18:00
Speaker 1: sits back in his chair. The sound of singing is heard.
18:04
Speaker 1: dissolved to exterior street doorway late night. Daniel and Celia
18:09
Speaker 1: are huddled, sitting up on the ground. They're both very high,
18:13
Speaker 1: in their own worlds. It is Celia who is singing.
18:17
Speaker 1: Her voice is soft and lovely.
18:18
Speaker 4: Please don't sing. Why? It makes me think of my mama.
18:26
Speaker 4: She used to sing until she married that bastard. Oh,
18:30
Speaker 4: I miss her.
18:30
Speaker 10: Sorry.
18:32
Speaker 4: Sorry. Jesus, how he used to beat me, burn me,
18:41
Speaker 4: try to kill the queer in me. I was only
18:45
Speaker 4: 12 when I got the hell out of there, worked
18:48
Speaker 4: the streets. I pray there's no God, because if he'd exist,
18:55
Speaker 4: he'd have to be one sick fuck, wouldn't he? I mean,
18:58
Speaker 4: watching the boy get burned by his new daddy. Go
19:01
Speaker 4: to sleep, please.
19:04
Speaker 5: You are depressing tonight.
19:06
Speaker 4: No, I'm not. I'm reflective.
19:10
Speaker 5: Ah, excuse me.
19:12
Speaker 4: I hope he's dead. We're really suffering. Your stepdaddy? No, no.
19:21
Speaker 4: That prick croaked years and years ago. Mr. Corey. I
19:27
Speaker 4: met him when I was 17. Thought he was kind.
19:31
Speaker 4: What a bastard he turned out to be. Lived with
19:34
Speaker 4: him for two and a half years. You should have
19:40
Speaker 4: seen me. I made those gay boys drool. I was
19:44
Speaker 4: his project. He educated me. I was a fast learner.
19:51
Speaker 4: You see, I'm smart, just unlearned. I always had pretensions.
19:59
Speaker 4: But I was too fast a learner. Because one morning, Mr.
20:05
Speaker 4: Corey realized what he really wanted was a young black thug.
20:12
Speaker 4: Racist bastard.
20:13
Speaker 5: I don't need this tonight. Don't fucking need this.
20:18
Speaker 4: Bastard's all over.
20:21
Speaker 1: Celia has difficulty getting up, but does. She stumbles away.
20:24
Speaker 1: Daniel hardly notices.
20:26
Speaker 4: Bastard's all over. Some of them get to be the
20:29
Speaker 4: lucky ones, don't they? Shut up! Life can be brutal,
20:34
Speaker 4: but we cope. Shut up.
20:39
Speaker 1: On Daniel, Celia can be heard picking up her tune
20:41
Speaker 1: as she goes down the street. Exterior, Paul's street day.
20:52
Speaker 1: Father James is walking down Paul's block. He checks the address.
20:56
Speaker 1: As someone comes out of the building, he dashes in.
20:58
Speaker 1: The exiting tenant smiles at the priest. Interior, Paul's apartment,
21:02
Speaker 1: moments later. Paul looks tired. He hears the buzzer and
21:06
Speaker 1: peeks through the peephole to see who it is. He
21:09
Speaker 1: reluctantly opens the door. Hello?
21:13
Speaker 4: May I come in?
21:14
Speaker 1: Paul opens the door wider and lets Father James enter.
21:18
Speaker 4: You've been to my church? Yes.
21:20
Speaker 3: What are you doing here?
21:22
Speaker 4: We need to talk. About what?
21:26
Speaker 1: Laurie.
21:27
Speaker 3: Is she all right?
21:29
Speaker 4: What's the game? You weren't lovers with her son.
21:36
Speaker 3: Is that idea so repellent to you?
21:38
Speaker 2: No.
21:38
Speaker 4: No, it's just that he wasn't gay. I know that
21:42
Speaker 4: for a fact. Why that absurd lie?
21:46
Speaker 3: I think it's best if you just go.
21:50
Speaker 4: Answer me!
21:53
Speaker 3: To comfort her.
21:56
Speaker 4: Why you?
21:58
Speaker 3: Please go. You don't want to know.
22:00
Speaker 1: Father James just stares at Paul.
22:04
Speaker 3: I had to see what she was like. Wanted to
22:07
Speaker 3: know what kind of home he came from. At first,
22:11
Speaker 3: I wanted to hate her.
22:14
Speaker 4: Why?
22:14
Speaker 1: Paul is now losing it.
22:15
Speaker 3: I thought if I hated her, it would be easier
22:18
Speaker 3: for me. But I couldn't. I couldn't hate her.
22:22
Speaker 1: Paul begins rocking himself, pacing. He's getting more and more manic.
22:25
Speaker 1: Father James has no idea what's happening.
22:28
Speaker 3: I used to be a good person. I used to
22:31
Speaker 3: be happy. I was. People liked me. Wanted to be
22:36
Speaker 3: around me. My phone, it was always ringing. Then the
22:44
Speaker 3: losses began. All my friends. One on top of another.
22:49
Speaker 4: And another.
22:50
Speaker 3: And another. I just left one today.
22:54
Speaker 4: Bradley.
22:57
Speaker 3: He'll be dead by tonight. And my lover. We were
23:02
Speaker 3: supposed to be forever. Forever.
23:06
Speaker 10: I thought I was strong, be the perfect little caregiver.
23:11
Speaker 10: And I thought I could sit in one hospital room
23:13
Speaker 10: after another and go to one funeral after another, after
23:16
Speaker 10: another and still survive with love in my heart. But
23:20
Speaker 10: love gets eaten away by anger, waves and waves of it.
23:26
Speaker 10: But that's no way to live, is it? I can't
23:30
Speaker 10: keep living that way. I have to do something good.
23:36
Speaker 10: I remember good. I thought, bring her comfort. Bring a
23:43
Speaker 10: fragment of relief to her day. Be of service to her.
23:47
Speaker 3: But why to her? Maybe then, maybe, I would.
23:52
Speaker 10: Be granted a dreamless night. To be responsible for someone's
23:56
Speaker 10: lifelong suffering.
23:59
Speaker 3: Have you any idea what that's like?
24:01
Speaker 4: Oh, Michael. God, what are you talking about?
24:04
Speaker 1: Paul falls to his knees.
24:05
Speaker 10: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
24:08
Speaker 4: Get up.
24:09
Speaker 1: Father James pulls Paul to his feet. Paul's like a
24:12
Speaker 1: crumpled rag doll.
24:13
Speaker 4: This is not a confessional.
24:16
Speaker 3: My last confession was years and years and years.
24:19
Speaker 4: Stop it!
24:20
Speaker 3: I killed him! I watched his blood, his life.
24:26
Speaker 1: They just stare at each other. Paul embraces himself as
24:29
Speaker 1: if he's freezing. Father James finds a chair, sits, and
24:33
Speaker 1: looks away from Paul. After a few moments.
24:38
Speaker 4: Oh, dear Jesus.
24:42
Speaker 3: That alley. After Kevin died. I had to go there.
24:48
Speaker 3: I just wanted to be touched again.
24:49
Speaker 4: Held.
24:52
Speaker 3: There I could forget for a moment. You had no
24:58
Speaker 3: history there. You were only a cute face, an inviting mouth.
25:03
Speaker 4: Why did you kill that boy?
25:07
Speaker 3: The night I met him.
25:08
Speaker 4: Will? His name was Will.
25:13
Speaker 3: That alley was empty and way too real.
25:15
Speaker 1: Dissolve to flashback. Exterior in front of trucking, night. Paul,
25:20
Speaker 1: looking lonely, is walking by trucking. He stops. He walks
25:24
Speaker 1: back and around trucking to the alley. Exterior, the alley, continuous.
25:30
Speaker 1: Razor-sharp images, colors, intense. Muted noise and music are heard
25:35
Speaker 1: coming from the bar. A young man, Will, of 20
25:38
Speaker 1: or 21, is there, peeing. Paul stands away from him,
25:42
Speaker 1: but tries to catch his eye. He does this awkwardly,
25:45
Speaker 1: almost shyly. Will gives him an almost smile. The young
25:49
Speaker 1: guy is drunk. Will finishes peeing and zips up.
25:54
Speaker 4: Yeah, you like this bag?
25:56
Speaker 3: I'm sorry, I'm not into that kid.
25:59
Speaker 4: Not into what?
26:01
Speaker 3: SM talk. Have a good night.
26:03
Speaker 4: But you're into dick, aren't you? You'd love mine in
26:07
Speaker 4: your fairy mouth, wouldn't you?
26:10
Speaker 1: Paul starts to head out. Will goes over and shoves him.
26:13
Speaker 7: Get away from me, please.
26:14
Speaker 1: Will shoves him again, harder. Paul instantly slaps Will. Will laughs.
26:20
Speaker 4: Ooh, the little girl slapped me.
26:22
Speaker 8: Ooh.
26:25
Speaker 4: How that hurt. You fucking faggot.
26:28
Speaker 1: Will gets in Paul's face. Paul pushes Will away. Will
26:32
Speaker 1: violently grabs Paul.
26:33
Speaker 3: This, this is how a man slaps.
26:38
Speaker 1: Will gives Paul a couple of violent slaps. Will is
26:41
Speaker 1: still laughing, still calling him names. Paul is defending himself.
26:46
Speaker 1: The camera pulls away from them but still remains on them.
26:49
Speaker 1: Daniel is behind some trash cans and watching. Now from
26:53
Speaker 1: Daniel's point of view. Suddenly, Paul flies into a rage
26:57
Speaker 1: and begins slapping and punching, taking Will totally by surprise.
27:01
Speaker 1: Will keeps laughing. Will is stronger and bigger. However, Will
27:06
Speaker 1: is thrown off balance by one of Paul's attacks. He falls.
27:10
Speaker 1: The sound of his head falling on a rock is heard.
27:13
Speaker 1: Close up of Will's head. Blood is coming from beneath it.
27:17
Speaker 1: His nose is also bleeding. His eyes look vague. Paul
27:21
Speaker 1: does not notice and immediately jumps on him, grabs his shoulders,
27:24
Speaker 1: and bangs Will's head on the rock. Was he already
27:27
Speaker 1: dead before Paul jumped on him? Close-up of both of them.
27:31
Speaker 1: Paul looks down at Will.
27:33
Speaker 7: Will is dead.
27:35
Speaker 1: Paul starts moaning like a wounded animal and begins rocking
27:38
Speaker 1: back and forth. He gently starts wiping the blood from
27:42
Speaker 1: Will's face as if by cleaning him up he will
27:44
Speaker 1: bring him back to life. He is treating the dead
27:47
Speaker 1: boy as if he were a lover.
27:48
Speaker 4: Ah.
28:07
Speaker 4: Wake up.
28:08
Speaker 3: Please.
28:09
Speaker 4: Wake up.
28:11
Speaker 1: Daniel starts moving toward them. Paul hears him and suddenly runs.
28:15
Speaker 1: Back to present. Interior Paul's apartment. Both Paul and Father
28:19
Speaker 1: James are totally silent. Then, after a moment.
28:24
Speaker 3: I'm going to the police?
28:26
Speaker 4: No.
28:27
Speaker 3: Should I confess to Laurie first?
28:30
Speaker 2: No.
28:30
Speaker 4: Please don't. You can't. Why not? It would only create
28:37
Speaker 4: more suffering for her. She'd blame herself even more. Let
28:42
Speaker 4: her keep the fantasy of a sweet son and a
28:45
Speaker 4: boy who loved him.
28:47
Speaker 3: But I have to be punished.
28:49
Speaker 4: You already are. It might have been an accident. Maybe.
28:57
Speaker 3: Maybe not. What should I do?
29:03
Speaker 1: Silence, then.
29:07
Speaker 4: He'll do what I say. Yes.
29:12
Speaker 1: Dissolve, too.
29:14
Speaker 4: You'll see her one more time, and.
29:18
Speaker 1: Interior coffee shop, early evening. The coffee shop is sparsely populated.
29:23
Speaker 1: Paul is picking with his fork at a piece of
29:25
Speaker 1: intensely chocolate cake. Lori is watching him. They are pretending
29:30
Speaker 1: to be comfortable with each other.
29:31
Speaker 3: It's good. Are you sure you wouldn't like a bite?
29:36
Speaker 1: Positive.
29:38
Speaker 3: I can get you a fork.
29:40
Speaker 4: No, thanks.
29:42
Speaker 7: We all loved his sweets.
29:44
Speaker 1: Paul tries to smile.
29:49
Speaker 3: You know, I was probably your son's only experience. He
29:53
Speaker 3: was experimenting. Young people do that. He might not have
29:59
Speaker 3: been gay it doesn't matter does it no it really
30:05
Speaker 3: doesn't he said if you knew about us you'd probably
30:11
Speaker 3: laugh laugh.
30:14
Speaker 6: That it wouldn't be a problem no no it shouldn't
30:19
Speaker 6: be should it he said you were smart and loving
30:24
Speaker 6: really oh yeah i envied him being raised by you
30:29
Speaker 6: He loved you.
30:33
Speaker 9: Thank you.
30:34
Speaker 1: They sit in silence for a moment.
30:37
Speaker 3: I'm going to leave this city. Too many sad memories.
30:41
Speaker 7: I might be leaving too.
30:43
Speaker 10: Florida.
30:44
Speaker 7: Another of life's absurd surprises.
30:49
Speaker 3: Might not be so bad.
30:50
Speaker 7: You haven't been there, have you?
30:51
Speaker 1: More people are entering the coffee shop. Lori's looking around, then...
30:55
Speaker 1: I'll miss you. The camera tracks back, leaving Paul and
31:00
Speaker 1: Lori in a long shot. They're awkwardly saying goodbye to
31:03
Speaker 1: each other. Exterior, Jersey City Street, across from the coffee shop, night.
31:09
Speaker 1: Daniel is watching them. Paul comes out into the street.
31:12
Speaker 1: He looks a bit unsteady. Daniel crosses the street and
31:16
Speaker 1: starts following Paul at a distance. Paul turns a corner
31:19
Speaker 1: onto a quiet street. Exterior, another street, continuous. Paul, feeling weak,
31:25
Speaker 1: sits on a stoop in order to collect himself. Daniel
31:28
Speaker 1: is on the corner. He makes a decision and approaches Paul.
31:33
Speaker 4: Hello.
31:34
Speaker 3: I don't have any money.
31:36
Speaker 4: Did you hear me asking for any?
31:38
Speaker 2: Sorry.
31:38
Speaker 1: Paul gets up and starts walking away. Daniel walks with him.
31:42
Speaker 4: Don't you remember who I am? I'm Daniel, familiar?
31:47
Speaker 3: Yes.
31:48
Speaker 1: Paul walks a little faster, trying to get away from Daniel.
31:51
Speaker 4: I'm glad you remember.
31:53
Speaker 3: I really don't have time to talk.
31:55
Speaker 4: Give me a moment, please. I deserve it.
31:57
Speaker 1: Paul reaches into his pocket and hands Daniel some change.
32:00
Speaker 3: Here, take this.
32:01
Speaker 1: Paul walks quickly ahead of Daniel.
32:03
Speaker 4: I don't want this. How dare you?
32:05
Speaker 1: Daniel throws the change at Paul.
32:07
Speaker 4: I never asked much of you, only that you see me,
32:10
Speaker 4: that you look at me with some kindness. I'm not crazy.
32:14
Speaker 4: I'm your witness.
32:15
Speaker 1: Paul stops, turns, and faces Daniel.
32:18
Speaker 4: I saw you kill that boy. I saw it all.
32:22
Speaker 4: And I described you all wrong to the police, and
32:25
Speaker 4: they believe me.
32:27
Speaker 3: Why'd you do that?
32:30
Speaker 4: Because I decided to love you. What do you want?
32:34
Speaker 1: Nothing.
32:37
Speaker 4: I love you.
32:38
Speaker 3: How could you love me? You don't even know me.
32:42
Speaker 4: I know you better than you think. I know the
32:46
Speaker 4: dead boy haunts you. I know you follow the mother.
32:49
Speaker 4: I've been following you.
32:50
Speaker 3: Go to the police. Turn me in.
32:54
Speaker 1: Paul turns from Daniel and starts walking away. Daniel follows him.
32:57
Speaker 4: I'm not blackmailing you.
32:59
Speaker 3: Then what do you want?
33:02
Speaker 4: You're lonely like I am. All I want from you
33:05
Speaker 4: is a thank you.
33:07
Speaker 3: It would have been better if I were caught.
33:09
Speaker 4: That's not what I want to be thanked for.
33:12
Speaker 3: Then for what?
33:15
Speaker 4: For my love. How many more times in your life
33:18
Speaker 4: will you be loved?
33:20
Speaker 1: Three guys walk by. They're suspicious of Daniel.
33:22
Speaker 4: Is he bothering you?
33:25
Speaker 6: No.
33:25
Speaker 4: We're friends.
33:27
Speaker 2: Really?
33:28
Speaker 1: They continue on their way, chuckling to each other. Paul
33:30
Speaker 1: and Daniel are walking in the other direction.
33:34
Speaker 3: Who are you?
33:35
Speaker 4: I'm Daniel, a street person. Your witness, the man who
33:40
Speaker 4: loves you. We all need someone to love. And I
33:44
Speaker 4: chose you. But why? Because you needed it. I used
33:51
Speaker 4: to see you in that alley and wonder, what is up?
33:54
Speaker 4: Handsome boy like you doing in a dark alley. If
33:57
Speaker 4: I were you, I'd be at parties or wanting to
34:01
Speaker 4: get me a boyfriend. Once in the alley, I got
34:05
Speaker 4: so close to you that I could smell your skin.
34:11
Speaker 4: I love the smell. This is nice. Our talking like this.
34:20
Speaker 1: They walk for a couple of moments in silence.
34:25
Speaker 3: How'd you end up on the street?
34:26
Speaker 4: Oh, as a baby. I always dreamed of it. It's
34:29
Speaker 4: a spontaneous kind of life.
34:32
Speaker 3: How stupid. I'm sorry.
34:33
Speaker 4: No, no. I... I am. Is this nobody ever asked
34:39
Speaker 4: me before? Thank you. Things happen. Dead mother. Dead brother.
34:53
Speaker 4: Asshole stepfather. Lots and lots of pills. Wanting to disappear.
35:03
Speaker 4: Things happen.
35:04
Speaker 1: Paul stops, as does Daniel. Paul doesn't really know what
35:07
Speaker 1: to say.
35:10
Speaker 3: Let me buy you dinner?
35:11
Speaker 1: He reaches into his pocket.
35:13
Speaker 4: You mean give me money for dinner or take me
35:14
Speaker 4: to a restaurant?
35:16
Speaker 3: Take you to a restaurant.
35:17
Speaker 1: They start walking again.
35:19
Speaker 4: Really?
35:20
Speaker 2: Really.
35:22
Speaker 3: What kind of food do you like? Chinese?
35:24
Speaker 6: Thai?
35:24
Speaker 4: Chinese?
35:25
Speaker 3: Italian friend?
35:26
Speaker 4: Uh, steak and fries. Is that okay? Sure. Daniel. I
35:34
Speaker 4: like you saying my name.
35:37
Speaker 3: I've stopped following the mother.
35:40
Speaker 4: And you want me to stop following you?
35:44
Speaker 2: Please.
35:45
Speaker 1: They walk in silence for a few moments.
35:50
Speaker 4: I will. Jesus.
35:53
Speaker 1: Jesus.
35:55
Speaker 4: I feel sad right now.
35:58
Speaker 3: So do I.
35:59
Speaker 4: At dinner, let's just talk about happy stuff.
36:04
Speaker 3: Whatever you say.
36:05
Speaker 4: Tell stories from our lives, but only the happy ones.
36:09
Speaker 1: Interior, an upscale restaurant later. Paul and Daniel are seated
36:12
Speaker 1: at their table. Daniel is still looking around like a
36:16
Speaker 1: kid in a candy store. He's eating his steak slowly,
36:19
Speaker 1: cherishing it. However, he notices a few people staring at him.
36:23
Speaker 1: Paul seems somewhere else as he picks at his fish.
36:26
Speaker 4: I bet these are the lucky people.
36:30
Speaker 1: What?
36:31
Speaker 4: I'm glad I went to the shelter last night. I
36:34
Speaker 4: was able to shower and spruce myself up. I wish
36:37
Speaker 4: I could do that every night. Sometimes it's too crowded
36:40
Speaker 4: or there's somebody there that you don't want to see.
36:43
Speaker 4: I don't smell, do I? No. It's my clothes. I
36:50
Speaker 4: just wish some of these people would stop looking at me.
36:54
Speaker 3: Fuck them.
36:56
Speaker 4: You mean it? Fuck all of you. This is like
37:04
Speaker 4: going to the movies. A total vacation from life. I've
37:09
Speaker 4: only had one vacation. The awful Mr. Corey took me
37:13
Speaker 4: to Key West.
37:15
Speaker 3: Who was that?
37:16
Speaker 4: Just a man I was with for a while. Ever
37:18
Speaker 4: been there? No. The place was pretty.
37:22
Speaker 3: My sister and I only had one vacation when we
37:24
Speaker 3: were kids. It was just before our parents were killed.
37:28
Speaker 3: Car accident.
37:29
Speaker 6: Five days in New Mexico. We ended up in Cuesta.
37:32
Speaker 6: A one-street town. Surrounded by mountains. The Sangre de Cristo mountains.
37:41
Speaker 3: The blood of Christ. It was sunset. I thought I
37:47
Speaker 3: was in a movie.
37:49
Speaker 4: A movie, man. I love it.
37:54
Speaker 6: I wonder if over the years I've made the place
37:56
Speaker 6: more special or more beautiful than it really is.
38:00
Speaker 3: But in my imagination, there's nothing like it. The colors,
38:04
Speaker 3: the light. When I was a little boy and got scared,
38:07
Speaker 3: I used to close my eyes and picture it.
38:11
Speaker 4: Sounds nice. Their steak is wonderful.
38:16
Speaker 1: They smile at each other.
38:17
Speaker 4: I used to love the movies. My brother knew it.
38:24
Speaker 4: Whenever he had money, he'd take me to the movies
38:27
Speaker 4: I liked. The old ones. Musicals, comedies. With Doris Day,
38:32
Speaker 4: shit like that. I loved those movies. My brother never
38:37
Speaker 4: got it. But it was his gift. His gift to me.
38:43
Speaker 4: Sometimes he'd sleep through the movie. But he never criticized them.
38:48
Speaker 4: Wasn't that great? That's all he'd ever say. Wasn't that great?
38:55
Speaker 1: Paul looks at Daniel with so much warmth.
38:59
Speaker 4: What are you thinking?
39:02
Speaker 3: About you.
39:04
Speaker 6: And why, after all these years, I'm thinking about Cuesta.
39:08
Speaker 6: I wonder if it's still the same. It was so peaceful.
39:15
Speaker 6: Maybe I should go there. I told the mother I
39:17
Speaker 6: was leaving the city. I can't afford my apartment anymore
39:20
Speaker 6: since I gave up my job. I only have my
39:23
Speaker 6: sister here. And she's got her own family now, you know, so.
39:30
Speaker 6: I think I might just go there to do what
39:34
Speaker 6: to find if there's any good left in me are.
39:37
Speaker 4: You looking to be invisible is that bad I'm sounding
39:41
Speaker 4: like the streets.
39:44
Speaker 3: Maybe maybe not.
39:46
Speaker 6: Don't be enamored with the streets Couldn't it be a beginning?
39:50
Speaker 4: We were supposed to be telling happy stories. Are we
39:56
Speaker 4: out of them?
40:00
Speaker 3: I'll think of one.
40:01
Speaker 4: Why don't we just sit here and be quiet? Okay?
40:07
Speaker 3: Whatever you say.
40:10
Speaker 9: Quiet.
40:11
Speaker 1: They sit. Paul puts his hand on top of Daniel's
40:14
Speaker 1: and leaves it there for a moment and then takes
40:16
Speaker 1: it away. Daniel then looks around the room. Indeed, the
40:20
Speaker 1: patrons do look like the lucky ones. Or perhaps they're
40:23
Speaker 1: just enjoying being alive. They're chatting, drinking, eating. As the
40:28
Speaker 1: camera pulls away from Paul and Daniel, the crowd seems
40:32
Speaker 1: to be swallowing them up as they sit quietly at
40:35
Speaker 1: their table.
40:36
Speaker 8: The End