Marlboro City
by Michael Brockington
Copyright © 1993 Michael Brockington
1. EXT. SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Black screen. Credits fade in and out during the following
exchange, but the screen remains dark. Foreground, we hear
the tuneless BEEPING of a telephone number being dialed,
RINGING once, twice...
RICKI (V.O.)
Hello?
SCULLY (V.O.)
Ricki, honey, this is me. How
you been?
RICKI (V.O.)
Jake? Long time, no hear.
SCULLY (V.O.)
Hey, I been busy, but listen --
RICKI (V.O.)
Two months you ain't called me.
I'm looking at my calendar, here:
it got "dinner with jake" written
august 16. Then it's got maybe
60 little white squares with
nothing but dentist appointments
and furnace repairmen. Tell me
why that is, Jake.
SCULLY (V.O.)
Look, sugar, I need --
RICKI (V.O.)
You can't just talk me up like Rip
van Winkle, Jake, like no time gone
by. Why the fuck ain't you called?
SCULLY (V.O.)
What do you want me to tell you,
I'm a schmuck? Fine. I didn't
phone 'cause I'm a schmuck. Feel
better? You got my number, too,
honey -- and you ain't called me
either. Now why is that?
A pause: all we hear is a faint CRACKLE of static and the distant
DISTORTED CROSSTALK of someone else's conversation.
RICKI (V.O.)
Cause you a schmuck.
Sound of DISCONNECT, then the indifferent HUM of the dial tone.
Fade in on SCULLY in a phone booth on a Vancouver sidestreet,
first in a line of 4 or 5 pay phones. He hangs up slowly. Scully's a
disbarred lawyer, a smooth talker with hightly developed body
language. His gestures have become so important to the rhythym
of his speech that he can't turn them off even when he's on the
phone where no-one can see them.
SCULLY
Well thank-you for playing,
bachelorette number five.
There's a notebook in front of him, the page filled with names and
phone numbers. He takes a pen and crosses off 'Ricki Harker'.
It's maybe the fourth name on the page -- hard to tell, because
everything above it has also been crossed off.
2. MAIN TITLE ON BLACK -- "Marlboro City"
3. INT. DEXTER'S GARAGE - NIGHT
DEXTER's in his early 50's. He sits in his expensive car, in his dark garage,
his seat tilted way back, eyes closed, maybe even asleep. The car radio is
on, dribbling country music. The cellular phone in the car starts RINGING.
Still reclining, Dexter reaches to answer it. The car motor can be heard
under the music, idling.
4. EXT. EMILY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Scully picks up the phone again, INSERTS a new quarter. In the
next booth EMILY is trying to light a cigarette, receiver cramped
between shoulder and ear. Emily's young, slightly punkish, trying
to look dangerous and not doing a bad job. Her clothes are
covered with text, slogans, mostly hand-applied: fashion semiotics.
Abruptly, she straightens, dropping her match.
EMILY
Sandra, this is Emily. Pick up
the phone if you're there.
5. INT. ATLANTA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The bed is a heap of multicolored blankets. Curtains are drawn,
but the windows are open, the breeze sometimes pushing fabric
aside to let in city streetlight. MUFFLED RINGING.
6. EXT. JEREMY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Emily's cigarette is forgotten in her hand, unlit.
EMILY
Don't tell me you're screening
your calls, now, like
BusinessBabe Barbie.
In the next booth down, JEREMY talks loudly, finger in one ear.
He's an english teacher from Calgary, in town for a convention,
middle-aged more by choice than by years.
JEREMY
Baker. No -- Ba-a-a-ker. Bee.
As in bumble. After Ay, as in
apple, before Cee, as in...
crouton. Right, Bee.
He pauses, listening. We can't hear the OPERATOR's words
exactly, but we can catch her general TONE OF VOICE.
7. INT. SANDRA'S SQUAT - NIGHT
A phone attached to an answering machine sits on the floor. No
furniture. The machine picks up after a half-aborted RING.
SANDRA
(on machine)
This is 255-8391. No-one can
come to the phone right now. If
you need to get in touch...
EMILY
(on phone, overlapping)
Sandra? Don't piss around.
Pick up the phone...please.
8. EXT. HARLAN'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Jeremy has luggage stacked just outside his booth. He keeps
turning to check whether it's still there.
JEREMY
My number? I'm using a pay
phone, if-- OK, OK -- 862-9302.
Nine three. No, I'd love to hold.
In his early 20's, HARLAN wears a suit cut so sharp it could have
been designed in a wind tunnel. Crew cut hair, suspenders
discreetly visible, leather tie that might just be made of human skin.
He's wearing a walkman, one earphone pushed aside so he can
listen to the telephone.
HARLAN
I have tried calling your office.
Been tagging your secretary
all week long. I just get tired
of the phone politics. Reminds
you of high school, doesn't it?
Who calls who, does she call
me, what if I don't call at all?
DEXTER
This is my day off, Mr...
HARLAN
Lemme explain you the birds and
the biz, then. I'm an ad exec over
at Ess-Pee. Worked on the
Arrivaderci Aroma deoderant
campaign? A few interesting
accounts, anyway, but no killers,
so I figure why wait for the
headhunters to come to me?
DEXTER
Eight o'clock at night, you're gonna
ask me for a job? My chance to
relax, maybe listen to some music?
HARLAN
My head, on a silver plate. Like
Johnny Baptist, like Elvis. I got
the ideas and the moves, you
know? Off with my head. Off
the top of my head.
Harlan chuckles, but the phone remains ominously silent.
9. INT. ATLANTA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The mound of blankets shifts a bit. The RINGING stops, and we
hear ATLANTA's voice from beneath the blankets.
ATLANTA
Morning, baby.
A telephone cord runs under the covers.
ATLANTA
Well what time is it?
10. EXT SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Scully looks disreputable, uncomfortable in his clothes: he's used
to an expensive wardrobe, and doesn't know how to buy cheap
without looking cheap. He TAPS his pen, starting to get twitchy.
SCULLY
Eight o'clock. You want to know
what day?
ATLANTA
I don't even know what time zone
I'm in.
SCULLY
Prime time, honey! Business hours.
11. INT. ATLANTA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The blankets shift again, restless laundry.
ATLANTA
This is you, isn't it Scully?
SCULLY
Last time I checked. Scully-baby, baby.
Awake, now, ATLANTA surfaces from beneath the covers.
ATLANTA
Fuck, can't we just pretend you
called and got my machine?
Leave your number, I'll get
back? Real soon.
SCULLY
If I wanted to talk to a machine I'd
call my brother. Atlanta, sweetie,
I need a favour: what ever
happened to forgive and forget?
ATLANTA
I'm working on the forgetting
part first.
SCULLY
I've been out of town! What are
you gonna do, shoot me in the
head? You know I love you,
you adorable bitch.
ATLANTA
(almost by reflex)
Go fuck yourself with a
sandpaper dildo, you suckass
blowjob, you testicle! I ain't heard
shit from you since your marriage
broke up; now you call, and it's
sweetie pie this and honey bitch
that. Don't tell me you and your
wife are back together.
SCULLY
Ex! Ex-wife!
ATLANTA
(sad and amused)
Oh, Jacob!
(beat)
Tell you what -- I'm hanging up
right now. You call me back,
quick's you can.
12. EXT. SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT.
DISCONNECT and DIAL TONE. Muttering under his breath,
Scully grabs another quarter, checks his phone book, DIALS
again. Atlanta doesn't even give it a full RING.
SCULLY
Okay? So now you owe me a quarter.
ATLANTA
15 seconds, Scully! Bullshit, you
love me. You don't even have my
number memorized. No more
freebies, sweetness -- you want
the details on what a sorry fuck
you are, call the 900 number like
anybody else, cause I sure ain't
gonna be telling you for a quarter.
13. INT. DEXTER'S GARAGE - NIGHT
HARLAN
(getting carried away)
Let me tell ya, I got the buzz.
Birds and the buzz, like a
black'n'decker power saw.
Cutting edge, yeah?
Dexter switches off the radio. Engine noise fills in the gap.
DEXTER
Jesus. How's your coliform count?
HARLAN
Yeah! Warhol of the bullshit-artists,
my old man used to tell me.
DEXTER
Our firm is more interested in
bullshit scientists, 'Andy' --
Dexter cuts himself off, struck by some thought.
14. INT. SANDRA'S SQUAT - NIGHT
SANDRA
(on machine)
If you need to get in touch with me,
leave a message at the tone. If you
want to talk to Emily, check directory
assistance for her new number.
15. CLOSE-UP - SCULLY'S NOTE BOOK
Scully draws a line through the name "Atlanta Sharp" as he waits
for the next contestant to pick up her phone.
16. EXT. JEREMY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
JEREMY
Hello! 685-3224, thank you.
Hang on -- address too, please.
Address! No, there's no point
my phoning, they'll still be at work.
17. INT. DEXTER'S GARAGE - NIGHT
Dexter raises his seat from reclining position.
DEXTER
'Warhol?' You did say 'Warhol'?
18. EXT. HARLAN'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Harlan closes his eyes, slumps. He knows the jig is up. We can
hear Jeremy yelling in the next booth:
JEREMY (V.O.)
Whuuh! Work! I said they'll be at work!
19. INT. DEXTER'S GARAGE - NIGHT
DEXTER
Waitaminute -- Harlan! Is that you?
HARLAN
(dropping his voice about half-an-octave
from it's previous register.)
Don't hang up, Pop.
DEXTER
How in hell did you get my number?
20. EXT. JEREMY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
JEREMY
I could get it out of a fucking phone
book, if the fucking phone books
were up to date.
21. EXT. HARLAN'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
We can see MARIA approaching in the background. She's a
panhandler, attired in unisex clothes: value-village chic .
DEXTER
So that's what you call 'tagging' my
secretary?
HARLAN
Well, she is an attractive woman.
DEXTER
(exploding)
Yah, I had noticed.
22. EXT. SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
SCULLY
Aw, sweetie, don't be that way.
Didn't I tell you never pay attention
to anything I say in my sleep?
DISCONNECT and DIAL TONE, as the latest bachelorette hangs
up. Scully crosses off the name at the bottom of the page, leaving
only one -- "Jenny" -- in the top margin, with no last name or
number beside it. Scully tears out the page. The next one's blank.
He crumples the paper, then thinks better of it, and smooths it out,
grabs a quarter, and DIALS.
SCULLY
Be there. Be there now, Jenny,
sweetie, honey, come on!
23. EXT. HARLAN'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
DEXTER
There's no more money, Harlan!
Maria's casual trajectory brings her into range.
MARIA
Spare change, Jack? Any rusty
old coin...?
Harlan mouths a silent, exagerrated "Fuck off!" at Maria.
DEXTER
I swear, the genius who thought up
"Reach out and touch someone"
must have had you in mind.
HARLAN
(to Dexter)
I'm asking for a job, Poppa, not a loan.
Maria continues up the line of telephones, approaching Jeremy.
JEREMY
Nobody pays you to take this kind
of abuse? What kind do you hire
yourself out for?
MARIA
(to Jeremy)
Spare change, buddy?
JEREMY
(to Maria)
No thanks.
(into phone)
Look, I'm willing to pay. Just
tell me how much to deposit in
exchange for the address.
Maria moves on. Emily is the next target.
MARIA
Spare a quarter, lady?
Emily stares at her silently, while over her phone we hear
Sandra's answering machine emit a long BEEP.
24. INT. SANDRA'S SQUAT - NIGHT
We just catch the end of the answering machine's BEEP. It's quiet
enough to hear the tape wheels WHIRRING around.
MARIA
(faintly over phone)
Can you help me out? Quarter for a
cup of coffee?
CLICK of disconnect. The tape wheels SNICK to a halt and the
red light signalling new messages begins to flash.
25. EXT. SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Scully's sweating, fiddling compulsively with a quarter as he talks.
SCULLY
I just wanted to know how you
were doing.
JENNY
How I'm doing. Cut the shit,
Jake. I lived with you long
enough to devlop antibodies.
What are you after?
MARIA
(to Scully)
Spare a quarter, buddy?
Without thinking, Scully flips her the quarter he's playing with.
SCULLY
You never want to believe that
I care, do you Jen?
MARIA
You're in my will, man.
26. INT - JENNY'S HOUSE - NIGHT.
JENNY
You were always the smooth one,
weren't you? "No-Zits Jake": that's
what my Mom called you before
we got married. Slick as plastic.
SCULLY
How is your Mom?
JENNY
(sweetly)
She's dead Jake; she's still dead.
Funny how that works. I'm fine;
she's dead. So it's been great
talking, but now I gotta go...
(suddenly violent)
...you mouth, you sleazy nothing!
Jenny slams the receiver down.
(to phone, calmer)
I gotta go.
27. EXT. SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT.
SCULLY
Jenny...Jen? You can't hang
me up!
Scully realizes he's talking to a dead line. He starts digging in his
pocket for another quarter. No quarter. He goes through his other
pockets, pulling stuff out and piling it beside the phone: pennies
and nickles, a key-ring with one lonely key, an empty pack of
cigarettes. Antacid tablets, a sheet of paper with scribbled notes, a
pair of reading glasses, a film cannister -- various small pieces of a
life. Scully's trying to stay calm, but being calm doesn't help --
he's out of change, no quarters at all. He SMACKS the glass in
frustration, which draws Emily's attention. Catching her eye,
Scully ducks out of his booth and pokes his head into hers.
SCULLY
I ran out of change. Could you...
He's not reaching her. The opening of Sandra's MACHINE
MESSAGE can be heard under his lines.
SCULLY
Just a quarter. Important call.
They stare at one another.
28. EXT. JEREMY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
JEREMY
Right here on the front of the
phone it says, "411: Information."
Is that some kind of sick joke?
Information, you cow! Let me
spell that for you: that's 'Cee' --
as in ...'cow' --
Scully pushes open the door to Jeremy's booth.
SCULLY
Can you help me out --
Jeremy SLAMs down his phone. He swings around belligerantly.
JEREMY
What the fuck do you want!
People in this city!
He pushes roughly past Scully, grabs the strap for his luggage
and starts dragging it away like some dead pet on a leash. Scully
shrugs and checks the coin return slot, but no luck. The pay
phone RINGS. Startled, Scully picks it up. He doesn't even have
a chance to say hello; we still can't distinguish the individual
words in the torrent of abuse, but the angry VOICE on the phone is
clearly recognizable as the operator's.
29. INT. DEXTER'S GARAGE - NIGHT
DEXTER
I can't just snap my fingers.
HARLAN
Bullshit! You got your nose so
far up Maynard's ass, you can't
tell your sinus congestion from
his constipation! Whatever you
ask for, you got.
SCULLY
(faintly, over phone)
Got a quarter, man?
DEXTER
No loans!
30. EXT. HARLAN'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
HARLAN
(to Scully)
Bugger off, willya?
DEXTER
I'd be glad to.
HARLAN
Not you, Pop.
Maria has come up behind Scully, unseen. She grabs Scully by
the coat, pulls him away from Harlan so they're face to face. The
two conversations here proceed concurrently.
HARLAN MARIA
It's these tagteam panhandlers This is my corner, man.
I'm talking to. You're trespassing
DEXTER SCULLY
Hey, maybe you can get a Gimme a fucking break. I gotta make a
job with them . You and that call. And hey, you got quarters! Yeah, I bet
secretary of mine... you got a whole pocketful of change.
Maria pushes Scully away, starts moving back.
HARLAN MARIA
For years you been telling me You wanna make a call? Try 911.
'get a job'. Now you won't even
help me out?
Scully chases after Maria, who seems a little more nimble than previously.
They vanish offscreen.
SCULLY (V.O.)
DEXTER What about that quarter I gave you?
I'd like to find you something I need my quarter back. I can hear
Harlan, but the truth is, we your pockets jingling!
just don't have any openings
right now.
HARLAN
No shit, huh? Me either -- but
that's because I'm getting fucked
up every available orifice. No
openings -- jesus, Poppa, don't
give me this company-speak --
talk like a human being for five
minutes.
31. INT. DEXTER'S GARAGE - NIGHT
DEXTER
It's not that easy, Harlan! You're
not qualified. Being obnoxious
and impossible to shut up are not
enough. But you can't see that,
can you; you think you know it all,
don't you? You think you're Jesus
Christ with a fucking haircut.
HARLAN
I got it in my blood, Poppa.
Remember this? "My old man, he'd
hawk seawater in tiny bottles,
call it a vial of tears. 'We live
in this vial of tears,' he used
to say. Five bucks an ounce.
He'd bottle freshwater and
sell it as angel tears."
DEXTER
"Angel's tears." That old bastard.
HARLAN
I remember a lot of that stuff
about grandpa.
Dexter takes a moment to light up a cigarette.
DEXTER
Why now, Harlan? What
changed your mind about
getting into advertising?
32. EXT. HARLAN'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
HARLAN
I just decided I wanted to do
something productive with my life.
(beat)
Let me tell you something, Poppa,
and this is a no-shit thing. When
I was a kid you know what I
wanted more than anything almost
was to just talk to you one time
without it feeling like a job interview.
Ê (beat)
But maybe it works out, huh?
Maybe the practice pays off.
33. INT. DEXTER'S GARAGE - NIGHT
Dexter switches off the car ignition. The garage goes silent.
DEXTER
How about I call you in a couple of days?
HARLAN
Poppa! I love you!
DEXTER
(Pleased)
Bullshit-artist.
34. EXT. HARLAN'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Harlan hangs up, steps away from the phone. Scully enters frame,
blocking his path. Maria drifts into view at a distance, observing.
SCULLY
Look, pal -- I don't know you, I
don't mean to bother you -- it's
just very important I make this
call. If you got dimes, nickles,
anything.
Harlan freezes for a moment, then relaxes and grins, fishing for
change.
HARLAN
You ever notice how much easier
it is giving money to people who
don't look like they need it?
Maria takes a step closer to Harlan.
MARIA
Don't give him the quarter, man.
Surprised, Harlan turns to look at her.
HARLAN
What, he's not in the union?
SCULLY
Gimme the quarter.
Harlan turns back to Scully.
MARIA
I'm telling you, don't give him
that fucking quarter!
Harlan flips the quarter to Scully. As Scully catches it Maria grabs
a phone book from the nearest booth, steps up behind Harlan and
whacks him over the head with it . Harlan collapses onto Scully,
who stands there, holding him up.
SCULLY
Jesus Fuck!
MARIA
Hey, I told him.
She reaches around, extracts Harlan's wallet, riffles through it.
Help me stack him over here.
We can prop him up so it looks
like he's makin' a call.
SCULLY
Are you fucking insane?
MARIA
What's your problem, man?
C'mon -- you got your money.
35. INT. SANDRA'S SQUAT - NIGHT
A cat wanders into the room, lonely, attracted to the voice on the
machine.
SANDRA
(on machine)
No-one can come to the phone
right now. If you need to get in
touch with me, leave a message
at the tone. If you need to get
in touch with Emily...
36. EXT. EMILY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Emily is quietly reciting the message along with the MACHINE.
EMILY
...check directory assistance for
her new number. Emily, if that's
you, please hang up. Don't
leave a message. I'm sorry.
37. EXT. SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
Scully's shaking like a slot-machine junkie as he jacks his quarter
into the phone and DIALS. He's muttering to himself :
SCULLY
2...5...5...1789...fall of the Bastile,
Jen. I know you know it's me, so
answer the damn phone, darling...
Scully TAPS out a frantic, erratic rhythm with his hands on any
surface in reach. The percussion attracts Emily's notice. She
looks over from her own booth, then away again. Startled, Scully
notices he's getting smears of blood on the glass, and tries to wipe
his hands clean on his crumpled telephone list.
38. INT. JENNY'S HOUSE - NIGHT.
Jenny is wearing a coat and hat now, watching her phone RING,
as though afraid it might become more agressive -- rise up,
perhaps, on spider legs and scuttle after her, should she leave.
Reluctantly, she reaches for the receiver.
39. EXT. SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT.
Scully launches straight in, no time spared for hellos.
SCULLY
Jenny! You remember that argument
when we decided to go ahead with
the divorce? About who would get
custody of the phone number? I'm
glad it was you. Now I can always
remember your number.
JENNY
Jake.
SCULLY
And when I got my own phone I
only came up with 5 people to
give the new number to, anyway.
JENNY
Tell me what the fuck you want!
40. EXT. EMILY'S PHONE BOOTH - DAY
EMIILY
(duet with machine, singsong almost)
I don't want to hear your voice.
I don't want to speak to you. I'm
going to be gone this weekend;
you can pick up the rest of your
stuff then.
41. INT. SANDRA'S SQUAT - NIGHT
The cat is PURRING, rubbing against the answering machine.
SANDRA
(on machine, with Emily
echoing her in background)
I don't think there's anything more to
say. So hang up Emily -- hang up now
if you haven't already, and don't call back.
The machine signals that it's ready to record with a loud BEEP.
Frightened by the noise, the cat runs from the room.
42. EXT. EMILY'S PHONE BOOTH - DAY
EMILY
Sandra? Sandy? I not sure what
to tell you. I've been calling 5, 6
times a day, just to hear the sound
of your voice on this bullshit
machine. But it hurts to hear you
say those things, and you know
every time it's just the same,
which means every time somehow
it's worse. I don't think I can stop
calling, and I don't think I can
stand it either. How could
you leave it on the machine like
that, for all our friends to hear?
43. EXT. SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
SCULLY
I need a place to stay, Jen.
Maybe for a week. Someplace
nobody will think to look for me.
With our history, I figure you're a
pretty good choice. Plain enough?
JENNY
So skip town -- you're good at that.
SCULLY
I got no money, baby. Besides,
that's a parole violation. And if I
get tagged with this summons
they'll feed me to the lawyers.
JENNY
No cash? And what about last
month's acrimony check?
SCULLY
I can work it out. Mop your floors,
dust the furniture.
JENNY
Forget it, Scully! I got my own
space now, and it's private,
you understand?
SCULLY
No! What the hell does that mean?
JENNY
I know you don't care, but that's
how it is.
SCULLY
You're living with someone, I mean
that's what it means, isn't it? -- Hello!
Scully WHACKS the handset on the counter, puts it back to his ear.
Hello? Have we got a bad connection?
JENNY
Have we.
SCULLY
So this guy you're living with,
is he nice, I mean, is he a
sensitive guy? Does he let you
have your 'space'? That must be
great for you, really, like having a
houseplant that can water itself.
JENNY
Actually he's an asshole, like
you -- I'm sure you'd like each
other. Y'know maybe I should
move out and let you move in
with him.
SCULLY
Perfect! Perfect!
44. INT. SANDRA'S SQUAT - NIGHT.
The camera pans slowly around the room during the following
monologue.
EMILY
I know you're there Sandra, listening
to this, I can feel it. And I suppose
you can just erase my voice off
the tape once I hang up, but
not me. I've got your message
memorized now, and I can't stop
it playing in my head. Would
you like to hear it? Sandra?
Answer me!
The camera finishes its pan: there is nobody there.
45. EXT. SCULLY'S PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
JENNY
You did a job on me, Jake. Know
how you can break a bone and it
doesn't set right? Heals wrong,
and they have to break it again
to set it properly? I think you
broke my heart that way, baby.
Who was it you gave your number
when you moved?
SCULLY
Jenny...you want your heart broken,
don't give the job to some damn
amateur ; I can do it for you better.
Do you hear what I'm saying?
I need to talk to you -- just let me
come over so I --
JENNY
Forget it, Jake!
SCULLY
I can't talk like this, like I'm back
in jail trying to reach through
those fucking glass windows on
their fucking toy phones. Jenny?
Don't hang up on me; you're my last --
Scully realizes he's talking to a dead line.
It's my last quarter.
He hangs up, then slowly starts putting all the stuff back in his
pockets that he took out earlier. He notices Emily. She's
scrunched down in her booth, sitting on the cement, smoking and
crying quietly. They look at each other, then look away,
embarassed. Scully finishes collecting his stuff, steps outside.
SCULLY
(to Emily)
Are you alright? I couldn't help
noticing you here...
Emily pays no attention. Scully pauses, clears his throat.
SCULLY
Has anyone...has anyone ever told
you what amazing eyes you have?
She laughs, a quick bark of astonishment.
SCULLY
No, really. and I know eyes. I
studied to be an optometrist.
Name's Scully.
She stubs out her cigarette on the glass of the phone booth.
EMILY
I'm gay, Scully.
Pause.
SCULLY
Well we both like women then; there's
something we've got in common.
They both laugh, at the sheer stupidity of the line.
SCULLY
Or we both hate 'em.
They glance at each other, then away.
Are you going to be okay? I
can call you a cab.
(beat)
If you can lend me a quarter.
EMILY
There'll be a courtesy phone
at the bus station. Thanks.
She gets to her feet and walks off down the street.
SCULLY
Courtesy phone, that sounds
nice. Like it could almost be a
pleasant experience.
Scully looks around, notices Harlan has slipped down to
something like a seated position. He walks over, squats beside
Harlan, gives him a shake and a light slap. No response. Scully
goes through Harlan's pockets, finding a pack of cigarettes,
extracts one and lights up. Maria appears, wearing a pair of dark
glasses, approaches Scully.
MARIA
Spare a smoke, man?
Scully looks at her warily. Maria flips up her glasses for a moment.
MARIA
Hey, chief, it's me. You live
three extra days, y'know, every
one of those you give away.
Scully gives in, offers her the pack. She chooses carefully, as
though they weren't all identical, and tears off the filter.
SCULLY
That must cost a few extra days.
Maria lights the cigarette with extravagant care.
MARIA
Most of the toxins are in the filters.
They don't tell you that. All
I want is the pure poison.
Scully starts walking away up the line of booths. Maria follows.
MARIA
Hey, Ace! Where you heading?
SCULLY
I dunno. I got nowhere to go.
He can't find a joke in it. They fall into step.
SCULLY
They gonna hunt me down and
fuck me up.
MARIA
They after you too?
SCULLY
Who they? They who?
MARIA
You should try poverty. It's the
best urban camoflauge.
SCULLY
Right.
MARIA
Be poor, Eddy. Nobody in this city looks
at you if you're poor. Ask somebody for
money and they'll pretend they
can't even see you. Here -- check
out how you look in my coat. Go
on -- I'll trade ya.
SCULLY
This jacket cost me 30 bucks!
Still, he takes it off, and Maria helps him on with her coat, pretends
to brush lint off the shoulders.
MARIA
Big spender. Go ahead, try it on.
See? Already you look like Mr.
Nobody. Try the hat.
SCULLY
Fuck the hat, and fuck this
bullshit swindle! Gimme
back my jacket.
MARIA
So it's bullshit? So tell me
what I look like.
Maria is behind him at this point. Scully starts to turn to face her,
but she scrambles to stay out of his line-of-sight.
MARIA
No, no, don't turn around. Just
tell me what I look like.
SCULLY
For a start, you're wearing my
goddamn jacket!
MARIA
Not what I'm wearing. What I
look like.
Scully starts to turn again, and she grabs him by the back of the
coat so she can stay behind him.
MARIA
I'm telling you man, don't you
fucking turn around! Tell me
some thing, one thing. What
colour eyes?
SCULLY
Jesus Christ.
MARIA
What colour!
SCULLY
You know, I think my last
girfriend dumped me because
I got the eyes wrong? Why do
you all think the eyes are so
fucking important?
` MARIA
Why do cops wear dark glasses?
SCULLY
I don't know...
MARIA
Why is it easier to lie over the
telephone?
SCULLY
...I don't know what colour your
eyes are. I don't even remember
the colour of my own, anymore.
I used to...I used to know.
Maria lets him go.
MARIA
They're blue.
Cautiously, Scully turns to face her. Maria lets him.
SCULLY
I think you're right.
MARIA
But you be poor awhile, that
should wash them right out.
Eyes the colour of concrete,
Francis, eyes the colour of spit.
You'll never be found. Go
ahead -- you try on the hat.
END.
