John From Cincinnati

Episode 8

Click for the trailer.

(Open at the beach, Butchie is surfing. It’s a cloudy, grey day. We see that he has a surfing buddy with him, and the two of them are paddling out on their boards, no one speaks. Butchie’s friend takes the first wave and expertly handles the wave. Butchie watches this and smiles. Butchie takes the next wave and does well, but not up to the standard set by his friend. Next we see several shots of both of them surfing and trying to catch glimpses of each other.)

(Cut to the street near the beach, we see Kai’s Jeep approaching with her and Shaun in it. As they approach, they see Butchie’s van and his friend’s truck parked near the beach)

Shaun: My dad’s here.

Kai: So’s Sonny Mac. That’s his ride next to your dad’s. There’s a nice peak north of the pier.

Shaun: Why can’t we go our here?

Kai: ‘Cause maybe your dad would as soon we didn’t.

Shaun: In case he gets dusted? Shootout in I.B.? Like in Fiji 12 years ago.

Kai: What the fuck do you know about Fiji 12 years ago? (We see them driving further up the beach road)

Shaun: I know more than I let on.

(Cut to the government radio facility. The camera pans around, then we see John and Cass sitting in her Porsche)

John: We made a tape last night.

Cass: We did? Why don’t I remember?

John: Why don’t I remember?

Cass: Obviously you do remember, John, you just said so. What did we make the tape about? (John looks confused) Are you saying we made a sex tape?

John: I am saying we made a sex tape.

Cass: (pauses) See, the head scratcher, John, for me is that you’ll know to say something but you won’t know what it means.

John: Today will be a three-ring circus.

Cass: You want to do something and you’ll do it, but you won’t understand what you did. (John opens the car door and gets out, then turns back to Cass)

John: I will be murdered twice. I will stare me down. Shaun will soon be gone. (He walks around and holds out his hand to her)

Cass: You said that to me last night.

John: I said it to you.

Cass: Why didn’t I remember?

John: We don’t remember my father’s words.

Cass: Why do I remember now? (She takes his hand and gets out of the car)

John: (Motioning to the park-like area around the facility) Work here, Cass.

(We watch them walk out into the area, looking around. John walks off through a little canal area, Cass walks over a foot bridge. John is making a face at a tiki-totem pole as Cass tells him “it’s OK”. Next we see them at an old guard tower, possibly some sort of a training tower. Cass stands at the bottom while John hangs off the edge at the top. Cass looks around at the mountains, and up at the moon. John watches a helicopter fly past and motions around towards the ocean. We see the sun breaking through the clouds. Finally we see them walking away, hand in hand through the grass.)

(Cut back to the beach as Butchie and Sonny are walking up the beach to their cars. As they reach the cars, each puts away his board and starts to remove his wetsuit. )

Sonny: So how’d you do?

Butchie: I was gonna ask you that.

Sonny: You know how you did. (Butchie nods and smiles)

(Cut back to Cass’ car, John and her are now back in it and sitting)

John: You will find our tape in your room. I will see you at Barry’s motel, Cass. We do not remember my father’s words. (Cass looks to be in a trance. She turns her head to look over at John, but he has vanished)

(Cut to the Yost house, in Mitch’s “fort” as Cissy walks in. She has a cup of coffee and is smoking a cig. She looks around for a bit, then starts angrily knocking down all the wind-chimes and kicking things around, generally trying to trash the place. There’s a small tiki-totem on a shelf which she deliberately blows smoke onto. She picks up a phone and dials. )

Cissy: Yeah, It’s Cissy Yost, Dickstein. You can turn on your meter ‘cause I’m divorcing my asshole husband. (She’s throwing Mitch’s clothes around the room) To see who? Oh, well, good for you for not disclosing, Dickstein. You said the motel, I thought my son might have another settlement coming for his other big toe. I’ll see you over there. (Hangs up and starts up throwing things again, then picks up a book and looks at it) “Levitation For the Illuminated”! (Next wee see an exterior shot of the fort and she is flinging clothes out the door and down the stairs.)

(Cut to Freddy in his bed as he is sleeping. He is muttering and rolling around, then awakens with a start. Palaka comes in from the next room.)

Palaka: You dream?

Freddy: (panting) Breakfast.

Palaka: Oh yeah, I’m all over that, yeah. I’ll convey that much right now.

(Cut to Cass, in her hotel room, as she is setting up the video camera in a hurry to see what’s on it. As she turns it on, she see’s John in a video, sitting in front of a black curtain. Next to John on the curtain is the “monad hieroglyphic” She gasps and picks up her headphones to listen. As she listens, she seems shocked, and throws down the headphones.)

(Cut to the café, we see Dwayne at his computer, he is mocking Jerri)

Dwayne: “We don’t fucking deliver.” (Jerri is delivering coffee to a table where Linc and Tina are sitting)

Jerri: As a rule, we don’t fucking deliver. (She leaves the coffee and walks away)

Linc: (to Tina) Uh … M-Me first?

Tina: That’s the usual order.

Linc: I realize … um … the bullshit yesterday with Stinkweed, um … I was making them take me out … (We see that Dwayne is eavesdropping) Which is connected to the greater mystery of why in the hell I’d be hanging around here without trying to close Shaun’s deal.

Tina: And the mystery’s solution is?

Linc: I – I couldn’t …couldn’t close the deal … mmm to protect him … from myself. And then this morning, I wake up, y – y – you’re just laying there beside me … like an angel.

Tina: Which does just go to show you…

Linc: If someone’s watching, and they’re letting me keep operating even with the inkling that I’m not … the greatest guy in the world …maybe they want me to sign him.

(We hear a beep, see Dwayne at his computer and hear: “You have a new message”.

Tina: Would that go for me?

Linc: Well I’d sign you without even giving them a vote.

Tina: I mean … that they’d let me be operating too – seeing Shaun, sticking around.

Linc: In my opinion, definitely.

Tina: You win one free fuck.

Linc: Thank you very much. (They are holding hands. We see Dwayne at his computer as Jerri walks over too him. She sees the hand-holding going on at the other table and exclaims: “Fuck” and sighs.)

Jerri: Wouldn’t come to the counter for their fucking drinks.

Dwayne: (Dwayne is transfixed by what he sees on his screen, looks worried.) I’m afraid.

(Cut to Cass’ hotel room, she is franticly searching the room for something, stripping the bed, etc. She goes to the closet and empties it out, then finds the black curtain with the monad symbol on it, which was used in the video. )

(Cut to the Snug Harbor. We are inside an old barroom that we have not seen before. Ramon and Barry are entering)

Ramon: License got revoked.

Barry: So Lawyer Dickstein informed. (Barry has his teddy bear with him)

Ramon: Yeah, we have to reapply before you can serve liquor.

Barry: Thank goodness I’m not a felon. I’ve had another vision, Ramon.

Ramon: Like when you got the lottery numbers? (Barry nods, yes) Oh, I’ve wondered if you were ever gonna say that – daily, and uh, ever since I met you.

Barry: Rows of faces, rapt.

Ramon: In, in what?

Barry: Oh, it’s some sort of a performance.

Ramon: We – we used to do karaoke here. (Barry abruptly drops to his knees, Ramon catching him and helping him up, then leads him to a pool table to lean on. Barry is exhibiting petite-mal seizure signs, like facial tics and working his hands.) Are you having – having an epileptic? You have any medicine in your man-purse? A spoon? No? (Barry is leaning over the pool table) More? A vision again? (Barry is struggling to speak but is unable). Go, Barry. Go Barry. Go Barry. (Ramon is starting to do a little chant) Go Barry, go Barry. Get your vision. Get your number. Go, go Barry, go. Go Barry.

Barry: I see – columns. (Ramon grabs a pen to write with)

Ramon: OK, get your vision. Get your number. Put your number in the column.

Barry: It’s a theater. (On his feet now, looking around)

Ramon: The money from the new lottery numbers?

Barry: The money I’ve already won.

Ramon: No numbers, this vision?

Barry: Here, from the ruins of a venue of tawdry assignation will arise a temple of art.

Ramon: (Disappointed) Let me check how they’re stenciling the shuffleboard court out there. Shut off the lights when you’re done. (he leaves Barry alone)

(Cut to a street, we see Tina driving as she spots Shaun on his skateboard. She honks and pulls over beside him)

Shaun: How’s it going?

Tina: Good. Good, it’s good to see you.

Shaun: You wanna give me a ride?

Tina: I mean, sure – I’ll give you a ride home.

Shaun: Thanks. (Throws his stuff in the back seat and gets in)

(Cut to Freddy’s room, Palaka is there)

Palaka: Ah now, come on! Nice day like this, don’t get in an indoor stupor. Wanna play shuffleboard? (Freddy is agitated, he hauls off and slugs Palaka hard in the stomach. Palaka groans, doubles over and hits the floor. )

Freddy: Don’t you know, something bad is gonna happen?

Palaka: Don’t lift heavy equipment with light equipment – isn’t that what you always tell me?

Freddy: Don’t do heavy liftin’ with light equipment.

Palaka: Or that’s what you tell me, right, so…why ask me?

Freddy: Ask you what?

Palaka: What’s happening.

Freddy: I halfway think that pain-in-the-balls retired ex-cop aught to stick his donkey nose in.

Palaka: Should I get him?

Freddy: What?! (Lunges at Palaka)

Palaka: Oh nothin’ nothin’, nothin’. (Crawls away to the other room) I was just, you know, talking. You know what I think? Know what I think? I’m goin’ to the fuckin’ beach. The fuckin’ beach – whataya think of that, huh? Anyways, I’ll go get a position before 8000 mutts lay their towels out. Hmmm? Taking the car. Taking the keys. (He leaves)

(Cut to Jerri and Dwayne in her car as they pull into the Snug Harbor)

Dwayne: I’d just as soon not get involved with the nuts and bolts of all this.

Jerri: Too fuckin’ bad, Dwayne.

Dwayne: Being the information’s conduit is where I prefer to draw the line.

Jerri: But before I scare the bejesus out of Cissy, I want to at least talk to Butchie about this fucking guy. (As they are pulling in to park, they see Cissy pulling in from the other direction)

Oh, fuck! (Jerri sighs, we see Ramon working on painting the shuffleboard court)

Dwayne: I guess Mick’s right again.

Jerri: I don’t want to know, Dwayne. (We see Cissy get out of her car, go around and pull out a large suitcase from her car. Jerri gets out of her car.)

Dwayne: Jagger? (He gets out. Cissy is taking the suitcase over by the motel, and looks at Ramon)

Cissy: I’m moving my husband in here –

Ramon: So I see. (Cissy throws the suitcase down on the ground and starts kicking it)

Cissy: Saving him a trip to the house. (Jerri walks up to Cissy)

Jerri: Hi.

Cissy: What are you doing here? (We see Dwayne starting towards Butchie’s room, Ramon sees him)

Ramon: Surfing!

Dwayne: Is that right? Huh.

Jerri: (To Cissy) Um … we need to talk.

Cissy: What?

Ramon: (To Dwayne) His door’s open. (Dwayne, Jerri and Cissy all head off to Butchie’s room.)

(Cut back to the barroom where Barry is having a talk with the teddy bear)

Barry: You are insatiable today. One final illuminating tidbit and then we must leave. Did you know, Teddy, that having built the Lyceum Theater, Daniel Frohman had an apartment placed above the stage? Best seat in the house. (Teddy nods off, snoring) Mr Bear? Mr Bear! Teddy, that is not polite. To think … that this place could be a setting for some building up of the spirit.

(the jukebox suddenly starts up and plays a song. We hear a scratchy recording of a male voice addressing Barry)

Voice: Mr Cunningham, Mr Cunningham, good evening to you sir. Mr Cunningham, thank you so much for letting me run a tab. That’s so kind, that’s very gracious of you. All right, have a good evening, sir. Thank you … ya faggot cocksucker. Look at him. Look at him walk over there like he’s a normal fucking person. Yeah, don’t go out and suck a fast prick in the alley, pal, before you can ---. Mr Cunningham, good evening. Good evening. How are you? You look very well – you almost look like a human being. Congratulations on imitating a human being, Mr Cunningham, you fuckin’ faggot.

Barry: (We have watched Barry react to this) “Oh, and Frank, a Roy Rogers for my young friend.” (Barry sobs, then he turns around and he sees Shaun Yost sitting at the bar.) Young Mr Yost…

Shaun: How’s it going? (Barry walks over and sits next to Shaun)

Barry: Roy Rogers, short and tall. (They each raise their glasses in a toast, then set them down)

Shaun: It’s OK. I’ll be gone pretty soon. (We leave them both staring straight ahead)

(Cut to the shuffleboard court, Ramon is painting the stripes and numbers on the concrete, and talking to himself.)

Ramon: Go Barry. Go Barry. Chief of all angels … got one mission: Orbit alert for a latino trying to catch a break. (groans) Alert! Alert! Alert! Alert! Diving in, latino verging on luck! (We see Barry walking past in the background. He turns to Ramon and Teddy waves goodbye)

Mission boss – chief angel. Wipe interference off my flight path so I can flip feet first before I hit, to crush the latino’s balls with all my speed and force. (We see lawyer Mark Lewinsky drive in and park. Ramon waves and groans: ) He’s waiting for ya! (Lewinsky walks off to a room) Lawyers together – can’t be good.

(Cut to an interior room at the Snug Harbor. Lewinsky and Dickstein are seated and talking)

Lewinsky: (Imitating Carnac, holding an envelope up to Dickstein’s head) What is inside the envelope, O great seer of the east? Hoo, hoo, hoo! If the image of currency is coming to you, O great seer, you are warmer than the sands beneath our feet.

Dickstein: (Taking the envelope) I’m gonna open this now, alright Mark?

Lewinsky: I am but your will’s instrument, O my liege. (Signs) That is a smoking gun, Meyer. Mercy Hospital’s head of neurology has admitted to incompetence, to the destruction of hospital records during the treatment of the Yost boy. As the Yost’s family attorney, notwithstanding your diminutive stature, I would say this is a slam dunk out-of-court settlement.

Dickstein: You represent the hospital. Why give this to me?

Lewinsky: The physician is being insured by another carrier. (Looks around) As to any gesture, financial or otherwise, you wish to make towards me after the settlement, that of course would be a matter separate entirely, and for you alone to determine. (Dickstein looks worried, the two look at each other for a bit, then Dickstein gets up and leaves. On his way out the door, we see it is room 24.)

(Cut to Butchie’s room, Dwayne, Jerri and Cissy are there)

Dwayne: The – the message didn’t come to Butchie’s website. If it came to Butchie’s website, I’d know how I got access, because I’m the webmaster. So that’s kind of a mystery because … I’m kind of secretive about my personal screen name. You know, if you haven’t gotten that many messages and now you get a message, and the content is unpleasant and disconcerting – you know …

Cissy: And Butchie’s asshole surf student signed it?

Dwayne: Uh, it was a video message.

Cissy: Like that fuck Bin Laden?

Dwayne: “Shaun will soon be gone.” (There’s a knock on the door, Jerri opens it and we see Dickstein come in)

Dickstein: So sorry to intrude. Several matters to discuss.

Cissy: No.

Jerri: (To Dickstein) She got a message about her grandson. It’s got her upset.

Dickstein: About Shaun?

Dwayne: I’ll tell you the truth. I actually think … at least as far as evaluating it, I think maybe the police should be involved. (We see Dickstein grabbing his cellphone and dialing. Suddenly Butchie walks in. He stops and looks around at the crowd in his room)

Butchie: If this is an intervention, I’m clean.

(Cut to Tina and Shaun in her car as they pull into the Yost driveway)

Shaun: My Gram’s not home.

Tina: Do you have to have someone home with you?

Shaun: I’m 14.

Tina: No, sure.

Shaun: You’re almost out of gas.

Tina: Yeah, I’m gonna get some.

Shaun: Now?

Tina: Sure, we could get it now. Would you like to go someplace?

Shaun: Sure.

Tina: Should we go to SeaWorld?

Shaun: Sure.

Tina: Do you need to leave a message?

Shaun: Yeah, I’ll leave one at the store.

(Cut to Bill Jacks’ house, Palaka is there)

Palaka: It’s a lovely home.

Bill: And?

Palaka: And, uh… uh, sensitive to things – my boss, the shit he sees: “Don’t you get me started, you,” I mean.

Bill: You’re about to get 86’d.

Palaka: There’s a – there’s an incident – incident coming up. (sneezes) Ugh, your birds… greasy feathers.

Bill: There’s no grease on these birds.

Palaka: Allergic… (sneezes) Done. Done. Yeah, totally erased the tickle.

Bill: Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ!!

Palaka: My boss has had a vision, sir. It scares his pants off.

Bill: Of what?

Palaka: Don’t make me imagine that beating, him giving me chapter and verse, right? I can only tell you...I can only tell you he does not mess with that shit. Even…even refusing to admit it, he would appreciate it if you came to consult.

Bill: Go outside.

Palaka: Yeah. And on that score… when you and he converse, if you confide to him I told you he asked me to come get you, this is the last I would speak off of the ventilator. Thank you. Thank you. (Backing out the door. Zippy squawks, Bill turns to look at Zippy, then throws up his hands and walks out)

(Cut to Butchie’s room, Butchie is on the phone)

Butchie: Hey Shaunie, my phone’s fucked. Give your Grams a call when you get this. (Hangs up) This is bullshit, you know. John’s a good guy.

Cissy: Only you would think he wasn’t strange.

Butchie: Oh, and Dwayne’s not strange, Ma? Ask him about the halo effect the next time the next time you got a free month.

(Cut to Freddy’s room. He’s at the window and sees Bill coming, then hurries to lay on the bed to look like he wasn’t watching. Bill knocks and enters)

Freddy: What do you want?

Bill: I’m looking for Butchie. He owes me 20 bucks.

Freddy: Yeah? Good luck.

Bill: Well anyway, he wasn’t in.

Freddy: Then I guess your work here on earth is through. I guess your mission is complete.

Bill: How you sleeping?

Freddy: What?

Bill: Sleep-ing. If I spoke monkey, I’d put it in your language.

Freddy: I’d as soon as not go back into the joint. That’s why I don’t tune you up.

Bill: Then why don’t you just fucking tell me how you’re sleeping?

Freddy: Why?

Bill: Are you having visions, when you’re sleeping, you half a fucking ape? See I could give less of a flying fuck, but I’m here, see? So I ask the questions. And believe me, I give less of a fuck!

Freddy: (Pauses) I dreamt of that kid … gone.

Bill: Who’s your reference?

Freddy: Butchie’s son, Shaun. That kid.

(Cut to the parking area. Dwayne is leaning into a car window looking for something in the car as Palaka approaches. Palaka squeezes himself into the same window next to Dwayne)

Palaka: Excuse me. Excuse me.

Dwayne: Uh…uh…I’m in a hurry.

Palaka: Yeah, um…

Dwayne: It’s important.

Palaka: Listen. What – what up with the party at the Yost suite?

Dwayne: Uh…uh, I can’t speak to that.

Palaka: Can’t .. speak to it?

Dwayne: (Finds the laptop he was looking for) Will you let me out please?

Palaka: Yeah. (The two of them wriggle out of the car window)

Dwayne: My domain has been hacked, alright?

Palaka: And?

Dwayne: And we’re all a bit concerned for Butchie’s son.

(We see Dwayne re-entering Butchie’s room with the laptop)

Dickstein: This will bring matters into focus.

Dwayne: (Placing the laptop on the coffee table) Just take a moment. (Opens the laptop) Let’s see. (Long pause while everyone stands around watching him) Rebooting… (Another long pause. Butchie is fidgeting and chewing his nails)

Cissy: When did you start that again?

Butchie: When I stopped shooting dope. You know what? Fuck your fucking computer, Dwayne. I don’t give a fuck what’s on there.

Dwayne: Here we go! Here we go. (they all gather around to watch the video of John saying “Shaun will soon be gone.” The same video that was on Cass’ camera.) That’s it.

Butchie: Look, not that we even know what the fuck he’s talking about. Words mean something different for him. “I’m shy about dumping out.” “I’m gonna bone her and break her jaw.”

Cissy: Who does he do that to?

Butchie: Oh, for Christ’s sake!

Dwayne: My sole concern… how he infiltrated my domain.

Butchie: It’s because he’s got strange fucking powers, alright Dwayne? He makes money appear and every other fucking thing. I mean nobody said he hasn’t got strange fucking powers and abilities.

Dickstein: Without being argumentative, I’d think that should raise our index of suspicion…somewhat.

Butchie: Yeah well, fuck you too, Meyer.

(Cut back to Freddy’s room, he and Bill are sitting there as Palaka comes in and heads straight to the bathroom)

Palaka: Gonna – Quick piss, that’s all. (He goes into the bathroom and shuts the door. We hear Bill from the other room.)

Bill: Why should either of us pay any attention to what you think?

Freddy: Fine!

Bill: That’s all.

Freddy: Alright. Drive safely.

Bill: Excuse me?

Freddy: Drive safely, get the fuck out.

Palaka: (Having listened to this, not pissing, he flushes the toilet and walks out into the room) Done. Uh, listen to that toilet, huh? Runs, runs, runs. You yell at me why I should flush at night, huh? That’s the ensuing reason.

Freddy: He was just leaving.

Bill: You ain’t just whistling Dixie! (Starts for the door)

Palaka: Listen to me. List….listen up for a second. Boss, as far as your vision, I just ran into a hairlip, apparently has partial confirmation.

Bill: Of what?

Palaka: That boy…and so forth.

(Freddy and Bill look at each other, next we see them stepping out into the parking area. They stand there for a bit, trying to decide what to do. We see Ramon at the shuffleboard court. Suddenly John appears near Ramon.

Bill: Where the fuck did he come from?

Ramon: (To himself) Cincinnati? (John turns and knocks on Butchie’s door. Jerri opens the door, everyone sees John. Butchie bursts out the door.)

Butchie: What the fuck, John? You’ve got everybody shitting bricks! You sneaking onto other people’s computers now? (He’s leading John out into the parking area with the entire group following)

John: The internet is big.

Butchie: Fuck the internet, buddy, what’s this shit about Shaun?

John: Shaun will soon be gone.

Butchie: Don’t…don’t say that any more. Do not say that. Understood?

John: We don’t remember our father’s words?

Bill: (Yelling across the parking area, charging over to Butchie) What in hell is going on here?

Butchie: Aw, shit!

John: Aw, shit.

Butchie: Shut up , John.

Cissy: Bill…look at this. (Pointing to Dwayne’s computer)

Bill: I don’t use those.

Dwayne: I can turn it on for you.

Bill: Outdoors?

Dwayne: Yes.

Bill: Well, do it then for god’s sake!

Butchie: (To John as the others are watching the video) Would you hurt Shaun? You’d never hurt Shaunie, would you, John?

John: Hurting Shaun doesn’t ring a bell.

Butchie: What the fuck are you he’ll be gone for?

John: We don’t remember our father’s words. (Having watched the video, Bill is approaching John) Aw shit.

Bill: Me and “I got my eye on you” are gonna have a little conversation.

Butchie: I don’t think he knows what he’s saying, Bill.

Bill: Well, I’m gonna help him with all that. (Butchie looks over at Cissy, who nods “yes” to him)

Butchie: (to John) Try to tell him what you mean, buddy.

John: I’ll try, Butchie.

Bill: Come on. (Bill take John’s arm and leads him away to a motel room. As he is walking away, John and Butchie exchange the “hang loose” hand signal. Bill and John walk past Ramon, and Dickstein walks over to see Ramon’s painting work.)

Dickstein: Th – this is incorrect. It..it’s supposed to be “10 Off”. The bottom tier is 10 off. You don’t reward failure, Ramon. (We see Barry walking across the parking area with Teddy, and a very furrowed brow).

(Cut to an interior motel room as John and Bill enter. Bill closes the door and directs John to sit)

Bill: Come over here. (he leads John to sit on the bed, then sits in a folding chair across from John) Now, let me just say that sending that message means you’re not as stupid as you sometimes appear, so we’ll have no more of the parrot talk…right here, right now under the present circumstances. When you leave this room, you and I are gonna have gotten to the bottom of things. You’re gonna tell me exactly what that message means. Do we understand each other?

John: Yes, Bill.

Bill: “Shaun will be gone soon.” Alright, let’s take the first word –“soon”. Some people are concerned “soon”…when you made that tape…would now mean…right now. Is that true? (John looks confused) Is Shaun gone now? What – what does “soon” mean? Could it mean a thousand years?

John: It could mean a thousand years. (Bill slaps John hard, and grabs him by the neck with one hand)

Bill: Now I don’t want to get violent with you…but I told you no parrot talk. (John is oblivious) What does “soon” mean? Could it be 10 minutes?

John: It could mean 10 minutes.

Bill: (Frustrated, yelling) What does it mean!!?

John: (Pausing, clearly unsure of what to say.) There will be no more parrot talk.

Bill: Shaun calls you his friend, yet you send this message like…like…like some terrorist. Now you cannot be this stupid. You managed to send a message with a camera, on a computer, this goofball from the computer place, he says he still don’t know how you did it! How does that happen? (John is looking sad, perplexed)

John: I don’t know Butchie, instead.

(Out in the parking area, we see Butchie pacing about, waiting. He see’s the suitcase on the ground and speaks to Cissy.)

Butchie: Your suitcase…dad’s clothes. (She just nods) You know, that – that shuffleboard’s really got the parking spots ass-fucked.

Cissy: Shut up. (We see Freddy and Palaka leaning against Jerri’s car as she and Dwayne watch)

Jeri: Fuckin’ steal it, I’ll split the insurance with ya.

(Back in the motel room with Bill and John)

Bill: This other guy outside, this Hawaiian, he says you’re a shape-shifter. Pothead Joe, he says you died, came back to life. (John reaches into his magic pocket and pulls out a large knife.)

John: Stare me down! Just stare me down! (John starts stabbing himself in the belly, several time, very deeply)

Bill: What’s going on? (He reaches out and grabs the knife from John) Jesus Christ! What’s happening here?! (He looks at John’s bloody sweatshirt, then jumps up to get a towel from the bathroom. Looking back at John, he sees that John seems unaffected by the wounds. Wiping the blood from the knife, he goes back to John and lifts up John’s sweatshirt to look at the wounds. We see that John’s belly is covered in blood, but no wounds. Bill wipes the blood off John’s belly with the towel, and we see there are definitely no wounds. John looks at Bill quizzically. Bill stands and stares at John, dumbstruck, then turns to leave the room. As Bill is leaving the room we see that it is room #24. Freddy is outside, and walks over to meet Bill.)

Bill: (To Freddy) He’s yours. (Freddy goes into the room and shuts the door. We see Palaka angling around the side of the room, trying to get close. Butchie and Cissy walk over to Bill, they see the blood on Bill’s hands.)

Butchie: Was he hurt?

Bill: Tried to hurt himself. He doesn’t get hurt. Forget about Cincinnati. (Cissy’s phone rings, she answers. We also see Cass approaching with her video camera)

Cissy: Hello?

Bill: (To Cass) I don’t know his whereabouts.

Dickstein: (Seeing Cass with her camera, he and Ramon are vacating the area.) Oh fine, complicit in a second felony.

Palaka: (Rushing up to Cass) Excuse me, excuse me.

Cass: Do not come near me.

Palaka: Excuse me, excuse me. Fair notice, miss! Certain outcomes or circumstances, you’re not leaving here with your fucking Kodak, OK? I apologize in advance.

Cissy: (Hanging up the phone) Bye. (Shouting to Dickstein and Ramon and the others) He’s alright. The porn queen had him at SeaWorld.

Palaka: (Hearing this, he rushes over to the door to room 24) Fuck…oh fuck. (Knocks on the door, loudly clearing his throat.) Excuse me, excuse me. Crucial information. Crucial information: Western Union! (We see Cissy dialing her phone) The lost telegram has been located.

Cissy: (In the background on the phone) Yeah, help me with something, Kai. If Shaunie left a message at the shop, why do I have to find out from his whore of a mother, she took him to SeaWorld and now she’s dropping him home?

Palaka: (Still at the door, we see Cass is filming him.) The lost surfing telegraph boy has been located. Located. (knocking)

Cissy: This is fucking bullshit. If he’s old enough to be with her, I’m signing him tonight with Linc.

Palaka: (Fake sneezing) He’s safe! (Clearing throat) Located! Located! He’s located! He’s safe! (Coughs: ) Don’t kill anybody! Don’t kill anybody!

(Cut to the Snug Harbor barroom, we see Bill sitting at the bar alone as Freddy enters)

Freddy: SeaWorld.

Bill: That’s where he was?

Freddy: Yeah, the mother took the kid to SeaWorld.

Bill: Did you kill him?

Freddy: Nah. Palaka caught me. Shape-shifters! I’ve seen on many occasion.

Bill: You don’t know what the fuck he is.

Freddy: No. But whatever the fuck he is, he’s gotta come through both of us. (they look at each other silently)

(Cut to the café. Dickstein and Daphne are sitting at a table)

Dickstein: Daphne, he was proposing a corrupt collusion.

Daphne: To which you replied to him?

Kai: (Bursting through the front door) Fuck these people. (She walks over to Jerri and sits at the bar) I’m outta here. I don’t take this abuse from anybody. (She throws a set of keys onto the bar)

Jerri: Who are you talking about, Kai?

Kai: Who’s keys are those? Fucking Cissy queen-of-the-ballbusters Yost. Thinks I gotta eat her shit on the telephone. Just so happens I laid my foot open getting out of the water this morning… a fucking Coke can some asshole tears in half and leaves in the fucking sand. No health plan on that 8 dollars an hour those jerks see fit to pay me. So I drive clear to Huntington to see this quack that I know will treat me. Take me 2 hours just to see the asshole, another two in traffic getting back here. And Shaunie didn’t leave any message, that lying little jerk. I try to keep tabs on him, and Butchie too, and she knows that. So fuck her, fuck them! I’m gone. I’m outta here. Tell her to go fuck herself. I quit. (She leaves)

Dickstein: (To Daphne) I could be disbarred.

Daphne: I’m not the fair-weather type, Meyer. That isn’t who you’re engaged to.

(Cut to Cass’ hotel room as she rushes in with John in tow. As they get into the room, she turns around and slaps John as hard as she can)

Cass: What have you gotten me in the middle of, John?

John: Work here, Cass.

Cass: (Slapping the bed) “Work here. Work here. “ (She takes the black curtain with the Monad symbol out from under the bedspread) What is it that you have me working on when we do whatever it is that we do, so that I don’t remember afterward? (she slaps him again) I helped you make that video, didn’t I John, with my zeros and my fucking ones? And I helped you scare all of those people.

John: You helped me.

Cass: You know what? Get out! Get out, you goddamn twitch with your little-boy-take-care-of-me act!

John: My father had more big and huge for me.

Cass: Who is your father, an Arab fanatic?

John: Those fuckin’ towelheads are going to get themselves eradicated.

Cass: My god. Oh my god. What is going on? Tell me something. Tell me something big and huge.

John: My father tells me, Cass.

Cass: Can’t you tell me anything else? (John pauses, screws up his face and fidgets, we hear him go “Mmmm”. He’s confused) Does your father mean well?

(John thinks for a bit, then closes his eyes and seems to go limp. Cass goes into a sort of a trance, then quietly starts folding up the Monad curtain. )

(Cut to the hotel bar. We see Tina sitting at the bar as Butchie walks in)

Tina: He called the shop, he left word on the machine. I heard him do it.

Butchie: Maybe he just faked it. I do that about half the time.

Tina: How pissed off was Cissy?

Butchie: Hmmm, not too bad.

Tina: Bullshit.

Butchie: Um, Cissy wakes up pissed off. This fucking John, you know? He’s a good guy, but he acts like a pea brain…saying shit is gonna happen to Shaunie.

Tina: What was he saying?

Butchie: He’s going to be gone, Stupid shit. That’s why everyone freaked when we couldn’t find him.

Tina: Could he hurt Shaun?

Butchie: Fu – no. Fuck, no. Who am I, Dr Phil? (We see the barmaid walking behind the bar) Hey! Jack and Coke if you’re working.

Tina: She thinks I’m working.

Butchie: Maybe she’s checking your moves.

Tina: He turned out so good.

Butchie: Shaunie. Well, I guess we have to give Cissy that much. (The barmaid returns with Butchie’s drink) Sorry. (Pointing to himself) Asshole.

Tina: Shaun wants me to stay in I.B. I want to. Would you be OK with that?

Butchie: I signed him over, Tina. I don’t get a vote on that shit. Yeah, I’d be OK with it.

Tina: I’m fucking Linc.

Butchie: Why would you tell me that?

Tina: If I was here, you know, around Shaun…

Butchie: I don’t talk to Linc.

Tina: I know. And I wanna be in your life.

Butchie: That would be my part, writing permission slips for who you bang? I wouldn’t have time to eat.

Tina: OK, OK… OK.

Butchie: Not for nothing, Tina, but…you don’t fuck Linc. Linc fucks you. (He puts money on the bar and walks out.)

(Cut to the Yost house kitchen. We see Shaun signing a document. Linc is standing over him. Shaun leaves, then Cissy sits down and signs the document. )

(Cut to Freddy’s car, parked outside the Yost house. We see Bill in the car with Freddy. We see Palaka lurking nearby against a neighbor’s fence.)

Palaka: (to himself) You keep watch on that boy, boss, and I’ll keep watch on you. (Palaka hears a noise from the yard next door, turns and sees a man standing there with a rake, watching Palaka) It’s my… It’s my friend. Yeah. Lovely, uh, flowers.

Man: Thank you very much, sir.

Palaka: Yeah. Nice … puppy.

Bill: It’s like a goddamn matchbook car.

Freddy: It’s a rental. (We hear Zippy squawk from the back seat) I told you about that fucking bird.

Bill: Yeah. Mortal combat with unseen forces, I should deprive myself of telepathic information to spare you irritation from cheeping. (We see Kai walking up the street towards them) Butchie’s friend. (Struggling to get out of the car.) Jesus Christ almighty! (Bill walks over to meet Kai, leaving Freddy in the car with a squawking Zippy. Freddy turns and glares at Zippy)

Bill: (To Kai) A terrible person. I’d rather stand outside. (They sit on the curb together. Kai pulls out a flask and offers it to Bill. He takes it and says “Thank you”. After drinking, he carefully wipes the top of the flask with his shirt and hands it back)

Kai: 15 years…a nice round number.

Bill: Would you rather I move?

Kai: Why?

Bill: (Shrugs) I don’t understand what you’re saying. I’m keeping an informal watch on the boy.

Kai: I resigned that position this afternoon.

John: (John has “appeared” behind Kai and Bill. Neither of them seem aware of his presence or his words) You let Cissy piss in your ear, Kai, every day. You surfed with Shaunie every day he wanted to. You kept Butchie’s boards… every day. Shaun will be gone. Butchie will need you on the water.

Kai: (to Bill) Should I stick around?

Bill: (pauses) Staircase situation in my own home, failed to alleviate it going on a year….probably I’m not who to ask.

Freddy: (Alone in the car with Zippy, watching the Yost house) All nice inside. All lit up. This ain’t over, believe me.

Zippy: SQUAWK

Freddy: Shut up.

(The closing credits music starts up. We see Shaun in his room, juggling by himself. Fade to black)

Click for the music from the credits.

Directed by: Jesse Bochco
Written by: Abby Gewanter

Mitch Yost:  Bruce Greenwood Cissy Yost: Rebecca De Mornay Bill Jacks: Ed O'Neill Barry Cunningham: Matt Winston Linc Stark: Luke Perry Kai: Keala Kennelley Dr Michael Smith:  Garret Dillahunt Palaka: Paul Ben Victor Tina Blake: Chandra West Daphne: Jennifer Grey	Butchie Yost: Brian Van Holt John Monad: Austin Nichols Ramon Gaviota: Luis Guzman Shaun Yost: Greyson Fletcher Meyer Dickstein: Willie Garson Vietnam Joe: Jim Beaver Cass:  Emily Rose Steady Freddy Lopez:  Dayton Callie Jerri: Paula Malcomson Dwayne: Matt Maher
Transcript last updated on 08/02/2007
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