Blast from the Past Page #12

POSTAL WORKER:

(with attitude)

Say what?!

ADAM:

(offering his hand)

How do you do, ma'am.

POSTAL WORKER:

(leary, but taking his hand)

I do alright.

ADAM:

Good!

The Pakistani exits the Adult Bookstore.

PAKISTANI:

What is it?! What do you see?!

When Adam looks down to answer the man he sees the "Adult

Bookstore" sign.

ADAM:

Oh, no!

PAKISTANI:

What?!

ADAM:

Poisonous gas!! Run for your life,

it's invisible poisonous gas!!!

And everyone does run away, including Adam. The avenue is

left totally deserted.

INT. KITCHEN NOOK - SAME DAY

Helen sits sipping tea, deep in thoughts of concern for

Adam. Behind her Calvin appears in the open window.

CALVIN:

You know--

Helen is so startled she knocks the tea all over the

place.

CALVIN (cont'd)

I just wanted to say that I think he's

going to be just fine.

HELEN:

(holding her heart)

Thank you, Calvin. Thank you very

much.

Calvin leaves, then comes back.

CALVIN:

He's smart.

HELEN:

Yes, dear, I know.

SCENE 85A OMITTED

EXT. CORNER BUS STOP - AFTERNOON, SAME DAY

An L.A. bus comes directly at CAMERA.

ANGLE - THE DRIVER

is startled. He reacts.

ANGLE - DRIVER'S FOOT

slamming down the brake pedal.

ANGLE - ADAM

in profile. The braking bus stops an inch from his nose.

Adam smiles. (Have him head for bus door in this angle.)

ANGLE - THE DRIVER

from over Adam. He is in shock.

INT. BUS - A MOMENT LATER

Start on a MOVING STEADY CAM SHOT on Adam's POV of bus

passengers as he heads for a seat. The passengers look at

him in amazement and some fear.

ANGLE - ADAM

going to his seat; smiling at the passengers. (He is

carrying a $100 bill.)

ADAM:

Hello! Hi. Good afternoon! Howdy.

Adam finds a seat next to a heavily perspiring young

PSYCHO HEROIN ADDICT.

ANOTHER ANGLE OF THEM

Adam shows the Psycho the $100 bill.

ADAM:

I tried to give the driver this but he

wouldn't take it. He seems angry. A

lot of people do.

The bus pulls out. It gets up to about twenty miles an

hour.

ADAM (cont'd)

Oh, boy! Here we go! We're moving!

Wow.

INTERCUT:
PASSENGERS

looking back at Adam with concern.

ADAM (CONT'D)

So this is public transportation. My

Dad says that it becomes more and more

important because of pollution --

which is more and more carbon dioxide

and other hazardous gases in the air.

(then, confidentially)

Do you have a gun, by the way?

The increasingly nervous Psycho looks around, then nods

that he does.

ADAM (cont'd)

Well, thanks for not waving it around.

And for not vomitting, for that

matter. Wow, we're really flying. Say,

do you know where I could find a

grocery store?

The psycho shakes his head.

ADAM (cont'd)

I have to find that. And a hardware

store and a liquour store and a

standing Holiday Inn. Although, I may

not need the Holiday Inn. That's still

kind of up in the air. It depends

really on how things go.

PSYCHO:

(pointing)

There's a grocery store coming up.

ADAM:

Thank-Q!

(jumping up)

Driver! Please stop the bus

immediately! I have to get off!

(then an aside to the psycho)

Do you think I should get a gun?

PSYCHO:

I don't know...maybe.

ADAM:

(back to driver)

Driver! Please stop, sir!

INTERCUT - DRIVER IN THE REAR VIEW

He's not going to stop until he wants to stop.

ANGLE - OLD JEWISH COUPLE PASSENGERS.

who are anxious for Adam to leave.

OLD JEWISH MAN:

For the love of God! Let him off the

bus!! Can't you see he's meshugina!

Adam leans in close to the OLD MAN.

ADAM:

I'm sorry, what did you call me?

The man and his wife take that the wrong way and start to

scream.

ANGLE - THE DRIVER'S FOOT

hitting the brakes.

EXT.- BUS

stopping suddenly. Through the windows we see Adam go

down.

INT. BUS - CONTINUOUS

The back door opens as Adam gets up.

ADAM:

Thank you, driver! Good-bye, everyone!

Adam exits the bus. Everyone, including the Psycho,

heaves a huge sign of relief.

INT. SUPER MARKET - MINUTES LATER

Adam enters and (after getting over the automatic doors

and the check-out technology) is overwhelmed by the

magnificence of the postmodern California supermarket.

The check-out counters alone are amazing. Seeing others

do it, he takes a cart, placing his suitcase in it.

INT. BAKERY COUNTER

Adam passes the baked goods, paying particular attention

to the elaborate birthday cakes.

ADAM:

Is that a birthday cake?!

CLERK:

Yes, it is.

ADAM:

Gee-ma-nee!

Adam leaves. The clerk turns to a fellow worker.

CLERK:

Bakersfield.

INT. AISLE

Adam marvels at the abundance and variety. He passes a

mother whose child is riding in the cart and that reminds

him of his own mom -- when she used to let him ride that

way. Then he is surprised to see a MIDDLE-AGED COUPLE so

casually dressed in public. She (overweight) is in an

unfortunate terrycloth halter-shorts combination. He

(hirsute) is in a sleeveless undershirt and baggy bathing

trunks.

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