Bringing Out the Dead Page #19

Frank pulls the IV needle out of his arm, searches the glove

compartment:

FRANK:

Tom, where are the Band-aids? This

is an ambulance, isn't it?

WALLS:

(hitting the gas)

Look out!

16 XRay lurches forward.

CUT TO:

EXT. AVENUE C AND 4TH--NIGHT

16 XRay brakes to a stop before a duster of derelicts, junkies

and night people. Two DRUNKS are trying to help a friend

with CUT WRISTS.

WALLS:

What the hell's going on?

DRUNK #1

You've gotta take him to the hospital.

He tried to kill himself. Show him

your wrist. Show A.

Cut Wrists gets up, leans against the ambulance, shaking.

DRUNK #1 (CONT'D)

See, he ain't right.

WALLS:

Hold it. I will not take anyone

anywhere against his will. This is

America. People have rights.

DRUNK #2

He was bleeding before. He kept

spilling his beer. I gave him mouth-

to-mouth.

WALLS:

You're lucky you didn't kill him.

(to Cut Wrists)

We're going to hear it straight from

the loony's mouth. Are you crazy?

Did you try to bump yourself off?

CUT WRISTS:

(salivatory)

Yesssss.

WALLS:

Why didn't you say so.

Walls escorts Cut Wrists into the back of the bus, pulls a

plastic electric patch off the EKG monitor. Frank joins them.

WALLS (CONT'D)

Sir, I am going to give you some

medicine that is still very

experimental. It's from NASA, and

although the astronauts have been

using it for years, we are the first

service to try it. I will put this

patch on your forehead like this,

and in about a minute you will have

to relax.

(places patch)

You will forget all your suicidal

feelings. It's very important that

you wear this for a least twenty-

four hours and keep checking the

mirror. If the patch turns green you

have to see the doctor immediately.

The side effects could be fatal.

Cut Wrists nods.

FRANK:

This is the worst suicide attempt

I've ever seen. You feel the pulse?

Here. That's where you cut, and it's

not across, it's down like so.

(takes out his knife)

Here take it.

CUT WRISTS:

(shaking)

I can't.

FRANK:

With all the poor people of this

city who wanted only to live and

were viciously murdered, you have

the nerve to sit here waiting to die

and not go through with it. You make

me sick. Take it.

Cut Wrists bolts out of the back of the bus, trips as he

hits the ground, runs down the street, turning the corner

still holding the patch to his forehead.

WALLS:

We cured him, Frank. When we work

together there's nothing we can't

fix.

CUT TO:

EXT. EL TORO DE ORO--NIGHT

16 XRay parked outside a fluorescent chrome and plastic coffee

shop.

CUT TO:

INT. EL TORO DE ORO--NIGHT

Frank smoking at a formica table, his walkie-talkie upright

next to an ashtray. Walls returns with two espressos as the

Dispatcher rattles on.

WALLS:

(sits)

Sounds like they're trying to clean

up the bus terminal tonight,

Frank doesn't answer. Tom shines his mini-flashlight in

Frank's eyes:

WALLS (CONT'D)

Hello, hello. Major Tom to Frank,

time to come home.

Frank watches a hooker on the sidewalk. Two street punks

dripping gold and attitude head the opposite direction: one

turns his head, looks at Frank--it's Rose. The Rose face.

Frank getting up, grabbing his walkie and coffee, heading

out.

WALLS (CONT'D)

Where you going?

FRANK:

C'mon, Tom. The city's burning.

CUT TO:

EXT. HOUSTON--NIGHT

Frank at the wheel, driving high speed: radio full volume.

WALLS:

Whatja doing?

FRANK:

I feel the need, the need for speed.

I'm driving out of myself.

WALLS:

The brakes are shot.

FRANK:

I've taken that into consideration.

WALLS:

You okay?

FRANK:

I never felt better in my life.

DISPATCHER:

Sixteen XRay, XRay.

FRANK:

(keys radio)

X.

DISPATCHER:

First of all, I want you to know how

sorry I am about this. I've always

liked you two. A unit above none, a

legend in its own lunchtime, so it

hurts me deeply to do this but I

have no choice. You must go to Second

and St. Marks. In front of a liquor

store you'll find a forty year-old

male, unconscious, lying next to his

wheelchair. Do I have to say more?

FRANK:

(to radio)

You've said too much already.

WALLS:

Mr. Oh.

FRANK:

It's early for him.

WALLS:

That's all right, we're not meant to

do Oh tonight. Something is going to

happen. I can feel it.

Tom hears something on the police band: a call for units to

Stuyvesant Town.

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