Chasing Amy Page #18

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HOLDEN:

(right in his face)

I'm only going to say it once: shut

up.

(back to pacing)

Now - I know I'm to blame one way or

the other on both accounts. With you,

Alyssa - it's my fault because I feel

inadequate. Because you've had so

much experience, had such a big life;

and my life's been pretty small in

comparison.

ALYSSA:

That doesn't matter to me...

HOLDEN:

Please. I have to get through this.

(beat)

And with you Banky - I know why you're

having such a hard time with Alyssa,

and it's something that's been obvious

forever, but I guess I just didn't

acknowledge it.

(takes a deep breath)

You're in love with me.

BANKY:

(makes a face; beat)

What?

HOLDEN:

You're attracted to me. Just as, in a

way, I'm attracted to you. I mean, it

makes sense - we've been together so

long, we have so much in common...

BANKY:

(getting up)

Well, I've got to get home and catch

the last few minutes of 'Babylon 5',

so I'll be...

Holden grabs him, kisses him full on the lips, and pushes

him back onto the couch Alyssa reacts. Banky - wide-eyed

and speechless - looks away.

HOLDEN:

It's something you're going to have to

deal with. Bank. You may very well

be gay, which explains your homophobia

and why you're so jealous of Alyssa,

and your sense of humor as well.

BANKY:

Just 'cause a guy's got a predilection

coward dick jokes...

HOLDEN:

Bank. Stop. Deal with it. You'll

feel much better.

He grabs a chair from the side of the room.

HOLDEN:

Now - at this point, you may be asking

yourself the question that I've been

going over and over in my head for the

last few days:
what does one have to

do with the other?

Alyssa's face drops. She subtly shakes her head.

ALYSSA:

(under her breath)

Don't.

HOLDEN:

And when I did some serious soul-

searching, it came at me from out of

nowhere, and suddenly it all made

sense - a calm came over me. I know

what we have to do. And then you -

Bank, you Alyssa, and I - all of us...

can finally be... alright.

ALYSSA:

(again, under her breath)

Please don't say it.

HOLDEN:

(sits in the chair; takes a

long beat)

We've all got to have sex together.

The room is silent. Holden Lights a cigarette. Banky's

eyes nearly bug. Alyssa's head drops.

HOLDEN:

Don't you see? That would take care

of everything. Alyssa - I wouldn't

feel inadequate or too conservative

anymore. I'll have done something on

par with all the experience you've

had. And it'll be with you, which'll

make it that much more powerful. And

Banky - you can cake that leap that

everyone else but you sees that you

should take. And it'll be okay,

because it'll be with me - your best

friend for years. We've been

everything to each other but

intimates. And now, we'll have been

through that together too. And it

won't have to be a total leap for you,

because a woman will be involved. And

when it's over, all that aggression

you feel toward Alyssa will be gone.

Because you'll have shared in

something beautiful with the woman I

love. It'll be cathartic. A true

communion. We have to do this. For

me, for both of you... for all of our

sakes. This will keep us together.

(beat)

What do you say?

Banky stares forward, wide-eyed. He leans back into the

couch and lets out a huge sigh. Then shrugs.

BANKY:

Sure.

Holden smiles at his friend. Then he looks at Alyssa.

HOLDEN:

You know I need this. You know it'll

help.

Alyssa looks at him, sadly.

ALYSSA:

No.

Holden reacts, shocked Banky lets out a sigh of relief.

HOLDEN:

No? I... I thought you'd be into

this.

ALYSSA:

You did? What does that say about me?

HOLDEN:

But you've... you've done... stuff...

like this. This should be no big deal

for you.

ALYSSA:

You don't want this.

(lights her cigarette)

You really don't want this. Trust me.

HOLDEN:

I need this. This has to happen. Why

can't you see that? And how can you

not? What does that say about me?

You can take it from two guys whose

names you can barely remember, but I

ask you to share an experience like it

- where it's about intimacy - and you

say no?

ALYSSA:

(inhales from her cigarette,

takes a beat)

I can't.

Holden moves to her side of the couch.

HOLDEN:

You can. I'll be there. And when

it's over, we'll be the strongest

we've ever been because we got through

some nasty sh*t together. And we'll

finally be on the same level together.

And then there'll be nothing we can't

accomplish.

A tear rolls down her cheek She looks at him, sadly, and

touches his face.

ALYSSA:

Oh Holden.

(trying to compose herself)

That time is over for me. I've been

there. I've done it. And I didn't

find what I was looking for in any of

it. I found that in you - in us.

Doing this won't help you forget about

the things you're hung up on. It'll

create more.

HOLDEN:

No it won't. I thought about all of

that.

ALYSSA:

No, it will. Maybe you'll see me

differently from then on - maybe

you'll despise me for going along with

it, once you're in the moment. Maybe

I'll moan differently and then you'll

resent Banky, and become suspicious of

us. Or you'll alienate him because of

it, and then grow to blame and hate me

for the deterioration of your

friendship. Or what if- I sincerely

doubt it, but what if - I saw

something in Banky that I never saw

before, and fell in love with him and

left you. I've been down roads like

this before; many times. I know you

feel doing this will broaden your

horizons and give you experience. But

I've had those experiences on my own.

I can't accompany you on your's. I'm

past that now.

(touches his face; stares to

cry)

Or maybe I just love you too much.

And I feel hurt and let down that

you'd want to share me with anyone.

Because I never wanted to share you

(holds it in; gets up)

Regardless I can't be a part of this.

(beat)

Or you. Not anymore

(hugs him)

I love you. I always will. Know

that.

She releases him, then slaps him.

ALYSSA:

But I'm not your f***ing whore.

Alyssa storms away, stopping briefly to look Banky up and

down.

ALYSSA:

He's your's again.

She walks our of the studio. The door closes behind her.

Banky and Holden stand there, silently. Cut to black.

INT COMIC BOOK SHOW - DAY

It's ONE YEAR later. We're at another show, not unlike

the one from the opening.

A copy of 'Bluntman and Chronic' enters the frame. The

cover reads 'The Death Chronic', complete with a

corresponding drawing.

BANKY V.O.

Blast from the past.

Banky sits at his own signing table. Behind him hangs a

banner that reads 'BANKY EDWARDS - CREATOR Of BABY DAVE'.

A small line is formed in front of him. He talks with a

FAN.

FAN:

Do you know how much it's going for

these days? One ten. You signing it

will push that up even higher,

BANKY:

If you sell it, I want a kickback

(starts signing)

FAN:

I don't know if this is true, but I

heard once that there was going to be

an animated series.

BANKY:

There was going to be

FAN:

What happened!

BANKY:

(off comic)

You're looking at it. No Chronic - no

cartoon

FAN:

That sucks man. That would've been

awesome.

BANKY:

Tell me about it

FAN:

Is that what happened to you and

Holden McNeil? You got into a fight

over the rights or something?

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