City of Joy Page #11

Max hears Joan praying inside.

JOAN (O.S.)

Jesus, my brother, you who I amtrying to believe are the lightand salvation of the puking world

...

THE PALS:

Aloka sits huddled with her husband while their children

sleep; they listen...

JOAN (O.S.)

Please see that we are living inmadness and darkness here...

MAX:

listens.

JOAN (O.S.)

... and we need help. Om, Jesus,

om and amen.

Suddenly, he hurtles into motion. He runs down the alley,

his stride stretching out, swallowing up the distancebetween here and the world beyond the City of Joy ingreat gulps.

EXT. CALCUTTA AIRPORT - ESTABLISHING - DAY

A busy, urban airport as opposed to the small countryairport in which we saw Max earlier. V.O. we hear...

BETSY (V.O.)

Yes, yes, yes, that's right, yes!

I turned in your ticket!

55.

INT. AIRPORT - DAY

It's a small place; it's sweltering, and it's packedwith hundreds of families shoulder to shoulder. ThoughBetsy's trying to be discreet, it's not a very privateplace, as we see by the number of people watching Maxand Betsy.

BETSY:

I bought it, I got a refund!

MAX:

But I want to go home with you.

BETSY:

You want to go home with me?

MAX:

Yes.

BETSY:

Then prove it.

MAX:

Good -- how -- name it.

BETSY:

Buy yourself a ticket.

MAX:

I would love to do that, BetsyIlene, boy would I love to dojust that, but I'm financiallyembarrassed at the -

BETSY:

Use your credit cards.

MAX:

What credit cards? You know I

maxed them before we left. Just

lend me -

BETSY:

No! You won't pay me back; younever have. Oh, Max!

MAX:

They're calling our flight. I

want to go home with you, BetsyIlene Kahn. Because I have a

vision. It's...

He's trying to woo and charm her. He mimes a kind of

house shape.

(CONTINUED)

56.

CONTINUED:

MAX:

I see you and me, Betsy IleneKahn, nibbling toward each otherthrough a quarter pounder withcheese, chugalugging a frostylight beer -- great taste! Less

filling! Bowling! I want to gobowling, Besty Ilene Kahn!

He fires a strike through the watching crowd.

MAX:

I want... Oh, my Lord Amighty, Iwant so many American things -

BETSY:

Oh, stop it! You have no earthlyidea what you want, Max! And

stop calling me Betsy Ilene Kahn.

MAX:

Isn't that your name?

BETSY:

You call me Betsy Ilene Kahn likeyou just met me yesterday.

MAX:

What should I call you? My girl,

my significant other -

BETSY:

Don't get cute! You get cute andI swear to God --- you told me onceI look like my mother!

MAX:

You do -- so what?

BETSY:

See -- you don't understand!

MAX:

How could I possibly notunderstand a conversation as easyas this one, Betsy Ilene.

BETSY:

I hate you!

MAX:

Na ya don't.

(CONTINUED)

57.

CONTINUED:

BETSY:

I stood by you for three years!

MAX:

I know.

BETSY:

I supported you through yourinternship!

MAX:

You did.

BETSY:

Why? It was never working. What

have I been thinking all theseyears -- that you'd change?

You're the most self-pitying,

self-destructive, self...

She can't find anything fierce enough, so she abates,

tries to get it together to make a dignified exit.

BETSY:

But you've taught me something,

Max. You never finish anything.

Well, I quit. I've found mylight and I'm free of you.

She heads for the gate, people parting to give her awide berth.

MOVING SHOT - TOWARD THE GATE

MAX:

Will you at least call my motherand ask her to empty my savingsaccount and wire -

BETSY:

Do it yourself, Max. Call her

collect. You should have called

her weeks ago anyway just becauseshe's your mother!

(to herself)

White light, white light...!

She hands her ticket and boarding pass over and she'sthrough the gate. Max turns to find the audience fixed

on him.

(CONTINUED)

58.

CONTINUED:

MAX:

Guerilla theater, folks. 'All the

world's a stage.' Don't know if

that word reached you here yet.

If you'd care to show yourappreciation by a small donation...

Many smiles... and several instant offers of rupees. A

beat, then...

MAX:

Aw, what the hell.

... Swallowing his incredible embarrassment, Max takesthe money.

EXT. SQUARE - DAY (EARLY MORNING)

The line is long. At this moment, Joan is checking achild's throat with a tongue-depressor. Aloka is walkingbeside her with a fistful of depressors and a bag fordisposal. Hasari and Ram are getting ready to leave.

Anouar appears at Joan's waist.

ANOUAR:

Good morning, Joan Di. Dr. Loeb

said many of us could be helped;

that all it would take is moneyfor medication.

Anouar hands Joan some newspaper in which something is

wrapped. Joan opens the paper. Inside is a good deal of

money.

ANOUAR:

Please buy the medication for us.

If we cannot come here to receive

it, perhaps Dr. Loeb would come

to us.

JOAN:

I'll be happy to buy the medication,

but Dr. Loeb is not part of thisendeavor, Anouar; there is only hischerished memory.

ANOUAR:

Then perhaps I am having visions.

Anouar's focus is up the lane. Joan follows his focus

to:

59.

THEIR POV:

Max approaches. A buzz about Max's heroics; hands comingtogether. Max raises a hand in benediction, makes the

sign of the cross. Max claps Hasari on the shoulder;

Hasari brings his hands together and gives Max agenuinely pleased smile. Children circle and touch him,

Manooj and Shambu among them.

BACK TO SCENE:

MAX:

Good morning! Good morning!

Heckuva morning! Getting readyto practice medicine without alicense, Sister Joan? You don't

see me soliciting conversions,

do you?

JOAN:

Well, well, well, I do so love to

be surprised.

MAX:

Okay, for starters, pick me outsomeone with something easy I canheal, make me look good.

(to Aloka)

Aloka, you're my assistant, let's

go.

Aloka smiles, she nods, she accepts.

JOAN:

Max, knock it off, give us a bitof hush.

(as he does)

What happened?

MAX:

I changed my mind.

JOAN:

And I'm a bloody bathing beauty.

MAX:

Okay, so I got left.

JOAN:

Smart girl... So how long am Istuck with you?

MAX:

Two weeks -- or until Mom sends me

a ticket.

(CONTINUED)

60.

CONTINUED:

JOAN:

Not worth the aggravation of yourprattle every day. Six months -and

not a day less.

MAX:

No way. Six weeks -- and that's

my best offer.

JOAN:

Two months -- and that's my finaloffer.

MAX:

(a beat)

Done.

JOAN:

Jesus and Mary. The Lone Rangerrides again.

And now smiles creep onto all their faces as Max goesinside, followed by Joan... and then Aloka -- after shelooks at Hasari, gets his nod of encouragement. Too late,

Joan says...

JOAN:

Watch your -

Thud!

MAX:

Thanks -- got it.

The children titter. The teacher, Margareta, admonishesthem to pay attention and be polite... as we -

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

EXT. SCHOOL GIRL'S HOUSE - HASARI'S WHEELS - DAY (TWOWEEKS LATER)

The wheels spinning furiously and then stopping abruptly.

Hasari, dripping with sweat, panting. The School Girl

comes running toward him. After her, in the b.g., herMOTHER.

SCHOOL GIRL:

Hasari, where have you been? I've

been waiting almost five minutes.

(CONTINUED)

61.

CONTINUED:

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