Confidence Page #6

DR. EMLEE

This doctor, was he tall, with dark

hair?

LETTY:

Yeah, and a dimple.

Dr. Emlee shifts uncomfortably.

DR. EMLEE

I'm afraid he's not a doctor.

.

LETTY:

Psychologist, therapist, whatever.

DR. EMLEE

Patient.

LETTY:

What?

DR. EMLEE

Michael, the man who came to see

you, is a patient.

LETTY:

What kind of place is this?

DR. EMLEE

I apologize for the inconvenience,

but I must ask you some...

LETTY:

I want to see my mother

immediately.

DR. EMLEE

We discourage family visits for the

first 48 hours after an emotional

trauma like the kind you've

experienced.

LETTY:

I don't think you understand. I

won't wait.

35.

DR. EMLEE

You'll have to. Your family agreed

to the conditions not to see you

when they admitted you to Hillview,

Letitia.

(beat)

We can talk about how that makes

you feel, but we can't change the

rules.

Letty sinks back on her pillows, the wind knocked out of her.

DR. EMLEE

Dr. Stone's evaluation from last

night indicates you're experiencing

a great deal of anxiety, probably

related to depression...

LETTY'S POV:

Dr. Emlee continues to talk. His words become more and more

distant as the RINGING in Letty's head grows louder.

DR. EMLEE

We need to talk about starting you

on drug therapy. Most depressive

personalities benefit from a drug

like Prozac or maybe Zoloft...

CUT TO:

INT. REC ROOM - HILLVIEW PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL - SAME

It's a bigger version of a waiting room you'd find in a

doctor's office. And it has more games.

Some patients watch television. Others play pool. Several

form a group around Michael, who holds the same notebook he

used in his session with Letty. JOHN, unkempt in a bathrobe,

hands him a few ratty dollar bills.

JOHN:

I'm in for 5 for manic depressive.

THOMAS, late 40s and in a suit, waves a $5 bill at Michael.

THOMAS:

I'll go with that as well.

Michael takes the money, and turns to MARIE, late 30s.

36.

MARIE:

(to John and Thomas)

You two always bet manic

depressive.

.

(to Michael)

Tell me more about the guard she

strangled.

MICHAEL:

No, just hit in the head.

JOHN:

What about voices? Does she hear

voices?

MICHAEL:

Not that she admits to.

MARIE:

Is she a washer?

MICHAEL:

No, but she is exceptionally

organized.

THOMAS:

How organized?

MICHAEL:

She arranges her underwear by

color.

Michael motions to MRS. HALLSTROM, mid 50s, who shuffles by.

MICHAEL:

Mrs. Hallstrom, you want in?

MRS. HALLSTROM

All tapped out.

MICHAEL:

I'll float you.

Mrs. Hallstrom keeps walking.

MARIE:

(to Michael)

It's been weeks since she played.

MICHAEL:

What about you, Marie?

37.

MARIE:

(handing Michael a $20

bill)

I'll say major depression

complicated by obsessive compulsive

disorder.

(beat)

And could I get my change in ones?

INT. HALLWAY - HILLVIEW PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL - NIGHT

Letty lags behind NURSE GATES, early 30s and in civilian

clothes, as they walk down the hall.

NURSE GATES:

Treatment schedules are posted on

the bulletin board. Dinner at 6,

lights out at 10 and no

fraternizing between patients.

Letty nods.

NURSE GATES:

(pointing as she goes)

That's the rec room. We show

movies there on Wednesdays and

Fridays...And this is the dining

hall.

Letty stops in her tracks at the sight of the room, an

upscale version of a college cafeteria. Groups of people eat

and talk. A paper airplane sails from one table to another.

LETTY:

I'm really not that hungry.

NURSE GATES:

Just eat whatever you want. This

will give you a chance to meet some

people.

LETTY:

You know, my mom's coming to get me

tomorrow. I'll be leaving.

NURSE GATES:

It's OK, Letty. I'll be right here

with you.

INT. DINING HALL - SAME

Nurse Gates guides Letty to a table where John, Mrs.

Hallstrom, Marie and Thomas sit.

.

38.

THOMAS:

So I said to my publisher this

afternoon, I said, don't you even-

NURSE GATES:

(interrupts)

Hi, gang. I want to introduce you

to Letty.

(to Letty)

Letty, this is Mrs. Hallstrom and

Marie, and John and Thomas.

THOMAS:

(to Letty)

Just discussing my pesky publisher.

May I ask what you do when you're

not vacationing?

MARIE:

(to Thomas)

Let the poor girl get some food,

for Heaven's sake.

LETTY:

I'm a teacher.

THOMAS:

As you may have gathered, I'm a

writer.

John snorts. Thomas ignores him. Mrs. Hallstrom stares down

at her plate.

THOMAS:

I don't like to say novelist. That

sounds a little grandiose, but I am

on my third novel and...

NURSE GATES:

Excuse me for interrupting, Thomas,

but we really should get some

food...

Nurse Gates leads Letty to a table, and hands her a plate.

Letty looks up to see Michael at the other end of the table,

doing a card trick for two OTHER PATIENTS.

MICHAEL:

(to patients)

Now I'm going to say that the card

you picked was the Ace of Spades.

39.

He flips the top card up and it's the Ace of Spades. The

patients chortle.

NURSE GATES:

Michael.

Michael turns toward the nurse.

NURSE GATES:

Michael, this is Letty. She just

arrived yesterday.

Letty stares at Michael coldly.

LETTY:

We've met.

(to Michael)

I missed you during rounds this

morning.

Letty turns and leaves, carrying her empty plate with her.

NURSE GATES:

(to Michael)

This doctor thing has got to stop.

Nurses Gates hurries after Letty.

EXT. HALLWAY - HILLVIEW PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL - DAY

Letty stands outside the waiting room door. She tucks her

blouse into her jeans and enters.

INT. WAITING ROOM - HILLVIEW PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL - DAY

Letty's mother sits on the edge of a couch in a room that

looks much like the library of an English country manor. She

springs up as soon as she spots Letty. They rush to each

other. Letty's mother strokes her hair.

.

MRS. MAYER

I'm here, Sweetheart. I'm here.

It's going to be OK.

LETTY:

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

MRS. MAYER

Oh, Letty, what happened?

LETTY:

Mom, I was there, and I just, I was

so...

(MORE)

40.

LETTY(cont'd)

They didn't have the olives, and I,

I got so upset. I don't know how it

happened.

MRS. MAYER

I've talked to Doctor Emlee, and he

says...

LETTY:

I'm so glad to see you. You can't

believe the people in here.

They've got patients posing as

doctors...

MRS. MAYER

Everyone says it's the best

facility in the area for this sort

of thing.

LETTY:

I just want to go home. Can we go

home now?

MRS. MAYER

I think the best thing for you

right now is to stay here and get

well.

LETTY:

Maybe I should talk about this with

Ruth, or Paul.

MRS. MAYER

We all agree with the doctor, Dear.

He thinks it's safer for you to

stay here for a while.

Letty listens, waits, can't absorb it.

LETTY:

You all really think I need to be

here?

MRS. MAYER

Yes.

LETTY:

But what about Beast? Who'll...?

MRS. MAYER

Ruth's already taken him home.

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