Hardcore Page #24

BURROWS:

We aren't gonna arrest him for that...

MAST:

(interrupting)

Big threat. TV would ream you.

BURROWS:

Keep me informed of what he's up to.

You help me, I'll help you.

Mast nods.

BURROWS:

(continuing)

Why don't people stay where they

belong?

CUT TO:

INT. SAN DIEGO AIRPORT - DAY

Jake and Niki sit in a line of multi-colored plexi-glass

chairs in the Western Terminal of the airport. Niki munches

a pack of Chuckles while Jake, his elbows on his knees, looks

at the floor. Niki prattles on.

NIKI:

You know what your problem is? You're

a very negative person. You think

negatively.

Jake tries to ignore her.

NIKI:

(continuing)

You have to believe in something.

What do they believe in -- the

Whatjamacillit church?

JAKE:

Christian Reformed. It's a Dutch

Calvinist denomination.

NIKI:

Do they believe in reincarnation? I

believe in reincarnation.

JAKE:

They believe in the 'TULIP.'

NIKI:

What the crap?

JAKE:

(smiles)

It's an anagram. It comes from the

Canons of Dort. Every letter stands

for a different belief. T-U-L-I-P.

Like -- are you sure you're interested

in this?

NIKI:

Yeah, yeah, go on.

JAKE:

T stands for Total depravity, that

is, all men, through original sin,

are totally evil and incapable of

good. 'All my works are like filthy

rags in the sight of the Lord.'

NIKI:

Sh*t.

Jake is charmed. He's never been called upon to explain his

beliefs to someone so totally ignorant of them.

JAKE:

Be that as it may. U is for

Unconditional Election. God has chosen

a certain number of people to be

saved, The Elect, and He has chosen

them from the beginning of time. L

is for Limited Atonement. Only a

limited number will be atoned, will

go to Heaven.

NIKI:

F***.

JAKE:

I can stop if you want.

NIKI:

No, please go on.

The INTERCOM ANNOUNCES a flight: Jake listens for a moment.

It's a flight to Mexico City.

JAKE:

I is for Irresistible Grace. God's

grace cannot be resisted or denied.

And P is for the Perseverance of the

Saints. Once you are in Grace you

cannot fall from the number of the

elect. And that's the 'TULIP.'

NIKI:

Wait, wait. I'm trying to figure

this out. This is like Rona Barrett.

Before you become saved, God already

knows who you are?

JAKE:

He has to. That's Predestination. If

God is omniscient, if He knows

everything -- and He wouldn't be God

if He didn't -- then He must have

known, even before the creation of

the world, the names of those who

would be saved.

NIKI:

So it's already worked out. The fix

is in?

JAKE:

More or less.

NIKI:

Wow. Then why be good? Either you're

saved or you ain't.

JAKE:

Out of gratitude for being chosen.

That's where Grace comes in. God

first chooses you, then allows you,

by Grace, to choose Him of your own

free will.

NIKI:

(amazed)

You really believe all that?

JAKE:

Yeah.

(shrugs)

Well, mostly.

NIKI:

I thought I was f***ed up.

JAKE:

I'll admit it's confusing from the

outside. You've got to see it from

the inside.

NIKI:

If you see anything from the inside

it makes sense. You ought to hear

perverts talk. A guy once almost had

me convinced to let his dachshund

f*** me.

JAKE:

It's not quite the same thing.

NIKI:

It doesn't make any sense to me.

The INTERCOM ANNOUNCES Western Flight #601 to San Francisco.

They rise.

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