Joker: Folie à Deux Page #8

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[loud cheer]

…as long as he doesn’t cause disorder

or interfere with the functioning of the Court.

I will not allow this proceeding

to become as unruly as it is outside.

And I will not let you

turn this into any more of a circus

than you already have.

[scattered laughter]

Thank you.

[judge] Mr. Dent, call your next witness.

The State calls Gary Puddles.

Bailiff?

Will you please escort Mr. Puddles to the stand?

[short chuckle]

[door opens]

[quiet, murmured laughter]

Gary.

Go get ’em. [chuckles lightly]

[bailiff] Please raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony

you’re about to give is the whole truth

and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

[British accent] I do.

[Dent] Good morning, Mr. Puddles.

[light chuckle]

Thank you for being here.

[Dent] So one last question, sir.

The person who you saw

stab Randall Kleinmanhoffer to death,

are they in this courtroom here today?

Yes.

Can you point him out to all of us?

And… describe his clothing?

He’s… He’s sitting right there at the table.

Wearing a red suit and clown make-up.

[laughter]

[Dent] May the record reflect

the identification of the accused, Your Honor?

[judge] Yes, it will.

Nothing further, Your Honor.

[judge] Your witness, Mr. Fleck.

[sighing deeply]

[Southern accent] Mr. Puddles.

Gary Puddles?

Tell me, sir, is that your God-given name?

Yes.

Really?

[normal voice] Really? Your last name is Puddles?

[scoffing chuckle]

[Southern accent] Why, it sounds like a… a joke.

Well, it’s not.

[normal voice] You expect us to believe that your last name is Puddles?

Puddles?

[laughter]

Mr. Fleck, where is this going?

As I said, I’m not gonna let you turn my courtroom into a circus.

Okay.

But, um, with all due respect, Your Honor,

don’t you think it’s a little late for that?

Don’t try my patience.

[Arthur] Okay. Okay.

[clears throat]

[Southern accent] Mr. Puddles…

earlier this afternoon you testified

that you saw me stab Mr. Kliman Manhoff

in the neck a couple of times. Correct?

Kleinmanhoffer.

Yes, I saw you.

Mm.

And what else did you see that day?

[voice shaking] You stabbing him in the eye,

and bashing his head into the wall,

many, many times.

Yes, but, uh, Randall was a bit of a bully, wasn’t he?

He didn’t deserve to die.

I don’t know.

[scattered chuckling]

Eh, never mind.

Gary, did you catch my act

on The Murray Franklin Show later that night?

No, I didn’t.

No?

Might I remind you that you are under oath?

I was locked up at the police station.

In an interview room.

‘Cause they thought you might come and kill me.

I was the only witness.

They kept me in there all night.

Isn’t that convenient, Mr. Puddles?

That you didn’t see the show, you didn’t see anything I had to say,

[normal voice] I can’t believe it!

Mr. Fleck.

Okay. [clears throat]

[Southern accent] Uh, when you were in my mama’s apartment,

God rest her soul,

when, as you say, you saw me bash Mr. Klannonmen…

whatever’s… head into the wall, “many, many times,”

did I seem crazy to you?

Did I seem like a different person?

Or was I the same old Joker that I always been?

Arthur, don’t do this to yourself, it isn’t you.

[imitating accent] It isn’t me? So you don’t think this is me?

Well, maybe… maybe… you don’t know who I really was.

I never saw that side of you.

[Southern accent] Well, maybe you weren’t looking.

Maybe no one was.

Because nobody knew I existed.

But look around, look at all these people.

Everyone outside. These cameras.

Who do you think they see, Mr. Puddles?

[sniffling] Joker.

Oh, sweet child,

what you have proven here today, is that you are no different

than any of those people that underestimated me.

[normal voice] From Murray Franklin,

to those goddamn fat, stupid guards at Arkham.

They think that they can treat me like trash.

But I will no longer allow you,

or you, or you,

or any of you to keep me down.

I am free!

[crowd chattering]

[all cheering]

[Gary] Why are you doing this to me, Arthur?

What?

Gary, I like you.

I told you I wouldn’t hurt you, and I didn’t.

Not hurt me?

[crying softly]

I couldn’t go back to work.

I still can’t sleep, and I’m scared all the time.

I never used to be scared.

I’m scared right now, here. With you in front of me.

I couldn’t do anything that day.

I felt so small.

[sniffles] I was reminded how powerless I really am.

[Southern accent] Oh… you got a flair for the dramatic.

You are tugging at my heart strings, little Gary.

No more… no more questions, Your Honor.

Do you know what that feels like, Arthur?

[under breath] Oh, f***!

You were the only one at work who never made fun of me.

You were the only one that was nice to me.

[Gary crying]

I said, no more questions, Your Honor!

[Gary sniffling]

[judge] Very well, Mr. Puddles.

The court thanks you for your testimony.

Please step down, you’re excused.

[judge] Mr. Dent, call your next witness.

We’re not calling any more witnesses, Your Honor.

That is the State’s case.

The State rests.

[judge] Very well.

All right, Mr. Fleck,

at this point, you may mount your defense.

[clicks teeth]

The defense rests as well, Your Honor.

[excited murmuring in crowd]

[judge] Pardon?

Mr. Fleck, you don’t want to put on any defense?

No, Your Honor. The defense rests.

“Th-Th-Th-That’s all folks.”

[crowd cheering]

[judge] All right, all right.

[gavel banging]

All right.

[judge] That’s enough! This is a court of law!

With both sides having rested,

this court will recess until tomorrow morning at 9:30.

[man] You made our case for us, you f***ing idiot!

[man 2] You’re gonna fry for killing my son!

[man 3] Burn in hell!

[reporter] Anything you want to say?

[reporter 2] Arthur, will you be convicted?

[photographer] Arthur, over here.

[photographer 2] Let’s see that smile.

Where do you think you stand, Arthur?

[crowd murmuring]

[cameras clicking]

[reporter] What are you gonna do if they let you off?

[organ playing melody]

♪ We’re gonna Build a mountain ♪

♪ From a little hill ♪

♪ Gonna build me a mountain ♪

♪ Least I hope I will ♪

♪ Gonna build a mountain ♪

♪ Gonna build it high ♪

[door kicks open]

♪ I don’t know How we’re gonna do it ♪

♪ Only know we’re gonna try ♪

[upbeat, jazzy music playing]

♪ Gonna build us a heaven ♪

♪ From a little hell ♪

♪ Gonna build us a heaven ♪

♪ And I know darn well ♪

♪ That if I build That mountain ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ With a lot of care ♪

♪ With a lot of care ♪

♪ I’ll take our daydream Up the mountain ♪

♪ And heaven Will be waiting there ♪

♪ I’m gonna build a mountain ♪

♪ From a little heaven ♪

Do you?

I do.

And you?

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Look at that mountain ♪

♪ Look at that mountain ♪

♪ Look at that mountain ♪

♪ Look at that mountain ♪

♪ Look at that mountain ♪

♪ Look at that mountain ♪

♪ Look at that mountain ♪

♪ Gonna build a mountain ♪

♪ Gonna build a mountain ♪

♪ Gonna build a mountain ♪

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