Joker Page #14

Joker leans in closer to the door. Leaning against it with

just his head--

JOKER:

Please.

MOM (OS)

He is an extraordinary man, Arthur.

We had a connection. I was so

beautiful then. We were in love.

Joker just leans there, listening. He closes his eyes, it's

all too much.

MOM (OS)

His wife could see it. She was

jealous from the moment I started

working there. She fired me before

I even knew I was pregnant with

you.

(hear her crying now)

(MORE)

53.

MOM (OS) (CONT'D)

And, I never told him or anybody

because, well, you can imagine what

people would say about Thomas and

me, and, and what they would say

about you.

JOKER:

(eyes still closed, head

leaning against the door)

What would they say, Ma?

MOM (OS)

That I was a whore, and Thomas

Wayne was a fornicator, and that

you're a little, unwanted bastard.

AND THE BATHROOM DOOR SUDDENLY SWINGS OPEN, and Joker falls

face first into the bathroom--

Just missing his mother, crashing down onto the floor--

CUT TO:

51 EXT. BOARDWALK, AMUSEMENT MILE - MORNING 51

Joker heads down the boardwalk toward Ha-Ha's, a bounce in

his step.

Looming behind him like the skeletons of monsters, a

sprawling rickety-looking wooden roller coaster and the

gigantic steel Wonder Wheel in the amusement park by the

ocean. Sound of waves crashing, seagulls squawking.

52 INT. HA-HA'S TALENT BOOKING, LOCKER ROOM - MORNING 52

Joker walks into the locker room, sees Randall half-dressed

for work, red nose, big pants, big shoes, no wig yet, sitting

with Gary, TWO OTHER CLOWNS AND A MAGICIAN around the small

table, shooting the sh*t, drinking coffee.

They nod hello at Joker or give him a perfunctory wave, most

of his co-workers think he's a freak.

GARY:

Hey Art, I heard what happened--

I'm sorry man.

RANDALL:

Yeah, Hoyt did you wrong, buddy.

Doesn't seem fair.

54.

Joker looks hard at Randall for a moment, just slowly nods,

and continues on to his locker.

He starts to clean it out, stuffing all of his clown gear

into an old brown paper shopping bag. Hears them talking

about him behind his back, about why he got fired, laughing

at him--

HA-HA CLOWN #1 (OS)

Did you really bring a gun to the

kid's hospital, Artie? What the

f*** would you do that for?

Joker doesn't answer them, just continues emptying his

locker, a bag of balloons, a magic wand, some trick flowers--

HA-HA CLOWN #2

No, I heard he pulled it out and

waved it around like a cowboy.

His co-workers crack up. Joker answers the guy without

looking back--

JOKER:

It was a prop gun. And I didn't

pull it out, it fell out.

MAGICIAN:

So is that part of your new act? If

your singing doesn't do the trick,

you just gonna shoot yourself?

More laughter.

HA-HA CLOWN #2

I thought Jingles was a lover not a

fighter.

Joker turns and looks at all of them, nods at Randall--

JOKER:

Why don't you ask Randall about it?

It was his idea.

GARY:

(to Randall)

Since when do you use a prop gun?

RANDALL:

What? I don't. Stop talking outta

your ass, Art!

(to the guys)

(MORE)

55.

RANDALL (CONT'D)

I think all his stupid laughing

musta scrambled his brain or

something.

The guys laugh and keep jawing. Joker doesn't say anything.

Just finishes packing his bag and closes his locker door--

53 EXT. HA-HA'S, BACK ALLEY - AMUSEMENT MILE BOARDWALK - MORNING

53

Joker exits the back door holding onto his brown shopping bag

under his arm, starts down the alley.

Behind him, Randall hustles out and chases down the alley

after him, still half-dressed for work.

RANDALL:

(calling out)

Art! Hold up,--

As he catches up with Joker his red nose falls off, but he's

so out of breath he doesn't realize he lost it--

RANDALL:

What the f*** was that about?

Beat.

JOKER:

What?

RANDALL:

Why would you say that? That, that

it was my idea.

Joker just looks back at Randall. Sees his red Styrofoam nose

bouncing down the alley behind him.

JOKER:

...

RANDALL:

You don't get it, do you, buddy,

that sh*t that went down on the

subway, that's no joke. They got

clown sketches on the front of

every f***ing paper. It's just a

matter of time before the cops come

around.

Beat.

JOKER:

I don't know anything about it.

56.

RANDALL:

(leans in close; lowers

his voice)

Art, you know you're my boy. I'm

not gonna say sh*t. I just hope you

got rid of that gun. That can't

come back on me, okay?

JOKER:

Randall, I didn't shoot anybody.

That wasn't me. And I don't have

time for this, I got somebody real

important I gotta go see.

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