Joker Page #16

ALFRED:

Well it's not funny. Do I need to

call the police?

JOKER:

No, please. My mother's name is

Penny Fleck. She used to work here,

years ago. Can you tell Mr. Wayne

that I need to see him?

ALFRED:

(color drains from his

face; beat)

You're her son?

JOKER:

Did you know her?

Alfred doesn't say anything.

Joker puts his face right up against the bars, whispers so

the boy can't hear him--

JOKER:

You don't need to cover for them.

I'm sure Mrs. Wayne was very upset

when she found out.

60.

ALFRED:

There was nothing to find out

about. Your mother was, was

delusional. She was a sick woman.

JOKER:

No. No, just let me speak to Mr.

Wayne.

Now Alfred leans in closer to Joker, almost looks like he

feels some pity for him--

ALFRED:

Please just go, before you make a

fool of yourself.

Beat.

JOKER:

(blurts out)

Thomas Wayne is my father--

Alfred looks at Joker, and can't help but crack up laughing

at him.

AND JOKER REACHES THROUGH THE BARS AND GRABS HIM. Pulls him

in close, trying to choke him, still holding the wand of

flowers in one hand--

AS HE CHOKES ALFRED, Joker sees little Bruce, wide-eyed in

the shadows, looking out at him in horror.

Joker stops.

Lets go of Alfred... Takes off running back down the street

away from Wayne Manor, magic wand in hand, leaving the rest

of his clown gear behind.

CUT TO:

57 EXT. LOWER EAST SIDE, STREETS - NIGHT 57

JOKER'S BACK IN HIS PART OF TOWN, garbage everywhere here.

The neighborhood at night is alive. Loud kids on the street

corners... A drunk seemingly fights no one... Hookers working

the street... He hears a wailing siren...

As Joker turns the corner, he sees AN AMBULANCE PARKED in

front of his building. Lights flashing. Hit with a sense of

dread, he runs toward the building--

61.

58 EXT. STREET, APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT 58

A SMALL CROWD OF GAWKERS have gathered around watching the

drama unfold. Shouting and laughing, loud dance music blaring

out an open window, feels like an impromptu block party.

Joker runs up, sees his mother being wheeled down the front

steps unconscious on a stretcher, AN EMT holding an oxygen

bag on her face. TWO DETECTIVES IN PLAIN SUITS following

behind them. It's a chaotic scene.

FROM ABOVE, Joker pushing through the crowd, rushes to his

mother's side. We don't hear what he says to the paramedics

over the music and the crowd, just see them nod okay and

Joker follow after them into the back of the ambulance--

59 INT. CITY AMBULANCE, BACK (PARKED) - NIGHT 59

Joker looking out the back doors as they start to shut close--

CATCHES A GLIMPSE OF SOPHIE, coming out of the building. He

stares at her through the small back door window. Casually

waves at her, trying to connect with her--

Joker sees the two detectives approaching Sophie as the

ambulance pulls away. Speeding away down the street, siren

wailing--

CUT TO:

60 INT. CITY HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY TREATMENT ROOM - NIGHT 60

Joker's standing near the doorway of a large overcrowded

treatment room. Watching a sleep-deprived ER RESIDENT (late

20's), and an EMERGENCY NURSE start to intubate his mother.

He hears shouts and cries of pain from around the crowded

room.

Joker turns away when he sees them insert a thin endotracheal

tube into her mouth and down through her larynx. It makes him

gag--

61 EXT. CITY HOSPITAL, ER - NIGHT 61

Joker sits on a bench outside the bustling emergency room.

He's getting some fresh air, but he picked a weird spot to do

it.

He watches the sick and dying being rushed through the glass

doors. Opening and closing. This happens in the background

throughout the scene.

62.

The two detectives walk up to Joker, interrupting him

watching the doors. Gotham police detectives, GARRITY (50's),

grey hair, and BURKE (30's), his partner.

DET. GARRITY

Mr. Fleck, sorry to bother you, I'm

Detective Garrity, this is my

partner Detective Burke.

Joker looks up at them. Doesn't say anything.

DET. GARRITY

We had a few questions for you, but

you weren't home. So we spoke to

your mother.

JOKER:

You did this to her?

DET. GARRITY

What? No. We just asked her some

questions and she started getting

hysterical-- hyperventilating,

trouble speaking-- then she

collapsed. Hit her head pretty

hard.

JOKER:

They told me she had a stroke.

Beat.

DET. GARRITY

Sorry to hear that.

AND JOKER BURSTS OUT LAUGHING, he can't stop it.

The detectives are taken aback. They don't know what to make

of him laughing. They share a look.

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