Joker Page #20

He rolls to his feet with a bit of panache and brushes

himself off like it was nothing.

The protesters go crazy, cheering and applauding his act--

And Joker takes a deep dramatic bow. Wet hair. Bloody nose.

He turns and sees the security guards coming back out--

Joker takes off running through the plaza in the downpour,

running out of the Center for Performing Arts. Turns down a

side street almost slipping--

And keeps running even though nobody's chasing after him.

We HEAR the familiar beats of THE SUGARHILL GANG'S "Apache"

as Joker just keeps running and running.

73 INT. APARTMENT BUILDING, HALLWAY - NIGHT 73

Joker knocking on Sophie's apartment door, "Apache" blaring

inside. He's soaking wet, clothes clinging to his body.

There's no answer.

75.

He knocks again. Hard to hear anything over the loud music.

Now he tries the door. It's unlocked.

74 INT. SOPHIE'S APARTMENT, FRONT HALL - CONTINUOUS 74

Joker walks into Sophie's apartment, "Apache" thumping,

lights dim.

JOKER:

Sophie?

WALKS INTO THE DARK LIVING ROOM, catches a glimpse of Sophie,

naked riding on top of SOME GUY on the couch--

The guy sees Joker standing in the shadows and jumps. Sophie

turns and sees Joker as well. She screams--

75 INT. HALLWAY, APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT 75

Joker rushing for his mother's apartment.

Behind him, the guy comes out half naked into the hallway,

zipping up his pants, screaming at Joker--

Joker doesn't look back, doesn't hear the guy yelling at him--

Quickly opens the door to his mother's apartment and hurries

inside.

76 EXT. ARKHAM STATE HOSPITAL - MORNING 76

A GRAY, BEHEMOTH STATE HOSPITAL looming over the city block.

Metal screens cover steel-framed windows. Joker crosses the

street toward the building, eyes weary, he hasn't slept in

days.

HE SEES TWO GOTHAM CITY COPS AND A PARAMEDIC rolling a gurney

into the entrance... a naked, sunburned man screaming his

head off is handcuffed to the stretcher underneath a white

sheet. Joker follows them inside.

77 INT. ARKHAM STATE HOSPITAL - ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE - MORNING

77

Joker sits waiting in a cramped office, looking out a

plexiglass window that overlooks the crowded hallway--

76.

A constant din of people moving about, talking and shouting.

Patients handcuffed to the armrests of their wheelchairs,

lying on stretchers, heads covered with pillowcase turbans or

forearms to block out the harsh fluorescent lights.

His gaze is interrupted by a CLERK (40's), ID clipped to his

shirt, who's lugging an old heavy file storage box.

He drops the box down on his messy desk with a thud.

CLERK:

Sorry for the wait. All our records

that are 10 years or older are

stored in the basement. You're

talking over 30 years ago,-- I had

to do some serious digging.

Joker nods thanks.

CLERK:

Like I said, if it's in here, I'm

still gonna need a release from

her.

The clerk opens the file box. Starts digging though it. Joker

stares out the plexiglass window that faces the hallway--

JOKER:

Can I ask you a question? How does

someone wind up in here? Have all

these people committed crimes?

CLERK:

(going through the files)

Some have. Some are just crazy and

pose a danger to themselves or

others. Some just got nowhere else

to go.

Beat.

JOKER:

(nods; looks down)

Yeah, I know how that is. Sometimes

I don't know what to do, y'know, I

don't think I can take any more of

this.

The clerk is half listening as he scans the paper work.

CLERK:

Yeah, I can't take much more of

this sh*t either.

(MORE)

77.

CLERK (CONT'D)

Now they talking about more

layoffs, man, we're understaffed as

it is. I don't know what I'm gonna

do.

Joker looks up at the guy, thinking he's made a connection.

JOKER:

Last time I ended up taking it out

on some,-- people. Bad sh*t. I

thought it would bother me but, it

really hasn't.

For the first time, the clerk looks at him--

CLERK:

What's that?

JOKER:

It's just so hard to try and be

happy all the time, y'know, when

everything's going to sh*t all

around you.

CLERK:

(taken aback; beat)

Listen, I'm just an administrative

assistant, like a clerk. I file

paperwork, fill out forms. I don't

really know what to tell you, but

maybe you should see someone-- they

have programs, like city services.

JOKER:

(backtracking)

Yeah. They cut those. Anyway, I was

just talking to talk.

The clerk just nods. Finally finds what he was looking for.

CLERK:

(surprised)

Here it is,-- Fleck. Penny Fleck.

He pulls out an old file, bulging with yellowing records.

Moves the box to the floor and sits down at his desk.

JOKER:

(saying it out loud for

himself to hear)

So she was a patient here.

The guy opens the file. Yellowing pages of her records--

78.

CLERK:

(nods, skim-reading)

Uh-huh. Diagnosed by Dr. Benjamin

Stoner... The patient suffers from

delusional psychosis and

narcissistic personality

disorder... Found guilty of

endangering the welfare of a child--

The clerk stops reading out loud, eyes going wide as he skims

further ahead. Joker just looks at the guy, waiting to see

what he's gonna say.

JOKER:

What?

CLERK:

You said she's your mother?

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