Meet Joe Black Page #14

JOE:

Toast? No...just the butter.

COYLE:

Right away.

Coyle heads for the kitchen.

SUSAN:

Why do you love peanut butter so

much?

JOE:

(intimately)

I don't know.

SUSAN:

I adore things like that....food I

can't do without. Don't you?

Joe is locked on Susan, it is as if there is nobody else in the

room.

JOE:

Yes...

SUSAN:

It comforts you, doesn't it?

JOE:

(captivated)

Yes...I've found that it does.

DREW:

Mind if I throw up?

PARRISH:

(admonishing gently)

Please, Drew.

JOE:

(to Susan)

I'm very concerned about the woman

you attended to today.

SUSAN:

I am, too.

JOE:

Has her pain abated?

SUSAN:

We're doing what we can for her.

But it doesn't look good.

JOE:

I'm sorry to hear that.

DREW:

Who are we talking about?

JOE:

(to Susan)

But I know she's grateful for the

care you're giving her.

DREW:

Is this a state secret or are we

being excluded just for the fun of

it?

JOE:

(to Drew)

Susan's patient is whom we are

talking about.

SUSAN:

Joe visited the hospital today.

Parrish's head swivels to Joe.

ALLISON:

Did he? That's more than we get to

do.

DREW:

Well, maybe next time Joe goes,

he'll take us along.

JOE:

Perhaps you could remind me.

DREW:

I'll make a note of it. Anything

else?

QUINCE:

I'd like to come, too. See Susan

strut her stuff.

DREW:

You're on, Quin-cee. Destination

Hospital. Joe, you'll be the Tour

Guide. Okay? How's that sound to

you?

Silence. Parrish regards Joe, then Susan, his face reflects

a sudden concern with their relationship.

JOE:

Susan is a wonderful doctor.

INT. SALON, PARRISH TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT

After dinner, the family and guests file back in from the

dining room, Drew alongside Parrish.

DREW:

I have to go, Bill -- it's been a

helluva day. Need a few minutes to

sort everything out.

PARRISH:

Okay, we'll see you tomorrow.

DREW:

Sure.

Drew peels off, heads for the foyer and front door, Susan

follows him.

Parrish corners Joe.

PARRISH:

Why did you go to the hospital?

JOE:

I don't know.

PARRISH:

You were just curious?

JOE:

I guess...

PARRISH:

About Susan?

JOE:

I wouldn't put it that way.

PARRISH:

What way would you put it?

JOE:

You tell me, Bill.

PARRISH:

How about you telling me? When I

ask a simple question, I expect a

straight answer. That's what I'm

used to. Anybody who doesn't give

it to me, I fire.

JOE:

Are you going to fire me, Bill?

Silence, Parrish is at a loss.

INT. FOYER - NIGHT

Drew is putting on his coat, Susan with him, a tension between

them, a heavy silence finally broken.

SUSAN:

...See you tomorrow night.

DREW:

Include me out. I've had enough of

the conversations.

SUSAN:

You don't mean that. You wouldn't

disappoint Daddy --

DREW:

Daddy'll do fine. Besides, he's got

Joe.

(a moment)

And so do you.

SUSAN:

Drew, you're out of line.

DREW:

That may be. But I don't like the

f***er. I don't like the way he

looks at you and talks to you. And

vice versa.

SUSAN:

Sorry, but I like the way he looks

and talks to me. And vice versa.

Okay?

DREW:

No, not okay. I thought we had a

good thing going here.

(a moment)

It shows you never know.

Silence, neither knows how to continue.

SUSAN:

Well... goodnight.

DREW:

Yeah. Goodnight.

Drew goes, Susan turns to find Joe at the far end of the foyer,

he's been observing them. She walks up to him.

SUSAN:

How long have you been standing

there?

JOE:

I don't like the way Drew spoken to

you. But I feel better about it now

because of the way you spoke back.

A moment.

SUSAN:

Tell me about yourself, Joe. Who

you are. What you're doing with my

father.

Susan's directness has caught him by surprise, Joe blinks.

SUSAN (cont'd)

So you're not going to tell me?

Joe remains silent, rendered extremely anxious by Susan's

inquiries.

SUSAN (cont'd)

You're married, aren't you?

JOE:

Why?

SUSAN:

Because guys who never say anything

about themselves are always married.

Joe doesn't respond.

SUSAN (cont'd)

So you are married.

JOE:

No, I'm not.

SUSAN:

Girlfriend?

JOE:

No.

SUSAN:

Gay?

JOE:

No.

Susan comes closer to Joe.

SUSAN:

Then tell me, Joe, how come a man

as attractive, intelligent, well-

spoken, diffident in the most sed-

uctive way, and yet powerful, is all

alone in this world?

Joe tries to respond but he can't, his stammer interrupted

by Susan.

SUSAN (cont'd)

I'm sorry, I don't want to pry and

you don't want to tell me. So let's

leave it a mystery. That's the way

you want it, isn't it?

Susan takes another step closer to Joe.

JOE:

Thank you, I appreciate that.

They are inches apart now, the smell of each other surrounds

them, a heaviness to the moment, now Joe turns to head up the

stairs.

SUSAN:

Where are you going?

JOE:

(softly)

To bed.

SUSAN:

(suddenly fragile)

'To bed'?

JOE:

Yes. I'm tired.

He excuses himself with an ineffable gesture, now climbs the

stairs, Susan watches him disappear.

She turns back into the salon just as Allison and Quince are

exiting, "good-byes" all around. Susan is left alone now

with Parrish who is fixing a drink at a sidebar.

PARRISH:

That was wonderful.

SUSAN:

Yeah, it's good to get together.

PARRISH:

Do you mind if I raise a little

caution flag?

SUSAN:

Raise away.

PARRISH:

What is the nature of your interest

in Joe?

SUSAN:

Well, remember how you told me about

"lightning striking"? The nature of

it's in there somewhere.

Parrish drops another cube of ice in his drink, takes his

time before answering.

PARRISH:

I won't say you may be getting onto

shaken ground --

SUSAN:

Then what will you say?

PARRISH:

I don't think this is the lightning

you are looking for. Drew's a good

man. I know I didn't seem to be

completely in his corner before, but

I've come to appreciate --

SUSAN:

Now we love Drew and Joe in verbo-

ten? What's going on?

PARRISH:

Nothing.

SUSAN:

When you say 'nothing' that way,

it's not nothing.

PARRISH:

Then what is it?

SUSAN:

It's something.

She kisses him.

SUSAN (cont'd)

G'night, Daddy. See you tomorrow.

This is getting interesting.

She goes.

CUT TO:

INT. THE CARLYLE HOTEL - NEXT DAY

A large suite, room service carts creaking with pots of

coffee and half-eaten pastries. The Board of Parrish

Communications is gathered, absent are Parrish and Quince.

Felicia, Drew's secretary, takes notes.

DREW:

...I know you're all as uncomfor-

table as I am to be meeting without

Bill, but I got a call last night

from John Bontecou. Not only is he

still interested, he is sweetening

his offer.

(a moment)

Although it pains me to say it, in

my opinion Bill Parrish dealt with

us peremptorily in dismissing any

deal with Bontecou. Therefore, I'm

sorry to say that if we are to exam-

ine this new offer responsibly as

the Board of Directors of Parrish

Communications, we must do so with-

out its Chairman.

(another moment)

Oh yes, there is one additional

element:
Bontecou is so anxious to

get us, he said he'd take Parrish

Communications with our Chairman or

without.

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