Meet Joe Black Page #23

He stammers into silence.

SUSAN:

But you can't.

Joe is about to respond but doesn't.

SUSAN (cont'd)

Just then -- when you hesitated --

the way you shift from foot-to-foot,

I've always found endearing but just

now -- I got a chill.

But he drifts again, now she takes his hand.

SUSAN (cont'd)

Remember that morning in the coffee

shop? You said 'What's wrong with

taking care of a woman, she takes

care of you --"

JOE:

Did I say that?

SUSAN:

And I said you'd have a hard time

finding a woman like that.

Joe shifts, she smiles at his embarrasement.

SUSAN (cont'd)

Well, you've found one, Joe.

JOE:

The 'coffee shop' --

SUSAN:

-- That was the place... and you were

the guy.

Joe seems resigned now, the air gone out of him.

SUSAN (cont'd)

And you said you didn't want me to

be your doctor because you didn't

want me to examine you --?

(a moment)

Well, I got to examine you after

all --

Joe blinks, at a loss.

SUSAN (cont'd)

I could come with you --

JOE:

I - uh --

SUSAN:

You want me to wait for you, you'll

be back --

Joe doesn't answer, Susan is suddenly anxious.

SUSAN (cont'd)

Why do I want this night to last

forever?

JOE:

Don't you know, that's what I want

more than anything.

He touches her face.

SUSAN:

You said before you couldn't tell me

who or where, only the 'when' -- Is

when now?

A moment.

JOE:

May I kiss you?

She waits. He kisses her, they fall into a deep embrace.

SUSAN:

That felt like a goodbye.

Joe's silence is heavy.

SUSAN (cont'd)

What's going on, Joe? I feel like

we're lifting off --

JOE:

I'm still here.

SUSAN:

But you're not. You're somewhere

else.

(a moment)

You're someone else --

Joe is struggling with a response, finally, inevitably, he

drifts into a long silence. Susan is beside herself, her

emotions tossed in every direction, Joe steadies her.

SUSAN:

Tell me you love me -- tell me

you love me now --

JOE:

I love you now, I'll love you

always --

SUSAN:

Hold me --

He holds on tight to her. They are desperately entwined

until finally she releases him.

JOE:

Susan --

SUSAN:

-- Yes?

JOE:

Thank you for loving me.

She smiles wanly, Joe leaves her.

INT. PARRISH'S STUDY, COUNTRY ESTATE - NIGHT

Parrish is seated by the window, lights from the party

flashing past, the MUSIC and laughter audible but muted,

the fever of the celebration lost on him, within himself.

Joe enters, Parrish looks up.

JOE:

...We should think about getting

started, Bill.

Parrish waits.

JOE (cont'd)

It'll just be us.

The tension in Parrish's body releases, he takes a breath.

PARRISH:

Thank you.

Joe nods an acknowledgement, but his face reflects his pain.

Parrish regards him sympathetically.

The silence is broken by a KNOCK on the door. Parrish, out

of politeness to Joe, does not respond.

QUINCE (O.S.)

Bill --?

After a moment.

PARRISH:

Come in.

Quince appears, flushed with excitement.

QUINCE:

-- I got him. The chopper's two

minutes away.

Parrish weighs the information for a moment.

PARRISH:

(to Joe)

How are we on time?

Joe shrugs, nods gently.

JOE:

Okay.

PARRISH:

(to Quince)

Get him in here.

Quince exits, Parrish presses the button for the speaker-

phone.

PARRISH (cont'd)

...May? -- I know you're busy, but I

want you to put in a call to Eddie

Sloane for me --

MAY (O.S.)

At home, sir --?

PARRISH:

No, he's at the office.

EXT. LAWNS, COUNTRY ESTATE - NIGHT

An area on the fringe of the party, the helicopter blades

stop spinning. Quince hurries to the aircraft door, opens

it and Drew steps out. Quince leads the way through the

lights and MUSIC. Drew, fashioning an imperial entrance for

himself, hails partygoers as he passes, Quince enjoying the

irony.

DREW:

This is damn big of Bill, I also

think it's smart.

QUINCE:

He had no choice. You're a

formidable adversary.

DREW:

He said that?

QUINCE:

Well, you've got him by the short-

hairs.

DREW:

Yeah, the short, gray hairs.

He flashes a pleased-as-punch greeting to some unseen

acquaintance as they press on to Parrish's study.

INT. PARRISH'S STUDY, COUNTRY ESTATE - NIGHT

Parrish is at his desk, Joe in a distant corner of the room.

SLOANE (O.S.)

(speakerphone)

We're all here, Bill --

PARRISH:

I appreciate this, Eddie, members

of the Board, this will just take a

minute of your time. As the custo-

dians of the company, you may re-

ceive information from what follows

that is valuable to you --

(a moment)

-- or not. Either way, thanks.

SLOANE (O.S.)

(speakerphone)

We're all ears.

Drew enters with Quince, Quince nods, excusing himself, and

closes the door behind him.

DREW:

Hi, Bill, happy birthday --

A moment.

DREW (cont'd)

I just wanted to say how appre-

ciative I am of this - uh - grand

gesture and --

PARRISH:

Shut up and sit down.

Drew takes a seat.

PARRISH (cont'd)

You're a worthless sack of sh*t, you

f***ed me over, played footsie with

John Bontecou, sold my company out

to line your own pockets.

DREW:

I don't know where you get that idea

-- the Board agreed --

PARRISH:

The Board didn't know you're a mole

who burrowed inside so you could bury

us all.

DREW:

Is this Mr. Black's fantasy? Another

one of his whoppers? Aren't you

sick of this a**hole lurking around?

No one knows who he is, but one

thing everyone does know, he somehow

got your ear and has been pouring

poison into it ever since.

Joe can no longer control himself.

JOE:

You're the poison, Drew. You've

operated behind-the-scenes to suborn

the trust of a man who has stamped

you with his imprimatur of class and

elegance and stature. I've seen all

kinds and degrees of deception in my

time, but Bill Parrish has been on

the receiving end of machinations so

Machiavellian that it has rarely

been my experience to encounter. And

yet he has combatted them stoically,

and selflessly, without revealing my

identity. Had he violated the vow

of secrecy he took, his task would

have been far easier, he could have

turned defeat into victory, but he

is too honorable a man to have done

that. And now I must release him

from that vow. Because of me, he

has lost his work, his company, his

reputation -- and now he's going to

tell you who I am.

Parrish is struck dumb. He looks at Joe pleadingly, shaking

his head imperceptibly, but Joe nods to him blithely -- and

then commandingly.

DREW:

(to Parrish)

So tell me, tell me, I'm peeing in

my pants.

JOE:

-- And now you're going to pee some

more.

PARRISH:

Joe, don't do this --

JOE:

It's time to put this person where

he belongs.

PARRISH:

It's not necessary, Joe. Drew's

going to step aside --

DREW:

I'm not stepping anywhere --

JOE:

I appreciate your gentlemanliness,

Bill, but what we need to do here is

drive the dagger home --

DREW:

The dagger --?

PARRISH:

I told you to shut up.

JOE:

(to Drew)

Prepare yourself, Drew - I am --

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