Mistress America Page #14

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BROOKE:

I DIDN’T ASK FOR YOU.

Tracy looks for support from Tony and Nicolette.

99.

TRACY:

Brooke, you know great plays,

right? - how would it have been ifTennessee Williams hadn’t used

people he knew, there wouldn’t beany plays, there wouldn’t

BROOKE:

I DON’T GIVE A SH*T BECAUSE I AM

NOT A FRIEND OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS.

TRACY:

You took something I said and madea tweet about it! What about that?

BROOKE:

That’s different! You were rightthere! You knew I was Twittering,

it wasn’t some sneaky shitty thing -

do you want me to credit you? Or

no I’ll just delete it.

TRACY:

That’s not the point I’m asking youto empathize.

BROOKE:

It’s my least popular tweet anyway!

TRACY:

Stop talking about Twitter, it’s soawkward!

BROOKE:

You are much more of an a**hole

than you initially appear.

NICOLETTE:

I agree.

BROOKE:

(looking again at the

story)

And...you think I haven’t dealtwith the pain of my mother’s death?

I deal with it all the time, I talkabout it all the time.

TRACY:

You talk about it all the time, butyou never talk about HER. You justthrow out that she died and that

shuts everyone up.

(MORE)

100.

TRACY (CONT'D)

Your tragedy is your armor in whichnothing is ever your fault.

Brooke looks around, desperately wild eyed, looking forsupport.

BROOKE:

PLEASE! PLEASE FRIENDS! SOMEONE

DEFEND ME AGAINST THIS MONSTER!

Everyone jumps on Tracy, agreeing with Brooke, says she’s adick.

KAREN:

It’s like your whole generation,

it’s all pastiche.

Mamie-Claire has been writing. She finishes and calmly joinsthe discussion.

MAMIE-CLAIRE

The emotional betrayal I can’t

speak to -

TRACY:

I didn’t “betray” her -

MAMIE-CLAIRE

But I can say that you portraywomen terribly. And because of

that.

Mamie-Claire refers to her piece of neatly folded paper.

MAMIE-CLAIRE

I’ve prepared some questions I’dlike you to think about.

TRACY:

Are you f***ing kidding me?

MAMIE-CLAIRE

And I want you to answer thesequestions, not for oursatisfaction, but for your own.

(gazing at her paper)

One:
Do you believe in the women’sright to choose?

TRACY:

Yes, what does that -

MAMIE-CLAIRE

Excuse me, I’m not done.

101.

BROOKE:

She’s not done, b*tch!

MAMIE-CLAIRE

Brooke, please. Two: What do youthink someone who bombs abortion

clinics would think of your story?

TRACY:

There isn’t even an abortion in

this story!

BROOKE:

No you just portray women as crazydesperate gold diggers!

TRACY:

(to Brooke)

You seemed so cool so totallyamazing I didn’t think it would bepossible to hurt you...

BROOKE:

Of COURSE it’s possible, I am theMOST sensitive person...

MAMIE-CLAIRE

To your own feelings.

BROOKE:

(wailing)

Mamie-Claire!

MAMIE-CLAIRE

Sorry, I don’t really think that,

it’s just something I would havesaid at one time.

KAREN:

I have to say, what you did toBrooke is f-ed up.

TRACY:

Karen, you don’t see my side?

KAREN:

No, sweetheart.

HAROLD:

You don’t have a side you’re just

wrong.

102.

MAMIE-CLAIRE

You must call the Lit Society andtell them you’re withdrawing your

essay-

TRACY:

It’s not an essay, it’s a shortstory.

MAMIE-CLAIRE

This cannot appear in print oronline. Karen, will you representBrooke?

KAREN:

I’m a tax attorney, but OK.

MAMIE-CLAIRE

Will you draw up a contract,

please?

KAREN:

Yes, and in the meantime, I’m goingto ask you to rewrite the story andgive Brooke the rewritten story.

I’ll give you my email and you canBCC me.

NICOLETTE:

She could just CC you.

TONY:

Nic’s right, because we’d alreadyknow that you’re getting it...

KAREN:

Sure, CC me.

HAROLD:

(sympathetically)

Technology can be complicated.

DYLAN:

I know! I just learned what “casesensitive” meant seriouslyyesterday.

TRACY:

I’m not going to do any of thisstuff. You’re my sister and I loveyou but I stand by what I did.

103.

BROOKE:

Guess what, b*tch? My dad isn’tgoing to marry your slutty atheistmother so we’re not sisters. We

never will be. We’re nothing toeach other.

Mamie-Claire tucks her folded paper into Tracy’s pocket.

MAMIE-CLAIRE

There are ten questions there. All

equally important for you to

answer.

TRACY:

Brooke...

But Brooke won’t look at her.

EXT. MAMIE-CLAIRE’S HOUSE. EVE

Tracy sits alone. She smokes from the apple bong.

INT. TRAIN. MORNING

Tracy rides on the train. She opens Mamie-Claire’squestions. She reads them to herself.

INT. DORM HALLWAY. EARLY MORNING

Tracy opens the door to her room. Her mom is sitting on thebed. She looks like she’s been crying.

TRACY:

Mom?

MOM:

Oh, honey! Ruth signed me in.

CUT TO:
Tracy’s Mom is crying. Tracy sits next to her on thebed.

MOM:

The Catholicism thing has been kindof crazy and he kind of -- I justsaw a side of him that I didn’t

know before. It’s strange to notreally know someone...

TRACY:

Oh...

104.

MOM:

I’m sorry, I know you liked Brooke.

He told me that she worships you,

she kept talking about how smartyou are, how interesting...

Tracy starts crying.

MOM:

Oh, honey, don’t cry, you can stillbe friends...

TRACY:

I went -- I went through a breakuptoo.

MOM:

You didn’t tell me you were dating

anyone.

TRACY:

I know.

She cries harder.

MOM:

Oh my sweet girl. Do you want totalk about it?

TRACY:

No, it’s too late now anyway.

Mom rubs Tracy’s back.

MOM:

I know this is crappy timing, but Ineed to take a vacation, and I gotthe deposit back for the flowersand Colleen told me to come with

her family to the Caribbean overThanksgiving, and Trace, I need it.

TRACY:

Yeah, that sounds nice, Stevie.

MOM:

So you’re okay, for Thanksgiving,

not coming home? I’m sure yourfather would love to have you...

TRACY:

Oh, I didn’t put that together -

yes, I’m fine. I’ll be fine. Are

you okay?

105.

MOM:

I’m sad. I’m very sad. But I’ll

be okay.

TRACY:

I wish it had worked, even though Ididn’t really know him.

MOM:

Me too, Baby Tracy.

INT. DORM ROOM. NIGHT

Tracy’s sleeping. She looks peaceful. We HEAR a door open,

footsteps and suddenly a pie is jammed in her face.

Tracy screams. And screams. And screams.

The members of the Mobius Lit Club all stop in their tracks.

The boy in the sweater vest says:

SWEATER VEST:

You’re in.

EXT. CAMPUS QUAD. DAY

Tracy walks with the Sweater Vest Boy. She holds a

briefcase. She sees Tony and Nicolette across the path.

They see her and then look away.

INT. LIBRARY. DAY

CLOSE on The Mobius Literary Journal. Tracy opens it up to

her story:
Mistress America by Tracy Fishko.

She reads it again in the magazine.

EXT. CAMPUS. NIGHT

Tree lighting ceremony. Tracy walks under the lit trees.

INT. PSYCHIC WAITING AREA. DAY

Tracy waits.

INT. PSYCHIC’S APARTMENT. DAY

Tracy sits across from the Psychic.

TRACY:

Sometimes I worry that I’m a bad

person. That I’m one of those

people who essentially has noconscience.

106.

PSYCHIC:

Spirit says that you need to findyour home in yourself.

The Psychic suddenly takes her hand:

PSYCHIC:

Spirit says that you haven’tdropped into your body yet.

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