Philadelphia Page #12

For a moment, Joe is struck dumb. Then he says:

JOE:

Your Aunt Teresa is gay? That

beautiful, sensuous woman is a...

lesbian?

LISA:

Duh...

JOE:

Since when?

LISA:

Probably since she was born.

JOE:

Allright. I admit it: I'm

prejudiced. I don't want to work

with a homosexual. You got me.

LISA:

Okay, Joe...

JOE:

I mean, two guys, doing the

horizontal thing? I don't get

it. Don't they get confused?

"Is that mine? I thought it was

yours." Hey, call me old

fashioned, call me

conservative... I think maybe

you have to be a man to get just

how nauseating the whole basic

idea really is.

LISA:

Fine, Joe.

JOE:

And the way they work out,

pumping up, so they can be macho

and f*ggot at the same time... I

can't stand that sh*t. Now I'm

being totally honest with you.

LISA:

That's perfectly clear.

CLOSE ON JOE, LOOKING DIRECTLY INTO CAMERA:

JOE:

Would you take a client if you

were constantly thinking: "I

hope this guy doesn't touch me.

I don't even want him to breathe

on me?"

CUT TO:

THE STREETS OF PHILLY ARE DUSTED WITH SNOW, STORE WINDOWS

decorated for Christmas. Joe steps out of the Famous 4th

St. Deli, with a package (EXT./DAY) ...

TITLE:
"Two weeks later."

CUT TO:

JOE SITS AT A TABLE IN THE PUBLIC LAW LIBRARY, SURROUNDED BY

books and legal pads, hard at work. He's eating a pastrami

sandwich which he hides behind a reference book when a LIBRARIAN

saunters by (INT./DAY) ...

A CHAIR SQUEAKS and Joe LOOKS UP TO SEE:

Andrew taking a seat across the room (the blotches have been

reduced by chemo, but he's struggling with a cold). Andrew

removes notepads and pens from his briefcase. He takes out a

package of tissues, blowing his nose.

JOE:

(under his breath)

Sh*t...

Joe slides to the far end of his table, stacking seven or

eight HUGE REFERENCE BOOKS in front of him.

JOE'S POV, PEERING THROUGH THE REFERENCE BOOKS:

Andrew opens a book, taking notes. Rubs his eyes. Writes

something. Sneezes.

A LIBRARIAN delivers a book to Andrew.

LIBRARIAN:

This is the supplement. You're

right, there is a section on...

(lowers her voice)

... HIV related discrimination.

ANDREW:

Thank you.

Andrew takes the book from her -- but she remains.

LIBRARIAN:

We have a private research room

available.

ANDREW:

I'm fine, thanks.

Andrew BLOWS HIS NOSE. Now other PATRONS are watching.

LIBRARIAN:

Wouldn't you be more comfortable in

a research room?

ANDREW:

(pleasantly)

No. But would it make you more

comfortable?

LIBRARIAN:

Whatever, sir.

The LIBRARIAN turns away, shrugging to a PATRON, indicating

she's done all she can do.

As Joe continues to watch: one of Andrew's NEIGHBORS picks

up his books and moves away.

Joe rises, gliding down an aisle of books, keeping one eye

on Andrew, who concentrates on his work.

Joe approaches, nonchalantly, as if he just happens to be

sauntering by. Suddenly he "notices" Andrew.

JOE:

Oh, Beckett. How's it goin'?

ANDREW:

Fine.

Andrew goes back to his work.

JOE:

Who'd you get?

ANDREW:

What?

JOE:

Find a lawyer?

ANDREW:

I'm a lawyer. How's your baby?

JOE:

Huh? Oh. Great. She's great.

ANDREW:

What's her name?

JOE:

Rayisha.

ANDREW:

Rayisha. Very nice.

Andrew focuses on his work. Joe steps away.

Joe comes back.

JOE:

How did they find out?

ANDREW:

(a second, then:
)

One of the partners spotted a

lesion on my forehead.

Nearby, a CHINESE PROFESSOR looks up, startled, when she

hears the word "lesion."

JOE:

Uh huh...

Andrew concentrates on his work once more.

JOE (CONT.)

How do you get from one lawyer

spotting a lesion, which could

have been a bruise, to the

partners deducing you had AIDS

and basing a decision to

terminate you on that

conclusion?

The CHINESE PROFESSOR moves away.

ANDREW:

Good point.

Andrew removes a legal pad with "KENTON" written in big

letters across the top, and lots of notes underneath.

ANDREW (CONT.)

The partner who spotted the

lesion, Walter Kenton, used to

work for Benton, Myers, in D.C.

There's a paralegal there, Maria

Torres. She's had lesions on

and off for three years. She

says it was common knowledge

around the office that her

lesions were caused by AIDS.

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