STAY Page #5

INT. POLAR BEAR TANK -- AFTERNOON

We see a blurred Henry through the window of a polar bear

tank. The BEAR is swimming laps, never pausing.

27.

It's an oddly graceful animal, bulky but elegant, flipping at

each end of the pool to kick off the wall (one wall being the

window that Henry stands behind).

EXT. POLAR BEAR TANK -- AFTERNOON

Henry seems mesmerized by the bear's endless swim. A well-

dressed ENGLISHMAN and ENGLISHWOMAN approach and watch the

bear perform its laps.

ENGLISHMAN:

(to Henry)

You suppose he's bored?

HENRY:

I think he's trying to forget where

he is.

The Englishman nods and they all watch the bear in silence

for a moment.

INT. POLAR BEAR TANK

The polar bear glides soundlessly through the water, ignoring

the blurred faces beyond the glass.

.

EXT. POLAR BEAR TANK

Somewhere nearby a BABY is howling. Henry looks around but

there is no baby in sight.

ENGLISHMAN:

And is it working?

Henry looks at the Englishman.

HENRY:

It's hard to forget where you are,

isn't it?

ENGLISHMAN:

You tell me.

Both the man and his wife smile at Henry and walk away. Henry

watches them go.

The unseen baby continues to howl.

28.

EXT. COLUMBIA PHILOSOPHY BUILDING -- AFTERNOON

Lila sits cross-legged in the grass lawn that fronts the

Philosophy building, highlighting lines in a textbook. A few

feet away, Rodin's bronze Le Penseur sits in permanent

contemplation.

SAM (O.S.)

So what's he thinking?

Lila looks up from her book and sees Sam staring at the

statue. She smiles and studies the Thinker for a moment.

SAM (CONT'D)

I think therefore I am?

LILA:

It's not thinking anything. It's a

statue.

SAM:

You're kind of literal minded, you

know that?

She grins and tosses aside her book.

LILA:

You grade two hundred papers in a

week, see how literal minded you

get.

(beat)

You met with that student today?

The suicidal one?

Sam squats down beside Lila and picks at the grass. He rests

his BRIEFCASE on the ground beside him.

SAM:

He came in, yeah.

LILA:

And? Why does he want to die?

Sam stares at Lila for a while and she looks away, flustered.

LILA (CONT' D)

I'm sorry, is that a stupid

question?

Sam shakes his head. He takes Lila's hand.

29.

SAM:

No. It's the question. I just don't

have an answer yet.

LILA:

And you... did you...

She's obviously uncomfortable, not sure how to proceed.

SAM:

I need to find something he wants

to live for.

.

LILA:

How are you going to do that?

SAM:

He'll tell me. That's why he keeps

coming to see me.

(checking his watch)

I've got a meeting to get to. See

you at home.

He kisses her on the lips, stands, and begins walking away.

Lila sees that he's left his briefcase lying on the ground.

LILA:

Henry!

Sam turns and stares at her. Lila points at the briefcase.

LILA (CONT'D)

Forgetting something?

Sam walks back to her, staring at her the whole time.

LILA (CONT'D)

What's the matter?

SAM:

What did you just call me?

LILA:

(confused)

What?

SAM:

You just called me Henry.

LILA:

Baby, I think I know your name by

now.

30.

SAM:

But you called me Henry.

Lila holds up her hands.

LILA:

Hey, don't shoot.

SAM:

No, it's just-

LI LA:

I know who you are, Sam. I promise.

SAM:

Okay. Okay.

He grabs his briefcase, kisses her again, and walks away. She

watches him go.

EXT. HUNGARIAN CAFE -- MORNING

Friday

Henry sits on the sidewalk outside the cafe, playing cat's

cradle with a string. He's good, creating intricate patterns

and undoing them.

Sam walks up to him.

SAM:

Hey. You're early.

HENRY:

I skipped glee club today.

SAM:

Oh.

(beat)

That's a joke, right?

HENRY:

Yes, sir.

Sam leads Henry inside.

INT. HUNGARIAN CAFE -- CONTINUOUS

A small, dark cafe where STUDENTS and PROFESSORS drink coffee

and eat homemade pastries. Bad art lines the walls.

31.

Henry and Sam find seats in a corner of the room, far away

from everyone else.

The song playing on the radio ends; the new song is "I Shall

be Released."

Henry sits up straight when he hears the song. He stares at

the nearest stereo speaker as if trying to figure something

out.

.

HENRY:

I can't escape this song.

(looking at Sam)

Why did you want to meet here?

SAM:

The Hungarian Cafe? Sentimental

favorite. When I was an undergrad I

worked here.

(pointing)

I lost my virginity under that

table.

HENRY:

(shocked)

You what?

SAM:

I used to lock up every night. So

one time I brought my girlfriend

here and we had a bottle of wine,

and, you know, one thing led to

another. It wasn't very

comfortable.

Henry laughs and shakes his head.

HENRY:

I never had a shrink tell me

something like that.

SAM:

(looking up at the

artworks)

They still have the same bad art on

the walls.

HENRY:

(looking at the art)

Tristan R.veur used to say that bad

art is more tragically beautiful

than good art, because bad art

documents human failure.

32.

SAM:

I don't know about this Tristan

R.veur guy. I think you ought to

choose your role models a little

more carefully.

(beat; very sober now)

You do understand that I'm required

by law to report anyone who

physically threatens himself or

others?

Henry laughs.

SAM (CONT'D)

What's funny?

HENRY:

You take all this so seriously.

SAM:

Should I not take it seriously? Is

that what you're telling me? Is

this a joke?

HENRY:

I'm not talking about Saturday. I

am going to die on Saturday. I just

mean your role. The psychiatrist.

You play it well.

Sam considers this for a moment.

SAM:

Why do you think I'm playing a

role?

Henry smiles but does not answer.

SAM (CONT'D)

Are you playing a role? The

Suicidal Romantic? Why'd you choose

that role? Why do you want to die?

The smile disappears from Henry's face. He rubs his palm over

the burns on his forearm.

.

HENRY:

I don't want to keep hurting

people.

SAM:

Who did you hurt?

33.

HENRY:

I don't know.

Henry is becoming more and more distraught. He stares at the

floor, picks at his fingernails. But Sam won't let it rest --

he knows he's on to something important.

SAM:

Have you done something, Henry?

You've hurt someone?

HENRY:

I don't know. Maybe.

SAM:

You do know. What have you done?

Henry, still staring at the floor, begins to shake his head

violently.

SAM (CONT’D)

Is that why you're thinking about

suicide? Is that it? You need to

punish yourself? What happened?

HENRY:

I don't remember.

SAM:

You don't want to remember. But you

have to. You can't escape from the

truth. Whatever it is you've done,

you have to face it.

Suddenly Henry stops shaking his head and looks straight at

Sam, a strange smile on his face.

HENRY:

If I can't escape from the truth,

we're all in serious trouble, Dr.

Foster.

EXT. HAMILTON LAWN -- COLUMBIA CAMPUS -- AFTERNOON

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