The Fisher King Page #29

JACK nods and the DOCTOR leaves. JACK looks at PARRY, who

stares vacantly in space...

JACK and ANNE stand alone.

ANNE:

Poor Lydia...First guy who shows

any interest at all and he winds

up in Bellevue...

SHE looks straight into JACK'S eyes...

...Some woman just have no luck,

huh?

Including herself in this remark, and having cried all she could

cry, SHE and JACK exchange one final look. SHE turns and walks

down the long corridor, out of the ward.

After a beat, JACK calls her.

JACK:

Anne...Anne, I'll call you, all

right?

ANNE doesn't turn or stop - she just keeps walking.

JACK stares back at PARRY, CAMERA MOVES IN TO CLOSE-UP - his

face hardening, a mixture of hurt...and hunger...and

resignation.

FADE TO:

SUPER - SIX MONTHS LATER.

INT. RADIO STUDIO - DAY

CAMERA PANS PAST A STATUESQUE REDHEAD, watching JACK through

the glass..to JACK in mid-broadcast:

JACK:

...So, if you're an aspiring

Picasso-salad maker, or if you

just want

to find out exactly what IS a

multi-flavored pickle - come down

to the Patterson Mall, this Saturday

right off Route 130..

HE smiles at the REDHEAD. SHE kisses through the glass.

CUT TO:

INT. BETH'S APARTMENT - LATER THAT DAY.

An even more luxurious version of JACK'S original apartment -

expensive furniture, track lighting, multi-leveled, art pieces -

very tastefully decorated.

The REDHEAD (BETH) is in the kitchen throwing out the remnants

of a take-out Mexican dinner. JACK is sits on a stool near a

counter, watching her. HE is wearing a bathrobe and his hair is

wet, nursing a beer. BETH is clad only in an oversized tee-shirt.

JACK:

Did they say when they were shooting for?

BETH:

No, they didn't go into scheduling,

but I'm telling you Jack - they are

really hot on this. As soon as I said

the phrase "cable talk show with a

difference",,,I am telling you,

his face lit up. He said they've

been trying to develop something

along those lines with these, you

know, up & coming comedians, but nothing

has worked out. When they heard it was you-

JACK:

Did they know about me?

BETH:

They knew what happened. They figured

you dropped out for personal reasons,

which they were. But Jack..

(faces him)

they were not at all - in any way -

turned off by it.

(strokes his face)

Really honey. It's going to be great.

SO I want you to write it down in your

book - a week from tomorrow, 3:30...

JACK sits, thinking.

...Go on. Write it now, before you forget.

As if on remote, JACK slips off the stool and walks into the

bedroom. HE finds his Filofax and writes down the date. BETH

enters the bathroom, leaving the door open.

BETH:

Oh, and Daddy wants to take us out

to dinner Friday. The car's coming

for us at seven.

JACK writes it down as he crosses to the bathroom. HE stands in

the doorway, admiring her beautiful figure as she takes off her

tee-shirt. JACK moves in to embrace. THEY kiss. JACK is obviously

getting more turned on than BETH.

BETH:

Honey...honey..I feel all dirty and

stinky. Why don't I take a bath,

we get into bed...we can talk about next week...

JACK keeps kissing her, forcing her to the floor...SHE laughs.

JACK!...What are you doing...

(kissing him)

Jack the floor is cold...

(whines)

Honneeeyy...Can I at least put down the duvet?

JACK stops. BETH tilts her head, adding emphasis to her compromise.

JACK:

(sits up)

That's all right. Why don't you

take a bath, get into bed...

(stands)

I'm going to uh...I wanna buy

a pack of cigarettes...

BETH:

You don't smoke.

JACK:

Sometimes I do...

BETH:

(on floor, looking up)

Well, you better wait a little bit-

(points, baby voice)

Mr. Baldy's watching the parade.

JACK looks down at his crotch - his hard-on, or MR Baldy as BETH

refers to it, is prominently extended (O.C.) from his robe. BETH

gets up giggling. HE smiles, with cynical resentment.

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT.

MONTAGE:

JACK walks the streets. It seems that no matter where he goes,

or what he sees, he is reminded of the past:

- the neon sign of a VIDEO STORE; BUMS huddles in doorways...

- the EAST RIVER PROMENADE - the spot where he once contemplated

suicide until someone saved him. HE looks into the river and smiles,

then turns to face the woody area from where PARRY first sprang.

It seems dark and empty. He starts to walk further down the

promenade. HE looks up to the night clouds drifting against in a

clear night sky. HE continues to walk. HE spots two bums sharing

a bench. Something about one of the bums seems familiar - he

looks like a hippy. JACK approaches them, and discovers they are

the BLACK and the HIPPY from his first night with PARRY. THEY

are both trying to sleep on the bench. JACK smiles. THEY look up

at him, without any recognition.

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