The Fisher King Page #6

UPROARIOUS LAUGH TRACKS. JACK's eyebrow rises past his skull.

ANNOUNCER:

For the funniest D.J. on T.V. -

ON THE RADIO - this fall on channel ten ...

JACK stares menacingly at the TV then looks away. HE sees his

reflection in the mirror of the bar - the hard expression, the

pallor, the possibilities gone...It's the last straw.

CUT TO:

EXT. - EAST RIVER, NEW YORK CITY - NIGHT.

C.U. OF TWO FEET stand beneath the railing overlooking the East

river. Taped to one ankle is a brick. Taped to the other is a

brick around a SMILING PINNOCHIO DOLL. An empty bottle of liquor

drops to the ground and shatters.

CUT TO:

JACK - prepared to surrender his fate and make the final leap.

HE stares at the river, almost smiling. HE has made his decision.

HE tries to raise his foot over the railing.

VOICE (OC)

What's going on?

Surprised, JACK turns around.

TWO WHITE JUEVENILE DELINQUENTS - one wearing a leather jacket,

the other a high school football windbreaker - stand behind

JACK. Each are carrying a gallon of gasoline.

JACK is drunk but he is immediately aware of the danger when

he spots the gasoline cans.

LEATHER:

I said what's going on?

(walks up to JACK)

What are you doing here?

JACK shakes his head and before he knows it, LEATHER shoves a

fist into his gut, sinking him to his knees. WINDBREAKER places

the gasoline cans on the bench and begins to unscrew them.

LEATHER:

You shouldn't hang around this

neighborhood.

JACK:

O.K...

LEATHER:

People like my Dad pay alot of

money for this neighborhood.

They don't like looking out their

window for 2500 a month and seein

your ass asleep on the benches -

you understand?

JACK:

Yes..Yes..I do...I won't come back.

LEATHER:

Good.

(to WINDBREAKER)

You believe this drunk?

WINDBREAKER shakes his head.

.....Me neither.

JACK:

(crying)

NO...NO PLEASE..

WINDBREAKER hands LEATHER the can, who raises it above JACK'S

head. AS THE GASOLINE SLOWLY LEAKS ONTO A PETRIFIED JACK SEES A

FIGURE MOVING OUT FROM THE DARKNESS OF THE TREES.

FIGURE:

LEAVE HIM ALONE!

Startled, THE YOUTHS TURN.

THE SHADOWY FIGURE stands defiantly.

WINDBREAKER:

Sh*t. Let's go. We blew it.

LEATHER:

No.

THE FIGURE steps out of the darkened, grassy area and into

the light of a promenade street lamp.

LEATHER:

(disgusted)

Jesus...They're all over the place.

The figure turns out to be A BUM. Grimy face, tattered layers

of clothing beneath a long over coat, a pork pie hat with a

twig sticking out of it like a plume in a helmet of yore.

Although clearly downtrodden, behind his beaten appearance, there

radiates a calm intelligence and strength. There is something

distinctly attractive and confident about him, as he stands there

smiling at these two juvenile would-be terrorists. We learn later

his name is PARRY; a combination of Don Quixote and Harpo Marx.

LEATHER calls to him threateningly, with the gasoline can.

LEATHER:

You know, there's enough in here

for the two of you.

PARRY:

I advise you to let us go.

LEATHER:

You advise us!

PARRY:

You're out numbered.

PARRY glances over LEATHER's shoulder. LEATHER TURNS to see:

A BUM pushing a shopping cart comes out of the darkness. HE

is mumbling to himself incoherently.

Another BUM, wearing mountains of clothing, appears from

the dark several yards behind WINDBREAKER - who is growing

unnerved by these newcomers.

PARRY looks to the trees and a third BUM - tall, black and

wearing a garbage bag - steps out of the dark, menacingly.

Taken by themselves, the BUMS would look harmless and pathetic.

But in the context of their uncharacteristic organization -

THEY appear frightening.

WINDBREAKER:

(Releasing his grip on PARRY)

Sh*t. It's like f***ing Night of the

Living Dead.

JACK is frozen, in total confusion and fear.

LEATHER tries to remain confident. HE laughs.

LEATHER:

Am I supposed to be scared? Come on!

They're nuts. They can't do anything.

(yells at them)

GET OUTTA HERE!

But the BUMS stand motionless.

PARRY:

They only listen to me.

LEATHER:

Yeah right...They don't even understand

what the f*** THEY'RE saying -

they're going to understand you?

LEATHER and WINDBREAKER watch apprehensively as PARRY raises his

hand to signal. Each bum reaches into his "possessions", as if

to pull out a weapon. Instead, each bum pulls out a flashlight and

shines them on the two youths, blinding them from seeing PARRY.

WINDBREAKER:

(shielding his eyes)

Sh*t.

LEATHER:

You're gonna need more than your

zombie pals when I get through with you.

HE brandishes his knife towards the dark spot where he assumes

PARRY is standing.

PARRY:

Son...There comes a time in

every man's life...and you will

learn this, if and when you become men...

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