The Fisher King Page #9

JACK shakes at PARRY'S description.

..And they sent this message, FLYING

(indicating the GARBAGE CHUTE)...

RIGHT out of here and into my hands...

HE hops out of the dumpster. JACK butts up against the boiler,

banging his head on the metal - causing his hangover to escalate.

PARRY squats down next to JACK - cornering him against the boiler.

HE hands him an ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST. ....The cover picture is a

A HANDSOME MIDDLE-AGED MAN standing in front of a NEW YORK

TOWNHOUSE - which looks very much like the CASTLE-LIKE BUILDING

on PARRY'S MURAL. The caption reads -

BILLIONAIRE LANGSTON CARMICHAEL

ADDS A NEW CASTLE TO HIS KINGDOM

PARRY quickly opens the magazine to the pictorial layout of the

lavish interiors of CARMICHAEL'S TOWNHOUSE. The final page shows

CARMICHAEL, a dashing bachelor in his fifties, standing in his

private LIBRARY beside a GLASS COMODE. PARRY excitedly points

to inside the COMODE, where a GOLDEN CHALICE sits in the BG.

PARRY:

Right there.

JACK:

(not getting it and not wanting to)

Yeah?

PARRY:

He's got it...He's got the Grail.

JACK:

Langston Carmichael? Really?

PARRY:

(smiles and nods)

I know! You can't imagine how surprised

I was. I mean who would think you

could find anything divine on

the Upper East Side.

JACK:

(LOSING HIS PATIENCE)

Wait a minute! You're telling me

the psychic dumpster told you

Langston Carmichael has The Holy Grail

sitting in a comode next to his humidore?

PARRY:

Yeah. It's in his library on the-

JACK:

Listen, and I really don't mean

to be flippant or to enrage you

or anything, but I think you'd

be spending you time a lot more

wisely looking for your brain.

(hidden anger; forceful)

I have to go now.

JACK turns to crawl, but PARRY moves in front of him again.

PARRY:

Jack, please...I need your help.

JACK decides to try and gain his footing, so he begins to inch

his way up the boiler against his back.

PARRY:

See...there's this one other

thing. The Red Knight...

JACK stops and reluctantly indicates the KNIGHT in the mural.

PARRY:

Well, I just drew that from my

imagination. I haven't actually

met the guy...yet...

(little people)

THEY tell me he's out there

waiting for me, waiting till I

get close and then he'll show

himself. See, it's either him

or me. He's been playing with

me lately. Those kids last night

- they work for him. He's got

people like that all over the

city. Haven't you noticed all the

crime lately.

JACK:

Crime? In New York? Really?

PARRY:

It's because I'm getting close,

Jack. That's why I need help.

Somebody like you, somebody true.

I'm getting close but...

(frightened)

...I don't think I could face him

alone.

(smiles)

So what do you say?

JACK rises to his feet and the room spins. HE slides down

again.

JACK:

(rubbing his head)

Listen. You're a very nice...very

nice psychotic man. I really

appreciate what you did for me

- you're a...it was a very brave

and noble thing...

PARRY:

Oh, please...You're embarrassing

me.

JACK:

But I can't help you...

PARRY is about to speak when JACK jumps in first.

JACK:

....so, once again....Thank you...

(extends his hand, forgetting his name)

Uh....?

PARRY:

Parry.

JACK:

Parry...I'm Jack.

PARRY:

(smiling broadly)

I know.

JACK:

You're a good person. Really. Thanks again.

JACK quickly exits. PARRY smiles to himself.

PARRY:

Anytime.

CUT TO:

INT. BROWNSTONE HALLWAY - MINUTES LATER.

JACK steps out of what must be the entrance to the basement.

HE walks down the hallway toward the front exit when suddenly

an apartment door swings open. FRANK, a burly superintendent,

steps into the hall.

FRANK:

Where you coming from!?

JACK:

Uh...basement I think...

FRANK:

(yells so PARRY can hear)

I TELL HIM NO VISITORS!

JACK'S head sets off another explosion.

JACK:

Sorry..I..he brought me here last

night. I had no idea...

WIFE (OC)

FFFFFRRRRAAANNNNNKKK! WHO IS AT THE DOOR?!

FRANK:

I'M TALKIN TO SOMEBODY! YA GOTTA

YELL LIKE A BANSHEE!

WIFE (OC)

It's just my manner!

FRANK:

(hard of hearing)

WHAT!?

WIFE (OC)

I SAID IT'S JUST MY MANNER!

JACK'S head is now nearly split down the middle.

FRANK:

You a friend of Parry's?

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