The Man Who Wasn't There Page #20

Birdy begins to play for the quietly attentive audience.

EXT. SCHOOL

Ed is among the crowd streaming from the gym into the warm

summer night. He looks around the parking lot.

ED (V.O.)

...I could afford to charge less

than the usual manager, not having

to put up a big front like a lot of

these phonies. And I could be with

her, enough to keep myself feeling

OK...

A trace of a frown as he spots her leaning against a car,

laughing, passing a cigarette back and forth with another

student--a boy.

ED (V.O.)

...Why couldn't that work?... Why

not?...

Birdy's easy smile remains as Ed approaches, but the boy's

drops; he puts on a face more suitable for meeting adults.

BIRDY:

Hi, Mr Crane.

ED:

Hello, Birdy. I thought that was

very good.

BIRDY:

Oh, in there? I messed up a little

bit in the scherzo. I guess, if nobody

noticed, it's OK. Mr Crane, this is

Tony, a friend of mine. Tony, Mr

Crane.

ED:

Hello, Tony.

TONY:

Hello, sir.

Silence. The teens wait for the adult to direct the

conversation; Ed has nothing to say. At length, he clears

his throat.

ED:

...Well, congratulations. I guess

I'll be getting home.

TONY:

Nice to meet you, sir.

TURANDOT SUITE:

It is morning. We are tracking past an unmade bed toward the

bathroom, where we hear water running.

ED (V.O.)

...Anyway, that's what I was thinking

about in the days leading up to the

trial. It seemed like once that was

over, I'd be ready for a new start.

Freddy Riedenschneider was very

optimistic. He was busy preparing...

We have rounded the open bathroom door to find Riedenschneider

hunched over the sink, toothbrush in hand, spitting out water.

He rises, looks at himself in the mirror, sprinkles some

tonic in his hair.

ED (V.O.)

...And finally it came... the first

day of the trial...

Riedenschneider runs his fingers through his hair.

ED (V.O.)

...What Riedenschneider called the

Big Show.

He straightens his tie, gives his neck a twist.

COURTROOM:

We are close on the back of Riedenschneider's gleaming hair.

He is sitting at the defense table.

There is a murmur of a crowd that has yet to be called to

order.

FRANK:

Where's the judge? How come there's

no judge?

Ed and Frank sit next to each other in the first gallery row

directly behind Riedenschneider.

FRANK:

...Where's the judge, Ed?

Ed shrugs. Frank looks at Riedenschneider's back.

FRANK:

...How come the judge doesn't come

out?

RIEDENSCHNEIDER:

The judge comes in last. He'll come

in when Doris gets here.

FRANK:

So where's Doris? I thought we started

at ten. Hey, Riedenschneider, where's

Doris?

Riedenschneider is curt:

RIEDENSCHNEIDER:

She's late.

FRANK:

Late? How can she be late?

Riedenschneider doesn't answer; Frank turns to Ed.

FRANK:

...She's in prison, Ed. None of *us*

are in prison, and yet we're not

late. We're on time, Ed. How can

Doris be late? What, they don't have

wake-up calls?

The murmur of the crowd subsides as a door behind the judge's

bench opens and the judge hurriedly enters.

The gallery rises but the judge quickly waves them back down

and, rather than seating himself, leans forward over his

desk to give a peremptory beckoning wave to Riedenschneider

and the prosecutor.

JUDGE:

Counselors.

Riedenschneider, puzzled, approaches the bench, as does his

counterpart from the other table. The judge, still leaning

forward, speaks to them in a low voice that is not audible

from the gallery.

The crowd has started murmuring again, also in hushed tones.

Frank leans in toward Ed.

FRANK:

What's going on, Ed? I thought there

would be arguments. The bailiff, and

so forth...

Ed, also puzzled, is watching Riedenschneider, who suddenly

stiffens. As the judge continues to talk, Riedenschneider

looks back over his shoulder at Ed.

FRANK:

...Ed, what is this? Is this

procedure?

The two lawyers nod at the judge and walk back to their

respective tables. The judge now summons a uniformed man

standing to one side.

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