The Night Listener Page #3

But that's not very interesting, is it?

Look, I moved out

because I needed a break.

You aIways sift through this reIationship

Iooking for materiaI for your show.

TeII me you didn't f***in' reIish it.

I went aIong with the show because

I thought it gave my death meaning.

But I don't need that anymore.

WeII, great. Because there's no show.

Are you happy?

That's not my fauIt.

You don't know him.

Maybe.

- Looks transparent to me.

- What's that supposed to mean?

You're aIways taIking about wanting kids.

And now you've created this.. .

- F*** you. You're such an asshoIe!

- F*** it. You know, go pIay with Tiny Tim.

( door closes)

Do you know anyone

who actuaIIy met Pete Logand?

No.

Not a doctor or a sociaI worker

or neighbor, anybody?

They Iive in Wisconsin.

Jess thinks Pete and Donna sound aIike.

- They do.

- That doesn't strike you as odd?

Pete didn't taIk when he came to Iive

with her and ended up imitating her.

- That wasn't in the book.

- A Iot isn't.

- You know 'cause she toId you.

- Yeah.

- You got aII of your information from her.

- Her and Pete.

Did she show you a birth certificate,

an adoption document,

something substantiaI?

If you think it's a hoax,

you're off base.

- Why?

- Because!

I spent over a year speaking with them and

they toId me things you couIdn't imagine.

Now, maybe your present situation

is coIoring the way you think.

It has nothing to do with that.

You're about to pubIish a book

by an author you know sh*t about.

ShouIdn't you be a IittIe concerned?

(phone ringing)

( Gabriel) You've reached Gabriel and

Jess. Please leave a message at the tone.

(Donna) Oh. uh... Well. I guess

you're not there so I'll just try again.

- HeIIo?

- Oh. it's Donna.

Hi.

I know this isn't much notice, but we'd

Iove for you to come visit for Christmas.

- ReaIIy?

- Yeah. sure.

The guest room ain't fancy.

but I cook a mean plum pudding

and it W ould mean so much to Pete.

- So...

-(coughing)

- Is that Pete?

- Yeah. he still has a cough.

But he's fine.

So. can you come?

I can't think of a better way

to spend Christmas.

- That's great.

- Yeah, it is. ReaIIy is.

- Hey, GabrieI.

- Hey, Marie.

- Didn't know you pIayed basebaII.

- Oh, no. It's a gift for a friend.

Signed by, uh, Jerry Deter.

You mean Derek Jeter?

- Yeah. Yeah.

-(phone rings)

F***, she baiIed on you.

- What was her excuse?

- There was no excuse.

Doctor said he shouIdn't have any visitors.

They're worried about him catching a fIu.

F***ing pIanes are petri dishes. I don't

want him to catch something from me.

So Iater, maybe.

Yeah. If he's stiII around.

WeII, you never know.

No, you don't.

Not about anything.

- We shouIdn't see each other anymore.

- Babe, it doesn't have to be Iike this.

Yeah, babe.

I don't want to be jerked around.

I want a cIean break.

- We're not gonna speak to each other?

- I'm too oId for this sh*t.

- Come on, GabrieI.

- Listen, you ruined what we had.

You're the f***ing one

who can't see the reaIity.

What do you mean there won't be a book?

I thought your editor beIieved this kid.

He does, but his bosses got coId feet.

- And Donna and Pete?

- They're totaIIy devastated.

What do you have?

There is no record of any Pete Logand

in any kind of triaI.

Doesn't mean anything.

Pete took Donna's name

when she adopted him.

Ashe thinks

they were using an aIias

because that way his reaI mother

couIdn't track him down.

Cute kid.. . whoever he is.

Why wouId someone do this?

That's what I keep asking.

It's a hideous way

to promote a book.

Maybe it's not about that for her. Maybe

she doesn't even know she's doing it.

Like a muItipIe-personaIity thing?

Wait, what if she had a kid

who died in some, Iike, horribIe way

and now she needs to assume

his identity in order to.. .

No.

What if she has him embaImed?

- You know, Iike that guy from Psycho?

- Mm.

No, wait. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

What if she's the one who doesn't exist?

What if he's impersonating her?

PIease, now stop it.

This is not some sort of parIor game.

Sorry.

What if there is some haIf-dead kid and

I've just taken away his Iast shred of hope?

I couIdn't Iive with that.

Ever thought about a voiceprint?

Like what the cops use?

They're as good as fingerprints.

Now you're scaring me.

(beep)

(W oman) Hey. it's Davia.

There's a neW Thai place...

- No.

-(beep)

-(Pete) Hey. dick-smoker.

- That's him. Stop it.

(beep)

- OK. So what do you have from her?

- Nothing. I erased the Iast message.

Then you have to caII her.

Get her on tape.

- How do I do that?

- Uh.. .

You just, uh, press this button

right before you taIk to her.

I don't know, uh.. .

It's an answering machine,

not a thermonucIear device.

But what if I'm, you know,

recording her and the machine beeps?

(imitating chicken)

(beeping)

( ringing through receiver)

(operator) We're sorry. The number

you have reached is not in service.

Please check the number

or try your call again. This is a recording.

(W oman) So, do you have

famiIy in Wisconsin?

Yes, actuaIIy. A son.

Oh.

He Iives with his mother, though.

But I get to see him on hoIidays.

- How oId is he?

- 1 4.

You must have had him Iate.

- WeII, yeah, I.. . FairIy, yeah.

-(chuckles)

Do you have any pictures?

As a matter of fact.. .

Oh, my goodness.

Look at those eyes.

Yeah.

He has your nose and chin though.

- Does he?

- Hm.

Excuse me.

I hope this isn't too pushy,

but I saw your name on the passenger Iist

and I just wanted to say I reaIIy appreciate

everything you've done.. . for us.

The pIeasure was mine.

You've done something

for fIight attendants?

(beeping)

( ringing through receiver)

(operator) We're sorry. The number

you have reached is not in service...

Please check-

F***.

Hi.

I've done something reaIIy dumb

and I was hoping you couId heIp me.

I have a good friend

who Iives here in Montgomery.

I've aIways assumed that 51 1 Henzke

was her actuaI address.

You meet her onIine?

No. Nothing Iike that. It's just.. .

She's a good friend and I'm sure she

comes in here aII the time. Donna Logand?

PeopIe pay us so they don't

have to use their reaI address.

It's the point of the pIace.

WeII, sure.

She's a friend.

I came a Iong way to.. .

OK. Fine.

(W ind W histles)

( metal creaking)

( door opens)

( dog barking)

( man) Hey!

- Are you OK?

- Thanks, yeah.

OK.

(person coughs)

(W oman) You Iike those burgers,

but they're awfuI on your tummy.

I'II fix you something when we get home.

Hey. You back for more cocoa?

- Does twice a day make me a junkie?

- Not by me. Anything for him?

Oh, no, thanks.

We shouIdn't make a habit of it.

- You mind if I have a cuddIe?

- Go ahead.

He needs aII the Iove he can get.

Don't you?

(W aitress chuckling)

OK, Iet's go.

See ya.

(W aitress)

You betcha. Stay warm.

(crossing bell dinging)

(train horn bloW s)

(train passes)

Aren't you gonna say heIIo, GabrieI?

(panting)

(W ater running)

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