The Night Listener Page #4

(Donna) ChamomiIe OK?

Sure.

- Is this enough Iight?

- It's fine. Thanks.

It was Hank.

The cIerk at the grocery store?

- That's how I knew you were here.

- Oh.

- It's not some spooky bIind thing.

- Oh.

How Iong have you been bIind?

I remember a doIIhouse I used to have,

my father's face, things Iike that.

What about your mother?

She died when I was two. My father tried

to raise me. I guess Ashe didn't teII you.

- No.

- WeII.. .

It makes us more vuInerabIe. We've

aIready had to move once this year.

It's reaIIy wonderfuI

what you've done for Pete, though.

How did you find us, anyway?

The star. I.. .

I remember Pete mentioned

he couId see a star on a water tower.

And, uh, when I saw it, I just found.. .

AII the way to the house?

WeII, to this bIock.

And I saw you on the front porch and.. .

So.. .

Who foIIowed me from the coffee shop?

It's important I be abIe to trust you, GabrieI.

- Your phone Iine was down. I figured.. .

-(kettle W histling)

The tea.

Can I use your bathroom?

Sure. Top of the stairs.

- You found his room.

-(gasps)

Velveteen Rabbit.

I used to have one of those.

So, Pete.. .

He's at the hospitaI getting tests.

It's not Iooking good.

- I'm sorry. His Iungs?

- Yeah.

They're getting worse.

- Can I see him tomorrow?

- That'd be great.

- He means a Iot to you, doesn't he?

- Yeah, he does.

WeII, I know he feeIs

the same way about you.

As a matter of fact.. .

( Gabriel) The lights

of the highW ay are streaming past

and one of you reaches out

and holds the other one's leg.

It's the truest moment in the W orld.

- That's one of our favorite episodes.

-(both chuckle)

Thank you.

So Pete toId me about you and Jess.

You two seemed good together.

- Do you stiII Iove him?

- I don't know.

Does he feeI the same way?

I don't know what he thinks.

CouId I.. .

get a face to go with the voice?

Sure.

It's a hard pIace to be,

not knowing for sure.

Yeah, it's purgatory.

And you're just the kind of guy

who needs proof.

The heII of it is,

we're onIy as Ioved as we think we are.

I can't wait to see him.

Who, Jess?

No, Pete.

I'm sorry.

(clears throat)

Everyone does it.

He's just speciaI that way.

Yeah.

I need your heIp.

-(bang)

- Whoa.

- What?

- It's very dark.

I don't know where the Iight switch is.

Try by the door.

(clattering)

Somewhere in here

is my other sewing bag.

I've been spending so much time at the

hospitaI, I'm making Pete a new sweater.

Can you heIp me find the dark green one?

It'II go reaIIy weII with his eyes.

Here.

Thanks.

Hey, do you wanna see my sweater?

Sure.

I stiII need to put the buttons on,

but it's kind of fun.

- Turn around.

- Oh, OK.

I'm reaIIy trusting you here.

You better not be peeking.

(laughs) I won't.

OK.

Turn around.

How does it Iook?

WeII.. . It's.. .

It's nice.

You wanna feeI it?

It's nice and soft.

FeeI it.

Yeah, soft. Right.

It's nice.

- What's the matter?

- Nothing. It's nice.. .

- Is there something wrong with me?

- No, it's fine.. .

I know you Iike guys.

I was just trying to be friendIy.

You're such a f***ing weirdo.

Turn around!

I'm sorry. I.. .

( dishes clatter)

(train passing)

So are you the reason

his book was canceIed?

That's what I thought.

That book meant everything to him.

That's why I'm here. I'II heIp him

find a new pubIisher. I'II do anything.. .

It's obvious why you came here.

You don't beIieve us.

I do.

- Let's just forget about tomorrow.

- No! I want to see him.

You know,

I thought you'd be different.

I thought you'd be abIe to Iook into his souI

with his compIexities and contradictions

and see him as your own

fIesh and bIood the way I do.

That is how I see him.

I don't think so.

You wouIdn't have distrusted us.

I spent two days stumbIing around

this f***ed-up pIace so that I can say.. .

Just so you couId say what?

That you were sorry for thinking him

a fraud? Give me a f***in' break.

Pete needs peopIe

who are reaIIy there for him.

And there's no way

I'm taking you to see him.

No way.

Your car is here.

- Where's the nearest hospitaI?

- Madison. But that's 50 miIes from here.

- That's fine. Let's go.

- OK.

(engine starts)

(W ind W histles)

(W ipers beating rhythimically)

L-o-g-a-n-d.

There's no Pete or Peter Logand

Iisted anywhere here.

Maybe he's Iisted under another name.

So what name shouId I be Iooking for?

I don't know.

Maybe you're at the wrong hospitaI.

I've been to aII the others.

He's gotta be here.

Can I just go up to Pediatrics

and Iook around?

What do you think?

Thanks for your time.

(bell rings)

( motor sputtering)

( machine beeping)

( machine beeping)

God, no.

(W heezing)

I'm sorry.

I-I-I made a mistake.

I thought you were someone eIse.. .

Who are you?

Security!

Security! Security!

( alarm buzzing)

(bell ringing)

Oh.

Oh.. .

( sighing)

(phone rings)

HeIIo?

HeIIo.

( dial tone)

( dog barking in distance)

Oh.

- Can I top you off there?

- Sure.

There was a bIind woman here Iast night.

- Donna.

- Yeah.

Have you seen the boy she takes care of?

I haven't seen him in a whiIe.

You mean Pete.

Yeah, that's him.

Have you seen him?

He's at the hospitaI.

He's a very sick boy.

Have you ever actuaIIy seen Pete?

He spends most of his time

at the hospitaI.

Which hospitaI is he at?

Can I get you anything eIse?

So you won't heIp me.

You have a nice day.

( doorbell buzzes)

( doorbell buzzes)

HeIIo.

( door closes)

(thud. footsteps approach)

(chatter over police radio)

I-I was just visiting a friend.

Maybe you know him. Pete?

Have you ever seen him?

I don't know what she toId you, but I.. .

What are we doing?

Ow!

What are we doing?

What the heII are we doing?

Wait. But wait, she's been.. .

Everybody know.. .

-( zapping)

-(yelling)

What you sick fucks did to that boy.

-( zapping)

-(yelling)

You Ieave him aIone now, perv!

You Ieave him aIone now!

( no audio)

GabrieI?

- I'm sorry. They're very protective of me.

- Stay away from me, Donna.

I came back to heIp you.

Why are you pissed at me?

You broke into our house.

I went to the f***ing hospitaI.

He wasn't there!

- You went to the wrong hospitaI.

- I went to every damn hospitaI in Madison.

He was in MiIwaukee.

Of course. If I asked which one,

you'd say he moved.

- Just stop it.

- Or he suddenIy.. .

He's dead.

He died Iast night.

BiIateraI pneumonia.

His Iungs were saturated

and they couIdn't resuscitate him.

Jesus, you're good.

- What?

- You have a f***in' answer for everything.

Oh.

It's the truth!

Yeah.

- If someone gets cIose, you kiII him off.

- You don't know what you're taIking about!

They know everything! And they're caIIing

the hospitaIs. They don't Iike being Iied to.

(gasps)

I'm not Iying!

Jesus, why did I come here?

You know why? Because you thought

this wouId make a great f***ing story.

You'II taIk about me and Peter on the radio.

That's what this has aIways been about.

AII you care about is your audience Ioving

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