• After silence •
Screenplay by Jonathan Carroll
ABOUT
A man who's had his share of bad relationships suddenly and unexpectedly meets the woman he has been waiting for all his life. Unfortunately, she has a secret from her past that threatens to destroy not only their relationship, but the couple as well.
SCript
FADE IN ON:
A hand sketching pencil lines on a sunlit page. The subject: a smiling, almond-eyed girl-six year old GREER FISCHER. Greer tries to hold still but like any kid, she twitches and wriggles, is still a moment or two, then... The lines on the page swoop and curve, expertly and quickly catching her essence on paper. The artist is MAX FISCHER, his face intent on what he's doing. The pencil tip pauses. Max is distracted a moment, thinking hard...
FADE TO BLACK
Then the sound of a very LOUD explosion.
FADE IN ON:
A bullet leaving a gun in slow motion. We watch from the side as it silently travels out of the smoking barrel on its deadly way to wherever. While it moves, a voice says calmly
MAX FISCHER
(v.o.)
How much does a life weigh? Is it the product of our good acts, divided by the bad? Or only the human body itself put on a scale-- a two hundred-pound life? I hold a gun to my son's head. He weighs about a hundred and thirty pounds, the gun no more than two. He's smiling, I am terrified. I'll pull the trigger and he will die; yet he's smiling as if this fatal metal against his head is the finger of a loved one. Who am I? How can I do this to my own son? Listen.
Bullet continues off screen and we
FADE OUT.
INT: MUSEUM. DAY
A skew-angled close-up of a large, super-realistic painting of the view of a city from a dirigible, the shadow of the blimp passing over the ground. PULL BACK and see a man looking at the picture. Once again it is MAX FISCHER (in his late thirties. Short hair, fashionable eye- glasses, casually dressed). He looks at the painting a long moment, then a small smile crosses his face. He steps back and nods approvingly.
MAX
Not bad. Not bad.
CUT TO:
INT: WHITNEY MUSEUM. DAY
On either side of the door leading into the museum's main exhibition hall, we see two large posters by different artists advertising the show everyone's come to see: "XANADU: VISIONARY CITIES". We move into the room and around it, as if we were going to the show itself. After a stop here and there to see different pieces
(A 'Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'-like sculpture, a Cy Twombly painting that shows the graffiti on the wall of a city, etc..) We catch Max wandering through, looking intently here and there at different things. At one point right behind him just off to the side, an attractive thirty'ish woman (LILY AARON) and a boy of about eight (LINCOLN AARON) are arguing. They're dressed similarly in jeans and T-shirts. The only real difference is Lincoln's shirt has Daffy Duck on it, and he's wearing shabby sneakers. Lily is in all fashionably faded pastels from 'GAP', her feet in expensive leather sandals. As they argue, Max turns and watches.
LILY
No! First the museum, then lunch.
LINCOLN
(Whining)
But I'm hungry!
LILY
(snapping)
Too bad! You had your chance before.
Max frowns, siding with the kid. His face shows real sympathy. Lily takes Lincoln's hand and marches him away. The boy goes, but droops the whole way. Max's face shows his disapproval of the way she's treated the poor kid.
CUT TO
INT: MUSEUM. DAY
Max wanders through the museum, looking at the wildly different and imaginative pieces in the 'Xanadu' show. There are all sorts of paintings, sculpture, and assemblages... Work ranging from the loony tunes 3-D New York of Red Grooms to Hollywood sets to the calm intricacy of Piranesi. Video screens blare and flicker, a huge mobile of interconnecting buildings hangs overhead and moves in the wind. Give us a good taste of this until Max finally stops at a large painting, which we recognize from the poster outside-- CLOSE-UP on his face as he stands in front of it.
LINCOLN
(o.s.)
All these pictures are so big. They make my eyes work too hard!
LILY
(o.s.)
Well, they're supposed to be like a meal-- you
let your eyes eat them slowly, bite by bite.
LINCOLN
(o.s. disgusted)
You can't eat a painting, Mom!
LILY
(o.s.)
It just fills you up a different way.
Pause
LINCOLN
(o.s.)
Maybe I'll be an artist when I grow up. An
artist and a skin diver.
LILY
(o.s.)
Sure, why not. You'll be the first guy to ever paint pictures underwater.
LINCOLN
(o.s.)
Mom, you know what really scares me? Thin statues!
Max smiles widely. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small notebook and pen.
CUT TO:
INT: MUSEUM.DAY
CLOSE UP of hand quickly writing the words 'thin statues.'
LILY
(o.s.)
Oh honey, I know exactly what you mean!
CUT TO:
INT: MUSEUM. DAY
Max finishes writing and turns to see who is behind him. Standing with their backs to him are LILY & LINCOLN staring at a metal sculpture of the Empire State Building that looks as if it had been squeezed between the closing doors of an elevator. They turn and are face to face with Max. It's clear he's been listening, so Lily goes on as if he were already part of their conversation.
LILY
Thin statues and thin people! NEVER trust a thin person. They're either vain or on the run!
MAX
(delighted)
I never thought of it that way.
LILY
(wound up,she's on a roll)
Because it isn't a thin society! We PRETEND to love thin, but all we really want is fat: fat homes, fat meals, fat cars. Because deep down, we love fat! People come into the restaurant where work and pretend to love nouvelle cuisine, but they don't. They look at their bill and feel cheated having to pay so much for such stingy servings. That's all nouvelle cuisine is anyway-- a clever new way of cheating a customer out of their money's worth. Give 'em two asparagus pear artistically arranged, and you can charge them more than if you gave them seven. Jesus Christ, I talk too much. I'm Lily Aaron and this is my son Lincoln.
Offers her hand.
MAX
Max Fischer.
As he's shaking hands with Lily and then the boy, A MAN & WOMAN sidle up to him, the man holding a catalog of the show.
MAN
I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Fischer, but would you mind signing this? Is it okay? Just want to tell you how much we love your work. We look at it first thing in the paper every day!
Man looks from Max to Lily.
MAX
(pleased, taking program, gets out pen)
Thank you very much! What's your name?
MAN
Glenn Roast.
MAX
(hesitant to write)
Roast? Like--
ROAST
(nodding)
Yeah, exactly, like a pot roast.
Lincoln absolutely cracks up. Lily tries to shoosh him, but Roast smiles it off.
ROAST
Don't worry, everybody laughs. Just sign it please to Glenn and Rosalyn.
Max signs and hands it back while Lincoln still laughs. Everybody's happy. The couple leave.
MAX
If they have a son I wonder if his name is Chuck?
LILY
Or Ribeye. Is your work in this show?
Max turns and points.
MAX
Yes, this one here. I draw the comic strip 'Paper Clip.'
LILY
I don't know it. I never read the paper.
Lincoln wanders over to look at Max's painting.
MAX
That's okay.
LILY
Have you heard of the restaurant 'Crowds and Power' on 3rd Avenue?
MAX
I'm afraid not.
LILY
(brightly)
Then we're even! That's where I work.
Seemingly unimpressed, Lincoln returns to Lily's side and tugs on her arm. He won't stop and she makes an exasperated face.
LILY
What, Lincoln?
He gestures for her to bend over so he can whisper in her ear. She does and smiles at what he says.
LILY
(smiling)
Ask him yourself.
Lincoln, totally shy now, doesn't wanna.
LILY
Go on, Goofy. It's a fair question.
LINCOLN
(to Max, gesturing at the picture)
You swear to God you painted that?
Max takes a black marking pen out of his pocket, pulls the boy to him and without asking permission, and begins drawing quickly on the front of Lincoln's white T-shirt. The boy squirms and giggles, but doesn't stop him. Lily puts her hands to her face, thrilled.
MAX
(demanding)
What's your favorite part of my picture?
LINCOLN
(trying to turn and look at it)
I don't know. I can't see it from here!
The kid loves this. So does his mother.
MAX
(falsely gruff)
Doesn't matter. Use your memory! Can't you remember things?
LINCOLN
(indignant)
Yeah I remember! Better than you! I like the parts where the blimp is passing over the city.
CUT TO:
INT: MUSEUM.DAY
CLOSE UP of hand drawing quickly on white shirt. Buildings shaking hands, blimps, dancing clocks, birds in top hats flying overhead...
LINCOLN
(o.s.,giggling, squirming under the shirt)
It tickles! You're crazy!
MAX
(o.s.)
You think so?
CUT TO:
INT:MUSEUM.DAY
Max spins the boy around to face his mother, then caps the pen. Delighted, Lily looks at the shirt. Lincoln bends his head down as far as he can, then pulls shirt up to look.
LINCOLN
(thrilled)
Whoa! Ma, did you see this!
LILY
It's great. But you've gotta take good care of it because Max is a famous artist. You've probably got the only shirt like it in the world.
LINCOLN
(amazed)
Is that true? The only one?
MAX
That's right, Man.
LINCOLN
(exploding)
Cool!
MAX
(hesitantly to Lily)
Are you angry?
LILY
Totally impressed!
Lincoln pulls his shirt over his head like a tent.
LINCOLN
It looks cool like this too!
LILY
I think you've won another fan.
The three walk away from us, Lily and Max close, Lincoln on the end staggering crazily around with his shirt still over his head.
CUT TO:
INT:MUSEUM. DAY
Lincoln's wandering around the Red Grooms assemblage of a cartoon'y New York. Lily and Max stand aside, talking. Max points to her feet.
MAX
How come you paint your toenails but not you fingers?
LILY
(almost indignant)
Because toenails are funny, painted fingernails are sexy. I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea. You know, Lincoln loves to draw. But only violent things: battles, guys getting shot. Every picture has a million people dying in it.
MAX
(dismissively)
But boys like violence. It comes with their territory. It's better if they work it out there than if they hit someone over the head.
LILY
Nonsense! That's only the easy way out. The reality is, my son likes to draw pictures of people getting shot. All the rest is psycho-fluff.
Stung, Max looks quickly away.
LILY
(touching his arm)
Oh Max, don't have thin skin. Life's too short and interesting. That wasn't an insult; I'll tell you when I'm insulting you. I'm also wrong a lot and you have to tell me when I am.
He looks at her again, appraising, admiring. Lincoln reappears.
LINCOLN
Ma, can we go now? I'm hungry.
Max starts to say something, hesitates.
MAX
Can I invite you two to lunch?
LILY
That's a thought. Wait a minute.
She bends over to the boy and they have a fiercely whispered conversation. He pulls his shirt over his head again, says nothing for a few beats, then
LINCOLN
Okay, but only if we go to Crowds!
LILY
(to Max)
That's where I work. He loves eating there because everyone is his friend. Do you mind?
MAX
That'd be great.
The three start toward the door. Lily puts her arm around Lincoln's shoulder and he quickly slips into the curve of her side.
CUT TO:
EXT:STREET. DAY
The three stand just outside the museum.
LILY
Let's take my car.
MAX
You keep a car in the city?
LILY
Yeah, it's my big indulgence. I like to get out of town sometimes and just go when I want.
She leads the way down the street. She's a fast walker and Max has to hurry to keep up. Lincoln dawdles but stays just close enough. Half a block down the street is an ancient but pristine VW bug. Parked below a sign that says 'DON'T EVEN THINK OF PARKING HERE!' Naturally it is the only car there.
MAX
Good God, Lily, do you know what kind of ticket
you'd get if they caught you here?
LILY
(waving the thought away)
I never get tickets.
She continues to the car. Goes around to the driver's side. Suddenly Lincoln rushes up behind her and leaps into the backseat as soon as she opens the door.
LILY
Come on, get in.
As Max goes to the door to get in, something huge rises in the passenger's seat of her car.
MAX
(jumps back, shocked)
My God, is that a dog or a Bulgarian?
LINCOLN
No, that's Cobb! He's our greyhound.
He opens the door and the old hound sticks its head out.
LILY
He likes you. That's his way of blowing you a
kiss.
MAX
Can I pet him?
Simultaneously
LINCOLN
NO!
LILY
No! He doesn't like to be touched. Only Lincoln gets away with it. But if he likes you, he blows you a kiss. Come on, get in!
Max bends and starts to sidle into the car, but the dog doesn't move.
MAX
Uhh!
LILY
Wait a minute. Lincoln has to get him in the back.
CUT TO:
INT: CAR. DAY
CLOSE-UP of Max in the passenger's seat with the dog's head huge and resting on his shoulder in the most uncomfortable way possible. The dog is panting and perhaps even drooling on his shoulder. The car is moving very slowly and as a result, they are being honked at by every car on the street and some drivers going by curse or give them the finger. Max looks at the speedometer.
LILY
The thumb gets no justice. It's the most important finger on your hand but do you wash it when you wash your hand? Not really. It's ignored! Have you ever understood that? It's like the team quarterback-- tells all the other fingers what to do and makes sure they don't make any
mistakes. Do you know how many times I've looked at my thumb and thought 'I appreciate you even if the rest of the world doesn't!
MAX
Uh, you're going twenty miles an hour.
LILY
I know. I like twenty in the city. Thirty-five in the country.
MAX
Isn't that kind of slow?
LILY
No! I like driving. Why would I be in a hurry to get somewhere if I like the whole process of getting there? Don't you think it's strange that people buy these huge expensive cars and then drive like maniacs so they can arrive and stop using the thing they spent so much money for and to profess to love so much? It's like kissing someone. Who likes short kisses when you can have them as long as you like?
Go in close on Max who's both interested and taken aback by her remark. He turns to look at her but the dog is there on his shoulder, panting away. The honking continues and Lily starts to say something else but it is drowned out by the dog pant and the honks and Max turns forward again to avoid dog lips on his.
CUT TO:
EXT. CROWDS AND POWER RESTAURANT. DAY
Outside a hi-tech, gun metal gray cinder block NY restaurant. Only a small salmon-colored neon sign in front naming the place. The three walk up to the door where KY, the Oriental doorman stands.
LILY
Ky, this is Max Fischer. The famous cartoonist.
KY
(delighted, in bad English)
Hello, Paypuh Cleep. Hello, Max Fish-ah.
MAX
You know me?
LILY
Ky knows everyone famous in the city. That's his way of studying to be an American.
KY
This is right. I do not understand Paypuh Cleep but your cartoon is famous so it must be very good. Congratulations.
He bows deeply and opens the door. Lily gestures for Max to follow her into the restaurant. Lincoln has already run in.
MAX
What's with him?
LILY
He's Vietnamese and wants his green card. He thinks America will like him more if memorizes its famous people.
MAX
That's an odd idea.
LILY
Not at all. What's more important in this country than being famous? Famous is best, notorious is second. Come on.
They walk toward the entrance and go in.
CUT TO:
INT: 'CROWDS & POWER' RESTAURANT
Lily and Max walk into a dark, very chic restaurant.
CUT TO:
INT: 'CROWDS'
A series of quick cuts to: the bar, the pretty people having lunch, a celebrity or two, beautiful food, a coal black chef in a sky- high toque talking on a portable phone who waves at 'us' (Lily and Max)...
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS
CLOSE-UP of Max taking it all in, impressed
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS
Door to the kitchen opens and an extremely attractive black woman, SULLIVAN BAND, comes flying out with a tray of food. A moment later the door opens again and what appears to be the same woman, only dressed differently, ALBERTA BAND comes out with the dessert tray.
MAX
(o.s.)
God, I thought it was the same--
Camera follows Alberta across the restaurant to a table where a lovely six year old girl (JESSAMYN BAND) is sitting with a comically large viola propped on her shoulder, ready to play. Next to her, holding an accordion across his broad lap, is forty'ish IBRAHIM SAFID, owner of CROWDS AND POWER. Alberta lays the dessert tray down on the table and then touches Jessamyn's head lovingly. She's her Mom and proud as hell of this kid.
IBRAHIM
(very strong Arabic accent)
First we play 'Bethena', then you can have whatever you want.
Jessamyn is all eyes for the sweets but knows a deal's a deal. She starts right in playing Scott Joplin's lovely waltz, 'Bethena'. Ibrahim joins in. The two play very well together. Some of the diners notice and smile, others are used to it. Charming as it is, this music lesson is totally out of place in this chic restaurant.
CUT TO:
INT: CROWDS
Max and Lily make their way across the floor to the musicians' table. As soon as Ibrahim sees them, he stops playing and waves
both hands.
IBRAHIM
Hollow, Lily! It is your day off, why are you here?
Lily arrives, kisses Ib and Jessamyn.
LILY
Hi, folks. Because the 'Little King' wanted to come to lunch here. Ib, this is Max Fischer. Max, that's Jessamyn Band and he's Ibrahim Safid. He's the owner of 'Crowds.'
The two men shake hands. Ib radiates warmth and happiness.
JESSAMYN
(shyly)
Is Lincoln here?
Before Lily can answer, we hear
GUS DUVEEN
(o.s., angry as a wasp)
Ibrahim, you think you're a skyscraper. You think you got a World Trade Center imagination. Forget it! You've got one floor, Ace, a molehill. You've got a strong antenna, Ib, but all the stations're
coming in jammed. What you've got is enthusiasm and money; but they can only buy you material. Popcorn and oil, but no heat to cook it up. Gays are supposed to have taste, man. Arabs have money, gays have taste! Thank God you've got me.
GUS DUVEEN (short, dark, handsome) arrives with his arm around Lincoln who's busy eating a sandwich as big as a wheelbarrow. Jessamyn jumps up and goes to the boy. Gus's outburst is sharp and barbed. People should cringe, but with the exception of newcomer Max, who's really taken aback, no one (including the children) reacts to his attack.
LILY
Be quiet, Gus. We have a guest. Max Fischer, this is Gus Duveen, Ibrahim's partner.
The men shake.
GUS
No, listen, Lily. Guess what? Ibrahim wants to re-deco-rate!
Turns and tells Max
GUS
My partner is passionate about two things--me and
this restaurant. In the last two years, he has redecorated the place three times. But now we have reached the end. I promise you, Ibrahim, if you change it one more time I'm leaving you.
LILY
(stern)
I said stop it! Fight when you're at home.
Gus glares but says nothing.
LILY
Who's cooking today, Ib?
IBRAHIM
Foof.
LINCOLN
You can eat anything, Max. Foof's cooking.
MAX
Foof. Great. Who's Foof?
LILY
Ky's girlfriend. They met at the Immigration Bureau and have been living together ever since. She alternates cooking with Mabdean.
MAX
(more confused than ever)
Mabdean?
LILY
Mabdean Kessack. He's from Cameroon. He and Alberta here live together. Jessamyn's their daughter.
Alberta steps forward to shake hands and, overwhelmed by the introductions and everything else that has gone on, Max laughs.
MAX (wonderingly)
This place is like Oz!
ALBERTA
It is, and Lily's our Glinda.
SULLIVAN BAND comes steaming up to the table with a giant tray full of great looking food.
SULLIVAN
Okay, let's go. Lincoln's got his, but here's everybody else's!
In a flurry of musical instruments being put away, another Gus tirade, the kids goofing with each other, laughter... everyone but the two Band sisters (who have to work) sits down. It's a scene from a Fellini wedding. Lily pats the chair next to her for Max. He sits and watches, absorbed, all the teeming life of Crowds and Power's family around him.
CUT TO:
INT: CROWDS
The table is empty but for Lily and Max. The two of them are sitting close and absorbed in conversation.
LILY
Who invented the term single mother? All mothers
are single. So are fathers. Everyone with screwed
up kids likes to blame it on being single mothers
or whatever. Look, no matter how many parents the
kid has, the rules are simple: what you do is try your
damnedest to teach then what's right and wrong.
Max shrugs.
MAX
That's not always so easy.
LILY
Baloney! People say they are confused because there's no Good or Evil. Everything's gray. That's nonsense-- we know which is which. Most of the time we know damn well what's good and bad,
right and wrong. We just choose not to act on it.
She goes on talking. Max is her willing captive.
FADE OUT
INT: MAX'S APARTMENT. DAY
The door opens and Max walks into his apartment. It is huge, sparsely but beautifully furnished with expensive leather furniture and the spare piece here and there that says this guy's got money and terrific taste. He walks into the place and after turning on more and more lights, stands in the middle of the living room and smiles like he just won the lottery.
MAX
(to himself)
Lily and Lincoln. Lily. Lincoln. LilyLincolnLily.
Shakes his head happily. Stands there a moment lost in his happy thoughts. Then his eyes widen with a thought that's come to him and he strides quickly over to a bookcase, scans the titles, pulls one down. We go in close and see it is the 'Restaurant Guide to New York.'Riffling through the pages, he says out loud
MAX
Crowds and Po-wer. Crrrowds. Here we are!
Takes the book to a big comfy chair and flops down in it.
MAX
Three stars! Pretty good for a new place!
Goes on reading, nodding at what it says. Then he stops, closes the book on his finger and smiling, and closes his eyes.
MAX
What a terrific fucking day!
Opens the book and goes on reading, smiling.
FADE OUT
INT: CROWDS
Max and HENRY WISEMAN (his editor, sixties, beautifully dressed) stand at the maitre D's table, waiting to be seated. Max is looking around for Lily expectantly.
HENRY
The whole entertainment business is becoming the UN.
The Japs own Columbia, the Germans own Doubleday and Random House... I see all these people in the office and I
don't know who the fuck they are. Then when someone tells
me their names, I can't pronounce them half the time! You
and I have been together, what, ten years now? Do you know
how rare that is in publishing?
Max is not paying attention. He's scanning the restaurant for Lily.
HENRY
Max...
MAX
(snapping out of it)
Oh, sorry!
HENRY
You hate to go out to lunch. Why are we suddenly
here?
MAX
(not looking at him, still scanning for Lily)
This is my new discovery, Henry. It might be the only restaurant
in New York I like going to.
Lily comes up and her eyes widen a bit when she sees Max. His eyes twinkle.
MAX
(seriously)
We made a reservation for two. Fischer.
Lily pretends to scan the guest list and nods, just as seriously.
LILY
Yes, sir. Right this way.
She leads the men across the restaurant to a plum table. She smiles, gestures for them to sit down. Wiseman does, but just as Max is about to, Lily pokes him in the ribs and Max jumps a bit.
LILY
(totally serious and professional)
Enjoy your lunch, gentlemen.
She walks and Max stares at her with longing.
HENRY
(picking up the menu)
So what's good here?
MAX
(still staring, not hearing)
Huh? Oh, everything! Everything is great!
Henry nods. Max continues to stare.
CUT TO:
INT: CROWDS BAR
Lily and Max are sitting at the bar. Once again most of the
customers have left, including Henry.
LILY
Nobody gets dressed up for a restaurant anymore. Haven't
you noticed? The new thing is to go out looking like you just stumbled into the kitchen for a sandwich before you go to bed. Going out should be an event! It should be like TOP HAT. I
seriously believe the more Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers you have in your life the better! It's like in fashion these days, you know? All that 'grunge' stuff-- flannel shirts and you're utterly hip
if your underpants stick out the back of your jeans. Is that beautiful? Is that what we should aspire to? I mean, come on! I mean, I was looking at some magazine the other day and these movie stars were getting married in clothes I used to wear to
gym class, for God's sake!
Both are silent for a moment, lost in their own thoughts. Then Max's expression changes and he straightens up. He's about to ask a delicate question and doesn't really know how to phrase it.
MAX
(trying to be cool but clearly uncomfortable)
Speaking of weddings uh, what does your husband do?
LILY
(smiling, looking at him archly)
You asked that question like you're committing a crime. You're allowed to ask. I'm not married anymore. Lincoln's father hasn't been around for a long time. Rick. Rick Aaron. Rick the
Prick. My ex-husband was a championship shit.
Max's eyes widen, shocked by her words.
LILY
(sweet and coy)
Well, you wanted to know!
MAX
I don't think I'd like to get on your bad side!
LILY
(a hand to her chest, all innocence)
What bad side? I'm just a little flower!
MAX
Hmm.
LILY
Anyway, listen, Lincoln and I are going out to Jones Beach soon. You wanna come?
MAX
Do I have to swim?
LILY
(touching his hand a brief moment)
Nope. You just have to be.
CUT TO:
EXT: THEATRE. NIGHT
Lincoln waits excitedly while Max buys tickets to a 'Star Wars' type movie. As the two go in, Lincoln puts his arm around Max.
CUT TO:
EXT: JONES BEACH. DAY
Lily, Max and Lincoln are spending a day at the beach. Max sits on a towel with his sketchbook on his lap while Lincoln flies a Chinese 'dragon' kite. Lily stands nearby.
LILY
That's great, Lincoln, now you've got it!
Look at him, Max. The kid should be a pilot.
Lincoln looks at Lily and beams.
LINCOLN
It's not so hard.
LILY
It is too! I even had trouble reading the instructions. You were the one who put it together.
LINCOLN
(pleased)
Yeah, but you bought it for me.
LILY
(only half kidding)
Lincoln, if I could, I would've bought you the Goodyear blimp!
She walks over to Max and kisses the top of his head.
LILY
This is turning out to be one of those days you wish you could get lost in forever.
MAX
(smiling)
You said it!
LILY
Look at that boy, Max. What person on earth wouldn't want a little boy with his pants falling down and a kite in his hand? And he likes you so much. He told me you two have secrets now.
Max smiles, shrugs-- he's not about to tell. Lincoln comes over.
LINCOLN
Max, do you think it's high enough to hit a plane?
MAX
Maybe not a plane, but it'd sure surprise a bird.
LINCOLN
I'd like a bird.
LILY
But a kite's better than a bird-- it flies only when you want it to, and then it's always glad to come back to earth. Birds need to be free. They don't belong in cages.
LINCOLN
(indignant)
Well then what about Cobb? He's an animal too!
LILY
Cobb's a dignified old gent who we wait on hand and foot. He doesn't want to fly.
LINCOLN
Yeah, he just wants to sleep!
LILY
And eat leftovers. Speaking of which, who's hungry?
She squats down and opens up a large picnic basket.
LILY
Naturally we've got enough food in here to feed all of Italy.
Kite still in hand, Lincoln tries to look over her
LINCOLN
What've you got?
LILY
Everything you love. Avocadoes, raisins, coffee--
LINCOLN
(indignant)
I hate those things!
LILY
(grinning)
Then I guess a turkey sandwich with chutney on it'll have to do.
LINCOLN
The chutney I like?
LILY
Absolutely.
Lincoln forgets about the kite for a moment in his enthusiasm for the sandwich. He lets the string go and it takes off immediately. All three of them realize what's happened and all of them jump for it. Max runs down the beach and grabbing the string as it dances off, he falls down. Lincoln and Lily follow close behind and all of them laugh like kids. Lily falls on Max and kisses him. Lincoln jumps up and down with joy.
CUT TO:
INT: WRESTLING RING. NIGHT
Max and MARY POE (thirties, feisty, plain-looking) are sitting quietly ringside at the wrestling matches. Surrounded by truck drivers, pizza faces and three hundred-pound screaming losers, these two stand out like Fred & Ginger at a freak show.
MARY
(ignoring the rabble)
Max, you've been my best friend all my life, but you are one weird fellow. You meet maybe the love of your life and everything's going great. She even has a nice child, but now you want me to investigate her?
Max shrugs.
MAX
(defensively)
I don't want another Norah Silver in my life.
MARY
Your own fault! Norah Silver was a blinking neon light of neurosis. You just didn't want to see it.
MAX
She tried to kill me with a video machine! I don't wanna get involved with another lunatic.
MARY
(amused)
She was an original, I've gotta give her that. But don't do this, Max. Take your chances at love like the rest of us. Don't make me look into... what's her name again?
MAX
Lily.
MARY
Lily. From everything you told me, she sounds great. Her kid sounds great. Maybe you found it this time. Sure, be careful about it, but give her a chance. I'm a detective. Even if she's the most wonderful woman on earth, there's sure to be something unlovely there. It's true about anyone. But why dig that up now? See how things go. Enjoy the woman before you go looking for her warts.
The crowd roars as TACKHEAD (FRANK CORNISH), an enormous masked wrestler dressed all in black leather and studs, comes strutting down through the arena towards the ring. Mary jumps up and shakes her fist at him when he gets near.
MARY
(rabid)
Boo! You bum! Nazi Blimp!
Tackhead is oblivious to all the insults thrown at him by the frenzied crowd. Max stays seated but smiles at all the goofy hoopla. The wrestler moves towards the ring. Stops when he sees and apparently hears Mary. He's right up nose to nose with the small, now- ferocious woman.
TACKHEAD
(a voice like a bulldozer scraping gravel)
Shut up, you Diesel Dyke!
Pulls back a fist as if to hit her. Audience gasps.
MARY
(brazen, unafraid)
Touch me and my lawyer'll see how much money you got, you Missing Link!
Tackhead thinks this over, then slowly lowers his watermelon-sized fist. He lion-roars at Mary and the crowd around her. Moves off and vaults effortlessly into the ring.
FAN
(admiringly to Mary)
That's it, lady. You told that fat fuck where to go!
MARY
(sweetly)
That fat fuck is my husband, Honey.
Aghast, the fan looks to Max for confirmation. Max nods it's true. Fan evaporates back into crowd.
MARY
(serenely)
Only wives get to call their husbands that.
The match in front of them has begun. Lots of slamming and banging, wrestlers flying around. Mary leaps up again.
MARY
You fat fuck!
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S OFFICE.DAY
His office is everything one would think an artist's to be-- airy, full of light, drawings and paintings in varying degrees of completion up on the walls. He's working at an enormous drawing board when the phone rings. He presses a button and the speakerphone comes on.
MAX
Hello?
LILY
(o.s.)
Max? This is Lily.
He stops what he's doing and gives the phone his full attention.
MAX
Hey, Lily. What's up?
LILY
(o.s.)
You're up. You're invited to a birthday party. Lincoln's going to be nine and we're going to have a big blow out for him at Crowds.
CUT TO:
INT:DRAWING BOARD
As the conversation continues, we see what's obviously Max's hand doing appropriate doodles. The handwriting is beautiful and sharp, the drawings done very quickly and wonderfully. This hand belongs to an A+ talent. I.E. hand draws '9', then deftly embellishes it with curlicues... turning it into an animal. Writes the word 'Lincoln' several times in different interesting scripts.
MAX
(o.s.)
Great. When is it?
LILY
(o.s.)
A week from Friday, the 26th at 7 p.m.
MAX
(o.s.)
What kind of present can I get him?
LILY
(o.s.)
Don't make it anything big, but if you want, get some kind of monster. He loves monsters.
The hand goes to work immediately drawing a clever, funny monster.
MAX
(o.s.)
Great. How're you doing?
LILY
(o.s.)
I'm fine. I spend a lot of time thinking about you these days.
Hand stops.
MAX
(o.s.)
I second that emotion.
LILY
(o.s., laughs)
Thank God for that!
Hand starts writing-- her name again and again.
FADE OUT
INT: PET STORE. DAY
Max is being shown a giant iguana by OWNER.
OWNER
They're very good pets, except when they get angry, they whip their tail around which can definitely cause some damage.
MAX
(dubious)
You think a nine-year-old would like it?
OWNER
Sure, but I hope your wife's not skittish. These guys have a tendency to hide under things, and if you come across him unexpectedly it can be a little disconcerting.
MAX
(realizes something, even more doubtful)
Do you think it would get along with a twelve year old greyhound?
OWNER
Not unless they're living on Noah's Ark.
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S STUDIO.DAY
He's standing in the middle of the room, covered with goopy, disgustingly wet paper mache. He's trying to build a six foot high monster (Godzilla?) with the ugly stuff. The beast doesn't look too healthy. Suddenly the head begins to droop, then the shoulders, and then the whole thing collapses. A few beats go by while Max contemplates the disaster. At a complete loss now, he looks around the room and is suddenly galvanized by something. On one wall is a life-sized poster of 'Tackhead' Frank Cornish, his teeth in a growl and his arms raised threateningly. Max walks slowly over to the poster and stands in front of it, thinking.
CUT TO:
EXT: CENTRAL PARK.DAY.
Max is having a picnic with Mary and Frank Cornish. Even without his customary leather costume, it's easy to recognize the wrestler, if only by his girth. The scene is done in silence. Max is heatedly explaining something to the couple, who listens raptly. FRANK nods and smiles at Mary. She says something to him. He stands up and, Frankenstein-like, stomps around while the other two nod yes, that's exactly what they mean. Frank sits back down, genuinely pleased with himself. Max pours them all wine and the three toast to something.
CUT TO:
EXT: 42ND STREET. DAY.
Max stands on the famous street, shading his eyes, looking for something. He checks a piece of paper in his hand, then begins walking. He reaches a cross street and rounds the corner. We follow behind. There, at a newsstand, is WILLIE SNAKESPEARE (old, eccentric, grizzled) reading a magazine. A gigantic python is draped lifelessly over his shoulders. But this is N.Y., so few passersby pay attention to the astounding sight. Max walks up to him and pauses before speaking.
MAX
Willie?
WILLIE
Yeah? If you want to take a picture, it'll cost you two dollars.
MAX
No, that's okay. I've heard that you rent your snakes?
Willie gives Max his full attention, sizes the other up carefully.
WILLIE
(suddenly Mr. Business)
I do, but not for nothin' dirty. And I always gotta be there with them. I don't let my snakes do no porno.
MAX
It's nothin' like that. It's for a child's birthday.
Max beams-- he KNOWS he's got a great idea here.
CUT TO:
EXT. CROWDS AND POWER. DAY
A cab pulls up to Crowds & Power and Max gets out with a large sketchpad under his arm. The outside of the place has been transformed by balloons, streamers, signs.. all advertising Lincoln's birthday. Kids and parents stream in. Ky is standing at the door, dressed as The Creature From the Black Lagoon. Max comes up.
MAX
(worriedly)
Ky, is this a costume party?
KY
Costume? No, just me. I am the doorman monster. You go like that.
MAX
Who did the decorating?
KY
We all. Last night we come out and do it.
MAX
(admiring the facade)
He's a lucky boy.
KY
We are a family. He is our boy! You go in now. Lily is waiting.
Max nods and walks to the door.
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS, transformed
Giant cobwebs hang from the ceiling, aluminum foil lightning bolts, painted scenes from horror films on big posters against the walls. Cobb the greyhound walks by wearing a Superman cape tied around his shoulders. Alberta and Sullivan Band, both dressed as Draculas, whiz around carrying trays of food and drink. It's like a spook house at the fair, but a funny and tame one-- it wouldn't scare even the smallest child because it is so delightful. Kids run by giggling and goofy. The birthday cake-- a big haunted house-- sits on the bar. Games are being held in one corner, all of them supervised by Gus Duveen, who's dressed as the Wolfman. Ibrahim (the Mummy) and MABDEAN KESSACK (wearing surfer shorts and a T-shirt, but also an 'ALIEN' mask) dish out huge slabs of pizza. Motion everywhere, kids, parents having as much fun as their children. What a party!
LILY
(coming up to Max)
So, what do you think?
MAX
I think it's one hell of a party!
LILY
(pleased)
I think so too. Where are your snakes?
MAX
Coming, but they need a little fanfare. Why aren't you wearing a costume?
LILY
Lincoln asked me not to. That's okay, because I'm not big on dressing up. Come on, let's walk around.
She takes his hand and they walk through the room greeting people, watching the games, the crowd, talking happily to each other. Lily holds his hand the whole time. They stop in a corner and Lincoln comes up. He is dressed as a sorcerer in a red cape, turban, and curved sandals. He looks like a genie in the bottle. He gives Max a hug, then gestures for his mother to bend over so
he can whisper in her ear.
LILY
(smiling)
The birthday boy wants to know if you got him a present.
MAX
Of course I got you one! Are you nuts? You've just gotta wait a while because they said it wouldn't be ready till later.
Satisfied with that answer, Lincoln runs off with a little girl who's been pestering him.
LILY
He admires you a lot, you know. You don't talk down to him and he appreciates it.
MAX
He's too smart for that; he's his mother's son.
They look at each other with great love and expectation. A couple of beats. Then a door bangs open very loudly somewhere and bellowed out in a frighteningly loud Voice From Hell
TACKHEAD
(o.s.)
WHERE'S THE BIRTHDAY BOY?!
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS
CLOSE-UP of Max's delighted face. Then Lily's. Her expression asks 'Is this it?' Meanwhile, we hear the familiar Tackhead- raging lion's roar. Then the sound of kids beginning to wail and cry. Max's face wilts, then goes to 'Uh Oh!'
MAX
Oh shit!
CUT TO:
INT: CROWDS
Tackhead is standing in the doorway, all black to us because the light from outside blazes around his huge form. He has both arms out from the body, holding two giant snakes that writhe and twist in his hands. He laughs loud and demonically. But he's got it all wrong-- this stuff should be heroic, not frightening. He's scaring the shit out of half the people there.
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS
The little girl we saw a moment ago with Lincoln is now standing by herself in the middle of the floor, gaping at Tackhead. She's screaming in pure, arch terror.
CUT TO:
INT: CROWDS
Several quick cut scenes of terrified (some mesmerized) children, then parents gaping at Tackhead, protecting their kids, screaming 'Snakes!' and 'Aaugh!', dropping plates of food, grabbing their babies and running for the door, etc. End the sequence with shots of a totally delighted Lincoln, Lily laughing wildly, and finally the horrified Max who thought it up but sure didn't plan on it ending like this.
CUT TO:
INT: CROWDS
Tackhead stomps into the room waving the snakes around, roaring Fe Fi Fo Fum-stuff, followed closely by Willy Snakespeare.
WILLY
(worriedly)
Don't shake 'em like that!
Tackhead ignores him and goes on shaking.
TACKHEAD
(hollering)
Where's the birthday boy? I got snakes for him. BIG, UGLY SNAKES!
He looks around the chaotic room and finally what he's done dawns on him. His arms come down slowly.
TACKHEAD
(small voice)
Oops--
Lincoln and a few other brave kids come up.
LINCOLN
(tough guy)
I'm the birthday boy!
A chair flies into the picture from out of nowhere and hits Frank on the head. Astonished, he drops the snakes which slither quickly off. Everyone around freaks out even more. Horrified shouts of 'THEY'RE LOOSE!', 'SNAKES!'... Running around, etc. Lincoln squats down and scuttles away on all fours after the snakes.
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS
Mary Poe enters the restaurant, takes one look at the havoc and knows exactly what's up.
MARY
FRRRRRANK!
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS
CLOSE-UP of Lily laughing so hard she's crying.
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS
Ibrahim and Mabdean calmly eating slabs of pizza and watching the festivities.
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS
Max has one of the snakes in his hand, holding it as far away from his body as he can. Willy comes up and snatches it away.
WILLY
I told him not to shake them!
Willy takes off, leaving Max alone and drop-jawed: How could all of this have gone so wrong so fast? Lily comes up and takes his arm. He looks at her but doesn't recognize her for a moment. Then he does and grimaces.
MAX
I'm so sorry!
LILY
For what? It's terrific! Did you see Lincoln? He's never been so happy in his life! It's brilliant, Max. I thought you were just going to do the snakes... But you really got a monster too!
He can't believe she's telling the truth. The tumult around them continues.
MAX
You're not mad?
LILY
Mad? I love it.
She hugs him. Tackhead and Mary go by-- her scolding, him head hung low like the bad boy he is.
LILY
Look at me.
Max looks at her uncertainly.
LILY
I love your doing this. No, that's not telling the truth-- I love you, period.
His face shows the greatest joy in the world. Then real surprise-something else is happening. A moment later his expression changes to total agony.
MAX
(his face contorting with pain)
Lily, I--
He collapses.
CUT TO:
INT. CROWDS
Standing on its back legs, the greyhound is calmly biting chunks out of the birthday cake as havoc reigns all around him.
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM. DAY
CLOSE-UP of an open black hand with a very white grain of rice in the center of it.
MAX
(o.s.)
What's that?
DOCTOR
(o.s.)
A rice grain, Mr. Fischer. Your kidney stone was half that size.
MAX(o.s.)
How can something so small hurt so much?
CUT TO:
INT.HOSPITAL ROOM.DAY
Lily and DOCTOR are standing on either side of Max's bed.
LILY
I just thank God you're all right. We thought you were dying!
DOCTOR
You're all right now. Just keep drinking that water. Keep yourself flushed.
He leaves.
MAX
(ironic)
What a successful week this has been: First I traumatized fifty kids and their parents. Half of them'll probably never want to play with Lincoln again. Then I end up here with doctors flushing rice out of my ding-dong.
Lily laughs. Max rolls his eyes in exasperation.
LILY
(serious)
But you know what else about this week? For all those same reasons, it was just as important for me! Everything that happened made me realize how much you matter to me.
MAX
(skeptical, then delighted)
What do you mean?
LILY
Well, Lincoln's present, for one. You were so concerned about it being right. So you got your friend to dress up and you got the snakes...
Max pretends to hide his head embarrassedly beneath his arms. Lily pulls the arms away.
LILY
No, it was wonderful, Max. It broke my heart. Then when you fell down and we didn't know what was wrong...
She closes her eyes and shudders. She reaches over and touches his face.
LILY
Remember how right before it happened I said I loved you?
MAX
(quietly)
For the first time.
LILY
I know, because I didn't really have the guts to say it yet. But when you fell down and they had to send for the ambulance.. ooh, then I knew I loved you. Knew it more than anything.
Several beats while they look at each other and this information is absorbed. Max reaches to the bedside table and pulls out a large sketchpad. He opens it but holds it to him while he speaks.
MAX
This was the other present I wanted to give Lincoln for his birthday. I didn't have a chance with all the... stuff going on.
He hands pad to Lily and we see what it is-- a very beautiful drawing of Lincoln.
MAX
I wanted to tell him this was the first one. If he lets me, I'd like to do a drawing of him every year on his birthday.
Lily is so touched she doesn't know what to say.
MAX
(sits up, gathers his nerve)
Can I tell you something? I have to tell you something. All my life I've...
Stops, closes his eyes-- this is rough for him. He's not used to being so candid.
MAX
I've wanted to go to France. Big deal, right? But I've never done it because it would only be with THE one. I even have an image in mind of the exact cafe, you know? It'll be under a big tree in a town square. In my mind, it's always the middle of the afternoon.
Max smiles and closes his eyes again-- he loves telling her this. Lily takes his hand. The camera goes in slowly on those hands touching across the drawing of Lincoln.. He continues, but we fade out on the hands, the drawing, and his dreamy voice.
MAX
(o.s.)
All the cafe dogs are asleep and the sun has that old, fall yellow to it. The day's beginning to say goodbye.
FADE OUT
INT: FRENCH AUBERGE. DAY
We stand behind MAX & LILY and the WOMAN OWNER of the AUBERGE as they look into the most romantic and quaint idealized version of a room in a French inn.
WOMAN
C'est bon?
MAX
Oui!
LILY
Oui!
Woman nods, pats Max on the shoulder, winks at Lily and goes out the door, closing it behind her. Lily walks over to the window, bends down and looks out onto a small town square with a bubbling brook in the middle of it, the ubiquitous French cafe on one corner, etc. She straightens and turns to Max.
LILY
France! We're really here!
Max walks slowly across the room and stops a foot away from her. They smile at each other.
MAX
We really are.
They come together in a fierce embrace.
CUT TO:
INT: AUBERGE. DAY
The two are making love in the most passionate, hungry way. They've been waiting for this and the intensity of their caresses show they're holding nothing back.
FADE OUT
INT: CAFE.SUNSET
A sopping wet dog trots by, trying to get out of a torrential rainstorm. PULL BACK through a window to hands being held across a table. PULL BACK MORE and we see it's Lily and Max sitting at a table in a quintessential French cafe. Such love on their faces.
MAX
It's rained for three days straight.
LILY
(teasing, happy)
How would you know? We've been in bed since we got here.
MAX
Except to eat.
LILY
(agreeing)
Except to eat.
MAX
Are you happy?
LILY
(nodding her head)
This is it, Max. My life will be all downhill from here.
MAX
You think so?
LILY
These days with you are what I'll think about when I'm old and sick and wondering if my life was worth it.
He's touched, she's fulfilled. A beat, then-
MAX
Would you like to call Lincoln again?
LILY
Naah, I'm sure Ibrahim and Gus are spoiling him rotten. He's fine.
Max puts money on the table and they get up.
LILY
(pointing)
Look! The sun's out. Maybe there'll be a rainbow.
She beams at him, takes his hand.
LILY
Of course there'll be a rainbow.
CUT TO:
EXT: STREET. SUNSET
They come out of the cafe together. He puts his arm around her.
MAX
Now that we're fed, should we take a little walk or jump back in bed?
LILY
(mock serious)
Take a walk. We have to get out of that room some time!
He nods, they step down to the street.
MAX
Everything smells so wet and fresh. Like it's all been reborn.
LILY
Like us.
He hugs her and they continue down the street--stopping, looking, enjoying. As they come to a corner, we hear the sound of a car braking, squealing, then the dull ugly impact of its hitting something. The high pitched scream of an animal in terrible pain.
LILY
(breaking away)
Oh God!
They run together around a corner, toward the accident.
EXT: STREET. SUNSET
A very young puppy is lying on the street howling in pain near an oddly angled car. It's been hit by the car and its rear quarters have been fatally crushed almost flat. It can't move, it's all pain, and is clearly dying. People are standing around talking excitedly and gesturing. The DRIVER is walking in aimless circles, holding his head, repeating again and again
DRIVER
Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!
Lily and Max arrive. She checks out the situation for a couple of seconds, then goes to the dog and squats down next to it. One close look and she understands at once what needs to be done.
LILY
(determined)
Max, it's dying. We've gotta kill it and stop the pain. We need a gun. Tell them we need a gun.
He looks helplessly around. How do you ask strangers in a foreign language for a gun? His face is all frustration and sadness.
MAX
They won't understand. I don't know how to say it!
He squats down next to her. She looks at him, pleading. The puppy has been howling this whole time. It's horrible.
LILY
We have to do something.
Max nods, then stands and unbuckling his belt, pulls it quickly out of its belt loops.
MAX
Look out, Lily.
She looks up at him. The crowd lets them do whatever they want because no one else is going to get involved in this.
ONLOOKER
Quest'ce qu'il fait avec la cinture?
Max squats again and almost brusquely pushes Lily out of the way. She looks at him and suddenly understands what he's about to do. She's amazed.
MAX
Look away. Don't look at this.
LILY
It's all right. Go ahead. That's good.
Max puts the belt around the screaming dog's neck and loops it so it's ready to close. Camera moves in on Max's face. The dog is shrieking. Closer in on Max. His face tightens and his shoulders jerk as he sets to strangling the dog. It's a horrible, strangely heroic act. We can see all that in the expression on his face. The screaming stops, there's some last weak gasping, and then silence. We watch Max's face the whole time. When it's over, the camera pulls back, taking in both Max and Lily. The act finished, they watch each other like lovers, like partners in crime.
FADE OUT
EXT: THE RED DOG DINER. DAY
Max and Lincoln are sitting in a booth at Max's favorite diner. Both are eating giant chili-cheese dogs.
LINCOLN
Mom's such a chicken.
MAX
Why's that?
LINCOLN
Cause I know why we're here. You want to know if you can come and live with us.
MAX
(impressed)
That's pretty smart.
LINCOLN
But Mom was too chicken to ask herself.
MAX
Naah, not really; she wanted us to have a man to man talk. She thought if she was here, it'd keep you from saying whatever you want.
Lincoln shrugs, bites into his hotdog and talks through it.
LINCOLN
I think it's okay. I'd like it if you lived with us. You always make Mom laugh and stuff.
MAX
(carefully)
And you?
LINCOLN
(won't look up from his food)
Me too. Me and you are always fooling around, having fun. Are we going to live at your house or our's?
MAX
Wherever you like. Just so long as we can all be together now.
LINCOLN
I like your house more. I like all those windows and I can even ride my bike in your hall!
MAX
I love you, Lincoln. That's one of the big reasons why I want to be with you guys all the time now.
Lincoln thinks this over.
LINCOLN
I love you too, even though you're not my real Dad.
MAX
Can I be a sort-of Dad?
LINCOLN
Yup.
MAX
(so relieved)
Let's shake on it.
He puts out a hand. Lincoln shoots his out, but it's the one with food in it. Before he knows it, Max is shaking hands with a chili dog. Appalled, he looks down at it, then at giggling Lincoln. End on the boy's ecstatic face.
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S APARTMENT
Lily and Lincoln (and Cobb) don't so much move as tumble into Max's spacious, artfully Spartan apartment. Their clutter and energy brings it alive. Max records the first day of this chaotic new family on video. He feels just like...Dad.
CUT TO:
Montage of other modest landmarks recorded; a walk in the park, Lincoln's finger painting crazily, Lincoln fast asleep, Lily and Lincoln's rapt faces at a fireworks display, the three of them laughing hysterically as they pass the video camera around on a sunny afternoon.
CUT TO:
EXT: BASEBALL FIELD. DAY
Two Little League baseball teams are playing a game. Max sits in the stands with a few other onlookers. The greyhound sits near him on the ground, its leash looped around Max's foot. There's a sketchbook on Max's lap. He draws while watching the game. Lincoln is out on the field playing shortstop. The teams have just changed sides and there's infield practice before the first batter comes up. OLD MAN nearby starts talking.
MAN
One of them's your kid?
MAX
(pointing)
Yes, he's playing shortstop.
MAN
You come to most games, huh? I seen you here before a lot.
MAX
As many as I can. It's a nice way to spend the afternoon.
MAN
(aggressive)
Don't you got a job?
MAX
(not missing a beat)
I train attack dogs. This one's my latest student.
He points down. Man looks dubiously at Cobb who, dead asleep and old as a stone, couldn't pass for an attack dog in a million years.
MAN
(skeptical)
He looks pretty old.
MAX
(cagey)
See? That's the best kind. They fool people that way.
Out on the field, the umpire yells 'Batter up!' Both men in the stands turn their attention to the game, but not before the old man looks at Cobb again, then Max, then shakes his head. First batter is a big strong looking kid.
MAX
(shouting)
Come on, Lincoln!
Lincoln smiles and waves his big baseball glove at Max.
MAX
(proudly)
That's my boy!
The first pitch comes in. The batter swings hard but misses.
CUT TO:
EXT: SKETCHPAD. DAY
Close-up of Max's hand finishing a caricature of Lincoln in a baseball uniform, wearing a baseball glove as big as a pizza.
CUT TO:
EXT: BASEBALL FIELD. DAY
Pitcher winds up and throws a second pitch. The batter makes another tremendous swing and this time connects mightily. The ball is a vicious line drive that goes right at Lincoln and hits him square in the face with a sickening CRACK. He falls down.
CUT TO:
EXT: SKETCHPAD. DAY
Max's hand holding the pencil scratches right across the drawing of Lincoln. Pad and pencil drop to the ground.
CUT TO:
EXT: BASEBALL FIELD. DAY
Lincoln is lying on the ground, surrounded by players and coaches. He's unconscious and on the side of his head is a big frightening purple swelling. Max comes running up, pushes people away and squats down next to the boy. He starts to touch him, but remembers one's not supposed to touch badly injured people if you don't know what's wrong with them.
MAX
Oh God. Oh Jesus.
Turns to the crowd.
MAX
Is there a doctor here? Is anybody a doctor?
Boy who was at bat stands in the crowd, crying.
BOY
What'd I do? Is he dead? I only swung!
A COACH squats down next to Max.
COACH
We called an ambulance. Someone had a cell phone.
Max bends and puts his head on Lincoln's chest, listening for a heartbeat.
COACH
Do you think we should do CPR? Look at that swelling!
MAX
(crazily to himself)
There's no damned blood. If only some blood came out and took off the pressure in there!
CUT TO:
EXT: BASEBALL FIELD. DAY
Boy who hit the ball is scared and crying. Kids are looking at him like he's dirt.
BOY
I didn't do anything! I only hit the ball!
CUT TO:
INT: EMERGENCY ROOM. DAY
Open with blackness where first we hear a WOMAN shriek
WOMAN
Stop it! For God's sake stop it!
FADE IN ON this woman. Her face is all distress and fear. PULL BACK to reveal the waiting room outside a hospital emergency room. She's scolding a little girl wearing a white party dress that is covered with bright red blood. Lots of noise as the picture widens and takes in more of the surroundings-- nurses calling out, doors slamming open, the rattle of hospital metal. Everything here is in a clinical, deadly hurry. Lots of the people in the room look like hell-- holding badly bandaged limbs, others eyes shut and rocking in pain, others blank faced and preparing for the worst. Move across a row of them until we come to a man with his face in his hands. He slowly lifts his head and it's Max, ashen.
WOMAN
(still furious)
Just stand here and be still! Please! Just be still, for God's sake.
Max watches as the child shrinks in fear and starts to suck her thumb. He grimaces, then puts his face into his hands again. A DOCTOR walks into the room and all the people look up.
DOCTOR
Mrs. Thompson?
WOMAN
(fearfully)
Yes?
DOCTOR
(avoiding eye contact)
Could you please come with me?
She gets up immediately and grabbing the child by the arm, pulls her out of the room after the doctor. A FAT MAN (FATSO) near Max says to no one in particular.
FATSO
See that? He didn't look her in the eye. That's bad. It's always a bad sign here when they don't look you in the eye.
This registers on the others in the room and they exchange unhappy looks. Almost immediately another DOCTOR (VAN GELDER) enters.
VAN GELDER
(consulting a clipboard)
Mr....Fischer? Mr. Max Fischer?
Max heads jerks up and he's on his feet in an instant.
MAX
Yes?
VAN GELDER
(looking at him, smiling)
I'm Doctor Van Gelder. Everything's going to be all right. Your boy was very lucky. The ball hit him on the temple so we've got a large hematoma there, but otherwise that's all. He's going to have a big bump for a while, but there was no fracture or concussion. He's conscious.
Max makes two fists, puts them to his mouth.
MAX
(joyfully)
Yes! Yes! Yes!
VAN GELDER
We do want to keep him here for observation overnight, but that's only standard procedure. We're sure nothing's wrong.
MAX
But his head will be all right? There'll be no after-effects or--
VAN GELDER
Not from what I can see, and we checked him thoroughly. He's going to have a bad headache and won't be able to wear his baseball cap for a while, but that's it. He's going to be okay.
They shake hands and the doctor leaves.
FATSO
I knew he was okay soon as that guy came in, cause he looked you right in the eye. See what I mean? What happened to him?
MAX
(a little crazy with happiness)
A very bad hit on the head, but he's going to be okay. It's my son.
FATSO
Glad it worked out for you.
A few beats pass, then the door bursts open and Lily comes running in, followed closely by Ibrahim. Her face is mad with fear. She sees Max and goes over. He's sitting so she grabs his shoulders.
LILY
(way too loud)
Max, where is he?! What's going on? For Christ's sake, where is he?
Max stands up, smiles.
MAX
He's all right! You don't have to worry. The doctor was just here.
She shakes him very hard.
LILY
(shouting)
Where is he? Don't fuck me around, just say where he is!
MAX
(trying to calm her)
Lily! He's all right. The doctor said he's going to have a big bump but nothing else. No concussion, nothing like that. They're just going to keep him here overnight for observation.
This last line stops her absolutely cold.
LILY
(wild)
No they are not! Why did you bring him here? Why didn't you call and tell me?
MAX
(angry)
I did call! Are you crazy? Of course I brought him here, he was hurt! He was unconscious!
LILY
(furious)
Stupid fool! So stupid!
Lily lowers her voice so others won't hear. But by now she's been so loud and nutty that everyone is on the edge of their seats listening to the whole thing.
LILY
Did you have to fill out papers? What did they make you fill out?
Max looks over her shoulder at Ib, who can't understand her behavior either. He shrugs helplessly.
LILY
(threatening, grabs his shirt)
What kind of papers did you fill out, Max?
MAX
(exasperated)
Papers! You have to give them general information. It's a hospital, Honey. They have to know things about him. It's normal.
LILY
(looks at him as if he's retarded)
Normal for who? I can't believe you did that. I can't believe it. What kind of information did you give?
MAX
His name, how old he is, our address. Whether he's allergic to anything.
LILY
What else?
MAX
Nothing. Just the standard form.
LILY
(furious, loud)
Standard form? Bullshit! You don't give them anything, Max! Nothing, ever!
Ibrahim tries to touch her from behind and calm her, but she angrily shrugs him off.
LILY
Do you think they took fingerprints?
IBRAHIM
Lily--
MAX
(incredulous)
Of course not! He's a patient, not a prisoner.
She stares at him for too many long seconds. Then the moment passes and she's angry again.
LILY
How do you know for sure? But all right, now I want to get him out of here. We have to take him home right now.
MAX
No! They have to keep him overnight for observation. It's their standard procedure.
LILY
(thoroughly distraught)
Standard procedure? Oh Max, you fucked up so bad. What's the name of the doctor?
MAX
Van Gelder.
She storms out of the room, leaving Max and Ib to follow. The people remaining look at each other and react in various ways until another DOCTOR enters and calls out
DOCTOR
Holbert?
CUT TO
INT: HOSPITAL CORRIDOR. DAY
Lily, Doctor Van Gelder, Max & Ibrahim are standing off to the side of a hospital corridor. Both Lily and the Doctor look infuriated and their tones of voice are pure war.
LILY
--I don't care, Doctor, we're leaving! I'm his mother and I'm taking him with me right now! I don't give a damn what you say. If there are problems, we'll come back.
Doctor's voice is the opposite: cold and nasty, but just as unrelenting.
VAN GELDER
(looks at his watch)
We have been arguing for fifteen minutes, Ms. Aaron. Your son is not completely out of danger. As I have TRIED to explain, head injuries are both tricky and dangerous. It is completely irresponsible if you--
LILY
(on the edge)
I already have a God, Doctor, but it's not you! Would you just please do-what-you-have-to-do-to-let-him-OUT!
Her outburst is so raw and frantic that Max and Ib look away. The doctor looks like he's going to punch her, but then turns abruptly and strides to the reception desk.
MAX
For God's sake, Lily-
LILY
(hissing like a snake)
Shut up! It's your fault. If you hadn't fucked up so bad--
She looks at him with pure hatred. Turns away and follows the doctor.
MAX
(despairing)
What's wrong with her?
IB
I don't know. She's completely crazy.
They follow her to the desk where Van Gelder has called for a clipboard and is writing quickly on it.
DOCTOR
(acidly)
All right, I'm signing him out, Ms. Aaron. But what you're doing makes me EXTREMELY suspicious.
CUT TO
INT: HOSPITAL CORRIDOR. DAY
CLOSE-UP of Lily's face. On hearing the words 'extremely suspicious' her expression goes from rage, to 'Uh-Oh!', to cringe-- all in seconds. It's an astonishing transformation.
LILY
(humbly)
Doctor Van Gelder, I'm sorry. I just-- I can't... It's happened so fast and I...You're right-- let him stay here tonight. I'm very, very sorry.
Van Gelder stops and looks at her skeptically. A few beats. Then he relents.
VAN GELDER
(expansively)
I fully understand, but it really is the best thing to do. We'll keep him here overnight and if you want, you can stay in the room with him. But it's best if we have him here, just in case.
LILY
(meekly)
Right! Absolutely. I'm sorry.
The doctor puts the clipboard down and walks away. Lily continues to watch him, ignoring her friends.
MAX
Lily?
No response.
MAX
Lily?
She slowly turns to him and the hatred returns to her face.
LILY
You asshole! You stupid fucking asshole!
She stalks off. Stopping a few feet away, she turns to look at Max. She shakes her head in disgust. Then she's gone. Max watches and then says more to himself than to Ib
MAX
What is going on? What did I do wrong?
IBIBRAHIM
You did nothing, Max. She is very strange about the boy. It is more than protective. Gus thinks she is--
Points to his head and spins his finger in a circle-- the universal sign for crazy.
MAX
(surprised)
Have you seen her like this before?
IB
Yes, but only when it is about Lincoln. She is a good woman, but about him she has madness.
He pats Max's shoulder and walks away. Max stands there, baffled.
CUT TO:
INT: DRAWING BOARD
Max's hand is finishing a drawing: A man standing naked, his whole body shivering. His hands are against his mouth and his eyes comically wide. He's watching a woman and a child-sized mummy walk away from him, holding hands. The woman is giving the shivering man 'the finger.' We hear a door open and close.
LILY
(o.s.)
Max?
The hand stops, drops pen, and makes a tense fist.
MAX
(o.s.)
In here.
Camera rises from hand & drawing board to doorway where Lily appears and stops, as if waiting for permission to enter.
LILY
(small voice)
Hi. I came back to get some things for the night... I also need to tell you something. So you know why I was...
She gestures helplessly with a hand.
MAX
(firmly)
I did what I thought was right, Lily. If it happened again, I'd do exactly the same thing right now.
She strides into the room and sits down on the floor next to him. Takes his hand.
LILY
And you were right! I'm so sorry, Max. I was so horrible back there. But I'm going to tell you something that'll maybe make it clearer why I reacted that way. Lincoln's father, Rick, is the most terrible person I've ever known. I've been running away from him almost since the day Lincoln was born. If he knew where we were, if he somehow found out, he'd come after us and do anything to get him back. Not that he gives a damn about Lincoln or would take care of him but just because it's his son, his possession.
MAX
Who is he? You never talk about it.
LILY
A junkie and a pimp. He taught me how to love heroin and when I couldn't pay for it anymore, he suggested I trick for him... which I did. It was a time in my life when I had so little confidence, so much pain and confusion, Max, that someone could have told me to walk out the window, and if they'd been nice about it, I'd've done it. I was frightened of everything. I couldn't go out the door of the apartment without checking my pocket three or four times to make sure I had the key. The key to that door was the most
important thing in the world those days. My world had shrunk down to a two-room apartment with kitchen, and even that was too big for me sometimes, too much to handle. I had no strength
and no desire to think clearly about my situation and decide. So Rick did it for me and that was okay. Unfortunately he was one of those corrupt people who have the dangerous talent for knowing when and how to make the perfect gesture and make you forget what you've done. What they've made you do. Again and again. Again and again and again. I freaked out at the hospital because if Rick ever found us, he'd kill me. This is the me you don't
know. It's the me I didn't want you to ever know.
MAX
(shocked)
You--
LILY
'I've had nine lives so far, and I regret every one of them.' That's from a biography I once read. Yes, I did that, Max. That and a bunch of other things. But you can have all my secrets now,
if you want them.
Long few beats.
MAX
Tell me.
She looks at the floor. When she looks up, her face is all tears.
LILY
I love you.
Max only nods. She understands instantly he's not saying any more until she's told him everything. Camera goes to her and holds on her. She tries to smile, can't. Closes her eyes.
FADE OUT
INT: MAX'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Lying very much awake next to the sleeping Lily, Max finally gets up and walks around the room, his head too full to sleep. He walks over to the window and leans his forehead against it. He closes his eyes a long moment, then opens them and looks down onto the street below. He sees a police car parked down there with all of its lights flashing. The cops have someone spread-eagle up over the hood of the car, frisking him. The camera goes up to the flashing lights--too bright against the dark of the NY night and holds on them until we
FADE OUT
INT:HOSPITAL ROOM
Max opens the door of Lincoln's room. Lily is sitting next to the bed, asleep with a magazine in her hands. Max walks slowly over to the bed and looks down at Lincoln. He pauses a moment, then reaches out a hand and oh- so gently touches the boy's cheek. This caress should last almost too long.
CUT TO:
EXT: GARDEN. DAY
Max and Mary Poe are sitting out in a small lovely garden behind her Queens tract house having drinks on a nice day. Overhead a police helicopter keeps circling while they talk.
MAX
(looking up)
Why have we grown accustomed to that? Do you ever remember police helicopters circling your neighborhood when we were kids?
MARY
Paranoia's the one real growth industry of the nineties. Did you ever think you'd hire a detective when you were a kid?
Max shakes his head no.
MARY
So you want me to find out about this guy, Max? Why? What good will it do?
MAX
Maybe it'll give Lily some peace. Maybe if he was such a low life, he's been dead all these years and she can stop worrying. Come on, Mary, you can understand why I want you to find out if he's
still around. Find out if he's a threat. Maybe if we're lucky, he is dead or in jail... who knows.
MARY
Yeah, okay, but if she did what she says she did, there might be some ugly things I'm going to find out about Lily too, Max. I'm just warning you. That's how it usually goes.
MAX
I understand that. And I understand why you don't want to do it. But you're the reporter, Mary, so tell me how you'd do it.
MARY
(sighing)
Tell em about the guy.
MAX
Thank you. His name is Rick Aaron. He must be thirty-five now. He went to Kenyon College and graduated around 1977. She says he was born in Dobbs Ferry, New York. That's all I know. I didn't want to ask too many questions.
Mary looks at her hands, pauses.
MARY
Get on the phone. Call the college. Talk to the registrar and the alumni association. Call the town where he was born. Talk to the hospital there, talk to the newspaper. They usually have good records. But I just have to tell you again, it's a bad idea.
He looks up at the helicopter still flapping over them. Looks back at Mary.
MAX
(smiles sadly)
I hope you're wrong.
CUT TO:
A montage of shots of Max on the telephone doing is research. He asks if this is the alumni association, the Dobbs Ferry hospital, etc. All the time he's talking we see him making marks on a list in front of him with the names of these groups and places. As he talks to one after another, he makes lines through the names, or X's them out. Finally he puts the phone down and looks at the list, which is almost all X's. He puts the pencil down on the list and rolls it back and forth, helplessly. Puts his hands to his face and rubs it vigorously. Then
MAX
Shit!
CUT TO:
INT:CROWDS AND POWER
Max is having dinner with Ibrahim and Gus. Lily moves around the room, making sure all the customers are happy. Once she stops at their table and her hand on Max's shoulder, listens while Gus talks.
GUS
(a low growl)
I promise you, Ibrahim, if you change this restaurant again, I'm leaving. I will not share a bathroom mirror any longer with a man who has no faith in his own judgements. Will someone at this
table please tell this man what we have here is just fine and dandy and doesn't need to be changed?
Meanwhile up at the bar, TWO MEN are talking more and more loudly, disturbing everyone around them. It's clear they're drunk and getting rowdier. Lily has her eye on them but hasn't made a move yet. Sullivan Band walks to the bar to order drinks. FIRST MAN looks at her appreciatively.
MAN 1
I'd like to order two of you, to go.
Sullivan rolls her eyes and ignores him.
MAN2
Will you be my date for the high school prom?
SULLIVAN
Fat chance.
Offended, Man 2 pokes her cheek hard with a finger.
MAN 2
I was being cute. You were being rude.
Lily sees it all and starts over but Gus moves faster and is there first.
GUS
Gentlemen, it's time to go.
Men look at each other and smile. Lily is moving towards them.
MAN 2
(affecting a bad English accent)
What Ho! And who are you, my good faggot?
GUS
(Deadpan)
I'm the owner and you have to leave now. Let's go.
MAN 1
When we're ready.
People on either side of the men get up and either move or leave.
MAN 2
Look, we just pulled off a deal and we're celebrating.
GUS
You'll have to do it someplace else. Come on.
MAN 2 slowly and dramatically shakes his head no. Pokes two fingers into Gus's chest which makes the small man stumble back a ways. Lily comes up behind and touches the man and then his friend on the necks with an electronic zapper that shoots fifty thousand volts through them. Both troublemakers go down like stones. The restaurant stops dead until Mabdean and a helper come running out of the kitchen.
LILY
(calmly)
Take them outside, Mabdean. Put them on the bench till they come around and tell Ky to keep an eye on them.
She calmly drops the zapper back in her coat pocket and walks into the kitchen. The noise slowly returns to the restaurant while the camera moves slowly in on Max. He's watched this whole thing with wonder. The camera goes all the way in on his face as he tries to digest what he's just seen.
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S OFFICE.DAY
Max puts the phone down and shouts at the gods-
MARY
He doesn't exist! There's no Rick, no Rich, no Richard or Ricky Aaron at Kenyon College, ever.
Picks up his pencil and throws it hard across the room.
CUT TO:
EXT: MARY'S GARDEN. DAY
MAX
(as if continuing from the last scene)
No name even comes close, other than Rupert Aaron, who graduated in 1956.
MARY
Maybe he--
Max holds up a hand to stop her.
MAX
So I called up Dobbs Ferry, like you suggested? I spoke with the guy who keeps records at their hospital, then the town records. I talked with just about everyone in the town who would know something, Mary. And all of them said the same thing: there was never an Aaron family living there. No Rick at Kenyon, no Rick in Dobbs Ferry.
MARY
But that doesn't--
MAX
Wait, I'm not done. Remember I told you that Lincoln was born in Connecticut? I checked there too. They did a computer run on a Lincoln Aaron or any close variation of that name? Nothing. Unless she changed his name, Lincoln wasn't born there, Mary. What does that mean?
He bites his lip and looks at her steadily.
MARY
(decisively)
Stop the whole thing, Max. You understand why?
He nods slowly.
MARY
Listen to me. Stop the whole thing now. Don't go any further with it. I've been a reporter for fifteen years and can guarantee that the more you look, the worse it usually gets. Don't do it. I've seen so many people drown in details they found in exactly the same way you're looking now. It's not worth it! You've gotta great life. You've found the right person. Let the rest of this shit go! Love what you've got and forget this stuff.
The clatter of the police helicopter returns overhead. It gets louder and louder until it's almost on top of them, as if they're the ones being sought.
MAX
(drowned out by the sound)
Maybe I'm living with ghosts.
Mary hunches forward, a hand behind an ear.
MARY
What? I can't hear you.
The helicopter veers away and so does the sound.
MAX
Maybe I'm living with a couple of ghosts.
He points to her stack of papers. After a moment's hesitation and a grimace, Mary hands them to him. But he does not look-- only holds them on his lap and shuffles the pages nervously with his fingers.
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S BEDROOM. DAY
Max goes through his bedroom, searching. Opens dresser drawers, looks carefully under things, opens the closet... It's clear what he's doing. After much poking around, in one drawer full of lingerie, he pushes things aside and discovers an article clipped from a newspaper, "THE MEIER CASE-A TRAGEDY' a scrapbook, a bunch of letters with a rubber band around them. He stops what he's doing and reads it.
CUT TO:
INT: KITCHEN. DAY
He's still searching. In the cabinets, the drawers, etc.
CUT TO:
INT: LIVING ROOM. DAY
Searching
CUT TO:
EXT: BROOM CLOSET. DAY
Max is standing on top of an old chair, going through boxes on a high shelf in the closet. Suddenly he finds something. Picking up the box, he climbs down. Sits on the chair and starts going through the contents. Among the papers there he finds a tourist bureau brochure to Garamond, Pennsylvania and a brochure for 'The Brendan House Kennels'
CUT TO:
EXT: HOT AIR BALLOON. SUNSET
Max, Lily and Lincoln (his head bandaged), and a PILOT are all in a hot air balloon, having a wonderful time sailing over the ocean on a glorious evening. While watching them enjoy it, we hear, voice over, a conversation between Max and Mary.
MAX
(v.o.)
I need the name of a good private investigator.
MARY
(v.o., worried)
Are you sure, Max? Are you positive you want to do this?
MAX
Just give me a name and a number, Mary. Just do that, okay?
Fade out on the three of them hugging, pointing, and laughing: life could be no better than this.
CUT TO:
INT:GOFF'S OFFICE. DAY
Black screen, then the sound of a slide machine clicking. We suddenly see a wall-sized picture of a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties.
GOFF
(o.s.)
That's Anwen Meier right after she was married eleven years ago.
Next slide. The same woman, looking fifty years old and haggard.
GOFF
(o.s.)
This is a recent picture of her.
MAX
(shocked, o.s.)
My God! That's the same woman?
GOFF
(o.s.)
Yes, and she's only thirty-four.
Next slide. A very happy, smiling man.
GOFF
(o.s.)
This is her husband, Gregory Meier.
MAX
(o.s.)
That's him now?
GOFF
(o.s.)
No, this is.
Next slide. Meier looks old, unkempt, AND slightly mad. He's holding a French bulldog in his arms.
MAX
(o.s.)
How old is he?
GOFF
(o.s.)
Same age as his wife.
Machine clicks off. Lights come on. Max and ANTHONY GOFF are sitting on either side of a long conference table in a sleek room. GOFF is in his early forties, a small beard, very snappy dresser. He puts down the machine's remote control and looks at Max.
GOFF
A million kids a year disappear in America now. One million. That's the newest finding. The Meier's baby was kidnapped when it was two months old. They were living in Garamond, Pennsylvania at the time. Meier was a banker in Philadelphia. They'd been married two years when the baby was born. A boy. His name was Brendan. Brendan Wade Meier.
MAX
This was how long ago?
GOFF
(looks at his notes)
Nine years. Nine years and...three months.
MAX
What-
His throat stops him and he has to clear it.
MAX
What happened after that?
GOFF
It's all in the folder, but basically? Basically another small face went onto the side of milk cartons. 'Have seen this child?' The boy's been missing nine years, Mr. Fischer. The Meiers did everything they possibly could, but turned up nothing. My sources tell me they're still spending a great deal of money trying to find him. There's money on both sides of the family, but so what, you know? After the kidnapping, Mr. Meier suffered some sort of breakdown and had to quit his job. They sold everything and moved to New Mexico.
MAX
Where she had her car accident?
Goff shuffles through the file, takes some papers out.
GOFF
Wasn't an accident. Look, you gave me two newspaper articles about these people. One described the kidnapping, the next, her car accident. The third thing I got from you was that brochure for their dog kennel. Put it all together along with the things I found, and this is my take on it: That second picture was of a very tortured woman. She has every reason to be: Her only child was kidnapped and never found. Her husband had a nervous breakdown. They went from a dream life in a posh Philly suburb to raising weird
GOFF
(cont.)
dogs in the New Mexico boondocks. It gets worse. One night the woman's driving too fast down the Interstate. She supposedly loses control of the car and drives right into an overpass pillar. Now, the weather that night was perfect--
MAX
How do you know?
GOFF
I checked the weather bureau's records. There was no sign of mechanical failure, and the stretch of road where she went off was completely straight and flat.
MAX
You think she was trying to kill herself?
Goff nods. Several beats pass.
MAX
Are they still at that place in New Mexico?
GOFF
Yes.
Several beats.
MAX
(hesitantly)
And what did you find out about Rick Aaron?
GOFF
Nothing. The Rick Aaron you described doesn't exist. I pulled out all stops looking for him. And the son, Lincoln? Nothing there either. No birth certificate, no records, except he goes to that school you told me about, and the mother's name is Lily. I didn't know if you wanted me to check her out too, so I waited. I don't know what your connection with these people is, but I'd be
very wary of Mr. Aaron and his son.
Max gets up and walks around the room. He's confused and upset.
MAX
It's so confusing. Nothing connects. It makes me dizzy.
GOFF
Look, you want some free advice? Most people get upset like you are now. But it gets worse. People are curious so they hire me. But once I give them a first bunch of stuff, it begins to eat them up. Cheating wives, dishonest parents... there's a lot of good reasons. But at the risk of losing a client, I'm advising you to finish it now. Unless it's absolutely imperative, or doing it'll save someone's life, stop now.
Max looks at him with a thousand-yard stare. Only after some seconds does he look down and shake his head.
MAX
I don't know. I don't know.
CUT TO:
INT: KITCHEN. NIGHT
Max. Lily and Lincoln are sitting at the kitchen table having a candlelight dinner. The dog is perched on the floor next to Lincoln, waiting for handouts, which keeps him very attentive.
LILY
How come you suddenly have to go to Santa Fe?
MAX
There's a comic book convention at the Colosseum there. They've asked me to go and sign autographs.
LILY
(proudly to Lincoln)
See how famous Max is?
LINCOLN
(unhappily)
When'll you be back?
MAX
On Monday. Only a couple of days.
LINCOLN
(shyly, to himself)
I hate it when you go away.
MAX
I've never done it before!
LINCOLN
I know, but I hate it anyway. First my Dad went, and now you're going.
Max and Lily look at each other.
MAX
(touched)
I'm not going for long, Killer. It'll only be a couple of days. Then I'll be back and we'll do something cool together.
Lincoln is unmoved.
LINCOLN
I don't care about that. I just want you to stay with us now and not go away.
He picks up his plate and walks sadly to the sink. He starts the water and begins doing the dishes. Lily smiles at his back, then mouths the words to Max 'He loves you.' Max can't make out what she's saying and asks back silently 'What?' Before she has a chance to reply, Lincoln turns from the sink.
LINCOLN
Max, Elvis Packard said you could never be my real father because I wasn't your sperm.
MAX
That's true.
LINCOLN
But I told him you were almost my father because we live here and we're always doing cool things together. He said so what, you're still not my father.
LILY
Do you wish he were?
LINCOLN
I don't want to hurt your feelings, Mom, but yeah, I do.
LILY
(looking at Max with love and pride)
Me too.
Max looks at the two of them, then gets up and leaves the room without saying anything. Lincoln and Lily look at each other, confused.
CUT TO:
INT: HALLWAY. NIGHT
Max stands close to a wall, leaning his head against it. His eyes are closed. All the love and confusion going through his head right now is too much. He lifts his head off the wall and says to himself
MAX
Just go find out everything you can and then figure it out.
He takes a DEEP breath, nods at this decision, then goes to a sideboard and opens a drawer. Digs around in it till he finds a package of needles. He takes them and walks back towards the kitchen.
CUT TO:
INT: KITCHEN. NIGHT
Max enters kitchen with needles and goes over to Lincoln, who's again doing the dishes. He pulls the boy over to the dining table and makes him sit down. Lincoln eyes the package of needles as Max takes one out and holds it over the candle flame on the table.
LINCOLN
What're you doing?
LILY
Max--
Max pulls the needle out of the flame, checks it, blows on it, pricks his finger.
MAX
If I can't be your sperm Dad, how about being blood brothers?
Lincoln's mouth drops at the wonderfulness of the idea.
LINCOLN
Whoa! Yeah!
MAX
Okay, then give me your finger.
Lincoln's excited, but scared to give his finger too. Very hesitantly he does.
MAX
Now we've got to say something great that seals us.
LINCOLN
Bee Hees forever!
LILY
(laughing)
Bee Gees? Like the rock group?
LINCOLN
No, bee HEES. That's what Max calls me when we're wrestling.
MAX
Right. Good thinking! Then say 'Bee Hees Forever' when I say three. One two thr--
LINCOLN
BEE HEES FOREVER!
MAX
BEE HEES FOREVER!
LILY
(thrilled)
BEE HEES FOREVER!
MAX
Put the fingers together.
They do and hold them like that, the blood mixing. Go in close.
CUT TO:
INT: KENNEDY AIRPORT
Waiting in a seat at the departure gate, Max fills a page of thumbnail sketches of Lincoln's face. Laughing, sad, silly, asleep. Sitting next to him, a teenage brother and sister bicker endlessly with their parents and each other. Max's nerves jangle. He crumples the page as his flight to Albuquerque is called.
CUT TO:
INT: CAR. DAY
A vast, lonely sky. Haze. Heat. Silence. A desert road. A pensive Max navigates a rental car through this scrubby, dusty emptiness. He stops at a turnoff down a narrow track. He videos the ornate roadside sign that reads "Brendan House Kennels." Turning off the main road and following the dirt track, he eventually reaches his destination: a very beautiful, small Southwestern style farmhouse.
CUT TO:
EXT: FARMHOUSE. DAY
Max gets out of the car and walks across the road and up the path to the house. From somewhere we hear the loud yapping of many dogs. Before he has a chance to ring the bell, the door opens and a flood of French Bulldogs comes stampeding out of the house and happily mob him. He smiles and scratches heads. But there's too many of them and they all want to be touched. As he's petting them, ANWEN MEIER appears. She looks exactly like the photo we saw in the detective's office--beauty ruined-- only now she's smiling and it's still a great one.
MAX
Mrs. Meier? I'm Alan Datlow.
They shake hands.
ANWEN
(amused)
Well, you said you wanted to look for a dog. Be careful what you wish for. Come on in. My husband's in back.
MAX
Your house is beautiful.
ANWEN
Thank you. Would you like to have a little tour?
MAX
I'd love it!
She turns and leads him in. They're accompanied by all the excited dogs.
CUT TO:
INT: ANWEN'S LIVING ROOM. DAY
The two stand in a stark and church-like living room. It's crowned by a giant cathedral ceiling with several stained glass windows in it. This allows vividly- colored streaks of light to fall across the eclectic furniture. Dogs are everywhere. Anwen is pointing to and explaining the ceiling to a rapt Max.
CUT TO:
INT: KITCHEN. DAY
Where the living room was austere, the kitchen is a child's cartoon. Crazy colors and angles, the only normal things are the stove and fridge. Max is making a comical face and holding his head, reacting to the room. Anwen's laughing.
CUT TO:
EXT.GARDEN. DAY
The Meier's back garden is full of lush green plants and a small waterfall running in a corner of the yard. Max and Anwen are sitting in two Mission chairs, drinking iced tea.
MAX
It's a beautiful house, really. I love it. I don't know what else to say, Mrs. Meier.
ANWEN
Anwen. Thank you. I'll tell you why it's like this. We have a little boy. He was kidnapped nine years ago. Until we find him, this house will be both Brendan and everything we want to give him in his life with us.
MAX
(carefully)
I'm very sorry. And you have no other children?
ANWEN
No. Neither of us can conceive of having another child until Brendan comes home. So my husband raises dogs and I work on the house. I was studying to be an architect when we got married. One day Brendan will come home and we'll have lots to show him.
She smiles. Some beats pass in silence.
GREGORY
(o.s.)
Hello?
ANWEN
Hi! We're out here!
GREGORY MEIER walks out of the house. He's wearing casual clothes and looks old, spent.
GREGORY
Hi. Mr. Datlow? Gregory Meier.
They shake hands, but the shake goes on too long. Max loses his smile at one point and has to gently wrest his hand from Meier's. Gregory clears his throat too much throughout the conversation. He is full of noticeable eccentricities and it's clear after a while he's still on shaky mental ground.
MAX
Your wife has been showing me your house. It's beautiful.
GREGORY
It's all Anwen's doing. Did she tell you the history of it?
MAX
Yes.
He watches Meier closely but his expression is pity more than anything. You can see how deeply he feels for the man. he hurts with him, almost gives the impression he wants to go up and hug Gregory.
GREGORY
(brightly)
Well then, I guess since you know about that then we should talk about dogs. How did you hear about us in the first place? We're kind of far from... Where'd you say you were from?
MAX
(hesitates a moment)
Idaho. Coeur D'Alene. I had to make a business trip to Taos, so I thought I'd combine business with pleasure. I heard about you from Anthony Goff. He's a big breeder of greyhounds out there?
GREGORY
(so obviously lying it that it's painful to watch)
Anthony Goff! Of course I know Anthony. Idaho, that's right.
Embarrassed by her husband's lie, Anwen gets up and moves quickly into the garden.
ANWEN
Let's show Mr. Datlow the dogs.
GREGORY
Grrreat! Let's go. Hey, do you know what H.L. Mencken called Calvin Coolidge? 'A dreadful little cad.' You know, the tongue should never show in a French Bulldog, as I'm sure you're aware.
Almost brutally, he scoops up a dog that trots around the corner and points to its tongue. Then he rushes out into the garden and out a back gate as if his pants were on fire. Anwen watches and then slowly looks at Max.
ANWEN
Sometimes he gets a little revved up--
MAX
(waving it off)
It's nothing. It's having all these feisty dogs around.
She looks gratefully at him, then nods her thanks at his understanding. She walks after Gregory. Max takes one more look at the garden and slowly follows her.
CUT TO:
INT: FOYER. DAY
The three stand at the front door, shaking hands.
MAX
It was very kind of you to let me visit. I'm sorry we couldn't work something out. But it was a wonderful afternoon. Thank you.
GREGORY
Well, you want a gray dog and I know what it is when you've got your heart set on something exactly.
MAX
Thanks again for you kindness.
ANWEN
Thanks for coming! Sometimes we don't see people for a long time. I forget how nice it is to have company.
GREGORY
Listen Alan, can I ask you something before you go? It'll only take a minute.
Knowing what's coming, Anwen tenses and touches Gregory's arm.
ANWEN
Greg, don't--
GREGORY
It'll only take a minute and I'm sure he'll be glad to do it.
At a loss, Max looks from one to the other.
MAX
Whatever it is, it's no problem.
GREGORY
(too happy, too loudly)
Terrific! Come on, it's out in the barn.
He gallops out the front door and is gone in a flash.
ANWEN
I hope you don't mind. He does this with everyone who comes. It's so important to him, but some people get...up...some get upset.
CUT TO:
EXT: BACKYARD. DAY
Anwen and Max are walking across the backyard towards a small red barn. Gregory is already there, unlatching the doors and pulling them open. The left door swings open and on it is a huge blow-up photograph of a baby. It covers the entire door from top to bottom. Max and Anwen stop and stare. As if waiting for their reaction, Gregory pauses and smiling oddly, swings open the other door. Covering it is another full length 'photograph', this time a very strange one: a crude picture of a boy about Lincoln's age that looks vaguely like him. Max's mouth drops open and he licks his lips several times. Gregory, still smiling, comes forward.
GREGORY
Anwen told you about our Brendan?
He points to the baby picture.
GREGORY
That's the last picture we have of him before he was taken.
Max closes his eyes and tries hard to compose himself.
MAX
(quietly)
He's very beautiful.
Gregory loves hearing that and beams at Anwen.
GREGORY
He is, isn't he? Now this other one--
He walks over to the right door and points to it.
GREGORY
The police have a machine that can create a face photographically that gives you an approximate idea of what a person would look like years later. This is what they said Brendan would look like today. But they said with a baby it's hard to visualize because the bones are so soft when they're that young... I'm not a big traveller myself; don't get around so much these days, what with the dogs and all. I used to be when I worked for the bank. Banking's an interesting business, although most people don't think so. It's really..
His voice falters and he gestures helplessly at the picture. Max stares at it. Anwen can't bear to look. Her head goes down and she keeps it there.
GREGORY
I know Idaho is far away, but in all your travels, have you ever seen a boy who looks like this?
CUT TO:
BRENDAN NOW PICTURE.
CLOSE-UP of Brendan's composite photograph.
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S KITCHEN. NIGHT
Lincoln standing at the kitchen sink doing the dishes. He turns and looks at us. Is it the same boy?
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. YARD. DAY
CLOSE-UP of Max's face. So much pain and confusion there.
MAX
I'm sorry. I haven't.
Pull back to see the pain on Gregory's face and the absolute pity on Anwen's as she looks at her husband.
ANWEN
You know, when you have children, they become
everything to you. But what's funny is when you
lose one, like we have, they become even more
important. Every day that they're not with you,
they become more and more important.
CUT TO:
INT: CAR. DAY
The Meiers getting smaller and smaller in Max's rearview mirror as he drives away from them. Both wave. Max waves back, his eyes go from the road to the mirror. Keep on the image of the Meiers in the rearview as they keep getting smaller and smaller.
MAX
(o.s., despairing)
What do I do now?
CUT TO:
INT:CAR. NIGHT
Max is driving back to Albuquerque on the turnpike, having a heated 'conversation' with the absent Lily.
MAX
Why the fuck didn't you tell me?
He shakes his head, pounds a fist against the steering wheel.
MAX
(seething)
Every-thing you told me's a fucking lie, Lily! Everything! Who are you, besides a kidnapper!
Puts a hand on his face and rubs it hard.
MAX
We had it beat! We were home free. You and me and Lincoln. It was ours!
As he says this last line, a very loud pick up truck comes up behind him on the left. Max ignores the sound and keeps ranting. By the time he's finished, the truck is even with his. A LUNATIC (young, unkempt, and smiling like a madman) shouts at him over the ruckus
LUNATIC
Hey!
It doesn't register on Max.
LUNATIC
Hey, Hey, Hey Shithead!
Lunatic pulls out a gun and points it at Max.
LUNATIC
Hey Ho!
Pulls the trigger and the gun roars. But it's a blank gun and nothing happens. Lunatic laughs hysterically and accelerates away. Max pitches his car to the right and slams on the brakes. Car screeches and skids onto the shoulder, finally coming to a shuddering stop. Max sits shaking, eyes closed, mouth open and hyperventilating. He puts his head on the steering wheel and rocks his body back and forth a while.
MAX
(chanting like a scared child)
Lily. Oh Lily, I want to come home. I just want to come home.
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S APARTMENT. NIGHT
The door to the apartment opens and Max walks in with a small suitcase. Hesitates a moment, looking around.
MAX
Hello?
No one answers. He puts the bag down and slowly walks through the room, looking and touching different objects that are all Lily and Lincoln--framed photos of them, a basketball on the couch, a woman's sweater that he brings to his nose and smells. There's a large piece of paper on a coffee table: A drawing by Lincoln of the three of them standing together, arms around each other, with the dog standing on its hind legs, its paw around Max. He looks at it a long time, then sits tiredly on the couch and looks at it some more. The sound of a key in the lock and it opens. Lincoln. He lights right up when he sees Max. He runs over to him.
LINCOLN
(thrilled)
Max, you're back!
He throws himself on Max and the two hug a long time in silence.
MAX
Hi, Mr. Bee Hee.
LINCOLN
(in a happy rush)
We didn't know when you were coming! Mom promised we'd go to the airport and get you. How come you didn't call us? I'm so glad you're back. I missed you so much! I'm going over to Elvis Packard's house tonight for a sleepover cause I didn't know you were coming back today.
He grabs Max again and hugs him tight. They stay this way until Lily appears at the door with a bag of groceries.
LILY
(shocked)
You're back! Why didn't you call me?
Max shrugs and looks away. She frowns but it passes and she goes over, sits down next to him and kisses his cheek.
LILY
Well, welcome home!
Lincoln jumps up.
LINCOLN
I have to pack my bag. Elvis will be here any minute. Max, it's okay, isn't it? I mean, I can go sleep over?
MAX
Sure, go ahead.
LINCOLN
I'm so glad you're home, but like, we can fool around and everything tomorrow, right?
MAX
Absolutely.
Lincoln gets up and rushes off.
LILY
Are you all right? You're kinda strange.
MAX
(subdued)
I had a strange time, Lily. We have things to talk about.
She looks at him a long moment, but before she has a chance to say anything, the doorbell rings. Looking worriedly at Max, she gets up to answer it. ELVIS PACKARD is there. He's Lincoln's age, but a sullen, sneaky-looking kid who makes no eye contact and speaks in sneers and sarcasm. He belongs on the couch with Beavis and Butthead.
LILY
Hi, Elvis.
He addresses her breasts.
ELVIS
(dead voice)
Hi. Is Lincoln here? My Mom's waiting.
LILY
I'll go help him get ready.
Lily looks at Max and rolls her eyes, then leaves the room.
MAX
Hi.
Elvis looks but doesn't say anything. Max sits up straighter and directs his unhappiness at the nasty kid.
MAX
(edgy voice)
How are you?
Elvis scratches his cheek and shrugs.
MAX
Are you speaking today? How about,'Hi Max. Nice to see you.'
Elvis makes an exasperated face and shakes his head at Max's stupidity.
ELVIS
(not looking at Max)
My father says your cartoons are stupid and not funny at all.
MAX
Elvis, don't hide behind your father. You and I don't like each other. I don't like you because you hit our dog on the head with a flashlight and drew dirty pictures of Lily in Lincoln's notebook. You don't like me because no one's ever talked to you like this.
Elvis starts to protest but Max interrupts.
MAX
You don't have to argue because Lincoln likes you and that's all that matters. But it'd be nice when you come to our house if you just said Hello and Goodbye, because that's what you're supposed to do when you visit someone.
ELVIS
(hatefully)
I'm going to tell my mother what you said.
MAX
Then I'll show her those pictures you drew and tell her about the things you stole from school. You don't think I'm listening to you guys when I'm driving you somewhere, but you're wrong.
Elvis is both shocked and outraged at being caught. Now he's speechless. Lincoln comes rushing out of his room followed by Lily.
LINCOLN
Hi, Elvo!
ELVIS
(sulking)
Let's go.
With a killer glance at Max, he heads for the door. Lily forces the T-shirt Max decorated on Lincoln and then the two boys are gone. The door slams behind them. Lily comes over and sits next to Max.
MAX
I hate Elvis Packard.
LILY
Me too, but Lincoln loves him. So what's up? How did the trip go?
Max looks at her, pauses. Starts to speak, stops.
MAX
I want to go to bed. I don't want to talk now; I just want to go to bed with you.
Surprised and pleased, Lily is all for it. She stands up quickly.
LILY
Great! Let's go!
She heads for the bedroom. When Max hesitates, she turns and offers a hand to him.
LILY
Come on. This is better than talking any day.
She disappears into the bedroom. Max starts after her, stops and standing still, closes his eyes. A moment later he continues after her.
CUT TO:
INT: BEDROOM. NIGHT
Max and Lily are going at it very hard and passionately. Rolling around, kissing, moving to meet in the middle. Max pushes Lily onto her back and holding her arms above her head, works her hard, too hard. They're eye to eye when he says--
MAX
I know you!
LILY
Yes! Fuck me!
MAX
I! Know! You!
LILY
(ecstatic)
You-do! Better than anyone! Oh!
Her eyes are closed in pleasure. He is an inch away from her face, looking at her as if that face and her closeness have all the answers.
CUT TO:
INT: BEDROOM. NIGHT
The two are lying close after sex; Max on his back, looking at the ceiling. Lily's propped on an elbow so she can look at him.
LILY
(outraged)
He shot at you! I can't believe it! Right now, this second, you could be dead!
MAX
(quietly, not looking at her) I know.
She puts her head on his chest and suddenly starts to cry uncontrollably. It's so wrenching and heartbroken that Max raises and looks at her.
MAX
Are you all right?
She keeps crying.
MAX
Lily?
LILY
You could be dead! What would I do if you died?
Long pause. Then she lifts her head. Resolved, she speaks in a cooler, calmer voice.
LILY
I have something to tell you, Max. It's bad and I'm very scared, but I have to tell you now. Tonight. I love you more than any man I've ever known. I love you so much that I have to tell you, even though I've done terrible things. But there has to be truth between people who want to spend the rest of their lives together. It's crazy&emdash;I love you so much that I have to tell you the one thing that can kill me.
She gets off the bed and walks naked to her closet. Rummages around in there a long time, finally comes up with a small woman's purse. Max sits up on the bed, watches her closely. She takes out of it a pair of sunglasses and puts them on. She goes back into the closet and brings out an old beat up backpack. She unties the top strings, turns it upside down, and out slides a small yellow ashtray. With this in hand, she goes to a bookcase and takes down a large book-- a collection of Max's drawings. She walks back to the bed still wearing the glasses, puts the ashtray and book in front of Max.
LILY
My real name is Lily Vincent, not Aaron. Lincoln isn't my son. I stole him when he was a baby and have been running ever since.
MAX
I know.
Shocked, she slowly takes off the glasses and looks at him.
MAX
I just spent the day with Anwen and Gregory Meier.
FADE OUT
EXT: ROOF. NIGHT
Max and Lily are bundled up, sitting close together in matching Adirondack chairs on the roof above his loft, overlook the NY skyline. Lily is still wearing the sunglasses although it's night. On the arm of the chair are a drink, the yellow ashtray and Max's book.
MAX
So who WAS Rick Aaron?
LILY
No one. I based him on Bryce Calvin, the first man I ever slept with. The man who made me sterile, and the man who made me a whore for one night of my life. We met when I was a freshman in college and he was a senior. We slept together a week after we met. In the spring, I started bleeding badly and was having terrible cramps. At the hospital they told me I had Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. PID. It had infected my whole insides and I was in the
LILY
(cont.)
hospital three weeks. When it was over, my tubes were so badly scarred that I was infertile.
MAX
You said sterile before.
LILY
I'm not sterile, but with that kind of damage on the fallopian tubes, the chances of conceiving are almost none. I didn't tell my parents and that summer I went to New York with Bryce. We rented an apartment together. I worked at a restaurant and he sold drugs.
MAX
Were you doing them too?
LILY
Sure, but only grass. Until Bryce convinced me to smoke opium one night. That pretty much did it; 'Then the raisins came.'
MAX
What do you mean?
LILY
Lincoln said that. When he was a little kid, we were watching a documentary. The narrator said in this dramatic voice 'And then the rains came!' Lincoln turned to me and said just as dramatically 'And then the raisins came!' The raisins came for me after I started doing opium. I was a goner.
She stands up and starts walking around the roof. Along the way, she finds a tennis ball. As she talks, she does different things with it to keep her nervous hands busy.
LILY
I stopped going to work, stopped doing anything except smoke opium. One evening when things were really bad and I was completely dependent on him for just about everything, he said it was very expensive living together. Implying what with food and dope and all, I was a real drain. But I never took money from him and until then, always paid for half of the rent and groceries. Anyway, in lieu of his great generosity, he asked if I would do him a big favor.
She stops then tosses the ball up and down several times before she can get the rest out.
LILY
A friend of his was coming into town for the weekend and Bryce asked if I'd be willing to show the guy around. Immediately I knew what he was asking, but I smiled and said okay. Sure, lover, it's only the last of my honor and dignity and probably my sanity, but take it. Sure, I'll let your friend fuck me.
She goes back to her chair, picks up the drink and takes a long pull. Puts the glass down very carefully, then stands over Max and talks down to him.
LILY
The guy was even nice. He gave me these sunglasses as a souvenir.
She takes the glasses off, looks at them, and then shoves them hurriedly into a pocket.
LILY
When I got back to Bryce's he was gone, but he'd left a message for me: 'Your father called. Your mother died. He wants you to call.' Bryce knew where I was that whole time but hadn't called! I talked to my father, who I never got along with, and he said mother was already cremated.
She starts pacing again.
LILY
I had to get home but had no money. I went through Bryce's closet and found a huge wad of hundred dollar bills. Plus a slip of paper with my name on it. Under it was a list of six men's names, starting with the guy I'd spent the weekend with.
MAX
(quietly)
Why don't you stop for a while and take a break?
LILY
Because I have to finish or else I'll never say it all. I took a thousand dollars, bought a cheap car, and drove home. My father took one look and said I looked like a hippie whore. I went to the cemetery, said goodbye to my mother, and drove away. The next morning I kidnapped my son. Can we go inside? I'm very cold.
CUT TO:
EXT: THRUWAY. DAY
From a high field of grass in bright sunlight, we can just see way off in front of us cars flying down a superhighway. The first sound we hear though is two people making love. They're loud and exuberant. Then we can just make out two forms rolling and tumbling in the grass not far away. The camera moves by them but we don't quite ever see who they are-- just pass right by towards the road. When we're there, we've come to an 'auto stop' by the side of the road with one car parked alone. It's obviously the couple's car and in a fit of lust, they've parked here in the middle of nowhere for a quickie. We hear cars whizzing by on the highway in front, but we also hear the wail of a baby in real discomfort. An old 1970's Opel Kadett station wagon pulls into the stop about two hundred(?) feet behind the lover's car. We go up to it and watch as a ten years younger Lily Aaron get out. She's younger but she looks like hell-- too many nights, too many drugs, too many ghosts. She walks over to the toilet and goes in. The baby continues to cry, louder and more upset. Lily comes out of the toilet and starts for her car, stops, and listens. She looks at the car, hesitates, then starts for it. It's a bit of a walk and as she goes the cries get louder. Reaching the car, she looks in and sees the baby in there. It's having a fit either because it's soiled itself or twisted itself into an impossible position. Lily looks around for the parents and only after some time does she notice them way off in the field. Shaking her head that they've left the poor thing here, she reaches in, picks the child out of its bassinet and cuddles it in her arms. Instantly her face is transformed into a softer, loving Lily. She cuddles and coos the child and slowly it calms down. She walks and jiggles it as she goes. She's having a wonderful time and by the sound of the child's goo-goo's, she's good at it. She starts walking slowly back towards her car, watching the child the whole time. At one point she stops and almost instantly the baby starts to fuss again, so she continues on to her car. When she's there she cuddles, but starts looking towards where the couple is. Something is crossing her mind. She looks at the field, looks at the other car, looks around her. Looks at the child and it is all smiles. She hugs the child tightly to her and quickly opens the door of her car. In the back is a sleeping bag. She pulls it onto the front passenger's seat, then slides it on the floor there. Very carefully she places the baby on the sleeping bag and then starts the car-- drives off.
LILY
(o.s.)
I just thought it needed a hug.
Watch her car drive quickly out of the rest stop and back out onto the highway.
FADE OUT
INT: KITCHEN.NIGHT
The two are sitting at the kitchen table, staring at each other, not touching. Like a barrier, the glasses, ashtray, and book are between them.
LILY
This ashtray was from the first motel room I rented after I stole Lincoln. Isn't it funny how you searched the house for clues, but the biggest ones were just sunglasses, an ashtray, and your book? The history of Lily Vincent in three objects. Your book was the happy ending, Max. It made all the other stuff just go away. It's a little Bible for me. I never told you that, did I? Any time I feel down or scared, I open it up and I'm home again. Do you know what's
LILY
(cont.)
one of the things I love most about being with you? When you go to bed early sometimes and I'm in the living room on the couch. I sit there alone, knowing my two men are just down the hall, asleep. I feel so secure. So...blessed.
She puts the glasses in the ashtray, then the ashtray on top of the book. Both of them stare at this for a while.
LILY
Why didn't you tell me you knew when you first got suspicious?
MAX
If you were in my position, what would you have done?
LILY
( a small laugh)
Run away, but that's because I've been running for ten years.
Long pause.
LILY
Have you told anyone?
MAX
(adamant)
No one. Look at me! Believe that-- I've told no one.
LILY
I have to believe it. But what are you going to do, Max? I can't believe that you know now. What are you going to do?
He stares at her, then gets up, goes around the table, and kneels at her feet. Puts his head on her lap. She caresses him.
LILY
(heartfelt)
I love you. No matter what you do to us, or me, know I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. This is all I ever wanted from life-- you here, Lincoln happy... Oh Max, what are you going to do? Do you know?
He lifts his head and looks at her. He is devastated, she is exhausted and vulnerable.
CUT TO:
A montage of images race through Max's mind: Lily, Lincoln, the Meiers, their French Bulldogs, Lincoln again laughing, the tiny beads of blood mingling in their blood brothers pact. BLAM! The gunshot in the desert.
MAX
I'm going to marry you and try to be a good father to Lincoln.
LILY
(astounded)
Oh God. Oh God.
She begins to breathe oddly, as if panting. She buries her face in his hair. When she raises it again she's crying.
LILY
You would do that? You'd do that for me?
MAX
Yes Lily. It wasn't a hard decision to make.
She puts her arms around him again and starts rocking them back and forth.
LILY
(torn apart)
Oh God. Oh God.
FADE OUT
FADE IN ON a montage of images: A pencil line skitters across a page, outlining, shading. It is Lincoln's tenth birthday. Grinning broadly, he poses as Max draws him. Video home movies record the blowing out of ten candles, big smiles. And now a modest wedding; Max and Lily, Lincoln dressed in a boy's perfect suit. The pencil tip hesitates. Shadows shift across the page. Max's eyes narrow as he considers the arc of a line. Photos in an album; Lincoln, grown taller, with Max on holiday. An eraser scuffs the paper. A new line is drawn. Video footage of Lily lounging in bed smiling at the camera. Shadows shift across a blurry black and white pattern... an ultrasound scan of a tiny fetus. Photographs of Lily and a newborn baby girl. The pencil tip curves and dips. Video images of baby Greer's first steps. A silhouette shot of Lily and a much-grown Lincoln playing with the baby in the park. On the page, a confusion of lines. The pencil zigzags back and forth....
FADE OUT
INT: MAX'S STUDIO
Max looks up from his drawing to his subject. Lincoln, now sixteen years old, meets Max's gaze. Lincoln has a grungy, teenage nihilist look.
MAX
God, it's your sixteenth birthday. You're almost
a wholly legal man.
Lincoln makes an exasperated face and shrugs.
LINCOLN
Hey look, are you almost done? Like I've got things to do.
He looks around, like he's trying to find the closest door to escape.
MAX
Just hold on! This is a big thing! There aren't many people who get portraits every year.
LINCOLN
(mumbling)
Big thing for you.
MAX
What?
LINCOLN
(another face)
Nothing.
MAX
So what's going on tonight? You got big plans? You gonna go to a Carcass concert or Napalm Death? My favorite name for a group these days is Halo of Flies. I can just see you and Elvis and Little White, all dressed up and going for drinks at the Rainbow Room.
LINCOLN
(cynical)
Yeah right, really cool idea.
MAX
I'll pay for a suit for you.
LINCOLN
Look Max, can we just like, you know, finish?
MAX
Okay, okay. Just a little bit more.
He deals with Lincoln's fretting with a practiced patience, studying his stepson closely, trying to get the measure of him. Somewhere the door bell rings and Lincoln looks up expectantly. LITTLE WHITE appears in the doorway and leans on it, smirking at Lincoln. She is sixteen has snow-white hair cut close to her head and is wearing clothes that look like they were taken off someone killed in a tornado.
LITTLE WHITE
God, Lincoln, aren't you ready? We gotta go!
LINCOLN
(exasperated)
Duh! I mean, like, I'm ready but Rembrandt's gotta finish.
Max gets the point.
MAX
Go ahead. I'll finish later.
The two of them stomp off in their seven league Doc Martens without a goodbye. Max sighs and looks at the birthday drawing. He adds it to the portfolio of the passing years. Flicking back through the sheaves of paper, Lincoln diminishes back to a smiling child. Max grins to himself. The door slams and he hears a childish shriek of joy. Five year old GREER runs excitedly into the room. She jumps into his arms and is cuddled lovingly.
GREER
Hi, Daddy! Lincoln just called me smear. I called him Bacon and Little White started laughing like crazy. Do you like her? I don't know if I like her. She's kind of weird. I think a lot of Lincoln's friends are kinda weird.
MAX
Me too, sugar plum. But you're not weird. You're Greerd.
GREER
Oh Daddy, don't be silly.
MAX
I love silly! Silly's my middle name. Max Silly Fischer.
GREER
(hugging him tighter)
You may be silly, but you're still my Daddy!
MAX
I am very much your Daddy and you are my miracle girl.
They hold on and Max rocks them both in a small moment of bliss.
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S STUDIO. NIGHT
Max is working late, finishing his portrait of Lincoln. The phone rings. As he listens to the voice on the line, color drains from his face.
MAX
All right. I'll be right there.
Puts the phone down and leaves the room.
CUT TO:
INT: BEDROOM. NIGHT
Pulling his coat on, Max peeks into the bedroom and checks on sleeping Lily. He closes the door softly and leaves.
CUT TO:
INT: POLICE STATION
Max walks into the station and up to the desk sergeant. They speak and Max is directed into another room.
CUT TO:
INT: STATION OFFICE
Max sits in a drab chair in a drab room waiting tensely. There are ugly noises around him floating in from outside-- cursing, sirens, the works. A door opens and a middle-aged woman detective, WAKOSKI, comes in with a folder in her hand.
WAKOSKI
Mr. Fischer?
MAX
Yes?
WAKOSKI
You're Lincoln Fischer's father?
MAX
Yes.
WAKOSKI
Well, Mr. Fischer, we got a situation here. We
did a drug bust this evening on an apartment and
your son was arrested for being on the premises.
Nothing was found on him, but you and I know that
WAKOSKI
(cont.)
he wasn't there to buy Twinkies. So I don't think
I have to tell you you've either got a problem or
something ugly that's about to grow into a problem.
MAX
(head down, shakes it back and forth)
I understand.
WAKOSKI
The next time this happens who knows what he'll
have in his pockets. Or in his veins. Get to work
on him, Mr. Fischer. Get this kid straightened out
right now or it's going to be bad.
Max nods and looks at her, then out the door. Through the glass of the door he catches sight of Lincoln. He looks pale and ill. A uniformed officer is unlocking his handcuffs.
MAX
Thank you. Thank you for being honest.
WAKOSKI
Now it's time for you to be honest with him and yourself. Get him some help.
Max starts to get up and shakes hands with the woman. He looks through the door at Lincoln. The boy looks truly scared.
CUT TO:
INT: RED DOG DINER. NIGHT
Max and Lincoln sip coffee in silence. The place is almost empty.
Max studies Lincoln. He seems subdued, shrunken, like a sick little boy.
MAX
(sweetly)
Remember when we used to come in here and eat
Chili dogs together?
Lincoln ducks his head, not knowing what to do, where to look. Max leans across the table.
MAX
We can't tell your mother about this. It would break her in half.
Lincoln looks at him, then slowly nods, surprised his father is going to keep this secret.
MAX
She worries enough about you as it is. Look, Lincoln, if you do have a problem with drugs, then let's get to work on it right now. These things can be... worked on.
LINCOLN
(sliding back into his normal sarcasm)
What do you mean, worked on? Like homework?
MAX
(stern)
No, I don't mean like that and don't be a wise guy
with me for the next ten minutes or so, okay? I
mean you've gotta take care of it and I'll do
everything I can to help if you let me.
LINCOLN
Who said I had a problem anyway? I was just at that place and the fucking cops--
MAX
(angry)
Just stop, don't do that stuff with me now. You're
my son and I love you and I don't want anything
to happen to you. This is bad, Lincoln, this isn't
small time stuff!
LINCOLN
(angry, flashing out)
How would you know? How would you know anything about this? You and Lily and your nice little lives. Clean sheets and all your pencils in order... How do you know anything about my life?
MAX
We don't have to know anything about your life to love you. You're the one who keeps the door closed. We've tried a million times to be your friend, but you don't want it now and we respect that.
But this is different. This is the big time, and if I have to play your father in this and be the asshole then so be it, I'll do it.
Suddenly Lincoln sits back in the booth, looking very sick. he puts his hand to his mouth then stands up and runs for the toilet.
CUT TO:
INT:TOILET
Over a toilet, Lincoln throws up painfully and violently. Max appears behind him and holds him while his body twists and contorts. Lincoln grips Max's hand, tears streaming down his cheeks.
CUT TO:
INT:BEDROOM. NIGHT
In the early hours, Max climbs into bed besides a barely awake Lily.
LILY
Hiya, Nightowl. Where've you been?
MAX
Oh, Lincoln got stuck at a party in Queens and I
had to go... forget it. Father knows best.
LILY
(turning to fall asleep again)
My hero. Superdad.
Max gets into bed and stares at the ceiling. Then he turns and looks across the room, as if trying to stare through the door to see what Lincoln is doing.
CUT TO:
INT:LIVING ROOM.DAY
When the scene begins, we hear incredibly loud and annoying 'death metal' music playing. Something by the group 'Carcass' would be appropriate. It's loud enough to blow us out of our seats. Lincoln, ELVIS PACKARD, and Little White come into the room. They all look like the worst kind of punk/thugs-- the boys' hair is standing straight out from their heads in long spikes today. Little White's looks like it was cut with a dull knife. Elvis is all leather: boots, pants, and a beat-up biker jacket festooned with chains and buttons. Lincoln is 'Grunge'-- long ratty Bermuda shorts, high top black 'Converse' basketball sneakers, and a T-shirt that says 'Fuck Dancing-- Let's Fuck' across the front. Little White has on jeans full of holes, and a T-shirt that says 'Nine Inch Nails'. The three slouch towards us. Lincoln reaches for a 'Walkman' on his belt, presses a button and the music stops. Lincoln says something that makes Elvis shove him hard. Little White grabs her crotch obscenely, jumps up and down, shakes her head wildly from side to side. They walk down the hall and disappear into the back of the apartment.
MARY POE
(o.s.)
Christ, Max, Lincoln looks a hundred years old. Is that what being sixteen means nowadays?
MAX
(o.s.)
You got me. I only live with him.
Pull back into the room. Sittings on opposite ends of a couch are Max and Mary Poe. Mary looks much older. Her hair is cut very short and severe,
MARY
The leather jacket is Elvis Packard, but I don't know the girl.
MAX
Little White. The boys share her.
MARY
You mean-
MAX
Yes. Lincoln said both of them do her, but 'none of us are really into fucking, ya know? So it's just a kinda thing we do in-between. Ya know?'
Music roars from back in the apartment.
MAX
God, I hate that music! Lincoln! Turn it down!
No response.
MARY
(smiling)
Now you're sounding like an old fart. But what did her shirt say?
MAX
Nine Inch Nails. That's a rock group, in case you don't have their album.
MARY
I thought it was a manicurist. What a bunch of criminals! How do you live with it? I can never get over it: He was the greatest little boy: funny, charming... What the hell happened to him?
Max shakes his head.
MAX
He grew up.
MARY
(dismissively)
That's no answer. You and Lily were the most wonderful parents I've ever known. You did everything right. He was loved twenty four hours a day. You gave him the right amount of discipline,
you read to him, listened to him, took him everywhere with you...
Throws up her hands in dismay.
MAX
Lily thinks it might partly be due to Greer.
MARY
Nonsense! Why would a little sister turn him into Godzilla? Knowing you two, you probably bent over backwards to give each kid their fair share. Plus the fact Greer adores him. He likes her, doesn't he?
Max makes an exasperated gesture.
MAX
I think so. He's nice and gentle with her. And you're right, we spent a lot of time making sure he knew he was loved.
MARY
(looking toward the bedroom)
What do you think they do in there? I mean, besides listening to Nine Inch Nails and NOT screwing?
Max shrugs.
MARY
Come on, don't you ever look through the keyhole, or...you know.
MAX
He doesn't know it, but I have an extra key to his door. I had it made when I stopped trusting him. The lock could keep a tank out. Why he locks it, I don't know because there's nothing IN there. I've only gone in once or twice, but the place was spotless; nothing on the walls, the bed made without a wrinkle... It was creepy- clean.
GREER comes in. She marches confidently over to Mary, kisses and hugs her, then over to Max. She climbs into his lap and snuggles.
GREER Hello, Mary Poe.
MARY
Hello, Greer Fischer.
GREER
Did you bring your gun?
MARY
I did.
GREER
Can I see it?
MARY
It's just the same old gun you saw the last five times.
GREER
Pleeease?
Mary looks at Max who nods. She opens her blazer and undoes the gun from its shoulder holster. Greer climbs off Max's lap and walks to Mary, where she stares fascinatedly at the gun.
GREER
Do you have a gun, Daddy?
MAX
You know I don't. Only police and private investigators like Mary have them.
GREER
(coyly)
Lincoln has a gun.
Max and Mary exchange glances, then look at the girl.
MAX
(slowly)
What do you mean?
GREER
Promise you won't tell? Lincoln doesn't know I know. I went into his room and saw it behind the dresser. It's stuck there with tape.
MAX
(trying to keep his composure)
Well, I don't know what he needs it for--I'll protect us all when the bad guys come.
He slides Greer gently off his lap.
MAX
Why don't you go into the kitchen, Honey, and get a little snack? Mary and I have to talk some more. I'll be in in a minute.
GREER
(gaily)
Okay. But you promised not to tell!
Max nods and Greer skips out of the room.
MARY
Shit! I hope that's not true, Max, 'cause if it is, it only makes things worse. Lincoln's been buying a lot of drugs too. You were right. He gets them from the girl.
MAX
That's why I asked you to check him out. I knew we should have done it before! Lily'll go nuts! She refuses to accept any of this;
She thinks he's just being rebellious.
MARY
Then talk to her. Work on the problem together. Otherwise your kid could die. Get some counseling, maybe check him into
a program--
Max shakes his head.
MAX
He HATES us, Mary. Anything we think, say, or do he gets a look on his face like we're the enemy.
MARY
So he's an ungrateful little shit; he's still under age. Stick his ass in a rehab program. Too bad if he doesn't like it. And get hold of the gun, if he has one! Get the serial number off it so I can check to see if it's hot, or has some bodies on it. If he bought it from someone on the street, it could've been used in other crimes and that's bad.
MAX
(gloomily)
What did we do wrong, Mary? He was a great boy. Then this little miracle girl was born from a woman who supposedly couldn't have kids. We had the magical life! We were home free. We loved them... All we could do was love them the best way we knew how.
Several beats pass. They look at each other, old friends who've spent a lot of life together and understand the tragedy of this.
MARY
(quietly)
First find out about the gun. Then we'll take care of the drugs.
He nods at her. The phone rings. Mary stands up.
MARY
I have to go. Call me as soon as you find out anything. I can check the gun as soon as you give me numbers.
Max nods, she leaves. Max sits some moments while the phone continues to ring. Finally he picks it up.
MAX
(dead voice)
Hello? Hi Honey. Well, why don't we go there for dinner? Uh huh. About six thirty? No,nothing's happening. Uh huh. No, I'm just tired. Nothing's wrong. We'll see you at seven, okay? I love you.
He puts the phone down. A door slams somewhere. His face tightens. The three teens come walking through the room on their way out.
LINCOLN
I'm going out.
MAX
Be back at six, huh? We're going to Crowds for dinner.
LINCOLN
I'm not hungry.
MAX
(stiffening)
Lincoln, be home at six tonight. I don't care if you're hungry.
Elvis whistles dramatically, pretending to be impressed by Max's order.
LINCOLN
(snarling)
What am I supposed to do, sit at the table with an empty plate in a restaurant full of fags? I hate faggots. I hate that fucking
restaurant!
MAX
(calm now)
You hate SO many things that it lost all its effect a long time ago. Be home at six.
Little White laughs hysterically and claps her hands. Elvis touches Lincoln's shoulder with a finger, then rears back, pretending to be burned by the contact.
ELVIS
Guess he burned your butt, Champ.
LINCOLN
(moving towards the door)
We'll see. Come on. We're outta here.
They leave, slamming the door behind. Max stands there, empty. Greer comes tiptoeing into the room with a cookie in hand.
GREER
How come you and Lincoln always fight, Daddy?
MAX
Because we don't always see things the same way. I want you to promise me something, Greer. I want you to promise on your word of honor NOT to tell Lincoln you told me about his gun. Okay?
GREER
(subdued by his seriousness)
Okay, Daddy. Can I go over to Ryder's house?
MAX
Sure, but be home in an hour. We're going to Crowds for dinner.
She pushes the rest of the cookie into her mouth, hugs him, and runs out.
CUT TO:
INT:MAX'S OFFICE. DAY
Max opens a drawer in a large cabinet, pushes things aside and takes out a metal strongbox. Walks to his desk and places the box on it. Takes out his wallet, slips a key from inside, and opens the box with it. Inside are manila files marked 'Life Insurance', etc. There's also photographs, and a thick notebook. He takes out the notebook, opens it and skims the pages. It is mostly writing, but interspersed are photographs of Lily, the kids at various ages... He stops on a page dated seven years before. He reads
MAX
(reading aloud)
'Lily told me the whole story. It's everything I feared, only completely different.
Closes the book and caresses it. Snorts derisively and shakes his head.
MAX
God, if we'd only known then...
Puts the book back in the box, digs around some more in there and finally comes up with a key. Closes the box. Walks out of the room.
CUT TO:
INT.HALLWAY. DAY
Standing in the hallway in front of Lincoln's room, Max takes a deep breath and slides the key into the lock. Opens the door, walks in, closes the door behind him.
CUT TO:
INT: LINCOLN'S ROOM. DAY
The room is exactly as Max described it-- too empty, too neat, no pictures or ornaments...nothing. A monk's cell. Max walks across the room to a wooden dresser pushed up against a wall. He slides the dresser away from the wall, takes a small flashlight out of his pocket and turns it on.
CUT TO:
INT: LINCOLN'S ROOM. DAY
From down behind the other side of the dresser, we watch Max's light wash across the dark, flat surface. Then we see the obvious bulge of a gun taped there. It takes a moment for the light to pick it up. When it does, the light stops and we see every detail. A hand comes over and tears it from its place.
CUT TO:
INT: LINCOLN'S ROOM. DAY
Max has the phone to his ear and is looking at the pistol in his hand. Turns it this way and that carefully. He's not used to guns. Obviously a recorded message comes on and he grimaces.
MAX
Mary, this is Max. I found it. It's called a Glock but there's all kinds of writing on it and I don't know which you want. We're going to Crowds for dinner, but I'll call you later.
Puts the phone down, slides the gun into a pocket and leaving the room, turns out the light.
CUT TO:
INT: CROWDS AND POWER. NIGHT
It's the same restaurant we saw earlier, only now it's much more glitzy, crowded and full of clearly important people. All of the waiters are very handsome men with an attitude. The place is packed when Max and Greer walk in. Lily is standing at the door, talking to a customer. She looks older too, her hair much longer than before. When she sees her family, she excuses herself and goes right over.
LILY
Hi Guys. Where's Lincoln?
MAX
(distracted)
We, um, waited for him. He was supposed to come at six. He's with Elvis. Maybe he'll show up later.
Lily looks at her watch, frowns and sighs.
LILY
Remember how he used to love coming here?
MAX
His birthday party with the snakes?
LILY
(wistful)
Golden days at Crowds and Power. How I wish it was like that now.
GREER
Mom, can we eat now?
LILY
Yes love. Let's find a table.
Leading them through the room, she turns and quietly asks Max
LILY
Where is he?
MAX
The last I saw, he was off to places unknown
with Mickey and Minnie. We had a fight.
GREER
Mom, Lincoln had his 'fuck' shirt on!
LILY
Thank you for telling me, dear, but you know
the only reason you told me was so you could
say the word.
Greer giggles all the way to the table. They sit and ready themselves with menus, napkins...
LILY
What did you tell him to set him off?
MAX
To be home for dinner at a specific time.
LILY
Did you embarrass him in front of his friends? You know he hates that.
MAX
(exasperated)
Lincoln hates EVERYTHING, Lily. You, on the other hand
look great tonight. You're one of those lucky people who get better looking as they grow older. I'm very lucky to have you.
She bends over, kisses his cheek and gives him a long loving look. Greer sounds out words on her menu.
CUT TO:
INT: CROWDS. NIGHT
Dinner is over and the family is sitting there, accompanied now by Ibrahim Safid and Gus Duveen, both older too.
LILY
(to Gus)
Sure, there's a lot more business now, Gus. But we had a
lot more fun before. Now we're just chic and successful.
IB
I think it's fun to have famous people in here all the time. It makes me feel like we have succeeded.
GUS
Look! There's Johnny Depp!
Both men leap to their feet and run towards the famous guest and his entourage.
LILY
Why is this restaurant such a success after all these years when all of the waiters are arrogant, the food's nowhere as good as it was when Mabdean was here, and every one of the customers is a fashion victim?
MAX
Welcome to New York.
GREER
Mom--
The child is about to say something when Lincoln comes to the table pulls out a chair and sits down next to Max. His face is lit with a weird inner light-- half demonic, half possessed. He is dripping wet. Something dangerous is going on inside him. Every sentence he speaks is full of sparks.
LINCOLN Hi Mom and Daaaad!
LILY
(pleased)
Lincoln, hi honey! You came!
GREER
Hi Lincoln! Wanna sit next to me?
LINCOLN
Hi Sneer. Naah, I want to sit next to DAD. Right next to the old MAN.
He fake-punches Max in the arm and lays his head an instant on the other's shoulder.
MAX
(wary)
Do you want something to eat?
Lincoln starts patting out a beat on the table, then humming louder and louder.
LINCOLN
Naah. I just came to see my FAM.
GREER
Mom, I have to go to the bathroom.
Lily looks from her to Lincoln, a little worried.
LILY
Okay, I'll take you.
The two leave. Lincoln sings and drums harder. People sitting nearby notice now and start giving him dirty looks.
MAX
Lincoln, come on--
Ibrahim comes to the table and he's not happy.
IB
Stop it, Lincoln! What are you doing? You must be quieter.
Lincoln looks straight at Ib and keeps drumming, singing. Ib's mouth tightens and he puts a hand down over Lincoln's.
IB
Lincoln, you are making everyone who loves you crippled. You cut off our legs and then you cut out our hearts. Love goes very far, but it is not the universe-- somewhere it stops and then that is the end!
LINCOLN
(mocking him)
'Den dot is de end!'
MAX
For Christ's sake, Lincoln--
IB
(deeply hurt & angry)
This is enough! I have had enough of you now.
Lincoln stares at him with an idiotic smile on.
MAX
(placating)
Ib, don't worry, I'll--
LINCOLN
(caustically) That's right! Dad'll make it all right.
Ibrahim gives the boy an acid look and strides angrily away.
LINCOLN
Don't you just love the way that girl moves!
MAX
What the HELL are you trying to--
LINCOLN
(mimicking him exactly)
What the HELL are you trying to--
Max makes a hard face and holds up a threatening index finger-- don't push too far, kid.
LINCOLN
(leaning in and smiling evilly)
You took my gun. But I got another: I had it stashed under your bed. Check this out.
Pulls out a gun and shows it to Max just under the edge of the table.
LINCOLN
Bet you didn't know THAT. And in the meantime I found something of yours, partner!
Leans in even closer so they're almost nose to nose.
LINCOLN
(hissing it)
I KNOW, Maxie. I know EVERYTHING! I found it alllll out! Isn't it incredible how in one second, your whole life can go from here-
Staring hard at Max, he bangs the gun loudly on the table. Everything jumps.
LINCOLN
--to here!
Bangs again. Max is stunned.
LINCOLN
Know why I was late? Cause I was looking for my gun. But you had it, so I decided to find something of yours. And I did! Fuck you, Max. Fuck you for the rest of your shitty life. You AND Lily. All the lies you two told me. Now you're going to pay for it, cocksucker!
He leaps up from the table and runs out of the restaurant. Max goes right after him. Consternation all around as they pass.
CUT TO:
EXT: STREET. NIGHT
Max bursts out of the restaurant, stops, looks wildly one way, then the other. People stare at him like he's crazy. On the other side of the street, Lincoln and Elvis are running full tilt away. Lincoln turns as he runs and giving Max the finger, screams-
LINCOLN
I know EVERYTHING, fucker!
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S ROOM. NIGHT
Max and Lily throws open the door to his workroom. It's been thoroughly trashed. Everything on his desk is dumped on the floor except for his strongbox. It's upside down, the contents spilled over the surface. He runs to the desk and starts looking wildly for the journal which holds the truth about Lincoln. It's not there. What is there is a note written in thick black ink on a piece of white paper. It says 'I'VE GOT YOUR DIARY, FUCKHEAD DADDY.' Stunned, Max sits down slowly on his chair, an old man now, his greatest secret discovered. He shows it to Lily. She freezes.
LILY
(horrified, paralyzed)
Oh God! Oh my God! Max, everything was in there!
Everything!
MAX
(furious)
Everything but what was most important.
LILY
Why did you keep it? All those years why-
MAX
What does it matter? And what are you going to do,
start blaming me now? Blame? Are we going to start
tossing that word around now. Pretty dangerous
stuff, Lily. Pretty fucking dangerous stuff!
She looks at him, knowing what he could say now if he wanted. There's a huge moment of silence between them and then RING! The phone rings and both of them jump. They look at each other, not knowing what to do. Max finally picks it up.
MAX
(breathlessly)
Hello?
LINCOLN
(o.s., very happy)
Dad! Somehow I just knew you'd be there.
MAX
Lincoln-
He looks at Lily who has her hands to her mouth. In the background we hear just faintly
GREER
(o.s.)
Mommy?
CUT TO:
EXT: AIRPORT. NIGHT
Lincoln is halfway in, halfway out of a phone booth outside the airport terminal. The sound of passing planes is very loud.
LINCOLN
Shut up! I'll hang up if you start talking.
I'm getting on a plane. I took your extra Visa
card and am going to use it a while. Don't
call Visa and stop the card, understand?
MAX
(o.s., desperate)
Lincoln, listen--
Lincoln bangs the receiver against the side of the booth.
LINCOLN
Shut up! I'm catching a plane to New Mexico in ten minutes. Just so you and Mommy know and don't worry. I'm going to visit Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Meier. Remember them? I gotta talk to them.
MAX
(o.s.)
Lincoln, you don't know the whole story! Please-
LINCOLN
(outraged)
Because you never told it to me! No, I'm talking to the Meiers and then I'll think about you two. Maybe. Don't follow me. Just stay away, asshole. You and Lily owe me that. Stay away till I get in touch with you.
MAX
(o.s.)
Lincoln, the Meiers--
Lincoln slams the phone back into the cradle and screams
LINCOLN
SHUT UP!
CUT TO:
INT: TAXICAB. NIGHT
Max riding to the airport. They passes under a roadside placard that says 'PLANNING A FAMILY? CALL US 335-9063 WE CAN HELP!' Max looks at it and snarls
MAX
Oh yeah?
CUT TO:
INT:AIRPORT TERMINAL. NIGHT
Max stands in front of a reservations desk, arguing with a clerk.
MAX
But there's gotta be other flights to New Mexico!
Clerk looks exasperated and says for the tenth time
CLERK
I've told you, sir, you can fly to Phoenix in an hour, but the next flight to Albuquerque is in four hours.
Trying to keep his temper, Max looks away, then back.
MAX
And the other airlines?
CLERK
(bitchy)
Would you like me to call them AGAIN?
MAX
(grimacing)
No, book me on your flight.
Clerk rolls her eyes and starts tapping computer keys.
CUT TO:
INT: AIRPORT. NIGHT
Max at a telephone.
MAX
Did you call Meiers?
.
LILY
(o.s.)
A hundred times! All I get is their damned message.
MAX
Well keep trying. There's nothing else we can do.
LILY
(o.s., scared)
Max, what do you think he's going to do?
MAX
(at the end of his rope)
I don't know, Lily. That's why I'm here. That's
why I'm flying to New Mexico in the middle of the
night because I don't know what Lincoln's going to do. Look, I've got to go. I'll call you when I get there.
LILY
(o.s., quiet)
Max? I love you.
He pauses, closes his eyes.
MAX
Me too. I've got to go.
Hangs up, looks at his phone credit card and starts tapping in numbers. Finished, he waits while the phone rings and rings. No one home. An answering machine tape starts up.
WOMAN'S VOICE
(o.s.)
You've reached the Meiers but we're not home. please leave a message. Thanks.
Max slams the phone down and rubs his face. Takes his hands away and looks at the ceiling.
MAX
Hello, Mrs. Meier? Run for your life. Run for your fuck-ing lives!
CUT TO:
INT:AIRPORT.NIGHT
Max is standing at a public telephone outside his departure gate. People are passing through to the plane already, but he's still trying to reach the Meiers. While waiting, he watches people boarding. He's very nervous. Hearing something, he frowns and hangs up.
MAX
Damn!
Taking a ticket out of his pocket, goes toward the gate.
CUT TO:
Max dreaming in montage. First there's Lincoln's face. The face becomes Max's birthday portrait of Lincoln. The face metamorphosis backwards through the years, becoming younger and younger, 11, 10, 9 years old. But now even younger, before Max knew him. The lines becoming darker, more jagged, less distinct. 6,5,4 years, the features becoming more shaded, unclear. A one year old, less. The face of an infant. The baby's face on the faded news clipping about the Meier case. The eyes on the baby's face. One eye. The dots that make up the newsprint. One dot. Blackness, engulfing. A scream pierces the darkness.
In the dream a flash of white that focuses quickly to the white of a baby basket. It's empty. The scream is Anwen Meier's, as her heart breaks. She shouts as Gregory grabs and tries to calm her, her tears coursing down his cheeks. Their faces contort now in silence, weeping soundlessly. Bystanders gape. A couple of police, an elderly couple. Max too is in the crowd, watching. horrified. The scream comes back, deafening.
CUT TO:
INT: AIRPLANE.DAY
Close-up of a STEWARDESS' face, very concerned. She is touching Max's shoulder, waking him from his nightmare. He sits bolt upright and stares at her like she's the enemy. She walks away and Max looks out the plane window at the early morning sun and clouds.
CUT TO:
INT: CAR. DAY
Max drives down the same road towards the Meier house. In the early sky, smoke is curling ominously up. A fire truck comes slowly towards Max and he watches it drive by. Inside the cab are firemen laughing and smoking cigarettes. He speeds up. Goes on and sees the scorched Meier house. Police, firemen and gawkers everywhere. He slows and pulls up. He staggers out of the car. Before him are the smoldering ruins of the Meier house, charred and broken. A fire department cleanup team are raking through the wreckage. A couple of cops drink coffee besides the fire truck. A local news team is packing up their gear. Max falters, goes down to one knee next to the car and puts his face in his hands.
MAX
(broken)
Mother of God!
CUT TO:
INT: HOSPITAL. DAY
At the local hospital, Max marches up to the reception desk.
MAX
Excuse me, but I'd like to see the Meiers? They
were brought in a little while ago. It was a fire?
RECEPTIONIST
(checking her records)
Yes, here it is. Mrs. Meier was treated and released, but the boy is still in Intensive Care? It's down there--
A look of panic crosses Max's face and he bolts towards the Intensive Care station. Almost running, he stops doctors and nurses on the way till he finds what he's looking for.
CUT TO:
INT:HOSPITAL ROOM
Max bursts into the room and hurries over to the figure on the bed. It is a teenage boy with tubes and wires connected to his body everywhere.
MAX
Lincoln? Oh my God--
But it is not Lincoln. Instead a boy Lincoln's age stares up at him, frightened. Max gapes, speechless. Suddenly a nurse and a security man rush in behind him and grab his arms.
SECURITY
What are you doing here? You can't just come in--
The door opens again and they all turn to see Anwen Meier. She surveys the scene, finally focussing on Max and her sad eyes cloud with confused recognition. Max relaxes and the guard lets go of his arm. The nurse goes to the boy to see that everything is all right. Anwen turns from Max and goes to the boy's side. The guard starts to lead Max out of the room but just as they're at the door Anwen says
ANWEN
Brendan? Brendan, are you all right, honey?
Close-up of Max's face as he says in utter wonder
MAX
Brendan.
FADE OUT
INT:HOSPITAL CORRIDOR
Max and Anwen stand in the corridor talking.
CUT TO:
INT: MAX'S LIVING ROOM
Max and Lily are talking. We come in in the middle of the conversation and both of them are tremendously upset.
MAX
Lily, for God's sake! Of course he assumed the Meiers were his parents after he saw what was in that strongbox! He read my diary and knew you'd taken him. He read those newspaper clippings about the Meier baby being kidnapped and of course he put two and two together!
LILY
(defensively)
But they were only clippings! There are hundreds
of articles in newspapers every day about babies
being kidnapped.
MAX
(trying to be patient)
But don't you see, they were together in the box.
They were like binary weapons-- separately the
two things are harmless, but put them together
and they blow up the world!
LILY
(totally distraught)
But Max, I read about them after I'd taken Lincoln and their child was taken in almost the same town where I'd found him! It was too strange. The description in the articles were so close to what happened, and their faces! Those pictures... I don't know why I kept them. I knew it wasn't them but at the same time, some part of me had to know who his real parents were so... I don't know... I... What did the mother say about him?
MAX
I told you. She said they found him four years ago and that he's a wonderful boy. He's an honor's student and is very popular.
LILY
(hesitant)
Does he... does he look like Lincoln?
MAX
(pityingly)
No, nothing at all. He's a whole other boy.
LILY
(very quiet)
What's going to happen? What's he going to do?
MAX
I don't know.
CUT TO:
EXT: ROOF. NIGHT
Max stands alone on the roof of his building looking at the sky. for one second, even amidst the towering buildings of the city, he sees a shooting star. He hears the voice of nine year old Lincoln as if the child were beside him.
LINCOLN
(o.s.)
Max, this guy I know at school said if you see
a shooting star you're gonna die in twenty four hours.
Max smiles at the memory, closes his eyes.
MAX
Naah, it's just the opposite. Shooting stars are
good luck. They're just another sign that life
is full of surprises.
He pauses a moment, lost in memories of a better time, then tiredly turns and walks to the door back downstairs.
CUT TO:
INT: LINCOLN'S ROOM
The door to the room opens and Max walks in. He looks utterly exhausted but still makes a tired attempt to look around the room for something, anything, that will give him an idea of where his son has gone. Finding nothing, he lies tiredly down on the perfectly made bed and puts an arm across his face.
CUT TO:
INT: LINCOLN'S ROOM
Close-up of Max coming bolt awake to the sounds of screams. Shouts and sirens. On Lincoln's TV, a foot in front of the bed, a video is running of the Meiers' burning house. The picture is hand-held and shaky. Max sits straight up, utterly startled. Sitting in a dark corner of the room is Lincoln who has been waiting for him to come awake. He's filming Max with the video camera. On the TV screen, a figure staggers out of the house, screaming. It is Anwen Meier. Her figure freezes.
LINCOLN
You fucking hump! Why didn't you write it? Why wasn't it in your fucking diary?
Max starts to speak but Lincoln drops the camera on the floor and cuts him off. He is speeding, really wired and danger emanates from him like static electricity.
LINCOLN
You know what I mean! Why didn't you write that I wasn't the Meier kid? Who are my parents? Huh? WHO ARE THEY? My mother isn't my mother, and she isn't even my mother. Do you
know what that means? Do you have any fucking idea in the world what that feels like? I don't have anyone! I don't know anything, you prick, you prick, you dirty, shitty...
MAX
Lincoln, no one's saying-
LINCOLN
Oh I know! No one's saying anything. No one's said
anything to me my whole fucking life and look what-
He stops, on the verge of either exploding or breaking down.
LINCOLN
Look at this! Is this me? Or is this me? Or are you, or is she, is anyone?
He fast rewinds the video back through the chaos, panic and flames until the Meier house is restored once more and the door opens to reveal in hand-held close-up the face of Brendan. The video freezes on his image. Lincoln throws the remote control at Max and hits him square in the face. By the time Max has taken his hand away from his face, Lincoln is holding a gun on him.
LINCOLN
(standing, furious)
You lied to me my whole fucking life. Everything
was a lie. You and Lily... My whole life!
Goes to the TV and bangs the gun on top of it, above the picture of Brendan.
LINCOLN
Who the fuck is that, huh? Who the fuck is that?
Who the fuck am I? Why didn't you tell me? Why
didn't either of you ever tell me?
Lincoln is waving the gun wildly around and coming over, starts to hit Max with it as hard as he can. Max wards him off and suddenly they are wrestling hard, on the bed, the floor, around the room. The TV is knocked over, chairs break, a mirror shatters. There's a scream and in the door is Lily, cowering, her hands clamped across her mouth, watching this hideous scene absolutely helpless. Lincoln sees her and for an instant points the gun her way. This rejuvenates Max and he finally wrenches it away from Lincoln.
LILY
Stop it! Stop, please! Don't! Max!
Max stands over kneeling Lincoln, gasping and sweating and bleeding. He puts the gun to Lincoln's head. Lincoln's insane-- half laughing, half crying.
LINCOLN
Shoot me, Daddy! Do it!
LILY
No! No!
Max stares hard at Lincoln. He's furious, utterly confused but bombed with adrenaline and rage. Greer appears at the doorway and letting out a squeal of fear, rushes over to Lincoln.
GREER
Don't Daddy! Don't kill Lincoln!
Lincoln grabs her by the pajamas and pulling her close, puts a shard of broken mirror to her throat. He smiles. This is it-- he's going to do it.
MAX
NO!
Instinctively he pulls the trigger. The hammer jerks back and flies forward... CLACK. Nothing happens. Stunned, Max is frozen. Lincoln opens his eyes.
LINCOLN
(leering)
First you gotta have a bullet in there, asshole.
Confused, Max starts to let the gun drop to his side and Lincoln seizes the moment. Throwing Greer aside, he punches Max in the crotch. Max staggers, the gun drops. Lincoln grabs it and falls back onto the floor, laughing, pointing the gun at Max, then Lily.
LINCOLN
(preternaturally calm)
See, you gotta do this first.
He pulls back on the barrel and chambers the round. Then slowly he squints one eye closed and points it first at Max, then Lily, back and forth. Slowly. Back and forth. Go in very close on Lincoln's sweating, maddened face.
LINCOLN
Who goes first? Because I hate you. I hate you Both for everything.
BLAM! As in the beginning, the bullet moves slow motion out of the end of the barrel.
A blinding flash, white, all-encompassing. The white stays and slowly slowly resolves itself into a white bed sheet. The camera moves slowly up and across it. At first we think someone is lying in bed but then as the camera keeps moving we see that the sheet is covering the head of whoever it is as well and suddenly in all that white, we see an obscene blood flower where the head is, or was because even beneath the sheet we can make out that something is very wrong with this head. Pause a moment on the white and red and absolute silence of the room. Pull back a bit and then we hear quiet steps coming from somewhere. They stop. A hand comes down and touches the sheet where the head is. Move up the arm and pull back more. It is Max and we are in a morgue. His face is as empty as if he were dead himself. His hand stays on the sheet. Finally he slowly looks up from the body and we move across the room to the doors. Standing there on the other side of the glass is Lily. She stands there because we know for the moment she is unable to enter the room and see the final proof of their tragedy. The two of them stare at each other for a long time, then Max looks down again at the covered body below him.
MAX
My son. My poor, beautiful son. I love you so.
FADE TO BLACK