1 EXT. KINGS CROSS. NIGHT
A taxi pulls away from the head of the
rank.
2
EXT. CAHILL EXPRESSWAY. NIGHT
Credit sequence continues. The taxi drives
along the Cahill Expressway towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge; the Sydney Opera
House in the background.
3
EXT. SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE. NIGHT
Credit sequence continues. Tilt down from
the Harbour Bridge to reveal MATT, mid 40s, through the windscreen of his taxi.
Behind him, in the back seat, a YOUNG COUPLE wrapped in each others arms.
4
INT. CAB. NIGHT
Credit sequence continues. MATT, a little
overweight, his hair thinning, turns the music up a little, bops along to it.
An old favourite. MATT wears a tan sports jacket with a club logo on the breast
pocket.
MENTAL
AS ANYTHING
“Don't let it happen again
'cause that I couldn't take…”
A smile plays on MATT'S lips. The song
brings back memories.
The YOUNG MAN and YOUNG WOMAN, late teens,
uni students, look at MATT bopping along to the music, exchange looks.
MENTAL
AS ANYTHING
“…once was quite enough…”
MATT mouths the words. He knows them by
heart.
MENTAL
AS ANYTHING
“…It's easy to forgive,
harder to forget.”
MATT, having forgotten his passengers,
sings along:
MATT
“If you leave me, can I come too?
We can always stay…”
The YOUNG COUPLE watch MATT from behind, bopping
along with greater enthusiasm now. What he lacks in singing talent he makes up
for with passion. They laugh, shake their heads.
MATT
“…But if you leave me, can I come too?
And if you go, can I come too?”
The YOUNG WOMAN, a little intoxicated, leans
forward, her head close to MATT'S, breaking into his memories as she speaks:
YOUNG
WOMAN
Any chance of listening to something from
this century?
MATT (GRINS)
Nope.
YOUNG
WOMAN
Like, we're paying you, right…?
MATT
To get you home, darling, not to be your
DJ.
The YOUNG MAN laughs, pulls her back into
his arms.
YOUNG
WOMAN (PETULANT)
We're paying him, right! I mean…
The YOUNG MAN stops her with a kiss. MATT
looks in the rear-vision mirror at them as they kiss, whisper conspiratorially.
End credit sequence.
5
EXT. SUBURBAN STREET. NIGHT
Matt's taxi makes its way down a leafy
street in an affluent suburb. The sound of a rooster crowing announces the
arrival of a phone call on Matt’s mobile phone.
YOUNG
WOMAN (VOICE OFF)
Next left, thanks driver.
The left hand indicator of the taxi flashes
yellow.
6
INT. TAXI. SUBURBAN STREET. NIGHT
MATT reaches into the left side pocket of
his sports jacket with his left hand, takes out his mobile phone. We catch a
glimpse of the logo on his jacket - long enough to register the word ROOSTERS.
On the LCD screen, one word: Juliet. MATT smiles, presses an icon. A photo
appears onscreen:
a
smiling girl (15, 16) with braces on her teeth.
MATT
Sweetheart.
JULIET'S
VOICE
Hey, dad. (A BEAT) You driving?
MATT
Yep. (A BEAT) You okay?
JULIE
Can you talk?
MATT
Call you back in five, okay?
JULIET'S
VOICE
Promise?
MATT
Promise.
Juliet hangs up. MATT is driving now down a
street with a park on one side; big expensive houses on the other.
The YOUNG WOMAN takes off her high heeled
shoes, exchanges looks with the YOUNG MAN.
MATT does not notice.
YOUNG
MAN
Anywhere here thanks…
MATT slows, pulls to the side of the road,
looks at the meter.
MATT
$36.
The YOUNG WOMAN gets out, carrying her
shoes. The YOUNG MAN walks to the driver’s door takes out his wallet.
The YOUNG WOMAN, shoes in hand, walks
barefoot into the park.
As the YOUNG MAN opens his wallet the YOUNG
WOMAN breaks into a sprint.
The YOUNG MAN smiles sheepishly at MATT;
shrugs.
YOUNG
MAN
Sorry…
He turns and runs into the park.
MATT
Fuck!
MATT is out of the car in a flash and
giving chase.
7
EXT. TAXI/PARK. NIGHT
MATT chases the YOUNG WOMAN, the YOUNG MAN
veering off in another direction.
MATT is a big barrel-chested man whose
muscles have lost their tone. He can run fast, however, and is rapidly gaining
on the YOUNG WOMAN. He is within grabbing distance when one of his casual
slip-on shoes has come off and he stumbles.
MATT stops, picks his shoe up, continues
the chase. The YOUNG WOMAN is now pulling away from him. MATT, in his
frustration, throws his shoe at her. It would be a direct hit were it not for
the fact that the YOUNG WOMAN turns at just the right moment, sees the shoe
coming at her, reaches out and catches it - letting out a joyous whoop as she
does so.
MATT, out of breath, puts his hand to his
heart, tries to bring his rapid breathing under control.
The YOUNG WOMAN, 30 meters away, slips her
high-heeled shoes back on; walks casually up a street on the other side of the
park - tossing Matt's shoe into the air, catching it.
MATT looks down at his feet: one red sock,
one green sock. He takes off his remaining slip-on shoe and turns to return to
his cab. He hears laughter, turns and sees:
The YOUNG MAN running up to the YOUNG
WOMAN. She passes Matt's slipper to him as if it were a football. The YOUNG MAN
catches it and they stroll off, laughing.
MATT ambles back towards his cab, shoulders
stooped in weary resignation and defeat, clutching his one slip-on shoes - a
small lonely figure illuminated by the headlights of his taxi.
8
INT. CAB. SUBURBAN STREET. NIGHT
MATT drops into the driver's seat, shuts
the door, stares into space a long moment. The sound of a rooster crowing.
Matt's mobile is ringing but he does not to hear it.
Suddenly, explosively, MATT smashes his
left fist into the windscreen. It does not break but from his painful yelp and
the way he shakes his wrist it is clear MATT has hurt himself. He looks at his
knuckles.
The skin is broken. Blood appears. Only now
does he register the rooster crowing sound from his left jacket pocket. He
moves to reach into the pocket with his left hand, notices that small droplets
of blood have appeared on his knuckles.
He decides to get his mobile with his right hand. It is an awkward
maneuver and by the time he has the mobile in his hand the mobile has stopped
ringing.
MATT
Fuck!
MATT looks at his bloodied knuckles, licks
the blood away, grimaces a little; it stings. He opens and closes his fist,
checks for broken bones. There seem to be none but he is in pain. He tries to
press 'J' and 'U' on the keypad with his left hand, but with the pain and his
big fingers he has difficulty pressing the right keys on the small device. He
gets it eventually. The photo of Juliet appears onscreen.
VOICE
MESSAGE
The person you have called is not…
MATT terminates the call, tries again.
VOICE
MESSAGE
The person you have called is not
available. If you wish to…
MATT terminates the call, returns his mobile
to his left jacket pocket. His raw knuckles come into contact with cloth. Ouch!
Worse, there is a bloodstain at the edge of the pocket.
MATT shakes his head, curses at himself
wordlessly, reaches out, opens the glove compartment, takes out a packet of
Kleenex tissues and tries to clean up the blood on his jacket with it. This
only serves to spread the stain over a larger area. MATT hangs his head, shakes
it. He is at the end of his tether. He reaches forward, turns on the ignition.
9
INT/EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
MATT drives, a blood stained Kleenex tissue
wrapped around his knuckles. He doesn't like the music he is listening to,
punches a button on the radio; changes stations. He doesn't like the new
musical option either, punches another button in frustration. The sound of a
rooster crowing. MATT takes his mobile out, glances at the screen: Juliet,
lifts it to his ear, sees a police car approaching, drops it from view, waits
till the police car passes, checks his rear vision mirror, lifts it to his ear.
Before he has a chance to speak:
JULIET'S
VOICE
You still got a passenger?
MATT
No.
JULIET'S
VOICE
You were going to call me back!
MATT
I tried, but got your message bank.
JULIET'S
VOICE
I didn't get any message. (A BEAT) You
driving?
MATT
I'm pulling over. Hang on.
MATT slows, moves to the side of the road,
stops.
JULIET'S
VOICE
You okay? You sound…
MATT
I'm fine. You?
JULIET'S
VOICE
You want the long story or the twitter
version?
MATT
(SMILES)
How's school?
JULIET'S
VOICE
Uni…
MATT (GRIMACES)
I meant uni…
JULIET'S
VOICE
Cool. Going really well.(A BEAT) I know
it's late, but…
Juliet needs a little encouragement but is
not getting it.
JULIET'S
VOICE (CONT’D)
I need…
JULIET pauses. MATT'S mood changes.
MATT
Is your mother there?
JULIET'S
VOICE
No. This is me calling…Fuck dad!
MATT
Okay, it's just…the last time…
JULIET'S
VOICE
The last time was the last time…I'm sorry…
I shouldn't have hung up on you…
MATT
It's OK.
JULIET'S
VOICE
No, it's not OK.
MATT
OK.
MATT is at a loss how to talk to his
daughter. A long silence.
MATT
You still there?
JULIET'S
VOICE
Yes. Sorry for calling so late… early…but…
MATT
It's OK, I've pulled over. (A FEW BEATS) (A
BEAT) How is your mother?
JULIET'S
VOICE
You don't really want to know!
MATT
Okay.
JULIET'S
VOICE
Okay, okay, okay!(A BEAT) Hassling me
bigtime…about, you know…that money…you know…for my teeth!
MATT
Why doesn't she call me herself?
JULIET'S
VOICE
I didn't call you about my teeth.
MATT
Okay.
JULIET'S
VOICE
Jesus, dad!
MATT
What?
JULIET'S
VOICE
Doesn't matter?
MATT
Tell her I'll put some money into her
account tomorrow, okay… today…How much do you need?
JULIET'S
VOICE
Whatever you think I'm worth. Bye dad.
Juliet hangs up. MATT shakes his head,
angry with himself. He tries to call Juliet back, gets her message bank:
VOICE
MESSAGE
The person you have called…
MATT terminates the call - angry; at a loss
to understand. As he stares out through the windscreen a car approaches, it's
high-beam headlights blinding him for a second and drawing his attention to
something on his windscreen. He leans forward, looks at it closely, but can see
nothing.
MATT turns on the interior light but can
still not make out what it was he saw. He picks up a flashlight, shines it on
the windscreen, finds the right angle. There is a tiny crack where his fist met
the glass. MATT laughs, shakes his head. It is not a happy laugh. He looks down
at his bloody Kleenex covered knuckles. His attention is caught by a soft
cracking sound. The tiny crack is growing - one inch, two inches…and then it
stops. MATT stares at it; his jaw clenched tight.
10
EXT. TAXI RANK. NIGHT
MATT sits in his taxi, six cabs back from
the head of the rank. The street is almost deserted.
On the other side of the road, unseen by MATT,
TRACY, mid teens, in mini skirt, 'boob tube' and very high heels, walks
purposefully past THREE DRUNKEN YOUNG MEN in the street now who make no attempt to hide their hormone
driven interest.
11
INT. CAB. TAXI RANK. NIGHT
MATT holds his mobile at his ear:
VOICE
MESSAGE
The person you have called is not…
He places his mobile on the seat beside
him, takes the blood-stained Kleenex from his knuckles. The bleeding has
stopped but he has raw pink wounds on three knuckles. MATT places the Kleenex
in a plastic rubbish bag at his feet, takes a wad of $10 and $20 bills from his
money pouch.
12
EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
TRACY ignores the THREE DRUNKEN YOUNG MEN
leering behind her as she stands at the edge of the road across from the taxi
rank, checking out the various drivers - one of whom is MATT.
TRACY is dressed and made up to look 19 but
probably only 17. No longer a girl, not yet a woman but trying hard.
A nervous skinny red-haired man, BLUE,
(late teens) calls out from behind a tree - a plaintive pleading in his voice.
BLUE (VOICE OFF)
Trace!
TRACY ignores him, steps off the curb.
13
INT. CAB. TAXI RANK. NIGHT
MATT finishes counting his nights takings,
shakes his head. A bad night! He leans forward to look at the crack in the
window. It has not grown any bigger. He looks at his watch, yawns and takes a
sign from under his seat, sticks it on the windscreen: SOUTHERN SUBURBS
TRACY crosses the road, her eyes on MATT.
She is out of his field of vision and he does not notice her.
Close on MATT. He takes a slim parcel (10”
x 8”) tied with a ribbon from the bag beneath his legs, opens the envelope
attached to it, takes out a greeting card, flips it open, takes a pen from his
pocket with his damaged hand.
As he thinks about what to write (MATT is
left-handed) his attention is caught by TRACY.
TRACY (VOICE OFF)
Squeeze me!
MATT looks up. TRACY smiles at him with
bright red lips.
TRACY
Can you drive me home?
MATT nods in the direction of the head of
the rank.
MATT
Gotta take the first cab in the rank.
TRACY
Ouch! What did you do to your hand?
MATT dismisses the question with a gesture,
looks back down at the greeting card.
TRACY
For someone you love?
MATT
Sorry, but you gotta take the first cab in
the rank.
TRACY
When my boyfriend gives me a present it's
usually because he's fucked up bigtime.
MATT nods, notices TRACY playing nervously
with a silver ring on her finger. She points to the head of the rank.
TRACY
First cab in the rank?
MATT nods. TRACY nods, smiles and, as she
turns to walk off, waves goodbye to MATT like a young child: thumb outstretched
and four fingers moving, flapping up and down: 'ta ta'.
MATT watches her for a long moment as she
walks to the head of the rank. He picks up his phone, calls Juliet again, holds
the mobile to his ear:
VOICE
MESSAGE
The person you have called.
MATT looks at his mobile for a long moment
- with mixed feelings about the call he is about to make: “S”, “E”…Serena.
After several rings, Serena answers the phone.
SERENA'S
VOICE
Hey…
MATT
Hey…(SILENCE) Just…I'll be there in 45
mins, max. Okay? (SILENCE) Unless…!?
A long silence. MATT grimaces; waits
SERENA'S
VOICE
Okay.
Another awkward silence. MATT'S attention
is caught by the red-haired young man, BLUE, at the head of the rank arguing
with someone obscured from his view.
MATT
But not if you don't want me to…
SERENA'S
VOICE
Forty five minutes, right?
MATT
Sixty max…
SERENA'S
VOICE
Okay.
Serena hangs up. MATT hangs up, sighs,
looks to the head of the rank where, judging by his body language, BLUE is
losing his argument.
MATT returns the mobile to his left jacket
pocket, looks at his bloody knuckles for a moment, then down at the greeting
card. He writes:
You know…
The deep base throbbing of a revving car engine
intrudes. MATT sees, in the mirror at the side of his car, a 'pimped out'
purple sedan (outsize wheels, gold dragon decals along the sides) cruising
slowly up in the adjacent lane.
The purple sedan pulls up alongside him.
The man in the passenger seat, whom we will get to know as GBH, has a shaved
head with skull-and-crossbones tattoo. He looks to where BLUE is arguing. A
malicious smile appears on his face.
MATT tilts his head slightly to read the
letters tattooed beneath the skull-and-crossbones in italic script: GBH.
GBH turns, sees MATT looking at him. His
face becomes contorted with an angry snarl (“What the fuck are you looking
at!”) as he looks directly into MATT'S eyes - challenging him to look away.
MATT holds his gaze, shakes his head ever so slightly: (“Sorry, mate, I'm
neither intimidated nor impressed!”)
GBH raises his fist aggressively at MATT,
who raises his bloody-knuckled fist in response. Macho standoff!
The DRIVER of the purple sedan draws GBH's
attention to the fact that BLUE has interrupted his argument and is looking
towards them - fear in his eyes. As BLUE turns and runs off GBH gestures to the
DRIVER to drive. He puts his foot on the accelerator and the purple car careens
down the road, tires screeching, in the direction that BLUE is running.
MATT watches as the purple car pulls up
close to BLUE, running. GBH - a tall solidly built man carrying about 30 kilos
too much weight - leaps from the car and, with surprising agility, gives chase
to BLUE who, in an attempt to evade him, rushes onto the road. GBH catches him
in the middle of it, lifts him by the scruff of his jacket off the ground.
BLUE, tiny compared with GBH, waves his arms around, talks fast, trying to
placate GBH. GBH relaxes his grip, lowers him to the ground, whereupon BLUE
lifts his knee hard between GBH'S legs.
MATT watches GBH crumple to the ground in
agony as BLUE races off, disappearing from view.
GBH struggles to his feet and hobbles back
to the purple car, bashing the bonnet hard with his fist before getting back
in. The purple car then performs a radical u-turn - tyres screeching - and
drives back in the direction it came from.
MATT catches a glimpse of GBH as the purple
sedan passes - his face expressing both his rage and his humiliation.
MATT'S attention returns to the gift card
in his hands. As he thinks about what he is going to write, he sees:
At the head of the rank TRACY leans towards
the driver talking to him through the window. MATT looks back down at the card,
writes tentatively - not just because his hand hurts but because he is
uncertain how to express himself. He continues with his writing:
You know how
much…
MATT looks up, sees:
TRACY, two cabs in front, leaning close to
talk to the driver through the window. The driver, not won over by her bright
smile, shakes his head. TRACY looks back at MATT, grins, shrugs her shoulders.
MATT shakes his head.
TRACY moves to the cab in front of MATT.
She leans to talk to (and smile at) the driver through the window, lifting one
leg slightly in the air in a 'sexy' gesture she has seen in some movie. She is
trying to play the role of vamp but hasn't quite got her performance right yet.
MATT looks back down at the card, continues
writing, pauses, thinks what to write next.
You know how
much I…
TRACY walks up, grinning cheekily.
TRACY
You are the first cab in the rank, now. (A
BEAT) They all said no?
MATT nods, looks back down to the parcel
and greeting card.
TRACY
Problem is, I haven't got any money.
MATT, not wanting to be rude but wanting
her to go away, raises his pen as if to continue writing on the card.
TRACY
On me, that is. I lost my wallet and…
MATT
…but you've got money at home, right?
TRACY
Right.
MATT
And you'll just run in and get it while I
wait in the street?
TRACY
I'm not a runner. Promise. I need…
Realizing that she is not getting through
to MATT, TRACY invests her next 'I need' with a 'desperate' edge.
TRACY
I need…I need…
MATT looks at her properly for the first
time. TRACY smiles innocently, plays the ingénue.
TRACY
Do I look like a runner?
MATT looks at her for a moment, his face
giving nothing away. TRACY spins around in a pirouette followed by an
arabesque.
MATT shakes his head, smiles.
TRACY
Is that a 'no' or a 'yes'?
MATT
Written all over you. (A BEAT) Haven't got
a mum or dad to pick you up?
TRACY
Nup, I'm a test tube baby. (A BEAT) A mum.
MATT
She know where you are?
TRACY
(COCKY)
Hope not. (A BEAT) You got a daughter?
MATT smiles, looks down at the card resting
on the parcel.
TRACY
I'll take that as a yes. How old is she? (A
BEAT) Sorry, I'm a motor mouth…
TRACY leans closer to read what he has
written. MATT closes the card.
TRACY
For someone you love?
MATT
I'm not driving you home.
TRACY
But I'm driving you mad, ay?
MATT
Barking.
TRACY
Woof.
MATT laughs, thinks a moment.
MATT
Where's home?
TRACY
Rydalmere.
MATT
That's west! I'm heading south.
He points to the 'SOUTHERN SUBURBS' sign.
TRACY nods.
TRACY
I'm Tracy by the way.
MATT
Pleased to meet you, Tracy.
TRACY
Liar! (A BEAT) You’re not pleased at all.
MATT smiles.
TRACY
Not gunna tell me your name?
MATT shakes his head. TRACY laughs, leans
across MATT to look at his Driver's ID, bringing her head very close to his.
TRACY (READS)
GQ 1734.
TRACY looks at him for a long moment.
TRACY
Were you good looking when you were young,
GQ 1734? (MATT SMILES) Hey, you've got quite a sexy smile, GQ. For a man your
age!
MATT
And you've got too sexy a smile for a girl
your age.
TRACY
(LAUGHS)
Wanna take me home? (A BEAT) Where d'you
live?
…to be continued…
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