…following on
from # 1 SHIPS IN THE NIGHT…
21 EXT. CAB. TAXI RANK. NIGHT
Looking through
the windscreen at MATT, staring into space. His eyes focus on the two inch
crack as it grows slowly another half inch, another inch, then stops.
The PASSENGER'S
lips move but neither MATT nor the audience hears any words.
22 INT. CAB. TAXI RANK. NIGHT
Close on MATT.
Natural sound drains back in.
PASSENGER
Can we
fucking…go…!?
He indicates
the ticking meter. MATT nods, checks for traffic before leaving the curb, sees
TRACY across the road - arm outstretched; hitching. The group of THREE YOUNG
DRUNKEN MEN closeby have spotted her.
TRACY turns,
looks at MATT looking at her. She waves to him as she did before - thumb
outstretched and four fingers moving, flapping up and down exaggeratedly: 'ta
ta'.
Without
thinking, MATT moves his hand as if to replicate the gesture but stops himself.
MATT looks calmly at the PASSENGER for a long moment.
MATT
Sorry, I can't
take you to Cronulla.
The PASSENGER,
incredulous, looks at TRACY, back at MATT.
PASSENGER
You're fucking
kidding, right!?
MATT
Sorry, but…the
driver behind me…
The PASSENGER
stares at MATT - who reaches across him and opens the passenger door, undoes
the PASSENGER'S seat belt.
23 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
TRACY watches
the PASSENGER get out Matt's cab on the other side of the road, slam the door.
PASSENGER
Cunt!
MATT pulls out
from the curb, prepares to do a U-turn. TRACY smiles. The PASSENGER shouts at
MATT as he begins his U-turn:
PASSENGER
Give her one
for me too, arsehole!
Matt's cab
pulls up alongside TRACY.
TRACY
You offering me
a ride or what?
MATT
'Long as you
don't take me for one!
TRACY (excited)
Yay.
TRACY opens the
front passenger door, leaps in happily.
MATT
Seatbelt.
TRACY fastens
her seat belt, looks at MATT with a big happy smile. MATT drives off.
24 INT CAB. NIGHT
MATT drives.
TRACY sits in the passenger seat studying him.
TRACY
Why'd you
change your mind?
MATT
Lousy judge of
character, I guess.
TRACY
Thinking I must
be a 'runner' just coz I look like one?
MATT smiles but
before he has a chance to respond:
TRACY
Or deciding
maybe I'm not a liar?
MATT
Guess I'll find
out soon enough.
TRACY
You get many
runners?
MATT
Not too many…but…too
many. Had a couple tonight.
TRACY
Two in one
night!?
MATT
No, a 'couple'.
As is boy and girl. About your age. Lovers.
TRACY
Lovers! What's
love, ay? Ya know the answer to that one. GQ?
MATT
'Fraid not. (A
BEAT) Matt.
TRACY
Complex and convoluted,
ay, Matt! Love?
MATT laughs,
looks at her.
TRACY
What?
MATT (LAUGHS)
Hadn't picked
you as someone who would use a word like 'convoluted'.
TRACY
Love it.
con-vol-oo-ted...You know how you fall in love with particular words?
Mellifluous…
love that word…sounds so…mellifluous (LAUGHS) Convolve… convolution…
convolvulus…you know what that is?
MATT
Flower?
TRACY
Yes, from the
Latin 'convolvere'…
MATT (incredulous)
You do Latin at
school!?
TRACY
No, it's a game
me and my boyfriend and I play on google - just, you know, searching randomly
for…you know, when things just happen by chance. Fate. Whatever. Like you
giving me a ride. Serendipity. Or me taking you for a ride!
MATT (laughs)
You got a pause
button, Tracy?
TRACY
Nup, just fast
forward, Matt.
The muffled
sound of a rooster crowing emanates from the pocket of Matt's jacket. MATT
takes it out, looks at the screen, puts it back in his pocket.
MATT
Mind if I ask
you a question?
TRACY
'Long as I can
ask you one.
MATT (nods)
Deal. (A BEAT)
How can your dad know you all your life and not know he's your dad?
TRACY
Duh! He's a
man! Clueless!
MATT nods,
smiles to himself.
TRACY
Do
passengers…like…tell taxi drivers all sorts of personal stuff? You know, like
secrets and shit? (MATT NODS) But if you
had a choice, they'd keep their mouths shut, right?
MATT smiles.
TRACY zips her mouth shut, pauses a moment before starting up again. MATT looks at his watch, puts is foot on the
accelerator.
TRACY
I guess some
people just like to talk about themselves, ay?
MATT
Most
people…
TRACY looks out
the window thoughtfully, her forehead creased with worry. MATT watches her for
a moment.
MATT
You like to
talk about yourself?
TRACY shrugs
('I don't know'), closely followed by a tentative nod ('I guess, maybe!'),
closely followed by a shake of the head ('no'). MATT smiles.
MATT
I don't know…I
guess, maybe…and no?
TRACY (laughs)
Okay, yes,
because I find myself pretty fucking fascinating… And no because I get bored
shitless being fucking fascinated by myself.
MATT
Too much of a
good thing?
TRACY
Too much of
something. Way too much! You ever get, like, you know, bored with being
fascinated by yourself?
MATT
When I was
young..(A BEAT) maybe.
TRACY
How old are
you, Matt? (A BEAT) Old enough to be my dad, I reckon.
MATT
I'm not. (A
BEAT) Your dad, I mean.
TRACY bursts
out laughing. MATT smiles.
MATT
Least I don't
think I am! What's your mum's name?
TRACY
Merily.
MATT
As in merrily,
merrily, merrily, merrily, gently down the stream?
TRACY
But with only
one r. And 'gentle's' not a word I'd use to describe mum!
MATT
Nup, don't
remember any Merily.
TRACY
Can you
remember all the women you've slept with?
MATT raises his
eyebrows; doesn't answer.
TRACY
Maybe there's a
little Matt out there somewhere with your genes. Or a little Matilda. Wondering
who her dad is. You ever think about that?
MATT shakes his
head, looks of at TRACY - whose self-confident banter is now tinged with
vulnerability.
TRACY
What would you
do if a young woman turned up on your front doorstep one day and said, “Hey,
dad!”?… Would you be…like…all excited or would you be more like…“Oh shit!”?
MATT
A young girl
like you? Woman!
TRACY bites her
lip nervously, shrugs. MATT looks at her. She becomes self-conscious.
TRACY
Don't suppose
you want another daughter, ay?
The muffled
sound of a rooster crowing again. MATT ignores it. TRACY’S attention focuses on
the ringing phone.
TRACY
What if it's to
tell you you've won Lotto? And you miss out on...?
MATT
You still at
school?
TRACY
Another year or
so.
MATT
Good student?
TRACY
Not 'good', but
I do well in exams.
MATT
Any idea what
you want to do when…?
TRACY
…I grow up.
Actress. I think. Yeah… actress! Be so cool to get paid pretending to be
someone else.
MATT looks at
her, smiles - definitely enjoying her company now. TRACY’S next line has a
flirtatious edge to it.
TRACY
Reckon I'd make
a good actress?
MATT
Yeah,
but…you're so full of questions I was thinking…maybe… journalist, private
eye…therapist…
TRACY (laughs)
Shrink! That'd
be a joke! (A BEAT) Wanna know why?
MATT
You're going to
tell me anyway, right?
TRACY laughs,
looks at MATT for a moment.
TRACY
When I was 13
my mum sent me to see a therapist. I called her The Rapist. But she didn't get anywhere
with me…The Rapist…so then mum sent me to see The Shrink. And she's not getting
anywhere either.
MATT
Why do you need
to see a shrink?
TRACY
Well The Rapist
thought it was pathological and The Shrink thinks it's just
obsessive-compulsive.
MATT
What is?
TRACY
I'm a
nymphomaniac.
TRACY moves her
hands to the front hook holding the two halves of her bustier in place.
MATT is
dumbfounded.
TRACY
You can turn
the meter off if you want?
She starts to
unhook her bustier. MATT, in shock, is at a loss how to respond.
The beginnings
of a smile appear at the edges of TRACY'S lips. When MATT glances at her,
TRACY'S smile broadens and becomes a laugh.
TRACY
I'm not a
nymphomaniac. Promise. I'm a pathological liar. At least that's what The Rapist
thought. The Shrink thinks its just compulsive.
MATT
There's a
difference?
TRACY
Mega.
MATT
So you can't
stop yourself lying?
TRACY
If I want to.
It's just mostly I don't want to.
MATT
What kind of
lies?
TRACY
Oh, telling
taxi drivers that I've lost my wallet…that I'm a nymphomaniac.
MATT
So, you haven't
lost your wallet? (A BEAT) And you're not a nymphomaniac?
TRACY
No, one of
those is not a lie.
MATT
Which one?
TRACY
If I told you,
you wouldn't believe me.
MATT
Because you're
a pathological liar?
TRACY (grins)
Right.
MATT looks at
her, smiles, shakes his head.
TRACY
If I lived in
Cronulla, would you've given me a ride even if you thought I was going to do a
runner?
MATT
Probably.
TRACY
So it's not
losing eighty bucks worries you most, ay?
MATT
Nah! I'm a
millionaire, driving a taxi for fun…ay!
TRACY
Lucky you got a
fun-loving passenger.
MATT
Who shouldn't
be out looking for fun at this time of night.
TRACY (smiles)
Yes dad! (A
BEAT) So, what are you looking for late at night, GQ?
MATT
A good night's
sleep.
TRACY
I guess that's
an age thing. (A BEAT) Plenty of time for sleeping when you're dead, ay? You
think a lot about being dead? D'ya reckon it'd be worse being boiled alive in
oil or bitten to death slowly by carnivorous ants?
MATT laughs,
shakes his head.
TRACY
Or being stuck
in a taxi with a motor-mouth like me?
MATT
I reckon the
boiling oil'd be less painful.
TRACY laughs.
Again, the muffled sound of a rooster crowing emanates from MATT'S jacket
pocket.
TRACY
I don't want to
be rude or nothing, but seems like you've got cock in your pocket that wants to
get out
MATT
It's a rooster.
TRACY
What ya doing
with a rooster in ya pocket? (MATT LAUGHS) Ya not going to let it out?
MATT
How old are
you, Tracy?
TRACY
Old enough for
your to not get into trouble if you let your…rooster out!
MATT looks at
her. It is difficult to read his thoughts.
TRACY
You ever get
girls…women…you know, offering to pay their fare with sexual favours?
MATT
You make a
habit of talking to taxi drivers like this?
TRACY
Only when I
haven't got any money to pay my fare. (A BEAT) Just joking, Matt.
MATT
You could get
yourself into a lot of trouble joking like that.
TRACY
Yay! Trouble
rules, ay! (A BEAT) But if I wasn't joking, would you be able to resist…the
temptation?
MATT looks at
her, his face giving nothing away.
TRACY
Has it ever
happened to you? What would you do if a young woman offered…?
MATT
Don't, Tracy!
You talk this way with total strangers, dressed like that…
TRACY (angry)
Stop trying to
be my fucking father.
MATT holds up
his hands: OK. She looks out the window, plays with her hair nervously. MATT
watches her.
TRACY
Sorry, but…I've
had a shit night.
MATT
Me too.
TRACY
Bet mine was
shittier than yours.
MATT
Mine's been
pretty shitty.
TRACY
Even before I
got in? (A BEAT) You probably think I'm mad, ay?
MATT
As a cut snake.
TRACY
Really?
MATT
No, a little
unusual, maybe…
TRACY (delighted)
Loveable?
MATT smiles but
says nothing.
TRACY
My friends think
I'm peculiar. At least I think they do, but its heaps hard to know what other
people really think, ay! And just coz they say they think something doesn't
mean they do, know what I mean!
MATT
Do you think
you're peculiar?
TRACY (shrugs)
Don't feel peculiar.
I just feel…me…
MATT
It's everybody
else that's peculiar?
TRACY
Yes.
MATT nods. The
muffled sound of a rooster crowing emanates from Matt's sport's jacket pocket
again.
TRACY
Who's driving
you crazy this time of night apart from me?
MATT does not
want to pursue this line of conversation. TRACY zips her mouth shut, looks at
the pocket of MATT'S jacket. The ringing stops. She looks at MATT'S face, his
jaw clenched tight. Suddenly she leans over, reaches into the pocket of MATT'S
jacket, extracts his mobile.
TRACY
Hey, same as
mine.
MATT (annoyed)
Give it to me,
Tracy!
MATT reaches
for his mobile. TRACY slides out of reach, holds up her mobile in one hand,
Matt's in the other: Identical.
MATT (angry)
I'm serious.
Give it to me.
TRACY laughs,
shakes her head, looks at the LCD screen. The smile disappears from her face.
She looks at MATT. He can't hold her gaze, looks away. TRACY reads:
TRACY
'Please dad,
talk to me'.
MATT'S
breathing is deep, rapid.
TRACY
That's one
minute ago. This one's five minutes ago. (SHE READS)”I need to tell you
something…” Hello! Juliet needs…
MATT holds out
his hand, snaps angrily at her.
MATT
Give me the
fucking phone…
TRACY slides
further out of his reach, continues reading:
TRACY
“…something
important.” Hello! Your daughter has something important to tell you in the
middle of the night and you don't want to know…
MATT swerves on
the road as he reaches out to grab his phone. The cab screeches to a halt.
TRACY, oblivious to being thrown up against the dash when the car suddenly
stops, ploughs on:
TRACY
Twenty minutes
ago. (READS) “I'm sorry I hung up on you”. What kind of a fucking father are
you?
MATT, a little
out of control, wrestles with TRACY to get his phone back. He succeeds, but his
grip is not firm. It drops to the floor - along with Tracy's phone and her hand
bag.
TRACY is
shocked and hurt by this moment of anger in MATT - a moment that he is already
regretting.
MATT
I'm sorry,
Tracy…So so sorry…
TRACY plays
nervously with her hair. Tears well in her eyes.
TRACY
What if she's
in trouble?
In a highly
emotional state TRACY picks her hand bag up from the floor, puts into it the
items that have fallen out, including the knife.
TRACY
What if she
feels she can’t cope?
TRACY
If she needs
her daddy?
TRACY'S eyes
fill with tears as she retrieves her mobile.
TRACY
Why are you
driving me home when you daughter needs you?
MATT wants to
say something, but he is at a loss what! He reaches out to her. TRACY recoils, holds
up her hands.
TRACY
Fuck off!
She opens the
door, gets out of the cab.
MATT
Don't! Please,
Tracy!
TRACY walks
away from the cab. MATT opens his door.
25 EXT. CAB. ROADSIDE. NIGHT
TRACY walks
fast from streetlight into shadow. MATT runs after her, stops, calls out.
MATT
Please! I'm
sorry, Tracy. I…
She stops,
turns, looks at MATT from the shadows, expecting something. MATT shakes his
head. He has no understanding of what is going on. He is in unchartered
emotional territory.
MATT
I don't know...I'm
so fucking...I don’t know...lost!? I even thought of asking…but no I can…
MATT looks at
TRACY, immobile in the shadows. Frozen. The silence is deafening. Then the soft
sound of TRACY crying.
MATT
Tracy?
He takes a
tentative step towards her. Then another. He is close to her now. She looks up
at him, her eyes filled with her need. She leans toward MATT. He opens his
arms. She falls into them, holds him tight. MATT'S face is a battleground of
emotions. Suddenly TRACY yelps like a wounded animal, pushes him away, turns
and run off. MATT shouts after her.
MATT
Please…Juliet…
She is gone.
MATT stands alone in the dark, shaking. He tries to control his deep rapid
breathing; puts his wounded hand on his heart, sees that his knuckles are bleeding
again.
He wipes his
moist eyes, walks back to the cab, around to the driver's side, looks at the
crack in the window. It has grown a couple of inches and now has three small
branches, tributaries. He looks at his watch, lets out a deep frustrated sigh;
looks out into the darkness for a long moment; reaches into his pocket for his
mobile. It is not there.
MATT remembers,
moves to the open passenger door, reaches down and picks it up from the floor.
He opens the
keypad, types 'J', then 'U', pauses. Nothing happens. He types 'L', pauses,
then 'I'. He is puzzled now.
The mobile in
his hand rings but it is not the crowing of a rooster. It is the distinctive
sound of Tracy's mobile – a corny love song. MATT presses the appropriate icon.
Onscreen, the frozen image of:
Red-headed Blue, his hands joined to conceal his
genitals.
The frozen image comes to life.
BLUE
Babe!
He opens his arms wide, revealing a codpiece in the
shape of an elephant's head - replete with big ears and, of course, a trunk!
BLUE
Love you heaps!
26 INT CAB. FAST FOOD OUTLET. NIGHT
MATT drives
into the parking lot of a late night fast food outlet.
27 EXT. FAST FOOD OUTLET. NIGHT
MATT pulls up
in the parking lot, gets out of his cab, looks towards the entrance - around
which young MEN and WOMEN eat hamburgers etc.
Tracy's mobile
rings. He takes it out, looks at the screen: unknown caller. It is Serena. She
laughs.
SERENA'S VOICE
So who's a
cradle snatcher, then?
MATT grimaces,
glances at his watch.
MATT
Shit! Sorry.
There's been…I’m going to be…
MATT and SERENA
talk over the top of each other.
SERENA'S VOICE
Sounds like
she's about 13!
MATT
She called
you…!?
SERENA'S VOICE
No, I called
you…stupid enough to believe you might, maybe, this one time, on my birthday…
MATT
Sorry, I should
have called and…
SERENA'S VOICE
… on my
birthday. My 40th fucking birthday…
MATT
…if you'll just
calm down for a sec.
There is an
incoming call on Tracy's mobile.
SERENA'S VOICE
Okay, I'm calm.
Totally calm. Explain! How's your hand? Were you in a fight?
MATT looks at
the screen: mum
MATT
Serena,
sweetheart, just gotta put you on hold for a moment and…
SERENA'S VOICE
Don't
'sweetheart' me, Matt. I'm…
MATT
I'm putting you
on hold, okay?
SERENA'S VOICE
Okay.
MATT presses
the appropriate key. Tracy's mother's voice is heard - angry and worried at the
one time.
MERILY'S VOICE
Darling, have
you any idea what time it is?
MATT
Hi Merily, this
is not…
MERILY'S VOICE
Who is
this?
MATT
My name's Matt,
Merily. I'm a taxi driver…
MERILY'S VOICE
How do you know
my name's Merily?
A taxi pulls up
close to the entrance to the fast food outlet.
MATT
Tracy told me.
MERILY'S VOICE
Who's Tracy?
MATT
Your daughter.
BLUE gets out
of the taxi.
MERILY'S VOICE
Tracy! My
daughter's name's Britney.
BLUE walks
quickly in through the entrance to the fast food outlet.
MERILY'S VOICE
Did she tell
you it was Tracy?
MATT tries to remember
where he has seen BLUE before.
MERILY'S VOICE
Hello, hello,
have you got Brit with you?
MATT
She's OK,
Merily. She left her mobile in my cab and I'm meeting her in five minutes to
give it back to her. Then I'll drive her home, okay?
MERILY'S VOICE
But…
MATT
I've got
another call on hold Merily, so…I'll call you right back in…?
MERILY'S VOICE
No, I want you
to…
MATT presses
'call waiting', cuts her off.
MATT
Serena, you
there…
Silence. MATT
tries, without success, to access 'call waiting'. Tracy's distinctive mobile
ring is heard: unknown caller: MATT presses the appropriate icon.
TRACY'S VOICE
Hey, Matt…I'm
running a bit late. Something came up. Sorry for schitzing out on you like
that. Like a cut snake, ay! It's just…something happened yesterday that grossed
me out big time… (A BEAT) I guess you don't really want to know about it, ay?
MATT
I just want to
get my mobile back and go home…
TRACY'S VOICE
Serena's really
pissed off, ay?
MATT
Yes, and she's
going to be more pissed off if I don't get to her place soon.
TRACY'S VOICE
It's not what
you think, I don't think.
MATT
What's not?
TRACY'S VOICE
What Serena's
pissed off about.
MATT
I need to get
Juliet's phone number from you. Now.
TRACY
Did you hear
what I just said?
MATT
Yes, but…just
give me Juliet's phone number will you?
TRACY'S VOICE
No worries,
I'll just put you on hold. Hang on a tick. 'Big Brute.'
Tracy's
laughter is heard. MATT, embarrassed, shakes his head.
MATT
She told you
that!?
TRACY'S VOICE
Yeah, but she
didn't tell me if the 'big' part of it refers to your waist…or your…rooster ?
MATT
Juliet's phone
number!
TRACY'S VOICE
Hey, Juliet's
cool and…You didn't tell me you were captain of the Roosters…Hang on.
TRACY has put
MATT on hold. He is trying to make sense of what Tracy has just said. She comes
back online.
TRACY'S VOICE
It's none of my
business, Matt, but you really should know your own daughter's phone number.
You got a pen?
As he takes a
ball point pen from his pocket:
MATT
Hang on, Tracy,
how do you know Juliet is 'cool'?
TRACY'S VOICE
I just talked to her on the phone and
looked her up on Facebook, and...now we’re friends. (A BEAT) Facebook friends.
Oh, and she sent me that photo of you. Hey, you were good looking when you were
young.
MATT
Photo? What
photo? What did you talk about?
TRACY'S VOICE
Just girl
stuff. Hey, and Serena's a real character too, ay? A woman with balls. The
number is…
MATT
What did you
and Serena…?
TRACY'S VOICE
You want Jules'
number or what? Big Brute?
MATT
Okay, fire
away.
MATT readies
the pen to write it on the back of his hand.
MATT
Incidentally,
your mother called.
TRACY'S VOICE
My mother
called you?
MATT
No, she called
you…Worried. You should call her and let her know you're OK.
TRACY'S VOICE
You didn't talk
to her, did you? (A BEAT) You did, didn’t you? (A BEAT) What did you talk
about?
MATT
Just parent
stuff. (A BEAT) Britney!?
There is a long
moment of silence.
MATT
Tracy…Britney…(A
BEAT) Hello…
TRACY'S VOICE
She is such a
bitch. I am going to call her. Fuck her!
TRACY hangs up.
MATT is left standing, pen in hand, hovering above his wrist. He presses the
appropriate icon on the mobile, hears his own voice:
MATT'S VOICE
Matt's voice
here. Not to be mistaken for…
He hangs up, makes
another call, gets Serena's message bank.
SERENA'S VOICE
'Serena here,
but I'm not here, but if you leave…'
MATT terminates
the call. His attention is caught by BLUE emerging from fast food outlet,
hamburger in hand.
MATT remembers
where he has seen Blue before. He looks at the screen of Tracy's mobile. He is
not sure how to navigate the menu but eventually finds what he is looking for.
Onscreen:
BLUE, his hands joined to conceal his genitals. The
frozen image comes to life.
BLUE
Babe!
He opens his arms wide, revealing a codpiece in the
shape of an elephant's head - replete with big ears and a trunk!
BLUE
Love you heaps!
BLUE grins, begins to recite:
BLUE
Now I have you
And you have me
Our troubles all
Are gone you see.
MATT looks from
the mobile screen to BLUE, 20 feet away, eating his hamburger. MATT looks back
at the mobile screen:
BLUE
Love it was
from the start
we'll be together
Till death we part.
BLUE grins again.
BLUE
Love you, babe.
MATT is in the
process of joining the dots when he notices GBH's purple 'pimped out' car, seen
in the opening sequence, pulling off the main road, into the fast food outlet.
MATT looks back
to where BLUE was standing at the entrance but he is no longer there. He looks
around, sees BLUE hiding behind a hedge, peering furtively at:
The purple
sedan pulling up outside the fast food restaurant entrance. GBH gets out of the
car, scans the interior through the windows, then the parking lot looking for
Blue.
MATT shakes his
head, can't help but smile. He punches numbers into his mobile. Serena answers.
SERENA'S VOICE
I wonder who is
calling at this hour?
MATT
Sorry, I don't
know what happened there. You know me and mobiles.
SERENA'S VOICE
Oh, ‘the
Brute!’
MATT
You told Tracy?
SERENA'S VOICE
I was pissed
off! It slipped out.
MATT looks back
at BLUE, whose hand is now cupped over the mouthpiece of his mobile phone,
talking urgently and with his eyes on GBH. BLUE hangs up, disappears from view.
MATT
I'll be there
in half an hour, OK?
SERENA'S VOICE
Yeah, right!
Tracy's mobile
announces an incoming calls.
MATT
Forty minuters,
max. Promise.
SERENA'S VOICE
That'll be your
13 year old. (A BEAT) If I had a dollar
for every time…
MATT
Hey, I don't
have much choice here…
SERENA'S VOICE
No, you've
chosen not to have any choice.
MATT
Hey, I'm not
one of your clients…
SERENA'S VOICE
What are you,
Matt?
MATT
This is not the
best time to have this conversation?
SERENA'S VOICE
No, of course
not! See you when I see you. Christmas maybe!
Serena hangs
up. MATT takes the new call. TRACY in a panic:
TRACY'S VOICE
Matt, can you
give Blue a ride?
MATT
Who's Blue? The
guy with red hair!?
TRACY'S VOICE
Yeah. It's
kinda urgent…
MATT
No. Tracy,
fuck! I just want my phone back.
TRACY'S VOICE
He's gunna get
the shit beaten out of him…
MATT 's
patience has totally run out.
MATT
Not my problem,
Tracy. I need Juliet's phone number. Now, Tracy!
MATT hears a
low whistle and then a loud whisper.
BLUE (off screen)
Hey Matt…
MATT looks
around. BLUE is crouched by the passenger door of his cab, beckoning him.
MATT
What the…!
BLUE opens the
door from a crouching position and slides into the passenger seat, his head
down, out of view. MATT forgets about Tracy, lowers the mobile.
TRACY'S VOICE
Matt? Matt!
MATT moves fast
to his cab, opens the passenger door.
MATT
Out!
BLUE, 17, his
face covered with freckles, tries to smile.
BLUE
I'm Blue.
Tracy's Blue. She said…
MATT
Don't give a
fuck whose Blue you are! Out!
BLUE
Bro!
MATT
I'm not your fucking
bro, Blue! Out! Get the fuck out of my cab! Now!
BLUE gets out
reluctantly. MATT walks around to the driver's side, opens the door, drops into
the seat, slams the door behind him - drawing the attention of GBH, SPIDER and
his OTHER MATE.
28 INT. CAB. NIGHT
Through the
cracked windscreen MATT sees GBH (talking on his mobile), SPIDER and his OTHER
MATE up by the entrance. They have spotted BLUE and are heading towards him.
MATT turns the ignition on, engages the gears, looks from BLUE, frozen in terror,
to GBG, SPIDER and his OTHER MATE approaching. He mutters under his breath:
MATT
Run, ya silly
fucker!
GBG, SPIDER and
his OTHER MATE are just ten meters away when MATT leans over, opens the
passenger door and shouts at BLUE.
MATT
Get in.
BLUE leaps in.
MATT activates the locks. GBH, SPIDER and his OTHER MATE are in front of the
cab now, blocking MATT'S escape. Standoff!
MATT looks in
the rear vision mirror. No escape route behind!
GBH gives
instructions to SPIDER his OTHER MATE. They move to the passenger door, try to
open it. No luck.
GBH, mobile
hand, gestures to MATT that if he unlocks the door, gives up BLUE, GBH will get
out of the way; let him drive off.
MATT shakes his
head calmly. GBH snarls at MATT, raises his fist aggressively. MATT puts a lot
of effort into not responding but the temptation is too great. He eventually
flips a bird at GBH, who then recognizes MATT and flies into a rage.
GBH (screams)
You're dead
motherfucker!
SPIDER and the
OTHER MATE at Blue's window try to force the door open. BLUE is scared shitless.
MATT revs the
engine, gestures to GBH his intention to drive forward; that GBH should get out
of the way.
GBH
You slimy
fucking thieving weasel piece of shit cunt…
With the clutch
pressed down, MATT revs the engine; shouts:
MATT
If you don't
get out of the fucking way…
MATT indicates
with his fingers: 5-4-3
MATT
Five, four,
three…
MATT releases
the clutch, jolts forward a few feet, bumps GBH backwards. GBH's anger ramps up
further. He hurls his mobile at MATT. It explodes into fragments as it bounces
off the window. GBH is apoplectic now.
SPIDER and the
OTHER MATE join him in front of the taxi.
MATT finishes
his finger countdown: 2-1, shakes his head (“I warned you!”), puts his foot on
the accelerator, drives fast backwards about five meters, shifts gears, drives
straight at them.
GBH, SPIDER and
the OTHER MATE leap out of the way.
…to be
continued…
No comments:
Post a Comment