Following on from “Promises” Part Three…
31 EXT. (continued)'STARDUST'. NIGHT
Tears glisten in Juliet’s eyes. Matt reaches out, touches her face. She takes his hand in hers, holds it tight; looks directly into his eyes.
JULIET
Are you my father?
MATT
Oh, for fuck’s sake, Juliet! Of course...
JULIET
See! I ask you a simple question and...
MATT
A simple question!
JULIET
Yes. And...?
MATT
You weren’t adopted, Jules! You know that!
JULIET
That’s not my question. Would you have a DNA test, if I asked?
MATT
Are you? Asking?
JULIET
No, but if I did?
Matt is at a loss what to say.
JULIET
Dad?
Tears well in her eyes. Matt wraps his arms around her, holds her tight. Tears well in his own eyes.
MATT
I’m your dad, that’s all that matters.
Juliet half extricates herself from Matt’s arms, looks directly into his eyes. She is vulnerable; speaks softly.
JULIET
So, you’re not my father? Biological?
MATT
Jules, I am your dad, your father and...
JULIET
And?
Matt can’t say what she wants to hear. She eases her way gently out of Matt’s arms.
JULIET
It doesn’t matter to you whether you’re my biological…?
MATT
That’s not what...
JULIET
You don’t care?
MATT
Of course I care...
Matt moves to hug her. Juliet holds up her hand: “No”.
JULIET
It’s OK.
She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand; bites nervously on a finger nail.
JULIET
This is just what I didn’t want to happen.
HARMONY(VOICE OFF)
Hi, Mr Patterson.
Matt and Juliet turn to see Harmony smiling, waving, from inside the red sedan.
Matt waves; manages a smile; turns back to Juliet. She looks directly at Matt – wanting and yet not wanting an answer to her question. After a long moment:
JULIET
I should...(go)
MATT
Let’s talk in the morning?
Juliet shrugs: “Whatever”.
JULIET(SUBDUED)
Okay.
MATT
Unfortunately...I don’t have your phone number?
Juliet looks at her father; disappointed. She shakes her head. Matt feeling bad, takes out a biro; hands it to her. Juliet needs something to write on. Matt holds out his hand. Juliet takes it, writes her phone number on Matt’s wrist; holds onto his hand for a moment.
MATT
I’ll call you in the morning.
Juliet nods; kisses him on the cheek.
JULIET
OK.
After an awkward moment between them, Juliet turns and walks towards Harmony and the red sedan.
Matt calls out:
MATT
Love you.
Juliet turns. Tears are streaming down her face. She manages a wan smile, waves to him: ‘ta ta’. She then turns and continues to walk to the red sedan.
Matt watches her and the red sedan as it drives off.
32 EXT. CITY STREET. CLOSE TO 'STARDUST'. NIGHT
As Matt walks up to his cab, Harmony’s red sedan disappears up the road in the background.
As he gets close to his cab Matt hears Blue speaking on his mobile. He slows, stops, eavesdrops.
BLUE(VOICE OFF)
Listen to me, Trace...please.
Matt can only see Blue, in the passenger seat, from behind.
BLUE(VOICE OFF)
This is‘true love’. For me…forever and forever, till death us do part, but I can wait…but Jesus, Trace, I wish you'd listen to me sometimes…like now…OK…
Matt can see:
Blue, from behind, in semi-profile, lowering the mobile, looking into space out the window.
Matt waits a moment, walks around to the driver's door, opens it, drops into the seat. Blue is miserable; his voice flat.
BLUE
How'd it go?
MATT
Great.
BLUE
Surprised?
(Matt nods)
BLUE
Tracy said she'll meet us at ‘Gluttons’ in 10 minutes. (A BEAT) Serena is cool with it.
Matt looks at his watch; thinks a moment; makes a phone call.
Serena mimics, caricatures Blue’s voice.
SERENA’S VOICE
‘Yo, I is Serena! ‘oo is this? Britney or Tubba?’
MATT (LAUGHS)
Blue was just telling me...
SERENA’S VOICE
Bruce. Blue’s actual name.
Matt turns to Blue:
MATT
Bruce!
(Blue grimaces)
So, either I can come now, without my phone or, Blue tells me, in 10 minutes, I can get my phone from...Britney…and come then.
SERENA’S VOICE
It’s OK, I can light my candle without any help from you!
She mimics Blue’s orgasmic moan. Matt laughs.
33 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
Matt’s cab drives along a near-deserted city street; Blue in the passenger seat. They drive in silence.
34 INT. CAB. CITY STREET. NIGHT
Matt drives, caught up in his own distress. Blue, also caught up in his own distress, is uncharacteristically quiet.
MATT
I was bullshitting you back then Blue. It wasn't great at all. It sucked. (A BEAT) To the max! (A BEAT) Fully!
Blue manages a smile.
BLUE
Life, ay!
MATT
Life! (A BEAT) That was Tracy and you talking back there?
BLUE(NODS)
Ya reckon I talk too much?
MATT(LAUGHS)
I reckon Tracy'd give you a run for your money in the talking department.
BLUE
Yeah, but she'd come fucking last in the listening department, if ya know what I mean! A bit self-absorbed, ay!
MATT
Self absorbed?
BLUE
Can't see things from my point of view...maybe doesn't want to, so doesn't want to hear it...know what I mean? (A BEAT) I mean I love Trace and everything, don't get me wrong...more than anything including myself...which is not hard because I'm kinda fucked...but...
MATT
You were asking me before about you and Trace and love…
BLUE(SHRUGS)
My problems are my problems, ay.
MATT
Yeah, but you wanted to tell me…something...
BLUE
Ya got three hours?
MATT
Give me the twitter version.
BLUE
Boy meets girl. Love. Boy betrays girl. Girl ditches boy. Boy's heart broken.
MATT(LAUGHS)
'What's love got to do with it,' ay!
BLUE
Like…if a boy and girl love each other…take a right here…
Blue indicates 'right'.
MATT
This is not the way to ‘Gluttons’.
BLUE
Short cut!
Matt ponders this for a moment; moves to turn right.
BLUE
...it's normal to have sex, right?
MATT
If they're both old enough.
BLUE
So me wanting to have sex with Tracy doesn't make me a sex maniac, right.
MATT
Depends how often.
BLUE
Just once. I mean, more than once would be good but once would be a start, ay?
MATT
You and Tracy haven't had sex!?
Blue shakes his head. Matt is astounded.
BLUE
Says she wants to wait till she finds…'True Love'.
MATT
You're kidding!?
BLUE
Uh huh, says she doesn't want to be like other girls - you know, giving blow jobs to boys at 13.
MATT
Wow! So...so...you cheated on her? Had sex with someone else?
BLUE
If you count porn, I s'pose…but not with, like, an actual, person - other than myself, that is. But we argued about that too. I mean, is wanking...like...being unfaithful? Cheating?
MATT (LAUGHS)
Don't think so, Blue. So, you think it's true? That Tracy's a...virgin?
BLUE
Yeah! (A BEAT) She always tells the truth...which can be a bit hard when she tells the truth about you...I mean, me.
MATT
Always tells the truth? Tracy? Britney!?
BLUE
Almost always. About the important stuff, anyway.
MATT
What’s the ‘important stuff’?
BLUE
That I'm just a lowlife drug-dealing wanker...(A BEAT) but I wouldn't be such a wanker if...you know…I'd just love to make love with Trace. Not fuck her, know what I mean? ...because I love her. It's not just lust like she says but...fuck...I don't really know for sure if there's a difference between love and lust?
Blue looks at Matt, hoping for an answer. Matt shakes his head, smiles, looks at Blue.
BLUE
Is there?
MATT
You got a dad? (BLUE NODS) Need to talk to him about this kind of stuff?
BLUE
He's not real communicative, dad, when it comes to personal stuff.
MATT
Maybe he cares but he just doesn't know how to show it.
BLUE
If he cared, he'd at least listen to me, wouldn't he?
Matt nods, looks at Blue. They drive in silence a moment.
MATT
So that's what you and Tracy were arguing about at the taxi rank? Sex?
BLUE
Nah. About GBH.
MATT
Not a good mate of yours, I take it?
BLUE
Kind of a business associate.
MATT
Furniture removalist?
BLUE
Nah...I used to deal a few drugs, see. Nothing big. Just weed and eccies. Bitta coke. But I gave up for Tracy. Well, she kinda made it a condition. Anyhow, I promised her I wouldn't deal any more...and she agreed to give it another go...our relationship...and I took her to this awesome restaurant...fucking expensive...and gave her a ring... same as this one.
He holds out his hand, with the silver ring on one finger; identical to Tracy’s.
BLUE
You know, 'soul-mates-forever' rings. And everything was fucking awesome and then…then she went schizo on me, stormed out and got drunk at that club and got into your fucking taxi...Spent all of the money I made from this deal I done with GBH and she just ups and…
MATT
Drug deal?
BLUE
Yeah but...
MATT
Hang on...you just said you'd given up dealing!
BLUE
Yeah, yesterday. GBH was my last job. Sold him some coke...but it's all fucked up and now I don't have the cash to pay him back unless…
MATT
Slow down a sec, Blue. Why do you have to pay GBH back?
BLUE
Because, you know, it's the right thing to do. If you sell someone bad shit. I didn't mean to but...like, I trusted the guy I bought it from when he said it was top qual. He promised! And I didn't do a product test like I usually do but just gave it to GBH and he didn't do a product test either until tonight - the same fucking night I'm wining and dining Tracy...
MATT
So, the same night you and Tracy are celebrating you giving up drug dealing she discovers that you've paid for the dinner with money you made dealing drugs?
BLUE
No, I told her I earnt it with a proper job I just started with a mate - which I started today…yesterday…so it's not exactly a lie, ay?
MATT
Furniture removalist?
BLUE(NODS)
But GBH wants his money back...like tonight. Or some decent coke!
MATT
Right! So...so what were you and Tracy arguing about?
BLUE
I don't know. Out of the blue... 'scuse the pun, she went weird on me...really fucking weird.
MATT
For no reason?
BLUE
Obviously for some fucking reason! I just don't know what!
MATT
Did you ask her?
BLUE
Yeah and she said, “You should be able to figure it out.” So I asked her to give me a clue and she got really upset and...fuck...I don't know…!
MATT
There must have been something triggered it off.
BLUE
Yeah, I was telling her what an aggressive cunt my dad was...I didn't say 'cunt', but...it's one word she hates...hates…and I said to her “You're lucky not to have a dad.” Which is what she's said heaps of times so...then she went all...you know, moody...and teary and I asked her what was wrong and she said I should be able to figure it out without asking and I said “I'm not fucking psycho” and she said, “Psychic, ya fuckwit. Not psycho” and next thing she's on her feet and heading for the door just as the creamy bruly is arriving...or whatever the fuck it's called.
MATT
Crème brûlée.
BLUE
Yeah, but maybe she was lying about her dad...maybe even a fucked up dad like mine is better than no dad...?
MATT
What do you know about Tracy's dad?
BLUE
Nothing, except she's never met him and kept telling me she never wanted to...until...fuck! Something happened yesterday but she didn't want to talk about it. Something big. But when I asked her what, she just clammed up. I don't know! Explain women to me!
MATT(LAUGHS)
I'm not the best person to ask I'm afraid Blue. (A BEAT) So, what are you going to do about your GBH problem?
BLUE
Thing is, I promised Trace I would never deal drugs again and, well, a promise is a promise, ay? (MATT NODS) But I also promised GBH I'd never sell him bad shit. (MATT NODS) So, if I keep my promise to Tracy I get the shit beaten out of me by GBH, but the only way I can pay GBH back is if I break my promise to Trace and do another deal. What should I do?
MATT
Shit, Blue, I don't know.
BLUE
If I was Juliet...what would you advise me to do?
MATT
She wouldn't be dealing drugs.
BLUE
Yeah, but if she had to make a choice between...you know...a rock and a heart place...?
MATT
Hard place.
(Blue nods )
Are you serious about not dealing drugs any more?
(Blue nods )
Then I suppose one more deal is not going to hurt...but just one, Blue...so GBH doesn't...you know…
BLUE
So it's OK to lie to Trace about it?
MATT
No, you just don't need to tell her.
BLUE
But what's the difference between 'not telling' and lying? (A BEAT) What if she asks?
MATT
Then I guess you have to lie. If you don't want GBH to beat the shit out of you.
BLUE
Yeah, that's what I thought.
MATT
So you've already decided? To do another deal?
BLUE
No, I wouldn't do it if you'd said 'no'.
Matt shakes his head. A thought occurs to him.
MATT
This is a short cut, right?
BLUE
Yeah.
MATT
Yeah?
BLUE
Yeah, and a little detour. See a mate of mine, Gary. Won't take a sec.
MATT
To do a drug deal?
BLUE
It won't really be a 'deal', know what I mean!? It'll be more me borrowing a bitta coke and giving it to GBH.
Tracy’s mobile rings: “I Love You Baby Doll”.
MATT
Jesus, Blue!
Matt presses ‘accept’. The phone is on ‘speaker’:
TRACY'S VOICE
What's taking you so long, Tubba?
BLUE
We're just taking a little detour.
TRACY'S VOICE
Detour? You're on your way to Gary's, aren't you, Blue? To do a fucking drug deal?
Blue's panic is written across his face. Matt calls out:
MATT
No, Tracy, I'm almost out of LPG and the closest station that sells it was 8 ks in the other direction.
TRACY'S VOICE
Oh!
MATT
Be there in five.
TRACY'S VOICE
Okay...See ya soon.
Matt presses ‘end’, pulls over to the side of the road; turns off the ignition.
MATT
You are not going to do another deal, Blue, OK? Fuck GBH.
BLUE
OK.
MATT
You can earn the money moving furniture and pay him back that way.
BLUE
Mmmm...OK
MATT
Promise?
BLUE
Promise.
Matt turns the ignition on, pulls back out onto the road.
35 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
Matt drives; Blue in the passenger seat. Out of a long silence:
MATT
Wanna know how I got to be called Tubba?
36 INT. CAB. NIGHT
Blue looks at Matt - smiles and nods his head.
MATT
And you’ll tell me about using google to cure your porn addiction, right?
BLUE
Deal. (A BEAT) You got that problem? Google search history!
MATT(SMILES)
No, not really...but just in case I develop one. (BLUE laughs) I was fat as a kid, Blue. And my best friend called me 'Tubalard', and all his friends...
BLUE
Tubalard?
MATT
Tub of Lard. Tubby.
BLUE
And it hurt you heaps, ay?
(Matt looks at Blue; nods)
And ya cry yaself to sleep even if ya laugh along with it, ay? Just coz you're a hopeless skinny little cunt doesn't mean ya got no feelings...ay?
MATT(NODS)
Lucky for me being bigger than the other boys at 11 made me star of the footie team. And when it turned out I could run too...fucking fast...and then the puppy fat turned to muscle...’Tubba’ became a star footie player.
BLUE
I'd die for a bit of puppy fat. And a six pack! And to be a star. At something!
Matt smiles, turns to Blue.
MATT
Can’t have everything you want in life, Blue. Sometimes you’ve got to settle for...second best...the consolation prize.
BLUE
Yeah, I kinda figured that, but...ya can’t stop dreamin’, ay?
MATT
No, ya can’t stop dreamin’.
37 INT/EXT. CAB. ‘GLUTTONS’ . NIGHT
Matt pulls up outside the fast food outlet, Blue in the passenger seat. Tracy, waiting for him, walks up to the driver's window.
MATT
Hello Britney.
Tracy glares at Matt.
BLUE
Britney!?
Tracy signals 'no' to Matt with her eyes.
MATT(TO BLUE)
I told Blue its just a joke between you and me.
BLUE
Ya gotta feel sorry for Britney, ay!? Now there's a girl with a fucked up dad!
Tracy glares at Blue.
BLUE
Okay, I'm fucking off.
Blue gets out, meets Tracy in the front of the cab as she walks around to get into the passenger seat. Matt watches:
Tracy and Blue stop close to each other for a moment. Blue grins at Tracy. She turns her head away haughtily. Blue leans forward to kiss her on the cheek. Tracy accepts the kiss, glancing at Matt with an expression that says: “Look what I have to put up with!”
Blue walks up; stops by Matt's window.
BLUE
Thanks, Matt, for...listening...
Blue grins, winks at Matt. Tracy, hands on hips, walks up.
TRACY
Listening!? (A BEAT) What's that supposed to mean? I listen! When you’ve got something worth saying but...
MATT
Get in, Britney.
Tracy glares at Blue as he walks towards the ‘Gluttons’ entrance. He looks back at Matt and Tracy, smiles warmly. Tracy tries to act aloof but doesn't quite pull it off. She turns to Matt:
TRACY
So, I've been talking to Juliet…
MATT(FORCEFUL)
Now.
Tracy walks around to the passenger door; gets in.
TRACY
I have to tell you something about Juliet’s problem. The one you…!
MATT
No, you have to pay me?
TRACY
But, I don't have any money.
MATT
Yes, you do. You lied about being a pathological liar! (A BEAT) Didn't you?
Tracy stares at Matt, not sure how to respond.
MATT
I know. For a fact. Cough up.
Matt holds out his hand. Tracy opens her purse, extracts 4 $20 bills, hands them to him.
TRACY
How did you know?
MATT
I didn't. I lied. Now, my phone.
Tracy hands Matt his phone. He hands Tracy her mobile.
MATT
Now don't go anywhere.
Matt moves to get out of the cab.
TRACY
But…
Tracy opens door; moves to get out of the cab.
MATT(FIRM)
Sit.
TRACY(GRINS)
Woof!
She closes door. Matt presses ‘speed dial’; gets out of the cab. On Tracy as she watches him; her own mobile ringing.
SERENA’S VOICE MESSAGE
If you are a client please call during business hours.
38 EXT. ‘GLUTTONS’. NIGHT
Matt stands by his cab; mobile to his ear; Tracy in the background, in the passenger seat, talks on her mobile.
SERENA’S VOICE MESSAGE
If not, leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
MATT
The eagle has landed! Be there in forty minutes. Promise!
He hangs up; dials the number written on his hand.
39 INT. CAB. ‘GLUTTONS’. NIGHT
Tracy talks urgently on her mobile. Matt can be seen, in the background, his own mobile to his ear.
TRACY
‘Gluttons’. (A BEAT) Google-map it. (A BEAT) Yes.
40 EXT. ‘GLUTTONS’. NIGHT
MATT
I was hoping you might still be...awake...I want to tell you something, but...well...in person...not in a...not like this...call me when you get this...um...
41 INT. CAB. ‘GLUTTONS’. NIGHT
Tracy, mobile to her ear, watches Matt through the window as he hangs up, puts his mobile in his pocket, walks up to the cab, opens the door; gets back into the cab. Tracy finishes her conversation.
TRACY
OK, see you soon.
Tracy hangs up as Matt settles into his seat; places his mobile in its cradle.
TRACY
Matt, I have to talk to you about Juliet’s problem...
Matt holds up his hand.
MATT
No, listen to me.
TRACY
But…
MATT
No buts. I want you tell me about your dad.
TRACY
Why?
MATT
If I told you now, you'd laugh.
TRACY
Why?
Matt waves the question away.
TRACY
What did Blue tell you? About my dad?
MATT
That you'd never met him.
TRACY
That's not true.
MATT
So Blue's a liar!?
TRACY
No, he told the truth and...weird, ay, how something can be true and a lie at the same time, ay! (MATT LAUGHS) Promise you won't tell anyone...especially my mum.
MATT
Since I'm never going to meet her...
TRACY
Mmmm (A BEAT) I've never talked to anyone before about my dad...not properly.
MATT
Not even…The Shrink? Or The Rapist?
Tracy shakes her head.
TRACY
Don't trust them.
Matt nods. Tracy bites her lip, starts tentatively.
TRACY
When I was a little girl, mum said that my dad...my biological dad...lived on the other side of the world...that he deserted us before I was even born. She'd never tell me his name and...anyhow, I believed her, up till a few days ago when...I just wanted to know his name and...I asked her and she said 'Tony' but I could tell by the way she hesitated...you know the way people do when they are about to tell a lie...that she was lying. So I did a bit of... investigating... Private Investigator Tracy Small!
MATT(SMILES)
Britney Small.
TRACY
Tracy Small...I hate Britney...Mum's always kept a diary, see, but she's always kept them hidden. And even though I'm a nosy little bitch I never looked for them... until a couple of days ago.
MATT
Why?
TRACY
Because she lied to me about my dad's name and I wanted to find out why.
MATT
So you read her diaries?
TRACY
It's not that simple.
MATT
Complex and convoluted, ay!
(Tracy laughs)
She'd hidden them really well?
TRACY
No, she hadn't gone to that much trouble at all. They were in a shoe box in the back of a cupboard.
MATT
So why wasn't it simple?
TRACY
Because I keep a diary too, see, and mum promised she'd never ever read it. And I know she hasn't because if she had she'd have bitten my fucking head off.
MATT
Lying to taxi drivers about lost wallets and being a nymphomaniac and that sort of thing?
TRACY(LAUGHS)
So how could I look at her diary…!?
MATT
But she'd lied to you about your dad!
TRACY
Yes, but I lie to mum all the time. That doesn't make it OK for her to look at my diary! Does it?
MATT
No, I guess not. But you did look at her diary, right?
TRACY
Yes, but just to be fair I left my diary open on the kitchen table when I went to school. 'Accidentally'. There's no way mum could not have seen it.
MATT
Did she read it?
TRACY
Obviously not, because…
MATT
…she didn't bite your head off?
TRACY
Right, anyhow I looked at her diary anyway...one she kept a year before I was born and...well, I found out she'd fucked an old boyfriend one night almost exactly nine months before I was born. 'Made beautiful love' she wrote…and she called him X - which was a dead giveaway because it was the only time she ever kept a name secret. Everyone in her diary has a name except for Mr X. She wrote, “...fuck, have I made the right choice? Should it be me walking down the aisle tomorrow?”
MATT
X was getting married?
TRACY
Yes, and I figured the...'making beautiful love' was like a farewell present for X…’Tony’. For old time's sake, know what I mean? A farewell fuck!
Matt laughs, shakes his head.
TRACY
So, mum and Mr X didn't just 'make beautiful love', they made me...
MATT
And a very good job they made of it!
TRACY(LAUGHS)
...and nine months later I popped into the world, and when I realize that I haven't got a dad like my friends...I was about three...I ask mum why and she lies to me - my whole fucking life! Lies, lies, lies! And then when I found out yesterday who Mr X was - Jesus fucking Christ!
MATT
Who was he?
TRACY
Who is he, you mean! The day after fucking Mr X mum went to his wedding… as a bridesmaid.
MATT
Whose wedding?
Tracy is just about to blurt it out but decides against it.
TRACY
My whole family would fucking freak if the truth came out...but... fuck...the truth's supposed to set you free, isn't it?
Tracy looks at Matt with a pained expression that suggests she really wants him to give her an answer. Matt shakes his head, smiles. He hasn't got an answer.
MATT
Who did he marry?
TRACY
Auntie Laurel. Mum’s younger sister.
MATT
So X is...?
TRACY
My uncle David.
MATT
And uncle David is your dad?
(Tracy nods)
Fuck! Does he know? I mean, do you look anything like him?
TRACY
No, I look more like my aunt - which makes sense since she's my mum's sister. But if we did a DNA test...
Matt’s jaw drops, his eyes widen; he shakes his head; laughs.
TRACY
What?
MATT
Serendipity.
TRACY
Squeeze me!
MATT
Doesn’t matter. Did you talk to Juliet about this?
TRACY
No! Why?
Matt waves the question away
MATT
Does your aunt know?
TRACY
She's never let on...to me...but...now that I know what I know...sometimes she gets this funny look in her eyes when she looks at me and I can’t help but wonder...what do I do?
MATT
Fuck! Um...Let sleeping dogs lie, I guess!?
TRACY
Do dogs lie?
Matt bursts out laughing.
42 INT. ‘GLUTTONS’. NIGHT
Blue, standing in a queue waiting to place his order, lifts his mobile to his ear; looks back to where Matt and Tracy sit in the can deep in the background.
43 INT. CAB. PARKING LOT. ‘GLUTTONS’
Tracy has her mobile at her ear:
TRACY
Words are cheap...Bruce.
BLUE’S VOICE(LAUGHS)
You’re not wrong...Britney.
TRACY(LAUGHS)
Fuck off, Blue.
BLUE’S VOICE(LAUGHING)
Fucking off...Britney!
He laughs; hangs up.
Tracy laughs; lowers her mobie.
TRACY
Fuckwit!
MATT(LAUGHS)
OK, now you can tell me about the knife?
TRACY
What knife?
MATT
The one in your bag?
He indicates the bag in her lap.
TRACY
Oh, that knife!
Tracy reaches into her bag, pulls out the short bladed kitchen knife, brandishes it in a playfully threatening manner as she lets out a cry:
TRACY
Eeee-yah!
MATT
That's not a knife, Tracy.
Tracy laughs, mimics Paul Hogan from Crocodile Dundee; brandishes an imaginary knife.
TRACY
This is a knife!
MATT
That's not going to protect you from some big fucker who wants to…
TRACY
This is not actually my knife. You wanna hear how it came to be in my bag?
MATT
A true story?
TRACY
You be the judge.
Matt smiles, nods.
TRACY
Well, you see, a few weeks ago this guy came after me with this (THE KNIFE)...he was stoned off his face on ice...and, well I've got an orange belt in karate, see...
A cab pulls up in the background.
MATT
An orange belt?
TRACY
An orange belt...so...getting the knife off him was easy and...
Tracy tilts her head to one side.
TRACY
Well?
MATT
It's a great story.
A woman gets out of the cab.
TRACY
True or false?
MATT
No comment.
Tracy laughs, leans forward, kisses Matt on the cheek, sees something that causes her to jump back in shock.
TRACY
Shit! It’s my fucking mother.
TRACY
She's come to get me. I forgot…
Matt registers MERILY, late 30s, made up and dressed as twentysomething, walking straight towards the cab.
TRACY
Don't tell her what I just told you, OK?
Matt, his face giving nothing away, looks at Tracy, then at Merily, smiling broadly as she approaches.
TRACY(PANICKING)
About Uncle David and... Promise?
Matt smiles enigmatically. Merily greets Tracy cheerfully through the passenger window.
MERILY
Sweetheart.
Tracy nods, looks nervously at Matt.
MERILY
And you'd be Matt…?
Merily’s smile bears the vestiges of her youthful coquetry.
MERILY
The famous Matt Patterson.
END PART # 4
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