Tuesday, June 4, 2019

PROMISES - part # 5

Following on from “Promises” Part Four…

43 (continued) INT. CAB. PARKING LOT. ‘GLUTTONS’

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. Thanks heaps for taking care of Britney for me...(A BEAT) Cool. 

Tracy rolls her eyes. Matt's mobile rings: Serena. Matt reaches out, presses the green icon. Serena's voice comes through loud and clear on the speaker.

SERENA'S VOICE
So, you've got your phone back!? 

MATT(CHEERFUL)
Mission accomplished!

SERENA'S VOICE
You 'gunna' be here soon or should I put some new batteries in my vibrator, or… 

MATT
You should probably know that...

SERENA'S VOICE
…maybe join Tinder?

MATT
…we've got an audience…

SERENA'S VOICE
Oh! Who?

MATT
Tracy...Britney...and her mum.

SERENA'S VOICE(LAUGHS)
Hi Tracy-Britney’s mum.

MERILY
Hi…

SERENA'S VOICE
Serena. You finished with Matt yet, Britney?

MATT
It's all over...be there soon.

SERENA'S VOICE
Soon? Like, before…? 

MATT
I love you, Serena.

There is a long silence.

SERENA'S VOICE
Have we got a bad connection or did you just say…?

MATT
You heard right. I love you. 

There is a long pause. Tracy and Merily listen in with great interest.

SERENA'S VOICE
I love you too. (A BEAT) You're not on drugs are you?

MATT(LAUGHS)
Be there soon.

SERENA'S VOICE
K. (LAUGHS) If you’re not here soon I’m going to start without you. (A BEAT) If I can remember where I put those new batteries.

Merily listens through the passenger window; wide eyed.

MATT(SMILES)
You can save the batteries.

SERENA'S VOICE
For another time?

MATT(LAUGHS)
You’ll never need them again. Gotta go.

SERENA'S VOICE(LAUGHS)
Roger that!

Serena hangs up. Matt smiles, puts his mobile in his jacket pocket.

MERILY
Well, that was an eye-opener!

TRACY
Why? You’ve got a vibrator! 

Merily turns red; a frozen smile appears on her face. To Matt:

MERILY
What happened to your hand?

MATT
Windscreen was pissing me off and…

Matt makes a faux boxing gesture. Tracy smiles. Matt gestures to Merily. 

MATT
Hop in, Merily. I’ve got a question for you?

Tracy looks daggers at Matt as Merily opens the rear passenger door.

MATT
And Britney.

Merily gets in; leans forward, smiling. 

MERILY
Shoot.

MATT  
First up, Tracy...Britney...have you got something you want to tell your mum?

Tracy glares at Matt, tries to remain calm; shakes her head.  

MATT  
Merily, have you got anything you want to ask your daughter?

MERILY
Yes! Britney, where did Tracy come from?

TRACY
I hate Britney!

MERILY  
I know, but...

MATT
Was it you who decided on Britney?  Or her biological dad?

Merily looks at Tracy, who is having difficulty maintaining her composure.

MERILY
Oh, um...! Me…

MATT
Do you mind if I ask you a personal question, Merily?

Tracy tries to catch Matt's eye to warn him off.

MERILY
Not about vibrators, I hope!

TRACY
Mum’s is purple. “Greedy Girl Rabbit”.

Merily laughs brittlely; blushes.

MATT
Have you ever sent Tracy... Britney...to see a therapist...a psychiatrist.

MERILY
No. (A BEAT) Do you think I should? (A BEAT) She's got a vivid imagination, of course...very vivid... but that's not a problem is it? Making up stories? I mean, JK Rowling has made a good living making up stories. Very good. Did it a bit myself when I was young... invisible magic friends... handsome princes...you know...fairy tale stuff...then of course I grew up and...

Matt nods, looks at Tracy. She is not happy at the direction the conversation is taking. To Merily:

MATT
I hear some amazing stories driving a cab.

MERILY 
I can imagine.

MATT
A few nights ago I had a girl around Tracy's age...Tiffany…who really wanted to talk. Regular little motor-mouth…no pause button.

MERILY
Reminds me of someone I know.

Merily looks at Tracy, smiles. Tracy is trying to make eye-contact with Matt but he avoids her stare.

MATT
Her mum’d told her her dad'd done a bolt before Tiffany was born. And Tiffany spent most of her life wondering who her dad was. She wanted to know what he looked like, whether she was anything like him at all...that sort of thing...

Merily’s frozen smile suggests that this is not a story she wants to hear!

MATT
She'd lie in bed at night thinking about him, crying herself to sleep...longing for the father she never knew...

Tracy, eyes wide in horror, is trying hard not to freak out.

MATT  
Then Tiffany suddenly finds out who her dad is; that he's not living on the other side of the world. That he lives right here, in Sydney. Amazing, eh?

Matt looks directly at Merily, who is having difficulty keeping the frozen 'interested' smile on her face.

MERILY
That’s…awesome...

MATT
And she knows him well. Really well.

MERILY
Wow! What a story!

MATT
Yes, and you won’t believe what happened next.

Merily and Tracy listen in wide-eyed horror.

MATT
Tiffany decided she'd never tell her mum she not only knew her dad was alive but knew who he was.

MERILY
I love happy endings.

MATT
But that’s not the end.

MERILY
It's not!?

They do not notice the arrival of Harmony’s red sedan in the background.

MATT
No, the story ended when Tiffany's mum, who had no idea that her daughter knew who her dad was, decided she wanted to tell Tiffany the truth about her dad.

MERILY
Oh...(A Beat)... she does!? Did? (A BEAT) That’s probably for the best, ay? 
(She turns to face Tracy)
What's that thing you’re always saying about the truth?

TRACY
“The truth will set you free.” 

Tracy and Merily look at each other for a long moment. Neither they nor Matt see Juliet approaching.

Merily smiles, reaches out, brushes aside a strand of Tracy's hair that has fallen out of place. 

MERILY
Feel like a whopper with the works?

Tracy laughs as Juliet walks up to the driver’s window; smiling.  Matt sees her:

MATT
Sweetheart!

Tracy turns; sees Juliet.

TRACY
Juliet?

JULIET(EXCITED)
Tracy? At last!

TRACY(EXCITED)
Yay! This is my mum, Merily.

JULIET
Hello Tracy’s mum.

MERILY
Britney’s mum.

JULIET
Britney!?

TRACY
I can explain...

MATT
In a minute. 
(He points at Tracy, playfully)
Sit!

TRACY(LAUGHS)
Woof.
(to Merily)
Excuse us for a moment.

MERILY
Woof.

Tracy’s face breaks into a smile as Matt gets out of the cab, kisses Juliet on the cheek:

MATT
You get my message?

JULIET 
No. You get mine?

Matt laughs,  takes Juliet’s hand, leads her a few metres from the cab, stops; hugs her tight.

Merily and Tracy look out through the window at Matt and Juliet hugging.

MERILY
Cradle snatcher!

TRACY
Mum! That’s her dad.

MERILY 
Her dad!

TRACY
Yes.

They look at each other for a long moment.

TRACY(POINTED)
Her dad.

Merily can’t hold Tracy’s penetrating gaze; looks away.

MERILY
Is that Blue?

Merily has seen: 

Blue, arms loaded up with burgers, French fries and drinks, emerging from the entrance into ‘Gluttons’.

44 EXT. PARKING LOT. ‘GLUTTONS’. NIGHT 

Matt and Juliet, both smiling, break from their hug. Neither of them notice GBH’s purple sedan in the background, pulling into ‘Gluttons’.

JULIET
What was your message?

MATT 
Ladies before gentlemen.

JULIET 
Age before beauty!

MATT 
I’ll have that test for you...the DNA...but I want you to know that…understand that regardless...Shit..!

Matt sees GBH’s purple sedan pulling up close to Blue. 

MATT
Fuck.

NOTE: The rest of this scene moves fast; high drama mixed with comedy.

GBH gets out, moves fast towards Blue; who tries to make a getaway.

Matt runs full tilt towards the entrance to ‘Gluttons’ as GBH grabs Blue. 

JULIET(SCREAMS)
Dad, no!

Tracy and Merily get out of the cab in the background. Spider and Rat get out of the purple car; look on. They want blood.

GBH grabs Blue, who struggles to free himself from GBH’s grasp. GBH is about to hit Blue when Matt arrives, from behind; grabs GBH’s  arm.

MATT
No!

GBH spins around.

GBH
You!

He let’s Blue go, hits Matt with a powerful backhander that sends him sprawling. 

Juliet runs up, leaps onto GBH; screaming.

JULIET
Fuckin' arsehole!

She bashes him with her fists, pulls his hair. GBH barely notices her as he moves to grab Blue again.

Tracy, angry, moves to run to Matt and Juliet’s aid. Merily restrains her. 

Matt, lying stunned on the ground, struggles to his feet as Blue tries to kick GBH in the groin. He misses. GBH grabs his leg. Blue falls to the ground. GBH flicks Juliet off.

Tracy breaks free of Merily, runs back towards the cab. 

Matt and Blue struggle to their feet.

Matt, nose bloodied, lip bleeding, goes to Juliet’s aid.

JULIET
I’m OK.

Matt, seeing that she is OK, turns back to GBH - whose fists are at the ready, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as if he was in a boxing ring. 

Matt, mad as a hornet, raises his fists; ready for a fight.

45 INT. CAB. NIGHT

Tracy, a wild look in her eyes, opens the door, picks up her purse, opens it; looks inside. In the background Matt and GBH can be seen circling each other, fists at the ready.

46 EXT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT 

A small crowd has gathered – young men and women armed with smartphones, ready to film the impending fight. Spider shouts out:

SPIDER
Beat the shit out of him GB.
Matt, mad as a hornet, is ready to do battle. So is GBH. Two testosterone-driven Alpha Males strutting their stuff!

GBH
You fucking want me to beat the shit out of you?

Matt looking at the sea of smart phones aimed at him and GBH, is struck by the absurdity of this confrontation.

MATT 
Mmmm, let me think. Do I? Don’t I? (A BEAT) Nah, not tonight, GB. Think I’ll pass, if that’s OK with you?

Confused, GBH looks to Spider and Rat for direction.

MATT
But you don’t really want to beat the shit out of me either, do you?

Spider and Rat nod; clearly eager for GBH to beat the shit out of Matt!

Meanwhile, close on:

Tracy as she leaps out of the taxi, knife in hand. She sees GBH, fists clenched, step close to Matt. She runs towards them.

With Matt and GBH. Matt speaks calmly.

MATT  
If your mates weren't here, there'd be no-one to impress, would there?

GBH keeps his fists raised ready for battle but this is not part of any ‘macho confrontation’ script he is familiar with!

MATT   
What’s your real name, GBH?

GBH
Um…Wayne.

MATT
Right, Wayne, here’s what’s going to happen….

Tracy runs between Matt and GBH, brandishing her knife, jabbing it at him wildly; dangerously.

TRACY
Don’t you fucking touch him ya....ya big ugly brute. 

Matt grabs Tracy’s arm.

MATT
Tracy! Don’t be stupid...

TRACY 
Fuck off...

Matt wrestles with Tracy to get control of the knife. 

TRACY
Leave me alone...fuck you...

GBH watches, eyes wide; gobsmacked. 

Matt twists Tracy’s wrist; forces her to drop the knife. Matt kicks it away - towards Merily. Tracy is in a rage. She hits Matt hard on the chest; starts to cry. Matt holds both her wrists firmly. She looks at him,  vulnerable and lost; her face wet with tears.

Matt wraps his arms around her; holds her close as she cries.

Merily and Juliet look on in shock! Merily picks up the knife; recognizes it. 
Tracy pulls away from Matt’s embrace; pulls herself together. Spider to Blue:

SPIDER
Give us our fucking money, Blue.

Tracy glares at Spider. Matt to GBH:

MATT
How much?

GBH
Um…Eight hundred bucks.

MATT
OK. Wait right here. 

Matt turns, starts to walk back to his cab; leaving GBH confused; sheepish.

GBH
OK.

GBH avoids the dirty disapproving looks from Spider and Rat. 

SPIDER
You're a fucking wimp, GBH.

Spider snarls, strides towards Blue, intent on beating the shit out of him. 

SPIDER 
This little fucker needs to learn a fuckin’ lesson.

Tracy steps between Blue and Spider; jobs Spider in the chest with her index finger. 

TRACY
You’re the arsehole needs a lesson!

SPIDER
Yeah, cunt! You and whose army?

TRACY
Did you just call me a cunt?

SPIDER
Yeah, what of it.

Tracy’s eyes blaze. She adopts a karate stance.

SPIDER
Cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt...

Tracy lets out a terrifying battle cry, spins and delivers a perfectly executed roundhouse karate kick to Spider’s rib cage.

SPIDER
Ahhhhhgggghhhh!

47 INT. CAB. GLUTTONS. NIGHT

Matt watches through the windscreen as Spider slumps to the ground – shocked and amused at the one time.

He takes out his night's earnings, counts his money. 

48 EXT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT 

GBH goes to Spider’s aid as Tracy joins Merily and Juliet.

GBH
You OK, bro?

Spider, angry and humiliated, pushes him away.

SPIDER
Fuck off!

Merily brandishes Tracy’s knife.

MERILY
I’ve been wondering what happened to this!

49 INT. CAB. ‘GLUTTONS’ NIGHT

Matt has finished counting his night’s takings. He hasn’t got $800.

MATT
Shit.

He takes out his wallet, extracts a couple of fifty dollar notes but still hasn't got enough. 

MATT  
Fuck!

Matt's attention is caught by a cracking sound. He looks at the window - the cracks growing a few more inches as he watches. He shakes his head, smiles, looks down at the seat beside him, makes a decision, opens the cab door.

50 EXT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT

Matt hands cash to GBH. Spider can be seen in the background hobbling back to the pimped out car.  

MATT
$650 and...

Matt holds out the small parcel, wrapped with a ribbon. 

MATT  
...something worth $150.

GBH takes the parcel, holds it as if it really was a present for him. The beginnings of a smile appear on his face.

Spider, leaning up against the car, shakes his head in disgust.  

GBH
Can I open it? Now?

MATT
Sure.

GBH starts to undo the ribbon carefully. Matt sees the greeting card, slips it out of the envelope. 

As he unwraps the parcel GBH is careful not to tear the paper. He is now just a kid opening a present. Inside he finds a Kindle.

MATT  
Should be able to get $150 for it… 

GBH
This is one of those things ya can read books and stuff on, right?
(Matt nods)
I never been a big one for reading. 

BLUE
You should read 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', GB. Fucking awesome! Or if ya just want to hear the audio...

GBH nods, trying hard to hide his excitement from Spider and Rat.

51 INT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT

Matt and Merily stand at the counter of Gluttons. Merily hands the young woman by the cash register $50. 

MATT 
No therapist?

Merily shakes her head.

MERILY 
No therapist.

MATT 
And... the story about her dad? 

MERILY
She tells the truth sometimes. But sometimes the truths the last thing you want to hear, ay Matt?

Matt laughs as Merily receives change from her $50 and is handed a multi coloured disc.

52 EXT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT

As GBH plays eagerly with his iPad, changing font sizes, Matt and Merily, in the background, move to a laminated table as their order is being filled.

Closeby, Tracy, Blue and Juliet talk.

JULIET(INCREDULOUS)
A virgin!?

TRACY(EVASIVE)
Sortov.

Blue’s eyes dart between Tracy and Juliet.

JULIET
Sortov! You’re either a virgin or you aren’t!

TRACY
Depends on how you define ‘virgin’!

Juliet nods, gestures to Tracy to continue: “And your definition is?”
Out of a few moments of awkward silence:

BLUE
I’ll google it.

53 INT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT

Matt and Merily sit at a laminated table. Merily places the multi coloured disc on it.

MERILY(FLIRTATIOUS)
Ask me anything you like...except about my vibrator.

MATT
Do you think Tracy...Britney...is a virgin?
Merily bursts out laughing, rests her hand on Matt’s arm.

54 EXT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT

GBH walks awkwardly to the purple sedan, iPad in hand. He moves to get into the front passenger seat but Rat is sitting there. GBH climbs sheepishly into the back seat.

55 INT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT

MERILY 
I would never actually read Britney’s diary, of course. (A BEAT) Except when she leaves it lying around and wants me to read it.

56 EXT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT

Blue reads from his smartphone as the purple sedan pulls out of Gluttons.

BLUE 
Virgin. “A person who has never had sexual intercourse.”

Blue looks at Tracy questioningly. She looks away evasively. 

BLUE 
There’s another one. “ A person who is naive, innocent, or inexperienced in a particular context.”

TRACY(SMILES)
I like that one. 

Blue beams a happy smile.

57 INT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT

MERILY 
Me? Yes…
(She laughs; touches Matt’s arm) 
I’ve kept a diary since I was 13 but it’s so well hidden there’s no way Britney could ever find it. 

She looks at Matt questioningly. He shrugs: “Wouldn’t have a clue.”

The multi coloured disk begins to flash and vibrate. Merily smiles. Matt smiles. 

58 EXT. GLUTTONS. NIGHT 

Merily, in the passenger seat of a taxi, clutching a ‘burger with the lot’ talks to Tracy through the open window. 

Matt, Tracy, Blue and Juliet stand close by clutching their fast food.

MERILY 
Behave yourself, darling...Or...

TRACY(LAUGHS)
...don’t get caught.

MERILY(LAUGHS)
I’m beginning to like ‘Tracy’. 

Tracy smiles, leans through the window; kisses her mother on the cheek.

CLOSEBY

Blue, Juliet and Matt talk. Merily’s taxi pulls out of the parking lots as Tracy walks up to them.

BLUE 
Thanks,  Matt...For, like... you know...your advice.

MATT
Thanks for yours, Blue (TO TRACY) And thanks to you, too...Britney!

Tracy laughs.

JULIET(LAUGHS)
Nobody going to thank me?

Tracy laughs, hugs Juliet as Matt holds out his hand to shake Blue’s. He takes Matt’s hand, shakes it for a moment before moving forward to hug him. Matt accepts the hug reluctantly at first but then hugs him tightly in return.

59 INT. CAB. NIGHT 

Matt drives; Tracy in the passenger seat. A gap between them.

JULIET
It doesn’t matter, dad. It’s in the past.

MATT
This is not an excuse...just... an explanation. 
(Juliet nods) )
I promised I'd move to Melbourne to be close to you, right? 
Juliet nods
 and...I didn't...because...fuck, It broke my heart so much every time I had to say goodbye to you and...(A BEAT)...you remember what I was like…
(Juliet nods )
And your mother said to me if I was going to cry like that every time I saw you she...she'd rather I didn't come...which is why I stopped coming to the house... and remember...we'd meet in the park or at the pier or somewhere 'safe' where your mum wouldn't have to see me? 
(Juliet nods )
And then when you stopped wanting to...to...hug me, and...

JULIET
Oh, dad! 

Juliet reaches out, touches his arm.

JULIET
It wasn't because I didn't want to but because...when I stopped being a girl...became...and I thought...I was very confused....am still pretty fucking confused and not sure...if...

Tears well in her eyes

MATT
Hey, I’ll have the test, but you…

JULIET
No. You don’t need to. 

Juliet smiles through her tears; shakes her head.

Matt nods: OK. He smiles. They drive on in silence for a moment; exchanging looks; reaching a mutual understanding.

JULIET
When you stopped coming to Melbourne every second weekend...

MATT
Because I didn't think you wanted me to. It felt like you were pushing me away.

JULIET
I was, because it hurt so much that you weren't there and...I thought  it might not hurt so much if I didn't see you at all...but all that happened was...it broke my heart...but I was also pissed off...angry that you didn't come... and...

MATT
I’m sorry.

JULIET
I didn’t make it easy. 

MATT
That’s true.

JULIET(SMILES)
You don’t have to agree with me.

Matt’s mobile rings in its cradle. Juliet leans forward, looks at the screen.

JULIET
Serena.

Matt nods: “Yes, answer it”

Juliet reaches out; presses ‘accept’. On ‘speaker’.

SERENA’S VOICE
You’re on your way, Britney tells me.

MATT
Be there in twenty.

SERENA’S VOICE
She called to apologize for fucking up my birthday. 

MATT
It was me fucked it up.

SERENA’S VOICE
It’s not fucked up. I got the best birthday present I could ever wish for.

MATT
You did? 

SERENA’S VOICE
I did hear right, right? ‘I love you’.

MATT(LAUGHS)
That’s just half my present.

Juliet laughs.

SERENA’S VOICE
Who’s that?

MATT
Someone I want you to meet.

JULIET
Me, Serena. Juliet. The prodigal daughter.

SERENA’S VOICE
Great! Looking forward to it, Juliet. So, you’re the other half of my present!?

MATT(LAUGHS)
No.

SERENA’S VOICE
Oh...what’s the other half?

MATT
You’ve made a list of ‘stuff’ you want to talk about, right? 

SERENA’S VOICE(LAUGHS) 
Britney told you?

MATT 
Couldn’t help herself. (A BEAT) A long list, I hear.

SERENA’S VOICE
You are a difficult man, Matt. You know that, don’t you?

MATT
And you’re not a difficult woman?

SERENA’S VOICE
Do you think I am difficult? 
(Matt laughs) )
Do you have a list?

MATT
No, you’re fine, just as you are.

SERENA’S VOICE
So are you, I guess…but I just wish you…

MATT
Would talk about ‘stuff’ a bit more?

SERENA’S VOICE
I’d like that.

MATT
OK...be there soon...love you.

SERENA’S VOICE
Love you too.

Matt reaches out, terminates the call.

He and Juliet sit in companionable silence for a moment. The silence is broken by a dinging sound from Matt’s phone. Both he and Juliet look at the screen. (We do not see what is displayed on it.) 

Matt is shocked. Juliet’s eyes open wide in surprise. She reaches forward, takes the mobile from the cradle, looks closely at the screen; laughs.

JULIET
You really should clear your Google search history, dad.

Matt turns bright red in embarrassment. Juliet looks closely at the screen, tilts the mobile sideways; winding Matt up.

JULIET
Is that…anatomically possible?

MATT
Let me explain…

JULIET
No need, dad. Each to his own. (A BEAT) Is Serena a contortionist?

MATT
It’s a running joke between us.

JULIET
Sure, dad!
(She laughs)
Whatever you say. (A BEAT) Am going to clear your ‘history’, OK.

MATT (SMILES)
Woof.

Juliet clears the ‘history’, replaces Matt’s mobile in its cradle, looks at Matt and laughs.  He smiles.

The end credits continue to roll as:

Matt’s mobile rings again.  Juliet leans forward, reads from the screen:

JULIET
Unknown caller.

Matt reaches out, presses the appropriate key:

TRACY'S VOICE
Hey, Matt!

MATT
Hey, Tracy!

TRACY'S VOICE
Ya never did tell me why ya wanted me to tell you about my dad!?

MATT(SMILES)
Know I told you I never had a girlfriend called Merily?

TRACY'S VOICE
Yeah.

MATT
I lied. (A BEAT) Different Merily, but I wanted to be sure...

Tracy's loud laughter is heard.

TRACY’S VOICE
True?

MATT
Maybe. (TRACY LAUGHS) You got Blue with you?

TRACY’S VOICE
Yeah, can’t get rid...

BLUE’S VOICE 
...the skinny little cunt!

TRACY’S VOICE
Blue!

BLUE’S VOICE
Sorry. 

MATT
You never finished your porn story, Blue.

BLUE’S VOICE 
Yeah, well...can’t really do it with Tracy here...

TRACY’S VOICE
It’s OK, Blue, I know you’re a wanker.

JULIET 
And I want to hear how google cured you of your porn addiction, Blue.

Tracy laughs. So does Blue.  

BLUE’S VOICE
Well, one night, see, I went to type 'p-o-r-n' into google like I had heaps before but I typed 'p-o-r-b' by mistake and before I knew it I was looking at a map of a town in Poland called Szklarska Porbe but I didn't have a fucking clue where Poland was so I typed 'P-o-l-a-n-d' into google and before I knew it I was finding out things about Poland I had no idea I wanted to know. 

Matt turns, smiles at Juliet. She smiles back. 

BLUE’S VOICE
Ask  me any question about Poland and I'll probably know the answer - like how Mount Kosciuszko is named after Tad…something Kosciuszko...then there's another Polish guy called Roman Polanski - a paedophile film  director who got into trouble fucking a 13 year old girl...

Matt reaches out, takes Juliet’s hand. She holds it tight, moves closer to Matt. His smile widens. 

BLUE’S VOICE
And...so, next time I felt like looking at some porn I typed C-U-N…Y and instead of…you know…and next thing I'm looking at City University of New York  and all the courses they have…

Juliet moves closer still. Matt laughs happily. Juliet rests her head on Matt’s shoulder; smiling very happily.

BLUE’S VOICE
…4,000 fucking courses and it was then I realized how much I didn't know and…google became my...you know...place to go when the old porn thing reared its ugly head.

Up ahead, seen through the cracked windscreen, a figure stands at the side of the road, arm outstretched, trying to flag Matt down. 

BLUE’S VOICE
All I have to do is make a little spelling mistake and fucked if I know what I'll be finding out about next!  

As he drives past the figure, his face lost in shadow, Matt gestures 'Sorry'. The figure waves back: OK.

BLUE’S VOICE
And that's how I learned to love words and started collecting them and met Tracy and she taught me this word I'd never fucking heard of - 'serendipity', you know…

JULIET( STARTLED)
That’s...

Matt glances in the rear-vision mirror, sees GBH - his body slumped in defeat - clutching his new Kindle; its screen blue. 

BLUE’S VOICE
...looking for one thing but finding something else that's way better than the thing you were looking for....

Matt and Juliet’s eyes meet. They both laugh in unison.

BLUE’S VOICE
Anyhow that's how I went looking for porn and found Trace. 

Matt slows, looks at the rear-vision mirror - in which GBG can be seen loping towards the cab. 

BLUE’S VOICE
Beautiful Tracy. My soul mate.

Tracy’s happy laughter is heard. GBH appears at the passenger window; blue-screened iPad in hand.

BLUE’S VOICE
Serendipity.

GBH recognizes them; beams big happy smile at Matt and Juliet.

Freeze Frame

THE END

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