1 EXT.
INNER CITY STREET. NIGHT
Music over credit sequence.
Outdoor restaurants, bars and clubs on a
hot and busy night.
Outside “Dance Till U Drop”, a long queue of
scantily clad young men and women wait to get past a thick-set BOUNCER checking
ID cards and dress code.
On
the other side of the road, close to the head
of taxi rank, MATT, mid 40s, a little
overweight, hair thinning, sits in his cab waiting impatiently for a fare. In the background, outside “Dance Till U
Drop”, TRACY, a teen with blonde ‘Marilyn Monroe’ hair, red lipstick, has moved to the head of the
queue.
Outside
“Dance Till U Drop”: TRACY is dressed and made up
to look 20 but is only 17. She has on a micro mini skirt, her midriff is bare
(save for the stud in her navel) and her uplifted breasts are barely contained
in a front-closing bustier – the two halves of
which are held together with a
hook that looks as though it could be undone very easily.
TRACY, who hasn’t yet mastered the art of
flirting, holds her ID at cleavage level for the BOUNCER. In the background, on the other side of the
road, MATT can be seen moving to the head of the taxi rank; checking his watch.
The BOUNCER leans forward a little to look
at TRACY’S ID.
BOUNCER
This is a fake.
TRACY tilts her head, smiles, inhales,
lifting her breasts; flirts as best she can.
TRACY
These aren’t!
The BOUNCER raises his eyebrows, smiles,
shakes his head.
BOUNCER
Sorry sweetheart.
On
the other side of the road, a YOUNG COUPLE gets
into the back of Matt’s cab. MATT turns and smiles his greeting. In the
background TRACY can be seen wrapping her small hand part way around one of the
BOUNCER’S biceps.
2 EXT.
CAB. NIGHT
Through the windscreen of his taxi, MATT
can be seen driving. Behind him, in the back seat, the YOUNG COUPLE, wrapped in
each others arms kiss and make out. From
the radio:
MENTAL
AS ANYTHING
“Don't let it happen again
'cause that I couldn't take…”
3 INT.
CAB. NIGHT
MATT turns the music on the radio up a
little, bops along to it. An old favourite.
MENTAL
AS ANYTHING
“…once was quite enough…”
MATT wears a tan sports jacket with a football
club logo on the breast pocket.
A smile plays on MATT'S lips. The song
brings back memories.
MATT mouths the words. He knows them by
heart.
MENTAL
AS ANYTHING
“…It's easy to forgive,
harder to forget.”
The YOUNG COUPLE, late teens, uni students,
look at MATT bopping along to the music, exchange looks.
MATT, having forgotten his passengers,
sings along:
MATT
“If you leave me, can I come too?
We can always stay…”
The YOUNG COUPLE laugh, shake their heads.
4 INT.
‘DANCE TILL U DROP’ NIGHT
TRACY dances with wild abandon under
coloured and strobe lights. She is not dancing with anyone in particular but responds
to the moves of other dancers – male and female - in her own individual style.
5 EXT.
SUBURBAN STREET. NIGHT
Matt's taxi drives down a leafy street in
an affluent suburb.
YOUNG
WOMAN (VOICE OFF)
Next left, thanks driver.
The left hand indicator of the taxi flashes
yellow. The sound of a rooster crowing announces the arrival of a phone call on
Matt’s mobile phone.
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?
The YOUNG WOMAN takes off her high heeled
shoes, exchanges looks with the YOUNG MAN.
MATT does not notice as he talks to his daughter.
JULIE
Can you talk?
MATT
Call you back in five, okay?
JULIET'S
VOICE
Promise?
MATT
Promise.
Juliet hangs up.
7 INT.
‘DANCE TILL U DROP’ NIGHT
TRACY, standing by the bar, sips a blue
cocktail as a YOUNG MAN, standing beside her, tries his hardest to impress.
TRACY is not impressed. Her eyes scan the club, as if looking for someone.
8 EXT.
SUBURBAN STREET. NIGHT
MATT is driving now down a street with a
park on one side; big expensive houses on the other.
YOUNG
MAN (voice off)
Anywhere here thanks…
MATT slows, pulls to the side of the road.
9 EXT.
SUBURBAN STREET. NIGHT
MATT 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.
10 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.
11 INT.
‘DANCE TILL U DROP’ NIGHT
TRACY finishes a pink cocktail at the bar,
makes her way back onto the dance floor. She is a little drunk now, dancing
provocatively, drawing a good deal of young male attention to herself and
enjoying it. Pouting, playing the coquette, TRACY beckons a YOUNG MAN with her
finger to join her on the dance floor.
12 EXT.
TAXI/PARK. NIGHT
MATT ambles back towards his cab, shoulders
stooped in weary resignation and defeat, clutching one slip-on shoe - a small
lonely figure illuminated by the headlights of his taxi.
13 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
checks his watch.
12.15
MATT reaches forward, turns on the
ignition.
14 INT.
‘DANCE TILL U DROP’. NIGHT
TRACY, quite drunk now, dances provocatively with the YOUNG MAN.
Observing from a distance is a skinny red-haired young man whom we will get to
know as BLUE. He is not at all happy.
TRACY catches sight of BLUE, looks at him
angrily for a moment before turning her back on him. She dances on for a moment
before storming off the dance floor leaving the YOUNG MAN bewildered.
15 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
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.
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.
He looks at his watch again.
16 INT.
BATHROOM. ‘DANCE TILL U DROP’. NIGHT
TRACY, angry, looks at herself in the
mirror for a long moment, opens her hand bag, takes out her mobile phone, places it on the bench beside the sink as she
continues to delve.
In amongst the various forms of make-up
Tracy has in her purse, there is a small kitchen knife. She looks at it for a
moment, thinking, before finding what she is looking for – her lipstick.
17 EXT.
TAXI RANK. NIGHT
MATT sits in his taxi, six cabs back from
the head of the rank.
On the other side of the road, unseen by
MATT, TRACY, a little drunk still, walks
as purposefully as she can past THREE
DRUNKEN YOUNG MEN in the street who make no attempt to hide their hormone
driven interest.
18 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.
19 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.
BLUE, hidden in a doorway, calls out to
TRACY - a plaintive pleading in his voice.
BLUE (VOICE OFF)
Trace!
TRACY ignores him, steps off the curb.
20 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
Wanna take 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 have to 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 hangs up, makes another call to:
Serena
SERENA, 40, appears onscreen; smiling
brightly:
SERENA
(on screen)
Hey…
MATT
Hey…
SERENA
(on screen)
Good night?
MATT makes a ‘so-so’ gesture.
MATT
OK.
SERENA
(on screen)
Look.
She turns her camera to reveal a birthday
cake with 4 unlit candles on it.
MATT smiles.
SERENA
(on screen)
You are going to be here at 2, right? To
light my candles!
MATT
(laughs)
Promise.
MATT looks at his watch.
12.50
MATT
45 minutes, max!
MATT’S attention is caught by BLUE, at the
head of the rank, arguing with someone obscured from his view.
SERENA
(on screen)
Promise?
MATT
Promise. (A BEAT) Wouldn’t miss lighting
your candle for anything.
SERENA
(on screen)
You light mine and I’ll light yours.
MATT
You are a wicked woman, Ms Serena.
SERENA laughs, kisses the screen of her
mobile. MATT laughs.
SERENA
Chou.
Serena hangs up. MATT hangs up, smiles to
himself, 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, SPIDER, (a
tattooed spider crawling up his neck) 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
SPIDER 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 BLUE in the middle of the road,
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 ignores her.
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… (A BEAT)
Do I look like a runner?
MATT
Written all over you.
TRACY spins around in a pirouette followed
by an arabesque. MATT shakes his head, smiles.
TRACY
Is that a 'no' or a 'yes'?
MATT
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
(coquette)
Wanna take me home? (A BEAT) Where d'you
live?
MATT
Cronulla.
TRACY
Long way from Rydalmere
to Cronulla, ay?
MATT moves his
taxi closer to the head of the rank; TRACY following alongside.
MATT (NODS)
But a good fare
this time of night… $70? $80. One of these guys (HE GESTURES TO THE CABS IN THE
RANK BEHIND HIM) will take you…for sure.
TRACY
Not if I tell
them I don't have money.
MATT
You really do
have money at home?
TRACY nods.
MATT drives forward a little. TRACY follows.
MATT
Then don't tell
him you've lost your wallet.
TRACY
Lie, you mean?
MATT
No, just don't
volunteer…
TRACY
Y'reckon not
telling the whole truth is the same as lying? I mean if no-one asks for the
whole truth and you…someone…keeps stuff secret? Is that lying?
MATT
I reckon
secrets are OK?
TRACY
Tell me a
secret. One of yours.
MATT laughs,
shakes his head.
TRACY
You tell me one
of yours and I'll tell you one of mine.
MATT
I'm sorry
Tracy, my shift's finished so…
TRACY
I know, you
can't drive me home. That's OK. But you can talk to me, right, till you get a
fare?
MATT
Even if you had
money…I've got to be somewhere…a promise I've made…
TRACY
Promises are
important to keep, ay?
MATT nods,
suddenly remembers his own recent promise to Juliet. He takes out his mobile,
pauses, looks at TRACY.
MATT
Sorry…
He makes a
'sorry' gesture. TRACY shrugs (“It's OK”),
MATT
It's private.
TRACY
That's OK. I'm
good at keeping secrets. (A BEAT) Girlfriend?
MATT smiles,
moves forward a little further in the rank, TRACY walking alongside.
TRACY
Aha! So, what
did you do to piss her off or what didn't you do you should have done?
MATT smiles,
shakes his head.
TRACY
Someone you
love, ay? Wife? Girlfriend? (A BEAT) or boyfriend?
MATT
Daughter.
TRACY'S mood
changes from playful to serious.
TRACY
See, I was
right. Do you love her? Your daughter? What's her name?
MATT looks at
TRACY for a long moment.
MATT
Juliet.
TRACY
As in Romeo
and…?
MATT
As in…(A BEAT)
About your age.
TRACY
No way! (A
BEAT) You and her mum still together?
MATT
No, they live
in Melbourne.
TRACY
Does she know
you're her dad?
MATT (laughs)
Of course.
TRACY
Do you love
her? More than anything in the whole wide world? (A BEAT)
Sorry. (A BEAT)
None of my business. (A BEAT) But do you?
MATT
Yes.
TRACY
She's lucky, ay?
MATT
I guess…
TRACY
K. See ya.
TRACY, subdued
now, all of her cockiness having deserted her, turns, starts to walk off. MATT
calls out to her.
MATT
Tracy!
She turns, her
face breaking into a hopeful smile.
MATT
You be careful,
okay?
TRACY'S smile
fades.
MATT
And I know this
is the kind of thing that your mum and dad probably say, but…You shouldn't be
out alone at this time of night.
TRACY (childlike)
Yes dad.
This throws
MATT for a moment. He looks at her. TRACY slips back into acting like a
confident young woman, smiling 'sexily' in a way she has seen women do in some
movie.
TRACY
See ya.
MATT nods.
TRACY hesitates, her eyes on the taxi windscreen.
TRACY
You know you've
got a crack in your windscreen?
MATT nods.
TRACY hesitates a moment before walking off. After a few paces she stops,
thinks to herself.
MATT, mobile in
hand, watches her. After a long moment TRACY walks back and stands by Matt's
window. Her cockiness has been replaced with a quiet vulnerability. She looks
from his bloodied knuckles to the windscreen.
TRACY
Did the
windscreen do something to hurt your feelings?
MATT is thrown
by the question; is not sure how to respond.
TRACY
I have days
like that too. Like yesterday. Yesterday sucked bigtime. But…
MATT's mobile
emits the sound of a rooster crowing. TRACY smiles but is still caught up in
her own vulnerability. MATT looks at the screen:
Juliet
He wants to
take the call but is still processing what Tracy has just said. The rooster
crowing stops. TRACY, capable of switching personas at the drop of a hat, slips
back into being the ingénue.
TRACY
What if I have
to hitchhike home and get raped or murdered or something and you read about it
in the paper? How are you going to feel?
MATT
If you do a
runner on me and I can't make my mortgage payments this week how do you reckon
I'm going to feel?
TRACY
Like you want
to hit someone.
TRACY indicates
MATT'S bloody knuckles.
MATT (defensive)
I didn't hit
anyone.
TRACY
Didn't say you
did. Said you want to.
MATT
No I don't.
TRACY raises
her fists and makes a little boxing gesture. MATT smiles, shakes his head.
MATT
Can't call your
dad and get him to pick you up? Have you got a dad?
TRACY
Yes and no.
MATT
Test tube baby,
ay!
TRACY
Biological,
yes, but…the rest of the dad stuff…(SHAKES HER HEAD) uh huh! Mum's had to cope
with me all alone.
MATT
You know who
your dad is?
TRACY bites her
lip, plays nervously with her hair.
TRACY
Yes, but he
doesn't.
MATT
Doesn't know
he's your dad?
TRACY
Maybe that too.
(A BEAT) Not sure if he knows…doesn't know… He's pretty clueless.
MATT
You've met
him!?
The thin sound
of a corny upbeat pop song from Tracy's mobile.
TRACY
A squillion
times. I've known him since before I can remember.
TRACY takes out
her mobile, looks at the LCD screen, sees who the caller is, walks to the front
of the cab, speaks abruptly.
TRACY (on phone)
What!
MATT watches
her through the cracked windscreen as TRACY listens for a moment before venting
her anger:
TRACY (on phone)
You promised
me! I trusted you and you lied to me. Your promises are worth fuck all. I never
want to see you again.
TRACY punches
'end' on her mobile petulantly, plays absent-mindedly with a silver ring on her
left index finger for a moment, walks back to stand by his window.
TRACY
Men! Can you
explain men to me?
MATT
Can you explain
teenage girls to me?
TRACY (grins)
Cost ya a ride
t'Rydalmere.
MATT laughs.
The sound of the passenger door opening.
PASSENGER (voice off)
You right for Cronulla,
mate?
MATT turns,
sees the smiling face of a MIDDLE AGED MAN leaning in through the front
passenger door.
MATT
Sure.
As the
PASSENGER drops into the seat, MATT looks at TRACY. He catches the moment of
disappointment in her face before she smiles, gives him a double thumbs up.
TRACY
Cronulla! Way
to go.
MATT nods,
smiles, as the PASSENGER fastens his seat belt.
TRACY
Fun talking to
ya.
TRACY pauses
for a moment before turning to walk off.
MATT
For me too,
Tracy.
TRACY turns,
beams a smile at him for a moment, turns keeps walking. MATT turns on the
ignition.
PASSENGER
Good night?
MATT seems not
to have heard. He looks back out the window. TRACY has almost reached the other
side of the road.
PASSENGER
Guess it would
have been better if you'd scored that bit of teen pussy.
MATT ignores
the PASSENGER; turns on the meter. The muffled sound of a rooster crowing. The
PASSENGER ogles TRACY.
PASSENGER
What's better
than fucking a 16 year old girl?
MATT takes his
mobile from his pocket:
Juliet.
PASSENGER
Fucking a 14
year old girl.
The PASSENGER
laughs. MATT ignores him, talks into his mobile.
MATT
I wish you'd
stop doing that, sweetheart!
JULIET'S VOICE
Doing what?
MATT
Hanging up on
me.
JULIET'S VOICE
You don't have
a clue, do you?
MATT
About what?
JULIET'S VOICE
Anything.
MATT
I'm not
psychic, Juliet.
JULIET'S VOICE
You can say
that again.
PASSENGER
Can't live with
'em, can't shoot 'em, eh!
JULIET'S VOICE
Who's that?
What did he say?
MATT
Nothing.
JULIET'S VOICE
I heard what he
said. Arsehole! Bye dad.
Juliet hangs
up.
PASSENGER
Hey, you know
your hand's bleeding?
MATT ignores
him, taps 'J' and 'U' on the keypad of his mobile when the sound of a rooster
crowing announces the arrival of a text message from Juliet:
Fuck you!
MATT stares at
the text message. Natural sound drains away as MATT raises his eyes.
…to be
continued…
