A
low budget feature film set almost entirely inside a taxi
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.
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.
29 EXT. ROAD ADJACENT TO FAST FOOD OUTLET. NIGHT
MATT drives fast out of the fast
food outlet, swings onto the main road.
30 INT. TAXI. CITY STREET. NIGHT
MATT drives fast - the purple
sedan a couple of hundred meters behind him. There is a curve in the road. The
purple car disappears from Matt's rear vision mirror. He sees a driveway,
switches the car lights off.
31 INT DRIVEWAY. SUBURBAN HOME. NIGHT
MATT swings into the driveway,
tires screeching; stops. Lights at the front of the house turn on.
MATT
Shit!
MATT'S eyes are focused on the
rear vision mirror. Nothing. More nothing and then…the purple car drives past
the driveway. BLUE, in a state of shock, breathes a sigh of relief - his face
breaking into a smile.
BLUE
That was fucking awesome!
MATT ignores BLUE, tries to calm
his breathing - his left hand on his racing heart. BLUE notices MATT'S bleeding
knuckles and is about to say something when MATT holds his hand up to shut BLUE
up.
A MAN IN PAJAMAS opens the front
door with a cricket bat in one hand and his mobile phone to his ear in the
other.
MATT
Shit!
MATT switches his lights on,
backs fast out of the driveway. The mobile phone in his pocket rings. He ignores
it.
32 INT. TAXI. CITY STREET. NIGHT
Back on the main road MATT turns
in the opposite direction to the one taken by the purple car, drives off fast.
The mobile phone stops ringing.
BLUE
Thanks man!
MATT shakes his head, looks at
his watch.
BLUE
It's just a bit of a…
MATT holds his had up: 'shut
up!'
BLUE
…a misunderstanding.
MATT
Shut the fuck up, Blue, and get
out.
MATT pulls over to the side of
the road, puts his foot on the brake, skids in the gravel. He calms his
breathing, regains his composure, leans over BLUE, opens the passenger door -
speaks politely - passive/aggressive!
MATT
Now. Please Blue. Thank you.
BLUE looks at him in shock,
opens the door, starts to get out. Tracy's phone rings.
BLUE
Thanks bro, I really appreciate
it.
MATT answers Tracy's mobile as
BLUE walks off.
TRACY'S VOICE
You got Blue?
MATT
He's safe…
TRACY'S VOICE
Thanks, can you…
MATT
Tracy, I need my phone. And
Juliet's number. Now. Please!
TRACY'S VOICE
Okay, hang on…can ya put the
dumb prick on? Gotta tell him something.
MATT shakes his head, sighs,
calls out:
MATT
Blue!
BLUE turns. MATT points to the
phone. BLUE runs back to the car, takes the mobile from MATT through the
driver's window.
BLUE
Hey, babe! You're right. Matt is
awesome. If it hadn't been for him…
MATT leans close to the phone,
speaks loudly.
MATT
Juliet's phone number, Tracy.
Please!
TRACY'S VOICE
Don't get ya knickers in a
twist, Tubba.
MATT
Tubba!
TRACY'S VOICE
I googled you, Matt Patterson. I
know everything about you now. Hey, I sent that cool photo of you to Blue. Get
him…
MATT
Photo…!?
BLUE
He's dropped me off. I'm cool
now…
TRACY'S VOICE
Where?
BLUE
Um...
TRACY'S VOICE
Blue, I need to talk to you in
private.
BLUE nods, walks a little
further up the road. MATT watches him as he listens to Tracy. He runs his
fingers through his hair, inspects the crack in the windscreen. It seems to
have stabilized.
MATT looks at his damaged hand,
then at his watch; raps his fingers on his knee impatiently. He is at the end
of his tether.
After a good deal of nodding,
BLUE smiles, walks back to the cab, hands the mobile to MATT.
TRACY'S VOICE
Matt, if ya want ya phone back,
take Blue home and...
MATT
No. I don't care about my phone.
You can keep my phone. Just give me Juliet's phone number.
TRACY'S VOICE
You take Blue home and I'll give
it to you.
MATT
Don't try and blackmail me,
Britney.
TRACY'S VOICE
I'm not trying to blackmail you, Tubba. I am blackmailing you. Now here's
the plan…
33 EXT. TAXI. CITY STREET. NIGHT
MATT drives in silence, BLUE in
the passenger seat. MATT is in a foul mood. BLUE plays absent-mindedly with the
silver ring on his middle finger. It is identical to the one Tracy was wearing.
MATT notices.
BLUE
You ever been addicted to
anything? Cigarettes, Maccas…porn.
MATT shakes his head.
BLUE
Not even to footie?
MATT
I don't want to talk, Blue,
about anything! Okay?
BLUE nods, thinks a moment,
looks at MATT.
BLUE
You pre-menstrual or something?
I mean menopausal…men can get menopause too, ya know? When ya testosterone
levels drop. (A BEAT) My dad, when...
MATT
There's nothing wrong with my
testosterone levels!
BLUE nods, holds up his hands in
a playful gesture of surrender; looks at MATT'S bloody knuckles.
BLUE
Loved footie when I was a kid
but I was skinny little cunt and...That's what my friends called me before
'Blue' - 'Skinny'.
MATT nods but does not want to
talk with BLUE.
BLUE
Yeah, so how'd you get to be
called Tubba?
MATT makes it clear he does not
want to talk to BLUE.
BLUE
I'm a porn addict. Internet.
Recovering, but…
Tracy's phone rings.
BLUE
Want me to get that?
MATT nods. BLUE answers phone.
BLUE
Yo!
SERENA'S VOICE
I can see what you're up
against! What planet is that girl from?
BLUE
She's fucking amazing, ay,
Serena?
SERENA'S VOICE
Is that Blue?
BLUE
'Blue', 'Skinny', call me
anything but just not late for dinner, ay!
SERENA'S VOICE
You got Matt there?
MATT grabs the phone from BLUE.
MATT
It's more like he's got me.
Tracy and…I've been kidnapped.
SERENA laughs.
MATT
Help!
SERENA'S VOICE
You mean you've allowed
yourself…
MATT (laughs)
Yeah, yeah, yeah…Blue's just
about to tell me about being a porn addict.
BLUE leans close to the phone at
MATT'S ear.
BLUE
Recovering, Serena. I found the
cure.
SERENA'S VOICE
You want a job? Half my male
clients are porn addicts.
BLUE
Yeah, Trace told me you were a
shrink…
SERENA'S VOICE
Therapist…
BLUE
Whatever…Google.
SERENA'S VOICE
Google?
BLUE
Best cure there is!
SERENA'S VOICE
Google! How's that?
BLUE
Fuck! Hard to know where to
begin.
SERENA'S VOICE
Beginning's a good start, Blue.
MATT
Hey, I'm driving. I'm down to my
last point. This is not a good idea.
BLUE
Why don't you have one of these
hands free things?
SERENA'S VOICE
Good question, Blue. Practical
matters…hang on…gotta go. Got another call coming in...Tracy.
MATT
Jesus! What are you two talking
about?
SERENA'S VOICE
Secret women's business.
BLUE
Me and Matt's talking secret
men's business.
Serena laughs, hangs up. MATT
looks at BLUE, incredulous.
MATT
Okay, you and porn! Tell me…
BLUE
Yeah, OK, but first...you were
gunna tell me how you got to be called Tubba.
MATT
No, I was very definitely NOT
going to tell you...(A BEAT) I was fat as a kid and my best friend called me
'Tubalard'.
BLUE
Tubalard?
MATT
Tub of Lard. Tubby.
BLUE
And it hurt you heaps, ay?
MATT looks at BLUE, nods.
BLUE
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
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 and then the puppy fat turned to muscle…
BLUE
I'd die for a bit of puppy fat.
MATT smiles, turns to BLUE.
MATT
So, you and porn?
BLUE
Well, Trace is a porn star, see.
Major! (A BEAT) Hot. (A BEAT) The hottest! (A BEAT) The best. Vegetables is her
speciality. (A BEAT) Nah, just taking the piss Tubba…
MATT
Matt.
BLUE
Well, one night, see, Matt, 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. Ask me any question about
Poland and I'll probably know the answer - like how Mount Kosciuszko is named
after Tadeusz Kosciuszko …then there's another Polish guy called Roman Polanski
- a ped film director who got into
trouble fucking a 13 year old girl 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…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. All I have to do is make a little spelling mistake and
fucked if I know what I'll be finding
out about next! And that's how I come across this word I'd never fucking heard
of - 'serendipity', you know…looking for one thing but finding something else
that's way better than the thing you were looking for and when I met Tracy at
one night - we both had double cheese burghers with the works - and I dropped
'serendipity' into the conversation trying to show off and figuring she
wouldn't know what it meant and she grinned like a fucking Cheshire cat…and
there was this song on the radio…'Ships in the night', and it was some fucking
thing at first sight. Love or whatever…Soul mates or something, I don't know
and Trace and I disagree on it but…
BLUE starts singing. He has an
awful singing voice!
BLUE (SINGS)
“Like ships in the night
You keep passing me by, Just wasting time, trying to prove who's
right…” Yeah, I know, shouldn't give up my day job, ay? It's like…our song,
know what I mean? Me and Trace.
MATT laughs, looks at BLUE in
amazement.
MATT
What is your day job, Blue?
BLUE
Y'know how there's some songs
make you want to take all your clothes off, take a running jump off the roof,
free fall 21 floors, land in the snow, make a snow angel, shiver from the cold,
get hypothermia, DIE!, go the pearly gates, say “what's up” to Saint Peter, do
your secret hand shake with him, look in the directory for Buddha, find Him,
ask Him to reincarnate you into a frog,
meet a princess like Tracy, kiss her, turn into a prince…know what I mean? (A
BEAT) Furniture removalist. You got anything needs moving, I'm your man…So
that's how I went looking for porn and found Trace. Beautiful Tracy. My soul
mate. But…because…Can I ask your advice on something? Personal? Seeing as how
you're…well, old and everything? You've been in love, right?
MATT (smiles)
I'm not that old…
BLUE
Well, when a boy and girl are
going out together and…
Tracy's mobile in MATT'S pocket
rings. MATT takes it out.
BLUE
Want me to (answer it)?
MATT nods, hands the phone to
BLUE.
BLUE
Yo.
TRACY'S VOICE
Put Matt on.
BLUE
Hey, babe…
TRACY'S VOICE
Put Matt on.
BLUE
Tracy wants to talk to you.
MATT looks in the rear-vision
mirror and in his side mirror, takes the mobile reluctantly.
TRACY'S VOICE
Change of plan. I want you to
meet me in Parramatta. Serena's cool with it – long as you get to light her
candle before the sun comes up. (She laughs.)
MATT
Great to know that you and
Serena have sorted my life out for me.
TRACY'S VOICE
There's club called 'Stardust',
do you know it?
MATT
I'm a fucking taxi-driver,
Britney, of course I know it.
BLUE
Britney!
TRACY'S VOICE
Great, Tubba…see ya there in
ten. Hey. That photo is so cool. You with a six pack!
MATT
What photo?
TRACY'S VOICE
I sent it to Blue. You didn't
get it!?
BLUE
Sorry babe, I forgot.
I'll…Britney!
TRACY'S VOICE
I'm not your babe, Blue!
BLUE takes out his mobile phone.
MATT
Tracy, what photo are you
talking about?
The sound of a police siren. The
inside of the cab lights up with the flashing orange light.
MATT
Fuck!
MATT sees the police car in his
rear vision mirror, pulls over, drops the phone into his lap, shakes his head.
He can't believe this is happening.
A POLICEMAN walks up:
POLICEMAN #1
Driver.
MATT nods, looks at him
quizzically: 'What's this all about?'
POLICEMAN #1
Can I see your driver's license
please?
MATT hands his driver's license
to the POLICEMAN #1.
As POLICEMAN #1 looks at it,
MATT glances down, sees BLUE'S hand between his legs, grabbing his mobile.
POLICEMAN #1
Mr Patterson? (MATT NODS) You're
aware that it is contrary to the Traffic Act to speak on your mobile phone
whilst driving a vehicle on a public road?
MATT nods.
BLUE
He wasn't.
POLICEMAN #1
I beg your pardon!
POLICEMAN #1 leans over, shines
his flashlight in BLUE'S face.
BLUE
He wasn't talking on his phone.
POLICEMAN #1
Think I'm blind, mate?
BLUE
Wouldn't let you be a cop if you
were blind.
POLICEMAN #1 indicates the
mobile between MATT'S legs, holds out his hand.
POLICEMAN #1
Driver?
MATT picks up the decal covered
mobile, his eyes meeting BLUE's for a moment before he hands it to POLICEMAN
#1.
POLICEMAN #1 takes the phone,
looks at the screen, presses an icon. MATT looks at BLUE - who winks
conspiratorially. MATT looks back through the window at:
POLICEMAN #1, eyebrows raised,
looking with some surprise at the mobile screen. He leans down, looks past MATT
at BLUE for a moment. He then turns, signals to POLICEMAN #2, standing beside
the patrol car, to join him.
POLICEMAN #2 walks up, looks at
the mobile phone screen, exchanges glances with POLICEMAN #1.
POLICEMAN #2
Could you step out of your
vehicle please driver.
MATT opens the door, gets out.
As he does so, BLUE glances at the slim parcel tied with a ribbon on the seat
beside him.
34 EXT. TAXI. CITY STREET. NIGHT
POLICEMEN #1 and #2 look at
photos on Blue's mobile, exchange glances.
POLICEMAN #2 leans down, looks
through the window at BLUE, holds up the mobile to compare BLUE with the photo
of:
Blue, naked, his hands joined at his crotch.
MATT glimpses the photo. His
heart sinks. POLICEMAN #2 flips through other photos of Blue in his
elephant-cod-piece naked state. Clearly Blue has done several similarly posed
photos. POLICEMAN #2 presses 'play' on one of them.
Onscreen:
Blue, removes his hands with a flourish, holds them wide, revealing his
elephant's head codpiece.
BLUE
Surprise! Love you heaps.
POLICEMEN #1 and #2 look in
through the window at BLUE, then at MATT, then back at BLUE - Matt's slim
parcel in his lap.
POLICEMAN #2
How old are you, son?
BLUE
Eighteen.
POLICEMAN #2 nods, looks at
MATT, then down at his feet (one green, one red sock), only one with a slip-on
shoe on it.
POLICEMAN #2
You aware of the traffic
regulations regarding appropriate footwear for taxi drivers, Mr. Patterson?
As MATT tries to formulate an
answer, POLICEMAN # 1, checking out photos on the mobile, taps POLICEMAN # 1 on
the shoulder. Together look at a particular photo for a long moment, exchange
glances. MATT'S attention has been caught by:
BLUE, in the cab, has taken the
greeting card out of Matt's slim parcel and is reading it. MATT is not happy
about this.
POLICEMAN #1
This you?
He holds the mobile up to MATT.
Onscreen, a photo from the
sporting pages of an old newspaper with the caption
TUBBA
TOPS:
Matt, mid 20s, smiles triumphantly, in football shorts only (with a
six-pack to die for!) holds aloft a huge silver cup as his proud team mates
shower him with champagne. Matt and his team, on a football field, are
surrounded by footie fans.
MATT nods.
POLICEMAN #1
You're the Matt Patterson who
played for Roosters right?
MATT nods. POLICEMAN #1 smiles.
POLICEMAN #1
Hey, awesome! You signed my
football for me. You wouldn't remember me of course. I was just a kid but I
thought you were…hey…do you mind if I ask you something? There was this one
game against the Sea Eagles with only a minute to go and…
MATT smiles and nods as
POLICEMAN #1 remembers.
POLICEMAN #1
…the Roosters were one point
behind and you intercepted this pass, and ran the length of the fucking field
and…
35 INT. TAXI. CITY STREET. NIGHT
MATT, smiling, settles back into
the driver's seat, fastens his seat belt.
POLICEMAN #1
Great to meet you, Matt. (A
BEAT) And you'll get that windscreen fixed first thing tomorrow, right?
MATT nods. POLICEMAN #2 leans in
a little closer, glances in at BLUE again, speaks sotto voce to MATT.
POLICEMAN #2
He really is eighteen, right?
He winks at MATT
conspiratorially.
36 EXT. TAXI. CITY STREET. NIGHT
POLICEMEN #1 and #2 get back into
their patrol car as MATT pulls back onto the road and drives off.
37 INT. TAXI. NIGHT
MATT drives, BLUE in the
passenger seat. The police car passes them. POLICEMAN #1 waves from the
passenger window.
MATT
Thanks, Blue.
BLUE
No worries, Matt.
MATT looks at the slim parcel on
the seat between them with the envelope attached, then up at BLUE.
BLUE (SHEEPISH)
Yeah, sorry, I know I shouldn't
of, but…
MATT
You don't read other people's
private...stuff…ever!
BLUE
What about if ya trying to find
out something someone's trying to keep secret from you but which they shouldn't
keep secret from you?
MATT ponders this question for a
moment but before he can think of a response:
BLUE
For Juliet?
MATT
None of your business.
BLUE
For Serena?
MATT
None of your business.
BLUE
For someone you love though, ay?
(A BEAT) Ay?
MATT
Yes.
BLUE
Then why've you written, 'you
know how much I care about you?'
MATT
Jesus, Blue! It's none of your
business. (A BEAT) Because…I do care about her.
BLUE
Who?
MATT (annoyed)
None of your business.
BLUE
But caring for someone's not the
same as loving them, ay? And loving someone's not the same as being in love
with someone! Or is it? (A BEAT) Love's fucking weird, ay?
MATT smiles, nods, looks at his
watch.
BLUE
So you lighting your
girlfriend’s candle’s like a eupism, right?
MATT looks at BLUE; not
understanding.
BLUE
For, you know...
BLUE makes a crude attempt as
female orgasmic moaning.
MATT (laughs)
Euphemism! No, its her birthday.
She was born at 2 o’clock in the morning 40 years go and she...
BLUE
And now you[re going to be late,
right? Because of me and Trace?
MATT (sighs)
Looks that way.
BLUE
Sorry, Matt. From me and Trace.
MATT
Thanks, Blue. You any idea why
Tracy wants to meet me at 'Stardust'?
MATT
You any idea why Tracy wants to
meet me at 'Stardust'?
BLUE (grins)
Yeah, but it's a surprise.
MATT
What sort of surprise?
BLUE
Won't be a surprise if I tell
you and I can't tell you anyway because I promised Trace and…
MATT
…it's important to keep
promises.
BLUE
Right.
38 EXT. CITY STREET. CLOSE TO 'STARDUST'. NIGHT
MATT parks his cab a little down
the road from STARDUST - outside of which a couple of dozen YOUNG MEN and WOMEN
stand talking. He gets out of the cab, looks across the road for Tracy. He
can't see her; makes a gesture to that effect to BLUE - who sits grinning in
the front passenger seat.
BLUE
She'll be there somewhere. Maybe
you need to take a closer look.
MATT
Is this some kind of joke?
BLUE
No, its some kind of surprise.
Live dangerously, Tubba…I mean, Matt. What doesn't kill ya…
BLUE gestures to MATT to get out
of the cab. MATT, annoyed, heeds Blue's command, gets out, heads along the
pavement towards STARDUST.
39 EXT. 'STARDUST'. NIGHT
MATT looks around for Tracy, can't
see her, looks at his watch, scans the crowd more closely. He does not notice a
YOUNG WOMAN, late teens, standing in a darkened doorway 20 or so feet up the
road, partly obscured by shadow. She looks at MATT for a long moment before she
steps tentatively into the street light but MATT is looking in another
direction now. She calls out to him:
JULIET
Dad.
MATT turns, looks at JULIET;
shocked. JULIET is a young woman now - not at all like the girl with braces on
her teeth in the photo on Matt's mobile. She raises her right hand and waves in
a girlish gesture similar to the one Tracy used - thumb outstretched and four
fingers moving, flapping up and down exaggeratedly: 'ta ta'.
MATT smiles, makes the same
gesture, moves through the crowd towards her. JULIET walks towards him also.
They both slow down just a
couple of meters from each other. There is a momentary awkward pause before
JULIET steps close to MATT as if to hug him. She picks up MATT'S hesitancy (his
reluctance to hug her) and kisses him on the cheek. He kisses her on the cheek,
looks at her, laughs.
MATT
What…! When…why?
JULIET (laughs)
I flew up this morning…
MATT
With your mother?
JULIET
Dad, I'm 18! (A BEAT) Thought
I'd surprise you…
MATT
I'm surprised.
MATT shakes his head;
bewildered.
MATT
But how…why…(are you here?)
Tracy?
JULIET (nods)
Serendipity.
MATT laughs, shakes his head, looks
back to his cab. BLUE is standing beside it, smiling broadly and waving to him.
MATT laughs, still not quite believing that this is happening.
JULIET
Tracy's sure made good use of
your phone.
MATT shakes his head, still in
shock; surprised by how much Juliet has grown.
MATT
Look at you! What's mum been
feeding you?
JULIET laughs, pats MATT'S
tummy.
JULIET
You've grown too.
MATT laughs, tucks his tummy in,
rubs it.
MATT
So, what are you doing…(in
Sydney)?
JULIET
Girlfriend's 18th. Remember Harmony?
MATT
From pre-school?
JULIET (nods)
We connected up on Facebook
and…she invited me to her 18th and I thought… hey, why not.
JULIET gestures to a little red
sedan parked across the road. In the driver's seat: a YOUNG WOMAN is reading a magazine.
40 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
BLUE, standing by Matt's cab,
looks at MATT and JULIET talking 30 or so meters up the road. He hears MATT
laugh, smiles to himself, takes out his mobile, accesses 'google'.
41 EXT. 'STARDUST'. NIGHT
MATT and JULIET talk on the
pavement a little up the road from the 'Stardust' entrance. JULIET shows MATT
her teeth.
MATT
They look great. When did you
get the braces off?
JULIET
For my 18th. (A BEAT) Still have
to wear night braces, but…
MATT
Sorry I couldn't make it…
JULIET shrugs, tries to pretend
that it doesn't matter.
MATT
Thought I had a relief driver
but he cancelled at the last minute, and…
JULIET
It's OK…
MATT
It's hard for me to get to
Melbourne weekends and…
JULIET
It's OK, dad…
MATT
And I don't think your mother
really wanted me there. She more or less said…
JULIET
Jesus, dad! It was my party, not
mum's!
MATT holds up his hands: OK.
MATT
Sorry…I've had a shit night. (A
BEAT) If you'd told me you were coming…
JULIET
You'd have what? (A BEAT) Taken
the night off? Taken me to a movie? Buy me a Jumbo Popcorn? Quality time?
MATT
Why do you do this?
JULIET
Do what?
MATT
You don't see me for…a long
time…
JULIET
Six months, dad. Six fucking
months…
MATT
And the first thing you do is
attack me.
JULIET
No, the first thing I did,
remember, was to try and talk to you. You know, conversation… communication…!
MATT
Communication! You're the one
who always hangs up on me!
JULIET
Because you don't listen.
MATT
Because you're shouting at me.
Like your mother.
JULIET
Because you never listen.
MATT
If you didn't hang up and give
me a chance…
JULIET
Hey, here's your chance. I'm
here now, right! Standing in front of you!
MATT
So what do you want to talk
about?
JULIET
Jesus, dad! (A BEAT) Anyhow, I called
to say I'm sorry for hanging up on you…at my 18th.
MATT
Your mother's taught you well.
JULIET
Don't, dad!
MATT holds his hands up: OK.
MATT
Let's forget about it. It's
nothing.
JULIET
It's not nothing. It's
something.
MATT
What.
JULIET
Something we can't just
pretend...isn't there.
MATT
So what are we pretending isn't
there?
JULIET
Jesus, dad, are you really
stupid or is it just an act? (A BEAT) Sorry. I didn't mean that.
MATT
'You're a useless waste of
fucking space, Matt…Sorry, I didn't mean that'.
JULIET
And she didn’t...doesn't. You
know that.
MATT
Well, why did she say it?
JULIET
You've never said anything when
you're angry you regret?
MATT shakes his head - hurt,
wallowing in self pity. JULIET throws her hands up in frustration.
JULIET
Grow up, dad.
MATT looks at her, hurt.
JULIET
And don't give me that 'poor me'
look. I'm over it.
MATT is unable to respond.
JULIET regrets having pushed as hard as she has.
JULIET
Hey, can I call you in the
morning? I should…
She gestures to the car across
the road, the YOUNG WOMAN with the magazine looking at she and MATT. MATT nods.
JULIET
I'm sorry…I didn't want it to be
like this. I hoped…
MATT holds his hand up: 'It's
OK, let's drop it'.
JULIET
I'll never hang up on you again.
Promise.
MATT (nods)
Okay.
JULIET hesitates a moment, leans
forward, kisses MATT on the cheek. She hesitates again, hoping for a response.
She doesn't get it. She kisses MATT on the cheek again, turns and heads across
the road.
MATT watches JULIET cross, get
into the little red sedan parked there. He hesitates a moment, makes a
decision, walks across, stands by the passenger window.
MATT
Can we…?
MATT remembers his manners,
leans down, looks past JULIET to the YOUNG WOMAN driver.
MATT
Hi Harmony.
HARMONY
Hi, Mr Patterson. MATT hesitates
a moment, kisses JULIET on the cheek.
MATT
Call me in the morning.
JULIET (nods)
Okay.
42 EXT. CITY STREET. CLOSE TO 'STARDUST'. NIGHT
MATT walks up to his cab. As he
gets close he hears Blue speaking on his mobile.
MATT slows, stops, eavesdrops.
BLUE (voice off)
Listen to me…please.
MATT can only see BLUE, in the
passenger seat, from behind.
BLUE (voice off)
I love you anyway and always
will…
Close on MATT.
BLUE (voice off)
…but Jesus, Trace, I wish you'd
listen to me for a change…
Close on MATT. Tracy is talking
now but we cannot make out what she is saying.
BLUE (voice off)
Love you heaps, babe.
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 you at
(fast food outlet) with your mobile in 15, 20 mins and (A BEAT) asked if you
could drive me home…
MATT nods but his mind is
elsewhere. He looks at his watch; his shoulders hunched in defeat.
43 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 Tracy you
were talking to 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…
BLUE
Ya got three hours?
MATT
Give me the twitter version.
BLUE
Boy meets girl. Love. Boy
betrays girl. Hate. 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 turns.
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 betrayed her
by having 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?
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
What kind of 'truth'?
BLUE
That I'm just a lowlife
drug-dealing wanker…(A BEAT) but I wouldn't be such a wanker if…you know…if we
could make love…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. He's not interested. Doesn't care.
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 close friend, I take it.
BLUE
Kind of a business associate.
MATT
Furniture removalist?
BLUE
Nah…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 tonight… fucking expensive…and gave her a ring… same as
this one… (INDICATES RING) 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…(A BEAT) 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 and didn't do a
product test like I usually do and passed it on 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 the fact that you've given up drug dealing she discovers that
you've paid for the dinner with the proceeds of drug dealing?
BLUE
No, I told her I earnt it with a
proper job I just started with a mate - which I started today, so it's not
exactly a lie, ay?
MATT
Furniture removalist?
BLUE (nods)
But GBH wants his money
back…like tonight.
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 wierd 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
that triggered it off.
BLUE
Yeah, I was telling her what an
aggressive cunt my dad was…though I didn't say 'cunt'…it's one word she
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, That's not what I'm saying.
You just don't need to tell her.
BLUE
Take a left here.
MATT turns left.
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 you up.
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
I am driving you home, right?
BLUE
Yeah.
MATT
Yeah?
BLUE
Just got to make 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 some drugs and giving them to GBH…
MATT
Jesus, Blue!
The mobile in MATT'S pocket
rings. He takes it out, thinks of taking the call, looks in his rear-vision
mirror, decides against it, hands the mobile to BLUE.
TRACY'S VOICE
Matt?
BLUE
Babe, it's me. You okay? I'm
talking with Matt. He's giving me some advice on how to be a better person
because you know that's what I want to be - a better person.
TRACY'S VOICE
I need to talk to him.
BLUE
He's driving and…
TRACY'S VOICE
Tell him I just had a long talk
to Juliet?
BLUE
Tracy says…
MATT
Yeah, I got it (TO TRACY) She
with you?
TRACY'S VOICE
No. What's taking you so long,
Matt?
BLUE
We're just taking a little
detour.
TRACY'S VOICE
Detour? You're on your way to
Gary's, aren't you? 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 is 8 ks in the other direction.
TRACY'S VOICE
Oh! Okay…
44 INT/EXT. CAB. FAST FOOD OUTLET. 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)
A joke between me and Tracy.
BLUE
Poor 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!” TRACY gets into the passenger seat. BLUE stops by MATT'S window.
BLUE
Thanks, Matt, for…listening…
BLUE grins, winks at MATT.
TRACY
Listening!? (A BEAT) What's that
supposed to mean? I listen! When you’ve got something worth saying but...
MATT
Get in, Tracy.
TRACY, hands on hips, glares at
BLUE as he walks towards the fast food outlet 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
Get in, Tracy. Now.
TRACY does as she is told.
TRACY
I have to tell you about Juliet…
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, 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…
MATT
Sit.
TRACY (grins)
Woof!
MATT smiles, get out of the cab.
45 EXT. FAST FOOD OUTLET. NIGHT
MATT stands by his cab, taps a
'J' and then a 'U' onto the keypad. Juliet shows up onscreen. The phone rings.
Tracy has left it in 'speaker' mode. Juliet answers. In the background TRACY
can be seen lifting her mobile to her ear.
MATT
You still awake?
JULIET'S VOICE
No, dad, I'm sound asleep.
Having this weird nightmare…
46 INT. CAB. FAST FOOD OUTLET. NIGHT
MATT gets back into the cab.
TRACY finishes her conversation.
TRACY
OK, see you soon.
TRACY hangs up as MATT settles
into his seat.
TRACY
Matt, I have to tell you what
Juliet…
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
I'll tell you later. Promise.
TRACY
What did Blue tell you? About my
dad?
MATT
That you'd never met him.
TRACY
That's not true.
MATT (smiles)
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! 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
Well, 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…(SMILES) Private Investigator Tracy Dodgson!
MATT (smiles)
Britney Dodgson.
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. 'Beautiful love'! Squeeze me!
MATT
Tony?
TRACY
No, she just 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, “…who I
still love but who, fuck it, is going to be otherwise engaged till death us do
part.”
MATT
He was getting married?
TRACY
Yes, and I figured the…'making
beautiful love' was like a farewell present to him. 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 after nine months cooking
in mum's tum 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 who Mr X was -
Jesus fucking Christ!
MATT
Who was he?
TRACY
Who is he, you mean! Two days
after fucking Mr X mum went to a wedding…
MATT
Whose wedding?
TRACY is just about to blurt it
out but thinks twice:
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.
TRACY
Her sister's.
MATT doesn't join the dots
immediately.
TRACY
My uncle David is my dad. Dear
old Uncle Dave!
MATT
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
Does your aunt know?
TRACY
She's never let on…to
me…but…here's the funny thing. Uncle Dave was like a dad to me…don't
laugh…until I started to sprout tits…when I was 10. We were real close. He
would give me lots of hugs and I'd sit on his knee and, you know…dad and
daughter stuff. That was when my aunt had a kind of nervous breakdown. That’s
the truth. “The Sad but True Story of Tracy’s Mysterious Dad.”
MATT shakes his head, laughs.
MATT
What about the knife?
TRACY
What knife?
MATT
The one in your bag?
He glances at the bag in her lap.
MATT
The true story.
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.
TRACY
This is a knife!
MATT
That’s not going to protect you from some big
fucker who wants to…
TRACY
Cause me grievous bodily harm? (SHE LAUGHS, SHAKES
HER HEAD) 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 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…
MATT
An orange belt?
TRACY
An orange belt…so…getting the knife off him was
easy and…well, I keep meaning to take it out but…
TRACY tilts her head to one side.
TRACY
Well.
MATT
It’s a great story.
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! Mum!
A WOMAN, late 30s, is walking
straight towards the cab.
TRACY
She's come to get me. I forgot…
MATT registers MERILY only a few
seconds before she arrives at the passenger window of his cab.
TRACY
Don't tell her anything…Nothing.
Promise? MATT nods. MERILY, made up and dressed as twentysomething, 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.
Thanks heaps for taking care of Britney for me…(A BEAT) Cool.
TRACY rolls her eyes. MATT'S
mobile rings: Serena. MATT answers it. Serena's voice comes through loud and
clear:
SERENA'S VOICE
So, you've got your phone back!?
You 'gunna' be here soon or should I put some new batteries in my vibrator?
MATT
We've got an audience…
SERENA'S VOICE
So who's listening?
MATT
Tracy and her mum.
SERENA'S VOICE
Hi Tracy's mum.
MERILY
Hi…
SERENA'S VOICE
Serena. You finished with Matt
yet, Tracy?
MATT
It's all over…be there soon.
SERENA'S VOICE
Soon? Like…before Christmas?
MATT
I love you.
There is a long silence.
SERENA'S VOICE
Have we got a bad connection or
did you just say…?
MATT
I love you. You heard right.
There is a long pause.
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.
MATT hangs up.
MERILY
What happened to your hand?
MATT
Windscreen was pissing me off
and…
MATT makes a faux boxing
gesture. TRACY smiles.
MATT
Got something you want to tell
your mum, Tracy…Britney?
TRACY looks at MATT - terrified.
She shakes her head.
MATT
You got anything you want to
tell your daughter?
MERILY
Tracy…where did Tracy come from?
MERILY
I hate Britney!
MERILY
Yes, but…you know, when you were
born…there weren't any Britney's?
MATT
Was it you or her biological dad
decided on Britney?
MERILY tries hard to hide her
shock.
MERILY
Oh, um...! Me…
TRACY tries to catch MATT'S eye
to warn him off.
MATT
Do you mind if I ask you a
personal question, Merily?
MERILY
Not about vibrators, I hope!
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, that Bryce Courtney made
a living making up stories. A good living. 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…
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
Tiffany's mum had told her her
dad'd died when Tiffany was young. And Tiffany spent most of her life wondering
who her dad was. She wanted to know what he looked like, whether she was like
him at all…that sort of thing…She'd lie in bed at night thinking about him,
crying herself to sleep…longing for the father she never knew…
MERILY'S frozen smile suggests
that this is not a story she wants to hear. TRACY is trying hard not to freak
out.
MATT
Then Tiffany suddenly finds out
who her dad is; that he's not dead. He's alive and well. And not only that. She
knows him. She's met him…
MATT stops, looks at MERILY -
having difficulty keeping the frozen 'interested' smile on her face.
MERILY
Sounds…(A BEAT) interesting…
MATT
And with a happy ending.
MERILY
Oh…! That's nice…
MATT
Tiffany decided that she'd never
tell her mum that she knew her dad was alive and that she knew who he was.
MERILY
I like happy endings.
MATT
That's not the end.
MERILY
It's not!?
MATT
No, the story ended when
Tiffany's mum, who had no idea that her daughter knew the truth, decided she
wanted to tell Tiffany the truth about her dad.
MERILY
Yes, well that's probably the
best thing, ay? What's that thing they say about the truth?
TRACY
“The truth will set you free.”
Out of a long silence, MERILY
reaches out, brushes aside a strand of TRACY'S hair that has fallen out of
place.
MERILY
Well, I don't know about
you…Tracy, but I would die for a hamburger with the works.
TRACY
Me too.
MERILY
Is that Blue?
MERILY has spotted BLUE walking
out of the doorway to the fast food outlet with his arms full of fast food and
drinks. At the same moment, Juliet's friend Harmony's red sedan pulls into a
parking space - JULIET waving to MATT from the window.
TRACY
Juliet?
MATT nods. TRACY'S face lights
up in a happy smile. JULIET gets out of the car and, when she sees TRACY and
realizes who she is, her face lights up also.
JULIET starts to walk towards
Matt's cab.
TRACY takes her mother's hand,
holds it affectionately. MERILY squeezes TRACY'S hand tight.
BLUE, beaming a stupid smile,
starts to make his way towards Matt's cab also - just as the purple sedan pulls
up closeby. GBH gets out, moves fast towards BLUE.
MATT
Fuck.
47 EXT. FAST FOOD OUTLET. NIGHT
MATT runs full tilt towards the
entrance as BLUE drops his food and drinks and tries to make a run for it.
GBH grabs him and is just about
to flatten BLUE with a backhander when MATT arrives behind him, grabs his arm,
spins him around, holds him firmly - speaking calmly but authoritatively:
MATT
No!
GBH is disoriented for a second,
unused as he is to meeting opposition of any kind. He recovers quickly,
however.
GBH
You!
GBH extricates himself from
MATT'S grip. MATT doesn't put up any resistance but stands his ground, looking
directly into GBH'S eyes. BLUE moves to run. Without taking his eyes off MATT,
GBH grabs BLUE by the scruff of his shirt.
MATT
Let him go.
GBG smiles maliciously.
GBH
Go fuck yaself cunt. Mind ya own
fucking business.
MATT
Let him go ya big fucking
useless tub of lard.
GBH lets BLUE go, grabs MATT by
the scruff of his shirt, snarls menacingly, his face close to MATT'S.
GBH
What the fuck you just say?
MATT
Said you're a big useless tub of
lard. A useless waste of fucking space. A…
GBH throws a fast right hook
that connects with MATT'S face and sends him sprawling. As MATT lies stunned on
the ground, JULIET runs to help him as TRACY races up to GBH, leaps onto him
and starts bashing him with her fists, pulling his hair.
TRACY
Fuckin' arsehole!
GBH is in such a rage that he
barely notices TRACY hanging off him, beating him. He has his fists ready for
the next round as MATT struggles to his feet.
JULIET
Dad, don't…
GBH flicks TRACY off. MATT, on
his feet now, ignores JULIET - his nose bloodied, his lip bleeding. He walks
back up 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 stops a few feet from
him, watches GBH for a moment, shakes his head, smiles. GBH slaps him across
the face with a backhander.
GBH
You fucking want me to beat the
shit out of you?
MATT
Nah, not particularly, GBH, but
nor do you…
GBH looks to his mates - who are
clearly eager for him to beat the shit out of MATT. GBH snarls, slaps MATT
again.
MATT
If your mates weren't here,
there'd be no-one to impress, ay?
GBH is completely thrown by
this. This is a script that he is completely unfamiliar with.
GBH
But…but…
He points to BLUE.
GBH
But…this little cunt owes me
money!
MATT
How much?
GBH
Eight hundred bucks.
MATT
Eight hundred bucks? So, if he
gives you eight hundred bucks you wont need to beat the little cunt up?
GBH
I guess…
MATT
Wait right here, GBH.
GBH nods, avoids the dirty
disapproving look from SPIDER. MATT turns, starts to walk back to his cab.
SPIDER
You’re a fucking wimp, GBH.
SPIDER strides forward, fists at
the ready.
SPIDER
This little cunt needs to learn
a lesson.
MATT is almost at his cab now. TRACY stands
between SPIDER and BLUE, holds up a shaking hand: ‘stop’.
TRACY
I wouldn’t lay a finger on the
little cunt, if I were you, spider!
MATT spins around, sees:
SPIDER, laughing, moving towards BLUE, ready to push TRACY
out of the way.
CLOSE ON: TRACY as she lets out a cry:
TRACY
“Eeee-yah!”
…as she delivers a perfectly executed karate kick
to SPIDER’S groin. He collapses to the ground in extreme pain.
MATT, GBH and all other observers react with
degrees of shock appropriate to their characters.
GBH goes to SPIDER’S aid.
GBH
You OK, bro?
SPIDER, angry and humiliated, pushes him away.
SPIDER
Fuck off!
MATT makes brief eye contact
with TRACY – shaking his head and smiling – before dropping into the driver's
seat.
48 INT. CAB. FAST FOOD OUTLET. NIGHT
MATT takes out his night's
earnings, counts his money.
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.
49 EXT. FAST FOOD OUTLET. 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.
GBH
I never been a big one for
reading.
BLUE
You should read 'Girl with the
Dragon Tattoo', GB. Fucking awesome!
GBH nods, trying hard to hide
his excitement from SPIDER and his OTHER MATE.
A LITTLE LATER
MATT and JULIET stand a little
distance from where BLUE is giving GBH a quick lesson in how to use the
Kindle.
JULIET
It doesn’t matter, dad.
MATT
It does matter. I promised I’d
move to Melbourne to be close to you and...I didn’t...because...this is not an
excuse...just... an explanation. 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.
MATT
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…
CLOSEBY
As BLUE gives him a quick Kindle
lesson, GBH is aware of the disapproving looks on the faces of SPIDER and his
OTHER MATE - standing beside the purple sedan.
BLUE
And this controls the size of
the font…the letters…
CLOSEBY
MATT
…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.
MATT
And then when you stopped
wanting to...to...hug me, and...
JULIET
Oh, dad! (SHE TOUCHES HIS ARM)It
wasn't because I didn’t want to but because mum said…and not just mum, but
school…everyone…that now I was a young woman…
CLOSEBY
BLUE'S Kindle lesson has
finished. GBH nods, tries unsuccessfully to slip back into his tough persona;
turns and walks awkwardly to the purple sedan. He moves to get into the front
passenger seat but one of his OTHER MATE is sitting there. GBH climbs
sheepishly into the back seat.
CLOSEBY
JULIET
And then you stopped coming to
Melbourne. I mean, every second weekend…
MATT
Because I didn't think you
wanted me to…like you were pushing me away.
JULIET
I was, because it hurt so much
that you weren't there and I thought it might hurt less if I didn't see you
than if I saw you just sometimes... but then I was angry that you didn't come
more often and…
MATT shakes his head.
MATT
Faaark!
JULIET smiles, nods.
MATT
Why didn't you tell me any of
this…?
JULIET
You know why, ay?
MATT nods.
JULIET
I didn't come to Sydney for
Harmony's birthday.
MATT
I know.
JULIET
Why didn't you tell me? (A BEAT)
Faark! (THEY BOTH SMILE) I came to see you. I had all these things I wanted to
say but was scared to say, in case…
MATT
Me too. Why is that?
JULIET shakes her head.
JULIET
I don't know. You're the adult
here. Aren't you supposed to know things like that?
MATT
I guess. A slow learner. Your
mother's right about that, at least.
JULIET laughs. MATT takes her in
his arms, holds her tight. JULIET reciprocates, tears in her eyes. She smiles.
50 INT. FAST FOOD OUTLET. NIGHT
TRACY, BLUE and JULIET sit in a
cubicle eating fast food. JULIET stares at TRACY in shock:
JULIET (incredulous)
A virgin! No way!
TRACY nods. JULIET looks at BLUE
for confirmation.
BLUE (nods)
True! Sad but true!
BLUE grins, looks at TRACY. She
smiles, takes his hand, entwines their fingers, rests her head on BLUE'S
shoulder.
TRACY
But ya know what, I been
thinking…!?
BLUE’S face breaks into a huge
happy smile. TRACY remembers something, reaches for her mobile phone.
TRACY
Shit!
51 INT. CAB. NIGHT
MATT drives, a contented smile
on his face. Music plays on the radio. The sound of rooster crowing. MATT lifts
his mobile to his ear.
TRACY'S VOICE
Hey, 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.
MATT (laughs)
Ever lose your wallet again…
TRACY
K.
A LITTLE LATER
MATT drives, turns the music on
the radio up, bops along to it, looks at the knuckles - the blood dried now.
The end credits begin to roll over MATT driving.
Up ahead, seen through the
cracked windscreen, a figure stands at the side of the road, arm outstretched,
trying to flag MATT down. As he drives past the figure, his face lost in
shadow, MATT gestures 'Sorry'. The figure waves back: OK.
Only when MATT glances in the
rear-vision mirror does he realize that the figure is GBH - a forlorn hangdog
expression on his face, his body slumped in defeat - clutching his new Kindle;
its screen blue.
MATT keeps driving, his mind is
racing. He slams on the brakes, skids to a standstill, looks at the rear-vision
mirror - in which GBG can be seen loping towards the cab.
52 EXT. CAB CITY STREET.NIGHT
A wide shot. MATT'S cab is
parked at the side of the road. GBH runs the final 10 or so meters to the cab,
stands by the driver's door talking to MATT.
The credits continue to roll as
MATT and GBH talk. Their conversation, unheard, goes on and on. From the way he
holds it up the Kindle it looks as though GBH may be asking MATT about how to
use it.
The end credits continue as MATT
and GBH talk. GBH laughs happily.
MATT drives off.
GBH raises his hand to wave
goodbye.
Fade to black
THE END
