JIMMYLAND

A screenplay by Tom Lichtenberg

Smashwords Edition copyright 2011 by Tom Lichtenberg

Smashwords License Notes: This ebook is made freely available for your enjoyment.

INT: BEDROOM - MORNING

BILLY's bedroom is in a sparsely furnished one bedroom

apartment. The walls are white and bare. The floors are

carpeted a thin pale green. In the bedroom there is only a

double bed and a nightstand with a lamp and a clock. There

is a small closet with a bi-folding white door.

He is asleep on his back with his arms by his side and his

legs straight. He has very pale skin, with thin, short blond

hair and a hairline blond mustache along the edge of his

upper lip. He looks like a corpse until, after a minute or

so, the alarm clock begins to buzz - meh meh meh meh meh.

He mechanically turns his entire body towards it, sees that

it shows 8 o'clock, reaches out his right arm and carefully

turns the alarm off. He hesitates for the slightest moment,

and then springs out of bed straight to his feet in a sudden

bolt.

He calmly steps into slippers which are right there on the

floor waiting for him, and, in white pajamas with big red

and blue stars, he leaves the bedroom, heads across a narrow

hallway, enters the bathroom, and closes the door behind

him.

Behind the closed white door are sounds of water running and

teeth being brushed. To the left there is a spartan living

room containing a couch, a chair and bare white walls, and

adjacent to it is an open, sparse kitchen with white tiled

floors, a small table with two chairs, and chrome

appliances. The bathroom door opens.

BILLY comes out dressed in a very nice suit and tie and

dress shoes. He steps into the living room and at the exact

moment he enters that room, the far wall, next to the

kitchen, is suddenly filled with the presence of an austere

looking old man, with thinning white hair and a full white

beard, and intense, piercing brown eyes. It is not a

friendly face, but rather severe. He is Robert E. Lee,

commander of the Confederate Army. Both he and BILLY speak

slowly, and with strong Southern accents.

GENERAL LEE

Good morning, BILLY. I trust you

slept well.

BILLY

I guess so. I don't rightly recall.

BILLY barely glances at the figure, though it looms on the

wall much larger than life. Only the head and shoulders are

seen on a projection about 4 four feet high and three feet

wide. BILLY walks into the kitchen where he opens a small

refrigerator and removes a container of orange juice. He

retrieves a glass from a cupboard full of identical drinking

glasses and proceeds to pour while the General continues.

GENERAL LEE

Today your theme is Unity

(he pauses)

A theme that is quite familiar to

me. "Not I, but the world says it.

All is one".

(a longer pause)

Do you know who said that, BILLY?

BILLY

(without skipping a beat)

That would be Heraclitus.

GENERAL LEE

Heraclitus, indeed. Very good. But

what does he mean? All is one,

perhaps, when seen from afar. But

when he says "Not I, but the world

says it", what does he mean?

BILLY

I will have to think about that

one.

GENERAL LEE

It is your Daily Sphairos. Your

theme of the day. Also consider

this. "To lose is to gain."

BILLY

(sipping his juice,

thoughtfully).

To lose is to gain, okay.

GENERAL LEE

You will be in a good place to

think about these matters today.

Your work assignment is Nicky's

News & Views. Downtown. You can

pick up the 14 L at ...

BILLY

Yes, I remember. I know where it

is. Thank you kindly.

GENERAL LEE

You are slated to arrive at 9. At 1

o'clock you may select from the

following local lunch options:

Bonnie's Burgers, Mary's Meats, or

Danny's Deli.

BILLY

(finishing his juice and

loading the glass into the

dishwasher)

Danny's, yes. When do you figure Ah

have to leave?

GENERAL LEE

Ah estimate you still have another

twenty minutes.

BILLY

Good.

(he starts to leave the room)

GENERAL LEE

A moment, please, if you will, sir.

BILLY

(stopping and turning around)

Yes?

GENERAL LEE

A special treat this evening. Your

social call.

BILLY

Oh yes. What is that?

GENERAL LEE

At 5 you will be meeting a Miss

SUZIE at Scotty's Scooters on East

Eighth Street and ...

BILLY

Sure, I know Scotty's. That'll be

fun. Very good. Miss Suzie you say?

Do I know her? Well, anyway,

thanks.

GENERAL LEE

(calling out after him,

raising his voice slightly)

And don't forget! Today could be

the day!

BILLY

(vaguely waving but not

turning back)

Could be.

BILLY returns to the bathroom. As he does, General Lee

watches him closely, before smiling very slightly as he

fades back into the plain white wall. At that moment, BILLY

closes the bathroom door again.

EXT: APARTMENT BUILDING HALLWAY

After a few moments, the bathroom door fades into the front

door, which is larger and brown. It stands at the end of a

long corridor. The door opens and BILLY walks out. He looks

impeccable and clean. He walks straight ahead down the hall.

Along the hall is one long glass window on the right and

several open doors on the left. Out the window a similar

long window is visible, along the second floor of a concrete

and glass building across the street. This building will

shortly be seen to be identical with this one. BILLY walks

down the pale-green-carpeted hall. He stops to peer inside

the second open door on the left.

The apartment is completely devoid of any furnishings but

otherwise looks exactly like BILLY's apartment, clean and

sparse and white with pale green carpeting. BILLY nods with

approval and a slight smile, and then continues on his way.

There are no other people in the building or on the stairs

as he descends the metal staircase one floor to street

level.

EXT: SIDEWALK

Outside, the sun is just beginning to rise. It will rise

every day at 8:30 and set every evening at 4:30. The sun

emits a pale, weak light. This is not a normal city built by

happenstance over time. This one appears to have been put

together all at once from some sort of a kit.

There are only three kinds of buildings and two kinds of

streets in the entire city. Here, in the residential

neighborhood, the long streets are numbered avenues. BILLY's

apartment building is on North 7th Avenue. Avenues contain

two identical apartment buildings side by side. These

buildings are beige concrete divided by the long corridor

windows on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th (top) floor.

The first floor hallway has no windows, and also none of the

apartments inside the buildings contain any windows at all

(a detail that may not have been noticed on first inspection

in BILLY's). The only windows are along the corridors. On

each corner there is a commercial building. Its concrete is

painted brown and the first story is all glass, housing two

small businesses along the street, then a larger business

occupying the corner location, followed by two more small

ones around the corner. Each store has a bright neon sign

advertising its name.

BILLY walks to the next corner which is West 6th Street. The

shorter streets contain only one apartment building

sandwiched between the corner commercial buildings. Streets

and avenues both are two-lane and bi-directional. The

sidewalks are made of smooth large beige squares and are

immaculate, with a ficus tree on every fourth square (the

kind of tree you usually associate with being inside of

offices). The trees are all approximately 8 feet tall and

appear to be only slightly different from each other, if at

all.

On every corner there is a chrome and glass bus shelter,

which contains no seating, no advertisements, and no signs

indicating which bus lines might stop there. These details

have somehow been overlooked, like the windows in

apartments.

The third kind of building is downtown, where BILLY is soon

headed. These are all twelve story office buildings, painted

black with tinted windows. All of the streets in the

downtown area have non-numeric names. The downtown is

completely surrounded by identical neighborhoods, the only

difference being that 'avenues' are labeled north and south

on either side, and 'streets' are labeled east and west.

BILLY passes a Larry's Liquors store and a Hattie's Hats

store and then stops at the corner and waits for the red

light to change. There is no traffic. There are never any

cars here, only buses, and at the moment there are no other

pedestrians. The large corner store is a Gary's Grocery's

store. BILLY waits for about 10 seconds, and then the light

changes and he crosses. He continues on North 7th Avenue for

one more block, to West 5th Street.

The stores here are a Barbie's Beauty Salon and a Louie's

Lamp fixture store. The corner store is a Freddy's Fine

Foods. He makes a slight left turn and goes to stand inside

the West 5th Street bus shelter. There he waits patiently

for the bus. After a short time he is joined by another

character, SAMMY, a tall, heavy, dark-haired sort,

reminiscent of a recently retired football player, wearing

crisp, clean blue jeans, work boots and a tucked-in flannel

shirt.

SAMMY

(touching his right index and

middle fingers to his temple

and down again in a swift

gesture)

Good morning.

BILLY

(responding with a similar

gesture)

Good morning.

SAMMY

Today could be the day.

BILLY

Could be.

SAMMY

Do you think it will be?

BILLY

(hesitates, briefly looking

away, then looks back and

shrugs)

Yes, it could very well be.

SAMMY

(earnestly, looking more

closely at BILLY)

I think so too. My Daily Sphairos

is 'Hope'.

BILLY

I like hope. It's one of my

favorites.

SAMMY

(relaxing)

Mine too.

INT: CITY BUS

The 14 L bus rolls up silently. It is not a large bus, more

the size of a school bus, with only eight rows of two seats

on either side. The bus driver, a girlish looking young

woman wearing a plaid sweater and brown slacks, opens the

doors and nods at SAMMY and BILLY as they enter. There is no

need to pay.

Two other characters are already seated in the bus, an older

South Pacific looking woman, SALLY, wearing a long red dress

in the third row, and a slim, light-skinned, short-haired,

golden-eyed mid-thirties black man, DONNY, wearing olive

fatigues and a camouflage cap in the fourth row. SAMMY takes

a seat in the second row. BILLY makes his way back to the

fourth and sits on the opposite side of the aisle. As he

takes his seat, DONNY performs that same salute but doesn't

say any words. BILLY reciprocates, then turns his head to

look out the window.

The bus pulls away and proceeds quietly down West 5th

Street. Here and there on the sidewalks are groups of two

and four individuals, standing together conversing. These

groups are made of divergent types of different ages,

appearances and dress styles. Occasionally there is a single

individual walking along the sidewalk.

The bus reaches the downtown area (which lies between the

5th streets on either end, and occupies ten otherwise named

blocks in the north-south direction as well). Discovery

Street is the first named street it crosses, then

Independence Street. There are no businesses on the bottom

floors of these identical black office buildings, only large

darkly tinted glass doors with gold numeric letterings above

them: 100, 200, 400, 800. above the lettering are names -

New Town Bank, New Town Realty, New Town Investments, always

New Town something.

INT: DOWNTOWN SIDEWALK - UNDERGROUND

BILLY gets off at the corner of the third cross street -

Union Street. He proceeds immediately to a long white

stairway leading underground. The underground is a vast

shopping area containing nothing but stores. It is brightly

lit and, reminiscent of the apartment buildings, the walls

are all immaculately white and bare, and the floor, while

not carpeted, is a pale color blue.

Each store front is separated from its neighbors by a short

stretch of white wall, otherwise there are no doors visible.

The storefronts are wide open, like the shops in a modern

airport. Perhaps there are bars or screens that come down at

night they cannot be seen. There are more people here than

there were up on street level. It is not crowded, but there

is at least one person in every shop, sometimes two or

three. In the halls there are more disparate groups of two

or four (never three or five) standing together and

appearing to converse intently.

BILLY walks straight ahead without looking around at the

various stores he is passing, which include cafes and

restaurants, a Laurie's Laundromat and a Barnie's Barber

shop, a Henry's Hardware and a Tony's Toys and a Barry's

Barbecue Supply. After a block and a half or so (there are

cross streets here, named and numbered after the ground

level streets above), he arrives at Nicky's News & Views, a

magazine, book and newspaper store.

INT: NICKY'S NEWS & VIEWS

A woman is standing behind the counter. AMY is a middle-aged

Chinese woman with round glasses matching her round face,

short black hair with bangs. She is wearing a bright pink

paints suit. She is surprisingly good-natured, smiles and

makes the right-hand gesture as BILLY approaches.

AMY

Good morning

BILLY

Good morning. I'm the 9 o'clock. Am

I on time?

AMY

(checking the wall clock

behind her and above her head)

Yes. Right on time.

BILLY

Good. Has it been busy this

morning?

AMY

Yes. I had two customers.

BILLY

(rubbing his hands in a show

of enthusiasm)

Two? Excellent. This could be fun.

AMY

(gathering a package and

emerging from behind the

counter)

I hope you enjoy it.

BILLY

You have a good day.

AMY

(leaving the store)

You too!

BILLY takes up his position behind the counter and stands

facing the corridor. On either side of him are racks and

piles of magazines and newspapers. Along the walls are rows

and rows of books in two sections, labeled fiction on the

left, and non-fiction on the right. There are no other

categories.

The books all seem to come from the same series. They are

all the same height and within a narrow range of widths.

They vary in color but mostly occupy the rainbow spectrum.

None of the titles are faced out - only spines are visible

and the words cannot be made out, as they are too small and

distant.

The headline of the newspaper on the top of the stacks is

visible. The story is related to statistics - MAINTENANCE

RATES IMPROVING. Beneath the headline is a picture of a

smiling man holding a bucket.

People walk past the store but no one comes in. Time passes

as witnessed by the clock on the wall above BILLY's head,

but he does not shift positions. 9:30, 10:00, 10:30 and

nothing changes.

A small man with a worried expression comes into the store.

RICKY is wearing a long black wool coat and sneakers.

RICKY

(he goes right up to BILLY and

speaks very quickly but

quietly)

Do you have a copy of The Sphairos?

BILLY

(gesturing that he didn't

hear)

Excuse me? Could you repeat that,

please?

RICKY

(a little louder, but looking

around a bit nervously)

A Sphairos? Do you have one?

BILLY

Of course, sir. Right away.

BILLY leans down and pulls out a slightly worn copy of a

book from under the counter, and hands it to the customer.

It is a paperback with a yellow cover and the words

'Sphairos' along the top, with the image of a wire-sculpture

of a sphere below it. There are some Greek letters floating

within the image of the sphere. RICKY takes the book roughly

and opens it at random and reads intently for a few moments.

RICKY

Loss. Fire catches up with

everything in time.

BILLY

Heraclitus again!

RICKY

(glancing up)

What?

BILLY

Heraclitus. The quote you just

read.

RICKY

Yes, of course.

BILLY

To lose is to gain.

RICKY

(handing the book back to

BILLY)

Do you really think so?

BILLY

It's what my personal director told

me this morning.

RICKY

Who is your personal director?

BILLY

General Robert E. Lee. Who is

yours?

RICKY

Cesar Chavez.

BILLY

Is Loss your Daily Sphairos?

RICKY

Yes, yes it is. Loss.

BILLY

(scratching his chin)

I'm supposed to think about that.

RICKY

(turning to leave)

Well. Thank you very much

BILLY

(brightly)

Today could be the day!

RICKY

(looking back)

Today?

BILLY

Sure. It could be.

RICKY shakes his head and leaves the store. BILLY rubs his

hands in satisfaction.

BILLY

That's one!

BILLY remains in his standing position while the time lapses

again on the clock above him. At exactly one o'clock, BOBBY,

a tall, thin man with slick black hair and a black goatee

saunters casually into the store, wearing an olive green

t-shirt and baggy forest green pants. He walks straight up

to BILLY and they exchange the two-finger temple salute.

BILLY

May I help you?

BOBBY

I'm your lunch relief.

BILLY

Oh, already?

(turning to look up at the

clock, then turning back)

We had a customer this morning.

BOBBY

A real one?

BILLY

(frowns)

I do not believe he was assigned.

BOBBY

Was he, you know, one of 'them'?

BILLY

(shaking his head)

No, I don't think so. He was a

settler, I'm pretty sure, but I

don't think he was assigned.

BOBBY

(wrinkles his nose)

If he wasn't assigned, then what

did he want?

BILLY

He wanted to check his Daily

Sphairos.

BOBBY

Check it? Why would he do that?

Mine is Insight, by the way.

BILLY

Unity for me.

BOBBY

That's why I was curious, you know.

You wouldn't usually ask. Take me.

I'm supposed to be thinking about

how you should rule a nation the

way you would fry a small fish. I'm

not sure I get it.

BILLY

(helpfully)

Maybe by paying close attention to

detail?

BOBBY

(raises his eyebrows)

That's just what I thought!

BILLY

I should probably go so I don't

take up your time.

BOBBY

Oh, don't worry about it. This

joint ain't going nowhere. Take

your time.

BILLY

I do my duty, sir, and I never

worry, unless of course I am

supposed to. Anyway, my predecessor

said she had two customers. I

wouldn't want to miss anything.

BOBBY

(derisively)

Yeah, you sure wouldn't want to

miss that!

BILLY

Like I said, I'll be right back.

BOBBY takes BILLY's place behind the counter, as BILLY

strides off purposefully.

INT - UNDERGROUND - DANNY'S DELI

He turns right into the corridor and backtracks half a

block, turning right again at the next intersection. He

passes a Florrie's Flower shop and a Fannie's Pharmacy on

his right before turning into Danny's Deli.

There a young-looking woman, KATHY, is behind the counter,

which is filled with deli meats and cheeses. Behind and

above her is a menu board advertising various sandwiches and

side orders. There are no prices listed. KATHY is wearing a

red apron and a red handkerchief tied over her massive

frizzy orange hair. She was a wide face and body and bright,

light blue eyes. There is no one waiting in line. BILLY

walks right up and salutes her.

KATHY

(cheerfully returning the

gesture)

Hello! What can I get ya?

BILLY

Let's see. Last time I was here I

tried the Reuben.

KATHY

Good choice! On rye?

BILLY

Dark rye.

KATHY

Same again, then?

BILLY

(rubbing his chin)

Um, no, I don't think so. I think

I'll try something else. What would

you recommend?

KATHY

The chicken salad is very fresh.

BILLY

Chicken salad?

KATHY

Yes, it's chicken all cut up and

mixed together with mayonnaise and

bits of apple and walnut.

BILLY

That sounds great.

KATHY

Dark rye, you said?

BILLY

Perfect.

KATHY

Just gimme a minute.

BILLY

Sure thing.

BILLY takes a seat at one of the three tables near the front

door. At the next table he sees a couple, a man and a woman,

engaged in a deep, quiet conversation. He hadn't seen them

when he entered the deli, because they hadn't been there.

The man is wearing a fedora and a brown suit. He has a bushy

mustache and round glasses. The woman is wearing a print

dress, black with yellow and red flowers, black stockings,

and red high heels. She is blond and wearing a ton of

makeup. BILLY can't hear what they're saying, but looks

away, out the window, until KATHY calls him over for his

sandwich.

KATHY

One chicken salad on dark rye

coming up

BILLY

(getting up and walking over

to the counter)

Thanks so much

BILLY takes the sandwich, which is presented on a paper

plate with a pickle on the side, and a toothpick through

each half. He carries it gently to the corner, where he

carefully dumps it, plate and all, into the trash

receptacle. Then he turns back and smiles at KATHY before

walking out of the deli. He returns to Nicky's News & Views,

where Bobby is fidgeting restlessly behind the counter.

INT - NICKY'S NEWS & VIEWS

BILLY

Did I miss anything?

BOBBY

Nope, not a thing, sorry to say. I

was hoping for a customer myself.

BILLY

Today could be the day.

BOBBY

(under his breath)

Didn't he say that already?

(then to BILLY)

Well, I guess I'll be going, since

you're back.

BILLY

Thanks for filling in

BOBBY

It was a real treat, believe me.

BOBBY hurriedly leaves the shop and BILLY takes up his

position again, with an attitude of patient and hopeful

expectation.

EXT - OUTSIDE SCOTTY'S SCOOTERS

It is twilight, and BILLY is up on the street level, and is

waiting outside by the front door of a wide, open entryway

at a corner location with a dark blue, very large neon light

on the wall behind him shining the words 'Scotty's Scooters'

in a fancy script font.

The interior is dark and there's a soft noise coming from

within that sounds like engines revving up repeatedly, in an

up and down drone. No one is visible inside the

establishment. There is no one else on the sidewalk except,m

in the distance, a few of the static groups of 2 and 4

gathering and chatting. These groups are never walking or

otherwise moving in any direction, but always remain in

their spots.

After several seconds MAGGIE approaches rapidly. She is tall

and athletic looking, olive-skinned with close-cropped black

hair. She is wearing yellow track shoes, gray running sweats

and a neatly pressed white dress shirt. BILLY takes a step

forward and begin to raise his right hand to his temple, but

stops halfway, as MAGGIE keeps walking right past him.

He looks back down the sidewalk again. In the dim light the

groups of 2 and 4 are still barely visible, but in a couple

of them individuals have changed into completely different

figures.

Another woman approaches, SUZIE. She is shorter, slimmer,

dark-brown skinned, with delicate and pretty features and a

long tangle of black curls hanging down to the middle of her

back. She is walking more slowly, and slows down further as

she nears the entrance.

BILLY takes a step forward and this time completes his

salute.

BILLY

Good evening. Are you SUZIE?

SUZIE

(reciprocating the gesture)

Yes. You must be BILLY.

BILLY

(boldly)

I am. It's nice to see you.

SUZIE

(timidly, but pleasant)

It's nice to see you too.

BILLY

Have you been here before. To

Scotty's?

SUZIE

(uncertainly)

I hear it's lots of fun?

BILLY

It sure is. Let's go in

SUZIE

Good. Okay.

INT - INSIDE SCOTTY'S SCOOTERS

They enter together and go up to a long wooden counter,

reminiscent of a bowling alley, but instead of rows of

shoe-holding cubbyholes, the wall behind the counter is

filled with rows of two- to three-foot long poles of various

thicknesses and colors. On the top of the poles are

rubber-like grips, and on the bottoms are wide, flat rubber

disks, like flattened suction cups.

A man dressed in a business suit comes from out of a room

behind the wall and addresses them. It is SCOTTY himself, a

middle-aged, slightly overweight and very pale man with

nearly pink eyes above no eyebrows. His very thin brown hair

looks as if it is plastered onto the top of his head by

sweat. When he raises his hand in the gesture, it almost

seems he is going to wipe the wetness from his forehead.

SCOTTY

Welcome, welcome. Scotty's the name

and Scotty's the place.

BILLY

Thank you. We're here to scoot.

SCOTTY

Of course you are, of course.

You've been here before, I take it?

BILLY

I know all about it.

SUZIE

First time for me ... I think.

SCOTTY

(chuckling)

Oh, you'd remember, that's for

sure. Once you've been scooting,

you'll always be hooting.

(turning to BILLY)

You'll be showing her the ropes, I

take it?

BILLY

I'll be glad to. Will you fit us

out?

SCOTTY

Certainly, certainly. Let me take a

look at you.

(he leans over the counter and

examines the two closely for a

few moments)

You, sir, are a regular normal

mid-size, and you, miss, I would

say you're a regular petite.

SUZIE

If you say so

SCOTTY

(turns and pulls two longer

yellow poles from the wall and

hands them to BILLY. He turns

back again, selects two

shorter pink ones, and hands

them to SUZIE)

If you have any questions, just

ask.

BILLY

Thanks. We'll be fine.

(to SUZIE)

Right this way. We'll grab a

scooter at the ramp.

Following BILLY's indication, the two make a visual

inspection of the facility as they approach to the left of

the counter. The room is very large, approximately seventy

yards long by forty yards wide and is mostly made up or an

uneven ring of greased raised wooden floors, very much like

a roller derby rink, with railings along the sides.

The floors are about seven feet wide and slope up and down

at irregular intervals, reaching as high as eight feet above

the floor, and as low as barely above floor level itself.

There is no one on the ramps. BILLY and SUZIE are the only

customers. The whirring noise is louder now.

BILLY leads SUZIE to the ramp marked ENTRY, on the far right

wall. On the left wall, at the same latitude, is a ramp

marked EXIT. The rest of the structure is a complete circle

ring. At the base of the entry ramp is a stack of round, red

plastic 'scooters', like circular toboggans. BILLY pulls two

from the stack and places them at the bottom of the ramp,

inside of black metal contraptions.

BILLY

These are the scooters. I'm going

to put each one into its own

launcher. See these devices here?

They're spring loaded, so once we

sit down and get our positions

stable, oh, and you hold one of

these in each hand.

(indicating the poles, and

demonstrating how to hold

them)

You can use them to brake or turn

or speed up or slow down. The first

time around, just hold them up,

like this. The launchers will get

us going pretty fast so you just

want to concentrate on keeping your

balance.

SUZIE

(a little nervously)

Is it dangerous? Should I be

afraid?

BILLY

(smiling, and playfully

jesting)

Only if fear's your theme today.

SUZIE

Oh.

BILLY

Is it?

(SUZIE doesn't respond, but

looks a little anxious)

Don't worry. You can't be hurt. The

stabilizers make sure of that. Are

you ready?

BILLY has placed the scooters on the launching devices, and

now sits down in his. He gestures for SUZIE to do the same.

SUZIE

I guess so

SUZIE climbs aboard her scooter and tries to copy BILLY's

seating position and the way he's holding his poles. Before

she's quite situated, a loud buzzing sound is heard, and the

two are catapulted at a very high velocity up the ramp and

onto the track.

The track is highly greased, as are the bottoms of the

scooters, and the two are whipped around the course, BILLY

stretching out to a significant lead as they come around to

complete the first cycle. He uses his poles to slow his

scooter down enough for SUZIE to catch up and even zip by,

and then he uses them again, like ski poles, to accelerate

and join her.

BILLY has a big smile on his face, while SUZIE remains

uncertain. After the second time around the track, though,

she relaxes, and even laughs out loud. As they prepare to

whip around for a third time, SUZIE also has a grin on her

face. They go around several times, with SUZIE making

attempts to use her poles like BILLY does, without success

but with awkward mistakes. She eventually shrugs and just

lifts them up and keeps them up.

BILLY seems to be an expert and navigates his way around the

track at will. Finally, after a while, he shouts out.

BILLY

Exit! Follow me!

BILLY steers with his right pole and veers off onto the exit

ramp, but SUZIE misses the turn and has to go around the

track again. By the time she does come down the ramp, BILLY

is standing at the bottom, waiting for her. She comes

zooming down and tumbles down at his feet.

He graciously puts his arm down and helps her to her feet.

SUZIE is laughing, embarrassed but happy. BILLY puts the

scooters away while SUZIE waits by the entryway. He joins

her and there are a few moments of silence between them.

They look at each other in a very friendly way, and appear

to be about to make some intimate gesture, such as hold

hands, or even kiss. Indeed, BILLY holds out his right hand,

and SUZIE holds up hers to touch fingertips. The moment

their fingers touch, however, she jumps back as if there had

been a static shock. She looks up at him, startled, and

backs away.

BILLY

Are you okay?

SUZIE

(looking down at her hand for

a moment, and then back at

BILLY)

I'm okay. I'm all right. (pauses)

Good night.

(she turns and walks away much

more rapidly than she had when

approaching)

BILLY

(looks a little confused, and

calls after her)

Good night!

EXT - OUTSIDE SCOTTY'S SCOOTERS

BILLY stands on the sidewalk watching SUZIE disappear behind

a group of 4, the same group that had been in the distance

when he was waiting for her to arrive. Otherwise the street

scene is now deserted. BILLY begins walking in the same

direction that SUZIE went, but not in any hurry.

As he passes by the group, two of them turn to look at him,

but he doesn't notice. It is night-time. He walks a half

block in the darkness along a deserted sidewalk until he

comes to a bus stop. He has hardly arrived there when a bus

materializes from around the corner, stops and picks him up.

INT - INSIDE BILLY'S APARTMENT BUILDING, INSIDE APARTMENT

BILLY gets off the bus on the corner of his own street, and

walks to and into his building, up the stairs and down the

hallway to his apartment. The street and the building are

deserted. BILLY opens his front door (there are no locks, no

keys) and the light goes on. As he passes through the living

room, the wall screen (now on our left) lights up, and

General Robert E. Lee's face comes into focus.

GENERAL LEE

Good evening, BILLY.

BILLY

(barely glancing at the

visage)

Good evening.

BILLY goes into the kitchen, where he repeats the morning

ritual of fetching a container of orange juice from the

refrigerator, a glass from a cupboard, filling it and begin

to drink. He seems pretty thirsty and drinks the whole thing

before pouring a second glass.

GENERAL LEE

Did you have a good day?

BILLY

Yes, very good. And you?

(the general does not answer

this, or any other questions)

GENERAL LEE

Did you have a chance to consider

your theme?

BILLY

(thinking)

My theme? Oh yes, to lose is to

gain. I did think about it, yes. I

had two customers today. One of

them had forgotten his theme, which

was Loss. He found it again in a

copy of the Sphairos we had at

Nicky's.

GENERAL LEE

(murmurs to himself)

He forgot? Hmmm. Well, I suppose

sometimes forgetfulness can be a

blessing.

BILLY

(polishing off his second

drink, and putting the glass

in the dishwasher, which now

contains two glasses)

What was that?

GENERAL LEE

It is time to gather your thoughts,

Billy. Give me your hand.

BILLY

Yes, of course.

BILLY approaches and raises his right palm. He presses it

against the wall, where General Lee has also raised his

right palm. When the two hands touch, BILLY appears to

become frozen in place for a long moment, while the General

squints and seems to wince in some pain at the contact.

After a few seconds of this, the general withdraws his hand,

and BILLY is seen to breathe again. He then withdraws his

own hand and takes a few steps backward.

GENERAL LEE

And where did you go this evening?

BILLY

(in a sort of daze)

Go?

GENERAL LEE

Scotty's Scooters, wasn't it?

BILLY

(mechanically)

That place is fun. A lot of fun.

GENERAL LEE

And did you go there with someone?

BILLY

(shaking his head)

It's always fun at Scotty's.

GENERAL LEE

Very good. Now sleep well.

BILLY

Okay. I believe I will.

BILLY leaves the room and proceeds to the bathroom, where he

closes the door, and after a brief time emerges wearing the

pajamas and slippers he was wearing in the morning. He goes

straight into his bedroom, where the lights come on as he

enters. The clock on the nightstand reads 6 o'clock. He

takes off and places his slippers on the floor, climbs into

bed, and the lights go out.

INT - BEDROOM - MORNING

The alarm buzzer sounds and BILLY wakes up in the same

fashion as on the previous day - mechanically rolling over

to turn it off, pausing a moment, then leaping up out of bed

directly to a standing position. He steps into the slippers

and pads off into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

BILLY emerges from the bathroom wearing a clean and neatly

pressed suit. As he enters the living room, the wall screen

lights up and General Lee peers at him.

GENERAL LEE

Good morning, Billy.

BILLY

Good morning, sir.

GENERAL LEE

We have official business to attend

to this day.

BILLY

(now in the kitchen, fixing

his orange juice)

Official?

GENERAL LEE

Yes, Billy. Your assignment today

is of an executive nature. You'll

be at headquarters performing some

supervisory activities.

BILLY

Very well.

GENERAL LEE

Your theme for the day is INSIGHT.

As someone once said, "in nature

there are neither rewards nor

punishments. There are

consequences."

BILLY

Cause and effect

GENERAL LEE

Precisely. That is all. You know

where to go?

BILLY

I do, and I thank you.

GENERAL LEE

Not at all, Billy. It's why I'm

here.

Billy starts to return to the bedroom when the general calls

out.

GENERAL LEE

Oh, and Billy. One more thing.

BILLY

(turning around)

Yes?

GENERAL LEE

You will have no social call this

evening. It will be a long day at

work.

BILLY

Very well.

EXT - DOWNTOWN

BILLY is on a downtown sidewalk, walking along Lark Avenue

past a building labeled New Town Bank, and then enters the

next building which is labeled New Town Corp.

INT - INSIDE THE NEW TOWN CORP BUILDING

The lobby is made of polished black stone with gold light

fixtures surrounding a round, dark wooden desk in the

middle, where no one is sitting. There is no one else in the

lobby at all.

BILLY walks past the desk to a set of three elevators. He

presses the common up button and waits a few moments, and

then all three elevator doors open at the same time, all

ready to go up.

BILLY selects the left elevator. Inside it, he presses the

12th floor (top) button. He emerges from the elevator when

it arrives there and proceeds down a poorly lit hallway.

There are opaque glass doors with small black lettering

along the corridor. All of these office doors are closed.

At the end of the hallway BILLY reaches up and pulls down a

trap door ladder from the ceiling. He climbs up the ladder.

EXT - ON THE ROOFTOP

BILLY is on the roof of the building. It is packed with

solar panels surrounding a large green water tank in the

middle. He walks around the panels and sees the same pattern

of panels and water tanks repeated on the roofs of all the

buildings, not only downtown but all over the city. At the

far edges of the city, on all four sides of its perfect

square, he can see a very thin line of swirling red dust

clouds on the horizon. Above the city the sky is completely

clear and blue.

BILLY pulls a small hand held device out of his suit pocket

and walks over to the water tower, where he inspects some

round gauges and taps some notes into the device.

He checks a few solar panels as well, which have strips of

black and green indicators (like thermometers). BILLY makes

a tour of the entire rooftop, then returns to the ladder,

where he descends into the hallway and returns the trap door

ladder to its concealed ceiling position.

INT - IN THE OFFICE

BILLY goes to the elevator bank and presses the down button.

The same one he took up opens immediately and he takes it

down to the seventh floor.

He walks past a few opaque-glass doors and enters an office

labeled 'SUPERVISION'. It is a small room with a gray metal

desk and a padded chair behind it. On the desk is a computer

terminal and keyboard, and a stack of white papers.

BILLY takes the seat behind the desk and begins to read the

papers, setting each piece aside into a separate pile as he

reads. Occasionally he turns to the computer and types in

some notes.

When he has completed reading the last paper, he stands up

and leaves the room.

INT - THE FACTORY FLOOR

BILLY again takes the same elevator, this time down to the

first floor. He proceeds past the elevators towards the back

of the lobby, where he enters a plain unlabeled gray door.

He enters a vast room filled with large and shiny gray

machines joined together by conveyor belts.

Each machine is at a separate station which extends from

floor to ceiling. The machines are like large

air-conditioning vents - metallic rectangles with sheer

panels on all sides, except for a large square opening one

opposite sides at eye level. These openings lead onto the

conveyor belts, which extend through these machines to large

loading docks at the far side of the room.

At a few of these stations stands a worker, inspecting

merchandise as it pops out of the machines. BILLY goes to

one, where DONNY, from the bus ride, is working. The room is

very loud. The sound is like an air conditioner - high

volume but constant, not clanging or banging.

At DONNY's station, all sorts of random products are

emerging from the machine - steaks, toys, dresses, tools,

shoes, cartons of orange juice, umbrellas, nuts and bolts -

each item already prepackaged, shrink-wrapped, and labeled.

DONNY is checking things off of a list on a clipboard.

BILLY leans over and asks him something, and DONNY answers,

but it is too loud to hear what they are saying.

BILLY walks over to the loading docks, where yellow vans are

waiting. Products come off the conveyor belts and fall into

'shakers', tube-like vertical handlers that sort and shape

the packages into a stackable order.

There are workers loading the packages into the vans. SAMMY

is one of them and BILLY exchanges some unheard words with

him as well. BILLY moves from station to station around the

factory floor. The scene fades away.

INT - INSIDE BILLY'S APARTMENT

BILLY walks down the corridor to his apartment. It is

evening outside of the window. He enters his place and the

lights come on. General Lee appears on the wall.

GENERAL LEE

Good evening, Billy.

BILLY

Good evening.

GENERAL LEE

I trust your assignment went well.

BILLY

Yes, indeed. No problems.

GENERAL LEE

I'm glad to hear it. Give me your

hand.

BILLY raises his palm and places it against the General's

and is frozen in place while the General's face reflects a

passive calm. The process lasts about ten seconds before the

General removes his hand, and BILLY is restored to life.

GENERAL LEE

You've had a long day.

BILLY

Yes, I think I'll turn in now.

BILLY goes off into the bathroom, emerging wearing his

customary pajamas. He goes into the bedroom, removes his

slippers, climbs into bed, and the lights go off.

INT - DREAM - DEPARTMENT STORE

The darkness of the bedroom gradually lightens and the room

becomes a large department store. At first there is only the

pale yellow tile walkway, and then becoming visible are

glass cases on either side of the aisle, formed into

ring-like islands, such as in a jewelry department in a

store like Macy's.

The cases are opaque and blurry, however and what is within

them cannot be seen. Everything is a bit out of focus and at

strange angles. To the right there is a cash register and,

up to our left above it, resting on a shelf is a very white

but blurry shape. The shape becomes larger and comes into

focus and it is a head-and-shoulders mannequin.

She is all white and bald but very lovely, and she is

looking down in what would be a sad expression if her eyes

were not completely blank like the rest of her face. As she

comes into very clear focus, it can be seen that she is

wearing a sapphire necklace.

Suddenly her eyes open and they are the same sapphire blue

color. At the instant her eyes open, her mouth forms an 'O'

and she gasps. The alarm clock starts buzzing, and the dream

image vanishes, replaced by BILLY's bedroom. The room lights

are on.

INT - BEDROOM - MORNING

BILLY wakes up in the exact same sequence as before - rolls

over, turns off the alarm clock, leaps out of bed, steps

into his slippers and pads off to the bathroom.

He follows the rest of his usual morning routine, into the

bathroom, and then out again, fully dressed in the same, or

very similar, formal attire. As he steps into the living

room, the wall screen comes on, and the General appears.

GENERAL LEE

Good morning, BILLY. Ah trust you

slept well.

BILLY

I guess so. I don't remember

Again, BILLY barely glances at the figure, though it looms

on the wall much larger than life. BILLY walks into the

kitchen where he opens the refrigerator and removes the

usual container of orange juice. He retrieves another clean

glass from the cupboard and pours while the General

continues.

GENERAL LEE

Today your theme is Peace

(he pauses)

"The way up and down is the same"

BILLY

Heraclitus

GENERAL LEE

Precisely. Also, your thought for

the day comes from that same

philosopher, who said, "even

sleeping men are doing the world's

business, and helping it along."

What do you think that means?

BILLY

(sipping his juice

thoughtfully)

A sleeping man is still a man. As

much as a man is doing the world's

business, he is doing it no matter

what state he's in at the moment.

GENERAL LEE

(seems to be considering this

response)

An interesting notion.

(he nods after a time, in

agreement)

Yes, that could be one meaning. You

will have time to consider it

further. Your assignment for the

day is building maintenance. You

will have the third and fourth

floors of Eleven Hundred West

Seventh Street.

BILLY

That's very close.

GENERAL LEE

Yes, it is. You may walk. It is

only a few blocks. You are not

scheduled until eleven, however. As

it is now only eight twenty, you

have some time for chores and for

review.

BILLY

Which chores have priority now?

GENERAL LEE

(gesturing towards the

kitchen)

Dishes, and laundry. You may attend

to both. At the same time, you will

review the Tripartite Tractate, and

Book Seven from The Way of Chuang

Tzu. Do you have access now?

BILLY

(his eyes look up as if

peering into his mind)

Yes. I think so. Yes, I do.

GENERAL LEE

Good. You may begin. I will let you

know when it is time to leave for

your assignment

BILLY

Very well, thank you

(puts his dish in the

dishwasher and begins to walk

back to the bedroom)

GENERAL LEE

One more thing.

BILLY

(turning back around)

Yes?

GENERAL LEE

Your social call this evening at 5

will be at Freddy's Fine Foods. You

will meet BOBBY there. Try the

special.

BILLY

Freddy's? Okay. They say it's very

good.

GENERAL LEE

I hope you enjoy it.

BILLY

Thanks. Thank you. I hope so too.

GENERAL LEE

And don't forget. Today could be

the day.

BILLY

Of course. Yes it could.

BILLY leaves the room but returns to the kitchen moments

later with a bag of laundry. He opens a bottom cupboard next

to the dishwasher to reveal a small washing machine and

dryer beside it. For the next few moments he goes about

loading up the washing machine, pouring in detergent

crystals, and starting it off.

Then he steps over to the dishwasher, pours in the same

detergent from the same box, and starts it going as well. He

then returns to the living room. General Lee had vanished

from the wall as BILLY had left the room before, and remains

gone. BILLY takes a seat on the small sofa on the adjacent

wall. and sits quietly, arms folded, his eyes again looking

up into his mind.

He shows some occasional eye movement as if he is processing

data. Otherwise he has no expression on his face. After some

time has lapsed, a high beeping sound indicates that the

washer is done. BILLY gets up and proceeds to shift the

clothes into the dryer, and starts it going. He then empties

the five now-clean drinking glasses from the dishwasher and

puts them away in the cupboard.

Then he returns to the sofa, resumes the same position as

before, and continues to access his brain. After a little

more time has passed, some more beeping indicates that the

dryer is done. He retrieves the dry clothes from it and

carries them into the bedroom, where he carefully folds

everything and puts them away in the closet (where there is

a dresser and some hangers). Returning to the living room,

he sees that the General has returned.

GENERAL LEE

Ten forty-five. It is time for you

to leave. Remember, Eleven ...

BILLY

Eleven hundred West Seventh Street.

Got it. Thanks.

GENERAL LEE

The way up and down is the same

BILLY

Heraclitus. Got it.

EXT - OUTSIDE BILLY'S APARTMENT BUILDING

BILLY leaves the apartment, and walking down the hall sees

that different doors are open this time. He looks into one

of those and nods with satisfaction at what he sees.

Descending down the stairs, he exits the building and turns

right, in the opposite direction as on the previous days.

There is a group of four standing out in front of his

building, a typical foursome of mixed types and fashion

statements. There seems to be no pattern to the combinations

of people in these groups. There are a few other groups of

two and four as he turns right at the next corner and walks

up another two blocks. There are one or two other single

individuals walking in the other direction, but they take no

notice of each other or of the groups and vice versa.

INT - ANOTHER APARTMENT BUILDING

BILLY arrives at his assignment destination and walks up to

the third floor. At the top of the stairs he opens a door

which looks like any other apartment door, only this one

turns out to be a janitorial closet. He retrieves a thin,

lightweight vacuum cleaner, a dust rag and a spray can. He

tucks the latter two under one arm and carries the vacuum

cleaner with the other hand.

He proceeds to the next door down the hall, opens it, enters

the empty rooms and begins dusting and vacuuming. He does a

thorough job, taking his time to cover every surface, wall

and floor and furniture. He opens the kitchen cupboards,

which are seen to contain the very same kind and number of

drinking glasses as his own apartment.

Everything in the apartment looks to be the same as his own,

except there is no sign of anyone living there. The bed does

not have sheets or blankets on it, though there is a pillow.

Again, there are no windows anywhere in the apartment. After

making sure of his work (and the clock beside the bed shows

us that a little more than an hour has passed), BILLY leaves

the apartment, goes two doors down, enters and begins to

perform the same sequence of actions.

He more rapidly performs the same duties in two more

apartments on the third floor, and then three apartments on

the fourth floor. By the time he is done, a clock in the

last room shows it to be 4:30.

BILLY returns the cleaning equipment to the room near the

stairway on the third floor, descends the stairway, and

leaves the building. It has begun to grow dark outside as

BILLY walks to the corner, crosses the street and stands

inside the bus shelter there.

EXT - OUTSIDE FREDDY'S FINE FOODS

BILLY gets off a bus in a different (yet nearly identical)

residential neighborhood. He walks to the corner, passing a

Debbie's Doggie Doo pet salon and a Larry's Liquors before

reaching a Freddy's Fine Foods, which occupies the large

corner location.

Standing out in front of Freddy's is BOBBY, the same

individual who spotted BILLY for lunch the previous day when

he was working at Nicky's News & Views. If BILLY recognizes

him, he gives no sign, but BOBBY seems to know him.

BOBBY

(saluting, and holding out his

hand)

Hello, BILLY

BILLY

(returning the gesture, and

shaking hands vigorously)

Hello. You must be BOBBY. Have you

been waiting long?

BOBBY

Not long, no, just a few minutes.

Long enough to see two customers go

into that Larry's Liquors, though.

They seem to be getting a lot of

business.

BILLY

Two customers in just a few

minutes? Wow. Do you think it might

be ...?

BOBBY

(cutting him off with a

gesture)

No, they were settlers. I'm pretty

sure. I saw them both come out with

bottles. Must be boozers.

BILLY

Boozers?

BOBBY

More and more of those every day.

Don't you know?

BILLY

No. I've never heard the term.

BOBBY

Who's your personal director?

BILLY

Robert E. Lee. Why?

BOBBY

(shrugs)

Must be sleeping on the job, but

never mind. My theme today is

Reason, so I'm just thinking about

stuff.

BILLY

(smiles)

Mine is Peace, so I am not.

INT - INSIDE FREDDY'S FINE FOODS

The two enter the restaurant, which is a fancy place, with

chandeliers and white tablecloths and fine silverware.

ROBBIE, A short, stubby man wearing a maroon outfit and with

a head of thick black hair greets them, and shows them to a

table in the middle of the room.

The restaurant is packed with groups of two and four. As on

the street, the groups seem to be random collections of

characters of different ages, sizes, ethnicities and dress.

Although the restaurant seems like a formal and expensive

place, no two together are dressed alike or even close.

Some people are made up and wearing nice outfits while their

table partners are dirty and wearing old clothes or

sweatpants. There are some repeats here and there - some one

or two that have been seen before on the street or in the

underground are seated here.

All of the diners are either sitting in front of full plates

or appear to be waiting. All are chatting or listening. None

are eating or drinking. The entire time in this restaurant

scene, none of them eat or drink anything, although food is

brought to them, and later taken away.

While waiting for service, BILLY and BOBBY take some time to

peruse the menu, occasionally talking.

BILLY

They say the fish here is good.

BOBBY

I don't like fish. There's

something disgusting about it,

don't you think?

The waiter arrives

WAITER

Have you decided?

BILLY

What are your specials?

WAITER

Tonight we have two specials. A

breaded talapia with broiled onions

and potatoes, and a steak salad

featuring black olives and ginger

croutons.

BOBBY

Ginger croutons?

BILLY

I'll have the talapia. It sounds

delicious.

BOBBY

Just a steak for me. Well done. And

a baked potato if you please

WAITER

Anything to drink?

BOBBY

Water for me, thanks.

BILLY

Do you have any orange juice?

WAITER

Certainly, sir. I'll be right back

with your drinks

The two lapse into silence for a minute, taking turns

looking around the room at the other diners. The waiter

returns with the drinks and both BILLY and BOBBY take sips

from theirs.

BOBBY

I'm a water man, myself. Nothing

but cool clear water for me.

BILLY

(nodding)

Water is good

BOBBY

Have you ever tried alcohol?

BILLY

(slightly shocked)

Oh no. Not that. Have you?

BOBBY

Oh, I'm no boozer. I can't be sure

about anybody else. I'm certain

there are more Larry's Liquors

opening all the time, though. Maybe

I'm just imagining things.

BILLY

Imagining?

BOBBY

Yeah, like making it up. Don't you

ever make things up?

BILLY

I don't think so

BOBBY

You ever been to the edge?

BILLY

The edge of what?

BOBBY

The edge of town. Past the

Fourteenths. They try to stop you.

BILLY

(raising his eyebrows)

Really?

BOBBY

(winking)

I got through. It wasn't easy.

BILLY

What's there?

BOBBY

Nothing, That's the point. There's

nothing out there at all.

BILLY

(knits his brow as if

considering the implications)

Then why go? And what are boozers?

BOBBY

Boozers? They used to be like us,

or like you at least. Going around,

doing their jobs and then poof. All

of a sudden they can't do it

anymore. Something happens to them.

I don't know what. After that you

see them wandering around as if

they don't know where to go. You

see them sneaking into Larry's

Liquors, sneaking out. They keep to

themselves.

BILLY

Are they dangerous?

BOBBY

(snorting)

Seem pretty useless to me. Ever

been to a bar, like Harry's Happy

Hour?

BILLY

I've never been assigned to visit

one.

BOBBY

(leaning over, confidentially)

I don't believe anyone has. I don't

think they were even part of the

plan.

BILLY

(somewhat shocked)

That can't be right. Everything is

part of the plan. It has to be.

At that point the waiter arrives with the food, and arranges

the dishes before them in a flourish. BOBBY and BILLY take

another sip of their drink and carefully inspect the food

before them.

BOBBY

Well, that looks like everything.

BILLY

Even the special. Exactly as

described.

BOBBY

(getting up)

All right, then.

BILLY

(also standing)

I agree. Well done.

BOBBY

(laughing)

The steak, too. Well done.

They leave the restaurant together, chuckling.

EXT - OUTSIDE FREDDY'S FINE FOODS

No sooner do they exit than a filthy, raggedy long-bearded

bum suddenly pops into view, right in front of BILLY, and,

waving his hands in the air, starts shouting at him. His

sudden appearance and loud speech is startling.

MANIFESTATION

Wake up! When are you going to wake

up?

BILLY

(takes a step backward,

clearly startled and uneasy.

BOBBY stands near and watches

BILLY in some alarm. He

doesn't appear to notice the

bum at all, which seems

impossible)

MANIFESTATION

Do you still believe? Look what you

are doing to yourself! How long are

you going to wait? A thousand

years?

(shaking his fist directly

under BILLY's chin)

Oh ye of too much faith!

(spits on the ground

You and your Jimmyland! You disgust

me!

As quickly as he had appeared, the vision vanishes, and

BILLY is left speechless. BOBBY reaches out and touches his

shoulder

BOBBY

Are you all right? You look like

you've seen a ghost.

BILLY

(turning towards him)

You didn't see? You didn't see

that?

BOBBY

The only thing I saw was you gaping

like a fish out of water. Are you

sure you're all right?

BILLY

(pulling himself together)

I'm fine. I'm okay. I just thought.

I thought I saw, no, never mind.

Good night.

BOBBY

(to himself)

Boozer.

EXT - BUS SHELTER

BILLY walks away, BOBBY staring after him for a few steps,

then shrugging and walking away in the other direction.

BILLY walks faster, and stops at the first bus shelter he

comes to. He looks eagerly down the street, clearly hoping

for a bus to arrive quickly, but no bus is seen. He stands,

fidgeting, uneasy.

There are a few groups of two on the sidewalk nearby,

engaged as usual in motionless discourse. From behind one of

those groups, RICKY appears and walks up to BILLY. He is the

man who came into Nicky's News & Views the morning before.

RICKY

Hello.

BILLY

(taking notice but looking

away quickly)

Hello.

RICKY

Do you remember me? You don't, do

you?

BILLY

(glancing again at RICKY, then

quickly looking away again,

straining to see a bus)

No. I don't know you. Do I?

RICKY

I came into your store yesterday.

Nicky's News & Views?

BILLY

You must be mistaken. I don't have

a store.

RICKY

You were working there. Yes, you

were assigned. I came in looking

for a copy of the Sphairos. Do you

remember that? I was your first

customer of the day.

BILLY

We had two customers.

RICKY

And I was one of them. I told you I

couldn't remember my theme. That

was a lie. I didn't have a theme.

BILLY

That's not possible.

RICKY

But it's true. It happened to me.

Two days ago. My personal director

is gone.

BILLY

(clearly wishing that RICKY

would disappear)

I'm sorry, but that simply can't

happen. They're part of the plan,

after all. We all have our guides.

It is the way.

RICKY

I tell you it did happen. And look

at me now! What am I supposed to

do? Where am I supposed to go? What

would you do?

Just then a bus appears and pulls up. BILLY, ignoring RICKY

completely, hurries to clamber onto the bus and rushes to

take a seat on the far side, in the back. RICKY continues to

shout after him.

RICKY

(as if this were the key to a

mystery)

I remember you! I remember you!

INT - INSIDE BILLY'S APARTMENT

BILLY gets off the bus near his apartment and does not seem

to be much calmer, but relaxes when he goes up the stairs

and walks down the hallway. By the time he opens his door he

is breathing more normally and seems to have shaken off his

alarm. As he enters the living room, the lights come on, and

the General appears on the wall.

GENERAL LEE

Did you have a good day?

BILLY

What? Oh, I guess so. And you?

(the general does not answer)

GENERAL LEE

Did you have a chance to consider

your theme?

BILLY

(confused)

My theme? Oh, peace. Yes. At my

assignment today it was very

peaceful, and I went up the stairs

and I went down the stairs and they

were the same stairs.

GENERAL LEE

The stairs?

BILLY

The way up and down was the same.

Excuse me, I need a drink.

BILLY heads into the kitchen where he performs his typical

orange juice ritual. The General looks on with his usual

stern expression.

GENERAL LEE

Did you review the Tripartite

Tractate?

BILLY

Yes, yes I did.

(pauses, then confesses)

But I don't recall much of it now.

I can do it over.

GENERAL LEE

(frowning)

Never mind about that.

BILLY

I saw something peculiar today.

GENERAL LEE

What did you see?

BILLY

It was a man. He was yelling at me.

My companion didn't see him. And

then the man vanished.

GENERAL LEE

Describe this man.

BILLY

He was loud. And dirty, and smelly.

And he was very hairy too.

GENERAL LEE

Hairy?

BILLY

He had a beard

GENERAL LEE

I have a beard.

BILLY

His was white, like yours, but

longer and shaggier

GENERAL LEE

(considers these facts, and

pauses for a long moment)

It's time to gather your thoughts,

Billy. Give me your hand.

BILLY extends his palm just as he had the night before,

placing it against the general's on the wall. Again BILLY

seems to be frozen in place during the duration of this

transaction, re-animating only when the General releases

him.

In the meantime, the General continues to frown and

occasionally scowl. Once he glances at BILLY with an even

sterner look than usual. His brow furrows with an expression

of concern, then he finally lets go, and his expression

becomes more typically stern again.

GENERAL LEE

Tell me more about what you saw.

BILLY

What I saw? What do you mean?

GENERAL LEE

Very good. And how was the special?

BILLY

The special? Oh, at Freddy's Fine

Foods? It was just as they said it

would be.

GENERAL LEE

Then everything is all right.

BILLY

Certainly. Of course. Everything is

fine.

GENERAL LEE

Good night, then.

BILLY

Good night, sir.

BILLY goes straight to bed after the usual bathroom/slipper

ritual. He seems to be exactly as he was the night before.

There are no longer any signs of confusion or agitation.

Then entire day and evening have been wiped clean from his

mind. When he climbs into bed - the clock shows 6:00 - the

room turns dark. After a few moments his deep, even

breathing can be heard, and the dream begins again

INT - DREAM DEPARTMENT STORE

In the dream the same mannequin creature there and is seen

now from behind the counter. She is chattering happily with

someone. The words cannot be heard distinctly, only pleasant

murmurings.

This time the store is in focus and the display case below

her contains fingers, hands and wrists of various shapes and

sizes. In the case below there is an assortment of toes,

ankles and feet.

The words 'Someone's coming' are distinctly heard, and a

woman without eyes is standing in front of the register. Her

face is the inverse of the mannequin's. It looks just like

her but is full of color and makeup, except her eyes, which

are blank and white like a ancient Greek statue.

She smiles and politely says, in a proper British accent,

'where is your optical department?', and, after a beat, she

opens her mouth wide and laughs and the sound HA HA HA HA

becomes the alarm clock buzzing again.

INT - BEDROOM - MORNING

BILLY wakes up and follows his usual routine, except that

when he walks into the living room from the bathroom, the

wall remains white. There is no General Lee, no screen at

all. BILLY proceeds to the kitchen, draws his usual orange

juice and begins to sip it.

Suddenly he realizes that something is missing. He walks,

with his glass, over to the wall where the General should

be, and peers closely at it, as if that will help to turn it

on. He backs away, looks again, and shakes his head.

BILLY

I guess I'll have to do it myself.

BILLY clears his throat and hunches up his shoulders. He

walks to the wall, then turns around to face where he was

standing before.

BILLY AS GENERAL LEE

(in a deep voice and thick

drawl, in a poor imitation of

the General)

Good morning, Billy. I trust you

had a good night's sleep.

BILLY AS HIMSELF

(turning around and speaking

in his normal voice)

I guess so. I really don't remember

BILLY AS GENERAL LEE

Well, never mind about that. Your

theme for today is. Your theme for

today. Got to have a theme. Let's

see. What's a good one. (pauses and

knits his eyebrows as if lost in

thought)

How about Anxiety?

BILLY AS HIMSELF

Seems appropriate

BILLY AS THE GENERAL

Got to be a quote about that

somewhere. How about this one?

"Dogs bark at strangers".

BILLY AS HIMSELF

Um, okay?

BILLY AS GENERAL LEE

"One thinks the way one has been

taught to think, but one feels only

as one feels."

BILLY AS HIMSELF

(fidgeting)

I do have to think. I have to

think, but all I can think of are

places and names and bus routes,

and work and jobs and where things

are, and what they're called and

how to do things, and it's all just

information and it isn't helping me

right now.

(pauses, then looks back at

the wall)

Still a no-show, huh? I wonder if

this has ever happened before? I

just can't recall. Can't remember

much of anything that matters,

really.

BILLY takes his now empty glass to the dishwasher and puts

it in. Standing there, he continues to mutter to himself.

BILLY

I'll have to think for myself, I

guess. What should I do? I need an

assignment. Hmm. Maybe I'll make it

a shopping day. I could do a little

of that. Go somewhere. Be a

customer. That could work. Today

could be the day, after all.

He starts to head back to the bedroom to complete his

morning routine, but stops himself after a couple of steps.

BILLY AS THE GENERAL

Oh, Billy. One more thing.

BILLY AS HIMSELF

Yes?

BILLY AS THE GENERAL

Your social call. I figure you'll

just have to wing it.

BILLY AS HIMSELF

Right. I can do that.

EXT/INT - UNDERGROUND

BILLY leaves his apartment and walks down the hallway, not

bothering to inspect and approve of the maintenance being

done on any of the open doors on his floor. He trots down

the steps a little more eagerly than usual, but once out on

the sidewalk he stops and looks in both directions

indecisively.

He gestures in one direction, and then in the other, finally

shrugging and following the original one. He walks down to

that corner, waits for a bus in the shelter, climbs on one

when it arrives and sits watching out the window as the bus

takes him downtown.

He gets off at Independence Avenue and heads down the steps

to the underground. Here he slows his pace and takes his

time, looking around. There are a few groups of 2 and 4 here

and there, and the occasional pedestrian.

He walks by several shops, looking in at each one - Sidney's

Sneakers, Louie's Lamps, Debbie's Donuts - but not going

inside any of them. At the next intersection he stops again,

turns around 360 degrees and sighs.

INT - INSIDE LOUIE'S LAMPS

He decides to walk back the way he just came, and enters

Louie's Lamps. He saunters around the store, inspecting

light fixtures of various kinds. At length a clerk - KRISTY

- a short, plump, Indian-looking woman with pink glasses,

comes up to him.

KRISTY

Can I help you?

BILLY

(hesitantly)

I'm not sure. I wasn't actually

looking for anything in particular.

KRISTY

Just browsing? That's okay. Was

there a particular room in your

apartment you were thinking about?

BILLY

I guess I might have been thinking

about the living room.

KRISTY

Perhaps a floor lamp, for reading?

BILLY

Could be. Maybe. No, never mind.

KRISTY

We have some very nice floor lamps,

right over here.

BILLY

No. No, thank you, really.

KRISTY

If you like, I could show you some

of the latest desk lamps?

BILLY

I'm not interested, no. This seems

to have been a mistake.

KRISTY

We also have a variety of light

bulbs.

INT - UNDERGROUND

BILLY is uncomfortable with the persistent sales clerk, and

walks rapidly out of the store. He continues to walk quickly

down the corridor, past the intersection, past some other

shops until he reaches the following intersection, where he

stops once more, again undecided.

He takes a deep breath, and approaches a group of 4. This

group is made up of wildly divergent characters: a heavily

tattooed Hispanic gangster looking fellow, an old Vietnamese

man wearing rubbery ocean-fishing gear, a heavily made-up

middle-aged woman reeking of perfume and wearing a pink

mu-mu, and a very thin and pale young woman wearing all

black.

BILLY

Excuse me

None of the group takes any notice of him, and he steps up

closer. They are each taking turns speaking, and they are

talking gibberish, like characters in the Sims computer

game.

GANGSTER

ippo ma loggia gu na bee

FISHERMAN

ma, la na oggio fa

DEATH GIRL

sinka bollia?

BILLY

Excuse me. Excuse me? Can anyone

tell me where I can find the

nearest Candy's Candies?

GANGSTER

oppo ka ti olla

PERFUME

sheen sheen gogga fleh

BILLY

Hello? Hello?

BILLY looks perplexed and steps back from the group. Not one

of them had taken notice of him for a moment, though he had

been right in among them. They continue with their

deliberate round robin conversation as he walks away.

BILLY

Are they always like that?

He walks down the corridor and stops in the very next shop

he sees, which happens to be a Bobby's Baskets. He has

scarcely entered when an old, long-haired, bushy-bearded man

appears next to him and starts talking to him. This seems to

be the same character as the bum, but is cleaned up some,

and wearing a long green trench coat.

MANIFESTATION

(confidentially)

Today is not the day.

BILLY

What?

MANIFESTATION

(frowning)

I just told you.

BILLY

I'm sorry. Are you talking to me?

MANIFESTATION

Today is not the day. Today will

never be the day.

BILLY

I don't know what you're talking

about. Excuse me, please.

BILLY tries to turn and leave the shop but the old man

stands in his way and blocks him.

MANIFESTATION

(moving even closer)

I'm telling you. Listen to me.

Today is not the day. Tomorrow is

not the day. It will never be the

day.

BILLY

Please, let me pass.

MANIFESTATION

(grabbing on to BILLY's shirt

collar)

You must listen to me.

BILLY

(pulling the man's fingers off

him)

No. I'm sorry, but I have to go.

BILLY pushes by the man, and rushes back into the corridor.

He breaks into a run but after a half a block or so, looking

back and not seeing the old man anymore, he slows his pace.

Now he walks several blocks at random, all around the

underground, seemingly at random.

He isn't looking at anything now, just walking, with his

eyes on the ground. He passes several groups of 2 and 4 and

hears them, louder now, all talking that nonsense language.

BILLY

I can't keep this up forever. I'm

going to have to do something.

BILLY stops and stares at a sign that reads Wally's Waters.

In the window there are rows and rows of jugs and bottles,

each containing a different kind of water.

INT - INSIDE WALLY'S WATERS

BILLY goes inside. It is a tiny space, two rows of tall and

narrow shelves. Behind the counter stands JERRY, a smiling,

balding clerk wearing a blue apron.

JERRY

(making the two finger

gesture)

Hello

BILLY

Hello

BILLY continues along the aisles, reading all the labels,

There were distilled and mineral waters, the kind you find

in any supermarket, but then there are some stranger things;

water from hot springs, and natural healing waters, water

from polar caps, and water made from glaciers.

There is water or every conceivable variety. BILLY walks

back up the center aisle. When he returns to the front of

the store, the balding shopkeeper calls out.

JERRY

Can i help you with something?

BILLY

I don't know. I certainly don't

think so, but, what are those up

there?

He points to a shelf behind the counter, which is lined with

bottles ranging from transparent to yellow, then to green

and brown and finally a murky mud.

JERRY

Ah, my prize collection. The

spectrum of pollution. The clear

one at the end, that's naturally

distilled. The next one, with the

bubbles, is water from the back

room tap. Next, the slightly

yellowed stuff, is water from a

river. Then sewer water, water from

a factory, then a coal mine, then

the ocean.

BILLY

Please, enough. I don't want to

know where that last one's from.

JERRY

It's from Earth

BILLY

I didn't want to know.

JERRY

(intensely, while gesturing at

the murky brown bottle)

You need to know. This bottle

contains the last known drops of

water from the home world. They say

the planet went bone dry. The

people didn't pay enough attention

to the water. They didn't pay

attention!

BILLY shakes his head rapidly, pretending not to hear

BILLY

Goodbye.

JERRY

(loudly)

It's important to pay attention!

He walks out of the store, JERRY staring after him. BILLY

mutters to himself once he's back on the street

BILLY

What does he know? Water's no help

to me now. Next thing you know

they'll be saying all the air is

gone. Poof. Just like that. No more

air. Ridiculous.

INT - KITTY'S CORNER CAFE

BILLY walks around the underground for a few more blocks. It

is starting to grow dark as he arrives at Kitty's Corner

Cafe. Here he sees CINDY, a young Rita-Hayworth-type

knockout, flaming red hair, bright blue eyes, with a face

and body straight out of a centerfold.

CINDY is bursting out of a tight yellow tank top, cutoff

jeans shorts and ruby red pumps. She is sitting at an

outdoor table and stands up when BILLY approaches.

CINDY

Are you RICKY? You're ten minutes

late.

BILLY

(to himself)

Time to wing it.

(to CINDY)

Yes. Yes I am. I'm sorry I'm late.

It was, it was the bus.

CINDY

(disapprovingly)

I prefer to walk.

BILLY

(pulling up a chair and

sitting down, as CINDY sits

back in her seat too)

Yes. Walking is good. I also like

to walk.

There is a bit of a silence here. CINDY toys with her coffee

cup, looking around at everything except BILLY. BILLY half

rises, then takes his seat again as a waitress appears.

WAITRESS

What can I get you?

BILLY

Whatever she's having.

WAITRESS

Very good. A caramel cookie float

it is.

The waitress goes back inside, and BILLY leans forward in

his chair

BILLY

(smiling)

I've never had a caramel cookie

float before.

CINDY

It's the color of sand. I don't

like the color of sand. I like

sand, but I don't like the color of

sand.

BILLY

We don't have a lot of sand around

here.

CINDY

It all went into the streets.

BILLY

(looking at the road)

It did? It did. I guess you're

right.

CINDY

They mixed it up with other stuff

and poured it all out into the

streets.

BILLY

Right. I suppose that's how they do

that.

There is another very long pause.

BILLY

They also use it for glass.

CINDY

That's strange.

BILLY

No, it's how they make it. They

heat it up and ...

CINDY

(pointing across the street)

Over there. The sign says Candy's

Candies.

BILLY

Oh yes. That's where it is.

CINDY

I always thought it was spelled

with a K.

BILLY

No. I don't think so.

CINDY

It's so weird, like when you think

you know something and you're

wrong. Are you ever wrong?

BILLY

I'm sure I am, sometimes.

CINDY

I don't know how that happens. It

doesn't seem possible. Did you know

they had a sale on garden tools at

Gary's Garden Supply?

BILLY

I didn't know that.

CINDY

They were handing out free shovels.

I got a free shovel. Did you get a

free shovel?

BILLY

No. I don't think so.

CINDY

You should have. They were just

giving them away.

BILLY

That could be useful.

The waitress appears with the caramel cookie float and

places it down in front of BILLY. This is the clue for the

social call to end, so CINDY and BILLY stand up.

BILLY

Thank you

CINDY

(pouting)

If you had come on time, we would

have already said goodbye.

BILLY

Well, goodbye then

CINDY

Goodbye

CINDY walks away and BILLY watches her go until she is out

of sight, and then the scene fades away.

INT - INSIDE BILLY'S APARTMENT

BILLY is walking down the streets near his home. It is

evening now and he looks exhausted, as if he has been

walking all day. He makes his way slowly up the stairs and

down the hallway to his apartment. The lights come on when

he enters the living room, but the screen does not appear on

the wall.

BILLY

Still on my own, eh?

BILLY AS GENERAL LEE

Evening, Billy.

BILLY AS HIMSELF

Yeah, okay.

He plops down on the sofa, not even going into the kitchen

to gather his orange juice. He kicks off his shoes and lets

them fly across the room as he sinks down.

BILLY

I guess I'll gather my own damn

thoughts. As if I had any. What a

day.

He stares at the blank wall opposite and for half a minute

or so there is no movement, no sound, nothing happens. Then

some images begin to appear on the wall, blurry at first,

and the camera zooms in on them. They slowly form a solid,

still picture. It is a memory.

It is BILLY and he is standing in front of a large, deep

blue metal wall. He is wearing a hard hat, overalls and work

boots and carrying a screwdriver. He stands there, in the

scene, looking directly back at the sitting BILLY on the

couch, not moving, not even blinking.

Suddenly he raises the screwdriver and hurls it straight at

the other BILLY. The image vanishes and BILLY sits up,

startled into motion, then sits back down, collapsing into

the cushions. The scene fades to black.

INT - BILLY'S LIVING ROOM - MORNING

The lights are still on in the living room. BILLY is still

on the couch, curled up. He has slept there all night. The

usual alarm clock buzzer sounds. He sits up, yawns and

stretches. His clothes (the usual dress suit) are rumpled as

is his hair.

BILLY gets up and goes into the bedroom, where he turns off

the alarm (it is 8 o'clock as usual). He does not go to the

bathroom after that. He does not go into the kitchen either.

He returns to the living room and picks up his shoes, then

returns to sit on the couch to put them on. He scratches his

head, glances at the wall behind him and shakes his head.

BILLY AS GENERAL LEE

Morning, BILLY

BILLY

You said a mouthful there.

BILLY AS GENERAL LEE

What kind of a theme do you want

today?

BILLY AS HIMSELF

Whatever you've got in that

Sphairos book of yours.

BILLY AS GENERAL LEE

How about Loss. That's always a

good one.

BILLY

They say that fire catches up with

everything in time.

BILLY AS GENERAL LEE

That it does, sir. That it does.

EXT - SIDEWALK

BILLY gets up off the couch and heads straight for the front

door. He yanks it open, and leaves it open as he goes out

into the hallway. There is someone in the corridor, JOHNNY.

with a mop and a pail, making ready to enter one of the

maintenance apartments.

He does a double-take at BILLY, then scampers inside his

assigned domicile. BILLY strides past without paying

attention and takes the stairs two at a time. He is light on

his feet and looks as if he might even start whistling.

BILLY

Anything goes, I guess.

He begins to walk along the sidewalks, hands in his pockets,

not even stopping for red lights but jay-walking right into

the traffic-less streets. He pays no attention to the shops

he passes or the people he sees. At one point he walks right

into a group of 4 and walks right out again. He has

partially passed through one of the bodies.

The individuals in these gourps now appear to be

translucent, immaterial. They are holographic projections

only. They are being broadcast from below the sidewalk. This

becomes more and more apparent. There are lights visible

now, coming from below their feet and beaming upward. At one

point BILLY reaches out and pushes his hand through the

shoulder of one of a group of 2.

He also grabs at a ficus tree, attempting to tear one of the

leaves, but it doesn't come off. The whole tree is pulled

over with it and snaps back when he lets go. The trees are

fake. They are not alive. BILLY starts to laugh out loud,

stops himself, then laughs again.

As he walks past a Larry's Liquors he sees SUZIE coming out

carrying a clear bottle, like gin or vodka. He doesn't

appear to remember her but stops and follows her with his

eyes as she walks stealthily and slowly, with her eyes down

and her hands and arms carefully protecting her bottle,

along the side of the building and slips around the corner.

BILLY starts in her direction, but changes his mind, turns

around, and continues on his tour of the neighborhood.

The downtown skyline comes into view and soon BILLY is

walking through the tall buildings on deserted sidewalks.

All of the offices seem to be deserted.

There is no traffic, foot or otherwise, above ground in the

downtown area. There are no groups of 2 or 4 either. The

buildings themselves are dark - no lights are on inside

them. BILLY tries one or two big glass doors, but they are

locked. Finally, he enters a stairwell to the underground

and goes down there.

INT - UNDERGROUND

BILLY is walking around the underground, not really paying

attention to anything. He is still acting jaunty, with his

hands in the pockets of his rumpled dress pants, and his tie

all loose and half undone.

The pedestrians he encounters steer clear of him, going out

of their way around him but not seeming to do so

intentionally. BILLY blinks uncomfortably and once or twice

clutches at his forehead as if he had a major hangover. As

he passes across an intersection, BOBBY appears and waves to

get BILLY's attention.

BOBBY

Hey. Hey. You. Stop!

(then, when BILLY turns

around)

I'll bet you don't remember me

BILLY

(looking him over)

No. Why? Should I?

BOBBY

If you weren't a boozer, maybe.

BILLY

I'm not a boozer.

BOBBY

Sure you are. Just look at

yourself.

BILLY

(snorting)

I'm the same as you, sir.

BOBBY

Oh, right. Except you go around

seeing ghosts, don't you?

BILLY

(hesitantly)

I'm certain I don't know what they

are.

BOBBY

You've probably been seeing them

for a while now, only you've been

getting your brain wiped every

night, am I right?

BILLY

(defensively)

I do gather my thoughts, if that's

what you mean.

BOBBY

(derisively)

Oh, _you_ gather them, huh? So

where do you put 'em? In the trash?

Down the drain? My director stopped

cleaning my brain out. He said with

all that's going on I was going to

need to hold on to some of that.

BILLY

All of what's going on? Are you

saying today's the day?

BOBBY

(snorting)

Oh stop it. Heh. Wouldn't do any

good to tell you anyway. Boozer.

BILLY

(defiantly)

I am most certainly not one of your

so-called boozers, sir.

BOBBY

Maybe you don't know it, but you'll

see, soon enough. My director told

me how to spot them, so I can tell.

BILLY

Who is your personal director?

BOBBY

(proudly)

His name is Robert Ingersoll. He

says he was famous once. I never

heard of him, but he's steering me

clear of this mess.

BILLY

I don't know what you're talking

about. You're not making any sense.

BOBBY

Forget about it, boozer. Forget I

said anything. Forget we even

talked. You're pretty good at that,

aren't you? Forgetting? What a

boozer.

BILLY

Stop calling me that.

BOBBY

What? Boozer? Boozer!

BILLY

I am warning you.

BOBBY

So what? I'm supposed to be afraid

of you now? After all this time,

now I'm supposed to be scared?

Stupid boozer.

BILLY

This is too much, sir. I must

challenge you.

BILLY puts up his fists and starts to move around BOBBY, who

merely laughs.

BOBBY

What's this? Some kind of show?

BILLY

Come on. Fight like a man.

BOBBY

A man doesn't fight. Only a loser

wants to fight.

Suddenly, BILLY slugs him right in the nose. BOBBY staggers

back a step but is completely unharmed, unbruised, unfazed.

BOBBY

(scoffs)

What a boozer!

BILLY slugs him again. And again. Then he pushes him to the

ground, and, jumping onto his chest with his knees, punches

him about the face until he tires of it. It makes no

difference. He hasn't scratched him or anything, and no one

has even noticed, though one or two pedestrians have walked

by. BOBBY is laughing at him the whole time.

BOBBY

You can't hurt me. What? You

thought you could? You don't know

anything, do you? Boozer.

BILLY

(furious)

Will you surrender?

BOBBY

(clenching his teeth)

No! You surrender!

BOBBY, with one big push, knocks BILLY off of him, then

stands up and straightens his clothes, still laughing. BILLY

scrambles to his feet and glares menacingly at BOBBY.

BOBBY

Go on. Get out. If you can.

BILLY

You mean the edge? What if I do go

there?

BOBBY

You can't.

BILLY

Why not?

BOBBY

(scoffing)

They'd never let a boozer through.

BILLY

Then we'll see who is one and who

is not.

BILLY stalks off angrily, while BOBBY shouts at him.

BOBBY

Don't say I didn't tell you

EXT - SIDEWALKS, CITY STREETS

BILLY leaves the underground by the next exit. He hurries to

a bus shelter and waits, but the next bus doesn't stop to

pick him up, but cruises right past the shelter as if he

were invisible. A second bus does the same, moments later.

BILLY starts walking and goes in a straight line, out of the

downtown area, into the neighborhood, heading south now,

past South First Avenue, the Second, Third, and so on.

Groups of 2 and 4 get thicker as he nears the edge, and by

the time he's reached South Eleventh Avenue, there are so

many of them they are blocking his way.

He can't push through them now. They are still translucent

but somehow more solid, and they gather closer to each other

to prevent him from getting through. After a few failed

attempts, he retreats and turns up the next side street. He

continues on this street - East Tenth street, until he

reaches South Twelfth Avenue, where he tries to turn the

corner but again is blocked by several groups of 4 on the

sidewalk.

BILLY steps into the road and walks down the middle of the

avenue. The groups are not out there, but now buses come -

several of them, driving fast and careening towards him. He

has to dodge out of their way and once, when two are coming

rapidly in opposite directions, he nearly gets run down by

one while avoiding the other.

He starts to run, jogging at first, but then faster and in

the center of the road as a bus bears down upon him from

behind. He jumps out of the way just before it reaches him,

then has to jump again as a bus appears out of nowhere,

coming the other way. His leap lands him in the middle of a

group of 4, whose members now actively reach out and push

him back into the road.

He runs through the street and reaches the next

intersection, South Fourteenth Avenue, but there, instead of

the usual crossing, he faces a wall of deep blue corrugated

metal stretching across the road in front of him.

EXT - BLUE METAL WALLS

He runs up to the wall and pushes against it with all his

might but it doesn't give. The wall is about twelve feet

high. BILLY runs along it to the left, keeping his hand on

it until he feels a crack where two wall panels come

together. He stops.

There is a narrow opening between the panels and BILLY peers

through the gap, seeing nothing but darkness, and pushes on

the sides. After some more pushing, one of the walls budges

a little. He redoubles his efforts and pushes on that wall

again and again until it moves some more.

After more even greater exertions, he pushes it back just

enough that he can squeeze through. He is in a narrow

passageway, bordered on both sides by the same high metal

walls. He follows along and discovers that it forms an

intricate maze that he gets lost in, making several turns

that lead to dead ends, then turning back around, until

finally he gives up on that and starts trying to scale the

wall's sides.

It is slippery and hard to get a foothold, and he is not

making much progress until he finds a particularly narrow

section of corridor and braces his back against one side

while using his feet on the opposite side. This way he

manages to climb up to top, where he begins to walk along

the narrow footing.

He quickly discovers that he is very close to the end of the

walls and jumps off onto a lonely sidewalk outside of them.

Straightening up, he looks in front of him and sees the

planet outside of the city. It is dark and red and the skies

are full of swirling dust.

EXT - OUTSIDE FACING RED DUST STORM

BILLY stands on the sidewalk on the outer edge of town.

Behind him are the tall blue metal walls. In front of him he

sees nothing but red dust storms as far as the eye can see.

There doesn't seem to be anything blocking the dust from

entering the city, but just a little way out it stops, like

a fog bank, for no apparent reason.

The view expands up and out until the city is below then

father below, then slowly the city vanishes, becoming

absorbed in the red all around. Far below now the planet is

seen as a whole, a dusty red nothing. From out into space

the planet gets smaller, but then larger and larger, and

then, coming into view on the left is a sort of "ship",

descending towards the gorund. The ship is a vast pyramid of

deep blue cargo container tanks.

The pyramid lands, and one by one its sides fall open, and

figure begin to emerge. They include all of the named

characters that have been seen so far, from BOBBY to AMY to

SCOTTY and JOHNNY and RICKY and CINDY and SUZIE and DONNY

and BILLY and the other non-group pedestrians, store clerks

and shoppers.

As they descend from the pyramid they quietly set to

bringing things out of the containers - working sometimes

together and sometimes separately. Cranes emerge, and trucks

and tractors, and then huge palettes of wood and glass and

bags of concrete and asphalt.

The settlers begin to build the city, one road, one

structure at a time. Even the ficus trees are pulled out of

the containers and placed in the sidewalks. The bus shelters

are put up, the shops and restaurants and stores. The neon

signs - already completed - go up too.

The work goes on and the city is built. It seems to take a

long time - years perhaps. One by one the containers are

emptied and then themselves taken apart, their sides carried

away. In the end, there is nothing left of the pyramid. No

more ship.

After this long sequence of scenese begins to fade away,

BILLY remains standing, but now looking back and facing the

city. The blue maze walls are gone and he is standing on the

corner of 14th Street and 14th Avenue, the very outer edge

of the city. He is merely standing there, looking back at

the town, blinking.

EXT - CORNER SIDEWALK

A figure comes walking steadily towards BILLY from within

the city. DOCTOR NULL is a tall older man with a kindly face

and wears a white smock over black dress shoes. His

salt-and-pepper hair doesn’t seem to match his thick,

all-black beard, and he is wearing an odd red cap. He walks

right up to BILLY, who has been watching him approach.

DOCTOR NULL

Hello, Billy

BILLY

Do I know you?

DOCTOR NULL

I doubt it. My name is Doctor Null,

and I'm here to help.

BILLY

I suppose I could use some of that.

DOCTOR NULL

It's going to be all right. You're

slipping now, but only because it's

your time.

BILLY

My time for what?

DOCTOR NULL

It's shutting down, don't you see?

It's time for you to be offlined.

Let me take a look at you.

The doctor starts to walk around BILLY, inspecting him.

BILLY turns with him, and when the doctor reaches out to

touch him, BILLY swats his arm away.

BILLY

What are you doing?

DOCTOR NULL

Don't be afraid.

BILLY

I'm not afraid.

DOCTOR NULL

(fingering his beard)

I suppose it's all starting to come

back to you now.

BILLY

(gesturing at the city in

front of them)

I was just recalling how we made

all of this.

DOCTOR NULL

(nodding)

Yes, yes we did. It took quite a

while. A lot of work. Years in

fact. Stone by stone, street by

street, block by block. We made it.

We made it for them.

BILLY

For the people.

DOCTOR NULL

For the people, yes. They were

supposed to come. They should have

been here a long, long time ago.

BILLY

That was going to be the day, the

day we've all been waiting for. The

day the people came.

DOCTOR NULL

Until then we were keeping it

ready, keeping it nice, the way

they'd want it to be.

BILLY

(thoughtfully)

We've just been pretending all

along. Playing at it.

DOCTOR NULL

Preparing is more like it, so that

when they came, everything would be

just right.

BILLY

Except they never came.

DOCTOR NULL

(shrugging)

And they never will. Something went

wrong. It happens. Still, the

offlining process could be

improved. The way it is now, first

you get your signs and your

portents. Then your guide buggers

off, who knows where. After that

you start getting your memories

back. It's hard on a lot of

settlers. You seem to be doing all

right, though.Still you need a

little adjustment. Now give me your

hand.

BILLY raises his right palm by force of habit, from his

nightly thought-gathering sessions with General Lee

DOCTOR NULL

No, I mean give me your hand. Take

it off and give it to me.

BILLY

Oh.

Using his left hand, BILLY begins to unscrew his right, at

first going the wrong way.

DOCTOR NULL

(gently)

Lefty loosey

BILLY

Oh, right.

He unscrews his hand to the left, and after several turns it

comes off, and he hands it over. DOCTOR NULL takes it and

sticks it under his armpit while he pulls a tiny screwdriver

out of his pants pocket. Then he holds BILLY's hand in one

of his own and with the other starts tinkering at its open.

DOCTOR NULL

It's all in the wrist. There.

He gives the hand back to BILLY, who screws it back into his

arm.

BILLY

(shrugs)

I don't feel any different.

DOCTOR NULL

It takes a little time. Is there

anything you'd like to ask me?

BILLY

(scratches his head

thoughtfully)

How did you know I'd be here?

DOCTOR NULL

(winking)

Fire catches up with everything, in

time.

With that, DOCTOR NULL vanishes, but BILLY is unconcerned.

He starts walking slowly into the city and the vast red dust

landscape disappears behind him, replaced by the familiar

sight of the endlessly identical city blocks.

INT - THE CHAMBER OF THE MOON

BILLY has not walked very far when, looking up, he sees

SUZIE up ahead slipping into a storefront. He hurries his

pace to follow her. Arriving at the shop, he notices that it

has no neon sign above it. There is only a small piece of

paper, taped to the front door, which reads, in a scribble

'The Chamber of the Moon'.

He pushes open the door and steps inside. The space is

deserted. The walls and floors are all black and vacant.

BILLY walks around the room, confused, returning to gaze out

the window, then turning around again. He notices that the

back wall seems to ripple a bit. He goes back and discovers

there is a long black curtain along its length.

Pushing it aside on the right hand side, he uncovers a steep

gray metal staircase - like a fire escape - and slowly steps

down it. He arrives in a low-ceilinged basement. The walls

are pale yellow and the floor is unpainted cement.

Along the left hand wall is a long, old and battered wooden

table. Above it are rows and rows of the same kind of

drinking glasses as in BILLY's apartment. There seem to be

at least a couple hundred of them.

In the middle of the room are three or four tables with one

or two chairs at each of them. These are the same kind of

tables and chairs that were at Kitty's Corner Cafe. Sitting

at the farthest table is SUZIE, sitting with her back to us,

nursing a glass of what appears to be orange juice.

BILLY approaches. SUZIE hears his footsteps and turns

around.

SUZIE

(raising her fingers to her

temple in the common salute)

Hi

BILLY

(returning the gesture)

Hi. I, I hope I'm not disturbing

you.

SUZIE

(smiling shyly)

I was hoping someone else would

come. Can I get you a drink?

BILLY

Um, I guess so. Sure.

SUZIE gets up and goes over to the long table. From beneath

it she opens a refrigerator door and pulls out a bottle of

orange juice and puts it on the counter. Then, from a low

shelf next to it, she retrieves a bottle of vodka.

SUZIE

Screwdriver?

BILLY

Okay.

SUZIE

Good, because it's all we've got.

BILLY

Oh.

SUZIE

(fixing the drinks)

You're BILLY, right?

BILLY

Yes. I'm BILLY. I'm sorry but I

don't know your name.

SUZIE

I'm Suzie. We've actually met. Not

long ago. We went to Scotty's

Scooters.

BILLY

(mechanically)

That place is fun

SUZIE

Right. That's what they all say.

SUZIE brings the drinks over and takes her seat, motioning

for BILLY to join her at the table. He does and she pushes

over his glass. He takes it, brings it up to his nose and

sniffs, then takes a sip and nods approvingly.

BILLY

It tastes good.

SUZIE

(nods as well)

You know, something happened to me

that day at Scotty's. It turned out

to be my last day as a sleeper,

When we touched fingers, you

probably don't remember, but I felt

a change come over me. I can't

explain, and when I got home,

Harriet Tubman wasn't waiting for

me. Nothing's been the same since.

BILLY

Sleeper?

SUZIE

That's what I call them now. The

regular settlers, who haven't been

offlined yet. You realize we all

sleep fourteen hours a day. The

nights are long on this planet. I

didn't really notice before. But

anyway, that's why I call them

sleepers.

BILLY

(shrugs)

I never thought about it either.

SUZIE

I didn't know what to do. It was

like I suddenly woke up. And then.

BILLY

Don't tell me. Doctor Null found

you.

SUZIE

He said he could help.

BILLY

(pointing at the glass)

So this is it? This is the help?

SUZIE

It's not so bad, when you think of

what's to come.

BILLY

What's to come?

SUZIE

(quizzically, surprised)

Don't you know?

BILLY

(shakes his head)

No

SUZIE

(slowly)

How should I put it? Well, we were

all, quote, built to last.

BILLY doesn't answer, but takes another sip of his drink

while he ponders the implications. SUZIE also drinks, and

smiles.

BILLY

Built to last? For how long?

SUZIE

A thousand years, more or less.

BILLY

A thousand years! And how long has

it been so far?

SUZIE

Maybe a hundred?

BILLY

(looking around the room)

A hundred.

SUZIE

You see what I mean?

BILLY

Well, then.

(raises his glass)

To the future!

SUZIE

(raising her glass too, and

smiling)

To the future.

They drink together. Just as they are putting their glasses

down they hear more footsteps, clambering down the stairs.

They turn to look as RICKY enters the room. He is calmer

than the last time he was seen, but hesitant to enter, just

as BILLY was, minutes before. BILLY, though, waves him over.

BILLY

Come on in, friend.

SUZIE

Pull up a chair. I'll fix you a

drink.

RICKY smiles and heads over, as SUZIE gets up and begins to

put together another cocktail. BILLY stands, holds out his

hand towards RICKY. As they shake hands, SUZIE turns around

and smiles again. The scene fades.

THE END