james bryan
Aug 31, 2018 · 3 min read

Scene 10

EXT. — THE CORNER OF 15TH AND L STREETS — WASHINGTON DC — LATE AFTERNOON — 1987

Underneath a grey imposing office building, ‘THE WASHINGTON POST’ in gold letters above the doors where dozens of people are streaming out into the DC rush hour.

It is the end of Reagan’s second term and the sky is heavy with late spring clouds.

A young man enters a phone booth on the corner, pops his quarter into the slot and punches in a number that he called a thousand times before.

INSIDE THE PHONE BOOTH

We hear the phone ringing, once . . . twice

TOMMY (singing softly to himself): Standing on the corner casting your bread . . .

YOUNG WOMAN’S VOICE (on the phone): Center for Democracy . . .

TOMMY: . . . while the eyes of the idol with the iron head are . . .

VOICE: Hello?

TOMMY: glowing . . .

VOICE: Tommy?

TOMMY: Distant ships sail into the mist, you were born with a snake in both of your fists . . .

VOICE (to others back in the office laughing): He’s singing me Dylan again . . . (back on the phone happily) You’re early.

TOMMY (still singing): While a hurricane was — blowing . . . (suddenly serious) When are you leaving?

VOICE (no longer happy): We’ve talked about this.

TOMMY: Yeah . . . I know . . . at some point . . . but law school? . . . in New York? . . . in September?

VOICE: You can come with me.

TOMMY: You don’t want that . . . you’re . . . you’re about to become who you are going to be . . . and I am not. I am . . . what’s the phrase, I heard it yesterday . . . oh yeah, I am a rudderless ship.

VOICE: No, you’re not . . . ya’ know I love you so much.

TOMMY (sarcastically): Yay for me.

For a few long moments neither says a word. Tommy shifts around in the phone booth as the world surges past him. He finds himself smiling despite it all.

TOMMY: You okay?

VOICE: It’s water . . .

TOMMY: What are you talking about?

VOICE: He’s standing on the water, casting his bread . . . why would you cast bread on a corner? Are you singing a song about feeding the pigeons?

TOMMY: Yeah well who stands on the water . . .

She waits while he comes to the obvious answer.

TOMMY: Oh . . . duh. This is why you’re going to law school and I’m . . . uh . . .

VOICE: We’ll talk about it tonight.

TOMMY: Yeah . . . um . . . Rudy wanted to know if I wanted to go to the 930 Club with him and Fuzzy Paul . . . and, uh, have some beers.

VOICE: Boy’s night?

TOMMY: Yeah, I kinda really want to go . . . d’ya mind?

VOICE: No, of course not . . . go have fun . . . I’ll see you when you get home.

TOMMY: I hope so.

    james bryan

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