15. Innocent Confession - Eric

FADE IN:

INT. CONFESSION BOOTH-DARK EVENING

TERRY loosens his collar as he sits in a dark confession booth. He takes off his glasses and rubs them with his shirt. The shadow of the mesh screen between the booths casts a grid-shadow on the side of the elderly Priest’s face. His head is slick, but two caterpillar-like swatches of silver hair arch over his ears.

TERRY
Ahem. Good Evening, Father.

PRIEST
Good evening to you, sir. How are you doing tonight?

TERRY
Sigh…trouble on the home front.
You must get tired of me coming here every weekend.
I probably owe you a lot of money.

PRIEST (chuckling)
No, no. You’re no trouble at all.
The funny thing is you never confess anything.
Is this another preemptive confession?

TERRY
I’m afraid it is Father. I just don’t know what to do anymore. It’s like, through the years all this little garbage has built up. Just little things. And we waited, and waited for years for it to build up. Now we’re picking through it. It’s like we’re walking around in a beautiful beach house, but we can’t enjoy it because we’re both to proud to throw the garbage out. Fussing over who it belongs to. Does that make any sense?

PRIEST (coughing)
Nice metaphor, and it makes perfect sense. What would happen if you took the first step?
What if you owned up to the little pieces of garbage?

TERRY
I thought about that. But I think…I think we’re both too proud.
If I went first I think she’d just be doing it to save face.
Maybe we don’t belong together? I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.

PRIEST
Maybe she thinks you’d be doing it to save face too? I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that you don’t belong together. Couples have problems. I mean if you’ve been living in…ahem, garbage for years already and you’ve been able to handle it, then think of how good it will be once it’s gone.

Terry leans back in the booth, hold both sides of his head, and sighs softly. He takes off his tie completely. He removes his glasses, looking very pensive and despondent.

TERRY
Maybe I’m the garbage?

PRIEST
Do you love her?

TERRY
More than anything or anyone in the world.

The PRIEST’S FACE turns slowly in Terry’s direction. A thick collar is wrapped around his neck.

PRIEST

Have you been unfaithful?

TERRY
Never! I’m not going to lie. I’ve thought about it.

PRIEST
Then you’re not garbage. Go home, and be a man.
Take the trash out. Everything will work out.

TERRY
That’s all? No Hail Mary’s?

PRIEST (loudly)
Would you get the hell out of here already,
and go home to be a man to your wife?

Terry looks surprised. He hastily puts on his glasses and tie. He hurries out of the confession booth.

After he leaves we see the PRIEST take off a MASK.

A beautiful woman with red hair is unveiled. Her eyes are wet but she is smiling. She takes off the voice synthesizer, the collar like fixture at her throat.

KELLY (out loud, looking at the collar)
God, I love this thing.

FADE TO BLACK.