189. Missed Connections - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• EXT. BUS STOP - DAY


• ARIEL KAY stands outside her news van as her PHOTOGRAPHER readies his video camera.


• She walks over to BRYAN who is fidgeting with his lip ring.


• ARIEL
• Hey, you'll do just fine.


• Bryan nods and smiles at her.


• BRYAN
• Ah yeah, it's just weird thinking you're going to be on TV.


• Her photographer walks up to her.


• PHOTOGRAPHER
• We're good to go.


• Ariel looks at Bryan.


• ARIEL
• You ready?


• BRYAN
• Yup.


• She positions herself and signals her photographer.


• He begins rolling.


• ARIEL
• Have you ever noticed that cute stranger across from you on the bus and wondered if he was your true love? Did you lose the nerve to ask out the pretty girl standing next to you on the subway? Once upon a time a missed connection was just that, a chance you'd probably never get again, but now, with the magic of the internet, Cragislist is giving those searching for true love a second chance. But not all second chances are good things. I'm here with Bryan Miller who got a second chance at a missed connection. What happened Bryan?


• BRYAN
• About two months ago, I sat across from this gorgeous woman on the 217 bus and I just couldn't get the nerve up to go over and talk to her. I couldn't get her out of my head though, so later that week, I put up an ad on Craigslists' "Missed Connections" area.


• ARIEL
• What happened then?


• BRYAN
• I didn't hear anything from her until about two weeks ago. She apparently remembered me pretty well too. She found the ad and wrote me back.


• ARIEL
• So how'd it turn out?


• BRYAN
• Ah, not that well, turned out we weren't even close to being right for each other. But it was cool to get a second chance.


• ARIEL
• So do you still plan on checking out missed connections every once in a while, think you might find true love that way


• Bryan shrugs.


• BRYAN
• Sure, maybe...I'll check it every once in a while, it's always good for a laugh, if nothing else.


• ARIEL
• Well, you heard it, sometimes even a second chance doesn't guarantee true love; from Hollywood, this is Ariel Kay for Channel 3 news, back to you Celeste.


• She pauses, then nods.


• The photographer stops recording and starts packing his gear.


• ARIEL
• See? Quick and painless.


• A bus pulls up.


• BRYAN
• Yup. Hey, that's my bus, hope the interview works out, nice meeting you.


• Ariel waves.


• She turns, biting her lip with a frustrated look.


• INT. ARIEL'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT


• Ariel sits on the couch, her laptop resting on the coffee table.


• She ponders her screen and then logs onto Craigslist, surfs to the "missed connections" section, and begins typing.


• "Hey you with the cute lip ring; I got a chance to interview you today at the bus stop but didn't have the nerve to ask you out before you left. I'd love to talk again in a more relaxed setting. I thought there was a spark, hope you did too."


• FADE TO BLACK.

188. Moonrise - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• EXT. HIGH EARTH ORBIT - DAY


• Sunlight glints off the Earth's surface as clouds swirl over the Atlantic.


• A glint of light twinkles above North America and then another and another.


• In moments, a massive space craft hurtles past the edges of the atmosphere.


• INT. THE MLK JR: Level 345 - DAY


• COLONEL ARLEN ROBERTS unbuckles himself and walks slowly to the window, balancing in the unstable artificial gravity.


• He walks to the large observation window and stares downwards at the Earth as it slowly fades in the distance.


• AMANDA, an 18-year old with short blond dreads stands next to him, staring in awe at Earth.


• The other specks of light grow larger in the observation window and as they watch, a massive fleet of 100 ships, each a large city, fill space. Smaller support vehicles and military craft speed through the dark providing protection for the huge ships.


• AMANDA
• I never believed I would see anything like this.


• COL. Roberts
• Watch.


• They look down at the United States, directly below them.


• There is nothing at first and then an explosion shines out, and another and another as mushroom clouds blanket the nation.


• AMANDA
• I'll never go home again.


• Col. Roberts rests his hand on her shoulder.


• COL. Roberts
• You're the first of the new generation, the new pioneers. The last time the barbarians were at the gate, an empire fell. This time, we did the impossible, we left the gates, moved the city. To transport an entire nation - brilliant. Look!


• Amanda looks out the window as the ships fire their main engines in sequence.


• The ship picks up speed and Earth becomes smaller and smaller.


• COL. Roberts
• We moved an entire nation. Let the barbarians have the land. Your generation will see us settle and grow. It's amazing.


• AMANDA
• Where are we going? They wouldn't tell us.


• Col. Roberts points out the window as a glowing orb rises from the darkness.


• Amanda gapes.


• COL. Roberts
• Welcome to new beginnings.


• FADE TO BLACK.

187. Jitters - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. CHURCH BATHROOM - DAY


• ANDI stands, inspecting her wedding gown in the large bank of mirrors.


• ELLEN, her bridesmaid, nods approvingly.


• ELLEN
• I think we're ready.


• ANDI
• Yeah, just one more thing - can you get Mark? Bring him here.


• ELLEN
• Andi!


• ANDI
• Just do it, please.


• Ellen scowls and leaves the room.


• Andi spins slowly in her dress, still checking it.


• The door opens and Mark walks in, handsome in his crisply-pressed suit.


• Ellen follows.


• ANDI
• You, out.


• ELLEN
• No way.


• ANDI
• Out.


• Ellen turns to Mark.


• ELLEN
• I'm watching you.


• She leaves, slamming the door.


• The organ prelude vibrates through the halls.


• MARK
• You ok?


• ANDI
• Kind of second-guessing.


• MARK
• Don't. You guys are perfect.


• ANDI
• I just keep thinking about us.


• MARK
• You know that wouldn't have been the best thing.


• ANDI
• Do I?


• MARK
• We were made to be friends. There's a reason we stayed that way. Chris is amazing and you know it. Don't let jitters psych you out.


• ANDI
• Yeah...


• MARK
• We would have been good together, not great. You and Chris? Excellent.


• The organ swells.


• ANDI
• You're right. Thanks for respecting me. I love you.


• MARK
• I love you too Andi. Now go get married, I'm right behind you.


• She hugs him, then rushes out.


• He turns to the mirror and lets out a breath, then wipes his eyes.


• Ellen walks back in.


• ELLEN
• You believe all that?


• MARK
• I'm working on it.


• ELLEN
• I'm sorry.


• MARK
• He's the better man. I'll just have to deal.


• He opens the door.


• MARK
• After you.


• Ellen slips out and Mark follows.


• The door swings shut on the empty bathroom.


• FADE TO BLACK.

186. Beach Bums - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• EXT. BEACH - MORNING


• JILLIAN jog across the sand, taking the sunrise in.


• Her toned legs extend from her capri cargo pants, her bikini top shows off well-developed abs.


• She slows as she sees ADAM standing behind his easel.


• She walks towards him.


• JILLIAN
• Morning.


• Adam looks up from his painting and smiles.


• ADAM
• Hey, I'm Adam.


• JILLIAN
• Jillian.


• ADAM
• Jillian eh? Not Jill, Jilly, Lian?


• JILLIAN
• Jillian.


• ADAM
• Cool.


• JILLIAN
• So I've been jogging here for months - haven't seen you before.


• ADAM
• Just moved to town.


• JILLIAN
• So why here so early? I'm here because I hate the beach at any other time.


• ADAM
• When there's no one except you and the sand.


• JILLIAN
• Exactly, I guess I love the beach, just hate the crowds and the stupid things people do when they're at the beach. The only way to appreciate it is right now - solitude.


• ADAM
• Agreed. See that house there?


• He points to a house tucked into a row of beach condos.


• It's an older house with a large porch and bay windows staring out into the ocean.


• Jillian nods.


• ADAM
• That's my dream house and that's why I hate the beach.


• JILLIAN
• It's a beautiful house. I love it too. Let me see...it makes you upset because it's so crowded in with all that crap.


• She waves at the condos.


• JILLIAN
• It needs to stand by itself on a bluff. But not too far from neighbors, good neighbors - a three minute walk from good neighbors; neighbors you had over to watch the ocean and drink tea and converse.


• Adam smiles and turns the canvas towards her.


• The painting shows the house standing by itself on a cliff high above the ocean.


• JILLIAN
• I like you.


• Several cars pull up and beach-goers spill out onto the sand.


• JILLIAN
• Looks like my...our peace is about to be disrupted. I have to finish my run. Same time tomorrow?


• Adam shrugs.


• ADAM
• Maybe.


• JILLIAN
• Oh, you know you will be.


• He winks at her and she jogs away, laughing.


• FADE TO BLACK.

185. Left Turns - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY


• A train pulls to a stop spilling its contents into the station.


• MENA steps out of the train, her long dark hair spilling from a knit cap.


• Two silver lip piercings twinkle against her dark, red lipstick.


• She pauses, then finds a bench and sits down.


• She digs in her purse, retrieves her vibrating cell phone, and looks at the screen.


• The phone buzzes insistently; she studies the caller ID, pursing her lips, the takes a breath and answers.


• MENA
• Hi, Aaron.


• Two columns to the right of her, AARON leans against the shiny metal side of an escalator and waits, phone to his ear.


• AARON
• I remember how I first met you.


• MENA
• What are you doing Aaron?


• AARON
• You were slow-dancing in the rain, in the middle of the park. I remember the park lights making your hair glow.


• MENA
• You said something about me being an Angel.


• EXT. PARK BENCH - DAY


• Mena and AARON sit on the park bench HOLDING HANDS.


• EXT. PARK - NIGHT


• Mena stands soaked in the rain, grinning as she sees Aaron watching her.


• AARON
• Let me give you a ride home.


• MENA
• Ok.


• AARON
• Wait, you just trust me like that? You don't even know me.


• MENA
• You have a good face.


• EXT. PARK BENCH - DAY


• Mena and AARON sit further apart on the park bench their hands BARELY TOUCHING.


• EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT


• Aaron bikes through the rain, with Mena perched precariously on his handlebars as he weaves from the street to the sidewalk and back.


• INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY


• AARON
• You said I had a good face.


• MENA
• You'll always have a good face, a great face.


• AARON
• That was the problem, wasn't it?


• EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT


• Mena readjusts herself on the handlebars.


• AARON
• Careful!


• They come to a stoplight.


• MENA
• Turn here.


• AARON
• Which way?


• MENA
• Left! Always turn left.


• INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY


• Aaron looks out over the tracks.


• MENA
• I'm sorry Aaron. You are everything I should want; but I'm not really into what I should want. I know what I want.


• AARON
• And it's not me.


• MENA
• No. God, you're such a great guy, any girl would be lucky to have you.


• AARON
• Don't. I wanted you. I want you. Not any random girl.


• MENA
• Sorry. Aaron, I have to go.


• AARON
• I'll wait; I wish I could say I'd wait forever, but I not much of a romantic anymore. When you get tired of settling for jerks...


• MENA
• Maybe I'll bump into you then.


• Aaron hears her voice and spins to the left.


• He sees her and hesitates.


• He starts walking towards her, then turns back to the escalator.


• AARON
• Bye Mena. One day when you're ready, just turn right.


• He hangs up and walks to the escalator.


• EXT. PARK BENCH - DAY


• Mena and AARON sit at opposite ends of the park bench, their hands touching the wooden slats.


• EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT


• Aaron comes to a stop in front of an apartment complex.


• Mena hops off the bicycle handles.


• MENA
• Now you know where to find me. You should come by again and sooner rather than later. I won't wait forever.


• She gives him a long kiss on his cheek, smiles, and disappears into the building.


• INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY


• Aaron watches Mena as he rises on the escalator.


• She slowly closes the phone, biting her lip.


• Aaron disappears as the escalator takes him higher.


• Mena glances right, hopefully, then seeing no one, stands, and walks left to the stairs.


• She turns back one last time, then walks up into the sunlight.


• FADE TO BLACK.

184. Threads - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• EXT. BUSY CITY STREET - NIGHT


• Sidewalks packed with night-owls seem to pulse with the flow of human traffic and the street glows with the city's mechanical bloodflow.


• STORYTELLER
• Threads. We're all bound by threads.


• A HOMELESS MAN studies a ball of yarn suspiciously.


• STORYTELLER
• I think we've been tearing it apart for years, like some insane person tearing out his veins.


• A young CLUB-HOPPER kicks the ball of string from the man's hands and it rolls out onto the street.


• CLUB-HOPPER
• Go fetch!


• She and her friends walk away laughing.


• STORYTELLER
• We are bound to each other and yet have this primal need to destroy this tapestry and weave our on. Replacing a master-weaving with the scribbles of a child drawing in the dark.


• The ball of yarn rolls into the center of the street and comes to rest at the sandaled feet of a WOMAN IN A RAGGED DRESS.


• She stoops to pick the ball of yarn up.


• She is illuminated by the red of rear lights and the glare of headlights.


• She continues walking down the middle of the road, a lone human figure in this parade of machines.


• STORYTELLER
• Our threads are wearing thin. We cut away so many strands, not understanding that they are part of us. Some sanity please? Otherwise we'll tear away at ourselves, pulling apart our skin as we keep mumbling that we're fixing things. We need help.


• The woman sees the homeless man and holds her hand out to him, offering the return of the yarn.


• She weaves through the racing cars, unafraid, and reaches the sidewalk.


• The man looks at her for a long moment, then pulls a small gun from his coat and fires a single bullet into her head.


• She falls.


• Traffic and pedestrians don't even pause.


• The man picks up the ball of yarn and it falls apart in his hand.


• STORYTELLER
• Ironic, isn't it?


• FADE TO BLACK.

183. War - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• EXT. HOLLYWOOD BLVD. - NIGHT


• ANGEL stands in the shadows at the edge of the sidewalk, her back against a building as she scans the street.


• BOBBY stands next to her primping.


• He adjusts his fishnet stockings and smirks at his reflection.


• Angel looks at him inquisitively.


• ANGEL
• You look like you're enjoying this.


• BOBBY
• Honey, it's because I do. All my needs fulfilled and all I have to do is lie still. Sorry baby, you're still a little fresh; you'll get used to it. Then maybe you'll start liking it.


• Angel shakes her head.


• ANGEL
• I can't start liking this. Because then it's over. I'm not willing to settle for this; I want there to be more.


• She looks up at the Hollywood Hills and stares at the glittering houses perched above.


• ANGEL
• There's something very wrong about this.


• She can't take her eyes off the beautiful houses; the decay around her creates a stark contrast.


• BOBBY
• What's that babe?


• ANGEL
• Nothing, Bobby.


• BOBBY
• No really, I'm listening.


• ANGEL
• I read someplace...


• BOBBY
• Oh, a smart one.


• ANGEL
• Shhhh. I read that in Sanskrit, the word war means "desire for more cows." It's like they keep taking our cows. So what's the difference, they're waging war on us. They're taking all our cows.


• BOBBY
• Honey! You're not going to see me caught dead next to a cow. God. Unless I'm wearing them.


• He inspects his shoes.


• Angel rolls her eyes and turns back to her reflection in the building window.


• Her hair has a shock of pink hair and two piercings hang from her lip.


• Her clothes are threadbare but clean.


• A Bentley rolls up and a tinted window slowly descends.


• The DRIVER and his PASSENGER inspect Angel.


• DRIVER
• You feel like something exotic tonight?


• PASSENGER
• Yeah, she's hot.


• The driver turns to Angel and waves a wad of cash.


• DRIVER
• Get in.


• She obeys.


• BOBBY
• Hey honey.


• DRIVER
• Not tonight. Besides, you look drunk.


• BOBBY
• Well maybe I am. But you're ugly and tomorrow I'll be sober.


• PASSENGER
• Yeah, definitely don't need one cribbing from Churchill. Let's go


• DRIVER
• Get out of my face.


• Bobby steps back, offended.


• Angel sits in the back, looking small and afraid.


• Bobby gives her a small smile and nods at her.


• The car pulls away and Bobby is left in the sodium glow of street lamps and the heavy scent of urine while the beautiful homes glitter above his head.


• FADE TO BLACK.