PLOP FRICTION 

	
EXT. PARKING LOT BEHIND "JIMMY JESUS'S" BAR -- DAY.
JACK, a tough burly man, is beating a second man, RAY, who remains hidden from us lying behind a dumpster. We see only Jack’s strenuous work as he pummels the other man, whose legs we see kicking around to avoid heavier blows. Occasionally a muffled cry is heard. Jack pauses in his work to catch his breath, then reaches into the dumpster, takes out a broken chair leg, and resumes beating his prone victim with it. 

VICTIM
Ow! Jack, can you – let me explain? Can – I –  

INT. OFFICE OF "JIMMY JESUS" REGAN -- DAY.
Jimmy Jesus, a thickset, middle-aged man, neatly-groomed yet distastefully dressed, is talking to MARK, a youngish, uncomfortable man in coat and tie, in a run-down back office. They have obviously been talking for a while. The two are sizing each other up in silence. Apparently Jimmy is weary.

JIMMY
Do you know Jack?

Mark looks concerned, puzzled, a little surprised by the question, intrigued by it, wonders if he knows Jack, comes up blank, wonders if he knows someone resembling Jack, or has ever done so, wonders why he is being asked about this so-called Jack.

JIMMY
So you don't know Jack.

EXT. PARKING LOT--DAY.
Jack is still beating his prone victim, now getting into close body-kicks. Jack is almost winded with the effort. He pauses for breath, licks his lips, adjusts his collar, then resumes beating the other man.

INT. JIMMY'S OFFICE--DAY

MARK
Well, I have a job. I'm doing okay, nothing big. So what I can do is, pay off a sum of five hundred each month, you know, first of the month, on the dot, swear. Or whatever. That would take us -- 

JIMMY
Now, I'm going to stop you, if that's, like, okay with you. You seem to be saying that I'm a complete fool and retard.

MARK 
No, not at all, I'm just saying, here's a plan -- 

JIMMY
You're just embarrassing yourself, and me. The plan -- there's no plan, it's just, like, you pay me on Thursday. All of it. Whenever I hear this, "Oh, let me give you nickles and dimes over the next fifty years", I'm hearing, "Ha ha, retard, I'm not paying you". But you will. You pay me now, or you pay me later, except way more. But there is not a way for you to not pay me, Dipshit. For you to not pay me -- that doesn't happen. Just think of it: the world is a place where you pay me. More, less, now, later, with a smile on your face, or in tears, blood, snot and puke. That's how it is on the planet Earth, where we are living. So I conjure you, Dipshit -- have the money on Thursday. To avoid disappointment. 

MARK
Uh - okay.

JIMMY
Do you read "Time" magazine, Dipshit?

MARK
No. Yeah, sometimes.

JIMMY
You should. 
(Picks up issue of "Time" from desk)
There's a really informative essay this week, I read it, it's about some new idea the scientists have about space, how it's really big. And  getting bigger all the time. I didn't know about that. Makes me feel all lonely. More lonely. Than before.

Jack enters the office, slouches around the doorway.

JIMMY
Hey, how'd it go?

JACK
Oh, okay, saw the guy. Had a -- 

JIMMY
Okay. I'll be with you in a minute, Jack.
(To Mark)
That's Jack. You don't know Jack, do you? 

Jimmy stares balefully. Mark takes a breath as if about to answer reluctantly, as he can think of nothing to say, when the phone rings. Jimmy snatches it up.

JIMMY
Yesss, what!?
(Softening, even smiling)
Oh, sweetie! Yes. Oh, my. Oh, that's -- princess, sweetie, why aren't you in rehab? What "holidays"? No, they don't "let people out early for the holidays" -- You know we said, we agreed, you'd stay in for three months, this time. Three months! Otherwise no one would talk to you! That was our bottom line, remember? -- No. I said, "No". -- Aw, princess --  

Mark looks around the office, we see the clutter of calendars, junk, and memorabilia, and Mark checks his watch. He makes a fitful attempt at interrupting as he has to return to work. He subsides in silence.

JIMMY
No. -- NO! I said. No. I'm not even sup -- I -- but I told -- Well, okay then. Yes. Three, okay, goodbye. Yes.
(Hangs up)

MARK 
Jimmy --

JIMMY
"Jimmy"? Excuse me?

MARK
Mr. Regan, I have to -- 

JIMMY
People call me "Jimmy Jesus", you know why? Know why?

MARK
No.

JIMMY
That's my name. True. You know about the CIA?

MARK
No. I mean, yeah, I've heard of them.

JIMMY
James Jesus Angleton, he was the head of the CIA. My dad knew him, did some stuff. A great man. My dad named me for him. He drank too much, is the thing. Dad goes out to visit him, talk about some stuff, they go out on the river -- he used to like fishing out there, in a boat -- and Mr. Angleton, he goes, "Hang on there, Johnny", to my dad. They're in this rowboat in the middle of a river, and he leans over the side, there's a marker there, he pulls up the line, there's a bottle of scotch at the other end. Drinks some, puts the cap back on, lowers the bottle back into the river. "What were you saying, there, Johnny?" he says. He had 'em stashed all over the place. Bottles of scotch.

MARK
Wow.

JIMMY
He was doing great things, great things, until he got all fucked up on booze. Started losing it.

MARK
Huh.

JIMMY
Of course, that's where they took him out. Angleton. They drowned him in that river, right behind his house, you knew that?

MARK
Uh--no.

JIMMY
Had to be done. Well, the booze did that. I don't drink at all. But ...
(Trails off and looks at phone sadly)
Yeah, I see, you have to get back. Where do you work again?

MARK
(Getting up to leave)
A bank.

JIMMY
All that money, huh? Right there, in front of you. And you can't -- Isn't that -- how things always work?

MARK
Well,...

Jimmy turns to his attention to his desktop dismissively, and Mark begins to leave.

JIMMY
(Crisply)
Remember: Thursday.

EXT. STREET--DAY.
Mark is going back to work at the bank looking sad and ruffled. He sees a sign saying "Help Wanted-Part Time" at a Pizza Dogg Shop. He pauses, goes in quickly. 

EXT. STREET--DAY.
Same pizza shop. We see Mark coming out somewhat cheerfully. Unseen hands remove the "Help Wanted-Part Time" sign from the window as he passes. He checks his watch, breaks into a run to get back to the bank.

EXT. STREET--DAY.
Mark rushes into bank, nodding to another employee.

INT. MARK'S OFFICE CUBICLE--AFTERNOON.
Mark is sitting at a desk comparing spread sheets and entering figures on a computer. He checks the time, and discreetly put his work away. He checks the time again, and closes the windows on his computer one by one. Then he casually turns off the computer. He checks the time again, and takes his briefcase, gets up, walks brisk away. He goes into the men's room.

INT. MEN'S ROOM--AFTERNOON (5:00).
Mark goes into a cubicle, open his briefcase, takes out security guard uniform, quickly changes into it.

INT. HALLWAY, MARK'S OFFICE--AFTERNOON.
Mark leaves office in security guard uniform.

INT. ANOTHER BUILDING--AFTERNOON.
Mark hurries in to take up security post. Another employee sees him.

MARK
I'm a bit late, sorry.

EMPLOYEE
Almost gave up on ya!

MARK
Yeah. Heh heh.

Mark walks around lobby, jingling bunch of keys, etc.

INT. HALLWAY TO MARK'S UNCLE'S HOUSE--AFTERNOON.
UNCLE TED, a man of sixty, disheveled, sly, opens his door to admit Mark. General greetings. They troop worldessly into the kitchen. Mark looks around, sits down at the table. Uncle Ted sits at his usual place, near the radio and stack of coupons and newspapers.

UNCLE TED
Sorry, Mark, I haven't seen you since the ... your mother.

MARK
Yeah.

UNCLE TED
Still. How're you holding up? Eh?

MARK
Good! Uncle Ted, I was ...

UNCLE TED
Still working at the ... ?

MARK
Yeah, same place. It's good.

UNCLE TED
You, uh, yeah? Still ... with that girl, uh ...

MARK
No, we broke up.

UNCLE TED
That, uh, gosh, what's her name?! Karen!!

MARK
Yeah, no, we've broken up. That was a while back.

UNCLE TED
Karen! Karen. With the ... hair up in the .. 

MARK
Yeah.

UNCLE TED
And ...

MARK
Yeah.

UNCLE TED
Cute, really cute. That's too bad. Huh. Broke up? Pff. She was cute. Well, that's too bad. Nice girl. I thought. Cute. You gotta be careful, you know, with women. All kinds of, you know. Start getting ideas, first thing you know. What'd you do to her?

MARK
Nothing!

UNCLE TED
No?

MARK
Uncle Ted, it wasn't anything like that, just, we were going different ways, and it seemed for the best.

UNCLE TED
Yeah, I see. No, you really gotta watch them, you know. I dunno what's going on up there (gestures to head), with women -- but, it ain't what we think! I'd be there thinking, you know, with Miriam, "I dunno what the dingdong is going on in there, in that tiny little head of yours, that little lizard-brain", I'd think, but -- well, I'm open-minded. So. What's she up to now? You hear from her? Karen?

MARK
I don't know, we've talked a few times. It wasn't that big a deal. 

UNCLE TED
So! Did you want to buy a car?

MARK
Ha, if I could afford a car! ...

UNCLE TED
No? Well, give me a shout if you ever do. We could find you something. Cheap!

MARK
Could you lend me the money to buy a car?

UNCLE TED
Do you want some ... coffee? Or, there's some rum in the freezer.

MARK
No. Thanks, Uncle Ted. 

UNCLE TED
I keep it in the freezer compartment. 

After a moment, Mark gets up and opens the fridge, takes a bottle of rum from the freezer compartment. Then he also takes a plastic soft drink bottle from the fridge, and returns to the table.

UNCLE TED
(Pokes at five or six indifferently clean glasses on the table, picks one up and sniffs at it)
Glasses here, I think these glasses are clean ... well, I mean, they'll do. 
(Sniffs at another glass)
Oh, this is good. Clean.
(Moves it towards Mark. He sniffs at another, recoils briefly at strong smell, but chooses it for himself anyway)
Woo! Okay. Here we are.

Mark pours them each a glass of rum and whatever.

UNCLE TED
Cheers.

MARK
Cheers.

A moment passes as they drink and exchange glances, Mark obviously reluctant to ask for money, the uncle pretending not to know anything, or possibly really not knowing anything.

MARK
The thing is ... 

UNCLE TED 
Oh. Do you want some money, or something? I mean, I haven't forgotten. I owe you some money. 

MARK
Well, actually, the thing is, I hate to ask ... 

UNCLE TED
It's kind of funny, because I've got this whole thing up and runnning now, the financing, I mean straightened out. Well, here's a twenty. 
(Digs into pocket and hands Mark a twenty).
I can give you a post-dated checque for the rest. It was good of you to help me out there. Boy! It turned out okay, I didn't really need your money, but - kudos where kudoses are due, it helped enormously. Now, I had to pay the lawyer eight thousand dollars, up front, you know. They don't do anything, won't even ooow! Gosh ouch, my back, so -- I can give you most of it on Friday, I think. 

MARK
If I could get half of it by Wednesday ... 

UNCLE TED
Well, I can get you most of that, most of half of it, say, Thursday, at the earliest. 

MARK  
When you say, "most of half", you mean, like ...?

UNCLE TED
A considerable part of half of it. By Thursday. Afternoon, say.

MARK
I mean, six months ago, just before Mom died, you did say you'd pay me back, right?

UNCLE TED
I know! What a terrible time that was for you! Mark! I really didn't want to approach you and bore you with all this, you know, Mark. You know, when your mother dies, it's like, what else is there? Who else really cares about you? No one. Even a best friend forgets a friend. A wife, finally, consoles herself in the arms of another. No, you're really on you own. Even God thinks you're a bore. You pray to him, he's going, "Oh, noooooo..." 

MARK
Uncle Ted --

UNCLE TED
I know. Tell you what, come by Thursday. I should be in. Right here. (Gestures to kitchen, nod assurance of complete trustworthiness)

EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF SHOP—DAY.
Mark is wearing his security uniform, smoking a portion of a cigarette. He takes one puff, then carefully extinguishes the cigarette, rubs the ash off, then returns it to the package. JOSEPHINE, a woman of [whatever], apologetically approaches him, having just come out of a store.

JOSEPHINE
I'm sorry! I didn't really mean it!

MARK
What? 

JOSEPHINE
I was -- I was confused. I don't know what I was doing, what I was thinking. 

Mark sees that Josephine has shoplifted [whatever] and has the stuff in her sweater.

JOSEPHINE
Look, I can explain, okay? Listen, it's not what it looks like. I've never done anything like this before. Really. I'm just so so so ashamed.

MARK
I don't know, I mean, you're not convincing me. I'm not moved. You're a "poor young girl", you're "frightened". But you seem sure of yourself, actually.

JOSEPHINE
I didn't -- 

MARK
You don't look frightened. 

JOSEPHINE
What --

MARK
I mean, you're saying the words, you're doing "frightened", but I'm just not getting it. You know, when people are really frightened, or ashamed, they sometimes don't look it. It can be quite maddening. I've seen people get in a lot of trouble that way. The cop or the teacher is all tearing them a new one, and they're just more withdrawn and sullen. It looks like they're being defiant, or insolent. But they're not. They're in a weak position. But you're kind of in command, here.

JOSEPHINE
Well, I'll be honest. You don't look like much of a security guy.

MARK
I'm not. I mean, I don't work here. I work next door.

Josephine puts the stolen merchandise back in her sweater, then exchanges a glance with Mark.

MARK
Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm on break, actually. 

JOSEPHINE
(Suddenly interested)
Lunch break -- ?

INT. CAFÉ—DAY.
Mark and Jospehine are sitting in a booth. Mark is drinking a coke and wondering how much time he can afford to spend. Josephine is drinking a juice. 

JOSEPHINE
You shouldn't drink that. Did you know Coke is made of rotten prunes? 

MARK
I did not know that.

JOSEPHINE
They buy up all these prunes that nobody wants any more, and they flood them with formaldehyde, so they won't get more rotten, then they put as much corn syrup as they can to get rid of the taste of formaldehyde, and that's how they make the syrup. It's the same recipe as the ancient Egyptians used for embalming mummies.

MARK
I don't think that's true.

JOSEPHINE
Well, you can think what you like. But do try it. Thinking, I mean.

MARK
Did you see that on TV or something?

JOSEPHINE
No. 
(Hostile)
Did you?

MARK
(Taken aback a bit by absurdity)
No. I'm not really watching much TV now. 

JOSEPHINE
Well, that's too bad, because I had an interesting observation to make about it, but now, I guess not, huh? 

Closeup of Mark as he thinks what to do. Suddenly a small spray of juice hits him in the face. He starts, and looks back at Josephine, who has a straw in her mouth and has apparently blown juice on his face through the straw. 

MARK
So, why all the questions? I mean -- I was sort of thinking it might be fun to go to the movies or something. I didn’t think --  

JOSEPHINE
I wasn’t really asking anything. Did you hear about the guy whose eyeballs were boiled in their sockets? It was last week. I heard about it on the radio. 

MARK
I don’t know. I hadn’t heard that.

JOSEPHINE
I mean, what makes sombody do something like that?

MARK
(Realising it is late)
I need to, I have to be --

JOSEPHINE
(Digging out box of tic tacs and taking one)
Tic tac? I always carry some tic tacs around. I don' t know a single person who doesn't want one. 

MARK
Ah, no thanks. I should probably be going.

JOSEPHINE
Really? I'm sure your boss won't mind if you're late. 

MARK
Actually, they do care about that. 

JOSEPHINE
I'd quit if I were you. Or threaten to. 
(Getting out her cellphone)
Show them who's boss.

MARK
Well, the boss is the boss. So --

JOSEPHINE
(Calling a number on her phone)
Can you just hang on a sec? Just --

Mark is about to stand up and leave, and Josephine motions for him to sit still. As she talks she gets a pen from somewhere.

JOSEPHINE
(Into phone)
Hey, it's me. Where were you? -- No, I did call you. Yes. -- Well, why didn't you pick up? No, I'm busy right now. Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to know what you were doing. -- Yeah -- Some guy I met. Just a glass of juice. No, listen, I'll call you. Yeah. 

Still on the phone, Josephine pulls a piece of notepaper from her bag and pushes it towards Mark, mimes writing with the pen in her free hand, and then lays the pen on the paper, meaning that he should write down his contact infromation.

JOSEPHINE
(Into phone)
Well, I'm probably gonna have to ask you for a big favor, probably. 

MARK
(Realising what he is supposed to do)
Oh.

Mark writes his number, then pushes the paper back across the table, waits a second, then gets up to leave. Josephine watches him from time to time, half-interested.

MARK
(Quietly)
See ya.

Mark leaves.

JOSEPHINE
(To phone)
Yeah. Wait.
(To Mark)
Where are you going?

Mark is already some distance away. 

EXT. STREET--DAY.
Mark has been using an ATM. He turns away from it, looking at his receipt. He stops and stands there doing mental calculations.

INT. MARK'S CUBICLE--AFTERNOON.
Mark is looking at his computer. There are many graphs showing price fluctuations, trades, etc. He gazes at them desperately. He begins to fidget and checks his watch. After some hesitation, he gets up to go for a short work-break.

EXT. ALLEY BEHIND MARK'S BANK--AFTERNOON.
Mark checks his pack of cigarettes. We see that there are five left. Undecided, he takes out his phone. He makes a call.

MARK
Oh, hi. Karen. Yeah. You got my message? -- Oh, I'm good, just -- yeah, the money, well it could be kind of important. No, I understand that. Yeah. Oh, no, don't worry, I didn't mean it that way. I just thought, you know, if you could help, but -- Oh, I know. That's difficult, yeah. No no. Is he, uh ...  Um, sure! Yeah, I wouldn't mind meeting him. Okay. That could be fun. Yeah. Okay. Nice to hear from you, too. Okay. Bye. 

Mark hangs up, puts the phone in one pocket, takes the cigarettes from another, cautiously lights one cigarette, takes two leisurely, life-giving puffs, then extinguishes it, and returns the reduced cigarette to his pack. He puts the pack back in his pocket and heads back to work.  

EXT. STREET, A FEW YARDS AWAY FROM PIZZA DOGG--DAY.
Mark is walking along with a coffee. Jack accosts him.

JACK
Dipshit!

MARK
The name's Mark. Jimmy Jesus didn't tell you to come round here, did he?

JACK
Jimmy Jesus? You call him that? Better not let him hear you. You don't call him “Jimmy Jesus” to his face, Dipshit. No, Jimmy Jesus didn't send me. I just thought I'd come by to ask you for some sound financial advice.

They walk together.

MARK
Ha, ha. Look -- 

JACK
No, I was just checking up on things.

MARK
Well, that's good. 

JACK
Jimmy Jesus says you're an economist, that true?

MARK
Well, I am working toward a degree in economics.

JACK
Is that macroecomics, or microeconomics?

MARK
It's, uh, both, kinda.

JACK
Money's a problem, though, huh? Tuition.

MARK
Yeah, you could say that. 

JACK
Yeah, well -- Jimmy Jesus told me something interesting. He said, “Twenty percent of the GNP, Gross National Product, of this country, that's financial services”. You know?

MARK
(Nodding thoughtfully)
Uh --

JACK
“Financial services”, that's fucking guys working out guys' fucking paychecks. “How much should this guy get?” “Fucked if I know, what's his increment? What fucking step's he at?” You know. Working out guys' pro rata and deductibles and shit. 

MARK
Well, it's what makes the world go round. There's different kinds of incomes. It gets complicated. 

JACK
Yeah, but twenty percent! That means, look around you -- all those offices. All those people. A fifth of them busy figuring out how much the other four fifths are making. Shlubs like me and you, the workin' man -- ! 

MARK
Ha ha, yeah. Er -- Do you have an extra cigarette? 

JACK
Who, me? Nah! You want a drink?

MARK
No, I have to get to work. 

JACK
Oh, right, your bank's up the street here. Yeah, me too. There's always some weed and shit in the car, if you want. 

MARK
No, I'm good, thanks. Er ... if that's all ...

JACK
Well, one other thing: how's a spongebob dipshit like you end up owing all that money?

MARK
My uncle needed some money, you know? I had to give my uncle some money. Then I didn't have any, and I needed some real quick. 

JACK
So you went to Jimmy Jesus, man ... don't you have like a girlfriend, the old lady, you can just, like, get the money from?

MARK
No.

JACK
Woah. Okay, that's ... that shit's just fucked.

MARK
Yeah. Anyway, I'm supposed to be getting back. 

JACK
Yeah. 
(Flexing and massaging sore bicep)
Gotta go and see a guy. Late for my three o'clock!!

Mark waits and then goes back into Pizza Dogg. RAY, the operator of Pizza Dogg, a shrimpy young man with a several bruises on his face, broken ribs, and a greasy ponytail, has apparently witnessed the exchange. He retreats unseen.

INT. PIZZA DOGG--DAY.

Ray and Mark have been working for a while.

Ray
Hey, Mark. Look at this. Here's something cool.
(Opens a cupboard. Mark stares into it.) 

MARK
Holy --!

RAY
Yeah, this is one their hideouts. 

MARK
I've never seen so many cockroaches in one place!

RAY
Yeah. Now watch!
(Picks up a box of parmesan cheese and shakes it into the cupboard.)
Look at em! They love it! Just eating it up.

MARK
What, parmesan?

RAY
No, it's rat poison! It doesn't do a damn thing to them. They like it. Here y'are! Mmm-mm!

MARK
Do you think it's wise to -- I mean, you keep rat poison in a parmesan cheese thing? 

RAY
I put a label on it!? 
(Shows Mark the box with a bit of masking tape on the side with "Rats" in ball point.)
See? "Rats". It's just handier, you know.

They continue working. 

RAY
Well, where you got pizza, you got roaches. It's weird. Roaches really like pizza. I mean, who doesn't, right? But it's good for them, makes them multiply and grow big and strong. They start adapting, and soon you've got this big army of roach mothers. You don't see them, if you're just in the shop, 'cause they're packed away in all the cupboards, walls, crevasses, everywhere, eating all the stuff. Every pizza place in the world is brimming over with roaches the size of your middle finger. Funny thing is, you slice one up and bake it at 400 degrees, it looks just like pepperoni. You know, sometimes you get a real crispy bit? On your pizza? Sometimes it's pepperoni.  

MARK
And so it is in life.

RAY
Exactly. 
(Stops to appraise work)
That's great, Mark. It's good to have a extra pair of hands. I was looking for someone to take a shift, and then I got into this accident, so it worked out. 

MARK
What'd you do?

RAY
Busted a few ribs, just. Makes it difficult, though. 
(Pause)
I saw you out there, that guy you were talking to.

MARK
Oh. Yeah. Jack.

RAY
So you know Jimmy Jesus?

MARK
Yeah -- some business thing, it's not like I know him. I mean, I don't know him like a friend or something.

RAY
Yeah, but that's so organic. You could -- do you know, like -- how do they hire people for stuff? Do you ever overhear stuff like that?

MARK
No! They wouldn't talk about stuff like that in front of me, I'm just some guy. 

RAY
Can I tell you something?

MARK
Sure.

RAY
I've been seeing this chick, she's great. A lot of fun. Likes the same kind of music as me. Nothing serious, just went out to a couple clubs. 

MARK
Great!

RAY
The thing is, though, her dad's got all this money. She sort of thinks he ought to give her some. 

MARK
Well, does she have a job?

RAY
No, that's the thing.

MARK
Is she a student?

RAY
No. Oh, I don't know. She was. 

MARK
Well, I suppose it's natural, when someone's having a tough time of it. 
(Wants to ask about payday)
I was wondering -- 

RAY
And then, she takes it a step further. She's, like, We could rob the old man. Or I could. 

MARK
Ooh. How well do you know her?

RAY
Known her a week. This is all confidential, huh? Just between you and me. Not a word.

MARK
Yeah, yeah. Do you trust her?
    
RAY
Well, yeah, that's the thing. You never trust someone who'll sleep with you. Common sense. I mean, look at yourself -- what were they thinking?

MARK
Right, right, “judgment”. 

RAY
And then she, well, had this better idea. We should drop him. You know -- off the guy.

MARK
Her father?

RAY
Her father.

MARK
And there'd be money in it for you.

RAY
Yeah. For us. That's the  plan.

MARK
I don't think that's a very good plan, Ray, because there are things you can't predict. Important things, like getting caught.

RAY
Yeah, that's what I thought! That's always an option.

MARK
And the greater the payout, the more trouble you're looking at. Investigation and so on. Any large sum of money changing hands puts up some red flags.

RAY
And of course killing a guy is wrong, you might say. You could be in trouble right there. 

MARK
Well, yeah. I mean, you're not thinking of doing this?

RAY
Naw. It's just one of her ideas. You know.

MARK
Well. Oh. We get paid, you said -- ?

RAY
Every two weeks. That'd be like, uh --

MARK
I was kind of wondering if --

Mark is about to ask if they could get paid earlier, but changes his mind. 

MARK
What you'd have to do is, make it look like someone else did it. But you'd have to make it so they'd look really good for the murder. You know, satisfy them. "This is the guy, no question". 

RAY
A fall guy!

MARK
(Laughs)
Yeah! I don't know if that would work, though.

EXT. STREET--EVENING.
Mark has been using an ATM. He turns away from it, looking at his receipt. He stops and stands there doing mental calculations. Then he puts the receipt in his pocket and leaves.

INT. MARK'S ROOM--EARLY MORNING.
Mark's room is neat and completely empty except for a foam rubber pad to sleep on and a small bedside table holdng a lamp, keys, wallet, coins, watch with alarm set. There is also a skimpy table against the wall with a laptop, some mugs, cigarettes, ashtray, etc., and a folding chair. Underneath, stacked ever so neatly, some newspapers and an electric kettle. A little way further, also against the wall, a single cardboard box filled with his essential papers -- work-related or personal.
   
Mark is lying on his foam rubber pad but is not asleep. He wearily looks at the clock and turns the alarm off five minutes before it is due to go off (6:00?). After a moment, he sits up and swivels around to put his feet on the floor. He doesn't yawn or anything, but gets up and goes to the little table to a make an instant coffee. 

Sitting at the table, his coffee made, he turns to the ashtray with trembling hands. He checks the cigarette package to see that there are still four left (also to clarify to the viewer that it is tobacco cigarettes he is smoking not dope). From the ashtray he picks up a neat 3/4 cigarette, which he lights gingerly, as if about to take part in a moving religious ceremony. He then takes exactly one puff, then dissolves into an emotional release of piety and gratitude. 

MARK
Oh, thank you thank you O Lord for this. Phew. Gosh. O my.

Mark extinguishes the remainder of the cigarette carefully, saving it for next time. He begins to feel better, he exhales as if after an ordeal, he is more alert, relieved, even cheerful. Then he turns on the laptop and looks at the screen. He considers some work he has done. He picks up his cell phone and calls a number.

MARK
(Into phone)
Hi. Mr. Aja? Yeah, I got your message -- yeah, that's right. That's me. So, you're interested in buying my computer? Okay!

INT. MARK'S CUBICLE--DAY.
Mark is at his desk, working the computer and his desk phone, also marshaling some folders. 

MARK
(Into phone)
Well, I'm looking at it now, let's see -- there is the matter of his student loan -- that's the only thing he has. Right. And --

Mark clicks on another window on the computer.

MARK
-- and, okay, he missed his last payment, and he was late with the one before. Actually, that's two he was late for. I know. It doesn't look too good. Too bad. Yeah, okay. No problem!
(Hangs up)

Mark looks thoughtful. Then he returns to his computer. He is studying an online gambling site in a different window.

MARK
(To himself)
Okay, h'm. San Francisco ... now, if I buy points both ways, that's 250 dollars, that's, uh, and ... that could work.

Marks' cell phone squeals. Mark takes it from his pocket and answers, watching his computer screen the whole time.

MARK
(Into phone)
Hello? 
(Baffled by the caller) 
Oh -- it's you. Josephine. No, I just wasn't expecting you to call so soon. Yeah, I guess I did. It would be nice to get together -- At work right now -- Well, I have to go to a different job after this. Well, okay. Around eleven? Okay. Okay. Bye. 

He hangs up and puts cellphone away. 

MARK
(To himself)
Dallas. 350. Okay. Why not?

He types on his keyboard and clicks on enter. Suddenly he hears people talking behind him, clicks on his work window, nonchalantly checks behind himself, but there is no one there.

INT. JOSEPHINE’S APARTMENT—NIGHT.
Mark is tired. They seem to have been there for a while. Josephine is cheerfully drinking a miniature bottle of vodka. 

JOSEPHINE
My father! In his tuxedo, nice shirt. He never looked more handsome than when he was dead. 

MARK
I'm sorry to hear that.

JOSEPHINE
I was sad, but he looked so happy! Like he was finally getting that vacation that he wanted so badly, and I thought, If anyone deserves this well-earned rest, Daddy, it's you!
(Pause)
Is your family around? 

MARK
No, just my uncle. I mean, I have cousins and stuff. Some aunts that I haven't seen in a long time. 

JOSEPHINE
Tell me everything about yourself.

MARK
Well, I'm working in a bank now. I'm studying part time. Trying to make ends meet -- you know. Let's see. Can't think of anything -- 

JOSEPHINE
No, tell me about you. Tell me everything, at once. 

Mark is about to say something.

JOSEPHINE
No, no, I demand complete knowledge! Withhold anything, and you're rotting meat. Do you have a trust fund?

MARK
Me, oh no! It's a handy instrument, if you have a lot of money.

Josephine uncaps and begins to drink another mini-vodka.

JOSEPHINE
Don't you have anyone to help you? Somebody to borrow some money from? Help out a bit?

MARK
I haven't really -- you know, you try to work things out on your own.  

JOSEPHINE
Don't you have any friends?

MARK
They're mostly people just like me, you know, who have their problems. The people I know now are mostly other students. Kinda lose track of other people.

JOSEPHINE
Then you're just gonna be one of those people that hangs out with their intellectual friends, and they make tired, intellectual jokes that nobody can understand, and then lean over and say "oh, touché" in a real tired voice. And their mouths are all dry. Or sticky! Too much mucus. People who read a lot, you can always hear sticky mucus squeaking away in their mouths when they're trying to adumbrate the issue. 

Mark takes this in. Then he picks up his coffee mug.

MARK
Okay if I make myself another coffee?

INT. JOSEPHINE'S APARTMENT--NIGHT.
Mark is coming out of the bathroom, wearing his security guard uniform. Josephine is on the floor looking through her CDs. Mark goes to sit on the couch.

JOSEPHINE
Are you some sort of loser artist, I hope not. I was going out with this artist, and people would look at his paintings that didn't look like anything, and they always say it was "interesting", because they didn't know what else to say. Because they didn't look like anything. And they weren't really interesting. And he would get all snippy. And he'd sneer at them secretly. Not openly. 

MARK
I don't know what I want to do. Right now, this last little while, I haven't thought about it. I've been too busy thinking about what I'm going to do. If anything.

JOSEPHINE
So, you don't know what you're doing. 

Josephine puts a CD on the player, then immediately takes it off.

JOSEPHINE
No, they suck.

She goes back to sorting through her CDs. Mark is thinking about leaving.

MARK
Well -- 

JOSEPHINE
I suppose I should be honest with you -- 

MARK
Sure. Could work.

JOSEPHINE
I've been kinda seeeing this guy.

MARK
Welp, nothing wrong with that.

Josephine joins Mark on the couch.

JOSEPHINE
I really like him, but ... I don't know how far I can rely on him, you know?

MARK
Yeah. But --

JOSEPHINE
And the other guy -- 

MARK
You're seeing two guys.

JOSEPHINE
Yeah, neither one is adequate. By himself. I need at least two. And they're not working out.

MARK
Yeah, I know. That happens. Usually people you meet are only good up to a point. They only meet, say, half of the criteria.

JOSEPHINE
Yeah, exactly!

MARK
But I just take that as understood. You just have to consider yourself lucky, you know. 

JOSEPHINE
Oh, yes, yes, Mark!

Josephine uncaps another mini-vodka and drinks. It's having no discernable effect on her, other than to make her more personable. Mark gets up to leave and Josephine follows him. They pause and embrace near the door. 

JOSEPHINE
I knew you would understand. “Only half the criteria”, yes.

We see Josephine's happy face over Mark's shoulder. 

JOSEPHINE
I've met so many guys who just don't understand anything. Just -- spinning their wheels. You're not like that, are you? You're always -- busy! Doing something! I love busy men.

MARK
I'm kind of busy these days. What are you doing tomorrow?

JOSEPHINE
What?

MARK
What are you up to tomorrow? Anything? -- If you're not busy tomorrow -- we could meet and do something. 

JOSEPHINE
Mark, I just don't understand you sometimes. Why aren't you happy right now? 

MARK
No, you're right.
(Pause)
I was just thinking, I have to go to work in a minute, and then I've got to do some other things, and then I have to go to work, the next day, and then after that, the next day, we could get something to eat or some movie to watch. Something.

Josephine removes herself and opens a grocery bag in the hallway containing some vodka bottles.

JOSEPHINE
Oh, well, I don't know, I'll call you. I suddenly realize I've got so much to do. 

She takes a bottle from the bag, hefts it, looks pleased. Mark pauses, smiles, uncertain.

EXT. ATM MACHINE--EVENING.
Mark is looking intently at his balance on the screen. He seems half-way satisfied.

INT. MARK'S CUBICLE--DAY.
Mark is staring at his computer screen, both working and placing bets. 

MARK
(Into phone)
Yeah, I've got that right here. Ah, three point five percent. Right. Three point five. Oh, it's no trouble. Bye.

He hangs up, click something on his computer, then reaches for the phone again, still watching his screen. He dials a number, waits.

MARK
(To himself)
Oooh! Indian test match. C'mooon. C'mon, you losers.
(To phone, but watching screen closely)
Oh, hi. I looked into it, I can send you the update if you like. Yup. Okay. Bye.

Before he hangs up he hits enter on the keyboard, pouncing on a bet.

INT. JIMMY'S BAR--EVENING.
Mark enters and sees Jack hanging around the bar in a proprietary manner. He heads towards the back. Jack watches him approach.

MARK
(To Jack)
Is he in?

Jack waves Mark through, then stops him.

JACK
Wait. Stop. Come here.

Mark pauses opposite Jack. Jack calmly turns a near-empty cocktail glass over Mark's head, just ice, fruit and a plastic toothpick cascade down his head. Mark hardly reacts.

JACK
There! Sending good vibes your way. 

Mark nods and continues to the office at the back.

JACK
You probably wanna clean yourself up a bit before you go in to see him.

INT. JIMMY'S BAR, JIMMY'S OFFICE--EVENING.
Jimmy is at his desk talking on the phone. Before him is a laptop, printouts, receipts, etc.

JIMMY
(On phone)
I mean, can you even say one sentence -- one complete sentence -- which is not all about you? 

Jimmy motions for Mark to sit in the chair opposite and also looks inquisitively at him, as if to say, "Do you have the money?".

JIMMY
(On phone)
Can you do that? NO -- don't answer me. Just think. NO. Think about how you're going to say this sentence, a real sentence that's about something, that's not all about you. Yeah. I have to go now. -- Really. Okay. Well -- why don't you work on your poems, that's what they're for. Okay. Yes, okay, princess. Bye.

JIMMY
(Mainly looking at his laptop)
What are you doing here? Money? Put it on the ...

MARK
Mr. Regan, I need to talk to you about some ideas.

JIMMY
(Looking at his laptop and trying to work).
I thought we talked about this. You need to pay me, and, gosh, time's marching on. Here's an idea -- stop being a goddam deadbeat all your life.

MARK
That's the thing, I'm not. I told you I'm working very hard, I've sold everything, I'm making a little on the side. I'm doing everything I can do here. But, you know -- there's only so much I can accomplish, in a given time frame. You're being a bit unfair.

Jimmy sighs and leaves off what he was doing to play with a pen and almost wondering aloud.

JIMMY
What is it with you people, anyway? It's always me me me. Never a thought about the other guy. You know, you come in here -- not just you, but other losers, and -- and they think Oh, he's got money, he's important, he's connected. But I'm just getting by. It’s all plain old work. And I'm pretty much legitimate, ninety percent. What I do here is business. Bar, two restaurants, other things. It used to be different, of course. I'm not the man that my dad was, not by a long shot. He was involved in all kinds of things, as I told you. 

MARK
You did mention that.

JIMMY
It's all right until everyone starts getting greedy. Then the insanity starts. 
(Pause)
I mean, I don't have a problem with what other people do. Some people -- everything they say is a complaint about what a bad time they're having. And they watch TV, or read the tabloids, and everyone has this idea of how things are. You know. The story. There was a piece of cardboard in the bottom of a dumpster, all covered with pizza sauce, and nobody cared about it. It was headed for a landfull. But, with the right atittude, the love of a good woman, some shit like that, it overcame all obstacles and won gold at the Olympics and beat the shit out of everyone else and was vindicated! See, you keep listening to stuff like that -- it's not how things work.

MARK
I just meant -- 

JIMMY
What can you do. Money is nothing. Forget about money. It's always about power. I mean that's no surprise, but that's all it's about. That's what people don't get. There is nothing else.

MARK
Well, people want money and things. Fancy car. 

JIMMY
Maybe.

MARK
Security. 

JIMMY
Security, what's that? You sound like an insurance guy. You work in a bank, right? You don't sell insurance. Security! Security from what? From not being secure enough? What? You’ll be  plenty secure in your tomb, after you're dead. Which could be tomorrow. 

MARK
But everyone wants to not have to worry, at least. They want to have their own house that they can't get kicked out of. Education for their kids. If they get sick,  ...  be able to pay the bills.

JIMMY
Yeah. Personal finance. Things. Cigarettes. Tomorrow's cigarettes and pills and booze. And so we come to you, Mark. Mark? I keep hearing "can't do can't do can't do". What you need to do is get to "can do". What can you do?  You need to get on that, right away, pronto, ASAP, RSVP. I mean, I can put up with everything except lazy -- fuckin' -- people! 

Mark waits, then gets up to leave. We follow Mark out.

JIMMY
(Turning to computer, but still looking at Mark)
Now, don't be all like that!

EXT. ALLEY OUTSIDE JIMMY'S BAR--EVENING.
Mark pauses, gives in and takes out cigarette pack. He is about to take out a cigarette, but makes an effort, decides not to have one, and angrily puts the cigarettes back in his pocket. He walks away.

---
[after he meets Ray and Josephine
JACK
(Off)
Dipshit.

MARK
(To self)
Oh, fuck. 

Mark turns around to see Jack. Jack beckons. Mark joins him.

JACK
People care about you. Come on.

They enter a bar and find Jimmy Jesus in a booth reading a paper with his coffee. 

JIMMY
If I weren't a good guy, if I weren't concerned about you, Dipshit -- I'd just leave you there and not check up on you. And then, you know what would happen. I'm doing you a favor. Sit.

MARK
(Sitting down)
Very kind.

JIMMY 
Coffee? You studied economics, didn't you?  

MARK
I majored in economics and I'm sort of halfway through a -- 

JIMMY
Yeah. I'm reading this, "The Street is scared" -- they mean Wall Street, or so I garner  -- "scared to death that we are in for a futures crash". What happens when there's a futures crash?

MARK
Well, you know that by "futures" they mean, when they expect people to buy a lot of something, then prices go up a bit in expectation. But then those buyers turn around and look as if they're not going to make the purchase, then you have a futures --  

JIMMY
Yeah, yeah, boring. But what I've garnered from this -- a guy can buy a piece of what might happen, that's normal, and buying a piece of what might happen can also screw up what's going to happen, you follow me? I mean -- 

MARK
Yeah --

JIMMY
You invest in shit, and other people are all, "Oh! that must be some valuable shit, let me invest too", the price goes up, so that's normal. That's how the whole thing works. Always has done. Am I right?

MARK
Yeah! Actually.

JIMMY
And you can also play with the action on that. I mean, that's what I garner from this report. 

MARK
Effectively, yes.

JIMMY
And that also has an effect. Now you take it a step further: I can place a bet on the bets people are placing on the bets that are being placed. 

MARK
Uh -- 

JIMMY
Well, you're the economist. Kick down! You could work that, couldn't you?

MARK
The way it works is -- 

JIMMY
(Tossing newspaper aside.)
No. But that's not what I wanted to talk about. You were making representations about loans and debts and all that, that I'm allegedly a "bit hard of a hard ass". Now, look at this guy. 
(Gestures to newspaper).

MARK
Yeah, I saw.

JIMMY
Mike Pinocchio, or whatever his name is. Manager of a hedge fund. One of the top-performing hedge funds. He's like your boss, right? Know what he's in the paper for?

MARK
Yeah.

JIMMY
Record-breaking bonus, he got. Do you get a bonus?

MARK
No.

JIMMY
I'm sorry, what? Did you say "No"?  Because this guy got a bonus. A real big one. To give you some rough idea of how big it is, uh, it's like the biggest in the history of the whole world? His bonus for this year -- on top of his normal salary, which is significant, and some other goodies -- equals something on the order of sixty times what they pay the president of the United States of America every year. That's why he's in the paper. And look at him. Did you get a good look at him? Look at that smile. "Hi folks. It's me. I'm eating your lunch. Hi folks. Aren't I smart? I'm taking the baloney off your sandwich." Where do you think the millions and millions they've just given him, as a sort of gratuity, actually come from?

MARK
Well, if – 

JIMMY
Yeah. No. It doesn't come from under a cabbage leaf, it comes from several million guys' pockets. One way or another. Little transactions that you don't even know about. A little short there? Having trouble covering the kid's expenses, paying for Dad's euthanasia? Well, no wonder. You're bleeding from a thousand cuts. So. I wouldn't rant about it. But the other day you accused me of usury, which hurt my feelings, rather. I'm just making a very humble living.

MARK
I’m sorry.

JIMMY
(Dismissing topic.)
This Ayn Rand chick. Any good, to your knowledge?

INT. UNCLE TED'S KITCHEN--EVENING.
Mark is using Uncle Ted's computer at the kitchen table. He is working on an online betting idea. Uncle Ted is in his usual chair, on the other side of the table, half-heartedly watching the TV, which is on the counter behind Mark.
 
UNCLE TED
(Referring to TV)
Now Watergate. Heh. That was going to be a big payday. Never came off, though. A shame, though. Gosh. The money. Four targets. But, you know, that was just demented. No use talking about it. Still. 

MARK
(To self)
I wonder ... okay, ten to one. 

UNCLE TED
(Still watching TV)
These days there's not much point in getting rid of anybody. Back in the 60s, I worked for a major meat company, a major supplier of quality meats, you name it, if it had meat in it, they probably supplied it. They were always, “this guy's not working out, get rid of him” -- management problems. That's how I got the job. And so I was supposed to find out who to give the old heave-ho to, and I did. You look around, and you find out, “this jackass is not working out”. But, it didn't matter. It just means the next jackass moves into his place. After a while you realize it's all jackasses, up and down. You know?  

MARK
Yeah. 
(Studying screen)
College football? I don't think so.

UNCLE TED
And the only mystery is there's no mystery. Just a lot of people that don't know what they're doing, that's the big ol’ mystery! But Nixon was really desperate, scared, I guess, and had this screwy  idea -- I mean, it could have worked, but -- 

MARK
Yeah. What do you know about off-track betting? 

UNCLE TED
Oh. Quite a lot.
(He peers at the computer screen which Mark has turned towards him)
“YouPay”. Spent most of last year messing with that. It's a kick. Lost ten thousand in half an hour. Took a bath on Ratzinger.

Mark looks confused.

UNCLE TED
(Explaining)
When the Pope died. Backed the wrong guy. Should have covered the spread. Didn't think they would choose Ratzinger for Pope, but who knew the College was so conservative?  I can show you what I know.

Uncle Ted gets up from his chair and goes around the table to sit in the chair next to Mark, on the other side of the table.

MARK
Oh, good.

UNCLE TED
(Sitting down next to Mark)
Generous, soul of generosity, when he had a mind to. But demented. Always – you know? Fish out of water. What we used to call a “hodad”.

Mark looks up inquisitively.

UNCLE TED
(Explaining who he means)
Dick Nixon. President Nixon. Richard. Nixon. 
(Squints at screen) 
Now let me see -– 

--
INT. KITCHEN OF “PIZZA DOGG”—NIGHT.
Mark and Ray are working together.

MARK
That's a terrible idea, Ray. Really. I've never heard of anyone who killed someone they know and got away with it. 

RAY
Man, there's a lot of amazing unexplained phenomenon out there. Unexplained mystery.

MARK
That's the thing. It's only the ones that don't make sense -- the crazy serial killers, who kill people they don't know, who get away with it. For a while. Someone's murdered, the first thing they do is get onto all the people they know. And they catch them. And those mysteries -- they only have them on TV because they're so unusual. They don't show normal things on TV. If you kill someone you know, you'll get caught. 

RAY
The exception that proves the rule!

MARK
What?!

RAY
It's foolproof.

Ray produces a small diorama of someone’s bedroom proudly.

RAY
Let me show you. Keep this under your hat, huh?

Mark looks at the diorama. He figures it out.

MARK
Is this sort of a model of your murder plan?

RAY
Well, I have planned it. Down to the smallest detail. Always make a plan. I don’t see how anything can go wrong. Can you?

MARK
(After a moment’s study)
Well – you’ve done your homework.

RAY
I've left nothing to chance. I took your advice, actually. 

INT. OFFICE OF "JIMMY JESUS" REGAN -- DAY.
Jimmy Jesus is at his desk with his laptop, papers, a dish of peanut brittle. He seems a bit distracted. Mark enters, carrying a thick file folder.

JIMMY
Ah, young Mark. What's up?

MARK
Well -- 

JIMMY
Wait. First, you know what I don't want to hear, right?

MARK
Yes, Mr. Regan.

JIMMY
The -- oh, call me "Jimmy", by all means -- the next words out of your mouth better not have anything like "Can. Not. Pay", or any wabbawabba like that. 

MARK
No, this is something interesting. Last time you seemed to be curious about financial futures.

JIMMY
(Fiddling with the dish of peanut brittle on his desk)
Yes, I was. But I have a stockbroker.

MARK
That’s a complex thing, as you know. But I was thinking about what you said. And I got working on this idea. -- There is a way you can make money off of what other people are doing. Now --
(Opening file folder)

JIMMY
Oh, oh, oh, I get it. You've got this scheme and I'm supposed to hire you for your good ideas and, it'll all work out!! And, I should forgive your debt, because you're gonna make me a whole lot of money and, -- would you check out the unmitigated gall of this guy? Huh?

MARK
Wait, can I show you? Let me show you.

Mark comes up to the desk, gingerly takes control of the laptop, types in an address, clicks on things. Jimmy messes around with his dish, etc., on the desk, distracted, looking at the screen from time to time.

MARK
So it's set up fairly easy. People log on, they get a membership, a password, they place bets via YouPay. That's like an online account that each punter has. They have to put money up to play. They can only bet whatever their account will cover. So much here, so much there. Now it's all pretty automatic. Once their bet is in, and the result is reported, the dealer's account is credited. There's no collecting or anything, it's automatic.

JIMMY
So, in effect, there's no way they can say, "Hey, you're fucking me over".

MARK
Right, it's like points in an online game. It's like your score. Even if we, you, wanted to, there's no way for us to mess with that. And they know that. It's all on the up and up. If it weren't so, no one would play, word would get around in the community.

JIMMY
Show me how that works.

MARK
Okay. Here's me. I'm putting in my password. Now, see that? I got 2,000 points available -- that means I've put two thousand in my YouPay account. Now I can choose a race -- for example, the outcome of the elections in Slovenia. Now, you see the odds? They get updated every so often. Now, I don't bet on the race itself -- but on the action. If Stratich, the Social Democrat, moves up three points by tomorrow, say, then I win. See, look--it's moving.

JIMMY
Yesss! I win I win I win! Go, Stratich! My brother, we stand to make a lot of money this day! Slovenian elections, huh?

MARK
Well, not right off the bat, but -- 

JIMMY
Dipshit, Mark. This is just a lovely idea, and I'm sure you could pick up the odd ten bucks here and there -- 

MARK
No, the idea is you could cover thousands of bets, you invite all kinds of people to bet on countless other bets -- and no one can --

JIMMY
Yeah, I know, I see, online betting betting, very meta, whatever, it's a lot of work. Some guy has to -- 

MARK
No, you're not listening, it's automated. I mean, I think I can build a system that would allow you to do all this non-stop. You just need to get the players interested. 
(Opening folder)
See, I've done some work on this. The interesting thing is, the bets themselves --

JIMMY
Thanks. I don't think I'm interested. However, I would love to offer you some homemade peanut brittle.
(Breaks off a small piece from a dish and waves it enticingly. Then bites a bit off.)
-- That's not how things work.

MARK
Oh, no, -- it is how things work. You were asking me about banking and all that. How things work is that way -- through cautious thoughtful investment, deliberate strategy, and hard work. 

Phone rings. Jimmy is dismayed, then sighs and picks it up. Mark gives up and prepares to leave.

JIMMY
(To Mark)
I know what you're saying. I appreciate your -- but that's just not how things work.
(Into phone, wearily)
Hello ...
(Puts hand over receiver and addresses Mark again)
You know – the world is like a big pyramid, and you’re at the bottom, down in the dust, and it’s no good, a billion guys are pressing down on you and a bunch of guys like you. But a guy like you, you’re lucky to be there. You wanna be there, you don’t wanna be outside, where there aren’t any pyramids.
(Into phone)
Yes? 

Mark considers this and leaves.

EXT. STREET--DAY.
Mark is handing out leaflets as a part-time job. He is being followed around by Jack, who seems curious about him. Jack is holding a leaflet and puzzling over it. 

JACK
What exactly do you do? At the bank?

MARK
Well, I work in loans. People want to borrow money from the bank, I check out their ability to pay. It's pretty straightforward. People usually want to borrow more money than, strictly speaking, they can afford. And banks don't like to take any risk. 

JACK
So, you yourself. A well-run bank wouldn't loan you any money, would they?

MARK
No. That's right. Not the amount I needed.

JACK
I mean, duh! Your credit rating sucks, right?

MARK
Yeah.

JACK
I hear you, brother. But ... I couldn't stop thinking about this bank business. I mean, there you are, right in the middle of all this money. It's chock full of money. Banks, that's what they have, money. Isn't there some way you can, like, type in a password when no one's looking, and download a lot of money to an account?   

MARK
No, nobody does that. And not only do I not have anything to do with the money, I'm not anywhere near any it.

JACK
Dude, you work there. 

MARK
It’s like – in another world, and there is a great gulf between us. And I'm not even supposed to talk about stuff like that. 

Jack looks at Mark in disbelief.

JACK
Shit, that's weird. 

MARK
Yeah.

JACK
It's, like -- annoying. 

MARK
Well -- 

JACK
Listen. Gotta go. I'll check in with you later. Might have something for you. 

Jack leaves.

EXT. UNCLE TED'S HOUSE, FRONT DOOR--AFTERNOON.
Mark and Josephine are on the step, having just rung the bell.

MARK
He's gettin a bit -- old.

Uncle Ted opens the door.

UNCLE TED
Mark. Just going to phone you. Come in.

MARK
(Introducing them)
Uncle Ted -- Josephine, Josephine -- 

JOSEPHINE
Hi! It’s so nice to meet you.

UNCLE TED
Josephine, Josephine. I haven't seen you since, gosh --

They enter, Mark, a little ahead, turns around.

MARK
Do -- you two know each other?

JOSEPHINE
No! I don't think so. Do we?

UNCLE TED
Goodness, no, I was just-- nothing. Dotty. Josephine, is it? Josephine.

They go into the kitchen, drift towards table. There is a small TV on the counter mumbling away, pointed towards Uncle Ted's chair at the table. 

MARK
Just thought we'd drop by, in the neighborhood. 

UNCLE TED
(Taking his usual spot)
Oww, Oh my! Mark, do you wanna .. ?
(Gesturing to the fridge and the dirty glasses)

MARK
Oh, right.
(Gets up and goes to fridge. To Josephine)
Do you want a drink? 

JOSEPHINE
Oh! Sure.

Mark goes through the same routine, looking for clean glasses, then taking the glasses on the counter and washing them. Uncle Ted looks past Josephine for a moment at the TV, amused by something. Then he picks up the remote and mutes it.

UNCLE TED
Just watching the end of this dumb, dumb movie about the JFK assassination. Don't watch movies much. -- Grassy knoll! Always on about the grassy knoll. There was no one at the grassy knoll. They always get that wrong. Funny. 

Mark serves them their drinks and sits down.

UNCLE TED
Telling Mark, earlier, about this business I've been involved in. Things aren't what they were. It's hard for an old guy like me to stay afloat. That's why I've been in retirement, sort of. 
(To Mark)
That money, before I forget --

JOSEPHINE
What kind of business?

UNCLE TED
Me? Oh, car dealership. You have to specialize now. Hard to find good mechanics. Talent.

JOSEPHINE
Well, that's true.

UNCLE TED
I don't know what we're all going to do.

JOSEPHINE
Excuse me, is there a bathroom here?

MARK
You go up, on your right.

Josephine leaves.

MARK
Listen -- 

UNCLE TED
Dear me, that's Jimmy Regan's daughter.

MARK
(Thinking for a second Ted means someone on TV)
-- Who?

UNCLE TED
Jimmy "Jesus", they used to call him, or still do. This -- this girl is his daughter, Josephine.

MARK
You? Jimmy Jesus -- you know him?

UNCLE TED
I knew him. That's what they called him, he was -- you know -- Scary. Did some work for me, but -- that's his daughter, she's cute, though. Rats in the attic, but --

MARK
That can't be.

UNCLE TED
I'm on these painkillers, the good stuff, 
(shakes bottle of pills and squints at label) 
"Deluded?" "Dilaudid". I don't know what day of the week it is anymore. But that's her. Heard she tried to kill herself, booze and pills. Next thing you know, Jimmy's got her in this rehab. 
(Whispers) 
Looney-bin, you know. Mental. 
(Makes insane face and gestures). 
Funny, you bringing her here. 
(Normal voice, and smiling, as Josephine re-enters) 
But, no, maybe not. I don't know whether I'm coming or going. But she's the one! That I do know.
(To Josephine)
How's your drink, princess?

Josephine sits down cheefully.

JOSEPHINE 
It's great. Kinda dry though.

She indicates that her glass is empty.

UNCLE TED
Well, Mark! Get the young lady another drink. I've got plenty here. 

Mark gets up and pours Josephine some more rum.

UNCLE TED
(Continued)
There's beer, if you want. There's rum. There's ice. There's some of that, what d'you call it, Mexican stuff. Strychnine. No, Tequila.

MARK
(To Uncle Ted)
I was wondering about that -- 

JOSEPHINE
I'm not really supposed to be drinking at all, you know.

UNCLE TED
Ha ha.
(To Mark)
We'll talk about that -- huh? 

Uncle Ted gestures to Josephine and their little party.

JOSEPHINE
(Draining her glass confidently)
It's true. It's all his fault. 

She gestures to Mark. Mark is a little surprised.

UNCLE TED
Drink up! For tomorrow we die! Mark. Quit worrying.
(To Josephine)
He's a worrier. 

JOSEPHINE
(Refilling her drink)
He's a bore!

MARK
(Half to himeself)
Should be thinking about getting to work soon.

Uncle Ted and Josephine exchange glances, then burst out laughing at Mark.

MARK
What?

INT. PIZZA DOG--NIGHT.
Mark and Ray are working. Ray goes to sit down, apparently dizzy, then falls to the floor. 

MARK
Ray. You all right?

Mark goes to help him to his feet. He guides him to the stool.

RAY
Yeah. 
(Clears his head)
I’ve had this head injury. A day or so before you started here -- no it was the same day! -- that's when I got this. Broken ribs, real banged up. I was actually in a fight.

MARK
No kidding? What happened?

RAY
It was just a thing. I got pounded, and couldn't do much about it. Just lay there and try not to get kicked in the head or neck too much. 

MARK
Jesus, what, were they after your wallet or something?

RAY
No, nothing like that. It was just -- a beating. Did something to piss some guy off. That happens. I've gotten worse beatings. It's unavoidable, right? 

MARK
Yeah ... 

RAY
But -- when they're actually really beating you, really trying to mess you up, after a while, it starts to feel terrible. At first it just hurts and everything. Then you're worried maybe you're gonna get real busted up this time, some serious damage that can't be fixed. And then it doesn't hurt so much because you're getting used to it, then you start to feel hopeless. It starts to feel really unkind. "Is this never gonna stop?" you're thinking. "What kind of world is this, anyway?"  So you did some minor thing, and people just can't stop trying to fuck you up as punishment?! So -- that's when I made up my mind. Gotta do something. 

MARK
Like what?

RAY
I don't know. But Josephine was talking about this, I thought that was crazy before, but then I thought -- shit, I don't know. 

Mark notices that he said “Josephine” but chooses not to pursue it.

MARK
You mean -– 

RAY
The thing with her dad, yeah.

MARK
You can’t seriously think that would work?

RAY
Why not? The guy's loaded. We'd be set up for life. I can't see how anything could go wrong. Just between you and me, I've got a plan, I thought about it for a while, and I thought -- 

MARK
Wait, whoa. Maybe this needs to be kept a secret.

RAY
Right. Don’t tell anyone. You I trust, you’re not gonna say anything. The way it works -- 

MARK
I mean, the less people that know about this, the better. What I don't know, I don't know, and there's no sense asking.

RAY
Dude, I know what you’re saying.

MARK
I don't know if it makes sense for me to know -- you know -- all the details.

RAY
Yeah, listen. That don't matter. I have to run this by you, you know. It seems to check out to me, but see what you think. I’ll just feel better knowing you’re, like, a part of it, you know? So I’m not all alone in this.

MARK
Um --

Mark wins some money,
Jimmy I've changed just when I was thinking, you know
One more day daughter. Ssomeone tried to poison me.

EXT. JACK’S CAR—AFTERNOON
Jack and Mark are sitting in Jack’s parked car. 

JACK
Well, excuse me, not to be a music snob or anything -- but you can take that Van Halen lame ass wankery and stuff it. I don't think there's ever been a bass player with the instincts of Dee Dee Ramone. And they had everything for a while there. They turned their limitations into a  fuckin' asset. And Joey, man -- 

MARK
Yeah -- 

JACK
Oh my God, the voice! Huh? That voice! Just mind-blowing, I mean, my mind was like in tiny little pieces on the floor, and I hadda go pick it up and reassemble it. 

MARK
Wow.

JACK
Yeah. But, good point about Talking Heads, though. Their first show, they opened for the Ramones, as you probably know, and my cousin was  dating Johnny Thunders at the time. 

MARK
No, I had no idea that your cousin was --
 
Jack's cell rings.

JACK
I mean, I respect what you're saying. Rootless people like you like classical music because of the aura of permanence.
(Answers cell)
Right. Uh-huh. Just sittin' here. Okay. Like we said, okay.
(He hangs up)
Okay. Man, this is your lucky day. You get to kill someone. 

Mark sits in shocked silence.

JACK
The way it works, it's not official. It's like, it doesn't happen. Jimmy's not involved, okay? It's -- 

MARK
You mean, I kill this guy -- 

JACK
No, you listen and shut up.

MARK
Okay.

JACK
This is just a little side business that has nothing to do with anything else, it's like cleaning out a guy's garage, doing a favor, for a  neighbor, and you get a little consideration. You won't owe anything any more. You're paid up. 

MARK
Oh, Oh, I see.

JACK
Yeah! This one time. It's a one-time deal. And it's a good one. You're so lucky. Jimmy Jesus is a good guy that way, not like some people -- all -- 

MARK
I don't know if I can -- kill a guy.

JACK
Don't, like, over-analyze. You know how they have these interventions, for people who are fucked up on drugs? Well, you're just going to intervene on this asshole. And problem solved. Everyone's happy. And your debt is paid. Now this guy, his name's "Ray", all you need to know. Works evening shift at Pizza Dogg on Nth, just down the street from your bank, so he gets off around one, one-fifteen, you wait for him round the back, he'll be the only guy coming out. It'll be kinda dark. But -- you say “Ray?” -- like that, not too loud, he turns around, you know you got the right guy. And “pop”.

 There is an appalled silence.

JACK
He might survive. That don't matter. He won't know who you are. You're just some guy, it's dark. He's nothing. Cops aren't gonna put their nutsacks in a vise over this. And if he lives, it won't matter. He'll get the message. Same same. But, it's best if he dies.

MARK
How come -- how come this isn't your job? I mean, you must know more about this.

JACK
No, it's not my job to take care of disruptive assholes who are just in the way. I don't make the rules, that's how it is. I've already got my things to do. You're the guy that needs to put all this stuff behind you, get on with your life. You do this, and then, you're good.

MARK
Jack, I don't -- I don't know if I can kill a guy.

JACK
Aren't you making this just -- a little more complicated than it is? I mean. It's really not that big a deal. Okay? Just man up and do it. Now,  We're gonna drive by Pizza Dogg, check it out, you'll get your bearings. Then we'll head back to my place -- if that's, like, copacetic -- and  we'll learn all about the piece that we'll be using for this project. Okay? 

They drive off.

INT. JACK'S PLACE--NIGHT.
Having driven around, come to Jack's place and looked at the pistol, Mark and Jack have spent some hours socializing. Mark is half asleep in an armchair. Jack, now dressed in robe and underwear, is sitting on the couch, a coffee table littered with beer cans, gun, and dope paraphernalia in front of him. He is rolling a joint and eating olives or something. 

JACK
So it was a pretty good book, if you like that. Falling asleep, there.

MARK
(Waking up)
Nah, just thinking.

JACK
She turned me on to that, haven't seen her since. That was one good thing that came out of the relationship. I got the other books and read them.
(Lights joint)
Now if they made a movie out of that -- I'd totally go and see it. 

Mark idly picks up the book on the couch. We see it is a copy of “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand. 

MARK
Gotta get to work soon.

JACK
You're a nut. But remember what I said.

MARK
Yeah. Listen, Jack -- just out of curiosity, why this Ray guy? What's he done?

JACK
Look -- 

MARK
Yeah, yeah. But I'm okay. 

Jack breathes out through his nostrils wearily. 

JACK
He's in the way. He's causing trouble. 
(Pause)
Okay -- he's been hanging around the daughter of a good friend of mine. Good guy. Doesn't need this kind of trouble. The daughter's a lovely girl, sweet, real smart, but she's been through a lot. She's very vulnerable right now.  
(Pause)
Yeah, I tried -- but he don't listen. Twice I kicked the crap out of him, busted his ribs. Like talking to a brick wall. So I'm done being reasonable.

EXT. ATM--DAY.
Mark stares at his account on the screen. He shows no expression, but stares at it for some time. Someone else wants to use the machine.

MAN BEHIND HIM
(Coughs)

Mark comes to, clicks on the "Quit" button, retrieves his bank card, and leaves.

Ray, Jospehin, she's in the bin. She was doing so well. .....
.....

JIMMY
Lots of people get crazy when they get older. JFK. People like that. Me, I'm getting saner by the day. I know a lot of things now, that most people don't. It's kind of frightening, the stuff I'm congizant of now.

MARK
JFK?

JIMMY
Yeah, JFK. He was nuts. A real fruitbat. Persecution complex, the whole deal. That's what they're always trying to cover up. Anyway. This assassination thing that you're working on --  

MARK
I told you, I'm not involved in anything like that. I'm trying to be not involved, that's why I'm talking to you.

JIMMY
Oh no. That's not how it works. We're all involved now. Only question is, what do we all do? It's an interesting problem. Not unlike the JFK situation. I don't really know much about that. But it was funny, though. You know why?

MARK
No!

JIMMY
Hang on. It's relevant. The thing with JFK was that Oswald -- Lee Harvey Oswald, you know -- ?

MARK
Yeah, yeah.

JIMMY
Oswald just got in the way. Wasn't supposed to be there, nobody knew who this guy was -- two teams of guys, shooter and a spotter behind the picket fence, backup guys, the whole thing was supposed to go down a few seconds later, and all of a sudden there's this buttinsky, this nobody, popping out of the Texas School Book Depository. Pow! Pow! Guys are running all over the place, “What? Who? What the fuck?” What a mess. Now, Bobby Kennedy, that was by the book --

MARK
So, I've given you this heads-up, and --

JIMMY
Interesting ... so Jack's doing personnel management for me. Like that fuck would have the authority to do anything. Even I can't do that. No, I don't want that right now. I can't use anymore of this kids' stuff. What you do is you're gonna take Jack out for me.

MARK
No, I mean, I've just alerted you to the problem. That's as much as I can do. That's like, something I've done for you.

JIMMY
No, I need Jack out, and that's what you can do for me. Jack's out of line and screwing things up. Ergo.

MARK
But I don't quite get how I'm supposed to do anything. I don't owe you anything, right?

JIMMY
I don't know.

MARK
You got your money!

JIMMY
Well, strictly speaking, it's Jack's money. I don't think it changes anything between us.

MARK
I owed you, and you got paid! That means -- we're clear. I owed you the money, Jack came and paid my debt for me. Right?

JIMMY
Yes ... but on the understanding that you would pop this Ray. Which you have not done.

MARK
No. But you don't want Ray dead. Right? 

JIMMY
Right, but, no, it doesn't quite work that way.

MARK
What do you mean?!

Long pause as Jimmy thinks.

JIMMY
Okay. I see where you're coming from. I'm almost inclined to agree with you. Almost. In a perfect world, yeah. I got my money. Not that that matters now. You've warned me about Jack. That's good. But, the way it works is, you have to take out Jack. Your deal with Jack is the key issue. Now, you might say, “Hey, I was just sittin' here minding my own business, it's his doing”. But how it works is, this situation has come into being because of you. And you have to take care of it. We isolate it this way. No one else knows about this. If this gets out of hand, and other people find out, then that's not good for anybody. It's not good for you and me. Like with JFK, all that – nonsense.

MARK
You mean ...

JIMMY
Right, it's not the crime, it's the coverup. Like with JFK. It wasn't JFK that was supposd to get popped, of course. It was his wife, Jackie. He thought she was acting up, sleeping around. Crazy, like I said. So, what you do, is ...

MARK
But I've got some money now. I mean, give Jack the money he gave you, and I can still pay my debt. I can pay it myself. I won't really owe anybody anything.
(Pause)
I worked -- 

JIMMY
Mark, I know. You worked really hard. It doesn't matter, I told you: it's not about money. That's not how it works. 

MARK
What does that even mean?

JIMMY
What you do is everything. That decides everything. That's how everything works. People do things. That makes other people do things. That's how you end up with a perfect shitstorm, like we have here.

MARK
Look, I did what I was supposed to do.

JIMMY
Well, you've come up with the money you owed. Great. If you hadn't, nothing would have happened to you. At most, you'd have been beaten to a pulp and learned a valuable lesson, one that would serve you well. You suffer, and lesson learned. And that would be that. No sense wasting time on deadbeats. But you've avoided the reckoning, and now look. There's no way around this. Either he dies or you both do, one or the other. Jack's out either way. You? Your fate is in your hands.

EXT. DRIVEWAY OF UNCLE TED'S HOUSE--DAY.

Uncle Ted is carrying two shovels with some diffculty out to the car. Mark is puzzled but takes the shovels from him and carries them. Uncle Ted shakes his head, wipes his hands, then proceeds to the car, taking out his keys.

UNCLE TED
Yeah, well -- I need you to take a drive up to Shediac. Couple passengers. 

MARK
Shediac? That's like--two hours away. 

UNCLE TED
I had to take care of some things. Gosh, my back. Two guys I think you know. Drive 'em up. Come back. We'll talk. 

MARK
Gee, --

UNCLE TED
Put 'em in there.

Uncle Ted motions to the trunk, which he opens. In the trunk of the car we see Ray, his eyes open, lying dead under a tarp. Mark pauses. Uncle Ted takes the shovels from him, wheezing in pain, puts them into the trunk, adjusts the tarp, slams the trunk. Then he turns to Mark.

UNCLE TED
You know, you could fuck up a can of peaches! Have you any idea what a sore grievance you have been, your whole life, to anyone who knew you? To anyone who cared for you? Your father, your poor mother, your dumb girlfriend -- a nice, cute girl, who didn't deserve all your nonsense -- and now me! Me! And I don't even like you that much. I mean, okay, you're my sister's kid -- I gotta look out for you, I was very fond of my sister, and you were not a bad kid, as far as that goes. But you -- did you ever think to feel sorry for all the hurt you caused other people? No, it's always "me me me, poor me", and now look. This is your fault, Mark. Now you're going to take responsibility for once and you're going to drive Jack and Jimmy up to Shediac and you're going to do what Jack tells you exactly, and I mean to the letter, and you're not going to say a word about this, and you're going to come back and then we'll see what to do with you. And this is serious stuff, and really unnecessary.

A car pulls up. Jack and Jimmy get out. They approach.

UNCLE TED
(To Mark)
I think you know Jack? Do what he tells you.
(To the others)
Well, ready for your trip? Got the driver here. 

JACK
We're taking your car?

UNCLE TED
Well, yeah, for now. And then ...come back for a drink, and ...

JACK
(To Jimmy, softly)
Get in, Jimmy.

Jimmy gets into the passenger seat of the car.

JACK
(To Mark)
Okay. You're the driver. Let's saddle up!
(Pause)
Just drive. Everything's gonna be okay. Really.

FADE OUT