FADE IN:
EXT. INDUSTRIAL ZONE. NIGHT
EXT. A THREE FLOORS COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
NIGHT
Susan ( 53 - dressed in rags ) comes to a
trash can in
front of the building. She lifts the lid and
looks inside,
She takes out a paper bag and looks inside.
She walks over
to the stairs leading to the front of the
building and
sits down. She takes out half a sandwich from
the bag and
takes a bite.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
Go away.
Susan stops chewing.
SUSAN
Fuck. Who the hell're you scaring
people to death this time of
night?
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
It'll be light in 30 minutes.
Susan looks around.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
(CONT'D)
Up here. On the third floor.
Susan looks up. Susan's P.O.V. of a figure
standing outside
the third floor.
SUSAN
Isn't it a bit early for washing
windows ?
MALE VOICE
I'm not.
Susan continues to eat
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
(CONT'D)
Do you mind moving to the left ?
SUSAN
Sure.
She gets up. takes a few steps to the left
and sits.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
OK?
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
OK.
(beat)
Don't you want to know what I'm
doing?
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2.
SUSAN
No. It's your damn business unless
you are one of them who piss on
people.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
I'm not.
(beat)
I'm going to jump.
SUSAN
You got aids?
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
Not that I know.
SUSAN
I don't want your blood all over
me. You want me to call for an
ambulance right now Mister?
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
Jasper.
SUSAN
Jasper?
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
My name. Jasper.
SUSAN
You kidding right?
(beat)
Never met a Jasper before. How
long do you carry this so called
name ?
JASPER (O.S.)
25 years.
SUSAN
No wonder you want to jump. Well
what about the ambulance?
JASPER (O.S.)
There is no rush. I'll be dead.
SUSAN
No you won't unless...
JASPER (O.S.)
Unless what?
SUSAN
You jump from the 6 floor and
upward. I can get you into the 17
floor of the Wellcot Building.
JASPER (O.S.)
Thank you but no. It's got to be
this third floor.
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3.
SUSAN
Suit yourself Jasper.
Susan finishes the sandwich and takes out an
apple from
the bag. She takes a bite.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
You can see the teeth marks of a
child. Children shouldn't throw
away food.
(beat)
You got kids Jasper?
JASPER (O.S.)
Not married.
(beat)
That's why I'm up here.
SUSAN
Well with the name Jasper...
JASPER
It's got nothing to do with my
name. It's Helen.
SUSAN
She turned you down and that is no
reason to hurt yourself.You want
to marry I'll introduce you to my
niece Alma. She's 28 and wouldn't
mind that your name is Jasper.
JASPER (O.S.)
Helen didn't and then did.
SUSAN
What's that?
JASPER
She said she would marry me and
then she started working for Mike
Hunt and changed her mind.
SUSAN
Who the fuck is Mike Hunt?
JASPER
He owns this building. All three
floors. 85 people working and he
had to put his claws on Helen.
SUSAN
Let me guess.
(beat)
This Hunt guy got his office right
where you are?
JASPER
Yeah.
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4.
SUSAN
And you want to get even with him
by jumping from outside his window
so everyone'll know why you did it
right?
JASPER
He got it coming.
Susan gets up.
JASPER (CONT'D)
I'll wait until you turn the corner
Susie.
SUSAN
Susan not Susie.
(beat)
I'm not going anywhere if that's
what you mean Jasper.
Susan goes to another trash can and lifts the
lid. Sh puts
her hand in. It comes out with a small
cardboard box. Susan
opens it.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
You brought me luck Jasper. Two
pieces of birthday chocolate cake.
Susan takes the box to the stair and sits.
She opens the
box.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
They left the " Hap " and the "
day ". Which one do you want?
JASPER (O.S.)
Why don't you go and let me die?
SUSAN
Because you won't die at least not
from jumping from the third floor
unless you're lucky and you fall
head first.
JASPER
You mean like jumping into a pool
?
SUSAN
Kind of.
JASPER
I was never any good at it.
SUSAN
Forget about jumping. Just let
yourself go.
(MORE)
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5.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
If you're lucky you'll break only
your legs and you'll walk again -
maybe with a slight limp - in one
year.
(beat)
With a name like Jasper I don't
figure you're lucky.
JASPER
How bad can it get?
SUSAN
Paralyzed for life. You fuck a lot
?
JASPER
What?
SUSAN
Fuck. Fuck. You know what it
means.
JASPER
How many is a lot ?
SUSAN
I would say at least once a day.
JASPER
Sometimes.
SUSAN
You'll see a naked girl but the
prick won't move an inch. Your
mind will deliver the picture but
it won't reach you prick.Line is
dead.
(beat)
another thing. You will be
dependent
for the rest of your fucking
miserable life. Helen'll know that
she was the cause and will feel
obliged to stick by you. So she'll
marry you. It will go on for years
and both of you will be very
unhappy. Then she'll meet someone
and she won't want to divorce you
because then you'll be on your
own. So she'll kill you and will
go to prison making her and her
lover miserable.
Silence. Susan looks up.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
You still there Jasper?
JASPER
Yeah.
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6.
SUSAN
How sure are you about Helen and
Hunt? Did you catch her
Susan laughs
SUSAN (CONT'D)
Sounds like a couple of comedians.
JASPER
Cut the crap Susan and leave.
Susan spits out the cake and wipe her mouth
with her sleeve.
She closes the cardboard box.
SUSAN
You want it? The cake? It'll kill
you for sure.
Silence. Susan gets up and goes tot he trash
can. She
searches inside making a lot of noise.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
Funny. People throw away everything
but never a drink.Unless it
stinks.
(beat)
Am sure thirsty. This Hunt guy got
a fridge ?
Silence. Susan looks up.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
Hey Jasper. I badly need a drink,
Coke, Pepsi, water anything. I
shouldn't have eaten the fucking
birthday cake. Maybe the family
wanted to kill the birthday man
and they poisoned the cake.
JASPER
Shut the fuck up and go.
Susan leaves the trash can.
SUSAN
OK.I'm going and I am not looking
back until I turn the corner.
(beat)
Last question OK?
JASPER
Sure.
SUSAN
Are you fat?
JASPER
(laughs)
No. Why ?
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7.
SUSAN
Because when fat people jump their
bellies split up and the guts
spill out. My friend Jenny came
across such a case once and it was
not nice.She said the man lifted
his head looked at the guts and
said " Who says I haven't got guts
" then he passed out. She later
heard they managed to save him but
he has to be spoon fed for the
rest of his fucking life.You see
Jasper the guts shoot all over the
place and the peremedics take out
kind of shovel and try to
collect...
JASPER
OK. That's enough. Go. Please. I'm
counting to ten and then jump.
SUSAN
Go ahead and do it.
(beat)
Start counting when you hear this.
Susan tries to click her fingers. It does not
work. She
tries again with same result. There is a load
click of
fingers from the third floor.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
You did that Jasper? It sounded
like thunder.
JASPER
Used to be best in school.
SUSAN
You had a competition of clicking
fingers?
JASPER
No but I managed to drive the
teachers crazy. They never knew
where it came from.
SUSAN
You're good. Very good. I thought
my uncle Jacob was the expert in
clicking his fingers but you are
much better.
(beat)
You ever clicked for Helen?
JASPER
No.
SUSAN
I bet she wouldn't have left you
if she knew. I wouldn't have.
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8.
JASPER
It's too late for that Susan.
SUSAN
No. It's not.
JASPER
You mean you can bring Helen back
to me?
SUSAN
Sure but It'll cost you 50 bucks.
JASPER
Helen can't be bought.
SUSAN
But she can learn the truth about
lover boy.
JASPER
Do you know Hunt?
SUSAN
Don't think so but maybe I have
means to get some info about him.
Info that Helen should be aware
of.
JASPER
What info?
SUSAN
Promise you won't jump while I'm
finding out about Hunt.
JASPER
OK.
Susan takes out a cell phone and punches the
button. She
listens. The phone rings.
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Trasco. Emily Lofting speaking.
SUSAN
Hi Emily. It's Susan
EMILY (O.S.)
I know that. Your number flashes
on my screen.
SUSAN
I need to know about a certain
person, Mike Hunt.
EMILY (O.S.)
Give me his address?
SUSAN
Hold on.
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9.
Susan call to Japser.
SUSAN (CONT'D)
Jasper.
JASPER
What now?
SUSAN
Where does this Hunt live ?
JASPER
East 47th I think.
SUSAN
(on the phone)
Client say east 47th.
(beat)
It's Clara's area.
EMILY (O.S.)
I know that. Please hold.
SUSAN
Right.
(to Jasper)
Emily'll be right back.
JASPER
You said I was a client?
SUSAN
You're paying 50 bucks and that
makes you a client.
JASPER
You got some kind of a business?
SUSAN
Trasco.Trash Searchers Company.
JASPER
No kidding.
SUSAN
3740 people all over the US of
America. Every scrap of information
we find goes to the head office
where they feed it into the
computers.
(beat)
Emily is searching for info on
Helen's lover boy.
EMILY (O.S.)
Susie.
SUSAN
Yeah.
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10.
EMILY
We got 24 sheets on him.
SUSAN
Thanks. Hold it.
(to Jasper)
there is a 24 sheet printout on
Mike Hunt. All you got to do is
let Helen read it. She'll bounce
back into your arms before you
click your fingers.
JASPER
What kind of info?
SUSAN
You pay first. Well ?
JASPER
OK. I'm buying.
SUSAN
(on the phone)
He's buying. Start printing. Thanks
Emily.
EMILY (O.S.)
Sure.
Susan closes the cell phone.
SUSAN
Let's have breakfast.
JASPER
Sure. I'm coming down now.
Susan looks up. The figure is gone. Susan
opens the cell
phone and punches the buttons.
EMILY (O.S.)
What is it now Susan ?
SUSAN
This Hunt is a goldmine. Jasper...
EMILY
Jasper? Is this the name of your
jumper?
SUSAN
Yeah but I'm going to make him
change it as soon as he gets down.
(beat)
Jasper is our number 5 jumper in
the last three months just because
Hunt can't keep his hands off his
secretaries.
EMILY
We ought to send him flowers.
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11.
Someone gets out of the building and walks
over to Susan.
SUSAN
He's out now. See you.
Susan closes the phone and looks at Jaspr as
he comes
towards her.
End. |
