NYILFF2010 FRY

FRY

ROBERT LATORRE

05-22-2010

INT NIGHT.  LOBBY.

DECO grabs ENVELOPE from the CONCIERGE, counts the CASH inside, and walks through the REVOLVING DOORS.

______

EXT NIGHT.  STREET.

Almost immediately upon exiting a THIEF starts following DECO.  SHE gives no indication of noticing.  

DECO rolls and lights up a JOINT.

Deco VO:

LO PEOR QUE PUEDEN DECIR DE MI ES QUE SOY FUMONA Y PUTA.

Y DE PUTA, NO HAY EVIDENCIA.  PURO CUENTO.

The THIEF makes a run at DECO, but in one quick move SHE sidesteps HIM and trips HIM.   DECO pins the THIEF to the ground with her BOOT.  SHE produces a LARGE TASER GUN from her BAG and shoots it into the THIEF's back.

Deco [humming]:

LA VIDA TE DA SORPRESAS...

DECO waves the TASER GUN around as if it was a lit torch.  Other FIGURES retreat into shadows.

 Deco [humming]:

SORPRESAS TE DA LA VIDA, CAMARÁ.

DECO keeps walking and whistling and disappears into the night.

_____

INT DUSK.  METRO.

INTERTITLE:  "THIRTY CYCLES LATER"  

WAGA stands among other BROTHERS wearing similar WHITE UNIFORMS.   SHE alone wears a WHITE BACKPACK, enormous HEADPHONES and a handmade PATCH on her chest that reads "THE ART OF CONVERSATION IS DEAD"

WAGA looks straight ahead, without blinking.  Her left eye is bruised.

Deco VO:

AS I WAS SAYING, LO UNICO QUE PUEDEN DECIR DE MI ES QUE SOY FUMONA Y PUTA.

Y DE PUTA NO HAY EVIDENCIA.  PURO CUENTO.

_____

EXT NIGHT.  RECRUITMENT MIXER.  An unsanctioned party at an abandoned BASKETBALL COURT. 

DECO is onstage, nearing the end of her act.

Deco:

LA GENTE EN ESTA COLONIA VIVEN ATERRORIZADOS DEL QUE-DIRAN!  AY PERO SI ME VEN HACIENDO ESO... AY QUE DESPUES SE ENTERA FULANA...

MAAAAN!  

WAGA is in the audience.  She has changed out of her UNIFORM and is now wearing colorful handmade CLOTHING.  SHE still wears a patch that reads "THE ART OF CONVERSATION IS DEAD."  

WAGA laughs.

Deco:

LO UNICO QUE MATA EL QUE-DIRAN ES DECIRLO.  DECIRLO A TODA BOCA: 'HOY ME COMI TRES RABOS Y CUARENTA MOTAS... Y QUE?'

The AUDIENCE -most of them wearing similarly colorful handmade CLOTHES, a few still wearing their WHITE UNIFORMS- explodes in laughter and applause.

___

EXT NIGHT .  RECRUITMENT MIXER.

WAGA hovers BACKSTAGE, holding a RED BOOK, visibly worn and used.  DECO appears with a  BODYGUARD.  SHE stands aside while the BODYGUARD takes the BOOK from WAGA and examines it.  

The BODYGUARD brings the BOOK to DECO.  SHE looks closely at it, then opens it and shakes it -all sorts of NOTES and POST-ITS fall out.

DECO takes the BOOK back to WAGA.

Deco:

WHO GAVE YOU THIS?

Waga:

WILL YOU SIGN IT?

Deco:

WHO GAVE IT TO YOU?

Waga:

MY GUIDE.

Deco:

IT'S REALLY YOURS?

Waga:

YES, MA'AM.

Deco:

COME WITH ME.

_____

EXT NIGHT.  RECRUITMENT MIXER.

GUARDS surround the abandoned BASKETBALL COURT and break-up the party.  There's a lot of screaming, a lot of running and shoving.  Some beat-downs.  A couple of GUARDS use TASER GUNS on the KIDS.

A lucky few escape into the BUSHES.

The GUARDS then start shaking down the KIDS for CASH, WATCHES, various TECHNO-GADGETS, and even their SNEAKERS, before filing them off into TRUCKS.

________

Emergency LOGO for TRASHBEACH TELEVISION.

Announcer over PHOTOGRAPHS and TEXT.  The PHOTOGRAPHS show WAGA in STREET CLOTHES with long brown HAIR.

Announcer:

EL SIGUIENTE ES UN SERVICIO SOCIAL DE CANAL TRECE.

LA NIÑA JOSEFINA DEL RIO HA SIDO REPORTADA PERDIDA POR SUS PADRES MARTIN DEL RIO Y NEREYDA GONZALEZ DEL RIO.

LA NIÑA FUE VISTA POR ULTIMA VEZ EN LOS PREDIOS DEL JARDIN DE PAZ.  

VESTIA UNA BLUSA AMARILLA Y UNA FALDA AZUL.

LA NIÑA ES DIABETICA, Y SUS PADRES RUEGAN A QUIEN LA ENCUENTRE QUE POR FAVOR LLAME AL CINCO-CERO-TRES-VEINTICINCO-TREINTA

___________________

EXT DAY.  GHOST TOWN.

INTERTITLE:  "TWO CYCLES LATER"

DECO and WAGA walk up some stairs, the OCEAN behind them.  Their CLOTHES are worn and faded.  They've been on the run for some time.   

Deco:

THERE'S TWO TYPE OF TRIBES IN THIS COLONY: THERE'S THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW YOU THE OCEAN, AND THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, THE OCEAN'S RIGHT THERE, EVERYWHERE.  AND STILL SOME NERDS BROADCAST LIKE THIS:

SHE gestures away from the water.

Deco:

IT MAKES ME WANNA GRAB THEM BY THEIR POPPED COLLARS AND SHAKE THE GÜIDO OUT OF THEM.     

YOU KNOW WHAT BAD TASTE IS?  BAD TASTE IS ABSENCE OF EMPATHY.

BAD TASTE IS LACK OF CARING: JUST NOT CARING ENOUGH TO LOOK AROUND YOU AND RECOGNIZE THE BEST POSSIBLE SCENARIO AND GO WITH THAT ONE.

GOOD TASTE, ON THE OTHER HAND -GOOD TASTE IS ABOUT APPRECIATING SOMETHING EXQUISITE IN A MANNER INACCESSIBLE TO MERE MORTALS.

IT'S ABOUT SEEING THE AURAS, THE INVISIBLE RHYTMHS, THE HIDDEN CONTRASTS AND DIMENSIONS -

DECO pauses, SHE LOOKS AROUND

Deco:

SOMEONE'S FOLLOWING US.

  

_________

EXT DAY.  GHOST TOWN.  Empty streets and shuttered homes.  DECO and WAGA approach from the left while a GANG OF MEN approach from the right.  They meet in front of an OLD CHURCH.

DECO addresses the GANG's leader.  HE's dressed in all black.

Deco:

YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF MY BITCHSLAPPING, DO YOU, DANGER?

Danger:

I JUST WANT THE FRY, THAT'S ALL.

Deco:

AND YOU THINK I'LL JUST HAND HER OVER JUST LIKE THAT?  WHAT ABOUT MY REWARD?

Danger:

I'M SURE WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT.  DO YOU STILL HAVE THE BOOK?

Deco:

MAYBE.  MAYBE I BURNED IT.

DANGER laughs.  

Danger:

YOU'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO LIE FOR SHIT.

DANGER motions to his MEN.  WAGA hides behind DECO.

Deco:

COME AND GET IT!

The MEN rush DECO.  SHE meets the first MAN with a fist to the nose.  HE goes down.  Two MEN grab her from behind and hold her arms, but DECO head-butts one and scissor-kicks the other.  THEY too go down.

DANGER takes out a HUGE KNIFE with his right hand and advances towards DECO.  DECO unzips her HOODY and unholters her TASER GUN. SHE aims at DANGER.

Deco (to WAGA):

WHEN I TELL YOU, RUN.

DECO and DANGER circle each other.  DANGER pulls out an even BIGGER KNIFE with his other hand.

Deco:

RUN!

_________

EXT DAWN.  BEACH.  DECO and WAGA arrive at a small INLET, where they find a hidden TRANSPARENT INFLATABLE RAFT.  THEY hug goodbye, and DECO helps WAGA into the RAFT.

But the GIRL has a change of heart.   She starts climbing out of the RAFT as waves crash against the sides, threatening to topple it.

DECO struggles to keep WAGA in the RAFT.  SHE tells the GIRL something we cannot hear.

WAGA stops struggling.  SHE curls up on the floor of the RAFT.  DECO sends her away, over the waves.

DECO returns to the beach and finds the RED BOOK washed up ashore.

SHE signs it, drops it without opening it, and walks away drying her TASER GUN.

_________

EXT DAWN.  OCEAN.  WAGA lays on the floor of the RAFT as it starts filling up with WATER.  SHE kicks her legs, as if in a dream, but otherwise goes quietly under.

Deco VO:

THERE COMES A TIME IN EVERYONE'S LIFE WHERE YOU WANT TO ONLY BE SURROUNDED BY WHAT YOU LOVE.

IT MIGHT NOT BE MANY THINGS, OR MANY PEOPLE, BUT ANYTHING ELSE JUST GETS IN THE WAY.

THE THING IS, IT'S UP TO YOU TO SORT IT OUT.

WHATEVER GOES IS TRASH.

WHATEVER STAYS IS HOME.

WAGA passes through the RAFT, comes out under it and swims away into the OCEAN as a small FISH.

-END-