FADE IN:

CLOSE SHOT - SYLVIA

Mid to late thirties. Something both shifty and a little lost

in her eyes. Shes in the middle of a reading.

SYLVIA
The gypsies have a word for it.
Amrn. Loosely, it means the curse
that wont let go. You buried the
chicken bones with the money?

INT. SYLVIAS SEANCE PARLOUR - DAY

Purple chintz - dim lights. She wears a loose-fitting

eastern blouse with wide sleeves. Shes talking to a young
man. Latin looking. Spanish? Italian? TERRY. An old scar
from something jagged in the shape of an M on one cheek. He
takes ten dirty hundred dollar bills from his pocket.

TERRY
One thousand dollars.

SYLVIA
(hands up)
I dont want to touch it. Ive
just cleansed the bowl. You can
put it there.

Terry puts the money in the bowl.

SYLVIA
Did you bring the egg?

Terry takes an egg from his shirt pocket.

Sylvia takes it, studies it for a moment. Then dramatically,

she cracks it open on top of the money. Blood pours from the
egg. Blood and a hank of dark hair where the yoke should be.

SYLVIA
Its as bad as I thought. We dont
really have a choice.

She has a little can of lighter fluid on the table. She

squirts it over the bowl, lights a match, sets it on fire.

SYLVIA
Archangel Michael, hear us and help
us.

She passes her hands over the flames. Looks at Terry.

 2.

SYLVIA
Its a very strong curse. I can
feel the evil energy.

TERRY
Can you feel this?

He picks up the flaming bowl and smashes her in the head with
it. Brutal. It knocks her to the ground.

The flames set one of her curtains on fire. The side of her
head is bleeding. Her hairs caught fire.

Terry pulls the tablecloth from the table. Everything on it

is thrown to the ground. He puts the flames in her hair out
with the tablecloth. In the same move, he pins her hands
back, lying on top of her on the floor. He reaches up her
sleeve as he does this. He removes an egg.

TERRY
How do you like your eggs?

He one-hand cracks this egg - the egg he handed her - onto

her face. Regular white and yolk run down into her eyes.

TERRY
Amrn. Whered you get that?
Google Translate?
(a beat)
You dont work bujo ever. Bujo is
ours.

And he reaches behind her back and pulls his thousand dollars
from wherever she palmed it. He gets up, pushing off her.

She just lies there, her hair smouldering, her face a mess.
A womans voice (AMANDA) comes up (OVER) from the next scene.

AMANDA (O.S.)
Lately, Ive been spending more and
more time with my dog.

EXT. A STRIP MALL - DAY

San Fernando Valley. A view through curtains. Donut shop,

nail parlor, dispensary. Palm tree swaying in a breeze.
Mailman on his rounds. Amanda continues on the TRACK.

AMANDA (V.O.)
I just feel like, at peace with
him, you know?
 3.

INT. CHARLIES SESSION ROOM - DAY

AMANDA (LATE 20s) lies on a couch, talking. Looks like a

therapy session.

AMANDA
Tommy, he thinks me working at
Dunkn Dogs isnt a career. And
Im like, yeah, but spotting a
bunch of Sherman Oaks pricks at the
gym is? I mean I know shampooing
dogs for a living is kind of empty,
and I know adopting a pit bull was
probably me putting up some sort of
wall to a relationship, but fuck,
those guys bring her in for a wash
and then never come back to get
her. I mean, how would you feel,
all clean and abandoned?

Shes talking to

CHARLIE HAVERFORD. Somewhere in his forties. He seems a

little tired, but he tries to look as if hes listening.

CHARLIE
The question, I think, is how do
you feel.

AMANDA
Me? Like I want to spend more time
with my dog and less with Tommy.

CHARLIE
Everyone has stops they make along
the way. Tommy is one of yours.

AMANDA
(sitting up)
That is spot on. Youre amazing.

PULL BACK to Charlie sitting at a table on which tarot cards

are laid out in a reading pattern. Not a therapists office,
but another psychic parlour, unlike Sylvias - quiet, calm.

Charlie barely glances at the cards. Hes phoning this in.

CHARLIE
Its all in the cards.

AMANDA
So I should dump him?
 4.

CHARLIE
Youre spending more time with your
dog anyway.
(indicates the Magician)
And this card - it suggests that
hes cheating on you.

AMANDA
Prick.

But shes smiling. Charlie swoops the laid out-cards back

into the deck - a magicians move. Skilled.

CHARLIE
Thats what the cards tell us.
(a beat)
Same time next week?

She nods, reaches in her purse - counts out three twenties.

CHARLIE
Bring your dog if you like. Im
partial to pits. Its all about
the owner, not the breed.

AMANDA
Something Ive been meaning to ask.
Is a psychic like a therapist?
Like, for one thing, is what I tell
you confidential?

CHARLIE
Of course.

AMANDA
How about the part, I mean with a
therapist, theres not supposed to
be any personal involvement,
anything like that.

CHARLIE
Im married.

AMANDA
Do you tell your wifes fortune,
see into her future? Give her
advice?

CHARLIE
Thats what it means to be married,
isnt it?
 5.

CLOSE ON LINDA HAVERFORD

A few years younger than Charlie. She was a dancer, and it

shows. No wonder Charlie had such an easy time turning
Amanda down. Shes dressed as a sorceress, crystal ball
rising in the air in front of her - deliberately cheesy.

LINDA
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble...
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.

She makes a gesture and the crystal ball, still rising,

disintegrates into a million pieces of glitter. We ARE

EXT. SAN MARINO BACK YARD - DAY

Ladies who brunch. Mimosas and gossip. The backyard is big

and perfectly landscaped and manicured, as are the ladies.
Two huge California oaks frame the house and tell us how long
its been here. This is several worlds away from a San
Fernando Valley strip mall. Lindas the entertainment. The
ladies applaud and gush. Quite a show.

EXT. SAN MARINO BACK YARD - DAY

LATER. Linda puts a perfect slice of roast beef on her plate

next to some asparagus. NADINE DAVIDSON - in her 50s, what
they call a handsome woman, approaches. She has a reticent,
slightly damaged way about her, as if she were seeking
approval for everything she said.

NADINE
I always thought it was hubble,
bubble, toil and trouble.

LINDA
A lot of people do.

NADINE
I dont really like Shakespeare. I
never understand what anyones
saying, and everyone around me
laughs loudly so well all know
that they DO understand...
(offers her hand)
Nadine Davidson.

LINDA
Linda Haverford.

NADINE
Youre a magician?
 6.

LINDA
Im a housewife.

NADINE
Really?

LINDA
This? Something to get me out of
the house, and a little extra money
coming in.
(a beat)
My husband used to be in the magic
business. He designed tricks.

NADINE
Thats fascinating. I never really
thought about who made the... magic
work.
(a hesitant smile)
And what does he do now?

LINDA
Hes a psychic.

NADINE
Oh...

Linda looks right at Nadine. Sees something in her

expression.

LINDA
You dont approve?

NADINE
I had a bad experience.

LINDA
(a beat - registering
that)
You have to be very careful. Id
say ninety-five, ninety-six percent
are frauds, con artists, gypsies.
Tell you to bury your money in the
backyard or something. Three weeks
later, youre still cursed and
theyre in the Bahamas.

Nadine looks all too familiar with just that experience.

Linda watches her.

LINDA
With Charlie, my husband, its
really more like insights.
(MORE)
 7.

LINDA (CONT'D)
Its honestly a lot more like
therapy than magic...
(gently)
May I ask, and you can tell me to
piss off, about your bad
experience?

Shes picked up two mimosas as theyve talked and now she

hands one to Nadine. Linda has a lovely smile.

EXT. THE HAVERFORD HOUSE - DAY

Charlie lives above his shop. Two story 1950s tract, across
from that strip mall. In the window a neon sign - PSYCHIC
READINGS - SPIRITUAL ADVICE.

A brand new BMW five series is parked out front.

EDUARDO (V.O.)
I took it to heart, what you said
about a curse. My mother, like
Ive told you, she used to go to
the curandero...

INT. CHARLIES SESSION ROOM - DAY

Charlie sits with EDUARDO BERNAL. Late forties, Los Angeles

Mexican, second generation. East LA accent. The man looks
rich. He also looks worried.

EDUARDO
How things were going with my
business, with my kids. Maria, the
little one, shes always sick, and
Tyler - we got his diagnosis, you
know, from the child psychologist,
and it was that Aspergers. And I
remember thats what you saw when
you did the reading last week.

Charlie nods. Eduardos eyes well up.

EDUARDO
Hes just a little guy and they
want us to put him in a special
school and give him all these pills
and go to therapy three times a
week. What kind of life is that
for a kid? And then they said,
even with all of that, he might
never really be able to, you know,
relate to people in any real way.

Like a therapist, Charlie reaches for the box of Kleenex.

 8.

EXT. HAVERFORD HOUSE - DAY

A 2006 Camry pulls up next to the BMW. Linda gets out.

INT. CHARLIES SESSION ROOM - DAY

Eduardo is finishing up.

EDUARDO
Anyway, and Im sorry to lay it all
out for you like this, but I trust
you and so youve got to tell me.
How much more would you charge me
to fix my kid? Even, you know, you
could move his curse onto me. I
dont care. I love the little guy.

CHARLIE
A curse moved to another person.
Thats very extreme. I think well
be able to help your family without
going that far.
(very gently)
Could you bring me something of
your sons? A T-shirt, something
like that.

EDUARDO
Sure. Of course.

CHARLIE
Tomorrow if you can. Id like to
get started before this gets any
worse.

EDUARDO
Yeah, great.

He reaches for his wallet. Charlie stops him.

CHARLIE
Not until Im sure I can help.

EXT. HAVERFORD HOUSE - DAY

Lindas gotten a couple of shopping bags from her car,

stopping to admire the BMW. WE FOLLOW HER INSIDE.

INT. HAVERFORD HOUSE - DAY

Linda comes in. Off the entrance, a door opens into the
living room converted into Charlies spiritual parlour. The
kitchen, dining room are down the hall. Bedrooms upstairs.
 9.

Charlies coming out of the parlour with Eduardo. He kisses

Linda on the cheek, takes one of the bags.

LINDA
Mr. Bernal, Eduardo, how are you?

EDUARDO
Im good.
(a look at Charlie)
Very good.

LINDA
Hows your little boy? I know you
were concerned with him.

CHARLIE
We think its going to be fine.

LINDA
Thats wonderful.
(a beat)
Did you get a new car?

EDUARDO
(proud)
Picked it up yesterday. Fully
loaded. I got everything but the
cold weather package.

LINDA
Its beautiful.
(to Charlie)
When our ship comes in.

Said like someone who doesnt think that day will ever come.

EDUARDO
You decide its time, talk to me
first. Ive got a dealer who owes
me.
(a beat)
Charlie. Thank you. Ill see you
tomorrow.

He smiles and then he leaves.

LINDA
He seemed happy.

CHARLIE
You ever notice, rich people like
that, theyre wearing a golf shirt
and jeans, you can still tell
theyre rich.
 10.

LINDA
Its a question of confidence.

CHARLIE
You think?

LINDA
I know.
(a beat)
You have Amanda Tims before him?

Charlie nods.

LINDA
She try to get you to hit her with
the high, hard one?

CHARLIE
As a matter of fact.

LINDA
Sooner or later, youre gonna have
to go for it.

CHARLIE
I just did.

LINDA
Sorry I missed it.

CHARLIE
How was the party?

LINDA
I think I met one of Fonzos
failures. Old San Marino money,
bad experience with a San Gabriel
reader.
(beat)
Were having drinks next Thursday.

CHARLIE
The family has some parlors out
there. Ill let Fonzo know. Maybe
shes a fence worth mending.

LINDA
Maybe.

CHARLIE
That and Eduardo, could be a good
month.

Linda is clearly not happy with this. It shows in her tone.

 11.

LINDA
Yeah... a great month.

Theyve moved into the kitchen as they talk.

INT. THE KITCHEN - DAY

Linda puts stuff away, carrying her frustration. Charlie

helps.

LINDA
You do the pick-ups?

CHARLIE
On my way now.

LINDA
Watch out for Ted. I think hes
shorting us on his readings.

CHARLIE
Again?

LINDA
Once a thief...

Charlie opens a bag of cookies, snacks. Linda grabs them

from his hand.

LINDA
Those are for Nicks lunch.

CHARLIE
Hes a kid. He needs a healthy
lunch.

LINDA
Hes a kid. He gets to eat
whatever he wants.

CHARLIE
(unloading a bag)
No bell pepper?

Linda doesnt answer. He looks over. Shes just staring at

the cabinets.

CHARLIE
Linda?

LINDA
(pulling herself back)
You didnt say anything about bell
peppers.
 12.

CHARLIE
And celery. It's not gumbo without
them.

LINDA
So well get a pizza.

CHARLIE
Ill stop at the market when I
finish my rounds.

Theres some couple subtext here. Shes annoyed, hes

trying to make it right. And its not about the peppers for
the gumbo.

LINDA
Marie wants you to take a look at
her table while youre there. And
your sister hasnt answered her
phone all morning.

CHARLIE
Ill keep her til last then. Shes
probably sleeping one off.

EXT. SHERMAN WAY - DAY

Three poker chips on a chain hang from a rear view mirror.

Twenty dollar chips. Old, from the Sands. Charlie keeps
these here, a totem. Someday, hell tell us why.

Charlie drives. Pontiac Grand Prix, Eighteen, twenty years

old. Hasnt been washed in a while. Hes got the window
down, kind of digging the day. Hes listening to music.
Like most of us, the music of his youth. World Party,
something like that. Sees something in his rearview. A
Chevy child/molester van. Dents, tinted windows.

He changes lanes. So does the van.

Charlie registers that.

EXT. VAN OWEN PSYCHIC - DAY

Charlie comes out of a house with a psychic readings sign

in the window. A young VAL SURF looking guy (TED) stands in
the doorway, watching him go. Music continues.

EXT. VAN NUYS BLVD - STOREFRONT - DAY

A neon sign outside this low rent storefront reads, DYNAMIC

PSYCHIC. The Y and the A are not lit up. Charlies car is
parked out front. He comes out, putting bills in his wallet.
 13.

EXT. COLDWATER AND VENTURA - DAY

Some small houses as you start up from Ventura. Among them,

one with a card readings sign outside and a neon, psychic
sign in the window. Charlie pulls into the driveway.

INT. THE COLDWATER HOUSE - DAY

MARIE, an old hippie, late sixties, flowing grey hair, stands

in a housecoat holding a cup of coffee and a cigarette.

MARIE
Started farting out yesterday. I
was doing a reading - it lifts two
feet in the air, dumps the cards
all over these kids in here on a
date. Guys hoping Id tell the
girl the Queen of Blow Him was her
card, now hes pissing himself
cause he thinks this shit might be
real. You know?

Charlies got a card table upside down and hes on his knees
with a tool kit out, looking at a motor, a switch, some
gears. Something hes done a thousand times before.

CHARLIE
When was the last time you changed
the battery?

MARIE
Theres a battery?

CHARLIE
(shaking his head)
Marie...

Marie reaches into her housecoat, hands him a wad of bills

with a smile.

MARIE
Marie this, you piece of shit.

He takes the money. Maybe a thousand dollars for the week.

MARIE
Three cancer cures, two talks with
dead pets, and nine Unfaithfuls.
Nine in one week. Wheres the
trust?

CHARLIE
Where indeed.
 14.

MARIE
(studying him)
Charlie, listen to me. Youre
rutting here.

CHARLIE
Rutting?

MARIE
In a rut. And what you need is to
find your bliss.

He throws a look. My bliss?

MARIE
Joseph Campbell? The Masks of
God?

He shakes his head.

MARIE
Ive got some lectures - theyre on
cassette. Your car have a tape
deck?
(doesnt wait for the
answer)
... anyway, the point is that there
has to be passion.

CHARLIE
Passion. Really.

MARIE
Not something thats been a big
part of your life in a while,
anyone could see that.

CHARLIE
Just keep doing what comes next,
Marie. Thats my motto. One foot
in front of the other.

MARIE
Thats no motto. Thats an
expression of defeat.
(thinking about it)
What I think, its cause you come
from the world of tricks - floating
tables. You probably know how to
saw a lady in half.

CHARLIE
I do. Its still a great trick.
 15.

MARIE
Ive been doing this since 1972.
The Venice boardwalk. I dont see
what I do as a trick. If the table
moves and that makes someone feel
better, thats all right. The
question is not whether a crystal
ball or a deck of cards can really
predict your future, the question
is, Did you learn something from
the answer.

CHARLIE
Deep, Marie.

MARIE
(a smile)
Getting back to my customers and
the table, the guy who thought he
was gonna get blown on a fake, now
hes pissing himself, and you can
see it on his dates face, that
guy, thanks to your table and his
own severe lack of balls, is not
getting shit.

CHARLIE
(a beat)
Let me show you, for future
reference, how to change your
batteries.

EXT. MARIES - DAY

Charlies backing out the driveway. As he turns back onto

Ventura, he glances in his mirror. Sees that battered van
again, well back in traffic. What the hell?

He turns quickly down a side street, then another. He comes

out on Magnolia.

He pulls into a used car lot, slides his car among the ones
for sale, leans over as if to get something from the glove
compartment.

He looks up so that he can see his rear-view. He sees the

van drive by. Smiles to himself. Sits up.

EXT. SYLVIAS SEANCE PARLOUR - DAY

This ones another house - on Victory - looks like its been

there since the neighborhood was residential. Charlie pulls
up out front. Parks. Gets out. We walk with him.
 16.

He approaches the door. Its ajar. Thats not right.

Cautious, he goes in.

INT. SYLVIAS SEANCE PARLOUR - DAY

The overturned table. The charred curtains. He sees all

that first, then he sees Sylvia. Right where Terry left her.
Huddled and hurt on the floor. She looks up at him.

INT. SYLVIAS BEDROOM - DAY

Charlies put Sylvia in bed. Hes cleaning a cut on the side

of her head with rubbing alcohol while she pulls from a
bottle of bourbon.

SYLVIA
He comes in - asks if his
girlfriends cheating. I say the
usual shit. It looks like it. I
cant be sure in one sitting.
Bring me some of her hair. He
flips out. Hits me with the bowl.

Thats not what happened. We know that. We were there.

Whats she up to? Charlie takes a beat.

CHARLIE
What was your burning bowl doing on
your table for a first reading?

SYLVIA
You know. It looks good. I like a
little clutter. It confuses them.

He finishes cleaning the wound.

CHARLIE
Ill talk to Fonzo.

SYLVIA
Fonzo? What does he have to do
with this?

CHARLIE
Youre lucky you didn't lose an
eye.
(a beat)
Six weeks, Sylvia. It took you six
whole weeks to fuck this up.
Thats an all-time record.

As he wipes away a last bit of dried blood, A MANS VOICE

(FONZO) COMES UP ON THE TRACK.
 17.

FONZO (V.O.)
They made four nails to use in the
crucifixion: one for each of Jesus
hands, one for his feet. The
fourth was made of gold, and it was
for his heart.

EXT. FIFTIES MODERN ENCINO HILLS HOME - DAY

Charlies car looks like a heap parked beside a Bentley, a

Mercedes, two Harleys and a BMW motorcycle.

FONZO (V.O.)
That night, a Gypsy boy stole the
golden nail, and they crucified
Jesus with only three.

INT. ENCINO HOME (FONZOS) - DAY

Charlie sitting with FONZO. Fonzos forty. Comfortably fat,

Macho. A Romani badass. A Gypsy king.

FONZO
When it was over, God came to the
Gypsy boy and told him that his
theft saved Jesus from the pain of
a nail in the heart. To repay him,
God gave the Gypsies the right to
steal without moral consequences.

CHARLIE
Im sorry. What else can I say.
Shes an asshole.

Fonzos got a bottle of something murky. Slivotvitz,

homemade. He pours them both double shots.

FONZO
Its about perception. A Gadja
working our scams, that sucks
balls. She fucks them up, we get
blamed. She pulls them off, we
dont look like the only ones with
the gold nail. Perception.
(a beat)
My business works better with the
tricks you sell us, I let you make
a little on the side. I dont want
to fuck anybody up here. Its not
like this was the fucking mafia or
something. But perception.
 18.

CHARLIE
He hit her upside the head with a
burning bowl. Set her hair on
fire. Thats kind of like fucking
someone up.

FONZO
(a shrug)
Its not half as bad as the ass-
kicking we gave you when you first
set up shop. You remember that?

CHARLIE
Ive got arthritis in every bone
you broke. What do you think?

FONZO
You were so fucking naive. What
did you say? Gypsies. I didnt
know there were really gypsies.

He slams his drink, pours another one. Charlie pushes his

away slightly. Fonzo pushes it back to him.

FONZO
(fake accent)
If you dont drink with the gypsy,
the gypsy get angry.

CHARLIE
Two double shots. Eleven in the
morning. Go ahead and get angry.

FONZO
I got nothing else to do all day
but take care of your little
problem. Like I say, in the scheme
of things, we need each other.

CHARLIE
That we do.

FONZO
Shes gonna have to come to
council. It wont be pretty.

CHARLIE
Shes my sister.

FONZO
My sister, shes a fucking whore.
We dont say her name in this
house.
 19.

A beat - is he telling the truth, or just making a point?

CHARLIE
Like I said, Im sorry.

FONZO
Were not gonna do any of the real
shit - scars of shame, any of that.

FONZO
Once we clear this up, let her go.

CHARLIE
She just started. Shes been a good
earner, nice client list.

FONZO
And shes your sister.
(a beat)
Were the Rom, dude. Weve got
traditions. Its a very deep
culture.

Charlie nods. Theres a moment here.

FONZO
Dont let this shit happen again.
The second time wont be friendly.
(a beat)
What do you got for me?

CHARLIE
(a beat)
Im gonna have something in a week
or two. Couple of things actually.
One I had Sylvia working, another
of mine. And Linda may have found
one out in San Marino.

FONZO
Thats big money out there.
(a beat)
Im pulling two of your parlors.
East Hollywood and Atwater.

CHARLIE
Thats a fourth of my nut.

FONZO
I appreciate, like with your
sister, you come right to me,
theres no wiggling around and
shit, even when it comes to family.
But still, I gotta slap your wrist.
 20.

He reaches behind the couch. Charlie tenses for a moment.

Fonzo comes back with a briefcase. Puts it on the table.

FONZO
Take a couple muldoons here. Ease
the pain.

He opens the case. Inside are a dozen credit cards.

FONZO
Woman from Cleveland, out here to
settle her fathers estate.
Meloras removing a diabetes
curse from these.
(hands Charlie a Visa and
a Mastercard)
Use them by day after tomorrow.

CHARLIE
What was the guy in the white van?
Just in case I didnt come over?

FONZO
What white van?

CHARLIE
The one thats been following me
all day.

FONZO
(shaking his head)
We dont drive vans, dickweed.
Were Cadillac people.
(a nod to the cards)
Buy Linda something nice.

Charlie nods, downs the shot. He pockets the cards, and

leaves. Fonzo sits until he hears the door close and then
his face sets, hard. He pours himself another drink - downs
it. He looks angry - brutal, dangerous as hell.

EXT. GREEN VISTA DRIVE - DAY

Charlie drives out of the hills talking to Linda hands-free.

CHARLIE
He said shed have to do council...
and we have to let her go.

LINDA
Jesus. You have to fire your own
sister over a fucking egg trick.
 21.

CHARLIE
She fucked up. Like she always
does.

LINDA
Still. Its bullshit.

CHARLIE
(a beat)
He took two of our parlors. East
Hollywood and Atwater.

Linda doesnt answer.

CHARLIE
Linda...

Still no answer.

CHARLIE
East Hollywoods no loss. The
Thais dont use us, the Armenians
would kill us if we get anything
wrong, and the junkies all know
what their future is. Atwaters
gonna hurt.

LINDA
Thats a fucking year of middle
school, those two parlors...

CHARLIE
Well make do...

LINDA
... and let me guess, after he
scolded you, he gave you a couple
of Mastercards...

Hes seen something. His face tightens. He slams on his

brakes.

CHARLIE
Ill call you back.

In front of him, parked with the engine running - the white

van. Like it was waiting for him to come down the hill.

Charlie gets out and starts for the van. This guy is going
to feel the weight of his day.
 22.

On the side panel of the van are the words Firm and Tight
and a drawing of a very toned arm in the make a muscle
pose. Charlie takes that in for half a beat. The windows
are tinted too dark to see in. Charlie POUNDS on the side.

No answer. Now he kicks the panel. Nothing.

CHARLIE
Asshole. Why are you following me?
What do you want?

A voice from behind. The VAN GUY was on the other side.

VAN GUY
I want to know why the fuck you
told Amanda I was cheating on her.

Hes a very big guy. He hits Charlie in the gut and then a
hook to the head as he falls. It sends Charlie back against
the van. The guy hits him two more times.

VAN GUY
You interfering piece of shit.

The second punch knocks Charlie to the ground.

COME IN CLOSE as the van guy kicks him - really hard, in the
side of the head - with a hard-toed boot. ON THAT IMPACT

CUT TO BLACK:

IN THE BLACK

A bit of the song Fortune Teller by Benny Spellman plays in

a ring-tone loop. Stops. Starts again.

INT. LINDAS BEDROOM - DAY

Linda sits in the dark, shades drawn. Staring at nothing.

The same stare we saw when she was in the kitchen with
Charlie earlier. Linda suffers from depression and shes in
the middle of a spell. The ring is not going away. She
answers the phone, flat.

LINDA
Yes.

Only a depressive can make Yes sound like a suicide note.

LINDA
Ill be right there.

She ends the call. Sits.

 23.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY

Charlie sits on a table. His shirt is off; his ribs are

wrapped. The side of his head has been shaved and bandaged.
An ER DOC is re-checking for concussion.

ER DOC
I want you awake for the next
fourteen hours. You feel nauseous,
dizzy, start seeing double, you get
someone to bring you back here.

The door opens. Linda comes in.

LINDA
Are you all right?
(to the ER doc)
How is he?

ER DOC
He has three cracked ribs and a
hairline fracture along the
parietal bone of his skull. There
doesnt seem to be any bleeding.
He has a mild concussion.

CHARLIE
(stepping in with a lie)
You told me - try your progressives
at home for a few days first, get
used to them.

LINDA
(to the ER doc - going
with his lie)
No one likes to admit theyre
getting old, right?

CHARLIE
I got out of the car and the ground
looked a mile away.

ER DOC
I thought you said you slipped on a
grease spot.

CHARLIE
That I didnt see because I was
wearing my progressives.
(pats his pockets)
Where are they anyway?
(smile for Linda)
Must have dropped them when I fell.
 24.

ER DOC
Theres nothing much to do for the
fracture but let it heal. But Id
like to admit him. Keep him
overnight. Theres a cliff effect
with this kind of injury.

CHARLIE
Cliff effect?

ER DOC
Youre coasting along, feeling fine
- suddenly you go off a cliff.

LINDA
Ill take care of him, doctor. My
husbands not going off any cliffs.

EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY

As Linda and Charlie come out. Linda is furious.

LINDA
That motherfucking Fonzo. Taking
food out of our mouths wasnt
enough...

CHARLIE
It wasnt him.

EXT/INT. 101 - LINDAS CAR - DAY

Lindas car is one among many. She drives.

CHARLIE
You cant really blame the guy.
Amanda comes home, throws him out
cause some fortune teller said he
was sleeping around.

LINDA
Thats the Libra in you. The
ability to see both sides of any
situation. Its very annoying.

CHARLIE
I see your point.

She smiles at that. On her face - shes working her way

towards something.
 25.

LINDA
Weve got a rhythm, dont we? Oh,
my progressives made me dizzy.
No one likes to get old.

CHARLIE
Years of practice.

She takes a breath. Puts a hand on his leg.

LINDA
Im gonna just say this now and
hope that blow to the head has made
you extra reasonable and loving.
(a beat)
My woman from the party? Do we
have to give her back to Fonzo?

CHARLIE
Linda, you know how it works.

LINDA
How it works is Fonzo throws us
scraps - if were lucky. The
business we bring him.

CHARLIE
He treats us like family, Linda.
He was just a little upset...

LINDA
Hes Rom, Charlie. We can never be
family.
(a beat)
This woman, Nadine, she could go a
half a million, a million. Shes
on the verge. We could run the
Gypsy Save there, And Eduardo.
Are you kidding me?

CHARLIE
(a smile)
Remember we first met him, he said
he was in packaging?

LINDA
Dont duck the Goddamn issue here.

CHARLIE
Whats the Goddamned issue?
 26.

LINDA
That you used to be somebody else.
Someone who wouldnt settle for
scraps.

CHARLIE
Not everybody wants as much as you
do.

LINDA
cause theyre bitches. Bitches or
assholes.
(a beat)
Its the 21st Century, honey. This
gypsy shit can only go so far.

CHARLIE
My sister worked one bloody egg
scam. One. Short, nothing to it.
The shit youre talking about -
Fonzos got a hole in the Mojave
waiting for our two mangled,
tortured corpses.

LINDA
Maybe if that guy had kicked you
harder, it would have cleared away
the cobwebs.

Charlie doesnt answer.

LINDA
Seriously. How much more of their
shit are you going to eat?

She looks at Charlie and so do we. Hes sure been dumped on

some today.

LINDA
COCKSUCKER!

Charlie looks at her. Shes cursing the traffic which has

come to a standstill.

LINDA
Move!

CHARLIE
Linda. We live in Los Angeles.
Complaining about traffic is like
complaining about sunshine.
 27.

LINDA
Its fucking one oclock in the
afternoon. Dont any of these
assholes have jobs?

Theyre not going anywhere. For Linda, thats a problem.

EXT. STRIP MALL - DAY

Linda pulls them in. The weed dispensary across the street
has valet parking. Three cars lined up.

CHARLIE
We went into the wrong part of the
self-help industry.

Linda doesnt answer.

Theres a young woman waiting outside their door. GINA. She

holds a little paper bag, top rolled up. She was a pretty
girl, still is, but at thirty, shes getting a little tired.

LINDA
That must be the hypnotist.

CHARLIE
The hypnotist?

LINDA
(defeated)
Greg Walker at the Mirage
recommended her. Says shes
fantastic. I figured, in case we
were going to have to get rid of
Ted or something.

CHARLIE
I guess your sister would be the
or something...

Linda doesnt answer. Charlie checks out the young woman

waiting on their doorstep.

CHARLIE
A hypnotist...

Linda waves at Gina as she parks.

INT. CHARLIES SESSION ROOM - DAY

Charlie sits with Gina. She has a relaxed, bored way to her.
She moves slowly. She wears bracelets, and as she talks, one
hand lazily moves them around.
 28.

CHARLIE
Greg still as hard to work for?

GINA
Some people have problems with him.
We always got along.

Her voice too is soft and languid. Charlie finds himself

looking at her bracelets. Glass beads, reflecting splintered
bits of light.

CHARLIE
Carlo still making the lion
disappear?

GINA
Greg said you built that trick.
I think its amazing.

She reaches out gently, touches his forearm as if to show her

enthusiasm for the trick. Charlie glances down at her hand.

CHARLIE
I sold that trick to Ford, you
know. They use it at sales
conventions. With a Mustang of
course, not a lion.

GINA
I would think, talent like that,
youd still be out there.

CHARLIE
Wyrick builds his own. Copperfield
and Blaine use Wilner. Youre not
working on that level, its mostly
cruise ship magicians and the
occasional convention. Cruise guys
don't see a lot of repeat. They
just buy once. Conventions, these
days theyre more into some rock
band from their glory days than
another magician.

He seems distracted. He touches his bandaged head.

CHARLIE
Would you like something to drink?
Water or a soft drink or something?
Im really thirsty.

GINA
You just think that youre thirsty,
because of your head.
 29.

CHARLIE
Maybe its just my head.

GINA
You want to tell me what happened?

She reaches up to gently touch his bandage, letting her

bracelets jangle in front of him.

CHARLIE
You want to get into this business,
there are some hazards. Angry
spouses, that sort of thing.

She leaves her arm up for a few more moments, the beads
reflecting the light.

GINA
I want to get into this business.

CHARLIE
Vegas is getting old?

GINA
If I make one more fat
conventioneer take off his shirt
and call a waiter darling, I
might actually die of boredom.

CHARLIE
You should know, Ive never really
thought much of hypnosis in this
line of work.

GINA
Your head doesnt ache now.

CHARLIE
No.

GINA
A client comes in for a reading,
the hypnotic state suggests a
certain trust, a certain opening
up, a certain surrender...

CHARLIE
I suppose...

GINA
And youre thinking, maybe this
once, youll try a hypnotist.
 30.

CHARLIE
Im thinking I might.

LINDA (O.S.)
Get the fuck out of here.

They look up to see Linda. Shes reaching for Ginas purse.

LINDA
My husbands vulnerable right now.
You come in, take advantage of
that. Thats unethical.

She looks at Charlie.

LINDA
Bring him out.

Gina hesitates.

LINDA
Now.

Gina puts a hand on Charlies forearm.

GINA
Its all right, Charlie.

Charlie blinks. Looks at Gina.

CHARLIE
Would you like something to drink?
Water or a soft drink?

GINA
If I can do that to him, imagine
what I can do to your marks.

LINDA
Theyre not marks. Theyre our
valued clients.

She takes Ginas dispensary bag. Takes out two lollypops and
a prescription bottle of weed.

LINDA
And we dont hire pot heads.
Theyre unreliable.
(looking at it)
Lollypops?

She shakes her head and puts the drugs back in the paper bag.
 31.

LINDA
Looks like youre gonna be seeing a
few more fat guys with their shirts
off.

CHARLIE
(standing quickly)
Excuse me.

He gets up and goes into the bathroom.

LINDA
Tell Greg we send our best.

GINA
Can I have my pot back?

Linda looks at her for a long, appraising moment. An oddly

sensual look. And then she says

LINDA
No.

Gina stares at her for a minute, as if shes thinking of

trying something with her bracelets. Linda looks at them.

LINDA
Give it your best shot.

A last beat. Gina turns and leaves. When the door closes,
Linda pops one of the pot lollypops into her mouth.

IN THE BATHROOM

Charlie is throwing up. Theres a little blood in it. He

flushes it quickly, then moves to the sink to wash his face.

Suddenly, the sound changes. The water running in the sink

echoes in his ears with a crystal clarity.

Looking at his hands, he can see every detail of every drop,

as if he had some sort of heightened vision. He rubs his
hands together, hears his skin rubbing. Sees the light on
the drops of water.

There is the sense around him of the world speeding past,

corridors hes racing down. He splashes more water into his
face. Looks up. It seems to be over. He hears Linda.

LINDA (O.S.)
Greg thinks he can pass off a
second-rate act like that on us
cause hes tired of banging her.
(MORE)
 32.

LINDA (O.S.) (CONT'D)

Fuck that. Are you all right? You
look like shit.

Charlie rinses his face. Looks in the mirror. Hes all

alone, Linda is not here. He turns. No one. He wipes his
face in a towel. When hes done, he looks up again.

Linda is in the doorway.

LINDA
Greg thinks he can pass off a
second-rate act like that on us
cause hes tired of banging her.
Fuck that. Are you all right? You
look like shit.

Charlie stares at her. What is going on here? She just said

that.

LINDA
Fucking hypnosis. Thats some
sketchy shit.

CHARLIE
(shaking it off)
Yeah. Very sketch.

The doorbell RINGS. Linda looks at Charlie.

BY THE FRONT DOOR

Linda opens it. Finds two police detectives. LOU CHEN and
GABRIELLA ESCOBAR. Gabriella comes on like a hard-case, but
its Lou thatll fuck you.

LINDA
Hey, Lou. Whos your friend?

GABRIELLA
(offers a card)
Im Detective Chens new partner.
Gabriella Escobar. Glad to meet
you. I just moved to Fraud.

LINDA
(to Lou)
Do we need a lawyer on this visit?

LOU
God, no. I just saw from a
hospital report where Charlie got
his head banged up. This is a
social call.
 33.

Charlie has come over. He shakes hands with Lou, looks at

Gabriella. Linda hands him her card.

LINDA
This is Detective Escobar. Shell
be going through our trash now.

GABRIELLA
Hows your head?

CHARLIE
Its fine, thank you.

GABRIELLA
Who was it, hit you? An angry
customer?

CHARLIE
I slipped. None of my clients are
angry.

GABRIELLA
None of them? You must be very
good at your job.

Charlie nods, noncommittal.

GABRIELLA
So how come, one of your clients
hits you over the head, you didnt
see it coming?

CHARLIE
You know, Ive never heard that
joke before.

GABRIELLA
My experience, people angry enough
to clock someone in the head like
that, they dont stop at one try.

CHARLIE
I slipped. Now Im gonna lie down
and rest. Doctors orders. Nice
seeing you, Lou.

He turns, heads back for the kitchen.

GABRIELLA
You have my card, you want to go
after his assailant.

Linda looks right at Gabriella.

 34.

LINDA
I dont think were gonna get
along, you and me.

GABRIELLA
(a beat and a smile)
Lifes funny. Maybe well wind up
besties.

LINDA
(ignores that - to Lou)
Good to see you, Lou.

She closes the door in their faces. Charlie has gone into
the kitchen. She goes in.

IN THE KITCHEN

Charlies pouring himself a glass of water.

LINDA
What the fuck was that all about?

CHARLIE
Theyre concerned for my well-
being. Its touching.

LINDA
Very.

Hes feeling weird. Takes another drink. Linda watches him.

CHARLIE
Im gonna go get Nick.

LINDA
You sure youre all right?

CHARLIE
(a beat)
Im fine. Really.

He smiles, trying for a game face.

LINDA
(looking towards the door
the cops left by)
Lous Good Cop now, the new ones
Bad Cop?

CHARLIE
My experience with that situation -
watch out for the good cop.
 35.

EXT. VALLEY PRIVATE SCHOOL - DAY

Charlie in the car line.

A teacher waits with Charlie and Lindas son, NICK. Nicks

fourteen, a hide behind your hair, deeply alternative
fourteen.

He slides in next to his dad, pulling his phone earbuds out

of his backpack to start texting and listening to music.

NICK
I think Elizabeth, you know, the
science teacher, was having her
period. She yelled at me twice and
Im like the only one who pays any
attention to her boring bullshit.
(looking at his dad)
Whatd you do to your head?

CHARLIE
A man hit me because I told his
girlfriend he was cheating on her.

NICK
Was he?

CHARLIE
He hit me hard enough.

NICK
Howd you know? The cards tell
you?

CHARLIE
(a wink)
Something like that.

Nick puts his buds back in, turns to look out the window.
Theres some sullen here, but specific to what his father
just told him or normal teenage - we couldnt yet say.

INT. GELSONS - DAY

Charlie gets peppers. Nicks with him. Earbuds in and hes

texting, removed. Charlie studies the pepper in his hand.
There it is again. He can see every detail. The moisture,
the small wrinkles on the flesh. Nothing has ever looked
that green. He can hear the music from Nicks buds. He
looks at his son.

The detail is astounding. Sound. Color. Have you ever

come on to a psychedelic? Then he hears voices. A middle-
aged couple.
 36.

MIDDLE AGED WOMAN (O.S.)

Catherines a vegan now, you cant
use butter or chicken broth.

MIDDLE AGED MAN (O.S.)

I can if I dont tell her.

MIDDLE AGED WOMAN (O.S.)

Thats disrespectful.

He looks at Nick. Did he hear this? Nicks got his buds in.
He puts the pepper down. As he does he sees

PILES OF PRODUCE - falling to the floor. He reaches to

retrieve the pepper.

Nothing has fallen at all. He turns.

A MIDDLE AGED COUPLE comes up the aisle with their cart. The
woman holds a pound of butter.

MIDDLE AGED WOMAN

Catherines a vegan now, you cant
use butter or chicken broth.

MIDDLE AGED MAN

I can if I dont tell her.

MIDDLE AGED WOMAN

Thats disrespectful.

Charlie looks at them, baffled.

NICK (O.S.)
Dad...?

Nick looks to be about three miles away, at the end of an

impossibly long corridor stretching crazily from the produce
aisles of the market.

NICK
Dad.

Charlie pitches to the floor. Looks as if hes having a

seizure.

His head is filled with voices. From World Party, talking

about putting that message in a box. From the people he
knows and people he hasnt met yet. How you feeling there?
Like you got hit by a truck? The last thing we hear is
Linda - Charlie, it was a blow to the head.
 37.

INT. CAT SCAN TUBE - DAY

Charlie lies on a CAT scan table. Were in there with him.

The bright, sterile white.

INT. WAITING ROOM - DAY

Linda and Nick. Hes got his buds in. Linda looks up as a
twenty-two-year-old girl, VICKI, comes in. Shes a hipster -
tats, a piercing. She sits next to Nick, kisses him on the
cheek. Looks at Linda.

LINDA
Your dad got hit in the head,
kicked actually, earlier today. He
seemed fine, but this afternoon, he
collapsed in the market.

NICK
He told some girl her boyfriend was
fooling around. The boyfriend
wasnt down with that.

VICKI
Is he all right?

LINDA
Theyre running tests now.

VICKI
(to Nick)
You all right?

NICK
Im handling it.
(a beat)
How was Tronic?

VICKI
Kind of dope, actually. Im gonna
be able to get you betas on Farwind
and Tactician Ultimate.

NICK
Thatd be chill.

VICKI
(to Linda)
Should I let my mom know?

LINDA
If you want. You might want to
wait on him...
 38.

She nods towards the doctor whos coming towards them. Hes
holding an iPad on which hes got Charlies CAT scan.

ER DOC
I have your husbands results.
(a beat)
Theres nothing out of line here.

LINDA
Did you think there would be?

ER DOC
Other than the blow to your head,
did anything else mind-altering
happen to your husband today?

LINDA
Mind-altering?

ER DOC
Did he drop acid? Go into a
sensory deprivation tank?
(he thinks hes cute)
Yoga, pilates, hypnosis?

Linda registers that, even as Charlie is wheeled out into the

waiting room.

ER DOC
A thing like that, it can be the
icing on the head trauma cake.
(to Charlie)
Im sending you home, Mr.
Haverford, but I want you to take
it slow and easy. With head
trauma, theres no rule-book.

He hands Charlie a card. Dr. Nora White - Neurology.

ER DOC
Shes the best in the biz. If
there are any... lingering after-
effects, call her.

He walks off. Linda turns to Charlie.

LINDA
How are you feeling?

CHARLIE
Right as rain.
(to Nick)
Sorry if I scared you.
 39.

NICK
Its fine.

Charlie studies Nick for a beat, aware of the distance there.

He turns to Vicki.

CHARLIE
Hey, hon... You didnt have to
come...

She kisses him. And then someone else comes in.

FONZO (O.S.)
There he is.

Fonzo. He comes over, gives Linda a kiss, claps Nick on the

shoulder.

FONZO
I hear you took a shot at the old
man. Right in the head.

NICK
Me? No. I didnt...

FONZO
Im fucking with you.

He turns to Vicki.

FONZO
God Almighty. Where else have you
got ink?
(beat)
Things good, sweetheart?

Vicki nods. Now Fonzo turns to the patient.

FONZO
So what the hell?

CHARLIE
Angry boyfriend.

FONZO
Been there. Course, if it had been
me, you wouldnt be sitting up.
But youre OK?

CHARLIE
Yeah, guess a little concussion or
something.
 40.

FONZO
How many fingers.

He flips him off. Smiles. Takes a beat.

FONZO
So youll bring your sister over.
Ill get back to you with a time.
(right to Linda)
Its no big thing. Just have to go
through the motions.

CHARLIE
Perception.

FONZO
Exactly. Good to see the family.
Funny how a little trouble can
bring you all together.
(to Nick)
Next time, hit him harder.

And he leaves. Linda watches him go. Her face hard.

Charlie tries to break the tension, turning to Vicki.

CHARLIE
Hows the new job?

VICKI
Gamers hack. If youre a game
company, you should guard against
that. Theyve got shit in their
system that makes Heartbleed look
like it was done by a kid who
learned programming in middle-
school. Are you really all right?

CHARLIE
No damage they can find. No brain
tumor either, apparently.

Vicki hands Charlie an iPad. Nick watches this all. He

thinks Vicki is cool as can be - but we get the idea hes
ambivalent about all of this.

VICKI
Complete data on seventeen clients.
There are four almost done and six
more Im still waiting on.

CHARLIE
You did this at work? On your
first day?
 41.

VICKI
I was debugging the system. Files
take forever to run. I had my
laptop, a newly secure connection.

LINDA
(taking the iPad)
Ill get the files to Marie and the
others.

CHARLIE
(to Nick)
You ask your sister nicely, she can
probably get you the semesters
math homework.

NICK
I do OK in math.

LINDA
An edge is an edge, baby.

Nick thinks about that. Charlie has been distracted by

something.

ACROSS THE WAITING ROOM

A young boy in and AC/DC shirt waits with his worried mother.
A DOCTOR stands close, checking his ears with his light.
Something subtle here, a bit of color dialed in, a bit of
SOUND from across the room - its not much - but ply it
against Charlies focus, and, for some reason, it seems
important.

Vicki and the others have noticed Charlies distraction -

they keep up chatter. Vicki nods to the iPad.

VICKI
Candy from a baby, dad. Six of
them have already friended the fake
Facebook I put up. Three are on
Tumblr. A Google search, a stroll
through their Gram, Ive got enough
to make them think youre John
Edward.

NICK
Dad?

CHARLIE
(a beat - coming back)
Edward still owes me for that table
I built him in 2002.
 42.

VICKI
Seriously?

CHARLIE
No.
(a beat)
See what I did there? Used humor
to let you all know you dont need
to worry about me. Soul attacks in
the market to the contrary.

A Sorry if I freaked you out smile for Nick on that last.

CHARLIE
Really, you guys. Im fine.

LINDA
Good, cause weve got to go talk to
someone.
(to Vicki)
Can you give Nick a ride home?

Charlie looks at her, sensing something in her voice.

EXT. LANKERSHEIM BLVD. MOTEL - DAY

That pre NOHO no mans land out past Sherman Way. Linda and
Charlie sit parked in her car. Lindas looking at her iPad.

LINDA
Vickis right. This is practically
cheating. Marias got that guy,
coming back for cards and an aura
reading, heres his linkedin page,
his Facebook and pictures of his
cats and his last thirty meals on
Instagram.

CHARLIE
Kind of takes the sport out of it.

LINDA
The real sport is out there,
Charlie, we just dont have the
license.

CHARLIE
Come on, Linda. Were doing all
right.

LINDA
If you call getting kicked in the
head by an angry boyfriend all
right, yeah, were doing fine.
 43.

Charlie doesnt want to have this conversation again. Now he

sees what theyve been waiting for.

Gina, the hypnotist, pulls into the motel lot in her rented
car.

CHARLIE
How hard do you want to lean?

Linda smiles and frankly, its the first time weve seen
enthusiasm, excitement on her face.

LINDA
I want to teach her a little
something.

INT. MOTEL ROOM - DAY

Linda blows on the tip of a cigarette. It glows. She smiles

a seductive smile.

LINDA
I really do need to know what you
did to my husband.

ON THE BED

Charlie holds Gina, her hands pinned behind her back, his
legs pinning hers, with his knee keeping them spread. Her
hiked-up skirt revealing some thigh.

Linda looks at Charlie. He puts his hand over Ginas mouth

and Linda imbeds the red-hot cigarette in her thigh. Ginas
eyes go wide with the pain of it.

Linda is loving this.

LINDA
Oh, fuck yeah! Thats nice.

She takes the cigarette away. She caresses Ginas cheek with
the back of her hand, wiping away a tear.

LINDA
You know what? Dont tell me. I
could stay here all afternoon.

Charlie takes his hand, gently, away from Ginas mouth.

CHARLIE
You put some sort of whammy on me,
didnt you?
 44.

GINA
It was just a little suggestion.
For later.

CHARLIE
That Id what? Collapse in a
supermarket?

GINA
What? No.

Linda blows on the cigarette tip again. Smiles.

LINDA
Thats it. Dont tell.

GINA
I swear. It was just, you know,
open you up. Tonight, I was going
to call. A few key words and you
would decide to hire me.
(to Linda, pleading)
Then, when you got angry about it,
I could say what I said before, if
I could make Charlie hire me,
imagine what I could do with the
marks...

LINDA
What I already said, theyre not
marks.

She blows on the end of the cigarette.

CHARLIE
Thats it? You didnt, I dont
know, program me to go off like a
time bomb or something?

GINA
I dont have those kind of skills.

Linda blows on the cigarette again, getting the end to glow

red hot. She looks at Charlie.

LINDA
Hold her tight.

Her eyes are cloudy with desire. Charlie takes a beat, looks
at Ginas pained eyes.

CHARLIE
Were done. Shes told us what we
need to know.
 45.

LINDA
Im not done.

CHARLIE
Linda.

A tense beat between them. Then Linda smiles at Gina.

LINDA
Next time, Ill bring more toys.

And she flicks the lit cigarette into Ginas lap. WE HOLD ON
Gina as the door shuts. There are tears of pain in her eyes,
but theres also a strange glow.

INT. LINDAS CAR - DAY

Linda in the screaming, screeching throws of an orgasm. She

balls her fists and hits the roof of the car. Looks down at
Charlie. Hits him just as hard.

LINDA
I can do whatever I want. Say it.

The way theyre going at it, hed say anything. So would

you.

CHARLIE
You can do whatever you want.

She hits him again, riding him hard at the same time.
Theyre consumed by it. Linda hits him once more and then
collapses, spent, on top of him.

EXT. A DIRTY, DIM ALLEY - DAY

Lindas car parked all the way at the back.

LINDA (V.O.)
You shouldnt have let me hit you
like that, you poor thing. Its
too soon.

INT. LINDAS CAR - DAY

They lie there, Charlie staring at the ceiling. Linda gently

touches the side of his head.

LINDA
(finally)
You could have let me go just a
little farther up her thigh.
 46.

CHARLIE
She told us what we wanted to know.

LINDA
Like that was the point.
(studying him)
Youre starting to show a dangerous
milk of human kindness streak.

CHARLIE
Itll pass.

EXT. FONZOS HOME - NIGHT

All of Fonzos fancy cars and more.

INT. FONZOS HOME - NIGHT

Charlies sister, Sylvia, lit by a candle. WHACK! Spittle

hits her in the face.

She walks up a gauntlet of Rom - men on one side, women on

the other - holding a candle. One of the women spits on her,
then the next. The men too. Soon shes covered with spit.

She reaches Terry, the guy who beat her up. He smiles
coldly. Spits.

Linda and Charlie are to one side, watching the ceremony.

Sylvia keeps walking. More people spit on her.

AT THE FAR END OF THE GAUNTLET

RITA. At sixty, shes the matriarch of this clan. Shes

drop dead gorgeous. If there were ever the antithesis of the
old gypsy woman from a Wolfman movie, thats Rita. She wears
Armani - wears it well. She has the Buddhas eyes.

Sylvia, her face covered in spit, stops in front of Rita.

Rita stands looking at her for a long beat. Cold, firm.

Then she hands her a handkerchief. EURO DISCO COMES UP

(OVER) from the next scene.

INT. FONZOS HOME - NIGHT

Ceremony over, its a party. The KARAOKE is going strong. A

bunch of young and intimidating looking young men all
clustered around a guy who is now singing Laura Branigans
Gloria. Euro disco at its finest.

Charlie and Linda are still by themselves - on Charlies

face, Lindas words from earlier - he will never be family.
 47.

They each have a paper bowl full of paprikas. You might

notice that everyone else is eating from nice china. Plastic
spoons for Charlie and Linda too.

LINDA
Weve been going over there, what
fifteen years, she cant even serve
us on fucking plates?

Shes watching Fonzo and Terry.

Theyre arguing in Romani. The intent seems clear. Fonzos

putting Terry in his place. Linda hears a Bagami-as pula in
mortii matii (fuck your mothers dead relatives) from Terry
and he storms off.

She takes this in. She seems to be storing away information

she can use - Terry vs Fonzo - good to know. Fonzo comes
over.

FONZO
Guys my cousin, and hes a fucking
asshole. What are you gonna do?
(nodding to their bowls)
Sorry about the bowls. Rita keeps
Gypsy Kosher.
(seeing something)
Hey, come here.

Hes stopped DRINA. Fourteen - looks twenty-two. His older

daughter. Shes holding a beer. He takes it out of her
hands.

FONZO
You let Nick drink?

LINDA
Hasnt come up yet. Hes too
young.

FONZO
Fourteen, same as Drina. Harvard
fucking Westlake. All those
Hollywood kids. Bad influence.
(to Drina)
Wheres your sister?

DRINA
(sulky)
I dont know. Maybe shes hitting
the Scotch.
 48.

FONZO
Here, ask your grandmother if needs
any help.

Rita comes over. She looks at Charlie and Linda.

RITA
You like the paprikas? Old Gypsy
recipe. First, steal a
chicken...

She smiles, playing with them. Then she looks at Charlie.

RITA
You feeling all right?

CHARLIE
Im a little tired.

She seems to sense that theres something more.

RITA
A kick in the head will do that.
(a beat - looking at him)
Im getting a vibe.

LINDA
You want to read his palm?

RITA
Im no Shut Eye.

LINDA
Shut Eye?

RITA
Ask your husband.

Linda looks at Charlie. He explains.

CHARLIE
Its a magician, starts to believe
his tricks are real.

Rita takes a beat.

RITA
Howd you like the shower of spit?
(a beat)
Its a time-honored gypsy
tradition. Dates back to this
morning when I made that up.
 49.

CHARLIE
You people scare me.

RITA
Thats the general idea.

A pause. Linda pointedly puts down the paprikas.

RITA
You know your sisters not done
yet.

Charlie stiffens a little.

CHARLIE
Were letting her go.

RITA
Not what I meant.

CHARLIE
Fonzo said you wouldnt...

RITA
Fonzo is a pussy.

She nods across the room to Terry and another young man.

They walk over to Sylvia whos sitting by herself on a couch.

She looks up - and theres fear in her eyes.

She stands. The two men grab her. Hold her by her arms.

SYLVIA
Charlie - shit... Charlie...

Rita looks at Charlie - puts a hand up to stop him from doing

anything. A beat. Linda and Charlie exchange a look. What
will he do?

CHARLIE
(finally)
She knew the rules.

Rita nods, starts across the room. She stops by the catering
table and grabs a beer bottle.

SYLVIA

squirms, seeing her coming. She calls again to Charlie.

Linda watches him. A room full of Rom. What can Charlie do?

The KARAOKE blares - the guy BELTING Gloria.

 50.

Rita breaks the bottle against the side of a table. Now she
comes at Sylvia, deliberately, almost in time to the music.

Charlie stands, watching. Sylvia looks at him, pleading in

her eyes. Dont let this happen.

Charlie looks right at her. No readable expression.

Rita reaches Sylvia. The guys hold her. Rita brings the
bottle up and loudly, for the room, says

RITA
We are the Marks family. The
Machvaya family. We dont want you
to forget who we are.

And she cuts Sylvia across the face - we watch the bottle
tear its way up, down, up down - a brutal M that will leave a
scar just like Terrys. Sylvia screams!

Charlie looks away. Linda does not.

EXT. MARIES - NIGHT

Charlie KNOCKS. It takes Marie, clearly asleep, a minute.

MARIE
Yeah, Charlie... Jesus.

Shes just seen Linda and Sylvia, bloodly towel to her face,
standing behind Charlie.

INT. MARIES - NIGHT

Charlie stitches Sylvias cheek. Linda and Marie watch.

MARIE
Gonna be a hell of a war wound.

Linda doesnt answer.

MARIE
Customers like a scar.

CHARLIE
Sylvias out of the business.
Shes not cut out for it.

He trims a stitch. Sylvia grimaces.

MARIE
I got some Vicodin.
 51.

SYLVIA
Yes, please.

CHARLIE
Ill be done before it kicks in.

SYLVIA
Ill wait.

CHARLIE
Youll scar worse.

SYLVIA
You know this from your years in
medical school?

CHARLIE
How many times did I stitch ma up?

SYLVIA
(to Marie)
Ill take four, you can spare them.
Those are some fucked up people
youre in bed with.

CHARLIE
Not if you dont steal from them.

Linda takes this in. Was Charlie saying that for her too?

EXT. MARIES BACK YARD - NIGHT

Charlie sits in a lawn chair, looking at the night. Mans got

the weight of the world on him. Sylvia comes out behind him.
Sits in the chair next to his.

SYLVIA
Wheres Linda?

CHARLIE
She went home. Didnt want to
leave Nick.

SYLVIA
And you stayed here. Didnt want
to leave me?

Shes holding a bottle of Scotch. She opens her palm. Pills.

SYLVIA
Want some? I told Marie I thought
I might need a few extra for later.
 52.

Charlie looks at her, shakes his head at Sylvias constant

hustle, and takes two.

SYLVIA
Chew them. Youll get off faster.

He does, takes the Scotch from her and takes a pull.

SYLVIA
I love cheap Scotch. Reminds me of
the desert. The stuff wed steal
from Larrys suitcase.

CHARLIE
That wasnt Larry, that was Frank,
the used car guy.

SYLVIA
Werent they all Frank, the used
car guy.

Charlie laughs a bit at that. Has another pull from the

bottle, hands it back to Sylvia.

SYLVIA
You did what you had to do back
there. I get that.

Charlie doesnt feel good about it. He doesnt answer.

SYLVIA
And Im sorry if I fucked things up
for you.

CHARLIE
I told you, I mean I made it clear,
what you could do and what was off
limits.

SYLVIA
Oo... you made it clear.

CHARLIE
Weve been doing this since you
were twelve, hustling Johns outside
the Four Queens for chips.

SYLVIA
It put money on the table.

CHARLIE
Money I had to spend to go your
bail.
 53.

SYLVIA
You know what. Fuck your limits.

But theyre both laughing, a little drunk now and coming on

to the Vicodin. They sit in their glow for a bit.

CHARLIE
(finally)
I never liked it. You know that?

SYLVIA
Never liked what?

CHARLIE
Being the one with the limits.
Being the grown-up.

SYLVIA
(a beat)
Well shit, Charlie. Someone had to
be.

She takes another pull, hands Charlie back the bottle.

EXT. - HAVERFORD HOUSE - DAY

Charlie and Lindas cars both there. Eduardos black BMW.

Down the street, that same mailman we saw in the opening
works his way towards their place. Past him, at the
intersection, a Caprice cruises, going slow. Hip Hop loud.

INT. CHARLIES OFFICE - DAY

Charlie sits staring out his window, watching the street.

The mailman - the Caprice.

EDUARDO (O.S.)
This is his favorite shirt.

Charlie stands. Eduardo sits, facing Charlie. Hes holding

an AC/DC T-shirt. He looks both sad and hopeful.

EDUARDO
Whatd you do to your head, you
dont mind me asking?

CHARLIE
I slipped.

EDUARDO
Yeah. Into who?

Charlie smiles slightly. Glances back at the street.

 54.

EDUARDO
You have that checked out? Head
trauma, you know, theres what they
call the cliff effect...

He stands, comes over to Eduardo.

EDUARDO
So what do you do with this anyway?

CHARLIE
It gives me a sense of what were
dealing with. Sometimes thats
enough.

He takes the shirt. The AC/DC shirt. Just like the kid at
the hospital wore. It seems to register something with him.

CHARLIE
Your son an AC/DC fan?

EDUARDO
He used to be. Danced up a storm
to Highway to Hell when he was
little. Now, hes not so into
music...

Charlie is in his thoughts. A million miles away. He closes

his eyes. Linda has come in.

LINDA
Just wanted to see if there was any
progress with your boy.

She puts a hand gently on Eduardos forearm. They watch

Charlie. A beat. Then Charlie opens his eyes.

Eduardo has crossed so that hes standing in front of the

window. That hip hop from the cruising Caprice has grown
louder and LOUDER.

Suddenly, Charlie dives for Eduardo, pushes him to the ground

- lying on top of him. He looks up at Linda.

EDUARDO
What are you doing?

CHARLIE
Stay away from the window.

Something in his tone. Linda does as shes told. A long

beat and nothing happens.
 55.

EDUARDO
Charlie? Can I get up, please?

Charlie puts up a finger. We wait. Wait. Nothing. Just

the hip hop. A beat - then GUN SHOTS rip through the
house!!! Shatter the window. Would have killed Eduardo.

Instantly, Eduardo pulls a Sauer from a shoulder holster.

Rolls out from under Charlie and to the window. He suddenly
looks professional, good at this.

Charlie comes over to Linda. She gives him a look of

surprise, and fear. Eduardo FIRES out the window.

THE STREET

Three cars. BANGERS in each one. The mailman lies dead in

the driveway. Must have tried to run and gotten caught in the
crossfire. Guys in the back seat of the third car (the old
Caprice) FIRE.

EDUARDO

shoots back. SIRENS now in the background. Eduardo FIRES

again.

BANGERS CAR

Eduardos shot finds its mark. Blood spatter against a rear

window. The SIRENS sound closer. The Bangers take off out
there, FIRING as they go.

IN THE OFFICE

Eduardo watches them drive off, turns to Charlie and Linda.

A long, Holy Fuck, beat.

EDUARDO
Are you all right?

LINDA
The man outside. The mailman...

EDUARDO
(gently)
I think hes dead.

She takes that in, Looks at Charlie. Linda has seen some
shit in her day - but nothing like this. Shes rattled.
SIRENS now, The cops on their way.

Charlie takes a long moment. Looks at the shattered glass.

 56.

CHARLIE
(after a long, last beat)
You better go. Well take care of
things here.

Eduardo nods. Charlie looks at the AC/DC shirt, still in his

hands. Comes to a decision.

CHARLIE
Have his ears checked.

EDUARDO
What?

Linda looks at Charlie. What is he doing?

CHARLIE
Your son doesnt have Aspergers.
Hes got something in his ear
thats causing him a lot of hearing
loss.

He seems surprised to be saying this even as he speaks.

EDUARDO
No shit?

CHARLIE
No shit.

In spite of her fear, Linda registers this - Charlie has just

given away a gold mine.

LINDA
His hearing? That would be
wonderful. Your family will be in
our prayers.

Eduardo hesitates, then impulsively leans in, kisses Linda on

the cheek.

EDUARDO
You got a good one here, Charlie.

CHARLIE
Shes the captain.

Linda looks at her husband for just a moment. That struck

her as an odd thing to say.

EDUARDO
I wont forget this. Were family
now.
 57.

And he leaves. Linda and Charlie stand in silence. The

SIRENS are closer.

LINDA
What do we tell the police?

CHARLIE
I got this.

That tone from Charlie. Linda hasnt heard it in a while.

CHARLIE
(after a beat)
Packaging money my ass.

EXT. HAVERFORD HOUSE - DAY

A morgue wagon taking the body of the mailman. Lou and

Gabriella talking to Linda while Charlie stares off down the
street. Hes far away. Were with him here, studying his
distance even as Linda handles the immediate situation.

CHARLIE
He drives a white van. Says Firm
and Tight on the side. Drawing of
a muscle arm. His girlfriend is
named Amanda Sykes. Shell know
how to find him.

GABRIELLA
Youd shared this with us the first
time we asked, that mail carrier
wouldnt be dead.

CHARLIE
Youre right. Its on me. Weve
had some bad experiences, over the
years, with the police.

GABRIELLA
Youre in a profession that preys
on sad and innocent people. Were
in a profession that defends the
same. Im not surprised.

LOU
So we pick this guy up, youll
testify?

CHARLIE
Of course.

The cops nod and with last looks, they leave. Charlie looks
at Linda.
 58.

CHARLIE
You all right?

LINDA
Six months! We play this guy
perfectly. Prime him so the kids
shrink is guaranteed to say
Aspergers. Now you tell him its
an ear infection.

She looks at him.

LINDA
I dont get it. You save the guys
life, then you throw it all away.
Jesus, Charlie, what if youre
right?

CHARLIE
I am right.

And he turns to go back inside. She watches him go. Theres

something new to Charlie here. A swagger.

ON LINDA

Mid orgasm. As she climaxes, we PULL BACK

INT. MOTEL ROOM - DAY

Linda lies back. A moment later, her partner comes up from

under the sheets to join her. Its Gina. Lindas VOICE
comes UP ON THE TRACK (OVER from the next scene).

LINDA (V.O.)
The best year we ever had, one
hundred and six thousand dollars.
I go over to Fonzos house, there
are half a dozen cars that cost
more than that sitting in his
driveway.

INT. MOTEL ROOM - LATER - DAY

Linda and Gina lie there.

GINA
I feel your pain.

Linda strokes her thigh.

LINDA
He used to be another man, my
Charlie. You should have seen him.
 59.

And she leans over and kisses Gina. They are still kissing
when we leave.

INT. CHARLIES - KITCHEN - EVENING

Charlie and Nick eating Charlies gumbo.

NICK
So the guy who shot up the house,
this was the angry boyfriend, the
same guy who hit you in the head?

CHARLIE
Seems like it.
(a reassuring smile)
See all the fun you miss, youre
wasting your time at school?

NICK
What do you mean, Seems like it?

Charlie takes a beat.

CHARLIE
Your mom and I, we work with
unhappy people. Thats the nature
of any sort of self-help industry.

NICK
Specially one based on bullshit.

CHARLIE
Specially.
(a beat)
Sometimes unhappy people get mad.
And sometimes, part of their
discontent lies in the fact that
they have angry friends...
(a beat)
The good news is, you werent home
and mom and I are all right...

Linda comes in.

CHARLIE
Gumbos still hot.
(he looks at Nick)
Give your mom and me a minute, OK?

NICK
I got homework.

He leaves. Charlie still has that new attitude.

 60.

CHARLIE
It had to be his idea to leave the
room. Did you see that?

She nods. Gets a bowl. Starts dishing herself gumbo.

Charlie studies her. Picks his moment.

CHARLIE
Were going to take your old lady.
Were not going to give her back to
Fonzo.

Linda stops dishing. She did not see this coming. Charlie
comes up, wraps his arms around her waist.

LINDA
Seriously?

He nods. She turns to look at him.

LINDA
What happened to you?

CHARLIE
I listened to reason.

He kisses her.

LINDA
There was this guy, Fonzo, he had
His and Hers holes waiting for us
in the desert.

Charlie takes a moment, savoring this.

CHARLIE
(finally)
Yeah, well it turns out, we know a
gangster.

Linda takes that in, gets it. He nods. The two of them
start to laugh. She puts her food down, wraps her arms
around him, kisses him.

FADE OUT. *