BETHANIE: Hello, sir. How are you today?
DAVID: Tired, but I'm all right. (HE LOOKS AT A NEWER-LOOKING
BATCH OF PAPERS) So, what's this one about?
BETHANIE: Well, lots of things. It has a bit of science
fiction in it, along with some action and comedy...
DAVID: Yes, most science fiction stories have that, I've
noticed.
BETHANIE: Yes, sir. I realize that. That's
probably why nobody will look at them, except you of course.
DAVID: You must be joking... I'm the first to look
at this today?
BETHANIE: Yes, sir.
DAVID: Bethanie Jones... That's your name?
BETHANIE: Yes, sir.
DAVID: Well, guess what? Mine's not "sir."
BETHANIE: Sorry, si.... What is your name then?
DAVID: David Knoles.
BETHANIE: Knoles... Knoles....
DAVID: I work in there. (POINTS TOWARDS LAND COMICS)
BETHANIE: Really? Oh, I always wanted to work there.
That way, I would never be stuck out here...
DAVID: And why can't you?
BETHANIE: Not to be blunt sir, but are you kidding? I
have no experience.
DAVID: What do you call all of this then?
BETHANIE: A whole lot of nothing.
DAVID: Nothing.... I know you have some ideas in that
mind of yours, if you're able to write all of this. Come on. I'll
get you some coffee. Would you like that?
BETHANIE: Sure, I suppose there is a first time for everything...
let me get my things. (SHE PICKS UP STACKS OF PAPERS, PUTTING
THEM INTO A BOX AND HOISTING IT ATOP HER SHOULDER.) Where to?
DAVID: First of all, I'll put that at the desk inside so
you don't have to carry it around.
BETHANIE: Really, sir, you don't have to.
DAVID: Don't worry about a thing, Miss Jones. (HE
TAKES THE BOX OFF HER SHOULDER AND SLIDES IT THROUGH THE DOOR.) Mr.
Robinson, could you put this behind the desk? I'll pick it up later.
Thank you!
BETHANIE: You really didn't have to do that, Mr. Knoles.
DAVID: Sh-h-h... I wouldn't say that name too often
around here. My name's too well known. (SHE LAUGHS.) What?
BETHANIE: You certainly aren't modest.
DAVID: I didn't mean to brag--
BETHANIE: It's all right. Everyone needs to be able
to boast about some thing or another.
DAVID: Yeah. So.... coffee?
BETHANIE: You can get some if you want... I'm afraid
I haven't made enough money yet today.
DAVID: Don't worry about it.
BETHANIE: No, I don't need charity--
DAVID: Just don't think of it as charity. This is just
a friendly gesture.
BETHANIE: I suppose.... If you think it's all right.
DAVID: (LEANING IN CLOSELY AND WHISPERING) You're talking
to the great David Knoles. I can buy an extra cup of coffee here and
there.
BETHANIE: (SOFTLY LAUGHING) Sure, why not.
SCENE 2:
ANDY'S CAFE. DAVID SHOWS BETHANIE TO A SEAT AND GOES TO THE COUNTER
TO ORDER CAPPUCCINO. HE RETURNS WITH TWO HOT, TALL GLASSES.
BETHANIE: Thanks again, Mr. Kn-- David.
DAVID: Yeah, that works a bit better in places like this.
(HE LOOKS AROUND, SEEING NOBODY THERE.) Then again, when the
only other person here is the owner... (HE SMILES) Me and Andy
have been good friends for years. Ever since this little cafe opened.
(CALLING OVER TO THE COUNTER) Andy, how long have you been here?
ANDY: Oh, a good six years.
ANDY IS AN OLDER MAN, ABOUT 45 YEARS OLD. HE HAS A DARK OLIVE SKIN
TONE WITH EYES THE SHAPE AND COLOR OF ALMONDS. ANDY'S HAIR HAS STARTED
TO GRAY, WITH JUST A HINT OF WHAT USED TO BE BLACK HAIR. HIS APRON
LOOKS LIKE IT HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE OPENING OF THE SHOP. HE IS OBVIOUSLY
A HARD WORKER.
DAVID: Yeah, it's been a while.
ANDY: I noticed you ordered something extra today, David.
Who's this?
DAVID: This is Bethanie Jones. She's a writer.
BETHANIE: Well.... Not exactly.
DAVID: Of course you are. Now, you never did tell me
what that one I picked up was about.
BETHANIE: Oh, just another one of my science fictions...
Nothing really that I'm proud of just yet. I only have a little
bit of it written--
DAVID: Come on, Beth. I didn't ask you that.
BETHANIE: (BLUSHING, SHE THINKS) Beth?
(SHE SPEAKS) I... It's about a girl, Sheila, who gets lost
in a labyrinth while trying to get rid of a monster for a nearby village.
She works for an organization built just for this kind of thing. They're
very high tech, but the maze that she goes into makes all of her equipment
useless. She loses all communication with headquarters, but she decides
to go on ahead. She eventually runs into the monster, after a while
of searching, but someone else has already showed up to take care of the
monster himself. (DAVID PUTS HIS ELBOW ON THE TABLE AND HOLDS HIS HAND
TO HIS CHIN.) Am I saying too much? I can stop, if you'd like.
DAVID: No, go on. This sounds pretty good, actually.
BETHANIE: Thank you. I appreciate that. Not many
people think that this is a good idea at all. Getting back to the story,
this young man is named Rick. He has been stuck in the maze for years,
on the same mission as Sheila. He says that the maze changes every
day. The only way is to find the right dead end.
DAVID: The right dead end? How can that be?
BETHANIE: Up to this point, Sheila had only turned away from
the dead end walls. She never even touched one before. If she
had, she would have ended up at an exit to the maze.
DAVID: You mean she could have gone home that easily?
BETHANIE: No. You must remember that the maze changes
almost constantly, as do the exits.
DAVID: I see.
BETHANIE: Sheila and Rick decide that they should try to
find their ways out of the maze together. Basically, that script follows
them through the labyrinth, through good and bad, health and curse.
DAVID: Curse?
BETHANIE: Yes, one in particular. Rick was cursed with--
DAVID: No, wait. If you don't mind, I'd like to go
ahead and just read the story myself.
BETHANIE: Well, of course. Why wouldn't I?
ANDY: Doesn't seem like a bad idea at all.
BETHANIE: Yes, I mean, who would want to just hear a story--
ANDY: No, I mean the story itself. I'd like a copy
myself.
DAVID: See? You're already a celebrity.
BETHANIE: I wouldn't go quite that far.
DAVID: But I would. (HE CATCHES HIMSELF GAZING INTO
HER EYES.) I mean, I'd like to read more of your stories. I could
get some public notice out about them.
BETHANIE: I told you earlier, David... I don't take
charity.
DAVID: Charity? Never. This is something great,
something I know you can do. Just think of it as another friendly
gesture of mine. (HE YAWNS.)
ANDY: Another long night, eh?
DAVID: Yeah.... the coffee just isn't working this morning!
BETHANIE: I won't keep you, then... You need to go home
and get some rest.
DAVID: Everyone else has been telling me that today... do
I really look that bad?
BETHANIE: No, not at all! You're actually very-- (SHE
CATCHES HERSELF) Well, you're starting to look a little drowsy. But
other than that.... you're.... (SHE TRAILS OFF, NODDING HER
HEAD. ANDY LOOKS OVER BETHANIE'S SHOULDER, LOOKING AT DAVID, WINKING
AT HIM.)
DAVID: Thanks... I guess...
BETHANIE: Oh, please, don't take offense or anything. You're
very good-looking.
DAVID: (LAUGHING TO HIMSELF) It's all right. I
knew what you meant.
BETHANIE: But really, you should go home and get some rest.
(SHE STANDS UP TO LEAVE)
DAVID: Wait, before you go... (SHE STOPS AND TURNS BACK
AROUND) I'd like to get a chance to offer you a job over at Land Comics.
You could be my writer.
BETHANIE: (SHOCKED, ALMOST SPEECHLESS) But I don't have
any experience...
DAVID: What was that box full of papers I put in the front
office, then? I call that experience.
BETHANIE: Well....
ANDY: This is a chance of a lifetime.
BETHANIE: Just.... let me think a while. Let me
sleep on it, and I'll see if I feel up to it.
DAVID: No problem. (HE STANDS UP) I've got to
get home and rest... Do you need a ride anywhere, Beth?
BETHANIE: Nah... I'm okay.
DAVID: You sure? It's not just the nights that this
city is dangerous.
ANDY: I'm sure that she knows, David. She'll be just
fine. (BETHANIE LOOKS AT ANDY QUIZICALLY, AS IF SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW
HE KNOWS THAT SHE WILL BE OKAY.)
DAVID: Suit yourself. If you need me at all, this is
my phone number. (HE HANDS HER A BUSINESS CARD.) Call me when
you need me, okay?
BETHANIE: Sure.
DAVID: (AS HE WALKS OUT THE CAFE DOOR) And think about
that job!
DAVID SHUTS THE DOOR AS HE LEAVES, AND BETHANIE SITS DOWN AT THE BAR IN
FRONT OF ANDY. SHE LOOKS AT THE CARD, THEN AT HIM.
ANDY: Why didn't you go with him?
BETHANIE: Because I can take care of myself perfectly well.
ANDY: Don't tell me that, Bethanie. You may not know
it, but I see you, day after day, walking in and out of here, a cup of coffee
with your first sell's money. Every day, I watch you selling your
stories, and creating them just by living them out. You're lost, too.
But I'll tell you this, David is not a dead end.
BETHANIE: Andy, it's not like that.
ANDY: Oh, no. Don't give me that. (HE STARTS COOKING
A BREAKFAST PLATE.)
BETHANIE: Really, it isn't.
ANDY: And just why not?
BETHANIE: We just met, Andy! I mean, I didn't even realize
he was David Knoles! I didn't tell him, but he's my idol... I
could never ask someone like him for anything.
ANDY: You're not asking him for anything at all! He's
offered everything for you!
BETHANIE: It's just a lot of charity. I work for what
I get.
ANDY: And you're not getting much, are you?
BETHANIE: That's besides the point...
ADNY: I'm pretty sure that is the point.
BETHANIE: (A LONG PAUSE) Well..... there is another
reason...
ANDY: There is? (SHE NODS, LOOKING DOWN AT HER COFFEE
CUP) Oh... I know why... Don't let them hold you back.
You deserve him.
BETHANIE: I can't! Andy, I just can't...
ANDY: You're a grown woman, Bethanie. Don't tell me
you're going to let them push you around like that.
BETHANIE: I can't just leave them behind like that.
ANDY: (LEANING OVER THE COUNTER, BREAKFAST PLATE IN HAND)
They left you. (HE PLACES THE PLATE IN FRONT OF HER.)
Here. Think of it as another friendly gesture.
BETHANIE SMILES AND STARTS EATING. AS SHE TAKES HER FIRST FEW BITES,
SHE LOOKS DOWN AT THE BUSINESS CARD, THEN SHAKES HER HEAD. WITH EVERY
BITE, SHE LOOKS BACK DOWN AT THE CARD. TIME PASSES, SEVERAL HOURS.
WITH ONE LAST LOOK AT THE CARD, SHE FINALLY MAKES UP HER MIND.
BETHANIE: Andy, do you have a phone?
