The
Diner of Love
3503 Angel Square Court
Llanview, PA
"Nothin' Could Be Finer Than Some
Lovin' In the Diner"
"There ain't no lovin' like some diner lovin', hey ho"
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"Nothin' Could Be Finer Than Some
Lovin' In the Diner" |
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What can I get you?
Coffee's a dollar
I hope you like whip cream.
I just love the Voice of the Night. We have this special connection. |
MARCAL SCENES PAGE 22
Scene 27 I'll Stay Forever Tuesday, September 2
Setup: Marcie and Al are in her dorm room. They have obviously just returned from the hospital. Marcie is still grungy and dressed in the clothes she wore at Ultra Violet for Search & Destroy. Marcie is in a semi-fetal position on the bed. She rises up slightly and looks at Al who is standing close to the dresser. Marcie: Could you turn those down? Al: (turns down the lights) Yeah, sorry. Marcie: Thank you. Marcie is obvious upset and crying. Al wraps the blanket around her and then snuggles in close to her.
Al: It's OK, sweetie. It's OK. We got you out of there, OK? Just let it go. Just let it go, baby. Nobody's going to hurt you, OK? Nobody is ever going to hurt you again. You're home. You're safe.
Later, Marcie is sitting up with his arm stretched out to Al. He clips the plastic hospital identification bracelet from around her wrist. Al: There you go. You're a free woman again. Marcie: Thanks. (music playing from radio) You know, I've always liked this one. Al: Yeah, me, too. It's got a good beat and I can dance to it. You going to tell me what happened? Marcie gets up.
Marcie: Later, OK? So, how'd you find me? Al: I just kept looking. I mean, every patrol car in Llanview was out there looking for you. Even some of the off-duty cops came in. Marcie: Really? Al: Yeah. I just kept searching day and night. You know, I couldn't stand the thought that I might not ever see you again. So I checked Ultra Violet. You know, I wanted to check one last place. I was about to give up, and right in front of me was this homeless woman, and she had your sweater on. Marcie: My sweater? I don't remember wearing -- oh. Yeah, that's right. I had one because of the air conditioning. Al: Yeah, yeah, so I grabbed her, you know? I think I freaked her out a little bit. I asked her where she got the sweater. She told me that she got it from the dumpster behind Ultra Violet. I ran out there, I flipped open the li-- Marcie: You know, I could've died in there. Al: Yeah. But you didn't. And the doctor wouldn't have sent you home if he didn't think you were OK. He did say that we should watch for infection, though. Marcie: It's crazy, you know? Al: Yeah. Marcie: I mean, to think that if you hadn't seen that woman wearing my sweater -- you know, I was -- I kept waking up, but I was unconscious mostly. And I knew something was wrong, but I just couldn't keep myself awake long enough. What if some guys had come by and put that dumpster on a truck -- Al: Marcie, God forbid. Don't say it. Don't even think it, OK? It didn't happen, it won't happen. It's over. Marcie: Yeah, but what if you hadn't found me? Al -- Al: Marcie, I would have gone to heaven and back to find you. Marcie: You would? Al: Yeah. I'd have walked, run, jumped, taken a plane, a truck, a car. Whatever it took. Marcie: God, I love you. Thank you. Al: Tell me who did this to you. Marcie: You know -- you know what I'm going to do? I think that I'm going to take a shower, and I'm going to forget about this for just a little while longer, OK? Al: Sure. Marcie: OK. And then I'm -- I'm going to go get a little sleep. Uh -- no, I think I'm going to get lots of sleep. Would you stay here with me? Just for a little while longer? Please? Al: Yeah. I'll stay. I'll stay till you wake up. I'll stay as long as you let me. I'll stay till you kick me out. I'll stay forever. Marcie: That sounds really good to me.
Marcie goes into the bathroom. Al sits on the bed, dips his head and brings the hospital wristband to his lips. Marcie is in bed sleeping. Al is watching over her. She has a flashback to Deke harassing her. Marcie: Oh! No! Deke: You scream and you're dead! Marcie: Ow! Marcie sits up. Al rushes next to her. Al: Hey. Sweetie, it's OK. It's just a dream, just a bad dream. I'm here, OK? You OK? Marcie: Yeah. Al: You OK? Marcie: Yeah, I thought they were -- I'm sorry. Al: Just a bad dream. Marcie: Yeah. Al: Who did this to you? Marcie: You know, maybe I shouldn't sleep. Al: Marcie -- Marcie: Yeah? Al: You have to talk about this. Marcie: I can't. You know, I don't want you getting all upset. I know how you get. Al: Marcie, I promise, I'm not going to get wild. I'm not going to go after these people, I promise you. Marcie: No more violence, you promise? Al: No more violence. I am going to stay right here with you. OK? Marcie: OK.
Al: But you got to get this out. Why wouldn't you tell the cops what happened? Marcie: Listen, I told them I'd give them a statement tomorrow. I'm really wiped, OK? I can't talk about -- OK, you're right. I can't keep this all bottled up. I'm never going to be able to sleep. Al: And you're never going to be able to feel safe, sweetie. Did Deke do this? Huh? Marcie: Yes. Al: Him and his frat buddies? Marcie: Yeah, it was Deke, but he was with Madison. It was the both of them. It seemed like it was Madison's idea, though. Al: What did they do? Marcie: Well, you know, some girl came up to me and said that I had to go in the back to sign a release form for the Search-and-Destroy contest. Al: Yeah, I remember that. They were waiting for you? Marcie: Yeah. They dragged me in the back of the club, and Madison was awful. You should have seen the hate in her eyes and in her voice. Al: Honey, it's OK. It's OK. Who hit you? Marcie: Well, Madison started screaming and saying that if I called for help that I was dead. Then someone hit me on the head, and the next thing I remember was waking up and smelling garbage. And I -- I just wanted to be home. I couldn't even raise my arms. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see any light. But then I -- then I heard your voice, and I could feel your arms around me. Al: I was so scared when I found you. But we made it, OK? You're home, you're free, and you're safe. Marcie: Yeah. Yeah, I guess. Al: What? What is it? Marcie: I just wish I knew why they hated me so much. And I want to know when this is all going to be over. Al: Tomorrow. This ends tomorrow. No matter what I have to do, I'm going to make sure that Deke never hurts you again. Or anyone else, for that matter.
Marcie and Al are sitting facing each other on the bed. Al: Sure this isn't going to keep you up? Marcie: It's caffeine free. Al: You need your rest. Marcie: I will. Al: OK. Listen, don't be afraid of your dreams, OK? They're just dreams. They can't hurt. Marcie: I'm not anymore. I'm really glad that I told you what happened. I know it'll help. You know, I just -- I wish I knew why they hated me so much. Al: Who? Marcie: Deke and Madison and the others. Al: Marcie, it's time you just forgot about those people. Marcie: What, do they need me to be like them, think like them, say the same things as them? Al: Marcie, they're idiots. Marcie: Maybe it's just because I look different. Al: Baby, you look gorgeous. Marcie: I just wish I knew why they hated me so much. Al: Marcie, you're talking about stupid, scared, ugly people. They're afraid of anybody who thinks, OK? You stood up for what you believe in. You spoke out against war. You spoke up for peace, and they couldn't stand it. And they couldn't stop you, so they decided to hurt you. Marcie: Yeah, I know that. I just -- I still don't -- Al: Marcie, this is happening all over the country. There are radio stations that won't play certain artists' music. There are television news stations that won't cover stories that they don't agree with. This is not your fault. You're an American, Marcie. You're the patriot here. They're the Nazis. The only difference is they're wearing suits instead of swastikas. Marcie: How did I get so lucky? Al: I'm the lucky one, gorgeous. Marcie laughs They kiss.
Later, Marcie is lying on her side in bed. She is asleep. Al gets on the bed next to her. Marcie: (rolls over slightly and touches his face and whispers) Al. He snuggles closer and holds her tight.
Wednesday, September 3 At the Student Union at Llanview U., Deke and Maddi-evil are huddling. Deke: Walsh has been in that dumpster, like, forever. Maddi-evil: Will you stop? She's out of our lives now, and I can be reinstated.
Al and Marcie walk up to Deke and Madison. Maddi-evil: What's -- Hi. You're all right. Al: You seem surprised, Madison. Marcie: Then again you would be, wouldn't you, because you threw me in a dumpster and you left me there to die. Al: I found Marcie in a dumpster behind Ultra Violet last night. She was unconscious, dehydrated. She had a gash on her head, some cuts and bruises. Maddi-evil: Wow, that's terrible. But why accuse us? We didn't do anything. Marcie: Yes, you did -- you and Deke -- and I will testify in court. Maddi-evil: It'll be your word against ours. Marcie: Yeah, well, Al already talked to the girl who you bribed -- you know, the one who lured me into the back of the club. Al: That's right. And she's willing to testify. Marcie: I just wish that I knew why you hated me so much -- Deke: Oh, come on. Marcie: That you would drag me into the back of the club! Deke: Give me a break! If you want to put on a nice performance for all these folks, that's fine, but leave me out of it. Marcie: Oh, yeah? Well, I remember every single word that you said. You said, "you scream, and you're dead." Deke: (laughs) You have one hell of an imagination. Marcie: Yeah, well, I screamed anyway. And then you two, you shoved me, and then you hit me on the head. And you must have been the one who threw me in the dumpster because there's no way you could possibly have done that. Why? You tell me why you could be so cruel! Maddi-evil: He never hit you. You banged your head and you went down. Deke: Madison, shut up. Maddi-evil: We didn't know what to do, so we -- Deke: I said shut the hell up! Al: Yeah, well, it's a little too late, Deke. You see, all these people here just heard a full confession. Marcie: Yeah, so now it's your word against everyone else in this room. Deke and Maddi-Evil are arrested.
Later, Marcie & Al are sitting on a couch in the Student Union. Marcie: You know, I just don't understand how somebody could hate me so much. Just because I don't want to see my brother get killed in a war, it doesn't mean that I don't love my country. Al: Marcie, this isn't about patriotism. It's about power and control. These people want you to think exactly what they think. It's about fear, too. These people know that what they believe could quite possibly be wrong, and it scares the hell out of them. Marcie: I guess it just doesn't make sense, you know, to me. Al: I'm just glad you're OK.
Marcie and Al get up and Jessica spots them and comes over. Jessica: Marcie, hey. {Marcie: Hi. Jessica: Sorry.} Marcie: Hi, Jess. Al: Hey. Jessica: I just saw Madison and Deke leave in cuffs. Is it true? Did they attack you? Al: Yeah. They knocked her over the head and left her in a dumpster behind Ultra Violet to die. Jessica: Oh, my God. Marcie: You know, Al's making it a little bit more over dramatic than it really is. Al: No, I'm not, believe me. And you know what? It was all because they didn't believe in a person's right to free speech. Jessica: Well, you know what? The people outside do. There's an impromptu rally going on right now. Marcie: Really? Jessica: Yeah. Marcie: See? We're making headway. Al: Yeah. Marcie: And your columns are great, Jessica. Jessica: Thank you so much. Well, I'm not quitting. Are you? Marcie: No. Jessica: Good. OK. Well, I'm glad that you're OK. Marcie: Thank you. Jessica: See you guys later. Marcie: Thanks, Jessica. Jessica leaves. Al: So, you want to check out this rally or what? Marcie: Yeah, sure. Let's go. Al: Let's go. They walk out of the Union arm-in-arm but pause in the entryway. Marcie: I'm just glad that this is finally over. Al: Uh -- I really wish I didn't have to tell you this, but -- Marcie: What? Al: It's not over. Marcie and Al walk along the docks. River is sitting on a crate looking out over the water. He has his skateboard in hand. He spots them. River: Hey -- Voice of the Night, right? Al: Yeah. River: That is so great. I listen to your show every time it's on. Al: Thanks. River: I think it's really great how you kept it a secret from everybody.
Al: Yeah, well, you know, stay tuned. River: Right. See you guys around. Al: OK. River leaves. Al turns to Marcie. Al: You OK? Marcie: Yeah. Sure. Are you sure there have really been more email threats? Al: Positive. Marcie: Well, maybe it was one that Deke or Madison sent, you know, an old one that got stuck in the system somehow or something? Al: No. Marcie, I don't want to freak you out, but it's important that I'm honest with you about this. Marcie: You're always honest with me.
Al: There's probably going to be more threats. We can't be sure. These people know, though, you know, Marcie Walsh doesn't quit. She stands up for what she believes in. Marcie: Yeah. Al: Got to count for something. Marcie: I guess. Al: I'm not going to let you out of my sight. You know that, right? I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you. Marcie: Then nothing will.
They kiss.
Later in Marcie’s dorm room, Marcie and Al are laying on the bed. Marcie is on her back and Al is on his left side with his right leg stretched across her body. Al: Sure you're OK? Marcie: I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me so much, OK? Al: I was crazy when I couldn't find you. I don't know what I would have done. Marcie: You know, I kept waking up, but then would fall asleep, and all I could think about and dream about was you.
Al: Really? Marcie: (giggles) Yeah. I was really scared, you know, that if I was to die that we would never -- we would never be together, you know. I love you, Al. I always will. Al: I love you, too, Marcie. You know that, right? Marcie: Uh-huh. The begin to kiss and it turns passionate. They make love. Jessica is sitting at her computer typing a column. Her black kitten is sitting on her shoulder as she types. Her voice over provides the backdrop to the Marcie and Al love scene. Jessica's voice: Today I learned a new word -- courage. I always thought it meant not being afraid no matter what had to be done. But I was wrong. Courage means doing whatever has to be done even though you are afraid. People do things sometimes that are so wrong, so inhumane; courage is the only thing that can keep you strong. Courage and love. Courage is facing down the pressure to give up, holding on to what you believe, what you love, no matter what the cost. Marcie Walsh did that. Despite threats, all kinds of cruelty, and pain, she held on. She faced her fears, trusted in herself and in love. She knew in her heart it was worth it. And that, my friends, is courage.
SCENES
SCENES PAGE 23
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