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 33
Scene 38 Frustration's Price
Monday, November 10, 2003 In his hospital room, Al now in Michael’s body, sits up in bed. Jordan is checking him over and Luna is standing in the background. Jordan: Vitals look good, especially for a guy who came back from the dead. Al: Huh? Jordan: Those meds you took last night by accident -- you had one hell of an allergic reaction. It's a miracle you're alive. I'll be right back. I'm going to check on your tests. Jordan leaves. Al: It's going to take another miracle for Marcie to recognize me in this body. Luna: Darling, miracles happen all the time. You ought to know that by now. Jordan returns to Al’s hospital room. Al: So, you got those test results? You are discharging me today, right? Jordan: What's the matter, Michael? Don't want to spend your night off here at the hospital? Get comfortable. I don't have your results yet. Al: Hey, there was a young lady with me when I woke up. Marcie Walsh? Jordan: She's been outside ever since they brought you in. Al: Could you send her in? Jordan: Sure. Luna: Now, listen -- you can’t go pouring your heart out to Marcie. If you tell her that you're inside Michael McBain, you'll be yanked right on back to the afterlife faster than you can say "Rest his sweet soul." Marcie walks into the hospital room. Al: Marcie -- Marcie: Hi. How are you doing? Al: I'm back. Luna: What did I just say? Marcie: Yeah, well, you had me worried there for a while. Al: Yeah, well, I'm alive, and it's all thanks to you. Marcie: No, no, you were just lucky that I came by when I did. Al: No, it was more than luck Luna: Careful, please. Al: Did you ever get the sense that you had to be someplace but you couldn't explain why? Marcie: Yeah. Just the other day, I saved this little boy's life. If I hadn't shown up when I did, then he probably would've been dead. Al: And something told you that you had to be there. Marcie: More like someone. I mean, it was because of someone that I was there. It actually was who I was looking for when I found you. Al: Anyone I know? Marcie: I doubt it. Doesn't matter. He's gone. He's not coming back. Al: You know, you and I -- we're bonded eternally. Marcie: Huh. Al: Well, because you saved my life. Marcie: Right. You know what? You don't owe me anything. Just because I think you're a homophobic creep does not mean that I would walk by you on the street and let you die. Al: No, that's -- I mean -- Marcie: Listen. Forget it. I know that neither one of us wants to be bound here, right, so -- it was pretty obvious the other day at the Palace. Al: I'm not so sure I follow. Marcie: Listen, you and I, we're just different. We're totally different. We have totally different values, totally different belief systems -- Al: No, no, that's not true at all. You know, I think that you and I believe exactly the same thing. Luna: Al -- Marcie: Right. Right. I told you that my brother was gay. You had a problem with it. That is about all I need to know about you. Al: What is going on here? Why is this going so terribly? Luna: Darling, she thinks you're Michael. Marcie: Are you all right? Al: I have to tell you -- Marcie: Tell me what? Al: I have to tell you who I really am. Where's Mommy? Marcie: I've known guys like you forever. Al: Guys like me? Marcie: Yeah, you've had your career planned out since you were about 5. Al: Well, I have wanted to be a doctor since I was a child. Marcie: Yeah. You're so focused on yourself that you can hardly live in your narrow, little world, but you know what? You want everyone else to live there right with you. Al: No, no. No, that's -- that's not true. I don't think you really understand. Marcie: Yes, yes, it is true. And you know what? You're right. I don't understand. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, but lately I just -- I don't seem to have much patience. Al: It's OK. I think you're great. Marcie: You know what? I look at you, and you remind me of someone else. But he -- he touched so many people, all different kinds of people. He wanted to be a lawyer, but not to make money. He knew that there were so many people out there who needed help, and he wanted to help them. You know what? I -- I can’t deal with this right now. I got to go. Al: Marcie, wait. Wait. You're talking about Al Holden, right? I knew Al -- probably a lot better than you might think. Marcie: Well, there's -- there's probably still a lot that I don't know about Al, but he never mentioned you. Al: Well, ham radio days were a long time ago, but there was a point there where Al and I talked nearly every day. Marcie: About what? Al: Well, all kinds of stuff, but mostly music, you know? He was real good about turning me on to things I'd never heard before. Marcie: That sounds like Al. What else was he interested in? Al: You mean besides girls? Marcie: Did he have a girlfriend then? Al: No one special. He said he was -- he was waiting for the one, you know? He always said that when he found that perfect girl that he'd hold onto her forever. Marcie: I'm sorry. I have to go. Marcie rushes out of the room. Al: No, Marcie, wait! Wait! Damn it! This is not working out at all! She -- she hates my guts! God -- hell, I hate my guts. I'm an insensitive jerk. Luna: Sugar, it's just going to take you some time. You've only been in this body for a few hours. You'll get it all figured out. Don't worry. Al: It's impossible, Luna. She hates this guy. He's a workaholic. He's a homophobe. He's not a very nice person at all. Luna: Darling, you need to face facts. He is you, you are him. Al: No, I am me. I am Al, not Michael, Al. Luna hands Al a mirror. Al: I look like that? Luna: To the outside world. Honey, you're still in there. You just can’t tell anybody. Al: Yeah, well, thanks and all, Luna, but you didn’t give me much to work with here. Luna: Look, you got till Valentine's Day. All you got to do is give Michael a new soul, make Marcie fall in love with you. And, darling, if you can do that by Valentine's Day, then you have proved that true love knows no bounds -- not even death. Al: But what if it doesn't?
In the hospital corridor, Marcie tries to talk to Al. Marcie: I thought you said that you'd always be here, you'd always be in the wind, but you're gone. You're really gone.
In Al’s hospital room, Luna tries to clarify things for Al. Luna: This whole body/soul transference thing -- it's kind of tricky, and I don't quite understand it myself. What I do know is your soul has to take over. You got to get Marcie to fall in love with you, and you better do it by Valentine's Day. Al: Great. So all I have to do is get Marcie to fall in love with a guy she can’t stand. Oh, and there's a time limit. And I can’t tell her who I am. Piece of cake! You know, Luna, maybe I should just forget this whole thing and -- and go right back to the afterlife right now. Luna: Come on, would you stop talking like it's a hopeless situation? You remember when you first met Marcie -- she didn’t like you as Al, either, but you won her over. Al: Yeah, I guess you're right. Luna: Darling, if I might make a suggestion -- maybe you can try something else instead of making up those stories about Al and all that. Al: Oh. Well, what did you have in mind, Ms. Wisenheimer? Luna: Oh, I don't know. Maybe try being yourself. Al: That's a great idea. Yeah, I'll just be myself. Yeah, that's really good. Would you mind telling me who that is, huh? Am -- am I myself, Al, or am I this -- this -- this Michael guy? Luna: I think you know the answer to that. Al: Yeah. I got to make this Michael guy into the type of guy that Marcie could love. Outside the room, Marcie makes a promise to Al. Marcie: Wherever you are, Al, I promise that I will never, ever love anyone but you.
Tuesday, November 11, 2003 In the police station, Gabrielle walks in. Gabrielle: Hey, Marcie. Marcie: Hi. Gabrielle: Congratulations are in order. I hear that you really helped Matthew out, even saved him. Marcie: Oh, yeah. Well, we just got him out of the way of a truck, you know? Everything -- everything else was fine. Gabrielle: Everything else is OK? Marcie: Yeah -- um -- Al -- he's gone. He's really gone. He's -- he's not coming back. Gabrielle: Yeah. Please don't say that again. Don't say it.
In Angel Square, Al demands that Luna appear. Al: Luna? Luna, come on, I know you're here. Luna! Luna: Shh! Please, would you calm down? Do you want them to carry you away in a straitjacket? Al: I'm going to the police station, I'm going to see Marcie, and I'm going to tell her that it's me, OK? Not some guy called Michael McBain who would be dead if Marcie didn’t save him. Luna: No, Al, that is not going to happen. Jessica walks toward Al. Al: Jess -- Jessie. Jess! Jessica? It's me. Jessica: Do I -- do I know you? Al: Of course you know me! It's me, Michael! Michael McBain! It -- it's Michael! Michael, Michael, Michael! Jessica: OK, I -- I think that you have me confused with somebody -- Al: No, I -- she didn’t -- she didn’t know who I was! Luna: Come here. Come on. That is who the world sees, sweetheart. Michael, not Al. Al: I couldn't even say my name. Luna: That's because it's not your name anymore, honey bunch. You needed a body, Michael needed a soul. But you can’t make him do things. Al: Why not? Luna: Because you're him! You've got his life, his background, his memories, you drive his car -- Al: No, you know what? You're wrong, OK? I can make Marcie see that it's me. You just watch. Luna: But you --
Rae walks into the police station and sees Gabrielle. Rae: Gabrielle. Hey, hi. Gabrielle: Hi. Rae: Oh, honey. How are you holding up? Not so good, huh? Gabrielle: Hmm, it depends on the day, the hour, the minute, the second. Rae: You know what? If you ever want to just sit down and talk -- you know, and it can be about anything -- I would really welcome that. Gabrielle: Thank you. I will keep that in mind. Rae: OK. OK. Gabrielle: I'm sorry. You didn’t deserve that. I'm very sorry. Marcie: No -- Gabrielle: I know he's not coming back. I just -- whew! -- Just hearing it -- I don't want to hear it. Marcie: I didn’t mean to upset you. Gabrielle: It's OK. How are you managing? Marcie: Managing what? Gabrielle: I mean, how are you accepting that he -- Marcie: I haven't. Gabrielle: That you're not going to see him and you're not going to be with him? But you're coping. I see you coping -- Marcie: Coping? Do you call this coping? I can’t even get any of my work done. I have -- I'm on autopilot. Something happens, I react. Matthew was in trouble, I saved him. I don't -- I don't know how. But there's -- there's not a moment that I'm not thinking about him, feeling his presence and missing him. Gabrielle: Me, too. Marcie: But I want to stop. I want to stop missing him. I want to stop feeling the pain of not having him in my life. I think that I'm losing my mind. I can’t accept this. I can’t accept that he's gone. I can’t accept that he's not coming back.
Daniel Colson knocks on Bo’s office door and then walks in. Bo: Did you hear me say "come on in"? Daniel: You know we have a big case on the table, right? Nora: Hello, Daniel. Daniel: Hello, Nora. Look, Commissioner, I need you to light a fire under your men. We need to bring this killer in before the FBI does. Bo: Colson, we are working with the FBI on this. Daniel: Yeah, but if we crack this case, it'll put the LPD on the map. Nora: That's funny, I thought we already were on the map. Isn't the LPD on the map? Bo: You don't care anything about this department. The only thing you care about is making a name for yourself statewide -- hell, nationwide. Daniel: You're right. You're right, I do want to solve the music box case. I thought you did, too. Nora. Nora: Daniel. Where's my resignation letter? Where is it? Right now. Where is it? Bo: It's in the tray right there under mine. Nora: Yours? You're quitting? Bo: I thought about it, but I can’t quit on all my people out here. Nora: Sure, you can. Absolutely. We'll all ride off into the sunset together -- you, me, the whole LPD. Bo: You know, you can’t quit any more than I can quit. I think if we both work together here we can at least run this place with some semblance of integrity. Nora: With him? Gabrielle knocks on Bo’s office door. Bo: Come in. Gabrielle walks into the office. Nora: Oh -- a friendly face. Bo: Glad to see you. Nora: All right, I'm going back to the salt mines. See you. Bye-bye, Gabrielle. Gabrielle: Bye. Nora leaves. Bo: You're here a little early, but what the heck. Let's just go to lunch now. Gabrielle: I don't think I'm going to be able to go through with lunch today. I need to cancel. Bo: Why? Gabrielle: I've taken your advice, and I'm going to meet with Rae Cummings, I think. Bo: Honey -- hey, that's great. Look, she's going to be able to help you, I just know it.
Later at Angel Square, Al spots Gabrielle and rushes over to her. Al: Hey. Gabrielle: Excuse me? Al: Um -- I work at the hospital. I'm an intern? And I knew your son. Gabrielle: Oh. Yes, I'm -- forgive me, I think I remember you now. You were in his room once or twice, right? Al: Yeah. Right. Do you want some company? Gabrielle: No, thank you. Thank you very much. I'd like to be alone, if you don't mind. Gabrielle rushes away. Marcie walks into the square. Al: Hey, Marcie. Marcie: Hi, Michael. How are you doing? Al: Um -- I'm good. Great, actually, thanks to you. You know, I -- I made you something. I think you'll like it. (hands her a CD) Marcie: Hmm. Thanks. Al: Aren't you going to listen to it? Marcie: Now? Al: It's kind of important. Marcie listens to the CD. She skips from one song to the next and then to the next and so on. Al: What did you think? Marcie: What do I think? I think that you're a creep and that you're playing with everything that I cherished the most about Al. Those were exactly the same songs that he recorded for me. How could you possibly even know about that? Al: Well, maybe we like the same things. Maybe he and I are very similar. Marcie: No, I don't think so. Al: You know, maybe if you like him, you should like me, too. Marcie: I don't think so! Marcie gets up and moves away from Al. Al: Wait! Wait! Wait! You -- you love these songs. Marcie: What kind of a game are you playing with me? Al: What is wrong with you, Marcie? Marcie: With me? You're the one who's acting crazy. Marcie rushes away. Al: Why is this happening? Later Al and Luna are sitting on a bench next to each other. Al: What the hell's going on here? What did I do wrong? Luna: Darling, it's very, very simple. Marcie doesn't want you pretending to be Al. Al: I am Al! Luna: Well -- make her see that. Fight through Michael. You can do it. Marcie can be yours. Al: You promise? OK. Bring it on, Michael McBain. You can’t win without a soul. And I refuse to lose. Later, Marcie talks to her brother on her cell phone. Marcie: Ron, this guy, Michael -- he's a creep. Yeah, he gets angry at the drop of a dime, I don't know. Yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea, OK. I'll have one of the cops talk to him if he bothers me again. I don't want him in my life, even if it takes a restraining order. Wednesday, November 12, 2003 In Angel Square, Marcie is pleading with Al to show himself. Marcie: Al? Al -- are you coming back? Come on, I was OK when you were here, but now that you're gone, I'm not. Where are you? Al rounds the corner reading a book. He bumps into Marcie. Marcie: Ooh -- hey! Will you watch it? Al: God, I'm sorry. I'm cramming for rounds. Al's voice: See me, Marcie. I'm still here. OK. I’ll just say something nice. Al: Marcie, what the hell is wrong with you? Can’t you tell I like you? Marcie: (scoffs) Will you just -- you just leave me alone. Al starts to walk off, but Luna appears. Luna: Hey, hey -- where do you think you're going? Al: This is terrible. It's not working, OK? This Michael guy -- he's a total jerk. She thinks that I'm stalking her. Luna: Well, you can’t give up now. The battles worth fighting are always the hardest. Al: Hey, Marcie. Listen, I'm sorry. For some reason, we seem to keep getting off on the wrong foot. Marcie: I’ll say. Al: You know, you probably shouldn't be out here all alone by yourself. Marcie: I'm fine. Al: You're cold. But, you know, there is a serial killer running around town. Marcie: Well, maybe if I'm lucky, he'll find me. Al: You want to go have a drink? Marcie: I don’t drink. Al: OK, we'll go have a soda, then. Come on, Marcie, please. Give me another chance.
At Rodi’s, Marcie is sitting at a table. Al: So, can I get you something to drink? Wait. Wait, let me guess. Al's voice: You know it's ginger ale, no ice. But you shouldn't say it. Al: Vodka gimlet. Marcie: I don’t drink, remember? I already told you that. Al: Yeah. Right, sorry. Marcie: I’ll have a ginger ale. No ice. Al nods and goes off to the bar. Marcie: (mutters to herself) What am I doing here? At the bar, Al orders the drink for Marcie. Al: Hey, can I get a ginger ale, no ice? Manager: Oh, yeah, just give me a sec to hook up the Co2. Tomorrow, 3:00, OK? Natalie walks over to the table where Marcie is sitting and joins her. Marcie: How are you doing? Natalie: Ooh -- peachy. Just got a job. Marcie: Here? Natalie: Yeah. I start tomorrow. Just kind of taking it day by day. Marcie: Me, too. Can’t sleep. Well, except in class. (giggles] Natalie: Yeah. All I want to do is sleep, except for my dreams are so awful that I just hope he can give me as many night shifts as possible. Marcie: Haven't seen you around campus. Natalie: I -- I dropped out. It just -- it reminded me of Cristian too much and I -- I don’t want to do anything. Marcie: It's actually one of the parts I like about LU. You know, it's kind of like Al's still there. I keep hoping that any minute now he's going to walk around a corner. Natalie: But he won't. And neither will Cristian. It's so hard. His stuff is everywhere. You know? Clothes are all over the floor, and the razor is just where he left it -- and I can’t touch it. I can’t -- I can’t move it because if I do, then it's like he's gone. Marcie: Yeah, but you got to keep yourself strong, Natalie. You got to keep your mind strong, your body strong because you never know. Maybe he can come -- Natalie: What? Marcie: Well, maybe he can come back to you. Al walks up to the table carrying Marcie’s drink. Marcie looks up at him. Marcie: This is Natalie Vega. Natalie, this is Michael -- what's your last name? Al's voice: I'm Al. I love you, Marcie. Please. Please recognize me. Natalie: Hello, mystery man? Marcie: Your last name? Al: McBain. Michael -- Michael McBain. Nice to meet you. Natalie: Are you related to John McBain? Al: Yeah. He's my brother. Why? Natalie: I just -- I know him, that's all. Actually, could you excuse us for just a few minutes, because we were really in the middle of something kind of important here. Marcie: Yeah, it won't take long. Al: Yeah. Right. Al leaves and goes to the bar. Natalie: Marcie, what do you mean? How could I get Cristian to come back to me? Marcie: Well, after Al died, I could kind of feel his presence, you know, all around me. I know that it sounds crazy, but I think that in my mind he was there because he knew that I needed him to come back to me, I needed him to help me try and move on. Natalie: You actually saw him? Marcie: No, no. It was more like he -- he wrapped his hands around my heart. He warmed it up again. And you know, Cristian -- he's still around, and he loves you, and he wants you to be happy. Natalie: I wish I could believe that. But all I feel -- I just feel cold, lost, and empty. Marcie: Natalie? No, Natalie? Natalie rushes away. Al returns. Al: Well, you tried to cheer Natalie up there. It was beautiful, you know, but, God, could that have gone any worse? Marcie: You know what, Michael? I don’t want this drink (she throws the drink on him). And I don’t need to get to know you. Marcie storms away. Al: You idiot. Women.
Later, John is sitting at the bar in Rodi’s. Al walks over to him. Al: Hey, John. I thought that was you. Al sits on the stool next to John. John: Hey, Michael. Al: How long you been in town? John: A while. Al: You working a case? That serial killer thing? John: How's med school going? Al: I'm done. I'm an intern here at Llanview Hospital. Lots of hard work, but it's worth it, right? Al: How's Mom? John: Try calling her sometime. Al: Yeah, like she'd want to talk to me. John: Only one way to find out. Al: You know what? I don’t have time to keep knocking on that door, bro. You two slammed it shut a long time ago. Got a life of my own to worry about. John: And the rest of the world can just go to hell, right, kid? John: I’ll see you around. Al: Yep. John leaves. Al's voice: Marcie's right. I don’t get along with anybody. Luna appears next to Al. Luna: Darling? Michael is a lost soul. He needs your help. Al: Huh. Whose fault is that? Luna: Oh, come on, now. If we're right about this, Marcie is the one to help him through. Al: I don’t know about this whole afterlife, body-switching thing. I mean, it's me inside of here. But it's him, too. Luna: Well -- I -- I know, I know, I know, but you cannot back out, not now. If you do, we don’t even want to talk about what might happen.
At the police station, Nora is talking to Gabrielle. Nora: I know you want to be alone, and it makes perfect sense to me. Gabrielle: But you think I should pull up my bootstraps and get on with life. Nora: Oh -- no, on the contrary. You know what you need. Al's death was just a terrible tragedy, and I would never presume to tell you how to grieve. Gabrielle: Then what is this? Nora: It's about Bo. He's having a rough time. I mean, he's trying. Gabrielle: I know, I know, I know. Nora: I just want you to know that I'm on your side, OK? And I will do everything I can to see that you get the space that you need. Gabrielle: Thank you. Nora: Well, it's not going to be easy because he's stubborn and he's in love with you, so it's really not going to be easy. Gabrielle: I know that he feels like he's failing because he wants to help me, and I -- I do feel awful about that. Nora: Well, you know, it's how he copes. It's how most men cope. They want to fix things, and when they can’t, they -- Gabrielle: They suffer. Nora: Yeah. Gabrielle: I know. Nora, I wish I could change this. Al was my baby. I am so sick of this! Oh, so sick of this. Nora: Hey. OK, you want to hear something really -- Gabrielle: Thank you. Nora: I don’t know, silly? Gabrielle: Yeah. What? Nora: Well, whenever I -- whenever I'm sad and I really need to get out of my head, I sometimes come up with something to do that's completely inconsequential. Gabrielle: Mm-hmm. What? Like? Nora: Well -- well, you know Roxy, right? And Marcie's brother Ron? They actually are teaching dance classes down at the community center, and you want to go? With me? Gabrielle: Dancing? Nora: Yes. Well, heck, it's Roxy, so it's going to be at least a little comical, you know, to say the very least. Gabrielle: Yeah, I -- I saw the fliers, and I thought about it for a split second, but, you know, I -- Nora: Well, you know, it -- it sometimes, you know -- yeah, it's good to do those things, and they're having a class tomorrow night, so -- Gabrielle: Oh, I don’t know. I really -- Nora: OK, I'm going to tell you something. If you tell anyone else this, I'm going to call you a bald-faced liar. I’ve already been to one of the classes, and it was really fun. It was really fun. I have to tell you I had a great time. You know, she's funny, and he's fun to look at, so there you go. So come with me. Gabrielle: You already went? Nora: Yeah. Don’t -- I went. It's fun. Come. Gabrielle: Maybe. (laughs) Nora: Roxy -- Gabrielle: OK. Nora: OK? I mean, you know -- good. We're on, then. Gabrielle: OK.
Al walks into the police and goes over to where Marcie is standing near the file cabinets. Marcie: What are you doing here? Al: I'm not exactly sure. Marcie: Good. Then go away. You shouldn't be here, anyway. Al: Marcie -- Marcie: I'm busy. You're a jerk. Al: Fine. Marcie, I -- Marcie: What? What could you possibly have to say to me? Al: Marcie, I'm in love with you. Marcie: Why are you doing this to me? I just lost my best friend. He was the love of my life, and he's never coming back. He never can, and it's because of mean, stupid, narrow-minded jerks like you. You know, Al was wonderful, and he would have done something amazing in this life if he had been given a chance. But he didn't have a chance, and I'm just starting to figure that out, OK? So I will not be patronized or made fun of. Why are you looking at me like that? Al's voice: Kiss her, damn it. Kiss her! Al grabs her and takes her face in his hands and kisses her deeply. For a second, Marcie responds but then hauls back and slaps him. Al: Ow! What the hell was that for? Marcie: You just -- just get out of here, OK? Al: Fine. I don’t know why I'm wasting my time here for, anyway. Marcie: Well, me, neither. Al leaves. Marcie sits at her desk. Music plays in the background. She studies a picture of Al. Singer: It's all right it's all right Marcie: Huh. I miss you. Singer: It's all right don’t sigh, I say, for now it's all right
SCENES INDEX
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