‘Rose’ continued...

Written by Lorin Wertheimer; Directed by Julia Rask; (as "fanscribed" by Janet)

RETURN TO PART 1

Scene: Brief exterior of McGinty’s. Shifts to interior. Gary is standing in the office with a copy of what is appears to be Rose’s rap sheet in his hand. Rose is seated at the desk near tears. Crumb stands behind her with his arms folded in front of him. The lamp on Gary’s desk is on.

Crumb: She’s a crook, a con artist. She’s violating her parole as we speak. And don’t think you’re going to talk your way out of this one, sister. As soon as we're done, I’m calling your parole officer in Philly.

(Crumb unfolds his arms and walks over to Rose.)

Gary: Crumb, you can’t come in here and just throw around accusations.

Crumb: These aren’t accusations, they’re facts. She’s a felon.

Rose: Maybe I should turn myself in.

Gary: No.

Rose: I don’t want you to get in trouble, Gary.

Gary: We don’t know that this is her.

Crumb: (Pointing at paper in Gary’s hand.) Maybe you didn’t get a good look -- Rose Archer.

Gary: You can’t tell anything from this fax.

Rose: It’s my name.

Crumb: You got that right. It’s her. And faking amnesia is in line with her M.O.

Gary: Nobody’s faking amnesia.

Crumb: She’s faking everything. That’s what con artists do.

Gary: Would you excuse us for a minute? Can we -- (Gary walks over to the desk. Waves Crumb out of the office to talk privately.) Hey, why don’t you say what this is really about?

Crumb: What is that?

Gary: Your last girlfriend …

Crumb: No, no, no…

Gary: No, your last girlfriend turned out to be a thief. Now every single woman’s out to make a quick buck.

Crumb: I warned you Hobson.

Gary: You don’t trust women, Crumb.

Crumb: I don’t trust anybody.

Gary: Exactly.

Crumb: I’m trying to save your butt.

Gary: I didn’t ask you to.

Crumb: You know Hobson, you’re the one making all the noise here. Let’s hear her deny it.

Gary: Hey, listen, Crumb. Crumb - -

(Cat meows. He’s lying on top of the desk as Gary & Crumb go past and out the back door. Rose has left the office and is nowhere in sight. Both men pull on their coats.)

Gary: You happy now?

Crumb: You should be thanking me, Hobson. That broad was playing you like a marked deck.

Gary: Do me a favor, would you? Don’t do me any more favors.

Crumb: Forget about her, Hobson. This kind of story, there ain’t no happy ending. Okay, kid, see for yourself.

(Gary starts to walk down the street searching for Rose. Crumb stands and watches as he leaves. Searches everywhere he can think of including the Green Mill Lounge where they went earlier that day.)

Scene: Brief exterior of McGinty’s early in the morning. Gary has fallen asleep at the bar. Cat and the paper are on the bar to his right. Marissa and Reilly enter just as Gary rouses.

(Cat meows)

Gary: (groans) Good morning.

Marissa: You’re down here early. Go lie down Reilly. (Marissa sends Reilly to lie down behind the bar. Approaches Gary from behind the bar as he puts his head on his right hand and rubs his face.)

Gary: I couldn’t find her.

Marissa: What time did you get in?

Gary: I don’t know. About 2:00, 3:00.

Marissa: (In a concerned & scolding tone) Gary.

Gary: She doesn’t have any money, and she doesn’t have anywhere to go. I’m the only one she can trust, and she can’t even come around here now.

Marissa: I understand how you feel, Gary, but, um, she’s not your responsibility.

Gary: She needs help.

Marissa: What if Crumb’s right? What if this is some sort of con?

Gary: (Looks reproachfully at Marissa.) It’s not a con. Look, you – you met her. What do you think about her, really?

Marissa: I - - I like her. I’m just worried about you, that’s all. You’re letting your attraction cloud your judgment.

Gary: That’s not why I’m helping her. That’s not why I’m helping her at all.

(Gary reaches for the paper. Finds an article headed "Woman found strangled in an alley.")

Marissa: (When Gary hesitates.) What is it?

Gary: It’s her. It’s her.

Scene: Sidewalk. Door opens. Rose exits the store. A man standing across from the door reading the newspaper starts to follow her. She turns her head when she hears him behind her. She starts to run when she sees him and he runs after her. Catches her in an alley.

Man: Hey, Baby, miss me?

Rose: No, no, please! No, no!

(Gary arrives and hits the guy on the back of the head with a piece of lumber, stunning him. Pulls Rose away from the wall and they run down a different alley. A camper truck honks it’s horn and pulls in front of them. They dodge around. Pursuer is held up. They hide beside a dumpster. A car passes going the way they came. Their pursuer goes in another direction.

Rose: Wait! Wait!

(Horn honks)

Gary: Come on! (Gary helps Rose up.) Come on. Come on!

Rose: Wait! Wait. Who are you? (She looks at him confused.)

Gary: It’s me - - Gary.

Rose: Gary?

Gary: Come on. The doctor said you’d be disoriented. Come on. (They run off.)

(Gary & Rose get in a cab.)

Gary: Rose, is that the guy who came after you before? Huh? Is that the guy who tried to kill you? Do you know his name? Look, Rose, it’s me - - Gary Hobson. Look, you don’t have to be afraid. Yesterday at this time, you said your head still hurt. You didn’t remember you name. That guy that was chasing after you - - you remember who I am don’t you? (Rose is looking at him strangely.)

Rose: Gary.

Gary: Yeah.

Rose: I hit my head.

Gary: Yeah, sure, I’m sure everything must seem upside down right now.

(Both nod their heads.)

Rose: No, no, I’m - - I’m better.

Gary: Good.

Scene changes to brief exterior of the Green Mill. Changes to interior. Gary & Rose are seated at a table talking. The camera switches back and forth between them.

Rose: Jess - - Jess McKay.

Gary: That’s his name?

Rose: He was my boyfriend.

Gary: Your boyfriend?

Rose: He’s a bad guy. I didn’t want you to see this side of me, Gary.

Gary: No, that’s all right. That’s in the past.

Rose: It isn’t. I took some money from him.

Gary: How much money?

Rose: $25,000.

Gary: $25,000? Why?

Rose: It was mine. (She looks down and back up again.) He didn’t see it that way. It doesn’t matter now. But he’s found me, and if I don’t pony up the cash, he’s going to kill me.

Gary: Listen, we’re going to have to call the police.

Rose: No.

Gary: Look, Rose - -

Rose: They’ll take me to jail.

Gary: At least you’ll be safe.

Rose: Are you kidding? If I go to jail, I might as well hand Jess the gun.

Gary: Look, if - - if this fella, if he got the money, would he leave you alone?

Rose: Where would I get that kind of money?

Gary: If he did have the money would he leave you alone?

Rose: I suppose. Yeah.

Gary: All right, then it’s settled.

Rose: Gary, I told you I can’t get that money.

Gary: I can get the money.

Rose I can’t ask you to do that.

Gary: I know. Look, everybody deserves a second chance.

Scene: Interior of a bank. Gary and Rose are at the teller’s window. The Teller is counting out the cash to Gary who stuffs it in a duffel bag. Blues music plays over the PA system.

Teller: 15…20…$25,000. Have a nice day.

Gary: Thank you.

Brief nighttime exterior shot of McGinty’s. Scene shifts to interior. The place is busy with customers in the dining room and at the bar. One man gets drink from the bar and walks away as Gary & Rose enter. They approach Marissa who is standing behind the bar. Blues music playing.

Gary: Marissa?

Marissa: Gary?

Gary: Hi.

Marissa: Did you find her?

Gary: She’s right here, and she’s fine.

Rose: Hey.

Marissa: Hi. Did - - How did you - -

Gary: I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we talk about it later?

Marissa: Okay. See you.

Rose: Bye.

Scene: Gary’s loft. Gary closes the door behind him and puts the bag down to the left of the door. Turns around. Rose grabs him and kisses him full on the mouth. Gary looks uncomfortable with what just happened.

Rose: What?

Gary: Nothing. I - -

Rose: It’s just my way of thanking you.

Gary: Oh, well, I - -

Rose: You don’t like it when I thank you?

Gary: No, I - -

Rose: You’re not going to leave that there, are you? (Points to the bag of money.)

Gary: It’s safe.

Rose: Well, maybe put it in a drawer or something.

(Gary stashes it in his wardrobe.)

Gary: Better?

Rose: Thank you. I know how to contact Jess. We can have everything taken care of in an hour.

Gary: Yeah, well, I’m going to call Crumb.

Rose: Crumb?

Gary: Detective Crumb. (Points toward the phone.)

Rose: Oh, right. Are you sure you want to bring him in?

(Camera switches back and forth between them.)

Gary: I know he plays a little strong, but he knows how to handle people like this Jess.

Rose: It’s just, you know, the fewer people, the better. In fact, it’s probably simplest if I do it myself.

Gary: Whoa…You’re not going to deliver that money.

Rose: Gary - -

Gary: This guy, he just tried to kill you with his own hands.

Rose: Because I didn’t have the money.

Gary: No, that’s not going to happen.

Rose: My own personal Boy Scout. (Walks over to Gary and kisses him again. Gentler this time. Walks away. Gary looks confused.) I like it when you protect me. I get all tingly.

Gary: Did you change?

Rose: What?

Gary: Your clothes.

Rose: Um, I don’t remember. I must have. Yeah, at the - -

Gary: At the shelter. (Still looks confused. Scratches his head with his right hand.)

Rose: Exactly. I’m still a little fuzzy around the edges. (Picks up a pack of cigarettes and walks over to him.) Gary, you mind if I ask you something? And you promise not to say no right away? Maybe I could pay you back by working at your bar.

Gary: No. No.

Rose: Just think about it, okay?

Gary: All right.

Rose: Right now I need a shower.

Gary: Your towel’s right there where you left it.

Rose: Thanks. (Kisses him again and walks away into the bathroom.

Scene: Gary & Marissa are seated at the bar talking.

Marissa: $25,000?

Gary: Would you keep it down, please?

Marissa: You're lending her $25,000, and you’re using the paper? Gary, you know that’s bending the rules.

Gary: I didn’t use the paper.

Marissa: What?

Gary: I didn’t use the paper. I took it out of my own savings. (Crumb walks into McGinty’s at this point.) Do me a favor - - (Gary spots Crumb) don’t say anything to crumb. (Crumb approaches the pair.) Hello Crumb.

Crumb: Your girlfriend turned over a new leaf, huh?

Gary: As a matter of fact - -

Marissa: He’s lending her $25,000.

Crumb: What?

Gary: (To Marissa) Thank you very much. (He’s not happy but Marissa just shrugs and raises an eyebrow.) It’s just a loan to keep her out of trouble.

Crumb: You’re putting me on, right?

Marissa: No, he’s not.

Crumb: She conned you, kid.

Gary: She didn’t con anybody. People change.

Crumb: Where’s the money now?

Gary: It’s upstairs.

Crumb: Where is she?

Gary: She’s upstairs.

Crumb: You left her alone with 25 grand?

Gary: Relax. She’s up there taking a shower.

(Crumb goes charging up to the loft. The water is heard running the bathroom.)

Gary: Now, what did I tell you?

Crumb: Get her.

Gary: Come on.

Crumb: Get her.

(Gary reluctantly walks over the bathroom door.)

Gary: Rose! (Knocks on door.) Rose?

(Crumb walks over to the open window. Gary opens the bathroom door. The water is running but Rose is not there. Looks at Crumb and runs to his closet. The bag is gone. Looks over at Crumb crestfallen at having been deceived.)

[commercial]

Scene: Brief exterior nighttime of McGinty’s. Changes to office. Crumb is on the phone in the background. Gary paces scratching his head. Marissa is seated at the desk.

Crumb: Lomax, Crumb here. You got to give me a hand.

Gary: I can’t believe I was so stupid.

Marissa: She fooled me, too. It’s like she was two entirely different people. She even sounded different.

Gary: She conned me, and I fell for it.

Marissa: you made a mistake.

Gary: No, a mistake is when you don’t pay the gas bill. (Stops pacing. Appears irritated with himself.) I gave a convicted con woman $25,000 in cash.

(Crumb approaches Gary & Marissa.)

Crumb: That was my old partner down at the division. They’re putting out an A.P.B. If she’s sloppy, we might get her.

(Cat meows.)

Gary: Not now.

Marissa: What if she drives out of town?

Crumb: You need a credit card to rent a car.

(Cat meows again.)

Gary: I’m not interested in the horoscope. (Gary looks at the paper which is open to the horoscope page. The signs for Gemini and Taurus are prominent in the shot. Gary has a brief flashback to meeting Rose in Crumb’s office and seeing the tattoo on her neck. Sudden realization hits him.)

Crumb: What?

Gary: Her tattoo.

Crumb: What about her tattoo?

Gary: Her tattoo is the sign of the Gemini.

Marissa: So?

Gary: Gemini. You said she was like two entirely different people.

Marissa: Yeah, she seemed a little different.

Gary: What if you’re right? What if she’s right? What if they are twins?

Scene: Newsstand that Gary & Rose were at the day before. The woman claiming to be Rose buys a pack of cigarettes from the vendor.

Man: Got anything smaller?

Rose: Come on, I got a train to catch.

Man: There you go.

Rose: Have a nice winter.

Man: Where are you going?

Rose: Anyplace else. Taxi!

(Lookalike spots her from down the street and tries to catch up with her. Rose gets into the cab. The other girl gets into a cab of her own.)

Scene: Gary & Crumb arrive at the newsstand.

Crumb: How can you be sure Rose wasn’t scamming you from the beginning?

Gary: Because that wasn’t Rose, Crumb. Rose is the crazy one. She’s the one that took the money. The other one, the one that you [I] trusted, whatever her name is, she’s the one with amnesia.

Crumb: Hobson, you’re grasping at straws.

Gary: I'm not graspin' at anything. They’re twins. That’s the only thing that makes sense.

Crumb: If that makes sense to you, then you’re the one who needs your head examined.

Gary: I don't - - Excuse me, you haven’t seen Rose Archer, have you?

Man: You just missed her.

Gary: (Approaching the newsstand.) You don’t know where she went, do you?

Man: Train station.

Gary: The train sta - - Union or Metra?

Man: I didn’t get an itinerary.

Gary: Thanks, Pal. Come on.

Scene: Busy train station. The first girl is buying her ticket.

Man: Have your tickets ready, please. Have your tickets ready. If you have checked your luggage please retain your receipt.

Girl: Rose. Rose, wait!

Scene: Gary & Crumb arrive at the Metra Station.

Crumb: No heroics, Hobson. You see her, find a cop, find me. I’ll go check out Union Station. If nothing’s happening there, we meet back here.

Gary: Okay.

(Crumb drives off.)

Lily: Rose!

Rose: Go away, Lily. Get out of here.

(Second girl approaches the first one.)

Lily: Lily! I’m your sister, Lily.

Rose: You always were the smart one.

Lily: I hit my head. I can’t remember things.

Rose: Write me a postcard.

(Lily follows Rose toward the trains.)

Lily: Rose, somebody’s after me. He’s trying to kill me.

(Gary arrives and spots the girls.)

Lily: Gary.

Gary: Rose.

Lily: I’m Lily. That’s Rose. Oh!

(Rose starts to run. Gary gives chase. Lily follows. Rose trips and falls, dropping the money bag. Gary catches up with her. He picks up the money bag. Camera switches back and forth between the three of them.)

Lily: Gary, what’s going on?

Gary: Ask her.

Lily: Rose?

Gary: Your sister stole a little money from her boyfriend. Then she came up with a plan to throw him off the trail, which was you. I imagine she came up with some sob story to lure you out here, and then she made sure he saw you alone, then he'd kill you, thinking you were Rose.

Lily: No. Rose is my sister. I can’t believe - -

Rose: Believe it. (Pulls a gun out of her pocket and cocks it.)

Gary: There’s no place to go, Rose.

Rose: The world’s full of places. Put down the bag, handsome. Step away. (Gary tosses the bag toward Rose.) You, too, Lily. (Lily goes to stand by Gary who puts his arm around her.) Jess was going to kill me. I didn’t have any choice. It was you or me. I chose me.

(Jess appears near the train with a gun in his hand.)

Jess: Almost pulled it off, Rose, only she’s fast then she looks. Ran into a church before I could catch her.

Lily: I fell down the staircase.

Jess: You won’t be so lucky.

Rose: Jess.

Jess: Hell of a time trying to find you. Had to follow your boyfriend, here.

Rose: He’s not my boyfriend. He's just some chump. Listen, Jess - -

Jess: Save it. I believe that’s mine. (The camera switches back and forth between Jess, Rose and the bag of money. Jess and Rose point their guns at each other.) Don’t be stupid.

Rose: It’s my money.

Jess: Guess again.

Lily: No, put the gun down, Rose. He’s going to kill you.

Rose: Shut up, Lily. I’ll shoot you, Jess. I will.

Jess: I don’t think so. Aah!

(Rose shoots Jess. Gary pulls Lily to the ground. Jess shoots at Rose.)

Rose: Aah!

Lily: Rose! Rose! (Lily gets up and runs to her sister’s side.)

Scene: Jess is loaded on a gurney and into an ambulance. Rose is on another gurney still outside. Lily stands by her sister. Gary & Crumb are standing to one side watching.

Man: Here you go.

Crumb: You sure she’s the good one?

Gary: Yeah, I’m sure.

Crumb: How can you tell.

Lily: (to Rose) You’re going to be okay.

Rose: Yeah, I’ll be great. (Looks at her sister and then away. Ambulance attendants wheel her away and put her in an ambulance as the others watch.)

Scene: Time lapse night to day. Exterior of McGinty’s. Changes to interior. Gary is seated at his desk in the office. Lily enters. Gary stands and walks over to Lily.

Lily: My cab’s waiting.

Gary: All right.

Lily: If things had been different…

Gary: I know.

Lily: I wish they were different.

Gary: Well, so do I, but you - - you got to get home.

Lily: Gary - -

Gary: Look, uh, when you get back to Duluth, let me know how you are, would you?

Lily: Once I put my life back together, who knows? Maybe…

Gary: Maybe.

(Lily kisses Gary’s cheek and leaves. Gary follows her out to the main dining room.)

Lily: Bye, Gary.

(Gary then turns away, sad, to go back to the office. Crumb approaches.)

Crumb: Hey, Hobson, let me buy you a beer.

Gary: Go ahead. Go ahead and say it. Go on. Go ahead and say "I told you so."

Crumb: (looking puzzled) Why would I say that?

Gary: Because you were the one that said "Don’t get involved. You’re going to make a fool out of yourself." Go ahead. Say it.

Crumb: You’re leaving out the part where you saved that young lady’s life. You tried to tell me she was on the level. I wouldn’t listen.

Gary: Yeah, well, that was about the time my life savings was going down the fire escape.

Crumb: Look, Hobson, I spent this past year trying to get over a double cross. I got into a rut. I forgot that there were nice people out there.

Gary: (Has a funny look on his face) If that’s an apology, I accept.

Crumb: Come on, I’ll buy you a beer. Oh, oh. (Pulls an envelope from his pocket and hands it to Gary.) I almost forgot.

Gary: What’s this?

Crumb: It’s my bill. (Walks away.)

Gary: Your bill? (Follows Crumb to the bar.) I thought you just said - -

Crumb: Hey, Hobson, I got a business to run here, don’t I?

Gary: I know, but a bill, after everything we’ve been through together?

Crumb: Hobson, are you trying to welsh on this? (Turns away from bar to face Gary.)

Gary: No, I’m not trying to welsh on you. I just thought maybe a little professional courtesy was in order.

Crumb: (pointing at the bill and tapping it) Hey, If you’ll notice Hobson, I didn’t charge you anything for the use of the fax machine. I didn’t charge nothing for the stamps.

THE END

Many thanks to Janet for sharing her fanscription of "Rose" – Thank you!

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