With A Mentality

With A Mentality By Henry J. Baugh

2nd draft 04/17/09

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...words coming out, quickly. Behind it, a slow beat, distorted as if through a speaker. MEDIUM CLOSE UP: A YOUNGER MAN, WEARING A NEWSBOY - THE SPEAKER. ...he thrusts his hands back and forth, emphasizing the ’movements’ of the words. We can see a little bit of his set up. MEDIUM: the speaker’s next to another, a hoofer on a piece of plywood. ...BAM’s, BAM’s, BAM’s and then small. WIDE: THE TWO PERFORMERS, AND A SMALL CROWD SURROUNDING THEM. EXTREME WIDE SHOT: CONTINUOUS PULL OUT. EXT. LATER - SAME The Man sits on a fold-out chair, sipping from a Coke. We’re able to take in his image - zip-up turtle-neck under a jacket. He looks to his left. The Hoofer sits in the back of a van, untying his shoes places them on the wooden board. He pops his ankles, and lies back. The Man gets up, looks to the right, fleetingly - passerby, mingling with what small amount of the crowd remained to talk. He turns toward his chair, folds it up, hoists it on his shoulder, and carries it toward the van. VOICE (V.O., PRINCE "CAMILLE") Shut up, already! DAMN! EXT. VAN (MOVING) The front is painted, in peeling teal and yellow, swirling designs on the hood - not flames or anything like that; they’re almost psychedelic. FRONT OF THE VAN: THE ROAD AND THE TRAFFIC RUSH UP TO MEET US. ...they’re not driving that fast, but all the same, we’re being thrust forward, with it. It stops, in front of a red-light, for a minute or so. Continues forward.

2.

INT. MUSIC CLUB VOICE (V.O., PRINCE "CAMILLE") Everybody shut up! Listen to d’ band! As the song hits its short saxophone solo near the end, the Man and the Hoofer stride into frame, heading towards one of the littered dirty table, situated in front of a small stage - empty, at the moment. CUT TO The Man leans over the bar, towards a balding, pony-tailed TENDER, in a hoodie. THE MAN Hey, who’s on tonight? TENDER You know the lead from Bad Joobs? THE MAN Yeah. TENDER He’s doing a solo show, about seven or seven thirty. THE MAN (JOKINGLY) See, how you gonna run a bar, not even know the time your shows start? CUT TO The Hoofer looks toward the darkened stage, standing amid the several other few guys loitering around the room. He looks back toward The Man, heads over. THE MAN That guy from Bad Joobs is playing? THE HOOFER Ah - really? That guy? THE MAN What’s -

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

THE HOOFER You’ve heard Bad Joobs, right? THE MAN Well, it’s just the lead - it’s a solo thing. THE HOOFER Oh. He looks back toward the stage. THE HOOFER Well, it’s - what - five, right now? THE MAN Five eighteen. THE HOOFER Right. So, what time is he playing? THE MAN Seven. Or seven thirty. THE HOOFER Oh. EXT. MUSIC CLUB - DAY Sneakered shoes slide sloppily across the concrete, pattering in soft-shoe. ...it’s The Hoofer, following The Man, in time. They’re in Deep Ellum. INT. RESTAURANT (FAST FOOD) The two sit at a table, looking out and down over a very broad view of the main street, from the second story. the man takes a large bite out of a burger. we hear the lettuce crunch, and the juices move around. The Hoofer slides two or three fries down his gullet, and picks up his glass to take a swig of soda - stops. ON THE TV ...up in the corner - there’s something big going on somewhere. It’s a news report, and we can only catch a (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

glimpse - of a riot, of people going back and forth. Slowly, The Man drifts into frame - and follows his gaze, only for a second. THE MAN Huh. (beat) It’s six forty, dude. Let’s get goin’. CUT TO INT. MUSIC CLUB It’s darker, now - they’ve hit up what small lights they can afford, and they’re all focused stage ward, on the band, who are setting up. People move around in front, casting silhouettes on the three up top - the lead from Bad Joobs is a lithe looking guy, angular-featured. Harold. Graying hair, and a t-shirt. CUT TO The Hoofer, reclined back in his chair, legs crossed in front of him, The Man in near f.g. Rough guitar twangs, from a cruddy amp. CUT TO Harold steps up to the mike. HAROLD Uh Behind him are two guitar players, a saxophone player, and a drum set-up. HAROLD (mumbling, Frank Black-esque) This song’s, uh, "Vida El Veda," and, well He turns to the other band members - puts up his hand, "one, two, three’s." The song itself sounds like a combination of Bad Brain’s (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

"Pay to Cum," and Hideki Naganuma’s "Rock It On" - a rough throw together of fast, acid jazz and punk. But, it works. And, they’re into it. Harold gestures to the audience, and brings them in. As the song ends, the straggling but still fairly numbered audience gives a resounding applause CUT TO - including The Hoofer, and The Man. THE MAN Yeah! HAROLD (o.s.) Alright - up next is a cover kind of thing CUT TO Harold, in the light. HAROLD - this is CUT TO INT. VAN (MOVING) - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS - "Radio Friendly Unit Shifters." But, it’s softer. Quieter. And, acoustic. The Man drives. Intercut brief following shots with the band. The Hoofer letting his hand ride on the wind, as The Man leans forward, into the wheel, banging his hand on the steering wheel. There’s music coming from the radio, but we can’t hear it. INT. GAS STATION - CONTINUOUS The Hoofer waits at the counter, while The Man goes toward the back to pick up something, from somewhere in the store. He gestures to the small TV, behind the Cashier, asking about something. It’s the same thing that was on in the restaurant. The Cashier’s apparently at a loss to explain it (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.

- he moves his hands bashfully, almost, trying to recall what he remembers. The Man walks up, a few items in hand. Puts them down. The two leave, their items paid for. The Cashier watches them leave, and turns back to the TV, leaning onto the counter. EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX - CONTINUOUS As the song reaches its climax, The Hoofer and The Man climb out of the van. CUT TO The Hoofer, climbing stairs. This, set to the drum beat. The Man’s head comes just into frame CUT TO They reach the front door. Fumble with the keys. INT. APARTMENT The Hoofer settles down onto the beat-up couch, opposite a nice sized tube TV. Some small amount of time has passed. He’s in boxers and a t-shirt, now. The song begins its decline, toward the end - fading away and leaving only the drums. ON THE TV ...the riot, as before. Transition into a TWO SHOT, of The Hoofer and the TV. FADE TO BLACK. Over black, silence for a few moments. Then, the scrape of tap-shoes on tile. Beats, then. Measured, and loosening up. CUT TO INT. APARTMENT - BATHROOM - MORNING The mirror, and the whole of the bathroom reflected in it. ...which isn’t saying much. It’s not small, but there isn’t a lot here - a toilet, and a shower. There’s a towel rack, (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

and the closet, with sliding doors. The Hoofer crosses the frame, and spends a moment in front of the toilet. Puts the top down. He stops in front of the sink, and turns the water on. Dashes water on his face, wipes over his mouth. Cups his hands, and takes some water in. Washes his mouth out. Turns toward the closet, opens it. The light pops on. He pulls down a shirt, slides it on. Turns the other way, and rummages through a pile of clothes. Pulls out a pair of slacks. He stands, dressed. Runs a brush through his hair. Stops. Looks at himself. EXT. PARKS - DAY - CONTINUOUS vast amounts of people, protesters, gathered in the roads and the park itself. ...banners are strung between trees. Faces stare out at us. They’re angry, and they’re not anywhere near stopping. CUT TO the Hoofer watches, from across the street. CUT TO the Hoofer’s face. CUT TO WIDE: AMONG A CROWD OF PEOPLE, ONE WOMAN STANDS ...blonde, dressed in a wide and puffy coat. Her face is bruised partially, on the left side, and there are stitches. dissolve to EXT. PARKS - DAY - ELSEWHERE The Hoofer tries his best to navigate his way through the positively immense crowd. Looking around, at the protesters - there’s everyone from young children clad in thick jackets to old women, hair tied back in a bun - there’s drums coming from the direction he’s heading in building, and (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

8.

(COLD)CUT TO M.C., a compact, dread-locked and beaded guy with burning little eyes, walks back and forth in front of his crowd, scattered around in a semi-circle - he’s just working into Jamalski’s "A Piece of Reality," with "Well, in a time like ’dis..." He’s getting into it - and so is the crowd; and, he knows how to use that energy: broad emotive gestures, etc. At this point, it feels like this energy can’t build anymore - it’s about to burst, and CUT TO INT. LIBRARY the hoofer approaches the check-out counter, where the man stands, his day-job. AS THE TWO MOVE TO THE SIDE, AND START TO DISCUSS. CUT TO INT. LIBRARY - READING TABLES This entire scene is set in Narrow, with the other tables trailing off into the halls and rows of bookshelves. The Hoofer keeps low, gesturing wildly - The Man nodding his head. We PUSH IN, and begin to catch bits of their conversation. THE HOOFER - this sort of marks the point, I mean (beat) - so, Tuesday. I’m taking Tuesday off, for this. What about you? THE MAN Well, I suppose I’ll have to. He grunts, and turns around CUT TO CONTINUOUS PUSH IN -- A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE PROTESTERS (CONTINUED)

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9.

PUSH OUT INTO THE STREET - WE MOVE THROUGH THEM, FROM BACK TO FRONT. CAPTION Tuesday. DISSOLVE TO EXT. PARKS - DAY - CONTINUOUS It goes on. We’re noticing, now, how spread out this entire thing has become - there are groups of rioters and protesters on the other side of the street, and all around, in the road. CUT TO several wooden boards being laid down on thick blue mats. ...The Man and The Hoofer lay out three or four chairs sitting in one immediately it’s set out is a younger guy (Young), not as set in a dancer-physique as The Hoofer is, but he’s got a pair of "shoes" on. The Man turns toward a heavy-set guy (John Jay), standing near. HEAVY-SET - they were out here yesterday, even. Must have changed my shirt four or five times, with all that shit they’re squirting. THE MAN Well, yeah - I mean, this is kind of HEAVY-SET Fuckin’ L.A. riots, man. It’s heading that way. A beat. The Man shrugs THE MAN Well, I don’t know if I’d go that far, just yet CUT TO

10. LATER - SAME The Man sits in a chair - it’s about evening, or near it. A small crowd has gathered to watch, midst the rest of the chaos - holding a small microphone. He’s freestyling, as The Hoofer and Young follow along, on the boards. This continues on for several minutes - the crowd following along with the underlying beat that seems to move the entire thing along. It’s a tableau, capturing all three, and the surrounding. The Man finishes, and throws his head back, laughing, and twirling the mike in his hand - followed almost immediately by the SLAM-SLAM finish, on the wood. Crowd applauds - some of the few behind The Man jostle him around, a little. CUT TO EVEN LATER - SAME It’s pretty dark out, by now. CUT TO the hoofer, soloing on the wood, as the surrounding claps along, keeping time. ...he spins, and into a slide across the board, punctuating it with a BAM. Puts his hands up, begins to follow the rhythms of the clapping succinctly - the camera should remain in Wide-Medium, and focused on The Hoofer implicitly, for this. One long shot, as The Hoofer scars wood, and leaving this up for improvography. And, he just keeps going. CUT TO OVER THE SHOULDER of one of the street-centered protesters -- the riot control is arriving, at the end of the street. ...in a line, as they do. Wait a second. CUT TO The People in the Parks are taking notice -- a young boy with his mother points skyward, towards something. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

11.

CUT TO The Hoofer CUT TO the row of riot police, at the end of the street, marching forward ...one of the ones toward the back is holding something large and green CUT TO Even The Hoofer has stopped, and the surrounding start to move away, like most of the rest have started doing, toward the other end of the park But, not The Hoofer. Still in tap shoes, he and The Man start to head toward the street, cautiously --- HEAVY-SET grabs The Man by the arm. HEAVY-SET The fuck’re you going that way for? It’s the riot police, man! - and, suddenly, all at once, it seems - everything has gone to pot. Heavy-Set shrugs, after a moment, and turns off toward the other side CUT TO The protesters and rioters won’t be deterred. They’re standing stock still, as it is - but still, the riot police approach. CUT TO The Man and The Hoofer emerging onto the sidewalk, able now to observe - The Hoofer points down toward the riot police, on the street, as something is raised, and fired from the back IT ARCS HIGH UP INTO THE AIR, leaving a smoke-trail behind it -- and it comes down --- right in the middle of the protesters and the rioters. It’s tear-gas. THE MAN Shit --

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

12.

- he grabs The Hoofer’s arm, and pulls him off back the other way - into the parks, and toward the other end - we can hear helicopters, near now. CUT TO the two of them, running towards the other end of the park --- something whizzes over-head. The two stop, watch it - as it falls into the midst of quite a few of the protesters - who separate like liquid to avoid the gas. CUT TO the two of them, now among the rest, with their shirts and other various things tied around their mouths and noses, running for the stores and et. that ring the park. ...The Hoofer and The Man, after passing a comic store, duck into AN ALLEY and collapse against the wall. They’ve never ran so hard in their lives. They take off their coverings - start to cough, loudly. The Hoofer is still wearing his tap-shoes. ON THE ENTRANCE TO THE ALLEY FADE TO BLACK. INT. APARTMENT - BEDROOM - MORNING A bed. Silent, yet. Something rustles. The Hoofer emerges, still dressed in the rags from last night, it seems, par for the shoes. He takes off his shirt, and heads toward the bathroom. Closes the door. After a second, the shower-head start to spurt water. EXT. PARKS - DAY (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

13.

...The Hoofer and The Man hoist their equipment into the back of the van The Hoofer looks out. And, they’re back where they were, the protesters and rioters. Like nothing’s changed. There were probably some arrests, but HEAVY-SET (v.o.) See this? CUT TO The Heavy-Set guy, showing The Man several of the bruises he received last night. HEAVY-SET And, this? He points to his head, which has purpled a little. HEAVY-SET One of those tear-gas shells just went - (motions) - across the back of my head, coming down. Knocked me flat. (beat - sighs) Man, fuckin’ - lucky it didn’t take my head off. Would’ve had to get all Rubin Salazar, up in this. The Man shares a laugh with him. THE MAN Hhmm. The Hoofer, finished loading the equipment, sits back on the cliff of the van’s door-frame. He sighs. HEAVY-SET Figure of-course they’ll be back down here, again THE MAN Yeah? CUT TO (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

14.

The Hoofer stands, climbs into the back. HEAVY-SET (O.S.) What about you two? You comin’ back out? THE MAN (O.S.) Uh -CUT TO heavy-set COCKS HIS EYEBROW, STEPS BACK. ...The Man looks back, for a second. There’s a LOUD, LOUD screeching sound o.s., as of tires quick on the tarmac. CUT TO several protesters looking after a car they’d just been haranguing, in the middle of the street. CUT TO The Man looks back, after a second. THE MAN Nah. Nah, I’ve got a job. Heavy-Set nods and grunts in acknowledgment. CUT TO the Hoofer, from the front. ...in the front passenger seat, the two of them behind him in background. After a couple of seconds, he starts to smile, slowly. DISSOLVE TO INT. FORD (MOVING) - NIGHT - from the same angle, but in the driver’s seat, The Hoofer bears forward on the wheel.

15.

EXT. PARKS - NIGHT the Hoofer, among the protesters, front-to-back. ...he starts walking inward, through the crowd. CUT TO Heavy-Set looks up, as The Hoofer approaches. He’s sitting on a metal-frame stool, wearing a circa-1991 "Malcolm X" shirt and a puffy jacket. Holds up his hand. He looks down. HEAVY-SET Where’s your shoes? THE HOOFER Running in those was a bitch scars and chaps the metal on the taps, which - on other occasions wouldn’t be a bad thing; but, they have to last. HEAVY-SET Ah. There’s a wave going around, a chant starting up - Heavy-Set nudges The Hoofer - it comes around -- - as the two raise their fist, as do many others. CUT TO LATER - SAME - a woman in a red business suit stands in the middle of the street --- berating the still crowd of Riot Police. We can’t hear what she’s saying, mirroring the incident that this is based off of. CUT TO The Hoofer, from the sidewalk, watching with more than a few others. CUT TO

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

16.

The Woman - she’s getting red-faced, she’s so passionate. There are three or four sharp PHUTS from a distance -and,she falls back, propelled, collapsing onto the cement. And, then they start to move forward, from the line. CUT TO Silence, as The Hoofer and the sidewalk crowd gawk, some admittedly less obvious than others. CUT TO One of the riot police pulling the Woman up, zip-tying her hands behind her back, pushing her to the side. CUT TO The Hoofer, still watching, unmoved. There’s a loud BANG from just o.s., and he turns -- it’s another tear-gas canister, spreading fast towards him, engulfing him. With no time to react, he starts to cough, harder and harder. He tries to run - inwards and with the crowd, as before. But, he collapses some two meters in. CUT TO The Hoofer sets himself behind a tree, and tries to steady himself. Breathes slower, still coughing. Looks back behind the tree, at the street INT. FORD ON THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR ...as its pulled open, and The Hoofer crawls in, breathing still heavily. Closes it, and rolls onto the floorboards. Looks up toward the window -UP TO THE WINDOW ...and the crowds.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

17.

FADE TO BLACK. COLD OPEN TO EXT. PARKS - DAY GOBS AND GOBS OF PEOPLE, DRESSED IN VARIOUS ARTICLES OF BLACK -- "BLACK BLOCKERS." ...as they shuffle back and forth. CUT TO Heavy-Set, talking among a group of people. HEAVY-SET - fuckin’ shot her, man. Did you see her face? Responses, various in measure. HEAVY-SET - no, they’ve got something coming, tonight. CUT TO The Ford, as The Hoofer opens it, hopping out into the sunlight, reacting --- his hair’s messy, and needs to be brushed. CUT TO INT. APARTMENT -- The Hoofer heads toward the bedroom - forty-five seconds later, he runs back out, hair-combed, and with a different shirt on. Heads toward the kitchen - grabs a six pack of small Coke bottles. Stops, at the door. Heads back into the bedroom - comes back out, with a black bag slung over his shoulder. Steady, rising staccato drum beat into -

18.

EXT. PARKS - DAY - they’ve come early. But now, beside the previous protesters in the middle of the street, behind them are --- the BLACK BLOCKERS, more of them, and in a row. There’s almost visible hesitancy, on both side. CUT TO The Hoofer on a park bench, a reasonable vantage point from the street. He’s bent down tying his shoes, o.s. CUT TO LATER - SAME (NOON) The Hoofer, on a wooden table near the bench, surrounded by crowds watching, and clapping along with the rhythm there’s call-and-recieve going on here, as well. THE HOOFER (PUNCTUATING WITH SLAMS) Tik-a-tik, BAM. BAM.

Tik-a-tik, Tik-a-tik, BAM.

He spins, bows in one fluid movement. Crowd responds. CUT TO the riot police start towards - there’s a range, from right to left, in size, from short to tall to short, steady and slow. CUT TO The Hoofer hops off the table, and into a sitting position. The riot police approach in the b.g. Hops up, slings the bag over his shoulder. He stops. CUT TO The Black Blockers are working on something -- a few go off o.s., while others busy about, working with the protesters. (CONTINUED)

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19.

protesters from the park are starting to pour - more than they were - into the street, joining the rest. drag shot -- a long, long length of chain-link fence ...as ten or twelve Black Blockers drag it in front of the rest. CUT TO The Riot Police CUT TO The Black Blockers begin to cut it into equal/unequal strips CUT TO Seeing this, a few of the riot police respond to an order from the topmost, and pull out their pellet guns, cocking them, while still holding their plexiglass shields up in front. CUT TO as the black blockers, and the protesters ...take hold of the fence, and begin to drive forward, toward the riot police. the other protesters’ anticipation is showing. keep going - moving with them, and o.c., the ’surge’ is building - until they meet the riot police with a crash, and start to drive them back. - even around the lengths of fence, the protesters are spilling -On the left, two go under, having tripped under the force. On the right, and far off, four or five are trying to match it press-for-press with their shields --- Suddenly, a PELLET GUN is jammed through on of the holes of the fence nearest, jarring us, and CUT TO The Hoofer, sitting calmly on the park bench, watching.

(CONTINUED)

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20.

CUT TO - one of the Black Blockers in front gets a shot in the eye - goes down CUT TO The Hoofer. After a minute, he cocks his head - is that a beat, or a rhythm? He looks toward the clash. CUT TO ONE OF THE RIOT POLICEMAN’S FACES through fence - BEHIND THE VISOR AND HELMET, TEETH GRITTED CUT TO The Hoofer’s hands start to follow it, using the seat as a drum the protesters are all starting to move street-wards. He stops, gets up - starts to jog, with them, into the street. he stops, in the middle, as people run to-and-fro. What is he going to do? CUT TO On either side, the protesters and black blockers push on and around the riot police -- various people run in all directions, like chickens with their heads cut off.

ON THE HOOFER ...he starts to walk forward, uncertainly. He looks around eyes searching the ground --- a piece of brick. He grabs it, and keeps going.

...as he starts to run, towards the main congestion, up ahead. Over the rest of the sound, we hear the click and (CONTINUED)

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21.

clack of his shoes on the cement most loudly. cut to People all around. The fences have long since come down -there are various scrabbles, all over. The Hoofer stops running, amidst all this. Behind him, the Black Blockers - the ones that aren’t currently busy - are starting to regroup, in the middle of the road. Suddenly -- WHACK! He’s been nailed by a baton. behind it all, The Hoofer stumbles, reeling from the blow drops the brick, falls to his knees on the ground. ON THE HOOFER’S FACE -...senseless, eyes darting about. In b.g., behind him, one of the RIOT POLICE pushes him down, onto his stomach. Hes shouting something - his hands go down to below The Hoofer’s back - he’s hand-cuffing him (or, zip-tying him) - The Hoofer lurches upward, throwing the POLICEMAN off for a second -- stumbles again, onto the ground. The Hoofer rolls himself over - the POLICEMAN is either gone, or he’s busied himself with someone else. Slowly, awkwardly, he tries to get himself off the ground, onto his feet - harder still for the slick surface of the tap shoes. Makes it, and starts to head off toward one of the adjoining side-streets - it’s an unsure combination of a walk and a run. Something attracts his attention, off to the left. It’s Heavy-Set, far off. He’s being hauled against a wall, his face beet-red, by two of the riot police. He’s zip-tied, at the wrists. One of them, the one nearest to us, starts to gesture, wildly - leaning down for emphasis - but, The Hoofer can’t pay that much attention, now. He keeps moving, as best he can. Someone, off to the side, starts to hail him, as he approaches - it’s an unfamiliar face: an older man, wearing shorts and a tee OLDER MAN Hold on a sec -

(CONTINUED)

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22.

- he heads around to The Hoofer’s back, and fumbles there for a second - The Hoofer’s hands come up; the older guy nods, and runs off. from the front - the hoofer, and in the b.g., we see the smoke trail as another tear gas canister is fired -- people run across the gap in the streets ...The Hoofer starts to run, now - there are people, looking on in the middle of the street. They want to know what’s going on, but none of them really dare go into it. CUT TO INT. FAST FOOD RESTAURANT - EVENING OVER THE SHOULDER -- ONE OF THE BEHIND-THE-COUNTERS ...as The Hoofer pushes in, stumbles through the doorway, and towards the counter. THE HOOFER You have a phone, here? There’s a mutter, from our side - The Hoofer’s hand reaches over the counter, grabs the phone. CLERK You have to dial three, before The Hoofer nods - starts dialing. After a minute THE HOOFER Yeah, yeah hi - can I speak to -INT. VAN (MOVING)- LATER EVENING ON THE WINDOW - the back-and-forth is still going, a bit weaker than before, but even so. The Hoofer looks over to The Man, behind the wheel, gives a sigh. THE MAN Your head’s bleeding a little, dude (CONTINUED)

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23.

THE HOOFER It -- he hand creeps toward the back of his head. No blood, but the hair has crusted over. THE HOOFER (breathlessly, mustering) I need a drink, goddammit. The Man cocks his head, and gives a small smile. INT. MUSIC CLUB The club is filled with Black Blockers, and various other semi-familiar faces. The Hoofer and The Man sit down at the bar, casting long glances around at them - The Man gives a cup of Coke to The Hoofer, who takes a sip EXT. PARKS - NIGHT (MID/DEAD OF) ...The Hoofer looks at what remains - various stragglers, cars parked in the middle of the road, and cordons, et. al. He turns around, and climbs back into the van, door still open. CUT TO INT. VAN THE MAN You think they’ll be out again, tomorrow? The Hoofer looks out the window, reflective almost. THE HOOFER I - don’t know. Maybe. THE MAN It was on the news all day - the local stations, anyway.

(CONTINUED)

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24.

THE HOOFER - those, uh, guys wearing black ((beat)) - THEY MIGHT BE OUT AGAIN, BUT EXT. TRAIN STATION - DAY CAPTION The Next Tuesday. We’re moving along the station, among the various transients - a train pulls in, in f.g., stops. Doors open. CUT TO Punctuated by the beat of the drums of the song, The Hoofer looks out into the street, from the upper level platform. He turns, and heads toward the stairway, down toward the train. INT. TRAIN (MOVING) ...as it rides over the PARK, itself. Calm, still. As if nothing had occurred. The Hoofer sits, on the edge of his seat, boyishly turned toward the exit, hands gripping the glass. - he turns, and looks down and behind as it passes us. EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX ...The Hoofer moves through the entrance gate, and toward the staircase, up it. THE HALLYWAY - The Hoofer, a silhouette, moves toward us. INT. APARTMENT - The Hoofer pops his neck. He’s in the kitchen, spreading mayonnaise over two slices of bread.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

25.

EXT. APARTMENT - and sits on the stairway, munching on the finished sammich. He stops, and pulls out his phone - checks the time. Mutters through a mouthful, gets up and heads toward the apartment. INT. APARTMENT The Hoofer pulls open a backpack, stuffs various things in. Stops, and zips it up. - gets up, pulls it over his shoulder, stretches. CUT TO tap shoe slams into wood, hard. Into EXT. MALL - NIGHT The Hoofer, on the wood, performing. There’s a small crowd, gathered round. ...to the right, a Bass player, working in tandem. Further in, The Hoofer begins to punctuate the Bass player’s movements - he just gets all up in that. Pushes back, slides outward. As he does -- things begin to slow down. The Man pushes up, starts to gesture - but, the sound’s filtered out, become muted and muffled. It’s a slow, slow 360 shot -HOOFER(v.o.) Nothing changes. -- into The Hoofer’s feet, on the board. Moving like magic, almost. CUT TO - the three of them, and the surrounding crowd. Stop on The Hoofer, as he looks back at The Man. FADE TO BLACK.

26.

But, wait. EXT. CENTRE - DAY The Hoofer looks out on a familiar-looking sea of people, that pour out into the street and into the surrounding green. They look like they’re waiting for something. He stands on a slightly raised wooden platform, looking out. He breathes in. Beneath, he starts to move. There’s a small beat, growing louder. And, then it takes up from one section of the crowd. And, another. And, another and another. Soon, it’s coming from all sides. He starts off, and around him, everybody is keeping. Everybody is keeping this rhythm, and loudly, as he follows. In front of the masses, that move along with him, like a roving ocean. And, into a STOMP, and a chant, arms thrown up into the air in punctuation. Once! Twice! Three times! Once! Twice! The third comes, surrounded by the sound of a flurry of angry feet. BLACK. THE END