BREATHLESS MAN
Got any con – condominiums?
CLERK
Please. . .
BREATHLESS MAN
Uh – conundrums. I mean –
CLERK
Please. . .
SOUND
THE MAN PICKS UP A SMALL PACKET.
BREATHLESS MAN
(relieved) Yes! Right here, next to the Power Bars. Gimme one of those, too.
CLERK
Sorry. . .
SOUND
THE MAN DUMPS DOZENS OF QUARTERS ON THE COUNTER.
BREATHLESS MAN
Is this enough? I’m in a hurry.
SOUND
A BLIP AS THE LASER RINGS UP ANOTHER SALE. THE CASH DRAWER SLIDES OPEN.
CLERK
. . . Thank you.
BREATHLESS MAN
(off) Thank you, man! You saved my life!
SOUND
THE MAN HURRIES OUT. THE GLASS DOOR SLIDES SHUT. THE CLERK DRAGS THE COINS INTO THE DRAWER.
WHITEY
(low, to Jim) I don’t believe it.
JIM
Must have robbed his pigyybank.
WHITEY
The clerk. It’s Juano.
JIM
Who?
WHITEY
You know. From the Mexican restaurant, over on Washington?
JIM
You’re kidding. What happened to him?
WHITEY
Looks like he hit the skids.
CLERK
Please.
SOUND
WHITEY AND JIM MOVE UP AND SET THEIR THINGS ON THE COUNTER.
WHITEY
Hey – Juano, right? How’s it goin’?
CLERK
Please. . .
WHITEY
Haven’t seen you in a while.
CLERK
Sorry. . .
WHITEY
It’s me, Whitey. Remember?
CLERK
Thank you.
WHITEY
How’s Rena been?
CLERK
Please. . .
WHITEY
Well, tell her I said hello, okay? Here’s my number. In case she lost it.
SOUND
WHITEY CLICKS A BALLPOINT PEN AND SCRIBBLES ON PAPER.
CLERK
Please.
WHITEY
Just give it to her.
CLERK
Sorry. . .
WHITEY
(taking offense) Why not?
SOUND
BLIPS AS THE CLERK RINGS UP THE GROCERIES.
JIM
(intervening) How much?
WHITEY
I asked you a question.
CLERK
Please. . .
SOUND
JIM PULLS OUT PAPER MONEY AND SLAPS IT DOWN.
JIM
Keep the change.
WHITEY
Hold on.
JIM
Forget it. Let’s go.
CLERK
. . . Thank you.
SOUND
THE CLERK CLOSES THE DRAWER.
WHITEY
Yeah. Good idea. SOmething smells in this place.
SOUND
EXT. – STOP ’N START. AS JIM AND WHITEY EXIT THE STORE. A LONE CAR PASSES ON THE STREET.
WHITEY
What time does Tube City here close?
JIM
Never.
WHITEY
Well, when do they change shifts? About six o’clock?
JIM
What do you care?
WHITEY
Think I’ll have a little talk with old Juano, when he gets off.
JIM
I told you, forget it.
WHITEY
Oh, yeah? I went out with his sister for six months. Now all of a sudden I’m not good enough for her?
JIM
Let it go, man. It’s the late shift.
SOUND
THEY GET IN THE CAR AND DRIVE OFF.
MUSIC
EPISODE SCORE. FADE DOWN.
ANNOUNCER
Dreadtime Stories will continue in a moment. COMMERCIAL BREAK
MUSIC
THEME.
ANNOUNCER
Now back to Dreadtime Stories and our story. . . “The Late Shift.”
MUSIC
EPISODE SCORE.
NARRATOR
It was late and tomorrow was Saturday. So he let his friend crash on the sofa. When the phone rang a few hours later, he thought it was a joke. . .
SOUND
FADE IN DIALOGUE (IN PROGRESS):
JIM
(groggy). . . Who is this?
NURSE #1
(filtered) Saint Sebastian Hospital.
JIM
What’re you calling me for?
NURSE #1
Your friend gave us the number.
JIM
You mean Whitey? No, he didn’t. He’s right here. (calling) Whitey! Hey, where are you. . .?
NURSE #1
We’re located on Fourteenth Street. Park in the underground lot.
JIM
Why?
NURSE
I’m afraid there’s been an accident.
MUSIC
EPISODE SCORE.
BRIDGE THRU TO:
SOUND
INT. – HOSPITAL CORRIDOR. A GURNEY CLATTERS PAST. VOICES IN THE B.G.
P.A. VOICE
(off) Doctor Martin to E.R. Doctor Benway, please come to surgery. . .
JIM
I don’t know anything, officer. I just got here.
OFFICER
Relatives?
JIM
Not that he ever mentioned.
OFFICER
There was an out-of-state driver’s license in his wallet. How long has he lived here?
JIM
A couple of years, maybe. We both went to Santa Monica College.
SOUND
THE OFFICER TAKES NOTES ON A CLIPBOARD.
OFFICER
Mm-hm. Family. . . Out-of-state. Where would that be?
JIM
(frustrated) Don’t ask me. Back on the reservation, 1 guess. Listen, if you’ll just tell me what happened. . .
OFFICER
His car went over a cliff.
JIM
When?
OFFICER
Around dawn, near as we can figure.
JIM
Where?
OFFICER
Arroyo Seco Canyon.
JIM
But that’s all the way across town! He couldn’t have –
OFFICER
When was the last time you saw him?
JIM
Last night.
OFFICER
How much did he have to drink?
JIM
One beer.
OFFICER
We found an empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s in the car.
JIM
No way. He never touched the stuff.
OFFICER
(unconvinced) That right.
JIM
He can’t. He’s Native American. Something about the enzymes in his liver. All he ever drank was beer. One, maybe two, and that was it.
OFFICER
Then how did all that alcohol get into his bloodstream?
MUSIC
EPISODE SCORE.
THRU TO:
SOUND
INT. – HOSPITAL ROOM.
BLIPS FROM A HEART-LUNG MONITOR.
AS JIM TAPS ON THE DOOR AND ENTERS.
JIM
You awake, buddy?
WHITEY
(weakly) Hey, Jim.
JIM
(approaching) What are all those lines on your face?
WHITEY
Pretty good, huh? (with pauses, aided by a breathing machine) I did ’em myself. It’s pHisoHex and lead pencil. The nurse washes it off, I put it on again.
JIM
(joking) Looks like war paint.
WHITEY
(serious) It’s for a funeral.
JIM
Yeah? Whose?
WHITEY
I saw the Death Angel last night. (pause) Did you hear what I said?
JIM
I hear your meds talking, that’s what I hear. So are you going to tell me what really happened?
WHITEY
Ask Juanu.
JIM
(sighs) Yuu had to go back there. . . Did you tell that part to the cops?
WHITEY
Sure. They always believe a drunken Indian. (starts to laugh, stops in pain)
JIM
Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Juano.
WHITEY
(a strange high-pitched laugh) He-he-he! What are you gunna do, kill him?
SOUND
A NURSE ENTERS, RUBBER SOLES SQUEAKING.
NURSE #2
How did you get in here?
JIM
(ignoring her) What else do you remember?
SOUND
SHE SETS DOWN A RATTLING TRAY.
NURSE #2
Step outside, please. I have to run some tests.
JIM
We’re not finished yet.
NURSE #2
Are you family?
JIM
No.
NURSE #2
There’s a waiting room at the end of the hall. You can talk to your friend later.
JIM
I’m talking to him now. What else?
WHITEY
She knows. Don’t you, nurse.
SOUND
SHE HANDLES SMALL INSTRUMENTS.
NURSE #2
(humoring him) What is it we want to know, now?
WHITEY
That’s how you make your living, isn’t it. Off death.
NURSE #2
What a crazy thing to say.
WHITEY
Tell him.
NURSE #2
Tell him what?
WHITEY
About the Trial of the Dead.
NURSE #2
Be a good boy and give me your arm, so I can draw some blood. . .
WHITEY
How does it work?
NURSE #2
Can you make a fist for me?
WHITEY
The people that come here. What happens to them?
NURSE #2
When?
WHITEY
When they die.
NURSE #2
Really, this is most –
WHITEY
Tell him.
NURSE #2
They’re held downstairs, temporarily. Now will you please –
WHITEY
Then what?
NURSE #2
If you’re not going to cooperate –
WHITEY
Then what happens to them?
NURSE #2
(sighs) They’re placed in cold storage, until the family can make arrangements. Does that answer your question?
WHITEY
For how long? A couple of days? They don’t stay here the whole time. Do they.
SOUND
A CLICK AS SHE SPEAKS INTO A MIC.
NURSE #2
This is room six-twenty-six. I need backup. . .
JIM
Don’t bother. I’m leaving. Hang in there, buddy. I’ll be back.
SOUND
JIM CROSSES TO THE DOOR.
WHITEY
Jim?
JIM
Yeah?
WHITEY
What I said last night. I was
