Barton Hawkins - act 1, scene 1

a state mental hospital

A conversation between Monroe and Rae, two patients inside Barton Hawkins State Mental Hospital, also known to patients and staff as The Nut Canister.

FADE IN:

INT. BARTON HAWKINS STATE MENTAL HOSPITAL - CAFETERIA - DAY

The cafeteria is sparse. Most patients have already eaten and gone. Few remain scattered and seated alone throughout the tables, including Monroe, diagnosis - unspecified dissociative disorder, and Rae, diagnosis - unknown.

Monroe: (yelling from across the room) Hey! Hey you!

Rae glances up from her food and makes eye contact with Monroe. She looks behind her and then back at him, pointing to herself with question.

Monroe (CONT’D): Ya, you! C’mere!

Rae picks up her lunch tray and relocates to his table.

Monroe: What’s wrong with you?

Rae: In what sense?

Monroe: Corpse, you’re rotting. You gotta go to work.

Rae: (confused) I can’t.

Monroe: Why not?

Rae: (looks at her surroundings in gesture of the answer) Because I’m here.

Monroe: Brava!

Rae: Rotting?

Monroe: (nods) Probably so.

Rae: In what sense?

Monroe: Don’t worry about it. Me, too.

Rae: What are you talking about?

Monroe: See, it’s like this - women always want pockets, right? But when they get them, they don’t fill them. It’s a philosophical thing. Is that the same as a philosophy?

Rae: Why wouldn’t it be?

Monroe: Never mind. It’s a big picture thing. It’s not talking about literal pockets and literal items in pockets. It’s talking about the big picture that women always want the pockets, like the big thing, but then they get it and they realize they’re not happy with it, I guess. Is that what it’s referencing? So maybe you just don’t know what you want, so stop wishing for pockets.

Rae: Why do you think I’m wishing for pockets?

Monroe: Look man, I’ve been here a while, a long while, a lot longer than you. I pay attention.

Rae: What are you on about? How is this related to rotting?

Monroe: What I’m saying is pockets and rotting are one in the same.

Rae: But in what sense?

Monroe: It’s not literal rotting or being buried in the ground, like items in a pocket. It’s wishing you were. Wishing you were in the ground because you made it to this lovely place or had the pockets. But you need to work to realize you’re worth something. Give back to yourself. The work is there, like pockets are there.

Rae: But I can’t work. Not while I’m here and not until I get an evaluation that determines my captivity here. But I don’t want to be buried either. Cremation only. But you’re right about the pockets. I am wishing for one. A small one - at least for my chapstick.

Monroe: (laughing) For my chapstick? Who the fuck needs a pocket for their chapstick, Corpse?

Rae: Why do you keep calling me Corpse?

Monroe: Because you look like hell. Noticed you right away when you came in yesterday. The Canister is fillin’ up quick. There are more loonies on the loose than they thought, I’m guessing. What are you in for?

Rae: The same as you, I presume.

Monroe: And what do you think that is?

Rae: Being nutty.

Monroe: You sneaky bitch. You sexy sneaky bitch. Anyway, lunch man. This burrito is awful. Are there peppers in it?

Rae: Tastes like it.

Monroe: Is it a fucking bell pepper? Why are bell peppers peppers anyway?

Rae: I don’t know.

Monroe: All peppers are hot.

Rae: Not true.

Monroe: That’s what I’m saying. The bell peppers are not.

Rae: So not all peppers are hot.

Monroe: I’m just saying, because it’s the odd man out, it should be booted from the pepper community.

Rae: They’re not going to kick out bell peppers. They’re bigger than most, so they rule the land.

Monroe: What the fuck?

A nurse with a clipboard enters the cafeteria and walks toward them.

NURSE: Mr. Monroe. Shouldn’t you be practicing on the field right now?

Monroe: Probably so.

NURSE: Well, get going. A team can’t play without its captain.

Monroe: (to Rae) See ya around, Corpse.

Monroe stands and exits the cafeteria. The nurse scribbles something on her clipboard. She makes eye contact with Rae, smiles, then exists.

Rae sits alone once again.

FADE OUT

END SCENE 1