Upon Realization
April 24, 2008
“UPON REALIZATION”
By
Jay Jorgenson
FADE IN:
EXT. ALLEY BEHIND BAR – NIGHT
ADAM stands in alley by wall, smoking a cigarette. MUSIC from inside the bar can be faintly heard, but still somewhat inaudible.
(SOUND OF STEEL DOOR CLOSING)
JARED, a young man in about his mid-twenties, enters and stands next to Adam. Jared starts searching pockets for a cigarette, but finds none.
JARED
(Checking all pockets)
Hey, you got a cigarette I can bum
off you? I think I left mine at
home?
ADAM
(pulling out cigarettes)
Yeah, sure, man. I hope you like
these. Not many people do
JARED
(Taking cigarette)
These are actually the kind I
usually smoke.
(Offers hand to shake)
…Jared.
ADAM
(Takes Jared’s hand and shakes)
Adam. You from around here?
JARED
Yea, I’ve lived here for a while now.
I come to this bar quite often, lots
of people to see. I’ve never seen you
before. You new?
ADAM
I just moved in a few blocks away a
couple of weeks ago. This is my
first time here, it looked inviting.
JARED
It’s kind of a dead-end town. I know
much everyone in town. You should be
seeing tumble weed rolling by soon.
(LAUGHS)
ADAM
(LAUGHING uncomfortably to humor Jared)
Have you lived here your whole life?
JARED
Naw! I once lived out by D.C. for a while.
That was a long time ago. I think I was
About five-ish when we came here.
ADAM
(surprised)
D.C.? That’s a helluva move from there to
Tenney, Minnesota. Why did you move here?
JARED
(pauses for a moment and looks up)
Well, my dad was a politician all those
years ago. A real big-wig on Capitol Hill,
(turns to Adam)
ya know?
(pauses for another moment, sighs)
But one day, he was speaking in front of
A big group of people in Philadelphia,
when an assassin gunned him down. The
secret service moved my mom and I out
here.
ADAM
(shocked)
Whoa! I’m sorry to hear that. I kinda
regret asking.
JARED
(laughs a little)
It’s cool. I guess we just got a little
too comfortable here in Tenney and
never left.
(Bottle BREAKS inside bar, YELLING)
JARED
(snubs out cigarette)
Dammit! I better get in there before
things get out of hand.
ADAM
Alright, I’ll be seeing you around, I
suppose.
(Adam goes back to smoking, when CLAYTON, an older man, joins him)
CLAYTON
You’re new here, aren’t you?
ADAM
(Somewhat surprised, caught off guard)
Yea! What tipped you off?
CLAYTON
(somewhat proud)
I’ve got my sources.
(pulls out cigarette and lights it)
What’s your story?
ADAM
Well, I just moved here a few weeks
ago. I’m working in the next town at
an insurance firm, but I’m thinking
of starting my own right here. You
got a job?
CLAYTON
No. I’m happily retired. I used to
work for the government.
ADAM
Were you a postal worker?
CLAYTON
No, I worked with the CIA, but now
that I told ya, I’m gonna have to
kill you.
(both laugh)
Actually, my job was slightly more
than a cushy desk job. I was into
“protecting the government from
itself”.
ADAM
(puzzled)
Protecting the government from itself?
CLAYTON
Let’s just say they hired me for my
sharpshooting skills?
ADAM
(shocked)
Wait, so were a sniper? Are they gonna
come and kill me now? Are you sure you
should be telling me this? I don’t even
know you.
CLAYTON
It’s alright. I ain’t got much time
left anyways. I figure that a perfect
stranger would be a good person to
let it all out.
ADAM
(Sorrowfully)
Alright, I guess I got the time? Tell
me what’s on your mind.
CLAYTON
I’ve had to pick off dozens of people.
Anywhere from regular Joes to
politicians, native and foreign. I
never regret any of them, except for
one.
ADAM
(Snickering)
Anyone I might know?
CLAYTON
You would have been pretty young, I
imagine. The only problem with the
kill is that it was a mistake. He
wasn’t my target. I got some really
bad info.
ADAM
Wow! That sucks.
CLAYTON
I found out later he had a wife and
kid. I’ve spent years trying to find
them, but I imagine that the secret
service moved them and changed their
name. I’m at the end of my rope.
(Door SLAMS, Jared enters)
JARED
Clayton! How you doing old man?
CLAYTON
I’ve seen better days, ya putz.
(both laugh)
JARED
I see you’ve met my neighbor,
Clayton.
ADAM
(puzzled)
You could say that. He just kind
of popped up out of nowhere, more
or less.
JARED
Yeah, he does that to me too.
CLAYTON
When you gonna come over and rake
up all those leaves and fix up my
garage.
JARED
When you start paying me the big
bucks. (laughs)
ADAM
How long have you been neighbors?
JARED
It’s been, oh I don’t know…how
long has it been now.
CLAYTON
Just over 12 years, I suppose.
JARED
Yea that seems about right. 12 years
ago. I’m going to head back in and
start cleaning up.
(Jared goes back into the bar)
ADAM
(Looks at Clayton)
What did you mean earlier you are
almost at the end of your rope?
CLAYTON
Well kid, I look at it this way
I have done some pretty bad things
In my time and I guess I have to
Pay for it. I have Cancer and the
Doc gave me 3 months to live.
ADAM
I’m sorry man. When did you say
you assassinated the wrong guy?
CLAYTON
(puzzled)
Close to 20 years ago. Why?
ADAM
Have you ever talked to Jared about
his dad?
CLAYTON
Not directly. I talked to his mom
About it, but she said that Jared
was too young to remember. Some
kind of accident or something.
I’ve never gotten into conversation
with him about it. What are you
getting at?
ADAM
I think you may have found you’re
“lost child”.
CLAYTON
(uncomfortable laugh)
You’re joking. You’re not saying…
(pauses)
Oh, my God! That makes sense.
He’s the right age, looks just like
him. How could I have not seen it?
ADAM
I don’t know, but it might be time
to talk Jared, and talk to him about
it. It might not even be what
happened, but at least you tried.
I gotta go.
(Adam leaves)
CLAYTON
(Doesn’t move for a moment)
I can’t believe it. Hey, Jared!
(leave scene)
(FADE OUT)