THE LIGHTS STAYED ON

INT. APARTMENT — NEW YORK CITY, NIGHT
The details of this interior world make it tough to place. It’s like the 90’s swallowed the 40’s. As one time period was digested, it alchemized from Film Noir to early Jarmusch.

CU: A steady, feminine hand, nails adorned with chipped polish, presses 3:00 on a bulky microwave. The countdown begins.

CU: The claw feet of an old wooden chair being dragged across parquet floor.

CU: The same hands lift a corded telephone onto the kitchen counter, then reach for a spoon. The spoon, set on the counter glimmers in the soft light.

CU: The same fingers drumming on the counter.

CUT TO:

EXT. PAYPHONE, HOLLYWOOD BLVD — SUNSET
A Man with a guitar case slung across his shoulderapproaches the payphone. He turns to look up at the sky, seeing the rising moon, before pressing his hand tenderly to the glass door of a payphone booth.

INT. APARTMENT, NEW YORK CITY — MINUTES LATER
CU: The microwave is on it’s final count, 3–2–1 DING. A sigh of relief from the lips of SLY (Sylvia).

WS: Sly stands in the center of the kitchnette of her, well their, sparse aparment also featuring a floppy queen bed and a flimsy desk where her typewriter lives. She pops the microwave open and pulls out a CUP ‘O’ NOODLES.

CU: We see Sly’s eyes wide over the rim of the styrofoam cup, and she lifts the noodles to her mouth. The spoon goes unused on the counter.

INT. PAYPHONE, HOLLYWOOD BLVD — MOMENTS LATER
The Man, digging in his pocket, pulls out some change. He inserts it into the pay phone, then goes back to digging, the guitar on his back jostling against the thin glass.

He pulls out a final coin, inserts it, and dials. His phone rings simultaneously with…

INTERCUT APARTMENT IN NYC/ PHONEBOOTH IN LA
Sly’s eye’s flutter open over the first sip from her cup of noodles, magnetized to the corded phone as it ringringggggings. She puts the styrofoam cup down, puts one foot up on the chair and picks up the phone.

She already knows it’s DAVID.

We see them both, hundreds of miles apart, her staring at the wall, him staring at the sky. Just breathing, or just catching their collective breath.

SLY
Sooo… where are you now?

DAVID
Los Angeles.

SLY
I’ve been to the desert but I’ve never been there.

DAVID
It’s no desert. I’ll say hi to the ocean for you… and the moon.

SLY
I wish I could see it. It’s great to hear you. As much as I love the ocean…

DAVID
I’m sorry.

Sly takes her foot off the chair and begins to pace.

SLY
Why do you want to apologize? All I asked of you… well do you remember?

DAVID
I’m so happy you picked up, that you could pick up —

SLY
All I asked was that the lights stayed on —

DAVID
I know.

SLY
And they’re on. And I’m under a deadline but once I’m done the pay will be good, I’ll have the money to pay the bill myself.

DAVID
I sent the payment one day late.

SLY
So… the lights should be off… is what you’re calling to tell me?

Davis leans his hands to the glass, his sweaty palms slicking the surface with steam.

DAVID
But yesterday the guy at the door paid me double by mistake —

SLY
I never want to interrupt you but just — the lights are on and my type writer has ink and my body is humming with the sound of you. The first thing I should have said is I miss you.

DAVID
You didn’t need to say that. I miss you too.

David puts his hand back in his pocket.

DAVID
I hope that you feel some satisfaction that I’m pulling my weight, or trying to.

SLY
I do. My girlfriends think I’m dumb… trusting that when you say you’re on your way to making more money, that you are. What I want all the time is this feeling I have when you say you want to make more money. Feels like whatever you have you want to share it with me. Even if it’s not enough to take me out for dinner, it’s enough to eat. Plus, my money too.

DAVID
I want to put my money where my mouth is.

SLY
Personally, I don’t want your money on any of the places where I want your mouth sooo — money is unclean.

A moment of desire. David’s hand is back on the glass but he’s feeling something else.

DAVID
I want to show you how I feel, and not just feel it.

SLY
I always thought that was how you wrote all those songs.

Beat.

SLY
So the guy at the door paid you double by mistake, and you’re gonna give him half back.

David laughs.

SLY
I’m serious.

DAVID
You want the lights to stay on?

SLY
Take the money back. What if you stiffed another musician? What if it belongs to some Triads? I hear they run LA.

DAVID
All the Chinese gansters I’ve met have been quite sensible. I’m sure they’d understand.

SLY
The lights are on cause good karma that’s the only explaination …Where will you be tomorrow? Do you mind telling me?

DAVID
(thinking)
Some nowhere town… Santa Cruz I’d say.

SLY
And after that?

DAVID
San Francisco.

SLY
(smiling)
I can picture you out in the sweet night in the Haight smoking reefer with boys chasing you around. They’ll just love you’re hair.

DAVID
They can chase me but they’ll never catch me cause after that we’re off to Oregon. Then the Midwest, Tulsa and Columbus, Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia and then —

SLY
Straight to the bank with all that money.

DAVID
I’d like to bring it home to you first, if there’s anything left at all after food and I square up for gas.

SLY
Well, bring whatever’s left around for the lights, but know I’ll be too distracted by your eyes to see anything else.

Beat.

SLY
(sigh)
I’m working under a deadline, and I know every penny counts so maybe we should…

DAVID
I’ll call again soon.

SLY
When you hit Columbus?

DAVID
Sooner If I can.

SLY
Great. So I can tell you if the lights are on, and you can tell me if there’s something brighter out there.

DAVID
Someday we’ll go together.

SLY
Maybe. Until then I’ve got all of New York to keep me company. Have a great show.

DAVID
Sleep tight Sly.

SLY
Okay.

DAVID
Okay.

SLY
Okay.

They both take a breath. Hang up their phones.

END