| CAMERA TRACKS INTO THE CONFERENCE ROOM, GIVING US ANDREW'S POV
as he enters the room where Wheeler, Kenton, Killcoyne, Bob Seidman
are waiting (INT./DAY) ...
WHEELER
Sit down, Andy.
Wheeler's secretary, LYDIA, takes notes.
WHEELER (CONT.)
Thanks for coming in.
ANDREW
Of course.
Bob Seidman CANNOT look directly at Andrew.
WHEELER
Andy. Before we begin, I'd just like to say: everyone in this room
is your friend.
JOE
You're in trouble.
(NOTE: Joe IS SEEN IN HIS OFFICE, or LEANING AGAINST A WINDOW IN
THE CONFERENCE ROOM whenever he speaks.)
ANDREW
I know that, Charles.
WHEELER
More than your friend. Family.
JOE
Big trouble.
ANDREW
Charles, I must apologize again, for the Kronos mishap.
(smiling)
It was a scary few minutes around here. Wow. But thank God, the
complaint was found. And no damage was done.
KENTON
This time. What about next time?
ANDREW
There won't be a next time, I guarantee it.
WHEELER
Andy. It seems that something has come over you, lately: A kind
of... stupor, a fogginess,
a lack of focus... Earth to Andy. Anybody home?
KENTON
Helloooo...
KILLCOYNE
That's right, Andy. The last four, five months you've seemed really
out of it...
SEIDMAN
At least... different, somehow.
ANDREW
(keeping it positive)
Perhaps... you're right. I've certainly been busy. With the Kronos
complaint, a preliminary
injunction hearing and the Saunders trial all falling at the same
time...
KENTON
Some people think you have an attitude problem, Beckett.
ANDREW
Really? Who thinks that, sir?
WHEELER
I do.
Wheeler seems very grave.
ANDREW
I had no idea there was a concern in that area. Hey:
(a smile)
I'll get to work on it right away.
NO ONE else smiles.
WHEELER
We've been talking it over, Andy. Your future that is... We feel
that, because we respect you so much, we have to be honest with
you.
ANDREW
Honesty is always best.
SEIDMAN
Do you really think so, Andy?
ANDREW
Yes, Bob, I do.
(to the group)
Excuse me? Am I being fired?
WHEELER
Let's put it this way, Andy: your place in the future of this firm
is no longer secure.
JOE
In a word, yes.
WHEELER
We don't think it's fair to keep you here, where your future is
limited. But we wish you luck,
Andy, all the luck in the world.
Wheeler rises, wearing a friendly smile.
WHEELER (CONT.)
And I hate to rush you out of here, but...
JOE
But he's got lots of other people's lives to ruin...
WHEELER
... we've got a committee meeting.
ANDREW
Excuse me, Charles. With all due respect... this is... preposterous!
It doesn't make any sense, it sounds as if we're talking about someone
else.
Pardon the lack of humility, but I've had the distinct impression
I was kind of... one of the
rising stars around here. And I feel that wasn't just my imagination.
And I also think I deserve to know what's really going on here,
Charles.
KENTON
Oh, you're right, Beckett, you don't have an attitude problem.
WHEELER
Take it easy, Walter.
ANDREW
If you'd lost confidence in me, why did you give me the Kronos suit?
WHEELER
I hoped the challenge would improve your performance. You could
say it was a carrot.
ANDREW
A carrot?!
JOE
I buy that.
ANDREW
As in, the vegetable?
SEIDMAN
(suddenly emotional)
Andy, you nearly blew the case, for God's sake! That alone is inexcusable.
It would have been
catastrophic for us. Put yourself in our shoes, Andy. There's no
coming back from an error like that, regardless of who you are!
(softer)
I'm sorry, Andy.
Andrew FREEZES -- the full nature of this situation hitting home.
He looks each of the PARTNERS in the eye...
ANDREW
Uh huh... Okay... I see...
... at last LOOKING DIRECTLY AT Wheeler's secretary Lydia, whose
pen is poised above her notebook, waiting for someone to say something.
Wheeler breaks the silence.
WHEELER
Good luck, Andy.
Wheeler, Kenton, Killcoyne, Seidman and Lydia file out.
Andrew doesn't move.
A SECURITY GUARD enters the room.
ANDREW
Who are you?
SECURITY GUARD
I'm here to escort you to your office so you can organize your belongings.
CUT TO:
CAMERA PULLS BACK FROM ANDREW, WE'RE IN JOE'S OFFICE (DAY) ...
JOE
Okay. Explain to me like I'm a two year old, because there's an
element to this I can't get through my thick head: Didn't you have
an obligation to inform your employer you had this dreaded, deadly,
infectious disease?
Andrew removes his ballcap -- his hair is cut short, to disguise
the effects of chemo.
ANDREW
The law says people with disabilities cannot be
terminated, so long as they can perform the duties required by their
position...
JOE
Okay, okay... They discover you have this horrible, disgusting,
terminal illness, and they panic, for any number of perfectly valid
reasons. They're frightened for themselves, their families...
Maybe it's the homo angle. Maybe they don't want to rub elbows with
someone who's just popped out of the closet with a terminal case
of acne. And how
do they explain your status to the client for Chrissake?
ANDREW
Joe, from the day I arrived to the day they fired me, I performed
consistently, thoroughly and with absolute excellence. And if they
hadn't fired me, that's what I'd be doing today.
JOE
Okay... They want you out. It's against the law to fire you for
having AIDS, so they make you
look like a fuck up. Which leads us to the mysterious, lost file.
ANDREW
They sabotaged me.
JOE
I knew you were going to say that. I don't buy it, and I don't see
a case.
ANDREW
Look. I know I have a case. If you don't want to take it for personal
reasons...
JOE
Correct. I don't.
Andrew rises, thoroughly business-like.
ANDREW
Thanks for your time.
JOE
Beckett? I'm sorry about... what's happened to you. It's a fucking
kick in the head.
ANDREW
(a smile)
Don't send flowers, Joe. I'm not dead yet.
Andrew exits.
CONTINUOUS CUT TO:
ANDREW LEAVES JOE'S OFFICE, MOVING DOWN THE CORRIDOR
(DAY) ...
IRIS
(still uncomfortable, as Andrew's leaving)
Have a nice day.
Andrew nods, passing one of Joe's colleagues, a hustler named FILKO,
who STARES SHAMELESSLY.
Joe approaches Iris's desk.
JOE
Find out if Armbruster can see me this afternoon.
FILKO
(still staring)
What the hell's wrong with him?
CUT TO:
THE STREET: ANDREW EMERGES FROM THE LAWYER'S BUILDING
(EXT./DAY). CLOSE ON ANDREW, standing there as an endless flow of
people passes by. He watches them go, thinking...
CUT TO:
A SUBURBAN DOCTOR'S OFFICE IN A MIDDLE-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD
(EXT./DAY) ...
DR. ARMBRUSTER (OS)
You had contact with someone who has AIDS, and you're worried.
CONTINUOUS CUT TO:
|
