SPECTATORS STREAM OUT OF CITY HALL INTO THE HUBBUB OF TWO DISTINCT
GROUPS SHOUTING AT EACH OTHER (EXT/DAY): GAY RIGHTS ACTIVISTS in T-shirts
with pink triangles, denouncing discrimination; BORN AGAIN ACTIVISTS
waving placards citing AIDS
as God's punishment for homosexuality; POLICEMEN keeping them apart;
A MEDIA CIRCUS getting it on videotape.
Joe and Miguel FLANK Andrew, who walks weakly. with a cane. Sarah
and Jill follow close behind, running the gauntlet of ACTIVISTS
and REPORTERS.
Andrew's POV on a placard: "We Die - They Do Nothing!"
Jill's POV on a placard: "AIDS Cures Homosexuality!"
A TV CREW shines HOT LIGHTS on Andrew.
TV REPORTER (ANGELA MEDINA)
Do you see this as a gay rights issue?
ANDREW
I'm not political. I just want compensation for being fired.
REPORTER MEDINA
But you are gay, aren't you?
IMAGE: ANDREW SEEN ON A TV SCREEN (INT./NIGHT):
ANDREW
"I don't see how that's any of your business...
(a smile)
But yes, I am."
WIDE ANGLE: WE'RE IN A SPORTS BAR WHERE JOE WATCHES THE SIX O'CLOCK
NEWS WITH FILKO, A LOCAL COP, OTHERS (INT./NIGHT) ...
ON THE TV SCREEN: A microphone is shoved at Joe.
REPORTER MEDINA
"Do you believe that homosexuals deserve special treatment?"
FILKO
Hell, no!
JOE (on TV)
"Angela, we're standing in Philadelphia, the City of
Brotherly Love, the birthplace of freedom, where our Founding Fathers
authored the Declaration of Independence. And I don't remember that
glorious document saying "All straight men are created equal."
I could have sworn it says, "All men are created equal."
CHARLIE THE COP
Give me a goddamn break!
ON THE TV SCREEN: The REPORTER wraps up her story.
REPORTER MEDINA
"This case is sending a cold chill through the legal community.
One of Wyant Wheeler's key clients, the
Grace Foster Foundation, which supports several AIDS charities,
has taken its business to another firm until this matter is resolved..."
As the TV DRONES ON, CHARLIE THE COP, OTHERS GLARE at Joe.
FILKO
(chuckles)
Hey, Joe.
(a wink to the COP)
You're not starting to get a little... light on your feet here on
us, are you?
Joe does not laugh.
JOE
Yeah, Filko. I am.
(stepping toward Filko)
I'm on the prowl, Filko. I need a man. Not just any man. I need
a hunk. A hunk like you. How about it, Filko? Want to play sailor?
This time, I'll be first
mate and you can be Columbus.
FILKO
Chill out, Joe.
JOE
(angry)
Those people make me sick, Filko! But a law's been
broken, okay? The law. Remember the law?
CHARLIE THE COP has relaxed a bit.
CHARLIE THE COP
At least we agree on one thing, Joe... They make me sick too.
HOLD ON JOE, but WE HEAR THE TV REPORTER in the BACKGROUND:
TV REPORTER MEDINA
"... now the public knows that your son has AIDS and he's gay.
How does that make you feel?"
All eyes turn to the TV: SARAH BECKETT IN CLOSE UP.
SARAH
"This is a world full of war, famine, poverty, homelessness...
and people make a fuss because
two men or two women want to live together, or make love. Seems
kind of silly, doesn't it?"
The bar ERUPTS with a CHORUS OF BOOS AND CATCALLS.
CUT TO:
JOE ADDRESSING A WITNESS IN COURT (INT./DAY) ...
JOE
And Walter Kenton knew the lesions on your face and arms were caused
by AIDS?
The witness: MARIA TORRES, Hispanic, 35, healthy-looking.
MARIA
Definitely. People were going around, whispering things. I figured
I didn't have anything
to lose, so I told all the partners.
JOE
How did Walter Kenton treat you, after you told him you had AIDS?
CLOSE ON KENTON, looking confident.
MARIA
Every time he came into contact with me, he'd get this look on his
face. I called it, the "Oh God" expression. As in "Oh
God, here comes that woman with AIDS."
Andrew LAUGHS.
JOE
Ms. Torres? Have your employers fired you for having AIDS?
MARIA
No. When I need time off, for medical reasons, we work it out.
JOE
Thank you. No more questions.
Jerome Green rises.
JEROME GREEN
Miss Torres. How did you contract the AIDS virus?
MARIA
During a transfusion. I lost a lot of blood giving birth to my second
child.
JEROME GREEN
In other words, in your case you happen to be an innocent victim
of the AIDS tragedy.
MARIA
Look. I'm no different from everyone else who has this disease:
I'm not guilty, I'm not innocent. I'm just trying to survive.
QUICK CUT TO:
JOE, APPROACHING A WITNESS (INT./DAY) ...
JOE
Beyond noticing the marks on his face, were there other things about
his appearance that made you suspect he had AIDS?
THE WITNESS: Paralegal Anthea Burton.
ANTHEA
He was losing weight. He looked kind of tired sometimes. But he
was working so hard... Still, I
felt something was wrong.
(looking at Wheeler)
And I can't believe they're saying they didn't notice anything.
BELINDA
Objection.
JUDGE GARNETT
Just answer the question.
ANTHEA
Sorry.
JOE
Ms. Burton. You're black.
ANTHEA
Is that a question?
JOE
No. Have you ever felt discriminated against, at Wyant Wheeler?
ANTHEA
Yes.
Wheeler shakes his head, disgusted. Kenton fumes, outraged. Seidman
looks surprised.
JOE
In what way?
ANTHEA
Well... One time, Mr. Wheeler's secretary, Lydia, told me Mr. Wheeler
had a problem with my earrings.
JOE
Your earrings?
Anthea is wearing large, dangling African-style earrings.
ANTHEA
Apparently, Mr. Wheeler felt they were too... "ethnic"
is the word she used. She said he
would like it if I wore something smaller, less garish, and... more
"American."
JOE
What did you say?
ANTHEA
I said my earrings are American. They're African-American.
JOE
Thank you. No more questions.
Belinda Conine approaches Anthea.
BELINDA
Miss Burton? Do you still work at Wyant Wheeler?
ANTHEA
Yes.
BELINDA
Were you recently promoted?
ANTHEA
Yes. I'm now in charge of the paralegal department.
BELINDA
Thank you.
CUT TO:
A PHILADELPHIA EXTERIOR, A FALL AFTERNOON (LATE DAY) ...
CUT TO:
JOE COMES DOWN AN AISLE OF A DRUG STORE, EXAMINING THE BABY cold
medicines, carrying a box of Pampers (INT./DAY) ...
A YOUNG MAN in grass-stained sweats, carrying a football under
one arm, buying a tube of toothpaste, speaks to Joe:
YOUNG MAN
How's the trial going? It's a great case.
Joe looks up surprised. The YOUNG MAN smiles.
YOUNG MAN (CONT.)
I saw you on television. I'm a law student. At Penn.
Joe is flattered by the YOUNG MAN'S interest.
JOE
Good school. What year?
YOUNG MAN
Second.
JOE
Great.
YOUNG MAN
Would you like to have a drink with me? I just finished a game,
I could use a beer.
(a smile)
I don't pick up people in drug stores every day.
JOE
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... do you think... ? You think I'm...
(low)
... gay?
YOUNG MAN
Aren't you?
JOE
What's the matter with you? Do I look gay to you?
YOUNG MAN
Do I look gay to you? Relax.
JOE
Relax? I ought to kick your faggoty little ass for you!
YOUNG MAN
Take it as a compliment. Geesh.
But Joe is really upset. People are watching.
JOE
Don't you know this is exactly the kind of bullshit that makes people
hate you guys?
YOUNG MAN
Fuck you! You want to kick my ass? You want to try?
(walking away)
Asshole.
JOE
You're the asshole, buddy.
YOUNG MAN
(going out)
Get a life.
Joe stands there, holding the Pampers, people STARING.
CUT TO:
LISA'S WORKING ON HER COMPUTER, AT HOME, WHILE JOE PACES around
her desk, really upset (One year-old Rayisha sits on the desk playing
with wooden salad spoons.) (INT./NIGHT) ...
JOE
But what was it?! What was this guy thinking... ?!
LISA
Don't know, Joe.
JOE
Is there some kind of expression I've picked up from Beckett?! Some
kind of fairy attitude I've unconsciously adopted?! Am I walking
different?! Some kind of vocal thing?! Have I picked up some kind
of homo vibe?!
LISA
Have you changed your aftershave?
JOE
Very funny. I had a box of Pampers under my arm for
Chrissake!
CUT TO:
LISA AND JOE'S DARKENED BEDROON, WHERE THEY LIE IN BED, almost
completely obscured by shadow (INT./NIGHT) ...
They speak softly, careful not to wake the baby.
LISA
Joe?
JOE
(sleepy)
Yeah... ?
LISA
Two men making love... ? Now tell me again... why is that disgusting?
JOE
(a tired sigh)
Lisa, c'mon. One guy sticking his dick in another guy's mouth? It's
disgusting.
They lie in silence for a moment. Then:
LISA
Okay, so... help me with this one, Joe... Is it disgusting for someone
to put his dick into
someone's mouth? Or, is it disgusting for someone to take a dick
into their mouth?
JOE
(after a beat)
Great, Lisa. Thank you.
TO:
EXTERIOR: CITY HALL, AN AUTUMN DAY...
JOE (VO)
"But, ultimately, the complaint was found, wasn't it?
CONTINUOUS CUT TO:
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