counterpane

by bob chartain

JOE    

  You desk jockeys can read okay.     

  But you bleed warm piss.

  JOE PULLS OUT A KNIFE, digs the point into a festering wound on his arm and flicks out a maggot, studies his men who are loading the make do supplies and ammunition.

      

  JOE    

  (good natured bite)     

  Doesn't anybody in Washington give    

  a damn? Can't we get some decent    

  men and equipment? I'm worn out     

  fighting with one hand tied behind my back.

      

  David smiles sadly as Joe's men move wearily in the b.g.

      

  JOE (cont'd)    

  The bad guys are bringing in new weapons     

  by the boatload and we're just suckin' air.

      

  DAVID    

  How they getting the stuff in? We're     

  watching all the ports from satellites.

      

  JOE    

  You watching those little islands off     

  the coast?. One of my boys saw 'em     

  unloading a submarine out there.

      

  DAVID    

  Impossible. There's too many reefs.

      

  JOE    

  Shit, what do I know? That's your job.     

  They've probably blasted out a     

  submarine pen for all I know.     

  Take care of the grass on your side of

  the road, Bubba, and I'll take care of mine.

 

  A SOFT CLOSE UP OF SHERRY WRITING A LETTER IN HER GARDEN.

  SHERRY'S NARRATIVE V.O.

  My dearest David, I hope this letter finds

  you safe and well. Believe it nor not,

  I'm in the garden where I'm spending more

  and more time. Things at the agency are so

  slow. maybe I can't accept the fact that

  I'm getting older. You would really be

  proud of me, I haven't gone to one party,

  had a drink or a cigarette since you were here.     

  I miss you darling. Have you quit. The hell

  with it.

  SHERRY CRUMPLES THE LETTER –

  and tosses it, then in deep thought moves through the garden.

  A HONDURANIAN DC-3 IN THE FLUFFY SKIES ABOVE THE CARIBBEAN.

      

  DAVID, -

     

  even more scruffy is sprawled across several seats.

      

  OUTSIDE HIS WINDOW the engine spews black oil and SPUTTERS   in an intermittent drone. The plane bucks and bounces  through the hot air pockets, but David sleeps on as -

      

  THE ATTENDANT announces their descent into Coxen Hole.

      

  TWO WOMEN TOURISTS -

      

  in the seat behind David nonchalantly GIBBER about their adventures.    

      

  TOURIST    

  Mildred isn't this exciting?    

  Did you know that five thousand pirates    

  once lived here.   

      

  TOURIST #2    

  I'll bet some still do.

      

  TOURIST

       I hope so.    

 

      

  A SEQUENCE OF SHOTS, COVERING SEVERAL MONTHS.

      

  DAVID'S ENDING POSITION MATCH DISSOLVES INTO THE NEXT SCENE.

      

  DAVID, - standing in fatigues in the doorway of a Huey helicopter above the island watching the local shipping.

  MATCH DISSLOVES TO:

      

  DAVID, - standing in shoddy work clothes on the deck of a coastal freighter.

  In the b.g. shipmates handle small packages.

      

  MATCH DISSLOVES TO:

      

  DAVID, - standing on a hill top, pulling out a TELESCOPE, -     

  in which he sees a small coastal tanker anchored offshore with an array of lines and hoses running to the something that looks like conning tower of a submarine. Men load the same packages on the submarine. David collapses the telescope and stands on the hill.

      

  MATCH DISSLOVES TO:

      

  A ROADSIDE STAND IN COXEN HOLE, ROATAN, HONDURAS -

      

  where David stands in casual clothes, then bends and examines a voodoo effigy amidst the vials and bags labeled "health," "wealth," "love" and packets of green pills with a hand scrib bled "for a long life." MOMMA JAMES, an ancient relic, partially hidden under a large fedora steps away from the fetishes in the rear. David notices the wrapping paper from one of the packages, then shakes his head with a "just looking motion,"

  turns and walks past the colorful locals to -

      

  A RUSTIC BAR.

      

  Manny sits near the entrance, watching a football game on the TV over the bar.

      

  DAVID    

  How's it going Manny?   

 

       MANNY    

  The Rams just scored. Hijo!    

  I'm gonna loose my ass.

      

  DAVID    

  You should be so lucky.     

      

  ON THE TELEVISION - The Niner quarterback completes a long pass for a touchdown. Manny jumps up and yells, drawing a lot of  cold stares from the unenthusiastic clientele. In the b.g.  Catmon walks by, unaware of David's presence.

      

  DAVID    

  There's a tanker outside the harbor.     

  Looks like they're in the drug business, too.

      

  MANNY

  (paying half attention)    

  Oh yeh? Too bad - you know how I hate     

  water?     

      

  DAVID    

  Yah, you probably walked across     

  the Rio Grande.

  MANNY    

  Sorry, hombre, I wouldn't be     

  any good to you on this one.