INT. CARLTON'S HOME - AFTERNOON
Carlton answers the door to Sylvia.
SYLVIA: I’ve come because I heard you’re going through a crisis
CARLTON BANKS: I’m fine
SYLVIA: I’m talking about the state of your house.
CARLTON BANKS: I like it that way
SYLVIA: Seriously? I could smell it from the street. It’s nothing that Super Sylvia can’t handle. It helps to be active as they say.
CARLTON BANKS: Oh as long as you don’t throw out any of my papers, and I wouldn’t go near the bathroom if I was you.
INT. CARENA PLUMMER’S HOME - NIGHT
Carena Plummer is with her daughter in her bedroom when she hears the CLATTER of stones being thrown against her roof.
CARENA PLUMMER: African American, 38, Blue Eyes, Dark Medium Length Hair, Slightly overweight.
SELINA PLUMMER: African American, 11, Hazel eyes, long dark hair, slim
SELINA PLUMMER: What is that mommy?
CARENA PLUMMER: I don’t know
The throwing of stones happens again and again until eventually a stone comes CRASHING through the living room window.
CARENA PLUMMER: Stay in bed honey.
Frightened Carena climbs out of bed and goes to the living room. She looks around and sees a rock with a message bound to it. She reads the message that reads in bad writing, “You’re not wanted here”
She goes to the broken window and looks out. All she cans see in the darkness is the shape of a man thirty yards away who turns and walks off.
INT. RENO’S HOME (BEDROOM)- NIGHT
Reno is awoken by Jacko in the middle of the night.
JACKO: Quiet
(In a whisper)
He puts his finger to his lips.
JACKO: There’s a deal happening tonight. Do you want in?
Reno nods his head
JACKO: Good. Come with me.
EXT. STREET OUTSIDE RENO’S HOME - NIGHT
JACKO: Big Time Teff, has given me 10g’s to buy some cocaine off of Tony Montollo
RENO: Montollo’s a dangerous character, Jacko.
JACKO: What are you? Chicken or something? Chicken’s can stay at home and poop around them. Real men stand tall and walk where others won’t go. Are you with me or not?
RENO: I was just saying..
JACKO: Yeah, well you’re either with me or you’re not. I could have asked Milo or Terra to come with me but I chose you. I trust you. You’re no rat. This is a big opportunity Reno. Big time
EXT. STREET IN SUBURBS - NIGHT
Reno ambles down a street, with blood dripping from his wound. He is in pain and frightened.
INT. CARLTON'S HOME - NIGHT: There is a barrage of knocks on Carlton’s door. Eventually Carlton climbs out of bed and answers the door.
RENO: You’ve got to help me, Mr Banks. I’ve been shot.
CARLTON BANKS: Well, I can call an ambulance
RENO: No ambulance, no cops.
CARLTON BANKS: Oh come in then. You better take off your jacket and shirt. I’ll get some bandages. Lie down on the couch
RENO: That seems like an awfully nice counch Mr B
CARLTON BANKS: Don’t worry about the bloody couch.
INT. CARLTON’S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Reno is lying on the couch. Carlton enters with bandages.
CARLTON BANKS: It looks like the bullet passed straight through
He starts to wrap the wounds in bandages
CARLTON BANKS: What happened?
RENO: You don’t need to know.
CARLTON BANKS: I had a cop at my house this afternoon. What happens if he calls around tomorrow and sees a trail of blood. What am I going to tell him?
RENO: I don’t know.
CARLTON BANKS: Well you better think of something.
RENO: A cop called to your house? What kind of shit are you into man?
CARLTON BANKS: I could ask you the same thing.
He pauses for a moment.
RENO: I know I’m dragging you into this, but can I crash here tonight?
CARLTON BANKS: Don’t you have a mother or a father that’ll be worried sick about you?
RENO: You said you wanted to help me man. That’s why I came here.
CARLTON BANKS: I also recall you hitting me in the stomach and taking my wallet.
RENO: I can get you your wallet back man. I just hope you’re not one of those supposed goody two shoes who don’t want to tarnish their reputation by doing a good deed.
CARLTON BANKS: Who said I was a goody two shoes. According to Detective Gruber and my Father In Law I’m a wife killer, a real menace to society.
RENO: I knew there was something off about you.
CARLTON BANKS: I won’t make male nurse of the year but hopefully it will stop the blood loss. I’m really tired. Anything in the fridge is yours. You can take the bedroom at the end of the hall.
INT. LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL, PRINCIPALS OFFICE - DAY
PRINCIPAL HARDING: 43, short blonde hair, female, trim, Caucasian, blue eyes.
PRINCIPAL HARDING: Please Mrs Plummer take a seat
CARENA PLUMMER: Thank you Mrs Harding.
PRINCIPAL HARDING: Miss
CARENA PLUMMER: Yes of course. My apologies
PRINCIPAL HARDING: I’ve been going through Selina’s file and your appeal that you want to have her become a student of this school. I’m afraid that I have to stand by our original decision. Your daughters grades are decent Mrs Plummer but we have already reached our quota.
CARENA PLUMMER: Mrs. Miss Harding, my daughters grades are the best in her class. She is a hard worker and like any parent I want to give her the best education I can.
PRINCIPAL HARDING: Have you considered Rhinestone Elementary?
CARENA PLUMMER: In all fairness Miss Harding Rhinestone has a bad reputation, everyone knows that. If she goes to school here that will open doors for her. She deserves that and I’m sure that if she goes to school here, she will be at or near the top of her class.
PRINCIPAL HARDING: Once again Mrs Plummer the decision of the board is final. It isn’t my decision and my decision alone and I have to abide by that.
CARENA PLUMMER: What am I going to tell my daughter?
PRINCIPAL HARDING: Frankly Mrs Plummer that is none of my business.
INT. CARLTON'S HOME - MORNING
Carlton is rudely awoken by the sound of his doorbell ringing. He answers the door again to Sylvia.
CARLTON BANKS: I’m sorry Sylvia, but can you come back tomorrow. Today is a really bad day.
Sylvia bursts passed him
SYLVIA: No time like the present
She sees bloodstains in the hallway
SYLVIA: Why, Mr Banks, what have you been up to?
CARLTON BANKS: Promise you won’t tell anybody?
SYLVIA: Scouts honour
CARLTON BANKS: I was engaging in a pagan ritual last night
SYLVIA: You and my second husband would have gotten on very well. Don’t worry, Mr Banks. I’ll have it cleaned up in a jiffy.
CARLTON BANKS: Now if it’s ok with you, I’d like to get back to bed.
INT. CARLTON'S KITCHEN - MORNING
Carlton is eating breakfast when Sylvia enters
SYLVIA: Why, Mr Banks there is a young man in the guest room. Who is he?
CARLTON BANKS: Is he awake?
SYLVIA: He is now.
CARLTON BANKS: I’d better take him some breakfast
SYLVIA: I can take care of that. He is rather handsome after all
CARLTON BANKS: Sylvia you think anything that walks on two legs is handsome
SYLVIA: Why Mr Banks, I don’t think you’re handsome.
INT. OFFICES OF THE WRITTEN WALL - MORNING
The editor of the Written Wall, Mr Lorrimer is conducting a meeting with his fellow journalists.
MR LORRIMER: Before we begin I’d like to speak for everyone in welcoming back Carlton after a four week break
Carlton is given a response from his fellow journalists in a lukewarm manner.
MR LORRIMER: Now, who is first with suggestions for tomorrows paper?
DOUG TAGGERT: Myself and Jessica would like to do a follow up article in relation to the arson attacks on three local schools. We think we know who might be behind it.
MR LORRIMER: Good, get on it
SCOTT DAVIS: I was thinking of doing a further piece on the bribery of councillors by property developers.
MR LORRIMER: Ok good. Johnson?
BRIANA JOHNSON: I’d like to do a report on inefficient use of funds in the health service and why it costs so much money each year to run. Our health service is one of the least efficient in the world
MR LORRIMER: Ok good. And Carlton? Have you thought about what you’d like to write about?
CARLTON BANKS: Ants?
MR LORRIMER: Ants?
CARLTON BANKS: Well I’ve been thinking that nobody looks out for little guys like ants. Most people couldn’t care less about them. They squash em. They kill em just because they don’t want to be bitten by them and nobody looks at it from the ant’s perspective. Maybe they have feelings too.
MR LORRIMER: I don’t think the world needs to read a story about ants Carlton. Before the incident you were a good journalist. Not a great one but a good one. I’d prefer something that would actually sell newspapers and encourage the reader to read on.
Carlton doesn’t respond.
MR LORRIMER: Now, is anyone else covering the story about the pollution problem in Bakersville?
There is no response.
MR LORRIMER: Ok, Carlton, I want you to get down to Bakersville and find out what’s happening. I want a report in tomorrow’s paper.
CARLTON BANKS: Yes sir
INT. SAN JUAN HOSPITAL - MORNING
Carena Plummer sits down with her friend and work colleague, Tabatha Rhodes
CARENA PLUMMER: I don’t know what I’m going to do Tabby. I’d like to give Selina the best education but I can’t. I’m scraping by financially as it is and I’ve got some guy throwing stones on my roof who doesn’t want me in his neighbourhood.
TABATHA RHODES: Well if you’re stuck I can always get Josh to sleep on the couch and you and Selina can sleep in my room
CARENA PLUMMER;:Why in heaven would you do a thing like that to poor Josh?
TABATHA RHODES: Your husband may be a ghost but mine may as well be. The height of his foreplay is “pass the corn flakes box dear”
CARENA PLUMMER: Why Josh is such a lovely guy.
TABATHA RHODES: Sometimes I wish I had a husband who took more notice of me. I know he doesn’t mean it but sometimes it’s like as if I’m not there or he’s not there.
CARENA PLUMMER: Oh, I take it back. Your life is worse than mine
TABATHA RHODES: Apology accepted. You just don’t know how bad other people are having it.
CARENA PLUMMER: Well if you have any other suggestions about how I can sort my problems out feel free.
TABATHA RHODES: Why don’t you get CCTV and catch this motherfucker.
CARENA PLUMMER: Isn’t that expensive and not guaranteed to identify him.
TABATHA RHODES: Or you could call me and I could run round to your house with a baseball bat and sort him out.
CARENA PLUMMER: That might be considered to be assault.
TABATHA RHODES: Well it’s still an option. We don’t have to tell anyone. I’ve been watching reruns of CSI. I know how to clean up a crime scene.
CARENA PLUMMER: Even if you don’t come up with the best of solutions Tabby, you do know how to cheer me up.
TABATHA RHODES: I was being serious.
INT. CARLTON'S HOME - DAY
Sylvia arrives on Carlton’s door with an old lady
HETTY: 88 years old, Five Feet three inches tall, White hair, wrinkled, Blue eye, wearing a light blue dress.
SYLVIA: Carlton, I thought I’d drop by and introduce you to a friend of mine. Her name is Hetty and she’s recently single.
CARLTON BANKS: I’m sorry Sylvia but I’m busy right now.
HETTY: What’s the matter shorty, am I not good enough for you.
CARLTON BANKS: Oh, it’s not that. It’s just that the timing is a little off.
HETTY: My late husband Waldorf always said I was fantastic in bed
SYLVIA: See, Carlton she comes with the highest of recommendations. She keeps fit by walking two miles every morning.
CARLTON BANKS: Well to be honest, lately I can’t think of anything but Andrea. Nobody could match up to her.
HETTY: Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
CARLTON BANKS: Maybe some other time. I forgot, I have my dinner on the hob. It might get burned.
Carlton closes the door.
INT. OFFICES OF THE WRITTEN WALL - EVENING
Mr Lorrimer invites Carlton to his office.
MR LORRIMER: Carlton, I’ve read a draft of your article. Frankly, its for the birds. You talk about the birds and fish affected by it but you never delve once into who is behind it and what action they might face. The Tribune are likely to run an article on it that will make us look like amateurs.
CARLTON BANKS: So, you don’t care about birds or animals sir?
MR LORRIMER: Frankly Carlton, I care about my job and I get paid for selling newspapers. We are not running a nature magazine. The nature part of this newspaper is left to Eddie. You are supposed to write insightful articles like you used to do. What I want to know is, are you going to do that or am I going to have to let you go.
CARLTON BANKS: You won’t have to let me go sir, because I quit.
MR LORRIMER: You quit?
CARLTON BANKS: Yes sir
MR LORRIMER: Well, what are you going to do with yourself?
CARLTON BANKS: I’ll figure it out.
MR LORRIMER: You know, my wife was the one that suggested I offer you a month off. If anything happens to you I won’t hear the end of it. You won’t do something stupid now will you Carlton?
CARLTON BANKS: We all do stupid things Mr Lorrimer
MR LORRIMER: You know what I mean
CARLTON BANKS: You know sir, I feel better. It’s just that I don’t have the appetite for journalism anymore.
MR LORRIMER : What do you have the appetite for?
INT. AMENITY HALL - EVENING
SYLVIA: You quit your job?
CARLTON BANKS: Yes, Sylvia I quit my job
CHARLIE: Well at least you have a life insurance cheque coming your way
CARLTON BANKS: Well, I posted it to my Father in law.
ELSA: So how are you going to pay the mortgage?
CARLTON BANKS: I’ll probably have to sell the house.
ELSA: Isn’t it a little silly to give the life insurance cheque to your Father in Law who hates you and doesn’t need the money and now you’re broke?
CARLTON BANKS: There are a lot of bad memories stored up in that house and it’s too big for one man.
SYLVIA: And who’s going to take care of Reno?
ELSA: Who is Reno?
CARLTON BANKS: Can we please change the subject?
DIRK: I’m here for you Carlton