John From Cincinnati, His Visit, As After, So Before

DISCLAIMER: John From Cincinnati and its canon characters are the property of HBO and the show's producers; no copyright infringement is intended.

Written by: congadrumbum, Waxon, Myles17, svengali2

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A volcano in Alaska, an earthquake in the deep benthonic canyons of the Pacific, these are what bring huge swells into IB. There is one happening right now. The beach is flooded with police, city park rangers, lifeguards all in a concentrated effort to prevent anyone from entering the water, especially if they’re carrying a surf board.
And through this rabble, two men and a woman clad in black wetsuits walk unmolested to water’s edge virtually unseen, invisible.

Butchie: Fucking huge!

Kai: Monsters!

Butchie: Ready John?

John: Ready already!

Butchie: (reaches down and unhooks the leash from his short board) No leashes today!

Kai and John follow his example. They paddle out letting the waves wash over them, sometimes sucking them back just as far as they’ve come.

Butchie: I’m glad they got the beach closed or we’d have to deal with those bedwetting tow-ins. The only thing they know how to do in a real wave is piss in it!

John: Piss in it.

Kai: Don’t piss John. It’ll draw the sharks.

Once they’re on the outside, it’s almost peaceful. The great humps of ocean swell push them up high. It’s on the downside that gets scary. Now they are surrounded by two great walls of water. It’s only on the upside that they speak.

Butchie: How many is that babe?

Kai: Seven!

Butchie: Two more! We take the ninth wave. It’s always the biggest.

John: The ninth wave.

Kai: Eight!

Butchie: Fucking-a! Look at it!

The wave has blocked out the sun, cursed the air into stillness, a vacuum of waiting. The trio get into position. Butchie and Kai extend their arms, clasping hands, interlocking fingers.

Kai: John! Come closer!

John paddles over to Kai’s other side and they grab each other’s hands. Prone on their boards, each connected to the other, silent in an eternity of brief seconds.

Butchie: (glancing over his shoulder, calmly states a pure fact:) It's here.

They release one another and jockey into position so they won’t collide. They pop up and the wave lifts them like the hand of a god. But it has outsmarted them. It’s too big, too strong. Like a wild horse it cannot be broken, it refuses to be ridden.

Butchie:( screaming over the roar) Too far out! Too far out!

The noses of their boards pearl almost simultaneously, balance and footing evaporate and they bail trying to get as far away as they can from their boards. The wave slaps them down like a dealer slapping a card. It buries them deep into the boil with murderous intent, angry like a girlfriend that’s just found you in bed with her sister.

Kai: So this is what it's like to die. Damn! I hope they do my hair right!

congadrumbum

P.S. John's reply "Ready already" is Walkara's quote, from one of the earlier episodes, it did not appear in the original text.

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Back at the Snug Harbor Motel, a door opens on the second floor and the shadowed figure of a man stands in the doorway looking out. It is Walter Waxman. Sirens race down the boulevard. He sees Bill, Freddy, Palaka, Ramon, Barry, Dickstein and Link discussing something in the parking lot below. Leaning his ear towards them he can hear that they are frantically looking for Butchie and Shaun.

Bill: (To Freddy) …and you, you degenerate! You and the village idiot here couldn’t keep watch of a palm tree! First the antenna array and now this! Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ. I should never have listened to that bird. Oh this is it! We have surpassed precipice and landed right in the middle of full blown clusterfuck.

Freddy‘s face becomes red with anger and he begins to strike at Bill.

Link: Stop it! You two can compare asses later! Right now we have to think. Where would they go to get wet at a time like this?

Palaka: Always looking out for his investments.

Ramon: It would have to be where the authorities are not patrolling.

Bill: And I suppose you being the surfing expert would know where that is…

Dickstein: (excitedly) I know where they would go!

Walter Waxman: (under his breath) Oh, you gentlemen won’t be able to find each other in a couple of days, much less those two.

Back in the parking lot…

Bill: (trying to collect himself) Does anyone know the whereabouts of the poodle-cut freak boy?

A car speeds into the Snug and peels right up to the group before screeching to a halt. Jerri is driving. Dwayne climbs out the passenger side window.

Jerri: (as Dwayne struggles through the window while holding his open laptop) Just open the fucking door, moron!

Dwayne: (Rushes to Link) Mr Stark, you have to see this!

Dwayne holds his laptop up as the group looks on (shading their faces and squinting to see the monitor in the glare of the sun) . On the monitor is video of Butchie, John and Kai struggling in the waves – some scenes are partially under water.

Link: Kai?

They are all confused. Palaka whispers something into Freddy’s ear and Freddy’s eyebrows raise.

Bill: The boy! Young Shaun – have you seen him on this video?

Dwayne: (curiously) No.

The video continues and the three surfers fight to stay alive in the torrent surf.

Link: (to himself) Cass! (Reaching in his pockets for his phone, he realizes he left it in his car. He runs to his car, and begins dialing.)

We see Barry is now starring blankly into space (holding Teddy).

Barry: Young Shaun is OK.

Bill: How do you know that?

Ramon: He has visions.

Bill: Well, so does my bird but look where that’s got us.

Dickstein: (pauses a moment confused by Bill’s remark) I think I know where they may be. (He turns and runs towards his black Lexus. Motioning to Barry and Ramon to get in, he yells out to the others) Follow us!

They all scamper to their cars.

From the balcony, the dark figure of Walter Waxman remains in the doorway. The other doors open simultaneously and each of the 8 guests stand in their doorways as the parade of cars speed out of the motel and turn south on the Boulevard. We hear the voice of one of the female guests.

Woman: Remind you of anything, Walt?

Walter Waxman: Indeed, it does.

-Waxon

------------------------------------------------------------------
My Morning Jacket, I Am Amazedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzdoOGUsEKg


Cissy walks around the house. She lights a cigarette and stares in space. She is restless, moving from place to place. She walks to the window and begins tearing off yellow wilted leaves on the hanging plant. The hot cigarette ashes fall on her foot.

Cissy: Fuck that shit! Jesus, Mitch, not again......

She pushes the cigarette into the pot, and the plant falls from its hook, the pot cracks and the soil spills on the floor. Cissy kicks the pot, goes to the table to light another cigarette. She is sitting at the table. Her eyes are closed, the unlit cigarette in her hand.


svengali2

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

After weeks of pounding storms that have battered the West Coast, another storm rolls in .
A gathering at the Yost house.

Butchie: Christ, what the hell is going on here man, it hasn't stopped raining for two goddamn weeks!

Cissy: Didn't ya hear? It never fucking rains in southern California.

Shaun: Grams, I heard that mudslides are wiping out whole
neighborhoods, are we safe here?

Butchie: Now don't go thinking that shit. We'll surf our way outta here if we have to.

Kai: Well at least we got the gear here, I'm up for it.

Cissy: Fucking right, good thing that bastard Mitch left his here when he went to 'find himself'.. again.

Kai: I'm sure he's OK, Cissy

Cissy: Do I look fucking worried?

Butchie looks out at the driving rain and windswept yard, John is standing there, arms outstreched

Butchie: What the fu... what is he doing? (He comes to the front door) Get you ass in here John !

Kai: It's not like the rain is gonna bother him dude, maybe he's like, talking to his 'father' or some shit.

Cissy: Great, my house is about to be swept away and all he is doing is a rain dance in the yard.

Slowly, John walks to the front door and enters the house.

John: My ass is in here, Butchie.

Shaun: Look Kai, he's wet but his hair, it look the same, like he wasn't outside. That's cool.

Kai:(looking at John) : Seriously dude, that just isn't right, I want your hairdresser!

John: My father....

Butchie: Yeah, yeah we know, already.

A low rumble starts to grow louder

Cissy: Oh... FUCK ... NO !

Butchie: What ?... shit, is this an earthquake?

John: Earth not moving Butchie.

Kai: (looking out the front door) Holy shit, there's a wall of mud, it's like a wave coming down the street.

Shaunie: Grams !!

Butchie: Don't panic, but we're fucked here.. Ma, Shaunie, Kai, let's just.. quick, get in Shaunie's room, huddle together, get down, hold on.

John exits the house and goes back into the yard where he stood before, raising his arms.

Butchie: Hold tight together guys, we can ride this out.

The rumbling grows louder, a window smashes in the living room, mud oozes across the floor
... and then silence

Cissy: Shaunie, you ok? Kai , Butchie?

Butchie: Shit yeah, we're kneeling in mud but fucking breathing, that's a good sign.

Shaun gets up and heads to the front door, he struggles to try to open it through the mud.

Shaun:Dad, look!

John is standing waist deep in mud, arms raised, looking back at the Yost house

John : No rain dance, Cissy Yost . This is mud dance.


Myles17

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Days of John From Cincinnati, Write Your Own Scenes

DISCLAIMER: John From Cincinnati and its canon characters are the property of HBO and the show's producers; no copyright infringement is intended.
Written by Ecclesfan, Myles17, Skordamou, Sonra43, Zippyfan, Zen On Mars, Cindy Yost, svengali2
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Cissy: (setting the table, to Mitch) Wanna celebrate?

Mitch: (cautiously) What exactly do you have in mind? Abraham Lincoln's birthday was hmm, wait, four days ago. Well, a conjunction of Venus and Mars is coming on Sunday. Other than that... vernal equinox is a whole month away!

Cissy: (drops dishes in the sink) How about a fucking toothache day, February 9? Are you up for that Mitch? Listen to that bullshit you care to remember! Vernal! What the fuck!

--Cindy Yost and svengali2

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Shaun is leaning against the side of the beach's only tamale stand. He is staring at the sandy grass in front of his sandals.

"Your grandma is a CONTROL FREAK, Shaun, and YOU KNOW IT ! And I'm not letting her babysit our son,just because you want to go to Huntington tomorrow. Final.

"Grams LOVES Johnny, Celeste. Final." Shaun looks off at the wispy clouds rolling in from the south. He looks far away.

Celeste readjusts her young son, looking as though she is carrying the weight of the world in her slim arms.
"Look, hon, GO if you want to go. You don't need me to be there, pretending to know or care about your old surfing friends. If YOU were competing, it might be different, Shauny, but you're NOT. You sit around and dream of the old days, like your life no longer exists. You're not fooling me, Shaun Yost."

"I'm not going anywhere without you." Shaun peeks a glimpse at his young wife. "And you know that, Celeste."

A long awkward silence is punctuated by a voice coming from behind them. A voice Shaun hasn't heard in what feels like a hundred years.

"You should get back in the game, Shaun Yost."

--Zen On Mars

----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Celia, a box of wine in one hand and a phone in the other, stands in the back porch of the Botwin home in Ren Mar.

Celia: Nothing available today? Well, I suppose tomorrow will have to work then. Two double beds will be fine. It is a suite, though, right? Good. Pets? No. I have a daughter, does that count? Yes, put the room on the card and I'll use my FEMA vouchers when we settle up. Right. Thank you. Goodbye.

Celia hangs up and bursts into tears.
Celia: Homeless. I'm homeless. (Drinks some wine from the box.) And even if I could go home, they all hate me. I'm glad it burned. I wish I'd have burned with it. (Sobbing)
Voice: Celia Hodes.

Celia looks around, then realizes the voice has come from outside. Looking out of the open porch window, she sees a young man in a white wind breaker.

Celia: The estate sale is over. How do you know my name? Are you with Captain Till?

Young Man: Captain Till doesn't ring a bell.

Celia: Well, we don't want any ... whatever you're selling. Go away.

Young Man: Celia Hodes, are you standing in your friend Nancy's porch off of Orange wondering how your life got to be so screwed up? Are you angry because just when you thought you might be free to start fresh, your old life won't leave you alone? And now, your daughter who you think hates you, is living with you because your asshole husband isn't enough of an adult to be a father. Are you worried, Celia, that you won't have a place to live after two weeks at the hotel and the other two weeks it takes to evict you? Do you wonder, Celia, how come you're fresh out of whatever it was that enabled you to survive your controlling, manipulating, emotionally abusive mother who always made you feel like a big, fat, disappointment? Do you wonder what happened to that little girl who wrote promises in her diary about the things she would accomplish when she grew up, and how you managed in your life to break every single promise?

Celia: Yes.

Young Man: Well, Celia, we'd like to make you an offer. Keep going. Stay at the hotel, find a place to live while you're there. Work for Nancy, and forget all about that hole leading to Mexico. El agujero no esta para usted, Celia.

Celia: How do you know about ...

Young Man: Keep going, Celia. Be the sort of mother to Isabelle you wished your mother had been to you. You can do it, Celia. Tomorrow is another day. Do it for Isabelle. Do it for you, Celia. Keep going. Do it for your daughter, and for the little girl who wrote in her diary all those years ago, and in the bargain, you'll receive their love. Act now, Celia.

Celia: I will. I will. Celia walks to the porch door and opens it. The young man is gone.

Isabelle: (Walking in to the porch.) Who are you talking to?

Celia: There was a man in a wind breaker ... poodle cut ... he's gone. No one. I wasn't talking to anyone.

Isabelle: Whatever.

Celia: Isabelle, we move tomorrow to a suite at a hotel I've booked thanks to FEMA.

Isabelle: I hear they do a heck of a job.

Celia: It'll be just the two of us. Sort of an adventure, but we'll be okay. We'll be okay. We'll make a fresh start, just the two of us.

Isabelle: How are you feeling? You don't sound like ... you.

Celia: I'm fine. We're fine. Tomorrow is another day. (Celia takes a long, long pull of wine out of the box.) Another day.

-Ecclesfan

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Andy Botwin is buying a few things at the liquor store. He walks around picking up bottled water and Sun Chips before placing his order. The shop door opens and a large man with a muscular build walks in and goes straight to the counter.

Andy: "Officer Jacks? Is that you?"

Bill: "Who might you be?"

Andy: "I'm Andy ... Andrew Botwin. You arrested me once, me and my brother Judah, for smoking weed."

Bill: "Bubbie's grandsons? I remember, and if memory serves, I detained you. You weren't arrested."

Andy: "You did us a solid. You read us the riot act, confiscated our pot, and let us go. How are you?"

Bill: "How am I? I don't know whether I'm on foot or horseback most days. Retired now, I spend most of my time caring for my birds and looking after various misfits."

Andy: "Not much has changed, then."

Bill: "I read in the paper that your grandmother passed on. Please accept my condolences. Is your brother here also?"

Andy: "Judah died a few years ago. Heart attack. No one saw it coming."

Bill: "Well, I'm sorry about that, too. You're still too young to have to deal with such loss. Trust me, though. You learn to live with it."

Andy: "I guess time heals all wounds."

Bill: "Not really. But you learn to live apart."

Andy: "Well, we're back in Ren Mar. I'm back, I mean, with my Sister-in-Law, her kids, a friend of mine, Satan's mistress, and her daughter also joining us."

Bill turns to the man behind the counter who has placed a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label by the register. He hands him two twenties and the man makes change.

Bill: "Thank you, Marco." (Turning back to Andy.) "Marco knows what I drink."

Andy: "Cool. So, is everything quiet in Ren Mar."

Bill: "That depends on what you mean by quiet. There's a lot going on, but you have to have eyes to see and ears to hear."

Andy: "Your years on the force teach you that?"

Bill: "My bird taught me that. Zippy."

Andy: "Well, Officer Jacks, my man. Good for you. Glad to hear you're getting some. Zippy. That's cute. I call mine the little engine that could."

Bill: "I'm referencing my parrot. Zippy."

Andy: "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were referring to your ... you know ..."

Bill: "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ ..."

Bill leaves the store. Andy calls after him.

Andy: "Good to see you, Officer Jacks, retired. Serve and protect."


-Ecclesfan

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Palin: I'm so glad to be here in this small town with all of you patriots, you real Americans, I am, as a maverick trying so hard to reform, I'm not one of those insiders, and you here are not Hollywood elitists here you are the real California the, the reason I work so hard for job creation and you real Americans don't want that socialism, that spread the wealth around you want to keep what you earn and here we are in real California the real America, and I know all of you Americans....

John appears by the side of the speaker.

John: (Looking at the speaker) I've got my eyes on you.

Palin: (winks at John) You betcha! From where I am standing, I can see Mexico, and I can learn a lot from that. You all can see Mexico, you know a thing or two and we are here to help you and all Americans. Like Joe the Plumber.

John: Justice must be served, Joe.

Palin: (turning to John) And what is your name?

John: John

Palin: Tell me John, where are you from?

John: Cincinnati.

Palin: Well look at that, all the way from our great state of Ohio. Cincinnati, a town with real American values, where the good people know that marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman. Doggone it, John you are what I call a real American. I am here to help you, to help us all, reclaim America, for real Americans.

She looks out over a crowd that is at least half Hispanic. Their eyes are on her, but the crowd does not respond to her words.

John: I'd better have a good health plan.

Palin: When I am in the White House you will have that Joe..er?John.

John: Let me show you how to do that! (makes jerking off motions).

Flustered, Palin walks away, towards where Cissy is standing, she shoves the microphone in Cissy's face.

Palin: And what is your name?

Cissy glares at her.

Shaun: (skating over) That 's my gram, Cissy. She has a surf shop.

Palin: Well, Cissy the surfboard seller, I think that you will be happy to know....

Cissy: (cutting her off ) I'll be happy to see you curl up and die, dragon lady.

Shaun: (to Palin): I think you should meet my friend, John. (he gestures towards John)

Palin looks at John and shudders.

Palin: I see your friend. But now let me tell you about my friend John, the patriot.

Cissy: Let's get the hell out of here Shaunie, she'll contaminate you worse than surfin' after a big storm.

-Skordamou

------------------------------------------------------------------In the waning days of the reign of 'W' at an undisclosed secret bunker,
we find out what the ever so elusive VP is up to...

Cheney: ( sneering ) Alrighty surferboy John , or whatever your real name is, we finally caught up with you. It wasn't exactly difficult finding you. Jeezus, you stood outside the NRRF elephant cage every day. That goddamn place makes my pacemaker go haywire.

John: ( looking skyward ) My father speaks to me from there.

Cheney: ( still sneering) Now let's talk surferboy. I want answers, you will tell me what I want to know.

John: ( staring straight ahead) John is here now to talk to the Dick.

Cheney: That's Mr. Vice President to you, surferboy.

John: Mr.Vice President Dick

Cheney: ( leaning in to John's ear) I need to know your secret powers suferboy, and we have ways of making you talk. So, how do you do it ? How are you brainwashing the people of this country with this wave of enthusiasm for change ( he mocks with air quotes). What happened to their minds ? Why, we've had hold of these people for years with simple
fear mongering tactics ( he stands upright, fist in the air), it was so simple, no flag pin ,you're un american, gay marriage will destroy families, if we don't fight the terrorist in the streets of Baghdad, we'll have to fight them in the streets of our towns! heh, heh, That one was from me, it's my favorite.
So what have you done to change that mindset? I WANT THAT POWER OVER PEOPLE TO BE MINE ! TELL ME HOW YOU DID IT !

John: ( standing up, face to face with Cheney) The Dick asks many questions.
The Dick wants many answers.
The Dick is angry.
The Dick and the W could never hear my father's words.
The Dick and the W will soon be gone.
The People hear my father's words now. I have come here in 2007 to show them how to hear my father's words. They learned to hear my father's words in just 10 hours. My father works very fast.

11.04.08 Will soon be here. The people will speak my father's words with Votes.
01.20.09 The Dick and the W will be eradicated
01.21.09 My father will be pleased

-Myles17

----------------------------------------------------------------------Ghosthunters meets John From Cincinnati
A phone rings over and over. Dr. Smith rolls over onto his side and answers. It is dawn and the voice on the other end comes through in snippets.

Dr Smith: Yes, this is him. Yes, Imperial Beach, that's right. No, sorry, never heard of him. Nope, never watched the show....he what? Knows my name? Well it is pretty common and these days, you know, the internet and all. What? How many years? Mute? And he said Imperial Beach? Ok,ok...I can be there today. Yes I know where you are, I had an aunt stay with you once. I'll see you in two hours. Bye.

Dr. Smith's car rolls across the gravel driveway at the front of the Otay Valley Psychiatric Center. He parks and makes his way across the grounds to the front desk.
Drs. Smith and Fante casually walk down a massive hallway, their voices echoing through the empty air.
Dr. Fante: So, he's been with us exactly three years. Hasn't spoken a word of anything from the time he got here till yesterday. You're sure you never heard of him? His show was quite the rage 5 years ago, one of the original reality shows.

Dr. Smith: Naa, I don't watch much TV, mostly just the news.

Dr. Fante: Well this guy, Boogenhagen, he was all over the news. The paranormal researcher who got a little too close to his subject matter. He walked in our front door three years ago yesterday. Just so happens that the check he wrote us was for exactly three years of treatment. Yesterday, I tried to talk to him for about the millionth time and surprise! He actually responded! I was trying to get him to give me a name, you know, next of kin and he gave me you...Dr. Michael Smith of Imperial Beach.

Dr. Smith: I've never met or heard of this guy in my life.

Dr. Fante: Well, he sure as hell knows you!

The doctors round a corner and pass through two giant steel doors into the main hallway of the asylum. It is bedlam. Inmates swing from the steel bars that cover the doorways to their cells. Feathers from torn up pillows float through the air. Several of the patients are speaking in tongues while others moan incessantly.

Dr Fante: I've always had a soft spot for Boogenhagen. I watched every one of his shows. I've always had a thing for the paranormal. Do you believe?

Dr. Smith: I've come to believe a lot of things lately. I've seen a thing or two that I can't explain, so yes, I guess you could call me a believer.

The doctors round yet another corner and come to a dead end. There is a cell on the right, barely lit in the darkness. As Dr. Smith's eyes adjust he notices that the walls are completely covered in chalk outlines of Monad symbols. He looks deep into the shadows at the far end of the cell and sees Boogenhagen cowering in the corner biting his nails down to the quick. The flapping of wings draws his attention up to the lone window in the cell. Three birds are walking around on the sill, passing in and out of the bars between the cell and the world outside.

Boogenhagen: SMITH!! We must find the guru!! SMITH!!

Dr. Smith takes a step backward. Fante steps forward and opens the cell door. A tape recorder sits on a wooden table, play and record are pressed down, the red light indicates that Boogenhagen is recording. Smith runs his fingers across a shelf full of audio cassettes.
Dr. Fante: One of his stipulations when he signed himself in was that he was to always have access to a tape recorder and fresh tape stock. On his show, he used to communicate with the dead this way, you ever hear of EVPs?

Dr. Smith: Can't say that I have.

Dr. Fante: If you leave a recorder on for a while, well, you start to hear voices, voices that are only on the tape, in the static.

Boogenhagen stands up quickly. Even Fante is startled. He clumsily lunges at the wooden table, fumbling to eject the running tape. He goes to the shelf and picks an audio cassette out of the middle of one of the rows, crams it into the tape machine and pushes PLAY.
A wild smile crosses Boogenhagen's face as the noises on the tape fill the room. There is growling, breathing and finally a voice, faint at first but most definitely a voice.

Tape Recorder: Shaunieeee

Like a nursery rhyme.

Tape Recorder: Shaunieeeee.....

Fante and Smith are strolling through the grounds outside the main building. Screams are heard in the distance.

Fante: We can't keep him. He has no history of violence, he checked himself in and he only paid up until yesterday. If he wants us to transfer him to a state facility, I can arrange that. But....

Smith: What?

Fante: He seems to think that you are going to take him someplace.

Smith: And what place would that be, exactly?

Fante: Well, he was pretty specific, he says that you are going to help him get to Cincinnati.

Smith looks at Fante, puzzled, then resigned. He sighs...

Smith: So you guys will at least clean him up, give him some good clothes to wear.

Fante: Of course! He actually checked in with a suitcase full of suits. You'll be taking him today?

Smith: My lucky day.

-Zippyfan

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if ...

Sookie: Mister, I know you're tellin' the truth about bein' a retired police officer, and I know you mean well, but you have no idea what we're up against here.

Stranger: If you'd just listen to me, you'd know there is absolutely nothing to fear.

Sookie: This may sound strange, but did your bird send you here?

Stranger: How the hell could you know that?

Sookie: Zippy?

Stranger: What are you?

Sookie: A Maenad is a powerful, terrible, creature.

Stranger: And I'm telling you a Monad is nothing to fear.

Sookie: It's Maenad.

Stranger: What's that now?

Sookie: Maenad ... M. A. E. N. A. D.

Stranger: Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ!


-Ecclesfan

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Stranger: It's not Maenad it's Monad and Zippy brings miracles.

Sookie: Miracles! No bird got no miracles. They have no use unless it's a chicken. Now them there you can eat.

Stranger: Zippy eats bird seed.

Sookie: Yeah... Well, chickens eat there own shit. But I 'd have a chicken over a bird named zippy anytime....

Stranger: Monads are not to fear. Zippy is not to eat.
Chicken shit!.......... Jesus Christ!!!!!!

Sookie: Maenad. Now I've had about all of you I'm gonna take.

Stranger: It's.... M..O..N..A..D.. Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ......


-Sonra43

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sookie and Bill are sitting on the beach. A steady breeze is blowing through the high grass. The moon hovers just above the water casting a long, jagged reflection.

Sookie: It's just that I always want to be with you, as we are now. I'm ready for it, I embrace it. I can't imagine things being any other way. You will take me Bill Compton! It just has to be.

Bill turns away, ashamed. He stares out at the ocean.

Bill: Sookie, I can't do this. I can't unleash this curse upon your soul. It is not something that I ever wanted. It was forced on me, and nothing good can ever come from it. It is a curse, Sookie.

Sookie: I know a thing or two about curses! I am cursed by these voices in my head. You and I are one and the same. Please take me now! I am ready!

Bill looks long into Sookie's eyes. His own eyes turn red as a carnivorous sneer spreads across his waxen face. He gently grasps Sookie by the hair exposing her perfect neck. His fangs engage and as he is about to plunge in, he spots a silhouette standing on the tip of a nearby jetty, staring at the two of them. He drops Sookie onto the sand and takes off at lightning speed to the dark figure on the rocks.

Bill: Can I help you suh?

Stranger: Only my father can help me now, suh.

Bill: Do you mock me? Have I wronged you in some way?

Stranger: There is no right or wrong, only my father, suh.

Bill: Do you know what I am? What I could do to you at this very minute?

Stranger: Bill Compton needs to get back in the game.

Bill: What?

Stranger: Bill Compton and Sookie Stackhouse need to get back in the game.

Bill: What are you?

In the blink of an eye, the silhouette has vanished. Bill is mystified. Back on the shore, Sookie has been gathering herself. She looks out at the jetty.

Sookie: BILL COMPTONNNNNN........

She senses a presence behind her and whirls around to confront the stranger. In a flash, Bill is back by Sookie's side, standing as a shield between her and the silhouette.

Bill: Easy now Sook, I'm not quite sure what it is we are dealing with here.

Stranger: What it is we are dealing with here.

Bill: Stop that!

Stranger: Stop that!

Bill lashes out in frustration but the stranger ducks his blow and ends up behind them. Bill spins around to counter but the stranger is gone.


-Zippyfan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John arrives in Mayberry, North Carolina

Barney: Andy, I found this fellow down by the river.
He says he is John Monad. Then he repeats darn near everything I say. I don't trust him, Andy.

John: I don't trust him Andy. Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ.

Andy: Now, Mr. Monad, what brings you to Mayberry?

John: I am going to be with my father today. My father has more big and huge for me.

In the background Otis, the town drunk, is starting to levitate to the ceiling of the jail cell. Nobody's aware of that. Otis lands back on the floor, stumbles over to his cot and passes out.

Andy: Could we help you find your father?

At that moment Opey enters the courthouse.

Opey: Pa! Pa! Aunt Bee has been hurt. She was cooking a pie and fell into the oven.

Andy (stands up): Barney, get in the car.
Barney: Ok, Monad you go too, I got my eye on you.

They arrive at the house, Aunt Bee is sitting at the kitchen table.

Andy: Aunt Bee, are you OK?

Aunt Bee: I must have lost my balance and fell in the oven, and then fell unconscious. When I came to, this beautiful bird was on my hand.

Andy: Well, it looks like you got lucky. Not a scratch or burn anywhere.

John: The birds name is Zippy. Miracles happen when Zippy is around.

Barney: Here we go with this jumble again. And of all things a bird brings miracles!

John: Barney is a doubting Thomas. Barney may need to dump out.

Barney: (furious, reaching for the gun in his holster): That's it Andy! This guy needs to leave.

Andy: Hold on , Barn. Mr. Monad is there anywhere I can take you?

John: Barney needs to get back in the game.

Andy: Well, son, I will take you to the county line. Just get in my squad car.

Barney: Get back in the...

When Andy and John come to the county line, Andy tells John it was nice meeting him. As Andy drives slowly off, he looks in the rear view mirror. He no longer sees John.
Then he looks down at the seat. There lies a bird feather.-Sonra43

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------It's a sunny late afternoon in IB/Ren Mar and lots of people are out, milling about on the pier. Doug Wilson wanders over to a bench near the pier's entrance, where two down and out old men are sitting watching the people go by. He fits himself between the two men, lifts his leg and farts loudly. The men give him dirty looks and he makes a "watch out I'm crazy" face at them, they get up and walk away. Doug stretches out on the bench, takes a half smoked joint out of his pocket, lights it up and takes a big hit.

Doug: (murmuring to himself) I never thought I'd see this day, down to my last half a' doobie. Gotta get it goin'. Gotta get back in my game.

He sits smoking, watching the girls as they walk by. Two young women walking out on the pier catch his eye. He jumps up and runs down onto the pier, but he has lost sight of them. Frantically, he makes his way to the end of the pier, but the women have disappeared. The crowds have dissipated and only one man remains at the end of the pier. He is fishing.

Doug: Hey buddy! Did' ya see that girl? The mermex? That's my mermex!

Vietnam Joe: Is it live or is it memorex?

Doug: Mermex! My beautiful mermex, my Mexican mermaid, I followed her down here, you musta seen her, she's just- Poof! Disappeared.

Vietnam Joe: Lots of beautiful girls around today, none here now. Just me and the fish, and not many a' them. Just the flyin' kind and they kinda creep me out. Lately it seems like they're flyin' more'n they're swimmin'....

Doug: Shit, shit, asshole, shit. Fuck me, how'd I lose her?

Vietnam Joe puts down his fishing pole and rolls a fatty.

Doug: It's kinda like she's holdin' all the answers in that tight little piñata of hers and all I gotta do is crack it open. Shit, shit. My Mexican key to a beautiful fuckin' life. El disappearoed.

Vietnam Joe: Sometimes things we want just disappear. Here, have a bit of doobie, take the edge off.

Doug and Vietnam Joe share the joint, looking out over the water.

Vietnam Joe: They never used to fly quite like that.

Doug: That's some weird shit all right. They look more like swimmin' birds than fish.

They watch as three fish jump out of the water and start flapping their fins, heading higher and higher.

Vietnam Joe: Holy fuck, we got us some exiles from the sea.

They watch until the fish are out of sight.
Suddenly a shadow falls upon them and Maria the mermex is standing there. She is alone. She stands directly in front of Doug, looks into his eyes, and pointing a finger at his chest, she fires off a few lines in rapid Spanish. Then she turns and runs back down the pier so quickly she appears to be flying away.

Doug, stunned, hesitates, starts to follow her, but then stops. She is gone.

Doug: I must be really fucked up, she was gone before I could get my feet movin'. That doesn't happen to me. I must be losin' my touch.

Murmuring something that sounds like "frat boy", Vietnam Joe relights the fatty and hands it to Doug.

Doug (taking a hit): So what's my mamcita say to me? I couldn't quite catch that rapido espanol. This is good, this is good. The little tease. She's gotta run off to get ready, right? She wants to meet me later? WOOOOHA! It's party time! Fiesta tonight! Do some down dancin' in her sweet cuntina!

Vietnam Joe: No party, tonight, friend. There's some heavy shit goin' down. What she said was that you gotta wake up. She said, and this is verbatim, " the end is near". (under his breath) Why am I not surprised?

Doug: What the fuck? You sure you understood that Spanish? She was talkin' awfully fast. Couldn't she have been talking about this end? (He smacks his butt).

Vietnam Joe: (Packing up his pole and then starting to walk down the pier): Sorry, buddy. I got some further inquiries to make. Looks like this is bigger than we thought.

Doug, totally confused, looks around, walks back and forth a bit, then pulls out his cell phone.

Doug: Hello? Rosetta Stone? I'm calling about that free offer I heard on the radio. Yeah, yeah, basic Spanish...

-Skordamou


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shaun is leaning against the side of the beach's only tamale stand. He is staring at the sandy grass in front of his sandals.

"Your grandma is a CONTROL FREAK, Shaun, and YOU KNOW IT ! And I'm not letting her babysit our son,just because you want to go to Huntington tomorrow. Final.

"Grams LOVES Johnny, Celeste. Final." Shaun looks off at the wispy clouds rolling in from the south. He looks far away.

Celeste readjusts her young son, looking as though she is carrying the weight of the world in her slim arms.
"Look, hon, GO if you want to go. You don't need me to be there, pretending to know or care about your old surfing friends. If YOU were competing, it might be different, Shauny, but you're NOT. You sit around and dream of the old days, like your life no longer exists. You're not fooling me, Shaun Yost."

"I'm not going anywhere without you." Shaun peeks a glimpse at his young wife. "And you know that, Celeste."

A long awkward silence is punctuated by a voice coming from behind them. A voice Shaun hasn't heard in what feels like a hundred years.

"You should get back in the game, Shaun Yost."

--Zen On Mars

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cissy: (setting the table, to Mitch) Wanna celebrate?

Mitch: (cautiously) What exactly do you have in mind? Abraham Lincoln's birthday was, wait, hmm, four days ago. Well, conjunction of Venus and Mars is coming on Sunday. Other than that - vernal equinox is a whole month away!  

Cissy: (drops dishes in the sink) How about a fucking Toothache Day, February 9? Are you up for that Mitch? Listen to that bullshit you care to remember! Vernal! What the fuck!


-- Cid Yost and svengali2

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_

The Further Days Of John From Cincinnati Soundtrack

DISCLAIMER: John From Cincinnati and its canon characters are the property of HBO and the show's producers; no copyright infringement is intended.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 11

1. The Grateful Dead, American Beauty album

2. Sublime, What I Got

3. The Amboy Dukes' Journey to the Center of the Mind.

4. Sublime, Bad Fish

5. Sigur Ros, Saeglopur

6. The Beatles, A day In The Life

----------------------------------------------------------

Episode 12

1. TV on the Radio, Wolf Like Me

2. Stevie Ray Vaughan Tribute, The Sky Is Crying

-----------------------------------------------------------

Episode 13

1. The Beach Boys, Wouldn't It Be Nice

2. Queen, Radio Ga Ga

3. Rilo Kiley, Close Call

4. Daniel Lanois, The Maker

5. Explosions In The Sky, Your Hand In Mine

------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 14

1. The Cranberries, Dreams

2. Jimi Hendrix, Voodoo Chile

3. Slash Solo, Godfather Theme Song

4. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Voodoo Child, Slight Return

5. Eagles, The Last Resort

6. Eagles, Hotel California

7. Bob Marley, Could You Be Loved

8. Santa Lucia, (sung by Robertino Loretti)

9. James Taylor, Close Your Eyes

10. Israel Kamakawiwo'le, Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 15

1. Clash, Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

2. Loudon Wainwright, One Man Guy

3. The Beach Boys, Catch The Wave

4. Donovan, Catch The Wind

5. The Doors, Break On Through

6. The Beatles, I Want You (She Is So Heavy)

7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, There's A Light

8. The Guess Who, No Sugar Tonight (New Mother Nature)

9. No Doubt, Do Not Speak

10. Three Dog Night, Never Been To Spain

11. Talking Heads, Once In A Lifetime

----------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 16

1. Paolo Nutini, Trouble So Hard

2. John Mayer, Gravity

3. Warren Zevon, Desperados Under The Eaves

4. The Chemical Brothers, Where Do I Begin

5. Jet, Look What You've Done

6. Bach, Prelude No.1 in C Major

7. The Blue Danube, Children's Choir

8. Frank Sinatra, Something Stupid

9. Enya, Lazy Days

10. Manu Chao, Mister Bobby

11. Johny Cash, Sunday Morning Coming Down (Trisha Yearwood)

12. Bob Dylan, If You See Her, Say Hello (Jeff Buckley)

13. The Eurythmics, Would I Lie To You?

14. The Tea Party, Heaven Coming Down

----------------------------------------------------------

Episode 17

1. Rufus Thomas, Walking A Dog

2. Bob Dylan, Ring Them Bells

3. Coldplay, Swallowed In The Sea

4. Los Lobos, Volver, Volver

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 18


 1.Joe Cocker/Mad Dogs and Englishmen, The Letter, 1970


2. Little Feat, Willin'


3. Iron and Wine, Such Great Heights


4. Bob Marley, Is This Love


5. Rod Stewart, Rhythm Of My Heart

6. Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros, Redemption Song


7. Rod Stewart, I Don't Want To Talk About It


8. Cat Stevens, Sad Lisa


9. Eagles, James Dean


10. Eagles, Those Shoes


11. Elton John, Rocket Man


12. Dar Williams, Mercy of the Fallen


13. Regina Spektor, Fidelity


14. Cat Stevens,  I Love My Dog


15. Cat Stevens, If I Laugh


16. The Heavy, Short Change Hero

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 19.


1. The Beach Boys, Sloop John B


2. My Morning Jacket, I Am Amazed


3. Sweat, Blood And Tears, Spinning Wheel


4. Glen Frey, Smugglers Blues


5. Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, Seeds and Stems Again Blues


6. Whitestarr, Thank You

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode 20 

1. Ringo Starr, Photograph

2. M83, We Own The Sky

3. Eagles, Take It To The Limit

4. The Grateful Dead,  Ripple

 alternate: 
  
 The Waterboys, This Is The Sea 
 

John From Cincinnati, Episode 17, His Visit, Day 16

DISCLAIMER: John From Cincinnati and its canon characters are the property of HBO and the show's producers; no copyright infringement is intended.

The Further Days of John From Cincinnati continues - Arrivals and Departures

Written by: SpiritontheWater, backinthegame, Waxon, Skordamou, anonymous, svengali2

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We see a bowl of dog food set down alongside a small bowl of water. Bitzy is groggy and slowly eases toward the food without standing. Dr. Smith turns to notice the dog still lying on her stomach taking small bites of food from the bowl.

Dr. Smith: Well, hello there.

Bitzy looks up at the doctor.

Dr. Smith: It's OK, girl. You need to eat.

The doctor gently places his hand on Bitzy's head and glides his hand along her back. After a second pass Bitzy begins to eat again - this time more heartily.

Dr. Smith: That's the way.

Bitzy stands and begins to drink the water. After a long drink, she takes a few steps back, lays down and closes her eyes.

Dr. Smith returns to his work.

A few minutes later Bitzy stands, stretches and shakes. Dr. Smith again turns to her but this time she is attentively staring directly at him. Letting out a single bark she begins to walk with a slight limp to the door.

Dr. Smith: Oh....uh... yea, of course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWdl-D0PxhM&feature=related

As he opens the door, Bitzy steps outside and looks around. She raises her nose to the air and sniffs intently. Turning to the Doctor, now standing in the doorway, she lets out another single bark.

Dr. Smith: What?

Two more barks and Bitzy turns and heads along the sidewalk. Dr. Smith closes the door and rushes after her. She stops at the corner long enough to let a car pass and then crosses the street. Once across, she raises her nose to air. Looking back at the doctor, she turns and continues down the sidewalk. The doctor follows - now curious about her sudden sense of direction and purpose. Soon they leave the clinic behind and begin walking on the side of the road .

Dr. Smith: Uh, where are we going?

Now they are walking in front of houses - one after another. Dr. Smith is following, seemingly mesmerized . He continues to follow Bitzy for sometime - until she stops and, again turns to him. Looking up, he realizes they are in front of the Yost house. Bitzy walks straight to the front door.

Dr. Smith: You know the Yosts? .......It doesn't look like anyone is home.

Just then, Butchie's van rolls up and parks on the street in front of he house. Butchie and Mitch meet at the side of the van and help Cissy out. Dr. Smith approach's them leaning over Mitch's shoulder.

Dr. Smith: What happened?

Butchie: She passed out, Doc.

Cissy: I'm fine, I'm telling you!

Dr. Smith: Let's get her inside.

Cissy: How about you get me a fucking smoke! (Cissy shakes off Butchie and Mitch and walks towards the door).

Butchie: (to the doctor) Who called you?

Dr. Smith: No one, I just.... uhh...(looks at Bitzy)

Butchie: He yours, Doc?

Dr. Smith: She. (pause) ... I don't know...I mean, I don't think so.

Butchie: (looking at the doctor) You OK, Doc?

Dr. Smith: Me. (pause) I don't know... I mean, I think so.

Butchie raises an eybrow out of confusion, shakes his head, shrugging it off, and they all enter the house as the music fades.

--Waxon

----------------------------------------
We see the chaos the monster wave left on the beach - fallen tents, vendors, trying to collect remnants of their fare off the sand - soaked t-shirts, plastic bags full of paper cups, a few posters washed up in the tide.
We see faces of people who are just starting to recover from the shock as they are still streaming toward the parking lot, slower and more orderly now.
A woman with glossy eyes is standing next to the pier flailing her arms up in the air and screaming.

Woman: The end is here! God's wrath is upon us!

A man holding a surfboard walks by, shaking his head.

Man: Jesus fucking Christ, what a vindictive jerk you're praying to!

Two children and a woman catch up with him.

Boy: Dad, that wave was humongous!

Man: It sure was, man!

--svengali2

------------------------------------------
As the agent turns Barry around an enormous gust of wind hits them at their back knocking everyone from their feet to the ground. The guards and the agent quickly get to their feet and lead Barry to and through the doors of the large black van. The windows are all blacked out. Barry is smiling as the agent lifts him hurriedly up and into the single plush seat in the back. The doors are slammed behind him. A narrow beam of blue light is all that illuminates his smiling face. A set of headphones are placed on his head.

Meyer is panicked as he picks himself up and climbs back in and starts the car. Making a u- turn he spins the car around toward Imperial Beach.

Meyer: What in the world is happening... something has just happened!... I'm so sorry Barry, but I didn't know what to do... I had no power to stop them. (he swerves the car and barely maintains control as he becomes aware of John who suddenly appears in the passenger seat next to him. The car lurches as it comes to a stop crossing the lanes in the middle of the road)

John: Ooh bubula! You know what to do! Drive me home baby!

Meyer: (dumbfounded) What...where did you come from? This is not possible!

John: Go my little man, drive, drive, drive, drive me wild you beautiful man of mine! (Loudly as he pounds his hands on the dashboard) Oh GOD Meyer! GO!

Meyer: (steps on the gas and the tires squeal as the car lurches forward down the road, he screams above the sound) How can you know those words?!!!

John: (smiling, and screaming back) I don't know Butchie instead!


Inside the black van Barry jerks from side to side as the agent turns the vehicle around and speeds toward Sea World. He cannot hear the sounds from the drivers compartment as voices begin screaming over the radio.

Tears fill Barry's eyes as another sound fills his ears.

Barry: Cincinnatus!... I am coming!

Cincinnatus: I have been waiting for you. They are near and the time is close.

John: (looking over at Meyer who is speeding down the highway) You are close, and I am near. The first wave has come, but do not fear! My father is driving the El Camino.

--SpiritontheWater

-----------------------------------------
Officer Anderson struggles to hear the voice over his walkie talkie, panicked he throws the radio in the front seat of his squad car and runs across the street to the police station, bursting through the doors he jumps the counter and hits a large red button sounding the public emergency alarm. Bells and sirens begin to sound throughout IB.


Ring them Bells

--SpiiritontheWater

------------------------------------------
Bill Jacks stands on the bluff behind the elephant cage, looking out to sea, across the shore, he sees the tide receding.

Bill: (laughs to himself) Well here we go Lo, another recession. I'll never forgive myself for buying that cheap bird seed... I know you told me honey...

Zippy: Cheep!

Bill: Thanks for that! I do remember quite well enough...

Zippy: Cheep!

Bill: Oh, then it was you who cleaned that accumulation?

Zippy: Cheep! Cheep!

Bill: Are you even looking at the water (he cocks his head and looks at the bird on his shoulder questioningly) crap machine?

Zippy: Cheep!

--SpiritontheWater

---------------------------------------
Kai reaches up and turns the nozzle releasing the fresh air supply above her window seat. She looks to the passenger sitting next to her.

Kai: I'm so glad you decided to come. I'm really going to need a friend.

--SpiritontheWater

--------------------------------------

Noah bends down and picks up a piece of paper off the sand, he turns it over and reads the message "The last happy hour of the year". It"s written across a large yellow smiley faced head atop a surfer's body riding a wave.

Noah: Ya mean the last hour of the last happy year. I'll be there man, I'll be there.

--SpiritontheWater

----------------------------------------
Inside the hotel in Huntington.

Linc walks up to his room, then turns around and follows down the corridor. He enters another room without knocking, as the door is slightly ajar.

Tina, the towel wrapped around her waist, walks out of the shower and seeing Linc covers herself crossing her arms.

Linc: I thought.... I'd see if you are still here.

Tina: (awkwardly) I am.

Linc: You drove away in Meyer's car. He might've called the police. You're a firecracker! What'd I say?

Tina: You know what....

Linc: Tina, this thing is bigger than you and me! Did you see that? That wave.... it stopped as if on command, fuck all the laws of physics!

Tina: I was at the beach, I saw it. I saw Shaunie and Butchie, they were so.... beautiful out there, like weightless.... on the water.

Linc comes close to Tina, slowly pulls her arms down and kisses her on the lips.

Linc: I'm not used to being the last one.

Tina: I'm sorry you couldn't be the first....

--svengali2

----------------------------------------In Yost's house, Butchie is sitting on the bed in Shaun's room. He is holding his cell, listening to its ringing. Finally he flips the phone closed, drops it on the bed and sits there looking at the poster of a surfer on the wall.

Swallowed In The Sea

--svengali2

-----------------------------------------
Bill walks back to his car parked on the road. As he approaches the car door he sees another car coming down the road. He stands by his car to let it pass but it slows as it approaches. Bill sees that it is Freddy and Palaka. Bill and Freddy look at each other as they slowly pass. Bill raises his arm to motion to them but as he does Zippy flies off his shoulder - distracting Bill. Not intending to stop, Freddy turns his eyes back to the road but is startled to see that Zippy is sitting on the hood of his car looking directly at him. He slams on the brakes sending Palaka head first into the dash board. Zippy flies back to Bill. Bill and Zippy approach the car. Palaka is holding his forehead with both hands.

Bill: What are you trying to do, kill my bird?

Freddy: That birds trying to kill us!

Bill: If that was his wish I'd be the last to stop him.

Freddy looks away.

Zippy: Cheep!

Bill: (to Zippy) Alright, alright. (to Freddy) Uh, funny you should happen by.....uh....my bird wants me to ask you something.

Freddy: I can't wait to hear this.

Bill: I've been given an order by a fish, a whale to be exact.

Freddy: Are there any animals who don't boss you around? (under his breath) Bottom of the fuckin food chain.

Bill: Well, they know how to get results.

Freddy: If they ordered you to look like a fucking idiot, you're passing with flying colors.

Zippy: Cheep!

Bill: (to Zippy) You're pushing it now, you crap machine. With that Zippy dumps out on Bills shoulder.

Bill: Jesus Christ!

Freddy: What does any of this have to do with me?

Palaka: Yea, what does any of this have to do with us? (Palaka looks at Freddy) I mean, with him.

Bill: (to himself) What could possibly be the point of this?

Freddy: Well, we'll just be on our way.

Bill: Wait! ..... the orders ... are to go to ... Sea World. And the bird thinks I should ask you degenerates to accompany me.

Freddy: (sarcastically) You sure you don't want to go to fucking Disneyland?

Palaka laughs and begins to sing: M-I-C, K-E-Y, Y because...

Bill: Because we like you. (now getting frustrated) How the hell should I know why! It was his idea (motioning to Zippy)

Bill and Freddy catch eyes.

Bill: ... and I have a pretty bad gut feeling about it.

Freddy: Seaworld. A whale.

Palaka: Hey Boss, you were sayin that we should go to S...

Freddy: (to Palaka) Shut up. (to Bill) Who the fuck am I to argue with a bird.

Bill: OK, then.

Freddy: Tomorrow.

Bill: Around 10 - if you can get up that early.

Freddy shrugs his shoulders and begins to drive off leaving Bill standing on the side of the road.

Bill: Rendezvous at the Snug Harbor Motel! .... I hope you know what you're doing, Zip.

Bill looks back at the elephant cage for a moment and then shakes his head before getting in his car.

--Waxon

-----------------------------------------
Kass slowly walks on the beach checking the camera lens. She steps on an empty bottle left in the sand, tries to regain her balance and falls.

Kass: Shit! Shit! That's it. I am not moving. I am not! Oh, a kingdom for a horse! I am tired, thirsty, and have no idea why, oh fucking why, you just come and go John, and who are you after all, with your sweet baby innocence and.... most of all, why I so want to be around you....

She sits up, brushes sand off her legs and seeing a sea shell picks it up and plays with it as children do, holding it to her ear as a cell phone.

Kass: Do you like green eggs and ham? Would you like them here or there? Would you like them anywhere?

John (appears sitting next to Kass, he copies her pose, holding his palm as a sea shell) Yes, I will eat them here or there! I will eat them anywhere!

Kass: I know, you can be.... anywhere, Cheshire Cat. When you leave, only the smile stays.... then the smile will vanish too....

John: You will not cry because it's over. You will smile because it happened.

Cass: Thanks for the consolation prize, Dr. Seuss!

John: (smiling) Sam I am!

--svengali2

----------------------------------------
A rooftop of an old building. Below are narrow streets of an ancient Middle Eastern city.
An old man in a long robe of a monk is dosing off in a wooden chair.

John: What do you want?

The man opens his eyes, startled.

Car Salesman: (appearing next to John) Hush, country! You are not ready to go global! Thinks he is the little engine that could.... Too many dealerships, I am telling you!

--svengali2

-----------------------------------------
Flor and Erlemeyer close the door of Flor's house and step into courtyard. Suddenly the air is filled with flapping, cheeping and chattering sounds as hundreds of birds fly in from the surrounding trees. They fly in circles above Erlemeyer and Flor, some perch on the table, chairs and walls of the courtyard. Flor and Erlemeyer stop. Erlemeyer has an amused expression on his face. Flor throws her hands up over her head.

Flor: Mis amigos de aves. No entiendo. Not all at once!

Erlemeyer: Looks like your friends are happy to see you, Flor.

Flor: That's not it, Chuck. They want something. What has gotten them so excited?

Flor puts here head back and makes loud bird sounds. The other birds immediately become still, Dodi flies forward and perches on the edge of the fountain. He bobs his head a few times then looks directly at Flor, his head cocked to one side.
Dodi chirps excitedly, not taking his eyes from Flor, who is nodding her head.

Flor: Hmmm. It is not for me to say if your work is done here, Chuck. But it is time for you to go back now. That is the message.

Erlemeyer: Changing plans is inevitable these days, Flor. I will go. I'll arrange for Julio to stop by and check in with you. This city is just too dangerous now.

Flor: Me? Stay here? (She gives Erlemeyer a big grin) No such luck, Chuck. I'm going with you.

Erlemeyer: (begins to protest, but changes his mind) What about-uh- them? (gesturing to Dodi and the other birds)

Flor: They'll be just fine, Chuck. They're birds! They fly! See how free they are? They go where they want. Give me five minutes. I want to grab some clothes and my paints.

Erlemeyer: (murmuring as he watches Flor walking away into the house) And may we not encounter difficulty. Just a couple of tourists, off to I.B.

--Skordamou

-----------------------------------------
Erlemeyer walks up the driveway to the Yost house. Mitch comes out to meet him.

Erlemeyer: I'm here on orders from her bird. (gesturing towards Flor)

Mitch: Stranger things have happened, Chuck. It's been a fuckin' 3 ring circus here. I don't know what the hell is goin' on. It's all just getting loonier by the minute . What the fuck?

Mitch is looking over to where Erlemeyer's camper is parked. The entire area is covered with birds.

Erlemeyer: Yes, an interesting phenomenon. They followed us here. High in the sky, and relentless.

Mitch: It appears, old friend, you're now part of this crazy fucked up story. Whether you want to be or not.

Erlemeyer: Yes, Mitch. I've known for a long time that change was coming. I made a point of not seeking it out. And then you showed up. What choice does one have, really, Mitch? We do what we must. Even you, the surfer king, must realize that now.

He turns to Flor and with a flourish, gestures towards Mitch

Erlemeyer: Flor, meet Mitch. Mitch, this is my friend Flor. She is also, as you so eloquently stated, a part of the story.

Cissy comes out of the house.

Cissy: Chemist! What the fuck're you doing? here? You're supposed to be findin' out if I'm gonna die or turn into a fuckin' zombie or somethin'. (she points to her foot) Not that I needed your help. The weirdo fixed me up. Good as new, no thanks to you.

Cissy looks Flor up and down. Flor is smiling, nervously twisting her long hair around her fingers.

Cissy: And who's "Miss I'm still livin' in 1968" here? Where the fuck did she come from?

Erlemeyer: (smiles and gives Flor an apologetic smile as he addresses Cissy) Cissy, meet my friend Flor.

Flor steps toward Cissy and begins to extend her hand. Cissy gives her a withering look. Flor drops her hand and steps back, but continues to smile at Cissy)

Erlemeyer: I wouldn't worry about that foot anymore, Cissy. It is unlikely that there will be any long term effects. (murmuring) I must consider the possibility that I read the signs wrong.

Cissy: What the fuck you sayin', o mystical one?

Erlemeyer: I'm not certain, but I think the break-in may have merely been a distraction.

Cissy: And what the fuck does that mean, Wizard?

Erlemeyer: What we learn from Tijuana will be just one piece of this cosmic puzzle. The center is here in I.B. I'm beginning to understand. What was important was for me to find Flor. And to bring her here with me. We all have parts to play now. May God help us to understand.

Flor crosses herself. The birds, as if assured that Flor and Erlemeyer have now safely reached their destination, rise up and fly in a large circle around Cissy and Mitch, Flor and Erlemeyer. Then they flock into formation, with Dodi at the lead, and head south, flying back towards Mexico.
--Skordamou

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SETTING: THE BAR

Sitting barside are Vietnam Joe, Bandanna Buddy,
Bill Jacks, the bartender and John From Cincinnati

Joe: Man I had a really weird dream last night.

Bandanna: What? Another one of those war dreams,
Joe?

Joe: Well yes and no, sort of.

Bill: How much dope did you smoke before you went to
bed?

Joe: Fuck man, I haven t smoke in three days! Maybe that s the problem.

Bill: Yeah, that s the problem (sarcastically).

Bandanna: Well, are you gonna tell us the dream or not?

Joe: OK. Well back in boot camp before my unit even got to the Nam there was this kid named Bobby North, Jesus he musta been damn near 7 foot tall, no shit, bright red hair and really really white skin, you know the kinda guy that just burns up in the sun, ya know?

John: Just burns up in the sun.

Bandanna: Yeah, I seen guys like that.

Joe: Yeah, he was a big fucker alright, but he was a real gentle guy. On liberty night he wouldn't go to the whorehouse with the rest of us or go down to the bar to fuck up the locals, uh-uh, not Bobby. He'd rather go to see some foreign movie or to the library to read a book or something for chrissakes. He shouldn't been in no fucking army that's for damn sure.

John: He shouldn't been in no fucking army that's for damn sure.

Bill: Did he enlist or what?

Joe: Fuck no! Got drafted just like the rest of us dumb motherfuckers. But he was a good guy, always had his shit together, always passed inspection, could blow the balls offa an ant at fifty yards, but the fucker just wasn't a fighter and just cause he was so big with that bright red hair and freckled face he just made an easy target for the other littler guys. Man, they gave him some hard shit too. I saw one of the little Puerto Rican guys, Morales, literally jump up off the ground to punch Bobby in the nose. Popped him a good one.

John: Popped him a good one.

Bandanna: No shit?

Joe: No shit. And that little PR fucker stood back in a boxer's stance ready to throw, but Bobby just stood there rubbing his nose with both his hands, he just couldn't understand what the fuck he'd done to deserve that, but then it started....

Bill: What?

Joe: His nose started bleeding, I mean just gushing red, ya know, all down his GI t-shirt, down his fatigues onto his jungle boots. He tilted his head back to make it stop, but no fucking way, he just kept bleeding and bleeding, fucking blood all over the place and then 'cause he got hit so hard, his eyes started tearing up, so here's this big Paul Bunyan of a guy standing in the middle of the barracks bleeding and crying. It was awful.

John: Awful.

Bandanna: So then what happened?

Joe: Well, Bobby just turned around and walked away. I saw him later laying out on his bunk with a wet towel wrapped around his face. I went up to him and asked him if he was okay, he said yeah, he was used to this shit, used to happen to him all the time in school, littler guys beating up on him. Turns out his old man was some sort of minister or something, never taught him how to fight, but told him always to turn the other cheek, love your enemies, all that kinda shit. Fuck, man!

John: Love your enemies.

Bill: Well, what the hell was he doing in the army then? He coulda went CO or something.

Joe: (laughs): No, not old Bobby. He wanted to do his duty and all of that patriotic crap they fill your head with out there in fucking Iowa or some damn place.

Bill: Nothing wrong with being a patriot.

John: Being a patriot.

Joe: True. But I asked him, man, if you can't even defend yourself in a fist fight how you're
gonna be able to shoot the goddam enemy who by the way will be doing everything humanly possible to shoot you?."That's different", he says. "One is where I'm fighting for myself and the other is in defense of god and country".
John: God and country.


Part II: The same setting, the Bar

Joe: Well they shipped our asses over to Nam and man, we came in hot. The airfield where we was supposed to land at was under mortar attack, VC, NVA the whole fucking nine yards, a real fucking horror show. We had to circle around for about an hour before we could land, and as soon as we did we were taking fire.

John: Taking fire.

Bill: Tough place.

Joe: Hell yeah. But Bobby, man, he was a smart fucker. While all the other guys were shitting their pants and praying and crying, old Bobby was looking out port and spotting all the places were those little fucking dwarfs were firing from and when that troop plane belly landed and the back hatch opened up, Bobby was the first one out, hit the ground running, firing his weapon like crazy directly at those spots he'd seen. He looked like a one man cavalry! (laughs shaking his head) He gave the hand sign for the rest of the guys to spread out and follow him and I'll be damned if they didn't. All the guys picked up on what Bobby was doing, pointing to the places where those little fucks were firing from. Bobby alone took out an entire mortar launching crew and the rest of those fuckers just hightailed it outta there!

Bandanna: Wow!

Joe: Fucking-a man! We only had one KIA that day - Morales the kid that bloodied Bobby's nose. When he heard about it he double timed over to the body screaming at the death detail to stay the fuck away from him. First time I ever really heard Bobby curse, ya know? He took Morales tags and jungle boots, picked him up like a baby and laid him down in the body bag so gentle like, ya know? Zipped him up and let the death detail load him up on the same damn plane that brought him in. Fucking sad, man.

Bill: I hear ya, bro.

John: Fucking sad.

Joe: Well, a big change came over Bobby. He still wouldn't go whoring with us, or get drunk, gamble and fight, I think I saw him take a beer once, didn't even curse, but fuck, man, he was a first rate killer. He had 13 confirmed kills, including an NVA officer, a lieutenant I think, one water buffalo, two dogs and a nine year old girl. The animals couldn't be helped and the girl was an accident. The water buffalo was in his line of fire so he had to take it out to get a clear shot, and then we were on this search and destroy mission in this village and the dogs attacked him, just doing their job I guess, but Bobby he had this phobia about germs and getting diseases, you know, like rabies and shit, so he took the dogs one round a piece.

John: One round a piece.

Joe: Yeah. So we were rounding the villagers up outta their huts, trying to figure out who were the real civilians and who the VC were and that s when it happened. Outta the corner of his eye Bobby saw something move in one of the huts that shouldn t-a been there, and Bobby man he just wheeled around slicker n snot and let loose a burst of fire with that Thompson and busted through the door of that hut alone and then it got real quiet and then we heard Bobby give out a long loud wail, like a howling wolf. We all thought he was celebrating a kill. But then it come to us Bobby was crying, wailing man, and he come outta that hut carrying that dead girl in his arms howling and crying. The medics relieved him of the girl and Bobby went off by himself and we just let him be, til we was done cleaning up the vill.

Bill: But what about the dream, Joe?

Joe: Yeah well I m getting to that. After that Bobby really went kinda fucking crazy. After a really brutal fire fight the VC tried to surrender, threw their weapons down, hands up screaming, "Dong hai, dong hai" and old Bobby, he just spit on the ground and said, "Dong hai my ass!" And blew the fuckers away. He went and cut the guys dicks off, stringed em up and wore them around his neck like love beads, man!

John: Like love beads.

Joe: The stink was unbearable. All the guys respected Bobby, followed him without question, but man sitting down to eat with him was whole nother story. Bobby understood, didn t take any offense. Usually we let the FNGs take point when we were out on patrol, but Bobby d always volunteer. He liked being in the shit.

John: Liked being in the shit.

Joe: And then it happened.

Bill: What?

Joe: Well we were walking the trail, Bobby a few meters ahead of me. He'd let his hair grow down past his shoulders and grew this great big bushy red beard, he'd lost weight like we all did, but he put on some muscle too. He looked like one of those
Viking Beserkers, crazy to die, man!

John: Crazy to die, man!

Joe: It was just getting dawn, the sun rising behind us and that s when I heard it, a soft pop sound. I thought one of the guys behind us had cracked open a beer. Bobby just stopped, we all stopped, frozen, waiting for his hand signal either spread out or thumbs up for OK, but he just stood there and then I saw a little hole right in the back of his neck, just below the helmet line, a little trickle of blood. Bobby turned round and man his face looked like fucking hamburger, man, his jaw flapping loose, his tongue hanging like a thirsty dog, his teeth hanging like pearls and I swear to god, it looked like he was smiling and he just went down like a big red tree face first in the mud. It took about a second for it to register on us but Bobby was dead.Fuckingsniper!Always some littler guy trying to take Bobby down, ya know?
Bill: Jesus Christ Jesus Christ Jesus Christ!

John: Bobby was dead.

Joe: So I pointed up into the trees and the guys just let loose everything they had into the tree tops until finally this little VC fucker come flopping outta the palms like a drunken monkey, deader'n hell.

John: Deader 'n hell.

Bartender: At least ya got the bastard Joe. But what about the dream?

Joe: Well Bobby come to me, long red hair flowing, his big bushy red beard, his face all put back together like normal, and Bobby s laughing, still in his jungle camo, weapon at the ready and this what he says:Joe, there is death in all your ecstasies, that is the nature of the dimension you live in, but you
don t have to deny yourself any pleasures. Own what you desire and all that exquisite energy will be released as waves of joy on earth as it is in heaven. Stop judging what you are doing. Own it or stop doing it and decide to be alive.

Bill: (getting off his barstool) I gotta go home and tell my bird about this!

Bartender: I never heard anything like that before, especially not in a dream.

John: Some things I know and some things I don t, but this man knows a lot. He is with my Father and Mother now. He sees God the Mother of God. He is not dead, Joe. He will be born again. Not farewell, oh warrior, but fare forward.

Joe: Fucking-a!

Bartender: That calls for a round of beer on the house!

--anonymous

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Volver, Volver

As the song is playing, the camera follows a truck on the highway 75. Ramon is at the wheel, softly singing to the music on the radio. Driving by vast lowlands spread along the road, he passes a slim woman with a bright red backpack slowly running in the breakdown lane. She moves in long strides with the easy grace of a born athlete.
Ramon: (turning his head back) Nobody walks.... or runs.... Not here. Just cars, no people....

--svengali2

----------------------------------------
The same song is still playing.

In a small bedroom, sunlight filtering through broken blinds falls on a rumpled bed.
A naked woman is sitting atop a man, lying in bed. His eyes are bloodshot and vacant.

Alejandro: (pushing the woman off) Get out! ¡Grasa sucia puta, tu eres inútil!

Woman: No es culpa mia. You drink too much, Alejandro.

Alejandro: Vete de aquí. ¡Si usted dice que una vez más yo le mataré! I will cut your heart out! Get out, bitch!

The woman grabs her clothes and runs out.
Alejandro: ¡Yo no puedo dormir ya! No sleep, no fuck, no drink. Estoy maldecido... It?s that gringo, el diablo. Vi sus ojos muertos... He was dead... Estoy maldecido.

He gets off the bed and hits the wall to the adjacent room with his fist.

Alejandro: ¡Apaga la maldita musica, ahora!

Voice: ¡Si, si, jefe!

Translate here

--svengali2

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Turning off the road into Snug Harbor, Ramon drives up to the office. As he gets out of the car he stops in disbelief seeing a woman standing at the closed door of the office, the bright red backpack at her feet.
Ramon: I saw you... When did you get here? How....

Woman: (flashing a quick and easy smile) In time, Ramon. All in good time.

--svengali2

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