Wednesday 3 June 2020

He Bounces Back





 And Joker walks away-- heads for the sliding glass doors. Only the motion detector doesn't engage--

 AND HE SLAMS RIGHT INTO THE GLASS DOOR.

 HARD.

 He bounces back.



61 EXT. CITY HOSPITAL, ER - NIGHT 61

 Joker sits on a bench outside the bustling emergency room. He's getting some fresh air, but he picked a weird spot to do it.

 He watches the sick and dying being rushed through the glass doors. Opening and closing. This happens in the background throughout the scene. 62. 

The two detectives walk up to Joker, interrupting him watching the doors. Gotham police detectives, GARRITY (50's), grey hair, and BURKE (30's), his partner.

 DET. GARRITY
Mr. Fleck, sorry to bother you, I'm Detective Garrity, this is my partner Detective Burke.

Joker looks up at them. Doesn't say anything.

DET. GARRITY
We had a few questions for you, but you weren't home. 
So we spoke to your mother.

JOKER
You did this to her?

DET. GARRITY
What? No. 
We just asked her some questions and she started getting hysterical-- 
hyperventilating, trouble speaking-- then she collapsed. 
Hit her head pretty hard.

 JOKER 
They told me she had a stroke.

Beat.

 DET. GARRITY 
Sorry to hear that.

AND JOKER BURSTS OUT LAUGHING, he can't stop it.

The detectives are taken aback. 
They don't know what to make of him laughing.
They share a look.

 DET. BURKE 
(confused
I'm lost. Is something funny?

JOKER 
(laughter choking up in his throat
No I,-- I have a, a--

Tears rolling down his face, he takes out one of his cards and hands it to Det. Burke. Burke glances over the card, a skeptical look on his face. 

 DET. BURKE 
Okay. But we have some questions for you.

 DET. GARRITY 
About those subway killings from a few weeks ago.

Joker pauses for a moment, his laughter subsiding. He holds his breath.

 JOKER 
I don't know anything about that.

 DET. GARRITY 
We have an eyewitness who described a white male, about 6 feet tall, in clown make up. Or a clown mask. 
Spoke to your boss at Ha-Ha's, Mr. Vaughn, and he said you were on a job the day of the shooting.

Joker's still holding his breath, he nods yes.

 DET. GARRITY (just continues
He also said you got fired that day,-- 
For bringing a gun into the children's hospital.

And Joker cracks up again, his laughter coming back harder-- He covers his mouth with his hand, shaking his head no, his face now turning red.

 DET. GARRITY 
You weren't fired?

Joker catches his breath as the intensity of his laughter starts to wane, petering out.

JOKER 
Not for having a gun. That was prop gun. Part of my act.

Joker's laughter finally stops for good.

 DET. BURKE 
So why were you fired?

 JOKER 
They said I wasn't funny.

The detectives share another look.

 Joker stands up.

 JOKER 
Now, if you don't mind, I have to go back and look after my mother.

 Detective Burke steps close to him, holds up the card that Joker handed him--

DET. BURKE
Hey lemme ask you a question? This condition of yours,-- 
Is This Real or is this like some sorta Clown Thing?

 JOKER 
"Clown thing?"

DET. BURKE 
I mean, is it part of your act?

JOKER 
What do you think?

 And Joker walks away-- heads for the sliding glass doors. Only the motion detector doesn't engage--

 AND HE SLAMS RIGHT INTO THE GLASS DOOR.

 HARD.

 He bounces back.

No comments:

Post a Comment