INT. LOFT - LATE EVENING

An Upper East Side loft, luxurious, but ruined by piles of

garbage. Huge windows are covered by cheap, bent

blinds. JOHN JONSON (24), fresh faced and bit a chubby,

sits on his couch, feet on the coffee table, and stares at

his laptop. He shuts it closed.

JOHN

Bleah....

He opens his laptop back up, the door bells rings. JOHN

gets up to answer it.

At the door stands RONALD (25), fit and in a chic suit.

RONALD

Oh hey, you’re John right?

Ronald shakes John’s hand.

JOHN

Yeah, who are you?

RONALD

Ronald Townsend. The new tenant,

so sorry I’m a little late.

Ronald makes his way inside, he looks surprised.

RONALD (CON’T)

Whoa...

JOHN

Yeah, I had until the 31st to get

my stuff out right?

RONALD

Today’s the first.

John giggles.

JOHN

Oh shit man, I’m sorry. Uh...

RONALD

You were supposed to just give me

the key a be on your way.

JOHN

Key. Right, that’s here somewhere.

John scan the floor as he kicks around garbage with his

feet. Ronald looks annoyed.

2.

RONALD

Maybe you should just go.

JOHN

I can’t just go, all my

stuff’s here.

RONALD

That’s not my problem.

John stops kicking the garbage, he frowns.

JOHN

(whining)

Come on, you seem like a cool

guy. I made one mistake, you can

understand Mr. "Sorry I’m A Little

Late".

Ronald rolls his eyes.

JOHN (CON’T)

Please. Let me stay here. Can’t

we be roomies just for one

night? Please please please

please?

John pouts. Ronald puts his hand to his face a sighs.

RONALD

Jesus Christ, fine, whatever. One

night. I’m moving my stuff in

tomorrow.

JOHN

Great! Thanks buddy. Hey, you can

even sleep in my bed, I mean

there’s little bit of a "dry vomit

and semen" smell but if I change

the sheets.

RONALD

The couch is fine.

Ronald throws his bags on the couch.

JOHN

Sure, that’s probably a good

call. Just flip the cushions. So

it’s pretty late, I clean all this

tomorrow, right?

Ronald shrugs.

3.

JOHN (CON’T)

Okay sweet uh... I’ll see you

later.

John exits to the back of the apartment.

INT. JOHN’S ROOM - AFTERNOON

The next day.

John is passed out on his bed. The clock reads 3:06 PM but

blinds keep sunlight out of the room.

RONALD O.S.

(screaming)

No that is unacceptable!

John creeps his eyes open.

RONALD O.S. (CON’T)

We gave you until Friday to finish

and so help you God if you make us

wait any longer!

John slowly gets out of bed wearing only boxers, he exits

the room.

INT. LOFT - AFTERNOON

John walks through the room, Ronald fumes as he talks on the

phone.

RONALD

Who told you to go through with

that deal!?...

John steps on a pile of Doritos making a loud

crunch. Ronald looks over at him. John starts to sweep the

area with his feet.

RONALD (CON’T)

Why wasn’t I let on this!?...

Bullshit!

John looks a little intimated as pulls his couch towards the

door. It’s very loud.

RONALD (CON’T)

(into phone)

You should have run those numbers

by me...

4.

Ronald puts a finger in his other ear.

RONALD (CON’T)

What?... what?

Ronald shoots angry eyes at John, he stops.

RONALD (CON’T)

(into phone)

Okay, call me back when you have

more information.

Ronald hangs up the phone.

RONALD (CON’T)

What is the matter with you?

JOHN

What’s the matter with you? Quit

stressing out over work, you’re

obviously well off if you can live

here.

RONALD

Oh right, my new multimillion

dollar loft covered fucking

garbage.

JOHN

You yell at me when I clean it, you

yell at me when I don’t.

Ronald hits his hand to his face hard. He sits on the couch

and pants through his nose.

JOHN (CON’T)

Dude, you need to chil-lax. Look

at me, my father’s company’s shit

now, I have to leave my apartment,

I have hepatitis alphabet.

Ronald gives a confused look.

JOHN (CON’T)

A, B, and C. But think about it,

do I look stressed to you?

John grins. Ronald rolls his eyes, then takes a deep

breath.

RONALD

Look I got a lot of things I need

to focus my attention on. Sure,

5.

RONALDit’d be great if I could just

ignore them.

JOHN

You can. If you want to. Clearly

you’re under a lot of stress.

RONALD

(snaps)

I’m not fucking stressed!

John grins.

JOHN

Take it from me.

John sits down on the couch next to Ronald, and stretches.

JOHN (CON’T)

When you have the means to do

whatever you want, it’s the best

time to do nothing at all. Just

sit back (yawning) and relax.

Ronald’s phone rings, he rolls his eyes.

RONALD

Fucking Mr. Webber.

He answer it.

RONALD

Hello Mr. Webber, do you have any

new information?... No about the

about the deal.

JOHN

Work’s getting in the way of your

happiness.

Ronald’s phone rings, Ronald stares at the screen and

grimaces.

JOHN (CON’T)

Maybe, you let that go to voice

mail...

Ronald looks unsure.

RONALD

I guess it matter if I skip one

call.

6.

The phone stops ringing.

JOHN

See that wasn’t--

A loud "message alert" comes from Ronald’s phone. Beat.

JOHN

That wasn’t so hard. Stay there

I’ll get you something to help you

relax.

INT. LOFT - AFTERNOON

An hour later.

A hazy, laid back environment. Psychedelic music

plays. Ronald and John, now dressed, sit on the floor and

hold beers, evidence of drug use is around.

RONALD

(high)

You know maybe you’re right. I do

need to chillax. I’m the youngest

V.P. in my company’s history, I

deserve a break every now and then.

Ronald finishes his beer.

RONALD (CON’T)

Where’s the recycling in this

place?

John cracks up, he stops when he sees Ronald’s puzzled

expression.

JOHN

Just throw it on the floor man,

I’ll get to it later.

Ronald throws his bottle on the ground. He smiles.

RONALD

You’re still moving out today

right?

JOHN

Of course. I’m nothing if not my

word.

beat.

7.

RONALD

You know what’s a funny

word? Poop.

They both laugh hysterically. A ringtone is heard. Ronald

pulls out his phone, and stares at the screen puzzled.

RONALD (CON’T)

(at phone)

Tell me who it is!

JOHN

Wait, I think that’s mine.

John answers his phone.

JOHN (CON’T)

Yellow?

Ronald laughs, John tries not to.

JOHN (CON’T)

(to Ronald)

Shh, shut up. (into phone) Hi Mr.

Schwartz... (serious) Oh... uh

okay, keep me posted.

John hangs up his phone.

RONALD

Who was that?

JOHN (CON’T)

My father’s company is uh... we

could lose... ha, a lot...

(shrugs) Welp, fuck it, they can

handle it.

John lies on the floor.

RONALD

You aren’t worried?

JOHN

Ehh, what can I do?

RONALD

Okay, all this dicking around is

fun and all, but even you must know

there’s a time and place for it.

Ronald stands up.

8.

RONALD (CON’T)

In fact I should get back to work.

(xoxoxoxoxoxoxo put in conversation about how work is for

chumps.)

JOHN

Ugh, work. Responsibilities are so

meeeeh. Jobs and shit, you

know? Like, man. Unless I have

to, have to get one, I don’t see

the point.

RONALD

I don’t know, people aren’t meant

to sit around and do nothing all

the time.

JOHN

Not with that attitude. Come on,

you’re having fun.

Ronald sits on the couch.

RONALD

Alright, alright, alright. I’m

still kind (high-pitched) "wee-woo"

to be working anyway.

John joins him on the couch, he gives Ronald a smirk.

INT. LOFT - NIGHT

5 hours later. We see a time lapse of the room getting

darker.

John and Ronald sit in nearly the same position, with bags

under their eyes. They glance awkwardly at each other.

RONALD

... Yep.

JOHN

Mmm-hmm.

John gets on his phone.

RONALD

So... sixth hour in a row of doing

nothing.

9.

JOHN

Yeah, it’s great right?

Long silence as John scrolls on his phone.

RONALD

This is fucking boring.

JOHN

How could you be bored? There’s a

whole world out there. And the

best part about it? You can access

all of it from right here!

John turns on the televsion, to the Netflix homes page.

JOHN (CON’T)

Wanna go to the movies. You can

stream netflix. Wanna know the

lastest treds, just hop on

reddit. And did you know how many

fine dining resturants deleiver

right to people’s door.

RONALD

Do you ever step out of this place?

JOHN

Sure, when I have to. Like, what

if the pizza place across town is

going to take an hour for

delivery? Then I walk down to the

Chinese place on the corner.

RONALD

(unconvincing)

That’s uh... really great

sounding. But, I think I’m getting

a little sick of these

walls. Maybe it’s time we got this

shit out of here and so I can move

my stuff in.

John groans.

JOHN

Boring. Look, if you really want

adventure. (hushed) I have the

number of a few ladies who’ll make

"house calls".

John winks. Ronald looks uncomfortable.

10.

RONALD

Don’t think the girlfriend would

like that.

John’s has a stern expression.

JOHN

You have a girlfriend?

RONALD

Yeah...

JOHN

I mean uh... you might not want to

bring her here with this mess.

RONALD

That has occurred to me.

John laughs awkwardly.

JOHN

The ladies don’t always all this

dicking around stuff.

John gets up.

JOHN (CON’T)

You know I guess I could uh...

maybe clean up a little.

John gets on his knees and piles garbage together.

INT. LOFT - AFTERNOON

The next day.

The loft is nearly empty and sparkling clean. A MOVER

pushes the last piece of furniture out of the door. Ronald

helps John place the last bit of trash into one of fifteen

trash bags.

JOHN

Ya’know I don’t interact with

people a whole lot. And maybe

occasionally I can be (sheepish)

kind of a shitty person. And I

maybe a bit oblivious.

John wipes sweat off his brow and sits on the couch being

pushed by the mover. John looks around the empty apartment.

11.

JOHN (CON’T)

I don’t know... Maybe I am a

little nervous about my father’s

company.

Ronald pulls John off the couch, it gets pushed out by the

mover.

JOHN (CON’T)

Do you really think doing nothing

all the time is boring?

Before Ronald can respond, John’s phone rings, he answers

it.

JOHN (CON’T)

Hey Dad... oh uh, sure that would

be alright, see you tonight.

He hangs up.

JOHN (CON’T)

That’s gonna be a fun

conversation. But uh... yeah I

guess I’m gonna take off.

RONALD

You know John, I haven’t known you

that long, and we may not see each

other again. I just want you to

know, you’re a pretty selfish and

person and a bad influence.

John looks uncomfortable.

RONALD (CON’T)

But if it’s any consolation, I’ve

decided not immediately throwing

you out wasn’t a decision that made

my life any worse.

They both smirk. John gets up.

JOHN

Welp I got a devastating meeting to

attend to. So I’ll see you around

Ronald.

John shakes Ronald’s hand.

RONALD

See ya buddy.

12.

JOHN

Oh and sorry we couldn’t find that

key.

RONALD

Eh, I can print a new one. I am a

millionaire aren’t I?

John giggles, waves, then exits.

EXT. STREET FUCKALL

John reads a text.

"Whoa! Big moment right here. John was n love with his

apartment and he just left it! That’s huge! It’s going to

change and he can never return. O.M.G.

JOHN

Who is this from?

He gets another message.

"Don’t worry about it. Get in the town car."

JOHN

No shit, it’s my father’s.

John enters the town car.

INT. TOWN CAR FUCKALL - MOVING

John rides the town car. MYSTERIOUS man drives

MYSTERIOUS

SO, how you feeling John.

JOHN

I don’t know....

MYSTERIOUS

How would you like this story to

end?

JOHN

Huh?

MYSTERIOUS

Happy, or sad. "Realistic"?

13.

JOHN

Realistic?

MYSTERIOUS

There are people out there who

think Hollywood, which is way

better than indie crap, has too

many perfect endings. The

character gets what they want and

everyone’s happy.

JOHN

I guess that can be true.

MYSTERIOUS

But you know what I think? Who

fucking cares? Nothing about this

is realistic. Why should the

ending. No one goes to the movie

to be bummed out.

JOHN

I bet fags do. Stupid people not

gay people of course.

MYSTERIOUS

Of course....

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

It’s dark and rainy. A town car pulls up. A nervous John

exits.

INT. MANSION - NIGHT

John enters the dimly lit, gothic style mansion. He paces

to the rear.

INT. DINER AREA - NIGHT

John arrives at the enormous dining table and takes a

seat. Across the way sits DANIEL JONSON (63), distinguished

and exhausted.

JOHN

Hello Father.

DANIEL

(raspy)

Hello John.

14.

JOHN

Can you please tell me what’s going

to happen to our family?

Daniel takes a long hard look at his son. He takes a sip of

brandy, and looks down.

DANIEL

Things are not looking

good. There’s an informant among

us. He has information that can...

will... destroy us.

Beat. Daniel finishes his drink.

DANIEL (CON’T)

I need you to be ready to give up a

lot... are you prepared to do so?

Beat. John looks intently at the ground.

JOHN

I’m think ready for a change.

An old fashioned telephone rings. Daniel gets up to answer

it.

DANIEL

(into phone)

Hello?... Yes do you have any more

information... (surprised) Oh

really... (light tone) okay thanks.

Daniel sits back down and giggles.

DANIEL (CON’T)

That informant is gone.

Daniel makes a throat cutting motion.

DANIEL (CON’T)

Feds got nothing on me now.

Daniel pulls out a remote control and turns on a football

game playing on a previously hidden wall TV, totally relaxed

he watches the game.

JOHN

Wait what? But I was ready to make

a big change.

15.

DANIEL

Huh? Oh don’t worry about that

son. Everything’s a-okay.

Daniel goes back to watching the game. John looks upset as

he stares into space.

JOHN

What should I do?

Daniel’s eyes are glued to the screen, the players fumble.

DANIEL

Ahhh! Come on MMMh!

John looks lost. He approaches a small bar and grabs a

bottle of brandy. He chugs it.

INT. LOFT - NIGHT

Sleek furniture fills the apartment. Ronald sits on a couch

with KIMBERLY (24), both dressed in evening clothes and

acting affectionate.

RONALD

I’m really glad I got to see you,

my life’s been a big mess lately.

KIMBERLY

(smiles)

I understand.

Kimberly caresses Ronald’s knee, he smiles and leans in for

a kiss, but not before the door bursts open. John staggers

into the living room, bottle in hand.

JOHN

(super drunk)

Dude! Everything’s gonna be

a-okay.

John stumbles on to the couch, almost on top of Kimberly.

JOHN (CON’T)

First off all I found your key. It

was on my bottle opener.

He looks to where his coffee table once was.

JOHN (CON’T)

Ahh, why is everything different!?

He throws the bottle opener on the floor.

16.

RONALD

What are you doing?

JOHN

My Dad’s money Ronald. It’s back,

or it never left or something. I

don’t need to change or do any of

that gay shit.

John leans over Kimberly, Ronald tries to push John away,

John spills his drink on Kimberly, she stands up.

KIMBERLY

Okay, what the fuck is going on

here?

JOHN

Yeah, who is this Ronald? I need

to talk to you, alone. Get outta

here biatch.

Kimberly slaps John.

JOHN (CON’T)

Hey!

In a fit John stands up, then immediately topples over and

bursts out laughing. Kimberly heads to the door.

RONALD

No, Kimberly wait!

She exits.

JOHN

Finally. Dude, I need to tell you

about what happened before.

Ronald looks livid.

RONALD

Get out.

JOHN

What?

RONALD

Get out of my fucking apartment you

leech!

Ronald gets up and forcefully grabs John.

17.

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

John gets thrown out, the door slams shut. He looks angry,

tears form in his eyes.

EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT

MONTAGE:

John wanders through various empty streets in heavy rain

EXT. UNDER THE OVERPASS - NIGHT

John walks past an overpass. He’s approached by PETEY, an

old, dirty homeless man.

PETEY

(scratchily)

Excuse me sir, can you spare a

dollar?

JOHN

(distant)

Uh... yeah that’s fine.

John examines his wallet, he pulls out a $100 bill.

JOHN (CON’T)

I only carry hundreds, you have any

change?... No fuck it, you can

just have this.

John hands Petey the bill.

PETEY

God bless you sir!

John looks around the overpass.

JOHN

So you live here huh?

He examines a cardboard box, and various bits of food

stuffs, he sits down, Petey joins him.

JOHN (CON’T)

(smirks)

It’s real quaint.

John looks down to see an almost complete burrito.

18.

JOHN (CON’T)

Whoa, you guys get chipotle!?

John grabs the burrito, takes another ten $100 bills out of

his wallet and hands them to Petey.

JOHN (CON’T)

Wanna trade?

Petey nods furiously. John eats the burrito with glee.

JOHN (CON’T)

Money, right? What’s it worth if

you can be homeless and still enjoy

Chipotle? I could just give it all

away, live on the lam. Like a

cowboy.

John takes a bite from the burrito and looks stricken, the

bite drops out his mouth.

JOHN (CON’T)

Is there poop in this?

PETEY

Sometimes folks don’t want you

around and try to scare you off.

John jumps up and spits profusely. He breaths heavily, then

sees a rat scurry across the stockpile of food.

JOHN

Ahhh! Fuck, rat, gross, shit!

John skitters away, trips, then vomits for a few

moments. Petey grimaces. John kneels in a pool of vomit.

JOHN (CON’T)

To be fair that’s like sixty

percent brandy... and poop.

John stands up and dusts himself off, he approaches Petey.

JOHN (CON’T)

This is awkward, I don’t use credit

cards and I need some new clothes.

Petey hands John one of the bills.

19.

EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT

John, dressed in a sweatsuit, walks through the rain in a

hunch. He comes across a Denny’s.

INT. DENNY’S - DAWN

John looks hungover, depressed, and pale as he sits in a

booth and plays with his disgusting pancakes. A WAITRESS

walks over.

WAITRESS

How’s everything here?

JOHN

Do you like being a waitress?

WAITRESS

Excuse me?

JOHN

Is it something you wanted? Or did

you bottom out after a millionaire

dumped you?

The waitress looks confused.

JOHN (CON’T)

Can I have a check?

INT. BUS - EARLY MORNING

John rides a nearly empty bus. The sun rise creeps behind

fields of grass.

EXT. DINER PARKING LOT - MORNING

A cab drops John off in front of the rural diner. He takes

a big breath.

INT. DINER - MORNING

John enters, he sees a waitress, REBBECCA (26), very pretty,

but tired. She sees John across the way and grimaces. John

approaches her.

JOHN

Hi Rebbecca.

20.

REBBECCA

What do you want?

JOHN

I uh... just wanted to see how you

were doing.

REBBECCA

I’m doing just great thank

you. Now can you get out of my way

I have tables to tend to.

John moves over, she starts to clear off a table.

JOHN

I’m sorry.

She ignores him.

JOHN (CON’T)

You were right, okay. I thought I

deserved more than I had.

MARK (5), runs into the dining area then into Rebbecca’s

arms.

MARK

Mommy!

REBBECCA

Hey sweety. Are you ready for

school.

MARK

Yeah!

JOHN

Hey who’s this little guy?

REBBECCA

This is my son. (sternly) Mark.

JOHN

Hey Mark how’s it going?

John shakes Mark’s hand.

MARK

Mommy, Mr. Flaherty said he’d drive

me to school today.

21.

REBBECCA

That’s great sweetheart, you go on

ahead.

Rebbecca sets Mark down, he exits.

JOHN

So you’re a mom now?

REBBECCA

That’s right. A single mom. It’s

tough, raising him alone.

JOHN

(sympathetic)

Yeah I bet.

Rebbecca stares John down.

REBBECCA

(over enunciating)

He’s never even met his father...

JOHN

Oh, that’s too bad.

She tries to nod to him, John smiles at her blankly. She

rolls her eyes.

REBBECCA

Dude, he’s your son.

JOHN

What!?

REBBECCA

The name Mark didn’t give you a

hint?

JOHN

Why should it?

REBBECCA

That’s your name retard!

JOHN

My name’s John.

REBBECCA

Huh?

A look of dread comes over her face.

22.

REBBECCA (CON’T)

Oh shit you’re not Mark... ohh...

hey John, long time no see.

She laughs nervously. John’s on the verge of

hyperventilating.

REBBECCA (CON’T)

I’m sorry, I’m an idiot. I dated

Mark right after we broke

up. Y-y-you kinda look alike.

JOHN

So I’m not a father?

Rebbecca shakes her head. John slumps into a chair and

takes a deep breath.

JOHN (CON’T)

Yeah, that... good. That’s good.

Rebbecca sits across from him.

REBBECCA

John, why did you come here?

JOHN

I guess I needed a reminder of why

I need to be a better person.

John puts his face in his palms.

JOHN (CON’T)

God... I don’t know what I’m doing

with my life Rebbecca.

REBBECCA

Well what do you want to do?

JOHN

I know I can get a job, okay. Or

take up a hobby or whatever. But

what’s the point? To appear

busy? The world doesn’t need me to

be apart of it.

He gets a text.

"This isn’t the the real ending, but as far as I could get

for draft 2."

23.

JOHN

Huh?

John runs out to the building.

EXT. DINER PARKING LOT - MORNING

Mysterious man is there, John looks scared.

JOHN

Who are you?

MYSTERIOUS

Don’t worry about it.

A magic blast get is at john, it doesn’t hurt him

JOHN

What was that!?

MYSTERIOUS

You’re not good at many

things. Find purpose in your life,

become a dancer, or a

painter. Something cool that

people give a damn about.

JONH

I never said that’s what I wanted.

MYSTERIOUS

You didn’t have to boy.

The mysterious man disappears into thin air.

JONH

What the ehll was that.

A car passes by with Stariway to Heaven playing out the

window.

JOHN

(singing)

And she’s buying the stairway to

heaven.

(like an opera singer)

And she’s buying the stairway to

heaven!

It’s beautiful.