Authors: C.Y. Dillon
MIKE
Is she turning?
BARTENDER
It's possible. She's a wild one,
experimental. It wouldn't shock me.
MIKE
Happy birthday. Wow. That's hot.
BARTENDER
Sizzling. I couldn't sleep.
MIKE
What do you want me to do?
BARTENDER
Be yourself. She's fair game.
MIKE
You want her?
BARTENDER
Sure. But I doubt she'll go for me.
She's caught up in a fantasy.
MIKE
What's your next move?
INT. DELTA QUEEN RESTAURANT - DAY
Harmonia and Chieko have lunch together. The Bartender enters. He approaches their table.
BARTENDER
Ladies, do you mind if I join you?
HARMONIA
Please do.
He looks surprised.
CHIEKO
Chieko.
BARTENDER
I remember. And you're Harmonia.
HARMONIA
And you're Davis.
BARTENDER
You noticed. I'm flattered you
bothered to remember.
HARMONIA
I always look at name tags and try
to remember.
BARTENDER
So it's nothing personal, then.
Just a common courtesy.
HARMONIA
Ouch. Does it hurt?
BARTENDER
My ego's been battered enough it's
callous, can't be bruised.
CHIEKO
Poor fellow. The world is cruel.
BARTENDER
That's one way of putting it.
HARMONIA
What's another?
BARTENDER
I haven't solved the puzzle--
HARMONIA
A woman is an enigma.
BARTENDER
--Yet.
HARMONIA
Someone you're trying to figure out?
Chieko is a great advisor.
CHIEKO
Years of practice in the art of people
pleasing.
BARTENDER
I don't want to pour my woes out on
you ladies. You're far too interesting.
Harmonia's smile lights up her whole face. Chieko gives him a suspicious look.
LATER
Harmonia strolls on the deck with the Bartender. She is positively aglow in the moonlight.
BARTENDER
It sounds to me as if the man is a
fraud. Why would you put up with
that?
HARMONIA
No. He's a dream weaver. He knows
I want him to spin a web around me.
BARTENDER
Does a guy like me have a chance?
Harmonia smiles at him.
HARMONIA
You're charming, Davis, but you see,
I've made my choice. I will see how
it plays out.
BARTENDER
To the bitter end.
HARMONIA
Don't say that!
She shudders. He laughs.
BARTENDER
I call it the way I see it.
HARMONIA
Not bitter! To the ends of the Earth.
Friends forever.
BARTENDER
Friends? Who are you fooling? You
want the whole real deal, sister.
HARMONIA
Friendship is the best kind of love.
Mix it with some Eros from time to
time, you've got yourself a bonus.
Friendship is rare and delicious.
BARTENDER
The prime rib of relationships.
She leans against the railing, looking out.
He stands behind her and makes a subtle move to brush up against her. She closes her eyes. He does it again.
HARMONIA
Please stop.
He steps to the side.
BARTENDER
Not your type, huh?
HARMONIA
It isn't that.
BARTENDER
Yes it is. Be straight with yourself.
You don't owe that guy a thing. He
didn't ask for your loyalty.
HARMONIA
You know what it is, mind reader.
Don't try the sympathy ploy. My
days doing mercy jobs are over.
BARTENDER
You haven't even met the man. What
if you don't like the way he kisses?
HARMONIA
What if I don't like the way you
kiss? Then I have to be uncomfortable
the next four days around you.
BARTENDER
What if you do?
She sighs.
HARMONIA
Indeed. It's always a struggle, to
stay committed.
BARTENDER
You ought to be committed, giving
your heart over to a fantasy.
HARMONIA
He's not a fantasy. Orion is the
genuine article. Besides, it's about
being true to myself.
BARTENDER
The pictures you've seen might not
be him.
HARMONIA
He isn't like that. He's a straight
shooter. I have no doubt.
BARTENDER
What if you're wrong?
HARMONIA
I'm not.
BARTENDER
Have you ever misjudged a man?
HARMONIA
Ouch. Terribly.
She turns about and leans back on the railing.
HARMONIA
But I don't think I'm wrong about Ri.
He would have told me by now.
The Bartender stands in front of her. He pulls her into him and kisses her. She pushes away, but he holds her hard against him and keeps kissing. She melts into it. He lets her go.
BARTENDER
Got yourself a real pickle now,
haven't you?
She closes her eyes.
HARMONIA
Damn. I wish you wouldn't have done
that. And I'm glad you did. Damn.
He kisses her lightly on the lips and walks away.
BARTENDER
You've been wrong before.
INT. BARTENDER'S CABIN - MOMENTS LATER
He enters his cabin and falls onto the bed.
BARTENDER
I did it. Oh god, she liked it.
INT. HARMONIA'S CABIN G319 - NIGHT
Harmonia enters and falls onto the bed.
HARMONIA
Oh god.
She hugs a pillow.
HARMONIA
Ri, I've tried so hard.
She kisses the pillow.
HARMONIA
Where are you now? What are you
doing?
HARMONIA'S FANTASY:
ORION enters her cabin. He's six feet tall, wearing jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, hairy arms.
She sits on the edge of the bed.
HARMONIA
Oh thank god, you're here.
He takes her hands and pulls her to her feet in front of him, close.
FANTASY ORION
Of course I'm here.
HARMONIA
What kept you? How did you--never
mind. You're here. That's all that
matters now.
She unbuttons his shirt and kisses his furry chest and inhales with delirious satisfaction.
HARMONIA
Oh god, you're here. For real.
END FANTASY
BACK TO HARMONIA'S CABIN G319
The door knob jiggles. Harmonia throws the pillow aside and sits up as Mike enters.
HARMONIA
Go to Chieko's cabin. You're not
staying here.
MIKE
Seriously?
Harmonia leaps out of bed, grabs a toothbrush from a counter, and hands it to him.
HARMONIA
Tell her I need some space. And be
a gentleman. She'll let you in. If
she doesn't, don't come back here.
It's at the end, G339.
Mike backs out of the room.
Harmonia flops back into bed and giggles and grabs the pillow.
HARMONIA
Where were we?
FANTASY RESUMES:
Harmonia kisses Orion's furry chest over and over. She buries her face in it, inhales, rubs his hairy arms.
HARMONIA
Oh my god, Ri. Kiss me.
He kisses her. She melts and closes her eyes.
Suddenly it's the Bartender in Orion's place, kissing her. She's totally into it.
She opens her eyes...
EXT. WOODS - DAY
They lie naked on a bed of Autumn leaves. She looks up at sunlight glistening through gold and red.
The Bartender gets on top of her.
She stares at the dirty river.
She hears a twig snap and looks back to the forest, where she glimpses a mountain lion. She stares at it. Its gaze
pierces her soul.
She closes her eyes. A tear streams out.
The Bartender pulls back, deliberate. He holds there.