LACEY
Here is a pad of paper and a pencil.
If you see anyone who resembles the
man, write down the number of the book,
and the number under the picture. O.K.?
FARLEY
O.K.
(LACEY returns to her desk. THOMAS sits down by Cagney's desk, as Officer COLEMAN approaches.)
COLEMAN
I haven't seen you around before.
Are you new around here?
THOMAS
No. I'm with the SWAT team. I go to all
the precincts when they need an interpreter
for the deaf.
COLEMAN
You must get around a lot. How many
interpreters does the Dept. have?
THOMAS
Only two. Olive and myself.
COLEMAN
Is Olive as pretty as you are?
THOMAS
No, he's not.
Cagney giggles as COLEMAN frowns.
CAGNEY
Pay no attention to the guys around here.
They're all married, except Isbecki and
Capt. Samuels. Neither of them is your type.
THOMAS
That's O.K. I go out with all kinds of guys,
even married ones. But with one condition.
We go where I want to go.
COLEMAN
See ya later.
LACEY
(incredulously)
You go out with married men?
THOMAS
Sure. But only if we go where I want to go.
Some of them like it so much they come
back later and bring their wives and children.
In fact, I'll even invite you two.
(THOMAS takes a couple of cards from her pocket and gives one to Cagney
and one to Lacey. Lacey reads the card out loud.)
LACEY
"2837 Victoria Ave., Queens.
Free admission. Bring a friend.
8:30 P.M. Monday through Friday."
That's right in my neighborhood.
What kind of place is it?
THOMAS
Bring a friend, or your family, and
find out. You'll like it.
(MRS. PARLEY approaches and hands Lacey a paper with numbers
indexing the pictures in the books.)
LACEY
Pay dirt. I'll pull the rap sheets.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN - NIGHT
We are in a small theater built in a storefront. The floor is flat. The room
is about 20 by 50 feet. In the rear is built a small stage about 15 feet from
the footlights to the rear wall. The stage is about a foot high and has no
curtain. There are about 50 folding chairs for the audience. The audience
is small, about 15 to 20 people, mostly deaf. On the stage is a "boom box"
with a tape playing. Officer Thomas is on stage in civilian clothes. As the
music plays, she interprets the words in sign language. It is like watching a beautiful and very meaningful dance. She is doing the last chorus as
CAGNEY, DAVID, MARY BETH, HARVEY, MICHAEL, AND HARVEY JR. enter together and take seats in the rear. Thomas finishes the song, stops
the tape, and acknowledges the applause of the audience. When it stops, she speaks, also signing the words. The music stops in 10 to 13 seconds.
THOMAS
I want everybody to meet some new guests we
have tonight. In the back we have Sgt. Cagney
and friend, and Det. Lacey and family.
(CAMERA on them for a few beats.)
THOMAS
(continues)
In the front we have Det. Isbecki,
and Det. Petrie with Mrs. Petrie.
CAGNEY
(loudly)
We might have known you would be here
Isbecki.
SAMUELS
All right, let her get on with the show.
THOMAS
And over there we have Capt. Samuels.
(Everybody looks at everybody else and then settles down. THOMAS
starts the tape and another song starts. She starts signing it. After
about 10 to 15 seconds.)
FADE OUT
FADE IN
INTERIOR - COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT
Three tables have been pushed together so everyone can sit around
them like they are one table. All are drinking coffee except Michael
and Harvey Jr. They have soft drinks.
CAGNEY
Why did you decide to learn sign language
when you can hear perfectly well?
THOMAS
I first saw it in church when I was
a little girl. The minister was
speaking, and there was a man signing
as he went. I thought that was really
neat and I wanted to learn it.
SAMUELS
How did you decide to become a police officer?
THOMAS
I came on a crime scene and the victim was deaf,
so I interpreted for the investigating officer. After
that I was called to interpret for the Precinct, and
sometimes for courts. I saw a need in the Dept. that
I could fill, so I joined the force.
MARCUS
It doesn't seem so hard to learn.
THOMAS
It's not. Anyone can learn it.
It just takes a little time.
CLAUDIA
How much time?
THOMAS
One or two nights a week for three or four months
and you'll just about have it. You can practice with
each other on the job.
LACEY
With my family, I don't think I could find the time.
You've got plenty of time Victor. Why don't you
do it.
ISBECKI
Welllll, I'm not ready yet.
CAGNEY
You'd have a hard time getting ready
for breakfast by lunch time.
THOMAS
Then it's settled. I'll help you, and so will
my deaf friends. Anybody else want to
get brave?
ISBECKI
Wait a min. If I'm going to get railroaded,
I'm not going alone. Come on Cagney.
CAGNEY stands up.
CAGNEY
I gotta wash my hair.
(Jeers all around as everybody gets up.)
MARY BETH
These boys have school tomorrow.
HARVEY
We'll talk about it and let you know.
(Small talk - chatter- as everyone starts to leave.)
FADE IN
LACEY APT. - NIGHT
The door opens and the Lacey family enters talking. MARY
BETH is carrying baby Alice.
HARVEY
That was a good show tonight.
MARY BETH
Yes, it was, and free too. It was nice of Mrs.
Henderson next door to take care of Alice
while we were there.
HARVEY
Sure was. I'll make coffee.
(Mary Beth puts baby Alice to bed. She is already asleep. The boys sit down at the table while Harvey starts the coffee.)
HARVEY JR.
We don't have any deaf kids at school. I never
thought about deaf people at all before.
MICHAEL
Me neither. Are there lots of deaf people dad?
HARVEY
Not very. Some of them were born that way,
and some got that way from getting sick.
HARVEY JR.
I think its neat hew they learned to talk with
their hands. I think I'd like to learn how to
do that.
MICHAEL
Me too. Miss Thomas said they have classes
there after school, and it's only two blocks away.
(MARY BETH comes in from the bedroom where she has heard this.)
HARVEY JR.
Can we, mom?
MARY BETH
Well, it seems to be a safe place to go after school,
and it is right in the neighborhood.
HARVEY
Yeah, but it's like going from one school to another
school after school. I never thought lid hear you
boys say you'd like to do that.
MICHAEL
It'll be fun, dad. And we can practice
with each other. Sort of like learning a
secret code.
HARVEY JR.
Yeah, and we can talk to each other
at a distance. It's easier than yelling.
HARVEY
O.K. by me. Mary Beth ?
MARY BETH
(smiling)
Sure. Why not?
CHRIS'S LOFT - LATE NIGHT
CHRIS & DAVID are sitting on the couch. They have drinks in their
hands and are in a quiet and thoughtful mood. Sort of mellow.
ANGLE each as they speak.
CHRIS
That was an interesting show tonight.
DAVID
Yeah, it was.
CHRIS
Do you ever get any deaf clients?
DAVID
Very seldom. When I do, I get an interpreter.
Deaf people do a pretty good job of staying
out of trouble.
CHRIS
I had a case of a mugger going after people in
wheel chairs. I got a wheel chair and decoyed
him to catch him. When people see someone in
a wheel chair, they can make allowances. But they
can't do that for deaf people. Their "inconvenience"
is invisible.
DAVID
We tend to think of everyone as the same as
ourselves if there isn't some sort of sign, like a
wheel chair, or a white cane. It must be quite a
problem for them.
CHRIS
I saw a program on TV a while back about how
deaf children are taught to lip-read and even speak.
DAVID
I saw that too. It looked like a miracle.
CHRIS
If I had more deaf people to deal with, I suppose
I could learn signing, but it's like you said.
They do a pretty good job of staying out of trouble.
(A couple of beats.)
DAVID
It's late. Let's go to bed.
(They get up and start heading for the bedroom, leaving the camera behind in the living room.)
CHRIS
They're good people. They deserve
some justice. Just thinking about
(They enter the bedroom but we can still hear Chris' s voice.)
CHRIS
(continuous)
an animal like that walking around free
leaves a bad taste in my mouth that even
these drinks can't wash away.
FADE OUT
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
14TH PRECINCT PARKING BAY - ESTABLISHING - DAY
14TH PRECINCT SQUADROOM - DAY
ANGLE ON PETRIE AND ISBECKI at their desks.
VICTOR
Did you and Claudia talk about the
show when you got home last night?
Marcus
Yeah. It was a nice show. But we've got a
heavy case load right now, and Claudia has
to grade her student's homework and tests,
so we don't have any time left to learn
signing. Why don't you do it?
VICTOR
All my girl friends got married, or left town,
or something. I'm spending all my spare time
looking for a new girl friend.
MARCUS
You might get lucky over there.
VICTOR
What do you mean by that?
MARCUS
Deaf women need love too.
VICTOR
Well....yeah....but I wouldn't feel right about it.
MARCUS
Why not.
VICTOR
I'd feel kind of like....I was taking
advantage, or something.
MARCUS
Victor, they're deaf, not stupid!
VICTOR
Yeah, but....
MARCUS
Did you ever see a deaf person walking down
the street carrying a sign saying "Please don't
take advantage of me because I'm deaf and
that makes me too dumb to understand
anything." ?
VICTOR
Noooo, .. but...
MARCUS
But me no buts. Give it your best shot. Or are
you are afraid of being rejected by a
handicapped woman?
(VICTOR gets a sheepish look on his face as OFFICER THOMAS
enters, in uniform, carrying a portable computer in a case.
CAMERA follows Thomas as she approaches Cagney's desk.
ANGLE Cagney and Lacey at their desks.(
THOMAS
Hi. I'm having my calls forwarded to
this number. Just let me hook this up.
(She puts the computer on the desk, opens the top, pulls out a cord,
and proceeds to hook it to Cagney's phone.)
NOTE: When I wrote this script I didn't know the telephone device for the deaf is called a TDD.
CAGNEY
What's that for?
THOMAS
It's how deaf people use the phone. If your
phone rings, and you pick it up, and all you
hear is a bunch of tones, then it's for me.
CAGNEY
O.K.
LACEY
Mrs. Farley gave us 17 possibilities. I've been
running them down. 6 are in the penitentiary,
in New York and 1 in Connecticut.
3 are dead from narcotic overdose.
1 moved to another state. That leaves us with 2.
I have addresses on both of them. You ready
to go check them out?
(The phone rings. CAGNEY answers it.)
CAGNEY
Ca......
(She jerks the phone away from her ear and frowns at it, then hands it to Thomas. Thomas flips a switch on her computer and types a bit.)
THOMAS
You can hang it up now.
(THOMAS types some more as Cagney cranes her neck to see the computer screen, still holding the phone.)
CUT TO:
CLOSE-UP of the computer screen as letters appear on it.
It is a deaf person calling.
CUT TO:
ANGLE Cagney and Lacey at desks.
CAGNEY hangs up the phone. and she and Lacey get up.
CAGNEY
We have to go.
THOMAS starts to disconnect her computer.
THOMAS
So do I.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
EXTERIOR- DETECTIVES CAR - ROLLING - DAY
LACEY at the wheel, CAGNEY beside her. CAMERA follows the car as it parks at the curb. They get out and enter a cheap hotel.
CUT TO:
STAIRS-LEADING TO SECOND FLOOR-CHEAP HOTEL ENTRANCE
CAGNEY AND LACEY climb the last three steps to the second floor where the hotel desk is located. The desk clerk looks like a slob. They approach and show their badges.
CAGNEY
I'm Sgt. Cagney and this is Det. Lacey.
(The DESK CLERK regards them with bored indifference. CHRIS takes a photo from her purse and shows it to the clerk.)
CAGNEY
We're looking for this man. His name is
Dwaune Richards. This is the address he
gave his Parole Officer
CLERK
Room 11. Down the hall on the left.
CHEAP HOTEL HALL
(CAGNEY AND LACEY approach room 11 and knock. In a few moments the door is opened by a man they recognize from the photo Chris has.)
CAGNEY
Mr. Richards, I'm Sgt. Cagney and this
is Det. Lacey. We'd like to talk to you about
a robbery and murder that took place about
a week ago.
RICHARDS
Sure. Come on in.
(He opens the door wide and they enter.)
INTERIOR - CHEAP HOTEL ROOM
Sparsely furnished with cheap furniture. A bed, a chest, two chairs,
and a mirror. A blue jacket is over the back of one chair. Cagney
goes to the closet and starts looking at the few clothes there. Lacey
sits in the chair with the jacket, when Richards invites them to sit.
Richards sits on the bed.
RICHARDS
Sit down. What do you want to know ?
CAGNEY
Where were you last Thursday night,
Mr. Richards ?
RICHARDS
I suppose someone said they saw someone
that looked like me.
CAGNEY
That's right.
RICHARDS
I work nights at a pizza place on 59th street.
I go in at 6 P.M. and work till closing at 3 A.M.
LACEY
Are there others working the shift
with you ?
RICHARDS
Yes. Three others. What time did
this happen ?
CAGNEY
Around 9 P.M. Do you have a tan jacket ?
RICHARDS
No. Just that blue one. And I've got an iron
clad alibi for 9 P.M. Thursday night. My
parole Officer and his wife come in every
Thursday about that time, and I always serve
them. Have you talked to him about it ?
CAGNEY
Yes, but we only asked for your address.
RICHARDS
Well, this is the first time I was ever been glad
to be on parole. I only have 6 more months to go.
It's been a long 6 years, but it's almost over now.
Sorry I can't help you solve your case.
(CHRIS and MARY BETH get up and leave. At the door on the way out Lacey says to him, with a smile.)
LACEY
We're glad your doing so well. We'll
keep in touch.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
INTERIOR - DET. CAR - ROLLING - DAY
LACEY at the wheel.
LACEY
I'm glad to see somebody who's reformed
and he's making it the honest way.
CAGNEY
Me too, but I didn't think he did it anyway
since he did time for burglary.
LACEY
You got the address for the other one?
CAGNEY
(looks at a paper)
It's down in the village.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
GRENWICH VILLAGE STREET - LATE AFTERNOON
Lacey parks the car. Cagney and Lacey go up to a door and ring the bell.
CAMERA CLOSES. A woman opens the door.
WOMAN
Yes?
CAGNEY
I'm Sgt. Cagney and this is Det.
Lacey. Is Mr. Adams at home?
WOMAN
No, he isn't.
LACEY
Can you tell us when he might come in, mam?
WOMAN
My husband is in the hospital. He had an accident
at work two weeks ago. I don't expect him home
till next week.
CAGNEY
What hospital is he in, mam?
WOMAN
The County. We don't have enough money
for him to go anyplace else.
LACEY
Thank you mam. We can see him there.
(CAGNEY and LACEY get in their car and leave.)
CUT TO:
INTERIOR - DET. CAR - ROLLING - A FEW MIN. LATER
CAGNEY DRIVING
CAGNEY
17 possibilities and we end up with nothing.
LACEY
Looks like we've come to a dead end.
CAGNEY
Maybe we should get together with Officer
Thomas and Mrs Farley, and start over from
the beginning. Maybe we missed something.
LACEY
Mrs. Farley has been walking the boys home
from the theater. All this time and I didn't
even know it was right in my neighborhood.
CAGNEY
How are the boys doing in learning
sign language?
LACEY
They just call it signing, and they are really
picking it up fast. They walk around the
apartment signing to each other all the time,
and Harv and I don't know what they're
saying unless we ask.
CAGNEY
They must be getting really good at it.
LACEY
They are. Everything has it's blessings. The
apartment has never been so quiet. They
never wake up the baby......Oh, drop me at
the corner. I gotta get some eggs for breakfast.
(The car stops at the curb. Lacey gets out.)
LACEY
See ya in the morning.
CAGNEY
O.K.
(The car pulls away as LACEY enters the grocery store.)
FADE OUT
EXTERIOR
14TH PRECINCT - ESTABLISHING - DAY (STOCK)
INTERIOR
14 TH PRECINCT SQUAD ROOM
ANGLE on Cagney and Lacey at their desks. SAMUELS approaches.
SAMUELS
How are you two doing en that case of
the "dummy" who got stabbed to death?
What was his name?
LACEY
Mr. Farley, sir, and they don't call them
"dummies" any more.
SAMUELS
Yeah ?? What do they call them now?
CAGNEY
Hearing impaired, sir.
SAMUELS
Hearing impaired, huh? Always coming
up with new terms so nobody understands
what anybody is talking about.
CAGNEY
If you were deaf, how would you feel
about being called stupid?
SAMUELS
Well, you know what I meant.
LACEY
Yes sir, and I also know what you said.
You said deaf people are stupid.
SAMUELS
O.K., I stand corrected. Now, how
are you coming with the case?
CAGNEY
We checked out all the suspects and
cleared them all. We've reached a dead
end till he does something else.
SAMUELS
Welllll....So who's the dummies now?
CAGNEY
That's not fair, we've worked just as hard on
this case as on any other. It's just that we've
temporarily run out of leads.
SAMUELS
Well work harder then. It seems that Farley's
Uncle is Judge Coe.
LACEY
The one with the reputation of giving
the maximum sentence all the time?
S AMU EL S
The same. And he knows how to give out
heat everywhere.
CAGNEY
What do you suggest we do, Capt. We've
run out of leads.
SAMUELS
There's only one thing to do. Get out on the
street and beat the bushes. Come up with
some new leads.
(SAMUELS turns and heads for his office. At the door he turns and calls out.)
SAMUELS
Get Isbecki, or somebody, to help you.
He closes the door to his office. With fire flying from her eyes Chris snatches up her purse, and heads for the Jane.
CUT TO: THE JANE
CAGNEY stamps in followed by LACEY. Chris throws her purse in the sink from half way across the room, and stamps across the room to stand in front of the sink, looking daggers at her own reflection in the mirror.
LACEY
Get a grip on yourself Christine. Whatever we
have to do to get this guy is what we will do.
CAGNEY
(loudly, turns and starts pacing) Of course we
will. I just resent his acting like we're not
trying our best, or we don't know how.
LACEY
You know he didn't mean it that way. I guess
he's getting a lot of heat from upstairs. It's our
heat and he's taken about all he can to protect us.
(CAGNEY does several takes, as her temper cools.)
CAGNEY
(quietly now)
O.K., so where do we go from here?
LACEY
Shopping. Maybe we can find a store that
sells bush beaters.
(They walk out, leaving the door open.)
FADE OUT
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN
EXTERIOR-14TH PRECINCT REAR ALLEY-DAY
CAMERA ON THE TRASH DUMPER. A man comes walking down the alley toward the camera. He finds the dumpster and lifts the lid.
CUT TO:
INSIDE OF THE DUMPER
Inside the dumpster is just a bunch of papers, coffee cups, etc.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR-THE ALLEY
The man looks around. He sees no one. He takes a book of matches from his pocket. He tears off the cover and tears out one match. He lights the match and uses it to light all the rest of the matches in the book. He drops
the burning matches in the dumpster and closes the lid.
He continues walking down the alley toward the camera.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR-NEW YORK STREET-DAY
The man buys a newspaper and takes up a position where he can look across the street and see the dumpster in the alley.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR-THE ALLEY
Smoke is now evident around the lid of the dumpster.
CUT TO:
THE MAN
CLOSE-UP showing the man's eyes looking over the top of the newspaper
at the smoking dumpster.
CUT TO:
THE ALLEY
Officer Coleman comes out of a door in the rear of the station with two
wastebaskets in his hands. He is surprised to find the dumpster burning. He
rushes back into the station.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR-14TH PRECINCT DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY
Various rooms open off of the hallway. Coleman rushes along the hall.
COLEMAN
FIRE!! FIRE!! EVERYBODY OUT!!
People come rushing from various rooms and follow
Coleman toward the front of the station.
EXTERIOR-14TH PRECINCT PARKING BAY-DAY
Various people rush out, mainly uniformed officers. Capt. Samuels takes charge. He issues orders.
SAMUELS
Nieto, call the fire department and be sure
they're on the way. Donaldson, take two men
with you and go to that corner. Detour the
pedestrians to the other side of the street.
Fornier, do the same at that corner. Wilson,
Greer, Thomas, get these cars out of the way.
Use them to block off the street and stay with
them to let the fire engines through.
The man lowers his newspaper and folds it. A crowd forms around him as we see him put his paper under his arm.
CUT TO:
THE MAN AND THE CROWD AROUND HIM.
A BEAT
CUT TO:
STREET
Fire engines come down the street with sirens wailing. They stop and the firemen start laying hoses. A news crew arrives and starts filming. They film the firemen, the police, and the crowd.
CUT TO:
THE CROWD
CENTER ON the man. His eyes are gleaming and he has a smile of delight
as he watches the excitement.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
THE ALLEY
The firemen have finished and left. All that is left in the alley is a very damaged dumpster, Marks of the fire on the building, and a lot of water everywhere.
CARASSA and a fire department arson investigator survey the scene.
FIREMAN
Arson, without a doubt.
CARASSA
Who the hell would want to burn
down a police station ?Nobody could collect a dime of
insurance for this.
FIREMAN
This is the fourth dumpster fire this week.
We had three last week, and four the week
before.
CARASSA
You mean somebody is doing this for the
thrill of watching the firemen put out a fire ?
FIREMAN
Looks like it.
CARASSA
We don't have enough to do. Now we have to
try to find an arsonist. A nut case at that.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
EXTERIOR - SMALL THEATER - NIGHT
ISBECKI shown entering.
INTERIOR - SMALL THEATRE - NIGHT
WIDE SHOT showing Isbecki taking a seat in the rear and a similar small audience to that in Act One. All is silence as the players on stage are deaf and doing a play in sign language only.
CUT TO:
ON ISBECKI as THOMAS sits down beside him.
THOMAS
(normal voice, not signing)
Hi. I saw you come in. Tonight they are
doing a play. My part is in the last act.
I play a housemaid.
VICTOR
(almost whispering)
What's it about?
THOMAS
(smiling)
You don't have to whisper. You and I are the
only ones here tonight that aren't deaf. It's a
love story that ends in tragedy. It's an original,
written by the woman on the right in the front row.
ISBECKI
Oh.. Looks.... .interesting.
THOMAS
It is....when you can understand signing.
I SBECKI
Yeah...I guess that would be better.
You said it's easy to learn. I was wondering
how a person starts.
THOMAS
You get a dictionary.
I SBECKI
They make a dictionary of signs?
THOMAS
Sure. I'll get you one. Be right back.
(CAMERA FOLLOWS Thomas as she goes to the side of the room.)
CUT TO:
ON ISBECKI as he watches the performance on stage and tries to figure out what is going on.
CUT TO.
ON THE PLAYERS on stage. A man and a woman are playing
chess and discussing the reasons they must end their relationship.
CUT TO:
ON ISBECKI as Thomas returns with a very attractive dark
haired woman about Isbecki's age.
THOMAS
Here you go. A dictionary, and grammar book too.
Her name is Amanda Kostopolous.
(She signs to Amanda and speaks to Isbecki.)
THOMAS
(continuing)
Amanda. this is Det. Isbecki, N.Y.P.D.
THOMAS
(Amanda signing)
Pleased to meet you. Jean says you
would like to learn signing.
ISBECKI
(Thomas signing)
Yeah...but I was thinking of some sort
of book, and call me Victor.
THOMAS
(Amanda signing)
A book for signing would be about a hundred
volumes and be all pictures. It would cost
several thousand dollars too. The best way
is to learn from someone who knows.
THOMAS
(signing and speaking for herself)
Why don't you two just go on over to the coffee
shop? The light is better there. Amanda has
already seen the show, so she won't miss anything.
ISBECKI
O.K.
(They rise and start for the door.)
FADE OUT
FADE IN
INTERIOR - COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT
ANGLE: ISBECKI and AMANDA are sitting in a booth on the same side of the table. The table is littered with papers with notes scribbled all over them. The napkin holder is empty too, and they have used all of them for notes as well. Amanda finishes writing a note and gives it to Victor. She points to the words, one at a time and shows him the sign for each. Victor says the word and imitates the sign.
VICTOR
The.. factory.. .where... I. .work... is. .very.
noisy. Or... so. .1'm... told. I...don' t...hear...
it...at... all. Everybody...who...works... there..
is. . . deaf. We.. sign.. all... day. People...
who...hear...think... it...looks...funny...to...
see,...but...we.. don't. .think.. so.
(Victor writes a note and gives it to her. He says the words out loud as she continues to show him the sighs.)
VICTOR
I... don't.. think. .its. . . funny. I... think..it's...kind...Of...pretty...the...
way. .you.. do. .it.
(AMANDA writes and gives it to him.)
VICTOR
Thank. .you. I... feel.. safe. .with... you..
since. .you' re. . . a. .policeman... and...
very...nice...too. Would...you... like.. to. .
walk. .me. .home?
(VICTOR forgets to sign and speaks.)
VICTOR
Sure, why not.
(AMANDA writes and gives it to him.)
VICTOR
It's...O.K....to...speak...when...I...
can.. see. .your... face. I... can... read.. .lips...
some. I...can...teach... you.. signing.. and. .
you. .can. .help... me. .with. .lip. .reading.
VICTOR
(looks at her and grins)
O.K. I never thought we might help
each other.
They get up to leave. Victor looks at the huge mess on the table for the waitress to clean up and leaves a five dollar tip.
ON Mary Beth and Harvey in bed. They are watching TV. The news is on and they are showing film from the fire at the 14th Precinct.
HARVEY
Hey, that's the 14th.
MARY BETH
Yeah. That was today.
CUT TO:
TV SET
On the TV screen are the firemen putting water on the fire in the dumpster.
ANNOUNCER(V.O.)
Arson was determined to be the cause of
another fire in a trash dumpster today. It was
located in the alley behind the 14th Precinct
Police station. Luckily, the fire was discovered
in the early stages of
(The scene changes to show the crowd. In the middle of it is the man who set the fire.)
ANNOUNCER (V.0.)
(continuous)
development, and extinguished before serious
damage resulted. There were no injuries.
CUT TO:
HARVEY AND MARY BETH IN BED
HARVEY
A little excitement at the station today. What
happened ? Did somebody get bored.
MARY BETH
It's not funny, Harv. The whole station filled
with smoke. It took three hours to air the
place out.
HARVEY
There was one guy there that seemed to
enjoy it. He was right in the middle of the
crowd watching the firemen.
MARY BETH
Don't joke with me Harv. Did you
really see somebody enjoying it?
HARVEY
Yeah, I really saw somebody.
(Mary Beth gets out of the bed and gets a pad of paper and a pen. She hands them to Harv.)
MARY BETH
Write me a description of the man.
(Harvey starts to write as Mary Beth starts to dial the phone.)
(We hear the ringing signal from the phone. After a
few rings it is answered.)
CARASSA (V.O.)
Hello.
MARY BETH
Did I wake you up, Al?
CARASSA (V.0.)
No, I was watching the news on TV.
MARY BETH
Did you see the story about the fire
at the station?
CARASSA (V.0.)
Yeah. just now.
MARY BETH
So did we. Do you remember the arson
investigator saying that the arsonist enjoys
fires and the excitement ?
CARASSA (V.0.)
Yeah.
MARY BETH
Harvey said he saw someone in the crowd who was enjoying watching the fire. I think the TV got pictures of the arsonist. I'll let Harvey describe him to you.
Hang on. Here Harvey. This is Det. Al Carassa.
(She hands the phone to Harvey.)
MARY BETH
(continuous)
Samuels assigned him the case of the arsonist
at the station. I want you to describe the man
you saw.
HARVEY
O.K.
(Harvey takes the phone.)
HARVEY
Hello?
CARASSA (V.0.)
Yeah, go ahead.
HARVEY
He was right in the middle of the crowd
FADE OUT
FADE IN
EXTERIOR-TV STATION-NIGHT
CARASSA rings the night bell and a station guard comes to the door.
GUARD
The station is closed for the night.
You'll have to come back tomorrow.
CARASSA shows him his badge.
CARASSA
I'm Det. Carassa, 14th precinct. - I need to
see someone in the news department. It's
very important.
GUARD
Well, if it's a police matter....
CARASSA
It certainly is.
GUARD
Come in.
CUT TO:
STATION OFFICE-NEWS DEPARTMENT
Only one reporter is on duty at this time of night.
GUARD
This is Det. Carassa, 1.4th Precinct. He
wants to see you about police business.
REPORTER
What did I do ?
CARASSA
Nothing yet. It's what I want you to do.
REPORTER
OK. What could I do for you?
CARASSA
I want you to get out all the news film of all
the trash dumpster fires. Put them all together
end to end so I can see them one after another.
REPORTER
OK. I can do that. But it will take me a couple
of hours.
CARASSA
I don't care if it takes all night.
It's very important. I'll wait for it.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
INTERIOR-THE NEWS ROOM-NIGHT
CARASSA is sleeping with his head propped on his hand.
REPORTER
Officer ? Officer ?
CARASSA
Yeah. OK. What do you have ?
REPORTER
Do you want to see the film now ?
CARASSA gets up and rubs his eyes.
CARASSA
I sure do.
REPORTER
OK. Come with me.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
INTERIOR-A VIEWING ROOM-NIGHT
CARASSA is viewing film on a Moviola machine.
NOTE: A Moviola machine is a machine used for viewing and editing 35 MM movie film.
It's used now only by movie studios. TV stations have replaced it with video cameras.
CARASSA
There he is again. That's the seventh fire
that guy was at. Can you blow that up
and give me a good shot of that guy's face ?
REPORTER
A lead pipe cinch. I'll have it for you
in fifteen minutes.
FADE OUT
EXTERIOR SIDEWALK - NIGHT
ISBECKI and AMANDA are walking along, slowly, toward the camera,
which precedes them. She is showing him signs as they go, pointing to
things and giving him the signs for them. He copies what she does.
Traffic light, no parking sign, things in store windows, etc. A group of
three punks spots them.
1ST PUNK
Hey, lookit the dummies!!. Ya wanna
have some fun wit' 'em??
Isbecki turns to them and pulls back his coat to show his badge.
ISBECKI
Go ahead. I got a cell reserved for you.
2ND PUNK
SHEESH!!