The 12

EXT. STREET BUS STOP - DAY

AMID, 30, a dark-skinned man of middle eastern descent waits at a normal suburban bus stop, wearing a business suit, his head covered by a traditional Muslim kufi. He glances around, anxious for the bus, but remains confident and poised. He holds a fashionable brown briefcase.

FATHER JACKSON, wearing a white clerical collar against a black button-down shirt with rolled-up sleeves, approaches the bus stop and without noticing Amid, bends over and looks at the bus schedule at the back of the covered cubicle. He slides his finger down the timetable, holds his finger on what must be the right one, and checks his watch. Amid checks his watch at exactly the same time.

Father Jackson steps out of the covered bus stop into the bright sun and looks down the street. He checks his watch again. In physical appearance, the Father is a stereotypical, slightly overweight, middle-aged American. He turns his head in the opposite direction - towards Amid - and looks back forward. After a short moment of recognition, he turns back to Amid and smiles awkwardly, raising his hand in an unsure wave.

FATHER JACKSON
(With a southern accent)

Hi, how you doin' there? You waitin' for a bus?

AMID
(Clearly, without accent)

I'm fine, thank you. And yes, I'm waiting for the number 12 bus.

FATHER JACKSON

Ah, me too! I'm Father Jackson. Nice to meet you.

Father Jackson puts out his hand, and as Amid slowly extends his, the Father snatches it and shakes it hard several times. Amid nods and then slowly places his hand back in his pocket. He looks down the street for the 12.

FATHER JACKSON (Cont.)

So, where're you from, mister?

AMID

From Plimoth Street. Just going to work.

Amid points over his shoulder at the direction of the street, but retains eye contact. Father Jackson stares blankly, then looks a bit flustered.

FATHER JACKSON

Well, isn't that great. You must be the ones that just moved in. It's a fantastic neighborhood if I do say so myself. I'm the next street over. (Clears his throat.) So where'd you move from?

AMID

Providence.

FATHER JACKSON

Okay, Providence. Hmmmm....I just thought...

Father Jackson points to the kufi, but quickly closes his fist.

AMID

Sorry?

FATHER JACKSON

The...uh...hat.

AMID

Uhm yes. It's called a kufi.

Again, Father Jackson looks blankly for moment, then smiles amiably. Amid leaves the conversation at that.

FATHER JACKSON

Well, shoot. Isn't that great.

There is momentary pause which lengthens into an awkward silence. The father starts to say something, but hears the bus and decides against it. The number 12 bus rolls to a stop in front of them and the doors open.

They walk towards the door, and though Amid obviously gets there first, Father Jackson extends his arm to give him the right of way. He smiles wide, and Amid smirks politely back. They step on the bus and it pulls away.


EXT. STREET BUS STOP - CONTINUOUS

The bus leaves and reveals two old ladies who have just exited and are looking opposite ways down the street. They're wearing flower dresses and both carry small handbags. MISS GRATEN, holding a cane, turns to look in the same direction as MISS MAYFORD, who wears a white shawl on her shoulders. We hear heavy footsteps of someone running (offscreen).

A young man, 21, dressed in a black suit and wearing shoes that are too big for him, runs after the bus, reaching his arm dramatically out after it. After kicking the loose gravel on the road to further show his frustration, ELDER ROBINS bends over to catch his breath. Another young man dressed in a dark suit, ELDER BAILEY, 19, who appears visibly younger and slightly overweight, shuffles after the first and stops right beside him. They both have similar nametags on the front of their suit coats. The old ladies stare at them saying nothing.

The young men brush themselves off, brush each other off, and catch their breath. As soon as the two are settled, the older one turns to speak privately with the younger one, his back to the ladies. The Elders speak in hushed tones, but make head nods and gestures in their direction.

ELDER ROBINS

Hey, I talked to the last J-Dubs. It's your turn.

ELDER BAILEY

Awww, come on. Can't we just not talk to them? All they do is fight with us anyway.

ELDER ROBINS

Elder! You've only talked to one person today. You need nine more before we go to the Henry's for dinner.

Elder Robins pulls out a small planner from his back pocket to double check as he talks. He flips it around to show Elder Bailey. He lowers his head slightly and widens his eyes, waiting for a response. Elder Bailey hesitates for a second, sighs, and walks past Elder Robins towards the ladies. He looks up at the bus numbers on the top of the cubicle and slows as he nears Miss Mayford and Miss Graten.

ELDER BAILEY

Excuse me, do you know when the next bus is coming?

MISS GRATEN

No, but there's a schedule right there.

She points inside, and Elder Bailey turns to look, but doesn't move his feet.

ELDER BAILEY

Oh. Thanks.

(Beat.) Elder Bailey changes tone from nervous to forced boldness, a little too loud for the close proximity.

ELDER BAILEY (CONT.)

Do you know who you are and where you came from?

MISS MAYFORD

Yes. We're Jehovah's Witnesses and you're the Mormons. We talked to you last week. (Beat.) Well, not you exactly...but other ones...

She trails off in an annoyed, grandmotherly tone. She gestures with the pamphlet in her hand as she speaks, then stops and looks at it.

MISS MAYFORD

Here, read this. It might do you some good.

He takes the Watchtower pamphlet without saying anything. Miss Graten looks the other way, but her lips curve into a weak smile from time to time during the conversation. Sensing defeat, Elder Bailey searches his brain for something to keep him in the game.

ELDER BAILEY (CONT.)

Would you like one of our cards?

He takes several small cards out of his back pocket and looks through them like a hand of poker. He finds an appropriate one and extends it to Miss Mayford. Miss Graten, now turns to Elder Bailey answers for the both of them.

MISS GRATEN

I think we're quite alright, son.

She looks at Miss Mayford and then back down the street. Elder Bailey looks at Elder Robins and walks towards him on the other side of the bus stop. The two pairs stand on opposite ends and remain looking forward blankly for a few minutes. Miss Mayford takes another Watchtower out of her handbag as Elder Bailey folds his into his back pocket.

Miss Graten pulls an old, silver pocketwatch from her purse and checks the time. Elder Robins fishes a cell phone out of his pocket, torques his wrist to look at the digital clock, then drops it back in.

A bus comes from the other direction and stops on the other side of the street. Elder Robins quickly looks at the open planner still in his hand, makes a split-second executive decision, and sprints across the four lane road to catch the bus. Elder Bailey looks up, realizes, and sprints after him. Seconds after the Elders' bus leaves, the 12 comes in front of the Jehovah's Witnesses. They get on and it pulls away.


EXT. STREET BUS STOP - CONTINUOUS

A heavily worn hatchback car pulls up to the bus stop, a man driving and a woman in the passenger seat. DANIELLE, 25, opens the door, kisses her husband, and steps out. She waves as it pulls away, waits until it's out of sight and then looks around. She is dressed casually but respectably, and is completely accustomed to this morning ritual. She finds a seat, sits down without looking at the schedule, and starts playing with a gold, cross necklace.

CELESTE, an average-looking American housewife, age 30, walks up to the bus stop with a bus pamphlet in one hand, her other grasping her toddler's outstretched arm. WES, the toddler, is darker skinned than Celeste and holds a small stuffed monkey. Celeste looks up at the numbers, back to the paper, at her watch, up, and then back down.

Seeing an opportunity to help, Danielle smiles to herself, puts the necklace into her shirt, inches forward on the bench, and then speaks.

DANIELLE

Hi. D'you two need some help?

CELESTE

Oh. Yeah, that'd be great. I can't make sense of this. We just moved to Amesburg and haven't figured out the local buses yet.

DANIELLE

Well, the 12 should be coming in a couple of minutes, and that goes right towards the shopping center. Is that where you're headed?

CELESTE

Yeah, I thought we would find the grocery store and check out the area. Wes' hoping there's a nice playground somewhere nearby.

Celeste squeezes Wes' hand and shakes it a bit. Wes, who has been shyly watching Danielle, now ducks behind his mom.

DANIELLE

There's a huge park right on the way. You'll see it from the bus. I take my niece there all the time.

CELESTE

Wow, Wes! Isn't that great?

She shakes his dangling arm again. She smiles and remains quiet for a moment.

CELESTE (CONT.)

Are you from around here?

DANIELLE

Yeahp. Lived here my whole life. Never really wanted to leave. Everything just fits fine. Why fix it when it's not broken, right?

CELESTE

Haha, exactly. That's wonderful. (Sigh.) Me and my husband Amid have moved around quite a bit. Nothing has seemed to fit quite right.

DANIELLE

Well, hopefully everything works out here for you all. Oh, here comes the bus.

All three turn and watch as it approaches. Danielle stands and they walk to where the door will open. Celeste steps on the bus, and while she's figuring out the bus fare, Wes accidently drops the monkey down the steps. Danielle picks it up, tickles it in his face, and then hands it to him. Celeste looks back and the two women smile at each other. They get on the bus, and we see Danielle and Celeste continue their conversation as it drives away.

FADE TO BLACK.

Dean

9 May 2008

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