Sidewalks (Episode 1)

7/29/2019 Sidewalks (Episode 1)

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Sidewalks -(Pilot)

Written By

Matthew Lamb

1617 N EL CENTRO AVE STE 3LOS ANGELES, CA 90028+1 (323) 319-3337


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EXT. BUS STOP DAY

Splatters of blood fall on the dirty concrete from a cut onMark's forehead.

Mark is lying flat on his stomach, his slender young frame

sprawled out, with his face in the pavement. He pusheshimself up from the sidewalk with blood dripping from hishairline into his face. A bus is stopped in front of thebusy metal and concrete stop.

The bus doors open and people are stepping on. A YOUNG MANis standing just inside the front bus door beside the BUSDRIVER as other passenger brush by him boarding the Metrobus.

The YOUNG MAN is holding his phone to his ear and ismotioning for Mark to lay back down. He yells to Mark overthe sound of the bus engine and busy morning traffic. Mark

is up on all fours, dazed and with blood still dripping froma cut on his forehead.

YOUNG MANDude... Just lay back down, anambulance is on the way.

The door of the bus closes with a quick hiss and the busroars away with the muffler blowing a hot blast as it passesdirectly in Mark's face.

MARK (V.O.)I've done just about every thingyou can think of on the sidewalk atsome point or another.

He looks around confused and reaches up to the blood pouringfrom his head. On the sidewalk to his left a guitar case islaying on it's side and a book bag dangles loosely off hisshoulder.

MARK (V.O.) (CONT'D)But this is the first time I'veactually spilled blood on it... Iwish I could say it would be the

last.

Mark makes up to his knees and looks around reeling a littleoff balance.

MARK (V.O.) (CONT'D)I wish I could say it would be thelast.


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He slowly makes it to his feet, gathers the guitar case andwalks to a corner a few yards from the bus stop and turns.

People pass in cars and on the sidewalk but no one pays

attention to Mark as he walks away still bleeding and wipingblood from his eyes.

A siren is approaching from a distance. Mark picks up thepace to a near jog, the guitar bouncing loosely at his side.

INT. BOARDING HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

Mark enters into the living room of the boarding house.Nelson is in his sixties with grey tufts replacing all but alittle of his thinning crop of curly black hair. He is onthe couch watching a morning cable news show wearing hismailman uniform pants and a pristine white t-shirt tucked in

neatly behind a belt.

Nelson pays little attention to Mark stumbling in but whenMark bumps clumsily into the coffee table spilling hiscoffee, Nelson looks up and notices Mark's bloody head andshirt.

NELSONOh shit brotha.

Nelson get's up and exits into the adjoining kitchen area.

NELSON

Charlie you better come here, yerboy's all fucked up.

Charlie is washing dishes at the kitchen sink, he is a shortmiddle aged man with long dark hair pulled into a pony tail,his voice is soft and compassionate, full of concern as hespeaks slowly.

CHARLIEWhat are you talking about... who?

NELSONYer boy Mark's, bleeding out the

head.

Charlie is concerned, he grabs a dish towel and comes to theliving area drying his hands. He sees Mark and rushes over.

CHARLIEOh no, what happened? Are you okay?

The siren is getting close again, Mark looks out the window


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in the door. Charlie wipes at the blood on Mark's head. Markis still looking confused but does not seem to be hurt verybadly.

MARKI'm okay, I just busted my head on

the sidewalk.

CHARLIEHow?

MARKI don't know... I was at the stop,just standing there waiting on thebus and the next thing I knew I wason the ground and the bus wasleaving.

CHARLIE

Lay down on the couch man, heregive me the guitar.

Charlie takes the guitar and leads Mark to the couch. Nelsonis again sitting on the couch, he moves to another chair.Mark lays down wiping his bloody head with the towel.

MARKI better call work.

Charlie walks away to the stairs with the guitar.

CHARLIE

No you lie down. I'll call Tom andtell him your not coming in... Justlay down, I'll be right back. Igotta get my phone.

Charlie darts upstairs with the guitar.

MARK (V.O.)That's Charlie, he got me a jobselling guitars after he agreed togive me a room. He runs this lowrent boarding house here in Los

Angeles.

INT. CHARLIES ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Charlie's room is small and stuffed full of guitars. Heopens the guitar case, takes the guitar out opens acompartment in the bottom of the case, it's full of pills ina plastic bag.


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MARK (V.O.)Mark loves guitars... and pills.

Charlie finds his cell phone and dials.

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The siren is getting louder again and Nelson turns up the tvas an African American pundit is slamming the President on anews program. Mark is still wiping blood off his face layingback on the couch. Nelson is talking loudly to no one inparticular.

NELSONWhen I was his age a black mantalkin about the President likethat would get beat down and lockedup. Godamn turkey neck motherfucker oughta have a little more

goddamn respect for his president.

Charlie comes back down stairs with the phone to his ear. Hewalks through the living room to the front door.

CHARLIE (ON PHONE)Yes, I hear the siren. It's Number1617... I'll go outside and flagthem down.

Charlie opens the door and goes outside. Mark sits upquickly and tries to go after Charlie.

MARKNo Charlie... I don't want anambulance... Charlie!

Mark is light-headed and dizzy when he stands, he fallsimmediately into the coffee table crashing with it into thefloor.

EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT

Mark is walking alone among drunken and high bar crowds ofmostly young men at closing time.

MARK (V.O.)This all started last night duringthe sidewalk sale. That's the timeof night when the bars close andall the drunk guys are looking forsomeone on the sidewalk to hook upwith.

Mark sees Justin leaning against a wall with hands squeezing


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on his tight blue jeans bulge. Justin is cute and looks tooyoung for the bars, blonde, petit and clearly giving off astrong sexual vibe towards the handsome Mark.

MARK (V.O.)I'm not old enough to get into the

bars, so I wait for them to comeout to me, and by then, they aregood to go.

A young guy bumps into Mark rushing to the gutter to throwup. A Drag Queen rushes in behind the puking guy and helpshim up. Another Drag Queen is standing nearby watching.

DRAG QUEEN 1 (TO THE OUKING GUY)We gotta get you home and in bedsweetie.

DRAG QUEEN 2

Uh, uh. I bet you do you old skank.

The first drag queens shoots an evil look at the other asshe is helping the drunken young man stand and walk.

DRAG QUEEN 1 (SCREAMING)I told you, he is my cousin youbitch!

DRAG QUEEN 2I know you did you stanky ho. Ialso know how you country bitchesis wit ya cousins too. I know whatyou gonna do to that po littlewhite drunk boys ass too. Ya can'tbull-shit a bull-shitter...

The Drag Queens and the younger man make their way down thestreet. Mark walks over and leans beside Justin on the wall.

JUSTINYou got any weed?

MARKYeah, a little.

Justin stands up off the wall and nods for Mark to followhim. Mark looks around at the sad lot of the bar crowdrejects and falls in behind Justin who is cutting throughthe others on the sidewalk walking quickly away from thelighted bars and into a darker section near a tree hangingover blocking the street lights.

Justin walks under the tree and sits on a concrete wall


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dividing the sidewalk from the landscaping in the shadows.Mark hops on the wall beside Justin and slides over againstto him.

JUSTINDo you have a pipe?

Mark pulls a glass pipe from his wallet and a medicine jarwith his weed. Justin grabs the weed and pops the top takinga big sniff.

JUSTINSmells pretty good.

MARKIt'll do the job.

Justin hands the weed back to Mark taking the opportunity tosize up Mark's tall lean figure.

JUSTIN (WITH INNNUENDO)I bet it will.

While Mark stands to pack the bowl using the wall as a worktable, Justin reaches over and slowly lets his hand walk onit's fingers up Mark's arm and around his shoulders, downhis side to the front of his pants. Mark grins when Justingrabs his crotch and gives a gentle squeeze.

MARKWell, your kind of forward aren'tyou?

JUSTINYou could say that. Do you have anyspeed.

MARKSpeed? No, I don't usually messwith...

Justin cuts him off as he lets go of Mark's dick and grabsthe packed pipe quickly.

JUSTIN

Do you have a lighter?

MARKYeah. Why the rush, you gotta besomewhere?

Mark hands the lighter to Justin who takes a huge longseries of hits from the pipe all the while talking betweenlighting, hitting, holding and exhaling with heavy coughs.


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JUSTINIt's not that... I just.... wantto... Get some speed... Tonight...Before it get's... Too... Late.

Justin hands the pipe to Mark who has to stir and tap it to

see if there is any weed left. There is not, he dumps it andpacks more. While Mark's hands are busy and his back turnedaway from the street, Justin pulls at his pants and unzipsthem. Mark looks around with a devilish grin to make sure noone is watching. Justin pulls Mark's dick out and startsgiving him a hand job.

Mark takes a big hit from the pipe and holds his head backletting the smoke rise slowly up into the tree with his eyesclosed and Justin tugging steadily on him.

Suddenly Justin is nibbling on his ear and neck and whispersto Mark.

JUSTINTurn around.

Justin pulls on Mark's shoulder and spins him around withhis back against the wall. Justin is kissing feverishly onMark's neck and now rubbing on his chest with both hands.Mark's hard on is hanging out of his pants swinging in theair.

Mark opens his eyes just in time to see a couple of carsapproaching down the street, he tries to put his dick in his

pants but Justin pushes his hands away and keeps him fromit.

The first car goes by with a car load of guys staringthrough the car window at the exhibition on the sidewalk.They hoop and holler at the two boys making out and cat callwildly as they zoom past. The next car slows and stops atthe curb. A good looking man in his early thirties with darkskin and nice smiles appears behind the rolling down window.

RANDYYou boys want some privacy? Comeback to my hotel with me. I have

some speed.

Justin breaks his embrace from Mark and hurries over the carand opens the back door. Mark is still at the wall lookingconfused.

RANDYHey, your friend is coming tooright.


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Justin comes over and grabs Mark's dick again.

JUSTINCome on, go with me.

MARK (V.O.)

Now this is the time when I wouldusually back out of the freakyplan, but when I say I was draggedby my dick into the car; I mean, Iwas literally dragged by my dickinto the car.

Justin pulls Mark into the back of the car, the two guysfall on one another in the back, Randy speeds away drivinglike a maniac.

INT. RANDY'S CAR - MOMENTS LATER

Randy is driving but is distracted by Mark's open zipper andflopping dick. He keeps reaching behind the seat to grope atthe boys and turning around and licking his lips. Justinbrushes Randy's hand away from Mark's crotch.

JUSTINDidn't you say you had some speed?

Now Randy opens the glove box, stretches across thepassenger seat and rifles through paperwork and trash tofinally pull out plastic bag of speed.

Justin reaches out and snags it. He sits up in his seat and

slides over off of Mark and uses a key to scoop out a coupleof big bumps sniffing one up each nostril expertly. Justinscoops out another bump for Mark who leans over and snortsit.

Randy reaches back to get the speed but Justin is alreadydigging back into it for another bump.

RANDYThat's okay, I have more back atthe hotel.

Randy turns back to driving like a maniac while Justinstruggles to get more speed out of the bag without spillingany. Mark zips his pants and sits up in the seat and noticesRandy leering at them in the back, licking his lips with hiseyes full of anticipation.

EXT. HOTEL PARKING LOT - MOMENTS LATER

The car is parked in front of a motel office. Randy isinside the lobby at the desk, filling out a form. Mark is


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rubbing on Justin's leg and chest, trying to get him turnedon but Justin is ignoring Mark and instead is staringintently at Randy inside.

JUSTINDidn't he say he had more speed

back at the hotel?

MARKYeah, and?

JUSTINHow can that be true if he is justnow checking in? If he's lying, I'mgoing to kill a motherfucker.

Mark laughs out loud at Justin's sincerity but Justin doesnot really seem to be joking. Randy comes back out and getsin the car.

RANDYWhat's so funny?

JUSTIN (SERIOUSLY)Nothing.

Mark continues laughing, he seems a little delirious as thedrugs are kicking in full force. They pull to a parking spotnear the end of the hotel building and get out.

MARK (V.O.)This is about the time that

everything started going south.

Randy is moving quickly, like he can't wait to get to theroom. He opens the trunk, grabs some liquor and a duffle bagfrom the trunk and hurries Mark and justin to the roomupstairs on the second level on the end.

(MONTAGE OF STILL SHOTS THAT CORRESPOND TO THE ACTIONSEXPRESSED IN MARK'S FOLLOWING VOICE OVER DIALOGUE. THE

ACTORS HOLD A POSITION LIKE A PHOTO AS THE CAMERA ROLLS FORA FEW SECONDS IN EACH SCENARIO)

INT MOTEL ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

MARK (V.O.)The next couple of hours are ablur. Randy wanted to get rightinto sex but Justin was irritatedbecause he thought Randy was lyingabout having more speed. So then

(MORE)


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Randy tried to get me to do things

MARK (V.O.) (CONT'D)

with him but I was totally onlyinto Justin. So things got a littleugly, but then when Randy confessedthat he did not have any more speedas Justin had suspected all along

it got really ugly. I'm not surewhat all happened but eventuallyRandy left me and Justin in theroom alone while he went to go getstitches or something.

(Snap shots of three way sex with Justin disinterested.Randy advancing on Mark. Randy becoming frustrated. Justingetting angry and yelling. Mirror busted with a lamp. Glasscut on Randy's hand. Randy leaving angry and bleeding.)


I tried to get it going again withJustin then but the Hotel Managercame knocking on the door yellingabout the credit card. We would notopen the door and pulled the safetylatch to keep him from coming in.He was screaming in Chinese orsomething but we just laughed.

(Snap shots of Justin and Mark on bed. Angry Manager throughdoor eye hole. Manager trying to open latched door. Justinand Mark laughing at him. Manager storms away angry. Onphone with cops.)

EXT. HOTEL PARKING LOT - LATER

MARK (V.O.) (CONT'D)He was so pissed so when he left togo call the cops me and Justinsnuck out the door and jumped overthe ledge on top of a box truckedand ducked out the back alley ofthe hotel.

(Snap shots of Mark and Justin climbing over ledge, jumping

off truck roof, slinking away.)EXT. BUS STOP - LATER

MARK (V.O.) (CONT'D)We waited on a bench together forthe Night Owl bus but there was notmuch said between us.

(Snap shots - Mark and Justin at Bus Stop beside each other,


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not engaging.)

EXT. BUS - LATER


I tried to get Justin's number buthe declined and sat apart from meon the bus ride.

(Snap shots - Mark and Justin on Bus sitting several seatsapart on nearly empty bus.)

EXT. BOARDING HOUSE - MORNING

MARK (V.O.) (CONT'D)It was a long ride and long walkbefore I got home after daylightwith just enough time to get

dressed and go back out to wait inthe bus for work.

(Snap shots - Mark walks slowly across yard of the boardinghouse at daylight. Sprinklers start up. In the shower.)

EXT. BUS STOP DAY - MORNING

MARK (V.O.) (CONT'D)I'm sure that is why I passed out.No sleep, the speed, weed andalcohol. That has to be it, but, Ijust did not want Charlie to know I

was out partying all night after hegot me the job. Charlie is the onlyone in the whole city who seemslike he actually cares about me.But really, I'm not sure why hedoes though, I mean seriously...Look at me.

(Snap shots - Mark stands at stop, eyes flutter. People'sfaces over Mark at stop after he passed out. Mark on groundshaking on ground with head bleeding.)

INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Mark is on a gurney in the living room floor being lifted tothe rolling position. EMT GUY 1 is reading his bloodpressure.


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EMT GUY 1Let's take him in.

MARK (MUMBLING)No, I don't want to go in.

EMT GUY 2Sir, you've lost consciousnesstwice, we have to.

The EMT's roll the gurney and Mark out, Charlie is holdingthe screen door open, he leans down as Mark passes by andwhispers.

CHARLIEMake sure they give you some pillsfor pain buddy. You'll be fine.

The EMTs roll Mark out to the waiting ambulance and load him

in. They pull away slowly with the lights flashing.

FADE OUT

Sidewalks (Episode 1)

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