Way
Ticket
It is dusk. The pinkish sky fades to orange, and
orange will
quickly become redder and then purple before a black mass envelopes
the campus.
Shit.
Do you want me to
kill you?
Idiot!
Sorry. Hi. Could
you
possibly point me in the right direction? I've got to give a lecture
in the
English Lit. Building and I'm kind of turned
around.
It's right in
front of you.
INT. LECTURE Room 03
Disheveled and clearly agitated he enters the room.
Glances
to clock: 7:16. Glances to full room of bored
students.
Sorry I'm late.
I'm Mark
Bauer. Tonight I will be talking to you about the great opportunities
for
teaching English
overseas.
I thought this was
supposed
to be a seminar on the power and influence of Quentin Tarantino on
western
Civilization.
I don't know
anything about
that.
(To the class)
There has
been a change. Tarantino's seminar - upstairs -
202.
MARK
(To himself)
Great.
Okay. So, have any
of you
been overseas?
A MUSCLE GUY in front,
MUSCLE
GUY
I've been to
Tijuana.
MARK
Good. However, I
don't think
that's really considered
overseas.
Of course, if
you're British
or Australian.
Then yes, you are
absolutely
right, that qualifies as overseas.
Exactly.
MARK
Okay, we'll get
started in
just a minute. I've just got to get this on here,
and..
The damn thing will not fit. He is flustered. He
forces it.
He applies too much muscle and he dumps the carousel. Slides fly
everywhere.
Crap. I have the
worst luck
with these things.
MARK
Thanks. I'll
remember you in
my will.
The lights go out. Projector light hits the screen.
Mark
standing in the back, remote in hand.
MARK
Okay. Let's get
rolling.
Where'd that come
from?
Skip
that.
Moreover, skip
that.
You haven't told
us where
you taught overseas.
Right. Thanks for
keeping me
on my toes. I like that. Actually, I was in
Indonesia.
Jakarta?
MARK
No. Good guess.
Jakarta
would have been my first choice. The pay is a bit
better.
Clicks the remote several times and lands on a
slide of
himself, pointing to a
chalkboard.
Here. This is
good. This is
me on my first day teaching English at an English School. In
Indonesia, there
are many English schools. They range from good to
bad.
Remember: Wherever
you're
teaching, it's important to maintain a professional attitude even if
the
cockroaches are as big as VW
Bugs.
How long were you
there?
Almost six
years.
Wow. You must have
seen a
lot.
Yeah, if you're
not careful
you'll see
Okay. Let us do
that again.
Pencil
He wipes the sweat
from his
face.
Penis
MARK
No.
Pen ciiiLLL
CLASS
Penis.
MARK
Not penis. Pencil.
Pencil.
It should roll off the tongue.
Pencil.
Mark picks up a
pencil.
MARK
Repeat it. Please
repeat it.
He gestures to them to repeat the word to their
neighbor. The
kids lean to their neighbor and repeat 'penis.
The bell
rings.
Thank
God.
INT. University CLASSROOM. EUGENE,
Oregon.
That's me at
PDX.
MARK
That's me saying
goodbye to
my parents. Mom is pretty choked-up
here.
Next slide. Close-up of Mark's
face.
MARK
That's a self-
portrait on
the marathon flight to
Singapore.
INT. PLANE. Economy class, window
seat.
A flash goes off. Mark is snapping a photo of
himself. Seated
next to him is a Chinese man. A beautiful Asian stewardess
approaches. She's
busting out of her long, high-collared dress.
STEWARDESS
What would you
like to drink?
MARK
I'd like some
oranges; I mean orange juice. You have orange juice, right?
Stewardess
Yes.
(To Chinese man)
And for
you, sir?
Chinese
Passenger
A double
martini
She serves Mark his dinner. Mark is visibly
uncomfortable
with the odd meal. The guy next to him is wolfing down his meal. Mark
opens his
chopsticks and grabs a glob of the stringy stuff.
INT. LAVATORY
LATER
Mark pukes his guts out in the lavatory toilet. His
face in
the bowl.
INT. LAVATORY Much Later
An Asian businessman knocks on the door. Mark is
resting his
head on the seat. His face is pale.
MARK
Read the
sign.
The man looks at the sign:
MAN
Occupied. My
apologies.
Mark rolls his head over and heaves into the
toilet.
A TRANS ASIA 747 plane lands in Surabaya,
Indonesia.
INT. It is mid 1997. Indonesia's economy is in
turmoil.
PLANE. FRONT.
Mark exits the plane.
STEWARDESS
Thank you for
flying with us.
MARK
(Indistinct
grumble)
He almost, but not quite, manages a smile
Passengers leave the aircraft by a portable
stairway and walk
right onto the tarmac.
Mark looks for his luggage to slide down the
conveyor.
Mark finds an Indonesian Baggage claim
manager.
MARK
It's black. About
this big.
It has a blue scarf tied to it.
Mark pantomimes the size of his missing
bag.
BAGGAGE Claim
manager
Scarf? Apa?
MARK
Like
this
He pantomimes wrapping around neck
BAGGAGE Claim
manager
No, no Sir. It is
not that
bad. We will find it.
He seems quite concerned that Mark will kill
himself right
then and there.
BAGGAGE Claim
manager Yes.
Black. How are
you?
MARK
Fine. I lost my
luggage. It
is black. About this big. Have you seen it?
Baggage CLAIM
MANAGER
Yes. Black. How
are you?
The head Customs OFFICER in a perfectly pressed
uniform,
expensive sunglasses, diamond Rolex, gold rings, polished black
leather shoes,
approaches Mark.
CUSTOMS
OFFICER
What seems to be
the problem?
MARK
Yes. Finally.
Thank you.
Someone who speaks English.
CUSTOMS
OFFICER
I speak English
perfectly.
MARK
Good. I am looking
for my
bag. It's black. About this size.
Customs
OFFICER
Well, we have many
bags like
what you described. Bags pass through our hands every day. For a
small
processing fee, we should be able to locate your
bag.
MARK
How much is this
processing
fee?
CUSTOMS
OFFICER
The larger the
fee, the
easier it is to find your bag.
MARK
I see. Is twenty
dollars,
okay?
CUSTOMS
MGR.
Yes. I suppose we
can find
your bag in three or four months.
MARK
Thirty dollars?
CUSTOMS
OFFICER
Five or six weeks.
It should
turn up by then.
MARK
Fifty
dollars.
CUSTOMS
OFFICER
I can have it to
you by the
end of the week.
MARK
How do I know I
can trust
you?
CUSTOMS
OFFICER
Here. Take my
card.
The officer hands mark a gold embossed business
card.
CUSTOMS
Officer
Call me on Friday.
I will
have your bag. What is your name?
MARK
Mark
Bauer.
CUSTOMS OFFICER
Okay, Mr.
Bauer, you give me the fifty U.S. dollars and I will look for your
bag.
EXT. Surabaya Airport.
Several Indonesian hotel employees holding signs
for various
hotels. Mark glances around. He does not see his name on any sign. He
approaches
one sign holder.
MARK
Are you from
Meridian
School? Meridian?
SIGN
HOLDER
No.
Sorry.
Mark walks up to a Woman
MARK
Meridian?
SIGN
WOMAN
She looks past Mark as she speaks.
They cheap. They
never come
pick up.
MARK
What?
SIGN
WOMAN
Yeah. You have to
take taxi.
MARK
Taxi?
SIGN
WOMAN
They have bad
reputation.
As she speaks, she sees the person she was waiting
for and
bolts. Mark is left with his mouth open.
MARK
Excuse me?
9.
The group giggles.
THE
GROUP
Excuse me, Help
Tolong. Apa?
Ha ha ha (and variations)
MARK
Taxi? Bad
reputation? I cannot believe this.
Anybody got any
ideas
All the hotel employees nod their heads in unison.
Mark takes
one look at them and wavers from the heat. It is damn hot almost
enough to
knock you down. The group hovers over him waving their signs in his
face.
MARK
You have no idea,
do you?
Again, they
nod
Mark gets into a taxi.
DRIVER
Bapak, mau
Kemana?
MARK
Look, I do not
speak
Indonesian. Just take me to a
hotel.
DRIVER
Hotel?
MARK
Hotel. Yes.
Hotel.
The driver turns up the radio and guns it. Mark
sinks into
his seat. Elvis's "SUSPICIOUS MINDS" wafts out of the dirty
speaker.
EXT. STREETS OF Surabaya
The driver sings along as he whips around the small
streets
dodging motorcycles, pedestrians and potholes.
EXT. View from TAXI WINDOW
Mark glances out to the dirty crowded streets. It's
a
different world. Becaks (pedicabs), vendors, open sewers, trash,
filth, and
people everywhere. Mark spots a few white guys walking out of a
massage parlor.
AT A STREET
LIGHT
Several kids rush to Mark's taxi and bang on the
windows
trying to sell their goods.
KIDS
Money mister,
money.
The driver honks the
horn.
A bored clerk hangs up the
phone.
How may I help
you?
MARK
1'd like a
room.
HOTEL
CLERK
How many in your
party?
MARK
One.
HOTEL
CLERK
Do you like big or
small
windows?
MARK
Big, please. I am
a bit
claustrophobic.
Okay. Here is your
key. You
are in room number14. That is 70,000 Rupiah a
night.
MARK
(Digging for his
wallet.)
I can't find it.
I’ve lost
it in the taxi.
MARK
Can I pay you
tomorrow? I
have to get some money exchanged.
HOTEL
CLERK
It is, as you say,
no
sweat.. However, I will need some
collateral.
MARK
I lmost never say
no sweat.
I do not have collateral. The airlines lost my
luggage.
Dirty green walls. Hasn't seen a decorator since the 70s.
Mark
MARK (To mirror)
You made
it.
He walks over and draws the large curtain. The
dirty window
is as big as a shoebox.
He pries the rusty window open, and looks out at
the hustle
and bustle below.
Mark with a towel around his waist passed out on
the bed. The
phone rings. Mark fumbles for it.
MARK
Hello.
HOTEL
CLERK
Hello. There is
someone in
the lobby to pick you
up.
Oh. Now they
decide to pick
me up.
Mark walks down the stairs barefoot. Waiting for
him is a
large young man in wrinkled white slacks, untucked dress shirt and an
incredibly loud tie.
(He is a big, bouncer-sized Scottish guy in his
twenties.)
Mark Man?
MARK
That's
me.
ANDREW
Hi. I'm Andrew
from
Meridian. Heard they left you high and dry at the airport.
Happens all the
time.
They're cheap bastards. Well, it is best you learn the ropes up
front. Luggage?
MARK
Lost.
ANDREW
Don't tell me they
fed you
that line of bull?
ANDREW
No worries. I've
got
connections.
Do not wear wet
clothes.
You'll get used to sweating your ass off in this
heat.
EXT. Andrew's motorcycle
Mark is shoeless and hanging on as Andrew weaves
through
traffic.
Andrew and Mark pull up in front, and walk
inside.
Mark and Andrew enter the office. OSCAR, the
nattily attired
British academic coordinator, sits behind his desk eating a
pastry.
ANDREW
(To Oscar)
Oscar, I want you
to meet Mark
Bauer, the new teacher from
America.
Oscar looks Mark up and down, while eating a
pastry.
OSCAR
Sit down. So, you
are the
American.
Oscar notices Mark is barefoot.
OSCAR
Good God, where
are your
shoes? Don't they wear shoes in America? Is that one of the many
cultural
influences the colonies lost after we left?
MARK
I had to leave
them with the
beautiful cockroach hotel - for
collateral.
Do me a favor?
Please don't
lose what remains of my luggage. I was stranded. Then, to top it off,
some taxi
driver is out there having a heyday with my credit cards and
traveler's checks.
OSCAR
Well one must come
prepared
for each and any situation.
Don't
you think?
Strange. Our
driver must
have forgotten to pick you up. Well, then. No matter. All that should
concern you
is that you're here in Surabaya. You are here at
Meridian.
OSCAR
Mark, allow me to
introduce
our gracious, caring host, and the administrator of this fine
facility, Joseph
Kubianto.
Joseph shakes Mark's hand almost as an
afterthought.
JOSEPH
Stop Oscar you
will make me
all red with your polite ways. Hello Mark, nice to meet you. You are
so
handsome and white. I love white teachers. Oh you are not wearing
shoes, so
Versace, and fashionable too. Oscar, get Mark whatever he needs. I
must go. I
have a facial and a massage that calls my
attention.
(He looks at
Oscar.) How's
my English? Be honest.
OSCAR
Perfect,
sir.
Oscar, you are too
very kind.
OSCAR
Well Mark, Andrew
will show
you where the supplies are. Your first class is in ten
minutes.
MARK
I'm not even
prepared.
OSCAR
Prepared? You
should always
be prepared.
MARK
What?
He stands stock-still. He's
stunned
OSCAR
Adapt and
overcome. Keep a
stiff upper lip.
I'm joking, Mark.
Relax.
Treat it as practice. You'll get your feet wet. Get over the jitters.
It'll be
fine. I'll be right there. Okay?
Mark and Andrew leave the office. Mark looks at
Andrew in
disbelief.
MARK
Does this happen
all the
time?
ANDREW
What's that?
ANDREW
Asking a rookie to
start
teaching on the first day without any prep. Not
cool.
ANDREW
Yes, usually. I'll
show
where the supplies are. What level is it?
MARK
Beginner?
ANDREW
Oh
fuck.
MARK
That sounds promising
A classroom with a long table and 12
students.
Oscar sits at the back of the class. Mark stands to
the left
of the large white board.
MARK
Hello everyone I
am your
teacher Mark.
Mark could be mouthing words or speaking Greek for
all the
reaction he's getting.
Hello everyone.
I'm your
teacher. Mark.
Students turn to each other and look perplexed. A
tall, thin
girl in her teens shrugs her shoulders. She asks the boy sitting next
to her a
question.
MARK
Do you know what
I'm saying?
STUDENT
No, I cannot speak
English.
MARK
Is there something
I should
know? (Under his breath)
Do you guys know
any English?
CHINESE GIRL
PEGGY
I speak a
bit.
MARK
What can you say?
PEGGY
I can sing Mary
had a Little
Lamb
ADRIAN
I know
that.
MARK
Anything else?
ADRIAN
Adrian responds in Indonesian.
I cannot say
anymore.
MARK
Of course you can,
everybody
can.
Let's sing Mary
had a Little
Lamb
BOY
Rap, yes I
like.
Mark is writing the words to Mary had a little lamb
on the
whiteboard. Splits the class into two. Then the group begins to rap.
It's very
bad. It's embarrassing, but they are doing it
together.
Mark is leading the rapping with his shirt pulled
out and
wearing a baseball cap turned sideways. He sings with the
students
Mary had a little
lamb
GROUP
2
Whose fleece was
white as
snow.
GROUP
1
And everywhere
that Mary went
GROUP
2
That sheep was
sure to go.
ADRIAN
Thank you Mr.
Mark. We had
fun in class today. Usually the fucking teacher is boring. But you
not. You is
fucking nice.
MARK
Well, that's nice.
Thank you
for being here.
Yuliana, a young and attractive secretary, sits at
the long
front desk. Mark walks in.
You have to go to
your new
home now. You can go with the driver. You stay with
Jose.
Jose? Have I met
him?
YULIANA
I don't know. He's
American
or Canadian.
MARK
Canadian? I have
to go back
to the hotel and collect my
things.
YULIANA
No need. They
threw your
things in the street this morning.
MARK
What?
YULIANA
They said you
didn't pay.
Don't worry. The boss has paid, but now you must move and here is the
address.
You can go now.
MARK
Now?
YULIANA
No, now you have a
meeting
with Mr. Kubianto. In the teacher's
room.
You're already
late.
MARK
I'm late?
YULIANA
You ask a lot of
questions.
Go to the meeting.
A few teachers hover near a small, low table with a
distressed looking green tablecloth. Flies are buzzing around what
appears to
be stale pastries and warm orange juice.
Teachers are working on lesson plans, or just
sitting around
all looking drained and sweaty. They toil as the broken air-
conditioner drones
in the background
Oscar enters.
OSCAR
Okay, everyone.
Remember
when Mr. Kubianto comes in and starts speaking look attentive and
interested.
NATE
I don't understand
him when
he speaks.
OSCAR
That's okay,
there's not
much to his verbiage anyway.
The most important
thing is
that we all
NATE
Hey, howse 'bout
fixing this
fucking air conditioner.
JOANNE
Just shut up. Now
here he
comes.
NATE
Hell of a
manager
MARK
Hmmmmmm
ANDREW
Real salt of the
earth.
Great leader.
MARK
Hmmmm
NATE
For Christ sakes,
shut up,
Bauer
OSCAR
Please be quiet,
Mark
Mr. Kubianto, a short, portly Armani-clad native.
On his
hands are pink and gold pinky rings.
OSCAR
Welcome, Mr.
Kubianto.
KUBIANTO
All teachers
here?
OSCAR
Yes sir, please go
ahead.
OSCAR
I just want to say
hello.
Hello
KUBIANTO
Hello. Now, we
start, I just
want to say thank you for helping make English good language and my
school
good. We can't pay you anymore what you are
earning.
TEACHERS
What?
KUBIANTO
We pay you more,
from now on
everyone gets another 300 Rupiah a
week.
OSCAR
Very generous of
Mr.
Kubianto.
KUBIANTO
No problem, but I
need to
see a new teacher. Mark, yes.
Mark? Where are
you?
MARK
Right
here.
KUBIANTO
Mark everyone ,
everyone
Mark.
OSCAR
Perfect Mr.
Kubianto.
KUBIANTO
Well. Mark is from
Russia.
STEFF
Oh, yeah..
Russian. I
thought they don't speak English in
Russia.
KUBIANTO
Remember to please
come on
time for classes.
We start come on
time so be
can on time. Yeah! Thank
you.
On a small street in the middle of Surabaya there
stands a
one story postcolonial.
Mark walks in and finds his bed has been made. On
the bed are
two regular pillows and two long bolsters. The bed is a double. There
is a
wardrobe and nothing else.
MARK
Hello
JOSE
Hello. Where are
you in from?
MARK
Russ ..
Portland
Jose turns and leaves. He's not a talkative
guy.
A small cluttered room, noisy air conditioner
rattles.
Several teachers are sitting at a table preparing for lessons. Hard
at work and
seriously confused, Mark is planning his lessons as he sweats
profusely all
over his lesson plans.
&nb
sp;
How's it going?
MARK
If could I sweat a
little
more, I wouldn't have to shower.
NATE
This place is
quite famous
for being infamous.
MARK
I don't
understand.
NATE
How'd they rope
you in? This
place is a shit hole.
MARK
You're here?
NATE
Tight quarters and
sweat.
That's my fantasy.
Sweat like hell
and get paid
shit. Minimum wage and heat blisters. Man, that is
living.
MARK
How come I never
see Jose
here?
NATE
He teaches
business classes
and in the public schools. He doesn’t mix with us.
ANDREW
and
he’s almost finished
with Meridian. Lucky bastard.
Joanne walks in. She's a well-built, stylishly
dressed young
woman. She's an American. She's also a seriously caffinated
bitch.
Joanne is frantically looking for a stapler.
Jose, Jose, Jose.
You’d
think he was a rock star the ways you talk about him. Old
degenerate.
NATE
Degenerate? No
that’s us.
Jose is
JOANNE
Probably gay
NATE
What the fuck are
you on
about? Do you actually need something?
JOANNE
Where the fuck is
it? Where
is it? Fuck! I can't fucking believe the shit that happens
here.
She reaches right over Mark and starts rifling
through his
stuff.
MARK
Excuse
me
JOANNE
(She's almost
screeching)
You cannot find
anything in
this country. Everything is just so
fucked
Mark, seeing the stapler under some books on the
table three
seats down, reaches over and grabs it.
JOANNE
Shit. (She grabs
it
viciously from his hand)
Are you new?
MARK
Yeah. Hi. I'm
Mark
JOANNE
Keep your hands
off other
people's stuff
MARK
You're
welcome
NATE
It's not your
stapler
Joanne. It's a school supply.
JOANNE
Same diff. Fucking
newbies.
Later (Mark in a different shirt. He's preparing
his lessons.
A slightly pudgy girl in her early 20's comes in
PIKA
Good morning. Oh,
you must
be tile new bloke who just came from
Russia.
MARK
No,
America.
PIKA
Oh Steff scores
again. You
aren't from Russia?
I was hoping to
score some
decent vodka. You sure?
MARK
Da.
PIKA
Apa?
Mark smiles
Pika exits quickly. We can hear the sounds of her
vomiting.
INT. Hotel bar NIGHT We see Mark chatting up a
young Javanese
waitress.
EXT. OUTSIDE HOTEL NIGHT Mark has picked up the
woman from
the hotel bar. It isn't a difficult task in Surabaya. Mark and woman
enter a
taxi
INT. JOSE"S HOUSE NIGHT
Mark and woman enter front door and make their way
to his
room. We don't see anything. It not romantic. It's drunk, desperate
and noisy
sex.
He takes her home. They make a bit of
noise.
INT. Jose's
House Morning Mark is dressed and shaved, but looks bagged.
Jose is in
boxers, a tank top and his hair is messed. He has a three-day growth
of beard.
JOSE
Hey,
what's wrong with you? You look like hell.
MARK
That's
good, because I feel like hell, and I didn't sleep very
well.
Where's
the aspirin? I woke up with a splitting
headache.
JOSE
That's
not the only thing you woke up with. You and your temporary
girlfriend came in
at four o’clock. You were both drunk.
MARK
Don't
you sleep?
JOSE
I
usually sleep until my roommate and his guest wake me
up.
I'm
worried about you. You don't eat right, and you look tired. If I were
you, I'd
slow down.
MARK
Thanks
for the advice.
JOSE
I
think you should have an early night
tonight.
MARK
Two
things for you to consider; One - If you were me, you'd have a life.
Two - you
should mind your own business. Hey, where's the coffee?
JOSE
I
don't know. I'm just
over here
minding my own business. Why don't you ask that bit of stuff you came
home with
last night? Hooker? Bargirl? Waitress? You're
quick.
MARK
You
should see yourself in the morning?
No
wonder you sleep alone.
JOSE
You
can't sleep alone. I think you should see a
psychiatrist.
MARK
I
don't need a shrink, but I have an insane roommate who needs
one.
What's
the matter with you? Are you human?
Jose gives
him a look and then ignores him.
INT. OFFICE
Later that morning (So Mark should be wearing the same shirt and
tie)
BART
He
said what?
PIKA
None
of his fucking business, Is it then?
MARK
What's
up?
NATE
They're
debating your situation.
MARK
Huh?
NATE
Oh.
They agree with you.
MARK
They
Jesus. I really messed up.
NATE
You
wouldn't be the first mate.
MARK
Nate,
I uhh
NATE
No
problem. We already moved your stuff.
MARK
Uh.
Thanks. I think.
Andrew burning his last brain cell with a bong hit
answers
the door. He's in shorts and a Rangers soccer sweat.
ANDREW
Hello there, are
you from
the Dutch Consulate?
MARK
No
ANDREW
You're not from
the Dutch
Consulate. You're here to sell us the seeds?
MARK
Seeds?
Andrew looks around the corner
ANDREW
Yeah the magic
seeds, Jack
and the Bean Stock type of seeds. Ones that grow very tall, very
sticky, and
very smelly.
MARK
No, I'm Mark.
Remember? We
already met at the school.
(A more lucid
teacher
mercifully appears. He's in T-shirts and shorts.)
Come in. Sorry
about the
psychedelic inquisition.
We are waiting for
some
seeds.
INT.
Inside the Teacher's house
MARK
No,
problem
ANDREW
You can take the
room at the
top of the stairs to the right.
I am going to pass
out now.
This is said in a barely coherent
mumble
Andrew suddenly flails on top of the couch, and
begins to
sleep. Mark looks around at the dirty laundry, broken chairs, open
refrigerator, and happy cockroaches are eating an open jar of peanut
butter on
the table. There is a sudden blare of music.
Mark climbs the winding staircase. By the time Mark
reaches
the last door top, the music is blaring. It opens. A billow of smoke
and a wall
of sound assaults Mark. British rock (The Clash) is heard. A figure
appears.
Nate is wearing nothing but boxers emblazoned with the British flag
and holding
a bong.
NATE
Hey.
MARK
Hello. Is Andrew
okay?
NATE
No.
MARK
Wow.
NATE
Sorry about the
perspiration. I'm trying to smoke out a
cold.
VOICE OF
FEMALE
Kemari
baby
NATE
Tunggu!
Are you sick?
NATE
Yeah, a bit of a
late night
last night. Have you found your room, yet?
MARK
Well Andrew said I
could
take the one on the right.
NATE
That's actually
Alex's room.
He's not here. He's in Bali on vacation.
He's between contracts. Take this one. There is a blanket and
pillow in
the closet, I believe.
MARK
Thanks
NATE
No worries. Need
anything -
just knock.
Mark sitting in his new home alone. He is wearing
shorts and
a Portland University T-shirt. A picture of Portland hangs on the
wall. Mark
begins to type on his laptop. Mark is talking out loud while he
writes e-mail.
Well, I'm here.
I've been
here for a week now. I'm teaching. I was living in a low-budget
hotel, but now
I'm in a neo-colonial house with a beautiful view of the
river.
Well. It's a view
of
something.
MARK
Okay, Good morning
class.
The students are totally passive and
subdued.
MARK
Well, I thought
today we
could start out with a song. Do you guys like music?
STUDENTS
(A few say yes, a
couple of
students say no and the rest are quiet)
MARK
That's a real vote
of
confidence. Do you like the Back Street Boys?
He passes out some pages
MARK
You have some of
the lyrics
to you. Listen while I play the song, I will play a little and then
stop.
20.
INT. ANOTHER
CLASSROOM
Chandrika, a beautiful Indian woman is lecturing
her class of
sleeping students. As they hear the music from the next room, they
start to
wake up.
Music lyrics
I
don't care who you are, where you're from
The students start to become active. They start to
sway back
and forth in their chairs. All of the sudden the door opens.
Chandrika comes in
yelling in a slight Indo/Brit.
accent.
Do you mind? The
noise is
affecting my class.
INT. CHANDRIKA 'S
CLASS
Students are dancing on the
tables and on
their chairs.
Mark turns off the
song.
The music is
odious Are
you listening?
MARK
Odious?
CHANDRIKA
Obnoxious
MARK
What do you want?
CHANDRIKA
They cannot
concentrate.
CHANDRIKA
This is an English
school.
It is not a disco. We teach English so they learn English well. We
are
teachers, not DJs. (She does go on)
CHANDRIKA
Next time, please
select
something else to do for your
lesson.
Bart, Steff, and Ana, and a few other teachers are
standing
outside the teacher's room trying to decide what to do for lunch.
None of them
have any money. Regards teachers' dress: Males will generally wear
slacks and
dress shirt - long and short sleeve - with tie.
Woman will wear everything from spaghetti string
batik slips,
jeans and sheer blouses, to casual business dress.
MARK
Where can I get
lunch?
ANA
Hey Mark is buying
lunch
MARK
I am?
STEFF
Sounds good. I'm
starving.
BART
Wonderful, Steff
have you been
making pot again before classes?
STEFF
Well, it's not
exactly pot.
It's a cross between a local grass stock and hashish with a little
cannabis
thrown in for flavor.
BART
Good shit?
STEFF
The best!
ANA
If you two are
done
conversing on the finer points of cross-pollination, we have a
problem. I'm out
of money
STEFF
Me too,
Ana
BART
Don't look at me.
I've got
no love to spare two days before payday. I'm as broke as this country
is.
BART
Anybody have any
ideas?
STEFF
Yes, we do
actually. I
believe his name is Mike, or Marcus, or
Mac.
MARK
It's
Mark
STEFF
Yes, Mac. He looks
(She
sizes him up) He looks harmless
generous.
NOTE: From now on
Steff will
call him Mac.
BART
Settled
then.
Bart walks in. Mark is still working on lesson
plans.
BART
You the new guy.
I'm Bart.
MARK
We
met
BART
Yeah. We did.
That's okay
with you, Mac?
His tone is more confrontation than conversation.
MARK
Hi, nice to meet
you. I'm
Mark.
BART
Are you ready for
lunch?
MARK
As a matter of
fact, no. I
guess I must still be on Portland
time.
BART
What's wrong.
Hangover?
MARK
No. It's just that
my
stomach has been a little upset since I
arrived.
BART
Don't worry.
You'll get over
that. Everyone gets it. Diarrhea, anyone?
Well, I had it
too. I just
keep getting it now.
I have got the
perfect food
for you. Come on. Let's
go.
BART
Steff. Call a
waiter, would
you?
Steff is now totally stoned.
STEFF
Which
one,
BART
There is only
one.
STEFF
Ana, would you...?
You have
20/20 vision now.
ANA
Oh God. All
right.
Steff disgusts her and she makes no effort to hide
it.
BART
Mark, do you like
Indonesian
food?
MARK
It's okay. Just a
little
spicy.
STEFF.
I know, gives me
the shits
something awful.
BART
Glad to know that
Steff.
WAITER
How I help you?
BART
One beer, please,
and a club
sandwich,
ANA
I'll have the
same.
STEFF
Three beers, two
clubhouse
sandwiches, one chicken steak, one regular steak, French fries, and
one steamed
rice.
MARK
I'll have an
orange juice
and a club sandwich as well.
ANA
So how do you
fancy
Surabaya, Mark?
MARK
It's okay. Just a
bit
boring. Where does everybody go?
ANA
Colors. We're
going there tomorrow
night. It's kind of the teacher's
hangout.
INT. Warung LATER
The food has been eaten. The table around Bart and
Steff is a
mess.
BART
I've going to go.
Thanks for
lunch.
MARK
Uh? What? Oh,
yeah, sure,
you guys are welcome.
ANA
See you back at
the school.
Don't forget about Colors tomorrow
night.
MARK
Sounds good. I
can't wait to
buy everyone beers as well.
STEFF
You are a generous
guy, Mac.
MARK
I sure
am
Steff lets out a gigantic belch
COLORS Pub United in
Harmony
Colors is a dark, and somewhat seedy hole in the
wall. Smoke
fills the air
Skinny native bartenders with ponytails pour drinks
for older
Javanese and Chinese businessmen Ben and their predominantly young,
casually dressed dates, while the expatriate community surrounds the
remaining portion of the bar. In the back of the bar, a stage is set
up. Andrew, Nate and Mark are off in the corner playing billiards on
a small but decent enough table.
MARK
This place is very
interesting.
ANDREW
Don't be so
fucking polite,
it's a shit hole with a fucking bad pool
table.
NATE
You're just mad
because
you're losing.
ANDREW
Am not, just
horny. I'm also
not pissed yet. I need a piss. Get 'nother
beer.
MARK
Sure.
NATE
What about me?
ANDREW
Fuck you, I bought
last
time. Waiter! Damn it man, Waiter!
Eko is tall and looks like he could probably handle
himself. He's not slightly built, as are most of his coworkers. His
arms and neck
are covered with tattoos
EKO
What can I do for
you Andrew?
ANDREW
My American mate
and I, and
this sod from London, need some
beer.
EKO
No
problem
ANDREW
By the way, Eko.
How many tattoos
do you have
now?
EKO
Twenty-one. I have
them
everywhere except my penis.
ANDREW
We don' t say
penis EKO.
It's too formal. Say dick. More
international.
EKO
Thank you Mr.
Andrew, my
English so bad.
MARK
Jeez. He speaks
better than
the level tens.
NATE
Yeah, He's not
afraid to
make mistakes.
ANDREW
Where were we?
In walks a beautiful Javanese
woman.
ANDREW
Would you fucking
look at
her? She is a full-blown, real live wet
dream.
MARK
She is
gorgeous.
ANDREW
I think I'll put
me moves on
boys.
NATE
You’re going
to put your
moves on who?
ANDREW
Her, of
course.
NATE
I hope you explain
yourself
more clearly with her. Remember what happened last time?
You got some
really bad
green puss coming out of your
Popeye.
ANDREW
Now I know better.
I don't
jump without me parachute.
NATE
Go get 'em Tiger.
I would, but I'm a
little
short on cash.
MARK
Are you telling me
that girl
is a prostitute?
NATE
Prostitute's kind
of harsh.
We prefer to say
woman of
easy virtue.
She's lost her
way.
Me mate's job is
to help her
find her way.
Ana sitting at the bar sees Mark. She smiles and
waves.
NATE
I reckon she needs
a shag.
MARK
What?
NATE
Yeah, you see, she
doesn't
trust any of us, for fear we may have caught something incurable by
now. So she
figures, you're a safe bet, having just got
here.
NATE
Take it easy Mate.
Don't do
anything I wouldn't do with Ana.
I don't mean to
criticize,
but the dear lass bites a little hard.
Keep stiff upper
lip. Keep
stiff. Got me some tarts to take out of the
oven.
Ana walks over.
ANA
Hey. Nate and
Andrew are on
the prowl.
MARK
Hey ya. Huh yeah.
Is that a
surprise?
ANA
Ha
MARK
Thanks
ANA
Surabaya is rather
boring,
but it's quaint.
MARK
How long have you
been here?
ANA
Three
years.
MARK
That long?
ANA
Three's not long
really. I'm
a short timer compared to everyone else. Nate's been here 5 years.
Bart and
Steff came together. They've been here six, almost six years. They
were a
couple. Bart's an asshole, and Steff's a
stoner.
MARK
Will you go back
to teach?
ANA
God no?
Isn’t anything back
there except unemployment, the dole, and taxes. I graduated from
fucking
Cambridge, and I still couldn't get a job. You?
MARK
Yeah. Almost the
same in the
States. I went from the bank, to design work, to telemarketing. You
haven't
lived until you've worked for Dial-a-
Moyel.
ANA
Sorry about
stiffing you for
lunch the other day.
MARK
Oh no, I wanted to
buy you
guys lunch.
NATE
You fucks. Ya
jinked out on
ol' Mark here. Don't let it get you down. It's kind of a tradition to
do it to
the new people.
ANA
Let me make it up
to you. We
got paid today. Let me buy you a
beer.
Okay,
sure.
What happened?
NATE
Out of my
range.
Ana walks up the bar to give a waiter her order.
She comes
back and hands Mark a couple of draft beers
ANA
Hey
ya.
MARK
Thanks
A Javanese man in a tattered denim jacket and jeans
comes in
Ana spots him, gets up.
ANA
You'll excuse
me.
Aria walks over to the man walks back
ANA
H e y there. Have you ever tried
ecstasy?
ANDREW
It'll surprise
ya.. Here,
take this.
MARK
What is it?
ANA
Relax. It'll help
you relax.
MARK
I'm
relaxed.
ANA
Come on. Don't be
such a
pussy.
ANDREW
Come on,
Maverick.
MARK
Iceman. I think
this is a
bad idea.
ANA
Oh god. Top
Gits.
INT. Bathroom COLORS Night
Mark is staring at the mirror,
and he
splashes water on his face
Walking out of the restroom, Mark sees Ana kissing
another
guy in a booth.
We don't know if he took the pill or
not.
MARK
(He comes out of
the
bathroom. He's pale and shaking)
Coke,
please.
BARTENDER
I'm sorry. We
don't sell
drugs.
MARK
Coca
cola
BARTENDER
Oh Coca
Cola.
Mark immediately drinks the coke. He's still
shaking. Mark
looks around in a desperate attempt to find Nate or Andrew. Mark
turns towards
the bartender.
MARK
Have you seen my
friends?
BARTENDER
Yeah.. They go
shag, man.
With horny honey
MARK
Satu? (he holds up
one
finger) Satu horny honey?
BARTENDER
Dua Horny honey.
Honey honey.
JOSE
Mark, if you
apologize for
being an asshole one more time, I'll nail your dick to the bar and
set you on
fire.
MARK
Okay. Teach me
Indonesian.
JOSE
Everything sounds
like it
looks - more or less. Except C is a ch
sound.
The first few
letters of a
word are the first sound.
MARK
You mean
syllable.
JOSE
Shut up, English
teacher.
You want to
listen, or you
want to be an asshole? Surabaya's got plenty already - local and
imported. Do
everyone a favor. Don't increase the
population.
Remember - in the
here and
now -YOU DON'T KNOW JACK!
MARK
Sorry.
JOSE
Eko! Get me a
hammer and a
small nail. A very small
nail.
Mark is outside the pub and hails a becak. Mark on
his way
home starts to dream. Mark is seemingly awakened to the sound of
Dusty
Springfield singing Son of a Preacher Man. Older women
carrying dinner
trays on their heads. Becak drivers, children, and transvestites sing
backup
vocals, while lead vocals are sung by a Gandhiesque holy man. By the
end of the
song Mark wakes up in front of his
house.
Mark is sitting at his computer typing an e-
mail.
I had an interesting evening at place called
Colors. It's
populated by a crowd that have apparently learned English and social
skills
from watching Jerry Springer and the Young Gun's once too often. I am
recovering from what appears to have been my mistake of consuming too
much
beer. Although, I don't think beer is supposed to have a psychedelic
effect.
NATE
Fancy a fuck?
MARK
Apa?
NATE
Do you want to
shag or not?
MARK
Huh?
NATE
What du ...?
Nate clues in to Mark's misapprehension.
NATE
Oh I do fancy you
dear boy,
but I think you might enjoy one of these tasty bits
more.
The door opens
wide to
reveal two scantily-clad young
women.
NATE
Just thought you
might want
one of these tarts.
MARK
I'll pass for now.
Thanks
anyway.
NATE
All right then.
See you
tomorrow.
Ladies, Shagging
time is
here.
MARK
Goodnight.
Mark is teaching his students the difference
between past
simple tense and present
continuous tense.
Mark
Good
Afternoon
Students
Good Afternoon,
sir.
Mark
My name is Mark
Bauer
He speaks in a monotone, until he catches himself
and relaxes
a little Do you have any questions?
Sorry, I'm talking
like a
machine.
What's your name?
He asks a
young girl
My name is
Yuanita
MARK
What's your name?
My name is
Budiman
MARK
Like Batman?
Everyone laughs except for Budiman, who doesn't
even smile
MARK
Sorry
buddy
Budi!
MARK
Right,
Budiman
Do a real quick scene. It should be a flurry of
images and people
answering questions
Whew! Okay, now
let's talk
about the five senses
Who knows what the
five
senses are?
ASTRA
I do They are
Her response is barely audible
MARK
Yes, Astra ...
Again please,
we can't hear you
Speak up, you
stupid girl
Budiman, why don't
you
lighten up.
She's
stupid
Budi, a little
less caffeine
... okay.
Please
Astra
Okay, anyone Yes
Novi
She's pretty young girl wearing too much Hello
Kitty for
comfort
Sensible?
MARK
Uh - real close.
No Anyone
else
... Silence ...
MARK
Okay, hearing,
seeing,
touching, tasting, smelling and
seeing
Tell me about
rain. What do
you experience when it rains?
Zainul raises his hand
ZAINUL
Basa
Mark
Okay Zainul,
you're wet and
then ...
Fade out
Mark meets with Oscar.
OSCAR
Mark, I hear you
are
doing a fine
job.
Mark, I need
you to go with the driver. He'll
take you,
Andrew and Nate to Saint. Rodus Academy. We are doing a promotion
there this
afternoon.
MARK
Promotion?
OSCAR
You just have to
say a few
words. It's very
routine. We don't
really want you to talk too much, anyway. You might confuse them with
your -
ahuuum -accent. I'm kidding.
I'll see you
later.
INT. ST. Rohani KUDOS Academy.Catholic elementary
school.
Mark and Nate get out of the van.
SISTER
MARY
Welcome to Saint
Rohani
kodus, home of virtuous higher learning. I'm Sister
Mary.
NATE
Hello, Sister
Mary, I'm Nate
and this is Mark. We are still waiting for our
friend.
SISTER
Mary
Oh really. Well,
we can
start anyway. Now you boys wanted to give a presentation to the
classes.
NATE
We're here from
Meridian.
NATE
We just wanted to
tell the
children about the benefits of learning English from those who speak
English.
SISTER
MARY
Do you speak
Indonesian?
NATE
Yes,
Mam.
SISTER
MARY
Well, I don't see
any
problem with you going ahead of your friend, so we can finish
early.
ANDREW
Hey mates. Well
hello,
Sister.
He's entirely too hyper. He's too big for the room
as usual.
Sister Mary. This
is Andrew
Montgomery. He is actually head of marketing at Meridian here in
Surabaya.
ANDREW
Had me a sister
once. Then
they wouldn't let her back in the convent. That was the end of her
liturgical
career. I had to put that Habit behind
me.
SISTER
MARY
Please follow me
gentlemen,
we don't have all day. Are all the teachers like you, Mr. Andrew?
ANDREW
Yes, sort
of.
SISTER
MARY
Do they all go to
the pub
before class?
ANDREW
Well not all, some
go
afterwards, you know how it is you've gotta unwind after a long day
with the
little shits.
SISTER
MARY
Well, let's get
started.
ANDREW
Good morning. Selemat Pagi. Apa Kabar?
(Hello, how are
you? in Indonesian)
How many of you
little tykes
can speak English?
KID
1
You're
fat.
KID
2
You
stink.
KID
3
Did you fart?
ANDREW
Your cute little
pukes. If
any you little buggers wants to learn English, come on down to our
school.
Terima kasih. Meridian Rocks.
The kids yell and
laugh.
At the bar Andrew and Mark watch a football game.
Andrew
Look at that shit.
What the
hell. Is that English cunt fawking blind?
NATE
Here now, Git.
That was out
of bounds.
ANDREW
Out of fawking
bounds. Fawk
that! Fawk that blue. That refs just fawking
blind.
Like the Scots
could do any
better.
ANDREW
I tell you if they
were
playing
in Scotland it
would be a
fawking fair game.
.NATE
Screw that. That
piss poor tosser
couldn't find his ass if the English
ref
drew him a bloody
map.
ANDREW
Piss poor. I'll
tell you
who's piss-poor. Hugh fucking Grant couldn't find his ass even if it
was nailed
on, and glued to, plodding fucking
Hill.
Mark is very
drunk
MARK
Will you two just
shut up.
You make no sense. You're drunk.
Mark falls off the his stool onto the floor and
throws up
ANDREW
Yeah, but at least
we can
hold liquor. You know how to hold your licker?
NATE
Usually by the
ears. Your
Mom's got nice ears.
MARK
Not my mom. Not
mom
ANDREW
Steady on Nate.
Leave his
mom out of it.
Mark walks out of his room
scratching.
MARK
Damn mosquitoes.
That's
right, you little vampires. Keep sucking.
Take my last drop
of blood.
Mark is on his way to the bathroom stops and
notices someone
standing in the hall with Atiek (the servant).It’s Alex, the
missing roommate,
returning from Bali. He notices Mark. He walks over to introduce
himself.
ALEX
Hey new guy. I'm
Alex. I
hear you almost took my room. Hey relax. You're very new, aren't
you?
MARK
Yeah I got in a
few weeks
ago.
How was Bali?
ALEX
Wonderful.
Actually, I never
wanted to leave. Well, it was good meeting
Mark comes into the office looking hung-over. He is
sitting
at the desk typing on his laptop.
MARK
Oh hello
Yuliana.
YULIANA
Mr. Kubianto wants
to see
you right away
KUBIANTO
Hello
Mark
MARK
Good morning, Mr.
Kubianto
KUBIANTO
You smell so good,
what
cologne are you wearing.
MARK
I don't wear
co1ogne. Mr.
Kubianto
KUBIANTO
Must be your manly
sweat.
Mark I need your he1p. Can you do a thing for me?
MARK
Mr. Kubianto,
before we go
on, I think I should let you know. You see, I am not a
KUBIANTO
Not what I was
thinking, but
maybe I need you to teach my niece and
nephew.
MARK
Alright.
KUBIANTO
I will pay you
extra and
pick you up and take you home, or if you want you can come to my home
for
private lesson.
MARK
I don't really
have time.
KUBIANTO
You sly American
fox.
Mark and the Boss arrive in the Boss' BMW. A
uniformed guard
opens the gate
The guard's baseball cap is labeled
PAM
Hiya, Pamela - I
thought you
were blonde
SATPAM
Apa?
KUBIANTO
Welcome to my
home
MARK
Wow - It's very
nice (very
low) where's Tattoo?
The home is large white neocolonial behind a gate
that'd make
Scarface jealous
Stone patio sits just beyond overdone garden. The
stone patio
is dominated by wide-backed rattan chairs, which are in turn
complemented by a
rattan loveseat and low glass-topped table. A young maid rushes out
to take the
boss' briefcase and a shopping bag of baked goods.
They enter the house. The kids
don't rise
from the PlayStation
The furnishings are dark, heavy wood. The sofa set
is a rich
purple sectional
There should be some Javanese carving and hand-
painted
scrolls on the wall
Ayo, ayo. Ini Pak
Mark
REBECCA
Ini bule, Paman.
He,he,he,he
KUBIANTO
This is Mr.
Mark
MARK
Hi
kids
KUBIANTO
Tell him your
names (of
course they don't) This is Rebecca and this is
Jonathan
Rebecca
Ahhhhhhhhhhh
he,he,he,he
The screech and the high-pitched giggling almost
send Mark
for the door Soon the kids are racing around Mark and their
father
INT. Kubianto's Car Day Mark and Kubianto are
driving back to
the office
KUBIANTO
I want you to
teach them
MARK
Them? Teach them?
KUBIANTO
We'll reschedule
your classes
MARK
Ah well, I
...
KUBIANTO
Okay. Tuesday and
Saturday.
MARK
I don't teach on
Saturday ...
KUBIANTO
For me (the soul
of
sincerity) Okay
MARK
Uhhh, yeah Okay
boss Yeah I
guess
KUBIANTO
How long in
Surabaya?
MARK
A couple of
months
KUBIANTO
I don't like this
city. Do
you?
It's okay. It's a
little
dirty
KUBIANTO
Surabaya is hot
and dirty.
My home is clean and cold
MARK
Cold? In
Indonesia?
KUBIANTO
I'm from
Bandung
MARK
Oh.Why did you
move here?
KUBIANTO
My wife is from
here. Have
you met her?
MARK
I don't think so.
What does
she do?
KUBIANTO
She is my wife.
Mark is
this a personal question?
MARK
Oh no, sir. I'm
sorry
KUBIANTO
It's okay Mark.
She works
for her father. Even I once worked for her
father
MARK
In a school?
KUBIANTO
No. Her father
owns trees
MARK
Lumber
KUBIANTO
Apa?
MARK
Lumber. He's in
the wood
business, isn't he?
KUBIANTO
No.
Apples
MARK
He has apple
trees?
KUBIANTO
Yes. Terrible
business.
MARK
Huh? Really?
KUBIANTO
Not my
business
MARK
And this school is
?
KUBIANTO
Mine
KUBIANTO
Where do you want
to be?
MARK
Here is
good
KUBIANTO
What do you want
to do?
MARK
I have some ideas
for
business classes
KUBIANTO
Difficult
business
MARK
I think I know how
to do it
KUBIANTO
Explain it to
me
Jose, Mark, Nate and Andrew are at the pool table.
Jose and
Nate are playing.
NATE
Well look who it
is here.
How was it? Did you like teaching the monsters in purgatory?
ANDREW
Pussy
MARK
Hey, what choice
did I have?
JOSE
Say
no
MARK
Sounds so easy -
You weren't
there
ANDREW
No, and I wouldn't
be
NATE
Only because
people wouldn't
let you near their kids
JOSE
Or their
pets
Nate motions to the waiter to bring another
round.
NATE
So, did you get
lucky. Oh
don't give me that innocent look. It's obvious he fancies
you
MARK
Uhhhhhhggggg. We
talked
about an idea of mine
NATE
You discussed
business with
him
MARK
Yeah?
ANDREW
Bad
idea
MARK
The
hell.
NATE
Hell nothing.
Rules, mate
MARK
What rules?
ANDREW
You don't give
your phone
number, your place of work or your real
name
NATE
You don't say 'I
love you'
unless she's on the steps of a plane with a one way
ticket
MARK
One way ticket
Gotcha. And?
ANDREW
Never meet the
family, and
never, ever discuss business with the
boss.
So, he liked your
idea?
MARK
Yeah. I think he's
going to
let me run with it.
JOSE
I think you're
playing with
fire.
MARK
No. It's
okay
ANDREW
I think he should
run it up
the flagpole
JOSE
Apa?
ANDREW
We seem to be in
an idiom
loop. I wanted my shot.
JOSE
Okay. How about
'up the
creek',
'twisting in the
wind',
'out on a
limb'.
Teach English and
leave this
shit alone.
MARK
This is a solid
plan
JOSE
This isn't about
good or
bad. They will screw you.
Either because you
scare
them, or because you rock the
boat.
MARK
Rock the boat?
ANDREW
Houstan
(it’s a very
exaggerated American accent), we have an Idiom
loop.
MARK
Wow!
NATE
With sugar on
top.
ANDREW
Nice bit of
crumpet there
NATE
Very tasty,
indeed.
Call them
over
GIRL
1
Hello Mr. What's
your name?
NATE
I'm Stan. That's
Craig. Over
there is
JOSE
Hannibal. I need
to get some
beans.
GIRL 2 (to Mark)
Who are you?
MARK
I'm
Ma
ANDREW
He's
Marty.
GIRL
2
I like
Marty.
MARK
Oy
GIRL
3
I want
scotch
ANDREW
No you don't.
Mark, can you
get some beer?
Mark gets up and walks to the bar.
Andrew moves in on
Girl 2.
GIRL
2
You're not
handsome
ANDREW
Sure I am, and I'm
very rich
GIRL
3
True?
ANDREW
Maybe
Mark makes his way
back with
two pitchers.
NATE
You’re a
good mate, Mr Mark
(fade)
INT. Another night at
COLORS
NATE
By the way,
tonight is
Alex's last night. He's off
tomorrow.
MARK
Where?
NATE
Taiwan. Just as
well
MARK
He'll be making a
hell of 'a
lot more than us. Maybe we should hop on the next
plane.
NATE
Are you mad, this
is heaven
on earth. Where else can a bloke like myself get laid on a consistent
basis.
Hey (shouts) did you cunts forget there was a table here?
ANDREW
Well blokes, what
say you?
NATE
Are you stoned?
ANDREW
I did happen to
imbibe a
little before tonight's
festivities
NATE
Are you going to
share,
considering you nicked my last
smoke
ANDREW
I have a bit of a
surprise
for you gentlemen.
NATE
Don't tell me. You
found the
secret of everlasting life and she's and outside waiting to be
shagged.
ANDREW
No, not quite.
Just follow
me.
Night. An ugly, broken-down, dirty, green minivan
squats like
a sick bug.
MARK
What is it?
ANDREW
It is your
stairway to heaven
NATE
It's a
bemo.
ANDREW
This is the ticket
to
lust-filled nights
MARK
A whomo?
NATE
Bemo. A piece of
shit road
hazard.
ANDREW
It's ours for the
night.
We're going to the D.
NATE
All
aboard.
In the doorway is one large man and two or three
layabouts.
The large guy is the host/bouncer.
"Hey what you want, Mr.? You want fuck, suck?
"
"She's real good" The words may change
from place
to place, but the basic information is always the
same.
The street is full with motorcycles, pedicabs,
taxis and
wandering would-be customers.
If it isn't a sea of humanity, it's at least a
steady river.
Mark, Nate, Andrew, Bart and Chris arrive in the
Bemo they've
hired for the night.
EXT. NIGHT
DOLLY'S
They jump off the Bemo. They're 'full of piss and
vinegar.'
Mark looks around nervously,
then takes
out his camera. Naive is too kind a word to describe Mark at this
stage.
ANDREW
First stop ...
Dangdut!
Mark
What is Dangdut?
Nate
Music. My backward
young
friend.
Andrew
Imagine Indian
music, Jazz,
Celtic rhythms and a slight fever.
Nate
Close enough
Mate.
INT. Dangdut bar
Andrew, Nate, Mark, Chris and Bart sit at a table.
Mark is
wide-eyed and
can't stop staring. Chris is stoned and staring
would be too
much of an effort.
all full. Some young working girls are in the mix.
None of
them are too flashy. Older women, and men worn about the edges occupy
many
seats. The bar is seedy, all dark wood and a wood floor. Marlboro
signs and
neon bar signs compete with faded Guinness
advertisements.
Sitting alone at a table Mark is wide-eyed and
can't stop
staring, but he's all smiles.
A woman comes over and starts to rub Bart's
shoulders.
BART
This will be the
highlight
of her night. Boys. Don't wait up for
me.
ANDREW
Yes, I'm sure it
will be. Do
give our best to the little
Lady.
Bart returns. He is almost falls down the narrow
stairs. He's
white as a sheet.
It's a guy, it's a
fucking... She's a . It's a guy!
NATE
So, was it
good.
ANDREW
Did you really
make her
night?
BART
Hey no way man I
didn't
touch her, uh him
NATE
Don't know mate,
you were
gone a long time.
ANDREW
A long
time.
BART
No I
wasn't.
MARK
Was it good for
you?
BART
It wasn't that
long, was it?
Could have been 40
minutes.
Could have been an hour.
MARK
Could have been
the whiskey?
MARK
Hey come on, you
know that
Irish Rover's song. "could
have
been the whiskey,
might have
been the gin, could a been the
three
or four sixpacks,
but look a
the shape I'm in.
The 'lady' comes down the stairs. Bart looks very
guilty as
'she' waves at him. Everybody starts laughing, except
Bart.
They're still laughing as they fall out into the
street.
Mark begins to take some pictures out of the din of
voices
there is a scream.
MARK
Hey, what is
that.
Nate propositioning a young woman
NATE
Nothing. So where?
Okay
baby? Long or short?
GIRL
No want you. You
too long.
ANDREW
Don't worry baby.
He's very
small.
NATE
Blow
me.
ANDREW
I would dearly
love to, but
I choke on small
bones.
Hey, where the
fuck are you
going?
MARK
She needs
help.
ANDREW
Leave it alone
mate.
We don't do
anything but
work, drink and fuck here.
You Mess in their
business
and you're going to get fucked.
MARK
It's got to be
stopped.
NATE
Wake up sunshine,
this is
not America.
MARK
The right thing to
do is
ANDREW
Yeah. Okay Sparky.
She's a
whore, You're a Bule. You can fuck her, but don't get involved. We
come here to
cum. We drink, we fuck, we pay. We don't get involved. The military
owns her.
The military runs
the girls.
MARK
He's not running
her. He's
beating her.
NATE
Her Germo didn't
pay
someone..
MARK
Germo?
NATE
Pimp. Look, leave
it out.
Right then, enough shit let's
party.
Mark heads in for the rescue.
NATE
Sir lance a
fucking lot.
Christ. I hate
bules.
Mark puts himself between a militrary type and the
girl.
SOLDIER
Apa?
Mark doesn't say anything. He's between the soldier
and the girl.
ANDREW
Hey, Buddy back
off.
SOLDIER
Fuck you,
Londo.
ANDREW
I was talking to
my friend.
SOLDIER
Fuck him
too.
MARK
Saya tidak
Londo.
SOLDIER
Pergi Bule!
NATE
Hey buddy. Come
on, buddy .
Sorry officer. Our buddy is real
drunk
Drunk. He's had
too much to
drink.
ANDREW
Dia mabuk. It's
his birthday
SOLDIER
Happy Birthday.
Fuck off.
Just then three more army types appear, as well as
seven or
Oh. This
This is a fucking
bad thing
ANDREW
Let's get out of
here.
MARK
Fuck off you
bastards. Leave
her alone.
NATE
Are you trying to
get us
killed?
MARK
No. We can't just
leave her
here.
ANDREW
Yes, we fucking
well can
SOLDIER
Where are you
from?
NATE
Belgium. I'm an
engineer in
Kalimantan. We all work in
Balikpapan
SOLDIER
Who's your friend?
Bart walks by. He's still wearing the Meridian Polo
shirt.
BART
Hey guys. What's
up?
NATE
Oh, fuck you and
the shirt
you're wearing.
The soldier jabs a finger into Bart 's
chest.
SOLDIER
You work here?
NATE
No man. I'm just a
tourist.
BART
Sorry, mates. He's
got you.
SOLDIER
No, I don't
believe you.
NATE
Let's get the fuck
out of
here.
MARK
What?
ANDREW
Run. Shut up and
run
NATE
What the fuck did
you think
you were doing last night?
MARK
I wanted to help.
I couldn't
just stand there and watch that girl get beat
up.
ANDREW
No, you were
supposed to
find a girl of your own and get it
on.
I think what
Andrew means is
that girl and the army guy were none of our
business.
MARK
So we are
condoning violence.
ANDREW
No, were accepting
the fact
that that guy owns that girl.
MARK
What do you mean?
ANDREW
It's all about
money and
sex. The delights of which are probably lost on the girl, the germo
and the
soldier. But that isn't our concern. Thanks to you, we won't be able
to enjoy
Dolly for fear of being busted, beat up, shot and imprisoned. Well,
look on the
bright side. We won't be wasting anymore money in the D. And we've
reduced our
risk of catching anything.
MARK
We did the right
thing.
ANDREW
You might think so
Yank, but
I am telling you to stay out things from now
on.
Mark comes into the school unshaven and bleary-
eyed. Mark
grabs his class folders and quickly heads for his
class.
Someone wants to
see you.
MARK
Who?
YULIANA
Someone you don't
want to
see.
Go somewhere, not
home...
MARK
Why?
YULIANA
Just
leave.
Oscar walks out of his office.
OSCAR
Mark? Can see you
for a
moment?
Look, whatever
happens in
here, relax. We'll take care of
it.
Please sit down.
Allow me to
introduce a Lieutenant Malonto.
The same soldier, the one that Mark had exchanged
words with
the previous night, stands off to the side. Sitting is an army
lieutenant. The
lieutenant stays quiet.
OSCAR
It appears that
you have a
bit of explaining to do Mark.
MARK
What for?
OSCAR
Well for starters,
you were
causing a disturbance out in front of a seedy establishment that is
very much
off limits to teachers of this
school.
MARK
You mean the
Dangdut bar in
Dolly.
OSCAR
I don't know. I
have never
been there. Moreover, you have also been accused of taking advantage
of your
servant girl and then getting her
pregnant.
MARK
Oh, Ma No. I
think you
have me mistaken for someone else.
OSCAR
Mark, there is no
percentage in denying it. You are a young man, far from home. You're in a
foreign country.
You're alone and lonely.
It is only natural for you
to prey on the innocent locals.
MARK
Now come on,
Oscar.
I don't know anything about this and I am very
sure I didn't sleep with our house maid.
OSCAR
That is not what
she said.
MARK
So, this guy is
here to
arrest me.
OSCAR
No, he simply
wanted to find
out where you work so he could confiscate your
passport.
MARK
My passport, you have got to
be kidding me.
OSCAR
I really must be
going.
MARK
Oscar. Oscar, what
about ?
The army lieutenant grabs the
passport.
LIEUTENANT
Mr. Bauer. I will
contact
you when we need you for further
questioning
MARK
Oscar? Where were
you?
OSCAR
If I'm there this
will never
get solved
MARK
What about the
servant. Is
she leaving?
OSCAR
No. Why?
MARK
She says I raped
her.
OSCAR
Calm down, Mark.
We trust
you to be a gentleman about this
MARK
Trust me ?
What's going to
happen?
OSCAR
I'm not sure. The
Lt. and
Mr. Kubianto will come to some sort of an equitable
arrangement.
MARK
With me thrown to
the wolves
OSCAR
Don't think like
that. We're
looking out for everyone's best interests. Thankfully, the girl came
to us.
MARK
The girl?
OSCAR
Just try not to
have any
direct contact. Can you do that?
MARK
I think I'll
manage
INT. Delta
Plaza.
NINGSIH
Selemat Sore-Good
Afternoon.
MARK
Salamat
Sore
The energy is draining out of
him
How can I help
you?
MARK
I want to cut my
hair
NINGSIH
You can wake up
now.
MARK
I'm sorry. I must
have
fallen asleep.
NINGSIH
Did you enjoy it?
MARK
I did enjoy it.
Thank you.
NINGSIH
Now you want cut
short or
cut long.
MARK
You can cut long?
NINGSIH
I am sorry my
English is so
bad.
I mean do you want
me to
leave it a little longer on top.
MARK
Your English is
great.
NINGSIH
Thank you but I do
not think
so. I never get to practice.
MARK
Well I think your
English
and great and you give a wonderful neck massage thank
you.
NINGSIH
Long or short?
MARK
Leave it a little
long on
top, please.
NINGSIH
Alright. Are you
married?
MARK
Belum
NINGSIH
Good! Do you
like?
Mark looking entranced at Ningsih.
NINGSIH
Do you like?
MARK
Yes I really
like.
Ningsih begins to blush.
I was wondering if
you would
like to go out some time?
NINGSIH
Maybe, but I have
never gone
with a Bule.
INT. CLASSROOM
Mark enters the room. He finds the class is
empty.
MARK
Where is everybody?
An Indonesian military person enters with rank of
Colonel
emblazoned on his shoulder. He looks stern and stoic. Mark looks at
him
apprehensively.
MARK
Hi. May I help
you?
ABRITO
You are English
teacher.
MARK
Maybe
ABRITO
What do you mean
maybe? I am
here to take English lesson.
MARK
You must be my
private
student.
ABRITO
I am Colonel
Abrito of the
Indonesian military force, Second division special
forces.
MARK
Hello, Pak Abrito. I'm
Mark, Pak
Abrito
ABRITO
You can call me
just Abrito.
May I call you Mark?
MARK
I guess you can
call me
anything you want.
ABRITO
Apa?
MARK
Yes, of course.
Your English
is very good.
ABRITO
No I don't speak
well, I
need practice.
MARK
Well, you
definitely speak
much better than most of my
students.
Abrito is still stiff and acting very
militarily.
ABRITO
Thank you. I need
your help.
I want to go for my promotional test to General, but if I cannot pass
my test
for English, I will not be
General.
It becomes more apparent to Mark that the General
needs help.
MARK
Do you know what
kind of
test they are going to give you?
ABRITO
They want me to be
able to
talk in good English.
MARK
Well, let us start
with a
conversation test. Say you are a general, and you are being asked
questions by
the foreign media.
ABRITO
Okay.
MARK
I'll be the
reporter and you
are the general. Now there is a terrorist group and they have taken
some
hostages.
Abrito
How did you know?
MARK
What?
ABRITO
Hostages.
MARK
We are just
pretending.
ABRITO
Oh I get
it.
MARK
Okay let's start.
Now remember. I am
a foreign
journalist.
How many hostages
are there?
ABRITO
I am sorry I do
not know.
MARK
You cannot say you
do not
know.
ABRITO
Why?
They want to know.
Okay as a rule,
only answer
in three ways;
(Writing on the
board)
Let's practice.
One -The
situation is under control.
Two - We are
working on
solving the problem.
And Three - We
hope for a
speedy resolution.
Always finish with
- That is
all I can comment on at this time. Thank
you.
Is that all I have
to say?
MARK
That is
it.
ABRITO
Thank you so much.
You are a
great teacher.
MARK
You are very
welcome.
Mark's First date with Ningsih
INT. Delta Plaza In front of ATMs near
Mcdonalds
Mark waits for Ningsih
She appears.
She's wearing a pale purple suede jacket over a plain white
blouse, and
a matching skirt. She looks great.
MARK
Wow
NINGSIH
Wow? Is that
good
MARK
Yes. It's ... you
look great
NINGSIH
Thanks. You look
...
MARK
Bright
NINGSIH
Yes. You usually
look ...
MARK
Boring? Bosan?
NINGSIH
No, conservative.
Where are
we going?
MARK
Movie?
NINGSIH
Which one?
MARK
I Don't know. What
do you
think?
NINGSIH
I don't
know
MARK
What about
dinner?
NINGSIH
Okay. Where?
MARK
I don't
know
NINGSIH
Make a decision
(Her tone
needs to be playful here. This is not a challenge)
MARK
Okay fine. We'll
see the new
Seagal film. We'll eat first. Pizza Pasta? (She nods approval) Then
we'll see
the movie. One question?
NINGSIH
It's very close.
We can walk.
EXT. Jalan Pemuda.
Street in front of Delta Plaza. They Walk up the street, turn
right at
the corner and cross quickly.
MARK
The cars don't
stop?
NINGSIH
Only when they hit
you.
Sometimes they stop
MARK
You're
joking
NINGSIH
I don't think
so9perhaps a
slight smile passes over her face)
They walk to the Mitra 21 Theater
Complex
EXT. Outside Mitra 21.
After the movie
MARK
Did you like it?
NINGSIH
Yes. It was fun?
MARK
Did you listen or
read?
NINGSIH
I
read
MARK
You need
practice
NINGSIH
Do you like ice
cream?
MARK
Yeah. Where?
MARK
This is nice. What
do you
want?
A Macedonian. And
you?
MARK
I'll have a banana
split (He
says to the server) He gets a blank stare. Then he points at
it
SERVER
Yah,
yah
MARK
God, that's
irritating
SERVER
Mau apa?
NINGSIH
Macedonian. Mace
...(she
points at it)
MARK
Gee I thought it
was my
pronunciation
NINGSIH
No. They don't
listen. Not
like the west.
MARK
No. You can
actually get
served here
NINGSIH
So, are you
married?
MARK
Not
yet
NINGSIH
Why?
MARK
I never met the
right woman.
You?
NINGSIH
Not
anymore
MARK
Why?
NINGSIH
He's gone. (She
looks at
Mark's serious expression) No, he
left
MARK
Moron
NINGSIH (Smiles)
Do you think you
could marry
an Indonesian?
MARK
I don't think I
could marry
anyone
NINGSIH
Why?
MARK
I don't give much
thought to
skydiving
NINGSIH
Apa?
Skydiving
MARK
Sure. I know
people do it.
I've seen pictures. I even know a few survivors. They actually seem
to enjoy
it. I just never considered it.
NINGSIH
And if you did?
MARK
An Indonesian
woman?
NINGSIH
Or a Chinese.
(It's not a
question)
MARK
Is there really a
difference?
NINGSIH
A little, maybe a
lot
MARK
Such as?
NINGSIH
Indonesians feel
they belong
here.
Chinese have never
felt
that. Maybe we share that. (She looks at Mark)
EXT. Jalan Pemuda. Street near Delta Plaza
Night. Mark and Ningsih are walking
back to
the Mall after eating ice cream.
NINGSIH
Do you drive?
MARK
Never here. I've
never
driven here.
NINGSIH
We'll take my
Panther
MARK
You have a car?
NINGSIH
My mother's. It's
old
MARK
Do you drive?
NINGSIH
Not
well
Mark is looking tired and
flushed.
Yuliana? Could
you
Yuliana seems very fuzzy and seems to fall up and
away from
Mark.
YULIANA
Mark? Mark! Wake
up!
NATE
Wake up,
honey.
Mark sprawled out on the bed convulsing through a
sudden
illness. Mark wakes up from his deep sleep. Andrew and Nate are
hovering over
Mark.
NATE
Wake up.
Sweety.
MARK
Oh, hey guys.
What's going
on?
NATE
It appears you
caught a bit
of the dengue fever.
MARK
What? Dengue
fever. I feel
like hell. Everything hurts.
ANDREW
Yeah. That shit
hits you
fast and hard.
It’s also
called Demam
Berdaerah, and breakbone fever.
MARK
Demam?
ANDREW
It means bloo
..
It don’t
mean shit.
NATE
(smacking Andrew
and
whispering harshly)Are you a total moron?
The doctor says
you'll have
to rest for a week or so. You must have gotten bit by one too many
mosquitoes.
ANDREW
Yeah' you are
lucky to still
be with us.
MARK
Well thanks for
taking care
of me.
ANDREW
It's least we can
do. We
still need you back in the saddle because on Thursday there's a
country western
party at Colors.
Nate, Mark, and
Andrew are
looking at Nate's Car. The entire dashboard is
gone.
NATE
Those
Motherfuckers. I just
bought this car.
ANDREW
Drive Pak Shit
head down to
Pasar Turi where they sell all of the stolen
stuff.
MARK
Pak Shithead?
ANDREW
The school driver.
He’s a
right wanker.
MARK
Apa?
ANDREW
Always asking for
money
MARK
Agus?
ANDREW
Yeah, Agus the
wanker.
NATE
Don’t give
it to him
ANDREW
I feel sorr
NATE
Who’s the
wanker then, the
one who wanks or the wank that follows?
MARK
May the wank be
with you.
NATE
and
believe it or not, we
found a dashboard that fucking looks exactly like mine with the same
mileage on
it and everything.
ANDREW
Yeah. Aren't you
lucky?
Western music blares. The long bar of Colors is
barely
recognizable under a denim, patchwork, American flag bedecked quilt
that is
draped the length of it. Plastic farm animals stare obscenely into
the
darkness. It's as if the set of Hee Haw threw up all over Colors.
Mark, Nate
and Andrew are dressed better than usual. Marlboro girls buzz around.
The crowd
watches in amazement. 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by The
Charlie
Daniel's Band is playing in the background.
Andrew is dancing on the bar. He puts the ugly in
coyote.
Perhaps coyotes were never this ugly.
NATE
Look at him go,
such grace
for a big man. So bad.
It's a shame.
I can't believe I
get the
car and then I have to pay most of my cash to repair it.
A few more weeks
and I'd
have been set.
I had almost
enough saved to
last a year without working.
MARK
A few more weeks
and I might
have been deported
NATE
Oh you mean after
that run
in with the police in Dolly.
MARK
Well that, and the
fact that
I'm being blamed for getting Atiek
Pregnant
NATE
You're getting
royally blued
and screwed.
MARK
Yeah. I guess
that's why
Alex left. He told her he would come back for her, but that's a
laugh. They
needed someone to take responsibility for her so they don't get
sucked into
paying
NATE
I didn't think
they would
blame you, but come to think about it, you are new.
I would have
blamed you too.
MARK
Those fucking
bastards.
NATE
Listen mate. Don't
get mad -
get even.
MARK
How?
Nate shrugs.
Bonnie Tyler's 'I need a hero' is playing in the
background
Andrew totally drunk gets up on the bar and starts to strip. The
crowd goes
wild.
NATE
You gotta love
him.
Total freedom and
a total
disregard for conventional
morals.
Most of the
tables are filled
Mark and
Jose are eating sandwiches and drinking beer
JOSE
Be
back in a minute
MARK
Okay.
Wash your hands
JOSE
I'll
try to remember
Mark sits and
picks at his French fries. A very attractive Chinese woman stands in
front of
him. She is thirty or so and dressed in a business jacket and skirt.
Her hair
is long and she is stunning.
FELLY
Can
I sit here?
MARK
Uh,
Sure. Why?
FELLY
Are
you alone?
MARK
Ah
no. I'm waiting for a friend
FELLY
A
girlfriend?
MARK
Ah
no. Too hairy for that
JOSE
Who's
too hairy?
MARK
That
would be you
JOSE
Hello,
Felly. Is he being polite?
He's
very charming
JOSE
Mark,
this is Bu Felly. Felly, ini Pak Mark
FELLY
Pleased
to meet you
MARK
Very
pleased to meet you
JOSE
Leave
it alone, Mark. Bu Felly's married
MARK
Leave
what alone
FELLY
Don't
worry about it. When does your contract end?
MARK
I've
been here for five months.
FELLY
Jose
has said good things about you
MARK
Really?
JOSE
I
may have exaggerated
FELLY
Call
me.
Jose,
I have to go.
MARK
Wow.
A job offer.
JOSE
She
owns a school. Actually, it's four or five small schools around
Surabaya. All
in Rukos, Rumah Tokos, shophouses.
MARK
She
must be quite a businesswoman
JOSE
Sure
she is. She's sharp. Negotiate a decent contract and you'll do okay.
Hati
Hati. She's a snake
MARK
She
seems nice
JOSE
All
bosses seem nice when they're recruiting
(Fade
out)
Morning. Mark is in the teacher's room preparing
lessons when
Joanne walks in.
MARK
Good morning,
Joanne. How
are you?
She's not responding. Joanne grabs her books and
heads right
for the door.
JOANNE
How can you ask me
that
after what you did?
I know all about
you.
MARK
I'm sorry?
JOANNE
I know that you
raped that
poor innocent girl. You son of a bitch.
MARK
Hey, that's not
true. That
wasn't me.
JOANNE
You're full of
shit. That's
what they all say. I
thought
different about you Mark. You're just a poor excuse for a human
being.
Joanne storms out of the room. In comes
Andrew.
ANDREW
Who pissed in her
rice this
morning?
MARK
She just thinks I
slept with
our servant. Hell, she thinks I raped
Atiek.
ANDREW
Well, if you did
get in
line. Well, not the raping.
She's good for a
shag now
and then.
MARK
What?
ANDREW
Well. When you are
too drunk
to go out and you need a friend. I mean that's why you hire them.
It’s why you
hire the good-looking ones, of
course.
MARK
Andrew? Do you
understand?
Come out of your
fog. They
think that I got her pregnant.
ANDREW
Who?
MARK
Oscar, Kubianto
and a police
Sgt. and an army lieutenant.
ANDREW
Oh shit. Did you?
MARK
I haven't even
slept with
her.
ANDREW
It couldn't be me.
I'm not
fertile enough and Nate isn't big enough. It has to be
Alex.
MARK
That's what Nate
figured.
ANDREW
Oh man, sorry. You
are
getting blued and screwed. Well, just look at it like this.
You can always
marry her.
MARK
Hell, no! I'm not getting
married.
ANDREW
Pray for Alex's
return. Or
learn to pray face down. They've got you fingered as the man to get
his willy
reshaped. Are you ready to accept Islam as the true faith?
Andrew leaves. Mark just sits down totally
stunned.
INT. Mark
and Ningsih in a darkened alcove of a
pub/restaurant
MARK
Ningsih.
I need to tell you something
NINGSIH
Alright
MARK
I
have a pretty big problem
NINGSIH
More
big, or more pretty?
MARK
Okay.
It's a massive, ugly problem. I've got problems with the police
NINGSIH
(Ningsih
should register shock. Let us not go overboard here.)Why?
MARK
I
was in Dolly with some friends ...
NINGSIH
Dolly?
Why?
MARK
Why
does anyone go to Dolly? We were exploring.
NINGSIH
Exploring?
Climb a mountain next time.
MARK
Great
idea. It's a little late. We started in a Dangdut bar. We went
outside ...
Ningsih, please look at me (She should be close to tears) We stopped
a girl
being beat up
NINGSIH
This
isn't Canada
MARK
What?
NINGSIH
Leave
things alone. You can't change it
MARK
Now
you tell me
NINGSIH
This
isn't funny. What did your boss say? He knows?
MARK
He
knows. He thinks I'm a bad guy. The army is involved.
NINGSIH
The
army?
MARK
A
lieutenant Malosomethingorother and a Sgt. The Sgt. owns the
girl.
NINGSIH
They
want money (Not a question)
MARK
This
is where it gets scary
NINGSIH
What?
MARK
They
say I got a woman pregnant.
NINGSIH
You
slept with her?
MARK
I
never touched her. They say my servant is pregnant?
NINGSIH
You
slept with your pembantu?
MARK
No.
I didn't sleep with her either
NINGSIH
What
did this Lt. say?
MARK
They're
taking one million every month for her. If I pay Rp 5,000,000 at the
end of my
contract, and then marry the pembantu - everything is okay.
MARK
Hey
I might even keep my job.
NINGSIH
Your
job? What about your embassy/
MARK
What
about them?
NINGSIH
Speak
to them. Have you?
MARK
No.
NINGSIH
Mark.
Please take me home.
MARK
I'm sorry
NINGSIH
You
don't understand how big this problem really
is
MARK
Ningsih.
I'll go and I won't call. If you want to speak to me, call me at home
or at
work.
If
not ...
Goodnight,
Ningsih.
(Mark gets
into the taxi and leaves)
INT. School Admin Office Day
YULIANA
Mark.
Ningsih called me
MARK
Is
she okay?
YULIANA
She's
worried about you
MARK
Me?
I'm rocking.
YULIANA
She
says you must be stronger
MARK
Stronger?
YULIANA
You
let too many people control you
MARK
You
mean push me?
YULIANA
That
too. You have a choice
MARK
How?
YULIANA
Say
no
MARK
That
easy, huh? Why didn't I ... I'll be taking a walk
now.
YULIANA
She
wants you to call
MARK
Who?
YULIANA
Ningsih.
MARK
Oh
Okay.
He
comes
around the counter and dials Ningsih's home/ Split screen is probably
a good
idea here
Hallo.
Saya mau bicara dengan Ningsih?
PEMBANTU
Siapa?
MARK
Ini
Pak Mark
PEMBANTU
Sebentar
NINGSIH
Hello
Hi
Ningsih
NINGSIH
Hello
Mark. Are you okay?
MARK
I'm
ro .. Yeah, I'm fine. You?
NINGSIH
I'm
worried about you
MARK
So
I've heard
NINGSIH
Mark.
I spoke to my mom. (Mark Winces) It's okay. She understands. Can we
help you?
MARK
Gee,
Ningsih. I'm not sure. These guys are tough.
NINGSIH
My
brother has a friend.
MARK
How
many people know?
NINGSIH
Mark.
Almost everyone knows. I'm sure most of your students
know.