HONEY began its life as a lowish
budget feature. It is now a short-form series (3 TV hours) - one of three such interlocking
series that, in combination, make up what I have tentatively entitled THREE
WOMEN OF SYDNEY – 9 hours long. I had hoped to work with fellow screenwriters
on the other two SERIES (ASHLEY and JASMIN) but this will not be possible with
the Screen Australia ban on me in place. Even if I were able to get first draft
funding from FTO, I would not be able to even speak with a member of Screen
Australia’s staff about the project, let alone make an application for 2nd
draft funding. The mind-set of the Screen Australia board is a worry, to say
the least!
... continuing on from # 1 HONEY
31 INT. DINING ROOM. DUSK
JASPER, face up close to the aquarium, purses her lips, kisses a tropical fish on the other side of the glass as DANIEL, in the background, pours kerosene into the burner at the base of the chafing dish on the dining room table while HELEN moves first course dishes aside.
DANIEL
You want to look like a boy?
JASPER turns to face DANIEL - grins, nods.
JASPER
You and mum always wanted a boy.
DANIEL
Not a Tomboy.
DANIEL lights the burner under the chafing dish.
JASPER
Well, if you and mum make me a brother I'll grow my hair and act like a girl.
HELEN (SMILES)
Will you now?
HELEN pours Brandy from the bottle into a measuring cup as JASPER walks up, dips her finger in a pot of honey, puts her finger in her mouth.
HELEN
You washed your hands?
JASPER ignores HELEN as she pours the Brandy into the pan.
JASPER
Anyhow, it's my hair!
DANIEL
Your mother just asked you question!
JASPER
Yes, I've washed my hands… millions of times.
DANIEL
Jas, you asked if you could cut your hair. We said no. It's…
JASPER
But it's my hair and…
DANIEL
When you're an adult you can choose, but…
JASPER
That's discrimination
DANIEL
Jasper! How many times…?
JASPER
But dad…
HELEN
Hey, you two! I really do not want an argument right now…
The Brandy in the flambé pan is boiling now.
JASPER
When's a good time for an argument, mum?
HELEN smiles, takes a long match from a box.
HELEN
How about 10.15 tomorrow? I think! Have to check my diary.
JASPER laughs. HELEN strikes the match alight.
HELEN
You want honey or maple syrup?
JASPER
Both.
HELEN smiles as she lights the Brandy fumes. Flames leap up.
JASPER grins at DANIEL. He smiles, shakes his head playfully: ‘What are we going to do with you?’ JASPER smiles happily.
32 INT. CAR. NIGHT
HONEY drives. She is happy. JOHN is sound asleep in the passenger seat, unfazed by the loud disco music.
HONEY looks at the speedometer:
100 kms per hour.
She presses hard on the accelerator.
120 kms per hour
HONEY smiles to herself, turns the music up. Loud.
33 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
JASPER lies in bed. DANIEL stands by the door, his hand on the light switch. JASPER holds her arms out, beckoning.
JASPER
Kiss!
DANIEL moves to Jasper's bed, leans in to kiss her on the cheek. JASPER smiles, wraps her arms around DANIEL'S neck, tries to pull him close. DANIEL resists, tickles JASPER till she releases him in a gale of laughter. DANIEL pouts his lips, kisses JASPER on the lips.
JASPER
Not a fish kiss.
DANIEL pouts his lips even more - pretends to be a fish - kisses her again. JASPER laughs.
34 INT. BATHROOM. NIGHT
DANIEL cleans his teeth in an en suite bathroom. Through the doorway, in the bedroom, HELEN sits immobile on the edge of the double bed. DANIEL glances at her, looks down at:
Helen’s wedding ring, resting on the faux marble vanity.
35 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
HELEN sits at the edge of the bed, lost in her memories - looking at a leaflet:
IN REQUIEM written above a photo of her mother. Underneath, the words: “To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
DANIEL stands in the doorway, looks at HELEN for a long moment, walks forward, puts his hand affectionately on her shoulder. She makes it clear she does not want to be touched. DANIEL nods, moves his hand away.
36 INT. JASPER'S ROOM. NIGHT
JASPER holds her hands in prayer under her chin.
JASPER
Please take good care of grandma in heaven and tell her I miss her heaps and…well, if it's not too much to ask, a baby brother would be…awesome…
37 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
DANIEL lie apart in the dark. HELEN stares at the ceiling. DANIEL, lying on his side, reaches out, strokes her hair. She does not respond to his touch but, after a long moment, turns to look at DANIEL - her eyes glistening with tears.
DANIEL
Hey…!
HELEN brushes the tears from her eyes, gestures with her hands: “I don't want to talk about it.” DANIEL nods, stares back up at the ceiling, caught up in some inner turmoil.
HELEN turns away, caught up in her own inner turmoil.
38 EXT. SIDE OF HIGHWAY. NIGHT
John’s car is parked in a culvert at the side of the highway. HONEY finishes unscrewing the rear number plate, places it in the open trunk, alongside boxes of electronic equipment. She selects another number plate from a small pile.
39 EXT. GAS STATION. NIGHT
JOHN finishes filling the tank with petrol.
HONEY watches him from the driver’s seat, his eyes also on the Indian cashier serving another motorist inside.
JOHN lingers at the bowser until HONEY nods - the cashier’s attention focused on swiping the customer’s credit card.
JOHN, drunk, staggers back to the car, gets into the passenger seat.
HONEY drives out of the gas station.
40 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
DANIEL and HELEN lie in bed - DANIEL with his eyes on the ceiling, HELEN turned away from him. She turns, looks at DANIEL, an intensity in her eyes; a longing that is driving her crazy. DANIEL pretends not to notice.
HELEN (ANGRY)
Daniel? (A BEAT) Look at me.
DANIEL exhales. He does not want to.
HELEN moves close, takes his head in her hands, forces DANIEL to look at him. He complies unwillingly. She moves her head close to his, kisses him on the lips. A passionate kiss. DANIEL allows the kiss to happen but does not reciprocate.
HELEN
Fuck you.
DANIEL stares at her with a mixture of hurt and confusion.
HELEN takes off her nightie sits astride him, reaches down, takes his cock in her hand.
DANIEL does nothing to either stop HELEN or encourage her.
They stare at each other for as long as it takes for HELEN’S HAND to make his cock erect and herself ready to accept it. HELEN then lowers herself onto it, guides it inside her.
DANIEL reaches up, grabs two handfuls of HELEN’S hair, pulls her head down, kisses her passionately.
HELEN’S eyes, wide open, are just centimeters from DANIEL’S eyes - resolutely closed.
They have wild animal sex.
41 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
JASPER reads an illustrated bible book - the double page spread in front of her:
Above an illustration of scantily clad women and lecherous men looking up at the yellow liquid descending upon them from on high, “THEN THE LORD RAINED DOWN BURNING SULPHUR ON SODOM AND GOMORRAGH.”
42 EXT. SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE. NIGHT
The blue Holden drives across the Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House in the background.
43 INT. CAR. NIGHT
HONEY looks excitedly through the windscreen as she drives over the Harbour Bridge. JOHN is asleep in the passenger seat, snoring. HONEY nudges him.
HONEY
Wake up y'old codger!
JOHN wakes, looks out the window.
JOHN (SMILES)
Well here we be! Good on ya, Katie. You're a good girl.
HONEY
And you're a bad man.
JOHN smiles.
HONEY
You hungry?
JOHN
Could eat the crotch out of a low flying crow.
HONEY laughs.
JOHN
Only problem is...
HONEY looks at him.
JOHN
We’re skint. Not a brass razoo...
HONEY
But you said...
JOHN (ANGRY)
I know what I fucken said.
HONEY
But...
JOHN (APOPLECTIC)
Shut the fuck up...
HONEY withdraws into herself.
44 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
DANIEL looks up at the ceiling. HELEN, asleep, is snuggled up to him, her left hand on his chest. DANIEL takes her hand (the wedding ring not on it) and moves if gently from his chest. He then slips out of bed, careful not to wake HELEN.
DANIEL finishes dressing, turns and sees HELEN looking at him. She shakes her head, smiles, holds her arms out to him beckoning him to come back to bed.
DANIEL
I won't be long.
HELEN nods, withdraws her arms.
45 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
JASPER, asleep, wakes as she hears a door close. She gets out of bed, walks to the window, stands in the dark, watching:
DANIEL push his Harley down the street, kick-start it.
She returns to her bed, climbs into it, lies in the dark; thinking. With one hand she reaches up, takes hold of the silver crucifix around her neck, shuts her eyes and prays silently. She hears a door close, opens her eyes, looks to the door to her room. The crack at the bottom of the door lights up. She hears her mother’s footsteps in the hallway.
46 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
DANIEL, on his Harley, drives along a suburban road - a camera hanging around his neck. He leans into a sharp curve. The footrest grazes the bitumen, sends up red sparks.
47 INT. HELEN AND DANIEL’S ROOM. NIGHT
JASPER walks into her parents’ empty bedroom, walks to a window overlooking the back yard, through which she sees:
HELEN making her way from the back door, past the swimming pool, to the ‘Granny Flat’ at the rear of the property.
48 EXT. CAR. HARRY’S CAFE DE WHEELS. WOOLOOMOOLOO. NIGHT
The blue Holden is parked opposite HARRY’S CAFE DE WHEELS. Inside the car HONEY and JOHN pool their small change.
HONEY
Enough for one pie! One fucking pie!
JOHN
OK, OK, don’t fucken rub it in. I’ll think of something...
49 INT. 'GRANNY FLAT'. DANIEL AND HELEN'S HOUSE. NIGHT
HELEN, her cheeks streaked with tears, sits on the bed.
There are several vases filled with dead and wilting flowers. HELEN stands, takes a bunch of dead flowers from a vase, holds them for a moment as tears well. She wills herself not to cry, puts the dead flowers back in the vase.
JASPER (VOICE OFF)
Mum.
HELEN turns. JASPER, in her nightdress, is standing in the doorway. HELEN wipes the tears from her eyes.
HELEN
Can't sleep?
JASPER shakes her head, walks up wraps her arms around HELEN.
50 EXT. KING'S CROSS. NIGHT
DANIEL drives past night clubs, strip joints and hookers in Sydney's 'red light' district.
51 INT. ‘GRANNY FLAT’. NIGHT
HELEN lying in the bed, covers thrown back, opens her arms, beckons JASPER with a smile. JASPER climbs in beside her mother, places her head on HELEN’S breast.
JASPER
I can hear your heart going boom boom, boom…really fast.
HELEN smiles, strokes JASPER'S hair affectionately.
52 EXT. KING'S CROSS BACK STREET. NIGHT
DANIEL drives past a mobile 'soup kitchen' from which food is being dispensed to HOMELESS PEOPLE. He waves. Some wave back.
53 EXT. HARRY’S CAFE DE WHEELS. WOOLOOMOOLOO. NIGHT
DANIEL drives past the blue Holden, inside which HONEY and JOHN argue, turns left, drives into darkened back streets.
54 INT. CAR. NIGHT
HONEY, subdued, her anger held in, sits alongside JOHN.
HONEY
You promised.
JOHN
You wanna fucken eat or what?
HONEY stares at JOHN, open-mouthed in shock.
JOHN avoids eye-contact, opens a bottle of pills, indicates to HONEY to hold out her hand. She shakes her head.
JOHN
Hold out ya fucken hand.
HONEY winces, holds out her hand. JOHN tips three into HONEY’s outstretched palm. She throws them into her mouth, swallows them with a grimace. HONEY grabs the pill bottle out of JOHN’S hands. He doesn’t try to stop her.
JOHN
Just be careful...
HONEY glares at him.
55 INT. ‘GRANNY FLAT’. NIGHT
JASPER lies with her head on HELEN’S breast.
JASPER
Mum?
HELEN
Mmmm?
JASPER
Did I do something to hurt dad's feelings?
HELEN
What makes you think that?
JASPER shrugs, hugs HELEN tight. HELEN strokes JASPER'S hair.
JASPER
He doesn't dad want to cuddle me anymore.
HELEN
Because you're a young woman now.
JASPER
But I haven't even got any boobs yet.
HELEN (LAUGHS)
You don't need boobs to be a woman.
JASPER
Why's it OK to cuddle you but not dad?
HELEN
When you're older you'll understand.
JASPER
When I'm a woman?
HELEN laughs, holds JASPER tight.
56 EXT. BACK STREET. WOOLLOOMOOLOO. NIGHT
DANIEL drives slowly, looking for someone. Up ahead he sees GRANT, late 60s, shuffling along the footpath pushing a supermarket trolley filled with his worldly possessions.
DANIEL stops, gets off his motor bike, grabs the camera slung around his neck, slinks across the road - stalking GRANT, camera at the ready, looking for a good angle.
As he prepares to take a photo a police car drives by, siren blaring. GRANT turns to look at the police car. Click.
DANIEL has captured the moment. GRANT sees DANIEL, recognizes him, waves. DANIEL smiles, raises his hand in greeting.
57 EXT. KINGS CROSS. NIGHT
HONEY, a small backpack slung over her shoulder, stands at the side of the road in Kings Cross, keeping her distance from THREE PROSTITUTES who do not appreciate the youthful competition.
HONEY looks miserable.
JOHN watches her the other side of the road.
A car pulls up. HONEY walks up to the passenger window, leans in, talks for a moment to the (unseen) driver. HONEY makes eye contact with JOHN, gets into the car. It drives off.
58 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
DANIEL hands GRANT a supermarket grocery bag, sits with him on a section of pavement that is Grant's 'home'. GRANT’S hair is matted, unwashed; his clothes dirty.
DANIEL
Tomorrow night.
GRANT (CHUCKLES)
Have to check my diary.
DANIEL smiles, hands GRANT a post card photo of:
Grant, eyes blazing in his ragged face, staring into the camera in a moment of intense intimacy. Across the photo are the words
GRACE OF GOD.
GRANT looks at the photo, turns it over, reads what is written there, hands it back to DANIEL.
GRANT (CONT’D)
I prefer my memories.
DANIEL nods.
59 INT. BACK STREET. NIGHT
HONEY sits in the passenger seat, looking nervously at a YOUNG MAN in the driver's seat. He is as nervous as she is.
YOUNG MAN
You'll think I'm totally weird.
HONEY
I don't do…weird stuff…
YOUNG MAN
It's not that…
Tears well in his eyes.
YOUNG MAN (CONT’D)
I'm just…so lonely.
HONEY reaches out, takes his hand.
The YOUNG MAN starts to cry. So does HONEY. They look at each other crying and can't help but laugh.
YOUNG MAN (CONT’D)
Told you I was weird.
HONEY
Hey, join the club.
YOUNG MAN
You wanna drink?
HONEY nods. The YOUNG MAN reaches into the back seat and produces a cask of wine.
60 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
Seen through the lens of Daniel's camera:
GRANT holds a freshly opened packed of cigarettes out to DANIEL - who takes a photo. Click. DANIEL refuses a cigarette with a shake of his head, lowers the camera.
DANIEL
Trying to resist temptation.
GRANT reaches for Daniel's camera.
DANIEL
What?
GRANT
Want to get a photo of you trying to resist temptation.
DANIEL laughs hands GRANT his camera.
GRANT
I've just got to press this button, right?
DANIEL nods, looks into the lens. He waits and waits.
DANIEL
What are you waiting for?
GRANT
For you to look like you're resisting temptation.
DANIEL laughs. Click. A happy snap!
GRANT
You a happy man, Daniel?
DANIEL smiles, looks at GRANT - whose eyes are focused on his. DANIEL is unnerved by the intensity of his stare.
GRANT
Maybe that’s not the right question?
61 INT. GRANNY FLAT. NIGHT
JASPER is asleep on HELEN'S breast. The fingers of one of JASPER'S hands are intertwined with HELEN'S.
HELEN’S face is a battle-field of emotions.
62 INT. CAR. KINGS CROSS. NIGHT
HONEY, quite drunk, the cask of wine resting in her lap, indicates to the YOUNG MAN, driving, to drop her close to JOHN, standing on the pavement ahead. The YOUNG MAN slows.
HONEY
No, keep driving…
HONEY, plastic cup in hand, slinks low in the seat as they drive past JOHN, a look of panic in her eyes.
63 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
DANIEL and GRANT sit in companionable silence.
GRANT
Question is, is the ‘pursuit of happiness’ the most important goal to aspire to in life?
DANIEL laughs, shakes his head.
DANIEL
If not happiness, what?
GRANT smiles, shakes his head.
GRANT
Fucked if I know, Danny Boy, fucked if I know...Hope I can figure it out before I die.
64 INT. YOUNG MAN’S CAR. BACK STREET. NIGHT
The YOUNG MAN looks at HONEY with a mixture of tenderness and concern.
YOUNG MAN
You gunna be OK?
HONEY (NODS)
You?
The YOUNG MAN nods.
HONEY gets out of the car, walks down the street towards a building construction site; cask of wine in her hand.
The YOUNG MAN watches her with concern, reaches for his mobile phone.
65 EXT. BUILDING SITE. BACK STREET. NIGHT
HONEY sits in the gutter drinking wine from a plastic cup, the wine cask on the pavement beside her. She wipes tears dismissively from her eyes, opens her backpack, extracts John's knife, stares at it, takes another big slug of wine.
HONEY carrying the wine cask, scales a wire mesh fence, walks to stairs of the building under construction.
66 EXT. BUILDING SITE. 10TH FLOOR. NIGHT
HONEY arrives at the 10th floor, walks to within a few feet of the edge. There is no wall. She moves closer to the edge. Police sirens are heard.
67 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
GRANT puffs on a cigarette. He holds it out to DANIEL, who shakes his head. The police sirens grow louder.
GRANT
You’ve got to die of something.
DANIEL smiles, shakes his head, his attention focused on the loud sound of an approaching Fire Engine.
68 EXT. BUILDING SITE. 10TH FLOOR. NIGHT
HONEY stands at the edge of the building, looking down. A police car pulls up. She upends the cask of wine, opens the spigot, drinks from it, picks up the knife, runs the tip of its blade across her heavily scarred arm.
Close to the edge, knife in hand, HONEY looks down to where two police cars are parked, lights flashing.
69 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
DANIEL listens to the Fire Engine siren. It stops. It has pulled up out of sight closeby but it's flashing lights reflect in the windows of a building at the end of the street. DANIEL grabs his camera from GRANT, stands.
70 EXT. 10TH FLOOR/STREET. NIGHT
Standing dangerously close to the edge, more than a little drunk, HONEY'S attention is focused on the flashing red light of the fire engine. DANIEL runs into the frame.
The rest of this sequence is split between what takes place on 10th floor and what DANIEL sees through his lens and records in a succession of photos.
HONEY looks from the fire engine lights to the unseen but terrifying tormentor resting on her shoulder. She tries to brush, flick it away. There is a 'mad' look in her eyes. She does not notice young CONSTABLE DAVID (early 20s)who has joined her on the 10th floor.
POLICEMAN (VOICE OFF)
Hey…
HONEY swings around, stares at the POLICEMAN. Her balance at the edge is precarious.
POLICEMAN (KINDLY)
I'm David. And you?
HONEY ignores the question.
DANIEL, in the street looks up, takes photos as DAVID moves closer to HONEY. DAVID speaks but we do not hear what he says.
CONSTABLE DAVID takes a step forwards. HONEY edges back, perilously close to the edge, moving the tip of the knife to a point midway between her breasts. CONSTABLE DAVID stops, holds his arms up to indicate that he will move no closer.
HONEY looks down, sees:
Crowd in the street, including DANIEL, looking up.
CONSTABLE DAVID
You know if you stab yourself right there you'll hit your sternum and it'll hurt like hell but you won't get your heart.
HONEY shifts the tip of the knife.
CONSTABLE DAVID
A bit more to the left and make sure you find a gap between the ribs…
HONEY stares at him. This is not the script she had in mind.
HONEY
Aren't you…like…supposed to…talk me out of killing myself.
CONSTABLE DAVID
Nah, I just want to make sure you do it properly and don't make too much of a mess. Coz you know who has to clean it up!?
HONEY drops the hand with the knife in it to her side.
HONEY
But…
CONSTABLE DAVID
Life sucks and then you die, ay?
HONEY
I want more than that.
CONSTABLE DAVID
Join the club.
HONEY
Is there a joining fee?
DAVID smiles, steps forward, reaches out and takes the knife from her hand. HONEY falls into his arms, holds him tight.
...to be continued...
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