THEN SOME MORE STUFF HAPPENS

ED BECOMES ACQUAINTED AND THEN INFATUATED WITH FELLOW PATHLIGHT GROUP MEMBER JACKIE WHO SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND HIM BETTER THAN HE UNDERSTANDS HIMSELF AT TIMES. WE DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT JACKIE AND WHY SHE IS THERE, BUT WE DON’T NEED TO BECAUSE THIS IS NOT HER STORY EITHER. EDWARD JOINS JACKIE FOR A SMOKE BREAK OUTSIDE OF PATHLIGHT. EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN’T SMOKE, HE ACCEPTS HER OFFER OF A CIGARETTE AND LIGHTS UP ALONGSIDE HER. 

ED DREAMS AGAIN

MEET JAMES MCGRAW

SCENE OPENS ON A SMALL GROUP THERAPY ROOM. THERE ARE ABOUT A DOZEN CHAIRS AND THEY ARE HALF FULL OF PARTICIPANTS. WE SEE ED SEATED TO THE LEFT OF JAMES. IN THE THE CHAIR TO JAMES’ RIGHT IS SEATED JACKIE – A WOMAN IN HER MID-THIRTIES, SHE HAS HAD A DIFFICULT LIFE BUT SIGNS OF THOSE CHALLENGES ARE NOT SEEN ON HER FACE. SHE LOOKS YOUNG CONSIDERING HER AGE AND LIVED EXPERIENCE. HER CLOTHING IS NON-DESCRIPT EXCEPT FOR AN OBNOXIOUSLY-COLORED PAIR OF CROCS ON HER FEET. IN THE OTHER CHAIRS ARE FOUR OR FIVE OTHER PATIENTS. 

ED’S DREAM

THE NEW LIFE OF ED

FADE FROM BLACK TO CITY APARTMENT INTERIOR. WE SEE ED SITTING ALONE ON A LARGE GREY COUCH IN A LARGE (MOSTLY EMPTY) ROOM. ON THE COUCH IS AN OLD STAINED PILLOW AND MEAGER THROW BLANKET. IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS WHERE HE SLEEPS. THE APARTMENT IS SPARSELY DECORATED. THERE IS AN END TABLE TO HIS LEFT, A TELEVISION WHICH IS OFF SCREEN, BEHIND HIM IS A LARGE MIRROR MOUNTED ABOVE A GAS FIREPLACE. THE MIRROR IS THE ONLY THING MOUNTED ON THE WALLS. TO HIS RIGHT IS THE KITCHEN AND DINING AREA. WE CAN HEAR CITYSCAPE SOUNDS OF HONKING CARS, CONSTRUCTION WORK, AND DISTANT SIRENS. WE ALSO HEAR THE VOICE OF A YOUTUBER SPEAKING FROM THE TELEVISION OFF SCREEN. ED IS DRESSED IN A WHITE PIT-STAINED T-SHIRT AND FADED BLUE FLANNEL PAJAMA PANTS WHICH ARE FRAYED AT THE ANKLES AND TORN IN ONE KNEE. HE STARES IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TELEVISION WITHOUT REALLY WATCHING IT. HIS THICK BUT GREYING HAIR IS DISHEVELED AND THERE ARE DARK CIRCLES UNDER HIS EYES. HIS AFFECT IS DISTANT AND DISTRACTED UNTIL AN AUBURN KING CHARLES SPANIEL PUPPY ENTHUSIASTICALLY JUMPS INTO HIS LAP AND BEGINS LICKING HIS FACE.

OPENING SCENE

BELLE:  Hey, do you remember?

SCREEN FADES FROM BLACK AND WE SEE A CLOSE-UP OF BELLE’S FACE. SHE IS MIDDLE-AGED WITH DARK HAIR, BROWN EYES, AGE SPOTS, AND A FEW LINES ON HER FACE. 

Whether you can believe it or not, I have now been writing posts for Just One Take for ten years. Back in 2012, I had no idea where life would take me or how this blog might go over. Ten years in, I would say it’s going rather well. For that, I give my gratitude to the readers and fellow bloggers who readily lend me their time, support, comments, and encouragement.

Let me take you back to the year 1999.

The song that topped the charts that year was “Believe” by performing artist and possible ageless vampire Cher. Plastic chokers, slip dresses, cardigans, and capri pants were hot fashion items. Gwen Stefani’s pink hair was about to be featured on the album art of Return of Saturn. Pink’s career was about to really take off. Fears of Y2K and several systems failures around the world mounted as the end of year approached. It is also the year the groundbreaking film The Matrix hit theaters at the end of March 1999.