INNERSPACE

RENE

...Rene.

AL (VO)

What happened?

JOE

...Rene...

INSIDE - INT. THE POD -

AL'S alarm panel flickers on, then off.

AL (excited)

What happened?

JOE (VO)(alarmed)

What is it?

AL (sarcastic)

I think your heart stopped.

NEARBY HOTEL - A little known resort for the cognoscenti. A

place of beauty and solitude. Joe starts to follow her.

AL

Where are you going?

JOE

To the hotel. To register.

AL

Without your pants.

JOE

Maybe they won't stand on ceremony.

He stops, turns and heads back up the beach.

AL

Good thing I'm here to do the thinking.

JOE

Yeah. Some help. That poetry

really killed her.

AL

It worked.

JOE

I made it work.

AL

You stumbled around. Remember,

you've got my ID, you've got to

be me, not some stumblebum.

JOE

Rene...

JOE

I'm not some hot shot test pilot.

I'm not some playboy. I don't

usually pick up girls.

AL

Well you did it today.

JOE

Yeah. I did it.

AL (VO)

But, you've got to have...

sophistication ...savoir faire.

JOE (pissed)

Here, savor this.

Joe goes nuts...He screams, hops around, shakes his head.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

AL is being rattled all over the place.

OUTSIDE

Joe vents his frustration. He howls, punches himself in the

head...He runs down the beach, flips, lands in the surf.

JOE

Now, fuck off.

INSIDE - EXT. THE POD

Bucked all over the place by Joe's gyrations. It slams into

nerve bundles, glances off.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

AL fights for control. Consoles are lit up. Relays are sparking.

Al is suitably panicked.

AL

Mayday! Goddamn it. Stop!

INSIDE - EXT. THE POD

trampolines off a membrane, comes to rest wedged into a nerve

bundle.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

AL - The Monitors start sparking. He's picking something up. The

SCREENS show new, strange information. Al forgets his anger,

everything else in his growing excitement.

AL

What is this? What is this?

Joe! Joe, are you there?

OUTSIDE - EXT. THE BEACH

JOE floats at the shoreline.

JOE

Now, where would I be?

INSIDE - INT. THE POD - AL

AL

What are you looking at?

OUTSIDE

Joe scans the beautiful inlet. The pine covered islets are

silhouetted by the waning sun that glints off the azure sea.

JOE - A BEAT

JOE

Nothing.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

AL - mounting excitement.

AL

But what's it look like?

OUTSIDE - JOE

JOE

What's nothing look like?

...it looks like nothing.

AL (VO)

Is something glinting?

JOE

The sun is right in his eyes. He shields them with his hand.

He's tired and cranky; more than a little annoyed at Al.

JOE

Sure something's glinting.

AL (VO) (practically shouting)

What is it?

JOE

What is it, it's nothing...

It's just the sun.

Suddenly it dawns. On Joe.

INSIDE INT. THE POD

AL squints at:

INSERT - THE MONITOR

Very low resolution, but it's there. Breaking up; all the wrong

colors; but you can make it out. Definitely...an image.

JOE (VO)

What is it?

AL

Looks like...the optic nerve.

I can see out!

OUTSIDE

Joe sits on the beautiful, deserted beach. The sun; the rocks;

the glinting waves. Suddenly...he's got to share it. It, and

everything else.

JOE (ruefully)

Oh...swell!

THE INN - THAT EVENING - EXCLUSIVE MEN'S SHOP

Joe's wearing a new sports coat; very expensive. He holds up a

tie, regards it in the mirror. A slight facial tick at the

intrusive voice:

AL (VO)

You really like that shirt?

JOE

This...is not going to work out.

SALESMAN

Sir?

Joe is distracted...He stumbles:

JOE

Ahh...ahh...ahh...The shirt!...

SALESMAN

The shirt?

AL (VO)

Much too blue.

JOE

Not blue enough.

The salesman...a minute hesitation.

SALESMAN

Not blue enough, sir. Right it is.

He zips off toward the shirt racks. Joe turns to the mirror.

JOE

Mind your own business.

AL (VO)

It is my business. It's my name.

JOE

But the rest is me.

I'll dress like I want.

He notices someone. The salesman has returned carrying blue

shirts to find his customer mumbling to himself.

SALESMAN

How about these, sir?

JOE

...just like I want..

He turns back, holds up another tie.

AL (VO)

Not that tie with that coat.

JOE

(Exasperated, blurts out.)

Why not?!

SALESMAN

(thinks he's speaking to him)

Why not, indeed, Sir!

AL (VO)

It's much too loud.

JOE

So are you.

JOE

(indicates tierack)

And all these, too.

Salesman turns back. Joe glances up.

HIS POV - THROUGH THE WINDOW TO THE LOBBY

Rene, another woman, and three men; a slight blond; a tall,

powerful, dark-haired man; and a well-dressed Japanese, walk

toward the LANAI.

JOE

turns to salesman, grabs a blank bill.

JOE

Send it to my room.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY

Joe exits shop, moves to the LANAI.

EXT. LANAI

A Bouganvilliaed veranda overlooking the Sea. Joe appears at the

door, checks out Rene's party as he waits.

AL (VO)

What did that cost?

JOE

You want sophistication,

it don't come cheap.

AL (VO)

Doesn't.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD - AL/JOE'S POV

Both women are pretty.

AL

Which one is she?

JOE (VO)

The beautiful one.

The Maitre'D approaches, checks out Joe's clothes approvingly.

AL (VO)

They both look good to me.

JOE

You have no taste.

MAITRE'D

Sir?

JOE

I'd like a place. For one.

MAITRE'D

Yes Sir. Right this way.

AL (VO)

Get close to them.

JOE

That place. By the window.

Joe indicates a large table next to Rene's party.

MAITRE'D

I'm sorry, Sir. That's for

four persons.

JOE

I'll be four persons.

MAITRE'D

Excuse me, Sir?

Joe strides towards his objective. The Maitre'D scurries behind.

He stops at the table, pulls out the chair with the best angle

on Rene. The Maitre'D is about to object. Joe cuts him off.

JOE

If they don't show up, charge me

for four. Send the bill to my room.

A HESITATION. Joe acts assured. The Maitre'D checks his clothes

again. Very expensive. He pulls out Joe's chair.

MAITRE'D

Yes Sir! Four it is!

Joe sits with aplomb. Grabs the plum from the bowl of fruit and

takes a big, satisfied bite. The Maitre'D bows and backs off. Joe

glances at the other table. Rene looks up, sees him, seems

surprised. He gives her a big smile, but his words are for Al.

JOE

How's that for fucking Savoir Fair!

WAITER

Sir?

Joe turns, the waiter looms over him. He thinks fast.

JOE

How's that Trucklhouser Beer?

WAITER

We have Henekin, Kirin...(Joe nods)

Very good, sir.

JOE

This sophistication ain't tough.

All it takes is a credit card.

He smiles a bigger smile over at Rene.

AL (VO)

Don't overplay it.

The waiter comes back with the beer. Joe looks up at him,

smiles, delivers a line meant for Al.

JOE

If it's sophistication you want,

I'm the man for it.

The waiter's smile freezes in place. He backs off a bit.

AL (VO)

That's Rene?

Rene, turns, sees Joe, flashes him a quick smile of recognition.

INSIDE INT. THE POD

AL - picks her up on his MONITOR. In that moment, he falls for

her; an audible GROAN escapes him.