Life Support

MARK:

We begin on Christmas Eve with me, Mark, and my roommate, Roger. We live in an industrial loft on the corner of 11th Street and Avenue B, the top floor of what was once a music publishing factory. Old rock and roll posters hang on the walls. They have Roger’s picture advertising gigs at CBGB’s and the Pyramid Club. We have an illegal wood burning stove; it’s exhaust pipe crawls up to a skylight. All of our electrical appliances are plugged into one thick extension cord which snakes its way out a window. Outside a small tent city has sprung up in the lot next to our building. Inside we are freezing because we have no heat.
(He turns the camera on Roger)
Smile!

TUNE UP #1

MARK:

ROGER:

THIS WON’T TUNE MARK:

ROGER:

ARE YOU TALKING TO ME? MARK:

ROGER:

I’M WRITING ONE GREAT SONG-- MARK:

The phone rings. ROGER:

SAVED! MARK:

VOICE MAIL #1

ROGER AND MARK’S OUTGOING MESSAGE:

“SPEAK”...(“Beeeep!”) MOM:

WE WANTED TO CALL AND SAY WE LOVE YOU
AND WE’LL MISS YOU TOMORROW
CINDY AND THE KIDS ARE HERE--SEND THEIR LOVE
OH, I HOPE YOU LIKE THE HOT PLATE
JUST DON’T LEAVE IT ON, DEAR, WHEN YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE

OH AND MARK
WE’RE SORRY TO HEAR THAT MAUREEN DUMPED YOU
I SAY “C’EST LA VIE”
SO LET HER BE A LESBIAN
THERE ARE OTHER FISHIES IN THE SEA
...LOVE MOM

TUNE UP #2

MARK:

TELL THE FOLKS AT HOME WHAT YOU’RE DOING ROGER... ROGER:

I’M WRITING ONE GREAT SONG-- MARK:

The phone rings. ROGER:

YESSS! MARK:

WE SCREEN ROGER AND MARK’S ANSWERING MACHINE:

“SPEAK”...(“Beeeep!”) COLLINS:

“CHESTNUTS ROASTING...” ROGER & MARK:

COLLINS! COLLINS:

I’M DOWNSTAIRS MARK:

HEY! COLLINS:

ROGER PICKED UP THE PHONE?? MARK:

NO, IT’S ME COLLINS:

THROW DOWN THE KEY MARK:

A WILD NIGHT IS NOW PREORDAINED COLLINS:

I MAY BE DETAINED MARK:

BENNY:

HO HO HO MARK & ROGER:

BENNY! SHIT BENNY:

DUDES, I’M ON MY WAY MARK & ROGER:

GREAT! FUCK BENNY:

I NEED THE RENT MARK:

WHAT RENT? BENNY:

THIS PAST YEAR’S RENT WHICH I LET SLIDE MARK:

LET SLIDE? YOU SAID WE WERE “GOLDEN” ROGER:

WHEN YOU BOUGHT THE BUILDING MARK:

WHEN WE WERE ROOMMATES ROGER:

REMEMBER--YOU LIVED HERE!? BENNY:

MARK:

SHE’S PERFORMING TONIGHT BENNY:

MARK:

TWO DAYS AGO I WAS BUMPED BENNY:

YOU STILL DATING HER? MARK:

LAST MONTH I WAS DUMPED ROGER:

SHE’S IN LOVE BENNY:

SHE’S GOT A NEW MAN? MARK:

WELL--NO BENNY:

WHAT’S HIS NAME? MARK & ROGER:

JOANNE BENNY:

MARK:

The power blows...

RENT

MARK:

ROGER:

MARK:

AND WE’RE HUNGRY AND FROZEN ROGER:

SOME LIFE THAT WE’VE CHOSEN BOTH:

MARK:

WE LIGHT CANDLES ROGER:

MARK:

HOW CAN YOU GENERATE HEAT WHEN YOU CAN’T FEEL YOUR FEET BOTH:

AND THEY’RE TURNING BLUE MARK:

YOU LIGHT UP A MEAN BLAZE ROGER:

WITH POSTERS MARK:

AND SCREENPLAYS BOTH:

JOANNE: (on phone)

YOU WON’T THROW UP
YOU WON’T THROW UP
THE DIGITAL DELAY DIDN’T BLOW UP (EXACTLY)
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE TEENY TINY SPARK
YOU’RE NOT CALLING MARK!

COLLINS:

MARK:

WHERE IS HE? COLLINS:

GETTING DIZZY BOTH:

BENNY: (on cellular phone)

FORCES ARE GATHERING
FORCES ARE GATHERING
CAN’T TURN AWAY
FORCES ARE GATHERING

COLLINS:

MARK:

“THE MUSIC IGNITES THE NIGHT WITH PASSIONATE FIRE” JOANNE:

MAUREEN--I’M NOT A THEATRE PERSON ROGER:

“THE NARRATION CRACKLES AND POPS WITH INCENDIARY WIT” JOANNE:

COULD NEVER BE A THEATRE PERSON MARK:

ZOOM IN AS THEY BURN THE PAST TO THE GROUND JOANNE:

HELLO? MARK & ROGER:

AND FEEL THE HEAT OF THE FUTURE’S GLOW JOANNE:

HELLO? MARK: (on phone)

MARK & HALF THE COMPANY:

ROGER & OTHER HALF OF COMPANY:

ALL:

BENNY:

ROGER:

USE YOUR CAMERA TO SPAR MARK:

USE YOUR GUITAR ALL:

WHEN THEY ACT TOUGH, YOU CALL THEIR BLUFF MARK & ROGER:

WE’RE NOT GONNA PAY MARK & ROGER W/ HALF THE COMPANY:

WE’RE NOT GONNA PAY MARK & ROGER W/ OTHER HALF OF COMPANY:

WE’RE NOT GONNA PAY ALL:

RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT
WE’RE NOT GONNA PAY RENT

MARK & ROGER:

CAUSE EVERYTHING IS RENT

YOU OKAY, HONEY? (The street)

HOMELESS MAN:

ANGEL:

YOU OKAY HONEY? COLLINS:

I’M AFRAID SO ANGEL:

THEY GET ANY MONEY? COLLINS:

ANGEL:

COLLINS:

ANGEL:

COLLINS:

AS DOES MINE ANGEL:

COLLINS:

MY FRIENDS ARE WAITING-- ANGEL:

TUNE UP #3 (The loft)

MARK:

ROGER:

Zoom in on my empty wallet. MARK:

I’ll check up on you later. Change your mind. You have to get out of the house.

ONE SONG GLORY

ROGER:

ONE SONG -- HE HAD THE WORLD AT HIS FEET
GLORY
IN THE EYES OF A YOUNG GIRL
A YOUNG GIRL
FIND GLORY
BEYOND THE CHEAP COLORED LIGHTS
ONE SONG -- BEFORE THE SUN SETS
GLORY -- ON ANOTHER EMPTY LIFE
TIME FLIES -- TIME DIES

GLORY
ONE BLAZE OF GLORY
ONE BLAZE OF GLORY -- GLORY
FIND GLORY

IN A SONG THAT RINGS TRUE
TRUTH LIKE A BLAZING FIRE
AN ETERNAL FLAME
FIND ONE SONG -- A SONG ABOUT LOVE
GLORY
FROM THE SOUL OF A YOUNG MAN
A YOUNG MAN

FIND THE ONE SONG -- BEFORE THE VIRUS TAKES HOLD
GLORY
LIKE A SUNSET
ONE SONG -- TO REDEEM THIS EMPTY LIFE
TIME FLIES
AND THEN -- NO NEED TO ENDURE ANYMORE
TIME DIES

(A knock at the door)

The door.

LIGHT MY CANDLE

ROGER:

WHAT’D YOU FORGET? MIMI:

GOT A LIGHT? ROGER:

I KNOW YOU? -- YOU’RE...YOU’RE SHIVERING MIMI:

ROGER:

MIMI:

ROGER:

MIMI:

I ALWAYS REMIND PEOPLE OF -- WHO IS SHE? ROGER:

SHE DIED. HER NAME WAS APRIL MIMI:

ROGER:

WELL... MIMI:

YEAH. OW! ROGER:

OH, THE WAX. IT’S... MIMI:

...DRIPPING. I LIKE IT, BETWEEN MY... ROGER:

(Mimi exits, then knocks again)

IT BLEW OUT AGAIN?

MIMI:

NO -- I THINK THAT I DROPPED MY STASH ROGER:

MIMI:

ROGER:

THE FLOOR? MIMI:

THEY SAY THAT I HAVE THE BEST ASS BELOW 14TH STREET -- IS IT TRUE? ROGER:

WHAT? MIMI:

YOU’RE STARING AGAIN ROGER:

MIMI:

LIKE YOUR DEAD GIRLFRIEND? ROGER:

MIMI:

ROGER:

YES! THEY USED TO TIE YOU UP MIMI:

IT’S A LIVING ROGER:

I DIDN’T RECOGNIZE YOU WITHOUT THE HANDCUFFS MIMI:

ROGER:

MIMI:

ROGER:

MIMI:

I HAVE NO HEAT -- I TOLD YOU ROGER:

I USED TO SWEAT MIMI:

I GOT A COLD ROGER:

MIMI:

BUT NOW AND THEN I LIKE TO... ROGER:

UH HUH MIMI:

FEEL GOOD ROGER:

HERE IT -- UM -- MIMI:

WHAT’S THAT? ROGER:

IT’S A CANDY BAR WRAPPER MIMI:

ROGER:

THAT WAS MY LAST MATCH MIMI:

OUR EYES’LL ADJUST. THANK GOD FOR THE MOON ROGER:

MIMI:

BAH HUMBUG -- BAH HUMBUG ROGER:

COLD HANDS MIMI:

ROGER:

WITH YOU? MIMI:

NO -- WITH MY FATHER ROGER:

I’M ROGER MIMI:

VOICE MAIL #2

MAUREEN:

Hi. You’ve reached Maureen and Joanne. Leave a message and don’t forget “Over the Moon” -- my performance, protesting the eviction of the Homeless (and artists) from the Eleventh Street Lot. Tonight at midnight in the lot between A and B. Party at Life Café to follow. (BEEP) MR. JEFFERSON:

MRS. JEFFERSON:

MR. JEFFERSON:

MRS. JEFFERSON:

THE HEARINGS MR. JEFFERSON:

MRS. JEFFERSON:

HAROLD! MR. JEFFERSON:

MRS. JEFFERSON:

I AM NOT! MR. JEFFERSON:

MRS. JEFFERSON:

AND A BRA!!

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