Stratford Man (Part 2)
By Jedediah-Smith
Sun, 05 Jan 2014
- 274 reads
INT. BED AND BREAKFAST HALLWAY - NIGHT
We see a medium-height, somewhat rotund man walking toward Skye's door. He has a mop of disheveled hair, but he is completely bald on top. He wears a cloak.
CUT TO:
INT. BED AND BREAKFAST ROOM - NIGHT
Skye sips vodka and hears a knock on the door. He approaches the door and opens it to reveal WILLIAM. William's accent is almost Appalachian, with hard "r"s.
WILLIAM
This is an inn, my lord?
SKYE
Say what?
WILLIAM
This is an inn? Forgive me. I'm afeard I've lost my way.
SKYE
The festivities are down the road. Your costume could use some help.
Skye begins to close the door.
WILLIAM
Sir, I am weary. Mightn't I come in and set down.
SKYE
Get lost.
WILLIAM
I beg of you. Just one cup of ale. 'Twill remedy the head.
Skye stares at William.
SKYE
Why didn't you say the password to start?
Skye steps aside and gestures for William to enter. He does.
INT. BED AND BREAKFAST ROOM - DAY
Skye kneels at a mini-fridge and pulls out two bottled beers. Skye uncaps the bottles and hands one to William.
SKYE
That should help.
William looks at the bottle like it is something new and strange.
WILLIAM
I've nearly done myself in.
SKYE
Drink up. I didn't realize the festivities got so rowdy.
WILLIAM
Rowdy?
SKYE
That's what you're here for, right? Hence the costume?
WILLIAM
These garments are my plainclothes.
Skye gives him a dubious look.
SKYE
Whatever floats your boat.
WILLIAM
My boat? I do travel by horse and not by bark, sir. Not in Stratford.
Skye just stares at him. Then he begins pushing him out the door.
SKYE
Would you mind hitting the road? There are no open container laws here.
WILLIAM
I am lost. Where am I? Where have I been?
SKYE
You're in Stratford.
WILLIAM
That I know well. But everything doth suffer some sea change.
SKYE
It's the birthday celebration.
WILLIAM
Birthday. The day of one's birth. 'Tis celebrated?
SKYE
When your name is William Shakespeare.
William looks surprised.
WILLIAM
You know my name.
SKYE
Your name?
WILLIAM
Ay.
SKYE
Your name is William Shakespeare?
WILLIAM
The same.
Skye looks humored, but is running out of patience.
SKYE
I see.
WILLIAM
Methinks the name hath gained some esteem in Stratford.
SKYE
(laughs)
Yeah, I'd say so. Not just in Stratford.
WILLIAM
In London.
SKYE
There, too.
Skye gives up and sits down to sip his beer for a moment.
SKYE (CONT'D)
Well, boy do I have a shitload of questions for you. Like where you were between the ages of eighteen and thirty.
William sits.
WILLIAM
Eighteen and thirty. Who could answer such a query as this?
William begins laughing heartily. Skye joins him.
WILLIAM
Where were YOU between the ages of eighteen and thirty?
SKYE
Point taken.
They sip their beers.
WILLIAM
This is a fine ale. Though it chills me like the depth of winter.
SKYE
Alright. Here's a question for you. In your boyhood home, there's an attic. What did you carve into the floor of that attic?
William seems almost scared by the question.
WILLIAM
You have never been to my home.
SKYE
Sure I have.
WILLIAM
What occasion had you?
SKYE
Just answer the question.
WILLIAM
I haven't thought of it in forty years. But, ay. How could you know?
SKYE
Just tell me exactly what you carved into the floor.
INT. BED AND BREAKFAST HALLWAY - NIGHT
A MAID is organizing cleaning supplies on a cart.
SKYE (O.C.)
Holy fuck!
The maid looks startled and approaches the door and knocks on it.
MAID
Everything alright?
In a moment, the door opens ajar and Skye's face appears.
SKYE
We're--you know--fucking.
He disappears for a moment and then reappears with the "Do not disturb" sign and hangs it on the door knob.
INT. BED AND BREAKFAST ROOM - NIGHT
Skye turns back to William.
SKYE
Where did you come from?
WILLIAM
I know not, sir.
SKYE
You just appeared at my door?
WILLIAM
The last I do recall, I drunk. At the ale house. Jonson was in town for a visit. It was a truly jolly time. Drayton joined us. I must have had too much.
SKYE
Holy shit, the legend is true.
WILLIAM
What legend was that?
Skye sits back down.
SKYE
I don't understand. Why this is happening.
WILLIAM
And what are you?
SKYE
What am I? I'm a teacher.
WILLIAM
At the Stratford School?
SKYE
At New York University.
WILLIAM
I knew not that York had a new one.
SKYE
Not that York.
WILLIAM
Do you teach Latin?
SKYE
I teach you.
WILLIAM
You teach me?
SKYE
You're the second most influential person who ever lived... Surprise.
WILLIAM
What doth your speech import? I understand not.
Skye sits transfixed on William.
SKYE
This might help.
Skye rises and flips on the television which is loud and showing a Lady Gaga video. William shoots into the air like a bouncing ball and screams at the top of his lungs. He runs for the door.
SKYE (CONT'D)
Stay here!
EXT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
Skye's door opens and William is screaming, trying to get away. Skye has him by the waist and is pulling him back in. The maid watches, horrified. Skye manages to pull William back in.
INT. BED AND BREAKFAST ROOM - NIGHT
Skye pushes William down into a chair and manages to turn the television off.
SKYE
Calm down. Calm down. It's just television. You're in the future.
WILLIAM
The future. I understand not your meaning.
SKYE
You're not in 1616. You're in 2014.
WILLIAM
. . .2014
William stares at Skye.
SKYE
Don't ask me. You're the time traveler who showed up at my door.
William's attention turns to the television.
WILLIAM
And what is this monster?
SKYE
It's a television.
WILLIAM
Will she hurt me?
SKYE
She's not really there. It's just a box that gives off light and color. Like a flame.
WILLIAM
Where hath she gone?
Skye picks up the remote and flips the television back on. It is now showing a British soap opera.
SKYE
Stay calm.
WILLIAM
Who are they?
Skye smiles.
SKYE
They're actors. In a play.
William watches, amazed.
WILLIAM
'Tis a muse of fire! It ascends the brightest heaven of invention!. . .
Skye watches William and listens with awe.
WILLIAM (CONT'D)
Everything as it is in life. This cockpit may hold the vasty fields of France. We may cram within the girdle of this square the very casques that did affright the air at Agincourt.
SKYE
Henry Five. . . There's more where that came from.
Skye begins flipping through the channels. He stops on "Shakespeare in Love." Joseph Fiennes is reciting sonnets to Gwyneth Paltrow and making love to her.
SKYE (CONT'D)
Here. . . This is supposed to be you.
WILLIAM
This is me?
SKYE
An actor playing you.
William watches, disgusted.
WILLIAM
Shite!. . . And who is the boy he kisses?
SKYE
Gwyneth Paltrow. . .
WILLIAM
Gwyneth. I didn't write that sonnet for a woman.
SKYE
You're preaching to the choir. And this screenpl-. . . this play was written by one of our best writers. That should tell you how wrong we get everything.
WILLIAM
And wherefore have I arrived at your door?
SKYE
I don't know. . . I might.
William stares at Skye questioningly. He then notices Skye's photograph of a small boy.
WILLIAM
And who is the face within this smaller square?
Skye is taken aback by the question.
SKYE
My son.
WILLIAM
He hath not seen the change of. . . nine years?
SKYE
You're right, he was nine.
WILLIAM
. . .Oh. Your present business is to mourn and woe.
Skye moves to the fridge to get another beer.
SKYE
You want another?
WILLIAM
Ay.
Skye uncaps them and hands one to William. William takes a sip.
WILLIAM (CONT'D)
My own son did perish. At eleven.
Skye is surprised and then remembers.
SKYE
. . . Really?
WILLIAM
When sorrows come, they come not as single spies but as battalions. . . But the verse that spills like tears on the page is eternal. Your son need never leave your side.
SKYE
William Shakespeare. . . I have so many questions. You never answered the first one. About where you were between the ages of eighteen and thirty.
WILLIAM
I shall answer.
A series of dissolves of William talking and Skye listening, fascinated. We get the impression of the passage of time and the two men laughing and drinking late into the night.
CUT TO:
INT. BED AND BREAKFAST HALLWAY - NIGHT
Skye's door opens. William and Skye stand in the doorway. William puts his arms on Skye's shoulders.
WILLIAM
There's a good soul within thee.
Skye looks at him, bleary-eyed.
SKYE
Thanks for coming.
WILLIAM
'Twas a shared pleasure.
SKYE
Where are you going now?
WILLIAM
What strength I have is little. I must venture into the darkest night. Before I take my leave, I needs must say this once:. . . Don't fuck with my remains.
He walks away.
CUT TO:
INT. BED AND BREAKFAST ROOM - MORNING
Skye wakes up in his bed with empty beer bottles strewn all around him. His pants are still on, but his shirt and shoes have been removed. It takes him a moment to remember where he is. He looks at the alarm clock next to his bed. It says, "8:47." He jumps out of bed. He hastily throws his shirt on without buttoning it and fumbles with his shoes.
CUT TO:
EXT. BED AND BREAKFAST - DAY
Skye stumbles out into the street and runs down the street with bed-head and untied shoes. He attempts to button his shirt as he runs. He does so unevenly.
CUT TO:
INT. TRINITY CHURCH - DAY
Mark is asleep on the floor. A pile of dirt and mortar, tall as a haystack, has accumulated next to a nine-foot deep cavern that's been dug into the altar. At the bottom of the cavern is a 17th century coffin.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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