01x05 - Episode 5

[bunniefuu]

- MR. GONE NARRATES:
Most of us inhabit at least

two worlds...the real world,
where we're at the mercy of

circumstance, and the world
within, the unconscious,

a safe place where we can
escape.

The Maxx shifts between these
worlds...against his will.

Here, homeless, he lives
in a box in an alley.

The only one who really cares
for him is Julie Winters,

a freelance social worker.

But in Pangaea, the other world,
he rules the Outback

and is the protector of Julie,
his Jungle Queen.

- There, he cares for her.

But he always ends up
back in the real world.

And me, old Mr. Gone...

Only I can see that
the secret which unites them

could destroy them.

I could be helpful.

Ah, screw it!

I think I'll have some fun
with them, first.

- SARA: I was sittin' under
the Jones Street Underpass

yesterday.

That's 'cause I wanna be
a writer and writers gotta

have experiences...
like underpasses.

There was an old bum there, too.

"Hi," I said.

"My name's Sara."

At first, he didn't say
anything.

Then he said his name was Maxx.

- Maxx.

- It turned out he was
a superhero fighting this

villain called Mr. Gone.

But he was also this jungle guy
fighting saber tooth tigers

and stuff in Australia.

I didn't have to make any
of that stuff up...even though

I am gonna be a writer.

I especially like the part about
Gone's little cow bathroom.

You say this guy
was seriously nuts.

Well, duh.

And then, right out of the blue,
he says he knew my father.

Dad.

I can almost see his barbershop
quartet face in my mind.

He died when I was young...
too young to remember.

Anyway, the important part
is about three years ago,

he went to his office with
a r*fle and shot everybody

and then himself.

I don't see why he had to
do that...erase himself, I mean.

God, did it hurt.

I don't see why he had to
leave me...alone.

- Hey, Sunshine.

- I don't see why she has to
be like this.

She wasn't like this before Dad
went and offed himself.

- Did you catch any bad vibes
today?

- I mean, like wasn't the '60s
a long time ago?

- So, how's school...trippy?

- It's okay.

- It's not like you were
a disappointment to us

or anything.

I hate it when you pull back...
just like he used to.

I'll never forgive him for that.

You'd better share
with me, Sara.

I won't have you ending up
like your father.

Oh, god, I didn't mean that.

Why did I say that?

Tell me I'm not a bad mother.

Tell me I didn't ruin your life.

You didn't ruin my life, Mom.

- Groovy!

Now we can be like sisters.

- If Dad had to sh**t somebody,
why couldn't it have been her?

Did my saying that shock you?

Good.

Writers are supposed to
shock people.

We say witty and uncontrolled
things that rip the shroud off

a decaying society and expose
it for what it is.

Well, that's the idea anyway.

- It was like a happening
groove to have this chat with

you, Sweetie.

- Mom says she's not angry
at me, not really.

Sometimes her screaming
and crying fits can last all

night, so I share, and tell
her it's okay.

Mother her.

It's weird.

Dad left her and, in a way,
she left me.

About this time, I started
carrying a g*n.

That's what us writers
call "foreshadowing."

But, first, I have to tell you
about Jimmy.

Jimmy's cool.

Jimmy is like me...only shorter.

He doesn't have friends...just
like me.

He beats up littler kids
and takes their lunch money.

- JIMMY: Where's the money
today?

- I think it's kinda cool.

No matter how low you are
in the food chain, there's

always somebody lower.

I think we're all either one
of us can get.

Besides, we hate everybody else.

They're all NecroNerds
and San Freaks.

They think death is romantic,
but Jimmy knows the truth...

like me.

Death is hard and cold and ugly,
not some cute chick.

- This is a story Jimmy
told me...

- Me 'n the Frame was scraggin'
this car on the East.

We pulled out and these
carjackers cut us off.

Guttard scuzzballs wanted to
steal our stolen car.

We began to fight back.

Then Frame, that wussy,
bailed on me.

It was clear I was gonna have to
kick some a*s all by myself.

I started to really right then.

I bit off one guy's thumb,
cracked another guy's rib

like a pencil.

They were cryin', screamin'
for mercy.

I only laughed.

They never had a chance.

- SARA: At least, that's what
Jimmy said...although, it doesn't

sound like the Jimmy I know.

I don't know why my mom makes
me come and talk to Julie...

like she's even a real
social worker.

- I said I'd have the money,
Mr. Bruno.

I just need a little more time.

You don't have to evict them
today, do you?

- She does this social worker
thing out of her apartment...

very weird.

- Oh, you do.

Oh, I'm sure that rat-infested
hovel you run is being eagerly

solicited by other desperate
single mothers.

Well, you think if I sweeten
the rent with an extra fifty...

- Uh...
- Come in.

...you could manage to beat
the hordes for one day while I...

You will?

You're a prince, as always,
Mr. Bruno.

Hi, Sara.

Your mom tells me you're still
having trouble with your dad.

- No trouble.

I'm fine.

He's gone.

- She says you brood a lot,
that you seem to live in

the past.

- This, from the living fossil?

Like she knows what's really
going on.

- She knows she loves you,
Sara.

- SARA NARRATES: I found
one of my Dad's g*ns last week.

It made me feel good
to touch it...like I was

near him.

- So, tell me how
you're feeling.

- Why?

Feelings are stupid!

- Sounds like you have some
good reasons to feel that way.

- Oh, you mean like 'cause I'm
fat and ugly or maybe cause

I have zits and glasses and most
kids my age think I'm a joke

and so I try to run away from
myself by shutting every else

out...you mean like those kind
of reasons.

- Sara, I know it feels that
way now, but you won't feel

this way the rest of your life.

- You don't really believe
that, do you?

- Yes, I do.

- And I thought my mom
was naive.

- That sounds like something
your father might have...

- Shut up!

Don't talk about him!

What do you get out of this
anyway?

You spend your own money bailing
out a bunch of nobodies out

of jail trying to buy them.

I think you can't handle
relationships with anyone

you're not controlling.

- Hey, that's enough.

- I don't get you, Julie.

You're not a fat and ugly kid
with zits and glasses.

But between the two of us,
why do I get the feeling that

you're the one that's running
from herself.

Finally, Mom showed up.

- You're just buying
in to the very same macho

posturing that's been...

- SARA: They had the same
old argument.

- JULIE: Well, you're buying
into a crap...

- SARA: Steinem, Paglia.

- JULIE: ...professional
helpless.

- SARA: If all they do is
fight, then why are they still

friends and why do I still
have to come here?

- JULIE: I've had a little
more experience than you.

- SARA: Obviously,
they're both nuts.

- All right, fine.

Well, I don't even wanna
talk about it any more.

- Well, that figures.

You never wanna talk about it.

- No, I never do, okay,
so, just...

Okay, see you next week.

- Yeah, okay.

You bring the chocolates
this time.

- 'Night. Bye.

- MAXX: Poor kid.

She's got it kinda tough.

- She's a brat.

- Maybe she's just hit the nail
a little too close to the head

kind of brat.

- Ouch!

- And get your friggin' feet
off my coffee table.

- SARA NARRATES: Like I said,
Jimmy and I are exactly alike.

We understood each other.

Or, at least, that's what
I thought.

Like when we went to the stupid
dance together.

I'm not a fool.

I know what we look like.

- After all, we just went
for laughs.

Luckily, I don't feel hurt
or surprised any more.

When someone turns on the lights
it doesn't get to me.

It's just the kind of joke
Jimmy and his pals play.

Just for laughs.

Like I was saying...luckily,
I'm not stupid.

I don't get hurt any more.

Yeah, lucky me.

Don't worry, everybody's gone.

It's safe to be seen with me.

- Sorry, Sara, but I had
to do it.

This is like my only chance
to be like cool.

See, we're together 'cause
nobody else liked us.

But now everybody will like me
and I know it's stupid to give

you up for everybody else,
but I just can't help it.

Besides, we were just havin'
a laugh.

Right?

- I could feel the g*n
in my pocket.

- Nobody really got hurt,
right?

- But even more, I could feel
the sweet, hot, hatred my Dad

must have felt.

- You understand,
don't you, Sara?

- I understand.

- You aren't mad, right?

'Cause we can still be friends
and stuff...as long as nobody

sees us.

- I'm not mad, Jimmy.

SARA NARRATES: And the funny
thing was I really wasn't mad,

because in that second,
I realized that if they had

come to me, instead of him,
I would have done the same

thing.

I think it's an important thing
for a writer to know...that she

has the potential to be just
as rotten as everybody else.

- MAN: Safe home, dear friends,
and come again, to behold the

mysteries of MTV's "Oddities."