q*eer (2024)

[bunniefuu]

(ALL APOLOGIES

BY SINEAD O'CONNOR PLAYING)

(MUSIC FADES)

-(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

-(MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS)

You're not q*eer.

Usually, if I get this far

with an American kid,

I can get the rest of the way,

but with you there's some...

obstacle.

Your mother wouldn't like it.

I had a friend, um,

a h*m* Jewish friend

who lived in Oklahoma City.

I asked him,

"Why do you live here?

"You have enough money,

"you could live

wherever you like."

You know what he told me?

(IN DEEP VOICE) "It would k*ll

my mother if I moved away."

(LAUGHS HEARTILY)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

-(WHISTLE BLOWS)

-(TRAM BELL DINGS)

Good luck, Lee.

(MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(SIGHS HEAVILY)

(VEHICLES PASS BY)

(NOISES FADE OUT TO SILENCE)

-(VEHICLE HONKS)

-(DOG BARKS DISTANTLY)

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(SERENE MUSIC PLAYING)

-LEE: Gracias.

-Gracias.

(STATIC NOISE)

Everything in this country

falls apart.

Wouldn't surprise me

if I picked up a boy

in the Alameda and his...

Someone stole my typewriter.

It was that Brazilian,

or whatever he is.

You know him. Maurice.

The wrestler?

You mean the gym instructor,

Louie?

No, no, no.

That's another one.

No, Louie has decided

all that sort of thing

is very wrong,

and he tells me that I am

going to burn in hell

but he is going to heaven.

-Serious?

-Mm-hmm.

No,

Maurice is as q*eer as I am.

If not queerer... (BELCHES)

Excuse me.

But he won't accept it.

I think stealing my typewriter

is a way he takes

to demonstrate to me

and to himself that he is just

in it for all he can get.

Uh-huh.

As a matter of fact,

he's so q*eer

I've lost interest in him.

Not completely though...

(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)

(NOISES FADE OUT)

(STATIC NOISE GROWS LOUDER)

(CLOCK TICKING)

(TICKING GETS LOUDER)

(FLIES BUZZING)

(STATIC NOISE)

(DISTORTED FEELING)

Hello.

Nazis.

I'll probably invite him

back to my apartment

instead of beating

the sh*t out of him

like I should.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

LEE: ...think how much

it would cost you

to sh**t a major

in the Mexican Army!

You know what?

I'm going to get a bottle.

Well, um, no.

You see, we're hoping

to work on the plans

for this boat

we're going to build.

A boat?

MOOR: Yes. At Zihuatanejo.

All right. Well, how about

meeting me for a drink

tomorrow at the Rathskeller?

Say around five?

I expect

I'll be busy tomorrow.

Yes, but you have

to eat and drink. (CHUCKLES)

Well, you see, this boat

is more important to me

than anything right now.

It will take up all my time.

Suit yourself.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Thanks for running

interference, Tom.

I hope he got the idea.

I like the guy, but I can't

stand to be alone with him.

He keeps trying

to go to bed with me.

That's what I don't

like about q*eers.

You can't keep

it on the basis of friendship.

(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

(COME AS YOU ARE

BY NIRVANA PLAYING)

(CHEERING AND SHOUTING

INDISTINCTLY)

(SQUAWKING)

(COME AS YOU ARE

CONTINUES PLAYING)

(SONG FADES OUT)

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

One absinthe.

BARTENDER:

Hola, Lee.

(INHALES SHARPLY)

(GIGGLES)

(MAN LAUGHS)

f*ck you, Tom!

MAN: So touchy!

I don't take it personally.

(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)

-(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

-(WOMAN LAUGHS)

Yup.

(DOOR OPENS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(CHIMU BAR ARTISTS

SING LA MALAGUENA)

-Mezcal!

-BARTENDER: Si, senor.

(BARTENDER IN SPANISH)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(CROWD CHEERING)

(LAUGHTER)

(IN SPANISH) Why so sad?

(SPEAKS SPANISH)

I'm not sad.

Not really.

I'm okay.

(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

You been aqui before? Mm?

-Yeah, of course, you have.

-I've been aqui.

(DOOR CLOSES)

(SPEAKS SPANISH)

Do you carry a p*stol?

Yes, I carry a p*stol.

(CLEARS THROAT)

(SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUES)

(CHUCKLES)

(MAN MOANS)

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

(SPEAKS SPANISH) I have to go.

There's a brawl out

of the Chimu.

I'm going there

to drink something.

(LEE CLEARS THROAT)

-Adios.

-Adios.

Get a load of this.

"After he k*lled his wife

and three children,

"he takes a razor

and puts on a suicide act,

"but resulted

only in scratches

"that did not require

medical attention." (CHUCKLES)

What a slobbish performance!

And on the subject of m*rder,

I'm going...

Sit down on your a*s!

(SIGHS)

Or what's left of it after

four years in the Navy.

(SCOFFS)

Lee.

I gotta go.

What are you, henpecked?

Yeah, no kidding.

I've been out too much lately,

Lee.

Lola's, Ship Ahoy,

the other places...

My old lady says

I gotta be home

for dinner every night.

f*ck, Jim!

JIM: Lee, wait...

LEE: Hi!

Hi.

I just... Uh, I just wanted

to tell you that, um...

Mary was in Lola's

a little while ago.

And she asked me to tell you

that she'd be

in the Ship Ahoy later on,

around five.

-Oh.

-(CLEARS THROAT)

Thank you.

-Will you be around tonight?

-Yes, um...

I think so, yeah.

(AND THE ANGELS SING BY BENNY

GOODMAN PLAYS OVER SPEAKERS)

-Who is he?

-(SCOFFS)

I have no idea.

-Tequila. (CLEARS THROAT)

-BARTENDER: Yeah.

(MARY CHUCKLES)

(SPEAKS SPANISH) Another.

Another.

(MARY CHUCKLES)

(BARTENDER IN SPANISH) You're

drinking so fast, Mr. Lee!

(SATURDAY NIGHT FISH FRY

BY LOUIS JORDAN PLAYING)

Two rum and cokes.

(BARTENDER IN SPANISH)

(COINS CLINKING)

(CHUCKLES)

(CLEARS THROAT)

(CONVERSES IN SPANISH)

Come sit with us over there.

the accuracy

of your information?

That... That doesn't...

-Actually, uh, we didn't.

-What?

So the Counter-Intelligence

Corps got sucked in

on a lot of phony deals

when I was in Germany.

And, of course,

we cross-checked

all information

with the other informants,

and we had our own

agents in the field.

Now, most of our informants,

they would come back

with some phony information,

but this one character,

he made it all up.

(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING)

I mean, he had our agents out

looking out in the field

for a whole fictitious network

of Russian spies, right?

So, finally, reports came back

from Frankfurt...

-it's all a load of crap!

-Oh.

-But instead of clearing...

-(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Instead of clearing

out of town

before the information

could be checked,

-he came back with more.

-Oh.

(MUSIC INTENSIFIES)

(VOICES FADE OUT)

(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)

You're here?

(ALLERTON GRUNTS)

Yeah, I have a sack here.

LEE: Uh-huh.

Good night.

(LEE LAUGHS)

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

-Good night.

-Night.

(GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES)

(MUSIC FADES OUT)

(CLOCK ALARM RINGS)

(SIGHS)

-There she is!

-Yes.

The trouble with me is,

I like the type that robs me.

Where you make

your mistake is,

bringing them back

to your apartment.

That's what hotels are for.

Well, you're right there,

but half the time

I don't have

money for a hotel.

-(LEE CLEARS THROAT)

-Besides, I like someone

around to cook breakfast

and sweep the place out.

Uh. You mean

clean the place out!

I don't mind the watch

and the radio,

but it really hurts

losing those boots.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

They were a thing

of beauty and joy forever.

(LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY)

I don't know whether I ought

to say things like this

in front of Junior here.

-Go ahead.

-(BELCHES) No offense, kid.

Did I tell you how I made

the cop on the beat?

(INHALES AND EXHALES SHARPLY)

He's a vigilante,

the watchman out where I live.

Every time he sees

the light on in my room,

he comes in for a shot of rum.

About five nights ago,

he caught me when I was drunk,

and stoned,

and horny.

Well, one thing led to another

and I ended up

showing him how the, uh...

cow ate the cabbage.

(LAUGHS)

JOE:

The night after I make him,

I'm walking by the beer joint

on the corner.

He comes out borracho

and says, "Have a drink."

I said,

"I don't want a drink."

So he takes out his pistola

and says, "Have a drink."

I proceeded to take

his pistola away from him.

He goes back

into the beer joint

to phone for reinforcements.

So I had to go in and rip

the phone off the wall.

Now, they're charging me

for the phone.

So, I get back to my room,

which is on the ground floor.

He'd written "El Puto Gringo"

on the window with soap.

(LEE CHUCKLING)

I didn't wipe it off.

I left it there.

It pays to advertise.

(LAUGHING)

(IN SPANISH)

Would you like more?

(LAUGHS, RESPONDS IN SPANISH)

Yes.

You think he's q*eer?

Now I've been seeing him

for a few weeks.

-Seeing him?

-Yeah, spending time with him.

Like... I can't tell.

You could always just ask.

No, no, no, no, no! No!

Well, he must be q*eer

if he's talking to him.

Dume's part of that little

clique of q*eers

who go to that beer joint

on Campeche,

-The Green Lantern.

-I know who he is.

He's the only one of those

Green Lantern boys

who'd be welcome

in a place like this.

The rest of them are just

a bunch of screaming f*gs.

Would you excuse me?

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

Hey. Tequila.

How do you

like this character?

He comes over and asks,

"I thought you were one

of the Green Lantern Boys."

I said, "Well, yes, I am."

(LAUGHS)

He wants me to take him around

to some of the g*y

places here.

Hmm.

Truth be told, I don't take

people to the Lantern.

I mean, either you're

going there or you're not.

Something about the way

he asked,

I just couldn't say no.

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

-You don't know him, do you?

-Mm?

He's always in here,

playing chess with the girl.

-Mary.

-Mary! That's right, yeah.

-She seems nice.

-I wouldn't know.

DUME: Supposing

she's his girlfriend,

then she's in for a bit

of a surprise. Right?

(LAUGHS)

-What?

-Are you all right, Lee?

Yes, I'm fine.

Well, I just asked if you

knew the boy

and I'm still

waiting on an answer.

I... Yes, I...

I mean, no.

A little.

Thank you as always

for the enlightening

conversation.

-Oh, Tom, darling.

-Yes, my dear.

Let's talk Puerto Vallarta.

-It's very nice.

-Okay.

A few of us are thinking

about going.

It's on the west coast,

there's a gorgeous climate.

-Yeah.

-Beautiful men.

(CHARACTERS SPEAKING SPANISH)

(MYSTICAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(COIN CLATTERS)

(CLICKS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(MARIGOLD BY NIRVANA

PLAYS ON JUKEBOX)

(CLEARS THROAT)

(LEE CHUCKLES)

I presume Dume told you

about my proclivities.

Yes.

A curse... (CHUCKLES)

Been in our family

for generations.

The Lees have always

been perverts. (CHUCKLES)

I shall never forget

the unspeakable horror

that froze the lymph

in my glands,

the lymph glands that is,

of course,

when that baneful word seared

my reeling brain.

h*m*!

(CHUCKLES)

I thought of the painted,

simpering female impersonators

I had seen

in a Baltimore night club.

Could it be that I was one

of those subhuman things?

I walked the street in a daze,

like a man

with a light concussion.

I might well

have destroyed myself,

ending an existence

which seemed to offer

nothing but grotesque misery

and humiliation.

"Nobler," I thought,

"to die a man than to live

on a sex monster." (SCOFFS)

(MARIGOLD CONTINUES PLAYING)

It was...

It was a wise old queen,

Bobo, we called her,

who taught me

that I had a duty to live

and to bear my burden proudly

for all to see,

you know, to conquer ignorance

and prejudice and hate

with knowledge,

and sincerity...

and love.

ALLERTON: Hmm.

Bobo's words

came back to me from the tomb,

the sibilants cracking gently.

(MIMICKING BOBO)

"No one is ever really alone.

"You are part of everything

that is alive."

(IN NORMAL VOICE)

The difficulty is to convince

someone else

he is really part of you.

So what the hell?

Us "parts"

ought to work together. Reet?

What I mean is, Allerton,

is...

(SIGHS)

We're all parts

of a tremendous whole.

There's no use fighting it.

The q*eer bars here

don't compare

to the Stateside q*eer joints.

-I mean, that is depressing.

-Uh, I wouldn't know.

I've never been

to any q*eer joints

except those Dume took me to.

I guess there's

kicks and kicks.

You haven't? Really?

No.

Never.

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

(17 DAYS (PIANO & A MICROPHONE

1983 VERSION) BY PRINCE PLAYS)

...there's a gorilla

in a cage...

After you.

...masturbating, and, um...

Should we go back to my place?

I've got some Napoleon brandy.

-All right.

-Hmm.

-Hello! (LAUGHS)

-Hola.

(IN SPANISH) Good evening.

Insurgentes, Monterrey.

Three pesos.

-Four pesos.

(IN SPANISH) You f*cking

gringo, son of a b*tch!

Get in the car,

f*cking gringo!

Son of a b*tch!

I'm sorry, I can't hear you.

sh*t! (GRUNTS)

f*ck, man.

Sometimes I think

they don't like us.

Oh?

Let's walk, come on.

(BOTH LAUGH)

(17 DAYS CONTINUES PLAYING)

Welcome. Welcome.

-ALLERTON: Oh.

-Yes! Yeah. (CLEARS THROAT)

(SONG STOPS ABRUPTLY)

(KEYS CLATTERING)

(LEE EXHALES)

Well, uh, welcome. It's a...

I'll fix you a drink.

(BOTTLES CLINKING)

(SHELVES OPENING AND CLOSING)

LEE: Ta-da! (CHUCKLES)

(POURS DRINK)

(GLASSES CLINKING)

(SNIFFS)

ALLERTON: Mm.

(COUGHS)

(LAUGHS)

ALLERTON: Oh, good Lord!

Napoleon must have

pissed in this one.

Oh, I was...

I was afraid of that,

an untutored palate!

Your generation has never

learned the pleasures

that a trained palate confers

on the disciplined few.

(CHUCKLING)

(COUGHS AND LAUGHS)

It is godawful.

Still, it's better

than a California brandy.

It does have a suggestion

of a cognac taste.

(SIGHS)

Oh, yeah. (CHUCKLES)

(ALLERTON GRUNTS)

Can I... (CLEARS THROAT)

show you over the house?

This is the, uh...

bedroom. (CHUCKLES)

I'll... I'll get you

some more brandy.

-(EXHALES)

-(CHUCKLES)

(CLEARS THROAT)

(GRUNTS)

Oh, this is... (LAUGHS)

Sweet stuff, dearie.

This wasn't made in Mexico.

-No, I bought it in Scotland.

-(CHUCKLES)

-(GAGS)

-Are you...

(RETCHING)

(GROANS)

(FLUSHES TOILET)

(TURNS TAP ON)

(RINSES MOUTH)

I wonder what

the matter could be.

You didn't...

You didn't drink that much.

-Are you okay now?

-Yes, I think so.

(SIGHS WEARILY)

(GROANS)

(ALLERTON GROANS SOFTLY)

(GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING)

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

-Let's get this sweater off.

-Okay.

That rib's broken.

(GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES)

(KISSES)

(MUSIC FADES OUT)

Do I smell like vomit?

No.

(GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(MOANING)

(MOANING IN PLEASURE)

(GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES)

(GRUNTS)

(ALLERTON BREATHING HEAVILY)

(MUSIC INTENSIFIES)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(EXHALING)

(BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY)

ALLERTON: Wait, wait, wait.

(MUSIC FADES OUT)

(CHUCKLES)

(LEE LAUGHS)

(GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES)

(LEE BREATHING HEAVILY)

(MUSIC INTENSIFIES)

(LEE MOANING IN PLEASURE)

(GROANS AND BREATHES HEAVILY)

f*ck!

(MUSIC FADES OUT)

(ALLERTON SIGHS)

(LEE BREATHES HARD)

LEE: I know

telepathy to be a fact

since I've

experienced it myself.

What interests me is

how I can use it, you know?

In South America,

at the headwaters

of the Amazon,

grows a plant called "yage"

which is supposed to increase

telepathic sensitivity.

Medicine men use

it in their work

and a Columbian scientist,

whose, um, name escapes me,

isolated from yage

a drug he calls "telepathine".

I read all this

in a magazine article.

Later, I see

in another article

the Russians are using yage

in experiments on sl*ve labor.

It seems they want to induce

states of automatic obedience

and ultimately,

of course, thought control.

(LAUGHS)

How about

the T-bone steak for two?

(IN SPANISH) We're closing.

Oh, they list baked Alaska.

-Ever eat it?

-No.

Real good.

It's hot on the outside

and cold inside.

That's why they call

it "baked Alaska," I imagine.

You know... (CLEARS THROAT)

I got an idea for a new dish.

You take a live pig and you

throw it into a very hot oven

so the pig is roasted outside

and when you cut into it,

it's still alive

and twitching inside.

Or, if we run

a dramatic joint,

a screaming pig

covered with burning brandy

runs out of the kitchen...

(IMITATES PIG SQUEALING)

-And dies right by the chair.

-(LAUGHS)

You just reach down,

you pull off the crispy,

crackly ears and...

eat them with your c*ck.

Well, if you insist...

(ALLERTON BRUSHES TEETH)

(LEE CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

-I want a rum and coke.

-Sure. Why not?

Let's go to the Ship Ahoy.

Come on.

Oh, yes.

(17 DAYS BY PRINCE PLAYING)

(PEOPLE LAUGHING)

MAN: I was treated, you know,

by the therapist in the Army.

JOE: What did he say?

He said I'm an Oedipus

and I love my mother.

f*ck.

Everybody loves

their mother, son.

I mean, I love her physically.

(LEE COUGHS)

I don't believe that, son.

Lee, did you hear Jim Cochran

has gone back to the States?

-Mm-hmm.

-He plans to work in Alaska.

LEE: Oh, thank God

I am a gentleman

of independent means

and do not have

to expose myself

to the inclemencies

of near-Arctic conditions.

But never mind...

I've got bigger fish to fry.

What? (LAUGHING)

"Bigger fish" is right.

Cold...

slippery...

hard to catch.

(IN SPANISH)

How about dinner?

I think I'll work tonight.

Like the Wallace

administration,

I subsidize non-production.

I will pay you 20 pesos

not to work tonight.

Need a drink?

No, not now.

Anyway, I have to go.

Um...

I'll see you tomorrow.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Yes, good night.

Eugene...

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(SUI GHIACCIAI

BY VERDENA PLAYING)

(SONG STOPS ABRUPTLY)

(ZIPPER UNZIPS)

(DO I WORRY?

BY THE INK SPOTS PLAYING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

WOMAN: There you are.

-LEE: Oh.

-Darling!

(LAUGHS) Look at that!

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

Oh. (EXCLAIMS)

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

JOE: Tall, handsome,

blissfully stupid...

Guys like us have to look out

for one another.

(WOMEN TALKING AND LAUGHING)

(LAUGHING)

-(MARY SHOOTS TOY g*n)

-WOMAN: Yes!

(LAUGHS)

(CONTINUES sh**ting g*n)

-(WOMEN SCREAM)

-WOMAN: Careful!

(LEE MUMBLES)

Apologies. (CLEARS THROAT)

-You guys all right?

-(LEE CLEARS THROAT)

Yes. Yeah.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

I want to talk to you.

Without speaking.

And I wanna touch you...

like... like...

like the Russians...

Yeah.

Like the Mayans...

TOM: All right, Bill,

let's take it easy, huh?

Hey. Hey, Tom.

-TOM: Come on. Yeah.

-(LEE GIGGLES)

-You got a drink, Tom? Mm?

-Yeah.

-I could use a couple.

-A cup of water, maybe.

(THUDS)

(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

(SQUEAKING SOUND

INCREASES GRADUALLY)

(SQUEAKING SOUND CONTINUES)

(BABY'S CRY

ECHOING IN DISTANCE)

(TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES)

(MUSIC ENDS ABRUPTLY)

(LEE BREATHING HEAVILY)

(EERIE MUSIC PLAYING)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(CHUCKLES)

Aren't you q*eer?

LEE: I'm not q*eer.

I'm disembodied.

(LAUGHS)

(EERIE MUSIC CONTINUES)

(DOGS BARKING DISTANTLY)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

How are you?

(YAWNS)

Sleepy. I just got up.

See you.

(SLOW DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

-(LAUGHING)

-(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

I was thinking

about going down

to South America soon.

(GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

PLAYING)

Why don't you come with me?

Won't cost you a cent.

Perhaps not in money.

(SCOFFS)

I'm not a difficult man

to get along with.

We could reach some

satisfactory arrangement. Mm.

What you got to lose?

Independence.

Who's going to cut into

your independence?

ALLERTON: Mm.

You can lay all the women

in South America,

if you want to.

All I'm asking is, um...

to be nice to me, say...

twice a week?

That isn't too excessive,

is it?

Besides, I'll, um...

I'll buy you

a round-trip ticket

so you can leave

at your discretion.

(GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

CONTINUES)

I'll think it over.

This newspaper job I'm doing

runs ten days more.

So, uh, I will give you

a definite answer

when the job folds.

Your job is...

(SIGHS)

All right.

-(CHUCKLES)

-MARY: Hello.

(SMACKS LIPS) Oh!

Well, it's in the wrong place.

(BLOWS)

(EXHALES)

(LEAVE ME ALONE

BY NEW ORDER PLAYING)

(LEAVE ME ALONE

CONTINUES PLAYING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

LEE: How was your trip

to Morelia?

ALLERTON: Oh...

It was all right.

You know, I'm thinking about

buying a half interest

in this place.

-(CLEARS THROAT)

-Hmm.

You exist on

credit here, right?

Tom says you owe 400 pesos.

Maybe, if I was half owner

of the joint,

you wouldn't be

in a position to ignore me.

(ALLERTON SIGHS)

So how about this trip

to South America?

It's always nice to see places

you haven't seen before.

Can you leave anytime?

Anytime.

(RIDERS IN THE SKY

BY VAUGHN MONROE PLAYING)

LEE: Come on, come on!

(RIDERS IN THE SKY

CONTINUES PLAYING)

What did you say it was

that you are looking for

down here?

No, not here. In Ecuador.

Yage.

Never heard of that.

-You heard of H and C, right?

-Hmm.

(WHISPERS) Heroin and cocaine.

-Ah. (LAUGHS)

-(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)

You can get those in the city.

-Oh. Oh, okay.

-In Canal.

Adios.

Gracias, adios.

(MUSICOLOGY BY PRINCE PLAYING)

(EXHALES)

-Oh!

-(WHISTLES)

(YELLS)

f*ck you!

(SPEAKING SPANISH)

(MUSICOLOGY CONTINUES PLAYING)

(TREMBLING)

(WIND HOWLING)

(SHIVERS)

(MUTTERING)

(CHURCH BELLS RINGING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(SOBBING)

(GROANS)

ALLERTON: It's not

that much further, all right?

Just a little bit up the road.

(SLOW DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(LEE SHIVERING)

Are you awake, Gene?

Hmm?

Yes.

LEE: Cold? You cold?

No.

Can I... Can I come over...

over there with you?

All right.

(LEE GRUNTING)

You're twitching all over.

Yeah. (SHUDDERS)

Christ almighty,

your hands are cold!

(BREATH TREMBLING)

(SLOW DRAMATIC MUSIC

CONTINUES)

(LEE GRUNTS SOFTLY)

LEE: Love is...

(ALLERTON BREATHING DEEPLY)

(LEE MURMURING)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(GRUNTS)

f*cking stairs!

ALLERTON: Stairs are fine,

Lee. They're fine.

-DOCTOR: Take a seat.

-Thank you.

Just over here.

(GROANS) Oh, God...

Dysentery?

LEE: Mm-hmm.

Can you describe me

your symptoms?

Uh...

Bloody diarrhea,

cramps, and, um, vomiting...

ALLERTON: High temperature.

LEE: Yeah, right,

high temperature.

Please.

LEE: Yeah, the, the...

(CLEARS THROAT)

The prescription

that works best is...

(CLEARS THROAT)

Paregoric with bismuth.

(CHUCKLES)

Tell the truth now.

Um, are you addicted

to opiates?

(LEE SIGHS)

Better you tell me

or I cannot help you.

(SIGHING)

Yes.

Uh-huh.

And how long

has this addiction lasted?

Oh, just too long,

sir, too long.

Um...

It's why I left the States.

Um, my condition makes me

a criminal there.

You must stop this habit.

Better you should suffer now

than lose your life.

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

I want to stop.

It's just... (SIGHS)

I... I need to get some sleep.

I'm going to the coast

tomorrow, to Manta, so I...

You must stop this habit.

I know.

Here.

(CHUCKLES)

Thank you.

LEE: Three CCs?

What the f*ck am I supposed

to do with three CCs?

ALLERTON:

Maybe we'll convince them

to give you something else

at the pharmacy.

LEE: Yes, those ladies are

so nice, they'll understand...

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

PLAYING)

-(GROANS)

-(SPITS)

(COUGHS)

(BIRDS SQUAWKING)

(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)

(GROANS SOFTLY)

(GRUNTS)

(GROANS)

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

(GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

CONTINUES)

LEE: Should we grab a drink?

ALLERTON: Um... No, I'd rather

stay here and take pictures.

(ALLERTON SNORING SOFTLY)

(GROANS)

(CLEARS THROAT)

(SERENE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

PLAYING)

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

(LEE BREATHING HEAVILY)

What's the matter?

I thought you were going

to run your hand down my ribs.

I wouldn't do that.

You think I'm q*eer

or something?

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Frankly, yes.

(BOTH LAUGH)

LEE: Scooch over.

(SERENE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

CONTINUES)

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

(KISSES)

(BOTH MOANING IN PLEASURE)

(KISSING)

(BOTH MOANING)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(BOTH MOANING)

(BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY)

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Do you...

Do you mind it?

Not terribly.

But you do...

enjoy it sometimes?

Hmm?

The whole deal, I mean.

Oh, yes.

Oh, yes.

(SERENE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

CONTINUES)

(OBJECTS CLATTERING)

(LEE CHUCKLING)

LEE: Christ! f*ck!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have tried so soon

after last time.

(CLEARS THROAT)

It was a breach of contract.

I don't like people

who apologize at breakfast.

Really?

Hmm?

Aren't you taking

unfair advantage?

Hmm? Like someone was, um...

Like someone was junk sick

and...

I don't use junk,

and I say, "Sick? Really?

"Why do you tell me about

your disgusting condition?

"You might at least have

the decency

"to keep it to yourself.

"You must realize

how distasteful it is

"to see you... you sneezing,

and coughing, and retching.

"Why don't you take it

someplace else

"so I don't have to

look at it? You know?

"I mean, have you any idea

how tiresome you are,

"or how repulsive?

"I mean, have you no pride?"

That is not fair at all.

Well, it isn't

supposed to be fair.

It's just a routine

for your amusement,

containing a modicum of truth.

Can you hurry up

and finish your breakfast

so you don't miss

the Salinas bus?

You're not coming?

No. I'm going to Quito,

remember?

Oh... Oh, right.

DR. HERNANDEZ: Yage?

And why would you say

you were interested

in this plant, Mister...

Lee. I... I read about it

in a magazine.

It said that Yage increases

telepathic sensitivity and...

You know,

the Russians are using it

in thought control

experiments and...

And yeah,

probably by the CIA as well.

-Are you with the CIA?

-(CHUCKLING) No.

And then why

would you be interested

in thought control

experiments?

I'm not. I'm not.

I'm interested in telepathy.

-Telepathy? Why?

-Hmm.

Oh, I...

(SIGHS)

I suspected that it was

only a matter of time

before North Americans

like yourself

would start coming to Ecuador

seeking out Yage.

Well, yeah, yes...

You think it can fix things

for you.

It is not a drug in the sense

you understand it.

It is not recreational

like cocaine or heroin.

LEE: There is nothing

recreational about heroin.

My point is that Yage does not

provide a pleasant "trip."

It is not something

to be done casually,

without the proper

supervision.

Well, can you provide me

with that supervision?

Do I look like an Indian

in the jungle?

(LAUGHS) No, but...

I'm sorry. I can't help you.

How much would I have

to pay you for a map?

I think you misunderstand

the nature of the telepathy

that can be achieved

with Yage.

LEE: Communication

without speaking,

on the level

of intuition, it's...

Who is it that you're trying

so desperately

to communicate with?

Your wife?

No.

DR. HERNANDEZ:

There is an American botanist

living a few hours outside

of Puyo, deep in the jungle.

Her name is Cotter.

She's mad like you,

trying to develop

some medicine.

Perhaps if you pay her

a visit, she can help you.

I warn you, though.

Yage is not a portal

to some other place.

It is a mirror.

And when you look into it,

you may not like what you see.

By the time you realize

you are not ready,

it may be too late.

Come, I'll draw you the map.

(PSYCHEDELIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(GRUNTING)

Careful, careful!

(PANTING)

(GRUNTING, PANTING)

Hello?

(PANTING)

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Hello?

(HISSING)

You hear that?

(BIRD CHIRPING)

Hello?

(HISSING)

(CLEARS THROAT)

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

(HISSING CONTINUES)

Hello?

-(HISSES)

-(BOTH SCREAM)

(SCREAMING)

Help! Help!

-(HISSES)

-For the love of God, help us!

Announce yourselves,

or prepare to suffer

a fate worse

than whatever

that viper was gonna give you.

Right, I'm...

-Right there is fine.

-(g*n c*ck)

My name is, uh, William Lee.

This is, uh, um...

Get up! Get up.

Eugene Allerton.

We've come a long way

to talk to you.

Doctor Cotter...

I presume.

Mmm.

Mmm.

(CHUCKLES)

My apologies about the viper.

Oh, please, it was just...

No, no...

It is there for security,

of course.

Security? Why...

Why would you...

(CLEARS THROAT)

From prowlers.

Oh.

Coming after my research.

LEE: Hmm.

Why did you say

you boys came out here?

(INHALES DEEPLY, CHUCKLES)

Oh, we wanted to ask you

about the, um...

The... The vegetation

in the area, um...

-The... (WHEEZES)

-(LEE CHUCKLES)

The vegetation?

(ALL LAUGHING)

I would be the right person

to ask about that.

(LAUGHS)

(DR. COTTER SIGHS)

Uh-huh, yeah...

Those are all gifts

from the Shuar people.

LEE: Mmm.

My "tribe," so to speak.

LEE: Can I... Can I ask you

about the bowls?

DR. COTTER: Yeah.

They're for

a healing ceremony.

-LEE: Right. Mmm-hmm.

-Yeah.

(LEE CLEARS THROAT)

Involving a brew

that's made from one

of the plants in the area.

Yage.

Maybe...

Maybe out here, it's, um,

it's called, um,

Ayahuasca?

I hear the... (CHUCKLES)

The Russians and the Americans

are using it

for different experiments.

The truth is...

That's why we came out here.

I want to explore

the properties of this drug.

I'd be willing to take some.

As an experiment, you know?

We both would.

Yage...

is connected to brujeria.

Right.

-Witchcraft.

-Uh-huh.

(CHUCKLES)

To get some,

you'd have to develop

a relationship

with the local brujo.

-Yeah?

-Right. (CLEARS THROAT)

It'd take years...

to gain his confidence.

Do you have that confidence?

(CHUCKLES)

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Come here! Come here.

(CONTINUES LAUGHING)

I've been out here

-a long time.

-Oh.

(BOTH CONTINUE LAUGHING)

LEE: Yeah...

I think the boys

must be tired, no?

Yeah.

I expect they are!

Thank you again

for the supplies.

Oh, that's just... It's a...

(CHUCKLES)

Come on!

Yeah, come on, let me show you

where you'll sleep.

Okay.

-Thank you.

-Good night.

(VOICES FADE)

(MUMBLES INCOHERENTLY)

Mmm!

Your friend's already up

having coffee with hubby.

Here!

-Why don't you take this...

-(YELPS)

...and explore the area today?

Try and k*ll us something

we can eat tonight.

Huh?

(GRUNTING SOFTLY)

(GROANS)

I'm all right. Ah.

(GRUNTING SOFTLY)

Cotter says... (EXHALES)

Cotter says the Indians

have cleared

most of the game

out of the area.

They all have shotguns

from the money they made

-working for Annexia.

-Shh!

(ANIMAL GRUNTING)

(WHISPERS) What's that?

(g*n c*ck)

I'm gonna go try and sh**t it.

(DISTANT RUSTLING)

-ALLERTON: What is it?

-What?

-What is it?

-How should I know?

It's alive, isn't it?

(DISTANT RUSTLING)

-No! Oh, sh*t!

-(g*nsh*t)

-(KNIFE THUDS)

-Gene! Gene!

Tell the truth now.

You boys really here

for the Yage?

I mean, I appreciate

the supplies you brought,

but if I find you trying

to run off with my research,

I'll k*ll you,

-and dump you in the jungle.

-(CHUCKLES)

No one will miss you out here.

(CHUCKLES)

Doc...

Doc, I... Ouch!

(CLEARS THROAT)

With, with... (SIGHS)

With all due respect,

I couldn't give two shits

about your research.

I've already forgotten

everything

you told me about it.

You know it doesn't

get you high, right?

Not like you're used to.

I'm a medical doctor.

I can spot a junkie

from a mile away.

I'm not interested

in getting high.

DR. COTTER: Mmm.

What are you interested in?

Telepathy.

HUSBAND: He likes you.

ALLERTON: Yeah?

-Usually, he bites.

-HUSBAND: Hmm.

Hmm.

(DR. COTTER SIGHS)

I'll help you.

You know where I can find it?

(WHEEZES)

It's everywhere!

You tripped over it

in the jungle this afternoon.

Yeah.

Banisteriopsis caapi.

The Indians call it...

Yage.

(EXHALES)

(SNIFFS)

(EXHALES)

(INHALES, EXHALES)

(ETHEREAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(DR. COTTER CHANTING IN SHUAR)

(INHALES)

(DR. COTTER

CONTINUES CHANTING)

(ALLERTON CHUCKLES)

(CHUCKLES)

(ALLERTON SIGHS)

LEE: Mmm.

You feel anything?

No. (SIGHS)

-You?

-No. (CHUCKLES)

(SIGHS)

I think we just drank a bunch

of leaves and twigs

-from the ground.

-(LAUGHS)

(GRUNTS SOFTLY)

(MUFFLED RETCHING)

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUFFLED RETCHING)

(THUMPING)

(LEE GROANS)

DR. COTTER: There they are.

Come on over, boys!

There you go. I've got you.

LEE: Mmm.

-Easy.

-(LEE GRUNTS)

(INSECTS CHIRPING)

(DARK MUSIC PLAYING)

ALLERTON: I'm not q*eer.

Lee...

I'm not q*eer.

LEE: I know.

ALLERTON: I'm disembodied.

(CRACKLING)

(INAUDIBLE)

(INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

(HEART BEATING)

(INSECTS TRILLING)

Gene...

Gene...

Go to sleep.

(PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING)

You boys should stay

a couple more days.

For most people,

the first time's

just an introduction,

the opening of a door.

But for you two...

it was something else.

It'd be a shame not to see

where it might take you.

I need to be getting back.

What are you so afraid of?

Hmm?

Door's already open.

Can't close it now.

All you can do is look away.

But why would you?

(SOFTLY) You should have

seen yourself last night.

Yeah.

(MUG CLATTERS SOFTLY)

(SNIFFLES)

(BIRD SCREECHING)

(GRUNTS)

(SCREECHING)

(HISSES)

(UPBEAT SONG PLAYING)

(GRUNTS)

(SONG STOPS ABRUPTLY)

Lee?

Hi, Joe.

Anybody else

you'd like to ask me about?

Mmm-mmm.

No one?

-A kid named Allerton, maybe?

-(GRUNTS)

It's why you came back,

isn't it?

-I was getting around to it.

-Hmm.

He went down to South America

or some place.

With an army colonel.

How long ago?

About six months.

Allerton went along as guide.

They were going

to sell the car in Guatemala.

A '48 Cadillac.

I felt there was something

not quite right

about the deal,

but Allerton never said

anything definite.

-You know how he is.

-Hmm.

No one's heard from him

since he left.

He said something

about joining you down there.

He never said anything to you

about it?

(CHUCKLES)

When did you get this?

Oh, you know... You know...

You know what happened

to my camera, right?

-Stolen.

-Stolen by this

Colombian kid I was getting

acquainted with. (SCOFFS)

Took a bunch of my socks too,

the little b*stard!

So what's the story?

You making it with anyone

these days?

(SIGHS)

Chimu's still here.

Why don't we go

check out the local nightlife?

-Please...

-Yes, I'm not really

-feeling up for it either.

-(CHUCKLES)

Green Lantern?

(CHUCKLING)

Those guys are still here?

All of them,

if you can believe it.

-All except Dume.

-Mmm.

He's, uh... He's gone.

-He died?

-Mmm.

No, he had to go

back to Virginia

to take care of his mother.

-Oh. (CHUCKLES)

-(SIGHS DEEPLY)

It's funny thinking of him

having a mother.

Yes. Well,

he doesn't anymore. She died.

Right...

You look good, Lee.

-I do?

-No.

But it's good to see you.

-Yeah.

-Hmm.

You too.

Yeah.

(INAUDIBLE)

(UPBEAT INSTRUMENTAL

ROCK SONG PLAYING)

(SNIFFLES)

(WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY)

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

(BREATHING DEEPLY)

(SIGHS)

(KEYS JANGLE)

(ETHEREAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(g*n c*ck)

(g*n CLATTERS)

(LEE BREATHING HEAVILY)

(WINDOW CLATTERS)

ALLERTON: Lee...

(ETHEREAL MUSIC CONTINUES)

(FAINT CLICKING)

( VASTER THAN EMPIRES

BY TRENT REZNOR PLAYING)

(FAINT WHOOSHING)