Love’s Prophet

Travis is sitting in his car on Grant St. with his eyes on Candy, who’s sitting in the window of Cafe de la Presse.

‘I should just ask her out?’ he’s got Leon on speakerphone.

‘Nah, man, here’s what you’re going to do. You’ll wait for her outside, wherever she is with her man. Overdrive can show you that if both their profiles are on there. Shit.., even where and when it will be most likely for them to be together. Anyways, you pull up and wait outside and stare at them.’

‘Stare at them?’

‘Yeah, stare at her until she sees you.’

‘Leon, this is fucking crazy (exasperated)! Then what do I do (eager)?’

‘Nothin. She’ll come outside and get in the car.’

‘That’s it?’

‘That’s it.’

‘What if her boyfriend comes out instead?’

‘If you the man, then you the man. When she comes out to talk to you, say whatever shit comes to mind. Feel me?’

‘I-feel-you (says it slow as if stunned and realizing something profound).’

Scene 2 — Prophecies

Int. cafe, late afternoon

Candy and Benjamin are sitting at a coffee bar. candy is looking out the window. Benjamin is typing on his phone. Candy starts to say something.

Benjamin • I know your unhappy (stops typing and looks at her). It seems like the more possibilities I see, the more you pull away from me (very cold, like a machine).

Candy • (Candy is silent for a long while) Benjamin, what do you want out of all this?

Benjamin • I want to make the world a better place (he says on auto pilot).

Candy • Yeah, but why do you want to make the world a better place? Do you really want it to be better, for me, for our children someday? Or because you know how to make it better, and you want to show everybody that YOU know how (pauses, thinking). I don’t think that’s a good enough reason. What’s starting to happen — it isn’t good. Benjy.., (she reaches out to touch him, but pulls her hand away after she touches his shoulder)?

Benjamin • (He stiffens at her touch) I think we are beyond good and bad. It’s moving too fast now.., I can’t control it anymore, (he look’s a little scared) but we have to keep riding the wave. When it settles were going to be on top (at this point he is talking to himself — bolstering himself).

Candy • Benjamin, where did you get the operating system’s kernel from? You said a friend coded it, that he gave it to you, but you wouldn’t tell me his name.

Benjamin • Candy…, (pleading)

Candy • What have you gotten me into?

Benjamin • Candy.., (in pain)

Candy • (looking at something out the window) That driver keeps staring at us.

Benjamin • (looking distant) A driver?

Candy • Yes. He keeps driving by and and looking in here.

Benjamin • I’ll send someone over there.

Candy • No.., (she looks at him as if she just decided something) I’ll go myself.

Ext. Travis is sitting in his car in front of the building.

Candy comes walking out. She’s wearing heels and a dress. She looks elegant and beautiful. She has a long, bouncing walk. Travis looks a little surprised, but he braces himself as it becomes clear that Candy is heading toward him.

Travis rolls down the window as Candy reaches the car. She puts her hands on her hips and stares at him hard, slightly exasperated. Travis looks at her, but doesn’t say anything.

Candy • Can I help you?

Travis • (Travis waits for a few seconds, holding her eyes) You remember me?

Candy• I do, but do you think that makes it O.K. for you to stare at me like this? I’m out to dinner here, can’t you see that?

Travis • I see it. I wouldn’t do something like this normally — I mean I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think it was O.K., but sometimes you just have to follow the course of nature.

Candy • ‘Following the course of nature,’ is that what you call it (she smiles at her sarcastic response).

Travis • I know you’re out to dinner with this guy here, but I’m sensing something. And if I’m sensing correctly, then what’s happening here can’t really be that meaningful. I just know that there’s something between you and I. I know that because occasionally something reaches out and nudges you in an unexpected direction. And everything around you conspires toward it, even though it seems impossible in a way, it’s also inevitable. Natural. And all you have to do is say ‘yes’ to it once, and it’s there forever. Do you know what I’m saying?

Candy • (looks dazed and genuinely. touched) This is your way of asking me out? (once again, smiles at her own joke, but a subtle seriousness creeps in to her demeanor)

Travis • (a little surprised at how well it’s all going) Yes.

Candy’s eyes widen. We see her intense momentary gaze, before she walks around to the other side of the car and gets in the passenger seat.

Candy • Head over to the Richmond disctr. I need to stop by my house.

From inside the cafe, Benjamin is watching. He is holding his coffee cup. He looks stoic as he stares unflinchingly toward the car.

Travis notices that Benjamin is staring, cold and intense, but Benjamin does not seem shaken in the slightest.

Int. cafe, back to Benjamin

Benjamin • (Watching them in the car as they leave, he rests his temple on his hand) It’s like that, huh?

Int. Travis’s car — Driving through the Richmond District.

Candy • You know, I like this part of town. You can smell the ocean. (looks at Travis, flirtatious smile)

Travis sniffs the air, and sighs, happy.