The Magic Circus - Scene 12

It’s dawn. Monk is back at the kitchen table. Bilge walks in wearing skivvies and nothing else, pours himself coffee. Monk looks up.

Monk – Jesus Christ!

Bilge – Don’ you blaspheme in here!

Monk – Just get some clothes on. I’m about to gag, must be empathy nausea, thinking of the horrors Clarice must have experienced.

Bilge – She’s comin’ down.

Monk – What?!

Bilge – Did I stutter?

Monk – You’re a prick, Bilge.

Bilge – Yeah.

Pause

Bilge – Hey, I looked at your stuff.

Monk looks up at Bilge.

Monk – Yeah?

Bilge – Yeah, it’s not bad.

Monk looks at Bilge.

Monk – So?

Pause

Bilge – Do you know what I do?

Monk – Besides repulse people?

Bilge – Yeah, besides that.

Monk – You’re in high-tech…some sort of computer stuff…a programmer.

Bilge looks at Monk

Monk – Developer?

Bilge – Computer animation.

Monk – Really?

Bilge – Yeah, really. I think we can make something out of this.

Bilge sits down next to Monk and picks up one of his pencils. This circus idea has been done, of course, but what hasn’t. We’ll just add a twist and make it better.

Monk looks sideways at Bilge.

Bilge – I’m not fuckin’ with you, I mean this, we’re lookin’ for good stuff. Ya got some cool characters, but what’s the story…

Monk – (haltingly) Well, it’s a circus…and…and it’s going to go out of business if they can’t make more money…

Bilge – Huh. We can’t let that happen.

Monk – No.

Bilge – Listen, Joe, I think we can make this work, let’s noodle this story and see what we can come up with.

Monk is speechless. Bilge stands, his bulging corpulence overflows his underwear.

Bilge – Now, I think I might clean meself up a bit, Clarice will be here in 45 minutes.

Monk opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Bilge leans over and pushes up Monk’s dropped jaw. He turns and walks away, the camera follows his near nude amble then pans back to Monk’s face, which he turns down to look at the page.

Bilge –(screaming to entire house) Okay, you filthy stinkin’ animals! Time to WAKE UP! Sheila on the way.

Kent – (from couch in living room) I thought you said her name was Clarice?!

End Scene