|
|||||||||||||
Chapter 9 By Punkerslut
The view of the camera slowly fades to night, and pans downward, where it shows the feeding. Gunner sits on the sidewalk with a paper plate in his hands, eating food, sitting next to Hey Kid and Rat, who are also eating food. Gunner has a beer in one hand, a plastic knife in the other, and a paper plate in his lap. Sweep comes to sit next to Gunner and one of the guys working with the feeding calls him over. GUY: Hey, you need a place to stay tonight, kid? SWEEP: No, that's okay. GUY: Are you sure? I got a warm bed for you and hot food. SWEEP: Nah, I'm fine. Thanks, though. GUNNER (drunk): Sweep! Get away from the nasty man! Tank walks over and talks to Gunner without greeting him... TANK: What's the difference between a Cadillac and a pile of dead babies? I don't have a Cadillac in my garage. Gunner bursts into laughter, as food particles blow from his nose and mouth. Rat leans over and tries to eat suck the food out of his mouth, as he was laughing with a full mouth. HEY KID: Tank, you still have that garage squat? TANK: No, I haven't slept in a garage in weeks. RAT: I think he meant it as a joke, Hey Kid. HEY KID: Aaawww... I was gonna ask if I could stay. I miss sleeping on a few pieces of cardboard on concrete. GUNNER: Well I hate sleeping on concrete. You always wake up with a sprained wrist or a bruised leg. Fuck that. Sweep walks over with a plate in one hand, and a cup of lemonade in the other. SWEEP: Jesus, if another Pedophile tries to pick me up, I'm gonna kick them in the balls. Gunner wraps his arm around Sweep's neck and pulls his head to his own, saying, "You're a fucking good man, and don't forget it." He lets go. HEY KID: Yeah, you better be careful, Sweep. They found out today that if you're a priest, you have a 30% chance of being a Pedophile. Tomorrow they learn the dirty secret that it's about half as likely with people who work with the homeless. Because you're young, you're a squatter, you're a drunkard, and they think you're weak, they don't see your strength. They'll get you in their bed, and they'll say that if you don't let them blow you, they will throw your ass out on the concrete. GUNNER: It's true. Pedophiles like that fucking sicken me. RAT: I've never had that problem. SWEEP: That's because you don't have a dick. RAT (smiling): I manage to get one every night. Gunner rubs his head on her shoulder. GUNNER: Aaawwww, at least you say it's special. RAT: Hey, I got a present for you all. Rat pulls out a pipe and loads it with Marijuana, takes a toke, and passes it around. SWEEP: I remember this one time, when I was 11, a cop caught us smoking weed and asked us if he could take a toke. GUNNER: Haha, get the fuck out of here... SWEEP: I shit you not, droog. TANK: I've been squatting for 18 years, and I have to say, Sweep. You're the most hardcore street urchin I've met. GUNNER (sarcasm): Aaawww, man, he's sooo punk. HEY KID: Haha, fuck that, man... Shit, I use to be a house punk. For about a few months. Peace punk. Crass. Dead Milkmen. Against Me!. Bands like that. Then I finally said "fuck it" to government miseducation and hit the streets. RAT: I remember my first night on these American streets. I walked around a little and slept a few hours. By the time I woke up in the morning, I started to cry, thinking, "What did I do?" But I cried those tears, I yanked them out, and I moved on, bold and beautiful. GUNNER: The time I cried about being homeless, it was a week after being on these streets. First there's the initial glamor, the glory, the new things, the new lifestyle, the new family. But then you look around and you find out that this place is not a goddamn thing like your normal home. And you sit down in the corner of the subway, inside a dumpster, in the park, and you cry. I cried for hours. And finally, I wiped my tears, I looked to the sky, and screamed to myself, "It's a beautiful fucking day." I took one more wipe at my tears, went with my new family, and got drunk. TANK: You kids cried about being homeless? I never cried one day I was homeless. Vomited lots of times in my sleep. HEY KID: Hey, Gunner. Why did the dead baby cross the street? Because I kicked it. GUNNER: Good one, motherfucker... What's worse than fucking an 8 year old? Putting a pillow over her head so nobody can hear her scream. Rat and Tank burst into laughter at that one. HEY KID: Now that one is just sick. I can't respect you any more now. GUNNER: Hey, no more food for you, then, punk. Hey Kid flips off Gunner. GUNNER: Pppshhhh, shouldn't you be quoting Stevo or Heroin Bob right now? HEY KID: Okay, that's it, motherfucker. Hey Kid gets up and runs over, and knocks over Gunner, and they play fight a little. TANK: Now hey, what the fuck did I fucking say about fighting at the feeding? I don't eat here, but motherfuckers who do are liable to get angry with you. Both Hey Kid and Gunner stop fighting. SWEEP: Fucking Stevo and Heroin Bob from SLC Punk. Jesus Christ. Some kids treat that like their street Bible. GUNNER: I know. It's kind of sad. But fortunately, any kid who is homeless for at least one month is strong enough to give up something so crappy as a movie about poser punks. RAT: Yeah, and none of them were squatters. They lived off their parents money and spent said funds on buying gel for their spikes. TANK: Aaaawww, come on, it's so fun to watch. HEY KID: That's besides the point. But the thing is, the film captured the world of house punks perfectly fine, leaving completely untouched the fact that gutter punks are homeless, violent, drunk, and angry. GUNNER: Angry, young, and poor, motherfucker. Angry, young, and poor. Spike, Lily, Freak, and Kevin show up. KEVIN: Oi oi, punk! GUNNER: Fucking oi oi, bro! You guys get paid? SPIKE: Hell yeah. Hey, you seen Barf? GUNNER: Yeah, he's in line over there. Spike runs over to a guy named Barf in the line, while the rest stand behind. GUNNER: So, how was the work? FREAK: The motherfucker tried to rip us off. I pissed on his floor. GUNNER: I believe it. What happened? The camera shows the kids cleaning out the apartments while the two do a voice over together. It shows the landlord shaking his head with his hands on his sides, and then Spike kicking his boot through a window. Then the landlord tries to pick up the phone and Kevin slams a lamp post into his knees. LILY, VOICE OVER: We cleaned two rooms like he said, but then he said he wouldn't pay us unless he cleaned another two. So Spike broke a window and said he would break the land lord's neck unless he was paid right away. KEVIN, VOICE OVER: Crazy fucker picks up the phone and I slam a lamp post into his knees. LILY: We got paid at least. Forty altogether. Kevin pulls out a bottle of whiskey. KEVIN: Mmmmm... It's so cheap, it's still mostly corn. Kevin takes a swig of it and passes it on to Gunner. GUNNER: Hell yeah, thanks, man. I'm already pretty drunk right now, but I'll take some more. Do I like to drink? FREAK: Do cops beat the shit out of twelve year olds? KEVIN: Freak, I think we need to have a conversation about optimistic tones. I mean, yes, you are mocking the cops, but it's overly cynical for my blood. FREAK: Fuck you. KEVIN: Okay... Are we still having sex? FREAK: Do we like to get drunk? GUNNER: Hey, that was my question! Freak stands up and knocks Gunner over with her hands, who falls on his back. She puts her hand on his crotch and starts making out with him. TANK: What the fuck are you guys doing? GUNNER: You'll have to get on the other end, Tank. TANK (laughing): Fuck you, man. Spike heads on over, and Freak and Gunner look up to see him. SPIKE (pretending to be confused): Now, okay... I'm not sure... what's exactly going on here... GUNNER: Community orgy. Mandatory participation. SPIKE: Oh, well, in that case... Spike unzips his pants, but then zips them back up once Lily hits him in the arm jokingly. Gunner stands up. GUNNER: Hey, Spike, Lily, I have to talk to you guys, in private. They all huddle in a group and talk softly. GUNNER: Jacky was arrested at a raid in Sweep's squat. It okay with you guys if I invite him to stay at our squat? SPIKE: No problem, man. LILY: I have no problem with it, either. GUNNER: Far out. Gunner walks over to Sweep, who is sitting on the ground eating from a paper plate, and moves his arms around (drunkenly) as though being prestigious. GUNNER: Sweep, you are hereby formally invited to the Spike and Lily Squat, whereby you shall be allowed a sheet and some cushion, possibly. SWEEP: Thanks, droog. I fucking appreciate it. I'll be there. GUNNER: Just remember, the blanket with pink, yellow, and blue stripes is mine. HEY KID: That's one faggot ass blanket, Gunner. GUNNER: Shut up Now, if you excuse me, I have some business with Barf myself. KEVIN: Hurry back before Freak makes some moves on me. Freak pushes Kevin on the shoulder, and he grins really big, holding his hands up, palm up, and says, "What?" Gunner walks over to Barf. GUNNER: Barf, my man... BARF: What's up, Gunner? They both hug. GUNNER: Well, you know, been around kicking some houseys' asses, shoplifting, the general shit. BARF: I hear ya', I hear ya'... So, you need anything? GUNNER: Well, now that you ask... I would like some Valium pills. BARF: Five dollars a hit, friend. GUNNER: Now, you know me. I'm homeless, unemployed, and I don't spange. BARF: I hear ya', but I have to make rent, too. GUNNER: Shut up, you're a squatter, too. BARF: You got me there. GUNNER: Anyway, I can trade you a bottle of Absolut vodka for three hits? BARF: Two hits. GUNNER: Deal. Barf hands some pills to Gunner, who pockets them, and Gunner pulls out a bottle of Absolut vodka and gives it to Barf. GUNNER: You enjoy that now, you hear? BARF: I sure will. And you enjoy your hits. Gunner begins to walk away when... BARF: Hey, Gunner. Come here a moment. GUNNER: Sure, what's up? BARF: I would like you to meet some very kindly people I've met today. Here... Barf takes Gunner to a group of skinheads. BARF: Here is a group of the coolest skinheads you'll ever meet. This is Joe, this is Sticker, and this is Nash. GUNNER: Far out, man. How goes it, skins? JOE: Doin' all right. Got a bottle of rum. Gonna do some drinkin'. STICKER: There's more than enough if you want to come. GUNNER: Hhhhhmmmmm... alcohol... skinheads... I'm down. NASH: Ha, all right, punk. GUNNER: Just a moment, I'll be right back. Gunner walks over to his gang. GUNNER: Hey, guys... I'm going to be drinking with some skins. I'll show up at the squat eventually. KEVIN (looking to Freak): Don't even say anything, Freak. You know perfectly well that when he said "skins," he meant "skinheads." FREAK (laughing): Shut up, asshole. Freak reaches over, puts her finger in his mouth, and pulls out saliva, which she then places in her own mouth. GUNNER: I'll catch up with you guys later. SPIKE: Oi oi, punk! GUNNER: Oi!
|
