CHARACTERS TOM: dark hair but graying, an actor, blue flannel shirt somewhat open JOHN: blond hair but graying, an actor, white linen blouse somewhat open
INT. A SPRAWLING COUNTRY MANSION IN RURAL LOUISIANA
John dials a land line.
- JOHN
- Hello? Is this Tom?
- TOM
- Yeah, hello. Is this John?
- JOHN
- Hey buddy! I'm so glad you still recognize my voice!
- TOM
- Oh come on - it hasn't been that long.
- JOHN
- Aw, I feel like it is. I miss you, man.
- TOM
- Me too, friend. Are you well?
- JOHN
- Yeah, oh yeah. I'm down in Holden and it's hot as hell. In fact one sec - let me‑‑
John codes a wall panel that disables the air conditioning.
- JOHN
- ...Sorry, I've got a central air situation down here. It works better than any HVAC I've owned but I can hear it way way too much. Was it coming through the phone?
- TOM
- I don't think so. It wasn't bothersome, anyway.
- JOHN
- Alright, either way. Hey, listen, man. I'm calling because I heard about this Massachusetts thing and I just wanted to let you know I support you no matter what.
- TOM
- Oh God, John. That's incredibly sweet. Thank you. It's been...goddamn, it's been terrible, to be honest.
- JOHN
- I bet, I bet.
- TOM
- And it's just...ugh, John, it was just a big misunderstanding, I swear, but it hit at the worst possible moment, ya know?
- JOHN
- I know, buddy. That's really why I wanted to call - I don't even wanna know what happened. I just wanted you to know I support you and I'm praying it turns out alright for you.
- TOM
- Thanks so much, friend. I gotta say I feel like a Parriah ‑‑ no surprise ‑‑ but it really means a lot to hear from you.
- JOHN
- Absolutely. I wanted to call last week but we had a film festival down here that kept me out all day and night.
- TOM
- Oh, no problem, no problem. Hey'd how you hear about it all? I admit I had Tim working hard to keep it as quiet as possible.
- JOHN
- Someone hit me with it on Twitter.
- TOM
- Gah. Twitter, yeah. I shoulda known. I don't think Tim even knows what Twitter is.