3
Ianto paces impatiently in the living room of his Mother's cramped, fussy, doilyed little house full of Jones family memorabilia - a cluster of framed photographs is dominated by one of his Father trimmed with a black ribbon. A toilet flushes and Ianto's mother finally emerges from the next room.
She presents something of a contradiction. Although she walks with the aid of a "walker," she is actually a well-preserved sixty. She wears a glamorous nightgown and a full head of bleached-blonde hair. Kissing Mother on the cheek Ianto asks "How are you, Mother?"
"Well, I made it through another night."
"How's your hip?"
"Oh, just so."
"Ianto supports Mother."
"You know surprises aren't good for me." She scolds "You should really call before you come over, dear."
"I've got something to tell you. You'd better sit down." Ianto helps her into an overstuffed armchair.
"You look very pale, Ianto. Are you taking your vitamin D's?"
Exasperated Ianto replies "I spend half my life out in the sun, Mother, why would I need vitamin D"
"I feel certain my condition runs in the family." putting the back of her hand dramatically over her forehead "Can't this wait, dear?"
"No, I'm afraid it can't." He kneels beside her. Ianto takes a deep breath as he prepares to give her the news. "I know this is going to sound insane,
Mother, but...I saw Dad today on Lancaster Circle. He's alive."
Mother smiles condescendingly. "It doesn't sound insane, Ianto. I swear I see him ten times a week-in a hundred faces. I almost hugged a perfect stranger in the salon last Thursday."
"It was Dad, I swear, dressed like a homeless man. And you know what else was really strange? A businessman and a woman with a little dog appeared from nowhere and forced him onto a bus."
"About time they started cleaning up the trash Downtown." She sniffs "We don't want to end up like the rest of the country."
"They never found Dad's body… maybe somehow…"
"…Darling…"
Already doubting himself, Ianto mutters "I'm telling you, if it wasn't him, it was his twin. Did Dad have a brother?"
"You know he was an only child, like you. I know how bad you feel about what happened… sailing into that storm. But I don't blame you, Ianto. I never have." She croons, placing a comforting arm around him Mother kisses Ianto on the cheek. Referring to her platinum blonde hair she asks "I was thinking about going lighter. What do you think?"
Ianto regards his Mother. Her hair is already impossibly blonde.
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The basement is cluttered with junk - ships in bottles, a train track without trains, an oxygen mask, a string-less guitar, many abandoned projects. The basement is dimly lit by a single, naked bulb. Ianto looks over his shoulder before opening a large walk-in cupboard. On the cupboard door is a wall map of the Pacific Ocean - the Fiji Islands are carefully circled. Amongst the many tools and household implements inside the cupboard is a trunk under a dusty canvas sheet. He pulls the trunk into the room, unfastens the lock and opens the lid.
Inside, mementoes from his youth. A "HOW TO SAIL" book, a stack of "GREAT EXPLORERS" magazines, and beneath it all, a garment in a dry-cleaning bag. Ianto carefully lifts up the plastic to reveal a World War II Great Coat. He puts the Coat to his nose and takes in its scent. Footsteps. Ianto hastily drops the Coat in the trunk and shuts the lid. Lisa's legs appear on the stairs.
"What're you doing down here?"
"Fixing the mower." He relies turning his attention to an upturned mower on the basement floor, then adds matter-of-fact "I saw my father today."
"I know."
Ianto is suspicious "How do you know?"
"Your mother called. You shouldn't upset her like that."
Lisa's response takes the wind out of Ianto's sails. "What did you want?"
"I made macaroni."
"I'm not hungry."
Lisa nods, not at all convinced. "We really ought to toss that mower out. Get one of those new Elk Rotaries."
Ianto does not reply. After an uncomfortable pause, she turns back up the stairs.
Ianto waits a moment before re-opening the trunk. He removes the Coat and holds it up, reminiscing.
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A KITCHEN SOMEWHERE.
A mother, daughter about 12, and a baby in a highchair stare at the screen as the girl asks "What's he doing?"
"They removed all physical trace of him but they couldn't erase the memory."
"The memory of who?"
Finger to lips, the mother hisses "Shhh!"
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Once again the images appear to be playing on a television screen.
On the steps of a typical college campus, Ianto, 21, in a college band uniform, participates in a football pep rally. Andy, 21, a member of the football team, and Lisa, 21, a cheerleader, are nearby. Ianto observes a sexy-looking young man walk by … Jack.
At a college dance, Ianto dances with Lisa. Jack dances by with a partner of his own. However, Ianto only has eyes for Jack. Suddenly, Jack is escorted from the dance floor.
Ianto almost trips off the curb as he waves to Jack, riding towards him on a bicycle. However, he rides right by with his nose in the air, not even acknowledging his presence … … Ianto puzzled by his change of heart.
The montage ends at a scene in a college library.
In the school library, Ianto, 21, sits with Andy, 21, and wife-to-be, Lisa, 21, doing a final cram for a test. The students begin to pack up their books. Lisa gives Ianto a peck on the cheek. "Come on, Ianto. Haven't you studied enough?"
"I still want to look over a couple of things." Ianto smiles softly in reply.
While punching Ianto in a chummy way on the arm, referring to Ianto's book, Andy scoffs "Take the "C" average. That's what I do."
They leave him to it with matching scoffs. After a while Ianto looks up from his books. The library is almost deserted. He spies a hand around the table divider.
Ianto musters the nerve to poke his head over the divider. He finds Jack on the other side, buried in a book.
"Konichi-wa."
Jack looks blank.
Ianto grins, referring to the Japanese text in front of him "You take Japanese."
Quickly closing the book, Jack replies "Oh, yes."
Glancing to the name carefully written on the front of the book Ianto asks "James, right?"
As if unaware of his own name, he replies "That's right. James."
I'm Jones, Ianto Jones…" extending his hand.
"I'm not allowed to talk to you."
Ianto is not surprised. He answers with a resigned sigh "It's okay. I probably wouldn't talk to me either."
Jack is softening now "I'm sorry. It's not up to me."
Crestfallen, Ianto nods "You have a girlfriend? Of course you do."
Jack looks about him, unsure. "No...I, er… no boyfriend … ah…"
Ianto is hopeful once again "No? Really? Good, I mean, I thought
possibly a pizza. How about Friday?
"No."
"Saturday?"
Jack looks around the almost-deserted library.
"Actually, I'm free Sunday." Ianto tries.
"Now."
"Right now?" Ianto is surprised now "We've got finals tomorrow."
"If we don't go now, it won't happen."
Ianto hesitates.
Jack is getting impatient, looking anxiously around "Well, what do you want to do?"
closing his books, Ianto is still a little uncertain "I think I've studied enough."
Jack, taking Ianto by the hand, runs down various streets and paths through the campus. He occasionally pauses and looks about him, often changing direction or looking up at streetlights and the towers of houses along their route, as if trying to elude an unseen pursuer.
The excited and apprehensive Ianto runs with him although he is unsure exactly who, or what, they are running from.
The further they get from the campus, the higher, wider and less effective the coverage of the scene - some camera angles are even partially obscured.
Ianto and Jack eventually cross an empty highway on the edge of town.
They run over the dunes onto a strangely deserted beach and down to the water's edge under a hyper-real full moon. Jack throws off his Coat and hitches up his pant legs, wading out into the inviting water without another thought.
Ianto stares down, transfixed by the shimmering water.
Jack is splashing "It's beautiful! What are you waiting for?"
Nervous, Ianto stammers "I...I can't."
Jack suddenly stops splashing. "That's right. Oh, God, I'm sorry."
He wades out of the water.
Ianto is confused "Why, James? You've got nothing to be sorry about?"
Jack, dripping wet, stands besides Ianto at the shoreline. He meets his gaze. "My name's not James. It's Jack."
Ianto looks into his eyes and believes him. Ianto wipes the water from his face, then leans forward and gently kisses his lips. He kisses him back.
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A BAR SOMEWHERE.
In a quiet bar room, a Waitress explains her viewpoint to the Barman. A Patron on a barstool eavesdrops. Don't you get it? jack was willing to lose him, lose everything, if it meant he could find himself. (registering the barman's blank look) Never mind. You wouldn't understand."
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As we return to Ianto's reminiscence, Ianto and Jack sit on the sand at the water's edge. With great delicacy, Ianto traces the outline of jack's nose with his finger, at the same time inhaling his scent. Jack looks nervously around him. Ianto goes to say something, but Jack hushes him. "They're coming. Any minute."
Looking around the deserted beach Ianto asks with confusion "Who?"
"They're going to stop me talking to you."
Ianto is WAYYYYY confused "There's no one here."
looking over his shoulder nervously "Just listen. You remember when you were a little boy, you stood up in class and said you wanted to be an explorer like Magellan…"
Incredulous, Ianto splutters "…How do you know about that?"
"…And your teacher said, "You're too late, Ianto. There's nothing left to explore." Right?"
"Were you there-how do you know?" Ianto whispers.
"…It doesn't matter. Everybody knows about it. They know everything you do. The point is, you got scared."
"I don't understand."
Looking over his shoulder, Jack is increasingly nervous "You must listen. Everybody's pretending, Ianto. Sooner or later the world will change, you have to be ready for it… nothing … nothing is what it seems."
He points to the sky and scoops up the sea at their feet. "You think this is real? It's all for you. A show. (frustrated, raving) The eyes are everywhere. They're watching you - right now."
Suddenly a car's headlights come bouncing over the dunes. The car roars across the beach towards the couple. "I told you, Ianto!"
The car skids to a stop and a large man, 40ish, with a shock of red hair, jumps from the car. The man yanks the frightened Jack to his feet, causing his Coat to fall to the ground.
The man says to Jack, oddly sympathetic "Jack, sweetheart, not again. Get in the car!
Ianto jumps in. "Hey, who the hell are you?!"
"I'm his father!"
"We weren't doing anything." Ianto yells, trying to grab for Jack.
"He's not my father!" Jack implores "He's just saying that! Does he look anything like me?! Adam, let me go!"
"Come on, Sweetheart." The Man gently, but firmly, pushes Jack towards his car. Jack resists.
Ianto crosses to them. "I'll take care of him!"
The Man takes Ianto aside and whispers in his ear. "Schizophrenia. He has episodes."
Doubts start crowding into Ianto's head.
Calling out from the car, jack pleads "Don't listen to him, Ianto. I'm telling you the truth!"
getting into the car, the man snarls "Don't bother! We're moving to...Fiji – the Fiji Islands! This place has done something to his head."
Ianto stares after the car as it roars away. He turns back toward the ocean where his attention is caught by an object lying on the sand - Jack's Coat.
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IANTO carefully places the Coat back into the trunk.
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A KITCHEN SOMEWHERE.
Mother, Daughter and Baby stare into camera.
"But why didn't he just follow him to Fiji?" the daughter asks.
"Because his mother got sick - very sick. He couldn't leave her. He's a
kind boy, maybe too kind." The mother sighs.
"I can't believe he married Lisa on the rebound."
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Ianto turns his attention to the framed photograph of Lisa that he carries everywhere. Hidden behind her photo is a composite picture of Jack which Ianto has constructed by pasting together individual facial features - nose, mouth, ears, chin, hair - gathered, presumably, from magazines. He
attempts to put the jigsaw puzzle together - although he has particular difficulty finding a pair of eyes that match.
From his pocket he takes a recent collection of eyes which, like a detective working on an identikit picture, he tries to match.
They are still not quite right.
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AN APARTMENT SOMEWHERE.
The eyes of a handsome man- vivid blue eyes. He turns slightly as he watches the vid-screen, and we can reveal his anguished face - JACK.
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I know you hated they way they treated Truman in the original ... let me remind you this is not Truman... this is Ianto and I will have a few little changes at the end... OK?