A Cool-Headed Man

By: Jacob R. Kenney

Principle Characters

JEAN-CLAUDE PARIZEAU

A well-tempered businessman, balding on his forehead with wisps of gray gathering on his remaining scalp. He began his family later in life and as such a certain level of dreariness and exhaustion is evident in his every footstep. He was raised in the Anglophone section of Montreal and speaks without an accent. He only swears in English.

DOMINIQUE PARIZEAU

The wife of JEAN-CLAUDE and ten years his junior. She has a certain common beauty, with harsh, Germanic features and a brittle-looking face barely kept in check with her rarely brushed blonde hair. Her countenance appears merciless. She holds some vague bureaucratic position in the local administration. Although JEAN-CLAUDE's income is so large that her work is not needed to sustain the family, she chooses to advance her own career instead of being a housewife. She finds domestic activities prosaic and unfulfilling.

GUILLAUME PARIZEAU

The brother of JEAN-CLAUDE and a bona fide failure. Guillaume means well and has a loving heart that has been manipulated and defrauded too many times. Although he shields his growing cynicism with sneers and jests, it's clear that some of his dark humour is simply a collection of monologues and diatribes instead of jokes. He hides his baldness with a patchy, faded-black comb-over, which, combined with his enormous beer-belly, gives the character a sort of visual ridiculousness.

JEAN-BAPTISTE PARIZEAU

The eldest of the Parizeau children and a masculine image of his mother with a cruel, carved nose and short, thin lips. His visage is softened by fourteen years of fat and it is clear that he has struggled with childhood obesity and the perpetual schoolyard teasing this induces. He has a high forehead and well-groomed but unhealthy black hair.

CLAUDETTE PARIZEAU

CAROLINE PARIZEAU

Twin daughters of JEAN-CLAUDE and DOMINIQUE and both six-years-old. Each has their father's soft features and pretty, braided blonde hair. They have an immediate aura of innocence and intense curiosity.

The Setting

Montreal in the summer of the 1978. The city is bustling and expanding at a feverish pace. The exodus to the West has yet to begin and the metropolis remains an island of cosmopolitan integration amongst a variety of peoples, surrounded by rural populations of ignorance, bigotry and separatism. Quebec is sorely divided and tensions remain high between English and French. Lévesque is in power in the Quebec and Trudeau commands Ottawa, the two unwilling to find any sort of compromise. The city is rife with corruption and the mob controls and profits from almost every level of government, but this is simply the way of life.

Scene I

GUILLAUME is standing in front of a bathroom mirror/medicine cabinet, a dazed and sleepy look upon his face. He is wearing a brownish-white undershirt with enormous sweat stains under the arms. He opens the medicine cabinet and fumbles around, half-heartedly searching for something.

GUILLAUME

Yelling into the next room, words slightly slurred

Jean! Where do you keep your shaving cream?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Voice is heard through the bathroom door, but he doesn't appear in the shot yet.

We don't have any, Will. Dominique can't stand the smell. She made me buy some specialty lotion. I think it's in a blue bottle somewhere.

GUILLAUME

Loudly mumbles to himself

Blue bottle?

Frustrated, scans and rescans the shelves of the medicine cabinet. With a whining tone

I can't see it, Jean.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Yelling from a farther point than before

Check in the shelf above the toilet.

GUILLAUME briefly throws around some of the products on the aforementioned shelf.

GUILLAUME

It's not here, Jean!

Perhaps a tone of mock desperation

Where is it, Jean?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Voice is closer to the door and extremely annoyed

Ah, dammit!

Bursts through the bathroom door and into the shot. He is wearing an unbuttoned black suit and an emaciated black tie dangling loose around his neck. Furiously rifles through the contents of the medicine cabinet and throws down a turquoise, aluminum bottle onto the bathroom counter.

There, you see it? If you just bothered to look sometimes, rather than screaming... Christ, it's like having another kid in the house sometimes.

Walks quickly with anger (as camera follows him) to a corded telephone that has been left dangling in the hall. He picks it up and speaks into the receiver.

Yeah, yeah, I'm still here, Davis.

GUILLAUME

Runs out from bathroom door and back into frame. Flabbergasted

Geese, I'm sorry. I just wanted to shave with something other than soap.

Raises his hand in feigned puzzlement.

Can't a fella expect some cream once in a while? Can't a guy get even an ounce of luxury? Tabarnak!

Shakes his head and walks despondently back into the bathroom and out of the shot.

Camera follows JEAN-CLAUDE (who continually nods as if listening to the telephone) as he enters the kitchen. There, DOMINIQUE is watching over JEAN-BAPTISTE and CAROLINE as they eat their breakfast of lukewarm porridge and coffee. DOMINIQUE is wearing a pants-suit covered by a red apron and the children are dressed in their respective generic school uniforms.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Looking up from the phone for barely a second.

Where's Claudette?

DOMINIQUE

Exasperated

Apparently, she has decided that she is sick with the flu.

JEAN-BAPTISTE

Sarcastic, rolls his eyes

Ah, yes. The dreaded influenza educatis, a terrible virus most prevalent in the summer months.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Almost scolding

What's it matter, John? It's not like you guys are learning anything in June anyways.

Returning to the phone. High-spirited, on the verge of rage an excitement

Is that what he said? That pompous, Torontonian clown!

JEAN-BAPTISTE

Prideful and incensed

I actually work quite hard during the last months of school, thank you very much. Between all the studying for exams and-

DOMINIQUE

Interrupting

The real question is who is going to stay home to look after her?

JEAN-CLAUDE

To the telephone

I've made it perfectly clear that I'm holding on to those shares at any price.

Looks at his wife and realizes he asked him a question. Inquisitively

Sorry?

A much more frantic voice is heard vaguely over the telephone, but he ignores it.

DOMINIQUE

Painfully slowly, as if she were speaking to an invalid. Every word is followed by a pause.

Who is going to stay home to watch Claudette?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Only slightly remorseful, still holding the phone to his ear

Sorry, honey. But today is really not a good day for this.

Back to the phone, joyfully angry. He's proud that he has come far enough to say this.

Well, why don't you tell that son of a bitch that he knows exactly where he can shove it.

Ties his tie with only one hand and begins walking out the door, forgetting the telephone can't stretch that far.

DOMINIQUE

Forceful, but not forceful enough to demand anything

Mais, c'est que tu dites chaque fois!

JEAN-CLAUDE

Already out the door, the shot changing to see him leave with the phone lying on the floor.

Oui, et c'est réellement vrai aujourd'hui.

Shot moves back into the kitchen.

CAROLINE

Concerned

Papa dit un mauvais mot, maman.

DOMINIQUE

Detached

Tous mots anglais sont les mauvais mots, Caroline.

Moves to wash a massive pot pasted with oatmeal in the sink.

Interlude

JEAN-CLAUDE is opening a revolving glass door leading into a spectacularly fashioned, marble encased lobby. He begins making his way to a line of polished, gleaming elevators, one of which suddenly opens, revealing a stunningly attractive ASSISTANT. She rushes forward from the elevator, her high heels clacking with each anxious step and upon seeing her patron, shakes her head, but also releases a minute sigh of relief. The shapeliness of her outfit would have been particularly bold for the 1970's, but a glaringly red scarf tied tightly against her neck distracts somewhat from the extremely ample cleavage.

ASSISTANT

Impishly annoyed

Anne said you'd be here.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Continuing past her, somewhat confused

I still haven't dropped dead yet.

ASSISTANT grabs his arm, stopping him. Camera pans to see her smirk. JEAN-CLAUDE is still unsure what is going on.

We can always grab a doctor to make sure.

Pries her hand away softly. Sultry

Or we could grab something else.

ASSISTANT

Amused

You're forgetting something aren't you?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Rolls his eyes, comically

Yes, well as it happens, Dominque and I are trying out the whole new "open marriage" thing. You really should consider it.

ASSISTANT

Walks back to the open elevator

That's not what you're forgetting.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Turns around to face her, but doesn't follow.

What, then?

ASSISTANT

Smiling with uncontrollable amusement

You're already fifteen minutes late for your meeting with Henri Lavalin.

Elevator clicks shut

JEAN-CLAUDE

Waits a moment in shock, then it suddenly hits him

Oh, shit!

Begins running back to the entrance.

Scene II

LAVALIN is seated at a marble table in a well-lit, bourgeoisie restaurant, reading a large-print, single page menu. He is a bulbous man in his sixties, vaguely reminiscent of Mike Duffy in appearance wearing a navy blue pin-stripe suit with a floral pink tie that doesn't even remotely match his jacket but is clearly quite expensive and extremely wide. JEAN-CLAUDE enters. LAVENLIN stands and welcomes JEAN-CLAUDE.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Embarrassed

Sit down, sit down. I'm sorry I kept you waiting.

LAVALIN

Nonsense! I needed a break today of all days.

Sitting down

Still busy setting up shop are you?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Sweating, attempting to get comfortable in an ancient, Louis-Quatorze chair

Oh, boy. Trust me, moving central offices is not something you guys should be dreaming about any time soon. I'm starting to think I stashed away more boxes of classified material than Nixon!

Chuckles to himself, though it has a faded sound of exhaustion. Changes the subject

Hey, I hear these fellas make a fine smoked meat sandwich. I don't know about you, but I could certainly go for some that right about now.

LAVALIN

Preoccupied

Uh-hmmm

Eyes pass intently back to JEAN-CLAUDE

You're doing well, though, with the move and all?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Between a sip of water, shaking his head

Well, it's not really a move for me. More of a homecoming.

LAVALIN

Confused

You didn't just come here from Toronto?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Understanding LAVALIN'S confusion. Clarifying

Well, the firm was based in Toronto, but I was born in Montreal and that's where the wife and kids and I settled down. I mean, I had a few investments in Quebec, but my main business was in Toronto.

LAVALIN

Nodding his head

Must have been a lot of travelling.

JEAN-CLAUDE

You have no idea. I barely got to say "honey, I'm home" before I was called back from some contract falling apart. Never got to see the kids. Never got to go on the family camping trips...

Trails off

No, it was a quite a stroke of luck that A&E DuBois came under bankruptcy when it did. If I hadn't have been able to scoop it up and move our head offices to Montreal, I probably would have been forced to sell the company in Toronto anyways.

LAVALIN

Mildly interested

Hmm. Well, we just wanted to see how you were fitting in.

JEAN-CLAUDE

I must say, that's rather sociable of you.

With an air of suspicion

Especially for a business competitor.

LAVALIN

Smiling

I'm sure you'll find out soon enough that the construction business in this town is less of a blood-sport and more of a friendly competition.

Becomes noticeably uneasy

And, in the spirit of "friendly competition", I was wondering if I could bring your attention to a certain public works project currently on the table.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Interested

Which one?

LAVALIN

The reconstruction of the St. Mary's bridge.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Sure, I know it.

LAVALIN

Well, then you probably know that the city's received two tenders already and needs a third to go ahead with the project.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Exasperated

Now, let's just slow down here, cowboy. I like a good old friendly competition just as much as anyone, but I'm not going to have my boys do all the paperwork and draw up all the plans just to have you beat us out by a few wooden nickels.

Still interested despite this

But, what's your bid, if I may ask?

LAVALIN

Presents a practiced poker face

Four

JEAN-CLAUDE

Leaning forward, astounded

Million?

LAVALIN nods. JEAN-CLAUDE laughs

God damn it! Looks like I got into Montreal at the right time. What the hell are you guys using to reinforce it? Titanium coated diamonds? I may have flunked every school I was ever thrown into, but even I know it's a steal to ask anything over three mill.

LAVALIN

Stone cold

We were hoping that you might tender a bid for four and a quarter.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Muddled

Now, why would I want to do a thing like that, Henri?

LAVALIN

Nonchalant

Well, as I said, the city has two tenders already and they need three to go ahead.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Temper subtly rising

I was never suggesting that I didn't want the project to go ahead. I was just confused on the point where I deliberately allow your firm to steal my bridge.

LAVALIN

Disturbed

There's no need for such harsh language, Monsieur Parizeau. We are more than willing to pay a premium for your help in this matter.

JEAN-CLAUDE is speechless.

Now, I understand this might not be the way you're used to doing things

Tries to put his hand on JEAN-CLAUDE's shoulder, comfortingly

But-

JEAN-CLAUDE

Rips LAVALIN's hand from him, whisper shouts to avoid a scene

Get the fuck off me!

Outraged

You're damned right this is not the way I do business. Not in Toronto, not in New York and certainly not here. If you can build the bridge cheaper than I can, than build the fucking bridge. I'm not going to stop you. But if you think, for one damned instant, that I'm some schmuck you can screw around without any consequences whatsoever, you're about as wrong as wrong can be, pal.

Leaning over to get into LAVALIN's face.

I got my start mixing concrete in Manhattan when I was sixteen, and I sure as hell met plenty of low-lifes like you. But if you think I gave two rubbery, shits about them, you're wrong. I'm scared of a lot things, but you ain't one of 'em.

WAITRESS enters carrying a notebook and wearing an elegant, beige dress.

WAITRESS

Her shiny teeth in a tight, perpetual smile

What can I get for you two gentlemen to eat this afternoon?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Instantly becoming civil

You know, darling, I think we'll be fine with just the cheque please.

Gestures to LAVALIN

My friend was just about to leave.

WAITRESS

Somewhat disappointed, but not about to show it

Oh, okay.

Leaves the frame.

LAVALIN takes a long, sad look at JEAN-CLAUDE, shakes his head and leaves.

Scene III

It's later in the day. JEAN-CLAUDE winks to a pretty receptionist, throws open the doors to his company's head office and is instantly engulfed in a flurry of activity. ANNE, arguing with a white-shirted and black-tied accountant, cuts her conversation short and joins JEAN-CLAUDE. She is close to her boss' age, but far more beautiful than he, for she has aged exceptionally well. Although she has a remarkable figure her excessive modesty dulls it, wearing a gray skirt that comes to her ankles. Her face is commonly handsome but her green eyes betray a sort of raw cunning. The camera follows them as they move throughout the office.

ANNE

Frustrated

I've been trying to get a hold of you for the last two hours. Where the hell have you been?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Equally annoyed

Wasting time

They leave the foyer into a main area filled with endless rows of desks, stacked to the roof with boxes guarded over by an army of white-shirted and black tied men, almost all of whom wear horn-rimmed glasses and sport greasy, well-combed, school-boy hairdos.

ANNE

Rolling her eyes, but not interested in provoking her boss further

Frank has been trying to call you all afternoon. He thinks the workers in Toronto are serious about striking this time.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Barely listening

Whatever.

ANNE

Bewildered

Whatever?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Disinterested

Yeah, I'll call him when I have time.

Turning to actually look at ANNE. This is what he really wants to discuss.

Can you get Kevin to put in a bid on the St. Mary's bridge for us?

ANNE

Why a bridge of all things? I thought we were sticking to roads for right now?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Prideful, slightly flirtatious

Hey, even the boss-man can change his mind from time to time, can't he?

ANNE

Not this time, I'm afraid.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Miffed

And why is that?

Enters his office

ANNE

Stands, leaning against the door frame. She is pained, and doesn't really want to tell him his this.

There's been an equipment breakdown at our site on Highway 15. We're looking at a significant delay here. I highly doubt we'll be free to take on any more projects for quite some time.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Rifling through papers on his desk, not making eye contact. Precise and demanding

Unacceptable. This is my first construction project in Quebec. It's going to be ahead of schedule and under budget.

Loosens up slightly and takes a quick glance at ANNE

Or I'll pack my bags, sell this place and live the rest of my days in a retirement home in Tahiti.

He picks up his phone and goes to sit down but before he does, he gives some final orders.

Make sure you get me the foreman immediately after I'm finished speaking with Frank. And tell Kevin to file a tender for St. Mary's. I'm building that freaking bridge even if I have to use my own goddamned hands.

ANNE

Hurt at being ignored, but this is nothing new

Whatever you say, boss.

Leaves

JEAN-CLAUDE doesn't wait to watch her go, but immediately turns to look at his window onto the sun setting down across the sparking skyscrapers of Montreal as he speaks to his telephone.

Scene IV

JEAN-CLAUDE is driving home in his Mercedes. Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" is playing in the background and JEAN-CLAUDE is feverishly nodding his head to the half-beats as he drives along the St. Lawrence countryside. He is clearly agitated as he yells at the car-phone.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Furious

You're out of your fucking minds if you think I'm going to pay you a dime more than I am already. (pause) Yeah, well, I don't give a rat's ass what they're paying at Morrison & Co. If you and the guys like it so much, just send them your resumes. (pause) Cause you've struck out on me three times in the last ten years, that's why. (pause) I will literally ship a thousand Vietnamese families on a tin boat and have them replace you for five cents an hour, you little shit. (pause) Oh, you bet I would. (pause) Yeah, you think, huh? Just watch me!

Throws the phone down to hang it. He is seething with rage.

JEAN-CLAUDE spies something on the road. The camera remains fixated on him; what he is seeing is invisible to the audience. He steps on the accelerator and his anger instantly fades away into the faint etchings of a relieved smile. The car gets faster and faster. A bump is heard and the car jolts upwards. The camera remains entirely focussed on JEAN-CLAUDE who does not react, but continues driving as if nothing had happened.

Scene V

JEAN-CLAUDE is bent over his Mercedes, polishing the front bumper as the car's nose hangs out of the Parizeau family garage. The vehicle is entirely clean and shining at this point, but the rag he used to wash the car is filthy, covered in an oily, brownish-red stain. He finishes his work and stands, his hand caressing the metallic surface, feeling its luxury and significance. It is another achievement of which he is immensely proud.

JEAN-BAPTISTE comes puffing from the front door.

JEAN-BAPTISTE

Mother has finished with supper, papa.

JEAN-CLAUDE continues to stare at his car with an almost-lascivious longing. He remains totally oblivious to his son.

JEAN-BAPTISTE

Concerned

Father?

JEAN-CLAUDE is locked unto the sensual image of the hood of his Mercedes. A haunting soundtrack plays as the camera slowly zooms in on his face and then to the bumper of the car and back and forth. His face shows only the trace of a smile throughout.

JEAN-BAPTISTE

Extremely frightened

Dad, what's going on?

JEAN-CLAUDE snaps out of his trance. He turns to face his son and is completely normal, returned to reality.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Confused

What do you mean, son?

JEAN-BAPTISTE is stock still, not able to answer. JEAN-CLAUDE takes offence to this behaviour.

Come on, run along now. Your mother is calling us. We musn't keep her waiting.

JEAN-BAPTISTE remains still for a moment, then shakes off his doubts and walks toward the house the camera follows him.

JEAN-BAPTISTE

Under his breath

Getting more senile by the day.

A new shot shows JEAN-CLAUDE, just about to leave the garage. He takes one final, lusty glance at the car and walks after his son.

Scene VI

JEAN-CLAUDE, CLAUDETTE, CAROLINE and JEAN-BAPTISTE are seated at their lacquered, oaken family table. JEAN-CLAUDE takes the head of the table, with a vacant seat on his immediate right, presumably where his wife will sit. JEAN-BAPTISTE sits further on the side with the vacant seat, thus beginning this scene alone. CLAUDETTE and CAROLINE sit across from him, with CLAUDETTE being closer to their father. The girls are dressed in evening gowns of white with red ribbon and are each waiting very patiently. JEAN-BAPTISTE is obviously more impatient and is noticeably fidgeting, although he is trying to maintain some sense of decorum. JEAN-CLAUDE has clearly just arrived at his seat and is getting settled. He smiles lovingly in the direction of CLAUDETTE who returns with a wounded, faint smile of her own. Upon seeing this, JEAN-CLAUDE is clearly consoled from some inner doubt.

DOMINIQUE enters carrying a steaming casserole dish with two crimson red oven mitts singed brown in various locations and especially near the thumbs. She is quite anxious and annoyed about something, but this seems to be simply a permanent state of her demeanour. She places the dish on the table completing a veritable feast of roasted chicken, steamed asparagus, mashed potatoes (which were in the casserole dish) and sliced carrots. JEAN-CLAUDE looks at the food as if staring a great adversary in the face. DOMINIQUE settles down into her chair, takes a moment to compose herself and then looks around at those seated around her. The entire family takes this as their cue to bow their heads in prayer.

DOMINIQUE

Devoutly and with great benediction

Protège-nous, Seigneur notre Dieu, et donne à notre faiblesse ce qu'il faut pour subsister. Par Jésus, le Christ, notre Seigneur. Amen.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Excitedly

Now, let's eat!

JEAN-CLAUDE jumps for the mashed potatoes and begins spooning heaping spoonfuls unto his plate. The twin girls are delighted at his theatrics. DOMINIQUE gives her husband an extremely disappointed look. JEAN-CLAUDE immediately ends his potato antics and calmly dishes out some of the asparagus.

JEAN-CLAUDE

To the girls

Rappelez, il faut toujours manger les légumes avant des autres choses. La santé, premier. Vous souvenez, toujours.

Under his breath

As your mother says, if your life's miserable, you might as well prolong it with more misery.

DOMINIQUE evidently hears this and slaps JEAN-CLAUDE painfully on the knee under the table so the children don't see. JEAN-CLAUDE gently and with tasteful composure takes a bite of his asparagus without even flinching. The meal continues in silence for quite some time. Finally, after his cursory bites of each of the side dishes and main course, JEAN-CLAUDE sets his fork aside and turns his head towards CLAUDETTE.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Paternally, worried about the health of his daughter, but trying to remain aloof

Comment vas-tu ce soir, Claudette?

CLAUDETTE

Absent-mindedly misshaping her potatoes her fork

Bien...

JEAN-CLAUDE

Placated, but being playfully concerned

Juste bien? Seulement bien? Pas de super? Pas de magnifique? Pas de formidable?

CLAUDETTE

Amused

Non, papa! Je suis le meilleure de tous. Je suis great!

Raising her hands above the table in a sort of chant

Great. Great. Great. Great.

Doesn't look at her mother, but clearly knows that she is annoyed by this.

CAROLINE becomes excited by this action and just begins to join in before DOMINIQUE intervenes.

DOMINIQUE

In poor humour

C'est fini, Claudette.

CLAUDETTE

Returning to her chair, her arms crossed in disappointment and pouting

Oui, maman.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Attempting to hide the fact that he was smiling at CLAUDETTE's action. Deliberately and quickly switches subject.

So, John, have you heard which school you're going up against in the Reach for the Top semi-finals?

JEAN-BAPTISTE

Automatic and disinterested, he's been asked this question many times today

Kells Academy

JEAN-CLAUDE

Bursts out laughing

Kells Academy? Well, then you don't have anything to worry about?

Laughs again

You know, we had this joke back high school when we'd play football against those guys. Want to hear it.

Doesn't wait for the less than enthusiastic response to this query

Qu'est-ce qu'on appelle une belle femme en Kells Académie?

JEAN-BAPTISTE

Quoi?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Une visiteuse!

JEAN-CLAUDE pounds the table in joy, although his wife and son are far from entertained.

DOMINIQUE

Snottily

And that's exactly the sort of talk that forced us women to have to fight for our own personhood in this country. Mon dieu, Jean, I would have hoped that you had evolved past making jokes about the female appearance. We've quite enough young boys and girls hating themselves as it is, with all those movie stars and rock bands filling our magazine with their disgusting, libidinous bodies and they certainly don't need you leading them on.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Feigning a head-ache

Ugh, Dominique. Can you try to cut out the women's lib crap for a few seconds? We were just trying to have a meal in peace.

DOMINIQUE

Rising from the table

I've had quite enough of this. I spend every waking hour of the day bathing your children, making your meals, and washing your floors 'cause you're too cheap to get a maid. Then not only do you constantly belittle my occupation, my beliefs and my basic way of life, but you have the gall to insult (emphasis added) my very gender.

Standing now and ready to exit

Feel free to wash the dishes and put the kids to bed on your own. If I'm needed, I'll be in my study, catching up on my actual, vitally important work.

Storms off

JEAN-BAPTISTE

May I be excused, father?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Barely listening, still stunned by his wife's departure

Yes, yes, of course.

JEAN-BAPTISTE stands, stacks his mother's empty dishes on top of his own and then slowly walks over to the sink, wherein he deposits the items in a neat manner. Upon seeing their brother leave, CLAUDETTE and CAROLINE both hurry to finish their food and promptly leave the table as well, without collecting their dishes. JEAN-CLAUDE waits in shock for a moment, then shakes his head and continues eating in his lonesome.

Scene VII

JEAN-CLAUDE is washing dishes, his hands engulfed in a soapy Armageddon of half-chewed vegetables and tooth-picked meat. He sings to himself some unrecognizable melody, apparently in a sort of his bliss. Although this is work, it is better than the sort of labour which occupies his mind all day. He whistles the chorus to the song.

An image flashes: the red-brown rag used earlier to clean the car lying atop a collection of tools and paraphernalia stored in the garage.

JEAN-CLAUDE stops everything and stands still. His face is blank.

Another image flashes: a face of a terrified gazelle on the African savannah as it is moments away from being tackled and eaten by a lion.

JEAN-CLAUDE removes his hands from the soapy water, dries them off with a cloth and sidesteps toward the front door. Before he gets there, it opens with GUILLAUME standing on the other side, dressed in an antiquated blackened green jacket that doesn't come even close to covering his undershirt, as well as a yellow hard-hat.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Genuinely surprised but faking excitement

Billy! I didn't know you were coming back so early!

GUILLAUME

Modest, wants to drop the subject

Yeah, yeah. My supervisor let me off at seven today. Who knew, even a construction boss can have a heart, every once in a while.

Removes the hard-hat before entering

JEAN-CLAUDE

Steps back from the door, pretending like he never meant to leave

So, how's the work on sixty-fourth Ave?

GUILLAUME

Jokingly, wagging a finger at his brother

Now, Johnny, you know I can't share any pertinent commercial information with a potential business competitor.

JEAN-CLAUDE laughs overenthusiastically and pats GUILLAUME on the back.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Moving back to the door, but turns his head to his face GUILLAUME

Hey, I was just going to the cooler to get a beer. You want anything?

GUILLAUME

Ah, you're the best, Johnny.

Throws off his jacket and meanders into the hallway.

You're the best.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Sarcastic, but too low for GUILLAUME to hear at this point

Okay, I guess that was a "yes".

Rolls his eyes, opens the door and walks outside, subtly and discretely.

Scene VIII

It is much later in the evening and the sky was turned black. JEAN-CLAUDE is in the back-yard, sitting beside a roaring fire. Every so often the flames form a recognizable shape, perhaps even a face, but JEAN-CLAUDE is in no way spell-bound by their movements. His mind is on other matters. DOMINIQUE enters the shot from behind her husband.

DOMINIQUE

Almost conciliatory

My outburst at supper was unnecessary. I should have conducted myself more professionally.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Turning his head slightly in DOMINIQUE's direction but not facing her

Is that supposed to be an apology?

DOMINIQUE

Condescending

You know as well as I do that I am not the one who owes you an apology!

JEAN-CLAUDE

Angered

What do you want, woman? I'm sorry you have to the cleanup sometimes. I'm sorry you were taught how to cook and not me. I'm sorry I made a joke at the dinner table. I'm sorry for every tragedy ever committed by man, every act of aggression, rape, pillage and murder ever conceived by my race. I'm sorry that Adam was stupid enough to bite that apple. Anything else? I might as well get everything done while I'm at it!

DOMINIQUE

Rolling her eyes in frustration

This is exactly how you respond every time we've ever had a problem. Just joke after joke, act after act. How long are you going to play the clown, Jean-Claude? Are you going to be laughing to your grave? Tu es complètement débile.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Sees that his wife is ready to explode and stands up. He rests his hand on her waist.

Hey, I'm sorry, okay.

They embrace

I'm sorry.

DOMINIQUE

Slowly removing her arms from her husband's clasp. Calmer, but still angry

I don't want you to be sorry, Jean. I want you to do something about it. Don't apologize that I'm wiping the floors. Hire a maid to do it for me so that I don't have to spend my life with my back arched over like some peasant woman.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Glad that the argument is cooler, but annoyed at his wife's suggestion. Speaks as if to a juvenile.

Honey, we've been through this. Your insistence to go to work cost me a lot of income tax that could have otherwise been split between the two of us. I just don't have the money.

DOMINIQUE

Incensed

Don't you dare start going "honey" this and "sweetheart" that, mister. I'm not a child. I'm perfectly capable of understanding the consequences of my own actions.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Furiously pacing the backyard. Cutting in, immensely frustrated

Then why do we have to keep having this same, fucking conversation?

DOMINIQUE

Because every time you tell me there's no money to hire a helping hand around here, you go and buy another company, invest in some more shares, or give another pile of cash to your brother to waste on some stupid idea of his.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Angry now

What the hell do you want me to do, Domi? Abandon my family? Huh, is that what you want. You want me to throw my brother out onto the street and spend the whole fucking year in car-trips back and forth from Toronto so that I never see my kids? Huh, would that make you happy.

DOMINIQUE

I'm not trying to criticize your business.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Confused and piqued

Then what on God's green earth are we talking about?

DOMINIQUE

Screaming

We're talking about love, Johnny!

JEAN-CLAUDE

Holding his head in bewildered anger

Oh, Jesus Christ, I'm stuck in some fucking Raymond Carver story.

DOMINIQUE

Cruel

Oh, Raymond Carver would wet himself every night for a year thinking about you and that damn construction company.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Riled

What the hell is your problem?

DOMINIQUE

Don't give me that! You know full well what my problem is. I've seen the same numbers you have. The Toronto firm hasn't made a profit in ten years.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Sarcastic

I thought we were talking about love here.

DOMINIQUE

Isn't that what you'd call it? Subsidizing a worthless business with every investment you've ever made, not having the balls to cut it up and sell it for the scrap metal it is.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Worried

Domi...

DOMINIQUE

Ignoring this

Geese, I only hope I'll get half as much when I'm all old, ugly and (added emphasis) dying!

JEAN-CLAUDE

Ominous

Domi...

DOMINIQUE

Liberated, willing to cause much more damage

Domi, what? Huh? You pretend like I don't know, but I do. So don't think I couldn't figure it out. Your first company. Your brain-child. You loved that piece-of-shit construction firm more than you did your own wife, more than you did your own fucking children, you son of a bitch!

DOMINIQUE pauses to take a breath, her stamina exhausted. JEAN-CLAUDE just stares at DOMINIQUE in a disoriented agony, wondering how she could say such a thing. Then his demeanour changes, and he is clearly contemplating hitting her. Instead he sends a side table flying against the house's outer wall. DOMINQUE barely flinches.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Cold, merciless

Say whatever you want about me and my companies, about the whole fucking world, but don't you (emphasis added) ever question my love for my children.

Moves to leave, immediately calms down.

I'm off to bed. If you want to join, that's fine by me. If not, this lovely house I bought you is filled with guest rooms. Take your pick.

Exits, leaving DOMINIQUE standing icy still in the middle of the backyard, with the fire dying behind her.

Scene IX

JEAN-BAPTISTE is decorated in an ornate purple robe reminiscent of the garments of a KKK Grand Cyclops. He stands over CLAUDETTE clothed only in a single white, linen sheet, sleeping on top of an alabaster tomb. The background is eerily dark, with the coming of a blood-red dawn.

The camera zooms in so that the shot is only composed of JEAN-BAPTISTE's sneering face.

JEAN-BAPTISTE

Influenza educatis, a terrible virus most prevalent...

Grins evilly

In the summer months.

The camera zooms out to show JEAN-BAPTISTE holding a long and twisted knife above CLAUDETTE's body. He holds the dagger precariously and then slowly moves to plunge it into her flesh.

The same image of the gazelle on the Savannah flashes across the screen.

A rubicund stream flows backwards. A faint gurgling is heard

The camera is zoomed in to JEAN-BAPTISTE's arm as he pushes the dagger forward

The same gazelle is seen on a Quebec highway, caught in rapidly approaching headlights.

The red stream flows faster, its sound much louder than before.

The knife lands squarely into the chest of CLAUDETTE, her body exploding.

The gazelle is replaced by a screaming woman staring at her impending doom on the same road.

The stream surges backward with ferocious velocity. Its roar is deafening.

JEAN-CLAUDE opens his eyes. He doesn't burst from the pillow as if waking from a nightmare, but simply scans his surrounding with only minimal movements. He is lying in his bed, with his wife sleeping contently beside him. Her face is caught in a scowl, but this is simply her natural pose. JEAN-CLAUDE returns to his pillow, but isn't quite ready to go back to sleep. He is still processing what he just experienced. A certain part of himself may have even enjoyed it.

Scene X

Protesting students are crowded into a busy intersection in Montreal. They are violently chanting separatist slogans and holding sign which decry, "vivre le Québec libre". A few in the mob even sport some FLQ paraphernalia. The blocked vehicles honk their horns and the drivers lean from their windows to shout at this disruption, but to no avail. Police are nowhere to be seen.

JEAN-CLAUDE is separated from the protest by several rows of cars, but his Mercedes has clearly been stuck in its current position for quite some time. He is fuming, although since he is also talking on the phone, he is making a clear effort to maintain the calmness of his voice.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Pleading

But why not, Charlie? It's a solid investment. I have it for a fact that the other bids are completely out to lunch on this one. We've got the plans made up and everything, but we just need the equipment. (pause)

Rolls his eyes

Yeah, I know that, Charlie. (pause)

Returning to his beggarly manner

I'm telling you, it's a slam dunk. If you contract the stuff out to me, I'll give you a flat-fee and a split of the profits, which are going to be huge. You just have to trust me on this. (pause)

Aggravated

Why the hell would I buy a brand new back-hoe when you have a perfectly good one just sitting in the middle of some- (interrupted, then pause)

Insulted

Fine, whatever! You build it then, you Yankee bastard!

Throws his car phone down and begins loudly and repeating honking his horn. Yelling

What the fuck is going on here! Get a move on lard-ass!

Begins punching the steering wheel in front of him.

Scene XI

JEAN-CLAUDE is sitting in his office, Schubert's Ninth Symphony playing in the background. JEAN-CLAUDE's furious pen strokes on various papers are almost in time with the music. It is clear that this is what he listens to for relaxation, but it is evidently not having its usual effect. His entire body is tightly-strung and he is mechanically going about his business with an inhuman ferocity which can be only described as mildly obsessive. His phone begins to flash red and the voice of the receptionist is heard.

RECEPTIONIST

Bored

Guillaume Parizeau on line one, sir.

JEAN-CLAUDE exhales rather deeply, disappointed that his focus has been broken. He sighs and taps his phone.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Pretentiously polite

Thank you, Marie.

Picks up the phone and holds it to his ear.

What's wrong, Billy? (pause) Whoa, whoa. Slow down, buddy. (pause) What do you mean?

ANNE walks up to the office door and knocks rather loudly on its window. JEAN-CLAUDE looks up at her.

ANNE

Matter-of-factly

You've got an appointment with Patrice St. Germaine in half an hour, boss. You better get going.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Nodding to acknowledge his assistant. Still talking to his brother

Hey, can we discuss this later. I got to go. Bye

Hangs up without waiting for a response.

JEAN-CLAUDE throws on his suit jacket and rushes out the door. His eyes brush briefly past ANNE and widen as if to say, "thanks". He shuts his office door and the camera lingers a moment from within the office where one see a bright red woman's scarf hanging alone on the coat stand.

Scene XII

JEAN-CLAUDE and GERMAINE are seated in the same restaurant as in Scene II. JEAN-CLAUDE is wearing a gray, double-breasted suit with one of his tremendously skinny black ties. GERMAINE is a black-haired, square-jawed and pointy-nosed man of about fifty, wearing a well-worn corduroy suit. He is currently stuffing his mouth with enormous portions of potato salad. The spot on his plate where his steak used to be is now simply a pool of blood and spices.

GERMAINE

His mouth quite full, but still rather curious

Tell me again, Mister Parizeau, why this bridge is so incredibly important to you?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Glib

Is a great profit not important to you?

GERMAINE

Swallowing

To me as much as any.

Wiping his mouth with a serviette, very skeptical

But you still haven't convinced me that there will be any?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Excited

Then you haven't been listening, Patrice. I told that the project can break even at exactly two point eight million

GERMAINE

Yes...

JEAN-CLAUDE

Leaning forward, under his breath

I have it on good authority that the other two tenders were over four million.

GERMAINE

Understands what this is immediately. Sighs, and falls back into his chair.

You need to stay out of this, Jean.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Returning to his original position. Obviously disappointed and perhaps even regretful

I can't now. I've already sent in a bid. It's only a matter of time before I win it. Now, will you help me with this or not?

GERMAINE

Cautious

You know I would if I could, Mister Parizeau. I'm always willing to lend a hand when I know I'll get an arm in return, but I simply don't have what you're looking for at this moment.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Genuinely surprised, but suspicious as well

Strange. Your executive assistant said the complete opposite.

GERMAINE

Shrugs his shoulders

Nicola is good for many things, but having a complete recollection of the availability of all of our equipment is not one of them.

JEAN-CLAUDE

She did phone the stock yard for me.

GERMAINE

Brushes this off

I'm sure she did, but (pauses) you know how dynamic our business is. Things change at a moment's notice...

JEAN-CLAUDE

Flustered

If you rented your machinery out to someone else, why did you bother coming to this meeting at all?

Gestures to his untouched meal

The steaks aren't that good here.

GERMAINE

Trying to settle JEAN-CLAUDE down

Now, I didn't necessarily say that...

JEAN-CLAUDE

Irritated

Then what exactly did you say, Patrice? I seem to be having some trouble with it.

GERMAINE

Gives up the act

Fine, I tried to be reasonable with you but I guess some men just can't accept-

JEAN-CLAUDE

Angrily interjecting

Reasonable? I'm not the one who's been lying through his teeth all afternoon.

GERMAINE

Exasperated

You want the truth? All right, here it is. I have plenty of equipment available but none for you, Mister Parizeau. So long as you own A&E DuBois, you could be the Pope, Messiah and President wrapped into one and I still wouldn't have any machinery for you. I'm sorry. It's just not going to happen.

JEAN-CLAUDE shoots to his feet, his body electrified with rage. GERMAINE is clearly disquieted by this and raises his hand in both a calming and defensive gesture. However, with great effort, instead of confronting GERMAINE, JEAN-CLAUDE turns and makes to leave.

JEAN-CLAUDE

With well-disciplined civility

I think I must use the facilities.

JEAN-CLAUDE leaves a flabbergasted GERMAINE. The shot briefly moves to JEAN-CLAUDE's pants where a piece of elastic rope can be seen hanging from his pockets, dipping below his suit jacket's extremities.

Scene XIII

JEAN-CLAUDE is in the bathroom of the restaurant, washing his hands in a decadent sink. His right hand has red rings around his knuckles, caused by some severe strain. He is flexing his fingers, trying to end some pain in them. GERMAINE enters.

GERMAINE

Looking at JEAN-CLAUDE's hands with some concern

Are you okay?

JEAN-CLAUDE

It's fine. Just some arthritis.

Stretches his fingers and winces in pain

GERMAINE

I've heard cherries can help.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Still staring at his hand, not really acknowledging GERMAINE's presence

Cherries. Yeah. I'll have to keep that in mind.

GERMAINE

Leaning against the counter in a casual manner

Hey, even if I can't help you, I can still offer you some advice...if you're willing to hear it.

JEAN-CLAUDE

J'écoute.

GERMAINE

The way you described your equipment situation sounds extremely similar to a problem my friend had a while back.

JEAN-CLAUDE

And?

GERMAINE

And it turned out he didn't have a problem after all. He looked at the engine of the cat himself and found absolutely nothing wrong with it. He told the men to get back working and what looked like it could have been costly delay turned out to be nothing more than a little hiccup.

JEAN-CLAUDE

I'm not getting your point, Patrice.

GERMAINE

Raising his hands defensively

Hey, all I'm saying is that maybe it's worth another look, by someone other than your on-site mechanic.

Pats JEAN-CLAUDE patronizingly on the shoulder

Not every man in the world is as progressive as we are, Jean.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Turns his head to stare accusingly at GERMAINE

What are you saying?

GERMAINE

Whoa, there. You know the unions just as well as I do.

JEAN-CLAUDE

In the midst of a head-ache

Get to the point, Patrice.

GERMAINE

Well, you know they don't work unless they absolutely have to, right? They pull this sort of stuff all the time. It's a fact of life, Jean.

Calmly

I was only suggesting, that's all. Maybe it's not a bad idea to get another set of eyes down there, huh?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Shakes his head, exhausted

I'd be in violation of the contract with the workers.

GERMAINE

Hey, there's the rules of unions and then there's the law of nature, Jean. And no matter what those union thieves swindled away from you, they can't stop the fact that you bought the machines they operate, the asphalt they push around and the offices that they complain to. I say by everything that's right, a man should be able to do what he pleases with his property, right? To hell with what those pencil pushers threw in to some bull-shit contracts. You own the company, not them.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Laughs

It's that attitude that has my workers going on strike every three years.

GERMAINE

Shrugs

Hey, far be it from me to tell you how to run your business. I just wanted to point out that it might be worth a second look, that's all.

Walks to doorway

See ya, and sorry once again. I really wish I could do more.

JEAN-CLAUDE rolls his eyes after GERMAINE has left. He cracks his raw knuckles and then dries off his hands with a plush, beige towel. He stares coldly at his reflection in the mirror

Scene XIV

It is late evening. JEAN-CLAUDE and DOMINIQUE are sitting on opposite ends of a short, wooden table that is clearly aged from its frayed edge and myriad splinters. DOMINIQUE is diligently painting a miniature soldier, with hundreds of his plain doppelgangers piled at one side of her, and a neat regiment of a few dozen painted soldiers lined on her other side. JEAN-CLAUDE is carefully assembling a piece of artillery and he surrounded by countless plastic pieces all connected to endless plastic packing sheets. His yellow-handled Exact-O knife sits atop a pile of pieces already cut from their respective sheets.

DOMINIQUE

Looking up from her work. Scolding

You better not be thinking about hiring him.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Still fixated on the artillery, but sounding tired

What else would I be thinking about, Dominique?

DOMINIQUE

Self-righteous

He needs to learn to fend for himself. Forty-nine years and he still can't seem to figure that out.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Panged

He's my brother, Domi.

DOMINIQUE

And I'm your wife.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Whispers to himself

Cette connaissance me hante chaque jour.

DOMINIQUE

Ignoring this

You need to cut him loose before he strangles himself in the cords. He's already been living off our generosity for much too long. It's about time he learned what the real world was like.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Beseeching

He just lost his job, for Christ's sake.

DOMINIQUE

Indifferent

That is no fault of your own. You've given Guillaume a house and home that he didn't deserve and tens of thousands of dollars that he could never even hope to pay back. He needs to figure out how to earn something for himself.

JEAN-CLAUDE

That's exactly why I need to hire him, Dominique. A man needs to work for himself, needs to feel useful, like he's contributing to society.

DOMINIQUE

Indignant at the suggestion, raises her hand

Then let the man contribute! Don't just give him some pointless job twiddling a shovel all day. Let him starve for bit so he can figure out what he's actually good at.

JEAN-CLAUDE

You know I've never been able to stomach that sort of thing.

DOMINIQUE

Pithed

What sort of thing? Progression?

JEAN-CLAUDE

No, Dominique. Not progression, cruelty. And that's all you're suggesting. Just pure cruelty.

DOMINIQUE

What's more cruel? Giving him the opportunity to make something of himself or continuing to degrade and demoralize him with your hand-outs and pity offerings.

JEAN-CLAUDE

On the verge of whining

It's not a hand-out, darling. I can always use a man like him. Sure, he's not the brightest crayon in the box, but his back is strong enough and he takes orders as well as anyone.

DOMINIQUE

He's your pet so long as you keep doing this for him and it's foolish to pretend otherwise.

JEAN-CLAUDE

Fatigued and returning to his work

He's not my pet, Domi.

DOMINIQUE

Sinister

Isn't he? I agree, he's certainly not the puppy you stupidly bought to entertain the girls that one infamous Christmas eve. No, he's that dog, all grown old, tired, ignorant, shedding, enormous and with gastric troubles. He's a play-thing ravaged by time with an owner too caught in nostalgia and just plain, old momentum to throw him away. It's not even love, anymore, is it? Just some ancient sense of pity, some unwillingness to watch it die? You can't get rid of it because you're too lazy to imagine life without him. Is that right?

JEAN-CLAUDE doesn't answer, but focusses instead on the delicacy of painting a plastic tube with just enough glue that it will stick without ruining the shape. DOMINIQUE waits a few seconds for a reply, then grows tired and picks up another soldier to paint.

DOMINIQUE

Is this guy German or French?

JEAN-CLAUDE doesn't reply.

Honey?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Passive-aggressively

Look at his helmet.

DOMINIQUE

Offended

If he had a helmet, I wouldn't need to ask you, now wouldn't I?

JEAN-CLAUDE

Holds out his hand without looking up

Let, me look.

DOMINIQUE gently places the miniature in JEAN-CLAUDE's palm. JEAN-CLAUDE brings the soldier up to his face and examines it closely for a moment.

JEAN-CLAUDE

He's French, a private in the 54th Regiment, Infantry of the Line. You can tell by the pack he's wearing and those woolen trousers. Be sure to paint them red.

DOMINIQUE

Staring at the soldier, completely uninterested

Huh

Scene XV

It's the dead of night in a construction zone. WATCHMAN stands at attention behind an enormous mound of disturbed earth. One can almost see the outlines of the bulldozers, back-hoes, bob-cats and other pieces of heavy machinery at various locations throughout the disturbed landscape. Gigantic spotlights provide lighting in random areas, including where WATCHMAN is standing. MECHANIC casually approaches. He is dressed in oily, work-man's garb and has a rugged, unclean exterior. By contrast, WATCHMAN is dressed in an unbuttoned, but otherwise proper blue uniform, is clean-shaven and innocently handsome, with a rifle strapped to his back. MECHANIC hands WATCHMAN an envelope stuffed with cash.

WATCHMAN

Surprised

Donc, tu es le mécano?

MECHANIC

Shrugs

Je le pense.

Walks past the sentry

Où est-elle?

WATCHMAN

Elle?

MECHANIC

Les engins?

WATCHMAN

Nods and turns around and begins walking to machinery.

Quel engin veux-tu voir premier?

MECHANIC

Je ne sais pas qu'où est le problème, encore.

WATCHMAN

Comme je viens dit, quel engin premier?

MECHANIC

J'ai vu. Le bouteur, alors.

WATCHMAN nods and leads the way, with MECHANIC reluctantly following. They reach the bulldozer, where MECHANIC, immediately in his element, rushes toward the nose while WATCHMAN stays back and watches the night. MECHANIC lifts the looks the hood to look at the colossal engine. He pulls up his sleeves and rubs his hands together in anticipation.

MECHANIC

Okay, ma chérie. Qu'est-c'est sa maladie?

Stares at the engine for some time and makes a few cursory adjustments. Then, to WATCHMAN

C'est très difficile pour connaitre. De moi, elle apparait bien.

WATCHMAN

Étrange...

MECHANIC

Oui. Peux-tu commencer l'engin, si vous plait?

WATCHMAN

Oui, bien.

Climbs to the top the cab and turns the key, already in the ignition. The engine immediately roars to life.

Est-ce qu'elle marche?

MECHANIC

Confused and worried. Hits the side of the bulldozer with his fist.

Oui.

Under his breath

Tabarnak!