SELF

O death where is thy sting? The man is never on time...

William S. Burroughs, Naked Lunch
Planning for the ao!alyse is not !onsidered, !onsidered !ool.
"#y #athemati!al #ind, Spoon
PAGE ONE
P$%&' O%&
Broo(lyn. Snowfall. %ight. #ultile flat s!reens on dislay )ehind a store window.
S&'*+ T,&-& . /O $/$.%""
P$%&' TWO
$ll the flat s!reens )egin to fli!(er as a young woman in a winter !oat wal(s )y, head
down, ear)ud !ords dangling into her o!(et.
S&'*+ BEING.
P$%&' T,-&&
She stes )a!(, stares into the stati!.
S&'*+ P-&T&%0.%/ . &1.ST.
P$%&' *O2-
The images return to the s!reens as she wal(s away.
PAGE TWO

P$%&' O%&
3our average inner"!ity middle s!hool !lassroom4 a sea of fa!es )efore us. Some are
aying attention, some are assing notes, some laughing. One girl is writing furiously
into a !omosition )oo(.
P$%&' TWO
S&'* 5678 sits in the )a!(, tu!(ed away )ehind his eers.
S&'*+ $S .* . &9&- &1.ST&0 TO B&/.% W.T,.
P$%&' T,-&&
$ !loser angle reveals his large aw(ward glasses. ,is attention is elsewhere as stares out
the window.
S&'*+ B&.%/ .%9.S.B'& .S &$S3.
P$%&' *O2-
S&'* PO9+ ,e noti!es an eastern )lue)ird sitting on a )ran!h, unfa:ed )y the falling
snow.
S&'*+ 0.S$PP&$-.%/. T,$T;S T,& -&$' <,$''&%/&.
P$%&' *.9&
Same angle as anel two "" )ehind the !lassmate, Self )egins to fade. %o one noti!es.
P$%&' S.1
The door S'$#S oen. The tea!her and !lass are all startled.
PAGE THREE
P$%&' O%&
$ long hallway lined with lo!(ers, seemingly endless.
P$%&' TWO
*ootrints lead a!ross an emty, snow !overed foot)all field.
S*1+ <,.-"W.= <,.-"W.=
P$%&' T,-&&
The )lue)ird darts in front of us. .t flies )eyond the field, off into the woods.
S&'*+ T,&-& .S .-O%3 ,&-&.
P$%&' *O2-
$%/'& from )ehind a tree as Self wat!hes. $ little girl s>uats with a small !amera
aimed at a stream.
S&'*+ 0.S$PP&$-.%/ .S ,OW . #&T 'O.
P$%&' *.9&
'O;s PO9 through the !amera lens. $ )lue fish with silver strea(s, !losely resem)ling
the &astern Blue)ird. .t swims through shimmers of light as she snas the i!ture.
P$%&' S.1
S%$P= 'o turns, startled. 'oo(s u into the woods and sees Self standing )ehind the tree.
'O+ W$3 TO B& <-&&P3.
PAGE FOUR
P$%&' O%&
Self stes from )ehind the tree, a little !onfused and worried.
S&'*+ 3O2""3O2 <$% S&& #&?
'O+ . ,$9& &3&S, 3&S.
P$%&' TWO
Self motions towards a )ran!h high a)ove them as 'o moves from the !ree( to ?oin him.
S&'*+ T,&-& W$S $ B'2&B.-0@
'O+ '.A&'3 STO-3.
P$%&' T,-&&
'o is reloading her !amera. Self (neels near the stream, diing a finger in.
'O+ 3O2;-& T,$T W&.-0 A.0 .% #3 #$T, <'$SS.
S&'*+ . /2&SS?
'O+ .T;S $'-./,T. P&OP'& O%'3 T,.%A 3O2;-& W&.-0 B&<$2S&
3O2;-& SO B2.&T.
P$%&' *O2-
<'OS&2P on Self;s hands in the water, his alms !losed softly around something.
S&'*+ S.%<& W,&% 0O&S B2.&T &B2$' W&.-0?
'O+ S.%<& CO,% ,2/,&S, S$3S #3 0$0.
PAGE FIVE
P$%&' O%&
Self wal(ing )a!( to 'o.
T&$<,&- 5OP8+ $'-./,T A.0S= T,$T;S T.#&= &9&-3BO03 B$<A TO
T,& *.&'0.
P$%&' TWO
<'OS&2P on Self;s oen hands holding a )a)y frog.
'O+ #3 %$#&DS 'O.
S&'*+ S&'*.
P$%&' T,-&&
'o smiling dire!tly at us. Beaming, really. *irst love.
'O+ %.<& #&&T.%/ 3O2, W&.-0O.
P$%&' *O2-
'o running )a!( u the hill towards her !lass, silhouetted )etween the trees.
'O+ /&T B$<A TO <'$SS B&*O-& 3O2 /&T .% T-O2B'&=
S&'*+ ,OW <O2'0 . %OT 'O9& ,&- *-O# T,$T #O#&%T?
PAGE SIX
P$%&' O%&
$ !on!ert venue. -ain)ow hued !olors wash over the anel as some indie ro!( )and
lays. WeDre in the )a!(.
S&'*+ #3 TW&%T.&S W&-& T,& WO-ST. .T W$S '.A& . 0.S<O9&-&0
&9&-3T,.%/ TOO '$T&.
P$%&' TWO
$%/'& on the )ar as eole stand trying to order drin(s, wat!hing the )and, yelling over
the musi!.
S&'*+ P2B&-T3 $%0 SO<.$' SA.''S W&-& T.#& -&'&$S& P.''S
T,$T A.<A&0 .% &./,T 3&$-S TOO '$T&.
P$%&' T,-&&
<'OS& on two girls, arms interlo!(ed, singing at ea!h other. <omletely !aught in the
moment. Between them the lead singer stands on his stage, his )angs )rea(ing the hearts
of every girl in the front row. Somewhere, dee in the )g is Self.
P$%&' *O2-
Self sis a rum and !o(e from a straw.
P$%&' *.9&
The stro)e lights flash through Self as he )egins to fade.
P$%&' S.1
S&'*+ . *&'T '.A& $ ST-$%/&- .% #3 OW% '.*&.
PAGE SEVEN
P$%&' O%&
$!ross the street from the venue, footstes wade through a uddle.
P$%&' TWO
They lead off down a fog !overed street, heading toward the #anhattan s(yline a!ross a
river.
P$%&' T,-&&
$ !oule stands far"off, (issing against the railing. Self wat!hes. <omletely invis)le.
P$%&' *O2-
$ girl heaving over the railing.
S*1+ B'$$$$$=
P$%&' *.9&
She turns towards us, wiing her mouth with the sleeve of her ?a!(et. She is familiar.
P$%&' S.1
She smiles that smile. *irst love 5rerise8.
'O+ *$%<3 #&&T.%/ 3O2 ,&-&.
PAGE EIGHT
P$%&' O%&
Outside one of the )igger #anhattan diners.
.tDs the night owl set+ a grou of drun( (ids, two homeless guys drin(ing !offee while
!ontemlating !hess moves, a young girl streaming mas!ara a!ross from her friend. The
wor(ers mill around in the )g, en?oying the downtime. 'o and Self sit in the foreground
near a window.
P$%&' TWO
'o sis from a giant ?ava mug.
P$%&' T,-&&
Self sits a!ross from her, hands around his mug. 0istant. $nEious. 2n!ertain.
'O+ 0.0 3O2 A%OW T,$T /'$SS /&TS ST-O%/&- B3 <-$<A.%/ .T?
S&'*+ S2-&.
'O+ 3O2 TO2/,&% T,& /'$SS B3 2S.%/ O**S&T P$TT&-%S O*
#.<-O"<-$<AS TO /2.0& T,& '$-/&- <-$<AS. $BSO-BS T,&
.#P$<T.
S&'*+ ,OW .S T,.S -&'&9$%T TO $%3T,.%/?
P$%&' *O2-
'o, !on!erned. Self dros his head, nestles it in the !roo( of his shoulder.
'O+ W,$TDS W-O%/?
S&'*+ %OT,.%/.
'O+ .T 0O&S%DT 'OOA '.A& %OT,.%/.
S&'*+ .TDS %OT $ B./ 0&$'.
PAGE NINE
P$%&' O%&
'o, stern.
'O+ 0O%DT 0O T,$T.
S&'*+ W,$T?
'O+ S,2T 0OW% T,& W$3 3O2 0O W,&% . $SA 3O2 $ B2&ST.O%.
OP&% 3O2- #O2T,, B& $% $02'T, and SPEAK.
P$%&' TWO
<'OS& on SelfDs hand, griing the mug as hard as he !an without !rushing it. ,is hand
is )eginning to fade.
S&'*+ SO#&T,.%/DS W-O%/ W.T, #&. .D# TOO O**. T,.S WO%DT
WO-A. W&FW& WO%DT WO-A.
P$%&' T,-&&
'oDs hand on SelfDs fading hand.
'O+ %OT,.%/ .S W-O%/ W.T, 3O2. T,$TDS $% &1<2S& %OT TO T-3.
P$%&' *O2-
SelfDs hand solidifed again, fingers interlo!(ed with 'oDs.
'O+ .D'' ,&'P 3O2. W&D'' /2.0& T,& <-$<AS TO/&T,&-.
P$%&' *.9&
Self on to of 'o, draed in silhouette. TheyDre ma(ing love while the sun rises over the
!ity.
'O 59O8 + W&D'' $BSO-B T,& .#P$<T.
PAGE TEN
S&'*Ds PO9 G staring down at )loody hands in a shower.
'O 59O8+ W& WO%DT B-&$A.
PAGE ELEVEN
and there he stood, in the shadow of their love
unable to move or eat
dreams replaced by insoluble nightmare
for, he willed his demons into being.
ONE SUNDAY IN CENTRAL PARK he walked along
the humid pavement, heels hitting against the footprints of
a billion ghosts. Surrounded by greenery, and the strange
ghosts who still existed as flesh, he found himself called by
the water.
It calmed him. The gentle lapping of waves. e wondered if
sound could be symmetrical. If so, waves were the sound of
symmetry. e pulled the sleeves of his cardigan down over
his hands, staring out over the lake.
!atching the ripples expand ever"outward from the drips
of rain, he felt the blood rushing from his body# watched as
it flowed down to the tips of his fingers. $s he glanced
towards the towering specter of the city beyond the trees, a
small bluebird flew by. %erching itself on a railing, it
looked, ever so directly, and spoke&
'(e brave, dear one.
(e changed or be undone.)