“THE WALKING CITY”

THE RIGHT MOMENT

EXT. IN THE MIDDLE OF “NOWHERE” - MIDDAY

In the middle of a desert called Nowhere, at a vehicle stop area with a sign, TWO MEN are standing with sand piling up in their shoes, sun beating down on their backs, and sweat beading their nose and temples. It is midday. There is no shade. It is HOT.

DWELLER

You have to catch the city at the right moment.

TRAVELER

What do you mean?

DWELLER

What do you mean, what do I mean?

TRAVELER

Why do we have to catch the city?

DWELLER

Because it walks around, of course! You can’t just sit down and wait for it to pick you up. That’s just ridiculous.

TRAVELER

What?

DWELLER

Huh?

TRAVELER

What do you mean, the city walks?

DWELLER

What do you mean, what do I mean the city walks? The city just walks.

TRAVELER

How does it walk?

DWELLER

It just—I don’t know—it walks. It’s a walking city. It travels around, you know?

TRAVELER

(baffled)

No. I don’t know.

DWELLER

Well, it walks, and we’re going to have to catch it.

TRAVELER

Catch it?

DWELLER

At the right moment.

TRAVELER

(scoffing)

At the right moment.

DWELLER

Yup, at the right moment.

There is a pregnant pause. Desert wind is blowing; a tumbleweed is seen skipping away; the two men are still standing by the sign, waiting.

TRAVELER

So, how do we catch it?

DWELLER

Catch what?

TRAVELER

The city.

DWELLER

What about the city?

TRAVELER

(annoyed)

How do we catch the city?

DWELLER

What do you mean, ‘how do we catch the city’? We just catch the city.

TRAVELER

And, how do we do that?

DWELLER

Do what?

TRAVELER

Catch the city!

DWELLER

You just—I don’t know—catch it.

TRAVELER

What?

DWELLER

Huh?

TRAVELER

What?

DWELLER

Well, you can’t expect to wait around for the city to catch us, can you?

TRAVELER

No?

DWELLER

No.

TRAVELER

So?

DWELLER

So, we have to catch it.

TRAVELER

(with disbelief)

Catch it.

DWELLER

At the right moment.

TRAVELER

At the right moment. Of course.

DWELLER

What?

TRAVELER

Huh?

DWELLER

What is so, ‘of course’?

TRAVELER

Of course we have to catch the city?

DWELLER

What?

TRAVELER

Catch the city!

DWELLER

Oh… And how do we do that?

TRAVELER

I don’t know!

DWELLER

Oh. Well, I suppose we’ll just have to wait until the city catches us, then.

TRAVELER

What?

DWELLER

Huh?

TRAVELER

Argh!

DWELLER

…

TRAVELER

…

TRAVELER (Cont’d)

So, where’s the city?

DWELLER

I don’t know. It walks.

TRAVELER

Well, damn.

FADE OUT:

THE END