https://open.spotify.com/episode/2b141pL2JZWm7ZJhjp3bUi?si=922a8c57f8af424c
In this episode, quite a few things happen that illustrate the two-sided nature of all things, ranging from whether the U.S. and Iran are pursuing a peace deal or more war, to whether despite their strong professions of love for each other, Josh and Amanda can really hold onto their love through Josh’s long incarceration.
Please let me know what you thought of it and how you are liking the series.
Till next time,
Marc
FADE IN
INT. JOEY’S AUTO REPAIR SHOP – DAY
He’s setting things up. Sergio and Julio are there.
JULIO
(observing one
of the cars)
¡Que desastre!
Julio smiles.
SERGIO
What happened with this?
JOEY
Somebody had a major crash. Parts
got thrown in all different directions.
SERGIO
Phew. I feel bad for them.
JOEY
(smiling)
Hey, it’s more work for us. Which
we really need. God intervened. Now,
watch. With gas prices coming down,
they’re all gonna start coming in
today.
JULIO
Escuché que han subido de vuelta.
JOEY
English please.
SERGIO
He says he heard they’re starting
to go back up.
JOEY
No... We got a deal with Iran so
they’re gonna keep going down.
SERGIO
But now they’re fighting again.
They’re fighting over who gets control
of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran attacked
a ship so now the U.S. is retaliating.
Iran says that ship didn’t pass the
right way.
JULIO
Locúra.
SERGIO
Si.
JOEY
Well, who are they to make up the
rules? They lost the war.
SERGIO
They don’t think so.
JOEY
You mean we’re going to have to go
right back into this hell?
SERGIO
Yeah, I’m afraid, así es.
JOEY
Real pain in the groin. Well, I
hope our armed forces really kick
their ass good this time. They forgot
how painful it was before. How
quickly people forget. Cause I’m not
going through this again.
A customer enters the shop.
JOEY
You see? We’re not having that kind
of drop-off.
JULIO
Well, despues un rato, tienen que
entrar. Oh sorry. Eventually, they’ve
got to come in. They need to use
their cars.
JOEY
Yes, but I hate this game of cat
and mouse trying to get the customers
to come in. Well let’s get to work
and earn our pay.
The customer has entered the office.
JOEY
Well, good morning sir, thank you
for choosing Joey’s Auto Repair. How
can I help you today?
INT. JAIL, JOSH’S CELL – DAY
WALINSKY
How are you keeping up here? Going
out of your skull?
JOSH
How’d you know?
WALINSKY
Oh... I just figured.
JOSH
You ever been in jail?
WALINSKY
No, except to visit clients. That’s
the number one complaint. So you
want to find out how long you’re
gonna stay here. I can only inquire
about when the parole board is due
to meet but I can’t move up the
meeting. You’ll just have to sit
tight.
JOSH
You mean there’s nothing we can do
about that?
WALINSKY
Yeah, it’s like a trial. If there
is a backlog, which there usually
is, you just have to wait.
JOSH
My mom was saying I have to get you
on it because otherwise it’ll drag
on.
WALINSKY
Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you
but that’s not how it works. I know
it’s disconcerting to feel in limbo
about how much time you’ll get but
this is unfortunately how it is. It’s
a long time to two years, which
is the minimum you’ll get. By then,
you’ll know. Not knowing is just one
of the tortures new inmates with
parole go through but after a while,
you’ll get over it as you get used
to it and one day goes into the next.
This is just the initial period
when parolees go through parole
torture as they wait to find out. It
usually doesn’t come out right away
because they want to observe your
behavior over time. So that’s how
it’s going to be, young man.
INT.(EXT.) ENTRANCE TO HIGH SCHOOL/CORRIDOR
The usual group of girls are coming in, Samantha, Kamala, Angela, Cathy and a very tired Amanda.
SAMANTHA
(to Amanda)
Busy weekend, huh?
AMANDA
I almost skipped out of coming in.
SAMANTHA
Well, I’m glad you made it. I don’t
see you much anymore.
AMANDA
Oh, I almost died. We had two weddings
on Saturday. Bringing food, taking
dishes back and forth all day
Saturday. I thought I was gonna die.
I never seen that many people, or
food, in one place at the same time.
Made out nice in tips, though. I’ll
treat you all to something.
The lull of BACKGROUND CONVERSATION seems to STOP.
AMANDA
Wow, you say you’ll treat and everybody
gets quiet. I’ll have to remember
that.
SAMANTHA
How was your weekend, Cathy?
CATHY
Oh. By comparison, kind of boring.
I watched a movie, nothing exciting.
ANGELA
What movie?
CATHY
Uh... It was like a really old classic
called “On The Waterfront”.
ANGELA
What’s it about.
CATHY
Oh, these really tough guys getting
mixed up in a scheme that leads to
murder. It’s really well done.
ANGELA
Mm.
KAMALA
Alright we better get going to class.
SAMANTHA
No, that’s Amanda’s line.
KAMALA
I actually said it before she was
saying it.
AMANDA
Today doesn’t feel like a day for
it and I have no idea why.
They shuffle on toward their classrooms.
CATHY
Maybe all that work.
AMANDA
Yeah, that’s probably it.
KAMALA
We did political calls for campaigns
but Samantha’s dad broke it up and
said we couldn’t do it in his house.
SAMANTHA
He’s actually violating our civil
right to lobby and to protest.
KAMALA
But you can’t dismiss the technicality
that it was happening in his house.
AMANDA
How’s your trial going? I see you
came in today.
KAMALA
They’re doing last minute deliberations
by questioning witnesses in absentia
and tomorrow they do final deliberations.
SAMANTHA
I’m so over that trial at this point.
It took too long.
KAMALA
Unfortunately, that’s the trend now,
justice delayed. At least we’re not
waiting on the inside.
SAMANTHA
Oh my God, that makes me think of
Josh. I hate that he has to be in
there for so long just because he
wanted to go to a concert.
AMANDA
I saw him last night. He said he’s
gonna ask his lawyer to speed up the
parole board meeting so he’s hanging
on that.
KAMALA
I don’t think you can do that. I
think they go by a schedule, like
when you got in, and nobody can
change that unless someone loses
their parole.
AMANDA
Oh, he’s gonna be so upset.
KAMALA
Well, he’s still gotta do time. Maybe
by the time the board meets, he’ll
have calmed down.
ANGELA
I heard there’s actually prisoners
who don’t wanna leave prison.
SAMANTHA
Oh, that can’t be true.
KAMALA
Actually, it is, because they get
so used to it, they’re scared to
leave. Okay...
They file into classrooms, mostly the same one.
INT. JOEY’S AUTO REPAIR SHOP – DAY
Joey is busy working on the car the customer brought in. He’s got his automatic valve replacers helping him lift up old valves and replace them with new ones. His phone RINGS.
JOEY
Joey’s auto repair shop, how can I
help you?
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
This is Luke Watkins, D.A., from Los
Angeles County Criminal Court, how
are you sir?
JOEY
Oh no, what happened now? I know
nothing about nothing.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Relax, I’m sorry if I alarmed you.
No one on your end is in trouble.
I’m calling actually on behalf of
your daughter, Samantha Stivic,
regarding a criminal complaint she
and her partner filed against one
of our officers six years ago for
abusive mistreatment.
JOEY
Oh yeah, I know about that.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Can you tell me what you do know?
JOEY
Only what she told me sir. But,
listen, I’m kind of tied up at the
moment. Things were really slow here
and now they’re starting to pick up
again and I don’t want to fall behind.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Alright, I’ll make it quick. I just
want you to know this call is being
recorded and ask if I have your
permission to proceed.
JOEY
(as he keeps on his work)
I got nothing to hide.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Great. When she arrived home after
the reported assault, was her condition
worse, better or the same as before
that?
JOEY
She was kind of upset and rambunctious.
Honestly, I didn’t know if it was
because her mother was keeping her
at home or not, but then she OD’ed
on pills. That was unusual. That’s
not like her. She had never done
drugs before. So something was
definitely wrong with her.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Have you ever known her to lie?
JOEY
How many questions is this gonna be?
You said you’d be short. You just
lied.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
No, I mean do you think she’d go as
far as to make up a false charge
against someone in a court of law?
JOEY
Naah, she’s a royal pain in the ass
but she knows her right from wrong.
I don’t think she’d ever do that.
Now she might have pissed off the
cop and drove him to molest her
because of the way she carries on.
In which case, I hope he gets full
Justice.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Thank you, Mr. Stivic. Now, just hold
on for the accused’s defense attorney.
JOEY
No, I don’t think so. Listen, I gotta
get back to work. I would just tell
him the same thing.
He hangs up his phone.
INT. COURTHOUSE, ROOM – DAY
Watkins and Stern are there at a table, side by side.
WATKINS
Are you satisfied?
STERN
Yes, I don’t think it really matters
much. Let’s question the brother.
He’s incarcerated so he can’t hang
up.
INT. JAIL, JOSH’S CELL – DAY
The warden comes over.
WARDEN
You got an important call, Boozie.
They say it’s from a court.
JOSH
(hopeful)
Oh, maybe they’re relitigating my
case?
WARDEN
No, your case is set. It’s another
court.
Josh looks really afraid as the two of them leave the cell and proceed to another room.
INT. CORRIDOR TO OTHER ROOM – DAY
JOSH
Oh no, what ghost of my past have
they dredged up?
WARDEN
Can’t say. Have you been in L.A.?
JOSH
Oh, thank goodness, no.
But he still looks curious and troubled.
They come to the room.
INT. JAIL, THE ROOM – DAY
An officer is at a desk where Josh enters led by the warden.
WARDEN
Alright, call me when you’re done.
OFFICER
Will do, deputy.
Have a seat, young man.
The warden is gone.
OFFICER
Alright, Joshua Stivic, I have two
attorneys on the line from the L.A.
County Court who wish to question
you about a case involving your sister,
I understand.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Hello, Joshua Stivic, I am Luke
Watkins, the prosecuting attorney
in Case Eight Two Seven Seven, the
people versus Los Angeles Police
Officer Justin Bradock, in which the
plaintiffs, which includes your
sister, Samantha Stivic, claim they
were invasively sexually assaulted
by Officer Bradock in their rears
with a police stick during an arrest.
JOSH
That’s completely true.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Okay, thank you. First, I need to
tell you that you are being recorded...
JOSH
That’s okay, sir, I swear to tell
the truth and nothing but the truth.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Hold up. I need to confirm that you
are Joshua Stivic.
JOSH
I am.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
And you’re the plaintiff’s brother?
JOSH
Affirmative.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
I also have with me defense attorney,
Lucinda Stern.
JOSH
Hello, Lucinda Stern.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
Hello, Mr. Stivic.
JOSH
Hello.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
So you stated you believe your sister,
Samantha Stivic, was sodomized by
L.A. Police Officer, Justin Bradock?
JOSH
Yes.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
And on what basis do you believe it
happened as she said?
JOSH
On the basis that I know my sister
would not lie about something like
that. If she said something happened,
I believe her. She wouldn’t lie just
to get somebody in trouble. In fact,
she even told me I didn’t have to
go to the concert that got me in
trouble even though she wanted me
to go. She’s always looking out for
me. She’s a good kid.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
What did you notice about her different
after the alleged assault?
JOSH
Oh, she clearly looked beaten up and
was disheveled like she’d been crying.
She was also very on edge. Like she
ran upstairs saying to everybody to
stop pressuring her.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Were people pressuring her?
JOSH
Well, not what you or I would consider
pressure but I understand that feeling
so violated the way she did, she
must have been feeling shame which
she turned into anger, like she didn’t
feel comfortable with people asking
her about it.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
What about her partner? How did she
seem?
JOSH
She seemed to have it more together
but then I don’t know her well enough
to know how this had affected her.
But clearly, Samantha was really
shaken. A few days later, she was
crying and shaking in her bed and
she wanted me to hold her. That
calmed her down. But prior to the
assault, she and I were always
fighting like brothers and sisters
fight. The fact that she turned to
me surprised me and I was a little
nervous at first to hold her.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
How was she after that?
JOSH
Oh, she was clearly falling apart.
After a family conference, in which
mom said no one could go out anymore—
it was still during the time of the
pandemic lockdown—she ran upstairs
saying “I hate you, I hate you!” to
all of us.
And then came the moment when she
decided to down those pills, whatever
she could find in the medicine
cabinet. She had clearly been
unraveling over time. After she
downed the pills, she had to be taken
to the hospital. Thanks to a good
doctor there, she was able to heal.
I don’t think all the things I just
described would happen just like
that. And even when she finally
returned home, she was still having
nightmares about someone shooting a
gun off in the house, so it’s clear
these paranoid visions haunted her
even then.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Does she still have those nightmares?
JOSH
No, she seemed to get better once
she was acclimated to life in the
outside world. But as far as I know,
she’s still in therapy and taking
medication which she never had to
take before.
WATKINS (v.o.)
Okay, thank you, Mr. Stivic. Your
witness, Ms. Stern.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
I understand you’re presently
incarcerated, Mr. Stivic. May I ask
you what got you into jail?
JOSH
I was on lockdown at home. My
girlfriend wanted me to sneak out
and go to a concert with her and
some friends. I was afraid to go but
I love my girlfriend and so I told
myself I’ll probably get arrested
but this will be one last hurrah.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
You must really have loved that girl
to take this risk knowing it could
land you in prison.
JOSH
Yes, I love her with all my heart.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
So you weren’t mad at her for
pressuring you into a dangerous
situation?
JOSH
No. I love her more than anything.
She visits me almost every day.
Except when her work gets crazy. I
live for those moments.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
Alright, you say you were on lockdown.
What do you mean by lockdown?
JOSH
Back a few years ago, my dad discovered
that I was hacking and he took away
my phone. Then the school discovered
the hack.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
What school?
JOSH
Santa Ana High School.
STERN (v.o.)
I see. What did they do?
JOSH
They suspended me. And then my dad
locked me in my room.
STERN (v.o.)
That’s it? According to the records,
you were only arrested recently. How
did you get arrested now after years
of home punishment?
JOSH
Well, like I said, my girlfriend got
me to go to a concert.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
How did she get you out of the house?
Did she assist your escape?
JOSH
No. I knew how to escape through the
window.
STERN (v.o.)
This is still a little confusing.
How did the police get to you? Were
you on an ankle monitor in exchange
for the freedom to stay at home?
JOSH
Yeah, I had escaped once before so
that's when they decided to put me
on an ankle monitor.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
Why did you escape the first time?
JOSH
I was trying to find my girlfriend.
But when I couldn’t find her I changed
my mind and decided to be good and
really study hard.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
Well, evidently, that didn’t last
too long because you snuck out again,
knowing you could get in deep trouble.
JOSH
It actually did last a long time.
She’d come by and it was great. It
was only recently that I snuck out
to have a good time with her. And
this time, I was more reluctant.
But what can I say? The lure of the
chance to enjoy a show and dance
with my girlfriend was too great.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
Even at the risk of going to jail?
JOSH
Yeah. Cause that time might never
come again.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
Well I can’t argue with that. So
tell me, where was Samantha in all
this?
JOSH
She went with us to the concert.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
And it didn’t...
JOSH
She told me I didn’t have to go if
I was feeling so nervous.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
You were feeling nervous?
JOSH
Of course I was. I didn’t want to
get caught.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
But the lure of dancing with your
girl at a concert was too strong to
stop you...
JOSH
Yeah. I love her. And she wanted me
to go so bad. So I decided to take
the risk.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
Has the arrest affected her badly?
JOSH
Of course. She loves me.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
Did she do anything extreme or unusual
in her upset?
JOSH
No. At least nothing that I’m aware
of.
STERN (v.o.)
(filtered)
I see. Okay, thank you, Mr. Stivic
for sharing your candid thoughts.
It sounds like you have a good close
relationship with Samantha.
JOSH
Yes I do.
WATKINS (v.o.)
(filtered)
Okay, Mr. Stivic, we’ll be signing
off now. Thank you for your testimony.
JOSH
Sure.
OFFICER
Okay, that’ll be all, Mr. Stivic.
He pushes a button.
OFFICER
Hi, this is Scofield. Send the warden
back here to return Mr. Stivic back
to his cell.
INT. THE JAIL, VISITING AREA – DAY
Josh is sitting across from Giselle.
GISELLE
I heard the Court in L.A. questioned
you about Samantha.
JOSH
Don’t worry, I said only good things.
GISELLE
Well, she’s not the one on trial. I
hope you told the truth.
JOSH
Well, the truth as far as I know. I
wasn't there at the scene. I told
them she wouldn’t make something
like this up. I told them she was a
responsible person and she’d never
make up a false charge.
GISELLE
You think they believed you?
JOSH
Who knows? Lawyers. They always got
an angle.
GISELLE
Yeah, I remember when I went to court.
It was like a huge battle trying to
defend your sister, at least when
that defense lawyer was drilling me.
JOSH
Really? She asked me almost nothing
about Samantha. She wanted to know
about my arrest.
GISELLE
Of course. They want to make light
of her having a brother who’s an
incarcerated delinquent to put doubt
in the jury’s minds.
So do you still feel at the end of
your rope? Like you can’t stand it
any more?
JOSH
Amanda came after you did and that
picked up my spirits really a lot.
GISELLE
I see. You’re so spoiled. I come by
every day, and nothing. You complain
like it’s the end of the world. She
comes once and all of a sudden you’re
on top of the world.
JOSH
Would you rather I be miserable all
the time?
GISELLE
You shouldn’t need another person
to affect your moods to such extreme
swings.
JOSH
Well, if they go to good,...
GISELLE
You see, that’s the thing. One, you’re
depending on someone else to pull
you into good. That’s dangerous. And
number two, nobody’s life is always
good. But that doesn’t mean you have
to fall apart when it feels bad.
That’s when you gotta tough it out.
You got it?
JOSH
I don’t know.
GISELLE
Well, you have to know. You’re the
one who put yourself here. Now you
gotta learn how to deal with it. You
just have to keep telling yourself
every time that bad feeling starts
to come your way: “This is what I
chose. I can do it because I’m tough.
I’m made of steel.” Keep telling
yourself that. That’s how I got
through some of the worst times in
my life. “I can do it because I’m
tough and made of steel.”
JOSH
What about “I chose this”? I didn’t
choose this.
GISELLE
When you were about to go out to the
concert, you knew what would happen.
(raises up and
widens eyes at him)
So what’s the surprise? You chose
it. You chose it because you’re a
tough soldier. You said to yourself,
“So what if it happens? I’m tough
and made of steel.” That’s what you
gotta remember when you get down.
JOSH
Thanks ma. I’m amazed at how many
wise things you say.
GISELLE
It takes going through stuff to
appreciate them. Otherwise, it doesn’t
mean anything.
INT. JAIL VISITNG AREA – DAY, FEW MOMENTS LATER
Amanda is with Josh.
AMANDA
What happened? I thought your ma
comes later. It seemed like forever
waiting. For her, they interrupt me.
For me, they keep me waiting.
JOSH
Damn. Life really is unfair. But if
it makes you feel any better, you’re
the highlight of my day.
AMANDA
Yeah, I know.
There is an uncomfortable pause between them.
JOSH
Are you really pissed?
AMANDA
No, honey. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t
take it out on you.
JOSH
Do you think we’ll make it? I mean,
the lawyer said it’ll be awhile before
my parole board. What if we have to
wait three or four years? Can you
hold out?
AMANDA
I don’t know. But I’ll try.
JOSH
(suddenly deflated)
You mean you’re not sure?
AMANDA
I’m really tired. But I’m still coming. That
should make you happy.
JOSH
It does.
Uncomfortable silence.
JOSH
Do you think we’re trying too hard?
AMANDA
Maybe. It’s a lot of effort for a mere ten
minutes of non-contact.
JOSH
Amanda, please don’t leave me. You’re all I’ve
got.
She looks discomforted by his words.
AMANDA
Alright, look. Let’s not think for the long
term. Let’s just take it one day at a time,
okay?
FADE OUT
