THREE BLADES

 THREE BLADES Excerpt - written by Gordon Blitz

Tagline:  Abe and Jake are getting married but Abe's brother, Carl, wants to stop the wedding.

INT: A cramped dressing room outside the main sanctuary of a synagogue. Jake (30’s; thin) adjusts his tie. Abe (40's; boxy) fusses with his boutonniere humming a Jewish hymn.

ABE

Today is the day. I feel like this was meant to be. Everything is aligned.

JAKE

Yes, Abe. Just like you said. I worried for nothing.

Carl (40s; muscular) bursts in holding a crumpled sheet of paper. He is sweating and jittery. He wipes away cocaine from under his nostrils.

CARL

Look at you two. Perfect little angels. Thought I'd run my toast for the wedding reception by you.

Carl wedges between them, touching Jake's shoulder, then Abe's chest. Abe knocks Carl's hand away.

ABE

Hey, watch it.

CARL

Oh, relax! It's a wedding, not a deposition.

Jake steps slightly behind Carl and Carl smirks.

CARL (CONT'D)

Remember when you used to hide behind me like that?

ABE

No, we're not doing this.

CARL

Oh, right. Today is your big day. First you become partner, (beat) and then you get Jake.

ABE

I earned becoming a partner, and Jake chose me.

CARL

No, he chose wanting kids, and you just happened to be the one who wanted them, too.

Jake looks up quiet, but firm. Moves toward Carl.

JAKE

When we were together, you ended things with me. I didn't.

CARL

Yeah. Well, maybe I made a fucking mistake!

Carl reaches out, brushing Jake's tie with an intimate familiarity. Abe slaps Carl's hand away.

ABE

Enough. You're not going to ruin this.

Carl stares at Abe and moves toward him.

CARL

You think you’re the perfect big brother! Going to synagogue every Friday night.

ABE

What are you talking about?

CARL

You never gave a shit about me. You never came to my rescue when I needed you.

ABE

Please don't play the victim. You brought it on yourself.

A knock on the door.

RABBI (O.S.)

I heard some fighting. Everything okay in there? It's just about time. You've got another five minutes.

Jake calls out.

JAKE

Just some brotherly love, Rabbi.

CARL

Plenty of time for the truth to come out. We're going to play a game called Two Truths and A Lie.