TUNNEL OF LOVE

TUNEL OF LOVE Excerpt - written by Gordon Blitz

Tagline-After being mugged and followed home by a troubled teenage hustler, a lonely widower is forced into an unexpected night of danger, confession, and fragile intimacy—leading both men to confront their shame, longing, and the possibility of connection in the unlikeliest of circumstances.

EXT. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - NIGHT

On a deserted part of Sunset Blvd, DANIEL (45 years old, short, overweight) is holding a theater program and strolls toward a tunnel. A dog BARKS. Daniel quickens his pace.

INT-TUNNEL - NIGHT

Daniel enters the tunnel. There are cars parked on both sides. He mumbles to himself.

DANIEL

I guess there are other cheapskates like me who don't pay for parking. I've never seen it so crowded.

Daniel uses his car clicker to identify his car. The headlights flash as he approaches his car.

We hear the sound of footsteps behind him. He opens the car door, but he stops.

He straightens up suddenly when he feels something digging into his back. A HAND COMES INTO FRAME and grabs his neck. ­TUCKER (19 years old, long unwashed hair, some acne, with a “living-on-the-streets” vibe) gets him in a choke hold and fakes a manly voice to sound older.

TUCKER

I want your wallet.

Daniel turns around and notices Tucker and his young age. He relaxes a bit.

DANIEL

Leave me alone. Help!

TUCKER

I said, give me your wallet!

DANIEL

Help!

TUCKER

If you cry “help” again, I'm going to stab you. Where’s your wallet?

DANIEL

It's in my front pants pocket.

Tucker keeps one arm around Daniel's neck and uses his other hand to reach into Daniel's pocket.

TUCKER

It's not there.

DANIEL

It's in the other pocket.

Tucker tries to find the wallet. Daniel squirms and begins moaning.

TUCKER

Hey, are you trying to hit on me? You queers are all the same.

Tucker pulls his hand out.

TUCKER (CONT'D)

It's too tight. I can't get into the pocket. My hands are too big.

DANIEL

Let me do it. I have to loosen my belt.

TUCKER

I have a knife, so if you make any sudden moves, I’m gonna’ stab you.

Tucker continues to choke hold Daniel.

Daniel nervously unbuttons his belt to retrieve the wallet.

Tucker releases his arm from around Daniel's neck and tries to grab the wallet from Daniel's hand.

CLOSE UP of Tucker and Daniel's hands touching. We see nail polish on ­Daniel's fingernails. Daniel keeps gripping his wallet.

TUCKER (CONT'D)

Let go of it!

Daniel lets go of the wallet. It falls to the ground.

Tucker loosens his hold of Daniel and scoops up the wallet.

TUCKER (CONT'D)

Fuck! There's no money. Fucking shit!

DANIEL

Let me go.

Tucker touches Daniel's earring. Daniel gasps.

TUCKER

You poor fucking faggot. Well, at least there are credit cards.

SOUND of people entering the tunnel. Tucker shoves the wallet into his own pocket and runs off.

FADE OUT