Tales of the City (2019) s01e08 Episode Script

1 Tonight from PNY News.
Homosexuals.
Transvestites.
Drag queens.
There is increasing fear and curiosity about this shadowy population and their apparent growing numbers.
Research studies suggest these wayward individuals are often drawn to urban centers, like New York and San Francisco, by the anonymity and permissiveness they provide.
If you look closely, they can be spotted disappearing into their own clubs, bars, and coffee shops, away from the watchful, disapproving eyes of the "straights," as they call them.
And just how many are there? We may never know.
- Watch the step.
- Thank you.
Um Excuse me.
I'd I'd like a room, please.
Eleven dollars a week.
Get outta here! Please deposit 25 cents.
Hello? I mean, Ramsey house.
Mona, it's your dad, sweetie.
Daddy? Where are you? Are you coming home soon? I just wanted to call and tell you that I love you, and that I'm okay, and that I miss you so, so much.
And I promise that I'll be able to see you again one day.
Mona! Who are you talking to? - Wait - It's Daddy! Hey.
Do you want some? Oh I I don't Have you ever? If you haven't read Ginsberg high, you haven't read Ginsberg.
Ah.
Oh! That'll get easier with time.
Have a fab day.
Thank you.
Chronicle, right here! Chronicle for sale.
Can I help you find something? Oh.
No, just browsing.
Cool.
Do you have any, um copies of a book called In Cold Blood? Yeah, sure thing.
It'll be under C in Nonfiction, to the right of Travel.
Thank you.
Have you read the Flannery O'Connor collection yet? Not yet, no.
I've nearly memorized "A Good Man is Hard to Find," though.
Perhaps this is silly, but I think I've been afraid to read it, the new one.
Once I finish it, that's it.
No more new words from her.
It's almost too much to bear.
Ahem.
I suppose a simple "no" would've done, wouldn't it? I feel the same way.
- Yeah, I'm parceling them out like candy.
- Mm.
Just don't tell anyone around here that I'm sentimental, dig? Dig.
Okay.
I noticed a sign in the window.
Are you Is the position still open? Oh, sure.
Just put it up this morning.
You interested? Very much.
Cool.
You wanna start tomorrow? Really? Uh, yes! I mean, yes.
Well, what's your name? Anna.
Anna Madrigal.
Well, I'm Joyce.
We'll see you here at eight a.
m.
tomorrow, get you all set up.
Dig? - Dig.
- Yeah, don't do that anymore.
Got it, thanks.
Mornin', Anna.
How are things at the smart-people store? - Just fine, thanks.
How are you? - Oh, you know.
Every day I wake up, I think, "Look at me.
Livin' the American dream.
" See you later, Walter.
Mm-hmm.
- I really like it.
Cool.
- Mm.
- I noticed they're a little too long.
- Uh-huh.
Sometimes I think about doing red, or maybe Where are you going in such a hurry? Gotta jet.
See you tonight.
Where you going? To see the wizard.
Mind your business.
You'll want a bottle of wine to go with this one.
Thank you.
Keep an eye on him, yeah? Mm-hmm.
Is there anything I can help you with? - So, you got them fooled, huh? - Please keep your voice down.
I don't think I will, thanks.
You think you're better than us? You don't even say hi, right? You just click-clack from a house, in your little heels like you're Doris Day or something.
- Please, don't do this.
- Oh, you say please like you're gonna convince me to do anything - other than what I wanna do.
- I'm just trying to make a life.
Same as you.
Anna, is there a problem? Do you know this person? No problem.
I was just asking if you have a copy of Orlando by Virginia Woolf.
- Anna, you got this? - Yes.
Okay.
You didn't think my little joke was funny.
If you wanted to impress me, you could have named something less obvious.
Look at you.
You're hiding a little sass under all that breathable cotton.
What do you want? I want to know how you survived.
You seem like you're doing fine.
I'm 26.
You're what, 40? Ladies like us, we don't live that long.
When you getting off later? Four.
I'll be back then.
- We'll talk.
- I need this job.
No more trouble.
Only the fun kind.
And you are? Ysela.
My parents are down in Fresno.
Last time I heard from them, my mom was picking raspberries, and my dad was on a cattle ranch.
Do you see them? Not since my 19th birthday.
Mm.
Do they know? They know enough.
You don't look like a girl who grew up in a brothel.
Thank you.
So, that's the story with the pretty skirt and the heels? It's like your housewife costume? - More like a goal.
- Oh.
It's all I've ever wanted to be, a true lady.
Congratulations on achieving your dreams.
No.
Not quite, anyways.
That's why I moved here.
I heard about this doctor You and every other girl in town.
You've You've met him? Dr.
Keene? He gives everyone hormones.
I'm trying to save up for the surgery.
A pretty girl like you? He'll approve you for it.
Not that you'll ever have enough money.
No one does.
You really think he'd approve me? Easy, Gidget.
Your ego's showing.
Oh, look at that.
That scarf with the butterflies.
- Oh, let's go in.
- Hey.
We won't last a minute in there.
What? You kidding? Stores like that don't let us try on clothes.
You keep acting like a farm girl, you're gonna be dead by tomorrow.
Let's go.
Where are we going? To get you an outfit for tonight.
What's tonight? You're coming out with me and the girls! Look at you, Gidget.
- Is it okay? - Come on.
I was wondering if you had hips under all those layers of crinoline.
- Hey, Charlie.
- Hey, Ysela.
- Glen.
- Hey.
Lucinda, you sexy motherfucker, you hanging in there? - Yeah.
- Hi, sweetheart.
- Tax squad.
- What? Those cops.
If you're lucky, they'll take a cut of whatever you make and be on their way.
But if you catch them on the wrong night, their old lady isn't putting out, or they got some anger to sort through, they'll rough you up or drag you down to the station, keep you there until their dicks go soft.
And that's them being kind.
I'm not planning on doing any hooking, so I think I'll be okay.
But you're wearing women's clothes, aren't you? - Yes, but I thought as long as - Listen to me.
If they think you're a man wearing women's clothes, they'll arrest you.
It's the law.
All you gotta do to land in jail is have your buttons on the wrong side of your shirt.
So why take the risk of walking around? Why not just stay at home, read a book? That's the life you want? Be my guest.
Me, I'm gonna live while I can.
Come on.
- Don't stop - The love I need, pretty baby - Don't stop - Or my heart will surely cry - Oh, no - They've got me rockin' to the rhythm - Oh, no - In my soul, there's a burning desire - Uh-huh - I'm gonna prove to you, baby Ysela! Over here.
Who's the square? She's been around the neighborhood a few weeks.
- Hi.
- Hi, Ysela.
I don't like her.
Be nice.
Girls, this is Anna.
Anna, Ronda, Franny, Lily.
Hi there.
Scoot over.
You seen Boone out there? No, just the normals.
Son of a bitch took $20 from me the night before last.
Gonna push me around, like he ain't got the goddamn money already.
- Ugh.
- Who's Boone? I don't remember including you in this conversation.
Ronda.
If you see a cop named Boone, you run.
Got it? Oh, good, now we're giving out queen lessons.
Where are you from, Anna? I'm from Nevada originally, but I moved here from Minnesota.
- Oh.
- You got family there? Any cats? Or alpacas? I read about an alpaca farm once, but that might have been in Pennsylvania, now that I think about it.
You can ignore her.
We all do.
I have a daughter.
Uh, no animals, though.
- Aww! - So what, you just up and left her? I needed to start over.
She's with her mother.
Oh! We have a real model citizen right here, ladies and gentlemen.
Because you're the poster child for morality.
At least I'm smart enough to make a buck off my sins.
- Get up.
Excuse me.
- Yes, go.
I had to run away, too.
May I? Here, pink is better for you.
Goes with your skin tone.
Thank you.
- I'll take this.
- A wonderful choice.
Oh, it's already been taken care of.
Pardon me? That handsome young man who was just in here? He paid for it.
Oh! Did he? - Enjoy.
- Thank you.
Got your gift? I don't know what to say.
Thank you.
That was very kind.
More of a moral obligation than a kindness.
You looked too beautiful in it.
I'm Tommy.
Uh Anna.
I hope you'll wear it on our date.
Oh, um Uh, I don't know.
Ah.
I see.
It's It's not that I don't want to.
You're married? You have a boyfriend? No.
Let me buy you a drink tomorrow.
What do you say? I'd say that's very forward of you.
Oh.
And I'd love to.
Oh! Okay.
Hi.
It's nice to see you.
Might you wanna take a stroll instead? That sounds nice.
I have an idea.
What if we skip the normal get-to-know-you questions? All right.
What's normal to you? Anything you'd make polite chatter about with your aunt over Christmas dinner.
I'm not sure where to start, then.
What's your eternal age? Are you sure you wouldn't rather just know where I'm from? Absolutely positive.
I'm not quite sure I know what you mean.
What age do you secretly feel like you are? Twenty-two.
Why? I liked being 22.
I felt like an adult, finally.
I felt powerful.
Life seemed full of possibilities.
- And now? - Oh, no.
Now it's your turn.
Seventy-five.
You feel 75? Maybe 70, but yes.
I've always felt like I've known too much for my age.
Like I carry the weight of a much longer life.
Tell you the truth, I've always wondered if maybe I was an alien.
Is that so? Never said that aloud before.
I assumed you would laugh.
- Was it a joke? - No.
Thank God I didn't.
It started when I was a little boy.
I felt like such an outsider in my family.
Being from outer space sounded better than the truth that I didn't fit in with the people who were supposed to be my blood.
I wonder if everybody feels that way.
- Do you? - Oh, my, yes.
That feeling of not belonging? That's defined my entire life.
Sometimes I'm not even sure if I belong to myself.
I know what you mean.
This feels too good to be true.
Well, my mother used to say, "There's only the truth.
" Well, she sounds very wise.
She was.
It got late.
How did that happen so fast? You've got a lot of stamina for a 75-year-old.
Thank you.
I wish you'd let me walk you home.
Make sure you were safe.
I'll be fine.
In that case I will see you again soon Anna Madrigal.
I'd like that very much.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Ce soir je serais la plus belle Pour aller danser Danser Pour mieux évincer toutes celles Que tu as aimées Aimées Ce soir je serai la plus tendre Quand tu me diras Why, thank you, gentlemen.
Gentlemen don't exist.
Well, at least not in San Francisco.
You really think that? I know that.
If you were out in the streets trickin', you'd know, too.
I hope you're wrong.
And I hope to wake up in Jamaica one day.
Shit, if you hope for something, make it worth your while.
I think I may have met one.
A gentleman, that is.
What are you talking about? I I went out on a date a few nights ago.
You did what? I know, I know, but he seems very nice.
He seems different.
Different is good, like the albino alligator I met at the zoo once.
I knew you were naive.
I did not think you were stupid.
What the hell are you thinking? Does he know about you? I don't know.
I I didn't tell him uh, yet.
Anna.
- Maybe it'll be okay.
- There's no maybe about it.
You're putting your life in danger.
So we're supposed to just accept that we'll never have love? What do you value more, having a man or being alive? Can't I want both? The way you're going, you're about to have none.
Where did he take you? On the date? We just walked.
Did you kiss? Mm.
Yes.
Was it like the movies? You know, it really was.
Je fonde l'espoir Que la robe que j'ai voulue Just be quiet.
They'll be gone in a minute.
Sera chiffonnée Et les cheveux que j'ai coiffés Décoiffés par tes mains Quand la nuit refermait ses ailes J'ai souvent rêvé Um I have to go.
Anna.
Anna! La plus belle pour aller What are you doing here? I'm sure you've already figured that out.
You're I'm me.
You lied to me.
I didn't know how, or or when to tell you, I I was just so swept up, and I can't believe you're a cop.
Y-You seem so different.
I guess you were right.
It was too good to be true.
- Pardon me.
- Where do you think you're goin'? Please let me go.
You gotta pay the tax.
I don't owe you anything.
Hello? Anna? What do you want? May I come in, please? What do you want, Tommy? What happened to you? - Nothing.
- That's not nothing.
It's just some drunk.
Anna, let me in.
Please.
Are you okay? How did you find me? I asked around.
These are for you.
I guess I should have brought bandages instead.
Thank you.
I'm sorry, Anna.
When I saw you the other night, I was caught off guard.
Seeing you in the middle of all that, it didn't make any sense.
Those people, they aren't like you.
Trust me.
I know this place better than you do.
You don't belong down here.
And yet here I am.
Is that all? I haven't been able to sleep.
I can't stop thinking about you.
About the night we had together.
I kept trying to reconcile the woman I fell for that night with the woman I saw at the club.
It took me longer than it should have to realize they're the exact same person.
What are you saying? I'm saying I wanna try.
- We have to try, right? - I don't think you understand I do.
I do.
I'm saving up For surgery, but I don't know how long it's gonna take.
Is that what you want? More than anything.
Then I'll help you.
- You don't have to do that.
- I want to.
And then Anna Madrigal Anna Madrigal, I'm gonna marry you.
Oh What are you talking about? I'm serious.
I know you think I'm crazy, but I don't care.
I've waited too long to find you.
I'm gonna marry you, Anna.
Let me give you the life you deserve.
Let me take you away from this place.
We can be the family we always wanted.
How can this possibly work? As long as no one knows about you, we'll be fine.
I didn't, at first.
That means you can't be hanging around down here.
You can't be seen with those people, do you understand? Yes.
It's gonna be beautiful.
You'll see.
Hey there, baby.
What on earth were you doing at City of Paris? Allow me to show you.
- What are you up to? - Are you ready? Uh I hope so.
Oh! This hardly looks like baking attire.
The sergeant hosts a fancy dinner for all the guys and their wives every year.
I never go because, well, I never had anyone to go with.
Anna.
Will you do me the honor of being my date? What are you talking about? You know I can't.
No one'll know.
It's dangerous.
I'll keep you safe.
- You can't promise that.
- Yes, I can.
Anna, one day you'll be my wife.
We can't spend our lives hiding.
But until I have the surgery I'm tired of waiting to have you on my arm.
Come with me.
Be my girl.
- How did you afford these? - Sarge gave out bonuses last week.
Oh! Is that a yes? - Yes! - Mm! Mm! Where have you been, Gidget? I'm sorry.
I I know I haven't been in touch much since I moved.
So, when do I get to meet this ghost boyfriend of yours? Oh I don't know.
He works so much.
I barely see him.
Because he's a ghost? Very funny.
What keeps him so busy? He's, um an an account man at a food distribution company.
And he's good to you? He's good to me.
'Cause if you got any shiners hiding, I swear to God He's good.
Isn't it just like you to find the one good man, Anna Fairy Tale Madrigal? How are things with you? Same old, same old.
Ronda got a nasty case of the clap.
I told her it was karma for her attitude.
She didn't like that much.
And how's Lily? What's going on? Tax squad's gotten worse.
They dragged her down to the station couple nights ago.
Wouldn't let her out.
Fucking pigs.
They knocked her around pretty good.
Oh, my God.
Between us I don't know if she's tough enough for this life.
I wanna show you something I found the other day.
This is it.
Hm? What do you think's up there? Rich white people.
Oh Looks so quiet, though, and peaceful.
Hm.
Quiet sounds all right.
- Doesn't it? - Mm.
Oh, I bet the view is spectacular.
I bet whoever's up there is sipping iced tea and watching the bay sparkle right this minute.
Who cares? It's just a silly fantasy.
It's bad to dream.
Distracts you from surviving.
Tommy Nelson.
You look sensational.
Ready? All right.
You're up next.
Just stand there, please.
On three.
Beautiful.
- Shall we? - We shall.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
Come on.
Let me introduce you.
Ladies.
Evening.
May I introduce Anna Madrigal? - How do you do? - Nancy.
- Mary.
- Hi.
- I'm Judith.
- Judith.
If you'll excuse me? I'll be right back, my love.
Of course.
It's just wonderful to meet you, Anna.
We've said for so long that we hoped Tommy would find a nice girl to settle down with, haven't we? An eternity, really.
We always said it would take someone really special - to fall for Tommy.
- Mm.
We did.
He's quite an individual, isn't he? Well, I much prefer individuals, don't you? Otherwise, things get so boring.
Well, we're just so glad you found each other.
And your dress is so pretty.
I tried on one just like it from City of Paris.
But, my, you fill it out much better than I did.
I was saying to Howard the other day, the only thing I miss about being pregnant is the girls.
Oh! I guess you'll just have to have another.
- Oh! - Absolutely not.
Forgive us, Anna, just girls' talk, you know.
- Oh, not at all, not at all.
- Oh! I adore your earrings.
Oh, thank you.
They were a gift from Tommy.
- Of course they were.
- Aww.
The Tenderloin's a lucrative beat.
- Oh! Mary! - Ssh! What? No one heard me.
- You're terrible! Just so bad.
- Just honesty Sorry for the delay.
Everyone's being seated for dinner.
- Would you care to join me? - If you'll excuse us? - Lovely to meet you.
- Likewise.
Take care.
Is everything okay, my love? Everything's wonderful.
Oh! There's the taxi! I have to go.
- Good night! Take care! - Good night.
- Lovely to meet you.
- So nice to meet you, Mary.
Judith, such a pleasure.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Thank you.
Whatever for? For being my girl.
For trusting me.
Oh Come on, baby girl.
Tomorrow is a new day, huh? Come on.
Henry Miller is wonderful, but if you haven't read Anaïs Nin You fucking cunt! Uh - Let's take a walk.
- You think I'll go anywhere with you, you fucking traitor? No! Please don't do that.
I I've got this.
You have one minute.
Please.
You're gonna get both of us arrested.
You don't have to be afraid about that, right? Isn't that the whole point? You aren't one of us? Please, not here.
I I'm gonna go in the back, and you can follow me and we can talk, or you can hit me, whatever you wanna do.
You're sick, you know that, right? I didn't know, at first.
I didn't know he was a cop.
And then it was too late.
I'd fallen for him.
And he liked, me, Ysela.
He really cares.
He's a monster.
- He's not.
- He is! It doesn't matter who he is, because he's one of them! How do you live with yourself knowing you go to sleep beside a man who steals from us? Those men, the ones you drink and dance with, those men are killing us one by one.
But you're in love, so who cares, right? I always thought you survived for so long because you pass.
But I was wrong.
You survived because you are spineless.
I just wanted to be happy.
I'm sorry that you're willing to accept so little.
Nice earrings, by the way.
Everything okay? I'm fine.
- How was work today? - Fine.
I, um I got a little surprise for you, but maybe you're not in the mood.
Where does the money come from, Tommy? - What? - The money that pays our rent, that buys diamond earrings.
I'm a cop.
- It's not a volunteer position.
- Just tell me the truth.
You steal from those people.
From my friends.
I don't have a choice, okay? It sounds an awful lot like a choice.
If I didn't do it, I'd get kicked off the force.
Hello? Shit.
Yeah.
I'll be there in ten.
- What's going on? - Gotta go to work.
Why? Answer me.
Watch your tone.
I just want to know where you're going.
Don't I deserve that much? It's Compton's.
It's a standoff at Compton's, all right? The owners are trying to clear the place, the queens won't move.
- You'll be safe? - I will.
And make sure that they don't get hurt.
- I'll do what I can.
- Thank you.
Anna, you are not to leave this house under any circumstance.
Get out of here! Leave! You guys, all of you! Get out! - We're not going anywhere! - Get out of here! - Police are coming.
- We called the police! - You will be arrested! - Get out! Ysela, maybe we should get out of here.
We are not going anywhere.
- Get out! - Just, out! - We're not leaving! - Get out of here! - You coming or just watching the show? - Coming, coming.
Hey, Boone.
Yeah? Let's get out of here without making a mess, all right? Sure.
Operator.
Compton's Cafeteria, please.
One moment, please.
I'll connect you.
Clear the way.
Don't you touch me! What took you so long? Get these freaks out of here! They don't buy nothing.
They sit! - They make trouble! - Okay, okay.
Look, we'll get them cleared out.
Just stay out of it.
Let us get control of it All right, let's go.
You, come on.
Get your hands off me, motherfucker! Ow! Aah! Ow! Pig! Bastard! - No! Help me! - Hold still.
On the ground.
Get out of here! Get down! Get down! Lily! Oh, my God, Lily.
Let's go.
Get up.
Get up.
Come on.
- Stay with me, all right? - No.
No.
- This way.
This way.
Right here.
- Wait.
I was an innocent party.
- Just follow me.
- Please Get inside that truck, all right? Let's go.
Hold on, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Ain't you Tommy's girl? Oh, this is gonna be more fun than I thought.
Why didn't you leave? Why did you come? - I was trying to save you.
I - We didn't need saving.
We needed you to fight with us.
Jesus, you still don't get it.
You can't have it both ways.
You can't have both lives.
Anna Madrigal? You're free to go.
You could still fight, Gidget.
Sarge wants to see you.
Come in.
Have a seat, Tommy.
Everything all right? Oh, I think I can say a definitive no to that.
You see the medic? Yeah.
It's only first degree.
I'll be fine.
Oh, good, good.
Look I know it ain't always been a real easy fit between you and the other guys.
I know they can be tough on you.
Uh I know you have a target on your back.
I do.
And And maybe I didn't do a good enough job making sure you had the support you needed.
Sir? Hey, you remember Paul Fox? Irish fella? Yeah, sure.
Uh, he and I overlapped a couple of years.
Right.
Well, Paul was a great cop.
He had a real future in the department.
It was a shame about his proclivities.
And that's the thing about being a cop.
You sign up, and then the world's expected of you.
Keep people safe, find the bad guys.
But being on the beat, it can confuse your idea of the world, make you need certain things, and that's all right, as long as it stays where it belongs.
Some men, like Paul, they forget that part.
Find yourself a wife, Tommy.
A woman you can have kids with.
Spend your life with.
Don't forget who you are.
It can get dangerous out there when you do.
Is your face You thought I'd hit you? I No.
I I'm just out of sorts.
I told you not to leave.
- I know, but I was - How could you be so stupid? I'm sorry, but I was so worried About who? Who were you worried about? My friends.
- Your friends.
- Yes.
And you.
What's in your hand? I wanna bail them out.
You can't go back there under any circumstances.
Do you hear me? They will destroy me.
- I have to do - Anna! My Anna it's all gone now.
Can't you see? Everything, our life, it's gone.
Everything we had is destroyed.
I could have given you everything.
I would have kept you safe.
I did keep you safe.
We were supposed to spend our lives together.
What are you doing? Come here.
This was your surprise.
Tommy.
I want you to take it.
I can't.
- Take it.
Take it.
- No, I can't! Find a place to live.
And become the woman you were meant to be.
It's the only way.
This money doesn't belong to me.
It doesn't belong to you, either.
You stole that money.
I'm gonna give it back.
Listen to me.
You have to survive, Anna.
You have to make a life for yourself, and we both know this is your only chance.
I needed to see for myself.
We all make choices don't we? I hope it was worth it.
Uh Good luck, Anna.