Deleted Scene: Flashback #1

Flashback #1



SYDNEY
...I trust that once I give you this money you and I will have separate paths and that this negotiation will settle everything.  That's what I hope.  I don't want to die.



Jimmy holds eyes on him.  PAUSE, THEN:

HYSTERICAL MAN (OC)
...I DON'T WANNA DIE...

ANGLE, CLOSE-UP.  SYDNEY.

HYSTERICAL MAN (OC)
...Please, I don't wanna die...

CUT TO:

INT. APARTMENT ROOM/ATLANTIC CITY - DAY - FLASHBACK

The FACE of John's father, ARTHUR in TEARS.  He looks into CAMERA.

ARTHUR
...I CAN'T DIE, SYDNEY.

SYDNEY
Stop saying that, Arthur.

ARTHUR
I'LL DO WHATEVER THEY SAY.  WHATEVER YOU TELL ME TO DO, I'LL DO IT.

SYDNEY
I just want you to calm down for Christ's sake.  Your wife and child are in the next room, just calm down.

ARTHUR
MY BABY, SYD, MY BABY, FOR MY SON.  FOR MY SON.  FOR MY SON, YOU WON'T.

WIDER ANGLE IN THE APARTMENT - THAT MOMENT

A one bedroom place.  1966.  Sydney, obviously younger, stands up from a chair, walks to Arthur, picks him up from his knees.

SYDNEY
...I won't hurt you.  You know that.  Do you believe I won't hurt you?

ARTHUR
I believe you.

SYDNEY
Come sit in the chair.

Arthur and Sydney sit face to face.  HOLD.

SYDNEY
Do you have anything?  If you put forth an effort...

ARTHUR
I've got sixty dollars to my name.  My kid...my kid...he needs shots and all this other shit...hospital bills and all that...it's just...it's all fucked.  He can't do this to me, not for thirty-eight hundred bucks, he can't.

SYDNEY
You know you're not gonna get shot up over this....

ARTHUR
...he sends you to talk to me, I know it means something, Syd...

SYDNEY
He knows that I know you, he figured I could talk...

ARTHUR
...You know me...you know me...the next person here....I don't want to die, Sydney.  Look at my child, look at my child, Sydney.

SYDNEY
Stop it.

ARTHUR
I used to be in on jobs.  I was in on some big jobs, you've heard the stories about me.  Shit, this was before you were even around, but I was in it.  I was eyes and ears, Syd.

SYDNEY
I know.

ARTHUR
And now what?

SYDNEY
You've got a problem.

ARTHUR
That's over.  I'm done with that shit.  On my child's eyes, that shit is over.  You're my friend...

SYDNEY
...I'm your friend.

ARTHUR
Just a month ago, I was in it.  Remember the Baltimore job?

SYDNEY
I remember.

ARTHUR
It went wrong, but you took care of it.

SYDNEY
Yeah.

ARTHUR
..The next person that comes...

SYDNEY
Be quiet now.

They sit in silence for a moment.  Sydney looks into the kitchen, through a pair of glass doors.

SYDNEY'S POV - INTO THE KITCHEN

A young baby being breast fed by his MOTHER.  She glances at Sydney.

Sydney takes a hundred dollar bill from his pocket, hands it to him.

SYDNEY
You might want to be a little harder to find, Arthur.

ARTHUR
It doesn't matter.

SYDNEY
Don't put it in your arm, put it in your child's stomach.

Sydney leaves.  HOLD.  Arthur looks to the kitchen.