INT. EXT. CAR - DAY

KARINA (25) is behind the wheel without a seat belt, and she sings to the rhythm of the radio. In the passenger seat, seat belt fastened,

KASPER (26) watches the corn plantations from the window glass.

From afar we begin to see houses.

Kasper turns down the volume on the radio.

KARINA

Two hundred złoty for a carpet.

You should've negotiated.

We still have to find everything we need.

​

KASPER

They dusted it well though, it's like
brand new. And they gave us the carpet beater.

​

KARINA

Look, there's another sell.

​

KASPER

Last one tho. It's getting dark.

​

The car turns into a courtyard where there is antique-looking furniture. The doormat is spread at the foot of a bed with an uncovered mattress, which is flanked by two bedside tables: on the left one, a coloured wool blanket is folded, on the right side a floor lamp is connected to an extension cord. Not far away a dresser, on which a box rests. A kitchen table separates the sleeping area from the sofa and armchair, pointed towards a television. Behind the armchair there is a sideboard.

Two pendulum clocks and one pillar clock stand in front of the garage.

​

KASPER

Abandon all hope...

EXT. EMIL'S COURTYARD - DAY

Karina parks in the driveway. The two get out of the car, slamming the doors. Kasper walks among the furniture, looking for the remote control in the empty drawers. Then he sits on the sofa and lights a cigarette.

On the table he notices a glass with a dirty bottom, the bottle of liquor is still inside the cupboard. Karina rubs her shoes on the doormat and lies down on the bed.

​

KASPER

There isn't any tag price.

Did we make a mistakes?

​

Karina laughs.

​

KASPER

I'll go see if there's anyone inside.

​

KARINA

Come and try the bed first.

Just in case we have to run away.

With one of those clocks.

​

Kasper looks around and puts out the cigarette under the table.

He reaches Karina and lies down next to her.

​

KARINA

Do you like it?

​

KASPER

I can't feel the springs on this one.

It's comfortable. Without tags

it will be easier to negotiate.

​

Karina turns onto her side and traps Kasper with her leg.
Bringing her arm around his neck, with her hand she pushes his face towards hers to kiss him. Kasper resists her.

​

KARINA
Wouldn't it be fun?

KASPER
Come on. Let's get up.

​

Karina moves her hand down to Kasper's chest, until he stops her and raises his back to sit up.

​

KASPER

I'll see if there's anyone

to ask for the bed.

The three clocks strike the hour at the same time.

​

KASPER

I am not touching those clocks.

​

A man appears in the lawn behind the furniture. EMIL (47) walks towards the young strangers with a case of beers in his hands.

​

EMIL

I thought I heard someone.

Kasper gets off the bed, straightening his shirt, to shake Emil's hand. Karina remains seated, and she watches the man turn on the lamp light.

He has a stain on his t-shirt.

​

KASPER

We were coming to check if there was anyone.

How much for the bed?

​

EMIL

(Reflects) Five hundred złoty?

​

KARINA

It's very nice. But we were thinking

more like hundred.

EMIL

Four hundred is fine.

And I'll also give you the blanket.

My wife sewed it.

 

He opens a can of beer.

EMIL

Would you guys like a drink?

​

Karina looks at the glass on the table. Emil catches her gaze and takes the bottle out of the cupboard with two more glasses. He pours the brown liquor not caring if some drops fall on the wood.

Karina gets out of bed and approaches the table, followed by Kasper who looks at the cigarette butt on the floor.

​

KASPER
What about the TV?

EMIL
What do you think?

​

The boys exchange looks.

​

KARINA
Three hundred and fifty.

EMIL

I'll give it to you for two hundred. Cheers.

​

Emil raises his glass. Kasper looks at Karina uncertainly.

​

KARINA
Just one glass.

They both grab their glasses and drink imitating Emil.

​

EMIL

Distilled it myself in the garage.

​

Emil sits in the armchair, and observes Karina walking among the furniture: she opens the bedside drawer, but she finds nothing; she caresses the blanket, then opens the dresser drawers.

Finally, she starts looking at the CDs placed in the box. 

Emil pulls out a stereo from behind the sofa.

​

EMIL

Choose something to listen to.

The stereo goes too. Name a price.

​

He opens another can of beer and drinks it. Karina chooses a record and hands it to Emil, who puts it in the stereo and selects a track.

He then takes the empty glass from her hands and gives her the beer.

​

EMIL

Everything goes.(He starts singing)

​

KASPER
You want something else?

KARINA

(Looking at Emil) The pillar clock.
Forty zlotys.

​

Emil smiles.

​

Kasper takes out his check book and starts writing.

EMIL
Why don't you dance?

KASPER

We don't want to disturb you further.

Karina, do you have the keys?

​

Kasper places the check on the table and Karina covers it with the boy's glass, just to pass him his beer.

​

KARINA
Let's stay a little longer.

We finally found a bed. Let's celebrate.

​

KASPER
If we continue like this we will never leave.

Emil turns up the volume on the stereo and Kasper lets himself be carried away by Karina's steps, making him spin around.

​

The two continue to drink while dancing in the driveway.

​

KASPER
Let's turn down the volume.

​

EMIL

It's my driveway. You can dance.

​

Karina encourages Kasper to drink and dance to another song.

​

KASPER
It's making me dizzy.

​

Karina lets go of Kasper, who lies down on the bed. The girl then smiles at Emil, and, motioning with her fingers, invites him to dance.

Emil comes closer and she puts her arms around his neck.

As they dance, Karina watches the neighbours' houses behind Emil's back.

​

KARINA

Don't you care if they hear us?

​

EMIL

They've been waiting to hear something

again for too long. Tonight,

normality returned for them.

KARINA

Let them listen then.

​

Karina rests her head on Emil's chest.

She looks at Kasper asleep on the mattress.

KARINA

Are you always so generous?

​

EMIL
Do you like the bed?

KARINA
You must be desperate.

The girl closes her eyes.

When the song ends, Emil helps Karina lie down next to Kasper.

He covers the two with the wool blanket. He goes around the bed to remove the CD, and stops to look at them for a moment before turning off the lamp.

​

​

Written by Narce Eval,

adapted from "Why Don’t You Dance?" by Raymond Carver