"LOVE ZEN"
by
Robert A. Nelson
FADE IN.
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
TAO LI PO lies strapped to a bed; he is dressed in leather
S&M clothes over his geek underwear, and he's quivering and
hyper-ventilating. Dominatrix LILY stands over him, hissing,
snarling, and twirling nunchukas.
LILY
Ki-Yaa!
EXT. SIDEWALK - DAY
Tao is walking dejectedly with his luggage in hand.
Lily has kicked him out. She stands hissng and snarling in
the doorway for a moment before slamming it shut.
LILY
And don't come back!
Tao pauses, sniffles, then shuffles on.
EXT. TIENANMEN SQUARE
CAPTION: "TIENANMEN SQUARE, BEIJING, JUNE 5, 1987"
Tao enters Tienanmen Square. His friends CHOW WANG, WU TANG,
and BO TING HO see him.
CHOW WANG
Hey, Tao! Man, you look like shit!
What happened?
TAO LI PO
Lily beat me up and threw me out!
She says she hates me! I can't take
it any more! I'm going to kill
myself!
WU TANG
Again?
TAO LI PO
I'm serious! I'm going to do it!
BO TING HO
Look! Tanks!
Fourteen tanks rattle into the square. Tao Li Po watches, his
face guivering with grief. Suddenly, quickly, he walks out to
meet the tanks.
BO TING HO (CONT'D)
Tao! Stop! Come back!
The tanks screech and grind to a halt in front of Tao Li Po
in the center of Tienamin Square. They dance about for
several seconds. TANKER #1 stands in the hatch of the lead
tank.
TANKER #1
Hey! What the fu' are you doing?
Are you crazy? Get out of the way!
TAO LI PO
My girlfriend beat me up and kicked
me out. I can't live without her!
Please kill me! Shoot me! Run me
over! I don't care!
TANKER #1
Ha! Ha! Ha!
TANKER #2
What's going on up there? Is that a
protester?
TANKER #1
It's just some poor asshole. His
girlfriend beat him up and threw
him out. He wants us to kill him.
TANKER #2
Ha! Ha! Ha! (beat) Well, shall we?
TANKER #1
Ha! Ha! Ha! Wait a minute... Hey,
buddy!
TAO LI PO
What?
TANKER # 1
My driver says you should go home
and jack off!
TAO LI PO
Really?
TANKER #1
Yeah! Ha Ha! Ha! Now get out of our
way! (beat) Hey! Don't I know you?
What's your name?
TAO LI PO
Tao Li Po.
TANKER #1
Oh, yeah! I'm Ho Chi Tan ! I was
your next door neighbor in Canton.
Remember?
TAO LI PO
Oh, yeah! I remember! I didn't
recognize you in that uniform.
So... you joined the Army, eh?
TANKER #1
Yeah, well, you know how it is.
When did you come to Beijing?
TAO LI PO
Oh, umm, about a year and a half
ago. I've been going with a girl
for a while, but she beat me up and
threw me out this afternoon. She
has several black belts, karate,
kung fu... It's good to see you
again, Ho, but I just want to die
right now.
TANKER # 1
Tao, you lucky little prick, at
least you have a girlfriend! I'm in
the Army, for fu's sake!
EXT. TIENANMEN SQUARE - DAY
CHOW WANG
Let's get him out of there!
WU TANG
Are you crazy? In front of those
tanks? No way!
Chow Wang rushes out to get Tao Li Po. Bo Ting Ho pulls on Wu
Tang's sleeve.
BO TING HO
Let's go!
WU TANG
Ohhh...
All three run together towards Tao. Chow Wang waves his arms.
CHOW WANG
Don't shoot! Don't shoot! We'll
take him!
TANKER #1
Hurry up!
CHOW WANG
Tao Li Po! Let's go!
TAO LI PO
Chow Wang! What are you doing here?
CHOW WANG
We're saving you! Let's go!
The three friends trundle Tao out of harm's way.
TANKER #1
Forward!
LATER
EXT. STREET - DAY
BO TING HO
I can't believe we risked our lives
for your bullshit. Tao, you're a
damned fool! There are millions of
women out there, just waiting for
you to get in their way, like you
did with those tanks. Man, that was
crazy! Fu' you! You owe me, big
time!
TAO LI PO
Gee, fellas... I, I guess you're
right. I've been acting like an
idiot... I'm sorry... Th-, thanks
for getting me out of there. That
was really brave of you! You truly
are the best of friends! Let me buy
you dinner, and drinks!
WU TANG
Yeah, let's eat! I'm hungry!
LATER
INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT
The friends sit at a table, gobbling rice and vegetables. Tao
is drunk, and slurs his words.
TAO LI PO
What was going on back there in the
Square?
CHOW WANG
Uh, oh, it was that protest about
democracy.
TAO LI PO
Oh, yeah... Hunh...
EXT. TIENANMEN SQUARE - NIGHT
TANKER #1 stands the hatch of his tank as it rolls over
screaming protesters.
TANKER # 1
Forward!
PROTESTER (O.S.)
Eeagghh!
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
TAO LI PO is dressed in leather S&M clothes over geek
underwear, and he lies strapped to a bed. He's hyper
ventilating. Dominatrix LILY stands over him, hissing,
snarling, and twirling nunchukas.
LILY
Ki-Yaa!
FADE OUT.
