Lyrics Section 11

[bohemian_mark]

MARK
(On the pay phone)
Hi. It's Mark Cohen. Is Alexi there?...No, don't bother her. Just tell her
I'm running a little late for our appointment...Yes, I'm still coming...
Yes,
I signed the contract... Thanks...

How did we get here?
How the hell...
Pan left -- close on the steeple of the church
How did I get here?
How the hell...
Christmas
Christmas Eve -- last year
How could a night so frozen be so scalding hot?
How can a morning this mild be so raw?
Why are entire years strewn
On the cutting room floor of memory
When single frames from one magic night
Forever flicker in close-up
On the 3D Imax of my mind
That's poetic
That's pathetic
Why did Mimi knock on Roger's door
And Collins choose that phone booth
Back where Angel set up his drums
Why did Maureen's equipment break down
Why am I the witness
And when I capture it on film
Will it mean that it's the end
And I'm alone

---

MIMI (to ROGER)
It's true you sold your guitar and bought a car?

ROGER
It's true -- I'm leaving now for Santa Fe
It's true you're with this yuppie scum?

BENNY
You said you'd never speak to him again

MIMI
Not now

MAUREEN
Who said that you have any say
In who she says things to at all?

ROGER
Yeah!

JOANNE
Who said that you should
Stick your nose in other people's ...

MAUREEN
Who said I was talking to you?

JOANNE
We used to have this fight each night

MARK
Calm down

JOANNE
She'd never admit I existed

MARK
Everyone please!

MIMI
He was the same way -- he was always
"Run away -- hit the road
Don't commit" -- you're full of shit

JOANNE
She's in denial

MIMI
He's in denial

JOANNE
Didn't give an inch
When I gave a mile

MARK
Come on

MIMI
I gave a mile

ROGER
Gave a mile to who?

MARK & BENNY
Come on guys chill!

MIMI & JOANNE
I'd be happy to die for a taste of what Angel had
Someone to live for -- unafraid to say I love you

ROGER
All your words are nice Mimi
But love's not a three way street
You'll never share real love
Until you love yourself -- I should know

COLLINS
You all said you'd be cool today
So please -- for my sake...
I can't believe he's gone
(to ROGER) I can't believe you're going
I can't believe this family must die
Angel helped us believe in love
I can't believe you disagree

ALL
I can't believe this is goodbye

(JOANNE and MAUREEN exit)

PASTOR
Thomas B. Collins...

COLLINS
Coming.

(The PASTOR exits above and COLLINS exits into the church.
BENNY stands off to the side as MIMI approaches ROGER, who
turns away. She hesitates before leaving with BENNY. ROGER and
MARK are left alone.)

MARK
I hear there are great restaurants out west

ROGER
Some of the best. How could she?

MARK
How could you let her go?

ROGER
You just don't know ... How could we lose Angel?

MARK
Maybe you'll see why when you s escaping your pain
At least now if you try -- Angel's death won't be in vain

ROGER
His death is in vain

(MIMI reappears up left, in the shadows. She overhears ROGER and
MARK's conversation.)

MARK
Are you insane?
There so much to care about
There's me -- there's Mimi

ROGER
Mimi's got her baggage, too

MARK
So do you

ROGER
Who are you to tell me what I know, what to do

MARK
A friend

ROGER
But who, Mark, are you?
"Mark has got his work"
They say "Mark lives for his work"
And "Mark's in love with his work"
Mark hides in his work

MARK
But from what?

ROGER
From facing your failure, facing your loneliness
Facing the fact you live a lie
Yes, you live a lie -- tell you why
You're always preaching not to be numb
When that's how you thrive
You pretend to create and observe
When you really detach from feeling alive

MARK
Perhaps it's because I'm the one of us to survive

ROGER
Poor baby

MARK
Mimi still loves Roger
Is Roger really jealous
Or afraid that Mimi's weak

ROGER
Mimi did look pale

MARK
Mimi's gotten thin
Mimi's running out of time
Roger's running out the door

ROGER
No more! Oh no!
I've gotta go

MARK
Hey, for somebody who's always been let down
Who's heading out of town?

ROGER
For someone who longs for a community of his own,
Who's with his camera, alone?
(ROGER takes a step to go, then ss, turns.)
I'll call
I hate the fall
(ROGER turns to go and sees MIMI.)
You heard?

MIMI
Every word
You don't want baggage without lifetime guarantees
You don't want to watch me die
I just came to say
Goodbye, love
Goodbye, love
Came to say goodbye, love, goodbye

MIMI
Just came to say
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Goodbye!

ROGER
Glory
One blaze of
Glory
Have to find...

(ROGER exits. BENNY returns. MIMI steps away.)

MIMI
Please don't touch me
Understand
I'm scared
I need to go away

MARK
I know a place -- a clinic

BENNY
A rehab?

MIMI
Maybe -- could you?

BENNY
I'll pay

MIMI
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Came to say goodbye, love, goodbye
Just came to say
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Hello disease

(MIMI runs away. After a moment, COLLINS quicjkly enters, with the
PASTOR trailing behind him.)

PASTOR
Off the premises now, we give no handouts here!

MARK
What happened to Rest In Peace?!

PASTOR
Off the premises, queer!

COLLINS
That's no way to send a boy to meet his maker!
They had to know we couldn't pay the undertaker.

BENNY
(To COLLINS) Don't you worry 'bout him.
(To PASTOR) Hey, I'll take care of it!

(The PASTOR acknowledges BENNY and exits.)

MARK
Must be nice to have money.

ALL THREE
No shit!

COLLINS
I think it's only fair to tell you, you just paid for the funeral of the
person
who killed your dog.

BENNY
I know... I always hated that dog...
Let's pay him off, and then get drunk.

MARK
I can't... I have a meeting.

BENNY & COLLINS
Punk! Let's go.

(COLLINS and BENNY exit.)

MARK (imagining)
Hi. Mark Cohen here, reporting for Buzzline. Back to you, Alexi!
Coming up next, vampire welfare queens who are compulsive
bowlers... Oh my God, what am I doing...

---

MARK
Don't breathe too deep
Don't think all day
Dive into work
Drive the other way
That drip of hurt
That pint of shame
Goes away
Just play the game
You're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're living in America
Leave your conscience at the tone
And when you're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're what you own

ROGER
The filmmaker cannot see

MARK
And the songwriter cannot hear

ROGER
Yet I see Mimi everywhere

MARK
Angel's voice is in my ear

ROGER
Just tighten those shoulders

MARK
Just clench your jaw till you frown

ROGER
Just don't let go

BOTH
Or you may drown

You're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're living in America
Where it's like the Twilight Zone
And when you're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're what you own
So I own not a notion
I escape and ape content
I don't own emotion -- I rent

MARK
What was it about that night

ROGER
What was it about that night

BOTH
Connection -- in an isolating age

MARK
For once the shadows gave way to light

ROGER
For once the shadows gave way to light

BOTH
For once I didn't disengage

(MARK goes to the pay phone and dials.)

MARK
Angel -- I hear you -- I hear it
I see it -- I see it
My film!

ROGER
Mimi I see you -- I see it
I hear it -- I hear it
My song!

MARK (on the phone)
Alexi--Mark
Call me a hypocrite
I need to finish my own film
I quit!

ROGER
One song--glory
Mimi
Your eyes...

BOTH
Dying in America
At the end of the millennium
We're dying in America
To come into our own
And when you're dying in America
At the end of the millennium
You're not alone
I'm not alone
I'm not alone