joel enters, dumps his overcoat on a chair, turns off the lights, crosses to look furtively out the window. it's snowing in large flakes which seem to fall only in the beam of a streetlight.
joel lies on his back in fresh pajamas. his eyes are closed and electrodes connect his head to several machines. the machines are operated by stan, now in grubby street clothes and in need of a shave, and by patrick, dressed similarly. the monitor on one of the machines traces a myriad of light blips running like streams through an image of joel's brain. stan presses buttons and operates a joystick, aiming for the lines. patrick studies a meter on one of the machines.
patrick is checking out the apartment. stan monitors the equipment.
joel enters, checks his phone machine: zero messages.
joel checks his machine: zero messages.
joel is on the phone pacing.
stan works the joystick. patrick sits on the bed with joel.
joel distractedly reads a book, checks the clock, goes back to the book. the door opens. he looks up. clementine is staggering in, drunk.
stan watches the screen. patrick paces, fidgets, looks at the unconscious joel.
joel and clementine sit and eat dinner in front of the tv. it's hard to make out what they're watching. they sit on opposite ends of the couch. they look bored. the scene quickly degenerates. the room fades.
joel watches tv. clementine walks by in her underwear, looks at the tv. she slips into a skirt.
patrick opens the door. mary stands there in a winter coat, carrying a backpack.
patrick is on the phone next to joel's bed. stan watches the lights on the computer screen.
joel is unconscious on the bed, completely still. mary and stan watch the monitor and smoke a joint. after a silence:
stan and mary have sex on the floor next to joel's bed.
stan hangs up the phone, looks at mary.
mierzwiak is at the machine.
joel sits in the quiet living room. the scene is fading.
joel sits.
joel enters, drops his overcoat on a chair, dials the phone.