The Age Of Aquarius

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In Chapter 19 of FILLMORE, Slim hangs out with Jerry Garcia in the Haight, where they're offered a hit of acid from a hippie girl flower child, but when the drug takes affect a few hours later, more than Fillmore's mind expands ...


EXT. HAIGHT STREET - NIGHT
The neighborhood adjacent to the Fillmore district.
Same rows of town houses, but these
are infested with WHITE HIPPIES.

Lounging around, smoking joints.
Playing guitars in little ad-hoc bands.

It’s the dawn of the Age of Aquarius.
Slim and JERRY GARCIA (20’s) an Irish/Hispanic kid
with a big head of curly hair
walk down the sidewalk together.

JERRY
It’s so cool that you’re opening for us, man.
The blues is a true American art form.
We originally were a jug band, you know --
before we went electric.

They walk by a HIPPIE GIRL (16), very cute.
She hands them each a flower.

Then she realizes.
Her eyes bug out.

HIPPIE GIRL
Wow. You’re Jerry Garcia.

JERRY
Flower-power, girl.
Peace and love.
Can you dig it?

SLIM
I can get behind that.
If we all could just get along,
the world would be a better place.
White folks and black folks.

JERRY
Right on.
There’s gonna be a revolution, man.

They pass a skinny LONG-HAIRED HIPPIE (20).
He sees them. Grins.

Holds up tiny pieces of paper in his palm.

LONG-HAIRED HIPPIE
Check it out, man. Owsley blotter.
(grins)
Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test --

Jerry sticks out his tongue.
Long-haired gives him a hit.
Slim looks at him.

JERRY
Don’t worry, man, it’s righteous.
It’ll expand your mind.

Slim nods. Sticks out his tongue.
Long-Haired places a blotter on it.
Slim swallows it.

SLIM
My mind could use some expanding --

Down the street, Dick Gamble stands
in a doorway reading a newspaper.

Briefly lowers it.
Watching him.

INT. SLIM’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Slim sits on the couch watching TV with Cricket.

SLIM
Fucking bullshit LSD.
Ain’t done nothing yet.

CRICKET
How long ago did you take it?

SLIM
About an hour --

He blinks. Shakes his head.
Stares at the TV.

SLIM
Holy SHIT.
The monster’s comin’ OUTTA THE TV.

He LEAPS UP on the couch.

SLIM
Stand back, motherfucker.
I’ll mess YOU UP.

CRICKET
What’s wrong?

Slim looks at her.
His eyes BUG OUT.

SLIM
Cricket.
You got SNAKES comin’ out your HEAD --

CRICKET
WHAT?
(realizes, laughs)
It’s the acid, Slim.
Relax. Enjoy it.

Slim WHIRLS AROUND.
Crazed look in his eyes.

SLIM
RELAX? ENJOY it?
Motherfucking walls are BLEEDING.

He JUMPS off the couch.
Looks at the ceiling.

SLIM
Now the ceiling’s dripping.
Jerry said it would expand my mind,
not my fucking HOUSE.

INT. SLIM’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT - LATER
Slim sits up in bed with Cricket
huddled under a blanket.

SLIM
I ain’t never doin’ that shit again.
Been goin’ on six hours now
and I still can’t think straight --

Lottie passes him a joint.

LOTTIE
Here. Have some more.
It’ll help you come down.

Slim takes the joint.
Takes a big hit.
Holds it in --

SLIM
'Grateful Dead.'
What the fuck they so grateful for?

And EXHALES.