SWNOVELS Reel: Chapter 51
EXTERIOR – LONDON – NIGHT
Dessi and Cal walk swiftly through Central London, both looking around as if unsure where they are. Both carry gas masks. Cal also totes his trumpet case. The streets have steady traffic with a few people milling about.
DESSI
It’s Surrey Street, you said?
CAL
Yeah. I don’t see—oh, wait. I think it’s . . . here’s The Strand.
DESSI
We the blind leading the blind. Why we have to do this tonight?
CAL
We need to meet this cat, see if he can play. A band with no drummer—what’s that?
DESSI
I hate you had to fire Bird. He’s been with us since the beginning.
CAL
Bird is on that hop and not even trying to get off that ride. Not showing up for gigs, missing cues, falling asleep onstage—he gotta get clean before he can be in my band.
DESSI
I know. At least he’s going home.
CAL
What’s so great about home? Why you think Langston Hughes, James Baldwin and all them come over here? America don’t love us.
DESSI
Sometimes home ain’t great, but it’s still home. I miss my mama. You know the last time I saw my mama? Had her fried chicken?
A group of uniformed British soldiers walk by. Dessi turns her head to follow their progress before turning back to Cal.
DESSI
Been five years since Mama moved back to Alabama.
At least there ain’t war at home. We running outta France to escape the Germans. Now we running underground in London, hiding from the Germans. Bombs dropping.
Dessi holds up her gas mask.
DESSI
Gotta wear these just to stay alive.
CAL
You know what we are? Working. Making music and seeing the world. You get tired of that, let me know, and you can catch the next boat with Bird back to the States. I don’t miss America and it don’t feel like home. Where I can make money with this horn right here and don’t have to fear for my life just for looking at a white woman? That feels like home.
DESSI (TEASING, TRYING TO LIGHTEN THE TENSION)
You want a white woman, Cal? You can get you one over here and nobody’ll even blink twice.
CAL
I don’t want no white woman.
DESSI
Well, who you want? In all this time, all these cities, I ain’t ever seen you with nobody.
Oh, there’s somebody I want, but just ain’t sure she’d ever want me.
Before Dessi can respond, an air raid siren goes off, a mournful, eerie sound that rises and falls, signaling that bombs will be dropping soon. The people walking around begin scrambling, heading for a building with red-glazed terracotta blocks: Aldwych tube station.
CAL (GRABS DESSI’S HAND)
Come on! We gotta find shelter.
Dessi and Cal follow the streams of people underground.
CLOSE SHOT ON SIGNS ON THE TUBE STATION WALLS THAT READ:
Shelter’s bedding
The practice of shaking bedding over the platforms, tracks, and in the subways is strictly forbidden.
In air raids
If you are in a train during an air raid or when an alert is sounded: Do not leave the train between stations unless so requested by a railway official.
Should a gas attack be suspected: Close all windows and ventilators. Refrain from smoking. Do not touch any outside part of a car.
Always have your gas mask with you.
The escalators are still. People crowd the tracks with makeshift bedding. Some cluster at the corners of the escalators. Some are bedding down on benches. Children huddle with their parents, looking afraid.
CAL (POINTING TO AN EMPTY SPACE AGAINST THE WALL)
This’ll do.
The sounds of the night’s first bombs drop above.
DESSI
How long we gotta be down here?
CAL
Better down here than out there. A lot safer.
TIME LAPSE/MONTAGE
Sounds of the bombs. Those taking shelter demonstrate an array of emotions and ways to pass the time. Some look startled and frightened. Others go on playing cards, reading, ducking under blankets and lying down to go to sleep.
CLOSE SHOT ON A LITTLE GIRL STARTING TO CRY
BRITISH GIRL
Mummy, I’m scared.
MOTHER
It’ll be alright.
Bombs drop above and walls shake. Little girl huddles into her mother’s shoulder and starts to cry. Dessi scoots over the few feet to sit beside them and starts to sing “Look for the Silver Lining.”
DESSI (SINGING)
Look for the silver lining,
Whenever a cloud appears in the blue,
Remember, somewhere the sun is shining,
And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you
A heart, full of joy and gladness,
Will always banish sadness and strife,
So always look for the silver lining,
And try to find the sunny side of life
A heart, full of joy and gladness,
Will always banish sadness and strife,
So always look for the silver lining,
And try to find the sunny side of life
The little girl peeks out from her mother’s dress, watching Dessi with wide eyes, thumb in her mouth. When the song ends, someone sitting on a blanket at the base of the quiet escalator calls out.
MAN AT ESCALATOR
Sing us another one!
Cal takes out his trumpet and accompanies Dessi on two more tunes, “Them There Eyes” and “Easy Living.” When they finish, those around clap. Dessi and Cal scoot back against the wall. Dessi huddles into her coat trying to stay warm. The man from the escalator, who asked them to sing another, brings them a blanket.
Cal and Dessi snuggle together under the blanket while bombs continue blasting above ground. Dessi loops her arm through Cal’s elbow and lowers her head to his shoulder.
DESSI
That right there, what we just did, making music and making people smile—that feels like home. Maybe music means I can be at home anywhere in the world.
CAL
You’re amazing, Dess.
DESSI (BUMPS HIS SHOULDER)
Go on with you.
CAL
You remember you asked me who I want?
Dessi lifts and turns her head to look at him.
DESSI
Well, yeah.
CAL
The girl I want is you, Dessi Blue.
She stares at him for a few seconds, her expression softening, before leaning in to cup his face and kiss him.
The all-clear signal sounds, a long single whine, telling them it’s safe to leave, but most don’t move. Cal and Dessi stay where they are for the night.