Into the black & white void on Barnegat Bay.

Adjin, Patty and John sit on a bench on a beach on Barnegat Bay. The bridge to the mainland way off to the right has tiny white lights on it as do the docks on the far side of the bay. The mouth of the Thoms river on the other side is a dark void-outlined by trees. The sky is filled with stars. No one is talking. The tiny, dark waves of the bay lap up in splashes of white foam. The breeze rustles the wild flowers on a wild area to their right. Sail boats with lit sleeping cabins bob up and down way out on the bay. The cool, salty air feels and smells so fresh.

Patty

'Isn't it nice when friends don't even have to talk.'

Adjin

'You're talking...'

Patty

'You know what I'm saying...'

Adjin

'...you're saying it...'

Patty reaches across John to punch Adjin.

Adjin

'It's o.k. Girls have to talk and talk...'

Patty

'Talk to me Johnny.'

John

'No.'

Patty

'Are you two gonna be mean to me.'

Adjin

'That's a plan.'

Patty looks up at the sky.

'Can you imagine the night sky without stars?'

Adjin

'Yes I can'

Patty leans forward and looks past John to Ajdin.

'You can not imagine the night sky without stars.'

Adjin

'Yes I can. It's called a rainy night.'

Patty

'Oh that was Bogus. Bogus.'

Adjin laughs

'Well'

Patty looks at all the white stars hanging over the black bay.

'No. I mean without all this Heaven.'

John looks up and thinks of how far away the stars are.

Hellmark Cards. When u care to send the worst.

Adjin and John are seated at a table as Patty enters Hemingways on the Boulevard in Seaside Heights, NJ. She waves but then realizes John is deep into some kind of rant.

John

'Well here's a greeting card idea...umm Your dad was a good guy but he had to die....happy father's day. Or here's a good one. Your dad is in a better place...where you can't hug him...but he's with God so don't let that throw you.

Patty to Adjin

'Johnny gearing up for father's day.'

Adjin

'It's ok.'

Patty

'14 more minutes and then we take a break. '

John

'No. I'm done with the Hallmark holiday. I'm gonna start a greeting card company for nasty thoughts...Hellmark...when you care to send the worst.'

Patty laughs

'Just what this world needs...more nastiness.  That's not you. John you can talk to us...'

Adjin

'Anytime. You know John...that was your dad...'

John

'Oh ya think?'

Adjin

'...and I think...you need to talk about that death.'

John

'No, I'm o.k.'

Adjin

'No you aren't. Joe the cop talked about the...scene...'

John

'Not now.'

Patty

'Then later...outside...on that bench near Barnegat Bay. The stars will be out. Your dad will be looking down on us from the heavens.'

John

'Do you know how far away the stars are?'

All Heaven broke loose.

Whenever a bad storm or something happens, people talk about all 'hell breaking loose.' But sometimes, when we have time to notice, all Heaven breaks loose too.

John walks onto a still-dark beach just before dawn. He always misses his father...but especially this time of year with the Hallmark card holiday coming. Still has a Holy Father he thinks. As he puts his surfboard down, he thinks about how he needs faith, and guidance in his life...and really doesn't care if someone else wants to worship...whatever...a ball of gas for creating the universe. He doesn't care whatever anyone believes in. The ocean is lightening to dark green, turning the sand from gray to white. Behind him, the reeds on the sand dunes have gone from charcoal to purple. He lays on his surfboard. His silver Celtic cross clicks on the blue board. Tan and white speckled sand pipers and gulls are busy digging for transparent, tiny baby crabs in shallow pools near the tip of his surfboard. The ocean is pounding hard. Some would describe the ocean as angry. But no one who surfs would. Now the tops of the reeds on the dunes have gone crimson like someone has turned on millions of oval lights.

He opens the book Why Trust Jesus by Dave Sterrett. As he reads it, the book makes him feel like someone's there for him...like a father. Or like when you come in from the beach, take a shower and now you are cold so you wrap yourself in a blanket. Anyway, it's a peaceful place.

The Satanist he met last night didn't seem to be at peace. 'Satan loves people. He wouldn't tell you to pull up your jeans and not show your underwear like saggers do. Or not to dry hump when you dance. Or take credit for your victories...' So if Satan is so great, why were you so pissed off Mr Satanist? Why were you sooo threatened by my faith,,,my stupid little cross? I have friends from all different faiths, John thinks. Parts of most faiths sound good. I just happen to follow mine. And I don't want to become some money-grubbing creep America seems to worship. Deep breath, cleared mind, John opens the book.

As John reads, the sun dawns red. Within minutes, it skips across the tops of wave crests on the horizon. Soon the crests near the beach blush pink, then turn the wet sand at the sand pipers feet shimmering red. The pink light reaches up the beach, hits John's surboard and splashes onto the white pages of the book-turning them pink too. For a few mintues, the entire beach in every direction glows pink, then orange, then yellow and finally daylight. The ocean shimmers in white strobe lights on every wave crest.

John is thinking about how he feels miles away from that party in Greenwich village. John thinks, it's o.k. to miss a father. But he needs to be careful not to show he misses one. Who knows who you might attract. Who's your daddy?...Satan?...no really... God, thought Luke Skywalker got a bum deal in a dad, John laughs.

John sits up on his surfboard to observe the waves. What is that saying...red sky in the morning...sailor take warning. Warning taken. Thanks for the guidance Father.

John runs into the ocean with his surfboard alone...well, kinda alone.

Q: Who's your daddy? A: Satan. 8-}

Intense conversations tend to attrack attention. So the Jesus vs. Satan conversation going on between John and the Satanist/Film-maker, has expanded beyond the two.

David walks among the partiers to John who is looking up something on his phone.

'Hey Johnny, we're not talking religion are we?'

John

'No we're googling it.'  'Me and...what's your name?' John asks the Satanist.

Satanist

'Stan'

John

'Stan claims Satan always accepts you...no matter what you do. But with Jesus, you make one mistake and you are out. So I'm googling Jesus forgiveness.'

Blond girl gestures 'big' with her hands.

'Behold. An epic batter between evil...and boring.'

John

'Chistmas lights and...a-n-d green lighted shamrocks around St. Patrick's Day. What's Mr Satan got?'

Stan

'Lot's of women Johnny. The kind that do what you want to do...behind this cross.' Stan says and flips John's cross.

John

'I didn't come here for this. I just came for a party. So I'm just googling this one thing... 'cause what you said isn't true.'

Stan

'I don't lie.'

Blond woman laughing

'Said the Satanist.' Stan shoots her if -looks -could -kill look. 'Well, you're the one wearing the upside down cross.'

Stan takes the cross off.

Stan to John

'Nothing rules me. Do you have the courage to take off your cross.'

John

'Nope. But I'm not against anyone's religion.'

Dave

'He marched for Israel and got punched in the face...'

John

'For being a Jew...' John widens his eyes in exaggeration.

'Ah ha.  Read it and weep Stan. ' John shows the Bible Jesus Forgiveness search results.

John points to one quote.

'Look, there's one for me in any math class: Luke 23:34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'
Stan

'Fine. But what I meant to say. I don't want to be forgiven. No one tells me what's wrong.' Stan slaps John's knee. 'Well have fun at my party...if you can.'

Blond girl gets up laughing.

'Googling the Bible. Who the hell does that? Awesome funny. Stan's surprised face...classic. So have fun if you can.'

John

'I a-m fun.'

David

'Not tonight, you aren't.'

John

'You're talking like Yoda. Good friend to me you are.'

The Satanist to John: 'I'm good.'

John looks up from his desk to see David.

'You still mad at me for fillimg out Michael's campaign,,,so to speak.'

David

'Would I be asking you to join us down in the Village...'

John

'I'm straight,'

David

'So am I. So is the guy throwing the party. He makes wierd little horror shorts.'

John

'Horror shorts. Like with skulls on them or something?'

David

'OMG Oh my God. OYG...Oh your God could you be that naive. Shorts, short films.'

John laugh.

'I sit corrected.'

David

'That's why he has so many girls hanging with him. Actresses trying to break into show biz. They'll do anything.'

John

'Well I'm just a writer.'
John gets up, shuts the light off in his office. They walk to the elevador.

David

'No. You're the sensitive writer.'

John

I never use stuff like that to get a girl.'

David

'I do. I'm the loyal, protective friend of the sensitive writer.'

Outside, David hails a cab on Lexington Avenue like it's nothing. He yells an address as they get in. Between thlights of signs and the backlights on the cars the city is glitening from curb to curb. To the right, John catches glimpses of the Empire State Building. Soon they are crossing a wide street that changes the whole 'feel' of the city. Gone are the dehumanizing Midtown Skyscrapers. The buildings and neighborhoods look more normal here, but the people don't. Many are dressed in black with outrageous hair.

David reaches over and unbuttons the top two buttons of his baby blue polo shirt.

'What's that?"

David examines John's silver cross.

John

'That's a Celtic Cross. But I think all religions you know beliefs are o.k.'

David

'I don't. Look, the universe started out as a ball of gas and minerals, blew apart and gravity turns parts into solar systems and planets...'

John

'So when you want to worship your creator, you go to a Party Store, buy a helium balloon and say oh great ball of gas, thanks for creating me.'

David

'I don't worship. Cabbie, here.'

John looks out the window and sees and ancient alley that snakes to a few doors.

David

'Please, please, please. Be cool. Just go with things.'

John

'I always go along with things.'

David presses a button. There's a black steel grate in front of a black, windowless door.

Satanist opens door. He is a very thin man with a broad smile and black hair.

Satanist

'You must be Michael's friends. Your David, come in

He let's David go past him and up stairs.

Satanist

'Grabs John's cross. Nice. Tres Jesus loves you.'

John goes to fix Satanists cross.

'Thanks. Oops. Your cross is upside. You don't want that.'

Satanist gently takes John's hand away.

'No. I'm good.'

He goes around John and locks the iron gate. John walks upstairs.