FADE IN. EXT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY A writer (James) sits at a table alone on a crowded New York City street. He has a pen and paper and is scribbling down notes as he watches people walk by. He notices a man opening a door for a woman going into Starbucks. He sighs, Looks longingly at the two, then writes... JAMES (While writing notes.) "John goes out for what he thinks is coffee, but what he finds is true love." James shakes his head and scratches out the note. He then notices a man sitting on a park bench. A woman comes and sits on the other side of the bench. They exchange a glance and a smile. He gives the pair a half smile... JAMES "Adam finds even a crowded New York City street lonely until the most unlikely person helps him find himself (A beat) Well that's a load of shit." James goes back to looking at people around him. He notices a girl sitting alone at an adjacent table. He stares for a minute. JAMES "Rose never thought she would find anyone until one day James finds her. James quickly scribbles out the note. JAMES "Ugh, come on James, you've gotta think up something to write this damn script about." James continues to look around until he notices a man sitting on a bench pretending to read a book, but clearly looking somewhere else. Confused, James glances at where the man is looking and notices a girl at a street vendor cart. JAMES (Still writing notes.) "Veronica doesn't know she's being watched until its to late." James chuckles to himself, stops, then looks up at the guy again, still staring at the girl, who has now moved on to a different shop. JAMES "What a creep." James watches the girl as she moves farther down the street and and out of sight, then watches as the man shuts his book and starts to move down the street in the same direction. Unsure of what he just saw, James waits a minute, then grabs his notebook and follows after the man. EXT. STREET - DAY James moves down the street keeping the man in sight. Eventually the man stops outside of a convenient store and lights up a cigarette. James makes an attempt at hiding, then looks around and does not see the girl. James begins to turn around to leave when he see's the girl walk out of the convenient store and down the street with the guy following behind her. Startled, he keeps following them. JAMES (While walking down street, to himself) "This guy is totally following her." James continues following the man down the street.  The girl walks into the subway. The man follows. James stops once he sees the man follow the girl into the subway and looks puzzled. He begins to go into the subway, stops, shakes his head, and starts to walk in the other direction. INT. JAMES APARTMENT - NIGHT A guy (Paul) lays on the couch eating chips and watching T.V. James walks in the front door. PAUL "How'd it go?" James takes his coat off, hangs it up, then takes a seat in the living room. JAMES "Not to good... but, I did see this creepy guy who was following some girl." PAUL "What?" JAMES "Yeah, like he was pretending to read but he was actually watching her shop." PAUL (Skeptical) "Yeah?" JAMES "Yeah. And he followed her into the subway, he even stopped when she went into a convenient store." PAUL "Wait, you followed him?" JAMES "...well yeah." PAUL "So, you think a guy is following some girl and your immediate reaction is to follow him?" JAMES "Well what would you do?" PAUL "Probably not that." JAMES "Whats your point?" PAUL Don't you think that could be taken as kind of creepy, especially if the guy wasn't actually following her?" JAMES "So you don't think he was following her? He stopped at a convenient store when she was inside!" PAUL "Well I dunno James it could have been any number of things. I mean how often do you come across stalkers?" JAMES "Well its not unheard of." PAUL "I know its not unheard of. All I'm saying is are you sure this isn't just one of your... delusions. Like the time you thought Rebecca was cheating on me and she was actually just getting me an anniversary gift. Or the time you told everyone Clair was gay just because you saw her getting coffee with what turned out to be an old friend." JAMES "...Well, I'm not positive" PAUL "Then you can't know for sure. I mean you've been wrong before James. You know how you get when you have writers block, always seeing things for what they're not." JAMES "Yeah, you're probably right." PAUL "I swear man, I need to get you a girl friend. Following girls around the city and shit, whats wrong with you?" JAMES "Whatever, like any girl would go for me anyways." PAUL "You know its that defeatist attitude that's kept you single for so long. A little confidence goes a long way with a girl. Anyways, maybe you can get some inspiration for a script out of the whole thing, i don't know." JAMES "Yeah Maybe" PAUL well, I'm heading to bed. g'night." JAMES "Night." Paul sets his chips down on the couch, brushes himself off and walks into his room, closing the door behind him while James remains on the couch. EXT. STREET - DAY James sits at a table this time in a different part of the city again watching people pass, writing down notes, then scribbling them out seconds later. James then looks up and sees the man from the other day walking past carrying a back pack. He pauses for a moment, looks around, then as if making a quick decision, grabs his notebook and follows after him. James follows the man around several turns and past several streets. The man then stops, looks at his watch, then looks around. James shakes his head, then notices the girl coming up from out of the subway right by where the man in standing. She walks around the corner, followed moments later by the man. JAMES "Oh my god i was right." James follows the man down the street JAMES (while following) "I've gotta warn this girl." The girl then walks up a stoop and starts rummaging in her purse while the man who was following continues on around the corner. JAMES "Alright now's my chance." James walks up a few feet behind the girl and hesitates. As he does the girl see's his reflection in the glass, stops, and turns around. GIRL "Why the hell are you following me?!" JAMES "What?" GIRL "You heard me! Why are you following me?" JAMES "What are you talking about?" GIRL "I'm talking about the fact that I see you everywhere I go, hence following. I'm shopping and I see your creepy ass staring at me. No big deal, just another sick freak, until I go down the street and see you waiting for me outside of the store. You even followed me all the way to the subway!" JAMES (Taken aback) "Now just wait a second." GIRL "Then, I'm minding my own business just trying to get inside my apartment and I see you standing behind me. So like i said, WHY ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME!" JAMES "I'm not following you, the other guy is." GIRL "...Excuse me?" JAMES "Yeah, I was people watching to get inspiration..." GIRL "People watching?" JAMES "Yeah, I uhhh, people watch to try and get inspiration... see I'm a writer." GIRL "So you were watching me and just decided to follow me?" JAMES "No, no, it's not like that at all. You see I was watching, and I saw this guy who was watching you, and then it looked like he was following you, so I followed him to see what was going on." GIRL "So another guy was following me?..." JAMES "Well... I think." GIRL "Then how did you get to my stoop?" JAMES "Well I saw him again," GIRL "You saw him again?" JAMES "Yes, so I followed him and he lead me here." GIRL "Umm right, and where is he now?" JAMES "He went around the corner. I was just about to let you know so you could look out for it." A pause. GIRL "Look Mr. I don't know who the fuck you are but I better not see your creepy face around here again! I don't know what in gods name you're talking about but I sure as hell know there's nobody following me besides you. So why don't you take your creepy self and go bother somebody else!" The girl turns around, keys into her front door, and slams the door in James face. James, hurt and upset, sighs, turns around and walks away down the street. INT. APARTMENT - EVENING The front door to the apartment opens and the girl walks in. She takes her coat off and hangs it up then begins to rustle with things around the apartment. EXT. STREET - EVENING James is seen walking down the street that the girls apartment is on, upset. INT. APARTMENT - EVENING GIRL "What the hell was that guys deal anyways." EXT. STREET - EVENING James is walking down the street again. He turns around, clearly looking at something, pauses, then starts to walk back in the direction of the girls apartment. INT. APARTMENT - EVENING The girl goes into the kitchen and opens the fridge when the buzzer to her apartment goes off. GIRL "If this is that guy again I swear." The girl walks over to the buzzer and presses the talk button. GIRL "Umm...Who is it?" BUZZER "Mattress delivery for an... Anne Starkly." GIRL "hmm... I didn't know Anne was getting a new mattress...Ok lemme buzz you up." The girl presses the buzzer to let the guy up and moves back over to the fridge. After a few moments there s a knock on the door. The girl walks over and opens the door. There is a man in a Uniform wearing a ball cap which is covering his face. GIRL "Where is the mattress?" MAN "Oh they're bringing it up the steps right now, I just came up first to make sure the door was open." GIRL "Oh, well come on in." The girl walks back over to the fridge and begins to take things out and put them on the counter next to her. The delivery mans face can now clearly be seen and we see that it is the same man that has been stalking her. MAN "So, you like it here?" GIRL (looking away from man) "...Oh, yeah I guess its not so bad." MAN "That's great, and your job, are you liking that?" GIRL "Umm... yeah... I guess." The man starts to slowly move closer to the the girl. MAN (while moving closer) "That's good. You know they say if you like your job you won't work a day in your life. But I Suppose for delivery men like me we have to rely on after work to get our pleasure. GIRL "Umm... Yeah... I uh... i guess so." At this point the man is right behind the girl. MAN "At least that's what I think, Don't You Veronica." GIRL "How do you know my name" The girl turns around and gasps at the man standing behind her. He grabs her and shoves a cloth into her mouth. She tries to get away but he throws her to the ground, then jumps on top of her grabbing her arms. MAN "I know a lot of things about you Veronica. You're a very naughty girl you know that. you've been taunting me. But Not any more Veronica. No, now its my turn. As he is talking, the front door, which is behind him and still cracked open, opens and James comes in. He sees what is happening, Grabs the skillet sitting on the counter and uses it to hit the man on the head, knocking him out immediately. The girl takes the cloth out of her mouth and pushes the man off of her. JAMES "Oh my god! are you ok?" The girl pants and nods. JAMES "Jesus, I just came back to apologize... A quick look at the man, then at the skillet in his hand. JAMES Holey shit. The girl sits up and starts to catch her breath while putting herself back together. GIRL "I take it that's the stalker right?" JAMES "Yeah, that'd be him" GIRL (Shaking head, face in hands) "Oh my god... sorry for earlier..." JAMES "Its fine, I was weird, I understand." GIRL "No, I should have listened to you. I mean why would some random guy that's been following me be wrong, right. JAMES "Well its happened before believe it or not. I don't exactly have the best track record for that sort of thing. Oh that was a joke... ha ha" GIRL I guess I'm glad you were people watching (a forced chuckle). Did umm, did you ever get the inspiration you were looking for. JAMES "...Yeah, I uhh, i don't think i need to worry about that. Should we call the police?" GIRL (A look at the man) "Probably a good idea." James grabs the phone and starts to dial the number. JAMES "God I can't believe I was actually right about this. By the way, whats your name?" GIRL "My name, it's Veronica." JAMES "Hi Veronica, I'm James." GIRL "Nice to meet you James." FADE OUT.